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I ended up getting so tired of hearing Atsushi's flashbacks about his orphanage days..."oh wow, they slapped you and said you were worthless", its not like you repeated the VERY SAME SCENE FOUR TIMES IN THE PAST 10 MINUTES!!!!
Small nuances aside, it was a very enjoyable show. Although I didn't really understand the character's inspirations until reading some other review's, I didn't feel that was necessary background in order to understand each character. The comedy, although at times misplaced, was good, and I laughed (or snickered) at most of the gags. Having one episode dedicated to explaining each Agency member was nice, although I would ... have preferred to see more of three things:
1. Dazai being Dazai
2. Dazai's backstory
3. Dazai's obsession with double suicide (it's not really a spoiler is it?)
Basically what I'm trying to say is that he was the most complex, interesting, and misused comedic relief character in the show. An episode or two dedicated to Dazai's history with ******** (number of asterisks is random, don't bother counting) would have been entertaining, perhaps instead of the Mafia secretary episode.
To be honest, I skipped the OP every time. On the other hand, the ED was slow, sad, and a good ending to each episode.
Visuals made up 86% of the BSD's comedy in my opinion. Chibi drawings make everything funnier and Studio Bones made good use of that, along with a good splattering of decent jokes, to keep me entertained.
I'll conclude by saying that Dazai is best girl.

As someone who hasn't read the manga, I'm confused as to why some people rated the movie so low. The manga must have been a masterpiece, huh. Why can't people just review it as a standalone movie?

Story - 10/10
Rarely have I ever seen a movie/anime/book where the main character bullies someone and gets bullied back, effectively isolating him from his classmates. Do you know why? Because that doesn't happen in real life. Bullies become popular in high school and have a huge follower group. Despite this, I was glad that Koe no Katachi took a different route and made the bad guy into an even ... more bad guy, then switched him around and made him a good guy. The plot was fresh, in my opinion, and I loved (well love isn't the right word, maybe "invested in", or "hooked on" would be better) every hill and turn of the rollercoaster.

Art - 10/10
Bright, vivid, and set the mood really well. Nothing less than expected from KyoAni.

Sound - 9/10
In the moment, the songs were great. The OP was enjoyable, though I was a little confused about what was going on on-screen. Anyways, that's not sound. The only thing stopping this from being a 10 is the fact that I'm not humming any of the tunes right now. Maybe that's just my harsh criteria.

Character - 9/10
I have to agree with most negative(ish) reviewers on this one. Aside from Mr. Main Character and Ms. Main Heroine, the side characters, save from Yuzuha, didn't get much development. I was a little perturbed as to what each of their motives were. For example (not in the movie, so not a spoiler), I didn't know that Nishimiya's mother caught a virus during childbirth, resulting in her daughter being born deaf and her husband leaving her. I only learned that by reading the character description page on MAL. That, and other information, would have enhanced the movie as a whole. The little side stories is what Koe no Katach is lacking.

Enjoyment - 10/10
I was *this* close to crying, and I'm disappointed that I didn't. This movie deserved it.

Overall - 10/10
Being a high school student myself, I feel that Koe no Katachi struck home with me, having dealt with bullies and may have been a mild one in elementary school. It really puts into perspective how important it is to have respect for others and not be a total douchebag. Or else you'll end up like Ueno, a distasteful, cold-hearted, jealous baka. I seriously hate that broad.

I'm reading some of the other reviews, and it seems that Charlotte receives some mild hate. Why? Because they compare it to the other works of the producer - Clannad and Angel Beats. This isn't wrong, per se, but I feel to do this show justice you need to look at it solely from the watcher perspective. Though I have to say some of their points were pretty damn true...

Story - 7/10
Throughout the first half of Charlotte I was wondering if this was going to be some typical slice of life school anime with no substance. It really was going nowhere. But then the huge ... reveal happened. Honestly, I felt that they rushed through it so much it's insane. There's no build up, just a big crushing reveal that left me stunned - 1) for doing that to that specific character, and 2) how poorly the studio made that scene. I have to say, I did enjoy the following episode with the lead vocalist of ZHIEND, she was probably the most interesting character out of the whole cast, in my opinion. Oh, and Yusarin's sister as well. The rest of Charlotte after that was weird, only because they introduced a handful of tropes and recurring themes in supernatural anime. The show at that point was giving off this vibe of the producers desperately trying to fill in episodes to finish the show, which is probably why they brought in so many common themes. TIME TRAVEL. Come on, be different, is there any supernatural anime that doesn't have aspects of time travel?
Aside from that, though, I feel that the show itself had a solid premise and executed fairly well. I liked the pacing of the descent episode. Also, I found that the comedy wasn't as obtrusive as it could have been, which was nice.

