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I was curious at first how it would play out because of how popular it seemed and how much attention it gets from other users. As I have previewed the series without even looking at the synopses/reviews, and to my disappointment, I did not find the reason behind Overlord being hyped. Overlord is another Isekai show... Nothing too unusual, except for the fact that the main character--although generic at best--is a hero wearing the capes of a villain.

The story revolves around a male protagonist who happens to be a guild leader of a dying MMO. The show doesn't delve deeper into the information regarding "the ... real life" of the user, except for several flashbacks that shows fragments of memories about his guild-mates who apparently quit the game due to their circumstances. Even taking for granted how convenient the world transfer and the world setting is for our main character, Momonga (AKA Ainz). As overpowered as he is, mainly because of being a cash user and gaining the items of 40 other cash users, the setting of the show tells us that the universe he was randomly transported into is inferior to his character and guild. Along with the non-player characters (NPCs), he first hints at taking over the world in order to help other players of the MMO by making the name of his guild Ainz Ooal Gown known throughout the country (thus, the name change from Momonga to Ainz). The difference in the show itself is that our main character technically has no people from the same game by his side--as opposed to other "Isekai-MMO shows" that usually have a group of people working together to accomplish a goal. The story gets dull as the show is full of useless banter and dragged out dialogues. The overpowered being is just not appealing when the show is just slow-paced and not clear on what direction the series wants to go to. The progression of the plot is not evident as it goes randomly from here to there. Also, the series contains a lot of information that seems to be irrelevant despite the possibility that the information might be used for setting up flags/necessary events for plot advancement. For me, as a viewer, it feels like the author might be a bit scatterbrained.

Our characters all have different personalities and character designs. As usual, such a thing is necessary in order to make the show seem a bit more dynamic, but in this case the contrast just feels outright annoying. The inconsistency of some characters and just how they were designed appeared to be quite irritating because it felt like the show always hints at fan-service. On the other hand, there were times that I felt fairly amused because of how stupid the characters became. Although, considering that Overlord was produced quite recently, the art is mediocre, not to mention the poor CGI designs in several scenes. I was also bothered by how usual they forced "English" into the show as it contained many commands or skills, but I felt that it was not necessary.

It's fairly decent but it's just a little bit better than some of isekai anime adaptations out there. I finished watching the whole season 1 in one sitting and it feels lacking in several aspects (such as its plot,conflict, character development, world-building, art & animation, flexibility in voice acting/script-writing)... but I managed to watched through it so I guess it's bearable. I can't see why people are/were hyped over it.

[TL;DR]
Overlord is a generic Isekai anime adaptation with a not so generic main character archetype. It's not bad per se; it is somewhat bearable and sometimes fun to watch.
Story : 4 (40% = 1.6)
Character : 4 (25% = 1)
Art & Animation: 5 (20% = 1)
Sound : 5 (15%= 0.75)

Overall : 4.35 ~> 4/10
(Enjoyment : 6, Not Included in Criteria Rating)

=Contains minor/irrelevant spoilers=
Sword Art Online: Ordinal Scale (SAO:OS) is actually "pretty good" when it comes to its entertainment value. Disregarding other factors such as animation, art, background music, voice-acting and things of the sort, the show is quite simple (as it has always been, including the first two anime adaptations of the SAO series), but it works. The hole in this series would be how overpowered the main character is, which is quite a turn-off for some. However, for others, it gives them a feeling of enjoyment and/or excitement whenever the main character becomes strong enough to just single-handedly overcome the conflict. Anyway...
What kind of ... viewer (that is fairly new to anime, not based on number of anime series finished, but rather on the way he/she scrutinizes the films/shows) wouldn't want a wish-fulfillment type of show? So, yeah, I think it just depends on how one would rate it. [MothersBasement on Youtube actually has a decent argument regarding 'what SAO does right,' you might wanna check up on that.]
But for me, I'd give it overall, about 6/10. The Plot is an outright 5/10. As always, our characters are involved in looking into matters regarding murder-in-game-and-real-life matters. It only differs with the first two seasons in the franchise in how and what way the culprit does the crime. Of course, it would never happen that there would be "power of friendship," "I must live," and "I need to stop this injustice" feature. Then we'll see the main character facing the criminal/accomplices in crime head-to-head and resolve every conflict that was presented from start to finish as he always does.
Our characters have been the same all throughout the franchise (with minimal changes in personality), with new members introduced here and there. You cannot expect much development with their personalities. What my complaint is toward the focal point of the movie. It might be my bad memory not being able to recall those two characters, Nautilus and Yuna in the original game SAO, but I can't seem to recall either of them, the bard especially, in SAO, GGO, and ALO. I might have overlooked Nautilus in the Aincrad arc as they said that he was a part of the KoB guild, but definitely I haven't seen "THAT girl." Not even being a part of the original plot then suddenly becoming the center of the movie is a bit confusing. (I can't seem to recall those two names even though I watched both seasons and read the light novel until the Alicization Arc.) That's just my opinion though, as someone informed me that she was featured in one of side stories of Ordinal Scale, "Sword Art Online Hopeful Chant."
On the other hand, the quality in art and animation is great, as expected. What usually takes in a viewer to be invested in a series nowadays is neat art and top-notch animation. In this regard, SAO:OS has done well to captivate most of its audience, if not all. On the other hand, its sound quality and other related factors remain just a little above average, keeping everything in order without much problems, but nothing very interesting in particular. Most of the background music, (insert songs, should I say), used in the film were finely arranged, to a point that they were well-partnered for their respective scenes.

