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Review #9: Alderamin on the Sky

Story 7/10 -- The story was a bit underdeveloped, with a limited amount of progression over the 13 episode period. The hero is an officer with different
world views, who sees the war as pointless and truth be told it pretty much is. One of his first teachings to his fellow soldiers is that war should never have lives thrown blindly away. With this mindset, he quickly becomes one of the countries best tacticians, which ultimately seemed positive until he faces enemies of similar caliber, confirming suspicions that losing will be inevitable. There was a lot of potential in this ... storyline, but these Fantasy War animes always lack building of plot in one cour seasons. Also there was limited footage outside of the battles the commander faced, making the empires and setting unimportant to the overall story.

Art 7/10 -- The art is very sharpened, which is okay, but sometimes the lighting seemed awkward. The Main character is pretty default, but the supporting cast looks more unique then average. The scenery and backgrounds are pretty good, but the color lacks pop scoring the art on par with most animes.

Sound: 7/10 -- I watched this show dubbed and subbed. The OP/ED were mid tier, but flowed well with the anime. The English Dub actors were a good and bad matchup with voices. There was some background sound used which was standard. The dialogue for supporting characters was cliche to average, while the main characters had some good conversations and lines.

Character 7/10 -- This is studio Madhouse, we know how well they make characters look good in most of there series. However this was one of those series that you wished they did more. The main character played his role well, while the supporting mains were rather average. Yatorishino was a badass that was underused, while the annoying princess cliche defines Chamille's character. Matthew and Torway were actually good male characters but they lacked any development and were outshone by Ikta. Haroma was more romance bait, then a character of importance. Madhouse really underused their main characters in this anime, which was disappointing because all there backgrounds and personalities had good chemistry. Ikta's awakening would come after events that happened to a crowd approved supporting character, and the last battle did well to prove his ability and character as a tactician.

Enjoyment 8/10 -- Even though all the technical categories were rated as good, Alderamin is still a pretty enjoyable anime. The First episode is a pretty good hook when six students cross the border into enemy lines on a stormy day. The series continues as an underdog story that perfectly contrasts with the main characters personality. A weak empire relying on a lazy, carefree commander for survival in a war of young bloodshed. The whole irony is entertaining, while the reality of the war is quite saddening as the main character was pretty much right in the beginning. There really is no reason to be fighting for the Katjvarna Empire, however he chooses to anyways after seeing the turmoil war leaves in its reckoning.

Overall 7/10 -- Alderamin on the Sky is a standard fantasy war anime. The storyline setting was overly underdeveloped for a single cour series. Madhouse is known for good stories and character development, however I would say this series wasn't one of their best works. The Art and sound quality is average, while the character development had much untapped potential, and it was hard to judge how many characters were main ones in this anime. There were many war cliches thrown into this, but Ikta does a great job moving the anime away from tropes, and positively builds on this wars realism where young kids are dying out of fierce loyalty for their friends and country. I enjoy shows where both genders fight and work together to achieve a greater cause, and Alderamin builds a pleasant unity in the army that can be supported when they succeed, but also be tragic when they lose. Overall it's a good mid-tier series from Madhouse, and I recommend it to any Fantasy/Military fans. This anime isn't about fan service, it's young heroes that blossom when under pressure to become real men and women.

~Castawayz

Review #8: Restaurant to Another World

Story 7/10 -- Isekai Shokudou established a soothing SOL/Fantasy presence. In the recent increase of Isekai projects, this anime series took a different approach to most animes that have shared the genre the past couple years. This is a solid SOL cooking anime that involves a mysterious door in the world of fantasy. The fantasy world learns the value of our own worlds cooking, and people from all classes and races enter this restaurant in a place of peace. There are several problems in the fantasy world, ranging from poverty to classism. Although rather then having the main characters become ... heroes, they instead stay in the environment of the kitchen, believing that a meal is important to soothe the souls that the door allows to wander in. Issues with this animes story are the lack of development, and lack of details such as the doors origin, balance between having monsters and humans in the restaurant on different days, and the lack of a storyline problem that usually attracts isekai viewers.

Art 8/10 -- The artwork was exceptional, the food quality looked very delicious, and the character design had fine detail compared to the normal cardboard look. The restaurant wasn't anything fancy, but I think its simple interior flowed well with the customers. The kitchen seemed a bit too clean though. The fantasy world was made pretty well. The ruins, art design, scenery, city life, and character detail were very good.

Sound 7/10 -- Soundtrack was average, OP/ED mid tier among last years new adapted shows. The acting and dialogue were good, I thought the cook and staff were professional, but also had some character inside the shop. The different lives of the fantasy characters had good stories and encounters.

