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Never judge a book by its cover. Sounds cliche and overused, but this doesn't ring truer to this particular anime. At first I was confused: was this a comedy, a slice-of-life, or somewhere in between? Why wasn't this straightforward? It didn't matter; I fell in love with each and every character. This wasn't the typical slice of life, because something bigger was working behind the scenes, something larger than each character's problem, one that would eventually tie everything together.

Story: 8/10

A little background: Sugisaki is one lucky man. The student council at Hekiyou Gakuen are chosen by popularity vote, and it so happens that all 4 ... of the members are girls. There's a fifth slot, however, for one student with the best grades in the school: and that happens to be Sugisaki. It's his dream come true, literally: he openly discusses his desire for a true harem, often inviting the girls to make his dreams come true, but of course that never happens. What may seem like a happy, carefree, go-lucky student council quickly changes as certain pasts are revealed and conflicts arise...

It's weird, though, honestly: I expected this to be complacent, slice-of-life I could sit back and enjoy thoroughly. There were subtle hints here and there, showing that their pasts couldn't hide forever under their seemingly implacable demeanor. Student council life is tough: it requires work, determination, skill, people skills, and other notable traits. However, the council generally goofs off while Sugisaki, the stupid one, the one that obsesses with adult games and harem fantasies, stays after and does the council's work all by himself. The girls don't take much notice of this until later, when they realize the reasons why.

Art: 8/10

Nothing special here, but nothing bland either. There was enough detail to please the eyes, sometimes much more than needed. That's never a bad thing; usually the art never disappointed me. However, I couldn't give it a higher score simply because since the anime mainly stayed in one room, nothing much changed. Also, the art never went above and beyond, so I can't give it a superior score because it simply didn't impress me. I did enjoy the OP and ED a lot, especially the chibi animation in the ED. Cute. The characters were drawn short-ish, differently, with wide eyes and child-like expressions at most times. Lovely.

Sound: 8/10

The sound wasn't anything crazy either. I didn't see anything insanely amazing, but there wasn't anything horrid either. The background music was pleasant, soothing. The OP was catchy and fast, making the lighthearted mood seem even more lighthearted. The ED was similarly bright and cheery, but it makes the underlying serious theme a little dumb-downed. The voice-acting, though nothing special, satisfied me immensely and solidified the characters well. I loved the sound-effects and other little things, like Sugisaki's adult games or the sounds of them in general.

Character: 8/10

Here we have a classic set-up: a tsundere, a serious one, two sisters that are nothing alike, and a guy that loves women of every caliber and trait. However, as the anime progressed, their interactions melded in such a way that it was different than the norm. I thoroughly enjoyed the backstory and how it was slowly revealed. Loved it. However, many of the characters stayed static and didn't change all that much. Though that was disappointing, there was also the fact that there were only 12 episodes, so there wasn't much time to even develop different personalities. But in that short amount of time, Sugisaki, Kurimu, and the others really grew on me.

Overall, this wasn't a bad anime, and I was very entertained for the ridiculously short 12 episodes. Loved the way it was presented, loved the way the characters interacted, and loved the music. I was entertained and satisfied, though not to an "ZOMG THIS IS AMAZING" but just extremely content and I wouldn't want this any other way. It was presented well, kept me wanting more, and made me happy the entire time because the comedy was pretty stellar (as well as making frequent references to other anime - those were gems). Remember, never, ever judge a book by its cover; give the book a chance and you might just uncover something that'll change you forever.

What really does happen when you die? That's a question plaguing man-kind for centuries. Is there a life after death? Do our physical bodies stay behind and our souls go somewhere else? What about if your past life was full of sin and bad choices? Is there a hell, or an in-between such as purgatory? Angel Beats! describes such a question and more: what if your past life was regretful? You then are stuck in a high school, living adolescence in a different setting with people like you. Interestingly Angel Beats! lets the viewer interpret what happens rather than giving you all the information, and ... does so in a rather funny way sometimes.

Story: 9/10

Background: Otonoshi dies. He wakes up to find this mysterious girl aiming a gun. All hell breaks loose as he tries to figure what is going on and why he doesn't remember how he died, only that he died. Is this the afterlife? Purgatory? Hell? He sets out to find out.

Reading some other reviews, I noticed the story received a rather low score for some people. I, personally enjoyed the questions about the afterlife and each character's back-story. It made the anime feel more personal, as if you can feel their pain and empathize their suffering. Each character has a flaw in some way, and is paramount to each of their personalities. Otonoshi, the main character, interacts with others just like him and comes to terms with himself throughout the anime. Oddly, there seem to be a ton of supporting cast, many who barely appear for a couple minutes, then fade into oblivion. They don't seem to contribute much to the story, other than to offer a distraction or comedic relief for a couple seconds or minutes. Also, the story begins markedly slow, yet picks up pace much faster than it ought to (think a e^x graph for you math people). Overall, though, the story was enjoyable, funny at times and made the viewer wonder where the next plot twist would come from.

