Review: Clannad
Story: 6.5
When I heard there was going to be another anime by the same makers a Kanon2006, I knew I wanted to watch this. And even though I think the story from Kanon was better, I wasn’t disappointed by this series, far from. Like Kanon, this series is build up in different arcs that focus on one character. Tomoya is the male lead and there are several female students in his surroundings who he somehow manages to become friends with. As he gets involved in their lives, he comes across as really helpful to aid these girls whenever he can. Each of these girls has their problems or insecurities to face and Tomoya lends a helping hand. The main story line which ties all the characters together is about Nagisa whose dream is to re-start the drama club at their school. There isn’t really going on much plot wise in this series since it is mostly the character development that makes this series interesting. It is a pity though that some characters didn’t get as much screen time as others and it left me wondering what could have been their motives.
I am personally a huge fan of the animation style used in this series. I really like the big eyed girls and their hairdos. Because of the detailed backgrounds and the vivid colors this anime was a joy for the eye. I feel there isn’t much more to say about this point since I can’t really find anything bad about it.
From all the songs of this series I like the one that closes up Fuuko’s arc the best, but the opening theme is also very beautiful. The rest of the soundtrack delivers a good quality of songs which I actually enjoy listen to on its own. The Dango theme sounds like a lullaby which is interwoven with the whole series. The voice actors also do excellent jobs on personalizing the characters and like the animation I really have nothing to complain about here.
As stated before this series involves around Tomoya who does anything for others as long as he doesn’t have to go home. I really like his sarcastic character and I think it is one of the best male leads I have seen in a series. As with all Key adaptations, Clannad has a huge side cast. There are several girls that get in touch with Tomoya somehow. I do feel that there are a bit too many characters in Clannad because as mentioned before some characters didn’t get the screen time they deserved. However the characters that did are likable characters with interesting tales to follow.
I would defiantly recommend it to anyone who liked the other Key adaptations. This one is more realistic then Kanon and Air however it still has the same quality and charm. I found it a good watch even though some things remain unexplained in the end.
Lemon Angel Project Review
Story: 7.5
It has been a long time since I watched a series where music was a main part of the plot, so when I read the synopsis I decided I would watch it. This story has more to it then meets the eye. The first half concentrates on forming a new formation of the Lemon Angels. It will take the viewer through the auditions and rivalry. When the formation is formed the viewer gets to see what hardships a new band can get especially if there are some people out there to boycott the new formation on purpose. And there are even darker secrets untold.
Colorful is a keyword for this anime. The character designs are all to match the personality of the different band members and this concept works in this case. It’s like they kind of created the Spice girls in anime form, or at least it looks that way. The colors match and the costumes are cute. Further the animation wasn’t that spectacular. It is guilty of using stills and the backgrounds are all very basic. However the thing why it still deserves a 7 in my opinion is because of the dancing scenes. The animation there was fluent and synchronized and those were very fun to watch.
I always rate a series where the theme is focused on music more critical then I would normally do. I think that when you focus your plot around music in a series, you must be able to back it up with a more then decent soundtrack to make things appealing and realistic. This series has a lot of vocal tracks apart from the opening theme and ending song. The songs are typical J-pop ones which were meaningless to me at first. But the songs did grow on me because they matched the story well. However the soundtrack still isn’t as good as some others from the genre. Mostly the soundtracks of anime with the music theme are great to listen to on its own, but with this series this isn’t the case for me.
As stated before the new band members are selected on type. They have different characters that cause them to clash occasionally. The strong point of the series is the fact that each character has an episode that is dedicated to her. It contains things like background or personal issues, insecurities or scandals. It gives the characters more depth and it makes it easier to empathize or relate. Even though the characters are very stereotypical I did enjoy the way they interacted and grew from rivals to a close group of friends.
This anime is surely enjoyable. It has a decent story, an ok soundtrack and fun characters. In the whole it is an anime which is easy to get into and it is realistic. However there are better series in this genre therefore this anime with its current quality gets no further then decent.
