Anime of the Year 2005-III Summer - Koukaku Kidoutai: Stand Alone Complex - The Laughing Man

Koukaku Kidoutai: Stand Alone Complex - The Laughing Man is inevitably the winner, but for a change there two more small masterpieces - Ichigo Mashimaro and Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children

1. Shuffle! SHUFFLE! (シャッフル!) [asread.] (Finished 3/24) Tags: Seinen Harem, School Comedy, Drama, Fantasy, Romance, Ecchi In present times, Gods and Demons coexist together with Humans after the door between each of these worlds had opened. Tsuchimi Rin is a normal young high school student attending Verbena Academy, spending his days living peacefully with his childhood friend Kaede. Unexpectedly, one day the King of Gods, the King of Demons and their families move into be Rin's next door neighbors. Apparently the daughter of the Gods, Sia, and the daughter of the demons, Nerine, are both deeply in love with Rin after having met him in the past. Along with his playful friendship with upperclassmen Asa and his encounter with the silent but cute Primula, Rin has much on his hands dealing with the affections of each of these girls. Based on the eroge by Navel. Shuffle is so obnoxious for me in many ways that I can't tolerate it for long.   Overall Rating: 6/10

2. Full Metal Panic! The Second Raid フルメタル パニック！The Second Raid [Kyoto Animation] (Finished 2/13) Tags: Mecha, Military Action After overcoming various tumultuous events, mercenary sergeant Sousuke Sagara of Mithril and "Whispered" school girl Kaname Chidori return to their normal high school lives. Sousuke continues his efforts to assimilate with the civilian population and manage his mission at the same time, while Kaname attempts to support his endeavors (even though his antics often drive her up a wall). However, as their lives calm, new problems begin to appear. The appearance of an independent terrorist organization known as Amalgam and internal conflicts within Mithril threaten to wreak unity into a series of failures and betrayals. And new, powerful Arm Slave models only worsen the situation when the world's peace is at stake. As Kaname and Sousuke face their own inner battles amidst life-threatening fights, will they be able to make the right choices and change their future? Third season, so need to at least like previous ones.   Overall Rating: 6/10

3. Suzuka 涼風 [Studio Comet] (Finished 3/26) Tags: Shounen Drama, Romance, Sports  Teenager Yamato Akitsuki has moved from the Hiroshima countryside to Tokyo to begin his high school career. In return for room and board, he has agreed to help his aunt and cousin run their bathhouse and the adjacent girls-only dormitory where he will be staying. On his way to meet his relatives, he passes by a local high school track and is mesmerized by a high jumper practicing her technique. Later on, Yamato finds out that the high jumper is not just another resident of the dorm, but is also his neighbor. Suzuka Asahina is a heavily scouted track and field athlete who is attending the same high school he is enrolled in. A perfectionist by nature, Suzuka is put off by Yamato's clumsy and carefree attitude and finds it difficult to be near him. Determined to win her over, Yamato joins the track team after discovering his hidden talent for sprinting. Through his interactions with the track team, his classmates, and the ever-inebriated college students in the dorm, Yamato finds the resolve to become a better athlete and a more suitable companion to Suzuka, even if it means pushing himself to the point of exhaustion. Slightly above average school romance. It tries to be reflexive, but has a long way to go till His and Her circumstances. It's only moderately irritating, and that deserves a praise already.   Overall Rating: 6/10

4. Ichigo Mashimaro Strawberry Marshmallow 苺ましまろ [Daume] (Finished 12/12) Tags: CGDCT, Iyashikei Comedy, Slice of Life "Cute girls doing cute things in cute ways." Everyday things make up the fabric of life—whether it's making friends, going to school, trying to make money, or celebrating a holiday. Ichigo Mashimaro is a heartwarming series that follows the daily lives of Itou Chika, her sister Nobue, and her friends Miu, Matsuri, and Ana. Cute girls doing stuff is a familiar concept, so it all depends on humor. And humor here is actually great to my liking, at times it even rivals Lucky Star. And thanks to continuous episodes in contrast to  sketches of Azumanga etc Strawberry Marshmallow actually feels solid.   Overall Rating: 7/10

