(2003-12-16 - Hanada Shounen-shi complete, no score change) (2003-11-02 - Sumeba Miyako no Cosmos sou, Suttoko Taisen Dokkoider) (2003-09-19 - Fun Fun Pharmacy) (2003-08-25 - Mahoutsukai ni Taisetsu na Koto Finalized) (2003-08-24 - Memories Off 2nd OVA, Aura Battler Dunbine) Just remember. To me, the most important opinions come from the animators. Any show that the animators didn't care for has almost no chance of me liking it. I'm not the expert. They're the experts. Scoring: Given 5 slots * will appear in one or more spots. If it appears in more than one spot, that means it spans multiple scores. For example, animation quality can vary wildly for certain shows. *---- = Terrible. Shameful. Drains my life away. -*--- = Not good or not at all. --*-- = "It's alright" to "I like it." Most shows end up here. ---*- = Special ----* = Indescribable!!! The real goal for me is to distinguish really special or worthless shows. Many will end up in the middle catagory, but that doesn't mean I don't care for it. Charm: Is it charming somehow? Clever: Is there something clever about the show? Anima: Does the animation, with focus on characters, have care put into it? Special: Some shows have that special something that makes it memorable. Otaku: Otaku factor. Final: How important is the show to me? Audio drama and Manga may be included. (incmp) means I have not watched the whole thing yet. ----------------------------------------- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- Title (#-A) Charm Clevr Anima Speci Otaku Final ----------------------------------------- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- 3x3 Eyes (OVA 1) --*-- ---*- --*-- ---*- --*-- --*-- 3x3 Eyes (OVA 2) --*-- --*-- --*-- --*-- --*-- --*-- 11-nin Iru --*-- ---*- ---*- --*-- --**- --**- Abenobashi Mahou Shoutengai --*-- -*--- --**- -*--- -*--- --*-- Agga Ruter --*-- --*-- --*-- --*-- --*-- --*-- Ah! My Goddess (OAV) -*--- -*--- --*-- -*--- --*-- -*--- Ah! My Goddess (Mini) (incmp) --*-- -*--- --*-- --*-- --*-- --*-- Ah! My Goddess (Movie) -*--- -*--- ---*- *---- --*-- *---- Ahiru no Kwak ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- Ai Yori Aoshi (incmp) --*-- --*-- -**-- -*--- --*-- -*--- Akira -*--- --*-- -*--- -*--- --*-- -*--- Alien 9 ---*- ---*- ---*- ---*- --*-- ---*- Angelic Layer -*--- --*-- -*--- -*--- --*-- -*--- Anime Ai no Awa Awa Hour -***- --*-- --*-- --*-- --**- -**-- Armitage III --*-- --*-- --*-- --*-- --*-- --*-- Asagiri no Miko --*-- -*--- --*-- --*-- --*-- -**-- Aura Battler Dunbine (incmp) --*-- --*-- ---*- --**- --**- --**- Ayashi no Ceres -**-- -***- --*-- --*-- --*-- -*--- Azumanga Daiou ---*- ---*- ---*- ---*- ---*- ---*- ----------------------------------------- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- Title (B) Charm Clevr Anima Speci Otaku Final ----------------------------------------- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- Bakuretsu Hunter (incmp) --*-- --*-- --**- --*-- --*-- --*-- Berserk ---*- ---*- ---** --*-- --*-- ---*- Blood the Last Vampire --*-- --*-- --*-- --*-- --*-- --*-- Blue Gender *---- --*-- -*--- -*--- -*--- -*--- Blue Seed --*-- --*-- --*-- --**- --*-- --*-- Boku no Marie ---*- --*-- --**- ---*- --**- --**- Bonobono (Kimomo no Ki no Koto - movie) ---*- ---*- ----- --*-- ----- --*-- Boogiepop Phantom --*-- ---*- -**-- --**- --*-- --*-- Brain PowerD (incmp) -*--- -*--- --*-- -*--- -*--- -*--- Buttobi CPU ---*- ---*- ---*- --*-- --*-- --*-- B1 ----------------------------------------- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- Title (C) Charm Clevr Anima Speci Otaku Final ----------------------------------------- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- Card Captor Sakura ---*- ---*- ---*- ----* --*-- ---*- C1 Chiccha na Yukitsukai Sugar --*-- --*-- -***- --*-- --*-- --*-- Chobits (incmp) ---*- --*-- --*-- --*-- --*-- --*-- C2 Colorful -*--- --*-- -**-- -*--- --*-- -*--- Comic Party (incmp) *---- -*--- -**-- ***-- -**-- -*--- Compiler ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- Cowboy Bebop --**- --**- --**- --*-- -**-- --*-- Cowboy Bebop (Movie) *---- **--- --**- *---- *---- *---- Cutey Honey (New) (incmp) ---*- --*-- --**- --*-- --**- --*-- ----------------------------------------- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- Title (D-E) Charm Clevr Anima Speci Otaku Final ----------------------------------------- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- D4 Princess --**- --*-- --*-- --*-- --*-- --*-- Da! Da! Da! -*--- --*-- --*-- --*-- --*-- -*--- Daiguard (incmp) --*-- --*-- --*-- --*-- --*-- --*-- D.N.Angel (incmp) ---*- ---*- ---*- --*-- --**- --**- Dog of Flanders --*-- --*-- --**- --**- --**- --*-- Donkey Kong ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- Earth Girl Arjuna --*-- --**- --**- --*-- --*-- --*-- Elf Princess Rane --*-- --*-- --*-- --*-- --*-- -**-- Elf wo Karumono-tachi ---*- --*-- ---*- --*-- ---*- ---*- Elf wo Karumono-tachi II --*-- --*-- ---*- --*-- --*-- --*-- Escaflowne (TV) -*--- -*--- --*-- -*--- --*-- -*--- E1 Escaflowne (Movie) -*--- -*--- --**- --*-- --*-- --*-- Evangelion --*-- ---*- ---*- --*-- ---*- -**-- Excel Saga (incmp) -*--- -*--- --*-- -*--- -*-*- -**-- E2 ----------------------------------------- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- Title (F-G) Charm Clevr Anima Speci Otaku Final ----------------------------------------- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- Fancy Lala ---*- ---*- ----* ----* ---*- ----* F1 Figure 17 ---*- ---*- ---*- ---*- --**- ---** Five Star Stories --**- --*-- ---*- --**- ---*- --**- Fruits Basket --*-- ---*- -***- --*-- --*-- ---*- Full Metal Panic TV (incmp) ---*- --*-- -*-*- --*-- -*-*- -*-*- Fun Fun Pharmacy ---*- --*-- --**- ---*- ---*- ---*- Futari H (incmp) --*-- --*-- --**- --*-- --*-- --*-- F2 Fushigi Yuugi (TV) --*-- ---*- -***- --*-- --*-- --*-- Fushigi Yuugi (OAV) --*-- --*-- --*-- --*-- --*-- --*-- Fushigi no Kuni no Miyuki-chan ---*- --**- ---*- --**- --*-- --*-- Future Boy Conan ---*- ---*- ---*- --**- ---*- ---*- Gakkou no Kaidan ---*- ---*- --**- --*-- --*-- ---*- Gatekeepers (incmp) -*--- -*--- -**-- -*--- -*--- -*--- Geobreeders ---*- --*-- ---*- ---*- ---*- ---*- Geobreeders II ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----------------------------------------- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- Title (H) Charm Clevr Anima Speci Otaku Final ----------------------------------------- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- .hack//Sign (incmp) --*-- --*-- --*-- --*-- --*-- -*--- Hanada Shounen-shi ---*- --*-- ---** ---*- --*-- ---*- Hanaukyou Maid Tai --*-- -*--- -*--- --*-- --*-- -*--- Hand Maid May --*-- --*-- --*-- --*-- --*-- -**-- Happy Lesson (incmp) -*--- -*--- -*--- -*--- --*-- -*--- Here is Green Wood ---*- ---*- --**- --**- ---*- --*-- Haibane Renmei ----* --*-- -***- ---*- ---*- --**- Hoshikuzu Paradise ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- Hoshi no Koe --*-- ---*- -**-- --*-- --**- --*-- H1 ----------------------------------------- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- Title (I) Charm Clevr Anima Speci Otaku Final ----------------------------------------- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- I My Me! Strawberry-Eggs --*-- --*-- ***-- --*-- --*-- --*-- Iketeru Futari ---*- --*-- --**- ---*- --*-- ---*- I1 Ima Sokoni Iru Boku --*-- ---*- --**- --*-- --*-- ---*- Infinite Ryvius --*-- ---*- --**- ---*- --*-- ---*- I2 Inuyasha (incmp) -**-- -**-- -**-- --*-- --*-- -*--- Irresponsible Captain Tylor (incmp) -*--- -*--- --*-- --*-- --*-- -*--- ----------------------------------------- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- Title (J-K) Charm Clevr Anima Speci Otaku Final ----------------------------------------- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- Jin-Roh --*-- ---*- --**- -*--- --*-- --*-- Jungle wa Itsumo Hare nochi Guu (incmp) --*-- --*-- --*-- -*--- --*-- -*--- Juubei-chan --*-- --*-- --*-- --*-- --*-- -**-- KO Seiki Beasts --*-- --*-- --*-- --*-- --*-- --*-- Kanojo to Kanojo no Neko ---*- --*-- --*-- --*-- --*-- ---*- Kanon (TV) (incmp) -*--- -*--- -*--- -*--- -*--- -*--- Kareshi Kanojo no Jijou ---*- --*-- ---** ---*- --**- ---*- K1 Kazemakase Tsukikage Ran ---*- --*-- --*-- --*-- --*-- --**- Key the Metal Idol --*-- ---*- --**- ---*- --**- ---*- Kiki's Delivery Service ---*- ---*- ---*- --*-- --*-- ---*- Kimagure Orange Road ---*- --*-- --**- --**- ---*- --*-- Kino no Tabi (incmp) -*--- -*--- -*--- -*--- -*--- -*--- Kite -*--- --*-- --**- -*--- --*-- -*--- Kodomo no Omocha (TV 1-48) ---*- ---*- --**- ---*- --*-- ---*- Kodomo no Omocha (TV Jr. High Years) --*-- --*-- --*-- --*-- --*-- --*-- Kodomo no Omocha (OVA) -*--- --*-- --*-- --*-- --*-- --*-- Kokoro Toshokan (incmp) --*-- -*--- *---- --*-- -*--- *---- Koutetsu Tenshi Kurumi (TV) --**- --**- --**- --**- --*-- --*-- Koutetsu Tenshi Kurumi (OVA-singles) ---*- --*-- -**-- --**- --*-- --**- Koutetsu Tenshi Kurumi 2-shiki (TV) -**-- -*--- -***- -*--- -*--- *---- Koutetsu Tenshi Kurumi Rei (OVA) ---*- ---*- ---*- --**- --*-- --**- Koutetsu Tenshi Kurumi Pure (incmp) -*--- -*--- LvAct -*--- *---- -*--- Kurogane Communication --*-- --*-- -**-- --*-- --*-- --*-- Animation Runner Kuromi --*-- --*-- --*-- --*-- --*-- -*--- K2 Animation Runner Kuromi 2 ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----------------------------------------- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- Title (L) Charm Clevr Anima Speci Otaku Final ----------------------------------------- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- Lain ---*- ----* -***- ---*- ---*- --**- Lamune&40 ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- Lodoss Wars (OVA) --**- --*-- --**- -*--- --**- --*-- Lodoss Wars (TV) (incmp) --*-- --*-- -***- -*--- --*-- -*--- Lost Universe ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- Love Hina (TV) **--- -*--- ***-- -*--- --*-- *---- L1 Love Hina Spring Special -*--- -*--- -**-- *---- -*--- *---- Love Hina Winter Special *---- *---- -**-- *---- *---- *---- Love Hina Again (OVA) (incmp) -*--- -*--- --*-- --*-- --*-- -*--- L2 Lupin III (TV) (incmp) --**- --**- --*-- --*-- --**- --*-- Lupin III (Castle of Cagliostro) ---*- ---*- --**- ---*- ---*- ---*- ----------------------------------------- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- Title (M) Charm Clevr Anima Speci Otaku Final ----------------------------------------- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- Magical Nyan Nyan Taruto (incmp) -*--- -*--- **--- -*--- -*--- -*--- Mahoromatic (Original) ---*- --**- ---** ---*- ---*- ---*- M1 Mahoromatic II (incmp) -*--- -*--- -*--- -*--- -*--- -*--- Mahoutsukai ni Taisetsu na Koto --**- --*-- -**-- --*-- --*-- --*-- Mahou TsukaiTai (OVA) ---*- ---*- ---** ---*- ---*- ---*- Mahou TsukaiTai (TV) --*-- --*-- -**-- --*-- --*-- -**-- Maison Ikkoku (incmp) --*-- --*-- --*-- --*-- --*-- --*-- Mamono Hunter Yohko ---*- --*-- ---*- ---*- ---*- --**- Mamotte Shugogetten (TV) (incmp) -**-- --*-- --*-- --*-- --*-- -**-- Mamotte Shugogetten (OVA) --**- --*-- --**- --*-- --*-- --*-- Marmalade Boy --*-- -***- --**- --*-- --*-- --*-- Matantei Loki Ragnarok (incmp) -*--- --*-- --*-- --*-- --*-- --*-- Memories Off 2nd (OVA) (incmp) *---- *---- *---- *---- *---- *---- Metropolis --*-- --*-- ---*- --*-- --*-- --*-- Millennium Actress ---*- ---*- ---*- --*-- --*-- ---*- Mimi wo Sumaseba ---*- ---*- ---*- ---*- --*-- ---*- Minky Momo ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- Mizuiro --*-- --*-- ---*- --*-- --*-- --*-- Mizuiro Jidai ---*- --*-- --*-- ---*- --*-- --**- M2 Momoiro Sisters ---*- --*-- --**- --**- --*-- --**- M3 