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I had high hopes for this show based off that delightful opening sequence. The first two episodes were an exercise in good story-telling and great character building. It was off to a fantastic start. And then starting from EP3, I'm still not sure what happened, it was just pathetic.

Every single character just decided to become a psychopath with the empathy of a rock. I've never seen a quality drop like this in any show ever. It's just truly upsetting watching this show play out. No superlative I use here will be enough.

But you know what? Watch this show. Just watch from EP1 to EP5 to ... get a sense of how bad something can be.

Damn, this anime started off so well. I was in love with the sounds, the setting, the feeling. The voice actor for the main male MC was just phenomenal–it's the same one who voiced the wolf in Beastars. That voice is almost iconic now. For the first couple episodes, this anime was 10/10 all around.

And then I'm just not sure what went wrong. Maybe it was the show trying to focus on the four main characters instead of the just the three in the first triangle? Maybe it was how even at the end, 2 of the 4 characters were just not redeemable in any ... way? I guess it's just hard to like an anime when the characters in it are just not nice, for the lack of a better term. Disappointing.

The fantastic art and the Netflix feature misled me into watching this movie. The trailer also made it seem like this was a "professional" production, for the lack of a better term. The audio is fantastic too. But the main character just absolutely ruins it. The writing was is just plainly bad. Possibly the most unlikable main character in anime history. Every other character in this movie is objectively a nicer character. And the reason why I'm blaming the writing is because the main character does change towards the end, but it is not consistent. The character growth just seemed to follow the "formula" for ... a good movie.

Watch it if you want to actively root against the main character.

Right from the very first episode, I knew that this anime was going to have a weird romantic triangle and I decided that it was not going to be my cup of tea. So, I did what anyone else would've done, I binged it (while fast-forwarding the slow parts). Well, I would've just dropped it if it didn't have such a high rating on MAL.

And holy fucking cow! What a messy romance. A love-triangle? No. Quad-? Penta-? No no. It was a freaking love Octagon. I don't want to watch anime like this again. I was really looking forward to see how the sea ... and the land people interacted more and the dynamics between them. But no, we just have to deal with this messy teen romance.

But I would definitely be lying if I say that I didn't appreciate some of it's moments though. They were really well done. The artwork was pleasing. The story had a poetic undertone. The characters weren't your typical-anime-level dense. I can definitely appreciate all that.

The ending was also pretty conclusive and I think it made most of the audience satisfied. But as for me, the one lesson I think you should take from this story is... FUCKING COMMUNICATE. The sea god didn't do it. His wife didn't do it. And they are going to suffer all of eternity for that. Sure. That's cool. But even at the very end, the two characters who should have learnt from this eternal mistake don't freaking say it out loud. Haha. Are you kidding me? What was the point really? Don't tell me, "Oh you have to just feel it and understand it". Fuck no. Communication. It. is. vital.

Anyway, I'd love to watch an anime set in a unique world like this for sure! But anything with these weird romance plots, please... no.

This is not exactly a review but just an explanation to myself why this anime is a 9.

#1 mistake I made in regards to watching this - I watched it right after Hunter x Hunter... which led me to drop this show 4 times before finally picking it up from episode 12 and watching all the way till the end.

This anime gets almost everything right. What a stunning ensemble. Each and every side character was amazing. Putting them down in words will diminish how amazing this cast is. Definitely one of the best in anime. Heh, there's a reason why this is #1 on ... MAL. It's most likely because of this cast.

Here are the 3 things it does wrong,
1 - The Elric brothers could've been written better.
2 - Their dad's abandonment and neglect doesn't really make much sense, although I'm glad he admits he's a shitty father.
3 - The fights had no wow-factor to them. (Again, was expecting something like HxH and Naruto kind of fight scenes). Also a bunch of plot-holes and strong plot-armor.

But anyway, if an anime can make me feel sad for a character who barely got 10 minutes of screen time in Trisha Elric, it has to be pretty darn good.

Episode 27, that cutaway scene into the end credits. Dang.

I went into this show knowing how White Album 2 turned out, the anime I hate the most. So, I was expecting a morally degenerate MC and a bunch of confused girls because of some made up circumstances. But I was completely wrong.

White Album is much much more realistic. The scenarios that play out are, while not relatable, unless you have any experience of being in the idol industry or something similar, can be empathized with to an extent and understood. And the main character is also definitely not the shameless wimp that White Album 2's MC is.

