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This is a great little add on to the Ao Haru show, it literally "wraps" the main story with episode 1 being a prequel of sorts and episode 2 being an add on after the occurrences in the main title. It definitely feels just like the parent show- simple and sweet. I recommend watching this after the main show, even though chronologically the first episode of the OVA comes first, because it messes up some of the foreshadowing and character exposition in the main show.

Animation:
Not too much to add in this section, feels just like the main show. I'd forgotten that Futaba's hair has so ... much volume! Expressions and emotions are great in this show overall, middle school Futaba's innocence is really well represented.

Sound:
There aren't any OP/EDs in this OVA, there are end credits but it's just played over BGM. The background music is identical to the parent show, some of the tunes are instantly recognizable; it was utilized to outstanding effect to end the prequel episode. The VAs are identical to the main show, expect a strong performance throughout. Maaya Uchida sure can go through her hiragana tables quickly...

Story:
Unlike a lot of run of the mill OVAs, this is not a filler between seasons; it actually adds substance to the show as a whole. The first episode recounts how Futaba slowly and innocently falls in love with Kou. The second episode adds on to the ending of the parent show. Remember how Yuuri said she was going to get serious in the summer? Well, this episode takes place in summer. In addition, there are some really nice atmosphere scenes in this episode, some of which are ironically funny for the viewer. If you're looking for more of the pure, innocent hatsukoi story that is Ao Haru Ride, you've found it.

Character:
We know a lot about our characters by this point, yet this still manages to add on quite a bit more. Even though I knew exactly what was coming in the first episode, the last scene with Futaba still caught me off guard, a brilliant way to round out the episode. The second episode was equally impressive as the dynamic character relations continue to evolve. Expect some rather bold advances and surprisingly a lot of screen time for Touma (the guy that Futaba "molested").

Value:
This is an absolute must watch for those who enjoyed the main show. It adds valuable content and further cements this show as one of the outstanding examples in the genre.

Remember that childhood bully who would punch others all the time? Would he still punch others if he felt just as much pain as the person he was punching? Kiznaiver is a theoretical system that applies a communist-style approach to pain; if I were to feel pain if someone else got hurt, it's in my best interest to prevent them from getting hurt right?

Though the premise sounds extremely interesting, the show plays out as something between Kokoro Connect and Danganronpa. Basically, a group of teenagers are forced, against their will to become Kiznaivers, and forced to undergo various trials meant to try to connect them ... even more so and to test out the limits of the Kizuna System. It's a rather wild ride that ultimately fizzes out. If you're looking for a thinking show, this isn't quite deep enough. If you're looking for a show about relationships, this is still pretty shallow compared to other shows out there (such as Kokoro Connect). Ultimately, it's a fair watch but I was really hoping for better.

Animation:
Despite the show's poster image, the animation quality overall is only average. The show is drawn in a very saturated color palette, giving it a comic feel, especially in bright scenes. Backgrounds are reasonably drawn but detailing is a bit lax. The characters themselves are easily distinguishable though also not particularly detailed. The show has very thick character outlines, especially noticeable in bright scenes. Character emotions are average overall, though half of our leads try to hide (or seem to naturally lack) them. Our protagonist Katsuhira lacks emotions to the point of annoyance, just as bad as the lead in Persona 4. And what the heck are the Gomorins? Anyone who doesn't get suspicious with a city full of these things is weird.

There is surprisingly a lot of action in this show, but for some reason it all feels rather half-hearted despite characters having numerous near-death situations. Expect a good deal of fist fights, a lot of running, and even some explosions. There's a bit of blood but nothing particularly gory. As with most shows these days, there's the obligatory bath scene, otherwise it's not particularly ecchi.

Sound:
The show opens with a rather interesting choice for an OP; it's an electronic, heavily padded song that somehow reminds me of the OP of paranoia agent. Honestly, it's one of the more catchy songs that I've heard of late and apparently BBS's last song. The ED is a light rock piece that has a pretty good melody along with a few rather interesting pitch shifts. The BGM is fairly varied though overall it has an electronic inspired feel with a healthy dosage of fitting chaos. There are some action pieces when the Gomorins show up that give off some Arabic vibes.

The cast is relatively mixed. We have veteran Rina Satou voicing an aloof girl and rising VA Misaki Kuno voicing a rather childish character. Junichi Suwabe also voices our teacher. The other VAs are either very junior or have had historically little luck getting large roles. I wasn't particularly impressed with the performance of many of the VAs for once, though perhaps that's just a consequence of the rather odd characters.

Story:
Kiznaiver's story is one big game. After being forced to become Kiznaivers, our band of characters, who supposedly would normally never get along, are sent through a series of quests ranging from giving introductions to helping each other out of dire situations. Just like Danganronpa, there is a group behind it all orchestrating this big experiment. The plot is one single thread that builds to an eventual (greatly foreshadowed) climax. As the story progresses, we find more about each of the main character's past, though Katsuhira and Noriko's exact past (hinted throughout) is kept from the viewer until the climax. There are quite a few twists along the way, but they all feel artificial as they're introduced by the researchers rather than the characters themselves (the researchers must have hacked Google or something to know so much about our main characters).

