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Have you ever watched a show that was far more epic than it had any right to actually be? Well, that's how I felt while watching Ben-To. The whole premise of this anime is so absurd and yet it just... works. The moment I started watching it I just couldn't take my eyes off of it. The art was just beautiful, the music adrenaline inducing, the characters lovable, it was just all around great.

This anime isn't your typical underdog anime where the protagonist spends the whole series trying to become top dog, or in this case, wolf. No, by episode 3 he has already joined ... the upper echelons of the wolves. And that is what makes this show so enjoyable. The protagonist fights against other equally strong Bento Brawlers. It's a fight to see who can claim the half-priced Bento boxes. Even the strongest of wolves can be defeated which makes it clearer that this show doesn't intend for Sato to become the strongest. He just wants to brawl for Bento and that is exactly what he does.

Just by watching this show, it isn't hard to tell that the fights are the real spectacle. A good chunk of the shows budget went into the fights themselves which are fast, fluid, and just plain beautiful. And of course, any good fight needs a beautiful prize to make it worth all that hassle, and the Bento boxes are drawn with such artistic beauty that it makes my mouth water every time I see one. It also makes me wish Bento brawls really existed and that they were in the US because I would totally participate even though I'm not that strong.

And of course, no good anime is complete without a pulse-pounding soundtrack. I haven't been able to find the actual names of the some of my favorite tracks which is disappointing, but its enough to just hear them in the series proper. My favorite song of course is pretty much the Bento Brawl main theme. It starts off really nice, peaceful, and then it kicks up into a heart racing pace and before you know it, all of the characters are beating the crud out of each other just for some half-priced Bento.

Of course, Ben-To has a story. It's split into multiple two to three episode story arcs. I can't say that they're the greatest story arcs, but things get better by the end. The two best arcs are the Monarch Arc and the Orthros Arc. I'll let you figure out exactly why.

All in all, this series was just plain amazing and the English dub was almost perfect. So kudos to Funimation and Bang Zoom! I'm pretty sure I'm gonna end up watching this series a couple of times just for the fights alone. And don't forget to thank the god of discounts.

Anime based around games have become quite prevalent in recent years with series such as Sword Art Online, Accel World, Log Horizon, and .Hack//The Movie: Beyond the World. But one thing that all of those series have in common is being based around video games in particular, with the more prevalent setting being an MMORPG. Whether it be Sword Art Online's, well, Sword Art Online, Log Horizon's Elder Tale, or DotHack's The World. Accel World was a bit of a special snowflake because it was a fighting game, but a video game none the less.

No Game, No Life is quite different from those series however. ... It shuns the notion of having any kind of video game for a setting, instead having the main characters who are social recluses and extremely skilled gamers get transported into the world of Disboard. Disboard is not a video game. It is a living, breathing fantasy world where all disputes are settled by playing games. And games does not refer to video games. This makes the world so unique in my opinion and that was a big draw for me. I loved seeing how simple games like Chess came to life and were played like they were alive. It was this breath of fresh air.

This world allows this unique story to occur, where two summoned Human beings are thrown into a world very much unlike their own, a world where the thing they do best is the one thing that can settle any dispute, and where the ultimate goal is to conquer the world and challenge the One True God for his title. This is the basic premise of No Game, No Life. And it feels so natural and kept me on the edge of my seat throughout the story.

The art style is also extremely fitting. Every character, every object, has a redish outline instead of the traditional black. Every color is extremely vibrant and full of life. The characters themselves have this sharpness that makes everything look clean and beautiful. This is a series that is best watched in high definition to enjoy the full beauty of its art.

If there's one thing that I found odd, it was that No Game, No Life didn't appear to have an actual theme. Typically when I watch an anime, I watch it for the deep themes that it carries. Anything else is merely a simple diversion and I would hardly call them my favorites by a long shot. But No Game, No Life is this rare oddity that I find myself loving more and more despite this. What this series does have, is deep backgrounds for the main characters. These characters treat life like a game, and they're so good at the game that they are constantly penalized for it. And that is why Disboard is like their heaven. This deep background balances out the fact that there is no readily apparent deep them to the story. In fact, the story is more concerned with being fun and exhilarating. The characters want to have fun, the world wants to have fun, the series just wants to have fun, and it wants you to have fun with it.

