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Seen all▲▼
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Rating▲▼
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Comment▲▼
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| 5 Centimeters Per Second (movie) |
Good |
Better than Place Promised. Touching if a little too sad? I'm undecided on the first episode, I loved it to bits but there was something missing. I think it's the fact that I know that's the last we'll see of those characters so I feel like it was wasted getting to know their story. However stunning visuals, better than anything I've seen but again it would be nice if they did more with it that just to make me feel sad. |
| Afro Ken (OAV) |
Good |
|
| Ah My Buddha (TV) |
Awful |
14 year old nuns eroticized, very spiritual....not.
I have morals and although I appreciate the religious input in this series I cannot respect the overt fanservice. I liked the music and listen to it regularly on my iPod but an excellent setting with better inspiration for a story is completely wasted on the most extreme fanservice, harem show out there. |
| Ai no Kusabi (OAV) |
Very good |
Best Yaoi ever made. This is the only yaoi that I would ever recommend to someone who's never watched yaoi before. No explicit nudity, no over the top sex, no disgusting yaoi cliches. Ai no Kusabi is a story about humanity and deep, passionate, undying love - more strong than any I've seen in any anime. Also one of the best endings to an anime I've seen, I had a lump in my throat and unshifting pride. |
| Ai Yori Aoshi (TV) |
Bad |
If you love me then I love you. There was not an instant in this Harem series where I felt any chemistry between the two main characters who were *destined to be with each other*. "Give me a break" is, I recall, what I was constantly thinking while watching the series. Too many cliches and nothing new. Tina Foster had me laughing a few times but apart from that there was no romance and I felt no sympathy for Aoi, she was a hideous and deplorable character. Totally desperate, no compassionate, healthy love (oxymoron?). |
| Air (TV) |
Bad |
Brilliant depiction of the everyday lives of bugs. I'm sorry but I can't get passed KyoAni's lolis sometimes. Air had brilliant music and even better seiyuu but the characters they played were pointless. I didn't achieve anything from watching the series and I feel as if the character interactions were just there to look good from a distance. There were some nice moments and some sad moments, but the storyline and characterisation had me wondering if there was a mute narrator or something vital that was left out. |
| Akira (movie) |
Very good |
Epic and unforgettable. I had to watch this, then I had to watch it again, and then again to understand it. I'm still not sure I understand all of it, but I love it. I think it's brilliant, it's unnerving to the max and it's so cult it makes me question whether there will be a sci-fi that ever beats it. I think if a story cannot be coherent then it has a major flaw, and I'm afraid this is where Akira lags a great deal behind any Ghibli. I might not be a scholar in literature but I usually can understand complex storylines but Akira went that little bit too far just that little bit too fast. Apart from that however, the characters, the visuals and the mood had me wide-eyed in every scene. |
| All Purpose Cultural Cat Girl Nuku Nuku (OAV) |
Good |
The name says it all. This show rocks. I watched this in terrible quality and I know that I missed out on half the fun, but Nuku Nuku is a very crazy character and an original I believe. Quick, witty humour and fun characters. A comedy classic. |
| Amazing Nuts! (OAV) |
Decent |
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| (The) Animatrix (OAV) |
So-so |
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| Appleseed (movie) |
Weak |
It's been done before. I like how they experimented with a new animation style but the store was sadly 2-dimensional. Now subplots or subtle relationships, everything was too straight forward. |
| Arashi no Yoru ni (movie) |
Decent |
Not what I was expecting. Nice but not Galactic Railway. Loved the voicing in this film but maybe I only noticed it because it's the first anime I've watched in Japanese without subtitles. My review on this must be very inaccurate but I got the gist of the story and it was very very heart-warming. So cute and so sentimental, it felt like eating chocolate after drinking Wasabi through straw. I would show this film to my children (in English of course). A very toned down version of Night on the Galactic Railroad but it's obvious that they strive for different things. |
| Azumanga Daioh (TV) |
Masterpiece |
#1 Favorites. Please go to kopanda.myanimelist.net to see a more accurate list of my anime. |
| Azumanga Daioh - The Very Short Movie |
Very good |
Everything Azumanga and more! |
| Azumanga Web Daioh (ONA) |
Very good |
<3 Tomo! |
| Berserk (TV 1997) |
Good |
I guess I need to read the manga. The hardcore and concentrated masculinity was a bit much for me but I liked the action and the grit to it all. The horror had a lasting impact which is unprecedented as far as anime goes. I would give this to every 16 year old boy if I wanted them to get hooked on anime but after seeing this I don't feel like watching a lot of other titles fans of Berserk recommend. Fun, gorey, thrilling but extreme and maybe not for me. |
| Binbō Shimai Monogatari (TV) |
So-so |
