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If you have a heart problem, don't watch this anime!

I am a perfectly healthy human being, but for ~50 Sunday night, I have had a near cardiac arrest due to the CUTENESS of Poyo!!!

This isn't anime to fill you with joy, nor is it suppose to be a masterpiece. Its modesty is equivalent to that friend who's always there for you, but never in your way. Yeah, that guy who you just cannot hate, and who does not hate. If you don't have a guy like that, allow Poyo to fill in that empty space. I implore you.

So, who is this 'friend' I talk ... about? he isn't the talk of the group, he isn't the guy who makes a fool out of himself every time you guys go out... no, he's much cooler and subtler than that. He's the guy you run to when you have relationship troubles, because every word he says, somehow makes a lot of sense. He's logical, and perfect as a human being. but he chose to stick with you, what does that say? He fancies you, duh!! But every time you go to him, can't you see that you're breaking his heart? can't you see the 'bestie' facade he upholds rots his innards slowly overtime? At the end, you're left with this empty shell of which you always retreat to. And he never makes his move, as he is clever, he knows the end in nigh if he did. So he holds dearly on the thin thread of string you call friendship, and he shuts himself within. Until finally, he leaves this Godless planet into the realm of emptiness, whilst you play on the record, oblivious to the pain he endured, the pain you caused.

Poyo is the same, you love it, like your best friend. But without attention. Poyo is always there for you, a supplement to your favourite animes, like Steins Gate or Full Metal Alchemist, but when you're bored, you always turn to Poyo. Because he's there. Like the attention you give to that 'friend', Poyo is short yet fulfilling. But Poyo can rot still, he can stop putting that fake smile on, but you'll never notice. You're too busy enjoying the life with your endless lines of boyfriends, or fuck-mates. But after all was done and said, you always return to Poyo. But like the silent passing of your friend, you do not appreciate Poyo's importance in your life until it is too late (like 50 weeks too late). And all you're left with is an empty, lifeless shell.

And this review is not dedicated to someone at all...
It is inspired by my best-friend's story. Who loved a woman very much, for 30 years too much, until his sad passing.

RIP

Not you, Melissa. Bitch.

Mainstream anime is so predictable, the mere thought of watching one revolts me. Plots are used over and over again, characters are portrayed by the same well-known voices who's lack of emotion is really starting to piss me off, and worst of all, the use of below-average OPs and EDs make majority of mainstream anime a very bad batch of brew... much rather like Budweiser.

Gin no Saji however, isn't a bottle of Budweiser... it's a bottle of 30 year old scotch. So now, please allow me to explain the differences to you non-drinkers.

Budweiser.. bitter to drink, flavourless after a few sips, and would ... take just below 10 gallons to get you tipsy. All in all, a useless piece of garbage designed for those with a unusable tongue, and a lack of tolerance to alcohol. Mainstream anime (such as the dreadful 'Campione!' or 'Shining Hearts') are the same; lacking heavily in substance, and relying on the fact that most otaku would want to watch some semi-naked girls chasing a guy round some poorly sketched field. Sometimes I feel sorry for the actors who have to read the boring script, I mean, even a Shakespearean play is more interesting! But I don't blame the producers. The anime industry is full of competition, and sticking with a fool-proof plot is guaranteed to get at least some figures for them to publish.. what I do blame, however, are the idiots who watch mainstream anime in the first place. Without these pea-brained pussies, we would've ridded the world of hindrance so vile, even a thousand year old cheese would lose the competition. But since we're stuck with them, we've gotta feed them right? So, just like Budweiser, mainstream anime is fed to people without 1) any taste whatsoever. 2) any dignity as a human being.

So, what about the scotch then, who are we going to compare this to? The answer is simple; you and I. Gin no Saji is NOT a mainstream anime. Its' plot is NOT predictable. It's NOT introduced by some silly 'la la la' j-pop crap, neither is it ended with 'lo lo lo' rubbish. It is everything that is NOT Budweiser. The plot may seem simple at first, and you might think you know where it's going to lead to.. like the first sip of a beautiful scotch. But as soon as you swallow the scotch, you feel it. The vibrance, the tanginess, the smokiness, and the mellow finish that brings a hint of woodiness to the taste buds. Ah, blissful. But afterwards, you feel the bitterness of the alcohol protruding your senses. You feel the alcohol burning into the back of your throat. And you're certainly going to feel the fire in your chest, accompanied by the blitz to your head.

Yes, Gin no Saji is the same as a good scotch. It certainly led me to a happy place (not that one you disgusting person). It made me think about the meaning of life.. and that's what all anime should do imo, make you think. Engaging the content is far more important than watching it, much rather like sex. The plot was structured simply, mainstream if I dare say, yet with the little details dotted all over the place, it made the anime unique. Like a mountain road, it twists with the bends, and it rise with the bumps. The overall atmosphere was a mellow-upper, comparable to a beautiful piece of tarmac road.. but the grim reminder of death loomed over each corner. The most amazing thing about this anime is, in my opinion, is its ability to bring you back to a mellow-upper state immediately after the downer! Just the roller coaster of emotions is enough for you to WANT to watch the piece.

