This is a must watch anime in every way. It is action packed, its amusing and hilarious at some points.

STORY

The story isnt that quite original, its about bounty hunters doing their job in a sometimes weird and unusual way. The only thing they worry about mostly is their wallet, but luckily they also have a human side and a some a sad past that will unveil throughout the anime.

Every character has its own and interesting story to tell, i'm sure you'll like atleast one of them.

ANIMATION

Though the animation is from 1998 you can't underestimate it, this encode is the remastered version so it has been improved quite alot. You won't be dissapointed

SOUND

Another great + in this anime, the music is mostly jazz and I like it. You don't have to be a jazz fan even to enjoy the music. Jazz fits this anime 100% ...

CHARACTER

This anime is all character development and getting to know the characters through flashbacks and through their actions. You'll just have to see for yourself how they unfold...

ENJOYMENT

Pure 100% enjoyment this anime, you won't be dissapointed, I promise ;-)

ENCODE

Great if I say so myself, one of my first experiments so settings have improved since this one but...its good enough ;-)

Well I'm going to keep this review short basicly because I only managed to get past the first few episodes before dropping it. Maybe its not completely my type of anime, comming to think of it mostly I don't like parody anime...

STORY

Well the story is pretty basic, you have a highschool class and a new teacher is in town...a brilliantly smart but shy middle schooler age girl. And thats about it, all episodes are kinda random and no real story to be found.

ANIMATION

Animation is good, nothing really to say here. No need for special graphix in a slice of life comedy mostly. Though I did like the bunny a bit because it was drawn in a really funny way...for some reason it reminds me of suicide bunnies...you'll see why if you watch it.

SOUND

Can't really remember based on a few episodes even. I guess its decent.

CHARACTER

Well basically all the characters are stereotypes put in a funny position / environment. The only really original thing that this has compared to other slice of life comedies is that middle school teacher. Other than that nothing special

ENJOYMENT

Well, its not my kind of anime I guess, so couldnt really enjoy it that much

ENCODE

Dunno, but I hope its good ;-)

STORY

To tell the truth, this show really needs to be re-watched a couple of times to get the full idea of what Key (developer of all three animes) is trying to project. That's why most people turn away from this kind of show because it's hard to determine and is not a "in your face" answer. Also, since it is only 13 episodes, they could only put much into the show; and I think there really seems no exact closure which is very disappointing.

ANIMATION

Misuzu, Yukito and the other girls in the anime are drawn and created so well. One thing especially well known by Key is their drawing of "glassy eyes." To me, that is one of their most dramatic artistic aspects. And the detail in each scene and movement, is shown perfectly; by not revealing a pause in the readers' viewing.

SOUND

Key also has an amazing ear for developing small soundtracks to go with a certain scene and depicting the moods. The main song themes, Tori no Uta (Bird's Poem), Farewell Song, and Aozora (Blue Skies), were all sung by Lia but the lyrics were developed by the software company's main scenario writer, lyricist, and musical composer, Jun Maeda.

CHARACTER

One downside to some harem animes, like this one, is that there are many different girls. Each one has their own situation and much character development is brought. But as soon as the girl's situation is finished they are sort of "tossed away" and are not brought up much in the anime anymore. Key has done that matter in Air for most the time. Sometimes there are too many different characters brought up in the scenes, its very questionable as is to what their purpose is; but in the end, the girls are benefiting each other to creating a more full character development for the next girl.

ENJOYMENT

This anime really isn't one that you would see straight 13 episodes in one day because of the intense emotion and problem-solving is very draining of the brain. But if Asian dramas suit you, then Air fits perfectly within that category.

ENCODE

Thought that it didnt end up that well. But thats just me :-)

This is one of the animes that is quite underrated because of its "classical theme", though don't be fooled by the clasical music theme...it is alot more.

STORY

The story is quite original, not alot of animes pick a music theme, probably because of lack of intrest. Though Nodame Cantabile isnt completely about music but formost about the characters.

The story basicly is about a genius music player having a sudden meeting with a girl wich is his complete opposite, she is random and plays by feeling annoying him greatly. They are matched togehter by their teacher and from then the story starts to evolve into something comical and serious.

You will have alot of moments where you want to drop dead laughing.

ANIMATION

This is a shoujo and you will see graphics that are light. Theyre good but not the best.

SOUND

It is an anime about music, so the standard music doesnt even count anymore. Everything is top notch in this department. I love the OP and ED.

CHARACTER

As I mentioned with story there is alot of character development and alot of interaction between them, on a comical level mostly.

You will not be dissapointed in this department.

ENJOYMENT

As most probably already noticed, I enjoyed this anime greatly and I would like everyone to watch this one, even if you are not a clasical music fan (I wasnt before I watched the anime) you will still enjoy this one.

ENCODE

Encode is decent I guess, its my own :p

An anime that deserves 10/10 on everything. It really does...

STORY

The story itself is not your average easy to get one in most action/mech animes where you get a whole background check during the first episode. In Code Geass it takes a few episodes to really get what is going on with all the main characters on personal AND political level.

The anime is partially a political ping pong game between the two factions...it can be better described as a long chess game with manny thought out moves and how to play. Every episode will keep you intrigued about what is going to happen next.

The story contains some comical factors, alot of action and some genius mastermind plans mixed together into a fine cocktail. I'm sure you will enjoy it.

ANIMATION

The animation is really great, alot of detail and overall verry good.

SOUND

The sound is another plus in this anime, the OP and ED are great and so is the sound and background music.

CHARACTER

Another great + in this anime is character development, you get to know alot of new personalities with their own background. Some get a long flashback to see how it all came to be, wich really makes it quite interesting.

ENJOYMENT

I really enjoyed this anime from start till end. A genius mastermind trying to save/conquer the world in his own special way.

ENCODE

I didnt watch the encode, but i'm sure its fine :-)

STORY

In lucky star there isnt much of a general story. Its a comedy slice of life about an otaku type girl with her friends. Basicly every episode is a small story about interaction between them on various stuff, from food to hobbies. Also at the end of every episode there is a small "talk show" with 2 seperate characters to add a bit more humor to the mix.

ANIMATION

The animation is pretty normal for a slice of life. You got the detailed parts and the simply drawn faces for expressions to make it more of a comedy anime. Overall its quite good.

SOUND

Verry good OP and ED. And the sound overall fits the anime pretty well.

CHARACTER

Well again for a slice of life anime it is nothing but character development, but not that much. Its more of getting to know the personality of the character more than the background of their lives. There are alot of different types of characters in this anime and one will surely enjoy you more than the others (in a comical way).

ENJOYMENT

I really enjoyed watching this anime to the fullest. Its funny and entertaining and you'll wish there was a second season...but there isn't.