Art - 10/10
Everything was beautiful in Charlotte, from city landscape to mountainside to stars to character design. And animation too. The colours were bright and vivid, but at some times, were gloomy and dull. The colour use matched the mood of each scene, which not a lot of anime can pull off well. High quality characters kept me engaged and their movements were well animated. Basically all the art was amazing.

Sound - 7/10
I don't get why everyone is saying that the OP is great...I don't see it that way at all. By itself, the best I can give it on a scale of "crap to amazing af" is an ok. The problem is, during those middle episodes when it got dark, they would introduce the scene, paint it black and gloomy, then you get this happy guitar + piano line which contrasted completely with the mood of the introduction. It was really offsetting and I found it hard to really get invested in the atmosphere because of the juxtaposition of sad intro and uplifting OP.
Aside from that, the rest of the sounds - idol music, sound effects, ED - were all great. They set the stage well and didn't detract from what was happening on screen; alternatively, they enhanced the scene as a whole.

Character - 9/10
Our protagonist, Yuu Otosaka, is kind of dull and stupid. Let's be honest, he's not much of a main character, preferring to sit in the background and let things play out. He's a jerk in the beginning but he grows to be kinder and I think that was one of the upsides to this anime, watching Yuu's character develop. Nao Tomori, the main heroine, is a slightly unorthodox tsundere, in that she will hurt Yuu, but not to the extent of a regular tsundere, only if the scenario calls for it. She's impulsive and funny, and can really brighten up the scene. It's evident that she cares for everyone close to her, and even sacrifices herself (no, she doesn't die) if she knows that it will help others. Truly a pitiful character and I love her so much LMAO. The other characters are supporting, I guess. Takajou is decent, being the comedy relief often, but he gets dismissed a lot by Nao. Yusarin is boring, but her sister was a great character, and enjoyable. I even felt myself tearing up when she ate soba... I guess the only other character worth writing about is Sara Shane, the lead vocalist of ZHIEND. If you split the story into arcs, I really liked the arc about Nao's brother, and how Sara is involved. She's a touching character, empathetic and understanding. I wasn't really too interested in the singing, but I was sad when we didn't see any more of her later on...

Enjoyment - 10/10
I think the fact that I binge watched all 13 episodes in one night says something. I enjoyed it.

"Elohim...Assaim...Elohim...Assaim...I implore thee..." (I actually said that in the first recital I performed in after watching Your Lie in April haha)

Time to write a review on my all time favourite anime series. This is after watching it for the fourth time and while listening to the classical soundtrack at the time that I'm writing this. Yes, I'm completely biased and so is this review. If you don't like it, then you don't like it. However, Your Lie in April isn't ranked 19th overall for nothing. Numbers don't lie...but Kousei does, Tsubaki does, and so does Kaori.

Story - 9/10
I cried. Multiple times. Partially due to the ... sad music, partially due to the beautiful art, but 99% due to the story. Who didn't cry...those cold, heartless fiends. A piano prodigy falls from his throne after losing part of his hearing. In fact, it would be less sad if he became fully deaf, but the reality is that not being able to hear yourself play is excruciatingly agonizing, especially for someone of Kousei's caliber. They called him the human metronome...it's hard to keep a beat if you can't even hear when you're playing. Enter eccentric violinist Kaori Miyazono who turns Kousei's life around. All of a sudden, the robot who played the score perfect to the point is injecting the piece with his own emotions and sensuality, his performance emanating his deepest feelings, exposing himself to the audience. I can't say any more without spoiling the rest of it, but as we experience each character's ups and downs, how they got to where they are today, it's just breathtakingly amazing. One super minor detail is that I wish they didn't just introduce another character when they needed more episodes to show Kaori's *ahem* situation. I mean, Nagi only had three or four episodes, and was essentially useless. Aside from my small pet peeve, I ran with the emotional rollercoaster that is Your Lie in April and although it wasn't all sunshine and roses, it shook me to the core.

Art - 10/10
Many anime get critiqued for having too many stills and not enough animation. In Your Lie in April, the still shots that are presented are, in my opinion, the unique trait of the show. They embrace the idea of focusing on what's being said or played, highlighting the dramatic monologues or the emotion-evoking Chopin pieces. Kaori seemed to get more pale near the end, which is fitting, but I'm not sure if that was intentional or not. Either way, nice touch. Instrument animations were immaculate; the light glittering off the metal frame of the piano in the last scene was beautiful. Oh, the last scene...what to say about that...IT WAS AMAZING AND BEAUTIFUL AND BREATHTAKING AND AMAZING! On a lighter note, the chibi scenes were really cute and well drawn.

