How my rating works:
I follow MAL's rating system, where 1 = Appalling and 10 = Masterpiece. So if I give something a 5, I'm not saying it's bad, I'm just saying it was closer to bad than good.
If I give something a 10, I'm not saying it's flawless. I'm saying that it's among the pinnacle of its genre and that it also left a sentimental impact on me personally. There is no such thing as a "True 10/10 Anime," the Masterpiece tag as far as I'm concerned is reserved specifically for sentimentalism and personal impact.
How my tags work:
I tend to tag things with my favorite characters from that respective series and sometimes I'll give a small blurb essentially summarizing my thoughts on it. However, I typically will not tag OVAs or Specials of a pre-existing series. If it is on my 'Watching' list and is Airing, I likely will have a day of the week tagged for the day of the week that I watch it. If it is on my 'Watching' list and is NOT Airing, I might have random tags in there.
NOTE: All Hentai titles will have 'xxx' as the tag.
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Favorite Anime:
As of 10/3/2015 (October 3, 2015), my favorite anime are as follows:
1. Cowboy Bebop
For me, this is what anime should be about. I am an absolute sucker for good characters that aren't merely there to further progression as a plot device, but exist because they belong there. If you want a good example of characters who act as characters should, Cowboy Bebop is that example. There is a good reason it is adored by many. I will fully admit that there are flaws (as there are with every anime. There is no such thing as a perfect show) but due to its presentation, I cannot help but overlook any flaws. I fully expected to go into it thinking it was overrated, but came out enticed as one of its many victims. Out of every anime I have seen thus far, nothing has been able to hit me quite like Cowboy Bebop.
2. Aria The Origination
The King of Slice of Life, as it is often referred to. Ever since I started the Aria series, I couldn't help but smile during the entirety of it. It is comfortable, enticing, lovable, and is very much like a mother figure in anime form. All of the characters are adorable, the lighthearted comedy that makes you chuckle is warming and inviting. Aria The Origination is no exception to this, but it adds a progression to the characters in which we see our favorite characters moving up in their world due to their dedication and love. It is one of the only two shows that has made me cry from sheer happiness, the other being Love Live! School Idol Project.
3. Mahou Shoujo Lyrical Nanoha
My favorite Mahou Shoujo. It is so typical and yet, not. It's like a combination of Cardcaptor Sakura and loosely Madoka Magica. It has that magical Saturday-morning Cartoon feeling but has progression. It's not perfect. There are many flaws with Lyrical Nanoha, but its take on Magical Girls and its execution on the first season and second season left an impression on that magical part of my heart. Fate Testarossa's story in particular was executed well, even if it was a "stereotypical" story to some degree. Seeing Fate and Nanoha's relationship blossom as it did was its own form of magic.
4. Hellsing Ultimate
I remember one night getting pizza with my girlfriend at the time and sitting to watch Van Helsing and it was the first time I ever experienced eating pizza with sweet and sour sauce, which was an amazing combination. When I watched Hellsing Ultimate, I got the desire to do the same thing and it felt like I experienced the magic all over again. Hellsing Ultimate wasn't necessarily about the story (which was alright and fit for the theme of the show, but nothing extraordinary by itself) but the ride and excitement, which it mastered. It was a thrilling show to watch and it was self-aware of itself. Even minor characters were exciting and offered much to the enjoyment of the show.
5. Monogatari Series: Second Season
Technically what I'm trying to say by having this as one of my favorites is that I love the entirety of the Monogatari Series from beginning to end. It is a very unique anime that has captivated so many and causes such excitement in fans. Shaft does a great job at making things fun in the world of Monogatari. While I love every series of Monogatari, I put emphasis on Monogatari Series: Second Season because it is a mixed bag of everything. There's a little bit of everyone in there. Due to its artistic style, its storytelling perspective, its unique characters, and its unique approach, the Monogatari Series gets a place among my favorite anime.
