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Should've been called "Reborn to Fight".

This whole time I was watching to see how the MC grew her prowess with the sword and what does this battle junkie do instead? Spend the whole show kicking and punching things or learning to make mana and use mana when she already has a higher ranked skill: aether.

Not to mention SHE used to be HE? This show wouldn't have been different if this girl was a reincarnated queen instead of a king. It served the story 0%.

And why does everyone look so much older than they are? I know it's common in anime but c'mon the ... main leads are middlescoolers? The holy knights are 20-something and younger? The barrier lady is apparently the only adult in school? God forbid we have a show where adults actually do their job or even just high schoolers. Nah that would be too ridiculous. Only middlescoolers have enough positivity and faith to be the good guys and save the world.

Watch episode 1 and then write fanfiction cause that's the only episode worth it.

Having never seen any part of the Vanguard series, I was excited to see a whole new reboot that might prepare me for the transition into this world. What I saw, and what's out so far, has done nothing but confuse me.

Before I gave overDress a shot, I tried to read as many reviews (on the first episode) as I could from my fellow Crunchyroll watchers to see if a newbie, like me, could get into this series with this reboot. A common remark was that overDress was meant for old watchers and new watchers, alike, to come and enjoy! Great, right? Not great. ... overDress has none of the charm that I want in my cardgame anime.

I've seen many shows from Yugioh to Beyblade to WIXOSS, and this show just doesn't hit the spot. It isn't cute and quirky like Beyblade, and it most certainly isn't high stakes like WIXOSS and how Yugioh eventually becomes. It doesn't focus on the game. In fact, the game is like a hobby it just speeds through to focus more on the relationships between characters -- only, it gets the character development wrong too.

What do I know about the characters? Yu-yu's family forces him to dress as a girl for their own sick pleasure, regardless of his uncomfortability with it. Zakusa is more of a main character than Touya, and Zakusa has no personality besides being "cool" and "mysterious" and "artistic". Megumi has a crush on the only cute and relatable character, her "onii-chan", Danji. But Danji has a major loli fetish and is apparently okay with Yu-yu being called his girlfriend? The main plot of the second episode was only a painstaking following of Megumi thinking Danji is gay for Yu-yu (which he very well might be, but it crudely gets written off as a joke).

The only two saving graces of this show is that the opening and ending are quite good. I never skipped them when watching what little I did. And, of course, I adore CLAMP'S artstyle. They did a great job on the designs. I only wish "sounding good" and "being pretty" could count for more, but this does not save overDress from the disaster that it is.

(Side note: Yu-yu's design reminds me a LOT of Inuzuka Shino from Hakkenden)

I did not enjoy watching what I did of overDress. I had hoped it would get better, and it seemed like it might in the third episode, but the pacing is all over the place. Especially as someone new to Vanguard, I do not get the card game at all -- which is the whole point of watching shows like this! Ride? Call? Damage check? I had to watch the first episode of the 2011 show to get what any of this meant! overDress was just poorly executed with awful pacing, and very little charm that could capture a new audience OR retain the attention of the old.

If you're thinking of watching this, new or old, I'd say there are better shows out there about cardgames. If you're just watching to add to your repertoire, that's completely all well and good, but I do deem it a waste of energy and time.

I half expected Classroom of the Elite to receive a failing grade, much like class D during their first quarter, however it managed to pull off a whopping 76%.

This anime has a wonderful premise -- a darker, more intelligent version of Baka & Test? Sign me up! For the 24 minutes, I was completely drawn in. The first question the audience is asked is "Are humans really equal?" And then a scene was shown to drive in the point: No. They are not. Said scene was a little overdone and not a great testament to the personalities of our main characters, but I let that ... slide and continued watching. When the students entered utopia, I couldn't wait to see how things would all fall apart like I knew they eventually would. When the ball dropped at the end of the episode, my expectations were met, I skipped the ending theme and went straight to the second episode where our cast had to figure out how to solve their little predicament.
They solved it all too easily. It was as if there were really no stakes in this story. And then came the downhill trek where I wondered if this was going to be just another anime where nothing went anywhere. Into range popped the dreaded pool episode where an exceedingly roundabout method was used to set up Class D announcing that they were going to overtake Class A. Unmenacing, completely unnecessary. I thought as the show began to dig its own grave.
I didn't give up hope, however, and by episode 9 my persistence was rewarded. The plot started moving. And the plot didn't stop. It pushed, full throttle until episode 12 where I was actually left wanting more. I even stayed up way past my bedtime to check out the light novel (which doesn't have any English translations past volume 4 by the way). Classroom of the Elite had managed to save itself by getting to the point.

The art is good. The animation is smooth. The character designs are different and reflect their respective characters well. When I first started watching, I did have a problem. Ayanokoji, Horikita and Kushida all have the same eye color. Or, at least, that's how it appeared in the first couple of episodes. As the series goes on I believes this corrects itself, but I really did not enjoy that specific design choice. The girls suffer from the same headshape (as in most anime), but it was nice to see some major differences in some of the boys. Again, as in most anime, the hair is the main focus and I have to say it was animated well.
Since this is a school show, specifically about school and what the students do in the school, I must give some attention to the school uniform. It's nice, and something I would definitely wear. It has that "private" and "selective" look to it that most boarding schools have. It isn't too flashy, which I appreciate (looking at you Akashic Records Bastard Teacher Some-Such-Or-Whatever).