It's fine to watch the show, but it's nowhere near awesome.

[TL;DR]
A franchise with high enough sales that works without a plot that actually has depth. A series deeply rooted in wish-fulfillment and other commercial factors.
Story : 5 (40% = 2)
Character : 5 (25% = 1.25)
Art & Animation: 9 (20% = 1.8)
Sound : 6 (15%= 0.9)

Overall : 5.95 ~> 6/10
(Enjoyment : 7, Not Included in Criteria Rating)

Highschool baseball? Sure.
As the poster implies, it does have romance. Do not fret, it has a balance between the romance and sports genre. The only redundant point would be based on the happenings on the first episode, and it gets weird at times (because of how convenient it is for the plot). Be informed that the series in itself is quite melodramatic. I mean, the chance of those things happening in real life...is very low. Not that I have complaints against the series, I'm just saying my point of view. I did not get emotionally attached or hyped in most scenarios when the viewer is ... supposed to feel such emotions. It has good story-writing, but it gets quite dull in the middle of the series because of the slow-pacing and the never-changing plot and the minimal conflict (relatively speaking), which causes only a little bit of tension. You might be shocked, but the 50-episode build-up might not be the one you are looking forward to. I'd leave that to your imagination, what the focus and ending would actually be.

The following statements would refer to the characters, art and animation, and sound quality:
The show reveals the setting from childhood years of our characters until their teenage years, so you'd expect character development. I say to you, aside from their physical skills and outward appearance, they remain the same pretty much throughout the whole show. The show itself limits the room for development. In a sense, it is appropriate. On the other hand, the designs of the cast all look different from one another, and it is evident that it was drawn during the 2009-2010 period. It gives off a familiar vibe though. On a different note, the sounds are similar to your regular ol' baseball anime shows. There is nothing that can be considered out-of-place, so I would say that it is a good thing.

The show has its ups and downs, so it may be fun and boring to watch at certain points in the series. It's something that could be used to pass off time, but it's not something that's so great that you'd bawl over how amazing it is as a show.
[TL;DR]
Cross Game is a baseball story having the characters unable to move on from the past.
Story : 5 (40% = 2)
Character : 7 (25% = 1.75)
Art & Animation:6 (20% = 1.2)
Sound : 5 (15%= 0.75)

Overall : 5.7 ~> 6/10
(Enjoyment : 8, Not Included in Criteria Rating)

You might be tired of hearing of the saying "Houseki no Kuni is the gem of this season (pun intended)." And for those who do not understand the pun, let us talk about it, because it really is a gem regardless of which season it was aired.

The story plays out as there are only a few what we may refer to as "people" left in their universe. Our characters defend themselves from a different race since it was what they have been doing for as long as they remember. What I can tell you is that there is not much development for the plot, but ... rather the focus of the development was on our characters. The main character is the "useless one" in their group, and as the story progresses, we will witness the changes s/he has gone through. There might be some aspects that might be confusing, nevertheless, the plot was still all right.