Character 8/10 -- Isekai animes typically have a lot of supporting characters, and usually several main ones as well. This is one of the few animes you will see where the supporting cast has a larger foundation and importance than the main characters. What Silver Link did well in this series was build an entire world, from multiple kingdoms/locations and connect them all to contrast in this weekly visited restaurant. There was a variety of characters with good stories. Beastmen, elves, humans, nobles, wizards/samurais, the entire variety blended well since they all shared the same passion of this new form of food. Kuro's time is kind of short, but Tenshu and Aletta each have their own story that is revealed and revisited when they meet old and new familiar faces. The simplicity of the main characters, mixed with a heavily contrasted supporting cast made the character development unique, and very positive for a higher score then other animes of the genre.

Enjoyment 8/10 -- What MAL missed on the genre tag was SOL, and that plays a heavy part in this show. There are multiple cultures, and ways of living, and having an interest in cooking myself, I enjoyed the happiness characters had when they ate at the restaurant. The comedy in this series is subtle, but I found the interactions between characters amusing, as well as the owner keeping tabs on customers, with gold coins and other relics lying in a treasure chest he uses as a register. There really isn't much of a mystery in this series, and I would of liked to know more about the secrets of the restaurant. It's still a very good series to watch, especially if you are looking for unique animes in the Isekai genre.

Overall 8/10 -- What makes this anime very good, is its difference from others in the same genre. The calming atmosphere inside the restaurant, blended with a brilliant fantasy world, make an excellent new recipe that can suit users tastes. Not all fantasy animes need a war, or a sword wielding hero to be interesting. Sometimes its the simple parts of our lives, like eating a delicious meal, that can make a very underrated but pleasant anime series. Isekai Shokudou doesn't have action, it's a Slice of Life series designed to be different, and Silver Link does a great job building memories and bonds when recently the genre has been overused slaying monsters or a demon king.

~Castawayz

Review #7: Heaven's Lost Property

Story 8/10 -- This rating might scratch a few peoples heads, but I can guarantee you that it's a valid score. The Angeloids are higher beings from another world, and theres actually a lot of subtle Sci-fi, mystery, and intrigue in this series. This is one of the few stories ive seen in the harem genre that contains emphatic pain, not only towards the angels but to the humans as well. The beginning of this series was great foreshadowing, with the nature of ecchi deluding viewers from the actual story surrounding this world. Truthfully, danger awaits are protagonists, but its ... always played off by bountiful distractions, leaving a hidden intrigue for viewers who enjoy future problems in the story.

Art 7/10 -- This show had pretty good color effects for 2009. It was bright, the backgrounds were nice, the comedy artwork was on point, and I didn't have to many complaints about visuals for this season. I would say that the show overused ecchi a bit, and I actually enjoyed Tomoki being his normal size rather then his ball form.

Sound 8/10 -- I loved the uses of multiple different songs in this series for the ED. The OP was a great soundtrack to listen to as well. The dialogue was pretty good, although i thought Nymph could have used more. There was a lot of comedic fun in this series, and that made the dialogue enjoyable as well.

Character 7/10 -- The character development is pretty decent, but its better towards the ending. Ikaros changes more towards the end, which really makes Nymph the main Angeloid with depth in this season. I enjoyed the human relationship between Mikako and Eishirou, and they were pretty good supporting/main characters. Sohara was the weakest main character, which is common among childhood friend tropes. Her role was awkward and pretty cliche, but the human characters make up for the shortcoming. Tomoki did well for a harem protagonist. His perverse scenes were amusing, but I also liked his way of thinking towards others, and he slowly realizies theres more to life then quiet isolation.

Enjoyment 7/10 -- It's an ecchi harem anime. It's marketed towards young adults. However I enjoy the surprisingly good story this series offers, with angels dropping down from heaven, and heavens role truly being questioned multiple times over. What makes my enjoyment score drop for this series is how crazy the ecchi becomes. You have a storyline that can be well received, you have plenty of girls that have the popularity. This series did not need to focus on ecchi for majority of an episode to be enjoyable. The characters had good development, the girls were liked, and we already knew ecchi scenes would be coming, it's that type of anime. But again, that's no reason to take away from a good story, and it lowers my enjoyment. A better balance of plot and ecchi would have made this season better.

