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Honestly, what a disappointment. I had high hopes for Monochrome Factor when I read the synopsis, but unfortunately the experience turned out to be mediocre at best.

The story was weak and predictable. It had all of the elements it needed to succeed, but anything they could have developed and used to their benefit, they completely ignored. Above all though, what destroyed this show can be narrowed down to one horrible mistake.

The comic relief. And really, it can't even be called relief, because they never left it to begin with. Seriously, I can't be the only one who thought it was excessive, annoying, out of place ... and down right shameless. There were times when I literally screamed at my computer screen.

Oh God, stop it! It's not funny! Can you people be serious for just one episode? One, that's all I ask. No, he just got kidnapped. We're not laughing. No, somebody just betrayed you. We're not FUCKING laughing. I don't want to see Kengo whining about "Akira-kuuuuun!" or Aya smacking somebody in the head with her kendo stick. For God's sake people, you're supposed to be distraught. At least pretend you give a damn that the world as you know it is collapsing around you. I'm not asking you to be serious all the time, but occasionally would be nice.

This show can't go five minutes without cracking cheep jokes, or doing random 'funny' chibi scenes where the characters laugh and beat the shit out of each other. Seriously, what the fuck? Comedy is entertaining if used in moderation, even in a serious show with a sophisticated plot, but if you're doing it every two minutes, you're going to completely ruin any attempt you make at being serious, not that you did much of that anyway.

If you don't take your show seriously, why should I? Apparently the producers of this anime wouldn't know tone if it punched them in the face. I certainly hope the manga isn't like this too, because if so, what the hell.

Anyway, this one is a hit or miss. The theme song was catchy. I guess that's something.

First, let me start off by saying that I did not expect to enjoy this anime. I only watched this initially because a friend practically begged me too, claiming that it was much deeper and darker than it seemed.

I was immediately skeptical. "Princess Tutu?" I said. "That's seriously the title? And you want me to watch this?"

After many months of cajoling, I finally gave in and looked it up on my Netflix account, diving in before I could change my mind.

At first, I thought that my assumptions had been correct: that it was a baseless, insufferably dull show that did not even deserve to be ... watched. The first ten episodes were, for lack of a better word , excruciating. The constant 'dance-offs' and watching kids go to school really seemed rather dull, and the only character that interested me was Fakir. It all just came off as completely absurd, cheesy, and left me with my mouth hanging open most of the time. I thought that it was something only someone who was really into ballet would enjoy. I nearly gave up on it.

But I kept watching...mostly because of Fakir, I'll admit. Regardless, I'm glad I did. As I kept watching, characters I had thought possessed no semblance of depth proved me wrong episode by episode, and before I knew what was happening, I was screaming at the screen, laughing at amusing moments, crying, squealing and clapping my hands at the cute parts. I was relating to Ahiru's plight, to Rue's, the Prince's, Fakir's...every single one of their stories managed to touch my heart, when I never expected them to even come close.

Only after I finished the anime did I realize its genius. The first episodes were so dull because they were supposed to be. They were establishing the everyday lives of our characters so they could rip them apart later, and it was only so absurd because we were supposed to notice and wonder why. And they answer every one of your questions, slowly but surely as the story goes on.

I sobbed at the ending. I'm fully willing to admit that. I grew so unexpectedly attached to these characters, I was sad to see them go, and visibly emotional witnessing their stories come to an end.

In conclusion, this is by no means the deepest and darkest show I've ever seen, but neither is it shallow. Not by a long shot. Princess Tutu is worth watching. Don't let the initial cheesy, girly premise and the excessive dancing put you off. It's definitely worth it to stick around to the end.

Elfen Lied, to me, can be described in one word: disappointing.

Ever since this anime debuted, I've heard nothing but rave reviews for it: that it was dark, gritty, really delved into the darkest aspects of human emotion. I went into it with high hopes, expecting to feel something. Expecting it to tear my heart out, and to find characters that were relatable, if flawed.

Instead, they threw everything I hate about anime into a blender, tossed in a bit of dark intrigue, and mixed it all together. The result isn't nearly as pretty as they thought it would be.

The main protagonists, Kota and Yuka, ... are two of the most irritating characters I have ever had the displeasure of watching. Lucy and the other mutants are almost completely unrelatable and fall just short of achieving the dark personas they are supposed to embody. The fanservice is shameless, and feels completely out of place in an anime that is supposed to be about flaws in human nature, and the darkness of the universe.

