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Disclaimer
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The following review is completely spoiler-free, and is meant for users who are curious about whether to watch the show or not. While I write reviews with this focus, and the goal of presenting the show with little bias, it is impossible to write a completely unbiased review. Feel free to disagree with any of my opinions, and ultimately decide for yourself how you feel about the show after watching it yourself!

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Positives
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- Meme Value
Let's be honest here, many of the people watching the show during its Spring 2017 season did so because of its controversial nature and the spread of memes that came from its ... popularity. Eromanga-Sensei has prime meme material; It's no better summed up than the moment in the show that a random girl shows up and declares that she, amongst all other girls her age, "love dicks". It's ridiculous, even for the scenario; A completely random, "what the hell is going on" kind of statement. That is Eromanga-Sensei: The "What the hell is going on" anime.

- Rubbernecking
Do you ever look up videos of large disasters, and while they are horrifying to watch, there's something magical about them that keeps you glued to the screen? You get a feeling that it's so captivating because you can't believe it's happening. That, and that alone, is what brought me back to Eromanga-Sensei each week this season. They can't possibly dig any lower. They can't possibly be more ridiculous. They can't possibly sexualize these poor girls more. They can't possibly... repeat ad nauseum. It's fascinatingly terrible, in a way I cannot properly describe (although I will describe what I believe makes it "terrible" below).

- Moe Factor
Eromanga-Sensei should not be taken lightly; The show lewds the crap out of underage characters. That can't be said enough. But it would also be remiss to leave out the fact that the show does a decent job of actually making the characters cute (when they're not being bent over or thrown into a skimpy bikini). The art style is clean, fun, and colourful, which works fantastically for making the characters emote in wonderful different ways.

- OP/ED
Both the OP and the ED were very fun to listen to, as well as watch. There were some very cute dances in both, and I sat through them each time!

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Negatives
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- Ravioli Ravioli Do Not Lewd The Underage Loli
I've previously defended anime's exhausting obsession with sexualizing underage characters, due to some legitimate character design questions. For example: Is it wrong to be attracted to, and view suggestive material of, characters that have the bodies of, fully-formed personality of, and perform the roles of otherwise incredibly adult-like characters? Anime often takes incredibly "mature" or adult-like characters, and subtracts some number between 2 and 8 years off their age for no other reason than to put them in an environment of their choosing, or to pawn it off as "relatable" to a teenage audience. Eromanga-Sensei has some elements of this: Elf, Muramasa, and Masamune all are incredibly adult. They run their own independent businesses, do not attend school, live on their own... you name it. However, the show is completely shameless (and arguably revels) in its insistence of lolifying its cast. It shoves their extreme under-agedness in your face, and seems proud to flaunt it. It cackles as it pulls the characters back and forth between adult and child-like tendencies, seemingly enjoying its audiences exasperation and confusion. And the main character's love interest, his younger sister, has absolutely no excuse for this outright sexualization. She's clearly 12, they want you to know she's twelve, and other than her propensity towards lewd drawings, does absolutely nothing to stray from that point. It doesn't stop the show from shoving her into compromising positions, or undressing her for the audience. It's shameless, even from someone who is happy to take up legitimate arguments for/against stereotypical anime sexualization.

- Failed Chemistry
Once again, Eromanga-Sensei succeeds in its subtle goal of completely trolling anyone who watches it. The cast of characters around the MC form somewhat of a harem, which is neither atypical nor particularly noteworthy. What is noteworthy is the absolute glee at which the show builds up the characters to being somewhat interesting, likeable characters, only to rip it away from you. The creator behind the story is Tsukasa Fushimi; We all know where this is going. The MC is going to end up with the sister, as he always does. And in Eromanga-Sensei, you're given a sister character so unlikeable that it cannot be anything but a very carefully planned out troll, specifically made to make audiences groan and roll their eyes. Sagiri is a completely irredeemable character, with no chemistry or traits besides "cuteness" that make any amount of sense to why she exists. Unless, of course, we're talking bra and panty shots. Suddenly it all make sense.

- Fumbling Storyline
This story for the 12-episode season was kind of all over the place. There's 2 arcs that seem to be somewhat disjointed from each other; The 11th and 12th episode are completely randomly thrown in to round it out. There's small bits of progression for each of the characters, but it's either 0 or 100 mph with the show. Either confess your undying love for a character, or just sit back and do nothing. No in between.

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Conclusion
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I have a hard time finding a word for what Eromanga-Sensei is. It is endlessly debateable, and I don't think that's going to change any time soon. It's got the memes, but it's also got the underage-sister-romance-lewdness. It's got a irredeemably weird cast, and yet I can't look away. It's endlessly entertaining, but I can't help feel dirty after watching each episode. It's.... provocative. Yes, perhaps that's the best word to use. Specifically, the definition that states "to cause annoyance, anger, or another strong reaction, especially deliberately."

Eromanga-Sensei exemplifies and exacerbates so much of what anime viewers are tired of, yet each week I happily watched the episode and marveled at the ridiculousness of the anime as a whole. It's an incredibly complicated thing to review this show because of it. One side of me rolls my eyes and wants to strangle the author, while the other side reaches for another handful of popcorn and smiles while watching the mess.

This review feels all over the place, and it's for a reason. The show is so provocative, I feel I could write several essays on it, or at least the themes it exemplifies. But I will stop here, as I think doing so is all some sort of master plan by the author. Well played, Fushimi. Well played.

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Final Rating
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While it makes for nice averages and wonderful sorting, when it comes to reviews I personally do not like direct numbering systems. Instead, I am to answer the question: "Would you recommend I watch this show?". This one was incredibly hard to review and rate, so I'm going to try my best to answer it, but perhaps this is something to decide on your own.

If you are a fan of ridiculous anime, especially ones that centre around "meme value", Eromanga-Sensei is there for you.

If you can't stand anime's obsession with underage sexuality, or believe that anime in general has a few select things that are "ruining anime as a serious medium", steer clear. Way clear.

