NEW new rating system

Sooo...the old rating system wasn't really working out for me. I'm gonna have to redo it. Here's the new rating system, from highest to lowest rating.

WATCH IT!!!

Worth a Watch!

Decent

Average

Not too good

Bad

Big turd

Happy Valentines Day! My top five couples in anime

Happy valentines day, everyone! You'll notice I'm writing in dark red today in order to be festive without burning everyone's eyes. Anyway, to celebrate this day of romance, I've decided to compile a list of my top five anime (and manga) couples of all time. Please enjoy!

5: Kyoko and Ren of Skip Beat!

"Until today, I've never lost it like I did just now. She pulled it out of me. A part of myself that I didn't even know existed."

-Ren Tsuruga

If you know me, I know what you're thinking, and no, these guys aren't on my list soully because Skip Beat! is my favorite anime and manga series of all time. I really do like the relationship between these two. Now, where I am in the story, these two technically aren't a 'couple,' what with Ren trying hard to deny that he has feelings for Kyoko, and Kyoko being afraid to fall for anyone after being crushed by the only boy she ever loved, but there is definitely something beautiful between these two. They care a great deal about each other and bring out the best in each other, which, in my opinion, is what a relationship is all about.

4: Ichiko and Eriko of Love My Life

"Being with Ichiko literally refreshes my heart. I don't know any other girl who looks at things in such an honest way."

- Eriko to Ichiko's father

Love My Life is a short, yuri josei series penned by Ebine Yamaji. It is probably the most realistic homosexuality story I have ever read, and the main couple above may be the most passionate I have ever seen in any anime series. The love these two have for each other is so strong and so moving. The way they met, the way that they can tell what each other are thinking, and the way they act when they are together are simply beautiful.

3: Nowaki and Hiroki of Junjou Romantica

"Maybe it is impossible to be absolutely sure of anything, but I can tell you this: there is no one in this world I could ever love more than I love you."
-Nowaki to Hiroki

So it's another gay couple. Big deal. Anyway, not only are Hiroki and Nowaki the only couple in Junjou Romantica that can actually say they love each other, they are incredibly compatible with one another. While Nowaki brings out the softer side in the cool and collected Hiroki, Hiroki brings out the stronger side in the sweet and sensitive Nowaki. They do fight often throughout the series, but each time they mend a riff in their relationship, their love for each other only grows that much stronger.

2: Yukino and Arima of Kare Kano

"As you became a stranger person, my feelings for you didn't change. I loved you all along." -Arima to Yukino

Ah, the classic shojou high school couple, right? From rivals, to friends, to lovers. But there is so much more to this beautiful relationship. Now this may sound cliche'd, but I like to compare this teen pair to two peices of a couple. They're opposites of each other, but in such a way that they fit together perfectly. And they're part of the same picture as well. Although they have different stories, both are trying to throw away the "masks" they have been wearing their entire lives, and they know that they'll need each other to bring their true selves out.

1: Miria and Isaac of Baccano!

"As long as I'm with you, I could be the president! I could be a king or a queen! I could even be a joker!"

"I don't know what that means, but it's incredible!"

-An exchange between Isaac and Miria

So are you pissed that my number one is a comic releif couple? Well suck it up. Isaac and Miria are by far the most energetic and compatible couple I have ever seen in anime. These two are one. You never see one without the other. They know what each other are thinking, they can predict each other's actions, and they feed off of each other's energy. They always seem to be happy and having fun, and I think it's because they know that when they're together, nothing can bring them down. Isaac and Miria are an unstoppable pair.

Winter 2011 Season - First Impressions

Beelzebub (After 1 episode)

Synopsis: A delinquent must raise the infant son of a demon lord.

Analysis: Although this was rather entertaining with its hillarious characters and in-your-face gag comedy, it kind of needed less joke and more story to really work. If you're into this kind of humor, and/or if you are a huge Shonen fan, you will probably enjoy this series.

Rating: Meh

Following?: Nah

Dragon Crisis (after half an episode)

Synopsis: An average joe and his older second cousin seize a box containing a "dragon girl," and must protect her from an evil organization using their powers as relic handlers.

