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I LOVE contact sports. MMA with Ronda Rousey and Wanderlei Silva. Wrestling with Kazuchika Okada, Hiroshi Tanahashi. And Boxing with guys like Manny Pacquiao, Floyd Maywheater, Muhammad Ali. And it was this whole beating s*** out of people that got me interested in Hajime no Ippo. I heard about this through a close friend, so I thought I would give it a spin.

And I was majorly disappointed.

First of all, coming from a major fan of Wrestling and Boxing (so much so I write reviews about wrestling and boxing events too!) I know a lot about what happens behind the scene. I was lucking forward for ... Ippo's journey into the backstage world of Boxing, as well as the actual fighting it self. But, all we got was some Rocky Balboa training scene, some brutal street fight Ippo gets caught in, and the actual boxing match.

The fight scenes ARE amazing however. The blend of music and great artwork mix well together, and I just forget about Ippo's horid hero's journey. It is not so bad to call it a let down, but as a fan who loves this sport and anime, I was a lil bit disappointed.

Still, the fight scenes are pretty damn good. The characters are satisfactory at best. The story went from good, to decent, to fair, to bad, to horrible, to fine. And fine is the bottom of the scale! Whenever someone says it is fine, they mean 'I don't want to insult you by saying it is f****** s***, so I will just say it is fine!"

Nevertheless, I was disappointed. It was not a let down like Kinnikuman (I will review that another day!) as I still managed to get to the end, but I did not buy it...like I normally would.

Pros:
-Great boxing scenes
-Great music

Cons:
-Everything else...

I would stream this, but if you like Boxing like I do...skip it.

Hajime no Ippo is available to buy from almost anywhere. Not that I would, but hell...

Reccomendations:

Just fro sports, Inazuma Eleven. I have nothing to recommend for Hajime no Ippo other then that.

Not going to lie; I like my dystopian thrillers like everybody else does, and if you don't then you have problems and I am giving you a diagnostic of 'Anime Killjoyitus' a rare but treatable disease for fellow otakus. But unfortunatly, not many are done right. On top of my head the only three I can think of are Hokuto no Ken (Fist of the North Star), Helsing and this: Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc!

Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc (or in Japan Danganronpa: Kibou no Gakuen to Zetsubou no Koukousei...not saying that again) is a dystopian thriller with lolicon, horror and even shonen elements added into it. ... It is probably one of the only visual novel adaptions I quite like, and joins the hall of the honoured like Fate/Stay Night UBW and Persona. It is grim, it is dark, it is grimy but on the flip side it is funny, enjoyable, and it speaks to some of our darkest desires.

Wait, what? I am about to explain myself! Danganronpa is about 16 students trapped in a school by the headmaster, Monokuma (a half-black half-white robot who (and I quote) is your headmaster and not a bear) and the only way to escape is by killing everybody else. But get found out during a 'class trial' you get executed in the most inventive executions I have ever seen along with some of the best animation to acompany that.

The main character is Mokoto Naegi, and together with the mysterious Kyoko Kirigiri, the stubborn schoolboy Byakuya Togami, the shy, but cold Toko and her murderous other-half Genocide Jill, the fortune teller Yasuhiro and the swimmer Hina try to uncover all the secrets in the school to find out who is the mastermind.

During the series, we see other character like Junko Enoshima and Mondo Owada who we all think might be the mastermind. I won't spoil who it is, but the brain f*** at the end will leave you itching...that is my ONLY complaint. The rest is very well packed; great characters including an anti-hero, a cold killer (who kills nobody...), a perv and a robot bear, what more could you ask for?

I enjoyed it very much, and I can't say that I did not! The only thing was that clusterf*** right at the end...I mean, come on! And now...the pros and cons!

Pros:
- Original, stunning artwork (especially the executions)
- A great cast of characters, who are more fleshed out in the game, but are great nevertheless
- Each episode leaves you gripping the edge of your seat...you really want to know what happens next!

Cons:
-You should really start on the game(s)
- WHAT THE F*** WAS THAT ENDING???
- It is over? :(

Approval:
- Over the categories of Story, Art, Sound, Character, and my overall Enjoyment factor, I will give it a skip, stream, buy or ++ rating.

My approval for Danganronpa is BUY. It is a great lil story, but it lacks that X-Factor to make it into the best of the best...not to mention that horrible ending.

Danganronpa is available for streaming in the US and UK or at least was late 2015. It may be worth checking Daisuki and Crunchyroll to see if they stream it, if not you can always purchase the series! I don't condone other methods, but if you really want to watch this...then, go ahead.

Recomendations:

High School of the Dead

Fist of the North Star

Helsing

Mobile Suit Gundam is one of the biggest franchises in the world. It is bigger then Transformers, bigger then Yu-Gi-Oh! and bigger then most Jappanese franchises. I honestly have no idea how SUNRISE could come up with such a masterpiece about moving robots that you can pilot. It seems somewhat boring, but if anybody can pull it off it is SUNRISE.

