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Jun 24, 2014
I have the pleasure now of reviewing one of the best anime I have ever seen. I believe I initially did not give Skip Beat a fair shot because of its ending but after watching it again I remembered how good it really was. I'm assuming you already know what Skip Beat is about so I'll get right into it.
Story: 9.5/10
Such a fun and fascinating story with great plot progression. Revenge and show business are things that are always interesting to watch. Mix in beautiful men, beautiful (but crazy) women and inner demons and you have a winning recipe for a shoujo manga.
The only
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thing keeping me from giving the story a 10 is the ending. The ending is so abrupt, it leaves so many ends untied and so many possibilities left to explore that I cannot say I was at all satisfied. The series was so good that the ending left a bitter taste. But the series is THAT good that I couldn't score it any lower than a 9.5.
Character: 10/10
The protagonist, Kyoko Mogami, is one of the best female characters in any anime. She is strong, crazy, fun, loveable and not to mention, SUPER TALENTED. Her acting skills are captivating to watch, making the characters she plays come to life (whether it is intentional or not). Her ex-" boyfriend" Shou is the scum of the earth, but you can't help but like how detestable he is. Ren Tsuraga may be the perfect male lead and love interest to counteract Kyoko's craziness and ability. There is also a great supporting cast of characters. There was decent plot progression but again the ending disrupts that flow.
Art and Sound: both 8/10
Both suitable for a shoujo anime. The colors and background music were used so well to express emotions.
Enjoyment: 10/10
Overall: 9/10
Such an enjoyable anime with some of the most memorable scenes in any anime I've watched to date. Episodes 6,7,13 and 14 were so enjoyable that I watched them twice through before moving on to the next episode (and this review is based on a REWATCH...that says a lot). The over-the-top nature of the characters is so funny to watch but the true enjoyment in this anime is seeing the development of Kyoko's natural and unbelievable talent, despite being constantly underestimated.
If this series had gotten a second season or even a couple more episodes, it would be a definite 10/10 as they just don't wrap things up well at all.
I would recommend watching this anime despite its ending, as the manga continues the story and is still on-going..... meaning there is so much more of Kyoko to enjoy.
Similar recommendations to this anime I would say would be Nodame Cantabile and Special A because they all have girls with natural ability who work on their talents and look up to the male lead who is gorgeous, talented and constantly making fun of her.
To be honest, I cannot adequately express how highly I think of this anime. I would suggest at least watching the first episode. If you are not laughing hysterically or automatically fall in love with Kyoko's craziness and longing for revenge, then this anime definitely isn't for you.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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Jun 12, 2014
Engaged to The Unidentified is about a high school girl named Kobeni who lives with her mother and her popular but eccentric older sister Benio. She's a pretty normal and average girl who takes care of the cooking and housework. We are introduced to her on her 16th birthday when she receives surprising news; her late grandfather had arranged a marriage partner for her and he's coming to stay with them. In comes the fiancé, Hakuya, who is quiet, polite, very straightforward and clearly already in love with Kobeni. We are then introduced to Hakuya's little sister Mashiro, who will also will be staying there
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to watch over her older brother. Apparently Kobeni as met Hakuya before as a child but now must redevelop the relationship she forgot she had.
This slice of life anime tells the story of Kobeni, Hakuya, Mashiro and Benio as they adjust to this new living arrangement and each other.
Story: 7/10
It is definitely funny, cute and overdramatic. They make little problems into bigger problems than they ever should be, but it can be entertaining nonetheless. I will warn that because it is a slice of life anime there is not much progression in the story in terms of character relationships, background stories, etc. The anime is only 12 episodes which in this case seemed way too short. I think the show would definitely benefit from a second season to further develop the story and the characters.
Also there were times where they were emphasizing a specific joke or interactions between characters that just seemed to miss the mark or last way too long.
And lastly, the ending. It was what I expected from a slice of life but not what I wanted exactly. I was hoping for more resolution than I got because there is so much possibility for the story from where it ended. If the anime gets a second season, more than likely this specific score will increase.
Character: 7/10
The characters are very average in terms of anime. If you have seen other slice of life or shoujo, you will know characters exactly like the ones here. However that does not make them any less likable for me. Benio may be too over the top for some people's taste as she is relentless in her sister complex and loli-loving attitude. The supporting cast is quite funny and stood out to me as the backbone of the anime.