Analysis: This is a very five-out-of-ten series for me. The animation is wonderful, and there were bits I enjoyed, but there was really nothing special here that would make me want to continue.

Rating: Meh

Following?: No

Fractale (after one episode)

Synopsis: I...I'm so sorry. I have no idea how to explain this. Just see for yourself.

Analysis: The world they have created is absolutely beautiful. I was interested in everything that was happening, and the first episode was very cute and heartwarming. I have heard that this series gets more interesting as you continue it, and I can't wait to see this.

Rating: WATCH IT!!!

Following?: I would, but I have too much on my plate...

Gosick (after one episode)

Synopsis: In the victorian era, a new student meets a strange girl with an incredible talent for solving mysteries, and ends up joining her in her adventures.

Analysis: I loved the characters in this series, and was rather interested in what was happening to them. However, the mystery that was supposed to showcase the lead female's deductive skills was one that I probably could have solved. The writing also wasn't quite working. Gosick has a lot of potential, but it needs to step it up a little if it wants its viewers to get into it.

Rating: Worth a watch

Following?: Nah

Hourou Musuko (after two episodes)Synopsis: A boy who enjoys dressing like a girl tries to mend his relationships with his friends as he enters middle school

Analysis: The art is probably the best part of the series. I think this may be my favorite art style in any series I have ever watched. I love the age group they have chosen to focus on, and the slow yet interesting pacing. However, they need to be careful not to lay the drama on too thick. Also, there are a few characters () that just annoy the hell out of me.

Rating: Worth a watch

Following?: Yes

Kore wa Zombie Desu ka? (after three episodes)

Synopsis: After being murdered by a serial killer, a boy is brought back to life as a zombie by a necromancer, who then moves in with him

Analysis: Probably the funniest show I've seen this season. Just about every single joke hit. The animation is also pretty good, and the characters are pretty much all likeable. However, this series needs to keep stepping it up, or it will get boring.

Rating: Worth a watch

Following?: Yes

Level E

Synopsis: An average joe and star baseball player moves into an apartment, but finds that a mysterious stranger claiming to be an alien has dubbed it his new hideout.

Analysis: Um, how does "best anime of the season" sound? This series is wonderful. Interesting, unique, and hillarious. The writing is brilliant. The art style is wonderful, and this series probably has the best use of CG since Kuchu Buranko. The only problem is, the show is very anticlimactic. While this is actually working so far, they need to be careful not to take it too far.

Rating: WATCH IT!!!

Following?: Hell yes!

Mahou Shojou Madoka Magica (after one episode)

Synopsis: A girl has a strange dream about a mysterious girl. The next day, the girl shows up at school! The girl and her best friend are then exposed to a world of magic.

Analysis: This is definitely a lot darker than your average magical girl anime. If you are a fan of SHAFT, you will probably like this. The characters are all very cute and interesting, and the visuals are pretty cool.

Rating: Worth a watch

Following?: Unfortunately, I was kind of scared off by that climax at the end. It was pretty cool, but too many colors...

Onii-chan no Koto...! (after one and a half episodes)

Synopsis: Nao's brother complex is so strong, it could probably be called incest. She one day goes so far as to throw out all of his non-incest porn. In doing so, she discovers her brother's photo album...but there are no pictures of her!

Analysis: Surprisingly, the first episode was a blast. It was hillarious to meet and watch these completely insane characters, and I laughed my ass off. However, by episode two, the humor got old, and the series just got a little uncomfortable for me.

Rating: A big turd

Following?: I may give this a second chance later on, but it's highly unlikely.

Rio: Rainbow Gate (after half an episode)

Synopsis: Rio is the "Goddess of Victory," who works in a casino and grants luck to anyone she walks by.

Analysis: ...don't do this. You have better things to do with your time. There was NOTHING redeeming about this peice of crap. The characters and story were uninteresting, the art was incredibly flat, for God's sake, this was a fanservice series and the damn fanservice wasn't even well done! These people aren't even TRYING, are they? They think they don't need a legitimate story as long as they have lolis and boobs! This show can go to Hell.

Rating: Dear God...

Following?: When Hell freezes over...

My New Rating System

For a while, I've been trying to establish a concrete rating system that was more entertaining than the standard scale of 1-10. Well, here you go! These are my five new ratings from best to worst.

