Anime of the Year 1999-III Summer - Great Teacher Onizuka

As expected, nothing could rival Great Teacher Onizuka this season.

1. Great Teacher Onizuka グレート・ティーチャー・オニヅカ [Pierrot] (Finished 43/43) Tags: Shounen Delinquents, School, Workplace Comedy, Drama Twenty-two-year-old Eikichi Onizuka—ex-biker gang leader, conqueror of Shonan, and virgin—has a dream: to become the greatest high school teacher in all of Japan. This isn't because of a passion for teaching, but because he wants a loving teenage wife when he's old and gray. Still, for a perverted, greedy, and lazy delinquent, there is more to Onizuka than meets the eye. So when he lands a job as the homeroom teacher of the Class 3-4 at the prestigious Holy Forest Academy—despite suplexing the Vice Principal—all of his talents are put to the test, as this class is particularly infamous. Due to their utter contempt for all teachers, the class' students use psychological warfare to mentally break any new homeroom teacher they get, forcing them to quit and leave school. However, Onizuka isn't your average teacher, and he's ready for any challenge in his way. Bullying, suicide, and sexual harassment are just a few of the issues his students face daily. By tackling the roots of their problems, Onizuka supports them with his unpredictable and unconventional methods—even if it means jumping off a building to save a suicidal child. Thanks to his eccentric charm and fun-loving nature, Class 3-4 slowly learns just how enjoyable school can be when you're the pupils of the Great Teacher Onizuka. Watched it in the past, but never had any piety towards it despite it heading many ancient ratings. Weird phrases like "GTO taught me how to live" alienate even more. I don't consider it a genius masterpiece, but at the same time I gave 8 even to its youth prequel, so 9 is a just right score to differentiate it .   Overall Rating: 9/10

2. Medarot Medabots メダロット [Bee Train] (Finished 3/52) Tags: Adventure, Comedy, Sci-Fi Medabots—powerful robots granted artificial intelligence through special "medals"—serve at the whims of their owner. They are more commonly used in "Robbatling," a popular combat sport where two medabots face off against one another. In its professional form, Medafighters use their Medabots to qualify for the World Tournament and fight amongst the elite to gain the title of champion. Elementary schooler Ikki Tenryou has just gained his first Medabot: Metabee, an outdated model with no medal. Fortunately, however, Ikki manages to find a medal in the nearby river; but when Ikki places it into Metabee's head, the latter starts to exhibit strange behaviour. Short-tempered and rebellious, he refuses to obey Ikki's orders. However, to climb the ranks to the World Tournament, Ikki and Metabee must first learn to work together, no matter how difficult the prospect may seem… How can anyone older than 12 y.o. like it... Another Pokemon imitation to sell merchandise. I might understand if humor was great, but no, absolutely average like everything in this anime.   Overall Rating: 5/10

3. Kachou Ouji Legend of Black Heaven 課長王子 [AIC, APPP] (Finished 13/13) Tags: Music, Space Adventure, Comedy, Sci-Fi, Slice of Life Oji Tanaka has a wife, a child and a mundane job as a salary man in Tokyo's modern society. But life wasn't dull for him to begin with; 15 years ago, he was known as "Gabriel", leader of a short-lived heavy metal band called Black Heaven. Oji's life gets a sudden change in direction when he is invited by a mysterious blonde woman named Layla to pick up his Gibson Flying V and once again display his "legendary" guitar skills, not knowing that his music generates power for a massive weapon in an intergalactic war. For a long time I could not understand the concept of this series, so in the end watched it all. And I want to say that it has charm as long as mystery remains. In the end it's just another variation of Macross 7 , and all the other subplots end nowhere. I can't call it a musical show either , because it's literally a single song show, plus one more for finale. It's not a bad show, but shallow concept does not allow to bring it to recommendation list.   Overall Rating: 6/10

4. Senkaiden Houshin Engi 仙界伝 封神演義 [Studio Deen] (Finished 6/26) Tags: Shounen Historical Adventure, Fantasy, Supernatural Thousands of years ago, it was a time of witchcraft and dark magic. An evil sorceress has bewitched the emperor of the mighty dynasty and he has become a mindless puppet. The country is in shambles, and evil spirits lurk everywhere. The human world is on the verge of utter destruction. A bold mission is planned by the Confederation of the Immortal Masters. They send a young master wizard to hunt down the villains and evil warlocks in the devastated lands. Had to watch as many as 6 episodes to make sure I got concept right , but it kept tasting like an old chewing gum - outrageously bland.   Overall Rating: 5/10

