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Contrary to its title, this is NOT an anime about little sisters! It's not really a romance either. It should be appropriately labeled as a slice of life comedy. Now with that out of the way, here's why. Imouto sae Ireba Ii is actually an anime with several narrative goals. It wants to be a coming of age story directed at college students or viewers who are beginning to enter the "working-phase" of their life. It wants to be a comedy that makes fun of "little sister" and "ecchi" anime tropes. It wants to be informative with regards to the life of a light ... novelist. Finally, it balances these lighter elements against several instances of drama revolving around themes of friendship, romance, and goals. Sound familiar? It should, but you've probable never seen all these concepts played simultaneously.

[STORY = 6]
Practically nonexistent. Don't watch this anime if you're looking for rapid development that builds towards a sharp climax or any conclusion for that matter. Every episode is very contained with a specific message it is trying to convey. As a viewer, you are simply a bystander peeking into the daily life of a light novelist and his friends. I especially enjoyed the little "board-games" that the characters played in several episodes. Clearly, the creators were trying convey the imagination behind story telling. At the very least, it was a refreshing and original attempt with some laughs at the absurdity of light novel stories.

[CHARACTERS = 7]
Exactly what you expect. Itsuki, the protagonist and sis-con. Nayuta, the perverted comedic relief with an obsession for Itsuki, but God only knows why. Naturally, he doesn't reciprocate. Chihiro, the doting and caring little brother who looks like a sister, but sounds like a little boy. Or was it the other way around? Whatever, you know what I mean. Haruto, male-friend/rival to protagonist who is forever the third wheel in any romantic scenario. Miyako, the sensible attractive female who reacts accordingly to our (the viewer's) thoughts at every outlandish scenario in the anime. Individually, no character is special, but in concert they have good chemistry and give the story a lot of texture.

[ART = 7]
The average modern standard. There is some fan-service but it's never erotic. It just makes you want to cringe, which is what the show is going for. The anime is making fun of the ecchi genre after all. Don't expect any zoomed-in shots of butts/boobs where you can see shine/sweat. Everything is drawn rather flat, but the surroundings are very colorful and realistic. Appropriate for this genre.

[SOUND=7]
Not bad, but forgettable.

[ENJOYMENT =8]
I had a good time. This anime is a fair example of a work that is greater than the sum of its parts. There is enough variety across the episodes to keep you interested if you like slice of life and comedy. The show does a good job of shifting tonally when you least expect it. One moment, it's all fun and laughs, and then you're given a somewhat dramatized shift in the narrative that has something to do with success or relationships.

[OVERALL = 7]
Despite the variety this anime offers and the balancing act it is attempting to maintain, the show ultimately fails at juggling these goals and falls over on itself. The anime starts losing focus towards the end and its final episode is so anti-climatic that my final grade rounds the work out towards the lower end of the 7 spectrum. If what this show is about is still unclear, I'd say it's most similar to animes like Saenai Heroine no Sodatekata and Sakurasou no Pet na Kanojo. Still, it was an enjoyable and light-hearted diversion that's a good watch if you just need a break from heavier shows.

Despite the convoluted plot, a poorly written antagonist, and nonsensical duels, I'd say the ending is worth watching the movie for. Unlike the original TV series, the Pyramid of Light movie, and the numerous Yugioh incarnations since then, this movie feels like one of the most in-depth character pieces I've seen from the franchise, and that was honestly shocking. I appreciate how the writers gave serious thought to providing closure for all the characters, but I was disappointed in how the story got bogged down by the need for spectacle, a villain, and an evil plot.

As many others have stated, Kaiba is the star ... of the movie and is indeed fleshed out very well, but I'm not sure if everyone will truly appreciate the amount of development he gets in this movie. Serving as a somewhat "coming-of-age" finale for the characters, we discover at the beginning of the movie that Yugi and all his friends have moved on with their lives since the days of Atem and Battle City, and that they all have plans for the near future. Kaiba, the Pharaoh's rival and most distant "friend", is ironically the only one who has not been able to move forward with his life. The development of his Solid Vision duel disk and his tireless effort to reassemble the millennium puzzle further evidences his obsession with the Pharaoh.

*Spoiler*
Kaiba's acceptance of "magic," and his desire to resurrect Atem, who he acknowledges as both a rival and finally as a friend, was very touching. For me, the final moments of this movie are even more fitting that those of the TV series because it brings the story full-circle, ending with Kaiba confronting Atem instead of Yugi. For some, this difference might not hold much significance, but if we recall the first major duel in the series, it was Kaiba losing to the Pharaoh, not Yugi. So for me, this effort was the director's way of telling us that Kaiba and the Pharaoh are the true protagonists of the series, and that their rivalry has been the instrument propelling the story this entire time.

Story: 4
Art: 10
Sound: 8
Character: 9
Enjoyment: 6
Overall: 6

Despite the somewhat low grade I'm giving this movie, I would still recommend it to anyone who is a fan of the original series and wants to see some justice done for the characters they have grown up loving as I did. I believe this would have been a MUCH better movie if the villainous subplot and the notion of "Dimension Dueling" were scrapped,but the creators were obviously trying to sell some cards... A much better idea would have been to just use Kaiba's tournament to give the viewers a chance to see the entire cast back in action, but unfortunately the duels were limited to only Kaiba, Aigami, and Yugi. Since I liked the ending enough, I do consider it canon in my mind, and hopefully others who read this review will as well, given their appreciation for the characters over visual effects and action.