My major criticism is the lack of development with Hakuya, Mashiro and their family.... there is something special about them but to be honest, at the end you're still not clear as to what specifically that is.
Art/Animation: 10/10
Such beautiful and stunning animation. The character designs remind me a little of the anime One Week Friends, with the rosy cheeks and pastel pallets but this anime does use different colors and backgrounds to express the character feelings very well.
Sound: 8/10
I LOVE the opening and ending themes to this anime. Very catchy and fun, suiting the anime very well. Besides that there were no stand-out pieces during the anime but the music they did have, did set the tone pretty well.
Enjoyment: 7/10
Overall: 7/10
Anyone who enjoys slice of life comedies will probably really like this anime. Other similar recommendations include if you like One Week Friends and Nisekoi. They both use similar plot devices to this anime, although in general they are quite different. Tonari no Kaibutsu-kun (My Little Monster) also popped into my head as something similar because of their sense of humor and their lead male, Haru, is similar to Hakuya in a lot of ways. There is a tiny bit of fan service for male audiences but generally I think this is more of a female-oriented anime.
I did enjoy it but found they did over exaggerate things a bit much. I would recommend it if you are just looking for something to watch and not take too seriously, as it was quick to get through and pretty easy to follow.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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Jun 10, 2014
This will be a spoiler free review. But will say that this anime reinforced a couple childhood lessons for me- "don't talk to strangers", "don't fall to peer pressure" and "be grateful for what you have because someone ALWAYS has it worse than you"
Bokurano is about 15 kids at a summer camp. They are playing on the beach and end up exploring a nearby cave. They find a cavern within the cave set up with computers and meet a man who refers to himself as Kokopelli. He claims this is a set up for his game, where multiple players fight using a giant robot.
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To play, you must sign a contract. He convinces all but one to sign the contract. Then they find themselves back on the shoreline of the beach, thinking it may have been something they all dreamed but soon realizing they have signed up for much more than a game.
Bokurano is a deconstruction of the mecha genre... in laymen terms, it takes the robot genre of anime and does something different with it. Other mecha anime include ones like Neon Genesis: Evangelion, Power Rangers and even arguably, Attack on Titan (with a "living robot). So if you like those or other robot anime, you will probably like this one. But like previously mentioned it does use the tropes of the genre differently- also being classified as psychological, drama and horror on MAL.
Story: 9.5/10
I cannot say much without spoiling the anime but it is definitely exciting, captivating, fascinating and tragic. The unpredictable nature of the anime is what really set it apart from others I have seen. Even if you do predict something, it may seem too extreme or sadistic to go that far...but sometimes they do take it THAT FAR. Also, if you're in the mood just to watch something, this may not be the anime for you as it will take some paying attention to follow along with the symbolic nature of some of the events. But the story will definitely draw you in and keep you through the 24 episodes and have you eagerly waiting to see how it all ends. I think you can also tell this is NOT a happy-go-lucky, funny anime and so maybe not for those in a sad or depressed mood...a lot of sadness and loss in this one. The themes they portray I cannot say, again in an attempt to keep tis a spoiler free review. But I can say they touch on mature themes and really show the psychological effects and mindsets of children, and man it was at times reply messed up. My only real complaint besides the characters (which i'll mention in a second) is the ending which I did like, but I felt left some loose ends untied.
Character: 9/10
Art: 6/10
There are A LOT of main characters, 15 to be exact. Plus when you add some of the important supporting characters that are later introduced, its a lot to follow. The children definitely have some defining characteristics that set them apart from each other but it is really their backstories that will set them apart. They are heart-wrenching and at times very difficult to watch. There was not enough time for a lot of development for each one but the time they spent was, at most times, just enough to get you either sad, resentful and/or angry. Children are not always as innocent as they seem, and this anime depicted that VERY WELL. My biggest problems were that there WERE TOO MANY characters and the art/animation did not do a good job of making their faces memorable. You will definitely remember all their stories, but may have a hard time pinning a name and face to the story. They look like very average and normal children in extraordinary circumstances. Oh and I would be neglectful if I didn't mention that this anime has one of THE MOST despicable, sadistic and hateful characters I have ever seen, going by the name of Dung Beetle (Koemushi in Japanese). You'll see what I mean when you watch it. You'll either love his messed up attitude or like me, you'll despise him and hope his actions come back to bite him in the ass.