WATCH IT!!!

Worth Seeing

Meh

Big Turd

Dear God...

Stay tuned for my first impressions of the winter 2011 season, where you'll get to see these used for the first time.

Number 7: Kare Kano

Looking at the picture above, you'll probably assume that Kare Kano is nothing but a simple, high school romance. I can tell you honestly that...you're not entirely wrong. However, never before have I seen a high school rom-com with as much passion and originality as Kare Kano.

On the outside, Yukino Miyazawa appears to be a perfect girl. She was the top student at her middle school, is an amazing athlete, and is kind, modest, and elegant. Or so she's lead everyone to beleive. In reality, Yukino is a nerdy and strange girl who has been putting on a show in order to gain the praise she cannot live without. Then, he showed up. Souichiro Arima. A gorgeous, popular, intellegent boy who ruined Yukino's "high school debut" by beating her on the entrance exam. Throughout the school year, Yukino finds that the mask she has been wearing may need to come off.

Although the story does have one or two slow episodes, it is usually moving straight forward, and almost always keeping you entertained. The comedy hits, the dialogue is wonderful, and many people are able to relate to some of the situations the characters get into.

The characters are probably more well developed than any show I've ever seen. Yukino and Arima have such a beautiful chemistry, despite their very different personalities. Even the supporting cast is well developed. In fact, there is one episode which tells the story of how Yukino's parents met, which I don't beleive I've ever seen in a high school comedy before. There are pretty much no background characters in Kare Kano.

The problem I do have with Kare Kano is that, as I stated earlier, the series has some very slow episodes. In fact, there were two episodes in which all they did was repeat scenes from previous episodes. I completely skipped over these, as they had absolutely no significance. There were many points in the series where I was not the least bit entertained.

Overall, Kare Kano is a well delivered, well developed, and basicly just a well done series. It is an original, fun, compelling high school love story if I have ever seen one.

Number 8: B Gata H Kei

If you watched the latest episode of MaguroCast, note that I have changed the list to make room for series I have gotten further into.

If you look at the synopsis for B Gata H Kei, you'll probably wonder what the hell I was thinking when I started watching the series. Thinking about it now, I'm actually wondering the exact same thing. Whatever the reason, I am so glad I watched B Gata H Kei, as it was surprisingly one of the best comedy anime series I saw in 2010.

Brace yourself for the synopsis, because, as I mentioned before, it's pretty crazy. The story centers around Yamada, (first name withheld for whatever reason) a high school girl with the face and body of a model. Apon entering high school, Yamada decides on a crazy goal: to have casual sex with 100 boys. However, being self concious of the fact that she is a virgin, she decides she needs to start by targeting a boy who is a virgin as well. She soon crosses paths with Kosuda, the most generic, uninteresting boy she has ever met, who, unfortunately for him, meets Yamada's criteria perfectly.

When watching the first episode of B Gata H Kei, I had incredibly low expectations just from reading the synopsis. Needless to say, I was dead wrong to assume that this series wouldn't be any good. I found myself cracking up several times, sometimes to the point of tears. What makes this series so hillarious is that, as determined as she is, Yamada has no freaking clue what she's doing. She chickens out of her supposedly "brilliant" plans, and when she actually gets the balls to do something, she has no clue where to go next. Admit it: it is so much fun to watch people screw up.

The characters...well they're all idiots. There are several points in the series where you wonder what kind of moron actually does shit like this. Some of the better supporting characters in the series include Tachibana, Yamada's best girl friend who is often rather annoyed with her one-track mind, and Kajenou, a gorgeous American girl with a severe brother complex. But if you've seen this series, you will probably be surprised with my answer. Her name is Misato. She can't really even be considered a supporting character...more like a background character. She is flat chested, short, and generally unnatractive in the eyes of men...which isn't so good considering she likes to follow hot guys around like a lost puppy and drool all over them like a bulldog. Although she only made about one, short appearence per episode, I had to smile every time she appeared.

Flaws? Oh yeah, very many. First of all, like many animes in the comedy-ecchi genre, it fails when it tries to be dramatic. The more sentemental scenes were just boring, and when you watch them, you want them to skip to the comedy as quickly as possible. Second of all, the characters, although very entertaining, were not very well developed. There are several points in the series where the characters do things that, as far as you know, are completely unlike them.

