Forion's Anime
take a look at Forion's MangaThis is how I understand ratings:
* Masterpiece - a great implementation of a great idea, script, graphics, music, voices - all perfect; something overwhelming, overthrowing, turning mind and heart on, something you want to rewatch over and over again, discovering something new about it with each rewatch... Something I wanted to see but did not expect to see.
* Excellent - that's what an anime should be. Very well devised, very well done. Beautiful, captivating, heartwarming, worth thinking over, maybe with really good humour... Possibly has some minor flaws, but still lovable and rewatchable.
* Very good - the show has some considerable flaw about it: perhaps it's too dull now and then, or some idea behind it is unacceptable, or the ending is messed up, etc. Yet there's something really great (an idea, a character, a plot twist, scenery, music...) that atones for all the flaws and makes the work worthy.
* Good - it could be much better. It should be much better. It's either a mediocre implementation of a good idea, or great efforts spent on a not-so-good idea. The show gave me some pleasing moments, something to think about, yet the overall feeling is not quite pleasant.
* Decent - this is the brink of the recycle bin. It's either a totally mediocre show, yet with nothing really bad about it, or some wreckage of an anime in which some really good moments have stuck by accident.
* So-so - I regret starting to watch it. I either couldn't sit this one out or felt frustrated after watching it. Maybe scenery/music/actors/whatever is sometimes good, but the whole show isn't.
* Not really good - even more annoyance, even less atonement. There might be something good in there, but no point in looking for it.
* Weak - it's disgusting. You might find some good bits in it if you look at it through a magnifier. I don't want to.
* Bad - what on Earth could justify the existence of this piece of trash? How come that I'm whatching it at all??
* Awful - *play* *stop* *eject* *kick* *kick* *kick* *kick*
* Worst ever - haven't seen this yet. Hope I won't have to. :)
| Seen all▲▼ | Rating▲▼ |
| Air (TV) | Decent |
| Enter the Epic Fail™. Everything that was good in the movie is missing or badly twisted in the series. Misuzu is turned from a plot-driving 'other-worldly' character into some sort of 'damsel-in-distress' not knowing whether to run away from pain or from loneliness. Two more of her kind appear, just to disappear for good after a few episodes. No trace of character evolution in anyone, even Yukito, which is most disappointing. No talk of love, it's all just about some stupid destiny. The supernatural layer is totally messed up. The end is not simply sad - it's _pointlessly_ sad. And, to crown it all, all characters are poorly drawn. Only a few really touching moments and Hisakawa Aya's brilliant voice acting save the show. | |
| Air (movie) | Excellent |
| Coincidences that turn out to be wonders; love which is more precious than life and which alone gives meaning to life; the change which occurs in people when they get in touch with that love; madness to love and bravery to be loved; reality slowly turning into a fairy-tale, bitter yet very light and beautiful... Wonderful animation, good soundtrack, perfect voice play. Must see. | |
| Angel's Egg (movie) | Very good |
| Something beautiful and breathtaking, but totally surrealistic. To say that I've completely understood it would be a gross exaggeration. :) There's a plausible Christian interpretation to it, still the symbolism is way too crazy... The most interesting thing about it is how many references to it may be found in later anime titles. :) | |
| (The) Animatrix (OAV) | Very good |
| In general, this is a good addition to the 'Matrix' trilogy, as well as a good overview of modern animation techniques. However, individual episodes are very diverse, my rating ranging from 'Weak' to 'Masterpiece'. Didn't like 'Final Flight of the Osiris' & 'World Record' at all; 'Program' and 'Second Renaissance' are way better; 'Kid's Story', 'Detective Story', 'Matriculated' - these are excellent; 'Beyond' - and this is truly beyond words. | |
| Barefoot Gen (movie) | Excellent |
| It's just bloody _real_. Given the plot summary, this _does_ mean something. | |
| Black Rock Shooter (TV) | Masterpiece |
| CANAAN (TV) | Excellent |
| Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion (TV) | Very good |
| Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion R2 (TV) | Excellent |
| Den-noh Coil (TV) | Excellent |
| Elfen Lied (TV) | Masterpiece |
