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Seen all▲▼
|
Rating▲▼
|
Comment▲▼
|
| 2112: The Birth of Doraemon (movie) |
Very good |
|
| 5 Centimeters Per Second (movie) |
Weak |
|
| Amagami SS (TV) |
Excellent |
This was a VERY interesting take on the entire process of adapting a romantic visual novel into an anime. While in most cases a single girl from the cast is picked as the "main girl" and animated while the other girls simply flirt with the protagonist, the way that this show picked EVERY girl to have their own story—SEPARATELY—was a breath of fresh air in this genre! I also loved that we get to see the protagonist's relationships with the remaining girls WHILE he is romantically involved with a girl, i.e. the fact that the "buddy" girl (Kaoru) is still his buddy even when he is romantically involved with another girl. Overall, everyone in the cast is adorable and lovable to a default, and their personalities and relationships are very endearing and realistic. Even the hair colors and styles are very realistic, with only black or brown hair and Miya (the little sister) having frizzy hair. |
| Amagami SS+ (TV) |
Excellent |
A nice continuation of the first season, though arguably not "necessary" because the first season stand fine on its own with its resolutions. However, I was VERY happy to see the continuation of Rihoko's story due to the way that her story was the only one that did not end with a romantic ending in the first season. Junichi and Rihoko finally being able to see eye to eye was very nice to watch and gave me some closure for her arc! |
| And Yet the Town Moves (TV) |
Excellent |
I had to give this one a couple episodes to grow on me, but the offbeat humor and Shaft visuals kept me hooked early on and eventually became the subject of my adoration. For being a show about a maid cafe, it has pretty much nothing to do with maids, cafes, or the like, which doesn't hurt or improve the show; it is what it is, which is to say, it's clever and sweet. |
| Angel Beats! (TV) |
Masterpiece |
Angel Beats does several tasks perfectly: it has a rockin' soundtrack that is coupled by equally fitting sad songs, and the scenarios and characters are well-developed and narrated wonderfully. Every episode had me ready to watch the next, and this show knew exactly how to do what it wanted to do; its sad parts are tear-jerking, its suspenseful parts are heart-stopping, and its comical parts are hilarious. Overall, just a splendid anime! |
| anohana: The Flower We Saw That Day (TV) |
Excellent |
|
| anohana: The Flower We Saw That Day (movie) |
Excellent |
|
| Another (TV) |
Masterpiece |
I actually had to watch this with Shino and Jackson to work up the courage to keep watching after episode 4; the grisly deaths and suspense that this show manages to create is TERRIBLE for your heart, but BY GOD it's amazing! The anime's soundtrack and sound effects are VERY suspenseful and cause your heart to beat faster in anticipation for something terrible to happen. Misaki is a sweet character, and her lonely relationship with the main character was a very nice touch to the story. |
| Arashi no Yoru ni (movie) |
Decent |
The concept for this movie is lovely, and I was excited to watch this movie for a long time. However, the actual execution of the film is average at best. The voice acting is very poor, the plot is easy to see coming, and overall my attention was not grabbed throughout the film. |
| Aria the Animation (TV) |
Very good |
Aria occasionally frustrated me with how Akari seemed to be so innocent and clueless to a fault, and a large part of me wanted her to just grow up. However, there were a few episodes in this first season that really clung to me and were beautiful in their presentation, and the soundtrack is really gorgeous. I'm actually looking forward to watching the second season since, having watched the director's commentary, he seemed to have a lot more freedom in the story due to having a full 24 episode season. I have my hopes up! |
| Attack on Titan (TV) |
Excellent |
|
| Aura: Koga Maryuin's Last War (movie) |
Excellent |
|
| Azumanga Daioh (TV) |
Masterpiece |
Fun to watch with others, so long as they are enjoying it too. Nearly every episode leaves you off with a warm fuzzy feeling inside. The Kuricorder Pops Orchestra created one of the most phenomenal soundtracks ever that works perfectly for the humorous and calming aspects of the show. |
| Azumanga Daioh - The Very Short Movie |
Good |
Not worth watching before the TV series. Only interesting to watch considering that it was a preliminary to the TV series. |
| Azumanga Web Daioh (ONA) |
Very good |
Don't really remember it. Again, though, it's interesting to watch after having seen the TV series, considering that the show could have been more like this. |
| Baka and Test - Summon the Beasts (TV) |
Excellent |
|
| Baka and Test - Summon the Beasts 2 (TV) |
Excellent |
|
| Baka and Test: Summon the Beasts OVA |
Excellent |
|
| Bakemonogatari (TV) |
Masterpiece |
Fast visuals and quick-paced dialogue require full attention. Knowledge of otaku culture recommended. Aside from its humorous aspects, the clever inclusion of wordplay into its story make it intriguing and suspenseful at the same time. |
| Bamboo Blade (TV) |
Excellent |
If there's a sports anime that needs to be seen, it's this one. Tama-chan is the greatest thing to ever happen to a sports anime, and the rest of the cast are great too in their dysfunctional effort to become better kendoka. |
| Ben-To (TV) |
Very good |
|
| Beyond the Boundary (TV) |
Good |
|
| Black Rock Shooter (OAV) |
Excellent |
Initially required two viewings to understand the plot (especially the time-skips) but even without that understanding it was a really nice slice-of-life story. |
| Bludgeoning Angel Dokuro-chan (TV) |
Very good |
Netflix |
| Bobobo-bo Bo-bobo (TV) |
Good (dub), Very good (raw) |
Watch it with a grain of salt and with a leniency for slapstick humor. |
| Bunny Drop (TV) |
Excellent |
|
| Castle in the Sky (movie) |
Very good |
As an older movie of Miyazaki's, the story isn't as engaging, but then again it might have had to do with the fact that I watched it while Mama was cooking and we watched it on a VCR. Try watching it again on DVD for full immersion. |
| (The) Cat Returns (movie) |
Excellent |
I didn't enjoy it as much as I could have the first time because Papa was complaining towards the end, but I can tell that I would love it—especially for the main character's personality—if I watched it a second time alone. |
| Cencoroll (movie) |
Very good |
|
| A Certain Magical Index (TV) |
Excellent |
First viewing: Very Good.