With regard to characters, each and every one of them have their own personality, quirks, duty, effectiveness/usefulness and role in the story. They can be easily recognized (and remembered) due to their individuality and character design. Considering that our characters are actually gems (thus, the pun), their names were also based off on those precious rocks. In a sense, you can say they were well-written. On the other hand, it could make you wonder who the "antagonist" really is. As I have mentioned, the focus of the series was not the resolution of the plot, but the development of the characters. I'll leave that portion of deciding which character(s) is/are the true antagonists. My only objection is that the show claims that our characters are "gender-less," but all of them, because of their character designs, can be easily classified as male or female.

In the art and animation aspect of the series, some might be put-off or discouraged in watching the series, mainly because of the computer-generated imagery (CGI). However, do not fret, as the art and animation was not bad per se. Still, you might have qualms against it due to it not being conventional. It is a bit different, but it isn't worse as I have imagined. Give it a chance after a few episodes, and you can decide then.

In terms of the sound quality, it was fine. I have no complaints. Except for the OK opening and ending songs, and the effective use of the particular background music in the concluding theme, I found nothing else that was noteworthy in particular.

[TL;DR]
Houseki no Kuni was a gem because of the characters, and it was also considered a gem because not many can appreciate this type of show (CGI).
Story : 5 (40% = 2)
Character : 9 (25% = 2.25)
Art & Animation:8 (20% = 1.6)
Sound : 7 (15%= 1.05)

Overall : 6.9 ~> 7/10
(Enjoyment : 8, Not Included in Criteria Rating)

Made in Abyss... "Looks weird, just what is it?"

Going in head first, without expecting anything out of this anime might be the usual approach in watching this series. I, for one, just viewed this series out of curiosity, and well, I was overwhelmed at how good the experience was for me. That was, until the final arc. (Not saying it has a bad ending, rather, the focus of the ending was to build a different character than giving closure, or, opening better possibilities for the story as a whole. I felt that the ending was not a good fit for the series.)

Speaking of the story, ... it felt quite shaky at first, mainly because of how uninformed I was as a viewer. The first episode did not really reveal the extent and limitations of the anime as a potential 10-out-of-10 rating series, nor did it reveal much about its own universe. The story offers something that is original as opposed to the usual ripped-off/cliched other-world premise. In general, it was pretty well-written, but without much depth. (pun intended.) It revolves around a character that chases after her mother, who is (apparently) one of the best adventurers in their excavating-themed universe. It was fun starting the series, but it became dark as soon as the rising action came into play. From that point onward, it was either tense or dramatic. My general opinion on the plot of the series is that, it's not bad, but I wouldn't go so far by saying that "It's great." My rating for it is somewhere between good and very good--if not for the shallow-ending arc, I probably would have rated it higher.

Let's talk about characters. I could say that I loved a few of them, but I rated it only as good because of how the main characters were flat rather than round or dynamic. You cannot see much changes in their personalities aside from their determination to succeed in their goal. The supporting characters, on the other hand, were very likable. For one reason or another, one cannot simply hate their twisted (scarred might be the more appropriate word) personalities.

Art and animation: The art was eye-catching, in more ways than one. The character designs were quite unique because of the art-style. Several landscapes and picture-perfect views could always be seen during the most part of the show. Just bear with the child-like figures of most of them...
The animation was neat and fluid. I even found myself enjoying the whole show just from the art and animation alone.

Sound Quality: Nothing seemed off with the sound effects. Pretty much appropriate. I cannot say much for the voice-acting as I am no expert, but in terms of soundtracks, they have spectacular arrangements. The pieces were just perfect in emphasizing the feel of the scenes, whether it be tense, fanciful, dark, or emotional. One of the reasons I stumbled upon this anime was because of their pieces.

When it comes to originality, it definitely passed with flying colors. The plot itself and the designs of everything were new for me (considering I have watched 300+ anime shows). I am not saying, "New is always better." However, in this case, because of its originality, Made in Abyss is an exciting series to watch.

