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Jun 21, 2016
I'm still deciphering whether this anime is a yaoi or not, but point still stands that this is a good first to watch if you want to get introduced to the genre. So what do I have to say about it? Is it as fantastic as everyone says it is?
Story: If you haven't heard of this anime, have you been living under a rock? But anyway. The story is about a boy named Shuichi who, with his friend, Hiro, just got a record deal by starting a band called Bad Luck. Shuichi's dream is to become just as famous as his favorite band, Nittle Grasper,
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someday. When in the middle of writing a new song one night, the blow carries it off, and it ends up in the hands of a famous romance novelist, Yuki Eri. However, their meeting is not friendly in the slightest when Yuki tells Shuichi that he straight up has "zero talent." To prove him wrong, Shuichi finishes the song and produces it. However, was this an act out of spite or just for senpai to notice him? I'm sure other stories like this exist, but when it comes to a gay couple, it's more than just getting your crush to notice you. I feel as if Gravitation is an accurate representation of how the media shows homosexuality back in that time period, and despite it being a yaoi, it shows more than just the smutty stuff. It shows the internal struggles between the two lovers and how they can be accepted in this cruel world. If I really wanted to explain this in full, I would just say, "Watch the show." Just do it. As far as rating goes, I'd give it a good 10/10.
Art: For an anime done in the year 2000, I have not expected the art style the show has. The glittery stuff looks like something from the mid 2000's, but that's what makes the show more of a staple for itself. Sometimes there are light moments, and sometimes there are dark, but the animation fits so well. Oh, and by the way, Yuki's design happens to be the most amazing thing since sliced bread. Nothing seems to be out of place for me, so I would also give it a 10/10.
Sound: Since this anime highly focuses on music, it has to count, and boy, does it make itself original and very well known. The voices are amazing and every song has left a huge impression on me. I think the only song that I found okay was the ending theme to the show, but it just bored me compared the others. Not that it's bad or anything like that. My favorite song has to be Sleepless Beauty of all things. I guess that's because I listen to the piano version. Because of that 9 out of 10. (Oh, and a little side note just because everyone knows about it already, DON'T WATCH THE ENGLISH DUB UNLESS SOMEONE REDID IT!)
Character: What makes this show besides the music are the characters as well (since this is a yaoi, and it can't be without the main couple in it). I thought I was going to hate Shuichi because normally characters who act like kids around this era of anime annoy the living shit out of me, but this show just proved that Shuichi is more than just a cute face. He's determined, and he does get angry about serious moments. I guess he kinda depends on the person like every other shojo boy anime ever, but just give him a chance. Yuki is the person that I thought was more of a hit or miss. Depending on what type of person you are, you can determine what kind of person Yuki is. Yes, he was mean to Shuichi at first, but without spoiling too much, there are reasons to why Yuki acts the way he does. And for the physical comedy scenes, I personally found those moments to be more comical than abusive, but that's up to your interpretation. The side characters are either a hit or a miss. The hits for me personally are Hiro, Tohma, and Sakano. They are completely unexpected from the stereotypes that you see in other anime. The other characters are nothing special in my opinion. Like I said in the story portion of the review, this show is completely unexpected, and you should go into the show thinking absolutely nothing about it. I would say 9/10 for this part.
Enjoyment: This show is kinda like eating fruit. The more you watch the show, despite getting the bruises sometimes, it's still the same sweet flavor, and it only stays that way. I'm just gonna warn you now that the ending to this show is not exactly the true ending. I'm assuming if you want more, just watch the OVAs that came out before the show did. Also, if you're wondering if this is a true yaoi or not, if you're extra curious, read the manga. I heard there is more...smut in there than what the anime has to offer (cuz you know, 2000, it sucks for if you want a gay anime to last for a long while with the true elements). Still, it's a really fun show to watch, and I highly recommend it. 10/10
Overall: I'll let the math do this for me. Rounded 10 out of 10
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
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Jun 21, 2016
This is one of those shows that I had to watch due to how much it makes people cry. I just had to watch.