Second viewing: Excellent. I don't know why, but I was very cynical about the show in my first viewing and unforgiving for the story arcs, but when I watched it a second time with Shino, everything seemed a LOT cooler, especially the final arc which I originally disliked, yet my second viewing proved that I enjoyed it just as much as the rest of the arcs!? I'm getting old. |
| A Certain Scientific Railgun (TV) |
Excellent |
|
| Charlotte (TV 2015) |
Good |
|
| Chūnibyō demo Koi ga Shitai! Lite (ONA) |
Excellent |
|
| Clannad (TV) |
Masterpiece |
What's interesting about this series is the sheer fact that I actually heard about it because of the acclaim that the second season garnered, not the first. I thought that was an amazing feat, so I decided to finally watch Clannad. That being said, this first season is crucial to the success of After Story and stands well on its own. It's hilarious at the parts that it needs to be, but is always capable of making me shed a tear or two at the parts that require it. Admittedly, this first season is a bit more "unpolished" compared to the second season and wanders a bit with its comedy, but that is also part of this being the "childish" portion to Tomoya's development, thus I find it necessary to the overarching theme of the story. |
| Clannad After Story (TV) |
Masterpiece |
I won't be the first to say that this series successfully made me get an entire shirt covered in tears and snot with every successive episode (after the initial eight episodes, at least, which are more of a continuation of the first season than the real meat of the series), particularly two episodes that I don't want to indulge on that make this series a real killer. Tragedy and emotional success aside as far as narrative goes, the ending to this series is admittedly a bit "confusing", but I was not at all bothered by it. I read various people's theories as to what the ending means, but all in all I realized that they didn't really pertain to me or my opinion of the show. Lessons that I found stood out were the importance of hard work, friends, family, love, as well as loss. The bottom line: this is another show that I can proudly say is one of the greatest shows of all time (in my very humble opinion). |
| Crayon Shin-chan: Action Kamen vs Haigure Maô (movie) |
Very good |
Aaah! I swear I watched this, like, twenty times as a kid! |
| Crayon Shin-chan: Ankoku Tamatama Daitsuiseki (movie 5) |
Excellent |
It's really weird how Shinchan accomplishes the task of making a hilarious movie AND an interesting one, consecutively! I equally remember watching this about ten times as a kid. |
| Crayon Shin-chan: Arashi o Yobu Appare! Sengoku Daikassen (movie 10) |
Excellent |
As a Shinchan movie, it's obviously silly and funny, but curiously enough, I actually had a tear in my eye by the end of the movie! Shinchan movies never fail to amaze me. |
| Crayon Shin-chan: Arashi o Yobu Eikō no Yakiniku Road (movie 11) |
Excellent |
The fast pacing of the first half of the movie is really, really fun and absurd, and overall the movie is well-made and hilarious. |
| Crayon Shin-chan: Arashi o Yobu Jungle (movie 8) |
Excellent |
Aaah, this brings back so many memories! This movie was actually sort of suspenseful for me as a kid, and I can see why now! As with any Shinchan movie, this thing's funny as hell! |
| Crayon Shin-chan: Buriburi Ōkoku no Hihō (movie 2) |
Excellent |
|
| Crayon Shin-chan: Dengeki! Buta no Hizume Daisakusen (movie 6) |
Excellent |
|
| Crayon Shin-chan: Henderland no Daibōken (movie 4) |
Excellent |
The setting and scenarios that Shinchan goes through are so hilarious and suspenseful! I never viewed carnivals and funlands the same way after this. |
| Crayon Shin-chan: Unkokusai no Yabō (movie 3) |
Excellent |
|
| Croisée in a Foreign Labyrinth - The Animation (TV) |
Masterpiece |
|
| Cutey Honey Flash (TV) |
Decent |
"Decent" is a generous score only because I grew up watching it. Nostalgia factor and boobs! |
| Death Billiards (movie) |
Excellent |
|
| Death Note (live-action movie) |
Very good |
Not nearly as good as the anime (or the manga), but interesting to watch as an adaptation AFTER having seen the anime. |
| Death Note (TV) |
Excellent |
Suspense! Thrills! Evil plotting! God of the new world! |
| Death Note: The Last Name (live-action movie) |
Excellent |
A nice twist ending from the anime made it more engaging and thrilling, though again, not as memorable as the anime's ending. |
| Death Parade (TV) |
Masterpiece |
|
| Denpa teki na Kanojo (OAV) |
Very good |
|
| (The) Devil Is a Part-Timer! (TV) |
Very good |
|
| Di Gi Charat (TV) |
Excellent |
|
| Di Gi Charat - A Trip to the Planet (movie) |
Excellent |
|
| Di Gi Charat Christmas Special |
Excellent |
|
| Di Gi Charat Flower Viewing Special |
Excellent |
|
| Di Gi Charat Summer Special |
Excellent |
|
| Di Gi Charat Summer Vacation Special |
Excellent |
|
| Di Gi Charat: Winter Garden (special) |
Very good |
|
| (The) Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya (movie) |
Masterpiece |