5. Gun x Sword ガン×ソード [AIC ASTA] (Finished 6/26) Tags: Mecha Action, Adventure, Drama, Sci-Fi Van, a lanky and apathetic swordsman, is on a journey to kill the murderer of his fiancé. The only characteristic he has to go by is that the murderer has a claw for an arm, hence the murderer being referred to as The Claw Man. During his travels, Van happens to pass through the city of Evergreen, which is defending itself from bandits who aim to rob the city of its treasury. It is in this city that Van meets Wendy Garret, a timid young girl who is looking for her kidnapped brother. When the city pleads for Van's assistance to defend it, he refuses, claiming it has nothing to do with him and thus leaves the city on its own to deal with the peril. Soon after, Van comes across the raiding bandits himself and they eventually tick off the swordsman to a degree where he takes action against them for his own personal vendetta. Surprisingly, Van learns that the bandits had ties with The Claw Man, and in kidnapping Wendy's brother for a reason they did not disclose. After the bandits are dealt with easily, Van and, much to his chagrin, Wendy continue the journey in search of The Claw Man. Little do they know, however, that The Claw Man is involved with something more atrocious than either could fathom. Another work that tries to fuse many successful elements from the past. Protagonist feels like Vampire D, concept like Trigun, and there's also mecha, because... everyone likes mecha or something. Female protagonist is rather poor as is, but villains are just horrible and ridiculous, excessively irritating.   Overall Rating: 6/10

6. Amaenaide yo!! Ah My Buddha あまえないでよっ!! [Studio Deen] (Finished 2/12) Tags: Seinen Harem Comedy, Romance, Supernatural, Ecchi Satonaka Ikkou, a 16 year old boy, is a first year trainee at the Saienji Buddhist Temple. He was sent there by his parents to be trained by his grandmother, the Saienji Priestess. At the temple he finds himself surrounded by beautiful female priestesses-in-training. Upon seeing a girl naked, Ikko has the ability to turn into a super-monk, performing massive exorcisms for the good of the temple. This is just average. Super convenient recycled situations and bland characters that we've seen a lot of times.   Overall Rating: 5/10

7. Paniponi Dash! ぱにぽにだっしゅ！ [Shaft] (Finished 6/26) Tags: Shounen Gag Humor, Parody, School Comedy The 11-year-old Miyamoto Rebecca becomes the new teacher of a classroom which is full of weirdos. Despite her cute looks she's a little beast and can be pretty sarcastic and offensive. The school is not safe anymore now that she's in charge of a class and her students, Himeko, Ichijou, Rei and a white rabbit who took a liking to Rebecca help her to rough up the school and the neighbor with its teacher "ojii-chan." Student actually surpassed teacher, and this one is definitely better than Azumanga. But I'm getting tired of it fast and not enjoying it on the same level as Strawberry Marshmallow. Can't say I appreciate this humor highly.   Overall Rating: 6/10

8. Kamichu! かみちゅ! [Brain's Base] (Finished 12/12) Tags: Iyashikei Award Winning, Comedy, Drama, Slice of Life, Supernatural Yurie Hitotsubashi was just an average middle school student living in the city of Onomichi on Japan's inland sea in the easygoing times of the 1980s. She spent her days worrying about exams and trying to get Kenji, the clueless boy she likes, to notice her. Then during lunch one day she suddenly announces to her friend Mitsue that the night before she had become a goddess. Their classmate Matsuri quickly latches on to Yurie's newfound divinity as a way to promote her family's bankrupt Shinto shrine. She hopes that replacing their hapless local god, Yashima-sama, with Yurie will make the shrine more popular (and profitable). Now, with Matsuri as her manager, Yurie has to grant wishes, cure curses, meet aliens, and attend god conventions. All the while attending school and working-up the courage to confess to Kenji. Ordinary girl becomes a shy local god. And it's no really much better than expected of such kind of story. And all the awards probably go just because style and substance resemble Studio Ghibli works, with worse visuals though. It's slow-paced and very boring, as for me. Only finished it for reference purposes and because plot is still unusual for works up to that point, but don't color me interested.   Overall Rating: 6/10

