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I have a difficult time trying to comprehend Say "I Love You". On the one hand, it has some of the most realistic interactions and relationships between characters that I have ever seen, with characters able to talk about kissing and sex without getting kicked 10m across the room. On the other hand, taking advantage of a girl in the middle of the day by forcibly kissing her as a way of "scaring away a stalker" is considered perfectly acceptable.

It's kind of hard to fairly judge romance stories in anime. A lot of their basic premises are so similar, a lot of people will ... write them off as being "cliché" or "unoriginal". But what makes each individual romance story unique is its execution. Say "I Love You" attempts to break through the cage of unoriginality by presenting us viewers with characters that actually accept the fact that they love and care for each other. No big misunderstandings. No cockblocks. No elaborate schemes by side characters to bring the painfully obvious couple together. Just pure, unadulterated romance. The way it should be.

Despite loving the realistic way the show presents itself at the beginning, I have some major complaints about some of the directions the plot decides to take and how certain events unfold. It left me feeling dissatisfied and, at times, a tad frustrated.

In the same vein that the story left me feeling dissatisfied, the main set of characters are a rather mixed bag as well. Tachibana Mei is your run-of-the-mill shoujo protagonist. She has no friends and looks and acts average in every way possible. A prefect slate for most of the show's viewers to place themselves into. Kurosawa Yamato, on the other hand, is your run-of-the-mill shoujo love interest. He has loads of friends and looks and acts cool in every way possible. A perfect character to have the show's viewers romanticise about. And thus a beautiful romance was born (?).

Joking aside, the characters do have some quality to them. Tachibana's slow progression from having no friends to realising that she has people she can rely on is incredibly heartwarming, and the way that Kurosawa helps her achieve this is very cute. She is a very flawed person that can make you mad or even cringe at times, but that's just what makes her such a strong character.

Kurosawa is the opposite. His flaws aren't what make you angry, but instead, his supposed lack of flaws. His over-confidence and easy-going attitude make him, at times, detestable. However, he is not always awful. His devotion to Tachibana and his realisation of his (many) mistakes make up for his blandness.

Despite the main characters' lost potential, it's hard to call either of them "unlikeable". I wish I could say the same about the supporting cast. Barely any of them are interesting in the slightest, and those that are don't get enough development to become anything memorable. It seems as though almost every character has bullied or has been bullied, and we should feel sorry for them either way. By the end, I didn't care for any of them (except maybe Kai).

The standout feature of Say "I Love You" has nothing to do with story or character but is instead its sound/art design. It may not be masterful, but they did a pretty fine job with the animation. Every character moves as they should do and nothing feels out of the ordinary. Both songs are excellent, despite being somewhat typical. And, the voice actors did a great job capturing the emotions of each character.

Say "I Love You" is the exact same romance story you've seen hundreds of times over, but with the help of likeable protagonists, fantastic pacing and endearing relationships, it manages to stand head and shoulders above the flooded see of mediocrity and becomes something worth your time.

WARNING: spoilers for the first couple of episodes ahead. See the last paragraph for a short, non-spoiler mini review.

Typically, in anime, they decide to look at the more loving side of a relationship. Whether there be happy times or sad time, they always tend to look at the love that the characters share. It's very rare for anime to step outside of this comfort zone and make something much darker. Something that follows a relationship without any love involved. Something that looks at the romance genre in a new angle. That, my friend, is the premise of Kuzu no Honkai.

Kuzu no Honkai follows the tale ... of Hanabi and Mugi as they decide to get in a relationship after their respective crushes (teachers) begin to show interest in each other. To everyone else, they seem like a normal, ideal couple, but, in reality, they do not love each other at all and are using each other as "substitutes". This means that they partake in activities that lovers would usually do together and, yes, that includes almost having sex in very awkward fan service sequences for all you perverts out there (I know you’re there). As the story unfold, more and more characters get involved in this big mush of a relationship, until, inevitably, they all turn into walking pieces of human trash. Okay, maybe not all of them become that bad, but my point still stands.

