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Coming from a casual Precure fan (at this time I've only seen Heartcatch and most of Hugtto) this movie is just fine.

The first half is entirely hand-drawn animation, and primarily focuses on the Hugtto and Futari Wa Precure casts. It gives off a similar vibe to Hugtto itself, so if you're a fan of the series, you'll probably enjoy this just to see the characters you like again, and in a new context (that being that most of them are turned into babies for a short while).

The second half switches to full CG animation, which while not looking extremely impressive, given just how much action ... is portrayed in this second half, along with the fact that it brings in every(!) Precure from past seasons to do an attack or two, it's likely we wouldn't have got such a blowout without resorting to this, and all things considered, they use the models and camera movements in a dynamic enough way that the action is still satisfying throughout, with some fun character moments thrown in for good measure.

The plot is nothing to write home about, but it gets the job done. If you're watching this movie, it should be to see all the Precure in a single movie, or at the very least, to see the Hugtto/Futari Wa casts a bit more (beyond those two, the other Precure mostly just show up for a minute or two to do an attack then fade into the background). The fact that this is a children's movie becomes quite apparent at a few specific moments where the audience is literally instructed to cheer the Precure on with an item that was handed out in Japanese theaters, which could put some people off given that's not how anybody is going to be watching the movie at this point, but I honestly found that element charming in spite of how cheesy it was.

All in all, if you just like the Precure characters and want to see some fun moments with them along with some pretty cool action, and don't mind a barebones plot and half of the movie switching to a CG artstyle, this is easy to recommend as something quick and easy to throw on and have a good time with (it's only about 75 minutes long). The more Precure you've seen the more inclined you'll be to enjoy this, but even as a casual fan, I found a lot of simple fun in it.

If what you value in anime is a tightly written plot, fleshed out and well-developed characters, or strong, resonant themes, than I am sorry to say that the Sun and Moon anime will likely disappoint you.

The plot is generally episodic, with the "main" story only advancing sporadically, often seemingly at random, and sometimes, you may question what the plot's even supposed to be.

The characters are used inconsistently, with some receiving far more attention than others. Some will develop a lot, others not at all, despite them all having just as much potential.

And on the whole, after you've caught up to the show, you may ... look back and question if you've really learned anything. Indeed, you may be asking: "What was the point?"

Many shows would crumble under the weight of these flaws, and I couldn't entirely blame you if this has put you off from watching this anime.

HOWEVER...

Pokemon Sun and Moon is one of the warmest, most wholesome, and downright most pleasant shows I have ever seen. All of the above criticisms are perfectly valid, but instead of buckling over these shortcomings, Sun and Moon laughs off the complaints, reaches out its hand, and invites you to have some fun.

The aesthetic is top tier. Alola is a tropical island, and this is nailed down so perfectly that any individual shot of most episodes immediately gives off a warm and pleasant vibe. Just looking at the show puts me at peace, but it's not just the artwork that's impressive. Many were wary of the character design changes Sun and Moon implemented, but the simplified designs not only mesh incredibly well with the setting, but also serve to make animating these characters much easier. I feel confident saying that this is the most well-animated Pokemon series to date, and one of the best looking long-running anime of all time. Whether it's an intense Pokemon battle or even a baseball face-off, everything is brought to life so vibrantly that it's impossible not to be charmed.

The overarching plot may be lacking, but every episode provides it's own little story that manages to entertain, in so many different ways. One episode you'll be laughing at the antics of lost Pokemon finding their way home, another episode you'll be awed by a sudden explosion of stellar fight animation, and sometimes you'll find yourself tearing up at some of the saddest scenes in Pokemon history.

But never fear, because you can wipe those tears away with some fun on the beach, see what new shenanigans Team Rocket is getting up to (spoiler alert: their new friend is EXTREMELY protective), and maybe even get hyped for a new capture or evolution.

You'll have plenty of friends to experience this all with. Some might say TOO many, in fact, as the show often struggles to give every main character something important to do, but that's all right, you'll always get to see them again in the next episode. Every character is a joy to watch, boasting great designs and voice acting to really bring them to life. They all get time to shine, in different ways, and even the few I didn't like at the beginning grew on me quickly. The good vibes this group gives off are infectious, and this is a group of friends I'm happy to watch doing pretty much anything.

