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I watched this series because of hype from my friends by the time it was still airing.. so I decided to step a foot tentatively into this series. I already don't expect something original (well, what is original in this world anyway? Everything is just copy-paste with some improvements or some lacking points..). However, first episode managed to steal my interest with the awesome animation. So I stayed.. hoping the story will get better and become something awesome.. only to be met with disappointment :(

I feel the story is really poorly written. It is a mesh of Attack on Titan with Guilty Crown in ... old Japanese industrial setting. Maybe because the studio did AOT before and the scriptwriter is the writer of Guilty Crown.. Although GC boasts good animation but the story is a mess.. and unfortunately that's the fate of Kabaneri as well.

****CONTAIN SPOILERS****
Ikoma really felt like Shu (from GC). He received a power (in this case, being half kabane that gives him superhuman strength) and accompanied with badass chick Mumei.. whom towards the end of the show lost her badass-ness, trapped, became so weak, someone who needs to be saved. Ikoma's design also kinda reminds me of Shu.. both have strange white streaks on their hair.. and had ultra transformation towards the end.

Kabaneri also borrows ideas from AOT.. being an apocalypse anime, titans turned into kabanes in this anime (except that -- borrowing ideas from GC -- humans can turn into kabanes with infection, just like the apocalypse virus) and instead of Walls, there are stations in Kabaneri where the humans protect themselves inside. 3D manoeuvre gear becomes the steam guns -- which I consider very ineffective. With physics logic it is quite impractical to be used, since steam engines which is used to power the guns are extremely hot and producing hot steams. But well, screw logic, the human bushis in Kabaneri managed to either not burn themselves when using the steam guns, or somehow managed to store steams without it being condensed back into water to propel the bullets. And I don't understand how they design the thing. It seems like the canister is just fastened on a U-shaped frame on the back, without any clasps, safety hooks or whatsoever. It seems like it will drop if you do a flip.. but again, screw logic, even Mumei managed to do somersault without dropping the steam canister =___=

There are a lot of stupid things happening in the anime.. Like the adults who still insist to kick out our two MCs because they are half kabane despite they took action to save the civillian' lives.. the attempt to disconnect the freaking boiler room from the train because Ikoma and Mumei are in it (WTF PEOPLE, IF YOU DETACH THE BOILER FROM THE TRAIN, THERE IS NO STEAM TO POWER THE TRAIN AND IT CANNOT RUN, YOU IDIOTS) then our Biba, another antagonist with screws loose in his head.. so many things I can rant about this anime but oh well, *ehm* I need to continue the review..

****END OF SPOILERS****

The good thing is.. despite using the already tired theme of apocalypse, they introduced something new that people are instantly hooked with.. the steampunk theme. I honestly don't think there's any apocalypse anime with steampunk element yet.. so yeah. Machines, trains, boilers.. this are the interesting elements and thankfully, being utilised well.

And at least the MC is not some pussy who suddenly have OP power up.. Ikoma is actually pretty badass and he has brain at least, unlike some idiots in this anime. Mumei is actually decent lead as well. She is small but she can fight.. shows her childish side at times but can be badass when needed.. if only Mumei retains her badassness and strength as it was in the beginning of the show and if she's not as gullible and easily swayed emotionally.. a positive development instead of regression.. The side characters are interesting actually.. like Ayame, Kurusu, Takumi, Kajika and others.. if only they have more depth.. if only there's more time to explore them.. The character designs are pretty good in my opinion. Not usual and still have uniqueness, easy-to-spot.

Kabaneri has some potential to be a great anime but... without solid and non-idiotic story, it cannot and will never be. Although... I did stay to watch until the end because the animation is above average. If you like the semi 2D-3D style like in AOT, you will appreciate Kabaneri. It is something similar, with touch of Japanese style.. To be honest, I like the art style of Kabaneri. The colors are mostly warm - in relation with the fire of the people who keeps burning, the steam machines and the train.. but it turned towards the cooler ambient towards the ending when they no longer on the train. Animations are mostly smooth and consistent, not choppy. The fight scenes are pretty with efficient use of 3D to spice things up and make fights more exciting. Effects like fire sparks, propulsion of the steams and smokes are utilised and blended well without being out of place to boost the mood. The opening video is really well-made. I also like how they used interesting angles, make the best use of composition and direct the anime so it is still enjoyable and not going all over the place. At least it has a start and solved some of the issue (Biba), although it has a lot of holes in between.

Aside from the gorgeous art style, Kabaneri is saved from being total trash thanks to the sound. Opening from EGOIST which gives you goosebumps, beautiful ending from Aimer ft Chelly.. epic soundtrack from Hiroyuki Sawano.. which is so effective in building the mood.