The characters in this anime are what’ll either make you love this series, or hate it. Along with the previously mentioned Mugi and Hanabi, there is also Sanae, Akane, Narumi and Noriko.

Sanae is a girl that is very much in love with Hanabi, although she has accepted the fact that she cannot be in a romantic relationship with her... So, she decides loveless sex is fine instead. Makes sense.

Akane is Mugi’s crush and a music teacher at their school. She used to be Mugi’s private teacher as a kid and is also the worst type of human being imaginable. She gets off on the fact that other people want her. She especially loves wooing men that someone else already has romantic feelings for. She’s a slut that will sleep with one man on Tuesday and then another two on Wednesday. She’s truly the worst of the worst.

Narumi is Hanabi’s crush and older childhood friend, whom she calls “onii-chan”. He is currently working at the school and is Hanabi’s homeroom teacher. Adding insult to injury, he is quite obviously in love with Akane and does not even bother trying to hide it. He is currently unaware of Hanabi’s feelings.

Finally, there is Noriko. She is Mugi’s childhood friend and has been in love with him for years. She is a completely useless character that adds nothing to the story besides more heartbreak and despair. They could have gotten rid of her completely and almost nothing would have changed.

Each character is unique and brings something interesting to the table, besides Noriko. although they may not always be the most likable of people, they are almost always fascinating to watch. You can’t help but both root for them to live happy lives and wish that they just fuck off already at the same time. Maybe I’m just a sadomasochist, but I absolutely loved this about Kuzu no Honkai.

The art in this anime is one of the prettiest art styles that I have seen in anime to this date. The soft water colours give off a melancholic vibe that I simply cannot describe. The way that the anime slowly turns into a picturesque painting of a scene during an emotional moment has a huge effect on how I’m feeling during a specific moment, especially as it emphasises on a single way that it wants you to feel. It’s truly a beauty to behold.

The music is phenomenal. The soundtrack perfectly fits the atmosphere of the anime and represents what it’s all about. The opening song “Uso no Hibana” is beautiful. Sang by 96Neko, it gets across the point of despair and rejection, whilst also showing the viewer the power of moving on and the substitutions throughout the series. Despite how amazing this OP is, the ED, “Heikousen” somehow manages to top it. Never before has an ending song had such an emotional impact on me than this one has. Hearing this song at the end of every episode is truly something special. Definitely one of the best ending songs out there in my opinion.

Fun fact: If you reverse the kanji of the opening song's name (嘘の火花), you will get Hanabi no Uso (花火の嘘), which translates to Hanabi's Lies. It makes a lot of sense when you think about it.

I’m no expert in voice acting, so I’ll keep this part short. The voice actors do an amazing job at portraying their respective characters and quite easily get across how they are feeling at that exact moment, without breaking out of character.

All in all, Kuzu no Honkai is a fantastic anime. It dares to do what a lot of other anime are too afraid to do. Explore the dark nature of love. The characters are amazing, being both entertaining and heart-breaking to watch, the art is absolutely beautiful, and the music Is a joy to the ears. To some, it may be a very uncomfortable show that’s a pain to sit through to the end, but to others, it may just be a masterpiece.

Hope that helped.

I don't give two shits about baseball. I would never go out of my way to watch a game, and most of my knowledge comes from playing Wii Sports. But, this anime did something. It did something amazing. Something I thought would never happen in a million years. It made me give a shit about baseball.

The story of this anime stands out compared to other sports anime because it doesn't solely focus on the sport itself. Cross Game instead focuses more on character development and romance. Right from the first episode, it doesn't make a massive deal about baseball, but tries to show the friendship ... between Kou and Wakaba whilst still getting across the fact that it is, without a doubt, about baseball.

This anime puts a lot of emphasis on romance. The romance is well-developed and never feels unrealistic or rushed, like other shows. This anime has love triangles around every corner, which makes fun to speculate who will get with who and who will get rejected. They do this to make the love hate relationship between Kitamura Kou and Tsukishima Aoba twice as interesting to watch, making you enjoy the relationship between the two till the very end.