Art: 9/10

Visually, this anime was stunning. Beautiful backgrounds and settings, detailed characters and multiple camera angles offered a wonderful amalgamation of visually appealing sensations. I continually made mental notes of how the water sparkled or the hair fluttered just so - it added to the surreal mood of the anime. Everything was drawn to near-perfection, and when needed the art become dull and drab to reflect foreboding or light and colorful to indicate happiness or comedy. I couldn't find a flaw anywhere within this beautiful artwork. The school uniforms were pretty, yet the members of the SSS had different clothing on, symbolizing their differences with those NPCs.

Sound: 9/10

The OP was incredible. Beautiful and nostalgic sounding, it perfectly matched the mood of the anime. The ending hit home even more, sounding like a good-bye, but a tearful good-bye. Paired wonderfully with each other, they both foreshadowed and epitomized the underlying theme of the anime. The voice-acting was decent, never getting too crazy but not too dull either. I wasn't much impressed with the background music, but the sound effects were astounding. The gunshots and clashing of metal were accurate; I've shot many weapons before, and those guns sounded exactly realistic.

Character: 9/10

Ok, here's where it gets iffy. I definitely loved Otonoshi and his story, as well as Yuri and especially Tenshi. These three characters drove the story to its climax and beyond. They never faltered in their personal quests, and became a foundation to the overall success of this anime. Then there were the supporting characters. I mentioned before that they did little to enhance the storyline, other than to offer some humor and jokes. Sometimes they became pretty fundamental, but there were so many useless characters I kind of got tired of seeing them appear. I mean, sure I loved their little sound-bites and humor, but I think this anime would have flowed much better if it focused more on the big three (not Churchill, Stalin and Roosevelt, mind you). I wanted more interaction with those three characters; their development, I feel like, was cut short. There were not enough episodes to fully develop them. The ending seemed rushed and stressful. So, no, it wasn't perfect. But it had potential.

Overall: 9/10

I could have given this a 10/10. It was within my grasp. I loved almost everything: story, drama, action, guns, romance, comedy. It had every tool in the arsenal to make this a perfect story. But alas, it became too much like something else and failed to meet all my expectations; however, it still amazed me and continued to impress me throughout the whole story. It kept me riveted and piqued my interest, but it wasn't perfect. The animation and sound quality were above average, and overall I thoroughly enjoyed most characteristics of this wonderful anime. However, it wasn't perfect and its execution wasn't great. But nonetheless, it is one of my favorites already. Remember: life is beautiful. The afterlife, not so much.

Bakemonogatari isn't the typical anime. It can even be even in its own category, going above and beyond what the "norm" is. It frequently crescendos and comes back down, dramatically, slowly, eking every last drop of your attention and leaving you completely and utterly exhausted when the scene mercilessly ends. It's beautiful storytelling, really. One that will leave you yearning for more. It delves into the basic human condition: are we not all mortal? Do we not face emotional roller coasters in our everyday lives? Bakemonogatari goes beyond entertainment and dives head first into such tender topics.

Story: 8/10

The story background is vague. Very vague. The ... past is hardly dredged up except a few subtle comments made by Araragi-San, interestingly enough. Just know that A. his life is beyond normal and B. there are vampires and other mysterious and metaphysical beasts that live among humans like you and me.

Overall, though, the storytelling is FANTASTIC. Told from one point of view but flitting from various characters many times, it never leaves anything out. Usually, the episodes are labelled on what that particular episode, but not in the way you would normally imagine. Also, right after the OP, there are a creepy string of "though messages" which perhaps, if you are to read them all (I did. Like the loser I am), you would realize something distinct. Annoyingly, however, one of the main critiques I have for the story in general is how it tends to stray from the story-line and focus on humor and pointless bantering between characters. Of course, this being so high-class, there was a ton of play on words and generally it elicited a laugh every now and then. But seriously, when you spend 10 minutes of back and forth circular arguments, it gets old. Fast. Overall, though, there were enough plot twists to keep you entertained for the majority of the episodes. Otherwise it was sometimes uneventful.

Art: 10/10

Here's where the anime just NAILS it. The art was stunning, no: perfect. Really, it was beautiful. The general theme was that of remorse, guilt, loathing, jealousy: and the art reflected that perfectly. The characters were drawn skinny and tall, with large female body parts and perfect curves. Eye-candy; but when those characters were interacting, the art did something dramatic I've never seen before. Instead of drawing two characters talking one on one, it would switch: maybe just the animation of a mouth, or a close-up of an eye, or a fade-out to the background. I've never seen something so perfectly executed. Instead of being bored to death with the average conversation, I sat there, mesmerized, as an ordinary conversation became a beautiful conflagration of colors, random angles, and astonishing precision. The emotions were never skimped on. The characters' various facial expressions changed quickly, and the art nailed that as well. This, of everything else, deserves a perfect score. It made this anime unique and definitive, drawing away from the crowd and going out on a tightrope to try something new.

Sound: 9/10

Grand, epic music of fantastic proportions. I loved the music. It was never stale and never conflicted with the mood. I loved listening to the background music, even. It always matched the mood and continued throughout the story. The OP changed depending on what the episode was about; it was amazing. A little foreshadowing, which was good in and of itself. The ED was great and serious, as usual. Typical stuff. But seriously,the voice acting: astounding. Great. I mean, you have such a wide cast that covers a range of personalities and every character played their role with gusto and perfection. Amazing, amazing acting.

