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- BirthdayOct 20, 1999
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May 18, 2018
An adaptation of a 4-koma manga revolving around the sweet and innocent relationship between two high school girls? Sign me the hell up!
Story - 7/10
Sakura Trick’s main plot revolves around our central couple Haruka and Yuu. Best friends since middle school they have always been closer than usual. During a fit of jealousy Haruka ask Yuu if they can do something which other friends won’t think of doing. What would that be? Why a kiss on the mouth of course! This bold move sparks a fire between the two of them leading to at least a single kiss per episode. The reason why I personally
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enjoyed the simple plot of Sakura Trick, is exactly because of the simplicity. A large problem which I have with the romance genre, is the convoluted mess the romance usually becomes. This occurs when the writer tries to blend drama into the story. Luckily Sakura Trick has hardly any drama within the anime. A thought that might occur when reading the previous sentence is: “ Then how does the author manage to keep you watching?” By focusing on the innocence of young love. Seeing Haruka and Yuu realize that their feelings - and kisses - might hold a deeper meaning than simply extremely intimate friendship is what made the show charming to watch. Other than the romance, Sakura Trick is primarily a SOL series. I personally enjoyed the interactions between all of the different characters and their conversations and managed to make this callous person smile.
Art - 7/10
An aspect of Sakura Trick which really annoyed me was the fanservice. Fanservice doesn’t bother me as much as it did in the past, however in the case of Sakura Trick I was appalled so much so that I nearly stopped watching the series. Most of the character have been enhanced in “certain areas” and the amount of times the camera focused on those places were unforgivable. The problem with the fanservice in Sakura Trick is, that it simply doesn’t work with the central themes of the series. Oversexualizing characters in a show mainly about the sweetness of young love, just absolutely destroys the atmosphere. Other than that, the art style is fairly basic. Nothing looks horrible, but nothing looks amazing either.
Sound - 8/10
Sakura Trick has what I like to call a stupidly-fun soundtrack. Everything from the background music to the opening and ending are all super fun to listen to. The vocalists must have had a blast when recording the opening, because it is filled with joy. It has a cheerful and happy tone and makes the anime all the more fun to watch. I really enjoyed the voice acting for Sakura Trick, because of they made the characters sound sweeter than they already are. Even though Sakura Trick’s soundtrack isn’t a masterpiece by a longshot, it remains to be an absolute joy to listen to.
Character - 7/10
Haruka is our jealous protagonist who just wants to love her adorable Yuu-chan. If the world were to end and she and Yuu are the only people alive, she could die happy and content. Yuu is the sensible person in their relationship and tries thinking ahead whenever Haruka wants to pucker up. Even though she might appear cold towards Haruka’s advances, she really does care for her beloved deeply. Shizuka and Kotone are the pair with the more complicated relationship as their personalities are the polar opposites of one another. This made for some great dialogue between the two and their friends. Next we have the strict-but-sweet Student Council President Mitsuki. Out of all the characters she was my favorite as she was constantly questioning her feelings for her sisters friend Haruka. Seeing Mitsuki act like a tsundere to the oblivious Haruka, were some of my favorite scenes throughout the anime. Lastly we have Yuzu and Kaede, the pair who are constantly trying to calm their friends.
Enjoyment - 8/10
I enjoyed the simplicity and innocence of the relationship between the two characters and the dialogue between them and their friends. The soundtrack was super fun to listen towards. The fun characters, themes and soundtrack are what made me love the series.
Overall - 7/10
If I were to compare the romance to another anime, Karakai Jozu no Takagi-san is a fitting match as both series revolve around the concept of young love. Sakura Trick is cute little slice of life revolving around the relationship between two girls. If you are looking for a deeply philosophical anime, then Sakura Trick definitely not the right anime. However, if you are willing to overlook the pointless fanservice, Sakura Trick is an anime which makes you relax and feel content with life.
Thanks for taking the time to read my review!
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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Apr 18, 2018
If there is an anime which I never would have thought that I would enjoy, without a doubt that anime would be Kill La Kill. I never released that I loved over-the-top-action until I saw Kill la Kill! Kill la Kill introduced me to the wonderfully insane worlds of FLCL, Panty and Stocking, Gurren Lagann and One Punch Man. Here is my completely subjective and biased review on one of my favorite anime series ever!
Story – 8/10
How does one fight an army of sentient clothing bent on the extinction of humanity? Why an army of nudists of course!
If that line isn’t enough to at least
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draw your interest towards the series, I don’t know what will. My initial thoughts regarding the anime were extremely negative. I found the series annoying, because of the absurdity and in-your-face fan service of the first few episodes. Luckily my arrogant self still continued watching the anime and boy how glad am I about how wrong I was. As the series continued I found myself completely forgetting about the fan service and was simply enthralled at the insanity of Kill la Kill’s crazy plot. Even though the plot of the anime happens to be completely serious, it never stopped being any less fun to watch. The ‘filler’ episodes in the beginning of the anime felt pointless, but they ended up being useful in the end as they developed the central protagonist and hyped up the oncoming insanity called storytelling. Even though Kill la Kill’s plot is all over the place, it made complete sense in the story’s setting. Some of the best moments in the series didn’t even come from the great fight scenes but instead for characters like Ryoko whom one can sympathize with. The only problem I had with Kill la Kill’s plot were the two scenes between Satsuki and Ragyu.
