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"I'm a bud that's trying to bloom!" - Ohana

Growing up has never been easy for anyone, and Ohana is no exception. Hanasaku Iroha, or Blossoms for Tomorrow, depicts the adventures of the young and energetic Ohana Matsumae, after she is sent grudgingly to her grandmother's hot spring inn.

While the underlying story may not appear to be the flashiest of concepts, I cannot stress how much I unconsciously became drawn into it. And while Ohana is introduced as the main character, a rather large cast of characters all seem to get just about the same amount of screentime as her. While an overly sized character pool ... is often regarded as a weakness in an anime, as in many cases this results in an overall lack of character depth, however, in Hanasaku Iroha, each character goes through successes and failures in attempts to improve themselves. Hanasaku Iroha is definitely a character-driven show and by realising the dreams and desires of each one, this anime creates a truly colourful atmosphere.

Genre-wise, Hanasaku Iroha is quite the interesting combination, combining Comedy and Drama in a Slice of Life setting. Many anime have attempted similar groupings, however Hanasaku Iroha seems to stand out among the rest in the balance it achieves between the genres. There are times when you'll want to laugh and there are times when you'll tear up, and this show manages to create these moments in perfect harmony.

Whether it be Ohana's attempts at understanding romance, or her struggles in becoming a worthy waitress at the Kissuiso Inn, there is never a dull moment in this anime. Hanasaku Iroha is definitely an anime to consider watching, as it is a show that never fails to not only get you laughing through silly things like Jiroumaru's sexual 'antics', but also questions the fundamentals of your outlook on work, love, and life itself.

So go watch Hansaku Iroha, and join Ohana and the zany staff of Kissuiso, at the "place where dreams are born."

"Tokiwa, how can something so tasty come out of an anus?" - Hachiken

Every so often, we come upon an anime that isn't afraid to challenge the needs and wants of the industry. Gin no Saji, or Silver Spoon, is one such anime. It depicts the adolescent adventures of our young protagonist Hachiken who, despite having a strictly urban upbringing, decides to enrol in an agricultural school, full of budding farmers and the like.

While the preface may seem rather dull, I cannot stress how much I came to love and adore this series. And while Hachiken may be introduced as the main character, a massive cast ... of side characters are included in every moment just as much as him. While some may see this as a weakness, thinking something along the lines of - "Just how much character development can be spread around in a measly 22 episodes?" - however, I personally find that this massive cast is one of the charms of this show. Every character has their ups and downs, and this just seems to continue to add colour to an already thriving atmosphere.

It appears that much of the more recent comedic releases rely heavily upon things like fanservice and ecchi scenes to entertain audiences. If this is what you're looking for, then I truly apologise for leading you on, as you'll find no scenes like that here, except for the pig/horse/cow variety. However, if you are looking for a truly artful comedy, one so cleverly designed as to have you laughing at the strangest things, Gin no Saji truly is the anime for you.

From Hachiken's struggle in consuming eggs, to his attempted romantic advances, there is never a dull moment in this show. So in all seriousness, this truly is an anime to consider, if not an anime to watch, as a comedy like this may very well not only have you rolling around in tears of laughter, but also fundamentally challenge your outlook on food, farms, and every other aspect of life.

'Mahou Shoujo Madoka★Magica'. You've probably heard the name. As a newbie to the Ani-verse, you're probably thinking - "How can so many people call this a masterpiece, when all it seems to be is some rather silly magic girl nonsense?". And then you watch it. And then you hide, crying, under a bed for several hours. MSMM shows a particular talent, in my opinion, of abusing our generic stereotypes. In an essence, the creators have shattered the Magic Girl genre and rebuilt from the ground up for a much more mature audience. Seriously, much more mature.

There is no doubt that 'Mahou Shoujo Madoka★Magica' has been ... delicately crafted by either geniuses, psychopaths, or both. Whilst often when we read a genre, we may assume that the anime will use it in a similar method as any other within the genre. MSMM abuses our preordained expectations of a genre and thus almost seems to be amused having totally fooled the audience. This dark, yet magical giggle echoes throughout the entire course of the anime, truly leaving a haunting yet brilliant experience.

Now you're probably thinking - "Well, that doesn't tell me much". I don't believe I want to say anymore about this piece of work, out of pure respect for the anime. Personally, I think that while a review may point someone in a direction, there is much more to gain from anime watched with a sense of 'self-discovery'.

Now please, "make a contract with me and become a magic girl!"

To describe this anime with a word, it would have to be "breathtaking". Nagi no Asukara, or Nagi-Asu: A Lull in the Sea is a heartwarming tale about breaking the limitations of society and going against what is commonly believed in. While the story may seem similar to many other titles, Nagi-Asu takes an alternate method of telling it, by taking the perspectives of a wide but extremely charming cast of characters and allowing us as viewers to experience the thoughts, emotions, and values that each character holds so dear.

Visually and audibly, Nagi-Asu does not disappoint, with stunning backgrounds and a beautiful soundtrack, further ... adding to the appeal of the anime. From the very first episode, the artwork of Nagi-Asu can easily be compared to those of a photograph, providing an über-realistic representation of the supernatural setting, which allows viewers to truly immerse themselves in the story.

So if you haven't yet, drop whatever you're doing and go watch Nagi-Asu, as an experience like this doesn't appear very often.

Just sit back, relax, and allow yourself to be immersed in the breathtaking masterpiece that is Nagi no Asukara.

Words cannot describe how much I enjoyed this series. Gekkan Shoujo Nozaki-kun, or Monthly Girls Nozaki-kun, was a brilliant experience, filled with infectious comedy and a large but loveable cast of characters. Although Nozaki-kun should very well be categorised as a "Romantic Comedy", if one were to judge it from the listed genres, it easily surpasses the limitations of the category and achieves a much higher level of entertainment. To be honest, I did not expect much going into this series, assuming that this would simply be a newer-2014-revamp of Bakuman. However, this show ended up blowing my mind, in every way possible.

So if you ... haven't seen this yet, get your shit together and go watch it, because anime as good as this don't come around very often.

Just sit back, relax, and enjoy the sublime comedic rollercoaster that is Gekkan Shoujo Nozaki-kun.