And that is what makes the main characters Sora and Shiro so loveable. They are immediately identifiable to many people worldwide. I watched this series in one straight sitting with two friends who are also gamers. And within four episodes, they were looking at me and telling me that I should cosplay as Sora because in their opinion I am a near perfect match for him, minus the hair and eyes. The mere thought that I was at all similar to Sora stuck with me throughout the rest of the series and it made it more personal. The other characters are also unique in their own ways.

And so when I look back on No Game, No Life, it was an unforgettable experience and one that I wish there was more of. The music, the art, the characters, the world, the story, all of it was just so great. Everything is a ten out of ten for me, except story. And the reason it got a point deducted off of it was because it left off as if a second season is inevitable. It felt final, and yet not final. But that is really the only negative I found in this series. And that is why I can recommend this series to pretty much anyone who doesn't mind fanservice.

Anime covers just about every genre there is and there is always something for everyone, no matter what your preference might be. That's the beauty of anime. It is all inclusive, yet still unique, still unlike anything else in this world. That doesn't mean that every anime that has ever been made is something to be cherished, but every once in a blue moon, a special cherry blossom appears. The brightest star amongst the dark night sky. Free!: Eternal Summer is that bright star.

I went into this series expecting a simple, fun anime. But what I discovered, was something far deeper than I could have ... ever imagined. The first season was emotional, but it was more about the fun, the joy of swimming. Eternal Summer goes above and beyond that, focusing on the future and our dreams. Deciding what we want from our future, what it is we long for in life, is crucial to succeeding in this world. Without a dream, we have no future. And without a future, we have nothing.

This overarching theme weighs heavy on our cast of characters. It is their third and final year of High School. Their third and final Summer together. The Seniors are posed with the same question that every Senior before them has been asked: Where do you plan to go after graduating? This weighs heavily on our band of joyous friends as they release the importance of their futures. The lives they've come to enjoy are beginning to change, and soon their lives will never be the same. This line of though leads to surprising confrontations, surprising revelations, and new determinations. Things that I have never seen so perfectly depicted in ANY form of media before.

Kyoto Animation pulled out all the stops for Eternal Summer. There was no holding back, and no looking back. The art is the greatest I have ever seen. It was at many times on par with the work of Ufotable. So beautiful and full of life and depth. And it also further proves that KyoAni is the undisputed king of water animation. Ever wave, every ripple, every drop of water looks so natural that it is hard to believe that it was drawn and animated. The beauty of the water is further emphasized when placed against the early morning sunrise and cherry blossom petals littering the surface of the water. Eternal Summer is a visual spectacle that is rivaled only by the infamous Kara no Kyoukai. And that in and of itself is an honor that very few are granted.

To top all of this off, the soundtrack tugs at all of your heartstrings, striking all the right chords. I almost cried on numerous occasions. It was unbelievable at first, but as the series went on I feel deeper and deeper into the rabbit hole. It drew me in with the sounds of the rushing water, the gasps of the characters, the raw emotion of the voiceovers, the authentic Australian English, and wonderful orchestra's. It was a feast for the ears, the mind, and the soul.

And yet, I'm sad that there will likely never be a Season 3, as the title Eternal Summer even suggests. This is the end of the adventures of the Iwatobi Swim Club gang. But... that for once isn't such a bad thing. As much as I want to see more of them, their story has already been told. And it would probably be next to impossible to top such a masterpiece as Eternal Summer.

Free!: Eternal Summer has accomplished something that only two anime, Clannad and Welcome to the NHK, have done before it: It left me in a state of catharsis. I sat in my chair and thought for a good while. Clannad made me question my life. Questions that I thought I had answered, were suddenly left unanswered. And so I strived to answer them once more, and I thought I had. Then Welcome to the NHK led me to the realization of just what I had become in my ignorance of the world, and I began to see things I had never seen before. And now Eternal Summer has taught me something that I will try my very best to never forget That I have to find my dream. It just won't find its way to me. I have to go looking for that dream myself, so that I can have a future. Nothing communicated that to me more than Eternal Summer. I have nothing, but praise for this season of Free! and I will never regret deciding to watch it. And so it is with that, that I can wholeheartedly recommend this series to everyone, anime fan and non-anime fan alike. This is a series that should be on everyone's anime Bucket List.

It is not very often that a Gundam series gets a sequel. In fact, it almost never, ever happens. Not unless you consider all the Universal Century series to be prequels/sequels to one another. But for the alternate universes, sequels are extremely rare. SEED is one of few to get a sequel, one that it honestly did not need and really does nothing for it. SEED Destiny is not a failure or flop by any stretch of the imagination. It is, however, kind of a rehash of the original SEED. Many plot points feel very familiar, along with the returning cast of characters who basically ... fill the same roles they did before. If I honestly wanted to, I could end the review right here. However, you all deserve an explanation so I will continue.