Despite its flaws and shortcomings (and stupidity), I will be lying if I say I don't enjoy Kabaneri at all. It is good to pass time.. but not what you are looking for if you want solid story with good character development.

Finally... I got to finish this anime. Even few hours after I finished watching, adrenaline still overflowing inside of me. I really enjoy this season. Okay, before reviewing, I have read all the manga chapters before the anime even started the third season. Even though I did enjoy reading it, I was not that hyped up for the ending... but the anime did the reverse. With solid story as the base, characters we have grown to love, animated in such an astounding way, this is one of the rare case when I feel more enjoyment with the anime.

Story: 8/10
After the winning the match against ... Yosen, Seirin team proceeds to semifinal facing Kaijou. In the same time, Shutoku vs Rakuzan. Both have fought hard, but in the end Seirin got to meet Rakuzan in the final. Before the final showdown, we are shown a flashback of the days of Kuroko with the Generation of Miracles back in Teikou middle school. Then.. yeah, the showdown.
The storyline of the anime faithfully follows the manga, which makes me utterly happy.

Art: 9/10
Production I.G outdone itself once again. While the previous seasons are good, this season is particularly so much better. With more flashy opening sequence, better and smoother animated movements... Knowing a bit about 2D animation, I am in awe thinking how much frame they used to make those pose, passes, throws, shoots very smoothly. Dribbles and drives are especially better here. They may use a bit of CG but it is used very efficiently and can blend rather well with the other animation. Effects like the Zone, Kuroko's magic passes are done very well too.

Colors are very bright and brilliant. I really love the flashback arc in particular. The colors of the sakura trees, sunset, inside of the stadium... everything is really pleasing to the eye.

The only thing keeping the art from getting 10/10 is.. sometimes the animation quality drops a bit and slight distortion in the character design at times. Nevertheless, it is really great.

Sound: 9/10
This is one of the major factor that keeps the experience of watching anime better compared to reading the manga. Upbeat opening and ending songs, then background music that is pumping your energy during matches.. mellow music during sadder or reflective scenes... They make everything so much more exciting, grande and emotional when the time calls for it.

Seiyuus / voice actors are doing their roles very well. ^^

Character: 10/10
If you follow Kuroko no Basket since the very beginning, you will see a lot of development, both in the characters personally and how they interact with the others. After meeting Seirin, Generation of Miracles gets more humble and they got reminded of how fun playing basketball is. Well, they kinda lost the excitement of playing since they consecutively won with ease during Teikou days..

Then we got to see more of the first years in Seirin.. Furihata, Fukuda, Kawahara.. finally they got to enter the court at least. Also more screentime for Koganei, Tsuchida and Mitobe. The starters in Seirin has developed to the better too.. they have better teamwork and trust to support each other. Kagami is powered up some more.. Kuroko is no longer as stoic and expressionless compared to the very start. Kiyoshi, Hyuuga and Izuki also has their glorious moments. The other characters like the guys from Touou, Shutoku, Kaijou, Yosen, other schools that went against Seirin before are also shown. Basically everyone who have made their appearance in this series from season 1 appeared again, in the match or among the audience, contributing either by encouraging the cast or giving their observation about the match. This really highlights that the season 3 is really the final.

Enjoyment: 9/10
Although the direction of the series may seem very clear and Shutoku vs Rakuzan is very one-sided, the matches are so hard for Seirin vs Kaijou making me brimming with excitement. I'm kinda sad the flashback (which is my most favorite part) is not that highlighted and only have 4 episodes. However, although short, they managed to cover the most important parts and tug in your heart, especially after Ogiwara's team went against Teikou. I really feel heartbroken along with Kuroko and Ogiwara. And when the final match is over, I also feel triumphant.

Overall: 9/10
A really good way to wrap up the story of Kuroko Tetsuya and his basketball journey.
Highly recommended for sports lovers and of course, the fans of Kuroko no Basket manga. You won't be disappointed :)

"Music speaks louder than words."
This quote is especially true, especially in this anime Shigatsu wa Kimi no Uso (or I'll later just refer to it as Shigatsu).

After a lot of procrastinating (since I don't want it to end..) I finally finished this series. I can't help but write a review straight afterward since this show gives me so many feels. I'm going to write quite long since there's a lot I want to say about this anime.. (may contain spoilers). If you are the type who is chop-chop straight to the point please find the summary far below.

I like music, I play piano. Obviously, I ... will check out anime about music. I saw someone on Anime News Network mentioning this as one of her top anime in 2014, so I decided to give it a try.
I was mind-blown.

The first thing about Shigatsu: don't let first impressions deceive you. Initially, I thought it would be a happy romcom-music-slice of life-school life anime seeing the colorful and lighthearted color palette and how they present the series in earlier episodes. However, the series is actually pretty dark (in every sense of the word, pretty as in beautiful - visually and dark as in.. sad and tragic melodrama).