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Disclaimer
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The following review is completely spoiler-free, and is meant for users who are curious about whether to watch the show or not. While I write reviews with this focus, and the goal of presenting the show with little bias, it is impossible to write a completely unbiased review. Feel free to disagree with any of my opinions, and ultimately decide for yourself how you feel about the show after watching it yourself!

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Positives
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- Creative Characters
What attracts people to Monster Musume? What started this whole trend, and why is it so popular? Is it all a massive fetish party? Okay, well YES. BUT. I've got to give ... the creator of this series some serious credit when it comes to character design. It would have been so, so easy to just put some cat ears on girls and do the exact same things everyone else has for years now, but I'll be damned if they didn't go full out with the characters themselves. They're all so varied, fresh, exciting, and DIFFERENT. And for a genre as deep as a glass of split milk, that was incredibly surprising and refreshing.

- Longing for Lore
This extends off the first point somewhat, but I found myself enraptured by the sheer interest in the surrounding world, its inhabitants, and its customs. There are so many interesting creatures, and a very interesting infrastructure for how they interact with the world around them. The show focuses heavily on introducing as many new characters as physically possible each episode, and it's incredibly surprising how often it stretched its world-building wings, despite my constant: "Okay, they must be done with new species NOW".

- Oh My
Alright look. Monster Musume is the closest thing you can get to porn without penetration. That should be it's subtitle. Monster Musume: Porn Minus Penetration. It's shameless, it's in your face, it's over the top, it's everywhere. Hop in the trash can with the rest of us, or hit the road. That being said, I must say that there were a pleasant amount of detours from standard gratuitous sexual tropes. The episodes dedicated to things such as egg-laying, or skin shedding, were highlights due to their sheer novelty and creativity.

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Negatives
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- OH MY
Alright look. I like porn. I watch porn. I have an incredibly high tolerance for egregious sexual displays, I have no shame admitting that, and no one really should. Even saying that, Monster Musume was... oh boy. I've watched/read many, many mature things that are less sexual than Monmusu. It's actually quite impressive. I have such a hard time with the series, simply because it's got such a limited potential audience. Additionally, many of the sexual gags or hooks in the show stray from the aforementioned creativity of the whole story. Why force yourself to do regular boob jokes over and over again when you have such a wealth of other opportunities handed to you by your characters/world on a silver platter?!

- Mo Mo More!
The things that Monmusu did well, I want to see more of. I want to see more of the world that they built. I want to see more interesting characters in more background roles. I want lore, and interesting different experiences I can't get anywhere else. Monmusu does a good job of keeping things fresh, but it gets exponentially weaker when it strays from its creative roots.

- Better Balance
Monmusu recognized that its characters were a huge strong point, so it decided to introduce like, 20 of them, and attempt to all fit them in as important characters. While this certainly is a positive from a breadth, world-building perspective... it became increasingly hard to both keep track of and care about all the characters being introduced. I'm not saying cut out a bunch of characters, but re-balance the importance of each character so that you have clear main and side characters, instead of 6+ people in a house and 4+ characters with arguably the same screen time that just so happen to NOT live in the house.

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Conclusion
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Monster Musume gives off a certain... first impression. It comes off as an incredibly shallow, weird, fetish-y porn fest for all the weirdos out there who like "alternative" women. And that assessment isn't necessarily WRONG, per se, but it entirely misses the huge amount of potential the show also has. When Monmusu is focusing on what makes it unique, I see a show that could possibly be one of the best, most interesting series I've ever watched. When it strays from that, it becomes what people think it is: shallow, weird porn.

So I'm stuck in a middle ground. What I loved from Monster Musume, I absolutely adored. I will be remembering the characters, the world, and all related aspects for a long time to come. And it makes me want to go and find other related material, whether it be manga, anime, etc. But at the same time, it's got these layers of filth to have to deal with to enjoy the best stuff. Don't get me wrong, I'm filth myself and I enjoy many of those layers. But I have a hard time seeing a wide variety of other people who are willing to polish this hard, phallus-shaped rock into the hard, phallus-shaped diamond that it can be.

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Final Rating
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While it makes for nice averages and wonderful sorting, when it comes to reviews I personally do not like direct numbering systems. Instead, I am to answer the question: "Would you recommend I watch this show?". So,

If you have any issue with overt sexuality bordering on 18+ material, avert your eyes and keep walking.

If you've seen the related images and went "hey those characters seem neat and different", give it a shot.

Finally, if you're into weird, kinky stuff, watch this. At the very least you can up your meme game. At the most you'll find something to cherish and never show anyone else. EVER.

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Disclaimer
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The following review is completely spoiler-free, and is meant for users who are curious about whether to watch the show or not. While I write reviews with this focus, and the goal of presenting the show with little bias, it is impossible to write a completely unbiased review. Feel free to disagree with any of my opinions, and ultimately decide for yourself how you feel about the show after watching it yourself!

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Positives
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- Ridiculous Fun
Renai Boukun is the classic example of a show that doesn't try and take itself too seriously. Its parodic intro to the show (with the "Love Note" parody) is a fittingly silly, ... tongue-in-cheek, and completely not subtle icon that symbolizes the whole show. The concept is crazy, the characters are ridiculous, and the hijinks they get up to are top notch. Additionally, there are many references and parodic elements that keep the energy going in the right direction.

- Support Structure Story
Direct romances and the underlying romantic story as a whole are not spectacular, but they also do not take away from the show in the slightest. They act as a nice underlying current that runs confidently beneath the shenanigans pushed to the forefront. There's no needlessly contrived plot points or backstory, just ones that are handled quickly. As if to say: "Look, this isn't the focus of the show, but that doesn't mean we were going to slack off on it".

- Charming Characters
Renai Boukun's core production strength is its ability to recognize exactly what to emphasize. While I've already mentioned its ridiculous comedy, the conduit to this comedy (the characters and their interactions) is arguably even more important. The characters were varied, yet equally ridiculous and the MC, Seiji-kun, was a good straight man to the rest of the show's goofy ways. Each of the main/major side characters felt sufficiently fleshed out for a 12 episode season, without feeling burdened with unnecessary fluff that could take away from the show's core feeling.

