Ano Natsu De Matteru / Waiting in the Summer Anime Review

Ano Natsu De Matteru Score: 9.3/10

INTRODUCTION & SYNOPSIS

Ano Natsu De Matteru is a 12 episode (1 OVA ep) series that released in 2012. The series is basically an updated/ slightly different version of an anime called Onegai Teacher (circa 2002) – or so I’ve heard. I’ve never seen Onegai Teacher myself; thus, I will be judging it as a stand-alone anime. Ano Natsu De Matteru, or Waiting in the Summer is, in my opinion, a brilliant anime that deserves a second season. You will laugh, cry, and be emotionally invested in each of the character’s pursuits.

Our story begins with the young and quiet freshman, Kaito. Kaito lives alone with his older sister, as both of his parents are deceased. He digs up an old video camera and begins to film a bit to cure his boredom. As he pans across the town’s tree-scape, a bright flashing light envelops the sky! A mysterious and near-fatal explosion occurs, leaving Kaito falling through the air. As he wakes up for school the next day, he can’t help but wonder - was it all just a dream? He has no signs of injury.. With the emergence of a new transfer student with bright orange hair and blue eyes, Kaito becomes side-tracked from the matter. Ichika (the transfer student) quickly receives the attention of Kaito and his group of friends with her striking looks. They decide to invite her to be in their movie they plan to make over summer, and she accepts! Through twists in turns (and classic anime plot), Ichika ends up staying with Kaito for the summer, while his older sister is on business in Bolivia. The summer is to be filled with movie making fun! However, Kaito starts to notice interesting/ strange things about Ichika that connect her to the flash of light and explosion from before...

PROS

The first pro that comes to mind, are the characters. Each character is love-able and unique in their own way. Kaito’s group of friends include his best guy bud Tetsuro who helps him win over Ichika, and two girls Kanna and Mio. Kanna is a tom boy who is really into Kaito, while Mio is a shy girl with feelings for Tetsuro. The web gets even more complicated, so I won’t go into it. With such a mix of boys and girls – you know there’s got to be some juicy love octagons! I feel it was quite well done though. The female lead Ichika, who is a year older than the freshman bunch, befriends Lemon-Senpai in her class. Lemon-Senpai is by far my favorite character as she plays the catalyst, putting the characters in situations to create fun and exciting romantic development. She has lots of funny moments, and as a standing joke does a creepy laugh whenever she is mixing things up “U-hu-hu-hu-hu.” > . < Also, Ichika has a space pet named Rinon who is super adorable and has lots of funny little scenes! 

Next for pros: the development of Kaito and Ichika’s relationship. By far, one of the best romantic developments I’ve ever seen! Nothing feels forced, and their relationship seems real and is super heart-warming. Number one cutest anime couple in this universe. I say universe, because as it’s revealed from the very beginning to the audience – Ichika is an alien! Which brings me to another pro, the comedy. The comedy in this anime is so well done and balanced perfectly with the story’s other elements. Some of the funnier moments include irony and reveals. For example, Ichika is an alien and they end up making a movie where the lead female is an alien... so they are essentially making a movie about what is really happening without knowing it. Ichika also has an intense fear of the “Men in Black,” which was really funny. Especially when it’s later found out that the “Men in Black” really exist! (in this anime world at least) However, as I said previously, the comedy is evenly mixed with the other elements. Other elements being pulling at your heart strings so much. Be prepared to shed some tears in this one. Your happiness can be taken away quickly just when you think things will turn out one way, things can change!

Lastly for pros, Ano Natsu de Matteru has brilliant animation and music. I have zero complaints about any song on the soundtrack or the way it was animated. In particular, the ending theme is really beautiful. The character designs are also stand out and different from what I've seen in other anime. 10/10 art and music. Also, the Japanese voice acting was very well done.

CONS

This anime, as you may be able to tell from the score, has very little cons. However, there is one thing in particular that forced me to take the score down slightly. The OVA episode. The OVA episode really brings nothing to the table aside from despair. It's practically the same as looking at pictures of your ex boyfriend/girlfriend. Not worth it. They just depressingly take a hop back through memory lane. Additionally the main female protagonist isn't even really in the episode!

Lastly for cons, I think anyone would agree, this series NEEDS a second season! There is so much more to explore with this concept, and I wallowed in a depression once finding out that there wasn't one (especially after that horridly sad OVA episode).