The opening is something that is so fun to sing along to, and suits the shows style very well. Performed by ZAQ, I never skipped a single opening sequence. It just opens up into the story too well.
I never listened to the ending all the way through. The instrumental is beautiful, indeed, and I love the intro before the melody starts. It also suits the show, but I just can't get being that melody, Minami. No hard feelings.
The original soundtrack is standard. It's good, and doesn't take away from show immersion, but it's not excellent either. I couldn't happily listen to it playing on repeat without something going on in the show itself. It's not exactly identifiable either, as it could easily work with another show all the same.
Also. Chiba Shoya, voice of Ayanokoji did such a marvelous performance. Like, I'm not even sure how to put into words how amazing his acting was. His character was hard to voice, indeed, and I found myself hanging onto every word Ayanokoji said. Why? Because of Chiba and his skilled use of inflection, or lack there of. Even when Chiba needed to sound bland and bored, he still had personality. Funny as that sounds. It wasn't a monotone and robotic performance at all, and even though Ayanokoji was portrayed as somewhat emotionless, the type of speaking Chiba used to create that effect was simply wonderful. So big props on that.

Due to so much to say, I'll only be discussing the main 3 characters.
No matter what anyone might say, Ayanokoji is hands down the best character in this entire series and overshadows everyone else. He does this while also being objectively the least interesting one of them. How is that possible? Don't we have another robot situation (Ald.noah Zero) on our hands?! Yes, and no. When Ayanokoji is first introduced, the audience believes that he's just a guy who wants to get by in life. He's not the best person, but he's not the worst. He wants friends like everyone else, but he sucks at social interaction. Then he learn early on that he's special. Probably even more special than any of the D Class characters. And don't we all want out MCs to be special? But, you see, even though the audience has access to Ayanokoji's inner monologue it's hard to say exactly what he's really thinking. The boy is a master at deflection on the inside and the outside. He's not a robot--he has a mask.
Horikita is the standard, run of the mill, antisocial, doesn't need anyone, haughty, intelligent, princess type tsundere. What this show does with this character type is present it as a flaw, instead of setting it up on a pedestal. I personally enjoy that choice very much. A beautiful loner isn't a personality type that should be striven for. Horikita has an area of her personality she needs to fix, and this basically sets up character development for her.
Kushida is the girl who wants to be friends with everybody. Being honest, Kushida is me. Only she's not. I'm not friends with everybody. I wanna be like Kushida and succeed at this. Only, I don't. Like most of the characters, we come to find out she has a mask. But then it becomes confusing. Which is the mask and which is the real her? Or has she acted enough to become her mask? Kushida is the prime example of what this show is all about: layers. Whether they're there, being put up, unraveling, or needing to unravel.
There's just one bug in my love of these characters. If this school is supposed to be for the ELITE, then why does most of Class D exist? There are some characters that fail their quizzes in the beginning. The grades these people get don't reflect elite students in the least bit. And their personalities are even further from that idea. So how did they even get into this school at all? I tried making an argument for them: 1. They didn't fail the entrance exam & the curriculum is more advanced than an average high school; 2. Apparently Class D is where the degenerates are place--those with extreme character flaws are placed.
1. All of these guys are smart enough to pass the entrance exam. Some barely, others with flying colors. And the only reason they'd be failing their first quarter is because this school ups its curriculum so much that an average high school student has no hopes of keeping up. Only, I am sure that many of these students would not have passed a regular high school entrance exam. What gives? This school even has a REPUTATION for 100% of its attendees going onto college or finding a well paying job RIGHT AWAY. I can't make excuse #1 for them.
2. Makes more sense since this is what the show hints at the whole time. I still can't wrap my head over the concept, though. Why would an elite school want to make a pet project out of a bunch of lazy teenagers?
A major problem, indeed, but my only major problem with the series.

I actually enjoyed myself a lot with this anime. Even while I was worried that it would never redeem itself, it kept me entertained. I was curious to see what the character relationships would be like, you know like a regular school setting. I fell in love with the premise, so I was beyond excited to see that they were actually going to go back to it. I'm still eager to know more of the story. Might even read what exists of the light novel from the beginning.

So here's the real question. Who would enjoy watching this series, and who would not? Well, for those of you that enjoy regular classroom anime or found yourself in a rut after watching Baka &Test, consider picking this one up. For those that want to experience true psychological anime, I'd suggest steering clear. You'll be sorely disappointed. This anime is for casual viewing, I'd say. Not a masterpiece (or even close to one), but it gets its job done as entertainment.

TL;DR

Story ~ ✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯ ~ 8
Started out strong. Things got rocky, and I wondered if the show would have any meaning. By episode 9, the plot started continuing, leaving me wanted more by the end.
Art ~ ✯✯✯✯✯✯✯ ~ 7
Not much to say anyway. Good. Not bad. Uniform design is a plus.
Sound ~ ✯✯✯✯✯✯✯ ~ 7
Good opening, okay ending, okay OST.
Character ~ ✯✯✯✯✯✯✯ ~ 7
Ayanokoji is best boi. The characters have layers and I really enjoy it.
Enjoyment ~ ✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯ ~ 9
Premises like this are my shiiieeetttt. So very excited to have the anime actually deliver.
Overall ~ ✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯ ~ 7.6
Started out great, the middle had me worried there for a second, but it pulled it off! The art and sound isn't distracting and makes for a pleasant viewing experience. The characters are intriguing and I want more best boi. I just want more in general tbh. Would recommend.

