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I had to drop this manga because it was a complete waste if my time, and that's saying something because this is the first anime/manga I've had to drop because it was so stupid.

Story: 1/10
The story (what I've read so far), is ridiculous. It's built completely on cliches and the motives between the characters are just not there. The whole 'toxic universe' lacks sophistication and originality. Many extremely important concepts are not explained properly or is executed by really bad writing and pacing. The timeline also makes no sense. You don't know what the characters are doing when they're doing it and why, for example, ... why the bloody leader of the world is protected by a small group of puburscent teenage boys???!! Like SERIOUSLY. Also, the ranking within the black rose is not explained properly. People keep changing their titles for no bloody reason and the only time you get an idea of who's above who in terms of social heirarchy is when they kill each other. I'm serious. There's multiple times when I was reading and the manga makes no bloody sense.

Art: 6/10
The arts... OK. This is the only part of the manga that is vaguely palettable. Some of the backgrounds are actually drawn quite nicely, most of the characters LOOK ok. What killed me was the profiles of the characters. It looked like a squiggle and a dot for the nose.... WTF???

Character: 3/10
This was the saddest part. Character design was ok, but if they're not psychopaths, they're insane, if they're not insane, they're annoying. You don't really understand the character's logic because the manga doesn't take enough time to expose a character and their values. Which, for most of them, were non-existent. The only character that is not an a-hole is Louis Ogami, Luka's brother. He seems to be a good person but the ways in which he shows it are just SOOO poorly thought about. And many fights that take place make NO sense. You have no idea where anything is happening and WHY it's happening. It's not mystery or suspense, it's pure stupidity.

Overall: 3/10
It just seems like this manga was not thought about properly. These sort of settings need to be developed properly for an effective storyline and that just DIDN"T happen. There doesn't seem to be a purpose with what the characters are doing and that is VERY different to being 'taken along with the thrill ride". I did not like this manga, and I would not recommend this to anyone who is a fan of good plot stories or good characters or even people who just want eye-candy. Trust me, the best art is on the front cover.

How to start....How to write a review that will do this great anime justice...Let me first apologise if my review doesn't make a lot of sense. I am still overwhelmed with emotion at this point. Well, Tegami Bachi or Letter Bee is a beautiful anime much, much more than the simple letter-delivering. I had wanted to watch this anime for a long, long time, falling in love with the concept, artwork and when I had finally had the time to watch it all my previous expectations were blown away by the standards of the anime; which are absolutely amazing. I watched all 50 episodes for ... two days straight. Me, who has severe commitment problems was so capivated by the essence of the anime as it challenged everything that life meant for me.

STORY: At initial glance, it doesn't seem very original, NOT CLICHE either, but hardly something very unique. Letter-delivering. Very mundane. Not so in this anime. Letter Bees go on very dangerous missions, transversing many miles through the flickering light of Amberground, they face the constant threat of 'gaichuu'. This particular story follows Lag Seeing- the world's most adorable/lovable protagonist, a letter bee searching for his idol and his saviour - Gauche Suede; in the most basic, basic terms.
The first season has very llttle plot development in terms of the previously mentioned concept, IN fact, it is safe to say the first season really just 'sets the scene' in 25 episodes, so by the time you reached the finale, you have a very thorough understanding of what being a letter bee entails, their impact on the lives of the civilians, the huge social divisionsof Amberground, basic knowledge on all the characters encountered so far, etc.etc.
The Second season is when the plot really gets moving. Don't get me wrong, the first season was absolutely beautiful exhibition of the greatness of the human spirit. Beautiful and extremely moving. However, the second season is so extremely addictive and exciting because you are immersed in the journeys of all the protagonists and all their successes and failures are amplified tenfold for you, and in the most basic terms, season 2 retains little episodic elements of season 1 and is also much more exciting because there is significant plot movement.

ART AND ANIMATION: I've combined these two because there isn't much I can say about them as I'm not an expert, but the art is beautiful and the animation is excellent. While watching this anime the last thing you'll be unhappy with is the art, (which is actually pallettable ART), and the animation, (which is smooth, non-jittery and enjoyable to watch, I.E. looks like it's done by ACTUAL professionals) 0o0

SOUND: WONDERFUL WONDERFUL WONDERFUl.... Music that is actually music, voice-acting that is actually done with emotion, openings and endings you actually want to watch, all in all, very impressive.