Chances are, your reading this because you just watched Iron Blooded Orphans, or if your one of those who follows the "cool" crowd - and I use every little bit of British sarcasm to say that word - you watched Mobile Suit Gundam 00. If ... the answer is the latter then A) What are you doing with yourself and B) WHAT ARE YOU DOING WITH YOURSELF??

Compared to the original three, or any of the new ones 00 is a bit of a bad series. And if your reading this to see what the original is like, go ahead. Once you have read this, you will agree with me and you will stop following the crowd that watches 00.

Mobile Suit Gundam (the original) is a 1980s anime based on a toy series. It follows the exploits of Amuro Ray, a 13-year old refugee on a spaceship and is suddenly made an acting member of crew because of his natural ability to pilot the government's new weapon...THE GUNDAM!!!

Throughout the series, Amuro faces off against the baddest name for the baddest group of badies in the whole f****** universe....the Principality of Zeon. Kycilla, Garma and Dozle Zabi all run Zeon, whilst the original heir, Char Aznable works them from the inside, and whilst Char is not the villain of this story, his tragic backstory and romance with Lala Sune turns his anti-hero character into tritary antagonist. And you can call me bold for saying this, but villain wise, he is one of the best around.

Don't forget the other characters too! Hayato and Kai provide humour during the more dark bits of the series. Hayato actually pays a pivotal role in the sequel; Mobile Suit Gundam Zeta (which I am saving for another time). We also have guys like Sayla Mass, which I assume is a pun on Sailor Moon, and let's not forget Bright Noa, the captain of White Base.

Art wise, it is not too shabby for an 80s anime. Coming from the same studio that did G.I. Joe, this is expected, but the thing that blows me away the most is the sound...the way everything sounds is just so amazing! Add to that a complete soundtrack that adds depth and story to every battle, and it almost blows away the characters we forget about (M'Quve for instance).

Pros:
-First anime of it's kind outside of Neo Genisis Evangellion.
- A great story involving two factions against each other with internal problems.
- The art and sound are stunning for the 80s...better if you listen in English
-It has a great antagonist name (ZEONNNNNN!)

Cons:
-Most of the characters are not fleshed out and need a backstory. Ramba Ral, Kai, Hayato, Dozle and even Amuro feel like skeletons.
-Not the best Gundam to start on.

Approval:

Although I gave this a ten out of ten overall, I would only give it a BUY approval. The only thing stopping me from adding this to the ++ collection, is because the characters are like skeletons.

At this moment in time, Mobile Suit Gundam is not available for legal streaming in the US/UK/CAN, but I am sure you will get around that, won't you?

Reccomendations:

Guren laggan

Neo Genisis Evangellion

2016 has to be one of the worst starts to the year; Terry Wogan, Lemmy, David Bowie and even Alan Rickman have bit the dust. But where are they now? If you have watched Tite Kubo's excellent anime Bleach, based on the manga of the same name, they will be somewhere in the Rukon district of Soul Society, all doing there thing, whilst many unknown things to them happen in the Seratai district.

In the Seratai district, beings known as Shinagami (or Soul Reapers if you watch the English version of the show.) go down to earth and harvest dead souls to bring up to ... the Soul Society, and send evil souls to hell. This is to protect the 'balance of the universe', and what happens if a soul has been staying on Earth too long? They turn into demented creatures called Hollows, who must be killed to protect the universe.

The very first episode sees one of these Soul Reapers (yes, I used the English term. Kill me now!) known as Rukia Kuchiki goes down to earth to defeat some hollows, but ends up destroying the house of Ichigo Kurosaki, who can see the usually invisible Soul Reapers. Rukia is wounded, and desperately gives all of her power to Ichigo. He saves Rukia but she committed a crime against the Soul Society, and is taken back by her brother Byakuya to be executed, setting up the first major arc.

In terms of characters, Bleach has a whole host of great characters. My personal favourite is Kon; take Seth McFarlane's Ted and put in the mind and soul of Master Roshi and you pretty much have Kon...a perverted bear obssessed with boobies. Speaking of boobies, another cool character is Rangiku Matsumoto, a women obssessed with her looks. But seriously, there are so many great characters, so go and make your mind up yourself!

What makes this anime so special for me though, is the Zanpaktou. A sword that can change into a weapon of unyielding power just by saying it's name. Rukia Kuchiki has a Zanpaktou called Sode No Shiryuiki, and Byakuya has one called Senbonzakura which can split into a billion blades. These alone give the anime a unique, awesome twist on a Shonen anime.

Bleach has ended since 2012, but the manga is now in it's final arc. Please...PLEASE come back for that final arc!

Pros:
-A unique, compelling, funny and somewhat dark Shonen anime that is not afraid to show a bit of blood and gore here and there.
-Memorable characters who will make you laugh and cry.
-Very few plotholes are left in the anime, due to most of them being covered by the fillers (the fillers are not all that good though...see the cons)
-A great soundtrack by Shiro Sagisu, also known for the soundtrack of Neo Genisis Evangelion
-ZANPAKTOU MAN!!!

