Guardian of the Sacred Spirit [26 episodes] [PG-13]

Plot:

After saving him once from drowning, Balsa the spear-wielder is tasked with defending Prince Chagum from the Chin-Yogo Emperor, who plans to kill him and extinguish the evil spirit residing within him.

Individual Ratings:

Art: 10/10

Guardian of the Sacred Spirit has some of the most astounding visuals you will ever see. The amount of work put into the scenery is incredible, especially since most of the scenes are outside. The character designs are better than most anime in my opinion; in fact, this is the first anime I've seen where they don't put too much work into making the female lead sexy. Balsa is muscular and strong, and doesn't strip to her underpants when she fights, which is a huge accomplishment for an action anime with a female lead. Also, the animation for the fight scenes are simply superb. The characters move realistically, and the style of their fighting was given much thought when the movements were choreographed.

Plot: 8/10

The plot is realistically paced towards the beginning, although there is a couple-month time skip near the end. The beginning is more fast-paced, the middle is kind of slow but allows for a lot of character development, and the last 5-6 episodes speed up again to fit in all of the source material.

Characters: 9/10

All the characters of the anime are realistic. Unlike mainstream shonen, the characters all have their ups and downs. Also, I really liked how Chagum wasn't a stuck-up brat like most princes - rather, he was actually quite admirable. Balsa is also an interesting character, with a harsh past and a realistic goal as a spear-wielder. The reason I give it a 9/10, however, is because there are also many characters who don't get any development, such as some of the government officials.

Sound: Unrated

Unfortunately, the speakers on my laptop broke, and of course I had to lose my headphones. I can't rate the sound on this one until I rewatch it, which will probably be a couple months from now.

Enjoyment: 10/10

I really enjoyed the pacing of the series, as well as the fighting scenes. The characters were interesting, and the serious mood of the show somehow blended well with the fact that there is NO human blood in this show. That's right, I didn't observe a single drop of blood, despite the fact that the anime is very mature and has action. Remember that this is a compliment.

Overall Rating:

9.3/10

Hunter X Hunter (2011)

Its the Hunter homies!

Plot:

Hunters are people who specialize in different things, such as capturing bad guys, fighting enemies, or even going on journeys to uncover secret treasures. Gon, the main character, sets out to become a hunter just like his father, making new friends (and rivals) on the way. Along the way of their hunter career, they will encounter countless enemies and allies that both help them get stronger.

Individual Ratings:

Animation: 8/10

Plot: 8/10

Characters: 9/10

Music: 7/10

Enjoyment: 9/10

Opinions:

I have long disliked long-running series, simply because I felt that the mangaka just tacks on new ideas whenever he runs out of material to work with (plus the goddamn fillers piss me off). Also, the anime producers tend to stretch out the battles so much that the characters literally hit each other every 5 minutes.

Hunter X Hunter is probably the only long-running anime I know that doesn't have as much of a problem as these. The only thing the mangaka added afterwards was the concept of Nen, which was actually completely relevant. Some of the battle music tracks are also incredible, plus the animation is standard.

Overall Rating:

8.2/10

Avatar: The Last Airbender (Cartoon)

STOP! IF YOU HAVE ANY COMPLAINTS, TAKE THEM OUTSIDE! I know Avatar: The Last Airbender is NOT an anime; it is an American cartoon. However, it is asian-styled and has many aspects that are present in some of the greatest anime shows of all time, which is why I am deciding to review it here.

I didn't want to put in a kiddy picture and scare you away,
 so here's a dramatic representation of Aang in Avatar form.

Plot:

[This is where I quote the opening lyrics word-for-word]

Before the story begins, there was a time of peace where the Avatar kept peace between the Water Tribes, the Earth Kingdom, the Fire Nation, and Air Temples. However, everything changed when the fire nation attacked. Only the Avatar, the master of all four elements, could stop them. But when the world needed him most, he vanished.

A hundred years passed and Katara and her brother Sokka discovered the new Avatar, an airbender named Aang. Although he is a skilled at airbending, he has yet to learn the other three elements before taking on the task of stopping the fire nation.

