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7 minutes. It doesn’t ask for any more of your precious time. Amidst all the troubles in life, if you decide and manage to invest that amount of time in watching this ultra short film, what you get is something that will undoubtedly stay with you for a long time.

Dareka no Manazashi awes with its simplicity. It portrays a certain phase of human life, i.e., the growing up phase and the changes that come along with it in one’s life, that almost every person experiences. It is about how we tend to put up facades in public just for the sake of presenting ourselves as ... intellectual grown-ups. It is also about how during this process, we end up losing our child-like innocence and the ability to be brazenly honest about our true feelings.

Humans are a strange lot. As children, we possess such noble virtues of honesty and good-will but as we grow up and enter adulthood, we try our best to discard them, largely because of the fear of being ridiculed and not being taken seriously in the harsh world of adults. This film expresses just that. What is really appreciable about the film is that it does not try to pass a judgement. It doesn’t advise us on whether it’s the right thing to do or not. It does not tell us whether it’s the right way or not. It just puts forth a stark reality of human life before us and tries to be optimistic about the happening of it all.

The film shows the advent of the transition phase in a girl’s life, her gradual years of growing up from a child to a self-sustaining adult, and how it affects her relations with her father and family.

Aya Okamura, the girl and lady in question, lived happily with her father and mother in a typical nuclear family. She had a certain sense of freeness as a child, always happy and joyous in the presence of her doting parents. But gradually, as life takes certain turns, she starts to feel ashamed of her parents, making jokes about them in front of friends and also develops an independent streak which makes her live on her own away from them. But in reality, she feels guilty of it all and tries to make amends. This is something most of us experience in life and it is the films very close connect with reality that makes it a good watch.

Even if we stay away from our parents, we always crave for them, consciously or sub-consciously. Sometimes we are unable to admit it in fear of sounding weak or just feel ashamed. But we do, at all times, feel the pangs of separation from our parents when we live apart from them. The child in us always craves for those two special people. No matter how much we may deny it, the one thing that supports us in life and which is the pillar of our existence in the world is our family. This is the core message Dareka no Manazashi tries to convey.

The world is a tough place to survive in and more so, when one is alone. We realize how we have been protected and cared for by our parents only when we separate from them. It is then that our heart cries for them. It is then that we want them to shield us from the harshness of the world over again. Aya’s beautiful relation with her father is heart-warming. The mutual love they have for each other is undeniably great though they do not express it openly at any point of time. It’s her family that matters to her the most, is what the narrator hopes Aya to realize. And us as well.

The animation is beautiful and fitting. It complements the atmosphere built up wonderfully with some neat artwork. The background song that starts playing towards the end is soulful and heart-felt and connects deeply with the message that the film tries to convey.

In overall, the film is a great watch. Not only does it manage to bring tears to your eyes in such a short period of time but also it enriches you with a certain realization. It does not obfuscate but rather presents some everyday events that occur in almost every human’s life in a simplified manner. And therein lies its charm because as they say, in simplicity lies greatness.

From time to time, there are anime which make us think hard and others which convey their message effortlessly. Ojii-san no Lamp falls in the latter category. It is about passion and attachment to the things we love and how at some point of time we are required to look beyond them and move ahead. It is about modernization and the pangs of sorrow which it brings to some people. The story told by the grandfather here to his grandson has a soothing tone. The emotions are conveyed effortlessly. A linear progression of storyline makes it easier to grasp the emotions felt by Minosuke, the ... lead character.

The story is about an old man who one day finds his grandson playing with a decades-old floor lamp. He had completely forgotten that he still had it. That evening, he tells his grandson a story about himself, Minosuke, from when he was a child. He then takes us on a relaxing ride through his life, right from his childhood to when he became an adult. He narrates how he first came to see the wonderous device called a 'Lamp' in a far-off town and fell in love with its glowing beauty at first sight. With his high spirits and optimistic nature, he decides to light up his own town with the lamps. In time, he grows up to be a successful lamp merchant. He starts a family and continues his happy life until a new technology, electricity, arrives in the neighboring town threatening lamps to become useless and thereby endangering his business as a whole.

How he copes with the drastic modernization is what constitutes the rest of the film. Letting go of the things we love most is always difficult but sometimes it is neccessary to do so to progress. Embracing new things and ways of life is the way to move forward in life and that is precisely what Minosuke tries to say. It is painful but once accomplised, it brings a sense of peace.

