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Trainwreck. Usually we ascribe a negative connotation with this word but there is some morbid curiosity to it that we can't help but see it to the end.

This was Good Night World. The show gives you the premise in its very first episode. A dysfunctional family are all unknowingly playing the same MMORPG (massive multiplayer online role playing game) and hanging out with the same party even though they are all estranged in reality. How will they react once they know who each other are in real life? How does the show allow the family to organically find out for themselves?

Then the show adds another ... layer. There is a secret end game boss in the MMO but this isn't a regular end game boss... what sort of twists awaits the party when they challenge this boss?...

But that isn't all. The show gives us another character aside from this family that has a deep bond with one of its members. How will her interactions affect the boss fight? And the future of our edgy MC? Is she the antidote that will heal our edgy MC spiritually and mentally?

I have to admit, the interaction of Pico and Ichi gave me mad nostalgic vibes. I think anyone who have played MMOs and formed strong bonds in-game can relate to how authentic some of the experiences the characters go through. Of course, it's not like everyone have had their extreme experiences to this degree but we can still relate and reminiscence about the friendships in our own MMOs.

Watch a bit further, and the train really goes off the rails. I say this in a completely neutral tone. I sometimes enjoy trainwrecks. I think the original writer really took the meme "never let them know your next move" to heart. The plot just continues to escalate in its twists and turns and seem to change genres on the fly. Eventually even the dialogue becomes unpredictable. You could have a really serious conversation and then the characters start talking about balding. The amount of random off-topic remarks is quite frequent, which, to be honest, made me laugh quite a bit since it's just so out of left field.

The show can be absurdly funny, borderline non-sensical, seemingly riddled with a wild turn of events, but weirdly relatable at other times. Are many going to be turned off by the crazy amount of turns this show went through? Absolutely. Are there a ton of poorly explained themes and sequences throughout the show? Yep. Did I enjoy it nonetheless? Oh yeah. Sometimes you just have to see the trainwreck through. How is the train going to land? What beautiful tragedy is in store for us and the characters?

You really have to see it for yourself, while fully knowing it could be one of the worst things you've ever seen too.

PS: Oh, and be ready for inconsistent animation and art. In some scenes, the character or setting is beautifully drawn while other scenes you wonder if they ran out of budget and let an unpaid employee finish some of the artwork off on their free time.

Blue Lock goes far and beyond what you expect a sports anime to be. At face value it has a really simple message. While football (or soccer) is a team sport, you need that moment of intense selfish desire to truly impact the game. So a fictional program is developed to bring out this intense selfish desire. But is that all Blue Lock is trying to say?

I find Blue Lock to be packed with wisdom that can be applied to all facets of life and not just a particular sport. The main character Isagi said this once: "If it lets me win, I have no ... issue tearing down everything that makes me who I am." He really carries this to heart and embodies it in the entire anime. So much so the art constantly draws Isagi in the form of puzzle pieces and he is constantly restructuring and re-piecing himself together to form a new and better self.

Obviously the anime itself is far beyond reality. High school players are doing tricks even the best pros cannot do consistently, and each goal scored are like highlight reels you see once a year in a pro league. But I really enjoy Blue Lock for adding a layer of wisdom. Almost every character brings out a teachable moment. Chigiri is able to face his fear by understanding what his real passions are in life. Nagi recognizes despite the innate talent he has for the game, how fun it truly is to actually try and continuously see how far he can push his talent. Leo faces the issue of being a jack of all trades and master of none. Barou... Barou has one of the more memorable transformations the show has to offer. Each and every character is treated like a protagonist and goes through their own arcs of self-realization and self-improvement.

Blue Lock doesn't explicitly state this, but life is about finding what you're good at, finding joy in doing that thing, and continuously improving your craft amid the pains, the doubts, the fears. For it is growth that keeps life interesting, and hopefully, the author ignites a passion in even one reader to pursue their goals, and to grow and become a better version of yourself. It is a life-long journey, and it will make tomorrow something to look forward to.

It’s been nearly 12 years since I watched Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann (TTGL), and it still remains as my favourite anime. I attempted to write a review for this beloved series over the years, and I always gave up on it. How do you convey such strong feelings into words? The answer is: you can’t. And this is probably going to end up being a mess of a “review”, but I’m going ahead anyway.