The characters of SEED Destiny are mostly the same as before. You have Kira Yamato who has now settled down with Lacus Clyne, Athrun Zala who has secretly settled down with Cagalli Yula Attha, and the rest are kind of off doing their own thing. And this is the perfect time to introduce a new main cast, right? Right? Well yes and no. For this series, we have a new main protagonist in Shinn Asuka, an orphan who watched as his parents and younger sibling were blown to bloody chunks right before his very eyes. Gruesome isn't it? It's kind of the pedigree of the SEED series as this point. Along with him we have Lunamaria and Meyrin Hawke along with PLANT Supreme Chancellor Guilbert Durandal. So really everyone except the new cast are living peacefully in this post war world. That is, until a new war brakes out. And at first only Athrun, who has returned to ZAFT, and the new cast are involved. Then Kira eventually gets involved and the story begins to spiral out of control from there.

The art remains largely identical to the original SEED in that it was all done by computer, though the CG does look somewhat better than before. The colors are nice and bright, the water looks great, the characters look cool. Everything is essentially still intact from the previous series. The only real difference being that the original cast now looks noticeably two years older as it should be. They look more mature somehow while still looking quite youthful and childlike. Their fashion sense is still kind of questionable though.

The sound effects are all reused and the music is more or less the same as it was before. Sure, the soundtrack is entirely new, but it sounds the same none the less due to the fact that this is a SEED sequel. And that isn't a minus. In my SEED review, the soundtrack was one of the best parts, and this soundtrack does not disappoint. More Rie Tanaka, more T.M. Revolution, and more piano songs. What's not to love about the soundtrack?

By this point you're probably beginning to wonder why I seem a bit agitated just talking about this series. Well, you already read my thoughts on the characters. They're pretty much the same in every aspect and the original cast honestly gets no further development. But what really grinds my gears with this series, is the fact that it did not stick to its guns AT ALL. It started out strong and showed a lot of promise by trying to tell a story about a new group of characters who were meant to be the successors to the original cast. However, that also required that they actually surpass the original cast. Which unfortunately did not happen because the writers wife was in love with Kira and Athrun, meaning that at the halfway mark of the series, when both characters were more or less supposed to(And sorry for the spoilers, but it is extremely hard to not emphasize my dislike without them) kick the bucket to let the new characters shine and have their own development... they didn't. Deus Ex Machina's be damned. The relationship between Athrun and Cagalli was also screwed up because the same person disliked Cagalli. It was just ridiculous how much of a mess the story became because of someone screwing around with it. It had a lot of potential to go big, but it chose to go home instead for no discernable reason.

Ok, I'm done venting now. So before I blow a gasket, I'm gonna end this review so I can cool off and go to bed because it is 5:17am as of the time of this writing. It is hard for me to recommend this series to anyone, but the most diehard SEED fans. I can watch it on a whim, but I'm not really satisfied with what was given. And as you'll notice I skipped the Theme portion of the review, and that is because this series is dual theme, the second of which doesn't pop up until about the 75% completion point. And so its a big spoiler and thus will not be discussed. In the end, SEED Destiny is not horrendous. It is however, a series that did not need to exist. Perhaps the flaws of Destiny could have been corrected had the SEED theatrical film actually be finished as it was the third and final part to the SEED saga. However, it appears that said theatrical film will never see the light of day and thus the SEED story will remain unfinished. Unless you're completely okay with how SEED or SEED Destiny ended, in which case the point is moot.

Addendum: While writing this review, I spoke of it as if it were the 50 episode television series. It is, however, the four part compilation film series. The films improve the storyline of Destiny to some extent, telling it from Athruns more neutral point of view, redoing some scenes, etc. So this gives Destiny some extra points in the story and character categories. If you must watch Destiny, I vastly recommend these films over the original TV series any day of the week because they are the undisputed definitive Destiny story.

Gundam is a very expansive series with universes that aren't connected at all. Well, that is, until the Black History occurs resulting in Turn A Gundam where all the Gundam universes collided to create the Correct Century. But there comes a time when a new gateway Gundam series is needed. The original Mobile Suit Gundam 0079 was released in 1979 and has not aged that well in twenty some years since it released at this point in time. So Sunrise created Gundam SEED, a series that was meant to serve as a new Gundam 0079 and be a new gateway point for newer fans. This ... had a 50/50 result. In Japan, the series is still heralded to this day as the greatest Gundam series to ever be created. However, it was no so warmly received here in the United States. So while it managed to do its job in its home country, it did not have the same effect here, and is actually by some to be the reason that interest in Gundam began to decline in the West. While I personally disagree, I can't deny that it definitely was not popular.