- Matching Art Style
The artistic style of the show does a fantastic job of not only contributing to the over-the-top moments of the show, but also serves as a very nice visual in between those times. There is a clear emphasis on popping colours and shining characters, which is exactly what a show like this should be pushing to the front.

- Excellent OP
This OP hits all the right points for me. Catchy music, character introductions, and a perfect set-up for the show you're about to watch. Never skipped it once, and it always got me in a "Renai Boukun" sort of mood.

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Negatives
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- Good, Not Great
One of the disadvantages of pushing a few themes to the very forefront is that you leave some other elements behind. Let me be clear: Renai Boukun's overall story, character backgrounds, and world building are far from bad. They are adequate. As I mentioned above, this is to keep the comedy and madness at a high for as long as possible, but if you're looking for deep lore, complex characters, or an uber compelling romance plot, you won't find it here.

- Kissed Potential
The show's introductory episode was brilliant, and its roots in parody-ing "Death Note" with its counterpart, the "Kiss Note", was incredibly compelling and a great tool to get the characters in a wealth of kooky conundrums. Where the show goes wrong is where it throws that concept aside about halfway through the season. It leads to a generally disjointed feeling to the arc, as it takes back seat to slightly more serious arcs for each of the main girls. I wish they could have incorporated more of this fun concept into the story.

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Conclusion
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Some anime is meant to tug at your heartstrings. Some anime is meant to fill you with a "Go Get 'Em!" spirit. Some anime captivates its audience with deep, twisting plots that have you drooling for more. Renai Boukun is not any of those shows. It doesn't break new ground with confidence or ease. But what it does do is allow you to turn your brain off for a little bit and enjoy pure, unadulterated ridiculousness. It doesn't take itself to serious (even in its more serious moments), and neither should you.

There is no more perfect analogy for Renai Boukun than to describe it as "junk food" anime. It's not particularly good for you, and it won't quell a deep hunger in dire anime situations. However, it will provide a light, focused entertainment series. It knows its strong points, and focuses on them, providing you with a silly, romcom to keep you smiling in between heartier meals.

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Final Rating
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While it makes for nice averages and wonderful sorting, when it comes to reviews I personally do not like direct numbering systems. Instead, I am to answer the question: "Would you recommend I watch this show?". So,

If you are a fan of romcoms and/or harems, Renai Boukun is a perfect(ly silly) addition to your collection.

If you enjoy shutting your brain off and wondering just what crazy situation a set of characters will get themselves into this time, you'll be right at home.

Finally, if you're hoping for a heartier look into the genre(s), I'd recommend choosing a more refined, deeper anime.

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Disclaimer
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The following review is completely spoiler-free, and is meant for users who are curious about whether to watch the show or not. While I write reviews with this focus, and the goal of presenting the show with little bias, it is impossible to write a completely unbiased review. Feel free to disagree with any of my opinions, and ultimately decide for yourself how you feel about the show after watching it yourself!

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Positives
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- Nonstop Laughs
Konosuba is a simple show; It identifies its strengths and doesn't forget to focus on them. With this in mind, it's fair to say it's a comedy first, second, and third. As ... with all comedies, its humour will be subjective, and as such you may not enjoy it. But if you do enjoy it, you're in for a treat, because the show will keep you laughing not only episode to episode, but scene to scene.

- Lovably Unlovable
Konosuba's cast of characters finds this wonderful middle ground of admiration and unbridled facepalm-ery. All of the main characters are complete jerks in their own ways, yet do so in such a redeemable way. Their charm shines through their humourous flaws and creates people you root against, if only to see what wacky antics their struggles cause. All 4 "party members" are given their time as a champion and as a burden, leaving no one out of the fun or left behind.

- Painfully Parodic
The RPG genre has been a favourite of anime due to its popularity across Japan, and Konosuba uses this to its advantage. It effectively uses tropes to establish a familiarity of setting, then flips the situation on its head through its ridiculous and unique cast of bumbling idiots. The world may be standard, but the juxtaposition between it and the people (who stand out like sore thumbs) sets a wonderful stage for all sorts of wild, parodic fun.

- Hai, Kazuma Desu
Kazuma Satou might just be the greatest "harem" main character I've ever seen. As someone who traditionally enjoys the antics of the colourful women characters in anime exponentially more than the men, I was pleasantly surprised to find that Kazuma provided just as much, if not more, than the rest of the cast. He might still be the glue that sticks everyone together, but he also shines just as brightly as the rest of the cast.

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Negatives
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- Versa-tity
I don't want to play pretend here by listing off a bunch of positives and leaving out something that infiltrates most of the show. Konosuba most definitely has a lot of sexual content. It's unafraid of using sexuality as a plot point, a joke, or simply as a bit of an eye catch. To claim that all of these instances were perfectly planned out to serve some alternative purpose would be disingenuous. However, let it be known that Konosuba makes a real effort to make sure the sexuality most often does have a relevance to the show or legitimately humourous moments, and it often succeeds, which is more than most shows can say. And yes, I am ashamed of the title of this point.

- Studio Derp
This is my first Studio Deen anime, and I can see what everyone says about their animation being a bit below par. The quality of the show is not the same as you'd expect from others, however personally I found it to be surprisingly charming a lot of the time. It's as if the creators knew they could use their derps to their advantage in a show filled with silly shenanigans and ridiculous characters. I will give them some credit, the art and animation were distractions much less than they should've been based on their quality, due to the effective mood and integration of the animation with the story.

- Nonstop Laughs
Konosuba's great advantage is its focus on comedy, however this comes with a small drawback: Most other things get left behind. Large-scale world building, side characters, and even episode structure are kinda thrown haphazardly around to optimize the comedy.

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Conclusion
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Konosuba is funny. It's really funny. I'd love to try and wax poetic about all of the subtleties of the show, or its sound design, or perhaps the world building as if it made some sort of difference. Ultimately, the more I thought about it, the more I realized that it all came back to the humour of the show. That is what got me hooked on it in the first place, and it's what kept me coming back. This can be an unfortunate selling point; What if you happen to not "click" with the humour of the show? It's a real problem with shows that rely on comedy. Konosuba's strengths in this area are twofold: It is simple enough for large swathes of people to enjoy, and it's clever enough to keep those audiences salivating for the next scene.