Before I begin, here's what very little info I'll tell you about myself. Ever since I was a smol man, I very much enjoyed the idea behind giant robots. Here is ... humanity facing annihilation but in the face of overwhelming threat, we have created giant robots, however impractical they may be, and they are humanity's last resort. What can they do? Punch something really hard? Maybe shoot a ridiculous amount of lasers and missiles? How about COMBINING WITH EACH OTHER TO FORM EVEN BIGGER ROBOTS?!

Gurren Lagann pays homage to the giant robot trope and you can tell they loved the genre! The creative staff is at their prime. They know what the fans what. They make fun of giant robots, they highlight the excessive power of giant robots, and each fight became larger and larger. And to think it all started underground when the main character was digging a hole.

During its air time, and many years since, the word “epic” have been used repeatedly in every review to describe Gurren Lagann. Is it overused? It is. Does it describe the show perfectly? Yes. Nothing screams “epic” than giant robots fighting at a galactic level. Nothing screams "epic" than the dire situation the heroes put themselves in and must use ludicrous ideas to push through. It is the hero's journey on crack.

But perhaps it follows the journey so well, the middle parts can be especially tedious. One of the beloved characters suffers a mortal wound, and the series becomes extremely moody. 12 years ago, I thought it was easily the weakest aspect of the show. Years later, I realize that this part of the journey is necessary and drives the plot forward. It shows emotion in its rawest form. Anger, sadness, selfishness, feelings of inadequacy, weakness; these are all emotions people go through when we experience grief. TTGL doesn’t resolve grief that well, but this is the hero’s journey after all. We aren’t offered enough time to deal with grief... but we can shoehorn a potential love interest to move the show forward.

Honestly, I didn’t really like the character of Nia. But she is needed to push the story forward. TTGL, when you look at it critically, is a simple story. Perhaps a bit too simple sometimes. But that is okay. Its main goal isn’t to create some sort of master storytelling with intricate plots and complicated motivations. No, its main goal is showcasing the hero’s journey and the coming-of-age story of its main character.

Other than the plot, I can't forget the sheer rush of adrenaline when fight scenes reach its climax. It has this one specific BGM that perfectly blends hip-hop with opera. It has such fluid animation during some of its fight scenes. The colors are vibrant, and you can hear the machines heavily attacking one another. All of these effects with TTGL's signature line “WHO THE HELL DO YOU THINK I AM??” made me jump out of my seat throughout the show.

And truly, some of the scenes are absolutely breathtaking. I'll never forget the first episode when Simon, Yoko, and Kamina saw the planet for the first time. I'll never forget about Kamina. I'll never forget what Simon had to do to beat Lord Genome. Hell, I'll never forget Boota.

Just thinking about these moments brings me a wave of nostalgia. Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann is my favourite anime. And it probably will always be my favourite anime. It told the hero’s journey and pushed its limits to the absolute max. And it did it so easily. The soundtrack is amazing. The action is insanely over the top. The scale just gets bigger, and bigger, and bigger, and you’d think it’d eventually stop, but it still surprises you at the end. It takes the literal definition of “grand” storytelling.

TTGL, this is my thoughts 12 years later. I wonder what I’ll be like in another 12 years?

I recently watched this and toward the end, I felt strongly about how *bad* it got near the end and had to write my thoughts down about it. But before I begin...

Let's just get this out of the way. While I understand the meaning of "I want to eat your pancreas", why would someone ever title a story over this? Did you have NO other creative title to suit the needs of this story? How about Living with Dying, the title of the journal the main girl wrote? Was it copyrighted, and you couldn't think of something better? Was that too literal, and was too ... boring for a title of a story? Anyway, let's talk about the actual story.

A young girl has a terminal illness and we're going to see how she plans to live her remaining life knowing this. Sakura is a decent character, all things considered. She is thoughtful, she is playful, and her medical condition made her grow as a person. This is all good... if only she was the main protagonist.

