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(I wrote this review around January 25, 2013, but I apparently deleted it. I was a little mad, but luckily I came prepared. Muahahaha –minor changes involved.)
My writing style will not be as formal for this show. I'm going to review this anime by giving my reaction after I finish certain amount of episodes. This way, everything will be fresh inside my mind, and I won’t forget details that are important. It’s also because this anime has received so much positive reaction from the viewers, and I wanted to put my two cents into this whole thing. At first, I intended not to watch it, ... but the reaction of people convinced me otherwise. That being said, if you are curious about the hype- just watch it!

My reaction of the episodes will be divided into 4 sections (and subsections) so there can be little to no spoilers. Furthermore, some of the things might seem ambiguous and confusing if you have not watched it yet.
Episode 1-8
I just watched 8 episodes in one day. I have realized the plotline of this story has been done before- numerous times in fact: humans go into this virtual game world, and they have to defeat the ultimate bad guy to end all havoc. It's not original. However, the way the writers are playing with this idea feels like it is going somewhere. They may create originality out of unoriginal content. I’m looking forward to it. I guess this is what you call the hooking element, and it is possibly the reason I watched all of these episodes in one day. However, I would not consider it completely intriguing. The element of suspense is missing. I have not fallen in love with this show as of yet. It is tolerable, and I am going to continue it, but it needs more work.

Characters:
I'm going to start with the main hero of this show, the dude. I like this character. HOWEVER, I'm going to be a little shallow. The women in the anime looked pretty beautiful, but why did the main hero look so plain? Couldn't they have made his face more.... appealing? His attire is fantastic. Although they could have done more (it kind of reminded me of Hei from Darker than Black). Considering that this is a virtual world, it actually would make sense if they had cool attires. Again, this is me being shallow. It will not change my overall feelings about the anime.

As for the heroine, as the episodes pass by, you really get to see her real personality. It is irritating, to be honest. I don't know why people think it's alright for the women character to hit boys. It's done in many anime, but it's not funny. I don't find it funny at all. It really makes me want to go into the anime world and beat those girls up! Asides my annoyance, I'm happy that she can fight She is not that one dimensional character that is solely dependent on the hero.

So far, I feel like it is still the introduction. Let me just say one more thing. The hint of romance is bothering me. I'm not talking about the potential girlfriend at the end of the series. I'm talking about the general romance. Does every woman have to like the main hero? Also, why must the writers torment us with all these love interests when we blatantly know who he is going to end up with: STOP SCREWING WITH MY HEART! Why do you force me to gravitate into shipping couples that will never exist! I didn’t know I was watching a harem genre! Sheesh!

Episode 9-14:
The hooking element of the show is completely gone for me. I can't seem to want to continue. Furthermore, I can’t even remember what happened during the previous episodes. It's either my mind is getting old and wants to stay blank, or this show doesn't leave a strong imprint in my brain.

I'm starting to like the main heroine girl again. Secondly, out of all the people in the game, how come only "that" woman can cook? This show is sexist! hahaha, I'm joking. At least, in this anime, the heroine knows how to fight properly. The interesting part of this anime is the fact that the partnerships around the main characters are based on equality. Although you do get to see the traditionalist views on certain things, the partners are not inferior to one another based on gender.

Okay, just when it finally got the hooking element, they ruin it with the lovey-doveyness. I can tolerate the romantic scenes and what not, but the maturity level has just increased in a very childish manner. For a romance genre, they are not developing it properly. However, there may be a lot of viewers that will disagree with me on that. What I perceive wrong might be justified by others. I just wasn't expecting this. I'm old but I'm still immature. I wouldn’t recommend this for the younger viewers. On the other hand, the scenes are very vague and it's up to the audience to interpret it. I know I'm being very cryptic with what I'm writing, but I really don't want to give spoilers. Let's just say, so far I'm not satisfied with this show. I enjoyed it for a while and lost interest again. However, I think this part is very opinionated. This might sway people into watching the show, or may make people drop this show. I'm at the point where I want to know how they will escape. I don’t really care about this love sap.

As I go on watching the next few episodes, there is still so much naivety in the characters, but I feel like they’re trying way too hard to show that the love is developing strongly. I find that the storyline is going so fast, that these naive characters seem to be adopting the role of middle aged adults, with the childlike minds. If the romance is what is connecting you to the show, then this anime is for you; these episodes are solely based on serving the romantic development. However, I feel like the writers bring children into this anime because they want to show how mature the main characters are becoming. Am I really supposed to believe this to be serious? I'm tying not to put spoilers, but all I want to do is roll my eyes at these redundant storyline antics writers are putting.

After the puke of the romance, I think the storyline is starting to improve.
"A Person is very strong when he seeks to protect something." Well, I feel like this quote sums up the meaning of this show (okay, not completely, maybe just a little?). Also, the most important question trying to be solved is if the things that happen in the virtual reality counts as actual feelings in the real world? I guess they try answering the typical question in a well thought out way. Finding a purpose for events that occur in ones life is important.

I was not really feeling the romance in this show (possibly because of the harem element they hinted in the beginning), but I do believe those that like sappy love stories will love this! I think they could have executed it better, but it's enough to satisfy majority of the viewers. All I'm saying is, although I personally do not like the romance, I believe it is one that many will enjoy.