5. Mahoutsukai Tai! (TV) Magic User's Club 魔法使いTai! [Madhouse, Triangle Staff] (Finished 3/13) Tags: School Comedy, Romance, Sci-Fi  The aliens have been defeated, and the Bell has been transformed into a gigantic cherry tree. Now, the brave Magic User's Club must reconvene to deal with a new problem. Apparently, some inconsiderate persons left a skyscraper sized cherry tree in the middle of Tokyo, and it's become a major inconvenience to everyone in the city. Even though they have no idea who could have done such a thing, the Club feels strangely responsible and springs into action. Meanwhile, a mysterious person is spying on the magic club in the form of a small boy. OVA was decent and provided a new look on mahou shoujo, but it was already getting tiresome by the end. They managed to return the novelty mood from the beginning and added cute SOL that was never present in OVA, but this franchise never had direction or aim to follow. Can't recommend aimless pastime.   Overall Rating: 6/10

6. Alexander Senki Reign: The Conqueror アレクサンダー戦記 [Madhouse] (Finished 3/13) Tags: Historical Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Sci-Fi, Supernatural In 356 BC, Alexander the Great arrives in Greece with the ominous destiny that he will become the "destroyer of the world." Inheriting the crown, he becomes king of the Macedonians and starts down a road of conquest with terrific speed. Alexander ultimately confronts his fated nemesis, Darius the Third, in a war with Persia which changes Alexander into the devil he was fated to become, assuring the destruction of all in his path, and possibly himself. Eeeeeh... what the hell. Lots of half-naked bishounens weave intrigues and sometimes clash in weird battles. With somewhat traditional anime style it might be passable, but visual style is absolutely repelling.   Overall Rating: 4/10

7. Kakyuusei (TV) 下級生 [PP Project] (Finished 13/13) Tags: Harem, School Drama, Romance When Tsuyoshi rushed to school as usual, he found a girl who tried to help a kitten which couldn't get down from a tree. It was Minamizato Ai who had loved Tsuyoshi secretly for a long time. It's cute all right, but if there's nothing else, cuteness must be at Godly level. Protagonist is also here better than average, but that's not enough, and I'm not giving away masterpieces for cuteness.   Overall Rating: 6/10

8. Kyoro-chan キョロちゃん [Group TAC] (Finished 3/91) Tags: Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy  While exploring ruins on Angel Island, a doctor finds a myserious newborn bird called Kyoro-chan. Together they form a bond and decide to travel the world together. Three years later when the Doctor and Kyoro-chan try to return to Angel Island they become shipwrecked from a storm. Kyoro-chan was able to make it safely to the island but the Doctor was nowhere to be found. Kyoro-chan prays for his safety and hope he returns as he now starts his new life on Angel Island. Not translated. Anthropomorphic comedy - rather simple and straightforward.   Overall Rating: 5/10

9. Uchuu Kaizoku Mito no Daibouken: Futari no Joou-sama Space Pirate Mito 2 宇宙海賊ミトの大冒険 2人の女王様 [Triangle Staff] (Finished 3/13) Tags: Action, Comedy, Sci-Fi  Aoi was raised as a normal boy on Earth. Little did he know he was the heir apparent to Mito, the Queen-turned-Space-Pirate of an alien race that chooses their sex at puberty! Aoi fell in love with Mutsuki, the police officer who was chasing Mito, and the three of them saved the Universe. The only side effect was that Aoi blossomed into a beautiful young woman. Now a malevolent entity calling herself the true Queen of the Universe appears with enough power to destroy entire planets. Aoi must defend her new throne, but she needs Mutsuki's help. Mutsuki must come to terms with her own feelings for Aoi so they can defend Earth together and become the galaxy's first royal pair of queens. For those who liked prequel, naturally.   Overall Rating: 5/10