The story is about Arima Kousei, a child piano prodigy who is known for playing accurately according to the score thanks to his mother's super strict teaching. One day his mother died. Losing his one and only mentor, he struggled to stand on his own. Kousei constantly saw the 'ghost' of his mother reminding him of his horrendous and harsh training, giving him so much trauma and fear. He could not 'hear' his own playing. He stopped playing piano and tried to forget it. He was living a monotonous life until he met Miyazono Kaori, a free-spirited violinist. Her emotional and free way of playing is the exact opposite of Kousei's usual method. It interests him, making him question which way he wants to pursue music: precise and rigid 'follow the scores' way his mother taught him to do or a way of freedom that reaches and touches people's hearts like how Kaori plays.

Besides the two main characters, there are others as well: Watari and Tsubaki - Kousei's childhood and school friends, also Aiza and Emi - Kousei's rivals in piano since they were young who aim to surpass Kosei, and many more. They are likable, Watari is a fun guy and it's funny seeing Tsubaki's antics. All of them develop well throughout the story.. slowly but surely in every episode. It's not power-up development, but more about self-discovery, acceptance, and the journey to mature as an adult.

It may have a typical romance plot cold guy meets genki girl, but not without some twists. And those twists are what make Shigatsu well, Shigatsu. It's not just about first love, but also about getting over death and trauma, friendship, the meaning of life and love, and many more.

I would say Shigatsu has nice directing and editing. Scenes, flashbacks, performances, and even voiceovers are cut and stitched back in such a way, giving you more impact. The pace is comfortable, hitting you in the right moments with feels. I like how the story unfolds. At first glance, it seems fun, and the visuals are sure to wow and appeal to you, but the more episode you watch the more secrets you unravel. The more you know, the more you want to know how it will go next. Although I do agree that the monologues and dialogues are redundant and quite cheesy at times, it is actually poetic, sometimes cryptic, and more meaningful if you can read between the lines.

As everyone admits, Shigatsu has very, very beautiful art. You might first notice the beautifully drawn background. Then the art style. I really like the watercolor coloring of the illustrations in the opening video. Effective use of color palettes: colorful warm pastels, calming hues of blue, also gloomy and dark at times, match the mood of each scene. It has superb, smooth animation that managed to combine 2D cell animation (typical for anime) with 3D CG (used mainly for furniture, musical instruments, camera movement, also piano and violin performance) rather successfully. I observe the animation crew put a lot of attention to details as well, the animation of clothing, hair, small gestures, and even the mechanism of the piano are done beautifully. It has a really precise playing performance sequence, really accurate according to the notes. Delicious amount of particle animation (like flower petals, wind, and water) on top, adding more pretty points to the visual score. It is undoubtedly the best A1-Pictures production in 2014.

The character designs are quite normal but have their own charm, drawn in a clean and crisp style. The characters are also splendidly brought to life by their respective seiyuus. The voice actors are well suited to their characters, their acting tugs your emotion and feelings. I got goosebumps when Kaori is on stage, you can feel Kousei's flood of emotion in his monologues, Aiza's passion and the list goes on.

Sound-wise, it is very, very well done. This show boasts impressive classical music performances. You will hear some popular ones like Winter Wind, Revolutionary, and some lesser-known but equally beautiful ones. The original soundtrack, they are mainly based on piano, and violin, with additional effects, string, and synth. Shigatsu has many memorable tunes, and many of those invoke feelings within you and remind you of scenes.

I saw some complaints 'Why there are sounds of drums and violin while it's a piano performance?'. It may be annoying, but if we see it from another perspective, there should be a reason why it was done this way. I believe it is a kind of audio representation, to create more impact. Emi's performance was thunderous, pounding on emotion, which is similar to drum beats. During Kosei's performance, when he felt all alone, all we can hear is his (muffled) piano. But when he plays dedicating it to Kaori, he feels Kaori's spirit inside of him, explaining the violin accompaniment.

About the ending... well it's not about who Kousei ends up with in the end, or whether he wins the competition or not. From what I understand this entire show is about uncovering the truth to the lie (self-explanatory title, everyone) and for Kousei to find his own path despite the sorrows and sadness he experienced throughout his life.

I learn a lot of subtle life lessons from Shigatsu... As we live we will encounter sadness and bad things, but it's what we learn from it and how we deal with it that makes us mature. All the people we meet, even the people that we love but may no longer be together with us physically, leave something meaningful to you.

I enjoy watching this anime, despite the fact that it made me cry rivers. And I highly recommend it if you are looking for a good slice-of-life anime with romance, beautiful music, and art.

