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Clannad: More High School Drama

So I asked for recommendations here in MAL for a male MC lead in a drama and most of them said Clannad. It has both good and bad to it and this is my review of it.

This review doesn't contain anything from Clannad: After Story and might have a bit of spoilers.

STORY (6): Typical high school setting with boys and girls having problems. Tomoya Okazaki, a delinquent in his school encounters a girl named Nagisa Furukawa who doesn't have any friends. Then all throughout the series they meet classmates with problems and Tomoya has actually a past with some of ... them and the problem solver of these problems and they become friends eventually. Then these girls actually fall in love with Tomoya forming the harem in the series. A supernatural aspect also comes into play but for me it wasn't properly executed in the series.

ART (9): Clannad was produced by KyoAni so expect very good, lively, vivid, colorful arts and backdrops. The scenery is actually very refreshing, one of the few good points in Clannad. But I'm not a fan of the moe concept in characters still I let it slide for this one.

SOUND (10): This is the saving grace of Clannad. The OP and ED themes are very cutesy which is somewhat appropriate for the show. The background music is actually the one I really like. Even though it can be a bit repetitive, its musicality is just exquisitely done.

CHARACTERS (7): The male characters of the show are very good by my standards. Okazaki being very sarcastic is actually very entertaining for me as well as Sunohara and Nagisa's father. It is the girls here that have bit of problems. A genius girl who acts like she has a mental disorder, another girl who is just too immature and practically unnecessary for the series and some of them are practically similar in personalities. I just wished that in the sequel it gets better...

ENJOYMENT (7) and OVERALL (8): For me, Clannad has a very low "replay-ability", due to the annoyance factor of most of the characters but still it delivered 75% of the drama that I was hoping for. It has its moments of drama and comedy which made me somewhat enjoy the show.

HYOUKA: The Ice Cream Anthology

I learnt about Hyouka when going through the recommendations thread here in MAL and got intrigued due to the combination of High School and detective fiction. And as a big fan of both genres I decided to give it a chance.

STORY (9): It is about a boy, Houtarou Oreki being requested by her sister to reestablish the Classics Club in their school and there he joins Eru Chitanda, Satoshi Fukube and Mayaka Ibara. They encounter mysteries that are happening around the school as well as the events in their outside life in high school. The premise kind of reminds ... me of Tantei Gakuen Q but still they differ in the execution in combining high school and mystery genres. The opening arc of the series is really interesting and the mysteries are not that hard but not that easy either which can give you a good chance in solving the cases as the episode continues unlike in Detective Conan or Tantei Gakuen Q. Also the mysteries presented are very wholesome.

ART (10): Hyouka was produced by Kyoto Animation and they mostly specialize in high school anime. It is very well done in my opinion. The animation is fluid but the colors are kind of limited in my opinion, but it works well with how the anime is shown.

SOUND (8): Background music for Hyouka is very typical for the high school scenes and for the mysteries, its not much as heart pounding as I have hoped for but they are still reputable. The OPs and EDs used are okay in my book. And if I have to pick my favorite among them, it would be the 1st OP theme.

CHARACTERS (9): The four leads have practically have only two types of demeanor: the quiet and the loud one. Two for each type of demeanor. Houtarou is the smart, lazy and silent type. Eru is the demure yet sometimes "gets in your face" when she's intrigued by something. While Satoshi and Mayaka are practically the same when it comes to personality. Their personalities might be very common but the chemistry between the four works really well. Their designs are realistic as possible such as hair style and color except in the eye color department.

ENJOYMENT AND OVERALL (9 and 9): When I was watching Hyouka, I actually felt very happy every time I get to solve the case presented in the show. The depth of the show is enough for all types people with different thinking to enjoy it unlike in Detective Conan and Tantei Gakuen Q where most cases are really hard. It is a good show to practice basic deduction skills as well as observation skills.

Beelzebub: A Teenaged Baby Daddy

This review might contain a few spoilers so caution when reading.

I encountered Beelzebub when a friend told me that I will laugh my pants off if I watched it. So I gave it a try and this is what I can say.