The animation is of good quality and complements the village scenes to bring about their true beauty. The voice actors did a fine job and at certain moments like in the ending scene, they manage to make you really feel the words being spoken.

These days, I don't usually have enough time to watch an anime series so I decided to watch the anime movies. And this is one decision I do not regret after watching this. Of course, it is not as good as Harmonie or Kotonoha no Niwa or some other movies you may have watched but it does almost perfectly everyhing that it was supposed to which makes it a very good and satisfying watch :)

To start with,this movie has quite a few gory scenes that might make you cringe and it is exposive and violent in nature,so it is cetainly not for the faint-hearted.

Mima is a pop-idol who is living her dream and is at peace with her job and life.She enjoys quite some popularity among fans of the genre and is well renowned.But not always can you do what you want to in the real world.Her agency wants her to quit being a pop-idol and become an actress simply because of the twisted reason that they weren't making much money out of her.Not wanting to leave what she ... loves doing and at the same time wanting to gain more acceptance and popularity besides fearing that she would otherwise be troubling the people in the agency,Mima decides to take the leap.And then she encounters the harsh reality.She is exposed to the cruel and perverted film industry where everyone starting from the director to the photographer tries and exploits her,be it getting her practically raped by making her shoot a rape scene in a bar or photograph her in full nudes and print them in magazines,and she can do nothing but comply,in fear of not dissapointing her seniors and not getting accepted by the audience.

And then it all begins.Mima starts hallucinating,seeing her former pop-idol self appear out of nowhere and telling her that she is now a wasted woman and just a fake.The real Mima is the pop-idol Mima who still exists.She starts haunting her day and night and soon Mima loses her sanity,she fails to distinguish between reality and dreams.She can't tell what she is doing in her real life and what she is doing in her movie shoots.Additionally,a series of murders starts taking place.Those who tried to exploit her start getting killed one by one of multiple stab wounds and this haunts her even further.She comes across a website dedicated to her where someone runs a blog in her name and claims that the pop-idol Mima still exists and the actress one is an imposter.Her every move is listed in details there,her every secret quoted.She begins to doubt herself in agony and distress and wonders whether she is alive or not,whether all of this is dream and whether it is true that she herself commited those crimes subconciously as some other personality.To add to this,there is a stalker,a fan of hers,who shadows her every move and can't cope with her betrayal to fans of her pop shows and is on the verge of going berserk.

The animation is crude and it fits the atmosphere perfectly.Not once could I turn away from this anime because it was so unexplicably exciting.

The voice acting and sound is good enough and elevates the experience further.

Psychological thrillers are at large,mostly of high quality in terms of storyline and are well thought out which adds to their charm and Perfect Blue stands at the peak of the mountain.With a rarely achieved perfect ending and nail-biting sequences,it leaves no space to ask for anything more.

