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What do you get when you take mahjong, you shoot massive amounts ridiculous special effects, you add a huge cast of high school girls, you give them POWERLEVELS, and then you make them 90% lesbian? Does it sound ridiculous yet? Regardless of how you feel about what I just described, Saki somehow managed to take all the above points, mush them up together, and regurgitate one of the most fun and entertaining show I've seen in a while.

Story:
+ Simple and straight through story
+ Easy to swallow and get into
+ The mahjong games are SO MUCH FUN to watch and the show has PLENTY of them

- It tries to create drama that just doesn't fit in sometimes
- It can get really corny when it comes to character development
- Game time gets interrupted right in the middle in favour of "development" time from time to time.

Art
+ Cute character designs
+ Bright and very nice colour palette
+ Special effects used on mahjong games are very cool to watch and greatly increase enjoyment

- Animation quality can get poor at times (but not very often)

Sound
+ An all star cast of seiyuus makes the show very fun to listen to
+ The background songs used for the mahjong games are upbeat and GREATLY increases the enjoyment of the matches

- I wasn't a fan of the OP and ED songs but they are not bad

Characters
+ Large cast of characters and all with different personalities. You are bound to find someone you will like.
+ Every character is likeable and they are all unique in skills (mahjong POWERLEVELS)
+ When a series is able to match up 2 or more characters in a game and make you go "OH SHI- THIS MATCH IS GOING TO BE EPIC" every time you know the show has succeeded in creating their characters

- If you are not into yuri moments, you might feel ackward watching this because girl on girl moments happen.....A LOT!
- Although the show succeeds in giving most of their characters reasons to move forward and continue playing. Sometimes some of those reasons can get a little corny (but its not a big issue)

Enjoyment:
THIS SHOW WAS SO MUCH FUN TO WATCH, every time a game was going on the show suddently became so entertaining that the episode would end and you wouldnt feel like u had just watched 24 minutes of Saki. Even though the show could have some improvements I cannot complain about the work GONZO and Picture Magic has produced here.

Overall: Saki is not a masterpiece, it does not have amazing production values, nor does it have a compelling story....however what it manages to produce is a level of entertainment that just leaves you wanting to have more. The ability of taking a generally quiet game like mahjong and turn it completely over the top and extreme and yet still keep it from becoming chaotic is 1 of the reasons why Saki is a show that everyone should give a try at one point, it will surely entertain you. read more

Hayate no Gotoku! (or Hayate the Combat Butler if you prefer) is a manga created by Kenjiro Hata which is currently still ongoing. It has already received an anime adaptation by SynergySP which ran for an impressive full year with 52 episodes. A year later, and under a new animation studio, Hayate no Gotoku!! is the sequel to the popular parody-comedy, romance series.

Story:
+ As a parody-comedy there isnt really much of a plot, however this season is a near perfect adaptation from the original manga.
+ Completely ignores the filler material from season 1 and starts off from where last season derailred. (Ep 25 season 1)
+ More focus on characters development and their relationships (if you really liked the character this is a plus)

- Without the fillers of season 1, the amount of anime/manga references presented in season 2 has dropped significantly. Those who watched the series mainly because of those might feel disappointed.
- Not AS funny as the first season (But still hilarious on its own right)
- Too short (my inner fanboy crying ;__;)

Art:
+ Highly superior color palette compared to the first series.
+ JC Staff knows how to make characters look cute, and this show is testament of that.
+ More details in the backgrounds, and did I already mention the amazing color palette?

- Although better looking, the animation quality can get iffy at times.
- In terms of consistensy, season 1 was better.

Sound:
+ The OPs and EDs for this show are really good and catchy too :D
+ The voice cast for this show is so fantastic, everyone plays their role amazingly well.
+ The Background Music for certain scenes are great to listen to and really make some scenes waaaay better.