Sound - 10/10
This is a music anime. It would be horrible if a music anime didn't have a great soundtrack and/or sound effects. Before watching Your Lie in April, I wasn't a big classical fan. In fact, if I had the option of choosing a baroque or contemporary piece for my piano lessons, my choice was 200% contemporary. Now that I look back, I wish I had played more classical, and spent more time perfecting them. I'm not sure why the producers chose to be so Chopin-heavy, but it works as his songs are reflective of the scene they are put in and the meaning behind every performance is enhanced with the pieces. My personal favourite is Liebesleid, by Kreisler. The progression of the high A-A-B-C-G chords, or the B section I guess, is just so moving and powerful. That melody resonates with me and I get goosebumps every time I hear it. I think its strong ties with Kousei's mother is another reason why it's my favourite, as it is when Kousei moves on.

Character - 10/10
Is it acceptable to want a certain girl under 18 as a waifu? Doesn't matter. I feel this compelling force that makes me want to give Kaori a huge hug and never let go. Kaori is the cheerful one who is always encouraging. But as we all know, the cheerful ones are those that are hiding the most. Her opening up to Kousei is so sweet, yet heartbreaking and bitter. How heartless the creator must be, to come up with Kaori's circumstances. I want to punch him or her. Her development is minimal, which I don't mind, since her bubbliness is present from the start and is one of the things that defines her. She puts up a strong front, so that she doesn't hurt her friends. The ultimate sacrifice. Kousei is arguably the one who gets the most development. He certainly is a drama king, but not in a bad way. As the main character, we follow his ups and downs, experience his hopeless moments, and are engaged with his life. Not much else to be said, Kousei is a great main character who goes through many obstacles for the one he loves. Watari is so loyal it's insane. I don't mean in relationships, but as a friend. He steps back, yet gives Kousei the push he needs. What a guy. Tsubaki is a bit of an enigma; violent and rough, meek and shy, tsundere to the max. She takes the trope to the max, but that's what's so endearing about her. Being almost obsessive, she can't come to terms with her feelings for Kousei, and seeing her go through that experience of self-actualization is touching.

Enjoyment - 10/10
Music is amazing, art is amazing, plot is great, relatable characters, what more could one ask for in a show? Needless to say, I thoroughly enjoyed Your Lie in April, even through the seven times I cried. Episode 21 is so emotional it's unbelievable.

So there you have it. My biased and skewed opinion. Take it or leave it. But I sincerely hope you take it. The more people watch and like Your Lie in April, the better. This is a rare gem, one that isn't made often. Seldom will you run across a more emotional, heart-wrenching, touching, sentimental anime such as this. I hope this review reached you...

This show is nothing but good feels. Good feels and heartwarming moments. And that's not a bad thing.

Story - 7/10
A good guy opens up to the different people and befriends them. Different as in physically different, as in not human. It's not completely original, but it did put a spin on the monster girl trope, especially after Monster Musume...ugh. The character interactions were genuine and everyone's beliefs were real. I felt the best part about Demi-chan wa Kataritai was the honesty and the reality of the students' situations. Specifics aside, people are often ostracised because they are different, and people automatically think they want to ... be treated like everyone else.

Art - 8/10
Not super high quality, but good. Animations were generally smooth and the character design was cute. Especially in the last episode, at the pool, I liked the attention to detail, like the reflection of light bouncing off the surface of the pool hitting the walls. I guess the producers wanted to end on a high note, and they achieved just that.

Sound - 8/10
Same deal, not amazing, but good. The OP was alright, nothing much, but the ED reminded me of Nichijou's ED, soft and lullaby-like. I really enjoyed the ED. Sound effects were cute, nothing more that could be said, really.

Character - 10/10
Numbero uno, they stayed true to themselves throughout the anime, which is great. Secondly, I felt that Hikari, Machi, and Yuki all embraced their tropes, which usually is a bad thing, but in this case, it worked as we experienced all their ups and downs. Hikari, the vampire, being the outgoing and cutesy girl who has no qualms about going toe-to-toe with anyone, Machi, the dullahan, being the intelligent one who reflects on herself, and Yuki, the snow woman (hence her name), being the shy reserved girl who rarely opens up to anyone. I liked how they all overcame their trope restraints and became friends with everyone. Satou-sensei I feel was just there for the humour, her obstacle wasn't dealt with as well as the others' were. At the end of the day, Hikari is still the cutest.