Of course, some may still be disappointed. Especially coming off the heels of XYZ, which took the Pokemon anime to a more serious place than it's ever been. Many might wonder why they should bother with a show that looks so silly in comparison. They may wonder what it could offer them, when all the goofy faces and simple designs seem so much like they're trying to appeal to children. And make no mistake, the show IS primarily for children. The Pokemon anime always has been. But just because that's the target audience, doesn't mean everyone can't have fun with it.

The point of Sun and Moon isn't to arrive at any grand destination. It's not to teach you a valuable lesson, and it's not to make you ponder anything long after you've watched it. The point, plain and simple, is just to have fun. To give you 20 minutes of bright sun, good friends, and a warm feeling inside that will hopefully brighten your day. This is absolutely the kind of show you can rewatch episodes of, not because you may have missed something the first time, but just because you want that Sun and Moon feeling again.

If you've been holding out on trying Sun and Moon for whatever reason, be that the art style change, different cast, or change of tone, I urge you to give it a chance. If you tried the show out but found yourself put off by it, maybe a change in mindset will help you enjoy it.

Try to remember when you first got into the Pokemon anime. I'm sure most of us were kids, and while we no doubt enjoyed the action and liked whatever characters we grew up with, the reason Pokemon is so beloved the world over is because the world of Pokemon is just inherently fun. It's nice to be transported to a world where the biggest thing you have to worry about is how you'll get your pet dog to evolve into a wolf, and going to school is a great time where you learn about the things you love.

Sun and Moon certainly won't appeal to everyone, but if you can still remember that childlike wonder of first discovering Pokemon, if you want to be taken to a tropical island with some pleasant company for awhile, if you're interested in seeing consistently great and inventive sakuga, or if you're just in the mood for some good, clean fun, then you'll have the time of your life with Pokemon Sun and Moon.

If you've been around the anime community for long enough, you have no doubt heard of the so called "Moe" genre. With a focus on cute girls doing cute things, (usually in a high-school setting) Moe series tend to focus more on comedy and various slice-of-life situations then plot and character (See: K-On! and Lucky Star for two very popular examples). But what happens when a show that has seemingly "Moe" characteristics attempts to delve into deeper themes, such as self-worth, the struggle to become a better person, and the consequences of your actions? In that case, we get a show like C³ (Full title: ... Stella Jogakuin Koutou-ka C³-bu).

To get this out of the way early, the production values in C³ are perfectly fine for this sort of anime, with the art and character designs being nice and unobtrusive, and the music especially being surprisingly good. To be honest, the art isn't spectacular by any means, but given that this show at its core isn't really about the action (or anything else that would be worth taking considerable time and money to animate) the animation does its job well, maintaining a consistent level of quality.

Produced by Studio Gainax, (makers of popular shows such as Neon Genesis Evangelion, FLCL, Gurren Lagann, etc.) C³ seems pretty simple at the outset, featuring an all-girls school that our protagonist, Yura Yamato, is just beginning to attend. Yura has had trouble making friends and standing out in the past, and she is determined to change herself and become more outgoing at this new environment, to have a fresh start, if you will. But despite this resolve, she finds herself incapable of following through, failing to speak to any of the other girls that she encounters or to meet any new people.

It isn't until she is scouted by the school's airsoft team, C³ (that stands for Command-Control-Communication, if you were wondering) that she begins to find the determination to change. By participating in these airsoft games, (aptly called "survival games" by the team members) Yura is able to make new friends, discover new passions, and strengthen her resolve to better herself as an individual.

It is through this airsoft team, and the opponents that they face, that we meet the rest of the characters. To be honest, the majority of them are mostly there just to fill up space, but they do this job adequately, adding some comedy and lightheartedness to the series at some points, and acting as good symbols of how people perceive the actions of certain characters at other times.

But more notable than them is Sonora, Yura's upperclassman/roommate, and the leader of the airsoft team. Sonora acts as a sort of mentor to Yura, guiding her through the basics of airsoft and giving her the confidence she needs to join the team, as well as the resolve to continue playing and to make the best of the games. Also notable is Rin, a star player for the Meisei academy airsoft team, and a girl who has some strange ties with Sonora's past. These two characters both have a strong impact on Yura's development as a character, each of them providing various insights that both help or hurt her as she goes along. This technically being a sports anime, the theme of "It's not just about winning or losing" is definitely alive here, but it's addressed in different ways by different characters, and Yura most of all struggles with determining its true meaning, and finding a balance between Sonora's and Rin's methods.

