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One day, my friends and I decided to get together and binge an anime. When deciding what show to watch one of my friends suggested Glasslip. The rest of us agreed. We asked that friend if there was some kind of drinking game that we could play while watching. They said that the only drinking game we could play that will get us drunk enough to make it through this show without also dying of alcohol poisoning is to just take a shot before each episode. THIRTEEN SHOTS OF HARD LIQUOR LATER, I had three questions:

1) Wait, wasn't this supposed to be about glass blowing? ...
2) What the fuck was up with those chickens?
3) Why did there have to be a step-sibling romance subplot?

Calling this show a clusterfuck with no direction is an understatement. It's like if when they were deciding what the story should be about they just handed out a multiple choice sheet to all the employees and everyone just chose "all of the above." The problem with that is that the "none of the above" bubble was above the "all of the above" bubble, so the show is about everything and nothing at the same time.

At least the art was nice and the soundtrack was pretty.

Let me start off by saying that this anime is metal as fuck. It's violent, bloody, has a really metal soundtrack, and even has a reference to one of my favorite bands, Cannibal Corpse. This had all the makings of a 10/10 for me ... until I watched it.

The story is pretty generic. Teenager (of course) gets thrown in a deadly situation, sucks and gets his ass kicked, BELIEVES IT, and then gets stronger. The world it creates is pretty interesting, if you forget about the prison being an amusement park where prisoners are murdered for entertainment, and it has some decent character building. ... It's so stupid though. The whole "torturing prisoners" thing could have been turned into a pretty decent exploration of ethics and humane treatment, but it was a fucking amusement park. It was just a little too silly for me. The plot gets a little convoluted later on and then shits the bed in the last few episodes with an incredibly unsatisfying ending.

The art is pretty generic but is at least fairly well animated. As I said before, the soundtrack is really kick-ass. I need more anime in my life with death metal soundtracks. The very Cannibal Corpse-esque music playing during the Carnival Corpse absolutely made my day. The OP is decent and with the exception of the ED all the other music used is really kick-ass.

The characters were shit. All of them. Except maybe Crow. He was pretty baller. Ganta was definitely the shittiest character in the entire show, which is unfortunate because he's the main character. He's a whiny, useless, dipshit. It's like if Shinji from NGE and Simon from the first few episodes of TTGL, were combined to form the ultimate waste of space. All of the other characters are either painfully edgy or painfully stupid, or both.

I enjoyed the fuck out of this, until the last few episodes. It was stupid and edgy, so I had a laugh at its expense, and it was fucking brutal. Then the story started getting even more stupid and the last couple of episodes, on top of being a clusterfuck, answered nothing and left me entirely unsatisfied. I finished the last episode and felt that it had not been worth it to watch that entire show just for it to end that way. It's almost like it expected a second season so it left all the loose ends to be tied up later.

I would recommend this to anyone who enjoyed Hellsing Ultimate, Mirai Nikki, or Tokyo Ghoul ... as long as you drop it before the last couple of episodes.

Overall 4 branches of sin out of 10

FLCL is easily one of my favorite anime.

The first time you watch this, it won't make any sense. The first time I watched it, it was so stupid it was good. I couldn't help but laugh at the absurdity of it. I didn't understand anything that happened in it, but it was fun.

Then I watched it 4 more times. I absolutely will not say that this story is in any way deep. I hate when people pretend things are deep and smart so they feel good about liking it. I will say that the story unfolds more and more as you ... re-watch it. There are things that you pick up the second and third go through that you don't the first time (because you're too busy laughing at how fucking absurd the show is).
The story is very obviously about puberty and the sexual tension it brings. There are some pretty obvious boner metaphors and phallic symbols (heh heh get it .. the small guitar means he has a small dick ... get it ... heh heh penis ... it's funny). In a way, FLCL, TTGL, and KLK all tell the same story. It's a classic coming of age story. TTGL and KLK are about embracing masculinity, and being comfortable with your body, respectively. FLCL, however, focuses on puberty. It's weird, it's awkward, it's confusing, but it's ok, you'll get through it. It's a decent message and, for me, it was nostalgic. Not that is brings back happy memories, but it reminded me of going through puberty. It was weird, it was awkward, it was confusing, but it was ok, I got through it.

The art was as fantastic as it could be. The animation team has a distinct style and they did the best they could with their budget. It was expressive and colorful, and it worked well with the show. The soundtrack is easily one of the best. On its own I actually enjoy the music, and it fits so well with the show. The Pillows' music was a great backdrop for the situations and theme, and, to me, nothing says "sexually frustrated 12-year-old who wants to be mature" like alt-rock.

