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Immortal beings have been the subject of fiction since the beginning of time, but Ajin puts a logical spin on it with clearly defined rules that mostly make sense.

Ajin is the story of Nagai Kei, a normal schoolboy who gets dragged into the world of the hunted when he finds out that he is an Ajin, a member of a race of immortal humans. The story is an action thriller where things pick up rapidly, with its relentless pacing and innumerable plot twists. I wasn't too sold on the premise at first as it felt like something which existed for shock value like Akame ga ... Kill or Gantz, but things moved pretty logically which proved itself to be something different.

The art of the show can be distracting. Polygon Pictures weaves its usual CGI magic with its unnatural movements and ugly human models, but it manages to get the most important thing right: the faithfulness of the story. Ajin is helmed by a great director who puts the show's great backgrounds to good use, the characters may not look good but the environment sure does, especially in the show's bigger set pieces.

Another positive about the show is in how good it sounds, a similarity it shares with the recent Polygon Pictures anime Knights of Sidonia. Ajin has a great soundtrack, with an opening and ending which are both well done, especially the sound design: the sounds of each character's supernatural abilities echo horrifyingly and always serves to build tension in the scene.

Unfortunately, the story doesn't end with much closure; this TV anime is most likely an advertisement for the movie sequels coming out later this year. It ends on a cliffhanger, and since the rest of the series are movies, it is very likely we will only manage to watch the rest of the story more than a year later. Another gripe I have is that the plot starts becoming more illogical near the end of the series, which makes me worry that the series will go off the rails with the plot later on.

These are small caveats though; in the end I found Ajin to be a show worth watching. A thriller that manages to engross its audience for majority of the ride is a rare thing in anime, which makes Ajin one of the shows that deserves a bigger audience than it gets.

Anime aimed for kids are often completely ignored by the English speaking community, but sometimes they can be pretty worthwhile. One of the more recently overlooked ones is Tantei Team Jiken Note.

What this series does really well is to show the sense of isolation our main character feels. Tachibana Aya is a young girl who finds it difficult to make friends, a universal problem especially common in children. It portrays her thought process very accurately, with evidence shown by her personality and family situation. Because of how well these points are established, we care more when she finally gets the company she longed for, ... creating a real sense of attachment to the characters in the series.

However, the mysteries in the show aren't great. The way each of them is solved is absurd, with middle schoolers having access to information most adults can't even hope to obtain. The series is smart though for keeping other better aspects of it in the spotlight while the mysteries are going on, character development and motivations are fleshed out during the solving of a mystery which help keep the series relatively entertaining.

I was surprised when the series ended, it was pretty abrupt and inconclusive. But despite these caveats, I think it was a really nice series to watch, not many anime manage to deal with its core themes as well as Tantei Team Jiken Note.

Sometimes a show manages to grab you without being especially entertaining, and that about sums up HaruChika for me. Its a strange episodic mystery show with many quirks that isn't anything exceptional, but holds up a bit better on reflection.

HaruChika likes to delve into topics you rarely encounter in anime. Ranging from the Vietnam war and Tibetan dogs to radio shows, the mysteries will sometimes surprise you with their conclusions. These conclusions aren't anything mind blowing, but they are always logical and follow the clues each episode sets up.

Quirky characters tag along to provide a source of entertainment and the way each character interacts with ... one another is charming and pretty funny at times. When it works, the show absolutely flies by, I was surprised several times by how fast the episode ended. That's not something you can always rely on though in HaruChika, with the caveat of the plot never being especially interesting with the lack of tension involved. A few episodes are enough to decide whether this show is for you; its pretty much the same thing throughout.

I respect Haruchika for trying to incorporate such a large array of topics while maintaining a logical mystery. Its very easy for a mystery to incorporate twists and turns until it doesn't make sense, which destroys the purpose of it being a mystery in the first place. HaruChika doesn't fall into that pitfall, and in the process taught me several facts I knew nothing about beforehand. Despite being bored several times while watching, I'm glad I followed HaruChika to the end, its a quirky show that isn't afraid to break genre convention, making it a fascinating piece of art.

Boku Dake ga Inai Machi makes us question our standards of the shows we watch. Is it enough for a show to make you enjoy watching it, or does the conclusion have to feel satisfying in order for it to become a good show? I find myself in the primary camp, as throughout the show, I can honestly say that it was very enjoyable, even though several plot points made me raise my eyebrow.