Story: 9/10 Good, masterfully constructed story with twists as a base
Art: 10/10 Visually stunning art with the interesting art style, with effective use of color palette and combined animation
Sound: 10/10 It's an anime about music, what more can you ask for?
Character: 8/10 Likable characters that develop slowly but surely and develop well
Enjoyment: 10/10 One word to sum them all: FEELS.
Overall: 9/10 An overall high achiever anime. Must watch.

Ok, finally I finish watching Tokyo Ghoul √A in one go. May contain spoilers so, read on with your own risk.

Overall impression
After finishing the season 1 and continuing the manga, I have huge expectation for season 2, hoping for some cool, badass fight to be animated.. but my expectation is crushed when I watched the first episode of this season. Apparently they decided to go on different route than the manga. I can imagine Ishida Sui saying 'Ok, since you guys ruined and butchered the first season I might as well create something really different from the existing story, an alternate universe maybe?' So ... yeah, guys, if you are a manga reader, haven't watched this anime and considering to watch, I give you a warning already..

Story 5/10
As I write above, they decided to explore different route, how if Kaneki is in Aogiri instead? So yeah, more screen time of him in Aogiri and the Aogiri members.. However the story, while progressing, has so much hidden agendas. I mean, the characters never truly explain their motives of doing things. They also mixed the events and bits of the manga in, so it may cause either confusion or enlightment.
And WTF is that ending?? I was literally screaming and (almost) threw my phone I used to watch in utter disappointment.

I understand they want to try something different, but well 12 episodes are definitely not helping. As a result, there are many plotholes, pacing issues and the story becomes very flat and not coherent.

Character 6/10
Surprisingly, the main character Kaneki barely got any lines and screen time. He barely got development either.. except kakuja mode (manga readers, be ready to see him in action..).

We do have some development and explanation for CCG side like Akira, Amon, Suzuya, Takigawa (do I write his name properly? well I don't care lol) and Hide.The others are more or less the same with how they appears in season 1.

Art 7/10
One good thing about season 2 is.. the art. I admit it is not yet high class like the really over the top Fate/Stay Night UBW or at least smoothly animated like No Game No Life or Free Eternal Summer and others series that was released in the same year, but some things are better compared to season 1. It has better color palette, making characters appear more contrast.

There are some noticeable improvements in terms of action scenes. The kagune (and also the quinques) rendition is now more realistic and artistic -- love those pulsating light veins, it makes the kagune so much alive now. Especially Ayato's kagune, Kaneki's kagune.. I like the use of camera angles and animation during fight scenes. Love Kaneki vs Amon scene.

I quite like the opening scene also.. although not as wow as Unravel, it does have its own charm. It feels good to see watercolor painting-style animation. And the ending.. I'm always looking forward to it as the endings display original artworks yours truly by Ishida Sui.

The background is improving too. Especially in the later episodes. The number of details put in the texture, scenery, buildings, etc. are just impressive. Visual effects like explosion, especially fog, is better animated.

Sound 8/10
They keep some tunes from season 1 OST. Feels good to hear the hauntingly epic Symphonie during badass scene and emotional Licht und Schatten during Kaneki's scenes. There's also a beautiful new song Glassy Sky that makes my heart cries. And a lot of new OST that in my opinion, is more epic than the anime story itself. The sound engineering and mastering is good, if you watch and plug your earphones, you can feel surround effect which is very pleasant.
Love the seiyuus acting as usual.

Enjoyment 6/10
While I'm definitely disappointed with how things goes on here, I still enjoy watching it. Some fight scenes are exciting and re-watch worthy.
I am quite glad for this season.. since I'm reading Tokyo Ghoul:re right now, some events that happened in this season does make sense or me, and may be a better bridge to :re compared to the original manga storyline.

Okay so that's my take on Tokyo Ghoul √A, love it or hate it it's entirely up to you.

At first I was reluctant watching this knowing the theme is about mafia and seeing the number of episodes it's quite a lot, 203.. (well I'm not really following anime with hundreds of episodes, as it is tiring to catch up). but thanks to a strong persuasion from a good friend of mine, I ended up watching it. Honestly, Katekyo Hitman Reborn! (or I'll write later as KHR) exceeds my expectation. There are many things to love from this show.

Story 9/10
It has strong idea, good, flowing storyline about mafia. Despite its seemingly serious theme, KHR managed to address it in fun and lighthearted way. ... Even though KHR may stray from the original mafia culture, I can feel the strong bonds they usually have in mafia families.

It introduces new concept of power - the dying will flames. The dying will flames are somewhat like the 5 elements, just this is related to the sky. It has exciting battle scenes and powers, fast paced and guaranteed not making you bored. To add in, there are episode recaps after arcs so you won't forget what was happening before. Each of the battles are relevant to the progress of the story as well as the development of the characters. The story progresses to be darker and more serious, but still maintains its humor and jokes we love so much from this show.