Art – 8/10
Kill la Kill is one of studio Triggers first anime series, and it is most certainly one of their best creations to date. The environments in the anime are made from vivid color usage and had told a story of the world in which the series takes place. Because of the insanity of the plot, the fight scenes were equally insane. All the fights were brilliantly choreographed and they emitted that very important factor called: fun. CGI is used to enhance fight scenes and environments by making it a secondary element in the animation process, unlike many other modern anime series that tend to take CGI usage overboard by using it as a central element. Ryoko and the rest of the characters have designs remnisant of western cartoon series and was an excellent choice for the series.
Sound – 9/10
Whether or not you like Kill la Kill, I highly recommend that you go listen to the anime’s soundtrack. Just like the main plot, it is pure insanity. The OST contains a huge variety of tracks for the various action scenes and the more emotional ones, all whom are brilliantly performed. My favorite tracks are those which were sung in English, because those in particular made a huge impact in the situations which they were used for, for me at least. Fights scenes become even more enjoyable to watch, because of the great soundtrack which complemented each fight brilliantly. Kill la Kill’s English dub is pretty good. Most of the voice actors are a great fit for the characters they play. I can’t even begin to imagine how fun it must have been to take part in voice acting the anime!
Character – 8/10
Kill la Kill has many excellent aspects and one of them is a diverse and colorful cast of characters. Few anime manage to have a cast of characters as fun to watch – and hate – as Kill la Kill. It is weird to see a female main character who actual ends up being a sympathetic and interesting character, especially in the modern anime industry. Ryuuko Matoi is a teenage girl on a mission to avenge her father’s death. What she finds on her journey might be more than she initially expected. The most appealing part of Ryoko as a character is her inner struggle to accept who she is. It made for some truly emotional moments, especially when you are invested in the character. Satsuki has a personality which is the contrast of Ryuuku’s personality. Where Ryoko is a laid-back badass without a care in the world, Satsuki on the other hand has a more rigid approach to life. Because of this contrast, I found the dialogue between the characters extremely interesting as their viewpoints and ideologies are complete polar opposites of one another. Mako Mankanshoku is Ryoko’s closest friend who serves as an emotional support for Ryoku and comic relieve. In my opinion, Mako had the potential to become one of the biggest annoyances in anime, because of her primary role of comic relieve, but fortunately the writers had the right idea to make this idiot a lovable one. Other characters who I really enjoyed are the Mankanshoku family, The Elite Four and Senketsu. Kill la Kill also happens to have one of my favorite antagonists ever, as Ragyu is one of the few antagonist I can think of who are rotten to the core. As much as I hate her actions, I can’t help but admire the fact that she is evil for no other reason than being evil.
Enjoyment – 10/10
There isn’t anything about Kill la Kill which I find boring. You have a wacky plot which keeps you invested, brilliantly fight scenes and animation, a truly kick-ass soundtrack and a few fantastic characters to boot. What is there not to enjoy?
Overall – 8.5/10
As long as you avoid the two scenes between Satsuki and Ragyu, Kill la Kill is a great anime. It has everything you would expect from a great anime. I highly recommend the anime for anybody in search of a fun anime and those looking for another over-the-top action anime. I promise you that you won’t be disappointed!
Thanks for taking the time to read my review!
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Apr 12, 2018
I try to watch at least one romance anime per season and the lucky winner of the previous season is Karakai Jouzu no Takagi san. Karakai Jouzu no Takagi san is a slice of life, romantic comedy which unfortunately doesn’t manage to keep invested in the story or the characters.
Story – 5/10
Takagi and Nishikata are both in the same middle school class and as luck would have it, they also happen to sit right next to each other, much to Takagi’s amusement and Nishikata’s despair. The story revolves around these two characters and the interactions between them, and other than that very little happens during
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the twelve episode run-time.
Every episode is divided into three parts, each of which focusing on a different keyword. These keywords are simple and are the main focus for that sections teasing. Unfortunately the teasing, which the title is so proud of, is the only form of dialogue between the two characters. To make matters worse, after the first episode the teasing starts becoming repetitive and predictable. What remains to keep us engaged in the story? Nothing is left, as all the supposed ‘story’ focuses on is the teasing. During an era of five minute short episodes, Karakai Jouzu no Takagi san is the perfect anime to get a short adaptation, because the entirety of the plot has a single gimmick and sticks to that gimmick until the final episode.
Art – 7/10
Karakai Jouzu no Takagi san’s art is really simple, but effective. Because focus is placed on the dialogue between the two protagonists, the characters designs are well done. Both Takagi and Nishikata have extremely cute character design’s which are appropriate for the series. The focus unfortunately remains on the two characters, which doesn’t allow for any proper world building. I can only describe the art style of the anime as a single word: adequate.