Anyone else in their 20s and having difficulty relating to high school anime? Well don't worry because ReLIFE has found a way to appeal to audiences of ages 15-30.Our protagonist, Kaizaki Arata, is a washed up and jobless 27 year old man who accepts ReLIFE's proposal to become a high schooler again in exchange for paid living expenses and a job upon the experiment's completion in one year. Who wouldn't jump at the chance to repeat high school again by swallowing a magic pill handed to you by a complete stranger? Frankly, the plot of this series is rather unoriginal and definitely overused by other ... movies and dramas. BUT, even a simple story can be great if it's executed well and that's definitely the case with this series.

Characters are in many ways the most important aspect to story telling and ReLIFE does an excellent job at delivering the motivations and personalities behind its characters. What the show lacks in originality, it makes up for in characters, who are in many ways its defining feature. Nearly every story arc (2-3 episodes) applies focus to only one or two characters. As a result, the series effectively provides backstory to individual members of the cast and gradually builds their relationships over the course of the series. Overall, I found most of the characters relatable from the standpoint of a someone living a very normal life. This is partly due to the show's excellent portrayal of everyday issues and a fantastic performance from the voice actors/actresses.

Personally, I think it's important to go into this series understanding that there is a slice of life tag. In other words, ReLIFE is NOT entirely focused on romance. There are other themes explored in its 13 episodes, such as ambition, confidence, and of course friendship. Other reviews have given this show slightly lower marks mainly due to its rather slow pacing and lack of romance between episodes 7-10. While I can agree that the show might have benefitted from devoting more time to its lead couple, it's only a personal preference and I don't think it's appropriate to fault the studio for including episodes that address other equally important themes. In fact, those episodes add depth to the characters and a measure of realism because normal lives are not only filled with instances of intimacy and romance.

Finally, we arrive at the anime's greatest fault which is unfortunately its predictability. From episode one, I could tell that even though there was some great writing and surprising sequences, I got the vibe that every scenario was going to be wrapped up nicely and neatly. Admittedly, it was difficult to actually feel sad for any of the characters even when they were struggling because I just knew that things were going to be resolved for them. The bright atmosphere of the show and the optimism of its characters just doesn't allow for prolonged somberness. It's clear to me that the author enjoys happy endings so I never feared for the possibility that certain couples would not end up together. There is also a small mystery concerning the identity of one character throughout the series and when my suspect was revealed, I thought it was every obvious because it resulted in the perfect ending.

In my honest opinion, ReLIFE is a humble and satisfying addition to anime of school and slice of life genres. Romance is not as prevalent in this show as in others, but it is still substantial and interwoven neatly into sequences of realism. I'd recommend checking this anime out if you enjoy stories that are more balanced in these elements as opposed to overreaching in any single one. Tuck into this anime when you're feeling down and unmotivated because you might just find yourself smiling.

After reading the synopsis, you might be thinking this is yet another magic-school fantasy centered around an overpowered male lead. You're not wrong. You also might be imagining a relatively shallow and overused plot and...you're probably right on that account too. But if you think Kurogane Ikki is the oblivious one dimensional protagonist you're used to seeing, you're dead wrong.

Rakudai Kishi no Cavalry is easily one of this season's best productions and a wonderfully refreshing addition to the harem genre. Scratch that. This isn't a harem, but it certainly feels like one for the first few episodes. Does this mean we finally have a protagonist ... who has the balls to choose a girl??? Indeed he does and early on in the show too. As a consequence, we as anime viewers actually get the rare opportunity to see how a relationship progresses beyond the confession stage. Imagine that.

Here, the romance between Ikki and Stella definitely deserves much praise. The writers and producers did a great job fleshing them out as characters and paced their relationship appropriately. Like any couple, they have real arguments and issues which they talk over. The producers don't even shy away from the blatantly obvious sexual tension that is often dismissed in ecchi shows . Instead, these sexual issues are actually confronted in some of the conversations that Ikki and Stella share, making them more like a real couple.

Thus, I found the show's strongest point to be its characters and their relationships. I'm not just referring to the romance between the leads but also to the relationships between all the characters. You feel as though you understand where these characters are coming from and why they are fighting so desperately to win. They aren't doing it just to prove that they're strong.

Ikki certainly doesn't. He fights to prove a greater message - that hard work can match or even exceed natural talent. Easily the show's most likable character, Ikki only seems "overpowered" because he gives every fight his 100% and trust me, he doesn't win by whipping out a new ultra-powerful technique for every fight. This makes him less like a character and more like a person - someone you can stand behind and root for because you know he's trying his very best to match his opponents.

By the way, this show has some of the best action sequences I've seen in recent years. They're thrilling and have a tendency to keep you on the edge of your seat because the action is incredibly fast paced. Instead of standing around and conversing, most of the dialogue occurs within the character's minds during a fight. In other words, we witness how they're analyzing the battle as they're constantly moving. If that isn't impressive enough, Kotaro Nakagawa's incredible score will definitely keep your heart pumping through them.

Still, Rakudai Kishi no Cavalry isn't without its flaws. Like I said, the plot isn't anything new and basically identical to that of another magic-school anime this season, The War of Asterisk. Furthermore, I felt as though Stella started off as a strong female lead who was unnecessarily developed into a more feminine one as the show went on. The ending leaves many things unanswered but I can't complain because it follows the source material exactly and we can only hope for a second season.

Overall, this anime is worth a watch for anyone who wants to have a good time. I highly recommend it to anyone who likes romance, magic-sword fights, and the occasional dose of fan-service. For those of you who are turned off by the show's generic plot, watch until episode 4 and give the character development a chance to hook you. Don't let the synopsis fool you because Rakudai Kishi no Cavalry is definitely not "The Worst One" in its genre.