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Genuinely, I think Ping Pong: the Animation has a pretty good case for one of the best animes of the 2010s. Never have I seen a show that left me wanting more than Ping Pong. Artistically driven in ways most sports anime are not, it sets itself out from the pack. That alone warrants watching, but how Ping Pong is able to shape an incredible, touching narrative throughout its 11 episode duration is key to such high praise. The wide cast of characters are all interesting in their own ways, and it feels a bit more "authentic," rather than other sports animes trying to take ... on similar archetypes of specific aspects being the focal point of characters. It leaves you nostalgic, grateful, and filled with a sense of appreciation if you've ever played a sport in adolescence. Even if you didn't, there's still a lot to take away here.

BECK: Mongolian Chop Squad is pretty great for what it tries to accomplish in a pretty short amount of time, and it becomes a pretty gripping and enjoyable experience. Like others have said, it feels like a thoroughgoingly accurate depiction of what being in a band is like, including all of the trials and tribulations. In BECK, there are no "easy answers" for the band. Everything feels pretty earned, which is something inconsistent with series akin to this. And I feel this culminates all in the Fuyuki, the stereotypical unremarkable main character, trying to overcome a task to get to a goal. That's pretty much ... the central point to the main plot. But the main way that Fuyuki tries to do this, specifically his dynamic alongside with the band, is the most interesting aspect of the show. It's a bit of a shame that the show wasn't made today, as they'd probably be able to have a better depiction of the original artwork of the manga, and instead you get a more story-driven interpretation. It's pretty accessible and easy to watch, and it still resonates with me well months after watching.

I think, in all honesty, you should WATCH the anime first prior to reading the manga. I think it allows you to appreciate them both in their own ways, and you can see how BECK: Mongolian Chop Squad utilizes the source material. Besides the beautiful artwork in the manga, the major difference between the two is that the anime really seems to town down the seriousness, or perhaps the adultness of the story. Some characters are far more perverted -- sometimes for the sake of being perverted -- which doesn't feel that it adds too much character depth (to me), but it's an interesting difference to see not carried out through the anime. I also think the manga can *really* drag on a bit, and having the condensed version of the first major act in the anime just puts a pretty nice bow on everything. I watched the dub, but I also recommend people to listen to both the dub and the sub for the original songs, as there are some pretty key differences between the two.

As someone who has never seen or read Adachi Mitsuru's previous works, I had no idea what I was getting myself into while watching MIX. After finishing it, I'm only left feeling... disappointed. 26 episodes just isn't enough substance to wrap up what the first season was trying to create. Storylines and character development throughout the season fell flat, and the ending was inconclusive and leaves a question mark on MIX.

Though it has weird pacing throughout the early part of the first season, MIX's story is easy to follow, despite being bland at times. There are some high moments, and there are some very dull ... moments.

The artwork of MIX is one of the strongest aspects. The art style encapsulates the world of MIX greatly.

While the OP and soundtrack are generic, it gets the job done well. It reeks of "high school Japanese baseball", in a good way.

Character development is one of my biggest gripes about MIX. The characters are mostly a blank slate, with only a few instances of them showing potential for growth. I feel like there wasn't enough time taken to build up the main cast to become multi-demential. There was plenty of potential that wasn't reached. I felt the storytelling created by Adachi Mitsuru was not fully realized. Many of the opportunities for arcs were seemingly thrown out of the window every episode.

Overall, while MIX didn't reach my expectations, I have hope that a second season is made, and it expands on the universe of MIX. If you are interested in the previous works of Adachi Mitsuru, or if you are interested in baseball/sports anime, give this show a shot.

(Spoiler Warning)

If you're looking for a traditional soccer anime, you'll be very disappointed. Putting that aside, if you're looking for a short-running show with some comedic moments, you may find enjoyment in Clean Freak! Aoyama-kun.