And the women in this show, have ... problems. But they are not made up or trivial or over-dramatized. They all make sense. They were all forcefully tied into the MC, but still that's the way you make an anime - put someone at the center.

I'm sure this anime will be a 10/10 on a number of people's list - people who like tragedies. But it was just plain depressing. And so that completely took out the enjoyment factor for me.

While all that is said and done, this anime is definitely a must watch for any non-casual anime fan.
Skip White Album 2. Stick to this much more believable one.

What if I told you that this messed up, horrific and crazy anime is one of the best love stories out there? (Including the OVA)

Mirai Nikki is simply one of the most surprising anime that I've watched. It started out boring and looked like it was poorly made during the first couple of episodes. Honestly, I was thinking about dropping it around that time. However, it slowly but surely started to become interesting, primarily because it started to take turns that I did not see coming. And I think that's primarily due to Yuno Gasai. She makes the show Mirai Nikki, Mirai Nikki. A thoroughly ... interesting and yet strangely, likable character. You’ll understand the ‘strangely’ part once you start watching it. Also, she is OP as fuck.

The story in itself is definitely not that interesting. But the way the plot develops and the execution are what that made this anime stand out. Each episode surprises you. Bear in mind that the plot twists are not insane or “Oh, my god, what?” kinda crazy. But they are consistent. You really cannot predict what’s gonna happen in that crazy world next. And it is going to happen in each episode.

Yes, there are a lot of plot-holes. Yes, some situations and the choices the characters make don’t make a ton of sense. Yes, some of the side characters are poorly written. This show has a bunch of valid drawbacks. And these are the reasons why it’s not a 10. But I think its entertainment factor and the characterization of Yuno Gasai make the show worth it.

And if you’re a sucker for a happy ending, well, just go watch it.

*Static*

Well well well, my diary tells me you’re going to start watching this anime right fucking now!

Do you like Guy Ritchie movies? If you do, then just watch Durarara. You'll definitely like it.

If someone had said the exact same thing to me before I started watching this anime, I would've been able to appreciate it much more. It would've been a 9/10 show for me. Unfortunately, that was not the case and I went in with a bunch of different expectations and was disappointed in that regard.

Based on the description, I got only two pieces of information. That there was this legendary headless rider and there was this new clueless kid in the city who saw this legendary rider ... on his first day in the city. Going in with this, I was expecting events to revolve around these two. But boy was I wrong. And this is where Durarararara shines. It has so many amazing characters. Each one could be an MC in their own show. And the interactions between them is so darn good.

But this was also where it was a letdown. Typically, when you go into a show, you tend to relate and empathize more with the main character than the rest. You also tend to root for them more because they, I don't know how to put it, because they are a representation of yourself in that world. It's like playing an RPG - one you can't control. So naturally, I was looking at this show through the MC, Mikado's perspective. And from there, this show was not satisfying to watch at all. His role was overshadowed by a lot of other characters, including the other two characters in his own small group.

I think I sound like a petulant child who is throwing a tantrum because Mommy won't tend to me as much as she does to little sis. But that's exactly how I felt. I was okay with Celty taking the spotlight. I liked her character. I was okay with Izaya, Shizuo, the Russian dude, the crazy doc and the van gang as well. But what really bugged me was that his two other friends in his trio got much more attention and importance from the perspective of the plot. The MC actually felt unneeded which was made very clear in the final episode. It also didn't help that the MC didn't have any balls.

Apart from the Monogatari series, I don't think I've watched a show with these many strong and well-written characters. They make this show definitely worth the watch. But Monogatari on the other hand, treats the MC, like it is supposed to. That's where this show loses out.

Here's my recommendation to you, watch this anime expecting that it is going to be like a Guy Ritchie movie with so single central main character. If this hasn't convinced you yet, just watch it for Celty's voice actor Miyuki Sawashiro. That voice is pure fantasy.

Durararararararara!!

"It had so much potential."
That's how I would summarize Orange in a single sentence.

Story - 4/10
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First of all, let's talk about the core plot device of this anime ~ Time Travel. Here's the thing about time travel,
1) You explain completely how it happens (or)
2) You don't explain it at all because the focus of your anime is something else. So you leave the viewers to come up with some sort of romantic connotation for it.

Orange did neither. It just half-assed the whole thing.
...
[Spoilers below]

The second thing that bugged me about this story was the entire motivation behind the intense desire to save Kakeru. Let's get the facts straight. In the original timeline, Kakeru was always depressed, wasn't part of any club, didn't have most of the sweet moments with the group, and so on. How did he become such an important person to them that they regretted it so much 10 years into the future that Suwa and Naho were willing to sacrifice their own lives together to save him?

