Kyoukai no Kanata Review

Short Review:
So I have this problem- every time I watch a new anime it becomes my new favourite. Gosh though, this was a beautiful anime. I am, however, annoyed at the way in playing with my emotions so much I thought I might have a mental breakdown. It almost reminded me a little of Tokyo ghoul, the main element being that the supposed protagonist is seemingly just half human. It was beautiful, each character conveying a deep past that some how linked with those of the others. I’m regretful that there may not be a season two, though there are so many unanswered questions that were left that there could be a prequel, I’m excited for the films though! Anyway, the art was beautiful, the plot was amazing, and just so many twists and turns it was stunning. Loved it! Recommended!

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It begins with Akihito attempting to save Mirai from committing suicide. They’re classmates by the way. He, a half-youmu (magical demon type creature crossed with human) and she, a Spirit World Warrior, the last of her kind in fact. Upon his attempt, Mirai tries to stab Akihito, who just so happens to be immortal but still feels immense pain. Anyone who has supernatural ‘powers’ is able to see the youmu, said to be the ‘physical materialisation of human animosity such as negative emotions…’ Many are able to co-exist with humans but when upset, a Spirit World Warrior is sent to kill them- earning ore like substance that can be sold for profit. This is how the story progresses. Akihito trying to avoid stabbings and teaching Mirai to fight and then Mirai becoming scared and them both trying to slay ‘evil’ youmu. A great one, with a really good ending. If you’ll excuse me, I must now purchase some glasses. 😉

Facts:
Aired: 2 October 2013– 18 December 2013
Runtime: 24 mins approx. each per episode
Length: 12 episodes
Age Rating: PG-13

~Shadow x

No Game No Life Review

Short Review:
What a fascinating anime! Not only did it make me want to get back into games such as chess, it made me question life itself. Oh boy, I sound pathetic. Nonetheless, I envy the creators of this magnificent animé. To have a brain like that! The art was different but beautiful all the same, the plot was executed amazingly and the characters had so much depth compared to others! Definitely recommended. Now, to sleep. I stayed up till 5am for this anime. Fantastic! I’ll be expecting more, or so I hope…

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Sora and Shiro are super close step-siblings. They also happen to be otakus. AKA introverts, who never leave the house nor their video games. They appear to be the best gamers in the world, so much so that people think they’re either hackers, computer programs and actually believe they’re a team of four people named ‘Blank’. One day they are challenged by Tet, to a game of chess, not knowing that he is the god of fun and games. Upon winning, they are teleported into a world where gamers rule and games decide fates. Shiro appears to be a wise, mature older brother but Sora knows better. Discovering the different races has intrigued Shiro, especially the land of animal girls who happen to be the most powerful, terrifying race. They split the crown and rule the land which they were teleported. However, the people of the land aren’t really used to how they rule. It’s genius, hilarious, feely and well thought out, you can’t not watch.

Facts:
Aired: 9 April 2014– 25 June 2014
Runtime: 24 mins approx. per episode
Length: 12 episodes
Age Rating: PG-13

~Shadow x

Knights of Sidonia Review

Short Review:
What an amazing anime. I saw so many reviews saying they hated the character designs but I personally loved them. They were unique and would make for a great game. The animation and scenery was quite literally, out of this world. I bow to the artists behind this masterpiece. The plot was executed fantastically and just everything came together so wonderfully…I definitely recommend it, even if you’re not into sci-fi!

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If you’ve seen Gargantia on the verdurous planet then you’ll probably recognise the plot, nonetheless it’s still good and basically the opposite end! This time it’s based in space, the year is 3394 and mankind is fighting Gauna, giant shape-shifting aliens. Instead of a sea ship, it’s based on a space…ship. The ship is called Sidonia and is homed to a large amount of humans. Japanese culture seems to be the norm, as is human cloning, asexual reproduction, genetic engineering with humans and other and human photosynthesis. Sidonia holds over 500,000 passengers and has no knowledge of life beyond the space they exist in. Nagate, was raised underground by his grandfather so is a regular human being with no knowledge of what is beyond the surface, however, upon emerging it turns out that the technology he has underground is more advanced than above in terms of simulators. After his grandfather’s death he is found trying to steal rice and taken in, only to become a Guardian pilot. It’s a really great anime and you’ll be pleased to hear…it’s continued!

