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Hai to Gensou no Grimgar is ultimately an anime which deals with the issue of bereavement.


Story in a nutshell: A bunch of people regain consciousness in a fantasy world they have no prior of memory of being in. But they are given little time to question things before the realities of life are forced upon them and they are made to form teams of fighters so that they can survive and earn a living in this world full of monsters, towns and hardships etc.

The anime primarily follows the lives of one of said teams and their trials and tribulations as they survive on a ... day-to-day basis in this ruthless yet beautiful world. However it is not long before one of them is killed in action. And this friends death casts a shadow over the characters which effects their relationships and actions for the duration of the anime.


This is not to say that Hai to Gensou no Grimgar is a depressing anime to watch. Far from it! It is an anime full of high & low moments (from fantastic action scenes to lighthearted comedy moments). But what it seeks to achieve is a level of realism amongst its characters in a world that while a fantasy-like place, is all too real in many ways.

There are also many unique elements to this anime which mean that although "trapped in a RPG-like world" anime's abound, none are quite like Hai to Gensou no Grimgar.


Characters: There is a lot of character development in this anime so that while the characters are somewhat generic, they aren't boring or poorly managed throughout the anime.

Artwork: The anime is very pleasant on the eye and has quite a unique style of artwork. The action scenes are fluid and generally speaking the world of Hai to Gensou no Grimgar is one of beauty, warmth and mystery.

Story: Very good! Even though this anime isn't very long it contains numerous stoy arcs (and all of the episodes are very relevant). The focus of the story line changes as they characters develop (and vice versa) so that although it changes, the story flows harmoniously throughout the anime.

Comedy: This anime has some lighthearted comedy moments but comedy is certainly not a focal point of Hai to Gensou no Grimgar (and is quite thin on the ground in general).

Action: Some of the fight scenes are particularly impressive however there is also something of a gore factor in this anime as it aims to be realistic (not all of the deaths are humane etc). The fights are often very precarious in their nature and you often feel like both the characters and the monsters really are fighting for their very survival.

Pacing: This is something you could definitely criticize Hai to Gensou no Grimgar on because it tends to alternate between episodes where very little happens to episodes where so many significant things happen, it is hard to all take in. But for the most part, Hai to Gensou no Grimgar has quite a relaxed pace to it.

Fan service: There is a bit of ecchi in this anime but it is not a focal point or running theme of the anime. However none of the fan service made me feel uncomfortable )and nor did it detract from its overall story line_.

Monsters: There are a LOT of goblins in this anime. And while eventually new types of monsters are introduced, if you do watch Hai to Gensou no Grimgar then expect to watch an anime where most of the fights revolve around the characters trying to outwit and kill various types of goblins.


Overall enjoyment: I really enjoyed this anime!
I am not someone who typically enjoys fantasy anime's much. Yet I was really drawn into the world of Hai to Gensou no Grimgar and its characters (and each episode left me wanting more).

Story in a nutshell: 3 female treasure hunting adventurers who are looking for a female wizard to join their troupe (consisting of a warrior, a thief and a priestess) are made to take on Louie (a male wizard more brawn than brains) after events conspire to force them to do so.


Rune Soldier ("Mahou Senshi Louie") is an anime full of genuine laugh out loud moments. It is a comedy fantasy anime set in a world filled with quaint towns with taverns, wizard schools, demons, fairies, buried treasure, armies and adventurers etc. And while getting on its years now, this anime's quality still shines through.


Artwork: The ... artwork is dated in its style now but is still of a high quality and the anime has plenty of scenes with particularly great animation.

Characters: Somewhat generic but definitely still very lovable, there is definitely significant character development over the course of this anime.

Comedy: Some of the jokes have become overdone since this anime was created however despite this the anime still has plenty of genuine laugh out loud moments and original comedy.

Romance: There is a little romance that develops (or becomes apparent) between certain characters over the course of the anime but romance in general is not a focal part of this anime.

Action: There is plenty of action in this anime yet its not what you would call an action-packed anime (as some episodes feature little to no action at all).

Episodes: Most of the episodes revolve around their own mini story however in the bigger picture of things, the episodes are all relevant to one another and all link up together to form a bigger overriding story line and ending.

Fan service: This anime has a little fan service however nothing outrageous or which may make you feel uncomfortable.

Overall enjoyment: Very high! This anime is not a masterpiece however it is still an excellent anime and if rated on enjoyment alone, it would definitely get a 10/10 rating from me ^_^v .

Mermaid Forest is a philosophical anime which primarily explores the curse of immortality. But despite its philosophical nature, don't be fooled into thinking that this is a relaxed anime; there is plenty of action, suspense and even gore in the stories!

There is a little romance in this anime and there is virtually no "fan service" or comedy moments (which depending on what you're looking for in anime, could be either a good thing or a bad thing).