ENCODE

Havnt watched this encode so I gave it a 9 because of the other encodes.

STORY

Maria Holic isnt your usual type of story. You have animes that do Yuri, you have others that do crossdressing and you have those who do humor. To be honest I think that Maria Holic is the only one uptill now to have combined all 3 in one anime. The story is about a lesbian girl and a crossdressing guy going from one comical situation to the other. Even though its quite funny there isnt really a big story, more like 1 episode at a time small stories about a few characters involved.

ANIMATION

The animation is basic. You won't notice any special CGI or cool effects since this is a slice of life comedy. No need for fancy action scenes with alot of detail.

SOUND

The sound isnt really that great. Overall you won't notice background sounds and the girl "thinking" doesnt really sound that great to me, though not on an annoying level. The OP is great though the ED is not really my style.

Overall music is OK, but not that great.

CHARACTER

Well this anime is all about the different characters that play in this anime, basicly every episode is about a small story about one of the side characters interacting with the main, ending in weird and comical situations --> this really makes it an enjoyable anime.

ENJOYMENT

This anime was really interesting, though it has its small flaws here and there it had me laughing quite a few times. I really recommend this anime to people who enjoy a good laugh and don't care about action scenes.

ENCODE

In my eyes its good, though its my own encode so :p

This anime is not for everyone since its 100% shoujo no matter how you look at it. Though as a guy you just need to overlook the fact that theyre more guys than girls as expected from this.

STORY

The story is pretty basic, its about a girl moving into Italy to visit the mother that abandoned her for a guy and tries to make it. You won't see any action nor will you see a great adventure. This is just a slice of life shoujo.

ANIMATION

The animation is pretty basic, the drawing style fits Italy perfectly though. I have no idea how to explain this but it really fits Italy and the world renown atmosphere it represents (the country).

SOUND

Not much to say here, the sound is pretty basic and you'll probably not even notice its there on most times, so not much to say here. I skip both OP and ED.

CHARACTER

Well there is alot of character development as most people would expect from a slice of life, in the few episodes that passed you get some background flashes on the characters and the restaurant. This gives a whole view on the people,the place they work in and how they evolve in the future.

ENJOYMENT

Well it's not a masterpiece and this is shown by the fact that alot of people give bad reviews about this one...but thats because theyre guy's mainly. This is an anime meant for girls and it shows quite obviously, though this didnt stop me from watching it. I suggest you give it a try and see for yourself (its only 60mb after all)

ENCODE

The encode is good, quality is good. Nothing to remark here.

STORY

A great anime always has a great and unique story, GTO has this and improved the meaning. The story itself is about a guy who you would never expect to be a capable teacher...but actually is for that type of class. He is a teacher that gets assigned to delinquents...though when you expect them you see biker guys with leather jackets etc... but it turns out to be highly intelligent students doing pranks their way.

It has humor, drama, suspense all in one slice of life anime. I really recommend this one. It is a heartwarming story at some parts even.

ANIMATION

The animation is quite old and you notice this quickly, but don't let this turn down you watching this masterpiece. The story makes up for the old graphics.

SOUND

Well an old anime has old types of music, wich isnt really my preference. The OP though is brilliantly good wich makes up for the rest.

CHARACTER

Alot of character development in this anime, you get backgrounds on most of the students and they go all out in their feelings and why they do what they do. This really adds a + to the anime.

ENJOYMENT

I enjoyed every minite of this anime to the fullest, it did have some boring parts sometimes but those quickly dissapeared in good twists and turns.

Everyone will enjoy something about this anime one way or another.

ENCODE

The encode isnt that great though, you can see some "jumping"--> dunno how to explain this in the scenes.

STORY

Well the story is probably one of the longest around but can also be explained in one sentence: "A small crew of pirates is searching for a legendary treasure called 'One Piece' --> hence the name of the anime.

Alot of people watch One Piece, and for good reason. It is a decently good anime, but offcourse because it is so long it has its ups and downs. There will be parts in this anime where you just can't wait for the next episode and some parts where you'll want to skip it entirely.

This anime is great for people who like adventure and action.

ANIMATION

Well the animation is good but not that detailed, because of this it fits the anime perfectly and I don't have much to say about it. As the anime advances it improves. Lets remind everyone that this anime started out in 1999 and is still going after 10 years.

SOUND

Great sound on some parts, and bad on others. Its a long anime so alot of room for different songs etc... some good, some bad for my taste.

CHARACTER

Another advantage of animes that have long runtimes is ofcourse the character backgrounds, there is enough room to have a thourough screening of every characters past (the good and the bad). All characters are quite unique with their own style and personality.

ENJOYMENT

I really enjoy one piece even after 400 episodes, its starting to pick up now aswell at episode 395+ wich is great. I recommend this anime to everyone who has the time to catch up with 400 episodes.

ENCODE

Arent you glad I encoded this giganticly long anime? :p Quality is good in my eyes.

STORY
The story is quite unique compared to other anime. Though that doesnt mean it will be good for everyone. This anime does not contain much action and is more drama based with some economy poured in. It is about a trader who accidently meets up with a fox guardian. She is no longer needed and wants to return home. Along the way they encounter multiple things mostly to do with economics, I havn't really done any research wether they do it correctly or not, but it is still quite enjoyable. It also has some action parts and humour wich give the right change at the right time.

ANIMATION
The animation is quite good for this anime, it is normal but also quite detailed. Colors also play a big part and its quite enjoyable.

SOUND
Also a big + with this anime, don't expect hardcore techno sounds though since its quite the classical anime. Though i'm not quite fond of the ED.

CHARACTER
This is the biggest + in this anime, alot of character development and you get the feeling that youre getting to know the characters. There is not that much background but more present evolving of the relation between the main characters and the journey that they make.

ENJOYMENT
I really anjoyed this anime because of the story and the feel about it. I would recommend this to anyone who isnt a hardcore action fan and likes a good anime without it every once and a while.

ENCODE

It turned out great if I say so myself.

PS. Its been a while since I saw the anime so I might be off on some spots.

This is a brilliantly funny/action full anime. It has episodes with serious fights and episodes where you'll fall off your chair laughing.

STORY

Its a pretty basic story rather, nothing that overly original. Kids need to defeat the bad guys. One thing that seperates this from other animes is the uniqueness of the world itself and the dark aura around it. Also the fact that you have 2 types of people, Meisters and Weapons.

ANIMATION

The drawing style is also quite unique to this anime, its verry detailed but also drawn verry dark and the surroundings just scream Halloween...

SOUND

This is also a great thing about the anime, the OP and ED's are generelly OK to Good and the bg sounds always fit the scene perfectly.