It is this development with Yura's character and set of themes that differentiate C³ from other shows of "cute girls doing cute things", and even a lot of other sports anime, but on the opposite end of the spectrum, Yura's character is also what makes the show's greatest flaws apparent. Yura in the beginning of the show is, as previously mentioned, a rather lonely soul, a girl who craves friendship and affection, but is not outgoing or brave enough to actively seek it. Through C³, she is able to slowly reform herself, getting braver, more determined, and "stronger". But what happens when these changes go to far?

Two things happen: For one, the show becomes quite interesting, as we get to see a show that was formerly about a bunch of cute girls playing airsoft games for fun turn into a character study regarding how Yura's transformation obviously goes to far, and whether or not she can redeem herself. Second, the plot and characters begin to act slightly illogical in order to allow this to happen. Truly, Yura's struggle IS interesting, and it kept me engaged, but there were a few occasions where Yura obviously showed awareness that she was going to far, but did nothing to stop herself. Despite her own realizations, and the pleading of the very friends she wanted so badly, she still continues down a path that can only lead to her destruction, and the show does a poor job of giving us a solid reason as to why.

This sudden transformation in the show's focus also leaves it feeling a bit disjointed, as it practically feels like two different shows between the first and second halves. Personally, I enjoyed seeing the slow buildup towards the sudden shift in tone, but it's disappointing that it falters right at one of the most important moments for Yura's character, and it feels like had the show focused a bit more on the serious side of things, it may have been able to provide more logical reasoning for the events that take place.

And ultimately, this is C³'s problem: It is a mish-mosh of ideas thrown all together, with the focus shifting around constantly, as if in a mad dash to get to the next topic before time runs out. Important events happen, interesting themes are brought up (including a sort of fantasy-realm that ties into the real world), but they are ultimately brushed aside to get onto the next major plot point. Had C³ JUST been a slice of life comedy, it probably would have been a fairly good one. Had it JUST been a show about self-loathing and redemption, it probably would have been pretty competent. But it also would have been something that we've seen in other shows plenty of times before, and likely done better. It's C³'s willingness to play off our expectations and try to surprise us that makes it special, that makes it stand out among all the other slice of life/redemption stories out there as something unique. Even if it could have technically been better had it stayed focused on one theme or genre, it would have been nowhere near as special to me, and I for one commend it for the risks it takes, even if the result of said risks didn't always turn out spectacularly.

Suisei no Gargantia (Gargantia On The Verdurous Planet) is a 13 episode television series produced by Production IG, and notable for being primarily written by Gen Urobuchi, the mind behind such shows as Madoka Magica and Fate/Zero. Now before I start this review proper, I feel it's important to note that while Urobuchi has a track record of writing very dark shows with many characters dying and falling into despair, Gargantia is a very much different kind of show for him, for while it contains many similar themes to what he has tackled before, the show has an overall much more positive message to it. ... But more on that later, for now, let's tackle the story.

Gargantia focuses on Ledo, a soldier in the Human Galactic Alliance, a coming together of the remnants of humanity in space to combat strange alien like lifeforms known as the "Hideauze". This has been Ledo's life since birth, fighting for humanities survival in the cruel confines of space. But when a mission goes wrong, Ledo inadvertently lands on a distant planet, far from the rest of his kind. When he wakes up, he is shocked to find himself on an inhabitable planet, where people live on the ocean in great united sea vessels, with none of the high tech technology Ledo is used to seeing. Even more surprising is that this world is a place that he had only heard of in myths, a place thought to be lost long ago: Earth.

The stories setup is simple, with a young man winding up in a new environment he's not used to at all, and his attempts to acclimate to the situation. But despite this, the story really shines because of it's solid execution that always leaves you wanting to know more about this world where people live on the open seas. You want to see how their lives are lived, what things have changed, what things have stayed the same. You'll also want to stay for the themes explored, such as what it really means to be a human, and what it really means to be happy and free. And most of all, you'll want to stay for the characters.

