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Ah yes, Sword Art Online. The show that people either love to love or love to hate. There is plenty of justification for either selection really; but which one is "more correct"? I'm quite convinced that this is one of those shows that elitists love to hate simply because it's overwhelmingly popular. For comparison, it's similar to One Piece, Naruto, and Bleach. In my opinion, they all have huge flaws that realistically keep them from being masterpieces, but are nevertheless enjoyable. Sword Art Online fits this description perfectly. It isn't that great, but it isn't really that bad either. MAL offers a nice little breakdown ... of ratings that is very suitable for this series. Therefore, let's take a look shall we?

Story - 5/10 -
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I find it hard to imagine that most anime fans, without knowing anything but the basic premise of SAO, wouldn't at least be intrigued by the story of SAO. Many of us are RPG fans, myself included, which might have us drooling at the very thought of a VR MMORPG (I prefer the classic JRPG myself). However, the promising synopsis suddenly turns into a disaster of sorts. The first half, especially the first few episodes, is quite good. These first few episodes are dark and engaging in that it keeps you on the edge of your seat.

You actually feel some emotion from the main character that is rather believable; and that, my friends, is necessary for good storytelling. There are differing opinions on this, but I don't believe one bit of it. I'm convinced that those who especially hate the first handful or so, haven't even seen them. They aren't the makings of a masterpiece, oh no, but awfully close. Then...the descent begins...

The story begins to take a turn for the worse. A lot is forced down the throat of the viewer. It becomes quite tedious. It just isn't as believable as the first few episodes. Sadly, it gets worse. Once the first "arc" is over, however, the story begins to clutch at straws. I've never read the light novel, but I don't need to...this portion was a mistake. This is where the story truly attains the peak of mediocrity. This is where the haters have reason to hate. This is the ultimate reason why I have given it a 5/10...half good...half not good.

Art - 9/10-
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It doesn't take a rocket scientist to see that I enjoy the art. The art is pretty good no matter how you look at it. Everything is beautifully detailed, which is what one would expect of a modern anime. The characters are also well done. Everything about this series in regards to art is beautifully done. It's not my favorite style of art, but when reviewing, it's important to minimize one's opinion as much as possible.

Sound - 9/10-
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I'm never really sure what to really include under this subsection. Ummmmm....the music is great? It fits the tone of the show which is what one wants when watching anything. The theme songs are memorable which may or may not add to your experience. Basically, what I'm trying to say is that there's really nothing wrong with the sound. It's great, a 9 out of 10, end of story.

Character -5/10-
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This is the most controversial subsection of the entire rating. That sentence looks ridiculous no matter how I look at it. Anyway, I say controversial because some people think there was excellent character development and there are some who think the opposite. I have mixed feelings towards both departments. You'd be a fool to think that there isn't any character development. There is some real contemplation between the two characters that many of us would likely consider. The worst of it, however, is so typical among these types of anime (see Bleach). We are introduced to so many characters yet fail to see anything "real" about them. We meet character after character, and in a spout of magic, they disappear. Yes, I get one-time characters, but these characters are supposed to be notable. What's the opposite of notable? That's right, forgettable. Trust me, you don't want that.

Once the first half of episodes were over, I began to mock the show and its characters (much like I did for Accel World). The plot reaches such a point of ridiculosity that it becomes incomprehensible. The love triangle is so piss poor that it makes the villains' seem that much more awesome. Oh, and I assure you that the villains are not awesome. In fact, they are as far as possible from awesome. The reasoning they offer for their "crimes" are absolutely pathetic. To put it nicely; the actions of the characters are forced down our throats so much that we begin to lose interest and in the end we just don't care. How can a show be a masterpiece if by the end, we just don't care?

Enjoyment -6/10-
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I'd like to point out that I probably enjoyed the show more than my rating suggests. Does that make sense? It does!? Good. The first half of the show had me impatiently waiting for each new episode. It was probably THE show I looked forward to the most for this particular season. Unfortunately, this changed, and I was forced to sit through some tediously boring episodes. It was hard to fathom how I could experience such a change. I felt as though I was being trolled. I started to play around with the idea that I was simply viewing a spin-off, but nobody is that cruel, right?