Translation: Robotic Sisters of Loveland. "As long as I'm with sis, EVERYTHING will be okay". Cut the crap, the content was there. So so so disappointing. What an original concept with so much potential but it turned into just another heart-warming cutesy series which was verging shallow. I'm sad to say the Tomoko Kaneda ruined this show almost single-handedly. Her voice is too Chiyo-chan for any serious role and I believe the two sisters in Binbou Shimai Monogatari should have been very serious indeed. Her voice took the edge away, it took the reality of suffering away and made it all seem like marshmallows and daisies. I would love to see a remake of this by the creators of Berserk. (heh...heh...heh) |
| Black Jack (TV) |
So-so |
Pinoko, the cutest character ever created. Very warm stories in every episode. Some even had me speechless by the end, but too many is too many and somewhere along the line I gave up on BlackJack. I haven't seen Human Crossing but I think BlackJack could be said to be Tezuka's view of tragic relationships and painful personal development.... With an adorable miniature Cupcake Girl and a mysterious surgeon who wears a black cloak! I respect this series for what it tries to say, and it says it well but it gets old quick. Looking back at it all now I think I would watch it all again but realistically I know I'd just be looking at the clock the entire way through. Not Mushishi to put it straight. |
| Bleach (TV) |
Decent |
This excellent plot is interrupted by breaking news: Fillers. I watched up until the Bount fillers or whatever they're called. I don't have much to say for Bleach that hasn't been said thousands of times by fanboys. It's just shounen fun, I prefer Naruto, but Bleach is fun. |
| Blood: The Last Vampire (movie) |
Decent |
Emotionless, preteen girl with samurai swords. I don't wanna be a vampire! Awesome, cool but nothing more. It's too forgettable to be recognized as a wonderful piece of anime. It can be summarized in one sentence too easily and I don't think that's a terribly good thing. However, the fight scenes are awesome and when I watched this (at the age of 16) I thought there was nothing cooler. |
| Bludgeoning Angel Dokuro-chan (TV) |
Good |
2nd most laughs after Azumanga. How an angel repetitively murdering a boy is funny I do not know, but I know that Dokuro-chan had me in tears. Everything Excel is and more, more volatile than Nuku Nuku, more insane in the membrane than Yukari-sensei. Eight episodes is enough however, more of pipirupirupirupipirupi and I think I would have rated this as Average or worse. |
| Canary (OAV) |
Bad |
The fansubtitle font was more interesting than the anime. It was boring, but I don't think I was in the mood for anime at the time of watching but that doesn't mean that if it was good I wouldn't have noticed. |
| Castle in the Sky (movie) |
Very good |
|
| (The) Cat Returns (movie) |
Good |
|
| Cowboy Bebop (TV) |
Very good |
An amazing series but it holds no place in my heart as a favorite or anywhere near. Spike was too cool to really like and the setting was too cold to really get into. The music softened it up and made the whole series outstanding and unforgettable but I felt little sentimentality when I finished it all. I recommend it to everyone. |
| Cowboy Bebop: The Movie |
Very good |
Really no different to the series, in fact I watched them one after the other so all I remember are Faye's breasts almost popping out. |
| D.N.Angel (TV) |
Very good |
#10 Favorites. |
| Death Note (TV) |
Good |
CoUlD I MaKe ThIs AnY MoRe DrAmAtIc?@?@!?!?!?!!?!11 Let's see how it ends but so far I like it a lot. It should have finished at episode 13, then at episode 25, but now I think it's just gone too far. |
| Digital Juice (OAV) |
Decent |
|
| Embracing Love: Cherished Spring (OAV) |
Decent |
My second favorite yaoi after Ai no Kusabi. |
| Enzai (OAV) |
Awful |
|
| Fighting Beauty Wulong (TV) |
Decent |
Worst animation, awesome story though. I was excited the whole way through but I feel I was putting in more effort than the entire staff behind making it. The voices were awkward and the animation was the worst I have ever seen, the music was below average but the action and story was almost gold. I would rate this as one of my favorite shounen fighting series but I can understand why people would not like this. There's only one storyline and it begins and ends according to a predictable plan, but lots of interesting things happen along the way. |
| Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within (US CG movie) |
Not really good |
|
| Fish in the Trap (OAV) |
Awful |
The title is the best thing about this Yaoi. |
| FLCL (OAV) |
Awful |
Just because it's different and incoherent doesn't make it "omg superbly leetz". In fact FLCL is pretty terrible. I will admit that I didn't understand what was going on for almost the whole thing, and if an anime can't communicate it's plot to it's audience then it has major issues. I like it that they tried, but they failed and for this reason I hate FLCL. |
| Full Metal Panic! (TV) |
Good |
Very good. In fact this series is really quite impressive. So much more than what it seems from the outside and to be honest I don't know why. There aren't impressive metaphysical symbols or hidden morals but the characters are so dynamic that it's hard to not feel their emotions. The same old gags didn't get too old all the way up to the last episode of Fumoffu and the pacing as well as the conclusion all fit so well. At times I can almost feel that there are bits missing from the manga, but I'm inexperienced in manga-anime comparisons so I wouldn't know and therefore can't complain. |