Story: Everyone pretty much knows the story of this show. Otonashi is a boy who just died and was sent into what heaven looks like for anyone who is a high school student. He meets a girl named Yuri who warns him about another girl who seems to be in charge of who stays or goes, who they call Angel. Otonashi is introduced to the Afterlife Battlefront, a group of teens whose sole mission is to take Angel down. However, Otonashi notices
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something off about Angel, and he wants to figure out what. From what I've seen, this anime (based off the manga) is very original. I'm not sure if there are other anime that take place in heaven, but just how the society functions is very interesting. I don't want to spoil how Angel plays a huge part, but I will tell you that despite some filler here and there, it's still an 8 out of 10 must watch.
Art: It's a shojo anime, so you would expect the style to be softer in comparison to a shounen. Despite that, it can go from light to dark plenty of times, and it can do that without destroying the animation's purpose. All of the fighting and slice of life elements fit in together like a puzzle. It should feel like two different anime, but it still works. 10/10 for making it work.
Sound: Both opening and endings are beautiful. They fit into the show perfectly, and if it's not the events themselves that make me cry from this anime, it's the inner episode scores. If you can find the soundtrack anywhere, download it please. Also, the English dub is still a very good dub. The emotion is still there. The fitting in is still there. I just love it. 10/10.
Character: The characters are classics. They have made themselves to be staples. I wish I could see more of Otonashi in the present state, except for his backstory, because he seems to be the empty slate character that doesn't seem to be necessary for an anime such as this. I also wanted to learn more about Angel, but unfortunately there is reason as to why we don't know so much until the very end. The side characters are likeable and interesting, but sometimes, I feel as if it's unnecessary to know their backstories. The only backstory I personally felt bad about was Yuri's because you understand why she became the caretaker of so many people in heaven. To me, I just feel that this could've been put to more useful places, but it's still fine. 8 out of 10.
Enjoyment: This anime has a lot of elements that some people wouldn't expect to see. It's a dark anime which you see in a fantasy drama but when it can, it expresses comedy at the right times. The characters stick with you, and it makes you feel like they are a part of your family. Despite the character arcs being...meh, I don't think anything felt out of place. 9/10
Overall: If I did the math right, the rounded up average for the final score should be 9 out of 10.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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Jun 21, 2016
Before I get into it, I just want to say that I think this show has to be one of my favorite anime I have ever seen. My review of the show will explain why.
Story: When it comes to plot, it does remind me a lot of Ender's Game, but I think the anime does so much better than Ender's Game. Without spoiling too much, I appreciate the story taking place in the stranger's point of view after he's been brainwashed. I have a feeling the idea has been done before, but what I found in comparison to other dystopian anime is that that despite
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the dark beginning that foreshadows a very dark ending, the foreign world has brought a very bright light, and the first half of the show was like a breath of fresh air. Also, the transitions between the two halves of the anime works very well, and everything seems to connect. Even after we learn the truth about Ledo's purpose, everything seems to have fallen into place. 10/10
Art: There are a lot of shounen styled anime in this world, but as far as this anime goes, everything is downright beautiful! For something that's a mecha anime, I like how it combines with the interesting battleships as living quarters type setting. The characters are very good looking, and the water seems very real, which is something I never really said about an anime before. I've even got squeamish in the later episodes because the gore was realistic (not human gore, but it's a new type). For a 2013 anime, everything seems like it's new and it's been used for the first time. It's like I'm watching a new version of Gundum, but it's not Gundum in the slightest. (If I spelled that anime wrong, I completely apologize). It's nothing amazing, but it's definitely better than anything I've seen before. For that, I'd rate this part a 9 out of 10.
Sound: Both opening and ending are absolutely beautiful. I can't stop listening to both of them. Also, the scores inside each episode is very interesting to listen to. Nothing is out of place or anything. It reflects the emotions of the characters very well. And when something gets intense, it shares the same feel without breaking the moment. And if I can say anything about the English dub (because that's what I watched), nothing feels out of place. The voice actors definitely know how to act as their characters, and there was no voice that I found annoying. Another interesting element is that no matter what version you watch, the languages created for both societies is a new type (like Star Wars cultures or something). There are a lot of things to praise about this section. 10/10
Character: Character development is everywhere in this series, especially Ledo. I've seen denser main protagonists from these types of anime before, but Ledo is definitely a new type of character. This is a boy who is internally fighting between what he was taught and what he learned on his own. Ever since meeting the people of Gargantia, he's learn to make friends instead of comrades in battle. He's learned to make peace, but there will always be his past that haunts him. That's what a human being is, and I appreciate that. (I don't want to spoil the rest). Even Chamber has his own character. I mean, he's no Baymax, but it has its struggles between what he was programmed to do and what Ledo wants it to do for the sake of what is right. Another character I want to mention is Amy, Ledo's guide in Gargantia. She's the opposite of your damsel in distress. She is the one person who stands up for Ledo, even if he does make the greatest of mistakes, and she sees the good of all people, and sees what harm the enemies can do if everyone doesn't stand up. The other side characters are very interesting to watch. They have reasons behind what they do, and they definitely make memorable characters from this show. 9/10
Enjoyment: In reality, I suppose it depends on the person. However, I'm a person who doesn't really watch mecha anime because I always thought they were the same show, just changing characters' appearances around. However, this show is different. You get a protagonist that's really intelligent and actually learns his lesson. The side characters have backstories and purposes far greater than just being on screen for a couple of minutes. You actually get to know everything and you want to know what the next episode has. I would definitely say 10/10.