To those still questioning, I say to you, it is enjoyable enough. Not very convincing, is it? Unfortunately, it's the truth. The second half of the series shoots the entire show into the net of 'meh, it was enjoyable enough, I suppose'. That pissed me off. The entire show seems to a metaphorical kick in the...well...you know. Don't worry; I didn't forget the female anime viewers. To them, it's like a punch to the...well..I'll let you pick, I've heard both are painful. To sum the enjoyment factor up in to two words would be easy: it flops.

Overall -6/10-
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I had a hard time not giving this a five. I ultimately decided that the show isn't mediocre. I don't believe that the ENTIRE show is mediocre. I'd even be willing to give the first half an 8 (if I was feeling generous), but the second half really hangs around the 4 or 5 range. It just simply isn't needed. It's frustrating for us fans when we know that the creators struggled to find a good reason to continue. It's even more frustrating when a series shows such high potential only to be ridiculous in the end. The photo for its entry on this website is even misleading. There are characters there we hardly learn anything about. That should tell you a lot about this show. But is it as bad as some people say? No. Is it as good as some people say? No. If there's one point I wanted to make throughout this review, that would be it. Neither side is right. It really is smack-dab in the middle. If this series was split into two seasons, you'd have a 'very good' (8/10) season and a 'decent' or 'mediocre' (4 or 5/10). For me, that is the absolute truth; but hey, it's stilll better than Accel World (doesn't take much).

If there is one thing Square-Enix is good at, well, it's cashing in on sequels and remakes, most of which are completely worthless. While I have no problems with ports, it's the remakes and sequels which really grind my gears. The FF III remake was horrible in so many ways (it introduced characters who were nothing more than names). FF IV for the DS wasn't much better (can't even use Bahamut without Zeromus countering...what is with all the countering?). Anyways, VII wasn't my first Final Fantasy, nor is it my favorite, and certainly by no means is it the best in the series. However, I ... am by no means a VII hater as I certainly do love the game. Is it overrated...yes...but it is by no means horrible. My love for the game was ultimately "pissed on" by the creation of this and other side stories/sequels. I can no longer view the FF VII universe the same way after viewing this. Anyways, onto the review.

*OCCASIONAL SPOILERS AHEAD*

Story:

As many assumed, the story is a continuation of Final Fantasy VII. However, I use the word continuation very loosely here. The story is easy enough to follow, but it's certain things about the story which fuel my extreme hatred for it. The thing that bothered me most are the inclusion of Kadaj, Loz, and Yazoo. The original story pretty much defeats any reason these three should exist. Yes, I understand that it's supposed to be a continuation, but therein lies the problem that any sequel should exist. The inclusion of Rufus also pissed me off. Those who are familiar with FF VII saw exactly what happened, and know that what Rufus achieved is physically impossible. Upon seeing his inclusion, I no longer cared for the movie. The next thing that irritated me was Bahamut Sin. What is it? What is it doing there? I have always liked Bahamut, and this was simply done in bad taste. There was no reason for Bahamut Sin to be in this movie, and in all actuality there was no reason this movie should even exist.

*END SPOILERS*

Art:

The art is superb and one of the only quality factors found within this movie. We get full CG versions of the FF VII characters. It's beautiful. Some of the designs are a bit different but I see no reason to rant about that. Everything about the art is, well, great.

Sound:

The sound was the other factor of quality found within this jumbled mess. I am so thankful Nobuo Uematsu helped compose the music for Advent Children. A plethora of musical genres is used, ranging from symphonic to rock. I was mostly pleased with the soundtrack, which is more than I can say about FF XII and XIII. Even X had its weak moments. However, that is neither here nor there. Kyosuke Himuro of Boøwy contributes "Calling" to the ending credits. So if you're a fan of him, you'll be quite happy. Of course several FF VII classics return albeit a little reimagined. Overall though, I was pleased.