The creators tried so hard to make this into the dark drama they wanted it to be: so hard, they missed the mark altogether. I think that's what pisses me off so much about this show. All of the elements they needed to make this great are right there, and they wasted every bit of it.

Kota and Yuka's would-be romance, tainted and incestuous. Lucy and the mutants, and their horrible plight. All of that could have been so much more! It could have been, sick, twisted, beautiful agony, but instead, they gave me this! They completely ignored all of the aspects of the story that they should have been focusing on, and gave me boring, unrelatable, whiny little fucktard characters all across the board. They gave me misplaced fanservice, awkward comic relief, and a storyline that felt so forced and full of holes, I was grimacing most of the time.

Your dark, gritty storyline isn't going to have much effect if I don't give a shit about your characters. Out of every single one I saw, I think I can name one or two that I can stand. Lucy was kind of all right sometimes, and Nana is the only character that managed to provoke any emotional reaction out of me whatsoever. Where the hell did they go wrong? Everything is there. The back stories of our main characters are tragic, horrible, and should have made me feel something for them, but instead, I just couldn't wait for this god damn show to be over.

I think the score is the only thing I can't complain about. I found the opening theme in particular, 'Lilium,' to be beautiful and haunting. In that, they got it right, at least.

In conclusion, Elfen Lied isn't for everyone. It's just one of those shows where you either loved it, or you hated it. This is merely my humble opinion. Who knows? You might enjoy it, whereas I clearly did not. You know what they say: one person's trash is another person's treasure. In this case, feel free to pick through my scrap heap, because that's pretty much where Elfen Lied is sitting.

I have mixed feelings about Crimson Snow.

Our main story centers around Yakuza gangster Kazuma, who finds himself in a jam after killing a man, under circumstances I will not mention. Injured, he collapses in the snow and is found by Yukihiro, master of his own household. The young man decides to take him in and shelter him while he recovers from his wounds, and the rest is history. Sounds pretty interesting, right? Don't be fooled. It's nothing special. Not bad, but not great either.

Now that being said, the plot, while simple and predictable, was nevertheless engaging enough to keep my interest. I was however, ... quite disappointed. Honestly, when I picked this book up at my local book store, I expected more out of it. I only purchase yaoi that seems promising, since they cost so much anyhow. As I said, it wasn't bad, but neither was it great. It stays inside of the norm, and as such, is somewhat forgettable under the circumstances. It's nice if you're just going to look it up online for a quick read, but I wouldn't recommend buying it unless you're okay with average yaoi manga, and you have an overabundance of money.

The art is so-so, the dialog seems a bit confused sometimes, and conversations (especially the heartfelt ones) don't always make a whole lot of sense. The characters, while not as stiff as they could be, are still pretty one-dimensional, and failed to deliver on the emotional aspects the author was reaching for. I didn't feel sorry for either of them, except perhaps for Kazuma, albeit for brief, one/two second periods. I didn't feel absorbed into their plight, and I didn't shed a single tear at the parts that were supposed to be tragic, despite the fact that this is supposed to be dramatic and angst-filled. That, my friends, is a problem.

What makes this manga all the more disappointing is the fact that it had the potential to be so much more than it is. Unfortunately, it feels as if it is lacking something important; that edge that would push it from decent, to masterpiece. There isn't enough depth. The characters aren't interesting enough, the story, not even close to the level of darkness it needs to be at for this plot to work properly.

There are also two side stories near the back of the book, about two other pairs of guys. Those, however, are borderline shallow, and you'd probably be better off skipping them altogether. The first one can be described in one word: creepy. About two students who secretly watch each other and follow each other around every day.

Yeah, I'm serious.

I was baffled by how utterly stupid they were. The second one is so poorly thought out and idiotic, I won't even get into the specifics. Let's just say there were many moments where I literally had to stop, shake my head, and say, "Wow, that's really stupid. What the hell kind of logic is that?"

Anyway, I've said all I needed to say. The main story I liked well enough, so I'm giving this a six. The side stories, however, were simply so appalling, they actually make the final score lower. In short, if you're not one for a whole lot of depth, and if you're not a picky, masterpiece seeker like I am, go ahead and give this a read.

I know there are plenty of reviews for this iconic title. I just feel as if I must contribute as well, because this anime is worth it. More than any other I have ever seen.

Our tale centers around two Japanese children, Seita and Setsuko, during World War II. They are just ordinary kids at the start of things. Young, happy, carefree, as much as they could be in times of hardship, anyhow. Not much different from you or me, with nothing terribly remarkable about them. They could be anyone. They could be your little brother or sister. They could be your best friends, your neighbors. ... Anyone. That, to me, really drives the point home even more.

