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You could pretty much summarize the whole plot of Katanagatari (sword story in English) by it's title. Because, it really is story about two people traveling around japan, collecting twelve magical swords. However, when you actually sit down and watch it, you will probably get more out of it than you had expected.

Story: As I said before, it has a pretty simplistic story. The story follows the 2 main characters as they set out on a journey all around Japan to collect twelve swords. the main focus of each episode is a new sword for the two to collect. When they are not fighting ... to collect another sword, the characters are probably spending their time talking to each other. This might sound boring, but the dialogue is well written and even really funny at times. Depending on your taste, the fact that the episodes are 45 minutes long, and that a lot of that time is spent on conversations between the characters might be a turn off.

Art: The art of Katanagatari is well... interesting to say the least. Its very colorful and eye catchy, this is mainly in part to keep the viewers attention while the characters talk themselves to death. However, corners are not cut when it comes to things like attention to detail and backgrounds. Some of the backgrounds in the show were even pretty darn beautiful. The fight scenes were also done very well, and the animation was fluid during them.

Sound: While I don't specifically remember any "standout songs" in the OST, the music does fit the shows theme and era very well. It sets the mood of the show and does it's job when needed. The OP's and ED's were also very good. the voice acting was pretty average.

Characters: Because the show has a big focus on dialogue, the characters that are talking have to be interesting, or else the show would just be boring. Luckily, the characters in Katanagatari are pretty darn interesting to say the least. The two main leads of the show are really neat characters. At 1st they seem like generic anime archetypes, however, they definitely have their own personalities quirks that set them apart from the crowd. Also, they go through quite a lot of character development throughout the show ( Sad that this is a bit of a rarity these days). Most of the side characters are not given enough screen time to fully flesh them out, however they each have their own unique personalities and motives.

Enjoyment: My own personal enjoyment of this show is really high, between the witty dialogue and interesting characters, I found that there are almost never a boring moment in the show. However, I can definitely understand why some people would not enjoy this show as much as I did. If you are going into this just wanting a dumb action show (absolutely nothing wrong with that),you are probably going to be disappointed. Also, the sheer amount of time spend on talking, witty dialogue or not, could turn you away. However, if you are looking for something just a little bit different from the norm, then I think that this show has a lot to offer.

The way Kaze no Stigma’s looks, sounds, as well as how it plays out; are all generally the same as any normal magical/action show. Its definitely not a new concept, but it’s done rather well to the point where its enjoyable. However there are some small differences in this anime that I would like to bring attention to that pulls this anime apart from its predecessors.

Plot 6/10: The plot isn’t going to win any awards for “the most original anime plot” anytime soon. However it does its plot well enough that it comes out being enjoyable. It follows the main three characters Kazuma, Ayano, and ... Ren along their journeys in the magical world they live in. While there are not particularly any plot holes, it didn’t explain many of the things about the magical powers themselves. This would not be a problem if they hadn’t mentioned them at all, but they do; they just do not flesh them out. It has themes about family and loved ones that play out well. However, it can be really predictable at times if you have ever watched another anime in the genre before.

Sound 6/10: The OST of Kaze no Stigma is again, par for the course. It does its job well, but there are no stand out tracks. The OP was in my personal opinion not very good and didn’t fit the show, and the ending was again average. The voice actors do their job well, and there are really no miscast in the show.

Art 6/10: For its time, the art was average and does not stand out much. The fight scenes are animated well and the character models are fitting for the show.

Characters 7/10: Ah, here is where we get to those “little differences” that I mentioned earlier. This is the main thing that makes this show stand out at all. The main character Kazuma is...a boss. That’s how his character can be summarized in a short amount of time. He voice actor does an awesome job portraying his cool, calm, and collected attitude that he has 24/7(in the dub at least). He has a fleshed out background and motives, and is really the only character besides Ren that was memorable. Ayano was a little disappointing. She is an unoriginal tsundere that falls into many anime cliches, and can come off as just arrogant.The relationship between her and Kazuma can be funny at times, but feels a little forced. The side characters are, for the most part, done well. Most serve some purpose to the plot, and not many were annoying (except for McDonald).

Enjoyment 7/10: Without Kazuma, this show would have been just your average magical action show with a normal tsundere heroine. However, I think that even without Kazuma, the show would not have been bad. In fact, I still think it would have been a pretty good show. The execution of the plot, sound, and art is—while unoriginal—well done. I would recommend it to anyone that likes shows in this genre.