Ah, I can write no more.. Pork Bowl, you were so cute. Perhaps it's wrong of me to say this... but I love you :')

And so concludes another piece of my (not) interesting, yet (un)informative review. If you've read to the end, well done. If you haven't, then you won't see this; but you, my friend, is a massive dick head who's sole existence is a crime against humanity lol. Peace out.

Okay, SAO is definitely a weird and unpredictable anime. The first episode wasn't as good as I expected, but I stuck with it to see where it led on. After 4 or 5 episode, I'm all in. The first Arc, SAO (that's the arc), is brilliant. The timeline's a bit too messy, and the character development is unstable. You think the anime's got one heroine, turns out, it's got X many. The story itself is great for SAO. The second arc, not so good. If I had a way to express it, it'll be "Why? What is the point? Go die for wasting my time." ...

So, allow me to expand on what I mean, if you're still reading. It isn' the fact that the anime's good which motivates you to watch the latter 8 episodes. No, rather it is anticipation. The following may contain MINOR SPOILER!!!!!!!

When Asuna is violated by that wanker of pussies, I got really angry. I've liked her since the start. And seeing her development through the series, you can't help but feel a bit attached. So when some dickhead starts to play villain, well, you can guess what happened. The producers tried to weave in another relationship in the second arc, but, the anticipation residing in you makes you skim that part. So you really have little idea what's going on.

So apart from the second, useless and dispicable arc, it's a good anime. Yes, it did finish happily. But the ending's a bit... big bang-less. So unless you're a person with a cold heart, or someone who likes to be tortured, this anime's good. Otherwise, you'll have a boner all the time.

BTW, this is the only anime where I've got to know the ending, midway through, so I won't have a heart attack from stress and anger. I think that shows how much I wanna watch it. Like seriously, its THAT much.

"To wait for something you can't have, is equivalent to death"

Ano Natsu tells the story of an estranged boy, who over the course of a summer, fell deeply in love with an alien. Yes, an alien.

So, what so special about Ano Natsu? Compared to other romantic dramas, it's a class of one. The momentum of the anime is dreadfully slow throughout, but like a sprint, the last few episodes surged the ideals of the anime towards the surface, and ends up leaving the viewer a sense of emptiness, and fulfilment. But like a sprint, majority of the anime was spent building underlying ideas, which by ... itself is insignificant to say the least.

The Story: a guy who loves to take photos was one night, mysteriously killed. The opening paragraph of the anime builds a sense of 'wtf' into the viewer - Not many anime starts off having the main protagonist killed after all. But like all Sherlock Holme novels, it paved the way for the entire storyline. In my opinion, what the producers established was a strong, no-bullshit, bond between the characters. His revival after 3 or so minutes into the anime continues the 'wtf happened' feeling within the viewer, needless to say, this helped the viewer to linger around longer. As the first episode progressed, you get more and more drawn into the world of Ano Natsu. Questions are thrown impatiently at you, and none of the answers are present, and you are forced to watch, and watch, and watch, until the dreadful 25th min approaches. The cliffhanger. You wait a full week to advance, to know what happened, yet the questions remain unanswered.

On a certain level, that is the best way to keep ratings high for the first couple, if not, few weeks. To start the anime on such a high momentous way was clever, but it also meant the high would die down very soon.

After the 4th or so episode, it settles into its 'filler' like regime. Slow, time-unmoving actions that on the face of it, seemed insignificant. But the anime is clever, subtle hints are buried in the episodes. They were preparing for the big finale.

Obviously I cannot tell you the end, however, like I previously mentioned, I can tell you that the 'dullness' of the middle is compensated by the explosive finish. I cannot help but feel a sense of awe and emptiness at the same time. Happy yet sad, not that the story's finished, but sad we're never told ALL the answers. Perhaps we could use our imagination to fill in the gaps? Nevertheless, I had never felt such contrastable feelings all at once.

So why would you want to watch it? Like a firework, the price you pay for a second of beauty cannot be justified. The commitment you have to have to finish the anime is high, but I assure you, the finish is worth it... at least in my opinion. The first episode will capture your interest, I assure you, but to continue to the end is the challenge. And I hope each and every one of you can overcome this challenge, to enjoy the forever contrasting feelings like I have felt.

Hmm..... how do you review an anime considered to be a sleeper masterpiece? How do you place a rank on the underdog? How, I ask those who are reading this review, How?

I am a man of neutralness. I find both good and bad in all animes... all except this. For all 4 seasons, 50+ episodes, I cannot find a single fault with this anime. The story is exceptional... each episode withholds a magic of uniqueness. There's literally no telling where the particular episode will lead to (unless it is an continuation). And although the characters are introduced in a random order, they contribute to the ... main plot with equal importance.