STORY (8): Its about Oga Tatsumi, a delinquent in Ishiyama High School who is chosen to be the "parent" of a Demon Lord baby who will eventually wipe out the human race. And he's doing everything he could to remove that pact. I think the plot of the show is okay with very common elements like the demons, babies ... and delinquents but in this age, a very original plot is very hard to craft. I thought the anime started really strong. Character meetings are very hilarious and unforgettable. The problem came when the series is nearing its conclusion. The development of the final arc was very slow due to fillers at first but then suddenly rushed on the final episodes which was kind of a big letdown. There are also a few plot holes that I think should have been answered as well.

ART (9): The animation style is very common but its the way I like it. Crisp and variant colors, smooth lines and good details. It even employs some pictures from taken from the real world which can be refreshing at times. The fight scenes are also impressive.

SOUND (8): The background music in the anime is mediocre, no major standouts or those beat that will make you bop your head or tap your feet but they were appropriate for each scene. But some of the OP and ED themes are very pleasant to the ears. The 3rd ED (Nanairo Namida)and 5th ED theme (Shoujo Traveller) are personal favorites of mine.

CHARACTERS (9):I'm actually glad that there is a diversity when it comes to character design even though most of them are very typical designs. The lead character (Oga) as well some of the supporting cast, are not drawn handsomely unlike most anime where all the guys are smoking hot but still they are found attractive in some ways just like Aoi Kunieda, another character which I adore so much. The supporting characters are also very likeable and have good and appropriate designs in my opinion but some of them weren't really needed in the anime. There are certain clashes and inconsistencies when it comes to personalities particularly in Oga. I don't know if its deliberate or just forgotten to be edited properly...

ENJOYMENT AND OVERALL (10 & 9): Its a good thing that I listened to this friend of mine because it made me laughed many times.. It relieved some of the tension I'm having due to my final exams. It's a good one for the books. Personally I gave it a rocking 10/10 on my list . But if giving an unbiased judgment, I give it a solid 9/10 due to some technicalities I think that should be dealt with.

Try giving Beelzebub a chance. It may be 60 episodes long but still, it can brighten up your day by looking at baby Beel.

Fairy Tail: 7-7-X777

Story (9): The main story arc involves the main characters, Natsu, searching for his parent which is a dragon and Lucy whose mother died on the same day as the disappearance of the dragons. They are joined by their mates a wizard guild in Fairy Tail who have their own stories. The plot is very interesting and improving especially in one of the most powerful story arcs in Fairy Tail, which is the last story arc in the anime. There is also good distribution on the focus of the characters which is required for a show with so many characters.

Art (9): The ... art is clean and nice and I can't ask for anything else. Its very colorful and smooth as well.

Sound (10): Background music in the show employs different instruments which aren't usually used in music. Its very celtic and somewhat enchanting as well which makes it work for the show's title. Opening and Ending Themes of the shows are also impressive and very catchy. Standouts for me include Snow Fairy (1st OP), Kimi Ga Iru Kara (4th ED), Hajimari no Sora (11th OP), Yell (13th ED) and We're the Stars (14th ED).

Characters (10); Even though some of the characters are very generic, you can't help but love them. Diversity in both physical and personality traits are evident in the characters. Most quirks and running gags of the characters work when delivering their punchlines which is really great.

Overall Fairy Tail is a show worth a watch. It didn't last 175 episodes for nothing. Have some laughs and even experience some sentimental moments during the show. Personally it a great stress reliever for me which is why I give it a 10/10.

Pandora Hearts: Not Knowing What Your Sin Is...

STORY (9): Its about Oz Bezarius, a royal who was destined to save the world. Its a very common theme but using the elements of Alice in Wonderland as well as a few mythological theories and and intricate main story arc, the series needs a lot of patience to be watched. But in the end, there will be a satisfaction about the story.

ART (9): Some Character designs are very common but some are also standouts especially the characters that were adapted from Alice in Wonderland. Square Enix is responsible for animation so no doubt its good as well.

SOUND ... (10): The show has beautiful background music and some catchy tunes as well. The background music is very reminiscent of Tsubasa Chronicles, an anime that was lauded for its musical score. The 2ND ED Theme is a favorite of mine.

CHARACTER (8): Diversity in character personalities is somewhat limited. Most of them have half-serious and half- comedic characteristics but all in all it works on the characters and their physical design.

OVERALL (9): I enjoyed the series. At first the story is somewhat confusing but when you get to the end, you will be satisfied on it was finished. Remember that patience is always rewarded. Try watching Pandora Hearts. It is short and sweet...