Art 8/10
The art (character design, background, animation) here is improving. At the beginning of the series it may look quite simple and flat, however it progresses as the story goes. It gets better and more amazing, especially the Choice battle!! The animation for the last few battles is so fluid for its year I love it so much!

The character design, while typical shonen, is memorable and unique, differ from each character to the extent you can spot who is it even from the shadow / silhouette.

Sound 9/10
The OSTs are remarkable, it feels Western in relation to the mafia theme yet still maintains Japanese feel. There are memorable theme songs too (the epic Tsuna Awakes and those piano tunes every time Hibari enters..) adding more plus points to this show. The opening & ending songs are nice to listen and if you notice, also have fitting lyrics to its respective arc.

Character 10/10
There are a lot of lovable characters with a great range of personalities that make you remember them. I applaud the remarkable seiyuus who portray their characters really well.

The character development here is one of the best among anime in my opinion. The initially dame-dame-no-dame (literally hopeless) main character Tsunayoshi later progresses and grows into a reliable leader along with his famiglia (mafia family) members. Not only they receive power-ups to their unique abilities, their characters mature and it feels like growing up with them.

The bond and friendship between the characters is so strong with trust. I realize this is why there are so many pairings & ships in KHR fandom.

Enjoyment 9/10
Warning!!! KHR is highly addictive with cuts at the right moments & sometimes gritting cliffhangers at the end of the episodes. I advice you to get your hand on all of the episodes before you watch because YOU JUST CAN'T STOP.

One bad thing about this anime is... they didn't make the whole manga into anime. I wish someday they will make the continuation of the anime.

If you like action and comedy, along with superpowers and inclusion of slice of life and friendship, then this anime is for you. It is quite light show, fun, although progressing to be darker towards the end, yet still maintaining its comedic and heartwarming scenes.

I just finished watching this show (I know I'm soooo late but I don't careee) and trying to stop tears flowing out of my eyes. Feels~~

If only anime is real.. if only the idea in this anime is real..
I recently lost my father. My mom, my sister and me were very sad and devastated, which is why I can really relate with this anime.

Simply put, Ano Hi Mita Hana no Namae wo Bokutachi wa Mada Shiranai is an anime about death of the loved one (a really close friend, in this anime), and how they deal with it. People say 'time will heal' ... but in some cases, if you still have guilt, regrets or 'unfinished matter' you won't really move on, which is the theme this anime is taking on. I won't say further or I will spoil... so... let's go to the review.

Story 8/10
This anime has very good idea. It is very relatable, for teenager growing up, and especially for those who have lost someone important in their lives.. However, as the story develops there are several things that makes me go 'ehh??' (read: awkward) and some rather unnecessary lines / dialogues. I'm pretty sure there are some other reviewer who wrote in detail these small flaws that prevent this anime from being perfect. But overall, it is above average. It is very good.

Art 9/10
The art, I always like A-1 Pictures productions because often the shows they produce are very good, the same applies to Anohana (too tired to wrote the entire longgg title ahaha). It is smooth and color palettes are pretty and suitable with the theme. Background are beautifully drawn as well. Being an original anime without any source from manga / light novel, I find the character designs good as well.

Sound 9/10
Seiyuus are perfect!! I'm sure you notice there are notable and renown seiyuus in the cast. Their voice acting here is very good, surely making you feel. The OSTs are good, although I don't particularly remember any tunes, but matches the show. I mean, it supports the scene, doesn't feel out of place. Opening song is catchy but just okay.. (that's preventing me from giving 10/10) but the ending song.. mannn it just gives me feels. Instant favorite. And I cried really badly in episode 10 because of this song.

Character 9/10
There are different characters to represent different ways people deal with loss.. from friend's side and family's side. There are various characters: character who is totally 'gone' - becoming hikikomori (although I'm curious whether Jintan started it recently or already longg ago, it's one plot hole that I didn't really catch), some cannot forgive themselves, some are trying to move on by focusing on different things and make new friends (but not necessarily good and true friends), etc. You will know when you watch, it is very clear. They have sides that are appealing and will earn spot in your heart, and relatable.

Enjoyment & Overall 9/10
I like this anime. I watch this to pass time and because people say is good, and I totally agree, it is VERY GOOD ANIME. It also makes me reflect on myself and my family. Besides the character interactions and plot, I keep watching because I want to know and learn how in the end they can deal with this loss and truly move on. Another good slice of life anime.

If you want to watch a short yet very good anime about friendship, teenage love and loss / death that gives you feels, I highly recommend Anohana to you.

I always love stories with ayakashi and supernatural genre.. I finally finish watching it after several years of on-hold since I last watched Animax and I'm really satisfied. This anime was quite old, released 8-9 years ago. It's so good, however I'm kinda upset not many people know this show!!