- Not enough Wakamoto Norio narration XD (but thats just me)

Character: (By far the best aspect of this series)
+ Hinagiku, Hinagiku, Hinagiku and a lot of it too! :D
+ Characters that didn't shine much first time around get to show their characters more, and they are all great!
+ A lot of character development in this season really makes some characters grow as we learn more about them and their past.

- Hinagiku, Hinagiku, Hinagiku, maybe a bit too much that other characters lose screentime -__-
- Much like other forgotten characters finally get their time in the light, a few other characters take a back seat for a big chunk of the series. (ie. Klaus, Tama, and to an extend even Maria)

Enjoyment:
LOVE IT!! This season was IMO so much more enjoyable than last time due to the fantastic interaction between characters, and also for introducing (or mentioning) characters and events that will later on in the story be important. I have to admit im sad this was only 25 episodes seeing how the manga is almost 100 chapters ahead and there is soooo much more material left to cover. Also the last episode might have given us a small taste at things to come in the future (season 3 should be a given) JC STAFF YOU BETTER DELIVER!.

In the end regadless on what it is that made you enjoy the first series, Hayate no Gotoku!! is a fantastic sequel and also a fantastic adaptation. It still has high quality humour, fantastic and very likeable characters, and most importantly...its just fun to watch. If you have never read the manga it is required to have watched the first season (the first half at least) in order to start this season, however I am confident that there will be more seasons to come and if JC Staff can keep up this level of quality, I know that in the future there will be more laughter and entertainment to come from this series. read more

Ever since the end of the original CLANNAD, fans of Kyou have wished to have her story arc properly animated, only to have Tomoyo's arc animated first instead. But now at the end of the highly successful sequel CLANNAD ~After Story~,the latest DVD release of After Story included an extra episode called CLANNAD ~Another World~ Kyou Chapter. This is the long awaited adaptation that the Kyou fans (me included) have wished for for a long time. Was the long wait for this worth it? read on to find out.

Story:
+ Finally we get a decent adaptation of Kyou's story arc from the original Visual Novel.
+ A lot of the elements of what made the original story so great are shown, somewhat modified but they are still there.

- There was just not enough time to animate ALL the key parts in a single 23 minute episode.
- The story progresses at lightning speed and it affects any type of emotional effect they are trying to pull.
- A lot of the reasons behind the character's actions are not explained, lessening any type of impact that they might have. Again this is due to the lack of time allowed in the episode.

Art:
+ The same art CLANNAD has always used, which is of course nothing short of beautiful.
+ Wow for the first time we actually get some kissing shown (as obscure at they may look)

Sound:
+ The old loveable soundtrack used on the original series
+ The songs helped greatly at intensifying some scenes.
+ The seiyuus IMO did a fantastic job on their roles...making some scenes sound even better than in the original versions (The VN had the same voices as the anime).

Character:
+ As always the characters are all extremely enjoyable to watch
+ Kyou (and you could say Ryou) finally get the development they deserved.
+ Sunohara is once again the bringer of lulz (as few as there were in this episode)

- Unfortunately due to the time limit, some of the development felt rushed and not very believable.
- A lot of Tomoya's inner thoughts and struggles are not explored, making him look like some kind of random confused kid in a love triangle.
- Kyou's depression meter is cranked up way high, it just feels weird at first.

Enjoyment: I can't lie...after waiting so long for this I kinda had my expectations a little high and I was a little let down by this. However this does not mean that the OVA was bad....this was a really good and solid episode. However, it was way too overkill to try and fit so much content into such little time. In the end I was still satisfied by this OVA, and it was great seeing Kyou finally getting her chance in the spotlight.

Overall, there is absolutely no excuse for any fan of this series to not watch this. If you loved the original anime and if you are a fan of Kyou, then I am not recommending you to watch it...I AM COMMANDING YOU to watch this (and also check out Tomoyo's chapter as well). Even though this could have been way better if it had lasted longer, this is still a great episode and a must watch for all Clannad fans. Go do it...go now! read more

Time and time again, Kyoto Animation has gained the hearts of the people and has quickly become a company that seems to turn whatever they animate into an instant cultural frenzy. For K-ON! this is no different. Based on a 4koma manga by Kakifly, K-ON! went from practically unknown to massive super hit in only a matter of days. However, putting aside its massive popularity, how does K-ON the anime fare? Read on and find out.

