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As a fan of Ei Aoki's work, and after Re:Creators cemented his directing style as one of my favorites, I felt a slight obligation to check out Aldnoah Zero, a series reputable for how dogshit it is (at least amongst the anime fans i associate with)

Needless to say, that popular opinion is on point... mostly.

iI would be prudent for me to say that while this series is bad, and I mean REALLY BAD, I still want to point out that there are a small number of things about this series that were actually decent, if not good.

First of all, the score by Hiroyuki Sawano ... is expectedly quite good, and often helps to make the endless horribly written action scenes be a bit exciting. And the directing does a bit more to compensate for shit writing and dully written scenes as well.

There were MANY action scenes that, from a writing standpoint, had really lame scenarios, and characters enacting contrived tactics. But the way the scenes are shot, and the competent use of music made them enjoyable enough. However, that doesn't make the action scenes good per se. Like I said, they are still ultimately bogged down in shit writing. But at least on a base level, these scenes managed to be like a 6/10 at best.

One other thing positive worth pointing out are the CG Mechs, and a couple of their designs. A common thing I hear from people are that the CG mechs suck and appear really jarring and out of place. Personally, I think this point comes from people just having a general stigma against CG, and lets that bias inform how the percieve the mechs in this show. I thought the CG was quite well done, and had genuine quality to them. They felt like a part of the world, and often where shown from angles, or shots that obscured any imperfections you'd expect to be there.

Unfortunately, while I do think the CG is well done, it's not exactly ALWAYS like that. Some of the designs lend themselves better to being rendered in CG, and some, namely the martian Mechs, don't. Their sleeker, clean designs make their CG nature feel more obvious. Whereas the bulkier, more gritty Terran mechs look pretty good bydirect comparison.

That, however, is the last of any praise I can give this series, because EVERYTHING ELSE IS COMPLETE CRAP; and by "everything" I mean the story and characters.


Right out the gate, things aren't looking up; because the premise was instantly boring to me. The story is about two factions of humans, one hailing from Mars, with superior technology, and the other being the unremarkable Earthling type. They have some lore explaining this; but it's presented in a really dry way (as is almost all of the expository dialogue). I don't quite know how to explain what is so boring about the story itself. It's just so... unremarkable, I guess? It's just some lame-ass war with mechs in it. There's just nothing special about it. Read the synopsis for yourself if you don't believe me. It just some basic conflict between two factions.

The two factions aren't interesting in any way. The folks on Earth are just bland. We know a few things about their culture, like how they give military training to teenagers because they are paranoid about another war starting with the Martians, but that's reall all there is to them. The Martians more or less get a similar treatment, albeit with a bit more fleshing out as the series went on. Basically, they are racist against Terrans and want to take over Earth because they were too stupid to terraform Mars before colonizing it. That may sound interesting, but any chance of it being so is crushed by the overwhelmingly dull and flat way we learn that information (tactless expository dialogue).

The cast pretty much has the same problem. With the added bonus of being mostly forgettable. The main three character I can at least remember the names and faces of, but the entire supporting cast are about as memorable as what I ate for breakfast on this exact date, 5 years ago. Not that there is much to remember though, as almost all of them get very little, if any, genuine characterization. Any characterization they do get hardly felt like it mattered or added anything worthwhile to the narrative. Such as that one guy's whole PTSD issue that didn't matter or go anywhere.

The main characters don't even have character arcs (Well, i guess Slaine was supposed to, but I can't tell if it is or not, because he seems to just act without thinking).

Inaho, the supposed protagonist is about as boring and monotone as the performance given by whoever played him. his one defining character dynamic is that he is smart. And the series shows us this by having him pull mastermind battle strategies out of his ass.

