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Kannazuki no Miko is a light high school Yuri / save-the-world-from-an-evil-god / big-robot-fighting series spread over 12 episodes. Normally I don't care for big robot fighting, but I don't mind when it's not the main attraction, ie: Nadesico. This seemed to be the case with Kannazuki no Miko, the robot fighting wasn't prominent enough to bore me.

The first episode had some strange timing issues, I felt like I was being thrown into the fray too quickly without a good introduction, but this seemed to be limited to the first episode. I would have liked a little more character development for some of the Orochi as well, but being a 12 episode series we can't ask for too much. Animation was good, but areas of low detail were notable to the eye in some parts. The plot, although not very complex, was able to draw me in and keep my interest to the end. Seems I'm a sucker for these dramatic romance animes. Overall a decent series worth watching imho. read more

This is soap opera anime (what I call Romantic Drama) at its finest, with cliff-hangers at the end of nearly every episode that really suck you in. The personalities, the conflicts, and nearly everything else feel quite real, and will pull on your heart strings a little bit. Situations are not cut and dry, so you won't always be sure what the correct line of action is for Takayuki.

Animation is average to good, but the real draw to the series is the story and direction, which will draw you in and not let go until you finish the final episode. Don't be surprised when your roommate or significant other who normally doesn't watch anime gets into this with you.

Highly recommended, even if you don't normally watch this type of anime. read more

Very easy, lighthearted watching. Rather than following the typical "take a guy and throw him in a house full of girls" ala Shuffle or Sister Princess, Negima takes a guy and throws him in a school filled with girls. Negi, the main character, is a 10 year old genius who has graduated college at the age of 10 and is teaching at an all girls middle school. He also happens to be a young British wizard, which helps pull in the Harry-Potter-watching demographic I suppose.

Many of the episodes unfold like a typical date-sim turned into an anime series, where there will be a concentration on one of the girls in the class. The whole series remains pretty fluffy and lighthearted until episode 21 or so, and then becomes a bit serious so there can be some form of conflict and climax to end the series. I could pretty easily watch 100s of Negima episodes, as it's a good way to wind down at the end of the day, but those of you looking for more serious fare or something less cookie-cutter should look elsewhere. Animation is very typical, nothing poor nor exceptional. read more

Emma - A Victorian Romance is a series about a member of the gentry, William Jones, who who falls in love with a maid, and the hardships they endure due to the differences between the classes. As William's family stops at nothing to dissuade him from the romance, it comes off a little bit like Romeo & Juliet with all the external tribulations preventing the couple from realizing their love. Of course both William and Emma both have a central character that provides them with encouragement when the going gets tough.

It's a classic romance that seems to stray from the cliches that abound in typical anime, mostly because of the style and the setting. The series takes place in 19th century Victorian London and seems to be quite accurate in it's portrayal. You also won't find any green or blue hair here, many of the colors of the people and the setting are subdued with shades of tan and brown.

Emma took a couple of episodes to draw me in, but I was hooked after that. I found the historical context of the setting to be pretty intriguing, and mostly I just wanted to find out what happens between William and Emma and if they can overcome their obstacles.

I did have a little bit of difficulty finding something to like about Emma, she was a little too reserved and bland to warrant the attention that William gave her. The most interesting character imho, Hakim, could probably stand to have a little more scene time to liven up the series a bit. Animation is good, but nothing to write home about. As there really isn't any action going on here, there isn't much need for dynamic pans and ultra-fluid movement. DVDs are in subs only, which is perfectly fine with me as I always watch subs anyway, but it could pose a problem for dub fans. Finally, as this affects my review score, [SPOILER ALERT] the ending leaves a bit to be desired, I suppose they were paving way for the second series, but I didn't find it too satisfying after investing the time to watch the series. [END SPOILER] read more