Overall: Well, I've pretty much said what I want. Rounding up the results, it's still a 10/10.
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
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Apr 8, 2016
Story: Are you sick and tired of watching the same generic love story all the time? Are you sick of watching yuri that's just basically there to show smut? Well, this anime is nothing like that whatever. You see that it's a romance in the genre section, but this is more than that. It's a real coming of age story about two girls trying to find their way through high school and what it really means to love someone. You have two best friends, Fumi and Akira, who reunite after ten years of separation and find out that they are going to different all girls
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schools. Akira is your energetic one who tries her very best to protect those she cares about. Then, you have Fumi, the cry baby who is also very shy but has her love of books. You'd think that these two are just your another set of tropes, but they're actually more complex than you think (which I'll explain in the characters section in more depth). I can't really say anything more or else I'd spoil the rest of the series for you, but I promise that it's a complete must watch. Score: 10/10
Art: The art style is very sketchy, but at the same time, it reflects the story of two high school girls trying to make through their first year of high school. Also, with some of the jokes they lay out, nothing seems out of place for a simple, romantic story. With the muted colors, it makes you feel like you're in your cozy hometown and you know it from top to bottom. There is drama, but it's so subtle that you might not even notice it at first glance, but that's the magic of the animation style used here. The character designs are perfect, and I find this anime to be a work of art. Score: 10/10
Sound: Though the soundtrack is very simple, I really have to give credit to the people who wrote the opening and ending themes. If you really want to let the audience know that this is a coming of age story, the opening should reflect that and the ending should remind you of that. That's exactly what those songs do hear, and if you are a fan of slow music, I highly recommend that you find these songs and download them to your playlist. They're beautiful, settling, and they're also good for when you're having trouble falling asleep. Though, I will be biased and say that the opening has to be one of the best openings I have ever listened to in my entire life. Score: 10/10
Character: As I mentioned a little bit in the story portion of the review, the last things the characters are in this anime are flat and stereotypical. If anything, I can actually relate to more than one character from this entire series. My only issue is that if the story is between Fumi and Akira, how come we don't see Akira that often. I guess we can also argue that this is Fumi's coming of age rather than Akira, but that doesn't stop the characters from playing major roles. Fumi is shy and she does cry at most points, but you know why she does, and you see her evolve from a shy girl into a woman who makes the right decisions in order to take care of herself instead of others doing it for her. That is pretty amazing if you ask me. Then, you also have Ikumi and Sugimoto-sempai who are also enjoyable to watch. You get to know them as one thing, but later on, you know they have secrets to hide as well. It's to my belief that every character has a coming of age in this story, which makes it all the better. Score: 10/10
Enjoyment: I can tell you that this anime is a tear fest. Whether that is a good thing or a bad thing to you, the anime is still lovable and it makes you want more after each episode ends. There's never a dull moment, I promise. Score: 10/10
Overall: (IS THERE MORE? I WANT A SEASON 2!) So you can basically tell how much I love this anime, and for good reason, too. Perfect score for me!