CHARACTER; Ahhh, the characters/ protagonists were most definitely a hiighlight of the anime. On a general note, every single character of the series is an actual character, with emotions, development, (however small), history (however much touched on), hopes, dreams, and aspirations, NOT 2 dimensional stereotypes, which many animes have succumbed to. Not this one. The main character - Lag Seeing, is the biggest crybaby I have ever come across. EVER. But in a weird warp he is also the most endearing and moving and emotionally sensitive soul I have also come across in all fiction, and the real world. He is type of character you wish you knew because he would be the greatest friend that would always be loyal to you and love you. AND FOR ONCE THE PROTAGONIST IS NOT A PERVERTED TWAT. AND you LOVE HIM FOR IT. Also, Lag Seeing, from the very first episode undergoes a huge emotional journey. Wrenched away from everything ever known, he grows a great deal in only the first few episodes; he learns the meaning of the words 'friendship, love, and journey.' Understanding first hand the experience of being a letter, it inspires him to able to give what Gauche Suede, (the letter bee that delivered Lag) gave him. This character development does not stop for one second in the duration of the both series.
His dingo - Niche is an equally interesting character. Adorable, but equally deadly, in many ways, she is the polar opposite of Lag, but in another weird warp they make an unbeatable team. The relationship entails many hardships, as all realtionship do, but also triumphs through them, which really contributes to not only the likability of these two characters, but the whole series.

THEMES: I could write a whole essay on this one. And I would. Happily. But for review purposes I will TRY to keep it succint. :P Sorry reader. OKK... Tegami Bachi is chocablock filled with themes. In fact, I don't think the word 'themes' quite entails what this show offers intellectually. Obviously, it can be interpreted very differently, but this is just my personal opinion. But Tegami Bachi is most definitely about communication. Duh. Delivering letters is just the front. In Tegami Bachi, letters are communication devices that allow addressers and addressees to read into one another's innermost feelings and wishes. It is a portal into one's heart, where people can really use time to think carefully and articulate what they really want to say ONTO paper. And it is the letter bees job to carry all that emotion and 'heart' emanating from that flimsy bit of paper that could have so much significance on someone's life, safely to their destination. This immortal secret is what (I think) the series tries to teach us. Unlike many deep meaningful series it doesn't preach right behaviour or good morals. It TEACHES. Yes, teaches. Teaches about friendship, explored through the interaction and the community of all the letter bees, and the friendships between letter bees and their dingos, that immortal bond so overlooked, prime examples constantly dotted throughout the series. (I'm trying not to spoil it). It also teaches, about respecting others, and in not the way you'd expect. That particular lesson broke my heart to pieces. It really exemplifies the meaning of sacrifice, and what true friends do for one another. Another major theme explored is 'good and evil'. Suprisingly I felt absolutely no enmity for the villian of the second season. I did hate a particular someone for the atrocious betrayal of trust but I won't specify who. Watch if you want to find out. :D Anyway, the series goes back deep enough into a character's history that I was able to emphasize enough with the villain to understand the reasonings behind their actions. weird....

On a smaller note, the one thing that I wish that some important questions were answered. It seems like, while the series is absolutely great, the producers/directors forget about a few aspects of the Lag's history, and while it touches on it lightly is not nearly enough for fans to draw respectable conlcusions from it. Which is extremely unfortunate.

ENJOYMENT: I think it's pretty clear from the rest of my review how much I LOVED LOVED LOVED this series. There has been a couple of negative reviews and what I really plead to you is to give this anime a chance. This anime really changed what I thought of anime as a whole, it was a refreshing, touching, at times heart-breaking series, forever immortalised in my heart, and I believe with every inch of my soul that it'll have some place in yours too.

If you found this review unhelpful could you please tell how I could improve it for future reviews? Thanks!!

How to start....How to write a review that will do this great anime justice...Let me first apologise if my review doesn't make a lot of sense. I am still overwhelmed with emotion at this point. Well, Tegami Bachi or Letter Bee is a beautiful anime much, much more than the simple letter-delivering. I had wanted to watch this anime for a long, long time, falling in love with the concept, artwork and when I had finally had the time to watch it all my previous expectations were blown away by the standards of the anime; which are absolutely amazing. I watched all 50 episodes for ... two days straight. Me, who has severe commitment problems was so capivated by the essence of the anime as it challenged everything that life meant for me.