Aoyama's perfect character is very boring to me, he doesn't have any conflict or any sort of progression in the twelve episode season. He doesn't have any motive to join Fujimi High School's underdog soccer team besides that the jerseys are white. Aoyama has a legion of followers, both male and female, that see him as an idol. Their "Clean, clean Aoyama!" chants get annoying very quick. Aoyama's only interesting character ... trait is that he's a germaphobe. He won't eat food prepared by other people, he rarely allows people to touch him. One of Aoyama's underdeveloped traits is that he's a gamer, and he acts very differently in-game while in-person.

Most of the side characters are dull and they are only used for comic relief. Most of the jokes that are from the side characters are used time and time again. There's just not enough time to develop the side characters to be multi-dimensional. Most of the other people on the soccer team are given one trait, or just there. Bottom line, they're mostly forgettable. I'll give the show some slack because there are only twelve episodes. Only occasionally are the side characters successful in their comedic attempts, and I find it most often with Gotou's interactions with the other characters. The times when Aoyama interacts with the other germaphobe makes for some interesting dialogue.

The times when Fujimi High is playing soccer is very predictable, and with Aoyama only actually trying in the final five minutes, the result can always be known. The most interesting episodes in this show are the times when Aoyama & crew are put into a unique situation outside of school, or when the side characters get the spotlight.

Unfortunately, some of the most interesting characters are the ones only seen in one or two episodes. The Ozaki-centered episode is by far the most interesting, with his attempts to make an interesting manga based on Aoyama's actions in school. Umeya's episode with Gouto is also one of the better ones.

The OST is nothing special, its generic j-rock that you can find in most animes. The animation is clean and fluid. The animation style used while Aoyama is gaming is a nice change of pace. The outro animation also has a unique style. Passable.

All in all, Clean Freak! Aoyama-kun seems rushed, poorly planned, and executed inadequately. Aoyama's singular trait is boring, and most of the gaffs of the side characters are overused. The show's strongest strength is when they do succeed at comedy, and it's seldom used side characters. There are better shows for you to watch.

(Spoiler Warning)

At its core, Gurazeni: Money Pitch is a show for baseball fans, though that isn't to say that non-baseball fans can't enjoy this show. This show does a good job explaining some baseball lingo and the culture of the game.

Gurazeni: Money Pitch follows the story of 26-year old Natsunosuke Bonda, a left-handed relief pitcher for the Spiders. His role is a LOOGY (Left-Handed One Out Guy), who tries to get only one of the opposing batters out, who are usually of the other dominant hand. They usually only last one inning at the maximum. The thing that separates Bonda from the rest of the ... characters is that he has memorized every contract in his league. When he pitches, if a player has a lower contract than him, he's more likely to get them out opposed to when a player has a higher contract than him.

Bonda's journey is very similar to players in real life. Bonda has been lucky enough to net himself a 16 million yen contract, but it means nothing when compared to a 100+ million yen contract and his future. Your play on the field is your worth, and people won't want you if you're not worthy. Bonda is an easily replaceable player on the Spiders. Despite playing professionally for eight years, Bonda isn't a star on the Spiders. The only time he gets recognition is when he publicly humiliates himself, usually when he's drunk.

Gurazeni: Money Pitch shows a very good picture of the lives of the side characters too, usually giving them one episode. Whether it be an up and coming rookie, to a player striving to make it out of the minors, or even to a retired color commentator, we all get to see a peek of what their lives are like. When baseball players retire, most of them haven't made enough to live off of, and instead get jobs in sports media or as a manager.

Bonda's love interest is very different than what is typically common in the baseball world. Bonda's placement in "baseball society" puts actresses and models way out of his league. Instead, Bonda settles for a part-timing, ditsy college waitress at a restaurant near the Spiders' ballpark. In the second season, despite Bonda's attempts to conversate are hesitant due to her support of Bonda's rival baseball team. This creates a conflict for Bonda to overcome in a (hopefully coming) third season.

There's not a whole lot to say about the soundtrack. The opening and closing songs are very catchy, though they are used abundantly.

All in all, Gurazeni: Money Pitch is worth your time, there's never a dull moment. the only negative I can think of is the animation, which often uses poorly done CGI for lots of the baseball scenes. If you can get past that minor inconvenience, this show can be very enjoyable.