This anime is also exceedingly dramatic, being a drama and all. The creators knew what they were doing when making this anime and it shows. The clever use of tension and build up gets you excited to see just what might happen next and makes you click that next episode button faster than any pitch Kou ever threw. It gives off a real lasting impression that makes the show that much more memorable.

Although this isn't a shounen, I felt that the baseball matches in this anime are just as intense as any other show. Every hit, every pitch, every catch all feel real. As the anime progresses, characters start getting better and better at baseball and that's just what makes it so exciting. You've been with the characters and got to know them whilst watching. That makes it all the more satisfying when you see these characters improve and win matches. It's a sense of excitement I don't feel anywhere else.

The characters in this anime are simple yet effective. Kou is the ace pitcher of Seishu academy and is, hard working, great at lying, dependable, well-developed, likable main character that you're sure to like. Aoba is what you call a "tsundere" and is seemingly cold, warm to others that aren't Kou, a great pitcher, Kou's teacher, everyone's crush, similar to Kou and a great character.

The supporting cast is also really nice. Akaishi is Seishu's catcher and is a big, menacing guy who's actually a really nice, loving person. Azuma is a legendary batter who only remembers those who have some importance to him and is a quite, cool, collected, honest, harsh, smart, dependable character. Senda is... also there, I guess. Every character is unique, interesting, fun and a joy to watch every time.

The art in this anime is unique, to say the least. It's simplistic and reminiscent of older anime, giving it an old-school classic feel to it. The simplicity also serves well in the fact that the show itself is simplistic. The one flaw I do have about the art, is that almost all the characters have the same face and expression. It isn't too much of an issue, but it did bug me quite a bit more than it should have.

The music in the anime fits the overall theme. It's simplistic and easy to listen to, just like how the anime is simplistic and easy to watch. The opening song "Summer Rain" perfectly sets up each episode of the anime. It gives off a somewhat tropical beat and makes the whole thing relaxing. I can't be bothered to talk about each every ED in detail, so here's a sentence for each one. ED 1 was a slow, tragic song that fits the themes it tried to get across in the first quarter. ED 2 is a nice sounding song that would be great if it weren't for the fact that it doesn't suite the anime that well, being a sort of rap song. ED 3 has a really nice, relaxing beat and slow rhythm, making it my favourite ED in this anime. ED 4 has a real nice sounding piano and lyrics that suite the show pretty well.

Overall, Cross Game is a fun, relaxing series with twist, turns and exciting moments around every corner. It made me laugh. It made me feel sad. It made me a better man. But most of all, it made me give two shits about baseball.

Hope that helped.

The bar. A place of peace and tranquillity. A place where, no matter what your background, you're always welcome. A place where you can just forget all of your worries and relax. And most important of all, it's a place of alcohol.

Bartender follows the story of, you guessed it, a bartender, named Sasakura Ryuu. We watch as he welcomes his customers with a welcoming smile as they walk through the hefty doors of Eden Hall. Although their stories and personalities may differ, they're all there for the same reason. To get a taste of the famous, "Glass of God". But, little do they know that ... the "Glass of God" isn't a specific drink, but is a drink made for them. A drink that'll rid them of all previous worries. A drink that'll change them for the better. Just as a good drink should.

Bartender is a very gentle, calm series that is able to really soothe the mind. Each and every episode is relaxing and satisfying to watch as, despite an episode only lasting just over 23 minutes, each individual that walks into the bar has their own well-developed and detailed story that helps you connect, sympathise or even resonate with them. Bartender also very cleverly makes the characters from the resolved episodes come back every now and then for narration purposes. This take on directing is what makes Bartender really stand out in my eyes, and may be the reason I love it so much. Others may find Bartender's strange directing and slow-paced approach boring, and I get that. There were times where Bartender didn't captivate me, where I too found it boring. But, these moments didn't happen often and barely effected my overall enjoyment of the show.

