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Very similar to Tokyo Ghoul in a lot of ways. It was subtle but it did manage to achieve it's own tale within it's narrative, which kept me interested.

Overall, had a lot of potential but still couldn't quite deliver in the end.

PROS:
+ Relationship between Anzai and Tsukasa was the strongest facet of the series. It was down-to-earth and mature.
+ Interesting reactions within the society and how the force arranges protocol with the 'devils.' I found it to be more towards the lenient side of things unlike Tokyo Ghoul, which was an interesting spin.

CONS:
- First episode was poor. Introduction could've been a ... lot stronger.
- Cliché vampire story and characters.
- Wasn't the worst ending, but the climax was rushed and bland.
- Too many Tokyo Ghoul concepts.

OVERALL:
Fairly ordinary but had action, fondness and intimacy. Could of went on for a longer period but understandable due to budget and marketing. Probably recommend the Manga to continue unsatisfying loose ends.

WARNING: Potential Spoilers

Starting Darling in the FranXX was rather difficult for me and I nearly dropped the series entirely.

The first episode was quite compelling and it introduces the characters reasonably well with it's unique storytelling and dialect. One of the earliest things that caught my eye was the astounding animation and the conveyed motion of each of the scenes and landscapes. Of course, beautiful animation can't make up for everything alone.

Firstly, there was just too much fanservice in the beginning and I think that's what threw me off. Even so, I continued on and it did pick up a bit more. However, my view ... on the series began to spiral downwards as the epilogue approached.

NARRATIVE: (5/10)

Darling in the FranXX evidently took some notable concepts from two anime: Neon Genesis Evangelion and Gurren Lagann. While the plot did attempt to add an extra theme into the story, (the idea of procreation being stripped of humanity and children being kept in the dark about it), it still didn't deliver well and my expectations decreased more and more as the narrative progressed.

The best part of the series for me was the half way point. It's within this section we witness the protagonists digging up the past and rekindling relationships between each other, as well as building them. There is a decent mix of emotions such as discovering the notion of love, hate and what it means to be a human, living and caring for the earth.

ANIMATION: (8/10)

Being the same studio behind Kiznaiver and Kill La Kill the animation was superb and fluid. The anime itself is vivid and striking to look at and it was probably the franchise's greatest aspect. I was mostly fond of Zero Two's design above all.

The only thing I wasn't too keen on was the FranXX designs and their absurd cockpit layout. It was over sexualised for me personally and couldn't take it on a serious level. The environments were also similar to Neon Genesis Evangelion's - especially the underground city, technology and the way the FranXX are piloted. Furthermore, the Klaxosaur creatures were also very much alike to the Angels in NGE - a concept that's all too familiar.

SOUND: (6/10)

The soundtrack was satisfactory but not the greatest. The opening "Kiss of Death," was definitely a favourite though. It held deep significance behind it's lyrics that ties to the story fittingly.
The ending theme songs were catchy but were just your average J-pop songs.

CHARACTER: (7/10)

Overall, I think the characters were all likeable and the way they interacted with each other was one of the strongest elements. Puberty plays a huge role in this narrative and it did provide some pretty realistic impressions. The main characters were in fact children, so it was engrossing to see how they would discover things on their own and how they would deal with situations, the consequences and how they would overcome them together.

OVERALL: (5/10)

As with some anime, the ending can either make or break a series. In this case, it was disappointing. The finale just didn't know what to do with itself, or which direction it should of taken and it just became a whole big mess. The main reason behind this I think, was when a new enemy was randomly introduced at the last minute.

There was also an irrelevant plot twist. It went over the top profoundly and quite quickly at that. However that being said, the series did have it's fair share of moments.

Did I enjoy it?
Sort of.

Do I recommend it?
I guess so. It's an anime with lots of flaws but it was interesting. It's beginning is hard to get into then it gets better, only to then go flat on it's head. It had a lot of potential but unfortunately it didn't quite cut it for me.

I say to give it a go and have your own opinion on it.

Nihei Tsutomu's BLAME! was an incredible ride! You are guaranteed to be sucked into this perplexing fictional universe...

He beautifully intertwines a gothic-cyberpunk setting unlike anything I have ever seen before. The closest art style I can relate it to is that of H.R Giger's eerie concepts from the Alien franchise. It is evident that in this domain, the notion of technology has become absolute.