Part of the reason it did not fare so well here in the states was because of the characters, namely the protagonist Kira Yamato. Kira is a Coordinator, a Human that was either placed in an artificial womb to alter its genes or was born to at least one Coordinator parent. So this automatically makes him a special snowflake. But what really caused his downfall in the eyes of the viewers was the multiple Deus Ex Machina's that saved his life on more than one occasion. This resulted in Kira being given the not so kind nickname of Jesus. That's not to say he's a bad character. He's very idealistic and these ideals are constantly put to the test throughout the series. This is also in conflict with many other characters who do not share his ideals. Chief among them being his best friend Athrun Zala who fights on the opposite side of the war, and thus represents an opposing viewpoint. The character designs were done by CLAMP. If you're familiar with their work(xxxHolic, Code Geass, Tsubasa Chronicles), then you should know what to expect. Almost all of the characters are lean, with long arms and legs, big eyes, but otherwise still good looking characters, and quite possibly some of the more realistic proportions that CLAMP has ever done.

Gundam SEED is arguably one of the most adult Gundam series ever made for two reasons. Reason #1) It is the one and only Gundam series to depict a sexual act. Not imply, actually visually depicted and further expanded upon in the compilation films much to the dismay or parents. And Reason #2) It is the most gory Gundam series, with the primary example being hundreds upon hundreds of people blowing up like balloons and then popping in a bloody mist due to massive amounts of radiation. No other Gundam series has either of those two things.There are also many severed limbs, decapitations, halves of bodies, etc. You get the point.

The soundtrack for Gundam SEED is honestly quite beautiful. It was very orchestral in nature with a lot of piano songs. Quite possibly the best song of the entire soundtrack is "Theme of Tears" which was composed by one of the main characters and is often referred to as his theme. The series also has many insert songs, most of which are J-Pop songs sung by Rie Tanaka, the voice actress for Lacus Clyne who is a pop star in the series. The rest of the insert songs were composed and sung by T.M. Revolution and is the main reason why I am in love with their songs, namely "Zips".

The theme of Gundam SEED is racism through and through. Like, you can't even attempt to argue or deny that. The whole series revolves around the Earth Alliance composed entirely of Human Naturals and the Zodiac Alliance of Free Trade(Z.A.F.T.) composed entirely of Coordinators who all reside in the orbital space colonies known as the PLANTS. On the side of the Earth Alliance is the organization known as Blue Cosmos who are essentially the Cosmic Era version of the Ku Klux Klan minus the white hoods and robes. And in the middle of this war is the neutral nation of ORB where Naturals and Coordinators peacefully coexist. Their creed is that they will not attack another nation, they will not involve themselves in the affairs of other nations, and will not partake in any wars. They will however, defend themselves should they be attacked by another nation. So as you can see, this series is clearly about racism and it covers all of its bases from the get go.

As far as the overall story is concerned however, it isn't half bad. It is very entwined with international politics so you'll get a lot of, well, politics out of this series as well as flashy mobile suit battles. The mecha designs are fairly old-fashioned with a lot of throwbacks to the original Gundam series. The art for the mecha is computer shaded which at the time was fairly new. Since this was the first Gundam series to use computer-assisted animation and art, it's a bit rough around the edges, especially where CG is concerned. Overall though, this all pulls together to make for an entertaining story with more of an emphasis on romance than any of the other Gundam series save maybe Gundam X. It has an emotional impact on many levels, and despite quite a few BS moments, still turns out alright.

In the end, Gundam SEED is a series I can recommend to just about anyone honestly. It was designed as a gateway series and it is capable of doing that job just fine. It's not my personal recommendation to start with SEED, but I'm not going to tell you no either.

After War Gundam X was the third alternate universe Gundam series to be created, preceded by Mobile Fighter G Gundam and Mobile Suit Gundam Wing. Following hot on the heels of Wings 50 episode run, Gundam X shared a very similar art style and mobile suit designs. However, due to a very bad time slot as well as franchise fatigue(X aired two weeks after Wing finished, and Wing itself had begun airing two weeks following G's run.), Gundam X was cut down from 50 episodes to 39, causing the ending of the series to be rushed and parts cut out. Though surprisingly, this did not ... detract at all from the story, though it didn't really do it any favors either.