Mononoke Hime --*-- --*-- ---*- --*-- --*-- --*-- Munto -*--- -*--- --*-- --*-- -*--- -*--- ----------------------------------------- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- Title (N) Charm Clevr Anima Speci Otaku Final ----------------------------------------- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- Nadesico (TV) ---*- ---*- --**- ---*- ----* ---*- N1 Nadesico (Movie) ---*- --*-- ----* ---*- ---*- ---*- Nadia --**- ---*- -**** ---*- ----* ---*- N2 Nadia, the Motion Picture -*--- -*--- -*--- -*--- *---- -*--- Nanaka 6/17 ---*- --*-- --**- --*-- --**- --**- Nausicaa ---*- ---*- ---*- ---*- ---*- ----* Nekketsu Saikyou Gouzaurar ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- NieA_7 ----* ---*- ---*- ---*- --*-- ---*- N3 Ninja Mono --*-- --*-- --*-- --*-- --*-- --*-- Noir (incmp) -*--- -*--- --*-- -*--- --*-- -*--- NukuNuku (OVA) ---*- --*-- --**- ---*- --*-- ---*- NukuNuku (TV) (incmp) -*--- -*--- --*-- -*--- --*-- -*--- NukuNuku (Dash) (incmp) -*--- -*--- --*-- -*--- --*-- -*--- ----------------------------------------- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- Title (O-P) Charm Clevr Anima Speci Otaku Final ----------------------------------------- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- Onegai Teacher *---- -*--- --*-- *---- --*-- *---- Otaku no Video ---*- ---*- --**- --*-- ----* --**- Outlaw Star --*-- --*-- -**-- --*-- --*-- --*-- Perfect Blue --*-- ---*- ---*- --*-- --*-- --*-- Pet Shop of Horrors --*-- --*-- -**-- --*-- --*-- --*-- Phantom Hunter Miko -***- -*--- -***- -**-- --*-- -*--- Photon ---*- ---*- ---*- --*-- --*-- --**- Pokemon (incmp) --*-- -*--- --*-- -*--- -*--- -*--- Porco Rosso --**- --**- ---*- --**- --*-- --*-- Princess 9 (incmp) -*--- -*--- -*--- -*--- --*-- -*--- P1 Princess Arete ---*- --*-- ---*- --*-- --*-- --*-- Princess Tutu (First 13 Episodes) ----* ----* ----* ----* ---*- ----* Princess Tutu (Second season) --*-- ---*- --**- --*-- --*-- --*-- P2 ----------------------------------------- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- Title (Q-R) Charm Clevr Anima Speci Otaku Final ----------------------------------------- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- Ranma 1/2 --*-- ---*- --**- --*-- --*-- --*-- Rayearth (TV) -*--- --*-- --*-- --*-- --*-- --*-- Read Or Die --*-- -*--- -*--- --*-- --*-- --*-- R1 Risky Safety ----* ---*- --**- ---*- --*-- ---*- Rizelmine (incmp) --*-- --*-- --*-- --*-- --*-- --*-- Romeo's Blue Skies (incmp) -*--- -*--- --*-- -*--- -*--- -*--- R2 Rurouni Kenshin TV -***- --*-- -***- --*-- --**- -***- R3 Rurouni Kenshin OAV Tsuioku Hen --*-- --*-- ---*- --*-- --*-- --*-- Rurouni Kenshin Movie -*--- -*--- -*--- -*--- -*--- -*--- ----------------------------------------- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- Title (S) Charm Clevr Anima Speci Otaku Final ----------------------------------------- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- Saber Marionette J (TV) ---*- ---*- -***- --**- --*-- --**- Saber Marionette J Again (OVA) --*-- --*-- --*-- -*--- --*-- -*--- Saber Marionette J to X (incmp) -*--- -*--- *---- -*--- -*--- *---- Sailor Moon (Original) ---*- ---*- --**- ---*- --**- --**- Sailor Moon (R - part 1) --*-- --*-- --*-- --*-- --*-- --*-- Sailor Moon (R - part 2) --*-- --*-- --*-- --*-- --*-- --*-- Sailor Moon (R - movie) --*-- --*-- --**- --*-- --*-- --*-- Sailor Moon (S) --*-- --*-- ---*- -*--- --*-- --*-- Sailor Moon (S - movie) -*--- -*--- --*-- -*--- --*-- -*--- Sailor Moon (SuperS) -*--- -*--- -*--- -*--- -*--- -*--- Sailor Moon (SuperS - movie) --*-- -*--- --*-- -*--- -*--- -*--- Sailor Moon (Stars) (incmp) -*--- -*--- --*-- -*--- --*-- --*-- Saishuu Heiki Kanojo (MANGA) --*-- ---*- ----- ----* ----- ---*- Saishuu Heiki Kanojo (ANIME) --*-- --*-- -**-- -**-- --*-- -**-- S1 Sakura Taisen (OVA) --*-- --*-- --**- --*-- --*-- --*-- Sakura Tsuushin ---*- --*-- ---*- ---*- --*-- ---*- Salaryman Kintarou --*-- --*-- ***-- --*-- --*-- --*-- Samurai, Search for the Sword --*-- --*-- --*-- --*-- --*-- --*-- Seikai no Danshou ---*- --*-- --**- ---*- --*-- ---*- Seikai no Monshou ----* ---*- ---*- ----* ---*- ---** S2 Seikai no Senki ---*- ---*- --**- ---*- --*-- ---*- Seikai no Senki II ---*- --*-- --**- ---*- --*-- --**- Sentimental Journey -*--- -*--- -**-- -*--- -*--- -*--- S3 Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakushi ---*- ---*- ---** --*-- --*-- ---*- Shaman King ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- Sherlock Hound (incmp) -*--- -*--- --**- -*--- -*--- -*--- S4 Shiawase-sou no Okojo-san (incmp) --*-- --*-- **--- --*-- --*-- -**-- S5 Shichinin no Nana ---*- --*-- *-*-- ---*- --*-- --*-- Silent Mobius ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- Simpsons, The --*-- ---** -**-- ---*- ----- ---*- Stellar Buster Mito (Original) ---*- ---*- ---*- --*-- ---*- ---*- Stellar Buster Mito 2 --*-- --*-- -*--- --*-- --*-- --*-- Strange Dawn (incmp) --*-- --*-- --*-- --*-- --*-- --*-- Sumeba Miyako no Cosmos sou.... (incmp) ---*- ---*- ----* ---*- ----* ----* ----------------------------------------- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- Title (T) Charm Clevr Anima Speci Otaku Final ----------------------------------------- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- Tales of Eternia ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- Tekkaman Blade ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- Tenchi Muyou OVA ---*- ---*- --**- ---*- ---*- --**- Tenchi Muyou Movie 1 ---*- --**- ---*- ---*- --*-- ---*- Tenchi Muyou Movie 2 -*--- -*--- --*-- -*--- --*-- --*-- Tenchi Muyou Movie 3 *---- -*--- -*--- -*--- --*-- -*--- Tenchi Muyou TV --*-- -*--- --*-- --*-- --*-- --*-- Tenchi Muyou Shin-Tokyo ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- Tenshi na Konamaiki (incmp) ---*- ---*- --**- --*-- --**- --**- Tenshi no Shippo (incmp) -*--- --*-- -**-- -*--- -*--- -*--- Tico of the Seven Seas --*-- -*--- --*-- --*-- --*-- -**-- To Heart ---*- --*-- ----* ----* ---*- ----* T1 Tonari no Totoro ---*- ---*- ---*- ---*- --*-- ---*- Tonari no Yamada-kun ---*- ---*- ---*- --*-- --*-- --**- Top wo Nerae (Gunbuster) --*-- --*-- --*-- --*-- ---*- --*-- Tri-Zenon ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----------------------------------------- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- Title (U-Z) Charm Clevr Anima Speci Otaku Final ----------------------------------------- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- Urusei Yatsura ---*- --*-- -***- --*-- --**- --*-- Utena TV (incmp) --*-- ---*- --**- --*-- --*-- --*-- Utena Movie -*--- *---- --**- *---- -*--- *---- Vandread (1st stage) ---*- ---*- ---*- ---*- ---*- ---*- Vandread (2nd stage) --*-- -*--- -**-- --*-- --*-- -**-- Video Girl Ai ---*- ---*- --**- --**- ---*- --**- Wandaba Style (incmp) --*-- --*-- --*-- --*-- --*-- --*-- With You ---*- --*-- --**- --*-- --*-- --*-- Yamamoto Yohko (incmp) -*--- -*--- --*-- -*--- --*-- -*--- Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou OVA (first) --*-- --*-- --*-- --*-- --*-- --*-- Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou OVA 2 --*-- --*-- -**-- --*-- --*-- --*-- Yume de Aetara (TV) ---*- --*-- --**- ---*- --*-- --**- Yume de Aetara (OVA) ---*- --*-- --*-- --*-- --*-- --**- ----------------------------------------- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- [Comments] * Anyone notice how "Na..." is good? Nadesico/Nadia/Nausicaa.... Misaki(chi) in Angelic Layer says "naa.." a lot, but that doesn't help with the show unfortunately. (B1-Buttobi CPU) On the border-line of hentai and plain ecchi, but it's pretty fun. It also features many respected seiyuu. I do feel kind of sorry for Akira, though. I can't see him living very long while keeping up with all those computers. I