The main problem I had with B Gata H Kei was that if you're going to do a series like this, the comedy has to get better with every episode. With this series, the laugh-chart kind of moved in a straight line, and it got a little bit old after a while.

Overall, I am very glad I gave this series a try. Although I would never say it's the best comedy series I've seen, I can say that it is most likely the best ecchi. I was very sad to see this series come to an end, and I still find myself hoping for more.

My 2011 Watch List

• 30-san no Hoken Taiiku
• A Channel
• Beelzebub
• Fractale (maybe)
• Hanasaku Iroha
• Hourou Musuko
• Kampfer Season 2 (but that means I gotta finish season one!)
• Mahou Shoujo Madoka*Magica
• Sekaiichi Hatsukoi
• Shouwa Monogatari (maybe)
• Yumeki Merry
• Ga-Rei Zero
• Antique Bakery
• FINALLY finish Hayate the Combat Butler!
• Whatever else I find interesting later

Number 9: Sasameki Koto

I think we all know how painful it can be to love someone who doesn't love you back. I certainly do, and I don't think I've ever seen an anime series that depicted the loneliness--and very rarely the joy--of one-sided love as well as the shojou ai* romcom Sasameki Koto did.

I began watching Sasameki Koto at the very beginning of the year, around the same time I started Junjou Romantica. I could not have picked a better first shojou ai series. Although it is basicly about the love between two girls, it is way lighter and more fun then some of the more dramatic shojou ai series out there, making it a perfect introduction to the genre.

Sumika Murasame is an intelegent, tough as nails highschooler with a big problem: she has fallen in love with another female, her best friend, Ushio Kazama. The problem isn't that Ushio doesn't like girls--in fact, she's absoluely crazy about them--the problem is that Ushio only likes "cute" girls. Small, weak, shy girls that one would feel compelled to protect. Sumika, being unusually tall and a martial arts expert, does not at all meet this description.

Sasameki Koto presented a very simple story, and was able to do a lot with it. Something different happened every episode, and they managed to bring in very satisfying romantic scenes and wonderful comedy without being too unrealistic. The only problem was that some episodes had no real significance, and could have been skipped over in order to make room for a decent ending. Note before you watch Sasameki Koto that the ending is very abrupt, and will probably leave you unsatisfied and thinking 'That's it?'

The characters made this series what it was. Each character was unique and quirky, and you pretty much had to love every one of them. We start out with the two mains, Sumika and Ushio, and their friend, the happy-go-lucky Kiyori. Later, we are introduced to Akemiya, a dorky boy with a huge crush on Sumika, Tomoe and Miyako, a lesbian couple who hopelessly attempt to start a school club for lesbian girls, and Aoi, a passionate fan of a series of yuri novels. The characters are all very well developed, and it's very entertaining to watch them in their everyday lives.

The main reason I love Sasameki Koto is that you can feel the characters emotions as if they are your own. There are several scenes in this series that will make one think "I've felt that way before." The series manages to perfectly execute the drama of one sided love without being melodramatic, and seeing as this is a Highschool story, this is a major accomplishment.

Number 10: Junjou Romantica

How the hell did I get wrapped up in Junjou Romantica? I will never really know. But one way or another, this series managed to gain a lot of my interest. Heck, I even got emotional at certain parts. I couldn't bring myself not to put Junjou Romantica on this list.

I started watching Junjou at the very beginning of the year. It was actually my very first (and so far only) shonene ai* series. I'll admit, however, that this was not a very good series to start with because...well...err...there was sex in nearly every episode. (not graphic, mostly implied) However, once I got used to those scenes, I was able to enjoy this series through all of its ups and downs.

There's not really a main story for Junjou. The series centers around three odd gay couples and their relationships. The main couple is Misaki and Usami. Misaki is the little brother of Takahiro, a man Usami was madly in love with. When Takahiro gets engaged, it almost seems as though Misaki has become his replacement. Despite his internal struggle, he can't seem to deny the fact that he just might be falling under the seductive Usami's spell.