Sound – 7/10
Unfortunately is Karakai Jouzu no Takagi san’s OST as barren as its plot. One thing that kept bugging me throughout the series was the lack of background music. Sure there are one or two tracks which form part of the OST, but these were only played once or twice an episode. Where the anime manages to hit the ball out of the park, is with the opening and seven endings. All these are soothing and an absolute joy to listen to, which is mainly thanks to the fantastic vocalist and voice of Takagi, Takahashi Rie. Her gentle voice makes for some great tracks which work well with the aesthetic the show is going for. Speaking of voice actors, the most enjoyable part of the two protagonists were their voice actors Takahashi Rie (as aforementioned) and Kaji Yuki. They really managed to make the characters more enjoyable and I believe that few voice actors could accomplish the same effect. The rest of the cast all performed their roles admirably, but these two in particular were fantastic.
Character 6/10
Karakai Jouzu no Takagi san sports a total of ten characters, five of whom are simply present. Takagi and Nishikata are the center of attention for the majority of the series. What little personality they have can be summed up as: cheerful, mischievous, witty and over-complicated. The other characters who managed to get some screen-time is the trio of friends. Their different personalities lead to some interesting conversation and for that reason I found them the most likable.
Enjoyment – 4/10
Other than the fantastic voice acting, sweet OP and ED, there was nothing which drew me into Karakai Jouzu no Takagi san. Neither the repetitive jokes nor the weak characters helped the fact. I might have enjoyed the series more if it had a shorter run-time and the dialogue wasn’t as predicable or repetitive.
Overall – 6/10
Karakai Jouzu no Takagi san is an anime which sets out to make you smile and manages just that. Whether it is the innocent setting, the adorable voice acting or the sweet opening/endings, these combined elements will most definitely accomplish just that. However, if you are looking for a romcom dealing with young love and personality to boot, I suggest you look elsewhere.
Thanks for taking the time to read my review!
Reviewer’s Rating: 6
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Apr 9, 2018
Somewhere in the year 2010 my friend introduced me to the wonderful and weird world of anime. Mobile Suit Gundam SEED is the first anime I ever watched and to this day it continues to be one of my all-time favourite anime. What specifically drew me into the anime, were the struggles of the protagonist and the seemingly hopeless situation that universe faced. Has my overwhelmingly positive opinion of the anime changed over the past seven years? Let’s find out, shall we.
Story – 9/10
It is year 70 of the Cosmic Era. After the violent attack on the Plant homeland, the Coordinators take it upon themselves
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to return the favor to their Natural brothers. This is the start of a war which will not only shape the future of both races, but also the legacy of the central cast.
Gundam SEED follows the journey of the spaceship Archangel and its crew, during a time of war. The Gundam multiverse is known for its dark outlook on war, and SEED is no stranger to the subject. I personally believe that the war portrayed in SEED is the most twisted of all the entries to the Gundam franchise, as the main reason for war doesn’t end up being something started out of greed, but rather a far more destructive emotion; Hatred. SEED portrays racism in its most vile form, as both the Coordinators and Naturals hate each other’s existence. Seeing the various ideologies and opinions clash throughout the various perspectives of the cast is truly a thought provoking experience. The Archangel’s journey is an interesting one to say the least. What makes the journey as endearing as it is, is seeing how the characters perspectives change over the course of the series. They end up questioning the meaning of war, the effects it has on society, whether their superior’s intentions are truly for the benefit of humanity and how they can change the world for the better. Sometimes the plot gets repetitive; especially during the episodes when the Archangel is being chased, but other than that there isn’t much more to complain about. A nice addition to the plot was the inclusion of romance. The romance itself happened naturally and instead of subtracting from the viewing experience like many other anime, it made not only the story but characters even more endearing.
Art – 7/10
For an anime which aired in 2002, the animation quality of the series is top tier when compared to other anime of the time. My complaint lies in the recycled use of action scenes. It cheapened a lot of action scenes, by making theme feel uneventful. Scenes where a supposed grand-scale war took place lost all effectiveness when it merely was a slideshow of previous events. Mobile Suit design for Gundam mechs is great, but unfortunately gets all the attention as the design for other Mobile Suits are uninspired. The character design for the anime ranges from cute to bad ass to neglected.
Sound – 9/10
Go and do yourself a favour and see if you can find the OST for this anime. Gundam SEED has a fantastic OST, which is equally parts adrenaline pumping and tear-jerking. The fantastic soundtrack of the series, further enhances every scene throughout the anime. Whether it is a uninspired fight scene or a moment which portrays the depravity of the beast called war, the soundtrack is an excellent addition to the anime. The Openings and Endings are memorable and have fantastic vocalists. SEED is one of the first Gundam series to receive an English dub and it is good enough. I really enjoyed the voice actors for Merrue and Mu, but unfortunately some of the younger characters had some rather average voice acting.