FINAL THOUGHTS

All and all, this series is very well done. A near masterpiece, in my opinion. Although, I wish for another season; I think they did extremely well for the twelve episodes they were given. I would definitely recommend anyone to watch this series so I hope you'll check it out!

Inu X Boku SS (Secret Service) Anime Review

INU X BOKU SS SCORE: 9.5

INTRODUCTION & SYNOPSIS

Inu x Boku SS or Inu x Boku Secret Service (12 episodes + 1 OVA) is one of the better anime I have seen in a long time. I have been looking for something, specifically, with comedy, a fresh take on romance, a unique story, and clean art style - this is that anime to a T. One thing I want to clear up before delving into it's premise is the type of show that this is. Most everywhere I have seen this show talked about, it is told that this is a shonen and sometimes it's depicted as a reverse harem. This show is neither of those. I would sooner classify it as a shoujo, since it's main themes are drama and romance, and it's certainly not a reverse harem. None of the other male characters are romantically interested in the female lead aside from the one male lead. So, if you were hoping for an action packed shonen or a reverse harem, keep looking!

The story follows high school age Miss Ririchiyo Shirakiin, part of the elite Shirakiin family who posess yokai powers. On episode one, her elite living quarters are introduced, a modernly styled tower with everything one could ever need - this is the main setting of the show and what everything revolves around. Very few residents stay at this mansion, as it is especially for those with powers and is protected by a force-field. Each of the residents have their very own secret service member that has powers as well. Miss Ririchiyo does not have a secret service member until she is approached at her door by an overly obedient gentleman, Mikitsukami, who begs to be able to serve her. 

What's most interesting about this show is that the powers and unique characters are all kind of just a side plot. The true story lies within the connection between Mikitsukami and Miss Ririchiyo. I can't say more about it, to avoid spoiling it for you. However, it's very good the way it all comes together if you can have patience to see it all finally revealed. 

PROS

As you can probably tell from my rating, this show mostly has positive aspects. First, it goes without saying, the animation and soundtrack are superb. The opening theme for this show is amazing, and I even downloaded it. I love the sound effect that happens on the commercial break sections - just perfect! All of the scenes were relaxing and serene, and the character designs were excellent. Speaking of characters, all of the characters were really quirky and unique, which added a lot of enjoyment to the show. Even very small side characters had distinct personalities; not one character came off as flat or uninteresting. The two side characters I enjoyed the most were Karuta and Watanuki. Karuta is an adorable girl with candy pink hair who is always off in the clouds with a vacant expression eating food. Watanuki, is a blonde boy with striking blue eyes who constantly trains to try and impress Karuta; even though he can never be stronger/ braver than her, she loves him the way he is.

Moving on to our two main characters, Mikitsukami and Miss Ririchiyo. I can't say a lot about Mikitsukami without ruining the plot, but let's just say... he is in fact a very interesting character. He turns into a nine tailed fox Yokai when defending his mistress, his normal character is designed as a dreamy Bishounen character with one golden eye and one sea blue eye. For the first half of the series his overlying character traits are extreme attention to detail, and over obedience. He appears very mysterious and polite to the audience as well as Miss Ririchiyo, but has an interesting back story that is revealed at the end describing his connection to and reason for being so attached to her. Miss Ririchiyo on the other hand, is a small loli style character with a cool attitude. When using her powers she has wings and small horns. She comes off as sarcastic and rude, but she instinctively acts this way, while feeling differently inside. Some might classify her as a tsundere, but if she is one, she is a much more played down version of one - seeing as she isn't feisty really. She is a mature and logical thinker, and it's fun to watch her accidentally fall for Mikitsukami. For the first half of the show, she truly believes she has an "irregular heartbeat" that needs to be checked out because of the way he makes her feel.

Lastly, for pros, the comedy and drama in this show are really well done and balanced. A lot of people don't categorize this as comedy, but I found it really funny! Especially the OVA episode, I was cracking up. As for the drama, none of it felt melodramatic; I enjoyed watching it play out and the mysteries beneath being revealed. I felt like the show had a lot of interesting content going on.

CONS

There really aren't a lot of cons with this one in my opinion. The only thing I can say is that I wish it had a second season so, so much. I don't think there is any plans for one though, so that's disappointing. I'm considering reading the source material for this because I really enjoyed the characters, which brings me to the next con. I wish there was more screen time for some of the side characters, but with a twelve episode show it's to be expected. 