Character: 9/10

Dang. These were some quality characters. There were a variety of characters with crazy personalities. None which usually exist in real life, which made for some interesting ways of interaction. However, the main character, though seemingly weak-minded, came out actually a little more forceful and had a beautiful character arc. Though he seems annoying at first, and though everyone along the way he meets seems too good for him, he ends up changing for the better. He meets various odds and ends throughout the anime, so you're never really disappointed with the character selection. The usual sort of people. But honestly, the way these characters interacted made it pretty worthwhile. Also, it was surprisingly dramatic and suspenseful at times, throwing me off guard. Especially since the light-hearted mood came bare minutes before a crazy drop to seriousness. But overall, amazing characters, great interactions, and fantastic way to put them together.

Overall: 8/10

Though going above and beyond the call of duty in terms of animation style, sound and some character development, key characteristics were missing, and the storyline became sort of repetitive after awhile. It lacked a certain finesse and grace that would have made this anime much smoother. It became focused on a person rather than the qualities that make him who he is. However, there were many pros that definitely outweighed the cons, and I would immediately recommend this to anyone. It had an interesting enough story line to pique my attention, as well as indiscriminate (and often inappropriate) humor that kept me yearning for the next episode. Who knows who you'll encounter in the world? And remember: Your best friend isn't necessarily just a friend.

In youth, we tend to over-exaggerate, over-analyse, and over-experience any event. That ice cream we ate for the first time as a child will never quite taste that good again; even as teenagers and later adults, we chase after these childhood fantasies, never quite giving up on finding that metaphorical "fountain of youth." What's the most likely thing, then, to happen if one were to experience childhood trauma? Perhaps insanity in later life, a cold heart, apathy, denial, or maybe all of the above? What exactly does happen? Ano Hi Mita Hana no Namae wo Bokutachi wa Mada Shiranai explores this phenomenon that happens when ... we simply can't let go of the past, because in all of us, there exists a child that yearns for the good ol' days.

Story: 9/10

When you experience something earth-shattering (that's awful) isn't the first thing you want to do is forget about it? To bury it with something, anything to get rid of those horrid memories? Don't you just want to curl up in a ball and forget reality for maybe, ever? Years have passed since a tragic accident happened between what used to be five really close friends. How do they interact? How will they react to one another if they become forced in close proximity? Isn't something so terrible it's hard to speak of it without bringing up memories supposed to be left buried? Yadomi and the gang struggle to make peace with their past, all the while finding out who they are and what they mean to each other in the present.

I was shocked, more like flabbergasted, when the series laid out. It opened up faster than expected and completely caught me off guard. Where I thought there was a continuity, it turned out to be a broken link in the old rusted chain of the past. Maybe there weren't many plot twists; maybe the story got a little repetitive; maybe it was just a little too short. However, the anime moves fast, and you have to keep up. It really was beautiful story-telling; the truth is a dark, dark secret many are willing to risk their lives to keep hidden. Many times, it's to protect people you love or to have the burden of it on yourself. Yadomi and the gang have to learn: is it worth it to keep your true emotions hidden? Or are you actually hurting those around you for your own individualistic needs? This anime delves deeper than simple human or friendship or even love relationships. It answers questions much deeper that pervade the subconscious.

Art: 9/10

Interestingly enough, many a time the art wasn't gloomy. In fact, it was almost like a juxtaposition of light and dark: when Yadomi was happy, sometimes the colors flitted about between midnight and sunshine. However, the majority of the time, the colors stayed neutral; but there were key moments where light had an interesting role in keeping up the story.... The characters were drawn normal, skinny, not too flashy and not to dull either. The animation wasn't disappointing in the least. I didn't see many flaws; however, nothing really jumped out at me. However, I do want to mention the facial expressions. They were accurate and went anywhere between lighthearted laughter to deadly serious in seconds. Each character had their moments, and what fantastic moments they were.

Sound: 9/10

The score is high, not because of the OP and ED, but because of the voice acting. My goodness, I have never seen such raw emotion in a voice before. The pain is almost tangible; you can literally almost empathize with every fiber of the being, even if you weren't there and this isn't your life. It was beautiful, really, to hear the sounds of human emotion, of raw pain, pleasure, or sadness, to creep into the voices of each character. Normally, the voice acting is pretty sub-par, but that's because nothing compares to the depth at which these morals and lessons pierce through one's fragile childhood heart. The OP is upbeat, a little slow; the ED is sad and depressed, almost like a love song to a deceased wife or husband. It's not like I didn't like them, it's that I thought they were pretty plain, considering the weight this anime carries.

