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Tokyo Ghoul will capture your attention with the captivating storyline in episode one, and will leave you interested throughout the series with its mixture of action, horror, and psychological concepts. The series will then end by leaving you thinking about the world of ghouls and humans, and who the monster really is. Are ghouls in the wrong for simply wanting to survive? Are humans right to exterminate the ghouls because the ghouls are killing people? There are so many questions you will be asking yourself as you watch this series.

An interesting aspect of the series was the use of weapons in the form of “Kagune”. ... Each ghoul possesses a Kagune that is unique to them, so each one is different. Kagune come from the ghoul’s body and can be many forms, from a blade to claws to wings and many more. Ghouls use their Kagune to attack humans, as well as other ghouls. On top of all that, humans have found a way to harness the power of a ghoul’s Kagune and are able to turn the Kagune into a weapon for the human’s use. This somewhat levels the playing field between ghouls and humans. It is nice to see the humans stand a chance against the ghouls and not just get wiped out. If you have seen D.Grayman or Akame ga Kill, the weapon concept is similar.

The characters are memorable, with development throughout the season. The animation is well-done. The story progresses at a decent pace with a proper mixture of action and dialogue. The violence is heavy, but in the version I watched, it is censored by covering the most grotesque animation with black, which is not unique to Tokyo Ghoul, it seems to be the most common way to censor violence in anime. For me personally, this was one of the few negatives I would mention about the series, if you are going to censor the anime, do not make it so obvious, especially when all the gruesome sounds are still present. In conclusion, there is a censored and an uncensored version, so if you do not handle violence well, there is a friendlier version for you.

You might enjoy this if: You can handle a brain-twisting anime that will touch on your buttons of psychological fear. If you enjoyed Deadman Wonderland, you will likely enjoy Tokyo Ghoul.

You might not like it if: You are sensitive to violence, gore, and the horror genre. Certain scenes of Tokyo Ghoul are some of the most grisly out there.

Note to the Viewer: Be prepared for an action-packed thrill ride that will have you captivated from the first episode!

Death Parade is a wild ride from the beginning. The first episode had me hooked and I was waiting for each episode to air. The setting is dark, showing the darker side of humanity and how people will act when their back is against the wall. That being said, there is mature content of a psychological nature. Even though this is an anime about games like darts and bowling, the games have the dark twist to them that is not suited for children. I thought that Death Parade was going to be an episodic anime, simply providing a different game each episode, but the anime ... gave back story to the arbiters and a storyline that continued throughout the season.

You might enjoy this if: Death games that determine the outcome of a person’s soul appeal to you.

You might not like it if: You want a light-hearted anime that will leave you feeling good at the end.

Note to the Viewer: You will know by the end of the first episode if this anime is for you.

Rin: Daughters of Mnemosyne

Review By: John Fragglepuss Evans

Although only six episodes, the series covers a lot of ground. Rin: Daughters of Mnemosyne does a wonderful job with the anime throughout the whole series. Each episode is set during a different year, so make sure to pay attention at the beginning of the episode to find out what year it is. There are some recurring themes and phrases in each episode, which show how even though Rin is with different people, she is still the same person after all those years. I was so interested in this anime that I watched the whole series in one ... sitting. That means a lot because I had never heard of the series before starting it. I simply saw it online one day and decided to watch it. I am glad I did because it was a unique anime with a fascinating storyline.

You might enjoy this if: You enjoy mind-bending stories that travel into the future as well as the past…Or if you like vodka.

You might not like it if: You are looking for a light-hearted anime with a lot of feel-good moments.

Note to the Viewer: Pay attention to the year at the beginning of each episode.

Parasyte is a refreshing anime in the sci-fi horror genre. It starts off strong by being strange and unusual, and will leave you wanting more by the end of the first episode. The parasites are brutal and capable of manipulating their human host in unspeakable ways, with little to no regard for emotion and sensibility. Their main concerns are for their own survival and the extinction of the human race. This anime is an exciting thrill ride from start to finish, with a quality storyline and great character development. You know the character development is top notch when it includes development of your feelings toward ... a parasite in a person’s hand. Parasyte will make you laugh, make you cry, make you wince, and everything else for that matter.