Lastly for cons, I want to state that this show might not be for everyone. I loved it, but I understand that some people may find it boring or to niche for their tastes. I can't really point out why, but I think that will be the case for some people with this series.

FINAL THOUGHTS

I will always look back on this show with fond memories, Inu X Boku SS was stand out and highly enjoyable. I have awarded this show a 9.5 out of 10! If you think it would suit your fancy from my description above, I think you should watch it right now! There is a solid English Dub, for dub fans, and it's only 12 episodes - what do you have to lose?!  

Toradora! Anime Review

TORADORA! SCORE: 8.75

INTRODUCTION & SYNOPSIS

Toradora! is one of the more popular school life rom/com anime, and one of the first I viewed due to its presence in the community. Needless to say, it was quite hyped to me before watching it, so I remained on my guard and critical. Nonetheless, I found it to be quite the enjoyable anime. It follows some classic tropes such as the beach/pool episode, the tsundere female lead, and the fact that it’s set in high school of course, yet still its unique non-trope qualities seemed to overpower that…

Our story begins with a boy named Riuji. His prominent characteristics include being a neat-freak, being an excellent cook, and… looking like a criminal. That’s right folks, sweet and kind Riuji has the looks of a criminal, making for great comedic scenes. When he walks outside people even hand him their wallets and run away screaming! He lives across from, and goes to school with, a short, but feisty flat-chested girl (yes, I just described a tsundere) named Taiga or the “pom-top Taiga.” What’s clever about her, is that despite looking like a cute little doll, she is actually a foul-mouthed girl with a ton of rage. Do you see what they did there? So we have a boy that looks evil but is nice, and a girl that looks sweet but is actually bitter. What begins our plot is when the two end up discovering a deep dark secret about the other. Riuji has a huge crush on Taiga’s best friend Minori, and Taiga has a big crush on Riuji’s best friend Yusaku. Due to this, they decide to make a pact to help each other out with their love interests. The four end up frequently hanging out, the group later to include Yusaku’s childhood friend turned popular model Ami. The five get into fun antics, try out comedic flirtations, create love triangles, and develop friendships. The story focuses on Tyga and Riuji’s perspectives, and through twists and turns of events the two discover their true feelings.

PROS

This show has many things to commend. First, role-reversal. This is a shining quality of the anime that gets pulled off well. The stark contrast between Tyga and Riuji’s personalities is what makes them so dynamic and fun to watch interact. When an anime’s characters are done wrong, the main characters come off as stereotypical and the side characters seem more interesting; however, here it’s just the opposite. Taiga and Riuji are the most interesting thing about the show, which is great because they are our main focal point. Any episode that center-stages one of them or their relationship together was a great episode.

Another surprising, yet good thing that this anime installed into its series is the use of parent child relationships. The vast majority of time, parents are not around, we have no idea why, and yeah let’s just ignore it because it’s not real life anyway! Contrastingly, In Toradora they actually took the time to give stories to the parents, giving us at least an understanding of why the parents aren’t there. We get to understand, and even see firsthand, why Taiga lives alone, and why Riuji lives only with his mom. Riuji’s mom is even in the series quite a bit, mostly as comic relief, but hey, we’re getting somewhere; high schoolers should probably have parents, right?

Lastly, I really enjoyed the latter half of the series. Many people say the first half was best saying the last half got too dramatic, but I can't understand why. That’s what I loved the most about Toradora. We get to see the character development put to the test when drama happens, will the audience feel the dilemma and care? I certainly did. To go along with the more dramatic second half came the most amazing track: Lost my Pieces. It’s a beautiful and sad song that fit the sadder mood to perfection. The rest of the music in the series was average, but I do remember really enjoying the ending theme. As for animation? It passes. I especially loved the way the Christmas episode was animated. They stepped it up to create a more special feeling for the episode, and because of that it was definitely my favorite episode of them all.