Shigofumi review
Story: 8
Sometimes I just pick a random anime out of a list without looking up the info about it and I watch it without knowing its genre or anything else that is to know about anime nowadays. This sometimes results in finding an enjoyable series in a different genre I normally prefer. This was the case with Shigofumi, a series which I wouldn’t normally have watched if I had looked up the info beforehand, but I did now.
I was a tad disappointed by the animation of this series. Most characters have a simple design, a bit too simple to my opinion. They used mostly pale colors and several grey tones, like clothing you washed the wrong way. All though the movements were fluent, the overall impression felt a bit off. It is a pity that with such a great story the animation is of lesser quality.
The opening song is from Ali project and therefore it doesn’t really fit my tastes. Personally I like the mellow ending song far better. Of course there are orchestral tunes used to set the atmosphere in the series and they manage to capture this very well. The voice acting on the other hand was decent. The voices fit the characters and I especially liked the voice of the talking staff Kanaka.
There are a lot of characters in Shigofumi, however it only involves around a few of them. A lot of characters are only in 1 or a few episodes so after their story is over they won’t come back, this leaves little room for development, however you often see those characters at crossroads in their life. This makes it very interesting to follow the characters story.
Story wise this is one of the better animes out there therefore it is a pity that the makers didn’t pay so much attention to the other aspects of the anime, like animation. If they would have put a little more effort in, this would have been the best anime of its season, however now I can’t rate it higher then a seven, which is still a good watch but not as good as it could have been.
H20 - Footprints in the sand review
Story: 6
Now this is a series that started out really promising. The first episode did contain a lot of fanservice however things were still interesting. The 2nd episode did contain a lot less fanservice and it still seemed promising so I decided to watch the anime further from then on. Well lets just say that this series kept amaze me. On moment the story was so touching and deep that I would think it could become one of the best anime of the season and the next moment everything was thrown overboard because a completely random episode was thrown in and I thought it would become a major flop. One thing is certain: with this anime you never knew what to expect. It could be that you were totally amazed and touched when an episode ended or you were left frustrated and confused.
The animation overall is cute. There are bright colors used most of the time and the nature backgrounds are really pretty. However there are some odd things in the animation as well. Some movements being a bit off, like Hayami’s hair moving in the wind still felt kind of static and unnatural. This is a pity because if they would have paid more attention to such details, the score would easily have been an eight because I did like the overall feel this anime has.
I actually quite like the opening theme of the series. It is catchy, yet not too happy or hyperactive. A lot of scenes are accompanied with suiting orchestral background music, which set the right mood. The voice acting is ok as well, all though some girls do have high pitched voices, the voice actors manage to lay a lot of emotion in the characters. Kudo’s for Harumi Sakurai who voiced Hayami. The ending theme is quite good as well, so nothing to complain about audio wise.
The character development faces the same issues as the story basically. In the beginning of the series the characters develop really well and the series mostly focuses on one character in an episode. This concept worked for the first half of the series, and then randomness kicks in. When you expect a character would develop a certain way, things turn around and things go in a total different direction. It is good to make some unexpected twists however these twists didn’t make sense at points and it looked like the makers just threw them in at random, making development forced, unbelievable and unreal. Especially in Hirose’s case his development felt rushed in the last episode, like they wanted him to end somewhere but didn’t have enough time to make it look natural.
This series starts out in a good way and the first half is really enjoyable to watch, however the series feels unnatural after that because of the many random twists and forced development stated earlier. The series could have been a brilliant one but turned out to be a flop due to the bad decisions of the creators.
Gakuen Alice Review
Story: 7
Gakuen Alice is presented as a comedy and while this anime certainly has comical elements, it didn’t make me laugh out loud much. This doesn’t mean this is a bad anime; it just wasn’t what I expected. I was pleasantly surprised when I noticed the deeper elements that this story had to offer. On the surface it seems like any ordinary school life anime, but as the story progresses you get drawn deeper and deeper in the underlying secrets of this school. Hidden motives are a keyword in this series and it was interesting enough for me to finish this one in 2 days.