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
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Apr 4, 2016
Story: The first episode to the anime is very interesting. There's a girl named Shizuku Mizutani who is basically your "wants to be on top of everyone when it comes to grades in her school" type of chick. Everything seems to go according to her plans until the day she has to drop off homework for a student who's new to the school but hasn't shown up to classes yet named Haru Yoshida. He was known for his violent behavior in his younger years, but as soon as he meets Shizuku, he just turns out to be flat out weird. In fact, he starts cherishing
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her for being different from everyone else. Then, when he kisses her, Shizuku ends up on a coming of age journey of a lifetime. And what I basically just explained was the first episode. The rest of the series is just "There's a problem, the couple fights, and there may or may not be a resolution to it." To me, that formula is boring. Where are the getting closer moments? There are barely any, and that's disappointing for a romance anime. If you're into that whole thing, I won't stop you from watching, but if you're not, you'll be pretty disappointed. Score: 5/10
Art: I guess the only thing the anime has going is the animation. It's basically it's own staple, and that's what makes My Little Monster unique. It's cute, and it's also very clean. It has this stenciled touch that matches the stenciled world that Shizuku thinks she belongs in, and I believe that the anime should tell the story in the main character's point of view and how the main character views the world. 10/10 successful.
Sound: The in-show soundtrack is pretty bland except for the love theme between Shizuku and Haru. It's pretty cute when it comes to their personalities clashing together. The other scores seem either out of place or they're just not what I imagined for this anime at all. However, when it comes to the opening and ending, I just think they're not catchy in the slightest. They're just generic in general, and I can't stand it at all. Pretty disappointing I guess. Score: 3/10
Character: This is one of the first times since beginning to watch anime again that I cannot stand the main character at all. Shizuku is the stereotypical studious girl but done to the maximum degree with makes her extremely boring as hell. She even gets to the point where she's angry because she can't study, but you know she wants to express her feelings to Haru. God, I can't stand people like that! Then, you have her new friends. Natsume is the girl who does not have many real friends because she claims her real home is the Internet. She also gets low grades...but she's cute? I appreciate her supportive nature at times, but she could just be annoying mostly. Sasahara is the kind baseball player, but he doesn't really deliver much character into the group of friends. I think he's cute, but there's nothing much that'll make me say, "Why should I care about you?" Yamaken becomes a main side character for no reason whatsoever. If his only purpose is to break the couple up, then that makes this like any other generic romance shoujo ever. If there are only two characters I like they are, of course, Haru and Mitsuyoshi. Haru is your innocent weirdo who has a tragic past and wants to do right in the world. Plus, he has a pet rooster that he hid in his shirt in the second episode. How do you not? Mitsuyoshi is Haru's guardian and everyone else's guide. He's where the purest humor comes from. However, I can't say that those characters are the saving grace though. Score: 6/10
Enjoyment: The factors that I just explained do play a major factor when it comes to enjoying the show. There are moments though when the show is funny, but the more you get into the series, the more the jokes start to get old, and it's just not that fun anymore. The characters are your tropes and don't really bring much to the table, and the couple is a little deadpan, making you feel bad for Haru nonetheless. My enjoyment rate would have to be 5/10.
Overall: Well, I pretty much said what there is to be said here. Story: pretty much goes in useless circles. Art style is the best thing. Sound needs major creativity improvement. Character needs to be more broad. And all of that would make better enjoyment for the audience. Last score: rounded 6/10
Reviewer’s Rating: 6
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Apr 3, 2016
Story: Looking for a tear jerker anime? Well, this one is definitely one of those. Without spoiling too much, the anime is about a group of friends who seemed to have grown up from their childhood fantasies and went their separate ways in their teenage years after the death of their mutual friend, Menma. However, Menma's spirit has not completely vanished when she haunts Jinta, who was the leader of their clique in their younger years but is now a NEET and refuses to go to school. However, he knows that Menma's spirit is not going to disappear until he does something to put her
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at peace. And he knows the only way to do that is to reunite all of his friends and figure out what Menma really desires. Not only is this paranormal tale intriguing, but how the characters go about it is something original and you just get sucked in more and more. Just in that, I rate this a 10/10.
Art: The art style for the anime is very interesting. It has the comedic vibe, yet it still manages to portray the emotional story that the plot contains. I also love how the anime portrays Menma as the angelic spirit child who couldn't get the chance to grow up because of her death but still manages to look beautiful in the older version of her ghost. That has to be my favorite part of the anime if anything else. Also, despite the simplistic look of the characters, the backgrounds are full of more detail than what the story believes to carry on, and all of it looks 10/10 stunning.