As I go further into this show, I just want to say: if this is the climax of the story, it absolutely sucks!!! They didn't even allow the characters to develop properly. I couldn’t even be shocked by the twist. Actually, the twist was not even a twist. It just happened too fast.
Also, is there a reference to castle in the sky? I wouldn't know, since I have never seen that movie.
Okay, I didn’t like the reasoning the enemy gave for creating this virtual game. I want a better answer!!!!


Episodes 15-21
They answered many of my questions over time. But you know what I hate? It's when I'm right. I hope not, but why the hell do they have intros that gives the whole plotline. What the heck! Anyways, this is like an introduction for the new arc.
I do not like the start of this potential romance. Just no! Why is there more love interest!? I thought we already settled with this!

We are introduced to this new character that looks like Link (Zelda)!
The only thing I have to say is that the scenery looks beautiful, and I want to live in that universe. However, we're getting this introduction thing again. I don't know if I will get bored again, since the plot twist was not interesting. I feel like I've seen this "cage bird" theme a million time. Don't people get tired of it?? Or, do creators have this subconscious fascination with servitude and control? Furthermore, I think I have diagnosed the main character with post-traumatic stress disorder.

What else? I have realized people acts different in the game world compared to the real world. I don't know if I can take this stupidity any longer.

I guess there is little mild nudity (in my opinion, it’s mild nudity), and its fan service for the men (and probably women?). Anyways, the story is not as intriguing because the hooking element of being trapped in the virtual world in gone. It's kinda boring. Actually, it’s really boring. I really thought I was going to like this arc more than the first, but I just can’t take the unoriginal concept.

As I watch more episodes, I have concluded that people in that world must be really unintelligent. Why do people go inside the virtual worldwhen dangerous things already happened before? Why are they not being cautious? Do they not learn?! I'd think people would take their time before getting into a virtual world after all that jazz happened. I guess your really can't cure stupidity.

Episode 22-25

This is where the suspense comes….and the drama! But for some reason, I don't like the characters enough to feel the empathy and the sympathy. Usually, I do feel for characters like her. Maybe I’m kinda freaked out by this certain love interest; you'll know what I mean when you watch it.
Furthermore, where the heck are the dudes parents? They showed them once, but why is the sister taking care of him? Geez?

Oh! Did I say this show wasn't sexist? Well, I lied. It's sexist! Sexist! Sexist! Sorry about the rage, I'll get over it in a minute. There are so many animes that does this type of storyline with women. At first, it didn't bother me, but the moment it went overboard, it became annoying. I just wonder if sick men really want to do that to women in real life.

Anyways, it's pretty anticlimactic. The show builds up to this tense mood, and they end the whole thing in an episode. I think it would take more to defeat someone that is supposed to be one of the main archenemy. Also, I was hoping the first main bad guy would give me a better excuse for his stupidity. The second enemy is really not worth even talking about.

They rap it up pretty well, but why bring a dramatic moment now? That was ridiculous. Moreover, even when they conclude the romance part of this show, they still toy with many romantic ideas. They could have just left it as it was.

Why you should watch it (& pros):
1) People are raving about this anime.
2) They actually have a woman (actually two women) that can fight.
3) It is not racist. I know some people get angry when they make the person of color the evil one, but this anime did not do that!
4) It has A LOT of romance.
5) It has fighting scenes.
6) The art is beautiful.

Why you should not watch it (& cons)
1) Unoriginal plot:
a) Trapped in a virtual game
b) Rescue the “caged bird”
2) One of the female love interest. Normally, I don’t get bothered by this type of crush, but the honorifics used grossed me out.
3) Defeating the archenemy is done so quickly. So many episodes are wasted for a short (un-suspenseful) fight.
4) Objectifies women. I usually always tend to ignore this detail in animes, but for this one I just couldn’t. I was extremely happy when the show mentioned how someone saw his partner as a property, and not as an equal (and it was wrong, and blah, blah, blah). I was really intrigued by how this anime dealt with the female characters…. until the second arc! It disappointed immensely.
5) It has A LOT of romance.
6) Mild nudity (yes, I’m immature)


Overall, it was kind of boring. It does not have an attention grabber. I had to force myself to finish this show. I don’t think I would have even bothered writing a review for this show, if I didn’t write down my reaction for the every episode I watched.

I’m not saying this anime is horrible. After all of the ravings, I think I was just expecting way too much from it. I was disappointed because of my own anticipation. Although I thought this show was simply okay, I can understand why people are in LOVE with it.

[Abridged storyline: Puella Magi Madoka Magica is about a group of young girls who are being persuaded to make a contract with this unusual animal called Kyuubey. Basically, if this contract is made, the girls get their wish fulfilled, and become magical girls for life.]
If you have an obsession with the “magical girl” genre, but want something new and different, I highly recommend this anime.

