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My BREAKDOWN of MAL Contested Ratings

10: Any anime that receives a 10 basically means that it is perfect, mistakes and all, in its own right. This is an anime that not only transcends the common cliches and molds of the animation industry, but also transcends the preconceived notions we viewers have of a "good" anime. This is an anime that will challenge us, provoke us, force us to think about ourselves, our lives, our experiences. This is an anime that will break through whatever gap lies between our world and theirs and connect the two together. This is an anime that, regardless of who watches it, will leave something special, something precious behind in the hearts of all the viewers.

Examples: Shirobako, The iDOLM@STER, Clannad: After Story

9: A 9 means that the anime completely surpassed any expectations and was an absolute joy to watch. Not only does the anime challenge the norm and the banal, but it also dives much deeper and becomes very thought-provoking or heart-moving. Similar to a 10, an anime of level 9 must force viewers to reconsider something about themselves or the world around them. It is impossible to not watch such an anime and come out unchanged.

Alternatively, what differentiates a 9 from a 10 must be a somewhat fatal, somewhat tragic flaw, whether it be universality, characterization, delivery, plot, theme, or any other major reason.

Examples: Hidamari Sketch x Honeycomb, Toradora!, Suzumiya Haruhi no Shoushitsu (Movie)

8: Anime deserving of an 8 must be elevated above the common crowd of other shows. There must be something extremely special, something that causes people to notice and admire the anime. While the plot doesn't have to be profound and the theme deep, the anime must be of such a high quality and excellence that it still sticks with us regardless. There should be no regrets after watching a level 8 anime.

Alternatively, any anime that is the premier anime in its respective genre deserves at least an 8 for going above and beyond the ordinary.

Examples: Kino no Tabi, Gochuumon wa Usagi Desu ka, Gin no Saji, Girlish Number

7: Anime that is well-planned and well-made. A coherent and exciting plot, an interesting array of characters, or a solid delivery through art, music, or style will earn most anime a 7. A 7 anime should be a positive experience overall. However, if you find yourself sighing at the end of an anime, wistfully wishing that something about the anime should have been changed, that anime is at most a 7.

Examples: K-On!, Working!!, Natsu-iro Kiseki, Rolling☆Girls, Etotama, Tamako Market

6: Something that passes average, but isn't good at all. Most 6 anime is cliched with slight variations or above average characterization. No redeeming quality of the anime is good enough to make it enjoyable. A 6 is about the point where the negatives of the anime start to overtake the positives. If you've watched an anime and left feeling quite empty, you've seen a level 6 anime.

Examples: Astarotte no Omocha!, Koi to Senkyo to Chocolate, Date A Live, Nisekoi, Glasslip, Sore ga Seiyuu!

5: It's bad to see a 5. That means that there was absolutely no net positive from watching this anime. Essentially, you just wasted 22 * X number of minutes of your life, where X is usually a multiple of 12 or 13. Cliche, stock, and disappointing.

Examples: Hidan no Aria, Saki, OreShura, Soul Eater NOT!, Comet Lucifer

4: Anime usually shouldn't get this bad. This means that not only did the show not deliver anything positive, but actually failed miserably in some aspect of the story, character, or any other factor. Anime under a 4 should have not ever existed in the first place, or should be a lesson to posterity about what not to watch.

Examples: Tsubasa Chronicles Season 2, Mahouka Koukou no Rettousei, Girlfriend (Kari)

The worst anime: Infinite Stratos 2