kivandopulus

Might as well rename the whole thing into Fandisc of the Month 1. Mashiro-iro Symphony: Sana Edition ましろ色シンフォニー SANA EDITION [230623] Palette The girl who can't be true to her feelings, Inui Sana. The Private Yuihime Girls Academy is supposed to be the place where she could have fun with her favorite senpai as well important friends. But when she became one of the "test student" where her class would be merged with students from the Private Kagami Academy, the environment around her changes. There, she met one certain student. His presence shook Sana's heart—just like how a falling snow changes a whole city. This is another love story. Fandisc 2. Go-toubun no Hanayome: Gotopazu Story 五等分の花嫁 ごとぱずストーリー [230629] MAGES. GAME The visual novel version of the franchise's online puzzle game. Contains all original event story from the first year of the game and the story adaptation from anime's first season. Anime spin-off 3. Ketsugou Danshi -Elements with Emotions- 結合男子 -Elements with Emotions- [230629] Square Enix In Ketsugou Danshi, players will guide those who possess the power of chemical elements—known as "Shikenkan"—to stop the world from being destroyed in 50 days through chemical bonding. The player takes on the role of a mediator who will bring together the Shikenkan who posses the power of each element. By combining them, the player will create various chemical reactions and fight against the enemy force known as "Red Matter. " Console exclusive 4. Happy Live, Show Up: Encore!! ハッピーライヴ ショウアップ アンコール！！ [230630] FAVORITE Akito goes on a journey and meets former acquaintance Miyabi who conveys the hidden feelings she realized after losing him. They decide to spend holidays in Elfburg where they used to live together. Fandisc 5. Houkago Cinderella 2 Mini Fandisk ~Kimi to Odoru Hajimete no Happy Halloween~ 放課後シンデレラ２ ミニファンディスク ～君と踊る初めてのハッピーハロウィン～ [230630] HOOKSOFT Months have flown by since the protagonist moved to this town and crossed paths with these lovely girls... The seasons have shifted, and now autumn is in full swing. Autumn—students recognize it as the harbinger of a grand event - the school cultural festival! Our protagonist is knee-deep in a frenzy of preparations for this momentous event. Today, tomorrow, and the day after, it's all about getting ready for the cultural festival after school! Prepare, prepare, prepare! But no matter how important the preps are, he knows spending time with his girlfriend is just as crucial. Yet, even with this knowledge... As the protagonist's personal time dwindles, the heroines' frustrations mount! They put on a brave face, but their pent-up desires are nearing a boiling point. Some can't hold it in any longer and lash out at the protagonist! Still, the cultural festival is almost here! Once it starts, they'll have no choice but to enjoy it together! Takoyaki, crepes, haunted houses... and even a myriad of peculiar stalls and events! How will our protagonist navigate the cultural festival with the heroine by his side...? The ball is entirely in his court! Fandisc 6. Chou-tantei Jikenbo RAIN CODE 超探偵事件簿 レインコード [230630] Spike Chunsoft A brand new dark fantasy detective action game from the minds behind the Danganronpa series! Yuma, an amnesiac detective-in-training, and Shinigami, the spirit haunting him, tackle unsolved mysteries! End the reign of mysteries in this lucid-noir detective adventure! Kanai Ward, the city of rain, is gripped by innumerable unsolved mysteries. Explore the city in a fully 3D environment and find Solution Keys that will help solve cases. Console exclusive Detective

Suzumiya Haruhi no Yuuutsu (2009) and Souten Kouro are my favorites in Spring 2009. K-On! and Shangri-La are following slightly behind. 1. Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood 鋼の錬金術師 FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST [Bones] (Finished 1/64) Tags: Shounen Military Action, Adventure, Drama, Fantasy After a horrific alchemy experiment goes wrong in the Elric household, brothers Edward and Alphonse are left in a catastrophic new reality. Ignoring the alchemical principle banning human transmutation, the boys attempted to bring their recently deceased mother back to life. Instead, they suffered brutal personal loss: Alphonse's body disintegrated while Edward lost a leg and then sacrificed an arm to keep Alphonse's soul in the physical realm by binding it to a hulking suit of armor. The brothers are rescued by their neighbor Pinako Rockbell and her granddaughter Winry. Known as a bio-mechanical engineering prodigy, Winry creates prosthetic limbs for Edward by utilizing "automail," a tough, versatile metal used in robots and combat armor. After years of training, the Elric brothers set off on a quest to restore their bodies by locating the Philosopher's Stone—a powerful gem that allows an alchemist to defy the traditional laws of Equivalent Exchange. As Edward becomes an infamous alchemist and gains the nickname "Fullmetal," the boys' journey embroils them in a growing conspiracy that threatens the fate of the world. Remake. Overall Rating: 6/10 2. K-On! けいおん! [Kyoto Animation] (Finished 13/13) Tags: CGDCT, Music, School Comedy A fresh high school year always means much to come, and one of those things is joining a club. Being in a dilemma about which club to join, Yui Hirasawa stumbles upon and applies for the Light Music Club, which she misinterprets to be about playing simple instruments, such as castanets. Unable to play an instrument, she decides to visit to apologize and quit. Meanwhile, the Light Music Club faces disbandment due to a lack of members. This causes the club members to offer anything, from food to slacking off during club time, in order to convince Yui to join. Despite their efforts, Yui insists on leaving due to her lack of musical experience. As a last resort, they play a piece for Yui, which sparks her fiery passion and finally convinces her to join the club. From then onward, it is just plain messing around with bits and pieces of practice. The members of the Light Music Club are ready to make their time together a delightful one! It's fresh and amusing, with nice songs, too. But can't say you're going to miss much by not watching it, so I'll stop at borderline masterpiece score. Overall Rating: 7/10 3. Higashi no Eden 東のエデン [Production I.G] (Finished 11/11) Tags: Award Winning, Mystery, Romance, Sci-Fi, Suspense On November 22, 2010, Japan was hit by missile strikes, a terrorist act that fortunately did not harm anyone, becoming known as "Careless Monday." Quickly forgotten, society goes on about their lives as normal. During her graduation trip to America three months later, friendly college student Saki Morimi's life is forever changed when she finds herself saved from unexpected trouble by Akira Takizawa. Takizawa is cheerful, but odd in many ways—he is stark naked and suffers from amnesia, believing himself to be a terrorist. In addition, he possesses a strange cell phone loaded with 8.2 billion yen in digital cash. Despite Takizawa's suspicious traits, Saki quickly befriends the enigmatic young man. However, unbeknownst to her, this is the beginning of a thrilling death game involving money, cell phones, and the salvation of the world. Higashi no Eden chronicles Saki's struggle to unravel the mysteries behind her savior, while Takizawa himself battles other individuals armed with similar cell phones and returning memories which reveal his possible connection to the event from months ago. Watched it at least twice and never got to like it, mostly due to genre as it all holds on things that are deliberately not told and ends in a fluke, as usual. Overall Rating: 6/10 4. Suzumiya Haruhi no Yuuutsu (2009) The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya Season 2 涼宮ハルヒの憂鬱 [Kyoto Animation] (Finished 14/14) Tags: School Comedy, Mystery, Sci-Fi Kyon has found himself dragged through many adventures as of late—all because of the SOS Brigade club and its excitable leader, Haruhi Suzumiya. He has stopped believing in the supernatural long ago, but after being forced to join this club based solely on that, he has seen things that cannot be explained logically. Joining Kyon on his various misadventures is the shy and soft-spoken Mikuru Asahina, the bookish Yuki Nagato, and the ever-cheerful Itsuki Koizumi. Whether it is summer vacation or a school festival, things involving their club and Haruhi herself always end up becoming strange. Sequel. Overall Rating: 8/10 5. Pandora Hearts パンドラハーツ [Xebec] (Finished 12/24) Tags: Shounen Adventure, Fantasy, Mystery To young Oz Vessalius, heir to the Vessalius Duke House, the perilous world called the Abyss is nothing more than a folktale used to scare misbehaving children. However, when Oz's coming-of-age ceremony is interrupted by the malicious Baskerville Clan intent on banishing him into the depths of the Abyss, the Vessalius heir realizes that his peaceful life of luxury is at its end. Now, he must confront the world of the Abyss and its dwellers, the monstrous "Chains," which are both not quite as fake as he once believed. Based on the supernatural fantasy manga of the same name, Pandora Hearts tells the story of fifteen-year-old Oz's journey to discover the meaning behind the strange events that have overtaken his life. Assisted by a mysterious Chain named Alice, whose nickname is "Bloodstained Black Rabbit," and members of a clandestine organization known as "Pandora," Oz begins to realize his existence may have more meaning than he could have ever imagined. It starts more or less as imitation of Shana, but loses any direction soon and becomes just humor variety show. Not funny at all. Overall Rating: 6/10 6. Dragon Ball Kai ドラゴンボール改 [Toei Animation] (Finished 1/97) Tags: Shounen Martial Arts, Super Power Action, Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy Five years after the events of Dragon Ball, martial arts expert Gokuu is now a grown man married to his wife Chi-Chi, with a four-year old son named Gohan. While attending a reunion on Turtle Island with his old friends Master Roshi, Krillin, Bulma and others, the festivities are interrupted when a humanoid alien named Raditz not only reveals the truth behind Gokuu's past, but kidnaps Gohan as well. With Raditz displaying power beyond anything Gokuu has seen before, he is forced to team up with his old nemesis, Piccolo, in order to rescue his son. But when Gokuu and Piccolo reveal the secret of the seven mystical wish-granting Dragon Balls to Raditz, he informs the duo that there is more of his race, the Saiyans, and they won’t pass up an opportunity to seize the power of the Dragon Balls for themselves. These events begin the saga of Dragon Ball Kai, a story that finds Gokuu and his friends and family constantly defending the galaxy from increasingly more powerful threats. Bizarre, comical, heartwarming and threatening characters come together in a series of battles that push the powers and abilities of Gokuu and his friends beyond anything they have ever experienced. Sequel. Overall Rating: 6/10 7. Phantom: Requiem for the Phantom [Bee Train] (Finished 26/26) Tags: Seinen Organized Crime Action, Drama, Suspense Mafia is rife in America where assassinations are a regular occurrence on the streets. Inferno, a mysterious company, is behind most of these dealings through the use of their near-invincible human weapon, "Phantom." One day, a Japanese tourist accidentally witnesses Phantom's latest murder. Desperate to escape, the tourist hides in a secluded building. However, Phantom, revealed to be a young woman named Ein, and the leader of Inferno "Scythe Master" captures the tourist and brainwashes him. Given the name "Zwei," this once peaceful tourist is now a puppet of Inferno with no memories. Drawn into a world of lies, deceit, and violence, Zwei must fight to survive, hopefully to one day regain his memories and escape from this world where he is constantly on the brink of death. Never watched this series to the end before, because it's genuinely boring, but had to finish it this time since I did visual novel review. And it's a rather faithful adaptation, even some bad endings are implemented with time rewind after them. But basically story is not interesting and even deliberately confusing even though characters and some missions are memorable enough, There's not enough depth and complexity for seinen, after all, as it moves mostly by adding characters and showing new relation ties. It needed to be adapted normally since visual novel is not in a good state, but it's not a masterpiece level story, and basically I don't like it. Overall Rating: 6/10 8. 07-Ghost セブンゴースト [Studio Deen] (Finished 2/25) Tags: Josei Military, Mythology Action, Fantasy Barsburg Empire's Military Academy is known for training elites who bring victory to the empire. Students of the academy freely utilize an ability called "Zaiphon" to fight, while the types of Zaiphon usable depends on the nature of the soldier. Teito Klein, a student at the academy, is one of the most promising soldiers produced. Although ridiculed by everyone for being a sklave (German for slave) with no memories of his past, he is befriended by a fellow student called Mikage. While preparing for the final exam, Teito uncovers a dark secret related to his past. When an attempt to assassinate Ayanami, a high-ranking official who killed his father, fails, Teito is locked away awaiting punishment. Only wanting the best for Teito, Mikage helps him escape. Teito ends up at the 7th District Church where he is taken in by the bishops. It is here that Teito attempts to evade the grasp of Ayanami and the Military, so he can rediscover his memories and learn why he is the person that can change the fate of the world. All the boys love references cry for a missing tag here. Overall Rating: 5/10 9. Sengoku Basara 戦国BASARA [Production I.G] (Finished 12/12) Tags: Historical, Martial Arts, Samurai, Super Power Action In the Sengoku period, the struggle for power and unification has brought endless bloodshed to the unstable Japan. Out of all the warring generals, Nobunaga Oda—the "Demon King of Owari"—has established himself as the strongest ruler. Friend or foe, he is determined to crush anyone who stands in his way of creating a tyrannical central government. The only two who dare rebel against Oda are the "One-eyed Dragon of Oshu" Masamune Date, and the distinguished but hot-blooded warrior of the Takeda clan, Yukimura Sanada. Though they share the goal of preventing Oda from unifying the domains, Masamune and Yukimura cannot see eye-to-eye. Equally skilled in combat, mutual admiration for one another causes these two feuding warriors to forge a fierce rivalry, thwarting any attempts to form a united front against the Demon King of Owari. With Oda's forces closing in on their respective territories, Masamune and Yukimura reluctantly learn to put aside their differences and fight together against the threatening usurpator. Superpower fantasy on Sengoku requires a lot of care while this game treats Sengoku as frivolously as possible resulting in mindless action with the gist pushed to the end. Overall Rating: 6/10 10. Senjou no Valkyria Valkyria Chronicles 戦場のヴァルキュリア [A-1 Pictures] (Finished 26/26) Tags: Military Action, Romance In its expansion west to gain resources, the Europan Imperial Alliance invades the neutral Principality of Gallia, seeking to take control of its vast Ragnite deposits. Their strategic advantage, technological superiority, and military might make opposition nonexistent, so they steamroll through the border of the sleepy principality with ease. As Imperial forces run through his quiet hometown, Welkin Gunther and his younger sister Isara jump into action, banding with the leader of the local militia to push the occupational forces out of the village. Quickly retreating to the Gallian capital, they are organized into a unit with the remnants of the militia, tasked with assisting in repelling the Imperial presence from the country. Though unfamiliar with war, the newly formed Squad Seven must defend their country from annexation. But as the battle rages on through the streets of Gallia, ancient secrets will bring the team closer than they'd ever anticipated. I hate original series, because I always want to get only perfect score as it gives more exp, and perfect score means winning in like two rounds with only precise actions foreseeing future as they should be based upon countless replays. But as a result I have not played more than five missions of the game and am curious to learn if story leads anywhere particular. But I've seen the tomb in the game, and nothing really good happens after that in anime. The middle is basically trope-heavy shoujo with Alicia behaving in the most evident banal way. The ending is a very expected and hinted twist (hinted even in the title, lol). Poor game, boring anime. Overall Rating: 6/10 11. Cross Game クロスゲーム [SynergySP] (Finished 1/50) Tags: Shounen School, Team Sports Drama, Romance, Sports Kou Kitamura and Aoba Tsukishima are often at odds—even though their families happen to be close friends and business partners. Although the only child of a sports shop owner, Kou has never been interested in playing baseball. Despite this, he possesses an impressive batting ability honed by frequent visits to the local baseball batting center run by the Tsukushima family. On the other hand, Aoba loves to play baseball and is a star player with exceptional pitching form. However, these two seemingly complete opposites share something very important to them—Wakaba Tsukishima, Aoba's older sister and Kou's destined sweetheart. Admired by the quarrelsome duo, Wakaba often finds herself the catalyst to their never-ending rivalry. But whether or not they realize that they have more in common than either would care to admit, only time will tell. The game of baseball may just be what the pair needs to ultimately overcome their own personal struggles. I'm absolutely tired of Mitsuru Adachi eternal baseball spokons. He's made like ten of them already and they all feel relatively the same. It's nauseating by this point. Overall Rating: 5/10 12. Hayate no Gotoku!! Hayate the Combat Butler!! ハヤテのごとく!! [J.C.Staff] (Finished 1/25) Tags: Shounen Harem, Parody Action, Comedy, Romance Hayate Ayasaki's misfortune continues to hand him the short end of the stick. Now settled into his routine at the Sanzenins' mansion and Hakuou Academy, the butler continues to work as hard as ever in caring for his young mistress Nagi while studying the school's grueling curriculum—all on top of trying his best to survive the multitude of troubles that life relentlessly pushes onto him. The unintentional chick magnet's life is far from quiet, forced to deal not only with Nagi's yet unnoticed infatuation with him, but also the evergrowing string of accidentally seduced girls—most notably, the exceptionally plain Ayumu Nishizawa, a friend of his before he became a butler, and the diligent Hinagiku Katsura, Hakuou's student council president. While one struggles to gain his affection and the other desperately tries to deny her own, both the girls are going to make the boy's life a little more complicated than it already is. Sequel. Overall Rating: 6/10 13. Asura Cryin' アスラクライン [Seven Arcs] (Finished 3/13) Tags: Mecha Action, Supernatural Natsume Tomoharu is a normal high-school student in every way with one exception: he's being followed by the ghost of his best friend, Misao. After moving into his brother's old house, Tomoharu expects to continue living his normal life but is one day left with a mysterious and locked briefcase without any instruction. At first he plans to leave it in storage; however, his house is soon invaded by multiple groups of people after the briefcase. Although still not knowing the purpose of the briefcase, Tomoharu and Misao attempt to escape with it. From there on, Tomoharu tries to learn the secrets behind the briefcase, the connections between it and Misao, and why it has the power to change the world. Not decent characters spotted, and overall it's an average wonder waffle story with weird tilt into spirits. Overall Rating: 6/10 14. Hatsukoi Limited. 初恋限定。 [J.C.Staff] (Finished 12/12) Tags: Shounen School Comedy, Romance Ayumi Arihara believes that being loved is the ultimate key to happiness—which is why her greatest wish is to have a boy confess to her. A series of unfortunate events leads to her ideal dream coming true, albeit in a nightmarish way: the towering and terrifying Misao Zaitsu confesses his love to Ayumi through a letter. Mentally exhausted from not knowing what to do, Ayumi collapses in class. A classmate comes to her rescue, carrying her princess-style to the infirmary. This makes Ayumi fall in love with the cute boy, only to realize he is none other than Misao's younger brother, Mamoru. Feeling caught between a rock and a hard place, Ayumi must decide whether to stick to her idea of love or pursue what she truly desires. However, Ayumi is not alone in her struggles—all her friends are also taking on the challenges of first love, and for teenagers, it is never as easy as it seems. Cute designs and small romance stories. It's all nice and watchable, but I'm not sure I can ever rate an omnibus format as masterpiece no matter the quality just because it can't be integral. Overall Rating: 6/10 15. Queen's Blade: Rurou no Senshi Queen's Blade: The Exiled Virgin クイーンズブレイド 流浪の戦士 [Arms] (Finished 3/12) Tags: Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Ecchi In a land where a queen is chosen every few years solely by winning a tournament, there can be no short supply of formidable opponents. For one woman warrior however, an early defeat clearly shows her that she is lacking in experience though she may be bountiful in body. Fortunately, while defeat could spell one's doom, her life is saved by a powerful stranger. But unfortunately for this savior, less-than-pure motives and shrewd family members mean her reward is a prison cell. Her release is prompt when the unseasoned warrior she saved, tired of her current lifestyle of nobility, sets off to prove herself. Queen's Blade is probably the most famous booby action series. And unlike some Freezing story here is just battle royale. Overall Rating: 6/10 16. Saki 咲-Saki- [Gonzo, Picture Magic] (Finished 1/25) Tags: Seinen School, Strategy Game Slice of Life Due to childhood circumstances, first-year high school student Saki Miyanaga hates anything related to mahjong. When she does play the game, she keeps a low profile to avoid standing out. One day, her friend Kyoutarou Suga drags her along to the school's mahjong club. There, she meets Nodoka Haramura, the champion of the previous year's national middle school mahjong championship, and Yuuki Kataoka, a fellow club member. As the club play a few rounds, Saki attempts to hide her talent. However, the club president, Hisa Takei, notices Saki's unusual playstyle. Realizing her potential, she puts Saki's real ability to the test—proving her to be more talented than expected. This revelation damages Nodoka's pride, and their relationship gets off to a rocky start. Saki ends up joining the club, and after clearing up the misunderstandings between her and Nodoka, friendship blooms between them. As Saki slowly warms up to mahjong once again, she and the rest of her club only have one goal—to win nationals! Mahjong is not fun, and I don't find these characters or development interesting either. Overall Rating: 5/10 17. Tears to Tiara ティアーズ・トゥ・ティアラ [White Fox] (Finished 3/26) Tags: Action, Adventure, Fantasy As the Holy Empire rises to power, the neighboring lands begin to gradually fall under its control. The Empire's conquest eventually reaches the small island of Erin, home to the Gael tribe. There, a priestess named Riannon is kidnapped to be offered as a living sacrifice to the demon king Arawn, a malevolent being rumored to have caused untold destruction in the past. Riannon's brother, First Warrior Arthur, rescues her, when Arawn suddenly materializes before them as a handsome grey-haired man. Hiding his true identity and remaining enigmatic, Arawn pledges his power and leadership to the tribe's cause and joins Arthur, Riannon, and their merry band of friends—including a talented swordsman, an agile hunter, and a group of ecstatic pixies—as they fight back against the Empire, while uncovering the dark secrets of the land along the way. Leaf has serious problem with plots, so this is another boring story, now even more banal than Utawarerumono, just fantasy about retaking kingdom as an adventurer party with some sympathizers. Many flaws and irritations in here. Overall Rating: 5/10 18. Tayutama: Kiss on My Deity タユタマ -Kiss on my Deity- [SILVER LINK.] (Finished 3/12) Tags: Harem Romance, Supernatural Yuuri Mito is a typical, normal Japanese teenager. He goes to school, works on people's motorcycles and performs exorcisms. Okay, that last part's a little bit unusual, but his family lives in a shrine and they do that sort of thing. Still, you would think he'd know enough to be careful with an ancient relic he finds in the woods, especially when a mysterious goddess appears and tells him to leave it alone. Unfortunately, despite Mito's best efforts, the seal gets broken anyway and a number of dangerous "tayuti" that it held in stasis get loose. This is bad. Mito also ends up with a beautiful goddess girl who decides that she's going to marry him. This might not be so bad. if he wasn't already caught up in the middle of a war between the entities he's released. The flesh may be weak but the spirit's more than willing to compensate. Never liked the game, adaptation is same banal harem mess. Overall Rating: 5/10 19. Shangri-La シャングリ・ラ [Gonzo] (Finished 1/24) Tags: Action, Drama, Sci-Fi In a post-apocalyptic society, much of earthquake-riddled Japan has been left to ruin, resulting in an abundance of greenery. Governments manage much of the world's emissions, resulting in a massive class divide and economic disparity. The Japanese government launches "Project Atlas," a utopian city that will replace Tokyo but can only fit a certain amount of people. This limitation means that some people will have to live outside the city in jungles, as refugees. However, with any flawed plan comes those who are willing to challenge it. These include Kuniko Houjou, an heir to a renegade town; Mikuni, a mysterious and powerful child kept in a secret temple; Kunihito Kusanagi, a soldier for the high-tech and exclusive monopoly Atlas; Karin Ishida, a genius economics whiz with her hand in markets across the world; and the villainous Ryouko Naruse, leading Atlas in its domination of this future world. Can this group of rebels, forming a movement known as "Metal-Age," band together to demonstrate that inclusion and teamwork prevail over cruel segregation? Shangri-La made a great impression on me when I watched it for the first time, definitely of a masterpiece level. And even now I see it as a full head ahead of rivals as it has memorable characters, world and story. It deserves a minor masterpiece status, because it's an innovative concept though not without flaws and some irritations. Overall Rating: 7/10 20. Natsu no Arashi! Summer Storm! 夏のあらし！ [Shaft] (Finished 2/13) Tags: Shounen Time Travel Comedy, Romance, Supernatural In modern-day Japan, 13-year-old Hajime Yasaka moves to the countryside to stay with his grandfather. On the way to his new home, a lost Hajime finds himself in a cafe called Ark, where he immediately falls in love with one of the waitresses: the gorgeous Sayoko "Arashi" Arashiyama. While Arashi is initially unconcerned with the boy, her attitude quickly changes after she grasps Hajime's hand, leading her to believe they are "connected." As it turns out, Arashi is anything but a regular teenager—in reality, she is the ghost of a girl who perished in World War II. By touching a man she connects with, she gains the ability to travel back in time. Delighted to have found someone who can unlock her powers, Arashi asks Hajime to help with her mission: to save civilians from the carnage of the war that claimed her life. Smitten with Arashi, Hajime readily agrees. But as the two get further involved with Arashi's past, they soon discover that she is not the only one able to transcend time. Learning that it comes from School Rumble author helps me a lot. There's also lots of girls, ultramusculine side character, supernatural element used for convenience and same unfunny stupid humor that I absolutely can't stand for long (there are even characters from School Rumble occasionally at background). Overall Rating: 6/10 21. Basquash! バスカッシュ！ [Satelight] (Finished 1/26) Tags: Mecha, Team Sports Sci-Fi, Sports On the planet Earthdash, its inhabitants gaze on its moon and the technologically advanced lunar city of Mooneyes with awe. Dan JD, a boy living in Rollingtown on Earthdash's surface, gets caught up in Bigfoot Basketball—a fast-paced sport played with giant Bigfoot robots. Yay... childish CG mecha basketball... yay... Overall Rating: 5/10 22. Ristorante Paradiso リストランテパラディーゾ [David Production] (Finished 2/11) Tags: Josei Workplace Drama, Gourmet, Romance When Nicoletta was a little girl, her mother, Olga, abandoned her and ran off to Rome to remarry. Now, 15 years later and a young woman, she travels to Rome with the intention of ruining her mother's life. She tracks Olga down to a restaurant called Casetta dell'Orso, but the second Nicoletta steps through its door, everything changes. It's a peculiar place staffed entirely by mature gentlemen wearing spectacles, and like their clientele, she is helpless against their wise smiles and warm voices. Before Nicoletta realizes it, her plans for vengeance start to fade, and she's swept up in the sweet romance of everyday Italian life. I can't stop getting surprised at combinations of unpleasant things that authors manage to combine in one anime. First of all, reverse harem tag is missing here. Josei needs intelligence to shine, like Nodame Cantabile. Girl having revenge as motive, obsessed by adultery phenomenon and easily getting charmed by everyone while acting impulsively is the opposite of intelligent. And on top of that I can't treat gourmet shows seriously. And why every single character so ugly... Overall Rating: 5/10 23. Guin Saga グイン・サーガ [Satelight] (Finished 26/26) Tags: Adventure, Fantasy The ancient kingdom of Parros has been invaded by the armies of Mongaul, and its king and queen have been slain. But the "twin pearls of Parros," the princess Rinda and the prince Remus, escape using a strange device hidden in the palace. Lost in Roodwood, they are rescued from Mongaul soldiers by a strange leopard-headed man, who has no memories except for the words "Aurra" and "Guin," which he believes to be his name. Despite being fantasy with complex setting, it feels morally old and banal and super convenient, so boring as a result . Overall Rating: 6/10 24. Shinkyoku Soukai Polyphonica Crimson S 神曲奏界ポリフォニカ [Diomedéa] (Finished 1/12) Tags: Music, School Drama, Fantasy, Romance The new series will again focus on Corticarte, but it will tie into Ichiro Sakaki and Noboru Kannatsuki's Shinkyoku Sōkai Polyphonica crimson S light novel adaptation, which are set during the Academy years of the storyline. Sequel. Overall Rating: 6/10 25. Souten Kouro Beyond the Heavens 蒼天航路 [Madhouse] (Finished 1/26) Tags: Historical Action, Adventure Souten Kouro's story is based loosely on the events taking place in Three Kingdoms period of China during the life of the last Chancellor of the Eastern Han Dynasty, Cao Cao (155 – March 15, 220), who also serves as the main character. The Three Kingdoms period has been a popular theme in Japanese manga for decades, but Souten Kouro differs greatly from most of the others on several points. One significant difference is its highly positive portrayal of its main character, Cao Cao, who is traditionally the antagonist in not only Japanese manga, but also most novel versions of the Three Kingdoms period, including the original 14th century version, Romance of the Three Kingdoms by Luo Guanzhong. Another significant difference from others is that the storyline primarily uses the original historical account of the era, Records of Three Kingdoms by Chen Shou, as a reference rather than the aforementioned Romance of the Three Kingdoms novel. By this, the traditional hero of Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Liu Bei, takes on relatively less importance within the story and is portrayed in a less positive light. Yet, several aspects of the story are in fact based on the novel version, including the employment of its original characters such as Diao Chan, as well as anachronistic weapons such as Guan Yu's Green Dragon Crescent Blade and Zhang Fei's Viper Blade. A consistent theme throughout the story is Cao Cao's perpetual desire to break China and its people away from its old systems and ways of thinking and initiate a focus on pragmatism over empty ideals. This often puts him at odds with the prevalent customs and notions of Confucianism and those that support them. I enjoyed it more than expected. It has decent designs and fights and tricks. But it covers strife inside the Empire, Cao Cao ascension, Yellow Turban rebellion and gradual transformation into direct conflict with Liu Bei, so it's basically prequel to Sangokushi trilogy that covered the most epic parts already. And Liu Bei is pictured here as a charismatic and weak adventurer which was not to my liking. In the end I enjoyed it substantially, but without any awe - for a firm masterpiece score. Overall Rating: 8/10 26. Arad Senki: Slap Up Party アラド戦記 ～スラップアップパーティー～ [Gonzo] (Finished 5/26) Tags: Action, Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy The anime will follow the adventures of Baron, a man living on continent of Arad in the year 981 after "the cursed light of Kazan" has fallen across the land. Thanks to the curse, one of his arms has become possessed. After finding a sword that has been possessed by the spirit Roxy, he embarks on a quest to unravel the secret of the curse and meets various people who also join his party. A decent jrpg parody with occasionally ok humor, but most of the time it's not funny, and random development only tires me. Overall Rating: 6/10 27. Shin Mazinger Shougeki! Z-hen Mazinger Edition Z: The Impact! Ｚマジンガー; 真マジンガー 衝撃！Z編 [Bee Media, Code] (Finished 1/26) Tags: Shounen Mecha, Super Power Action, Drama Set in the near future, humanity enters another energy revolution following the discovery of Photon Power. Derived from the ore discovered under the foothills of Mt. Fuji, its intended use was to solve the world's energy problems with its unimaginable power. Seeking this energy is Dr. Hell, a madman craving world domination who with his subordinates Baron Ashura, Count Brocken and Viscount Pygman, commands an army of mechanical beasts excavated from the ruins of ancient Greece to seize the Photon Power Lab for himself. Meeting the attack head on is the hot-blooded teenager Kabuto Kouji, who pilots the Photon Powered robot built by his grandfather, Mazinger Z. But in this battle between Dr. Hell and the Kabuto family, many legends surrounding the Mycenaean Civilization and Bardos Island, as well as the secrets of Mazinger Z remain shrouded in mystery. A new series based on the mecha show that started it all, Mazinger Z. Shin Mazinger Shougeki! Z-Hen starts over from the beginning with a new cast, to tell a new story unrelated to the original show Sequel. Overall Rating: 5/10 28. Jewelpet ジュエルペット [Studio Comet] (Finished 1/52) Tags: Shoujo Anthropomorphic Fantasy When what looks to be a cluster of shooting stars appear in the sky, Rinko Kougyoku and her friend Minami each make a wish. What the girls truly saw were not stars, but 'Jewel Charms' falling to the Earth. These charms were created by three magicians in a magical world names Jewel Land, each housing one of its many native Jewelpets. Although these creatures are free to roam the world in their original form, the magicians sometimes turn them into charms so that they can be carried around with great ease. Most Jewelpets don't find this troublesome, but once a mischievous bunny by the name of Ruby feels overly claustrophobic, she devises her escape. One day, the magicians decide to move the Jewelpets, and task a pelican with delivering them to the Dream Forest. All is well until a strong gust of wind disorients the bird, who then drops all of the charms that he was carrying. Instead of heading towards the Dream Forest, all the Jewelpets but Ruby fall to Rinko’s home city on Earth. Someone must go and retrieve them all, and as Ruby was the worst-behaved of the bunch, she is given the task of going to Earth. When Ruby reaches Earth in the form of a red Jewel Charm, she falls into Rinko’s water glass, and thus begins a rather unexpected adventure. Rinko, Minami, and Ruby form an alliance to search and gather all of the fallen charms, encountering strange creatures and tons of helpful allies along the way. Will they be able to succesfully bring the Jewelpets home safely, or is Earth full of more danger than they had expected? Rather typical shoujo of a girl who wants courage to talk in public and needs magic for that, and couple pinky plushies help with all that. The number of tropes in pilot episode is overwhelming, so that's all I can bear. Overall Rating: 6/10 29. Gokujou!! Mecha Mote Iinchou The Best!! Extremely Cool Student Council President 極上!!めちゃモテ委員長 [Shogakukan Music & Digital Entertainment] (Finished 2/51) Tags: Shoujo School Comedy, Romance Mimi Kitagami is a kind, level-headed girl who aims to be the best, coolest student council president of her high school class. However, three trouble-making boys are always causing her grief — and she has a one-sided crush on one of the boys, Ushio Toujou. We've seen many times this school romance shojo where girl gets turned down over and over by mysterious boy with presumably tragic background. There's also enough cringe. But CGI makes it look even worse than usual and deserves an extra penalty score. Overall Rating: 5/10 30. Konnichiwa Anne: Before Green Gables こんにちは アン ～Before Green Gables [Nippon Animation] (Finished 1/39) Tags: Historical Drama The story of what happened to Anne Shirley before she was adopted. Prequel to World Masterpiece Series show, so only for niche audience. Overall Rating: 6/10 31. Mainichi Kaasan Kaasan: Mom's Life 毎日かあさん [Gallop, TYO Animations, Dongwoo A&E] (Finished 1/142) Tags: Childcare Comedy, Slice of Life Based on Rieko Saibara's humorous semi-autobiographical manga about her life raising her two children. Just very short simplistic SOL sketches with crude graphics. And most sketches follow the same structure - mom has to clean after her relatives or otherwise handle their actions, and that's not funny at all. It only confirms my thesis that autobiographies are usually boring. Overall Rating: 5/10 32. Kigurumikku V3 きグルみっく☆V3 [AIC ASTA] (Finished 3/3) Tags: Mecha, Parody Comedy, Ecchi The high spirited girls Azuki Edomae, Mutsumi Mutsuki and Serika Shihodo, put on their "KIGURUMI"costumes instantly transforming them into the super heros Kigurumikku-Swan, Kigurumikku-Falcon and Kigurumikku-Swallow. Follow these super-girls as they defend Minamachi City and bring peace to the town. A silly magical girl parody that is over in half an hour, and I'm not even sure it would be any good to watch in a company. Overall Rating: 5/10 33. Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children Complete ファイナルファンタジーVII アドベントチルドレンコンプリート [Square Enix Visual Works] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Super Power Action, Fantasy Two years after saving the world from a cataclysmic event, the members of the activist organization Avalanche have gone their separate ways. Tifa Lockhart opens a new bar, and her childhood friend Cloud Strife starts up a motorcycle-based courier service. Although most of their former allies have fallen out of touch, Cloud and Tifa live in fragile peace with their two young wards Marlene and Denzel. Their life together begins to crumble as a contagious plague and overwhelming grief pull Cloud away from his newfound family. While distancing himself through his work, Cloud is attacked by three silver-haired figures in black uniforms who bear a passing resemblance to his bitter rival, Sephiroth. As the antagonistic trio stalks Cloud and brings harm to his loved ones, the former mercenary struggles against his own demons while fighting to protect his family and prevent the will of Sephiroth from returning to the planet. How much does Director's Cut version add to the movie? In my experience, very little of what matters - usually just flavor scenes for some characters. I remember 2005 movie as action packed thriller while here pace is worse. but I'm definitely not going to rewatch it again in search of new scenes. Should watch one or another, but not both. Don't see the need for this version tbh. Overall Rating: 4/10 34. Dogs: Bullets & Carnage ドッグズ／バレッツ＆カーネイジ [David Production] (Finished 4/4) Tags: Seinen Action It is sometime in the future, where a certain European city extends far underground, even secret, dark levels that have the key to the past. Ex-assassin Mihai has returned and is living with Kiri, who now runs a restaurant. Sword-wielding Naoto, Haine (white hair), a mysterious product of genetic engineering and his sometime partner Badou (eyepatch). Each episode is a short 15-minute story with different protagonist, and I really don't like omnibus collections. Overall Rating: 5/10 35. Final Fantasy VII: On the Way to a Smile - Episode: Denzel デンゼルを中心としたオリジナルアニメ [A-1 Pictures] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Super Power Action, Fantasy After the three-pronged conflict between tyrannical electric company Shinra, rebel group Avalanche, and the maniacal Sephiroth, the damaged planet slowly heals its wounds. A rural town dubbed Edge sprouts up on the outskirts of Midgar's ruins. Reeve Tuesti, former Head of Urban Development at Shinra, interviews a young boy named Denzel for potential membership in Reeve's World Regenesis Organization, a group devoted to the restoration and protection of the planet. Denzel recounts his tragic history to Reeve, detailing how the aftermath of the heroic Avalanche's actions laid waste to Midgar and took the lives of everyone the boy knew. Through reminiscing to Reeve, Denzel discovers a newfound purpose. It's under half an hour and about a side character that was not really interesting from the start, so I'd live without it. Overall Rating: 6/10 36. Issho ni Training: Training with Hinako いっしょにとれーにんぐ [Studio Hibari] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Sports, Ecchi "First muscle training animation ever," a 16-year-old girl named Hinako leads exercises in push-ups, sit-ups, and squats. Hinako was once a human, but she was turned into an anime character when she was a second-year middle-school student. There's no plot, so just a waste of ten minutes. Overall Rating: 4/10 37. Yurumates ゆるめいつ [Indeprox, Takeshobo, indigo line] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Seinen Comedy, Slice of Life Yurume, an 18-year old "ronin" and recent high school graduate, has high hopes of being accepted and attending Tokyo University. She moves into an apartment complex, the Maison du Wish, located on the outskirts of Tokyo where other ronins living there are studying for upcoming college acceptance exams. Relaxing episodic SOL comedy, but with schematic graphics, so can't really appreciate it. Overall Rating: 5/10 38. Cobra The Animation: Time Drive COBRA THE ANIMATION タイム・ドライブ [Magic Bus] (Finished 2/2) Tags: Shounen Adult Cast, Space Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi Lady has disappeared so Cobra must dive into her past to save her. This is the story of who Lady used to be and how she got that metal body. Another prequel to the series, this time about side character. Don't know about the 2010 series, but these movies are synonyms to cringe. Overall Rating: 5/10 39. First Squad: The Moment of Truth ファーストスクワッド [Studio 4°C] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Historical, Military, Super Power Action, Supernatural As the Second World War rages on throughout Europe and the German forces advance closer to Moscow, the days of the Soviet Union seem numbered. Their only hope is the First Squad, a special unit operating within the Soviet intelligence service that consists of teenagers possessing supernatural abilities. However, the unit's sole surviving member Nadya Ruslanova suffers from memory loss and is unlikely to take part in any combat operation. The next Moment of Truth—an event that happens once every 700 years, when the actions of a single man can change the entire course of history—is rapidly approaching the Eastern Front. In hopes of breaking the stalemate at the frontlines, a German occult organization called Ahnenerbe plans to summon Baron von Wolff, a medieval knight from the Northern Crusades, and his undead army from the underworld. To prevent this from happening, First Squad must gather once again, and it is up to Nadya to bring back her deceased friends to stop the Nazis from taking over the world. Tasteless averageness created just to steal budget money. Overall Rating: 5/10 40. Miyamoto Musashi: Souken ni Haseru Yume Musashi: The Dream of the Last Samurai 宮本武蔵 ―双剣に馳せる夢― [Production I.G] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Historical, Martial Arts, Samurai Action The film's story centers on Musashi Miyamoto, one of the most famous swordsmen in Japanese history. He pioneered the Hyouhou Niten Ichi-ryuu style of two-sword fighting and wrote The Book of Five Rings, a book that has been compared to Sun Tzu's The Art of War for its insight on tactics and strategy. If you expected a coherent life story of a famous samurai, it's the wrong place. Most of it is CG with explanation on warfare and time period and climate and whatever else. Add real life footages and numerous guides antics and you'll get a weird mix... that is definitely not a documentary, so better use something else if you're really interested in this samurai. Overall Rating: 5/10 41. Crayon Shin-chan Movie 17: Otakebe! Kasukabe Yasei Oukoku クレヨンしんちゃん オタケベ!カスカベ野生王国 [Shin-Ei Animation] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Seinen Comedy, Sci-Fi Comical action adventure film including a caricature of radical ecoactivism and theme of bond between mother and children. The new mayor of Futaba Town, Kasukabe-City, Saitama Prefecture, Mamoru Shizan promotes ecology activities, but his true identity is the leader of an eco-terrorist organization "SKBE: Save Keeping Beautiful Earth", and he launches a plan to transform human into animals by making them take a drink to change into animals. By taking the drink, Shinnosuke's father, Hiroshi changes into a chicken, and his mother changes into a panther. With a mystery woman Victoria, the Nohara Family and half-animalized members of Kasukabe Defense Forces fight against SKBE to stop Shizen's plan. Ecology cult episode is one of the weakest overall. Overall Rating: 5/10 42. Baton バトン [-] (Finished 3/3) Tags: Adventure, Sci-Fi Project to mark Yokohama City's 150th anniversary. On Planet Abel, humans and robots co-exist. One day a mysterious stowaway on a transport vessel tries to invade the planet, but is discovered by Apollo (Hayato Ichihara), a robot that looks like a human; and Mikaru (Aya Ueto), a human that looks like a robot. The stowaway had in his possession a memory chip containing the latest in camouflage software, the mysterious "Cipher" OS. Apollo takes the Cipher chip simply for fun, but has no idea what he's getting himself into. He suddenly starts acting strange, but Mikaru has no idea what's wrong or that Cipher is behind it. What exactly is Cipher? What sort of secrets does it hold? Apollo and Mikaru will unravel a mystery encompassing the past, present, and future to find out. The main problem is that it's not anime, but some kind of digitalized motion capture. World is shown only schematically, and focus is on facial emotions and fighting choreography, because it's what used technology can do the best. Story is not bad though short, but poor crude visuals and long scenes of the similar action happening kill all the intrigue. Overall Rating: 5/10 43. Batain Lai!! Minami no Shima no Mizu Monogatari パッテンライ!!　～南の島の水ものがたり～ [Mushi Production] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Historical Slice of Life The year is 1917, and under Japanese occupation, Taiwan suffers from terrible drought and famine. Residents of the Chianan Plain live in squalor, their lives defined by the daily struggle of carting water home. When Yoichi Hatta, a Japanese civil engineer, arrives with a plan to reshape the area's irrigation dramatically, the local residents are quick to call him a liar. Xu Yingzhe, the son of a poor farmer, takes issue with the outright rejection of Hatta's plan and tries to reason and grasp the situation. Hatta's scheme may seem crazy, but it could be the very thing that improves the strenuous lives of the Taiwanese people. Good occupant tries to make residents' lives better and only meets resentment which gradually changes. It is pretty well done and based on real events, but I don't find any of it interesting. Overall Rating: 5/10

Sequel Druaga no Tou: The Sword of Uruk is the only contestant this small season. 1. Hajime no Ippo: New Challenger はじめの一歩 新シリーズ [Madhouse] (Finished 1/26) Tags: Shounen Combat Sports Japanese Featherweight Champion Ippo Makunouchi has successfully defended and retained his title. Meanwhile, his rival, Ichirou Miyata, has resurfaced in Japan, aiming for his own Featherweight belt in the Oriental Pacific Boxing Federation. When the rest of the world comes knocking, however, will Japan's best fighters rise to the challenge and achieve glory at the top? Or will the small island nation be crushed under the weight of greater entities? This time, champions will become challengers issuing a call to the rest of the world and ready to show off their fighting spirit! Sequel. Overall Rating: 6/10 2. Zoku Natsume Yuujinchou 続 夏目友人帳 [Brain's Base] (Finished 1/13) Tags: Shoujo Iyashikei, Mythology Drama, Slice of Life, Supernatural As with its prequel, Zoku Natsume Yuujinchou is about Takashi Natsume, a boy who has had the ability to see youkai since he was young, and his bodyguard youkai Madara, nicknamed Nyanko-sensei. Natsume attempts to return names written in his "Book of Friends" (which he inherited from his grandmother Reiko) to youkai in his village. Throughout these adventures, he meets some youkai that are friendly, some that want to steal the Book, and some that want to kill him, as Natsume learns about himself and his relationship with these mysterious beings along the way. Sequel. Overall Rating: 6/10 3. Chrome Shelled Regios 鋼殻のレギオス [Zexcs] (Finished 24/24) Tags: School Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Sci-Fi In a post-apocalyptic world overrun with mutated beasts called Limbeekoon or Filth Monsters, humanity is forced to live in large mobile cities called Regios and learn to use special weapons called Dite, by harnessing the power of Kei to defend themselves. In the Academy City of Zuellni, Layfon Alseif is hoping to start a new life and forget his past. However, his past has caught the attention of Karian Loss, the manipulative Student Council President and Nina Antalk, a Military Arts student and Captain of the 17th Military Arts Platoon, who instantly recognizes his abilities and decides he’s the perfect candidate to join her group. However, with a secret past that won’t leave him alone and unknown powers beyond normal, Layfon just might not take it. Hearing about it for the first time, but after watching it I can say for sure - it's not a masterpiece. It tries to combine elements from a lot of notable shows and all that eclecticism is killing its potential. Overall Rating: 6/10 4. Asu no Yoichi! Samurai Harem 明日のよいち！ [AIC] (Finished 1/12) Tags: Shounen Harem, Martial Arts Comedy, Romance, Ecchi Yoichi Karasuma has spent all of his life in the mountains, training in the Soaring Wind, Divine Wind swordsmanship style. Under his father’s guidance, he is able to master the technique at the age of 17. With nothing left to learn, Yoichi is sent to a new dojo located in the city so he can continue to train and gain an understanding of modern society. Unfortunately, Yoichi has no idea how to act or speak to anyone in the present day and acts like a samurai, complete with odd speech and traditional clothing. As he goes to live with the Ikaruga sisters at the dojo, Yoichi, clueless on how to interact with others, is constantly hurtled in hilarious misunderstandings. Asu no Yoichi! follows Yoichi as he stumbles through his new life and tries to learn how to live in the modern world with his new family. It's pretty much what you imagine. Redneck samurai gets to civilization and everyone falls for him, then it's a typical romcom comedy. Overall Rating: 6/10 5. Maria†Holic まりあ†ほりっく [Shaft] (Finished 3/12) Tags: Crossdressing, Parody, School Comedy, Girls Love In search of true love, Kanako Miyamae transfers to Ame no Kisaki Catholic school, inspired by how her parents fell in love with each other there. There is just one difference, though: because men make Kanako break into hives, she has actually come to the all-girls school to find a partner of the same sex. When she meets the beautiful Mariya Shidou, Kanako believes she has found that special someone; however, there's more to Mariya than meets the eye—it turns out that Kanako's first love is actually a cross-dressing boy. Mariya threatens to expose Kanako's impure intentions unless she keeps his real gender a secret, and to make things worse, he also replaces her original roommate so that he can now keep a close eye on her. Maria†Holic follows Kanako as she looks for love in all the wrong places and searches for the girl of her dreams—that is, if she can survive being Mariya's roommate! Finally the unserious girls love, but I can't describe these overreactions as comedy, no fun in that. Overall Rating: 6/10 6. Akikan! アキカン! [Brain's Base] (Finished 12/12) Tags: Anthropomorphic Comedy, Fantasy, Romance, Ecchi Hobbies are often a great way of meeting new people, but how could Kakeru Daichi, who collects rare juice cans, have ever suspected that he'd meet a fascinating new girl when he attempted to DRINK her? Naming her Melon, because she's got great melon... soda, Kakeru quickly learns that she's an Akikan—a beautiful girl who's also a special can created to fight other Akikans in a strange experiment to determine what kind of container is better: steel or aluminum! Will becoming involved in this ridiculously twisted research project gone amuck complicate Kakeru's life incredibly? Of course it will, but because Melon's steel body needs carbon dioxide to breathe, he's now stuck with her since she's too CO2 dependent! And when his wealthy, attractive, best childhood friend Najimi gets HER own aluminum Akikan, the trouble really begins! Nice ecchi cohabitation with a girl, but it's hard to call this collection of stamps a masterpiece. Overall Rating: 6/10 7. Kurokami The Animation 黒神 The Animation [Sunrise] (Finished 6/23) Tags: Seinen Martial Arts, Super Power Action High school student Ibuki Keita has been haunted by misfortune for as long as he can remember. For no apparent reason, everyone around him dies tragically. Ultimately, he refuses to become too close to anyone, even his childhood friend Akane. This leaves Keita alone in a life full of misery and disgrace. While eating at his favorite ramen shop one evening, Keita meets a strange young girl named Kuro. Possessing abilities that surpass that of a normal human being, Kuro classifies herself as a Mototsumitama. She explains to Keita about "Terra," a life-energy force split between three identical looking people; a global phenomenon dubbed the "Doppeliner System." As a Mototsumitama, Kuro guards the "Coexistence Equilibrium," the beings that protect the flow of Terra around the world. Keita refuses to believe her story, until he is caught up in the crossfire of this hidden world. On the verge of death, he makes a contract with Kuro, unbeknownst to its true meaning. Now he is bound to Kuro, and must be with her at all times. Could Keita's misfortune possibly get any greater? Concept is copycat of Shana with alterations, characters aren't empathetic, enemies are rather poor and belonging to some mysterious organization as usual. Quality is ok, but it all feels bland and not interesting. Overall Rating: 6/10 8. White Album ホワイトアルバム [Seven Arcs] (Finished 13/13) Tags: Harem, Idols (Female), Music Drama, Romance Can a relationship between a regular college student and an idol singer survive? That is the question that White Album tries to answer. Touya Fujii is a normal college student with normal worries—namely balancing his classes and his job he works to pay for school. He is also concerned about the amount of time he has to spend with Yuki Morikawa, or rather, the lack of it. Being an up and coming idol singer, Yuki has concerns of her own. Even though she's not yet as popular as experienced veteran Rina Ogata, Yuki is turning heads and landing interviews on television. This should be a good thing, but not everyone is happy about the attention she receives from the media and from Rina. The idol industry is surprisingly cutthroat, and rival singers have their eyes on Yuki. While it may seem exciting to watch your girlfriend on television, how does Touya really feel about all this? Between the challenges associated with Yuki's career and other people that Touya meets at his university, their relationship may not last… All developments at once with naïve protagonist who happens to cheat on everyone is painful to watch, and it's far from masterpiece. Overall Rating: 6/10 9. Kemono no Souja Erin The Beast Player Erin 獣の奏者エリン [Production I.G, Trans Arts] (Finished 17/50) Tags: Drama, Fantasy In the land of Ryoza, the neighboring provinces of Shin-Ou and Tai-Kou have been at peace. Queen Shinou is the ruler of Ryoza and her greatest general, Grand Duke Taikou, defends the kingdom with his army of powerful war-lizards known as the "Touda." Although the two regions have enjoyed a long-standing alliance, mounting tensions threaten to spark a fierce civil war. Within Ake, a village in Tai-Kou tasked with raising the Grand Duke's army, lives Erin, a bright girl who spends her days watching the work of her mother Soyon, the village's head Touda doctor. But while under Soyon's care, a disastrous incident befalls the Grand Duke's strongest Touda, and the peace that Erin and her mother had been enjoying vanishes as Soyon is punished severely. In a desperate attempt to save her mother, Erin ends up falling in a river and is swept towards Shin-Ou. Unable to return home, Erin must learn to lead a new life with completely different people, all while hunting for the truth of both beasts and humanity itself, with tensions between the two regions constantly escalating. It feels as if World Masterpiece Theater made a fantasy series. Naïve small girl experiences village life and finally goes to an adventure only after a whole third is behind. Overall Rating: 6/10 10. Shikabane Hime: Kuro Corpse Princess: Kuro 屍姫 玄 [Gainax, feel.] (Finished 3/12) Tags: Shounen Action, Horror, Supernatural A direct continuation of Shikabane Hime: Aka, taking place six months after Tagami Keisei's death at the hands of the Shichisei (Seven Stars), a group of elite Shikabane who act on more than just regrets. As per Keisei's dying wish, Kagami Ouri formed a temporary contract with Makina to save her from degenerating into a Shikabane. Since then, Ouri's been training to become a proper monk so that he can remain contracted to Makina and help her fight against the Shichisei -- the ones who originally killed Makina, the entire Hoshimura family, and now Keisei. However, the traitorous monk Shishidou Akasha has sided with the Shichisei in an attempt to destroy all Shikabane Hime and the entire monk organization that uses them -- Kougon Sect. Sequel. Overall Rating: 6/10 11. Druaga no Tou: The Sword of Uruk Tower of Druaga: The Sword of Uruk ドルアーガの塔 ～the Sword of URUK～ [Gonzo] (Finished 12/12) Tags: Adventure, Fantasy With broken spirits and enigmatic questions that hold no answers lingering, Jil is still trying to figure everything out. Then, a mysterious girl named Kai appears before him and says: "Take me to the top of the tower." Kai's request shrouded in ambiguity, Jil will have another chance to work towards completing his destiny and ascend the Tower. With his hopes and aspirations seemingly slipping out of his hands, Jil must rise to the challenge once again on this never-ending adventure. A worthy continuation with filling the leftover gaps even though with somewhat artificial story. Overall Rating: 8/10 12. Major S5 メジャー [SynergySP] (Finished 1/25) Tags: Shounen Team Sports The Baseball World Cup is nearing, and Gorou Honda is eager to represent his country. However, one small problem stands in his way: the team roster has already been selected, and he is not a part of it. Nonetheless, Gorou remains adamant to join. He becomes a practice pitcher for the Japanese national team, hoping to demonstrate his incredible speed and skills to the team's manager. Fortunately, Gorou is given the chance to prove his worth: he must show an impressive performance in the upcoming practice match involving the veteran Japanese team and the young players who hope to replace them. The World Cup will bring together some of the strongest players from around the globe. It will also set the stage for Gorou's long-awaited showdown with his longtime rival, Joe Gibson. Sequel. Overall Rating: 6/10 13. Minami-ke Okaeri みなみけ おかえり [asread.] (Finished 13/13) Tags: Seinen CGDCT, School Comedy, Slice of Life A year has passed since Okawari and the three sisters have grown up. Their likings and moods are almost the same. Haruka, the older sister, is a love-giving mother to the younger sisters and a discipline follower. Kana, the middle one, leaves everything to the last possible moment and always gives trouble to the trio. Chiaki, the little one, is the calculating and manipulating one; she likes to be admired and loved by Haruka and always gives trouble to the less blessed Kana. Despite being an unbalanced family, they love each other with all their heart. The family's daily life is as funny as ever; trouble and love are always present. Now it's time to see if they'll survive this age change since Haruka is now a young adult; she has even more responsibilities, having to watch over the young while integrating into the adult life. Sequel. Overall Rating: 6/10 14. Tetsuwan Birdy Decode:02 Birdy the Mighty: Decode 02 鉄腕バーディー DECODE:02 [A-1 Pictures] (Finished 12/12) Tags: Seinen Action, Comedy, Sci-Fi Following the Ryunka disaster, Tokyo is left in a period of social turmoil. To make matters worse, the group of aliens directly responsible for the catastrophic event have escaped from the Space Federation and are hiding on Earth. Still sharing a body, Space Federation officer Birdy Cephon Altera, and high schooler, Tsutomu Senkawa, are tasked with capturing the fugitives and bringing them to justice. However, an unexpected crisis develops when the outlaws become targets of an unknown assassin with a vendetta. Now Birdy must deal with the chaos of everyday life and also uncover the identity of the assassin before more escapees fall victim. Sequel that does not get better, sadly, but another great catchy OP. Overall Rating: 6/10 15. RideBack ライドバック [Madhouse] (Finished 3/12) Tags: Seinen Mecha, School Action, Drama, Sci-Fi In the future, an organization called the GGP has taken control of the world. Rin Ogata was a promising up-and-coming ballet dancer, but suffered a serious injury while dancing and decided to quit. Years later in college, she comes across a club building and soon finds herself intrigued by a transforming motorcycle-like robotic vehicle called a "Rideback". She soon finds that her unique ballet skills with balance and finesse make her a born natural on a Rideback. However, those same skills also get her into serious trouble with the government. Racing on mecha is still just racing which inevitably inherits all the genre flaws. Overall Rating: 6/10 16. Sora wo Miageru Shoujo no Hitomi ni Utsuru Sekai 空を見上げる少女の瞳に映る世界 [Kyoto Animation] (Finished 9/9) Tags: Super Power Action, Fantasy, Romance To save both the Magical Kingdom and the Heavens and restore the flow of akuto, the flow of energy of everything, the Magical King Munto must follow a vision and find the girl Yumemi in the normal world. Yumemi herself is just a normal girl except that she is the only one who can see the islands of the Heavens floating above. When Munto appears before her she starts thinking about hers and others responsibility to the world. Same story is retold for the 3rd time, and it's not even that good of a story, and it's still quite confusing. Overall Rating: 6/10 17. Slayers Evolution-R スレイヤーズ EVOLUTION-R [J.C.Staff] (Finished 1/13) Tags: Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy To find a way in rescuing Pokota's country Taforashia which was sealed by Rezo, Lina and her group are in search for the Hellmaster's jar in what the Red Priest placed his soul after death. Zelgadis is willing to do anything to get the jar for changing back into a human while Zuuma is plotting on revenge and accomplishing assignment in killing Lina Inverse. Still a big mystery for her and the others is what Xellos is aiming for in this battle. Sequel. Overall Rating: 6/10 18. Sora wo Kakeru Shoujo The Girl Who Leapt Through Space 宇宙をかける少女 [Sunrise] (Finished 3/26) Tags: Space Adventure, Comedy, Sci-Fi The story is set in the year 311 of the Orbital Calendar, when humanity has migrated to countless colony clusters in space. A space colony girl named Akiha Shishidou encounters a malevolent artificial intelligence named Leopard that has been installed on a colony. Akiha is joined by an Inter-Colony Police officer named Itsuki Kannagi, a taciturn young girl named Honoka Kawai, and a robot named Imoko "Imo-chan" Shishidou. Sunrise fails again with original scenario. Genre is... variety as it is based on fast succession of something happening just to entertain. This is all very strange and not funny. Overall Rating: 6/10 19. Maria-sama ga Miteru 4th Maria Watches Over Us Season 4 マリア様がみてる〜４th〜 [Studio Deen] (Finished 1/13) Tags: School Drama, Girls Love Yumi and the Yamayuri Council have found two new helpers in Kanako and Toko. Unfortunately, their assistance comes with tension, as neither girl is particularly fond of the other and both seem likely candidates to be Yumi's petite soeur. Will either be a good fit for Yumi? As the school year marches on, the work for the Yamayuri Council piles up, and pressure begins to mount for Yumi to make her final decision. Sequel. Overall Rating: 6/10 20. Fresh Precure! フレッシュプリキュア！ [Toei Animation] (Finished 1/50) Tags: Mahou Shoujo Action, Comedy, Fantasy Love Momozono is a 14-year-old student at Yotsuba Junior Highschool that tends to care more for others than for herself. One day she visits a show of the famous dance unit "Trinity" and decides to become a dancer, too. On the same event, subordinates of the Labyrinth Kingdom show up who want to collect the unhappiness of the audience. Love gets the power to change into Cure Peach and fights them. Soon after, she is joined by her good friends Miki, who is Cure Berry, and Inori, who becomes Cure Pine. Sequel. Overall Rating: 6/10 21. Genji Monogatari Sennenki Millennium Old Journal: Tale of Genji 源氏物語千年紀Genji [TMS Entertainment, Tezuka Productions] (Finished 2/11) Tags: Historical Drama, Romance Born from a much loved, but lowly ranked concubine, Genji Hikaru is called the Shining Prince and is the beloved second son of the Emperor. Although he cannot be an heir to the throne of his father, Genji spends his life surrounded by every pleasure and love. And yet, his one longing in love is something that even the power of an Emperor can never give him. I find it useful only in education purposes if you never heard of 11th century novel. Overall Rating: 6/10 22. Viper's Creed ヴァイパーズ・クリード [AIC Spirits, Digital Frontier] (Finished 12/12) Tags: Military Action, Sci-Fi The story revolves around the members of a private military company (PMC), and the uneasy tension between them and the regular military after a war that caused massive environmental destruction. A serious and decent micro-mecha action that still can't be called a masterpiece, because story and characters don't stand out. Overall Rating: 6/10 23. Examurai Sengoku エグザムライ戦国 [TMS Entertainment] (Finished 2/24) Tags: Martial Arts, Samurai Action, Sci-Fi The Examurai Sengoku anime production depicts the members of the EXILE group as futuristic samurai that are transported back in time to Japan’s sengoku (warring states) period. The anime character renditions of the EXILE members were designed by manga creator Hiroshi Takahashi (Crows, Worst). Not translated to English (only to German). Episodes are only ten minutes long, and realization is as of mediocre samurai show that we've seen a lot over this time. Overall Rating: 6/10 24. Denpa-teki na Kanojo Electromagnetic Girlfriend 電波的な彼女 [Brain's Base] (Finished 2/2) Tags: School Mystery, Suspense Delinquent Juu Juuzawa is a lone wolf who does not see much use in befriending people. So when a girl named Ame Ochibana claims they are linked together from their previous lives, he is highly skeptical and doesn't want anything to do with her. Even stranger is that her fondest wish is to be his servant. Thinking that Ame must be delusional, he tries to distance himself from her. But when a classmate is murdered, Juu instead decides to keep her close, believing the strange girl to be the culprit. However, her intelligence and skill begin to prove invaluable as the two begin working together to solve the murder. Denpa-teki na Kanojo weaves together a story of love, loss, and devotion, showing that allies can be found in the most unlikely of places. Yay... murder mystery in two episodes... All that sadism makes me sick. Overall Rating: 6/10 25. Ichigo Mashimaro Encore Strawberry Marshmallow Encore 苺ましまろencore [Daume] (Finished 2/2) Tags: CGDCT, Iyashikei Comedy, Slice of Life Ichigo Mashimaro encore is a two-episode OVA continues onwards from the previous set of OVAs of Ichigo Mashimaro. Great again, and again less than an hour overall, so can't rate as high as original. Overall Rating: 6/10 26. Dokuhaku Suru Universal Yoko Mercator Egg Man Monologues of Universal Transverse Mercator Egg Man 独白するユニバーサル横メルカトル Egg Man [-] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Detective Mystery, Suspense A psychopathic killer known as Egg Man has been caught, incarcerated and is awaiting his death sentence. Karen, a beautiful and brave police woman, is assigned to the "Egg Man" case to find the whereabouts of a missing dead body. Egg Man meets his cellmate, Prisoner 205. Who is Prisoner 205? Is Prisoner 205 another in-mate awaiting his death sentence as well or an android utilized by the police to collect information about him and his knowledge of the corpse? Who is really manipulating whom? Not translated, and there's nothing but talks in this machinima, so unwatchable at this state. Overall Rating: 5/10 27. Kara no Kyoukai Remix: Gate of Seventh Heaven The Garden of Sinners Remix: Gate of Seventh Heaven 空の境界 Remix -Gate of seventh heaven- [ufotable] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Super Power Action, Mystery, Romance, Suspense In August of 1995, Mikiya Kokutou meets a young kimono-clad woman named Shiki Ryougi. When he finds out that they go to the same school, he attempts to befriend her. Though her upbringing is unconventional and she herself is strange, Mikiya is not deterred, and Shiki gradually opens up to him. But Mikiya's life will be changed forever by this simple meeting, and in ways that he never imagined, as he begins to see a deadly side to his new friend... Compilation from previous episodes with a shallow attempt to tie all that loose texture. Guess compilation is all that fans deserve for finale. Overall Rating: 6/10 28. Denshinbashira Elemi no Koi Elemi 電信柱エレミの恋 [Sovat Theater] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Award Winning, Fantasy Elemi, known as a responsible hard worker, is one of many utility poles servicing a small city. One day during maintenance, she is emotionally touched by Takahashi, the young man who repairs her. She decides to thank him and begins calling him regularly, masquerading as a human. Days go by and soon all the utility poles in the city are aware of Elemi's budding romance. Elder utility poles urge her to put an end to it. Even if Elemi is able to win the blessing of her society, she still has to face the challenge of revealing her true identity to Takahashi. In a time before cell phones, when all calls were carried by utility poles, Denshinbashira Elemi no Koi tells the story of the tragic romance between a utility pole and and a utility worker. A plasticine cartoon reflecting on inability to have children with a telephone pole... pretty weird even for the Japanese. Overall Rating: 6/10 29. Je Bul Chal-ssi Iyagi The Story of Mr. Sorry 제불찰씨 이야기 [Korean Academy of Film Arts] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Comedy, Fantasy, Horror An unprecedented media show is on air at a TV broadcasting studio. The show is asking people whether a spider that drove an assemblyman crazy should be publicly executed or not. The spider in question is Je Bul-chal(meaning 'my mistake'), a hardworking young individual who became 'an ear cleaner' because of a precious memory he holds concerning his sister. In order to take a poll about his execution, the story of how Mr. Sorry became a spider is gradually revealed. Crudely animated Korean social commentary story. Overall Rating: 5/10 30. Pyuu to Fuku! Jaguar: Ima, Fuki ni Yukimasu ピューと吹く! ジャガー ～いま, 吹きにゆきます～ [Kaeruotoko Shokai] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Gag Humor, Music Comedy The story follows a hapless budding guitarist nicknamed "Piyohiko" who gets steered into the music business by a mysterious man named Jaguar — if Piyohiko would play a recorder instead of a guitar. Not translated to English. Ugly, random, not funny. Overall Rating: 5/10