Pros:
1) This magical-girl show is filled with tragedy and uniqueness. It’s not just about girls who are fighting crime, and bringing justice. There is a high amount of depth in this show. It goes away from the rainbows ... and butterflies of magic.
2) It’s a combination of various genres. It has a bit of sci-fi, action, drama, magic, etc.
3) Though this show only has female main characters, both genders will enjoy it.
4) For a 12 episode series, it answers a lot of questions we are thinking through out the show about the contract, Kyuubey, and the wishes.
5) The ending is bittersweet. The writers did an excellent job of concluding the show even thought it is predictable and pretty unoriginal.
6) The relationship that the main character has with the mom is something that should be done in more anime. We get to hear the wisdom and helpful advice from mother to daughter, and we are able to see why the character is the way she is. I just wish that they showed the other girls parents (where the heck were they?)
7) I have yet to do this, but rewatching the show will not kill the enjoyment. The first episode will actually make more sense after you finish the series.
8) I did not really focus on the songs when I was watching the anime, but it has been mentioned that even the songs (especially opening theme) starts to make sense when the show is in its final episodes. It sounds bright and cheerful, but is it really?
9) The artwork was intriguing. The “other realm”, the background, the fighting sequences was done brilliantly. You might not understand it in the beginning, but like everything else in this anime, the pieces of the puzzle seems to come together by the end of the series (might be a turnoff for some).
10) There was character development. You learn more about the characters that you actually want to know more about.

Cons:
1) I absolutely did not like how the characters were drawn. The eyes, hair, and the facial structures were not my cup of tea.
2) Although the characters had development, the characters role in the story was obvious. They were very irritating in the beginning, because they were the typical archetypes of any anime.
3) Even though the first episode might have hooked many people to continue the show, for others (like me), it’s only when we’re half way through the anime (approx. episode 5-6) that we start to fully enjoy it.
4) Though I said this anime does not follow the cliché’s of the magical theme shows, there are a lot of unoriginal content; I cannot really mention them because it contains spoilers. Some people might not be emotionally invested in this anime because of it. I think the thing that saved this anime was the fact that it did well in its presentation/execution of the storyline. It made up for those unoriginal moments.

Things you may want to know before you watch this show:
1) There is blood and violence.
2) There is little to zero romance.
3) There is nudity by the end of the series (nothing too explicit or detailed). Actually, it's really nothing.
4) It does emphasize on friendship.
5) The storyline is not shallow; it’s not just about happy people.

I have not seen many anime of this genre (I didn’t even bother watching Sailor Moon when I was little), so I could not completely appreciate the originality of this show. Though I enjoyed it, I believe many others who are familiar with the magical theme will applaud it. I would recommend some people to watch it!
…12 episodes wouldn't hurt anyone, right?

[Abridged storyline: Sana is the star of the show. She is an actress, a student, a busy-body, and your typical hyperactive little girl! The show starts off with Sana having to defeat her arch-nemesis (not really), Akito Hayama. He is just a trouble maker who turned the class into one hell of a nightmare. Sana is angry, what will she do about it? Basically, this story follows the life of Sana and friends. There are numerous arcs, and the main storyline is the subtle blossoming sweet child romance.]

I only watched a few episodes when it was on television. I remembered it being hilarious. Recently, I ... decided to take my time and actually watch the whole thing. It's a bit lengthy (102 episodes), but if you have the time, you should give it a try. Go get some popcorn, and enjoy the ride.

Pros:
-Main character has a backbone
-Funny
-Children and adults can enjoy it
-Since it is a child romance, things that are done in Shoujo anime seems to make more sense. It’s not annoying as it would have been if the characters were older.
-There is suspense!
-You get to see how children face their problems; some of the speeches are so raw and touching.

Cons:
- Although most of the storyline is connected, there are episodes that seems so out of place.
-Artwork
-There are a fillers (some of them are written well, but the continuity is destroyed by it.)
- some unoriginal plot devices used.
- Cheesy drama.
-Although the ending hints romance, nothing goes beyond I-like-you-but I-can’t-tell-you-yet phase (this was not a problem for me, but it might be for some).
-There is a love triangle, or a love square (?)
-The second season is not as great as the first (MY OPINION)

- * I have not read the manga as of yet. However, I have realized that there were arcs that occurred in the anime, and did not happen in the manga. It is really obvious though.
I do intend to read the manga later on in life.


Voice actors:
If you are an English dub fan, you might be excited to know that most of the voice actors are quite the selection! You have the best of the best, and nostalgia will just hit you in the heart when you hear the voices. Although, some of the voices might seem too mature or immature for the elementary students, you will get used to it, and realize it fits their character (except for Aya’s), so don't worry about that (I might be bias because I watched this alongside Fruits Basket years ago, and it was really fun guessing who the voice actors were for each show),I watched the first 51 episodes in English. Laura Bailey did a wonderful job with Sana’s voice.

I watched the rest of the series in Japanese (as of now, they still have not dubbed the second season), and they are both amazing. However, the subtitles were not the best; sometimes it was really difficult to understand. There were also tons of spelling mistakes.

Art:
The artwork is old school. Get comfortable watching the big sparkly eye, and the disproportionate body! I bet most of the characters would look the same if it wasn't for the different hair colors. I know people as superficial as me would pass this show after looking at the artwork, but please don't! This is one of those superior anime that goes beyond time (*hyperbole alert*). You'll laugh and enjoy it!

Characters:

The characters are absolutely incredible.
Sana: as I mentioned, she is the hyperactive 11 year old child. If you cannot stand her, I doubt you can continue with this show. She's too much to handle, but that is what I love about her. She is nosy, overbearing, sensitive, strong, voluble(talkative), crazy, independent, and interdependent. When you watch this show, you should keep in mind that she is a child, and her stupidity makes it realistic.

Rei: Her 20-something year old manager, and her... BOYFRIEND!!? Don't worry; it’s not what you think it is! This young-old man is not a pervert, or anything like that. I promise you the storyline for his part will unfold nicely, so don't be swayed away.... it's not one of those creepy anime! The only problem I had with him was his big shoulders; it's bigger than his tiny head.

