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There are tons of anime out there that could have done with a recap episode but Diabolik Lovers was most certainly not one of them.

For a start, episodes are only 15 minutes long and the series overall is just 12 episodes. Anyone who has seen the first 6 episodes of Diabolik Lovers would know that nothing worth recapping occurs.

This recap is just an excuse to create a montage of the bland protagonist Yui being bitten by the sadistic Sakamaki brothers. It's basically the so called 'best bits' aka the disturbing bits of the first 6 episodes. I would not say it does a great job ... at recapping but it isn't terrible as it is coherent.

However, if you have just started Diabolik Lovers and want to drop it but are one of those people who refuse to drop an anime and will always see it through to the end then watch this and then the last 6 episodes. You will be saving time that is not worth wasting on a mediocre anime like Diabolik Lovers. 5/10

My first impression of Diabolik Lovers was that it was fucked up...

Despite it being such a train wreck Diabolik Lovers kept you watching. Even though I knew it was bad I just couldn't not watch the next episode. You can try, but it is near impossible to drop this anime. It might be because of curiosity and wanting to see how much shittier it could get...

It started as one of those, ‘It’s so bad, it’s good’ anime, however, it ended up being rather dull. After the shock of the whole constant bite rape and sadistic personalities of the Sakamaki brothers wore off (about half way ... through for me), it became as dull as Amnesia. However, it was a hell of a lot more watchable.

As expected with an otome game adaptation, the leading girl Yui is bland and does not stick up for herself. Seriously, I’d have kicked the Sakamaki brother’s arses to hell numerous times. Yes, I’d have probably gotten killed in the process but it is better than being a soft little bitch. Maybe I could have won them over with some personality to rival their own?

The length of each episode was perfect for this type of anime, however, the pacing was pretty shit at times. The final episode was a bit daft. You had the ED halfway through and then the OP shortly after. The final episode left a few things untied such as who the hell Yui is stupid enough to choose. I think it’s probably Ayato though. I myself prefer Laito but maybe I’m just insane.

Overall, Diabolik Lovers is nothing special. It tried to shock you but it could not hide its lack of story and overall pointlessness. I would not recommend it unless you love shoujo vampire or reverse harem anime and don't have anything else to watch. 5/10

After some thought I decided to do a short spoiler free review of Aku no Hana because I really do not want people to dismiss this anime!
It's a great and twisted psychological anime. The realism and the tension that is constantly in the atmosphere of this anime is brilliant. The painful awkwardness of the character Kasuga and the weird behaviour of Nakamura I really liked. Their very different behaviours were a good combination along with the other main character Saeki who gives off what is seemingly a normal and innocent vibe.

Yes, there are scenes that are a few minutes long which could be cut down ... and reduced to only a few seconds long but they would just not have the same effect if they were not real time. It would ruin the strange and tense atmosphere of the anime. It is an anime set in everyday run down, miserable looking town with a very eerie feeling about it. The slowness is a really important part of the setting. However, I admit the slow pacing can be somewhat frustrating at times. It wasn't too bad though. I'm the kind of person who is really fussy when it comes to pacing and it's always one of my biggest complaints about any anime but if someone like me was fine with it then you should be too.

The rotoscope animation is actually perfect and aids the psychological element of the anime. It makes it a little more life like in appearance and also much different in appearance compared to the typical anime which Aku no Hana certainly is not. Without the rotoscope the anime wouldn't be the same at all. Those who refuse to watch it because of the 'ugly' animation are childish. You are really missing out on a unique and intriguing anime by rejecting Aku no Hana due to its appearance.

The music used is also very different to the average anime soundtrack. It is really quirky and odd like everything else within this anime. Don't be expecting the typical J-pop/rock artist/band kind of songs for the OP and ED. The ED in particular is great but probably not something you would have on you iPod. I loved Aku no Hana's soundtrack though because it adds to the overall eerie feeling the anime gives off.