There are numerous issues with the story besides the artificial feel in the execution. First, I couldn't shake off the feeling that there are strong plot shields (I mean come on, Katsuhira doesn't feel any pain). Second, the show doesn't present the researchers as particularly scientific. Human testing is rather difficult in the real world, and given all the uncounted variables, I'm not sure how they can actually deduce anything. To further make things feel immature, they added a bunch of brainless nobodies in ugly mascot costumes known as Gomorins. These apparently rampage across the city doing any bidding of the researchers- fights with these mascots makes this feel like some stupid offshoot of Power Rangers. Finally, why does the project span the entire city when they only need a handful of test subjects? It utterly fails to sell the scope and benefit of the Kizuna System. With all the issues, you just can't take the show seriously.

Character:
Compared to Kokoro Connect, the characters here feel inconsistent. Katsuhira isn't particularly relatable as he is practically devoid of emotions. Noriko is central to the plot, yet her behavior is incoherent at times and her role questionable throughout the show. Overall, though each of the primary characters is assigned a specific trait, they don't have very much depth. They develop relationships with each other in this show, but these are supposedly formed via intervention of the artificial Kizuna System, and thus they don't really feel real. Ultimately, none of the characters felt particularly relatable or even likable, thus greatly reducing my engagement level.

Value:
To really enjoy this show, you ought to watch it from the perspective that it's so bad it's good. It's not serious enough to engage a thinking mind, and the characters are not developed enough to move the heart. Though the premise is interesting, the artificial feel of the execution and the lack of meaningful, relatable characters destroy the enjoyment of the show. Unless you really are out of things to watch, I'd skip this one.

P.A. Works has tried a lot of genres in the past, but I really didn't expect them to celebrate their 15 year anniversary with a mech-action based show, an original work too! Kuromukuro is a show about saving humanity as we know it from alien invaders in overwhelmingly powerful mechs, extremely similar in theme and plot progression to the early part of Aldnoah Zero. However, the P.A. Works character-centric touch is here in its full glory. If you're looking for a show with a bit of mech and action but is, at its core, about its characters, look no further. Kuromukuro is a fun, enjoyable ... ride and I'm glad to report that this is another outstanding success under P.A. Works' belt.

Animation:
Though the show has good coloring and decent shading, it's a step back from previous P.A. Works titles. The setting takes place in Tateyama, only a stone's throw away from P.A. Works's real-life headquarters. Given the proximity to lush mountains and serene waters, I'd expected there to be more of a focus on the backgrounds like in Nagi no Asukara. Unfortunately, there just isn't; perhaps bowing to general industry trends, you can definitely tell that more of the backgrounds are CGI generated. Likewise, the fairly diverse group of CGI mechs isn't what I'd call pretty; someone on the team was clearly obsessed with having lots of limbs. The actual characters fare much better. I see a lot of similarity in the drawing style between this and Nagi no Asukara; the girls definitely have a touch of moe. Facial expressions are a touch above your standard show- this is pretty important considering the complex nature of our heroine.

There is a large amount of action in this show. A vast majority of it consists of mech to mech battles, luckily there isn't any particle spamming here- just melee combat with what look like gigantic, shiny vibroblades. The choreography is not bad and our protagonist's mech performs admirably in one versus many situations. Unfortunately, you can only impress so much when all the action is in 3D CGI; even the "bleeding" nanoparticles upon damage looks really fake. As with typical mech shows, expect a fair amount of blood and mass slaughtering of hapless regular soldiers. Though there is your typical bath scene, I wouldn't consider this an ecchi show.

Sound:
I likewise think that the sound package here isn't category leading. The show has two OPs and two EDs. Both OPs are by the same artist and share rock-based instrumentation and a playful feel. I don't particularly like either melody though the second one perhaps is a tad better. The first ED feels more fitting for the show, with an electro-inspired instrumentation and a decent melody. The second ED has a good melody and is rock based like the OPs. The BGM is supportive and lends well to tension at times, but doesn't have any core, repeating themes. There's just a single melody that I would consider memorable.

The VA cast, on the other hand, is very strong; there's so much power in this cast that I don't even really know where to start. Our heroine Yukina is voiced by Mao, who does a great job and at an octave higher than her roles in Bahamut and Netoge. I think Asami Seto has come a long way from her earlier roles, and her performance here as Mika definitely shows it; honestly, her acting is what made Mika the second most interesting character in the show. Obviously, our out-of-place samurai, voiced by Youhei Azakami, is the most interesting, and is well voiced despite the VA's relative inexperience. Aki Toyosaki also lends her expertise in the latter half of the show to great effect as well.

Story:
In a parallel modern world Japan, the UN has set up a research facility to study mysterious artifacts, which happens to include a mech. Our heroine, Yukina, is a rather unmotivated teen who happens to be the daughter of the UN facility chair. While on a routine visit to the facility, the world suddenly comes under attack from an unknown force. Seeing one of the artifacts glow, Yukina touches it and out pops an ancient, 18-year-old samurai (Ken) who instantly greets her as "princess". The story follows this, rather quarrelsome pair as they are forced to work together, as Ken happens to be the pilot of the artifact mech, which he calls kuromukuro.

The story follows a central plot that is told at a brisk, action-packed pace; for that reason, it feels a lot faster than Nagi no Asukara. The early part of the show reminds me of a synergy between the character elements in Inuyasha and the battle patterns in Aldnoah Zero. It's extremely enjoyable for me because Ken has to quickly adapt to modern society, and his reactions remind me of Inuyasha in the present time and Sagara Sousuke from FMP. The battles early on are rather predictable and, like A/Z, have antagonists showing up one at a time. Half way through the season, a pivotal event occurs that knocks the plot onto a different trajectory. This then builds to a very predictable climax and a rather interesting, open ended conclusion.