Hiroki has been in love with Usami for several years. Apon discovering that Usami will never feel the same way, heartbroken Hiroki runs to the park to be alone. There, he meets Nowaki, a kind young man who has fallen for Hiroki at first sight. Hiroki tries to remain cool and nonchalant, as he usually is, but something in Nowaki brings out a side of Hiroki that he doesn't recognize, and certainly doesn't like.

35 year old Miyagi is Hiroki's coworker. He is recently divorced, and is going through a lot in his life. Things get much more complicated when his ex-wife's brother, 16 year old Shinobu, (umm big age difference much?) claims to be madly in love with him, and ends up living with him in his apartment.

So what's so special about these stories? To be honest, not very much. Every episode seemed to be basicly the same thing. There wasn't really anything original; anything we hadn't seen before. However, the way the stories are delivered somehow pulls you in. You don't really think about the lack of originality while you're watching Junjou Romantica. I give this series major props for so cleverly hiding these uninteresting storylines behind amazing delivery.

I felt like Hiroki, Nowaki, and Miyagi were the only three characters with any real depth. The rest of the cast, though entertaining, seemed rather generic and flat. Usagi was the steryotypical seme, Misaki, the classic uke*, and Shinobu...some kid trying to force himself onto a middle aged man. It's not that I really disliked any of the characters in this series--they were all very diverse and interesting--I just wish I had gotten to know them a little better. In the course of 26 episodes, (2 seasons, 13 episodes per season) I think they could have done much better.

The art was probably the weakest part of the series. I can honestly say nothing good about the art style. I constantly found myself confusing characters with other characters. There were literally only 3 hairstyles for male characters in this series, and 2 hairstyles for female characters. It felt like they picked a few hairstyles and faces, and tried some different combinations to come up with their characters. I know, it could be a lot worse, but the art was still pretty lame.

Now about the sexual content...like I said, it's mostly implied. You only see faces, hands, and sometimes upper bodies. The sex scenes in Junjou Romantica were actually very tasteful. You don't really see "sex" here. You see two men in love giving themselves to each other. The only problem I had with the sex scenes was that, although they were pretty at first, they got old very quickly. The sex was just excessive. As I said, they put one at the end of nearly every episode. Had they put only one every five or so episodes, it would have been easier to appreciate the beauty of these scenes.

So why did I like Junjou Romantica? Because, despite its many flaws, it has been the most passionate shonen ai series I have seen to date. I've realized that the reason I haven't had the desire to continue any of the other shonen ai series I have tried is because, on episode one, I always find myself thinking "Junjou Romantica was much better." So, for making me adore it for reason's I don't even understand, Junjou Romantica has stolen the number 10 spot on my list.

*Shonen Ai - centers around the love between two men

* In a Shonen Ai or Yaoi couple, the seme is the more dominant and seductive one, while the uke is the one who is seduced

Intro to My Top Ten of 2010

With the year coming to an end, I thought I'd reflect on all of the fantastic anime that I have seen in the past 365 days. Therefore, I give you my Top 10 of 2010. Here's how this is gonna work: starting with my number ten, I will post a review once a day (or rather whenever I get the chance) of an anime that I thought deserved a spot on my list.


Please note that not all of these series were released this year. 2010 is just the year I watched them. Also, some of these series are very difficult to properly review. I apologize in advance for any rambling or confusing content.

One more thing. I WANT YOU TO COMMENT! I'd really like to hear you guys' input on the subjects I write about. Do you disagree? Tell me why. Agree? Tell me what with. I really want to hear what you have to say.

Without further ado, I'm going to start working on my review for number ten. Stay tuned!

Anime Awards 2010 (For reals this time!)

Hello! So I kind of chickened out on this last time, but now that the new year is just around the corner, I'm gonna give it another shot. We are currently in the nominating stage of the 2010 anime awards. Please follow the rules below, and nominate your favorites for the ten listed categories. Thank you!

RULES:

- The anime must have been released in 2010. We will not be accepting OVAs, new seasons, or series that had been continued into 2010 from other years.

- You may nominate as much as you like for each category, but do not nominate two from the same series in the same category. For example, you could not nominate both Panty and Stocking for best leading female, as they are both from Panty & Stocking with Garterbelt.

