Amphitrite's · Anime · Review

from myanimelist.net

24 episodes
To be honest, I'm not sure about the rating I gave this anime.  I don't know whether to rave about it or to tell everyone to never, ever watch it.  From the summary and ads I expected another typical shounen anime where the girls have big boobs and the men are amazing fighters who started out weak.  This is NOT any of those (except for the big boobs).  The people they sport as the main characters don't even play a major role! (the slutty girl in the picture is the real main character) I can't even really summarize it.  Most of the episodes are spent in flash backs and it's those people who are the main characters.  This anime deals with heavy concepts like the consequences of power, weakness, darkness, suicide, murder, growing up.  It's bloody and intense from beginning to end.  If you plan on watching it set aside one whole day with nothing else in mind and watch it from beginning to end.  Otherwise you'll be so preoccupied by it you won't be able to do anything else. 

It's about a group of high schoolers, some of whom have too much power.  As I watched I wanted time after time to just stop, so that I wouldn't have to get so involved in their pain anymore.  I was driven to finish it, to know what's driving these people, how and why they change.  You just end up that much wrapped up in their lives.  I felt that all I could do was grieve for them, not even cry, only grieve for their pain and circumstances.  This is truly an anime studying the human character, they don't have any characters that are pure evil, all of them are complicated and have horrific experiences that twisted them.  I felt that they needed at least one adult who had walked their path and had seen the end of it, who could guide them instead of use them.  There is no such person, all they do is struggle, each alone and in pain.  Trying to conquer their battles with themselves.  This is not a happy ending or even a tragic one.  It is simply life, there is no surmounting conclusion to this show, it simply ends.  I think that in itself is a statement.  I'll let you interpret it for yourself when you finish watching it.

I won't tell you whether or not to watch this one.  It's too much of a personal choice.  It was good, I was truly affected by it, which rarely happens to me.  This is a brave anime, it doesn't fit into any of the usual stereotypes and isn't afraid to kill a few main characters off.  I will warn you, there is a lot of graphic fighting and blood (A LOT), there is sex (not graphic but implied), 2 seconds of shoujo ai, and a LOT of cleavage (those girls fight slutty).  Go for it, just don't expect to laugh....at all.

I do not own tenjho tenge, Oh! Great does. 

from myanimelist.net

25 episodes

I love supernatural anime. The Japanese concept of ghosts, demons and monsters is fascinating.  This is about an exorcist and his relationship with the oni-eater.  The episodes consist of separate instances of supernatural phenomena and how they are solved.  Most of the conflicts arise from Kantarou's (the excorsist) unwillingness to kill youkai which defies Haruka's (the oni-eater) nature.  I loved it and couldn't stop watching, it remains unfinished at the end.  They resolve the conflicts of their feelings, but the main enemy remains unsatisfied saying he'll come back for more and the like.  So, they've set it up for a sequel but I have no idea if one is in the works or not. 

I can guarantee that you will enjoy the characters in this anime.  Some are a little underdeveloped but for the most part they are well-rounded and each has their own amusing quirks.  Their money struggles are something that anyone who's been cut off from their parents purse strings will understand and enjoy.  It's funny, cute and dramatic.  Give it a try!

I do not own Tactics, Kinoshita Sakura and Higashiyama Kazuko do. 

from www.animekaillou.com

26 episodes

Sakon is a puppeteer and ventriloquist that likes to solve murder mysteries.  It's a fascinating story with undercurrents of the clash between modern and ancient Japan.  Sakon's puppet is named Ukon and together they form a team, the mysteries are well thought out, not too obvious and not rushed.  The motives vary, not every single arc is about revenge!  Sorry, but that's one of my problems with Detective Conan, each mystery is rushed so you never get emotionally involved and it seems like every single one is because of revenge!  Anyways, I've only seen the first fifty episodes so if it gets better after that let me know and maybe I'll keep watching.  This has a bit of supernatural overtones but it's very minor. 