Part of the reason that Gundam X still succeeded despite the rushed story was because of the excellent characters and their development. The protagonist is Garrod Ran, a 15 year old orphan who made a living taking high risk jobs and defending his home from Vultures. What separates Garrod from most Gundam protagonists is that he is not some special snowflake. He is an average Human being who happens to be good at piloting mobile suits. And he isn't some concealed Newtype or anything like that, because two of his companions would know right away, and they never said a word. Garrod manages to accomplish feats that rival that of Newtypes, which makes him one of the most powerful Gundam protagonists due to his ability to adapt to any enemy or situation. Alongside him are the Newtypes Tifa Adiil and Jamil Neate, as well as the mercenaries Roybea Loy and Witz Sou, along with the rest of the Freeden crew. What's satisfying is that almost all of these characters are likable in their own ways and have their own stories to tell.

The emotional impact of Gundam X is emphasized by its soundtrack, which is just plain beautiful. The ending theme "Human Touch" is just so good that I had it on repeat for weeks. What I found odd and yet refreshing is that it is entirely in English, despite the fact that the series was never dubbed. It's a beautiful song, and one that deserves to be heard even without the context of the series. The sound effects or course are mostly reused from Wing, which honestly goes well with the art style which is, again, pretty much the same as Wing.

The theme of this series is something that I had never come across before in anime: Labels. We're all familiar with how labels work. When you give something or someone a label, you are essentially defining who or what they are because that label comes with a predefined definition. In this case, Oldtypes and Newtypes. And each faction has a different definition for each of these labels, which leads to the series major conflicts. This was a refreshing change from the usual themes and the series conclusion did justice to that theme.

In the end, After War Gundam X is quite possibly one of the greatest Gundam series to ever be produced. The problem with its popularity lies in the time slot it was placed in as well as the timing of its release. Both of those factors contributed to its commercial downfall. It has, however, gained a cult following in the many years since its initial release in 1997. This series truly deserved a full 50 episodes, and had it been aired in the US following Wing, its likely that it may have seen the popularity it truly deserved. I recommend this series to anyone who could use a break from the normal themes or is just looking for a great story and characters. I highly doubt you will be disappointed.

The Mobile Suit Gundam series has existed since 1979, so 36 years old as of the end of 2015 later this year, and in that large span of time, Sunrise and Bandai have put out a vast array of Gundam anime. And for the 20th Anniversary of Gundam in 1999 they released the first Yoshiyuki Tomino(Creator of Gundam) series since Mobile Suit Victory Gundam, Turn A Gundam. And even when placed against the myriad of Gundam series, and even the black sheep Mobile Fighter G Gundam, Turn A Gundam is a bit of an oddball.

It is a well known fact that Gundam often portrays large ... scale wars with high death tolls of both soldiers and civilians and the emotional, the psychological effect that it has on the main cast of characters. But Turn A Gundam has neither a large death toll nor any kind of psychological effect. Very few characters actually died in this series compared to any other and their deaths had very little impact on the main cast. In fact, compared to Gundams normal dark atmosphere, Turn A is actually very lighthearted, very free spirited. And this is quite the departure from just about any Gundam series in existence save Gundam Build Fighter/Build Fighters Try and Gunpla Builders Beginning G. As a fan who really likes the dark atmosphere, this was kind of a letdown.

The characters themselves though weren't bad by any stretch of the imagination. The Moonrace protagonist Loran Cehack wants nothing more than for his fellow Moonrace to come and live on Earth. And this creates conflict with some kind characters who hold racial prejudice against the Moonrace who violently emigrated to Earth. And this puts him in an interesting position because the story constantly wants him to choose between the Terrans or the Moonrace and despite fighting for the Terrans, he still manages to walk a very grey line. His two main companions, Kihel and Sochie Heim also play an important role. Kihel looks identical to the Moonrace Queen Dianna Soriel which proves to be a crucial plot point as the story progresses and Sochie reflects the maturation of the cast. She goes from being the spoiled daughter of a mine who is racist against the Moonrace for killing her father, to being a mature woman who becomes the head of the Heim household despite being the younger sibling. The Royal Guard Captain, Harry Ord, is probably one of the most interesting Gundam characters I've ever seen. His unquestionable loyalty and devotion to Queen Dianna shows itself multiple times over the course of the series. The rest of his personality is unlike any other character. He wears the strangest clothing and constantly tugs on his sleeve because he thinks it "makes him look dandy." Harry is definitely a unique character.

