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Aldnoah.Zero is the standout title of 2014, and rather than being because it was overhyped, the appeal comes from something that few titles in recent years have been able to pull off well: the ability to blend "classic" ('70s and early '80s) real robot genre storytelling techniques with modern visuals that are slick, beautiful, and satisfying -- even to viewers who may not yet be on-board the CG-in-anime train.

Story: Though it's regrettable how much A.Z relies on information dumps to give exposition and story information, it generally works, with the first episode being probably the worst offender. (If you can handle that much, you can ... handle the rest of the series easily!) This is where my analogy to classic real robot storybuilding comes in, and is why I enjoyed A.Z: it reminds me of shows like Mobile Suit Z Gundam and Super Dimension Century Orguss, which don't devote ridiculous time to world building and instead let the plot propel the viewer's knowledge. The viewers know what they *need* to, but there's still plenty of open space, so to speak.

Art: A.Z has wonderful visuals, evident from the beginning. I like the character's designs an immense amount, since they're all unique in some way, and don't fall prey to sameface syndrome. Faces are expressive and movements are elegant and nice to look at. In terms of the mecha, though the designs are a bit weird at first, they really grew on me. I especially came to love the Orbital Knights' mecha, reminding me of Z/ZZ Gundam's Qubeley, with curved lines and other non-traditional design aspects. Generally, the CG used is done so well, with only a few of the early episodes looking a little "off," especially the Kataphrakts. It becomes much more palatable as the show progresses.

Sound: I haven't enjoyed an aniost as much as A.Z in years. Their use of insert songs is fantastic, without a doubt, and creates some of the more memorable scenes in the show. The opening and ending themes are also wonderful, and memorable, rather than being generic toss-offs.

Characters: Though it's not apparently a widely held opinion, I liked how A.Z used and established its rather large cast. A.Z is propelled by a serious war story, so of course there isn't time to devote to beach party or hot spring episodes. Like world building, characterization is also largely part of the plot, with most of it coming as a result of a plot event (i.e., Inaho's coolness under fire, Asseylum's steely resolve, Rayet's trauma, and so on). That's another classic real robot pullback: developing characters enough to give you a "sense" of them, but not laying their entire inner life bare for the viewers' consumption. It's a method that seems sterile to a lot of viewers, but one that I actually enjoy and miss greatly.

Enjoyment: A big reason why I enjoyed this show is that it's fantastic at building suspense. As it begins in a rather brutal way, you're never sure what may happen to the characters, and the tension is real in nearly every episode in this front half. I cared about the characters and their struggles, and it kept me coming back - and wanting more. I also found the robot fights fairly compelling, and though I am a mecha fan, I'm not in it for the robots at all! Overall, I felt like A.Z devoted equal time to all aspects of the show, for a mecha especially, and it was a real pleasure to watch something so well-crafted.

I just finished Genesis Climber Mospeada this evening, and to be honest, it feels like I'm still absorbing what took the past three (or so) days to watch! The fact that it's still on my mind so strongly is, for me, a good sign of a plot that extends far deeper than surface action. My overall impression? Though it has its flaws, I thoroughly enjoyed "the ride" of watching the series.

The story is easy to grasp but at the same time a little difficult. Earth was invaded by aliens known as the Inbit. Humans have either already been living on ... other planets or perhaps flee to other planets after the arrival of the Inbit; they try twice to liberate Earth and fail. The main action follows Stig (Stick) Bernard, a member of the Second Liberation Force and the only survivor from his squadron, as he journeys to the Inbit headquarters in hopes of completely obliterating it. The Inbit are mysterious creatures who were seeking a peaceful place to live, but that's all I really feel like I understand about their intentions.

The characters and their travels are what made this series so enjoyable for me. My favorite is Stig, the uptight soldier who has trouble seeing things beyond the simple good/bad dichotomy. Ray and Mint are always hilarious and adorable. Hoquet is lively and strong, and it was nice to see a capable female fighting alongside the men. There wasn't a single member of the cast that I found myself disliking, even Jim, the big coward of the bunch! :p Their growing relationships were a joy to watch and cheer for, especially those between Ray/Houquet and Stig/Aisha. The latter seemed a little less natural (as in, you couldn't really watch it develop step by step), but strangely enough I still felt really drawn to them as a pair.

My favorite aspect of Mospeada is the soundtrack because, let me tell you, it's BEAUTIFUL. The opening theme, "In Search of Lost Legends", is incredibly lively and fits the series so well. Yellow Belmont's songs (performed by Mine Matsuki) are haunting and beautiful, to the point where you may be moved to tears after listening. The background score is by Joe Hisaishi, who went on to compose the music for all of Hayao Miyazaki's films; though Mospeada is older, his compositional brilliance still shines through. I can't recommend the soundtrack enough to do it justice!

I never saw the adaptation of this series in Robotech: The New Generation, so unfortunately I can't give a comparison to the original. However, I will say that the original is a strong series that stands on its own two feet as a great work of art.

Super Dimension Cavalry Southern Cross may seem like your average mecha anime from the 1980s, but in reality it's one of the most unique members of the genre. Unlike the popular Gundam series, or even the other mecha titles by Tatsunoko Productions, Southern Cross is written from the point of a female protagonist. Jeanne is brave, strong, capable, and most importantly, thoroughly entertaining.

Another thing that sets Southern Cross apart is its message. The Glorians, who colonized the planet, are so quick to assume that the Zor are hostile invaders that they launch into a war without taking the time to learn about ... the mysterious race. It is eventually discovered that the Zor are the original inhabitants of what is now Glorie, and more shocking still, the Glorians and the Zor are thought to share a common (human) ancestry. Southern Cross takes a stance against preemptive violence and knee-jerk reactions, and the positive, anti-war message that this serious embodies is admirable.

Aside from the ideologies of war, the relationships of this series are the real shining stars. The shaky love between Jeanne and Seifreit is one of my favorites (and has been since childhood); they develop real feelings for each other through battle, trials, and hardship. Bowie and Musica are another great love story because of what their relationship represents: Even though their races are at war, they still fall in love because they can look past trivial, close-minded judgments. Rivalries and family relationships are also important in Southern Cross. It's certainly a series driven by the characters and their growth.

The animation falls short in a few episodes but because the story and characters are so great, I barely notice anymore. The soundtrack becomes a little repetitive by the time you're at the end of the series because it's not too terribly diverse, but what is there is notably entertaining. The opening theme, "Hoshi no Deja Vu" by Katori Yoko, is one of the greatest opening themes of all time - no, seriously, it is. :D

The English adaptation of SDC Southern Cross is the second saga of the Robotech series: the Robotech Masters. It wasn't well-received by the fans and was the least favorite of the trilogy. However, if you've seen Robotech Masters, you'll be pleased to know that the original storyline is much better than the adaptation; please consider giving it a second chance. It's a largely ignored and/or unappreciated series, but it deserves so much more.