The relationship between Sakon and Ukon is confusing because they're the same person and yet two different people - almost schizophrenic.  And yet it never comes off as crazy or odd, just elegantly eccentric.  The only problem I had with this show was the second to last arc: two people are in a relationship and they say the cheesiest things it's sickening to watch.  If you can bear with it for 2 or 3 episodes than it's not a big deal but definitely prepare yourself.  I mean really, who actually falls for those kinds of lines?  By the way, Sakon is really pretty aside from his clothes.  I don't know why but he's always wearing this shirt that looks like it has a gear for a collar.  It's really weird. 

Watch it, it's a good one!

I do not own Ayatsuri Sakon, Obata Takeshi and Marou Sharaku.

from x.imeem.com

75 episodes and 1 special

I loved this!  It's about a boy who gets possessed by a ghost that loves playing Go and wants to achieve "the hand of God."  You watch the boy and his rival grow and mature over four years.  It is amazing!  They make the Go games exciting and intense even though most of us have no clue what's going on.  They don't explain unnecessary things that bore the audience.  (It's one of my pet peeves in anime, you know how they always have cheesy names for their 'attacks' and announce it each time and then explain how the attack is done.  No one really cares!  Or at least I don't...moving on)  You end up incredibly emotionally wrapped up in the characters and it ends wonderfully and naturally.  Watch it!  This is a must see.

The manga is also great, because the anime and manga are the same.  The manga extends about one volume past the end of the special.  It is really cool to watch the boys physically mature, at the beginning Hikaru looks like a brat and at the end he's really mature looking and you never notice any specific leaps in age!  It was really well done, the audience is aware that he is aging but it just seems so natural.  The ghost is a wonderful character going from immature to mature whenever Go is involved. 

Watch it!  That is all I have to say.

Hikaru no Go does not belong to me, it belongs to Hotta Yumi and Obata Takeshi.

picture from anim-eh.com

26 episodes

Now let me make something clear, Fruits Basket is shoujo and and if you are turned off by a suffocating amount of warm-and-fuzzy than do not watch it.  I thought the anime was adorable, it takes a deep look at recovering from trauma and growing up.  It's about an orphaned girl who starts living with a group of boys who are cursed to turn into animals of the zodiac when hugged by a female.  The characters are amusing and the scenarios frequently hilarious.  The anime leaves quite a few questions unanswered (like why they have a curse, what exactly the curse is and so forth).  The manga answers all the questions but don't expect the manga to be a continuation of the anime.  They are very different and I probably rate the manga so low because I saw the anime first. 

In my experience, for stories where the anime and manga are different I like whichever I saw or read first.  For instance, I enjoyed watching Fruits Basket and reading it ruined it for me because I'd already decided who the characters were, who paired up with whom and how it all ended and then I read the manga and it completely ruined that.  Whereas, I read Kodocha before I watched the anime (wonderful manga by the way) and I absolutely despised the last 2 seasons because they ruined the wonderful ending the manga had.  So I've stopped doing both except for when the anime and manga are the same like Hikaru no Go and Hunter x Hunter where you read the manga to continue where the anime left off. 

Anyways, all that aside, Fruits Basket is a heartwarming anime and I recommend it to all those looking for a good laugh who don't care that it's overly happy-feely. 

Feel free to recommend similar anime or manga.

Fruits basket does not belong to me it belongs to Takaya Natsuki.

From lib.verycd.com

It's hard to distinguish between episodes and OVAs in this show so I'm not going to give the number. 

This is one of my favorites.  Especially the last few arcs.  Hunter x Hunter is genius at balancing fighting and character development.  The weakness of most shounen shows is that the girls are shallow and you they care more about making the fight scenes look cool than that you care about the characters.  I don't want to spoil any of it for anyone so let's just say it's about a group of guys who take a bunch of tests and get stronger and stronger.  I know that makes it sound lame but trust me it's AWESOME!  I have no warnings, they fight a lot but it's target audience is relatively young so nothing is too graphic.  And although the target audience is young, I'm 20 and thought it was one of the best shows ever so don't let that put you off. 

The only potentially annoying this is the habit they have of announcing and explaining attacks.  That always drives me up the wall in anime but unfortunately nearly all of them do it.  I just feel like it's unrealistic and not good battling strategy.  I mean, in war, who announces to their opponent what they're about to do.  It's asking for death.  However that is more a flaw of anime in general than limited to just this show. 