To me, this is the mother of all war movies. This is the pinnacle of tragedy at its very darkest. I have never before seen something so emotionally devastating, and I'm not just saying that. Nothing measures up to this anymore. Nothing. Not to me. And, you know something? I don't think anything ever will.

As we watch, we see nothing but how hard they struggle to survive. Hardship, loneliness, loss, fear, pain...everything we all might feel in our darkest hours. Seita being forced to grow up so he could take care of his sister, and not quite making it due to his own pride and immaturity. Little Setsuko stumbling along after her brother, desperate to understand the things that were going on around her. Things don't get better. They get worse, and worse, and worse, until finally, they have nothing left. Not even each other.

This is not a fairy tale. This is no fluffy, feel good shojo manga, nor does it try to cover up the horrors of the world at its worst. In the end of this tale, there is no silver lining. No hope. No nothing. They're just dead, and there is nothing you can do about it. Absolutely nothing. That, more than anything else, broke my heart. I cried for longer than I can remember after it was over.

I look at Seita and Setsuko, and I see every child who has ever had to die under such horrible circumstances. This movie needed that, because you know what? That's what war is. That's what hardship is. There is no hope. There is no fairy tale ending, or last minute rescue. That's the way things are, and it hurts, but that is why I regard this movie as one of the greatest of all time, anime and beyond. It lays the naked truth out for all of us to see, and it isn't afraid to do so. This is a must see. If your eyes are not yet open to the heart breaking loss that war brings, you will be after you see Grave of the Fireflies.

Why? Why did I have to give this abomination of a series another chance? If I couldn't get all the way through the first one, what the hell made me think I could finish this one?

Never thought I'd say this, but Pico to Chico is one thousand times creepier than Boku no Pico. I was ten seconds into the opening and my mouth was already hanging open in shock. Remind me: who the hell is supposed to enjoy this shit again? I've always had a very open mind, but I'm being serious here people. Why is this in any way pleasurable to ANYONE? I don't ... understand >_

Ah, Sengoku Basara. I have mixed feelings about this one.

The storyline, while interesting enough, has a rather recycled, "more of the same" feel to it. There are historical elements involved, which is really what got me to watch it in the first place, but they don't go very in depth with it. Whether that is a good or a bad thing is for each individual to decide. I happen to think it's a little bit of both. The storyline is simple and easy to follow; almost too easy, in my opinion.

The animation and art was quite good. All of the characters are nice to look ... at, and the battle sequences are well done. Music was good too. I particularly liked the ending and opening themes.

Have you ever played Dynasty Warriors? If so, you know exactly what Sengoku Basara is going to boil down to. I like to jokingly call it Dynasty Warriors, the anime. In the end, all this show is about, is a bunch of guys running around beating the shit out of each other. There might be a cut-scene or two, or a few minutes of character interaction here and there, but then we go back to endless battle after battle and forget there was ever supposed to be a story in the first place.

That being said, if that is your thing, then by all means, dive into Sengoku Basara. It certainly wasn't great, but it was a decent time killer. I did enjoy it, despite its short comings. I give it 7/10.

Gundam Seed. It takes the old, tried and true war premise and turns it into something that touched my heart more than I had ever thought possible. I had already watched some of the classics before this one aired originally, such as Mobile Fighter G Gundam and some of the original Mobile Suit Gundam, and I am currently watching Gundam Wing, but this one continues to stand out to me in a way I am quite impressed by under the circumstances.

Two waring factions: space, and the Earth. Nothing new there. More masked villain/anti-heroes, friend against friends, and other generally over-used plot themes. I am not ... denying that the Gundam series pretty much re-uses the same concepts over and over again, but what really makes this one work to me as opposed to the others, is the emotion behind the characters, as well as the plot and every aspect of the series.

Let me use Gundam Wing as an example. It has a lot of potential in terms of plot and characters, but unfortunately, it falls flat because there was no semblance of emotion or feeling in series. Everything was so lackluster and cardboard in consistency, even the relationships that they had with each other. It gets so bad, I don't even care what happens to them because none of the characters have built real bonds with ANYONE. They could all die and as horrible as it sounds, I wouldn't even bat an eyelash in response because the creators didn't bother to build on the Gundam pilots, or anyone in the show for that matter. I'm halfway through the series and I know nothing about them.