Naaah. Our main male protagonist instead is the boy. Apathetic, asocial, aloof, Haruki most likely is there just for the purpose of the writer to shower him with character development. And that's the problem. He doesn't feel like a real person to me. He feels more like a blank page ready to be filled by any extreme event that might occur to him. It's just way too predictable. Ton of stories feature character development in more subtle ways. You don't NEED a random stranger with a terminal illness to change your initially flawed way of thinking. You don't NEED this random stranger to be overtly assertive that forces you to do things you don't normally do.

Hell, why is he even this way to begin with? Could this story be more about Japanese culture as a whole? Are most Japanese boys like him? Haruki's background wasn't really explained enough, maybe because of the constraint of a 2 hour film. We never got to see his family or his past. His mom seemed okay as a person. Does he have a dad? Haruki just feels a bit TOO apathetic and asocial. I guess he's relatable? People are typically afraid of rejection and failure, so we often end up not doing anything just to feel safe. A lot of stories end up like this one given the blank slate of its main character: An indifferent person has to deal with something out of the ordinary and changes their ways for the better. But tons of stories have some kind of creative take on this story.

This story offers nothing new and most of the conclusions are fairly straight-forward because of the failure to create a real meaningful protagonist. If Sakura was the main character, you get an entirely different take on the story. Maybe before she dies, she's interested in helping out an indifferent person for whatever reason. Maybe her father was very indifferent and lived a more difficult life because of it. Something, give me something that makes character motivation and characters feel real.

Now that's kind of the main problem I have about the story. I wasn't really going to write an entire review on this until I got to the end of this film. All things considered, it was an average and predictable film. Then the end happened. And not in a good way, nooo. But more of a, -why the hell did you do this to Sakura when she already has a terminal illness- kind of way. This was some of the most non-sensical event I’ve seen about a girl that already have a terminal illness.

Rather than have her eventually passing away and Haruki coming to terms with her death, the writer decide to prematurely end the story in another way. I’m not going to spoil it for anyone reading this, but it just feels so, goddamn, random. The only plausible explanation would be something about “life is unfair”. But Sakura already HAVE a terminal illness, that isn’t enough for you? Shouldn’t the main theme that is already established to be about a boy becoming a better person? Oh, no? It wasn’t? Riiiight. You guys forgot. This isn’t just about character development. This is about you saying my story was too predictable. Here’s a curveball for y’all!

I have no idea what went through their head, but the ending was a disaster. Coming to grips with death, that was fine. Haruki is becoming a more developed person. Sure, even if it’s predictable. But the story now has to end, and I don’t really know how to write a realistic scene of a girl passing away in front of a boy, soooo, here’s something terrible for you because everyone love a good feeltrip right? That’s exactly how we’re going to break 8+ on MAL!

The ending only enhanced more mediocrity of this already predictable work. At the end of the day, ‘I want to eat your pancreas’ is a generic melodrama that aim to create an emotional reaction out of you. Anyone who is remotely empathetic can feel the sadness Haruki will go through. Anyone can relate to Haruki for being unable to meaningfully connect with other people. Anyone can respect Sakura for having those pockets of wisdom about life and death. But that is it. You probably have seen these characters and story in just about any anime that was remotely dramatic. Nothing stood out for me in a positive way, and the ending just made it all stand out in a really bad way. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy a good emotional drama. But the ending? It felt rushed, unnecessary, and seems purely to get an emotional reaction out of you. No, I'm not even talking about Haruki's reaction to all this, I'm talking about what exactly happened to Sakura.

And this wraps up my thoughts about the movie. I watched it with my girlfriend on a weekend evening. Neither of us particularly enjoyed it, and we’re astounded the ratings here are this overwhelmingly positive despite many negative reviews being top voted. Perhaps this is some people’s first emotional journey about a terminally ill young girl. Perhaps feeling emotional is all that is needed for a good rating.

Whatever your case might be, I think you and I both want to see more creative works that targets some of the emotional stuff we have to face eventually. But in this way? I’d rather not.

Boku dake ga Inai Machi, also known as Erased, is a show that exploded in popularity at the start of 2016. When a show with this much popularity arrive on the scene, you can bet on the vast continuum of viewers out there. Some would hate the show with a passion, some would love the show with equal passion, and a lot of viewers in between. I am someone who, based on the score I’ve given, would be seen in the group of fans that loved it. Indeed, I have. Here are my thoughts of Erased, and it’s going to be a long one, folks.