Character – 9/10
Because of the dark themes portrayed within Gundam SEED, it helped develop a cast of character who feel human as they question the morality of the powers which control their respective military organisations. Our protagonist – Kira Yamato – is introduced as a simple civilian. He ends up fighting in a war for the sake of those whom he cares about. As Kira is driven to the depths of despair, he is transformed into a character which one can sympathise with as the problems he faces are complex, but are found throughout our society. Athrun is a cool and collected character with equally troubling issues. Whether it is the constant struggle of having to fight his best friend or the sad relationship between him and his father, Athrun is an easy character to care for. As naive and childish as her ideals are, we all need a Lacus Clynn in our lives: someone who cares for strangers and strives to point out the best in people. My favorite characters in the anime are: Mu and Murrue, and not just because of their flirtations relationship. Murrue is the Captain of the Archangel and is as intelligent as she is caring. Mu is simply a bad ass. Do you need any other reason to love a character? Lastly I want to about the antagonist. He is the victim of humanity’s depravity and intends to take the world down with him. Ás twisted as his intentions are, I find it hard not to feel sorry for the guy.
Enjoyment – 9/10
I find it hard to be objective when discussing Gundam SEED, because there is very little wrong with the anime – for me at least. I love seeing the clashes of ideologies, observing the characters grow into better versions of themselves and listening to the gorgeous soundtrack. Gundam SEED is an anime which I can truly enjoy watching!
Overall – 9/10
Gundam SEED is a brilliant anime. As long as the animation doesn’t bother you, I would highly recommend the anime to any anime watcher. With a thought provoking story, relatable characters and a beautiful OST, Gundam SEED is a must watch for any anime fan!
Thanks for taking the time to read my review!
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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Mar 28, 2018
My younger sibling has been nagging me for three years to watch Kaichou wa Maid Sama. Last week marked the end of the first anime season of the year and with the majority of shows I started watching mostly finished, I finally decided to listen to my imouto. And in the end I am glad that I did, as the series ended up being a great comedy anime.
Story – 7/10
Misaki Azuzawa is the strict Student Counsel President of Seika High, which previously used to be an all-boys school. What happens when a Bishounen discovers that she is working at a maid cafe? Boom! Insert characters
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and exposition!
The plot of Kaichou wa Maid Sama can simply be summarized as a stereotypical, Shoujo, Romance, Slice of Life, Comedy anime. The genre’s I believe the anime managed the best were the Slice of Life and Comedy genres, even though they aren’t – supposedly – as central to the main plot as the Romance genre, I believe the execution of these two genres were what made Kaichou wa Maid Sama such a fun watch. Comedy-wise, the anime is nearly perfect, as the majority of jokes revolved around the characters, their various personalities and the awkward situations they found themselves in. Meanwhile the Slice of Life was an excellent addition to the plot, because not only did it further enhance the Comedy, it also created a fun and relaxing atmosphere.
Unfortunately, I believe the Comedy is what made the Romance intolerable for me at least. Kaichou wa Maid Sama made me smile the majority of the time. Whenever some Shoujo drama happened it just felt pasted into the story for no apparent reason, because the tone for the series is mainly a comedic one and not that of some super realistic high school romance story. I didn’t help that up until the final episode the only supposed aspect of ‘romance’ was Usui teasing Misaki, and her blushing and abusing him. So where is the supposed romantic plot? It is probably found in the manga.
Art – 8/10
J.C. Staff did a great job of animating Kaichou wa Maid Sama. You can watch any episode in the anime and it would feel as if you are reading the manga. This is mainly thanks to the simplistic but artistic backgrounds of the anime. It created a contrast between the backgrounds and the characters and by doing so managed to highlight the detailed characters designs. Speaking of character designs, simply put they are really cute, as most shoujo series tend to be.
Sound – 8/10
I am not sure if I am the only person who noticed it, but whenever I watched an episode of Kaichou wa Maid Sama, the background music reminded me of tracks straight out of a visual novel. The soothing and relaxing tracks, further enhanced the anime and created a fun atmosphere, which works incredibly well with any Slice of Life series. The opening theme was has a fantastic vocalist and it was fun to watch. I personally hated both of the endings, because they were the embodiment of fan service. Even though the majority of the cast had some fantastic voice actors, the seiyuu’s who played Misaki and Usui were fantastic as they embodied the personalities of both of the characters in a fantastic fashion.
Character – 7/10
Kaichou wa Maid Sama has some fun characters. Our female lead, Misaki is a kind, caring, tsundere with a mildly psychotic personality. She is an easy character to like, because she truly cares for her friends, family, co-workers and fellow students and aims to improve the lives of those around her. Usui on the other hand, is either your favorite character in existence or just another perfect guy. His entire motivation throughout the anime is trying to make Misaki fall in love with him. Nothing else to say about Usui his character is simply written to be perfect and in love with Misaki. Some of the other characters who I enjoyed were; Shintani and the Idiot Trio. Shintani is the character whom I believed should end up in a relationship with Misaki, simply because it is much easier to root for a childhood friend and Usui’s inferior than a guy who already has everything he could ever dream of. The Idiot Trio are some of my favorite comic relieve characters ever, as they were mainly used as the end of jokes, and the constant rejection and seemingly pointless advances on Misaki, made me all the more empathetic towards them. Other than the characters I mentioned above, there weren’t many characters I ended up liking. The worst characters however are the ‘antagonists’ as they hardly ever felt relevant or threatening as Usui is always around the corner to save the day.