The entire build up from the second season of Suzumiya Haruhi with Nagato's entrapment in the Endless Eight, as well as the entire narrative and nuance of this movie make it a gorgeous piece. Nagato is finally given a position in the spotlight, as well as Kyon thinking deeply about himself were he truly able to live a normal life, which both are extremely emotional when presented in the movie. Without spoiling much else, this is the highlight of the Suzumiya Haruhi series so far and a suspenseful ride, and this story could not have been told better than through a movie. |
| Doraemon the Movie: Nobita and the Galaxy Super-express (movie 1-17) |
Excellent |
|
| Doraemon the Movie: Nobita Drifts in the Universe (movie 1-20) |
Very good |
|
| Doraemon the Movie: Nobita's Dinosaur (movie 1-01) |
Very good |
|
| Doraemon the Movie: Nobita's Great Adventure in the South Seas (movie 1-19) |
Very good |
|
| Doraemon the Movie: Nobita's the Legend of the Sun King (movie 1-21) |
Excellent |
|
| Doraemon the Movie: The Record of Nobita's Parallel Visit to the West (movie 1-09) |
Very good |
|
| Doraemon: Boku no Umareta Hi (movie) |
Very good |
|
| Doraemon: Doraemon Comes Back (movie) |
Very good |
|
| Doraemon: Ganbare! Gian!! (movie) |
Very good |
|
| Doraemon: Nobita's the Night Before a Wedding (movie) |
Very good |
|
| Doraemon: Obāchan no Omoide (movie) |
Very good |
|
| (The) Doraemons: The Mysterious Thief Dorapan The Mysterious Cartel (movie) |
Very good |
Oh, childhood. Remember that Shino burned a DVD copy from the VHS tape at Mama's house. |
| Dorami & Doraemons: Robot School's Seven Mysteries (movie) |
Very good |
For the record, that vacuum scared the living hell out of me when I was a kid, and I had nightmares forever. Excellent show. |
| Dream Eater Merry (TV) |
Good |
Unfortunately the anime takes a different course from the manga, but that's to be expected when the manga is still in its youth and the anime is only 13 episodes long. I really enjoyed the visual style, Merry's character, and the music (oh GOD IOSYS made the opening and ending? YES PLEASE!) but it really lacked the charm that the manga had; I was very disappointed with the half-assed ending and direction of the story (the original characters were also very bland). |
| Eden of the East (TV) |
Excellent |
|
| Encouragement of Climb (TV) |
Very good |
|
| Encouragement of Climb Second Season (TV) |
Very good |
|
| Engaged to the Unidentified (TV) |
Good |
|
| ERASED (TV) |
Decent |
|
| Evangelion: 1.0 You Are (Not) Alone (movie) |
Masterpiece |
|
| Evangelion: 2.0 You Can (Not) Advance (movie) |
Masterpiece |
|
| Evangelion: 3.0 You Can (Not) Redo (movie) |
Excellent |
|
| Fate/Zero (TV) |
Masterpiece |
|
| Fate/Zero (TV 2) |
Masterpiece |
|
| FLCL (OAV) |
Excellent (dub), Masterpiece (raw) |
I originally watched this when I was about 11 years old in America, and I watched the dubbed version. I also watched the episodes sporadically and out of order. Skip almost ten years into the future and I have a yellow Stella scooter with a P! magnet on the front, and I stopped to ask the question of WHY? I had absolutely no idea what this show was about when I first watched it, and to top it off, I had pretty much completely forgotten what the show was like at this point. So I watched it again at the ripe age of 19, and I am proud to say that I am glad that I watched it again. THIS is the reason why I've always loved scooters so much, but that's a very shallow way to put it! This show is funny, well-made, and cool, but that's all overcast by the metaphors and overarching theme of growing up. Of course, this is not in the least complemented by a FRIGGIN' AWESOME soundtrack by The Pillows and The Pillows alone, and the coolest Vespa SS180 of all time. The action and artistic scenes of FLCL truly embody the mindset of adolescence and the angst of being a young adult. |
| Free! - Iwatobi Swim Club (TV) |
Excellent |
|
| From Up On Poppy Hill (movie) |
Good |
|
| Full Metal Panic! (TV) |
Good |
Occasional cliche plot devices and storytelling makes it a bit plain at times, but it's a fairly good robot show (as far as robot shows go). |
| Full Metal Panic? Fumoffu (TV) |
Excellent |
Kyoto Animation does a heel face turn with Full Metal Panic and turns it into one of the most hilarious filler series of all time. |
| Fullmetal Alchemist (TV) |
Very good |
Ending is different from the book, apparently, but it's still really fun to watch. The English dub is really good. |
| Fullmetal Alchemist: The Movie - Conqueror of Shamballa |
Good |
Didn't really catch my attention, mainly because I'd watched the TV series a long time before and didn't remember anything. |
| GA: Geijutsuka Art Design Class (TV) |
Excellent |
It's hard to put into words what I loved so much about GA, but to sum up my feelings about it, it was the sheer lukewarmness of the humor and atmosphere of the show that was very unobtrusive and kind. There was nothing offensive or lewd, nor suspenseful or dramatic; it was just... nice! |
| Gargantia on the Verdurous Planet (TV) |
Masterpiece |
|
| GATE (TV) |
Excellent |
|
| Gegege no Kitarō (TV 4/1996) |
Very good |
|
| Ghost in the Shell (movie) |
Excellent |