Set in Heian period, Shounen Onmyouji is about Abe no Masahiro, the third grandson of the notable onmyouji Abe no Seimei. So, the title is very straightforward and self-explanatory. The anime is adapted from the light novels, but only covers 2 arcs. This decision is good, we have enough time for character introduction, development, and ... also for the story to flow in a comfortable pace. (I wish they will continue this series though... )

Introduction and first episodes are done very well, pulling me in straight away. The arcs may be quite simple and plain for some, but because of its straightforwardness and flow I like it. I watch anime for fun and refreshing purpose, so this is what I'm looking for. It has slight romance, but considering the main character is only 13 years old and it's more of shounen show, hints of romance is good enough ^^.

Masahiro has earned his spot as one of my favorite anime main characters. He is strong, but not overpowered like crazy. He is pretty good looking also. He is witty, willing to learn and hardworking, also have ambition to surpass his grandfather as onmyouji. Despite this, he still acts like his age, and that's what makes me love this boy. His interaction with Mokkun / Guren / Touda is very lovable. How he approaches problems and interacts with his grandfather, family, other ayakashi.. it's innocent and pure, yet it charms my heart.

There are range of different characters too. I wish there will be more episodes to get to know the 12 Shinsou too.. They are interesting but some of them just appear for a few seconds :(

For anime released in 2006, I can consider it a gorgeous anime. Animation is quite smooth, action scenes and effects are done well. Don't let the opening video hinder you from watching though.. (even though that's what prevents me from giving it 10/10). I like the character design, it is memorable and the 12 Shinsou (shikigami) look cool. The original artwork (shown in the middle of every episode, usually before / after commercial break) is very beautiful and artsy. Well there is simplification for anime version but the characters still has the same, recognizable features with the original design.

Sound wise... Egao no Wake is very catchy and memorable, I find myself hum to it every now and then. The OST are good and suits the theme of the show. I even hunted for the main theme of Shonen Onmyouji because it's so epic sounding. The ending is not really what I like but it's ok.

Seiyuus are wow. I really love Masahiro's voice, even though the seiyuu is a female, she voiced him as a young boy very well. His expressions, feelings and everything. Mokkun, Seimei, the 12 Shinsou and other characters I also have no problems with their voices, they fit the characters.

I really enjoy watching this show. It tugs my heart, makes me laugh even though I had a bad day, also cry during the sad scenes. The medium pace and the storytelling, interactions makes you feel for the characters. I'm glad the English subtitled version I watch are very tidy and informative as well, so it increases my enjoyment.

If you are looking for something exciting, funny and not so complicated show about yokai and Japanese Heian era, you can watch this.

Story 7/10
Character 9/10
Art 9/10
Sound 8/10
Enjoyment 9/10
Overall 8/10

*EDIT* I just finished watching so.. I'm here to clarify my final observation of this show. *May contain some spoilers*

I watched Psycho-Pass last year and it was damn amusing. It is sure on my list of top anime. Hearing that the second season is airing this year, I was exhilarated. But does the new season offer something of the same value, or even better than the first season?

Story 6/10
Short summary: Our main protagonist Akane Tsunemori has learned more about Sibyl System in the first season of what it really is, how it works, and what's behind it. With her partner Shinya Kogami missing, she ... worked with new acquaintances in a new team formation. As an inspector in the police force, she has to work out solving crimes that cause the Area Stress to increase and threaten people's Hue, but something is off. The culprit, even though they are doing something unethical, are unable to be judged by the Dominator. What is actually happening?

The second season, unfortunately, doesn't have the luxury of the first season as the duration has been cut in half - they only got 11 episodes to play with.

I would say this season has too much on its plate.
First: there are a lot of new characters, which means they need an introduction, what is their backstory, motivation, etc. so they will appeal to us.
Second: the problems in the series are rather complicated, layered, and linked to one another. There are inconsistencies with season 1 regarding the facts of Dominator, the scans, and Sibyl System also unnecessary plot branches that don't make sense (read: the Toganes). If anything, they make a lot of plot holes and make me confused.

As a result, I'd say... the ending is not satisfying for me. The last few episodes did answer my questions that rises as I watch the series, you could say "all is well". But I think they could do this season so much better.

Art 8/10
You can expect the same quality of art and animation from the second season. If anything, I find it more colorful. Very rich... compared to the darker palette in the first season. I'm not sure whether is it due to the big question "What color?" which is imposed again and again in the series. The animation is smooth, sasuga Production IG doing their best again.

Sound 8/10
One um.. 3 words: I LOVE IT! The opening Enigmatic Feeling is pumping and catchy, and a revelation: the meaning of the lyrics (the TV size ver.) fits with the theme of the show, mostly about Akane's feeling towards Sibyl System. The ending Fallen is my jam.. It's good to have Ling tosite sigure and EGOIST doing the opening and ending for this season as well. It's been a while since I watched the first season, at least they keep the same spirit with the same artists.