Love & Lies, whether set in a desirable utopia or restrictive dystopia, begs the question; what is love?

From the author Tsumugi Musawo, comes a story set in a world where once children turn 16 they are liable to receive a notice with the details of their future spouse enclosed. The government controls the "red strings of science" that bring about perfect matches which turn into perfect marriages. Love with any other is strictly forbidden. However for fifteen year old Nejima Yukari, he finds a love separate from his assigned partner. Which one is the lie?
... The anime keeps a nice pacing for how short it is. It doesn't tell the full story, twelve episodes rarely do, but the audience is slowly introduced to the main cast and presented two options. Should Yukari forget his long time love and trust the government to match him with the perfect partner? Or shall he go against the system, and take free love back for himself? The story is never very clear on which girl the audience should be rooting for. There's reason for both to be the one. Love & Lies takes the viewer through the day to day of a complicated romance. It mirrors real life in that way, only what could be made easy for the protagonist is not.
The premise is intriguing, a factor which encouraged your humble writer to take up this show. However as the scenes carry on and it becomes increasingly more difficult to root for one girl or the other, the show starts to lose its meaning. If it was created to present a proposition, what is the point of watching if a true story cannot be extracted out of 4.8 hours spent watching?

The art is another one of the main forces compelling this anime enthusiast to include it on the "To Watch" list. Love & Lives possesses a cute and simple style. Feelings about the eyes are a mixture of love and hate. Sometimes they seem too big and a grim reminder of the dark ages of anime style, but other time they hold much expression. Each design for characters is different and unique, and it was a pleasant surprise to see each of the main cast having a family that shared common features (a design choice that is somehow missed a surprising number of times in other series).
For the average viewer, the art is a plus. For the snooty and seasoned veteran, the eyes may be a little distracting during viewership. And for this one? The art is considered acceptable. The animation turned out to be lazy and suspicious in some scenes, but LIDENFILMS has a budget. All anime suffers from this at some point or another in an episode.

At first listen, the opening was not much to speak of. It has a simple melody with a decent performance by Frederic. The tone is rather upbeat, but the lyrics are a bit darker in that they serve the story to a "T". Love is difficult indeed. The more your dedicated viewer refused to skip the opening, the more it took ahold of her sing-song heart. The opening turned catchy. Definitely one of the better ones of this season if given a chance.
With help from Prime Video, the ending theme was never really given much of a chance before the next episode started playing, but it screams standard J-pop. Roys has a beautiful voice and sings more about how Takasaki Misaki is feeling. It matches the show's aesthetic, and provides a nice wind down from the events of the episode prior. Unfortunately, it is also completely skippable. Nothing in the song really grips attention, pretty as it is.
As for the original soundtrack, your humble writer suggests opening YouTube and surrendering an hour, thirteen minutes, and forty-one seconds to music that has personality. Each piece really belongs to Love & Lies, and each piece can bring about a memory of a scene. It is a soundtrack truly applaud worthy, as it gives the show depth; hat second layer of feeling.

An average boy, a conflicted girl with a mask, a disagreeable loli, and a handsome loner are what this show has to work with. It is almost impossible to form a favorite character from any of the cast. Either all the characters are amazing, or abysmal. Regrettably Love & Lies's main cast falls into that second category.
Nejima Yukari is an average boy who falls in love with someone who isn't his arranged marriage partner. He doesn't have confidence, much drive, and the audience is forced to accept his love for burial mounds without much reasoning. He is fickle, and indecisive, and positively the worst character in the series' main cast.
Takasaki Misaki is a beautiful and smart girl who happens to be the subject of Yukari's affections. Her main personality is that of a person who puts on a brave face and hides her feelings, stuffs them under a mask and pretends everything is alright. She's presented as the damsel in distress for most of the series, and it tends to become quite . . . distressing.
Sanada Ririna is the loli of the snow. She is blunt, says what she wants, but also cannot seems to really figure out what it is that she truly desires. Her whole character is a tad bit confusing, as she is used as the person that just makes everything "work" in the story. Her role is simply to further or complicate the plot as seen fit.
Nisaka Yuusuke, friend of the protagonist, and brooding loner has a lot of potential. It is hinted at that he has much more backstory than the show covers. A fact which becomes highly aggravating as he could be the series' most interesting character, but ends up as a backdrop that keeps getting pulled into the spotlight. Not much is done with him, even though he has the most than could be tinkered with.

When all is said and done, this show is a good watch -- if you're trying to take a break from watching something else, which this critic indeed happened to be doing. The beginning, when all characters were being introduced and the story was starting to take off was a time when the series could be considered an eight. But as scenes continued on, and plot started moving and characters began developing, the end result was so minuscule that everything the story could have built up to became a major disappointment. Does the viewer ever get the answer to the question it presents? The answer would be the same as this one saying "Why don't you find that out for yourself?"

