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When I first heard that Jun Maeda was returning to make a new anime, that too with Key Studios, I was ecstatic. I imagined the series to be at least close to what Clannad After Story had been in terms of quality. Now, after completing all 13 episodes of the run, I can say it turned out more like Angel Beats, but not in the way I had imagined it to be. Here's why.

STORY:
The concept of Charlotte is interesting, to say the least, and unique in terms of presentation. Many high-schoolers in Japan have been getting various superpowers, but the interesting thing is that the ... show portrays what the teenagers would do in real life. Take our protagonist, for example. Le - Sorry, wrong anime - Yuu has the power to take over the bodies of other people. Does he use it to fight evil or anything? No, he simply benefits from it by cheating in tests or trying to get a new girlfriend. He is then forced to join the student council of another school which tries to protect all such superpower-wielders from 'evil scientists'. This is just the first episode, though. The whole thing becomes a train-wreck here onwards.

The main problem of the anime is the pacing. For the first 6/7 episodes, the pacing of the show dreadfully slow, with a mixture of fillers and forced tearjerkers trying to keep the viewer hooked to it. And when all this is over, we only have about 5/6 episodes left for the main chunk of the real story. From here on, the show becomes extremely rushed. And the plot at the end is good enough for a standalone 13 episode anime, but Maeda, for some reason, crams it into 2 episodes. Laughable, really.

Charlotte's story had THE potential, I'll give you that. But the dismal pacing and the generic story-writing, at times, make it a not-so-good-after-all type of experience.

ART:
The artwork of Charlotte is undoubtedly its main highlight. Almost all the scenes are rendered pitch-perfectly. The animation is consistently fantastic, but isn't that pretty much the norm when it comes Key and P.A? The opening sequence is one of the best I've seen in recent times; not because of the song but how well the whole sequence is shot. The sequence was mesmerizing and only a handful few of other openings can claim to be just as good.

There are, of course, a few instances when there are some technical mistakes, but that is mainly due to poor production and below-standard story-boarding.

SOUND:
Charlotte's soundtrack is mediocre at best. The openings and endings were forgettable in my opinion and the background music was consistently a hit-or-miss.

The voice-actors, however, deserve a lot of credit for their performances. Although some of the lines are terrible, the vocal execution of the dialogues made the situations a bit more tolerable. Special shoutouts to Kouki Uchiyama and Ayane Sakura for their great performances with Yuu and Tomori respectively.

CHARACTER:
To tell you the truth, I was expecting much better in this category when it came to a work of Jun Maeda. The character development of Charlotte is simply horrendous. Take Takajou, for example - For the first two episodes, he's a key member of the student council, accompanying the main characters in their visits and plays a pretty decent role, almost like a protagonist. For the next handful of episodes, he's demoted purely to a comical role, appearing only to be ridiculed and relieve any heavy/tense atmosphere. But that's not it. He doesn't even appear anymore, albeit his cameo at the absolute end of the last episode. And this is treated like something normal in the show. Like, what the hell, Maeda? WHAT.THE.HELL?

Le - Sorry, again - Yuu's transformation is also a big thing. He starts off being a very I-don't-give-a-damn-about-you type of a guy who only thinks about himself ad his sister (to an extent), but tat the end becomes your generic, selfless, all-caring protagonist and I have to say, I really disliked this transformation of his. At one point of time, he's your average, caring protagonist. The next moment, he suddenly becomes angry and starts losing control over himself. Yet, there's no indication throughout the whole anime that he suffers from any form of mental instability. Maybe that's just me, but whatever.

The character designs are pretty good, but what good are characters without any proper depth in their personalities?

ENJOYMENT:
I didn't hate Charlotte. In fact, I DID go through the whole show without dropping it at any point. But I won't say that I exactly enjoyed it so much. Nor was it a dreadful waste of time. Average is how I'd put it in one word.