counted 9 bio- type PCs Akira's going to have to umm, keep upgrading. Since they need the upgrade every 3 days, that's 3 times per day to keep them all up to date. That's just not possible in my opinion. (C1-Card Captor Sakura) There is absolutely something special about the character Sakura. She is just perfect for the role. (C2-Chobits) The high scores have nothing to do with the anime. It's all about the manga. Anime is a dumbed down, and trivialized version of the wonderful story told in the manga. (E1-Escaflowne) I can see why all kinds of people fall for this anime. It's because it was _designed_ to appeal to many types of people. Heck, I fell for it, too. I thought it was great until I finished the whole thing and thought about it carefully. It is merely a sequences of very carefully crafted story that you WANT to see. They know you want to see those events, so they are giving it to you. I admit that it's a masterful work in the sense of craftiness, but it is _not_ a great anime because that's not what anime is about. Where's the freedom in a designed anime? Minky Momo is great because it was freely created not constructed. Escaflowne is merely a product of engineering more than it is of art. I'm not putting down the artists. I'm putting down the story-writer and maybe even the director. For the record, the music of Escaflowne is very good although I prefer the music of Brain PowerD. (E2-Excel Saga) Standard parody makes fun of other's work. Often it's good for a laugh. If it's done cleverly -- think Nadesico -- it's much more than just laughter. If it's done mindlessly, it may or may not even be good for a laugh. Excel Saga falls somewhere near there. (F1-Fancy Lala) Oomori Reiko-san was just about 14 years old when she voiced Lala (and Miho). Her voice is perhaps the most authentic of the magical girls. As a matter of fact, I will say that the Magical Stage Fancy Lala is the best magical girl genre anime ever created. If you're female and you don't think this show is great, I feel sorry for you and your daughter (if you have one). If you're male and you don't understand why this show is great, I feel sorry for your significant other (assuming that your significant other is female) and your daughter (again assuming you have one). Fancy Lala doesn't make fun of classic magical girl shows like Minky Momo, neither does it try to be like one. Minky Momo was great in its own way because the producers of Minky Momo let their imagination free. The problem is, it was THEIR imagination, not necessarily that of a little girl. Fancy Lala is different. Some of the ideas may be that of older people, but everything is done as interpretations of a young girl. This is one hell of a show and the Japanese DVD set quality does justice for the series. As you can see, it has the highest overall score of any anime I've ever watched! (outdated now) Three "----*"s! A lot of recent anime producers ought to be ashamed of themselves for thinking of nothing but making money out of what should be an art form. Note that even though it has the highest score in my chart, I'd still choose something like "To Heart" over this if I had to pick one simply because I am not a young girl. Heck, I'm not even female, unfortunately. By the way, does anyone know if the director (Oomori Takahiro) is related in any way to Oomori Reiko? If he was Reiko's father, I would think that it makes more sense why this show came out to be so great. (Update: From reading the booklet, it doesn't seem so.) Also, Reiko-san was 13 when she started according to the booklet. Finally, I see people saying certain negative things about this show. Frankly, it's your own dirty minds that are giving you moral problems. (F2-Futari H) After reading 4 volumes of manga, I expected to hate the anime. Unfortunately, I ordered the DVD before I got to read the manga, so I had no choice. It