It's clever, it's silly, and it's not meant to be taken seriously at all. It's a fun little show that can impress you with its volume of comedy if you let it.

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Final Rating
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While it makes for nice averages and wonderful sorting, when it comes to reviews I personally do not like direct numbering systems. Instead, I am to answer the question: "Would you recommend I watch this show?".

If you are a fan of comedies or gaming, Konosuba is a top-tier parodic addition to your collection.

If you're expecting a deeper, smarter comedic experience, perhaps look elsewhere.

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Disclaimer
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The following review is mostly spoiler-free (except for two marked locations), and is meant for users who are curious about whether to watch the show or not. While I write reviews with this focus, and the goal of presenting the show with little bias, it is impossible to write a completely unbiased review. Feel free to disagree with any of my opinions, and ultimately decide for yourself how you feel about the show after watching it yourself!

Additionally, due to this being the second season of Amagami SS, it should go without saying that you need to watch season 1 of the show before even considering ... or understanding this review. My review is based off of my first season review, therefore it would be good to check that out if you want full critiques of the show as a whole.

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Positives
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- More Daisuki
Did you love Amagami SS? Then Amagami SS+ Plus is a no brainer. It extends the stories of each of the characters for 2 additional episodes each, providing a small conflict + resolution to deepen the relationships depicted in the first season. I consider this less of an independent "season", but rather a continuation, addition, or extended epilogue to the series as a whole. Call it a "love letter" from the creators of the show to its fans. In any case, it's very welcome from me!

- Added Screen Time
One of the common complaints about Amagami SS was its relatively short arcs (4 episodes), which initially seems like Amagami SS+ Plus just exacerbates. But instead of being separate instances, the combination of both seasons (ending up with ~6 episodes on each character) helps those doubts melt away, satisfying many small quibbles about the characters of the first season. We get to see more depth to all the characters and their relationship to Junichi, which only serves to make you fall in love with the couplings all over again!

- Excellent Finale
One of the key strengths of Amagami SS was its ability to flesh out characters even when not in their own respective arcs. While the final (non-arc) episode is heavy on the fan-service due to its setting, it fulfills my final desire to see many of the main cast interact with each other in new and exciting ways. Move aside Junichi, I want a show with just the girls!

THIS SECTION CONTAINS SPOILERS! SCROLL TO NEGATIVES SECTION TO CONTINUE SPOILER FREE!

- Rihoko's Arc
The first season's Rihoko arc was a complete tease, and many felt unsatisfied with its ending. I will not give away the ending of Rihoko's continuation this season, but it was handled a lot more satisfyingly this season and rounded out into an excellent 6-episode arc. This was the story that the arc was originally meant to be, and I'm happy we could all see it through.

SPOILERS HAVE ENDED

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Negatives
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- MC Fatigue Pt. 2
Junichi Tachibana is approximately EXACTLY the same as the first season. As such, there are many positives and negatives to his character, which balance out into a frustrating, but ultimately lovable MC. Some arcs had him be a little less facepalm worthy than others, but don't expect him to suddenly change things up from the first season! Haha.

THIS SECTION CONTAINS SPOILERS! SCROLL TO CONCLUSION TO CONTINUE SPOILER FREE!

- Kaoru's Arc
This is personal preference, but in my opinion Kaoru's mini arc this season was a huge disappointment. After an incredibly strong showing in Season 1 (tied for 2nd best), her character felt incredibly confused and inconsistent. The first seasons presented a very positive tsundere image, with self denial but ultimately a submission to her feelings. This season felt like she slipped into every single bad tsundere characteristic. On top of that, she had a very legitimate issue to grapple with (how do you effectively transition from being close friends to lovers), which never actually got resolved! They fought a bunch, made up, and suddenly it's like: "Oh that problem's magically solved too!". Whaaat?! Sorry Kaoru, I love your character but with such a strong cast of characters, this will affect your standing greatly in my mind. Don't worry though, we always have Season 1 re-watches ;~;

SPOILERS HAVE ENDED

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Conclusion
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Amagami SS+ Plus, besides having a classically silly anime name, is more of the same. It continues to flesh out the roles the characters play, and satisfies fans' desires to see more of their favourite characters and relationship dynamics. If you enjoyed the first season, there's no reason why you wouldn't love the second season just as much. It has all of the elements I loved, and the quibbles that nagged at me, all wrapped up in a nice little series of epilogues. Some stories got better, some series got a little bit less good, but most of them stayed consistently fantastic. Even the arcs I "liked the least" are solid 8s or 9s, which should tell you about the absurd quality of the girls in this show. I'm tremendously sad that this is the end of my Amagami SS journey, but so happy I got to experience it along the way!

Best Girl/Story Rankings, Season 2!
Ai = Haruka > Tsukasa = Rihoko > Sae > Kaoru
(These rankings are only relevant for Season 2; See my Season 1 review for a ranking relating to that season!)

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Final Rating
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While it makes for nice averages and wonderful sorting, when it comes to reviews I personally do not like direct numbering systems. Instead, I am to answer the question: "Would you recommend I watch this show?".

Due to the sequel nature of this review, plus the fact that this season is more of an "epilogue" rather than its own independent thing, I recommend that anyone who has watched Season 1 must watch Season 2, as it is essential to the overall Amagami SS experience!

If you haven't watched Amagami SS (the first season), go read my review and give it a shot! Hopefully I'll see you back here after you've binged both seasons ;)

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Disclaimer
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The following review is completely spoiler-free, and is meant for users who are curious about whether to watch the show or not. While I write reviews with this focus, and the goal of presenting the show with little bias, it is impossible to write a completely unbiased review. Feel free to disagree with any of my opinions, and ultimately decide for yourself how you feel about the show after watching it yourself!