CONS

As for cons, I think I will start with a character con: Minori. Minori, Riuji’s crush and Taiga’s best friend, is just plain irritating. I didn’t like her character at all, I couldn’t understand what Riuji saw in her, and she was so unrealistic. Towards the end when she had some sort of emotions coming out for Riuji, I just plain didn’t care at all. She had some funny moments, but I feel that the amount of time spent on her was a total waste. Same for Taiga’s love interest, he was pretty one-dimensional, and when they tried to give him some depth it either seemed forced or confusing.  Ami was the only alright side character in the group, but in the beginning I kept confusing her with the student council president – their character designs were way too similar.

Additionally, because the first half wasn’t near as good as the second you may want to drop the series after the first few episodes- but don’t! It is worth it, my romantic drama fans. However, I will say that the ending disappointed me a little. It started going down this over the top path, and then all of a sudden it took a turn for the lack-luster. I don’t know how to explain it, but I was not satisfied and wish they could have took a happy medium route with the amount of whelm it had.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Toradora! is a highly enjoyable anime, and a rom/com fan’s delight. The lead characters were very unique and interesting with a relationship dynamic enough to be worth a watch. It’s considered a “classic” amongst rom/com anime lovers and I certainly agree. All and all, weighing the pros and cons I give it a solid 8.75 out of 10. Although it’s suffering from flat side characters and a somewhat unfocused ending, there are too many positive things about it for me to not recommend you see it! It even has a great English dub for the dub fans out there.

Watched on: www.dubs2go.com

Honey and Clover Anime Review

HONEY & CLOVER SCORE: 10.0

INTRODUCTION & SYNOPSIS

Honey & Clover is a slice of life (comedy/drama/romance) anime with characters that over time unveil their inner feelings and backgrounds, peaking your interest to hear more about the next character until it all finally comes full circle to create a masterpiece. If you want to laugh, to cry, to root for something, and above all else, to feel something, Honey & Clover is the anime for you.

Our story begins in a College for the Arts in Tokyo, where a boy who is trying to find his way in life, Yuta, resides on campus with his two roommates, the zany and mysterious Shinobou and the reliable and persistent Takumi. One day, their favorite professor Shuji brings a family friend to the Art School to get her out of the countryside to explore her brilliant artistic tallent. Her name is Hagu. Instantly, Yuta and Shinobou fall for her creating a little bit of a love triangle as the story rolls out; more characters are introduced to create even more fun, drama, and romantic webs. The story follows the group of friends from freshman year to graduation as they grow together and become who they are going to be.

PROS

This anime is amazing at portraying life, and that’s its stand-out quality throughout. From start to finish, the characters share moments and make memories together in a realistic fashion that creates a genuine feel to the anime. It’s this sincerity that made me so invested in the characters dilemmas and in their hearts. Speaking of, the characters are brilliant. All of them blend together perfectly to make for a funny, smart, and earnest cast. My favorite characters were Shuji and Shinobu. Shuji is the most selfless and genuine character I have ever seen in an anime. The way he cares for Hagu, and takes her in so that she can go to school in the city and develop her talents is amazing. He cares about all of the characters, and acts as a voice of reason as they try to find their way in life.  Shinobu, in great contrast, is the most over the top, hilarious, yet mysterious characters I have ever seen in an anime. For pretty much the entire anime we have absolutely no idea what he does for a living, but he is super loaded (sort of like Barney in How I Met your Mother). He disappears for weeks at a time and comes back with tons of cash in his pockets, dead tired, and passes out. It’s truly comical to see him try and make money off of anything he can and all of his wacky antics. On the flip side, how he acts around Hagu is much different and it’s really intriguing to see that as well.

While the characters were all amazing, what carries this anime for me are the stories and how they weave together. I loved how each character’s background was fully fleshed out, so we get to understand why they are the way they are. The anime even had excellent timing; knowing the order of which stories to reveal when, building in intrigue and saving the juiciest details for last. Speaking of, the ending. The ending blew my mind, and I didn’t expect it at all. I did not see these two characters ending up together at any time throughout, but when it happened, it all became clear. It was so beautiful and well done, yet in a realistic way. I loved that Honey & Clover stayed true to its tone throughout the entire anime. Many anime of this genre will completely change the tone at the end of the series and come out of left field in a bad way, or the ending will be all too predictable. On the contrary, I never knew what was going to happen in Honey & Clover and stayed interested the whole time. The characters remained true to their core and I can’t say enough good things about it.