Gargantia has an amazing cast. Our protagonist, Ledo, is a typical hardcore soldier, who lives his life with a sort of "My purpose is to kill enemies with no mercy, and nothing else" sort of attitude about him. And this makes a lot of sense, considering that all he's known was fighting all his life. But on this new world, Ledo will be forced to change his ways and adapt to the much more peaceful, co-existent humans who live there. Over the course of the story, Ledo will constantly have to question his motives, wondering if he should stay true to what he was taught and be a soldier and nothing else, or if he should let his interactions with the humans of Earth change him and make him see that their's more to life.

Rounding out the cast, we have Chamber, a flying mech that also serves as a Pilot Interface System that Ledo uses throughout the show. Chamber is a typical AI most of the time, providing factual information and suggestions, while also inadvertently being hilarious. But Chamber is not just a lifeless shell, as he proves as the series goes on by slowly showing more and more advanced thoughts. In addition to Chamber, we have Amy, the first Earth human that Ledo interacts with, and the one who really shows him the ropes of living on their ship, The Gargantia. Then there's Pinion, the excavator who has an obsession with unearthing the treasures of the past, and is determined to have Ledo help him. Finally, there's Ridget, who struggles with trying to take command of the fleet and will need all the help she can get to keep the crew of The Gargantia together. There are many more characters in addition to these, and all of them have their own distinct personalities and quirks.

In a show with only thirteen episodes, it would be understandable if only a few characters got the spotlight while the others were put on the backburner a bit. But that is not the case here. While it is true that more focus goes onto some characters than others, each one has their chance to shine, and they all have grown in some way by the end. Sadly, the story does take a bit of a hit due to the lack of episodes however, with the ending feeling a bit rushed. Gargantia definitely could have been a 24 episode show, as there was much more that could have been done with the world and characters in that time. But considering they were only working with 13 episodes, the creators did a fantastic job of fitting everything in, even if it did feel a bit rushed at the end.

From a production values standpoint, Gargantia is very good. The music is fairly standard fare, fitting the mood but never really standing out. The opening and ending are quite good however, with the next episode preview situated nicely in the actual ending itself.

In regards to the animation, there isn't much to complain about. All in all, there isn't a whole lot of action in Gargantia, but even so the animation remains crisp and fluid throughout, using a lot of bright colors and backgrounds that really show off the fleet of The Gargantia nicely. Character designs are all well done, and when the show does hamper down and there IS action, the fine folks at Production IG remind us just how amazing they can be, and provide us with some even better visuals. All in all, the animation of Gargantia in excellent.

So at the end of the day, Gargantia is a great watch, packed with colorful animation, a well written story, and interesting characters. It may have been a bit better with a longer run time, but I came out of Gargantia very satisfied regardless, and I would recommend this anime to just about anyone.

If you've ever seen a superhero movie or something of the like before, then the premise of Heroman should be fairly familiar to you. A normal, unassuming boy suddenly get's granted some sort of superpower, and must use it to to defeat some sort of new evil that has presented itself to destroy the world. This should come as no surprise though, as Heroman is a 2010 anime produced by Studio BONES, with input from Stan Lee himself, creator of such big names as Spiderman and The Fantastic Four. But in this case, instead of the boy getting powers directly, he winds up getting a ... toy robot of his shocked by a bolt of lightning one night, causing it to grow to twice his size, and leaving him to command it. Shortly afterwards, an alien invasion begins, and it's up to Joey and the newly dubbed "Heroman" to save the world from this threat.

The premise is very basic, and you can see that Heroman does indeed draw a lot of inspiration from superhero works of the past. In one sense, this is kind of cool. It's rare to see an anime that actually takes place in America, and it is actually entertaining to see a simple story of a boy fighting against an evil threat, without any major complications. But ultimately, this simplicity is also one of the show's greatest downfalls, because at the end of the day, Heroman simply plays it too safe.

The story to defeat the evil aliens (bug-like creatures known as "Skrugg") is enjoyable, but has no real depth to it. Simply put, it's basically just Joey and his friends walking forward to the Skrugg headquarters, fighting any that they meet along the way. Eventually, this part of the story is actually resolved, and it's here that the show starts to get a little more interesting, even if it still is unoriginal and has been done many times before. And while there are some interesting themes brought up at points, most notably the question of what exactly it truly means to be a hero, these themes are usually forgotten shortly after being brought up, despite the fact that a closer examination of this sort of thing could have really brought up the level of the narrative.