Gen is a little boy who lives in Hiroshima in Japan along with his father,little brother,Shinji,elder sister,Eiko,and mother,Kimie,who is pregnant and about to give birth soon.The backdrop is the ongoing Second World War and the year is 1945,the year the world came to a still.The city of Hiroshima is suffering from severe scarcity of even basic food like rice and also medicines and other such necessary commodities of life.Even then,Gen and Shinji are two boys with magnanimous spirits who live life king-size even in the face of adversity.They were a happy family with every one taking care of the others and working hard together to ... make ends meet.The common goal of the other members of the family was to look after Kimie,Gen's mother,so that she could painlessly give birth to a healthy baby.
The war had been going on for quite a few years and by now it had become a routine for them to hide in shelters whenever enemy planes were sighted in the sky to protect themselves from being bombed.But one day,an enemy plane was sighted in the sky but the alarm for the residents to take cover didn't go off.Gen was on his way to school that morning.And then the bomb was dropped.The atomic bomb was dropped on hiroshima by the U.S. plane Enola Gay which changed the couse of Japan's history forever.
'Barefoot Gen' doesn't need to be explained.It is as straightforward as anything can be.The atomic bomb which devastatingly wiped out more than 60% of Hiroshima on that fateful day has been justly depicted.The movie doesn't condemn or appreciate the bombing and it doesn't impose any views on the viewer.It just shows in its full scale the nightmare that millions of people lived through since that day and how humans created hell on Earth themselves.
As soon as the bomb was dropped,all life was obliterated,and those who survived were actually the more unfortunate ones.Mutated by the radiation beyond human recognition,there is a scene where Gen wonders whether the zombie-like people on the verge of death were still humans or not.Then came the black radioactive rain from the lethal cloud of poisonous gases and smoke that had enveloped the city which polluted all the water sources killing anyone who drank such water.Gen and his mother were the lucky survivors.They strived to survive in that hell even after they had to watch the rest of their family being burned alive helplessly.Gen's newborn sister is now his and his mother's only reason to go on living.But the curse doesn't spare his sister either.But he still goes on living.That is Gen and that is how every person should be.
Barefoot Gen makes us self-reflect.It shows how inhumane we can become for selfish purposes.It shows how the curse called 'War' affects innocent people who have nothing to do with it.It also shows how some aristrocrats and politicians act against the wishes of the citizens of the country and shrewdly propagate war to protect their own pride without caring for the millions of people whose life they take in the process.This ignorance and selfishness of the country's leaders is shown when even after such a devasting damage was inflicted upon its citizens,the then leaders of Japan refused to surrender even when they knew that then the U.S. would drop another atomic bomb on the country.And thus,three days later,the second atomic bomb was dropped on Nagasaki and it all ended when after this Japan finally surrendered.But the damage was done with everyone at the losing end.
"Why not before?",Kimie asked enragedly upon hearing about Japan surrendering after enduring the two greatest human-induced mass extinctions in history.This sent a chilling shiver down my spine as I sensed the desperation,the helpness,the measure of pain and sadness that canot be put in words behind this question.Scavenging for food,fighting over trash,being infected by deadly worms and shunned from human contact just waiting for their death every day as their flesh goes on rotting,this tells us how Mankind's biggest enemy is mankind itself.
The best and shining star here is Gen.Even in such dire straits,he doesn't back away from helping anyone,he thinks about everyone else before himself.He refuses to back down and vows to survive and protect everyone and make his deceased father proud of him.His honesty should put every one of us to shame.They took away everything from him,but that doesn't keep him from living life to the fullest.The saga of this honest and brave boy makes us all bow our heads in shame.It is he,who through all his pain and suffering,makes us realise how savage war is and that it proves nothing.NOTHING good ever comes from war.
Hadashi no Gen is a revelation.It is meant to show us the effects of our selfish deeds.We all read in our history books about how Japan endured such hell being raised on its grounds but that's about all of it.We don't really realise the grim situation,the extent of suffering of the victims.This movie is meant to show us that.It is meant to make us experience the widespread sorrow and pain that still prevails in these parts of the world.I don't know how anyone can not cry after watching this because as for me,I don't remember crying this much over something for a long time.I pay my respects to the fallen and the innocent victims of human hate and greed.We can only hope that after this,we humans will finally become wise enough not to repeat such horrors.
Even if for no other reason,whether you like it or not,watch this because the millions of victims of this tragic and inhumane incident at least deserve to have the tragedy and pain in their life known to people throughout the world.It is the least we can do for them to show our respect.

According to the dictionary, ‘Harmonie’ is a German word that, in the context of the history of music, designates an ensemble of wind instruments employed by an aristocratic patron, particularly during the Classical era of the 18th century. The Harmonie would be employed for outdoor or recreational music.
Interestingly, there is a dual play of meanings in this title. The word 'Harmony' means 'the combination of musical notes sounded at the same time to produce chords with a pleasing effect'. 'Harmonies' is the plural of 'harmony’. This meaning fits perfectly with the events in the movie too.

Everyday we put up various facades in public, either ... for the purpose of getting accepted in society and not stand out as being 'weird' or for the simple reason that we aren't able to believe in our own selves. Though at every moment we know that we are doing nothing but living a lie, we ultimately are unable to gather the courage to step out and be the person we are in reality, until someone with a similar thought, someone who encourages us not to lose ourselves amidst all those lies we live, arrives to save us. True happiness, we then realize, is to live as the person we are in our hearts and in a moment all that burden we had been imposing on ourselves, all that stress out of pretending, evaporates and we are finally able to find bliss, if only we have that one person believing in us and sharing our dreams.

Harmonie is essentially about this theme. I watched it three times before writing this review, not because I didn't understand the story but because every time I was viewing it, I discovered something new, every time I found out that I had a new interpretation for all that was happening and therein, lies the ethereal beauty of Harmonie.

