Anime of the Year 2002-III Summer - Jungle wa Itsumo Hare nochi Guu Deluxe

Did not want to give Jungle wa Itsumo Hare nochi Guu Deluxe a masterpiece to give some other decent anime a highlight, but 'tis a barren wasteland this season.

1. Princess Tutu プリンセスチュチュ [Hal Film Maker] (Finished 3/38) Tags: Mahou Shoujo, Performing Arts Comedy, Drama, Fantasy, Mystery, Romance In a fairy tale come to life, the clumsy, sweet, and gentle Ahiru seems like an unlikely protagonist. In reality, Ahiru is just as magical as the talking cats and crocodiles that inhabit her town—for Ahiru really is a duck! Transformed by the mysterious Drosselmeyer into a human girl, Ahiru soon learns the reason for her existence. Using her magical egg-shaped pendant, Ahiru can transform into Princess Tutu—a beautiful and talented ballet dancer whose dances relieve people of the turmoil in their hearts. With her newfound ability, Ahiru accepts the challenge of collecting the lost shards of her prince's heart, for long ago he had shattered it in order to seal an evil raven away for all eternity. Princess Tutu is a tale of heroes and their struggle against fate. Their beliefs, their feelings, and ultimately their actions will determine whether this fairy tale can reach its "happily ever after." It reminds me Utena the most as there is also private girls school SOL and surreal battles full of powerful music and symbolism. But I'm not target audience, and I have no desire to watch it further.   Overall Rating: 6/10

2. Witch Hunter Robin (ウイッチハンターロビン)  [Sunrise] (Finished 4/26) Tags: Detective Action, Drama, Mystery, Supernatural  Robin Sena is a powerful craft user drafted into the STNJ—a group of specialized hunters that fight deadly beings known as Witches. Though her fire power is great, she's got a lot to learn about her powers and working with her cool and aloof partner, Amon. But the truth about the Witches and herself will leave Robin on an entirely new path that she never expected! I love Sunrise originals, I mean to bash them. It's a horrible super boring detective mystery with superpowers very rarely used at all. Sunrise scenario writer should have been fired long ago.   Overall Rating: 5/10

3. Saishuu Heiki Kanojo She, The Ultimate Weapon 最終兵器彼女 [Gonzo] (Finished 13/13) Tags: Military, School Drama, Romance, Sci-Fi Chise is an ordinary schoolgirl: small, frail, and not particularly intelligent. Her greatest joy is her budding romance with her classmate and childhood friend, Shuuji. They both live in a small military town in Hokkaido, where high schoolers have few concerns other than who is dating whom and complaining about the steep climb up "Hell Hill" every day before school. One day, Shuuji and his friends make a trip to Sapporo to buy gifts for their girlfriends. A massive air raid on Sapporo that day kills thousands, including one of Shuuji's friends, and signals the beginning of a war. Fleeing from the carnage, Shuuji spots Chise, though now she has steel wings and a massive gun where her right arm should be. Against her will, she has been transformed into the ultimate cyborg weapon, capable of leveling entire cities. As the war rages closer and closer to their hometown, Chise and Shuuji's relationship is strained by her transformation, and they are left to wonder whether she is even still human. Wow, I'm so enraged. Basically, this anime tries to be second half of Evangelion without normal introduction, right away presenting constant drama over nothing at all. There's no story, no action, just nakige where half of screen time is taken by crying and mindlessly blabbing characters. I understand that it was golden time of nakige back then, but this is an overkill and total waste of time on pure nonsense...   Overall Rating: 5/10

4. Samurai Deeper Kyou Samurai Deeper Kyo   [Studio Deen] (Finished 5/26) Tags: Shounen Historical, Samurai Adventure, Comedy, Supernatural In the year 1600, at the fog-covered battlefield of Sekigahara, a fierce battle was waged by two exemplary swordsmen. One was Kyoushirou Mibu, a skilled and noble warrior in possession of the unique powers of the Mibu Clan. The other was the thousand-man slayer, with eyes and hair the color of blood, "Demon Eyes" Kyou. Their legendary clash was cut short when a meteor from the heavens fell down upon that battlefield, leaving both to vanish in its wake. Samurai Deeper Kyou begins four years after that battle, when a gun-wielding bounty hunter by the name of Yuya Shiina hunts down Kyoushirou—now a perverted, traveling medicine-man who has built up a large debt. On her way to claim his bounty, they are attacked by an inhuman monster that seeks to devour Kyoushirou. This encounter awakens "Demon Eyes" Kyou, whose mind has been trapped inside of Kyoushirou's body ever since that fateful battle. Thus begins a grand tale of legendary two swordsmen and the discovery of their secrets. A new bunch of sword and gun wielding characters gather to... do pretty much nothing except getting attacked constantly. Getting to know some lousy secrets is not a good enough motivation to watch this mess without much substance.   Overall Rating: 6/10