This simplicity also seeps into the characters. Joey is your generic goody two shoes, who always wants to help people and is willing to put himself into harms way to do so. It's fine for him to start out like this, but he never really develops throughout the story, and is basically the same at the end as he was at the beginning. This is also true for most of the other characters. You have Psy, Joey's best friend who is much more brash and willing to get things done (who also uses crutches throughout the whole show, which is actually kind of cool), there is Professor Denton, a goofy school teacher who inadvertently starts the invasion by making contact with the aliens, and Lina, the obvious main love interest who Joey doesn't seem to ever give enough attention.

There are more characters as the show goes on, from the military agent Hughes, to even Joey's older sister, but they all share one common flaw, and that is a lack of development in any sort of way. Most of these characters are admittedly amusing and a lot of fun to have on the screen, but they don't seem to serve a whole lot of purpose at the end of the day, and could really be replaced by anyone else. The romance that is foreshadowed between Joey and Lina never actually hits it's stride, and Joey's sister is annoying and antagonistic basically the whole way through. Had we gone a little further into what makes these characters tick, they could have been quite good, but sadly, we are left with just some cliche character's that fall nicely into certain tropes and do their job well, but ultimately never go beyond that.

So you may wonder, if Heroman is mostly just a glorified superhero movie in anime form, why should you bother with it? Two words: Production values. Heroman was created by Studio BONES, who are well known for their work on other notable projects such as Fullmetal Alchemist and Eureka Seven. They are also known for their high production standards when it comes to animation, and Heroman is no exception. The whole show looks great, going above and beyond what you would expect from a work of it's nature. The character designs are all unique, the action is a thrill to watch, and it overall looks incredible, particularly in the final few episodes, where the animation reaches a jaw dropping level.

The music is also a high point of the show, using a high number of techno like tracks to really set the mood for a lot of scenes, sometimes enhancing them greatly. In addition, the Opening and Ending themes are all great, with the first ending being particularly interesting, as the whole thing is done in a comic book panel style, an obvious homage to the show's roots.

So all in all, Heroman is actually a little disappointing. Not because it's a bad show per-se, but because it could have been so much more. It looks and sounds great, and is certainly an entertaining watch, but it suffers from an overall lack of ambition, and settles in too nicely with doing what it's comfortable with, not willing to take a few more steps forward and provide something deeper and overall more satisfying. That said, Heroman is quite well at doing what it does, and if nothing else, is a fun ride from beginning to end.

Based on the 1845 novel by Alexandre Dumas, Gankutsuou: The Count of Monte Cristo is a story filled to the brim with style, atmosphere, suspense, drama, and even some action here and there. With a cast of well fleshed out and highly likeable characters, and a unique art style that rivals even newer shows, Gankutsuou becomes a must see show for any fan of anime, any fan of the book, or any fan of a well written story in general.

The story of Gankutsuou is about a boy named Albert de Morcerf, who one day on a carnival on the moon meets with the charismatic "Count ... of Monte Cristo". Albert is captivated by this man, and begins introducing him to important figures in Parisian society, unaware of the Count's true motivations for not only him, but everyone around him.

One thing I should note is that while the story in Gankutsuou does largely follow the plot of the book, it takes many deviations, particularly towards the end. While this may detract fans of the original novel, the anime is still and excellent adaptation, perfectly betraying all of the themes that the book had, while also surprising people who know the original story. Whereas the book takes place in the 1800's, the anime jumps ahead to the future, with technology being a central part of the world. This allows for an atmosphere and color pallet much different than you would expect, but also provides for a great backdrop to the story that never seems to get in the way.

The art too is something a bit unexpected about this show. All of the characters are animated in such a way that it makes it seem as if there clothes and hair are moving and changing as the characters move. This may feel bothersome at first because of how differently it's animated as opposed to other shows, but after getting used to it, the animation becomes one of the best things about the show, giving it a style that is unique and interesting, not to mention high quality. Couple this with a soundtrack that perfectly sets the mood for every scene, and you've got enough atmosphere and eye candy to make it a standout show alone. But Gankutsuou doesn't stop there.

