Anime Reviews

Alternative Name: テニスの王子様
Years of Released: October 10, 2001
Episodes: １７８ + 26 Ova + Extras
Genre: Sports, Shounen, Comedy
Favorite Characters : Fuji Syusuke, Echizen Ryoma, Kikumaru Eiji, Akaya, Atobe, Kaido Kaoru, Tezuka, Inui, Momo
My Rating: PG
Grade: A++

Summary:
The series is primarily set in Tokyo, and centers around Ryoma Echizen, a tennis prodigy who attends Seishun Academy or Seigaku (青学?) for short, a private school famous for its strong tennis club and talented players. Ryoma quickly defeats numerous upperclassmen shortly after entrance to secure himself a spot as one of the team's regulars. In pursuit of their ultimate goal of winning the National Middle School Tennis Championship, members of the team make new friends while learning and mastering increasingly complex techniques. Ryoma also begins to develop his own style of tennis, and eventually realizes what the sport really means to him.

My review:
 Anime is about friendship, how to never give up, to chase your dream or sometimes finding another, to always aim high because there are no bounders. "Fly high and Sky high" as one of the opening songs is saying. It is very inspiring. Loved it. It is very funny and even if you are not really into sports anime genre I'd recommend to give it a try. Prince of Tennis or PoT as fans call it is one of those anime I want to watch over and over again.

Recommend:
Highly recommended

Alternative Name: Darker Than Black: DARKER THAN BLACK-流星の双子-
Years of Released: October 8, 2009 – December 24, 2009
Episodes: 12
Genre: Neo-noir, Supernatural
Favorite Characters : Hei
My Rating: PG-13
Grade: A

Summary:
Sequel to Darker Than Black

My review:
First imprecision was great. Very nice quality, great animation, good plot. I would've gladly give it A++ IF not the ending. It seems like producers love ruin endings in Darker then Black series. It's so frustrating, darn it!

Recommend:
Highly recommended

Alternative Name: Fuyu no Semi 冬の蝉
Years of Released: 2007-02-23 – 2007-04-27
Episodes: 3 OVA
Genre: Romance, Yaoi, Samurai
Favorite Characters : Kusaka, Akizuki
My Rating: PG-16
Grade: A+

Summary:
This three part yaoi story spans the war torn era when the Japanese turned from a Shogunate to Imperial rule and entered trade with the rest of the world (1862-1869). While the story unfolds historical dates and important figures are given while the characters give even more bits and pieces of this period during dialog.

My review:
Amazing story. Beautiful and so sad. The combination of well made animation with thought of plot which is rare to come across. Very worth watching.

Recommend:
Definitely for shounen-ai or yaoi fans

Alternative Name: 闇の末裔, Yami no Matsuei
Years of Released: October 2, 2000 – December 18, 2000
Episodes: 13
Genre: Bangsian fantasy, Occult detective fiction
Favorite Characters : Mizuki
My Rating: PG-13
Grade: B-

Summary:
Asato Tsuzuki is a shinigami with 70 years' worth of experience. He has the power to call upon twelve shikigami, mythical creatures that aid him in battle. The shikigami reflect actual historic religious beliefs—such as Suzaku and Byakko. The manga portrays Tsuzuki's relationship with the shikigami in much more detail. Tsuzuki is the senior partner of the Second Division, which watches over the region of Kyūshū...

My review:
Well I didn't expect much of it and I was right doing so. There are hints of shounen ai but not nearly enough. It was somewhat entertaining so it was not a complete waste of time.

Recommend:
Shounen ai fans

Alternative Name: サムライチャンプルー
Years of Released: May 20, 2004 – March 19, 2005
Episodes: 26
Genre: Action, Adventure, Comedy, Martial Arts
Favorite Characters : Jin, Mugen
My Rating: PG-13
Grade: A

Summary:
A young lady named Fuu is working as a waitress in a tea house when she is harassed by a band of ruffians. Another customer, Mugen, offers to take care of them in exchange for food, but ends up instigating a brawl. Jin, a stoic young ronin in samurai garb, enters the tea house in the midst of the fight. Mugen attacks Jin after he proves to be a worthy opponent and they begin fighting one another, ignoring a fire that started during the brawl. They both faint from smoke inhalation. When they awaken, they find they have been arrested for the murder of Shibui Tomonoshina, the magistrate's son who had burned to death in the fire, and are to be executed. With help from Fuu, they escape and Fuu asks them to travel with her to find "the samurai who smells of sunflowers," a mysterious man Fuu can give little description of, but whom she insists she must find. They agree to join her, with Fuu making only one condition: they are not to duel one another until the journey is done.

My review:
Very well done. I like characters and plot. Very interesting. Animation was quite impressing. I liked how animators used very odd angles for some shots. It added to animation. Loved Mugen's fighting style. The ending though was a bit disappointing. I expected something more but beggars aren't choosers, right?

