Back to amalthea22's Profile amalthea22's Profile

Air is an unforgettable experience that tells a story which seems simple yet complex simultaneously. Like a dream, there seem to be layers of meaning. As the story unfolds, simple objects take on symbolic significance and one must rewatch the show in order to see these clues, while some aspects of the experience remain cloaked in mystery.

Story: 8

Air takes on several interesting plotlines, but the only drawback is that it is only thirteen episodes. Therefore, it does not have enough time to fully develop some aspects of the plot. The show is told in a rather non-traditional manner with some plot elements not revealed until ... much later in the show and others barely explained. After watching the show again, I appreciated this aspect more, but the style can throw you for a loop the first time. I think this could have been cleared up with more episodes. It also might seem annoying that while some episodes seem to consist of little happening, the dramatic moments seem to rush by without proper explanation. This might have been intended, however.

Art: 10
This is some of Key's best animation with a wonderful colors, and great contrasts between light and darkness. All the scenes are breathtaking and perfectly create the mood of the scenes which vary from dark and brooding to sunny and dreamy. The scene where Misuzu and Yukito stop to play in a stream near dusk is my favorite. The only cons are that as in Key animation, the characters look very similar and have very large eyes, which may not appeal to all viewers.

Sound: 10
Air has one of my favorite soundtracks, that is mostly electronic, but has some nice piano pieces. The opening is also amazing and draws you in from the start. The music is diverse and definitely another strong point of the show. The voice acting was also great in Japanese. I have not seen all of the English dub, but what I saw was not comparable to the original.

Character: 8
The individual characters are not the strongest point in this anime. None of the main girls really stand out, except Misuzu who morphs from being the typical cutesy heroine to a very tragic and pathetic character, who still remains believable. Haruko, the aunt is also a very compelling character, whose develops throughout the show. Yukito is interesting, but not the most original.

Enjoyment: 8
I have to only give this anime an 8 for enjoyment, simply because it is one of the more depressing series I have watched. There are several moments that are just excruciating, but of course beautiful in their sadness. I also disliked how once a character's story was finished we did not see any more of that character. I would have liked a less episodic style. It is definitely more enjoyable the second time, when you start to understand the symbols and intricate nature of all the details. I appreciate the effort put into the story.

Chobits has an interesting premise that is developed well with lovable characters and pretty decent pacing. I also like that it does not exactly fit in a stereotypical genre. It combines several genres, and even makes fun of some cliches. The biggest thing I did not like were some overly ecchi moments that were sometimes funny but overused and sometimes uncomfortable to watch. I know if you are an adult, you can handle this, butfor me the ecchi scenes sometimes out of place with the otherwise charming and sweet tone of the show.

Story: 8
I found the story and idea unique. The pacing was ... decent, but there could have been fewer fillers and the ending felt a little rushed. I liked how there was some mystery at the beginning that slowly developed as the story unfolded. The twists were believable and not too confusing as sometimes happens.

Art: 6
The art style was not my favorite, but it was unique. I did not like how many of the characters looked the same, however, and Hideki's eyes were annoying to me.

Sound 8:
Chobits had a nice soundtrack, though not the most memorable. The opening got on my nerves after a while, but I the endings were nice.

Character: 9
The characters as a whole were enjoyable. No particular character stood out, but I liked how they were diverse and even the minor characters had their own back stories. The two main characters, Hideki and Chii are also both charming and seem to avoid the annoying pitfalls that main characters seem prone to. Hideki is a normal guy that we can relate to, but at the same time he is not boring.

Enjoyment: 8
I enjoyed this anime a lot because it seemed to evoke the correct emotions at appropriate times. It knew how to make me laugh and cry according to the situation. The series started out with many funny and ecchi moments, but as it progressed things became more sober and sad. This change did not seem out of place, however, because the story hinted at the sad undertones from the beginning. Some fillers and the uncomfortable material are the main things that detracted from my enjoyment of the anime.

I thought this show was promising at first, probably because I thought it would maintain the same level of appeal that Sailor Moon had. Tokyo Mew Mew basically exhibits all the characteristics of a typical Shojo story, which alone would not have turned me away completely from the show. What kept me from finishing the show was that I couldn't care about the main characters, and the one's I did like were not developed enough.

Story 7: Like I said, the story is decent. It has a few twists here and there, but nothing too surprising. I actually found some of the filler episodes entertaining ... compared with other shows. But I definitely think it would have been better if this show was half as long. I wasn't able to sustain interest in the main plot line for 52 episodes.

Art 6: The art is fine, nothing too special. Very bright colors, and pronounced lines. I think the animation fits the genre.

Sound 6: The music was nothing very memorable. I did like the theme song, though. That might have been what drew me into the series, just because the theme song was so catchy.

Character 4: This is one area where the show did not appeal to me. The main heroine is just a typical boy-crazed middleschooler, whose somewhat clumsy, with no other defining traits. The rest of the girls are other stereotypes: Mint, the talented, snobby one; Lettuce, the smart, shy one; Pudding, cute, though somewhat annoying; Zakuro, the antisocial, kind of edgy one. There was nothing wrong with the girl characters; just nothing about them stood out. However, the one character I could not stand was Masaya, Ichigo's love interest. He was completely bland and not a likeable characters at all in my opinion. Maybe he just seemed so boring because he was next to Ryou Shirogane and Kishu, two much more interesting male characters, who should have received more attention and development. There was an interesting twist with Masaya, which I won't reveal, but it still redeem the character for me.

Enjoyment 5: I didn't ultimately finish this anime because it didn't seem worth it. I was frustrated half the time because I didn't like the main character or the choices she made. Characters who seemed to have interesting personalities and back stories were not given proper development, and it was very cliche.

Overall: 8
Sailor Moon was the first anime I watched as a kid, and then it was what actually made me a fan of animes when I was older.That being said, if you're a seasoned anime viewer, you have to keep in mind that while Sailor Moon seems to have a lot of Shojo cliches, it was what actually created a lot of them.There's the typical "monster of the day," which makes the show tedious at times, but what makes Sailor Moon entertaining are the characters, and the heartfelt way in which the main story is told. If you can make it past the filler episodes, ... Sailor Moon has a good story underneath.

Story: 7
The story first half of the series seems rather typical and fillers definitely drag down the pacing with some being better than others, but the backstory that is eventually revealed is very interesting. For s show that was intended for younger audiences, much of the content is dark and complicated.

Art: 8
If you don't like colors and sparkles, then this is not the anime for you. I personally enjoy these aspects of the show. The character design is definitely dated, but still appealing to watch and it doesn't detract from the viewing experience.

Sound: 7
The music is diverse and sometimes fits the mood, sometimes doesn't. The voices in japanese are definitely preferable to the dub. I think all the cast did a great job and no voice seemed unfitting. The theme song is also very catchy.

Character: 7

The characters are not really original, with the five main girls fitting into typical types that usually show up in this genre, but I still found them fun to watch. Usagi the main heroine, can be irritating if you are trying to take her seriously, but she is the typical klutzy main character that the audience either loves or hates. I did not find her too annoying, even though some of her antics grew a little old by the end.

Enjoyment: 9
Despite some weakness in the originality department, Sailor Moon is still an enjoyable show. It is definitely not for everyone, but I think it does well balancing lightheartedness with drama. It does not take itself too seriously, nor does it mindlessly pander to its audience.