Toradora! is the queeen of tsundere and a great anime, but Tentai Senshi Sunred is one of the best parody comedies out there despite seemingly low popularity. 1. Toradora! とらドラ！ [J.C.Staff] (Finished 25/25) Tags: Love Polygon, School Drama, Romance Ryuuji Takasu is a gentle high school student with a love for housework; but in contrast to his kind nature, he has an intimidating face that often gets him labeled as a delinquent. On the other hand is Taiga Aisaka, a small, doll-like student, who is anything but a cute and fragile girl. Equipped with a wooden katana and feisty personality, Taiga is known throughout the school as the "Palmtop Tiger." One day, an embarrassing mistake causes the two students to cross paths. Ryuuji discovers that Taiga actually has a sweet side: she has a crush on the popular vice president, Yuusaku Kitamura, who happens to be his best friend. But things only get crazier when Ryuuji reveals that he has a crush on Minori Kushieda—Taiga's best friend! Toradora! is a romantic comedy that follows this odd duo as they embark on a quest to help each other with their respective crushes, forming an unlikely alliance in the process. The best tsundere concept realization. But can't call it intellectual and that limits the score. Overall Rating: 8/10 2. Clannad: After Story CLANNAD〜AFTER STORY〜 クラナド アフターストーリー [Kyoto Animation] (Finished 24/24) Tags: Drama, Romance, Supernatural Clannad: After Story, the sequel to the critically acclaimed slice-of-life series Clannad, begins after Tomoya Okazaki and Nagisa Furukawa graduate from high school. Together, they experience the emotional rollercoaster of growing up. Unable to decide on a course for his future, Tomoya learns the value of a strong work ethic and discovers the strength of Nagisa's support. Through the couple's dedication and unity of purpose, they push forward to confront their personal problems, deepen their old relationships, and create new bonds. Time also moves on in the Illusionary World. As the plains grow cold with the approach of winter, the Illusionary Girl and the Garbage Doll are presented with a difficult situation that reveals the World's true purpose. Based on the visual novel by Key and produced by Kyoto Animation, Clannad: After Story is an impactful drama highlighting the importance of family and the struggles of adulthood. I rate as trash only harmful series, like this one. Overall Rating: 4/10 3. Kuroshitsuji Black Butler 黒執事 [A-1 Pictures] (Finished 4/24) Tags: Shounen Historical, Mythology Action, Comedy, Mystery, Supernatural Young Ciel Phantomhive is known as "the Queen's Guard Dog," taking care of the many unsettling events that occur in Victorian England for Her Majesty. Aided by Sebastian Michaelis, his loyal butler with seemingly inhuman abilities, Ciel uses whatever means necessary to get the job done. But is there more to this black-clad butler than meets the eye? In Ciel's past lies a secret tragedy that enveloped him in perennial darkness—during one of his bleakest moments, he formed a contract with Sebastian, a demon, bargaining his soul in exchange for vengeance upon those who wronged him. Today, not only is Sebastian one hell of a butler, but he is also the perfect servant to carry out his master's orders—all the while anticipating the delicious meal he will eventually make of Ciel's soul. As the two work to unravel the mystery behind Ciel's chain of misfortunes, a bond forms between them that neither heaven nor hell can tear apart. I don't see butlers as interesting subjects for a story, and all the boys love references only aggravate things. Overall Rating: 5/10 4. Toaru Majutsu no Index A Certain Magical Index とある魔術の禁書目録 [J.C.Staff] (Finished 3/12) Tags: Super Power Action, Fantasy, Sci-Fi Academy City, Japan, is at the forefront of science. Besides being 30 years ahead of the world technologically, more than three-fourths of this peculiar city's population consists of students developing their psychic abilities as espers in various institutions. Among these students is Touma Kamijou, a high school boy with the lowest psychic rank of zero, but with a mysterious power no scientist can understand: "Imagine Breaker," which allows him to negate other supernatural abilities. This, however, doesn't affect Kamijou's life in the least as he plays his role as a regular teenager; that is, until he meets the strange Index Librorum Prohibitorum, a young girl who has memorized the entirety of the forbidden grimoires, and now a dangerous organization is hunting Index down. With several magicians looking to harm the girl, Kamijou will defend his new companion at all costs as he discovers a strange new realm of the supernatural. I tried it a lot of times, and it failed to arise any interest. Quality is above average, but contents is totally alien to common sense. Overall Rating: 6/10 5. Rosario to Vampire Capu2 Rosario + Vampire Capu2 ロザリオとバンパイア Capu2 [Gonzo] (Finished 1/13) Tags: Shounen Harem, School, Vampire Comedy, Fantasy, Romance, Ecchi It has been one year since Tsukune Aono enrolled at Youkai Academy, and since then his life has taken an interesting turn. In addition to being the only human at a school for monsters, he has attracted a bevy of beautiful women who want him all for themselves: the sexy succubus Kurumu Kurono; Yukari Sendou, a witch; stalker and yuki-onna Mizore Shirayuki; and Moka Akashiya, a kind vampire who, when her rosary is removed, reveals a darker personality. But soon, trouble visits Youkai Academy in the form of Moka's younger sister, Kokoa Shuzen. She is furious that her "true older sister" is sealed within Moka's rosary, and vows to bring out Moka's darker self. However, Kokoa's thoughtless actions may affect more than just her sister... Sequel. Overall Rating: 6/10 6. Vampire Knight Guilty ヴァンパイア騎士〈ナイト〉Guilty [Studio Deen] (Finished 1/13) Tags: Shoujo Love Polygon, Vampire Drama, Mystery, Romance, Supernatural When the missing Zero Kiryuu returns to Cross Academy, Yuuki Cross is relieved to see him safe, but finds that Zero has changed in more ways than one. As a result of choices he made, Zero is plagued by visions, and he seeks to uncover the reason behind them—unaware that the answers may be much closer than he thinks. Soon Yuuki also begins to be tormented by ghastly hallucinations, and she seeks an explanation about her shrouded past from the only one who can provide clarity: Pureblood vampire Kaname Kuran, who is closest to her heart. But what will happen when the truth is finally revealed? Sequel. Overall Rating: 5/10 7. ChäoS;HEAd カオスヘッド [Madhouse] (Finished 13/13) Tags: Harem, Psychological Mystery, Sci-Fi, Supernatural Throughout Shibuya, a series of murders dubbed the "New Generation Madness" gained widespread attention As these crimes gained infamy, they became a hot topic of discussion among the people of the area. Nonetheless, these "New Gen" murders do not capture the interest of Takumi Nishijou, a high school otaku who frequently experiences delusions and feels that he is constantly being watched. Having no concern for the real world, Takumi spends his time playing online games and watching anime. However, his ordinary life is disrupted when he receives a horrifying image of a man staked to a wall from a user named Shogun. After calming himself at an internet cafe, Takumi sees the exact same murder scene as the image portrayed happen right before his eyes, along with a pink-haired girl covered in blood calling out his name. Conflicted with the nature of reality, Takumi finds it difficult to judge where to place his trust as he gets caught up in the "New Gen" murders, believing that the murderer is out to get him. I think I said about visual novel already, but I read/watched both and I consider both to be tasteless crazy mess without a normal denouement even in the best case scenario, so I would not recommend it entirely. Overall Rating: 5/10 8. Skip Beat! スキップ・ビート！ [Hal Film Maker] (Finished 3/25) Tags: Shoujo Love Polygon, Showbiz Comedy, Drama, Romance Day in and day out, Kyouko Mogami works multiple jobs to support her childhood friend, Shoutarou "Shou" Fuwa, in his rise to stardom as an idol. She never complains about her way of life, as she is deeply infatuated with Shou and would go to the ends of the world for him. However, her heart is broken when she overhears Shou talk about how he views her as nothing more than a maid he cares little for. Angered over being used, Kyouko flies into a rage and swears to get revenge on her former crush by entering the world of showbiz to surpass him. Joining the relentless and unforgiving entertainment industry proves to be a challenge, as she continuously meets people who force her out of her comfort zone. But for the sake of vengeance, Kyouko is determined to push herself and rise to the top. I like intelligent shoujo while this one is yet another stereotypical one with impulsive girl showing off for the sake of revenge, and without empathy for main heroine watching it is useless. Overall Rating: 6/10 9. Ga-Rei: Zero Ga-Rei-Zero 喰霊–零– [AIC Spirits, asread.] (Finished 12/12) Tags: Super Power Action, Supernatural, Suspense In Japan, there exists a government agency known as the Supernatural Disaster Countermeasures Division (SDCD), whose duty is to protect the citizens from creatures unseen. They are able to dispatch these monsters swiftly and without alerting the general public. But currently, they face a different challenge: the betrayal of one of their own. After the death of her mother several years ago, Kagura Tsuchimiya has been fostered by the Isayama family and forms a close sister-like bond with their daughter Yomi. The two become inseparable, and together they work for the SDCD as highly skilled exorcists. However, as the stress and consequences of their sacred duty weigh on them both, and family politics come into play, Kagura and Yomi begin to slowly drift apart. One of them grows earnestly into her role as an exorcist, and the other heads down a dark path from which there may be no redemption. It's bloody fighting action that tries to be mysterious, but inevitably ends up disappointing as there's not much essence. Overall Rating: 6/10 10. One Outs ワンナウツ [Madhouse] (Finished 1/25) Tags: Seinen Adult Cast, Psychological, Team Sports Toua Tokuchi is a prodigy when it comes to both baseball and gambling. Pitching nothing but mediocre fastballs, he has made a name for himself by attaining 499 consecutive victories in the game of "One Outs," a one-on-one showdown between a pitcher and a batter. Despite his remarkable abilities, however, Tokuchi sees the sport as nothing more than a way to make some quick money. When Hiromichi Kojima, a legendary hitter for the Saikyou Saitama Lycaons, witnesses Tokuchi's skills firsthand, he realizes that the man might be exactly what the team needs to get out of their slump. Determined to recruit Tokuchi no matter what, Kojima places his own career on the line and defeats Tokuchi at his own specialty—One Outs. Forced to become a Lycaon, Tokuchi soon finds himself at odds with the team's owner, Tsuneo Saikawa. After Saikawa refuses to give him a reasonable salary, Tokuchi proposes a special contract: pitching an out will earn him five million yen, but giving up a run will cost him fifty million. With every game having the potential to either make or break him, will Tokuchi be able to outwit those who stand in his way? Better than average spokon. Overall Rating: 6/10 11. Inazuma Eleven イナズマイレブン [OLM] (Finished 1/127) Tags: Super Power, Team Sports While other schools in Japan compete for the title of being the best soccer team in the country, Raimon Middle School's soccer club, Inazuma Eleven, struggles to rise from the verge of being disbanded. The grandson of Inazuma Eleven's first generation goalkeeper and captain of the team, Mamoru Endou, takes the challenge of kicking the long neglected club back into shape. To do this, he'll need a little help and more than a little luck. Mamoru Endou finds hope in the hands of Shuuya Gouenji, a brilliant young player who has given up on soccer. Mamoru is determined to get Shuuya and other new recruits to join his team, no matter what the cost. Is his passion and determination enough to treat the ailing club? Or is there no more hope for the team? Childish spokon with all kinds of tropes collected together. Overall Rating: 5/10 12. Michiko to Hatchin Michiko & Hatchin ミチコとハッチン [Manglobe] (Finished 22/22) Tags: Action, Adventure Under the unrelenting heat of the South American sun, hardened criminal Michiko Malandro breaks out of a high security prison for the fourth time in search of a man from her past. Michiko finds a clue in the form of Hana Morenos, a young girl trapped under the fists of her abusive foster family. In her powerlessness, Hana fantasizes about the day when she is finally whisked away from her captors by her very own Prince Charming. Little does she know that her fated prince would turn out to be the buxom and husky convict who charges in atop a stolen motorbike, claiming to be her mother. The unlikely duo chase down their dreams in the sun-drenched land of Diamandra, navigating through the cacophony of betrayal, poverty, and child exploitation rings hiding in plain sight. However, wind of Michiko's manhunt soon reaches the ears of criminal syndicate Monstro Preto, and a storm of gang warfare begins brewing over the horizon… Michiko to Hatchin is the story of vibrant people and their clashing agendas, and of all the unlikely human connections drawn together by one elusive man. I can't stop getting surprised by the absolute mediocrity and impotence of scenario writers. Genre is wasting time on stereotypes, bickering and useless emotions expressions. It's a huge void that should have never happened. Overall Rating: 5/10 13. Kannagi Kannagi: Crazy Shrine Maidens かんなぎ [A-1 Pictures] (Finished 13/13) Tags: Shounen School, Visual Arts Comedy, Supernatural When he was a child and out catching bugs, Jin Mikuriya fatefully encountered a deity, which became the inspiration for his newest piece of art: The Tree Spirit. Trying to think of a way to bring the wooden statue to school, Jin believes that the rest of the day will be spent admiring his work. But before he can even lift it, the sculpture begins to absorb the earth around it and explodes into a cute girl! The girl, Nagi, who introduces herself as a guardian of the earth, proclaims that Jin must help her get rid of the "impurities" that plague the land. But alas, due to Nagi's tree being cut down and her powers completely drained, she finds herself cleansing the impurities with only a magical wand! With their lives now intertwined, Jin and Nagi find ways to learn more about one another through the endless amounts of daily antics. Crazy girls are fooling around and fighting for protagonist attention, of course. And I don't find even humor good, so it's just a cute collection of familiar stamps. Overall Rating: 6/10 14. ef: A Tale of Melodies. ef - a tale of melodies. [Shaft] (Finished 12/12) Tags: Drama, Mystery, Romance, Supernatural In a story set years in the past, Himura Yuu is a studious and diligent young man intent solely on maintaining his top academic position at Otowa Academy. One day, he meets a mysterious girl named Amamiya Yuuko, who, to his surprise, recognizes him. Memories of a distant childhood, memories rather left forgotten... meeting Yuuko again will force Yuu to confront the regrets and sorrows of their collective pasts and presents. In the present, Kuze Shuuichi may seem like a womanizer, but upon closer inspection, is a man who would rather be left alone. Hayama Mizuki, however, is not the type of girl who would let him be, especially after hearing the beautiful sounds of his violin performance. As Mizuki attempts to become closer to him, Kuze attempts to push her away—the tale of their budding relationship is darkened with undertones of an imminent tragedy. What an unfocused mess. Now there are two pairs and more additional characters to waste time and blabber utter nonsense. And since nothing is really told during the course of full season with artistic means, some more incoherent juvenile mess is just thrown by the end - search and you'll find happiness! That's a form of writer's self-satisfaction, and I definitely am not going to promote this kind of emptiness. Overall Rating: 5/10 15. Casshern Sins キャシャーン SINS [Madhouse, Tatsunoko Production] (Finished 3/24) Tags: Psychological Action, Adventure, Drama, Sci-Fi In a distant future, Earth has become a wasteland and humanity as we know it has died out. All that remains are sentient robots. They were supposed to be able to live forever—until the one called Luna died and the Ruin started. Their bodies will rust, and there is nothing that can be done to fix it. Now the robots are left only to contemplate their deaths, kept going only by the rumor that if they eat the one called Casshern, they will gain immortality. Casshern knows nothing about his past, why he exists, or what he is, but he must find out, or he will face the constant torment of being hunted by robots who don't want to die. Casshern leaves death wherever he goes, but he must face it if he is to find out the truth of this world. Ancient alternative versions were hardly watchable at all. This one is watchable. Just not interesting and with those retro designs and elements that are weighting it down. Overall Rating: 6/10 16. Yozakura Quartet 夜桜四重奏 ～ヨザクラカルテット～ [Nomad] (Finished 12/12) Tags: Shounen Super Power Action, Comedy, Supernatural The world of Yozakura Quartet is actually not one, but two worlds: one of humans, and one of youkai. Despite appearing mostly human, youkai may have animal like physical traits, along with a number of special abilities. Normally youkai are confined to their world, but some have found their way into the realm of humanity. As a symbol of peace, and a bridge between the two realms, a city was constructed within the protective barrier of seven magical trees, otherwise known as the Seven Pillars. This city of Sakurashin is home to both humans and youkai, with the peace between them maintained by the Hizumi Life Counseling Office. The director of this office is Akina Hiizumi, a teenager with the inherited family ability to perform “tuning,” which can send harmful youkai back to their world permanently. He is aided by a group of girls, including the town’s 16 year old youkai mayor, Hime Yarizakura, their town’s announcer and resident telepath, Ao Nanami, and Kotoha Isone, a half-youkai who can summon objects just by stating the object’s name. As new residents enter and mysterious events begin to take place, this quartet of protectors and their closest friends must continue to guard the city of Sakurashin, and maintain the fragile balance of peace between humans and youkai. It's ok when shrine maidens have superpowers for the sake of developing the plot, but here it IS the plot. Absolutely zero substance, shallow unfocused mess without ending. Overall Rating: 5/10 17. Akaneiro ni Somaru Saka あかね色に染まる坂 [TNK] (Finished 4/12) Tags: Harem, School Comedy, Romance, Ecchi Yuuhi Katagiri is not your average girl – she's the treasured daughter of the Katagiri family. She's generally kept under strict supervision, but one day ends up walking home from school on her own. This proves to be instant trouble when a group of boys start harassing her. Junichi Nagase, who was on his way home from a convenience store, sees the troubled Yuuhi and comes to her rescue. One of the boys recognized Junichi as the famed "Geno Killer" and they dash off. Yuuhi thanks Junichi and when she asked for his name, he just waves and leaves. Of course, he regrets trying to act cool in front of the beautiful girl right away, wishing he asked her name. The following day, a transfer student joins Junichi's class – it's Yuuhi! She calls Junichi out as the "Geno Killer", the only name she remembers him by, and rumors about the two spread quickly. Matters are made worse when Junichi kisses Yuuhi due to a misunderstanding. And on top of all that, it turns out that Junichi is Yuuhi's fiancé! Yuuhi doesn't see Junichi as someone worthy. But, she could not go against her father's wishes. The only thing that Yuuhi can do is live with Junichi in the house he shares with his little sister Minato, and prove that Junichi is not worthy to be her husband. Will she succeed in proving his unworthiness, or will she fall in love on the way? Typical Feng harem fluff that is not worth the time discussing it. Overall Rating: 5/10 18. Kidou Senshi Gundam 00 Second Season Mobile Suit Gundam 00: Second Season 機動戦士ガンダム00 セカンドシーズン [Sunrise] (Finished 1/25) Tags: Mecha, Military, Space Action, Drama, Sci-Fi In the year 2311 AD, a world that once saw itself full of inter-continental conflict now stands unified, led by the Earth Sphere Federation (ESF). The ESF established a preventative military task force known as the A-Laws, tasking them with shutting down violent terrorist organizations. As they gain more and more legal authority, the A-Laws begin to twist the law to fit their own agenda, ruling the citizens of Earth with a heavy hand. In response to the fascistic behavior of the A-Laws, the anti-terrorist group Celestial Being reappears. Led by state-of-the-art mobile suits known as Gundam, the pilots of Celestial Being wage a new war with the A-Laws, aiming to stop their tyrannical abuse of power. Setsuna F. Seiei, pilot of the Gundam Exia, helps to lead the charge along with his fellow Gundam Meisters Lockon Stratos, Allelujah Haptism, and Tieria Erde. But in the process, Setsuna stumbles upon a conspiratorial plot spearheaded by a new faction, the Innovators, and must contend with his own old wounds and ghosts of the past in order to save a world that despises him. Sequel. Overall Rating: 6/10 19. Nodame Cantabile: Paris-hen のだめカンタービレ 巴里編 [J.C.Staff] (Finished 11/11) Tags: Josei Adult Cast, Music Comedy, Romance Shinichi Chiaki conquers his fear of flying, and Megumi "Nodame" Noda's exceptional performance at a piano competition earns her an invitation to study at the prestigious Conservatoire de Paris. The pair go to Paris together to take the next step in their careers: Chiaki as a new rising conductor under the wing of the great maestro Franz von Stresemann, and Nodame as a pupil of the esteemed piano professor Charles Auclair. But, of course, the music world is much bigger than the two of them could have ever imagined. Chiaki and Nodame, alongside old friends and new rivals, must fight and persevere to reach the dazzling musical heights that await them while never losing sight of what matters most. Sequel. Overall Rating: 6/10 20. Hakushaku to Yousei Earl and Fairy 伯爵と妖精 [Artland] (Finished 3/12) Tags: Shoujo Historical, Mythology Adventure, Fantasy, Romance In the nineteenth century, we find Lydia Carlton living in Scotland, making a living as a fairy doctor. She is one of those rare humans who can see and communicate with fairies. But no one believes her. However, Edgar is in need of someone with a vast knowledge of fairy lore, and Lydia is just that person. After rescuing her, he becomes her employer, but there are many secrets and emotions that seem to follow Edgar, who claims to be the Blue Knight's Earl. Tag Reverse Harem is missing, I would not even pick it up otherwise. Overall Rating: 5/10 21. Tales of the Abyss テイルズ オブ ジ アビス [Sunrise] (Finished 3/26) Tags: Adventure, Drama, Fantasy The world of Auldrant is bound by the Score, a series of prophecies from centuries past that dictate the world's future. It is considered an absolute fate that everyone lives by—even people whose actions lead to bloodshed and tears. Using magical abilities known as the Fonic Arts, a war between the nation of Kimlasca-Lanvaldear and the Malkuth Empire is waged in hopes of bringing the Score's foreseen utopia to life. Tales of the Abyss follows Luke von Fabre, who spends his days locked away in his manor after being kidnapped and losing memories as a child. One day, while honing his swordsmanship, a woman named Tear attempts to assassinate his master. Luke defends him, but the clash results in the two being teleported to a distant land. Luke and Tear’s journey back quickly escalates into a quest that will either free the world from the Score's chains or destroy it completely. This RPG series strikes me as super boring and banal. Gameplay elements usually make it much more interesting, but with the type of battles in this series it's hopeless. Still it can be technically considered above average level. Overall Rating: 6/10 22. Shikabane Hime: Aka Corpse Princess: Aka 屍姫 赫 [Gainax, feel.] (Finished 13/13) Tags: Shounen Action, Horror, Supernatural Living at a shrine with other orphans, Ouri Kagami is no stranger to corpses. But when he sees the patron of his orphanage, Keisei Tagami, seemingly revive the scarred corpse of schoolgirl Makina Hoshimura, he cannot help but feel incredibly shocked. Intrigued by the mysterious circumstances surrounding Makina, he learns that she is a Shikabane Hime—an undead being tasked with eliminating others like her who pose a threat to society. As Ouri goes about his daily life, his inexplicable run-ins with her are shrouded in abnormality. But as each encounter grows more intense, the two are brought closer together, and it may be their intertwining fates that hold the key to unveiling the secrets behind the world of Shikabanes. Never tried corpse party since I consider RPG-maker and pixels to be below acceptable level of quality. But this anime is rather unimpressive as instead of school horror we get couple superpower humans fighting superpower monsters. No good plot, no good characters. Overall Rating: 5/10 23. Shugo Chara!! Doki しゅごキャラ！！どきっ [Satelight] (Finished 1/51) Tags: Shoujo Mahou Shoujo, School Comedy, Fantasy Amu Hinamori and the Seiyo Elementary Guardians continue their quest to seek out and purify X Eggs while in pursuit of the elusive Embryo—an egg said to be able to grant any wish. However, the Guardians must secure the Embryo before it falls into the hands of the nefarious Easter Corporation. As part of their plan to lure out the Embryo, Easter hires Lulu de Morcerf, an aloof girl whose ruby necklace gives her the ability to convert Heart Eggs into Mystery Eggs. These strange Mystery Eggs cannot be purified as easily as X Eggs, and they can force its owner to undergo a Character Transformation. With this growing threat, the Guardians must track down its source and put a stop to them before the matter gets out of hand. Facing insurmountable pressure from these two new objectives, will the Guardians be able to recover the Embryo while also dealing with the Mystery Eggs? Sequel. Overall Rating: 6/10 24. Jigoku Shoujo Mitsuganae Hell Girl: Three Vessels 地獄少女 三鼎 [Studio Deen] (Finished 1/26) Tags: Psychological Mystery, Supernatural Following the events of Jigoku Shoujo Futakomori, Ai Enma, the Hell Girl, has disappeared. Her former companions decide to lead normal lives, until their absent mistress returns to them with a new companion, and in a way that none of them anticipated. Yuzuki Mikage is a normal schoolgirl who soon comes to understand the Hell Girl on an intimate level. During a dream-like trance in the bathtub, Ai kisses Yuzuki and possesses her. So when Yuzuki's friend decides to type in the name of their teacher in the Hell Correspondence website, Ai makes use of Yuzuki's body to accomplish her own task of ferrying the teacher's soul to hell. Yuzuki is disturbed by her new circumstances and wonders why she was chosen to continue Ai's work. Unfortunately for her, the Hell Girl and her assistants resume operation of Hell Correspondence, and she is dragged along for the ride towards hell itself. Sequel. Overall Rating: 6/10 25. Kurozuka 黒塚 [Madhouse] (Finished 12/12) Tags: Seinen Historical, Vampire Action, Drama, Horror, Romance, Sci-Fi In 12th-century Japan, swordsman Kurou escapes ghastly pursuers into a deep forest with his servant Benkei. Seeking shelter, the two find themselves within the secluded abode of the mysterious and beautiful Kuromitsu. While they are warmly accepted, the men are warned to never enter Kuromitsu's room. However, driven by innate curiosity and perhaps a condemned love, Kurou peeks through the ajar door, only to find Kuromitsu feasting on the blood of fallen men. He soon learns Kuromitsu is an immortal vampire, and dedicates himself to her—even becoming a vampire himself in order to spend eternity with her. But the cryptic organization known as the Red Army has enlisted the help of Benkei, who betrays Kurou and severs his head. Awaking centuries into the future in an apocalyptic modern-day Japan, Kurou sets off to reunite with his lover and exact revenge on the Red Army. Sad to say, but nothing interesting. Supernatural samurai, fighting, a bit of gore and historical references. As a result, a very sour impression. Overall Rating: 6/10 26. Mouryou no Hako 魍魎の匣 [Madhouse] (Finished 3/13) Tags: Detective, Historical, Psychological Mystery, Supernatural, Suspense Absent-minded schoolgirl Yoriko Kusumoto only has eyes for Kanako Yuzuki. After planning for their summer trip, their journey comes to a premature and brutal end when Kanako is found severely wounded on train tracks and Yoriko in tears on the station's platform. Shuutarou Kiba, a detective who happened to be on the train that hit the girl, takes up the investigation. However, he discovers that the mystery behind this case is intertwined with an intricate network of deceptions involving the Yuzuki family, especially its most prominent member, Youko Yuzuki—a famous actress and Kanako's sister. Although Kanako survives after surgery, her critical state prompts Youko to entrust a doctor, Dr. Koushirou Mimasaka, to take care of the girl in an ominous, box-shaped facility in the forest where she will receive experimental treatment. But soon after, on a night where Kiba and Yoriko visit Kanako, the convalescent suddenly vanished. Now searching for her whereabouts, the burden on Kiba dramatically grows when he learns about other gruesome discoveries: limbs of young girls in boxes. Kiba is suggested by a colleague that the macabre findings are related not only to Kanako's disappearance but also to the truth behind her sister. As the investigation continues, the detective—enlisting the help of his partners Tatsumi Sekiguchi and Akihiko Chuuzenji—has to find a way to solve this series of crimes and find Kanako back. It as it's a collection of everything I dislike. Overall Rating: 5/10 27. Hyakko ヒャッコ [Nippon Animation] (Finished 13/13) Tags: CGDCT, School Comedy, Slice of Life On their first day of high school shy Ayumi Nonomura and taciturn Tatsuki Iizuka become lost on the immense campus of Kamizono Academy. An irresistible force of nature named Torako Kageyama accompanied by her best friend Suzume Saotome appears in front of them. Led, sometimes pushed, by Torako, the girls and their classmates work through problems of school, home and adolescence. It's episodic comedy, so it all comes down to humor which is ok, but not exactly to my taste. Overall Rating: 6/10 28. Macademi Wasshoi! Magician's Academy まかでみWAっしょい！ [Zexcs] (Finished 1/12) Tags: Gag Humor, School Comedy, Fantasy, Romance, Supernatural, Ecchi Magician's Academy revolves around Takuto Hasegawa, who attends a magic academy that is not marked on any map. During a summoning spell exam, he accidentally creates a girl named Tanarotte, who happens to hold enough magical power to destroy his country, but fortunately Tanarotte professes undying loyalty (and love) to her "creator." Utter silly nonsense with ecchi about loli, so need to like absurd humor and lots of stamps. Overall Rating: 5/10 29. Kurogane no Linebarrels Linebarrels of Iron 鉄のラインバレル [Gonzo] (Finished 10/24) Tags: Mecha Action, Sci-Fi Fourteen-year-old Kouichi Hayase's life has always been a mediocre one, if not dismal. However, those days of being bullied by classmates and escaping to a fantasy of being a hero are put to an end when a certain "accident" bestows on him a girl and a gigantic humanoid robot called "LINEBARREL." The extraordinary power that Kouichi obtains puts him and everything around him on a sudden rollercoaster ride of battles, intrigues and friendship! During the course of his adventure, the boy starts to learn what life has to offer; he meets new friends, bids farewell to the old ones, but most of all he now has considerable responsibilities and is forced to confront the world around him. This mecha takes the usual cheeky brat protagonist and tries to experiment on him and develop him. Sometimes it works, but more often it does not or looks like a bad parody. It's still mecha with a unique feel and Code Geass notes. Overall Rating: 6/10 30. Kemeko Deluxe! ケメコデラックス！ [Hal Film Maker] (Finished 3/13) Tags: Shounen School Action, Comedy, Romance, Sci-Fi, Ecchi When Sanpeita Kobayashi was a child, his lovely friend had to move away, but she vowed that in ten years, they would meet again—as husband and wife. Ten years later, Sanpeita is a high school student, but he hasn't forgotten the feelings they shared. Sanpeita awakes from a dream about his last day with her, only to have his morning interrupted. A weird robot girl is battling other robots in his bedroom, claiming to be his wife. The robot's pilot looks like none other than Sanpeita's long-lost, childhood friend. But who is she really? Why did she have to leave? And what does she have to do with the Mishima Electronics Corporation? A weird ecchi comedy where I can't find anything worthwhile in. Overall Rating: 5/10 31. Kyou no 5 no 2 (TV) 今日の５の２ [Xebec] (Finished 3/13) Tags: Seinen School Comedy, Ecchi Following the line of the precedent OVAs (of the same name) This anime goes around the normal lives of some elementary school (5th grade, 2nd class room) kids and their adventures, while turning to teens. Their games, stupid jokes, and the misunderstandings around their premature attraction to the opposite sex. Ryota Satou is the main character here, but his friends are almost as important as him since the school wouldn't be the same without them, especially the girls who the majority of time appear to be mature by their ages but in the ends they are as childish and even more "dangerous" than the boys. Basically, OVA sketches are repeated, plus new ones are added. And I still don't find humor good. Overall Rating: 6/10 32. Tentai Senshi Sunred 天体戦士サンレッド [AIC ASTA] (Finished 26/26) Tags: Seinen Gag Humor, Parody, Super Power Comedy Tentai Senshi Sunred is the magnificent story of the conflict between good and evil that takes place in the city of Kawasaki. Sunred, ally of justice, is dedicated to stopping the evil organization Florsheim on their quest for world domination, while General Vamp and his minions are constantly thinking up new schemes to defeat Sunred. In what sounds like a typical story, the characters make all the difference. Our hero Sunred is rude, violent, and lazy, playing pachinko all day and leeching off of his girlfriend Kayoko Uchida. Meanwhile General Vamp is polite, conscientious, and an ideal homemaker who cooks, mothers his minions, and discusses housekeeping with Kayoko, who bickers constantly with Sunred. Even the monsters of Florsheim tend to be adorable and harmless. Each episode is comprised of several shorts weighing in at anywhere from a few minutes to a few seconds, and explores the daily lives of these sworn enemies. This is the story of the battle between good and evil that takes place in Kawasaki. It's a blast when watched for the first time. Somehow not feeling like rewatching it for now. But it definitely deserves a lot more love. Overall Rating: 7/10 33. Tytania タイタニア [Artland] (Finished 26/26) Tags: Military, Psychological, Space Adventure, Romance, Sci-Fi One Man vs. an Empire! Through fear and conquest, the Empire of Valdana holds the future of most of human space within its iron hands, and for generations, those hands have belonged to the Landless Lords of the ruling Tytania dynasty. But now the foundation of the empire is crumbling, pockets of rebellion are forming and when a mission sent to punish the city-state of Euriya is shockingly defeated, the man responsible becomes the target of a galaxy-wide manhunt! For Fan Hyurlick, architect of Tytania's first defeat, glory becomes desperation as his own side betrays him. Now Fan must not only save his own life, but somehow turn the tables on opponents who have whole worlds to command! Story from the author Galactic heroes, but there are too many similarities - also omnipotent empire and rebel forces, also genius admiral of the rebels, also competing nobles of the empire. But there are differences as well - now scale is a lot smaller, and rebels are always vastly outnumbered, so most of the time development happens on the land - in the cities. But again there's no normal ending, so can't recommend it unless you liked Galactic heroes. Overall Rating: 6/10 34. Hokuto no Ken: Raoh Gaiden Ten no Haoh 北斗の拳 ラオウ外伝 天の覇王 [Satelight] (Finished 1/13) Tags: Martial Arts Action, Drama In the wastelands following the great nuclear war, a legend grew of a man. “Hokuto No Ken.” The Fist of the North Star. Master of a legendary fighting technique. A man of impossible strength and endurance. Yet before Ken claimed the title of the Fist, there was another master, trained in the art of Hokuto Shinken, the King of the Fist, the Divine Fist of Heaven. Raoh: the ultimate assassin, the ultimate warrior. This is the story of the world before Fist of the North Star, and how one man took the future of a savage world into his deadly hands and reshaped its destiny. Not as a hero but as a conqueror. For in the mind of the man called Raoh, the only way to save Mankind is to grind it under his giant heel! The greatest battle is about to begin in Legends of the Dark King ~ Fist of the North Star! Sequel. Overall Rating: 5/10 35. Battle Spirits: Shounen Toppa Bashin バトルスピリッツ 少年突破バシン [Sunrise] (Finished 1/50) Tags: Shounen Strategy Game Energetic and thrill-seeking sixth grader Toppa Bashin has his mind set on only one thing—the card game Battle Spirits. Bearing a ruby pendant inherited from his missing father, Bashin heads to school every day with excitement: not for academics, but for card battling, much to the chagrin of his peers. One day, Bashin encounters J, the child prodigy champion of Battle Spirits, who bears a similar pendant. Star-struck, Bashin challenges J to a battle. However, the battle he gets is one he did not anticipate; the two are teleported to a mysterious arena in the sky—the Isekai World—where Spirits from the game become real. Feeling that his dream is finally within arm's reach, Bashin dives headfirst into the Isekai World, encountering other card battlers with extraordinary pendants. While making his way to the top, he slowly realizes that there is more to Battle Spirits than he ever imagined. Kids, monster battles with use of cards, ugly CGI... that's all I needed to know. Overall Rating: 5/10 36. Live On Cardliver Kakeru ライブオン CARDLIVER 翔 [TMS Entertainment] (Finished 1/51) Tags: Strategy Game Fantasy Kakeru is a big fan of the Live On card game, like so many kids his age. However he loses every time he plays, no matter how hard he tries. Things change when one day Kakeru saves a small dog-like creature chased by weird people. The “dog” is in fact a Create Monster and gives Kakeru an unusual Live Change card, which in turn allows Kakeru to protect his newfound friend… And gets him involved in something he did not expect… Another childish anime with monster battles coming out of cards. Overall Rating: 5/10 37. Zettai Yareru Greece Shinwa 絶対やれるギリシャ神話 [A-1 Pictures] (Finished 0/13) Tags: Comedy, Ecchi Comedy show based on Greek myths about how perverted the gods are. Not found. Overall Rating: 0/10 38. Negibouzu no Asatarou ねぎぼうずのあさたろう [Toei Animation] (Finished 0/49) Tags: Historical Adventure, Comedy Based on a picture book about a onion-headed samurai named Asatarou. Not found. Overall Rating: 0/10 39. Noramimi 2 のらみみ2 [-] (Finished 0/13) Tags: Childcare Comedy Sequel to Noramimi. Not found. Overall Rating: 0/10 40. Giga Tribe 기가 트라이브 [Studio Kaab] (Finished 1/39) Tags: Parody, Super Power Comedy Gang Tu-Ji is just a normal passionate and determined (pun intended) 13 year old boy trying to woo the prettiest girl in school. That is until 4 mysterious creatures crash through his roof one day. Tu-Ji ends up reluctantly helping them out by transforming into Tribe Captain via the Giga Stone's power they brought. And the creatures themselves are able to morph into fully humanoid super sentai-like warriors! Together they fight against friends and strangers who have been possessed by the evil Bavaria in a catch-phrase sitcom manner. It's definitely for kids. Overall Rating: 4/10 41. Kiss x Sis キス×シス [feel.] (Finished 5/12) Tags: Seinen Harem, School Comedy, Romance, Ecchi When Keita Suminoe's father remarried, not only did he gain a new mother, but elder twin sisters as well. Distinct yet similar, the homely and mature Ako is a former student council president, while the athletic and aloof Riko is the previous disciplinary president. The three of them have been together since kindergarten, resulting in a deep bond between the siblings. However, over time, their relationship developed into something more romantic—and erotic . Now in his last year of middle school, Keita has already received a sports recommendation, but it's from a different high school than his two sisters. Disappointed, both sisters try to change his mind, and he agrees, giving in to their desperate pleas. Unaware of the consequences, he now has to attempt to study for his high school exams while warding off the advances of his lust-driven sisters. With their parent's blessings, Ako and Riko strive to be Keita's future wife, leaving him to try his best to keep the relationship between them strictly platonic. However, with two beautiful girls vying for his attention, will Keita be able to withstand the endless temptations? It's already more than ecchi, but less less than hentai, so kind of borderline hentai, and OVA format is chosen because it can't be shown on TV anyway. I got pretty tired of all that harassments and had to drop it. Overall Rating: 6/10 42. Touhou Niji Sousaku Doujin Anime: Musou Kakyou 東方二次創作同人アニメ 夢想夏郷 [Maikaze] (Finished 4/?) Tags: Vampire Fantasy In the hidden magical land of Gensokyo, shrine maiden Reimu Hakurei constantly makes sure that supernatural incidents involving mythical creatures known as youkai remain as infrequent as possible. As part of her shrine's traditions, she hosts an annual summer banquet that invites a variety of guests, ranging from humans to even the strongest of youkai. On the morning of the banquet, however, the shrine's donation box suddenly goes missing. Furthermore, there appears to be no trace of any theft whatsoever. As Reimu, her friend Marisa Kirisame, and news reporter Aya Shameimaru investigate the situation, they realize that others also have missing possessions. With each step closer to piecing the puzzle together, the group soon understands that this phenomenon is more than just simple thievery—an incident on par with Remilia Scarlet's mist or Yuyuko Saigyouji's youkai cherry blossom. I did not expect much of Touhou, but this is just waste of time on random sparrings, SOL and just showing all the numerous girls of the franchise. Overall Rating: 5/10 43. Switch スイッチ [Actas] (Finished 2/2) Tags: Detective, Organized Crime Action, Mystery Two new members of Japan's Narcotics Control Department are tasked with dismantling the criminal network that supplies the deadly drug called Funny Angel (FA). While Haru Kurabayashi infiltrates the mafia branch that commercializes this drug, his partner Kai Etou starts working in a suspicious greenhouse that may harbor the FA production. As both agents grow closer to their objective, they are confronted with difficult choices that threaten to jeopardize the cover of each other. Short detective action is something I can't appreciate. Overall Rating: 6/10 44. Zettai Shougeki: Platonic Heart Master of Martial Hearts 絶対衝激～プラトニックハート～ [Arms] (Finished 5/5) Tags: Martial Arts Action, Ecchi The story centers on the Platonic Heart, a jewel that—according to an old urban legend—can grant any wish when collected. Only a chosen few are allowed to compete in the Platonic Heart hunt, and high school junior Aya Iseshima is one of 11 girls and women who are taking part. It's quite average fighting ecchi, and last episode suddenly turns it into a totally different genre, some freaking Santa Barbara all over again. Overall Rating: 5/10 45. Kidou Senshi Gundam MS IGLOO 2: Juuryoku Sensen Mobile Suit Gundam MS IGLOO 2: Gravity of the Battlefront 機動戦士ガンダム　ＭＳ ＩＧＬＯＯ ２　重力戦線 [Sunrise] (Finished 3/3) Tags: Mecha Sci-Fi MS igLoo 2 goes back to the first MS igLoo and tells the story of the Federation soldiers side that has to fight against the monstrous Zakus. Each episode tells a story of a different federation soldier that is cursed by a Death God that came down to earth with the Zakus and shows the desperate struggle against mobile suits with only conventional weapons such as tanks and missiles. Each soldier, fueled with revenge, and a Death God looming over their backs, fights against the odds that is the terrible might of a Zaku. It looks more battlefield than Gundam with tanks and other armored vehicles alongside infantry and with all that in CGI. Feels rather senseless to me to follow some characters that are going to die at the very start of invasion anyway. Overall Rating: 6/10 46. Kara no Kyoukai Movie 6: Boukyaku Rokuon The Garden of Sinners Chapter 6: Oblivion Recording 劇場版 空の境界 the Garden of sinners 第六章『忘却録音』 [ufotable] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Action, Mystery, Romance, Supernatural, Suspense With strange events occurring at Reien Girls' Academy during winter break, Azaka Kokutou, a student and apprentice mage, is sent by her master to investigate. It turns out that another mage has been stealing the students' memories using fairies that, despite her magical talent, are invisible to Azaka. So Shiki Ryougi, an acquaintance with special eyes who can see what Azaka cannot, is also sent to the academy to help with the crisis. However, the two have trouble getting along, mainly due to the fact that Azaka views Shiki as her romantic rival. But when the fairy situation quickly spirals out of control and more layers of the mystery are revealed, Azaka must learn to work with Shiki in order to save her classmates. Another magical duel - who would have thought. Hardly even a mystery this time. Overall Rating: 6/10 47. Biohazard: Degeneration バイオハザード ディジェネレーション [Digital Frontier] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Action, Horror, Sci-Fi The story is set in autumn 2005, one year after Resident Evil 4 game took place. Due to an as of yet unexplained reason, zombies appear in a United States airport. The release of the zombies leads to danger of an outbreak. It feels that it's aftermath of the game, because there's little action and lots of intrigues. Relatively amusing. Overall Rating: 6/10 48. Hells ヘルズ, (ヘルズエンジェルス) [Madhouse] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Adventure, Comedy, Horror Amagane Rinne had an accident and died while hurrying to school. She suddenly arrived in an awkward school... in Hell, filled with demons. While she is struggling and wishing to go back to the world whence she came from, she makes friends with her demon schoolmates and develops an uncommon bond. An abstract surreal mess which lasts for full two hours and I don't know what to like here. Overall Rating: 5/10

I enjoyed both Detroit Metal City and Lucky☆Star: Original na Visual to Animation this season, but original work wins, as usual . 1. Natsume Yuujinchou Natsume's Book of Friends 夏目友人帳 [Brain's Base] (Finished 3/13) Tags: Shoujo Drama, Slice of Life, Supernatural Iyashikei, Mythology Due to an unusual ability to see strange creatures called youkai, Takashi Natsume has never fit in. Passed around from one foster home to another, he was left isolated and lonely. Over time, he has accepted that no one would ever believe him and has closed himself off to his current caretakers and classmates. When Natsume accidentally breaks an intangible barrier, he frees Madara—a mighty spirit in the form of a lucky cat. Madara notices that Natsume bears a remarkable resemblance to his late grandmother Reiko Natsume, an outcast girl who became known across the youkai world for creating the Book of Friends. It is now in Natsume's possession, along with its power to call upon the written names of the youkai Reiko had defeated. With no interest in its powers, Natsume decides to keep the book for the sake of his grandmother's memories and to protect it from scheming youkai. Therefore, he makes a deal with Madara: he will hand him the book once his time is up, and in turn, Madara will act as Natsume's unofficial bodyguard, nicknamed Nyanko-sensei. With his newfound goal of freeing those Reiko had sealed, Natsume's relationship with both youkai and humans slowly begins to improve. I could not make sense of Musashi and the same goes to Natsume Book of Friends. All those spirits, slow pace, episodic nature are great for falling to sleep, though. Overall Rating: 6/10 2. Zero no Tsukaima: Princesses no Rondo The Familiar of Zero: Rondo of Princesses ゼロの使い魔 ～三美姫（プリンセッセ）の輪舞（ロンド）～ [ J.C.Staff] (Finished 1/12) Tags: Harem, Isekai, School Action, Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy, Romance, Ecchi Following his brave sacrifice in the war against Albion, Saito Hiraga is knighted and treated as an aristocrat, something that proves difficult for Louise Françoise Le Blanc de La Vallière. With their relationship no longer defined as the mighty Void mage and clueless familiar, she wonders what exactly this means for them. While venturing to a castle, Louise is ambushed by a powerful mage named Sheffield. Battling alone, the young mage nearly faces defeat until Saito makes his appearance. The mystical and unknown nature of Void magic seems to be at work in the battle, and Louise begins to believe in the possibility of another Void user. Moreover, she realizes that Saito's magical rune is fading, and so a new adventure begins as they search for the elf who revived Saito in the past. The relationship between former master and servant faces a new challenge as they work to restore the runes and redefine the bond which holds them together. Sequel. Overall Rating: 6/10 3. Sekirei セキレイ [Seven Arcs] (Finished 3/12) Tags: Seinen Harem, Super Power Action, Comedy, Ecchi Struggling yet brilliant 19-year-old Minato Sahashi has failed his college entrance exams for the second time, resulting in him being regarded as worthless by those around him. However, the course of his seemingly bleak future is altered dramatically when a beautiful, supernatural woman falls from the sky and into his life. That woman, Musubi, is a unique being known as a "Sekirei," a humanoid extraterrestrial with extraordinary abilities. These aliens are known for kissing humans carrying the Ashikabi gene in order to awaken additional latent powers deep within. Recognizing the potential within the seemingly insignificant youth, Musubi kisses the bewildered Minato, initiating a bond between the two of them. This drags him into the high-stakes world of the Sekirei, where he and his new partner must compete against others in a battle for survival called the "Sekirei Plan." However, unbeknownst to the contestants, there is far more at risk that what the competition initially entailed. Seems to be for practical use only as no other strong sides spotted. Overall Rating: 5/10 4. Strike Witches ストライクウィッチーズ [Gonzo] (Finished 6/12) Tags: Military Action, Sci-Fi, Ecchi In the year 1939, humanity was on the verge of destruction. Equipped with weapons of devastating power, a mysterious alien race, known as the Neuroi, began an invasion of the Earth, ravaging the planet, obliterating countries, and vanquishing human armies. To counter this seemingly unstoppable force, the world's powers united. A new device was produced, called the Striker Unit, capable of facing Neuroi technology. Girls equipped with the Striker Unit became known as the Witches, forming humanity's last line of defense. They began their fight against the Neuroi, utilizing their now-enhanced magical abilities, flaunting destructive weapons no human could manage. Fast forward to 1944—Yoshika Miyafuji is a young teenage girl who eventually decides to join the 501st Joint Fighter Wing, known as the "Strike Witches." With no formal training however, can Miyafuji learn to cooperate with her fellow Strike Witches? And if so, can she save humanity from the Neuroi onslaught? I don't see substance here - the usual training and fanservice recreation. Of course something will happen by the end, but the series is not about the story. Overall Rating: 6/10 5. Nogizaka Haruka no Himitsu Haruka Nogizaka's Secret 乃木坂春香の秘密 [Diomedéa] (Finished 12/12) Tags: Comedy, Romance Haruka Nogizaka is the most popular student in the prestigious Hakujo Academy, possessing unparalleled beauty, talent, and influence. Unbeknownst to her fellow students, however, she keeps an embarrassing secret of being an otaku—something that can potentially destroy her elegant reputation. Unfortunately for Haruka, an encounter with the timid Yuuto Ayase in the school library spells the end of her well-kept secret. However, the two reach a mutual agreement with Yuuto promising to keep Haruka's secret, sparking an unexpected friendship between them. Nonetheless, with Haruka's status as the school celebrity and her friendly relationship with Yuuto, both of them are bound to be the subject of gossip everywhere they go! It was more or less ok when it whirled around otaku theme. But second half is just very banal dousei dating with artificial drama and convenient situations, and there's been an abundance of similar works already. Overall Rating: 5/10 6. Tetsuwan Birdy Decode Birdy the Mighty: Decode 鉄腕バーディー (2008) [A-1 Pictures] (Finished 13/13) Tags: Seinen Action, Comedy, Sci-Fi While pursuing an alien fugitive, Birdy Cephon Altera—a bombastic police officer from the Space Federation—finds herself on Earth. Her target, Geega, has disguised himself as a human and assimilated into the fashion industry, so Birdy follows suit and joins a modeling agency, taking on the identity "Shion Arita." Her position as a rising model has her posing for photo shoots by day and chasing intergalactic criminals by night. Meanwhile, Tsutomu Senkawa, an average high school student, explores an abandoned building with his friend, and coincidentally, Birdy has tracked down Geega to the same building. Senkawa briefly witnesses the battle before being seized as a hostage by Geega. However, Birdy, oblivious, attacks Geega and accidentally kills Senkawa. Distraught, she quickly decides to save him by integrating his consciousness into her body. Now, Birdy and Senkawa must not only cohabitate the same body, but also balance Senkawa's high school life, Shion Arita's modeling career, and Birdy's increasingly dangerous job as a Federation officer. I liked Birdy Decode quite a lot when first watched it. But now I find second half not satisfactory, sadly. Overall Rating: 6/10 7. Blade of the Immortal 無限の住人 [Bee Train] (Finished 3/13) Tags: Seinen Historical, Samurai Action, Adventure, Supernatural Manji is an infamous swordsman in feudal Japan who is known as the "Hundred Man Killer," as he has killed one hundred innocent men. However, there is something far more frightening than his ominous reputation: the fact that he is immortal. This is the handiwork of eight-hundred-year-old nun Yaobikuni, who placed bloodworms capable of healing almost any wound in Manji's body. To atone for his crimes, Manji resolves to kill one thousand evil men. Yaobikuni agrees to this proposal, saying that if he succeeds, she will undo his curse of immortality. Soon after this promise, Manji meets Rin Asano, a 16-year-old girl who requests Manji's assistance in killing those who slaughtered her parents. Initially reluctant, Manji refuses Rin's desperate plea. However, owing to her evident lack of strength, Manji changes his mind and agrees to protect Rin for four years. With this partnership set in stone, the two embark on a perilous journey of bloodshed, vengeance, and redemption, each to fulfill their own life's cause. Reminds me Ninja Scroll the most, but with samurai. Lots of fighting action with fantastic opponents packed, but there's not much besides it. Overall Rating: 6/10 8. Ikkitousen: Great Guardians 一騎当千: Great Guardians [Arms] (Finished 1/12) Tags: Martial Arts, School, Super Power Action, Ecchi Hakufu's dreams of participating in new fights and tournaments are put on hold as new obstacles block her path. Her friends have lost faith in her, new enemies appear, and a younger sister she never knew existed suddenly shows up on her doorstep. If Hakufu ever hopes to compete worldwide, she's going to have to deal with her issues at home first. Sequel. Overall Rating: 5/10 9. World Destruction: Sekai Bokumetsu no Rokunin Sands of Destruction ワールド・デストラクション ～世界撲滅の六人～ [Production I.G] (Finished 4/13) Tags: Adventure, Fantasy Spinoff based on the Nintendo DS RPG game by SEGA, released in Japan July, 2008. In a world where humans serve as livestock for the ruling beastman, and where sand fills the roles of water and fire. Kyrie is recruited by the "World Destruction Committee" to assist in putting an end to their world. Kyrie alone holds the power needed to do it. Setting is rather ridiculous with teddy bear and warrior girl who do not know what they're doing and also racism between beast humanoids and humans. And since there's no direction it's just random adventures that are going to suddenly lead somewhere by the end. Overall Rating: 6/10 10. Koihime†Musou 恋姫†無双 [Doga Kobo] (Finished 12/12) Tags: Historical, Martial Arts Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Ecchi After witnessing the death of her family at the hands of bandits, Unchou Kan'u has devoted her life to protecting the innocent by exterminating any group of bandits she comes across. Over time, Kan'u's deeds become famous throughout the land—even if she herself remains unknown. During her travels, she runs across a young girl, Chouhi Yokutoku, whose parents suffered a similar fate as Kan'u's. Finding companionship through their similar pasts, the two girls take a vow of sisterhood and continue to wander the land, determined to bring peace to wherever their journey takes them. During Kan'u and Chouhi's journey, they meet and travel with several people who are sympathetic to their cause, such as the noble Chouun Shiryuu, the headstrong Bachou Mouki, and the calculating Shokatsuryou Koumei. From problems with local lords to groups of ravaging bandits, Kan'u and her friends do what they can to make life a little easier for those in need, wherever they may be. Basically, I really like serious beginning. But it gets more loose and unserious the more it goes, and I can't enjoy it from that point, Overall Rating: 6/10 11. Slayers Revolution スレイヤーズ [J.C.Staff] (Finished 1/13) Tags: Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy Having lost the Sword of Light in the previous battle, Lina and Gourry continue their journey in search of a replacement weapon. On the way, the two of them meet up with Amelia and Zelgadis in the kingdom of Luvinagard while taunting some pirates. Lina is happy to reunite with her old friends, but appearing before her is Luvinagard's Inspector of the Special Investigative Unit; a man called Wizer. However, Lina is amazed at his unusual behavior... Sequel. Overall Rating: 6/10 12. Hidamari Sketch x 365 ひだまりスケッチ×365 [Shaft] (Finished 1/13) Tags: CGDCT, Iyashikei, School, Visual Arts Comedy, Slice of Life After passing her entrance exam, Yuno enrolls at Yamabuki High School as part of an art degree. She stays at the Hidamari Apartments along with best friend Miyako, and seniors Hiro and Sae. Each episode follows a day in her life as she mingles with her friends, close peers, overly hyper teachers and closely follows the mundane lives of the high school girls. Sequel. Overall Rating: 6/10 13. Mahoutsukai ni Taisetsu na Koto: Natsu no Sora Someday's Dreamers II: Sora 魔法遣いに大切なこと ～夏のソラ～ [Hal Film Maker] (Finished 2/12) Tags: Shounen Iyashikei Drama, Romance, Slice of Life Get ready for a second magical journey to the world of Someday's Dreamers, where spellcasting is a profession that requires both the proper training AND a license. It's to get that license and fulfill a promise made to her late father that young Sora Suzuki has made the long journey from her distant home in the countryside town of Biei to the big city of Tokyo. It's a daunting challenge, but she's got a little bit of talent, a charming personality and, most important of all, the promise of an internship! What she ISN'T expecting, though, is how different life in the city will be, especially the people themselves. While she gets along with the confident Asagi, Kuroda and the gentle Hiyori, she's completely confused with the mysterious boy Gouta. And yet, as a result of their internships they keep ending up in the same situations and slowly learning to understand more about each other than they ever imagined possible! The mood and direction feel a lot like prequel, and I dropped that one. This slow SOL about regulated magic just fails to impress and is genuinely boring. Overall Rating: 6/10 14. Yakushiji Ryouko no Kaiki Jikenbo Ryoko's Case File 薬師寺涼子の怪奇事件簿 [TMS Entertainment] (Finished 2/13) Tags: School Fantasy Based on a series of light novels written by Tanaka Yoshiki and illustrated by Kakinouchi Narumi. The story revolves around Ryouko Yakushiji, a 27-year-old multilingual investigator that graduated from Tokyo University's elite Department of Law, and the bizarre cases she faces while working for the Tokyo Metropolitan Police. Yakushiji not only has to deal with supernatural beings in her line of work, but also her rival Yukiko Muromachi, another equally talented and beautiful police investigator. Some mix of detective and superagent. Don't see anything special about it apart from atmosphere. Overall Rating: 5/10 15. Ultraviolet: Code 044 ウルトラヴァイオレットコード044 [Madhouse] (Finished 12/12) Tags: Action, Sci-Fi 044 becomes the strongest female soldier excelling in combat through gene manipulation using a virus. However, in exchange for her abilities, her days become numbered. The next mission of the government is to destroy a bloodthirsty squad, Phage, and its leader King. In her battle, she encounters a Phage soldier, Luka, and finds herself unable to kill him. She wonders why, but as a result, Daxus Jr., the leader of the government group, regards her as a traitor. She is targeted by both Phage and the government, and she runs away with the injured Luka. Very strange and unfocused action that I only finished for the sake of cyberpunk motives. Overall Rating: 5/10 16. Mission-E [Studio Deen] (Finished 1/12) Tags: School Action, Comedy, Sci-Fi Chinami and her friends have formed an organization called OZ, with the financial backing of the Kujo Group. Their goal is to peacefully integrate people with Type-E abilities into society, and oppose the Foundation, an organization which seeks to capture and control Type-E users for their own mysterious purposes. Sequel. Overall Rating: 6/10 17. Qin Shi Mingyue: Ye Jin Tianming Qin's Moon: Night Ends - Daylight 秦时明月之夜尽天明 [Sparkly Key Animation Studio] (Finished 1/18) Tags: Historical, Martial Arts Action, Fantasy In the second season, Emperor Qin sends Quicksand to destroy Machinery City, the home of the Mohist School. At the same time, Duanmu Rong sends the three kids, Tianming, Shao Yu, and Gao Yu, into the forbidden grounds of the Mohist School, a place where nobody could enter without permission. Sequel. Overall Rating: 5/10 18. Eve no Jikan Time of Eve イヴの時間 [Studio Rikka] (Finished 6/6) Tags: Sci-Fi, Slice of Life In future Japan, in a time when android housekeepers have become commonplace, society strictly abides by the Three Laws of Robotics, which all androids must follow. Under the influence of the Robot Ethics Committee, androids are treated the same way as lesser technology, such as household appliances. However, a minority with an adoration for androids exists, categorized as "android-holics," and are shunned by the general public. Rikuo Sakisaka was raised to accept society's precept about androids, and is perfectly aware that they are not human. That is, until the day he discovers a strange message buried within the activity logs of his household android, Sammy. This leads him to Eve no Jikan, a cafe with only one rule that its patrons must adhere to: there must be no distinction made between humans and androids. Curiosity drives Rikuo to learn more about the shop, and he attempts to unearth the reason behind Sammy's peculiar behavior. It's basically barternder, plus androids as half of customers. First, it's visually rather unappealing. Can't say that the whole resurrection of theme "Do androids dream" or any of short stories impressed me . Overall Rating: 6/10 19. Bounen no Xamdou Xam'd: Lost Memories 亡念のザムド [Bones] (Finished 12/26) Tags: Military Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi Sentan Island is a small island surrounded by the Yuden Sea. It exists in a state of dreamlike tranquility, cut off from the war between the Northern Government and the Southern Continent Free Zone. Our hero, Akiyuki Takehara, lives on Sentain Island along with his mother Fusa. He is currently separated from his father, the town doctor Ryuzo, but the bond between father and son remains. One day, after taking Ryuzo the lunch that Fusa has made for him as usual, Akiyuki arrives at school, where he is caught up in an explosion along with his friends, Haru and Furuichi. The explosion produces a mysterious light, which enters Akiyuki's arm, causing him excruciating pain. He's given no time to understand it, however, as the white-haired girl who rode on the bus with him guides him to a power unlike anything he's ever known. Genre is... wasting time on useless talks, random spontaneous drama and Gundam-like eternal conflict of two similar human civilizations with odd characters exclaiming that they are both alike... Overall Rating: 5/10 20. Detroit Metal City Detroit Metal City: The Animated Series デトロイト・メタル・シティ [Studio 4°C] (Finished 12/12) Tags: Seinen Gag Humor, Music Comedy Dominating the world of indie music, Detroit Metal City (DMC) is a popular death metal band known for its captivatingly dark and crude style. Its extravagant lead singer, Johannes Krauser II, is especially infamous as a demonic being who has risen from the fiery pits of hell itself in order to bring the world to its knees and lord over all mortals—or at least that's what he's publicized to be. Unbeknownst to his many worshippers, Krauser II is just the alter ego of an average college graduate named Souichi Negishi. Although he is soft-spoken, peace-loving, and would rather listen to Swedish pop all day, he must participate in DMC's garish concerts in order to make ends meet. Detroit Metal City chronicles Negishi's hilarious misadventures as he attempts to juggle his hectic band life, a seemingly budding romance, and dealing with his incredibly obsessive and dedicated fans. DMC contains two small stories in most episodes, so it feels like a collection of longer sketches rather than an integral work for me. Humor is basically the same all the time - contrast between tender protagonist's nature and rude expression, but actual situations vary greatly and feel really fresh. I think minor masterpiece is a just right score as this is not a work for everyone. Overall Rating: 7/10 21. Lucky☆Star: Original na Visual to Animation Lucky☆Star OVA らき☆すた OVA（オリジナルなビジュアルとアニメーション） [Kyoto Animation] (Finished 1/1) Tags: CGDCT, School, Video Game Comedy The OVA features six separate stories revolving around the cast, some of which border on the bizarre; one of which is an MMORPG environment being played by Konata, Kagami, Tsukasa, and Nanako Kuroi, and another in which Kagami has a "suggestive" dream about Konata. It's just 40 minutes long, but it's hilarious. Overall Rating: 7/10 22. Batman: Gotham Knight バットマン ゴッサムナイト [Bee Train, Production I.G, Madhouse, Studio 4°C] (Finished 6/6) Tags: Martial Arts Action, Adventure Anime-inspired direct-to-DVD anthology film. Comprised of six short stories, from diverse creators, including Academy Award-nominated Josh Olsen (A History of Violence), Batman Begins writer David S. Goyer, and comics scribe Brian Azzarello. It's planned for a release window of two to four weeks prior to the release of The Dark Knight, and would bridge the gap between Batman Begins and The Dark Knight. It's darker than usual, with good visuals except for character designs, and stories are so-so. Overall Rating: 6/10 23. Quiz Magic Academy: The Original Animation クイズマジックアカデミー ~The Original Animation~ [AIC PLUS+] (Finished 1/1) Tags: School Action, Comedy, Fantasy There is a magical academy that is located on a floating island in the sky. This OVA is about the students of one of the academy's classes, who's only chance not to fail the semester is to win a competition where they must show off their magic skills. A hectic short magical academy episode. Overall Rating: 5/10 24. Kaitou Tenshi Twin Angel 快盗天使ツインエンジェル [Nomad] (Finished 2/2) Tags: - Haruka Minazuki and Aoi Kannazuki are freshman high school students and best friends. During the day they help with school activities but at night they thwart enemies like Black Auction and other villains as Red Angel and Blue Angel, the Twin Angel team. A mediocre twin mahou shoujo story. Overall Rating: 5/10 25. Cobra The Animation: The Psycho-Gun COBRA THE ANIMATION ザ・サイコガン [Magic Bus] (Finished 4/4) Tags: Shounen Adult Cast, Mecha, Space Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi When Utopia More discovers an ancient record that holds the key to unlocking the secrets of the universe, she becomes the target of the ruthless Gypsy Doc of the Pirate Guild. Utopia finds herself saved by the easy-going yet legendary space pirate, Cobra, whose custom made Psychogun makes him a force to be reckoned with. Together, the two of them attempt to stop Gypsy Doc (along with Cobra's revived arch-nemesis, Crystal Boy) and his efforts to steal the record and use its secrets to rule the universe. I just hope no feminist ever watches this as there's a lot of macho cringe involved. Overall Rating: 5/10 26. Toshi Densetsu Monogatari Hikiko 都市伝説物語　ひきこ [-] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Horror Story: 3D CG-animated movie about Hikiko, who is a character of a Japanese urban legend. She was violently treated all the time by her parents and classmates at the elementary school and she's extremely ugly due to the constant violence. To revenge, she caught students from elementary school and drag them on the floor until they're badly mutilated. When Revsersing Hikiko's full name 森妃姫子(Mori Hikiko) gives 引き籠もり(hikikomori), which means Social Withdrawal. Rather mediocre CG horror. Overall Rating: 5/10 27. Mushrambo (2008) マシュランボー (2008) [Toei Animation] (Finished 2/2) Tags: Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Sci-Fi Kokoro wo Chikara ni: The story follows the human girl Yakumo, who awakens from cryogenic sleep in a devastated world destroyed by genetically engineered lifeforms, Enterrans. With the help of a few friendly Enterrans, she goes on a journey to find more human survivors and bring peace between the two factions. Owaranai Chikyuu: After restoring the world to order, one threat remains for Yakumo and her friends. The cause of the war itself, hidden deep inside a meteorite that crashed at the start of the war, a cause that's about to resurface. Old action series was bad, no idea why even worse OVA was needed. Overall Rating: 5/10 28. Gake no Ue no Ponyo Ponyo 崖の上のポニョ [Studio Ghibli] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Adventure, Award Winning, Fantasy A goldfish sneaks away from home and floats off on the back of a jellyfish. After getting stuck in a glass jar, she drifts to the shore where she is freed by Sousuke, a five-year-old boy who lives with his mother Lisa in a house by the sea while his father Koichi works on a fishing boat. After healing a cut on Sousuke's finger by licking it, the goldfish is named Ponyo by her new friend. Unknown to Sousuke, Ponyo already has a name and a family. Her father Fujimoto, a sorcerer who forsook his humanity to live underwater, searches frantically for his daughter Brunhilde. When found and captured, Ponyo rejects her birth name and declares that she wants to become a human. Using the power received from Sousuke's blood, she grows arms and legs and escapes to the surface once more. But the magic released into the ocean causes an imbalance in nature, causing the Moon to start falling out of orbit and the tides to grow dangerously stronger. Reunited with Ponyo, Sousuke must pass an ancient test to restore order in the world and let his companion live on as a human. It was better than expected as expectations level has toned up greatly for previous works, but it's still about small children, so I could not enjoy it. Overall Rating: 6/10 29. Kara no Kyoukai Movie 5: Mujun Rasen The Garden of Sinners Chapter 5: Paradox Spiral 劇場版 空の境界 the Garden of sinners 第五章『矛盾螺旋』 [ufotable] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Action, Drama, Mystery, Romance, Supernatural, Suspense In November 1998, a double homicide occurs at the newly constructed Ogawa apartment complex in the heart of Mifune City. The murderer, Tomoe Enjou, has fled in a panic. To his astonishment, he is not pursued by the police and news of the incident has not been reported through media outlets. After Shiki Ryougi defends Tomoe from a group of thugs, she allows him to use her residence as a hideout. However, a few days later, Tomoe is shaken to discover that his mother is alive, even though he is convinced that he killed her. Coincidentally, Mikiya Kokutou is investigating a tip that his associate Touko Aozaki receives regarding the murder at the unique apartment complex. As he uncovers more information about the incident, Mikiya takes a particular interest in Tomoe. Deciding to investigate him further, Mikiya soon discovers the disturbing truth of the foreboding Ogawa complex. The fifth installment of the Kara no Kyoukai film series, Mujun Rasen combines an intricately constructed mystery with established themes and characters to produce a dark, thought-provoking story. New protagonist Enjou shares his load of psychological problems, plus there's one more magician to deal with. More action than usual, same torn average quality storytelling. Overall Rating: 6/10 30. Koukaku Kidoutai 2.0 攻殻機動隊2.0 [Production I.G] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Seinen Adult Cast, Detective, Mecha, Psychological Action, Sci-Fi Set in the year 2029 and following World Wars III and IV, a Japanese-led Asian block dominates world affairs. The alliance maintains its international supremacy through its elite security force whose cybernetically enhanced operatives tackle an array of hi-tech terrorists and other threats to international security. These augmented agents can "ghost hack" (i.e., download their consciousness) via the now omnipresent internet into other machines and human/machine cross breeds. Major Motoko Kusanagi, a cybernetically augmented female agent, has been tracking a virtual entity known as the Puppet Master with her crack squad of security agents. The shape-shifting Puppet Master, a rogue creation of a rival agency of the security apparatus, has concluded that it is a life form in its own right, "born in sea of information," and requested political asylum and true physical existence in defiance of its creators. I don't see improvements, and couple CG scenes break immersion. And the score for needless remake is not recommended. Overall Rating: 4/10 31. The Sky Crawlers スカイ・クロラ [Production I.G] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Military Award Winning, Drama In an alternate timeline, the world has seemingly achieved peace. Bereft of international conflicts, wars are now waged between private corporations in place of peaceful nations. Yuuichi Kannami, a recent transfer in Area 262, simply does his job as a contracted fighter pilot. However, the more time he spends at his new base, the more mysteries come to light. The Sky Crawlers exhibits this reality through the eyes of Kannami as he endeavors to understand the "Kildren," humans genetically altered to be teenagers forever with faster reflexes, and his predecessor, the ace pilot known as "Teacher." However, what troubles Kannami the most is how all this connects to the base commander, Suito Kusanagi. Area 262 has the answers, but the truth comes with a price the young pilot may not be ready to pay. Slow development, some air combat duels, some anti-militarism. Reminds Patlabor 2 movie in nature. Overall Rating: 6/10

Had serious doubts about including Vtuber games, but let's do it for volume. It's hard to call any visual novel a normal one this month. 1. Kyouhin-chan 狂信ちゃん [230508] Ultinet It is a multiple ending game depicting the offline meeting of a VTuber with a fan and the aftermath of the meeting. Vtuber nonsense with a bit of mental distortion 2. Ore no Yuukyuu Koi Monogatari 俺の有休恋物語 [230513] qureate 1 Kiyama Akito works a dead-end job at an exploitative company. Never paid for overtime work and worn down by the daily grind, his crushed and burnt-out coworkers quit in quick succession. Knowing it wouldn't be long until he ended up the same, Akito submits his resignation. Having earned two weeks of paid leave, he considers taking a hot spring vacation to heal his mind and body. That's when he recalls his hometown in the countryside and decides to return for the first time in a decade. However his hopes for a restful vacation are shattered when he arrives in the familiar town only to find that his planned lodging was closed for short-notice renovations! As the sun sets on our shelter-less protagonist, three women suddenly appear before him—his childhood friends, the Amakusa sisters! After 10 years, you find yourself reunited with the Amakusa sisters. This simple event is the start of your countryside love story. Game is localized 3. Operation‡Nova [230428] →Quantize_ Rei Kisaragi got a ticket to the EDM festival "Arcana Island" and enjoys this trip a lot with guide Aina and classmate Noah Suzukaze. There are all kinds of places to explore there - stage, recreation and parks. First part is mostly a comedy including a lot of modern culture parodies, second half presents a twist and a mystery to uncover. 4. Momo no Hana wa Senketsu ni Somaru 桃の華は鮮血に染まる [230522] One Connect Onmyoji girls go on adventures in a fairytale-like world. Adventure to gain God's favor for those who care about Heian mysteries 5. Oidemase, Kokuri-san おいでませ、こくりさん [230525] Rabbitfoot 1 “Kokkuri-san, Kokkuri-san, please come see us.” When you fearlessly chant the “Kokkuri-san” spell at school in the middle of the night, what appeared was a surprisingly cute little fox named Kurune Kokuri. And so begins the investigation of the Seven Wonders of School by you and Kurune Kokuri… Vtuber nonsense 6. AMBITIOUS MISSION After Episode AMBITIOUS MISSION アフターエピソード [230526] SAGA PLANETS The popular "Ambitious Mission" is returning! It can't be over... I wanted to talk more to the heroines, i want to be with them. Anmitsu fans, the long-awaited After Episode is here. Please enjoy the sweet day to day flirting with the heroines. 1: Inclusion of heroine after episodes. The sweet life with the main heroines continues. The H-scenes are of the same rich quality as they were in the main story. These are stories full of love between each other. 2: We have added a new exclusive story for the popular side-character Charlotte! In response to the request of many people, Charlotte's love story is now available. You can thoroughly enjoy the romance with Charlotte which was not possible in the main story. Of course, H-scenes have also been included. - After Episode 2 3: New story for the popular side-character Miharu has been added!! A story of sweet daily life, but also full of love. We promise to deliver, of course there are H-scenes too. - After Episode 1 Fandisc 7. WANNABE→CREATORS [230526] DESSERT Soft The protagonist, Akitsu Ren, lives a solitary life in the countryside with no contact from his parents and copes with loneliness through creating fan fiction based on manga, anime, and games. His fanfics gains notoriety for being more interesting than the original works and earn him the nickname "Original Killer". He meets a talented creator, Shinomiya Ria, who takes him under her wing and introduces him to the prestigious Joban Art Academy, where students of the art faculty are highly respected and those in the regular curriculum are outcasts. However, he becomes ostracized because of his inability to produce original content and finds solace in the school's circle, a group of creators and their supporters. He hopes to find a new purpose in life and a place to belong. All Dessert Soft games are harems, usually with cohabitation, so it should be clear what to expect 8. Kemorifu School Life! ~Kemonomimi Musume to Kokoro Tsunagaru ADV~ けもりふすくーるらいふっ!～けもみみ娘とココロ繋がるADV～ [230530] Hinagikutei Four main heroines are AVtubers . For a year protagonist studies together with them and can deepen relations with one of them. Vtuber nonsense is gladly adopted by doujins and taken to extremes

Druaga no Tou: The Aegis of Uruk is a great inspiring fantasy . Also found Kure-nai enjoyable. 1. Code Geass: Hangyaku no Lelouch R2 Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion R2 コードギアス 反逆のルルーシュ 続編 [Sunrise] (Finished 25/25) Tags: Mecha, Military, Super Power Action, Award Winning, Drama, Sci-Fi One year has passed since the Black Rebellion, a failed uprising against the Holy Britannian Empire led by the masked vigilante Zero, who is now missing. At a loss without their revolutionary leader, Area 11's resistance group—the Black Knights—find themselves too powerless to combat the brutality inflicted upon the Elevens by Britannia, which has increased significantly in order to crush any hope of a future revolt. Lelouch Lamperouge, having lost all memory of his double life, is living peacefully alongside his friends as a high school student at Ashford Academy. His former partner C.C., unable to accept this turn of events, takes it upon herself to remind him of his past purpose, hoping that the mastermind Zero will rise once again to finish what he started, in this thrilling conclusion to the series. I'm still sure that original concept of Code Geass was born as imitation of Death Note, but this second season is sure original... and crappy. After such horrible ending can't even treat the whole season properly. Overall Rating: 5/10 2. Soul Eater ソウルイーター [Bones] (Finished 3/51) Tags: Shounen School Action, Comedy, Fantasy Death City is home to the famous Death Weapon Meister Academy, a technical academy headed by the Shinigami—Lord Death himself. Its mission: to raise "Death Scythes" for the Shinigami to wield against the many evils of their fantastical world. These Death Scythes, however, are not made from physical weapons; rather, they are born from human hybrids who have the ability to transform their bodies into Demon Weapons, and only after they have consumed the souls of 99 evil beings and one witch's soul. Soul Eater Evans, a Demon Scythe who only seems to care about what's cool, aims to become a Death Scythe with the help of his straight-laced wielder, or meister, Maka Albarn. The contrasting duo work and study alongside the hot headed Black☆Star and his caring weapon Tsubaki, as well as the Shinigami's own son, Death the Kid, an obsessive-compulsive dual wielder of twin pistols Patty and Liz. Soul Eater follows these students of Shibusen as they take on missions to collect souls and protect the city from the world's threats while working together under the snickering sun to become sounder in mind, body, and soul. Tried it in the past as Soul Eater is a rather popular shounen anime, but it struck me as average that time, and now after refreshing memories I still see it as hectic, nonsense and too teenager'ish Overall Rating: 6/10 3. To LOVE-Ru To Love Ru To LOVEる -とらぶる- [Xebec] (Finished 3/26) Tags: Shounen Harem, School Comedy, Romance, Sci-Fi, Ecchi Timid 16-year-old Rito Yuuki has yet to profess his love to Haruna Sairenji—a classmate and object of his infatuation since junior high. Sadly, his situation becomes even more challenging when one night, a mysterious, stark-naked girl crash-lands right on top of a bathing Rito. To add to the confusion, Rito discovers that the girl, Lala Satalin Deviluke, is the crown princess of an alien empire and has run away from her home. Despite her position as the heiress to the most dominant power in the entire galaxy, Lala is surprisingly more than willing to marry the decidedly average Rito in order to avoid an unwanted political marriage. To LOVE-Ru depicts Rito's daily struggles with the bizarre chaos that begins upon the arrival of Lala. With an evergrowing legion of swooning beauties that continuously foil his attempted confessions to Haruna, To LOVE-Ru is a romantic comedy full of slapstick humor, sexy girls, and outlandishly lewd moments that defy the laws of physics. Series that challenges limits of ecchi like many other in the same genre, but story is not in focus, just slacking. Overall Rating: 6/10 4. Vampire Knight ヴァンパイア騎士〈ナイト〉 [Studio Deen] (Finished 3/13) Tags: Shoujo Love Polygon, Vampire Drama, Mystery, Romance, Supernatural The cheerful Yuuki Cross and the gruff Zero Kiryuu are members of the disciplinary committee at Cross Academy, which houses two very distinct classes: the Day Class and the Night Class. Their job consists of upholding order between the classes when they switch out. While that may not seem like an especially difficult task, the Day Class is unaware of the truth behind the Night Class—their utterly gorgeous students are vampires. Ten years ago, Yuuki was saved from a vampire attack by Kaname Kuran, a Pureblood vampire. Now, Kaname is the leader of the Night Class, and Yuuki's disciplinary committee position allows her to see him again, making her feelings for him grow complicated. Meanwhile, Zero bears a white-hot hatred of all vampires and believes they can never live in harmony with humans. But a secret from Zero's past soon threatens the fragile peace of all at the academy, and things may never be the same again. Maybe it was inspiration for Twilight series. Anyway, shoujo in love with vampire is not the thing I can enjoy. Overall Rating: 5/10 5. Special A Special A (S.A) スペシャル・エー [Gonzo, AIC] (Finished 3/24) Tags: Shoujo School Comedy, Romance Hikari Hanazono has always been able to do things that normal people cannot. As a child, she assumed no one could beat her—until she met Kei Takishima. Thinking she would win, Hikari challenged him to a match. But things didn’t go as planned; she lost not once but each time she rechallenged him. From that point on, she has sworn to best Kei at everything, ranging from academics to athletics. To achieve her goal, Hikari enrolls in the same school as Kei—Hakusenkan, a prestigious institute for the wealthy. As a pair, they hold the top two rankings in school and are among seven of the academy's best students in a class known as Special A. While Hikari treats Kei as a rival, she is completely oblivious that he harbors hidden feelings for her. Together, the members of Special A deal with competition, friendship, and just a bit of love. Is it just me or Special A repeats concept of His and Her circumstances almost to the dot... But that show transformed rather fast while Special A repeats this unfunny comedy cycle over cycle. Basically, it all comes down to tropes rather than inventiveness. Overall Rating: 6/10 6. Itazura na Kiss ItaKiss イタズラなKiss [TMS Entertainment] (Finished 3/25) Tags: Shoujo Comedy, Romance When her newly-built home is razed to the ground by an earthquake, low-achieving, clumsy, and troublesome third-year high school student Kotoko Aihara is forced to share a roof with the school's—and possibly Japan's—smartest student, Naoki Irie. Kotoko is not actually a complete stranger to Irie-kun; unfortunately, a single love letter that she tried to give him in the past has already sealed her fate as far as he is concerned. Throw in some quirky friends and a meddlesome mother, and Kotoko might not even have a snowball's chance in hell of winning the older Irie boy's heart. Yet Kotoko remains optimistic that, because she now lives in his house, her unattainable crush on the genius since the beginning of high school has never been more within reach. Blackmailing into helping with study based on revealing personal secret is another trait of His and Her circumstances, same as perfect in study boy. But, after all, it's more important how it all develops. And as far as I see this cycle of boy rejection and abuse is going to last for a long time. And that makes it more mechanical and worse in comparison with the aforementioned show. Overall Rating: 6/10 7. Kanokon Kanokon: The Girl Who Cried Fox かのこん [Xebec] (Finished 2/12) Tags: Harem, School Comedy, Romance, Supernatural, Ecchi Kouta has girl troubles of the supernatural sort. For some reason, he keeps attracting the attention (and affections) of animal spirits! Having spent most of his life in the country, Kouta is understandably nervous when he moves in with his grandma to attend a high school in the big city. He hoped to make a good impression, but having Chizuru, a beautiful fox spirit, hanging off his arm didn't seem to be the sort of image he wanted to have. She's not alone in her love for Kouta, either. Nozomu, a wolf spirit, as well as other youkai have their sights set on the hapless country boy. Superpower girls abusing shota is somewhat fresh, but only because it's too silly in the first place. It grows old way too fast. Not seeing any value here apart of practical usage. Overall Rating: 5/10 8. Nabari no Ou 隠の王 [J.C.Staff] (Finished 4/26) Tags: Shounen Action, Drama, Supernatural Silent, apathetic, yet mischievous, 14-year-old Rokujou Miharu is the bearer of the hijutsu, "Shinrabanshou," a powerful technique many ninja clans desire to possess to become the ruler of Nabari. Fellow classmate Kouichi and his English teacher Kumohira are both secretly Banten clan ninjas, pledging themselves to protect Miharu from his many attackers. Keeping apathetic, Miharu attempts to reject their invitation to join their ninja "club." However, after numerous attacks, he finds no choice but to join their group as a means for his survival. Slowly, Miharu takes a step closer to becoming the ruler of Nabari. I don't believe in good ninja shounen anime. And characters here are subpar. Overall Rating: 6/10 9. Kaiba カイバ [Madhouse] (Finished 12/12) Tags: Adventure, Award Winning, Mystery, Romance, Sci-Fi In a world where memories exist in memory chips separate from the body, death of the body no longer means death of the soul. It is possible for memories to be viewed, altered, and transferred between bodies. These memory chips are used by the rich to obtain eternal lives in carefully selected bodies, while for the poor, selling their own bodies and conserving their souls in the chips often become the only way to earn a living. An electrolytic cloud in the sky serves as a barrier between the heavens of the fortunate and the underworld of the destitute, making this social division impregnable. One day, a man named Kaiba wakes up in an empty room with no memories, a mysterious hole in his chest, and a locket holding the picture of an unknown woman. After escaping an attack and stumbling upon a decrepit village of underworld residents, he begins his adventure across the different planets of this strange universe to find out more about his own identity and the woman he once knew. Through a journey of self-discovery and acceptance, Kaiba weaves together tales of souls and spirits and explores the importance of memories. Oh, I remembered that I actually watched it. A hectic dystopian adventure. The very fact that it's so easily forgotten says that it's not important or impactful enough to remember for me, can't recommend something this much chaotic. Overall Rating: 6/10 10. Macross F Macross Frontier マクロスF（フロンティア） [Satelight] (Finished 4/25) Tags: Mecha, Military, Music, Space Action, Award Winning, Romance, Sci-Fi Following a catastrophic war against a race of giants known as the Zentradi, humanity has escaped towards the center of the galaxy aboard a fleet of colonial vessels called the Macross Frontier. As the extraterrestrial threat is left further and further behind, life on Macross Frontier proceeds as usual. In the year 2059, a young mecha pilot trainee named Alto Saotome and his colleagues are preparing to perform an accompanying routine for the famous singer Sheryl Nome, who has come to Macross Frontier for a concert. During the performance, a biomechanical alien species known as the Vajra make a sudden appearance, breaking through the defensive perimeter surrounding the vessel and crash-landing near the concert venue, plunging the entire city into chaos. As the concertgoers evacuate, a young girl named Ranka Lee is left behind and gets targeted by the Vajra, but she is saved at the last minute by Alto. Following these events, the Strategic Military Services program notes Alto's skill in battle, resulting in his recruitment to combat the new alien threat. To save identity Macross iterations try to mimic its concepts, mainly romance between pilot and singer, and also music as weapon. And seeing this concept repeated more than once is so artificial that I can not even treat it seriously. Overall Rating: 6/10 11. xxxHOLiC◆Kei ×××HOLiC◆継 [Production I.G] (Finished 1/13) Tags: Seinen Comedy, Drama, Mystery, Supernatural Kimihiro Watanuki's life was never really normal. But in addition to his ability to see spirits, this sequel to xxxHOLiC finds him still slaving away for Yuuko, the bizarre owner of a strange shop, who promised to rid him of this ability. However, this otherworldly woman can only do so when he has worked enough to earn his wish. Such is the way for anyone who finds their way into the shop to have their request granted: a compensation equal to their wish must be paid. In this odd shop that straddles the world of the living and the dead, Watanuki finds himself doing household chores for the seemingly lazy Yuuko and her companions, while also helping out clients. Along with his classmates, supposed romantic rival Shizuka Doumeki and his crush Himawari Kunogi, Watanuki deals with the many misfortunes surrounding Yuuko's customers, as well as those that closely follow him and his friends. Sequel. Overall Rating: 6/10 12. Yu☆Gi☆Oh! 5D's Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's 遊☆戯☆王5D's（ファイブディーズ） [Gallop] (Finished 1/154) Tags: Shounen Strategy Game Action Yuusei Fudou is out to get back what was stolen from him. The world of dueling has evolved, with Riding Duels becoming the peak of entertainment for the residents of Neo Domino City. They are played on D-Wheels, a hybrid between Duel Disks and motorbikes. After the mechanically skilled Yuusei managed to build his own D-Wheel, his former friend Jack Atlas stole it alongside Yuusei's best card, Stardust Dragon; ditching their decrepit hometown of Satellite, he escaped to Neo Domino City. In the two years since then, Jack has risen to the top of the dueling world, while Yuusei has been making preparations thanks to the help of his friends. With his new D-Wheel finished, he now sets off to Neo Domino City, his only goal to find Jack. Unbeknownst to either of them, there are far bigger things at stake than they can imagine, with puppeteers pulling the strings behind the scenes. Sequel. Overall Rating: 5/10 13. Druaga no Tou: The Aegis of Uruk Tower of Druaga: The Aegis of Uruk ドルアーガの塔 〜the Aegis of URUK〜 [Gonzo] (Finished 12/12) Tags: Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy It is said that every few years, there is what's known as the "Summer of Anu." During that summer, thanks to the divine protection of the sky-god Anu, all of the demons in the tower lose their power. The country of Uruk has begun an invasion of the tower in order to suppress the demons. They've built up positions inside the tower, with their sights set on getting to the upper levels. The Uruk army knows that this is the third Summer of Anu-a perfect time to launch a mission to suppress the monster Druaga once and for all. The army soldiers aren't the only ones in the tower, though. An enitre city called Meskia has formed inside the tower's first floor. It plays host not just to soldiers, but also to adventurers who have heard rumors about a legendary treasure called the Blue Crystal Rod, which is said to rest at the very top of the tower. With all these different groups in the mix, each with its own agenda, one can only guess how things will play out during this unusual summer. Finally. Tower of Druaga opens up pandora box of isekai RPG-like fantasy that reigns even today even though it's not isekai itself. It's great, but not without fillers on the way to the tower top, so I won't claim it to be perfect, but it's somewhere near. Overall Rating: 9/10 14. Kure-nai Kurenai 紅 [Brain's Base] (Finished 12/12) Tags: Childcare Comedy, Drama Shinkurou Kurenai is a 16-year-old student by day and a dispute mediator by night. Though kind-hearted and patient, due to his tragic past, he has trained for years to live on. Now, despite his unimposing appearance, he is a strong martial artist, who also possesses a strange power. While taking various jobs for his employer, Benika Juuzawa, one assignment leads Shinkurou to live with Murasaki Kuhouin as her bodyguard. Murasaki is the seven-year-old daughter of a plutocratic family, who escaped her home under peculiar circumstances with Benika's help. Commoner life, in her eyes, seems bizarre. However, by interacting with her neighbors, she grows more accustomed to the daily routine, and rids herself of her snobbish behavior, gradually growing attached to Shinkurou. Though many details of the job remain unclear, Shinkurou still strives to protect the young lady. But to make things more complicated, he also lacks a crucial fact—what is the real threat against Murasaki? A surprisingly touching friendship story between a man and a preschool girl. It has human depth and really nice characters with backstories. The story is not special or impactful, but with a very dark taste behind it. It's a flawed gem and thus deserves to be better known. Overall Rating: 7/10 15. Blassreiter ブラスレイター [Gonzo] (Finished 5/24) Tags: Action, Sci-Fi Modern Germany is plagued by an outbreak of "Amalgams." Existing solely to wreak havoc, these cybernetic entities spawn from rotting flesh and can fuse with technology to gain new abilities. With society left in the wake of their destruction, the Xenogenesis Assault Team (XAT) is formed to suppress the threat. Alongside its primary mission to protect against the Amalgam attacks, the organization is also researching the newly discovered "amalgamated" humans which possess rational thought and are far deadlier than their non-sentient counterparts. Joseph Jobson is one such amalgamated human who has full control over his powers. Although successful in his line of work as a lone warrior, an unfortunate encounter with the recently-turned-Amalgam Gerd Frentzen makes him a priority target of the XAT. As he eludes the organization and seeks new allies, Joseph is transformed into the Blassreiter—a being heralded as the strongest Amalgam in existence. Now, he must fight back with his newfound powers to uncover the truth behind not only his past, but also the entire Amalgam conflict. A very strange and unappealing mix of racing and CG mecha fighting monsters or other mecha. No matter how I look at it, can't call it good. Overall Rating: 5/10 16. Toshokan Sensou Library Wars 図書館戦争 [Production I.G] (Finished 12/12) Tags: Adult Cast, Military Action, Comedy, Romance In the year 1989, the Japanese government passed the Media Betterment Act, allowing a group of soldiers known as the Media Betterment Committee (MBC) to destroy and censor any "problematic" media under the guise of protecting public morals. As a response, regional governments established the Library Defense Force (LDF), whose members take up arms and put their lives on the line to protect freedom of expression. At the top of the Kanto branch of the LDF stands the Library Task Force (LTF): an elite squad consisting of only the most exceptional fighters. As a high schooler, Iku Kasahara experienced the terror of censorship first-hand when she refused to surrender the newest volume of her favorite series to MBC agents. She only came out unscathed thanks to a lone member of the LDF, who protected her and her beloved book. Now in her 20s and still unable to forget the man who saved her, Kasahara joins the LDF in the hope of becoming just like her prince. But LDF training turns out to be far more rigorous than she could have imagined, and her instructor, LTF member Atsushi Doujou, seems fixated on making her life a living hell. Given her struggles, Kasahara is shocked when she is selected as one of the two new LTF recruits as a result of Doujou's recommendation. As Kasahara does all she can to become worthy of the LTF and unravel her enigmatic superior's motivations, she wages war—both on the battlefield and in her personal life. One of the most stupid shows I've seen, starting from title and concept, continuing with time limits for battles and indistinct artificial behavior of characters, it reeks of fake for me. Overall Rating: 5/10 17. Amatsuki あまつき [Studio Deen] (Finished 13/13) Tags: Josei Action, Fantasy, Mystery Tokidoki Rikugou is a history-hating student who flunks out of his Japanese History course; his high school forces him to make up for his failed grade by attending a special museum lecture. Its star exhibit, a vast recreation of the Edo Period, promises to alleviate the delinquent student's poor grades with an elaborate simulation of the Tokugawa Shogunate: the Edo Bakumatsu Walking Tour and Exhibition. Knowing next to nothing about samurai culture or the times he's walked into, he is quickly surprised to learn of the superstitious nature of Japan during the 1600s. Quickly dismissing the existence of gods and demons, he is shocked when confronted by a demon on a bridge, who attacks the unsuspecting high-schooler. Saved by a mysterious swordsman named Kuchiha, he discovers that he can no longer escape the simulation at the history museum. Meeting another swordsman named Kon Shinonome, he discovers another contemporary that was trapped in the simulation before him. Quickly adjusting to his new home, Tokidoki must now help protect the village from demons, while uncovering the mystery of both the simulation and the company that created it. Absolutely empty Josei with no story attached to time travel to past. Overall Rating: 5/10 18. Zettai Karen Children 絶対可憐チルドレン [SynergySP] (Finished 3/51) Tags: Shounen Action, Comedy, Supernatural They're cute, adorable and three of the most powerful Espers the world has ever seen: Kaoru, the brash psychokinetic who can move objects with her mind; Shiho, the sarcastic and dark natured psychometric able to pick thoughts from people's minds and read the pasts of inanimate objects like a book; and Aoi, the most collected and rational of the three, who has the ability to teleport herself and the others at will. So what to do with these potential psychic monsters in the making? Enter B.A.B.E.L., the Base of Backing ESP Laboratory, where hopefully "The Children" and others like them can become part of the answer to an increasing wave of psychic evolution. It's a win-win solution... Unless you're Koichi Minamoto, the overworked young man stuck with the unenviable task of field commanding a team of three pre-teen girls! Some unserious mahou shoujo variation in form of espers. Humor only rarely hits right for me. Overall Rating: 6/10 19. Allison to Lillia Allison & Lillia アリソンとリリア [Madhouse] (Finished 3/26) Tags: Action, Adventure Set in a continent divided into two commonwealths that have been engaged in war for hundreds of years, Allison and Will go on a mission to search "the treasure that will put an end to the war". Their hope is inherited to their daughter Lillia, who strives to thaw the torn nations into a united country. This anime encourages young generations to believe in a world without hatred or war regardless of nationalities and beliefs. Show aims to be inspirational, so it puts romanticism of air travel and pacifism in the core and elements should somehow form a story from there. It can be considered imitation of Kino no Tabi. Overall Rating: 5/10 20. Golgo 13 (TV) Golgo 13 ゴルゴ13 [The Answer Studio] (Finished 1/50) Tags: Seinen Adult Cast Action, Adventure, Drama, Suspense Golgo 13 is not his real name. Then again, neither is Duke Togo, Tadashi Togo, or any number of the aliases he goes by. A man of mystery, not even the world’s most prominent intelligence agencies can determine who Golgo really is, or just where he came from. But all agree that his skills are nothing short of legendary. Armed with a custom M16, Golgo is willing to take any job for any agency, from the FBI to the KGB. He has completed every contract he has ever taken and will work for anyone who can meet his price. He is both the greatest weapon and the greatest threat to any nation; no one is safe once they are in Golgo’s sights. Sequel. Just eternally boring James Bond variation. Overall Rating: 5/10 21. Kamen no Maid Guy 仮面のメイドガイ [Madhouse] (Finished 4/12) Tags: Shounen Super Power Action, Comedy, Ecchi Fujiwara Naeka is a typical 17-year-old high school student. Or so we thought. She's really one of two surviving heirs of a tycoon who has the right to inherit his mass fortune when she turns 18 in half a year. Fubuki, a young and beautiful maid, and Kogarashi, a big burly maid guy with a mask, have been assigned to keep Naeka and her brother Kousuke safe from those who would plot their demise, and to steal the fortune she would inherit. Another interpretation of flat-chested VS busted wars... some humor is ok. Overall Rating: 6/10 22. Nijuu Mensou no Musume The Daughter of 20 Faces 二十面相の娘 [Bones, Telecom Animation Film] (Finished 4/22) Tags: Seinen Action, Adventure, Mystery Chiko is the daughter of the wealthy Mikamo family who has to live with her aunt and uncle after her parents passed away. Because her aunt wants to inherit the Mikamo family's wealth, she gives Chiko poisoned food. One day, however, she's kidnapped by the Nijuu Mensou (20 Faces) and decides to join his clan. Phantom thieves team travels and steals beautiful items... so something like Ocean's Twelve with many cases. Overall Rating: 6/10 23. Kyou kara Maou! 3rd Series 今日からマ王！第3シリーズ [Studio Deen] (Finished 1/39) Tags: Shoujo Isekai Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy At the end of season 2. Yuuri defeats Shinou, but since Shinou had been defeated, Yuuri and Murata could no longer go to the Shin Makoku. However, because Yuuri had fought and defeated him, his powers had surpassed that of Shinou's, resulting in him being able to rely on his own power to return to Shin Makoku. After the ceremony at the age of 16, Yuuri slowly begins to discover that much has happened while he was away. The ten officials of the noble family have decided to make Wolfram the next Maou, but now that Yuuri has returned and taken back his role as Maou, complications arise when one noble disagrees with Yuuri returning to the throne. In addition, an ancient secret society that threatens the peace of both humans and Mazoku has risen, and a fight for the throne that now leaves the nobles wondering who is the legitimate Maou. Sequel. Overall Rating: 5/10 24. Wagaya no Oinari-sama. 我が家のお稲荷さま。 [Zexcs] (Finished 6/24) Tags: Magical Sex Shift, Mythology Comedy, Fantasy The Mizuchi bloodline has long been hunted by Yokai, or monsters. Toru and Noboru Takagami are descendents of this bloodline, and under their grandmother's discretion, are given a secret weapon to combat these monsters. It is Tenko Kugen, a fox deity who can take the shape of a man or woman at will. The mischievous deity is accompanied by a shrine maiden, Ko, who will both live with the Takagami brothers at their house. Life just got complicated. I don't find it funny at all, probably because I don't like Ranma transfers, so comedy genre is a surprise for me here. It's living together with a kitsune moe SOL and a bit of fighting spirits developing in totally random directions. Overall Rating: 6/10 25. D.C.II S.S.: Da Capo II Second Season D.C.II S.S. ～ダ・カーポII セカンドシーズン～ [feel.] (Finished 1/13) Tags: Harem Comedy, Drama, Fantasy, Romance The story continues where it left off at season 1, but now we start to get to know the people we already know a little more in detail. Sequel. Overall Rating: 5/10 26. Kyouran Kazoku Nikki 狂乱家族日記 [Nomad] (Finished 1/26) Tags: Comedy, Sci-Fi Midarezaki Ouka is used to having strange things happen to him -after all, he is the head of the Great Japanese Empire Paranormal Phenomena Bureau of Measures. But when he catches a small cat girl in the shopping district stealing apples, his whole life rearranges to fit a new operation... OPERATION COZY FAMILY. Thousands of years ago, Enka the God of Destruction, was killed. However, with a dying breath it claimed that its child would appear and destroy humanity. Now in futuristic Japan, all of the potential children of Enka have been found and placed into a haphazard family. Teika the lion, Gekka the jellyfish, Yuuka the oni, Ginka the cross-dressing mafia son, and Hyouka the bioweapon--along with their parents Ouka and Kyouka (the ruler of a demon underworld)--all live under one roof in a family frenzy. Setting is too ridiculous, comedy too episodic and random and full of nonsense... Overall Rating: 5/10 27. RD Sennou Chousashitsu RD 潜脳調査室 [Production I.G] (Finished 26/26) Tags: Action, Sci-Fi 2061 AD. Fifty years have passed since mankind developed the Network society. It was anticipated that this new infrastructure would realize a utopia where people connected with each other at the level of consciousness. However, new social problems such as personal data leaks and proliferation of manipulated information began to surface. Nevertheless, people still relied on the Network to exchange information, and proved unable to opt to abandon it. In due course, a new Network realm with more effective security measures was developed. This was called Meta Real Network, usually abbreviated as "the Metal." The Metal accommodated personal memory data within protected virtual stand-alone organic cyber enclaves called bubble shells and eventually pervaded the everyday lives of people. However, people gradually learned to release and explode their instincts within the secure environment of the Metal. The unleashed instincts pushed each individual's consciousness to drown in the sea of information and to be exposed to the pressures of desire. Meanwhile, norms and regulations continued to bind their real world lives. Thus, strange friction between the two worlds began to manifest themselves as aberrations beyond the bounds of the imaginable. Experts who challenged the deep sea of the Metal to investigate and decipher such aberrations were called cyber divers. This is a story of a cyber diver, Masamichi Haru, who investigates the incidents that lie between Reality and the Metal. A collection of cases, so can be called a detective, although not every activity is a case. I just could not believe that whole show is a filler, so watched to the end, but it is indeed so - just the most dangerous VR dive is pushed to the end and a bit of matrix theme. It's a waste of time on banalities. Overall Rating: 5/10 28. Top Secret: The Revelation 秘密（トップシークレット） The Revelation [Madhouse] (Finished 4/26) Tags: Shoujo Detective, Psychological Mystery, Sci-Fi In the future, a new MRI technology analyzes the brains of deceased crime victims and eyewitnesses within 48 hours of their death to extract images of their memories. Although this cutting-edge technology is responsible for solving various murder cases, it has raised several ethical concerns, placing Section Nine—the police division in charge of the MRI investigations led by Tsuyoshi Maki—under considerable pressure from the media and the government. The team members of Section Nine are not only forced to witness traumatic events through the eyes of both victims and murderers, but they also need to negotiate with the victims' families, whose consent is required for the post-mortem MRI scans. Freshly graduated from the police academy, Ikkou Aoki joins Section Nine to replace Maki's best friend Katsuhiro Suzuki—a former member who passed away under ambiguous circumstances after watching MRI footage from a particularly morbid criminal case. As a stream of seemingly unrelated events creeps closer to the case of Suzuki's death, Section Nine will have to face its greatest challenge to date, threatening its very existence. Episodic detective story, so I can't enjoy it without some genre sidetracking, and it's quite typical, slow and bleak. Overall Rating: 6/10 29. Blue Dragon: Tenkai no Shichi Ryuu Blue Dragon: Trials of the Seven Shadows BLUE DRAGON 天界の七竜 [Pierrot] (Finished 1/51) Tags: Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy, Supernatural After the events of the Blue Dragon series, Shu and Bouquet join a resistance group to fight General Rogi's army of invasion.They encounter a mysterious child , Noi, who has the power to revive Shu's shadow counter-part Blue Dragon, and save her from the pursuit of a red dragon. Now Shu and his company have to set foot once again on a journey to discover the purpose of the dragons, undergo their tests and stop the chains of events which threatens the fate of humanity. Sequel. Overall Rating: 5/10 30. Crystal Blaze Glass Maiden クリスタル ブレイズ [Studio Fantasia] (Finished 12/12) Tags: Action, Sci-Fi Rags Town is the garbage dump of Japan. The place where people who want to forget their pasts run to. In this town, where the rules strictly forbid asking about the past or getting to know people, there is small detective agency called S&A Detectives. The story revolves around Ayamana, the inseparable pair of misfit wannabe detectives, the case Manami takes on impulse, and the trouble that arises from it. On the case they find a woman who is abnormally hot, and who is being chased by a bunch of women with guns. After being dubbed Sara, the detectives try and figure out just what is going on with her. At the same time, all over town teenage girls are burning up and turning into glass. The government is covering everything up, but the detectives, as well as a nosy reporter and the local police, are determined to find out what is happening. Strange mediocre anime about finding glass woman who is a result of experiment and of course getting pursued by powerful enemies like in almost any story about stray android. There's noir style, action and some sci-fi which is enough to endure it, but not enough to enjoy. Overall Rating: 5/10 31. Shin Chou Kyou Ryo: Condor Hero III Legend of the Condor Hero III 神鵰俠侶 III: 十六年之約 [Nippon Animation] (Finished 1/26) Tags: Historical Action, Adventure, Drama, Romance Continuation of Legend of the Condor Hero II. Sequel. Overall Rating: 5/10 32. Onegai♪My Melody Kirara★ おねがい♪マイメロディ きららっ★ [Studio Comet] (Finished 1/52) Tags: Comedy, Fantasy Sequel to Onegai My Melody Sukkiri. Sequel. Overall Rating: 5/10 33. Uchi no 3 Shimai うちの3姉妹 [Toei Animation, Daewon Media] (Finished 0/102) Tags: Comedy, Slice of Life The daily life of the Motsumoto family. The three sisters, Fuu, Suu, and Chii, follow what happens on a daily basis. Mother and Father have to deal with them sometimes, but they're used to it. Not found. Overall Rating: 0/10 34. Candy Boy: Nonchalant Talk of the Certain Twin Sisters in Daily Life [AIC] (Finished 5/7) Tags: Love Polygon, School Girls Love, Romance Yukino and Kanade Sakurai are twin sisters that live together in a high school dorm. Although they are twins, they tend to act romantic toward each other, holding hands and going on dates. One day, Kanade sees Yukino hanging out with a new girl, Sakuya Kamiyama. Realizing how much time these two spend together, Kanade assumes they are dating, and she begins to distance herself from her sister. Yukino promptly notices and pleads with Kanade not to leave. In reality, Sakuya has only been asking for advice about Kanade, revealing her obsessive love. How will this love triangle play out? Serious girls love cuddling to a rather nauseating level. Overall Rating: 5/10 35. Penguin Musume♥Heart ペンギン娘♥はぁと [Picture Magic] (Finished 3/22) Tags: Otaku Culture, School Comedy, Slice of Life, Ecchi Sakura Nankyoku is a total otaku. Due to a fluke, she gets elected as her class' Student Council President. Everything takes off from there into a series of crazy misadventures revolving around Sakura, her family, and her classmates. The kind of crazy nonsense that makes my head ache. Overall Rating: 5/10 36. Naisho no Tsubomi ないしょのつぼみ [Studio Kikan] (Finished 3/3) Tags: Shoujo School Romance Tsubomi Tachibana is a fifth grader dealing with rather sensitive issues such as her mother's pregnancy, her first period and the strange feelings she has started to get when she has been around boys. It's a naïve school romance story. Should be good for elementary graders, but hardly anything to enjoy for grown-ups. Overall Rating: 5/10 37. Hoshi no Umi no Amuri 星の海のアムリ [Studio Hibari] (Finished 3/3) Tags: Adventure, Fantasy, Sci-Fi The 3D modeled anime is set in Year 019 of the Insonity Progressive Revolution - a future era in which mankind has evolved into a new species called Adapters. Three very young Adapter girls from Japan, China and France set out on a space adventure that will affect the rest of their species. Only slightly more advanced than Club Winx. Overall Rating: 5/10 38. Kara no Kyoukai Movie 4: Garan no Dou The Garden of Sinners Chapter 4: The Hollow Shrine 劇場版 空の境界 the Garden of sinners 第四章『伽藍の洞』 [ufotable] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Action, Mystery, Supernatural, Suspense Following the events of Satsujin Kousatsu (Zen), Shiki Ryougi has been in a coma for two years due to a traffic accident. When she finally awakens, she has no memories of her past and is plagued by a profound loneliness. Even stranger, she notices dark lines encompassing the things around her, and if she touches them she can disassemble the object—something which completely terrifies her. Her friend, Mikiya Kokutou, enlists the help of Touko Aozaki, a mage who can help Shiki understand what her eyes—the "Mystic Eyes of Death Perception"—are truly capable of and how to use them properly. Rewatched 2nd and then 4th, and it indeed helps when watched in chronological order. I started to have deja vu as character designs, sight superability, boy in glasses and fighting with strong monsters all resemble Tsukihime a lot, and mage supervisor paves the link to Fate Stay Night and Mahoutsukai no Yoru. And this series of light novels is indeed from Type-Moon and its authors. And it's ok for fans of the multiverse. Overall Rating: 6/10 39. Crayon Shin-chan Movie 16: Chou Arashi wo Yobu Kinpoko no Yuusha クレヨンしんちゃん ちょ～嵐を呼ぶ 金矛の勇者 [Shin-Ei Animation] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Seinen School Comedy, Slice of Life, Ecchi A comical fantasy adventure on a fight against invaders from another world. The ruler of dark world "Don Kurai," Dark, plots to dominate the human world. There is a legend about three treasures and a hero in Don Kurai, and Dark takes over one of the three treasures, a bell of copper, but a man sent other two treasures (a spear of gold and a shield of silver) to the human world. Shinnosuke falls into Dark's trap and opens the door between the human world and Don Kurai, but he becomes the hero selected by the spear of gold. With the power of a girl from Don Kurai, Mata Tami, the Nohara Family transform into various things and fight against Dark. A very abstract episode, and that's even less enjoyable than usual. Overall Rating: 5/10 40. Indie Anibox: Selma Danbaekjil Coffee Indie Anibox: Selma's Protein Coffee 인디애니박스: 셀마의 단백질 커피 [Studio Dadashow] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Samurai Comedy, Drama, Romance, Sci-Fi The 2008 animated omnibus Indie Anibox: Selma's Protein Coffee consists of three inventive short films from up-and-coming directors. Kim Woon Ki's kooky mystery thriller "Wanted" is set in a peaceful village suddenly disrupted by heavy rainfall and the appearance of a strange old woman named Selma. Yeon Sang Ho's 3-D animation "Love is Protein" is an inventive black comedy about three poor roommates who break their piggy banks to order fried chicken - only to discover their prospective meal is the son of a weeping chicken. Jang Hyung Yoon's surreal "A Coffee Vending Machine and Its Sword" follows a swordsman who reincarnates as a coffee vending machine and falls in love at first sight with the maintenance girl. Anthology of many small stories... Overall Rating: 5/10 41. Mianhada Saranghanda 미안하다 사랑한다 [Studio Meditation With a Pencil] (Finished 0/1) Tags: Drama When hit KBS drama I'm Sorry, I Love You aired in 2004, it recorded high TV ratings, won the acclaim of critics, and quickly became one of the flagbearers of the Korean Wave. The tragic love story of Mu Hyeok (So Ji Sub of What Happened in Bali) and Eun Chae (Yim Soo Jung of Lump Sugar and I'm a Cyborg, But That's OK) made stars out of its leads and attracted an enormous fanbase throughout Asia. Two years later, G&G Entertainment released a 35-minute animated version of the drama, Between of One Year, consisting of highlights from the drama and new scenes dealing with the final moments of Eun Chae and Mu Hyeok's relationship. The script was supervised by the writer of the original live-action drama, Lee Kyung Hee. Not found. Overall Rating: 0/10 42. Geunyeoneun Yeppeotda Life is Cool 그녀는 예뻣다 [-] (Finished 0/1) Tags: Comedy, Drama, Romance Three thirty-something friends meet each other for the first time in ten years. But when one of them goes on a blind date with a gorgeous girl, things become quite complicated. Not found. Overall Rating: 0/10 43. Druaga no Tou: The Aegis of Uruk - Jil no Bouken Tower of Druaga: The Aegis of Uruk - Jil's Adventure ドルアーガの塔 〜the Aegis of URUK〜 「ジルの冒険」 [Gonzo] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Adventure, Fantasy This is a special "back-side" (ura) episode aired on GyaO simultaneously with original broadcast which features the background story from party's side instead of Jil's. I usually only include specials of the shows I liked or which I still can't understand. This is a nice background episode, but with just 20 minute length I can't rate it too high. Overall Rating: 6/10