| Full Metal Panic! The Second Raid (TV) |
Weak |
Emotionless teenage lesbian sisters. They made this series so much worse than it should've been. I disliked TSR, there were some interesting twists and I loved the episode where Sagara meets that prostitue lady but apart from that this burnt a hole in what the rest of Full Metal Panic achieved. It's as if the creators got way too confident and decided to make it all to gritty. It's as if the story is painted on a balloon and then they blew it up and everything got disproportionate. The evil guy was too crazy to be scared of, just stupid to an extent and he lost a lot of credibility for what was actually happening. The lesbian sisters were just ridiculous and unforgivable. I always knew that FMP had a lot of fanservice but it always had an FMP label on it, unique fanservice which never seemed out of place. Then these two GITS sisters came and it all went tumbling down the toilet. |
| Full Metal Panic! The Second Raid (OAV) |
So-so |
|
| Full Metal Panic? Fumoffu (TV) |
Very good |
Really hilarious. One of my favorite scenes of all time when they're riding to get the homework. Quality comedy and an outstanding anime which is superior to the rest of FMP. I don't think it would be funny if it wasn't for the first series to build up the tension and the characters and their relationships so credit must be mentioned for that. Combined with Fumoffu, FMP almost rivals Azumanga Daioh in comedy. |
| Fullmetal Alchemist (TV) |
Very good |
#7 Favorites. |
| Gakuen Utopia Manabi Straight! (TV) |
Bad |
Infants takeover High School. When the characters look edible you know something is amiss. Manabi Straight! is not funny, not dramatic, not sad, not really anything. It's slice of life but it's not real life and it's a slice that wasn't mixed right. I really don't like this series and it almost turns me off high-school anime altogether. |
| Ghost in the Shell (movie) |
Not really good |
I was given this a birthday present when it first made an impression on the cult audience. The VCR no longer works and I've forgotten almost everything that happened. All I remember is that when I watched Patlabor later on, I was reminded of GITS so I'm assuming that it was boring :(. |
| (The) Girl Who Leapt Through Time (movie) |
Good |
|
| (The) Good Witch of the West (TV) |
Decent |
And they lived happily ever after. This is a very pretty anime, it reminded me of all those fantasy books which I bury my life in. At times it gets a little bit airy fairy but the substance is there. Heathens, war, magic, royalty, treason. It's all there and jammed in. I would have thought this would be better suited to a 26 episode series rather. I'd love to see a sequel too. It should be watched just for the background beauty, the architecture is amazing and there are some very interesting creature designs. The unicorns and dragons are very unique and give the series a slant out of generic anime. I was impressed with Good Witch of the West but I felt it was too rushed and at times too gentle. |
| Grave of the Fireflies (movie) |
Very good |
A tragic film on any standards and the only anime I'd ever show to my conservative relatives. I watched Letters from Iwo Jima with my dad, his brother and my grandfather and they walked out crying while I walked out with the sad images of the GotF kids. |
| Gunsmith Cats (OAV) |
Not really good |
BANG! The first anime I ever saw and I really can't remember any of it. I thought it was so cool but I must have been 7 or so. |
| .hack//Legend of the Twilight (TV) |
Awful |
Prepubescent, incestuous crybabies. Terrible on so many levels. Unfortunately I watched it before .Hack//Sign and I think it ruined it for me. I thought the storyline had so much potential but the characters are so excruciatingly terrible at what they do that all decency in the show shattered. The character designs aren't bad, but this show is definitely a .Hack for the young'ns. I would have loved the show if I was five years younger, it has that feel to it, but it's presented poorly. |
| Haibane Renmei (TV) |
Excellent |
#4 Favorites. |
| Happy World! (OAV) |
Bad |
Wow.... there were some absolutely hilarious moments in these then 2 seconds later I was moaning with contempt. So unsatisfying and ecchi, I didn't like it but those household scenes will always make me smile. |
| Hellsing (TV) |
Good |
Pretty darn impressive but I've seen better. It's a "starting off" anime for guys who are just begining. A must see series but you'll quickly forget about it. |
| Hidamari Sketch (TV) |
So-so |
I've heard people say Azumanga is weird and stupid, I know that they haven't bothered to look at it for what it is and they aren't secure enough to just laugh when they find something funny no matter how childish it might seem to others. When I watch Hidamari Sketch I think it's weird. Scenes change too fast to the extent of making it nonsesicle, whoever edits the scenes are crazy to think people can keep up. This is the first series where I haven't been able to read the subtitles and understand what it means in the context of it's scene. Luckily the excellent fansub group colour coordinated the character's voices to their dialogue. Apart from that there are some very funny moments in this series and some very cute moments too. At times it got very boring and I find myself watching the clock or doing something else not even bothering to pay attention to the episode. I appreciate the creators trying something new and experimenting with all sorts of ways to enhance the charactres and the comedy but still there's no excuse to add unnecesary randomness to every scene. |