Enjoyment - 10/10
I was waiting every Saturday for the next episode to come out. I was drawn by the vulnerability of the characters and, not gonna lie, by the cuteness and good feels that the show brings out. It's a heartwarming anime, and I think everyone should watch it!

Overall - 9/10
I liked it, other reviewers seem to like it, so what's stopping you from watching it?

All aboard the hype train! Fans have been anxiously waiting for this since it first got announced back in March 2016, myself included. Expectations rose, excitement heightened, and the internet blew up once they caught wind that there was going to be an SAO movie. With such high expectations and hopes, did Ordinal Scale live up to the hype? Let's find out.

Story - 8/10
I'm assuming that everyone that's reading this has already watched at least the first arc of season 1. If not, turn back now. The story is good, adaptively creative. Basically, what that means is that the director took an existing plot and/or ... inspiration, and improved upon it. Same concept, new direction. It follows what the SAO series is all about, really - gaming, scheming, mental toughness, and overcoming impossible odds with some new overpowering technique. Granted, it worked for season 1 and 2, so why fix something that's not broken? Personally, I feel that it could've been longer, maybe a two-movie series, but all in all it performed well given the time frame of 2 hours. One thing I have to add, though, is that I thought the directer only made Yuno an idol purely to please the mainstream audience. She could've been a juggler, book nerd, or unicyclist, and it wouldn't have made a difference in the plot.

Art- 10/10
I usually don't give stuff 10 for art unless it's Makoto Shinkai, but the art on Ordinal Scale is fantastic in its own way. While Shinkai will take your breath away with beautifully detailed scenery, Ordinal Scale gives the audience mesmerising fight scenes. Animation is included in art, and the animation during fight scenes was phenomenal. High swinging swords with light trails, energy bullets streaking across the stage, oppai jiggles *cough*, flashbacks; all were fantastic. Character design and costumes were amazing too, I loved the costume for Yuna-hime...I may or may not have a thing for white hair...

Sound - 9/10
I don't give 10's unless I'm humming the songs when I'm walking down the street. I have to say that although the sound effects were practically perfect, some songs weren't exactly my cup of tea. OP and ED was the same song, "Catch the Moment", by LiSA, the same person who did "Crossing Field" for SAO season 1, and other themes from Angel Beats, The Irregular at Magic High School, Nisekoi, and Qualidea Code. Great as always, no complaints about that. However, I do have a problem with 3 of the songs Yuno sang: 1) Ubiquitous dB, 4) Break Beat Bark!, and 5) Smile For You. 1 and 4 did nothing for me except having a song for the purpose of having a fight song. I just didn't like Smile For You, I thought there was something weird about it that just bugs me. Songs 2) and 3), Longing and Delete respectively, were good. I felt that they elevated the fight scene and set the appropriate moods.

Character - 10/10
They stayed true to their characters, no deviations. Yuno, I love you. Sinon, I love you. Man, I wish Sinon had more screen time. Kirito, you lucky SOB, you got to shove your face into Asuna's oppai. Don't worry, that wasn't a major part of the story...

Enjoyment - 10/10
I was lucky enough to catch this on opening night in Vancouver (second showing). As expected, sold out theatre. The movie was amazing, don't get me wrong, but the atmosphere inside the theatre was awesome. Practically everyone had watched both seasons, and were true fans. Every time something big happened on screen, there would be collective cheers or boos from everyone. For example, let's say Kirito were to have his face planted in between Asuna's oppai. Completely random example, may or may not have happened in the movie. Everyone laughed, but then this little kid in the 3rd row squealed EWWWW and everyone laughed even harder. Little things like that, along with the like-minded audience, made this movie much more enjoyable. Don't get me wrong, without the audience reactions, I still would have rated the enjoyment high. It was nice talking to fellow fans after the movie, discussing what we thought should've happened, and whatnot.

Overall - 9/10
Watch Ordinal Scale if you are even remotely interested in SAO. I loved every moment of it. There were twists that kept everyone on the edge of their seats. There were moments when we wanted to cry, and moments when we wanted to shove our faces into Asuna's oppai...ok I'll stop about that. But seriously, it was a great movie.

STAY TO WATCH THE POST-CREDIT SCENE.

SEASON 3 CONFIRMED, ALICIZATION ARC(S) !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

First, I gotta throw this out: Chuunibyou is one of my favourite series of all time so there may be a slight hint of bias in the following review. Just a bit.

Okay, let's begin.