Clannad second season is how Hell on Earth looks from man's standpoint as you work on a crappy physical labor job and is the only supporter of the family. And because total misery you basically watch your family suffer and wane with every day as health aggravates. There's no way out from this despair and you're constantly emotionally depressed blaming your weakness. What I see is author deliberately depicting most grisly traits of everyday life in order to invoke emotional empathy. Real artists can invoke the same emotions by relaying totally normal or inventive situations without using forbidden moves and fighting dirty. I'd gladly watch a show about simple moments of happiness in poverty, but in this state it's pursuit for short-term impact and using all methods for that. It gives me nothing as I know how life can look like, and I was never going to marry, anyway, and I'm too bitter to be affected, but it can have a very negative impression on some men. In case of ef: A Tale of Memories I'm just really tired of cycle structures. Even in the best examples it often starts to feel tiresome. I react to most works with cycle structure in a similar way, and in this particular case Chihiro is one of the most irritating characters I ever encountered. Her personality changes on daily basis, and only the worst traits remain intact as she behaves in obsessive manner and all the time tries to pique and offend while protagonist does not stand out and tolerates all that so that it starts to look like he enjoys it all. This is an example of immature and unhealthy relations. I prefer more seasoned romance, and I know enough examples of such works to compare. I'll definitely need to rewatch at least Kara no Kyoukai 2 and probably read on the background of these series as I had no prior knowledge what to expect. I usually keep watching at least till I can see the outlines of the story, and where it's going to. I still can't believe these are just supernatural murder stories with twists and different resolutions, but maybe it's just that as mysteries tend to look very bleak when put in chronological order and retold in own words.

Ookami to Koushinryou is the only bright spot in this short season. 1. Ookami to Koushinryou Spice and Wolf 狼と香辛料 [Imagin] (Finished 13/13) Tags: Adult Cast Adventure, Fantasy, Romance Holo is a powerful wolf deity who is revered in the small town of Pasloe for blessing the annual harvest. Yet as years go by and the villagers become more self-sufficient, Holo has been reduced to a mere folktale. When a traveling merchant named Kraft Lawrence stops at the settlement, Holo offers to become his business partner if he takes her to her northern home of Yoitsu. The savvy trader recognizes Holo's unusual ability to evaluate a person's character and accepts her proposition. Now in the possession of both sharp bargaining skills and a charismatic negotiator, Lawrence inches closer to his goal of opening his own shop. However, as Lawrence travels the countryside with Holo in search of economic opportunities, he begins to realize that his aspirations are slowly morphing into something unexpected. I really enjoyed it when I first watched it, but I don't want to watch it anew as it's just medieval low fantasy SOL romance without conceptual plot or normal ending, and thus lacks excitement. Overall Rating: 7/10 2. Rosario to Vampire Rosario + Vampire ロザリオとバンパイア [Gonzo] (Finished 2/13) Tags: Shounen Harem, School, Vampire Comedy, Fantasy, Romance, Ecchi Youkai Academy is a seemingly normal boarding school, except that its pupils are monsters learning to coexist with humans. All students attend in human form and take normal academic subjects, such as literature, gym, foreign language, and mathematics. However, there is one golden rule at Youkai Academy—all humans found on school grounds are to be executed immediately! Tsukune Aono is an average teenager who is unable to get into any high school because of his bad grades. His parents inadvertently enroll him into Youkai Academy as a last-ditch effort to secure his education. As Tsukune unknowingly enters this new world, he has a run-in with the most attractive girl on campus, Moka Akashiya. Deciding to stay in the perilous realm in order to further his relationship with Moka, he does not realize that beneath her beauty lies a menacing monster—a vampire. Rosario to Vampire is a supernatural school comedy that explores Tsukune's romantic exploits, experiences, and misadventures with a bevy of beautiful but dangerous creatures. Don't like harems, vampires and ecchi, so without serious plot it was a lost case from the start. Overall Rating: 6/10 3. True Tears [P.A. Works] (Finished 5/13) Tags: Love Polygon, School Drama, Romance Shinichirou Nakagami was living the life other boys from his grade could only dream of—staying under the same roof as prodigal student Hiromi Yuasa. However, the bright and cheerful Hiromi has been depressed and cold at home ever since her mother passed away. While he is the subject of the ignorant jealousy of his peers, rumors begin to spread when Shinichirou meets Noe Isurugi—a girl known for cursing classmates, curses which always end up becoming reality. Noe curses Shinichirou as well, but two pits are created when you curse someone, and her curse on Shinichirou comes back to bite her in the form of a raccoon to her beloved chicken, Raigomaru. Despite this, she does not shed a single tear; Noe had had her tears stolen. For Noe to be able to cry again, she would need the tears of another, and Shinichirou knows a person whose tears he wants to take away. An OK romance , but characters have strange personalities and do strange stuff which may seem fresh from the start, but looks more and more like disorders later on. And watching crazy people dating does not look fun at all. Overall Rating: 6/10 4. Mnemosyne: Mnemosyne no Musume-tachi Mnemosyne－ムネモシュネの娘たち－ [Xebec] (Finished 2/6) Tags: Gore Action, Girls Love, Horror, Sci-Fi, Supernatural Immortality is something many people would wish for. But would it be such a coveted ability if people knew they would be subject to countless attacks because of it? Such is the case for Rin Asougi, an immortal private investigator, because there is no shortage of people who want her dead. Over the centuries, she has met many grisly ends, but each time, she returns to life as if nothing had happened. In 1990, while looking for a lost cat, Rin runs into Kouki Maeno, a man who feels that his memories are wrong. Agreeing to help him, Rin discovers that Kouki is not what he seems, all the while drawing closer to her true enemy. This adversary knows Rin and her kind all too well, and if she dies by his hand, she may stay dead permanently. This kind of gore is nauseating, so I just can't tolerate if for long. And since concept is all about constant dying and sadism, that's a skip. Overall Rating: 6/10 5. Zoku Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei 俗・さよなら絶望先生 [Shaft] (Finished 1/13) Tags: Shounen Gag Humor, Parody, School Comedy More crazy antics abound as Nozomu Itoshiki (a.k.a Zetsubou-sensei), who is the worlds most negative person, tries to teach class 2-F about how life is filled with despair and darkness. A harder task than it first may seem, with his students being far from ordinary themselves, including the likes of the most positive girl he has ever met, his very own stalker, a foreign exchange student with split personalities and a perfectionist acting class president, due to the fact the real class president can't be seen by anyone, among others. Sequel. Overall Rating: 6/10 6. Aria the Origination [Hal Film Maker] (Finished 1/13) Tags: Shounen Iyashikei Fantasy, Sci-Fi, Slice of Life In the 24th century on the planet Aqua, three girls—Akari Mizunashi, Alice Carroll, and Aika S. Granzchesta—continue to work hard toward achieving their goal of becoming Prima Undines: professional tour guide gondoliers. Luckily, the girls have the guidance of the three best Prima Undines in Neo-Venezia—Alicia Florence, Athena Glory, and Akira E. Ferrari—who are known as the "Water Fairies" in honor of their skill. With their help, the young apprentices train hard and work to overcome any situations that they find themselves in. Aria The Origination follows the hardships and daily lives of these three young girls, who are doing their best to improve as tour gondoliers in Neo-Venezia, a terraformed replica of Venice. Sequel. Overall Rating: 6/10 7. Kimi ga Aruji de Shitsuji ga Ore de They Are My Noble Masters 君が主で執事が俺で [A.C.G.T.] (Finished 1/13) Tags: Harem, Parody Comedy, Romance, Ecchi Due to family troubles, Ren Uesugi and his sister, Mihato, leave their home. They end up moving to the city but find themselves with a lack of money. Somehow they are able to find work in the form of the Kuonji family's mansion, being employed as servants to the three sisters of the Kuonji family: Shinra, Miyu, and Yume. Being a servant also associates Ren with the mansion's additional servants and the Kuonji sisters' friends. I really wanted to watch this to the end, but it is just silly people behaving in silly ways, so it's a too big hit to my sanity to go on. It's nothing but nonsense parody, can't even call this humor - freak circus is more appropriate. Overall Rating: 5/10 8. H2O: Footprints in the Sand [Zexcs] (Finished 12/12) Tags: Harem, School Romance Takuma Hirose is a blind young male high school student, though the cause for his blindness is undetermined. In order to heal his medical condition, he is sent to live in a village with his uncle. There, he meets several girls, three of which stand out more than any of the others. They are Hayami Kohinata, Hinata Kangura, and Otoha. Otoha temporarily heals his blindness and Hirose uses his sight to help others. He finds out that, for some reason, Hayami Kohinata is hated in the village, and he tries his best to help her out. Meanwhile, many sad secrets unfold in the village... Resembles nakige as it's deliberately light for the most part and deliberately heavy by the end dealing in disability, abuse and different personal problems. Unfortunately I did not like any of the characters, and there are filler episodes. Overall Rating: 6/10 9. Shigofumi Shigofumi: Letters from the Departed シゴフミ [J.C.Staff] (Finished 1/12) Tags: Psychological Drama, Fantasy, Suspense There are some things that people are unable to say while they are alive; for these, there are "shigofumi," letters carried from the world of the dead to the world of the living. When a person with strong emotions dies, they are able to create a shigofumi, whether their feelings are of love, longing, or resentment. It is the quiet and mysterious Fumika's job to deliver these messages from the departed. Along with her talking magic staff Kanaka, she ensures that each shigofumi reaches its intended recipient, even if that person does not want to face its contents. Fumika witnesses the tragedies of people, both dead and alive, and sees their deepest secrets revealed. What is unclear, however, are the details of Fumika's past. Who was she before she came to be a carrier of shigofumi? Another anthology of different stories, not to my taste. Overall Rating: 6/10 10. Persona: Trinity Soul ペルソナ 〜トリニティ・ソウル〜 [A-1 Pictures] (Finished 6/26) Tags: Super Power Action, Sci-Fi The stage is Ayanagi City, a city near the Japan Sea. It is a futuristic city that was built to carry out the recovery from the calamity caused by the "Apathy Syndrome" ten years previous. High school student Shin Kanzato with his little brother Jun, meet with their elder brother Ryou, who is the chief of the Ayanagi City Police, again after ten years. At that time, a series of strange incidents happen in Ayanagi City such as the crew of a submarine that suddenly disappears while in their submarine, or a spiritless symptom which disturbs the world after ten years, or the case of the inside out corpse where a student took on a cruel appearance. Ryou tracks down the organization behind the string of incidents, and having become involved in the incidents, Shin awakens the "Persona." So far I hated every single Persona game and anime that I encountered for primitiveness and artificial behavior... Overall Rating: 5/10 11. Minami-ke Okawari みなみけ～おかわり～ [asread.] (Finished 13/13) Tags: Seinen CGDCT, School Comedy, Slice of Life The second season of Minami-Ke. It picks up where the first season left off, and just like the first season, it's about the daily lives of the three Minami sisters, Haruka, Kana and Chiaki, and their school friends. Sequel. Overall Rating: 6/10 12. Major S4 メジャー　（第4シリーズ) [SynergySP] (Finished 1/26) Tags: Shounen Team Sports Having finished high school, Gorou Honda sets his sights on becoming a professional baseball player. His dreams are much more ambitious than becoming a Japanese Baseball League player, so he instead decides to move to the birthplace of his beloved sport, America, in order to play in the Major League. However, Gorou finds that the Major League players are much faster, stronger, and more driven than he is. Nonetheless, he is eager to catch up with them. In order to do so, Gorou must first conquer the ranks of the Minor League, where numerous skilled players compete in the grueling rise to the Majors. Gorou learns that he will have to adapt to the stark differences of American culture and push himself to new extremes as his race to join the Major League begins. Sequel. Overall Rating: 6/10 13. Gunslinger Girl: Il Teatrino ガンスリンガー ガール -IL TEATRINO- [Artland] (Finished 1/13) Tags: Military Action, Drama, Sci-Fi When the Social Welfare Agency investigates the disappearance of an operative, their inquiry leads them right into the lair of their rival, the Five Republics. The assassin Triela infiltrates the hostile organization, but her search is cut short when she finds herself staring down the barrel of a gun... The magic of the first season is gone here - no good soundtrack or tender revelations of girls. Story becomes retarded as super terrorists without any written motivation show up, and they are even stronger than cyborgs while staying human. It feels that story is forced in artificial manner. Overall Rating: 6/10 14. Hatenkou Yuugi Hatenkou Yugi 破天荒遊戯 [Studio Deen] (Finished 3/10) Tags: Josei Adventure, Comedy, Drama, Fantasy, Romance "See the world" With these words, Rahzel, the daughter of a rich family, is kicked out of her house and sent on her journey. Along the way she meets up with Heat and Alzeid, two men with very different personalities but very similar journeys. Rahzel is a clever, stubborn, and confident girl, who, with the powers of her magic and mind helps the people she runs into on her journey to discover the world. It's basically reverse harem, just with only two bishounens. And I started blocking that tag for a reason. Overall Rating: 5/10 15. Ayakashi アヤカシ [Tokyo Kids] (Finished 12/12) Tags: Action, Fantasy, Horror, Sci-Fi As a child, Yuu Kusaka made a vow upon a shooting star that he would stand on the side of justice and defend the weak. However, the death of one of his friends robs him of the desire to live up to that vow, and he turns a blind eye to the misery of others, using the mysterious power he possesses as a means of making money instead of helping those in need. His days of living only for himself continue, until he's forced to fight for his life against another classmate with powers similar to his. He's saved by a mysterious girl named Eimu Yoake, who also has strange powers. Eimu reveals that his powers stem from a creature known as an Ayakashi, a parasitic being that grants the user special abilities at the price of slowly draining the life of the host. She helps him fully awaken his own. Now aware of the ayakashi he possesses, Yuu must live up to his childhood vow, putting his ayakashi to use and fend off those who would use their own for evil, all while unraveling the mystery behind the death of his friend. Good shounen with superpowers, but not exceptional. I think I compared anime with visual novel in game review. Overall Rating: 6/10 16. Bus Gamer [Anpro] (Finished 3/3) Tags: Action One day, Toki Mishiba receives a letter in the mail promising him a large sum of money if he participates in a game. Initially dismissing the message, Toki becomes intrigued and decides to sign up after noticing fine print that says players' safety will not be guaranteed. It is not long after that he meets Nobuto Nakajou and Kazuo Saitou—the teammates assigned to him in the "Business Game," also known as "Biz Game." The members of the trio quickly form a shaky alliance and call themselves "No Name." Bound by nothing but their shared desire for an obscene amount of money, the three step into the dangerous world of the Biz Game, where they must fight against other teams over a data disk containing vital corporate secrets in order to advance and survive. It has the looks and some vibes of shounen ai, Survival game is half of the show, but it ends with pretty much nothing, which means that it all was about relations that constituted the second half. Overall Rating: 5/10 17. Hakaba Kitarou Graveyard Kitaro 墓場鬼太郎 [Toei Animation] (Finished 1/11) Tags: Horror, Supernatural Kitarou is a youkai boy born in a cemetery, and aside from his mostly-decayed father, the last living member of the Ghost tribe. He is missing his left eye, but his hair usually covers the empty socket. He fights for peace between humans and youkai, which generally involves protecting the former from the wiles of the latter. This version of the Kitarou story is based on the original Hakaba Kitarou manga, the manga which inspired the popular Gegege no Kitarou series in the late 60's. Sequel. Overall Rating: 6/10 18. Yes! Precure 5 GoGo! Yes! プリキュア5 GoGo! [Toei Animation] (Finished 1/48) Tags: Mahou Shoujo, School Action, Fantasy Nozomi and friends are back, their role as Precure far from over. The girls are given new powers by the mysterious Flora, who awaits their arrival in a place called the Cure Rose Garden. But to reach that garden of legend, they have to use a magical relic known as the Rose Pact. Problem is, our heroes don't know how to use the thing. This leads them to seek help from the four monarchs of Palmier's neighboring countries. Not to make things too easy, dark forces are afoot once again. An evil organization, Eternal, is keen on adding the Rose Pact to its ever-growing collection of treasures. To make matters worse, the director of this dastardly museum seems to have a vested interest in the Cure Rose Garden. Fortunately, a new story brings with it new allies. Enter Syrup, the courier boy with a bad attitude. His desire to reach the Garden is pure, but who exactly is he? And for that matter, who's the new girl in town and why does she smell like roses? Sequel. Overall Rating: 6/10 19. Wellber no Monogatari: Sisters of Wellber Zwei Sisters of Wellber Zwei ウエルベールの物語 ～Sisters of Wellber～ 第二幕 [Trans Arts] (Finished 1/13) Tags: Historical Adventure, Fantasy, Romance The loquacious sentient tank, Gyrano De Borgerac seems very busy being pampered by solicitous maids. The fairy Sherri, too, is enjoying the luxury of the court's life. And for Rita, time has come to face her duties as princess of Wellber. But Tina is resolute: she wants to continue her search for the Man with a tattoo of Bee the Death, the devil who exterminated her family. An unspeakable feeling of sadness fills the hearts of the two girls, who shared so much and are now about to say farewell to each other. And then, on the day of Tina's departure... A new journey that will take Tina walking through the still sore scars of the Great War that wiped out entire cities ten years before, until the unsuspected truth about her nemesis! Sequel. Overall Rating: 5/10 20. Yatterman ヤッターマン [Tatsunoko Production] (Finished 1/60) Tags: Parody Adventure, Comedy Remake of the Yatterman series. Remake of borderline childish series. Overall Rating: 5/10 21. Porphy no Nagai Tabi The Orphans of Simitra ポルフィの長い旅 [Nippon Animation] (Finished 3/52) Tags: Historical Drama Porfy, his younger sister Mina, and their parents live a humble but happy life in the Grecian countryside. They've just started running a gas station, much to Porphy's joy, and it seems like only good things are in store for their future. However, a huge earthquake changes all that, leaving Porfy without a home or a family -- sans Mina, who seems to have disappeared in the commotion. Now, Porfy is determined to find his sister and be able to live together happily again. World Masterpiece Theater... but at least something relatively modern. Still it does not mean I'll tolerate travel blog for 52 episodes in search of the sister with pace so slow that three episodes aren't even enough for premise separation scene. Overall Rating: 6/10 22. Noramimi のらみみ [TMS Entertainment] (Finished 1/12) Tags: Childcare Comedy The anime is based on Kazuo Hara's comedy manga in which mascot characters live and work among humans. Agencies have been set up to train mascots to babysit children and then to place the mascots within families. Noramimi is one such mascot at the Hello Kids branch office #59. Unfortunately, no family wants to adopt a mascot born from a demon (oni) family, so he is stuck living at the agency. Crude nonsense comedy for kids. Overall Rating: 5/10 23. Petit Petit Muse 쁘띠쁘띠 뮤즈 [KBS] (Finished 1/26) Tags: Mahou Shoujo Fantasy Two twins, Ara and Ari, aspire into the world of fashion. Ara wants to become a fashion model, while her sister, Ari, wants to become a fashion designer. They meet a man named Yorang, who is the fashion designer in Heaven. Not translated to English. But from what I see it's a typical Korean imitation of mahou shoujo series like Precure, put more primitive. Overall Rating: 5/10 24. Kite Liberator KITE LIBERATOR (カイト リベレイター) [Arms] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Gore Action, Drama, Sci-Fi In the previous series "Kite," a killer—Sawa—suddenly disappears after she avenges her parents' death, and no one knows where she is. Several years later, a figure dances airily on the dark side of a big city. She is an angel of death, killing her victim gracefully and disappearing. Monaka is a normal high school student, though this quiet and modest life has a darker side. An angel of death is Monaka's other persona. Original was marked as hentai, so could not include it although it was memorable. Never heard of this sequel movie, so rather intrigued. It's a high quality epilogue that shows where Kite works in everyday life and how she still occasionally takes part in operations, and parallel story starts afar, but develops into a really dangerous mission. So I just can't treat it as a real sequel and evaluate it highly. Overall Rating: 6/10 25. Yotsunoha よつのは [Hal Film Maker] (Finished 2/2) Tags: School Romance Based on the game by Haikuo-Soft. A story about the reunion of 4 childhood friends, Yuzuki, Matsuri, Nono and Makoto, in their deserted old school campus, Mochitsuki Academy. 3 years ago, they buried a time capsule under a tree inside the school and made a promise. A promise to meet again after exactly 3 years from that day. And the day of promise has finally arrived. Original was just a light cute sekkuhara comedy, and the gist has not changed in adaptation. Overall Rating: 6/10 26. Shinran-sama: Negai, Soshite Hikari 親鸞さま ねがい そして、ひかり。 [-] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Historical The life story of Shinran, founder of Joudo Shinshuu. Did not what Joudo Shinshuu is, so was a bit curious, but it's just competition between buddhist temples and pacifism miracles, nothing big. Overall Rating: 5/10 27. Kara no Kyoukai Movie 3: Tsuukaku Zanryuu The Garden of Sinners Chapter 3: Remaining Sense of Pain 劇場版 空の境界 the Garden of sinners 第三章『痛覚残留』 [ufotable] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Action, Drama, Mystery, Supernatural, Suspense On a solemn night in July 1998, teenager Fujino Asagami is mercilessly raped by a street gang in a dilapidated bar. No matter what physical or sexual abuse they deal, however, the girl regards her captors with the same apathetic expression. The next day, mangled bodies are discovered in that same building, so torn apart that investigators find it infeasible to even consider the culprit human. Elsewhere, a client request reaches Touko Aozaki's detective agency, tasking Shiki Ryougi with either capturing or killing the perpetrator of last night's incident. But soon, word spreads that a single survivor escaped the slaughter, and now the murderer is plowing down everything in their path to locate and exterminate him. A brutal race against time begins, pitting Shiki against a dangerous foe imperceptible even to her legendary eyes. Detective supernatural mystery is what I can understand well... but I dislike that. Overall Rating: 5/10 28. Sugai-kun to Kazoku Ishi The Movie 菅井君と家族石 THE MOVIE [DLE] (Finished 10/1) Tags: Parody Comedy The Japanese animation production company Animax announced that Kaeruotoko-Shokai's second theatrical Flash-animated film, Sguy and The Family Stone the Movie, will open in a limited engagement in Japan on February 16. Not found. Overall Rating: 0/10

Gyakkyou Burai Kaiji: Ultimate Survivor , Minami-ke and Genshiken 2 are all considered minor masterpieces by me, but two of them had some representation earlier, so only Minami-ke is fresh new. 1. Clannad [Kyoto Animation] (Finished 23/23) Tags: School Drama, Romance, Supernatural Tomoya Okazaki is a delinquent who finds life dull and believes he'll never amount to anything. Along with his friend Youhei Sunohara, he skips school and plans to waste his high school days away. One day while walking to school, Tomoya passes a young girl muttering quietly to herself. Without warning she exclaims "Anpan!" (a popular Japanese food) which catches Tomoya's attention. He soon discovers the girl's name is Nagisa Furukawa and that she exclaims things she likes in order to motivate herself. Nagisa claims they are now friends, but Tomoya walks away passing the encounter off as nothing. However, Tomoya finds he is noticing Nagisa more and more around school. Eventually he concedes and befriends her. Tomoya learns Nagisa has been held back a year due to a severe illness and that her dream is to revive the school's drama club. Claiming he has nothing better to do, he decides to help her achieve this goal along with the help of four other girls. As Tomoya spends more time with the girls, he learns more about them and their problems. As he attempts to help each girl overcome her respective obstacle, he begins to realize life isn't as dull as he once thought. First season is actually decent though nothing exceptional, but the problem is that afterwards comes the second season that is absolutely depressing, so I'd recommend to skip Clannad in entirety. Overall Rating: 6/10 2. Gyakkyou Burai Kaiji: Ultimate Survivor Kaiji: Ultimate Survivor 逆境無頼カイジ Ultimate Survivor [Suspense] (Finished 26/26) Tags: Seinen Adult Cast, High Stakes Game, Psychological, Strategy Game After one of his coworkers fails to repay a debt, apathetic bum Kaiji Itou is pressured by loan sharks to settle the large sum of cash. Since Kaiji has little money and no future prospects of his own, he is unable to return what his colleague borrowed. Faced with massive financial burdens, Kaiji is given an offer to board the illustrious Espoir—it is said that "one night aboard the ship, and all of your debts will be paid." What seems like a simple night of gambling quickly turns into a game of strategy and betrayal. With the losers of the tournament being subjected to a backbreaking life of indebted servitude, Kaiji must choose his actions—and allies—carefully. However, this is only the beginning of a series of gambles that will wager Kaiji's life, testing the full extent of his wits and will to survive. I could not enjoy Akagi, but Kaiji first season was an absolutely shocking experience when I first watched it. But as concept gets crystalized, impression dulls a bit during such a long runtime, so can't give it super high scores as I don't have incentive to watch any its iterations. Overall Rating: 7/10 3. Shakugan no Shana II (Second) Shakugan no Shana: Season II 灼眼のシャナII –Second– [J.C.Staff] (Finished 24/24) Tags: Mahou Shoujo, School Action, Drama, Fantasy, Romance Denizens from the Crimson Realm continue to infiltrate Misaki City and steal life energy from humans. To combat this threat, Flame Hazes are tasked with saving humans from losing their existences. But while it is a Flame Haze's duty to protect humans, Shana—the "Flame-Haired Burning-Eyed Hunter"—seems to be focusing her attention on one human in particular: Yuuji Sakai, a teenage boy who was unwittingly dragged into the fight between Crimson Denizens and Flame Hazes. Since her first encounter with Yuuji, Shana has started to see him as more than just a friend. In fact, Yuuji wonders if Shana might have revealed her feelings to him once before, but it is difficult for him to confirm due to her hot-and-cold personality. Nonetheless, their days pass like any other, until a new transfer student arrives at their high school—one who bears a striking resemblance to an old enemy. Yuuji and Shana have no time to dance around their feelings for each other; while their adversaries from the Bal Masqué organization plan their next attack, the two must keep their guard up as they explore the origin behind the coveted magical object within Yuuji's body, the "Midnight Lost Child." Since I rated first season as 7, just following my regulations to take away a score point for sequels of masterpieces. Overall Rating: 6/10 4. ef: A Tale of Memories. ef - a tale of memories. [Shaft] (Finished 12/12) Tags: Drama, Mystery, Romance On Christmas Eve, Hiro Hirono runs into Miyako Miyamura, a frivolous girl who "borrows" his bicycle in order to chase down a purse thief. After Hiro finds his bicycle wrecked and Miyako unconscious, the two unexpectedly spend their Christmas Eve together, and when they discover they go to the same high school, their accidental relationship develops even further. This sparks the jealousy of Hiro's childhood friend Kei Shindou, whose pure approach to life catches the eye of Kyosuke Tsutsumi, a womanizing photographer searching for the perfect shot. Elsewhere, Renji Asou, a boy who dreams of being a girl's knight in shining armor, has a chance encounter with Kei's twin sister—the overly shy Chihiro Shindou, who spends her time reading alone—at an abandoned train station. The two quickly become friends and eventually decide to write a novel together. However, when Renji discovers Chihiro's secret, a disability that causes her to have an eternally ephemeral memory, his childish ideals will be put to the test. Guided by two mysterious adults, these youths' relationships intertwine in a heart-rending tale of love, rejection, acceptance, and memories. I remember starting it several times and inevitably falling asleep, so no idea if I ever finished it before. Now I realize that it's just a very hysterical girl with daily repeating amnesia harassing a masochistic boy. This is boring, constantly repeating, unsubstantial and just bad. Overall Rating: 5/10 5. Kidou Senshi Gundam 00 Mobile Suit Gundam 00 機動戦士ガンダム00 [Sunrise] (Finished 4/25) Tags: Mecha, Military, Space Action, Drama, Sci-Fi In the distant future, mankind's dependence on fossil fuels will lead to their complete depletion, an energy crisis unlike anything the world witnessed. Out of retaliation and fear, humanity began focusing at an alternative source of energy: solar power. Different nations have united together to form three major factions—the Union of Solar Energy and Free Nations, the Advanced European Union, and the Human Reform League. Each of these sectors has access to a solar power generator, which gives them limitless energy. As a result, countries that were once dependent on the sale of fossil fuels are now plunged in poverty, leading to years of warfare and internal strife over the control of solar energy. Amid this chaos, an unknown paramilitary organization appeared identifying themselves as "Celestial Being," aspire to end all warfare through armed intervention by using mysterious and technologically advanced Mobile Suits known as Gundams. Mobile Suit Gundam 00 follows the story of Celestial Being's Gundam Meisters Setsuna F. Seiei, Lockon Stratos, Allelujah Haptism, and Tieria Erde. These four dive into the devastating battle between the three superpowers to accomplish their goal of changing the world. I come to every Gundam open-minded, and after Code Geass expected borrowing its elements, and it actually happened as new super organization attacks both parties with new Gundam models. I praise this iteration for actually being watchable though inheriting many of the flaws from Code Geass, but I did not call even that a masterpiece, and Gundam 00 is of a lower general quality level. The best entry point to the franchise still as previous seasons were strangely mechanical. Overall Rating: 6/10 6. Shugo Chara! しゅごキャラ！ [Satelight] (Finished 3/51) Tags: Mahou Shoujo, School Comedy Amu Hinamori is a shy girl who struggles to make friends in part due to the rumors spread around school about her "cool and spicy" personality. Wishing that she could show everyone her "would-be" self, Amu wakes up to the presence of three colorful and ornately decorated eggs in her bed. Each of these "Hearts Eggs" houses a "Guardian Character"—manifestations of someone's would-be self and their dreams. With the aid of Ran, Miki, and Su, Amu now finds herself able to express who she truly is. However, things do not always pan out in her favor. The sudden appearance of Amu's Guardian Characters prompts the Seiyo Elementary Guardians, a student council-like group with each member possessing their own Guardian Character, to take notice of her. As someone who has multiple Characters, Amu is roped into being the Guardians' "Joker," tasked with helping them find X Eggs—corrupted versions of one's Hearts Egg. As she becomes entangled in the Guardians' quest, Amu begins to uncover more about these mysterious Characters, the X Eggs, and the organization that seems to be at the center of it all. A pretty normal and typical mahou shoujo at school, maybe with better humor than usual. Overall Rating: 6/10 7. Myself; Yourself マイセルフ; ユアセルフ [Doga Kobo] (Finished 3/13) Tags: School Drama, Romance In the peaceful little town of Sakuranomori, a group of young friends are about to bid farewell to one of their own. Due to his parents’ business plans, Sana Hidaka has to move away from his quiet childhood home to the boisterous city of Tokyo. Though it pains him, he must say goodbye to his precious friends—the kind-hearted Aoi Oribe, the spunky Wakatsuki twins, Shuri and Shuusuke, and the cheerful and upbeat Nanaka Yatsushiro. But even though he is reluctant to leave them behind, he believes that no matter how far apart they are, they will always cherish the memories of their friendship. Five years later, Sana, now a 16-year-old high school student, returns to his hometown with the hope of restoring his old life. However, he quickly realizes that although his town may not have changed drastically, the friends he left behind are not who they used to be. Unsettling shadows loom over Sakuranomori as his friends hold new secrets and bear burdens that threaten the bonds they once shared. Older PS2 visual novels are kings of banality and some distorted cuteness. It's painful to watch... Overall Rating: 5/10 8. Minami-ke みなみけ [Daume] (Finished 13/13) Tags: Seinen CGDCT, School Comedy, Slice of Life The Minami residence is home to three sisters: the strict and diligent eldest sister Haruka; air-headed and lively Kana; and the youngest, Chiaki, whose sharp tongue spares no one. Living without adult supervision, the sisters share the workload of cooking and laundry, as well as the occasional romantic adventure. From combating chronic laziness to hanging out with friends, there is never a boring day in the Minami household. Loving Minami-ke for the unique sense of coziness. Only going to highlight first season, though, as further seasons are very similar. Overall Rating: 7/10 9. Shinreigari Ghost Hound 神霊狩 GHOST HOUND [Production I.G] (Finished 3/22) Tags: Psychological Mystery, Supernatural, Suspense Strange things are happening around the town of Suiten. The daughter of a priest begins to see strange visions, spirits have started to roam the mountains, and Tarou Komori is having unsettling dreams. Due to the trauma of being kidnapped 11 years ago, he has repressed most of the memories that could shed light on what really happened all those years ago. But they return in his sleep, combined with encounters beyond the realm of dreams. As the supernatural and psychological collide, three children struggle to face their demons and repair the breach between the spiritual and corporeal worlds. Suspense makes everything worse. What I see is super slow development and loads of anti-science psychotherapy techniques. Information dumping may be nice at times, but it is dull more often. I do not enjoy the process and not interested in mystery, so see no point continuing. Overall Rating: 6/10 10. Kodomo no Jikan (TV) こどものじかん [Diomedéa] (Finished 12/12) Tags: School Comedy, Drama, Ecchi 3rd grade teacher Aoki Daisuke didn't expect the first class he ever taught to be one of the toughest obstacles of his life. After getting off on the wrong foot with the entire class, a moment of kind-heartedness instantly convinces one of his students, Rin Kokonoe, to make the ill-fated Aoki-sensei her lover. But what exactly are Rin's intentions for wanting to actively seduce Aoki-sensei, and will Aoki-sensei be able to help her to deal with them? A very weird lolicon series. Watched it in the past and not going to repeat that experience. And not going to recommend either... Overall Rating: 6/10 11. Goshuushou-sama Ninomiya-kun Good Luck! Ninomiya-kun ご愁傷さま二ノ宮くん [AIC Spirits] (Finished 2/12) Tags: Harem Comedy, Fantasy, Ecchi Shungo Ninomiya is just an ordinary, run-of-the-mill high school student who lives at home with his older sister Ryoko—at least when she's not away doing her job as a mercenary. However, Shungo's life ceases to be normal the moment a cute girl named Mayu Tsukimura descends into the middle of his school's campus in a military-grade helicopter. It turns out Ryoko sent this girl, along with her older brother Mikihiro, to live at the Ninomiya household. But the newly-arrived siblings are a little special: Mayu is, in fact, a succubus and her brother, an incubus! And as if the circumstances are not problematic enough, Mayu is crippled with androphobia—the fear of men—and it's up to Shungo to help her overcome this at the behest of his sister. Ryoko plans to force Mayu to be closer to Shungo, and to do this, she’ll employ some questionable methods such as having them share the same bed and even take baths together. The situation further complicates when student council president Reika Houjou arrives as the new maid of the Ninomiya family, and she will stop at nothing to thwart Shungo and Mayu’s sexually-geared training. With the sudden arrival of all these oddities, Shungo's ordinary life is about to be thrown into utter turmoil. Just a variation of ecchi about starting to live together with a girl, can't say it's special or anything. Overall Rating: 5/10 12. KimiKiss Pure Rouge KimiKiss: Pure Rouge キミキス pure rouge [J.C.Staff] (Finished 4/24) Tags: School Drama, Romance Kouichi Sanada and Kazuki Aihara's childhood friend Mao Mizusawa has returned after living in France for a couple of years. Kouichi is surprised to learn that, since her parents are remaining overseas for the time being, his mother has agreed to let Mao stay with them. The three friends help each other deal with the ups and downs of high school romance. PS dating SIMs are usually very banal. Quality here is higher than average, but that's it. Overall Rating: 6/10 13. Bamboo Blade バンブーブレード [AIC ASTA] (Finished 4/26) Tags: Seinen Combat Sports, School Comedy, Sports Kojirou is the kendo instructor for Muroe High School and he's totally broke. But then an unexpected chance is given to him: his team must win against his senpai's team and the prize is: free meals for a whole year! Now, the only problem left... where to find girls skilled enough and willing to join the kendo team? Good kendo comedy with cheerful cast. But the fact that I started it at least three times and inevitably dropped says that I'm not enjoying this. Overall Rating: 6/10 14. Genshiken 2 げんしけん2 [Arms] (Finished 12/12) Tags: Seinen Parody Comedy, Slice of Life The Society for the Study of Modern Visual Culture, otherwise known as Genshiken, is now under the charge of a more confident Sasahara. Things have changed in between semesters, and the otaku club now has a new otaku-hating member named Ogiue. Sasahara's initial goal of starting a doujin circle and selling those fan-made magazines at the next Comic Festival becomes a reality, but reality is a cruel master... who apparently crossplays. Afterward, the club is abuzz with talk about Tanaka and Ohno's relationship, which takes a hesitant step forward. Sequel. Overall Rating: 7/10 15. Dragonaut: The Resonance Dragonaut - The Resonance ドラゴノーツ-ザ・レソナンス- [Gonzo] (Finished 3/25) Tags: Mecha Action, Drama, Fantasy, Romance, Sci-Fi Twenty years prior to the story's beginning, an asteroid headed for Earth destroys Pluto. Due to Pluto's destruction, the asteroid, which is dubbed Thanatos, becomes temporarily stagnant. Now, in order to avoid Earth's impending destruction, the International Solarsystem Development Agency (ISDA) works on the "D-Project", and creates the "Dragonaut" after finding a dragon egg under the ocean. This weapon's primary purpose is to destroy the asteroid when the time comes. However, they soon find out that the asteroid is not their only threat, as powerful dragon-like creatures, which are bent on destruction, appear on Earth. After witnessing a murder by one of the creatures, Jin Kamishina, a lonely 18-year-old boy who lost his family in a shuttle accident two years ago, gets involved in the mysteries of the dragons and becomes the chosen pilot of the Dragonaut. Helping him on his journey is Toa, a mysterious girl who saves him from falling to his death after the creature attacks him. As they get deeper into the mysteries of the dragons, they encounter new friends and enemies, and also begin to develop a closer relationship. Bland characters and execution destroy all the potential it had. Overall Rating: 6/10 16. Moyashimon もやしもん [Telecom Animation Film, Shirogumi] (Finished 11/11) Tags: Seinen Anthropomorphic, School Comedy, Gourmet, Supernatural One could say that freshman college student Tadayasu Sawaki has a wide range of vision. He has a peculiar ability that allows him to see microorganisms with the naked eye. Sawaki can see all sorts of microbes, from the fungi that cause athlete's foot to the yeast used to make alcohol, with him perceiving his little friends as cute chibi creatures. Attending an agricultural university, his talent piques the interest of numerous professors, including Professor Itsuki, who specializes in fermentation. Sawaki starts school indifferent toward his ability, choosing an agricultural school in Tokyo. However, with the help of the eccentric community around him, he slowly learns to appreciate these visible microbes and his talent. The whimsical cast of professors and classmates attending the university almost makes Sawaki seem normal despite his ability. First bacteriological weapon anime. There's no story and humor is weird which most of the times means poor. Characters aren't outstanding either, so waste of time if you don't like this humor. Overall Rating: 6/10 17. Majin Tantei Nougami Neuro Neuro: Supernatural Detective 魔人探偵 脳噛ネウロ [Madhouse] (Finished 2/25) Tags: Shounen Detective, Mythology Yako Katsuragi is an acclaimed high school detective, who, despite her young age, has solved many cases. In fact, there seems to be no case that she can't solve, or any culprit that escapes justice. But within the walls of her detective agency lies the secret to her prolific crime-solving skills: the cases are actually solved by her assistant, Neuro Nougami. However, to call Neuro an ordinary man would be incorrect. In reality, he is a demon, who came to the human world in search of the ultimate mystery, having already solved every mystery in the demon world. With Yako as his proxy, he feasts on the negative energy released by humans when they commit crimes. Thus, he promises to help Yako solve the mystery of her father's death. But to do so, he must avoid drawing too much attention to himself, which is why Yako plays the role of the detective. Majin Tantei Nougami Neuro follows this unlikely duo as they solve case after case to satisfy Neuro's ravenous appetite and Yako's desperate search for the truth of her father's death. My hate for detectives is strong, for supernatural shounen ones even stronger. Overall Rating: 5/10 18. Rental Magica レンタルマギカ [Zexcs] (Finished 6/24) Tags: Fantasy, Mystery, Supernatural Due to his father's disappearance, Itsuki Iba has to take over the family business: a magician dispatch service. Their family employs countless magicians and other supernatural beings in order to send them out to help those who need magical assistance. As a leader, Itsuki now has to be tough, commanding, and reliable, but there's one problem, he's a coward. Also, in order to run a successful business, he must connect with his employees, which is more difficult than it seems due to his personality. But not only does he have to deal with his own employees, he also has to deal with those who threaten the family business. Typical superpower shounen and quite cringy at that. Lots of empty characters only confirm this idea. Overall Rating: 5/10 19. D.C.II: Da Capo II D.C.II ～ダ・カーポII～ [feel.] (Finished 3/13) Tags: School Drama, Romance, Ecchi The undying Sakura Trees return. Based on a PS2 sequel of the original DaCapo game, the story once again takes place on Hatsunejima, but is set 53 years after the events of D.C. and D.C.S.S.. Although some characters will probably look a bit familiar to the initiated eye, the cast is a new one. The new main protagonist is Yoshiyuki Sakurai, who lives next door to the Asakura sisters Yume and Otome, who are the granddaughters of Junichi and Nemu from the first season. Sequel. Overall Rating: 5/10 20. Night Wizard ナイトウィザード [Hal Film Maker] (Finished 13/13) Tags: Adventure, Fantasy Night Wizard. A term given to those whose mission is to protect the world from impending darkness. Renji Hiiragi is one such Night Wizard, who is constantly called on missions, even though all he wants is to be able to go to school and graduate. However, his latest order was to protect Elis Shiho, who is a new transfer student at his academy. Being dragged into the Astronomy Club by Renji's childhood friend, Kureha Akabane on her first day at school, Elis soon realises that she too, has the power to become a Night Wizard, after possessing one of seven secret Jewels, the Jewel of Kindness. Along with Renji and Kureha, Elis now begins her fight and her new life as a Night Wizard. As most anime based on some game, generic typical boring action with weak cast. Overall Rating: 5/10 21. Shion no Ou The Flowers of Hard Blood しおんの王 - The Flowers of Hard Blood [Studio Deen] (Finished 3/22) Tags: Strategy Game Drama, Mystery, Suspense Defying the odds, middle school student Shion Yasuoka is becoming a rising star of the professional shogi world. Despite losing her family at a young age and being unable to speak due to the trauma, in her loving adoptive family and at the shogi association, she has found the necessary emotional support to move on with her life and very demanding career. Her talent attracts the attention of Satoru Hani, a successful businessman and brother of the current "Meijin"—the title given to the defending champion of Japan's most prestigious shogi tournament. He decides to organize a tournament open to both men and women, including professional and amateur players, and urges Shion to participate in the competition. However, Satoru seems to know a lot about Shion's troubled past, and his actions bring suspicion from Shion's friend Ayumi Saitou and the police—who are still investigating the death of Shion's loved ones. As the end of Satoru's tournament approaches, Shion starts remembering events related to the night when she lost everything and will have to show her mental fortitude to defeat her opponents and foil the plans of the culprits who ruined her life. Shogi looks same gibberish as mahjong to me as I don't understand and don't want to understand rules and even figures. It resembles Hikaru no Go a lot for tension buildup and same ridiculous game turning moves, but it's darker and more twisted, even more advanced and realistic now, still a long way to go till Sangatsu no Lion. Totally watchable and recommended to try, but I personally don't find it interesting and do not intend to finish it. Overall Rating: 6/10 22. Blue Drop: Tenshi-tachi no Gikyoku Blue Drop BLUE DROP ～天使達の戯曲～ [BeSTACK, Asahi Production] (Finished 1/13) Tags: Drama, Girls Love, Sci-Fi Five years ago, something horrifying happened on Kamioki Island. Something so nightmarish that it stripped all memory from Mari Wakatake's mind even as it left every other human on the island dead in its wake! Now enrolled against her will at an isolated girl's academy, Mari is unaware that hidden eyes are watching her, waiting for her memory to return. Buried in her psyche is the most terrifying secret of all: while Mari was the only human who lived, she may not have been the only survivor! As something in a female skin invades Kaihou Academy, Mari's only hope may lie in a strange girl to whom she is inexplicably drawn yet cannot trust. Serious girls love and protagonist is a rebelling against all the world girl with amnesia, so it's drama pretty much out of nowhere... definitely not to my taste. Overall Rating: 5/10 23. Sketchbook: Full Color's Sketchbook ~full color's~ スケッチブック ～full color's～ [Hal Film Maker] (Finished 13/13) Tags: CGDCT, Iyashikei, Visual Arts Comedy, Slice of Life To Sora Kajiwara, the world is full of wonderful and adorable things she wants to draw—cats being a popular object of her affection. Even though there are some things that can't be captured with a pencil and paper, she still brings her sketchbook wherever she goes. Her love of drawing eventually leads her to join her school's art club, despite her shy and childish personality. Just like herself, all of Sora's fellow art club members have their own vivid imagination and personality to match. Through her interactions with the rest of the club, Sora begins to break out of her shell and see more of the world around her, taking every opportunity to sketch whatever is on her mind or in her heart. A slow relaxed SOL with sketchbook true in both meanings - as having to do with arts club and as anthology of sketches. And it's not great. Overall Rating: 6/10 24. Juushin Enbu: Hero Tales Hero Tales 獣神演武 - HERO TALES - [Studio Flag] (Finished 4/26) Tags: Shounen Action, Fantasy For citizens of the Ken Empire, justice is a myth. Lord Keiro, the deranged Shogun of the Imperial Army, blazes a trail of terror across the countryside in search of the sacred sword that will make him a god. Standing in his way is Taito, an omnipotent star reborn in human form—a young hero who vows to use his celestial strength to avenge those slaughtered by the villainous Shogun. Taito's mystical powers steer him toward a violent showdown with Keiro, and if used recklessly, his newfound abilities could shred the very fabric of his being. To master the art of control and become a heroic martial artist, Taito must seek the guidance of others like him: the seven star-born warriors with the strength to shatter a corrupt empire. The good thing is that this time Chinese mythology historical story is not nauseating. But that's among the very few positive sides here as it's generic and not particularly interesting. Overall Rating: 5/10 25. Prism Ark プリズム・アーク [Front Line] (Finished 3/12) Tags: Action, Comedy, Drama, Fantasy The Sablum Empire has been attempting to take over the kingdom of Windland for many years, and are now plotting with the mercenaries Sister Hell and Darkness Knight to start a new offensive using powerful magical beings called Angels. Hyaweh, a carefree yet talented swordsman, and Priecia, who just might be the lost princess of Windland, are enrolled at the Knight's Academy in Windland to hone their skill at swords and sorcery. There they meet many friends and allies who can help them protect their homeland from the impending invasion. Original game was RPG, so filler fighting action is inevitable here, some fanservice is also expected while some girls love and baka humor were not. It's full of cliché from early 2000s, and there's even own Azumanga sensei. Nonsense cuteness-focused comedy is hardly what I can enjoy. Overall Rating: 5/10 26. Mokke もっけ [Madhouse, Tezuka Productions] (Finished 6/24) Tags: Iyashikei Mystery, Slice of Life, Supernatural This is a story about two sisters: Shizuru, is a high school student who is able to see ghosts while her younger sister, Mizuki, is haunted by these apparitions. Frustrated by their abilities, their parents decided to entrust the sisters into the care of their grandparents who live in the countryside. As they adapt to life in the countryside, Shizuru and Mizuki begin to learn about the importance of coexisting nature with these apparitions. Each episode is a story about different iyashikey happening around two sisters percepting spirits, and I don't like both episodic format and iyashikey and village SOL with quite normal characters. Overall Rating: 6/10 27. Suteki Tantei Labyrinth Fantastic Detective Labyrinth 素敵探偵☆ラビリンス [Studio Deen] (Finished 1/25) Tags: Shounen Mystery, Sci-Fi In a forgotten town known as the old capital of Tokyo, strange and mysterious crimes are progressively occuring. These supernatural occurances are beyond comprehension and bring fear and terror to the people. Only one person is not intimidated by the evil underlying these occurances and is willing to challenge them: Hyuga Mayuki, a young boy detective who holds a special insight power that allows him to uncover the real truth behind these occurances. Mysterious crimes... detective labyrinth... genius shounen... not interested. Overall Rating: 5/10 28. Taiho Shichau zo: Full Throttle You're Under Arrest: Full Throttle 逮捕しちゃうぞ フルスロットル [Studio Deen] (Finished 4/23) Tags: Seinen Adult Cast, Detective, Workplace Action, Comedy Miyuki Kobayakawa, fresh from forensics training in the United States and Natsumi Tsujimoto, from completing Japanese Self-Defense Force (JSDF) ranger training return in the long-awaited 3rd season of the highly popular series. This time, the duo rejoins active duty at Bokuto Police Department, fighting against crime using their wits and brawn, plus having some misadventures along the way. Sequel. More or less the same direction. Overall Rating: 6/10 29. Ryuusei no Rockman Tribe Megaman Star Force Tribe 流星のロックマン トライブ [Xebec] (Finished 1/21) Tags: Adventure The second series is to follow the events of the second video game, focusing on the lost continent of Mu. The ancient civilization vanished ages ago, and a few of its remnants still exist as myths and legends called UMAs (unidentified lifeforms). The UMAs begin merging with humans in order to search for the treasures of Mu, the powerful ooparts, which will give them the power to revive Mu. After Subaru and War-Rock encounter several unusual enemies, they meet a professor named Doctor Orihime who sends them on a quest to find the ooparts and stop the UMAs. Using the ooparts, Rockman is able to take new forms, including Thunder Berserk, Fire Dinosaur, and Green Shinobi. Sequel. Overall Rating: 5/10 30. Moonlight Mile 2nd Season: Touch Down ムーンライトマイル 2ndシーズン -Touch down- [Studio Hibari] (Finished 1/14) Tags: Space Adventure, Drama, Sci-Fi The second season of Moonlight Mile. Sequel. Overall Rating: 6/10 31. Tensai? Dr. Hamax 天才？Dr.ハマックス [Trans Arts] (Finished 0/12) Tags: Comedy - Not found. Overall Rating: 0/10 32. Tokyo Marble Chocolate 東京マーブルチョコレート [Production I.G] (Finished 2/2) Tags: Romance Serious and generous, but a bit shy, Yuudai has been unsuccessful with the opposite gender. Chizuru is an energetic and cheerful girl, but when it comes to boyfriends, she's been unlucky and clumsy, and never had a steady relationship. This is the first Christmas the couple spends together. Chizuru loves animals and Yuudai plans to give her a rabbit in a box, but it turns out to be... a mini donkey?! As the funny creature escapes, Chizuru goes after it, and Yuudai loses sight of them both! The time that should have been spent together... The important feeling that should have been revealed... Small, but precious things that tend to be buried in every day life. What answer will the two youngsters find while separated from each other? Yuudai and Chizuru—their feelings and the time they spent far from each other are delicately unfolded in this double-sided pure love story told from two different perspectives! A short simple romance story can't surpass decent score. Overall Rating: 6/10 33. Strait Jacket ストレイト・ジャケット [feel.] (Finished 3/3) Tags: Action, Fantasy, Sci-Fi It is the world where magic and science coexist. Rayotte Steinberg, a lone wolf "tactical sorcerist", fights against monsters. They used to be human beings, but they had overused forbidden power, "magic", to turn into monsters. What he wears is "mold", the straight jacket that keeps him being a human. What he holds on his hand is "staff", a magical wand that explodes everything. If he casts magic, he moves one step to be a monster. If he doesn't, he will be killed. Among the harsh battles, he will face a sin he had committed in the past. A short fighting monsters action lacking actual story. Overall Rating: 5/10 34. Koharu Biyori Indian Summer こはるびより [Daume] (Finished 3/3) Tags: Comedy, Sci-Fi, Ecchi Set in a near future, a time where robots are common workers for their owners. Takaya Murase has just purchased a maid robot from a robotic doll distributor, MaidWorks. Ready to live a normal cleaning, cooking, and serving life to her owner, Yui is purchased, by Takaya but he has other plans for her...like dressing her up in dress-costumes of his fantasies and more. A collection of ecchi maid android sketches. Overall Rating: 5/10 35. Yawaraka Sangokushi Tsukisase!! Ryofuko-chan やわらか三国志 突き刺せ!! 呂布子ちゃん [Chaos Project] (Finished 4/4) Tags: Comedy, Ecchi Ryofu Housen (Lu Bu) is a powerful general from the Three Kingdoms; alongside Chinkyuu (Chen Gong), Ryofu suddenly finds himself falling to Earth, and landing... in the body of an elementary school student?! With their new lives as flat-chested, women-loving children, Ryofu and Chinkyuu follow their hunger and their desire to get back to their old lives somehow; but it will be difficult, given the variety of obstacles in their way including old enemies, epic monster battles and the most important thing of all, trying to get their hands on Eri-sensei's mammoth F-cup breasts! Weird and not really good echi comedy. Overall Rating: 5/10 36. Mahou Shoujo-tai Arusu the Adventure Tweeny Witches the Adventures 魔法少女隊アルス the Adventure [Studio 4°C] (Finished 6/6) Tags: Isekai Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy "Tweeny Witches" The Adventure created by Studio 4C in collaboration with "Garo" creator Keita Amemiya. Includes the Alice chapters "Sakana ni Natta Maho Shojotai" and "Fuin Sareta Kokoro," Sheila chapters "Yosei Hakusho" and "Kori no Majo to Hien no Taki," and Eva chapters "Dragon House no Himitsu" and "Shippu Doto no Maho Shojotai" on three DVDs. Remake. Overall Rating: 6/10 37. Pyuu to Fuku! Jaguar Blow the Flute Jaguar! ピューと吹く！ジャガー [Kaeruotoko Shokai] (Finished 0/3) Tags: Shounen Gag Humor, Music Comedy Based on the gag manga written and illustrated by Usuta Kyousuke that ran in Shuukan Shounen Jump from 2000 to 2010. Not found. Overall Rating: 0/10 38. Kara no Kyoukai Movie 1: Fukan Fuukei The Garden of Sinners Chapter 1: Overlooking View 劇場版 空の境界 the Garden of sinners 第一章『俯瞰風景』 [ufotable] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Action, Mystery, Supernatural, Suspense A series of eerily similar suicides occupy newspaper headlines in late '90s Japan. Amidst all the bizarre resemblances, there is one detail that stands out above the rest: the victims have all taken their lives by leaping from the Fujou building, a run-down abandoned structure rising high above the city. Shiki Ryougi, a cold-hearted girl living in an empty apartment, suspects that these sinister events have a supernatural cause. Possessing a mystical power herself, Shiki works to investigate the incidents alongside Touko Aozaki, a doll-making detective specializing in magic, and her friend Mikiya Kokotou who works as Touko's assistant. Shiki unravels the mystery as she ventures through an enigmatic world to uncover the dark secrets surrounding the strange phenomenon. Lots of talking and building up something, a bit of action. As a part of the series, I've still no idea where it's going to, but it's definitely not a masterpiece as of now. Overall Rating: 6/10 39. Kara no Kyoukai Movie 2: Satsujin Kousatsu (Zen) The Garden of Sinners Chapter 2: A Study in Murder - Part 1 劇場版 空の境界 the Garden of sinners 第二章『殺人考察（前）』 [ufotable] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Action, Mystery, Romance, Supernatural, Suspense In the winter of 1995, Mikiya Kokutou passes a young woman during a late night stroll in the snow. Clad in a striking white kimono and bearing an enigmatic gaze, Shiki Ryougi smiles at Mikiya who stares back with curiosity. Later that spring, Mikiya notices Shiki at his high school entrance ceremony, and they become acquaintances through lunchtime conversations. As Shiki begins opening up to him, Mikiya learns about her unique upbringing. Meanwhile, a series of unprecedented murders takes place across Mifune City. Seemingly related, these murders are particularly brutal and warrant a large scale police investigation. Because of his cousin's work as a police investigator, Mikiya is given insight into the investigation. Concerned for Shiki's safety, Mikiya decides to monitor her actions, but in doing so, he stumbles upon a truly frightening discovery that changes his life forever. Sequel that's still going nowhere. Overall Rating: 6/10 40. Appleseed Saga Ex Machina Appleseed: Ex Machina エクスマキナ [Digital Frontier] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Mecha, Military Action, Sci-Fi Deunan, a young female warrior, and Briareos, a veteran cyborg-soldier, are both partners and lovers. As members of E.S.W.A.T., the elite special forces serving Olympus, they are deployed whenever trouble strikes. The two fighters find their partnership tested in a new way by the arrival of a new member to their ranks—an experimental Bioroid named Tereus. Sequel. Overall Rating: 6/10 41. .hack//G.U. Trilogy [CyberConnect2] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Video Game Action, Fantasy The Movie will be placed in the storyline of each .hack//G.U. games trilogy. The story follows Haseo, a player in the online MMORPG called The World:R2 at first depicted as a PKK (Player Killer Killer) known as the "Terror of Death", a former member of the disbanded Twilight Brigade guild. Haseo encounters Azure Kite (believing him to be Tri-Edge and blaming him for what happened to Shino) but is hopelessly outmatched. Azure Kite easily defeats Haseo and Data Drains him, reducing his level from 133 to 1 and leaving him without any items, weapons, or member addresses. He is left with a mystery on his hands as to the nature of the Data Drain and why Azure Kite is in possession of such a skill. Eventually Haseo gains the "Avatar" of Skeith. Acquiring the ability to call Skeith and wield his abilities, such as Data Drain. With Skeith as his strength, Haseo begins the quest for a way to save Shino. He is seen seeking out a PK (Player Killer) known as Tri-Edge, whose victims supposedly are unable to return to The World after he PKs them. Haseo's friend, Shino, was attacked six months prior to the events of the game by Tri-Edge, and the player herself, Shino Nanao, was left in a coma. Short CG work unifying three bigger pieces had no chances for a decent score from the start. Overall Rating: 6/10

Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei , Stranger: Mukou Hadan and Piano no Mori all got minor masterpiece scores from me. Don't want to choose, so series wins over movies. 1. Baccano! バッカーノ！ [Brain's Base] (Finished 13/13) Tags: Historical, Organized Crime Action, Comedy, Mystery, Supernatural During the early 1930s in Chicago, the transcontinental train, Flying Pussyfoot, is starting its legendary journey that will leave a trail of blood all over the country. At the same time in New York, the ambitious scientist Szilard and his unwilling aide Ennis are looking for missing bottles of the immortality elixir. In addition, a war between the mafia groups is getting worse. On board the Advena Avis, in 1711, alchemists are about to learn the price of immortality. Based on the award-winning light novels of the same name, Baccano! follows several events that initially seem unrelated, both in time and place, but are part of a much bigger story—one of alchemy, survival, and immortality. Merging these events together are the kindhearted would-be thieves, Isaac and Miria, connecting various people, all of them with their own hidden ambitions and agendas, and creating lifelong bonds and consequences for everyone involved. Baka no? Baka da yo! This is a more suitable title for this eclectic gore filled silly detective mystery anthology mess. It combines so many elements that I detest that I absolutely can't understand its appeal, but I never liked Darker than Black as well. Overall Rating: 5/10 2. School Days スクールデイズ [TNK] (Finished 1/12) Tags: Harem, School Drama, Romance High school student Makoto Itou first notices Kotonoha Katsura at the start of his second semester, freshman year. Immediately, he becomes entranced by her beauty, but his bashfulness doesn't allow him to approach her, even though they ride the same train every day. Instead, he snaps a photo of her in secret and sets it as his cell phone's wallpaper: a charm that, if kept under wraps, would supposedly help you realize your love. However, classmate Sekai Saionji spots the picture, but instead of ratting him out, she offers to help set him up with Kotonoha—going so far as befriending her just for him. Thus, the trio begins a rather impromptu friendship. School Days follows the lives of these three teenagers as they traverse the joys and hardships that come with being a high schooler. In a story alive and brimming with romance and melancholy, the tale of these three students will linger in memory long after the momentous conclusion. Remake. Overall Rating: 5/10 3. Zero no Tsukaima: Futatsuki no Kishi The Familiar of Zero: Knight of the Twin Moons ゼロの使い魔 ～双月の騎士～ [J.C.Staff] (Finished 1/12) Tags: Harem, Isekai, School Action, Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy, Romance, Ecchi Revered as heroes for their role in defending Tristain, Louise Françoise and her familiar Saito Hiraga face heavy pressure to continue protecting the Kingdom. With an uneasy peace now established within Albion, the newly crowned Queen Henrietta must deal with a political struggle brewing on the horizon. To make matters worse, a new villain has begun plotting in the shadows against the Crown. With the continuing threats that face the Kingdom, Louise and Saito are compelled to work together once more. No longer "Louise the Zero," the young mage's newfound aptitude for Void magic gives her enough power to wipe out an entire village; however, wielding these abilities comes with its share of challenges. As more conflicts arise, the idea of placing honor above oneself is put into question—regardless of their answer, their only choice is to see it through until the end. Sequel. Overall Rating: 6/10 4. Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Kai Higurashi: When They Cry – Kai ひぐらしのなく頃に解 [Studio Deen] (Finished 1/24) Tags: Gore, Psychological Mystery, Supernatural, Suspense In the small village of Hinamizawa, Rika Furude and her friends live together in relative harmony. Beneath this mask of peace, however, lies a hidden darkness, one that Rika understands all too well. In this eternal summer, she has been witness to unspeakable horrors. Every time the clock resets, Rika must try to find the villain behind these senseless deaths before tragedy strikes again. However, trying to decipher a mystery when only half the clues are present proves time and again to be disastrous, and each time she believes that things will change, she inevitably fails. As the annual festival approaches, Rika begins her descent from hope to despair in her struggle to break the chains of fate entangling them all. Sequel. Overall Rating: 5/10 5. Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei Sayonara, Zetsubou-Sensei さよなら絶望先生 [Shaft] (Finished 12/12) Tags: Shounen Gag Humor, Parody, School Comedy Nozomu Itoshiki is a high school teacher so pessimistic that even the smallest of misfortunes can send him into a pit of raging despair; some of these "catastrophes" even lead to suicide attempts. Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei is a satirical slice-of-life comedy set in the modern day, covering various aspects of Japanese life and culture through Nozomu and his interactions with his students: Kiri Komori, a recluse who refuses to leave the school; Abiru Kobushi, an enigma who frequently arrives to class with severe and mysterious injuries; the hyper-optimistic Kafuuka Fuura, Nozomu's polar opposite; and several other unusual girls, all of whom are just as eccentric as their teacher. I think I watched all seasons, but never grew to like it after initial novelty charm was gone. But still first season can actually be called borderline masterpiece. Overall Rating: 7/10 6. Mononoke モノノ怪 [Toei Animation] (Finished 3/12) Tags: Adult Cast, Historical, Mythology, Psychological Fantasy, Horror, Mystery, Supernatural The "Medicine Seller" is a deadly and mysterious master of the occult who travels across feudal Japan in search of malevolent spirits called "mononoke" to slay. When he locates one of these spirits, he cannot simply kill it; he must first learn its Form, its Truth, and its Reason in order to wield the mighty Exorcism Sword and fight against it. He must begin his strange exorcisms with intense psychological analysis and careful investigative work—an extremely dangerous step, as he must first confront and learn about the mononoke before he even has the means to defeat it. The Medicine Seller's journey leads him to an old-fashioned inn where Shino, a pregnant woman, has finally found a place to rest. The owner has reluctantly placed her in the last vacant room; however, as she settles in, it quickly becomes clear that the room is infested by a lethal band of mononoke, the Zashiki Warashi. With his hunter's intuition, the Medicine Seller begins his investigation to discover the Form, the Truth, and the Reason before the Zashiki Warashi can kill again. Ever wanted to watch a psychedelic aquarelle geisha fantasy with spirits? I did not... Overall Rating: 5/10 7. Devil May Cry デビル メイ クライ [Madhouse] (Finished 12/12) Tags: Gore, Mythology Action, Fantasy Patty Lowell—the lost heir of a prestigious family—is found at an orphanage, and J.D. Morrison brings her to his acquaintance Dante, the owner of a business called "Devil May Cry." Dante takes on so-called "odd jobs," and at Morrison's request, he agrees to become a bodyguard for Patty. Begrudgingly, he sets out to deliver Patty to her family, though he is a bit annoyed with a job that essentially amounts to babysitting. While Dante seems like a lazy good-for-nothing, he is actually a prolific demon hunter, which comes in handy when demons begin pursuing Patty. Soon enough, Dante realizes that there is more to this case than meets the eye, and he makes use of his particular skill set in order to keep Patty safe. Only familiar with the game series by reviews, so anime is a good opportunity to delve into. I'd say anime is done at a minimally accepted level. Fashion, fighting action, coolness, supernatural elements - nothing unexpected. Overall Rating: 6/10 8. Zombie-Loan ZOMBIE-LOAN ゾンビローン [XEBEC M2] (Finished 11/11) Tags: Shounen Action, Horror, Supernatural Do you know when you are going to die? Michiru Kita does, as she has the ability to see a "ring of death" on the necks of those around her—and the darker the ring, the closer one is to death. One day, she notices that two boys in her class, Chika Akatsuki and Shito Tachibana, have completely black rings. Seeking to warn them of their impending demise, she stumbles onto their secret: they are already dead, but are kept alive due to a contract with Zombie-Loan, a mysterious loan office. Of course, nothing comes without a price, as the boys must hunt down and kill zombies in order to pay off their debt. And once they learn about Michiru's "Shinigami Eyes," they drag her into their crazy world. Despite seemingly fresh concept the essence is quite normal - some comedy, some fanservice, some fighting. Characters are better than average, but plot is not conceptual despite the weak attempts by the end, so watching for plot is a waste of time. Overall Rating: 6/10 9. Shigurui Shigurui: Death Frenzy シグルイ [Madhouse] (Finished 12/12) Tags: Seinen Adult Cast, Gore, Historical, Martial Arts, Psychological, Samurai Action, Drama At the beginning of the Edo Era, when people enjoyed a time of peace, Lord Tokugawa Tadanaga holds a fighting tournament. In the past, matches were fought with wooden swords. This time, real swords will be used. One-armed Fujiki Gennosuke and blind Irako Seigen will fight each other in this match. Both are disciples of Iwamoto Kogan, who is known as Japan's greatest swordsman. Each of them are determined to prove himself the successor of Iwamoto's school. However, there can only be one champion. So begins a story of intertwining fates, conflict, and strange destinies. The first of a kind samurai horror as it gathers all the dirt and gore and prejudice possible to find in that environment. It's so sickening that not a glimpse of enjoyment is possible for me here. Overall Rating: 5/10 10. Wangan Midnight 湾岸ミッドナイト [A.C.G.T.] (Finished 1/26) Tags: Seinen Racing Action The story gets its roots from the actual street racing that occurs on Tokyo's Shuto Expressway, one stretch of which is known as the "Wangan", literally meaning "bay side" (although it is generally used to refer to the freeway), the longest, straightest road in the entire country. Of course, there's also lots of traffic to contend with, including a fair number of heavy trucks. Because of this, the action is inherently hazardous, and wrecks are common. Blown engines are also a frequent hazard, especially with the extreme-high power engines. One day, Akio Asakura, a third year high school student, is driving his Fairlady Z (Z31) and is challenged by Tatsuya Shima, a doctor, in his black Porsche 964 Turbo (nicknamed the "BlackBird"). With a friend in the passenger seat and two girls in the back, Akio pitifully tries to win, but is defeated. Determined to become faster, he goes to the junkyard to buy parts for his car, when he sees a pristine, unscratched midnight blue Fairlady Z (S30) in the junkyard. Intrigued as to why such a machine is about to be junked, he buys it. He soon finds that the car is unnaturally fast due to a tuned L28 engine, bored and stroked to 3.1 liters combined with twin turbos, which produces 620bhp. He also finds that all of the car's previous owners had unfortunate accidents in it, starting with the first owner's death. The manga follows Akio's various encounters, though the central plot revolves around his constant battle with the BlackBird for superiority. Old racing series adaptation that diligently mimics Initial D as if made specially for its fans. Overall Rating: 6/10 11. Kenkou Zenrakei Suiei-bu Umishou ケンコー全裸系水泳部 ウミショー [Artland] (Finished 3/13) Tags: Shounen School Comedy, Sports, Ecchi Kaname Okiura, a student of Prefectoral Umineko Shougyou High ("Umishou" for short), joined the school's swimming club in order to learn how to swim, but the club is filled with weirdos, let alone who can teach him swimming. Then, a sunny, happy-go-lucky girl named Amuro Ninagawa who transferred from Okinawa joined the club. Her extraordinary underwater speed and unorthodox swimming style (plus her personal habit of nude swimming—a powerful magnet to teenage boys) surprised every club member, especially Okiura, because she reminds him of a mermaid-like creature he saw only once in his early childhood. It's rare for ecchi to have something besides fanservice, but this title at least tries to play in comedy and romance, so it's better than the bulk of similar ones. Overall Rating: 6/10 12. Tokyo Majin Gakuen Kenpucho: Tou Dai Ni Maku 東京魔人學園剣風帖　龖（トウ） 第弐幕 [AIC Spirits, BeSTACK] (Finished 1/12 Tags: Martial Arts, School Action, Drama, Fantasy, Horror, Mystery The battle against Tendou Kodzunu is over, and the Magami Five begin to look forward to their senior graduation, hopefully planning for their adult futures. However, life in Tokyo is not at peace... The underground assassin group known as the Twelve Heavenly Generals of the Martial Fist begin to move against those protecting the city from demons. Normally rumored to kill criminals that the mundane law was unable to bring to justice, the Martial Fist now set their sights on Tatsuma Hiyuu, Kyouichi Houraiji, Aoi Misato, Komaki Sakurai, Yuuya Daigo, and Hisui Kisaragi. What is the purpose of this cruel turn of events? And who ordered the hit? New threats emerge as others awakened to powers unleashed by the Ryumyaku seek out the Magami kids - and old friends now return as enemies. Destinies will collide as the Stars of Fate begin to merge; Yin and Yang will meet. And soon the shadowy figure pulling the strings will reveal himself, in an effort to raze Tokyo to the ground and awaken the Vessel of the Golden Dragon. Sequel. Overall Rating: 6/10 13. Moetan もえたん [Actas] (Finished 3/12) Tags: School Comedy, Ecchi Ink Nijihara is a girl in high school. Unfortunately her crush Nao Tezuka barely recognizes her. To make matters worse, she is very short. Now Ink meets a duck and becomes a "mahou shoujo" and teaches Nao english in disguise. Moe... humor is so-so, still amusing enough. Overall Rating: 6/10 14. Doujin Work Dojin Work ドージンワーク [Remic] (Finished 4/12) Tags: Otaku Culture Comedy, Slice of Life Doujin Work follows the life of a young girl named Najimi Osana and her exposure into the doujin world. She was first tempted into becoming a doujin artist after seeing how much one of her friends can make at a convention. Najimi loves to draw, though soon learns contrary to what she expected that this new world is anything but easy. As she attends more conventions and meets more people, Najimi eventually manages to find a group of very interesting friends. These friends already have some experience in the field and help her out along the way so that she can someday make a name for herself creating doujinshi. Yonkoma source usually means good comedy and less integrity, and that's true here as well. So it's momentarily forgotten as is made just for some laughs. Overall Rating: 6/10 15. Sky Girls スカイガールズ [J.C.Staff] (Finished 4/26) Tags: Mecha, Military Sci-Fi In the near future, Earth is at war with aliens called Worms. The war leaves the population of Earth decimated, with young men the main casualties. The Worms were beaten back but their re-emergence heralds the creation of a mecha unit called the Sonic Divers, piloted by 3 young girls to counter this threat. Four episodes in, and girls are still only learning to control mecha. With this kind of pace, I won't be surprised if they don't master it even by the end of the season. Overall Rating: 6/10 16. Nanatsu-iro★Drops ななついろ★ドロップス [Diomedéa] (Finished 3/12) Tags: Mahou Shoujo, School Romance Tsuwabuki is a normal student, though not very social. One day he meets a new transfer student, named Sumomo Akihime, and another girl, both the only members of the gardening club. Tsuwabuki is forced by a teacher to join this club. But then he bumps into a strange guy with dog ears, switching his drink with they guy's by mistake. Drinking it, he is turned in a stuffed animal. The teacher tells him that the only way to turn back to normal is to find the chosen girl and let her catch the seven stardrops. This girl is Sumomo, that accepts to help him, though she's not allowed to know the animal's true identity. For some reason anime on visual novels always stand out for its super slow pace and lots of beating around the bush. Typical fluffy romance anime with some mahou shoujo tilt, but at least execution is rather good, so would stand out back then, yet by today's standards too cliché. Overall Rating: 6/10 17. Code-E [Studio Deen] (Finished 3/12) Tags: School Comedy, Romance, Sci-Fi Chinami Ebihara is girl with a strange ability to generate electromagnetic waves when her emotions run high. However, since this "ability" affects anything electrical, it resulted in her having to transfer from school to school when she was younger. As Chinami, now 18 years of age, transfers to a new school, she once again affects the electronic devices in the school, but this time, when another student, Kotaro Kannagi, sees her do this, he becomes obsessed in studying her "TYPE-E" ability. Synopsis is far from exciting, and no miracle happened. Overall Rating: 5/10 18. Mushi-Uta ムシウタ [Beat Frog] (Finished 12/12) Tags: Action, Fantasy, Sci-Fi Mushi-uta's story takes place in the near future. Ten years before the story's opening, strange insect-like creatures known as "Mushi" began appearing. The Mushi are able to consume peoples' dreams and thoughts in return for supernatural powers. At the end of episode one, protagonist Daisuke "Kakkou" Kusuriya encounters a young girl named Shiika Anmoto. The two, in time, become quite close. However, unbeknownst to Kakkou, Shiika is an escapee from a secret prison known as GARDEN where those posessed by the Mushi, known as the Mushitsuki are held. GARDEN's military force, the Special Environmental Conservation Executive Office, dispatches its finest killer to track down Shiika. However, they are faced with resistance from the Mushibane resistance organisation, led by the secretive "Ladybird." What a bunch of weirdos as characters. Unexpectedly, it turned out to be melodrama genre rather than anything else. Unique and not bad, but definitely not a masterpiece. Overall Rating: 6/10 19. Potemayo ぽてまよ [J.C.Staff] (Finished 2/12) Tags: Seinen School Comedy Sunao Moriyama finds a strange but cute creature that he names Potemayo. Potemayo starts following him everywhere, usually riding on top of his head. His discovery becomes the center of attention in his class at school. Soon after, a similar creature appears, and is named Guchuko by one of Sunao's classmates. However, Guchuko doesn't seem to be as good-natured as Potemayo. That's cuteness overdose for me. Can't rate it too high though, as with only situational humor and no conceptual humor it tires me way too fast. Overall Rating: 6/10 20. Buzzer Beater 2nd Season BUZZER BEATER 第2期 [TMS Entertainment] (Finished 3/13) Tags: Action, Sci-Fi, Sports After being drafted into the Earth Team, a basketball team comprised solely of humans, street-punk-turned-pro Hideyoshi couldn't be more cocky. The team is still up against the Gorons, a physically superior race of aliens who have dominated the game for some time. New challenges and problems stand in their way. Hideyoshi is unhappy with the team and the Gorons have new tricks up their sleeves. Sequel. Overall Rating: 6/10 21. Tetsuko no Tabi 鉄子の旅 [Group TAC] (Finished 2/13) Tags: Seinen Comedy, Slice of Life The "story" is that a manga artist is asked by her boss to accompany him and a travel-writer on various train trips around Japan and draw a manga about it. The kicker though, is that it's completely non-fiction —the creator really did go on all these trips, and the manga simply records what happened, with no embellishment. There's a little disclaimer at the front that says "This is non-fiction, so I apologize for the lack of drama," and indeed, it mostly is just about them riding trains from place to place, waiting on platforms, etc. The "travel writer" turns out to be a super train-otaku who has vast knowledge of the train network, but also micro-manages all their trips, planning every detail down to the second. He cares mostly about following the schedule and successfully achieving his planned goals (e.g. visiting all stations on a line in a completely bizarre order to accomodate infrequent trains). The mangaka doesn't really care about trains; she's cynical, sarcastic, and rather lazy (she mainly just looks forward to the next eki-ben); he's completely gung-ho as long as he's following the schedule, and the inevitable conflicts are pretty entertaining. Throughout, though, it feels real —if you've travelled by train in Japan it will all seem very familiar, not just the scenery, but also the atmosphere and feel— and the artist does a great job of pacing and applying little tweaks to keep it consistently entertaining. In an additional bit of recursiveness, some of the characters who show up in the manga (who of course are real people, who really did show up) do so because they (really) read previous episodes of the manga! In addition of course, you can learn about various out of the way and interesting Japanese train lines and stations; some of them really do look cool. There's always this vague sense of surreality about it however, the trips are all planned by the train-guy (goal: visit all 9,843 stations in Japan) who seems to consider everything as part of a checklist rather than an experience to be enjoyed. You learn a bit about train-otaku culture too; there's really only the one guy in the story, but train-otaku culture is a sort of constant peripheral presence. A whole series about trains... is this for real... and I thought OVA about train travels was crazy. Overall Rating: 5/10 22. Iblard Jikan イバラード時間 [Studio Ghibli] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Fantasy Much like looking through a window, Iblard Jikan explores the fantastic and beautiful world of Iblard by panning through art created by Naohisa Inoue. Iblard shows itself to be nothing short of amazing and will wash serenity over your mind. Just succession of mostly still aquarelle pictures. What's even to evaluate here... Overall Rating: 5/10 23. Evangelion: 1.0 You Are (Not) Alone ヱヴァンゲリヲン新劇場版:序 [Khara] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Mecha, Psychological Action, Award Winning, Drama, Sci-Fi In a post-apocalyptic world, the last remaining human settlement in Japan is the heavily fortified city of Tokyo-3. Fourteen-year-old Shinji Ikari is brought to the headquarters of NERV, an underground organization lead by his estranged father, Gendou. He requests that Shinji become a pilot of an "Evangelion," a colossal android built to fight against monstrous and destructive alien creatures known as "Angels" that wreak havoc on the planet and threaten the survival of the remaining human race. Although initially reluctant, Shinji is swayed by the idea of reconciling with his father, and agrees to aid in mankind's perilous endeavor against its alien threat, as the pilot of Evangelion Unit-01. Thrust into the midst of a dangerous battlefield, Shinji must find the necessary courage and resolve to face against the Angels' incursions before it is too late. Another retelling, now for first half or so... after a movie that was already a retelling... only holds value for those who never saw the series... Overall Rating: 4/10 24. Stranger: Mukou Hadan Sword of the Stranger ストレンヂア -無皇刃譚- [Bones] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Historical, Samurai Action, Adventure In the Sengoku period of Japan, a young orphan named Kotarou and his dog Tobimaru steal from unsuspecting villagers in order to make ends meet. However, Kotarou is forced to remain on the run when he finds himself being hunted down by assassins sent by China's Ming Dynasty for mysterious reasons not involving his petty crimes. Fortunately, the duo run into Nanashi, a ronin who has taken refuge in a small temple, when Kotarou is attacked and Tobimaru poisoned. Although the samurai saves the helpless pair from their pursuers, he feels that there is no need to help them further; but when offered a gem in exchange for his services as a bodyguard, he reluctantly accepts Kotarou's offer of employment—just until Tobimaru is healed and the two reach their destination. As the three set out on a perilous journey, it soon becomes evident that their path is riddled with danger, as the Ming Dynasty has now sent a terrifying swordsman after them to capture Kotarou and fulfill a certain prophecy. A nice samurai movie almost for family watch if cut limbs don't count. Can't say it's too advanced, but it's entertaining enough for a borderline masterpiece. Overall Rating: 7/10 25. Piano no Mori The Piano Forest ピアノの森 The Perfect World of Kai [Madhouse] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Seinen Music, School Drama Piano no Mori tells the story of Shuuhei Amamiya, a transfer student, and Kai Ichinose, a problem child from the rough areas of town. Upon transferring to Moriwaki Elementary and telling the other kids about his talent for piano, Shuuhei quickly finds himself as the victim of bully Daigaku Kanehira. Daigaku dares Shuuhei to find and play a cursed piano in the forest, which leads him to meet Kai, who claims to be the owner of the piano and the only one who can play it. Intrigued, Shuuhei follows Kai to the hidden piano in the forest and listens to him play a beautiful medley. Earning the respect of not only Shuuhei but school music teacher Sousuke Ajino as well, Kai now finds himself formally learning how to play the piano. Not a work to my taste, but can't deny it's serious and good, so see no reason to deny it a decent score. Overall Rating: 7/10 26. Genius Party ジーニアスパーティー [Studio 4°C] (Finished 7/7) Tags: Mecha, Music, Psychological Action, Avant Garde, Fantasy, Romance, Sci-Fi A collection of seven individual and unique shorts which range from touching to downright bizarre. With each story different from the last, we encounter monsters going to school, a man who has a hard time dealing with himself, and a child who learns the hard way about the circle of life, as well as many other unique characters and experiences. A journey through the minds of the most prolific artists in Japan, this compilation truly is the setting of a Genius Party. You know how I like nonsense anthology stories... Overall Rating: 5/10 27. Vexille: 2077 Nihon Sakoku Vexille ベクシル 2077日本鎖国 [Oxybot] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Military Action, Sci-Fi In an alternate 21st century, the robotics industry undergoes a period of rapid advancement worldwide. By the year 2050, Japan has firmly established itself as the leader in robotic technology and manufacture with Daiwa Heavy Industries. As the technology evolves to include robotic enhancements to the human body, the blurring of the line between man and machine triggers a sudden shift in world opinion. In response, the U.N. passes a unilateral ban of further research and development on robotics in 2067. Japan fiercely objects to this ban, but is unable to prevent its passage. In protest, Japan withdrew from international politics and chose to pursue a policy of high-tech national isolation. While only trade continues, Japan disappears from the world scene. Ten years later, a series of bizarre incidents lead the American technology police agency SWORD to believe that Japan has concealed extensive development of banned technologies through the use of the RACE network. SWORD dispatches a unit of special agents to infiltrate Japan and gather intelligence on the country. Vexille, a veteran agent among the group, uncovers the horrifying truth behind the ten years of isolation. 3D sometimes looks nice here, but more often ugly. The most important element is story, and it's ruined here failing to come out of dualism limitations and becoming something decent. Overall Rating: 6/10 28. Kappa no Coo to Natsuyasumi Summer Days with Coo 河童のクゥと夏休み [Shin-Ei Animation] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Mythology Adventure, Award Winning, Fantasy Kouichi Uehara is a fourth grade student living in the suburb of Tokyo. One day, he picks up a large stone which turns out to be a fossil of a baby "Kappa" who has been sleeping underground for the past 300 years, and names it "Coo." They become good friends and Coo starts living with Kouichi's family. However, Coo has a hard time adjusting to life among humans and misses his kind. What a cringy and rather unappealing kappa story, also super long. Overall Rating: 6/10 29. Dai-chan, Daisuki. 大ちゃん、だいすき。 [Tama Production] (Finished 1/1) Tags: School Drama, Slice of Life Main character in this film, Mai, has a handicapped brother, who is totally deaf, called Dai-Chan. He is like a younger brother for Mai yet he is actually her older brother because Dai-Chan always asks Mai to hold him up with smiling all over. One day, an elementary school Mai goes to and a handicapped school Dai-Chan goes to start to communicate each other. And then, Mai's class mates started to make fun of Mai and draw a funny portrait of Dai-Chan on black board in the class. Mai gets shocked and hurt at that mischief. And moreover, their mother gets sickness at the same time. That's why Dai-Chan should enter in an orphanage for handicapped children; however, Mai really wants to take care of him by herself, so she tries to stop it. This story is written about a love of family, close bond, and relationship between human and human. We definitely have a common warm heart and a moment we have to use it with honest feeling. This film could remind us some important things we should never forget about our life. I don't like works about disabled people, can't do anything about it. Overall Rating: 6/10 30. Bogeul Bogeul Bomulseon 보글보글 보물선 [-] (Finished 0/1) Tags: Adventure, Fantasy A bunch of dreamers and treasure hunters go hunting for a legendary dragon treasure. Not found. Overall Rating: 0/10 31. Tetsu no Ko Kanahiru 鉄の子カナヒル [-] (Finished 0/1) Tags: Fantasy There came a time when iron vanished from Okinawa. A Cana baby called Kanahiru arrived at the shores of Okinawa. He was from a far away land called Iron Hills. A place far beyond the seas. He was baffled by the deformity of Gana Hill, even teased the citizens, but he decided to stay. Years later ferocious demons capture Gana Hill and take Kanahiru to the demon island. Not found. Overall Rating: 0/10 32. Miyori no Mori Miyori's Forest ミヨリの森 [Nippon Animation] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Drama, Fantasy, Slice of Life After being deserted by her parents, 11-year-old Miyori shuts her heart from the rest of the world and denies any form of human relationships. She was entrusted in the care of her grandmother who lives near a forest. Miyori will take a walk in the forest where she felt a strong sense of loneliness in the forest which seems to have nothing. However, she soon encounters unbelievable things and gradually realizes that the forest is more than what it seems... A rather childish story, though not as much as my neighbor Totoro. Essence is lacking and execution is average, so need to at least like all this youkai stuff. Overall Rating: 5/10

I was going to never rate comedies highly, but Lucky☆Star is more than a comedy, it's a meta-comedy and is enjoyable on many layers. Claymore is only slightly behind. Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann and Bokura no definitely deserve a mention, but these are more flawed works. 1. Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann Gurren Lagann 天元突破グレンラガン [Gainax] (Finished 27/27) Tags: Mecha Action, Adventure, Award Winning, Sci-Fi Simon and Kamina were born and raised in a deep, underground village, hidden from the fabled surface. Kamina is a free-spirited loose cannon bent on making a name for himself, while Simon is a timid young boy with no real aspirations. One day while excavating the earth, Simon stumbles upon a mysterious object that turns out to be the ignition key to an ancient artifact of war, which the duo dubs Lagann. Using their new weapon, Simon and Kamina fend off a surprise attack from the surface with the help of Yoko Littner, a hot-blooded redhead wielding a massive gun who wanders the world above. In the aftermath of the battle, the sky is now in plain view, prompting Simon and Kamina to set off on a journey alongside Yoko to explore the wastelands of the surface. Soon, they join the fight against the "Beastmen," humanoid creatures that terrorize the remnants of humanity in powerful robots called "Gunmen." Although they face some challenges and setbacks, the trio bravely fights these new enemies alongside other survivors to reclaim the surface, while slowly unraveling a galaxy-sized mystery. I considered Gurren Lagann to be a perfect masterpiece after first watch (or rather first drop as I understand now). Now I start to see some irritations in Kamina behavior and even occasionally in Yuna behavior. Plus, can't call this anime intellectual as it's rather counter-intellectual with constant praising of legendary stupidity. After first several episodes pace seriously slows down with couple episodes bearing primarily fanservice. And it turned out that my memories were either flawed or not regarding complete series as I remembered Kamina as one of protagonists, something like in Fullmetal Alchemist , and I had no recollections of two structural parts like some Code Geass. Now I understand that second half of Gurren Lagann came before second season of Code Geass and thus could be inspiration for it... which is a very unsettling thought. I hope I tackled slippery spoilers road well enough. I'm greatly disappointed in the second half of Gurren Lagann, and that's to put it mildly. Guess Gainax wanted to squeeze everything out of the concept and preferred that to a decent place in history. Gurren Lagann is still a whole head more talented than Code Geass . Overall Rating: 7/10 2. Darker than Black: Kuro no Keiyakusha Darker than Black Darker than BLACK -黒の契約者- [Bones] (Finished 15/25) Tags: Super Power Action, Mystery, Sci-Fi It has been 10 years since Heaven's Gate appeared in South America and Hell's Gate appeared in Japan, veiling the once familiar night sky with an oppressive skyscape. Their purposes unknown, these Gates are spaces in which the very laws of physics are ignored. With the appearance of the Gates emerged Contractors, who, in exchange for their humanity, are granted supernatural abilities. In the Japanese city surrounding Hell’s Gate, Section 4 Chief Misaki Kirihara finds herself at odds with an infamous Contractor codenamed Hei. Called "Black Reaper" in the underground world, Hei, like his associates, undertakes missions for the mysterious and ruthless Syndicate while slowly peeling back the dark layers covering a nefarious plot that threatens the very existence of Contractors. From the mind of Tensai Okamura comes a sci-fi thriller taking the form of a subtle exposé on a war in which political positions and justice have no sway—a war waged exclusively in the shadows. Mystery genre is a poor excuse for disjointed unfocused story with many short arcs and different set of characters. I never grew to like both this world with superpowers and conspiracies and its inhabitants. For me it's just anthology that tries to seem bigger than it is. Overall Rating: 6/10 3. Claymore クレイモア [Madhouse] (Finished 26/26) Tags: Shounen Gore Action, Adventure, Fantasy When a shapeshifting demon with a thirst for human flesh, known as "youma," arrives in Raki's village, a lone woman with silver eyes walks into town with only a sword upon her back. She is a "Claymore," a being manufactured as half-human and half-youma, for the express purpose of exterminating these monsters. After Raki's family is killed, the Claymore saves his life, but he is subsequently banished from his home. With nowhere else to go, Raki finds the Claymore, known as Clare, and decides to follow her on her journeys. As the pair travel from town to town, defeating youma along the way, more about Clare's organization and her fellow warriors comes to light. With every town cleansed and every demon destroyed, they come closer to the youma on which Clare has sought vengeance ever since she chose to become a Claymore. It was always a perfect masterpiece for me, but having rewatched it now I sense lack of world details and focus on duels mostly. It may be just nitpicking as I don't a see a way to improve it, but it's not perfect. Overall Rating: 9/10 4. Lucky☆Star らき☆すた [Kyoto Animation] (Finished 24/24) Tags: CGDCT, Gag Humor, Otaku Culture, School Comedy Lucky☆Star follows the daily lives of four cute high school girls—Konata Izumi, the lazy otaku; the Hiiragi twins, Tsukasa and Kagami (sugar and spice, respectively); and the smart and well-mannered Miyuki Takara. As they go about their lives at school and beyond, they develop their eccentric and lively friendship and making humorous observations about the world around them. Be it Japanese tradition, the intricacies of otaku culture, academics, or the correct way of preparing and eating various foods—no subject is safe from their musings. Don't really want to search for flaws deliberately. It's inventive and hilarious. Overall Rating: 10/10 5. Lovely★Complex Lovely Complex ラブ★コン [Toei Animation] (Finished 8/24) Tags: Shoujo School Comedy, Romance Love is unusual for Risa Koizumi and Atsushi Ootani, who are both striving to find their ideal partner in high school—172 cm tall Koizumi is much taller than the average girl, and Ootani is much shorter than the average guy at 156 cm. To add to their plights, their crushes fall in love with each other, leaving Koizumi and Ootani comically flustered and heartbroken. To make matters worse, they're even labeled as a comedy duo by their homeroom teacher due to their personalities and the stark difference in their heights, and their classmates even think of their arguments as sketches. Lovely★Complex follows Koizumi and Ootani as they encourage each other in finding love and become close friends. Apart from their ridiculous antics, they soon find out an unexpected similarity in their music and fashion tastes. Maybe they possess a chemistry yet unknown, but could love ever bloom between the mismatched pair? All the height and manzai duo jokes don't look funny to me, and they make the bulk of the series. It's not advanced enough. In the end I can't enjoy it and just don't want to go on. Overall Rating: 6/10 6. Kaze no Stigma 風のスティグマ [Gonzo] (Finished 6/24) Tags: Action, Romance, Supernatural Kazuma Yagami is a user of "Fuujutsu," the ability to control the wind. He returns to his old home, the noble Kannagi household, after being banished four years ago for his inability to control fire and his subsequent defeat in a duel at the hands of his younger cousin, Ayano Kannagi. Returning after such a brutal exile already gives rise to many conflicts, but to make matters worse, several Kannagi family members have recently been murdered with Fuujutsu. This leads the Kannagi family, including the hot-headed Ayano, to suspect Kazuma as the culprit. Now, Kazuma must not only clear his name, but also aid the family he shares a mutual hatred with, in order to discover the true identity of the killer. Fiery shounen with disjointed story. Feels typical and average. Characters are especially underwhelming. Overall Rating: 6/10 7. Afro Samurai アフロサムライ [Gonzo] (Finished 5/5) Tags: Gore, Samurai Action, Adventure When he was a young boy, Afro witnessed his father be cut down in a duel at the hands of a man known only as Justice. After taking the life of Afro's father, Justice cast aside his Number Two headband and took the Number One to claim its godly powers as his own. Years later, having obtained the Number Two headband which grants him the right to challenge the Number One, Afro moves forward in his hunt for revenge on the man who murdered his father. There is just one thing that stands in his way—everyone else in the world! Though the Number One can only be challenged by the Number Two, the Number Two can be challenged by anyone. As his enemies gather to try and take the title of Number Two, Afro must fight through a myriad of foes and obstacles if he hopes to reach the Number One and claim vengeance once and for all. Good Gonzo action. Not enough everything else. Overall Rating: 6/10 8. Seto no Hanayome My Bride is a Mermaid 瀬戸の花嫁 [Gonzo, AIC] (Finished 3/26) Tags: Shounen Organized Crime, Parody, School Comedy, Romance During his summer vacation, middle school student Nagasumi Michishio travels to the Seto Inland Sea. One day, while swimming at Mio Sun Beach, his leg suddenly cramps. No one is close enough to notice his desperate screams for help, and so he sinks into the ocean, where he is left to drown alone. Just as he loses consciousness, however, a mermaid appears and saves his life. That night, Nagasumi is visited by his savior, a girl who introduces herself as Sun Seto—a mermaid from a yakuza family. As it turns out, under mermaid law, a mermaid whose identity is revealed to a human must be punished by execution. To avoid this harrowing outcome, the Seto family propose a solution: Nagasumi must marry Sun or die at the hands of Gouzaburou, Sun's father and boss of the Seto clan. Faced with no other option, Nagasumi takes her hand in marriage. Now, the newlyweds face the difficult task of keeping their relationship secret. Between Gouzaburou's unending attempts on Nagasumi's life and the eccentric antics of a slew of antagonists, a genuine and innocent love blossoms between the pair as they adapt to their new life. The concept of secret marriage while at school is quite widely used, so it all depends on execution as it works for me only with a realistic or sophisticated development. Seto no Hanayome is neither, but rather a typical parody romcom. Overall Rating: 6/10 9. Hayate no Gotoku! Hayate the Combat Butler ハヤテのごとく！ [SynergySP] (Finished 1/52) Tags: Shounen Harem, Parody Action, Comedy, Romance According to Murphy's Law, "anything that can go wrong, will go wrong," and truer words cannot describe the unfortunate life of the hard-working Hayate Ayasaki. Abandoned by his parents after accumulating a debt of over one hundred fifty million yen, he is sold off to the yakuza, initiating his swift getaway from a future he does not want. On that fateful night, he runs into Nagi Sanzenin, a young girl whom he decides to try and kidnap to pay for his family's massive debt. Unfortunately, due to his kind-hearted nature and a string of misunderstandings, Nagi believes Hayate to be confessing his love to her. After saving her from real kidnappers, Hayate is hired as Nagi's personal butler, upon which she is revealed to be a member of one of the wealthiest families in Japan. Highly skilled but cursed with the world's worst luck, Hayate gets straight to work serving his employer all the while trying to deal with the many misfortunes that befall him. From taking care of a mansion to fending off dangerous foes, and even unintentionally wooing the hearts of the women around him, Hayate is in over his head in the butler comedy Hayate no Gotoku! Sequel. Overall Rating: 6/10 10. Seirei no Moribito Moribito - Guardian of the Spirit 精霊の守り人 [Production I.G] (Finished 26/26) Tags: Action, Adventure, Fantasy On the precipice of a cataclysmic drought, the Star Readers of the Shin Yogo Empire must devise a plan to avoid widespread famine. It is written in ancient myths that the first emperor, along with eight warriors, slew a water demon to avoid a great drought and save the land that was to become Shin Yogo. If a water demon was to appear once more, its death could bring salvation. However, the water demon manifests itself within the body of the emperor's son, Prince Chagum—by the emperor's order, Chagum is to be sacrificed to save the empire. Meanwhile, a mysterious spear-wielding mercenary named Balsa arrives in Shin Yogo on business. After saving Chagum from a thinly veiled assassination attempt, she is tasked by Chagum's mother to protect him from the emperor and his hunters. Bound by a sacred vow she once made, Balsa accepts. Seirei no Moribito follows Balsa as she embarks on her journey to protect Chagum, exploring the beauty of life, nature, family, and the bonds that form between strangers. Concept is to run away and waste time till spirit hatches, after first turbulent episodes things settle down and anime starts to waste our time with eventless episodes. I watched to the end only to see if it ends with a filler as well. And of course they needed to finish the water beasts plotline, but the total amount of content is not enough even for one season... let alone two... Overall Rating: 6/10 11. Bokura no ぼくらの [Gonzo] (Finished 24/24) Tags: Seinen Mecha, Psychological, Survival Drama, Sci-Fi As fifteen children at a summer camp enjoy their carefree vacation together, they stumble upon a small cave near the beach. The group finds a mysterious room deep within its caverns, where they meet a strange man who calls himself Kokopelli. The man invites the children to play a game that involves taking turns controlling a robot to protect the Earth against aliens. Thinking it might be an interesting computer game, all but one of the children sign a contract agreeing to play. Later that day, the giant robot appears in person and the children are teleported into its cockpit, where they find Kokopelli, who pilots a fight against a similar robotic creature that has appeared nearby. After winning the battle, Kokopelli tries to apologize but is interrupted as the children are teleported back to the ground in the midst of the carnage. As the bewilderment following the fight settles, the robot suddenly disappears and the children are left scared and confused. Despite seeming like a harmless game at first, the children never anticipated the stakes of this game and how their pasts would intertwine with their decisions going forward. It had a pretty traumatic impression on me long ago, so I refuse to rewatch it now, but it's a really memorable mecha that deserves a highlight. Overall Rating: 7/10 12. Romeo x Juliet ロミオ×ジュリエット [Gonzo] (Finished 1/24) Tags: Historical Drama, Fantasy, Romance On the floating continent of Neo Verona, the Montague family slaughters the entire Capulet family and seizes control of the kingdom. The true heir to the throne, Juliet Fiammata Asto Capulet, manages to escape the onslaught and is hidden away by loyalists for 14 years with hope that she may one day overthrow the cruel Montague regime. Despite having forgotten the murder of her entire family, Juliet now secretly protects the oppressed citizens of Neo Verona as a vigilante called the Red Whirlwind. During one of her escapades she meets Romeo Candorebanto Montague, the kind and selfless son of the tyrannical Prince Laertes Montague, and without knowledge of each other's background, they both fall in love at first sight. Unfortunately, however, their destiny is a cursed one: not only does each of the two families wish to obliterate the other, but an ancient secret hidden beneath Neo Verona also threatens their undying love for each other. Will they be able to defy the stars, or is this truly a love that can never be? I can't stand it when old works are distorted just because lack of talent to invent something own. All I see here is typical mindless extension without much talent put into it. Overall Rating: 5/10 13. Dennou Coil Den-noh Coil 電脳コイル [Madhouse] (Finished 3/26) Tags: Adventure, Award Winning, Drama, Mystery, Sci-Fi In the near future, augmented reality has become a key part of daily life. A gentle middle school girl named Yuuko "Yasako" Okonogi and her family have just moved to Daikoku City despite rumors of people disappearing. There, her grandmother, nicknamed "Mega-baa," runs a shop called Megasia that specializes in illegal tools which interact with parts of the virtual world. Mega-baa also hosts an unofficial detective agency called "Coil," a group of children around Yasako's age who find and handle corruption of the virtual world. Yasako gets involved with the group when Fumie Hashimoto, a playful member of Coil, helps rescue her cyberdog Densuke after getting trapped in virtual space while chasing a mysterious virus. Also investigating these corruptions and viruses is an abrasive hacker named Yuuko Amasawa, who the others take to calling Isako. Can Coil discover the truths behind the mysterious viruses and corruption, and if they can, at what cost? Yet another 26-episode show that does not have enough content. Protagonists are more young than desired. There's deliberately no cuteness. I remember I enjoyed it substantially over 10 years ago, and it's one of those rare anime that I'd recommend children to watch, but for adults not that great. Overall Rating: 6/10 14. Heroic Age ヒロイック・エイジ [Xebec] (Finished 3/26) Tags: Mecha, Military, Space Action, Sci-Fi When the Golden Race invited other races to join them in the stars, three sentient races answered their call. The Goldens called them the Bronze, Silver and Heroic Tribes. Just before the Gold Tribe left to travel to another Universe, a fourth race appeared, traveling to the stars on their own accomplishments. The Golds named the human race the Iron Tribe. During the passing of time, humanity suffers at the hands of the more dominant races and is now facing extinction. Following a prophecy left by the Gold Tribe, Princess Deianeira sets out to search for the powerful being who might be able to save humankind. She meets a wild haired boy on an abandoned planet—a fateful encounter that will not only change the fortunes of Humanity, but also the fate of the universe. Xebec has a long history of making surprisingly boring shows of which I liked exactly zero. This one is no exception and reeks of averageness and simplicity even despite somewhat more inventive synopsis that usual. Overall Rating: 5/10 15. Bakugan Battle Brawlers 爆丸バトルブローラーズ [TMS Entertainment] (Finished 1/52) Tags: Strategy Game Action, Fantasy Mysterious cards came down from the sky one day. Capable of summoning powerful creatures from another dimension, they became the centerpiece of a new game called Bakugan. The game gained instant popularity among children and teenagers, with the best of them competing in a worldwide ranking. Meanwhile, war for domination over Vestroia, the homeland of Bakugan cards, rages on. Invaded by the White Dragon Naga and his servants, the Doom Beings, the realm becomes increasingly destabilized. Dimensions begin to merge and many Bakugan players come to realize that their pastime is not merely a game. Danma Kuusou, one such Bakugan player, intends to become the World Ranking's leader someday. However, during one of his fights he experiences a vision of a clash in Vestroia. The fight suddenly moves to Earth, where Danma comes into possession of a talking, mighty fire Bakugan, Pyrus Dragonoid. He soon gets dragged into the conflict, and together with his Bakugan Brawlers team, must traverse the dimensions and restore balance in a ravaged world. How come this variation of card pokemon is not marked as for kids... Overall Rating: 5/10 16. Nagasarete Airantou ながされて藍蘭島 [feel.] (Finished 3/26) Tags: Shounen Harem Comedy, Fantasy, Romance, Ecchi Ikuto Touhohin just had a fight with his old man, one that led him to make a rash decision to run away from home. He boards a ship, deciding to take a vacation, but the ship is suddenly hit by a huge storm—one that sends Ikuto overboard! When he regains consciousness, he realizes he is still alive on some island. An isolated island. An isolated island with nothing but girls. Beautiful girls. Stranded on an island with only girls, no electricity, gas, radio, television, like he was back in the stone age. A light harem setting for light mood. Overall Rating: 6/10 17. Sola [Nomad] (Finished 3/13) Tags: Drama, Romance, Supernatural Yorito Morimiya is obsessed with the sky. He especially loves taking pictures of its array of different faces—sunrises, sunsets, clouds. On one of his early-morning excursions to photograph the sunrise, Yorito meets a strange girl engaged in an argument with a vending machine. By the time that Yorito forces the girl's tomato juice out of the machine, she's vanished without a trace. Sola follows the story of Yorito, his sister Aono, and their childhood friends Mana and Koyori Ishizuki, as well as that of a mysterious girl who appears and disappears, and who seems to harbor a dark secret. In a world where magic and the supernatural are never far below the surface and no one is who they seem to be, love and loneliness vie for supremacy beneath Yorito's sky. An OK love triangle with some supernatural. For me it's too typical and stale, both in dialogues and characters. But it should satisfy basic demands well if expectations aren't set super high by modern romance anime like in my case. Overall Rating: 6/10 18. Ookiku Furikabutte Big Windup! おおきく振りかぶって [A-1 Pictures] (Finished 1/25) Tags: Seinen Team Sports Ren Mihashi was the ace of his middle school's baseball team, but due to his poor pitching, they could never win. Constant losses eventually lead to his teammates bullying him and reached the point where his teammates no longer tried to win, causing Mihashi to graduate with little self-esteem. As a result, Mihashi decides to go to a high school in a different prefecture where he has no intention of playing baseball. Unfortunately, upon his arrival at Nishiura High, he is dragged into joining their new team as the starting pitcher. Although unwilling at first, Mihashi realizes that this is a place where he will be accepted for who he is; with help from the catcher Takaya Abe, he starts to have more confidence in his own abilities. Abe, seeing the potential in Mihashi, makes it a goal to help him become a pitcher worthy of being called an ace. All I can say is better than usual spokon, but better ask elsewhere. Overall Rating: 6/10 19. Kaibutsu Oujo Princess Resurrection 怪物王女 [Madhouse] (Finished 3/25) Tags: Shounen Vampire Action, Comedy, Horror, Supernatural When Hiro Hiyorimi tries to save a beautiful young woman from certain death, he ends up a dead hero himself! However, since the drop-dead girl is Hime, daughter of the King of the Monsters, his "reward" is to come back as a not-quite-living soldier in her honor guard of horror! That means helping fight off the army of supernatural monstrosities Hime's siblings are unleashing against her in hopes of moving up the ladder of succession. And if facing off with vampires and zombies isn't bad enough, how can anyone be prepared for the REALLY weird ones, like were-sharks, pandas and killer dumplings? This sure as hell isn't the afterlife Hiro was hoping for, but the really sad part is that Hime is the good girl in all of this... or at least as close to good as you can come when you're on the wrong side of the gates of hell! From the synopsis it's clear that there can be nothing serious, but in reality it's mediocre in every field unless some character catches attention. Protagonist gets protected from different attacking monsters, and that's the bulk of it. Overall Rating: 5/10 20. Terra e... (TV) 地球へ… [Tokyo Kids, Minami Machi Bugyousho] (Finished 1/24) Tags: Shounen Military, Space Action, Drama, Sci-Fi When humanity realized that the Earth, or Terra, had been polluted beyond fixing, the planet's governments united under a unique authoritarian system named Superior Domination (SD) and started to colonize space. Centuries later, mankind has given up its freedom in favor of the AI Grand Mother; when someone reaches the age of 14, their memories are wiped and they are automatically assigned a new role in society. Jomy Marquis Shin, a sensitive young man raised by loving parents, is saved from this grim fate by Soldier Blue, the current leader of the Mu race—a new species of human beings blessed with psychic abilities. However, in the eyes of SD, the existence of people like Jomy threatens the new paradigm of humanity. Hunted down by the hounds of the government, Jomy finds solace in the welcoming arms of the Mu, who hide aboard the spaceship Shangri-La. Now the leader of the Mu resistance years later, Jomy embarks on a journey toward Terra to escape from SD's manhunt led by Keith Anyan, an ambitious and ruthless rising star of humanity. Will Jomy and his people manage to reach the cradle of humanity before Keith destroys their last hope? I never liked old esper OVA, but it was a short memorable story to watch. Remaking it as 24-episode drag is just inhumane. Literally everything irritates me here. Overall Rating: 5/10 21. El Cazador de la Bruja エル・カザド [Bee Train] (Finished 6/26) Tags: Adventure, Drama, Mystery Nadie is a bounty hunter with an attitude, and she's got a lock on her next target: Ellis, a young amnesiac girl who is a suspect in the murder of a famous scientist. Nadie manages to apprehend Ellis, but on a whim, decides to accompany her to Wiñay Marka, a place which supposedly holds the key to unlocking Ellis's memories and her mysterious past. However, Nadie cautions Ellis that this does not mean she will go free—once Ellis has found what she is looking for, Nadie will turn her over to the authorities. With Ellis's connection to a gemstone called the Inca Rose as their only guide, the two set off on their journey south through Mexico to search for the mysterious "Eternal City" of Wiñay Marka. Mystery, bounty hunter, amnesiac girl and travelling... so many elements that I dislike. This is another representative of the genre "wasting time" as nothing ever develops while sunk in tons of generic situations. Overall Rating: 5/10 22. Blue Dragon ブルー・ドラゴン [Pierrot] (Finished 1/51) Tags: Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy, Supernatural As Shu's village was being attacked by an unknown enemy, he and his friends, Jiro and Kluke decide to defend their home. They soon meet warrior Zola and receive the powers of Shadow, an ability that let's them transform their shadow into a powerful monster. Shu receives one of the most powerful monsters, Blue Dragon, and they all set out to defeat their enemy. A mix between dragon quest, digimons and first dragon ball, it's for kids and a bit older children. Overall Rating: 6/10 23. Mahou Shoujo Lyrical Nanoha StrikerS Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha StrikerS 魔法少女リリカルなのは [Seven Arcs] (Finished 1/26) Tags: Mahou Shoujo, Super Power Action, Comedy, Drama Set 10 years after Mahou Shoujo Lyrical Nanoha A's, Nanoha, Fate, Hayate and the rest of the crew are now working full time in the Time-Space Administration Bureau. Nanoha is a combat instructor, Fate is a special investigator, and Hayate is a commanding officer. They must unite once again to save the dimensions. Introducing new characters as well: Subaru, Teana, Caro and Erio. Stand by. Ready. Set up! Sequel. Overall Rating: 6/10 24. Kamichama Karin かみちゃまかりん [Satelight] (Finished 3/26) Tags: Shoujo Mahou Shoujo, School Comedy, Fantasy, Romance Thirteen-year-old Karin Hanazono feels like her life can't get any worse, Her parents died when she was younger, leaving her with an aunt who doesn't hesitate to call her stupid and useless over her poor grades. Her only friend, her cat named Shii-chan, passed away recently, leaving her completely alone. All she has left of her parents is a ring given to her by her mother, which she treasures dearly as the sole thing left of her past. Kamichama Karin begins the moment her life takes a turn for the better, when she is approached by Himeka Kuujou, a cute girl who has also lost her parents, and Kazune Kuujou, her cousin who finds girls to be troublesome, both of whom are searching for a goddess. Her mother's memento ring shines brightly in their presence and fills her with its radiance, making her smarter, faster, and capable of granting wishes. It turns out that her ring allows her to become the very goddess they were looking for, and now that she has awakened that power, others will come after her for it… Cute mahou shoujo comedy, but rather generic in other aspects. Humor is not bad, so it's easy to watch even for me, just don't expect much conceptuality out of it. Overall Rating: 6/10 25. Over Drive オーバードライヴ [Xebec] (Finished 1/26) Tags: Shounen Racing Sports Mikoto Shinozaki is a high school student lacking in social awareness. In addition, due to his untidy appearance and low self-esteem, he is an easy target for bullies. Regardless, any misfortune that falls upon Mikoto is partly his own fault—at least, that is what Yuki Fukuzawa, the most popular girl in class, believes. With this assumption, Yuki invites Mikoto to join the school's bicycle club, in hopes he can improve himself and gain new friends. Motivated by feelings he has for Yuki, Mikoto has no reason to decline her offer—except for the fact that he does not know how to ride a bicycle. Despite his lack of even the fundamentals, Mikoto cannot get over the image of himself on a bicycle. Eventually, he succumbs to his curiosity and sneaks into the school grounds at night to practice. This begins Mikoto's journey as he pedals his way through the vast world of cycling, where the scenery of his life changes in ways he never thought possible. The whole world of cycling opens up! Or some kind of similar spokon nonsense. Incredibly irritating beginning. Overall Rating: 5/10 26. Shining Tears X Wind シャイニング・ティアーズ・クロス・ウィンド [Studio Deen] (Finished 13/13) Tags: Isekai Action, Adventure, Fantasy Mysterious disappearances are occurring one after the other in Tatsumi Town. Kiriya has a vision from a mysterious beautiful girl with pointy ears. A book talking for an alternative world is found. And Mao searching for her long lost friend, Zero, comes to our world. But what she didn’t expect is to find Souma and Kureha, and even less, to accidentally take them to her world. Now, Souma and Kureha have to find a way to come back. But other forces are playing their part in the darkness and Souma with Kureha will find that going back is harder than they first anticipated. Wow, old isekai RPG adaptation is something that I need to experience. And it sure is cringy. As expected, boring, typical and rather simple, though extensive. Overall Rating: 5/10 27. Skull Man The Skull Man スカルマン SKULL MAN [Bones] (Finished 3/13) Tags: Super Power Action, Mystery Otomo City: where freedom and justice have atrophied to the bone; where conspiracy rules the day and death stalks the night... Death in the form of the Skull Man, a literal Grim Reaper whose skeletal grin presages grisly mayhem and murder, even to the monstrous mutants that haunt the city's underworlds! To investigate a bizarre slaying, journalist Minagami Hayato and photographer Kiriko Mamiya must stalk this ultimate predator, through a festering cadaver of a city where the corruption flows in rivers as deep and foul as the sins of the reigning elite, and unearth a secret so shocking that an entire city has been turned into a tomb to contain! In a nightmarish necropolis where nothing is as it seems, vengeance comes in the form of a living Death's-Head! Investigation murders mystery with monsters and tortoise pace getting to the roots and bigger conspiracy. We've seen it countless times already, really dull. Overall Rating: 5/10 28. Shinkyoku Soukai Polyphonica Polyphonica [Ginga Ya] (Finished 5/12) Tags: Music, School Drama, Fantasy, Romance Phoron Tatara's no ordinary musician. As one of the rare Dantists who can summon elder spirits using music called Commandia, his gift is so strong that his spirit partner is none other than the infamous Corticarte Apa Lagranges. Sure, she may look like a young girl in her human form, but you don't get nicknames like "The Crimson Annihilator" and "The Bloody Duchess" for sitting back and watching the daisies grow. Now, at the behest of the Tsuge Divine Music Player Office, this dynamic duet travels the continent of Polyphonica on Phoron's combination motorcycle/organ, following the song of the open road, orchestrating rescues and generally fixing whatever's baroque! Some musicians wait for a muse to hit them, but Phoron makes his work for scale! Music and spirits seems to be a weird combination to put together... and it really is. Defeating monsters with music always feels cringy. Episodes feel disjointed and random. Overall Rating: 5/10 29. Eikoku Koi Monogatari Emma: Molders-hen Emma: A Victorian Romance Season Two 英國戀物語エマ ～メルダース編～ [Ajia-do] (Finished 1/12) Tags: Seinen Historical Drama, Romance In the faraway village of Haworth, a new chapter in Emma's life has begun. Now employed by the wealthy Molders family, Emma has resolved to put the past behind her. She'll have to adjust to a new house, a charming (but eccentric) new mistress, and a host of fellow servants, some with buried pasts of their own. Meanwhile, back in London, William is doing his best to uphold his father's wishes as the Jones family heir, but try as he might, he can't forget Emma. Yet, whenever he feels at his worst, Eleanor is always there to comfort him with a warm, shy smile. Could the answer to his broken heart be right before his eyes? Sequel. Overall Rating: 5/10 30. iDOLM@STER Xenoglossia アイドルマスター XENOGLOSSIA（ゼノグラシア [Sunrise] (Finished 3/26) Tags: Mecha Action, Comedy, Sci-Fi 107 years ago, the Moon was destroyed in a massive cataclysm that shattered Earth's former satellite into 81 quintillion tons of orbital debris. However, thanks to super-science, the Earth itself was saved and today no one really thinks much about that century-past disaster. Which is why when teenage Haruka Amami auditions for something called the Idolmaster Project, she THINKS she's trying out to be a singing idol. Instead, Haruka finds herself at a secret school run by the Mondenkind Agency, living with a group of other girls who have also been selected as candidates to pilot an iDOL - an advanced robot specifically designed to intercept falling chunks of moon rock. Except, the people who run the Mondenkind Agency aren't exactly knights in shining armor. And then there's the question of whether the iDOLs are really JUST robots. Because from almost the first moment, Haruka starts to feel emotions resonating from within the iDOL called Imber. What will happen if idols from a game are added to mecha anime by Sunrise? Nothing good, obviously. Overall Rating: 5/10 31. Kono Aozora ni Yakusoku wo: Youkoso Tsugumi Ryou e この青空に約束を― ～ようこそつぐみ寮へ～ [Artland] (Finished 3/13) Tags: Harem, School Romance One morning, Wataru Hoshino found a sleeping girl—in nothing but her underwear—in his room. When she woke up, she quickly escaped by jumping out of the window, but not without punching Wataru in the face first. This girl, Rinna Sawaki, ends up being a transfer student of Wataru's school, as well as the new roommate of Wataru's dormitory. Wataru lives with four other girls and their school teacher, but due to Temizugawa Heavy Industry's cancellation of their aviation branch—South Sakojima Island's major company—the families involved with the corporation have to be evacuated in one year. As a result of this, the four girls have to leave the island in one year's time. Knowing this, Rinna refuses to become friends with Wataru and the other girls, because of the pain that she might experience as a result of their eventual separation; however, Wataru disagrees with her, and over the course of the year, tries to convince her otherwise. I don't remember any really good stories about school that's going to be closed up, although general level is traditionally higher compared to normal school anime. This title tries to be psychological and cute and crafty in romance situations, but due to harem format and fast switching girls with episodes often does not even succeed at that. Overall Rating: 6/10 32. Hitohira ひとひら [XEBEC M2] (Finished 2/12) Tags: Seinen Performing Arts, School Drama, Romance A transfer student Asai Mugi is a painfully shy girl. She is so shy that she can't speak when she becomes seriously nervous. However, for some reason, she is spotted and recruited as a member of the drama club. Story about overcoming oneself relies on characters a lot. Designs are mediocre, humor is generic silly from 2000s, characters are ok, but nothing outstanding. Compared to modern school anime it fares really poorly unless you're ok with SOL from 2000s. Overall Rating: 6/10 33. Touka Gettan 桃華月憚 [Studio Deen] (Finished 3/26) Tags: Drama, Romance, Supernatural Touka Gettan is set in the land of Kamitsumihara, where traces of magic and legend can still be seen. The land has been under the protection of the Kamiazuma clan since it was founded. The story revolves around Touka Kamiazuma, the main protagonist, and his encounter with a young girl named Momoka Kawakabe who comes to stay with the clan. Their meeting sets off a chain of events that will bring an ancient legend to life. Touka Gettan is mystery by design as it mostly runs in reverse order. It's a big mess or tragedies that are not even interesting to investigate. Overall Rating: 6/10 34. Oh! Edo Rocket 大江戸ロケット [Madhouse] (Finished 3/26) Tags: Historical Comedy, Drama, Fantasy, Sci-Fi In Edo in the mid-1800's, fireworks maker Seikichi Tamaya and his friends struggle to live under the harsh morality laws imposed by the strict city councilor, which ban all luxuries, including fireworks. One day, a strange girl stops by Sekichi's shop with an equally strange request: she wants Sekichi to build a firework that can reach the moon. As you can see, it's mostly nonsense, and not the kind I could like. Overall Rating: 5/10 35. Moonlight Mile 1st Season: Lift Off ムーンライトマイル 1stシーズン -Lift off- [Studio Hibari] (Finished 3/12) Tags: Space Adventure, Drama, Sci-Fi After scaling Mt. Everest, mountain climbing partners Saruwatari Gorou and "Lostman" Jack F. Woodbridge see the ISA Space Station, and each vows to make the trek into outerspace. When Helium 3, a new energy source, is discovered on the moon, NASA forms a new project named "Nexus" to harness that energy for use on earth. This is the story of the two and the paths they take to see their dream become a reality in the quest to harness the next-generation energy source. Space romanticism is something that's alien to me. Training to become astronauts is even worse. Protagonist is some tech genius and some other characters are ok, so feel free to try if you're up to some SOL in space . Overall Rating: 6/10 36. Kiss Dum: Engage Planet キスダム -ENGAGE planet- [Satelight] (Finished 6/26) Tags: Mecha, Military Sci-Fi In A.D. 2031, humans are enjoying a prosperous existence until strange life forms called Hardians appear. They suddenly begin to multiply and assault the human population. As a countermeasure, mankind organizes the N.I.D.F. to investigate the Hardians and protect themselves. A fighter pilot, Aiba Shu, begins to become involved in the battle against the lifeforms. Rurika Yuno, one of Earth's foremost scientists, investigates the Hardians and hears rumors about the "Book of a Dead Man." What is the secret of this tome, and what relation does it have to the Hardians? Now, the fight for mankind's survival begins. It's an average action with a rather disgusting concept. All those necropowers look repulsive at best. And to even approach the aliens origin we need to survive through very generic protagonist and characters behaving in very typical ways. Overall Rating: 5/10 37. Wellber no Monogatari: Sisters of Wellber ウエルベールの物語 Sisters of Wellber [Trans Arts] (Finished 3/13) Tags: Historical Action, Adventure, Comedy, Drama, Fantasy 10 years since the great war, tensions were mounting within the country of Wellber, which was barely capable of keeping peace, as war could commence at any time with its neighboring country, Sangatras. In order to avoid warfare, the king of Wellber, Haidel planned on marrying off his daughter, Princess Rita, to Sangatras` Prince Guernia. However, Rita stabbed her groom to be and ran away. Infuriated, Sangatras` King Ranbahnhof threatens to wage war unless Rita is captured and publicly executed within 14 days. In order to avoid the worst case scenario, Rita decides to head for the neutral country of Greedom. Meanwhile, the woman thief Tina sneaks into Castle Wellber, seeking its treasures, when she happens to witness the stabbing of Guernia by Rita. Whether it be by coincidence or necessity, Tina receives information that the "Wasp Man" she was after is in Greedom, her sworn enemy who took the life of her parents. Tina agrees to become Rita`s bodyguard as they head out to Greedom. Shouldering their fate and destiny, the two meet, leave, and set out on their journey. What awaits them is war or peace, vengeance or death... What will happen if murderer princess, fairy, phantom thief and robot tank come together to prevent war? Answer is this anime ... It's very messy, as you can see, plus there's no substance, so we just travel around and face some adventures. I really don't want to encourage such lousy attempts. Overall Rating: 5/10 38. Koutetsu Sangokushi 鋼鉄三国志 [Picture Magic] (Finished 4/25) Tags: Historical Adventure The Imperial Seal has been passed down through the generations since ancient times. It confers great power unto the warriors that it chooses. This is the story of those warriors. It is a time of chaos and of civil war. It is a time when great armies clash in titanic battles and great heroes carve their names in history. It is also a time of death and destruction, when the people of the land live in constant fear of the sword. Onto this stage steps the reluctant Rikuson (Lu Xun), whose family had been the guardians of the Imperial Seal up until it was stolen by Sonsaku. At the behest of his mentor Rikuson offers his services to Sonsaku with the intention of confirming the will of the Imperial Seal. However, assassins strike down Sonsaku and the Imperial Seal is lost. So begins, Rikuson’s journey to recover the Imperial Seal and discover his destiny. Opening looked fishy like boys love, and in reality it turned out to be shounen ai, so, no, thank you, and it should be developing more and more towards the end. And can't say that it's well done compared to most stories taking part in ancient China. Overall Rating: 5/10 39. Kaze no Shoujo Emily 風の少女エミリー [TMS Entertainment] (Finished 1/26) Tags: Shoujo Historical Drama Based on the Emily of New Moon novel by Lucy Maud Montgomery. Emily is an orphan who gets sent to live with her relatives on Prince Edward Island, after her father dies. In New Moon she lives with her Aunt Elizabeth, Aunt Laura, and Cousin Jimmy, and learns to adapt with the help of her imagination and new friends. It's very much in the field of World Masterpiece Theater in substance, so not my plate, although quality is quite high for such kinds of historical SOL. Overall Rating: 6/10 40. Saint Beast: Kouin Jojishi Tenshi Tan セイント・ビースト～光陰叙事詩天使譚～ [Tokyo Kids, Yuhodo] (Finished 1/13) Tags: Fantasy A long time ago, Zeus, the great god, created a three–tier hierarchy of angels, top, middle and lower, although they were supposed to be equal. Also, Zeus appointed 6 angels as Saint Beasts who govern the animals of Earth. They were: Go, the seiyu; Shin, the genbu; Rei, the suzaku; Guy, the byakko; Yuda, the kirin; and Ruka, the hooh. However, Kira, the shooting star, and Maya, the fuga, didn’t attend the selection tests and left for the Earth. The six angels fulfilled their tasks faithfully. However, because of Zeus’s increasingly tyrannical acts, they begin to mistrust him. Another Boys Love Shounen Ai not marked properly, now even with deliberately bishounen designs. Overall Rating: 5/10 41. Kishin Taisen Gigantic Formula 機神大戦 ギガンティック・フォーミュラ [Brain's Base] (Finished 4/26) Tags: Mecha Sci-Fi 2035 A.D. The heads of ancient giant idols were excavated all over the world. Using those twelve stones statues, Humanity had barely overcome the threat of extinction called the "Equatorial Winter". But the stone statues had forced Humanity to construct colossal suits of armor as their bodies and demanded that the humans fight each other. Mecha on the better half of the genre, but rather generic EVA clone, with slow development and not particularly interesting characters. Still, characters are good enough to attract someone, and to go on that's needed as background stories and flashbacks take a lot of time. Overall Rating: 6/10 42. Koutetsushin Jeeg 鋼鉄神ジーグ [Actas] (Finished 1/13) Tags: Mecha Sci-Fi Kotetsushin Jeeg takes place fifty years after the original and features a new cast of characters—primarily the new main character Kenji Kusanagi, a high school student who becomes Kotetsushin Jeeg to fight the sudden reappearance of "Haniwa Genjin" ("Haniwa Phantom Gods", or clay robots) from the Jamada Empire ruled by Queen Himika. Other characters include Tsubaki Tamashiro (grandaughter of Miwa Uzuki); and Kyou Misumi. Other main characters from the original series also appear. Sequel. Overall Rating: 5/10 43. Gegege no Kitarou (2007) ゲゲゲの鬼太郎 (2007) [Toei Animation] (Finished 1/100) Tags: Comedy, Fantasy, Horror The classic tale of Gegege no Kitaro told yet again. The story is the usual in the Gegege no Kitaro series. Kitaro is a boy living in the Gegege Forest/Cemetery (lands where many Yokai roam) with his mostly dead father (who survives only in his eye), Sunakake Babaa, NekoMusume, and Konaki Jiji. One difference between this Kitaro and all of the others that came before him, is that this one has brown hair instead of the standard grayish silver. Sequel. Overall Rating: 6/10 44. Spider Riders: Yomigaeru Taiyou Spider Riders: Resurrected Sun スパイダーライダーズ ～よみがえる太陽～ [Bee Train] (Finished 1/26) Tags: Mecha Action, Adventure The battle against the Insectors to save the Inner World rages on, as Hunter Steele and the Spider Riders defend Arachna. With the help of his friends—Igneous, an intelligent young royal officer of Arachna's military; Magma, a foolhardy warrior; and Corona, a kind-hearted girl—crisis has been averted—but not for long. News of the Kingdom of Nuuma being attacked by the Insectors is soon brought to the attention of the Spider Riders, who are reluctant to leave Arachna undefended. But past favors need to be repaid, so they decide to travel across the Inner Ocean to protect the Kingdom of Nuuma. Entrusted with finding four of the Oracle's keys locked away by the leader of the Insectors, Hunter and his friends strive to bring about peace once and for all. Spider Riders: Yomigaeru Taiyou is the epic conclusion to the Spider Riders series. Will the four Oracle Keys find their way to Hunter and the Spider Riders, or will Mantid and the Insectors finally have their wish granted, conquering the Inner World for themselves? Sequel. Overall Rating: 5/10 45. Taichi Senjimon Tai Chi Chasers 太極千字文 [Toei Animation, JM Animation] (Finished 1/39) Tags: Action, Adventure, Fantasy After a strange and devastating attack on his home, a young boy named Rai is shocked to discover he's a secret descendent of the Tigeroids: an ancient race of peaceful beings locked in a struggle with the ruthless and cunning Dragonoids. In a parallel universe called Suhn, the Tigeroids and Dragonoids are battling furiously to recover 500 lost tai chi characters. Whoever retrieves these precious and potent symbols will possess the ultimate power to rule their realm…and destroy their enemies. As Rai hones his innate tai chi skills to fight the Dragonoids, he must find the lost tai chi and battle to become one of the champion Tai Chi Chasers! Another card collection and competition mediocrity. Overall Rating: 5/10 46. Revbahaf Wang-gug Jaegeon-soelgi ルブバハフ王国再建設記 [Studio Kaab] (Finished 1/26) Tags: Comedy, Drama Three people are hiding out in a cabin by the foothills. Van is the prince from the now-defunct Revbahaf Kingdom, Kona – his hand maiden, and Sian – his philosopher and tutor. Chased by enemies, these three individuals earn the kindness of Aaron, who feeds them at the cabin. By helping out with Aaron’s chores, the former royal family learns to live a peaceful life getting by, rather than plotting a revenge on the neighboring country which invaded them. Together they try to rebuild the Kingdom of Revbahaf. Shoujo that's made as borderline childish and typical despite adult protagonists. There's some ok humor, but it all does not feel serious and going anywhere. Overall Rating: 6/10 47. Tales of Symphonia The Animation: Sylvarant-hen テイルズオブシンフォニア THE ANIMATION シルヴァラント編 [ufotable] (Finished 4/4) Tags: Martial Arts Action, Adventure, Fantasy Two worlds exist, both unaware of the existance of the other. In order for one world to flourish, the other will have to perish. On the perishing world, a Chosen one is sent on a journey to restore that world's mana by awakening the Spirits and becoming an angel. Colette Brunel, the Chosen of Sylvarant, sets out on her journey accompanied by her best friends Lloyd Irving and Genis Sage. As they travel further they meet more friends and even more enemies, while they learn more and more about the truth behind the World Regeneration. Never liked Tales of Symphonia games due to horrible mechanics. Tried anime within the series several times, but it's inevitably RPG-like stretched, slow and inevitably boring in the end . Overall Rating: 6/10 48. Ice ICE - アイス - [PPM] (Finished 3/3) Tags: Military Action, Girls Love, Sci-Fi By A.D. 2010, all men have died off quickly due to a dramatic change in the environment and an unknown contaminant. The population decreased to the lowest number ever seen...until only the women were left alive. They live huddled in small corners of a world mostly reclaimed by nature. There are those who accept their inevitable extinction and live a carefree life... There are those who try to continue on the race with the help of science... It is a society of constant conflict over their differences of principles and policies. The story takes place in the center of Tokyo. It is one of the places left for them. The conflict over the specimen of "ICE" and the chance it may provide to save humanity begins. A very strange girls love with a lot of gore and mess. Overall Rating: 5/10 49. Sekishoku Elegy 赤色エレジー [Toei Animation] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Romance A legendary masterpiece of love comics, SEKISHOKU Elegy brought baby-boomers to tears for its depiction of the heart-rending sorrow of cohabitation symbolizing young Japanese couples in the 1970s. The famous painter Seiichi Hayashi, well known for his work in Koume Chan candies and Sendai's renowned confectionery Hagi No Tsuki, draws the animation as the original writer and also directs it. Hayashi also teams up with folk singer Morio Agata for the first time in more than three decades. Agata enjoyed a huge hit with a song originating from the comic. New renditions give new life to SEKISHOKU Elegy as a work of Ganime. Legendary revolutionary new way of storytelling turned out to be animated manga strips... Overall Rating: 5/10 50. Crayon Shin-chan Movie 15: Arashi wo Yobu Utau Ketsu dake Bakudan! 映画 クレヨンしんちゃん 嵐を呼ぶ歌うケツだけ爆弾 [ TV Asahi] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Seinen School Comedy, Ecchi A slapstick comedy on a bomb uproar, and a touching story about the ties between the Nohara Family and their dog Shiro. A film in the musical style including the scenes with inserted songs. When the Nohara Family enjoy a trip to Okinawa, a strange object like a flying saucer becomes stuck with Shiro's bottom. That is a special bomb dropped by "The Only Buttocks Aliens," and it has the power to destroy the whole earth. The space monitoring center "UNTI" (Unidentified Nature Team Inspection) begins to pick up the bomb, but a female terrorist group "Hinageshi Opera Company" tries to get the bomb and disturbs UNTI's work. Found nothing good in here, so rather mediocre. Overall Rating: 5/10 51. Furusato Japan Japan, Our Homeland ふるさとJAPAN [WAO World] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Historical It was the spring of 1956, roughly 10 years after the end of the Pacific War. A new teacher named Rieko Sakamoto is assigned to an elementary school in Kiba, downtown Tokyo. At the same time, Shizu Miyanaga, a transfer student from Kobe, joins the class #4 of the 6th grade. Shizu is a bright, pretty girl who dreams to become a singer. Blessed with both athletic and academic abilities, Shizu quickly becomes the center of everyone's attention in the class. Akira, the son of a joiner and also the class president, starts to develop a special feeling for Shizu... It's just SOL from the poverty life of the 1950s and soothing songs. Can't say it's useful unless you want to cry or something. Overall Rating: 5/10 52. Shin SOS Dai Tokyo Tankentai 新SOS大東京探検隊 [Sunrise] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Adventure "While packing for a move, elementary school student Ryuhei finds his father's old school notebook detailing a search for a treasure in Tokyo's vast network of underground passages. With his little brother tagging along, he and three friends from an online chat room gather and set out on a quest to find the treasure. What they discover instead is an entire underground community composed of assorted eccentrics, including a senile old soldier still performing a World War II-era mission." Drawing is awful and some pseudo-CGI is used or the like. Concept is just bad. Waste of time, as for me. Overall Rating: 5/10 53. Yongshi Warrior 勇士 [Shanghai Animation Film Studio] (Finished 0/1) Tags: Historical, Martial Arts Based on a Mongolian folklore, the story begins with a young warrior Barter coming to Balin Grassland. He rescues a young girl from a herd of running horses and finds out she is the daughter of the wrestling coach working for the grassland lord. Barter starts learning wrestling while working for the grassland lord as a coolie. Barter falls in love with the girl he saved. However, there is a reason for his coming to the grassland – he is looking for the man who killed his father. Not found. Overall Rating: 0/10 54. Wu Kong Dazhan Er Lang Shen The Big Fighting Between Wukong and God Erlang 孙悟空大战二郎神 [-] (Finished 0/1) Tags: Action, Adventure Based on a few early chapters of classic fantasy novel Journey to the West, the story tells how the Monkey King rises against the heaven and has a horrific fight with Er Lang Shen, the nephew of Jade Emperor, who rules the Heaven. The film features puppet live action, about 30% of the movie, with animated 3D backgrounds and characters. It was nominated for the Asia Pacific Screen Award for Best Animated Feature Film at the 1st Asia Pacific Screen Awards. Not found. Overall Rating: 0/10

Nodame Cantabile is the only masterpiece in this short season 1. Naruto: Shippuuden Naruto Shippuden -ナルト- 疾風伝 [Pierrot] (Finished 1/500) Tags: Shounen Martial Arts Action, Adventure, Fantasy It has been two and a half years since Naruto Uzumaki left Konohagakure, the Hidden Leaf Village, for intense training following events which fueled his desire to be stronger. Now Akatsuki, the mysterious organization of elite rogue ninja, is closing in on their grand plan which may threaten the safety of the entire shinobi world. Although Naruto is older and sinister events loom on the horizon, he has changed little in personality—still rambunctious and childish—though he is now far more confident and possesses an even greater determination to protect his friends and home. Come whatever may, Naruto will carry on with the fight for what is important to him, even at the expense of his own body, in the continuation of the saga about the boy who wishes to become Hokage. Sequel. Overall Rating: 6/10 2. Nodame Cantabile のだめカンタービレ [J.C.Staff] (Finished 23/23) Tags: Josei Adult Cast, Music Comedy, Romance Shinichi Chiaki is a first class musician whose dream is to play among the elites in Europe. Coming from a distinguished family, he is an infamous perfectionist—not only is he highly critical of himself, but of others as well. The only thing stopping Shinichi from leaving for Europe is his fear of flying. As a result, he's grounded in Japan. During his fourth year at Japan's top music university, Shinichi happens to meet Megumi Noda or, as she refers to herself, Nodame. On the surface, she seems to be an unkempt girl with no direction in life. However, when Shinichi hears Nodame play the piano for the first time, he is in awe of the kind of music she creates. Nevertheless, Shinichi is dismayed to discover that Nodame is his neighbor, and worse, she ends up falling head over heels in love with him. I enjoyed it when I first watched, but question is to what extent and how much it lost over time in comparison with newer titles. And I've grown much more skeptical over time. Overall Rating: 7/10 3. Tokyo Majin Gakuen Kenpucho: Tou Tokyo Majin 東京魔人學園剣風帖　龖（トウ） [AIC Spirits, BeSTACK] (Finished 3/14) Tags: Martial Arts, School Action, Drama, Fantasy, Horror, Supernatural Something evil is stirring in the shadows of Tokyo... During the spring of his senior year in high school, quiet Tatsuma Hiyuu transfers to Magami Academy in Shinjuku. The mysterious boy's "outsider" status and his profound skills in martial arts quickly earn him the friendship of class delinquent Kyouichi Houraiji. Through an uncanny connection and a happenstance challenge, he also meets Yuuya Daigo of the wrestling club, the captain of the girls' archery club, Komaki Sakurai, and Aoi Misato, the Student Council President. During their encounter, there is a sudden, harsh disruption of the Ryumyaku (literally Dragon Pulse, otherwise known as Dragon Vein or Dragon Stream), the flow of arcane energy. The surge awakens within the five teenagers a latent power, giving them each a supernatural ability. Enlightened to their newly acquired gifts by Hisui, the young heir of the Kisaragi Clan who maintains his family's antiques shop - as well as their duty to protect Tokyo from Oni (demons) - the Magami students decide to use their power to protect the city from the onslaught of dark forces. Battling the demons alongside Hisui Kisaragi, the five unlikely friends discover that they may have to face a greater threat to Tokyo other than destroying a few malevolent, random monsters. The Ryumyaku had been disrupted by force, from someone invoking the Dark Arts - and that person has a wicked desire to unleash a long-dead evil. Can the teenagers overcome their own fears and flaws to fight against the Dark Arts? And soon they will also have to face their own destinies as they discover their Stars of Fate. This anime is based on a manga, which was based on the Nintendo role-playing video game originally released in 1998. Demon hunting is one of the most basic concepts, so details are important here, but Tokyo Majin does not suggest anything new - nice girls, cool guys, little information possessed. What especially irritates is that everyone tries to boss around and no one ever wants to be bossed around, so we're in constant quarrels over authority... It may eventually lead to something good, but I'm not enjoying the process. Overall Rating: 6/10 4. Ikkitousen: Dragon Destiny 一騎当千 Dragon Destiny [Arms] (Finished 1/12) Tags: Martial Arts, School, Super Power Action, Ecchi The fierce confrontation among the Kanto high schools reaches new heights with the awakening of dragons in the Kyousho and Seito Academy's leaders, Moutoku Sousou and Gentoku Ryuubi. However, the power balance between these two institutions and their main opponent, Nanyo Academy, is jeopardized when Shimei Ryomou seizes a mysterious dragon orb in China. It is said that the orb grants its strength to a dragon wielder, and Shimei hopes to save Nanyo Academy's leader Hakufu Sonsaku from the adverse effects of her unstable gift. Meanwhile, Moutoku's powers completely consume him, and he loses control over his own body to the Demon King's soul, whose unlimited ambitions endanger the stability of the region and the safety of his allies. In the face of growing tensions to claim the dragon orb, Hakufu and Gentoku will have to put aside their differences and work together to thwart Moutoku's demonic plans. Sequel. Overall Rating: 5/10 5. Hidamari Sketch ひだまりスケッチ [Shaft] (Finished 2/12) Tags: CGDCT, Iyashikei, School, Visual Arts Comedy, Slice of Life Ever since she was young, Yuno has always had an interest in art. Now that she has been accepted to Yamabuki Arts High School, it means one thing—moving out. Living in a dorm at Hidamari Apartments alone, Yuno meets her neighbors: the hyperactive Miyako, the self-conscious Hiro, and the mature Sae. Despite their different personalities, they go to the same school, spend time together, and develop a strong friendship. Yuno's life won't be so lonely after all! Hidamari Sketch revolves around the antics and day-to-day lives of the girls living at Hidamari Apartments. Cute enough girls do stuff and fool around. And it's not funny, not super cute, not amusing, not conceptual. It's just a collection of yonkomas and empty dialogues, something like Azumanga at dormiitory on Saturdays. So affinity is a matter of experience - those who never seen anything better will like it, but I can name a handful of much better similar SOL works, so Hidamari Sketch pales in comparison . Overall Rating: 6/10 6. Major S3 メジャー (第3シリーズ) [Studio Hibari] (Finished 1/26) Tags: Shounen Team Sports Having bid farewell to his former teammates at Kaido High School's baseball club, Gorou Honda returns to his hometown eager to continue playing. Attending a new high school proves to be more difficult than he initially expected, as Tetsufumi Egashira's merciless slandering of his name prevents Gorou from being accepted into any school with an existing baseball team. Left with no other options, Gorou joins Seishuu High School, where his childhood friend Kaoru Shimizu also attends. However, Seishuu has always been an all-girls school until two years ago, so there is not yet a dedicated men’s baseball team. But nothing will stop Gorou in his pursuit of Koshien. He must now create a baseball team from scratch with the seven male students at Seishuu, but all of them are complete amateurs! He decides to train the incompetent team up to nationally competitive levels, but such a feat is easier said than done. Will Gorou once again perform miracles? Or will he give up on achieving his goal of defeating Kaido with his own team? Sequel. Overall Rating: 6/10 7. Gakuen Utopia Manabi Straight! がくえんゆーとぴあ まなびストレート！ [ufotable] (Finished 4/12) Tags: CGDCT, School Comedy, Slice of Life Manabi Straight! follows the lives of a group of young high school girls living in the year 2035 while they attend the all-girl Seioh Private High School. Since the birth rate has dropped dramatically, schools are being closed down due to the sheer lack of students available to teach. Morale in schools has dropped dramatically, and Seioh is no exception. The story begins when the main character, Manami Amamiya, transfers to Seioh. After some initial hijinks involving a futuristic scooter and a swim meet, followed by an inspirational school song performance, she is inducted as the student council president. The story that follows pertains to Manami working with Mika Inamori, the only other student council member, and three other classmates named Mutsuki Uehara, Mei Etoh, and Momoha Odori, in student council matters. After some remodeling of the student council room, Manami and her friends set forth to plan for the upcoming student festival. I like character designs and CGDCT emotions here. I find humor to be good here... when it comes. But most of the time it's just some situation that's developing and being discussed - it's not funny or entertaining. Compared to Ichigo Mashimaro, there's a lot to learn. Overall Rating: 6/10 8. Kyoushirou to Towa no Sora Shattered Angels 京四郎と永遠（とわ）の空 [TNK] (Finished 1/12) Tags: Shounen Drama, Romance Kyoshiro to Towa no Sora revolves around the life of Kuu Shiratori, a seemingly normal high school girl who enjoys her school life in the giant city Academia, which is thought of as a symbol of recovery for humanity since already ten years have passed since the greatest disaster mankind had ever seen, occurred. Kuu has recently been having a recurring dream where a prince meets her and takes her away. One day, while all the students at her school are preparing for the upcoming school festival, the prince, whom she has met several times in her dreams, appears. The prince, Kyoshiro Ayanokoji, requests of her just as he had done in Kuu's dreams, "Let's go... together..." Main heroine who dreams and waits for prince on white horse considering herself special... is not a good heroine, to put it mildly. Finding a giant mecha spontaneously and being attacked by more and more enemies for some reason is beyond simple as concept. Too much cringe to even advance past first episode. Overall Rating: 5/10 9. Shuffle! Memories シャッフル！メモリーズ [asread.] (Finished 1/12) Tags: Seinen Harem, School Comedy, Drama, Fantasy, Romance, Ecchi A recap of the Shuffle world, set ten years in the future. Gods, Demons, and Humans freely visit the other worlds as if traveling overseas, and romance is in the air. Demons, Gods, And Humans together have been falling in love and creating new families, breaking down the wall that once seperated them. Past memories are visited by Rin Tsuchimi and the events that occured between him and Lisianthus, Nerine, Kaede, Asa, and Primula. It's not even a sequel, but a recap... guess Navel can join Key in that special layer of hell where creators of remakes on totally fine existing anime reside. Overall Rating: 4/10 10. Venus Versus Virus ヴィーナス ヴァーサス ヴァイアラス [Studio Hibari] (Finished 2/12) Tags: Drama, Romance, Supernatural Venus Versus Virus follows regular schoolgirl Sumire who's had the ability to see ghosts since a young age. She tells friends and family about this fact and they just dismiss it, thinking she's a liar. A chance encounter with a broach flying out of nowhere, a monster and gothloli clad monster killer named Lucia leaves her with a life changing decision to use her ability and fight against these "viruses" feeding upon the human race. Fighting demons is overused, so need some strong elements to back it. And I did not discover any strong sides here. Overall Rating: 5/10 11. Les Misérables: Shoujo Cosette レ・ミゼラブル 少女コゼット [Nippon Animation] (Finished 1/52) Tags: Historical Drama In 19th century France, a struggling single mother, Fantine, leaves her three-year-old daughter Cosette in the care of her new acquaintances, the Thernadiers. Unfortunately, Cosette's caretakers prove to be anything but loving, and the poor girl is subjected to repeated abuse and forced servitude. Still, she endures the torment in the hopes of seeing her mother once again. One night, while doing errands for her host family, Cosette is assisted by an honorable stranger named Jean Valjean. After a brief conversation with the young girl, Jean acknowledges her as the type of person he has been seeking and rescues her from the clutches of the Thernadiers. They make their way to a nearby town where Cosette enjoys a new life thanks to her savior. Under Jean's guidance, Cosette promises to help others with her newfound freedom. She pledges to heal the nation, ensuring that no one else suffers her fate. Though the road ahead is paved with tragedies left by the French Revolution, this idealistic girl will not rest until France is freed from poverty and suffering. World masterpiece theater... for those who likes child abuse! If not, why this is repeating over and over in every second its work... Anyway, I'm just not a fan of this series. Overall Rating: 6/10 12. Yes! Precure 5 Yes! プリキュア5 [Toei Animation] (Finished 1/49) Tags: Mahou Shoujo, School Action, Fantasy Yumehara Nozomi, a regular student, finds a magical book called the Dream Collet in the library and meets Coco and Nuts, two creatures from the Palmier Kingdom. They plead with Nozomi to restore their world, which has been destroyed by an organization called the Nightmares, by completing the Dream Collet and finding the 55 Pinkies to make any wish come true. Meanwhile, the Nightmares are moving into the real world. Once Nozomi agrees to help, Coco and Nuts transform her into the magical girl Cure Dream and turn four fellow students into her Pretty Cure team. Sequel. Overall Rating: 6/10 13. Rocket Girls ロケットガール [Mook DLE] (Finished 2/12) Tags: Space Adventure, Sci-Fi When Yukari Morita decided to look for her missing father who disappeared in the South Seas, she had no idea how far her journey would take her. Just traveling to the Solomon Islands is a long way for a high school girl to go on her own, but then Yukari runs into an astronaut from the Solomon Space Association, which has been trying to build a rocket powerful enough launch a man into space. Upon meeting the petite Yukari, however, SSA director Nasuda realizes that she's small enough to go up in a less powerful rocket the SSA has already built! So he offers her a deal: if Yukari agrees to become their astronaut, the SSA will help find her missing father! Will Yukari have the right stuff to blast off in the wildest space quest ever? Don't remember any any about rockets that I'd like (Wings of Honneamise is more of a honorary old title), because they are always slow and eventless - some train while some build. Rocket Girls actually manages to create a nice alive world. But it still aims at space travel romanticism, something that I lack. Overall Rating: 6/10 14. Reideen ライディーン [Production I.G] (Finished 3/26) Tags: Mecha Action, Sci-Fi Saiga is a normal high school student with a gift in mathematics. His daily routine is disrupted when his family gets news that his Father's remains have been discovered—a noted archeologist and researcher who had gone missing while exploring a site many years before. Among his remains were notes and artifacts that needed to be identified by the family near a notable triangular mountain in Japan known as "Japan's pyramid", a place suspected by some to be man-made. A meteor containing a strange robotic lifeform falls from the sky and begins to cause destruction, putting Saiga in danger and causing a mysterious bracelet from his father's research to activate and merge him with an ancient robot burried within the pyramid—a robot the runes describe as Reideen. It is now up to Saiga and guardian Reideen to fight against this unknown alien threat from the sky. Reideen is a franchise that dates back to 70s as most mecha, so elements are basic and generally simple. 3D mecha fighting looks decent, but it's always about being overpowered and finding more and more inner reserves in Reideen to flip the table. Only for mecha fans. Overall Rating: 6/10 15. Himawari!! Himawari Too!! ひまわりっ！！ [Arms] (Finished 1/13) Tags: Comedy, Romance Himawari is back in all her comical ninja mischief. The sequel to Himawari continues with the many odd and hilarious adventures of Himawari, Hayato and her ninja classmates. Season two delves into Himawari and Hayato's past. Will new secrets be revealed? Will Himawari finally find out about her past and the mysterious ninja that saved her when she was little? Sequel. Overall Rating: 6/10 16. Getsumen To Heiki Mina 月面兎兵器ミーナ [Gonzo] (Finished 4/11) Tags: Parody, Super Power Action, Comedy, Sci-Fi, Ecchi An animated spin-off from the Densha Otoko (Trainman) TV drama. In the drama, actor Itoh Atsushi plays the otaku Yamada, whose main love in life is the Mina anime, a cutesy busty heroine with floppy rabbit ears and carrots sticking out her rear. Mina itself is a character homage which triggers back to the Daicon Animation done by GAINAX where a similar nameless bunny girl appeared. Densha Otoko futher featured an opening with scenes which were appearing back in the Daicon Animation. Busty girls fight huge aliens that show up the same place the same time, and it's all broadcasted on TV. It's a lively and amusing parody. But there's also a lot of stupidity and time wasting along the way. The initial fuse is enough for several episodes, but eventually it becomes an aimless hassle. Overall Rating: 6/10 17. Saint October セイントオクトーバー [Studio Comet] (Finished 2/26) Tags: Adventure, Fantasy Whether it is the future or the past it is the world of fantasy and horror hiding in the shadow of the demon city. In the city, consecutive mysterious incidents that cannot be solved by science have occurred. To solve the incidents, they gather three girl detectives possessing special abilities. Hayama Kotono. She is an orphan living in a convent. Shirafuji Natuski. She is Kotono's classmate and a pop idol. Hijiri Misaki. She is a mysterious girl who fights against nightmares of her previous life. Those who want to bring the Judgement Day to the world. Those who want to save the world. Which is justice, and which is evil? When Kotono encounters a boy who lost his memory, the wheel of the story begins to move but slowly. Then, solving the mysteries, the three girls will confront the fate that will influence the existence of the human beings. Absurd mahou shoujo with Galaxy Angel coming to mind as a close comparison. Parody humor is all right, but deliberate conceptual shifts and slipups is something I can't bear. Overall Rating: 6/10 18. Juusou Kikou Dancougar Nova 獣装機攻ダンクーガノヴァ [Ashi Productions] (Finished 1/12) Tags: Mecha In the 22nd century, there are no longer any world wide wars. Instead, small scale wars break out all over the Earth. Meanwhile, a large robot appears who protects the weak. It is called "Dancougar Nova". Some even call it God. However, no one knows the reason for its existence - not even its pilots. Then, another robot, beyond anyone's expectations, reveals itself as the true enemy and begins its attack on the Earth. Dancougar Nova retaliates against this enemy with a power that was kept secret until now. Will Dancougar Nova be able to save the Earth? The prelude to this explosive confrontation rings out. Another modern take on old mecha. Concept is not sophisticated enough for anyone but mecha fans. Overall Rating: 5/10 19. Master of Epic: The Animation Age マスター オブ エピック The Animation Age [Gonzo, Palm Studio] (Finished 3/12) Tags: Video Game Comedy, Fantasy Over millions of years, there have been many ages - war, gods, and future to name a few. Each of these was infinitely less exciting than the current Animation Age! In this RPG-esque existence, becoming stronger is paramount to one's survival and leveling up is a must. From pacifists to news casting, from fishing woes to love advice, there's nothing the Animation Age can't show or teach us about life in a game world! Armed with healing spells, changes of clothes and plenty of summoned familiars, the characters of Master of Epic will do what it takes to level up and live to fight another day! I was really intrigued by description, but in fact it's just gags around different MMORPG mechanics shown on example of some five different casts. Humor can be nice, but in majority cases it's not, and there's nothing but it. Without actual plot I definitely can't recommend it. Overall Rating: 6/10 20. Qin Shi Mingyue: Bai Bu Fei Jian Qin's Moon: Hundred Steps Flying Sword 秦时明月之百步飞剑 [Sparkly Key Animation Studio] (Finished 2/10) Tags: Historical, Martial Arts Action, Fantasy Set during the Qin Dynasty in ancient China, a brave assassin attempts to kill the Emperor to save his homeland. However, the assassin fails and in retaliation, the Emperor sends his troops to kill his eight year old son. A highly skilled swordsman intervenes and rescues the boy. After their escape from the forces of the Emperor, they embark on a journey to change the destiny of the empire while encountering several friends and foes along the way. Some poor machinima in Chinese. Visuals are in no state to be watched. Story is shounen in Chinese mythology with historical references, so not appealing to me at all too. Overall Rating: 5/10 21. GR: Giant Robo GR -ジャイアントロボ- [A.C.G.T.] (Finished 1/13) Tags: Shounen Mecha, Military Adventure, Sci-Fi The year is 20XX. Mysterious huge robots called "Giant Robo (GR)" started to appear all over the world and destroy cities. The earth was covered with fear. And their next target is Japan! The hero of this animation Daisaku Kusama, who works in a diving shop, encounters a mysterious girl, simply called V who leads him to make a contract with an enormous robot "Giant Robo 1 (GR1)" at the ancient ruins (Minami Yonaguni Island) in Okinawa. He made a contract with UNISOM (good guys) and was approved to be a commander of GR1. Thus his battle has begun against GRO (bad guys) and creates a lot of dramas. Before long, Giant Robo of the 21st century will ask the world the true meaning of its power. Third old mecha reinstallation within a season. And this version widely uses 3D and sharp drawing, so original might be more preferable... Overall Rating: 5/10 22. Murder Princess マーダープリンセス [Bee Train] (Finished 6/6) Tags: Action, Adventure, Fantasy After a sudden coup d'etat by the court scientist Dr. Akamashi results in the king's death, Princess Alita Castilia Arago Forland is forced to flee the capital. During her mad dash for survival deep into the forest, Alita collides with the brutal and temperamental bounty hunter Falis, which causes the two women to magically switch bodies. Using her original body as collateral, Alita convinces Falis—and her henchmen Dominikov and Pete—to help take back the capital from the treasonous scientist by pretending to be the real princess. However, while the plan was initially successful, the only diplomacy Falis knows is with her sword. Alita must now work hard to make sure the kingdom is not trading one royal scandal for another, all while the two displaced women look for a way to return to their original bodies. After pilot episode things settle down and we're supposed to enjoy yuri-ish relationship of two heroines and occasional attacks. It's a nice fighting action with nice characters, but that's it, nothing exceptional. Overall Rating: 6/10 23. Ichigo Mashimaro OVA Strawberry Marshmallow OVA 苺ましまろ OVA [Daume] (Finished 3/3) Tags: CGDCT, Iyashikei, School Comedy, Slice of Life Based on Barasui's manga series, Ichigo Mashimaro follows the life of Nobue Itou, her younger sister Chika, and her friends. The basic premise of the show can be summed up in "cute girls do cute things in cute ways", be it trying to quit smoking, going outside to play, celebrating a holiday, or doing school work. This OVA picks up where the series left off, continuing the adventures of your everyday life, only cuter. Hilarious concentrated gags, even more advanced than in original. Can't give the derivative the same score though, plus it's only one hour long. Overall Rating: 6/10 24. Byousoku 5 Centimeter 5 Centimeters Per Second 秒速５センチメートル [CoMix Wave Films] (Finished 3/3) Tags: Drama, Romance What happens when two people love each other but just aren't meant to be together? Takaki Toono and Akari Shinohara are childhood friends, but circumstances beyond their control tear them apart. They promise to stay in contact, and although the progression of time widens the distance between them, the chain of memories remains ever-present. Byousoku 5 Centimeter is a romantic drama that focuses on the mundane and harsh reality of long-distance relationships. Stuck in the past and unable to make any new memories, Takaki and Akari cling to the hope of seeing each other again. They live their everyday lives half-heartedly, both hurting themselves and the people around them. First story is typical Makoto Shinkai with whispers and remote relationship, but at least no one is terminally ill, a huge step forward. Second story is surprisingly more lively with only whisper commentaries. Third one is basically non-existent as as it's mostly a clip explaining the title. What can I say, as usual, nothing deep, but it demonstrates the capabilities of visual quality and is probably good to watch for couples. Overall Rating: 6/10 25. Highlander: The Search for Vengeance ハイランダー [Madhouse] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Action, Horror, Sci-Fi Colin MacLeod, the immortal Scottish Highlander, travels with the wise-cracking ghost Amergan in search of the immortal despot Marcus Octavius, who killed Colin's lover on the Celtic plains centuries earlier. The once great city of New York is now submerged under water, with only one dominant fortress towering over the sea, the fortress of Marcus Octavius. MacLeod is torn between saving the survivors of New York and hunting down his nemesis. Highlander franchise puts a lot of limitations, but it's totally fine as fighting action movie with revenge pursue through the ages. Overall Rating: 6/10 26. Cheonnyeon-yeowoo Yeowoobi 천년여우 여우비 [Sunwoo Entertainment] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Drama, Fantasy, Sci-Fi Yobi, The Five Tailed Fox revolves around a kumiho, a nine-tailed fox that can assume different forms including human. Kumiho are familiar figures in Korean folk tales, and they are usually depicted as magical creatures that take female form to lure and prey on humans. This time, however, our protagonist is a young, kind-hearted fox with only five tails, instead of nine. After losing her family to fox hunters, five-tailed Yobi lives in the forest with some shipwrecked aliens, far away from the humans. When one of her alien friends gets captured by a villager, Yobi has no choice but to adventure into the human world to rescue him. At the village, Yobi meets many humans, including Geum Yee who studies at a school for maladjusted children. Interested in Geum Yee, Yobi joins the students and revels in the fun of human life, but both a fox hunter and a mysterious shadow man are on her trail. First high quality Korean anime movie, but when it does not depict humans. Story reminds kids' movie Pom Poko by Studio Ghibli a lot, but with the opposite direction - to accumulate with humans rather than to be left alone. And that makes it childish as well. Overall Rating: 6/10 27. Oshare Majo Love and Berry: Shiawase no Mahou オシャレ魔女 ラブ and ベリー しあわせのまほう [TMS Entertainment] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Idols (Female), Music A movie based on the popular fashion card and arcade dance game aimed at young girls. The movie features the magical Princesses Love and Berry, who posess Fashion Magic. While Love and Berry are best friends, they become rivals for attention when they're on the dance floor. Not translated. Barbie crap about dress-up cards and horrible 3D dances. Overall Rating: 4/10