Juri Makina,an everyday high-schooler is the dreamer here. Having friends to chat with and a seemingly normal life, there should be no reason for her to be unhappy, one would think. But is that really so? Is she really the cheerful person that she shows her classmates she is? As it turns out, she is not. Rather she is the most depressed of all, the most burdened because of the mask that she has to don in public in order to not get ridiculed and isolated in the world. Because being lonely is painful no matter how much you try to masquerade it. Juri has a dream, a rather unusual dream about a boy and a robotic girl and how one of her classmates, someone who she has never talked to before, someone who had a crush on her and admired her even though he knew that it would probably remain a one-sided fantasy forever, Honjou Akio, synchronizes with her dream, forms the crux of the story.

Juri has this dream everyday and actually this dream represents her inner soul and nature. That being said, what is most intriguing are those three beautiful colored bottles in her dreams. What do they represent? The answer to that is beautiful. They represent the musical notes, the chords of life which Juri is made of. They are her essence, her feelings and emotions which are beautifully colored but whose beauty most people are unable to see. Harmonie, the mechanical girl, is another side of Juri, she is who Juri truly is at heart, whom people are unable to understand and call a weirdo. The boy in the dream is the only one who understands the true feelings of Harmonie and that is shown beautifully in his playing the Red, Green and Purple colored bottles in the perfect order under a starry night while Harmonie herself dances freely under the night sky, happy that she has finally found the one who truly understands her and is on the same wavelength as her. He is the one who colors her life and enables her to break free from her monotonous machine-like existence. This is why Harmonie is shown to be a mechanical doll and it is the boy who infuses life in her. The most tear-inducing scene is the last scene where Harmonie shows the boy her true self and that all his notes have struck the right chords and now she is at one with him in heart and soul. After watching this scene, it felt so beautiful, and it was then that I realized what complete bliss is.

In a world where being a little different is seen as being weird, Honjou is the one who comes to Juri's rescue and supports her. He is the harbinger of peace and tranquility in her life. He shares in her dream and plays the role of the boy in Juri's dream in her real life. His world is probably different from Juri's but as he says, he wants to get lost in her beautiful dream and be at one with her. He is the one who fills the void in Juri's heart and in the process, finds true happiness himself too.

The animation is beautiful and enchanting with every minute detail portrayed wonderfully. The ending song, the dream song, gets stuck in your mind and you will probably find yourself humming it for a long time after you finish watching the movie.

'Harmonie' is nothing else than a masterpiece. It shows effectively how each one of us has our own little world in our hearts, which we mostly keep to ourselves. It is one of the very few movies which have a perfect ending. It leaves you fully content and there is nothing more you would want to ask of it. Harmonie is a harmony of emotions and striking all the right notes, it leaves you mesmerized and wanting to lose yourself in your own little dream world where you are free to be your true self.

The Ice Witch,the Beauty by the Lake...These nicknames at the start of opening theme along with the upbeat song itself got me quite interested.The name was awkward in itsellf but what the anime turned out to be didn't make me regret watching it.The story is quirky enough to amaze you and at times it becomes hilarious.On the other hand,it puts forward a story that you can relate to,something that is relevant morally,an idealistic view-that you have to fight for your own food to aquire it and in that way,you can realise ... its true flavour and worth.Bento has a central theme-food is precious and we should realise its worth and not just mindlessly eat it but appreciate the effort of so many other people that has gone into bringing it to us finally.Thus,the meals that we eat everyday shouldn't be taken for granted but rather treated as a precious commodity.

The story starts with us being introduced to an ever-lazy protagonist Satou who does as much as he absolutely has to everyday.On a certain high-school night,when he goes to the supermarket to buy some cheap food suiting his limited allowance,that he first witnesses and gets dragged into a Bento fight and gets beat up awfully by an unknown girl who later turns out to be a senior at the same high-school as his and is the famed Western Wolf,'The Ice Witch'.

Hungry and testosterone-fuelled youngsters who fight it out with all their might to get their hands on the exclusive half-priced bentos that are made available in the supermarkets after a certain fixed time at night is what the anime is about.But it not only the food that they are after but also Honour.Warriors of such kind aquire 'nom de guerres',i.e,Honorary titles that are given to those fighters of the Wolf grade.The beauty of the nom de guerre concept is quite fulfilling.The titles of the characters build up an atmosphere of excitement.Then there are pigs,dogs,boars and other types of fighters depending on their style of fighting.