| Honey and Clover (TV) |
Masterpiece |
#3 Favorites. |
| Honey and Clover II (TV) |
Very good |
Incredible but compared to the first series Nothing. No mechanical flaws but I personally didn't like the way things turned out even though there's no doubt in my mind that the characters stayed real the entire way through. |
| Hoshizora Kiseki (ONA) |
Bad |
There was a very phallic water bottle. Such a mysterious anime, I feel like I'm missing something big like there should be some biblical reference somewhere. It was very pretty, very short and apart from that there's nothing left for me to say. |
| Howl's Moving Castle (movie) |
Good |
It was great, but not the best. |
| Hunter X Hunter (TV 1999) |
Excellent |
#6 Favorites. |
| Hunter X Hunter: G I Final (OAV) |
Good |
Well it all came to an end *cry*. |
| Hunter X Hunter: Greed Island (OAV) |
Good |
HUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUGE piggytails. |
| Kemonozume (TV) |
Good |
Insane people aren't scary, what a waste of an ending to a great series. Stunning up until episode 11. Episode 10 was just brilliant and after that it went a bit FMP: TSR and lost it all. Actually that's not true, the first 10 episode still make me excited. Not for the amateur or those who don't want something to make them look at their TV screen differently. Though hats off to the animation squad for creating some outstanding images that will always stick with me. |
| Kiddy Grade (TV) |
Good |
My favorite dub and my favorite action girls. This anime is middle ground though, not average or mediocre, but not wonderful. Very packed with emotion, action and fanservice and the characterisation is very good. At times I feel like I should know more about the supporting characters and I can feel the mistranslation from the manga so much that at it seems awkward. Apart from that I can say I love Eclaire and Lumiere and I am very excited for the sequel. This is a series you'll finish in two days and be happy at the end. |
| Kiki's Delivery Service (movie) |
Decent |
Sweet movie. Sour music. |
| Kiss in the Dark (OAV) |
Not really good |
|
| Level-C (OAV) |
Awful |
Petto Yaoi. |
| Like the Clouds, Like the Wind (movie) |
Decent |
Charming, but it collapsed somewhere around the part people started dying. |
| Love Hina (TV) |
Good |
The only harem I like. In fact one of the funniest series I've seen, also has sentimental value to me. After Azumanga this is a series I'll rewatch any day and have already. I love it, it's a classic and everybody should see it. Just look past the cliches, the fanservice and the harem predictableness and you will see that this is an excellent comedy. |
| Love Hina Again (OAV) |
Bad |
Ewww don't go anywhere near it. I was yearning for more after Love Hina then I watched Again and it made me stop. It's good for quenching your thirst for more Love Hina. |
| Lupin III: The Castle of Cagliostro (movie) |
Good |
2nd best car chase scene behind Mind Game. Fumoffu rivals. |
| (The) Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya (TV) |
Very good |
I don't feel as if I need to explain why I like Haruhi, it seems to be established that any anime fan will like this series. The characters have their own quirky characteristics which seem to mirror everything anime has to say but at the same time satirise it all. TMoHS is hilarious and weird and easy to like by everyone. The humour lies in the dialogue which is so much more than I can say for other comedy where a punch in the face and a twinkly in the sky are supposed to make me laugh. |
| Metropolis (movie) |
Very good |
I cried over machines...well almost. Very nice and I'm surprised this isn't mentioned more when people discuss outstanding films that rival any Ghibli. |
| Millennium Actress (movie) |
Very good |
Historical Goodness. I got confused along the way but it was all okay by the end. A learning experience I won't forget and a Satoshi Kon that will never get old. Charming and cute yet sad and emotional. I love this film and recommend it to everyone. |
| Mind Game (movie) |
Excellent |
Onederfool. One title that I would pay over $100 to buy on DVD. Better than Kemonozume. Almost as good as Pom Poko. It's absurd and beautiful. The sharp and sketchy animation makes this existential masterpiece a unique experience of realization and ecstasy. It's hilarious and thrilling. This film demonstrates how wide "anime" really is. |
| Moekan (OAV) |
Bad |
What the hell is this... Horror? Murder by Moe? Whatever it is, it's disgusting and I feel filthy for watching it. It's not funny and so boring. |
| Mushi-Shi (TV) |
Excellent |
It's as if Miyazaki watched BlackJack and thought "I can do better". Well, this is better and one of the best. I will admit that I haven't watched all the episodes because the fansubs were poor quality and I didn't want to ruin my experience. I'm waiting for the DVD release and will report back here when I complete the series. I can safely say that this is a mature and masterful exploration of healing and philanthropy as well as absurdism and art. |
| My Neighbor Totoro (movie) |
Good |
A children's film for everybody. |
| My Neighbors the Yamadas (movie) |
Excellent |
One of my all time favorites. Top 3 Ghibli films. |
| My Pico (OAV) |
Worst ever |
Only pedophiles could enjoy this, honestly. I won't say anymore but after watching the first five minutes I felt ill and switched it off. This is one review where I don't need to exagerate to get the message across. Please do not watch this, for the sake of humanity. |