10. Xi You Ji Journey to the West: Legends of the Monkey King 西游记 [CCTV Animation] (Finished 3/52) Tags: Adventure, Fantasy  Sun Wukong, who was born from a magic stone, has been imprisoned underneath a mountain for five centuries for his mischief in the heavens. One day, the Diety Guanyin told Wukong that the Monk Tangsen will set him free, and Wukong will join him on a pilgrimage from China to India. The next day, Xuanzang came and set him free, and the two started their Journey to the west. Along the way, they meet two new friends, Zhu Bajie and the Hermit Sha Wujing who joins them on the journey; together, they face many dangers and evil creatures and sorcerers and learn to get along. There are two reasons to watch this - either you're a child or have no other ways to learn story of Journey to the West. In my case I don't even want to learn because ancient mythology is inevitably aimless adventures with miracles.   Overall Rating: 6/10

11. Nanako Kaitai Shinsho Amazing Nurse Nanako 菜々子解体診書 [Radix] (Finished 3/6) Tags: Mecha, Military Comedy, Sci-Fi Nanako is a an inept apprentice nurse to the brilliant young Dr. Kouji. Now for some reason, Nanako is always being targeted by various elements which makes Nanako wonder if she has done anything wrong. But there are certain secrets to Nanako's past that only Dr. Kouji and his family know about. Fanservice is the only outstanding feature here.   Overall Rating: 5/10

12. Sol Bianca: Taiyou no Fune Sol Bianca: The Legacy 太陽の船　ソルビアンカ [AIC] (Finished 6/6) Tags: Mecha, Space Adventure, Sci-Fi Thousands of years into the future, mankind has colonized other planets across the galaxy and completely forgotten about Earth. On one part of the galaxy, the female space pirates and their colossal starship Sol Bianca get a surprise when a young girl named Mayo stows away on board the ship. The crew then embarks on a journey to Earth to find the whereabouts of Mayo's parents and discover the secrets of the lost planet. It's sad to see how visuals, character designs and personalities have got only worse after a decade, but it's still a passable space adventure action story.   Overall Rating: 6/10

13. Chivas 1-2-3 Sorcerer on the Rocks シーバス１-２-３ [Daume] (Finished 2/2) Tags: Action, Comedy, Fantasy, Supernatural, Ecchi  Ruthless sorcerer Chivas Scotch is hired by a count named Cuttlefish to destroy an evil monster attacking a nearby village. But things go awry when Chivas fails to destroy the monster and he's forced to transfer his spirit in the body of his beautiful servant Gin Fizz. OVA itself is nice and is better than sorcerer hunters, even in humor, but too short and focused on exploitation a bit too much.   Overall Rating: 6/10

14. Tokyo Juushouden Ten Tokyo Warriors 倒凶十将伝 [Zexcs] (Finished 6/6) Tags: Shounen Action, Adventure, Supernatural Long ago, in feudal Japan, there was a fierce warrior named the Demon King. He controlled a band of demons, known as the Kyouma. Only the powers of ten warriors sealed the Demon King away and kept the Kyouma under control. But now, Lord Shindigan, a powerful Kyouma is planning to free the Demon King, and the reincarnations of the ten warriors must band together and save the earth. MAL misinformed about number of episodes. Early episodes are mostly just to introduce this big number of characters, and only by mid-fifth episode team gathers. Boring buildup, boring resolution .   Overall Rating: 5/10

15. Doukyuusei 2 (OVA) Special: Sotsugyousei 同級生２ Special　卒業生 [Pink Pineapple] (Finished 3/3) Tags: Harem, School Ecchi Based on the game by ELF. As a special it tries to provide as much fanservice as possible, so there's very little time for anything else.   Overall Rating: 5/10

16. Break-Age  [Ripple Film] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Shounen Mecha Sci-Fi In 2007, the inhabitants of Danger Planet II fight their battles using remote-controlled robots or "virtual puppets." Kirio Nimura is a high school student and the strongest puppeteer on the planet, until he falls for Sairi Takahara, who insists that nobody may make advances until they have beaten her puppet, Benkei. Not translated. Virtual mecha controlled battles is not a good theme to develop. In 40 minutes nothing outstanding was made of it.   Overall Rating: 5/10