5. Dragon Drive ドラゴンドライブ [Madhouse] (Finished 2/38) Tags: Shounen School Action, Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy, Sci-Fi If there's one word to describe Reiji Ozora, it would be "quitter." He can never find the motivation to finish anything, and loses interest at the drop of a hat. This all changes when his best friend Maiko introduces him to the new game "Dragon Drive." In this virtual reality game, each player is assigned a dragon tailored to match their personality and strength. Reiji hopes for a big, strong, scary beast, but instead, he is stuck with Chibi, a cute, friendly-looking dragon smaller than he is. How disappointing—except it turns out that Chibi is the rarest dragon of them all! Reiji finally discovers something he can remain interested in, and works hard to train both himself and his newfound friend. Soon this training will be put to use to save the world, for there are people who have dark aspirations for Dragon Drive! Another virtual reality fighting competition. Extremely bland and cliché.   Overall Rating: 5/10

6. UFO Princess Valkyrie UFO Ultramaiden Valkyrie 円盤皇女ワるきゅーレ [TNK] (Finished 3/12) Tags: Comedy, Sci-Fi, Ecchi UFO Princess Warukyure, aka UFO Princess Walkyrie is about a princess from outer space who accidentally crashes on earth, where Kazuto desperately tries to maintain the public bath of his grandfather. Due to circumstances, Kazuto receives part of princess Walkyrie's soul which forces her to stay there with him. But that's not the only problem ... because her soul lost strength, the princess transforms both mentally and physically into a little kid! Very irritating fetish something, because I failed to see traces of comedy here, maybe parody.   Overall Rating: 5/10

7. Maou Dante Demon Lord Dante 魔王ダンテ [Magic Bus] (Finished 3/13) Tags: Shounen Mythology Action, Horror, Supernatural While sleeping one night, Ryo Utsugi had a nightmare of monsters attacking him. One day he learns a mysterious power to let him hear voices and have visions of girls getting killed, but one night he hears the same voice. If you don't like Devilman, don't even start as this is part of that franchise with those characters. Very familiar story and flow, and not likable for me.   Overall Rating: 5/10

8. Asagiri no Miko Shrine of the Morning Mist 朝霧の巫女 [Chaos Project, GANSIS] (Finished 4/26) Tags: Seinen Action, Comedy, Fantasy, Supernatural Since childhood, Tadahiro Amatsu has two different-colored eyes - one brown and one light hazel. But because of a dark secret behind his left eye, he's become a target for the masked sorcerer Ayatara Miramune and his band of demons. To combat the demons appearing all over town, Yuzu Hieda, a priestess in training, recruits four other girls from her high school. Under the supervision of Yuzu's elder sister Kurako, the five young priestesses must undergo months of training to master their abilities. Episodes are just 12 minutes long, so it's just cute SOL gags, average.   Overall Rating: 5/10

9. G-On Riders G-on らいだーす [Shaft, TNK] (Finished 13/13) Tags: School Action, Comedy, Sci-Fi At Saint Hoshikawa School there is a secret group called the G-On Riders. Students with superior strength and ability are chosen to be in the group, which was formed to fight against alien attacks on the earth. However, many of the problems that the members face are ones amongst themselves, and the same is true for the invaders. And another student at the school, Ichiro, tries desperately to confess his love to Yuki, one of the Riders. Managed to watch it fully in the past since glasses fetish was rather unusual. Chaotic slapstick comedy not really worth discussing.   Overall Rating: 5/10