Character:

The characters had all already been developed. We had seen every facet of emotion possible from the characters in FF VII. Square-Enix wanted to please the fanboys of this game (mostly westerners) by creating a pointless sequel with equally as pointless characters. In my opinion FF VII was complete. There was nothing more that could be done. There was no development, and how could there be? FF VII was done, and we get nothing more than what I wish wasn't real. A sequel that contradicts many events from the first game. Essentially characters new and old, who do nothing but ruin FF VII. I am just thankful they hadn't completely ruined the Zack storyline yet ("sigh" see Crisis Core).

Enjoyment:

As I stated before, the appearance of a certain character from VII immediately reduced my enjoyment to nothing. If it wasn't for the quality CG and action, I can't find any logical reason someone would enjoy this film (except the fanboys of course). To go on a small tangent, I find it quite hilarious that most people who view VII as the best are mostly those who started with it and have only played VII onwards. It is no coincidence that those same people are the ones who mostly view this film as a masterpiece. Anyways, I actually fell asleep during my first viewing of the film. Subsequent views were subject to similar boredom though not quite on the same level. Nonetheless, it was still nothing more than a chore to finish (much like X, XII, and XIII). However, if you simply enjoy action and could care less about the story, then you may find enjoyment. However, beyond that, I cannot comprehend any enjoyment.

Overall:

I actually tried watching Advent Children as a film and nothing more, and even then it is still just as bland and tasteless. In reality any FF fan should feel the same. The contradictions speak for themselves. There is absolutely no justification for these contradictions, and nor will there ever be. The movie ruined a franchise which many of us hold dear. This movie, along with FF X, directly contribute to the downfall of the series and IMO is the official beginning of Final Fantasy's decline. It's no mystery that I have a severe hatred for this film, as well as the seemingly endless sequels that followed. If you read the entire review, you may also notice that I could care less for any game beyond IX. I personally blame Tetsuya Nomura, a simple monster designer, who now wields way too much power. It's hard to view this movie as nothing more than a pitiful attempt to cash in on greater things before it.

I must admit that I was skeptical of a nearly 3 hour Haruhi Suzumiya movie. The first series was quite good, but I found it quite hard to enjoy the second series (or season 1.5 as I like to call it). It wasn't simply the endless eight either (a good idea just dragged out) as I found it hard to watch even the rest of the series. However, being the completionist that I am, I decided to watch this film of, well, genius. I will, of course, include no spoilers or at least I hope not to.

ART - If you've seen the other Haruhi ... Suzumiya series then this will be no different. However, I did notice it was a bit more "artsy". What I mean by that is it seemed to take on a more atmospheric role. I found this film to be less colorful than any of the other Haruhi Suzuimya series. That is definitely not a bad thing as it fit the tone of the movie.

SOUND - The 2006 series opening was the opening for this movie, so that may be a welcomed addition. The rest of the music is mostly different than what you would hear in the series as it is definitely more cinematic (it is a movie after all). It is a bit more piano and strings oriented, and thus it adds to the atmosphere. I would classify the film as mostly a mystery, and therefore the music fits perfectly.

CHARACTER - Again the characters are mostly the same if you watched the series but I did notice a bit of a difference in Kyon though (well Nagato as well, but that's beside the point). His plight is what accounts for this. The relationship between Kyon and Haruhi is explored a bit as they technically (think really hard on this if you've seen it) are without each other for a few days in this movie. They basically come to the realization about the importance they have in each others lives. My favorite scene is definitely when Kyon runs to meet the disrupted time flow's Haruhi. This is not only touching, but quite awesome or at least I thought so.

ENJOYMENT - As I mentioned before, I was quite skeptical of a nearly 3 hour Haruhi movie. I will say right now that all the skepticism I had was thrown out the window within the first 10 minutes. Despite its length, the movie is phenomenal in that it draws you in and refuses to spit you out until you have finished watching. My eyes were glued the second I started this film. For me, I owe it to the mystery of Kyon's plight. We truly delve into his inner emotions and feel for the character as we should. In all honesty, this movie ranks as one of the greatest I have ever seen, and I have seen some great films (Seven Samurai comes to mind). I find it nearly impossible for one not to enjoy this movie.