You might enjoy this if: You are searching for a unique sci-fi anime that you will want to finish as soon as possible to find out what happens.

You might not like it if: The sound of parasites taking over bodies and manipulating them in unspeakable ways is too much for you.

Note to the Viewer: Be prepared for something you will not be prepared for.

Ranma 1/2

Review By: John Fragglepuss Evans

Ranma ½ is a classic 1980s anime, from the animation style to the soundtrack. Genma has a unique tune that plays every time he becomes a panda, and so do other characters. This is a fun and light-hearted anime, where you will laugh at times and shake your head at other times. There are many repeated jokes throughout the series, some of which get worn out after a while, where others stay fresh and get a new spin on them at times. The story does not progress at a decent rate, feeling like a stand still at times, due to ... the series appearing to be broken up into mini-stories that are about five episodes each. Overall it is an enjoyable anime to watch and to see an anime that has been influential to many that have come after it.

You might enjoy this if: You want to get nostalgic or want an anime that will bring your spirits up after watching a soul-shattering, depressing anime.

You might not like it if: You get frustrated when you want two people to get together and love each other, but they just will not do it!

Note to the Viewer: If you enjoy the anime, check out the Ranma ½ manga. There are a lot of chapters, and there is additional story in them.

EXPANDED REVIEW FROM SLC ANIME:

Positives included the late 1980s art style and storytelling, the opening song that typified late 1980s J-Pop, the fact that it was a fun and light-hearted anime, and the nostalgia felt by some. A good point brought up was that if you are going to continue watching the anime after the group meet up, it must be a decent anime. Many group members plan to continue watching, so it must be decent. Something that was a positive and humorous was that while many characters hated Ranma, they only hated one gender of Ranma, not both of them.

There were a few negative points brought up. One was how most of the characters had one specific quirk that identified their personality, and the quirk would be played out over and over again. Another negative was the progression of the story, or lack thereof. The series was split into mini stories of about five episodes each, and would go one to the next without a lot of actual progression. Ranma ½ is a good dessert anime, one that could be watched an episode or two at a time, in between more serious shows.

There were mixed reviews on the English dubbing and with Ryoga as a character. People either loved or hated the English dubbing and we will leave it at that. Some people enjoyed Ryoga’s lack of a sense of direction and personality as a pig, while others did not like it at all and found him annoying.

Selector Infected WIXOSS

Review By: John Fragglepuss Evans

Selector Infected WIXOSS gives several twists on the classic “Card Game” anime. The card game itself is not explained in detail, but the basics are fairly obvious as more battles occur. However, the anime is not focused on the actual card game, but more on the lives of the Selectors that are in possession of the LRIG cards.

You might enjoy this if: You want a dark fantasy version of the card game genre. If you are not a fan of card games but enjoy the psychological genre, check out Selector Infected WIXOSS. If you enjoyed Madoka Magica, you will ... like Selector Infected WIXOSS. It is basically the same plot, but with a card game instead of magical girls…

You might not like it if: You want a light-hearted anime that will leave you feeling all warm and fuzzy inside after each episode.

Note to the Viewer: Do not be fooled. Even though the Selectors are younger girls, this is an anime with some mature themes.

Ghost in the Shell

Review By: John Fragglepuss Evans

Ghost in the Shell is an intelligent anime that raises a philosophical question: What makes something a human? It seems straightforward, but it is not clear in Ghost in the Shell. Everybody in Section 9 has cybernetic enhancements, and in the case of Major Motoko, she is a cyborg that can have her conscience moved from one body to another if the body is destroyed. Is Motoko a human? This is the question that Motoko asks herself repeatedly throughout the film.

Ghost in the Shell provides a mixture of action with deep philosophical questions that could potentially come up ... in the future. It is impressive how the well the future is portrayed in a film that was released in 1995. More impressive still is that the film is based on a manga from 1989. The technology used in the film is fascinating to see. The story is well-written, the characters interesting and not one-dimensional. The one criticism I have for the film is that it could have been longer. There are a lot of complicated concepts brought up in the film and more time could have been spent on to explain these concepts.

You might enjoy this if: You want to find out why Ghost in the Shell is one of the original must-see anime films out there.