Character: a perfect 10/10

People have blasted this anime because of how "static" or "inflexible" these characters are; how they don't change throughout the anime, and how each of them is surprisingly bland. Who in their right mind would drastically, completely change because of a trauma? I know it sounds wrong to judge others so harshly, but the reason people go into depression or turn to alcohol or drugs when they experience such trauma isn't because they changed as a person, but because they want to get out of the past. But it haunts them, day in and day out, never ceasing to be erased from the curse and blessing that is the human memory. Yadomi exhibits this through his attachment issues; Anjou through jealously; Hisakawa, through belongingness; Atsuma, through clinging to a hopeless past; Tsurumi through learning to let go; and Homna Meiko? You're going to have to find out.

This fantastic anime takes average kids, high schoolers, and really brings out basic qualities of a person that can't be changed from the past. Interestingly, it does so with accuracy and gusto, with plenty drama in between. The character score is a perfect 10/10 because they followed the human condition with such perfection I tend to never see. Maybe this is my opinion; maybe you are supposed to change after a series of events happen. I personally have experienced trauma; maybe not in this sort of way nor in the magnitude, but it has happened. And you don't change. That's simple and plain. You slowly turn into a shell of yourself if you don't let your emotions out from time to time. Externally, you may lose friends, become antisocial, or turn to other forms of relieving yourself. But inside, you stay who you inherently are, reliving that experience for the rest of your life, afraid to change because change is what made said event happen in the first place. So coming from personal experience, these characters really nailed that topic. Hard.

Overall, I was more than astounded at what this had to offer. Originally recommended by friends, I only agreed to watch it because it was barely 11 episodes. Trust me, you won't be disappointed in the least. There was enough drama to keep you riveted in your seat, enough emotions to keep your head spinning, and even some metaphysical references that keep the story interesting as a whole. I loved every juicy bit of this wonderful show; it took the worst out of people, and could turn it around so quickly to show the best of humanity. So if you know where to look, hide and seek is a really easy game to win....

Before you go all harem on this show, just think back to your blooming adolescent and teenage years. For boys and girls alike, wasn't your mind constantly filled with inappropriate thoughts? There wasn't much of a trigger to set you off; testosterone and estrogen are powerful little demons. So instead of marketing those stupidly impossible innocent anime girls other series seem so fond of, why not appeal potty humor to a wider audience that each individual has, at one point, experienced? I may not know much about how the opposite gender thinks, but for us guys, certain thoughts flit about our heads like angry bees, ... never leaving us alone. This may all seem off-topic, Seitokai Yakuindomo delivers the highest of quality of sexual jokes, all while incorporating a storyline and masterfully pulling off a non-harem, hilarious and wonderfully executed anime.

Story: 8/10

The story is simple: an all girl high school recently became co-ed. STOP. Before you go further, isn't your first automatic judgement to insult another hentai-style slice of life anime? Of course! Any sane person would. A friendly, non-perverted guy by the name of Tsuda enters the school, unwittingly tripping off Shina Amakasu and the rest of the all-girl student. After some misunderstandings, randomness and hilarity, he is forced into the student council - with gratifying results.

Now don't get me wrong, haters may understand that these sort of anime don't have a storyline. Most of the time, they're right. Here, it does apply somewhat; a frilly way to tell a story, so to speak. However, I had a wonderful time watching the student council do their every day activities - with a twist. These aren't your normal, typical, average, innocent virgin high school girls; these are some of the craziest anime girls I've ever come across. There seems to be no end to the jokes and innuendoes; and interestingly enough, TSUDA (THE GUY, FOR FREAKING SAKE) is the innocent one. What in all that is mighty in the anime world has this come to? A guy? As the sole non-perverted rock amid this flood of girls? This anime was so different, I was instantly hooked - and so should you be.

Art: 9/10.

The animation was gorgeous and bright. I typically don't like overdone scenes or underdone scenes, and this didn't disappoint me in the lease. There were times when they decided to go for the chibi look randomly and drew the characters innocently - an interesting juxtaposition, because while in chibi mode the characters decided to say funny little innuendos.... Ah well. Enough gushing. What I didn't like? Sometimes the artwork borderlined porn. No way out of that... I mean, it looked fine and all, but trying watching those scenes while there are young people around you! Geez, put some CLOTHES ON. But seriously, even then the artwork never dipped below par.

Sound: 9/10

The OP and ED. Wow. What an upbeat, fantastical way of starting an anime. The OP was perfect and catchy, on my ipod in seconds, and the ED was.....weird. Sorta serious, sorta not. The background music melded perfectly with the on-screen mood, but in and of itself I was not impressed as much. Though I know I repeat this in my other reviews, but seriously, pay attention to the voice acting. Try acting out those scenes by yourself. It's not easy; but when you can make perverted jokes into a mic without eliciting even a laugh, that takes some guts. The voices were spot on, serious and joking, warm and memorable.

Characters: 9/10

Lovely, lovely cast. Perfect for the story, each character represented a typical sort of archetype. Tsuda, the innocent one; Hagimiru, the tsundere, the list goes on and on. Each character had their moments and contributed a little more to the story; even Tsuda's little ball of comedy managed to get a good laugh out of me. But seriously, I loved each and every character, because they simply melded so perfectly. It's so hard to imagine a different cast or to introduce another main character, because the magic happened with this perfect combination. It wasn't perfect; there were some stupid parts (even the best cake may be too sweet for some people), but overall, it was beautiful to see the interactions take place. Though there wasn't much of a character arc at all for anyone, I enjoyed their daily banter nonetheless.