CHARACTERS

There are lot of main characters in this anime, mainly 3 main and then semi support-main characters that act as their weapons. They all evolve slowly throughout the anime becomming stronger and stronger and having to fight more dangerous enemies and prevent certain things from happening.

ENJOYMENT

I enjoyed this anime verry much. If you like comedy and action this is the anime for you.

To be honest I only got past the first episode and found it to be too much fanservice, too few story.

STORY

What I got seemed to be a basic story, a legendary fighter in a High School girl goes to a new school where alot of people fight each other. Next to the fighting you got girls in weird outfits and lots of fan service. Nothing more than that to the story really...

ANIMATION

The animation itself is the standard, its not too good, but its not bad eather. Though you got to take into account that this anime is already a few years old.

SOUND

Can't recall. Sorry

CHARACTER

Well about the same as the story, there is not that much of a spotlight on characters other than their underwear. If you like that kinda thing this is the anime for you though.

ENJOYMENT

Well not much here, I don't really enjoy an anime where they focus more on fanservice than an actual story. Girls fighting with few clothes does not count as a story really...

ENCODE

Its great for 55MB Dual Audio

Death Note is one of the animes you wish would never stop. It has nothing but good points and the fanbase to prove it.

Story:

The story is quite unique. A rightious kid finds a notebook that can kill people by writing their names in it. Its a story about what this could do to someone who wants to fight crime and finally gets a tool that is way too powerfull to handle if it is in the wrong hands. Luckely he isnt one of those people, right?

Animation:

The animation is great, its detailed and good to look at. Its a dark anime story and you feel that in the surroundings. Wich is one of the + things of Death Note, there is a whole vibe around it.

Sound:

Just like all the rest the sound fits the anime perfectly.

Character:

Basicly the story of Death Note is nothing but character development. You get detailed backgrounds on people, you get to know them and how they "tick". It doesnt go back too much in the pasts and some things are shrouded in mystery, wich is actually a good thing.

Enjoyment:

Nothing but good things, I enjoyed every episode of it and was kinda sad that it ended at such a weird episode number. I suggest anyone who likes suspense and people tracking someone tail on tail then this is the anime for you.

Story:

Where MAPS really disappoints is in pacing and execution. The series tends to move along fairly swiftly, and at times it can be difficult to get a handle on things. This is very apparent in the early goings of the first episode, in which events are propelled into motion in the span of about five seconds. In addition, the story line itself is somewhat convoluted, with plot revelations being thrown left and right at the audience. Truthfully, I had little idea where the series was headed and had a hard time following some events as it wound to a climax.

Animation & sound:

Production values, surprisingly, weren't all that bad. The artwork and animation was quite functional as anime goes. Conceptual designs ranged in quality from the unique visuals of the giant space ships to some truly laughable alien beings. The English voice acting was quite solid, and some of the instrumental background music was of generally good quality (save for some cheesy synth tunes now and then).

Encode:

Its not that great, though its hard to find a good HQ source for this. So bear with it.

Story:
K-ON! is, simply put about a group of four high-school girls who join the schools light music club for various reasons and with various degrees of enthusiasm. However, as members of the light music club, great responsibility is put on them. As of episode 4, nothing seriously mind-bending has happened, but the individual characters drives the story forward in their own fashion, rather than some evil villain who pulls all the strings.


Art:
Rather than making overly complex drawings and animations for a light-hearted series like this, PONY CANYON made the right choice and keeps the drawing simple, filling out the expectations in regards to the theme and mood of the series.


Sound:
It goes without saying that an anime about music should have more than just the regular "run off the mill" music that other series uses. K-ON! does a great job at this, the opening and ending are addictive and stylized while the music they play themselves are rather crisp and somewhat matches what they do in the picture.


Characters:
From the very first episode, the characters are pushed onto the stage, one by one and they entertain you with nothing more than their own personalities and imagination. It hold together pretty well, especially since the whole lot is a blob of moe.

Each of the characters are archetypes and only moderately unique in terms of behavior and looks. However, the well-performed voice-acting gives the characters even more traits and distincts them from each other and other generic anime characters.


All in all, K-ON! is a great series for anyone who enjoys a good laugh, is attracted to moe and doesn't mind the fact that the series is just about a bunch of girls who wants to play music for some reason or another.

Story:

Well the story isnt really something special, it could have become something great...but it went into an entirely different direction. You would expect something about sports from the first few episodes but it quickly turns to something more action packed, war anime.

Animation:

Nothing to say here, animation is great as expected from Madhouse studios.

Sound:

The music is nothing special. It fits the scenes like it should though.

Character:
This anime does focus a bit on background of characters, though maybe not enough. You get to learn about the characters more as the anime continues.

Enjoyment:
The first few episodes are great, but the enjoyment declines greatly after a few episodes. The story starts to move on slowly...verrry slowly and it starts to annoy.

Encode is great as always.

At first this Anime was long gone from my top 10 Anime's. It was good, I liked it ever since the first episodes. This is because Xam'd: Lost Memories really knows how to make itself enjoyable. Putting in effort into the Animation at the correct times; and not doing so at the correct times also.

However, due to some issues I was unable to see Xam'd: Lost Memories for a while. Then, when two newer episodes came out, I was honestly surprised. The Animation was fluid and looked outstanding, the story was becoming more and more of a build-up, which fits the story perfectly fine. That's because a lot of things still need to be explained. The drama in between sure got me seated at the front of my seat (especially a special son -scene in episode 13), it was terrific.

Not just that, the music adds up to it and is pretty great. They use a lot of basic sounds; which sucks. But when the music starts kicking in, oh boy, you'll be dragged in!

But what really got me the most is the cast. For one, the main protagonist is much more like your everyday guy. He's not quiet, he doesn't cry and he doesn't acts like a wimp (heck, a lot of Anime guys act like wimps). But he, Akayuki, though not liked all the time, sure is a fascinating character. The main cast is what interest me the most, and what adds to this story the best.

They aren't original, they aren't exceptional: but yes, they are incredibly fascinating and add something to the story every episode. I love it, I just love!

In the years I've watched Anime, I've only given a few Anime's a 9 in overall rating. Never have I given a ten however, and an 8 is already exceptional with me. However, Xam'd, even though it's not finished yet.. deserves a big fat 9 from my part. It just, becomes even better the more you watch it. And I have great expectations of this Anime, I just hope I won't have to come back on my words.

Watch it, bare with it.. and you'll be dragged into liking it as well. Because even though it isn't 'that' original; it still is one of those Anime I will definitely enjoy watching and that makes me sit at the edge of my seat

Detroit Metal City has to be the guiltiest pleasure anyone can ever have. It's a dirty romp that takes you down the heavier, darker side of rock music with all the works: sex, drugs, fame and...satire? And here's what makes DMC a great anime.