Before any actual review of Chu-2, I just want to mention that Chu-1 was very good, in terms of story, art, characters, everything. One thing that bugged me a bit was the depressing side in the final episodes. I realise that whole topic is depressing but it didn't fit in a lot with the beginning. I was missing the comedic and romantic undertones near the end; it seemed like a drama instead, ... not that there's anything wrong with drama (some I love) but it's not what Chu-1 was supposed to be: a rom-com. Nevertheless, Chu-1 was very good and I gave it a 9.

On to Chu-2. I thought KyoAni didn't do that bad of a job as everyone else seems to believe. Sure, some of the aspects like little visual effects were lacking in the second season, but that's small talk. What really matters is the story, art, sound, characters, and overall enjoyment of the show, which I think Chu-2 flourishes in.

Story - 9/10
Maybe it's that the story was a little complicated or had a lacklustre final goal. Maybe it's just that other people aren't smart enough to find the hidden meanings. Of course, MAL condones spoilers, as does the rest of the community, so I can't really elaborate on the metaphors and hidden meanings, but Yuuta's Dark Flame Dragon may be a little more obvious that you think... only the contract holder can awaken it. Shichimiya's battle is pretty straightforward as well. Whatever the case may be, Chu-2 did a really good job in selling the story and moving the plot forward. True, they did use less comedy in the second season, but it's because I was so attached to the characters from Chu-1 that I enjoyed the second season more.

Art - 9/10
Smooth animation, nice visuals, nothing out of the ordinary from KyoAni.

Sound - 8/10
It's kind of expected with a Slice of Life anime. The art and sound can only go so high because most scenes are limited to normal everyday activities. However, because Rikka and Shichimiya transport themselves to the other dimension, stuff like the sound effects have an edge on their other SoL rivals. However, seeing as how this is a continuation of the first season, there wasn't much change in the sound effects or the OP's and ED's. To be completely honest, they were plain and not really that memorable. But they still work with the mood of Chu-2 so the opening and ending songs are pretty solid and on par with the rest of the show.

Character - 10/10 (completely bias-free)
Like I mentioned earlier, I'm attached to some of the characters from Chu-1. First, I'll start with my favourite carry-overs: Nibutani (Mori Summer-chan), Dekomori (Mjollnir Hammer-chan), Rikka (Tyrant Eye-chan), and even Ms Serious Tooka. I also liked Kuzuha, despite her lack of screen time. In Chu-2, Rikka was still the same, Nibutani became even more likeable, Dekomori was still the annoying first year with no respect, and Tooka got even less screen time so she kinda fell off my listing for Chu-2. Rikka is so cute and shy, it's adorable (that ahoge tho...).

Overall, I rated Chu-2 a 9/10 because of its lighthearted tone and awkward romantic motifs. It's definitely relatable, which I think boosts my rating.

That's it, not really sure why people are rating it lower than a 7. It deserves a 9 every time. Nevertheless, I really enjoyed Chu-2 and would definitely welcome a season 3 with open arms.

Alright, back with another review, this time of Food Wars (*well no shit because this is a Food Wars review page...)

Nikumi: *It's not like I want you to read this review anyways...idiot*

Story - 9/10
First of all, it's an original story in my opinion. How often do you see a cooking anime? "Barely" is the answer (at least in my head). It may be slightly implausible because of characters' ages (high school), but that little imperfection is going to be put on the back burner for now (HA I'M FUNNY). Let's start with a summary: kid helps his superstar dad in a small diner in a ... shopping district. Dad runs off to appease his global clients, and sends his aspiring kid to an elite cooking school, where he impresses everyone, especially a himedere. He stays in the dorm for interesting people (Isshiki is the best) and competes for the top seat in the school's student council. To be totally honest, the topic of cooking is quite bland (ANOTHER ONE) and can get very repetitive sometimes. But the intense competitions and challenges that Soma/Souma faces along with the target of my personal intense shipping Megumi keeps the audience on the edge of their seat. Of course, the comedy is the star of the show, but like food, there is depth as well.

Art - 8/10
If anyone starts off by saying "no offence" everyone automatically knows that they're going to insult something. Well, no offence, but the art is not out of the ordinary in SnS. It's solid - let's just say that. Smooth animation, effects (like aromas and textures) enhance the food, but there are few places where it's a bit of a distraction from the *ahem* fanservice. Actually, on the topic of fanservice, I can say one thing that automatically brings down the art rating. Tentacles.