Before I start the review there are some important questions you should ask yourself:
1. Do you hate animes with extreme amounts of moe?
2. Do you hate slice of life animes?
3. Are you looking for an anime with a memorable story?

If you answered "yes" to any of these questions, you might as well turn around and ignore K-ON!, and save yourself (and the fans of the anime) some rage.

Story:
+ Even though the synopsis talks about girls trying to keep their light music club alive, allow me to say this now...K-ON'S MAIN FOCUS IS NOT ABOUT THE MUSIC. However, this anime is a laid back slice of life anime about the lives of the girls in the club.
+ Despite being ridden with cliche scenarios and episode themes, K-ON manages to achieve a certain level of entertainment which keeps the viewers coming back to it.

- Like I said before, the episode themes are full of cliched scenarios which might bother some.
- Some episodes repeat the same themes, which can make the show look repetitive at times.

Art:
+ The character designs are absolutely adorable
+ The animation style is easy to digest and simple on the eyes.

- The animation quality however, can sometimes drop significantly and some times look downright bad.
- A lot of the actual music playing scenes are not show and instead we are given shots of still images. Definitely to save some budget on difficult hand movement animation.
- For the standards set by KyoAni in the past, the animation for K-ON! could be considered rather underwhelming.

Sound:
+ Even though music is not the main focus of the anime, the song gives you quite a bit of nice insert songs which are all very catchy and enjoyable.
+ The Opening and Ending songs are both IMO extremely good.
+ For such a relatively new voice cast, K-ON!'s voice acting is superbly done and is sure to put these seiyuu's on the fast line to popularity.

- The actual BGM soundtrack is nothing out of the ordinary.

Character: (don't mind my score...I just love moe and im a fanboy ;_;)
+ Despite being cliched, the characters are just absolutely adorable and loveable.
+ moe, moe, moe, and more moe....thats what these characters are 90% of the time. (and I dont complain)
+ The interactions between the characters provides some very enjoyable comedy and very light and fluffy times. (lol bad joke)
+ Even the supporting cast is extremely likeable and yes....very moe.

- Every character follows a stereotype which has been already overplayed in countless animes.
- If you hate moe, you might DESPISE the characters (most likely lol)
- There is a small unbalance in the amount of screentime and attention given between the main characters.

Enjoyment: I cannot lie, K-ON! is an anime that one enjoys mostly as a guilty pleasure. This is defiinitely not my favourtie anime to have aired on the Spring 2009 season. But its definitely one of the most enjoyable ones i've seen.

Overall K-ON! is an anime which is not meant to break any records or set any standards. The anime is not an epic tale, nor is it a comedy gold mine, this anime is just fun...If you want an anime which is just cute to the extreme and just plain fun to watch, then by all means watch K-ON! I am sure it will not disappoint you. read more

Higashi no Eden (or Eden of the East however you want to call it) is a new anime series produced by Production I.G, and it was one of the most anticipated series of the Spring 2009 season. After quite an impressive trailer before the anime aired, I just knew I had to watch this show which looked like it had a lot of promise. Did it live up to my expectation? Read ahead to find out.

Story:
+ This anime definitely brings a very interesting plot.
+ The level of mystery and suspense will leave the viewer wanting more every episode.
+ Definitely one of the most refreshing stories in recent seasons.

- Its is only 11 episodes long, a very uncommon number for an anime.
- The ending leaves you with a cliffhanger that the movies are expected to resolve.
- Because of the # of episodes, plus the announcement of 2 movies. The anime ending does not feel like it brings any closure to the overall story.