The battle-sequences are very good and smooth and you can feel the quality of animation at its best.They are very enjoyable and relatable.The music that plays in the background when battles happen gets you all fired up with its upbeatness and techno-beats.
The greatest merit of Ben-to is that it manages to merge humour and seriousness seamlessly.All that packed in a mere 12 episode series.Saito gets renowned as 'The Freak',his honourary warrior's title.Situations lead him to earn his fame as the perverted freak.How he gets tangled in unwanted dire problematic situations which always seems to end with him being further recognized as a pervert is hilarious to watch. Two scenes are worth a mention-The swimming pool incident where Saito shows his,umm..,Radar to the public and the one where the Kyo sister mistakes him as the Ice witch in the hospital and makes her confession.They certainly should have you in splits.And there are other moments that have you laughing heartily too.

Ecchi,you get it in good amount keeping in mind that its such a short series.Yuri abounds and is proclaimed by Shiraume,the student council president.God,such a dominating nature she has that not even Shaga,a.k.a,The Beauty by the Lake can avoid her sexy 'naked-in-the-bathtub' attack.She gets to know Shaga intimately in the bathtub and her bare-it-all moments with Oshoroi,her love,is tiltillating to the extreme.But all of this adds to the 'Wow!' factor.Assuredly,you won't forget Shiraume and her escapades anytime soon.

The serious parts are not compromised though.The history of Orthros,the Wolf duo,is quite deep.The sheer ignorance and seclusion from society they were made to face just because they were to strong to win against strikes deeply in the heart.It portrays that when you attain great power,you become more the lonely.Sato lives up to expectations as he plays the befitting wolf with magnanimous pride in the end.He's not something exceptional but he does his job of a protagonist nicely.

But there are some cons too.The Wizard could have been given more screen space and some greater role to play.In the end,despite being the West's strongest wolf,he ends up feeling insignificant as he leaves the country for studying abroad.Beardy,Brunette and Monk could have been more associative with the Ice witch and gang but perhaps they were purposedly kept as the loyal friends and fight-buddies.Hercules Combo turns out to be a manipulating wimp which disappoints slightly considering the terror he brought about at first.
But all these are very minor things and not exactly flaws when you weigh them against the merits of the anime.So,in the end,not much remains to disappoint you.

Orthros' unique combat style is one cool thing to watch.The God of Discounts idea is quirky but fun.The battle sequences are of quality and the friendship factor is well-fitting.You get comedy,you get some lovely ladies baring it all,action,and quirkiness.So,conclusively,Ben-to is a good light-hearted watch which can make your day.If you have pride,if you have honour,leave your thoughts aside and join in the fight with the wolves.Ben-to may not sparkle with class,but with its glamour and glitz,it sure does leave a lasting impression.

A future where a single system controls the progress of mankind,where mankind loses its human touch,where each movement of every citizen is scanned and analysed for delivering judgements- such a dystopia is very nicely portrayed by Psycho-Pass.

The story follows the life of Akane Tsunemori,a genius and bright graduate with top grades,who decides to go against the Sibyl system's suggestion for her best job aptitude and joins Unit One, a police unit from the Public Safety Bureau's Criminal Investigation Division, as an Inspector.She is then introduced to the Enforcers,her sub-ordinates,who are seemingly prospect criminals whose talents are used by the System to enforce its will on ... the masses and condemn latent criminals.They are the Enforcers,the Hunting Dogs.What follows is how she deciphers the reality of the Sibyl system and uncovers its true form.Should humanity be controlled by a self-righteous machine which decides whether one is guilty or not based on only a cymatic scan and often eliminates them even when they are innocent but simply possess a clouded mind?

Can a human's emotions be measured by the narrow parameters of a cymatic scan?Is crime really something that one can foretell and what is 'Crime' to begin with?Does anyone or anything have the right to judge another? These are the essential questions laid down in the series.

