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What does it mean when you rate an anime 6?

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May 1, 3:23 PM
#1

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Dec 2020
500
Scores are very weird here on mal. Generally, anything scored 7 and up is considered to be a good show, while anything 6 and below its terrible. Which is weird when you think about it because out of 10, 6 is a fairly positive score.

So what I want to know, is what is a 6 to you? What makes a show a 6/10 in your eyes.

If you ask me, a 6/10 is a show that's fairly decent, but it's maybe a bit rough around the edges. A show that would have most of it's aspects considered to be pretty good, but also has 1 or 2 things that really standout as unpolished or poorly executed. Overall pretty good, but with a few stand out flaws. 6/10

What about you?
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May 1, 3:28 PM
#2
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Feb 2021
130
One of 2 things:

*Mid, but it has a unique thing going for it so I can't just give it a 5 in good conscience.
*Pretty good, but it has one or some flaws I couldn't ignore (usually the ending).
May 1, 3:38 PM
#3

Online
Apr 2020
620
It means that it's just fine. Like I enjoyed the said anime, but it's not like I will remember it or that it had some things that I just didn't like but they weren't bad enough to make it unwatchable.
May 1, 3:40 PM
#4

Online
Sep 2018
11263
6 is like a anime you thought was just passable. Not drop tier though.
May 1, 3:41 PM
#5

Online
Dec 2022
5240
For me it means either 'okay' (as it's designated in the drop-down scoring list) or even 'decent' if it was an anime I internally considered to be a 6.5/10, rather than just a 6.0/10. Given that MAL has no intention of ever implementing anything more precise than whole number scoring, one of the only ways to make a record of your "higher 6's" is to assign them decimal point scores through tags or notes. But I suppose you could use some other metric for denoting better anime that still have the same score as well, such as a star (☆) symbol.


╔⏤═⏤╝ ╚⏤═⏤╗
Shaded Horizon


May 1, 3:42 PM
#6

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Aug 2020
8552
Good even with its flaws and issues through the storyline, or filler content.

May 1, 3:44 PM
#7

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Mar 2008
49244
It means I liked it in some ways but found it boring or flawed.
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⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⢰⡟⡀⠀⡇⡜⠀⠀⠀⠀⠘⡇⠈⢆⢰⠁⠀⠀⠀⠘⣆⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠸⠀⠀⡄⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⣀⣀⣀⠄⠀⠉⠁⠀⠀⢠⠃⢀⠎⠀⠀⣼⠋⠉⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠴⠢⢄⡔⣕⡍⠣⣱⢸⠀⠀⢷⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⡰⠃⢀⠎⠀⠀⡜⡨⢢⡀⠀⠀⠀⠐⣄⠀⠀⣠⠀⠀⠀⠐⢛⠽⠗⠁⠀⠁⠊⠀⡜⠸⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⢀⠔⣁⡴⠃⠀⡠⡪⠊⣠⣾⣟⣷⡦⠤⣀⡈⠁⠉⢀⣀⡠⢔⠊⠁⠀⠀⠀⠀⢀⡤⡗⢀⠇⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⢀⣠⠴⢑⡨⠊⡀⠤⠚⢉⣴⣾⣿⡿⣾⣿⡇⠀⠹⣻⠛⠉⠉⢀⠠⠺⠀⠀⡀⢄⣴⣾⣧⣞⠀⡜⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠐⠒⣉⠠⠄⡂⠅⠊⠁⠀⠀⣴⣿⣿⣿⣿⣻⣿⣿⡇⠀⠀⢠⣷⣮⡍⡠⠔⢉⡇⡠⠋⠁⠀⣿⣿⣿⣿⣄⠀⠀⠀⠀
May 1, 3:47 PM
#8

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May 2021
1201
It means that it's watchable, but not remarkable. Basically, it's an anime I wouldn't hate, but I wouldn't praise either.