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HONORABLE MENTIONS:
The order in which honorable mentions appear does not mean anything
1. Clannad: AFTER STORY
I have a soft spot in Clannad: AFTER STORY in my heart. When I watched this series, I was going through an absolutely dreadful and emotional time in my life as a young teenager. As such, that is when I first began to watch anime. In particular, I sought out romance anime to fill the void in my heart at the time. Clannad: AFTER STORY was the final nail in the coffin for me that allowed me to feel better following my emotional ordeal. Somehow, it helped me move on. There are so many flaws in Clannad that I cannot even begin to count, but the respect I have for it and what it has done for me personally is why I have it as a 10/10 on my list.
2. Little Busters: Refrain
As Clannad: AFTER STORY relates to family and the importance of family, Little Busters: Refrain is the same way in regards to friends and the importance of friends. I had not cried so much and so hard about a show in such a long time. When the series ended, I was left so broken for at least a few days if not about a week. Perhaps I should have seen it coming, but I like to go for the ride without making many assumptions, and Little Busters: Refrain took me on a ride that I was not prepared for. It reminded me of why it is so important to have friends and what it means to actually have a friend and be a friend. For that lesson it taught me, it is the third of only three shows that I have given a 10/10.
3. Ai Yori Aoshi
Ai Yori Aoshi is the first anime I have ever seen (outside of shows like Pokemon and Yu-Gi-Oh, of course). I fell in love with the character of Aoi Sakuraba as a teenager and I still hold on to my admiration for her character. The characters are all quirky and predictable at times, but Ai Yori Aoshi has a charm to it that I have come to respect and adore. I am thankful that my first anime that I sought out to watch was Ai Yori Aoshi. It was a nice romance that cemented my love of romance.
4. Studio Ghibli Films
I cannot pick just one. Studio Ghibli Films all have a profound respect from me. Their art is masterful, their storytelling is classic, and their characters are lovable. Their worlds are inviting, and their animation is smooth. Every Studio Ghibli film I have seen has been such a ride. If I were to put Studio Ghibli films on my 'Favorite Anime' list, there's a good chance that no other anime would be on it. But while none are on that list, the respect I have for Studio Ghibli films rivals on biased obsession.
5. Mushishi
There is much to say about Mushishi. Its art was amazing, its historical context was amazing, the subtle world building was lovable, and I always wanted more. Sure, it was rather melancholy and made me kind of bored every now and then, but Mushishi isn't a series that should be binge-watched. It's to be enjoyed over a period of time, and it's aware of that. Mushishi did a fantastic job at what it set out to do, and its stories are all memorable tales by themselves.
6. Akatsuki no Yona
Akatsuki no Yona was an anime I had high hopes for before it aired. When it did air, I was overcome by joyous feelings. It didn't have the best start, it arguably went a little too fast in the beginning. But it became an adventure about struggles both personal and physical, and about overcoming obstacles. Yona herself is a fantastic character with good development, and as the amount of people she has following her increases, you can definitely get a feel for all of them, and love them as well. This is also one of those anime where it's not entirely clear who the bad guy is, or if there even really is a real bad guy at the end of their journey. Akatsuki no Yona has a magical place in my heart for what it has offered me.
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Favorite Manga:
As of 10/3/2015 (October 3, 2015), my favorite manga are as follows:
1. Berserk
Berserk is a manga that I heard a lot about. I had heard so many references to Guts and the manga in general, but I was not that into manga at the time. Nonetheless, I eventually decided to give it a shot and read Berserk. I read Berserk for the entire day and finished it the following day. Berserk has a level of storytelling and world building that I have not seen in anything else I have read or seen. It was not afraid to be brutal, disgusting, controversial, and "real" for its world. The story in Berserk is always progressing with a flood of interesting characters and within that story, Berserk truly makes you question who the bad guy really is. There are some 'Plot Progression Points' that occur (see: Berserk Armor) for weird reasons that leave me uncertain about the decisions, but the experience of reading Berserk is a thrilling one. Flip to any page in the manga and you will see beautiful art. You can feel the motives of the characters and the fights are thrilling.