[TL;DR]
MiA has an adventurous theme, with heavy drama included (reinforced by amazing soundtracks).
Would recommend. Worth the watch.
Story : 8 (40% = 3.2)
Character : 7 (25% = 1.75)
Art & Animation: 8 (20% = 1.6)
Sound : 10 (15%= 1.5)

Overall : 8.05 ~> 8/10
(Enjoyment : 8, Not Included in Criteria Rating)

ACCA: 13-ku Kansatsu-ka (ACCA: 13th Territory Inspection Department)

"The story revolves around the second-in-command of the inspection department performing his audits on 13 states of the country." --This one liner fails to entice a huge number of its viewers to a certain extent. As the description implies, the plot is not your usual "power of friendship" fiasco: it involves investigation and deducing conspiracy theories. At most, it filters a lot of its audience during the first few episodes. However, once you have been invested in the series, provided that you are observant, you can enjoy following the flow of the story. I found the story ... to be complex and difficult to predict. Despite that fact, it was quite enjoyable because it stuck with its original point from start to finish. (With a lil' bit of side-trips along the way.) Also, don't forget about the plot twists. Again and again I have been baffled at how many times this series could make my predictions go wrong. What contributes to this predicament is that there were times that it relayed very predictable actions/character reveals, but all throughout the series there were also misleading elements.

Characters are a bit unique, although there may be design-and-archetype combination that might be faintly familiar for some. Along with the creative writing, there are several points in this series that showcased the appeal and personalities of most characters. Most of the supporting cast had their distinctive sense of personality.

In terms of art, it's safe to say that the art style was not too shabby. My only complain is that there seemed to be quality drops starting from the middle of the series. It became quite terrible at some point, having poor animation and low quality. Either way, if you're not to particular when it comes to this aspect, there really isn't much to mention. No picture-perfect scenes, but there are some pretty neat illustrations that, most likely, are based on popular and/or historical places in the real world. (Also: Less eye-candy.)

Sound quality: It has good voice-acting. There was nothing intense with the background music nor sound effects, but I cannot say that it was lacking. Aside from the fun and serene combination of opening and endings, there would be nothing else that is noteworthy in particular, in my honest opinion.


[TL;DR]
Story : 8 (40% = 3.2)
Character : 9 (25% = 2.25)
Art & Animation: 5 (20% = 1)
Sound : 8 (15%= 1.2)

Overall : 7.65 ~> 8/10
(Enjoyment : 6, Not Included in Criteria Rating)
Not suitable and/or enjoyable for all audiences. Enjoyable for those who love political & power struggle/detective type of shows.
Also, again, plot twists.

In a world full of useless heroines in most Shoujos. . . Akatsuki no Yona is just a bit different.

Speaking story-wise, I think that the pacing and the general tone of the show somehow ruined the series for me. Not to mention the animation (music video) of Opening songs also hints the ending, so that also removed the feeling of suspense when it comes to a point where a viewer would predict what would happen.

The plot, in general, isn't really all that interesting--for me at least. It just revolves around the main character and her journey to gather "legendary" companions for a quest to accomplish ... her objective. Along the way, this series shows us the resolve of the princess. However, her character does not fully develop, rendering herself useless. I would like to think that this aspect was intentional to put emphasis on her being weak, but is still able to persuade other characters to join her because of her resilience.

But, like I said, the pacing was terrible and it somehow tells us that "everything is already set in stone." What's more annoying is how the tone is, almost always, casually disrupted; reducing the intensity of the scenes.

With the characters, I didn't particularly hate their distinct personalities however, everything was just cliched "in reverse," which is kind of disappointing. Sound quality was not too bad, and the art and art style was neat and acceptable.

TL;DR, it's not "that" bad. I just did not like it.

Arslan Senki is *arguably* one of the best of the select few animes that has military & strategic planning involved. Not to mention that it actually has a plot to work with even though it may appear to be quite shaky. There are tons of aspects that may be pointed out that may ruin the show for many, but that does not mean it can be considered as garbage. According to my standards, it scores pretty good in general.

To start with, let's talk about the "plot." Considering that this isn't really one of those shows that expressly states what the series is about, it is ... able to let the audience get the gist of story even at the pilot episode. The series did well in terms of plot progression even though it got derailed several times for world building and character development. I commend its author for writing up a story that actually makes sense when it involves war and politics.

Another great aspect of this show is its character and character development. The only downside is that most of these characters are geniuses or exemplified warriors. They are so strong, up to a point that it's absurd how most of them can destroy their enemies because of "natural talent" or "divine protection." These characters are unique, but I can't say that they don't fall into particular archetypes. One thing is for sure though, the series didn't lag behind when it comes to character development. So you can look forward to that, especially when the series is nearing its end.

Next up is its art and animation. I have no qualms about its art, but I have to mention that it is very similar to one Anime (FMA-B, if you know it). With regard to animation, it seemed okay with me when it came to general scenes and battles. It is acceptable even though they used CGI most of the time (general and/or extra characters), because the animation was definitely amazing when it needed to look amazing.