turned out to be pretty good. It's kind of unusual for anime based on manga to be better than the manga it is based on, but I'm not complaining. Animation quality is very high. Of course, it'd better be at that price. (H1-Hoshi no Koe) There's no doubt about the amount of working put into creating this thing when you consider the fact that one person created practically the whole thing. However, my rating doesn't care about that fact. Space scenes and certain scenery shots are extremely well done. Character animation is amateur, however. I actually like his previous short work (Kanojo to Kanojo no Neko) more. (I1-Iketeru Futari) Like love comedy type anime? Forget Ranma. Forget UY. Don't even _think_ about Love Hina. This is more fun. And it doesn't cost a fortune, either. (I2-Infinite Ryvius) There are quite a few flaws in this series, but it's got such a great character development and interactions. This is the kind of thing that sets anime apart from other entertainment medium. Actually, as I watch it again, I find very few character development! It's more of how characters show their true selves than how they develop. It is truly scary to think about what makes people tick. (K1-Kareshi Kanojo no Jijou) Hideaki-san is a fantastic director. I happened to be the type of audience that he was aiming for when he did "Kare Kano." I wasn't the right type of audience for "Evangelion" nor "Anime Ai no AwaAwa Hour." Unless you're a wishy-washy type of person, I doubt you'd love any more than 2 of Hideaki-san's works. (K2-Animation Runner Kuromi) Other than the fact that it tries to describe how anime is made, it is not really anything like an anime. It's cartoonish and I even consider it an insult to the hard-working and rarely recognized animators. Perhaps that's why they're making more. To recognize the animators. We'll see. (L1-Love Hina TV) Sloppy animation (except for few episodes), stupid and pointless story, and it costs an arm and a leg. If you really must have it, get DVD #1, #2, #5 (for the Otona episode), and #7 (for the Doll episode). Winter Special is the monument of mediocrity! Spring Special is just plain stupid. (L2-Love Hina OVA) Animation has become simpler, but less sloppy. On the other hand, I wouldn't dare say good things about it just yet. After all, I didn't realize how terrible it was until after seeing more than a few episodes. I applaud Mike Toole for recognizing the mediocrity in Love Hina TV after only seeing the first few episodes. (M1-Mahoromatic) I'm very surprised with myself. I was expecting myself to hate it. They did a wonderful job. (M2-Mizuiro Jidai) This relatively unknown series is actually pretty well known because it has more than one differing titles. It was known as "Aqua Age" and then as "Blue Green Years." "To Heart" draws from it a bit, but two shows are complete inverse of each other in that one is very active about everything whereas the other is completely passive about everything. "To Heart" is definitely better done because its passiveness lets the viewer be immersed in one's own emotions instead of emotions forced upon him/her. Then again, Mizuiro Jidai isn't really forceful about anything either. It is not spectacular in any way, but as one of the precursors of "slice of life" show, it deserves that 4* rating from me. There were other "slice of life" type shows before, but I can't think of anything that was so ... normal and totally unexaggerated, which in itself is something special. Even "To Heart" is far from "normal" with magic and robots and so forth. All in all, it's a must for anyone who wants to see a childhood so average that it makes you think of one's own. (M3-Momoiro Sisters) There are some absolutely great moments in this anime. "Mr. Bob!" One of Neya-san's best roles, IMO. (N1-Nadesico) I'm constantly amazed at people who think "Nadesico" is just a parody anime. Heck, there're