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When you cast away all the flavor and skin, at it's core it's a story about heroes which fight the bad guys, odds always stacked against them.
That being said, the setting is very gripping, clever, and subtly hints at relevant and serious themes. Characters are lovable but don't feel like they get much development beyond the setup values they are assigned at the start. Yet still, I cared very much about them and my stomach was twisting as I was watching what was going to happen to them next. Which pretty much sums it up. Even if, at times, it doesn't offer much in term ... of complexity when you try to dissect it and analyze it, it is thrilling to experience. It's the best distraction I afforded myself this year.
Some Pros:
Great setting. Nice visuals, even if at times a bit too bloody, with a very attractive combat style, great music which follows it well and promises quite some nerd-chills. The way titans are colored, their facial expressions just make them exceptionally creepy, as if they walked down from a weird modern art piece. They only add more to the special atmosphere of the show.
Some Cons:
Untimely internal monologues which can eat up nearly whole episodes. The very short episodes, not even 20 minutes of original material per, create inappropriately small chunks for how slowly the story progresses at times. I watched it all at once, but I can imagine it being a bit frustrating to endure through so many cliffhangers. Combat feels like it is driven by personal "anime awesomeness" skill rather than teamwork or some other clever aspect a tad more often than I'd like. It feel like there was a missed opportunity here to avoid falling into that mold.
Overall, it's a elegant take on action packed anime. I personally recommend it.

As most of you know there are light novels for this series, all of which I have read. And this has been perhaps the best read I've had in ages.
The storyline, characters, vastness of the world and romance between Asuna and Kirito are perfect, and the twists will leave you dying for more. If you're here for an anime with a great storyline, have played any RPGS or enjoy a little romance mixed with action and suspense, then this is the anime for you. Although there has only been 4 episodes (at the time of this review), the anime has covered a substantial part of ... volume 2 in the sword art series, so from here on out the main and incredible storyline will be followed. The animation is beautiful to say the least, and will no doubt accurately represent the amazing setting from the light novels as well as the character models. The voice acting for the main characters Asuna and Kirito have been spot on (of course), and the sound quality is overall, like the animation, perfect.
As I hinted at above, the story will have you hooked from the beginning , I'm sure many of you have played RPGS, and if you died in those RPGS, you'd respawn and try again of course. But in this anime, the RPG becomes real life, if you health bar drops you're killed almost instantly in real life. With that kind of premise, this anime will be very suspenseful and engaging. I'll focus on the main characters for now because most of the others haven't been fairly introduced yet. Off the bat you can tell Kirito isn't the average anime protagonist, he chooses to go solo for the sake of his own survival rather than stay with his "noob" friend and protecting him in the VRMMORPG. This might seem like a shortcoming, but in the novels he quickly changes upon meeting Asuna (his main love interest+party member), and becomes a character you'll love. Asuna is very strong willed and at first seems to contrast with the anti-social and awkward Kirito, but we later find out how similar they are, and their relationship is perhaps the best I've seen in any other anime or Manga.

"Death Note" is simply one of the best anime series from the recent years, having an outstanding animation, very interesting characters and a magnificent plot, filled with many unpredictable and surprising plot twists, keeping a high level of tension from the beginning until the ending of the story.
The main premise of this series was pretty attractive and very well developed, making a great use of some supernatural elements in a realistic context.
The motivations and psychology of the characters are portrayed in a very convincing manner: Their complex personality's serves as the main core of the plot development, resulting in one of the most fascinating mystery ... series ever made in the history of television.
The animation is simply excellent: Not only the character's designs are beautifully made (Having all those designs many subtle details which are able to combine realism with the stylish characteristics from the anime aesthetic) but also has a flawless atmosphere, which captures perfectly well the overall mood of this series. The use of colors and light effects is equally brilliant, keeping a high quality level in all the episodes. The voice acting and the music are pretty effective, complementing the greatness of the plot and the animation.
"Death Note" deserved all the hype and praise that it received, being one of the most brilliant television shows that I've ever watched. It would be the perfect series if it wasn't for one little detail: Misa Amane. She is one of the most annoying characters ever made, and she feels totally out of place in the context of this series. I know that there is too much hate directed toward other characters (Such as Mello and Near) but none of them were so irritating and dumb as Misa. Maybe is just me, but I feel like this character were from a completely different anime, and that's the main reason why I don't like her very much.
Other than that, this is a magnificent series, which I highly recommend to anyone who hasn't seen this yet.

