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Not bad,not bad at all.

Wanna be the Strongest in the World! or Sekai de Ichiban Tsuyoku Naritai! is a Japanese manga by ESE and Kiyohito Natsuki. The story follows Sakura Hagiwara, a pop idol and member of an idol group known as Sweet Diva that impulsively decides to turn into a pro-wrestler in order to avenge another fellow Sweet Diva member who got a beating from a female wrestler.

For an anime with a shallow and exploitable premise it does a respectable job with it's storytelling. An idol becoming a female wrestler seems like a project that can be incompetently executed or just vulgar fanservice bait ... but it turns out rather well. In the span of 12 episodes this series is straightfoward, evenly paced and reaches a nice conclusion. It has all the fundamentals you'd find in any other good sports story. A heavy focus on how hard work and perseverance are needed for a person to succeed. One thing I appreciate about the anime is that pro-wrestling never comes easy to the main character. Sakura suffers humiliating losses and has to take immense bumps over the course of the series before she's able to accomplish much of anything.

And that's what makes her endearing. Watching Sakura try her hardest against the odds provides us with an easy character to connect to or at least cheer for. She's a sweet, determined, strong and an all-around good heroine. Which is crucial because she gets most of the series attention. Other than Sakura, the most prominent character in the series is Elena. Sakura's rival who is beaten by a female wrestler. Sakura leaving Sweet Diva leave an impression on her character and thus, are the motivation for Elena's actions. The anime does what it can with the rest of it's leaving at least a few more memorable characters that are essential to the plot.

The art and animation is good for the most part. The colors are nice and the character designs are very distinctive and attractive. The lighting in the wrestling ring is also noteworthy as it adds something to the matches. Now when it comes to the animation the production values aren't very high so the scenes focus on the anime's selling point: Fanservice. There are plenty of breast and crotch shots during submission holds such as the Boston Crab or the Camel Clutch. Another problem is that some scene are repeated and not animated much at all and it's very noticeable. Too its credit however, the scenes that are animated well make for some really entertaining action sequences. The anime also does a great job in showing off technical the moves are. You can see exactly what one character is doing the other and which body parts are being inflicted with damage.

The sound aspect isn't anything special. The BGM has only a few noteworthy tracks and the opening and ending themes are average at best. The voice acting doesnt have any standout performance but the moans and screams of pain (most notably Sakura's) sound very similar to what one would hear in a hentai.

Despite all that this is a very enjoyable program. It's a casual anime that doesn't require much of anything from the viewer or the budget it was made on. Sekai de Ichiban Tsuyoku Naritai! deliver to its target audience just as it should. Overall 7/10 Nothing more, nothing less.

How to make a typical Shonen anime movie expansion:

STEO 1: Introduce a new, misunderstood, character for the main character to befriend/fight/rescue.
STEP 2: Have the seemingly new good guys swerve to bad guys so the main character and the viewers can question what's right and what's wrong.
STEP 3: Have the tough to tougher to toughest battle scenario and include all the characters in the fights.

The Blue Exorcist movie took the first step and made it interesting again and completely avoided the second step(which is a VERY good thing). As for the third step, it was also avoided; and depending on the viewer that's either a huge ... positive a huge negative. Still this isn't a like it or hate it film. The fans and newcomers are likely to enjoy it for what it is.

The story makes the wise decision to focus n the characters instead of making a weak, forgettable plot. We're introduced to Usamaro, a demon that befriends Rin and the others. A good portion of the movie is getting to know Usamaro, and building his relationship with Rin. This is definitely a positive to the movie because it's not forced, well paced, and is satisfying to watch. Moreover, his ability is what drives the main plot of the story and it's very interesting to watch.

Remember STEP 2? Another new character is Cheng-Long Liu and despite what movie history cliches have taught us he actually stays a good guy. Now considering his rank and background story he might have made a good villain but that surely would have turned him into someone more annoying. He gets his character fleshed out in one scene so that more or less makes up for it. This also prevents the character from going into a dreadful debate about Good vs Evil. There's nothing worse than a story that tries to provoke though and instead makes the audience cringe at it's ineptitude. In other words, it doesn't attempt something that it will fail miserably at. STEP 3 being avoided is something really noteworthy. There aren't many action scenes in this movie. There's no big bad final battle scene and for me that made the resolution so much better. Still a few more fiery sword slashes from Rin wouldn't have hurt.

The art and animation are a step up from the TV series which already had a lot to brag about. The character designs look more like the manga and the visuals are marvelous; especially in the parade scenes and Usamaro's magic sequences. The music is kind of disappointing because it's very low and uses the same tracks from the TV series. The emotional scenes could have benefited from sew new, powerful tracks. Overall this movie is very good and might be better when rewatched. Fans will enjoy and I can recommend it to newcomers. 8/10

Before I start this review let me just say, that I stopped caring about this franchise YEARS AGO. Still, the premise of this movie really caught my eye. So I recommend this film to any former fans of the Naruto series like myself.