Sound: There is not a lot of soundtrack to go off of since the majority of the scenes are silent except for dialogue. However, whenever there is music playing, it always matches the mood of the scene very well. Both the opening and the ending songs are amazing to listen to, and I binge listen to them whenever I'm writing stuff on my computer. Out of the two, my favorite is the opening. It's so full of energy and completely describes the plot of the show without giving away too much for the audience to be bored of it. When it comes to the ending, it's a good bit of fresh air after all the drama that you witnessed during each episode. With that said, 10/10.
Character: When I first started watching this show, I thought there was going to be a character or two who I would absolutely hate, but much to my surprise...I was totally right. Before I go onto who I do like, just be aware of Tsurumi (aka purple-haired chick). From the start, she had little to no personality to express whenever she's talking to her old friends. Then, we get to later on in the series, and she turns out to be the biggest bitch out there. I won't spoil why, but just be prepared. Now, let's get to the good stuff. As a main character, Jinta is the perfect person for Menma to be following for all thirteen episodes. Out of all the characters, it seems that Jinta was the most broken. Also, not to spoil, he was the victim of a childhood plan gone wrong, so it would be Menma's job to not only fix him, but to help him figure out what he wants out of life. The other characters, besides she who shalt not be named, are great, too. One character I thought I was really going to hate was Naruko, but the more you see her struggle, the morely bad you feel for this girl. She tries her best to fit in with the other girls at her school, but she begins to realize that's getting her more into trouble. Also, you begin to realize how much she misses Jinta ever since he started missing school. Poppo is your enjoyable, sorta immature, sorta dumb kid, but in an anime like this, he's necessary when it comes to relating to Menma, a child at heart, but a physical teenaged spirit. Lastly, we have Atsumu. At first, I'll admit that I didn't like him at all, but once you figured out how he's hurting since Menma's death, you just wanna hug him and say, "It's ok, sweetie, everything's going to be ok." All the side characters are pretty good as well because every single one, as I said, has a source of pain to deal with, which shapes them to be who they are. As much as I would hate to give this a part a lower grade because of she who shalt not be named, I would score this a 9/10.
Enjoyment: When it comes to enjoyment, you will feel a lot of emotions with this series. FEELS. Just prepare yourself for some very strange, yet very short, fanservice moments that are never mentioned again for the rest of the series. This is not a seinen or ecchi anime, so you only see little stuff for three episodes and that's the end of it. Otherwise, nothing else seems out of place for people to get a complete story about a group of friends trying to bring their dead friend's soul to peace. The highest I'll go is 9/10.
Overall: Well, pretty much said and done. Adding it all up and dividing it all up, the score rounds to 10/10.
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
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Apr 3, 2016
Story: If you're looking for a romance that describes the ups and downs of a relationship but at the same time focuses on two broken souls, you're in luck. And guess what. There's no fanservice in sight (this is in case you haven't checked the genre section of the show yet). Okay, story. Mei Tachibana is a high school student who grew up to be alone since her friends betrayed her when she was a child. However, a miracle occurs when she meets her high school's most popular boy, Yamato Kurosawa, and he falls in love with her. Then, it's your classic shojo shenanigans, but
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what does make this different is that Yamato has to break down his walls in order for Mei to break down hers. I know I just described every other romantic shojo ever, but if I explain anymore, it would just spoil the show. I promise that it's original in some light because it does have interesting side stories. Score: 9/10
Art: The animation is so cute and for something very simple, it's very clean, and it does present what the story is telling the audience. When there is a funny scene, the art does match that without breaking apart from the rest of the animation as if it's a different show. With its soft colors matching its calm yet somewhat emotional tone, it makes it something beautiful to look at instead of using it as an anime to listen to as background music while doing your homework. Definitely a 10/10.
Sound: The soundtrack is beautiful because of the calm setting the show mostly has. No score is set out of place at all. The only thing I really have to mention to you all because I'm obsessed with it is that the opening has to be one of the most beautiful openings I have ever listened to in my entire life. The opening's purpose is to pull you into the spirit of the show, and Say, I Love You's opening does that extremely well. Though I don't think the ending is just as catchy, it does match what the ending to each episode is, and there's nothing I can really complain about with it. 10/10 it is.