Oh, and the Princess is just kinda there, and nice, and pretty. And that's about it...
This all may seems reductive, but the really is just so little to actually say about any of these characters. They didn't even leave a strong enough impression for me to care about properly describing them anyway (not that I didn't)

One last thing that must be said, that I haven't seen being discussed, is how unappealing the aesthetic of the show is. For all the decent directing, and the cool shots, The color pallette of this show is just constant, perpetual GREY. There were times where I felt completely inundated in nothing but neutral tones. So many of the baclgrounds are dominated by GREY steel/metal, or GREY rubble, or GREY concrete structures. CONSTANT GREY, GREY, GREY EVERYWHERE. Shots might be well framed, but characters are drowning in GREY. I AM DROWNING IN GREY. WE ARE ALL DROWNING IN GREY.

Seriously, this show is dominated by that one, really drab color. It's not like you can't do anything good with grey tones. But Aldnoah Zero goes overboard with how lacking in variety the colors are. And the characters are often pretty lame too.


So in conclusion, this series is a drab mess of bad writing, a boring story, dull and forgettable characters, an all too G R E Y A E S T H E T I C, and some pretty decent directing and music to make the overall package at least bearable enough to watch completion.

Would not recommend. Don't touch this series with a ten foot pole unless treating it as some weird case study.

3.8/10

Talk about one hell of a breath of fresh air! Rec is a surprisingly good romance anime between TWO ACTUAL ADULTS!

Rec is a really short, but sweet adaptation of a manga by the same name. At a measly 9 half-length episodes, Rec was able to firmly stand next to the likes of Toradora by being so different then whatns typical of anime romance.

Now when it comes to those differences, they are actually rather simple. Instead of teenagers in highschool whose entire lives seem to somehow revolve around their romantic relationship, we have two adults leading adult lives working two adult jobs. Did I mention they ... were adults??

The story of Rec is about the two characters, Aka Onda and Fumiko Matsumaru realizing their feelings for eachother as their two careers become intertwined. However the romance never suffocates you, nor does it suffocate the characters, as their lives don't center around it. They met through such a sweet twist of fate, but they come together somewhat because of their jobs, not just because they met one night.

When it comes to characters, obviously the ones that matter most Aka and Fumiko, and hey get as much screentime as possible. There are supporting characters, but their purpsoe is to make the world feel larger than just two people, and show that our two leads have social lives outside of eachother as well.

Aka Onda is easily the best thing about this show. She is proof that an anime girl doesn't need to be in highschool to be unbelievably cute. Rec may have 9 episodes, but it's qute dense. Not only is there the romance stuff, but also a story about an aspiring seiyuu tryin to make it big. Aka's dream is to be a successful voice actress, and for 9 episodes, she gets fleshed out pretty well.

Fumiko, the dude, is a slightly down-on-his-luck salaryman just trying to get by and get an approved proposal. His story is also a compelling one, but understandably less than Aka's. Maybe for japanese salarymen, but not for me. Relatability isn't really the point though. Fumiko was still an interesting guy.

Like I mentioned, Shaft made this series. And boy does it show. Rec is a pretty old Shaft series (2004), so I couldn't find it in HD. But 480p is still good enough. Rec has pretty interesting color design and has a very cozy and warm feel to it. Obviously no sakuga to be found here, but Rec keeps things simple, and that's a good thing in this show.

Overall, Rec was a very refreshing series. It's not incredibly unique or anything, however the cute and cozy presentation, the notably mature characters, and the short runtime make this a VERY worthwhile romance anime. If you want more, I recommend reading the manga, it's pretty good, but not as dense as the anime.


I give Rec an easy and well deserved 9 out of 10.
Snuggle up and watch it on a cold night like I did, it really fits the mood.

::THIS INCLUDES MY THOUGHTS FOR THE ENTIRE SERIES, CONSIDER THIS A REVIEW FOR BOTH SEASONS::

Space🌟Dandy is easily the most visually impressive anime of the last couple years, excluding the Monogatari Series. And seeing as Studio Bones is responsibly for this, it's a pretty reasonable assumption to make when you haven't seen it. And if you have, like me, then you'll understand completely. Space🌟Dandy is a show all about free will and free expression, all the way down to its very framework (or should i say... "bones" haha).