Additionally, the animation was welcoming and artistic as you would expect for an anime set place in an art school; they really nailed the changes in animation for dramatic and comedic moments. I also thoroughly enjoyed the musical score of this anime, it was kind of indie and that fit the tone just right. I’ve never heard that style of music in an anime, so it really stood out to me.

FINAL THOUGHTS

I didn’t have any serious or minor cons for this anime. I became enthralled in the story and it ended perfectly.  I’m sorry I couldn’t say too much about the storyline, but it would spoil the experience for anyone who hasn’t seen it yet. I would recommend anyone go watch it, especially if you are college age, I guarantee it will speak to you as it includes themes that people at this age go through of unrequited love, being lost in life, and more. Honey & Clover is a 10 out of 10; I highly recommend you check it out!

Watched on: dubs2go.net

Kaichou wa Maid-Sama! Anime Review

KAICHOU WA MAID-SAMA! SCORE: 8.5

INTRODUCTION & SYNOPSIS

Maid-Sama! is an adorable, funny, and romantic shoujo rom/com anime that I thoroughly enjoyed. While watching a sweet and dynamic relationship kindle, we explore maid cafes, high school life, and interesting characters in comedic fashion.

We start out at Seika High. Once an all-boys high school, Seika has recently become co-ed; however, boys still mainly run the school until Misaki becomes student body president! Misaki is ruthless against the boys and protects the minority population of girls, while trying to boost the female admission numbers for Seika. All of the boys believe she is a manly ball-buster until one day three trouble-makers find out Misaki's secret... She works at a Maid Cafe! Maid Cafe's are a place where girls are dressed as cute maids to greet and serve their "masters" drinks and food - very out of character for the Misaki they know. One of the popular boys at Seika, Takumi Usui, finds out her secret too, but rather than exposing her, Usui keeps her to himself by regularly visiting the cafe and developing a relationship with her.

PROS

Starting off with the obvious, Maid-Sama! had great animation and unique character designs; animated in a natural shoujo style with a welcoming feel inviting you in to enjoy the world of Maid-Sama! I loved the anime's use of chibi versus detailed animation styles to create comedic and serious moments; this worked brilliantly. The musical score was also well done and be-fitting of the anime. The ending themes really stood out to me as I enjoyed them both. 

Not only did the characters look good, but they all had unique traits and lively personalities that created a dynamic and hilarious cast. The three boys from Misaki's high school that know she works at a Maid Cafe and visit her frequently were super entertaining to watch, and I loved how they would fawn over and fight for Miaski's attention; I also loved how anytime they could get their hands on money they would spend it all right away at the Maid Cafe. My other favorite side character was Aoi. Aoi is the owner of the Maid Cafe's nephew who cross-dresses as a girl; she is internet famous as a beautiful lolly and idolized by many unknowing male characters for comedic effect. Finally for characters, the most important part, our two leads: Misaki and Usui. They nailed it. Their relationship was dynamic, funny, intimate, and a perfect contrast. Usui is smooth and loyal always staying by Misaki's side even through her tsundere ways. Misaki is rough and constantly in denial of her feelings, yet truly cares for her "Stupid Usui!" I completely bought their relationship and got so excited at every moment they shared.

Lastly, my personal favorite thing about this anime is it's underlying theme and setting. I didn't know much about maid cafes until I saw this, and it's a really unique and cool concept that just doesn't exist in the West. I love when I can learn interesting things about Japanese culture from anime, and Maid-Sama! does this well. 

CONS

I have a few cons for this anime, but they aren't too bad as it nailed all of the major criteria for a good rom/com. First, I have a small personal gripe about one of the animated quirks they would do for comedic effect: sweating when nervous. For some reason, the way the sweat was drawn it looked like the character had lots of pimples or an uneven face, and it just bothered me. Next, one of the episodes had nothing to do with anything. One episode towards the latter half of the show was super unrelated and unnecessary - you'll know what I mean when you see it. Lastly for cons, I just wish I could have seen a continuation of episodes with Misaki and Usui actually together. Just like many romance anime, we don't even see them kiss until the last episode and then it's over. I enjoyed the slow build of their romance, but I'd like more episodes to kind of see more of the pay off. 