When it comes to the sound aspect, there's nothing to worry about. It may be generic every now and then, but most of the voice actors are widely known--so that's a bonus.

Generally speaking, Arslan Senki has basically all of these things: plot, plot armor, eye candy, cliches, military strategems, dark magic, black/dark knight, cross-dressers, tsunderes, a kuudere, a giant noob, annoying characters, annoying extras, funny moments, mind-blowing moments, "wtf moments," and a lot of other things.

Story7/10 (2.8)
Character5/10 (1.25)
Art / A 5/10( 1)
Sound 4/10 (0.6)
5.65/10=>6

Barely made it to the point where it's worth a watch, if you ask me. Although, unlike most shows, this one is enjoyable enough that you might binge watch all episodes in a day. (entertainment value isn't factored into rating because it depends on personal preferences, thus the score 6/10.)

Battery - Middleschool Baseball has never seen this kind of drama.

A part of the story instantly made be curious just by reading the synopsis, though the pilot episode seemed to be a bit shaky. It was fine because we will see the characters' development as the story progresses, but it fell midway. I had hoped for it to be a sport anime with a dramatic plot. Turns out it was just drama with a hint of baseball. It seemed to me that it was 85% drama and 15% baseball. I could have lived with it, but the plot and conflict were just looped over and ... over to a point that I found it annoying. What's more is that the finale is not really what you can call a "fitting ending" for the series. As someone once said, "They just used the one-cour anime as promotion for the manga."

The characters were bleak and some were generic. I did not like any of them and it was disturbing for me when this series somehow constantly tries to sell "couple pairings" though its cast mainly consisted of males.

The sound aspect wasn't bad at all. The voices made it feel like there was a different accent used, defining the setting of the show. Another good point are the opening and ending songs; I liked them and listened to them for a number of times.

I have nothing in particular to say about the art and animation. It looked a bit different, but it looked good. The animation was consistent throughout the whole series and never became sloppy.

Either way, it's left to one's preference, so I wouldn't dissuade a person from watching this series. Do take note that it might feel a little bit boring, depending on how you find a show entertaining. Again, as a final reminder, this is not a sports-genre-focused anime.

Isekai Shodukou, let's hear some food reviews from creatures from another world!

What I found interesting in Isekai Shokudou was not the genres in particular, but how the balance between the cooking and isekai genres was well maintained. Another point is that, even though the characters were not closely related, they are still indirectly related to one another, giving the show much more substance than just tossing out new characters in each episode.
The plot in itself is already a gem. I find myself content with how intricate it actually is (but the base of it all just revolves around a restaurant, as the title implies). ... It might not seem much at first, but it has a lot of information that you could dig deeper into. In other words, most of the episodes contain at least several pieces of information that could pique your interest. Also, the storyline can keep you entertained for a while even though it is a slice of life anime.

Regardless of the things mentioned earlier, the conceptual framework of the parallel universe has little or insufficient information that could give a solid foundation regarding the lore of their 'fantasy' world. It only tackles the surface of something that could have been a whole new level of Isekai. Either way, regardless of its ambiguity when it comes to the general behavior and beliefs of the creatures, it is still acceptable to the point that it feels quite relevant, considering that the audience has already seen other Isekai shows, or at least thought of a parallel universe.

Another wonderful thing is the art; it has this certain professional feel to it, so simple yet so refined. I cannot fully express how much I appreciate the quality of the artwork and animation of it. Although it is not perfect because there are several frames that require a bit of understanding (which would usually go unnoticed, unless one is very nitpicky).
In addition to that, the sound component of this anime, in general, is appropriate for the mood required in the scenes. ....

TL;DR Here's a list of pros & cons to this anime in general
+very fluid animation
+refined art with good color blending
+has nice soundtracks and appropriate sound effects
+has diverse character races/kingdoms with plausible isekai theories
+/- has isekai as a base genre, and SOL and cooking as the main focus
+/-contains sufficient amount of fan service
+/-has no ultimate plot as far as the anime is concerned
-not for everyone
-might not be entertaining to binge watch for some (although I actually finished it in one go)

To sum it up, the show doesn't need the audience to have knowledge about random jargon and such... therefore, the viewers can easily enjoy the show just because of its entertainment value-- and of course, don't forget to look forward to the mouth-watering food in every episode!