The theme of the show was kind of hard to nail down for the majority of its 50 episode run. At first I assumed it was all about racism or coexistance, but that wasn't it at all. It's only in the stretch of the last 10 episodes of the show that the true theme comes out: Human Nature. Despite the Terrans and Moonrace having developed separately over the course of 2,000 to 3,000 years, they are both still Human at the core, and it is often said that fighting is in Human nature. Neither race displayed this nature for those thousand or so years that they had no contact, and when the Moonrace finally began to return to the Earth, it awakened Humanity's desire to wage war, and in turn awakened it within the Moonrace. And that is the theme of the show. It wasn't trying to hide it from you so it really isn't a spoiler. It's just that it isn't as readily apparent as it would be in most other series. That confusion took some of the enjoyment out of it for me because I like to see how they tackle the theme over the course of the series.

I have to give praise to both the art and the sound though. The art was really good for a 1999 series. Very detailed, very fluid, and very vibrant. They shunned the use of newly emergent computer tricks and it was all hand drawn. So props where props are due. As for the sound, the soundtrack was composed by Yoko Kanno, which is an immediate win in my book. I've had "Moon" and "The Third Advent" on repeat for days now. The sound effects are entirely new as far as I can tell, especially having watched a vast majority of the available Gundam series. Most series reuse sound effects to avoid having to create new ones, and so it gets repetitive after a while of hearing those sounds since the beginning of time. Turn A was refreshing in that respect.

And so looking back at Turn A Gundam, it is by no means my favorites as it didn't quite live up to what I expect a Gundam show to be. Many of my friends had hyped it up as being the pinnacle of Gundam stories, and they would know since they grew up with the first Gundam and so on, but to me it just didn't feel like Gundam. I had Mobile Suits and Gundams, it had a very Gundam theme to it, but at the end of the day it just didn't feel like the Gundam that I fell in love with. And so it's somewhat of a love/hate relationship because I liked the story, the character, the music, the art, and I did enjoy it, but at the same time it just didn't scratch that itch. And I noticed quite a few similarities with the currently airing Gundam: Reconquest in Gravity(Yes, that is the actual English translation of the name.). Both were conceived and written by Yoshiyuki Tomino and both are more lighthearted than their predecessors. Though this is to be expected since Turn A's Correct Century timeline is the destiny of all Gundam timelines, whether the show was made before or after Turn A aired. Correct Century is, officially, an actual continuation of the original Universal Century timeline from the original Gundam series, and therefore it is also a direct continuation of Reconquest's Reguild Century which comes directly after the Universal Century. This is made even more apparent because the country or continent of Ameria exists in both Reconquest and Turn A.

I digress, Turn A Gundam seems like more of an acquired taste even for Gundam fans. Fans who have been around since the beginning will be able to pick Turn A up in a heartbeat because it's a Tomino series, but people who grew up on the alternate universe series like Wing, X, G, SEED, or 00 will more than likely find it hard which is to be expected. In fact, the same is happening with Reconquest at the moment. So really, I say give the show a try, but not even I can guarantee who will like it, who will say "Meh", and who will not like it. I recommend it to Gundam fans, but I can't really recommend it as a starting point to anyone.

Wow, how do I even describe this series? Well, for starters, I had no idea it even existed until last week when a clip appeared on Funimations Youtube channel. I got curious and decided to watch said clip. Next thing I knew, I was looking for it on Netflix as advertised. Now, lets break this down, maybe that'll make it a bit easier to review without getting too cautious.