The animation is pretty basic, yet they spend time to add details to the total picture. This is especially clear in the character designs. They made certain that the animation fitted with the unique characters of certain personalities. Also it is one of those series where characters actually wear different every day clothes instead of the same thing over and over, of course the school uniform is the exception here.
The comedy aspects are brought out more by using exaggerated facial expressions. To my opinion this really adds something extra to the series.
Voice acting is good overall. Most of the times the voices fit the characters however there is one boy though who sounds like a girl and I think it took me about 4 episodes before I noticed he was a boy because of his uniform.
The opening theme is a wacky song that fits the anime well. The ending theme is a mellow song, almost like a lullaby. Both songs aren’t bad, but I wouldn’t play them on their own. It is too bad that the former are the only two vocal tracks for a 26 episode series. The scenes in the series are accompanied by little weird sounds to accent the comedy aspect. As for background music, they use the same tunes over and over but this is only noticeable if you pay attention to it.
When Mikan, the main character first comes to the new school, almost everyone acts cold towards here. But with her personality she wins people over 1 by 1. This is the main event for this series and if you compare the beginning of the series to the end there is a major difference. They did a good job here, following this line of development. Mikan stays the same cheerful girl overall in spite of all the hardships she has to endure, yet she still develops to a stronger person. Even if she still stays a crybaby in the end.
To my opinion a lot of people will be able to enjoy this series. Some will appreciate it for the humor while others might be drawn to the drama aspects of the anime. There is also some action involved and is has a deeper story then expected. The ending could have been stronger and it is true that the series leaves quite a few things untold. All though these flaws are there, I nevertheless enjoyed watching it.
Rozen Maiden Overture Review
Story: 6
Rozen Maiden Overture is a separate story that tells the history of the relationship between the dolls Shinku and Shogintou. The timeline where it begins is somewhere in the second season but I couldn’t quite place it myself. This aspect doesn’t matter so much since the whole thing is basically a 2 episode flashback.
I didn’t really think it adds really much to the whole series. It is a nice story but I wouldn’t have noticed if it wouldn’t have been told. To me it doesn’t add anything really spectacular. It is a sad background story which is mostly an addition for Rozen Maiden fans.
The animation is the same as the other Rozen Maiden series and therefore there is of good quality. The atmosphere is more grim and dark though which fits the melancholy of the story. The thing that was done really well is the transformation of Shogintou from an almost cute doll to the wicked doll we know her. I noticed the small differences they put in her expressions and it really adds something the whole picture.
The opening is once again done by Ali Project and is not really my taste, however this one isn’t as bas as the 2nd seasons. The ending I liked better since it is more soothing, almost comforting which matches the theme quite well. Of course the voice acting has the same quality as the rest of the series so there is really nothing to complain about.
Since this prequel only lasts 2 episodes, the character development is down to a minimum. The episodes concentrate on Shinku and Shogintou and their relationship. Shinku is still her old demanding self and not as compassionate as she came to be in the second series. It tells the Story how she pitied Shogintou and how she and Shogintou were friends first and why Shogintou’s hate for Shinku came to be. It does add some sympathy towards Shogintou since Shinku isn’t displayed as merely the good doll here. The other dolls only play minor parts in this story.
We meet the past medium of Shinku, a little rich girl. She adds her opinions on the whole thing but further adds nothing of importance.
Since the great stories of the other series I went in with great expectations, however I was slightly disappointed. To my opinion this story could have seen told in the 2nd season and there wasn’t any need to make a separate appearance. It does have the same quality of sound and animation, but it just isn’t as good as the rest. For the fans it can be a nice addition but it isn’t a must see.
Rozen Maiden Traumed Review
Story: 8
This anime is a sequel to Rozen Maiden and I recommend you watch that one first, if you haven’t done so, or else it will be easy to get lost plot wise.