Overall 7/10 -- The Story and sound were very good, with the dialogue being entertaining, and the music was top notch for 2009. Heavens lost property did a great job pushing things further and further, outside of the MC's comfort zone, and it ruined a quiet life anime with some mild action scenes that develop into important matters in season 2. The weakness of the first season is the overuse of ecchi to take away from the storyline and character personality. I found though that looking past that, while also looking deeper into the plot, gives a positive impression of this anime series, and season 2 nor the movies were disappointing to watch either. It's a solid 7.5 out of 10, a good example of what anime needs and doesn't need to be good or very good.

~Castawayz

Review #6: Inuyashiki

Story 9/10 -- Inuyashiki is one of the best anime series I have seen in a long time. What I find exceptional is its sinister dark humor, and jaw dropping action sequences. The antagonist in this series seems like an evil genius on the verge of breaking down and I love it. The protagonist is an old man, who is greatly weakened and unloved, possibly an allegory to religion and god himself today. I believe there is more to this show then just a simple fight between good and evil. This show questions the basic forms of humanity we have, it shows depth ... when we break down and seek forgiveness, and it also shows how humanity can never move on from what we do wrong rather then right. There isn't enough anime with deep psychology, and arbitrary decisions that mock societies basic rules of function.

Art 7/10 -- Art was the worst category in this series. I am not a CG fan, but when I do see it I always notice some weird scenes or flaws that make me like it less. There was definitely some weird CG sequences, usually during the flying phases, that was a turnoff from this very good anime. I would also say that the coloring seemed kinda bland in the background, lack of bright colors in most landscapes.

Sound 8/10 -- I think the OP was a strong contender this year, for top 10 anyways. The ED was also pretty good, and it was opposite of its rock counterpart. I think it was a good selection because theres always moments to process what is done, and the ED is a good choice to acknowledge feelings of guilt and humanity Hiro starts to feel as well as Ichirou.

Character 8/10 -- In the beginning it felt like it was God vs Evil, but then it developed more after that. Even though the old man saves many people through the course of this show, He is also not afraid to punish the wicked, and reverse tragic fate by using higher means. Hiro finds the value in humanity through his mother, who was the stepping stone to his awakening. I think what Hiro was missing most was the social relationships that all humans strive for. It is very hard to live alone, most people often find themselves struggling with mentality when they feel everything must be done alone. Hiro uses his mothers wishes and applies them to himself. He may not understand the value of others around him, but his mother seems to and he attaches himself to her feelings. The old man believes that humans have a right to live there lives in peace, and find a place where they can, I believe that's why he is seen as God, because he continues that tradition that humans perform there best when they can control the situation around them. The characters may not connect with other viewers in the same way, but I believe it would be ridiculous to say that they lack any sense of depth or characteristics.

Enjoyment 9/10 -- Psychological, Sci-fi, and Drama always usually mash up to create a good adapted anime. Inuyashiki to me was an above average adaptation in a season and a year that was essentially lacking in good adapted titles. I enjoyed watching this series for every episode, as it kept me on my toes, and I wondered what would happen next to the people and the characters. The vigilante behavior Hiro awakens into quickly turns into something more malicious, but I wouldn't say it wasn't deserved in some cases. I think Inuyashiki was a great example of how people say things so freely, because they never expect consequences behind it. As unrealistic as it may be, it was definitely a heart pounding wake-up call that I enjoyed watching.

Overall 9/10 -- Inuyashiki was one of my personal favorites of 2017, It just shattered my expectations of what a drama could do, and I thought it was almost as good as Steins Gate, but was a bit more mature in its storyline. I would strongly recommend this series to anyone who is a fan of Sci-Fi and anime with psychology, I would also recommend the manga to anyone seeking a story with literary devices. I would say the series deserves a score between 8.5 and 8.75, but due to lack of good titles in 2017, I have rounded it up to a 9, also partly influenced by its satirical, but iconic twisted storyline.

~Castawayz

Review #5: Sekirei

Story 7/10 -- The Story is semi unique I suppose to most action harems. 108 Girls with a variety of skills and martial arts descend onto the city, not only to find each other, but to find compatible masters in which there are many. I think what makes season 1 a good story is that they make the action intense in a series that is life and death for these girls. However I felt that Minato and other masters roles are fairly underused, and the point of this battle royale seems underwhelming by the enemies claims. The dialogue was decent, but I prefer ... the plot and events of season 2.

Art 7/10 -- Seven Arcs actually hasn't done many works, Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha is what they are mainly known for, and there last anime series that drew any major attention was Trinity Seven back in 2014. I liked the design of the characters, and the contrast gave a good manga feel. The lighting was nice in some scenes, however some other scenes lost a bit of quality in the moment. The fight scenes overall were executed standard, but nothing above average.