DMC is an excellent comedy. The story follows a young, mild mannered man named Negishi who has a heart of gold that's full of songs that you'd probably find on Sesame Street. It also follows the devious escapades of a villainous creature from the darkness, the make-up clad death metal rocker called Krauser II, who is the lead singer of an up-and-coming underground band 'Detroit Metal City'. I won't say how the two are related, but you sure will be interested in both their stories. DMC creates an utterly satirical story that is both wonderfully unique and totally entertaining. It certainly drew me right into it.

The art may be a source of complaint from viewers. It has that trademark "indie" look that Studio 4°C is famous for. The characters are ugly, I won't even avoid this. If you're looking for good-looking people with pretty eyes and nice hair and amazing bodies, you won't find it here. Everyone looks pretty much like we normally do. The animation may be immediately pegged as bad, but attention must be carefully paid: it's the anime's style. Small details such as the wind blowing a character's hair were animated, however when the characters move around sometimes, it looks as though they're simply hopping across the screen. It is pretty obvious which detail a viewer is going to notice: the "bad" one. However, it isn't subsequently bad, it was purposefully "bad". It is the style. Not a lot of people may go for it.

And this is where the anime also shines other than its brilliant comedy: the music. DMC has various genres of music: death metal, pop and freestyle rap being some of them. It is clear that attention was paid to the sound of this anime, as the songs are actually very good. Of course, the lyrics are all silly, but the music is great. I am not a fan of death metal, but I am no stranger to it, and I can safely say that the metal compositions in DMC were much better than some of the real death metal songs out there. And the pop songs were actually sweet and bubbly; I was surprised that they weren't theme songs for shoujo anime.

Negishi and Krauser II are the two most prominent characters we see in the anime, Negishi being our protagonist. He actually is quite a developed character, as through the course of the series, he changes and grows, however for better or worse is to be determined. The point is, there is character development. Other background characters are equally entertaining even if they are stagnant. There is Krauser who is such an interesting medley of silly and evil. There's Negishi's love interest, who is surprisingly not swooning over him, Krauser, or any other man in the series. One of my favourites has to be the Death Records Manager--a foul-mouthed, base, corrupt woman who smokes and drinks as though she's on shore leave. And of course, there are the DMC super-fans, groups of people or individuals whose common sense seems shot to pieces when it comes to their favourite band and the music they obsessively love. The best part is the fact that their behaviour is all too real--people like this actually do exist.

DMC is magnificent. It is a superb comedy that satirises music and crazy fans and the showy side of music. It had me laughing from start to finish.

However, a word of warning: this is DEFINITELY not for everyone. For more conservative viewers, I suggest you stay clear away from Detroit Metal City. The humour is crude, it is very politically incorrect, it is violent, it gallivants down debauchery avenue, and if that sort of thing is not your style of comedy, then you will not be enjoying this anime. Also, if you are a death metal fan, you may find it to be offensive, but I must say, it is all in jest and whoever made this series is definitely a fan of the genre because they know the ins and outs of the music, the fanbase and the musicians.

Another thing this anime has going for it, a double-edged sword if you may, is the length. It won't even take you three hours to sit through the entire series; its brevity makes all the jokes never get tired and it keeps a pretty quick, energised pace. Sadly, the shortness also means that it ends faster, and trust me, if you like this series, you'd definitely want more.

If you have a broad mind, are looking for a great laugh and some decent music, and some very smart satire then Detroit Metal City is just what the Krauser ordered you to watch.

In our world, human relationships are the keys to happiness , but there are times when not everyone can open their door. We often fall into despair and isolate ourselves from the reality of thel world when our key is nowhere to be found. It is at these times when we need the support of others to guide us through our hardships and reassure us of our place within society. In society, our families are integral in providing us with the proper support that we need when our lives take a turn for the worst. Unfortunately, not everyone is blessed with the miraculous support of their families. Individuals living in a dysfunctional family often fall into a state of frustration and anger; unable to maintain proper stability in their lives. While family members are irreplaceable, their roles are not. Sometimes we need our friends to fill the roles of a family in order to provide us with the necessary support.

By now you’re probably wondering where I’m going with all of this. Before I begin my review I thought it was best to explain the role of a family in society and why they are so central to our everyday lives; whether we realize it or not. Clannad is the most recent installment of Kyoto Animation’s adaptation of Key’s visual novels. The central theme this time around is families and how they are needed in an individual’s everyday life. As an interesting bit of info, Clannad is the Irish word for "family" or "clan" which fits the theme of the show quite nicely.

Okay that’s a long enough introduction; I better start this review before the word count gets to be over… two thousand (no I wasn’t going to say what you were probably thinking about).

Story – 8/10
Similar to Key’s other works, Air and Kanon, Clannad attempts to throw the Republican punch; it plays with your emotions without giving a reason for doing so. Thankfully Clannad does a much better job than the pathetic campaign that the Republicans are currently running (and no, I’m not going to begin comparing Tomoyo to Sarah Palin if anyone was wondering).

Clannad’s story is about Tomoya Okazaki, a young delinquient in his last year of high school. When Tomoya was young his mother died in an accident. This event led Tomoya and his father into a downward spiral where they both became distant from one another. One night, Tomoya and his father got into an argument which eventually turned into a fight between father and son. As a result Tomoya seriously injured his shoulder and was unable to continue playing on the high-school basketball team. It was at this point where Tomoya began avoiding his father and roaming around the streets at night. He then began coming to school late and skipping classes together with his best friend Youhei Sunohara. Due to his actions, people began labeling Tomoya as a delinquient. Now in his last year of high school, Tomoya continues to half-ass his way through his life. Tomoya no longer cares about his future or others… until one day when he meets Nagisa Furukawa, a typically shy and gentle girl. It turns out that Nagisa was actually held back a year due to the fact that she was sick in the previous year and missed most of her classes. Since most of her friends graduated and left town, Nagisa is left with no friends. Tomoya, who feels that Nagisa is in a similar situation to his, approaches her. It is then that Nagisa tells Tomoya of her dream to join the drama club; because she always wanted to act in a play. Together, the two of them muster enough effort to go to the drama room after school only to find that the club shut down. Disappointed with the outcome, Nagisa leaves. After some thinking Tomoya, who feels that he has nothing better to do with his life, attempts to help Nagisa reorganize the drama club. Along the way, Tomoya meets many other (beautiful) girls, who all happen to have their fair share of problems. With nothing else to do, Tomoya eventually helps to solve each of their problems while at the same time coming to the realization that he himself has one.