Sound - 10/10
I really liked the first opening and ending songs. They are catchy and stick even through the second half. I really wish they hadn't changed the songs. I mean, come on, the second ending song was so weird that I had to skip it. I remember hearing the first opening over and over again on Crunchyroll ads that I couldn't skip because money. But the ending song, Spice, is so good, I think I'm going to download it soon. The drumming is incredible, and it's just all in all an amazing song. The sound effects actually help too, unlike the visual effects, because they emphasize the comedic aspects of devouring a dish. My favourite scene of the whole show is Episode 9, where Soma is walking to the public baths and bumps into Erina. It's not the coincidental extra fanservice that strikes my fancy, but it's how Matsuoka (Soma's voice actor) hums the ascending scale. It's so horribly off key that it makes me laugh my ass off every time. I have perfect pitch, so that makes it even worse. Even if the openings and endings were shit, I would still rate the sound of SnS 10/10 just because of that scene.

Character - 9/10
Soma reminds me of Hinata from Haikyuu. Both are super goal-oriented and have their own set of skills that set them apart. Soma can easily adapt and is an all around genius, who's ignorant about his own arrogance, but that's what makes him a fun character. Megumi is just so sweet in her own way, starting off as clumsy but growing into a confident chef who serves homey and emotional food. She's the one that is often overlooked by characters in the anime, but everyone watching the show has their attention on her. Nakiri Erina is one of the most annoying princess-archetypes I have ever had the misfortune of experiencing. I really want to punch that himedere in the face (maybe it's a personal thing; I just hate himederes in general). However, that does make for a good character. After all, there is a saying: "good people don't make good characters". Erina is a good character in the sense that she is a necessary evil, if you catch my drift. In the food world, she's like those carved carrot flowers at Chinese restaurants that everyone knows has been reused for like 8 other plates before yours. You're supposed to eat it (because everything on the plate should be edible), in this case you're supposed to like Erina, but you don't because you know better. Those are the main characters, but the supports that are worth mentioning include the always-present tsundere (Nikumi), Erina's cousin Alice, Alice's bipolar lackey Ryou, and my personal favourite, Seat 7 and the naked-apron chef Isshiki. To be honest, there is not too much in the development area for Soma because he is so goal oriented - he learns from losing but that fact doesn't change - on the other hand, Megumi evolves in a positive way, and Nikumi changes like the typical tsundere - from coldhearted to shy and abusive - but these all contribute to a very satisfying character squad.

Enjoyment - 10/10
Cooking is not exactly my forte, nor is it a topic that I am passionate about. I mean, I like to eat but it's not like I want to make good-tasting food for other people. It's mine, you hear? I have a little brother around 10 years old, and he's just starting to pick up recipes and make stuff, but there is no way in hell I'm letting him watch this show. Anyways, this show checks a lot of the boxes in my must-haves in a comedy anime. For example, it must have (a) either a really smart or really clueless main character, (b) nice visuals, (c) must be relatable (aka slice of life) or on the extreme side (aka Gintama), (d) cute girls (hehe), and (e) the more chibi the better. An optional checkbox is a hint of ecchi, though it really depends on my mood. Too much, like DxD or Highschool of the Dead, is just really cringy. But this one is pretty much ideal in the sense that it has a perfect balance between action, comedy, and fanservice.

I haven't started the second season because I haven't had a lot of free time recently, but that's near the top of my to-watch queue right now. Soon, though. SnS really made its mark due to its soundtrack and comedy I think. Another successful anime from Mainichi, well done.

For those who've watched the show and enjoyed my review, I'm
glad you enjoyed it!

Heh another reference. I like to think I'm funny, if you haven't figured yet.

I'm just reading the other reviews about Orange, and around 70% are giving it a 5 or lower. Now I'm sitting here wondering what could possibly be going on in those people's lives that makes them rate such a good show such a low score?

Let's start with the plot. I really liked the story (9/10) because of two things. One, time travel is a theme that is hard to nail. There are films that do horribly because they do nothing to explain it. There are films that receive mixed reviews because they over-explain it (Interstellar). And then there are films that don't overload you with ... the science while including a basic explanation to allow the story to flow. Do I 100% understand how the letters were sent back? Of course not, because no one does. However, I think Orange explained their version of time travel well enough to not have viewers nitpick at it. They elaborated enough so that it doesn't have to be the main emphasis of the anime. Actually this transitions really well into my second point. The main emphasis of Orange is actually not on the concept of time travel (*what really? I didn't know that...*) but rather on the selflessness of friends and what friends will do to continue being friends. MC Naho receives a letter from the future and tries to save her friend and crush's life. How selfless can you get? I understand that some of her actions were pretty stupid, but then again, this is a school slice of life anime. Everybody makes mistakes, everybody has those days. But how Orange wove in the events in the letters and how they changed in the present was so masterfully done that I had to rate the story a 9.