Character: Every character from this show has got some insecurity they have to overcome, and at least they have an episode or two dedicating to overcoming it because of the main characters. Of course, you have Mei, your introvert, who would rather be alone than get involved in drama, who also ends up being cherish by someone she doesn't really know because he admires her courage, strong will, and moral values. Yamato has to be one of the cutest male love interests I have ever seen in a long time. He acts like your stereotypical, calm male lead, but he also has a past that everyone seems to only tell Mei just to scare her off and give him to the other girls who think deserve him better. What I love the most about Yamato is that whenever Mei does confront him about what others are saying, he doesn't even hide it. He'll be completely honest with her, and he'll do anything to make it up to the one person he cares about. The side characters are also very enjoyable to watch. My favorite side character has to be Asami. She's just this ball of energy who ends up friending Mei because Asami's pretty much an outcast herself, but for a different reason. Their friendship is so genuine that you actually want them to stay friends when in other anime, the friendship is there for connivence and continuance of the plot. There are plenty of more characters that'll take me forever to describe, but I promise you won't be disappointed in this category. Score: 10/10
Enjoyment: Though it might be slow at times, just watching life happen can be pretty interesting. Unlike other romance anime of this type, Say I Love You goes through the real life of teenagers when it comes to self worth or true love. You see a lot of physical insecurities because many of the characters try to hard to look the part in order to mentally play the part. I suppose that's what makes Mei the hero of the show because physical appearance is the least of her focus and she confronts others to just be themselves instead of playing teenage actresses or actors. When other anime just shows the couple having small issues and treating them like it's the end of the world, but with this show, it's so real that you just get sucked into the lives of the characters and want them to have happy endings. In short, 10/10 again, man.
Overall: I pretty much said what I wanted to say. I highly recommend this series to any romance fan or any anime fan in general for its beautiful story and relatable characters. With all that, the overall score is a rounded 10/10.
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
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Apr 3, 2016
I know this anime is kinda infamous in the community, so I'm gonna try my best to explain how I saw this.
Story: The plot seems pretty cool for the majority of the original light novel series (which is the original source material). There's an RPG online game called Sword Art Online. It's new. It's hot. And it uses a virtual reality helmet to control avatars with the players' minds. Seems pretty fun, right? Well, how about the creator trapping you in that said world until you can complete all 100 levels of the game? Oh, and if you lose all your health, not only do
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you die there, you also die in the real world? The concept of being trapped in a game is nothing new, but when you have life or death on the line, that sounds like an anime to watch...I still have yet to read the original light novels, but when you get past the first arc of Sword Art, I almost forgot that was the case until halfway through the first season because of how fucking unsympathetic they are towards it. I guess it's considered my WTF towards the story, but without spoiling too much, let's just say that the second arc is a really a WTF moment. With that said, I would give this a 5/10, and that may be just me being nice.
Art: In my opinion, the art is pretty spot on as far as shonens go. However, there are times where whenever this is a battle scene the art doesn't do enough, which is quite a shame because this is called Sword Art Online, not a parody of a trapped inside of a video game anime. This is where you have to fight in order to survive, and I think it would've been a lot better if they did add some blood into the video games. However, that might be the original writer's choice, but at least make it look like it hurts! The scar marks on the characters are cool, but make the character reactions more realistic because this is a game where the player uses their mind to move and feel. So this would be rated 6/10 for me.
Sound: Even though I love the soundtrack to this anime, there are certain songs that annoyed me. First of all, why do people say that the first opening is catchy? Maybe it's my nitpick, but I don't like the artist who sings the first opening. Her voice is pretty nasally, and I can't stand it. The second opening though is so much better. It matches for what the arc was going for much better than the first one. I mean, the first one is not bad for matching I guess, but it just turns me off. When it comes to endings, the first ending is pretty top and matches the show when it comes to what circumstances Kirito is facing. The second ending is straight up boring. It kinda suffers the same problems that opening one faced, but what makes this more boring is that this is about Kirito's cousin. Why not make it about Asuna only? She's the only person that really matters to Kirito! I understand that Suguha becomes more important in the second half of this season, but I honestly can't stand the girl. She's just a distraction for what Kirito needs to accomplish. But song wise, it's just your generic ending that sounds more like a opening. Because of the one opening and one ending, the sound has to be downgraded to 8/10.