| Oh yes, loads of blood & legs & arms & heads flying here and there, lots of nudity... But that's not what this show is really about. What really matters are - Sin, Repentance, Forgiveness, Friendship, Love... Everything I've said about Haibane Renmei also applies to Elfen Lied. Except that HR shows us how a person locks herself in the circle of sin with one's own hand - and here we can see what hell comes out of it with an addition of other people's hatred and demonic forces... Yet salvation is possible even here. So easy and natural to some characters, scandal and madness to the others. It doesn't matter whether to be a "Diclonius" or a regular human - it does matter whether to save the soul or to ruin it. Your choice? | |
| Elfen Lied (OAV) | Masterpiece |
| It's a full-fledged part of the series, so no other rating is possible here. | |
| Escaflowne: The Movie | So-so |
| First Squad - The Moment Of Truth (OAV) | Very good |
| The rating is a bit "in advance", as the movie is clearly a beginning of a larger plot. It consists mostly of action and pathos, yet the authors have managed to a) create a 50-minute piece of more-than-decent animation, b) start telling myths about the war in the right way for myths to be told, c) provide the realistic feeling of war, d) create enough intrigue for a sequel. If they go on in the same vein, they might produce something really great. The "talking heads" insets, though good in themselves, don't fit quite well inside the movie - hope they will be set aside on the DVD release. | |
| FLCL (OAV) | Good |
| Even though I don't mind absurd in general, there still can be too much of it, or it can be too gross - and here we have both. Only the 6th episode puts it to rights, to some extent... luckily I made it to the 6th episode. :) There are quite a few really funny moments, though, and the animation is great, too. | |
| Flying Phantom Ship (movie) | Decent |
| I watched it long ago, as a child. Remember myself being quite impressed and having nightmares after that. :) Nothing special by today's measures, though. | |
| Fractale (TV) | Good |
| (The) Garden of Sinners (movie series) | Excellent |
| Gate Keepers 21 (OAV) | Excellent |
| Action movie? Comedy? Drama? Thriller? On the whole - none of the above. Every minute - all of the above. Despite the general dark and dramatic atmosphere, it contains virtually every type of humour: visual gags, ironic remarks, satire on society, grotesque black humour... Though full of bombastic action and unrealistic devices, it has quite serious ideas at it's core. Great characters, good animation and sound, an introduction to ancient Japanese poetry... Yes, that's all in only 6 episodes. | |
| (The) Girl Who Leapt Through Time (movie) | Excellent |
| A very light, kind, funny story, fascinating though a bit "hollywoody". Wish I could watch it in the cinema... I loved the main character very much. :) | |
| Gunbuster (OAV) | Excellent |
| Gunbuster 2: Diebuster (OAV) | Excellent |
| Haibane Renmei (TV) | Masterpiece |
| One of the best works ever made on themes of Sin, Forgiveness and Friendship. Splendid graphics, lovely characters, wonderful music, light humour, overwhelming emotions, shockingly right questions and answers... You can _feel_ the author's love for this world and these characters flowing from the screen. GREAT, that's all. | |
| Howl's Moving Castle (movie) | Very good |
| A classic fairy-tale in fantastic surroundings, with a VERY detailed drawing. Really nice work. | |
| Kids on the Slope (TV) | Excellent |
| Last Exile (TV) | Very good |
| A captivating adventure story, a _tremendously splendidly beautiful_ picture, an immensely twisted plot, a very scrupulously devised world, interesting characters... Only the end disappointed me, to some extent. | |
| Last Exile: Fam, The Silver Wing (TV) | Masterpiece |
| Maya the Bee (TV) | Good |
| Seen this in my childhood, but had no remotest idea that it was made in Japan. :) Good series for small children. | |
| (The) Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya (TV) | Excellent |
| At first, it's funny. The middle of the series I just sat out: it's still funny but gets somewhat monotonous, the characters showing almost no trace of development... And then the ending - all of a sudden beautiful, meaningful, heartwarming, explaining and justifying the whole series - as if shot by some other director. :) A lot of parody, good songs, some worthy graphics. | |
| (The) Melody of Oblivion (TV) | Excellent |
| Satire, parody, deconstruction, surrealism, estheticism, reality and myth coming together... In short, everything you could expect from the creators of Utena and FLCL. Too much fanservice, to my mind, but still a must-see for every Utena fan. | |
| Mr. Arashi's Amazing Freak Show (movie) | Weak |
| "Class, see this shit? That's Buddhism. Now throw away the shit." The creators of the film have gone far too far in trying to portray everything as either disgusting or illusionary. The film itself, that's what is most disgusting. Neither J. A. Seazer's music nor photographic effects can save it from the recycle bin. | |
| Neon Genesis Evangelion (TV) | Very good |