| My Sexual Harassment (OAV) |
Not really good |
|
| Naruto (TV) |
Decent |
I love'D' this series before the fillers. People are kidding themselves if they call Naruto trash, honestly. This is a shounen classic and an adventure/fantasy story that everybody should taste a bit of. Up to the fillers this series was brilliant, predictable and everything inbetween. Not a Masterpiece but enough to someone completely hooked. It will show the power of trying and it says what it wants to say so well, there is nothing hidden in Naruto. Everything is there for us to enjoy and appreciate. But then came an unforgivable act by certain individuals....The Fillers... |
| Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (movie) |
Good |
I loved this film until I read the manga, then I loved the manga and disliked the film. Not what it stands for but the way it was executed. Miyazaki left out all the politics in the film which I believe is as vital as the Sea of Corruption. Nausicaa is an epic environmental fantasy but I only wish they brought that trait to the film. |
| Neon Genesis Evangelion (TV) |
Very good |
One of the first series I saw and haven't seen it since, but from what I remember I love it. I cannot comment more but I love it, the cicadas, the American VAs, the reflective lenses. Everything so well placed and so well labeled Evangelion Neon Genesis that "there has been nothing newer" since this series was released, in the words of Anno. |
| Neon Genesis Evangelion: Death & Rebirth (movie) |
Not really good |
Neon Genesis Evangelion: Delete & Rewind |
| Neon Genesis Evangelion: The End of Evangelion (movie) |
Very good |
I've seen this a few times and I held my breath all the way through pretty much every time. Excellent and unforgettable. The music at the end makes me get all teary and seeing this completely existential conclusion finish off all of Eva was sad but amazing. |
| Night on the Galactic Railroad (movie) |
Very good |
These fluorescent cats made one of my favorite films of all time. When anime reminds you of poets such as John Donne, William Blake and Seamus Heaney, you know you've just watched a Masterpiece. It incorporated so many different things into this dazzling journey of a lifetime (heh heh heh..). Metaphysical, tragic, hilarious, mysterious. If anything this was too cryptic but it's so fun and satisfying to unlock different parts of the film every time I see it. It's very subtle but it's rare that you see a subtle anime. It's challenging and confronting and confusing but the mix of these three will leave you overwhelmed with empathy at the end. Even though there's not a lot of emotion in the characters, there's something about them (perhaps the fluorescent cat appearance) which gives me a reason to love them even more. |
| Ninja Resurrection (OAV) |
Bad |
|
| Ninja Scroll (movie) |
Decent |
BLOOD RAPE ANGERRRRRRR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It's samurai swords, explosions and breasts. What more could a guy want from anime? |
| Ninja Scroll 2 (stalled movie) |
|
|
| NITABOH, the Shamisen Master (movie) |
Excellent |
I could add a generic "beautiful, tragic, elegant" statement but I wouldn't be doing this film justice. It surpasses regular historical anime and is reminiscent of Kenshin's Reflections, but so much more than that. The animation is stunning and the characters are so well portrayed. It felt like I was looking through a photo album of Nitaroh's memories and feeling all his emotions along the way. Excellent rivalling every Ghibli. |
| Noiseman Sound Insect (movie) |
Good |
|
| Only Yesterday (movie) |
Good |
Nice. Just nice. Unfortunately Napolean Dynamite ruined the final scene for me. The ending is truly one of the best I've seen but the rest is a bit mediocre. It's a mature film and I intend to watch it again in 10 years time when I will be able to relate to the protagonist. |
| Orphen (TV) |
Awful |
Terrible. Just terrible. No substance. They can't expect to get anywhere if they just add a twist without a plot. This wasn't fantasy it was satire. It must've been. The most whiny annoying characters with the most pointless and avoidable cause. |
| Otaku no Video (OAV) |
So-so |
|
| Other Worlds (movie) |
Weak |
|
| Panda! Go, Panda! (movie) |
Not really good |
I can remember the theme song so well. It's a children's film and not very universal. I watched it without subtitles so I didn't understand it all but it was cute. |
| Paranoia Agent (TV) |
Good |
Episodes 6+ Bad. Episodes 1-6 excellent. The best start to a series and then it got a bit flat. There are some very interesting concepts at play here. The suicide club episode was very interesting and the gossip episode was even better, but the rest tended to get a bit out of hand. I suppose it's wrong of me to imply this series is bad because it really isn't. It's all about intense characterisation, which is what I like most in a series. This one went through each episode developing a character and analysing their demise, an interesting concept and well executed by non other, Satoshi Kon. |
| Patapata Hikōsen no Bōken (TV) |
Very good |
Patapata Hikousen no Bouken: Secret of the Cerulean Sand is one of the best anime I've seen in a while. It almost feels like I just watched a 26 episode series of Laputa: Castle in the Sky with Nausicaa as the main character, and it would not be wrong of me to compare this fine series to the best of Miyazaki. It's a shame this won't ever get licensed because it really is as good as steampunk can get and is undoubtedly the best family anime series I've ever seen.