The art in Bartender is what it should be. Simple. None of the characters have any outrageous designs and are instead almost realistic in how they look. The design for the bar is also extraordinary. It looks as though it were a real bar that I could sit down and have a drink in. The drinks at the back also gave off a sense of wonder as to what "Glass of God" Ryuu could possibly brew up next. Whilst the 2D animation may be great, I can't say the same about the CG. It isn't used to often, but when it is, it's clunky, off-putting and just plain ugly to look at. It just seemed unnecessary and a waste of time.

Bartender proved to me that bars aren't always about the drinks, but also about the atmosphere. And what better way to show off atmosphere than the use of music. I love the music in this anime. It gives off a jazzy, relaxed vibe that suites the show to a T. The opening song, "Bartender", is one of the best out there, but sadly it's far too upbeat for a show all about being slow and relaxed. The ending song, "*~Hajimari no Hito", is a beautiful jazz song that is slow, simple and effective.

What I think Bartender does the best is it's atmosphere. I already talked about what the soundtrack does for it, but when watching, you can get a real sense of what the creators were trying to accomplish: the same feeling you get in a bar. Just watching an episode of Bartender after a stressful day can easily soothe the mind and help you calm right down.

Overall, Bartender doesn't try to be flashy and exciting, but instead tries to emphasise on the power that a bar can hold. The power to relax. It's an amazing series that I can't recommend enough to any fan of alcohol or slow-paced shows.

Hope that helped.

A good mystery is hard to make. You have to take a lot into consideration when making one. Is it satisfying? Is it smart? Is it entertaining? But most of all, do I care? Well I can say with an honest heart, that I cared about The Daughter of 20 Faces. I really, really did.

the story is about a girl who gets "kidnapped" by the famous thief known as Twenty Faces, and begins travelling with him and his gang of fellow thieves. Instead of viewing her "kidnapping" as a curse, she instead views it as a gift and quickly warms up to her new comrades, ... viewing them as the family she never had.

For what it is, the story is very well paced throughout the show, and it never feels as though there's a dull moment. Now, the show is separated into two very distinguishable arcs, that are handled in two very different manners. The first is very fun, mysterious and a plain old joy to watch. This arc is important in establishing how Chizuko grows in strength and as a character, whilst also depicting how close the gang is and how they grow as a family. The second arc adds in a sense of adventure and drama with the inclusion of characters Koito and Tome. Although the second arc tries to replicate the same level of fun that is had in the previous arc, it never quiet matches up to the same level of enjoyment I had watching the first, but instead adds new things by making the story darker in tone to keep me interested till the very end.

The animation is, for lack of a better word, fantastic. All of the characters have a natural sense of movement that really adds to the overall nature of the show. Where the animation stands out the most however, is in the action sequences. Never before have I seen an anime that has fights as smooth and well choreographed as this. The character designs, although not ground breaking, are really nice and unique. Every character is distinguishable and can be easily recognised by the viewer many months prior to finishing (probably).

The soundtrack is one of my favourite things about this whole show. It gives off a very atmospheric post-war vibe that really adds to the overall quality. The opening song is a very nice song to listen to that gives off a certain feel of tragedy and, of course, a sense of mystery. The ending song feels as though it's the polar opposite, with a more upbeat, almost "childish" vibe to it. It's also worth mentioning, each song is reminiscent of the first and second arcs respectively.

As far as protagonists go, Chizuko is amongst the best. She's a very well realised character that has a very realistic sense of development and growth. Both the script and voice actor have a very good understanding of who her character is supposed to be. I was also surprised to find that Twenty Faces is actually a really well rounded and realistic character whom you can sympathise with, through the use of flashbacks. However great these characters may be, I felt as though I would have liked to have seen more backstory and development given to some of the supporting cast. Although they're not bad characters in any way, I feel that giving the members of Twenty Faces' gang a reason as to why they joined would have given the anime that extra push that would have made it that extra bit closer to perfection. This probably won't effect your enjoyment in any way, because I'm just nit-picking at this point.

On the whole, The Daughter of Twenty Faces is an outstanding anime with interesting characters, exceptional animation, a kickass soundtrack and most of all, a mystery I cared about.

Hope that helped.