Overall, the series had a great start with it's premise and pretty art, but as it tried to get more series and philosophical with it's ideas, it shot itself in the foot, never really committing to a certain flow. Any questions it asks requires the reader to find the answers within themselves. It's hard to root for any one of the characters, as none of them are exactly root-worthy. Should this show be watched? Yes, if the genres are what floats your boat. No, if you're hesitant at all about netorare (there are abstract elements of this) or want an actual satisfying love story.

TL;DR

Story ~ ✯✯✯✯✯✯ ~ 6
While having a good premise, the actual show -- even though it displayed quite a bit of development -- ended up going almost nowhere.
Art ~ ✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯ ~ 8
Enrapturing! Be wary of the eyes, but character designs were all lovely and unique. Sometimes heads were drawn in a way that I would draw them (which is no credit in the slightest), though that is easily overlooked when it's only some frames!
Sound ~ ✯✯✯✯✯✯✯ ~ 7
Nice opening, okay ending, and a beautiful soundtrack!
Character ~ ✯✯✯✯✯ ~ 5
Depressing personalities. Almost one dimensional if not for the confusing philosophical aspects forced upon each one of them.
Enjoyment ~ ✯✯✯✯✯✯ ~ 6
Good watch as a distraction from your main source of entertainment. Beginning starts out great, but the ending turns out dissatisfying.
Overall ~ ✯✯✯✯✯✯ ~ 6.4
Good premise. Good art. Poor characters. Pretty music. Confusing philosophies. Did this show mean to answer any of the questions it asked? Unresolved ending. Abstract NTR elements. So so unfortunate.

Welcome to "High☆Speed!: Free! Starting Days" where this adaption of the light novel doesn't really cover the content in the light novel at all.

In this anime adaption, the story covers our lovely boys, Makoto and Haruka as they have graduated from elementary and are now entering high school. They meet friends mentioned in the original anime, like Kisumi Shigino, and those not mentioned in the original, Asahi Shiina, and Ikuya Kirishima (though I swear I've seen Ikuya's green hair in the original anime somewhere). From there, these four boys play out their story as they join their middle school's swim club.

Story ~5~:
The story didn't ... captivate too much. Honestly, it would have been more satisfying to watch the elementary boys, as us fangirls don't really know what it was like for Rin and Haruka to be friends before rivals. In any case, the anime adaption explores the flaws and mental problems of each character and how they overcome them. It was a nice sight to see how human they could become. Especially our aloof boy, Haruka. However, the story followed the same predictable path of New beginning>Faced with choice>Hardship>Sad moment that makes everyone cry>Resolution>Triumph! And of course, while that may be a satisfying watch at points, it got terribly boring at times. We've seen that formula for two seasons now. So while it was great to explore the troubles of the insecure middle schoolers, the story turned out mediocre at best.

Art ~7~:
As always, the art style has remained constantly beautiful. Nice proportions, insanely inaccurate muscles, and drop dead great-to-drool-over hot character designs. No art is without its flaws though, as it was sometimes hard to believe some characters were middle schoolers, and not high schoolers. Especially the third years. They looked like 2nd year high schoolers. While our boys tended to look like first year high schoolers at points.

Sound ~7~:
First, I'd like to mention, I had a real problem with their voices. No 1st year middle schooler has gone through puberty so much that they already have a bass-like tone. It was completely unrealistic to me and made them feel older than they should've. The only one to have an accurate voice, I felt, was Nagisa. He actually sounded his age, albeit he did sound a bit girly (but everyone knows Nagisa is best girl anyway). So yeah, there's that. The soundtrack is as beautiful as ever, though. Took me back to the days where we fangirls were just cooing over the beautiful scenes in the original. Also Tatsuhisa Suzuki's (Makoto) singing is always heavenly with band OLDCODEX. You can hear that at the end of the movie.

Character ~7~:
Character development is pretty good. Not as good as it could have been, but the anime still introduces some pretty heavy topics in the minds of these middle schoolers, such as isolation, unconfidence, and insecurity. Obviously, Haruka and Makoto go through the most development as they learn what it is to be the best of themselves. But side characters like Ikuya and Asahi go through that same development. It's a bit disappointing that they're not in the original series anywhere, even though it seems as though our main boys have formed a really good relationship with them. There's no explanation for that as there is with Kisumi, and that is a bit bothersome. It is also very nice to have scenes with Haruka's and Makoto's mothers, as they are practically nonexistent in the original anime (I'm looking right at you, Haru-chan). So, good characters. You've got the aloof, uncaring type, the mom af type, the rambunctious one, and the proud distant one.

Enjoyment ~5~:
Bored. I was so bored. Some points were interesting, and I really like the movie, and all, but it was in no way satisfying. I didn't at all get to see what I've longed to see. My elementary school boys. Instead, I'm stuck with middleschool problem children--half of which aren't even present in the original series. Of course, all those fanservice moments, I died for. So much delicious shonen ai.

Overall ~6~:
If I'm being honest, the show deserves a fair rating of ****** (see what I did there? I'm sooo good at puns), however, as you might see in my profile, I gave it a personal rating of 5, simply because it was predictable and boring. They way it was told and all the jazz were its redeeming qualities, but I just felt like I had seen the same thing for the third time. I am, admittedly, a fan of this series, but even I can tell you it is severely flawed. It's more of a slice of life than a sports anime. But it works, and it does what it does. And it's pretty okay for a casual watch.

Favorite Song: "First Conversation" by Tasuya Katou which can be found here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qUW41m_TG3Y

Favorite Ship: HaruxMakoto of course!