Well, B Gata H Kei(B Gata H Kei: Yamada's First Time in English) is a story about a girl whose sole purpose in High School is to bang 100 guys by the time she graduates from High ... School. The only problem is that she has yet to lose her V-Card and is worried that any experienced guy would think less of her for not being experienced. And that brings us to the main story as well as our main cherry boy. The lead characters are Yamada and Kosuda. Honestly? I've never seen a series with characters quite like this(Well, except Panty & Stocking...). As mentioned before, Yamada is a Freshman in High School with the goal of banging 100 guys. The problem is that she REALLY cares what people think of her. She's the most popular girl in the school and just about every guy would do anything to even be acknowledged by her and would bang her in a heartbeat. Kosuda on the other hand seems to be the most oblivious guy in the world. Yamada falls on him in a book store and decides that he will be her first time since she assumes he also still has his V-Card, which is more or less true. This leads to total confusion on his end as he attempts to try and tell what she's thinking. Aside from those two, there are the Eros Deities. Yeah, Ero should really be all you need to read in order to know where that is going. The Eros Deities are chibi versions of the characters they follow around and constantly break the fourth wall in comedic fashion. Yamada's Eros Deity looks like a chibi version of her, but wearing a robe, holding a staff, and has a white mustache for some reason. Kosuda's Eros Deity is, as you can assume by now, a mini version of himself which is wearing a yukata. However, unlike Yamada's Eros Deity who is constantly pushing her towards getting laid and depressed when everything falls apart time and time again, Kosuda's Deity has absolutely no faith in him, and shows more often than not to express Kosuda's arousal. So more or less a living censor bar that talks. Which is actually pretty funny.

Now, the premise of this series, Yamada wanting to get diddled, would make you think this is a hentai, it is in fact, not. So have no fears, you have absolutely nothing to worry about... well, except for the nude scenes which more or less turn this series into softcore porn. Normal late night television anime have been getting bolder and bolder as of late. This series more tame than High School DxD, but it does follow in those same ero footsteps. It's definitely tasteful, mature, and often times down right hilarious.

I honestly really enjoyed this series and I found next to nothing wrong with it. I liked the romance between Yamada and Kosuda. It was expected yeah, but that's typically how romance series are. You know who is going to end up together, but you don't know how they'll get there. That's the beauty of new stories. But at the same time, B Gata H Kei makes its intentions known from the start and throws you into complete disarray with the whole absurdity of it. It keeps you coming back each episode to find out if anything actually happens. The premise is completely different by comparison to other romance animes and so it stands out from the pack. Now, do I recommend sitting down with your lover and watching this? Er... probably not. Your girlfriend/boyfriend may start wondering if you're staring at him/her or the animated character on the screen at times. And that typically doesn't end well. So I advise against that. And this is definitely a series that is 50/50 when trying to watch it with family. Definitely Rated PG-13, but your family might begin questioning you as to why you're watching an animated television show with rare, but beautifully drawn and animated nudity. Yes, I just praised the rare nudity. Got a problem?

Aside from that, I just loved the interactions between the characters and the music was great. Though, one of my main gripes was the rivalry between Yamada and Kanojo. Kanojo can't stand coming in second behind anyone. And while the rivalry had its moments and seemed good on paper... I almost felt like it didn't need to exist. I mean to each their own, but the series probably would've been fine without it. That's just my two cents though.

As far as the dub was concerned, it was perfect. I didn't find any out of place voices and the fact that the actors were willing to say half the shit that they did made my jaw drop. I kind of almost want to compare the dub to the subtitles. Something practically tells me that half this shit was exclusive to the English Dub, and most likely the better for it to be honest. I'm just so glad that Funimation got the license. If Sentai had gotten it, the dub probably would have been mediocre and not even close to being as funny, and at the same time I'm glad Aniplex didn't get it because I really hate paying high prices for quality series. Funimation is a happy medium.

So overall, and I really hope I didn't spoil anything for you and if I did I apologize heavily, B Gata H Kei was just the refreshing anime that I need to see. It wasn't flawless, but it damn well could have been. The characters are great, the music is nice, the art is very well done, the story was fantastic, and I really wish they had made a second season because 12 episodes is depressing. Yeah the story flowed great and ended on a great note, but you just know that there's still a whole 'nother year and half left of their High School careers. I wanna see what happens next and watch the hilarity ensue. Maybe I should become an Eros Deity in my spare time. Seems like a far more exciting job.

Over the past eleven years of my short time on Earth, I have been watching anime. Sometimes it's something I haven't seen before. And other times it is something I have watched countless times. And when I watch all of these countless series and films, I think about how similar they all are. From the characters, to the sounds, the story, the setting, and the eb & flow. Not once have I ever considered an anime to be a perfect 10/10. I am no professional anime reviewer, I'm merely a fan who watches anime for their deep messages and personal enjoyment. But Zankyou no Terror ... has left me in a state of complete catharsis.