Character: There are a lot of characters that come out of this season, and unfortunately, we don't end up getting to know a lot of them personally except for a few. So character development...kinda sucks here. Of course, there's Kirito, our main character, and let's go over his one major flaw. The motherfucking plot armor. For those of you who don't know what that means (but if you're an anime fanatic, then you should know by now), plot armor is basically the trope of the main character cannot die for the sake of moving the plot along and he's basically the strongest character due to the fact he can't lose. This might not always be a bad thing, but because of Kirito's undeveloped personality, plot armor becomes more annoying by the second. One character I will compare to prove my case of how it can work is Natsu from Fairy Tail. At least with Natsu, we have a backstory that makes us sympathize and empathize with our main male lead, and because of how long the series is, we have the time to get to know this character besides his obvious tropes. We know almost nothing about Kirito until the second half of this season, but not even that's enough to actually like him. I find him sexy, but his deadpan personality throws me off. Asuna is the female lead that could've been the next "Katniss Everdeen," but then she ends up being "Bella Swan." (Personally, I don't like Hunger Games either, but I digress.) We see her in the first few episodes with a bad ass personality and we thought she was gonna do something cool, but then she falls under the damsel in distress trope that pisses everyone off. She was downgraded to make Kirito "look better," which does not work. Then, we have Klein. Personally, I love Klein. I wish there was more of him. He was funny, and he had the skills of leading a group in order to save everyone. We were introduced to him as the new guy in the first episode, but he progress so much. How come we don't get that in Kirito? That is so weird how the anime did that! Then, we have two characters that are basically pointless. Yui, who is...apparently Kirito and Asuna's pet now. Her only reason of existing is supposively to bring Kirito and Asuna together even more, but why? They were already "in love" by the time they met Yui. Then, of course, she's also the "you need to learn how to believe in humanity again" sort of person, but we should've established that in episodes before! Then, we get to the second arc and we meet...Leafa (aka Suguha's avatar). I hate this bitch. I cannot stand her. Her only purpose is to remind us that Kirito also has a harem. Why? She's his cousin! Why do we need this? All she basically is is a carbon copy of what Asuna was supposed to be. We don't need another Asuna! With that said, the score is pretty low in the character department of 2/10. Extremely pathetic.
Enjoyment: As you can see, the above factors do affect whether you might like this anime or not. I will be dead honest and say that despite these things, the enjoyment is a hit or miss because of backstories and moments that were either necessary to the anime or not. There are plenty of filler episodes in the first half, which are completely full of unnecessary characters, and whether you watch the dub or sub, it doesn't matter. The character interactions will straight up be unnatural even from a virtual reality RPG. You might have some emotional moments, and there will be times that your heart will pound, but it probably doesn't last that long. Score: 6/10
Overall: Okay, I bitched and moaned enough. I'm just gonna go to the overall score, and that's a rounded 5/10. So the infamous rumors might be true; however, I would recommend this anime to beginner watchers so you can see how anime was improved over time. If you are a veteran already, don't degrade yourself like I kinda did for this.
Reviewer’s Rating: 5
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Feb 7, 2016
Story: This was the one anime that got me into musical animes. I actually started this series by playing the app on my phone. When I discovered this anime, and when my friend found out that I played the game, I just had to pick this up and join them. The story is pretty simple. A girl named Honoka goes to an all girls high school that's about to be shut down. Not wanting that to happen, she tries to find ways to get girls to come and apply to the school. When she discovers that a rival school has an Idol Group that performs
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in competitions, she decides to start her own Idol group with her two friends and new girls along the way. It's pretty generic, but I promise that there is more realistic drama in here than what the poster entails. The friendships made in this show are not bullshit. They actually take time to form and there are backstories that make us relate to each of the girls. Out of all the musical animes you could watch, this is a must at 10/10.
Art: The art is just as cutesy and shojo as it gets, but instead of just using 2D animation all the time, they do use some 3D for some song scenes. I do admit that the 3D can be hokey at times, but for some songs, it's pretty good. Because of the colorful atmosphere, it really reminds us that this is a musical anime, and that there's bound to be good music in here. (Where's the iTunes for America!?!??!?!) Because of this, I think 9/10 is in order.
Sound: Since this is a musical anime, music does play a major role. I have to say that a lot of songs from this show are really good. The opening is fantastic. The ending is really good (and creative that each voice actress gets her own solo in each episode, but personally, I like the all together ending). I'm trying to figure out which song inside the anime itself is my favorite because they are all pretty darn good. I think I have a tie between Susume or Bokura no LIVE Kimi to no LIFE. They are pretty fun to sing to. If I do have one complaint, I really don't like Kotori's voice. It's pretty squeaky and she can't even sing in my opinion. Fortunately, she doesn't sing too much, so I'm pretty satisfied with that. Overall, I think I would rate this section a 10 out of 10 as well.