The art like I said, not great. But the fighting sequences with the robots were pretty good. I think though, what the story lacks in art and animation, it almost fully makes up for with the story.
Sound: 7/10
The opening and closing themes are sort of catchy, and the music throughout the anime does a good job at setting the scenes. They really give you emotion trying to be conveyed. The musical pieces aren't all impressive but they definitely get the job done.
Enjoyment: 9/10
Overall: 9/10
Only a select few animes impact me to the point where I'm thinking about them all day and getting swept up in the world they've portrayed. Bokurano was an anime I couldn't get out of my mind. While I was at work I couldn't stop thinking about it and when I was falling asleep its all I thought about. The story drew me in and intrigued me that much....I think most of it just came from the genuine sadness and pity I felt for the characters. Although I did have some complaints, I would still recommend it to anyone willing to watch it and must say, in terms of story, it was so close to being a masterpiece, I really struggled giving it only a 9.5/10. It is a gem of an anime and one I think will be one you will never forget.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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Jun 8, 2014
I'll say it from the get-go that Nisekoi was a highly enjoyable anime to watch and I would recommend it to any anime fans that like shounen comedies and tsundere characters.
Nisekoi is about Raku Ichigyou, the son of the head of the Shue-gumi yakuza group, who at 6 years old, met and fell for a girl he now does not remember. The only thing he remembers is that they made a promise to marry each other when they met again, and would identify each other by the locket and key they exchanged. Raku has held onto this locket for 10 years in the hope
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of reuniting with her. He currently has a crush on a girl named Onodera, a friend from middle school, and hopes she is the girl he is looking for. His life is turned upside down though when he encounters the pretty but aggressive Chitoge Kirisaki, and though they don't get along, through family circumstances they are forced to act as fake boyfriend and girlfriend. Nisekoi shows this hilarious fake couple as they develop their "relationship" in front of their friends and classmates.
Story: 8/10
Ridiculous, cliche, but utterly HILARIOUS. It is not really unique in any way but man the collaboration of the characters just makes it work so well. It's a "tale of 2 families" type story just like Romeo and Juliet (which they cleverly make a reference to) with a lot of twists, turns and love interests. It uses very common storylines; the beach episode, the school trip (and typical ridiculousness that usually happens), the school festival and so on but they are still funny to watch regardless. The story gets an 8/10 mostly because I was not satisfied with the ending but I think this is due to the fact that another season may be coming. If one does come, the score would definitely be bumped up to at least a 9 as there would be a chance for a true ending and resolution between characters.
Art: 10/10
Absolutely stunning. Such effective use of colour and movement in the animation. CodeProvider (on YouTube) pointed out that even the grass in this anime stood out as beautiful...like come on. You usually don`t hear someone say "man that`s some sick grass". The movements are just so fluid it brings a great sense of realism.
Sound: 7/10
The first opening theme is so catchy. It was a real stand out for me. The second opening is pretty nice as well, and ending themes are both alright. But besides that, to be honest I did not notice much in terms of music just because I was so into the story myself, but I guess that is not totally a bad thing.
Character: 10/10
The characters were what made the anime so enjoyable. They had such a great combination of personalities. Raku and Chitoge are absolutely hilarious together. Watching them bicker but watch each other's backs was just an enjoyable experience. Chitoge may tie with Taiga (from Toradora) as my favourite tsundere character, as she is both ruthless and adorable beyond belief. Onodera started off seeming shy and a little boring, but really turned out to be funny and at times pretty aggressive (in terms of love). What I really appreciated was that all Raku's love interests (4 in total...go Raku!!! :P) all had something likable about them, which I find usually isn't the case. My stand-out supporting characters are most definitely Ruri (Onodera's best friend) and Tsugumi (Chitoge's childhood companion) who are funny, smart and just have the best reactions to EVERYTHING. I am hoping for a second season to get further development with all these characters.
Enjoyment: 10/10
Overall: 9/10
You can already tell that I really enjoyed the series and so there is no need to explain the score given. It's a shounen comedy, so I think it has something for everyone; fan service for the guys, and cute but strong female characters for the independent women out there :P I would recommend if you do watch it, to prepare to read the manga as more than likely you will want to know what happens next. As far as I know, there have been no announcements for a second season but I am eagerly anticipating one.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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Jun 7, 2014
Black Butler was definitely one of the darkest animes I've watched to date. Since I have nothing else to compare it to I will try to be as fair and impartial as possible (since I do favour comedies and dramas).
