|
Anime Reviews |
|
Are you finished with the Tenchi Muyo series but don't know what to choose from? Come here for a moment to see what I've been watching over school break. *Generally anything under the Dark Anime category is usually rated for ages 15+ and may contain many scenes of violence.* *Dubbed Anime is usually much worse than
its native Japanese language counterpart, it is very rare when English voice
acting matches the Japanese voice acting. I have yet to see an example of
anime where the English voice acting is better, so its best to watch Anime
with Japanese language and English subtitles.*
*want to find out more on a series?
Anipike has all the anime links you need!*
Anything in " " was taken from the first episode synopsis.
"The Meiji Revolution marked the end of the rule of Shogun and the Samurai in Japan. In Tokyo, where swords with blades have been banned, Kaoru bumps into the wandering Kenshin while looking for the man that is tarnishing the name of her fencing school.."
This is one of the longest Anime series I've ever seen with somewhere around
90+ episodes, two OAVs, and a movie. Just to warn you, the OAVs use different
character designs and have a much darker mood and atmosphere in them.
Plot: A+ Animation: A
Music: A- Overall:
A
The characters are quite lovable in the series, and if you come to love it
there are several well written Slayer's fanfics floating around the net.
Plot: A+ Animation: A- Music: A Overall: A
 NieA Under 7 - This relatively new anime is made by the creators of Lain. Unlike
it's dark predecessor it is a comedy with strange characters and sometimes
clichéd jokes.
It's all good in the long run."As a starving student, Mayuko’s life consists of many part-time jobs, a small apartment over a bathhouse, and sleepless study nights. Unfortunately for her sanity, this hard life is complicated by Niea. Niea is a young 7th class under-alien who is living in Mayuko’s closet, building flying saucers out of trash, eating Mayuko’s food and being a bum. Compared to this stress, the man eating plant and the curry wars are nothing……." I have yet to see the final DVD, but the story seems to be coming along well. The only downside to this anime is that it tends to be a bit slow. Plot: B Animation: A Music: B Overall: B+
Fruits Basket - This anime is one of my most favorite series. It is character based rather than plot based, so from episode to episode the content can be quite random. The message that the anime sends in each episode is quite heartwarming, and is one the of the few anime series that has the potential to both make you laugh and cry. It is focused around a sincere and sweet girl named Honda Tohru. In the first episode the viewer finds her living in a tent, due to unfortunate circumstances. When she is later accepted into a Shoma household she finds that the Sohma family is cursed. Some of their members turn into animals of the Chinese zodiac when they are hugged by the opposite sex. ^_^ Plot: A+ Animation: A+ Music: A+ Overall: A+
MISC. The oddballs who just don't fit anyplace else...
If I told anymore about the series it would give away some of its plotline. Also if you don't like eco issues you may not like this series, but hey the battle scenes are quite nicely done. Plot: A Animation: A+ Music: A+ Overall: A
 Neo Ranga- Hmm... this series is a bit odd as well. Well to put things simply this anime is about the story of three sisters who live by themselves, and through very odd circumstances have a pet god. (Think of a stone mecha.) There is another difference to this anime, instead of the standard length of approx. 30 min, each episode is instead about 15 minutes long. Even though the episodes are short, you don't feel like you're missing much. Also the DVD's are sold with eight episodes each so still get the standard length DVD. Also, the anime is narrated at times, which give the feeling that it is an old story being told, rather than live action. The characters are intriguing, and the plot looks promising after the first season. I'll review again once I see the rest of the series. But if you like or hate this series you gotta love their themesong. Plot: A Animation: B+ Music: A Overall: A-
Anyway, although the first DVD showed that the series had potential it just didn't take off. It just asks questions throughout the episodes and has its characters look for a certain "key of the twilight" throughout the game. Its not very interesting, sort of odd, and the last episode doesn't seem to wrap things up. Anyway I think you're better off if you borrowed the series for a one time view, or just skip it altogether. Or you can try the PS2 video game and see if you like that instead. Plot: D
Animation: A
Music: B
Overall: C
DARK ANIME (15+) It's the END of the world. Now, did you really exist? Well did ya?  Serial Experiments Lain - A very good series, but also very confusing at the same time.
Remember those books with all those extended metaphors and symbolism crammed into it? Yeah the ones
your teachers make you read and analyze. This series has plenty of them but its
much cooler.
"There is the world around us, a world of people, tactile sensation, and culture. There is the wired world, inside the computer, of images, personalities, virtual experiences, and a culture all of its own.
The day after a classmate commits suicide, lain, a thirteen year-old girl, discovers how closely the two worlds are linked when she receives an e-mail from the dead girl:
"I just abandoned my body. I still live here..."
Has the line between the real world and the wired world begun to blur? "
Just to give you good warning this series VERY DARK, and it uses a lot of silence which turns out to be very effective. It may be disturbing to some people, (I think I freaked out my sister with this one), but overall it's very good. There are only 13 episodes and it may be confusing. Repeated viewing may be needed. Oh yeah and look out for the Apple references in the anime there are tons of them. Plot: A+ Animation: A Music: A Overall: A  Neon Genesis Evangelion - It's not your typical Giant Robot Anime! Whoo, like Lain this is
a very dark and deceptive series, but fortunately because of its longer length it's less confusing. It's very
deep, and can convey humanity at its best, and worse.