To ... start with, I am a fan of time-travelling stories. And because I am well acquainted with time-travelling, I know the common pitfalls and problems people have with a show such as Erased. Yes, the mechanic of time-travelling is very flawed. Neither was the mechanic of time-travelling even explained in detail. I believe that’s the point. The goal of this anime isn’t about creating some kind of reasonable realistic time-travelling show. If you watch this show hoping that they will explain why our protagonist is giving the power to do so, you will be disappointed. Perhaps its original source material will eventually progress to that point, but it didn’t seem to be the core theme of the show.

Erased, to me, is a show about the hypothetical question of, “what would you do differently in your life if you had the choice?” Like the person who asks this question, the show is not interested in answering a completely different question of “how do you even make that possible?” The person mostly wants to know about your values, beliefs, past experiences, and where you would want to change if you had the choice. Erased, then, is focused on our main protagonist, Satoru Fujinuma, and how Satoru goes about answering this question. In this aspect, Erased is similar to the movie “It’s a Wonderful Life”. The supernatural element of both fictions is there to emphasize the growth of characters and provide a means for these characters to look at themselves in a different light. Similarly, a recent movie “About Time” showed a very similar impression to Erased’s time-travelling mechanic. It was never explained in detail but used more as a plot device to highlight character development. A certain level of suspension of disbelief is needed when it comes to these shows. If you are going in this show with the wrong expectations such as comparing Erased to say, Steins;Gate, you will be very disappointed.

At the same time, Erased also isn’t entirely focused on the murder mystery. Much of the backdrop is indeed based on Satoru investigating and attempting to prevent a string of murders from ever happening, but it isn’t the main element that will stick with you after the series end. At its core, Erased is a character drama that let us see the mind of Satoru and the progress he makes, the hardships he endures, and how he develops from a rather indifferent and uncaring character at the beginning to an endearing character at the end.

At the beginning, we see a brief interaction with his mother Sachiko and see Satoru mildly annoyed that she is going to stay with him for a few days. We don’t really know what their relationship is like, but it seems there is distance between them. Toward the end, we have no question about what that relationship really is. We see Sachiko unconditionally care for Satoru and how much he means to her. We have no doubt that Satoru means the world for her, and how much she means to him. Compared to the beginning of the show, we know that Satoru’s views on family had changed. We also see Satoru opening up to other children and people, becoming more honest, learning and understanding about himself; to finally see him grow into a more complete and caring character. Near the end, we see a photo of Satoru with his friends, which set up a very neat comparison to his life in the beginning of the show.

Along the way, several themes related to the concept of family were explored. Satoru is raised in a single-mother home with a loving mom who’s a bit too good at knowing what he is thinking. Kayo Hinazuki, the main victim that Satoru felt obligated to save, is a girl who’s been consistently abused by her mother, also living in a single-mother home. The show examines what we typically take for granted in a family and shows a clear contrast between a loving parent and a despicable one. One of the most emotional scenes in the show was Kayo seeing a delicious breakfast meal made for her in Satoru’s home when quick flashbacks showed how poorly her mom treated her in the past. Parental abuse isn’t entirely a new concept in anime, but Erased explores it well on how characters would interact with each other and the small subtleties such as seeing a good meal for the first time.

Perhaps more importantly, Erased understands that issues do not occur in a vacuum. Kayo’s mother, despite being obviously one of the clear “villains” in this show, is shown to have been abused before and is clearly under some kind of substance abuse. As an empathetic viewer, I can see that even though she mistreated her daughter over and over again, I can’t really blame her entirely. Bad things happen to people, and it tends to spread quite easily. Of course, she was definitely in the wrong, but just a little of empathy goes out to her as well.

With that said, it becomes a bit puzzling that the same consideration was not made of the main antagonist. Several people have critiqued Erased’s pacing, specifically the latter third of the show. Little backstory was provided about the villain. Here, we see a similar problem akin to the time-travelling problems I discussed earlier. Erased treats the villain mostly as a plot device and a premise of the show rather than highlight any meaningful character development in said person. Much of the development is focused on Satoru, Sachiko, and Kayo, with some minor focus on Kenya and Airi. This problem, to me, appears to be a logistics issue outside the merit of the show itself. It seems 12-13 episode series had become all too common so our perception that the show felt rushed in the latter halves should at least be somewhat accurate. With a 12-13 episode limit, it would be hard to actually shed light on many character motivations, which definitely leaves some room for criticism and improvement.