Story:

In this forte,Psycho-Pass is a masterpiece.Not that it does not have some flaws but the interesting and catchy story makes up for it all.It is a science-fiction anime and a gem in the genre because of the simple reason that the story never loses focus.You don't get the feeling of a loose end at any point.A machine that utilizes humans only to suppress them,that is actually trying to convert humans into mindless puppets of the law with its mechanical analysis of a person's Crime Coefficient(a number which indicates one's probability to commit a crime obtained by scanning their brain) constitutes a fairly solid and gripping story line.
The story progresses in a nice manner and gives just the right space to connect all the dots.When Akane and her Enforcer,Kogami, face adverse situations,a tension builds up as one tries to predict whether their ideals will match or clash which contributes to the story's growth The cat and mice hide-and-seek game between Kogami and his colleagues and Shogo Makishima,the criminal mastermind,two factions having opposing ideals is intriguing and does not fade out in the long run.There are ample twists and shocks throughout to keep one engaged.
The ending is quite clear and open leaving ample issues for a second season.The second season can be and hopefully,should be a continuation rather than a new story with a new cast as a good deal of questions remain unanswered.What happens to Kogami after he achieves his goal?Does the Sibyl system get its way in the end?How does Akane and the Inspector-turned-enforcer Ginoza change in the future and what path do they follow? It also remains to be seen that the ever-doubting Akane who challenges Sibyl's authourity at every step,fights back or not.Moreover,there is a lesbian love scene between Shion and Kunizuka at the very end whose significance needs to be explored.These issues need to be adressed. Overall,the story line is thrilling and modern and thought-provoking enough to be value for money and time.

Animation:

Animation is fluid and satisfying and the futuristic gadgets and city-styled landscapes are well-portrayed.Art work is quite good as you will be able to see when you look at the characters.The Dominator design and other such things are especially good.

Sound:

The voice-actors have done a good job and are able able to covey the emotions seamlessly.The Honourable Mention goes to Ling for his uber cool techno opening theme song 'Abnormalize'.The song connects intimately with the theme of the series and after you have watched the first few eps,you will be at a high chance of falling in love with it.Its unique and catchy and innovative.
The second opening by 'Nothing's Carved in Stone' is an okay deal.
Egoist's ending theme songs are nice but as usual all of Eogist's songs sound nearly the same,even the tune but they are soulful regardless.

Character:

Character development is the one of the strongest points of the anime.Right from the start you can feel Akane and Kogami's character gradually evolving with their backgrounds being revealed in an enjoyable pace.Even amidst all the frenzy,you never lose sight of how the character grows as a person and how societal influences end up shaping him.The slight breeze of love(mixed with admiration) between Kogami and Tsunemori touches the heart.Even the relation between Ginoza and father is very unique,more so because Ginoza himself meets the same fate as his father and finally learns to respect him.With the progress of the story,each of the characters have veen nicely sketched and can be picturized vividly.You can feel what's going on in their minds.Characters are more than just virtual avatars here.

Enjoyment:

It delivers high on this point.Right from the beginning,the catchy storyline grasps you and you can feel a suspense build up and sense that something interesting is about to happen.The plus point is that it doesn't bore at any point and keeps you addicted.There is loads of action for the battle lovers,tons of futuristic techs for the gizmo freaks and for the avid thinker,there are lots of moral questions and phisolosophical tunes that arise which sets you thinking and questioning the basic definitions of 'good' and 'bad','right' and 'wrong'.So,even if you don't like it,whatever be the reason,you won't complain of boredom or repetativeness.

Conclusion:

Psycho-Pass is a gem in the science fiction genre.It is an enjoyable watch right from the start and though the ending is kind of vague(we can only hope for a sequel to explain the rest),the total package that it provides in such a short series definitely puts it up for recommendation and applaud.If you are looking for something with an original and good story and at the same time catchy and adrelanine-pumping,go for this one.Even if it doesn't become a favourite,it will undoubtedly leave a lasting impression.

To start off, 'Angel Beats' is an anime that most people will love.The reasons are varying.It is cute and has an original storyline that makes you think long after you finish watching.Plus, it mingles many aspects like action,drama etc. while successfully giving it a lovely depth and meaning.The idea of a world where laws of nature are distorted is intriguing

The protagonist,Yuzuru Otonashi,seems a bit of a loser at first but the good character development covers off more than enough for it.After hearing about his past life history and how he sacrificed himself even at the moment of death,the perception of him changes entirely.Overall,character developments are ... pretty good.
Another similarly nice character lies in the Battlefront leader,Yuri.There are some others who stand out too.The description of their sufferings in life has contributed to the depth of the series to a great extent.It manages to make one emotional.