STORY - I decided to save the story for last as it may be the hardest to review. The second I stopped watching this piece of cinematic glory, I thought to myself that I needed to review it. This movie impacted me that incredibly. The story is phenomenal. A type of story where you wonder how the creator could have possibly thought of such a thing. A lot of loose ends are tied up as we are gifted with a wonderfully constructed plot. The story is mostly a mystery, and Kyon (the poor soul that he is) is forced to solve it. Kyon's emotions and his relationships with the other SOS Brigade members are explored immensely. However, I would say his relationship with Haruhi is the relationship on which the spotlight shines most. The movie must be watched in order to grasp the brilliance of it.

OVERALL - Obviously I was quite impressed with this film. Though I would consider myself a fan of the franchise, I had felt it was a bit overrated. This film single-handedly saved the franchise for me. The film is never boring even though it is nearly 3 hours, and the characters are as fascinating as always. I seriously cannot find a single flaw with this movie. I only hope that you enjoy it as much as I did.

While there are mounds and mounds of great anime, there is also most certainly mounds and mounds of bad anime. In fact, the number in the "bad" category surely surpasses the amount in the "good" category. It's clear what my stand is on this anime by just looking at the rating which I have given it. However, the tough part is knocking the feelings when viewing this anime into a simple coherent review. Bear with me, as this is my very first review....ever.

STORY - I guess I will start with the story, the fantastic story. The story is mostly a parody of more modern ... mecha anime, which just so happens to include a parody of your typical 70s/80s mecha anime. Fans of every genre will find something to like within this series. Fans of harems, romance, action, mecha, comedy, parody, and drama will all find something to like here. It's simply a jack of all trades among anime. Truly one of the more diverse series. After the halfway mark, the story begins to answer questions found earlier in the series. The story takes a life of its own and is no longer just a simple parody, and several twists take place. Though the comedy fades slightly, I'm willing to bet it will be near impossible for anyone to drop the series at this point as it still retains its delightful addictiveness.

ART - Yes the art is from the mid to late 90s which may cause a problem for some people. It did for me as I'm very much now used to the extravagant art of today's anime. There's nothing really wrong with it, it's just dated. I did notice some problems with Haruka Minato though. For some reason it just seemed like she was differently drawn than the other characters. Once you get by the fact that it's from the the mid to late 90s, you'll have no problem enjoying the art. Another thing to point out is how well the 70s/80s stereotypical mecha anime characters are included into a more modern mecha series.

SOUND - The opening theme, "You Get to Burning" is insanely catchy and will probably stick in your head for awhile. The ending theme, "Watashi Rashiku" is equally as good, and will probably follow suit, and stick in your head as well. The bgm is typical science fiction fare. It fits the setting, and none of the music is out of place, which is great, considering the diversity of this series.

CHARACTER - One of the best features of this show. You get great diversity within the cast. The tomboyish girl, the moe girl, the ditz, the justice loving guy, the "afraid to fight" guy, etc...etc. The best part is how wacky the crew is, yet they are all extremely qualified for their positions. You'll see what I mean when you first see Yurika. The relationships between characters are also really well done. You'll feel sorry for some, while hating several others. In my opinion that equates to a great series. To fully appreciate the cast, if it weren't obvious enough, the series must be watched in full. Also, I feel it's near impossible to not fall in love with Ruri, you'll see what I mean.

ENJOYMENT - The series is highly addictive and very entertaining. When you're not laughing, you could be feeling one of many emotions guaranteed while watching this show. It has its dramatic moments, but you'll be mostly laughing throughout the series. It's a great anime, and I feel it would be very hard to not appreciate at least a little.

OVERALL - I make it my goal to watch a series that usually places among those considered the best in anime, and though I just finished this series, I have to say it is one of the best I've ever seen. It was highly addictive and hilarious. It had great characters, and a decent plot. Oh and did I mention it was hilarious? One of the best features is the diversity of genres within Martian Successor Nadesico. There is literally something there for fans of nearly any genre to appreciate (except for horror). I would certainly make it in my best interest to view this series as soon as possible.