Okay, I lied, there is one more thing. This didn't really bother me too much, but I could see it bothering a fair few. Towards the very end of the series, a character from Misaki's childhood is introduced to create a melodramatic and unnecessary love triangle. The reason I don't mind it is because I feel like it helps Misaki realize how she feels, but one could argue the anime would be better without it as the ending is quite obvious from episode one.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Kaichou wa Maid-Sama! maid me laugh out loud and say "awweee how cute" the whole way through. I would definitely recommend it to any rom/com fan. Because I truly enjoyed this show - I give Maid-Sama an 8.5 out of 10! The flaws that existed just didn't bother me/ didn't detract from the show, and I think anyone with a heart would find the relationship sweet as pie! 

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Watched on: Dubs2go.com

Ouran Highschool Host Club Anime Review

OURAN HIGHSCHOOL HOST CLUB SCORE: 9.25

INTRODUCTION & SYNOPSIS

A bit of forewarning, Ouran Highschool Host Club is an anime that I absolutely loved every minute of, and it may be difficult for me to find a lot of fault in it since it is (in my opinion) one of the best rom/com anime I have ever seen. The anime made me laugh out loud, feel great bonds between characters, and just gave me this inexplainable pleasant feeling the whole way through. I was probably sitting there with a stupid smile on my face every time I was watching it because I enjoyed the characters and situations they would get into so much. 

Our story begins with Haruhi Fujioka, a poor and tom-boyish girl who tests her way into an extravagant high school for only the wealthiest students - Ouran Academy. Amazed by its size and grandeur, Haruhi looks for a quiet place to study. She opens up the door to an abandoned music room, shortly thereafter she knocks over an extremely expensive vase. At that, six handsomely dressed boys appear to introduce themselves as the "Ouran Highschool Host Club." Because Haruhi has knocked over their vase, she must join the Host Club to repay her debts. In case you didn't know, a host club is a place in Japan that young women go to be served tea and food by handsome men, and to receive personal attention such as being smiled at, listened to, and talked to. So, herein lies the issue, Haruhi has been mistaken for a boy! Shortly after, the boys all find out that Haruhi is a girl, but have her continue to dress as a boy and work at the host club - comedic situations ensue.

Many episodes open with a great description that will set the scene for you:

"Only those with excellent social standing, and those from filthy rich families, are lucky enough to spend their time here, at the elite, private school, Ouran Academy. The Ouran Host Club is where the schools handsomest boys with too much time on their hands, entertain young ladies who also have way too much time on their hands. Just think of it as Ouran Academy's elegant playground for the super rich and beautiful."

PROS

Stand out best part about the anime: The characters. Every character was lovable and intersting, and they all had unique back stories that brought them to the host club. First, there's the twins Hikaru and Kaoru. They are both energetic and fun characters with an emotional backstory involving the fact that no one can tell them a part. Then we have Mori and Honey Senpai. Honey Senpai is one of my favorite characters; he plays the "lolly" type, and I love the fact that he gave up being a badass to eat cake and sugar all day. Mori Senpai is his best friend who carries him around all the time. Then we have our main male character Tamaki. Tamaki is the French ladies man of the group who can't seem to put the charms on Haruhi. I love how we get to see the depth in his character in the later episodes and how he banded together the Host Club. Lastly, as the narrator of the show and the manager of the Host Club, we have Kyoya. He's the cool type that cares deep down, and is always looking out for the club. All of the boys have episodes and moments with our main girl Haruhi, like in any reverse harem, but this one does it in such an enjoyable and comedic way that is not too often seen. I love that they didn't take the stereotypical route of a happy, sweet, girlish lead with no personality, but instead made her a hard-to-get tom-boy who isn't charmed by anyone's appearance. It contrasted really well with all of the guys personalities.

Another big pro for this anime was its comedy. Most of the comedic elements just worked brilliantly in my opinion. I was always laughing and enjoying myself from episode to episode. I think one of the funniest situations was when all of the boys met Haruhi's dad; I won't ruin the surprise, but it was a crack up. I also found Haruhi and Tamaki's relationship to be really enjoyable and fun; when they were interacting with each other, I was always laughing.

Something else that I didn't expect, but really enjoyed was the setting and atmosphere. The extravagant academy is somewhere I think everyone would dream of going and it lets you live vicariously through Haruhi; seeing her get the chance to be surrounded by all these amazing things and experiences.

Finally, The animation had a welcoming and light-hearted Shojou feel that I loved. It was simple, yet detailed, and at the same time completely natural. The voice acting for the English Dub really added to this anime, Funimation did a superb job with the casting. To go along with that, the sound tracks all complimented the anime well, and the opening theme song really grew on me!