Facts:
Season one aired: 11 April 2014– 27 June 2014
Runtime: 24 mins approx. per episode
Length: 12 episodes
Age Rating: 15

The second season isn’t yet finished but when it is, I’ll watch and review it so it may come sooner than expected, I’ll try and schedule it in after this one (yes, most posts are scheduled)

~Shadow x

Chuunibyou demo Koi ga Shitai Review

Short Review:
The comedy was real, the shipping was real and the FEELS. WERE. REAL! I’m normally that person obsessing over horror and gore and suspense and action but damn that was good. It was hilarious in all the right places and had the right amount of adult humour to make it extra enjoyable. I forgot how much I enjoyed slice of life sometimes. The animation was phenomenal, the plot was executed perfectly and wow just…watch it! It’ll make you laugh, cry and punch walls when there’s about to be romance. If it’s 1am in the morning? You’ll be unable to sleep you’ll be laughing at jokes your friends won’t get in the morning. It’s not normally my thing but that was awesome. Recommended!

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Scarred by 8th grade syndrome, Yuta is determined to make a good impression in his new school. However, Rikka knows about the ‘Dark Flame Master’ s past and wants to become his apprentice. Club season is the best time to bribe anyone (as demonstrated throughout many anime) and Yuta makes a deal to host the long-named club so long as Rikka is quiet about his ex-identity. After accepting Rikka, as delusional as she may be, Yuta discovers that Rikka’s father died a couple of years before. She appears to think her father can be found in the ethereal horizon. Faced with reality and fantasy, both Rikka and Yuta overcome the barrier between childhood and adulthood in the most funny, romantic, devastating ways possible.

Facts:
Aired: 4 October 2012 – 19 December 2012
Runtime: 24 mins approx. per episode
Length: 12 episodes
Age Rating: PG-13

~Shadow x

Free! Eternal Summer Review

Short Review:
I’m not normally into his stuff but holy fish sticks this was amazing! Free is just so unique and well assembled there isn’t much else to say. It’s also quite motivating if I do say so myself. The only criticism I have if for the absolutely terrible Australian accents. Apart from that, a beautiful anime for mainly girls but anyone in general. It’s got the best soundtracks and themes for sure! Though a comedy’s it is actually incredibly serious and I guess that makes it more hysterical. A work of art! Bravo! Recommend for sure!

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The second season is basically the extension of the first so I’m not sure what to say apart from…wow! I didn’t think it was possible to make a second season that was just as good and if not- better!
I guess you could say this season’s a little more confusing, I don’t want to spoil the first season for anyone and I don’t want to ruin this one either. They’re friends with Rin and are training to get into the Nationals. Coming up the end of education, employment appears to be a big question which is rather upsetting for some…That’s basically the plot! Sorry everyone… That’s kinda all I can say. But it’s worth it I swear!

Facts:
Season two aired: 3 July 2014- 25 September 2014
Runtime: 24 mins approx. per episode
Length: 13 episodes
Age Rating: PG-13

~Shadow x

Tokyo Ghoul Review

Short Review:
What a magnificent anime. The start was slightly predictable but apart from that the plot was excellent and embraced the genres it worked with. It definitely got into your head, the fact you had to be both to accept both (ghouls and humans). The art works and animation were both extraordinary, not to mention the character backgrounds. It was wonderful, though I did feel as if there should have been more to the end, the cliffhanger sort of came out of nowhere but was good nonetheless. I enjoyed it, and recommend it, though I do fear the second season won’t meet expectations. We’ll see (:

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Kaneki Ken is an introverted university freshmen. He consoles to his best friend, Hide, that he has a crush on the beautiful Rize, who turns out to the ‘gourmet’ ghoul of the area. After finally having the chance to talk, Rize chases Kaneki into a building site so she can eat him, basically. A beam falls down on them, but Kaneki loses his eye. Gaining her eye as transplant, Kaneki becomes a hybrid between ghoul and human. The first series is basically Kaneki trying to hide his ghoul half, stay away from enemies and try and get on with life. This…doesn’t happen. Yes, you have to watch both seasons and yes you just have to fangirl and wait for the hopeful third season too. WORTH IT.