Akito Hayama: Ah, what can I say about him. He is you typical anime stock character. He looks like a mean person, but is he really mean? If you watched a lot of anime, you probably got tired of these stubborn sensitive types. However, I can guarantee you that you'll still like him. Akito is one of those well developed stocks! Since he starts off as an elementary student, his changes really made sense to me. It wasn't irrational at all. The personality change came with growth. Also, although he gives off this nonchalant vibe, he is just as nosy as Sana (but not as assertive).
-Note even when he's not there, he's there: doppelganger!

Babbit: Apparently he is a talking white bat (there is more than one). Through out the show, you see image of this bat on the wall, bags, suits, etc. He brings the humor into the show, and makes witty and stupid commentaries as well. He also breaks the 4th wall, and has moment where the other characters actually sees him, and pushes him a side. I LOVED HIM!

Most of the characters are well rounded. There are even episodes dedicated to developing the supporting characters. The only problem I had, was with Tsuyoshi’s love life. I guess it was meant to be annoyingly hilarious.

Storyline:
There is not a fix plot for this series, so I can’t really give a proper summary..

I really loved that the author took advantage of the fact that this was a fictional story. "Remember kids don't try this at home; luckily this is just an anime" As the viewer, you can't really take it serious; there will be moments when Sana runs faster than a speeding bullet, jumps off the car, falls from the top of hill, etc.
At the same time, I loved how the author made the characters personality and monologues so realistic. She manages to capture some of the real life problems that some elementary students might be dealing with. Not every character can let hardship go. It's not just a cookie cutter answer. There are so many emotional moments. The one I particularly was touched by had to be what Sana told a certain woman about d how grateful she was for being able to experience life, and appreciating the fact that she was born. It was a heartfelt moment that made me glad I watched the show.

Oh yeah! One of the most important things about this anime is that you’ll get hooked. Each episode has this suspenseful moment that connects you to the episodes to come. You’re forced to watch more, because you’ll want to know what's going to happen next.

There were also a few problems I had with this show.
This anime is a mixture of comedy and drama. Most of the times, I felt that that the drama was cheesy, and not as emotional as it was meant to be. I guess it is the typical shoujo anime. I rolled my eyes at most of it. Some of you might actually love that part of it though. Anyways, the comedy made up for it.
Another problem I had with the storyline was how they had to change the house. I know Misako is not your average mother, but I didn't think she was that dim-witted to make that happen. During this event, Sana could not book a lot jobs; I felt that the whole arc was forced to get drama. Those who have not watched this show might not know what I'm talking about, but realize that throughout the beginning of the series, all of the plot line/storyline was connected. However, after this plot line, some of the events felt as if it was popped out of know where. I still enjoyed it, but it did not flow with previous episodes. I may be thinking way to into this, but that was of the biggest problem I had. However, I do get why they did this; the second season was about to begin.

As for the second season, it took me awhile to like it as much as the first (partially because I had to change from English to Japanese). I think this is where the romance was supposed to be developed, but instead we get the unoriginal story of the love rivals. In fact, at a certain point, one of the supporting characters became the main character. He/she was given more than a fair amount of episodes dedicated to her/his life. I thought that was kind of odd and out place, but I still found it interesting. However, by the end of the series, I found some of those episodes to be irrelevant.

At least, they gave most of the characters a closure by the end of the season.

If you love Shoujo anime, give this a shot! It’s filled with comedy, and it’s not a hardcore romance, so don’t expect it to be. Try enjoying each episode because before you know it, you’ll be absorbed in an 11 year old's everyday life/love life.

UPDATE: read the manga, and I don't know how I feel about this show/manga anymore O_O

By the way, how old is Takashi? It feels really creepy if I try thinking about the age difference between his lover and himself.

I found the book in the library and immediately grabbed it when I saw the writer! I really enjoy reading Natsuki Takaya's work (Fruits Basket), because she captures the emotional problems of teenagers (/adults) really well. However, I tend to compare and find most of the similarities between all of them; I cannot base her manga independently 'cause all I see is Fruits Basket in them.
I expect her to have this “higher quality story” for all her manga. However, to be honest, when I read one of her previous stories, I was disappointed; I couldn't even read the whole thing. That was why I ... avoid having preconceived high expectation from manga artists.
The high rating I gave this book is probably because of the low expectations I had for it. I saw reviews online, and I did not like what I was being told. So, I was surprised when I saw myself enjoying and laughing at the story.
(This review contains no real summary, as myanimelist did a great one on top!)

This manga consists of 5 short stories (the last one is an extra from her other manga: Tsubasa).
The 5 stories have different artistic style. Ding Dong, Voice of Mine, and Double Flower brings you back to the 90's with those infamously classic big eyes (Kodocha is the anime I can think of that describes the art)!
The other two: Songs to Make You Smile, and Princess Dark Black are similar to Fruits Basket.


I think I liked this book because I was able to see how Natuski Takaya grew as an artist and a writer. It is inspiring to see the progress of a person. In these short stories, you can see some of her earlier ideas that later was incorporated into the brilliant masterpiece, Fruits Basket. Thus, I do recommend this book to people that like going "behind the scenes" to know what created one of the best selling manga out there (Fruits Basket).