Sound 6/10 -- If you don't know the cast that went into this show, you are missing out in the sound department. The OP and ED were pretty good, with several known voice actors voicing characters in this series. However, the dialogue again was very plain, and underwhelming for the talent they had.

Character 6/10 -- Oh Man, how many harem animes are there where every girl says the main characters name in one scene. While Minatos dream is the type you wanna root for, you can't help but wish another team was lurking in the background with a better set of motivation. This harem lacked depth in it's characters, mainly because of the lack of any change throughout the show. Seemed like the enemy was revealed more then our protagonists, and the lack of development just killed this show.

Enjoyment 7/10 -- This show is fairly enjoyable if you like ecchi, action, and next level fighting. I think the concept of a harem battle royale sounds interesting, but like every other anime, the production has to have consistent quality throughout the series to keep it interesting. Some scenes were better then others, and I still prefer the arcs in the next season. There's also some appeal in rooting for the underdog, as I find his wish to be respectful of everyone fighting, and it actually sounds possible.

Overall 6/10 -- The characters make and break this show. You will either like it or you won't. Personally I thought the concept overall had lots of potential, and the cast also looked very good. The story was fairly decent, but I didn't like the limited dialogue or the lack of character development, and that makes me drop the score from a seven to six.

~Castawayz

Review #4: Kiss Him, Not me!

Story 7/10 -- The story is funny, an interesting combination of reverse harem and comedy. The romance aspect of the series is average, partly because of Kae's addiction to merchandise, making her character uninteresting to fans of the genre. There's many tropes in this show when it comes to episode locations and events, but it's worth watching for shoujo fans, as the competition between the guys is intense, but professional and peaceful at the same time.

Art 6/10 -- I'm not a real fan of Brain's Base, and the art seems like it would come from an anime 10 years ago ... rather then late 2016. The character design isn't that unique, but props to the guys that make the comedic faces in the series. Not a lot of visible mistakes to my eyes, however the series backgrounds lacked detail from my perspective.

Sound 7/10 -- Acting was average, music also average.

Character 8/10 -- Even though the character design was average, I actually enjoyed the growth of some characters in this series. Yuusuke learns quickly that not everything is based off looks. Nozomu and Hayato are both naive but earn maturity points while they spend time with Kae. Shima and Asuma are probably my favorite characters, as I like Asuma's quiet but cool mannerism, and Shima's loyalty to who her friend was from the beginning. Kae seems awkward as a reverse harem protagonist, but her obsession with BL makes her character unique, and it shys away from the harem genre and makes it more amusing as a comedy.

Enjoyment 7/10 -- I think what's most enjoyable is the boys passion for trying to win Kae over, mixed with Kae's and Shimas hot topic of seeing the boys together. The two different agendas blend well together to make an interesting series to watch. The facial expressions are golden, but certain characters definitely leave more impression then others. I think the first half is better then the second half as well, as you realize that the story seems to slow down after midway.

Overall 7/10 -- Reverse Harem and Shoujo are two genres I don't watch a lot. However being new to both, I found this anime to be amusing. It's not as great as Ouran Host Club, but I believe this anime can't be compared to that one fairly. This anime is mid tier for people that are stocking up on plan two watch lists. Even though i'm giving this series a 7 overall, I probably wouldn't recommend this series to romance fans, as it's more of a comedy aimed at girls rather then a romantic show.

~Castawayz

Review #3: Kimiaru/They Are My Noble Masters

Story 6/10 -- The story for this anime is very underdeveloped. There isn't much of a plot or long story, and it's more of a daily event anime that relies on comedy rather then actual story. The past is mainly focused on or hinted in this series, but the future seems rather uncertain. The story could of created more intrigue, as there was a few exciting events in this anime, however since this is based off an eroge, it seemed to me like it was struggling in choosing a genre to focus on in the storyline.

Art 7/10 -- ... Not Sure how the art compares to other animes from 2008, but to me it seemed average and i noticed a few mistakes here and there. The mansion has a beautiful exterior, and the city landscape was nice however. The character art is average, but there is some uniqueness with the style.

Sound 7/10 -- No Complaints for me about the sound. The acting is normal, OP is decent, and background is fine.

Character 8/10 -- The Reason im giving character an 8 is because I liked the style the characters had in this series. Each character has there own funny quirk/personality that make them likable, and the backgrounds and pasts of each character blend in rather well. The macho butler is funny when he has screen time, and i support the little side romances this anime had on the side.

Enjoyment 7/10 -- For an anime that came out a decade ago, I was pretty content when I first watched the series. There was some decent comedy, and the relationships between the character were nice to watch. The head butler makes things interesting with his awesome action moves, and the random comedic stints were done alright for an anime of this time. I liked Rin's character, but was annoyed with a few of his decisions.