It starts simple. Kaneki Ken is an average quiet college freshman who loves reading books and hanging out with his only friend, Hide. The Tokyo they live in is going through a quiet chaos created by human- look-alike people called Ghouls, who live among humans but feed on their flesh. Kaneki doesn't have anyone--no family and only Hide for a friend--which probably makes him the perfect target because nobody will ask about this kid. When he goes on his first date with the girl he likes, he has no idea his life is about to change forever. It is after that night and after he ... is attacked that Kaneki receives a transplant and becomes a half-Ghoul. He's been human all his life and now one of the basic needs for him to survive has become killing people and eating them. Ghouls cannot eat anything but human flesh; not only human food tastes horrible to them, but it also makes them ill. Ghouls are pretty much hunted by investigators in Tokyo, so Kaneki has to hide his new self, even from his one and only friend Hide. Hide is 'food' now, so what happens if Kaneki starves himself to insanity?
The story starts and expands as Kaneki struggles to keep his humanity through his encounter with different conflicting groups--Ghouls that cannibalize other Ghouls, those who kill humans and eat them more for enjoyment rather than need, humans that refuse to accept Ghouls are creatures capable of feeling as much as humans, humans who hunt Ghouls, and Ghouls that believe humans should all be destroyed. Slowly, the story turns into a character study: How far does it take for the innocent to break?
I started watching Tokyo Ghoul when I kept hearing the title here and there on the internet, and as you can imagine after the first episode I couldn't stop watching (I read the manga only after the series ended.) If you want an Attack on Titan kind of anime with a solid action plot, you might not like Tokyo Ghoul as much. Yes, it has some great action sequences and a lot (and I mean A LOT) of gore and violence-- especially the last two episodes are definitely not for the faint-hearted. But what makes the show especial is the characters. Kaneki is a great protagonist. He is 'real'. I've watched some series with the main character adapting to their new situation so unrealistically fast. Some might see Kaneki as weak for the way he struggles to become a real Ghoul or remain a real human, and how he's trapped between the two worlds without a place or anyone to go to. But those are features that make Kaneki a real, likable character, and make where the plot heads to so very sad, and equally satisfying.
Long story short: Watch Tokyo Ghoul if you love violent, psychological horror stories or/and if you love seeing some VERY good character development

In a virtual world comprised of guns and bullets, Kirito, uses a female avatar whilst duel wielding a violet energy sword and a 5.7mm FN Five Seven handgun. Not long after his experiences in Alfheim Online, Kirito is asked to assist in finding a mysterious player called Death Gun who is targeting the best players in the game, and is some how killing them in the real world.
Though we reunite with some familiar characters in the past, GGO introduces a sexy sniper named Sinon who uses a PGM Ultima Ratio Hecate II which is a .50 caliber anti-material sniper rifle. As awesome as this season ... has been, it does lack a few of the intense emotional elements that made the first season so amazing. (Ex: The romance that developed between Kirito and Asuna, or the intense rage Kirito expressed to certain members of Laughing Coffin)
Upon the conclusion of SAO season 2 mid-season finale, we are brought back to Alfheim Online where we are reunited everyone in Kirito's party from SAO season 1. After a brief 4 episodes, the remainder of the SAO season 2 focuses on an entirely new guild known as the "the sleeping knights" guild. In a desperate attempt to achieve the unachievable "the sleeping knights" request Asuna's help after assessing her combat skills in a duel against their strongest member Yuuki.
Growing up on anime, I have seen my fair share of classics, but the beautiful atmosphere, the breathtaking music, and the fantastic character development has quickly made SAO my favourite anime series. Though SAO season 2 is atmospherically different than SAO season 1, any fan of SAO can appreciate what SAO season 2 ultimately brings to the overall schema.

There's almost a melancholic beauty to the way Clannad: After Story presents itself. It's very realistic, yet spiritual.
It doesn't hold back on showing you the hardships of growing up, but there's almost a soothing quality to it. It's all got to do with the way they handle the atmosphere. The pacing is fantastic, which is amazing considering the story line spans the better part of seven years in twenty-two episodes.
The series in general is a metaphor for growing up. In the first season the drama is often accompanied by humorously childish moments. It was a simpler and, for lack of a better word, happier time. ... In Clannad: After Story, the humorous moments mostly serve as means of nostalgia, for the characters to look back at the simpler days. But it's made very clear that those days are long gone. Nothing gold can stay, and it's time to look to the future. It's mature, it's realistic

I didn't know what to expect when sitting down for the first time to watch Clannad. I heard quite a few good things about the show since it was released and so I finally decided to watch it.
After the first episode I was hooked. This isn't your traditional anime. It is more like poetry. From the first episode I pretty much knew that I wouldn't regret spending my time with this show. Little did I know, it was much more then that.
As the show progressed I realized that it wasn't simply a teenage drama, it delved into some really emotional themes, especially in the second ... season (After Story). Clannad pulls at your heart at every chance it gets and when you're down and you think you can't take any more it kicks you again.
The animation style was beautiful as well, it gave a euphoric feel to the entire show. The character design was rather bland but being based off a graphic novel the character design was spot on. The thing that annoyed me most was that there were three characters all with purple hair and it took a while to learn who was who.
Clannad has had a weird emotional impact, one that I can't really explain. All that I can say is that it was beautiful, emotional experience. It was poetry. It wasn't simply another good anime, it was in a league of its own.
I highly recommend that you watch Clannad and Clannd After Story but be prepared to feel emotions you have never felt with any other anime or TV series before.