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I normally don't watch magical girl genre, and I also normally don't watch an entire series in one night. Mahou Shoujo Madoka Magica quickly captured my interest and had me captivated throughout every episode.

You may be thinking that this is some 'happy-go-lucky' typical shoujo anime. However, that isn't the case at all. It is dark and twisted, and has unexpected plot twists as well as serious issues.

I was initially shocked by the artwork because it is so unique. Parts of an episode will be in one style of animation while other parts will be different. It is so intriguing to watch the episodes and ... see how the animation style reflects the atmosphere and tone of the scene.

The sounds complimented well to each episode and every scene. It also wasn't just your average sound effects, but there were songs and snippets of melodies and such playing at different times. I normally don't notice the sound too much in an anime, but here, I really did notice the difference and enjoyed the attention to detail.

The characters are all so unique. Each has their own way to fight and for different reasons, even though ultimately they have the same goal. I thought that most of the characters were well-developed. Kyubey caught me off guard, and changed my view of the entire series. It was interesting to see how the relationship between the characters changed because of Puella Magi.

I enjoyed this series so much, and I am going to rewatch it very soon. I'm not going to say there weren't flaws in this anime, because with any piece of work there is always going to be something to change. However, I felt like the overall experience and anime was brilliant, and would highly recommend it to anyone-even those who typically do not watch this genre.

In short, this anime is where the minority must do what they have to in order to survive-it's kill or be killed.
After mysterious gates have appeared on Earth, beings known as Contractors and Dolls appear. Contractors are humans who have lost all their reasoning and gain special powers; each time they use their powers they must pay a 'price'-anything from singing a song to smoking to throwing up. Dolls are humans who have lost all emotions and can send out 'spectors' through certain objects (such as glass, water, metal) to find and track people. Most Contractors and Dolls do the dirty work for other ... people or organizations- infiltration, spying, killing- doing anything to survive in the same world that hates them.

Hei is a Contractor who works for the Syndicate, along with a Doll, Yin, another Contractor, Mao, and a human, Huang. Together they do the dirty bidding of the Syndicate, while Hei also searching for his lost sister.

This anime may not be everyone's cup of tea. It is fairly serious, action directed and starts off basically episodic, as the arcs last 2 episodes long. However in the end, Darker than Black made me very contemplative, about what it means to be human and what justice really is. About how in the large scheme of things, life will continue to go on as if nothing has happened and even if one does something great for the overall population, few will notice.

For about a third of the season, it is episodic, and while interesting and entertaining to watch, doesn't seem to do much towards plot. But as the anime goes on and the story gets thicker and more details are revealed, you realize that the episodic nature was necessary in order to establish the character of Hei and to introduce the other characters. Also, it helps demonstrate the condition and environment that Contractors and Dolls must live in. Once the initial introductions are complete, the plot becomes much more advanced as you learn people's motives and the arcs tie into one another.

What I found most interesting is how the characters evolved, and that is because throughout the anime I didn't really notice that they were changing. It wasn't until the last episode when everything tied together, that I realized this. I was also surprised how much I liked Hei. Hei is supposed to be the bad guy. He kills innocent people, but you end up feeling empathetic for him. He cares about his friends (which is unnatural for a Contractor) and when he is under his alias Lee, he actually is a good guy.

Darker than Black is a great anime that is paced differently and some may like that and others may not. Once started, I think it has to be finished in order to understand the plot, characters and to experience it properly. It isn't until the end that everything makes completely sense. All in all, I'm really glad that I ended up watching this anime.

Ask the Stars for Help! is a really great shounen-ai manga that displays incredible character growth, cute and funny scenarios, comedic relief, realistic portrayals, and is overall enjoyable. I have reread what scans are posted over four times, which is 14/26 volumes, and it never gets old. I would recommend this manga to anyone, even people who might shy away from shounen-ai type mangas, because it is really rewarding to read.

So far there hasn't been any explicit scenes, but it truly demonstrates the growing bond between the two main characters, Kiyomine and Takara, who dorm together in high school. What I enjoyed the ... most is the realistic aspect of this manga; it shows the real emotions that people feel and are embarrassed to admit and personal weaknesses, such as childishness, hot-headedness and selfishness. The characters learn what friendship really means, the development of love, lessons in life and learn who they really are. It's not just a shounen-ai manga, but it's a plot that provides lessons that some people are afraid to face. Though I admit some of the scenarios that the two get caught up in seem to a bit far-fetched, but it could happen ^.^ However, those scenarios are not just completely random and do tie into the plot.

The comedy is genuine and hilarious. When an arrogant Kiyomine and a hot-headed Takara combine, there is sure to be hilarious conflicts. The supporting characters, and even supporting animals (ferrets and a border collie XD) all stay true to their personalities and even develop themselves over time and add to the comedy and atmosphere. The art took me some time to get used to, since I was used to newer mangas, but now I love it and think it's beautiful.