The characters were actually really fitting of the theme. Naota is a pretty generic 11/12-year-old, and he handles situations just like you would expect an angst-y, sexually frustrated, kid going through puberty would. He's a very real and believable character. Each of the girls represent a common archetype in the coming of age story, the friend you never saw that way before, the older woman, and in Haruko's case, a desire for adventure.

I really enjoyed the show every time I watched it. It's silly, it's upbeat, it's funny, the music is outstanding, and I can watch it again and again without it getting old (the fact that it's only 6 episodes helps). I would definitely recommend this anime above all others to middle-school age kids, and in general to anyone who enjoys ridiculous shows or other Gainax/Trigger shows.

Overall, 9 penises ... I mean guitars, out of 10

There are many anime that "hardcore" or "patrician" anime viewers will tell you that you need to watch or you're not "real." Cowboy Bebop and NGE, are the two best examples. Though both of them are very good, classic shows that, yes, you should watch, they are both flawed in their own rights. The one anime that I feel should get more recognition as an anime-you-should-watch is Wolf's Rain. You can ask almost any hardcore fan if you should watch it and, if they've seen it, they will almost certainly tell you to watch it. However, I have rarely heard anyone telling others, unprovoked, that ... they need to watch it in the same way they evangelically proclaim the good news of Bebop. I believe this is unfortunate because Wolf's Rain is just as worthy of praise and, in my opinion, better. This is an undoubtedly unpopular opinion that few will agree with me on. However, I will stand by it.

I continue to mention Cowboy Bebop because the two shows will attract a similar audience. They have a similar feel, in both pacing and atmosphere. While I would argue that Bebop's pacing is its biggest flaw, I believe that it works in Wolf's Rain's favor. The story of Wolf's Rain is centered on the protagonists searching for Paradise. It is made apparent throughout the show that this search is unending and hopeless. If the relaxed pace makes it seem like their search is taking forever, that's because it is. If the pace makes their journey feel like it's never going to end, that's because it's not, and you're supposed to feel that way. The pace of the show effectively conveys the hopelessness that the characters face, and are no doubt feeling.

The world and story background to this show are incredibly well built, and easily stand out from other, similar ones. On top of that, the unique mythos it created is both interesting and well built upon. The mythos and mystery rarely feel like they're being spoon fed to you. Rather, you uncover and put them together for yourself. I found the story creative and engaging, and one that I would happily involve myself in again.

What I believe to be the crowning achievement of this show is the phenomenal characterization. The characters are each named after their personality, which are not human personalities. I often hear the complaint that the characters feel "inhuman," which is because they are. The characters are not humans, they are wolves, and this fact is handled more effectively than I could have imagined possible. The thoughts and actions of the characters are driven by the fact that they are not humans who turn into wolves, but wolves who appear human. They are driven by instinct and a single, archaic goal. They appear to lack the complex thought processes and emotions of humans ... because they are not humans. For some people, this makes it difficult to relate to, and care about, the characters. Personally, I was not affected by this, and was able to overlook the differences and find a piece of myself in each of the characters. I find this a testament to how well written the characters are.

The art in this show is fantastic. It looks like an anime, and shares the same animation style with others of the era, but (most of) the character designs are unique without being too anime. The background art in this show stands out and is worth noting for it's detail and expressiveness. The soundtrack is one the best I've heard, and both fits and amplifies the tone of the show.

I enjoyed every minute of this show. Though it's action scenes were few and far between, they were done well enough to satisfy my craving. The tone and atmosphere of this show are what I so often look for but rarely find.

Something else worth noting, this show has the only recap episodes I would ever recommend watching. I personally hate recap episodes, but the ones in Wolf's Rain are interesting enough that I actually sat through all four of them. If you don't want to watch them, that's entirely your choice and it's perfectly fine, they're not necessary, but if you have nothing better to do, they are worth watching. Unlike other recap episodes that simply summarize previous events, these four recap episodes each review the events from the perspective of a different character, offering new insight into the character's minds and how the events affected them. On top of that, the final recap includes new footage and previously unknown information.

Overall, 10 Lunar Flowers out of 10

This is easily my favorite anime of all time. It's a perfect storm of all the things I like about anime, westerns, and action movies, without any of the things I don't like. It's basically what would happen if Quentin Tarantino made an anime, complete with the obligatory Samuel L. Jackson.

I'd say the only weak point is the story, which honestly is not that much of a weak point. Overall it's pretty damn generic. It's the same plot from every western/samurai movie ever made, but it's done really well. Tone and atmosphere are two things that I don't think are discussed nearly enough when ... talking about anime, but they're probably the most important factors for me in deciding between a good show and a great show. The tone of this show is exactly what I'm looking for in an action anime, dark and somber without trying too hard and just being edgy. The art, sound, and pacing create a very enveloping, atmospheric, world to get lost in.