CONS

I do not have many negative things to say about this anime because I think it did it's job really well. I will say that the ending was slightly over dramatized and didn't match the tone of the rest of the anime; however, I was still satisfied enough with the ending. I know it's difficult to pull off a perfect ending to a light hearted comedy, so I can't knock it down too much. My last gripe is that it kind of creeped me out when the twins were pretending to be romantic partners for the girls at the Host Club, but I found it a little quirky and funny as time went on. 

FINAL THOUGHTS

I really enjoyed Ouran Highschool Host Club; it was easy to watch, I didn't have to think too much, I was consistently laughing, and it had a welcoming vibe that I loved. Flaws were few and far between, leaving me with an overall score of 9.25 out of 10. I would recommend you watch Ouran Highschool Host Club!

Watched on: Dubs2go.net (free source)

Fruits Basket Anime Review

FRUITS BASKET SCORE: 9.00 

INTRODUCTION & SNYOPSIS

Fruits Basket is one of the most serene, comical, and just plain adorable animes I have ever seen. This anime cheered me up every time I watched it. The story revolves around the cheeriest, kindest, and sweetest anime character of all time - Tohru Honda. Although she has recently lost her mother and is living with her grandfather, she remains bright and spirited. When her grandfather's home becomes a renovation and construction zone she ends up residing in a tent out in the abandoned woods. These woods end up not being so abandoned after all when a popular boy from her school Yuki Sohma and his older girl-crazy brother Shigure find Tohru while wandering about outside their house one day. They offer her to stay in their home so she is not left out in the open, and Tohru becomes their housemaid in exchange. Shortly thereafter the fierce and disgruntled Kyo Sohma is sent to Sohma House too, to live there against his will. So we have sweet Tohru living with the three Sohma boys Yuki, Kyo, and Shigure... but it doesn't stop there. 

As it would turn out, every member of the Sohma family is cursed to turn into whatever zodiac animal they are when they come into physical contact with a member of the opposite sex who is outside of the Sohma bloodline. Yuki is the rat, Shigure is the dog, and Kyo is the cat. Because the cat isn't a part of the original zodiac due to a legendary trick played by the rat, Yuki and Kyo are sworn enemies. Due to this family rivalry, Yuki and Kyo begin fighting and consequently stumble into Tohru causing her to find out about the shocking curse in comical order. The show focuses on the emotional back stories of different members of the Sohma family along with possible budding romances between Yuki and Kyo with Tohru through comical and fun adventures in Shoujo fashion.

PROS

Starting off with animation and music, both pass with flying colors. The animation's simplistic style fits the tone perfectly, and it switches up to match comedic moments well. The music is so soothing and relaxing, putting you in the mood to watch Fruits Basket. The voice acting was also very well done (Eng Dub).

The characters are the life force of this anime; they are all very likable and the kind of people you want to see interact. Even if they are just hanging out at home - it's fun to see. Tohru with her overly sweet nature, Shigure always singing about "High school girls, High school girls!" and Kyo acting kind of like a male tsundere. Even the side-characters were lovable, particularly Momiji Sohma; he has a really sad back story that makes you fall in love with him even more later in the series. There is one episode where they all go to a bath house and he sings the most adorable song - "Who's in the forest strolling? The birds and the bees sing Momiji."

Additionally, the love triangle between Tohru, Kyo and Yuki was really well done. It was entertaining, funny, and a mystery. Kyo was my favorite; if I could date an anime character it would probably be Kyo. Him and Tohru had the better connection of the two, and you really felt like he needed Tohru; they complimented each other. However, I had no idea who she would end up with, and by the end.. well we will get to that in the cons. 

Lastly, I want to applaud Fruits Basket for being an anime that everyone can enjoy. Even though it's shoujo, I think guys would still like this anime if they like romance or comedy genres.

CONS

While I didn't have many complaints, I do have one major one: The ending. Now, the ending is not terrible, it's actually quite good. There is great emotional climax and secrets unveiled/ questions answered - everything you could ask for in an ending right? Wrong. This anime is in the romance genre and their was a prominent love triangle in the story; while yes, you could make your guess as to who she ends up with, and I'm pretty sure she ends up with this person.. we just don't know for certain. It's ambiguous. Even though she helped this one guy with his struggle and ran after him, the way the last scenes are it's like everything is as it always is - she doesn't appear to be with him or not with him. Simply put, I would love to see another season of this although I know it's not happening.