Art:
+ Fantastic art in both characters and backgrounds throughout the anime.
+ Very artistic animations for both the Opening and Ending themes.
+ There is really nothing bad to say here, this anime brings some nice eye candy to the viewer.

Sound:
+ Very good OP and ED songs. They are really cool to listen to.
+ The soundtrack is also really good, complimenting some scenes really nicely.
+ The voice acting is solid through the series, specially for Akira.

Character:
+ Takizawa Akira is main driving force in terms of character in this anime. He is pretty much the only one who constantly shines.
+ Other Selecao members are all unique and different in personalities, and are also very interesting people and have some good development (as short as some may be).
+ Akira is as mysterious as a character as he is likeable, he doesn't take things TOO seriously and also provides some good comedy.

- Saki, despite being likeable, just doesn't seem to contribute much to the overall plot despite being a main character.

Enjoyment: This anime was highly entertaining, despite ending in a cliffhanger it left me wanting more every episode and it would never feel boring. With the movies set to bring a conclusion to the anime, I can't wait to see them.

Overall Higashi no Eden proves to be a very enjoyable and entertaining anime which brings some rather unique and interesting plot that will be able to keep your interest from its unique 11 episode run. However because the series itself is not complete without the movies, the ending might feel a little underwhelming to some. Regardless, this anime surpassed my expectations and its a fantastic show to those looking a solid plot, likeable characters, beautiful visuals, and enjoyable music. I highly recommend people try this anime out, I dont think you will be disappointed. read more

Tsubasa Chronicle: Shunraiki is the newest OVA adapted from the famous CLAMP manga Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicles. After the spectacular work done by production I.G on Tokyo Revelations I can say I was more than excited to watch this, since I am a big fan of the manga. The plot is also connected to the xxxHOLiC Shunmuki OVAs.

Story:
+ Very close adaptation of the original material
+ The actual plot is very interesting and complex
+ Plot twists are sure to surprise some viewers
+ Finally we get xxxHOLiC/Tsubasa connections

- If you've only watched the anime versions of Tsubasa (including Tokyo Revelations) you WILL NOT understand the plot fully.
- Manga knowledge is absolutely necessary to understand what is happening.
- Celes and Infinity arcs were never animated (the ones who continue after Tokyo), further emphasizing my previous point.

Art:
+ CLAMP style art (if you like it)
+ Production I.G delivers fantastic and fluid animation even during fight scenes

- CLAMP style art (if you hate it)

Sound:
+ Kajiura Yuki delivers once again
+ a blend of new and old songs makes this very pleasing to listen
+ Great job to all the seiyuus specially Irino Miyo for his Syaoran

- I can't think of anything (sorry)

Character:
+ Great level of character development
+ All the characters are very likeable

- Fai and Kurogane fans might be let down by the lack of involvement of the two during this OVA as they spend most of their time as observers.

Enjoyment: I can say this easily, this 2 episode OVA was absolutely fantastic and I really hoped this would last longer. This was one of my favourite parts of the manga and im glad at how well production I.G has handled it once again. This OVA makes my current top 5 for now. How I wish we could just get a third anime season by I.G ;_;

Overall Tsubasa Shunraiki can be fantastic or annoying depending on how you look at it. As a stand alone OVA adaptation of the manga, it is absolutely perfect. If you try to look at it as a continuation of the series, then unfortunately it is almost a prerequisite to have read the manga to enjoy this fully. If you are a fan of the manga then I guarantee you will not be let down by this, if you have only experience Tsubasa as an anime then I would STRONGLY suggest you read it before trying to watch this, it would greatly decrease the enjoyment factor. read more

What do you know, yet another review for the sequel of what is arguably one of the most popular anime of this decade. Code Geass R2 had an INCREDIBLY big shoe to fill after an very impressive first season. Did the show live up to its own hype? If you are already scrolling over the 'not helpful' button because of my overall score, I recommend you read the review fully.