"Only a handful of teenagers, all born fourteen years ago, nine months after the Angels first appeared, are able to interface with the Evangelion. One such teenager is Shinji Ikari, whose father heads the NERV team that developed and maintains the Evangelion. Thrust into a maelstrom of battle and events that he does not understand, Shinji is forced to plumb the depths of his own inner resources for the courage and strength to not only fight, but to survive, or risk losing everything.
It is the year 2015 and the Angels have returned to plague the Earth again. Fourteen year old Shinji Ikari finds himself drafted as the pilot of Evangelion Unit 01, the last hope of a beleaguered planet. Under pressure from NERV, the United Nations Agency charged with defeating the Angels, to perfect his combat skills and pressure to fit in from his classmates at school, Shinji must find the fine line between duty and personal desire " Okay this anime has the potential to either disturb you or make you very depressed after you watch it. Also there are two movies which wrap up the series don't be deceived by the last episode of Evangelion. There are a few religious references in the anime as well, so if you're easily offended by that sort of thing you may want to skip this anime. Plot: A+ Animation: A+ Music: A+ Overall: A+  Vampire Princess Miyu - "Evil Shinma -- shape-shifting monsters and vampires -- roam the Earth on a mission to unleash their darkness upon the Human race.
Miyu Royal Princess from the dark is the Chosen One -- The one being who must banish the Evil Shinma from the Earth. She has the power to offer Humans the gift of eternal happiness, yet is herself, trapped between two worlds; destined for perpetual solitude and internal conflict. "
The 4 episode OVA series is much better than the TV series. This series is very dark, sort of twisted, and very rarely does an episode end with a happy ending. It's interesting to watch if you're into the whole supernatural arena. Plot: B Animation: A Music: A Overall B
Berserk - Well if this were a movie this anime series would definitely be R rated. It has a lot of violence, some nudity, and suggested adult situations. Okay? They toned it down from the manga so that might be a bad sign in of itself. If you're not into like war movies and junk this series is not for you. Other than that the story plot is actually very good, and the characters have all their flaws and nuances that make them so loveable. The only downside to this series is that the ending of the series is rather disturbing so if you go out and watch this series and aren't happy by it don't say I didn't warn you. Plot: A- Animation: A- Music: A Overall: A-
Hellsing- Well I need to say that this series is a bit disturbing and odd as well. If you like vampire stories, or gothic stories of that sort you just might like Hellsing as well. Like Berserk it definitely would be R rated if it were a movie, okay?
Plot: B+ Animation: A Music: B Overall B+  Noir- Noir is the story of two assassins, who er... have issues with a certain secret organization that seems to keep trying to kill them. I suppose if anything else this anime would most likely go under the drama section. The animation is pretty good, but the odd thing is, for all the people that they kill, whenever they shoot them or whatever no blood seems to come out. The music is quite nice, and their theme song is what attracted me to the series in the first place. One of the downsides to this anime is that it basically just focuses on three characters, throughout its 26 episodes. My that a whole lot of air time for three people. If you must have an anime with more characters, sorry this one isn't for you. This series is good for a one time view, but it will just get very dull if you try watching the series over again. Plot: B+ Animation: A Music: A Overall: A-
RahXephon- If you ever watch Evangelion before RahXephon, there seem to be a lot of similarities in the type of characters, and execution of mecha sequences. If you can get past that though you'll be fine. I have only watched three DVD's into the series so the whole series can get a whole lot weirder, or make a 180 and turn itself around. I'll come out and review again when the rest of the series comes out. The animation is very nice, and the music has a cool discordant feeling to it. My advice would be to try out the first DVD before you go any further in the series. Plot: B+ Animation: A+ Music: A Overall: A-
To be reviewed at next update: Vandread, Sakura Wars, Inu Yasha...
|
Rurouni Kenshin - If you haven't been introduced to this series you
don't know what you're missing. This series has maintained a balance of action,
fighting, morals, along with a humorous atmosphere . 
Slayers -
This series is
sure to make anyone laugh! It's the epic tale of a greedy hungry sorceress,
an equally hungry and slow witted swordsman, an overenthusiastic justice wielding princess,
along with a stoic chimera. There are three seasons of Slayers along with a movie,
and OAV series.
Arjuna- Arjuna
has some of the best visuals and music in just about all the anime I have
seen. The storyline is a bit different than most. Arjuna tries to promote
awareness of the Earth. Think of this series like "Captain Planet", but with
a whole anime apocalyptic event shoved in as well. 
.Hack//SIGN
- My... Some of my friends really like this series but.... my god its
just sooooo boring. Its about a boy (who may be a girl) that's stuck in a VR
like game that plays over the net. From what I know I think the series is
based off a series of games, and that in itself is the first warning sign.
Just about all anime that are based off of video games have a questionable
plot line. 
