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Seen all▲▼
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Rating▲▼
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Comment▲▼
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| Angel Beats! (TV) |
Very good |
Angel Beats is a show that balances extremes with extremes. It is at once violent, riotously funny, over-the-top epic and highly emotional. It achieves a lot in thirteen episodes, it's just a shame that by the end it still doesn't seem like enough. |
| anohana: The Flower We Saw That Day (TV) |
Very good |
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| (The) aquatope on white sand (TV) |
Very good |
Aquatope is more than anything a story of growing up quickly and realising one’s potential; first grieving a childhood lost and then adjusting to the harsh graft of the adult world; initially fudging through with impulsive, makeshift decisions and later reconciling an enterprise’s diverging factions towards a brighter future. Sweet and with only occasional supernatural elements, it acknowledges and analyses the delicate position of aquariums as money-making businesses with moralistic goals.
The second half is more ambitious but weaker. Despite the themes of adult progression, the side characters are never quite left behind, nor are they sufficiently explored. Moreover, the slavish devotion to work culture in Aquatope is simultaneously more grim than inspiring and too easily resolved to be believable, with the wrap-up being too neat and idealistic to balance it out. Aquatope is too often a miserable story only Japan can tell, where pencil-pushing, overwork, uncommunicative bosses and zero work-life balance are merely dreams one hasn’t adjusted to yet.
Kukuru is a strong enough protagonist to drag most viewers to this anime’s end, but it’s hard to be entirely on board with Aquatope’s outlook, especially when the emphasis on environmental and animal protection can be so vague and token by comparison. |
| Azumanga Daioh (TV) |
Excellent |
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| Bunny Drop (TV) |
Excellent |
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| (The) Cat Returns (movie) |
Good |
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| A Centaur's Life (TV) |
Decent |
A Centaur's Life’s earnestness and trivial enthusiasm for its own world is both uniquely charming and cripplingly awkward. Sometimes it strikes a rare tone for anime, and sometimes it strikes an affable but meaningless one. It can be light and full of slice-of-life antics one moment and meditating on sex, discrimination, geometry, horticulture or contemporary art the next, without any real sense of depth. I would be able to declare it consistently cute if it weren't for the allusions to oppressed cultural minorities and concentration camps. The sheer tonal whiplash this show provides can be madly fascinating, but it for the most part avoids saying anything substantial. An extremely bizarre watch. |
| A Certain Magical Index (TV) |
Good |
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| A Certain Magical Index II (TV) |
Decent |
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| A Certain Scientific Railgun (TV) |
Excellent |
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| A Certain Scientific Railgun S (TV) |
Very good |
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| A Certain Scientific Railgun T (TV 3) |
Good |
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| Claymore (TV) |
Very good |
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| Deca-Dence (TV) |
Very good |
Far more than meets the eye, Deca-Dence has a fascinating conspiracy backed up with great leads. Unfortunately, it doesn't get the time it needs to flesh out its world or wrap things up as well as could be hoped. |
| Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba (TV) |
Excellent |
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| (The) Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya (movie) |
Excellent |
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| Ga-Rei-Zero (TV) |
Very good |
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| Gatchaman Crowds (TV) |
Good |
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| Ghost in the Shell (movie) |
Good |
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| Grave of the Fireflies (movie) |
Very good |
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| Ground Control to Psychoelectric Girl (TV) |
Decent |
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| Gurren Lagann (TV) |
Excellent |
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| Haganai (TV) |
Good |
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| Haganai NEXT (TV) |
Good |
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| Hanasaku Iroha - Blossoms for Tomorrow (TV) |
Excellent |
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| Hanayamata (TV) |
Good |
Hanayamata has good humour and decent character drama. It's somewhat safe and often unfortunately saccharine with a tendency for emotional speeches, but the believable fun, friendship and self-esteem the characters gain from dancing makes it worth the watch. |
| Hello!! KINMOZA (TV) |
Decent |
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| Himōto! Umaru-chan R (TV) |
Good |
In sometimes spectacular contrast to the first season, Umaru-chan R remembers at last to give a hunk of gold to its titular jerk. With that change the whole series is given an overhaul in focus. It becomes a comforting, cute show about stepping out of one's comfort zones for the sake of friendship without losing sight of who you are. It's no revolution as a series, but its a complete redemption on its own terms. |
| Hinamatsuri (TV) |
Very good |
Instead of hitting on the standard tropes of its exploitative premise, Hinamatsuri subverts it and interests itself with issues of belonging, parenthood and the homeless, all the while never removing the tongue from its cheek. |
| Hitori Bocchi no Marumaru Seikatsu (TV) |
Good |
It rarely strays too far from established tropes and risks becoming saccharine, but Hitoribocchi is a sweet, funny show that manages to be above average by virtue of its timely and genuine concern for the protagonist’s struggle with social anxiety, which provides a solid platform for the overall themes of personal growth and friendship. |
| HYOUKA (TV) |
Excellent |
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| I Can't Understand What My Husband Is Saying (TV) |
Good |