Lucky Star is complete trash. And so am I.

This anime has no real story. No development. No drama. No real story. No fan-service. No stand-out features. No real story. And yet somehow this anime completely won me over.

As I said before, Lucky Star doesn't have a real story. If anything, I would describe it as a "character driven narrative" or something along those lines. It follows the everyday lives of a group of high school girls doing what high school girls do, like debating on how to eat food, making Haruhi references, and spending every chance you can playing MMO's with your teacher and copying ... homework off of your conveniently smart friend. Yes, Lucky Star might not be anything like how real Japanese school girls act, but it's the unusual conversations that these girls have that make it so bloody entertaining.

Oh, did I mention this is a parody? I probably should have, because that's one of the main appeals of this show. I don't think you can truly appreciate Lucky Star unless you've watched a fair amount of anime. Seriously, I swear there's got to be at least 10 references in each episode. It's both hilarious and annoying. Hilarious if you get the reference. Annoying if you don't.

I said at the begin that this would be considered a "character driven narrative" in my perspective. Well, what I meant by that was that the characters are literally the entire show. From the mega-otaku, Konata, to the genius airhead, Miyuki, there's definitely a loli or two in here to suit everyone's taste.

One final thing I wanted to mention was Lucky Channel. At the end of every episode, there's a fourth wall breaking additional show segment featuring Kogami Akira and her loyal assistant, Shiraishi Minoru. I won't spoil anything, but the way that LC builds up over time is pure genius and makes me laugh every time. Definitely one of the highlights of the show.

All in all, Lucky Star is a fantastic anime with a loveable cast of colourful characters and some of the funniest moments in all of anime. It's definitely worth a watch if you're into the slice of life genre or if you're just looking for a good time.

Hope that helped.

I was looking through MAL and noticed a surprising amount of positive reviews for this anime. It was being praised left, right and centre without tackling the problems that this anime has. This reviews purpose is not to say that those reviews are wrong, but to just give people a second opinion on this anime and to show that no anime is that perfect.

I'll start by giving credit where credit is due. This anime is an AMAZING look into the manga industry and the lives of mangaka. By the end of the show, I felt like I knew how to create a manga of my ... very own and it told me how I too could get it published in a weekly magazine. It also told me why I wouldn't ever want do that in a million years. Being a mangaka is hard, and Bakuman shows us that in spades. It cleverly uses Ashirogi Muto's emotions to give a clear understanding of how they're feeling and what they're thinking. That's certainly where this anime shines the most. So, what's wrong with it? Well...

Although Bakuman uses Ashirogi Muto well in some cases, it completely fails at making them likable in the slightest. Mashiro is an arrogant love struck teenager who has a crush on some girl he's barely ever made any interactions with, and Takagi is just the plain boring smart yet doesn't act smart kind of character. I'm sorry if I'm being a little harsh, but in an anime that tries to show a realistic representation of the challenges in the manga industry, making the main characters get away with absolutely everything that would probably get them fired just from the power of pure arrogance and a tad bit of plot-armour just doesn't sit well with me. And that's not even talking about the most forced romance in anime history.

Mashiro decides his entire future based off of a promise he made to girl he had a slight crush on. That's would be pretty fine, if not still a bit stupid, if it weren't for the fact that they drag out this completely uninteresting romance for the ENTIRE SERIES. And they only ever talk directly about 3 times. 3 times! The show rubs it off as being their own way of expressing love or some shit like that, but it was just painful to watch from start to finish.

Not all the characters are bad. Whilst most of the best ones don't really show up that much till season 2, Niizuma Eiji is by far the best character in this show. I won't spoil anything, but let's just say that he's fun to watch every time he shows up on screen and his passion for manga makes you route for him all the way.

Overall, I can see the appeal of this anime. I really can. But the characters and story were just so uninteresting for the most part that I cant bring myself to like this anime. If what I just told you puts you off watching this in anyway, then stay clear. There's much better anime out there.

You're still probably going to end up watching it after reading the other reviews anyway, aren't you?

Oh, and the music isn't that memorable. I forgot that part.