Seiyuus are good as well, their voices match the character they are playing. Still having the same ones for characters from season 1.

Character 7/10
Akane has grown. She is cooler, more observant, and acting more like a leader now, but she still has heart and cares for the Enforcers. She experienced more emotional roller coaster here, you can see more of her expression.

A lot of events and incidents happened in the first season, eliminating quite a number of the original team formation. Hence, there are new characters to replace the missing positions. I like some of them (cough Hinakawa~). I'm glad that Saiga-san is still here as well, at least Akane has someone reliable to think and discuss logically. But I really despise the new inspector Shimotsuki. She poses from a different perspective from Akane. Yeah, she's annoying. But she's a realistic character - wants to bring others down but is such a coward. I do know some people who act like her.

Togane... another character I don't like. He is very gray (not that I don't like people in gray areas, but there's this feeling that makes me don't like him when he appears) in most of the show until his true color and who he really is got revealed in the end. This revelation, however, makes me despise him even further, like WTF?

Because Makishima in the previous season is such an intriguing antagonist, the crew for season 2 has the burden to show us a better antagonist. Unfortunately, I find the main villain Kamui Kirito is not on par with Makishima, although they make him so overpowered with many specialized skills and complicated issues about his existence. After the past he had gone through, I can understand his objectives for his existence and 'color' to be recognized by Sibyl. But it doesn't justify the crimes he did in this show to test how Dominators and Sibyl System works. I just don't get how he thinks.
However the production crew decided to mess things up even further, so he's not the only antagonist in the show.

Most, if not all, new characters suffer from a lack of development and exploration. Very few (except for Togane and Kamui) have their backstory and motivation revealed, making it quite hard to relate to and feel for them. Even returning characters Ginoza and Yayoi have very little screen time.

The designs are good for some (I like Ginoza without glasses ^^) but erm Shimotsuki's face looks too closely like Akane, just sporting a different hairstyle. In the earlier episodes, I have difficulty differentiating them if their hairstyles are not seen.

Enjoyment 6/10
Despite holes here and there, inconsistencies (mostly about facts and Sibyl System itself) with the first season, and lacking in characterization, well, I admit I still enjoyed this show, with its adrenaline pump with gritting cliffhangers. It is an interesting pick on Sibyl System which is not as perfect as it seems (and assumes), and some parts make me think along. But it's soooo bloody. A freaking level-up from the previous season. I'm not a fan of gore, so it comes off as too disturbing at times.

Overall 7/10 + Personal Comment
The less number of episodes makes the show more straightforward and rushed - cutting down the interaction and time developing characters, focusing solely on solving the crime and catching the culprit. It feeds us confusion after confusion up to episode 7, but especially in episode 8 explanations and revelations started to be thrown at you. Not the best way to uncover a mystery in my opinion, but rather effective due to their runtime.
It's still acceptable as a series with such quality animation, but... I prefer the first season.

Note: I am writing from the point of view of a person who hasn't touched the manga at all before diving into the anime.

I first get to know Tokyo Ghoul from a friend who recommends it to me. Although it is stated horror as the genre I decided to gamble and watch... and honestly I get more than what I expected. I am currently reading the manga to catch up (and because I just can't wait for the second season teehee). Here are what I think..

Story 7/10
Honestly having a character that is half human and half something else (that is not human) is not so ... original anymore. However, Tokyo Ghoul (I'm referring to both manga and anime) did good execution in the setting. Ghouls, who are somewhat like vampires who can't survive without human meat and blood, were first portrayed as the bad guys... but when our protagonist Kaneki got into an accident and transformed into a half-ghoul, it appears that ghouls are not what humans think they are. Ghouls have feelings too, they have family and friends, but they also have their own internal problems.. The exploration on both human and ghoul sides is done very well, making us the audience who knows what happened on both sides got agitated (at least I did) hoping they will somehow get to understand each other because they do have some similarities.

The story starts light in the cafe but starts gripping you, deeper and deeper. Both manga and anime manage to mess with your psychology and emotions, definitely not something you will forget. I do notice they decided to switch the arcs, but as someone who watches anime first and then reads, it doesn't matter so much to me.

Character 7/10
Honestly, I feel the character design for the main characters might be quite generic (at least for Kaneki and Touka), but not the characters themselves. Kaneki is introduced as shy, somewhat closed yet kind-hearted, somewhat naive and always blaming himself, but when we got to know him and his back story, it makes sense why he acts like that. At the end of the anime he got a major character - I won't say development, it's a - transformation, and the reasoning I can accept it.