Death Note as new title takes the upper hand over sequel Black Lagoon: The Second Barrage . But I can also name a number of minor masterpieces - Hataraki Man , Genshiken OVA , Paprika 1. Death Note デスノート [Madhouse] (Finished 37/37) Tags: Shounen Detective, Psychological Supernatural, Suspense Brutal murders, petty thefts, and senseless violence pollute the human world. In contrast, the realm of death gods is a humdrum, unchanging gambling den. The ingenious 17-year-old Japanese student Light Yagami and sadistic god of death Ryuk share one belief: their worlds are rotten. For his own amusement, Ryuk drops his Death Note into the human world. Light stumbles upon it, deeming the first of its rules ridiculous: the human whose name is written in this note shall die. However, the temptation is too great, and Light experiments by writing a felon's name, which disturbingly enacts his first murder. Aware of the terrifying godlike power that has fallen into his hands, Light—under the alias Kira—follows his wicked sense of justice with the ultimate goal of cleansing the world of all evil-doers. The meticulous mastermind detective L is already on his trail, but as Light's brilliance rivals L's, the grand chase for Kira turns into an intense battle of wits that can only end when one of them is dead. Probably the most known anime, but it was always passable for me and definitely not a good entry point into anime in contrast to many such suggestions. Despite mind games being in focus, can't rate it a 9 since it's not the title that I'd want to ever rewatch as it's dark and unpleasant, and once plot is known, there's nothing to do here anymore. Overall Rating: 8/10 2. Code Geass: Hangyaku no Lelouch Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion コードギアス 反逆のルルーシュ [Sunrise] (Finished 25/25) Tags: Mecha, Military, School, Super Power Action, Award Winning, Drama, Sci-Fi In the year 2010, the Holy Empire of Britannia is establishing itself as a dominant military nation, starting with the conquest of Japan. Renamed to Area 11 after its swift defeat, Japan has seen significant resistance against these tyrants in an attempt to regain independence. Lelouch Lamperouge, a Britannian student, unfortunately finds himself caught in a crossfire between the Britannian and the Area 11 rebel armed forces. He is able to escape, however, thanks to the timely appearance of a mysterious girl named C.C., who bestows upon him Geass, the "Power of Kings." Realizing the vast potential of his newfound "power of absolute obedience," Lelouch embarks upon a perilous journey as the masked vigilante known as Zero, leading a merciless onslaught against Britannia in order to get revenge once and for all. Another well known anime. First time I watched it, I actually liked it despite some really poor twists and unbelievable behavior. But afterwards only read bad stuff about it. Overall, I don't believe that Sunrise can pull out original scenarios well. They end up amateurish or disintegrated or straight up boring. I see Code Geass as an attempt to make action with twists that could not be called boring. But the other flaws remained intact. First season is basically Death Note copycat and thus bears some value. Second season only lingers on desire to just learn how it ends as it's straight bad. I've got a huge number of complaints against Code Geass from plot holes to treating females like furniture, but there must be all kind of analysis already on the matter. It's controversial Deus Ex Machina and not a masterpiece. Overall Rating: 6/10 3. D.Gray-man ディー・グレイマン [TMS Entertainment] (Finished 5/103) Tags: Shounen Mythology, Super Power Action, Adventure, Comedy Losing a loved one is so painful that one may sometimes wish to be able to resurrect them—a weakness that the enigmatic Millennium Earl exploits. To make his mechanical weapons known as "Akuma," he uses the souls of the dead that are called back. Once a soul is placed in an Akuma, it is trapped forever, and the only way to save them is to exorcise them from their vessel using the Anti-Akuma weapon, "Innocence." After spending three years as the disciple of General Cross, Allen Walker is sent to the Black Order—an organization comprised of those willing to fight Akuma and the Millennium Earl—to become an official Exorcist. With an arm as his Innocence and a cursed eye that can see the suffering souls within an Akuma, it's up to Allen and his fellow Exorcists to stop the Millennium Earl's ultimate plot: one that can lead to the destruction of the world. I'm shocked with the low quality of this anime. No depth, no exposition, no composition of episodes - only same chewing gum of something actiony. And I've got a friend who was very enthusiastic about it and watched all seasons of D.Gray-man only to find that story is not finished and deteriorated greatly by the end. I'd personally call it an ordinary shounen. Overall Rating: 6/10 4. Katekyo Hitman Reborn! Reborn! 家庭教師ヒットマンREBORN! [Artland] (Finished 3/203) Tags: Shounen Organized Crime, Super Power Action, Comedy There is no putting it lightly—Tsunayoshi Sawada is just no good. He is clumsy, talentless, and desperately in love with the school idol Kyouko Sasagawa, a girl so completely out of his league. Dubbed "Loser Tsuna" by his classmates, he seems to be the very personification of failure in the guise of a middle-schooler. Tsuna's boring life takes an extraordinary twist when he encounters the mysterious Reborn, who happens to be a hitman... and shockingly, a baby! Sent from the strongest Mafia family in Italy, Reborn is assigned the daunting mission of preparing the dull middle schooler to succeed the ninth boss of the notorious Vongola family, who is on the brink of retirement. The dull boy has a grueling road ahead, but with the help of his new criminal affiliates and his peculiar home tutor, perhaps even Loser Tsuna can achieve greatness. Tried watching it in the past, of course, but first episodes never broke out of averageness, and I fail to understand why ordinary school comedy with superpowers should be stretched to 16 seasons. Of course with such length some arcs can be crafty and inventive, but this anime does not even provide worthy characters to go on. Overall Rating: 5/10 5. Black Lagoon: The Second Barrage [Madhouse] (Finished 12/12) Tags: Seinen Adult Cast, Organized Crime Action Rokurou "Rock" Okajima has joined the Lagoon Company, a pirate mercenary group which operates out of Roanapur, Thailand. Despite his initial protests, this filthy slum of depraved souls and merciless criminals now serves as the former salaryman's home. Stranded, with nothing left of his past life but the clothes on his back and his inner morality, Rock is forced to perform jobs alongside the other members of the Lagoon crew. Berated for his lack of spine as he wades through the underbelly of society, he must decide whether to continue on amidst the gunfire and ruthlessness or risk everything he has in an attempt to be free. Whether he chooses the comfort of a familiar land or the freedom of being an outlaw, his decision will have lasting consequences on the crew who gave him a home. Sequel. Overall Rating: 8/10 6. Shijou Saikyou no Deshi Kenichi KenIchi: The Mightiest Disciple 史上最強の弟子 ケンイチ [TMS Entertainment] (Finished 4/50) Tags: Shounen Martial Arts, School Action, Comedy Whenever he is not getting pummeled in the karate club after school, high schooler Kenichi Shirahama can be found with his head buried in one of the many self-help books he carries with him every day. One day, on the way to school, Kenichi accidentally frightens the new student in his class, leading her to throw him down onto the ground. After apologizing for her violent reflexes, she introduces herself as Miu Furinji and asks Kenichi to be her friend. Later that day, after karate club practice, Kenichi is given an ultimatum by one of the other club members: they will fight next week and the loser has to quit the club permanently. While lamenting his imminent defeat in the upcoming fight, Kenichi witnesses Miu fend off three thugs easily. Fed up with being perpetually bullied by those more powerful than him, he asks Miu for tips on how to become a better fighter. She directs Kenichi to her grandfather's dojo, Ryouzanpaku, where several skilled—albeit strange—masters of extreme martial arts have gathered to hone their abilities. Miu promises that Kenichi will become significantly stronger, but only if he manages to stay alive. With those ominous words looming in his mind and the appearance of a criminal martial arts gang known as "Ragnarok" threatening the safety of those around him, Kenichi takes the first step on his journey to become a world-class fighter and a defender of the defenseless. Male version of Fighting Beauty Wulong or something. It's stunningly bad in everything - humor, characters, story. It tries to be Hajime no Ippo of martial arts, but I'm actually ashamed of even putting those two titles alongside. Overall Rating: 5/10 7. Kanon (2006) Kanon カノン (2006) [Kyoto Animation] (Finished 1/24) Tags: Drama, Romance, Supernatural As a young child, Aizawa Yuuichi had often visited his cousin in the city; however, something drastic happened to keep him away for seven long years. Now, Yuuichi returns, his memories of those days are simply gone. Settling into the wintry town, Yuuichi comes across several young girls, all of whom are connected to his past. As he befriends them and continues to interact with them, the long forgotten memories from his childhood begin to resurface... Freaking remake to help remake of the game sell better to help original game sell better to help anime of the original game sell better, because no amount of milking is enough for key industry milkman. It must the first case in anime history when remake is made not because original got technologically old, but ... just out of egoism as original is perfectly fine. Overall Rating: 4/10 8. Ghost Hunt ゴーストハント [J.C.Staff] (Finished 1/25) Tags: Horror, Mystery, Supernatural While at school, Mai Taniyama and her friends like to exchange ghost stories. Apparently, there is an abandoned school building on their campus that is the center of many ghost stories. During the story, they are interrupted by a mysterious male figure. The person turns out to be Kazuya Shibuya, a 17-year-old who is president of the Shibuya Psychic Research Company. He was called by the principal to investigate the stories surrounding the abandoned school building. The next day, on the way to school, Mai passes the school building in question. While examining a strange camera she spotted inside, she gets surprised by Kazuya's assistant. Unknowingly interfering with the investigation, Mai breaks the camera and Kazuya's assistant gets injured. Kazuya forcefully hires Mai in order to pay for the camera and replace his injured assistant. From that point on, Mai begins to learn about the paranormal world and the profession of ghost hunting. Ghost hunt is one of my most hated concepts. And this particular title is just weirdos playing in occult detectives. Overall Rating: 5/10 9. Busou Renkin Buso Renkin 武装錬金 [Xebec] (Finished 3/26) Tags: Shounen School Action, Fantasy, Supernatural The story begins when high school student Kazuki Muto is killed one night saving a mysterious girl from a monster, only to wake up in his school dorm, believing it to have been a dream; however, he soon finds out that dream wasn't a dream at all when a giant serpentine monster attacks him and his sister. Tokiko Tsumura, the girl he saved, explains that the monster is a homunculus. Kazuki had been attacked and killed by it when he was rescuing her; however, she, feeling responsible for him, revived him by placing a Kakugane medallion in his chest, serving as a replacement heart. The Kakugane, as Tokiko explains, is an alchemical device that, when activated, takes a certain form based on the Kakugane's user, forming a unique Buso Renkin. The Buso Renkin is the only thing that can destroy a homunculus monster. Using this, Kazuki creates his own Buso Renkin (the "Sunlight Heart," a huge lance). Along with Tokiko and her own Buso Renkin (the "Valkyrie Skirt," an execution scythe), Kazuki joins the fight against the homunculi and their master. Quite a typical action shounen, but at least with an ok protagonist. Story and humor are pretty bad, though. So while show's no good, it still manages to be better than majority of shounens. Overall Rating: 6/10 10. Jigoku Shoujo Futakomori Hell Girl: Two Mirrors 地獄少女 二籠 [Studio Deen] (Finished 1/26) Tags: Psychological Horror, Mystery, Supernatural Ai Enma and her companions continue to offer their service of revenge against those who have wronged others, and the price is as steep as ever—for damning the offender to hell, the person exacting vengeance is sent to the abyss as well. As they cast soul after soul into the darkness, a new sinister force is watching them: a little girl named Kikuri. While Ai continues her duties, she meets a boy named Takuma Kurebayashi, known as the "Devil's Child" because of the horrific events that occur around him. Unfortunately, Takuma's reputation leads the townspeople to use him as a scapegoat for those who have been ferried off to hell. When things quickly spiral out of control, Ai must find a way to bring an end to this senseless violence, as it poses a threat to her very existence. Sequel. Overall Rating: 6/10 11. Kekkaishi 結界師 [Sunrise] (Finished 2/52) Tags: Shounen Mythology Action, Adventure, Supernatural Yoshimura Sumimura comes from a long line of "Kekkaishi," individuals who have supernatural abilities and are able to destroy evil creatures called Ayakashi that venture into the human realm from time to time. The Ayakashi are demons that look to feast on the power emanating from the land of Karasumori, which also happens to be where Yoshimura's high school is located. Now, Yoshimura must fight to protect his beloved school and hometown. Although, if it were up to him, he would rather be baking cakes than fighting off the ugly characters that show up at night. Thankfully, Yoshimura isn't the only one helping to keep the baddies at bay. His childhood friend and neighbor, Tokine Yukimura, joins him in this righteous battle. Despite the fact that they are from rival clans, these two make a fantastic team. And teamwork is something vital to fighting the evil that is closing in, as the Ayakashi attack in waves, looking to claim the land as their own, and a shadowy organization looks on, ready to pounce when the time is right... Another ghost/demon hunting story, and this time can't find anything that could pull it out of averageness. Overall Rating: 5/10 12. Black Blood Brothers ブラック・ブラッド・ブラザーズ [Group TAC] (Finished 3/12) Tags: Vampire Action, Comedy, Fantasy, Supernatural Black Bloods and Red Bloods, vampires and humans. Despite their differences, these two races once fought together in a crusade against a formidable foe. A decade later, the vampire war hero Jirou Mochizuki, known as the "Silver Blade," travels with his younger brother Kotarou to the Special Zone—a safe haven where vampires and humans live in harmony. However, their journey is suddenly faced with danger when a conflict erupts between vampire migrants and human forces from the Special Zone. With the rise of a developing conspiracy from an old enemy, Jirou will need the help of his new ally, Mimiko "Compromiser" Katsuragi, as well as the power of his ancient bloodline to protect what he treasures the most. It's not Hellsing, but action is decent, occasionally to the similar extent. Other elements are not as good, so it's only advisable for vampire action enthusiasts. Overall Rating: 6/10 13. Negima!? Negima!? Magister Negi Magi ネギま!? [Shaft, GANSIS] (Finished 1/26) Tags: Harem, School Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy, Romance, Supernatural, Ecchi A remake of the Negima anime with its own original story. Wizard Negi Springfield may be a boy, but he has a man-sized job to do! Fresh from the Academy of Magic, Negi continues his training as an instructor at Mahora Academy in Japan. But before he can get his Masters in magic, the 31 schoolgirls of Class 3-A are gonna keep him up all night cramming for a final exam in will power. Temptation aside, Negi has more on his syllabus than flirting and spells. Darkness is closing in, and Negi is gonna need help from his lovely student bodies to drive the ghouls from their school. These girls want to prove that they're the best in class, and extra credit is available to the cuties that aren't afraid of after-hours phantom fighting! Not distinguishing it from Mahou Sensei Negima Overall Rating: 6/10 14. Bartender バーテンダー [Palm Studio] (Finished 3/11) Tags: Seinen Adult Cast, Workplace Drama, Gourmet Hidden in the backstreets of the Ginza district is Eden Hall, a lone bar operated by Ryuu Sasakura, the prodigy bartender who is said to mix the most incredible cocktails anyone has ever tasted. However, not just anyone can find Eden Hall; rather, it is Eden Hall that must find you. Customers of varying backgrounds, each plagued with their own troubles, wander into this bar. Nevertheless, Ryuu always knows the ideal cocktail to console and guide each distraught soul. Tried it earlier as it is Seinen, but it's only episodic stories in the end. Overall Rating: 6/10 15. Sumomomo Momomo: Chijou Saikyou no Yome すもももももも〜地上最強のヨメ〜 [Studio Hibari] (Finished 3/22) Tags: Seinen Martial Arts Action, Comedy, Romance Koushi Inuzuka is a smart high school student who aims to become a public prosecutor. Unfortunately for our good guy, he was born into a martial arts family whose head (ie his father) only knows one language: violence. When Koushi was still a baby, his father made a pact with his biggest rival to marry Koushi to his opponent-turned-friend's daughter. The union of the two blood lines is supposed to bring forth Earth's strongest martial arts clan. Skip forward: Koushi is in high school, oblivious to the marriage arranged for him at his birth. Enter Momoko Kuzuryuu: sugar bomb, airhead, loli martial arts artist and Koushi's self-proclaimed bride (the strongest on Earth, no less). Her wish for sexual intercourse meets with Koushi's square refusal as he has absolutely no desire to get it on with someone who looks like she could be his little sister, not to mention that he doesn't have the foggiest idea who she actually is. Meanwhile, a war has broken out between the martial arts families. For Koushi, this means that numerous fighters are out to challenge/assassinate him. As if that weren't bad enough, our protagonist also has a fight phobia due to a traumatic incident that took place in his childhood. Now it's up to Momoko and her superhuman fighting skills to protect her "husband." Will the two sweethearts survive the trials and tribulations ahead of them? More importantly, will Momoko get her way receiving a baby from Koushi? An irritating ordinary comedy with ridiculous plot and a bit of action. Overall Rating: 5/10 16. Otome wa Boku ni Koishiteru Otoboku: Maidens are Falling for Me! 乙女は僕に恋してる [Studio Deen] (Finished 1/26) Tags: Shoujo Historical, Mythology Action, Fantasy, Supernatural Masahiro is the grandson of the great onmyouji, Abe no Seimei. However, he lost his sixth sense that enables him to see supernatural beings, which is very important for an onmyouji. Thus, he is left with no choice but to try and pick a different career. But one day, a strange mononoke appears, which he names Mokkun, who shows him his true potential powers after fighting a demon. With the assistance of Mokkun, his quest to become the greatest onmyouji begins. Otoboku is the first thing on mind when remembering cross-dressing, and it's usually love or hate relationship. Overall Rating: 5/10 17. Shounen Onmyouji Shonen Onmyoji 少年陰陽師 [Studio Deen] (Finished 5/26) Tags: Shoujo Historical, Mythology Action, Fantasy, Supernatural Masahiro is the grandson of the great onmyouji, Abe no Seimei. However, he lost his sixth sense that enables him to see supernatural beings, which is very important for an onmyouji. Thus, he is left with no choice but to try and pick a different career. But one day, a strange mononoke appears, which he names Mokkun, who shows him his true potential powers after fighting a demon. With the assistance of Mokkun, his quest to become the greatest onmyouji begins. Heian hunting for demons is a boring concept for me on its own, and realization disappointed as primitive. And since protagonists possess mass destruction magic, only minibosses battles matter. Overall Rating: 6/10 18. Oban Star-Racers オーバン・スターレーサーズ [Hal Film Maker] (Finished 3/26) Tags: Mecha, Racing Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi Eva's birthday has just passed, and she hasn't heard from her father. Despising the Boarding School she attends, she escapes using her Rocket Bike that she just completed. Taking on the alias "Molly," Eva sneaks with the Earth team to Alwas for the Great Race because the winner of the race gets any one wish granted. Little does the Earth Team know what danger awaits them... Space racing... wohoo... Overall Rating: 5/10 19. Red Garden レッド ガーデン [Gonzo] (Finished 6/22) Tags: Drama, Mystery Strange suicides have been taking place in New York. One day, four girls from the same high school wake up in the morning feeling tired and dizzy and not being able to remember anything about the previous night. In school, they find out that one of their classmates has committed suicide. School is canceled for the rest of the day, but instead of going home, the girls are drawn to a park by butterflies only they can see. Suddenly a man and a woman approach the girls, telling them that they all died the previous night. It's basically life stories of four girls who died and now in zombie world finally have time to deal with their violence and psychological problems while slowly trying to perceive the world. And that means we're in for a lot of screams, violence and hysteria behavior. It's a fresh concept, but fresh does not mean good. I could not tolerate that absolutely irrational behavior and torture of screams for long. Overall Rating: 6/10 20. Pumpkin Scissors パンプキン・シザーズ [Gonzo, AIC] (Finished 3/24) Tags: Shounen Military Action, Comedy, Drama Three years ago, the long war between the Royal Empire and the Republic of Frost came to an end. With both nations a long way from recovery, a passionate young woman named Alice L. Malvin leads the Pumpkin Scissors, a unit of the imperial army specializing in war relief. During a mission to assist a village occupied by renegade soldiers, Alice meets Randal Oland, a scarred former soldier with a sordid past and kind heart. Encouraged by the efforts of the Pumpkin Scissors, he joins the team on their mission. During the assault, however, Randal enters a trance-like state prompted by a mysterious blue lantern. As a result, he acquires monstrous strength and decimates the enemy forces. Despite having witnessed Randal's disturbing transformation, Alice invites him to join her squandrant, confident that his gentle nature will prevail and make him a perfect fit for the Pumpkin Scissors. Sadly there's little for the story, only setting as first episodes are different kinds of rescue missions to save civilians at different places... I don't know what they were counting on with this kind of tedious concept. Overall Rating: 6/10 21. Yoake Mae yori Ruriiro na: Crescent Love Brighter Than the Dawning Blue 夜明け前より瑠璃色な -Crescent Love- [Daume] (Finished 12/12) Tags: School Comedy, Romance, Sci-Fi The moon and the earth are linked by a single contact point, "Mitsuru ga Sakichau Ouren Rakuniushi" where Tatsuya lives under the supervision of the Sphere Kingdom (Moon Kingdom)'s Princess Feena Fam Earthlight who is coming to stay at his home. How is Eustia different from Shuffle and similar simplistic plots... It's main advantage is that it's short. Can't even call second serious part borderline decent, more so because the horrible first half shouts otherwise. Overall Rating: 5/10 22. Tokimeki Memorial: Only Love Tokimeki Memorial ときめきメモリアル Only Love [AIC ASTA] (Finished 2/25) Tags: Harem, School Comedy, Romance Aoba Riku has just transferred to a new high school because of his father's job, and things aren't quite what he expected. The headmaster's secretary controls the school while espousing the virtues of academic freedom, the teachers are even stranger than normal teachers, and half the student body is walking around with animal ears on. On his very first day, Riku is unfortunate enough to find himself at the center of the student council's latest event, which has him running for his life. All this on top of the normal high school rigour of popularity contests, crushes, and homework makes it unsure whether Riku will be able to survive this new school. Two episodes were enough to wear me off completely with this kind of banality. Overall Rating: 5/10 23. Happiness! はぴねす！ [Artland] (Finished 5/12) Tags: Harem, School Comedy, Romance Kamizaka Haruhi having been rescued when she was young by a mage, longed to be a mage herself, so she enrolled into a special school that allows regular and magic classes into two different sections. Together with her rival/best friend, Hiiragi Anri, they study magic together while she is searching for the boy that saved her years ago, to give him a Valentines' chocolate. It's goofing around at school with usage of magic included. It's not going anywhere, so can't call it outstanding. Overall Rating: 5/10 24. Gift: Eternal Rainbow ギフト～ eternal rainbow [OLM] (Finished 3/12) Tags: Harem, School Comedy, Drama, Romance Amaumi Haruhiko is a high school student who attends Shimano Academy in a town called Narasakicho. Narasakicho contains an unknown rainbow which constantly overlooks the town and is related to granting a magical wish called "Gift." Gift is a once-in-a-lifetime present between two people. As a child, Haruhiko has been close with his childhood friend, Kirino, until he obtains a new non-blood sister by the name of Riko. Haruhiko develops a strong relationship with Riko until they sadly depart due to the fact Haruhiko's father could no longer support the two of them. After some times passes by, Riko finally returns to the town of Narasakicho, and along with Kirino, starts to attend Shimano Academy with Haruhiko. The series revolves around the relationship among these main protagonists and slowly reveals the story behind both Gift and the rainbow. There's enough effort applied to craft situations and show cuteness from different angles, so feels of higher quality than usual romcom. Still, it's mostly SOL, so is bound to be forgotten in an instant. Overall Rating: 6/10 25. Mamoru-kun ni Megami no Shukufuku wo! Venus to Mamoru! 護くんに女神の祝福を！ [Zexcs] (Finished 3/24) Tags: School Comedy, Romance "Beatrice". It is a mysterious power that responds to people’s will and realize all of them. Tokyo Beatrice University Attached High School is the only school that teaches Beatrice called "magic appears in the real world". Yoshimura Mamoru is a high school boy who was saved by Beatrice miraculously when he was a child. At the first day of the school, he meets a girl under the cherry trees on his way to the school. She orders him to go out with her. Her name is Takasu Ayako. She is in the second grade and one year older than him. She is a director of student committee of discipline. Also, she is a granddaughter of a big-name politician, very beautiful, and a genius Beatrician who can even shoot a satellite down. She is called Witch Beatrice or Death Angel in Beatrice, but in fact, she is a pure-hearted girl. Light romantic school love triangle comedy with some flavor of superpowers, maybe with slightly more cringe than usual. Overall Rating: 5/10 27. Hataraki Man 働きマン [Gallop] (Finished 11/11) Tags: Seinen Adult Cast, Workplace Comedy, Drama, Romance Hiroko Matsukata is a woman who works for a magazine company. She puts all she has into her work, and is known as a strong, straight-forward working girl, who can at will turn herself into Hataraki man (working man) mode. Despite Hiroko's success at work, her life lacks romance. Even though a hard worker, she'd leave early anytime to go on a date. Too bad her boyfriend is an even bigger workaholic than Hiroko. Great opening and ending, serious and adult SOL with characters that feel alive and even sometimes familiar. Can't say it rings the right strings like some doramas do, like it's hard to understand this constant urge to pursue recreative activities, but other countries probably don't have as many overwork hours. It's far from perfect, but it's a good start for serious SOL titles. Overall Rating: 7/10 28. Asatte no Houkou. Living for the Day After Tomorrow あさっての方向。 [J.C.Staff] (Finished 5/12) Tags: Drama, Supernatural Sentai Filmworks About to enter junior high school, Karada Iokawa is a cheerful and reliable girl, who hates being treated as a child more than anything. After her parents' deaths, her older brother, Hiro, comes back from studying abroad to take care of her. His ex-girlfriend Shouko Nogami, a composed yet sometimes childish and stubborn young woman, follows him to Japan in order to find out why he left her. Between the two girls, the atmosphere is tense, which eventually leads to Shouko calling Karada childish. Later, Karada stands before a shrine praying to grow up. Little does she know that the shrine wishing stone would grant her wish. As Karada grows older, at the same time, Shouko, who happens to be nearby, finds herself a child once again. With their ages now reversed, Shouko and Karada must come to terms with one another and ultimately themselves. Love triangle in the spirit of Memories Off as kid girl who wants to love grows up and protagonist's girlfriend becomes a kid girl. I'm not fond of such stories as everyone is constantly sad and frequently crying pitying themselves, but there should be enthusiasts of such settings, because quality is quite good. Overall Rating: 6/10 29. Soukou no Strain Strain: Strategic Armored Infantry 奏光のストレイン [Studio Fantasia] (Finished 7/13) Tags: Mecha, Military, Space Drama, Sci-Fi, Ecchi Eleven-year-old Sara Werec's elder brother, Ralph, was sent to the frontlines of an interstellar war 130 light years away, and Sara vowed to reunite with him one day as a comrade. Five years later, Sara is a student at Grapera Space Armed Soldier Academy, training to become a Reasoner, a pilot of an advanced weapons system called a "Strain." When the academy is suddenly attacked by enemy forces, Sara enters battle against a Strain that quickly overpowers her. After incapacitating her, the pilot reveals himself to be her Ralph. Killing all the other students and destroying the school, he disappears, leaving Sara to question everything she has ever known. Soukou no Strain is the story of Sara as she reenters training under a new name, now determined to confront her brother and make sense of her brother's actions. This anime uses 3D rendered mecha fights and absolutely does not know where it's going. In the result it's slow boring trainings with main heroine history, plus occasional fights that don't result in anything. The whole intrigue is about her brother who switched sides and now fights on the enemy side, but producers are definitely saving this only plot development for the very end. So basically it's mostly SOL at military space station with a bit of comedy and romance, and that's not enough even though characters aren't repulsive. Overall Rating: 6/10 30. 009-1 ゼロゼロナインワン [Ishimori Entertainment] (Finished 12/12) Tags: Seinen Mecha Action, Sci-Fi Mylene Hoffman, a beautiful cyborg spy with the codename "009-1" lives in an alternative world where the cold war never ended, continuously on-going for 140 years. The world is split into two factions, the West and the East block. A masquerade of peace between the two is slowly dissipated as the conflict occurs. Through politics, the two factions battle over supremacy over technology to threats of a nuclear attack. Mylene Hoffman, teaming up with three other agent, gets surrounded by deception, chaos, and rivalry as she carries out missions assigned by her superiors. When I watched it a decade ago I actually liked it as a minor masterpiece, so rewatching it with anxiety now. And nowadays I can't appreciate that retrofuturism and those character designs and those relatively similar episodes. Still good, but not enough. Overall Rating: 6/10 31. Tenpou Ibun: Ayakashi Ayashi Ghost Slayers Ayashi 天保異聞 妖奇士 [Bones] (Finished 5/25) Tags: Historical, Mythology Supernatural In the year of Tenpo 14, Yoi, monsters from another world attack Edo. Those who fight against them are members of Bansha Aratemesho. In public, Bansha Aratemsho is known as an organization to study foreign books. In fact, they are a organization dedicated to destroying the Yoi. These warriors are called Ayakashi. They gather information of odd events in the country, and are sent to destroy Yoi who appear. They are generally very strange people. For example, a guy who has lost his memory, a girl who dresses like a man. They have special powers with which to beat the Yoi. It's slow, monotonous, in same greyish palette and even battles are the same slow. Add there same looking characters and concept of just hunting demons during Edo period, and it becomes less and less lucrative show to watch. Overall Rating: 6/10 32. Pucca (TV) 짜장소녀 뿌까 [VOOZ Character System] (Finished 1/26) Tags: Parody Comedy, Romance Pucca is the young daughter of a Chinese noodle house owner and she is hopelessly in love with the ninja Garu. He tries desperately to avoid Pucca's advances and usually does not return her affection. This results in many comical situations as Pucca goes to great lengths just to steal a kiss from Garu. Expect to see lots of "funny love" antics involving everything from noodles to deadly ninjas. What I see is that episodes are only 8 minutes long, and thus I'd block it if I knew that beforehand. Primitive flash drawing and nonsense parody plots don't add credibility. It's childish, too, but not all the time. Overall Rating: 5/10 33. Kujibiki♥Unbalance くじびき♥アンバランス [Ajia-do] (Finished 12/12) Tags: School Comedy, Romance Once a year prestigious Rikkyouin High School has a lottery to determine the next year's Student Council membership. On their first day of school Chihiro Enomoto wins the presidency while his childhood friend Tokino Akiyama picks the vice-president's ticket. There is one catch though, they must first pass a one year apprenticeship under the current Student Council and any failure to perform the tasks assigned, however minor, will result in immediate expulsion from the school. After first great episodes actually had to rewatch OVA to check differences and see if I evaluated it properly. And, actually, OVA is much worse as it did not have any concept apart of just competitions by groups in all three episodes. And what's even worse, different episodes of OVA had varying character personalities. Basically, it was too chaotic and random with many challenges inside each episode. This time there is a concept of tasks from student council in each episode, so can concentrate around one topic, plus a much bigger emphasis on characters individuality. It's done with love, but I don't get anything from it - no plot, no humor, no really likable characters. And unless you like the characters, their development won't have much meaning either. All those random situations lack good humor, sadly. Problem here is that this kind of concept is chosen for writer's convenience sake, but watchers feel disoriented while they should be put in the center. Overall Rating: 6/10 34. Ryuusei no Rockman Megaman Star Force 流星のロックマン [Xebec] (Finished 1/55) Tags: Strategy Game Action, Sci-Fi In the year 220X, the world has advanced toward radio-wave technology, and the world is connected through the Wave Road. Meet Subaru Hoshikawa, a fifth-grade student who lost his father in a space accident. Subaru meets an extraterrestrial radio-wave being named War-Rock, descending from a distant FM planet. War-Rock claims to know about Subaru's father, but many alien beings are after War-Rock. The two work together and merge into Rockman, a radio-wave human capable of traversing the Wave Road and battling the radio-wave viruses and FMs that threaten the Earth. Not first Rockman anime. Overall Rating: 5/10 35. Souten no Ken Fist of the Blue Sky 蒼天の拳 [APPP] (Finished 1/22) Tags: Historical, Martial Arts Action A mysterious man known as "the King of Death" roams the streets of pre-war Shanghai in this action-packed prequel to Fist of the North Star. Shanghai in the 1930s is a dangerous place. Foreign governments and Chinese factions have carved the city into different quarters, each with its own laws and government, and all rife with corruption. As the major powers vie for political control, the streets are left to local gangs. Life is cheap, and death is always near. In days past, one man walked these mean streets battling the forces of evil. He was known only as Yan Wang, "the King of Death." Few knew who he really was, but many knew that he was a master of Hokuto Shinken - Fist of the North Star - a lethal martial art. He disappeared years ago after dispatching the city's worst gangsters, and is now rumored to be in Japan. Various people have come to Japan in search of him, but who will find him first? Thanks to a friend who watches a lot of dubious shows in full I happen to understand chronology of the fist of the northern star with derivatives. Rebooting franchise in China mythology while maintaining links to original franchise is a good move, but it only matters for those who still have not watched enough of the manliest men ever. Overall Rating: 5/10 36. Tokyo Tribe 2 [Madhouse] (Finished 3/13) Tags: Action, Drama This is the other side of Tokyo, a Tokyo of a different color. There, various tribes are living. The SARU from Japan's Musashino, WU-RONZE of Bukuro, and HANDS of Shindyuku... Young men living in the city...the public of modern times builds a home out of corruption, these young men of the sordid side of life, a side called "reality," are depicted here! Acid mix of disgust, cringe and ugliness. Guess only for those who can appreciate GTA3 aesthetics. Overall Rating: 5/10 37. Lovedol: Lovely Idol らぶドル～Lovely Idol～ [AIC ASTA, TNK] (Finished 4/12) Tags: Idols (Female), Music Lovedol, or Lovely Idol, is a girl group consisting of two generations of idols. The 3rd Generation is about to make its debut, but to their surprise, they have been delayed! The vague reason is only that "they lack something." The manager, and the 3rd Gen. girls too, must find the answer. A rather typical idol show, to be honest, but possibly the best one so far. It's good indeed, but the problem is that it does not make it interesting for me, guess I need some special traits like in Wake Up, Girls or Carol & Tuesday at least. Overall Rating: 6/10 38. Giniro no Olynsis: Tokito 銀色のオリンシス TOKITO [Toei Animation] (Finished 2/12) Tags: Mecha Adventure, Drama, Romance AD 3567. Mankind has lost its once great civilization, now living in the ruins of the aftermath. But even though their lives are threatened by Gardeners — mysterious unmanned mobile weapons (of different ranks) sent from the Moon — brave teenagers have to become Gardener hunters to earn their living. And although human civilization at large lies in ruins due to high-tech maintenance free technology, some parts of the remaining cities still work in limited ways, supporting the humans living there. One fateful day Tokito Aizawa meets Tea, awakening a power older and beyond that of the Gardeners, and inadvertently opening up the door to a possibly much brighter future for the remainder of mankind... Mecha, nonsense plot, time travel, bland characters... this is what happens when shows try to imitate already hugely flawed Gundam. Overall Rating: 5/10 39. Super Robot Taisen OG: Divine Wars Super Robot Wars The Original Generation: The Divine Wars スーパーロボット大戦OG -ディバイン・ウォーズ- [OLM] (Finished 2/25) Tags: Mecha Action, Sci-Fi It is two hundred years after the beginning of the Space Era, when human civilization on Earth began expanding into space. However, by the start of the 21st century, two meteors struck the planet, sending humanity into chaos. By the year 179 of the Space Era, secret technology, dubbed Extra-Over Technology, or EOT, was discovered by the Earth Federal Government within a third meteor that hit Earth in the Marquesas Islands of the South Pacific. Dr. Bian Zoldark, head of the EOTI Institute (Extra-Over Technological Investigative Institute), had evidence the creators of the EOT were heading to Earth, in order to reclaim it...or worse, invade the planet. In order to defend humanity from extraterrestrial threats, the government begins to research and develop humanoid mecha called Personal Troopers. The beginning is typical Gundam with a brat occasionally finding a vacant giant mecha ready to launch. 3D mecha battles are horrible. Coming from a game, it can have a more thorough plot than usual, but two episodes is is as far as I'm going to investigate this primitiveness. Overall Rating: 5/10 40. Galaxy Angel Rune ギャラクシーエンジェる～ん [Satelight] (Finished 1/13) Tags: Comedy, Sci-Fi Apricot Sakuraba and 4 new girls were now assigned as the new Galaxy Angels with the same mission: to search for the Lost Technology and keep peace to Planet Transbaal. Sequel. Overall Rating: 6/10 41. Sasami: Mahou Shoujo Club 2 Sasami Magical Girls Club 砂沙美☆魔法少女クラブ シーズン2 [AIC Spirits] (Finished 1/13) Tags: Mahou Shoujo, School In this world, there live a group of people who call themselves "Majo" or "Magical Girls". They hide their powers so as to assimilate into the environment. They have been living together in harmony with the humans for many years to come, and their predecessors continue to do so. Sasami was enthroned with magical powers since her birth. However, at the age of three, she was told by her parents never to use her innate powers and from then on, had kept it a secret from everyone. On the day of a new school term, a new transfer teacher by the name of Wajuu arrives and from then on, Sasami's life begins to change tremendously. Sequel. Overall Rating: 6/10 42. Ginga Tetsudou Monogatari: Eien e no Bunkiten The Galaxy Railways II 銀河鉄道物語 ～永遠への分岐点～ [Planet] (Finished 1/24) Tags: Space Action, Adventure, Drama, Sci-Fi Second season. Sequel. Overall Rating: 6/10 43. Jinzou Konchuu Kabutoborg VxV 人造昆虫カブトボーグ V×V [Studio Comet] (Finished 1/52) Tags: Strategy Game Action, Comedy, Fantasy BorgBattles between KabutoBorgs have become popular enough to hold world tournaments. The main character Ryuusei is an enthusiast of these battles. Along with his friends Katsuji and Ken, he continues fighting against new enemies day after day. Not translated. Kids stuff. Overall Rating: 4/10 44. Silk Road Shounen Yuuto シルクロード少年 ユート [OLM] (Finished 0/26) Tags: Historical Adventure, Fantasy When a boy Yuto visits Qinghai in China, he is involved in the battle between time-travelers, and he is sent to the Silk Road in the past. They are looking for a mysterious treasure, the statue of Yuki Daruma Taishi, which is said to make miracles. Seeing historical events and encountering historical persons, such as Yang Guifei and Xuanzang, he will learn many thinks. Whether will he be able to go back to today? Not translated. 3D. Nonsense concept. Chinese aesthetics. Ugly. Not even going to try it as it has zero chances. Overall Rating: 0/10 45. RGB Adventure RGBアドベンチャ [ACC Production] (Finished 0/6) Tags: Adventure The light – it is the resource of life. There are mysterious monsters and robots that aim at the powers of the light, i.e. R(Red), G(Green), and B(Blue). However, no one notices that… except three children. Ryu - he is a stupid, simple, and mischievous boy who he says without hesitation that his dream is to the conqueror of the world. Guccho - he is a nerd of mechanics, glutton, and chicken-hearted. Becky - she is very cute, but she has a very twisted personality. They have encouraging friends, such as Rosso, Gibson, Bo, etc. They are various aliens that usually change their figures into animals. By exchanges between aliens who have different principles, purposes, tastes, and hobbies, they will learn importance of communications. Not translated. 3D. Nonsense concept. Kids stuff. Ugly. Not even going to try it as it has zero chances. Overall Rating: 0/10 46. Bakumatsu Kikansetsu Irohanihoheto Intrigue in the Bakumatsu: Irohanihoheto 幕末機関説 いろはにほへと [Sunrise] (Finished 3/26) Tags: Historical, Samurai Action, Drama In the final years of the Bakumatsu, wandering mercenary Yojiro Akizuki travels the length and breadth of Japan. And while he employs his sword in the usual fashion, he also uses it to help him locate supernatural items which he pursues with single-minded determination, often with bloody results. In the course of his quest, he crosses paths with a traveling theater group whose members have their own dark agenda. Is it a chance meeting or the result of some, as yet, undiscovered conspiracy? Sunrise show is of high quality as always, but original script raises suspicions as usual. Pseudo-historical revenge fighting action fantasy about collecting artifacts with kabuki flavor on the side. I'd call it something like that, at least. Overall, it's a mess of historical references, fighting action and theater stage which is rendered useless by overwhelming supernatural powers usage. As usual for Sunrise original concepts, it lacks integrity and emphasis on personalities which results in surface-scratching actiony something. Overall Rating: 6/10 47. Catblue: Dynamite Catblue Dynamite げんしけん OVA [-] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Action, Fantasy It is the end of 70s. Blue – a woman with cat ears and tail – has solved many incidents and troubles with her special ability to see a ghost and her technique to handle three guns at one using her tail. One day, two couriers, Bill and Robert are assaulted by mysterious masked men. They don't know why they were assaulted. Blue asks a dead masked man their purpose. It is incredible. What they are aiming at is the cassette tape of Sinatra that Bill owns. Over the cassette tape, a long day begins... 3D usage is more or less fine looking. Show feels like imitation of Quentin Tarantino or maybe Guy Ritchie movies, but lacks a good concept or talent. It's fine if you look at it this way, but nothing great, anyway. Overall Rating: 6/10 48. Genshiken OVA げんしけん OVA [Ajia-do] (Finished 3/3) Tags: Seinen Parody Comedy, Slice of Life It's the start of a new year for the Genshiken crew, and that means recruiting new members. Always a dreaded task, The Society for the Study of Modern Visual Culture manages to get Chika Ogiue pushed onto them from the Manga Club. With her introduction of "I'm Ogiue and I hate otaku," this year certainly will be anything but boring. Derivatives get one score less than original, but I rewatched it with pleasure for the third time overall now. Overall Rating: 7/10 49. Freedom [Sunrise] (Finished 7/7) Tags: Space Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi 2041, Earth. After being pulled into the planet's atmosphere, the fall of the Freeport Space Station has led to the "Great Cataclysm"—an event that devastated the Earth's environment. Left as a polluted wasteland, survivors go to war with their fellows to guarantee themselves resources; in the end, these scrimmages have erased the whole existence of humanity. Coincidentally, life still exists on a moon base. Although it is supposedly meant as an immigration outpost for the mission to explore Mars, it is soon turned into a city, both regulating and allowing its citizens to flourish. The lunar base, officially named "The City of Eden," holds the hope of fully colonizing the moon. Takeru, one of many citizens of Eden in the year 2267, participates in "Tube Races" between gangs and groups using hovercraft-like vehicles. Due to causing an accident in one of his races, Takeru is sentenced to complete volunteer work outside the city. While clearing his punishment, Takeru stumbles upon remains that may unravel the truth about Earth and Eden's genesis. Sunrise original that is clearly fantasy on Akira on so many levels. Development is slow and plot is simple. Very soon 3D rendered characters start to be used in many scenes. Venus Wars that started in a similar way was a lot more exciting than this one. A mess with no integrity, as usual. Overall Rating: 6/10 50. Baldr Force Exe Resolution バルドフォース　エグゼ　レソリューション [Satelight] (Finished 4/4) Tags: Mecha Action, Drama, Sci-Fi Any network runs all over the world, and the development of the information network reaches its acme. In this age, there are two developed worlds; "the real world" and "wired", or the virtual network world. Soma Toru belongs to a hacking group, Steppen Wolf, which runs around the network world freely. They attack the database of the UN forces as their last work. During this attack, he loses Nonomura Yuya, his friend as well as the team leader. Toru is arrested by the army. In exchange for letting him free, he has to work for an anti-hacker organization, the first squad of the UN Security Force Information Administration Bureau. Working for them, he is looking for the person who killed his friend, while the other members also have their own reason to fight. The three-way fights of the terrorist group, the security enterprise, and the army, continue every day. The various events occurred during the fight seem to be independent of each other at the first glance, but they're converging on one event as if they were attracted by something. Based on the game by GIGA. Never liked its gameplay, so now is a good opportunity to learn the story. So, story is better than expected from GIGA, but it's all over the place and is not of masterpiece scale. It's jumpy and moves in different directions, and it lacks impact. Game should feel better with clear distinguishing between battles and dialogues, plus side-characters are almost totally abandoned in the anime. Overall Rating: 6/10 51. _Summer _summer [アンダーバーサマー] [Rikuentai] (Finished 2/2) Tags: Harem Drama, Romance “Is there any girl you love?” By this word his friend asked during the school excursion, the protagonist, Kaizu Takumi, begins to aware of his interest in opposite sex. Of course, there are girls around him, for example, his childhood friend, Hatano Konami, his classmate, Ebizuka Shino, a school idol, Shimazu Kakana, etc. However, he himself hasn’t noticed his feelings until he is asked by his friend. He becomes anxious seeing his friend try to find his girl friend, and he resolves his mind to find a girl friend during the last summer of his high school life. Banality to the bones. Overall Rating: 5/10 52. Paprika パプリカ [Madhouse] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Adult Cast, Psychological Avant Garde, Award Winning, Fantasy, Horror, Mystery, Sci-Fi, Suspense The world of dreams can be an incredible window into the psyche, showing one's deepest desires, aspirations, and repressed memories. One hopeful tech lab has been developing the "DC Mini," a device with the power to delve into the dreams of others. Atsuko Chiba and Kosaku Tokita have been tirelessly working to develop this technology with the hopes of using it to deeply explore patients' minds and help cure them of their psychological disorders. However, having access to the deepest corners of a person's mind comes with a tremendous responsibility. In the wrong hands, the DC Mini could be used as a form of psychological terrorism and cause mental breakdowns in the minds of targets. When this technology is stolen and people around them start acting strangely, Atsuko and Kosaku know they have a serious problem on their hands. Enlisting the help of Officer Konakawa, who has been receiving this experimental therapy, they search both the real and dream worlds for their mental terrorist. Never been a fan of Avant Garde, but Paprika is rather a mix. Can't deny I quite enjoyed both times I watched it, but the source is concentrated curiosity rather than something more serious. Overall Rating: 7/10 53. Tekkon Kinkreet 鉄コン筋クリート [Studio 4°C] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Psychological Action, Adventure, Award Winning, Supernatural The streets of Treasure Town are said to belong to "The Cats." They know everything that goes on in the city, and no one can stir up trouble without going through them first. In reality, The Cats are a pair of orphan boys called Black and White, who aren’t afraid of anything or anyone. But their rule of the streets is challenged when the Yakuza come to town and start making changes. The wild Black and the carefree White have no one to rely on but themselves to get their Treasure Town back to the way it was. But their bond is tested as they quickly realize going back to how things were may no longer be an option. It is ridiculously boring and ugly. They try to play in psychology in the end to feel meta or something. Can't find anything to like here. Overall Rating: 6/10 54. Top wo Nerae! & Top wo Nerae 2! Gattai Movie!! トップをねらえ！＆トップをねらえ２！合体劇場版!! [Gainax] (Finished 2/2) Tags: Mecha Action, Comedy This double feature comprises of Gunbuster and Die Buster (aka Gunbuster 2) condensed into a single theatrical release told in two parts with a musical intermission in between. The first part, Gunbuster the Movie, condenses the six episodes of the original OVA into a 95-minute movie featuring a new 5.1 audio remix and a redub by the original Japanese cast. The second part, Die Buster the Movie, mixes large chunks of the second OVA series with a few altered or newly-animated scenes to create a truncated take on Nono's story. I'm mad because 100% of it is retelling of first and second Gunbuster, even interlude that is more like prequel to Diebuster that adds nothing really new. Waste of time for those who watched the normal issues. Overall Rating: 4/10

I bet remaining companies coordinate release windows to issue exactly one conventional visual novel each month without any competition 1. Yahari Game demo Ore no Seishun Love Come wa Machigatteiru. Kan やはりゲームでも俺の青春ラブコメはまちがっている。完 [230427] MAGES. GAME In the game, you can enjoy new stories of each of the six heroines, different from both the anime and the original story. The destination of the story of the hero, Hachiman, and the heroines is left to you, the ...... player! Anime spin-off 2. Grisaia: Chronos Rebellion グリザイア クロノスリベリオン [230428] Frontwing "If the master commands it, I can even destroy mankind." Counter-terrorism unit, and so forth, are a part of SORD, an organization established for the purpose of training operatives to defend the country against future threats. With nowhere to go, girls who have lost their places are sent to SORD, with guns in their hands. To earn forgiveness for existing, this is their only way. In the SORD's specialist school, Mihama Academy, Class D, where Arata serves as a handler, is a gathering place for the misfits, nicknamed "Dead Stock". To help them survive as long as possible, Arata trains them using a neural connection technology called "PeTS". And then one day, he encounters a mysterious girl. In a terrorist hideout, a girl named L, sleeping in a stasis tank. As if guided by fate, Arata connects with L, using PeTS, overcomes a desperate crisis, and welcomes her into his class. However, this also marks the beginning of a fight against the mysterious terrorist organization Heidio. Taking up arms, girls who have lost their places in the world, this is their story―― Fandisc 3. Prima Doll プリマドール [230428] Key The collection of stories of the 5 automata dolls at the Black Cat Cafe. The stories take place either before or after the story in the television anime series. Anime spin-off and another partial release cash grab that confirms transition to low-effort works since even such works like planetarian sell well enough, why even try 4. Tenshi☆Souzou RE-BOOT! 天使☆騒々 RE-BOOT! [230428] Yuzusoft It began as a day just like any other. A dull morning, an uneventful trip to school, an afternoon of tedious lectures... And then I met her. "I'm an angel, sent here from Heaven on a very important mission." She appeared suddenly, and without warning―a beautiful girl who called herself an angel. Spreading her large, snow-white wings, she made a declaration that would forever change my life. "I come in search of the Demon Lord's reincarnation." "That being you, Tanikaze Riku." That's right, apparently I was a Demon Lord in my previous life. From some other world to boot. Unfortunately for me, the anarchy wouldn't stop there. Memories from a previous life, visitors from another world... It was just one crazy, chaotic event after the other. "Wait, what? But that doesn't― Huh?!" Thus began the story of Tanikaze Riku, a tale marked by the loss of his normal life, along with so many other precious things. Aside from even more anarchy, what else does the future have in store for him? I consider Yuzusoft games to be primarily collections of fetishes with conceptual plots being rare guests. And a brief glance at Japanese reviews confirms my worst worries.

NHK ni Youkoso! is a genius title. Koukaku Kidoutai: Stand Alone Complex - Solid State Society is still nice. 1. Zero no Tsukaima ゼロの使い魔 [J.C.Staff] (Finished 13/13) Tags: Harem, Isekai, School Action, Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy, Romance, Ecchi Louise Françoise Le Blanc de La Vallière is a self-absorbed mage in a world of wands, cloaks, and royalty. Although she studies at Tristain Academy, a prestigious school for magicians, she has a major problem: Louise is unable to cast magic properly, earning her the nickname of "Louise the Zero" from her classmates. When the first year students are required to perform a summoning ritual, Louise's summoning results in a catastrophic explosion! Everyone deems this to be yet another failure, but when the smoke clears, a boy named Saito Hiraga appears. Now Louise's familiar, Saito is treated as a slave, forced to clean her clothes and eat off the ground. But when an unfamiliar brand is found etched on Saito's hand from the summoning ritual, it is believed to be the mark of a powerful familiar named Gandalfr. Wild, adventurous, and explosive, Zero no Tsukaima follows Saito as he comes to terms with his new life and as Louise proves that there is more to her than her nickname suggests. Of course I watched it before. I'm grateful for popularization of tsundere archetype that I'm still not tired of, but I can't treat this story seriously. After first several episodes it starts to repeat more and more. For me it's only decent and can be skipped without regrets. Overall Rating: 6/10 2. NHK ni Youkoso! Welcome to the N.H.K. N・H・Kにようこそ！ [Gonzo] (Finished 24/24) Tags: Otaku Culture, Psychological Comedy, Drama, Romance Twenty-two-year-old college dropout Tatsuhiro Satou has been a hikikomori for almost four years now. In his isolation, he has come to believe in many obscure conspiracy theories, but there is one in particular which he holds unshakable faith in: the theory that the evil conspirator behind his shut-in NEET (Not in Employment, Education or Training) status is the Nihon Hikikomori Kyokai (NHK)—an evil and secret organization dedicated to fostering the spread of hikikomori culture. NHK ni Youkoso! is a psychological dramedy that follows Tatsuhiro as he strives to escape from the NHK's wicked machinations and the disease of self-wrought isolation, while struggling to even just leave his apartment and find a job. His unexpected encounter with the mysterious Misaki Nakahara might signal a reversal of fortune for Tatsuhiro, but with this meeting comes the inevitable cost of having to face his greatest fear—society. It was always one of my most loved anime on par with Ergo Proxy, but it has a lot of stuff suitable for rebellious youth and I was afraid that in older age I would not be able to appreciate it fully anymore. I happened to forget how many different concepts and themes this anime contains, but it sure is genius without any reservation. Overall Rating: 10/10 3. Bokura ga Ita 僕等がいた [Artland] (Finished 3/26) Tags: Shoujo Love Polygon Drama, Romance Going into her first year of high school, Nanami Takahashi is filled with the hope of making many new friends. After meeting the shy Yuri Yamamoto, she hears about a popular boy in their class: Yano Motoharu. Yuri cares little for Yano because of his past relationship with her older sister Nana, and at first, Nanami doesn't like his attitude either. However, Nanami soon begins to warm up to Yano and takes a liking to him. The two spend more of their time together and eventually decide to start dating. But their love is not without challenges; Yano has trouble opening up to Nanami, since his first girlfriend, Nana, died in a car accident the year before, and she had been with one of her ex-boyfriends at the time. Finding themselves living in the shadow of Yano's relationship with Nana, Nanami and Yano struggle to keep their relationship afloat amid misunderstandings and heartache with the certainty of their love for each other. Not bad romance shoujo, but level of complexity and seriousness does not live up to His and Her circumstances, and everything worse can't be treated highly. Overall Rating: 6/10 4. Hachimitsu to Clover II Honey and Clover II ハチミツとクローバー II [J.C.Staff] (Finished 3/12) Tags: Josei Adult Cast, Love Polygon, Visual Arts Drama, Romance Back from his journey across Japan, Yuuta Takemoto reminisces about his college life so far. He has matured significantly since his second year and is motivated to move forward. Feeling more confident than ever before, he finally confesses to Hagumi Hanamoto, the girl he has been in love with since their first encounter. However, Hagumi has been confused by her attempts to understand the mysterious Shinobu Morita. Hiding behind a playful demeanor, Morita may be the most burdened by his own potential. Meanwhile, Takumi Mayama has become a full-fledged working adult and has landed Ayumi Yamada several pottery orders through his company in an act of friendship. The five youths continue to face individual hardships in academics, work, love, and friendship as they push each other toward the paths that they are destined to walk. Sequel. Overall Rating: 6/10 5. Kemonozume ケモノヅメ [Madhouse] (Finished 3/13) Tags: Mythology Action, Horror, Romance, Supernatural Creatures known as Shokujinki have been secretly living alongside humans for hundreds of years. Though they may look like humans, Shokujinki are able to transform into uncontrollable beasts with gigantic claws and consume humans to survive. The equally secretive Kifuuken dojo specializes in killing Shokujinki by cutting off their arms, and is the only force preventing unchecked Shokujinki domination. Toshihiko Momota, the son of the leader of the Kifuuken, is instantly charmed by a mysterious woman named Yuka Kamitsuki. Their relationship is complicated, however, because unbeknownst to them both, Yuka is a Shokujinki and Toshihiko is sworn to kill her. Meanwhile, the Kifuuken is having a crisis of confidence as Toshihiko's brother Kazuma pushes against tradition and tries to modernize the Kifuuken. As emotions are strained and the secrets of both the past and present are revealed, who will live, and who will be eaten? Drawing is deliberately primitive and ugly. Story can be crafty at times, but nothing really great. Overall Rating: 6/10 6. Le Chevalier D'Eon シュヴァリエ Le Chevalier D'Eon [Production I.G] (Finished 5/24) Tags: Historical Mystery, Supernatural In 18th century Paris, a coffin is found floating down the Seine River. It carries the corpse of noblewoman Lia de Beaumont: a spy of King Louis XV, and whose younger brother Charles d'Eon has just been knighted. When several disappearances occur throughout Paris, the young knight believes that they are somehow connected to his sister's death. Hoping to find her killers, d'Eon joins the secret police to investigate the incidents. Following the clues, they piece together that a conspiracy between members of the French and Russian nobility, spurred on by a cult, may be behind the disappearances. D'Eon concludes that Lia may have uncovered the truth while on a mission and was killed as a result. That night, the secret police are to arrest the Duke of Orléans on suspicion of being the mastermind. One of their own transforms into a demon called a Gargoyle and massacres the group. D'Eon attempts to rescue the sole survivor, only to find that he too has been transformed. During the ensuing battle, d'Eon is possessed by Lia's vengeful soul, who takes command of his body and slays the Gargoyle herself. In the aftermath, d'Eon must gather allies to discover the depth of this supernatural conspiracy. Mystery is not my genre, to put it mildly. Historical mystery does not make it much better. And it tries to be pseudo-complicated, so it wastes a lot of time on not too significant events, thus feeling boring most of the time. Overall Rating: 6/10 7. Tonagura! となグラ！ [Daume] (Finished 3/13) Tags: School Comedy, Drama, Romance, Ecchi Kazuki has been awaiting 10 years for the day when her neighbours moved back to their old house. She has a crush on Yuuji, whom she considers as her first love but to whom she never managed to express her feelings for him before they moved out. Yuuji often comes over to play with Kazuki, Kazuki's older sister Hatsune and Yuuji's sister Marie when they were kids. Her ideal depiction of Yuuji was soon shattered when he turned out more than she had expected, him acting all ecchi during their reunion. With their parents off in South America, both families must learn to live with each other and rekindle the childhood feelings they shared together. Things get even more crazy as they attend the same school. Quite an ordinary ecchi comedy that has typical characters and gathers a collection of all kinds of tropes. Overall Rating: 5/10 8. Demashita! Powerpuff Girls Z Powerpuff Girls Z 出ましたっ！パワパフガールズZ [Toei Animation] (Finished 1/52) Tags: Shoujo School, Super Power Action, Comedy, Sci-Fi, Slice of Life Based on the American cartoon, "The Powerpuff Girls." Professor Utonium and his son Ken are studying the strange Chemical X. When a mochi cake falls into the formula, it changes into Chemical Z. Ken fires a ray of Chemical Z at a glacier in Tokyo Bay, however that causes strange black and white lights to scatter. The black lights turn its victims into monsters, with emphasis on a black light hitting a zoo monkey and transforming him into Mojo Jojo. The white lights, however, aim at three normal girls, Momoko, Miyako, and Kaoru. This gives them the power to transform into superheroes, the Powerpuff Girls Z! This is clearly childish and should be marked properly as for kids. Overall Rating: 5/10 9. Night Head Genesis NIGHT HEAD GENESIS (ナイト ヘッド ジェネシス) [Bee Media] (Finished 3/24) Tags: Psychological Drama, Mystery, Sci-Fi, Supernatural Following a 15-year long seclusion in a research facility, brothers Naoto and Naoya Kirihara finally escape after the psychic barrier separating them from the outside world collapses. Abandoned by their parents, who feared their supernatural powers, the siblings now strive for a normal life. However, the two are soon forced to use their talents to save lives as the "minus energy" begins to engulf the world and crimes involving psychic abilities gradually multiply. Learning to control their capabilities and using them for the sake of others will prove challenging, for Naoya is traumatized by his psychic abilities that allow him to read people's minds; while Naoto has hurt many close ones due to his unstable psychokinetic powers. With the help of the mysterious Shouko Futami, who can see into the future, the Kirihara brothers must find a way to foil the plans of an organization that seems to be linked to the harmful events related to gifted individuals. Espers. Mystery. Violence. Confusion. Boredom. Insanity. Horror. If you don't like these, best not start. Overall Rating: 5/10 10. Innocent Venus イノセント・ヴィーナス [Brain's Base] (Finished 12/12) Tags: Mecha, Military Adventure, Drama, Sci-Fi In the year 2010 AD, Hyper Hurricanes born concurrently all over the world caused severe damage. Five billion people lost their lives, decreasing the world's population to 3 billion. Existing economies and military were wiped out. Countries were frozen under solid ice, plains sank beneath seas, the world was changed dramatically. Human civilization enters a chaotic era. Poverty flourished outside of these economic zones and slums were widespread. The ruling class called themselves Logos and maintained their position by force of arms. They call the poor Revenus, who are exiled to live outside the special economic areas. Time has passed since then. Katsuragi Jo and Tsurasawa Jin, escape from Phantom, a force organized to watch Revenus and to suppress renegade elements of the Logos, taking with them a mysterious girl, Nobuto Sana. There are many who are interested in her, all with their own reasons. I actually liked characters, setting and plot. But main negative factor for me is frequent mecha battles that are done in 3D, also after intriguing beginning pace settles down and communication also becomes ordinary. The ending does not impress. Overall, it does not feel like a masterpiece. Overall Rating: 6/10 11. Mamotte! Lollipop Save Me! Lollipop まもって！ロリポップ [Studio Comet] (Finished 1/13) Tags: Shoujo Adventure, Comedy, Romance Nina, thinking it was a lolly, swallows an object called "Crystal Pearl". But the candy turns out to be a test for the magicians. To retrieve the crystal, a special medicine has to be made so now Zero and Ichii, the magicians, have to protect her from others while waiting for the medicine to be completed. It's nonsense comedy with specific random humor, so it's hit or miss, but even in hit case it's far from great. Overall Rating: 5/10 12. Binbou Shimai Monogatari 貧乏姉妹物語 [Toei Animation] (Finished 2/10) Tags: Seinen Iyashikei Comedy, Drama, Slice of Life Without the presence of both their deceased mother and their debt-ridden father, sisters Kyou and Asu Yamada are forced to fend for themselves. Thankfully, they at least have a roof over their heads: a small room in an old apartment spacious enough to fit both of them. However, to make ends meet, the older sister Kyou strives to juggle various part-time jobs—all while making sure that she and her younger sister can continue studying. Despite these hardships, they are not alone. Seemingly blessed with good and kind people around them, Kyou and Asu's lives are far from miserable. Above all else, the two sisters share a precious bond that, no matter what pain, trials, or quarrels may come their way, will always remain unbreakable. There's a high competition among episodic SOL anime without distinctive plot, so only the best like Maruko-chan or Minami-ke remain in memory. I doubt I'll ever remember Binbou Shimai Monogatari, because it does not stand out even though it's good enough while it lasts. And constant fixation on money is rather irritating. It's deliberately tearjerker situation, but it's also artificially stretched to aggravate even more making most of it forced. Overall Rating: 6/10 13. Chocotto Sister ちょこッとSister [Nomad] (Finished 3/24) Tags: Comedy, Drama, Romance, Ecchi Haruma Kawagoe is an only child. A long time ago, at Christmas time, his mother miscarried the child that was to have been his baby sister. That night, young Haruma knelt down and offered up an earnest prayer: "Please make my mother well again, and please give me a little sister." Years have passed, and Haruma has nearly forgotten his prayer. But Santa hasn't.... one Christmas, when Haruma is least expecting it, he gets an unusual present - his sister. Our old acquaintance setting of sudden cohabitation with a girl is back. And of course girl does not know about this world much. Needless to say, it loses to Chobits in every element. Overall Rating: 6/10 14. Coyote Ragtime Show コヨーテ ラグタイムショー [ufotable] (Finished 3/12) Tags: Mecha Action, Adventure, Comedy, Sci-Fi Mister is a "coyote" or space faring outlaw who has been sitting in prison for a year for a traffic offense. Ten days from release, he breaks out with the help of his old partners Bishop and Katana. He then seeks out Franka who has been left in his care by her dead father and takes her on a journey to find her father's treasure. On their heels are the federal investigators Angelica and Chelsea as well as the android assassins of the Criminal Guild, Madame Marciano's Twelve Sisters. Legendary treasure, pursuits and space pirates. Outstanding characters and some twists are required for such concept to work, And Coyote Ragtime Show does not boast of innovation elements and easily falls into some musical that stirps it of all leftover seriousness. Overall Rating: 6/10 15. Muteki Kanban Musume Ramen Fighter Miki 無敵看板娘 [Telecom Animation Film] (Finished 2/12) Tags: Shounen Martial Arts, Parody, Workplace Action, Comedy Miki Onimaru is a poster girl that works at her mother's Chinese ramen restaurant. She appears to be a normal girl, but she can become very violent if provoked. She picks a fight with her mother and accquaintances as a result on an almost daily basis, causing a series of troubling mishaps in their otherwise normal lives. Parody slapstick nonsense comedy. Not to my taste, but tastes differ. Overall Rating: 6/10 16. Tsuyokiss つよきす [Trinet Entertainment, Studio Hibari] (Finished 3/12) Tags: School Comedy, Romance, Slice of Life Sunao Konoe starts her first day at a new school and is surprised to find that there is no drama club. So, she decides to make one of her own. But between a childhood friend showing up, the crazy student body, and the arrogant student council president blocking her at every turn, it seems that actually creating the club is going to be more difficult than she thought. Tsuyokiss has always been a light-hearted ecchi averageness. Can't stop getting surprised of how talentless and vulgar it can be at times. Overall Rating: 5/10 17. Otogi Juushi Akazukin Fairy Musketeers おとぎ銃士 赤ずきん [Madhouse] (Finished 3/39) Tags: Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy Long, long ago, there existed a world of magic and science. God, afraid of man's potential, split the world in to the world of science, Elde, and the world of magic, Fandavale. One day in Fandavale, a terrible witch named Cendrillon (Cinderella) revives. Cendrillon plots to rule both worlds, and searches for the "key" which holds tremendous power. A young boy from Elde by the name of Sōta meets a mysterious girl from Fandavale, Akazukin, and her talking wolf companion, Val. Sōta learns that he is the key Cendrillon is searching for. Now it is up to Akazukin, Val, and the other Fairy Musketeers to protect Sōta from Cendrillon and her Nightmarelians who wish to obtain the power he mysteriously possesses. With chibi cute designs, kid protagonist and fairy-tale covering it's supposed to be for kids, but it manages to stay perfectly serious and all age. I still consider this shallow concept to be a waste of time for adults, but it's only the second child title after Blue Blink that I would actually recommend children to watch, and that means a lot already. Overall Rating: 6/10 18. Project BLUE Chikyuu SOS Project Blue Earth SOS Project BLUE 地球SOS [A.C.G.T.] (Finished 2/6) Tags: Adventure, Comedy, Sci-Fi In this exhilarating series paying homage to classic 50s era science fiction, the disappearance of revolutionary G-Reaction engines is but the beginning of the ghastly end for mankind. While deranged alien forces prepare a fleet of flying saucers to the invasion of all invasions, teenage geniuses Penny Carter and Billy Kimura join forces with a clandestine secret alliance to save humanity from the extra-terrestrial helmet worms and their tentacles of doom! Avoiding alien attacks and dodging disintegration rays won't be easy, but these courageous kids will have help from above as Ace pilot James and his mentor Cpt. Clayton enter the fray to stave off a threat incomprehensible to mere mortals! Original dates back to some 1950, and this retrofuturism is everywhere. And it all is alien to me as I don't feel any affinity to such retro settings. Overall Rating: 6/10 19. Naikaku Kenryoku Hanzai Kyousei Torishimarikan Zaizen Joutarou Government Crime Investigation Agent Zaizen Jotaro 内閣権力犯罪強制取締官・財前丈太郎 [Trans Arts] (Finished 3/11) Tags: Seinen Detective Action, Drama Based on Ken Kitashiba & Yasuhiro Watanabe's political intrigue detective manga. The close relationship between political and business circles doesn't die; politicians and government officers line their pockets taking advantage of their positions. Zaizen Jotaro is an investigator who is allowed to use extralegal methods to crack down these power abusing criminals. Detective investigation action is all that I needed to know, basically. It's not bad, but for a narrow niche as I don't feel anything watching corrupted Japanese businessmen and politicians. Overall Rating: 5/10 20. Hoshizora Kiseki 星空キセキ [CoMix Wave Films] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Romance, Sci-Fi Kozue is a girl who loves astronomy, particularly the stars. One night, on an excursion to witness a meteorite, she meets Ginga, a boy who is able to help scientists discover more information about the stars through a mysterious ability of his. However, he is forced to stay in a protective suit in order to carry out his mission. Because of this, Kozue decides to convince Ginga to make his own decisions & to take off the suit using his own will. 25 minutes to tell an indistinct floaty story. Overall Rating: 5/10 21. Biohazard 4: Incubate バイオハザード4 Incubate [Capcom] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Detective, Military, Mythology Action, Horror, Mystery, Supernatural, Suspense After the Playstation port of Resident Evil 4 hit the stores Capcom released a new 97 minute DVD some time later which intended to summarize the whole story of Resident Evil 4. It's played on English audio with Japanese subtitles. It also included a little book which explains the life on El Pueblo before and the arrival of Osmund Saddler. It also solved some plot holes like the whereabouts of the children. It contains many of the scenes original to Resident Evil 4. I only watched let's play of Resident Evil 4 and did not remember much from it, so anime was entertaining enough for me, yet not great, especially because it's game engine machinima. Overall Rating: 6/10 22. Kikoushi Enma Demon Prince Enma 鬼公子　炎魔 [Brain's Base] (Finished 2/4) Tags: Seinen Mythology Fantasy, Horror, Supernatural Enma is a character created by the genius manga artist Go Nagai. Now, the popular character makes his appearance in an alluring Japanese horror anime for adults. It's a hair-raising erotic suspense in which Enma takes on complicated and gruesome incidents caused by demons who lurk in the darkness. But humans have lit up the darkness of the night with neon lights and turned their world into one that never sleeps, so demons now lurk in the "darkness of the human heart." Unfulfilled hearts, suppressed hearts, despair,...such darkness of the heart is the place they lurk. Enma is the Demon Prince of the Underworld, a demon "Born of Fire." His mission is to take back or destroy demons that have escaped to the human world from the Underworld. Along with his partner, Princess Yukihime, "Born of Ice," and the monster, Kapaeru, Enma sets up "Enma's Detective Agency." Tonight, like any other night, they will roam the sleepless city. Horrific incidents that could not possibly be human acts occur one after another. The stench of evil lingers at the scene... Enma's fire rips through the darkness! Serious version of Enma, but the gist remains the same - hunting demons and monsters. Overall Rating: 6/10 23. Shin Onimusha: Dawn of Dreams the Story Onimusha: Dawn of Dreams 新 鬼武者 DAWN OF DREAMS THE STORY [Capcom] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Historical, Martial Arts, Mythology, Samurai Action Set fifteen years after the fall of Oda Nobunaga. After the fall of this evil warlord, in the late sixteenth century, it appears as though evil times are ahead as his successor, Hideyoshi Toyotomi, has decided to call upon the Genma forces and once again place Japan under their demonic shadow. A strong warrior Soki who possesses the dark power of the Oni. Having learned about Hideyoshi's insidious scheme, he sets out on a journey to burn the Genma trees and defeat the Genma running rampant across the land. Shin Onimusha: Dawn of Dreams the Story is a compilation of cut-scenes from the game by the same title. It has been released on DVD separately from the game. Never played the game, but this alternative Warring States period story does not fit movie shape as we get klutz girl protagonist, dozens of characters and a series of battles without much buildup. It becomes a tedious enterprise. Overall Rating: 5/10 24. Ged Senki Tales from Earthsea ゲド戦記 [Studio Ghibli] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Adventure, Fantasy Calamities are plaguing the land of Earthsea and dragons have been seen fighting above the clouds—something which has never happened before. Sparrowhawk, a powerful Archmage, sets out to uncover the mystery behind these concerning events and meets Prince Arren along the way. Arren is the fugitive heir to the Kingdom of Enlad and a seemingly quiet and distressed lad. Wandering aimlessly in an attempt to escape the dark presence haunting him, he decides to tag along Sparrowhawk on his journey. However, their arrival in the seaside settlement of Hort Town is met with unexpected trouble—Lord Cob, a powerful evil wizard obsessed with eternal life, stands in their way. Forced to confront him, the pair joins forces with Tenar—an old friend of Sparrowhawk—and Therru, the ill-fated orphan girl she took in. But the enemy's cunning hobby of manipulating emotions may just prove to be catastrophic for the young prince. Set in a magical world, Ged Senki goes beyond the classical battle between the forces of good and evil, as it explores the inner battles of the heart. Plot turns out to be too simple and too stretched, and it all feels really boring. Overall Rating: 5/10 25. Eien no Hou The Laws of Eternity 永遠の法 [Group TAC] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Fantasy, Sci-Fi Ryuta and his friends from the science club visit a museum exhibit on Thomas Edison and it's there they learn about one of his proposed inventions called the "spirit phone" which would enable communication with the deceased. Later that day, they bump into a shaman who claims she has a message from Edison. In an instant Ryuta is given the necessary knowledge he needs to construct the device and decides to go for it, so beginning a spiritual adventure. Ah, it's from the series of Happy Science Movie. All of them are trash, at least the ones I've seen so far. Overall Rating: 4/10 26. Koukaku Kidoutai: Stand Alone Complex - Solid State Society Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex - Solid State Society 攻殻機動隊 STAND ALONE COMPLEX Solid State Society [Production I.G] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Seinen Adult Cast, Detective, Mecha, Military Award Winning, Mystery, Sci-Fi A.D. 2034. It has been two years since Motoko Kusanagi left Section 9. Togusa is now the new leader of the team, that has considerably increased its appointed personnel. The expanded new Section 9 confronts a rash of complicated incidents, and investigations reveal that an ultra-wizard hacker named the Puppeteer is behind the entire series of events. In the midst of all, Batou, who was stalking the case on a separate track, encounters Motoko. She goes away after saying, "Stay away from the Solid State Society." Batou is left with a doubt in his mind. Could Motoko be the Puppeteer? The series of intriguing incidents that Section 9 faces gradually link together almost artistically. Who is the Puppeteer? What will happen to Batou's relationship with Motoko? What is the full truth behind this carefully planned perfect crime? And what will the outcome be? Mysteries surround the Solid State Society... Solid State Society always felt rather plain to me compared to previous iterations, but it's a serious slow afterstory with familiar characters, so it's good, anyway . Overall Rating: 8/10 27. Brave Story ブレイブ・ストーリー [Gonzo] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Isekai Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Supernatural When 11-year-old Wataru's father leaves home and his mother is taken ill to the hospital, he decides to change his fate by traveling through the door shown to him by his friend Mitsuru. In a land of magic and monsters, Wataru must summon all his courage and embark on a journey with several comrades to meet the Goddess of Destiny and change this "mistaken fate." It feels more Ghibli than actual Ghibli movies. Protagonist is horrible and too young, the whole gathering of many gems concept does not add interest. Basically, it feels moderately childish and not enough isekai-like to matter. I'm not enjoying it, but for younger audience it should be a hit. Overall Rating: 6/10 28. Lily to Kaeru to (Otouto) Lily, Frogs, and Little Brother. リリとカエルと(弟) [Toei Animation] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Adventure, Comedy, Supernatural Lily went to an amusement park using the frog as its symbol character with her parents. At the Frog Castle of the park, she happened to draw a sword. It was said that the Frog King would grant any wish if one beat the big snake with the sword. When Lily beat the snake, she went to the Frog Land and met the Frog King. The king said she would become a frog if she couldn't open the Gate of Hope until a child would hatch from the roe in front of her. Suddenly, a man in suits appeared. His name was Knodo, and he was supposed to become her little brother. Lily thought it strange, and she ran away from him. He chased her. Then, they fell over into the water head over heels. A short and actually cute and funny enough parody. Overall Rating: 6/10 29. Taiyou no Mokushiroku: A Spirit of the Sun 太陽の黙示録 A Spirit of the Sun [Madhouse] (Finished 2/2) Tags: Drama, Sci-Fi On August 10 2002, the eruption of Mount Fuji, as well as a series of large-scale earthquakes tsunamis inflict tremendous damage to Japan, sending the country into a state of emergency. Furthermore, another massive earthquake hit Japan on August 15, splitting the country into two. While Japanese refugees were taken in by various countries, the Japanese government accepted aid from China and the United States, which eventually caused China to govern the North, and the USA to govern the South. 15 years later, the Japanese refugees residing in Taiwan and the Taiwanese citizens find themselves clashing with one another, due to job competition and the unimproving conditions of the Japanese refugees. Genichiro Ryu is a survivor of the catastrophic events that took place in Japan, but was raised in Taiwan by a couple who adopted him. He gets himself involved in the situation between the Taiwanese and the Japanese, hoping that the two parties will be able to coexist with one another. One movie is similar to Tokyo Magnitude 8, the other deals with taking Taiwanese civilians into refuge to uncover terrorist group despite all the arising troubles and incidents. It's realistic, but nor particularly interesting. Overall Rating: 6/10 30. Jiok The Hell (Two Kinds of Life) 지옥 두개 의 삶 [Studio Dadashow] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Drama, Fantasy, Horror Jae-young, an ordinary woman in her mid-20s is sentenced to death by an angel, and ascends to Heaven. Going to Heaven means nothing to her because she assumes Heaven is devoid of reason and humanity. But she accepts her fate and proceeds to bid farewell to her mother and friend. During her farewells, the desire for life starts to torture her. Too much ultraviolence and no sense in all that. Overall Rating: 4/10 31. Toki wo Kakeru Shoujo The Girl Who Leapt Through Time 時をかける少女 [Madhouse] (Finished 1/1) Tags: School, Time Travel Award Winning, Drama, Romance, Sci-Fi Makoto Konno is in her last year of high school, but is having a hard time deciding what to do with her future. In between enduring the pressure of her teachers and killing time with her best friends, Makoto's life suddenly changes when she accidentally discovers that she is capable of literally leaping through time. Toki wo Kakeru Shoujo follows Makoto as she plays around with her newfound power. However, she soon learns the hard way that every choice has a consequence, and time is a lot more complicated than it may seem. I actually used to think it was from Ghibli. By now we've seen so many time loops and travels that only outstanding titles become paragons and others fade away as lacking. And this is exactly such second case. Overall Rating: 6/10