The real beauty lies in the unique story line.The basic theme of the afterlife which it tries to portray by narrating the saga of unsatisfied souls is nicely executed.There's also an element of mystery too which makes it better.The idea that those who suffered terribly and instead of their hard work,did not get the least out of their life, get to have a second chance to be happy and attain salvation after death is inspiring.

The good thing is it doesn't turn out to be a drag because of the serious content but the tons of battle sequences and fully-excited-to-reach-their-goals teenagers makes the journey fun.There are also some cute moments and touching ones like when the 2nd generation diversion team's vocalist,Yui,finally gets to realize her ultimate dream when Hinata proposes to her and makes her feel special.Otonashi's resolve and decisive ability is applaudable and fitting for a hero.Not disheartened by his loved one's death,taking the courage to help others in the world is inspiring.

The best thing is the awesome twist in the story that's revealed at the end.I won't reveal it as it would be a spoiler but the secret of Angel is touching and you'll come to realize the deep connection that existed between Angel and Otonashi for the entire time.The way they reunite after salvation is beautiful and fills one with the hope that the world might be a better place than imagined.Its then, at the very ending moment,that you come to realize why the anime has been named 'Angel BEATS' and it truly feels great at that moment.

Besides these,there are many slight comical scenes which will have one in giggles.But these could have been far better.
Another slight drawback is Angel's character.In order to build up the story and mould her as per its requirements,she does not do enough justice to important position of her character.In the end you end up wanting to see more of her other sides than the good fighter one alone.

Animation is pretty decent and good enough for giving support to the story.
The opening song, 'My soul,your Beats' is magical and though not great makes one love it after they realize Angel's history at the end of the series.It is a good thing that the song connects deeply with the anime.

Overall,the anime is definitely worth a watch as it manages to deliver in many aspects.It can be interpreted in many ways.One can take it as a fun,action-packed watch while another may describe it based on its depth and feels.In conclusion,if you are searching for a nice anime to watch and stumbled upon this review,just feel sure and give this one a try.It doesn't take up too much time due to the few episodes that are there and definitely manages to pack a punch in such a short series.

Bakemonogatari is what is frankly called an unfinished tale.It gave me the feeling of nothingness perfectly.The series has no aim,no fixed story line,hushed relationships that make it seem like the makers were in a hurry to end the show right after it started.The series is actually made by borrowing bits and parts of the content from several other anime.

The animation is good enough but what really makes this series stand out is its awkwardness.

To start with the many flaws,oddities are not explained even once.Characters are introduced and then they suddenly disappear so that it keeps one wondering whether they had any significance or not.Character developments ... are not placed properly only except in senjougahara's case.

The theme songs are just okay but the ending theme has a nice and cheerful tune to it.The biggest drawback of this anime is the lack of an aim.After all the travelling,it seems to reach nowhere.And just when you think something's about to start,it ends abruptly.

Hachikuji could have played a bigger role and the worse part is that Oshino,the savior, has been totally left out.We don't get to know any history behind him,nor any touching background theme as to why he became a professional in oddities.It would have been very good if more information was provided about Oshino because throughout the anime one will feel Oshino to be more of a hero than the main character.

Araragi koyomi's character is that what you get to see in every other high-school anime,i.e, an honest,extremely timid and humble boy who attracts all the ladies with his innocence,never seems to have any clue of what's going on because he's too kind to suspect anything and is complete with secret fantasies which the girls fulfill for him gradually and eagerly.So,it might turn out to be a boring persona for some. But overall the anime is okay for a light watch and also if you are looking for some high-school teen fan service because its got quite a bit of that and doesn't disappoint in that sphere.

One notable point is that it draws references in most episodes from various anime like Dragon Ball Z,Doraemon etc. and also from some classic pieces of literature like 'The Monkey's Paw' by William Jacobs and such which comes as a pleasant surprise for those who have seen those anime or read the books.

The fourth episode has a different opening theme which is cute and lovely both to hear and watch.A disappointment is the ending story of the Tsubasa cat.It us incomplete and the last episode is nothing about the cat oddity which is awkward and strange.

But there are a few funny moments as well,like when Koyomi tries bribing Hachikuji and she blatantly falls for it and when Senjougahara throws her cruel sarcasms at Araragi and some more.