|
| Gintama (TV) |
Excellent |
Gin-san is both hilarious with his switching from tsukkomi to boke and back, and hardcore when he goes on to give an awesome inspirational speech in the same episode. The same goes for every single character in this series. |
| (The) Girl Who Leapt Through Time (movie) |
Masterpiece |
If you give attention to the actual storyline and its paradoxes/probabilities, then you'll find plenty of discrepancies. That's not the point of the movie, though. It's about a teenage girl who uses her time-traveling abilities the way a teenage girl would, and the lessons that she learns. Personal favorite. |
| Girls und Panzer (TV) |
Masterpiece |
My first impression from seeing the cover of this show: oh man, this is going to be just like Strike Witches or Upotte where you have cute girls shooting guns and stuff, and it's going to be average! So, so wrong was I. This show spends no time on fanservice or petty conversations; it's about tanks, through and through. More importantly, this series successfully sets up the stage in a world where "senshadou" is a normal sport, and god damn is it fun. It even has a cast of characters that you can just have fun with all day, particularly with how the teams are split up into groups that compliment each other. Hot damn are tanks fun to watch! |
| Grave of the Fireflies (movie) |
Masterpiece (dub & raw) |
For some reason when I rewatched this at mama's house, I didn't really feel very emotionally affected by the film, and marked it off as a "good" war story. I re-rewatched it some years later with Cristie just because I was bored, and that time I bawled my eyes out, this show was so sad! I've realized just how amazing this film is, and it definitely is a masterpiece. |
| GTO: Great Teacher Onizuka (TV) |
Excellent |
I need to watch this again, having watched it when I was 11. |
| Gurren Lagann (TV) |
Masterpiece |
Manly, manly, MANLY. OH, SO MANLY. |
| Haiyoru! Nyaruani (ONA) |
Good |
|
| Haiyoru! Nyaruani: Remember My Mr. Lovecraft (TV) |
Good |
|
| Hanasaku Iroha - Blossoms for Tomorrow (TV) |
Masterpiece |
Based on what I'd seen of the show based on random news articles and clips, I'd assumed that this was just another moe show that I would watch eventually and either like or hate. Come the first episode of the show and I was BLOWN AWAY. Kouichi's confession in the first episode and the mega-slap that the Okami delivers to Ohana were both giant hooks that instantly made me a fan. That's not to say that the rest of the cast is not so memorable that I actually remembered all of their names, or that I totally didn't yell Kou-chan's name when Ohana screamed goodbye to him from the top of the hill at the jinja.
Essentially what I loved about this show was the emphasis on hard work and traditional ideas that are worth protecting. Couple that with Ohana's development and her story of growing up and suddenly I'm a useless puddle of adoration and smiles. |
| Hanasaku Iroha: Home Sweet Home (movie) |
Excellent |
|
| Hellsing (TV) |
Decent |
Read the book or watch the OVA. Dooooon't waaaaatch the shoooooow. |
| Hellsing Ultimate (OAV) |
Excellent |
Very good, faithful adaptation of the manga. Explicit and gross, yeah, but it's cool enough that you don't really care. |
| Hetalia - Axis Powers (TV) |
Very good |
Admittedly "racist" and a stereotyping of various cultural aspects of different nationalities, but I feel that it's more of a loving, or humorous approach to it—not at all insulting if you view it with a light heart. Its quick pacing and lovable characters (I say that a lot) make it a joy. |
| Hidamari Sketch (TV) |
Excellent |
|
| Hidamari Sketch (special) |
Excellent |
|
| Hidamari Sketch × 365 (TV) |
Excellent |
|
| Hidamari Sketch × 365 (special) |
Excellent |
|
| Hidamari Sketch × Honeycomb (TV) |
Excellent |
|
| Hidamari Sketch × Hoshimittsu (TV) |
Excellent |
|
| Himouto! Umaru-chan (TV) |
Excellent |
|
| Hōkago no Pleiades (ONA) |
Good |
|
| Hotarubi no Mori e (movie) |
Masterpiece |
Being just over an hour in length, this is a splendid short story about love, life, and the embrace and affection of other people. Its soundtrack is phenomenal and tear-jerking, and the visuals of the greenery and countryside are gorgeous. |
| Humanity Has Declined (TV) |
Excellent |
|
| Hyakko (TV) |
Excellent |
Lovable, lovable, lovable characters. What at first may seem like an overly-done, cliche slice-of-life show, turns into a short series that grows on you very quickly after the second episode. SO DON'T GIVE UP AFTER THE SECOND EPISODE! |
| HYOUKA (TV) |
Masterpiece |
|
| (The) IDOLM@STER (TV) |
Excellent |
I'd love to play the game someday, but I'll settle for the anime. Anyways, as a show about budding idols and singing and dancing, this is a pretty girly show. But the characters are really unique and likable, and the music is REALLY catchy. One of my favorite shows of 2011! I admit to crying like a baby on the second to last episode. |
| Initial D Legend 1: Awakening (movie) |
Good |
|
| Is This a Zombie? (TV) |
Excellent |
Just a few points that make this a rock solid blob of awesomeness:
1. A magical girl with a chainsaw.
2. Ayumu—a GUY—transforming into said magical girl (frills and all).
3. Barely meeting television standards to be aired due to gore and inevitable fanservice and panty shots.
4. Just bloody hilarious!
You just have to see the first episode to love this series; the characters are all unique and fun and you just find yourself laughing at the fanservice instead of being annoyed by it, which is exactly what it aims to do! |
| Is This a Zombie? of the Dead (TV) |
Excellent |
|
| Jigoku Sensei Nube (TV) |
Very good |
Having grown up with it I liked it a lot more, but watching it now that I'm older, it wasn't QUITE as thrilling as it once was. Regardless, it's really fun to watch. Plus, it used to scare the hell out of me when I was little. |
| K-ON! (TV) |
Excellent |
Quirky characters and an obvious passion for music along with the nostalgia factor for when I was in orchestra made it a total joyride. |
| K-ON! (movie) |
Excellent |
|
| K-ON!! (TV 2) |
Excellent |
More of the first season, but arguably slightly better. Having a 24 episode season instead of 12 allowed for greater character development and fun all around. Even more passion for music, rockin' theme songs, and nostalgia for younger days make me smile every time. |
| Kiki's Delivery Service (movie) |
Excellent |
AVOID DISNEY'S SUBTITLES. Aside from that, a great story about growing up and being independent. |
| Kinmoza! Kiniro + Mosaic (TV) |
Very good |
|
| Koe de Oshigoto! (OAV) |
Good |
|
| Kokoro Connect (TV) |
Masterpiece |
|
| Kure-nai (OAV) |
Very good |
Would have been nice to have watched it after having read some of the books, but was enjoyable nonetheless to be able to see the characters doing random things. |
| Kurenai (TV) |
Very good |
Swerves off-course from the book and manga quite a bit, supposedly, so I would prefer to read those instead in the future. Aside from that, though, the music is masterfully created by Muramatsu Ken, so if anything, it was for his compositions and Murasaki's cute, young personality. |
| Last Exile (TV) |
Excellent |
Starts off excellent, then slows down a bit toward the middle of the series with political struggles and "growing up" issues (along with relationship issues), but explodes with a huge finale with the final few episodes. Great CG blending with traditional 2D animation. |
| Little Witch Academia (movie) |
Very good |
|
| Love Lab (TV) |
Very good |
|
| Love Live! School idol project (TV) |
Very good |
|
| Love Live! School idol project (TV 2/2014) |
Very good |
|
| Love, Chunibyo & Other Delusions! (TV) |
Masterpiece |
|
| Love, Chunibyo & Other Delusions! -Heart Throb- (TV) |
Excellent |
|
| Lucky Star (TV) |
Excellent |
Definitely funnier when watched after having seen both Full Metal Panic (KyoAni version) and Haruhi Suzumiya. Konata's genre savvy-ness along with plenty of likable characters make episode 1 just as fun as episode 24. |
| Lucky Star OVA |
Excellent |
More or less the same as the show, just an extra add-on. |
| Lupin III: The Castle of Cagliostro (movie) |
Very good |
Nostalgia factor may have played a role in my rating, but it's still a fun movie either way. It's innocent-ish and iconic, along with Lupin's character and his cohorts making it fun. Arguably slow near the middle where there's a lot of conversation over action. |
| Magical Shopping Arcade Abenobashi (TV) |
Excellent |
For anyone who's well-versed in their anime/manga knowledge, it's one of the most hilarious series of all time. The ending and the intermediate episode containing backstory are serious, but are nice in adding a bit of flavor to the story (or rather, the initial lack of one). |
| (La) Maison en Petits Cubes (movie) |
Very good |
|
| Maria Holic (TV) |
Excellent |
|
| Maria Holic Alive (TV) |
Excellent |
|
| (The) Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya (TV) |
Masterpiece |
In hindsight, The Melancholy of Suzumiya Haruhi is literally one of the "gateway" anime that introduced me to "true" otaku culture and anime as a whole. Up to that point, I was a casual watcher of anime from since I was a little kid, and viewed it only as an occasional hobby and time-consumer. But with Suzumiya Haruhi's narrative and storyline, I was sucked into its world and instantly obsessed with the series. This was the first time that I paid attention to studio names (Kyoto Animation, in this case) and anime culture, as well as voice actor names and musicians and character designers. In all, Suzumiya Haruhi was THE cause for my loving anime so much to this day thus far, and I foster fond memories of the series. |
| (The) Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya (TV 2009 renewal) |
Masterpiece |
It's a shame that so many people complain about Endless Eight, so much so that it's become a de facto response to anyone mentioning Suzumiya Haruhi or its second season in particular. I will be straightforward and blunt: I found Endless Eight to be astounding and a bold move that only Kyoto Animation could possibly make in their audacity. With the first season's bold move to broadcast out of order, this decision to loop the same eight episodes (story-wise, in most cases) is genius and in my opinion, artistic gold. I believe that most studios would be wary of making such a move that would disinterest fans in its repetition, but I find it to be a beautiful way to portray the true tragedy that Nagato must experience over and over. Not including this, Bamboo Leaf Rhapsody, the Sigh of Suzumiya Haruhi, and the eventual tie-up with the sequel movie are all wonderful narratives that keep me wishing for more and unable to move away from the TV screen. |