What's unique about this interpretation of the mech genre is the character-centric focus. Rather than focusing on the political overtones in war or exploring why we fight, it focuses instead on the relationships between the students and researchers caught in the middle of it all. It's a refreshing twist that works rather well as the character development fits well in-between the many battles. Overall, it's not nearly as deep of a story as Nagi no Asukara, but definitely feels more contiguous than the painful trek through Valvrave.

There are qualms with most shows, and this show is no exception. I definitely question some of the decision-making by protagonists and antagonists alike, and really feel like the studio has serious issues against the UN for some reason. It also doesn't help that there are some pretty strong plot shields on particular characters (think like the pilots in Valvrave) and that a fair amount of plot questions remain unanswered. However, I felt the strengths in this category far outweigh the faults.

Character:
The main cast in this show is superb. Our hero, Ken, is a brash, impulsive warrior who definitely stands out from your standard nice guy; given his historic background though he is still completely inexperienced at dealing with girls. His interactions with the initially reluctant and honestly petrified Yukina are extremely fun to watch, and their behaviors and feelings toward each other change through the show. Pay close attention to Yukina's career choices at the beginning of the show, I really liked how the show tied this to the ending.

The show has a fairly large supporting cast consisting of a group of students at Yukina's school and a subset of the research workers and pilots at the UN facility. Though there is relatively little exposition on these characters, they still contribute meaningfully to either the plot or the main characters' development. I also appreciated how many of these supporting characters had a good deal of depth in personality; Mika and Yukina's sister Koharu are great examples. However, I do feel that a few of the other supporting characters were a bit on the superfluous side, such as the fearless student who was obsessed with streaming everything that was happening. The antagonists were also mostly unexplored, pretty similar overall to those early on in Aldnoah Zero.

Overall, I found this show to have a great amount of character development, good balance of character chemistry, and just enough of a hint of romance to keep me happy, especially considering the amount of screen time dedicated to action sequences.

Value:
Dynamic characters and good character designs/animation aren't usually the main selling points of a mech show. However, these P.A. Works hallmarks shine through in this show. Kuromukuro combines these with an original, contiguous story that is well-executed albeit still partially unexplored. There is some re-watch value as well as there are some foreshadows that could easily have been overlooked in an initial viewing. If you enjoyed previous P.A. titles or liked shows like FMP or Inuyasha, this should be an entertaining watch. If you're looking for a more traditional mech show with politics or inspiration for your next model kit, look elsewhere. While I won't consider this an absolute masterpiece, it was a greatly enjoyable watch and definitely worthy of the P.A. Works name.

A bunch of people are fed up with the latest elections... er... state of things and decide to just leave it all behind. This group of odd misfits is destined for Nanaki Village, a place that supposedly is sort of an urban legend like the Bermuda Triangle. Is it really the utopia that everyone thinks? Or is something more sinister lurking in the shadows.

Well if you're looking for something out of the ordinary, then perhaps Mayoiga might be an option. The show probably best falls under the category of a mystery, though a rather slow one. It's full of rather unusual characters and a setting ... that really doesn't make sense until the very end, and even then, things don't always add up. Overall, Mayoiga is a bumpy and meandering bus ride that doesn't end up where you'd think it would.

Animation:
The animation is pretty solid in Mayoiga. The show is drawn in a relatively strong color palette with saturated colors and pretty detailed backgrounds. A lot of scenes are appropriately dark with eerie shadows and shading. There is a fair amount of ugly 3D CGI, most notably towards the end of the show. There are many characters, like way more than I can remember the names of. Luckily, it isn't terribly important as only half of the characters really play any significant role in the story. Character expressions are average overall, definitely not as convincing as those in Another.

There is occasional action in the show, though honestly as a mystery the main action is purposely hidden from the viewer. There is a bit of suggestive language but this is not really an ecchi show.

Sound:
The unlucky hippopotamus song. I know I usually ramble about the OP/ED, but it's all about the hippo song here- it plays near the very beginning of the show and at the very end of the show. It's an unfortunately catchy tune that serves as a metaphor for the show as a whole, as well as cementing the fact that the characters are all a tad weird to be singing along to it.

The OP is a rather fast-paced piece, considering the pacing of the show, though it has a pretty decent main melody. The ED is a more fitting cool down piece that probably will be skipped due to the endless cliffhangers in the show. The BGM is fittingly tense with lots of ambient noises that make you feel like something bad will happen at any moment. Unlike most shows these days, a central melody will continue to "haunt" you throughout the show.

The VA cast consists primarily of relatively junior members. The more senior VAs have fairly minor roles; Ak Kakuma is relegated to voicing a crazed sadist who yells "execute" all the time. Ayaka Shimizu probably lucked out with one of the more normal roles, thus earning her my top performance vote. There is a ton of conversation in this show, expect to have to deal with very fast lines and a lot of background commotion.

Story:
Given that this is a mystery, I can't really go into detail with plot specifics. The atmosphere is less bloody though somewhat similar to that in Another. It is also similar to Another in the sense that Masaki always seems to know more than she lets on about, a strikingly similar parallel to Misaki. Given the sheer number of characters, I was honestly expecting this to be something along the lines of Mirai Nikki or Danganronpa- believe me it's quite different.

