Cihan's Blog

Rating system: I think I've pretty much decided that 5 to 10 on a 10 scale system is the same as 1 to 5 on a 5 scale rating system, and I'm a hardcore 5'er. I'll still dish out 4's and 3's for the really awful anime out there. Because they deserve it.

10: A classic that defines/transcends the genre/medium of anime. Not perfect, but essential viewing.

There is no such thing as 'perfect', the 10 score rating does not reflect that, it means it's essential viewing. You want fans and non-fans of anime to watch these so they can experience what makes the medium deserving of attention, and sometimes justify its existence in the first place. These anime achieve what they set out to do. They're very unique and stand apart from other anime. The writing and directing is brilliant. They represent perfectly the genre they belong to and even surpass the limitations of anime, by simply being a classic moving picture that makes full use of the potential of animation. They dont have to be pioneering epic philosophical works of art, they just have to make you wet your pants utterly.

9: Doesn't meet the harsh criteria above, but engrossing and a must watch.

These anime must be watched because they're simply fantastic and only miss out on a 10 because they're not pioneering, or they miss the mark a few times; they're let down by not having that extra spark of genius. Viewers dont have to watch these, but they should, they damn well should! 10 score and 9 scored anime are the only anime I would buy if I could afford them and had the space. They only make you leak a bit, you can dry yourself off with tissue easily, but you'll probably still smell of pee.

8: I'm being entertained and can’t complain. Much.

You can watch these, but if you dont then you wont miss out on anything amazing. These anime are just standard entertainment, it does the job of entertaining but is lacking in quite a few areas. Just a bit more care and attention to the script or directing could have nudged this into a 9. I enjoyed watching 8 scored anime, but I probably wont watch any of them again unless they happened to be playing on TV or whatever. There's a hint of leakage on the horizon.

7: I'm on the verge of being entertained. I can complain about more stuff now.

These anime are quite frustrating because they only entertain me intermittently, there's a whole lot to complain about here. I'm bored quite a lot of the time, forcing myself to get through this. Just a bit more effort and passion to the whole production and we would have had something worth watching here. I thought I sensed the urge to leak but it was a false alarm.

6: Well, it tried I suppose. It tried and failed.

Even more frustrating are anime that look like they're trying something but ruin it with a whole lot of cliches and shit. The premise is interesting, but the execution is a mess.

5: Mediocre. Lowest common denominator stuff.

Designed for a specific viewership, very generic and predictable. Like the McDonalds of anime.

4: Can't even achieve mediocrity. Why did you bother? Really?

You've got the potential for something here, either you've got an interesting premise or good production values, or great source material, but you mess it all up. You mess it up spectacularly! Why on Earth did you bother in the first place!?

3: Just bad.

BAD. Just shit in every way possible. I'm not leaking, I'm shitting. All over this piece of crap.

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I have yet to score anything a 2 or 1, and it doesnt look like I will. I'm a 5 star rater at heart, so its hard enough to rate stuff out of 10. MAL defines a '2' and '1' as 'horrible' and 'unwatchable', but honestly the definition for '3' sums these up anyway. Infact the whole 10 rating system is lame, just give me out of 5 already Godamnit. Anyway.

2: Worse than bad: boring.
1: Dog poo. Don’t watch.

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Review system:

My reviews generally do not explain what happens in the anime/manga; that is for the viewer to discover themselves. Instead I'd rather just critique the production and intent, so the reader gets an idea of the quality of the work, not the intricacies of the content.

I review anime the same way I would review live action films. I mention this to justify the ever growing amount of anime I've rated 10 in my anime list. Just as there are thousands upon thousands of films that are worthy of a 10 rating, so should anime, that other visual medium, be treated the same.

There is 50% chance of spoilers and foul language in this blog, so read with caution I guess?