The art in this show is phenomenal. It's expressive and it flows. All of the character designs are unique and interesting and they have their own personalities. The colors are dark and muted which creates a bleak and depressing world to match the somber tone of the show. Even at points when the story is bogged down by just hitting the necessary story beats of a western/samurai movie, the animation and choreography keep the show engaging.

The soundtrack is definitely one of the better ones out there. Even for someone who is not the biggest fan of hip-hop. It all fits with the show incredibly well and effectively sets the tone and mood for each scene. It's engaging and enjoyable enough that you never just tune it out and forget it's there, but it never distracts from what's going on in the scene.

The characters in this show pretty much all fit snuggly into an archetype of the western/samurai movie/hero's journey but, just like the story, they're exceptionally executed. Each character is given exactly the amount of backstory or development needed to make them effective at they're role. They each have depth and and internally consistent logic driving them. Nothing they do ever feels unmotivated or out of character. You can really grasp what drives them and why, without being told.

All this would still count for nothing if it were a boring show though. Ultimately, it's all going to come down to personal taste, and as I said in the beginning Afro Samurai has everything I like and nothing I don't. There's a reason this is the only anime I own physically, and It's because I have no problem watching it over and over again (also because it's one of the few anime I don't have to be embarrassed about owning). This has all of the over the top action and gore I crave from an action show without trying too hard and just being edgy. The action scenes are exciting and engaging. I never get tired of the fountains of blood or severed limbs. The dialog is great, and has the absolute best dub of all time.

If you're a fan of action movies, or westerns, or samurai movies, or all of the above at the same time, Afro Samurai will probably be one of the best rides of your life.

Overall 10 severed heads out of 10.

How this show was pitched -

"Hey guys, we've got another cookie cutter, piece of shit, generic shounen straight off the assembly line, chock full of the same shitty, generic, character tropes that we're not going to even try to change from every other shounen. And of course they're all teenagers, because they aren't relatable to our target audience of 12 year olds if they're of a logical age to do this shit. This one also has a bunch of shitty, generic, loli tropes for all those closet pedophiles out there, who are the only ones who continue to consume our products. So what sticker ... are we going to slap on this to pretend it's different?"

"Submarines?"

"Great! stick them on fucking submarines, but that's not sugoi enough, this is a generic fucking shounen after all, make it future submarines with god damn laser cannons. Anything else?"

"Let's make it 3DCGI, to be cutting edge."

"Fan-fucking-tastic, but let's go out of our way to make it look like it's not 3D, and then absolutely fucking fail at it."

*Applause*

"Good meeting everyone"

"10/10 it's ok" - IGN

Seriously though ... eh it's good.
Overall it's pretty generic show, but the few things that make it different really make it fun.

Story: 7
It's a pretty generic story, boy makes friends, boy makes enemies, boy fights enemies, enemies are too stronk, boy wins with some bullshit like the power of love (or in this case music).
What makes it stand out is the message: You do you. It's about liking what you like and not shitting on other people for liking something else. As long as they enjoy what they're doing and are passionate about it, let 'em do it, unless they're hurting ... other people.

Art: 6
Again, it's pretty generic. There's not much to make it really stand out. There's some pretty interesting character designs, but the bad CGI scenes really bring it down.

Sound: 8
The show's about music, so you'd expect it to have good music. The pop songs are pretty generic, but not bad, and pretty catchy. The rock songs are kinda watered down and silly, but they're a nice break from the so-sweet-you-get-diabetes music in a lot of anime. They've got solid riffs and quality drums, not to mention the fact that you can actually hear the bass.

Character: 6
Once again, pretty generic. You've got your standard protagonist, standard tsundere, standard nice-guy, standard psychopathic antagonist, and some pretty standard man-service characters. The character development was surprisingly good. It wasn't the standard - "oh no I'll never defeat this enemy! I've just got to believe!" *power level doubles* - that you get from some shonen, but the characters actually changing their attitudes and learning.

Enjoyment: 9
This is where it shines. It's a genuinely fun show, especially if you're a fan of rock music. It's pretty funny and upbeat, and a generally exciting show. I really enjoyed the in your face rock'n'roll attitude most of the episodes had and I identified with the struggle of trying to like a heavier, non-mainstream, genre in a social climate dominated by the mainstream.

Overall: 7
If you do the math, the numbers average out to 7. The word attached to 7 is also a perfect description, good. It's a good show. It's not great, but it's not bad. It's good. I wouldn't say that anyone absolutely needs to watch it, you're not really missing much if you don't, but I'm also not going to discourage anyone from watching. You're definitely not losing out if you decide to watch.