When it comes to plot, Gankutsuou is incredibly complex and deep, making every single second count and tying together a myriad of plot points. At first it may seem slow, but after about halfway through, a plot twist occurs, making every single event from the previous episodes suddenly relevant again, and making you realize just how important everything was. Giving a detailed description of what actually happens in the show would take ages, as there is just so much to The Count's plans that you really won't understand unless you see it for yourself. The one part where the plot stumbles is right near the end. Everything is building up to a great climax, but in the end there really isn't one. Some out of character events start to happen, making the ending feel very anticlimactic and unfulfilled.

Another very strong part of the series are the characters. From Albert, the naive boy who is to willing to trust the Count and believe in everything he says. To Eugenie, Albert's arranged wife who starts out against the marriage but slowly begins to warm up to him. Not to mention Franz and Valentine, another arranged couple who do not want to be together, and Maximilian who is actually in love with Valentine. The parents of all these characters are also incredibly crucial to the plot, in a lot of ways even more so. Albert's father starts out seeming like a very nice guy, but has many secrets from his past. Eugenie's father comes off as a lazy, greedy man from the beginning, and this is only proved further as time goes on. And lastly Valentine's father, who is a cold man who also has an incredible secret to keep.

Last but not least is The Count himself. The Count is a very complex character, coming off as incredibly trust-able and like-able, but clearly having his own motives. Upon being introduced he manages to get on everyone's good side, putting his incredibly laid out plan into motion. He's charismatic, charming, a genius, rich, and elegant, making him a character that the cast, as well as yourself, has a hard time finding faults with. A large part of the mystery of the show is finding out more about The Count, as we start out initially unaware of who he is or what exactly he wants. As the answers start pouring in, The Count shifts from being someone you admire and stand in awe of, and more someone you feel sympathy for, but never really pity. The only problem with him is again near the end. I won't say exactly what happens at the end to avoid spoilers, but suffice to say he steps out of character at the most crucial moment, making the ending less satisfying than it should have been.

All in all, Gankutsuou: The Count of Monte Cristo is an amazing anime that border on near perfection. If it weren't for some hiccups in the story and characters right at the end, than this would be a ten, but these things leave a bad taste in your mouth right at the conclusion, keeping it from perfection, but it still establishes itself as a deep and complex show that has a unique art style and well developed characters, making it a must-see series.

Diaries that can predict the future in vastly different ways, a winner takes all survival game, 12 psychopaths competing for the role of god, and a stalker girl that refuses to leave the main character alone. These are the main themes of Mirai Nikki, and these are also both the show's greatest strengths, and it's greatest weaknesses.

Yukiteru Amano is a quiet, 14 year old middle school student who borders on being anti-social. One day, he finds out that the journal he keeps on his cell phone is already filled in for the day, predicting the events that happen around him. He also comes to ... find out though that Deus, the being he thought was his imaginery friend, is actually god, and that he has been thrown into a last man standing survival game in which the winner claims the title of the new god. Couple that with the fact that a crazy, murderous stalker who also happens to be a player has fallen in love with him, and you have a general idea of the premise of Mirai Nikki.


Story
The storyline in Mirai Nikki is one of the best aspects of the show. If you couldn't tell from the description above, Mirai Nikki has a setup that just pulls you in, offering a great premise to get you excited about the events to come. That said, it needs to be understood that this survival game isn't one along the lines of say "Eden of the East", where the game is more of a backdrop for a though provoking story. Mirai Nikki's survival game is kill or be killed, no exceptions. The show prefers to just let cool things happen even if they aren't properly explained, which is a blessing and a curse.

On the one hand, it makes for some truly enjoyable moments, but it does often leave you with the impression that the show just doesn't care if the events make sense, leaving you with the impression it was just rushed or downright ignored. But again, if your willing to just raise your suspension of disbelief and turn your brain off while your watching it, there is a lot of action and cool moments to justfiy watching.

As far as pacing goes, it moves at a very nice rate, keeping things interesting and ensuring that it never takes to long on one certain thing, keeping you entertained in the process. The ending is also surprisingly interesting, being a bit complex and a bit difficult to wrap your head around at first, but it is quite clever once you figure it out and makes the last 3-4 episodes some of the most enjoyable in the series. That said, you should probably check the last chapter of the manga after finishing the show, as their are about 10 pages or so that were unanimated, and it's definitely worth seeing them as they clear up a few questions.