Cons:
-CAN'T STOP THIS FILLERRRRR! FILLER ALL NIGHT! Seriously, the fillers don't end...
-The characters Jinta and Ururu are abandoned completely...it seemed like they were important...especially during the Arrancar arc, but now are just useless.
-Art style is very basic. It brings nothing new to the table, other then perhaps cool monsters/demons

Certification:

Based on the story, art, sound, character and overall enjoyment, I give Bleach a Certified ++ rating for only the best anime. I really enjoyed this anime, and I am forever hoping it returns to our TV at some point or another.

Reccomendations:

Akame Ga Kill! - if your after the very style of action Bleach brings, this dark tale involving Assassins and a corrupt government is for you!

Shigruri Death Frenzy - a very dark, very brutal, very adult twist on a samurai tale. Don't watch if your faint hearted!

The year is 2016, and nearly every major Shonen anime/manga is coming to an end. Bleach is done and dusted, Naruto packed up late 2015 and we are not too sure how much life 'the king of Shonen' One Piece has left in it. But at 265 episodes and counting (I am presuming another season has been announced...), Fairy Tail shows no signs of stopping (at least not in the manga!)!

The show centers around how magic can be used for everybody's personal life, and how select groups make guilds of magicians to take up quests people are too afraid of doing themselves. Ones such guild ... is Fairy Tail, the strongest of them all. As the show progresses, we are introduced to the wild and wacky characters Fairy Tail has in it's ranks.

The 'main four' we focus on are Natsu Dragneel, Lucy Heartfillia, Grey Fullbuster and Erza Scarlett. Natsu is the lead man, and a 'dragon slayer magic' user, taught to him by his adopted father Igneal, who is also a dragon. Igneal left Natsu when he was young, and only left him a scarf, which he wears ALL the time! Natsu is inseperable from his pet talking cat, Happy and hates any type of moving transport. His rivalry with Grey is considered one of the all time best anime bromances.

Lucy Heartfillia is a new member to Fairy Tail, and a 'celestial' wizard who uses keys to call upon spirits that are embodiments of the 12 gemini star systems. She is a lovely girl, but her try hard, do hard, work hard ethic has put her in the middle of many battles. We are still not too sure whether she has a crush on Natsu or not, but it is heavily implied that the two are quite fond of each other.

Grey Fullbuster AKA that naked man, is an 'ice-make' magic wizard, who can make anything out of ice as long as there is a decent amount of water nearby. Cocky, arrogant, and ready to do what he wants in a heartbeat, Grey also has a soft side for his friends. Juvia Lockster definitely has the hots for him, and is seen gawking at him whenever he takes off his clothes subconsciously (yes, this happens....a lot!).

And finally, Erza Grey. The fierce knight wizard who can change her armour and swords at a blink of an eye. If your lucking for video game look alikes, both personality wise and look wise, she reminds me of Lightning (Claire Farron) from Final Fantasy XIII. Her atitude gives her a natural leader impression, although most of the guild fear her so much.

There are many more characters in the show; Juvia Lockster is Grey's creepy water magic stalker, Happy is Natsu's pet talking cat, Elfman, Lissana and Mirajane are magicians that can let spirits take over there body, and then we have Makarov who is a friendly old man...unless he spanks you...

The first few arcs made me fall asleep though. The fight scenes were good, but the story around them was just so bad. It was like watching Gintama. Not saying that IS bad, but this anime showed more comedy then story in those episodes. In fact, it was not until the Tower of Heaven arc I really got interested in. The later arcs like the Battle for Fairy Tail and the Tenrou Island arcs are even better, and after the time skip we have the best arcs of them all.

Pros:
-It brings a unique blend of comedy and story, rivalling that of Gintama (a little too close to Gintama...)
-Magic being used in anime is completely unheard of unless it is a magic girl anime. This changed that stereotype.
-One of the 'big four' Shonen anime that are known worldwide to non-anime fans.
-Arcs are very different. You don't know what you are expecting next!

Cons:
-The show relies too much on humour as a redundancy plan. They have too much comedy over action, which makes it a Gintama knock-off
-Some of the characters are really bland. I can't stand Gajeel or Loke!
-It is currently unknown when the next season will air...if it will air

Stamp of Approval:
-I give each anime I review a stamp of approval. A rated-BAD stamp means I would skip it, rated-Meh means I would watch it only if you have watched my reccomendations below, rated-Shining! means you should stream it to see if you will like it, rated-Golden! means you should buy this no matter what, and if it gets a certified ++ rating, it is one of the best anime I have ever laid my eyes on.

For Fairy Tail, I am going to give it a Rated-Shining! It is a great anime for Shonen fans, but for those who want a short series your in the wrong place. FT is a great anime, but I would leave it if your not ready for a commitment.

Reccomendations:

One Piece - 'King of Shonen' One Piece! Luffy the pirate takes on the world for his quest to become the Pirate King!

Yu-Gi-Oh! - In a time when card games are the next big hobby, a young boy is taken over by the spirit of an ancient Pharaoh to save the life of his Grandfather...and the world!