10. Fortune Dogs ふぉうちゅんドッグす [Vega Entertainment] (Finished 0/39) Tags: Pets Adventure  A French Bulldog is adopted from the Happy Kennel by a girl named Ai and is given the name Alex. She tells him stories and reads to him from a book titled The Adventures of Freddy about dog who leaves home to find the Fortune Tree. However, he is separated from Ai when he mistakenly follows a girl wearing the same clothes as Ai on a bus. Adopting the name Freddy, after the hero in Ai's storybook, Alex begins his quest to return to Ai. But before he can return to his owner, Freddy and his new friends must find the Fortune Tree and save it from dying, otherwise all the humans in the world will lose their good will and no longer care about their pets. Not found.   Overall Rating: 0/10

11. Futari Ecchi Step Up Love Story ふたりエッチ [Chaos Project] (Finished 4/4) Tags: Seinen Comedy, Romance, Ecchi Makoto and Yura Onoda are a newly-wed couple with zero sexual experience. Yura is a shy and naive 25-year-old woman whose good looks grab men's attention, something that she dislikes because she gets embarrassed very easily. Her husband Makoto is of the same age, but as opposed to his wife, he loves having dirty thoughts about other women. Physically though, Makoto is truly faithful to Yura. Both of them may be virgins, but now that they are married, they are ready to dive into the world of sex, "practicing" as often as possible. However, the world of sex is complex, so they need all the help they can get to find their way through it. Thankfully, their friends, acquaintances, and porn media lend them a helping hand. It's all around ecchi and about ecchi, plus some thematic comedy on the side, everything is quite expected.   Overall Rating: 5/10

12. Sentou Yousei Yukikaze Yukikaze 戦闘妖精雪風 [Gonzo] (Finished 5/5) Tags: Military, Psychological, Space It has been 33 years since an alien race, known as the JAM, emerged from a hyperspace passage over Antarctica with the sole purpose of invading Earth. Despite their unexpected initial assaults, a combined effort by humanity not only pushed the JAM force off of Earth but also moved the frontlines of the battle onto the JAM's homeworld of Fairy. Though out of sight and mind for the majority of Earth's inhabitants, the conflict still rages on Fairy, where the United Nations has established five bases and a powerful, technologically advanced military—including the Fairy Air Force (FAF). Lieutenant Rei Fukai acts as a pilot for the FAF Special Air Force’s Boomerang reconnaissance squadron, flying a Super Sylph fighter jet with the personal name "Yukikaze." Soaring high above and observing the battles for air superiority, he is responsible for collecting and analyzing valuable intelligence on JAM methods. While his flying skills are unmatched, he also heavily relies on the highly advanced weaponry and near-sentient AI system of his aircraft. Though despised by other members of the FAF for his antisocial and standoffish nature, Lt. Fukai continues to carry out his duties along with Yukikaze. However, during a particularly bloody battle, the appearance of an unresponsive and hostile aircraft catches the lieutenant off-guard—an aircraft which is of the same make and model as his own. SOL about space pilots. was really boring for me as execution is horrible and characters are totally forgettable.   Overall Rating: 5/10

13. Nurse Witch Komugi-chan Magikarte ナースウィッチ小麦ちゃんマジカルて [Kyoto Animation, Tatsunoko Production] (Finished 5/5) Tags: Gag Humor, Mahou Shoujo, Parody Comedy Ungrar, the King of Viruses, has escaped from his prison cell in Vaccine World. Maya, the Goddess of Vaccine World sends Mugimaru down to Earth to find a human to accept the powers of Vaccine World and become the Magical Nurse. He finds the best (and the only willing) person for the job when he meets Komugi Nakahara. Komugi is a playful, lazy, and easily distracted (typical) teenager whose dream is to become a cosplay idol. Balancing her career with the Kiri-Pro Promotion Company and her new job battling Ungrar's loyal henchman, the Magical Maid Koyori, Komugi delights audiences in this parody anime series. Lighthearted cosplay competitions with some mahou shoujo elements - nothing that we have not seen.   Overall Rating: 5/10

