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

Gargantia on the Verdurous Planet

The main characters, Ledo and Amy, are staring into the ocean.
 (Click on square to see full-sized picture in case it doesn't show up)

Plot:

In the far future, humans fight in space against an alien race called the hideauze. The main character, Ledo, crash lands on a planet after being knocked out. Here, he meets many people aboard the floating fleet called Gargantia. Because of his futuristic ideals, he has trouble fitting in with his new friends; however, he starts to realize he is enjoying himself for the first time.

Individual Ratings:

Animation:9/10

Plot: 8/10

Characters: 8/10

Music:7/10

Enjoyment: 9/10

Opinions:

Although my ratings might seem low, I actually kind of liked the series. The plot wasn't half bad, although it started to suddenly become more intense in the last few episodes. Ledo's personality really attracted me because I wanted to see his beliefs clash with those of the people living on Gargantia. 

Probably the only thing I didn't like was that the other characters were not very well constructed; all though they stayed true to their personality, they were all just, well, plain.

Overall Rating:

8.2/10

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