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“The scars you can’t see are the hardest to heal.”
Tomori Nao (Charlotte)


To start off, I am writing this review so I can really give potential viewers an idea of what this show has to offer, without influencing their opinion with a biased score. This show seems to be a classic hit or miss anime, which is very well reflected in the range of review scores given. Most of the reviews on this show award either a perfect score (10), or an absolute rubbish one (1-4). I think I understand why these ratings are given (and will give my opinions on this later on in the ... review), but I don’t think it’s the right way to review this show objectively. People who read these reviews shouldn’t be met with a bunch of bad ratings (and discouraged from watching it) just because a couple of people who didn’t enjoy this show as much gave it a 1, because that is just not a rating this show deserves. You might not have enjoyed this show but that doesn’t mean all those people will dislike it as well. The same goes for the people who gave the show a 10. This anime is personally one of my favorites, yet I don’t rate it a 10 as opposed to the other anime in my favorite list due to the fact that I review the show objectively rather than the enjoyment it gave me. I won’t include any hopes I had for this anime, nor my personal feelings towards it. But I digress.


Story: 5.5/10

Charlotte is a 13-episode story about Yuu Otasaka, a teenager with a special ability: he has the ability to slip into people's minds and fully control their body for five seconds. When he uses – or rather abuses – this skill for his own good, he is caught by Nao Tomori, a girl from a different school who also has her own special ability: it turns out he is not the only one with powers in this world. Together with Takajou Joujirou she tries to stop every ability user from using their ability so they can live a normal high school life. Yuu joins Nao Tomori and together they try to stop the abuse of abilities in the area, day by day. While the start of this anime feels simple and just like any other “supernatural” slice of life anime (typical Key anime anyone?), Charlotte starts of quite well. The first few episodes introduce us to the characters and really introduce us to the darker story that follows. While the first part of the show should have been a bit shorter (it felt a bit stretched out), I wasn’t too bothered by it as it didn’t make the show boring or repetitive. From episode 7 onwards the show suddenly takes quite a few unexpected turns, and (sadly) starts to feel rushed. There is just too little time (episodes) to tell the story they wanted to tell. Honestly the story had a lot of potential and possibly would have been much better if it had been a 24 episode show, or if the start had been a little faster. I think episodes 6 up and until 13 (especially 13) are the reason some people were severely disappointed by this show. Whether you like Charlotte depends on how much you enjoyed the show up until this point and how much you mind the rushed feel of the second half of the show. Objectively speaking the story as a whole is definitely nothing to be praised, but it isn’t as bad as people portray it to be (it’s probably just not as good as most people hoped it’d be, as like most Key titles it was highly anticipated). That being said, the story is still likely to pull you in from the start and you just might be one of the people who don’t mind the second half as much and enjoy it a lot, so I definitely recommend watching these 13 episodes anyway. Overall I think the story deserves a 5.5; the minimal passing grade. The show could have been a masterpiece if the story wasn’t this sloppy.


Art: 9/10

Charlotte absolutely deserves praise for its art: even for 2015 the art is top tier. Everything just looks really clean, the characters look amazing, the colors are great and the art manages to portray the atmosphere of the scene well at all times. It never feels rushed or sloppy and the characters are drawn really well too. There are pretty much no complaints to be made here other than the fact that the animation could have been a little bit better.


Sound: 9/10

The voice acting and background music in this show is absolutely amazing. The background music is never out of place and really strengthens the mood the scene is trying to portray; the powerful and sad scenes will most likely hit you hard (they sure did for me). The only reason the show doesn’t score a 10 on sound is because I think the OP and ED music weren’t that special or memorable. All in all Charlotte did a great job on the audio of the show.


Characters: 9/10

In my opinion, the characters really are Charlotte’s strongest point. The (main) characters are written in such a way that you are bound to like them, but most of all care for them. This allows you to feel sad when something sad happens to the characters (and trust me, you will feel). Because the characters are written so well you keep wondering what will happen to them, which in turn keeps you interested in the rest of the story. All main characters have some very simple and recognizable traits, but this doesn’t mean there is no character development at all. Yuu is the only character that really develops much over the course of the show (and he develops quite well), but I don’t think it’s a bad thing that the other characters don’t develop as much. The story is pretty short which would have left very little room for the main characters who get less screen time to actually develop well, so it probably would have felt rushed if they did develop a lot. I personally loved the character of Tomori, but I think all of their characters were very likable. The characters in Charlotte are definitely worthy of a near perfect score and really saved the show where the story/plot lacked.