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Positives
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- Everyone on the Omni-bus!
Amagami SS's largest strength comes from its origin: An adaptation of a dating sim. That sentence alone may be groan-worthy, but it introduces some very key benefits that I will ... continue to list below. To summarize: There are 6 main love interest leads, which the show explores in a "parallel universe" arc style. Each character is dedicated a 4 episode arc, all starting around the same time with the main difference being that the main character, Junichi, ends up spending time, and blossoming love for/with, a new partner at the school. One of the greatest advantages to this format is its versatility. Don't like a particular arc? Why not try one of the other 5? You're almost guaranteed to find a pairing you'll enjoy.

- Satisfyingly Short
Giving 4 episodes to each of the characters' romance seems like it could be a rushed endeavor, but when you consider the usual pace of romances in anime, it actually feels very satisfying! Things have to move at a healthy pace in the show in order for each arc to reach its climax (the confession/kiss), so it forces much of the awkward "do they really like me" tropes away out of necessity. These themes are still present, as they are trying to depict young love and its pitfalls, but in a more appropriate serving than your traditional slow-burn anime romance. Additionally, the show isn't afraid to actually get to a conclusion. These are the stories of relationships forming, and as such they actually form! (Mostly)...

- Building in the Background
It's fairly obvious that the most character development for the love interests come during their arc, but Amagami SS does a tremendous job of not throwing away characters just because they're not in the spotlight. There are many scenes of non-featured love interests that help round out their overall character, as well as their interactions with the other characters in the universe. What happens to the girls when they're not getting with Junichi? How do their lives go? This extra effort also helps each character in unique ways depending on which order their arc takes place! For example, Haruka is the first arc, and as such she's the girl you know the least about. While she still has a very good arc, its her extra appearances in the background in later arcs that really solidify her character and enrich the story started at the beginning of the show. Additionally, Tsukasa's arc is done last, and benefits from the longest amount of time establishing her character.

- Firm, but Flexible MC
Junichi is our main protagonist, and as he is based off the player character in the game this show is adapting, his character has to be flexible to match all of the girls in each of their arcs. There is a huge pitfall here; Attempting to change the MC drastically risks feeling completely disjointed from a sense of singular character. Amagami SS sidesteps this with surprising ease, establishing an original character with concrete traits seen across all of the romantic arcs. His attitude differences in each of the arcs are gradual and realistic; It is not that he is changing, but rather different parts of himself are emphasized (and de-emphasized) based on his surroundings (read: love interests). I was quite impressed that I was able to completely believe him as a character in each of the arcs, despite a wide variety of difference in the women he's influenced by.

- Unique EDs
I can take or leave the OPs of this show, but the EDs are really something special. They uniquely swap with each of the characters, are sung by the voice actors, and provide a wonderful complement to the character arc as a whole. Very catchy, and diverse!

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Negatives
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- BAKA HENTAAAI
For a show that I believe to handle relationships in a way very uniquely compared to other shows, Amagami SS stumbles often when it comes to display healthy sexuality. Junichi falls hopelessly into the "pervert" male trope, something that is only bad when you juxtapose the rest of the show, which handles anything remotely sexual like a hot coal. There are a few breakthrough moments where characters actually display sexual attraction or affection in a legitimate, healthy way, but for the most part there is a disappointingly strong, Japanese influence infecting most relationships in the show. I am continuously baffled by the fact shows are perfectly happy with men fantasizing about porn and the women around them with zoom shots galore, yet insist on every character fleeing from their sexuality at the first blush. Remember kids, it's healthy to push down your feelings and pretend they don't exist, so long as that repression comes out in productive ways, such as peeping, perving, and.... oh wait. Perhaps this is why I enjoyed Ai's arc the most.

- MC fatigue
While I said previously I enjoyed much of the way Junichi was handled as a main character, sadly it was simply the handling of his traits across the arcs I enjoyed. Junichi's overarching traits are sigh-inducing. As mentioned above, Junichi sits firmly entrenched in the "pervert" male trope, while simultaneously fleeing from real sexuality in tandem with his partners. He is also incredibly dense, going as far as asking if a love interest maybe liked him the morning AFTER she kisses him romantically. C'mon Junichi, for god's sake. He's not all bad, and he certainly has his cool or important moments, but as usual you're often left wondering exactly what the hell these great girls see in him outside of a few choice nice moments. All of these problems are solved, by the way, simply by learning to write and produce shows with healthy levels of affection and sexuality. So this is more of a further manifestation of the above negative.

- Everyone OFF the Omni-bus!
This is not a complaint, but rather a warning. While I believe the multiple short arc strategy of the show to be refreshing and positive towards the show's goals, I can understand how others may feel a bit weird about it. Perhaps you want more long-form individual relationship development, or you just get a bit of waifu-whiplash. This comes down to personal preference, so it shouldn't interfere with you trying the show; it just might be a preference you learn about once watching it.

----------
Conclusion
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I love Amagami SS, I really do. It does so many things amazingly well, with a refreshingly upbeat formatting and a surprisingly like-able cast overall. It handles young love and its many intricacies gently, but firmly, with solid conclusions and satisfyingly well-paced progression. I was expecting walking in to enjoy a few arcs at most, but I ended up enjoying every single one for multiple reasons. Additionally, I had a very hard time choosing which ones I liked the most, because they were all uniquely satisfying in their own rights.

Where Amagami comes short for me is its last dangling threads connecting to unsatisfying romance tropes. It clings desperately to an cultural view of sexuality that is tired and taken to unhealthy levels. I do not propose that there needs to be outright sex within the show, but more consistent displays of genuine, two-sided affection would push this show over the top.

Overall, do not let my negatives deter you. They are incredibly minor compared to the absolutely wonderful rest of the show, which is a delight to watch and a wonderful set of short romance stories. Let go of your worries, and dive headfirst into one of my favourite animes ever!

By the way: Ai > Kaoru = Tsukasa = Haruka > Sae > Rihoko
(These rankings only relevant for Season 1; See my Season 2 review for updated rankings!)