14. Jungle wa Itsumo Hare nochi Guu Deluxe ジャングルはいつもハレのちグゥ　デラックス [Shin-Ei Animation] (Finished 6/6) Tags: Shounen Gag Humor Comedy, Slice of Life After the events in the city, Haré and family come back to the Jungle. But it is never calm for Haré as he first must deal with an unstable substitute teacher, then with some big news: Weda is pregnant. The answer to how and who will change his family forever. Poor Haré, now has to deal with a father in addition to his drunk mother and Guu, and soon a sibling too. It's a sequel, so inherits some drama. Humor not stable here like was in the series, more like decent and with adding parody.   Overall Rating: 6/10

15. Koroshiya 1 The Animation: Episode 0 殺し屋１ THE ANIMATION EPISODE 0 [AIC] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Seinen Martial Arts, Psychological Action, Avant Garde, Drama, Horror A masochistic mobster meets his match in the dark streets of Tokyo. His nemesis, Ichi, is a psychopathic killer with an unrelenting thirst for bloodshed. A horrifying secret burns in his mind, and his hands deal death without mercy. At last, the shrouds of mystery are parted to reveal the origin of the monster. The city will know its greatest fear at the unveiling of Ichi the Killer. Disgusting avant garde movie about ultra violence..   Overall Rating: 4/10

16. Neko no Ongaeshi 猫の恩返し [Studio Ghibli] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Anthropomorphic Adventure, Award Winning, Drama, Fantasy High school student Haru Yoshioka is bored with the monotony of life. One day, she saves Prince Lune of the Cat Kingdom from being run over by a truck. As a token of gratitude, the Cat King sends her "presents" and invites her to the Cat Kingdom to become Lune's wife. Haru's inability to properly communicate with the cats leads to the misunderstanding that she has accepted the proposal. As Haru ponders on ways to escape the predicament, a mysterious voice instructs her to search for the Cat Bureau. However, not long after she finally arrives at the bureau, a horde of cats swarms in and forcibly takes her to the Cat Kingdom, along with a member of the Cat Bureau. Concerned for their safety, owner of the Cat Bureau, Baron Humbert von Gikkingen, follows close behind. The more Haru immerses herself in the activities of the Cat Kingdom, the more cat-like she becomes. To her dismay, she soon learns that, unless she can find her true self, she may become a cat permanently. Haru's adventures in the world of cats lead her down a path to self-discovery, allowing her to return as a more confident person. Turns out I watched this, but forgot about it because of how forgettable it is. Mimi wo Sumaseba was on the weaker side of Ghibli movies, but someone decided that it was great and needed more development in a childish way... I'm just out of words for this poor logic, self-repeats are a sign of degradation. This is exactly average.   Overall Rating: 5/10

17. Sennen Joyuu Millennium Actress 千年女優 [Madhouse] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Historical, Showbiz Action, Adventure, Award Winning, Drama, Fantasy, Romance At the turn of the millennium, Ginei Studio's dilapidated buildings are set to be demolished. Ex-employee and filmmaker Genya Tachibana decides to honor this occasion with a commemorative documentary about the company's star actress: Chiyoko Fujiwara, the reclusive sweetheart of Shouwa Era cinema. Having finally obtained permission to interview the retired starlet, an enamored Genya drags along cynical cameraman Kyouji Ida to meet her, ready to put his lifelong idol back in the spotlight once more. Hidden in this secluded mountain retreat is a thousand years of history condensed into one lifetime, waiting to be narrated. Chiyoko's recollections take them on an illusionary journey through Japanese cinematic history that transcends the boundaries of reality; the saga of her acting career intertwines with her filmography, the actors in her life blend seamlessly with the characters on screen, and the present melds with the past. Though the actress may have retired at the height of her career 30 years ago, the curtain on her life's stage has yet to fall. I don't like biography stories even if it's a story chosen to shape century perfectly and references are thrown around millennium. This is just not interesting, show made for media critics rather than wide audience.   Overall Rating: 6/10

18. Xevious ゼビウス [KENMedia] (Finished 0/1) Tags: Space Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi In the year 2150 A.D. space pilot Takeru and human computer Martha come across a giant ship which contains two mechanical beings called Sara and Ru Mi. They warn Takeru and Martha of the Gump, an alien race that is heading to Earth so that it can take over the planet. With only 40 mintues remaining until Earth's invasion, Takeru enters the Solvalou, a combat aircraft, and heads to the Gump's base on the planet Andoa. Not found.   Overall Rating: 0/10

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