Character: The main girls each have a major role to play in the show. I will warn you that the majority of the girls' personalities are tropes because you need different personalities, ami rite?
Honoka: She is basically your leader and your cute innocent. She's naive, but she's kind and she's determined to do what's right vs. wrong. She loves her friends greatly, and she does get frustrated at times. For a main character, she's pretty good.
Umi: Umi's the nonchalant yet sarcastic best friend of Honoka's who doesn't try to show much emotion but there are circumstances that she needs to snap Honoka back into reality.
Kotori: She is very nice, but she can't sing, so I complain about this a little bit.
Rin: Three words: Cat girl tomboy
Hanayo: The sweetest thing on the face of the earth. Her shyness is so adorable!
Maki: She is the best singer of the group. You can tell that this girl has been singing her whole life because it's just that good!
Eli: She's the bitchy character who tries to stop the Idol group from happening since she's the president of her class. Her backstory will make you tear up a little.
Nozomi: If there is fanservice in this show, it involves this girl.
Nico: Oh my god, I hate this bitch! She's the short, little brat who thinks she knows everything and if it's her fault, she puts the blame on everyone else. I warn you, she's not fun at all for fun-sized.
With that being the case, I would rate this 8/10.
Enjoyment: If you love J-Pop music, this show is definitely for you. I enjoyed each and every episode of it. I laughed, I smiled, I cried all the way. 10/10
Overall: I recommend this anime, and I'm proud to say that this anime has my personal high score of 9/10.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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Feb 7, 2016
Story: Are you a female recluse? Well, this anime seems to be harping on the fact that some girls are just geeky anime fans, right? Yeah, so the stereotypes don't really help but there are some good elements about this story besides that. A girl named Tsukimi has arrived in Japan to start a new life for herself. In the process, she ends up rooming with girls just like her because she's pretty shy and introverted. One day, while walking home, she notices a poor jellyfish in danger in a pet store. She wants to buy it, but she can't really talk to people without
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freezing up. That's when a beautiful woman shows up to save the day. After letting her sleep in the apartment complex for a night, Tsukimi discovers a very shocking secret that her new friend has. She is actually a HE! Not only were beautiful women forbidden from the apartment to begin with, if her friends discover that Tsukimi has a man in the place, she'll be kicked out for sure. I have to say that a crossdresser in the mix is pretty creative, but again, this is one of those stories that the majority of it is in the manga, but not the anime, so it's gonna feel choppy at some points. It's actually pretty good in flow for the most part, so I would rate this a 9/10
Art: The art style for this anime is pretty interesting considering the content it has. The designs of the main character and her friends are very unique. When Kuranosuke reveals to be a guy, he kinda reminds me of Howl from Howl's Moving Castle. Yes, he's that hot. Also, the mix between pencil and cleaner designs is a pretty interesting contrast to separate outsiders from the normals. It's not meant to make fun of others, but it kinda gives off a vibe that the main group is a lot more interesting than the modern art style. That's what I like most about it. Nothing seems out of place to me, but that's just my opinion. I would give this section a high 9/10
Sound: There's not really much to talk about sound. The opening and the ending are pretty much okay. They're not bad or anything. Just not totally catchy or interesting. The inside music is okay, too. It's stuff like that that makes me put this show as background noise. 5/10.
Character: There are a lot of interesting characters in this anime, but then again, many of them seem irrelevant. I love Tsukimi and Kuranosuke as main leads in general. If anyone who has read the manga can tell me if these two get together or not because I really want to know since the show ends up on a cliffhanger as well. I also love Tsukimi's group of friends because they all each have a quirky personality that ends up being put to good use. They're not mean. They're kind spirited, and they all love Tsukimi very much. The other side characters, mostly Kuranosuke's family, are pretty dull, especially his brother. I just couldn't get into their stories at all because they seem pointless to me. With this being the case, I would say 8/10
Enjoyment: The show is pretty funny within its own right. There may be things that can throw people off, but I did like this show to watch just once. However, if you have read the manga to this, you may be indifferent to the show. If you do plan on watching this, read the manga afterwards. I would rate the enjoyableness at 8/10.
Overall: Not really much to say. Just that the main score is rounded up to 8/10.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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