Rozen Maiden Traumed picks things up where Rozen Maiden left them so it is easy to follow along if you have seen the first series, unless it has been a while, like me.
There are some new characters introduced and some old ones re-introduces. With a complete set of Rozen Maiden dolls continuing the
Like Rozen Maiden, the animation of the dolls is very cute and sometimes wicked. The dolls are animated like their personalities, for example; pink for Hina-Ichigo, the childlike hyper active doll. The costumes of the dolls are detailed which adds to their unique designs. The action scenes are fluent and intense, like they should be. The designs of the human characters on the other hand are plain and simple; I think this is done to lay the accent on the beauty of the dolls. Shading is done well. There is nothing really to complain about here.
The voice acting of this show is simply brilliant. There wasn’t one moment where I thought things were off. They have chosen the voice actors well for each character and this makes it a really intense watch since the actors managed to get the emotions of the dolls across in such a splendid way.
The scenes are accompanied with beautiful orchestral music, to stress the situation the characters are in. The only think I really disliked was the opening theme of the series. It really doesn’t do the series any justice. The ending theme on the other hand is very beautiful and I wouldn’t mind listening to it on its own.
It’s clear that each doll has its own personality. From quiet to hyper active from smart to mischievous, it is all there. It makes it fun to see all the dolls interact with each other. The interaction between the cuter dolls and the more wicked dolls is interesting. All dolls have their own motives for competing or not competing in the
As the situation gets tenser in the last few episodes the dolls change and some unexpected events happen, this makes them develop in certain ways as they have to make choices.
This series delivers a mix of comedy, sadness, action and cuteness all in one and manages to combine this with a deep and heart touching story. I think this anime will be liked by a broad audience but I strongly recommend watching Rozen Maiden first.
As for people who have already done so: This is a sequel you must watch since it really will add something to your Rozen Maiden experience.
Romeo X Juliet Review
Story: 8.5
Almost everybody knows the sad love history of Romeo and Juliet. Shakespeare’s work has been used on several occasions already, so it was only a matter of time before there would be an anime made. That this story is one of success has already been proven, and Gonzo’s version is no exception of this rule.
The animation is splendid in lost of different ways. The characters are drawn according to their personalities. This means for instance that Romeo comes off as really innocent while his father is anything but that. They aimed for a realistic look, where characters aren’t just cute, or just dark. The main characters are beautifully color coded: Romeo in various shades of blue and Juliet in various shades of red. To me this was a very appealing choice. Action scenes are fluent and brilliantly drawn while romance scenes truly are endearing.
The opening song is the most beautiful one I have heard in a while. It really captures the atmosphere of the series in one glimpse. The first ending theme is a funky rock theme. I was surprised they would choose a song like that for this series; still it is a great song to play DDR on, though I like the second ending theme better because it is more fitting for the series. The voice actors did an awesome job with the characters. I especially fell for the voice actor who did Romeo’s voice. It was the best out there of the already amazing cast.
Of course this animes main focus is the relationship between Romeo and Juliet. Their relationship is full of development from the moment they met till the final moments of the series. There is a lot of chemistry between the main characters. They are struggling with their feeling for each other and the fight for the one they love is very believable every step of the way. Next to their growing relationship, both main characters also grow as persons, making individual decisions that affect the relationship between them.
The cast surrounding Romeo first seems like a bunch of average noble snobs, with exception of Romeo’s mother, however they also have a story of their own. The background story of Romeo’s father was quite unexpected and it gave the final episodes a nice twist.
Romeo X Juliet is a perfect example how a mix of a great story and a strong character development, can become an awesome whole.
I think that because of the action and the tragedy next to the romance, Romeo X Juliet will please a rather board audience. Even those who aren’t normally into the romance genre, I would advise to try this show. Chances are you might end up pleasantly surprised.