MAL Stuff:

# [Anthology anime] really only need one MAL page.

# [Re-released anime] shouldnt have any MAL pages.

# [Gundam Watch]: 7 out of 23-ish Gundam watched.

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Anime Recommendation of the Month:

Bartender
A short foray into the world of smokey bars and alcoholics minus the brawling and vomiting into gutters. Bartender is a short series with episodic tales revolving around how alcohol has more than one purpose. Its about the profession of bartending, and the anime has a unique stance on the whole occupation of serving people drinks. The idea of the main character is fascinating, though he is not fully fleshed out, but his role is in the realm of mythical hero so you're allowed to cut some slack. He makes the best drinks in the world, what more do you want? The music is fantastic, animation fine, story interesting. Its not going to blow you away, but it might lodge itself in your mind after a while, like a good bourbon drink sliding down your throat and only making a lasting impression after your chest has had time to think about it. "I'm on fire you bastard, I'm on fire!" it might say, but whatever.

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Recently Watched

Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann Parallel Works
It's amazing how much of a let down this was. The short for `Libera Me`was like a kick in the nuts.

Title says it all. Keep checking back to see this list do its ever-growing thing. It’s sorted alphabetically by anime, song title, and composer. I might occasionally add notes explaining my thoughts on various songs, but for now it’s just a straight up list of great music that blows me away and is listened to regularly. I've included non-score anime music too, just for the hell of it.

Recently added:

Cant believe I hadnt added some Bartender tunes already.