Suzumiya Haruhi no Yuuutsu is revolutionary anime in several ways, so for me it has the upper hand over Black Lagoon which is also a great masterpiece, but in more mundane , complex and adult way. Lots of titles in Spring season, but I can't vouch for the rest. 1. Ouran Koukou Host Club Ouran High School Host Club 桜蘭高校ホスト部 [Bones] (Finished 1/26) Tags: Shoujo Crossdressing, Reverse Harem, School Comedy, Romance Haruhi Fujioka is a studious girl who has recently enrolled at the prestigious Ouran Academy. One day, while looking for a quiet and peaceful place to study, she stumbles across a seemingly unused music room. Upon entering, Haruhi is welcomed by the members of the well-known Host Club: a club in which attractive boys amuse girls from across the entire school. However, when Tamaki Suou—the founder and president of the club—startles the bright scholarship student, she accidentally breaks an expensive vase. With repayment looking difficult for Haruhi, the Host Club members come up with the perfect solution to the girl's problem: work for the club and ultimately become a Host herself! Mistaken for a boy by her peers, Haruhi has to entertain various female students while coping with her fellow Hosts' extravagant personalities. I've understood recently that Reverse Harem is the tag that I should block as there is not a single such work that I like. As far as I understand, this is one of the most popular representatives, and that's more than enough for me to know. Not finding it funny or entertaining or valuable in any way. Overall Rating: 6/10 2. Gintama 銀魂 [Sunrise] (Finished 204/204) Tags: Shounen Gag Humor, Historical, Parody, Samurai Action, Comedy, Sci-Fi Edo is a city that was home to the vigor and ambition of samurai across the country. However, following feudal Japan's surrender to powerful aliens known as the "Amanto," those aspirations now seem unachievable. With the once-influential shogunate rebuilt as a puppet government, a new law is passed that promptly prohibits all swords in public. Enter Gintoki Sakata, an eccentric silver-haired man who always carries around a wooden sword and maintains his stature as a samurai despite the ban. As the founder of Yorozuya, a small business for odd jobs, Gintoki often embarks on endeavors to help other people—though usually in rather strange and unforeseen ways. Assisted by Shinpachi Shimura, a boy with glasses supposedly learning the way of the samurai; Kagura, a tomboyish girl with superhuman strength and an endless appetite; and Sadaharu, their giant pet dog who loves biting on people's heads, the Yorozuya encounter anything from alien royalty to scuffles with local gangs in the ever-changing world of Edo. I've watched everything from Gintama, at least everything to my awareness. And I liked less than 10% out of it all, mainly some plot advancing episodes and rare comedy episodes. I the end I only consider some Gintama movies to be worthy. Overall Rating: 6/10 3. Black Lagoon [Madhouse (Finished 12/12) Tags: Seinen Adult Cast, Organized Crime Salaryman Rokurou Okajima spends his days trying to climb his company's corporate ladder, until one day when a business negotiation in Thailand goes awry. During the botched deal, he falls hostage to the Lagoon Company—a band of ruthless pirate mercenaries. Left to the whims of his captors after his managers refuse to pay his ransom, Rokurou does the unthinkable: instead of begging for his life, he joins the very crew who kidnapped him. Now a member of the group, Rokurou must adjust to his new residence in the dissolute hellscape known as Roanapur, a city where corruption and crime run rampant, and even the smallest slipup could cost him his life. If not for one of the many crime syndicates on the island, Rokurou also constantly finds himself at odds with his brash, gunslinging colleague, Revy. As Rokurou struggles to abandon his past—and with more than just the profits from the Lagoon Company's illegal trading on the line—he must quickly find the resolve to make tough decisions in high-stress situations while keeping his humanity intact. Always loved Black Lagoon - it's seinen, thought provoking and cool. Can't call it perfect or having an integral interesting story, though. Overall Rating: 9/10 4. Suzumiya Haruhi no Yuuutsu 涼宮ハルヒの憂鬱 [Kyoto Animation] (Finished 14/14) Tags: School Award Winning, Comedy, Mystery, Sci-Fi, Slice of Life If a survey were conducted to see if people believed in aliens, time travelers, or maybe espers, most would say they do not; average high school student Kyon considers himself among the non-believers. However, on his first day of school, he meets a girl who soon turns his world upside down. During class introductions, the beautiful Haruhi Suzumiya boldly announces her boredom with "normal" people and her intention of meeting supernatural beings. Dumbfounded, Kyon learns of her frustration with the lack of paranormal-focused clubs at their school and unwittingly inspires her to start her own club. She creates the Spreading Fun all Over the World with Haruhi Suzumiya Brigade, otherwise known as the SOS Brigade. Following the SOS Brigade's founding, Haruhi manages to recruit Kyon and three other members: quiet bookworm Yuki Nagato, shy upperclassman Mikuru Asahina, and perpetually positive Itsuki Koizumi. Despite their normal appearance, the new members of the SOS Brigade each carry their own secrets related to Haruhi. Caught up in the mystery surrounding the eccentric club leader, Kyon is whisked away on a series of misadventures by Haruhi and the SOS Brigade, each one bringing him closer to the truth about who and what she is. Again, can't call Haruhi perfect, but it's definitely something unique and intelligent. Overall Rating: 9/10 5. Higurashi no Naku Koro ni ひぐらしのなく頃に [Studio Deen] (Finished 6/26) Tags: Gore, Psychological Horror, Mystery, Supernatural, Suspense Keiichi Maebara has just moved to the quiet little village of Hinamizawa in the summer of 1983, and quickly becomes inseparable friends with schoolmates Rena Ryuuguu, Mion Sonozaki, Satoko Houjou, and Rika Furude. However, darkness lurks underneath the seemingly idyllic life they lead. As the village prepares for its annual festival, Keiichi learns about the local legends surrounding it. To his horror, he discovers that there have been several murders and disappearances in the village in the recent years, and that they all seem to be connected to the festival and the village's patron god, Oyashiro. Keiichi tries to ask his new friends about these incidents, but they are suspiciously silent and refuse to give him the answers he needs. As more and more bizarre events occur, he wonders just what else his friends might be keeping from him, and if he can even trust them at all. When madness and paranoia begin taking root in Keiichi's heart, he will stumble straight into the mysteries at work in Higurashi no Naku Koro ni, a story that is told across multiple arcs. I tried Higurashi a lot of times, but inevitably fell asleep out of boredom and confusion. And since it does not provide a normal story while substituting it with constant time resets, I'm absolutely not interested in this writer's self-satisfaction. Lazy concept. Overall Rating: 6/10 6. Nana NANA [ナナ] [Madhouse] (Finished 2/47) Tags: Shoujo Adult Cast, Love Polygon, Music Drama, Romance Departing from their respective hometowns, two young women with identical names are brought together in their pursuit of new beginnings. With their hearts set on going to Tokyo, Nana Komatsu dreams about blissful love, while Nana Osaki aims for a successful music career. The former has a cheerful and friendly nature, but her naivety has steered her romantic life astray until she meets her dependable boyfriend—Shouji Endo. Without letting herself be dismayed by Shouji's decision to study in Tokyo, Nana works hard to earn enough money and follow him there. Meanwhile, her namesake is a solitary punk vocalist whose impassioned romance with her band's bassist, Ren Honjou, comes to a sudden end. Though heartbroken, Nana bravely looks forward and travels to the capital with the ambition of becoming a recognized artist. Shortly after they arrive in Tokyo, the girls cross paths again due to an unexpected coincidence that ultimately leads them to live under the same roof. As they grow closer, the two strive to support one another amid their struggles to forge a future for themselves. I understand that it's popular, but I can't stand the visuals and the personalities here. Not sure I'd tolerate this kind of naivete and flow of thoughts even if it was redrawn . Overall Rating: 6/10 7. Air Gear エア・ギア [Toei Animation] (Finished 3/25) Tags: Shounen Action, Ecchi Air Trecks, also known as AT, are motorized and futuristic inline skates that are the new craze taking the nation by storm. Although each AT comes with a speed limiter, a community of daredevils known as the "Storm Riders" are brave enough to tamper with the device. Utilizing AT's in underground battles, individual teams wager valuable AT parts or team emblems—their symbol of pride—to dominate the streets. Living in this era is Itsuki Minami, a middle school student notorious for engaging in street fights. Always wanting to reach heights no one else is able to, the reckless punk will break through any obstacle that stands in his way, alongside his best friends Kazuma Mikura and Onigiri. However, it is when he discovers a pair of Air Trecks in his house that the path to his true desire finally opens: to rule the skies. Such a barebones cheeky shounen that I've no idea how it can attract anyone. Overall Rating: 5/10 8. xxxHOLiC ×××HOLiC（ホリック） [Production I.G] (Finished 6/24) Tags: Seinen Comedy, Drama, Mystery, Supernatural Kimihiro Watanuki can see spirits and other assorted supernatural creatures, which is quite a bothersome ability he strongly dislikes. On the way home one day, while plagued by some spirits, he is inexplicably compelled to enter a strange house. There, he encounters Yuuko, a mysterious woman who claims to be able to rid him of the ability to see and attract the troublesome creatures—for a price. She demands that he work at her "store" that grants wishes to people, and thus begins Watanuki's adventures through weird and wonderful events. Internet obsession episode put the last nail to this coffin. It's not interesting and situations are just ridiculously silly. There's no even story, just episodic cases with some random weird humor. And I dislike all the characters with their gimmicks. It's just bad. Overall Rating: 6/10 9. Utawarerumono うたわれるもの [OLM] (Finished 26/26) Tags: Action, Drama, Fantasy, Sci-Fi An injured man is found in the woods by a girl named Eruruu, and everything about him is mysterious. Without knowledge of his past nor even his own name, he is welcomed to Eruruu's home and is given the name Hakuoro by her grandmother, and younger sister, Aruruu. While the inhabitants of the village have large ears and tails, Hakuoro's defining physical trait is quite different as he has neither ears nor tail, but only a mask that he cannot remove. Soon after he becomes a part of the villagers' lives, a revolution against the tyrannical emperor of the land begins, and the conflict finds its way to his new home. Hakuoro must do whatever he can to save the people and the village that he has come to love, all while uncovering the mysteries that shroud his past. Original game was super boring except for deus ex machina in the finale, and mechanics were just trash. Sadly, anime is same horrible - very long and muddy development, slightly changed ending and zero good traits as I don't like characters, and story can be easily skipped. There's no way I can recommend this. Overall Rating: 6/10 10. School Rumble Ni Gakki School Rumble: 2nd Semester スクールランブル 二学期 [Studio Comet] (Finished 1/26) Tags: Shounen Gag Humor, Love Polygon, School Comedy, Romance We still have no idea what's really going on with this show, beyond the fact that the weirdness is piling up! Curry-fiend Karasama remains oblivious to Tenma's crush, and Harima still hasn't confessed his true feelings to Tenma. But hey, the thug's got an excuse since he's caught up with his comic career and knee-deep in a blizzard of deadlines! Meanwhile, the love triangles are ever-shifting thanks to wannabe cupids and runaway brides. Even when you throw in a bit of cyborg love, a shipwreck, and a fugitive red panda–seriously, that ain't even scratching the surface. You are encouraged to scratch the pig, though. He likes it! And something rumbles in the next to last episode, no matter what I say next. School Rumble–The absolutely funniest show you’ll ever see that's not about anything that rumbles... Ever! Sequel with lots of specific humor which is not to my taste. Overall Rating: 6/10 11. Strawberry Panic ストロベリー・パニック [Madhouse] (Finished 1/26) Tags: School Drama, Girls Love, Romance Nagisa Aoi begins her new school life as a transfer student at St. Miator’s Girls Academy, one of three prestigious all-girls institutions atop Astraea Hill. Getting lost on her first day, Nagisa encounters a mysterious student whose elegance and charm is so bewitching, she ends up in the infirmary. There to greet her when she awakens is Tamao Suzumi, her roommate, who enthusiastically introduces Nagisa to the daily life and social structure on campus. Most notably, Tamao informs her of the existence of an exceptional student representative among all three schools—the Etoile, or "star." Eager to meet this person, Nagisa learns that the ethereal beauty she met earlier, Shizuma Hanazono, is the one and only Etoile herself! Not only that, Shizuma seems openly interested in Nagisa! Her interactions with Shizuma naturally make her a hot topic on campus; yet despite being so captivated, Nagisa can’t help but wonder if something is off. Strawberry Panic! follows the everyday routines of Nagisa, Shizuma, and her friends at St. Miator’s, St. Spica, and St. Lulim as they navigate through the challenge of relationships while confronting hidden feelings, lingering regrets, and new possibilities. As expected, can't appreciate serious Girls Love without comedy. Overall Rating: 6/10 12. Tsubasa Chronicle 2nd Season Tsubasa RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE Season Two ツバサ・クロニクル 第2シリーズ [Bee Train] (Finished 2/26) Tags: Shounen Action, Adventure, Drama, Fantasy, Mystery, Romance, Supernatural Syaoran, Sakura, Kurogane, Fai and Mokona's journey through to different world's continue as they search for Sakura's feathers. The fated journey slowly becomes more complicated for our travelers, as they find themselves diving deeper into more dangerous worlds. Takes place immediately after the first season. Based on the manga by CLAMP. Did not like original, did not like xxxHOLiC, do not feel like gathering some feathers with this poor cast. Overall Rating: 6/10 13. Witchblade ウィッチブレイド [Gonzo] (Finished 5/24) Tags: Super Power Action, Sci-Fi Masane Amaha and her daughter Rihoko are on the run from a government child welfare agency that wants to take Rihoko away from her mother. They are caught and Rihoko is taken away. Meanwhile, Masane is attacked by an advanced weapon that can disguise itself as a human being. When faced with the danger, a strange light emits from her wrist and she transforms into a powerful being. She destroys the weapon and consequently becomes involved in a power struggle between powerful organizations, with her at the center of their attention. Because she holds the greatest power of them all, the legendary Witchblade. Gonzo usually guarantees high visual quality, including this case. And I don't care if it's fanservice'ish provided that story is good. And what I see is just working for some organization and investigating new cases after acquiring superpower. What I get is another monster of the week story without any exceptional traits, and thus it can't be recommended. Overall Rating: 6/10 14. Saiunkoku Monogatari The Story of Saiunkoku 彩雲国物語 [Madhouse] (Finished 1/39) Tags: Shoujo Historical, Reverse Harem Adventure, Fantasy, Romance Shuurei Kou, the daughter of a noble yet impoverished family, is a clever young lady who dreams of becoming a government official and contributing toward her country. However, her dream is out of her reach as such a position is forbidden to women. While her father works a low wage job as an archivist at the palace, Shuurei has to juggle odd jobs to make ends meet. Then, one day, an unexpected visit changes her life. Shuurei is called to assist Ryuuki Shi, the new emperor who is known for slacking on his duties and preferring the company of men. Tempted by the generous compensation, she readily accepts the chance to become the young emperor's consort for six months. Luckily, she is not alone as Seiran Shi, her trusty friend, joins her as Ryuuki's bodyguard. While tasked with transforming the new emperor into a responsible ruler, court life and politics prove troublesome as Shuurei faces the challenges of her new life. Set in a fictional country, Saiunkoku Monogatari centers on the idea of meaningful leadership, its adversities and the rewards that come alongside a prospering nation. This is definitely last season when reverse harem is included by me. Setting is ridiculous and convenient, as usual for this genre. Overall Rating: 6/10 15. Digimon Savers Digimon Data Squad デジモンセイバーズ [Toei Animation] (Finished 1/48) Tags: Adventure, Comedy, Drama, Fantasy Upon meeting for the first time, undefeated street fighter Daimon, Masaru and renegade Digimon Agumon become friends in the most natural way possible for the knuckleheaded duo—by fighting their hearts out. The self-proclaimed "ultimate team" are recruited by a secret government organization called the Digimon Data Squad, or DATS, who had witnessed an unbelievable human fighting blow for blow with a Digimon. Their primary objective is investigating mysterious problems caused by Digimon entering the real world, and the world is currently in the midst of a crisis with Digimon appearing at an unprecedented rate. Embarking on various missions with DATS, Daimon and Agumon become colleagues with adolescent genius Touma Norstein and his Digimon partner Gaoman, along with the kind-hearted Yoshino "Yoshi" Fujeda and her Digimon partner Lalamon. As the group continues to investigate the rapid increase of Digimon in their world, a darker truth begins to surface, and it is up to Daimon, Agumon, and their friends to get to the bottom of things. I want to unsee this first episode. Overall Rating: 5/10 16. Kiba 牙-KIBA- [Madhouse] (Finished 3/51) Tags: Isekai Adventure, Fantasy In a dystopian future, two friends dream of freedom... and gain more than they bargain for! Hothead Zed is on the run from the authorities, while his brainy pal Noah struggles with his own battered body. Both find a magical world that seems to offer escape and power undreamed of. Join Zed and his powerful, rebellious spirit Amir Gaul on their search for the ultimate power. It's a force that can save the world—or destroy life as we know it. This is the world of KIBA! Where you must harness the power within and fight with all you got! As I see it, the main problem here is 51 episode length. All people who like it say that show changes drastically for the last 15 episodes and becomes more serious and dramatic compared to boring core. I'd watch some recap or cut into 12 episode version, but in this state it's a too tedious and dualistic shounen to follow. Overall Rating: 6/10 17. Aria the Natural [Hal Film Maker] (Finished 1/26) Tags: Shounen Iyashikei Fantasy, Sci-Fi, Slice of Life Akari Mizunashi continues her training to become a Prima Undine (a professional tour guide gondolier) along with her friends Aika and Alice in the peaceful city of Neo Venezia. Despite the fact that these three girls are from competing companies, they are constantly together, learning more about how to become better tour guides and more about the mysteries of Neo Venezia. As the group continues to meet interesting and unforgettable people through their daily routines, they will also come closer to the secrets that make the enigmatic and ever beautiful city of Neo Venezia so warm and alive. Welcome back to Neo Venezia: the city where miracles can be created by hand. Sequel. Overall Rating: 5/10 18. .hack//Roots [Bee Train] (Finished 3/26) Tags: Video Game Adventure, Drama, Fantasy, Sci-Fi After the termination of the incredibly popular virtual reality MMORPG "The World," a new version of the game—The World R:2—is brought online. On his first day in the game, newcomer Haseo thinks he has made some friends to quest with. However, as if mocking his sentiments, they kill his character just for fun. Luckily, he is saved by a mysterious, one-armed player named Ovan who offers to show him around The World. Alongside Ovan and his cleric friend Shino, Haseo enjoys a wonderful first year in the game. But this peaceful life is shattered when Shino's character is killed by a familiar figure notoriously known as Tri-Edge, whose victims have all fallen into comas in the real world. In a fit of rage, Haseo vows to find the elusive Tri-Edge and kill him. Taking place during Haseo's first year in The World, .hack//Roots explores the friendships Haseo built in the game before Tri-Edge ripped them away. I find anime about MMORPG difficult to fail, and because of that every case of failure is especially painful. First such case was with hack//Sign and now we have its sequel. Just as then it tediously follows some not really interesting story without focus on characters or world. And the result is that it's full of fillers and just not engaging overall. I still find it watchable, but just as Sign it's not memorable and is totally ok to skip. And it's one of those rare cases when I actually pay attention to music just because of how inappropriately it's used . Overall Rating: 6/10 19. Juu Ou Sei Jyu-Oh-Sei: Planet of the Beast King 獣王星 [Bones] (Finished 3/11) Tags: Shoujo Survival Action, Adventure, Drama, Mystery, Sci-Fi After the murder of their parents, 11-year-old twin brothers Thor and Rai Klein are sent away from their home planet. They find themselves awakening on the terraformed planet of Chimaera, where carnivorous plants dominate and the few humans who live there are divided into four groups known as "Rings." Soon after, they meet a young man by the name of Zagi, and the twins learn that only the "Jyu Oh Sei"—the one who conquers these four Rings—is allowed to leave the planet. Driven by the desire to return home and discover the truth behind the death of his parents, Thor resolves to survive in the harsh, merciless environment of Chimaera. However, he quickly learns there is more than meets the eye in this strange ecosystem. As Thor is swept up in the politics that entangle the Rings, he uncovers more about his parents' murder, and ultimately, humanity's fate as a whole. I despise sandboxes, and this anime reminds one as it's battle royale between four artificially divided factions. To watch it just for action is not worth it, and all the other elements don't feel any good at all. Overall Rating: 6/10 20. Inukami! いぬかみっ! [Seven Arcs] (Finished 3/26) Tags: Comedy, Romance, Supernatural, Ecchi Kawahira Keita is a descendant of a historic Inukami tamer family; however, because he lacked in its ability, he was forsaken by the family. One day, an Inukami named Youko came. She looked graceful, obedient, above all, beautiful. Soon he contracted with her, and she paid homage to him. However, she was a problematic Inukami that no one had been able to control. This is a slap stick comedy of an Inukami Tamer, Keita and an Inukami, Youko. Keita is a man of worldly passions, and he likes money and girls very much. On the other hand, Youko likes to destroy things and is very jealous. Saying it's bad is praising in this case. Ecchi hunting for spirits is lame as a concept, and realization is even worse than it sounds. Overall Rating: 5/10 21. Aa! Megami-sama! Sorezore no Tsubasa Ah! My Goddess: Flights of Fancy ああっ女神さまっ　それぞれの翼 [AIC] (Finished 1/22) Tags: Seinen Harem Comedy, Romance, Supernatural One year after goddess Belldandy emerged from Keiichi Morisato's mirror and promised to stay with him forever, a new threat to their happiness emerges, one that could end the contract between Belldandy and Keiichi. Sequel. Overall Rating: 6/10 22. Princess Princess プリンセス・プリンセス [Studio Deen] (Finished 1/12) Tags: Shoujo Crossdressing, School Comedy, Drama Tooru Kouno's attractive appearance draws unexpected attention on his first day at an all-boys school. Having to transfer to a school without girls has been bad enough, but adding to his list of frustrations are boys staring at him all day long. However, he hopes that there may be girls around, since he ran into a lovely pink-haired girl on campus earlier that day. After being escorted to his dorm by his classmate, Yuujirou Shihoudani, he meets a student named Mikoto Yutaka, who looks eerily similar to the girl he saw previously. To his shock, he realizes Mikoto is the girl and confronts him about this revelation. Yuujirou divulges that he and Mikoto crossdress as part of their job: a school tradition in which attractive first years are chosen as idols called "Princesses" in order to boost the morale of the students—and because of his looks, Tooru has been chosen by the student council as their third Princess! How the hell is this shoujo if first male teacher hits on male transfer student, then everybody in boys school falls in love with him.... it's definitely boys love genre . Overall Rating: 4/10 23. Kamisama Kazoku 神様家族 [Toei Animation] (Finished 2/13) Tags: Comedy, Drama, Fantasy, Romance Samatarou is not just an average high-school boy, the truth is that he is the son of a god, his mother is a goddess and his sisters are candidates to become goddesses. They are living in the human world, because they want their boy to learn about the human customs and the habits of the creatures that they are protecting, so that in this way Samatarou will become a better god. Tenko is a angel assigned to look after Samatarou. She's born the same day, same year as Samatarou and have been close friends ever since. Life seems normal but things start to change with the appearance of a transfer student named Kumiko. Samatarou falls in love with her and from now on, things will be a lot more different for him. His decision of making her fall in love with him without using his powers will put him in trouble. Quite a typical romcom about a company of gods deciding to live among humans. Can't find anything to cling to here, to be honest. Overall Rating: 5/10 24. Shinigami no Ballad. Momo, Girl God of Death しにがみのバラッド。 [Group TAC, Ginga Ya] (Finished 2/6) Tags: Psychological Drama, Fantasy, Supernatural A girl wrapped in white, her name is Momo...in her hand lies a blunt yet shiny scythe. By her side is a winged black cat by the name of Daniel. Carrying the souls of humans, the girl's existence parallels to that of a "Death God" or "Shinigami". At the instant when this white Death God touches the hearts of humans, the world is filled with kindness and grief... Just random stories about shinigami, seriously? It lacks pretty much everything. Overall Rating: 5/10 25. Tokkou Tokko TOKKÔ[特公] [AIC Spirits, Group TAC] (Finished 5/13) Tags: Seinen Detective Action, Comedy, Horror, Mystery, Supernatural "Shindou Ranmaru has just graduated from police academy and assigned to Tokko: Special Mobile Investigation Force. On the day of his graduation, he meets the half-naked girl he has been seeing in his dreams. Her name is Rokujo Sakura and she works for a secret group within Tokki, known as Tokko: Special Public Safety Task Force. Shindou ends up joining Tokko to avenge his parents' death, and solve the mysterious mass murder of residents in his hometown of Machida. Meanwhile, bottomless pits begin appearing around Japan, and mysterious creatures emerge from them. Could these events be linked to Machida Massacre?" Ghouls start to kill and possess people, special girl team opposes them, and main character happens to be nearby as investigator, and he just learns more and more about these creatures and murders. Action is good, but overall it fails to involve and get interesting. Watch it or don't, it does not matter as nothing of it will stay in memory for any significant amount of time. Overall Rating: 6/10 26. Makai Senki Disgaea Disgaea 魔界戦記ディスガイア [OLM] (Finished 2/12) Tags: Mythology Action, Comedy, Fantasy An angel arrives in Hell! A demon lord is awakened! There are penguins everywhere! What’s going on here? Angel assassin-in-training Flonne is on a quest to destroy the demon Overlord. Instead of accomplishing her mission, the ditzy Flonne manages to wake Laharl, the demon lord and heir to the throne, from his two year slumber. Now the pair, along with Laharl’s not-so-faithful vassal Etna and her army of explosive souls in penguin costumes, must restore order to the crumbling Netherworld. Based on the events of the game Disgaea: Hour of Darkness, Makai Senki Disgaea follows Laharl’s journey to squash the demon rebellion, reclaim the throne, and destroy anyone who stands in his path. Or, you know, let them join him on his travels if they really want. Just remember: Laharl is a demon lord. There’s no way he’ll ever show kindness, compassion, or love... right? Disgaea games had too poor mechanics for me, and plot feels like a bad unfunny parody that has nothing to enjoy. Overall Rating: 5/10 27. Simoun シムーン [Studio Deen] (Finished 26/26) Tags: Military Drama, Fantasy, Girls Love, Romance In the peaceful theocracy of Simulicram, everyone is born female. At age 17, each maiden undergoes a special ceremony where she chooses her sex. However, only Pairs of maiden priestesses can synchronize with the ancient flying ships known as Simoun needed to defend Simulicram. These Pairs refrain from undergoing the ceremony as long as they wish to keep piloting their Simoun. Aer is recruited to be a Simoun pilot after a terrifying attack by an enemy nation decimates the squadron known as Chor Tempest. To earn her wings she needs to find her way into the heart of Neviril, Regina of Chor Tempest. But Neviril's heart still belongs to her previous Pair, lost in the battle when she attempted a forbidden Simoun maneuver. It is one of favorite works of my Taiwanese acquaintance, so after couple failed attempts to finish it in the past it's time to make that effort now. And I can understand the appeal as it's about pure priest maidens who start ship engine with a kiss and thus need to travel in pairs, plus to attack by writing figures in the sky they need as many as two ships and thus four girls. Girls are from different backgrounds and with very different personalities. Plus, there is not much in the story or action department, so majority of time is devoted to dialogues that help to flesh out images even better. Due to such non-cliche variety even I could find someone to root for. But it does not mean I find this anime interesting as story itself is lacking, and aesthetical enjoyment is not a solid ground for an 8-hour long show. A must have for girls love enthusiasts as all those constant private academy settings don't stand even close. Overall Rating: 6/10 28. Joshikousei: Girl's High High School Girls 女子高生 GIRL'S HIGH [Arms] (Finished 3/12) Tags: School Comedy, Drama, Slice of Life, Ecchi Eriko and her friends Yuma and Ayano are excited about entering high school. Their excitement leads to their breaking of the rules when they toured the school before the opening ceremony. They find out their preconceptions about the all female school may not be as true as they had first thought. Despite that, Eriko and her friends are joined by new friends. They aim to get through high school life together. Comedy is actually not bad, but situations are rather silly and typical from joshikousei life. And since I'm not gaining anything from it and not enjoying it, no sense to go on. Overall Rating: 6/10 29. Kishin Houkou Demonbane (TV) 機神咆吼デモンベイン [View Works] (Finished 12/12) Tags: Harem, Mecha Action, Romance, Ecchi Kurou Daijuuji is a poor detective living in Arkham City. One day, he was requested by Ruri Hado of Hado Financial Group, to search for a magic book. While he initially refused, Ruri offered him a large sum of money upon completion of her request, in which bribed Kuro to accept. As Kurou searches for the book, he unexpectedly runs into Al, a pretty girl that is actually a powerful grimoire. They forge a contract with each other, bestowing Kuro with powerful magic. Soon afterwards, Al also activates Demonbane, a deus machina owned by the Hado Financial Group, to combat the mechanical menace from the Black Lodge. With this, the war between the Hado Financial Group and the Black Lodge begins.... Only played first game, but not the sequel as genre switched to action. Having watched anime now, I'm absolutely shocked of how low quality essenceless mess it is. 95% of it is action fights, often poorly 3D rendered. Nothing is ever explained or concluded properly. Just watch an endless spree of fights with laughable villains and try to make sense out of it , then wait for Deus Ex Machina in the end and be happy about it. It's worse than bad. It's tasteless. It managed to deteriorate even further from first horrible visual novel that at least had three quite nice action segments. Visual novel would have dialogues between these fights and some character focus, but with this kind of "story" I'd not recommend anyone touching this substance either. Overall Rating: 4/10 30. Zegapain ゼーガペイン [Sunrise] (Finished 3/26) Tags: Mecha Action, Romance, Sci-Fi Average high school student Kyou Sogoru is an avid swimmer living in beautiful Maihama City. He spends his days hanging out with friends, swimming, and playing video games. However, his normal life turns upside down when a beautiful and mysterious girl named Shizuno Misaki approaches him with a strange request—jump into their school's pool together. This fateful leap transports Kyou into a war-torn world where humans pilot impressive humanoid robots known as Zegas to fight against malicious aliens known as Gards-Orm. To spearhead this endeavor, humans have formed Cerebrum, a rebel organization working to prevent the Gards-Orm from eradicating humankind. As Kyou participates in combat operations, meets his fellow Zega pilots, and witnesses countless deaths, he begins to question the true nature of this world as well as his own life. Sunrise mecha... of course I'm biased as no such previous attempt was worthy. And this time it's even more lazy than usual as it's partly school SOL and partially teleportation to another world to fight in mecha and teleporting back. Still, duality of worlds is not the worst idea they could have come up with, and second half can actually add something meaningful while first half is traditionally mostly waste of time since Sunrise stubbornly refuses to fit their shallow original stories in one season as they deserve. After three episodes can say that execution is rather poor. Overall Rating: 6/10 31. Renkin San-kyuu Magical? Pokaan 錬金3級 まじかる?ぽか〜ん [Remic] (Finished 3/12) Tags: CGDCT, Gag Humor, Parody, Vampire Comedy, Ecchi Renkin San-kyuu Magical? Pokaan follows the daily lives of four young girls. There is just one catch: they are anything but normal. This group of friends—the energetic werewolf Liru, the joyful witch-in-training Uma, the motherly android Aiko, and the seductive vampire Pachira—are actually princesses from the netherworld who have traveled to the human world in search of a new home. Unfortunately, their naivety and severe lack of knowledge make living peacefully among earthlings much more difficult than they imagined. As they attempt to adapt to their brand new lifestyle, they cause all sorts of trouble, and end up attracting the unwanted attention of a woman by the name of Dr. K-Ko. The scientist believes that these new residents of Earth are up to no good and attempts to capture the girls to prove the existence of the supernatural and gain credibility with the scientific community. Every day brings a new adventure as the girls deal with the insanity of her antics and all that the human realm has to offer. Each episode consists of two shorter humorous stories. I don't like such episodic format, and humor here is not quite to my taste, so can't really praise it. But feel free to see for yourself, a lot of people seem to fit here just fine. Overall Rating: 6/10 32. Kirarin☆Revolution Kirarin Revolution きらりん☆レボリューション [SynergySP, G&G Entertainment] (Finished 1/153) Tags: Shoujo Showbiz Comedy, Drama, Romance Kirari Tsukishima, a gluttonous 14-year-old beauty, is a girl who does not care about idols and the entertainment world because her mind is occupied by food. Her obsession with food only causes her to be clueless about love. One day, after saving a turtle that is stranded in a tree, Kirari meets with a handsome and gentle boy named Seiji, who gives her ticket to a SHIPS (a popular idol group) concert to show his gratitude for her saving his pet. Kirari then storms off to the concert and runs into another boy, who tears up her ticket and warns her to stay away from Seiji because she and Seiji live in different worlds. The outraged Kirari then sneaks into the concert, only to discover that Seiji and the boy who tore her ticket, named Hiroto, are actually members of SHIPS. Finally understanding the meaning of "different worlds" (Seiji is a popular idol while she is an average middle school student), Kirari refuses to give up. Filled with determination to be with Seiji, she declares that she will also become an idol. Feels like a typical romance shoujo without anything to give additional score for. But I'm not willing to investigate it beyond pilot episode. Overall Rating: 5/10 33. Himawari! ひまわりっ! [Arms] (Finished 2/13) Tags: Martial Arts Adventure, Comedy Himawari Hinata recently transfered to Shinobi Gakuen to train to become the best kunoichi she can be. She wanted to be a ninja ever since she was saved by one when she was little. On her first day, she meets Hayato Madenokoji (a new transfer teacher) who saves her life. Hayato does not possess any ninja skills or traits, he is teaching the ninjas about normal society to pay off his debt. However, Himawari notices that Hayato bares the same mark on his neck as the ninja who saved her when she was young. I have slight prejudice against ninja, so I'm not enjoying another anime about ninja at school, but with ninja affinity it should be a blast. Overall Rating: 6/10 34. Soul Link [Picture Magic] (Finished 12/12) Tags: Military, Space Action, Adventure, Comedy, Romance, Sci-Fi Aizawa Ryota was in the 3rd grade of the preparatory course of Central Military Academy. AD 2045, he went to a space station, Aries, for the training with his classmates including Nagase Saka and Nittak Kazuhiko. However, the station was attacked by a terrorist group, Hallarax. Now they must find a way back to earth. What a tedious undertaking. This is what happens when stage substitutes story. Ever 17 was at least created by a talented writer and was one of the first to present a stage instead of story. But Soul Link is not even talented. Of course I can name even worse representatives of such concept, but that does not make Soul Link any better than average. Overall Rating: 5/10 35. The Third: Aoi Hitomi no Shoujo ザ・サード 蒼い瞳の少女 [Xebec] (Finished 10/24) Tags: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi In the distant future, because of an interplanetary war that had continued on for centuries, civilizations were ruined. Human beings have lost everything, and only 1/5th of the population survived. A strange breed of humans, ''The Third'' is said to have appeared just after the war. They possess a third eye, as their name suggests, that appear as oval-shaped red pupils called "space eyes'' over their conventional two eyes. Using them, they can control computer systems and so on, and as such, rule the world by their superior power over technology. In this world, there is a young woman named Honoka; she is a "jack-of-all-trades" sellsword, and she accepts any job except murder. One day, she happens to find and rescue a young man named Ikus in the desert. Entering his world, and accepting a job from him, the adventure begins for Honoka and Ikus. We've seen enough episodic anime about bounty hunters... well, this is another one. And there are no worthy characters to save it either. Overall, neither good, nor bad anime. Overall Rating: 6/10 36. Nishi no Yoki Majo: Astraea Testament The Good Witch Of The West 西の善き魔女 Astraea Testament [Hal Film Maker] (Finished 1/13) Tags: Comedy, Drama, Fantasy, Mystery, Romance On Filiel's 15th birthday, she received her mother's necklace as a memento from her obstinate astronomer father. Her common and tedious life was turned into a life of conspiracies. With her new life, many adventures await. I can't say after single episode if it's reverse harem or not, but it totally feels like one with protagonist as princess and all kinds of bishounens hitting on her. This is as far as I'm willing to follow it. Overall Rating: 5/10 37. Ray The Animation [OLM] (Finished 1/13) Tags: Medical Drama, Romance, Sci-Fi If you have enough money, you can buy anything. So why wait for an organ you need to become available? Raised to be harvested for parts, Ray had already lost her eyes when renegade surgeon Black Jack rescued her. Now, ten years later, she has grown up to be a surgeon herself. And thanks to the unique artificial eyes she received as replacements, she has a reputation for performing incredible medical operations that no one else could even attempt. But unknown to any but a select few, her surgical endeavors are only part of a greater mission: to discover what happened to the other children she was raised with, and to find the men who stole the eyes she was born with and to bring them to justice. Come on, miraculous eyes is even worse than original Black Jack concept... Overall Rating: 5/10 38. Black Jack 21 ブラック・ジャック21 [Tezuka Productions] (Finished 1/17) Tags: Shounen Medical Action, Drama No direct-relation sequel to original Black Jack. Black Jack attempts to find out the conspiracy, of why he was involved in the bombfield accident that killed his mother, while he uncovers secrets of Organization and Project "Noir", which, his father and other famous doctors were involved in... It's still medical action, just with more detective mystery now involved... can't watch that either... Overall Rating: 5/10 39. Glass no Kantai: La Legende du Vent de l'Univers Glass Fleet ガラスの艦隊～La legende du vent de l'univers～ [Gonzo, Satelight] (Finished 4/24) Tags: Adventure, Sci-Fi The People's Army led by Michel stands against Vetti's newly founded empire. Upon seeing how strong the Glass Battleship is, Michel tries to get Cleo, the captain of the Glass Battleship, to help People's Army overthrow Vetti's empire. And together they fight against Vetti's empire. The space battle aspect is laughable, even worse than stratagems of Legend of the Galactic Heroes. There's more focus on small battles while on foot, yet can't call it outstanding either. The way story is told is deliberately simplified, even that pales in comparison with deliberate complexity in the Legend of the Galactic Heroes. Overall Rating: 6/10 40. IGPX: Immortal Grand Prix (2005) 2nd Season IGPX: Immortal Grand Prix Season 2 [Production I.G] (Finished 1/13) Tags: Mecha, Racing Action, Sci-Fi Team Satomi has just been deemed as the winners for the IG-2 lower league and now join the top IG-1 competition. But it's not going to be easy. Young pilots Takeshi, Liz, Amy, and River are going to have to be a team to be number 1, however one thing leads to another with these four. Most important of all, their opponents overwhelm Team Satomi in every aspect, including strategy and skill, as well as funding. One thing is for sure, this is not going to be an easy year for "Team Satomi." Sequel. Overall Rating: 5/10 41. Spider Riders: Oracle no Yuusha-tachi Spider Riders スパイダーライダーズ ～オラクルの勇者たち～ [Bee Train] (Finished 3/26) Tags: Mecha Action, Adventure Underneath the surface of the Earth lies the Inner World, a realm where a war rages on between intelligent spiders and the invading humanoid insects known as Insectors. However, the spiders are not alone, as "Spider Riders"—humans from the Outer World, known as Earthens in the Inner World, that are chosen by the Oracle—fight alongside them. Filled with wondrous tales of a mysterious pyramid and entrusted with his grandfather's journal, a young boy called Hunter Steele sets out on an exploration. There, his destined meeting with the Oracle occurs, and he is transported into the Inner World as a Spider Rider. Finding himself lost and confused in the middle of a forest, Hunter crosses paths with a giant spider named Shadow. Although reluctant, Shadow agrees to fight by his side. He then meets Corona—a skilled Spider Hunter and kind girl with a penchant for normal life. She shows him the ropes of being a Spider Rider, and educates him about the fate of the Inner World if the Insectors continue their tyrannical reign. Thus begins the story of Hunter Steele, a heedless young boy on a quest to save the Inner World. But his task of retrieving the four Oracle Keys holding the Oracle's true power will lead him to an ultimate clash against Mantid, leader of the Insectors. It has such primitive dialogues and characters that it must be made for kids only. Can't take it seriously at all. Overall Rating: 5/10 42. Yume Tsukai 夢使い [Madhouse] (Finished 3/12) Tags: Drama, Fantasy, Slice of Life When people dream, they express their utmost desires and emotions within the confines of their mind; but when their strong emotions cross the border into reality, the dream can turn into an uncontrollable nightmare. Touko and Rinko are sisters known as "yume tsukai" (dream users), and their job is to take care of these nightmares. Using toys as weapons, the girls must both destroy the nightmare and return the dream to its rightful owner before the nightmare does any sort of serious damage. Have no fear, Touko and Rinko are here! Episodic stories about unusual ghosts. Lighthearted and moderately amusing, but it will wear off memory same easy as it comes and flows. Overall Rating: 6/10 43. Love Get Chu [Radix] (Finished 11/25) Tags: Showbiz Comedy, Romance Five girls came to a training school to become voice actresses holding each thought in her mind. Momoko - she wanted to be a voice actress to meet her favorite voice actor. Rinka - she is an armature voice actress, but she didn't have special purpose to become voice actress. Yurika - she likes anime very much. Tsubasa - she was a girl in love, and acted only as a boy. Amane - she found a deadlock as a actress and tried to find another way. They managed to get over the difficulty to become voice actress although they couldn't perform as main characters yet. There is a love romance with a boy works for an anime company, and you can catch a glimpse of situations of anime industries. I was actually interested enough to go on, and the main problem here is length as there is not enough content for 25 episodes, and more and more ridiculous stories start to get inserted. It's actually masterpiece series with fillers and weird genre transformation, so feel free to try it. Overall Rating: 6/10 44. Sasami: Mahou Shoujo Club Sasami Magical Girls Club 砂沙美 -魔法少女クラブ- [AIC Spirits] (Finished 3/13) Tags: Mahou Shoujo, School Fantasy In this world lives a group of people who call themselves "Majo" or "Magical Girls." They hide their powers so as to assimilate into society. They have been living together in harmony with humans for many years, as had their predecessors long before them. Sasami has had magical powers since her birth. However, at the age of three, she was told by her parents never to use her innate powers, and from then on, she kept them secret. On the first day of a new school term, newly transferred teacher Wajuu arrives, and from then on, Sasami's life begins to change tremendously. I see it as Sasami plus Tenchi. First episodes were slow and tedious, and I don't see the core here. Overall Rating: 5/10 45. Gun-dou Musashi Gun Samurai GUN道 MUSASHI [ACC Production] (Finished 3/26) Tags: Samurai Adventure, Fantasy The war over control of a unified Japan, the Sengoku Era, is over and the Toyotomi army has won. Toyotomi has allowed his rival, Tokugawa, to live but since that final battle an evil ayakashi named Yasha reveals to Tokugawa that history says that he should have won the war instead of Toyotomi. Tokugawa agrees to the evil ayakashi power Yasha offers him, and the only person who can stop Tokugawa from ruling Japan and killing Princess Kaguya, who is the link to this alternate present, is Musashi Miyamoto, a young and brash man who follows the way of "Gun-do", which mixes together swordfighting with gunplay. Partially translated. Dueling on guns used as melee weapons is weird. Story is not going anywhere. Fighting action comes up constantly with no reason. It feels like a weird parody, but not a really a funny one. Overall Rating: 5/10 46. Rockman.EXE Beast+ ロックマンエグゼビースト+（プラス） [Xebec] (Finished 1/26) Tags: Shounen Mecha, Strategy Game Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi Beast+ continues from where Beast left off, though it is marketed as a stand-alone series. Episodes are reduced to approximately ten minutes in length, airing in the thirty minute time-slot Oha Coliseum alongside the Saru Getchu anime. Beast+ consists of a string of arcs beginning with the appearance of the Professor and Zero (both from Mega Man Network Transmission). Sure, why even bother making an opening for this crap already. Overall Rating: 4/10 47. Fushigiboshi no☆Futagohime Gyu! ふしぎ星の☆ふたご姫 [J.C.Staff, Hal Film Maker] (Finished 1/52) Tags: Mahou Shoujo Comedy, Fantasy Fine and Rein are sent to the Royal Wonder Academy on the Royal Wonder Planet in order to study to become better princesses. They plan to make many friends, but unfortunately, the competition and cold nature of the students and teachers make things impossible. The twins also become Universal Princesses when touching the legendary Soleil Bell, releasing two angels named Pyupyu and Kyukyu to help aid them. Unfortunately, an evil force manifested in a painting doesn't seem to be satisfied about the Universal Princesses... Sequel. Overall Rating: 5/10 48. Onegai My Melody: Kurukuru Shuffle! おねがいマイメロディ くるくるシャッフル！ [Studio Comet] (Finished 1/52) Tags: Comedy, Fantasy A continuation of Onegai My Melody. Sequel. Overall Rating: 5/10 49. Yoshinaga-sanchi no Gargoyle Gargoyle of Yoshinaga House 吉永さん家のガーゴイル [Studio Hibari] (Finished 3/13) Tags: Comedy, Fantasy, Slice of Life When Yoshinaga Futaba wins the first prize in a lottery, the prize turns out to be a stone gargoyle. More surprising yet, the gargoyle turns out to be alive. A decent nonsense comedy... with non-moving gargoyle statue as protagonist... It's random, but not excessively so even I can tolerate it, but not finding it super interesting as it's not funny, it's more like episodic jokes during some finished story inside episode where gargoyle usually fights some baddie. Just not to my taste. Overall Rating: 6/10 50. Iron Kid Eon Kid 아이언 키드 [Daewon Media] (Finished 1/26) Tags: Action, Adventure, Comedy, Sci-Fi In a futuristic world, young Marty stumbles upon a bionic arm which endows him with superhuman powers and put him at the centre of a centuries-old struggle between good and evil. His teenager heart will now begin a long-way training together with two loyal friends: Buttons, his robo-puppy, and the brave Ally. Korean childish action, now ugly 3D edition. Overall Rating: 5/10 51. Kakutou Bijin Wulong: Rebirth 格闘美神 武龍[ウーロン] REBIRTH [TMS Entertainment] (Finished 1/25) Tags: Seinen Martial Arts, School Action, Comedy Mao Lan continues growing into her path in life through what she learns while fighting. Her grandfather thinks that she has grown complacent and decides to train an adversary for her next Prime Mat appearance. Training with her friends and companions Mao Lan slowly advances through life. Sequel. Overall Rating: 6/10 52. Bakegyamon 妖逆門 [Radix] (Finished 1/51) Tags: Shounen Isekai, Mythology, Strategy Game Action, Fantasy Sanshirou's chances of having an adventure are slim to none in his tiny island hometown, until the day a mysterious stranger invites him to play a game... Without warning, Sanshirou is taken to a backwards universe to play BakéGyamon—a game pitting monsters against monsters. Along the way he meets other players who have a particular reason for being there—to obtain the wish that is granted to the winner. But how far can Sanshirou get when the monsters he's been paired with are a bunch of little mud balls?! Childish imitation of Yu-Gi-Oh monster duels. Overall Rating: 5/10 53. Himesama Goyoujin 姫様ご用心 [Bandai Visual] (Finished 3/12) Tags: Comedy Nomad Himeko is supposed to be a common high school student... until she happens to obtain a crown and she becomes a princess. Since then, Nana, the true princess, follows her around to take the crown back. In addition, Leslie and Caren, the thieves, appear to rob her of the crown, and her peaceful life turns into turmoil. Another random nonsense comedy, but again keeping inside some acceptable boundaries. I don't like humor here, but it's not the worst comedy to run at background. Overall Rating: 6/10 54. Ring ni Kakero 1: Nichibei Kessen-hen Ring ni Kakero 1 Episode: The Pacific War リングにかけろ1 日米決戦編 [Toei Animation] (Finished 1/12) Tags: Shounen Action, Sports Immediately after Ryuuji Takane won the Champion Carnival, the U.S. Junior Champion Black Shaft appeared, and challenged the best Japan has to offer, just before the World Tournament is about to happen. Now Ryuuji, Takeshi Kawai, Kazuki Shinatora, Ishimatsu Katori, and Superstar Jun Kenzaki have to prove to not only Black Shaft, but the world, that they are truly world-class boxers before the World Tournament starts. But Shaft is not recruiting boxers for his challenge, but instead gets a life-timer criminal from Death Row, the leader of the Great Angels, one of the toughest gangs in America, a mysterious woman, and the "Dark Emperor of the South". Also, Shaft negotiates with Don Juliano, the Italian Junior Champion, just in case... Sequel. Overall Rating: 5/10 55. Himitsukessha Taka no Tsume Eagle Talon 秘密結社 鷹の爪 [DLE] (Finished 0/11) Tags: Parody, Super Power Comedy Eagle Talon is a secret society based in Kojimachi, Tokyo. With plans for world domination, their attempts are continually foiled by Deluxe Fighter, the superhero who always manages to save the day. This comedy of their frivolous lives is definitely not to be missed! Not found. Overall Rating: 0/10 56. Yoshimune 吉宗 [AIC Spirits, Ginga Ya, Gonzino] (Finished 3/24) Tags: Historical Comedy Akubi-chan is a cute magical girl. She is good at magic, she can turn into any form by tapping a tambourine, and she can grant any dream or wishes. Usually, Akubi-chan is in a vase, but when Ruru-chan, the owner of the vase, yarns (akubi), Akubi-chan pops out of the vase. Ruru-chan is in the 1st grade in elementary school, but she is little precocious and loves secretly her classmate Itoshi-kun living next-door. Akubi-chan uses various magic to make them good friends, but she always fails. However, for her best friend Ruru-chan, Akubi-chan gets out of the vase and taps the tambaine to play Cupid. This one is actually more frivolous and random than I hoped it to be, so closer to average. Overall Rating: 5/10 57. Flag FLAG（フラッグ） [The Answer Studio] (Finished 13/13) Tags: Mecha, Military In 20xx, a civil war broke out in a small country in Asia in spite of the dispatch of UN forces. But a picture taken by accident in the battlefield accelerates the peace process: a photograph of a flag, which became the symbol of peace. However, just before the peace agreement is finalized, the flag is stolen by an armed extremist group in order to obstruct the truce. To rescue the flag, the UN sends the Special Development Command (SDC, which is armed with the High Agility Versatile Weapon Carrier (HAVWC)), along with an embedded photojournalist to record their activities. That photojournalist is Saeko Shirasu—the young camerawoman who took the picture of the flag. I refuse to call it animation and thus I've invented a new term for it - abruptation. There are a lot of still images with camera a bit shaking to imitate movement, there are also a load of photos made of absolutely everything so that for few seconds there was only still image. Add the fact that 3D is also used occasionally. Finally, even in rare moments of actual animation it's done through tiny window of camera with a lot of UI on top of it. The plot is journalist recording everything she sees... that's it. And it's not that it's something really interesting. I can understand the appeal of aesthetics and occasionally crafty dialogues and some social confrontation context, but that's not nearly enough, and visually it's a pure pain to watch. Overall Rating: 5/10 58. Hana no Kage Shadow of the Cherry Blossoms 花の翳 [-] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Historical, Mythology Drama, Romance In ancient Japan, a princess and her lover run away from their pursuers. When it became apparent that they would be caught, they vowed to commit suicide rather than have the princess return to her former life. Both of them took their blades to end their lives but something went wrong. Now one of them seeks revenge for being abandoned. Short simple Heian story with some horror element, nothing to brag about. Overall Rating: 5/10 59. Mitsu x Mitsu Drops Honey x Honey Drops 蜜×蜜ドロップス [Radix] (Finished 1/2) Tags: Shoujo School Drama, Romance Students at the Houjou academy are perfectly normal—except for those who take the Kuge course. This special course is reserved only for elite and rich students and their "honeys." Hagino Yuzuru enrolls in the course through Kai Renge, and she quickly regrets it. To become a honey, a student must get someone already in the Kuge course to sponsor her. Kai becomes Hagino's sponsor, getting her into the course and paying the price to cover it. But in return, Hagino must submit to him as her master, catering to his every whim. Hagino may have gotten herself into something she can't handle. But if she pulls out now, she gets expelled from the school. Can she make things work with Kai, or will she call it quits before he does something she'll regret? Naïve shoujo girl and weird cruel bishounens - everything is as I like it to such extent that won't even bother wasting time on second episode. Overall Rating: 5/10 60. Aachi wa Ssipak Aachi and Ssipak 아치와 씨팍 [Flatiron Film Company] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Action, Comedy After the world ran out of all traditional energy sources, only one remained—human excrement. To encourage citizens to produce as much waste as possible, the government implants a chip in the anus at birth, which provides citizens with "juicybars" every time it detects defecation. Juicybars are highly addictive narcotics that sometimes transform their users into mutant blue dwarfs with extreme constipation. These mutant addicts make up the "Diaper Gang," those who live underground and are focused on trying to obtain juicybars. Aachi and Ssipak are two small-time crooks who steal and sell juicybars to make it on the streets. When they meet a beautiful woman who has the anal chips of every Diaper Gang member implanted in her, producing dozens of juicybars with every dump, Aachi and Ssipak strike it rich. However, with both the government and the Diaper Gang on their tails, the two struggle to protect their newfound riches. My first impression - disgusting. It's basically collection of ultraviolence and SM "humor" with some dwelling into other fetish territories. Overall Rating: 5/10 61. Crayon Shin-chan Movie 14: Densetsu wo Yobu Odore! Amigo! 映画 クレヨンしんちゃん　伝説を呼ぶ　踊れ！アミーゴ！ [Shin-Ei Animation] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Seinen School Comedy, Slice of Life, Ecchi An action comedy film based on the "duplicating humans' invasion" setting derived from Jack Finney's Sci-Fi novel "The Body Snatchers", combining Sci-Fi horror-like story and dance (samba). An authority on biotechnology and a developer of "konjaclone" technology, Amigo Suzuki carries out "Transformation Plans for Samba World", in which he makes human clones using konjac as a material and makes them dance a samba. In Kasukabe city, people switch places with false ones who look just like the real persons. The Nohara family and the members of Kasukabe Defense Forces try to escape from Kasukabe with the help of a mystery beautiful girl Jacqueline Feeney (Jackie). There was already Shin-chan movie about impostors. This one is a more advanced version, plus there's this weird samba sidetracking, but it's not good enough. Overall Rating: 6/10 62. Hanare Toride no Yonna Yonna in the Solitary Fortress はなれ砦のヨナ [CoMix Wave Films] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Adventure, Fantasy Yonna and Stan, brother and sister, live in isolation because of their special powers. There are enigmatic people who plot to use their power, in conflict with the king`s government, which is also planning to draw them onto their side. Intrigue surrounds Yonna, and now a new agent comes to see her. Character designs are unusual, and not in a good way. 3D is mostly ok. Whole movie is basically confrontation of two mages, so no good story either. Girl's personality is quite horrible. There aren't really good sides here. Overall Rating: 5/10 63. Ginga Tetsudou no Yoru: Fantasy Railroad in the Stars 銀河鉄道の夜 -Fantasy Railroad in the Stars- [ KAGAYA Studio] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Drama, Fantasy, Mystery The Celestial Railroad is a fantastic journey of a boy, Giovanni, in a dreamscape created into a colorful full-dome CG animation picture with inspiring background music. Based on a story written in the early 20th century, KAGAYA, a digital fine artist, has breathed new life into the unique imaginary world using creativity and precise astronomical knowledge. The starry sky is depicted as the Celestial Field made up of a river, a field of silver grasses, flowers, birds, survey towers, railway signals and more. Across this amazing beautiful scenery, the Celestial Railroad runs along the Milky Way. Abstract random 3D is not the best way to tell a fairy tale story... 1985 version is still better. Overall Rating: 5/10 64. Tachiguishi Retsuden 立喰師列伝 [Production I.G] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Comedy, Gourmet Immediately following the end of the World War II, Tokyo was trying to emerge from the rubble. In a corner of the black market stood a flimsy soba (buckwheat noodle) eatery. It was a delicate time just before the closing. A man appeared at the threshold. "One moongaze (raw egg). With soba." This was none other than the legendary Fast Food Grifter known as Moongaze Ginji. His relentless scam quietly initiates. The time changes. In the midst of the first anti Japan-US Security Treaty movement (1960), the streets rumored about Foxy Croquette O-Gin, a beautiful lady Fast Food Grifter, who disappeared all of a sudden. Wandering the alleys in the years of the economic miracle was Crying Inumaru, the loser. Then came Cold Badger Masa, whose scandalous death made people aware of the presence of Fast Food Grifters within the Japanese society. Beefbowl Ushigoro put an end to a major gyudon (beef and rice bowl) restaurant chain. And it is not possible not to mention Hamburger Tetsu, who shocked the entire fast food industry. Fast Food Grifters are the phantoms that rise and fall with the shifting diet-styles. They are the dissenting heroes who carved their names on the dark side of dietary culture with their glare. Now their legend revives, strong as ever... First of all, it's not animation as real faces and often also bodies are used. Next, it's mostly black and white.... And if you read the synopsis, it gets obvious that comedy is not the strong side here. And since I don't see any strong sides here at all, it does not stand out for anything good. Overall Rating: 5/10 65. Yu Shi 雨石 [-] (Finished 0/1) Tags: Adventure, Drama, Romance - Not found. Overall Rating: 0/10

Ergo Proxy is my favorite anime of the past which is still a full head ahead of most anime, though I see its imperfection nowadays. I also see Fate/stay night and Hellsing Ultimate as minor masterpieces deserving a mention. 1. Fate/stay night [Studio Deen] (Finished 26/26) Tags: Action, Fantasy, Romance, Supernatural After a mysterious inferno kills his family, Shirou is saved and adopted by Kiritsugu Emiya, who teaches him the ways of magic and justice. One night, years after Kiritsugu's death, Shirou is cleaning at school, when he finds himself caught in the middle of a deadly encounter between two superhumans known as Servants. During his attempt to escape, the boy is caught by one of the Servants and receives a life-threatening injury. Miraculously, he survives, but the same Servant returns to finish what he started. In desperation, Shirou summons a Servant of his own, a knight named Saber. The two must now participate in the Fifth Holy Grail War, a battle royale of seven Servants and the mages who summoned them, with the grand prize being none other than the omnipotent Holy Grail itself. Fate/stay night follows Shirou as he struggles to find the fine line between a hero and a killer, his ideals clashing with the harsh reality around him. Will the boy become a hero like his foster father, or die trying? Another honorary masterpiece, as for me. It's good to know the story, and anime is more accessible than visual novel. Despite the schematic nature of the story with battle royale and generic names of servants, enough life and passion is poured in the contents. But second season of such battle royale or its spin-offs would look totally alien to me as meager attempts to parasite. Overall Rating: 7/10 2. Ergo Proxy エルゴプラクシー [Manglobe] (Finished 23/23) Tags: Psychological Mystery, Sci-Fi Within the domed city of Romdo lies one of the last human civilizations on Earth. Thousands of years ago, a global ecological catastrophe doomed the planet; now, life outside these domes is virtually impossible. To expedite mankind's recovery, "AutoReivs," humanoid-like robots, have been created to assist people in their day-to-day lives. However, AutoReivs have begun contracting an enigmatic disease called the "Cogito Virus," which grants them self-awareness. Re-l Mayer, the granddaughter of Romdo's ruler, is assigned to investigate this phenomenon alongside her AutoReiv partner, Iggy. But what begins as a routine investigation quickly spirals into a conspiracy as Re-l is confronted by humanity's darkest sins. Elsewhere in Romdo, an AutoReiv specialist by the name of Vincent Law must also face his demons when surreal events begin occurring around him. Re-l, Iggy, Vincent, and the child AutoReiv named Pino will form an unlikely faction as they struggle to uncover Romdo's mysteries and discover the true purpose of the mythical beings called "Proxies." I considered it to be not only perfect masterpiece, but also first suggestion for those who consider anime childish cartoons. Having rewatched it now, my eye finds quite a few imperfections and an unsatisfying Evangelion-like ending. I still love the characters, the style and those great filler episodes in the middle that aim to become the best filler episodes in the world. Yet the whole mystery concept and story are lacking on a larger scale. It's thought provoking all right, but imperfect, and I have a score exactly for such cases. Overall Rating: 9/10 3. Rec レック [Shaft] (Finished 9/9) Tags: Seinen Showbiz Comedy, Drama, Romance After being stood up for a movie date, marketing employee Fumihiko Matsumaru is about to throw away his tickets when he is stopped by a girl who implores him to let her accompany him instead. Thanks to his upbeat and eccentric companion Aka Onda, an aspiring voice actress, Fumihiko enjoys his evening. While walking home together, they find out that they live in the same neighborhood. Mere hours later, Fumihiko wakes up from a nightmare and hears sirens outside his window. Going outside to check the situation, he sees that Aka's apartment has burned down, along with all her possessions. Fumihiko invites the distressed Aka to stay at his place, leading to them sleeping together. In the aftermath of that fateful night, their personal and professional lives become inextricably intertwined. Not only do they begin living together platonically despite their one-night stand, they also discover that Aka will be voicing the mascot Fumihiko designed for his company's newest product. While trying to keep their live-in relationship under wraps for fear of scrutiny, the two begin to support each other throughout the difficulties in their respective careers. I've seen it twice now, and it's hard to distinguish it - it's weak as romance or comedy or drama. But as niche SOL it definitely loses to Genshike and even to Animation Runner Kuromi. It's a decent anime, but my tongue can't twist to call it a masterpiece. It comes as a light fling and goes without leaving memories. Overall Rating: 6/10 4. Hanbun no Tsuki ga Noboru Sora 半分の月がのぼる空 [Group TAC] (Finished 6/6) Tags: Comedy, Drama, Romance Group TAC After contracting hepatitis A, Ezaki Yuuichi has been confined to a hospital, away from his friends and family, much to his displeasure. To relieve his boredom, he has taken to sneaking out of the hospital, usually putting himself on the receiving end of a beating from his nurse. Upon meeting a girl his age also staying in the hospital, he is immediately captivated by her beauty. Akiba Rika's personality is not quite as captivating as her beauty however. In fact, she is rather selfish, moody, and bossy. But as the two spend more time with each other, they become closer, sharing the ordinary joys and trials of a budding teenage romance, even when darkened with impending tragedy—for Rika's condition does not leave her much longer to live. I can't stand all those stories about terminal stage of some illness. It's possible to make it work, but not this time as there is no magic in here. Overall Rating: 6/10 5. Ayakashi: Japanese Classic Horror 怪～ayakashi～ Japanese Classic Horror [Toei Animation] (Finished 1/11) Tags: Adult Cast, Historical Fantasy, Horror, Mystery A collection of three classic Japanese horror stories: "Yotsuya Kaidan", the story of a wife betrayed by her husband who seeks vengeance even in death. "Tenshu Monogatari", the story of forbidden love between a goddess and a human, and "Bakeneko", the story of a mysterious cat monster with a vendetta against a certain family. Nothing special, just Heian weird stuff. Overall Rating: 5/10 6. Major S2 メジャー (第2シリーズ) [Studio Hibari] (Finished 1/26) Tags: Shounen Team Sports Gorou Honda has finally returned to Mifune East Junior High School, surprising his friends upon arrival. Now, Gorou is once again surrounded by those he holds closest, and he strives to continue playing and enjoying the game he loves most. However, things do not go as planned, as Gorou is reminded of the harsh realities of baseball as he copes with an injury he sustained while playing baseball at Hitaka Little. Between new rivals, old friends, and mending broken relationships, Gorou must overcome challenges he has never faced before. His goal of attending elite baseball high school Kaido may not be far from his reach, but complicated circumstances may stop him in his tracks once again. How will he deal with the immense pressures of the game? And will he ever be able to find the type of baseball he loves most? Feels rather generic apart of cheeky brat protagonist. Overall Rating: 5/10 7. Amaenaide yo!! Katsu!! Ah My Buddha Katsu あまえないでよっ!! 喝!! [Studio Deen] (Finished 1/12) Tags: Seinen Harem Comedy, Romance, Supernatural, Ecchi In this sequel, a girl named Kazusano Kazuki joins up with the 6 girls and Ikko. With Kazuki around, Ikko will find himself in more embarrassing situations with these priestesses-in-training. The Buddhist perverts are back, can't say I'm happy about the fact. Overall Rating: 5/10 8. Kashimashi: Girl Meets Girl Girl Meets Girl かしまし〜ガール・ミーツ・ガール〜 [Studio Hibari] (Finished 3/12) Tags: Love Polygon, Magical Sex Shift, School Comedy, Drama, Girls Love, Romance Hazumu was a shy boy who enjoyed gardening, collecting herbs, and long walks in the mountains. One day he finally worked up the courage to confess his love to Yasuna, but she rejected him. Depressed, he wandered up Mt. Kashimayama, the place where they first met, to reconsider his feelings. After getting lost, he wished upon a shooting star and received a bizarre twist of fate. Now he is a she, and she stumbles headfirst back into social life and relationships only to find that the entire landscape has changed! Serious girls love drama is so weird, guess I need stronger comedy flavor to tolerate it. Overall Rating: 5/10 9. Magikano マジカノ [Tokyo Kids] (Finished 1/13) Tags: Shounen Harem Comedy, Fantasy, Romance Ayumi Mamiya is a witch cursed to lose her powers and only one boy can break the spell. Haruo Yoshikawa thinks he is a normal boy but unknown to him his three sisters have magical powers and keep him protected and ignorant about the existence of magic. Now Ayumi must wake up Haruo's latent powers to save herself but his sisters will have none of that. Another silly variation of Shuffle or something very close. Incredibly irritating as everything is wrong and cheesy here. Overall Rating: 5/10 10. Kage kara Mamoru! Guardian Ninja Mamoru 陰からマモル！ [Group TAC] (Finished 2/12) Tags: Comedy, Romance Kagemori Mamoru is a dowdy boy whose hair is disheveled and who wears thick glasses, but he is actually the son of a ninja family. They have protected their neighbors, the Konnyaku family, secretly for 400 years. Mamoru has personally protected their daughter, Konnyaku Yuuna, since they were in kindergarten. When Yuuna is in trouble, Mamoru puts on ninja suit and turns into a competent ninja to help her. Another silly comedy, but at least watchable and just having specific humor which is still not to my liking. Actually, can't remember any ninja related anime that I'd really like. Overall Rating: 6/10 11. Yomigaeru Sora: Rescue Wings よみがえる空 -Rescue Wings- [J.C.Staff] (Finished 2/12) Tags: Adult Cast, Military, Workplace Drama Kazuhiro Uchida is transferred to a rescue centre located in a small town while training to become a fighter pilot. Initially, Kazuhiro thinks negatively about his new occupation, due to the difficult missions and the harsh discipline he receives from his seniors. However, over the course of his training, he begins to accept the job for what it is and becomes a true member of the rescue force. Just SOL about niche occupation. I more or less could understand if it was about a girl, but in the current state I fail to understand motivation to watch it as there's no story, no comedy, no heartwarming, no sophisticated drama... show like this can be shot about any occupation, and I just would not want to watch such shows. Overall Rating: 6/10 12. Futari wa Precure: Splash☆Star ふたりはプリキュア Splash☆Star [Toei Animation] (Finished 2/49) Tags: Mahou Shoujo Action, Comedy, Fantasy During the summer festival five years ago, two girls met at a mysterious tree and saw two glowing spheres. Now, these two girls--Saki Hyuuga, ace pitcher on the school softball team; and Mai Mishou, who prefers sketching over stargazing--are chosen by the spirits of flowers (Flappy) and birds (Choppy) to restore the Seven Fountains and save their worlds from Dark Autumn. Together, they are the NEW Pretty Cure. Spin-off. I liked down to earth parts more. First episodes are just fantasy fighting ridiculous opponents, but I guess school comes back later. Overall Rating: 6/10 13. Binchou-tan びんちょうタン [Studio Deen] (Finished 2/12) Tags: Iyashikei Comedy This is a story about a little girl who lives in an old house in the mountains. Her name is Bincho-tan. Each episode depicts a day in the life of Bincho-tan as she prepares her breakfast in the morning, goes to the forest to gather vegetables, does her household chores and rests at night after a day's work. She is surrounded by a group of close friends who add color to her ordinary yet simple life. Cute blobs do their cute stuff. And that's not bad, it fulfils relaxation role ok if you come here for it. But if you're in for the story... I have bad news for ya. Overall Rating: 6/10 14. Tactical Roar タクティカルロア [Actas] (Finished 1/13) Tags: Military Comedy, Romance, Sci-Fi In the near future the world's climate shifted creating in the Western Pacific a perpetual super cyclone: the Grand Roar that altered the earth, flooding most countries. Shipping and navigation became important to nations and following the appearance of ocean pirates, necessisated companies to hire escort cruisers to safeguard their investments. Hyousuke Nagimiya is a system engineer that was comissioned to upgrade the Pascal Magi manned by an entire crew of women with its captain, Misaki Nanaha. Together the crew strives to prove themselves to their detractors that they are no mere 'Alice Brand'. Yet as they go about their mission a larger global conspiracy seems to be working behind the scenes to take advantage of this new world order. It's goofy ecchi comedy with poor parody-like characters and situations. Its SOL part is plain and bad, but the tactical dimension in the second episode failed to impress either. Overall Rating: 5/10 15. Nerima Daikon Brothers 練馬大根ブラザーズ [Studio Hibari] (Finished 1/12) Tags: Music Comedy In the town of Nerima, the boisterous Hideki and his stoic brother Ichiro run a daikon radish farm along with Mako, their bubbly but vain cousin. The three dream of raising the money needed to build their own concert hall, where their band—Nerima Daikon Brothers—would perform and hopefully rise to stardom. But their farm and Ichiro's host club job aren't raising money fast enough for their liking, leading them to resort to get-rich-quick schemes. Their plans usually involve tracking down evil-doers and then stealing their ill-gotten gains. Yet, while they usually do put a stop to the villains, they always end the day no richer than before. However, neither these failures nor interference from the policewoman Yukika Karakuri can come between this trio and their dream! With help from gadgets provided by the rental shop owner Nabeshin, the Nerima Daikon Brothers get themselves into and out of all kinds of ridiculous situations through their boisterous singing and comedy. Nonsense weird comedy that constantly bursts into couple phrases sung, then continues as usual. I guess it can be entertaining on some level, but definitely not for me. Overall Rating: 5/10 16. Kagi Hime Monogatari: Eikyuu Alice Rondo Eternal Alice 鍵姫物語 永久アリス輪舞曲 [Trinet Entertainment, Picture Magic] (Finished 1/13) Tags: Mahou Shoujo Fantasy Average high school student Aruto Kirihara is obsessed with the Alice stories, written in this alternate world by the enigmatic recluse, Alternite L. Tachyon. One night, while writing his own version of a potential "third book," he sees a girl flying in front of a full moon... and she looks just like the "Alice" in his imagination. Aruto runs out of his house and chases the flying figure from the ground, ending up at a library, where he witnesses her in combat with another costumed girl. And so begins his sudden introduction to the world of Alices, an elite club of super-powered teenage girls who regularly fight in an extra-dimensional Wonderland in order to steal each other's "hidden stories." When all of the stories have been gathered, they will form the legendary third volume, "Eternal Alice," and the possessor will be granted one wish. It probably won't be Aruto, who can't turn into a magical girl. But it could be his doting little sister, Kiraha. Or maybe the girl of his dreams, Arisu... All this Alicization is so silly that I'm going to drop it after a single episode again as there's only averageness and zero potential. Overall Rating: 5/10 17. Lemon Angel Project レモン エンジェル プロジェクト [Radix] (Finished 3/13) Tags: Idols (Female), Music Drama Lemon Angel was once the greatest girl band of Japan, but then it broke up and most of its members vanished. When a music producer decides to put together a new Lemon Angel, average high schooler Tomo Minaguchi is approached to audition for the group. Little does she know of the mystery behind the original Lemon Angel... This is a stereotypical idol project with super good and super evil guys, as well as rather boring idols themselves. And it's probably the first case when I hate voice acting of protagonist so much as voice is absolutely plain from a typical Japanese in real life. Also this total clutz characteristic adds irritation. Production is above average, so it can be slightly enjoyed if you already have idol affinity. But it's best to avoid it completely and stick to better representatives of the genre. Overall Rating: 6/10 18. Ginyuu Mokushiroku Meine Liebe Wieder 吟遊黙示録マイネリーベ ヴィーダー [Bee Train] (Finished 1/13) Tags: Shoujo Drama, Fantasy The Strahl candidates are enjoying a brief holiday in their various homes. However, many surprises await them when they finally come back to their elite boarding school: Rosenstolz Academy. There is a new headmaster, and his policies are not necessarily to the advantage of the main characters. Sequel. Overall Rating: 5/10 19. Kinnikuman II Sei: Ultimate Muscle 2 キン肉マンII世 ULTIMATE MUSCLE 2 [Toei Animation] (Finished 1/13) Tags: Combat Sports, Martial Arts Action, Comedy, Sci-Fi, Sports Mantaro has made it to the semifinal match of the Chojin Cup. He must now fight Ricardo in a soccer field to advance to the last match. Kevin Mask is also in the semifinals, and must defeat Ilioukhine in an aerial field to advance. These three matches will determine who wins the Chojin Cup. Continuation. Overall Rating: 5/10 20. Papillon Rose パピヨンローゼ [Studio Kelmadick] (Finished 2/6) Tags: Mahou Shoujo, Parody Comedy, Ecchi The story takes place one year after the OVA. Because of the previous war, Kabucki-cho was devastated, and the owner abandoned his lingerie pub, "Pallion," and opened "New Papillion" in Akihabara. During the war, Tsubomi, and her colleagues Anne and Shizuku lost their memories, and they began new lives in Akihabara. On the other hand, the Susano, aliens who were invading the Earth, appeared. They turned a UMA (Unidentified Mysterious Animal) into a monster and make it raid on Akihabara. Rama the cat made Tsubomi and her buddies retrieve their memories, and let them fight against the monster as Lingerie Soldiers. Pure averageness with some parody stupidity added. Overall Rating: 5/10 21. Youkai Ningen Bem (2006) Humanoid Monster Bem 妖怪人間ベム [Studio Comet] (Finished 1/26) Tags: Mythology Horror, Supernatural The plot of the series revolves around three youkai, Bem, Bera and Barro, who arrive at a large coastal city and come across an evil atmosphere, which was brought about by immoral behavior by humans and mischief caused by monsters and youkai. They therefore decide to stay in the city, fighting against other monsters and yōkai which attack humans, making a few friends in the way. Even though the three youkai are often abused by other human beings due to their appearance, they still strive in protecting the human populace of the city from other monsters, one day hoping to become human beings in return for their good actions. I'm usually against resurrections of old franchises as in most cases they are too morally old despite any visual upgrades. Good only to get acquainted with classics without torturing the eyes. Overall Rating: 5/10 22. Rakugo Tennyo Oyui 落語天女おゆい [TNK] (Finished 2/12) Tags: Historical, Performing Arts Comedy Five girls including Yui Tsukishima were summoned into the end of Edo period by the power of mystic stones jewel (known as Hojous'). They became the current Tennyo replacing the previous Tennyo who fell in battle. Through the use of their powers, and "the Power of Word," they fight back the two demon brothers who sought to destroy humankind, using the powers they've gained. This story is about a true to life Rakugo Storyteller (named Utamaru Katsura) who wants nothing more then to make Yui (a very happy cheerful girl) an capable professional in the "art of Rakugoing." In otherwords, a comedy, with a punchline told in a story. There are quite a few decent anime about girls impersonating warriors during Warring states or Edo period. This is not one of them. Overall Rating: 5/10 23. Xingji Biaoche Wang Galaxy Racers 星际飙车王 [-] (Finished 1/52) Tags: Racing Action, Adventure Set in the future on the Yellow River Planet, the realm of car racing has advanced beyond Formula One - into the domain of the Galaxy Racers. Riders steer their simulator-racers which remotely control the actual customized speedsters hurtling around a track. The hero, a teenager named Roy, was born to race and aspires to be the King of Galaxy Racers. But his guardian, his grandfather, sees a threat from and great danger in the evil and greedy Taz, the CEO of the Titan Space Navigation Auto Group which seeks to swallow or destroy all competitors, and whose Mosha Racing Team would just as ruthlessly run over and crush Roy under its thundering wheels. He arranges for him to join the good guys in the Matela Racing Team to race for the highest honors. Many years ago, Ray’s father, Dr Renault, worked for the Titan Group and he invented the Galaxy Racers but he was against CEO Taz’s destructive greed. He tries to escape - and disappears! Monopolizing the technology and construction of the Racers, Taz, the Titan Group and Mosha Racing Team swallowed, crushed and beat all rival companies, racers and teams. Desperately, Ray’s grandfather uses a secret design hidden by Dr Renault from Taz and builds for him a superior racer, The Lion King. But he has first to learn the skills and garner experience from racing at the highest levels. To acquire these qualities plus humility and resilience, he relies on his Matela friends who have their own cool cars, to help him. But arrayed against them are the Mosha baddies and their menacing machines. In a series of hair-raising and nail-biting races with thrills & spills, growling engines, screeching wheels, burning rubber, smashing metal against metal, intense bitter rivalry, persevering friendships & loyalties forged in grueling teamwork and battle, Ray and Team Matela must conquer their fears and overcome the arrogant and powerful Team Mosha which uses cheating as a winning strategy. Will justice prevail or evil triumph? Find out on The Galaxy Racers on a track near you! Chinese. Childish. SPEED racing. Using horrendous 3D animation. Overall Rating: 4/10 24. Meng Li Ren The Dreaming Girl 夢裡人 [Drama] (Finished 0/1) Tags: - Not found. Overall Rating: 0/10 25. Hellsing Ultimate HELLSING OVA [Madhouse, Satelight, Graphinica] (Finished 10/10) Tags: Seinen Adult Cast, Gore, Military, Vampire Action, Horror, Supernatural There exist creatures of darkness and evil that plague the night, devouring any human unfortunate enough to be caught in their grasp. On the other side is Hellsing, an organization dedicated to destroying these supernatural forces that threaten the very existence of humanity. At its head is Integra Fairbrook Wingates Hellsing, who commands a powerful military and spends her life fighting the undead. Integra's vast army, however, pales in comparison with her ultimate weapon: the vampire Alucard, who works against his own kind as an exterminator for Hellsing. With his new vampire servant, Seras Victoria, at his side, Alucard must battle not only monsters, but all those who stand to oppose Hellsing, be they in the guise of good or evil. In a battle for mankind's survival, Hellsing Ultimate proves that appearances are not all they may seem, and sometimes the greatest weapon can come in the form of one's worst nightmare. As I see it, OVA allows episodes of any length, usually guarantees visual improvements and is free from restrictions such as on gore. I see OVA as glamourized version, bringing both positive and negative sides to extremes, thus it's called Ultimate. And in return it loses the innate charm of the original. Since I don't care about coolness and flashy stuff, I prefer original, and OVA is only a secondary product for me, so it's only natural that it gets a lower score. It was important to popularize anime world-wide back then, but story is told much better in original, as for me. Overall Rating: 7/10 26. Dai Mahou Touge Magical Witch Punie-Chan 大魔法峠 [Diomedéa] (Finished 4/4) Tags: Gag Humor, Mahou Shoujo Comedy, Fantasy, Supernatural Punie is next in line to become queen of Magical Land. However, she must spend a year on Earth before she can inherit the throne, so she transfers into a school in Japan. She's usually a sweet and gentle girl... that is unless someone does something to displease her, then she'll drop the act. She won't hesitate to whip out her magic stick and cheerfully rain bloody destruction down on the hapless fool, or barring that, simply use wrestling moves she calls "Submission" to punish them. Accompanied by her animal mascot Paya-tan, who makes regular attempts on her life (still bitter about being defeated and then forcibly recruited from Waku Waku Mascot Village), and forced to fend off random attacks by various people from her Kingdom who all have different reasons for wanting her dead, she must complete this year of training on Earth without fail. I dislike parodies as a genre. This one is on the better end, but I still can't appreciate its weird humor and randomness. Overall Rating: 6/10 27. Kyou no 5 no 2 Today in Class 5-2 今日の５の２[Shinkuukan, Lilix] (Finished 4/4) Tags: Seinen School Comedy, Ecchi Kyou no Go no Ni revolves around Sato Ryota, a 5th grader in an elementary school. He is a bright and active boy but always manages to get in to a bit of ecchi trouble with his female classmates. A lot depends on whether you can stand multiple sketch shows or not as each episode has some four 5-minute sketches like in Azumanga. Basically, if all sketches were split into individual short episodes, I'd even skip this in entirety. Not finding these sketches with ecchi context any fun. Overall Rating: 6/10 28. Ar Tonelico: Sekai no Owari de Utai Tsuzukeru Shoujo アルトネリコ 世界の終わりで詩い続ける少女 [Trans Arts] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Sci-Fi Based on the RPG game of the same name. Aurica Nestmile is a young Reyvateil, or "singing maiden" who feels her song magic is not of much use to anyone. From high up on the tower Ar Tonelico comes Lyner Barsett, whose airship is totaled upon impact with the ground. These two meet up, and in the search for someone who can repair the ship, end up helping both each other and themselves. 20-minute promo, so can't be treated seriously. Overall Rating: 5/10 29. Sin in the Rain [Mook Animation] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Mystery It is raining in Tokyo at night. A woman, named Kimura Yu, is caught in the rain. She has had lots of trauma in her life, because her parents were killed, and to make things worse she experiences another tragedy, her reliable councilor, Kanzaki, is killed. But Yu is "saved" by a mysterious detective named Takamizawa Kyosuke. I only have one word to say. Why? Overall Rating: 5/10 30. Memories Off #5 Togireta Film The Animation Memories Off #5 とぎれたフィルム THE ANIMATION [Doga Kobo] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Drama, Romance Kawai Haruto belongs to a cinema club to realize his dream to make his own movie. But he is losing his passion of the movie because Hina Yusuke, his best friend as well as a good rival, died suddenly last year. One day, he meets Sendo Mahiro. She asks him to make a movie with her. Also she says that she was at the place where Yusuke died, and that he died because of her. On the other hand, Yusuke’s little sister Hina Asuka blames him for killing her brother. Necrophilia has taken place of love triangle as main theme in memories off series. Without brilliant execution it reeks of fake. Overall Rating: 5/10 31. Cream Lemon: New Generation くりぃむレモン ニュージェネレーション [Radix] (Finished 4/4) Tags: Drama, Romance A remake of the old Cream Lemon OVA series. I was surprised to find it not in Hentai, and it indeed does not belong there. It's basically same episodic hentai fantasy stories as in older prequels, but without the H part itself. Corny innuendo is fine, but guess it was not as popular as it's the last part of the series. Overall Rating: 5/10 32. Haru no Ashioto The Movie: Ourin Dakkan はるのあしおと The Movie - 桜鈴奪還 [Asahi Production] (Finished 1/1) Tags: School Action, Comedy One day the else so peaceful mood in the Ourin Gakuen suddenly changes. Kusunoki-sensei, the so-called subheroine, along with most of the students takes over the school after a coup d'état. The principal is beaten and now it`s up to Yuu Sakurano, Yuzuki Kaede and Nagomi Fujikura to take back the school from her and return it to the former peaceful days. This is the start of a full-scale war, one that this school has never seen before. A hectic mess. Overall Rating: 5/10 33. Giniro no Kami no Agito Origin: Spirits of the Past 銀色の髪のアギト [Gonzo] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Adventure, Drama, Fantasy, Romance, Sci-Fi Three hundred years ago, a genetic experiment gone wrong caused the mutation of all forests on Earth. Armed with consciousness, the vegetation sought to destroy all of humankind, and the war that ensued turned the planet into a hellish dystopia. In the present day, Agito, a young boy, lives with his father in Neutral City—a village maintaining an uneasy truce with the neighboring forest. One day, Agito, on his way to collect water, becomes separated from his friend and stumbles upon a relic of the past: a girl sleeping in a mysterious machine. Agito awakens the girl, Toola Cm Sacl, and introduces her to the village. But outside forces have ulterior motives for the girl, who holds the key to restore the Earth. Misguided by Shunack, a soldier from the old world hellbent on destroying the forest, Toola follows him despite Agito's warning. Determined to save Toola and unify humankind with the forest, Agito borrows the power of the forest and pursues her. Another post-apocalypse and confrontation between nature and technology. But accent is on constant running and jumping rather than on the story or characters, so it's so-so even despite high overall quality. Overall Rating: 6/10