Favorite Character: I want more Kisumi ;A;

Welcome to a worse version of The Irregular at Magic High! And folks, this time there's even more of a harem!

That's right. The Asterisk(*) War is, in a nice term, decent at what it tries to accomplish. Personally, I'm just glad it isn't as bad as Magical Warfare (I pity you if you have any idea of what this monstrosity is).

Story ~4~:
I'll say it. The story is mediocre at best. Normally in my reviews I include a summary and ties many useful statements that no one asked for to make my point, but I feel rather lazy with this one, so just read ... the provided synopsis . . . Read it? Great! Our main character, Ayato Amagiri (a name you will never forget cause I swear it's looped into the soundtrack), has no idea what he wants to do with his life or why he's even attending the main setting, Seidoukan Academy. Of course this gets fleshed out during the series, but the reason he finds is annoying and backwards.
Enter four pretty girls. They all want Ayato for some reason. Because he saw one in her panties, is a childhood friend with another, is doted on for no particular reason, and save one from child abuse. Okay, the last one is reasonable, but that's what makes her best girl (not like I'm gonna say who cause we don't want spoilersss).
And off people go to fight at another magical competition to have their wish granted. Only, this season doesn't cover the finish of the competition. Thank God for season two, right?! No, I'm upset I watched it. I ended up scrolling through Instagram while trying to pay attention.
Soooo decent story, almost non existent. It's kind of just made up as the series goes along.

Art ~7~:
The art is actually very good. Pretty designs, nice uniforms too. I had a feeling they were practicing with CGI because every preview was animated in that way. For most of the scenes, the 3D animation didn't clash too much. One could catch a glimpse of the change and then it would be gone.

Sound ~8~:
You almost never can go wrong with music. The soundtrack is pretty nice, suits its theme well. You can find the playlist on YouTube and be able to pinpoint which song was played where. It helps add to the anime, as the characters don't exactly have much to add for themselves. But hey! "Waiting For the Rain" was produced because of this anime, so I will be very grateful.

Character ~3~:
Yare yare dane~ As most weeaboos will say. And they'd be right. Or I would be right. Whichever, the cast was very poorly fleshed out.
Enter Ayato: The MAL synopsis state he has a secret, and while that may be true, it's not the reason he entered the Academy. Actually, Ayato has no idea why he entered the Academy other does "Finding what it is that I should be doing." That's his whole character. Even after supposedly finding what he should be doing, he still searches for something to do. It was like looking through the eyes of a puppet. His only saving grace? He's hot, so I enjoyed looking at him. But really, why would any chick be interested in him for other than that? Oh right. He's extremely overpowered. Yay.
Princess Julis-Alexia von Riessfeld: She is the standard tsundere character. Well, mix himedere and tsundere together, and that's her. She lightens up over time, but watching her scenes become dull and annoying, as that's all her personality is.
Saya Sasamiya: I actually enjoyed watching this character because she started out as a kuudere, but over time, I found out she's not at all. Just very quiet. She has goals and dreams and I have to say, girl. Ayato is not good enough for you.
Claudia Enfield: *commence eye roll* Miss Student Council President. She seems kind, but describes herself as cunning and then receives one questionable scene that never gets explained. Her entire character irritated me, and apparently she's hungry for Ayato as well.
Kirin Toudou: I know earlier I stated that I would not disclose who best girl is, but how could I not? Kirin is absolutely best girl. She has a reason to really like Ayato, and she has a goal of her own throughout the series. My only ONLY qualm with her is that SHE IS 13 YEARS OLD. I just have an immensely hard time being comfortable with the scenes between this child and a 16 year old male. Just yikes.
A few characters deserve an honorable mention: Ernesta Kühne and Yabuki Eishirou.
Ernesta seriously pissed me off at times, but I swear she's the best character in the whole show. She's the perfect antagonist where they're for sure evil inside, and yet not purposefully antagonistic towards the protagonists simply because that is not her goal in the show.
Yabuki is the carefree type that also gets a questionable scene that states his role may not be what the viewer is lead to believe.

Enjoyment ~6~:
I'm irritated, but I did enjoy the show. I don't hate it like others do, but I can admit it's only average at best. Maybe I'm being too harsh, perhaps I'm being too lenient, but that's my thoughts. If you're just kicking back and want a meaningless watch that has magic, action, and boobs, be my guest. If you want intellectual content steer clear.

Overall ~6~:
Yeah, the real score is 5.6, but eh. I'll give the show a break. It was entertaining until it wasn't.

Favorite Ship: AR-D X RM-C (Yeah they're robots, but they make an interesting duo. Kind of like a married couple, I suppose X3)
Favorite Character: Ernesta Kühne
Favorite Song: "Waiting For The Rain" by Maaya Sakamoto

"Rokka no Yuusha," I thought you were supposed to be fighting fiends?

Hello everybody, and welcome to another review of mine! If you care to read the summary before reviews, you would know that this anime centers around Adlet Meyer, self proclaimed 'Strongest Man in the World'. In a universe where an ancient Demon God was sealed away by the Goddess of Fate, Adlet aims to be one of "the Braves of Six Flowers" to fight the Demon God and keep the fiends at bay upon his reawakening. However, after meeting up with the other Braves, there turns out to be, not six, but...seven?! One is ... a fake! And so the anime tells its story.