9. Sugar Sugar Rune シュガシュガルーン [Pierrot] (Finished 1/51) Tags: Mahou Shoujo Comedy, Drama, Fantasy Chocolat Meilleure and Vanilla Mieux are two witches who are pitched in a contest to see who will become the new Queen of the Witch World. They must travel to the Human World and collect the hearts of humans. Whoever collects the most "human hearts" wins. Even though they're rivals, the two are still best friends. Join them on this adventure! One episode of this yet another mahou shoujo anime with naivete and bishounens is more than enough for me. Too many stamps and familiar things under one roof.   Overall Rating: 5/10

10. D.C.S.S: Da Capo Second Season D.C.S.S. ~Da Capo Second Season~ D.C.S.S. ～ダ・カーポ セカンドシーズン～ [feel.] (Finished 1/26) Tags: Harem Comedy, Drama, Romance, Supernatural Hatsune-Jima was once well-known for its cherry trees, which would bloom no matter what time of year it was. Two years ago, the island's cherry trees lost this ability and all became ordinary cherry trees that bloom only in the spring. Jun'ichi Asakura is now a graduating senior at Kazami Academy, and is surrounded by many close friends, old and new alike. On a stormy summer day, a mysterious young girl, Aisia, arrives at Jun'ichi's door. She is looking for Sakura's grandmother to study magic, ultimately hoping to bring happiness to everyone. When she discovers that grandmother Yoshino had long since passed away, she joyfully assumes (thanks to his error in judgment) that Jun'ichi is able to teach her. Even though she finally understands that the only magic he's capable of is conjuring Japanese confections, Aisia continues her search for magic on Hatsune-Jima. Amid the chaos of her search, Kazami Academy hires new medical staff. All those classic charage adaptations look alike to me, same as original material. In one word - stupid.   Overall Rating: 5/10

11. Okusama wa Joshikousei (TV) おくさまは女子高生 [Madhouse] (Finished 2/13) Tags: Seinen Comedy, Drama, Romance Asami Onohara is a seventeen-year old high-school student with a secret which has not been revealed to anyone: She is already married. Her husband, Kyosuke Ichimaru, is a Physics teacher in the same high school as her. However, even though they are officially a married couple, Asami's father forbids them to have any sexual contact until after Asami has graduated. Asami has to hide the fact that she is married to Kyosuke while trying desperately to further their relationship, and it does not help when there are so many interferences and obstacles from her father and other third parties. Again, totally expected development with fetish flavor. The only intrigue is terms of contract, so after it's revealed there's not much to look forward to.   Overall Rating: 6/10

12. Kyoushoku Soukou Guyver (2005) Guyver: The Bioboosted Armor 強殖装甲ガイバー [OLM] (Finished 2/26) Tags: Shounen Adventure, Sci-Fi Sho Fukamachi, a normal teenager accidentally found an alien object called Unit and thus, changed his life forever. The Unit bonded with Sho, resulting in an incredibly powerful life-form called Guyver. With this great power, Sho battles the mysterious Chronos organization and it's Zoanoids, in order to protect his friends and his world. Unknown to Sho, the battle against Chronos will lead to the discovery of the origins of human, their destiny, and the Creators... Hate to admit it , but old Guyver OVA was indeed better - alive and not typical. This plastic refined installment reeks of stamps and fake emotions. The way protagonist's pal is depicted now is just a total shame.   Overall Rating: 5/10

13. Okusama wa Mahou Shoujo Madam is a Magical Girl 奥さまは魔法少女 [J.C.Staff] (Finished 3/13) Tags: Mahou Shoujo Fantasy, Romance Ureshiko Asaba, 26 years old, married. Few people know the fact that she is a magical girl named "Agnes", and she is actually the guardian of the town where she lives. One day she meets Sayaka Kurenai, aka "Cruje", another magical girl appointed by the magic realm as the legitimate sucessor to her position, but Agnes is reluctant in letting her assume because she knows that Cruje has orders to erase the whole place, including its human inhabitants with the purpose of creating a new one. To complicate matters, Ureshiko must deal with the growing distance between her and her husband, Tamotsu, her crescent feelings for Tatsumi Kagura, a young man who is now living as a tenant in her home, and the fact that in the moment she ever kisses a common human, she would lose her powers forever. The idea is to make mahou Jousei with a curvy female protagonist. A bit of ecchi, a bit of mahou shoujo battles, a bit of generations conflict. The result is quite sad as it's a typical show in slightly twitched setting rather than something different.   Overall Rating: 5/10