| (The) Melancholy of Haruhi-chan Suzumiya (ONA) |
Very good |
Really, really funny, but only if you've watched the original TV series. |
| Midori Days (TV) |
Excellent |
|
| Moetan (TV) |
Very good |
|
| Monthly Girls' Nozaki-kun (TV) |
Excellent |
|
| Morita-san wa Mukuchi (TV) |
Excellent |
|
| Mushi-Shi (TV) |
Excellent (dub), Masterpiece (raw) |
Slow pacing, sparse yet masterful compositions of music, and a simple yet complex story of stories makes it very relaxing and nearly therapeutic in watching it. |
| My Little Monster (TV) |
Excellent |
|
| My Love Story!! (TV) |
Excellent |
|
| My Neighbor Totoro (movie) |
Masterpiece |
The nostalgic view of the Japanese countryside and the innocent joy of youth, along with the fears and troubles that a child may burden make this an obvious masterpiece. |
| My Teen Romantic Comedy SNAFU (TV) |
Good |
|
| Mysterious Girlfriend X (TV) |
Excellent |
Unfortunately the anime didn't make it very far in terms of the manga's story (OH GOD I WANTED TO SEE IMAI MOMOKA'S ARC AAAAUUUUGH) but the episodes that it did accomplish were very faithful to the original work. This was made better, however, by a very eery and catchy soundtrack as well as good visuals. |
| Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (movie) |
Very good |
A bit dated and, admittedly, there are many a better movie in the world, but its presentation and style are what give it its charm. |
| Nekomonogatari (Black) (TV) |
Excellent |
|
| Nichijou - My Ordinary Life (TV) |
Masterpiece |
Trying to say that this wasn't like Azumanga Daioh would be foolish, but at the same time the narrative and style of Nichijou had a lot more flare and randomness, in a sense. The characters are all really funny and likable, and the animation is amazing! When I say "masterpiece", I mean this in the sense that this is a masterpiece of a comedy. |
| Nisemonogatari (TV) |
Masterpiece |
|
| No Game, No Life (TV) |
Masterpiece |
|
| Non Non Biyori (TV) |
Excellent |
|
| Noragami (TV) |
Good |
|
| Nyaruko: Crawling with Love! (TV) |
Very good |
|
| Nyaruko: Crawling with Love! (TV 2) |
Very good |
|
| Nyoron! Churuya-san (ONA) |
Excellent |
Reminded me of Azumanga Daioh with its off-beat humor and simplicity. I only wish it were a bit longer! |
| One Off (OAV) |
Masterpiece |
|
| One Piece: Chinjō Shima no Chopper Ōkoku (movie 3) |
Very good |
|
| One Piece: Nejimaki Shima no Bōken (movie 2) |
Very good |
|
| One Piece: The Movie |
Very good |
|
| Oreimo (TV) |
Excellent |
I initially rated it as 'Very Good' while I was only two episodes away from finishing the series, but when Kirino finally thanked her brother for what he did, I felt a heavy lump of satisfaction drop inside of me, and I simply nodded in bliss. Kirino's estranged hobby and the resulting events are hilarious and also irritating at certain points because of Kirino's rude personality, but that's what made it seem realistic in that Kirino and Kyousuke's relationship reflected what would be considered a more 'normal' sibling relationship. Either way, a real gem! |
| Origin ~Spirits of the Past~ (movie) |
So-so |
|
| Otogi-Jushi Akazukin (OAV) |
So-so |
|
| Paprika (movie) |
Excellent |
|
| Patema Inverted (movie) |
Masterpiece |
|
| (The) Place Promised in Our Early Days (movie) |
So-so |
Pretty visuals, but that's about it. A confusing story coupled with teenage angst made it really boring and lengthy. Voice acting was bad, too, in my opinion. |
| Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea (movie) |
Excellent |
|
| Poyopoyo (TV) |
Excellent |
|
| Princess Mononoke (movie) |
Masterpiece |
|
| Professor Layton and the Eternal Diva (movie) |
Good |
|
| Puella Magi Madoka Magica (TV) |
Masterpiece |
What can I say about this show that's even worth saying? Aside from the fact that it takes the magical girl genre and flips it onto its face, this show has some of the most stunning visuals and a heart-stopping storyline to match it. Just watch this beautiful piece of artwork. |
| Puella Magi Madoka Magica the Movie Part 1: Beginnings |
Masterpiece |
|
| Puella Magi Madoka Magica the Movie Part 2: Eternal |
Masterpiece |
|
| Puella Magi Madoka Magica The Movie Part 3: Rebellion |
Masterpiece |
|
| Redline (movie) |
Masterpiece |
|
| Say "I love you." (TV) |
Excellent |
|
| Sayonara Zetsubou-sensei (TV) |
Excellent |
The inherent lack of a storyline makes me long for one, but Zetsubou Sensei does exactly what it sets out to do, and that's to be a social comedy with a bunch of high school girls. |
| School Rumble (TV) |
Very good |
Silly and hilarious. Occasionally melodramatic at some points, but those scenes work in fleshing out the characters a bit more. |
| School-Live! (TV) |
Excellent |
|
| Seiyu's Life! (TV) |
Very good |
|
| Shin chan (TV) |
Very good |
Childhood, oh, childhood. How I miss you. |
| Shion no Oh (TV) |
Masterpiece |
You really feel for Shion's character already at the start of the show, but as it progresses along you start to fall in love with all of the characters within the story. What I loved was how most of the characters are presented as jerks and bad guys at the start, but one by one they all become lovable and their jerk-ass actions that they did previously are justified eventually. Also of note is how INTENSE this show is with its story, and I like that despite being a show about shougi, it's not technically ABOUT shougi so much as the mystery surrounding Shion. |
| Shirobako (TV) |
Masterpiece |
|
| Show By Rock!! (TV) |
Very good |
|
| Silver Spoon (TV) |
Excellent |
|
| Silver Spoon (TV 2) |
Excellent |
|
| Sketchbook ~full color'S~ (TV) |
Masterpiece |