Overall: 9/10

Why is the average score so low? Many people looked past what this anime was really trying to go for (toilet humor) and just hit it with a low score and moved on. It's a self-fulfilling prophecy; if you watch the first episode and grudgingly try and finish it, you're experience won't be nearly as pleasant than if you were to go into watching each episode with enthusiasm and a piece of pie. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this short but sweet little 13 episode anime. Don't look at the superficial, shallow characteristics; dig a little deeper, and what you'll find may actually not be a condom but a vibrating Christmas present...

What makes a Gundam so darn fascinating? Maybe because instead of shooting each other with a rifle or machine gun, we literally extend our body into a mechanized suit that does the shooting for us. On an unprecedented scale. I was introduced to Gundam when I was much younger, and the appeal never went away. That sharp nagging of "man, wouldn't it be just dandy to control one of those?" as powerful as ever. Mobile Suit Gundam 00 far exceeds entertainment value as well as drama, music, and other outstanding characteristics.

Story: 9/10

Set in the (almost) near-future, humanity has formed into three relatively accurate blocs: ... The Union (North/South America), the AEU of Europe, and the Human Reform League that covers most of Asia and Russia. To destroy their reliance on fossil fuel, humanity finally did the sensible thing and created three huge solar power arrays, thereby weaning themselves off of fossil fuels and other rare Earth commodities. This created a Solar Power Wars they frequently mention, but never fully explain. These three blocs, after the Solar Power Wars, currently fight, bicker, and arms-race each other constantly. Suddenly, an organization called Celestial Being randomly announces itself, declaring its message of eradicating war by using force. That extension of that force would be the Gundam Mobile Suit, far more advanced than any other military in the world.

This, of course, leads to conflict. The whole world simply won't bow down to new masters and obey; human nature isn't naturally submissive. Therefore, the world fights back. Hard. Setsuna, the main protagonist, has a watery past that slowly resolves itself into focus as he pilots his Gundam, Exia. I won't go into much detail, but let's just say the story has enough plot-twists to keep you constantly on your feet and enough mind-numbing action to keep your eyes glued to the screen. Love, love LOVE. And all throughout there is a deeper plot, a more ominous undertone that frequents itself more and more towards the end. It keeps you guessing; there are bigger powers at play here than readily apparent.

Art: 9/10

Holy. Shoot. These Gundams were drawn and executed to minute detail; battle scars, battle wounds, flashing lights, explosions, ship carriers, even the environment; it was like an eye-orgasm for a solid 25 minutes. If things weren't exploding in your face, the environment was rapidly changing. There were so many story-plots, it almost became convoluted; however, the art flawlessly transitions to each story, and I loved the emotions in the character's stance. The way the characters were drawn remind me vaguely of Code Geass; tall and lanky, yet these characters were built more stocky and round. I love me some good artwork, though; it didn't matter if the setting was in space or Earth or somewhere else - it was a living, walking, breathing colorful monster of artwork.

Sound: 9/10

Eye-gasms aren't the only thing keeping you to the screen. Multiple times my ears overflowed with the dulcet melody of my favorite part of anime: the voice acting. I can't watch English dubs simply because they do not convey the emotional feeling or raw power these characters exhibit by simply being themselves. And Gundam does not disappoint; each character has their own personalities and characteristics, plainly obvious in the voices. The explosions and sound effects shouldn't be ignored either, simply because it was music to my action-prone ears. Beautiful, beautiful sound.

Character: 10/10

Why is character development a perfect score? Because it fulfilled my expectations, perhaps exceeding it in some cases. When a main character's arc throughout the story is filled with letdowns, emotional highs, and a roller-coaster of feelings, you're left breathless because you BECOME that character. You feel what he or she feels, you sympathise and pity their impossible predicaments. And when you become this attached, each victory or defeat is either a stab of euphoria or a lance of pain. This also means something crucial: you related to this character, and that's what makes it special. Setsuna is just that sort of person you get attached with. You hate him at first, but then he kind of grows on you. If he's not your type, ladies, there's always the other three male Gundam Meisters and a few other "hotties" from other militaries, of course. But I'm off on tangents; main point: the character development was flawless. Every main character had their moment and more, which made for a sound anime.

Overall, this was a thing of beauty. There were almost no shortcomings, besides that it should be longer (thank GOODNESS they made a season 2). I know I'm watching this late, but hey, everyone has to start from somewhere. All in all, though, the story was riveting, the artwork dazzling, the sound loud and forceful, the characters beautifully presented. I was not in the least disappointed, and I recommend to all of any age because it was just so darn good. I was left with a glowing feeling of warm satisfaction. And finally: the world is always changing. Will you be the one to change it?