May 1, 3:47 PM
#9

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Oct 2009
554
If I give something a 6 then it is fairly average or perhaps a smidge above average. I would not recommend a series I scored 6 to my mates unless I could see the genre appealing to their tastes. Nothing noteworthy and likely to be forgotten quickly. If I actively disliked something then I would score 4 or less. Then again, series I dislike I tend to drop hence you won't see too many 4s on my list. There is a survivor bias going on and this would explain why my average score is above average; the rubbish gets dropped and just doesn't show up on my scoring as I won't rate stuff I don't finish.
May 1, 3:49 PM
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Oct 2014
125
On a scale 1-10 there is no score for "average anime" (that would be 5.5), so while score 5/10 is "lower average" score 6/10 is "higher average". There are 4 scores for bad anime so there can't be 5 scores for good anime - that would just not make any sense. And because of that (literally only reason) 6/10 is "average" but closer to good title than those average anime that received 5/10 (which are closer to bad titles).
May 1, 3:54 PM

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May 2019
7483
It means it's tolerable but forgettable.
May 1, 3:54 PM

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Nov 2019
135
A 6 rating indicates that I can still revisit the show, that it has a passable score, and that it is still worth my time. What I dislike about MAL is that 4 is considered as bad when it should be labeled as weak.
KushnaMay 1, 4:03 PM
May 1, 4:01 PM

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Dec 2020
500
Reply to Dachi
It means that it's watchable, but not remarkable. Basically, it's an anime I wouldn't hate, but I wouldn't praise either.
@Dachitosoru
That sound more like 5/10 to me. Completely neutral.
May 1, 4:05 PM

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Aug 2011
978
For me, a 6 was just "fine" or "decent," but just didn't quite cross the line into being actually "good."

Something I rate a 6 is probably pretty unremarkable and forgettable, but it's not something that I actually had a bad time watching. I'd never rewatch it, but I don't regret watching it once. At the same time though, I wouldn't have been missing out on much if I hadn't watched it.

I wouldn't consider it to be a negative rating.
palm-treeMay 1, 4:10 PM
May 1, 4:06 PM
Handler One

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Jan 2023
3483
6 for me is just average, nothing particularly good but nothing particularly bad. A middle of the road show and watchable, but not memorable in the end.



"You fought to the end. You survived. That's why you're here now. I think that's something you should be more proud of."
- Vladilena Milizé
May 1, 4:07 PM

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Jul 2023
60
6 means alright, not good enough to rec or rewatch
May 1, 4:07 PM

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Sep 2018
4419
There are two schools of thought:

- 6/10 is positive, since it is above average.
This is how I rate anime. 6/10 means that I definitely like it and almost love it, but I didn't enjoy it enough to really love it. Has my full attention (or almost).

- 6/10 means mediocrity, since 60% and equivalents are barely passing grades or even failing grades in some schools.
I don't like this because it's the reason global scores are skewed upwards and I care about distinguishing different levels of good way more than different levels of bad. This is how I rate anime if you think of my 4-5-6-7 as 6-6.5-7-7.5. Watchable, I like some things of it but not as a whole. Doesn't really have my full attention but I wouldn't call it boring yet, unlike anything I rate any lower.
NirinboMay 1, 4:11 PM
May 1, 4:14 PM

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Aug 2018
17207
A rating of 6/10 is above average. It's fine, nothing new, not rewatchable. I wouldn't recommend it to people.
May 1, 4:14 PM

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May 2020
1330
Well for me I kind of think of it like this. There are 5 score brackets for me (1-2) horrible, (3-4) bad, (5-6) mediocre, (7-8) good, (9-10) exceptional. The score within each bracket is not so important i.e. in my eyes a 9 and a 10 are kinda close, but the difference between brackets is noticable, so the jump from 8 to 9 is significant in my scale. This bracketing helps to narrow down the score in a more consistent way i.e. first I try determine what is the correct bracket and then I can nitpick to see whether it should be low or high in said bracket.

So what is a 6? 6 is kind of like the breakpoint for what is considered good. 5 is like 6 but even more mediocre, the last number I would consider recommendable unless there are special circumstances at play. 7 is like the baseline good show, it gets the job done but it's not going to amaze the average person. If I rate a show 6 and not a 7 it means there is something I can't look past, something about it displeased me, but simultaneously I am saying it might be worth your time, it's not a 5 (forgetable, borderline bad), it's doing something right.