In terms of story composition, there is one central plot that drives the entire show. Despite the rather slow pacing within each episode, a lot takes place and thus skimming/skipping is strongly discouraged. The show does feature a lot of chaos; there's a lot of fake foreshadowing, making you think things are going to happen a certain way before surprising you and going a completely different direction. Nonetheless, there is a solid, continual build up to a final climax in the last episode. Yes, the mystery is explained and there is a semblance of a resolution, but it does feel rather rushed and leaves many questions/plot holes. I can't really go into the plot holes without spoiling too much, but let's just say that the show leaves a lot to the viewer's imagination.

The execution is fair overall, but the story progression is rather bumpy; they purposely engineered for all the major events to be at the beginning and end of episodes. This means that practically every single episode ends on a wild cliff hanger, yet one may doze off in the middle of the episode where everyone spends minutes talking and scratching their heads.

Character:
This is a seriously messed up group of characters, in both a good and bad way. These are people who would rather die than continue to live in society, and yet they are forced to band together to create their own community with their own rules. This is rather challenging as they all escaped reality for very different reasons; the only thing holding them together is their disgust with the world outside the village.

Honestly, that's about all the good words I can spare for this section. This show has excessively many characters for its own good. Because of this, there isn't any focus as over half a dozen of the characters get the full exposition treatment. I get that this group isn't normal, but the decision and rationale (or lack thereof) shown throughout the show is appalling. Our main protagonist Mitsumune is supposedly sixteen, yet behaves with the mental age of a preteen. I guess I should be happy that the story even bothered to explain why some of the characters are here, but really some of their reasons are just so stupid that perhaps it really is better that they aren't part of the greater society.

Pitiful character interactions aside, the character development as a whole is rough. I guess the entire premise revolves around the characters being dynamic, but it feels very artificial, especially when things are rushed near the end of the show. Don't expect much in the form of romance in the show as well.

Value:
This is a difficult show to review. There are definitely some good elements in the show, and if you're anything like me, you'll finish the show in a jiffy due to the cliffhangers. However, despite the entertainment value, the story lacks serious polish and there is just too much to hate with the cast of characters. Those looking for a serious mystery or horror will probably find this show unfulfilling. Those looking for strong characters or relationships likewise won't find much here. Ultimately, it seems what's really lost in this show is the target audience.

When the first lines in a show go along the lines of "Please marry me", you pretty much have a good idea of where things will go. Netoge is an instant girlfriend show that was ridiculously popular when I visited Japan. The show focuses on the relationship between our protagonist, Hideki Nishimura aka Rusian, and his online wife, Ako. One day, his MMO guild decides to have a live meet up, lo and behold Ako is actually a bijin. Unfortunately, she can't seem to differentiate between the online 2D world and actual reality. Will our protagonist to able to convince her that they are not ... the same thing?

For me, this show had a lot of promise early on; the premise reminded me of Nogizaka Haruka no Himitsu from oh goodness eight years ago. However, half way through the show it seemed to direction. Rather than focusing on the uniqueness of the characters' situation, it decided to focus instead on the gaming aspect; thus reducing the rest of the show to a standard school-based slice-of-life with a bit of MMO fantasy. Despite this, it is still an interesting watch. If you like romcoms or are looking for a show to make fun of MMO mechanics, definitely try this show out.

Animation:
The animation quality in Netoge is fairly average overall. Background and scenery range from simplistic, computer-assisted images of school grounds to more detailed renderings of the fantasy world. The fantasy world is drawn slightly differently to help the viewer acclimate; there's stronger saturation in the colors and character outlines are drawn in a distinctive dark-blue color. Character drawing is a bit on the plain side; the flat character shading sometimes clashes with the more detailed, computer-generated backgrounds. All the characters are readily identifiable and, humorously, appear similar in the fantasy MMO world. Ako is particularly easy to spot with her ridiculously large blue eyes. The characters also have unique smiles that remind me of those in Denpa Onna.

There is a fair amount of action in this show, mostly the character's imaginations of the actual battle scenes in the MMO. There isn't any blood though there are many MMO character deaths and a few humorous group wipes. This isn't primarily an action show though so the choreography is only average and, other than showing a few fun MMO mechanics, the actual battles aren't too exciting. There is a moderate amount of ecchi in this show, ranging from bouncing body parts to multiple bath scenes. It's reasonably tame compared to true ecchi-based shows.

Sound:
The OP is a moderate-paced song with a decent melody; it reminds me a lot of the instrumentation used by ClariS. The ED is a playful song sung by one of our VAs; melodically it isn't as strong though. The BGM is distinctive for having a fittingly electronic feel, though it also has bits of your more traditional string instrumentation. Two or three playful tunes become familiar by the end of the show. Overall, the BGM is better than your average show but nothing too spectacular.

The VA cast is a mix of veterans and up and coming talent. All of the VAs give fitting personalities to their respective roles though Inori Minase probably had the most challenging character to voice, not to mention the random pig references.

Story:
I always have a soft spot for shows that play into philosophical questions, even if they don't outright explore them in depth. In Netoge, we get to explore perspectives about identity and how our online and offline selves relate to one another. In particular, our protagonist has an online (married) relationship with another character. He then happens to meet the person playing that character in real life. How is he supposed to interact? Should he assume the persona that he was playing as online? Can he even do so after seeing how cute she is in person?