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| I Can't Understand What My Husband is Saying: 2nd Thread (TV 2) |
Good |
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| If It’s for My Daughter, I’d Even Defeat a Demon Lord (TV) |
Decent |
Continuously sweet and fluffy with some surprisingly interesting lore, If It's for my Daughter is watchable for anyone with a affection for young girls, but probably no-one else. It has none of the adult depth of Bunny Drop, its inevitable comparison, and it hints more strongly at the eye-rolling 'oh Japan' direction both series' light novels take in the end. |
| In the Heart of Kunoichi Tsubaki (TV) |
Decent |
Cute and thoroughly inoffensive but with few truly recommendable qualities. A moetrash anime that I watched because I am on some level moetrash. |
| Inari Kon Kon (TV) |
Good |
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| K-ON! (TV) |
Good |
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| K-ON!! (TV 2) |
Good |
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| Kids on the Slope (TV) |
Very good |
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| Kiki's Delivery Service (movie) |
Good |
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| Kinmoza! Kiniro + Mosaic (TV) |
Good |
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| Kokoro Connect (TV) |
Very good |
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| Konohana Kitan (TV) |
Very good |
Comfortable yet emotionally potent, Konohana Kitan sets its viewers at ease with familiar light comedy antics before revealing elements of strong character-focused drama, effective fables inspired by classical Japanese fantasy, and some expressive direction and cinematography. Its sweetness can occasionally become saccharine or manipulative, and it rarely strays from established tropes, but the execution is so solidly economical that Konohana is by and large a joy to watch. |
| Laid-Back Camp (TV) |
Good |
Laid-Back Camp is as appropriately relaxed, sweet, slow-paced and appreciative of quiet time as its titular hobby. It showcases the appeal of both solo and group camping using cute but distinct characters and light humour, with Rin's solo escapades being the most enigmatically calming. It's no great shakes, and doesn't always deliver consistently, but as anime comfort food goes, it's nabe in the shadow of Fuji-san. |
| Love Live! School idol project (TV) |
Very good |
Love Live! does little to reinvent the wheel, but what it lacks in originality it more than makes up for in solidity and earnestness.
For a show of its type it has a remarkably structured approach; a strong overall objective is quickly established and each episode features a 'problem of the week'. It fits well since there is a continual emphasis on hard work and maintaining ones focus despite change and conflict. The characters are all appealing, and many have significant and believable development, particularly the central character Honoka.
Unfortunately the show relies too heavily on the tropes of its genre, its ending being particularly predictable, and it can feel constrained at times as the girls' successes can come along a bit too quickly and strain the viewer's suspension of disbelief. Ultimately, Love Live! is easy to love and easy to enjoy, it not challenging. |
| Love, Chunibyo & Other Delusions! (TV) |
Good |
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| Love, Chunibyo & Other Delusions! -Heart Throb- (TV) |
Good |
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| Lucky Star (TV) |
Good |
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| (The) Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya (TV) |
Very good |
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| (The) Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya (TV 2009 renewal) |
Good |
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| (The) Melancholy of Haruhi-chan Suzumiya (ONA) |
Good |
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| Minami-ke (TV) |
So-so |
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| Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid (TV) |
Excellent |
It's got dragons, maids, dragon maids, big bouncy breasts, comedy antics and adorable kids. Dragon Maid strikes you right in the feels with the powerful bond between its two main protagonists, and its surprisingly relatable and heartfelt themes of family and acceptance. |
| Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid S (TV) |
Good |
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| Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (movie) |
Excellent |
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| Nichijou - My Ordinary Life (TV) |
Excellent |
Nichijou frequently blasts off – often literally – into the absurd, but its absurdities are always grounded in reality, its charms always based on unapologetically enigmatic and adorable characters and its quality obvious from its stellar animation, quintessential style and short-film-esque punchiness. It lets all its awkwardness hang out until it turns on the viewer; the results are usually hilarious and occasionally profound. |
| Ninja Nonsense (TV) |
Good |
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| Non Non Biyori (TV) |
Excellent |
Unashamedly laid-back, warm and lightly comedic, sweet without becoming saccharine, sprinkled with beautifully drawn snapshots of the countryside. As an artform, Non Non Biyori is proudly unafraid of silence and stillness, lending its beauty hints of wistful impermanence. |
| Non Non Biyori Nonstop (TV 3) |
Good |
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| Non Non Biyori Repeat (TV 2) |
Very good |
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| Oreimo (TV) |
Very good |
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| Panty & Stocking with Garterbelt (TV) |
Very good |
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| A Place Further Than the Universe (TV) |
Excellent |
With a youthful, optimistic yet defiant exuberance, A Place Further Than the Universe is all about that desire to be something more than what you and those around you are. It does so with a distinct animation style, believable character interactions, humour and explorations of friendship, and a bubbling undercurrent of real grief. |
| Pom Poko (movie) |
Good |
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| Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea (movie) |
Good |
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| Porco Rosso (movie) |