Other criticisms are also quite valid. One common issue aside from time-travelling is a time skip that happens later on in the show. This is especially problematic because Erased seem to have forgotten that this event ever happened and fails to shed any light on what actually happened. Even for me, as someone who acknowledges that time-travelling is merely used as a plot device with its fair share of plot holes, this appeared to simply be a plot hole with no excuses attached.

Another issue was how obvious who the real antagonist was. The show doesn’t really show enough possibilities to leave us guessing. As a crime show, Erased lacks quite a bit in the area. We’re pretty sure who the antagonist is, even though the show tries to create doubt in its viewers. At some points, I truly wished the antagonist wasn’t this person, but with such a limited cast, it felt like the show had no other choice but this person to be the villain. And when this person is poorly introduced in their motives and background, it really would dampen your opinions on the show especially if you went in expecting an excellent crime drama. That said, Erased do excel in creating suspense in certain parts of the show. An obvious example is having the antagonist enter the same place that Kayo was currently placed. Again, this really isn’t a novel idea, but I haven’t felt real suspense in anime for quite a bit so it’s refreshing to have moments like these where you are at the edge of your seat on what will happen next.

Lastly, I want to bring another concern that I noted when watching this show. When it comes to characters, one particular character acts way, way wiser than what an elementary school child should be. This character’s role seemed like yet another plot device, or an exposition device. If a scenario got too awkward, this character would come in. If there is a burning question that the audience had in mind, this character would ask or answer. While it’s fine to have that element in the show, it asks a bit too much out of its viewers to suspend disbelief. We know why this character is here, but this character did not really fit how children are supposed to act and behave. That said, it’s not like really smart and wise children don’t exist... but this character appeared just a biiiit too mature for its viewers to suspend disbelief.

You might have realized I have not talked about the show’s animation, art or music. There isn’t much to be said in these departments. It’s all around quality material. A-1 is known to create decent artwork and animation, and the music can be spot on in its tender moments and suspenseful moments. The food looks delicious, the lighting is spot on, characters that only have like one dialogue looks unique enough, and there’s enough settings to please the eye.

In summary, I’ll say Erased excelled in creating a character drama where you can become wholly emotionally invested into its characters. I have cried on at least 3 occasions, probably because the topic of family is such a sensitive issue for me. Many viewers will be disappointed with Erased, either because time-travelling is poorly explained, the main antagonist being a bit too obvious, or that the latter parts of the series felt rushed. These are all legitimately valid criticisms and I appreciate the fanbase for dissecting this series. However, I believe the core theme of Erased is based on the complexity of family dynamics and character interactions of those involved. It highlights how bad parental abuse can be, and highlights just how difficult it is to actually try and stop what has been happening. It also highlights common themes we’ve loved about in anime: friendship, trust, and moral dilemmas on what we believe as right or wrong. In these aspects, Erased had well-crafted characters in Satoru, Sachiko, Kayo, and even some of its side characters.

As you can probably tell from the score and this long review, I enjoyed Erased immensely. I have described some of its flaws, but as we all probably heard this quote before: “Love isn't about finding a perfect person; it's seeing an imperfect person perfectly.” As I reiterate and this applies to all works of fiction: If you watch something with the wrong expectations, you will surely be disappointed. Despite Erased’s immense popularity, it definitely isn’t a show for everyone. It demands its viewers to suspend quite a bit of disbelief, which is perhaps asking a bit too much.

However, if you are open-minded and understood the main themes that Erased tried to get across, then hopefully you would or had enjoyed the series as much as I had.

Teamwork. Talent. Hardwork. Winning. Losing.

The realm of sports usually involve all of this, and needless to say, it was told brilliantly through Haikyuu. Unlike previous sports anime I've seen, Haikyuu remain grounded and down to Earth, despite the obvious impossibility of such talent in a Japanese high school setting. But hey, if you were ever watching anime for the sake of realism, you're probably not in the right medium.