Story:
+ Fast paced and full of mecha action
+ Plot twists and unexpected events is this anime's favourite thing
+ Very intriguing concepts are revealed regarding the power of the Geass which was left a mystery on season 1
+ One of the better final episodes in recent memory

- The action shifted from a more tactical and strategic perspective into a more generic "new mecha with higher specs owns everything in its path" fashion.
- As much as the plot twists managed to shock, unfortunately many times they failed to give proper explanations for them.
- Much of the anime was spent on the battles, and then rushed the main plot in the last couple of episodes. Not the best way to spread such a complex plot.
- Many questions were left unanswered, and some aspects were never revisited from season 1.
- They tried too hard.

Art:
+ The glory of HD, I bow to you
+ CLAMP designs (if you like them)
+ Fantastic color pallete

- CLAMP designs (if you hate them)
- Compared to season 1. The animators seemed to have forgotten how to draw curved lines, the face designs could poke your eyes out.

Sound:
+ Not much to discuss, the music is great
+ Fantastic voice acting, kuddos to all seiyuus
+ Very nice insert songs

- Some of the style of the music may not be for everyone's tastes

Character:
+ Very intriguing and mysterious characters. And memorable too.
+ Many side characters with a lot of potential grace the anime constantly
+ Regardless of what anyone says, Suzaku knows how to stir the fanbase's emotions whether its hate, or love.
+ Lelouch makes the anime worth watching.

- If you are not Lelouch or Suzaku, you will never be given much time to shine.
- Characters are introduced, and then disposed WAY too many times throughout the series.
- Killing characters only to bring them back for the sake of shock WITHOUT any explanation of how they survive plagues the show way too many times.

Enjoyment: I cannot lie when I say R2 is definitely an extremely enjoyable anime to watch. But sometimes its hard to not notice how ridiculous it can get in terms of plot and character development. My biggest let down was the way the plot decayed from the fantastic quality of the first season (which I gave a 10 in plot) to the still enjoyable but faulty "trying too hard to shock you" attempts of season 2.

Overall: Code Geass R2 IS a good anime, and its still a good sequel to the greatness of the first season and definitely better than a lot of other animes out there. But the anime itself falls under its own greatness by trying too hard to maintain its reputation. If you liked the first season then there is no way u wont like the second one. And if you have never watched Code Geass at all, I strongly suggest you do. Regardless of the hype, this is still one of the better and most refreshing series in recent years. read more

In the never-ending wait for a real second season of Haruhi, Kadokawa decided to present us with this short web series called the Melancholy of Haruhi-chan Suzumiya. And to be fair and honest, these series of short mini-episodes was more enjoyable that I would have ever expected. Here is a short and fast review with its ups and downs

Story:
+ Nice and funny situations ensured in every episode
+ Many overused themes in animes but taken to the extreme for extra lols

- Could have been a little longer in length per episode but thats just me wanting more
- Those wanting actual substance should go look somewhere else

Art:
+ Rich in color
+ Nice blend of chibi and normal character animations, making some scenes even funnier
+ Chibi forms look very cute

- Obvious ploy to save animation budget (lol)
- The first couple of episode look downright bad

Sound:
+ All the original voice cast is present
+ Some nice selection of background music

- Haruhi sounds like Konata 80% of the time (although its obvious because of the chibi)

Character:
+ All the characters that made the original series a hit return with their quirks turned up to MAXIMUM
+ A lot of forgotten side characters are given many great moments to shine

- Haruhi is WAAAAY more docile and calm than her original version (good for those who didn't like that about her original version)

Enjoyment: For a small series that runs for approx 5 minutes per episode. I have greatly enjoyed watching this. It really was a great way to kill time when I had nothing else to watch.