As I sat in my chair following the end of the shows eleven episode run, I was speechless. I was left thinking and thinking. I told myself "It can't be over. Not yet..." But it was over, and all I could do was sit there and ponder the very clear message that this series had left me with. As a writer, I was deeply moved by this short story. And while the odds of a continuation are next to zero... no... it is zero. And as much as I would love for there to be more, I can't in good conscience say that there has to be. Left as it is, Zankyou no Terror(Terror in Resonance) is a masterpiece. Perhaps not everyone views it quite like I do. In fact if they are reading this review, they're probably laughing their asses off, possibly pointing out where the series had flaws. But those flaws, to me, are quite insignificant.

Over the course of the series I fell in love with the characters, I cared for them, and when it was all said and done, I wanted to shed a tear for them. They were far more than skin deep. The show constantly reminded me that these kids have a past that no one should want to have. They've been through hell and back and it is that hell that has made them into the people we see in this series. They develop, not as characters, but as people. This journey was conveyed through beautiful artwork and a soundtrack the likes of which I have never heard. The dialogue, while perhaps not flawless, was nonetheless understandable and did not detract one bit from the story. The voice acting on the other hand, particularly the American characters, could quite frankly use a LOT of work. But that is to be expected of people whose first language is not English.

The world of Zankyou no Terror is identical to our own, and the art style emphasizes this realism. And it is because of this realism that the story of Zankyou no Terror becomes far more personal. Our world is far from perfect, and there are things that our governments do that they would be condemned for if it weren't for the utmost secrecy and corruption. Times have indeed changed. Those who would once be called heroes, are now labeled terrorists for standing up against their corrupt government. And the public is none the wiser because the government told them they were terrorists. And so what do the terrorists do? They make you listen. And they give you... VON

If there is one emotion that Zankyou no Terror keeps hidden under its belt, it would be loneliness and the desire to be needed, the desire to be heard, and the desire to feel alive. It takes no more than a single person, man or woman, child or adult, to instigate an era of change. To create a better future for those that succeed us. To ensure that the mistakes of the past are never repeated. All it takes is a single person who wants people to remember... that they lived.

Before tonight, I had planned to write a review for each Naruto movie in sequential order since I just binge watched all the Shippuden movies for the first time. However, after watching the sixth film, Road to Ninja, I immediately had to write this review. Otherwise, my thoughts on the movie might escape me, as it left me speechless. A movie like this only comes around every once in a blue moon.

Naruto Shippuden The Movie 6: Road to Ninja(Alt. Naruto The Movie 9: Road to Ninja) is the sixth film in the Naruto Shippuden series, and the ninth film overall in the greater Naruto franchise. ... Having been placed timeline wise in the latter half of the Shippuden series, Naruto has grown as a ninja and many of the questions he once had have been answered. Because of this, this movie is filled with story spoilers for anyone who has not been keeping up with the series. This is not a good jumping on point for new fans or anyone who doesn't like spoilers.

However, for those loyal Naruto fans who have kept with the series thus far, this movie is a special treat that should not be overlooked. The story answers what very well may be one of the Naruto fandoms greatest questions. The story alone is a masterpiece all on its own. The art is astoundingly good and deserves to be viewed in high definition. Likewise, the soundtrack is equally beautiful with many tracks that will make you want to listen over and over again. Yasuharu Takanashi proves once again that his brand of music fits the Narutoverse like a glove. The sound effects are also good, though I still can't get used to the muffled Shadow Clone sound.

The main characters of this film are Naruto and Sakura and as such they receive massive amounts of character development. Well, as far as movie canon is concerned. Since most Naruto movies, possibly including this one, are considered non-canon, their character development doesn't transfer over to the series. However, for this movie alone, these two characters develop greatly. We see sides of them that you could scarcely imagine. And the way that the story goes about this is just beautiful. A stark contrast like night and day. Aside from those two, all of the usual Naruto characters personalities are reversed, and it's interesting to see what everyone is like. I had quite a few good laughs at just the dialogue alone.

Before this movie, my favorite Naruto film was Naruto Shippuden The Movie 2: Bonds, and Legend of the Stone of Gelel before that. Road to Ninja surpasses both of those movies, and the rest. It reminded me of why I love Naruto. When you look past the filler and some of the bland or awful characters, you see this deep and rich story that when left by itself is just plain beautiful. And that is why I keep coming back to this series. And this film greatly emphasized those aspects that I love.

It saddens me to think that the manga will soon be over, and that The Last - Naruto The Movie will soon be upon us, bringing a close to this epic journey that many of us have followed since the very beginning. And while I have no idea how long Naruto's legacy will last following its conclusion, I do know that I will never forget it. And if you're a die hard Naruto fan like me, then Road to Ninja is a movie you can't afford to skip for any possible reason.