- Be specific with openings and endings. When nominating one, please state the anime, the name of the song, and the author

Categories

Best Male Protagonist

Best Female Protagonist

Best Supporting Character

Best Couple

Best Comedy

Best Drama

Best Opening

Best Ending

Worst Series

Best series nominees will be determined based on the nominations from the other categories, and possibly what me and my group of critic friends decide (if they're willing to help out). Please vote now!

TOP 5: Most Annoying Anime Girls

Number 5

Now all you mega-fans of The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya are probably cussing me out through your computer monitor and wondering what I was thinking when I put Haruhi Suzumiya on this list. I hate to tell you this, but you've been blinded by your fandom. This girl may be the main heroine of the series, but that doesn't excuse the fact that she's a stubborn bitch. She drags people around by their collars, she forces crying girls to dress up as prostitutes, and no matter how much you try to convince her that the things she does are completely unreasonable, she will always come back at you with an arguement that is ten times less reasonable. Face it, guys. Haruhi Suzumiya is pretty much a huge problem for anyone she comes in contact with.

Number 4

This bitch is the reason I stopped reading Peach Girl. For no particular reason, Sae Kashiwagi's only goal in life seems to be to destroy that of her "best friend." Why? I have no freaking idea! She's a manipulative, evil, stuck up man stealer. She basicly goes around playing innocent and convincing people that her best friend is no good, and that she's a slut that cheat's on her boyfriend. This manga was actually pretty good until she decided to come in and make it a "look how much this person's life sucks" series.





Number 3
I'm not gonna waste my time writing about this ditz. Just look at the picture for my explanation.

Number 2

I have nothing but pure hatred for the protagonist of Kobato, Kobato Hanato. Not only is she the most bubbly, idiotic girl I've ever seen in anime, she couldn't be more annoyingly perfect! From the singing that draws huge crowds of people to the outfits to that gorgeous rosy-cheek smile to the insane ability to make everyone she meets completely adore her. Yeah. She's one of those people. I guess she and Tohru Honda from Fruits Basket are kind of in the same category, but at least Tohru had a decent back story. The worst part is her modesty. "Oh nooo I'm not anything special! I'm just sweet and innocent and pretty and talented!" You understand my immense hatred toward this kind of person.

Number 1

Air Master seems like a pretty good series at first. Lots of action, strong protagonist, and a cool setting. Then, all of a sudden, you hear:

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!!"

This is none other than Renge Inue, the high school girl who acts and looks like a five year old. Her voice will peirce through your skull like a knife or a drill or something else that can penetrate bone. She spits when she talks, she cries like a baby, she won't stop COMMENTING on everything, and...well she's just a pain in the ass. If you've seen the series, you know what I'm talking about. If not, brace yourself.

Announcing, the winner of Moe, Moe, Moe!

Thank you all for voting in the 2010 Moe Moe Moe competition! The results are in! Dim the lights! Here we go...

And the winner of Moe Moe Moe 2010 is...

Kotomi Ichinose!

Congrats, Kotomi! You will be rewarded with the very first Lovely Ladies of Anime post. Everyone, please look forward to it. Again, thank you for voting!

Fall 2010 Evaluation

I do express most of the following opinions in my podcast with Freddy and Eric, but unfortunately I'm not as good with speaking as I am with writing. Therefore, I have listed below my true opinions of the Fall animes I've seen so far.

Arakawa Under the Bridge x Bridge

Why I was Interested : I absolutely loved Arakawa Under the Bridge season one, and was extremely excited when I heard about season 2.

Expectations: Very High

Episodes Seen: 1

Pros: The jokes were as solid as ever. This is one of the very few animes that can make me laugh out loud. (most of the time I only laugh on the inside and smile)

Cons: I was expecting them to step it up a bit since season 1 was so great, but there were bits that left me unsatisfied. There were also a few things that went completely unexplained.

Starting Rating: 7 (good)

Following?: Yes

Bakuman


Why I was interested: I had read the first couple of chapters of the manga and absolutely adored it

Expectations: Pretty high

Episodes Seen: 1

Pros: Very true to the manga. Develops its characters well.
Witty dialogue and original story. LOVE the main protagonist. A lot of people will be able to relate to him.