Clannad’s story is told in a number of arcs. Each arc focuses on a specific character and their family central problems. Within each arc, Tomoya and Nagisa help that character identify the problem and find ways to solve it. In doing so, Tomoya learns more about the importance of having a family while Nagisa develops some personal courage. For this genre of anime, Clannad does a good job in steering clear from the pit of flaws and clichés that many other animes constantly fall into. In general, the story arcs in Clannad are well executed and told very nicely with some light supernatural elements thrown in. The backgrounds of each arc character are fleshed out and presented to the viewers in a way in which we can easily make connections and relate to each character. While the stories of each character are neither deep nor profound they are often sad; usually involving a tragic death or a tale of misfortune. Unfortunately, the episode length of the story arcs is quite unbalanced. Two of the main character’s arcs are cut extremely short due to some arcs being far too long and to a point, overly fleshed out.

Often times, Kyoto Animation (now KyoAni for simplicity) seems to be the Hollywood of anime; spawning shallow pop culture shows with over the top production values. Some of the animes produced by KyoAni such as The Melancholy of Suzimiya Haruhi and Lucky Star rely heavily on otaku-central humor. The humor sported by the above series often gets repetitive and dull since it is only targeted at one specific group. Thankfully, the overall experience of Clannad is not bogged down by unnecessary otaku humor. Oddly enough, the humor is actually used in parts of Clannad’s story to provide comic relief (usually involving the misfortune of Youhei Sunohara) to prevent the show from feeling too depressing. Additionally, the comedic scenes in Clannad are not just otaku-specific and are more quirky, witty and slapstick oriented. Unlike Zero no Tsukaima, which doesn’t t know when to draw the fine line between cruel and funny, Clannad seems to understand its reputation and swiftly draws that line. Overall, I enjoyed the humor in Clannad and felt that it added to the show rather than detracting from viewing experience. It’s nice to see that KyoAni has finally learned that there are anime fans out there that do not enjoy excessive amounts of otaku humor; Clannad being a key example of their progress.

Surprisingly there is very little romantic development in Clannad (which the opening would hint otherwise since it quite clearly showcases the five main girls in typical harem format). The main focus of Clannad is families and not so much romance, although all families eventually begin with some romance. There is some romantic tension between Tomoya and the other girls (mainly Nagisa) but it never gets to the point where a harem is formed. More than anything the romance of the show just fleshes out the main characters and makes them memorable in the end.

Animation – 9/10
KyoAni is known far and wide for having extremely high production values. Some fans even consider the studio to be the gods of anime and for good reasons too. The animation in Clannad does not disappoint, all characters are fluidly animated. There is not a single dull facial expression or a stiff body figure on screen at any time (although at one point Tomoya does get rather stiff, but this is not due to a drop in animation). The lighting effects in Clannad are also superb, as they are usually used in conjunction with character’s feelings to convey the mood. Overall I have very few complaints (if not any) about the animation in Clannad except that I know KyoAni’s has even greater potential in terms of animation as seen in their previous masterpiece Full Metal Panic: The Second Raid.

Sound – 8/10
Another strong point of this anime is its sound and voice acting. The opening song "Megumeru ~cuckool mix 2007” by eufonius is a direct remix of the Clannad game opening. It fits the tone of the show nicely and is enjoyable to listen too along with the opening animation. The ending them “Dango Daikazoku” (The Big Dango Family) by Chata is a metaphorical song of the show’s main theme and the animation that goes along with it is quite cute and charming. Most of the BGM in Clannad was either reused or remixed directly from the Clannad visual novel. People who have played the game before will recognize many similar tracks, which may lead to mixed feelings. It would have been nice if KyoAni had taken the time to create new tracks, although in doing so they may have destroyed the overall feel and mood of Clannad. The voice acting is handled quite well by the voice actors. Most of them were able to breathe life into each of their respective characters and with great passion too. Overall, sound is pretty solid in Clannad earning a respective value of 8.

Characters – 8/10
Most of the characters in Clannad are taken from a bottomless pool of anime archetypes including the quiet bookworm, the gentle girl and your typical tsundere. Thankfully, some of the characters in Clannad end up being more than dry bologna. I’m glad that I finally get to have a few slices of black forest salami.

My goodness, if the delinquents at my school offered to solve my personal problems and spoke without swearing every other sentence, I would declare world peace everywhere. It’s strange that Tomoya seems to be the nicest and most decent delinquient that I have ever seen. In some respects his character almost seems unnatural, although I guess Tomoya only developed in this fashion due to living with a dysfunctional father. Complaints aside, Tomoya is a painfully honest young man who is frantically dealing with his own personal problems. Tomoya is a truly admirable character as he draws upon the failures in his life to make sure those around him do not end up that way. Through helping others, Tomoya eventually comes to the realization of his own problems and changes with the help of others.

At first glance, Nagisa doesn’t really seem to fit the role of a heroine as her character is a combination of the shy, gentle girl archetype. Nagisa is initially afraid of speaking in front of others but nevertheless wants to join the drama club. Most of Clannad’s story revolves around Nagisa and her fight to overcome her shyness. With Tomoya’s help, she eventually matures into a strong-willed person with a mind of her own. In turn, Nagisa is the one who helps Tomoya get over his distrust of everyone and his negative view on life. Oddly enough, Nagisa seems to be one of the few characters in Clannad who doesn’t have an immediate family issue. Nagisa’s family happens to be very close with each other, a rarity in modernized societies today. Watching Nagisa’s family members interact with one another gave me a heartwarming feeling and made me realize how similar my family is to hers. Even Tomoya is welcomed into the family at one point, showing just how generous they are. I understand that not everyone is blessed with a warm, loving family, but I hope that this example illustrates that almost anyone can find a family in this world, even if they are not related by blood.

The four other main girls in Clannad aren’t quite as developed as Nagisa (in terms of character, not figure) but they still have more than ample screen time. First of all there’s Kyou Fujibayashi (your typical tsundere), Kotomi Ichinose (the shy, intelligent bookworm), Tomoyo Sakagami (the combo master) and Fuko Ibuki (the starfish obsessed bozo). All of the main girls have their own respective arcs in which their personal stories are told. Each girl is equally likeable due to their individual personalities and complex personal lives, although some such as Kotomi and Kyou seriously run the risk of falling within the bottomless pool of anime archetypes. One last notable mention is Youhei Sunohara, who is the main source of comic relief in Clannad. Sunohara is probably the most humorous character due to his wacky antics and idiotic behavior which often results in him being bullet-kicked by Tomoyo. While every character in Clannad belongs to an anime archetype, KyoAni does an excellent job in differentiating most of them from other common fodder. These characters are part of what makes Clannad such an enjoyable and at times humorous show to watch.