When looking at the people who worked on this show, you'll come to notice a broad range of very ... talented animators and directors including its main director, Shinichiro Watanabe, who you should know as the director of Cowboy Bebop AND Samurai Champloo. Space🌟Dandy also boasts the involvement of Shingo Natsume (director of One Punch Man), Sayo Yamamoto (Director of Yuri on ICE), and various script writers, including Sato Dai and Ichiro Okouchi (the original creator of Code Geass).

What this is is a pool of talent from all over anime, coming together to create this strange show known as Space🌟Dandy. When watching the show, you'll notice just how distinct Space🌟Dandy really is. Unbound creativity really all you can expect from any given episode of the show. It really is quite dandy.

The Visuals:
This is where the show is not only the strongest, but also crosses the line into being groundbreaking. There is no shortage of times when I was completrly blown away by some of the animation in the show. A good example would be one of the later spisodes of season 2, where there are 4th dimensional beings and 2nd dimensional beings interacting eith the 3rd dimension (ours), and the way the show is able to visalize this already awesome idea is very interesting to look at.

Space🌟Dandy utilizes many different, yet similar methods of animation and color design. the show makes full use of the entire visible color spectrum across both seasons. Many times, the outlines of the characters will be blue, or red. And that always makes for a cool effect. The character designs are all very distinct from each other and have enough detail in the, to tell you something substantial about the characters, but also simple enough to where it can be animated easily and doesn't ever look awkward.

The talent that was put into this series is never wasted, and it feels asmif the show is constantly in a state of evolution. Nothing ever gets stale, and there is no real hardline status quo in terms of visuals. But it still has cohesion, and each episode is identifiably Space🌟Dandy without a doubt.

The Sound Design:
Space🌟Dandy proudly exhibits great voice acting both in the english and japanese versions. I personally watched the dub, and I can vouch for its quality. Ian Sinclair plays Dandy, and he does an amazing job! I have liked a few Sinclair roles in the past, but this is easily his best. The dub has many other good voice actors and actresses including Alexis Tipton, who does a surprisingly good job. There is also noteworthy a minor role in season 2 played by Johnny Young Bosch that was infinitely more amusing when i realized he was playing a character with the same first name.

The series has a really kickass opening theme with a catchy beat and lyrics that are fun to sing along to. The OP feels like an explosion of color, which feels very appropriate for the series, even when an episode might be in monochrome.

The Story & Characters:
When it comes to characters, there are mainly three core cast members. Dandy, Meow, and QT. There are other recurring characters like Dr. Gel and Honey. But none pf the episodes are ever really about them. Each character has a distinct personality thatmaffords for all kinds of interesting and fun interactions between them.

Alright so first off is Dandy. He's a dandy guy in space. He's characterized as a normal dude, and really all he lives for is to just go to Boobie, his favorite restaurant. While what he literally is described as is quite simple, what he represents is far more fundamental to the anrrstive of the series. Dandy represents free will. And the show is a celebration of free will and free expression. And the finale of season 2 is the best literal example to give (but i won't spoil it for you, you'll just have to see for yourself!)

Then there is Meow. I love Meow. A catperson after my own heart. Not only do i love cats, but I also love Meow's personality. He just kinda slacks off and chills and does his own thing. And what he does mostly consists of stuff I would do. I love his easygoing attitude and how he is always looking for the most convenient way to accomplish the various missions he, QT, and Dandy go on. There is a really good episode in season 1 that characterizes him more, but i'll let you experience it for yourself!
Some of the best jokes involve him too.

Lastly there is QT, an intelligent vacuum cleaner robot thing. He is basically the straight man of the trio. While i dont like him as much as Dandy or Meow, QT is still a really fun character. He is often the voice of reason, and the one who is constantly dragging Dandy and Meow down the muddy dirt road of responsibility. He has a pretty interesting personality considering the nature of his being, and he has some pretty witty lines and some good jokes.