This is a must see, no matter what your favorite genre is, I guarantee you'll love it!  It's a little slow in picking up so be patient.  Not everything needs instant action so I think it's better this way. 

I do not own Hunter x Hunter, Togashi Yoshihiro does.

Comment and recommend similar shows.

from labofedibles.wordpress.com

69 episodes

Yakitate! Japan was overall very amusing but had some major flaws.  It's about Azuma Kazuma who's a bread making genius and it follows hiim as he competes in many competitions.  The characters are really funny and for the first arcs you can really sympathize with them and care about what happens to them.  The show parodies everything under the sun from Lord of the Rings to Detective Conan.  The 'reactions' (judges reaction to what they eat) are ALWAYS way over the top so just get used to it pretty much. 

The biggest problem is the final arc.  Usually this is the coolest arc ever and everyone is at their best and so on.  However, in this last arc they focus way too much on making the bread and the reaction to it than the characters and what drives them.  The reason we watch this anime is NOT because we think bread making is cool.  Also, the characters all lose their shape, after spending 50 or so episodes building up these great and relatively complicated characters they just abandon them and make them go back to being flat.  It leaves a bit of a bad taste in your mouth.  When you feel like you're watching a show just for the sake of finishing it, it isn't a good thing.

Anyways, it's funny, cute and enjoyable.  Watch it, just don't expect it to change your life. 

I do not own Yakitate! Japan, Hashiguchi Takishi does.

Feel free to comment and recommend similar shows.  I recommend Muteki Kanban Musume (about a ramen delivery girl and truly funny.)

from www.animate.tv

11 episodes

This one was rather interesting.  The main character is practically forced to work with two sane zombies to exterminate insane zombies.  It's fast paced since it was crammed into 11 episodes and it leaves a lot of unanswered questions.  It feels very incomplete.  However, it is still amusing and worth watching.  It won't take up much of your time so why not?  The graphics and idea is cool and they pull it off well.  It's enjoyable to watch Michiru, the lead female, grow and the two boys learn to accept one another and their own problems.  So the main problem I have is that if feels like the first few arcs of a drawn out show and then it just ends.  Maybe they'll continue it, I don't know. 

The character development around the main characters is enough that you feel emotionally connected to them by the end.  They do a good job with the time they have just don't expect to care all that much about any of the side characters because only one or two of them get half-decent development.  All in all it was fun and cool and intriguing.  It was worth watching. 

Warning: This does contain some shoujo ai.  If you object to girls kissing with suggestive sounds/conversation then don't watch this show.  Or you can fast forward, there's only 2 half minute scenes of it in the whole series so it's not too difficult to skip.  There is also a large amount of violence, but nothing too shocking. 

I do not own Zombie Loan, Peach-Pit does.

Feel free to recommend similar shows.

from myanimelist.net

26 episodes

The first season of Black Lagoon is amazing.  An average business men is delivering a few goods and the goods as well as him get stolen and when everyone's about to die he comes up with a crazy plan and saves them and then joins the crooks.  In the first season each arc is well thought out and gripping.  Dutch is the leader and Benny is the tech guy.  Revy is the focus of the show, she's a half-crazy gunman who has been killing all you life.  So you end up investigating morals and the difference between light and dark.  Warning: this show is very violent, if you're queasy to blood then don't watch it. 

The second season isn't as good, but it's still worth watching.  This season follows Revy and Rock only.  So it's no longer about the team pulling off amazing stunts, it's just Revy being bored and trying to make money.  However if you like a scarcity of plot but a lot of insane women fighting this is your thing.  I enjoyed it, but it just wasn't as invigorating as the first season.  On the other hand, the final arc does return to deeper plot however they make a big deal of switching between english and japanese.  The rule in anime is if in a foreign country they still speak japanese and everyone just knows that they're supposed to be speaking a different language.  So the problem crops up that Rock is being a translator so half the time they speak bad english.  It gets pretty annoying and it detracts from the storyline so they should have just let it be. 

I do not own Black Lagoon, Hiroe Rei does.

Feel free to recommend similar shows for those that enjoyed this one.