Facts:
Season one aired: 4 July 2014 – 19 September 2014
Runtime: 24 mins approx. per episode
Length: 12 episodes
Age Rating: 15

Season 2 (Root A) has also ended, I’ll post the review as per chronological to what I’ve watched

~Shadow x

Attack on Titan Review

Short Review:
What can I say, I’ve been putting this one off virtually since it was released. I’d always just about manage to get to the end of the first episode and them fail to continue because of how annoyed I was at the stereotypical characters there were. The strong, the naïve and the smart. Nevertheless, I managed it and I found myself actually wanting more. Though the art style isn’t usually what I go for, it was well suited to the plot and setting. I’m surprised they carried out such a military formed anime, usually ones that start with a battle turn into one big boring battle with the same thing over and over. You’ll understand later, for all you new comers, “it’s all very very predictable”. You can see every move coming and one event in particular just delays the plot and is probably the least surprising twist of the century. Anyway! Over all, the animation was well executed, the plot was dragged out but fast paced, it just lacks emotional attachments. I found myself straying from characters instead of obsessing over them or crying over any of them which normally shows a good anime. I would recommend it, but it’s slightly overrated in my opinion, or maybe it was all the fans who put the ENTIRE PLOT all over tumblr.

Avoid reading or watching anything out on social media, it totally ruins your whole view ;P

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So if you don’t already hate me, let me give you my current opinion. Again, the art style was well suited and the plot was okay but to me it was an over glorified battle. Yes, there was good flashbacks and some emotional investment but mainly to that stupid key. I will be watching the coming season(s) but only because of the terrible ending to the last one. I did enjoy the anime, but it is a little overrated for an anime that has the plot in the name. Two mentally scarred kids (of course we all know Eren) start training to help attack against the titans. Eren wants revenge for his mother’s death and goes out to join the Survey Corps. They slay a bunch of titans with a disappointing lack of graphic images despite it’s based on killing meter high monsters. It’s a pretty damn good anime, but can people PLEASE STOP PUTTING SPOILERS ONLINE. I get you’re all excited but it ruined the whole thing for me. Not to mention that the titans look like the people they are.

Look, a wild spoiler has appeared: EVERYONE DIES. Joke but all your beloved characters will 😀 Hint: if a character says I love you? It’s a general anime rule they’re going to die next. Have fun 😀

Facts:
Season one aired: 6 April 2013 – 28 September 2013
Runtime: 24 mins approx. per episodes
Length: 25 episodes
Age Rating: 15 (maybe 12?)

~Shadow x

Deadman Wonderland Review

Short Review:
Let me just start by saying I’m thoroughly disappointed in the ending being a cliffhanger when there’s no second season! Yet. I hope there will be.
Anyway, the animation was beautifully executed (no pun intended) and the art just magnificent. I enjoyed the plot and loved most of the characters though I thought I was going to have to punch someone half the time at most of the annoying, obnoxious, two faced enemies who just really messed with your head. The series seemed to go quickly but half of it was the finale, or so it felt like. I was also half disappointed with the fact there were only some comedy chibi style features in one episode, then there was no more. However, it didn’t seem like the sort of series to have any at all.The last episodes were absolutely heartbreaking. WARNING! Many many feels ahead! I’d definitely recommend this one unless you have a lot of pent up rage. Yeah…enjoy! Ps. If you love a bit of gore but not too much this ones for you!

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When much of Japan is struck by a disastrous ‘natural anomaly’ and most of the mainland sinks. Ganta, an escapee is the main character of the story- 10 years on from the occurrence. As a high school student, he has no memory of the happenings and so he lives a normal life afterwards…until ‘Red Man’ appears at his school and slaughters his class. As a main suspect and no other leads, Ganta is sentenced to death via Deadman Wonderland- a theme park type prison.
Upon admittance, Ganta is forced to wear a high tech collar that slowly injects him with a lethal poison. To stop this, every three days Ganta must eat a piece of disgusting candy that can be earnt through participating in various activities. With the help of Shiro, a well known female ‘inmate’ who claims to know him, Ganta can live out his sentence to the prison. It’s an amazing anime but if you hate bad endings without continuation then you may want to consider reading the manga which wasn’t stopped.