The story of Haikyuu is straightforward but with a small unique feature. A high school volleyball team which was once a strong team is now slowly rebuilding. The team is joined by 2 1st year students, Hinata ... Shoyo and Tobio Kageyama, who were originally rivals but now has to work together. What truly elevates Haikyuu is creating a team with players that feel very real, despite their extraordinary talent or potential. There is a consistent dynamic relationship between team members, and progressive buildups that really showcase teamwork, hardwork, and all the motivation involved in these characters.

The main characters have extremely high potential and ability. Kageyama and Hinata have almost an unlimited amount of potential and talent within them. However, their abilities never become the sole premise of the series. Unlike other sports anime that truly go all out on how supernatural the players have become, Haikyuu is rooted in its focus on the emotions and values that change over time in its lovable team members. Additionally, these players have obvious flaws in their characterization that usually limit their full potential. How can Hinata overcome inherent biases against his height and his lack of training? How does Kageyama finally learn essential values of trust and teamwork? So, while a certain amount of suspension of disbelief is required, it shouldn't really take away just how brilliant Haikyuu showcases the challenges and achievements a team and its players can go through.

Perhaps the greatest aspect of Haikyuu is its careful consideration to just about every aspect of the sport. One of the most memorable scenes in the series was a short compilation of teams and players facing the outcome of losing. In my viewing experience, this was rarely shared in a story, or even, generally speaking, in sports in general. Usually, a team faces loss as a ground for improvement. And that's about it. However, in Haikyuu, you really feel the intensity, the emotions, and truly, the psychological effects of losing. Losing isn't simply a means to an end. The present emotions are real, the loss is final, and the moments will be remembered.

On a much lighter note, Haikyuu also had several moments that felt like comedy relief, but it was incorporated seamless enough that it felt like comedy relief was something these characters would've wanted it as well. Another highlight of the series is the attention it gives to supplementary team members, which again, highlights the dynamic of teamwork. Everyone have a role, even if it's about being a player that can only come once in a game, or a team member that is shadowed by someone with greater talent.

Added to that, the sense of strategy involved in the beautiful game of volleyball also keeps each game interesting, but not overly analytical. Certain series definitely go way beyond in over analyzing plays that viewers can feel bogged down by how complex the game had gotten. Haikyuu, while strategic in many ways, also raises the important concept that sometimes, thinking too much will slow you down in a game that involves quick judgments and reflexes. In general, I believe the consistent touch of realism involved in an obviously extraordinary setting truly elevates the series forward as a whole. It keeps things relatedable, and you feel like you can truly experience the challenges and achievements the team will go through, even though it's just an anime.

The one potential issue I had with the series, though, is how fast developments can be and the pacing in general. You will have players face breakthroughs with every single match. On one hand, it had to be that way due to the limited time given for a series. But on the other hand, sometimes it feels like it becomes so plot-driven, the desire to highlight developments, that it might cheapen the changes the character went through. For myself, I watched the series on a biweekly basis, so each development felt important in its own way and it didn't feel like I was desensitized with emotions. For someone who is marathoning Haikyuu, there will probably be a different opinion of the series. Additionally, the pacing through the beginning of the series after the initial two episodes can feel slow, despite necessary introductions to new members of the team and their ongoing developments.

In terms of things like art, animation, and sound, I felt it was a complete package in terms of presentation. The manga-like art quality keeps the animation stylish, while not limiting it to feel simply like it was just a series of stilled images. Each character have some unique physical quality to them, and the art was simple, but not minimalistic enough to feel cheap. The animation can truly highlight the importance of a strategic or power play, and the music only adds to the overall atmosphere of the series. Perhaps I'm a bit too sensitive to music, but when the piano starts to play in an obvious emotional setting, I couldn't help but feel the same emotions the players go through. There are times where you really want to cheer for the team, and times where you want to comfort them. In general, the music, including the OP/ED seamlessly complement the series.