Overall 7/10 -- The anime lacks a solid story, but the characters mixed in with the daily life comedy is a pleasant substitute for that. Art and Sound is average, but this anime is a solid 7, and its based off a visual novel eroge. Time is an important motif in this anime, and the past haunts all these characters, but they overcome it as a rich household family of maids, butlers, and ladies.

~Castawayz

Review #2: Outbreak Company

Story 6/10 -- This is one of those animes storylines while unique, I disagree with. The Japanese government finds a new realm in an abyss, and decides to kidnap an Otaku to sell them their own merchandise. Ignoring finding a new world, I'm not really sold on this plot at all. While it explores major topics today such as social class, and racial discrimination, the show expresses them, but doesn't address or build anything on it afterwards. it focuses more on selling anime and manga, and the lack of hero qualities by the MC is underwhelming in this fantasy series. It's more ... of a lighthearted comedy then an engaging series.

Art 8/10 -- The Art was really good, one thing for certain is the high amount of anime/manga references hidden on the walls in the background. I found that to be pretty cool by Studio feel, along with the vibrant color and scenery they put effort into. The majestic castle was pretty nice as well.

Sound 8/10 -- Overall the op/ed songs were pretty good, and the background music was better then most series during this season.

Character 7/10 -- The character art is average to good, and so are the personalities. Myucel is every man's dream when it comes to maids, she learns everything Shinichi teaches her quickly, and her personality is very cute and enjoyable. Petralka is a demanding majestic loli, 3 words together that can give any anime watcher multiple different reactions, while Shinichi is a rather plain MC, dense and somewhat gullible/follows blindly when being spoken too.

Enjoyment 7/10 -- The story isn't anything special, but this anime is enjoyable to SOL/Fantasy fans, as it doesn't care too much on story, but rather the daily, fun events with doing the job Shinichi does. He's bringing everything he loves into a new world that's deprived, and he's thankful for meeting all these people I'm sure he could never have dreamed of. He becomes more outgoing as the series progresses, and I think this blends well with the atmosphere of the series.

Overall 6/10 -- This anime is a solid 6-7 series, but the art and sound were the best subjects from my review. The characters aren't as special as others I've seen compared to other similar fantasy animes. The story doesn't dig deeper, and that's a disconnect for me. This is a solid mid tier anime, but not of a high priority to watch, you can find better shows, even in the SOL/Fantasy genre mashup.

~Castawayz

Review #1: Mob Psycho 100

Story: 7/10 -- Seems like psychological powers has been an underused genre in anime lately. What makes Mob a good story is the whole atmosphere of the anime. There isn't a lot of big talk arrogant heroes in this show like in other animes, it focuses more on the deep calm understanding nature of what it means to have psychic powers and be different from everyone else. I think what's unique here as well is that you see normal humans truly witness the terror of these powers and acknowledge the fear of abuse people with them have towards others. The Plot ... is okay, not a great one, as the villains weren't really memorable in this first season, but the brother complex I felt was the best thing going in the series.

Art 8/10 -- I really like this style of art where the characters are more drawn out then animated. Studio Bones uses many, many colors in this show as well, and I thought it meshed well together in the battles/conflicts. The scenery wasn't shown much, but there was a lot of effort shown in damages during the main battles.

Sound 6/10 -- Honestly the music didn't really click with me. I think it would of been better if it was either more darker, or deeper tones. This anime only uses sound mainly in the background though.

Character 8/10 -- Mob's character is unique to MC's these days. He's very quiet, physically insufficient, and very shy towards others. I think he grows out of it a little bit, because him going to 100% mode several times, is a sign to me that he's learning how to express his emotions quicker, although usually unstable. Reigen is the best character in this series, this quirky con artist has an arsenal of moves that put most heroes to shame. He also mentors Mob into controlling his powers, and teaches him that even people with psychic powers are still human, and not different then normal hard workers in society. He's a great teacher when he's honest, but also very sly when he's working.

Enjoyment 9/10 -- If you like superpower anime, this will most likely be in your top 5. It takes a different angle and explores the feelings inside yourself when you know you're gifted, and brilliantly exposes those feelings in raw battle action. Eat some popcorn and binge through this. Keep your eyes peeled for a Season 2 or a movie as well, it's a popular series.

Overall 8/10 -- If the story and plot was better, I'd rate this an 8.5 maybe. But I think this anime is a great standard for what very good anime is. This would be my benchmark for standard 8 rated animes, that aren't influenced by how much you enjoy a certain part of the series.

~Castawayz