That's the theory but ultimately I doubt anyone is truly objective when it comes to scoring. Oftentimes your feeling of enjoyment will be the primary factor for what you rate a show, sometimes it may not even be about the show but the relationship you have with the franchise.
May 1, 4:19 PM

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Jul 2015
226
MAL's scoring is well defined and 6 is not terrible, is "fine". According to MAL "bad" starts at 4 and below.
10 Masterpiece
9 Great
8 Very Good
7 Good
6 Fine
5 Average
4 Bad
3 Very Bad
2 Horrible
1 Appaling

But to me personally 6 is just a show that I enjoyed but can agree that has no real substance to it. It is a guilty pleasure. 5 is similar with the difference that I know it's actually bad, below that is just bad, not even a guilty pleasure.
May 1, 4:22 PM

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Jun 2007
3989
Looking over what I've rated 6, I'd say they're shows I found to be generally enjoyable, or found certain elements to like about them, like a certain character or some nice fanservice moments. (A lot of "guilty pleasure" ecchi/harem shows fell into the 6 tier for me.) But they have some kind of flaw holding them back from being rated higher, like having dumb/generic storylines and premises, unsatisfying/incomplete endings, or lackluster production/technical quality. According to anime.plus, my mean score is 6.31, and I don't hold back from watching titles with MAL ratings below 7. Though if something's rated very low 6.xx or into the 5.xx range, I might think twice unless there's some obvious "this might be junk, but it's my kind of junk" appeal to it.

Everything that connects to MAL

Contains Ecchi, but not Tagged Ecchi: Part 1 || Part 2 || Part 3

May 1, 4:31 PM

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Aug 2016
1822
It means I think it's an okay series, definitely has its moments and can be enjoyable, but it's too flawed to be considered good aka 7/10
Who are you and why do you show your hostility towards a complete stranger whom you've not once spoken with before. Are you seriously asking to get blocked? Well, if that's what your intent is; to tempt me into throwing hands with someone as lowly and insignificant as you, then i may grant your wish provided you articulate yourself a bit better when trying to spite a person of my wavelength.
May 1, 4:35 PM

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May 2021
1201
Reply to Akutsun
@Dachitosoru
That sound more like 5/10 to me. Completely neutral.
@Akuya
Well, for me, 5/10 is almost the same as 6/10, except that I wouldn't recommend 5/10s.


May 1, 4:38 PM

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Apr 2015
689
I just did with one anime.

And for me it is the anime had at least one strong point, but everything else was boring, not well done and other bad stuff during the series. So it was "fine" worth enough for me to complete.
May 1, 4:39 PM

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May 2023
32
It's very simple, the anime is neither good nor bad, it's average

May 1, 4:55 PM

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Nov 2019
4687
For me 5-6 are average ranges, usually I score series that weren't necessarily good (7/10) but not bad (4/10) a 6/10
May 1, 4:58 PM
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Sep 2013
211
The official ratings are a fairly decent metric for me.
6 means it's more good than bad...but it doesn't reach the point of actually being good yet.
Not a complete waste of time but probably not worth looking at if I'd known before hand. Or not really worth rewatching.

It can also mean the show is genuinely good but with caveats/flaws you need to accept to enjoy.
May 1, 5:48 PM

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Feb 2021
4218
I think 6 for me is "yeah it's watchable" but not necessarily good.
"Nobody could laugh at someone who's trying their hardest" -Machio-

May 1, 6:14 PM

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Jan 2020
591
A rating of 6/10 means the anime is fine, not bad or good but also forgettable.

May 1, 6:23 PM

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Aug 2021
148
For me it's something that was a fun and joyful experience, but had some little flaws that made me deduct points

e.g. Tonikawa,
Tsukasa and Nasa look cute together.
But Imho, It has a generic plot, it's repititive, and we don't get to see bold ecchi acts.
I'd rather rewatch Horimiya than force myself throught it's story,
It has Great OP themes though that I listen on repeat 👍😙
May 1, 6:24 PM

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Jan 2021
646
It means that the anime was ok but not good and that I liked something, like a character or something.
 
Beachte diesen Satz nicht, du kannst ihn eh nicht lesen, falls doch herzlichen Glückwunsch, du kannst lesen.

This set was made by viraat.






