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Personally speaking, I like my anime to have a little more meat on its' bones than your every-day "generic cute lolis doing generic cute loli things" show. Despite that phrase essentially fitting Usagi perfectly, it's still enjoyable and sweet.

Story: 6/10. The story is simple, and not even really that compelling, but on an episode-to-episode level it's enjoyable. There's an emphasis on wacky humor that rarely missed the mark for me; if an anime can make me chuckle consistently at least once per episode, that's good enough for me.

Art: 7/10. The characters are generically moe-y, and not even really *that* well drawn, but they're cute ... and distinct with one another I did appreciate that every character had a diverse and cute wardrobe (if you're going to make a show about cute girls, I commend any show that makes the girls consistently cute). One aspect that really shone throughout the show were the backgrounds and scenery. Whenever the camera is taken off of the cast, or even sometimes when it's on the cast, you can't help but admire the gorgeously drawn and sparkling scenery. It really makes the viewer feel like they're walking along a pretty canal town themselves.

Sound: 7/10. Nothing really remarkable here. It's done well and doesn't miss the comedic beats.

Character: 7/10. The characters are sweetly designed to have their own distinct personality, even if no one really gets any deep or consistent backstory except maybe the novelist. The show meanders throughout a year in the lives of the protagonists, and while development occurs, it's small and mostly involves the growing friendships between all of them (especially Chino and Cocoa). Nothing spectacular, but done well enough that you do care about the little circle of friends.

Enjoyment: 7/10. About half way through it becomes more enjoyable due to the expansion of the cast. The humor, as mentioned before, is cute and unobnoxious. It's a nice "breather" show in between something more impactful. Not something I'd rewatch, but I'm looking forward to watching season two.

Overall: 7/10. It's fun and simple. It probably won't be at the top of anyone's list, or even in the top 5, but it's nice for when you just need to relax and watch something that doesn't require much thought. However, in comparison to other "cute girls doing cute things" type shows, this is definitely one of the better ones.

I watched the uncensored all in one go. Not the best, not the worst. It's aight. It's only shocking if this is your introduction to horror/psychological horror. But if you're into dark and creepy, you'll like it, just for what it is. Apparently not a great adaption so maybe get the manga after.

The story is very minimal, like the studio clearly only wanted the most shocking bits and got rid of everything in-between. There's clearly sexual allegory that was desired but maybe not effeciently told. Art is fine, generic. Sound was eh. Dissonant soundtracks are neat but this was a bit blatant. Character was meh. ... I dunno, I still liked it. It's a wild and creepy ride that, while I wouldn't go on it again, I'm glad I didn't pass up.

I was not prepared for this roller coaster - and it is a roller coaster. It's not the best, life-changing roller coaster that you've ever been on. It's a lot like a wooden roller coaster at a tiny, local amusement park that probably hasn't passed safety inspection in a few years. Rickety, probably not constructed properly, may have some missing tracks but the paint job looks good, and even though you were so terrified you almost soiled yourself by golly you had a lot of fun(?). Like the best roller coasters, it's best the first go-round when you have no previous knowledge of what to ... expect. I won't give any spoilers, but please, if you want to enjoy this anime at it's fullest potential, do not look anything up before you watch it or read the original manga.

On to the actual scores.

Story: 6/10. There is clearly something missing. This OVA series only covers about half of the manga, so when it ends you feel a bit cheated. However, it is intriguing, and it does make you crave understanding of this strange little world.

Art: 7/10. I already like cute art, and I'm a huge sucker for cute art in a horror/scifi context. I almost said it was original before remembering that this premiered in 2001, and they were probably trying to emulate the kids' shows of the day in design. However, it's still enjoyable, and I love early 2000s anime color palettes.

Sound: 10/10. This may come across as overly high praise, but the sound design on this show was phenomenal. The soundtrack is appropriately cute and creepy, with plinking piano and synth keys combined with off-key and minor chorded choir hums. It is absolutely terrifying.

Character: 5/10. Due to time constraints placed on a four-episode OVA, you don't really get to spend that much time with each girl. A lot of exposition is dumped onto the viewer so fleetingly that sometimes it's hard to figure out what's going on in each girls' head. I became surprisingly attached to Yuri, which is odd considering how much I usually dislike cry baby characters. However, in the context of Alien 9, you really sympathize with her tears. Her world is insane, creepy, and sending out little girls to fight dangerous aliens. I'd cry too, Yuri. There's not a lot of actual development, and if I was scoring only that I'd give it about a 1. As a character *study*, particularly a study of Yuri, it's very fascinating. You follow her dreams and fears so closely that you empathize with her deeply, but that's a disadvantage by the time the fourth episode comes a knockin'. By then, you don't care about the characters in more peril the way you should, and Yuri is practically pushed to the sidelines. I'm sure this is done more fluidly in the manga, but in the OVA, it's not executed very well.

Overall: 7/10. I enjoyed this anime. I'd recommend it to anyone who has about two hours to kill and a love for all things unsettling and creepy. It's not very well fleshed out, but it makes for an interesting little journey into a world that's not quite right. Listen to the soundtrack. Read the manga if you want something "tastier". But check this out if you have the time and the desire for this type of show.