For all the haters out there, look at this in terms of a man's point of view. What two things do men love the most? Sex and violence. Lo and behold, we have Highschool of the Dead, plenty of almost-Hentai quality girls mixed with shotgun-toting main characters, blasting away while the camera pans crazily between cleavage and the dying undead. What MORE could a man or a teenager want? A hero and heroines (all attractive), all armed to the teeth, all fighting for their lives, and for sex. Ahh, what I see isn't a total fan-service failure, but instead a masterpiece for the testosterone-prone.

Story: 8/10

The ... basic premise is this: a plague has infected Earth, one that if you happened to be bit by an infected person, you died, then reanimated into a zombie. Easy enough, right? And of course, this being "Highschool" of the dead, there are high school kids with high school level minds - at first. The story, though one may think otherwise, is pretty darn interesting. Looking past the overly distractive boobs and butt, you can actually glimpse a seriousness that isn't half bad.

Interestingly enough, there was a plot, and yes I thoroughly enjoyed it. This wasn't a typical shoot-em-up sort of anime, nor was it a "shoot one zombie then have sex for an hour." No, this actually delved much deeper into the human condition and even morality, integrity, honesty, and other lessons of life. Instead of shallowly portraying the characters as stupid, gung-ho sort of idiots that kill just for the sake of killing, the story develops in a way that each character deals with latent problems he or she doesn't realize until the zombies destroy everything they knew and cherished in their old lives.

Art: 8/10

Since I'm a guy, this may biased, but hey - who doesn't love a skinny girl with boobs bigger than her head and a waist that would make an anorexic person gag with jealously? I mean, this was obviously going for a parts of a male brain we cannot consciously control. Other than that, everything was so fluid and dynamic. The zombies were drawn so accurately it scared me - vestiges of clothing of former students and the average citizen and such. Most movies I see, zombies are clothed in raggedy old clothing, or they simply do not wear clothes. Here, it shows the gravity of the situation - your friends and relatives are zombies. Do you have the courage to pull the trigger? Not only that, but there wasn't just "night scenes" or "day scenes" - the anime covered everything in between, like early morning, late night, and early dusk - beautifully drawn colors with the sun behind and everything. It was gorgeous.

Sound: 8/10

Now, trying to ignore the moaning and groaning of that one scene (you'll know what I mean if you watch it), the sound was fantastic. The OP was so darn catchy - an instant download and hit in my book any day. The voice acting was meh, except at certain, key moments, which is why I think I rated the sound high. I didn't care too much for some of the EDs, though they changed every time, which was refreshing. The sound effects of the fighting is why the score is so high - oh my, the zombies exploding in thick ichor, the sound of the weapons, the cars and - ahh, too much gushing. Tl;dr: meh voice acting, amazing sound effects, ok OP and ED.

Character: 8/10

Ok, if it wasn't for some of the minor characters (and even some major ones!), I would've rated this top notch. The character arcs were absolutely phenomenal - I don't want to spoil too much, but of the main characters, several reveal their darkest secrets which makes the characters dynamic, and in a way, refreshing. I hate when characters remain unchanged in a series - it really irks me. Most of the characters did become dynamic - but a handful remained static. Still, overall, it was beautiful work, and the character interactions were stellar. Sigh. Ok, I know I have to mention it: Boobs and butt. There I said it. That seems to be THE way to characterize the characters: this girl has purple hair but these slender ones....

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this anime. If you do not like ecchi or fan-service, DO NOT PICK THIS UP AND PLAY. You will not just be thoroughly disappointed, but probably disgusted. This also isn't for the light-hearted; the blood and gore is excessive, and there are some innuendos in here....But generally, this was entertaining, fast-paced and engrossing all the same. The violence and cleavage (though somewhat excessive) melded pretty well, and the characters did progress somewhat, so I'm happy. But that depends. Because sometimes, you just need a good ol' baseball bat....

I had just finished Toradora! When I did some research and learned that special had just come out only two months prior. Excited, and since the original anime was so darn good, I quickly watched it, thinking it was going to be, at the very least, AWESOME. However, it turned out to be much more disappointing than I originally had anticipated. In fact, it made me almost cry - not with tears of sympathy or sadness or humor, but just plain BORING.

Story: 7/10

Presumedly taking place a couple weeks after Toradora! ended, it started off logically but fell flat on its face in the first ... 5 minutes. Not that I didn't enjoy it, but the fact that I knew this was going to be "one of those specials." Moe-blob, circular plot sort of thing, where the storyline isn't advanced and everyone remains static. Poo. I was really expecting some sort of plot twist or SOMETHING to keep me glued to the screen, but it just wasn't good storytelling. I think they went sort of over the top with comedy as well; the producers seemed to focus mainly on the natural humor and personalities of the characters to create simply a side episode. This was accomplished - halfway. I laughed, oh yes I laughed, but the slap-stick humor really confused me: was this the Toradora! that I had loved only one episode ago?

The background is simple: a couple days (maybe a couple weeks) after Toradora! ended, Ryujji Takasu and Tenori Taiga are back again with Kitamaru, Ami, Minorin, and the rest of class 2-C. The whole episode focuses on one thing (the title of the episode): lunch. Bento boxes, to be precise. The lesson at the end made sense, but this was pretty much lame. Compared to the rugged sort of interactions the characters had in the original anime, this specials really let me down in terms of things like a deeper meaning, or worse: no storyline.