My favorite short story was, Songs to Make You Smile. The narration was amazingly written; I was not irritated by the way the main character talked about his problems. It was funny and it was done really well!

Furthermore, Song to Make You Smile, and The Voice of Mine are both about the love of music. However, although music is the subject, the motifs are about bullying and self-loath.
The fact that the manga was short and simple is what made me like it. If they were to prolong the stories, I don't think I could have read it any further. Some of the stories have been played with before by other writers, so dragging the storyline would have made it seem more unoriginal. That is why, by keeping it simple, I was able to see the emotional problems of the characters very clearly.
---
I love that in practically all of the stories, you get the feeling that the women are weak, but as you read on, you realize how strong they really are.
And of course, since this is a romance genre, all of the short stories had the typical love ending. My favorite quote from this story about love was: "Just a second!! Are you saying I'm going to fall into that childhood friend cliche"

Princess Black was the one that had a different vibe than the other four stories. I did not read Tsubasa (this section came out of that manga), but I found it funny. This was less about romance and more about comedy. Unlike the other stories, the main character for this one explicitly stated how she was seeking love, but as I said, it is the least romantic one out of all the of stories.

I know people specifically disliked Black Princess because it was so different, but I find it humorous when authors’ make parodies (their own rendition) of fairy tales. Natsuki already did a Cinderella one, and this is the one for Snow White (I think it was more inspired by the original version, as opposed to the Disney remake). In her version, Snow White is a simpleton and extremely dependent, but the difference is that she is PURE EVIL, and the stepmother is actually nice. Furthermore, unlike the original tale, the readers see Snow Whites father!
The only problem with the story was the last half in my opinion. The perverted part of the story came out of nowhere, and there was small fan service. I already was not expecting a comedy after reading the other stories, let alone have unnecessary perverted moments. It caught me by surprise, and it did ruin the fun out of the book.

I don't really want to talk more in-depth about this manga; they are short stories, and anything beyond the summary will technically be spoilers.
Nonetheless, I do think this is worth reading if you like Takaya's work and want to see how she progressed. It's not the best, but it's not the worst. However, I highly suggest you borrow and read the book before you buy it. The storyline, and the art may turn you off Also, before you read this book, don't expect too much from it in order to truly enjoy it.

Why do shows wait till the last few episodes to get to the good part!?
[Abridged version of the storyline: A group of friends' decide to make a baseball team to play. One of the boy's become in charge of bringing new members to the group. Each new members that he persuades to join are not exactly the happiest of the bunch. Behind the smiles, the hardship is hidden]

This show really disappointed me. Every week, as new episodes came out, I really thought the series would get better, but it didn't. Here are the reasons:

1) The main character, Riki, narrates way too much. When he ... explains the situation to us, it really bores me to death. Usually, I like hearing the narrator tell us what is going on, but he basically pointed out useless information and I just wanted him to shut up. Riki honey, you need to stop talking! The narration, the voice acting, and the dialogues/ monologues swayed me away from this show.

2) There are way too many supporting characters. You can't really focus on each character individually because the group is too big.

3) All of the burdens are handed down to Riki. When any of the girls have a problem, it is Riki who comes to the rescue. This is a harem genre so it definitely makes sense, but many people says this show is about friendship- no! All the other characters just tag along and watch silently while everything happens. They're like little ducklings following their mama- in this case Rikki,

4) The art is fine. I was expecting it be nicer, but you get used to it.

5) The execution of the storyline was poorly done. This was the biggest problem for me. After the first arc with Komari (the blonde hair with the squeaky voice) was finished, there was a huge gap where nothing happened (if I remember correctly). Yes, you do get new members to the Little Busters but that's about it. I started losing interest really quickly. Furthermore, when the arc of each of the girls finished, the characters were really pointless afterwards. You won't get to see them as much. Seriously, the timing of the arcs were unbearable!

6) The blue hair girl. Her arc was interesting. However, I must be really dumb because it did not make sense to me. Her problem was really confusing and unrealistic. I understand how Key loves putting surreal elements to their shows, but the explanation still does not make sense. Also, not everything can be tied down on the last episode; it is just too much!

7) As for the character development, I did actually see Rin (the red hair girl) start to grow as the show went on. She had a little bit of personality change which is a good thing because she is the heroine of the show…although; I would have liked to see her as vocal and active as Riki.

8) The guy who was meant to provides comic relief for the show was more likely to be the guy who brought utter silence to ones house. He was not funny at all. I know he is different from comedians in other anime shows, but I swear he made me hate the show more. Eventually, I tried forgetting that he existed just so I could watch the show. The anime did have potential for good humor, because I actually did laugh at episode 20 with the silly, funny rap song one of the characters created.

9) None of the characters really appealed to me. In all honesty, the perverted female character was one of my favorite… and she had no real arc! That is saying a lot because I don't like perverted characters.

10) I don't regret watching it, but I do not think I will watch it again. One thing I did like was a simple speech about how sad people view other happy people. This was not an extremely significant part of the anime, but it resonated with me. It made me not completely hate it.

11) The voice acting: it took me a while to get use to some of the voices. I'm not usually picky about it, but I wonder if the dub can do better.

12) I continued watching this anime because I read the BIGGEST spoiler of all time, and I really thought it was going to happen in this anime. At first I was mad that I learned about it, but it was the only thing that made me want to watch it. But at last, the spoiler never came to form. They hint it through out the series, but the arcs really swing you away from the main storyline, and I do not think that the last episode could ever do that spoiler justice. If there is a second season (which will probably be awesome judging from the spoilers…look, I hated Clannad, but I loved After Story), I suggest you watch this for background information, but other than that, I don't know if you should watch it or not. It is up to you!