Aside from the improbability of an entire guild being at the same school and the unlikely nature of immediately becoming an ace PVP shooter in an online FPS with no prior experience, the show is a pretty well grounded and well rounded. The initial main plot revolves around getting Ako to start realizing the difference between the online and offline worlds, but honestly it doesn't make much progress. It's probably more accurate to treat this as more of a slice of life with occasional rounds in the fantasy world. The overall plot fits somewhat into roughly defined arcs that don't necessarily build to a climax, though there are occasional cliffhangers.

In addition to the nice plot elements, the show is also pretty entertaining in the comedic department. Expect a lot of laughs as characters occasionally behave in absurd ways, and expect some additional bonus laughs if you've played MMOs.

Character:
This show also impresses in terms of character personality. All of the main characters are pretty interesting and differentiated from your run of the mill cookie-cutter mold. Ako (healer) is a dynamic girl who somehow switches between anti-social mode and super-clingy girlfriend/wife mode. Kyou (ranged DPS) is a confident student council president (despite never seeming to have any actual duties) who happens to come from a rich family; her online persona literally represents the group of MMO players willing to dish out serious cash to make the freemium model work for the rest of us. Akane (melee DPS) is a hot-headed tsundere who secretly loves playing online games, her attempts to keep it a secret are pretty humorous. Finally, even our protagonist (tank) stands out from the typical nice guys- he can take care of business when it matters.

This is one of those shows where relationships are defined early in the show and then remain relatively stagnant thereafter. Though there aren't any truly dynamic characters, there is a good deal of nice character interactions. Expect romcom elements including third wheels and jealousy mixed in with the other story elements. There are a fair number of supporting characters but the show does a great job of maintaining focus on the main cast.

Value:
This is a pretty solid romcom with a decent mix of action and story as well. It intersects quite a few different genres but successfully does so without becoming an angry fruit salad. Though I would have liked more focus on relationships rather than MMO grinding - think I've seen enough of that for a lifetime already - it was nonetheless an entertaining and occasionally thought-provoking show. It's not at the level of something like Nisekoi but definitely above average overall. What are you waiting for? Game er... watch on!

Makoto is a witch in training who moves in with her relatives to further her training. If you're looking for a true slice of life with a light sprinkling of magic, Flying Witch may be up your alley. It shares the feel-good family interactions seen in shows like Minami Ke. However, it lacks a comical equivalent of Kana and doesn't have any semblance of romance. This show literally goes nowhere. If you're like me and need some semblance of story or character development, you're better off looking elsewhere.

Animation:
This show has some pretty impressive, detailed backgrounds. Whether in a local pedestrian mall, a garage shed, or ... walking outdoors, the characters are surrounded by vivid, meticulously-drawn scenery. If you like majestic mountains, green crop fields, and rustic towns, then this is your kind of scenery. Backgrounds aside, the show is standard fare. It's drawn in a bright but low-saturated palette, which fits the peaceful yet plain feel of the story. There is your standard fare 3D CGI used in all the vehicles and trains but luckily they're only used in a few scenes. The characters themselves are well drawn but actually look humorously plain sometimes compared to the detailed scenery. The show involves a lot of spiritual beings visiting the household so expect some rather odd looking characters- your reactions will probably be similar to that of Chinatsu. I actually think the best drawn character here is actually the cat Chito, who seems to have more personality than our rather boring male cousin, Kei.

There is pretty much no action in this rather peaceful show. Likewise, despite there being a witch on a broom in a miniskirt, the camera keeps things clean.

Sound:
The light, guitar-backed op fits both the scenery and pacing of the show; it's a fair and relatively catchy melody. The ED, by contrast, has a much richer instrumentation and is sung by our main heroines. The BGM is rather playful in tonality, it relies heavily on brass instruments, plucked strings, and occasionally piano. It serves its role better than in your typical show and some tunes will become familiar by the end of the show.
The primary VAs are relatively fresh. Minami Shinoda does a great job giving Makoto a gentle yet eager personality; she makes pulling out weeds very entertaining. I can't really say the same for our male protagonist- Shinsuke Sugawara's character is just plain boring- his voice gives him a rather dull character that never seems to be phased by anything. The show is, however, supported by a lot of veterans cast in secondary roles. You have Ai Kayano and Ari Ozawa voicing witch familiars (they don't actually speak words) and Kikuko Inoue voicing the residence's mom, her performance outright puts a lot of the other characters to shame.

Story:
There isn't that much to say for this category. The show basically has a bunch of interesting characters visiting the country residence and showcases a bunch of interactions between the cast. For instance, a good portion of one episode consists of multiple characters individually following the cat Chito while a large portion of another episode has our cast picking wild vegetables. There is actually a bit of educational material here in a similar vein to Silver Spoon but obviously to a lesser degree.
The show is pretty episodic overall with just a few exceptions, and there isn't really any central plot or story progression. There's a bit of light comedy but otherwise it's just a lot of nice, peaceful scenes and interactions.

Character:
The show focuses on Makoto, her elder sister, and her cousin. There isn't a lot of background on many of the characters; the show focuses more on just interactions. I wouldn't expect much in the form of romantic developments or even dynamic characters; other than Chinatsu, the other characters are pretty much the same all the way through.

There are some particularly interesting supporting characters, such as Inukai, but the majority of the interactions are simple conversations and occasional visits by unique spirits. Chinatsu and Akane (Makoto's sister who bears no family resemblance) are the main entertainers of the show; they have vibrant personalities, but aren't particularly deep.