Decent |
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| Princess Mononoke (movie) |
Masterpiece |
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| Puella Magi Madoka Magica (TV) |
Excellent |
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| Rascal Does Not Dream of Bunny Girl Senpai (TV) |
Very good |
Following rather visibly in the footsteps of the likes of Haruhi, Chuunibyou and Kokoro Connect, Rascal uses a high-school setting to examine psychological neuroses through science-fiction phenomena. Rascal’s unique charms include remarkably grounded protagonists, melodrama achieved through personal and character-led insecurities, and striking metaphorical depictions of trauma. |
| Re:CREATORS (TV) |
Very good |
Alternately meditative and action-packed, Re:Creators weaves a complex but always readable meta-narrative and combines it with flair and good characterisation. Its strongest points are where it dares to explore the ramifications of fantasy worlds colliding, to poignant and even grim effect. Its pedantic need to explore and explain its machinations can irritate, and despite its clear ambition its use of tropes and a very weak protagonist mean the show can end up feeling distinctly conventional. It's epic, consistently interesting and often exciting, but escapes being anything groundbreaking. |
| Saga of Tanya the Evil (TV) |
Very good |
Tanya the Evil is a wicked double-bluff of a series; a thoroughly exploitative and off-the-wall conceit contrasted by a surprisingly grounded, gritty execution. Its protagonist is the perfect example of a character who you can root for for all the wrong reasons. She powerfully drives the whole show, and while this pivot leaves the show a little bare when it comes to memorable supporting characters, the exploration of war themes and parallels with real world conflicts more than pick up the slack. |
| Sakura Quest (TV) |
Very good |
Not as consistently strong as the two "Working Girls" anime that came before it. Still, Sakura Quest is a consistently produced and refreshingly low-key show about the ill-discussed 'young adult' stage of life, with a colourful extended cast and light humour that strikes an thoughtful tone. |
| School-Live! (TV) |
Very good |
School-Live's infamous first episode bait-and-switch sets the tone for the whole series; it's essentially the tension between a desperate anime 'normality' and a thoroughly desperate situation. If your favourite TV Trope is Break The Cutie, School-Live! is the show for you. |
| Seitokai Yakuindomo (TV) |
Good |
Few shows are as shamelessly gag-heavy and self-aware as Seitokai. When it's not relentlessly pummelling you with goofy, typically sexual jokes, it's lampooning itself and every high school anime out there. It's all wafer-thin, but Seitokai wears its cheap laughs with pride. |
| Shirobako (TV) |
Excellent |
Unlike the fantastical anime its central characters desire to make, and its youthful, appealing art style, Shirobako is grounded, mature and aimed squarely at adults. It bravely lays bare all the faults and sacrifices that come with making anime, depicting it as a hectic, unpredictable, emotional, haphazard and frustrating process, but its own production barely belies that reality at all; Shirobako is masterfully solid and manages its massive cast effortlessly. More than anything, it's about working, right up until the last bell, to the point where that adorable main five barely see each other for extended periods, and to early twenty-year-olds that's a new reality. For all that, Shirobako never leaves you down for long and is full of optimism and humour. It's an inspiring work that provides plenty of food for thought if you're at all unsure of your place in the world. |
| Sound! Euphonium (TV) |
Excellent |
Sumptuously animated, with powerful character drama and a thoroughly excellent protagonist, Hibike! will educate even the most sceptical viewer on what can make being in a band so demanding and yet worthwhile. |
| Sound! Euphonium 2 (TV) |
Excellent |
Sound! Euphonium season 2 is a must-watch for those who watched the original series. The story continues with just as much finesse. |
| Sound! Euphonium 3 (TV) |
Very good |
What's good about Sound! Euphonium is still good. It's just not as fresh. |
| Spirited Away (movie) |
Excellent |
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| Spy×Family (TV) |
Very good |
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| Spy×Family (TV 2) |
Good |
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| Squid Girl (TV) |
Good |
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| (The) Tale of the Princess Kaguya (movie) |
Excellent |
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| Tamako Market (TV) |
Good |
Tamako Market has a setting so inviting that it's possible to simply set back and let the good vibes wash over you, distracting you from the show's pitfalls of narrative depth and character development. |
| Toradora! (TV) |
Very good |
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| Vinland Saga (TV) |
Very good |
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| Violet Evergarden (TV) |
Very good |
Sumptuously produced and with a compelling main character, Violet Evergarden's highest points are its almost fabular explorations of its core theme: the power of letters as a way to express and understand emotions. Its rather simplified war themes are less successful, but the repercussions for its victims and their families are rendered with ugly-cry-inducing effectiveness. |
| Waiting in the Summer (TV) |
Very good |
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| WATAMOTE (TV) |
Very good |
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| Whisper of the Heart (movie) |
Masterpiece |
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| Ya Boy Kongming! (TV) |
Good |
With its extremely endearing title character, Kongming is more earnest than its wacky premise would lead one to believe, with a narrative firmly grounded in its appealing characters' personal journeys. However, while the storytelling is good and the show's heart is consistently in the right place, the success of the show becomes dependent on how much the viewer believes the talents improve and deserve their achievements. It doesn't help that much of the material produced by the cast is of the sort that only tends to succeed in Japan. The ironic result is that the presence of an actual Three Kingdoms general in modern Japan is the part of this show that stretches believability the least. |