STORY: At initial glance, it doesn't seem very original, NOT CLICHE either, but hardly something very unique. Letter-delivering. Very mundane. Not so in this anime. Letter Bees go on very dangerous missions, transversing many miles through the flickering light of Amberground, they face the constant threat of 'gaichuu'. This particular story follows Lag Seeing- the world's most adorable/lovable protagonist, a letter bee searching for his idol and his saviour - Gauche Suede; in the most basic, basic terms.
The first season has very llttle plot development in terms of the previously mentioned concept, IN fact, it is safe to say the first season really just 'sets the scene' in 25 episodes, so by the time you reached the finale, you have a very thorough understanding of what being a letter bee entails, their impact on the lives of the civilians, the huge social divisionsof Amberground, basic knowledge on all the characters encountered so far, etc.etc.
The Second season is when the plot really gets moving. Don't get me wrong, the first season was absolutely beautiful exhibition of the greatness of the human spirit. Beautiful and extremely moving. However, the second season is so extremely addictive and exciting because you are immersed in the journeys of all the protagonists and all their successes and failures are amplified tenfold for you, and in the most basic terms, season 2 retains little episodic elements of season 1 and is also much more exciting because there is significant plot movement.

ART AND ANIMATION: I've combined these two because there isn't much I can say about them as I'm not an expert, but the art is beautiful and the animation is excellent. While watching this anime the last thing you'll be unhappy with is the art, (which is actually pallettable ART), and the animation, (which is smooth, non-jittery and enjoyable to watch, I.E. looks like it's done by ACTUAL professionals) 0o0

SOUND: WONDERFUL WONDERFUL WONDERFUl.... Music that is actually music, voice-acting that is actually done with emotion, openings and endings you actually want to watch, all in all, very impressive.

CHARACTER; Ahhh, the characters/ protagonists were most definitely a hiighlight of the anime. On a general note, every single character of the series is an actual character, with emotions, development, (however small), history (however much touched on), hopes, dreams, and aspirations, NOT 2 dimensional stereotypes, which many animes have succumbed to. Not this one. The main character - Lag Seeing, is the biggest crybaby I have ever come across. EVER. But in a weird warp he is also the most endearing and moving and emotionally sensitive soul I have also come across in all fiction, and the real world. He is type of character you wish you knew because he would be the greatest friend that would always be loyal to you and love you. AND FOR ONCE THE PROTAGONIST IS NOT A PERVERTED TWAT. AND you LOVE HIM FOR IT. Also, Lag Seeing, from the very first episode undergoes a huge emotional journey. Wrenched away from everything ever known, he grows a great deal in only the first few episodes; he learns the meaning of the words 'friendship, love, and journey.' Understanding first hand the experience of being a letter, it inspires him to able to give what Gauche Suede, (the letter bee that delivered Lag) gave him. This character development does not stop for one second in the duration of the both series.
His dingo - Niche is an equally interesting character. Adorable, but equally deadly, in many ways, she is the polar opposite of Lag, but in another weird warp they make an unbeatable team. The relationship entails many hardships, as all realtionship do, but also triumphs through them, which really contributes to not only the likability of these two characters, but the whole series.