Enjoyment – 7/10
I love the music, art and comedy. I despise the forced romance and useless antagonists. It is as simple as those sentences.
Overall – 7/10
Kaichou wa Maid Sama attempts to be something which it is not. The comedic and relaxing atmosphere of the anime gets undermined by the far less interesting and rather forced romantic sub-plot.
If you ever feel like watching a fun comedy shoujo series, then Kaichou wa Maid Sama might just be the drug you need in your life!
Thanks for taking the time to read my review!
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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Mar 24, 2018
Are you by any chance a fan of drama? The effect drama has on the characters of the series creates depth and a human elements for the cast. With Citrus you get the chance to experience the best and worst the drama genre has to offer. (Please note I am a huge fan of both the anime and the manga but I do feel all the criticism the series gets is totally deserved.)
Story – 7.5/10
Citrus – at times – has a brilliant plot. Some scenes in the anime/manga have made me cry more than the majority of drama anime out there. When the plot revolves
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around the more complex aspects of the relationship between Mei and Yuzu and their family, Citrus does so brilliantly. The problem I have with the plot in Citrus is the fact that the show itself doesn’t know what it wants to be. It doesn’t know if it wants to be a sweet yuri anime focussing on the controversial relationship between two step-siblings, a series focussing on the discovering of the self, a introspective anime about the acceptance of LGBTQ couples in the Japanese society; or a really trashy show about exactly how trashy humanity can be when given in to their primordial emotions. Because of the amount of drama put into the anime simply for shock factor, the show comes off as a cheap poorly written excuse for making the show seemingly more mature. In summary the plot is brilliant but also horrible as some arcs are truly emotional and others a pain to watch (Like Matsuri’s character arc).
Art – 7/10
Well done Passione for creating an adaptation of a yuri manga with twelve episodes and a twenty-four minute runtime per episode which doesn’t feel like a tight budget anime. I was seriously surprised at the amount of effort given to the art, as yuri is a tiny niche with a small fan base. The character design are all pretty nice as well as the set pieces of the anime. It’s nothing special but nor is it something awful. That being said, the more intimate and romantic moments between Yuzu and Mei were really well done and didn’t feel too much like another form of fanservice to draw in a larger audience.
Sound – 7/10
Music design in Citrus is good, just good. There are some great tracks found in the OST which really helped in creating the atmosphere of the anime, even though they might be somewhat forgettable. The opening and ending are both really fun to listen to and I managed to watch both every single episode. Lastly I really enjoyed the voice acting for both the dubbed and subbed version of the series. I found that the subbed version has the more professional voice acting – as usual – but I happened to like the dubbed version just as much, because I felt the English voice actors captured the characters more realistically.
Character 7.5/10
Yuzu is a likeable protagonist, because of her simplicity. I felt a connection with Yuzu as she is the type of character which the majority of the audience can relate towards, as the problems she deals with have been experienced by many people – regardless of their sexual orientation. You either adore Mei or hate her. The moments which captured her personality the best where those in which her reactions were the complete opposite of her character archtype, like the scenes where she tried being honest with Yuzu and those between her and her father. Even the relationship between Mei and Yuzu can be loved or hated. On the one hand you are rooting for the sweet Yuzu to have her feelings requited and Mei just to express herself better. On the other hand you might dislike the relationship between the two of them as Mei can be a giant bitch, because of her insensitivity towards her peers. Either whether you love them or hate them, their relationship is entirely subjective. Harumin in particular is a pretty fun character as she polarises the personalities of Yuzu and Mei. She made the show even more endearing as she is the type of friend you would want in your own life. Other than the above mentioned characters other characters I really enjoyed were: Yuzu’s Mother and Mei’s Father. The rest of the characters were pretty meh in my opinion as most of them served no other purpose than to get on my nerves, add more drama or move the plot forward.
Enjoyment – 8/10
Contrary to the amount of problems Citrus has, I personally really love the series and I love the romantic scenes between Yuzu and Mei. At times the anime is really heart-warming and sweet, and others it really gets on my nerves the amount of bullshit added to further the plot. I personally believe that the plot could have been done way better if only there wasn’t a new threat every episode.
Overall – 7/10
If you are looking for a excellent yuri series … then go read Sasameki Koto and The Private Report on my Personal Lesbian Experience with Loneliness. Both of these manga series manage to capture the best of LGBTQ drama. Citrus is a good anime if you are looking for those themes, but unfortunately falls short. Whether you love or hate the series is entirely up to you. I personally enjoy it!
Thanks for taking the time to read my review!
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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Mar 19, 2018
Here I go again with another review on what might possibly be the final entry of the Nanoha universe to get an anime adaptation. And unfortunately – after finishing the anime – I can definitely see why.
Story – 7/10
After the emotional finale of StrikerS, I thought to myself where can the story go next? We have seen Nanoha and Fate’s journey throughout their childhood, adolescence and currently, their lives as young adults. What is the next step in their journey? Why raising their daughter to become a mage!