I don't want to spoil anything but I must warn you that this anime can be a little disturbing. Some may find it too weird. It is a psychological anime though! I know Aku no Hana may be an acquired taste but if you are sick of the normal slice of life school romance then check out the great but twisted Aku no Hana.

However, if you watch this anime then prepare for an ending that does not resolve anything. The final episode just gives us a glimpse of what is to come to persuade you to go and read the manga. I myself have started to read the manga (the manga is great!) because this anime has left me intrigued. I think it is a real shame that it will most likely never get a second season due to its lack of popularity though.

I would recommend Aku no Hana to those who fancy something a little bit different!

I originally laughed at the screenshots (Nakamura's derp face and the manly looking girl!) like many others but a week after episode 1 aired I started watching. I expected to hate it but I didn't. I admit it took several episodes to get into but after that I really looked forward to watching it every week. It's definitely one of those anime you should at least check out an episode or two at some point. It taught me not to judge an anime by its animation style immediately. Sometimes it takes a while to warm to something new! 8/10

I decided to review the Vassalord. OVA, which I watched one week ago on a whim, for my first ever review because it left me surprised and disappointed at the same time. I'm struggling to come up with a suitable word to describe what I was left feeling when the credits began so I hope I can figure it out through writing this spoiler free review.

- STORY/CHARACTERS -
The story obviously suffered because the OVA is only 27 minutes long. It would have benefited hugely from being much, much longer. I feel parts did not get enough time focused on them and the explanation of ... things was rushed. I really enjoyed the action, mystery and overall darkness of the story though. If you like that kind of thing then you'll probably enjoy this.

Character development could obviously not be done all that well either but I quite liked the two main characters Charles Chrishunds and Johnny Rayflo and their interactions with one another. It's a real shame because from what the little the OVA gave us, it was truly promising. I need more! Preferably a TV series! I want to see a more detailed and longer story involving these two guys. The other very few characters were not memorable or likeable at all.

- ANIMATION/ART -
I adore Production I.G and everything visually in Vassalord. was beyond beautiful. Overall I really loved the animation, art, character designs and so on. It's just something really gorgeous to look at. Watch this if you adore Production I.G or just good looking anime in general.

- SOUND -
I liked the voice actors for the two main characters Johnny Rayflo and Charles Chrishunds. The voiced fitted the characters and they did a good job. The ED song Misunderstanding is a really pretty sounding song. It ended the OVA perfectly and was great to listen to as I reflected on what I had just seen.

- OTHER COMMENTS/ENJOYMENT/OVERALL -
I'm disappointed despite going in to the anime with no expectations at all. It kind of just felt like a promo for a manga. However, I want to read the manga now so I guess it did its job there. It does does its job well of giving you a taste of what Vassalord. is all about. I adore the overall darkness and the atmosphere of the anime. It left me wanting and literally needing more. I am very intrigued and want to see and explore more of the world of Vassalord. It seems like a really cool supernatural world.

It could have been something incredibly special (I wanted to say, "Really *swear word* amazing!") but it turned out as being a decent but too short OVA which left me with a great and difficult to explain feeling. Since I just clicked and watched it at random Vassalord. took me completely by surprise. After some consideration: I'd give it a 6/10, it just fell short of a 7. I wanted to be very generous with my rating for it but I felt I had to be harsher due to the disappointment and thoughts of "Huh? Is that it!?" I had at the end. I was not satisfied at all. It's a good job there is a manga to read next!

If you have nothing to watch and half an hour to kill then I suggest you watch Vassalord. Definitely watch it if you can't get enough of the supernatural (specifically vampires!). By the way, this anime also has a tiny, little drop of shonen-ai in the atmosphere but don't let that put you off if you don't like that kind of thing. If you do like it then you'll be disappointed by the lack of it but enjoy the little hints.

Please don't expect Vassalord. to be a masterpiece, just an anime that had some potential. It is definitely an interesting watch and I'm sure those who did read the manga before watching this enjoyed it more. Who knows, maybe when I've read the manga I'll feel differently...? If you're on the fence about reading the manga I think this OVA will give you an idea of what it's about and might leave you with a stronger desire to read it.