Shakugan no Shana deserves a honorary mention. 1. Mushishi Mushi-Shi 蟲師 [Artland] (Finished 2/26) Tags: Seinen Adult Cast, Historical, Iyashikei Adventure, Fantasy, Mystery, Slice of Life, Supernatural "Mushi": the most basic forms of life in the world. They exist without any goals or purposes aside from simply "being." They are beyond the shackles of the words "good" and "evil." Mushi can exist in countless forms and are capable of mimicking things from the natural world such as plants, diseases, and even phenomena like rainbows. This is, however, just a vague definition of these entities that inhabit the vibrant world of Mushishi, as to even call them a form of life would be an oversimplification. Detailed information on Mushi is scarce because the majority of humans are unaware of their existence. So what are Mushi and why do they exist? This is the question that a "Mushishi," Ginko, ponders constantly. Mushishi are those who research Mushi in hopes of understanding their place in the world's hierarchy of life. Ginko chases rumors of occurrences that could be tied to Mushi, all for the sake of finding an answer. It could, after all, lead to the meaning of life itself. Tried it several times, but this slow-paced bore about spirits can only help fall asleep, as for me. Overall Rating: 6/10 2. Shakugan no Shana Shakugan no Shana: Season I 灼眼のシャナ [J.C.Staff] (Finished 24/24) Tags: Mahou Shoujo, School Action, Drama, Fantasy, Romance The world has become a slaughtering ground for the Crimson Denizens, mysterious beings from a parallel universe who thrive on the life energy of humans. These merciless murderers only leave behind scant remainders of souls called "Torches," which are mere residues that will eventually be destroyed, along with the very fact of the victims' existence from the minds of the living. In an ambitious endeavor to put an end to this invisible, hungry massacre, warriors called Flame Hazes relentlessly fight these monsters. One fateful day, Yuuji Sakai ceases to be a regular high schooler—he becomes trapped in a crevice of time and is suddenly attacked by a Denizen. Coming to his rescue just in the nick of time is a nameless hunter who seems no different from an ordinary young girl except for her blazing eyes and burning crimson hair. However, before Yuuji can learn anything more about his situation, he discovers that he has already been reduced to a Torch—merely a scrap of memory waiting to be extinguished. It was definitely a hit when it came out, but nowadays can only give it honorary masterpiece as it falls short in comparison with modern anime even though Shana as character still stands out well. Overall Rating: 7/10 3. Blood+ ブラッドプラス [Production I.G] (Finished 4/50) Tags: Gore, Military, Vampire Action, Drama, Horror, Mystery, Supernatural Saya Otonashi is a seemingly ordinary girl living a mundane life with her adoptive family in Okinawa City. In fact, her only peculiarities are suffering from anemia and being unable to remember any of her life beyond the previous year. However, Saya's forgotten past quickly comes back to haunt her—one night, she is attacked at school by a creature that feeds on human blood. Just when all hope seems lost, a mysterious man named Haji appears and fends off the creature temporarily. But when her rescuer forces her to drink his blood, Saya suddenly enters a trance and slays the monster with ease, using her own blood as a catalyst. Saya then learns of an organization named Red Shield, founded for the sole purpose of defeating the hellish beasts. Now Saya and Haji must work together with Red Shield to fight these fearsome monsters and unlock the secrets to the girl's past. We've seen Blood in its prime in the movie, and series is a very slow prequel, and by the end of the 4th episode even prologue is not finished yet, and no real interest to watch it further. Overall Rating: 6/10 4. Jigoku Shoujo Hell Girl 地獄少女 [Studio Deen] (Finished 4/26) Tags: Psychological Horror, Mystery, Supernatural It is said that if someone seeks revenge, they should dig two graves—and this is especially true of those who use the Hell Correspondence website. At the stroke of midnight, this ominous web domain becomes accessible, and whoever inputs the name of their grudge will get a visit from Ai Enma, the Hell Girl. Ai explains that she will send the target's soul to hell, but the requester will also end up in hell when they die. For some, that price is far too steep; for others, where they will spend their afterlife has no bearing on their current, day-to-day hell. But one thing is certain: the Hell Girl will always be available to those in need of revenge, while she stoically performs her duty of ferrying souls into the darkness. Again, a combination of things I dislike. Just immature revenge stories, as for me. Overall Rating: 5/10 5. Black Cat (TV) ブラックキャット [Gonzo] (Finished 3/23) Tags: Shounen Super Power Adventure, Comedy, Sci-Fi Completing every job with ruthless accuracy, Train Heartnet is an infamous assassin with no regard for human life. Donning the moniker "Black Cat" in the underground world, the elite killer works for the powerful secret organization known only as Chronos. One gloomy night, the blasé gunman stumbles upon Saya Minatsuki, an enigmatic bounty hunter, and soon develops an odd friendship with her. Influenced by Saya's positive outlook on life, Train begins to rethink his life. Deciding to abandon his role as the Black Cat, he instead opts to head down a virtuous path as an honest bounty hunter. However, Chronos—and particularly Creed Diskenth, Train's possessive underling—is not impressed with Train's sudden change of heart and vows to resort to extreme measures in order to bring back the emissary of bad luck. This assassin turned "stray cat" can only wander so far before the deafening sound of gunfire rings out. A normal bounty hunter story, not particularly interesting though. It's time to move away from episodic stuff to actual stories already. Overall Rating: 6/10 6. Paradise Kiss [Madhouse] (Finished 1/12) Tags: Josei School, Visual Arts Drama, Romance On her way home from school, Yukari Hayasaka is approached by a weird-looking guy who starts looking at her body intently. He's got blond spiky hair, a spiked choker, and multiple piercings on his ears and face. She wants nothing to do with him, and runs away, only to bump into a very tall and beautiful purple-haired woman with a flower pattern around her eye. Yukari faints from shock and wakes up later in a strange place called the Atelier. It turns out that these strangers are fashion designers who attend the most famous art school around, Yazawa Art Academy, and their group wants Yukari to model for their brand in Yazawa Academy's upcoming show. Yukari turns down their offer and escapes the Atelier, but unknowingly leaves her school ID behind. George Koizumi, the head designer, later sees it and immediately knows she would be the perfect model for them and will not stop until he gets what he wants—and he wants her. Yukari had never considered something as frivolous as modeling before, but could life among these eccentric designers actually prove to be fun? Or will Yukari lose herself in this world of art and passion? Can't stand shoujo about fashion, but for those who like Nana it should be a natural choice. Overall Rating: 5/10 7. Karin かりん [J.C.Staff] (Finished 3/24) Tags: Shounen School, Vampire Comedy, Romance, Supernatural Vampires—supernatural beings that feed on the life essence of the unsuspecting at night—have been around for centuries. However, high schooler Karin Maaka is unusual, even among her own kind. Unlike her vampire family, ever since she was a child, Karin has suffered from polycythemia: a rare disorder which causes her to periodically produce excessive amounts of blood. And the more blood she produces, the more anemic and lightheaded she gets, ultimately leading to frequent nosebleeds. Her only solution? Force her excess blood onto random strangers, which surprisingly causes these "victims" to become livelier and happier than before. With her siblings—Anju, her reserved yet affectionate younger sister, and Ren, her womanizing elder brother—helping her abilities remain a secret by altering the affected humans' memories, no one is the wiser. That is, until Karin's newly transferred classmate, Kenta Usui, finds her behavior suspicious. And to make matters even more complicated, Karin feels her blood reacting unusually to Kenta's presence. Slow-paced comedy about vampire girl nosebleed. No essence or good story, as usual - only setting exploration. Overall Rating: 6/10 8. Aria the Animation [Hal Film Maker] (Finished 1/13) Tags: Shounen Iyashikei Fantasy, Sci-Fi, Slice of Life Drift peacefully into Neo Venezia, a city on the planet Aqua (formerly known as Mars). By the 24th century, humans have found a way to colonize the previously uninhabitable planet. As futuristic as that sounds, Neo Venezia is still teeming with rustic beauty; gondolas on wide canals and waterways are the main mode of transportation. The city itself is a faithful replication of Manhome's (the planet formerly known as Earth) Venice. To make sure that residents and tourists alike get the most from Neo Venezia's many wonders, companies offering guided tours via gondola were formed, one of which is named Aria Company. This is the workplace of Akari Mizunashi, a free spirited teenager from Manhome who is now a novice Undine (the title given to tour guides). Join Akari as she becomes intimately acquainted with other Undine, tourists, Neo Venezia's residents, and even the city itself, learning many valuable life lessons along the way, such as the wonderful truth that there are such things as manmade miracles. The fact that it's based on a simulation game does not leave much room for experiment - just some similar girls look to become best undines and build and cook stuff better. Whatever. Overall Rating: 5/10 9. Rozen Maiden: Träumend ローゼンメイデン トロイメント [Nomad] (Finished 1/12) Tags: Seinen Action, Comedy, Drama As the story of Rozen Maiden closes, a new chapter begins in Rozen Maiden: Träumend. Shinku and the other sentient dolls of the Rozen Maiden collection are living life as usual at Jun Sakurada's house. Having settled into his role as Shinku's partner in the deadly Alice Game, Jun overcomes his former fears and prepares to return to school. And although Shinku and the other dolls idly pass the days by in the comfort of Jun's home, dark times lie ahead as a new foe presents herself: Barasuishou, the seventh Rozen Maiden. But Barasuishou is a mystery even to her sisters, none of whom have ever laid eyes on her until now. Shinku considers this a sign that the Alice Game is coming to an end, meaning the dolls will soon be forced to fight one another. Haunted by the upcoming battle and nightmares concerning another doll, Shinku begins distancing herself from the others. If she wishes to claim victory, it will come at a high cost—the lives of her sisters. Nothing to do here without liking the prequel. The flow is more or less the same, plus more focus on battles between dolls. Overall Rating: 6/10 10. Touhai Densetsu Akagi: Yami ni Maiorita Tensai Akagi 闘牌伝説アカギ　闇に舞い降りた天才 [Madhouse] (Finished 17/26) Tags: Seinen Adult Cast, High Stakes Game, Organized Crime, Psychological, Strategy Game Suspense While mahjong is a game that is often played with family and friends, it is also a game that is played in the darkest corners of society. Nangou is a compulsive gambler who has accumulated debt over three million yen. In a last ditch attempt to clear his record, he decides to wager his life on a game of mahjong with the mafia. Unfortunately, as the game progresses, Nangou only moves further from the prize and closer to death. When all hope seems lost, the game parlor is suddenly intruded upon by Shigeru Akagi, a young boy on the run from the police. Desperate to turn the game around, Nangou hands the game over to Akagi after teaching him a few of the rules. The mafia can only smirk as Akagi sits down to play. However, they soon come to learn that Akagi is a natural-born gambler. An imposing figure who does not fear death. One who is destined to become a legend. Kaiji had a great impression on me when I first watched it, but Akagi is all about mahjong which is alien to me. The tension is there, but target audience seems to be narrow. Overall Rating: 6/10 11. Noein: Mou Hitori no Kimi e Noein: to your other self ノエイン もうひとりの君へ [Satelight] (Finished 3/24) Tags: Adventure, Drama, Sci-Fi During their last summer of elementary school, four friends decide to undertake a test of courage at their local graveyard. Before the test begins, Haruka Kaminogi makes a last effort to pull Yuu Gotou away from his controlling mother. While doing so, Haruka suddenly has a strange vision of blue snow followed by the appearance of an imposing silver-haired man. Later, a similar vision occurs at the graveyard to both Haruka and her friends before they try to escape what they assume are ghosts. Unbeknownst to the children, the people who appeared before them are Dragon Soldiers: an elite military group from a dimension known as La'cryma. The soldiers have traveled to this dimension to secure the "Dragon Torque"—an entity they believe to be their last hope for survival. However, both the Dragon Soldiers and Haruka are shocked to learn that the Dragon Torque is Haruka herself. She attempts to escape from the Dragon Soldiers as she finds her own last ray of hope—the strange silver-haired man who claims to be another version of Yuu himself. Time loop, quantum mechanics, Schrodinger cat are referenced here for the first time in anime, at least with such depth, but with lousy execution. Pace is very slow. It's mostly SOL with occasional battles. Art and characters are unimpressive. So it all depends on whether you watched Steins Gate and similar works before or not, because comparison is not in favor of Noein. Overall Rating: 6/10 12. Mahou Shoujo Lyrical Nanoha A's Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha A's 魔法少女リリカルなのは エース [Seven Arcs] (Finished 3/13) Tags: Mahou Shoujo, Super Power Action, Comedy, Drama After solving the incident of the scattered Jewel Seeds, Nanoha Takamachi happily returns to her everyday life, though now with added magic practice in the morning. Exchanging video messages with Fate Testarossa and the crew of the Arthra, Nanoha eagerly awaits the chance to speak with them in person again. But while studying in her room one day, Raising Heart suddenly calls out to Nanoha and warns her of an incoming attack! The attacker is a young girl named Vita, who calls herself a Belka Knight. She proves her strength by using an intelligent device with a mysterious cartridge system to quickly overwhelm Nanoha. Luckily, the Space-Time Administration Bureau is able to step in before she is completely crushed. Vita and her fellow knights Shamal, Signum, and Zafila are on a mission to steal magical power from mages in order to complete the Book of Darkness, one of the Lost Logia. For what sinister purpose are the knights after this Book of Darkness? Decent battle mahou shoujo, but obviosly need to finish original to appreciate sequel. Overall Rating: 6/10 13. Mai-Otome My-Otome 舞-乙HiME [Sunrise] (Finished 1/26) Tags: Comedy, Drama, Fantasy Arika Yumemiya has traveled far in search of her goal: the prestigious Gualderobe Academy. This is the school where young girls are trained to become Otomes, protectors of royal leaders throughout the lands. Here, Arika makes plenty of friends, but some enemies know something about her past that she does not. Nevertheless, her spirit and determination will keep pushing her forward. Adapted from its predecessor, Mai-HiME, this series is not a direct sequel, but an alternate universe setting featuring some of the Mai-HiME cast (though with different personalities). Just wow. Absolutely needless and useless spin-off. Generic private Academy story with battles has become even more bland with this iteration. Overall Rating: 5/10 14. Ginban Kaleidoscope Skating Rink Kaleidoscope 銀盤カレイドスコープ [Karaku] (Finished 8/12) Tags: Performing Arts Drama, Romance, Sports, Supernatural Figure skater Tazusa Sakurano is on the fast track to the Olympics. As a top contender, her chances rest on a single competition in Canada. However, during her program, she falls and hits her head on the ice, knocking her unconscious. At the same time, Canadian stunt pilot Pete Pumps goes down in a fiery blaze. After her devastating failure, Tazusa returns home to Japan, but she starts hearing a voice in her head. In reality, when Pete had arrived at the gates of heaven, he was denied access for his sins. Instead, he was told to wait 100 days and is now trapped in Tazusa's body! Unwilling to let this interrupt her life—even if her body is a bit crowded—Tazusa moves forward with skating, all while a pesky voice may just be able to help her achieve her dream. Ice skating shoujo, feels quite similar to that theater anime. A decent one and even with some psychology, but not my plate. Overall Rating: 6/10 15. Lamune ラムネ [Trinet Entertainment, Picture Magic] (Finished 1/12) Tags: Drama, Romance Lamune tells the story of a boy named Kenji and his childhood friend Nanami. Although, everyone seems to know that they have a relationship, neither are determined to push it anymore than close friends. The story goes through flashbacks, explaining why they are such close friends and any action doesn't seem to push them apart, but draw them closer. Super clutz is super irritating. Too many cheezy situations for one anime. Overall Rating: 5/10 16. Solty Rei ソルティレイ [Gonzo, AIC] (Finished 10/24) Tags: Super Power Action, Sci-Fi In a future-based disaster-ridden city with an enormous gap between the rich and the poor, it is hard to tell which humans are walking around with cybernetic body parts. This makes Roy Revant's job as a renegade bounty hunter/bodyguard-for-hire even more difficult. When a young girl with unbeliveable strength rescues him from a particularly dangerous criminal, Roy realizes that perhaps help can be found in the strangest of places. Joining together with a few others, they engage in a battle to find out the truth behind the giant conglomerates that are supposedly serving mankind and making life better. Solty, an android who has lost her memory, has escaped and is being hunted by the RUC Security Bureau. She encounters the bounty hunter Roy and he adopts her as his daughter after being hired as a bodygaurd for Miranda. The reality is that it's super slow paced bore with no real plot even started by the middle. It's mostly SOL about unusual girl. Another filler series with actual story enough only for OVA while stretched to 26 episodes. Overall Rating: 6/10 17. Canvas 2: Nijiiro no Sketch Canvas 2: Rainbow Colored Sketch Canvas2 ～虹色のスケッチ～ [Zexcs] (Finished 1/24) Tags: Visual Arts Comedy, Drama, Romance Kamikura Hiroki is an art student at the local school Nadesico Academy (High School and college level) whom intends to be an art teacher in the future. He is also the advisor to the high school arts society where his cousin, Housen Elis, attends. While Elis is a painter like Hiroki, Hiroki seems to have given up on his dreams and no longer paints. There appears to be some mysterious trauma in the both of their pasts which may have changed them. Meanwhile, the high school hires a new PE teacher, Kikyo Kiri. On the first day, she bumps into Hiroki and is stunned. Here is the boy she confessed to and he refused her... The curse of early visual novels is here through and through. Cheezy comedy, irritating characters, blank protagonist and constant flashes don't leave many opportunities to get interested, at least for me. Overall Rating: 6/10 18. Capeta カペタ [Studio Comet] (Finished 1/52) Tags: Shounen Racing Sports After losing his mother at a very young age, elementary school student Capeta Taira is forced to become more independent to avoid his father worrying for him. Working in a paving company, his father is often busy and has to work overtime to make ends meet. However, no matter how tough he acts in front of his father, Capeta is ultimately just a lonely kid with a rough life. In addition to his typical house duties, he has to deal with the bully Nobu Andou which makes him feel worse, despite support from his classmate, Monami Suzuki. One day, Capeta's father sees young go-kart drivers racing at high speeds and gets inspired by the scene. He then decides to collect scrapped parts available on the track and begins working on a gift for his son. Meanwhile, Capeta and Monami sneak into his workplace, suspecting that his father is up to something. Much to their surprise, they see a go-kart built from discarded parts—with Capeta's name attached to it! Although it lacks an engine and looks worn out, the kart is mostly complete and functional. Despite the heavy rain, Capeta cannot resist the urge to try out this new machinery. As he drives the kart downhill on a wet road, an incident that is almost a dangerous accident instead becomes a thrilling obsession. No longer bored with life, the engine of Capeta's heart is ignited with a new passion as he journeys into the world of racing. A lively racing spokon, but protagonist is too young to make it serious. Overall Rating: 6/10 19. To Heart 2 トゥハート2 [OLM] (Finished 3/13) Tags: Harem, School Comedy, Drama, Romance Following her graduation from middle school, Konomi Yuzuhara enters the same high school as Takaaki Kono, her childhood friend. As the new school year begins, they meet their childhood friend Tamaki Kosaka, as well as many new accquaintances. Unbeknownst to the group, their encounters with each other will soon lead to many memorable adventures. Compared to good romance anime To Heart 2 does not stretch beyond averageness. Overall Rating: 5/10 20. IGPX: Immortal Grand Prix (2005) IGPX: Immortal Grand Prix [Production I.G] (Finished 3/13) Tags: Mecha, Racing Action, Drama, Sci-Fi In the year 2048, people are raving about a fighting race called “Immortal Grand Prix”, or IGPX in short, which is faster and more exciting than any of the existing motor sports. The phenomenon is so big that an entire city was built for the racing industry where competitions take place on a huge track. In the “Immortal Grand Prix,” two teams of three IG machines, high-tech humanoid mechs driven by humans, race at speeds greater than 400km/h. The teams make three laps of a 60 km course while intercepting the opponent as they vie for a first place finish. The best machine performance, the best pilots and the best teamwork are the only factors that can make them the winners. I doubt anything about SPEED can ever raise my interest. Overall Rating: 5/10 21. Idaten Jump 韋駄天翔(ジャンプ) [Trans Arts] (Finished 1/52) Tags: School, Strategy Game Sports During a race, mountain bike (MTB) enthusiast Shou Yamato is mysteriously dragged into another world alongside his friends, Kakeru and Makoto. Soon, the group discovers that this world known as "X-Zone" revolves around Idaten battles—MTB races characterized by special courses, rules, and hidden powers lying dormant within the bikes. The only way to return home is to win and obtain the MTB emblems from the defeated challengers. Despite being perplexed and terrified of the bizarre world, Shou is surprisingly excited. He has the opportunity to compete with fellow MTB riders, make new friends and rivals, and also unearth the X-Zone's hidden truths that may dramatically change his fate. Shou and his friends must make it through an arduous journey, one rife with conspiracies against them, in order to safely return home together. Childish races. Overall Rating: 5/10 22. Angel Heart エンジェル・ハート [TMS Entertainment] (Finished 3/50) Tags: Seinen Action, Drama, Mystery, Romance A young Taiwanese assassin codenamed "Glass Heart" committed suicide by jumping off a building, and her heart was pierced by metal fence. Miraculously, her life was saved by heart transplantation. During her recovery she began to experience strange dreams, which lead her to Japan looking for the donor of her heart, who happens to be Kaori Makimura, former partner of City Hunter Ryo Saeba. The author mentioned in the first tankoubon volume that Angel Heart only shares the same characters of City Hunter but not its continuation. The events are all parallel universe, therefore it has nothing to do with City Hunter. City hunter was not good enough for side-tracking it in a parallel universe let alone for 50 episodes without presenting a thrilling story. Overall Rating: 6/10 23. Ginga Densetsu Weed 銀牙伝説ウィード [Studio Deen] (Finished 2/26) Tags: Seinen Anthropomorphic Adventure, Drama A dog named Weed happens to hear that he is the son of Gin, the great leader of Ohu who lead the dogs of Ohu to victory in a fight against monsterous bear, Akakabuto. Weed wants to find his father no matter what. On a journey to find his father Weed meets many friends and enemies. Dogs/Wolfs constantly fight in the wild, and it has some traits of samurai series. Personally, I can't take it all seriously, especially because there's a lot of shounen naivete. Overall Rating: 6/10 24. Cluster Edge CLUSTER EDGE（クラスターエッジ） [Sunrise] (Finished 5/25) Tags: Military Action, Fantasy, Sci-Fi Cluster Edge Academy isn't just any school; it's THE school, where the offspring of the elite come together to prepare for their roles running a world where artificial soldiers and religious sects are major factors in the battle for total control. Which may be part of why new transfer student Agate Fluorite doesn't quite seem to fit in. It's not just that Agate's enthusiastic attitude stands out among the somber, brooding balance of the student body. There's something about him that demands notice, even from jaded honors students like Beryl Jasper, and from the moment of arrival he's been at the center of a series of mysteries that not even Agate understands. Because Agate's not just another student, he's part of a something so momentous, and dangerous, that the world that built Cluster Edge may not survive its passing. Super boring Sunrise fraud, not sure if this pseudo-SOL is even going anywhere. Overall Rating: 5/10 25. Rockman.EXE Beast ロックマン エグゼ ＢＥＡＳＴ [Xebec] (Finished 1/25) Tags: Shounen Mecha, Strategy Game Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi Trill, a mysterious navi said to have originated from the world of Beyondard, is discovered. And new beast-type enemies, the Zoanoroids, want him for his special power. Netto Hikari and Rockman must protect their new friend while they try to figure out what Trill is really and his connection to the two legendary cyber beasts, Grega and Faltzer. Kids stuff. Overall Rating: 5/10 26. Bouken Ou Beet Excellion Beet the Vandel Buster Excellion 冒険王ビィト エクセリオン [Toei Animation] (Finished 1/25) Tags: Shounen Adventure, Fantasy, Supernatural It is the dark century and the people are suffering under the rule of the devil, Vandel, who is able to manipulate monsters. The Vandel Busters are a group of people who hunt these devils, and among them, the Zenon Squad is known to be the strongest busters on the continent. A young boy, Beet, dreams of joining the Zenon Squad. However, one day, as a result of Beet's fault, the Zenon squad was defeated by the devil, Beltose. The five dying busters sacrificed their life power into their five weapons, Saiga. After giving their weapons to Beet, they passed away. Years have passed since then and the young Vandel Buster, Beet, begins his adventure to carry out the Zenon Squad's will to put an end to the dark century. Original had uniqueness from the start, but guess it's more or less lost, and now it's just your average shounen. Overall Rating: 5/10 27. Kakutou Bijin Wulong Fighting Beauty Wulong 格闘美神 武龍 [TMS Entertainment] (Finished 3/25) Tags: Martial Arts Action, Ecchi At first glance, Mao Ran is a normal cute girl, but she is a master of a martial arts handed down by Mao family. One day, she is tricked by her grandfather, and forced to take part in the fighting match, "Prime Mat". First, she is reluctant to fight, but fighting against the rivals, she is gradually fascinated by the "fighting". It's all in the title, and nothing can justify this bore. Overall Rating: 5/10 28. Happy Seven: The TV Manga はっぴぃセブン ～ざ・テレビまんが～ [Studio Hibari] (Finished 4/13) Tags: School Comedy, Fantasy Amano Sakogami is a girl who has an unnatural amount of bad luck. One day, she stumbles into the clubroom of the Better Fortune Research Organization, which consists of a boy and seven other girls who secretly use the power of the luck deities to fight against the Magatsugami, monsters who can affect a person's luck & well-being. Amano soon becomes the club's manager, and joins the club in their fight against the Magatsugami and their controller, Kukitomoe. Majority of time is occupied by nonsensical school comedy of generic nature, and no characters really stand out. Overall Rating: 5/10 29. Gaiking: Legend of Daiku-Maryu ガイキング Legend of Daiku-Maryu [Toei Animation] (Finished 1/39) Tags: Mecha Action, Sci-Fi A boy, Tsuwabaki Daiya found a black fire in an ocean when he and his father were in a small boat. A big monster came out of the fire, and the father and the crews were disappeared into the sea. When he was about to become the next victim, a large mecka dragon appeared and saved him. 5 years later since then, Daiya becomes a junior high school student. A big monster reappear, and he meets the mecha dragon,"Daiku Maryu". The head of the dragon separates from the body, and it turns into the body of a super robot, Gaiking. He gets in Gaiking, fights against the monster, and beats it. He learns that there is an enemy that plots to conquer the world, and he leaves for another world, Darius, to stop the plot. Childish mecha is back for those who still care. Overall Rating: 5/10 30. Gunparade Orchestra ガンパレード・オーケストラ [Brain's Base] (Finished 3/24) Tags: Mecha, Military Drama, Romance, Sci-Fi he story focuses and revolves around the 108th Guard Squad, stationed in Aomori. A poorly equipped unit with very little military standing, it is often viewed as a 'reject camp' for pilots not making the grade for the elite units based in Hokkaido. The apparent helpless nature of this force is hardly a deterrent for the encroaching enemy armies, ever closing in on both the 108th and the rest of the empire. The young pilots of the 108th, who had dreamed on returning home, are plunged forcefully and unwillingly into a war. Just a more irritating generic mecha than usual. Overall Rating: 5/10 31. Dae Jang Geum: Jang Geum's Dream 少女チャングムの夢 [Heewon Entertainment] (Finished 3/26) Tags: Historical Adventure, Comedy, Gourmet Story is about the girl Jang Geum who wants to be a cook. She gets accepted as a palace servant. Clever and cheerful Jang Geum quickly finds friends. But all to soon she encounters intrigue and corruption. If I wanted to see how a child is treated poorly by some rich, I'd watch some World Drama Theater series. There's also superability elements here, so I'd call it another immature attempt to play in national anime. Overall Rating: 5/10 32. Animal Yokochou Animal Lane アニマル横町 [Gallop] (Finished 2/51) Tags: Shoujo Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy On the first day her family moved to their new house, 5-year-old Ami-chan made friends with three talking animals who came out of a door in her bedroom floor, which she finds out leads to Animal Yokocho, another world. The three are Issa, an overly innocent, soft-spoken panda, Kenta, a highly strung, red-scarf-loving bear who puts on an almost constant tough-guy act, and Iyo, a rabbit who usually holds her own well-being and enjoyment over the happiness (and safety) of her friends. Even at only 5 years old, Ami-chan is easily the most rational of the group, and she's a little wary at first, but she eventually comes around and starts spending her free time with them. A typical day involves Ami-chan and the three doing different things to pass the time, often playing a seemingly innocent game, but in AniYoko style. Unfortunately for Ami-chan, the AniYoko version usually turns out to be drastically different, much less logical, and usually more dangerous than the ordinary version. It's just nonsense as stuff animals fool around beside a girl, waste of time as humor is not to my taste. Overall Rating: 6/10 33. Rean no Tsubasa The Wings of Rean リーンの翼 [Sunrise] (Finished 6/6) Tags: Mecha Award Winning, Fantasy, Sci-Fi Because his friends fired a rocket into the US Army camp, Suzuki was wanted by the US Army and the police. While he was running away the sea surface suddenly rose, and when a brilliant light appeared he saw a strange looking battleship flying in the air. He was dumped into the sea and when he crawled onto the battleship there was a beautiful girl standing there. She said her name was Lyx, the princess of another world, and added, "My Father is Japanese, Shinjiro Sakomizu. Please help me, Suzuki." I endured it somehow, but it's nothing but dumb. Overall Rating: 5/10 34. Pale Cocoon ペイル・コクーン [Studio Rikka] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Drama, Sci-Fi A future where the continuity of history has broken off, a world of enormous ruins that continues endlessly. Oceans and continents have vanished, existing only within the archives brought up from the remains. Ura works in the Archive Excavation Department, which restores and analyzes the data left behind. One day, he finds a disturbing visual record... Super short, and without even a deep thought intended. Overall Rating: 5/10 35. Arashi no Yoru ni あらしのよるに [Group TAC] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Anthropomorphic Adventure, Comedy, Drama, Fantasy A story about a goat and a wolf who become friends on a stormy night, and how they overcome differences and hardships. It tries to be drama, but still feels childish. Overall Rating: 6/10

Koukaku Kidoutai: Stand Alone Complex - The Laughing Man is inevitably the winner, but for a change there two more small masterpieces - Ichigo Mashimaro and Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children 1. Shuffle! SHUFFLE! (シャッフル!) [asread.] (Finished 3/24) Tags: Seinen Harem, School Comedy, Drama, Fantasy, Romance, Ecchi In present times, Gods and Demons coexist together with Humans after the door between each of these worlds had opened. Tsuchimi Rin is a normal young high school student attending Verbena Academy, spending his days living peacefully with his childhood friend Kaede. Unexpectedly, one day the King of Gods, the King of Demons and their families move into be Rin's next door neighbors. Apparently the daughter of the Gods, Sia, and the daughter of the demons, Nerine, are both deeply in love with Rin after having met him in the past. Along with his playful friendship with upperclassmen Asa and his encounter with the silent but cute Primula, Rin has much on his hands dealing with the affections of each of these girls. Based on the eroge by Navel. Shuffle is so obnoxious for me in many ways that I can't tolerate it for long. Overall Rating: 6/10 2. Full Metal Panic! The Second Raid フルメタル パニック！The Second Raid [Kyoto Animation] (Finished 2/13) Tags: Mecha, Military Action After overcoming various tumultuous events, mercenary sergeant Sousuke Sagara of Mithril and "Whispered" school girl Kaname Chidori return to their normal high school lives. Sousuke continues his efforts to assimilate with the civilian population and manage his mission at the same time, while Kaname attempts to support his endeavors (even though his antics often drive her up a wall). However, as their lives calm, new problems begin to appear. The appearance of an independent terrorist organization known as Amalgam and internal conflicts within Mithril threaten to wreak unity into a series of failures and betrayals. And new, powerful Arm Slave models only worsen the situation when the world's peace is at stake. As Kaname and Sousuke face their own inner battles amidst life-threatening fights, will they be able to make the right choices and change their future? Third season, so need to at least like previous ones. Overall Rating: 6/10 3. Suzuka 涼風 [Studio Comet] (Finished 3/26) Tags: Shounen Drama, Romance, Sports Teenager Yamato Akitsuki has moved from the Hiroshima countryside to Tokyo to begin his high school career. In return for room and board, he has agreed to help his aunt and cousin run their bathhouse and the adjacent girls-only dormitory where he will be staying. On his way to meet his relatives, he passes by a local high school track and is mesmerized by a high jumper practicing her technique. Later on, Yamato finds out that the high jumper is not just another resident of the dorm, but is also his neighbor. Suzuka Asahina is a heavily scouted track and field athlete who is attending the same high school he is enrolled in. A perfectionist by nature, Suzuka is put off by Yamato's clumsy and carefree attitude and finds it difficult to be near him. Determined to win her over, Yamato joins the track team after discovering his hidden talent for sprinting. Through his interactions with the track team, his classmates, and the ever-inebriated college students in the dorm, Yamato finds the resolve to become a better athlete and a more suitable companion to Suzuka, even if it means pushing himself to the point of exhaustion. Slightly above average school romance. It tries to be reflexive, but has a long way to go till His and Her circumstances. It's only moderately irritating, and that deserves a praise already. Overall Rating: 6/10 4. Ichigo Mashimaro Strawberry Marshmallow 苺ましまろ [Daume] (Finished 12/12) Tags: CGDCT, Iyashikei Comedy, Slice of Life "Cute girls doing cute things in cute ways." Everyday things make up the fabric of life—whether it's making friends, going to school, trying to make money, or celebrating a holiday. Ichigo Mashimaro is a heartwarming series that follows the daily lives of Itou Chika, her sister Nobue, and her friends Miu, Matsuri, and Ana. Cute girls doing stuff is a familiar concept, so it all depends on humor. And humor here is actually great to my liking, at times it even rivals Lucky Star. And thanks to continuous episodes in contrast to sketches of Azumanga etc Strawberry Marshmallow actually feels solid. Overall Rating: 7/10 5. Gun x Sword ガン×ソード [AIC ASTA] (Finished 6/26) Tags: Mecha Action, Adventure, Drama, Sci-Fi Van, a lanky and apathetic swordsman, is on a journey to kill the murderer of his fiancé. The only characteristic he has to go by is that the murderer has a claw for an arm, hence the murderer being referred to as The Claw Man. During his travels, Van happens to pass through the city of Evergreen, which is defending itself from bandits who aim to rob the city of its treasury. It is in this city that Van meets Wendy Garret, a timid young girl who is looking for her kidnapped brother. When the city pleads for Van's assistance to defend it, he refuses, claiming it has nothing to do with him and thus leaves the city on its own to deal with the peril. Soon after, Van comes across the raiding bandits himself and they eventually tick off the swordsman to a degree where he takes action against them for his own personal vendetta. Surprisingly, Van learns that the bandits had ties with The Claw Man, and in kidnapping Wendy's brother for a reason they did not disclose. After the bandits are dealt with easily, Van and, much to his chagrin, Wendy continue the journey in search of The Claw Man. Little do they know, however, that The Claw Man is involved with something more atrocious than either could fathom. Another work that tries to fuse many successful elements from the past. Protagonist feels like Vampire D, concept like Trigun, and there's also mecha, because... everyone likes mecha or something. Female protagonist is rather poor as is, but villains are just horrible and ridiculous, excessively irritating. Overall Rating: 6/10 6. Amaenaide yo!! Ah My Buddha あまえないでよっ!! [Studio Deen] (Finished 2/12) Tags: Seinen Harem Comedy, Romance, Supernatural, Ecchi Satonaka Ikkou, a 16 year old boy, is a first year trainee at the Saienji Buddhist Temple. He was sent there by his parents to be trained by his grandmother, the Saienji Priestess. At the temple he finds himself surrounded by beautiful female priestesses-in-training. Upon seeing a girl naked, Ikko has the ability to turn into a super-monk, performing massive exorcisms for the good of the temple. This is just average. Super convenient recycled situations and bland characters that we've seen a lot of times. Overall Rating: 5/10 7. Paniponi Dash! ぱにぽにだっしゅ！ [Shaft] (Finished 6/26) Tags: Shounen Gag Humor, Parody, School Comedy The 11-year-old Miyamoto Rebecca becomes the new teacher of a classroom which is full of weirdos. Despite her cute looks she's a little beast and can be pretty sarcastic and offensive. The school is not safe anymore now that she's in charge of a class and her students, Himeko, Ichijou, Rei and a white rabbit who took a liking to Rebecca help her to rough up the school and the neighbor with its teacher "ojii-chan." Student actually surpassed teacher, and this one is definitely better than Azumanga. But I'm getting tired of it fast and not enjoying it on the same level as Strawberry Marshmallow. Can't say I appreciate this humor highly. Overall Rating: 6/10 8. Kamichu! かみちゅ! [Brain's Base] (Finished 12/12) Tags: Iyashikei Award Winning, Comedy, Drama, Slice of Life, Supernatural Yurie Hitotsubashi was just an average middle school student living in the city of Onomichi on Japan's inland sea in the easygoing times of the 1980s. She spent her days worrying about exams and trying to get Kenji, the clueless boy she likes, to notice her. Then during lunch one day she suddenly announces to her friend Mitsue that the night before she had become a goddess. Their classmate Matsuri quickly latches on to Yurie's newfound divinity as a way to promote her family's bankrupt Shinto shrine. She hopes that replacing their hapless local god, Yashima-sama, with Yurie will make the shrine more popular (and profitable). Now, with Matsuri as her manager, Yurie has to grant wishes, cure curses, meet aliens, and attend god conventions. All the while attending school and working-up the courage to confess to Kenji. Ordinary girl becomes a shy local god. And it's no really much better than expected of such kind of story. And all the awards probably go just because style and substance resemble Studio Ghibli works, with worse visuals though. It's slow-paced and very boring, as for me. Only finished it for reference purposes and because plot is still unusual for works up to that point, but don't color me interested. Overall Rating: 6/10 9. Sugar Sugar Rune シュガシュガルーン [Pierrot] (Finished 1/51) Tags: Mahou Shoujo Comedy, Drama, Fantasy Chocolat Meilleure and Vanilla Mieux are two witches who are pitched in a contest to see who will become the new Queen of the Witch World. They must travel to the Human World and collect the hearts of humans. Whoever collects the most "human hearts" wins. Even though they're rivals, the two are still best friends. Join them on this adventure! One episode of this yet another mahou shoujo anime with naivete and bishounens is more than enough for me. Too many stamps and familiar things under one roof. Overall Rating: 5/10 10. D.C.S.S: Da Capo Second Season D.C.S.S. ~Da Capo Second Season~ D.C.S.S. ～ダ・カーポ セカンドシーズン～ [feel.] (Finished 1/26) Tags: Harem Comedy, Drama, Romance, Supernatural Hatsune-Jima was once well-known for its cherry trees, which would bloom no matter what time of year it was. Two years ago, the island's cherry trees lost this ability and all became ordinary cherry trees that bloom only in the spring. Jun'ichi Asakura is now a graduating senior at Kazami Academy, and is surrounded by many close friends, old and new alike. On a stormy summer day, a mysterious young girl, Aisia, arrives at Jun'ichi's door. She is looking for Sakura's grandmother to study magic, ultimately hoping to bring happiness to everyone. When she discovers that grandmother Yoshino had long since passed away, she joyfully assumes (thanks to his error in judgment) that Jun'ichi is able to teach her. Even though she finally understands that the only magic he's capable of is conjuring Japanese confections, Aisia continues her search for magic on Hatsune-Jima. Amid the chaos of her search, Kazami Academy hires new medical staff. All those classic charage adaptations look alike to me, same as original material. In one word - stupid. Overall Rating: 5/10 11. Okusama wa Joshikousei (TV) おくさまは女子高生 [Madhouse] (Finished 2/13) Tags: Seinen Comedy, Drama, Romance Asami Onohara is a seventeen-year old high-school student with a secret which has not been revealed to anyone: She is already married. Her husband, Kyosuke Ichimaru, is a Physics teacher in the same high school as her. However, even though they are officially a married couple, Asami's father forbids them to have any sexual contact until after Asami has graduated. Asami has to hide the fact that she is married to Kyosuke while trying desperately to further their relationship, and it does not help when there are so many interferences and obstacles from her father and other third parties. Again, totally expected development with fetish flavor. The only intrigue is terms of contract, so after it's revealed there's not much to look forward to. Overall Rating: 6/10 12. Kyoushoku Soukou Guyver (2005) Guyver: The Bioboosted Armor 強殖装甲ガイバー [OLM] (Finished 2/26) Tags: Shounen Adventure, Sci-Fi Sho Fukamachi, a normal teenager accidentally found an alien object called Unit and thus, changed his life forever. The Unit bonded with Sho, resulting in an incredibly powerful life-form called Guyver. With this great power, Sho battles the mysterious Chronos organization and it's Zoanoids, in order to protect his friends and his world. Unknown to Sho, the battle against Chronos will lead to the discovery of the origins of human, their destiny, and the Creators... Hate to admit it , but old Guyver OVA was indeed better - alive and not typical. This plastic refined installment reeks of stamps and fake emotions. The way protagonist's pal is depicted now is just a total shame. Overall Rating: 5/10 13. Okusama wa Mahou Shoujo Madam is a Magical Girl 奥さまは魔法少女 [J.C.Staff] (Finished 3/13) Tags: Mahou Shoujo Fantasy, Romance Ureshiko Asaba, 26 years old, married. Few people know the fact that she is a magical girl named "Agnes", and she is actually the guardian of the town where she lives. One day she meets Sayaka Kurenai, aka "Cruje", another magical girl appointed by the magic realm as the legitimate sucessor to her position, but Agnes is reluctant in letting her assume because she knows that Cruje has orders to erase the whole place, including its human inhabitants with the purpose of creating a new one. To complicate matters, Ureshiko must deal with the growing distance between her and her husband, Tamotsu, her crescent feelings for Tatsumi Kagura, a young man who is now living as a tenant in her home, and the fact that in the moment she ever kisses a common human, she would lose her powers forever. The idea is to make mahou Jousei with a curvy female protagonist. A bit of ecchi, a bit of mahou shoujo battles, a bit of generations conflict. The result is quite sad as it's a typical show in slightly twitched setting rather than something different. Overall Rating: 5/10 14. Tide-Line Blue タイドライン・ブルー [Telecom Animation Film] (Finished 12/12) Tags: Military Action, Adventure, Drama The catastrophe, "Hammer of Eden," resulted in the loss of six billion lives and the flooding of 90% of the land. The New United Nations were formed to pursue peace on the ruined lands 14 years later. Keel is a boy living in a town called Yabitsu, an area which prospered due to the energy from the nuclear generator brought by the catastrophe. His next kin, Aoi, is the secretary general of the New United Nations. She views the catastrophe as an opportunity to create a new world in which nations can help one another overcome differences in races and religions. However, her efforts to realise that vision fail because of the unwillingness of the nations to change. Gould, a military officer, feels that the only way to make an order is through the military. Using Ulysses, a nuclear submarine, along with his crew, including Keel's brother Tean, Gould carries out a coup to declare war against the New United Nations in his attack on Yabitsu. An immature adventure and politics story. Friendship brings world peace and all that crap. No appealing characters spotted. Overall Rating: 5/10 15. PetoPeto-san ぺとぺとさん [XEBEC M2] (Finished 5/13) Tags: Mythology, School Comedy, Romance After centuries of antagonism and misunderstanding, the Japanese finally welcome youkai into their community. In an attempt at species integration, normal children begin attending school with paranormal creatures who are quite humanoid. Shingo Ohashi finds himself developing feelings for Hatoko "Petoko" Fujimura, a half-youkai half-human girl whose powers are: uncontrollable cuteness to enchant those around her (similar to a low-power succubus), get stuck to any other person who touches her bare flesh (cured by her falling asleep), and the ability to disappear even at the molecular stage (which she can for the most part control). Focus on cuteness and youkai is not what I generally seek in anime... it's mostly just cheerfulness, so not sure who the target audience is here as it does not seem to be for children either... probably for those who can just enjoy cute things without much in place of the the story. Overall Rating: 6/10 16. Kidou Shinsengumi Moeyo Ken TV Moeyo Ken TV 機動新撰組 萌えよ剣 TV [Trinet Entertainment, Picture Magic] (Finished 3/13) Tags: Historical Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy Set in an alternate version of the Meiji Era, a boy named Sakamoto Ryunosuke returns to Kyoto from Shanghai with his monster (youkai) Nekomaru. The law states that in order to live freely with humans, a youkai must be liscensed. The Kidou Shinsengumi Co. Ltd. is responsible for the capture of unliscensed youkais but must fight with the Tsubamegumi, who resents the new law. It turns out that Ryunosuke is the son of the owner of the Shinsengumis. Female shinsengumi is not a bad thing, but content is some nonsense and some romcom, so not great. Overall Rating: 6/10 17. Akahori Gedou Hour Rabuge Akahori's Heretical Hour Love Game あかほり外道アワーらぶげ [Radix] (Finished 4/13) Tags: Parody Comedy Akahori Gedou Hour Rabuge is an anime series that combined episodes of two related stories into one broadcast block. Zettai Seigi Love Pheromone Yoshizumi Aimi and Sasajima Kaoruko are comic duo, Their dream is to become popular and stand on the Broadway stage.However, their names are not well-known, and they have to do part-time jobs.To make their names popular, they decided to do side job. It is heroines of justice, They will beat villains one after another, but after that, there is nothing but ruins. People are afraid of them and even rumor that they are evil. Mahou shoujo nonsense with unfunny parody comedy. Overall Rating: 5/10 18. Play Ball プレイボール [Eiken] (Finished 1/13) Tags: Shounen Team Sports After fracturing a finger in a junior high school game, Takao Taniguchi is unable to play baseball. After entering Sumitani High School, he is constantly watching the baseball club even though he is unable to play. He catches the eye of the captain of the soccer club, and while he still has lingering hopes of joining the baseball club, he decides to join the soccer club. While he's a complete beginner, Taniguchi developed a strong spirit of hard work while in junior high school and his new teammates begin to see his potential. While he focuses all of his energy on soccer, he is unable to forget his youthful zeal for baseball and he begins umpiring baseball games in secret. Not translated. Old-fashioned baseball spokon, not seeing anything special about it. Overall Rating: 5/10 19. Hametsu no Mars Mars of Destruction 破滅のマルス [WAO World] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Horror, Sci-Fi Several months after a probe returning from Mars burns up during reentry, strange creatures dubbed "Ancients" begin to appear throughout Tokyo. Aggressive and dangerous, they cannot be killed with ordinary weapons. As scientists struggle to find the cause of their sudden appearance, the monsters wreak havoc across the world. Humanity finds hope in the form of the MARS suit—a new weapon developed to take down these enemies. The suit, however, can only be worn by those with specific DNA. Enter Takeru Hinata, an ordinary teen with a troubled past and one of the few capable of piloting the only weapon against the Ancients. With the help of the AAST, a special police force established to defeat the dangerous creatures, the young man battles against demons both personal and global whilst trying to discover the true nature of Earth's new aggressors. Short infamously horrible episode, at least there's a funny dub. Overall Rating: 4/10 20. Saishuu Heiki Kanojo: Another Love Song Saikano: Another Love Song 最終兵器彼女Another Love Song [Studio Fantasia] (Finished 2/2) Tags: Drama, Romance, Sci-Fi Before Chise became the "ultimate weapon," there was another—Lieutenant Mizuki. A battle-hardened military woman, she volunteered for an experimental procedure after injuries left her unable to return to the battlefield. As the prototype ultimate weapon, Lieutenant Mizuki was highly successful on the battlefield, however, as the first candidate, her development was limited. When a more suitable candidate to become the weapon, Chise, is forced into the military, Lieutenant Mizuki thinks that she is silly, weak, and unsuited for the role. As the only other person to have undergone the procedure, however, Lieutenant Mizuki can hear Chise's thoughts and is the only one who understands her. As the war rages on and Chise's development progresses, Lieutenant Mizuki discovers more about Chise, ultimate weapons, and herself. A new portion of senseless self-hatred and crying with the only positive side of it all being short. Overall Rating: 5/10 21. Seikai no Senki III 星界の戦旗 III [Sunrise] (Finished 2/2) Tags: Military, Space Action, Romance, Sci-Fi Jinto and Lafiel were riding on a light-armed transport ship "Bokbrusue" and navigating at the planar space of the Hyde System. This was for Jinto to govern the Hyde System, which returned to Empirial rule after the Union retreated, officially as an Earl. However, the government of Martin, Jinto`s motherland, resisted obstinately against the Empirial rule. On the other side, "Daiichi Jyuurin Sentai" (the First Devastation Fleet), formed with the new ship type "Attack Vessel", travelled to the Hyde System for drilling practices, but... A deserved open ending for the series where nothing happened but a one-sided streak of victories after initial collapse. Just worldbuilding is not enough without normal story or really outstanding characters. Overall Rating: 5/10 22. Prayers プレイヤーズ [PPM] (Finished 2/2) Tags: Sci-Fi It is the year of 2014, Shibuya is independent from Japan, and it becomes an independent nation. It is a town of chaos where only young people are living. The life necessity, such as electricity, water, and food are transported by the pipelines out from the Shibuya. The pipelines are running like cobweb in the sky, the young people in Shibuya looked like bugs trapped in the cobweb. In this city, there are people called "Prayers". They earn money by the battle of music. They turn music into electric signals and inject them into brains, and destroy opponents' mind and bodies each others. Ridiculously poor concept failed to present a miracle, not surprising. Overall Rating: 5/10 23. Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children ファイナルファンタジーVII アドベントチルドレン [Square Enix] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Super Power Action, Fantasy Two years ago, the world was changed forever. The young Cloud Strife and his band of friends may have defeated Sephiroth and thwarted his plan to crash a giant meteor into the Earth, but this victory was not without great cost. The highly populated city of Midgar was nearly ripped apart in the conflict. Fortunately, many of the city's citizens were able to evacuate to safety, and in the years afterward have formed a new home called Edge. Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children revolves around Cloud and Tifa as they try to make new lives for themselves, as well as for those around them, in this new city. Together they run a courier service, and tend to their mutual friend Barret’s adopted daughter Marlene and a young orphan by the name of Denzel. Denzel, Cloud, and scores of children are suffering from a mysterious new illness called "Geostigma." The children of the city have one other threat looming over their heads—a trio of powerful men are kidnapping infected kids for unknown reasons. Cloud is determined to save these young ones, not only from Geostigma, but from the kidnappers as well. He has no idea, however, that these men share a link to his old enemy, Sephiroth, and Cloud’s quest to vanquish them will bring him back into conflict with the demons of his past. If there is any hope in conquering these threats, it lays within the bonds of friendship between Cloud and his allies who saved the world once, and now must do so again. It feels more like high quality fandisc with a bit of time for each character, a bit of action and just fates of characters. As a canonical continuation, it arouses interest and deserves a minor masterpiece, but story itself is not great, just extrapolation of old ideas. Overall Rating: 7/10 24. xxxHOLiC Movie: Manatsu no Yoru no Yume xxxHOLiC The Movie: A Midsummer Night's Dream 劇場版　×××HOLiC　真夏ノ夜ノ夢 [Production I.G] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Seinen Psychological Comedy, Drama, Mystery, Supernatural Summer break has arrived, but while his other classmates are out having fun, Kimihiro Watanuki continues to work as compensation for the eccentric Yuuko in her shop. With the spirits and supernatural phenomena that bother him lessening, he pays his dues by cleaning, cooking, and doing whatever else the apparently lazy Yuuko needs. Watanuki, however, gets involved in a new predicament when Yuuko receives a mysterious invitation to a mansion whose owner seeks Yuuko's wish-granting ability. When he, Yuuko, and his classmate Shizuka Doumeki make their way to the peculiar residence, they meet others who were summoned by the same strange invitation. All of them are collectors of various unique items, drawn there by the chance to expand their collections. But as the collectors begin to disappear one by one, Watanuki and his companions must solve the mystery and put the case to rest, or find themselves in risk of danger. Paranormal mystery is not the combination that I enjoy. This starting movie is not impressive. Overall Rating: 6/10 25. Glass no Usagi Glass Rabbit ガラスのうさぎ [Magic Bus] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Historical Toshiko Ei and her family are residents of Tokyo. Her father is a respected and skilled glass craftsmen so the family makes a good living. However, the Ei family soon finds itself having to suffer through many tragic hardships as a result of World War II. Another obligatory social movie about World War II. It delivers the message crudely. Overall Rating: 5/10 26. Shisha no Sho The Book of the Dead 死者の書 [Sakura Motion Picture] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Award Winning, Drama, Supernatural When a young noblewoman, Iratsume, falls into a trance after copying Buddhist sutras and walks to a remote temple that women are forbidden to enter, she stirs up the ghost of the executed Prince Otsu. Otsu's ghost then mistakes Iratsume for one of her ancestors, a young woman who came to watch his execution. The beautiful face of this young woman was the last thing the Prince saw before he died, and his ghost cannot rest while her face haunts his sleep. It's not anime, just animated dolls. As for me, it's one of those Heian ghost stories that are just taking an hour of life without giving anything. Overall Rating: 5/10 27. Nagasaki 1945: Angelus no Kane Nagasaki 1945 ~ The Angelus Bells NAGASAKI・1945 アンゼラスの鐘 [Mushi Production] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Historical, Medical, Military Drama August 1945. In a converted theological seminary on the outskirts of Nagasaki, a young doctor works to help his patients, as unsettling news comes of a new weapon used by the Americans on the city of Hiroshima. When the second nuclear weapon is dropped on Nagasaki, the hospital staff must work to save lives in the midst of the concentric circles of death that their city has become. Again, not a very spectacular or memorable echo of the war. Overall Rating: 5/10 28. Final Fantasy VII: Last Order ラストオーダー -ファイナルファンタジーVII- [Madhouse] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Action, Adventure, Drama, Fantasy, Sci-Fi With reports of monsters terrorizing the reactor at Mount Nibel, the Shinra Electric Power Company dispatches their elite fighting force SOLDIER to investigate. Accompanied by fellow SOLDIER First Class Zack Fair and a small contingent of company guards, the war hero Sephiroth is to assess the condition of the Mako reactor at the behest of the company. In Nibelheim, the village that the reactor powers, Sephiroth discovers the source of the monsters and the origins of Shinra's legendary Jenova Project. Running through the woods months later, Zack is no longer the hero he once dreamt of becoming. He flees from the General Affairs Department of the Shinra Electric Power Company, better known as the Turks, who desperately seek to bury the evidence living within the two. Short and lacking in most aspects compared to movie. Will do as a prequel to the game, but I have not played Crisis Core yet, so may be missing a lot here. Anyway, it's too short for serious scores. Overall Rating: 6/10 29. Koukaku Kidoutai: Stand Alone Complex - The Laughing Man 攻殻機動隊 Stand Alone Complex - The Laughing Man [Production I.G] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Seinen Adult Cast, Detective, Mecha, Psychological Action, Mystery, Sci-Fi In 2024, the terrorist incident known as "The Laughing Man Incident" occurred in which Ernest Serano, president of the groundbreaking micromachine company, Serano Genomics, was kidnapped and ransomed. One day, the case having remained unsolved for six years, Detective Yamaguchi, who has been investigating "The Laughing Man Incident," sends word that he wants to meet with Togusa from Public Safety Section 9. However, soon after sending this message, Yamaguchi, crucial to the success of the case, dies in an accident. Many days pass and in the midst of a police interview relay concerning suspicions behind interceptors, a forewarning is received from "The Laughing Man" of his next crime. The incorporeal hacker begins to move once again. Laughing man is one of the most memorable cases in the series. The quality is still sky high. Overall Rating: 9/10 30. Hotori: Tada Saiwai wo Koinegau ほとり～たださいわいを希う [Sunrise] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Drama, Sci-Fi At the Personality Plant, robots are being built and slowly outfitted with the artificial memories of real people. Suzu is one such robot, being made to replace the young boy a family has lost. By chance, he meets Hotori, a young girl suffering from progressive memory loss. The two children become friends and attempt to define themselves in the light of their changing memories. Just a constant amnesia story with addition of artificial memories. As drama ok, but nothing big. Overall Rating: 6/10

Another empty month 1. Sainan Tantei Saiga - Meijou Dekinai Kaijiken 災難探偵サイガ 名状できない怪事件 [230303] Yu Production Co., Ltd. 1 Saina is calamities town!?　The worst disaster tale and adventure game ever! In "Saina Town" where unique residents gather, there is one unlucky detective. His name is Saiga Tendo. He is different from ordinary detectives in that he has just only one weapon. It is neither a brilliant mind nor a superhuman body. Yes, his weapon is the world's most fearsome and ferocious bad luck! When he stands up, he is anemic; when he sits down, he is poor; when he walks, he looks like a ghost or a reaper. But then a mysterious fortune teller, Hin Rei, appears in his life, and his luck is supposed to gradually improve. But the shadow of an evil god looms over the town, and ・・・・・・ When the evil god and the unhappy detective meet, something happens in Saina・・・・・・! Game is localized and has detective gameplay elements 2. PARANORMASIGHT FILE23: Honjo Nanafushigi PARANORMASIGHT FILE23 本所七不思議 [230308] Square Enix 1 Shogo Okiie, an ordinary office worker, visits Kinshibori Park in the dead of night with his friend, Yoko Fukunaga, to investigate a well-known local ghost story: The Seven Mysteries of Honjo. Shogo doesn’t quite believe Yoko when she talks about how the Mysteries are connected to the Rite of Resurrection and doesn't pay it much mind - that is, until strange events begin to unfold before his very eyes. Meanwhile, several others are making their own investigations into The Seven Mysteries... Detectives investigating a series of strange deaths, a high-school girl seeking the truth behind her classmate’s suicide, and a mother who has sworn revenge for her lost son. Their desires and motives intertwine and interplay, with the Seven Mysteries of Honjo at the core, leading the story towards a battle of wits and curses. Detective horror has English reviews 3. Kemonomichi ☆ Girlish Square 2 けもの道☆ガーリッシュスクエア２ [230331] Whirlpool Main character is a producer of idols who are also magical girls. TOKYO NEW-DOLL FESTIVAL is a nation-wide even that is going to determine No. 1 underground idol. After prequel there's nothing to discuss 4. Koi ni wa Amae ga Hitsuyou Desu 恋にはあまえが必要です [230331] HOOKSOFT Losing his father when he was young, and currently lives with his mother, the protagonist―― Morino Kento. In his second year at Aketo Hanabue Private Academy, he goes on a school trip which takes him far away from his hometown, to a place filled with exotic tourist attractions. But at that destination, Kento's cousin lives there, and it is a town where he is already familiar with, so he does not expect anything much, however...... Caught up in a commotion caused by Shishikura Ooga―― An extremely shy childhood friend who comes from the strongest lineage in human history. Helping a girl in trouble, becoming a "hero" for Karakuchi Hibana―― An ojousama who visits the same tourist attraction by chance on the school trip. Getting acquainted with Amaeda Chiwa―― A cute local student and his cousin's best friend. Earning respect as a "hero" from Aijou Michiru―― A signboard girl in the shopping district at the tourist attraction. What should have been a school trip with nothing to expect turns out to be an exciting trip filled with new encounters. However, when such a trip comes to an end in the blink of an eye, parting ways with these girls (except Ooga), Kento feels a bit lonely. But with the end of such trip―― from now on with these girls, comes the start of the new love stories. Just a relaxed stage for dating, not expecting anything good out of it 5. Shin Koihime † Eiyuutan 5 ~Otome Enran ☆ Sangokushi Engi [Gi]~ 真・恋姫†英雄譚5～乙女艶乱☆三国志演義［魏］～ [230331] BaseSon Overlord Cao Cao has one problem. If something happens to Cao Cao, who will inherit the country? Cao Cao makes a decision. Side story is another word for fandisc