17. Himalaya no Hikari no Oukoku ヒマラヤの光の王国  [Toei Animation] (Finished 0/1) Tags: Music Adventure, Fantasy  In a small village overlooking the scenic Himalayas, a young boy, Suruya, receives a letter from a princess. It was a heartbreaking cry for help. So Suruya who is not the most courageous of boys, sets out to rescue a princess and along the way, through his adventures, he manages to find the courage to carry out his mission. Not found.   Overall Rating: 0/10

18. Cardcaptor Sakura Movie 1 Cardcaptor Sakura The Movie 劇場版 カードキャプターさくら [Madhouse] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Mahou Shoujo Comedy, Drama, Fantasy During an after-school shopping trip, Sakura Kinomoto decides to participate in the Tomoeda Shopping District's year-end lottery, with the grand prize being a round trip to Hong Kong. Surprisingly, she draws the winning ball. Alongside her best friend Tomoyo Daidouji, her older brother Touya, her crush Yukito Tsukishiro, and Keroberos, Sakura heads off to Hong Kong. However, vacation for the Cardcaptor will get cut short. Little does Sakura know, the trip may be connected to her recent, prophetic dreams featuring a mysterious woman and Clow Reed himself, creator of the Clow Cards. Movies usually present refine version of the series, so I was a bit curious. But Cardcaptor series was of already high quality , so movie ended up just an overextended episode with poor tempo.   Overall Rating: 5/10

19. Shoujo Kakumei Utena: Adolescence Mokushiroku Revolutionary Girl Utena: The Adolescence of Utena 少女革命ウテナ　アドゥレセンス黙示録 [J.C.Staff] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Mahou Shoujo Avant Garde, Drama, Fantasy, Girls Love, Romance All eyes are on Utena Tenjou, a mysterious transfer student to Ohtori Academy. But Utena's eyes seem to be fixed on one familiar face that stands out among the rest—Touga Kiryuu, Utena's childhood friend. Touga knows of Utena's past and possesses knowledge of the Mark of the Rose, a set of unique rings worn by those who compete for the hand of the Rose Bride. The Rose Bride, Himemiya Anthy, belongs to whomever wins her in a duel, and the one that wins all the duels is said to be given the power to bring revolution to the world. Utena is drawn into the duels, but Touga and their complicated history together may end up unraveling everything. Nothing is as it seems in this retelling of the original anime series. Movie is just series retelling with changed material only to serve as shortcuts. It fixes important problem of tempo, but concept itself remains intact. Movie introduces a whole new density of symbols, so it's perfect to write some culturology review, but enjoying it as entertainment product... is still questionable.   Overall Rating: 6/10

20. Tonari no Yamada-kun My Neighbors the Yamadas ホーホケキョ となりの山田くん [Studio Ghibli] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Award Winning, Comedy, Slice of Life From squabbles about groceries against the ambient noise of the TV to their daily shenanigans, the Yamada family invites only a few unusual gazes—similar to any typical household. But despite their prickly exteriors, each of them genuinely cares for one another, making sure to smile and laugh through their otherwise dull and mundane lives. Tonari no Yamada-kun is an intimate and fun look into the lives of a typical Japanese family. It's among the worst works of Studio Ghibli, as for me. Always thought that yonkoma was supposed to be humorous, but apparently not. The only funny moment was pantomime about fighting for remote control.... As usual, the middle is bleak, and there's nostalgy push with a song at the end. Seriously, watching just unfunny episodic SOL for 2 hours is the new low.   Overall Rating: 5/10

21. Megumi no Daigo: Kajiba no Baka Yarou め組の大吾 火事場のバカヤロー  [Sunrise] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Action, Drama  Daigo Asahina is Medaka Gumi #2's/Me Gumi's new rookie firefighter, and already he's done crazy things, like throwing people off of a rooftop to save them from an explosion. He had good intentions, but his deeds are starting to hurt the company's reputation. At Sengoku City's Concert Hall, a fire breaks, and the some Emergency Rescue Squad needs rescuing. Daigo will do all he can to keep his promise: Not to let anyone die on the job. Again, making a high-tension drama about firefighter... is a dubious choice to put into a 40-minute one-shot. Can't even treat it seriously.   Overall Rating: 5/10

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