Facts:
Aired: 17 April 2011 – 3 July 2011
Runtime: 24 mins. approx per episode
Length: 13 episodes
Age Rating: 15 (Again, high ratings have been changed to 15 as per my opinion)

~Shadow x

Suisei no Gargantia Review

Short Review:
Absolutely loved this anime, and as stupid as it sounds you’ll learn a lot of life lessons from it. The character design, landscapes and animation alike are all beautiful and smooth though some pre recorded lag. The story line was great too, just a little less than unique. However, very disappointing ending that could have come a few episodes before, though I am glad to have a little back story. All in all, a well thought out, gorgeous anime with amazing characters and just the right amount of jokes in my opinion. Episodes 1-13? Recommended!

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I don’t know what I was thinking when I wrote that but I must have been annoyed at the ending because it’s a really good anime with a tonne of feels. Let’s begin!
In the far future, Mankind is forced to leave earth and forms the Galactic Alliance of Humankind. Children are trained from a young age to fight, with the alliance, against the Hideauze. Upon losing a critical battle, Ledo- the protagonist of the story, is basically whacked into a giant wormhole and whisked away. Upon waking, he finds that his AI-automated, humanoid-shaped battle suit (Chamber) has been in cryo-stasis for 6 months whilst helping Ledo recover from several broken bones. It turns out Chamber was found by a team of scavenger humans, upon further inspection they appear to be on a giant fleet of ships. Chamber scans the surrounding stars and planets and eventually finds that the ocean-covered planet is the birthplace of mankind. Earth. The plot is actually quite complex and the pair make a few good friends and help the whole fleet out too. It’s totally worth a try!

Facts:
Aired: 7 April 2013 – June 30, 2013
Runtime: 24 mins approx. per episode
Length: 13 episodes
Age Rating: PG-13

BAD NEWS EVERYONE! A recent event held in honour of the franchise announced that season two had become difficult to manage and so season 2 of Suisei no Gargantia (Gargantia on the verdurous planet) has been cancelled ;-;

~Shadow x

Angel Heart Review

Short Review:
Got to admit, when I saw the description I was instantly grabbed. The title includes two of my favourite words and of course the summery just made it harder to resist. However! The style disappointed me a little, if you know me you’ll know I like my clean cut, modern shoujo action if that’s even possible. I like a crystal clear picture with sparkles and chibis and…blood. But anyway! It turned out to be AMAZING. Though it could have ended sooner, and happens to be one of the longest animes I’ve watched it was still just right. I don’t know how they did it but that had the perfect level of everything you can possibly want in a storyline like that. The episodes fly by like it’s only been 5 minutes and of course you’ll spend 3 hours a day trying to squash in 10 episodes before bed. Be warned, this one will keep you up for nights on end with anticipation. Over all, great style, great story, as unique as it’s kind can be and DEFINITELY recommended 😉 just watch out for a lot of rings, a lot of father daughter tears and a heck of a lot of makkori humour ;D enjoy

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If you’re still reading then…wow good for you! I’ll let you in on a secret, if you haven’t worked it out yet. The short reviews are the reviews I put on disqus. I try to keep them short and informative so people enjoy reading them and can pick out if the anime is suited to them or not! Anyway, so I’ll make this the shorter bit.  An assassination school take on young children, such as Glass Heart, as her nickname was. Upon having to shoot a father whilst his daughter gets ice-cream, Glass Heart eventually breaks down and attempts to commit suicide. Meanwhile, a woman called Kaori is late for an appointment with her fiance, Ryo, to take engagement photos. As Glass Heart is impaled by a fence, Kaori pushes a girl out of the way of an oncoming vehicle and dies. Glass Heart is very precious to a certain someone who I won’t reveal so has Kaori’s heart implanted. The story continues from there, Ryo adopting Glass Heart and so on so forth. It’s a beautiful anime that I hope you’ll all consider because it’s so worth it!

Facts:
Aired: 3 October 2005 – 25 September 2006
Runtime: 24 mins approx. per episode
Length: 50 episodes
Age Rating: PG-13 (may consider slightly higher?)

City Hunter ’99 is the unofficial second season, or so I’d assume anyway but it partners well- as usual will be reviewed as per the order I watch anime in 🙂

~Shadow x