Art: 9/10

I'll stand my ground on the art; like I said with the original Toradora!, the wonderful facial expressions are back! I love their realistic portrayal of anger or sorrow and especially embarrassment. The art was what made this so good in the first place: Takasu's scary face along with Taiga's small stature really made such a great juxtaposition, and continued while viewing this episode. The environment was crisp and clean, the colors bright and cheerful, never skipping a beat on the animation. So yes, the art deserved this great score.

Sound: 8/10

I rated the sound decently high because I always loved the OP and ED; both are on my Ipod and have at least 10 plays already. Great songs; but, again, what irked me a little was the fact that there was almost no background music. I love, even a little, background sound to let the story flow better and to sort of pave the way for the next scene. Again, like the anime, it lacked background sound; but no matter, because what made up for it was, again, the voice acting. I love me some good actors; especially when they make the characters sound so real. You could tell their feelings just by listening to the tone of the voice; no small feat. If you don't believe me, try saying something happy followed by something depressingly sad; can't do it with emotion, can you? Exactly.

Character: 7/10

Why so low of a character score? BECAUSE THERE WAS NO DEVELOPMENT. Static characters always incite my deepest anger; what makes a story good are the CHARACTERS. You can have the CRAPPIEST animation ever with the worse music in the history of nails-on-chalkboard, but if the characters are half-decent, so is the overall show! The only reason we know the characters is from the original anime; if this was a whole OVA or something on its own, I'd give it a 4. There's no development, no internal conflict, just silly moe-blob the entire time. Takasu stays almost exactly the same (though they do show a personality quirk of his the entire time). Taiga acts a little less tsundere, though not by much. Ami hardly appears, Minorin is there for very little time, and Kitamaru says barely anything. Then again, this is simply a "special" and I shouldn't berate it so hard, especially since this isn't part of the main series; however, I was more than disappointed with the work they put into this...

Overall, I WAS entertained; though I may have said some harsh insults, overall it wasn't that bad. It just needs some polish (and a whole plot-rewrite) to be better. The only reason I didn't give this below a 6 was because I knew the background from the original series; if it wasn't for that, like I said, I wouldn't even be writing this review. I loved the comedy; the producers worked so hard on it, I thought I would at least acknowledge it. Wonderful laughs all around. However, I was also disappointed, so don't expect too much. Whatever; a good bento is a good bento.

Toradora! at first seems like a cliche romance series. There's been so many, it seems, over the years; it would have to take one outrageously different (yet subtly very simple and not complex) story to grab a person's attention and keep the viewer wanting more. After all, it's been done hundreds of times, and 99.9% of the time they end up corny or just plain stupid. I'm happy to say that Toradora! is a fresh take on a romance story, but with a major twist: the main characters aren't your typical main characters, and their interactions go above and beyond what's usually expected.

Story: 10/10

The story ... is, of course, an outstanding 10 out of 10. I try not to give a perfect score unless something truly deserves it; but this time, I was genuinely (and very pleasantly) surprised. Toradora! definitely starts off a little awkward, and you may be tempted to just drop it as quickly as possible. However, I implore you to stay: the comedic moments and clumsiness at key times make the characters seem more and more like that one friend of yours that has (insert blank) personality. I was impressed at the honesty and stark portrayal of the characters; they bypassed my expectations, and continued to throughout the whole series.

A little background that covers it in a little more detail: it so happens that Taiga Asaika has a crush in a guy named Yuusaka Kitamaru. It gets a little more complicated; Asaika's neighbor, Ryuuji Takasu, happens to like a girl named Kushieda Minori. What makes this so convoluted is that Kitamaru and Takasu are best friends, and Minori and Asaika are also best friends. So the natural thing to do would be to help each other out, right? Let's just say it gets interesting. Misunderstandings, awkward pauses, hilarious banter, and countless other little things happen; and through it all, you snuggle a little closer to each character, as they develop and progress.

Art: 10/10

Oh, how can we forget the art? I try not to give art a 10/10 often; but here, something amazing happened; we got faces. We got the "I'M SO MAD I'M GONNA PUNCH YOU" face, the "THIS IS SO EMBARRASSING" all the way to "THE WORLD IS DEPRESSED, AND SO IS MY FACE." Good gosh, I've only seen facial expressions drawn in such human pathos only few times before. This sold me; from the first episode, it caught my attention and held it. The environment was drawn nicely, yes, so were the various objects or classrooms or homes. But you're not paying attention to such trivial detail when you can gaze upon these perfect, gorgeous facial expressions. I seriously became transfixed halfway through the episode. If you were to mute the volume and not understand a word of Japanese and not read the subtitles, you could probably still understand exactly what's going on. The arm movements and body posture were secondary; but this, THIS is something else!