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Final Rating
------------
While it makes for nice averages and wonderful sorting, when it comes to reviews I personally do not like direct numbering systems. Instead, I am to answer the question: "Would you recommend I watch this show?". Specifically, I like to answer that question for both those familiar with the show's genre(s), and those new or interested in the genre(s). So,

If you are a fan of Romance, Amagami SS's formula offers something a bit different, which makes it stand out enough to be very enjoyable. Even if the formula isn't new to you, there's a lot in the show to enjoy, so give it a shot! You won't regret it.

If you are new to/interested in the above genre(s), then this is an absolute must. The wide variety of stories, with relatively quick pacing, is perfect for hooking you on the genre.

----------
Disclaimer
----------
The following review is completely spoiler-free, and is meant for users who are curious about whether to watch the show or not. While I write reviews with this focus, and the goal of presenting the show with little bias, it is impossible to write a completely unbiased review. Feel free to disagree with any of my opinions, and ultimately decide for yourself how you feel about the show after watching it yourself!

---------
Positives
---------
- Unabashed and Full Frontal
It would be doing a disservice to the show to say that fanservice is ALL it is, as Keijo is so much more. Butt, you can't deny that this show ... is not afraid to go above and beyond with their "appreciation of the female form". Look, Keijo is a show that focuses on boobs and butts. It uses them for comedy, characterization, special moves, you name it. If you can't handle that, steer clear. If you think that's hilarious/no problem (like myself), jump right in.

- Surprisingly Competent Shounen
Keijo is billed as a Shounen parody, which is accurate. However, I was extremely surprised to find that it still holds up as a very well made shounen on its own! Yes, there are some obvious parodic moments, butt there are legitimately compelling characters, abilities, and matching visual prowess to make for its own compelling show!

- Compelling Characters
It would be so easy for a show like this to cop out on its character design; Emphasizing bodily traits instead of evolving personalities and nurturing team-oriented relationships. Keijo does not cop out. Characters' body types are brought up seldomly in conversation, often only used to contribute to that character's fighting style and techniques (which is relevant to the story, not the fanservice). I loved the cast of characters completely regardless of how they were portrayed physically, and was completely satisfied with the wide variety of fun, vibrant characters displayed.

- Fearlessly Over-The-Top
One of the fun things about Keijo is that it doesn't do anything half-assed. Keijo goes full-ass, then charges that ass up to 1000% to unlock their hidden bloodline trait. Everything mentioned above is completely overblown and over the top, without feeling hokey or unnecessary. Whether it be its parody elements, its gratuitous close-ups, or its crazy shounen battle sequences, Keijo holds nothing back and will take you on a rollercoaster of emotions.

- Bonus: Appropriate Ages
Japan has an obsession with making characters 3-6 years younger than they act or should be. Keijo's characters are 17+, and they look and act accordingly. Thank god.

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Negatives
---------
- Unabashed and Full Frontal
You might have noticed that this is repeated from the "Positives" section. I want to preface this negative by saying that I am unashamed of watching over the top fanservice. Sexual humour, and sexuality as a whole (with or without comedic elements/purposes), is no problem for me. With that in mind, Keijo was sometimes a bit... much. There were a few legitimate moments where I felt taken aback at how far the show stretched the line between safe and adult. There are definitely a few scenes and shots that made me completely facepalm, or simply ask myself: "Am I actually watching porn right now?"

- Light on Parody
I might be wrong on this, but I didn't actually feel that this show did enough to parody the shounen genre. The fact it centres around bewbies and bewties certainly gives everything a bit of a "silly" feel regardless of how hard they try to do serious things, but I didn't feel like they were really trying to add other parody elements. There was one excellent bit of parody in the final fights with Rin (no spoilers, of course), but otherwise I find it hard pressed to call this anywhere near to an actual parody. It's way, way closer to just a ridiculous shounen, as opposed to a show parodying a genre.

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Conclusion
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Keijo is... complicated. It's a really hard show to review because it ultimately hinges on its biggest draw: its bodacious premise. It doesn't let up, it doesn't give in, and it is not afraid to shove its naughty bits in your face. If you can handle that, then this show is lots of fun! It's clever, ridiculous, hilarious, and legitimately well made. Its animation, sound, character design, and story arc are all put together well. I can't deny that it was very entertaining to watch, and I enjoyed it thoroughly.

At the same time, I also can't deny that it is by far the most sexually charged shounen that I've ever watched, and it can be intimidating in its forwardness at times (even for someone like myself who rarely minds that kind of thing). You don't have to be a prude to find the stuff that Keijo does off-putting, which makes this an incredibly polarizing show. Many, many people will pass on this show, and many more will drop it. But if you don't mind being a little bit of a perv for some good entertainment, then let me be the first to welcome you to pervy heaven. Your room is on the left, leave your shoes at the door. We're not animals, after all.

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Final Rating
------------
While it makes for nice averages and wonderful sorting, when it comes to reviews I personally do not like direct numbering systems. Instead, I am to answer the question: "Would you recommend I watch this show?". Specifically, I like to answer that question for both those familiar with the show's genre(s), and those new or interested in the genre(s). So,

If you can handle gratuitous sexuality as a gateway to great shounen entertainment, you should absolutely watch this show. Leave your shame behind, and enjoy the ridiculousness. It's okay.

If you are tentative about that, perhaps try the first episode. You'll quickly decide for yourself whether its your type of show or not. You don't have to like it. It's okay.

----------
Disclaimer
----------
The following review is completely spoiler-free, and is meant for users who are curious about whether to watch the show or not. While I write reviews with this focus, and the goal of presenting the show with little bias, it is impossible to write a completely unbiased review. Feel free to disagree with any of my opinions, and ultimately decide for yourself how you feel about the show after watching it yourself!

---------
Positives
---------
- Non-Implicit Romance
By far the largest reason I looked up this anime in the first place was because I was tired of romance sub-plots in many of the anime shows I loved. What I ... wanted was a true romance; One that actually showed the trials and tribulations of a legitimate, blossoming coupling. Sakura Trick is exactly that. There's still some difficulties with admitting/telling others about the relationship, but overall it scratches the "please I just want to see cute people get together and be in love" itch that many of us get watching half-complete romance subplots in literally every show we ever watch. Incidentally, I would've written "Explicit" instead of "Non-Implicit", but I don't mean it like thaaaaat c'moon.