The selling point of Road to Ninja is that it takes pace in an alternate setting. All the characters have different personalities, Sasuke's still in the village,and Naruto's parents are still alive. In other words, it's the ULTIMATE FAN-FICTION. Where everything you disliked or complained about the series is reset.

However, it suffers from the same problems you'll find in any of the other ... NARUTO media. For example, the writing has some wholes in it. In the movie, Sakura's parents are the heroes of the village but we are not informed on what they did. Also the alternate Naruto somehow became an antagonist but that's not thoroughly explained. The viewers are just expected to go with "it's a parallel universe" and not question anything.

On another note, the art and animation do not match the usual film budget quality. Except for a few scenes it's seems no different than the TV version. As for the sound Yasuharu Takanashi's score is as effective as ever and fan favorite band Asian Kung Fu Generation provides another rocking theme song.

Despite some of it's flaws Road to Ninja, if anything is enjoyable. No one should really expect much after years of shonen movie expansions. It's got satisfying fight scenes,pretty good humor, and even some wholesome moments for the characters. Respect it or not, it's something that can be remembered with fondness off not forgotten right away. The movie does its job of entertaining it's fans so there's no wondering on why it's so successful. Road to Ninja is a simple story with nothing thought provoking or outstanding about it. But you know what? That's just fine.

P.S. Naruto's friends don't get much screen time so you may be disappointed if you were looking forward to Flirting Sasuke and Badass Hinata. The Akatsuki are good guys so that might make up for it.

Here we have, a superb series that didnt get the spotlight it deseved. The Fall 2012 anime season brought a lot of fan favorite series that would have viewers buzzing so other anime would be dropped. Zetsuen no Tempest was unfortunate, for some, to be part of the latter.

Studio Bones animates another Shonen Gangan manga, but unlike some of their previous adaptions it's not pragmatic and has no gecko ending. Meaning it follows the story all the way through. Some scenes are altered and arranged differently from the original manga but they're arguably improvements. The plot of the anime, even if not original is executed ... very well. From episode 5 and onwards there's at least one twist or revelation in every episode and Zetsuen no Tempest does this without getting convoluted. It starts out as a simple story about revnge but expands the plot to a worldly scale.

As stated earlier the anime is by Studio Bones so it's given high production values in it's art and animation. The character designs are very attractive; the hairstyles and outfits are very detailed and the colors are deep and vibrant, especially in the character's eyes. The CGI also adds to a beautiful experience, most notably in the action scenes and the animation of butterflies.

The main characters meant to be based off those in Shakespeare's works. Mahiro as Prince Hamlet(Hamlet), Yoshino as Romeo Montague(Romeo & Juliet), Hakaze as Prospero(The Tempest), and Aika as Sycorax(The Tempest) and Ophelia(Hamlet). However, due to the plot of the story, the characters' actions differ and they're spared some of the angst found in a Shakespeare play. In fact Yoshino, Aika, Mahiro(and Hakaze later on) are aware of Shakespeare's works and make a point to not "let this story end in tragedy). Mahiro is a straightforward, almost stereotypically shonen protagonist, main character. He has an unfettered mind consumed by revenge, yet even he has some wits about him. Yoshino, is a "Beware the nice guy" type who isnt afraid to turn into a manipulative bastard. Mahiro doesnt care about the world and even he finds Yoshino ruthless. Hakaze, despite her upbringing is spunky and probably gets the most character development in the series. Then there's Aika, the posthumous chracter, who has a huge impact on the plot, and is brig something to look forward to in the flashbacks as she steals scenes. The supporting cast is pretty small so they're given a lot of screen time to be memorable. All in all , this show has good characterization.

The music is ambitious. It alludes to Shakesperean plays by using deep, orchestral sounds in the episodes. The first opener is a solid rock song and the second one is more melodic and quite possibly fits the show better based off it's lyrics. As for the ending themes, "Happy Endings" and "Bokutachi no Uta" may feel out of place but are enjoyable nonetheless. If the sound doesnt interest you the voice acting will. Particulary, Toshiyuki Toyanaga whose playing against his type as Mahiro. Toyanaga delves so deep into the role he uses an unrecognizable voice. Still, the rest of the actors are strong. Kouki Uchiyama gives a heartstring pulling perfomance as Yoshino in episode 18. Meanwhile, Miyuki Sawashiro's Hakaze is very spirited and Kana Hanazawa gives Aika an enchanting voice. Rikiya Koyama delivers Samon's inner thoughts effectively.

If there is an issue with Zetsuen no Tempest it's episodes 10-12. What was meant to be a showdown comes out as a debate of sorts, and after some impressive fight scenes, the clever dialogue of the show might not appeal to everyone.

Earlier in the review I wrote that some people may have dropped this anime but for the people who stuck with it, they can tell you that the show kept them on the edge of their seats. I would obviously agree. With all the drama, dailogue, and plot of this show waiting for a new episode every week was almost painful. And now that it's over I'm almost going to feel abandoned.