Value:
I didn't really have that many expectations coming into this show and it pretty much matched my expectations. It is a nice, peaceful show with a lot of calming scenery. If that's what you're into then by all means dig in. As for me, there wasn't much entertainment value out of it due to the various reasons listed above.

Lenka Utsugi is a new God Eater, and one of humanity's last hopes against the invading Aragami. God Eater follows Lenka as he trains and eventually joins a company of fellow God Eaters. Ufotable has created a thrilling, engaging, and occasionally quite dire story where brave acts are often overshadowed by the grim reality of the task at hand- Aragami are endless creatures, reincarnating from Oracle cells, whereas the surviving human population and their scant resources are fast depleting.

Though it lacks the depth of character of some of Ufotable's other works, this is still a very strong show, especially from a presentation perspective. In terms ... of story, it reminds me most of Schwarzes Marken; they share a similar sense of desperation of situation and some characters seem to harbor ulterior objectives. If you've enjoyed Ufotable's previous action-based works, this is good enough work to dive into. It may be a new setting but they sure did a good job making it come to life.

Animation:
Ufotable has an incredibly high bar for animation quality, and that continues in this show. Attention to detail is present everywhere- whether it is the detailing in the clouds or the fast-forward time transition animations, we're talking animated-movie quality stuff here. The detailing is great elsewhere as well; you'll find great shading and realistic reflections off metallic surfaces. The last frame of the OP also blends in perfectly with the beginning of the ED! The setting itself is an interesting yet sad place; the majority of the world has been turned into a barren wasteland, littered with the skeletal remains of humanity's former civilizations. The surviving humans now live tightly-packed in walled off settlements. It's definitely a different environment than the urban feel of the Fate universe. I'd say there's a steam punk kind of feel to both the weaponry and technology in the show.

The characters are also drawn in a unique style, though not quite as noticeable as Valkyria Chronicles; outlines on the characters are very thin and/or nonexistent, which often makes hair look more like spikes rather than strands. Character expressions aren't the strong suit in this show, though I don't blame them too much given their situation; I do find it a bit odd that they have so many opportunities to stop mid battle and strike a cool pose for the camera. The characters also have rather outlandish outfits given their roles and situation (a long dress for battle... seriously).

Speaking of battles, this show is essentially an endless, desperate fight with a few brief lulls. Expect a generous amount of blood, gore, and death along the way. Though the Aragami are painfully drawn through CGI, there's a good focus on choreography; I found myself on the edge of my seat through many battles. If there's one thing that the show wants to remind you of, it's that whenever you think have the upper edge you had better think again. There's an even amount of ranged and melee fighting, though obviously they focus more on the melee aspects. The plane fight in the third episode, though rather implausible physically, was one of the more memorable encounters. Though there is a bit of skin exposure on the part of Alisa, this isn't really an ecchi-centric show.

Sound:
The show opens with a heavy rock piece that gives it a fittingly gritty and rough feel; it's not really my choice of music genre but makes sense here. The ED is a rather interesting piece, starting with a slow and ominous tonality before transitioning over to a hopeful and positive main melody. For once, I can honestly speak out positively about a BGM. This show has a superb BGM that greatly complements the strong visuals. It is often accompanied by a very fitting set of insert songs by Ghost Oracle Drive.

Large portions of the show have lone pad instruments or a piano with long reverb, adding a constant, heavy pressure to the atmosphere. This is further reinforced by opportune use of the vocal insert songs, specifically "Broke my Stake", which in my opinion really captures the atmosphere and tonality of the show. The BGM is also definitive during the battle scenes, often using strong drums or one of the excellent battle insert songs. When things go wrong, the show really drives the point with the eerily hopeless tune in the insert song "Human After All". Really, if you've been waiting for a show with a superb OST, there's a very strong contender here.

Though I'm not a particular fan of our protagonist's general lack of emotion, the show has a strong cast overall. Our main heroine is voiced by veteran Maaya Sakamoto, who gives her character a fittingly aloof feel. We have other Ufotable veterans as well including Sayaka Oohara and Rikiya Koyama. They are also joined by veterans Kanae Ito and Ai Kakuma in supporting roles. Honestly, personal preference aside I'd have to say Sayaka wins highest praise here for her commanding yet motherly presence.

Story:
Though I started the show with a healthy dosage of skepticism surrounding this story, it honestly is a well orchestrated piece that instantly draws you in and doesn't let up until you're spit out the other side - and be warned that it may even pull you back in for an encore.

Usually, I consider the first two episodes fair game for an initial introduction here. Unfortunately, things move so quickly in this show that this would be spoiling a great deal. Instead, an analysis of some primary story elements will have to suffice.

God Eater is told primarily through the lens of Lenka, who is introduced to the workings of the Far East settlement and must learn to cope with his new found strength and abilities. However, the story also occasionally tells of the past of Johannes, the current chair of the Far East settlement. This past, often told in grayscale color, sheds light on the origins of God Eaters and the Aragami. These two stories are well intertwined so that neither feels out of place nor distracting.

I couldn't figure out any reasonable breakdowns of the show in terms of arcs, it's just one long struggle with chain-inducing cliff hangers and well-placed plot twists. There are plenty of battles that range anywhere from a few minutes to the entirety of an episode. Occasionally, this fire hose of constant action is turned down a bit to offer the viewer a short reprieve; expect this lull to be filled with meaningful character development and further atmosphere building. As there are multiple intense battles, there isn't the typical, linear buildup to a climax but rather lots of peaks and ridges along the way. The final climax is pretty epic, and though it's a bit over the top, it pretty much has to be in order to compete with the already grand previous battles. It's a relatively predictable climax/resolution, and the show leaves a gaping door open for future expansions.