14. Tide-Line Blue タイドライン・ブルー [Telecom Animation Film] (Finished 12/12) Tags: Military Action, Adventure, Drama  The catastrophe, "Hammer of Eden," resulted in the loss of six billion lives and the flooding of 90% of the land. The New United Nations were formed to pursue peace on the ruined lands 14 years later. Keel is a boy living in a town called Yabitsu, an area which prospered due to the energy from the nuclear generator brought by the catastrophe. His next kin, Aoi, is the secretary general of the New United Nations. She views the catastrophe as an opportunity to create a new world in which nations can help one another overcome differences in races and religions. However, her efforts to realise that vision fail because of the unwillingness of the nations to change. Gould, a military officer, feels that the only way to make an order is through the military. Using Ulysses, a nuclear submarine, along with his crew, including Keel's brother Tean, Gould carries out a coup to declare war against the New United Nations in his attack on Yabitsu. An immature adventure and politics story. Friendship brings world peace and all that crap. No appealing characters spotted.   Overall Rating: 5/10

15. PetoPeto-san ぺとぺとさん [XEBEC M2] (Finished 5/13) Tags: Mythology, School Comedy, Romance After centuries of antagonism and misunderstanding, the Japanese finally welcome youkai into their community. In an attempt at species integration, normal children begin attending school with paranormal creatures who are quite humanoid. Shingo Ohashi finds himself developing feelings for Hatoko "Petoko" Fujimura, a half-youkai half-human girl whose powers are: uncontrollable cuteness to enchant those around her (similar to a low-power succubus), get stuck to any other person who touches her bare flesh (cured by her falling asleep), and the ability to disappear even at the molecular stage (which she can for the most part control). Focus on cuteness and youkai is not what I generally seek in anime... it's mostly just cheerfulness, so not sure who the target audience is here as it does not seem to be for children either... probably for those who can just enjoy cute things without much in place of the the story.   Overall Rating: 6/10

16. Kidou Shinsengumi Moeyo Ken TV Moeyo Ken TV 機動新撰組 萌えよ剣 TV [Trinet Entertainment, Picture Magic] (Finished 3/13) Tags: Historical Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy Set in an alternate version of the Meiji Era, a boy named Sakamoto Ryunosuke returns to Kyoto from Shanghai with his monster (youkai) Nekomaru. The law states that in order to live freely with humans, a youkai must be liscensed. The Kidou Shinsengumi Co. Ltd. is responsible for the capture of unliscensed youkais but must fight with the Tsubamegumi, who resents the new law. It turns out that Ryunosuke is the son of the owner of the Shinsengumis. Female shinsengumi is not a bad thing, but content is some nonsense and some romcom, so not great.   Overall Rating: 6/10

17. Akahori Gedou Hour Rabuge Akahori's Heretical Hour Love Game あかほり外道アワーらぶげ [Radix] (Finished 4/13) Tags: Parody Comedy Akahori Gedou Hour Rabuge is an anime series that combined episodes of two related stories into one broadcast block. Zettai Seigi Love Pheromone Yoshizumi Aimi and Sasajima Kaoruko are comic duo, Their dream is to become popular and stand on the Broadway stage.However, their names are not well-known, and they have to do part-time jobs.To make their names popular, they decided to do side job. It is heroines of justice, They will beat villains one after another, but after that, there is nothing but ruins. People are afraid of them and even rumor that they are evil.  Mahou shoujo nonsense with unfunny parody comedy.   Overall Rating: 5/10