OVERALL:
I had very, very high hopes for Charlotte. I was expecting it to be another Jun Maeda classic, if not a masterpiece. In the end, however, the only things that prevent the show from becoming a train-wreck are the excellent voice-acting and the marvelous animation and artwork. When it comes to recommendations, I wouldn't be recommending this to many.

SCORES IN BRIEF:
Story - 4/10
Art- 9/10
Sound - 6/10
Character - 4/10
Enjoyment - 6/10
OVERALL - 6/10

They say it's not possible to succeed in life without having a dream or any ambition. But are dreams really that important if you want to achieve big things and live out a prosperous life? This is the question that revolves around the head of our protagonist in Gin No Saji, a brilliant anime that will probably be over-looked by most.

STORY:
To keep things simple, Gin No Saji isn't your average SOL anime. The show is unique in most aspects, starting from the fact that it actually takes place in an agricultural school to the vast diversity of characters with their own relate-able and realistic backgrounds ... and problems. Another big factor is the sheer amount of educational knowledge that can be obtained by watching this show, which explains how hard yet fruitful the life of farming can be. The show, on the whole, paces along very well, although it could have used a bit more time in a few episodes.

ART:
The art was very fluid throughout the series. The scenery is beautiful and fascinating; the vibrant display of the colours used give the anime a really pacifying and reassuring atmosphere which might also put you at ease. The animation is consistent throughout, which was reassuring.

SOUND:
The only downside of the series. The soundtrack was largely disappointing. Both the opening and the ending were mediocre at best and I really don't think I'll go back and listen to them again. The BGM was okay in most cases but they were, on occasions, completely missing from the scenes in question. The voice-acting, though, was pretty good and the VAs deserve, at least, some credit.

CHARACTER:
In one word, INCREDIBLE. Starting from the protagonist to the characters who spend a small amount of time on-screen, nobody's representation is over-done. Each of the main characters and supporting protagonists have aims and histories you can (probably) relate to, and nothing really feels out of place. The dialogues are also very solid. The jokes were mostly hilarious too, although they did on occasion feel out-of-place or over-used.

ENJOYMENT:
In general, Gin No Saji has been a very enjoyable anime. Sans the music aspect, the show was outstanding.

OVERALL:
Gin No Saji is truly one of those rare animes that will just captivate you and keep you glued to the screen, making you want more and more as each episode finishes. The shows that it's perfectly alright to start all over again and that you should never be scared of taking an unconventional step.

SCORES IN BRIEF:
Story- 9/10
Art- 8/10
Sound - 6/10
Characters - 9/10
Enjoyment - 8/10
OVERALL - 8/10

I'm not a really big fan of Shonen animes in general. They tend to be repetitive in terms of story and do not necessarily have characters that will captivate you. But what if I told you there's one anime that completely exceeds all these features? And no, I'm not putting it positively. That anime, my friends, goes by the name of Fairy Tail.

STORY:
The story seemed pretty promising at first - a world of magic and a damn overpowered protagonist. The story paced slowly at first, introducing us to the members of the guild. However, it started going downhill after the first 25 episodes. The major ... arcs became very repetitive and cliché, the fights became extremely boring (with the characters just throwing random punches at each other or using their special moves until they ran out of energy). It never picked up after that which, in my opinion, was very unfortunate.

ART:
The art is very decent in my opinion. The fantastic combination of the vibrant fusion of colours and the generally fluid animation made the generic fights watchable. However, this wasn't exactly consistent, with sometimes the art becoming as bad as that of Episode 5 of Dragon Ball Super.

SOUND:
The sound, on the whole, was excellent. Some of the openings and endings were absolutely top-notch and sadly, they feel wasted on an anime like Fairy Tail. The background music was really good too but, unfortunately, the rest of the atmosphere of the show never really did much to accompany it well.

CHARACTERS:
Now, where do I even start? The characters are just horrible in my view - they are as corny as they can get. There's way too much emphasis on 'friendship' and 'will-power' which gets way too stereotypical way too soon. There's almost no proper character development throughout the whole show and they stay bland throughout the whole 175 episodes. The only slight exception is Laxus, and it's a shame he has to see his butt handed to him at one point. Even more hilarious is the fact that in many cases the villains actually become overwhelmed by the power of the protagonists' friendship and convert to the good side.

