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This show is definitely a diamond in the rough, as someone once described it. One the surface it just looks decent. But, what makes it so special is its story and characters. This level of story telling is leagues above your average anime, and it quickly became one of my top shows.

This show is a cross with The Giver novel and Chronicle (2012), and it succeeds at bringing out the best aspects from both of these stories. Once the plot kicks in, I could not stop watching. It was fully of mystery, intrigue, scary visuals, thought-provoking ideas, engaging drama, white knuckle tension, and I really ... wanted to know how it ended.

The dynamic between the characters was part of the appeal, because it did not approach relationships in a typical way. While the character's emotions were genuine, there was a layer of unpredictability to them. This made the simple heart-to-heart scenes between characters have tension and unpredictability.

So with all that said, why is it a 8/10 for me? Episode 5 and Episode 10. For some inexplicable reason, the animation was so atrocious in only those two episodes to the point it made me upset. It was less than half the quality of the other episodes and felt like an intern made it. It's hard to describe them verbally, you'll just have to see them for yourself and you will agree with me. Please stick with this show after those episodes, it's only bad for those two, and i hate I have to add this disclaimer.

Also, while I did love the finale from a story telling perspective, I do think the final episodes were drawn out a too far. I think the ending could've been trimmed down as it started to hurt the pacing by the final 4 episodes.

This show deserves a chance from everyone. Get to episode 4 and you will be hooked from then on.

Usually this type of long romance mecha anime is not for me at all. Plus, it did start out slow and generic. I'm not sure what convinced me to keep watching, but man I was glad that I did. After a certain point in the show, the drama really ramps up and the story starts to form a unique identity and it ended up being a pleasant surprise.

That being said, does everything work? No. There are some story elements that I wish had gotten more screen time and development, the relationships with the characters don't always work, and there is padding that was 100% unnecessary ... (the soccer episode for example). However, this is one of those shows where I can say the lows are lows, but the highs are so high they make it worth it to stick it out through the entire show.

I was also glad to see that the focus was always on the characters. Usually these mecha shows rely way too much on technical jargon, the history of the warring factions, and the breakdown of the combat. That almost never interests me; the mecha elements should only be used to enhance the intensity of the drama and characters, otherwise it just feels like a dime a dozen shounen.

I would not recommend this show as a first time viewer of anime. It's too long, not all the elements work, and the drama will seem really exaggerated or over the the top for someone who hasn't seen shows like this. However, if you watch anime and are looking for a change of pace from your generic mecha or are looking for a show with heightened emotions and drama, this one is for you, especially if you are into the sci-fi genre. There are some 10/10 moments in this show that have still stuck with me years later that I will not forget.

As for the multitude of sequels and spinoffs that have appeared since this show was released, I would only explore those if you are a mega fan. I took a look at the sequel series Eureka Seven Ao (Astral Ocean). While I did enjoy watching it, it is not as cohesive or fleshed out as the original show, and is not essential viewing. I have my suspicion that the other spinoffs will be like that as well, so take that into consideration.

Darker Than Black is a tough one to review. I’d just tell someone to go watch it because it’s very good in a non-descriptive way. Not only because it’s hard to discuss without spoiling anything, but because the plot, the world, and the characters can’t be simplified.

The best way I can describe it is the world is akin to X-Men. People with supernatural abilities going through different struggles and working to achieve various deeds their groups are ordering them to do.
The main plot revolves around the mysterious creation of this world of X-men and the desires of the supernatural people to break out of ... this system.

The animation is exceptional, the music is noteworthy, and you really sympathize with the characters. Rather than make them cold killers, the show gave them a lot of soul and background to them. The name Darker than Black makes it sound really depressing and bleak, but it actually blends a lot of tones, including comedy, to keep it fresh.

You can follow the characters and episodic plot just fine, but the details of the main mystery and world can be missed if half paying attention. So that may be a turnoff for some people.

Complex storytelling can be fine as long as the characters are still the main focus, and thankfully I thought the drama was strong even during the exposition-heavy segments.

This show is hard to find nowadays, but if you are lucky to get a copy of it or a streaming site has it, check it out. Also, if you really enjoyed it, I would recommend watching the small spin-off/sequel Gemini of the Meteor. While it is not as good as the original show, I did enjoy watching it.

I never would've thought a show like this would get the high volume of viewership it got. I guess that shows how powerful and influential the streaming algorithms are on what ends up getting watched by the masses.

I believe I read the entire manga before I started watching the show. The manga quickly became one of my all-time favorites. The drawings are wonderful and the story is tight-paced and emotionally gripping. I eventually checked out the anime once i heard all the acclaim it was getting, and I was not disappointed. The show did a great job adapting the most important aspects of the ... manga and kept its spirit as well.

I've said before that time-travel and especially time-looping stories have become overused in anime lately, so if you have no interest in that kind of premise, I understand. However, I would argue this type of show has a very different attitude towards other anime that use this kind of hook. Most time travel anime are bad self-insert fan fictions, where the main character's story is something you wished happen you personally. They use time travel or time looping to get the girl, to become super powerful, or mess around with it for fun and entertainment. In this show, the main character mostly dislikes his ability to time travel/loop, because it hasn't improved his own life in any way. The show starts where his ability has the chance to improve his life for the first time and it places himself in a very odd situation that will immediately grab the audience.