Story ~7~:
I am all for a mystery tale~ Especially if its told in a fantasy setting, what a steal! The anime focuses solely on the question of why there might be seven Braves when there's only supposed to be six. It skips needless travel time that doesn't help the plot at all. Something I was very grateful for since I despise shows that focus all on the travelling and never get to the plot until the second season *cough*AkatsukinoYona*cough* And so for the first of many episodes, the story remained wonderfully focused on the Braves fighting amongst themselves.
However, no story is perfect and this one certainly isn't. A development happened between two characters that would have needed more time spent on the travel between destinations. I was very angered that the creator implemented this into the story when there was no previous development leading up to it. These characters interactions were very limited, and what happened between them just didn't add up with the scenes the viewer was presented.
And when the fake Brave was finally revealed, the same problem arose. How? How was the viewer supposed to guess this from the limited scenes they were in? The fake Brave definitely needed some more background that they did not receive.

Art ~8~:
This show's art is absolutely breathtaking. The character's looks and movements are so detailed and fluid. Even the backdrops were given special attention. The CGI in the anime definitely does not distract, so that's a good thing. In some scenes, I did question the animators' background choices, as it looked like characters were stuck in a room with the walls painted at points, but those scenes were few and far between.

Sound ~7~:
I have never seen an anime with only 12 episodes have so many OPs and EDs. I had trouble keeping track at first. Like "Wait, did I hear that song before? Am I going crazy?" No, I wasn't going crazy, but while watching the show the songs seem to blend a bit before one recognize they're not the same as the previously played song. The songs are plain and not all that interesting. Once you listen to them enough you'll know them enough to start singing along to them. (I'm actually listening to them all in a playlist just so I can remember how they go to write this section. Shhh don't tell anyone!) The soundtrack, which I cannot find on YouTube to listen to is nice, and definitely suited for a fantasy story. Which might be why I like the fantasy genre so much anyway. Besides magic. Everyone knows magic is bae. Anyway. Music is good. Woo.

Character ~6~:
Characters! WOOO BOY. First of all. DEVELOPMENT. Yeah, there's hardly any development with the characters. The audience knows just enough of their history to get by, but we don't know these characters, really. And that's why the many different relationships between them just don't make any sense. But I guess this is what the creator wanted as it makes me want to read the manga. Now, that said, it's not like there weren't good characters. Some had no backstory or development *cough*Goldov*cough* but others, like our main character had plenty. I'm just glad Adlet wasn't a dull main character. Those can be pretty boring to watch.

Enjoyment ~9~:
Man, it's like anime is just a promotion for the creator's manga series or something. Yes, I very much enjoyed this anime. I watched it while I was supposed to be spending time with my boyfriend. I downloaded six episodes to watch on a plane ride (and I only got to finish 3 of those six). And then I stay up till God knows what time in the morning to complete the series. Yikes.

Overall ~7~:
I enjoyed it, but even I can admit it's an anime with flaws. MAL's 7.4 or whatever rating for it is actually dead on. It's a great show that paves the way for the manga. It's interesting, and yet frustrating as it doesn't live up to the full potential that I want it to have cause I am just God of the animes or something.

BASICALLY

If you like fantasy shows, give this a watch. It's not bad, by all means. It's a show that one shouldn't expect more from. It's exactly what it says it is. A story about six heroes, and when they find a seventh, it's mortal combat! Literally. There's hardly any fighting of fiends. Although I guess there's enough to satiate the desire to destroy non-human creatures.

~Now for more personal opinions no one asked for~
Favorite Ship: Hans X Adlet (gotta love that BxB)
Favorite Character: Hans (Nyaa!)
Favorite Song: "Secret Sky" by MICHI (seriously, this had me interested from the start)

When I first added "Masamune-kun no Revenge" to my 2015 Winter lineup, I thought it would be an okay watch--something to pass the time. After a while of procrastinating and not going through with watching it, I took it off my list, as I thought it would be another stupid romcom show that would be okay, but have no depth.
Man, am I grateful I decided to add it back on!

Story - 8:
As the synopsis goes, "Masamune-kun no Revenge" is a tale about a rich, fat brat that fell in love with a beautiful girl when she saved him from bullies. However, once he confessed ... his love, she cruelly rejected him, thus nicknaming him 'Pig's Foot.' Grown up, and now a hot guy with a muscly body, Masamune vows revenge on this girl. He will make her fall in love with him and then break her heart. But will things go according to plan?
The plot is pretty solid. Intriguing and tells the whole story without spoiling the anime. It's what pulled me into the show. The story stays consistent throughout the entire anime, and it doesn't change focus, which I loved a lot. It was the focal point that kept me into the anime the whole time. Here's a warning, though. Some episodes have an extra scene after the ED, others do not. So watch out for this when watching!

Art - 10:
The art was absolutely fantastic. The characters, the background scenes, the filters, all exceptionally clear and pristine. The art of this show made me want to draw again. It was detailed without looking gaudy or too realistic. It was still cartoonish--anime, which was easy and appealing on the eyes. The color scheme was very warm and sunny, which made me very emotionally happy while watching it.