THEMES: I could write a whole essay on this one. And I would. Happily. But for review purposes I will TRY to keep it succint. :P Sorry reader. OKK... Tegami Bachi is chocablock filled with themes. In fact, I don't think the word 'themes' quite entails what this show offers intellectually. Obviously, it can be interpreted very differently, but this is just my personal opinion. But Tegami Bachi is most definitely about communication. Duh. Delivering letters is just the front. In Tegami Bachi, letters are communication devices that allow addressers and addressees to read into one another's innermost feelings and wishes. It is a portal into one's heart, where people can really use time to think carefully and articulate what they really want to say ONTO paper. And it is the letter bees job to carry all that emotion and 'heart' emanating from that flimsy bit of paper that could have so much significance on someone's life, safely to their destination. This immortal secret is what (I think) the series tries to teach us. Unlike many deep meaningful series it doesn't preach right behaviour or good morals. It TEACHES. Yes, teaches. Teaches about friendship, explored through the interaction and the community of all the letter bees, and the friendships between letter bees and their dingos, that immortal bond so overlooked, prime examples constantly dotted throughout the series. (I'm trying not to spoil it). It also teaches, about respecting others, and in not the way you'd expect. That particular lesson broke my heart to pieces. It really exemplifies the meaning of sacrifice, and what true friends do for one another. Another major theme explored is 'good and evil'. Suprisingly I felt absolutely no enmity for the villian of the second season. I did hate a particular someone for the atrocious betrayal of trust but I won't specify who. Watch if you want to find out. :D Anyway, the series goes back deep enough into a character's history that I was able to emphasize enough with the villain to understand the reasonings behind their actions. weird....

On a smaller note, the one thing that I wish that some important questions were answered. It seems like, while the series is absolutely great, the producers/directors forget about a few aspects of the Lag's history, and while it touches on it lightly is not nearly enough for fans to draw respectable conlcusions from it. Which is extremely unfortunate.

ENJOYMENT: I think it's pretty clear from the rest of my review how much I LOVED LOVED LOVED this series. There has been a couple of negative reviews and what I really plead to you is to give this anime a chance. This anime really changed what I thought of anime as a whole, it was a refreshing, touching, at times heart-breaking series, forever immortalised in my heart, and I believe with every inch of my soul that it'll have some place in yours too.

It is hard to write a review on a anime with so much within its 26 episodes... but here goes...

The story is amazing, there is deep, momentous very well-paced plot that keeps you clicking on the next episode every time. There is an extraoridinary amount of development with it's plot and a sense of great brotherly love.

The art, is amazing. Since Rainbow (the manga) was written a while ago, there is a look and feel about it characteristic to that era,however, the animators for this series have successfully reinvented it while keeping it true to both the manga and the times, giving it a fresh ... feel and keeping it remarkably consistent.

The sound is amazing. The opening and closing themes really connect with the viewer and I believe 'wraps' the while feel of the anime.

The characters are one of the great highligts of the anime. Here is where we find the wealth of character development and extraordinary eyeopeners where the journey taken by the main protagonists really lets us have connections and favourites. Really developing each characters individual traits and personalities that lend so much wealth to the show, rather than making another weird psycopathic seinen throwaway anime.

I enjoyed the series, I think that is very apparent from the review and I recommend it to anyone at all, because in truth, this series is a truly heartwarming story of a friendship, love and the conquering of insurmountable odds. 10/10

Jackals is an pretty good manga. There are a multitude of characters, mini subplots and the highlight of it, in my opinion, was the art.
Story: 8/10
The story was not particularly sophisticated nor complex, but still enjoyable without being too simple. At first glance, the story involves a city of violence, mafia and a hunter who kills everyone. (Dogs, anyone?) A little deeper, and you find there is a rivalry between the two main characters, each seeking to distill their burning desire for revenge. (Canaan, anyone?) However, a little deeper again and you will find many little subplots interwoven with the main ... storyline. Giving background to characters, and reasoning behind their principals. It gives a sense of familiarity and sympathy to the characters.
These 'subplots' make the story very interesting. The switching of the character points are well-used and give a spark to the story.
Art: 10/10
The art was absolutely outstanding. The realism, the gunplay, the fighting, all without match. Even if you aren't into the violent genre, I recommend this solely on the brilliance of the art.
Character: 8/10
The characters of Jackals are interesting and unique, however, they are not completely original since many fall into the physcopathic stereotype.
Also, if you were looking for character development you are wasting your time because in this manga there are virtually none, it is mainly from fighting scenes you understand them.
Further, the only two characters that are vaguely likeable, are the two main ones, plainly from their sheer awesomeness, but otherwise, the other characters are either disturbing or 'special'.
Enjoyment: 8/10
Jackals is very enjoyable, it has great action, great perspective drawings and constant pace. The plotlines add complexity to the story and the characters are the type you want to know more about.
In general, it is an intruging story, laden with betrayal, blood, and legends spawned from the most bloodthirsty.
Overall, I give it a 9/10 and highly recommend it for the non-faint hearted.