Overall: If you were a fan of the original series then I would highly recommend you check this out. They are short in length so its something simple to watch and they are a perfect watch when you want to just flat out kill some time and have a nice and light anime break. In the wait for a real second season, this will surely be a great way to kill some of the anxiety. read more

***I have decided to change the format of my reviews to provide more to-the-point ups and downs of the subject in review. I hope people like this new style since the old essay style reviews are tl;dr and just take too long to write. Anyways here is the second anime I'll review under this new format***

I had made a review of this before but i lost it on the MAL crash a while ago ;-; so here it goes again. Kara no Kyoukai 5: Mujun Rasen is the fifth and currently the longest running KnK movie to date. This movie really is something special for those who enjoy getting mindfucked. Trust me.

Story:
+ Very unique presentation for the plot
+ Very interesting plot itself once you realize what is going on
+ 2 hour long movie improved the amount of development for characters and plot itself

- It can very easily confuse the viewer if they are not paying full attention at the movie. Since events in a way are not happening in chronological order.

Art
+ Fantastic background art
+ Awesome animation considering the fast pace of some scenes
+ Detailed look at decomposing and served people >_>

- Some slight weird faces there and then but nothing major

Sound
+ Fantastic background music, there really isnt much else to say...it was flawless in this category. Hat goes off once again to Kajiura Yuki

Character
+ Aozaki finally gets some decent screentime and development
+ Shiki is just a very mysterious and interesting character in general
+ Great character development overall, a notch up from the previous movies

- Kokuto is once again useless and non important >_>

Enjoyment: Easily one of the better anime movies i've seen, and by far my favourite Kara no Kyoukai movie yet. This movie made me a fan of the series. Can't wait for more.

Overall: If you enjoy deep and complex plots with lots of gore and unique presentation. Then this movie is perfect for you, it brings a very interesting plot, a lot of fantastic action scenes, and overall just a lot of entertainment. Fans of KnK will cum buckets over this. Those who havent watched any of the Kara no Kyoukai movies yet I highly recommend you watch them first, it just makes this movie more awesome and the time spend to just get to this movie will be worth it read more

***I have decided to change the format of my reviews to provide more to-the-point ups and downs of the subject in review. I hope people like this new style since the old essay style reviews are tl;dr and just take too long to write. Anyways here is the first anime I'll review under this new format***

xxxHOLiC - Kei is the sequel to the first xxxHOLiC anime which is an adaptation of the CLAMP manga of the same name.

Story:
+ A great plot that leaves you wanting to know what happens next
+ Very deep symbolisms and philosophy are presented
+ A bigger focus on character development
+ An actual sense of continuity unlike the first season's more episodic format
+ Great mix of supernatural elements into a slice of life anime

- Fans who prefered the episodic format might be let down
- Less freakish supernatural situations (in comparison) to the first season
- Fans of the manga might be let down at the lack of references to Tsubasa Chronicles this far into the story.

Art:
+ Flawless animation
+ No quiality fluctuations throughout the series, solid and stable all the way
+ CLAMP art (for those who love it)

- CLAMP art (for those who hate it)
- A little spoilerish but I wish they had kept "a certain person'" eye colours like they should have been

Sound
+ Very awesome soundtrack that fits the atmospheres perfectly
+ Very good use of the soundtrack making scenes more powerful
+ Great performance by all the seiyuu's they did an awesome job

- Watanuki's voice can get irritaring sometimes (but thats me)

Character
+ Yuuko is amazing....very deep and mysterious character that just makes you wanna know more about her
+ Watanuki, despite being annoying sometimes, is a great and likeable character
+ The rest of the cast both main and supporting are very likeable
+ Great character development that actually makes you care for them

- Watanuki's short temper irritates me sometimes (but thats me)
- Mokona is also annoying

Enjoyment: xxxHOLiC - Kei was really an incredibly fun anime to watch, I just didn't feel like stopping, mainly because I loved the characters and the plot.

Overall: xxxHOLiC Kei is a great sequel to a great anime that is adapted from a great manga. But even as great as the anime is I highly recommend you read the manga since there is a lot of IMPORTANT material that was left out of both anime adaptations. If you like slice of life and supernatural animes, then by all means watch xxxHOLiC, its one of the best at doing both at once.

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