My last con is a character named Akito Sohma. He is the leader of the Sohmas, and he is a complete jerk. He sits holed up in this dark room and hurts the characters we all love so much with no reason and no resolution. I feel like the anime would have been fine without his inclusion.

FINAL THOUGHTS

All and all, this anime is highly enjoyable. It made me laugh, feel its emotion, it cheered me up and relaxed me all at the same time. I loved how it wasn't overly Shoujo, and I wish I could watch more. Therefore, I give Fruits Basket a 9 out of 10, a near perfect anime with minimal flaws.

Watched on: www.dubs2go.net (free source)

Nagi-Asu: A Lull in the Sea (Nagi No Asukara) - Anime Review

NAGI NO ASUKARA SCORE: 9.5

INTRODUCTION & SYNOPSIS

This anime unexpectedly stirs the emotions within you through the use of relate-able characters, voice actors with great emotion, and an intricate and emotional story line. Simply put, If you want to go on a serious romantic feels trip, Nagi-Asu: A Lull in the Sea (Nagi No Asukara), is the one for you. 

Our story begins with a group of four middle school students who have been close friends since childhood: Hikari, Manaka, Chisaki, and Kaname. Seems like your basic feelsy-romantic anime cast right? Wrong! There is a twist. All four of them are from the sea; they live underwater in a beautifully animated sea town in which their middle school has been shut down, and they are all now forced to go to school up on land. In the first episode we discover our main male lead Hikari is in love with Manaka, but Manaka's bestfriend Chisaki is in love with Hikari, Manaka meets a boy on land Tsugumu and an attraction sparks, and Hikari's bestfriend Kaname steps in with a confession to make things even more complicated later on.. &So the plot thickens...

PROS

To start off with, something I normally don't mention, but has to be said for this anime: This anime is so beautiful to look at. The animation just kept me engaged and in awe the whole way through. This anime aired 2013-2014 so it would be expected, but Nagi No Asukara really stands out in this right. All of the backgrounds were serene from the schools, from land, to sea, and the characters all have unique and adorable designs that make you want to fall in love with them right off the bat. Not only are their designs well-done, but each character has excellent development to compliment this. I related with nearly every character and the relationships that would form between them.

Speaking of relationships, this anime has a lot of OTPs (one true parings) for romance fans out there. I have to give props to them for breaking the romance anime mold of all of the girls liking the main character, and instead spreading it out through a web of relationships amongst three male characters. The whole way through I would be rooting for different girls to be with Hikari, Tsugumu, or Kaname. My favorite female character in this story is Miuna. We get to see a lot of her development in the later half of this 24-episode series, and I loved seeing her romantic developments as well as her struggle being from the land and later forming "edo" and the mystery behind her being possibly from the sea as well. 

My last pro is the overall story-line and plot. I feel like this story and plot was so interesting and unique. I love when animes add a second element to romance stories to give it more depth and interest, which Nagi No Asukara pulls off excellently. The fight between land and sea was surprisingly enthralling, emotional and well-done.

CONS

Nagi No Asukara pulled off so many elements of this anime perfectly, leaving me with little bad to say. There are only a few things to mention that have to do with one of the characters: Kaname. Kaname is the lead's best friend, and we honestly don't get to learn very much about him. We learn hardly anything about him in the first 12 episodes, and we slowly learn a little about what's behind his feelings in the second half, but still just not enough. I understand there wasn't time to develop every single character as there were many, and they did through in a side story for him with Miuna's best friend Sayu which was cute to see. Still, this is a con for me, as many of the side characters interested me more than the main characters Hikari & Monaka. Lastly, not really a con, but a warning, the drama is laid on thick in this anime as it is a romantic drama. Be warned if you don't like emotional stuff you'd want to skip it.

FINAL THOUGHTS

This anime really exceeded my expectations for it. Originally thinking I would be watching a sappy story with a make-shift story line, I was blown away with what I got: a well-animated emotional and intricate story, interesting throughout, with love-able characters. This Anime is a 9.5/10 for me. Nearly perfect with little short-comings. 

Watched On: YouTube (free source)