Along the way, I picked up a favorite episode. Episode 10 is Lenka's origin story, and it's both well placed and well executed. For some reason, it reminds me of Emiya Kiritsugu's origin arc from Fate Zero- perhaps it's the similarity of emotion that is captured by the end of the episode.

This is by no means a perfect work, there are plenty of setting and character details that are conveniently left out, as well as a huge deal of plot holes that one can easily write an academic essay on. Many of these are issues that actually apply to the FSN world as well (how a heroic spirit can ride an F-15 / how God Eaters can stand on a jet going 150+ mph, how main protagonists have ridiculous injury recovery rates i.e. Emiya/Lenka, etc.). However, there's enough action to focus on that these inconsistencies/impracticalities can be safely taken for granted without compromising on enjoyment.

Character:
Honestly, this is probably the weakest category for this show. Ufotable has traditionally left a lot of mystery surrounding their characters, and that continues here. Through the season we learn a lot about Lenka, Johannes, and (to a lesser extent) Alisa. However, the other characters don't really get much of a background exposition; they seem to be there to serve a supporting role and to look cool in opportune moments. The actual character interactions are pretty good as you get to see the group dynamics evolve through the show.

As for individual characters, I don't particularly like Lenka's personality; the fact that his trump card is his "hero" mentality is a bit overused in general in the world of anime. Alisa is definitely a work in progress, as her personal stability doesn't match her prowess in battle. The characters are dynamic, but not to the extent that we've seen in works such as FSN. Ironically, I'd say the Aragami are the most dynamic of characters in this show as they constantly evolve.

As for supporting characters, let's just say that there's a lot of death in this show. Innocent bystanders are often helplessly turned to heaps of red in a similar fashion to ordinary soldiers in a Gundam show.

Value:
These days, I often find myself struggling to find uniqueness or elements of a show interesting enough to supplement my generic review pattern. I'm glad to have found such an interesting and engaging show. Though it may feel a bit immature at times, i.e. catering to younger audiences, the sheer power of the setting combined with the excellent story and majestic production qualities truly make this show an entertaining and worthwhile experience. It's not a perfect work by a long shot, but the franchise definitely shows promise. The first season ends with a lot of open questions so let's hope there's enough momentum for a sequel.

If ever you've wanted to see a master of "winging it" and making every situation work to his advantage, Sakamoto is that person. For those who play RPGs you know that character creation is a balance, you can't have it all- well Sakamoto has it all; he has perfect strength, perception, awareness, intelligence, stamina, and even luck. This show is about him acting cool in all situations. If you take Onizuka's indomitable spirit from GTO and translate that into unshakeable coolness, that's this show.

In my opinion, the show is definitely overrated. Though there are some neat moments, it was canceled out by the impractical nature ... of the stunts and antics. If you're looking for someone to be envious about, this might be your show. If you're annoyed by improbable yet persistent plot shields against anything going wrong, this is going to be a painful one. In any case, the first episode is a good litmus test to get your feet wet.

[b]Animation:[/b]
The animation in Sakamoto is a bit different from your typical cute-girl-packed show; the starting basics are relatively plain though. The show has an average amount of overall detail and shading. The background consists of urban landscapes and the school, with a surprisingly high amount of greenery. What makes the animation unique is a combination of the characters and special comic-like styling that occasionally appears. The character focus here is strongly on Sakamoto, and so it's probably on purpose that the other characters don't particularly stand out. Used to seeing girls with lots of accessories? Not happening here. Looking for moe in your girls? Not happening here either. Even the class idol Aina is toned down compared with your typical action-based harem heroine. As for the guys, you have everything from a chubby, girl-faced weakling to slit-eyed gangsters, you're not going to find any bishounens here.

Sakamoto has a bit of action but nothing strong enough to call a defining characteristic. Expect a bit of violence and a bit of blood, but it still is just a school-centric slice-of-life so nothing too extreme. There isn't any ecchi here, if anything there's anti-ecchi in the form of many chubby, older married moms showing up and chasing after the protagonist.

[b]Sound:[/b]
Sakamoto opens with a rock-based, purposely made song; while unique, I liked neither the randomness of the melody nor the male singer. The ED has a better melody but is also slow enough to put even rowdy children to sleep. The BGM is pretty standard fare until Sakamoto does anything cool, which triggers the show's signature melody; given how often he does something "cool" you can't help but get used to the theme.

What really got me to take the plunge for the show was the VA cast; seriously, when was the last time you heard the likes of Yukari Tamura, Yui Horie, Mai Nakahara, and Kana Ueda all in the same show? Given the "cool" nature of Sakamoto, a lot of the other characters spend a lot of time commenting on how awesome he is. The cast did a pretty good job throughout though I thought Yui Horie did an especially convincing job voicing Aina.

[b]Story:[/b]
Sakamoto is all about, well, Sakamoto of course. He's the envy of everyone who wants to be cool given his talents in everything and so various classmates and other entities do their best to trip him up. Unfortunately, for them, he always seems to be able to outplay everyone, often converting them to his side in the process.

The show is pretty episodic for the most part, often with two sub-plots per episode. Honestly, some of these sections are weird (Sakamoto playing walk on the line with elementary kids) and others are a tad off-putting (Yoshinobu's crazed mom). I didn't find have a particular arc that I thought was standout until the last quarter of the season, where a bit of tension finally builds in the show. There isn't much of a climax and the last episode wraps things up fairly nicely.