| Sometimes I wonder how it got so high a rating from me, given all that I don't like about it. Ragged plot, flat jokes, ubiquitous occultism, main characters overwhelmed by inferiority complexes (apparently director's ones), a creepy quasi-psychological ending... Well, first, there's one worthy idea behind all this: it's the world which is doomed all along. No point in choosing between one bunch of occultists and another, as well as between piloting a giant robot and growing watermelons - either way, everything's going to vanish pretty soon. Just take the time and fix your own mind, perhaps that's the chance... And, second - there's Misato. These two points justify the whole (well, if End of Evangelion is included into that whole). | |
| Neon Genesis Evangelion: The End of Evangelion (movie) | Very good |
| A necessary part of the series. This is the real ending, not that rampant psychiatrist's handbook. | |
| Night on the Galactic Railroad (movie) | Excellent |
| Noir (TV) | Excellent |
| Once Upon a Time (movie) | Excellent |
| A great tragedy. The plot is simple, yet it hits straight between the eyes. | |
| Penguindrum (TV) | Masterpiece |
| (The) Place Promised in Our Early Days (movie) | Excellent |
| (Le) Portrait de Petite Cossette (OAV) | Excellent |
| Puella Magi Madoka Magica (TV) | Masterpiece |
| R.O.D -The TV- | Excellent |
| If we consider the idea of the all-powerful British Library and stop laughing over it for a moment, then what do we get? Right, a dystopia. The TV series presents the same crazy world as the OVA, yet it focuses on everyday life in this world, on human feelings and on the struggle with the inhumane system. Adventures get more and more breath-taking with each episode, paper fighting gets even more spectacular, and, despite the generally darker atmosphere, the light humour that was a hallmark of the OVA is retained. A great show. | |
| Read or Die (OAV) | Excellent |
| To say it's funny is to say nothing, "LMAO" would be more precise. :) The humour is rather gentle, not reduced to absurd or grimacing, and there are LOTS of it. The last episode adds a draught of drama to the show, and, again, it's not reduced to some trendy tear-exciting bombast. A really great piece of entertainment. | |
| Revolutionary Girl Utena (TV) | Masterpiece |
| On this page, 'Masterpiece' is defined as 'Almost as good as Utena'. :) This thing made my brain boil and my heart beat faster for three months. A brief and most direct guide into spiritual life, in the shape of a school story with mystical traits. A story about a fairy-tale unfortunate enogh to become reality, and a quest to turn this reality into a fairy-tale. Mind blowing emotions in a huge concentration - and it's so much about _you_... The most crazy plot, in which every bit is meaningful and every two bits are connected, even if you don't see it at once. The most weird set of characters, of which everyone changes utterly during the series. The most weird relationships, all to be torn down. A wonderful voice cast, and a soundtrack which is a story in itself... Hey, did I mention the serfing elefants? | |
| Revolutionary Girl Utena: The Movie | Good |
| A sorta dreamy sequel? A crazy invertion of the series? A reincarnation of The Wall inside Ohtori Academy? Too much action, too little emotion, too much sexuality and mockery... but still beautiful, and still Utena. | |
| Sailor Moon (TV) | Very good |
| Sailor Moon R (TV) | Excellent |
| Sailor Moon S (TV) | Excellent |
| Serial Experiments Lain (TV) | Good |
| Star Driver (TV) | Masterpiece |
| Superbook (TV) | Good |
| Not the worst introduction to the Bible, especially for kids. :) | |
| Uta∽Kata (TV) | Good |
| Uta∽Kata (OAV) | Good |
| (The) Vision of Escaflowne (TV) | Good |
| A deconstruction of chick-lit romance. In fantasy surroundings. With mechas. Great music, immense (as of 1996) graphics. Why, oh, why did they overextend all those love triangles so much and wasted so many promising character lines?.. Nevertheless, worth seeing. | |
| Voogie's Angel (OAV) | Very good |
See the description of Seen All for my comment on ratings. All works here are 'So-so' or even worse, otherwise I'd have sat them out at least.
| Will not finish▲▼ | Rating▲▼ |
| Mushi-Shi (TV) | So-so |
| A topological paradox is when the asshole is all around you and there's no way out. That's exactly the feeling "Mushishi" gave me as I forced my way through it. Finally I gave up halfway. I was tired of all those messed-up people who have never thought of what a human or life or death is, who get used to suffering or find comfort in illusions and cannot live when they are freed from it all... and of the main character never knowing what's right or wrong, too. I liked only 1 episode out of 14 (the one about an ink-stone). Still it's very beautiful, drawn in a unique manner... Maybe I'll return to it someday... when I'll have absolutely nothing else to watch or read. | |