For all the reasons I put in this review, I'm willing to consider this show a masterpiece. At the risk of sounding like a weaboo I think this is the "BEST ANIME EVER" but I know it wont take the #1 spot on MAL because it's got traits that will turn some viewers. Even so, I highly recommend it.

This show is Studio BONES' true masterpiece. Not counting Brotherhood because that's a manga adaption. Eureka Seven get's it right.

STORY (10)
A true, heartwarming, coming-of-age anime. It only gets better and it moves in a satisfying direction with it's plot. Each episode was loaded with comedy, action, and romance.

ART (10)
Not much that can be complained about. The art is good and has never stopped looking good. The character and mecha designs are memeorable.

SOUND (10)
Fantastic soundtrack with great mood setters and inserts songs. The Openings and Endings are also good and never dissapoint or get old.
...
CHARACTER (10)
A likeable male lead who is ACTUALLY normal instead of just being called normal but having a not-so-common personality. Renton's actions are ones the viewer could see themself doing whether good or bad. He is completely relatable. Eureka isn't emotionless and goes through just as much development as Renton. The rest of the cast is involved in the story and actually worth caring for.

ENJOYMENT (10)
Never got boring, fun to rewatch, this show will make you feel good.

OVERRALL (10)
It's a masterpiece and totally not overrated. One of Adult Swim's best shows and Studio BONES' greatest work.

SOUL EATER is one of the best SHONEN anime around. It'S funny, cool, and doesnt get too serious and let it's flaws damage the series.

STORY (8)
Looking back not much had happened but there is plot and it get's better in the manga. Hopefully it'll get a second series like FMA: Brotherhood and it's true greatneess will shine. Still this show is amazing.

ART (8)
Not for everyone. It might come off ugly at first but you learn to appreciate it. The backgrounds are fantastic if you know what I'm referring to.

SOUND (10)
Masterpiece soundtrack. Taku Iwasaki gives the show rap,metal, and even JAZZ. REALLY GOOD JAZZ. T.M. ... Revolution does the first opening and it's a really exciting song. The second opening by Tommy Heavenly6 presents the show in a darker theme and boy does it work. The endings are all different. Ending #1 is upbeat and motivating, #2 is soothing and sweet, #3 is upbeat but in a different way from the first, and #4 is dark yet mesmerizing.

CHARACTER (10)
God complexes, Obsessive compulsive disorders, and daddy issues all collide in this wack cast. Crazy and funny people galore. All the types of characters you can like.

ENJOYMENT (8)
I must admit I went "meh" at first but when I finally settled in I had fun. I got excited for each episode and the rewacth value is high in this show.

OVERRALL (9)
In the end I am glad I watched this show. The ending might be kinda shaley but it's worth the time.

Ahhhhh..... TSURITAMA. Watching this show was like finding a $20 dollar bill in your pockket. It was the surprise gem of the season!

STORY (8)
Really wierd in retrospect but it's very involing. The show get's really trippy at times but that's what you're gonna like about it.

ART (8)
It's bright and colorful and really fun to look at.

SOUND (8)
Fantastic opening theme, pleasant ending theme, and some catchy BGM tracks.
...
CHARACTER (8)
They're all likeable and Yuki gets some quality character development but ultimately Natsuki is the only interesting one.

ENJOYMENT (9)
I cant even imagine how this show got fishing to be exciting but they nailed it.

OVERALL (9)
I really want to call this show a masterpiece but it just didnt have that extra kick to make it legendary. It's should get more attention though.

This is without a doubt the most UNDERRATED anime in recent years.

STORY (8)
The anime may not have much plot but there's still a story to it. Every episode maters and the writing is surprisingly strong. It even has a few backstories that reflect towards the character development.

ART (9)
The art is beautiful. The character designs are great and the fanservice is awesome. It really shouldnt be complained about. Episode 8 had one of the most rediculous but well animated scenes ever.

SOUND (9)
The background music does a nice job of setting the mood. The opening theme gets you really pumped up. The ending themes by Maon Kurosaki ... are whether upbeat or melancholic close the show perfectly.

CHARACTER (90
Takashi fills out the main character role pperfectly. He's not too wimpy or too stupid and all his actions are realistic yet admirable. Heis narration (esppecially in the SUB by Junichi Suwabe) gives you a feel for the show and his angst and emotional scenes(especially in the DUB by Leraldo Anzaldua) are fun to watch.
Hiran is a very fun characterand provides a lot for the show. Whether he's being comedic or serious. The nurse is adorable and even has a motherly side to her. As for the other characters I'll avoid talking about them because that'll lead to spoilers.

ENJOYMENT (9)
Who DIDN'T have a blast watching this show???

OVERRALL (9)
It's a quality show and it doesnt deserve all the hate it gets. Highschool of the Dead is worth your time.
Thanks for reading my review.