Enjoyment – 9/10
While it’s not a groundbreaking story, Clannad doesn’t try to play up to anything more than it is. Clannad is simply a heartwarming story about the importance of a family. While some character’s arcs did not receive as much screen time as others, the main story is not greatly affected. Clannad’s story isn’t without flaws, but it still stands strong and will be remembered if not for its heartwarming story, then for its wacky, original sense of humor. People who enjoy a blend of drama, humor and slice of life will more than enjoy Clannad. Those who prefer a more serious tone to their animes (such as myself) will still find reasons to enjoy Clannad as its story is not purely positive.

Phew, this was another review that ended up being well over two-thousand words. I probably mispelled Tomoya as Tomoyo somewhere. Again, if you found a way to get through this lengthy review, I congratulate you and hope you learned something from reading it.

ChaoS;HEAd is a psychological anime with some action and a good plot behind it. Overall, it was pretty enjoyable, and something that is definitely worth watching; however, it isn't one of those extremely memorable anime like Death Note or Code Geass that everybody just loves. Actually, it doesn't reach those heights in the slightest, but that's not to say it was terrible either. Definitely watch it if you like short, psychological anime series, but if you're a casual anime watcher, ChaoS;HEAd should be watched after you've watched the Tops.

Story
Read the synopsis for more details. Basically, you have your generic "I hate human greed/selfishness and I'm going to destroy/remake everything to make a point" anime villain. Then you also have the generic male anime protagonist who attempts to save mankind. Sounds boring, but ChaoS;HEAd adds to this generic plot with its own unique recipes that makes the story worthwhile. There are unexplained points in the story for minor details that are never answered, but most are sci-fi related. It does make the story unsatisfying, but doesn't ruin the story.

Art
I watched ChaoS;HEAd subbed by m33w fansubs, which were 400 mb per episode, so the quality of the anime was great. Everything was sleek and clear. Besides that, the art style is also notable. It is drawn with seriousness in mind, so you won't be seeing any MOE characters or out-of-proportion body parts (besides the eyes, lol) that are common in comedy anime. The motions are very sleek and smooth, so you can just appreciate how many drawings came together to piece ChaoS;HEAd up. I haven't noticed any obvious reused background scenery, so that's a plus as well.

Sound
I'm not a big person on sound, unless it was noticeably awful. The sound in ChaoS;HEAd seems fine to me. The opening song really fit the anime. I personally didn't like the peaceful, pacific ending song, seeing as how it just didn't quite in with the psychological element of ChaoS;HEAd. Generally, the background music was pretty good and fitted with the various situations. The sound effects were satisfying as well. The effects for bodies .. "being damaged" were especially realistic *shudders*

Character
Characters were very unique in ChaoS;HEAd. Every main character has their own traits, from the queer Ayase to Yua with her extremely notable repetitions in speech. The protagonist, Takumi Nishijo, was especially interesting and quite different from generic characters, to say the least. His character development was also done very well. Most watchers will likely hate his personality at the beginning, and most will change their opinions ;)

Enjoyment
In the beginning, I didn't expect much. The first few episodes presented an interesting story and Nishijo's personality, albeit irritating, was noticeably different that most other anime characters. However, everything felt a little bland. But as I continue watching, it became quite enjoyable, as more characters were introduced, and more mysteries presented themselves, waiting for explanations in further episodes. The ending was especially good and is probably the highlight of this entire series.

Overall, ChaoS;HEAd was good, enjoyable, satisfying, but definitely not an epic/memorable anime. I recommend watching the first episode or two, and then take it from there: if you are interested, keep going and if not, hold it for later.

Black Lagoon. That's a name that easily caught my eye. After reading the brief review, I said "why not?". And so I found a great anime that would get me hooked for quite a long time! And it definitely deserves rewatch! On with the review!

- [ Animation: Good quality and well-detailed -> 9 ] -

Let's set things clear now. Black Lagoon (BL) has one of the best animations i've ever seen! If you pay attention to details, you will like BL. The animators have invested great effort in creating detailed backgrounds and characters. OMG! You can even see the demin texture on Revy's short sometimes! Now, another thing that amazed me is that both the characters and background are animated at the same time. I know, this sounds simple but no! These two are almost independent of each other but even them, you will see the characters interacting with the backgrounds in a number of ways. When the characters are being shot at, notice the number of bullet-holes on the walls increasing. Notice the gun smoke that dissipates when the characters walk. All these details make BL's animation great and lively.

The character motions are smooth and natural, even during the very fast-paced action scenes. Even then, the background does not lose its details. On one scene on a ship, you can see the rivets as Revy is fighting! Quite a number of details to watch out for. The play on lights and atmosphere renders a great effect too. The animators definitely knew what they were doing.

- [ Sound: Suits situations and fast-paced -> 9 ] -

As usual, I don't pay much attention to sound. NOPE! Here, it got my full attention! The Opening (OP) and Ending (ED) credits music is very good, specially the OP. It really suits the mood of the series in my opinion. Now for the ending, you will notice that the music starts within the episode, starting at a very low hum to gradually attain its normal level as the episode ends. It's a superb blend. It's the first anime I know that uses this technique and I can say I'm impressed. It was a good idea.

Next, the in-series music is nonetheless amazing! It really enlivens the scenes to their respective paces. In dramatic situations, you will get the appropriate music. In fast-paced scenes, expect hard rock or similar. It was a good choice of music for the series. For once, the sound of an anime caught my attention. I am looking foreward to a Black Lagoon OST.

- [ Story: No real plotline ->7 ] -

Story? Don't expect any in BL! There is none. BL is a collection of short stories, pieced together to show you the lives of the characters at a point in time. There is no plot, not even in the second season (Second Barrage) of Black Lagoon.

However, the short stories are very good and definitely deserves watching if you enjoy action and gun-fights. They place the main characters in a variety of situations in which their work places them.

I have not introduced the story yet! Sorry. So, Black Lagoon is about a man, Okajima Rokuro, who is entrusted the mission of delivering a data disk to some people by his company. The man is travelling on a ship when the latter is attacked by pirates (not really pirates but anyway..). After some time, we are told that the pirates are after the data disk carried by Rokuro. The pirates, a man-and-woman team will eventually get the disk, but also take Rokuro as hostage to get some ransom from his company. However, the data disk contains sensitive data about the company, and merceneries are sent after the pirates to destroy them. The demand for ransom is immediately ignored and Rokuro is considered dead. Here begins the life of Rock, formerly Rokuro, as a delivery agent on the Black Lagoon speedboat, together with gun-slinger Revy, captain Dutch and computer whiz Benny.