Ultimatley, the story is very enjoyable with a few twists and turns throughout it to keep you engaged. I doens't always take the time it should to explain things to the viewer but with the fast pace and cool moments you'll hardly have time to notice. Ultimately though, the story is brought down the most by it's characters.


Characters
I'll put it bluntly, the characters are probably the worst thing about Mirai Nikki. For a show revolving around 12 people vying for the role of god, the characters must be interesting and engaging in order for the seutp to work. Thankfully, not all the characters are bad. As most of the characters have some form of psychological problem, some of them truly are interesting. Such as a blind man who dresses up like a power ranger acting as an agent of justice, a little boy whose parents fight, and a terrorist who might not be as bad as she first seems to be. The sad thing is, not all the characters are that good, and most of the tones that are good are quickly killed off and never brought up again.

It's not that all the other characters are bad per se, it's just that despite the show trying to gibe them interesting backstories and trying to make you care, most just come off as boring and you never really care about them. For a show all about a game in which only one will survive, having likeable, interesting characters is a necessity, but Mirai Nikki fails to deliver on this in all but a few cases.

Also important in defining the characters are each of their future diaries. Each player in the survival game had a diary they keep, and each one fills them in on future events in various different ways. Some are simple, such as telling the user what events happen around him, or another that details what will happen to someone the user is close too. Some of these future diaries get a bit bizarre though, and there's one later in the show that allows other future diaries to be made from it. It's an interesting concept, but it's never explained exactly how this can work, and the show just doesn't seem to care that it makes no sense.

Despite a few leaps in logic such as that though, the future diaries are a key part of Mirai Nikki, and it's always interesting to find out what diary a certain person has, and how it can be used to help them kill the other players.

The worst offender as far as characters go is sadly the main man himself, Yukiteru. He whines, complains, and cries all to often, making him just a constant annoyance to the viewer. It's understandable for him to be afraid at first, after all, he's just been thrown into this crazy survival game and now has a crazy murderous woman following him around, but the problem is that he never grows throughout the show. He does have some moments of courageousness, but he never grows from them, despite the fact that after every one it seems like a great chance to develop his character.

There to pick up the slack though is Yuno, that crazy, murderous stalker I mentioned earlier. Yuno is probably the best character in the show, seeming sweet and innocent, and just when you think she's not so bad, something is revealed about her which takes you back to her true nature of being a crazy, murderous, psycho, and she is one of the few characters to have truly good development. Over the course of the show you will learn more and more about her, making you wonder what her true motives really are.


Art
There really isn't much to say about the art and animation in this show. It's certainly not bad or anything, but it's nothing to write home about either. The colors look nice and the character designs are alright, nothing spectacular though. You can tell some shortcuts were taken at certain points, but the animation does get a noticeable bump near the end of the series as most shows do, so it's not so bad. All in all the art in Mirai Nikki is alright, it gets the job done but doens't break any good ground. There is some nicely animated action sequences, so I'll give it that.

Sound
As with the animation, the sound is so-so. All the background music sets the mood well, and there are a few stand out tracks, but it's not the best soundtrack I've heard. The openings and endings though I though were quite nice, most of them giving some sort of look at the 12 players in the survival game, and they set the mood of the show well.


Enjoyment
In terms of pure enjoyment, Mirai Nikki may be one of the most purely enjoyable anime I've seen. It's not deep or thought provoking, but it is a lot of fun to watch and downright entertaining. There are just so many memorable moments in this show that are either really cool, "epic", or even a few touching ones. Even if you don't like a lot of things about the show, you'll be hard pressed not to find a multiple moments in the show that bring a smile to your face, as there are quite an abundance of them, particuarly when the show really gets going in it's second half.


Overall
All in all, how much you like Mirai Nikki will be determined by how willing you are to overlook a few cases of things going unexplained and a few plot holes for the sake of high adrenaline, "awesome" moments. If your like me than you'll be able to look past some of those flaws and just enjoy it for what it is, which is basically just a fast paced battle royal featuring a cast of psychopaths using diaries that can predict the future to kill each other.A few of these characters being very well done, where as some fall very short.

Either way, as long as you are willing to look past these faults, Mirai Nikki is a very enjoyable expirence with a story that is surprsisngly good and only bogged down by a lack of great characters. I would reccomend this show to anyone who likes a show that doesn't force them to think to hard, and just gives them something enjoyable, adrenaline packed, and with a few twists and turns throughout.