You might not like it if: You want an anime that you can just sit back and watch without having to think.

Note to the Viewer: I would not recommend watching Ghost in the Shell 2.0. It is the same as Ghost in the Shell, but with poorly added CGI in various parts.

Use your technology to find Fragglepuss.com for more anime reviews!

Blast of Tempest / Zetsuen no Tempest

Review By: John Fragglepuss Evans


Blast of Tempest has good ideas and decent writing, but lost my interest with the incredibly slow story progression and drawn out dialogue. Explanations of explanations and single scenes that lasted longer than an episode were a common occurrence.

You might enjoy this if: You have patience and like to have everything explained in great detail.

You might not like it if: You want a story to progress at a decent pace.
...
Note to the Viewer: Blast of Tempest feels like you are watching a book. It explains everything as if you are just listening to it, not watching.

EXPANDED REVIEW FROM SLC ANIME:

There were mixed reviews about the battles, some people saying there was too much conversation followed by too short of a battle. Others thought the importance of the battle was in the conversation, a “Logic Battle”, so to speak. Speaking of conversation, a common comment was regarding how slow the story progressed, a prime example being the scene of the princess trying to get transported off the island…A scene that lasted about five episodes! The series could have been tighter with less explanation. There was super explanation for every possible circumstance, which resulted in poor pacing. On top of that, there were slow pans throughout these extended scenes to make it seem like something was happening, where there was nothing but drawn out explanations. There were mixed reviews regarding the characters. Some people enjoyed the characters while others did not connect with the characters, believing many were pointless or became pointless halfway through the series.

There was a fresh take on magic in the series, with people having to use talismans to create magic, and the talismans could be used by pretty much anyone with the proper knowledge. The animation was another positive aspect of the series. The last positive comment that was mentioned by several group members was regarding how the series drew on Shakespeare in many ways. For example, throughout the series there are several mentions comparing Hamlet and The Tempest. In other words, if you are familiar with Shakespeare, there are several parts that may interest you.

Death Note

Review By: John Fragglepuss Evans

Death Note is a popular anime and it is easy to see why. It is a quality show that has plenty of character development, a complex storyline, good animation, a quality soundtrack, and a realistic setting combined with supernatural aspects. The show involves a lot of death so the immense popularity does somewhat surprise me, but then again, Attack on Titan is one of the most popular anime out there, and it involves just as much death and maturity.

As previously mentioned, there are a lot of positives to the show. The characters and their development make you feel strongly toward ... them, whether it is love or hate. The Shinigami in the show are interesting and enjoyable to watch. The line between good and evil is difficult to see at times in this anime. Who is the hero and who is the villain? I found myself asking that question repeatedly throughout the series.

You might enjoy this if: You want a unique story that will have you hooked from the first episode. This is not just a quality anime, but a quality show of any type.

You might not like it if: You do not have the patience for a 37 episode series.

Note to the Viewer: Be prepared to pause before and after the commercial breaks. They show the rules of the Death Note.

Durarara!!

Review By: John Fragglepuss Evans

Durarara!! is full of memorable characters. The opening even introduces them all. Shizuo is ridiculous in such a good way. There is character development throughout the season which left me changing my mind about several of the characters. The music is memorable in this series. There are several genres of music played, each of them adding to the experience of the show.

You might enjoy this if: You want a world of fantasy mixed with reality.

You might not like it if: Tokyo-inspired gang wars are not your thing.

... Note to the Viewer: Durarara!! will surprise you time and time again with its secrets.

EXPANDED REVIEW FROM SLC ANIME

The music/soundtrack of the anime was mentioned repeatedly as a positive. The group enjoyed the diversity of the soundtrack and felt that it added to the show. There are some group members that have been to Japan and they noticed that the show was surprisingly accurate when it came to locations. The complexity and depth of the story and characters was another positive aspect of the show. Although there were a lot of characters, there was development for the majority of them, and there was a feeling of investment. The last thing brought up that got a nod from some of the members was the references to other anime that came up throughout the series.

There were mixed reviews about the animation. The background characters were mainly “grey people”, which were animated in nothing but grey. Some group members liked that, feeling that it helped to focus attention on the main characters. Other members felt that it was cheap to show grey people so often.