- Overt Sexuality
This could also be classified as a negative by some who are uncomfortable with the more intimate displays, but it was refreshing to see actual human signs of affection in the form of kissing (quite intense kissing at times). Anime has this weird double standard when it comes to displaying sexuality in its characters: It's okay to grope people and put their bodies on display, but heaven forbid you show them holding hands or kissing you absolute madman. Sakura Trick goes light on the boob grope and heavy on the petting, which I found to convey a more satisfying connection between the two main characters when viewing the relationship. Additionally, the show barely ever touches on the "we're two girls, therefore it's wrong" trope that squeezes any sense of fun out of any plot line.

- Diversity in Relationships
When you get down to it, Sakura Trick is about young girls falling in love. But dig a bit deeper, and you get to see three separate types of relationships blossoming. It was very nice to see a variety of different relationship standards being shown, instead of one simple relationship focus.

- Bright, Happy Art
A show that centred around young blossoming love should have stylistic choices that match that setting. Sakura Trick absolutely knocks that out of the park with bright pastel colours, fun visuals representing characters, bubbly background cutouts, and many beautiful lighting choices.

---------
Negatives
---------
- Cast Screen Time
The main characters of the show are Haruka and Yuu, for good reason. I have no complaints about their screentime, especially in regards to their relationship. Where a small qualm lies is with how the show distributed the screen time of all the other characters. Yuu's sister got far too much time in the spotlight compared to her friends, and this is especially true with regards to Kotone and Hiromi. The latter's episodes/segments often felt rushed, while the former's dragged on over multiple episodes. Additionally, a number of side characters are introduced quickly at the beginning and forgotten until they are needed later, at which point they're suddenly thrust upon the viewer with short time to get to know them. I would have liked to see a more even distribution of character development, focusing less on Mitsuki and more on other supporting cast members

- Episode Pacing
I am very aware of the reality that much of Sakura Trick's manga was in a 4koma style, and as such leads the anime to have to adapt many small scenes into one episode. I still often got a bit of whiplash from the context switches, and I wish those were handled a bit better. This anime did such a good job reading between the lines and filling in the gaps for the manga. If only they could have gone a little bit farther to better adapt it to the medium they were using.

- Ending
I was left somewhat disappointed with the ending of the show. I cannot say much because I do not wish to spoil much, but there were a few key moments I wish had been a little less... awkward than they ended up being. Ultimately, I was left satisfied, but only partially. I would've like a more definitive, flashy kind of ending.

----------
Conclusion
----------
Sakura Trick is the type of show that fills a void that anyone who enjoys romance is too familiar with. It allows us to finally let our hearts be free and enjoy watching a relationship actually bloom, with satisfying payoffs and many cute lesbian kisses. The characters feel somewhat realistic, but still fun in an anime kind of way. The relationships portrayed feel more authentic, and have more weight to them because they show actual affectionate displays.

It pushes past many romantic tropes, eschewing the all-too-familiar sexuality double standard and delivers genuine, caring affection like I haven't seen in any other anime so far. At the same time, it sidesteps many pitfalls that other romance or lesbian focused shows fall into. And do not make any mistake, it is also quite a funny show too!

If affectionate displays like kissing (and I mean real kissing, not cute pecks) make you uncomfortable, then this isn't the show for you. But if you're open to the idea of real sexuality on display (without dipping into anything too risque, of course) then this show will do everything it can to fill that void in your heart that so many other anime have left. It will reward your patience, and make sure you leave each episode feeling happier than when you left.

------------
Final Rating
------------
While it makes for nice averages and wonderful sorting, when it comes to reviews I personally do not like direct numbering systems. Instead, I am to answer the question: "Would you recommend I watch this show?". So,

If you are a fan of romance, I would definitely recommend giving this anime a try. The first episode should give you a good idea of how the rest of it will progress.

If you are new to/interested in the above genre(s), it might not be the very best series to start with, but I would still recommend you give it a shot. Best results will come if you walk into this anime looking to satisfy an entertainment craving in your heart!

----------
Disclaimer
----------
The following review is completely spoiler-free, and is meant for users who are curious about whether to watch the show or not. While I write reviews with this focus, and the goal of presenting the show with little bias, it is impossible to write a completely unbiased review. Feel free to disagree with any of my opinions, and ultimately decide for yourself how you feel about the show after watching it yourself!

---------
Positives
---------
- Colourful Character Design
One of the things that attracted me to this show is its over-the-top, sensational character designs. The dragons are all wonderful to look at, and enjoyable in their uniqueness. Their traits ... and specialities shine on screen, helping keep them the focal point of the show (for good reason).

- Beautiful Art Direction
This show has absolutely wonderful art! Its backgrounds are unique in their water-colour approach, and provide a very pretty light background to many large environment shots. They also do not feel out of place or forced, but rather give off a relative serenity to be associated with the outside world juxtaposing the characters.

- Surprisingly Diverse Animation
I can't believe a Slice of Life show like this was able to pull off some of the action sequences it did so well. Any over-the-top sequence the dragons took part in (and there were many) were accentuated by a shockingly well done set of action animations. It perfectly conveyed the actual power of the dragons, and made those scenes absolutely pop out compared to the day-to-day scenes, which is exactly what they were supposed to do.

- Kanna
Kanna the tiny dragon child is aboslutely adorable. I don't think I've ever smiled and said "AWWW" so loudly or so often at an anime. Ever. Perfect example of children characters not needing to be overly annoying to still be important and cute in anime. 10/10 would watch entire side-series about her.

- Heartwarming Moments
The interactions between the small makeshift family of Kobayashi, Tohru, and Kanna provide some incredibly heartwarming moments along the way. While the show's main focus is clearly light hearted slice of life and comedy, the show never forgets to gracefully tug at the viewer's heartstrings, investing us all in the family dynamic (flaws and all).

- OP/ED
Probably my personal favourite OP of all time (so catchy), along with a very well done ED. Both match the mood of the show very well (starting on a high note, ending more calmly and sweetly). The inclusion of the show's characters in the ED song is also a huge bonus from me!