Individual Ratings:

Animation: 7/10

Plot: 8/10

Characters: 9/10

Music: 9/10

Enjoyment: 9/10

Opinions:

If I were ever to make a top anime list, I wouldn't include this American cartoon, since it technically isn't an anime. However, that didn't stop me from enjoying it completely. I enjoyed this series so much that I rewatched it 3+ times.

There are a lot of great things about this show, so I'll start with the negatives: the animation is obviously lacking in some places. I feel like in some scenes, the animators used a relatively low framerate, resulting in characters walking awkwardly at times. However, that is pretty much the only bad thing about this show (plus, once you get into it, you don't even notice it).

Now comes the good part. The show does a great job of fitting in a more episodic structure while still having the main plot as the core of everything. The show is meant to appeal to children, which means that there will be some funny moments. However, what really stood out to me was the fluid action scenes. There aren't any ninjas just running at each other or people punching. Also, although the main character DOES have an OP power, he is still inexperienced and unable to control it. This allows for character development in terms of fighting.

Overall Rating:

8.4/10

Black Lagoon (Both seasons)

Smoking like they don't even care.

Plot:

[It's very hard to describe the initial part without spoiling the first 2 episodes. Just a warning] 

Okajima Rokuro is just your average Japanese businessman. After months of doing nothing but sitting in his cubicle all day, his company finally grants him a break, which is actually business trip in disguise, since he has to deliver something to a client. However, his boat is hijacked by pirates looking for the disk. After being dragged onto their boat as a hostage (since they thought he might be worth something), they find out there is a helicopter after them. Using one of Rock's crazy ideas, they are able to escape, and Rock joins them as part of their band of mercenaries.

Individual Ratings:

Animation: 9/10

Plot: 8/10

Characters: 9/10

Music: 6/10

Enjoyment: 9/10

Opinions:

Black Lagoon is probably the most insane, crazy and mature action anime you will ever watch. The directors literally threw all human logic out the window before creating this series. The only thing I find bad is the music and the Japanese voice acting. In fact, this is probably the only series where I would rather watch the dubbed than the subbed. Why? Because of how hard the characters tried to speak in English. You will realize what I'm saying after hearing the garbled English in the opening. It's literally trash. Other than the opening, though, this anime is a definite must.

Overall Rating:

8.2/10

Blue Exorcist

The characters of Blue Exorcist.

Plot:

Rin Okumura has always been called the son of a devil by people, because of his violent and rash nature. One day, his home is under attack, and he finds out that he is the son of Satan. After his father dies after being possessed by Satan, Rin is sent to an Exorcist Cram School, where he finds out that his younger brother is one of his teachers. Together with his new friends, he works toward his goal of defeating Satan.

Individual Ratings:

Animation: 8/10

Plot: 6/10

Characters: 7/10

Music: 7/10

Opinions:

The show had a good premise. The son of Satan wants revenge after his human father dies. However, I feel like it was ruined immediately after the show turned into a school life comedy. There was some action while they were in school, even though some of it didn't make sense. Also, there was almost no character development, with the characters staying almost stationary throughout. The animation is okay for a show from 2011, but sometimes you can see the laziness in places where they might have thought you wouldn't look.

Overall Rating:

7.0/10

Romeo X Juliet

Hey guess what Romeo's on the left and Juliet's on the right bet you wouldn't have guessed that.

Plot:

In Neo Verona, the Montague family killed everyone in the Capulet family except for their daughter, Juliet, 14 years before the story starts. Now, Juliet lives hidden from others and pretending to be a boy, not knowing her real identity. By a twist of fate, she meets Romeo, the son of the Montague family, and they both fall in love at first sight.

Individual Ratings:

Animation: 8/10

Plot: 6/10

Characters: 8/10

Music: 7/10

Opinions:

First of all, since this anime is very loosely (emphasis on loosely) based on the Shakespeare play, you can pretty much guess what is going to happen at the end. I'm just going to leave that there. Also, I feel like they introduced a lot of unnecessary stuff at the end (a big tree, floating island, creepy plant girl, etc. etc.) that made the plot go flop. The only similarity this has with the Shakespearean play is the character names and the ending. 