Enjoyment: 10/10

I won’t take the enjoyment into account in my final rating, but to me Charlotte was incredibly enjoyable to the point where I rated the show a 10 on my MAL and it became one of my absolute favorites. I think the show is really powerful and is able to really play with your feelings: the sad moments hit me like a ton of bricks, I laughed a lot at the earlier episodes and I have been genuinely happy for the characters. I personally wasn’t so bothered by the sloppy second half of the show because I was still hit really hard by the powerful moments of the show and still cared a lot about the characters. I couldn’t refrain myself from watching all 13 episodes in a row. That being said, objectively speaking the show is far from perfect.


All in all I honestly recommend watching Charlotte, as it’s only 13 episodes and you definitely might be one of the people to whom this show is a masterpiece. Just don’t go in with ridiculous expectations like most people did and you just might enjoy yourself!

“There's no such thing as useless effort.”
Kagami Taiga (Kuroko no Basket)

So, as I have nothing to waste, I will bring to you a review of the immensely praised show that is Kuroko no Basket. Even though it is not a very popular show (not even in the top 100), most people that have watched it are immensely positive about it, and it made me wonder why. After being encouraged to watch the show several times, I figured it was the time to do so – and I can say it delivered. I soon became one of the people “enchanted” by the show.

Story: 9/10
Once upon a ... time, there was a basketball team that demolished each and every competition they came across: the all-star team of Teiko Junior High. The team consisted of 5 basketball players with each an astonishing amount of talent, and their own unique speciality: the Generation of Miracles After junior high school ended, the team naturally broke up – the prodigies all joined different high schools with great basketball teams. However, fairly unknown is that there was actually a 6th player which played in the all-star team of Teiko Junior High: Kuroko Tetsuya. This so called “phantom” player joined a new school, with an unknown basketball team, unlike the other prodigies. At this school, Seirin High, Kuroko meets Kagami Taiga, a natural basketball talent who has just returned from America (where he had lived for some years). Together, they are aiming to beat the generation of miracles, and become the strongest in Japan.

Overall it’s just a very solid storyline, which is able to keep the viewer interested over the course of episodes, but it’s not stunning either. It isn’t a very complex storyline which leaves the viewer thinking, but rather a very simple storyline which is enjoyable to watch. The show does not have much filler, yet is not too serious either – this was a huge plus to me. It was a very refreshing watch; a show I could really enjoy without putting too much thought into it. The pace is very good, as I found myself blowing through episodes one after another. However, I was a little disappointed at the predictability of some (or maybe most) of the matches, and the story as a whole. But that does not take away the fact that the story is very enjoyable. Most people that dislike KnB do so because of its unrealism – but I don’t agree on that. It’s the unique abilities and unrealistic shots that keep the viewer thrilled. I think the majority of the people would not like watching very plain basketball games as seen in real life. In short, Kuroko no Basket features a simple, yet very enjoyable story.

Art: 8/10
Nothing astonishing here, nothing bad either. It is not a visual masterpiece, but some episodes really had a nice atmosphere to them due to the excellent animation in them. The drawing style is nothing to complain about either. Overall, I’d say that given the budget, they did a great job on the art: it is more than decent.


Sound: 9/10
Sound is one of the aspects in which KnB really shines. The openings and endings are very good (and fitting), but even more impressive is the soundtrack during the episodes. They really manage to enhance the atmosphere of the matches and make episodes more thrilling than they already are. The sound acting is very well done as well – the sound as a whole is just excellent.

Characters: 9/10
As for the characters, logically, the biggest focus is on Kuroko and Kagami. They are thoroughly described, and made to be very likeable: they both have characterising traits which perfectly fit their basketball abilities. The 5 “Prodigies” are very well done too – as far as the ones we get to know in season 1. Furthermore, we get to know a variety of characters in the high school basketball scene. While they weren’t all given the necessary description (for example, I think the other players in Seirin could have gotten more of a backstory), they were still decent enough to fulfil their roles.