Sound: 9/10

So the 'sound' category encompasses not just the ED and OP, but the character's voice acting, sound effects, and background music. The OP I memorized instantly; catchy and bouncy, it was the epitome of the show. I always listened to the whole thing, simply because of the way it caught my attention so quickly. The ED was similarly tasteful, however a little dull since the mood of the OP and ED matched so nicely. I wanted something different to wrap up the anime rather than identical songs. The character's voice acting was astounding. Accurate and polished, I almost forgot I was watching anything; I became a character within, watching with my own eyes. The voices and characterization seemed so surreal and positively charming to listen to, I swear it was close to hypnosis at times. The sound effects were your typical stuff; things dropping, tables scraping, feet walking. The background music was almost non-existant; that disheartened me at times, but that also made the mood seem more stark in contrast to the events going on, so a little absent background music wasn't bad.

Character: 10/10

Toradora! would've fallen flat on it's face without the cast of amazing characters. Just because Aisaka and Tukasu fit into that typical role doesn't mean the other characters did. Aisaka is and always will be a tsundere that everyone loves; a stereotypical one at that, conscious of her small stature and conflicting emotions. She continued to amaze me throughout the anime; her character arc was a roller-coaster of emotions and non-linear personality quirks; she changed as often as a guitar solo; never quite the same, but always going off on tangents. Takasu was your main protagonist, and the story was told mostly from his point of view; not that I didn't mind that. A neat-freak and woman-like about his household chores, he really symbolized a perfect house-wife(husband?) sort of person, yet was indecisive all the same. Kitamaru is brilliant, but lacks common sense sometimes. However, he knows more than he reveals, and continued to surprise me throughout the series, dolling out hidden information here and there that revealed his true self. Kushieda Minorin was probably the most interesting character of them all: she appeared the perfect air-head, incapable of knowing what's going on in the world around her. She almost pulls if off perfectly - except she reveals her true self a few times, notably to Takasu. Instead of an oblivious girl with no direction, she actually had inner theories and thoughts, and described certain feelings of hers with complicated metaphors; but that's what made her interesting. Ami, a character later introduced, seemed sort of a bridge for the other characters, providing a mental link, if you will, between Takasu and the rest of the gang. She's like that rickety bridge over a roaring river; sometimes, it seems like a good idea to trust her; other times, she seems as fickle as Asaika.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed Toradora! with all my tiger-like heart. What little flaws there were just simply faded or disappeared; there were too many good qualities that the bad seemed as insignificant as an ant. To put it bluntly, I loved this. I started off with a simple recommendation from a friend; but everything he recommended turned into a tear-jerker or epic action sequences; this turned out to be the latter. Instead of trudging to the next episode, tired and dejected from the previous one, I hurriedly and hungrily watched them as quickly as possible, because every detail was precious. After all, a dragon and a tiger can only do so much together...

I remember when I finished Steins;Gate. I was left yearning for more, that last speck of satisfaction and glowing epicness that just made me.....feel perfect. But knowing that Steins;Gate was so epic, I didn't want it to go on, simply because sequels usually, quite frankly, suck. But then again, this wasn't a Hollywood movie; no, that's because it was so much more. Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you: Steins;Gate, tying up loose ends.

As usual, the story is stellar. Told perfectly and fluidly, it never misses a beat and keeps up its slightly fast-paced, yet humorous plot points. The entire time, I had a grin ... from ear to ear; if there wasn't comedy, there were several points of abrupt seriousness that left one with a sense of accomplishment. I couldn't soak in enough Okarin Kirusu and Mayushi in one episode. Oh, and the ending, how bittersweet, how lovely.

This episode special covers when Okarin and the gang visit Feyris-chan and the Lab Assistant in America. This is most likely several days, if not weeks past the last episode of Steins;Gate. The story starts off hilarious and comes off as one of those non-serious, moe-blob sort of pointless circular plots we're all used to. However, it quickly drops a note or two as the characters interact and become more acquainted with one another.

As usual, the art was fantastic. I loved the way light was used in this episode; the twilight-dusk sort of vague lighting made the characters seem surreal and stark in contrast to the environment; the bright colors during the day reflect the happy undertone. Also, facial expressions. Never before (except maybe in Code Geass) have I seen such wonderfully accurate facial expressions. When a character gets mad, he gets MAD. Not just in the body language or action itself, but the facial muscles are drawn with alacrity and perfection. I loved watching Okarin and the Assistant's back-and-forth, especially their facial expressions.

And the OP song. OH YES, I LOVE THAT SONG. I don't even speak Japanese, but I think I know every lyric (albeit badly pronounced) to that whole song. The theme song is so relevant and perfectly fitting for the mood, it absolutely made sense to bring it back from the first season instead of making up a new song entirely. The music was great; so were the sound effects. I could almost feel myself there during key moments, and as usual, the Mad Scientist's voice acting was superb - able to go from sarcastically joking to dead serious in a matter of seconds.

I don't think I found anything wrong with this. My opinion may be skewed because of the fact that I love Steins;Gate so much, but that's what made this so enjoyable. And, like stated before, sequels usually kill that good taste in your mouth. Usually sequels are like sour lemons after a piece of chocolate: ruins your taste buds, doesn't it? Instead, Steins;Gate: Oukoubakko no Poriomania becomes that chocolate cake after an already chocolately cake. Mixed with Dr. Pepper of course.