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Okay, so let me just start off by saying that I am writing this review mainly because of the numerous people who will probably check the manga out after the FMA: Brotherhood hype, which as I'm sure everyone knows, is following the manga storyline. Hopefully this will be able to clear up any doubts or misconceptions some might have about the series. I can safely say that I started the first FMA anime early this year. A few years back, I tried picking up the FMA manga but it didn't manage to captivate me at all, and I ended up dropping it after the first few chapters. Now after I've been exposed to more anime/manga, I decided to pick the manga again and boy, I finished the entire thing in a single sitting.

The story is extremely intriguing, and the great thing is that after reading more chapters, you can see that the mangaka has thought out of the entire storyline way before the manga is actually published. Which actually reminds me alot of One Piece that is unlike other mangas which seem to churn out crap that does not make sense in a supposedly "plot-twist chapter". What I absolutely LOVE about this manga is that it manages to stay shounen with all the epic battle scenes, but yet delves into the human nature (Homunculi are representatives of the 7 deadly sins), consequences of war on individuals and society and boy, it really is an emotionally gripping manga. For me, I found myself feeling sorry for characters whom I thought I'd loathed, and some VERY twisted plot twists that keep coming keep me on the edge of my seat which is a good thing I presume. I can say flat out that the first anime DOES NOT have anything to do with the manga. As to why well, you'll have to read it to find out won't you?

The art is something which needed time for me to get used to. But well after around 10+ chapters the panels seemed to flow smoothly to me. The character's designs are simple yet distinctive, making it easy to recognise who is who. Eyes are drawn simply and with no elaborate details eg. Vampire Knight, Full Moon wo Sagashite etc. It may seem sketchy and unappealing at first, but you'll find out that it matches with the storyline perfectly.

One thing that I didn't like about this manga at first was the huge cast involved. I've never really liked stories whereby there are just so many people involved. But this manga made me think otherwise. The characters are each very distinctive and easily to differentiate, and all serve important roles in the story. Development is also very well done, and the series makes the characters as human like as possible. For example soldiers do not march off into battle fearlessly like in most shounen, but they cry and grapple with their conscience if what they're doing is right or wrong. Various relationships are also shown clearly, and not like BAM and they're in love! or some dumb things like that.

Overall I enjoyed the manga as I am able to relate to most of the characters, and there ARE some parallels to our real world (kind of obvious, actually). I like fantasy with a touch of realism, so this manga suits me just perfectly. I regretted dropping such an amazing gem but oh well at least I've picked it back up :D Oh and for those who are still unsure, the first FMA anime was good yes but compared to the manga storyline it is mediocre indeed. Pick up the manga now! read more

God Child is a rare gem that I had the fortune to come upon.
This manga may be shoujo, but don't be misled due to that. It's nothing like flowery high school romances with dimwitted main heroines. It explores the dark side of the human heart very well. Whether it be envy, loneliness, obsessive love or such.
The best thing is that the characters and their feelings are so real. It is impossible to think that they are mere drawings when such emotions have been weaved within. Whether it is a villain or the protagonist, none of their actions are carried out with no reason. There is a motivation behind each and everyone of them, be it for love or belonging.
The only thing I have to complain about is that it was so good I had hoped it would go on longer. The ending was truly heartbreaking and yet beautiful at the same time.
This manga has gotten me wrecked up and emotional in the course of the hours spent reading it, something that any manga has not done for a while. A true masterpiece indeed.

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This anime is one of the most breathtaking, gloriously beautiful masterpieces that I have ever seen. It manages to mix in character development, humour and action at the same time. They are all well balanced, so there isn't too much of comedy and such. Though it may not look like it, Kuroshitsuji is a dark series and thus there are lots of thought provoking themes and symbolism. The series is such that you could be crying with either happiness or sadness with the character. To be frank the show had me crying at times I thought I wouldn't. Though there are some questions left unanswered at the end, it is still worth watching.