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Ayakashi Japanese Classic Horror - Heat Island - Rhymester
Baccano! - Gun's & Roses - Paradise Lunch
Bartender - Grasshopper - Kaoruko Ohtake
Bartender - Sidecar - Kaoruko Ohtake
Bartender - Red Eye - Kaoruko Ohtake
Bartender - Million Dollar - Kaoruko Ohtake
Bartender - Hemmingway's Daiquiri - Kaoruko Ohtake
Blood+ - Kataritsugu Koto - Chitose Hajime
Bokurano - Uninstall - Ishikawa Chiaki
Boogiepop Phantom - Angel In The Dark - M.Y.K.N.
Boogiepop Phantom - Pone - Rei Harakami
Code Geass - Devil Created - Kotaro Nakagawa
Code Geass - Previous Notice - Kotaro Nakagawa
Code Geass - Black Knights - Kotaro Nakagawa
Cowboy Bebop - Tank - Yoko Kanno
Cowboy Bebop - The Real Folk Blues - Yoko Kanno
Cowboy Bebop: Knockin' On Heaven's Door - Ask DNA - Yoko Kanno
Cowboy Bebop: Knockin' On Heaven's Door - Fingers - Yoko Kanno
Cowboy Bebop: Knockin' On Heaven's Door - Dijurido - Yoko Kanno
Cowboy Bebop: Knockin' On Heaven's Door - Is It Real? - Yoko Kanno
Cowboy Bebop: Knockin' On Heaven's Door - Gotta Knock A Little Harder - Yoko Kanno
Darker Than Black - Kuro - Yoko Kanno
El Cazador De La Bruja - L.A. - Yuki Kajiura
Ergo Proxy - New Pulse - Ike Yoshihiro
Eureka Seven - Himitsu Kichi - Kozue Takada
Full Metal Alchemist - Parting - Michiru Oshima
Full Metal Alchemist - Brothers - Michiru Oshima
Full Metal Alchemist - Mukyou - Michiru Oshima
Full Metal Alchemist - Kaichou - Michiru Oshima
Full Metal Alchemist - Tsuisou - Michiru Oshima
Gantz - Last Kiss - Bonnie Pink
Ghost In The Shell - Ghost City - Kenji Kawai
Ghost In The Shell - Nightstalker - Kenji Kawai
Ghost In The Shell: Innocence - Etorofu - Kenji Kawai
Ghost In The Shell: Solid State Society - Replica - Yoko Kanno
Ghost In The Shell: Solid State Society - From The Roof Top - Yoko Kanno
Ghost In The Shell: Solid State Society - Zero Signal - Yoko Kanno
Ghost In The Shell: Stand Alone Complex - Inner Universe - Yoko Kanno
Ghost In The Shell: Stand Alone Complex - Monochrome - Yoko Kanno
Ghost In The Shell: Stand Alone Complex - Surf - Yoko Kanno
Ghost In The Shell: Stand Alone Complex - Fish Silent Cruise - Yoko Kanno
Ghost In The Shell: Stand Alone Complex - I Can't Be Cool - Yoko Kanno
Ghost In The Shell: Stand Alone Complex - Christmas In The Silent Forest - Yoko Kanno
Ghost In The Shell: Stand Alone Complex - Rise - Yoko Kanno
Ghost In The Shell: Stand Alone Complex - Torukia - Yoko Kanno
Ghost In The Shell: Stand Alone Complex - Smile - Yoko Kanno
Ghost In The Shell: Stand Alone Complex - Hantou no Higashi - Yoko Kanno
Ghost In The Shell: Stand Alone Complex - Know Your Enemy - Yoko Kanno
Ghost In The Shell: Stand Alone Complex - Flashback Memory Stick - Yoko Kanno
Ghost In The Shell: Stand Alone Complex - Dew - Yoko Kanno
Ghost In The Shell: Stand Alone Complex - Good By My Master - Yoko Kanno
Ghost In The Shell: Stand Alone Complex - Cybermind - Yoko Kanno
Gunslinger Girl - Chiesa - Toshihiko Sahashi
Haibane Renmei - Free Bird - Ko Otani
Haibane Renmei - Akumu Betsuri Soushitsu - Ko Otani
Haibane Renmei - Breath Of A Germ - Ko Otani
Haibane Renmei - Ethereal Remains - Ko Otani
Honey & Clover - Hajimari no Yokan - Yuzo Hayashi
Honey & Clover - Yostuba no Clover - Yuzo Hayashi
Honey & Clover - Yawarakana Jikan - Yuzo Hayashi
Jin-Roh - A Monologue - Hajime Mizoguchi
Jin-Roh - Jinroh Main Theme - Hajime Mizoguchi
Jin-Roh - Fragrance Rain - Hajime Mizoguchi
Jin-Roh - Latest Flame - Hajime Mizoguchi
Jin-Roh - Curse - Hajime Mizoguchi
Jin-Roh - Pride - Hajime Mizoguchi
Jin-Roh - Unit One - Hajime Mizoguchi
Jin-Roh - Seal - Hajime Mizoguchi
Jin-Roh - The Top - Hajime Mizoguchi
Jin-Roh - Grace Jinroh Main Theme Omega - Hajime Mizoguchi
Juuni Kokuki - Junigenmukyoku - Kunihiko Ryo
Juuni Kokuki - Fuushun - Kunihiko Ryo
Juuni Kokuki - Ruika - Kunihiko Ryo
Kaiba - Initialize Me - Kiyoshi Yoshida
Katekyo Hitman Reborn! - Drawing Days - Splay
Kekkaishi - Take Over Destiny - Taku Iwasaki
Kekkaishi - Get Away From Here - Shinya & Tarantula
Le Chevalier D'eon - Over Night - Aya
Mononoke - Kanashige - Yasuharu Takanashi
Naruto - Sadness & Sorrow - Toshiro Masuda
Naruto - Need To Be Strong - Toshiro Masuda