even people who say it's just a slapstick comedy. These days, less and less people who understand the beauty of "Nadesico" post on the anime-on-dvd forum when the topic comes up. And I don't blame them. I stopped bothering with it, too. It's their loss. (N2-Nadia) I can totally feel the otaku dedication from the series except during some of the island episodes. Actually, the problem is more on the episodes following the island episodes. Hideaki Anno, the otaking! I love the amount of care that went into animating this series. (N3-NieA_7) I bet this series wouldn't be well received by the general American audience. In the best case, it'd be liked, not loved. I can totally understand. If I were born in this country and raised like other middle-class kids, I may not see the beauty in this anime. I can never be sure about things like that though. (P1-Princess Nine) I've never been a sports anime fan. (P2-Princess Tutu 2nd Season) This is a tough one, but to be very frank, the second season has almost nothing that makes it stand out amongst hundreds of other anime that comes out. Some of the most beautiful background shots are the ones created for the first season and then simply reused, so I couldn't give it 5-stars. Newly created images aren't nearly as good as the ones created for the first season. The story is somewhat intriguing, but what made the original so special was that it was a fairytale to the core with just a hint of ideas to help the viewers think a bit more about the story. Second season breaks the image of the fairytale. And I figured out the secret about Tutu's pendant way too early. See my "Princess Tutu DVD 4" review. Regardless of whether I figured it out early or not, I think the whole ending could've been handled better. The only thing I like about it is the fact that Ruu got a happy ending. Heck, even that is just a personal thing. I just wanted Nana-chan's character to be happy. (R1-Read Or Die) I would've given it --*-- for animation if it were any other anime, but at the kind of cost ($50 per 30 minutes), it barely even gets -*---. (R2-Romeo's Blue Skies) I feel sorry for the Japanese kids who watch this and think that the world is like the way they present it in this show. Their lives will be ruined if they think that. (R3-Rurouni Kenshin) This is a great series except around the big battle against Shishio, which is ridiculous. I just said it's a great series, right? It's not a great anime. It's an okay to pretty good anime. It's a damn good series, though. Are you getting what I'm trying to say? (S1-Saishuu Heiki Kanojo) Congrats to Orikasa Fumiko-san for her new main role. On the other hand, the anime is pretty terrible, especially when compared to the manga. (S2-Seikai no Monshou - Crest of the Stars) Spectacular! 13 episodes of introduction!!! (S3-Sentimental Journey) Sentimental my a$@! (S4-Sherlock Hound) I bought all of it, but it's (incomplete) because I don't want to bother watching it. It's too boring. It feels like something Disney (in the old days) would come up with. (S5-Shiawase-sou no Okojo-san) One word, ridiculous----ly funny. I actually know a lot about ferrets. I used to have two. The only reason I don't have one (or two, or three, or ...) is because I've decided never to get another one until I am truly ready for one. That means living in my own house with enough time and money to really take care of one. (T1-To Heart) "To Heart" is so full of emotionally rich scenes, it makes me feel so warm and fuzzy. That was the intent of the creators and it truly is an incredible work of art. I wanted to count distinct frames whenever there are subtle emotional scenes. Then, I gave up! There are way too many distinct frames! They don't change much, but they're all distinct! Just watch the scene where Akari opens up the ticket and sees #18 (getting her the seat next to Hiroyuki) frame-by-frame.