So in colclusion,if you are looking for a short,mindless anime with a pinch of tsundere,action,paranormal mushi-type creatures sprinkled with a bit of light comedy which won't take up too much of your time,you can give this a try but if you are looking for meaning,content,uniqueness and depth this is definitely not your cup of tea.

First of all,Ghost in the Shell:Stand Alone Complex is a deep and multi-layered anime that requires quite some philosophical thinking to understand fully.Its a piece of art,if put down frankly.The plot is well woven and what's most impressing are the acute character developments one gets to see as the series progresses.

Batou's character is very well-defined and on the other hand Togusa's change in trait from the kind,enthusiastic and full-human Section 9 member to an aimless-in-life guy who's willing to sacrifice his life for a cause even when he knows he's sure to fail after his loved teammates having suffered a cruel and horrible fate is ... really touching.One can sense his despair,grief,the feeling of not knowing what to do in life anymore clearly.

But Saito,Paz and Borma are only sidetracking characters and it would have added much value to the series if they were given more importance and backed up with some past history which would have added value to their presence.In the end,you keep thinking why these three and Ishikawa too to some extent have been undervalued.

The most wonderful thing is the very name of the anime itself.As you watch the episodes,gradually you will realize that the very name describes the entire story line and essentially acts as a summary to the series. 'Ghost in the Shell' might seem a vague term at the start but later its meaning becomes clear.It refers to the consciousness of an individual which is enclosed in a prosthetic cyborg body.The anime is essentially about the struggle of humans to maintain their individuality in a future where the vast world becomes totally net and machine dependent with the borderline between humans and machines becoming more and more blurry as a new race,in a sense,called cyborgs emerges.The entire anime portrays the vulnerability of humans and how they depend on technology,prosthetic implants etc.to cover up what they lack.

The futuristic setting shown in the anime is extremely realistic and might be really how the world turns out in the near future. Motoko's role as the tough major but in reality,a soul struggling to exist with some human touch, is well-played.The attachment to her watch towards the end was a sweet addition,more because of the fact that Batou risked his life for saving that last memory of the Major.

There is a slight breeze of romance between Motoko and Batou which is sweet.The tachikomas had a good role but they should have been used more towards the end.Towards the middle of the series it feels like they have been forcibly removed from the storyline and you yearn for some think-tank action.

Aramaki's character is average and of the kind one gets to see in many other anime,nothing special.Now about the Laughing Man incident which is the basic theme of the anime,the plot is logical and carried out to nicely to make real sense in the end but the details have to observed carefully while watching.

The disappointing thing is Aoi's character.Far from being a promising player,he only remains in the shadows and as it turns out emerges as a minor character in the end.You can't just place his importance and overall what makes him stay in mind are only that he has super A grade hacking skills and that he was the first Laughing Man copycat who triggered the series,nothing more.

The Laughing Man event nicely portrays how corrupt all social and business corporations mostly are and leaves a haunting air of disbelief as it moves on to show the behind-the-scene deals made by politicians,governments and all.Another good point is that the entire series has not been based on a single crime or event and small adventures of the top secret Section-9 other than the main theme have been included in many episodes so that it turns out refreshing.

The one part that is very exciting is the re-establishment of Section-9.It will take most for a ride since there seems to be no hope on the line for the Major and her guys but how it turns out in the end due to Aramaki's plans is really enjoyable.Its at these times that the strategist shows his true mark.

Last of all,The meaning of 'Stand Alone Complex' is of the most significance in the entire series.Its a bit hard to understand but once you get it,you won't be able to stay without appreciating the wit behind it.The entire phenomenon was not the Laughing Man incident but a Stand Alone Complex- this one line has a really deep meaning and describes the very inherent nature of humans and their instinctive character.This is one of those parts where no words can describe it properly,it just has to felt to grasp the meaning and in this lies the beauty of this anime.

Coming to animation quality,it is clear and well-defined but not something very extravagant.The artworks are good enough and that shouldn't be a problem for anyone.The opening theme song 'Inner Universe' is soulful and connects to the series which one will be able to realise as he/she starts watching but its not something remarkable.The ending theme is classy and has a certain beat to it which makes it fun and its a little different from the general anime theme song class.

So,in the end Ghost in the Shell:Stand Alone Complex' turns out pretty well and I highly recommend it for a watch.If you find no other reason,just watch it for the action sequences,you won't be dissapointed.For one thing, it might not move all,it might not resonate with everyone but it will definitely leave a lasting impression.