As a kid, I used to love the shounen anime such as DBZ, Naruto, and Bleach within the Toonami block and Adult Swim. I also remembered that I detested One Piece (during the 4 kids dub), but I soon loved this show as I grew older and slowly lost interest in the other 2 of the Big 3.
Years passed and I'm getting tired of the cliched filled shows within the seasonal rosters. Heck, I'm getting tired of the shounen anime with all the power-ups (with a few exceptions). Within my busier schedule, I ended up setting standards for my shows and I tried to refine my tastes of different genres in order to hunt for more hidden gems. I wished some of my friends would do the same as anime aren't always full of these stereotypes, but it can also have the wonderful underrated aspects that never got fully appreciated in the medium.
There is one thing that I particularly detest and it would be FAN-SERVICE. Most of the time it ruins characterization and it seems insulting for me, the viewer, to see this as entertainment. With a few exceptions (Kill la Kill because it's satire), I prefer to have the silliness get past by and to have a good script and fleshed out characters.
I could also care less for the over dramatization for some cheap sob story within the beginning of the story and it should be later for me to actually care for it if done right. Also I'm fine with sex and gore when used right for character development and interactions (like Berserk). Otherwise it would be too edgy and gratuitous for me.
Sci-fi anime or at least ones with thought provoking ideas are ones I tend to watch. I'm still a bit of an action junkie but the fights need to be within reasonable context and they shouldn't be the plot. I sort of mellowed out and the over the top, emotional pandering anime with eye-candy animation aren't my favorite but rather the competently done with fairly mature realism even if they are a bit slow.
I'm fine that you don't have to agree to my arbitrary sense of taste. Just give some constructive criticism and valid reasoning though. Everyone's entitled to their own opinion.
My reviews will be more objective and more critical than the ones in my list. I try my best not to get the hype the best of me. Also I sort of eyeball the scores with numbers when 5 is the mean, but I hope my statements would prove their placement. I won't review subjectively awful ones or ones that are already well-known (with a few exceptions)
If it's a childhood anime, then my nostalgia goggles and its rose tint are clouding my vision.
Likes: Sci-fi, Action, Sakuga, Drama, Mystery, Psychological Dislikes: Fan-Service, Cliches, Gary Stu, Weak Script, Thriller(when it's solely based on thriller), Pretentiousness Indifferent (can go either way): Romance, Gore, Comedy/Satire, Slice-of-Life, Astounding Animation, Ambiguity
However give or take a couple hundred anime and this season's anime and this will be balanced in no time. It's just that there are other subjectively good titles I need to catch up on. I simply don't have the time to watch every single anime.
I just noticed that change to the review today tbh, I'm not sure if it's a good change or not but I guess it's better than the previous option. I just got back from my vacation to Trinidad so not so bad, what about you?
I'm actually loving it so far, it's like a greek tragedy wrapped in a particular charming atmosphere, with great animation and outstanding sound. Sometimes judging a book by its cover makes you miss great stuff (yeah we happen to read this same expression everyday but in this case it just speaks the truth).
I've just watched 7 of the 38 episodes yet, but I can tell that if it doesn't get any worse I'm already imagining it among my favorites.
Thanks for the recommendations! Yeah, I don't usually watch comedy anime either as I find most of it doesn't really gel with my sense of humor.
Ah yeah, I don't watch philosophical/heavy anime solidly like that. I break up the episodes with other anime that involves less analysis, even if it isn't what one could really call 'lighthearted' - I find that most of the time, watching upwards of 7 anime at any given time prevents me being weighed down for the most part. I feel like if I spent a day watching only Texhnolyze and Serial Experiments Lain I'd be pushing it. Even so, it's quite difficult to get me down. I have had so many existential crises now it's challenging to find something new that will throw me c':
Thank you very much! Yeah, honestly Casshern Sins is next on the list lol... I rest my brain with Mushishi currently, but can you recommend any good comedy? So far the only comedy anime I have seriously enjoyed is Samurai Champloo.
Ah yes, Ping Pong was absolutely fantastic, and I am very interested to see what other stuff its creator has come up with. You know you have found a good anime when the only way you can describe how it makes you feel is with silence. I feel like I understand the meaning of "words don't do __ justice" now.
yup that was Dungeon Harem in a nutshell. Steins never felt or played out like a date sim to me, that's just the argument made by wannabe elitists to discredit it.
