-PixieDust-'s Anime List | -PixieDust-'s Manga List

-PixieDust-'s Profile

Hello, all! I'm -PixieDust-, and welcome to my fabulously droll profile page. I suppose I'll eventually upload some images or whatnot to spice things up, but I'm afraid you'll have to bear wih the dull format for now.

As you can probably infer from my anime list, I'm mostly attracted to slice-of-life or romance series, though I'm not averse to the odd action epic or psychological thriller. Character development is a huge factor for me - I'm a sucker for quirky, memorable characters with deep, mesmerizing pasts, or something like that. Plot takes a close second, with my preferences leaning towards slow, convoluted ones (think Bee Train); I also like my romances to be slow-developing and complex, so harem series with the "Oh hey look all of these cute girls are madly in love with me for no good reason" syndrome will get hit hard in the scoring department (more on that later). I'm not too picky about animation style, though I will take note if it sticks out to me, and am generally more impressed by tightly choreographed action scenes rather than the "explosions and pretty colors" variant - though I will make an exception for Nanoha.

Oh yes, I also dabble a bit in fanfiction and enjoy writing short stories, so you can ask me about that, if you wish. I'm not very good at either, though, don't get your expectations up. And I totally abuse italics, so spare me my eccentricities.

Ah, my grading system. I should probably elucidate it a little more for everyone before hordes of angry fangirls (and boys) tear down my comment wall. No, I don't hate anime (why would I be here, then?). No, I'm not an evil, nasty witch (on good days). And no, I don't discriminate against Hirano Aya. Oh wait, that last one's false. (<-- for the less circumspect, like myself)

I just happen to have my own little scale for grading that helps me evaluate shows that I've watched, put on hold, or am currently watching. So you can better scorn me for hating your favorite show, here's the rough breakdown:

1: The very worst of the worst. I rarely ever give out 1s, so only those atrocities to humanity (or my sensibilities) that offend every fiber of my body ever sink into this veritable abyss of awful. That's right, I'm looking at you, Rosario to Vampire and Gift ~eternal rainbow~. (Ugh, don't even get me started on how Rosario got a season two...)

2-3: Cringeworthy shows that occasionally cause me physical pain by watching. 3s are basically 2s that offer a glimmer of potential, only to be mercilessly squashed by subsequent episodes. It's no surprise that most of these inhabit my Dropped collection.

4-6: The average anime series. Not interesting enough to be memorable, not dreadful enough to be memorable. I find that most of the anime I watch eventually ends up in this pile. 6s are either shows that genuinely impressed me, only to be held back by some often glaring inadecuacy (Kiddy Grade) or expertly produced shows that failed to engross me (Ouran High School Host Club). Some of the shows that I have soft spots for reside in this category (Pretear, Lamune, Majutsushi Orphen), because I can't in good conscience justify ranking them higher.

7: A very good show - solidly executed, deep, thoughtful, and entertaining. These shows usually linger with me for a bit, and generally lack any great weaknesses. 7s are the standard at which a decent show becomes possibly a great show for me. I can probably name almost all of the shows to which I've given a 7 or above.

8: The difference between a 7 and an 8 for me is very slim, and often inexplicable. It's that extra spark, that magic that tells you that this is something special, that you should savor because they don't come along very often. 8s are instant classics for me: the shows that leave you shaking in your boots, dissolved in tears, or all warm and fuzzy inside.

9: Ah, we're entering hallowed ground here. I've only ever given three 9s, and it's no great shock that those three rank at the top of my all-time favorites. 9s are shows that, after watching one episode, you immediately file through your anime database for the next, disregarding food and sleep for hours on end. And even if you do stop, or are stuck anxiously waiting the next fansub release, just about all you can think of is "What's going to happen next?" or "Don't you think character x and character y make a cute couple?" (okay, that last one's probably just me).

10: 10s are the mythical creatures of the anime universe, the unicorns and the phoenixes. If they really do exist, I've never seen one. And when I do, I suspect I'll know. And then I'll come back here to shower you all with hugs and kisses (or stab you all in the heart and laugh maniacally while drinking in your life force, depending on what type of show it is).

Obviously, rankings are subject to change based on grand epiphanies or the inexorable passage of time. That's all (for now).