I would have scored this anime a 6 because I didn’t like it, but I gave it a 7 because the entire arc ended with a happy feeling and a (simple) message. This bothered me at first because I thought it was hackneyed, but I know if I had watched this a few years ago I might have enjoyed it…… (Keyword: might have).

[Update: April 7, 2013]
When I wrote the review, the only episode I did not watch was the last one. As of now, I have completed it. I still agree with everything I wrote. As I mentioned, it concluded with this feeling of warmth. It summarized what Rikki had done for everyone. However, it foreshadowed the tragedy to come. It ended nicely, and I do crave to watch the second season when it does come out...i probably will enjoy it more! Oh The Anticipation! Watch this series if you intend to watch the ever-so-hyped second season: Little Busters Refrain! Why? Because this season seems like the background information which tells us more about some of characters that will be relevant for the sequel.

IT IS POPULAR FOR A REASON!

I just re-watched this show two months ago, so I'd thought I should review it.
When I first watched it years ago, I remember gradually falling in love with it. Asides from Yu Yu Hakusho, this was the second anime that grabbed my attention. I really did not like it at first. I thought it was boring, sexy/harem- jutsu annoyed me, and Haku's gender confused me! I think what grabbed me to this show was Zabuza's final speech. That whole scene was brilliantly emotional, and I automatically became hooked.

That being said, it takes a while to fall in love with this ... show (it starts off really good though), and then it takes another while to fall out of love with it. But do I recommend this anime? Yes, that is considering you have the time to watch, you are patient, and realize that there is another series (Part II) after this. The show does not really end.

The soundtrack for this anime is amazing! In my opinion it's unique, not classical, and better than what you expect! That's all I can say about it.
The art gets better as the story progresses especially the fighting sequence. Unfortunately, I cannot say this about Shippuden (Naruto: Part II).

As for the characters, after you watch a lot of anime, you realize how unoriginal they are. There is nothing special about them. However, when I first watched it, I remember having a very difficult time deciding who my favorite character was going to be because I thought all of them were amazing. Now, I cannot stand most of the characters.

Naruto: the main character is alright. His perseverance is very admirable. The only problem I have with him is that he is dull-witted; but even that is a gateway to bring humor into the show. I’m glad he is the hero of this series because he does bring the good emotional side of everyone.
Sasuke: He is the reason why I hate characters that are so emotional. That "cool-dark" vibe does not appeal to me. It is over used! He is the definition of a psychotic masochistic-emotional loser! I just want to slap him. It gets worse as the episode goes on. I did even not understand how all the girls love him. Speaking of the girls, how come they are all ridiculously vacuous?
Saukura: If she is the smartest out of her classmate, there is something really wrong with the people there. All she does is love Sasuke. She is mean to everyone else. Furthermore, there are moments that she does have character development, BUT right afterward she is just annoying again: A FAIL of a heroine.
Haku- he is not a main character, but I remember having an argument with my family about whether he was girl or a boy. It really did start a riot in my house. It was a mind boggling moment in my life. I swear! This was before I realized that Japanese anime always has at least one male character that speaks and looks like a girl. However, it is still surprising that the English dub kept the female voice.
As for the other characters such as: Neji, Hinata, Kakashi, Gaara, Lee, Choji, (and so many more!)are developed really nicely. I love them! All of them have similar traits to Naruto, but they are different and beautiful
Lastly, I want to speak about Shikamaru! The laziest character of ‘em all. To be honest, I had never seen a character like him before when I started watching, so he fascinated me (now I know, there are so many of them). I feel like out of all the characters, he had the best character development even though he was not a part of all the episodes. It was done perfectly as well. The laziness still lived on, but the maturity starts revealing itself. He is what you call intelligent, not Sakura

Lets just say, as cliche as the characters are, their (heartbreaking) storyline makes the show.

What do I hate about Naruto?
It doesn't end. There are so many fillers (pointless episodes that do not relate to the storyline). A person can only watch so much! I must have been really stupid, because when I started this show, I LOVED the filler. However, it took so much out of me that I could not even watch Shippuden.
If you are going to watch the show, do not watch the fillers! DO NOT WATCH IT!

The only fillers that you should watch are the ones that you like. Research the episodes before you begin. I loved episode 101: Kakashi's real face. It was a question I was thinking about since the beginning of the anime, so it was interesting to know that the characters thought about it too! And the Neji's curry episode was funny as well.

If you are a Hinata, Neji, Sjhikamura, Kiba, Ino, (or whoever), there are specific episodes related to them, so just watch those only, nothing more. There are more than 100 fillers I believe, soo..... don't. watch. all of them.

Overall, this is only a review for Part I.. believe me, if I had to talk about the manga or Shippuden, the rage would ooze out of your computer screen. Okay, not really, but I would have more negative things to say even though I like it.

Do I recommend this anime? No
If you are new to the reverse-harem genre (one girl who has a million boys to choose from), DO NOT let this be your first one. If you have watched tons of reverse harem, and have become tired of the cliché storylines, watch it. However, don’t get angry at me if you hate it!