To summarize, Black Butler (Kuroshitsuji) takes place in Victorian-Era Great Britain and stars the young Ciel Phantomhive, whom through the tragic loss of his parents has literally "made a deal with the devil" to seek revenge on those at fault. He strikes a deal with a demon named Sebastien; in exchange for being his right hand man in his journey for revenge, he will
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give up his own soul for Sebastien to consume when all is said and done. They work together in investigating cases assigned to them by the Queen while maintaining their true revenge objectives, using anything and anyone to obtain their goals.
Story: 9/10
The setting made the story quite interesting, as the Victorian era was a time of lots of folklore, making the tales and antics of demons, ghosts and curses absurd but believable. What fascinated me was that the endings of each episode were pretty predictable, but there were many twists and turns along the way that were unexpected. One of my biggest complaints in the first half of the anime was the misplacement of humor or comedy in the middle of serious scenes. It happened very frequently and made those serious moments feel very anticlimactic. The ending is probably one of the best I have seen in any anime as it was something that was not really a surprise but was still filled with excitement, joy and sadness at the same time. This is definitely not a feel good anime and really doesn't show any redeeming qualities for most relationships, often showing betrayal, deception and resentment. But hey, life sometimes dishes that out so its nice to see everything isn't cherry blossoms and sunshine all the time.
Art/Animation: 10/10
This anime had beautiful art and animation. The character designs were very well done, especially with Sebastien. Maybe it was just me, but he stood out in EVERY scene he was in. Even though it was supposed to be a dark anime, there are times of beautiful bright colors; my favorite scenes actually being when there was snow and sunsets. They gave a particular feeling of warmth which was a nice addition and maybe even break from the dark themes :)
Characters: 9.5/10
Ciel and Sebastien are a great team and their relationship both confused and fascinated me. Ciel at times could be quiet annoying but he is a 12-year rich kid so it was to be expected :p. Sebastien is one of the most complex characters I have ever seen. He often made me forget what his true motives were as he seemed devote and loyal. But after episode 17 you truly see he will DO ANYTHING to obtain his goal and it was disturbing to see (which I think was the point). I can't help liking him despite his motives which probably is a reflection of his good looks but also his interactions with the servants in the home who act as the comedic relief. All of the servants were likable, my favorite being Tanaka :D Such a cute old man!! The only characters I disliked (whom we were supposed to actually like) was Lizzie, Ciel's fiancée, whom I thought was truly annoying in most cases.
Sound: 8/10
The opening and ending themes were great and the second half of the anime did have themes that stood out. But I think the story drew me in so much at times that I did not notice the music at all.
Enjoyment: 8/10
Overall 8/10
I think it was a great anime with a great ending worth waiting for. For those who like darker anime or some yaoi, this is definitely an anime for you. This is definitely an anime more for women since there are so many yaoi moments and fan service but the action scenes I think would definitely appeal to fans of action as well. This is an anime I would definitely recommend as Sebastien truly is "one hell of a butler" ;) and really made it worth watching.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Jun 2, 2014
This is my third time watching Ouran High School Host Club as I was lucky enough to find it on Netflix :) I finally decided to review it so I hope it will be helpful.
For anyone that is unfamiliar with Ouran, it is about an intelligent high school student named Haruhi Fujioka who is accepted into the prestigious Ouran Academy as an honour student. Haruhi is looking for a place to study and then stumbles into the 3rd music room where the Ouran Host Club runs their club activities. There Haruhi is introduced to a group of 6 pretty rich boys who entertain female students
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after class, headed by half Japanese, half French charmer Tamaki Suou. Haruhi is stunned by the oddness of the group and accidentally breaks an expensive vase. The story follows Haruhi, whom is dressed as a male but is revealed to be female, as she must repay the debt (caused by the broken vase) by being a member of this host club.
Story: 8/10
This is a very typical shojo anime, taking advantage of common story lines such as the gender bender, the school festival, the beach episode, and common tropes/characteristics such as glittering eyes, male fan service for the ladies and bright, flamboyant colours. But what makes it unique is that it does not take itself seriously. They go over the top using typical bishounen characteristics to define the 7 "men" of the host club, break the laws of physics and reason, and frequently "break the fourth wall" by talking directly to the audience, and sometimes even referring to the anime they are in. It makes for hilarious fun.