Sound - 7:
The music was pretty good. Upbeat, and matched the show perfectly. The opening theme wasn't anything great in the beginning, but as I continued listening to it, I sang along. However, no one would be sad to just skip it. The ending theme was even more unmemorable, and didn't stick out too much. I found myself just skipping onto the next episode. The OSTs (Original Sound Tracks) seem very thought out, and are enjoyable to listen to within the scenes. Sometimes they almost sound very fairytale like. Always dramatic and quirky. They fit whatever scene they're placed into, and don't get very repetitive. However, it's easy to overlook their existence.
Here's a link to the OST if you wanna give it a listen: https://goo.gl/sAAR6F

Characters - 7:
The characters are pretty good. Nothing extraordinary, but definitely a good watch.
Enter Makabe Masamune: Former bullied fat kid, now reformed hottie. He appears narcissistic at points due to his insecurities. The audience can visibly see him struggle between being his real self and what he wants others to see. As the show is from his point of view, there's never a dull moment. Thankfully, he is one of those main characters that isn't bland and dull.
Enter Adagaki Aki: Renowned man hater. Anything else I have to say about you, you shouldn't hear until you watch the film. BUT! People, you can relax because she is not a stereotypical annoying tsundere. That is not all her character consists of, THANK GOD.
The other characters shall remain a mystery, but they're good~ This anime has a whole range of interesting and unique characters. Some tropes, others not, but they're played off well.
Near the end of the series, a character is thrown in, and some developments are undergone that kind of shake up the show a little to where I had to take off a point, but it only affects the critical analysis of the anime.

Enjoyment - 9:
I had a kick out of this show! There were so many times where I was fangirling, laughing, and just having a blast. The comedy never stops, but it never gets overwhelming either. It filled me with such emotions of happiness, that I just couldn't get enough. If you want a light watch between your more serious series, I suggest this one. Or if that's all you're looking for is a short, no commitment, funny series, come watch this one!

Overall - 8:
The breakdown is really an 8.2 if you wanna get technical, but MAL only lets you round up or down. This anime deserves an 8 because it is very good, and does a magnificent job of not going off topic like others shows with such a limited episode count. Very good watch~ Soooo check it out!

And if you have any further questions on this review, you know where the message button is c:

Being a quirky anime, not really following any storyline, "Denki-Gai no Honya-san" was a pretty cute anime to watch.

This anime revolves around six employees at Uma no Hone comic shop, all with unusual names -- or nicknames to be exact. Among the cast is Umio, newest employee at Uma no Hone, Sensei, a mangaka by the name of "Jona Taro", "Director", acting leader apart from the manager, Hio-tan, a newbie to the manga world, Sommelier, a quiet guy whose face is never seen, Fu Girl, the zombie lover, and Kameko, the camera shy photographer. This anime is pretty basic -- it's about the workers at ... the shop, and their interactions with each other all orbiting the manga world.

While it didn't have much of a story, Denki-gai was the perfect light hearted comedy to watch. Each episode covered a different experience, with different characters. I was glad to see that the anime focused on all the main characters instead of just following one and their interactions with the whole group. Each episode had to have at least one inappropriate happenstance, whether it was a ramble about the panty shot, a speech about boobs, or a talk about girl power. Each inappropriate aspect of the anime was approached so uniquely, that it turned out comedic, and fun to watch. It was a pleasant surprise that this anime also includes budding romances between characters. It's really a sweet sight to witness.

Asato Mizu's, the author of Denki-gai, art style is pretty simple, but exceedingly cute. Each character, while you can tell they're from the same anime, has its own unique look, and Mizu displays her artistic prowess quite nicely throughout the animation. There wasn't a single episode that seemed kind of off in someway, nor were there any awkward transition, to my knowledge. The backgrounds were fully developed, and the art style helped give this anime its light-hearted feel.

The music fit perfectly with every action scene. The opening and ending songs are very catchy, and by the twelfth episode, I was humming along to both of them. What bothers me is, why is the opening all about an apple?! The lyrics are about an apple, the animation's about an apple -- it leaves me very confused. This anime isn't even about and apple, and the place they work at is called AmaUsa....Bunnies plus apples equal confusion.

Each character is well-developed, and each gets their well-deserved screen time. Umio, being the newest employee doesn't have a nickname yet, but he's a hard worker, has some talent in drawing, and is an anime nerd to the bone. Sensei is a capable girl, and very good mangaka, but lacks "girl power." "Director" is a pervert. But an attractive pervert when drawn right. Hio-tan is the least "cultured" of the group, not very well-versed in anime culture. She's the girliest, and is very clumsy, often resulting in accidents of some sort. Sommelier is a big, quiet guy with an immense knowledge of anime, manga, and the like. He has a deep fondness for cats, and his face is hardly seen. Fu Girl is, surprisingly, a high schooler with a love for zombies. She's the loli, but very cute, even with her zombie quirk. Kameko is the supporting loli, with exploding curly hair that she tries to hide with her hat. She takes photos of the group, and doesn't interact very much, preferring to stay on the sidelines. Every character is so diverse from the other, it's refreshing. None is developed too much over the other, and they all make the anime seem balanced.

I rather enjoyed watching this anime. It was produced very well, and kept my attention for all twelve episodes it showed for. I would recommend this to anyone who wants to take a break from animes with storylines, and just needs a good laugh. This anime is hilarious, and had me holding my sides at a point.