Story [9]

Indeed, the storyline was unique in its own way. The beginning arc is by far one of the best I've seen. But after it strayed away from the manga, it got a bit floppy around the middle, leaving some unanswered questions and vague hints. The series could definitely maximise its potential if not for the somewhat weaker storyline in the middle. But of course, this is merely my opinion. Don't worry, though it went in a different direction than the manga, the ending is not like soul eater's *cough* The ending was AMAZING, there hasn't been any other ending that made me emotional and depressed for a few days other than FMA, CG and GoTF. If not for the loose ends, it would have been a 10 for sure.

Art [10]

The art is one of the drawing points that led me to watch this series. Sebastian and Ciel's designs are beautiful, and there are hardly any scenes in the anime that makes the characters look weird. 19th Century London was also amazingly done, and it feels like I could have been there. The outfits and also the ambience was equally well done.

Sound [10]

Wow. The soundtrack of Kuroshitsuji is I can confidently say, the BEST I have ever heard. The OST doesn't comprise of pointless yelling and electric guitars. It takes a more .. classical and latin like hymns approach, can't exactly describe it. There are many beautiful melodies that will make you take notice of it immediately. For me, I was so transfixed by the music at the end of episode 3 that I missed out what was being said and had to replay. The songs play a vital role in the emotional impact on the audience. The end of the final episode, especially, wouldn't have so much of an impact if played without sound. The ED 2 , Lacrimosa is so hauntingly beautiful. Matches the dark gothic theme perfectly. The seiyuus were all also extremely good, portraying the characters the way they are supposed to be! The best to me was of course Sebastian. His low voice just makes you melt.

Character [10]

Character development is amazing. You can see the difference from the beginning and toward the end of the show. Their emotional dilemmas are not portayed as an obstruction, but as a way to help the characters grow. Madame Red in particular is the character that I was riveted upon. The way her character came to be, and how it ended.. Just speechless. Ciel is also the same. But no spoilers here!

Enjoyment + Overall [10]

Everything falls into place perfectly, making this anime an amazing artwork, especially with its design and soundtrack. God the ED 2 is still stuck in my head even now, it's just so hauntingly beautiful. Though I was skeptical about this anime initially, I'm glad I picked it up. What are you waiting for? Watch it NOW read more

My first review for a manga, it was just so great that I had to whip out a review for it. I stumbled onto this manga completely by accident and I never regretted it. The entire storyline was so addictive and captivating that I stayed up from 1 am to 3 am to finish the 43 chapters that were hosted on a site. Though I have not completed the manga, it has already left a very deep impression on me.

"Between the world of boys and men,
there lies holy land.
Where laws don't matter and the strongest rule
In that world, "he" roamed
Kamishiro Yuu, he was there"

Basically, the story is about a high school student who was bullied throughout his middle school life. The manga clearly depicts the suffering and pain that he went through and how he struggled to overcome it; which is by becoming stronger. His journey to find and protect a place where he could belong and grappling with his identity is realistic and not over the top. He eventually realizes that by getting stronger, he is able to belong in the night streets. But at the same time more people try to challenge him, threatening to take away his "holy land", the night streets.

Holy Land is somewhat like Kenichi, but has a much darker atmosphere and takes things more seriously. The main character Yuu is very well portrayed, and his growth throughout is remarkable. The manga also goes in depth about the inner demons in Yuu, that he actually feels a sense of euphoria when he knocks down anyone in his way though he tries to deny it.It is much more believable than Kenichi, where he just gets stronger and stronger because of just training. Holy land focuses on the psychological effects of bullying extremely well, allowing you to symphatize with the character.

The fighting scenes are also well drawn and fast paced, making shivers go down my spine each time I read them. I even went back and forth 2 or 3 pages sometimes to reread some particular parts over and over again. Yes, it's just that awesome. Sadly, this series is neglected, scans take forever to come out and it is also EXTREMELY underrated in my opinion.

Also, note that this series is NOT for everyone. It differs from people to people. Some people love it, while some hated it. It just depends on yourself.

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When I first saw Code Geass I was like omgzxwtf it's mecha! Being a girl, I never did like mecha animes, but somehow decided to give it a try. And I'm glad that I did, because this anime is simply a masterpiece!