My only real complaint is the ending, as I felt it was a little rushed and felt too open-ended but that is up to interpretation.
Art: 9/10
Sound: 9/10
Both were great. Seeing the anime on Netflix really complimented it as I was able to watch it in 1080 quality. The colours popped out more than they ever have.
The music was as beautiful as I remember, using grand orchestra scores. I watched the english version and must say it is my preferred version. The voice acting was superb, with special mention to Vic Mignogna who was fantastic as Tamaki Suou. It is another great stand out performance by the same man who voiced both Dark Mousy of DNAngel and Edward Elric of the Fullmetal Alchemist series. My only complaint is the English version of the opening theme, which I just thought they could have found better singers for.
Character: 9/10
The characters are so unique and fun that it is hard to resist them. Every character has a chance to have their back story told, even supporting characters such as Renge, the self appointed female manager of the club, and Kasanoda, someone I won't explain but whom is my favourite supporting cast member. My stand out back stories are those of the Hitachiin twins and Kyoya Ootori (the club accountant and co-founder). These individuals became so much more fascinating and lovable once you knew their past. Tamaki and Haruhi are great leads with lovable personalities.
Enjoyment: 10/10
Overall: 8/10
Fun with the right touch of drama and heart-clenching scenes, this anime's largest flaw to me was it being cut off too short. One particular issue made to be important is never resolved in the anime, but is discussed in greater lengths in the manga. As a HUGE fan of the manga, I would highly suggest watching the anime AND THEN following up with the manga to complete the story, as I believe it has better progression and a more resolute and satisfying ending. If you enjoyed other typical shojo animes such as DNAngel, Special A or Toradora this is a must watch. I do believe that this anime has something for everyone, including elements that men can enjoy :) But obviously, this is generally a girl's night type of anime :P
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Jun 2, 2014
After watching the Nodame Cantabile series, I was really looking forward to watching more music-related animes and just so happened to stumble upon Sakamichi no Apollon.
It is a story about Kaoru aka "Richie", a timid young man living in 1960s Japan. He lives with his relatives and has transferred to a seaport town, one of many transfers as he is always transferring schools and therefore never develops lasting relationships with anyone. He actually at times becomes sick as a result of classroom conflicts or interactions. However this all changes when he meets the class rep, Ritsuko, and her childhood friend Sentarou, who is notorious
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for his trouble-making and tough exterior. Although they appear to be polar opposites, Sentarou and Kaoru share a talent for music. Sakamichi no Apollon shows the development of the relationship between these 3 characters as Sentarou introduces Kaoru to jazz music and develops Kaoru's overall love of life and friendship.
Story: 9/10
Not overly complex, but short, fascinating and effective. It is definitely unique as it explores an aspect of Japan I never knew existed; Japanese culture and jazz music. The story was very relate-able, as it touched on common issues of loneliness, poverty/being broke and unrequited love. At times the situations did feel a little over-exaggerated but based on the personality types of the characters, it was not completely out of place. The anime is classified under drama and romance but I did find that there was perfect placement of humor and fun as well, especially with Sentarou and Kaoru.
Without giving anything away, the ending was, in my opinion, near perfection. It did not feel at all rushed but quite natural and really quite satisfying. It is rare for me to not feel a longing for more at the end of an anime but in this case, I truly felt the story needed to end there. This is not to say that I would not have appreciated more story, but it was just so perfectly wrapped up that it would seem unnecessary.
Art: 10/10- I have no real reason to explain why but I just think it was beautiful.
Sound: 10/10- The jazz pieces in this anime are beautiful, catchy and exciting to watch. A special mention goes to one performance by a character named Junichi, who without spoiling anything, surprised and drew me in so deeply that I instantly fell for him :P
Character: 9/10- All the main characters are very well developed and multidimensional. The good and the bad points of each character really made me like and relate to them more. The relationship between Sentarou and Kaoru is something special and was a privilege to watch. Even secondary characters that I started off not liking , like Yurika (a classmate and future love interest of one of the characters), I ended up rooting for at the end. The only character I had a problem with is Ritsuko, just because I did not find much interesting about her personality. But I still found myself liking her and cheering for her anyway!