The first two episode are so rushed that I was put off and drawn into it at the same time. The initial events are so compelling that it'd be criminal to stop there but it covers around twelve years of plot in two episodes which makes it a bit daunting for the viewers. You can almost immediately tell that the series isn't based off a manga, or at least it's a terrible adaptation of it (couldn't find any manga in the encyclopedia). The series is in fact based on the same Jules Verne novels that Nadia: Secret of Blue Water was, both of which I have no knowledge of. It's also worth mentioning that this series was directed by Yuichiro Yano who did the key animation for Whisper of the Heart. I found some of the character designs to be very similar. He also directed Mujin Wakusei Survive, which I only got up to episode 25 and then decided to drop it after it became obvious the series was no more than a sci-fi adventure for 14 year olds.
Patapata has some similarities with Survive but is so far superior that I'd hurt anyone who decided not to watch it judging from the former. I've never actually seen an anime that can really be targetted at a "family" audience. Usually family means that it's really just an anime for older children but can be entertaining for adults as well, this is not the case for Patapata. There are some dark and brutal moments but they can easily be tolerated by any 11 year old. It's the implications of losing your mother, your step-mother, and then your two older brothers which will really interest the older audience - while keeping it very safe with the younger ones as it does not get swallowed up by any intense angst or over the top violence. Nonetheless you will not like this series if you dislike action. There is action packed from the beginning of every episode to the end and there is rarely a break. I was too involved with it all to really notice how overboard they went with the running and explosions and the yelling, but I like it that they let a lot of it to be slipped inbetween the lines until the last episode.
Anyway, after the initial rush of maternal deaths and heart-wrenching emotion that was lost in the editing the story slows down a bit and we get some excellent characterisation. Jane reminds me so much of Nausicaa (from the manga) so I instantly fell in love with her. She also retains a lot of Luna's personality from Survive but this sort of protagonist is so common. Jane is only shadowed by Nausicaa when it comes to the innocent, battler type Miyazaki girls.
St. Berain is also a truly great character who was unfortunately lost a bit in the fansub translations. His ultra formal speech never ceases until the final credits but his personality warmed to me a lot. Actually I shouldn't say I have a favorite character out of all of them, they were all such excellent portrayals of different people collected along on the way. From Sir Marcenay to Jeanne, Sasha and Saburi, all the characters showed their personal affection for Jane that it really is inspiring and heart-warming at the end. It's not like me to actually be inspired from an anime as they all get so repetitive but this really showed just how far a bit of guts and kindness and belief can get you.
I feel a bit disappointed that the characters who were introduced earlier on were forgotten about until the last episode, such as her father and the sailor's apprentice, but I'm glad at least that they were included in the charming montage at the end.
As for the steampunk in this I'm not really one to judge. I've only seen Steamboy which I disliked and I can safely say that Patapata falls short to Steamboy only in animation, which is to be expected. The story is supposedly set somewhere in the 19th century but it's very loose and not accurate by any means. As Jane and her accumulating gang arrive somewhere in the middle east it becomes obvious that they're in a fantasy land with sci-fi mechanics. It's a whole lot of fun as she goes on her unforgettable journey to find her brothers.