The show keeps itself fresh by sprinkling in moments of humor and heartwarming moments rather than it being a constant streak of bleakness. It balances multiple genres and also changes the setting every few episodes to prevent the story from getting stale.

The highlight of the show and the manga is the relationship between the main character and his mother and the character he befriends through time traveling. This may be the best mother-son relationship I have ever seen in anime history. It is so endearing and sweet, you want to see these characters together all the time. Same goes for the relationship between the main character and the friend in the past. The show was at risk of being creepy given the subject matter, but since the show plays it very lighthearted and humorous, it was able to pull off this unusual relationship without being awkward. Then, when the show makes its dark turns, the relationships had been set up so well that you felt the concern and pain the characters were going through when it happens.

The only major flaw I have with this show is how the anime deviates from the manga at the ending. It was likely due to the show being under a 12 episode limit, but the anime trimmed down the climax of the film considerably. Even though the story resolves itself pretty much the same way as the manga, the build up to the conclusion was more effective in the manga whereas the anime felt rushed. If you were a big fan of this show, I highly recommend reading the final manga chapters to get an improved ending.

People I know who do not watch that many anime really enjoyed this show. That is one of the best compliments I can ever make for an anime, and should tell you how entertaining it is. Watch it if you somehow have not seen it already.

When you combine an old school samurai revenge story, the companionship between the two main characters in the same vein as Sword of the Stranger or Lone Wolf and Cub, and add supernatural elements, you are going to have a compelling show on your hands.

Although the quality of the show has its highs and lows, this is an easy recommendation from me.

The first half of this show was very close to a 10/10 show for me. The plight of the main character was immediately gripping and you were rooting for him to not only get revenge on the despicable villains, but also to get his ... life and body back as he vanquishes the supernatural entities that stole them. Then, as the show goes on, you learn about the child’s dark past which added a new layer of character depth that continued to improve the story.

The show’s structure is similar to Cowboy Bebop; It is mostly episodic stories while stitching together the main arcs of the characters throughout the series duration. Some episodes are heartbreaking while others are more action oriented or comedic. For the episodes that don’t connect to the main character’s stories and are more like a monster of the week episode, most are great stories, although some in the second half of the show felt like padding and were boring. Also, the show weaves the stories of the villains as the main character get closer to revenge.
This is where I lead to some flaws. Personally, I wish the character arcs for some of the villains had ended in a different way, especially the villain’s son. The ending was still good, but there were many better ideas in my head how I felt their stories should’ve ended that kept nagging in my mind as the last few episodes completed. I felt like the characters were set up so well that there was an opportunity to write something more emotionally powerful than the ending we got.
Another flaw is the animation quality dropped sharply after the first half of the show. After episode 12, there was a really bad stretch for a few episodes where not only did the animation look awful, but many of the episodic stories were very boring. I took a break from this show around this time and went back to the show months later because of this. Thankfully, The animation quality did recover after this and I’m glad I came back to finish it, but there were still some episodic stories after this stretch that were not great either.
However, like I said, the overall quality of this show is so good that I can still make a strong recommendation for this show. Samurai fans will be happy, and fans of demons and supernatural stories will also be invested. Give this one a shot.

The thing that had drawn me to this show was its amazing animation. This is as good of a tv show is going to look. Not only that, it does a fantastic job of blending in the VR CGI effects with the standard animation, which is usually a major pet peeve of mine.

After now watching it, I can now also say the story is intriguing and engaging to recommend this show. It does start slow and meanders with filler episodes, but once the mystery becomes the main focus of the story, it shines.

Again, the animation is some of Madhouse studio's best. The character expressions are ... so detailed and immersive, it feels like a Studio Ghibli film sometimes. The visual style of the electronic world is flavorful not distracting. Any show with this level of animation will peak my interest.

The story is nothing miraculous, and the characters are just okay. But its enough to keep me watching to the end, and I was pleased to see the story really ramp up towards the end.

Check it out if you see it available, especially if you like anime with video game elements to the story.

I've said it multiple times: if Studio Trigger is given a good script, they have the capability to make something special. Their shows are gorgeous, but lack substance. After Kill la Kill, most of their projects have ranged from mediocre to awful, but the animation has always remained its quality.

Thankfully, with Cyberpunk Edgerunners, it allowed them to sink their teeth into a story with strong drama and characters, and the result is a solid anime with a thumbs up from me.

I will admit though, the first half is a lot stronger than the second half. The cast was established so well and you immediately ... sympathized with the main character. As the film progressed, the plot began to shift to more stereotypical action and the animation quality did regress in the action scenes. Had the show maintained the drama throughout the show and kept up the momentum, this would've been a 9/10 show.

I've never played the game this show is based on, and thankfully you don't need to in order to follow this show. There's lots of anime that rely on you seeing or playing the source material to grasp the story, almost serving as an expansion to the story rather than being stand-alone.