Now let's talk about the most interesting element, The story.

Space🌟Dandy is about a Dandy guy in Space. And that's really the most consistent thing across every episode. Yeah sure Dandy and his crew are alien hunters and they often are hunting rare aliens, but not every episode is about that. Some episodes start off with that being the main motivation, but it quickly evolves into something else. While some episodes are better than others, they all have some interesting element to them that is unique to THAT episode. One particularly strange episode is set on a plaent compeltely populated by plants that are not technically alive, but clearly are when you talk to them. It's stuff like this that made me go "whoa, wtf is this?" very often.

The setting is a very unique blend of Science Fiction, Contemporary Fiction, and Fantasy. So there really is no restriction in what the series can portray in any given episode. One episode will take place in a high school and be a musical, but then another episode will be about a zombie apocalypse, or it'll take place on a world where the life is so alien to what we understand as living that it's hard to describe as alive, yet it is.

That is another one of Space🌟Dandy's best elements. The fact that any episode could be about anything makes the show unpredictable. Some episodes are just goofy comedy, others are touching and sentimental, and others explore some really out there sci fi concept.

Space🌟Dandy is like a box of chocolates, you never really know what you're gonna get. And the chocolate is always tasty no matter what.

I give this entire series a 9/10. I would recommend this to anyone looking for some cool, inventive, often trippy animation. Or if you like episodic adventure shows, or just shows that are strange. Really anyone could watch Space🌟Dandy and appreciate it. Either way, WATCH IT. WATCH IT NOW.

::Alright here's a quick summing up of my thoughts. Consider it a short review. No need to waste your time with long-ass pretentious writing that doesnt cut to the chase::

So I just saw Owarimonogatari. And it was quite the fun time. The writing is just as impeccable, and it goes without saying that the franchise still is able to maintain my undivided attention despite 65 episodes of conversations stretched across several cours.

Ougi Oshino proves to be a surprisingly interesting character. Back when I first started Bakemonogatari and I saw the front cover for Owarimonogatari, I thought Ougi would just be another member of Koyomi's ... harem, who would essentially be "the Weird and Quirky one". Ougi is a surprisingly intimidating character for someone who looks so unassuming (for lack of a better word). Her (or His) words cut pretty deep, and everything Ougi says has this ominous undertone that I find unsettling. To say any more would be to cheapen or spoil the experience, so sit and watch as she (or he) talks your ear off About things you'd never normally find this interesting (as is common practice in Monogatari).

The other standout character this time around is Sodachi Oikura, a childhood "friend" of Araragi who, unlike all the other girls, hates him with a passion (talk about a departure!). Her short time with the cast has proven to be quite powerful, and her presence felt just as strong as any of the other cast members (as Ougi would likely call them). Sodachi is easily my favorite character in this particular title of the franchise. Not only is she not involved with aberrations, but also is a spiteful and hateful ball of depression and resentment. Her connection to Araragi's past means she's very important to his development as a person, and is even a catalyst for how Araragi became the man he is. Sodachi's seiyu does a fantastic job at portraying her to be snobbish and unforgiving. She's quite the hottie to boot.

The arc called Shinobu Mail takes up the second half and is told by Araragi as a flashback to what he was up to while Hanekawa dealt with a rather troublesome Tiger in the Tsubasa Tiger arc. I mostly consider this arc to be a follow-up to Shinobu Time, and what happens in Shinobu Mail is pretty relevant to a lot of the strange occurrences in Araragi's hometown, which i was very satisfied to see. Needless to say, it began about as engaging as the rest of Monogatari. The renewed focus on Shinobu was very nice seeing as I really like her character, and Kanbaru being around was also really nice to see, because she's also a big favorite of mine. It answered a lot of questions, and yet, despite being a part of Owarimonogatari, Shinobu Mail feels more at home when compared to Monogatari Series Second Season. Nonetheless, for some inexplicable reason, this arc felt a little less engaging than usual, as it went on. The likelihood that this is my fault is pretty high, considering I was getting pretty tired by the end of it. Regardless, I still enjoyed it immensely.