I find Touka to be a somewhat typical bad-ass hot-tempered girl. I am okay with some characters and I do hate several.. the good thing is Tokyo Ghoul has a wide range of characters. All the characters here, no matter how annoying they might be, have roles to play in Kaneki's growth as well as in moving the story forward. I'm still reading so I'm waiting for some more surprises and revelations.

Art 8/10
It has very interesting art. While the drawings in the manga are good, making them into colored, moving images and animated makes them even better especially in action scenes. I like how the color contrasts greatly with each other and darker colors - there's a word for it, "chiaroscuro" if you know art and drawing. It suits the mood of the show, which is dark and somewhat grey.

I didn't expect Studio Pierrot to produce something like this so well (coughnarutobleachcough). The character design is the same as the manga which is very relieving for the manga readers. The animation is mostly good, battle scenes with kagune and quinques are smooth... effects like explosions, sparks, and rain are well-done too, although I am kinda annoyed with the sensors - black or white spots suddenly popping here and there (while in the same time, I'm quite saved by it since I got a weak heart)

Sound 8/10
Another good aspect of this anime is... the sound. The opening is very good! It's catchy (still playing in my mind now) also the meaning of the song lyrics fits perfectly with Kaneki and what this show is about. The OST is quite ok..

I give so high marks for sound in respect of the seiyuus - Kaneki's seiyuu's Natsuki Hanae-san in particular.. in the last 3 episodes his voice acting really got me to feel Kaneki's emotions (ok I'll stop here so I won't spoil..)

Enjoyment & Overall 8/10
It's been a while since I watched such intense and emotional anime.. I am amazed and horrified by it at the same time, but overall I enjoy it. It is not a horror where there are scary ghosts, it's more psychological with disturbing gruesome scenes that stir your emotion.

If you haven't read the manga at all, I suggest you watch first then read it. That way you will enjoy it better because Tokyo Ghoul is, in my opinion, a good anime and as you read you will find out more about the characters, details, and explanations which are all dropped in the anime.
If you have read the manga, lower your expectation and just enjoy the show~

I never expected myself to cry after watching, especially not a show like Free. But I did. Why?

Story 8/10
At first, I wonder, after competing in the swimming competition for the first season, will they compete again this season? The answer is undoubtedly YES. However, not only preparing for the swimming competition, the main characters especially Haruka, Makoto, and Rin since they are in the third grade, have to start thinking about what they want to do after they graduate.

This is where I don't expect Free: Eternal Summer to be good. Although it is mostly about Haru finding his dreams, it is very relatable, ... especially to teenagers nowadays who are wondering what to do after high school. While the first season was cute guys doing swimming club (something like K-On but the main casts are males), the second season is about self-realization, coming of age, and growing up.

Art 9/10
Kyoto Animation has gone all out for Free productions... It is really eye candy.
The water animation is even better and more fluid than the first season.. feels as if it is alive and realistic. We still have the same casts with exact same character designs (thank goodness) with some new ones. I love how they animate the swimming scene and some scenes like crying (basically activities that involve water) but unfortunately, the animation is not as good in other scenes.

The background art is another plausible element, it is so beautiful even I screen-captured some of them and made them into my computer wallpaper.

Sound 7/10
A new season means new opening and ending songs. I don't particularly heart them although they are still catchy (and funny for the ending). The soundtrack more or less feels the same as the last season, those sonar-like electro and synth sounds.

One good thing, this season brings out more of the seiyuu's abilities to convey a wider range of emotions like anger and frustration, and it was acted well.

Character 8/10
With our third graders graduating, we got to see more character development between them.
Our Haruka or Haru has always lacked motivation and goal even though he has great talent and potential in swimming. In Eternal Summer his feelings and emotions towards swimming are challenged and explored. We will also see how his friends Makoto, Rin, Nagisa, and Rei bring their perspective and insight, in a way helping and shaping Haru in finding his dream. They are more to them than what we saw in the first episode.. each of them has their moments and we learn more about their other side and secrets.

There are new characters Sousuke and Momo in Samezuka team, which means new friends and rivals. Sousuke is quite deep as a character while Momo is your happy-go-lucky boy, another comic relief.

I wish to see more of Gou and the sensei though.. They barely get any spotlight and exploration, I feel they are just there for the sake of being there even though there is room for improvement.

Enjoyment 8/10
Free: Eternal Summer really exceeds my expectation. I used to think of Free as a light and shallow show where you can just watch without thinking and pass by time. But this season proves me wrong. This time it is more on a slice of life than just swimming, there are values we can take away from the boys.

It is bad to say this but, this season is also when we say goodbye to our lovely boys. Now they have grown and matured, going their own paths in life.. but as Haru said, "We will always be connected to each other."
The last episode wraps the show well, the ending was satisfactory I cried in a mixture of sadness and happiness as this show ends. It is a nice way to end summer.