Enjoyment: 10/10
I honestly enjoyed Kuroko no Basket as much as I was told I would. While the show definitely has some flaws and is not nearly as enthralling or well thought out as others (I’m looking at you, Fate/Zero, Steins;Gate), it still turned out to be a great source of enjoyment. The matches actually did manage to keep me on the edge of my seat, and managed to get me to play basketball myself! It made me want to try those fascinating shots in real life, and got me to look up more about basketball as well. In short, if you are looking for a refreshing (perhaps simple) anime, or just really like sports shows, then you should certainly give this show a watch – because that’s what Kuroko no Basket has to offer.

“No one knows what the future holds. That’s why its potential is infinite.”
Okabe Rintarou (Steins;Gate)


Such a powerful quote, from an anime at least just as powerful. It’s one of the many wise quotes featured in the excellent time travelling tale called Steins;Gate. It is a story praised by many, and I think the show is definitely worthy of all its praise: it’s an excellent piece of work. Steins;Gate is, in essence, a unique anime. There’s not a single show that I found to be comparable to Steins;Gate.
But why does everyone think of Steins;Gate as such a masterpiece?



Story: 10/10
Steins;Gate is about Okabe Rintarou, a “mad scientist” ... who spends his time hanging out in his laboratory with his friends Mayuri and Daru. Ocassionally, they manage to invent futuristic gadgets, though these are never worth mentioning. The first few episodes may turn you down, as it seems like your general slice of life/comedy anime. However, when their most interesting invention, the Phone Microwave, turns out to be able to send text messages through time, everything changes: the text messages sent to the past have a huge impact on the present. When Okabe, in a horrifying way, finds out about an evil organization called SERN, and their ways, he is forced to use time travelling methods to prevent from getting captured – and stop their plans. This (around episode 9) is where the amazing Sci-Fi thriller fires up its engines, and puts the viewer on the edge of their seat. What follows is a fascinating (somewhat complex) plot, which manages to blow your mind each episode. Steins;Gate is not just your generic time traveling show; the plot is executed perfectly. Hardly ever before have I encountered such a well thought through plot as featured in Steins;Gate. The show features several jumps in time, but still manages to keep the viewers’ attention without confusing them. The pace present in Steins;Gate is not lacking either – in fact, from episode 9 onwards the show holds a perfect pace. Piece by piece, the mystery of the events that happen is unveiled, working towards a fantastic, satisfying ending. (Which is very rare, especially for a show with such a complex plot) Story - and plot wise, Steins;Gate is pretty much an unprecedented piece of art, and I think it might stay so for a while.


Art: 8/10
This is the field in which Steins;Gate lacks the most. Steins;Gate isn’t a show with a huge budget, and therefore it is to be expected that the art isn’t jaw-dropping. However, this doesn’t mean that the art is bad, or that the drawing style is unbearable. In fact, the goal of the art is to portray the atmosphere as well as possible – and it does: the art style simply has a way more realistic feel to it than your generic anime.


Sound: 8/10
Amazing voice acting, nice opening, and decent BGM. There were quite some moments where I think there could have been made better use of background music, which is why it misses out on a perfect score here. Nonetheless, very solid sound overall.


Characters: 10/10
What can I say, the characterization in this one is just fantastic. The characters are written in such a way that you are bound to like them. They all have their own likeable and recognizable traits, which are perfectly described from the start: Makise Kurisu the tsundere, Daru the nerd, Mayuri the childish girl, and so on. I found myself having a weak spot for Kurisu in no time. There’s hardly any character development, but I think this is not necessarily a bad thing; it would only distract from the fantastic plot that is ahead of the viewer. The only character which, logically so, develops, is Okabe: you’ll find him changing in character over the course of episodes, due to the events that unfold. But this is all for the better: this development is, again, done exceptionally well. The development has a very realistic feeling to it (And so do all the characters in general), which makes the story as a whole even more compelling.


Enjoyment: 10/10
Steins;Gate is one of the few shows that manages to score a 10 on enjoyment for me. Like most people, I found Steins;Gate hard to get into, as the first few episodes don’t really cover much ground. However, once the engine got running, I was hooked. I couldn’t refrain myself from watching episode after episode, slowly crawling to the awesome ending ahead. And I think most people would; as the plot is set up in such a way to keep you hooked each episode. If you are a fan of Sci-Fi, then you will surely enjoy this anime – but that’s not a necessity. Steins;Gate is an anime that is very likely to keep you hooked. So go ahead, you won't waste your precious time. In fact, you might want to go back in time to watch it again!