Ef - a tale of memories review
Story: 7.5
The story of the anime is confusing at first because it seems that two unrelated stories are told. It seemed like a puzzle at times. I watched some bits, not knowing where it would lead to or what it has to do with anything basically. But slowly more pieces of the puzzle were falling into place and I wanted to know more, I wanted to finish the puzzle.
What really catches the eye are the interesting scene transitions. For example black and white drawn scenes are thrown in to create a different atmosphere. They play a lot with shades to lay accents on certain events. The backgrounds are done beautifully. There are a lot of scenes outside and they used amazing colors to capture the sky and sea.
There are several opening and ending songs. I find this a really good point for a short series like this one, which makes it stand out. Most short series only have one opening and one ending song so I was pleasantly surprised about this, especially since I actually like most of the songs.
The voice acting was ok, but not outstanding. However the voice actors did manage to get the emotions of the characters across.
The characters development is a thing that is hard to describe in this anime since it is exactly about the opposite at some points. They main question of this anime was: Will certain characters develop and how will they manage to do this? All main characters are struggling at some point and they have to overcome their fears in life to reach their goals. With some characters this development is more intense then with others but they all go through the same progress in their own way.
The good point about this anime was that even though there are 5 main characters and only twelve episodes, all characters got the attention they deserved.
To my opinion, the character development alone makes watching this anime worthwhile.
As mentioned above this anime stands out because it dares to experiment. They do this with the animation and audio alike. This mostly gives interesting results and a fresh outlook on what otherwise might have been a plain romance story. At some points they are a bit off, but since this is only on one or two occasions, this flaw is easily forgiven.
If you are into the romance and slice of life genre I recommend adding this to your watch list.
Hitohira review
Story: 7
I solidly picked Hitohira by its name out of curiosity. When I watched the first episode I thought it was going to be yet another of these school type anime that goes about the student life but where nothing really happens. So after the first episode I didn’t watch another one for a couple of months. I don’t exactly know why I picked it up again eventually, but I’m glad I did because after a few episodes it turned out to be more unique then I thought.
The animation is decent and kind of cute. The different emotions the characters show are drawn out well and it really adds to the atmosphere of the series. What I really liked was that also the eyes of male characters are big and expressive unlike most anime I know, where the male eyes are a lot smaller drawn then female eyes. The only thing that annoyed me was the hair. Every female character has this stripe of light in their hair that looks like a headband and doesn’t come natural at all. The characters a further well drawn and their personality come across in the way they look. Shades are drawn well and are detailed but the colors used are a bit plain. Overall the animation is pretty basic, nothing special but not bad either.
The voices suit the characters well. Especially with the main character the voice acting is done well because she uses her voice at very different volumes all the time since that is the essence of the series. I do think the crying scenes are somewhat overdone.
The music is nice, but nothing really special. The openings theme is an up beat song which isn’t too bad and the ending theme is also kind of up beat but less catchy then the opening theme and to my opinion not that good. There is music used to support the mood of certain scenes and this does add to the mood of the series all though you don’t really notice it at first. Only when I rewatched certain bits to have a better impression of the background music, I noticed what was played. I think this isn’t a bad thing though since it adds up to the whole sphere of scenes and it gives them that little bit extra without having the overhand.
I really liked the characters development in this series. It really is the series strong point and the main reason for watching it. There are two chars that are lit out mostly and it are those two that grow the most throughout the series. However the cast of side characters are done really well too. They surely all have a role in the anime and all go through their own developments as well. Without the side characters it would have been a boring watch so they really add something to the story. The types on it self aren’t really unique but since the characters are so different from each other it really is fun to see them interact together.
Granted, this isn’t a mainstream anime and it isn’t very well known. That is why I decided to write my very first review about this anime in the first place. To let people know that the series is fun, yet has a story to tell. You do have to appreciate some drama to like this one though. It isn’t a crowd pleaser and tells the story at its own pace. Don’t judge this anime on the first episode; watch an episode or three to see if this is something for you. I’m glad I gave this anime a chance after all and I hope other people will do so too!