The overall tonality of the show varies, much of it is rather light and playful but there are some serious moments as well. The comedy is not really in my taste as Sakamoto's behavior and everyone else's reactions don't really add up for me, no one finds it in any way immature for Sakamoto to walk as if in a parade while on the way out during a fire drill...

[b]Character:[/b]
Regardless of my opinion of the comedy, there's no doubt that Sakamoto is one of the more unique characters out there. I'd probably liken him most to Karasuma from School Rumble, somewhat distant and aloof yet always able to surprise and overachieve. His immense breadth and depth of talent set him apart from your typical character, but his lack of any shortcomings makes him impossible to relate with.

There is a large supporting cast for the show; many of the characters are featured in a sub-episode segment before blending into the growing crowd of Sakamoto admirers. I wasn't particularly impressed with either the depth of the characters or their development, and (obviously) believe they spent excessive time on Yoshinobu's mom. Though some of the interactions were funny, don't expect any real depth of character bonding.

[b]Value:[/b]
Sakamoto is definitely a unique show and for that, it deserves kudos. However, despite the uniqueness and the strong VA cast, the show just doesn't rub me the right way. Not to say I'm jealous of the dude as heck it's fiction, but a character who is utterly flawless really just gets boring quickly. Though some of the latter episodes were a bit more fun, especially the college mixer, it doesn't balance out the lukewarm feeling felt throughout the rest of the show. Overall, it's a fair watch but by no means a match for the hype. Therefore, I end with my own secret technique: surprise disappointment.

Wagamama is a very hard show to review, because there's not much to review- because it's really just a teaser for the VN source. From the anime standpoint, it's a slice of life about four girls that make up the student council. It's a mix of comedy and a bit of ecchi, with the girls randomly undressing and such as apparently the actual male protagonist, one of the heroine's brother no less, never shows up. There's not much to review because each of the twelve episodes is two minutes long, meaning the combined length of all the episodes is equivalent to at most one episode ... of a full length show. If you're looking for a show with any depth or character development, this is not it. This is just some cutely drawn girls having fun, albeit very briefly.

Animation:
The animation is rather basic with simplistic detailing and limited backgrounds. The coloring is bright and pretty saturated, fitting given the light, playful mood. Though the characters are nicely styled, the show shoots itself in the foot; the VN-styled "stick" figures featured in the post-episode sections are drawn in a vastly superior style to those in the anime. There isn't any action in the show but there is a bit of ecchi as mentioned above. The ecchi is rather light and concentrated in specific episodes.

Sound:
The show only has one rock-based OP/ED that is obviously created specifically for the show. Don't expect anything special for the BGM, as nothing is particularly memorable. There are four primary VAs in this show, other than Mai Gotou (who I haven't heard from in two years) they're all pretty new to me. They do a fair job though there's not a terribly lot of depth for them to bring out in the first place.

Story:
What story? This is essentially an episodic slice of life that just shows the student council girls hanging out in various situations. Some are more humorous or ecchi than others, but in general it's average material at best. There isn't any real tension or central plot line; it's one of those shows where you could randomize the episode order (other than the first and last episode) and still have it feel just as contiguous.

Character:
Again, there's not too much depth to bring out in the characters given that there's only 24 total minutes of run time. In all that, I got that Toa is a bit more of the quiet type than the rest; otherwise, they're all just energetic, youthful girls. There are some nice interactions but no development given that the "protagonist" main male character isn't present.

Value:
Unless you want to play the VN or unless you absolutely have nothing to watch, I'd skip out on this teaser; there's just so much better stuff out there than this.

Kono Suba was an unexpectedly enjoyable addition to the lost-in-fantasy genre. This one-episode OVA keeps fans engaged while the second season is under development. It introduces an additional character, Yunyun, who claims to be a rival to Megumin. This is essentially a fan service episode where all the girls basically respond to our perverted protagonist's every command. Expect a bit of comedy, a lot of abuse of our proud Aqua, and a very solid dose of ecchi. If you liked the first season, you'll enjoy this OVA as well too.

Animation:
The animation feels just like that in the other episodes, all the way down to the ... lecherous eyes of Kazuma. There's not a lot of action in this episode, in its place is an expectedly large amount of fan service. Yunyun adds another member to the busty group in this show.

Sound:
All the VAs from the parent show are here as well. Aki Toyosaki joins as yet another veteran VA to this very talented cast. Her voice complements Yunyun's slightly shy personality quite well, just remember Momo from ToLoveRu! The show uses the same OP, ED, and BGM as the main show, it really feels like a bonus episode.

Story:
Kazuma puts on a choker that only comes off when his wish is granted, unfortunately, if his wish isn't granted in four days he dies. Having forgotten what he wished for, the gals are forced to obey his every lecherous command. The show continues its fan-service until it reaches a predictable climax and ironic conclusion, a truly comedic and refreshing ride.

Character:
The main cast returns for some expected interactions. Yunyun is barely introduced though she immediately feels like a natural fit with the other characters. The episode does a good job of showcasing each character's traits (such as Aqua's infuriation at being used for meager manual labor, Darkness's love of being abused, etc). Obviously, don't expect too much growth in an OVA.

Value:
This is a fun and fitting addition to an already refreshing series. It's definitely an enjoyable and entertaining way to spend half an hour.