Cons: Although most scenes were pretty realistic, some were a bit forced. The leading female needs to be developed more. I don't get her. Art style on the characters was a bit strange

Starting Rating: 8 (great)

Following?: Yes

Kuragehime

Why I was interested: I'm a josei enthusiast. Only about eleven Josei series have been animated to date, so a new one is always exciting

Expectations: Very high

Episodes Seen: 1

Pros: These characters are fugly, but still extremely likeable. The opening is now easily my favorite. You do see that more realistic element that makes josei unique.

Cons: Where are they going to go with this? There's not that much to the story, and I'm curious to see how they're going to stretch this to eleven episodes.

Starting Rating: 8 (great)

Following?: Absolutely

MM!

Why I was Interested: The plot is so unique. I thought this would be pretty funny.

Expectations: Higher than low, but not super high

Episodes Seen: 2

Pros: The jokes hit, the characters are likeable, and the little plot twists here and there are very clever and unique. This series will give its viewers exactly what they watch it for.

Cons: In episode 2, they start getting more romantic and sentimental. This was a nice break from all the slapstick, but they can't push that envelope too often or this series will go downhill.

Starting Rating: 8 (great)

Following?: Absolutely

Ore Imo

Why I was Interested: I honestly have no idea...

Expectations: Low

Episodes Seen: First half of 1

Pros: His little sister is, indeed, cute. I like the relationship between the two, and the animation is pretty good.

Cons: I...just...freaking hate this series. There is nothing interesting to the story. It's a cliche'd peice of turd.

Final Rating: 4 (bad)

Following?: When hell freezes over...

Otome Yokai Zakuro

Why I was Interested: I thougt it would suck and wanted to laugh at it.

Expectations: Very low

Episodes Seen: most of 1

Pros: The blonde guy is pretty interesting. That's all.

Cons: When I saw the first seen, I thought this would be an action packed thriller. Then it turned into Ouran High School Host Club with soldiers and demons. This is one of the most generic peices of crap I have ever seen. Near the end, I was thinking, "If something interesting doesn't happen in the next ten seconds, I'm shutting thia off." Needless to say, I didn't finish the episode.

Starting Rating: 3 (very bad)

Following?: See answer for Ore Imo

Shinrei Tantei Yakumo

Why I was Interested: I saw the trailer, and I thought it would be a very good thriller.

Expectations: High

Episodes Seen: 1

Pros: I'm very interested in the characters, and I want to see where this story goes. Also...honestly...I find the leading female attractive...teehee

Cons: I think this series, or at least this episode, is a bit rushed. They're trying so hard to create this horror mystery that they leave out some very important elements. They need more detail.

Starting Rating: 6 (decent)

Following?: For now

SoreMachi

Why I was Interested: I watched the trailer, and the animation looked incredible. Also, it's a SHAFT comedy.

Expectations: Fairly high

Episodes Seen: 1

Pros: Fun characters, nice setting, and wonderful animation. Although not nearly as good as Arakawa Under the Bridge or Sayonara, Zetsubou Sensei, this is definitely a work of comedic genius.

Cons: This series has potential to get boring if they don't step it up with each episode.

Starting Rating: 8 (great)

Following?: Yes

The World God Only Knows

Why I was interested: I had heard nothing but praise for the series.

Expectations: High

Episodes Seen: 1

Pros: A lighthearted comedy with a unique storyline. This series is pure fun, and the two mains are extremely likeable.

Cons: This series is leaning toward the generic shojou zone. They need to keep away from there if they want viewers to be satisfied.

Starting Rating: 8 (great)

Following?: Maybe

REVIEW: True Tears (13 episodes)

"The you within me is always crying. I have always wanted to wipe away your tears, but I cannot imagine the tenderness of wiping the tears from your face.” – Shinichiro Nakagami

I’ve actually just watched True Tears for the third time, (I have the DVDs) and my opinion on the series has varied with each viewing. The first time I saw it, I thought it was breathtaking and heartwarming. The second time, cheesy and forced. After watching it a third time, I realize that although this series is definitely not for everyone, it displays a very interesting mixture of dream and reality that you don’t find in a lot of anime.