"Glory lies beyond the horizon. Challenge it because it is unreachable. Speak of conquest and demonstrate it"

Rider (Fate/Zero)

And thus, I shall try conquering the hearts of my readers, as every soul deserves to see the jewel of an anime that is Fate/Zero.

*This review accounts for both season 1 and season 2 of Fate/Zero.

Fate/Zero, prequel to the widely known series Fate/stay night, details the events of the 4th Holy Grail War; 10 years prior to the events as seen in Fate/stay night, which covers the 5th Holy Grail War. The setting is not any different:
- 7 Masters, which are usually magicians, all with the ... goal of obtaining the Holy Grail
- 7 Servants, summoned by these magicians, to fight for them in their quest to obtain this Grail
- 1 Holy Grail, a relic which has the power to grant any wish.

Just like in Fate/stay night, this all takes place in Fuyuki City, in Japan: it is here where you will see some incredibly epic fights between the 7 so called "Masters" and their "Servants”. Now what makes this setting any different from your generic action anime?



Story: 10/10
Yes, from the plot synopsis, the story might seem like your generic action anime: a Battle Royale setting, where several chosen ones fight to their deaths, all for one goal. What makes Fate/Zero different (and also different from its sequel) is the great execution of this story, the perfect pacing that it provides and the amazing atmosphere that you find yourself in. Fate/Zero doesn’t fool around - it is a story with a very serious atmosphere. You will find hardly any comedy or romance, but In this case it did not bother me at all. In fact, I’m glad that Fate/Zero went with a “no bullshit” policy, because it keeps you focused throughout the whole series. Fate/Zero has quite the complex storyline, which might leave you to think it over at times. But it is this complexity in which Fate/Zero excels: they managed to create a perfect plot, in which every event that you see has its own purpose and consequences. Because there is no clear protagonist in Fate/Zero, you will find yourself wondering what’s going to happen next the whole time, which makes this anime a thrilling experience by itself. Moreover, because you get a good view into each and every Master’s personality traits, background, and desires, you are able to develop some kind of feelings for every single one of them. You will most likely find yourself having a clear favourite in this war, and you will most likely detest some of the others. There are no plot holes, and the ending is so well thought through, that it leaves the viewer astonished.


Art: 10/10
Stunning. Fate/Zero features the best animation I have seen in an anime so far. They managed to create an atmosphere that perfectly resembles the story. The character design is amazing as well.


Sound: 9/10
The sound is the only field on which Fate/Zero did not manage to score a 10 for me – but that does not make it any worse. The voice acting (I watched in sub) is nothing to complain about – in fact, I enjoyed listening to every character as they all have great voice acting. The openings are great (I particularly like the first opening), and the BGM is very good, and fitting to the story as well. It is just (barely) not exceptional enough for a perfect score.


Character: 10/10
The characters are another field in which Fate/Zero truly excels. I personally have yet to see any characterization which can compete to the brilliance that is provided in Fate/Zero. Not only every master, but every servant as well, plays a key role to the plot – and every character is complex. Every character is written so well, that you are bound to have some form of feelings for each and every one of them. The easily loved servant Rider, one of the most charismatic characters in existence, Archer, a villain with an unmatchable pride, and of course, Saber, one of the greatest female protagonists, are all written in such a way that you might even have trouble picking your favourite. And these are only 3 characters out of an never-ending list of complex characters. I feel like I could not describe every single character well enough, or at least not well enough to give it the credit it deserves. Fate/Zero just did an amazing job with the characters. Period.


Enjoyment: 10/10
This one is easy; absolutely a 10. There’s not even a handful of anime which I have enjoyed as much as Fate/Zero. It kept me on the edge of my seat throughout the whole series, and left me with a feeling of darkness. It is this feeling that made me feel obliged to write this review, as I cannot let other anime fans miss out on the sheer amount of brilliance that Fate/Zero provides.
If you are seeking a thrilling experience, a story which leaves you questioning, a plot without holes, and amazing characterization, then do not hesitate to watch Fate/Zero, for it is certain that you will enjoy this anime.