Let’s start with the characters:

All of the boys are one dimensional. From the very get-go, I already predicted who the heroine was going to end up with...luckily, I was wrong (since it was open ending). Nonetheless, that does not mean the story was completely original. Even when ... the story progressed, the characters are still very bland. You have the nerd, the popular one, the one that cannot express himself, and the boy next door.

Furthermore, there was a tendency of the men saying a line similar to this: I’m a man. I have temptation. Don't come near me or I'll do something to you!" Uh, do guys in real life really say that to women? Do women really like it when that is said? ‘Cause if that was me; I would kick the guy in the nuts and run away!

Despite how annoying the boys were, if you like a certain type of male character, there will be an episode satisfying your romantic set-up. I’m not going into details with this because the little spoilers can ruin the slightest enjoyable/intriguing content this anime actually has to offer.

On to the heroine!
I did not notice this until I read it, but her name was never mentioned! The whole show was like a video game, so I wouldn’t be surprised if the viewers were supposed to feel like the main character (I didn’t though…). Anyways, she was BORING. No personality whatsoever! I wanted to punch her because of how ridiculously dumb she was. If any character could raise my blood pressure, it’s her!! Also, she did not even have real dialogues/monologues. She went with the flow of life and rarely cared that she had amnesia even when it was negatively affecting her and the people around her. She was unique, but a show should NEVER have a main character like her! She really dug her own grave in each episode. So sad…NOT! (Also, I think they went with the Amnesia story because it gave a reasonable excuse for her to get to know the guys individually; a perfect reverse-harem setup, am I right?)

Honestly, I was about to give up on this show, but episode 7 explained why she was the way she was. The storyline became interesting. However, it went downhill again after that. I only continued to watch it because the main storyline/plot was original. I have never seen a reverse harem like this (I’m refraining from saying the spoiler). Yet, the originality of the show was overshadowed by the unoriginal and boring characters and dialogues. Not to mention, the storyline did not unfold nicely either. I guess the only thing that was okay was the open ending. Oh yeah, the art was different and nice too. Personally, the dichromatic eyes and hair looked beautiful. Also, I’m still wondering why the heroine had two different shoes. Can anyone answer that?
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As I mentioned, this show was absolutely boring and ridiculous. I only gave it a high rating (yes, 7- 6 is way too high for it) because I’m just tired of the typical reverse-harem, and I do applaud people that shed original content into a show (even if it is done poorly). Soooo, watch this show at your own risk.

This is an anime that I guarantee will make you laugh at least once.

I decided to watch this show because I heard that Kyoto Animation was a part of it; I knew at that moment that this show would be aesthetically pleasing. Thankfully it was. I guess the only ones that would hate the art are those that extremely abhor innocent, cute, childish looking faces.

One of the best things that Kyoto Animation did was the fighting scenes. Whenever Dekomori and Rikka were in their imaginary world, believing that people were conspiring against them, it was entertaining to watch the graphics. Those scenes were ... extraordinary, and it was actually better than some action genre animes’.

The only problem I had with the art was the opening theme. I felt like the company tried so hard making a dance sequence with an upbeat music;. It failed; it was a cheap duplicate of the popular Haruhi opening. The flashes and the jump-cuts strained my eyes, and gave me headaches. BUT! At least the ending was done nicely. The song, the movement, and the dark element were a huge contrast to what the show was about when it first started. (Although I loved the ending theme, I cannot help but feel that it is a replication of another anime Kyoto animation produced.)
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As for the characters, most of them actually developed by the end of the short series.

When I first started this show, Yuuta seemed like the typical teenage boy who really wanted to be popular. It annoyed me because the main character was so ordinary. This is the type of character I don't ever want to see have the stage. The question of why does he deserve to be the hero kept circulating in my head. Why was he special? Thankfully, they did give me an acceptable answer in the last two episodes.

Rikka is the star of the show (she is the one affected by the 8th grade syndrome.). She'll make you laugh, and she'll make you upset. But, I still think her character progressed abruptly. I wouldn't expect anything more since the show was 12 episodes, but I guess the thing that bothers me is that Rikka had so much potential to be an amazing character! Furthermore, at the end, she depended way too much on Yuuta when her problems could have been solved more properly by herself. Maybe, I should have just been satisfied because this anime was meant to be about romance.

As for the other three supporting characters, they also had some important roles in this anime. I did find that they were the archetypical characters. Some people might find this a nuisance, but I felt that the writers did bring some originality into these characters. I thought Dekomori and the sleepy girl were hilarious!
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The storyline could have been gold. If it were more than 13 episodes, I think they could have made something extremely special. At first, when they mentioned the 8th grade syndrome, it reminded me of “senioritis”; the last year of school when you simply do not care what happens. The "wild" side of you just comes out. It happened to me! And just like the characters, I totally wanted to forget all the childish things I did in my senior year of high school. However, my story is different from theirs. As the anime progressed, the 8th grade syndrome seemed to only engulf certain types of people. In my opinion, the imaginative side that came along with the syndrome is what helped the characters live freely and openly. By the end of the anime, you realize that there are things that are not meant to be forgotten. Conformity won't always satisfy your cravings of happiness.

Although this anime was hilarious and seemed to have an overall amazing message, I disliked that they left all the sadness for the end. I know the ending was meant to be the climax, but the drama ruined the atmosphere of the show. At one point, I started to get bored of the romance and the storyline. But, I'm glad there were a few burst of comedy in between the melodrama.