Enjoyment: 10/10
Overall: 9/10
I think this is a great anime for people who like music but also those who like and appreciate history. I do not know how accurate some of the events are that are portrayed but it does show another side of Japan not usually seen in anime; in the time where the world was struggling with segregation, racism and in many countries, political unrest. For anyone who has watched Samurai Champloo or Cowboy Bebop, this is a great one to watch also. It was made by the same team that worked on Cowboy Bebop, and I believe although all 3 stories differ greatly in the plot, the quality of the storytelling is comparable.
Really to summarize, the bromance between Sentarou and Kaoru was so enjoyable and touching that I think there is an appeal for anyone (with a heart :P).
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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May 29, 2014
I just finished this anime and I felt a real pressing need to review it right away. It's about an arrogant but truly talented pianist and violinist named Chiaki whom, due to childhood circumstances, is unable to travel abroad to pursue his music. He remains in grad school in the hopes of one day being able to be a conductor for an orchestra. He meets an unruly but gifted pianist named Noda Megumi (Nodame for short) who happens to be his next door neighbour and a student in the same university. This hilarious and breathtaking anime goes into the story of their relationship and the
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development of their talents as musicians, as well as the friends and colleagues they meet along the way.
Story: 10/10
This is my first music-centered anime and I must say it was captivating. It shows the hard work, perseverance, discipline and passion of musicians in a very realistic but also humorous way. Not once did I ever find myself dosing off or distracted. The storytelling was effective without being flashy or unrealistic, which I really appreciated. It did not need a heavy amount of drama or comedy elements to make it captivating. I also really appreciated the ending, as everything tied together very nicely. If this was a single season only I still would have rated it highly but because there are more seasons, I believe it deserves a perfect score. I am looking forward to SO MUCH MORE. If you enjoy stories such as Skip Beat, where a character is underestimated but has immense hidden talent, you will thoroughly enjoy watching Nodame.
Art: 9/10
The art to me was adequate in most areas but what made me give it a 9/10 was the animation/drawing of the instruments. When the instruments were being played (particularly the violin and the oboe) they looked so real I felt as if I could reach into the screen and touch them. This made the performance scenes that much more enjoyable to watch.
Sound: 11/10
If it was possible to score as such I would. The music in this anime is absolutely breathtaking. There were multiple moments of awe and teary eyes watching and listening to the characters perform. I expected a lot from a music anime but it went above and beyond my expectations....It really made classical music seem romantic and exciting but also cool and kind of hipster too :P. It seriously increased my appreciation for the arts. Ohhh and the opening theme is very catchy as well :)
Character: 10/10
The main characters of Nodame and Chiaki were developed just the right amount for the story they were telling. I loved both of their personalities, especially in combination as they make a great duo. What I really appreciated was the development of many supporting characters. They might not have spent a lot of time with them but at the end as a viewer, I believed and shared each of their passions for their craft after seeing their characters unfold. I also really appreciated the different personalities of the characters. The main and supporting characters all had something that made them unique, which also helped me appreciate their musical performances. What I appreciated the most was the emphasis that as talented as any of these individuals seemed, it came with hard work, even with Nodame (as gifted as she is).
Enjoyment: 10/10
Overall: 10/10
There is not much more I can say about this anime without being repetitive. It was a joy to watch; really amplifying my love for music but also really making me care about the characters. I am looking forward to watching the next 2 seasons and reviewing those as well. This is definitely a unique anime worth watching and I believe it has a little something for everyone.
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
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May 27, 2014
Kippei is a highschool playboy and slacker. All he ever does is skip class and play around with girls in his school. Everything changes for him though when his aunt disappears and leaves his 5-year old cousin Yuzuyu in his family's care. His family leaves him with the responsibility of caring for her (possibly with the hopes that he will mature) while they wait for her mother to return.