What I love most about the series is it's very dark twist which I have not ever seen before in anime, that being the malleable main villain who we saw as tragic victim. William (who just screams Freud) goes genuinely crazy. He loves his little sister but feels completely alienated by her family who experienced his mother's death first hand with him. It's probably a realistic portrayal of the mass murderers in the newspaper and the ordeals they went through to attain their insane psychotic mental condition. Patapata shows the very unfair journey that is life, and how it affects people differently. On the Buxton family death seemed to make them all stubborn, George, William and Jane are all lost in their dreams and unfortunately it's Jane who has to face the reality the hard way while George and William are lost in each other's visions of Utopia. We see elements of insanity in George as well towards the end and are reminded that the first two episodes weren't just there for fun. William, completely lost in his love for his mother, Jane and Neo City, forgets about himself and everything he was taught by his mother (and Jane). The series does not hide any subtleties and I suppose some of the younger audience might really comprehend the degree of despair behind the fast paced action.
The animation overall is sound. The use of CGI is surprisingly well integrated into the background, sometimes the bigger ships look a little to shiny, but overall I'm very impressed by it. One complaint I have is that the character designs, apart from Jane, were a bit too comical. Sir Marcenay and Saburi especially were really betrayed by their appearance which let the story down a bit. They didn't look like lead characters with good character development and potential, instead they were given generic cartoon emotions which I didn't appreciate. Also Sky bugged me a bit. I suppose he was there for the kids but I don't think it's forgivable to rely on a dog to carry the plot on, which at times is what happened.
Overall this is the best steampunk, family and adventure series I have seen. It's a heart-warming and inspiring journey that is easy for everyone to like. At times some significant moments are rushed a bit and sometimes I even thought "I'm definitely going to find the manga so I know exactly what happened". Nonetheless the coherent plot and excellent characterisation and character development should not be missed. Jane grows up from an innocent and determined teenager to a leader and a role-model for everyone. Please watch this series, you will not regret it! |
| Patlabor 2: The Movie (movie 2) |
Not really good |
Talking. |
| Patlabor WXIII (movie 3) |
So-so |
Dialog. |
| Patlabor: The Movie (movie 1) |
Not really good |
Conversation. |
| Peach Girl (TV) |
Decent |
"Girls with issues". A nice shoujo and surprisingly gripping too, once you get over the initial "girl" factor. This provides a very good drama and an equally good romance, almost getting near Honey and Clover towards the end. It surprised me in many ways actually. I thought it would be a feel-good, heart-warming teenage life series but then it got quite unnerving at some points and it even made me want to look away at others - not because it was violent or gruesome, but because of the intense hatred felt by Sae, the supporting female. Apart from that there's nothing in Peach Girl which deserves special attention, it's an anime for girls but guys like myself can really enjoy it too. Mood has a lot to do with it as well and you really have to feel like a teenager and single when you're watching it. |
| Perfect Blue (movie) |
Very good |
The emotional violence in this had me sweating in my seat. It was frightening but so awesome. An anime classic that should be on everyone's to see list. |
| (The) Place Promised in Our Early Days (movie) |
Awful |
So very very boring. |
| Please Save My Earth (OAV) |
Very good |
I wanted more Arjuna and less Akira. |
| Pokémon: The First Movie (movie 1) |
Weak |
|
| Pom Poko (movie) |
Masterpiece |
Greatest Ghibli film ever made. My favorite film ever made. |
| Porco Rosso (movie) |
So-so |
A day at the abattoir. |
| Princess Mononoke (movie) |
Very good |
Out of all Miyazaki's films, I liked these characters the least but I loved them still. |
| RahXephon (TV) |
Very good |
RahXephon is very special to me. I'm not one for mecha but this was another story. Beautifully presented with such elegant characters. Sometimes Quon through me off a bit but Haruka quickly fixed it. Being with Ayato every step of the way helped the characterisation so much and I wish more anime would follow this technique. RahXephon was more of a refined NGE. There was so much romantic subtelety that I think every romance softie could love this, at the same time the action scenes were awesome. Episode 17 (I think) was one of the best episodes I've ever seen in anime. The overall plot is very absorbing but unfortunately there are some very weak moments that are not developed well at all. |
| RahXephon: Pluralitas Concentio (movie) |
Good |
|
| REC (TV) |
Not really good |
Another frustrating romance. Just say the three words and it'd be over in one episode. There were charming moments and after the ninth episode I felt a relief but no contempt. Sure it seemed like a pointless sort of anime but really it was just telling a story of romance, albeit in an awkward way with awkward characters. |
| Red Garden (TV) |
Excellent |
#5 Favorites. |
| Rurouni Kenshin (TV 1996) |
Very good |