Shinsekai when compared to dystopian novels and other dystopian titles in other medium is nothing special but when it comes to anime where it's barely done right I think it deserves it's due credit.
haha I reviewed Dungen Harem, I had fun taking a dump on it. Ping Pong was awesome, really glad I watched it. Ehh you don't need to harden your tastes, I enjoy melodrama and some "feels" titles too, it's just knowing that enjoyment isn't the only factor in an evaluation.
Durararararararararararara is simply too long and dull for it's own good. It spreads itself far too thin with underdeveloped characters an a stagnant plot (and of course I reviewed that too). Steins was pretty good imo, it had time travel but didn't abuse it as much as you would expect from a show that involved time travel. I think Shinsekai benefited from having such a captivating feeling about it. It as ominous but still very inviting.
I think it really depends on the series you're watching. If it has a intricate plot or one where minor details from eps prior that can find it's way into the next ep then I try to keep those shows on hold and watch them in chunks but for the most part let's be honest here, most animes being released these days are so devoid of any thought or delicacy that you don't even need to think much to follow them. They're dumbed down to such a degree that you can walk away from your screen, use the restroom and come back and probably still be able to follow along with whatever is happening. It's sad but that's the truth of most modern anime titles. The only show I marathoned today was Drrr's new season, which I started today and I'm currently caught up since it's one of those shows while still being piss poor imo have a more intricate plot than most shows coming out in recent years, well atleast the multiple POV approach to storytelling makes you focus a bit more than usual, definitely something you shouldn't watch weekly. But thanks away for the brownie points lol
well at times it does get taxing but most of the shows I watch are airing right now so it's only on a weekly basis. Therefore I'm really watching 5 eps at max a day for whatever show aired that day. Other than that I marathon one show that isn't airing whenever I feel like it. This week it was Gundam Seed s1 which I finished yesterday. But in the future I plan to limit my seasonal viewing to no more than 5 as I do find this joggling of titles to be tiresome.
Thanks for the answer. Now I'll consider watching it, if I'm seeking for a challenge of some kind.
Nothing much happens during its first half, indeed. You got it right, because the direction of the show shifts clearly at that point. It's not an exceptional series but I guess I'd say it's a blockbuster done right.
I don't think they'll change it back anytime soon. They might keep working on it but I feel like no less than a month before it becomes a balance system.
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Mushishi is one I've been putting off for too long. I'll get to it in a couple days, maybe even today.
I'm actually loving it so far, it's like a greek tragedy wrapped in a particular charming atmosphere, with great animation and outstanding sound. Sometimes judging a book by its cover makes you miss great stuff (yeah we happen to read this same expression everyday but in this case it just speaks the truth).
I've just watched 7 of the 38 episodes yet, but I can tell that if it doesn't get any worse I'm already imagining it among my favorites.
cheers
Ah yeah, I don't watch philosophical/heavy anime solidly like that. I break up the episodes with other anime that involves less analysis, even if it isn't what one could really call 'lighthearted' - I find that most of the time, watching upwards of 7 anime at any given time prevents me being weighed down for the most part. I feel like if I spent a day watching only Texhnolyze and Serial Experiments Lain I'd be pushing it. Even so, it's quite difficult to get me down. I have had so many existential crises now it's challenging to find something new that will throw me c':
Ah yes, Ping Pong was absolutely fantastic, and I am very interested to see what other stuff its creator has come up with. You know you have found a good anime when the only way you can describe how it makes you feel is with silence. I feel like I understand the meaning of "words don't do __ justice" now.
Shinsekai when compared to dystopian novels and other dystopian titles in other medium is nothing special but when it comes to anime where it's barely done right I think it deserves it's due credit.
Durararararararararararara is simply too long and dull for it's own good. It spreads itself far too thin with underdeveloped characters an a stagnant plot (and of course I reviewed that too). Steins was pretty good imo, it had time travel but didn't abuse it as much as you would expect from a show that involved time travel. I think Shinsekai benefited from having such a captivating feeling about it. It as ominous but still very inviting.
Nothing much happens during its first half, indeed. You got it right, because the direction of the show shifts clearly at that point. It's not an exceptional series but I guess I'd say it's a blockbuster done right.
What a waste of energy since your taste seems quite good!
Surprised to find Princess Tutu in there, is it worth watching? :O