Even after watching it five times, this is still one of my favorite anime series. Coupled with gorgeous visuals, an exquisite soundtrack (by none other than my favorite musician, Muramatsu Ken), various views on life and, arguably, zen philosophies on enjoying everything, this truly is a masterpiece. I wouldn't be able to pinpoint one thing as to why I'm so astonished with this anime, except for that the narrative's pacing and themes intrigue me. |
| (The) Sky Crawlers (movie) |
Very good |
|
| Spirited Away (movie) |
Excellent |
|
| Squid Girl (TV) |
Excellent |
ゲソゲソゲソ |
| Squid Girl Season 2 (TV) |
Very good |
ゲーソゲーソゲーソ！ |
| Steins;Gate (TV) |
Masterpiece |
Steins;Gate will probably be the main reason that I have such a strong affinity for lab coats now, along with my further grown interest in anime culture. That aside, this is a SUSPENSEFUL show, and a very tear-jerking one at that, yet it never fails to have a good amount of humor all around. Final verdict: El... Psy... Congroo. |
| Steins;Gate: The Movie - Load Region of Déjà Vu |
Excellent |
|
| Strike Witches (TV) |
Good |
Don't watch it with other people, and don't watch the DVD version; the TV version is censored, mainly so your eyes don't stray and so you actually hear what the characters are saying when they're naked. Otherwise, this is a pretty good guilty pleasure. |
| Student Council's Discretion (TV) |
Excellent |
This is a very silly show, but if you're savvy in your otaku, anime, and game knowledge, this is a joyride of humor. The "plot" is a nice touch to the all-humor narrative, but the show never forgets its roots and is always hilarious. |
| Summer Wars (movie) |
Very good (dub), Excellent (raw) |
I don't know what it was, but I connected with the overall atmosphere and premise of the movie due to its math geek main character, as well as the huge and entertaining cast (yet also irritating at certain points, but in a good, human way). I just absorbed into the movie easily, and it was fun to watch. |
| Sword of the Stranger (movie) |
Good (dub), Excellent (raw) |
This is the sort of movie where I don't want to divulge in anything in a comment; instead, I can only say that I or anyone I know should watch it to find out what's good about it. It's intense, it's action-packed, it's heart-felt and it's sad at the same time. |
| Tamako Market (TV) |
Excellent |
|
| Tamayura (OAV) |
Masterpiece |
|
| Tamayura - Hitotose (TV) |
Masterpiece |
|
| (The) Tatami Galaxy (TV) |
Masterpiece |
It's interesting to find a series that uses nine whole episodes (of eleven) to set up the main story that eventually unfolds in the final two episodes. Due to the nature of the show and in order to understand what is going on, I'll go ahead and divulge on the plot: the main character (perpetually unnamed) unknowingly goes through multiple scenarios of the same two years of his college life, where he joins different clubs or associations but always comes to know the exact same people, and all in all, he always asks himself why he wasted those two years of his life doing absolutely nothing. I won't go into the final two episodes, since those are the real kickers, but I learned a great lesson from this show all while enjoying the EXTREMELY fast dialogue that is a very dark shade of humor: it's imperative to enjoy life at this moment, right now! This moment defines us as a person, and I think it's another great Zen view of life. This has to be one of my favorite shows of all time. |
| Terror in Resonance (TV) |
Not really good |
|
| Thermae Romae (TV) |
Very good |
|
| +Tic Elder Sister (ONA) |
Very good |
|
| Tokyo Godfathers (movie) |
Very good |
A bit slow in its pace, but dorky characters who are really flawed make them that much more human and relatable. |
| Toradora! (TV) |
Masterpiece |
After avoiding this series to prepare myself for a 25-episode series for years, I finally came to my senses and just watched the damn thing. And I was not disappointed. This series is bloody hilarious and it makes me cry waterfall tears, so give it a go already. |
| Trigun (TV) |
Very good (dub & raw) |
The first half of the series is hilarious, but after the halfway point, the story suddenly becomes more serious and bloody. As a kid I didn't like it quite as much, but now that I look back on it, it's suspenseful either way. |
| (The) Troubled Life of Miss Kotoura (TV) |
Good |
The first episode of this series is a serious tear jerker and an amazing hook for the story; it forced me to go buy the manga in the first place, and I am thankful for that. However, having read the manga, I am very disappointed with how they changed the original story, as well as the narrative style. The ending was similar, but still very much different from the manga's story arc, and in a very bad way. A character who commits no crime (in the manga) is instead made as a scapegoat to bring the story to a close in the anime, which is incredibly frustrating. The narrative style of the anime is also much more fluffy and cute, whereas the manga is many times very serious despite being a 4-koma comic. That said, I still applaud the anime for its accomplishment in capturing Kotoura's sadness and loneliness in the first episode. |
| True Tears (TV) |
Not really good |
I will flat out say what I thought of this show: FUCKING. ENDING. If there was just one character that I found bitchy and annoying, it was Hiromi, the main long-haired girl. And she gets the best possible ending! Her personality didn't stand out to me (rather, her inherent lack of any personality) and the overall narrative and protagonist (Shinichirou) of the show are annoyingly ANGSTY.