The art of Orange was pretty good (8/10). Made from the same studio as Ao Haru Ride, it's not exactly the type of conventional art style we think of when we hear the word "anime", but I think it would've been a hindrance if it were to be animated in how most of us are used to seeing anime. Orange is a softer anime and the art definitely contributed to that effect.

The soundtrack, by itself, is very good (8/10). I'm now listening to Kobukuro thanks to Orange's ending. Mirai (the ending song) has a really soft timbre and provides the feels train with electricity. Whenever I hear those first ascending notes in the ending, I get goosebumps. Hikari no Hahen, the opening song, is pretty much the average for any serious high school show. Guitars, lighthearted vocals, and standard drumming, it just screams "mainstream slice of life right here!" Apart from the opening and ending, the sounds in the actual anime aren't bad - they contribute to the scene sometimes, but other times they are just annoying.

The character development is where Orange really takes the W (10/10). First of all, Naho is a social dandere and makes for an annoying MC sometimes, due to her inability to make the right decisions, but it's cute when she gets it right. I mean, you have a letter from the future to tell you what to do right, but she ignores some of it, or even follows it to the letter (heh) and that just ticks me off sometimes. Kakeru is a solid character - he blames himself for his mother's death and near the end, shuts himself out from his friends thinking that he's hurting them. How sweet can you get... I mean, he's the one hurting the most, but he doesn't want to burden others, what a sympathetic character. I can't really say I feel for him since my parents are alive and well, but it's understandable why he acts the way he does. Suwa is a really strong character, both in the physical sense and the emotional sense. He is supportive, and is ready to take on any challenge. He doesn't really change throughout the show, but he's reliable and probably the smartest out of the whole bunch, which is funny considering he's also the jock in the group. He sacrifices his own love life for Naho and Kakeru's. That's called selflessness and taking one for the team. Takako is just Takako, not really an interesting character, she's just there. Now we get interesting. Azusa is the outgoing girl of the group, and she's the one who usually plays matchmaker. Everyone likes her, and if she wasn't in the show, Orange would get bland very quickly. My favourite character, Hagita, is the nerdy and seemingly pessimistic of the bunch. He's quite the tsundere and is portrayed to have a crush on Azusa. Actually, he's married to her in the future. He acts as the comedic relief, often ignored and made fun of, but he has as much of an importance on the story as everyone else. After all, he's the one who broke Kakeru's bike to protect him. He's the best.

The enjoyment factor of Orange was off the charts (10/10). Often, I would go through the weekdays wishing for Sunday to come to watch Orange on Kissanime. If it detracts my attention from my work and captivates me when I'm watching, I can't see how it deserves anything less than a 10 for enjoyment.

Overall, Orange received a 9 from me, because of its successful characters and plot. For all you reviewers who gave Orange a five or lower, I would *strongly* insist that you reconsider.

Ok, so this is my first review up on MAL, but I think this movie deserves my first.

Makoto Shinkai, you've done it again. A work of beauty and marvellous storytelling. I won't summarise it since almost everyone else has, and plus, there's a synopsis for a reason. I will say, though, that the plot, though initially I thought was pretty generic, twisted its way right to my heart. How Shinkai transformed a seemingly bland story into a heart-wrenching movie that kept me on the edge of my seat was extraordinary. Given, Shinkai has extraordinary talent himself, producing titles like "The Garden of Words" and "5 ... Centimetres per Second", both on my all-time favourites list, so it's not exactly unexpected that he created this masterpiece.

I rated the story 10/10. Most people will probably disagree and say that the plot was unoriginal and bland, which I did mention above. I can't disagree, but the 10 comes from how Shinkai revamped the traditional plot of "fantastical circumstance draws a boy and a girl together". The twists kept me hooked and I almost cried when I learned that...oh wait, no spoilers...sorry. Without giving away too much, I loved how he addressed the issue of the time gap, providing a common ground for both MC's to coexist. I did cry when she dropped the pen, however.

EDIT - Story 9/10
I've watched Kimi no Na Wa close to ten times now - it's my all time favourite movie. However, closer inspection of the story does reveal time-honoured tropes and cliches that I did notice in my first viewing, but my lame excuse the first time was the blend of cliches were refreshing and blah blah blah. Now that I have basically memorized the whole movie, the cliches and scenes found in every movie did reveal a slight lack of imagination on Shinkai's part. Don't get me wrong, he's still a god. But I have noticed similarities in conveyance from other movies, like the "boy meets girl, boy falls in love with girl, boy loses girl, boy finds girl, happy ending". The ending was unnecessary - don't get me wrong, I also love happy endings - but the way they interacted *after impact* threw me off a bit. Mitsuha is supposed to be strong-willed, playful, and a bit of a tsundere, but her character in the end was so passive I almost didn't recognize her.