Recommend:
highly recommended. good humor and fighting

Alternative Name: セブンゴースト
Years of Released: April 6, 2009 – September 21, 2009
Episodes: 25
Genre: Action, Adventure, Comedy, Drama, Josei, Supernatural
Favorite Characters : Frau, Mikage, Castor, Hakuren, Teito,
My Rating: PG-13
Grade: A

Summary:
Teito Klein is a former slave sent to attend the Barsburg Empire's military academy due to his ability to use Zaiphon, a type of supernatural power. The ability is rare, and thus highly prized. Teito is an amnesiac and doesn't remember anything of his origins—what he does learn of his past comes from his recurring and often traumatizing dreams...

My review:
Very beautiful colorful drawing style. Lots of cute boys and this anime is just a dream for a yaoi fans. There is no yaoi in it but it was made to be SO slash-able!! So many hints of shounen-ai!!! So yeah,  I enjoyed it a lot! I guess they didn't make it shounen-ai so that boys could enjoy this too and I know many guys who've seen 07 Ghost.

Recommend:
For slashers and shounen-ai and yaoi fans

Alternative Name: The Golden Chord, Kin'iro no Corda
Years of Released: October 1, 2006 – March 25, 2007
Episodes: 25 + 1 special
Genre: Romance, Music
Favorite Characters : Len Tsukimori, Kazuki Hihara, Azuma Yunoki
My Rating: PG
Grade: A+

Summary:
Kahoko Hino is a student at Seiso Academy, one with an ordinary life. One day, Lili - the mischievous musical fairy who had blessed the original founder of the school - finds Kahoko running late to class.

Delighted that she is able to see him, Lilli grants Kahoko a magical violin, and a place in the school's annual musical competition, which many students in the music department vie to partake in.

Kahoko refuses, only to be pressed on by the fairy, who constantly nags her until she finally gives way to his pleads. She reluctantly accepts the instrument. As she practices her pieces, Kahoko is amazed that she can play any piece on the violin as long as she knows the tune and plays it with her heart. 'La Corda d'oro' literally translates to 'the rope of gold', but it is taken into consideration as 'the golden string'. Primo Passo means 'first step', while Secondo Passo means 'second step'.


My review:
I'm not rally into music anime genre but this one I watched with great pleasure. If was filled with great classical music I love so much. Many beautiful boys and romance. What else a girl can wish for =^_^= Very shoujo. Love it.

Recommend:
If you like classical music and romance then it's definitely for you!

Alternative Name: Alchemist of Steel
Years of Released: October 4, 2003 – October 2, 2004
Episodes: 51
Genre: Action, Adventure, Comedy, Drama, Fantasy, Shounen
Favorite Characters : Mustang
My Rating: PG-13
Grade: B

Summary:
Edward and Alphonse Elric are two alchemist brothers searching for the legendary Philosopher's Stone, a powerful object which would allow them to recover their bodies (which were lost in an attempt to bring their mother back to life through alchemy)....


My review:
Well, it was pretty good. I liked all that alchemist theme and Philosopher's Stone and all but somehow I got a bit bored. I made myself to watch it till the end and I really liked the ending (and the fact that it finally ended). I even wanted to watch the next season but decided to wait for awhile. The plot is really good. I know the reasons why I wasn't attached to it. But I know a lot of people like it and I can see why but I guess it's just not my thing )))

Recommend:
You should definitely try it.

Alternative Name: -
Years of Released: July 11, 2001
Runtime: 106 minutes
Genre: Fantasy, Action
Favorite Characters : none
My Rating: PG-13
Grade: B-

Summary:
The story takes place on the same world as Final Fantasy V, named Planet R, set two hundred years in the future, where three of the four crystals have been stolen. The original heroes in Final Fantasy V are now legends of the past, and a new evil, Deathgyunos, has risen on the Black Moon and must be dealt with. Mid, a recurring character from Final Fantasy V, contacts a new hero and heroine: Prettz (Pritz) and Linaly (a descendant of Bartz). They eventually meet the sky pirate Rouge and Commander Valcus, commander of The Iron Wing.


My review:
Ok. The graphics were just amazing! I can't complain about that! BUT it was too Hollywoodish that's for sure! I had a felling that I'm watching some Hollywood movie rather than an anime ((( Oh well ))


Recommend:
For Final Fantasy fans I guess

Alternative Name: ファイナルファンタジ
Years of Released: March 21, 1994 - July 21, 1994
Episodes: 4 (30 min each)
Genre: Fantasy, Adventure, Comedy
Favorite Characters : none
My Rating: PG-13
Grade: C+

Summary:
The story takes place on the same world as Final Fantasy V, named Planet R, set two hundred years in the future, where three of the four crystals have been stolen. The original heroes in Final Fantasy V are now legends of the past, and a new evil, Deathgyunos, has risen on the Black Moon and must be dealt with. Mid, a recurring character from Final Fantasy V, contacts a new hero and heroine: Prettz (Pritz) and Linaly (a descendant of Bartz). They eventually meet the sky pirate Rouge and Commander Valcus, commander of The Iron Wing.


My review:
Here is the story. I watched it awhile ago but totally forgot about it. I wanted to watch Final Fantasy and decided to start from the beginning. It was kinda fun but not too much. It gave me the feeling that I'm playing some old game. Not much more I can say about this anime.

Recommend:
....don't know