If the characters had been better than I would have probably given this show a 9, but as they are one of the most important parts of the show and they just aren't as good as they need to be, I had to drop my overall score to an 8.

When it comes to anime, I always try to judge shows by asking myself one question: How entertaining was it? Highly developed characters and great animation are certainly nice, but they don't matter it the show isn't enjoyable.

Luckily, "Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann" is the kind of show that DOES have great characters, animation, and much more, while still being an exciting and entertaining watch all the way through. Here is my review.

Story:
I'll keep plot description short here, but basically the story revolves around a wimpy and timid 14 year old boy named Simon, and his "soul brother", the loud and over the top ... Kamina living in an underground shelter, the same kind of shelter humanity has lived in for years. One day they get the chance to go the surface, where they form a resistance to defeat the oppressive gunman forces trying to keep humanity suppressed.

Along the way many new characters are introduced, and they all grow in some way throughout the show. The story in this series is fast moving, hardly ever giving you time to catch your breath before it keeps moving. In short, it's a vicious romp, through endlessly creative battles, with an incredible feel of just plain "awesome" coursing through it the whole time, while also occasionally stopping to show you a sadder, more serious side of things, all with a coming of age undertone to it.

The story is one the best parts of Gurren Lagann, always offering new situations and playing on all of your emotions at just the right time. Just when it feels like the endless battles may get repetitive, it hits you with something tear jerking, but never without having something awesome waiting for you at the end of the tunnel.

There are only two parts when the story slows down, and even these have their silver linings. The story does slow down at one point, offering less over the top fun that was given prior, but the story itself does get a bit more interesting. Also, at the end of the show there are some things that are completely inaccurate "laws of science" wise, but many great moments would not be possible without these things.

And unlike some shows, you don't have to worry about a confusing or unsatisfying ending for this one. Everything comes together in the end while also providing a shocking twist, providing for a fulfilling, bittersweet ending that will be sure to stick with you.

Art:
To put it simply, the animation in Gurren Lagann is fantastic. Quality control is never an issue as Gainax is infamous for, and every character, robot, and location looks crisp and unique. The style of animation isn't anything groundbreaking like, say "Gankutsuou" (another show worth watching), but it is pleasing to the eyes.

There is one episode, where the animation falters though, episode 5. This was done intentionally by Gainax to parody older shows where animation quality would randomly fluctuate between episodes. It was admittedly an interesting idea, although it just didn't turn out well in the end.

Sound:
From music to other sound effects, Gurren Lagann hits home. From the beautifully made opening theme, to the epic, blood pumping battle soundtracks, all the music hits home for the given moment, even including some quieter, more subdued tracks, and another, vocalized song that plays during some of the more important moments.

Sound effects work just as well as the music, and while there aren't any particularly memorable sound effects, they all work just fine, and the amazing music more than makes up for the lack of anything special here.

I can't speak for the Japanese seiyuu, but I can assure the the English dub works very well for the series, and all of the voices fit the characters perfectly, especially the main character, Simon.

Characters:
Ah, the characters. There are many, many things I could say about the characters in Gurren Lagann, but I'll keep things simple. There are 4 "main" characters in this show, and each one of them is unique and enjoyable to watch. They all change and grow over the course of the show, and by the end you really will have made an attachment to them.

Other than them there are roughly 10-12 other side characters in the show, some of them more important than others. The great thing though is that even if the character doesn't seem important at first, by the end of the series, every character will have gotten the spotlight at least once, and you will go out of the show remembering most of them.

Enjoyment:
As I said at the beginning of this review, a show is all about how enjoyable it it, and quite frankly Gurren Lagann is the most purely entertaining anime I have ever seen. It's not always though provoking or deep and complex, but it has great, over the top and epic mecha action, interesting and well developed characters, high quality animation, and an epic soundtrack to go along with it.

It would be easy to make a list of top five moments in an anime, but for Gurren Lagann I could make a top five list for every episode, and I would probably still have trouble deciding what would make the cut. I think that's just a testament to how great this show is. The story does slightly falter at some points, and there is one instance where the art is lacking, but those parts wouldn't even be noticeable if everything wasn't near perfect at every other moment, which is why I'm still going to give this show an overall rating of 10 out of 10.

Overall: 10/10, Perfect