To sum it up, I enjoyed immensely the first season of Haikyuu. I really hope a second season is coming, not really because I want them to eventually win a tournament, but just how invested I have become attached to the characters. Haikyuu truly embodies the concept of teamwork, hardwork, and the challenges and accomplishments of being in a sports team. As being one of the few anime, if not the only anime that was about volleyball, I honestly feel lucky to have this anime graced my viewing experience. Haikyuu is obviously not an anime everyone can enjoy. But even from someone who may not necessarily enjoy sports anime, as long as you're open-minded and wants to watch something that showcases character developments and group dynamics, Haikyuu can be a very enjoyable series. I'd even argue that someone might enjoy the series more if they didn't know much about volleyball. It's seriously that good.

If there was one thing that absolutely stood out for me in Aquarion EVOL, it was the artwork. Aquarion EVOL shines brightest in its absolutely gorgeous setting and consistent animation. Each location is drawn with such care and beauty and there were plenty of places for us to see. The artwork is what I'd would call "eyegasmic" or "scenery porn". It was a completely positive surprise. As of 2012, I can only list a handful of TV series that had such amazing artwork on display.

Unfortunately, aside from the delightfully eyegasmic setting it was in, the story and characters leave a bit to be desired. At ... it's core, it's not a story to be taken seriously. Like the prequel, there are a lot of ridiculous and ludicrous events that happen throughout the show. How about a punch move that wraps the entire planet just to punch the enemy into space? How about each time the characters combine into the Aquaria mech they experience near-orgasms? If you can suspend a great amount of belief, you can enjoy this show since there are lots of funny and exciting material here. For some, the lack of a serious and well-thought out story can really be a disappointment. Indeed, the story in Aquarion EVOL had a lot of potential. The villains of Altair and their motives belong in a moral gray area, but the planet Altair is mostly left undeveloped and unexplored as the credit rolled.

The characters also suffer from wasted potential in terms of depth and attitude. The main characters, especially, come off quite shallow and frankly, annoying. Both Amata and Mikono are shy and often unreliable, and they often misunderstood each other for both comedic purposes and really shallow and cliche reasons. On the opposite spectrum is Kagura - the bad boy villain who lusts over Mikono and Zessica - the scantily dressed confident girl who lusts over Amata. These main characters came off as largely one-dimensional. While they do receive character development, it was often too late in the series to really appreciate them. Kagura's sudden change of character near the end is frankly just sloppy writing. Their one-dimensional personalities became repetitive quickly.

Character writing was undoubtedly not a strong point of Aquarion Evol. However, the side characters certainly were pretty entertaining even if they were one-dimensional. There is Andy W. Hole who is completely obsessed with holes, Mix who is obsessed with neatness, the loli president Crea who amuse with weird puns, the immortal Fudou who speaks in riddles, and many more. Their character interactions are usually amusing to watch even if the main characters comes off as annoying and boring.

Each episode often starts with light-hearted character interactions, and usually ends with the mech Aquarion in action against an opponent mech. The CG in these fights is really obvious and differs in style from the beautifully rendered artwork, but it doesn't really take away any entertainment value. Combat flows fluidly and is entertaining in general since each fight seem to end really differently. Sometimes, it's just not enough to destroy an opponent with a punch. Aquarion EVOL will punch with such profound disregard to physics that will make other mecha series tame in comparison. Still, the problem with Aquarion EVOL is each episode becomes formulaic. The series is what I'd call mindlessly entertaining, but it really could've had more depth if it spend more time developing the villains and developing the world instead of spending time on flat characters and formulaic mech fights.

Other than that, the presentation value is really high and I was pleasantly surprised. AKINO returns to this sequel with catchy j-pop insert themes and OP/ED credits. The soundtrack is varied with grand orchestra pieces, solo piano or violin pieces, as well as light-hearted or solemn moody pieces. Character models are pleasing to look at and remains in quality even if zoomed out. And of course, the gorgeous landscapes and space artwork whether it was day or night made lasting and unforgettable impressions. Words can't really describe the beauty I've seen, but I highly recommend it if anyone enjoys what the anime medium could offer in looks.

Ultimately, Aquarion EVOL was an enjoyable series full of heart and ridiculous combat, albeit often ending up as melodramatic and exaggerated. The artwork and sound are gorgeous and catchy, but the story and characters came off as wasted potential. For someone looking for a serious and well-thought plot with realistic characters, this is definitely not the series for you. But if you are simply looking for some fun, Aquarion EVOL is definitely an entertaining series.