As you can see, the plot is fairly interesting. You will soon see that delivering goods, specially illegal stuff, is not a safe business. Often, the characters are put in life-threatening situations and major gunfights resulting, specially with battle-maniac Revy around. Rock is sort of the negociator for Black Lagoon Company, negociating terms of business and often toning down conflicts. We are also presented with the clients of BLC, namely the Russian Mafia boss Miss Balalaika and Mr Chan, leader of the triads or even the Church of Violence.

The short stories are definitely worth watching, and seldom offers time for boredom. Watch if you need something fast-paced and energetic. There were no nudity, although some exposure was shown. Violence? BL is filled of it. Bad language? Same. Humour? Yes. Crude jokes and black humour is there for you. So, it's not an anime for young people.

- [ Characters: Development & Variety ->9 ] -

This is where the fun lies in BL, the characters. Each of them is so very unique in their own way that you feel that they really possess emotions. They fight for their own causes, have their own motivations which sound very heroic or plausible. They have their own strengths and weaknesses and can each be liked or hated by the viewer. The main characters of BL are each well-developed, this being one of the great parts of BL. The main characters are:

Revy: She is the gun of Lagoon Company who gets everybody out of trouble. Apparently she does not like Rock, but what she hates is his attitude. In fact, she will often go out of her way to help others and specially Rock. She is an expert when it comes to fighting techniques, who can single-handedly eliminate every enemy, armed with her twin-guns, Cutlass. Sometimes, she is so addicted to fights that she would go berserk. No one is spared then, not even her crew, as Rock saw for himself in an episode.

Dutch: He is the captain of the Lagoon speedboat. Tactial, he never does things rashly. He seems to be African, something rare in Japanese animes. He is equally talented when it comes to guns. However, he prefers to avoid fights when possible.

Benny: The computer genius of Lagoon. Not much is known about him. He never fights but is an expert getaway driver.

Rock: The newest member of Lagoon. Although he never fights, he is an expert in negotiations and at pacifying Revy, often at the cost of blows! He always try to hold back Revy and has a strong sense of justice. He will try to protect anyone and everyone, something which exasperates Revy.

Balalaika: The woman who controls Hotel Moscow. She was an ex-millitary and is very proficient when it comes to wars of any sort. She also commands a small army which often comes in play in BL.

As you can see, the characters of BL are varied. You have to see for yourself to enjoy BL. I can't say more.

- [ Value and Enjoyment: Very good -> 9 ] -

If you want action, and specially fast-paced action, BL is for you. But since there is no real plot, many viewers will be turned away. I, for my part, really enjoyed BL and even rewatched the whole series a couple of times, just for the action and butt-kicking. It kinda pumps up the adrenalin, if you see what I mean. The series, being short, is easy to rewatch without severe boredom. The small stories furthur eliminate boredom, and plotholes.

- [ Conclusion ] -

If you are looking for something good to watch, check out Black Lagoon. If you like it, there is a second season with 12 episodes called Black Lagoon: The Second Barrage. The situation is nearly same for Second Barrage. It's not really a continuation but just more short stories. There is no ending to BL, and I don't even know if there would be a real story. Some people have been speculating that the real Black Lagoon has not yet started and that we were merely watching the prequel. That would be the longest prequel I've ever seen, with 24 episodes! :S

I've got nothing more to say. Just go watch BL. The lack of a plotline made me give BL an overall 8. Apart from that, there are no major flaws. You won't regret it, in my opinion. And thanks for reading!

Akane-iro ni Somaru Saka has potential, but fails to deliver it throughout the episodes. The first episode sets up the story, and it is certainly interesting. However, unfortunately from there, it goes downhill. From a great introduction, Akane-iro ni Somaru Saka then becomes dully episodic, and most of episodes have little to do with with the actual story. The plot is really only addressed in the last 2 episodes, which, I have to admit, does do a decent job in wrapping everything up.

/> The characters are unique, but their development throughout the anime is pretty bland.You can just expect how each character would act in any given situation. Yuuhi is the obvious tsundere would would always deny her true feelings and make it obvious that she's doing it. She almost does this in every single situation... It's interesting to watch her in action the first few times, but afterward, something new is needed, but never comes around.

Sound and art are decent. Nothing bad, but doesn't deliver anything amazing or new either.

The comedy is decent, but good scenes that really makes you laugh out loud are rare and infrequent.

Overall, Akane-iro ni Somaru Saka had potential, but the anime in its entirety does not meet up to expectations it sets in the beginning. I suggest this only if you've ran out of other things to watch. less

Ever have a romance anime end right when the lovers finally confess their love after a long agonizing courting period? Ever wish to see how the lovers spend time together after their declaration of love? That is the purpose of this uneventful anime, pure slice of life anime. It still manages to make every episode enjoyable...kinda. The ending of the last episode is incredibly open, true to the nature of the series. Truly, this anime is nothing but a slice of life - a view into the everyday lives of the characters, with no unusual problems.

Although this is a sequel, expect the pacing to be even slower than the first Ai Yori Aoshi. In fact, even less happens here than the first time, so even though you've seen the first installment of Ai Yori Aoshi I'd say this sequel probably won't add much to it. It's not bad, but definitely not as good as the original series. Not much happens other than the introduction of two new characters not seen in the original. Expect an almost complete lack of plot. This is a mellow series - even mellower than most slice-of-life - so obviously avoid if you're looking for action, intensity, and other stuff you won't find in any slice-of-life anyway.

Characters are as likable as they were the first time around, so you'll like them again this time around the same way.

Major points off however, since there's a lack of resolution at the end, which seemed to be something the series was hinting at the entire time at the very least.

Chobits really isn't much of an original series, the same concept has been done many times. So I had to dock points in the story category. However, I think that what it does, it does well for being unoriginal.
It's filled with cute moments. and comedy. and fanservice, which is probably my least favorite thing about the series. way too much fanservice. There is also quite a few recap episodes, while I think we wouldn't need that many. but other than that and the unoriginal thing, I dont have many other complaints.
The art's done pretty well, but why I gave it such a high score is really because I love how detailed the lolita-style dresses are. They're so cute!
The sound...the OP song is a pop song called "Let Me Be With You" and suits it pretty well, I think. I also think the ED songs were chosen well also. Oh, and I LOVE Chii's voice. It's adorable and is perfect for her.
Personally, I really liked all the characters. I also really like the decent amount of character development and relationship development throughout it. It fits characters you would think will have nothing to do with eachother, and makes characters main characters that you would've thought, in the beginning, wouldn't really play too big a role.
I also really like the morals in it.
Also, I'd like to mention that, while I do like the anime, I think the anime pales in comparison to the manga, the manga explains a lot that isn't explained in the anime.
Regardless though, overall, I personally enjoyed it a lot. As long as you can get past the initial unoriginality, it's a good watch, I suggest it.