Characters;

Yuta: A compassionate and intelligent man with a strong sense of justice, he is also a lonely man who carries numerous heavy emotional burdens. He was cursed with immortality ... after accidentally consuming mermaid flesh and ever since that day he has traveled the length and breadth of country looking for a way to undo the curse.

Mana: A beautiful 15 year old girl who was also cursed with immortality after unwittingly eating mermaid flesh that had been deliberately given to her to eat. She was held captive all her life but was saved by Yuta. Mana is quite serious girl but after having spent so much of her life in virtual isolation in captivity, has very little experience nor knowledge of the modern world (but while innocent she is also quick witted and a fast learner).


The artistic style of this anime makes it look very dated. And to be fair, being released over 12 years ago, it is an old anime by today's standards. But please don't let this put you off!

This anime is a quality work with original stories and interesting characters. Most of the stories take 1-2 episodes to complete however they are all relevant and all link up together to culminate in a more significant ending. This anime is also steeped in a fair bit of Japanese folklore and history. So if you're looking for an anime with interesting story lines which explore philosophy, morality and folklore etc, then Mermaid Forest is a perfect anime for you!

There was a little anime and when it was good, it was really really good, but when it was bad, it was really really bad.


Mayoiga would probably be best described as a psychological supernatural thriller. There is no gore, no murders, no blood, ghosts or epic battle scenes. What this anime does deliver though is monsters, mysteries and cliffhanger moments by the bucket load.

Story in a nutshell: A large group of unrelated & dysfunctional people disenchanted with society run away together to start their lives anew in a mysterious village which exists on no mainstream maps. The village is full of mysteries and it is ... not long before people start to get tormented by monsters.


I found this anime challenging to rate because while petty bad, it is not awful at everything it does. And the thing it does best is mystery. That even as dysfunctional as the anime is (poor pacing, a myriad of useless characters etc), it often keeps you just hooked enough to continue baring with it.

Overall: Good story with so much potential and creativity but very let down by poor pacing, illogical character interaction and poor character design (and too many characters in general).
Mysteries abound in this anime but unfortunately so too does disappointment.

Kyoukai no Rinne is a lighthearted supernatural anime.
It has comedy moments and it's pace is gentle. It does not take itself too seriously. It is primarily focused around the lives of 2 teenagers who go to the same school together;

Mamiya Sakura: A fairly quiet teenage girl who has a "go with the flow" attitude. She is quite perceptive (and reasonably popular) and in many regards, totally average for a teenage girl except for one thing: When a child she gained an ability (which she keeps secret) to see spirits and other otherworldly beings. One day she discovers that one of her classmates (Rokudou ... Rinne) is a Shinigami.

Rokudou Rinne: An impoverished (and fairly serious in nature) teenage guy who is also secretly a Shinigami. Although skilled at his work of sending stray souls to the afterlife (and outwitting & battling supernatural beings), he is also always desperately trying to pay off a large financial debt (which is not his fault but which he is held responsible for none the less). He has a good heart (and strong sense of right and wrong) but money is often a huge motivator or influencing factor in how he deals with situations.


Events of course end up conspiring that the two of them have to unite and they end up going on many adventures together (which each episode revolves around).


If you are looking for...
1. An anime with a gripping story line.
2. Strong characters with lots of development.
3. An anime with a strong sense of direction.
4. An anime with lots of fan service.
5. An anime with epic fight scenes between supernatural beings.
6. An anime with a passionate and heart-rending romance between its main characters.

...Then Kyoukai no Rinne is NOT for you (and if you watched the anime while hoping for any of these things, you would probably end up feeling rather disappointed and would rate the anime quite poorly).

However.

If you are looking for...
1. A anime with a relaxed story line.
2. An anime which doesn't take itself too seriously.
3. An anime which has comedy moments (but which doesn't try too hard to be funny).
4. An anime that is ideal to watch when you want to unwind & chill out.
5. An anime with a certain old school vibe about it (but which has the pros of being modern and visually appealing)
6. An anime which has a different story each episode (VS long one consistent plot arch).

Etc, then I would strongly Kyoukai no Rinne for you!


This anime is not a masterpiece. However I found it very enjoyable and relaxing to watch (and the series is in fact one of my top favorite anime's). It is also a successful anime with not only a generous 25 episodes in its 1st season, but (as I type) a second season (also spanning 25 episodes) is now being aired too.

Although Kyoukai no Rinne is marketed as being a Shonen anime (Shonen of course being anime/manga primarily intended for boys between the ages of 8 to 18) I could see just as many girls enjoying this anime (if not even more so) and would say that overall, its appeal is very broad in both its gender and age range (I am an adult and yet I still found this anime entertaining & very enjoyable to watch).