Story: 9/10
For a anime that from first glance appears to be for young audiences, this anime has a surprising amount of mature themes such as mental illness, abuse and neglect. The writers did a brilliant job
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including both serious and funny/playful elements into each episode; neither one taking away from the other but balancing quite well. As a viewer, I found the story to be very realistic and easy to relate to, making it very touching to watch. The only thing keeping me from giving it a 10/10 is the repetitive use of similar characters (with similar flaws) as a dramatic device. I find it difficult to explain this complaint without spoiling any of the plot but I must say it is a minor one, and wouldn't keep me from referring the anime....it just seemed random or even weird that similar problems kept coming up for the same family :P
Art: 6/10
Sound: 5/10
Not much to say for either one. It is a shoujo anime and the art/animation reflects that. It is also an older anime which aired in 2004 so I did not expect much from it in terms of animation. The biggest irritation was probably the character designs of many of the father figures...I mean most of them looked like EXACTLY ALIKE. What stood out the most in terms of animation were many of the scenes which revolved around Yuzuyu, which just seemed to pop out more (now that's what I call "on-screen presence" :P)
As for sound, nothing stood out at all for me. To be honest, I never listened to either the opening and closing theme in full, just skipped ahead to the episode.
Character: 9/10
Kippei, Yuzuyu and Reiko (Kippei's sister) stole the show for me. Kippei and Yuzuyu's relationship was so heart-warming and felt very realistic. The way both characters were written was quite well done. I especially believe so for Yuzuyu...every way she responded to ANY situation, I thought was something any 5-year old also would have done, which made many scenes that much more heart-breaking or fun. Kippei as the protagonist was very entertaining. There are times where I forgot he was a highschool kid as he played his caregiver role so well, but other times where I shook my head at how much of an immature teenager he could be . This dichotomy worked very well for me...made things very interesting to watch. Reiko as a secondary character stole any scene she was in, demanding attention with her strict, playful and overexaggerated personality. Special mentions go to the characters of Marika and Shouta (friends of Yuzuyu), and Satsuki (Kippei's brother) who stood out as characters I would love to see more of. The only thing keeping it from a 10/10 is Kokoro (classmate of Kippei) whose lack of emotion for most of the anime I found unsettling.
Enjoyment: 9/10
Overall: 8/10
I thoroughly enjoyed this anime, which was a pleasant surprise. As a fan of Usagi Drop, I did not think I would find another anime of similar theme that I would enjoy as much as that one but I found this anime to be almost if not as good in terms of story and characters. It's biggest strength I believe was choosing to touch on more serious matters in the plot, and showing what seemed to be a very realistic interpretation of how children would respond to those situations. Just a warning: IF YOU DO NOT LIKE KIDS, THIS MAY NOT BE THE ANIME FOR YOU, as like I said, Yuzuyu does act very similar to the typical 5-year old child. But overall, I think this was a hidden gem, I'm very glad I watched it and am really looking forward to reading the manga.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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May 25, 2014
Tonari No Seki-Kun may be the funniest anime I've watched since starting Gintama. That is saying a lot, since the episodes are quite short at about 7 minutes long, but that is plenty of time for this anime to tell an effective and hilarious story.
Story: 9.5/10
Short, sweet and to the point. Seki-kun's antics and Yokoi's great imagination and creativity are so entertaining to watch. They use the best methods of storytelling with Yokoi's expressive narration in combination with Seki-kun's almost exclusive use of physical comedy to tell creative tales of love, hardship and determination using common toys and games. They are such simple stories, but
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I haven't laughed so much watching an anime in so long. You cannot help it when you see how ridiculous Seki-kun and Yokoi can get. The only thing keeping this anime from getting a 10/10 was that they occasionally repeated "toys/games", but the seeing these toys/games again may have been funnier than the first time around.
Art: 10/10
Sound: 8/10
Not much to say about the art...it's awesome. Love the use of colour scheme in the different stories. They used sound clips pretty well to add from the scene but I find that I didn't pay attention much to the sounds as I was so caught up in Yokoi's storytelling. But a majority of this score goes to the opening and ending themes; catchy and unique.
Character: 9/10
Yokoi's imagination makes the show what it is, as Seki-kun barely (if not ever) speaks in the series. Her interpretation of his behaviour is hysterical. Despite not speaking, Seki-kun's physical comedy is second-to-none. He comes up with such imaginative ways to play and mess around during class. I won't reveal these next "characters" but these 3 little guys stole any episode they were in. Seki-kun's interaction with these 3 "characters" really made them my favourite secondary characters despite never speaking either.
Enjoyment: 10/10
Overall: 10/10
I think it is obvious how much fun I had watching this series. It is an easy series to get through and so is definitely worth watching. I really hope there is another season or 2 because I just can't get enough of this classroom fun.
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
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