Killy's adventure leads us on a dark and menacing journey filled with danger around every corner (quite literally!) Not to mention that the scale this world is colossal, as well as the boundaries of time and space.

The Manga is full of ... fast-past action, explosions, eccentric characters (that at times cannot be trusted) and a complicated narrative that does take time to digest. In other words, this Manga might not suit to everyone's liking. However, if you are indeed an admirer of anything cyberpunk filled with gore and ghastliness (and spine-chilling cyborgs), then I highly recommend BLAME!
Even just studying each page alone is amazing...

Personally, I have heard about BLAME! for a long time and only recently saw the 2017 film on Netflix (Australia). Although the instalment is fairly new to me I can say for sure that I am certainly a fan as of now. I hope you give it a shot and enjoy it as much as I have.

You may enjoy BLAME! if you liked:
The Terminator, Dead Space, iRobot, Blade Runner, Alien (especially in terms of the art style - look up H.R Giger), Edward Scissorhands (Character designs), The City of Ember (to an extent), Ghost in the Shell, Evangelion, AKIRA.

NOTE: This is my first Anime Review!

'Kare Kano' - definitely an overlooked and underrated Shoujo series!
I couldn't believe that the same studio and director of Neon Genesis Evangelion took part in such a romantic tale. There is no doubt that it exceeded my expectations. I was not disappointed at all for the most part.

In a nutshell - it is an oldie but a goodie!

THE OPENING: (8/10)
Real catchy. It was so 90s and I loved it. It introduced all the characters vividly as you get a rough idea on what the story will be about. As the titles rolled, I immediately caught on to ... a certain word that popped up. 'Gainax.' No doubt it gave off Evangelion vibes in not only the opening, but throughout the Anime itself.

STORYLINE: (7/10)
From the very beginning, the story truly draws away from your stereotypical Shoujo. Most of these kind of genres stick to a repetitive narrative - that being either the boy, or girl is more popular than the other. Kare Kano offers something different to the table. Both characters are popular and are seemingly 'perfect' among their peers. As both Arima and Yukino learn more about each other and 'unmask' their true selves, many themes tie in together.

There are times with obvious romantic elements and comedy relief. Other times, there are concepts of sexual intimacy and maturity being explored. There is even, to some degree, aspects of the psychological genre (loneliness and isolation) - which is to be expected coming from the man behind Evangelion. Overall, its quite 'realistic.'

CHARACTERS: (7.5/10)
The characters were real solid. We get introduced to a good band of individuals, with their own set of personalities and interesting story arcs. There wasn't a character that deemed to be 'annoying' or 'useless.' Each had their own part to play.

ANIMATION: (6/10)
The animation was 'fine' at best. There were times however, that felt like I was watching a Manga rather than an Anime. Certain scenes didn't quite feel 'intimate' enough as well - especially during a romantic atmosphere. It usually consisted of still images just like the panels of a Manga. Even so, being a 90s Anime, there were parts with great cityscapes and sunrises/sunsets.

THE ENDING THEME SONG: (6/10)
Not as strong as the opening, but still catchy and rather winsome. Again, we are given Evangelion vibes - this time with the panning of real life buildings and corridors of schools and rooms in Japan. Iti s quite interesting to watch - a fairly unique ending theme.

DUB or SUB? (7.5/10)
To be honest, both are pretty great in my opinion. There is quite a significant difference however. Ideally the Sub expressed characters as sounding more 'lighthearted' and 'young' in comparison to the English version. The Dub cast provided more 'mature' voices. In fact, Arima came across to be quite 'deep' and 'sexy.'

Personally, I liked the DUB.

OVERALL: (8/10)
Give this series a go! Its a great breath of fresh air from the typical Shoujo Anime being released today (despite its launch in 1998). Kare Kano represents what a Shoujo series can be. It handles certain relationships and direction of plot in both a delicate and mature manner.

ADDITIONAL NOTES:

- The ending wasn't very satisfying.

- There are a few episodes that contain fillers or recaps.

- Kare Kano supposedly ends half way through episode 24. The remaining two and a half episodes drifted away form the story. (Budget?)

- It contains 'Josei' elements.

- I suggest to read the Manga, as it fills in the gaps substantially.