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This one's a clever deconstruction that never really lands. The first few episodes are pretty enjoyable, and the scene where Guillotine Gorilla appears is truly horrifying and gruesome and had me eager for the next arc. But after that moment, which is in episode eight, things just get way less interesting. New characters with zero depth are introduced; the central conflict becomes increasingly ludicrous; and basically so much happens that it feels like nothing happens. If you like super sentai/Power Rangers stuff and enjoy seeing that deconstructed, this is a fine piece of fluff - if you don't expect too much of it. Otherwise it ... is a disappointment and I would not recommend.

ACCA is the thinking man's Natsume Yuujinchou. Both shows have a leisurely pace and EXTREMELY CALM main characters, along with a thoughtful tone and fairy tale-like mood. Both deal with the problem of companionship, and the complexity of identity. And neither is very flash-bang. I found ACCA to be a restful departure from the anime norm, and a great show to watch at the end of a hectic day.

I do wish that ACCA would take the themes it presents to a deeper emotional level, and that it would have a greater sense of what is at stake. None of the characters emote very much, which ... may be a Japanese thing but certainly prevented me from feeling more connection with them. That said, the character design is good (done by the same guy who did House of Five Leaves) and the animation is lovely. It's an unusually illustrative style for an anime, but is very refreshing because of that, and they pull it off well. Several scenes are very artfully put together. The music too is different from the average, very simple arrangements, for the most part led by acoustic guitar.

While ACCA presents itself as a kind of espionage thriller, it is intensely low-key, which while disappointing in some ways, is also very rewarding in others. It is an atypical show meant to be savored - the beautiful colors; the creative character designs; the playful motif of apple cake and toasting bread - and not devoured. Even if ACCA doesn't pass the three-episode test, it's a break from the routine that will cleanse your palate.

Kuromukuro, aside from being a really solid mecha showing, is fascinating for how it takes up a lot of the tropes thrown down by Neon Genesis Evangelion and Vision of Escaflowne, and totally makes them its own. In the first episodes it seems like it will be a cliché storm, but by the halfway mark it really comes into its own. This is a giant robot show for our times.

There is a lot to like in this show, starting with production values. There’s a lot of great design here, from the mechas, which come in all shapes and sizes; to the characters, who do too. ... There’s a lot of CG, but it’s pretty well integrated with the regular animation, and there are both exciting robot-to-robot throwdowns as well as a couple of swordfights.

The story was complex, with a lot of moving parts and evolving revelations, some of which are never definitively concluded. This seems to be a theme in this series: You can’t know everything for sure; you can only take the information you have and act in good faith. Pacing is sometimes a little off, but never totally debilitates the show. Salient variables in the plot include ancient legends, a disappeared dad, Kennosuke’s loyalty to a 450-years-dead princess, aliens, and loss of innocence. And despite the more fantastical elements, when it comes down to it our protagonists are just two young people trying to figure out how to survive in a turbulent world where pretty much anything can be lost.

Characterization is where Kuromukuro most reminds me of Escaflowne. We have the brash warrior boy and the timid schoolgirl as our main protagonists. But this familiar dynamic is cleverly tweaked. Kennosuke is a young samurai who falls out of suspended animation completely naked (which is the opposite of what generally happens in anime: usually it’s the girl who comes in with no clothes on) right in front of Yukina, a hapless everygirl whose mother happens to be director of the paramilitary Kurobe Lab and whose father disappeared in a plot-related event eight years prior. Kennosuke is a great fighter and a seasoned soldier, but Yukina is the one who understands how the modern world works as well as being more emotionally mature. So while he definitely gets more action sequences than she does, she is openly confrontational with him in a way that serves to dovetail their character development. They have actual conversations instead of pretty-sounding exchanges. It is clear that they have a sense of companionship before they ever have a sense of romance, which really works to the series’ benefit. (And she does toughen up, in a realistic but gratifying way.)

The supporting cast is well-realized: some are more flat as characters than others, but their thoughts and actions work to theme and in some cases become compelling in their own right. There is definitely a flavor of NGE in regards to Yukina and Kennosuke’s classmates, but it’s not a bad thing. They do here what I wish Saji Crossroad had been used for in Gundam 00: their simpler concerns act as a foil and a sounding board to the protagonists’ more violent conflict. It’s a great emotional storytelling device. (Also, I really really liked the bombastic and foul-mouthed asshole American Marine who, in combat, repeatedly threatens to “shove this .50 mm right up your ass!”)

There is some fanservice, notably when one female character gives another a massage. But there’s no male gaze and the female mecha pilots’ uniforms are respectably formfitting instead of painted on. I should note, for the ladies, that Kennosuke's physique is glorious throughout.