Unfortunately, in the actual series, you only get to see Hiromi in a kimono

The story centers around high school student Shinichiro Nakagami, an aspiring artist who lives with his mother, his father, and the love of his life, Hiromi Yuasa, (left) who hasn’t shown much happiness since she came to live with Shinichiro and his family. Loving Hiromi, chasing his dream, and being pressured by his family is tearing Shinichiro apart inside. Everything changes when he meets Isurugi Noe, (center) a very odd girl who claims that she has “given her tears away.” She tells Shinichiro that she must collect someone else’s tears in order to be able to cry again, and he is, unfortunately, the prime candidate.

I feel like the entire storyline is a ton of metaphors thrown together. This is not necessarily a bad thing, nor is it a good thing. If anything, this series adds originality to every cliché you would expect from a romantic harem drama. There are certain things that go unexplained, and certain things that seem to be tossed into the story in hopes of intensifying the mood. But overall, the way it was presented worked very nicely.

The art, especially the scenery, was probably the best part of this entire series. It was wonderfully animated, and most of the facial expressions of the characters were quite realistic for an animated series. I can vividly remember almost all of the background art in this anime. The scenery was so detailed and well-drawn that it’s kind of hard to forget. The only problem I had as far as the art and animation was the excessive use of certain elements. There was a lot of fan service, (mostly from Hiromi) as well as an overuse of colored pencil freeze-frames and extreme close ups on people’s lips. Sometimes it worked, but most of the time it was just kind of distracting.

My favorite peice of background art in the series. This bamboo forest is so hauntingly beautiful

The characters in the series were very unrealistic, but in a way that makes you love every one of them. These are the kinds of people you only wish existed in real life, in that their emotions are more powerful than most people’s, and these emotions are outwardly expressed through their actions. Sometimes, however, the characters personalities did seem a bit forced. It often seemed like the writers were trying too hard to make us feel sympathy for the characters.

(left to right) Shinichiro, Noe, Hiromi, Aiko, and Miyokichi

The most well-done character by far was Isurugi Noe. Noe has a very childlike, free-spirited personality that’s pretty much irresistible. Not only is she a very likeable character, but she is probably one of the only characters, other than the protagonist, that we actually get to watch grow from the beginning of the series to the end.

Not gonna lie...I find her attractive

I think you have to be a certain type of person to really enjoy this series. The main flaw in this series overall is that it was very, very cheesy. Therefore, in order to enjoy this series, you must be able to overcome the cheese. You have to be the kind of person who can relate to the characters, understand the metaphors, and apply the messages the anime portrays to your own life. If you’re not the kind of person who connects to the shows you watch, this series is not for you.

True Tears is definitely something special. It's a lovely drama about about the struggles that a lot of teenagers have to face. This series can either be viewed as a powerful love story, or a melodramatic high school series. If you look past the all its flaws, True Tears can be viewed as one of the most unique dramatic harems to date.

Story: 6 (decent)
Art: 8 (great)
Characters: 8 (great)
Enjoyment: 7 (good)

Opening - Reflectia by Eufonius: 7 (good)

Ending - Sekai no Namida by Aira Yuki: 6 (decent)

Overall Rating: 7 (good)

Moe Moe Moe!: Your Finalists

First off, I would like to apoligize that these results were about 2 or 3 weeks late. My school's computer had blocked blogger and I just haven't found the time to blog until now.

But FINALLY, the results are in! These are your three finalists! The girl with the most votes byyt the end of the week will be our winner, and will be the subject of the first "Lovely Ladies of Anime" bit. Please vote for the one girl you want to win. Thank you all for participating!

Alice Carrol

Kotomi Ichinose

Misaki Nakahara

MOE MOE MOE!!! - Semi Finals

I've decided to do something just a little bit different this time. Based on your previous votes, I have chosen the 5 girls with the most potential to win. These are your semi-finalists! The two (or more if tied) girls with the highest number of votes by Monday will be your finalists. Please vote for two now!

Alice Carrol (Aria the Animation)

Chiaki Minami (Minami-Ke)

Kotomi Ichinose (Clannad)

Misaki Nakahara (Welcome to the NHK!)

Moka Akashiya (Rosario + Vampire)