And just in case you're wondering, yes, Romeo and Juliet do act retarded at the end, just like in the play.

Overall Rating:

7.3/10

Madoka Magica

The main characters of Madoka Magica.

Plot:

Madoka Kaname has a seemingly comfortable life, with a great family and friends. However, one night, she has a strange dream, and the next day she meets a strange being known as Kyubey, who offers her a deal: she can be granted any wish she wants if she becomes a magical girl and fights witches.

Individual Ratings: 

Animation: 10/10

Plot: 8/10

Characters: 7/10

Music: 9/10

Opinions:

Madoka Magica is probably best known for its fighting sequences, with the unique animation of the witches. Even if you don't like how all the characters are girls, or the fact that the main character is the whiniest chick in the history of anime, you should still watch it because of the action. When you start the series, you might think that its all pink and fluffy. That's where you're wrong. After episode 3, the series takes a darker turn, and that's is when everything starts to fall apart. Also, this is probably the only magical girl anime where the main character becomes a magical girl in the last episode.

Overall Rating:

8.5/10

Rurouni Kenshin: Trust and Betrayal

The main characters, Tomoe (left) and Kenshin (right).

Plot:

During the Japanese revolution, a master swordsman saves a young slave from a bandit raid. Feeling potential in the child, he takes him in and gives him a new name, "Kenshin," and teaches him the Hiten Mitsurugi style. Some time later, he leaves his master and becomes a feared killer named Hitokiri Battousai.

Individual Ratings:

Animation: 9/10

Plot: 10/10

Characters: 9/10

Music: 8/10

Opinions:

This magnificent OVA is the prequel to the widely known Rurouni Kenshin series. It has a much darker undertone, however, and displays fantastic storytelling. When you first watch Trust & Betrayal, you might think that I have scored the animation too high. But if you take a closer look, you'll see that the art is very finely detailed, and a lot of attention was paid to the appearance (also take note that this was made in 1999). If you have seen the original Rurouni Kenshin, this is where you will find out how he got his cross-shaped scar.

Overall Rating:

9/10

Cowboy Bebop

The main character, Spike Spiegel

Plot:

In the future, bounty hunters go from planet to planet, searching for criminals in order to get by. Spike and Jet are the inhabitants of the Bebop, their spaceship. As they travel, they meet Faye, the beautiful but dirt-poor gambler, and Ed, the super hacker. As they go on their journeys, they must each come to terms with their own past.

Individual Ratings:

Animation: 8/10

Plot: 9/10

Characters: 10/10

Music: 9/10

Opinions:

Cowboy Bebop, one of Watanabe's greatest works, is know to be in the top 5 of almost every "best anime" list. The show has a perfect cast of characters, each with their own rich backstory, which they must come to terms with. Although this was made in 1998, the animation is one of the best of its time, and can still compare to anime in the first decade of the 21st century. The plot is episodic. If you like jazz, you will love this show, because most of the soundtracks are jazz (plus their spaceship is named after a type of jazz).

Overall Rating:

9/10

Aquarion: EVOL

The main characters of Aquarion: EVOL, featuring Mikono (left) and Amata (right).

Plot:

[There were too many names and things for me to summarize, so I used the one from MyAnimeList, which summed it up nicely]
The "Abductors" Invaders from Altea come to Earth with only one purpose, to harvest humans. DEAVA the Aquaria Academy exists to train men and women to use Aquaria, but they cannot ever merge because of Guize stones, these block an "unholy union" between genders. The story follows Amata and Mikono in their enrollment into DEAVA, and fight their fight with Abductors.

Individual Ratings:

Animation: 9/10

Plot: 6/10

Characters: 7/10

Music: 8/10

Opinions:

Remember those books you read in high school? Yeah, the ones with all that symbolism and metaphors and crap in it. If you take all the action and mecha out of Aquarion: EVOL then that's all you're left with (not including boobs). Aquarion: EVOL is stuffed with sexual symbolism, from the donuts to the hole in the wall. Many people consider it action; however, since everything revolves around romance and the relationships between the different characters, I consider it a romance.

Overall Rating:

7.5/10

Samurai Champloo

Mugen, one of the main characters of Samurai Champloo.