In conclusion, I say if you like some realistic character drama with your mecha, then this is the show for you. If Escaflowne flicked your Bic, odds are good that Kuromukuro will too. Both leads are complex and relatable, and the story has a lot of twists and turns. At the very least it’s worth the three-episode test.

P.S. PA Works had Man at Arms forge Kennosuke’s katana here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q598DP27tGA. It’s worth a watch even if you don’t pick up the show, because they use traditional Japanese swordsmithing methods to make a truly beautiful blade.

This show leads with a great premise and unique characters, but definitely wobbles in the second half. It doesn't quite fall on its face, though, and has a meaningful enough conclusion that it is worth a try.

One problem apparent here is that although they made the attempt, the action and the character drama aren't quite equally balanced. And some of that drama comes off as shallow: there's never a real moment of revelation that addresses the tangled web woven between the four main characters. A lot of the "big moments" in those story threads come when one of the people involved is out of ... the room.

That being said, the show has a lot of strong points. Animation is crisp and on-model throughout, with lots of attention paid to facial expression and use of color. The first half of the show is deliciously suspenseful, and the fight scenes are nothing to sneeze at. Big Bonus: none of these characters are a cliche. They are all well-conceived people who don't fall into easy categories (the naive newcomer, for example, is neither an idiot nor a total pushover). There is also a lot of subtle humor in this show, played out through comedic timing and the characters' own wit. That, at least, stays true until the end.

Despite some plot holes and a weaker second half, this is a good series for anyone who enjoys character interaction, psychological intrigue, and references to classic literature, as well as a fairly uplifting ending.

Toradora, like Blue Exorcist, is a masterpiece not so much total originality as of execution. The characters and tropes used in the show are nothing surprising, but they are timed and wielded with such deftness and deepness that the show becomes poignant and enjoyable beyond all expectations.

Along with very polished animation and robust voice acting, characterization is absurdly great: the main duo has real chemistry, and the supporting cast is all appealing and interesting. The humor is fabulous, a combination of gentle slapstick and clever writing. And despite all its silly genre foibles, by the finale, Toradora feels like it takes place very much ... in the real world, with all the consequences and outcomes involved in being a part of real life.

At the very least, Toradora is worth the three-episode test.

91 Days is a bit of a mixed bag. It has a classic revenge-saga setup, a rare-for-anime setting in gangland 1930s America, and some really standout moments of writing and animation. All this along with a story that sometimes drags, an impenetrable main character, and some downright boring episodes. My viewing recommendation - if you want to see this show but would prefer to avoid the weaker points - would be to watch episodes 1 and 2, then episodes 8 through 12.

I had high hopes for this series after episode 2 because it felt like the plotting was moving briskly and the writing was ... really quite good. Unfortunately the series loses steam for the next few episodes, largely because the protagonist, Angelo Lagusa/Avilio Bruno, is never explored as a character. Much is made of his implacable poker face and inborn talent for gang politics, but any moments of insight into his psyche are few and far between. The supporting characters are explored much more, and that has the unfortunate result of making them more interesting than our MC. There are two female characters with speaking lines, whose character development is very limited. This is unfortunate, because Fango's tart seemed to be set up as rather cunning and shrewd, and I'd have loved to see her with a greater role in the plot.

That being said, there are still moments here worth watching. Those first two episodes are good, and episode 8 is extremely good, largely because its focus is Corteo, one of the more accessible characters in the show. That episode had the right combination of dramatic story notes, character interactions, and skillfully utilized animation to make it the standout episode of the show, particularly its final, shocking scene. The episodes after 8 are not as good but are still very meaty, and the last three episodes finally crack open Angelo's shell, allowing the themes and message of the show to finally shine through. Violence begets violence begets violence, which is all, in the end, for nothing.

Do you feel like nobody loves you and the universe is out to ruin your life? Are you too smart for your own good? Then Code Geass is the anime for you.

Code Geass is very visually appealing, and the alternate universe setting is intriguing. Unfortunately these are squandered by melodramatic writing and obnoxious characters. The chief offender is Lelouch, the protagonist himself, who is one of those holier-than-thou genius characters with beautiful eyes and a tragic backstory. C.C., the geas-giver, is a prime example of women as plot devices; and Nunnally, Lelouch's poor little blind sister, is like a throwback to the uselessly delicate girls ... of Victorian literature. Even Kallen, supposedly a strong female character, is the frequent subject of the male gaze, and furthermore cannot help herself from falling in love with Lelouch, who is a heartless cardboard cutout whose one redeeming feature is his fashion sense.

This is a show where nothing good ever really happens. I watched half the season and felt that anything this show was trying to make me feel was not worth feeling. Lelouch is not a lead deserving of my sympathies or attention - all of his choices are milked for utmost drama possible, not substance. Code Geass is like a hamfisted JV mecha version of Death Note.