There are couple review links here

Lots of decent works, none is good enough for me. If I really needed to choose, I'd probably go for Hachimitsu to Clover as with all its flaws it can still be nice at times. 1. Koukyoushihen Eureka Seven Eureka Seven 交響詩篇エウレカセブン [Bones] (Finished 3/50) Tags: Mecha Adventure, Drama, Romance, Sci-Fi In the backwater town of Bellforest lives a 14-year-old boy named Renton Thurston. He desires to leave his home behind and join the mercenary group known as Gekkostate, hoping to find some adventure to brighten up his mundane life. However, stuck between his grandfather's insistence to become a mechanic like him and the pressure of his deceased father's legacy, the only excitement Renton finds is in his pastime of riding the Trapar wave particles that are dispersed throughout the air, an activity akin to surfing. Everything changes when an unknown object crashes through Renton's garage, discovered to be a Light Finding Operation—a robot capable of riding the Trapar waves—specifically known as the Nirvash typeZERO. Its pilot is a young girl named Eureka, a member of the Gekkostate, who requests a tune-up for the Nirvash. Their meeting sparks the beginning of Renton's involvement with the Gekkostate as he takes off alongside Eureka as the co-pilot of the Nirvash. Eureka Seven is of high quality, so it's watchable and easy to watch. But it's just not interesting for me as it's a slow mecha without big aim. Compared to contemporaries, it has many benefits, but the newer anime titles, even of the same genre, put the whole enterprise of Eureka Seven to shame as they actually know what they are doing and where they are going for a change. It's too immature. And seriously... 50 episodes of this drag? Overall Rating: 6/10 2. Hachimitsu to Clover Honey and Clover ハチミツとクローバー [J.C.Staff] (Finished 6/24) Tags: Josei Adult Cast, Love Polygon, Visual Arts Comedy, Drama, Romance Yuuta Takemoto, a sophomore at an arts college, shares a cheap apartment with two seniors—the eccentric Shinobu Morita, who keeps failing to graduate due to his absenteeism, and the sensible Takumi Mayama, who acts as a proper senior to Takemoto, often looking out for him. Takemoto had not given much thought to his future until one fine spring day, when he meets the endearing Hagumi Hanamoto and falls in love at first sight. Incredibly gifted in the arts, Hagumi enrolls in Takemoto's university and soon befriends the popular pottery student Ayumi Yamada. Ayumi is already well acquainted with the three flatmates and secretly harbors deep feelings for one of them. Hachimitsu to Clover is a heartwarming tale of youth, love, soul-searching, and self-discovery, intricately woven through the complex relationships between five dear friends. I generally like such college dormitory anime like Silver Spoon, but this first representative could never involve me. All female characters here are too weird. And there's no even distinctive theme to revolve around despite the fact it's art college - compare that to Blue Period, for example. Without some glue it all falls apart to pieces, and rather irritating characters make it all obsolete under pressure of time. Overall Rating: 6/10 3. Tsubasa Chronicle Tsubasa RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE ツバサ・クロニクル [Bee Train] (Finished 4/26) Tags: Shounen Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Romance, Supernatural During an excavation at the mysterious ruins in Clow Country, Syaoran discovers his childhood friend Princess Sakura appear on the site with wings that disperse into many feathers. As the feather's disappear to different dimensions, so does Sakura's memory. In attempts to save Sakura's life and restore her memory, Syaoran travels through to another world to find a solution. There's only one thing left he can do. Travel through to different dimensions to collect Sakura's feathers. Helping out with the quest is Kurogane, an exiled ninja from Japan Country who wishes to return to his world, the runaway magician, Fay, who desires to jump between each world never to return to his own and the white meat-bun shaped creature, Mokona. Tried to watch it before, and it inevitably irritated me with simplicity and stupidity as well as bland protagonists and horrible mocking villains. It's not bad, but it's worse - it's plain, and has aged poorly. Overall Rating: 6/10 4. Basilisk: Kouga Ninpou Chou Basilisk バジリスク 甲賀忍法帖 [Gonzo] (Finished 4/24) Tags: Seinen Historical, Samurai Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Romance, Supernatural For centuries, the Iga and Kouga ninja clans have engaged in a bitter war. But when a ceasefire is ordered by the powerful warlord Ieyasu Tokugawa, the two clans are forced to put down their arms. Years later, Gennosuke Kouga, heir of the Kouga clan, and Oboro Iga, heir of the Iga clan, have fallen in love. Through marriage, both heirs aim to bring peace to the clans. But their hopes are dashed when flames of rivalry between their clans are reignited, and they are dragged into another war. Ieyasu's two grandsons have both claimed to be the next heir to the shogunate. To resolve this dispute, both the Kouga and Iga are ordered to send their 10 best warriors to fight in a bloody battle royale, with each clan representing one of the potential shogunate heirs. Two scrolls with the names of the fighters are given and are to be marked in blood upon the given fighter's death. The prize for winning is the favor of the Tokugawa shogunate for a thousand years. Torn between their love for each other and duty to their clans, Gennosuke and Oboro must ultimately decide the fate of their clans. It's pure fighting action between Iga and Koga, canonical and gory, but not to my liking. Overall Rating: 6/10 5. Trinity Blood トリニティ・ブラッド [Gonzo] (Finished 24/24) Tags: Vampire Action, Supernatural Following Armageddon, an apocalyptic war, mankind faces yet another menace: vampires. The continuous confrontations between the races have split the world into separate factions. The race of vampires, Methuselah, are affiliated with the New Human Empire; whereas the humans, deemed Terrans by the vampires, make up the Vatican Papal State. Furthermore, extremist groups like the Rosenkreuz Order strive to rekindle a war, despite the factions' attempts to avoid direct conflict. To combat terrorist organizations, the Vatican has implemented the AX unit. Led by Cardinal Caterina Sforza, the AX agents investigate vampire-related disturbances with hopes that the Terrans and the Methuselah will one day achieve peaceful coexistence. Amongst the AX unit is priest Abel Nightroad—a seemingly disoriented but gentle-hearted fellow who is a fierce vampire slayer on the battlefield. Joining the unit as his partner is agent Sister Esther Blanchett, a brave and gentle young nun troubled with a tragic past. As the two grow closer, they begin to uncover signs of malicious schemes and dark forces working in the shadows. But the path they walk is riddled with misfortune that might just force them to confront the memories that plague their hearts. It had all the chances for a solid vampire story, but execution is poor. And unlike Hellsing or Vampire Hunter D this one is more about world, politics, mystery rather than action. Basically, need some kind of vampire affinity to like it as story itself is lacking. Overall Rating: 6/10 6. Eyeshield 21 アイシールド21 [Gallop] (Finished 1/145) Tags: Shounen Team Sports Shy, reserved, and small-statured, Deimon High School student Sena Kobayakawa is the perfect target for bullies. However, as a result of running errands throughout his life, Sena has become agile and developed a skill for avoiding crowds of people. After the cunning Youichi Hiruma—captain of the Deimon Devil Bats football team—witnesses Sena's rapid legs in motion, he coerces the timid boy into joining his squad. As Hiruma wants to conceal Sena's identity from other clubs, Sena is forced to hide under the visored helmet of "Eyeshield 21," a mysterious running back wearing the number 21 jersey. The legendary Eyeshield 21 can supposedly run at the speed of light and has achieved remarkable feats in the United States during his time at the Notre Dame College. Accustomed to avoiding his problems in the past, Sena's specialty might just help him become the new secret weapon of the Deimon Devil Bats. As he interacts with his teammates, Sena gradually gains more self-confidence and forges valuable bonds along the way. Quality is higher than average, but that's as far as I'm willing to go for spokons. Overall Rating: 6/10 7. Ueki no Housoku The Law of Ueki うえきの法則 [Studio Deen] (Finished 2/51) Tags: Shounen Super Power Action, Adventure, Supernatural Unbeknownst to most humans, a bizarre tournament is held to decide the next ruler of the Heavenly World. In this tournament, 100 Heavenly Beings known as the "God Candidates" are required to search among the middle school students on Earth, and transfer their powers to a student of their choice. The chosen ones will then battle each other, representing their God Candidates. The victor of this tournament will be awarded the "Blank Talent"—allowing them to choose any one unique ability they so desire—while the God Candidate they represent will obtain the position of "God" and become the king of the Heavenly World. Participating in this grand tournament is Kousuke Ueki, a middle school student who is given the power to turn trash into trees by his homeroom teacher, Kobayashi. Despite the concerns of his classmate, Ai Mori, Ueki embarks on a journey to pursue his own sense of justice after witnessing the people around him misusing their powers for selfish purposes. But as he encounters talented power users such as Seiichirou Sano, Rinko Jerrard, Robert Haydn, and Hideyoshi Soya, he realizes that achieving his goal might be harder than it seems. One of the bland superpower battle royales imitating Shaman King. Very irritating. Overall Rating: 6/10 8. Ichigo 100% Strawberry 100% いちご100% [Madhouse] (Finished 2/12) Tags: Shounen Harem Comedy, Romance, Ecchi One day, Manaka Junpei walks to the roof of his school and encounters a beautiful girl falling down from above him and accidentally exposing her strawberry panties. The embarrassed girl runs away before Junpei can find out whom she is. He wishes to become a filmmaker, and this whole experience seemed like it would make the perfect scene in a movie. And so he goes on a search for the girl with the strawberry panties in order to reenact it all on film. But he will soon discover that finding that one girl will not be that easy... A memorable ecchi, but mostly because of the concept stupidity. Overall Rating: 6/10 9. Speed Grapher スピードグラファー [Gonzo] (Finished 24/24) Tags: Adult Cast, Super Power Action, Mystery Ten years after the Bubble War, the dichotomy between the rich and the poor in the world becomes more prominent and Japan is no exception. The rich seek to satisfy their desires and derive pleasure for themselves, and Tokyo has materialized into such a city as a result. Saiga, once a war photographer, works for Hibara Ginza in the capitalist state of Tokyo. He infiltrates the Roppongi Club, a secretive base located in the red light district of the city, to collect information about them. However, he was caught in the process and brought forward to a girl called Kagura who was in the midst of a ritual. His contact with Kagura awakens his special ability: the power to make things explode when photographed. In order to unravel the mystery behind the Roppongi Club and Kagura, Saiga begins his solitary battle. It's just a weird and senseless mess with actual adult themes that I could not believe it would not develop into something normal by the end. And it did not. Same pursues, trap cabaret and with just more fighting action towards the end. It's such an inarticulate story that I don't want to recommend it. But at least it tries to experiment, still better than all those generic schematic adventures we get more often than desired. Overall Rating: 6/10 10. Erementar Gerad Elemental Gelade エレメンタルジェレイド [Xebec] (Finished 3/26) Tags: Shounen Super Power Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy, Romance After a routine raid, the rookie sky pirate Coud finds a most unusual cargo in his mates' cargo hold: Ren, an "Edel Reid", a race prized by humans for granting special combat power to their partners through "Reacting". He quickly discovers, however, that Ren is even more prized than he expected. The pirate ship is visited by three members of the Edel Reid Complete Protection Agency "Arc Aire", who try to purchase her. When Coud refuses, the ship is suddenly attacked by a mysterious force, and Coud's captain charges him with Ren's protection. A most tasteless fantasy travel adventure to some Shangri-la again. Since plot is generic, only characters could save it, but characters are nothing but a bunch of irritating stamps as well. The flow and slapstic comedy obviously imitate Slayers. Overall Rating: 5/10 11. Kore ga Watashi no Goshujinsama He is My Master これが私の御主人様 [Gainax, Shaft] (Finished 2/12) Tags: Shounen Comedy, Slice of Life, Ecchi Izumi Sawatari and her younger sister, Mitsuki Sawatari, have run away from home and are in need of employment. The only jobs available are as maids in the mansion of 14-year-old millionaire, Yoshitaka Nakabayashi. What seems like simple work is soon revealed to be far more than the girls bargained for when they find Yoshitaka to be an authoritative employer who demands they call him "Master". Gainax actually made maid fetish work watchable, but there's mostly fanservice and affiliated humor. Overall Rating: 6/10 12. Sousei no Aquarion Aquarion 創聖のアクエリオン [Satelight] (Finished 3/26) Tags: Mecha, Super Power Action, Fantasy, Romance, Sci-Fi Once upon a time, a race known as the Shadow Angels attacked Earth to harvest the life force of all those who inhabited the planet. Thanks to some outrageous miracle, the Shadow Angels went dormant, and humanity was able to live another 12,000 years without fearing their presence. But 11 years after a catastrophe dubbed the Holy Genesis brought ruin to the Earth, the Shadow Angels were stirred from their slumber and resumed the attacks once more. To give humanity somewhat of a chance, an organization known as DEAVA was formed, and use of a robotic weapon named Aquarion has been authorized. In order for the Aquarion to be brought to full power, three pilots must combine their hearts, bodies, and souls into one—a feat few can hope to accomplish. Thus, the search for so-called 'Element Users' was prioritised, hoping to ensure humanity's future. Sousei no Aquarion follows the story of Apollo, a near-feral young man brought up in poverty, who is believed to be a legendary hero reincarnated. After his best friend is taken by the Shadow Angels, Apollo chooses to become an Aquarion pilot. Will he be able to turn the tides of the war, and free humanity from the threat of the Shadow Angels for once and for all? A decent mecha with mediocre characters. And it's more interesting to watch than any Gundam series because of tension, to be honest. Overall Rating: 6/10 13. Eikoku Koi Monogatari Emma Emma: A Victorian Romance 英國戀物語エマ [Pierrot] (Finished 1/12) Tags: Seinen Historical Drama, Romance Emma has been a maid for most of her life. Working for a retired governess—the strict but compassionate Kelly Stownar—Emma has grown to love her work and has long since accepted her place in society. Beautiful, hardworking, and exceptionally kind, Emma has captured the hearts of many of London's working men—but their feelings always remain unrequited. Emma is waiting for love, and she finds it in the most unlikely of places. William is the eldest son of the wealthy Jones household—a family that has only recently been accepted into the gentry, securing their position in high society. He is also the former ward of Mrs. Stownar, and on his first visit in years, he falls madly in love with her maid. His earnest attempts to win her affection, coupled with his good nature and warm personality, have captured Emma's heart. But the polite society of 19th century England does not take kindly to the rejection of tradition. As a result, Emma and William's relationship could not face more opposition. In a world where the class lines are as strongly defended as the borders of nations, does their love have the strength to survive? A normal victorial novel. Definitely not for me. Overall Rating: 6/10 14. MÄR メル [SynergySP] (Finished 5/102) Tags: Shounen Isekai Action, Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy Dreaming of a magical world every night, the young Toramizu Ginta yearns to be able to go there. With only his friend Koyuki believing in his dreams, Ginta remains positive despite the slander he receives from others over his dreams. But his wishes are answered, as one day a large door appears in front of Ginta, summoning him to the land of MAR Heaven. In this land, the weapons known as ARMS exist. While initially Ginta greatly enjoyed the discovery of this magical world, he soon learns of the terrible wars that have once plagued MAR Heaven and the upcoming war that may soon appear. A generic shounen, I'd call it a mix of Dragon Ball and Shaman King, but it surely has many more sources of inspiration. Overall Rating: 5/10 15. Glass no Kamen (2005) Glass Mask ガラスの仮面 (2005) [Tokyo Movie Shinsha] (Finished 3/51) Tags: Shoujo Performing Arts, Showbiz Drama Two Girls. One Dream. And the entire world for a stage. At 13 years old, Maya Kitajima seems destined to spend the rest of her life toiling in a crowded restaurant alongside her bitter and unstable mother. But when her incredible acting talent is discovered by the legendary diva Chigusa Tsukikage, Maya finds a new future filled with both golden opportunities and terrifying risks. For Ayumi Himekawa, success has always been assured, yet she longs to be recognized for her own talents and skills, not her famous parents' connections. For both, the ultimate prize is the role of The Crimson Goddess in the play of the same name, a part created by Chigusa. To achieve this goal, both Maya and Ayumi must seek out and conquer every acting challenge, pushing the limits of their talent and endurance to the utmost, until they are worthy of the part… But for one to win, the other must fail! They took their time preparing this classic remake, and it's indeed decent. For me this shoujo still lacks complexity of Nodame Cantabile and some other psychological or twisted shoujo titles. Overall Rating: 6/10 16. Futakoi Alternative フタコイ オルタナティブ [ufotable, feel., Studio Flag] (Finished 2/13) Tags: Comedy, Drama, Romance The Futaba Detective Agency, being run by Rentarou, who has taken over the family business, after his father's death 3 weeks ago. Along w/ Sara & Souju, his live-in identical twin assistants. He ends up running afoul of the local Yakuza. Lots of ridiculous nonsense action akin to R.O.D. . It's not funny as parody, not engaging as story , not serious for anything deeper, so just some surface scratching comedy . Overall Rating: 6/10 17. Zettai Shounen 絶対少年 [Ajia-do] (Finished 11/26) Tags: Drama, Fantasy, Mystery, Sci-Fi Oftentimes, people are most vulnerable when they are lonely and unable to get along with those around them. Isolation is felt more keenly amongst a crowd, so some will try to find solace in the strangest of places, where the unknown lurks. Such people include Ayumu Aizawa, a former city boy now living in the countryside of Tana, and Kisa Tanigawa, a young girl who has a hard time relating to others. What these two share in common is a feeling that their life has gone astray. Zettai Shounen tells a story of strange phenomena affecting two different settings, with no explanations of their origin or sudden appearance. All that is known is that these phenomena seem to center on individuals with mixed emotions toward themselves and others. As most mysteries, a total bore with the essence being a 99% filler. So pissed. Overall Rating: 5/10 18. Gokujou Seitokai Best Student Council 極上生徒会 [J.C.Staff] (Finished 4/26) Tags: School Comedy, Slice of Life Randou Rino is a young girl with a head full of air and a talking puppet on her hand. She is accepted into the illustrious Gokujou all-girl's school, and is summarily, almost curiously, accepted as part of the even more illustrious Gokujou Student Council, who has more power and business ventures than most large businesses. Now a part of the student council, she befriends the talented members of the Gokujou Student Council, leaving one to wonder how a girl with seemingly no talents or redeeming qualities would get chosen for such a group. It's sort of parody on girls love academy stories. It's funny enough, but there's no story, just setting. Overall Rating: 6/10 19. Koi Koi 7 Koi Koi Seven こいこい7 [Studio Flag] (Finished 2/13) Tags: Harem Comedy, Romance Tanaka Tetsuro is excited at getting a full scholarship at a new high school, far away from his family. What he does not know is that he will be the only boy in an all girl school, and that there is a girl head-over-heels in love with him, waiting for his arrival. But his special friendship with the very cute and dynamic Asuka also causes him to get into a lot of trouble with the powerful student council leadership, as they are at open war with Asuka and her five friends, a group of super amazon warriors called the Koi Koi Seven. Longs things short, there's hardly anything but constant fanservice. Overall Rating: 5/10 20. Zoids Genesis ゾイド ジェネシス [Shogakukan Music & Digital Entertainment] (Finished 1/50) Tags: Mecha, Military Action, Adventure, Comedy Natural disasters have devastated planet Zi, killing off almost all life. A thousand years later humans have gradually re-established civilization, salvaging ancient Zoids through diving and mining efforts. In a village whose most previous item is a giant sword which they worship as a holy symbol. A teenage boy discovers an ancient Liger-type Zoid while on a deep water salvage operation. Suddenly the village is attacked by skeletal Bio-Zoids intent on stealing a powerful generator located in the village. Our teenage hero awakens the Liger and discovers that the town`s sacred sword is the Liger`s weapon, together they fight off the mysterious Bio-Zoids. At least for now... I lost any remaining interest in the very first season. Overall Rating: 5/10 21. Onegai My Melody おねがいマイメロディ [Studio Comet] (Finished 3/52) Tags: Comedy, Fantasy My Melody arrives on Earth much to the surprise of her rival Kuromi. Together with one of the junior high school students, Yumeno Uta, they decide to protect the dreams of the people with the help of magic. Childish humor, simplicity and episodic nature, young girls problems. It can be enjoyed by the target audience, but this audience seems to be very narrow. Overall Rating: 6/10 22. Izumo: Takeki Tsurugi no Senki Izumo: Flash of a Brave Sword IZUMO -猛き剣の閃記- [Trinet Entertainment, Studio Kyuuma] (Finished 12/12) Tags: Martial Arts Adventure, Drama, Fantasy, Romance, Supernatural Yagi Takeru has been living in the Touma family's house since his parents are gone. He was raised by Touma Rokunosuke, the head of the house. He is surrounded by many people such as Yamato Takeshi, his best friend-cum-rival from the kendo club, the Shiratori sisters, Kotono and Asuka, and his childhood friend, Oosu Seri. Life has been blissful until one day, an earthquake strikes the school and everything changes. Takeru awakens to find that the school looks as if it has been abandoned for centuries and reduced to ruins. He also realize that all the teachers and students have disappeared as well. He meets up with Seri and Asuka and they fled from the ruins, only to realize that the town they used to live in is completely empty. Subsequently, people wrapped in cloaks appear before him. They were told that they have been brought to another world. Sat through this horrible bore about flirt and some fighting of a school boy in a fantasy land. It had better stayed as a game without serialization. Overall Rating: 5/10 23. Fushigiboshi no☆Futagohime ふしぎ星の☆ふたご姫 [Hal Film Maker] (Finished 2/51) Tags: Mahou Shoujo Comedy, Fantasy In the hollow Mysterious Planet, seven kingdoms co-exist, all of them lit by the Sun's Blessing from the Kingdom of the Sun, in the middle of the planet. The light of the core sun is necessary for the continued existence of all the kingdoms. Yet, something is causing the Sun's Blessing to weaken. If something isn't done, it will be the end of life in the Mysterious Planet. Fortunately, the twin princesses of the Sun Kingdom, Fine and Rein, have been endowed with the magic of the Prominence, and are looking for a way to fix things. Feels like a fusion of Do-Re-Mi and Precure in fantasy kingdom setting. Humor is nice, but not finding it outstanding. Overall Rating: 6/10 24. Comic Party Revolution こみっくパーティー Revolution [Radix, Chaos Project] (Finished 13/13) Tags: Otaku Culture Comedy, Drama Sendo Kazuki, failed the entrance exam for the art college he was applying to, His childhood friend, Kuhonbutsu Taishi forced Kazuki to enter the doujin (private publishing) world. I hated OVA since it was fanservice spin-off about two female heroines, and this second season is actually same spin-off episodes with addition of some glue ones that have original protagonist. There are couple episodes that can be considered plot development, but overall impression is poor as it's one big filler for the most part. Overall Rating: 6/10 25. Yuki no Joou (TV) The Snow Queen 雪の女王 [TMS Entertainment] (Finished 2/36) Tags: Shoujo Adventure, Drama, Fantasy Based on the children's story by Hans Christian Andersen. Gerda and Kai have been neighbors and best friends since childhood. Gerda is eleven, Kai twelve. They were happy children who worked and played as they should. All that changed when the Snow Queen's mirror broke. The shards spread all through the world, each containing evil. If a shard went inside your eye, it would turn your heart to ice. A shard went into Kai's eye. After that, he grew cold to those he loved. One night, the Snow Queen came in her carriage and took Kai back to her ice castle at the farthest north point of the world. Everyone in Kai and Gerda's village didn't know where he went and believed he died from drowning in the frozen-over lake. Gerda doesn't believe this, for she dreamed of seeing Kai enter the carriage. When a drunk man admits that he also saw this, Gerda starts realizing that maybe what she saw wasn't a dream. She packs her things and goes on a journey to save Kai and bring him back home. I seriously dislike it when short fairy tales are turned into some huge series. Lots of useless SOL, antics and slow-paced fiddling details... too irritating to go on. Overall Rating: 5/10 26. Yuusha-Ou GaoGaiGar Final Grand Glorious Gathering King of Braves GaoGaiGar Final Grand Glorious Gathering 勇者王ガオガイガーFINAL Grand Glorious Gathering [Sunrise] (Finished 1/12) Tags: Mecha, Super Power Action, 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. Childish Tarzan-themed beast transformers are back for those who care. Overall Rating: 5/10 27. Kouchuu Ouja Mushiking: Mori no Tami no Densetsu Mushiking: The Guardians of the Forest 甲虫王者ムシキング ～森の民の伝説～ [TMS Entertainment] (Finished 1/52) Tags: Fantasy The story begins with a spaceship struggling to return to its home world, which crash lands onto a dying planet, triggering an explosion of pure energy, generated by the powerful and mysterious life forms that are piloting the craft. This outburst of energy infuses the dying planet with a life-generating force. Popo, the main character of the story, lives happily with his mother on this planet in a remote part of the forest that is populated with praying mantises, ladybugs, beetles and many other insects. Popos greatest desire is to grow up and become stronger, so that he can search for his father who left the family several years before and has not been heard from since. His father was known as the Guardian of the Forest, as he was passionately dedicated to his research on the planet and on the forest in which his family lives. One day, while walking through the forest, Popo witnesses an ominous event. A strange flowing mist appears, completely covering the forest. A mysterious and sinister character, Passer, also appears, condemning Popos father as an enemy of the forest people and the source of all their trouble. Popo races home only to find to his shock and amazement that his mother has been transformed into a half-plant, half human creature. Confused and dismayed over what he has seen, Popo decides that only his father will be able to restore his mother to her human self and rescue the forest from harm. He decides to leave his home in search for his father. However, the evil Adder and his henchmen plot to prevent Popo from achieving his goal with the help of giant beetles who attack the young boy at every turn. Fortunately, Popo has an ally, Mushiking: The King of Beetles! With his overwhelming strength and overpowering fighting style, Mushiking always comes through at the nick of time to save the young boy from defeat and to set him back on his quest. Is Popo able to find his father and to save his mother and the forest? Discovering his destiny as the next Guardian of the Forest, and protected and guided on his journey by Mushiking, Popo's epic quest to reunite with his father now begins! Setting is childish - just having adventures with bugs etc. Overall Rating: 6/10 28. Shinshaku Sengoku Eiyuu Densetsu: Sanada Juu Yuushi The Animation 新釈 戦国英雄伝説 眞田十勇士 The Animation [Group TAC, G&G Entertainment] (Finished 1/12) Tags: Historical, Military, Samurai Action, Comedy In the Fifth Year of the Keicho era, the Tokugawa clan sought to solidify their control of Japan. Hidetada Tokugawa has come to the doorsteps of Ueda Castle with the intentions of having the Sanada clan open its doors to him. But the Sanada and their retainers have other plans... Not translated, only movie special is. With great NHK taiga about Sanadas having subtitles this one hardly matters till it gets subs. Overall Rating: 6/10 29. Eien no Aselia The Eternal Aseria 永遠のアセリア [Studio Matrix] (Finished 2/2) Tags: Adventure, Drama, Fantasy Yuto Takamine and his younger sister-in-law Kaori, were at their parents' grave, when they were suddenly summoned into another world, Phantasmagoria. The King and a woman named Restina took Kaori as a hostage, and ordered Yuto to fight against their enemies. Then, the King gave him a sword called Motomeh to protect their kingdom from enemy spirits. Kaori will only be freed if Yuto helps protect Phantasmagoria. Thus, Yuto's journey begins... Short and rather unimpressive advertisement for the game. Overall Rating: 5/10 30. Mezame no Hakobune Open Your Mind めざめの方舟 [-] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Fantasy The plot of Open Your Mind follows the extraterrestrial origin of life, coming from outerspace as six deities (Intermission act), evolving into water (Sho-ho) then emerging to the air (Hyakkin) and to the ground (Ku-nu). Each one of these creatures rules one of the six elements of the godai philosophy, i.e. Earth, Water, Fire, Wind (referred to as kaze in the Hyakkin chant), Sky and Consciousness (referred to as "Awakening" in the movie's title). Another weird experimental something, more like music with random imagery. Overall Rating: 5/10 31. Kirameki☆Project きらめき☆プロジェクト [Studio Fantasia] (Finished 5/5) Tags: Mecha Comedy, Sci-Fi, Ecchi In a world where giant rude robots are common and used to fight wars appears a giant Handcrafted robot that defeats the major armies of the world. Meanwhile in a kingdom where three sisters reign in peace and harmony there is a secret that they keep from the rest of the world until they must use a Doll-looking robot to protect their nation, even when her creator refuses to put her friend in danger. A ridiculous fanservice mecha with poor plot. Overall Rating: 5/10 32. Haruwo ハルヲ [CoMix Wave Films] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Action In a violent post-apocalyptic Japan, a reckless juvenile delinquent named Haruwo takes on the Yakuza, but their new bouncer may be more than he can handle... Over a year in the making, this half-hour short was entirely the work of one person--even the music! "Haruwo" animator Shao Guee writes, "I didn't make this film for money, just for fun. I hope people all over the world will have a chance to see it. If you like it, please tell your friends about it. That's all I want. My thanks to everyone who helped me make this project a reality." Just a small simple revenge story, and the fact that it's done by one person does not justify it in any way. Overall Rating: 5/10 33. Crayon Shin-chan Movie 13: Densetsu wo Yobu Buriburi 3 Pun Dai Shingeki 映画 クレヨンしんちゃん　伝説を呼ぶ　ブリブリ　３分ポッキリ大進撃 [Shin-Ei Animation] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Seinen School Comedy, Slice of Life, Ecchi An action comedy including parodies of tokusatsu monster/hero genre, such as "Godzilla" and "Ultraman." A time-space conditioner from the future, Miraiman, suddenly appears before the Nohara family, and he requests the family to fight against giant monsters who appear from time-space distortion one after another, in order to save the world from destruction. Every time monsters appear, Shinnosuke's parents, father Hiroshi and mother Misae go to the world three minute later, transform themselves into righteous heroes and defeat them within the time limit of three minutes. Hiroshi and Misae become wrapped up in getting rid of monsters, and Misae stops doing the housework. Then, a strong monster appears, and he cannot be defeated within three minutes. Shinnosuke rises up against the monster. Superhero family themed movie with kaiji is more dramatic than funny. I don't like this change. Overall Rating: 6/10 34. Ark [Skouras] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Mecha, Military Action, Fantasy, Sci-Fi, Supernatural Ark takes place on a dying alien world in which a global war between two technologically advanced human civilizations has reduced the planet to a wasteland. The only way to escape the world is by activating the Ark, an ancient giant robot capable of supporting a human city as well as traveling through space. A surprisingly well done machinima with a nice small story. Overall Rating: 6/10 35. Ashita Genki ni Nare!: Hanbun no Satsumaimo Tomorrow Will Become Better!: Half a Sweet Potato あした元気にな～れ!～半分のさつまいも～ [AYCO, Studio Kelmadick] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Drama The story is about a 5-year-old girl who lived in just after World War II when people were struggle for living. Not translated. Basically, 5-year-old girl cheers up and helps people. There's not much substance or drama, just some more or less touching episodes from war aftermath life. Overall Rating: 6/10 36. Kumo no Gakkou 雲の学校 [-] (Finished 0/1) Tags: Drama, Slice of Life Near the end of the 19th century, a young boy loses his father and has to move from a comfortable city to a poor village in Saitama. There, living with his mother, elder sister, and a dog, he learns valuable lessons about what's truly important in life. Not found. Overall Rating: 0/10 37. Yin Shun Daoshi Fu Ven. Yin Shun [-] (Finished 0/1) Tags: Historical Drama The story begins in 742AD, when Japanese monks Yoei and Fusho, pay a visit to Jian Zhen, the abbot of Daming Temple in Yangzhou, China, and implore him to help implement Buddhist precepts in their homeland. When his disciples shy away from the task, the abbot volunteers himself. From 743AD, he tries to sail to Japan several times and only succeeds on his sixth attempt. By then he had already lost his eyesight, yet not once did he lose sight of his aspiration nor did he allow his determination to falter. Bringing along with him several Chinese artisans, Jian Zhen, himself a medical practitioner, went on to make major contributions to the development of Buddhism in Japan, as well as to its culture, architecture and traditional Chinese medicine. Not found. Overall Rating: 0/10

Slow beginning of the year, and among decent ones Karas is at least memorable 1. Air [Kyoto Animation] (Finished 12/12) Tags: Drama, Romance, Supernatural Yukito Kunisaki is on a journey in search of the Winged Maiden who was bound to the sky centuries ago, after hearing an old childhood tale from his mother. As Yukito shows his puppet show to people in an attempt to make some money, he finds himself in a small town in which he did not expect to stay very long. However, when he meets an unusual girl named Misuzu, things take a drastic turn as he is invited to stay with her. By staying in the quaint town, Yukito soon becomes friends with the locals. As he gets to know them better, he learns of their problems and decides to help, putting his search for the Winged Maiden on hold. With his search on hold, and his growing attachment to Misuzu and the small town, will Yukito ever find the Winged Maiden, or is she closer than he thought? Watched it twice, hated it immensely both times. One of the most overrated stories ever. Overall Rating: 5/10 2. Aa! Megami-sama! (TV) Ah! My Goddess ああっ女神さまっ [AIC] (Finished 3/24) Tags: Seinen Comedy, Romance, Supernatural In a world where humans can have their wish granted via the Goddess Help Hotline, a human, Keiichi Morisato, summons the Goddess Belldandy by accident and jokes that she should stay with him forever. Unfortunately for him, his "wish" is granted. Suddenly, Keiichi is now living with this gorgeous woman all alone, causing him to be kicked out of the all-male dormitory he was staying in. But soon, after they find lodging in a Buddhist temple, Keiichi and Belldandy's relationship begins to blossom. Although they are both awkward and rather uncomfortable with one another at first, what awaits these two strangers could turn out to be an unexpected romance. There's been over a decade since OVA, and finally its issues are addressed. But result is not great with a lot of mediocre and simple content introduced. Overall Rating: 6/10 3. Mahou Sensei Negima! Negima! 魔法先生 ネギま！ [Xebec] (Finished 3/26) Tags: Shounen Harem, School, Super Power Comedy, Fantasy, Romance, Supernatural, Ecchi 10-year-old Negi Springfield is a wizard-in-training, and needs only to pass one more test in order to become a Master Wizard. Unfortunately, his final task is a bizarre one—to become a English teacher at an all-females boarding school. As soon as he arrives, he completely embarrasses one of his students, Asuna Kagurazaka, and replaces the teacher she loves, which garners her hatred. To make matters worse, Asuna learns that Negi is a wizard, and promises to tell unless he helps her out. But unfortunately, circumstances force them to work together to do many things, from fighting evil wizards to helping the class pass their final exam, with a lot of humor, magic, and romances thrown in. Sampled it several times, and it's too simple and nowadays feels morally old. Overall Rating: 6/10 4. Peach Girl Peach Girl: Super Pop Love Hurricane ピーチガール [Studio Comet] (Finished 2/25) Tags: Shoujo School Drama, Romance With her gorgeous, tan skin and long, bleached hair, former high school swim team member Momo Adachi seems like the kind of girl who could get any guy she wants. In reality, however, she is only in love with Kazuya "Toji" Toujigamori, a baseball player whom she fell for in junior high and who reportedly only likes pale-skinned girls. Despite her attempts to change her appearance, many of her jealous classmates have begun spreading rumors about her promiscuous and "easy to get with" personality. Momo's friend Sae Kashiwagi is always there to comfort her, but is secretly the source of the rumors about Momo as part of her own scheme to steal Toji. Further complicating things is Kairi Okayasu, a popular male student at Momo's high school who has publicly declared his love for her and is determined to date her. Hoping to find love in a nearly impossible predicament, Momo must navigate complicated love triangles, back-stabbing friends, and her insecurities about her appearance to discover who she really i There has been non-sexualized anime about gyaru culture already, so this one begins a streak of sexualized ones. It's so primitive that I could not even tolerate it for three episodes. Overall Rating: 5/10 5. Girls Bravo: Second Season GIRLSブラボー second season [AIC Spirits] (Finished 1/13) Tags: Shounen Harem, Isekai, School Comedy, Fantasy, Romance, Ecchi Small for his age, Yukinari has been bullied and abused by girls all his life. Now in high school, he has developed a rare condition: whenever girls touch him, or even come close, he breaks out in hives. Imagine his surprise, when he is suddenly transported to the city of Seiren on a mystic world invisibly orbiting the Earth, and populated with vast numbers of women and very few men. Fortunately, he has a new friend, Miharu-chan, whose touch inexplicably doesn't affect him. More of cringe fanservice in the second season. Overall Rating: 5/10 6. Mahoraba: Heartful days まほらば ~Heartful days~ [J.C.Staff] (Finished 3/26) Tags: Shounen Iyashikei, Visual Arts Comedy, Drama, Romance Shiratori Ryuushi is a young artist-in-training, about to start studying at a vocational school. Arriving at his new lodgings, Narutakisou, he finds himself the focus of attention for the collection of weirdos that inhabit the place. He also meets and falls for the landlady, Aoba Kozue, who seems to be both lovely and charming. However, Kozue is not what she seems to be... in fact, she's more. Boarding house setting is quite good for romcom, but Mahoraba is typical. It delivers what you expect of it, but does not offer much more or anything exceptional . Overall Rating: 6/10 7. Xenosaga The Animation ゼノサーガ THE ANIMATION [Toei Animation] (Finished 12/12) Tags: Mecha, Space Action, Sci-Fi The year is T.C. 4767. Four thousand years have passed since humanity abandoned its birthplace, the planet Earth. Beset by the hostile alien Gnosis, mankind is now scrambling to find ways to defeat this threat to their existence. The development of KOS-MOS (a specialized android with amazing capabilities) by Vector engineer Shion Uzuki was one response to the threat. But when their ship is destroyed by the Gnosis, Shion and her companions find themselves thrust into the middle of a battle with no clear sides... Rather bland space mecha, at least without experiencing the game. Overall Rating: 5/10 8. Futari wa Precure: Max Heart ふたりはプリキュア ー マックスハート [Toei Animation] (Finished 1/47) Tags: Mahou Shoujo Action, Comedy, Fantasy Shortly after the fall of the Wicked King, the Queen of the Garden of Light lost her memory and came to Earth, in the form of a 12-year-old girl named Hikari Kujou. Now, she—with the help of Nagisa and Honoka, endowed with new costumes and powers—must find the 12 Heartiels, which hold the key to restoring the Queen's lost memories. For together once again, they are Pretty Cure. First episode has a familiar flow, not sure it something changed. Overall Rating: 6/10 9. Starship Operators スターシップ・オペレーターズ [J.C.Staff] (Finished 13/13) Tags: Military, Space Drama, Sci-Fi For the 73rd class of cadets of the Defense University of the small planet Kibi, a shakedown cruise on the fleet's new starship "Amaterasu" is a fitting lead-up to graduation. As they are returning to their home planet, however, they are shocked to hear news of a declaration of war by the aggressive Kingdom against Kibi. When their planetary government surrenders without a struggle, the cadets decide to launch their own war, aboard the "Amaterasu". To gain funding, they make a deal with a galactic news network - and find themselves the "stars" of their own "reality show". Unfortunately, this is the kind of reality show that can get you killed... It tries to be Yamato in a trivial way with lots of SOL in addition to space battles. And execution can be described as mixed at best. I struggle to remember anything memorable after watching it, maybe apart of politics. Overall Rating: 6/10 10. Buzzer Beater [TMS Entertainment] (Finished 2/13) Tags: Sci-Fi, Sports Hideyoshi is a homeless boy living in New York in the near future, who survives by hustling other kids in basketball games. But now he's been drafted into a pro team-a pro team with a very unique goal. There once was a time when humans dominated the game of basketball. But times have changed, and now the physically superior alien players have taken over the game, and there are barely any human players left. But Hideyoshi's team-the first all-human team to compete in the Space League-intends to change all that, and bring the championship back home to Earth. Unusual, yet still silly spokon. Overall Rating: 5/10 11. Gallery Fake ギャラリーフェイク [TMS Entertainment, Tokyo Kids, Minami Machi Bugyousho] (Finished 3/37) Tags: Seinen Adult Cast, Visual Arts Mystery Fujita Reiji is the owner of an art gallery, Gallery Fake. He deals with fake items, and is also familiar with the black market. However, he has a special talent for art, and used to work for the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York as a curator. I used to watch everything Seinen, and this is another horrible representative of it. Episodic and super boring, but maybe it feels like that for me because of mystery genre, very similar to detective mystery. Overall Rating: 5/10 12. Jinki:Extend ジンキ・エクステンド [feel.] (Finished 4/12) Tags: Mecha Sci-Fi Aoba is a young girl who loves to build models of robots. She lived alone with her grandmother until her grandmother passes away. Shortly after she is kidnapped and brought to a secret base where she discovers a huge robot. The piloted robots fight against Ancient-Jinki in The Grand Savanna, but the true meaning behind the fights is hidden. Aoba works hard at the base so one day she can pilot one of the robots and discover these secrets. It's primitiveness extended, feeling dumber after just a few episodes. Overall Rating: 5/10 13. UG☆Ultimate Girls Ultimate Girls UG☆アルティメットガール [Studio Matrix] (Finished 2/12) Tags: Comedy, Sci-Fi, Ecchi During a monster attack on the city, which is something that happens quite often, Silk and her two friends try get close to the attacking monster for a better view. An unfortunate choice of location to watch from leads to UFO-man, the city's giant protector, to land on the girls crushing them to death. Feeling sorry, UFO-man blames their death on the monster and promises to bring Silk and her friends back to life by lending them his power but the catch is that they now have to become the city's protector as well. Some cosplay kaiju superhero nonsense parody. Overall Rating: 5/10 14. Transformers Galaxy Force Transformers Cybertron トランスフォーマー ギャラクシーフォース [Gonzo] (Finished 1/52) Tags: Mecha Adventure, Sci-Fi Forced to abandon their home planet of Cybertron due to the threat of the Blackhole, Optimus Prime prepares to lead his autobot warriors to Earth. Just as they are leaving they are confronted by Vector Prime who warns Optimus Prime of the threat to the galaxy if the four Cyber Planet Keys are not gathered in time. However, Megatron has plans of his own for the universe. As they embark on the search, they land on new planets which are inhabited by different Transformer races as well as the Convoys who lead these planets. Won't hit the dead horse. Overall Rating: 5/10 15. Magical Canan Magical Kanan まじかるカナン [AIC ASTA] (Finished 2/13) Tags: Drama, Fantasy, Supernatural Five dangerous "seeds" have been stolen from their vault in the world of Evergreen and taken to Earth. Natsuki, an agent of the Queen, has been sent to retrieve them. However, he cannot do this alone and enlists the aid of Chihaya, a middle school student, who is "the only one" who can help him. With his aid she transforms into Magical Warrior Carmine in order to save the humans possessed by the seeds. Questions abound though, such as why Chihaya's mother appears to know all about this secret activity, why Chihaya remembers her father who reportedly died before her birth, and why she dreams of Evergreen, which she has never seen. Source is old bad visual novel imitating Sailor Moon poorly. Overall Rating: 5/10 16. Lime-iro Ryuukitan X らいむいろ流奇譚 X CROSS ～恋, 教ヘテクダサイ.～ [A.C.G.T.] (Finished 3/13) Tags: Harem, Historical, Mecha Drama, Supernatural, Ecchi It was Meiji 38 (1905), the Russo-Japanese War that had begun since the previous year was getting hard. In this severe circumstance, they reorganized the Raimu Squad. The members of the Raimu Squad were the girls. They were just like other ordinary girls who went to schools and yearned for love, except that they had "Raimu." Inukai Tsuyoshiro was a young man who was newly chosen to be the leader of the squad. He was ambitious to fight for Japan. When the young man met the five girls, the new chapter of "Raimu" began. Terrible source, terrible original, terrible sequel. Overall Rating: 5/10 17. Shin Chou Kyou Ryo: Condor Hero II Legend of the Condor Hero II 神鵰俠侶 II 襄陽風雲 [Nippon Animation] (Finished 3/26) Tags: Historical Adventure, Drama, Romance Continuation of Legend of the Condor Hero. It's in Chinese, it's sequel, it's nauseatingly culturally narrow and pretentiously epic making it feel even more like bad parody. Overall Rating: 5/10 18. Oretachi Ijiwaru Kei おれたちイジワルケイ [Karaku] (Finished 0/14) Tags: Comedy An anime about Kei's daily life. Not found. Overall Rating: 0/10 19. Karas 鴉 -KARAS- [Tatsunoko Production] (Finished 6/6) Tags: Gore, Super Power Action, Fantasy, Sci-Fi The world of the humans and the world of the demons (youkai) have overlapped one another, leaving humans to walk the streets of life as they normally would, while demons walk, hidden from the naked eye, down the very same streets. A seemingly young woman named Yurine and her servant, the Karas (from the Japanese word for "Crow"), have long maintained order and balance between the overlapped worlds, ultimately keeping the demons from interrupting the lives of humans. However, humans have come to forget and jest at the existence of demons, and no longer understand the privilege it is to live without fear. Disgusted by this arrogance, an old Karas turns his back on the laws he had once upheld, and in his human form, named Eko, he creates an army of Mikura, or mechanized demons, to ready an attack on the human race. A young man named Otoha inherits the powers of the Karas and takes his place at the side of Yurine, who claims that his soul called out for her while he lived the life of a human. They live in the world of the demons. It is now up to Otoha to prove himself as a Karas, and restore the balance that Eko threatens to upset. Meanwhile, a superstitious police officer named Sagisaka and his rational new recruit, Kure, follow the trail of the murders dealt by Eko's Mikura, as well as the trail of a rogue Mikura named Nue. The prophecy unfolds from here into a grave revelation for all in the city. Beautiful fighting action with good and bad demons, but can't call it something outstanding. Overall Rating: 6/10 20. Bokusatsu Tenshi Dokuro-chan Bludgeoning Angel Dokuro-chan 撲殺天使ドクロちゃん [Hal Film Maker, Nomad] (Finished 4/4) Tags: Gag Humor, Gore Comedy, Ecchi Sakura Kusakabe, a mere junior high student, has committed a horrible crime. Or, rather, he will commit a crime—20 years into the future. The crime in question? He will prevent all women from developing past the age of 12, with immortality as an unintended side effect. As a result, the angel Dokuro Mitsukai is sent from the future as an assassin, armed with with a magical spiked bat named Excalibolg. However, rather than kill him, Dokuro wants to take a different approach. She resolves to be a constant nuisance to Sakura, in an attempt to prevent him from focusing on anything long enough to create his criminal technology. With Dokuro going against orders, the angel Sabato is sent out to complete Dokuro's mission. Between the impulsive Dokuro—who often murders Sakura with her bat before reviving him with the magic words "Pipiru piru piru pipiru pi"—and the electric baton-wielding Sabato, Sakura's life will never be peaceful again. Some nonsense for cute gore lovers? Not finding it funny. Overall Rating: 6/10 21. Iriya no Sora, UFO no Natsu イリヤの空、UFOの夏 [Toei Animation] (Finished 6/6) Tags: Drama, Romance, Sci-Fi Asaba Naoyuki is an ordinary high school student. As a member of his school's press club, he's just spent the summer camping outside the local military base, in hopes of seeing the UFOs that are secretly kept there, according to local legend. Returning to school, he meets a strange girl, Iriya Kana, and gradually comes to realize that she is more than merely strange - and that a dark secret lies beneath the world that he knows. A rather weird show in the sense that something goes on and on and then ends, and there's no real story in all that, just some pointless low pressure drama. Just a drag. Overall Rating: 5/10 22. Long Dao Qi Yuan DragonBlade: The Legend of Lang 龍刀奇緣 [-] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Action, Fantasy A town is attacked by a deadly creature, it can only be stopped with the Dragon Blade. The one person who knows where the blade is won't tell Lang, and even if he did, untold peril will fall on anyone who dares to find this legendary weapon. Something like kung-fu panda, also a musical, for me a bore. Overall Rating: 5/10 23. Hurdle ハードル [Magic Bus] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Drama Yuuki has to move from Yokohama to a rural city and becomes the target of bullying. Not translated. Aged SOL, drama, crying - everything as I like. Overall Rating: 5/10

Fall has become even more saturated than Spring lately. Beck is something unique that I'm willing to cherish. Genshiken is a cozy place to return to. Zipang is probably the best navy anime, at least to my awareness. 1. Bleach BLEACH - ブリーチ - [Pierrot] (Finished 4/366) Tags: Shounen Action, Adventure, Fantasy Ichigo Kurosaki is an ordinary high schooler—until his family is attacked by a Hollow, a corrupt spirit that seeks to devour human souls. It is then that he meets a Soul Reaper named Rukia Kuchiki, who gets injured while protecting Ichigo's family from the assailant. To save his family, Ichigo accepts Rukia's offer of taking her powers and becomes a Soul Reaper as a result. However, as Rukia is unable to regain her powers, Ichigo is given the daunting task of hunting down the Hollows that plague their town. However, he is not alone in his fight, as he is later joined by his friends—classmates Orihime Inoue, Yasutora Sado, and Uryuu Ishida—who each have their own unique abilities. As Ichigo and his comrades get used to their new duties and support each other on and off the battlefield, the young Soul Reaper soon learns that the Hollows are not the only real threat to the human world. Looks like someone watched Yu Yu Hakusho too much, and I actually favor that over Bleach. Overall Rating: 6/10 2. Beck Beck: Mongolian Chop Squad ベック [Madhouse] (Finished 26/26) Tags: Shounen Music Comedy, Drama, Slice of Life Fourteen-year-old Yukio "Koyuki" Tanaka is a dispirited young boy with no goals in life. However, this all changes when Koyuki saves a strange-looking dog named Beck from being harassed by a group of local kids. The dog's owner, 16-year-old Ryuusuke "Ray" Minami, is an emerging guitarist and the former member of a popular rock band. After Koyuki meets Ray again in a diner, the older boy leads him to his former band's meeting place and dazzles Koyuki with his amazing guitar skills. Slowly becoming interested in the glamour of western rock culture, Koyuki decides to start playing the guitar while helping Ray achieve his dream of leading the ultimate rock band. Together with Ray's younger sister Maho and a few other members, the two boys launch their career into the world of rock by forming a band called BECK. Beck follows the group's struggles and successes as they spread their fame across Japan. Back in time, I just thought it was great anime. Nowadays, it seems to be still not surpassed as anime about music. I don't enjoy it as a genius masterpiece, but it's truly unique and can't be repeated in our times. Overall Rating: 9/10 3. School Rumble スクールランブル [Studio Comet] (Finished 2/26) Tags: Shounen Gag Humor, Love Polygon, School Comedy, Romance Just the words "I love you," and everything changes—such is the nature of the bittersweet trials of high school romance. Tenma Tsukamoto, a second year, is on a quest to confess her feelings to the boy she likes. Kenji Harima, a delinquent with a sizable reputation, is in a similar situation, as he cannot properly convey his feelings to the one he loves. Between school, friends, rivalries, and hobbies, these two will find that high school romance is no walk in the park, especially as misunderstandings further complicate their plight. Azumanga random gag sketch curse continues, at least humor is somewhat better than usual. Overall Rating: 6/10 4. Gankutsuou Gankutsuou: The Count of Monte Cristo 巌窟王 [Gonzo] (Finished 3/24) Tags: Award Winning, Drama, Mystery, Sci-Fi, Supernatural, Suspense In the year 5053, French aristocrats Viscount Albert de Morcerf and Baron Franz d'Epinay attend the festival of Carnival on the moon city of Luna. While Franz is just looking to have fun, Albert is seeking something more to fill his life—but he finds more than he bargained for in The Count of Monte Cristo, a mysterious and charming self-made nobleman who meets his gaze during an opera performance. Through a few twists and turns, Albert befriends the Count and introduces him into French society. The Count, however, has more on his mind than just friendship; he plots to finally unleash his vengeance on those who wronged him years earlier. Gankutsuou follows Albert and the Count's intertwined destinies and the ultimate price paid for enacting revenge. A weird aristocratic fantasy based on old novel. I dislike the visuals, the style, the corrupted air - pretty much everything here. It may change for the better further on, but I don't want to observe it. Overall Rating: 6/10 5. Yu☆Gi☆Oh! Duel Monsters GX Yu-Gi-Oh! GX 遊☆戯☆王　デュエルモンスターズ GX [Gallop] (Finished 1/180) Tags: Shounen Strategy Game Action, Comedy, Fantasy In the world of Duel Monsters, a new generation of duelists await their turn to bid for the highest title: The King of Games. As an aspiring duelist, the happy-go-lucky Juudai Yuuki enrolls at the Duel Academy, a reputable institution tasked with nurturing these potential challengers. On his first day, however, Juudai's laid back and careless attitude causes him to arrive late to his entrance exam. There, he stumbles upon a familiar figure who entrusts him the "Winged Kuriboh," a card which becomes Judai's new partner. Soon, he begins living as a duelist—but will destiny and darkness bend his reality into something beyond his imagination? Yu☆Gi☆Oh!: Duel Monsters GX follows the story of Juudai as he strives to fulfill his goal of becoming the next King of Games. As they are thrust into countless unprecedented circumstances, one thing is for sure for Juudai and his friends—there will never be a dull moment at the Duel Academy! Since it's the third iteration already, I can hardly care. Overall Rating: 5/10 6. Rozen Maiden ローゼンメイデン [Nomad] (Finished 2/12) Tags: Seinen Action, Comedy, Drama Traumatized by school, Jun Sakurada spends his days at home as a shut-in, purchasing things online, only to send them back before the free trial period ends. So when a note appears on his desk, asking whether or not he would wind something, he assumes it was something he ordered and carelessly circles "yes," changing his life forever. A box arrives with a wind up doll inside, but this is no ordinary toy: after Jun winds her up, she begins walking and talking as if a normal person. With a haughty attitude, she introduces herself as Shinku, the fifth doll in the Rozen Maiden collection, a group of special dolls made by the legendary dollmaker Rozen. These sisters must battle each other in a competition called the Alice Game with the help of a human to ensure victory. The winner becomes Alice, a real girl who is worthy of meeting their creator. As more sentient dolls end up taking residence in Jun's house, and a foe from Shinku's past makes her appearance, Jun's life becomes far more complicated than he ever thought possible. Finally Chobits stories start to transform in different direction, and arrogant intelligent gothic doll is still better than simpleton ones. Guess style and mysteries can intrigue its share of audience, but it's nothing big or especially interesting. Overall Rating: 6/10 7. Genshiken げんしけん [Palm Studio] (Finished 3/12) Tags: Seinen Otaku Culture, Parody Comedy, Slice of Life Kanji Sasahara is an introverted college freshman just looking for a place to fit in. One day, he happens to stumble upon the club known as the Society for the Study of Modern Visual Culture—otherwise known as Genshiken—that serves to bring the full spectrum of otaku culture together. His first visit to the club, however, does not end well as Sasahara's pride is crushed by his senior, Harunobu Madarame, and he leaves the meeting in full denial of his otaku nature. However, after befriending club member Makoto Kousaka, who turns out to be a hardcore otaku despite his looks, Sasahara becomes more involved with club activities which include obsessing over their favorite anime, reading doujinshi, and attending conventions. There, he meets other interesting people like Kousaka's vehemently non-otaku girlfriend Saki Kasukabe, who strives to turn her boyfriend into a "normal guy." While Saki struggles to understand otaku culture and her boyfriend's love for it, Sasahara finds himself enjoying his time at Genshiken, gradually shedding any denial he once had about being an otaku and immersing himself in an otaku lifestyle. For many years I keep considering Genshiken nothing special, just rather truthful depiction of a nice otaku circle. But whenever I start watching it, I just keep watching till the last episode of last season. It has that special coziness that makes it totally believable and trustworthy. Can't call it particularly sophisticated, but it's at least a firm masterpiece for me. Overall Rating: 8/10 8. Sunabouzu Desert Punk 砂ぼうず [Gonzo] (Finished 6/24) Tags: Seinen Action, Adventure, Comedy, Sci-Fi, Ecchi The Great Kanto Desert, a sweltering wasteland of nothing but ruins and sand, is all that remains of post-apocalyptic Japan. The once fair population has been left to cling to the inhospitable dunes for survival. At least, that is the case for normal people. For those who have spent a little too long in the Kanto sun, the desert offers a wondrous opportunity to make a name for themselves. One such person is the masked handyman "Sunabouzu," or Desert Punk, who has forged a legendary reputation for always finishing his jobs, no matter the nature or cost. Cunning and ruthless, he has become a force of crude destruction to the other desert people. However, the "Vixen of the Desert," Junko Asagiri, discovers that Sunabouzu is not without his weaknesses—he is easily swayed by his insatiable lust for large-breasted desert babes. Following their chaotic adventures through the Kanto Desert, Sunabouzu features a bizarre cast of personalities who entertain themselves with senseless violence and perversion in a world long destroyed by their forefathers. And just like them, they have not learned a damn thing. Sampled it several times, but episodic random nature with seemingly no big plan on the horizon always killed the motivation for me. And I consider humor here very poor. Overall Rating: 6/10 9. Mai-HiME My-Hime 舞-HiME [Sunrise] (Finished 6/26) Tags: Mahou Shoujo, School Action, Fantasy, Girls Love Thirteen girls, each with the ability to materialize "Elements" and summon metallic guardians called "Childs" have been brought to Fuuka Academy to battle mysterious creatures called Orphans. Each with a different personality and background, they must decide who they truly care about and why they fight. Sunrise guarantees high production quality, but their original concepts often raise questions. This time it's a decent enough attempt to fuse multiple genres, but shortly after introduction it falls into stretched averageness. Overall Rating: 6/10 10. Kidou Senshi Gundam SEED Destiny Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Destiny 機動戦士ガンダムSEED DESTINY [Sunrise] (Finished 3/50) Tags: Mecha, Military, Space Action, Drama, Romance, Sci-Fi In the year Cosmic Era 0071, a wartime brawl between two mobile suits results in the destruction of a neutral country. Shinn Asuka finds his entire family killed as casualties of the violence, and swears his life toward a vengeful pursuit of the Earth's Natural forces, under the impression they were the ones responsible for his family's death. Shinn works his way up through the ZAFT military forces, eventually gaining access to the cockpit of the prototype Impulse mobile suit. Athrun Zala, a veteran of the recent war employed in the service of diplomat Cagalli Yula Athha, finds himself drawn into a new conflict between the Naturals and the Coordinators: human beings artificially enhanced before birth and hated by the Naturals for their biological advantages. As the new war rears its head and violence becomes inevitable, Athrun finds himself as a mentor to the bitter Shinn. Athrun must steer the young pilot towards a mindset of mercy before his rage and desire for vengeance consumes him. Are they try to start ANOTHER war?! They're gonna pay for that! These phrases sound multiple times during first episodes and it describes the state of staleness in series well. Compared to this void without a grain of inventiveness even Yamato looked fascinating as it had very distinctive varied four seasons. Overall Rating: 5/10 11. Mahou Shoujo Lyrical Nanoha Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha 魔法少女リリカルなのは [Seven Arcs] (Finished 3/13) Tags: Mahou Shoujo, Super Power Action, Comedy, Drama Nanoha Takamachi, an ordinary third-grader who enjoys spending time with her family and friends, rescues an injured ferret that she had dreamed about the night before. The next day, the ferret cries out to her telepathically, asking Nanoha to save him. The ferret reveals himself to be Yuuno Scrya, a mage from another world who is trying to collect the dangerous 21 Jewel Seeds that he accidentally scattered across the world. He enlists Nanoha's help, gifting her the magical wand Raising Heart, and teaches her how to become a powerful mage. Days later, after reclaiming a few of the Jewel Seeds, another mage appears: Fate Testarossa. Stronger than Nanoha, Fate refuses to divulge her reasons in trying to collect the Jewel Seeds. Nanoha senses a melancholy in her eyes, but Fate refuses to communicate. Directed by Akiyuki Shinbo, Mahou Shoujo Lyrical Nanoha is a story about the clash of emotions when goals collide. An alright magical girl anime with distinguishing features being seriousness and even realism as it's a complex life, and everyone has their problems. Inside the genre it's a big step in the right direction. But can't say first three episodes hooked me in any way, not sure any will till Madoka. Overall Rating: 6/10 12. Major S1 メジャー （第1シリーズ） [Studio Hibari] (Finished 1/26) Tags: Shounen Team Sports Gorou Honda, a little boy obsessed with baseball, has always admired his father, Shigeharu. Wishing to follow in his father's footsteps, Gorou dreams of becoming a professional baseball player. In turn, his son's starry-eyed admiration encourages Shigeharu to keep persevering, despite his late wife's death and his unsatisfying position on the second-string team Blue Ocean. Unfortunately, an elbow injury forces Shigeharu off the team, and he falls into despair. However, after an offhand joke from his childhood friend, Shigeharu reevaluates his choices and decides to keep playing, leaving behind his prime position as pitcher and taking up the bat. Now motivated more than ever, Gorou works hard to carve his way in the Japanese Little League. Not a bad spokon, but protagonist is too young to present a sophisticated story. Overall Rating: 6/10 13. Gakuen Alice 学園アリス [Group TAC] (Finished 8/26) Tags: Shoujo Love Polygon, School, Super Power Comedy Mikan Sakura is a normal 10-year-old girl. Optimistic, energetic, and overall a very sweet child, Mikan is the complete opposite of the aloof, intelligent, and somewhat cold-hearted, Hotaru Imai. Despite their glaring differences, the two girls have been best friends for a very long time. So when Hotaru suddenly transfers to Alice Academy, a prestigious school in the city, her best friend is devastated—especially when she hears of the horrible rumors regarding the academy's harsh treatment of students. Beset with worry, Mikan runs away to see her best friend! Upon her arrival, Mikan learns of "Alices," individuals gifted with various supernatural abilities, and that the school is an institution built by the government to train and protect them. Discovering that she has her own unique powers, Mikan enrolls in the academy, and, after a lot of trouble, finally reunites with Hotaru. Gakuen Alice is a heartwarming comedy that follows Mikan and her friends' adventures in the academy, as well as their attempt to uncover the mysteries surrounding the problematic, fire-wielding student Natsume Hyuuga. Basically, marmalade boy plus mahou shoujo. This is a shoujo oriented work with not much to enjoy for the males . Overall Rating: 6/10 14. Yakitate!! Japan 焼きたて!! ジャぱん [Sunrise] (Finished 1/69) Tags: Shounen Comedy, Gourmet While countries such as France, England, and Germany all have their own internationally celebrated bread, Japan simply does not have one that can match in reputation. Thus after discovering the wonders of breadmaking at a young age, Kazuma Azuma embarks on a quest to create Japan's own unique national bread. And being blessed with unusually warm hands that allow dough to ferment faster, Azuma is able to bring his baking innovations to another level. As he begins working at the prestigious Japanese bakery chain, Pantasia, Azuma encounters other talented bakers and experiences firsthand the competitive world of baking. Along with his newfound friends and rivals, Azuma strives to create new and unparalleled bread that will start a baking revolution. Cooking anime is not my loaf of bread, so to say, as I reluctantly finished even Souma just because it was already approaching the end. But among the cooking anime this one feels relatively decent. Overall Rating: 6/10 15. Tsukuyomi: Moon Phase 月詠 −MOON PHASE− [Shaft] (Finished 8/25) Tags: Seinen Vampire Comedy, Fantasy, Romance Freelance photographer Kouhei Morioka is traveling to a castle in Germany to take photos of paranormal activity for his friend Hiromi Anzai, editor of an occult magazine. Upon entering the castle, he's confronted by a young girl in a white dress and cat ears who calls herself Hazuki. She takes a keen interest in Kouhei and offers him a kiss, but she instead reveals herself to be a vampire, sucks his blood, and turns him into her slave. Much to Hazuki's dismay, however, Kouhei is unaffected by her bite. Hoping to escape the castle and her possessive butler Vigo, Hazuki instead forces Kouhei to help her. With the help of his powerful exorcist cousin Seiji Midou, the two make it out safely. Finally free, Hazuki flees to Japan in search of her mother. Not long after Kouhei returns home, he discovers Hazuki has nested in his home, where he reluctantly allows her to stay. Meanwhile, other vampires set out to find the missing Hazuki. Equal parts gothic and adorable, Tsukuyomi: Moonphase is a charming and mystical story where two unlikely allies form a unique bond in an attempt to defy a society of immortals. Had to linger for quite some time to even figure out what this vague chaotic mess is. Lots of filler episodes with random stuff. Those with imouto and vampire affinity may enjoy the process, but looking for a plot here is a waste of time. Overall Rating: 6/10 16. Kannazuki no Miko 神無月の巫女 [TNK] (Finished 2/12) Tags: Shounen Mecha Drama, Girls Love, Romance, Supernatural Kannazuki no Miko begins in the village of Mahoroba, where time passes slowly for both man and nature. Two students from the village's prestigious Ototachibana Academy might as well be night and day. Himeko is shy and unassertive, while Chikane is bold and elegant. Despite this, they love each other, and nothing can come between them, no matter how hard they try. On the two girls' shared birthday, a sinister voice corrupts one of their friends into attacking them, and just when it seemed grimmest, the lunar and solar priestess powers that lay dormant in the two girls awaken, dispelling the evil. That was only the first hurdle, however. The two must now fend off the countless others who would threaten their well-being—even the people closest to them! I feel like a lot of anime from 2000s were created just by genre randomizer. Girs love and mecha about boy? Sure we can do it. There's nothing to enjoy here without significant yuri affinity. Overall Rating: 6/10 17. Grenadier: Hohoemi no Senshi Grenadier: The Beautiful Warrior グレネーダー 〜ほほえみの閃士〜 [Group TAC] (Finished 3/12) Tags: Shounen Action, Adventure, Comedy, Ecchi Rushuna is a blonde and very beautiful Senshi (gun expert) that travels through the world with one purpose. Which is to make the world a peaceful place by, instead of fighting with weapons, taking away the people's will to fight by giving them a smile. Although she doesn't want to fight, she is forced to, and shows amazing gun skills. In this journey she meets Yajirou, a mercenary that uses a sword to fight and joins her on her journey. Booby action that at least tries to be serious. Nothing really special about it. Overall Rating: 6/10 18. Tactics タクティクス [Studio Deen] (Finished 3/25) Tags: Shounen Historical, Mythology Comedy, Drama, Mystery, Supernatural Ichinomiya Kantarou grew up with the ability to see demons, but was isolated and bullied by others who did not share the same gift. Instead, he became being friends with the demons, gaining a great attachment to their existence. One day, Kantarou was told about the strongest demon, the one known as the ogre-eating Tengu. Amazed by the news of his strength, Kantarou vowed to find this demon who was far stronger than any other, deciding to call him Haruka when he did so. Since this time, Kantarou searched far and wide for the ogre-eating Tengu with no luck, making his living by becoming a folklore writer and demon-buster. On a particular job, Kantarou had finally found news of a nearby shrine supposedly the place where the ogre-eating Tengu was sealed. Detective mystery about bishounens in kimono hunting monsters. It's not up to me to judge detectives. Overall Rating: 6/10 19. Final Approach φなる・あぷろーち [Trinet Entertainment, Zexcs] (Finished 3/13) Tags: Comedy, Drama, Romance Ever since their parents died a few years ago, Ryo and his sister Akane have been living alone together. Despite their difficult situation, they are still living reasonably happy and normal lives. However, everything is about to be flipped upside-down due to a secret government project. Due to increasingly low birth rates in Japan, the Japanese government is testing a program in which two young people are forced to marry. Ryo wants no part of it, but he is given little choice in the matter; his new fiancée, Shizuka, comes to his home late one night with several dozen government issued bodyguards, who are there to ensure the success of the new couple. Unlike Ryo, Shizuka couldn’t be more willing to go along with this new program, and eagerly goes about her wifely duties, despite his objections. With meddling friends, pushy bodyguards, and an overenthusiastic new fiancée, Ryo’s life has taken a turn in a direction the young man certainly didn’t expect. More like final cringe. Random and degrading. Overall Rating: 5/10 20. Futakoi Twin Love 双恋 [Telecom Animation Film] (Finished 3/13) Tags: School Comedy, Romance With his mother dead and his father working abroad, Futami Nozomu returns to the town where he lived as a child, to attend high school and work part-time at a local shrine. He soon finds himself caught up in a local legend of twin girls loving the same man. And there are many twin girls in this town.... There was already series about seven twins, so let's beat them with the number of pairs! Or something like that because there's not much here apart from cute nonsense. Overall Rating: 6/10 21. Black Jack (TV) ブラックジャック [Tezuka Productions] (Finished 2/61) Tags: Shounen Medical Drama Black Jack is an "unregistered" doctor with a clouded, mysterious past. He works with his little assistant Pinoko (who has a massive crush on the doctor), dealing with medical cases not very well known, which can be strange, dangerous, or not known at all. But he is a genius, and can save almost any of his patients' life (as long as they have the money for it, that is), and is known to many around the world, especially to those of medicine and science. He's a man of science himself, and does not believe much until he has seen it, yet it is many times he is surprised by love and nature often overpowering the science he bases his life in. After all those OVAs and movie I really can't stand the TV series, too simplistic, schematic and morally old. Overall Rating: 5/10 22. Fantastic Children ファンタジックチルドレン [Nippon Animation] (Finished 26/26) Tags: Adventure, Fantasy, Mystery, Romance, Sci-Fi, Suspense A group of enigmatic white-haired children has been spotted at different times and places in Europe for over 500 years. Always with the appearance of 11-year-olds, they behave far more mature than they should be, never grow old, and seem to have supernatural power. What they have been seeking is a girl, and the only clue they have is a picture with a crescent moon. Now, in the year of 2012, an athletic boy named Tohma is about to be involved in this centuries-long mystery. Initial impressions of visual style, characters and their emotions was horrible, but I thought maybe it got better in the second half, yet no. The summary is that albino children live through times, learn about their genesis and there's some drama among themselves by the end. It's so weak in every field that I just can't believe my eyes when I see the number of positive reviews it got. Overall Rating: 5/10 23. Uta∽Kata Utakata うた∽かた [Hal Film Maker] (Finished 4/12) Tags: Psychological Drama It's the last day of the school term in Kamakura Girl's School, and summer is about to begin. Serious but polite 14-year-old Ichika Tachibana is excited to make her summer vacation with her friends a special break to remember! But little does Ichika know that this summer will be more special than she could have ever imagined. While cleaning in an unused school building, Ichika notices an image of an unfamiliar girl in place of her own reflection in a large mirror. Convinced by her friends that she was just seeing things, she is surprised to see the girl in the mirror later that day, holding her lost cell phone. Introducing herself as Manatsu Kuroki, she comes out of the mirror and hands Ichika's phone back—and to Ichika's surprise, the stones on her cell phone charm have changed colors and now allow her to borrow the power of the 12 Djinn that watch over the world. Uta Kata is a tale of a young girl who will realize new things through her interactions with these spirits. As the Djinn show her overwhelming sights, they will soon also bring to her overwhelming thoughts... Just cute simplistic girls doing simplistic stuff with a bit of flavor, though nothing worth mentioning. Overall Rating: 5/10 24. Harukanaru Toki no Naka de: Hachiyou Shou Haruka: Beyond the Stream of Time – A Tale of the Eight Guardians 遙かなる時空の中で〜八葉抄〜 [Yumeta Company] (Finished 1/26) Tags: Shoujo Historical, Isekai, Mythology, Reverse Harem, Time Travel Fantasy, Supernatural Akane Motomiya and her friends Tenma and Shimon are pulled by a demon into another world, where Akane becomes the Priestess of the Dragon God. The people of this world tell her that she is the only one who can stop the demons from taking over; meanwhile, the demons want to use her power for their own ends. Luckily, Akane has the Hachiyou, eight men with powers of their own who are sworn to protect the Dragon Priestess. Someone watched Fushigi Yuugi too much, but this imitation is much worse. Overall Rating: 5/10 25. Zipang ジパング [Studio Deen] (Finished 26/26) Tags: Seinen Adult Cast, Historical, Military, Time Travel Action, Drama, Sci-Fi Mirai, an improved Kongou-class Aegis guided missile destroyer, is one of the newest and most advanced ships in the entire Japanese Self Defense Force (SDF). Her crew, also one of the newest, is lead by Capt. Umezu Saburo and Executive Officer Kadomatsu Yosuke. While running scheduled training exercises one day, Mirai encounters a fierce storm that throws their navigation systems into temporary disarray. After a few minutes of recovery, the crew is shocked to discover that they've been transported back in time to June 4, 1942—The Battle of Midway, during World War II. Letting history take its course for this battle, they manage to avoid the conflict firsthand and make a vow to remain anonymous, changing history as little as possible. However, when the crew comes across the dying Lt. Commander Kusaka Takumi, XO. Kadomatsu's instincts to save lives takes over, changing the course of history more than he could've imagined. I referenced Zipang so many times that it's evident it impressed me. A serious navy story with tilt into time travel. Not exactly my genre, but it only makes it more precious. Overall Rating: 7/10 26. Fuujin Monogatari Windy Tales 風人物語 [Production I.G] (Finished 3/13) Tags: Iyashikei, School Drama, Fantasy, Slice of Life, Supernatural Nao, an 8th grader, is one of the only two members of a Digital Camera Club, where she also serves as the manager. It's a mystery that she shoots nothing else but the skies and clouds. One day, she finds a cat on a rooftop where she usually shoots her camera. It's a cat that knows how to manipulate the flow of a wind. Shocked to find a strange animal, Nao loses her footing and falls off from the rooftop! Miki is the other member of the club, and also Nao's best friend. Mr. Taiki is the teacher who's taught the cat how to manipulate the flow of a wind. Ryoko is a girl who has a huge crush on Mr. Taiki. And there's Jun, who helps Nao and Miki look for a cat that can fly. Then, there's Yukio, who is the widow of Mr. Taiki's deceased brother. On the outskirts of this big city, a town off the "Wind Handlers," has been formed—and a mysterious Wind Festival is about to begin... It's a lot of SOL stories with wind as a theme. And aquarelle visuals not feeling good. Still a lot better than movie about a boy who controlled the wind. Overall Rating: 6/10 27. W: Wish Double Wish W 〜ウィッシュ〜 [Trinet Entertainment, Picture Magic] (Finished 3/13) Tags: Harem, School Drama, Romance, Slice of Life The main character, Junna has a twin sister Senna. He is an ordinal student of an elite school. However, in the past, a traffic accident deprived him of his parents and his memory. Junna survived the accident, and he has lived only with his sister though he has been looked after by his relatives. And present... The life with Senna in the same high school is so pleasant that he can forget the severe past. Because he has been in the world where there is only Senna, his lives in this town, such as the beginning of a new life, new environments, and the meetings, are so refreshing. However, he begins to recall the memories he lost in the accident. Though he enjoys happy and pleasant days, he is tossed by the past, the present, and the future. What is the truth hidden in his memory? The amount of cuteness astonishes, but nowadays it's just a long streak of stamps. Still, probably the first case of volunteer school club that was widely used later on, including Haruhi. Overall Rating: 6/10 28. Bouken Ou Beet Beet the Vandel Buster 冒険王ビィト [Toei Animation] (Finished 4/52) Tags: Shounen Adventure, Fantasy, Supernatural It is the dark century and the people are suffering under the rule of the devil, Vandel, who is able to manipulate monsters. The Vandel Busters are a group of people who hunt these devils, and among them, the Zenon Squad is known to be the strongest busters on the continent. A young boy, Beet, dreams of joining the Zenon Squad. However, one day, as a result of Beet's fault, the Zenon squad was defeated by the devil, Beltose. The five dying busters sacrificed their life power into their five weapons, Saiga. After giving their weapons to Beet, they passed away. Years have passed since then and the young Vandel Buster, Beet, begins his adventure to carry out the Zenon Squad's will to put an end to the dark century. I generally like such lvl 1 adventures, but brat protagonist is very irritating, and despite the lvl 1 references it's a normal fantasy and not MMO. Just a crude battle shounen where boy protagonists gets stronger. Other characters aren't impressive either. Overall Rating: 6/10 29. Ginyuu Mokushiroku Meine Liebe 吟遊黙示録 マイネリーベ [Bee Train] (Finished 3/13) Tags: Shoujo Fantasy The first season begins with introducing the characters, their past and their ambitions. Orpherus, Eduard, Camus, Lui, and Naoji are five noblemen who attend the prestigious Rozenstolz academy, and who are a part of the Strahl class—a class for potential candidates for the advisory positions in the royal palace in the small European country of Kuchen. Isaac is an English writer who visits Kuchen. While still students, the five noblemen are forced to deal with corrupted politicians, secret agents, attempted murder and ambitious individuals from both inside and outside of school who threatens to break the fragile peace in their country, and even assassinate the king. Again Shoujo genre without actual girl protagonist, which makes it boys love with bishounens in an instant, and I'm not distinguishing its sorts. Overall Rating: 5/10 30. Viewtiful Joe ビューティフル ジョー [Group TAC] (Finished 2/51) Tags: Action, Comedy, Sci-Fi Joe, a red-headed movie buff, and Silvia, his girlfriend, are having a bit of relationship trouble. Silvia feels that Joe is taking her for-granted and wants to do something together for once, so Joe decides to take her to see an old action movie featuring his favorite hero, Captain Blue. What started out as a cute movie date takes a turn for the worst when Silvia is pulled into the movie by the leader of the evil organization, Jado. Joe follows her into the mysterious "Movieland," and is granted a powerful device known as a V-Watch by Captain Blue himself. With it, he transforms into the action hero named "Viewtiful Joe" and goes off to rescue his girlfriend before she can be used by Jado to take over the world. It's a long road to go from average Joe to full-blown hero, but he'll give it his all to save both his girl and the world—and he'll do it in the most "view-ti-ful" way possible. No idea about the game, but it does not look like anime, just a western superhero cartoon, and only dub is available. Pretty bad overall, but at least there is some humor in it. Overall Rating: 6/10 31. Zoids Fuzors ゾイド・フューザーズ [Tokyo Kids] (Finished 1/26) Tags: Mecha Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi R.D. is a delivery boy who works for a company called Mach Storm in order to earn money to search for the legendary Alpha Zoid. A Zoid that he heard rumours about from his dad that he passionately believes in. Mach Storm also doubles as a Zoid Battling team. In R.D.'s first Coliseum Zoid Battle, he encounters a team that can fuse Zoids. R.D. soon discovers that he has a Zoid that can computably fuse with his Zoid, Liger Zero. After this happens R.D.'s adventure to discover the truth about the Alpha Zoid begins. Zoids should stop with this tasteless agony already. Overall Rating: 5/10 32. Rockman.EXE Stream ロックマンエクゼStream [Xebec] (Finished 1/51) Tags: Shounen Mecha, School, Strategy Game Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi A comet burns in the sky, its brilliant light shining down upon the people of Earth. At that time, a giant army of viruses invade the real world, crushing everything in their path. Netto and Enzan use cross fusion to intervene, but are whisked away to an unknown location, only to be confronted by the one responsible for the attack - Duo! Third season already, so who cares. Overall Rating: 5/10 33. Samurai Gun サムライガン [Studio Egg] (Finished 12/12) Tags: Seinen Historical Action It is the beginning of the industrial revolution, and feudal Japan is in turmoil. The ruling Shogun are wielding their abusive powers to instill fear and dominance over their oppressed subjects. Beatings, imprisonment, rape and even murder are the adopted tactics chosen to maintain their reign. The bloodshed must end. A group of Samurai have banded together, and, with the development of new weapons and new technology, they have both the will and the hardware to stand up and fight. Ichimatsu is one of these fighters. By day, he works incognito at a local tavern, in the evenings he frequents the brothels, and by the dark of night, he doles out some big-time, gun-barrel justice. He is here to help. He is Samurai Gun. Rather weird mix of samurai action, guns and geisha brothel with excessive violence, but story and characters aren't really articulate or interesting, and the ending is on par with that. Overall Rating: 6/10 34. To Heart: Remember My Memories トゥハート ~remember my memories~ [OLM, AIC ASTA] (Finished 1/13) Tags: Harem, School Drama, Romance, Sci-Fi, Slice of Life Time flies by; Hiroyuki and Akari are 12th-graders now. Both of them and their friends have grown up gradually in someway, physically or mentally, but one of their best friends is missing: the lifelike android Multi. To their surprise, Multi is brought to their campus again without notice, yet she is no longer the same Multi they have known. Obviously, only for fans, and I'm a long-standing hater of To Heart in any variant. Overall Rating: 5/10 35. Kakyuusei 2: Hitomi no Naka no Shoujo-tachi Kakyusei 2 下級生２ ～瞳の中の少女たち～ [Arms] (Finished 2/13) Tags: Harem, School Comedy, Drama, Romance Many people have fond memories of meeting a certain teenage boy in their younger years. However, their ages vary widely, and each remembers him as a teen. This story follows the intricate intertwining of their various stories and how this young man, who apparently lives outside of time, has affected each of them. Lighthearted school romance, but it lacks conception and extensive in nature, so outcome feels episodic . Overall Rating: 5/10 36. Onmyou Taisenki The Chronicle of the Big Battle between Yin and Yang 陰陽大戦記 [Sunrise] (Finished 4/52) Tags: Shounen Adventure, Fantasy, Supernatural All his life, Riku Tachibana has been raised by his grandfather. For some reason, the old man has always been fond of strange hand gestures, and they've rubbed off on Riku, who performs them almost subconsciously, to his classmates' great amusement. One day, however, it suddenly becomes clear to Riku what his grandfather has been surreptitiously teaching him. And the teachings could mean the difference between life and death for Riku. The first use of QTE in anime! Actually, Naruto seems to be the first even here. Looks a lot like Digimon, but more serious in comparison. Overall Rating: 6/10 37. Ring ni Kakero 1 リングにかけろ１ [Toei Animation] (Finished 1/12) Tags: Shounen Combat Sports Action, Sports In order to fulfill their dead father's wish, the siblings, Takane Kiku and Takane Ryuji aims for the champion title of the boxing arena. The sister, Kiku, will act as the trainer while her brother, Ryuji, will concentrate on the role of the boxer and learn the Boomerang. His battle with many rivals has led to the growth and maturity of Ryuji. The junior high boxing tournament has began and Ryuji will be fighting with his arch-rival, Kenzaki Jun. The battle begins. It loses a bit time to Hajime no Ippo, and I did not consider even that a masterpiece. Overall Rating: 6/10 38. Ryuusei Sentai Musumet 流星戦隊ムスメット [TNK] (Finished 1/13) Tags: Adventure, Comedy, Romance, Sci-Fi, Ecchi One day, seven shooting stars fell on to the ground. The shooting stars were colored by seven colors, and they had terrible powers. Those who took the shooting star were tuned into monsters by embodying their desires. Dr. Mishina and Dr. Kishiwada obtained the red, green, and blue stars secretly, and they studied the stars. Finally, they could successfully control their power by putting a special helmet on. The newly developed helmet, "Musumet", was as large as an automobile helmet. Putting Musumet on the head, it turned a person's body into the strongest one on the earth. Furthermore, it received the signal from the brain and amplified the inherent power and ability unlimitedly. To utilize the power of "Musumet", to keep the world peace, and to protect from the disasters caused by the remaining shooting stars, Dr. Mishima and Dr. Kishida founded a secret organization "MET". However, he died before he accomplished his aim. The bereaved daughters, Aoi, Midori, and Kurenai, made up their minds to become Musmet in order to execute the father's will. Even if they turned into Musumet, their wearing wouldn't change except helmets, gloves, and boots. Therefore, they had to go to the scenes wearing their own clothes. The girls had to go to the incident spots occasionally wearing school uniforms, occasionally gymnasium suits, occasionally swimming suits, depending the case, they had to go there even if they were naked, and they would do great jobs. On the other hand, at other times, they were ordinal adolescent girls who were dreaming of lovely meetings with boyfriends. Whether would they cope with the world peace and boyfriends at the same time? Not translated in English, but available in Spanish, because it's a simplistic mass superhero mecha product suitable for export. Overall Rating: 5/10 39. Top wo Nerae 2! Diebuster Gunbuster 2 トップをねらえ2！DIEBUSTER [Gainax] (Finished 6/6) Tags: Mecha, Space Action, Award Winning, Comedy, Drama, Sci-Fi Generations have passed since the war with the Space Monsters started, and none remain who know how it began, with even records of those times being scarce. It is a lost cause, but humanity still fights against them, relying on the "Topless": a group of elite space pilots with special powers that allow them to use the Buster Machines—the last hope against the Space Monsters. Nono, a girl from a remote Martian town, has heard tales all her life of the legendary pilot "Nono-Riri," and wants nothing more than to leave her humble life behind and follow in the footsteps of her idol. Though she has no idea of the dangers that lie ahead, nothing will stop her from achieving her dream. While Nono is down on her luck, she chances upon the lonesome Topless pilot Lal'C Melk Mark, and decides to stake her entire future on following Lal'C, no matter the cost. Anniversary titles are always high budget, but getting a sequel for a finished story after over a decade is an ambiguous decision. I got clear Abenobashi vibes out of it, but could not enjoy it as story itself is absurd though lack sincerity this time. Overall Rating: 6/10 40. Tenkuu Danzai Skelter+Heaven Skelter Heaven 天空断罪スケルターヘブン [Minami Machi Bugyousho] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Mecha Sci-Fi When a mysterious entity suddenly appears in the center of Tokyo, the Alta Mira Agency is tasked to repel the extraterrestrial threat. Otsuya Funagai must guide his all-female unit of "Battle Sole" pilots to take down the strange being no matter the cost. However, his intimate relationship with one of the pilots, Rin Ichikawa, may spell trouble for the team and the mission itself. After Diebuster these ugly 3D CG look especially bad. Just 18 minutes of game advertisement, as usual for Idea Factory production. Overall Rating: 4/10 41. Tales of Phantasia The Animation Tales of Phantasia テイルズ オブ ファンタジア THE ANIMATION [Actas] (Finished 4/4) Tags: Adventure, Fantasy Tragedy strikes the lives of Cless Alvein, a young swordsman, and Chester Barklight, a young archer, as they return to their village of Totus to find it razed to the ground by the mysterious Black Knight. To take over the world, the Black Knight seeks to claim the power of the Demon King, Dhaos—sealed away by the ancestors of Cless and a young cleric named Mint Adnade. Dhaos's reawakening signals not only the end of the Black Knight, but potentially the world. Cless and Mint must now journey a century into the past to rally allies capable of vanquishing the Demon King for once and for all. Tales of Phantasia The Animation follows Cless and Mint's journey through time to long ago, where they forge an alliance with the half-elf sorceress Arche Klaine and the summoner Klarth F. Lester. Together, they strive to defeat Dhaos and his army in saving the past as well as the years to come. I generally like RPG-like fantasy anime, but this one is too short and confusing, more like addition to the game than separate piece of art. Overall Rating: 6/10 42. Akane Maniax アカネマニアックス [Silver] (Finished 3/3) Tags: Mecha Comedy, Romance Jouji Gouda is a new transfer student at Hakuryo High. He fell in love at first sight and boldly proposed to Akane Suzumiya, representative of his class, on his first day at the new school. Although Akane finds him very annoying, hot-blooded and simple-minded Jouji never gives up and would do anything to express his love towards Akane. Parody for Age fans. I'm not included there, so it's just a lot of rarely funny mess. Overall Rating: 5/10 43. Kujibiki Unbalance くじびきアンバランス [Palm Studio] (Finished 3/3) Tags: School Comedy, Romance Chihiro Enomoto is a freshman that just got to a new school called Rikkyoin High School. He lost his parents in a traffic accident when he was 10. Since then, he has been living only with his elder sister Shinobu. He is good at cooking and cleaning, and does all the housekeeping jobs. He fell in love with Tokino at first sight when he met her in the school library on the first day of school. Another girl named Ritsuko, a childhood friend of Chihiro and the chair of student council, falls in the love with the boy instantly after this long-awaited reunion. But she is not the only one who is in love with him. This is the story about a one-year campaign among the candidates for the next students government leaders, who are also chosen by the lot (kujibiki), in order to gain the position. A streak of activities to compete with another team. Rather random and generic from today's experience, but it's not long, and it's one of the first anime about otaku. Overall Rating: 6/10 44. Howl no Ugoku Shiro Howl's Moving Castle ハウルの動く城 [Studio Ghibli] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Adventure, Award Winning, Drama, Fantasy, Romance That jumbled piece of architecture, that cacophony of hissing steam and creaking joints, with smoke billowing from it as it moves on its own... That castle is home to the magnificent wizard Howl, infamous for both his magical prowess and for being a womanizer—or so the rumor goes in Sophie Hatter's small town. Sophie, as the plain daughter of a hatmaker, does not expect much from her future and is content with working hard in the shop. However, Sophie's simple life takes a turn for the exciting when she is ensnared in a disturbing situation, and the mysterious wizard appears to rescue her. Unfortunately, this encounter, brief as it may be, spurs the vain and vengeful Witch of the Waste—in a fit of jealousy caused by a past discord with Howl—to put a curse on the maiden, turning her into an old woman. In an endeavor to return to normal, Sophie must accompany Howl and a myriad of eccentric companions—ranging from a powerful fire demon to a hopping scarecrow—in his living castle, on a dangerous adventure as a raging war tears their kingdom apart. Having watched it for the first time now, it's disappointing. It felt totally like sequel to Spirited Away with both protagonists grown up. Trying to parasite on previous financially successful works is a definite sign of degradation. Overall Rating: 6/10 45. Kumo no Mukou, Yakusoku no Basho The Place Promised in Our Early Days 雲のむこう、約束の場所 [CoMix Wave Films] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Military Award Winning, Drama, Romance, Sci-Fi Hiroki Fujisawa and Takuya Shirakawa harbor admiration for two things in their life: their classmate Sayuri Sawatari and the vast Ezo Tower that stands boundlessly across the Tsugaru Strait. Fascinated by the limitless structure beyond their reach, Hiroki and Takuya begin constructing an aeroplane from a fallen drone they discovered—naming it the Bella Ciela—to fulfill their dream of one day reaching the sky-scraping top of the tower. Later joined by the girl they love, Hiroki and Takuya promise Sayuri to fly with her to the seemingly otherworldly top together. However, Japan has suffered a North-South partitioning that has fueled conflict near the base of the tower, which marks the border between the America-controlled Southern islands and the Northern lands occupied by the Soviet Union. Further along, Sayuri suddenly disappears, and Hiroki and Takuya never see her again. Unbeknownst to them, she fell victim to a sleeping disorder that left her comatose for the past three years. Although Hiroki and Takuya later learn about Sayuri's condition, they also discover that the girl's unconscious state is oddly linked to the same tower the trio had promised to conquer together. I dislike such whiny stories where someone is always terminally ill or something and everyone is whispering all the time to show how painful it is to live. BS. Overall Rating: 6/10 46. Shin Angyo Onshi Blade of the Phantom Master 新暗行御史 [OLM Digital] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Action, Fantasy After wandering through the desert for days, a bitter warrior named Munsu is lost and unable to continue. His life is unexpectedly saved by Mon-ryon, a young man who dreams of becoming a secret agent for Jushin, a once-great country that was recently destroyed. Mon-ryon's goal is to save his girlfriend, Chunhyan, a born fighter who is held captive by the evil Lord Byonand. Then, from out of nowhere, blood begins trickling from his chest. He has been fatally wounded by the Sarinjas, a cannibalistic breed of desert goblin. The quick-thinking Munsu convinces these beasts to spare his life, in exchange for the peaceful handover of Mon-ryon's appetizing corpse. Although skeptical of Mon-ryon's motives, Munsu sets out to continue the mission that the young idealist described. Accompanied by an army of ghost troops, unleashed using the powers of Angyo Onshi, Munsu liberates Chunhyan. After visiting her boyfriend's final resting place, she declares herself Munsu's bodyguard and, together, they set out on a mission to punish those who stripped Jushin of its original glory. Nice short action movie for one sitting. Even characters are actually good, but overall I would not want to rewatch or recommend it as there's nothing really special about it. Overall Rating: 6/10