I give Owarimonogatari a 9 out 10

Oh yeah, as usual, the show looks amazing and distinct, and the music is pretty great, blah blah blah. It's monogatari, what else would you expect?

Black Lagoon is the template for a great action anime. I love this show, and with good reason. You won't very many other anime that can go up against Black Lagoon when it comes down to the rule of cool. So let's break down just what makes this show so amazing, and why you should watch it.

(This review contains my full thoughts for the entire series)

STORY
I often call Black Lagoon the modern Cowboy Bebop, and with good reason. These two shows may not appear similar on the surface, but when you look closer, the similarities begin to emerge. The premise is of a four ... man crew of colorful characters, on a ship, taking random jobs for other colorful characters. Unlike Cowboy Bebop, the episodic nature of Black Lagoon's story has more time devoted to each arc.

Each arc lasts between 4-6 episodes, and are all interconnected to make one overarching narrative. Some arcs are better than others, but each and every one is, at the very least, a blast to watch. I especially like the arc involving the Neo-Nazis and the U-boat salvage. The vampire twins arc in the second arc is also a blast, with a surprisingly chilling atmosphere surrounding the Twins themselves.

One thing I'd like to say is that it seems to me that many people tend to overlook how intelligent Black Lagoon really is. When I first heard about Black Lagoon, most people dismissed it as just aneed action series with little else to offer. I find this to be an underestimation of Black Lagoon's cleverness.

Black Lagoon does a great job at portraying a very grounded and cynical world,where no one cares about each other (except for the main character) and we see how the corruption of the criminal underworld affects all those whours come to Roanapur, which is like the most wretched hive of scum and villainy.

And we see how this corruption affects the MC, who is a man that tries to help others, and see the best in them. And how he slowly also gets corrupted by the seedy streets of the city s that shows no mercy.

So yeah, more depth than people give it credit for.

CHARACTERS
This is where I think Black Lagoon truly shines. I've only seen a handful of anime with a cast so densely populated with cool and interesting characters. The crew of Black Lagoon consist of Rock, Revy, Dutch, and Benny.

Rock, the main character, is at odds with the world he now inhabits. He's very out of place in the city of Roanapur. This is what makes him so fun to watch. A former business man from Japan, Rokuro Okajima was suddenly thrust into a world of drugs, gang violence, and death. Watching him adjust to this brutal new life as a pirate is one of the most interesting aspects of Black Lagoon; but what makes Rock a truly awesome character is how he doesn't wield a gun, yet manages to survive everything thrown at him through pure wit and a silver tongue. He doesn't need a gun, because his words will do more damage in his possession.

Revy is the other main character. An explosive and dangerous woman with a short temper and violent tendancies, Revy is just so badass. I don't have as much to say, but what I will say is that Revy's relationship with Rock is better than some of the best Romance anime I've seen. Her affection for him is VERY subtle and a lot of the information surrounding her true feelings are implied, making her a hard character to figure out.

Dutch and Benny are probably the most neglected characters in the entire show, which is a shame, considering that they are just as inTeresa in as Rock and Revy. This is mostly because we know so little about them, yet they are just as fun to watch. Dutch is the cool level-headed leader of the Lagoon Company, and Benny is the computer whiz and Tech guy of the crew. These two characters represent the "look the other way" mentality better than a y other character in the series, and since they are the only ones that do this, it has me begging for more of them.

The roster of supporting characters is equally impressive. Balalaika has got to be one of the coolest and most intimidating mob bosses ever, and I just love her dub voice. Hansel and Gretel are both tragic, and terrifying. Roberta is INTENSE AND UNSTOPPABLE, especially in the OVA. And everyone else is pretty much a stone-cold badass.