Another annoying part of this series was the last episode.. The conclusion did not really solve anything. Even though they made the problem seem small, I believe the 8th grade syndrome needs a proper solution. How can the characters function in their society if they choose to live in their imaginary world? .

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Despite the cons of this anime, I did enjoy watching it. It was so hilarious and clever that I kept waiting impatiently for the next episodes to come out!

Tari Tari is one of those shows that will leave you with a smile on your face because of its simplicity

Basically, the show is about 5 high-school seniors (3 girls, and 2 boys) trying to form a choir band. The difference between this anime and other "musical" anime is that Tari Tari felt realistic. The girls and the boys put effort into making the songs and singing it. They did not just pick up a guitar, and “magically” create music that all high-school students would like. Furthermore, the groups singing voices matched the characters. And even though the music was not extraordinary, I felt happy ... listening to it.

Just like the music, the art was fantastic. My eyes sparkled as I watched the captivating scenery and the overall artistic style of Tari Tari (okay, I'm exaggerating a little The artwork was decent).

Characters:
Only 2 (Wakana and Sawa) out of the 5 characters have proper developments. Considering that it was only 13 episodes, and took place just during their senior year, I did not really mind it at all.

My favorite character in Tari Tari is Wakana. She is shown as one of those typical girls that can not socialize well with other people, seems angry, and is not ambitious. However, to me, her personality felt genuine. The way she (angrily) spoke to her mother felt incredibly real. Some might disagree with me on that, but it does happen; we never really realize we are doing something wrong until it is too late.
Nonetheless, most of the characters did contribute to the storyline, and made it worth watching.

The thing that I love most about this anime is the ending. No matter where each member of the group ends up going, their music- their song will always remind them of one another. Although nostalgia can be depressing, it can also be a wonderful thing, Nostalgia can remind you of moments that you value and treasure with all your life.

This show might not be for everyone, but if you want a simple slice-of life (highschool) anime , give this a shot.

Before I start with the actual review, I want to say that I dislike shows that deal with the supernatural. That’s not to say I hate all shows that deals with ghosts and mystical beings, I just cannot tolerate those that are aimed to be (extremely) scary. Yes, I’m a wimp who can become obsessively paranoid for a day or two. Please keep this in mind!

The reason I watched this show was because I expected it to be similar to Ghost Hunt. I believed it would be horrifying at first, but then the storyline and the characters would sway me into believing the show ... was humorous and not as scary as it appeared to be in the first place. Unfortunately, this was not the case for Another; it has this dark atmosphere that remains throughout the show. The reason it’s rated mature was not because of nudity (although some of the dolls were. hahaha), but because of the excessive blood that was shed throughout the series. I personally am not scared of blood or killing, but most of the time I found the deaths questionable, and wondered if this was even possible in the real world.

Character:
I’m just going to analyze the two main characters, Sakakibara- kun (Kouichi Sakakibara) and Misaki.
Sakakibara: Sadly, although I usually like the main characters in a show, I didn’t like him. Yes, he was extremely curious, and he had every right to be curious after all the random calamities that occurred, but there were moments when I wondered if he was really sane. The people close to him were dying, and the more he delved into it, the more people died.
Mei Misaki: She is the typical quite, dark-vibe, girl. I don’t have much to say about her except for the convenient “gift” she had. I didn’t even care about the logical explanation for that, but their reasoning of hiding what she knew till the very end did not make me content. I was so frustrated because there were so many people around her dying, and she was too scared to tell!! Many things could have been avoided if it wasn't for her stupidity.

Storyline:
The worst part about this show was that it never found a real resolution to the problem. What will the next class 3 do? Will they somehow have another ''gifted'' student who can help them out? The ending was not satisfying... but maybe, that was the point. In order for the anime to stick to its genre, the creators left it that way so we wouldn't be satisfied- so we wouldn't be extremely content with it. Just maybe! Or… the writers couldn’t think of an answer for it.

As for the whole storyline, was it really scary? For people who do not watch scary shows, they might find it scary at first, but might get bored at the end (that's what happened to me). I know I should have been scared, and I probably was, but I just didn't like how they resolved the problem (and the dissatisfaction pushed my fears aside). As for those who watch scary shows all the time, this might seem similar to many other shows.

Music and art:
Even though I do not really care about the music and the artwork (but it has to be bearable, nothing too ugly) for shows, this one had decent artworks. However, the random dolls they showed throughout the transitions did not really cut it for me. I know they tried making it scary, but putting dolls was unnecessary. I've been scared of porcelain dolls since I was young because of these random shows I watch, but having the dolls in this show felt repulsive.
As for the music, they had instruments that are typically played in horror films (thunderstorm, dramatic noise, etc). However, the thing that I really loved about Another was the huge contrast between the opening theme and ending theme. The music in the beginning was dark, disastrous, and scary; just like the storyline of each episode. Nonetheless, the ending theme was soft, melancholic, soothing, and bittersweet; despite not knowing the meaning of the songs, I felt like my mindset changed because of it. Moreover, the ending song allowed me to watch the next episode without being extremely scared.

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Overall, this show was decent, but it wasn't my cup of tea. If you are into gore and pointless killing, you’ll like it! I can only recommend this show to certain people; it is not for everyone.

I gave it a 6 ( I wanted to give it a 6.5) because it left me unsatisfied… but it might not leave you unsatisfied.