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Story - 7
Not much of a story, but the characters are developed, each gets an appropriate amount of focus, each episode is funny, relationships develop, and it's good for a laugh.

Art - 7
The artwork is simple, but cute. Offers a lighthearted atmosphere.

Music - 7
Sweet OSTs that match the anime's mood, catchy OP and ED. I'm just SO CONFUSED by that apple in the OP, though.

Character - 9
Beautiful character development. Each gets perfect amount of screen time. None majorly more developed that the other. Interesting characters, all differing in personality.

Enjoyment - 9
Great for a good laugh. Nice, easy going pace. Kept my attention the entire time.

Overall - 7.8
Overall, this anime was very enjoyable. It was nice to take a break from all the serious plots this season. I would recommend this to those looking for an easy, good laugh.

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Favorite Character: "Director"

Favorite Ship: "Director" x Hio-tan

Throughout "Akame ga Kill," Akame never seems to be the main character.

The story focuses on a group called Night Raid. They are assasins who hope to rid the Capitol, ruled by the Prime Minister, of its depraved ways. The starting members are Akame, Tatsumi Leone, Mine, Lubbock, Sheele, Bulat, and their leader Najenda. The anime starts when Tatsumi, with his two friends, sets out for the Capitol to earn money for his village. Instead, he finds a world of unimaginable corruption, all spreading from the depraved Prime Minister who controls the child Emperor's ear. After nearly becoming a victim of this corruption himself, Tatsumi is ... recruited by the aforementioned Night Raid.

The concept of this story is what instantly drawed me in. Who doesn't want to watch an anime dedicated to assassin and their kills? For a time, I eagerly awaited each episode until it reached a lull in it's quality. The direction of the story gets more confusing as each episode goes by, and it becomes easy to forget what the original concept was. Characters are killed off, more characters are added, and it barely escaped becoming a train wreck. About three episodes from the finale, it finally gets back on track, and the audience is reminded for what purpose Night Raid exists.

Overall, the art work is amazing, and very well crafted. Proportion is spot on, attention to eye detailed is handled, and the hair (the most important part for me) sways perfectly. CGI isn't used terribly much, and even unimportant characters are given the attention their deserve. Around the middle of the anime the art appears to degrade, but that happens to most all animes. However, in the twenty-third episode the animation changes and become completely different from all episodes before that point. The shots that are used make it look like a movie, the characters became longer, and the hair goes through a very detailed transformation. It was like the art had matured, and while it was a nice transformation, it was definitely odd to witness.

Since the anime focuses on eight different characters with Tatsumi and Akame being the apparent main characters, not a lot of development is thrown in. Tatsumi and Akame are obviously the most developed characters with their past shown in flashbacks, and improved upon with dialogue. I am especially grateful to have Tatsumi as a main character for while he is strong, he still needs to improve, and is not afraid to kill as beautifully shown in the first episode. Akame is a bit overlooked as the series continues to focus on Tatsumi, and not her. It always bothered me since the series is named Akame ga Kill, and not Tatsumi ga Kill. The other characters' pasts are shown in shorter flashbacks, and less dialogue, but they were developed. However, hardly anything is known about Najenda and Lubbock. They had to be the least developed characters on Night Raid. And I might as well take time to talk about the strongest character in Akame ga Kill, Esdeath. While not being a main character, she was as developed as Tatsumi and Akame. She has a very cruel and distorted personality and is the main villain for Night Raid.

The music of Akame ga Kill was heaven to my ears. I even made a cover of the first opening, and the second ending. The first opening is a fierce anthem of war that got the blood pumped and ready to watch some killing. The first ending left the episodes on a bittersweet nostalgic note to reflect upon the heaviness of whatever had transpired. When the series entered episode fourteen, the opening still sounds like a war cry, but more heartfelt and provided the feeling of getting revenge for fallen comrades. The second ending is melancholy, reflecting how the series had turned to a more serious note the closer it got to the finale. Each song mainly featured Akame.

I enjoyed this anime very much, but it is not for the weak of heart. I warn everyone reading this review that you will probably be in tears by the end -- I know I was. Other than bawling my eyes out, I enjoyed watching the relationships between the characters. There is nicely timed laughter, and though the pacing gets a little odd in the middle, the whole show turned out fine.

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Story - 8
Great concept. The story wavered a little during the middle, but got back on track. It was a little annoying that the anime is called Akame ga Kill, but Akame never seems like the main character till the end.

Art - 8
Amazing artwork in the beginning. Dulls a little towards to end. Suddenly switches to a movie-styled film. I loved the focus and detail to the eyes, hair, and even the background characters, but the transformation in animation style was way too sudden.

Music - 9
Melodies openings and endings. OSTs were very memorable. I bet I'll cry every time I hear one now.

Character - 8
Main characters highly developed. Side characters developed, but some still remained a mystery. Nothing was really expanded on, and motives aren't quite clear unless you fill in the holes yourself.

Enjoyment - 9
Very enjoyable. I looked forward to each episode.

Overall - 8.4
While good, characters weren't really expanded on, and the supposed main character never really seemed like one. Music was splendid, and well as the story is helped describe. The art was great, but the style transition was way too awkward. I liked this anime a lot. I recommend it to everyone!

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Favorite Ship: Esdeath x Tatsumi

Favorite Character: Esdeath

Favorite Song: "Tsuki Akari" - Second ED