This is the plot of Vivid in its entirety, except the focus isn’t placed on Nanoha and Fate,
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but instead on their daughter, Vivio. We follow Vivio and her friends on their quest to become the best mages throughout the multiverse, by attempting to win a tournament, filled with colorful faces new and old. If you have ever watched any shounen anime with a tournament arc, Vivid probably has the same exact plot. Before the tournament starts we get to see Vivio and her friends train in their respective martial arts / magical abilities. This is one of the aspects I love about the Nanoha universe, as the characters fight with a combination of physical and magical abilities, with characters being proficient at either one or both. We get to see some slice of life aspects during the run of the anime, but unfortunately they feel out of place in the overall plot of the anime. Also there is no prominent villain this season, mainly because the focus of the series is a competitive tournament arc. The main highlight in the plot was the fight between Einheart and Carona, as that fight was equally parts strategic and skillful.
Does the anime have a fantastic plot? No, but after all it’s more Nanoha and I that is something I can never complain about.
Art – 6.5/10
I don’t want to complain about A1 Pictures any more than I have in the past. I have found them notoriously guilty of neglecting the overall quality of an anime whenever they believe it isn’t going to sell well, which makes complete sense from a business perspective but as a fan of the series, I get annoyed when a series with potential gets neglected in favor of another bland and tasteless isekai. My biggest problem with the animation is that the overall quality is really average when compared to other modern anime series. This isn’t just the case of a studio with a tiny budget, as the SAO money would probably allow them to create their own independent nation. Overall, everything regarding Vivid’s the art feels lazy, from character design, to action scenes. You know that there is something wrong with the animation when the manga’s art far surpasses the quality of the anime.
Sound – 7.5/10
I really enjoyed Vivid’s soundtrack. It has everything I love from an action series. Heart pounding beats during action scenes and relaxing tunes during slice of life segments. The soundtrack might not be the most memorable, but it manages to get the job done and finally gets that sweet promotion it deserves. The vocalists who sung the opening and ending scenes are both talented and have a nice relaxing tone to their voices. Voice acting in a Nanoha series is usually great and Vivid doesn’t disappoint. A lot of the voice actors haven’t been changed which made this fan extremely happy. There wasn’t a single seiyuu who I found annoying or mediocre.
Character – 7/10
Twelve episodes aren’t enough to make us invested in such a massive cast of characters. If you haven’t watched an entry to the Nanoha franchise previously, watching Vivid and fully understanding the series might be near impossible. The biggest problem I had is that not all of the new characters introduced this season had a backstory. It is hard to get invested in the trails of the characters when you don’t know anything about them. Vivio is a sweet girl, who has the simple dream of becoming an outstanding mage, alongside her parents, friends and mentors. Her friends are Einheart, Carona and Reo, all of which have their own individual personalities. My favorite character introduced this season is Carona, because her goal of wanting to prove she is a capable fighter not only to her friends and mentor but to herself. It is a simple goal, but it made her feel all the more human.
Enjoyment – 7/10
I would have really wanted to enjoy Vivid, but unfortunately the anime felt too average and lazy. All the core pieces of what made the previous Nanoha seasons a joy to watch are there. That unfortunately is what completely ruined the viewing experience for me, (other than the lazy art). All the elements are there, but it doesn’t manage to do anything with it.
Overall -7/10
Vivid is an average anime. Everything about it feels average in the truest sense of the word, as the plot doesn’t push any boundaries or at the very least manages to build on the massive Nanoha universes extensive history. Vivid should rather have been made into a long running anime, because adapting the first few chapters of the manga just makes everything seem much more mediocre. As a Nanoha fan I would recommend that you go and read the manga as it is a still on-going series.
Thanks for taking the time to read my review!
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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Mar 14, 2018
Watching The IDOLM@STER was an experience similar to eating a Big Mac. It’s delicious and a joy to eat … until you discover a Whopper. The previously unrivaled now Big Mac tastes cheap and bland when compared to the Whopper, but still remains edible. My point I am trying to get across is this: The IDOLM@STER is fun to watch, but don’t expect too much from the series.
Story – 7/10
The plot in The IDOLM@STER is a simple one. It revolves around the lives of the 13 girls who aim to become prospective idols. The IDOLM@STER manages to tackle the entertainment industry quite accurately. Episodes in
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The IDOLM@STER feels divided into two separate types of episodes; the first being episodes revolving around a single character and the development of her personality and traits etc.; and the second episodes which focus on building the characters as a unit rather than individual’s. Unfortunately the majority of episodes are focused on building the individual’s. Why would I consider this something negative in the anime, especially when considering that The IDOLM@STER is a slice of life anime which are mainly character driven? The problem I have is that the majority of characters get a single episode dedicated to them as characters, after which they only feel significant whenever the plot calls for it. It is near impossible to have the audience immediately care for a character when they are given so little screen time to show us their motivations for becoming an idol, or just explaining why the character possesses some kind of quirk. The only characters who I believe got a backstory which actually meant something, was Yayoi and Chihaya. Both of these characters had to deal with issues which affect their lives, in addition to being idols.