Plot:

Fuu, who works in a tea shop, is saved from the harassment of the local authority's son by Jin and Mugen, who are both samurai. However, they both start to fight each other after realizing each other's skill. After saving them from being executed, Fuu convinces them to accompany her on a journey to find a mysterious man who smells of sunflowers.

Individual Ratings:

Animation:10/10

Plot: 9/10

Characters: 9/10

Music: 10/10

Opinions:

Samurai Champloo is one of Watanabe's 2 greatest works (the other being Cowboy Bebop, which I will review soon). For an anime from 2006, the animation is pretty good, plus some of the OST's from this are my favorites. The action and humor really go well, with some depressing moments as well.

Overall Rating:

9.5/10

Now and Then, Here and There

The main characters of the anime, Shu (boy) and Lala-Ru (girl).
(Click on square to see full-sized picture in case it doesn't show up)

Plot:

While coming back home from a kendo lesson one day, Shuzo Matsutani (nicknamed "Shu") sees a girl with blue hair sitting on a smokestack. While conversing with her, she is kidnapped by mysterious people with otherworldly machines. Shu is accidentally brought back with them when they time travel to their world; a wasteland lacking water. Here, Shu experiences many things he never would have imagined, and witnesses some of the darkest things humanity could ever do.

Individual Ratings:

Animation: 7/10

Plot: 10/10

Characters: 10/10

Music: 9/10

Enjoyment: 9/10

Opinions:

This anime would definitely be on my top ten list, if it weren't for the old animation (it aired from 1999-2000, so the animation is not the best quality). Other than that, this anime is a masterpiece. The whole plot is amazing, showing how the happy and cheerful Shu stars to realize the horrible things humans can do. The characters are also awesome, with my favorite being Hamdo, an evil genius that sometimes has mental breakdowns. Some of the characters are just people that you hate all the way (damn Tabool) while others are people that are bad but you secretly root for (Nabuca). Although this anime may have a sort of low score, keep in mind that the only setback is the animation; everything else is amazing.

Overall Rating:

9.0/10

Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion (R1 & R2)

Some characters, featuring C.C. (right), Kallen (left), and the main character, Lelouch (middle)
(Click on square to see full-sized picture in case it doesn't show up)

Plot:

In an alternate universe, the world is split up into 3 superpowers: Brittania, the Chinese Federation, and the European Union. 7 years before the story takes place, Britannia invaded Japan with their new technology, the Knightmare Frame. They renamed the Japanese, calling them "elevens" and are stripped of all rights.

The protagonist, Lelouch, was originally a prince of Brittania, who was sent to Japan as a political bargaining tool. After the war, he was presumably killed. Meanwhile, he hid underneath the protection of the Ashford family, who supported his mother before she was murdered. 

The story revolves around how Lelouch vows to take over Brittania. He is given a power called Geass, otherwise known as the power of the kings. He can use it to command others against their will.

Individual Ratings:

Animation: 10/10
The animation style of Code Geass kinda makes the characters look anorexic. All the characters have thin and long limbs, with pointy faces. This kind of threw me off at the beginning because it had a different art style. I quickly grew fond of it and now I actually like it because of its uniqueness.

Plot: 10/10
You could say that Code Geass doesn't have a plot. What it does is alternate between side stories and the main story line. However, it does a great job of leaving the viewer with the unexpected twists, which will keep you hungry for more.

Characters: 10/10
Aside from Baccano!, Code Geass has one of the most diverse casts of characters I have ever seen. It's got everything from the typical lolita to main characters with stupid idealism (hey Suzaku what's up). Although most of them aren't given a good background, the ones that matter are better explained. Also, Lelouch's background is one of the most detailed I have ever seen.

Sound: 10/10

The music does a great job of keeping you in the mood for epic things to come. The sound effects aren't overly obnoxious and do a pretty good job of keeping it real.

Enjoyment: 10/10

I have enjoyed this series more than any anime I have ever watched. The series gets a little weak in the second half of the first season and the first half of the second season, but that means that it does a good job of keeping you entertained for the parts that matter, which are the beginning and end.

Overall Rating:

10/10