The main character here is Satoru, a guy who is able to travel back in time but cannot control how. This premise gives the storyteller a lot of freedom in controlling how ... the story goes, and he uses it pretty well, starting with several setbacks to develop the main character and slowly building resolve until he overcomes his obstacles.

Don't expect too much action, a huge chunk of the story plays more like a slice of life instead of a thriller. The show devotes a lot of time to the interactions of the main character; Satoru starts off as someone pretty awkward, but grows as a result of interacting with different people. This approach however results in several characters ending up pretty shortchanged by the conclusion of the series with their motivations not clearly defined, which can end up making several plot twists unsatisfying.

Parts of the story play off as one written by an amateur who knows how to connect plot points but not always successful in his experiments with the plot outline. The main villain felt mostly like an excuse to get the main character to interact with others, and there were several moments in the show that came off as very goofy. Making characters cartoony can work as a means of making a show easier to understand, but Boku Dake ga Inai Machi uses it often which takes you out of the moment frequently.

Despite saying all that, I have to say that this series did make me relate to the characters a lot more than most existing anime. Even when the events were pretty cliche, you felt something for the people while they were on screen. When they interacted, it felt real, and with a lot of really nice people in the cast the show was always a joy to watch. Isn't that all that matters?

Dagashi Kashi is for me the rare show that turned out to be different from what I expected, in a wholly positive way. No fanservice or wish fulfilment going on here, just unabashed dagashi nerdiness and fun slice of life.

The premise is simple: An energetic girl comes to a town out in the countryside and tries to encourage our protagonist, Coconuts, to take over his father's dagashi shop. The story is full of nice people, the characters are pretty much all likeable and behave naturally throughout the show. I find Coconut's father, You(his mom's name must be "Me") to be an especially fun character, he ... is really energetic and caring, the kind of father you hardly get in anime these days.

You have to be prepared though, the show throws a lot of facts at you which can get repetitive. Each episode is divided into segments that talk about individual snacks, which are chock full of history and small quirks about each specific dagashi. It helps to have a bit of knowledge about the kinds of sweets there are available in Japan, but for me I never felt lost, even when the jokes didn't hit there was usually something to learn.

The show does however have a bit of a slow start. The character Tou comes off as pretty mean in the first episode but gets a lot more enjoyable through the course of the show. Some of the sound effects are pretty stock, and Studio Feel's animation doesn't flow very well at points, but these are minor issues in the show. If you're a sucker for anything related to history or Japan I'd say you'd take to this show very well, there's a lot going on in Dagashi Kashi even though it might not be the most complex show out there. Its smart and uplifting, the kind of show that will never fail to brighten up your day.

One of the biggest hurdles in growing up is the struggle to adapt to the conformity of society. When you interact with people, you have to be prepared to be judged by everything you do, which is a conflict that Kokoro ga Sakebitagatterunda tackles head on.

Directed by Nagai Tatsuyuki and written by Okada Mari, the main pair behind Anohana, Kokoro ga Sakebitagatterunda tells the story of people managing to move on after facing past trauma. There are four characters with distinct personalities and different issues who gradually develop throughout the course of the show.

The main character here is Naruse Jun, an energetic girl who ... becomes soft spoken after a painful tragedy hits her during her youth. She is cute and instantly likeable without being grating, I especially enjoyed how her gestures were animated and the way she tries to convey messages without the use of dialogue.

The way the show handles character development is subdued, there are no excessive flashbacks or unnatural behaviour and you learn about the characters by seeing them react without the show telling you outright. I really respect the show for being able to develop multiple characters at once, sometimes within the same scene, which is a rare thing in any medium.

The voice acting in this show is superb, each voice matches the character to a tee. The animated movement and expressions of the characters in the show play a huge role in this, its very easy for elaborate movement to look weird in anime, but its an issue this movie doesn't have; during the more emotional scenes it keeps you completely absorbed in the moment.

Small caveats though are that the show can get pretty slow during the middle act, but it quickly sidesteps over that with a truly excellent finale. Some of the twists in the show are pretty bold, they avoid cliche at crucial moments and make the show more interesting.

Kokoro ga Sakebitagatterunda is the rare movie that manages to pay close attention to its characters despite having quite a lot of drama going on. It tells each story beat gracefully and beautifully, making it a feel good movie that is really worth watching.

In 2006, the term 'Shounen' was widespread as series such as One Piece and Naruto were at the peak of their popularity, with anime of the genre being as popular as they could be. Fast forwarding 10 years, the trend has mostly died down, with on exception which bears its old school Shounen roots proudly: Ushio to Tora.