Naruto - Strong & Strike - Toshiro Masuda
Naruto - Sarutobi - Toshiro Masuda
Naruto - Haruka Kanata - Asian Kung-Fu Generation
Naruto Shippuuden - Hyakkaryouran - Yasuharu Takanashi
Naruto Shippuuden - Utsusemi - Yasuharu Takanashi
Naruto Shippuuden - Aikouhenno - Yasuharu Takanashi
Noir - Kopperia no Hitsugi - Ali Project
Noir - Canta Per Me - Yuki Kajiura
Noir - Kirei na Kanj - Arai Akino
Princess Mononoke - The Journey To The West - Joe Hisaishi
Reideen - El Tema De Reideen - Ike Yoshihiro
Reideen - El Tema De Gadion - Ike Yoshihiro
Rurouni Kenshin Tsuiokuhen - In Memories “A Boy Meets The Man” - Taku Iwasaki
Rurouni Kenshin Tsuiokuhen - Alone Again - Taku Iwasaki
Rurouni Kenshin Tsuiokuhen - Day After Day - Taku Iwasaki
Rurouni Kenshin Tsuiokuhen - The Wars of The Last Wolves - Taku Iwasaki
Rurouni Kenshin Tsuiokuhen - Shades of Revolution - Taku Iwasaki
Rurouni Kenshin Tsuiokuhen - In Memories“Ko-To-Wa-Ri” - Taku Iwasaki
Rurouni Kenshin Seisouhen - Revenge of The Ghost - Taku Iwasaki
Rurouni Kenshin Seisouhen - The Duel (In The Name Of Love) - Taku Iwasaki
Rurouni Kenshin Seisouhen - Heart of The Sunrise - Taku Iwasaki
Samurai Champloo - Battlecry - Nujabes
Samurai Champloo - The Space Between Two Worlds - Nujabes
Samurai Champloo - Aruarian Dance - Nujabes
Samurai Champloo - Mystline - Nujabes
Samurai Champloo - 1st Samurai - Nujabes
Samurai Champloo - Ole - Fat Jon
Samurai Champloo - 624 Part 2 - Fat Jon
Samurai Champloo - Genome - Fat Jon
Samurai Champloo - Funkin - Fat Jon
Samurai Champloo - Chambers - Fat Jon
Samurai Champloo - Song Of Four Seasons - Nujabes
Samurai Champloo - Just Forget - Force Of Nature
Samurai Champloo - Nightshift - Force Of Nature
Samurai Champloo - Hiji Suru Style - Force Of Nature
Samurai Champloo - Dead Season - Nujabes
Samurai Champloo - Silver Morning - Nujabes
Samurai Champloo - In Position - Fat Jon
Samurai Champloo - Night Out - Fat Jon
Samurai Champloo - Here And There - Fat Jon
Samurai Champloo - Judgement On - Force Of Nature
Samurai Champloo - Sneak Chamber - Force Of Nature
Samurai Champloo - New Dimension - Force Of Nature
Samurai Champloo - Raw Material - Tsutchie
Samurai Champloo - Breezin' - Tsutchie
Samurai Champloo - I Sighed - Tsutchie
Samurai Champloo - Sincerely - Tsutchie
Samurai Champloo - Numberine - Tsutchie
Samurai Champloo - You - Tsutchie
Sayonara Zetsubo Sensei - Main Title - Tomoki Hasegawa
Seirei no Moribito - Balsa Hashiru - Kenji Kawai
Serial Experiments Lain - Duvet - Boa
Shigofumi - Tegami - Hikaru Nanase
Spirited Away - Banme no Eki - Joe Hisaishi
Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann - Sora Iro Days - Nakagawa Shouka
Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann - Rap wa Kan no Tamashii da! Ore Tachi dai Gurren Dan no Theme - Taku Iwasaki
Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann - Mogura wa Mogura no Mama na no ka? - Taku Iwasaki
Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann - Gakotsu ni nacchimatta Kamina no Oyaji ni Yoseru Aika - Taku Iwasaki
Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann - Rap wa Kan no Tamashii da! Kamina-sama no Theme - Taku Iwasaki
Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann - Rap wa Kan no Tamashii...Datta...yo na... - Taku Iwasaki
Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann - Libera Me From Hell - Taku Iwasaki
Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann - Omae no XXX de Ten wo Tsuke! - Taku Iwasaki
TeXhnolyze - Guardian Angel - Juno Reactor
TeXhnolyze - Unmei Rareshi Junro - Urata Keishi
TeXhnolyze - Yasashikute Kienai Ashioto - Hajime Mizoguchi
TeXhnolyze - Tsuki no Uta - Gackt
Vexille - Close Your Eyes - Basement Jaxx
Vexille - Beyond The Wall - Paul Oakenfold
Wolf's Rain - Leaving On Red Hill - Yoko Kanno
Wolf's Rain - Strangers - Yoko Kanno
Wolf's Rain - Valse De La Lune - Yoko Kanno
Wolf's Rain - Sold Your Soul - Yoko Kanno
Wolf's Rain - Paradiso - Yoko Kanno
Wolf's Rain - Heaven's Not Enough - Yoko Kanno
Wolf's Rain - Shiro, Long Tails - Yoko Kanno
Wolf's Rain - Cycle - Yoko Kanno
Wolf's Rain - Face On - Yoko Kanno
Wolf's Rain - Friends - Yoko Kanno
Wolf's Rain - Sad Moon - Yoko Kanno
Wolf's Rain - Go To Rakuen - Yoko Kanno