Overall, this is one of my favorite mangas and even if you are unsure about shounen-ai, I would give it a read because it really hooked me immediately and now I am craving for more. I hope this review was helpful!

My Heavenly Hockey Club is very similar to Ouran High School Host Club, which is why I initially picked it up. It's a nice brain vacation from life and is really hilarious.

The main plot line seems to have not really advanced too much in the 37 chapters I've read so far, sort of the feeling you get from OHSHC, but seeing the characters develop as individuals and in relation with each other is really fun. I think that as I read on, the story will be become even more enjoyable.

There are some ridiculously funny moments and some cute moments too, the characters have funny ... personalities and interesting relationships with one another, and the artwork is very beautiful. It's a very enjoyable read.

Meet Rin. Rin is the son of Satan. Rin is training to become a demon exorcist- talk about ironic.
Overall, this anime so far has been extremely entertaining and actually has had some surprises, which makes it more enjoyable.

Story: 10
The storyline in connection with the characters and their motivations actually seems believable. It's not some far-fetched concept with characters that don't do anything at all related to the plot. The way the story of Ao no Exorcist is connected by and through the characters if very realistic and makes the story very enjoyable to watch.

Art: 10
I really like the art style, it has angular ... lines with some soft coloring in contrast with bright colors. It makes it very appeasing to the eyes, lol. Also, the city in which the school resides in is very cool.

Sound: 8
The opening/ending is pretty good, but other than that, the sounds in the anime are just general so far, nothing too fancy but not bad either.

Character: 10
The character of Rin is well developed and he actually sticks to his motivations and personality. His personality supports his actions and vice versa. He wants to become stronger after seeing his father die, and wants to deny his demon self because he wasn't brought up that way, and demons have harmed his family. His slacker attitude fits him well and provides comedic relief.

Yukio actually has surprised me. His character as first is different from what is shown a couple of episodes later. But in fact, his actions in the first episode completely make sense once you know more about Yukio. Most of his reactions completely make sense with his studious, serious personality. It is a nice balance when Yukio and Rin are next to each other since they are so different.

Enjoyment: 10!
It's been a really good 3 episodes. I definitely recommend it. The characters are fun and genuine, and the story is extremely compelling. Plus, there's nothing wrong with watching a teenager burning with blue flames and slaying demons with a katana.

Welcome to Deadman Wonderland! A privately owned prison where the prisoners perform for an audience, in hopes of winning the games and lengthening their life. Sounds like fun, right? Right. It makes an excellent anime anyways.

This review is based off the first 3 episodes. Overall: 10/10

Story: 10/10
Ganta Igarashi witnesses his entire class slaughtered by a Red Figure. He is framed and convicted as guilty, sentenced to death and thus sent to Deadman Wonderland- and that's where the real 'fun' begins. To survive, he must compete in insane games and win, in order to keep himself alive.

It is a unique storyline that really draws ... in the watcher. You want everyone to believe that Ganta is non guilty just as much as he does. As you see Ganta face and overcome obstacles, try to keep some hope in his life and stay alive, you just want to smack the other characters that are making it harder for him.

Art: 10/10
The art is very beautiful, clear and neat. The gore scenes are not too bad; it was done in a very artistically well manner. The movements are clear and the transitions are nice. Very enjoyable.

Sound: 8/10
The sound is appropriate for the anime, but nothing special. The opening/ending are pretty good, and there typical sound effects.

Character: 10/10
The characters are well thought out and true to themselves. The personality matches all of the quirks that the characters have, and make for believable characters.

Ganta is an adolescent boy who has to grow up fast in order to survive. The only thing keeping him going is to survive and prove he isn't guilty. He is incredibly disturbed by the event he witnessed and his conviction, and yet tries to persevere in an unthinkable situation. He cares about the people around him.

Shiro is extremely light hearted and energetic. It seems that Deadman Wonderland doesn't bother her at all; that it is really just fun and games. She helps Ganta out, even if he doesn't realize it at first, and she gives Ganta a friendly comfort.

Enjoyment: 10/10
I can't wait for the next episodes to come out! It is extremely interesting and keeps you on edge. The story and characters match together well and is done beautifully, making the overall experience very enjoyable. I recommend!

Shitsuji-sama no Okiniiri is about a girl named Himura Ryou who enrolls in a rich, elite school in order to fulfill her roll as a daughter. However, before now, she was a commoner and doesn't know how to act in the high L class society! On her first day at her new school, she meets Kanzawa Hakuou extraordinaire, the king of B Class. Becoming fast friends, a romance story unfolds as Ryou and Hakuou work towards their goals.

This manga was an enjoyable break from a stressful life or a serious manga. It provides a fun atmosphere, comedic relief and an interesting plot. The ... artwork is very beautiful, I especially love the facial expressions. All the characters have interesting quirks that is consistent throughout the chapters. If you are looking for a manga to read for relaxation, a laugh, and maybe a bit of doki doki, this manga is perfect!