But the most important thing that absolutely made no sense to me were the actions future Naho took. So basically she was open to sacrifice her life with Suwa and was ready to forsake their FUCKING KID to save this one dude whom she had a crush on for half a year of high school. Just try to wrap your head around that for a minute. Just made me personally feel bad for Suwa who is one the nicest characters written in anime. Of course, she could've structured her letter better to make sure that they all save Kakeru while still not sacrificing the relationship with Suwa. But yeah, no, that didn't happen.

Playing the devil's advocate to myself here, maybe Naho and Suwa wouldn't have gotten together in the first place if it weren't for the death of Kakeru. So maybe she is not as senseless as I think she is. But still, just a pet peeve.

Character - 5/10
--------------------
Suwa, the bro-est of all bros. He made the anime worth the watch along with Hagita, Asuza and that one tall girl. And this anime would've been a 10/10 if Hagita and Asuza were the two main MCs.

Air-heads and bird-brained girls are a common anime troupe. Normally you'd expect these kind of characters to provide some comical relief along with another character in a relevant anime. But Naho here is so annoyingly dumb it was infuriating to watch. Made me want to drop the anime around the middle. Can't really comment on the character of Kakeru because yeah, can't really relate or make an insensitive comment about a guy with suicidal tendencies. But then again, if I'm ever so inclined, I can definitely empathize with him, but he could've directed those frustrations a little better.

But again, Suwa, what a freaking strong and open-hearted character.

Sound - 8/10
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Pretty good. Both the OP and ED fit in so well.

Animation - 8/10
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Kinda went to shit in the middle but other than that, the style fit the theme of the show really well.


In the end, Orange had the potential to be a true 10/10 anime that could've been hailed as a classic. But it got so many things wrong. However, it also got a couple of things right, mostly the friendship between the group. Maybe if they had removed the romance from the show and made it completely about friendship... it could've been something.

Orange. Watch it for Suwa and the rest.

...and why is it called Orange again?

K-On! Never in my wildest dreams did I think I'd enjoy an anime like this. Boy, oh boy.

Story 10/10
If you started watching K-on expecting an actual plot, then it is you who is lacking, not the anime. That's like going to a Michael Bay film and expecting to get a nuanced classical drama. It is a 10/10 story, precisely because there is no story or plot (or rather a minimal one at that). You can pick it up at any episode and follow along. Sometimes, you just want to kick off your shoes, cozy up under a blanket and watch a cute little anime, you ... know? And I cannot overstate the importance of not having any romantic aspect in this show. Seriously, if they had done that, it would've been a 2/10 show for me. Moving on...

Character 10/10 & Art 10/10
Imagine the cutest and clumsiest little dog you can think of. Now turn that dog into a human. You have Hirasawa Yui.

How the hell can something be this cute! Props to KyoAni. With Clannad, Hyouka and Inu Yasha, they were already up high in my list. But now, with K-on, yeah... Yui's character and interaction designer, or maybe it was the manga artist who did this in the first place, you sir, are simply amazing. If it were up to me, r/aww would have nothing but K-on gifs and screenshots.

Watching the Hirasawa sisters interact is simply, healing. Hearing Yui say "Ui" is panacea.
They rank pretty high up in my top conversational duo list, after Araragi/Senjougahara, and Holo/Lawrence, and Hachiman/Haruno and Araragi/Shinobu, and Araragi/Tsuki, and... well, the Monogatari series is cheating. But you get the idea.

Not just that, Yui just friggin lights up any and every scene that she is in. An MC that actually grabs and shines in every possible moment? It's Yui. No one can compare here. She 'makes' the show. And keep in mind, I'm not taking anything away from the other characters here. They're all so friggin adorable. It's just that Yui ties everything together.

Sound 8/10
All you voice actors, you simply could not have done a better job. But for a music oriented anime, it could've had some better OST.

And finally, this anime might not be for everyone. People tend to expect different things from different shows for different reasons at different times. I was just frustrated by a couple of anime that I watched recently (Noragami, looking at you) and wanted to simply watch something where nothing happens. I'm really really glad I picked up K-On. Anyway, if you think, 'fun things are fun', you know what to do.

Say, "Moe Moe Kyuuun" and give in to happiness.