ART/ANIMATION
Studio Madhouse made this anime. So you know this shit be good. The action is beautifully animated, not as beautiful as HOTD, but pretty close. Animation is smooth and pretty, so standard by what we should expect from Studio Madhouse.

The art for Black Lagoon is both grounded and colorful. I very much enjoyed the use of color in this show. Character designs are iconic and gritty. Roberta's made attire is sinister and unassuming, Revy's outfit is iconic and savage (just like her), Balalaika looks amazing in a Red suit, and I cannot imagine her wearing anything else (plus I love women in red).

SOUND
Dub or Sub? Dub, without a doubt, the dub is better. I simply cannot envision these characters being voiced by any other cast. Not to mention that it fits more with the setting, and has better dialogue (btw the dialogue is very well written). Though admittedly, I prefer the Japanese performance of Revy.

The opening is GODLY. It fits well with Revy's character, and the song is just great. The remixed version used for the OVA was also really awesome. The Black Lagoon opening is one of my favorites, and I find myself listening to it every time I watch the next episode.

The soundtrack is also great, if a little short. One track in particular, Don't Look Behind, perfectly embodies the dark nature of Black Lagoon. The World of Midnight track is also worth kentioning, as it is basically the theme song of the vampire twins, and is thus already awesome based off of that fact alone.

ENJOYMENT/CONCLUSION
Ironically, in an action show, the action is the least interesting topic. Everything else is just a juicier topic. Black Lagoon is a fun, badass show with great characters, a very entertaining story, clever writing, and dialogue just as witty as Rokuro Okajima himself.

I give this series a 9/10. With a definite recommendation. WATCH THIS SERIES. WATCH IT NOW. DO IT! You do yourself a disservice if you don't.

For the sake of this review, let's ask ourselves: does HOTD succeed in what it sets out to do?

The answer is right in your face the whole time. That answer being YES!

Highschool of the dead (or HOTD for short) is a 12 episode anime zombie romp with massive amounts of "plot" and unrealistic balls to-the-wall action. Pretty simple and straightforward.

(Let it be known that I have a few things to say about the fanservice, so keep reading, cuz I saved it that topic for last)

You'd expect a zombie-centric to be pretty done-to-death at this point. Under any circumstance, it would be. There's very little left ... that can be done with zombie media, and HOTD proved to me that there is at least a little bit left to do.

I'd never seen a zombie-centric anime before, and HOTD was a huge breath of fresh air after seeing so many series that take themselves very seriously. The story itself is your average zombie fare. A colorful cast of survivors band together to survive the zombie onslaught. There is no way someone would write a show to be taken seriously with that lazy of a premise. It is as clear as the sky is blue that the story is not meant to be taken seriously and is actually quite self aware in some places.

There really isn't much to say about the story honestly. It's a generic zombie romp whose only saving grace is that fact that it's animated, and also not to be taken seriously. Regardless of how lazy the premise is, the premise WORKS; which is why you see it so often in zombie media.

Though the HOTD cast is a rather cookie-cutter one, it manages to build character much in the same way as Akame ga Kill did. In other words, we have a cast of characters who do not become richly developed or possess complex personalities, but what they lack in depth, they make up for in charisma.

You can easily remember the names and faces of the HOTD cast, not because they are richly developed or some shit like something out of evangelion, but because they are simple and fun characters who dress to impress and spout out cool one-liners in the midst of Zombie Killing. Sounds pretty standard, but it's HOTD, so wtf do you want? Shakespeare?

In other words, the writers did a good job with these characters. Except for Blondey Tits McGee, they could have made her a bit more useful.

Takagi, the smart-ass girl with the pink twin tails, and the calm and collected Saeko are easily the most fun characters in HOTD, and I personally think that HOTD would've been slightly better in the character department if they focused on these two a bit more.

What i find to be the best thing about this series is the artwork and animation. They are both equally great. Seeing as HOTD is style over substance, this is to be expected. The action is addictive and executed with a level of "HELL YEAH!" that can be rather impressive to be honest. The animation everywhere else is as smooth as you'd expect from this studio. There are quite a few scenes of dialogue that would have more movement in them then what I am used to (still frames with moving mouths).