Studio Trigger would be on the top of my list of show-runners to pick to adapt some of my favorite source material. Like I said, they are better at taking someone else's work and adapting it.

I've been looking forward to this one. Serial Experiments Lain is one of my all time favorites and I have enjoyed all of this character designer's other projects. However, despite the animation being just as strong as his other shows, this is the first show of his that I was mostly disconnected from the story and the characters. This led to a lack of immersion and boredom creeping in by the second half. While I did finish watching the show, I was partially forcing myself through it.

Several of his shows he is attached to, including this one, are avant-garde/arthouse that explore deeper meanings and themes ... beyond the core story. Other anime tell their stories in a similar way, however few are as effective and complex as shows like Serial Experiment Lain. The key though, is that you can entertained and immersed into Serial Experiments Lain even if you do not fully grasp all of the hidden themes, metaphors, and messages. That is the one ingredient that all of the best films and shows of this genre have in common. Then, once you finish it, you were so invested into the show that you want to re-watch it and do research to start understanding the themes and imagery. Its the icing on the cake. Texhnolyze is missing that key.

Once I finished in the show, I was not emotionally invested in the story or characters. As a result, I felt no desire to go the extra mile and do research on the overall themes. There's no point for the icing on the cake if the cake itself is bland and boring.

The music, the animation, the style, and the sci-fi elements; all the ingredients are there for something special. Unfortunately, the story quickly devolves into a generic mafia tale. It focuses on the battle between the three factions and their intricacies for far too long that it took away from all of the interesting aspects of the story and the world. All the other plot elements took a back seat to a mafia story I've seen told better in other anime. Once the story finally started to re-focus on the main story elements regarding the world and its themes in the final episodes, it was too little too late for me to care.

Even when the story focused on its strengths, I did not attach to the main character nor anyone else. All of them lacked character motivation for their actions. The details that made the characters interesting were only the purpose each one served in the grander narrative and message of the show. They all felt like soulless props where their only duty is to reflect the themes and statements of the show rather than be interesting on their own.

Perhaps I'm being too harsh on this one due to my high expectations. Like I said before, there is a lot to like from this show. Fantastic atmosphere, trippy animation, and thematic music is what kept me going to watch the entirety of the show. Sadly, I was disappointed with this one, and highly recommend watching all of the other projects Yoshitoshi Abe worked on.

Death Parade is comparable to Hell Girl both in terms of structure and concept. Humans are judged on
by arbiters over who goes to their version of heaven and hell based on their actions and behavior while
undergoing severe psychological stress.

Each episode is a different tale with different characters. In my opinion, Death Parade improves on the
formula on Hell Girl by including a series-length plot with the main character that connects the episodic
stories together.

Hell Girl's weakness was repetition. Each episode focused entirely on the humans under evaluation by
the sprits, so each episode ended with the same themes and outcomes. In Death Parade, half of the
episode focuses on ... the human subjects and the other half covers how it changes the main character.
This leads to an extra layer of depth and variety in the stories.

The look of the show is mind-blowing at times. The set design and backgrounds is top notch. Each
location has a different atmosphere so the visuals don't get boring. The musical score is nothing special
but is a key to contributing to the immersion.

It appears they opened up the possibility to a continuation of this show and its world based on what
they set up. Unfortunately, that did not materialize. Thankfully, the majority of the character arcs and
critical story beats were resolved, so it's not that big of a deal.

If you are a fan of horror or thought-provoking anthology shows like Black Mirror or Cabinet of
Curiosities, this is the anime to check out. Even if you are not a fan of shows like this, I highly
recommend giving the show a try just for the visuals and the entertaining scenarios the humans are
subjected to.

Cowboy Bebop, to this day, remains my all-time favorite anime regardless of its universal acclaim and its
consistent appearances on top 10 lists. It deserves it.

I often credit this show as the gateway to anime. If you have someone who has never seen an anime,
this is the perfect show to introduce them to the genre. It crosses the line of escaping its own genre and
becomes something that has widespread appeal. To put it another way, you are dipping your toes into
the anime genre with this show.

Iconic characters, iconic music, jaw-dropping hand drawn animation, an old school film noir tone, and
filled with memorable episodic tales the I've ... revisited many times. The quality of episodes ranges from
good to masterpiece. My personal favorites are 5, 11, 18, and 20. There's something for everyone across
this 26-episode series & film.

Normally I do not like episodic anime often and prefer a linear experience. However, when the tales are
this incredible, I can easily watch shows like Cowboy Bebop, his later project Samurai Champloo, and
Michiko & Hatchin for example. It takes something special to make a semi-serious anime entertaining
for me in an episodic format. That isn't to say the show is 100% episodic. There are multiple story arcs
that carry over the entire show for each character to look forward to, however the main crux of the
show is an "adventure of the week" pattern.

The English dub by the fantastic voice actors also raises the quality of the show. It's rare for me to prefer
the dub oto the original Japanese voice, but they knock it out of the park with this one. This show would
lose a piece of its identity if not for those voices.

If you were hesitant about watching, Ignore the hype and view it without rose colored glasses or any expectations. Give it a try, get to episode #5, and see if you want to continue watching after that tense cliffhanger.