Whenever I think of Deadman Wonderland I think of one thing in particular, lost potential. It started out extremely strong, but then soon started to go down hill

Rating List:

Story 5/10: This is were Deadman Wonderland gets things a little wrong. The first episode drew me in with its interesting hook almost immediately, and I was extremely excited to watch the next episode afterwards. However after the first episode...everything started to go downhill. The story is quite honestly a bit of a mess, with enough plot holes to fit into a cruise liner. It's good when your watching it because there is action and awesome fight ... scenes. But when you sit down and think about it, things don't always add up. Now one thing that the story does gain a few points in would be originality. It was the original presentation of the situation as a whole that was so riveting and interesting.

Characters 8/10: The characters in Deadman Wonderland were actually rather impressive. Many of the characters were rather original and had interesting backgrounds and personalities. That is of course, with the exception of the main character Ganta Igarashi. Ganta is...well, a huge coward. There were many times during the series where he lacked any form of courage at all. Now, I will admit that the situation that Ganta is put into would probably terrify many people and drive many to the point of insanity. Perhaps I’m being a little harsh here, but there has to be some sort of limit to cowardice. Even though its understandable why Ganta turns out the way he does, it’s just not fun to watch a main lead that it always complains and crys. The other main character is Shiro, is rather peculiar. She really lightens up the mood when she is on screen because of her wacky personality, and she was quite fun to watch. She also has an air of mystery around her because of this. The side characters are the real stars of the show, and this is because many of them original and interesting.They all have their own motives and powers, many of the side characters are just completely insane, as well. One of the things that I really liked about the show were the interactions of a large group of the completely insane inmates trapped together in the completely insane prison. My main complaint about the shows side characters are that we really don't get enough of them. What I mean by that statement is that even though we are given many of the character’s backgrounds and many of the backstories and personalities are rather interesting; It feel as though my time with them is always cut too short. This is probably due to the fact that it's a 12 episode show, so it does not have enough time to flesh out all of its side characters. But it made is rather disappointed when the show introduces a new character with a really interesting personality and background, just to move on with the show.

Art 7/10: This is another one of the areas were Deadman Wonderland did a good job. One of the things that Deadman Wonderland does right is atmosphere. The art style itself is very dark and creepy, it really fits the mood of the show well. There is also a good amount of detail put into the backgrounds, which really got a good feeling for the insanity of the prison itself. Also the fight scenes are animated rather impressively. The animation flowed well, and there are some scenes that looked visually stunning. The show as a whole is very bloody and violent, and the art does not fail to represent the horrific things going on.

Sound 7/10: As I stated before, probably the best thing about Deadman Wonderland is the atmosphere of the show as a whole. The music at some points really does help set that eerie mood. The soundtrack has a lot of creepy, bass heavy music that can really add to the feeling and aspects of the show. In almost all instances the music only enhanced the show, and really did a good job fitting the show’s mood. Add to that the openings and endings that are simply incredible, and the soundtrack is very impressive overall.

Enjoyment 7/10: I have very mixed feelings when it comes to my enjoyment of the show. If you just turn off the inner critic within you and sit back and enjoy the show, then you will be pleased with the show. However, if you cannot simply sit back and experience the show, then the amount of plot holes will probably drive you insane. As for my personal enjoyment, I would have to say that it was decent. I could—for the most part—ignore the problems in the show. This is due to the fact that I loved the feeling that I had while I was watching the show, and would probably watch it again if given the chance.

If anyone asked me about this show, I would try and change the subject. Ore no Imouto ga Konnani Kawaii Wake ga Nai (Ore no Imouto for short) is an anime that...I really should not like, but I do...A Lot. The basic theme of incest made me sort of feel uncomfortable when I came of of the show with a smile on my face. It is one of my biggest "guilty pleasures".

Ratings List:

Story 7/10:
The amount of good plot that Ore no Imouto actually has come as a suprise. While other in the slice of life genre tend to just have a group of friends that ... hang out and do..well...stuff, Ore no Imoto works much more like a romance than an average slice of life. The main characters, Kirino and Kyosuke, build their relationship slowly over the course of the show.There is also a lot of comedy in the show that is hilarious. The powerful themes of fitting in and friendship that are shown over the course of the show really do hit home. The basic concept of the plot something that I have never seen before, and something that drew me in right off the bat (point for originality). Ore no imouto just has a certain way of drawing you into it's world and making you forget that its even and anime. I found that there were many times during the show when I could barely watch the screen because I was laughing to hard or because I was so embarrassed about a situation that the characters were in.