Art – 7/10
Unfortunately the trend of being mediocre is something which this anime adaptation and its creators – A1-Pictures – have in common. I would describe the art style as average, because nothing stands out to me. Thankfully there was nothing about the art which was badly done either. The character designs are diverse and colorful, and work well with the characters personalities and their occupation as idols. Both the openings are vibrantly done and a joy to watch.
Sound – 8/10
Now if there is one thing an idol anime should excel, it has to be the music. The IDOLM@STER has some great tracks throughout the run of the anime. The only thing which annoyed me regarding the sound was Yayoi’s vocalist and the fact that we only heard snippets of the largest number of tracks throughout the anime. I have to applaud the vocalists for each of the idols as all of them –except Yayoi – was a true pleasure to listen to individually. Where they excelled at the most, were during songs performed as a group as much like the characters they were meant to portray, they complimented each other’s strengths and weaknesses. The ending character-/group songs are really fun to listen to and the openings even more so.
Character – 7/10
With a large cast, it is usually really hard to develop the entire cast and not neglect a few characters. Unfortunately The IDOLM@STER doesn’t succeed in creating a well-developed cast, as the characters don’t get enough screen-time. Producer was the character which made me hesitant to watch the anime, as I was expecting a bland character which every male in existence can fantasize about becoming – much like the protagonist from the games. I was pleasantly surprised to see that Producer was a kind-hearted individual who wants to help his idols accomplish their dreams. Heck, I enjoyed him so much that I felt sorry for him when my least favorite character – Miki – fell in love with the guy. How he doesn’t contemplate murder on a daily basis is a truly amazing feat. Other than Producer, other characters I enjoyed were: Makoto, because of she is awesome; Azusa, because she has a motherly charm surrounding her; Iori, because she is a cute tsundere loli; Chihaya, because her character arc made me cry and lastly President Kuroi, because he was unexpected and has a fantastic seiyuu.
Enjoyment – 7/10
The main reason I usually find myself watching idol anime is simple, they make me smile. IDOLM@STER had some genuinely fun moments throughout the anime, but unfortunately only four scenes actually made me feel something. Love Live, for example, is a fun anime to watch, because of the interactions between the characters which at times feel more like a family than close friends. Even though the music was pretty good, the lack of interaction between characters other than Producer made the anime less enjoyable.
Overall – 7.5/10
If pick-a-waifu anime is appealing to you, I guarantee that you will enjoy The IDOLM@STER. With the majority of episodes focused on developing a single character it should be easy to decide which of the characters you find most appealing. However if you are looking for a slice of life anime with well-developed characters, I suggest that you look elsewhere. As good as the music is, the rest of the anime unfortunately doesn’t manage to measure up to the high standards of the soundtrack.
Thanks for taking the time to read my review!
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Mar 9, 2018
Sorry in advance if I spoil the plot!
No Game No Life was a fun anime which I enjoyed. Even though the core premise is seen way to often in the anime community, it had a fun twist on the isekai cliché, filled with endearing characters who had both personality and intellect. Heck even Sora made for a great protagonist as he is a blunt, psychotic, genius, lolicon as opposed to male protagonist no. 1068 who embodies the ideals of horny pubescent teenage boys. When I heard that Madhouse was planning to release a movie based on the prequel novel to the series, I was extremely
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surprised by how brilliant the movie turned out to be!
Story – 8/10
NGNL Zero embodies what a prequel should do for me. A prequel should be filled with exposition explaining the current structure of the world and how the events portrayed in the prequel have an effect on the world of the sequel, while also telling us a unique story. NGNL Zero tells the story of the rebels and the fight against the empire or in this case the weakest race trying to survive during the ongoing war amongst the gods and their respective creations. The story follow’s the adorable Schwi and the intelligent Riku as they bend the superior races to do their bidding. It makes for a truly engaging watch as we want the weak Imanity to survive this war which is way out of there league. Watching Riku plot every aspect of his plan to the finest detail, makes for some Light Yagami level intellect and it was pretty cool to see a mainstream isekai where the protagonist most powerful weapon isn’t his bullshit main character powers or plot armor, but pure uncensored intellect. Also the relationship between Riku and Schwi is really sweet and feels natural, which is something you don’t see too often in light novel adaptations.
Art – 9/10
It’s a Madhouse produced movie. What more can I say? Madhouse is known for their fantastic production values, regardless of the anime being a movie or a TV series. NGNL Zero is no exception to the fact as the amount of detail put into every single frame is mind-boggling. The movie manages to take the fantastic art style from the light novel and reproduce it without any degeneration of the overall quality. Beautiful, bleak, war torn set-pieces are found throughout the length of the movie and create a fantastic atmosphere when accompanied by the fantastic soundtrack. All the character in the movie appears to be the ancestors of the main cast of NGNL, but none the less they are all well designed.