So nostalgic. Gem on my shelf. So packed with morals and ageless drama. The fighting scenes the romance, everything is so well fit together and Kenshin becomes possibly the best shounen series I've seen if not the best historical/samurai series I've seen. |
| Rurouni Kenshin: Reflection (OAV) |
Very good |
I cried. Yeah, I cried. |
| Rurouni Kenshin: The Motion Picture |
Good |
I don't if this one |
| Rurouni Kenshin: Trust & Betrayal (OAV) |
Good |
is actually this one? |
| Samurai Champloo (TV) |
Good |
Weirdest fillers ever but an overall entertaining show. I found Mugen a very interesting character, his view of life left me thinking. Samurai Champloo was more Slice of Life than action drama. With a refreshing animation style and some astounding images every now and then Samurai Champloo was a joy to watch. The "sunflower" man was a pretty cool concept. I don't have many qualms with this series but it just wasn't earthshattering to rate it any higher. |
| Sensitive Pornograph (OAV) |
Not really good |
|
| She, The Ultimate Weapon (TV) |
Worst ever |
I'd rather bathe in boiling vomit. Pathetic characters with no reason to be acting the way they do. So unrealistic and unhuman as if you couldn't get more fiction that this. You may as well have had bowls of jelly acting the main parts and as the series progresses they become more and more liquid. |
| Sky Blue (Korean movie) |
Decent |
Awesome images but not so great. There was one nightmare scene where we saw pictures flashing of diablo and other horror cliches which I thought was excellent. There are many scenes in this film which have left seering images into my brain, some beautiful and some a bit scarier. Overall though this is a fairly poor film, a bit average but very nice to watch. I'm not typecasting but I can definitely tell that this wasn't created by a Japanese studio, not just because of the language but the way everything is drawn. It definitely looks like more of game than an anime, which to me is typically Korean (which is not in any way bad). |
| Sky Girls (OAV) |
Bad |
|
| Space Symphony Maetel ~Ginga Tetsudō 999 Gaiden~ (TV) |
Very good |
|
| Spirited Away (movie) |
Excellent |
Most watched film ever. Record 8. |
| Spriggan (movie) |
Decent |
Akira (movie) |
| Tactical Roar (TV) |
Decent |
Ugly characters eroticized. So wrong. Actually I was very impressed, this is one of the few "police" anime that's actually interested me. The ship battle scenes were surprisingly well done and I felt tense as the plot developed. The main characters had me empathetic but the main character, Hyousuke, was not even important. In fact, he drifted from protagonist, to supporting role very quickly which was lucky for me since I didn't particularly like him but a pretty bad technique as far as narrative goes. Apart from the strong plot and suspenseful action, the fanservice and harem element let the series down and the supporting cast were too cliche to really lift this series out of the rubbish bin. |
| TO-Y (OAV) |
Good |
|
| Tokyo Majin (TV) |
Good |
With the best first episode I've ever seen I had very high hopes for this series. The very stylish characters and the incredible fighting scenes with scary ghoulish demons were very entertaining. The series really only begins at episode 7 and before that there are some interesting fillers. Sometimes I don't really know what the series is because there are strong and frightening horror elements with the next scene a comedy skit of some sort. Overall though I love TMGK, I think it's relit an candle in me which I had given up on after Bleach started it's fillers. |
| Trigun (TV) |
Decent |
Lanky characters, BIG GUNS! |
| Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust (movie) |
Good |
Some haunting scenes here too, the corruption of the rose on the windowsill is still strong in my memory. Apart from that I can't remember what the film was about and why I liked it, but I know that I liked it and it was one of the anime that introduced me to the rest. |
| Vampire Princess Miyu (TV) |
So-so |
Emotionless preteen girl with samurai sword, it seems all too familiar. After watching this series I wondered whether I had just viewed the first tv series ever to teach wrong morals. Villains who were never corrected, victims who were never avenged, wounded who were never cured. It seemed all so odd but now I realize that it might just be a very realistic look at what horror would be if it became real. It's definitely a series to think about and I look forward to buying it when I can. |
| When They Cry - Higurashi (TV) |
Good |
The lolis were inappropriate and I liked the way innocence was completely turned around in seconds. The hellish characters and sinister cuteness seems to be an extreme in anime that is finally reached. After hentai, moe, and now this loli with machete genre I feel as if anime has unlocked another pool to fill countless low budget horror flicks which attempt a Higurashi mood. This is the other extreme of Amaenaideyo!! and I don't know whether I like it or not. What I do know is that this series is scary and creepy and left me wide-eyed at the end. I am looking forward to the sequel so I suppose in a twisted sort of way I join the thousands of others who are hooked on this new genre. |
| Whisper of the Heart (movie) |
Good |
|
| Windy Tales (TV) |
Masterpiece |
#2 Favorites. |
| Wolf's Rain (TV) |
Weak |
Oh oh oh so boring. Annoying characters and half the series didn't even seem to follow any sort of plot. |