---------
Negatives
---------
- Lucoa's Lack of Depth
The character Quetzalcoatl, or Lucoa for short, begins the series as an interesting counterpart dragon to the rest. She comes off as a bit strange in busty appearance, but ultimately caring in her part-time role as Tohru's friend. Her guidance early on was a perfectly good character trait for her. However, later in the show she constantly boils down to either needing another dragon that isn't Fafnir, or full-on no thought boob humour. Don't get me wrong, I love sexual humour! But there was not a whole lot of "comedy" in how she was used in the show. This is an example of fanservice done badly.

- Shouta's Inclusion
Shouta as a character himself could be perfectly fine. He himself does nothing particularly wrong, and introducing magical beings other than dragons could provide a very interesting dynamic. However, none of that is explored as Shouta's one goal is to be the target of Lucoa's overt sexuality. Every single scene with him in it is either completely unnecessary to have him around, or it involves him running away from Lucoa's sexual advances. This could have been fine had the show decided to make her advances based on misunderstanding (she doesn't know why he's shy/embarrassed around her; He's intimidated by her overt sexuality), but instead it just comes off as creepy and unnecessary. There is one singular funny and unique moment for the duo in the show, but otherwise provide no additional value in my opinion.

- "The Scene"
There is a scene about halfway through the show between Kanna and a human her age that has been well documented in its ridiculousness. I will not spoil anything related to it (you can do that research on your own), but I personally was a bit shocked at how far it went and how it pushed the boundaries. I don't think the idea was a ridiculous one; There was much comedy to be had in the circumstances. But in my opinion they went a bit too far in their pursuit for sexual humour, and if I had the choice I'd cut it a lot short than it was.

- Kobayashi + Tohru Character Interaction
Many interactions between characters are incredibly well done and thought out, however arguably the biggest relationship of the entire show progresses at an absolutely sluggish pace. Kobayashi talks a good game about how things have changed dramatically, however it takes until the final few episodes before those words become visible actions and finally provide satisfying character progress between the two main characters. For a show that does such a good job with its other character progressions (Fafnir and Kanna as two examples), this one was slightly disappointing.

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Conclusion
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Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid is a spectacularly made show let down by a few small gripes. It impressed me extraordinarily with its charm, its character design, its art, and many more aspects, all of which I would rate almost perfect.

Unfortunately for the show, it has a few weak points (mentioned above) that can be really crippling at times. Luckily, these weak points are far in the minority, so overall the show was still incredibly enjoyable and fun to watch. You can't make a memorable show without flying too close to the sun sometimes, so I won't fault it for trying a bunch of interesting ideas (most of which worked out).

The show otherwise shines brighter than many other shows I've seen, and while it might seem to stand out solely based on the whole "dragon gimmick", I can assure you that it is far from the only thing that makes this show stand out.

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Final Rating
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While it makes for nice averages and wonderful sorting, when it comes to reviews I personally do not like direct numbering systems. Instead, I am to answer the question: "Would you recommend I watch this show?".

If you are a fan of slice of life, light comedy, cute dragons, or having your heart melt in various different ways, this is a show you will not want to miss.

If you find any kind of sexualization around unambiguously child-like characters unacceptable, there will be parts of this show that you will not like (as was the case with me). I would still recommend giving it a shot (as did I), as it is otherwise a tremendous product.

----------
Disclaimer
----------
The following review is completely spoiler-free, and is meant for users who are curious about whether to watch the show or not. While I write reviews with this focus, and the goal of presenting the show with little bias, it is impossible to write a completely unbiased review. Feel free to disagree with any of my opinions, and ultimately decide for yourself how you feel about the show after watching it yourself!

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Positives
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- More of the Same (Special #1)
The first special, while certainly different in a few ways from a regular episode, carries over much of the comedy and character interaction from the original series. Gabriel ... Dropout was a show that excelled in its characters and the repetition of their interactions so if you enjoyed the series, you'll find a welcome return to form here.

- Interesting Variety (Special #2)
The second special was a completely different tone to the entire series and special #1, and as such is an incredibly unique Gabriel Dropout experience. While the episode's goal shifts entirely from comedy to drama, it does so surprisingly gracefully and powerfully. I found myself incredibly impressed that a show so resoundingly light and goofy could pull off a very serious episode so well.

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Negatives
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- Fanservice (Special #1)
The first special is very much the fanservice episode. It does so comedically, so do not fret about it being tasteless or out of place, however it is certainly doesn't shy away from sexual comedy or innuendos. I personally enjoy sexual humour and do not mind the occasional strange line-walking that characterizes a fanservice episode in an otherwise non-fanservice show. However, I understand and cannot blame those who do not enjoy these things, and for those people, this special can be a bit uncomfortable among its ridiculousness.

- Tone Shift (Special #2)
As mentioned above, special #2 is very different to a regular Gabriel Dropout episode. And while I believe it to be well done, I can understand why some would look at this as being completely off-brand for a light comedic CGDCT anime, and end up not enjoying it.

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Conclusion
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Clearly if you're reading a review about Gabriel Dropout Specials, you've already watched or are interested in the original show. These two specials provide two very unique and special episodes (living up to the title of "special"), for separate reasons. They're definitely a lot more hit-and-miss than the original series, and explore more unstable grounds, but their bold decision to break the formula and try something new should be commended. Specials are a great place to stretch an otherwise consistent series to its limits and test new grounds, which is exactly what Doga Koba did with these two Gabriel Dropout short stories.

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Final Rating
------------
While it makes for nice averages and wonderful sorting, when it comes to reviews I personally do not like direct numbering systems. Instead, I am to answer the question: "Would you recommend I watch this show?".

If you are uncomfortable with the idea of fanservice/light sexualization of the characters of the show, even for strictly comedic purposes, I would recommend potentially skipping the first special.

If you are uncomfortable with the idea of the show's characters being put in a dramatic/serious situation, or simply wish to only watch episodes that will make you happy (I don't blame you), I would recommend potentially skipping the second special.

Otherwise, I would highly recommend watching these specials for their intriguing uniqueness.