As opposed to that, each and every person you meet in Gundam Seed is real, complex, and you can relate to all of them in some way or another. It doesn't take long, either. After the very first episode, I was already hooked. They have their own fears, problems to work through, dreams to fulfill...by the time you come to the end, you feel like you truly know these people, and that, to me, is the most important thing of all.

The conflict between Athrun and Kira, as well as the plight of the Archangel and the plot twists as you carry on in the show, do their job in attaching you to the characters and building a simple, yet enjoyable plot, and they do it well. Like the other Gundam shows, it brings the nature of humanity itself into question, and makes you think about the world as we know it. What must we fight for? What is truly important? A little cliché perhaps, but it is what it is. Gundam Seed takes these over-used concepts and makes them fresh, innovative...mixes everything they weren't quite able to execute properly before, and makes it work better than any other mecha series of its time. Certainly since the original Mobile Suit Gundam, at least.

The music is fantastic. Every song fits the situations they are put into perfectly, and I can't speak for everyone, but I never get tired of the theme songs either. They are just that catchy, and they get you pumped up for more. The art is equally as pleasing. I've never seen anything like it, and I think it's beautiful.

I would recommend this to everyone. Older Gundam fans, I have found, take a lot of issue with it, and I can understand why. But to me, Gundam Seed may be a mash up of everything used in the previous Gundam shows, but it still stands out despite all of that, and to me, that makes it a masterpiece in its own right.

I can sum this OVA up in one word: annoying.

After watching a couple of minutes, my first thought was, "What is this, a Lifetime movie?"

Well, you know what they say about first impressions. Mine was pretty much right.

Our story begins with two best friends: high school students. It's not hard to guess what happens from there, though throwing a poor girl without a chance in hell into the mix was a rather sad touch (on her end, anyway. I felt sorry for her).

The music grated on me from the very second the picture popped onto the screen. It made me feel like I was seeing ... something a bunch of middle aged women would watch on movie night or some crap. Although, the story had just as much of a chick flick feel to it, so it fit even more.

That being said, I hate movies like that, so naturally I was annoyed almost the entire time by how cliche and sickeningly girly every scenario was. I found myself wondering if it was over yet every few minutes, that's how much I wanted it to be.

The characters actually aren't half bad in terms of characterization, and the art is decent too. I didn't hate this anime, but like I said, I was extremely annoyed by it. If this had been any longer than one episode, I probably wouldn't have watched any more of it.

If you like chick flicks, you'll like this. That's really all I can say at this point. If you want something deep and unique, this is not the one you're looking for.

Ah, Enzai. What to say?

When I read the summary for the plot and decided to watch this, I thought this might be a reasonably good anime. Mystery aspects involved, art looked decent...what could go wrong. Right?

I was wrong. Very wrong.

Honestly, within the first five minutes of this anime, I was already stricken by how revolting it was. I nearly turned it off right then and there. Yes, I understand that prison is horrifying. Maybe they wanted to show that. Yada yada yada, but are you people serious? This is a two episode series and I can't even count how many rape scenes there are. Is ... that supposed to be sexy? God, I hope not, because if so, it failed miserably. At some points, I felt like vomiting.

Don't get me wrong. In terms of storylines, I've seen worse, but I've seen much, much better.

Oh, there's still hope for him. Hey, maybe we can get into some plot now...oh wait, nope. Just more rape. Look, the lawyer is back, let's get cracking. Looks like he found something. Now is it time to actually...damn it all, more rape. Rape. Rape. Rape. Pathetic attempt at plot. More rape.

I wish I was exaggerating. Really, I do.

SPOILERS AHEAD:

And, you know what the kicker is? At the end when Guys finally escapes prison and the horrors he found there, what does he do? Turn right around and start doing the same shit that 'sickened' him...with his lawyer! Yup, that's right. I know they only showed a kiss, but come on. None of you are naive enough to think it stays so innocent, right? I don't know about everyone else, but I was astounded.

"Awesome. Despite the fact that these characters are kind of one-dimensional, I'm glad...oh come on, really? Now he's making out with his lawyer? Nevermind, I take that back."

I know what you're thinking: "But Lusca saved him!" Don't give me that crap. If I was raped dozens of times in prison, no one would even be touching me at all, let alone making out with me. I wouldn't care if that person had slayed a frickin' dragon on my behalf, he still wouldn't be touching me. Guys is supposed to be traumatized, remember? I would be curled up in a ball, trying to pick up the trashed remains that represented my life.

Gah...I wouldn't recommend this unless you're interested in shotacon. Or, for whatever reason, rape scenes. It's not worth it. Please save yourself the trouble.