May 1, 6:27 PM
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Jun 2016
85
For me 6 is watchable but is not recommended. Anything lower is unwatchable.
May 1, 6:29 PM

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Jan 2008
833
It means it was good enough for me to watch it. Generally a 6 is the cutoff for me. I typically won't finish anything 5 or below, unless its fun bad.
May 1, 7:03 PM
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Aug 2022
170
A 6 for me is something that was worth watching but not something I would ever plan on rewatching.
May 1, 7:21 PM

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Aug 2010
2331
Enjoyable enough but nothing special and I wouldn't rewatch it. I may still recommend it to people with specific wants (example: specific genres) and the anime fulfills that.
May 1, 7:29 PM

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Jul 2021
130
It means I thought it was decent but had major flaws. I don't regret watching, but I probably wouldn't rewatch.

It's the lowest score I give that means "I liked it".
May 1, 7:33 PM

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Jan 2024
26
For me, a 6 could be passable in quality but certainly not worth a rewatch.
May 1, 7:38 PM

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May 2015
3223
A fine show that I mostly liked but probably not anything special or memorable.

The reason the overall MAL score seems like it's not such a good score is because it's a mean of scores from the range of 1-10, which isn't the same as everyone rating it 6. For a show to go down to a 6 territory usually there must be a sizeable portion of bad scores (lower than 5).
May 1, 7:44 PM

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Mar 2024
287
Had potential but was overall forgetable without being offensive
May 1, 7:49 PM

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Aug 2016
3758
6/10 is were the good stuff start. or maybe its a great anime or manga with some awful flaws later.
:v
May 1, 8:05 PM

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Oct 2019
6789
It means it's a good show.

It didn't blow me away, it wasn't anything super special, but If someone asks, I'm going to say, It's good. nothing more, nothing less.
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May 1, 8:23 PM

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Apr 2020
1989
MAL ratings considers "6" as "Fine", and that's also how I treat it when giving Anime shows that rating: It's watchable but lackluster. Fun but in a generic way. Enjoyable for the moment but forgettable after a while. Executed its concept well but the concept itself wasn't much in the first place. Interesting story but nothing I've never seen before.

Basically, it's my "Average" rating; Nothing special but not bad either.
Anything I rate lower than 6 would be shows that I find having major problems.
May 1, 9:33 PM

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Jul 2023
350
For me, it's a better version of 5, but 5 isn't necessarily average. 2 things can lower a rating to that level for me: if it pisses me off or if it's dreadfully boring. 5 is usually the former and 6 is the latter. And 4 does the two at once
tinshardMay 1, 10:21 PM
May 1, 9:37 PM
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Oct 2019
976
To me, a 6 is just ok. Not great,not terrible, but decent enough that I could watch a second season if I see enough potential there.

A 5 is basically the same.
May 1, 9:45 PM

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May 2020
1982
To me, a 6 is a show or manga that I enjoyed but is very heavily flawed. It could be that the show has bad characters but a decent plot or great art and good characters but a nonsensical plot or something like that. Basically, it's not a 5, which is just media that is thoroughly average in all of its aspects.

May 1, 10:09 PM
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Jul 2018
564125
A Six is comprehensively competent enough for me to treat with respect & view seriously. While a Six may have certain objectively bad elements of little significance, these elements are either minor enough to not consistently interrupt my immersion or so completely overshadowed by what makes the work both objectively & subjectively good as to be relatively trivial. A Six is great, & while it isn’t masterful enough to be totally immersive, a Six is my baseline of enjoyment & quality, the point at which I’m finally able to engage with the entertainment in front of me.
May 1, 11:02 PM

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Dec 2021
936
For me 6 means I was unsatisfied but it wasn't exactly uninteresting for me. 6s are something like "I had fun watching it" or "there's something unique".

𝓢𝓪𝓴𝓾𝓻𝓪
𝓚𝓲𝓷𝓸𝓶𝓸𝓽𝓸
May 1, 11:11 PM

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May 2018
11195
"What does it mean when you rate an anime 6?"

That it's really fine anime.


"Scores are very weird here on mal."

A bunch of people are thinking that they are back in school where you need 70% to pass an exam...here you only need 50%. Not to mention that some actually bad shows can be pretty enjoyable and you can give them 4/10, but still have the time of your life. We are talking entertainment, not about test questions which [usually] have objective answers.
alshuMay 1, 11:29 PM
May 1, 11:19 PM

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Jun 2016
13347
6 is decent but I'm not very likely to recommend it.
MEA·MENTVLA·INGENS·EST
May 1, 11:25 PM

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Oct 2021
509
When I give a show 6/10, then it was watchable, but nothing special and not a show I'm going to remember at that well after some time.
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