Characters 8/10:
Like in many romance/slice of life shows, its the characters and their interactions that you come to watch, and Ore no Imoto does not fail to deliver.The 2 main characters are almost polar opposites. The main character Kyosuke is a laid back guy that loves his ordinary life. The main heroine Kirino is a hyper and popular girl. She is a hardcore ( and I'm talking HARDCORE) anime fan, but is afraid to tell her friends about it in fear of being shunned by her family and friends. These 2 lead the show and because they are so opposite in personality. Their romance feels genuine and it's fun watching the two grow closer over the duration of the show. Also because of their opposites in personality the romance can become hilarious at times too. Along side the main characters are a group of side characters that all have their different roles to play in the show. They were all memorable and all seems at least somewhat fleshed out. Many of the characters (even a lot the side ones) felt a lot like real people, which really helps to draw you into the world.

Art 9/10:
The art of Ore no Imouto was simply astounding. There is an amazing attention to detail in the background and in the character designs. The characters are always in a variety of outfits, and the art style is very colorful and cheery for the most part. That colorful and upbeat art style really fits the overall mood of the show. Personally, Ore no Imouto has some of the best art I have seen in a romance anime in a long time.

Enjoyment Level 8/10:
At the end of the day I have to say that I enjoyed this show a lot. Ore no Imouto is definitely worth the watch for anyone that enjoys hilarious and romantic fun. Although I was cautious about the show and its play on incest; I soon even forgot that the main characters were ever brother and sister. They are complete opposites in almost every way possible, from hair color to personalty. It has a rather good plot that can at times be rather engrossing; which is a lot more than I can say for many others in its genre. Overall, Ore no Imouto was a mixed bag of fun times with amazing art and music, original ideas, and lifelike characters.

Normally, I am not the type of person that can sit through a slice of life anime like this with no real story (like lucky star). However this one caught my attention one day and I was gladly surprised to find that it was not that bad of a show.

Story: 6/10
The plot is very simple, its just about High-schoolers that are in love. If you are going into this anime expecting to find an amazing and deep plot, then you are going to be dissapointed. Story is the weakest part of this anime, in fact it does not have much of a story ... to speak of. This is not necessarily a deal breaker because what it lacks story wise, it makes up for in other sections. Most of the "plot" consist of the main group of friends in different situations. If you just want an anime to watch that is not really demanding and is just fun, then it should not be that much of a problem.

Art:8/10
Acchi Kocchi's art is very simple and colorful. It resembles the art of Lucky Star a lot and it at 1st, may turn you off of because it looks childish. Originally I didn't watch this anime because of the art, I saw 1 picture and immediately tossed it aside. However, when I actually sat down and watched it I sort of became accustomed to it. The one thing about the art that must be said is that it really complements the anime. It fits the laid back themes of romance and comedy rather well. Also, Miniwa is adorable.

Sound: 6/10
The sound track of the show, while not necessarily bad, didn't stand out to much. Aside form the really addictive and upbeat opening theme, there is no one, stand out track. The music fits when it is played and does its job well.

Characters: 9/10
This is were this anime (like many slice of life anime) shines. It really relies on the interactions between the characters to drive the show. The relationship between the the main 2 characters is not really new, however it is done really well. The main heroin Miniwa, is a well done character, that is in love with the main lead, but is to afraid to tell him about her feelings. Unlike most tsunderes that are normally cold towards their lovers, Miniwa just gets really shy, this is the main reason she is adorable (that and the cat ears). The main protagonist of the show Io is the extremely dense, and that cannot see that Miniwa has obvious feelings for him. In each episode they get closer to each other and it was fun to see them gradually come together.

Enjoyment: 8/10
This anime really has made me expand my anime roster and not turn down anime at 1st glance. I fell in love with the main characters and after every episode wanted to immediately watch the next one to see them get closer.
I came out of this show with a smile on my face. The music and art really fit the romance and cuteness of the show and I am glad that I got around to watching this anime. It is definitely worth you're time if you like this kind of show, and I would encourage everyone to just give it a shot if you just want to sit and relax and watch a fun, simple show. While is does not set any records for originality, it does what is set out to do really well.

This is my 1st review, Hope that it's not THAT horrible :3