Story: The story was well planned, however it got a little rushed as the series went along. Despite that, the overall story is simply astounding. It got me hooked from the first episode and I finshed both R1 and R2 in 3 days. The plot twists and cliffhangers in every episode will leave you wanting much more it's hard to stop watching :D

Art: As expected from CLAMP, the character designs was magnificent. The background and the machines were all drawn in great detail and did not disappoint me.y

Sound: Code Geass BGM was one of the best I've heard. The music really sets the mood, and you would still be listening to the music despite all the action going on! The voice actors were also well chosen. Jun's role as Lelouch was the best I've seen, though I never took much notice of him in Bleach (Yumichika). He really pulls off the different faces of Lelouch through voices alone! C.C.'s voice fits her perfectly too, giving off the mysterious feel. In all, great sound!

Character: I like the way they portray the characters, showing that they do have weaknesses too, and not the IM INVINCIBLE YO mindless thinking. Enough to score for me.

Enjoyment: I really enjoyed Code Geass as it was the first anime that could keep me hooked on it so long and made me think about the themes explored in the story. It really shook my opinion of what justice really is, etc.

Overall: A greeeeeeeeat anime! The mechas are there to help the story proceed, the main theme in this anime is not just fighting, but also shows what goes on people's minds from both sides of the story. A really amazing psychological anime as well! I WILL MISS CODE GEASS D: read more

Hitman Reborn was initially recommended to me by my friend. However the story looked dull and uninteresting to me, and I was also not sure if I would like it (I watch anime like Bleach, DGrayMan etc.) Thus I started off with the manga. The first thing I thought when I read the manga was "WTH is with that stupid looking baby? The main character is also so badly drawn!" However, after reading a few chapters, I got hooked and finished 100+ chapters in a day. I decided to give the anime a try, as I wanted to see how well the characters could be brought to life.

Story:
The only thing that prevented me from giving a 10/10 was that the story took waaaaaaay too long to start! Sure, the first 20 episodes were amusing and had me cracked up, but there was no real storyline to it. The anime was also inferior to the manga in my opinion, as they had more fillers and also took out the guns and knives (and Tsuna's reactions to them) that would have made the whole thing even more hilarious. However after that the real action starts, which had me hooked all the way! The storyline is extremely unique, and Tsuna's irritating underwear transformation thing became less frequent, and finally disappeared altogether :D It is also way different from most shonen anime, which usually only consists of blind fighting and no development at all. In all, an amazing storyline! (After the first 20 episodes, that is, but don't skip till there, have a look at the characters!) :DD

Art:
I would give it an 8/10, as the characters in my opinion were not very well drawn. The characters usually look fine, however weird if shown from different angles. However the animation was okay, the fighting scenes were well animated, and I especially enjoyed looking at Tsuna's weird faces whenever Reborn is up to his antics again x)

Sound:
In my opinion the OPs were the BEST! Drawing days (First OP) had me addicted the first time I listened to it. Except for OP3 (Jumping Days I think), I just didn't like it at all D: The voices for the characters in my opinion were well matched and I just loooooooove them, but Tsuna's voice is still a little weird to me (Too high I guess). The BGM, however, was AMAZING. It totally brings out the mood in whatever is happening and will have you paying attention to it in spite of the action going on! Each character's theme was also awesome, especially Hibari and Gokudera's theme.

Character:
In all, the characters were what makes Reborn a kickass anime! :DDDD It is amazing how some characters who only appeared for comic reliefs could get so serious and awesome whenever they needed to! The way the characters have matured is the main factor that kept me hooked onto the series. The transitioning is so subtle, you wouldn't even notice how much they've grown until you think back and remember how they used to be (Remember whiny old Tsuna?) The different personalities that match each of the characters and the way they follow such an unlikely boss is truly cool! :DDDD

Enjoyment:
I enjoyed Reborn as a whole, except for the first 20 episodes (It's TWENTY hello) but the storyline and arcs later on made up for it, and also the character's ridiculous antics which really give the series a light feeling, yet serious when needed.

Overall, if you're looking for a new anime to watch, try Hitman Reborn! It may seem boring at first, but persevere on! Until the main story starts, there is a good chance that you'll be hooked too :D And the storyline is amazingly unique, I've never seen any anime like it before xD





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