ENJOYMENT:
The only aspects of the show I actually enjoyed were the music and the art. Other than that, it has really been a very forgettable experience for me.

CONCLUSION:
Fairy Tail, in my honest opinion, is just a very, very over-rated anime which is no-where near the level it is hyped up to be. It has been a complete waste of time for me and I don't think I'll follow the second season at all. A shame, really, as the music choice was actually so good.

FOR: Those wanting a casual anime experience where the good guys continuously beat up the baddies.
NOT FOR: Those wanting a deep experience with proper emphasis on character development and excellent twists that will get your mind effed up.

SCORES IN BRIEF:
Story: 2/10
Art: 7/10
Sound: 8/10
Character: 1/10
Enjoyment: 3/10
OVERALL: 4/10

Sometime in late 2013, I came across the name of this movie in a Daft Punk forum. Back then, I was a newcomer in both anime and music, and this movie, particularly Daft Punk's involvement in it, caught my interest. As such, I decided to watch it and, at that time, I absolutely loved it. Now that I've re-watched it again, that feeling has not gone away; rather I've been able to judge it better thanks to the fact that I'm more experienced in anime now. Now, to the review.

Story:
The story isn't anything extra-ordinary. It's a typical anime-ish case of kidnapping and brain-washing of the ... main characters. However, that doesn't mean the story is bad. What makes it interesting, though, is the usage of extra-terrestrial characters. The pacing is fast but this isn't overdone. Hey, there's even a cameo by Daft Punk here!

Art:
Even though the movie was made in the early '00s, the art was intentionally made to look like the movie is from an earlier timeline. The animation is pretty smooth overall and the character designs are pretty polished. It's not very outstanding but still gets the job done.

Sound:
Undoubtedly the highest point of the movie. What really stands out is that there's NO dialogue in the whole movie. The whole story is depicted through Daft Punk's 2001 album, Discovery. And, boy oh boy, were the songs used in the soundtrack exceptionally! Each and every song accompanies the respective segments magnificently, but really, could anything else be expected from Daft Punk?

Character:
A bit of a mixed bag, really. Since there's no real dialogue, there's no proper character development, although the songs do make up for the lack of conversation. The characters personalities are left to the imagination of the audience, and they will vary from person to person.

Enjoyment:
Being a fan of techno/EDM, I enjoyed this movie quite a lot. The soundtrack was incredible and it single-handedly almost made up for the few flaws.

Overall:
A really good movie overall, with excellent music, and above-average story, art and characters. I would happily recommend this movie to others, and it places pretty high in my list.

Scores in brief:
Story - 07
Art - 07
Sound - 10
Character - 07
Enjoyment - 08
OVERALL - 08

Let me tell you guys up front. I'm NOT a big fan of romance. Although I do enjoy slice-of-life or comedy anime, I tend to keep away from romantic dramas, if possible, since most tend to either drag on too much or melt under the pressure of trying to keep the story together. I really wouldn't have watched it had it not been for the nagging of my best friends. But I'm thankful to them because ultimately, I got to watch a pretty unique and enjoyable show. Now, to the review.

Unlike your typical romcom, the two main characters do not fall in love with either ... immediately at the beginning of the story. In fact, the two have separate love interests of their own, and the romance between these two grow as the show progresses. The story is kinda predictable but, hey, aren't the main characters SUPPOSED to fall in love with each other? The pacing of the anime is really good for the most of the time. However the ending wasn't executed as well; it felt forced/rushed and was kinda annoying.

For a show that aired 6/7 years back, I have to say, the animation is quite good. It is visually very vibrant and consistent for the maximum of the show, although the proportions of the characters can be out of shape at times. The character art is nothing extraordinary, but neither is it average.

Toradora has a really, really good sound-track. The background music, in most cases, sets an excellent mood for each sequence to take place. I found it pleasing to my ears and, at times, some even enthralled me. The openings and endings are also up-to-the-mark and you might find yourself humming them when you're not watching the show!