I was pleased with the way that Aiko (the taiyaki-ish baker girl) was able to reconcile her relationship with the buddy dude, Miyokichi, but the story was off to the side and didn't really shine. Either way, MIYOKICHI, YOU ARE A TRUE MAN IN MY HEART. WAY MANLIER THAN SHINICHIROU, AND MORE DEDICATED WITH YOUR LOVE TOO.
Continuing, I will be honest in saying that Noe (chicken girl) was by far the most interesting character in the entire series, and she gets the short end of the stick by getting her leg broken as well as her heart (woah, that was deep. I should write more) as well as a creepy incest brother to boot. I was completely pissed off by this, but then I realized that Shinichirou was QUITE the jerk in his inability to be more clear with his feelings, as well as double-crossing Noe by loving Hiromi on the side. NOE, THERE ARE BETTER FISH OUT IN THE SEA. FUCK SHINICHIROU, HE'S AN ASS AND A WUSS ANYWAYS.
There was more that I didn't like in this show, though. I didn't particularly like that they cut corners with the 3D renders of people when they were far away, as well as the aforementioned angst and relationship hell holes that the entire series is riddled with. Finally, though, this is another series that I realized I didn't like because there was no substance to the series in the form of a plot, or really much humor. All that this series has going for it is the love rectangle (pentagon?) between the cast, a shoddy overarching theme about tears, and again, a shitload of angst.
I can't JUST complain, though. This show had gorgeous background images that looked like watercolor on canvas with the way that they're colored. Noe was the highlight of the show for me, so it's understandable that I was so let down by this show's ending, what with her having a less-than-stellar end. SHE WAS JUST SO DAMN CUTE OKAY. And Miyokichi! HE HARDLY EVEN COMES OUT.
Edit: BAHAHA! I just read the review for the show on this very website, and the review pretty much sums everything up about how I feel for this show. |
| tsuritama (TV) |
Very good |
|
| Umi Monogatari (TV) |
Masterpiece |
Yes, they ARE wearing swimsuits, and you can make a good case of how it has blatant fanservice and it's a magical girl show and blaaaa blaa blaaaaa... but if you can get past those superficial complaints, you'll realize that this show has one of the best soundtracks alive (again, Muramatsu Ken, you bastard) and a down-to-earth story about coming to love and care for those around you, including yourself. Not to mention its cast of characters who you can't find a reason to hate at all (even the show's obligatory "skank" character, Ooshima, turns out to be admirable and surprisingly adorable). |
| Upotte!! (ONA) |
Good |
Guns personified as cute girls. What can I say. |
| Valkyria Chronicles (TV) |
Decent |
|
| Wagnaria!! (TV) |
Excellent |
The description of this show really does it no justice, and it also makes it sound like it's trying too hard to be "weird". In reality the characters are all extremely lovable, funny, and surprisingly down to earth. I first found Inami's androphobia to be ludicrous and dumb, but very quickly I began to instead sympathize and come to adore her character. In all, it completely deserves (if not requires!) its second season, and I'm looking forward to it. |
| Wagnaria!!2 (TV) |
Excellent |
Although the director changed for this second season, I can't say that I noticed anything LUDICROUSLY different from the first season, which I am grateful of! I could tell that the pacing of the narrative was slightly different, but I didn't mind it, and needless to say I loved this second season just as much as I loved the first! |
| Welcome to the NHK (TV) |
Masterpiece |
Though some people may complain that the novel is better and different (though I've yet to read it), the ending and overall message of the show was touching for me and hit home with the fear of being rejected, social expectations that can't be lived up to, and an overall wish to just sit at home and do nothing. Also a hilarious look into the otaku culture.
Edit: After having read the actual novel, I have to say that I was VERY impressed with the novel and it surpassed the anime in terms of lasting impressions. This doesn't mean that I magically have negative feelings toward the show; instead, I simply accept that the two are separate creations. |
| Whisper of the Heart (movie) |
Excellent |
青春だね〜 |
| (The) Wind Rises (movie) |
Masterpiece |
|
| Witch Craft Works (TV) |
Excellent |
|
| (The) World God Only Knows (TV) |
Excellent |
Having a boy who is the "master" of visual novels and eroge having to "complete" different girls by having them fall in love with him sounded like an interesting plot for a story, and it was! Because of the main character's deep knowledge of eroge, he always has something idiotic yet true to say about tropes, and they're always hilarious. Yet, because this is a romance in many respects, the relationships that Keima creates are touching and heartwarming to watch. |
| Zoku Sayonara Zetsubou-sensei (TV) |
Excellent |
|