Sound – 9/10
With Jin Aketagawa as the sound director for the movie, there was hardly any chance that the soundtrack would be bad. Every single track is beautifully done and manages to work fantastically with the atmosphere of the movie. The tracks themselves feel like something out of the Hobbit or the Lord of the Rings as they give you the sense that an epic is about to unfold before your very eyes. Voice acting was another strongpoint for the movie as I happen to really enjoy the voice acting. I felt that the voice actors managed to nail their respective characters personalities greatly and I especially found the voice of Schwi as soothing as the soundtrack of Non Non Biyori.
Character – 8/10
If you haven’t noticed already, I really enjoyed this movie. One of the best parts of the movie was the character Riku and Schwi and eventually the relationship between the two of them. Schwi is equally parts adorable and terrifying as she is a member of one of the most powerful races in the world of Disboard. I found it heart-warming to see this mechanical being evolve into a person who could feel, relate and love. Her joining the ranks of Imanity was simple proof that she had evolved beyond what her race divined as normal. Riku is intelligent and caring, as seen when he mourns the deaths of his comrades and it was nice seeing a leader who could act both with his heart and mind. What makes these characters so endearing is the relationship between them, one which should make a lick of sense, but still manages to do so. Seeing two characters fawn and care for each other made their relationship a great addition to the plot of the story and eventually lead to me crying like a little bitch when the inevitable happened.
Enjoyment – 10/10
NGNL Zero manages to be both fun and serious. The interactions between the characters and gorgeous visuals / soundtrack being equally parts fun and serious and the story allowing to build the background for the world as we know it, while being generally entertaining to watch. The brilliant combination of story, characters and astonishingly high production values makes NGNL Zero my personal favourite movie of 2017.
Overall – 9/10
The main reason I found this movie as spectacular as it was, is the fact that it completely shattered my expectations. I was expecting weak writing and bland characters, but it turned out that the only bullshit thing about NGNL Zero, were in fact my poor expectations for the movie. Whether you are a NGNL fan or a cancerous elitist, NGNL Zero is a movie which defines the peak of the isekai genre.
Thanks for taking the time to read my review!
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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Mar 5, 2018
Sometimes in life we need a reminder that beyond the ugliness of our world, beauty can be found. Planetarian: Reverie of the Little Planet is an anime which manages to make life seem meaningful.
Story – 8/10
In a world destroyed by war people have to scavenge for supplies in order to supplies. These scouts are called ‘Junkers’ and make a living from scavenging the environment for supplies and trading said supplies. One such Junker has a life changing experience when entering the remains of a simple planetarium. It is a simple boy-meets-girl series done right. What makes the plot so engaging is the interaction between the
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characters and the world in which they live. During the apocalypse hope is scarce and the will to live even more so. Yumeimi is Kazuya’s salvation as her caring nature and innocence shows him that hope is never lost, regardless of your situation in life. Sorry if I seem biased, but Planetarian is exactly the type of anime everybody should watch. It is childishly idealistic, however watching an inspiration and heartfelt tale is never bad for even the most cynical among us.
Art – 7/10
Even though I believe that animation shouldn’t be important when rating an anime, I do however believe that it shouldn’t be neglected and instead of being the main focus of the anime, it should be used to further enhance the viewing experience. Planetarian doesn’t have the best art style nor does it have the worse. Using shades of black and grey made the world seem even more desolate. The set pieces were desolate and bleak and worked perfectly with an apocalyptic setting. Yumeimi’s character design was cute and was fitting towards her personality. Kazuya was just another averagely designed male MC.
Sound – 6/10
Nothing much to write about here as Planetarian’s sound design was forgettable. There weren’t any songs on the soundtrack which stood out to me and the soundtrack felt neglected. The majority of tracks did their job adequately in helping build atmosphere for the particular scene, but never does it improve further than the standards from previous tracks. I happened to watch Planetarian’s English Dub and I enjoyed the two main voice actors. I feel that the voice acting captured the personalities of Yumeimi and Kazuya well enough.
Character – 7.5/10
Even though there are only two characters in the OVA, Planetarian had more than enough personality to go around. Yumeimi is a sweet kind-hearted individual who simply wants to bring joy to the world – mainly because that is her primary directive in life. It was really cute to see Yumeimi being overly chatty with the contrasting personality of Kazuya, who just wants to get some booze to escape from reality. The journey which Kazuya undertook as a character really moved me. He is relatable because he accurately depicts the downcast personality which the majority of humanity would have during the apocalypse. Seeing Kazuya grow attached to Yumeimi, was cute because of his personality. He is someone who just wants to make it through the day and Yumeimi - on the other hand - wants to live every day with purpose. The two of them are fantastic characters which have a polarising effect on one another.
Enjoyment – 8/10
Planetarian invokes some fond memories of Girls Last Tour for me as both series are set during/after the events of the apocalypse and both of these anime revolve around the central protagonists being content with their situation in life. It has this relaxing air around it which is strange considering the dark atmosphere of the series; however it makes complete sense when
you think about the positive messages the anime wants to convey.
Overall – 7/10
Planetarian is the type of anime everybody should watch. It has a simple but powerful message revolving around the meaning of our existence, however unlike other anime which attempt to tackle this topic, Planetarian manages to do so in a way which doesn’t make our lives seem meaningless but instead filled with purpose.
Thanks for taking the time to read my review!
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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