The slow-mo and CGI is actually not that bad. Normally CG in anime really screws up the immersion and can ultimately look jarring But in the case of HOTD, it is only used when needed, which is pretty rarely. It is used to augment the action scenes and a bit of the cinematography in some places. It's pretty sparingly used when taking into account how gratuitous CG that is in most anime these days.

Dub or Sub? Considering the nature of HOTD, the dub is the right way to go. The Japanese version just doesn't have the same level of dialogue that the dubbing has. While it's been argued that the Japanese acting is better than the dub acting, you have to remember thst acting isn't everything. The dub simply has more charm and appeal because the dialogue is littered with profanity and references to western pop culture; and I think that trumps acting.

The OST for HOTD is not as stand out as other anime. But the Ost does a serviceable job at what it is meant to do, which is augment the action and dramatic scenes. It has interesting blend of Techno that works surprisingly well all things considered.
Can you listen to it on its own? Uh sure, if you want, you can. But it doesn't have a distinct style to it that is easily identifable.

The opening theme and ending themes to HOTD are varied and fun to listen to on their own, depending on your taste in music. The opening especially stand out because of its distinct sound and visuals.

NOW ITS TIME TO TALK ABOUT THE "PLOT"
Since HOTD is considered an Ecchi, I do factor fanservice quality into my score.

It is finally time to address the elephant in the room: the fanservice. Many a reviewer on the internet has cried afoul at the pervasive fanservice that permeates the entire 12 episode run. Honestly, I don't get what is sooooooooooooo horrendous about HOTD's sexual content. Anyone who has read the manga HOTD was adapted from would know how much of it there is. HOTD is an anime with little personality besides being a zombie anime with a B-movie slantern of self awareness. This is where I think the fanservice fulfills a certain purpose.

This series would likely not leave as large of an impression on the average audience member if it was just zombie action and nothing else. But because of its often in-your-face and out-of-place fanservice, I probably would never even have heard of this series. The fanservice is a part of HOTD's charm in my opinion. And it only serves to further cement my opinion when I found out how much fanservice is in the source material.

Let's just say it's a pretty faithful adaption.

I think people tend to give HOTD too much of a hard time about its fanservice. I respect that HOTD has no shame, and is not afraid to back away from putting fanservice right next to blood and gore. It's the kind of "absurd" that I respect. All in all, I could not imagine HOTD without the fanservice.

Highschool of the Dead knows exactly what it is, and knowingly stands loud and proud, more than willing to proclaim its nature to the world with no shame. In other words, HOTD has balls of steel. It's not spontaneous either. The show is like this by design. And I don't think it's very grown up of people to complain about sexual content in a sexual show from an inherently sexual genre.

I give HOTD an 8/10

Gantz is by far one of the most mean-spirited, misanthropic, hateful, cynical, depressing, cruel, and heartless anime series I've ever seen.

AND IT IS SO AWESOME!

Gantz can pretty much be described in one phrase: COCKADOODLE DOO, MOTHERFUCKER!
This may sound like a "so bad, it's good" type of show. But I can ensure you it is anything but. Gantz is the kind of show you either love or hate. And people tend to love it or hate it for the same reasons.

Gantz is filled to the brim with sex, gore, and profanity. This will either be why you hate it, or the reason you love it. As ... for me, I absolutely love this show. It is so absurdly hateful and cruel to its characters that you can't help but bask in awe of the sheer amount of hate that oozes from the pores of humanity (as represented in the show).

Gantz is essentially Japanese MiB with an extremely mature twist. There's a mysterious black ball called Gantz that forces recently deceased (and resurrected) Japanese cit is ensure into a life-or-death Battle Royale against aliens.