2. Yotsubato!
I like to take reading Yotsubato slowly. I always carry a volume with me in my bag (on Volume 4 as of the date above) and I read it when I'm having a sad time at college or just in general. Yotsubato has never failed to cheer me up so far and it has won over my heart as a very lovable manga. Yotsuba and her father as well as the other characters are all very fun, their adventures are enjoyable to follow, and the joy I get in my heart from reading Yotsubato has made it one of my favorites I have ever had the fortune of reading.
3. One Punch-Man
Needlessly exciting, randomly funny, and pointlessly fun. These may not sound like compliments, but they oddly are. One Punch-Man is like someone took the premise of an Adult Swim show and turned it into a fun story. Several pages dedicated to even just a few seconds of a punch or a sweeping view of a city or landscape. The art is enjoyable and when it becomes a simplistic art style, it is funny. The artist new exactly what he was doing when he made One Punch-Man and he hasn't really faltered thus far from that vision. One Punch-Man has been an absolute treat for me.
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Quotes I love:
"Mysterious things, when you were a child you used to think 'They exist for sure!', but all of a sudden it changes to, 'It would be nice if they existed.' I wonder when and why you stop believing." - Akari Mizunashi, Aria the Animation
"Lots of things change with the flow of time. But there are things that never change. Things that are precious because they change, and things that are precious because they don’t change… Both are precious. Don’t you feel the same?" - Akari Mizunashi, Aria the Animation
"Have you heard this story before? When a certain traveler left on a journey in search of what he desired, he was told by his teacher: 'You mustn't lose your way, because if you make one wrong turn - you will never find what you were searching for'. But, unfortunately, the traveler lost his way and hung his head in dismay... But when he raised his head again, what he saw before him was a world even more magnificent than what the traveler was searching for. It means if you don't make mistakes, there are things you won't discover." - Alicia Florence, Aria the Animation
"I am not going to take sides, I am neutral. I am talking about standpoints here, that is all. Miss Class Representative (Hanekawa Tsubasa) has her point of view and her parents have their own. There is no way for an outsider to know which of them is right. Actually, there is not a right one in the first place. It is just about who is easier to agree with." - Meme Oshino, Bakemonogatari
"If you desire one thing for so long, it's a given that you'll miss other things along the way. That's how it is... that's life." - Godo, Berserk
"Whether it's good or bad, it's so unfortunate to wake up during a dream." - Judeau, Berserk
"The day before yesterday, I saw a rabbit. Yesterday, it was a deer. And today, It’s you." - Ichinose Kotomi, Clannad
"Once, there was a tiger-striped cat. This cat died a million deaths, revived, and lived a million lives. And he had various owners that he didn’t really care about. The cat wasn’t afraid to die. Then one day, he met a white female cat, the two of them fell in love and lived together happily. Well, the years went by and the white female cat got old and passed away. The tiger-striped cat cried a million times, then he also died. But this time, he didn’t come back." - Spike Spiegel, Cowboy Bebop
"Memento mori. Apparently, it means: Remember that you must die. Do not forget that you will surely die someday, and as such, that is the more reason to live now--is the message contained in that phrase." - Decim, Death Parade
"It's true that in tennis, love is zero. But zero is also where everything starts. Nothing would ever be born if we didn't depart from there. Nothing would be ever achieved." - Shinichi Kudo, Detective Conan
"People can never truly understand each other! That's why we communicate and try to understand. We can only understand ourselves through being with others!" - Riki Naoe, Little Busters!
"You cannot use the word 'possibility' without limitations. Can you become a bunny girl? Can you become a pilot? Can you become a famous singer, or a superhero who saves the world with his powers? Perhaps you could. But if you keep focusing your gaze on that which is unrealistic, you never will. The root of all your evil is in always relying on one of your other possibilities to get your wish. You must accept that you are the person here, now, and that you cannot become anyone else other than that person. There is no way that you can lead some worthwhile college life and feel satisfied. I guarantee it, so have confidence!" - Seitarou Higuchi, Yojouhan Shinwa Taikei
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