The story itself isn't out of the ordinary......boy meets girl, falls in love and another 4 girls do the same. However, it is good the way the story develops around the two main characters. The male lead isn't an asshole nor an idiot and that makes him a likable character. The female lead is.....interesting......She doesn't know anything else besides her love for the male lead and it's kinda interesting to see how the story develops around her.

There is no tragedy to make the plot a little more complicated (except the facts concerning the past of the main male character which I won't spoil for you), so all you can expect is love-love in every episode.

The motivation of each character is explained and you get to identify with the situation of a few characters, however there are some that only do what they do because they want and that leaves you with the feeling of emptiness.

I would recommend this anime if you want a light story of love....

Bleach has become one of the most popular anime around, and is commonly if not always, compared to Naruto. Hated by many, loved by many, this anime will be watched by virtually everyone who dives into the anime world.

Story: The story, or perhaps setting to be more accurate, is quite unique. Shinigami, or Soul Reapers, that have their own special society watch over the souls in the living world. Each Shinigami carries a unique sword(soul slayer) or Zanpaktou that has its own unique name and abilities based on the wielder's style and personality. Alongside them are the Hollow, and two subgroups later to be known as the Vaizard and Arrancar. It is this unique setting that gives Bleach the power to create so many characters under such a captivating environments, and this I believe, is one of the story's strong points. In terms of plot, it isn't very strong. The whole 'rescue a friend' is seen in pretty much every anime, and the whole 'I need to get stronger to protect my friends' is equally overdone. But I personally enjoy watching series with this type of theme, so I can't mark it down because of such overdone plot devices. But Bleach also comprises by adding a few twists into a seemingly transparent storyline, and it is here that I again am impressed. Bleach isn't just about mindless violence, its about friends striving to help each other, looking out for each other and improving themselves. Theres a bit of romance tossed in too, so thats a bit of a plus. The great setting and positive themes of friendship and perseverance made me give this an : 8/10

Characters: Bleach has a huge number of characters, some of them developed fairly well, otherwise poorly. But it is the huge cast of such unique and usually admirable individuals that makes this anime so captivating. You just hold your breath everytime someone pops into release their soul slayer or release their Bankai. It's because of all these characters and their own unique swords and abilities that makes the fights in this anime worth watching. You just can't wait to see what the characters are capable of. In terms of character development, I would say that it isn't bad, especially in terms of Ichigo who starts off as a badass that can take down most hollows with ease. In time, (particularly the current arc) he realizes how insignificant he really is, and tries his hardest to get stronger. The same is similar for the other characters such as Chad. Although most of the character development is in terms of strength and not so much in personality, I still rate the characters high for their largely unique cast: 8/10

Sound: This I find, is one of Bleach's strongest qualities. The soundtracks really intensify the battles and make even the smallest things seem cool. Thats that Bleach is good at - making things seem cool, and the soundtrack is a key and necessary component. But it isn't just the action scenes. It makes the sad and thoughtful moments come alive, in addition to the mysterious and tense situations Bleach presents. It's also accompanied by some of the best opening and closings I've seen in anime, in terms of both music and visuals. They greatly depict the story and the songs set the mood beautifully. 10/10

Art/Animation: I have little to say here. The art is quite good for the most parts, and I loved the coloring in the first few arcs, particularly the bright glowly/misty colors. Most of the fights are animated very smoothly with a variety of scenes and angles and such. Its on par with most anime these days: 8/10

Overall: Bleach is one of my favorite anime, being one of the first I ever watched. I know most people consider it over rated, repetitive and predictable, but hey, it presents some epic fights and follows them through nicely. Most of the fights are a good length (couple episodes) and I'm a fan of swords and people who power up, so what can I say, this anime is gold to me. If you're the type that doesn't care too much about a complicated story or deep compelling characters and you just want to see some epic fights, Bleach is right for you. This deserves an 8/10 overall (bogged down with fillers too much, although I didn't take that into account while rating. Fillers aren't part of the show, just don't watch them =/ ), but I personally love it and rated it a 10/10 on my list.

Storyline
Ok. The storyline… Well, it starts out pretty basic. A guy meets a vampire in the forest, and they somehow fall in love. That’s as simple as it’s going to get, because after that, things go all over the place. The one thing I will mention about this series is that if you plan to pick it up, don’t try to understand the first couple of episodes. Just watch it. First of all, the setup for each episode is similar to a Japanese Noh play. It adds a strange, yet eerie intro, and I think it works in setting the “stage” for each ep. Next, for the first 3-4 eps, it’s going to feel like something out of a pulp fiction novel. The storylines are disjointed, confusing, and provide no flow whatsoever. You’ll start to feel as if the fansubbers messed up and released the eps in the wrong order. In a nutshell, it’s confusing as hell. HOWEVER, there’s a really good reason for this. Given that the series is only 12 eps long, I can’t really go into detail without spoiling it. BUT, the fact that the eps seem so random to the point that you feel lost, allows the viewer to associate with the main character and his situation. It’s a pretty nice effect, and I think it works. Just remember that if/when you watch this, keep in mind that every episode ties into each other. You just won’t see it right away.

Characters/Animation & Design
The anime has a combination of both CG and traditional animation. A good job was done in blending to the 2 together to create some really nice scenes. The artwork and backgrounds are for the most part dark, drab, and grungy. This is contrasted by some really bright and flashy action sequences (ep. 6 fight scene at the end is my fav). Action is really fast paced and is very reminiscent of scenes from the movie “Ninja Scroll”. Also, the main character Kuro likes to yell……a lot..to the point where you start to say “he’s gonna scream again..”. Lol. There’s also a fair amount of head rolling, arms being chopped of, and the occasional spray of blood that shoots about 7 feet high in the air (ala Takashi Miike). All in all, there’s a lot of dynamics in the scene, at it’s plenty of fun to watch.

As for the characters, well, there’s not that much dynamic to them. The story focuses on the main character, Kuro, and his girl, Kuromitsu. Everyone else is either a support character or badguy. Unfortunately, to me, the makes the story fairly shallow, but can be understood considering the length of the series.

Closing Comments
I can’t really go into to much detail without spoiling this anime, but I can honestly say that if you can deal with the “WTF” moments of the first couple of episodes, it’s not to shabby. Eventually, the plot does start to make more sense. The action sequences are really fast and flashy. I have to admit, if it wasn’t for one of the members on the forum, I would have tuned out of this one. It’s not an epic anime, but, it’s a great show to sit down with if you not in the mood to watch 200+ eps of bleach, and if you want to see some heads get sliced off.