Was there any surprise that the art is a 10? Probably not. I don't have to elaborate on this one just because it's a Makoto Shinkai film. Enough said. Beautiful.

The sound was a 7/10, the weakest category, but still good nonetheless. Others have said it, and I'll repeat it. The song choices were good, fit with the mood, and overall enhanced the scenes they were played with. However, after the fact, I'm not humming the tunes of any of them; they're just not that memorable. No offence, but if I heard any of them again, I probably wouldn't recognise them. In the movie, though, they were appreciated and complemented their respective scenes well.

EDIT - Sound 10/10
I lied. They're very memorable. I have bought the whole soundtrack, both original and piano scores :p. I can sing/hum all the main songs - Yumetourou, ZenZenSense, Mitsuha no Theme, Kataware Doki, SPARKLE, and Nandemonaiya - by heart. No further elaboration required.

The characters in the movie are well deserving of an 8/10, nine might be pushing it a little. The characters are a boy and a girl of the same high school age. The boy lives in the city and the girl lives in the countryside. Being of that adolescent age, they are naturally somewhat shy when it comes to feelings and love, but still adventurous enough to climb mountains by themselves. Let me talk about Taki, the boy, first. Only child, single parent who doesn't seem to care a whole lot, works long hours, has a few friends, and is diligent when he sets his mind to something. Voiced by the giant baby from Spirited Away who everyone loves, Taki was voiced well. Ryunosuke did a good job portraying surprise, endearment, and despair. He also did a pretty good job of sounding like a girl with a guy's vocal chords. Taki himself gets a 9 for being a good, solid MC. Now for Mitsuha, the shrine maiden from the country. Her family was estranged, and she lives with her traditional oba-chan (if you don't understand, get off MAL...just kidding). She's a little unorthodox compared to the rest of the community, and has a bit of a wild streak. What makes her a great character is that she's a tsundere...haha. What actually makes her a great character is her headstrong attitude, the seriousness to do what she sets her mind to. Like Taki, she is diligent at what she does, but she just does it better. Ups and downs are not uncommon for Mitsuha, but she will go to great lengths to meet Taki. She's voiced by Mone Kamishiraishi, a relatively new voice actress if MAL's actor/actress information is correct (she's 18!!!). Individually, Mitsuha is a 9.5. You're probably thinking "ok, if they're a 9 and a 9.5, why is the character rating only an 8?" The answer is that both these characters are pretty static throughout the movie. The development is just not strong enough. Their attitudes only change superficially according to the mood (ie. comedic relief) and no change internally really happens. The fact that they started off as really strong characters saved their score, but in order for them to be a 10, they should be dynamic, changing their outlook somewhere in the plot line. It just doesn't happen for me, so it's an 8.

EDIT - Character 9/10
I just bumped it up because I realized I wasn't giving enough credit to the seiyuu's for acting like the opposite gender. And, I felt attached to both of them. Mind you, however, Shinkai did mention in a recent interview that he may have emotionally manipulated the audience...

The enjoyment on "Kimi no Na Wa" is a 10. If I had a scouter and my name was Vegeta, this would've been over 9000. Hehe. Anyways, back to the point. I thoroughly enjoyed this movie for numerous reasons: (1) Makoto Shinkai is a god, (2) I'm a sucker for romance, (3) I'm an even bigger sucker for twists and reveals, (4) The art and animation was outstanding, (5) The characters followed their hearts, and I'm a huge sucker for that, (6) The plot blends really smoothly and has a lot of depth...as you can see, I can go on forever. But I won't. What I will say about my enjoyment of this movie is that it really does hold a spot in my heart now.

Thank you Makoto Shinkai for yet another breathtaking movie, and I look forward anxiously at your next release. I hope you found this review insightful, and you'd better watch the movie.

EDIT
I recently came back from Shinjuku, Japan, and I spent 5 days in that area, not to mention Akihabara, only a 20ish minute train ride. Anyways, aside from immersing myself in Akiba, and shopping my ass off, I went to a theatre that happened to be steps from my hotel. You can only guess what I watched. No English subs? No problem, I have the movie basically memorized. Every aspect of it was enhanced, and I cried three separate times I think. I took a peek at everyone else's face (it was still showing after almost half a year, and THE THEATRE WAS FULL) they were all wet with tears, or showed the remnants of tears. Man, I love this movie.