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The art style is OK; neither exciting nor ugly. The audio (voice acting, music) is OK, I guess? And while the premise of the main character being a human in a world full of non-humans isn't exactly new, it isn't bad either.

What makes me review this series as bad is none of those things. It's that it's pretentious. It tries too hard to be unique, with a world-building that looks like mashing random elements together, and yet it doesn't give you, the viewer, the exposure necessary to connect those elements into a coherent whole.

As a result, you're left completely clueless and asking yourself ... "what exactly am I watching?". And that feeling remains after one, two, five episodes.

After binge watching the anime (and loving it) I've decided to give this manga a try. Regrettable decision.

Don't get me wrong, it isn't a bad manga. But it pales out in comparison with the anime. It's fine to change a story to adapt it to a new medium, as long as you don't kill it in the process.

Story - 6/10. Why are the children fighting? Why can't adults do it? What's APE up to? What's the message this manga tries to convey? The anime already had some problems with rushed plot, but here it becomes almost nonsensical. And a good chunk of the original message ... (love, trust, bonding, finding yourself in the eyes of your lover) is lost. And let's not talk about the ending, that while happier is by no means satisfactory.

Art - 9/10. Rushed in a lot of parts, but still pleasing to the eyes. I think it's great they gave it some "ecchi treatment" though, with plenty shots of the girls. (Specially Zero Two and Ichigo.)

Character - 6/10. Mitsuru and Kokoro's relationship was never fleshed out, so Kokoro's motivations, crime and punishment were never fleshed out either. Goro, Futoshi, Miku, and Zorome might as well not be there, and the story would still go on. Ikuno got some spotlight but it felt rather irrelevant. Oddly enough Hiro got a mixed blessing, since he's a bit more decisive but loses character development in the process. Zero Two got it the hardest though, I won't spoil it but TL;DR: all that femme fatale aura is broken.

Enjoyment - 6/10. I'm trying to be fair here - I could see myself reading this again in the future, but there's more interesting stuff out there.

Overall - (6+9+6+6*2)/5 = 6.6/10, rounded up to 7/10. I definitively do NOT recommend it if you enjoyed the anime, but if you're into some generic mecha action you might like it better.

If you like ecchi Ishuzoku Reviewers is a good show that got lots of undeserved hate and love. I feel like few people are being objective when rating it, or reviewing the reviewers.

Story - 8/10. The episodes are mostly self-contained, so there isn't much "story" going on besides the premise: some friends in a fantasy world decide to go to brothel after brothel, and rate their experiences with monster girls. That premise however is why I rate the show so high because I think it's creative and bold.

[Visual] art - 7/10. It's good; by no means an eyesore, but by no means exceptionally ... beautiful either. It's definitively a step or two above hentai in this regard.

Sound - 7/10. The intro song is catchy and really good, but otherwise it lacks luster.

Characters - 5/10. There isn't much to see here: your average man, your exotic elf, the angel who cares about feelings, and... that's it. They're shallow and should be seen less as characters and more like plot devices or running gags. (Specially the angel. He's the laughing stock of the group.)

Enjoyment - 8/10. You know what? This is fun. By no means exhilarating or "OMG! I laughed so much my sides went into orbit!", but it's still more than a simple "I'm bored, let's watch this".

Overall - 7.2/10 (see note). It's a good anime and if you're into ecchi you should watch it, but if it doesn't "click" with you don't worry - you aren't losing much.

Note: In case you're wondering why not 7.0/10, I put a bigger weight in enjoyment and treat art+sound as a single criterion.

This show isn't just about mechas or the crapsaccharine world, but also: coming of age, sexual and romantic discovery, search for true love, acceptance and trust on your partner. It's all about finding yourself in the eyes of another person.

If you keep the above in mind, I bet you'll enjoy Darling in the FranXX way more.

Right in Ep01 Hiro (the male lead) talks on how you need a couple to fly. Pilots are called after reproductive organs of flowers. Males pilot females in a suggestive pose. The nude bathing scene, the female lead (Zero Two) oozing sex from every frame she appears on... those aren't ... just random sex innuendo, it's as much part of the characterization and story as Ryuko's sexy clothes in Kill la Kill. This is reinforced down the road but I'm not spoiling it.

Those kids discover love and life. Specially the main couple - he's immature and learning about himself, she's more experienced but no partner accepted her fully. To love the fragrant petals of a rose is easy, but not enough; you need to accept her (t)horns, too.

Episodes 07 and 08 give the series a lighter tone, so if you're thinking it's too heavy for you, don't worry. Remember: they're saving the world, but they're still children doing childish stuff.

The series also deals with individuality, and what it means to be a human being.

The audiovisual art is great. The intro is gorgeous, the characters are well drawn, and the scenery is really cool. The mechas are a bit too humanoid/feminine but this works well with the premise of the show.

The characters are likeable and you'll see lots of character development. No, Hiro is not a blank slate, he does develop a character as episodes go by; and Zero Two is more than just your "I'm so rebel I run away from home, even living alone" type of person. Ichigo is sympathetic, Kokoro is insightful, Gorō is dependable, and even Zorome and Mitsuru can be cool.

For the story, refer to the synopsis. I don't think it's a coincidence its premise (humans living in shelters to avoid the monsters outside) is so similar to the one of Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann, since a lot of people who worked in one worked also in the other. Anyway it's engaging and interesting, a good start to build a story around.

I realize this anime isn't for everyone, and that's fine. But give it a try.

If you repeatedly dye something with indigo, it'll get bluer than the indigo you started with. The same happens with love, and that's what Ai Yori Aoshi (Bluer than Indigo) is about: as the characters show affection for each other their love becomes deeper, not just the romantic love of the main couple but the familiar love for everyone around them.

Story - 7/10. Aoi and Kaoru get engaged in their childhood, for the sake of their families. Later events split the couple, but on a whim Aoi seeks Kaoru (now a college student) and they start living together, discovering each other better. More people (all ... of them female) tag alongside them. The premise is simple but it works well with the theme, and there are subtle harem-like tones but not enough to detract attention from the main plot.

Characters - 7/10. They aren't deep but they were well done for the story, and they're generally likeable. There's some development for both the main couple and side characters.

Art - 8/10. As I write this show is almost 18yo, and yet the art aged well. It's rather pleasing to look at, pretty, delicate, and cute. Some still frames, but not enough to detract from the experience.

Sound - 6/10. It's... okay I guess? The music is by no means horrible, but unmemorable. The voice acting is better though.

Enjoyment - 9/10. Gotta admit I binge watched the 24 episodes over the course of two days while barely noticing the flow of the time.

Overall - 8/10. It's good; by no means a masterpiece, but if you're into a simple love story this anime is just for you.