This is, without doubt, the highest point of the show. The writer makes a great attempt at making sure that each of the characters (starting from the protagonists to the low-screen-time supporting cast) get proper character development so that nothing feels 'rushed' (again, except for the ending). Toradora has a rich variety of characters, starting from the scary-looking-but-actually-gentle Ryuji Takasu to the two-faced Kawashima Ami to the smart-yet-childish Kitamura Yuusaku. No two characters have the same characteristics and, frankly, that is a big up for the show.

Not trying to sound emo, but I feel Toradora is just one of those shows that will probably have some kind of impact on your life. It shows how complicated relationships can be, and it is always preferable to put a lot of thought before committing yourself romantically to someone else. The show, in one word, is amazing and I would gladly recommend it to a fellow anime fan.

Summary Scores -
Story: 8/10
Art: 8/10
Sound: 8/10
Character: 9/10
Enjoyment: 9/10
OVERALL: 8/10

Zetsuen No Tempest is one of those series that you'll come across accidentally, instead of getting it recommended from an anime-loving friend, and after finishing it, you'll be scratching your head, wondering why it isn't higher up in the rankings. But what makes it so good? Let's find out, shall we?

Story:

At first, the story may seem like a typical shonen; the two main characters are trying to save the world, with the help of a stranger, from a seemingly evil group (and a tree!). However, as you progress through the series, you'll start realizing there's a lot more than to what meets the eye. The ... story becomes a roller-coaster ride midway and until the end, you'll be on the edge of the seat, captivated by the flow of the story.

Art:

This is probably the weakest point of the series. Although it's not horrible, the art is not exceptional either, and the animation does no justice to the series, with regular animation errors that you can't help but face-palm at. Try not to be too hung up on the errors, or it might be make the experience a bit more unpleasant.

Sound:

The music is pretty decent, in my opinion. The first opening, Spirit Inspiration, is a fun ride (although its lyrics make no sense), and he two endings are a pleasant experience. The background music is also well done, with each piece setting the mood properly, if not perfectly.

Characters:

Undoubtedly the best part of the series. Each character is different from the other. Most of them, including the supporting protagonists, have character developments which range from good to amazing. The dialogues are the highest points of the show, with frequent references to Shakespearean plays like Hamlet and The Tempest which are used to great effect.

Enjoyment:

To be honest, I was pretty skeptical of the show at first. Little did I know though, it would be one hell of a hectic ride that would keep my eyes glued to the screen at all times and prevent me from ever wanting to take a break.

Overall:

In conclusion, Zetsuen No Tempest is like a sports car you haven't used in a long time: it takes some time to get to its best, but when it does, you won't look back. It's a gem of a series which deserves a lot of recognition, and I can safely say it is one of the finest anime I've seen in my life.

You should only watch this if you're a hard-core fan of IE or any of its characters. Maybe even then you'll regret it.

The review might contain a few spoilers so read at your own risk.

Story: (2)
Arguably the worst aspect of the 'movie', which itself is barely 20 minutes long. There's no proper plot and the match is also terribly boring.

Art: (4)
The art is average and the animation is awful for its standard, after what GO, CS and Galaxy had to offer. The openings and endings are re-used from the previous installments.

... Sound: (6)
The background music was good, the openings were still pleasant to listen to and the VAs did a pretty decent job.

Characters: (3)
Characters are gathered from various time-lines and there's no explanation how. Even the characters seem to find it pretty normal. The characters are just dull and, at times, lame. One thing's for sure, Fubuki will be very happy he didn't make an appearance here.

Enjoyment: (4)
There's not much to enjoy here except for the slight thrill you might get seeing all your favorite characters playing together.

Overall: (4)
Inazuma Eleven: Chou Jigen Dream Match was utterly disappointing. Horrible story-line, character portrayal, art and animation marked a lazy attempt by Level-5 to create a match that every fan wants but not the one he/she deserves.