Danshi Koukousei ni Nichijou: Boys Will Be Boys

This anime is about the lives of high school boys. It's that simple, a slice of life anime about boys. The anime is composed of short stories which focuses on 3 male friends and their colleagues in their last year of high school. They talk about whatever that comes into mind and hilarity ensues.

The comedy presented in the anime is very unique. I applaud the writer for accomplishing so much comedy in very short skits. Even though few of the punchlines are very predictable, most of them are just outrageously funny and will come out of nowhere. ... There are only a few story arcs involved in the story which is kind of a downfall for the anime but overall the anime's story complements well with the style of the anime (involving short skits). My favorite arc would be the one involving Literature Girl.

The characters are designed normally but the personalities are just like a bowl of mixed nuts. Every personality can be seen on the show. Some of them have multiple personalities and it works on them just fine.

Sound and Music of the anime is just okay. Both the OP and ED themes have their sentiments as well as the background music.

I highly recommend you watch the show. You can rest anytime you want since the show is composed of short skits. You can comeback anytime and pick up where you left off. If you're having a bad day, try watching this show. I guarantee you will at least laugh once.

GetBackers: The Robin Hoods of Anime

GetBackers is an anime about two guys Ginji Amano and Ban Mido and they are retrieval agents with a 100% success rate. They have great powers in aiding them in their jobs such as discharging electricity for Ginji and the Evil Eye which causes illusions for Ban. They don't consider themselves thieves since they just take back what's originally from other people and give it back to them. Their fees are outrageously high yet they end up being broke. They encounter old friends and enemies who are all related to the retrieval and transporting business or just in ... their history as the story progresses.

Storywise, GetBackers has a simple theme yet it is very entertaining. Stand alone episodes are very hilarious (check episode 39 and 40) and major story lines are very complex yet understandable. The first 25 seasons are adapted directly from the manga while the rest of the episodes were somewhat altered. It has a very good mixing of action, drama, comedy and a dash of romance which a lot of shows cannot execute properly.

GetBackers serves both male fans with the fight scenes and beautiful girls and for the women, a there is a certain bishounen/yaoi tone present in the show. Characters on the show are very distinct from one another and they have very captivating personalities especially the two leads Ban and Ginji.

Musical scoring for the anime is impresssive. Some of the background music will make you stomp your feet like hell. The first Opening Theme "Yuragu Koto Nai Ai" is one of the greatest songs in the Japanese Music Industry. I suggest you listen to that. Other songs used in the anime are also very catchy like the First Ending theme: Ichibyou no Refrain" and the Second Opening Theme "Barairo ni Sekai"

I highly suggest you watch this show. You will laugh your pants off and it will keep you on the edge of your seats at the same time. It only has 49 episodes and all of them are worth watching. xD

Katekyo Hitman Reborn!: Teacher of Zeroes to Heroes

Hitman Reborn! is about a baby-hitman who becomes a tutor to a 14 year old no-good-boy named Sawada Tsunayoshi or Tsuna for short since he is destined to become the 10th boss of a mafia named the Vongola (clam in Italian). Along the way Tsuna gains friends but for Reborn he thinks of them as Tsuna's subordinates in the mob. They encounter fights with other mob families as well as internal feuds in the family. Reborn is the one responsible for shaping Tsuna to be a powerful man when it comes to fighting using specialized bullets that make ... Tsuna invincible.

The first 15 episodes are not one of the finest moments in anime history. Starting viewers need to have some patience since the first few episodes focus on character meetings and small developments and this is done using comedy. The comedy presented here is so forced and just completely unfunny. There are a few moments where you will giggle but its not enough to be a complete comedic episode. But once you get to the main story arcs, it gets really good. The story and fighting scenes are amazing. You will be mesmerized by the logic of the story.

The every character has their own quirks and my favorites include Haru Miura,Hibari Kyoya, Gokudera Hayato and I-Pin. There are also a lot of theme songs from the series that will make you hum like crazy. These includes Michishirube (1st ED), Famiglia (15th ED) and Canvas (16th ED). Animation is crisp and clear and I replay some of the greatest episodes I've seen (Ep 182- Silent Storm is a good one).

I recommend that you should watch this. Its 203 episodes long. I know you wouldn't fully enjoy the beginning but once you get to the serious stuff, it will drive you wild and crazy!