The anime also includes a lot of elements. Romance, thriller, sometimes quite scary, and comedy. And let's be honest, this anime is portraying quite a touchy subject. None of the ghost animes are as carefree and as... laid back as this. Now some may argue this carefreeness causes the anime to be quite boring. But that's just not true. It's laid back because it can afford to. Like I said, it's jumping-around-plot keeps you just interested enough to watch, and keep watching, the next episode.

The music, I think, is an element which holds the whole together. Subtle, meaningful, and simply brilliant. It sticks the anime parts together like glue holding an paper aeroplane. Even by itself, the music is great.

Now, I always include some element of badness in my reviews.... but seriously, I can't think of any. As always, I thank thee (people/morons/geniuses [delete as appropriate]) for reading my review all the way here. And I am not ashamed of breaking my policy of neutralness :>

Let's face it... if you don't like music, you HATE this. If you do like music, you'll LOVE this. That is the presumption right? Right.

But this anime turns out to be more than that. It's romance, music, action all intertwined together into a neat 13 episode paradise of an anime. There's something for everyone here. Those who could relate themselves through music. Those who could relate themselves though the misunderstanding of a loved one's action. Those who could relate themselves through the tragic that unfolds in ones family...

For those who can't, and just watches this anime... you'll still find it blindingly brilliant. Okay... ... if you watch it all at once, you might find it slightly boring. But this anime, unlike so many others, are supposed to be watched with an week-in-between period/break. Therefore, if you take up my advice, and tempt your temptation to finish it all at once, you'll be captivated.

What more is there to say? Umm.... oh yeah, if you find yourself starting to like Jazz because of this, then I applaud you. Thanks to this, I too started to appreciate the delicacy of Jazz, and the endless interpretation of this art form.

And so I conclude another short, but informative (?) and encouraging review. If you're still reading, allow me to display my humble appreciate in the form of a "thank you". Like I always say, all anime's welcome on my home road (hence AnimeRoad, see ;] , so I tend to stay neutral.

Love you ALL

This is perhaps an anime for the well-educated, and those who are rather interested in politics and the way of economics.. because in some ways, this is an anime that reflects the deeper side of society. The complexity of this anime naturally means it's going to be slow. And it is. Very much so.

As a direct sequel from season 1, you need to watch both seasons to understand what the hell is happening, even just vaguely. The story itself is twisted and very indirect. There's literally no telling where the story's going. For example, after the appearance of "X" (avoiding spoilers :P), you'd think "X" ... would be the centre of attention in the next i.e. this season. But no... "X" took up the screen for 10 mins. Just 10 mins. What the hell? After a MASSIVE cliffhanger, they just exit the bloody set!! WHAT THE HELL????

Never minding the cock-up of sorts, we enter the realm of the SLOWEST anime, or at least in my opinion, ever. 2 seasons, 26 episodes, and we've not even covered the important bits yet. Like the backgrounds of the majority of characters (including some minor ones). Okay, if we're talking about episode numbers, 100s more animes have more that 26 episodes. But after 26 episodes, most animes would've wrapped up the goal/objective of the characters and the entire plot e.g. One Piece wants... well, one piece :)

However, the political side of this anime might be the cause. You know, political affairs in real life take up more time than you imagine... and this anime's kinda politically orientated. So I guess we could excuse the Sun-spinning slowness... sorta.

And thus, I conclude my review. Once again, I thank you all who actually bothered to read this (not many I'd imagine). And remember this... I am neutral, so don't expect a biased review from me :> Unless it is very sh!t >_<

Hmm... What the fu*k is this? An alien who wants to fish a legend, so he involves a guy who is socially awkward and another guy who's good at fishing. Okay... I think that's the summary of my review.

No, seriously, this is one of the MOST confusing anime I've EVER seen in my whole bloody life. The first 3/4 episodes don't make much sense... and the story don't take off until ep 6. By then, I figure most people would've dropped it already.

So in a sense, this anime tests the viewer's perseverance .... and my God, if you persevered, you're in for one good ... treat. When the story kicks in, you are hooked, much like a fish. There's a sense of uniqueness surrounding this anime. You just gotta watch it to understand.

Now, if you've read my review all the way here, I thank you. But honestly, you would've noticed I've not talked about the characters/story/art etc at all. Well, I did say you gotta watch it to understand. I could say how good/bad this anime is, but that's my opinion. I only want to encourage others to explore an anime, instead of reading some stranger's comments.

Okay... I'll start off by saying that this review WILL be slightly biased... after all, this series did introduce me to the world of anime.

I don't like giving spoilers, so I'll go straight to the point: This series is amazing! Throughout my 6 years of anime-crunching, I've come across some pretty amazing stuff... anime such as Lucky Star, which has its own style; Bakuman, an anime completely out of the ordinary; and many more. But I have yet to come across another anime that can catch my heart, the same way OverDrive has done.

I ain't much of a cycling fan when I ... started watching the series, in fact, I disliked cycling. So you can imagine me being less-than-enthustiastic when I first downloaded the series (to be honest, I just didn't want my Megaupload premium account to be a waste >_