Adapted from a manga originating in the 1990s, Ushio to Tora embodies many of the tropes modern anime fans despise: Friendship speeches, semi-episodic storylines and a rowdy main character. However, Ushio to Tora has a really good selling point in that it has lots of charm to it ... which many anime lack.

Our main character here is Aotsuki Ushio, a 14 year old boy with boisterous energy. Looking typical without attractive facial features, Ushio is pretty much the epitome of an ordinary school kid which keeps things down to earth.The main draw of Ushio to Tora lies with its other main character, Tora. Tora is a large and unfriendly Yokai, he starts out pretty unlikeable when he first meets Ushio but goes through comprehensive character development.

The story of Ushio to Tora seems to start out pretty rote with many episodic sequences, but quite a lot of it is devoted to character development. When the main plot of the series kicks in however, prepare to be enthralled as the intensity of the emotions in the show ramps up. People do die in this series, not as many as I would have liked but more than enough to evoke a sense of hate for the villain.

The art of Ushio to Tora is excellent, a masterclass of how to make a series look good despite having not much animation at its low-ish budget. The Youkai in this show are all really well designed, evoking a sense of ancient creepiness. The facial expressions in this show are particularly intense, whether its the protagonist struggling for help or the villain compressing its face into a terrifying glare.

Despite the soundtrack not having a single track that stands out for me, it works really well as a mood setter. Its somber when it needs to be, which has in turn created some of the most memorable scenes for a long time, especially scenes which showcase the main villain's ferocity. The voice acting of the series is on point, Ushio's shouts and screams can be felt with genuine emotion and Koyama Rikiya's depiction of Tora is amazing despite being a radical departure from the characters he normally voices. The voice of the main villain of the series is a real standout for me, unique yet portraying a real sense of menace.

As it stands, the first season of Ushio to Tora is a worthy addition to the vast library of action anime available. It knows how to use the resources it has at its disposal to create an attention-holding experience, despite having a bit of a slow start. Its been a great 26 episodes of Ushio to Tora, and I look forward to seeing more.

Once in a while an anime comes into the scene that defies all genre conventions, and for me this season its Subete ga F Ni Naru. As one of the most polarising shows I've seen, many people either love it or hate it based on the first episode, with that opinion not usually standing through the whole series. I personally like the show a lot, but I will dread defending it as its a pretty surreal and not always comfortable experience.

Subete ga F ni Naru is a mystery anime centred around Magata Shiki, a genius programmer trapped in a research facility. Our main protagonists are ... two quirky characters, a rich arrogant young lady by the name of Nishinosono Moe and a dry but smart professor, Saikawa Souhei, two quirky yet ordinary people who get caught up in something shocking that happens within the facility.

That does sound pretty standard, with the mystery genre having been done time and again across various TV anime and serial drama. However, I strangely find that the series's strongest point is in its uniqueness, its first episode already demonstrates one of the series' main quirks: copious amount of talking. Not even detective stuff, a lot of it is the dry talking as you would see in our daily lives. It might get boring for people who want some action, but it fleshes out each character's quirks really well in a unique manner.

The show does have a long length for its main plot of a single mystery, with extra time spent on fleshing out its characters, the interplay between Moe and Souhei being the main highlight of the show. The two of them have intense debates and its a joy seeing them play off one another. This character focused approach was to me a really interesting direction for a mystery story to take and one of my favourite parts of the show.

I also liked how the show avoided a lot of the main pitfalls of the mystery genre, there were no illogical coincidences and the things that did not make sense were at least pretty unpredictable. There were no cheats or details hidden from the audience either, pretty refreshing for a mystery series.

The execution of the show is excellent, with a masterful soundtrack alongside dramatic camera angles and set pieces, making it really easy to get absorbed into its atmosphere. You will see vibrant and colourful scenery, cold and futuristic research facilities, even vast and otherworldly oceans. Each set piece is filled with the personality of the person inhabiting, making what is going on screen feel more natural. Especially notable is the contrast of the show, because of how mundane the things on screen sometimes look, the poignant moments really stand out with its surreal art design impressing the viewer.

Subete ga F ni Naru is a breath of fresh air blowing into this anime scene littered with tropes. Fearlessly being unconventional, it stands as an example of a series that has some actual meaning to its surreality, not just randomness for its own sake, and I hope we get to see more series like it in future.