Talk about an absurdly entertaining premise. It holds promise for tons of action. However, the characters spend more time talking and arguing than they do fighting aliens. Each encounter with the absurd kind takes up massive chunks of the 24 episodes (both seasons).

This is mostly because the pacing is absurdly slow. If you thought Monster or Shiki were really slow, you have yet to experience the insane pacing of Gantz. Normally slow pacing would be considered a flaw. But like all of Gantz's other flaws, I see it as part of the show's charm. One positive of the pacing Is that it immerses you in the situation.

When I watched this series, I binged it all in one sitting, and it's easy to see why. Gantz absorbed me into the world. Where I felt like I was right there next to the characters. And part of why is actually the slow af pacing.


Everyone in Gantz is a completely unlikeable, hateful, selfish, degenerate asshole! AND IT IS AWESOME!

Many of the characters in Gantz are so unlikeable, that they come right back round to likeable. This is especially the case for the main character, Kei Kurono. Keith started off as a selfish, perverted, asshole douchebag, but he eventually developed into a rather likeable protagonist. Kind of hard to believe, but it happens. Especially in the second season. Keith goes from asshole to pervert to badass to reluctant hero. And man, his development was one hell of a ride.

As for the other characters. Kato, his "best friend" is the other likeable character. He's the only legitimately good person in all of Gantz (manga not included). He is a caring older brother, a good friend, a responsible paragon of sorts. Though he is a bit of a crybaby in the second season (though he had good reasons)

Then there's Kei Kishimoto. She's basically just Tits McGee. She contributes little other than getting in the way (and having big tits). While she is a likeable and memorable character, she didn't feel like a very useful character to have around.

Other characters include Nishi, the cold-hearted veteran with ruthless resolve (he's a bit weird, but I quite liked him), Muroto, a sadistic evil fuck who kills homeless people for fun, and many more.

So yeah, the characters tend to be absurdly unlikeable. But once again, that's part of Gantz's charm. Just like how Gantz itself always makes jokes at the cast's expense, so does the anime blow our minds with how cruel it is.

Gantz has really dated CG environments blended with 2D characters. It makes for a really jarring visual spectacle. It is very inconsistent. It looks very much like a video game. Boy, do the 3D computer generated environments make everything look absurd. While this would normally be a bad thing, this jarring and inconsistent animation somehow works in Gantz's favor.

The character designs are cool and stylish. The Gantz suits are especially appealing to look at. The aliens each a have very interesting designs as well, especially the Buddhist Temple Aliens, which have a very artistic look to them.

Gantz has a very weird blend of hand drawn and CG animation that looks rather dated by today's standards. But regardless, it looks amazing precisely because of this. This being said, Gantz does have some great animation whenever it stops using CG

So? Sub or Dub?
Definitely Dub. Dub is better because it more accurately reflects how cruel and heartless the show is. The English voice actors just do a better job at conveying a really hateful, onpbnoxious, and stupid cast. The Japanese version doesn't really capture the absurd and ironic awesomeness of the series.

The OST is a tricky one. It has so many great tracks that we can hear while watching. But the real problem arises when you try and Google the OST to listen to the full score. The problem being that the OST cannot be found ANYWHERE. Believe me, I've looked far and wide. It is a damn shame that we simply cannot find it. (If you can find it, lemme know).

From what we can piece together in the series, the ost is rather kickass.

The opening is really fun and gets you pumped up. It's much like a warmup routine. It gets you prepared for the various absurdities and emotional gut-punches you will experience. And the ending theme has a certain appeal to it, as it is slower and allows you to rest.

Gantz is an anime with tons of problems, but i cant help but love its bravado. These "problems" would be legit were it any other series. BUT THIS IS GANTZ! The problems don't work against the show. They, more or less, add to the experience I stead of taking away.

Joking aside, Gantz is a show with some really emotional and sad scenes scattered throughout, as no character is safe from death. However, other than that, Gantz can't help but make me smile at how damn awesome Gantz is.

I give the entire Gantz anime series a 8/10.

Thanks for rreading.