18. Play Ball プレイボール  [Eiken] (Finished 1/13) Tags: Shounen Team Sports After fracturing a finger in a junior high school game, Takao Taniguchi is unable to play baseball. After entering Sumitani High School, he is constantly watching the baseball club even though he is unable to play. He catches the eye of the captain of the soccer club, and while he still has lingering hopes of joining the baseball club, he decides to join the soccer club. While he's a complete beginner, Taniguchi developed a strong spirit of hard work while in junior high school and his new teammates begin to see his potential. While he focuses all of his energy on soccer, he is unable to forget his youthful zeal for baseball and he begins umpiring baseball games in secret. Not translated. Old-fashioned baseball spokon, not seeing anything special about it.   Overall Rating: 5/10

19. Hametsu no Mars Mars of Destruction 破滅のマルス [WAO World] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Horror, Sci-Fi Several months after a probe returning from Mars burns up during reentry, strange creatures dubbed "Ancients" begin to appear throughout Tokyo. Aggressive and dangerous, they cannot be killed with ordinary weapons. As scientists struggle to find the cause of their sudden appearance, the monsters wreak havoc across the world. Humanity finds hope in the form of the MARS suit—a new weapon developed to take down these enemies. The suit, however, can only be worn by those with specific DNA. Enter Takeru Hinata, an ordinary teen with a troubled past and one of the few capable of piloting the only weapon against the Ancients. With the help of the AAST, a special police force established to defeat the dangerous creatures, the young man battles against demons both personal and global whilst trying to discover the true nature of Earth's new aggressors. Short infamously horrible episode, at least there's a funny dub.   Overall Rating: 4/10

20. Saishuu Heiki Kanojo: Another Love Song Saikano: Another Love Song 最終兵器彼女Another Love Song [Studio Fantasia] (Finished 2/2) Tags: Drama, Romance, Sci-Fi Before Chise became the "ultimate weapon," there was another—Lieutenant Mizuki. A battle-hardened military woman, she volunteered for an experimental procedure after injuries left her unable to return to the battlefield. As the prototype ultimate weapon, Lieutenant Mizuki was highly successful on the battlefield, however, as the first candidate, her development was limited. When a more suitable candidate to become the weapon, Chise, is forced into the military, Lieutenant Mizuki thinks that she is silly, weak, and unsuited for the role. As the only other person to have undergone the procedure, however, Lieutenant Mizuki can hear Chise's thoughts and is the only one who understands her. As the war rages on and Chise's development progresses, Lieutenant Mizuki discovers more about Chise, ultimate weapons, and herself. A new portion of senseless self-hatred and crying with the only positive side of it all being short.   Overall Rating: 5/10

21. Seikai no Senki III 星界の戦旗 III [Sunrise] (Finished 2/2) Tags: Military, Space Action, Romance, Sci-Fi Jinto and Lafiel were riding on a light-armed transport ship "Bokbrusue" and navigating at the planar space of the Hyde System. This was for Jinto to govern the Hyde System, which returned to Empirial rule after the Union retreated, officially as an Earl. However, the government of Martin, Jinto`s motherland, resisted obstinately against the Empirial rule. On the other side, "Daiichi Jyuurin Sentai" (the First Devastation Fleet), formed with the new ship type "Attack Vessel", travelled to the Hyde System for drilling practices, but... A deserved open ending for the series where nothing happened but a one-sided streak of victories after initial collapse. Just worldbuilding is not enough without normal story or really outstanding characters.   Overall Rating: 5/10

22. Prayers プレイヤーズ  [PPM] (Finished 2/2) Tags: Sci-Fi  It is the year of 2014, Shibuya is independent from Japan, and it becomes an independent nation. It is a town of chaos where only young people are living. The life necessity, such as electricity, water, and food are transported by the pipelines out from the Shibuya. The pipelines are running like cobweb in the sky, the young people in Shibuya looked like bugs trapped in the cobweb. In this city, there are people called "Prayers". They earn money by the battle of music. They turn music into electric signals and inject them into brains, and destroy opponents' mind and bodies each others. Ridiculously poor concept failed to present a miracle, not surprising.   Overall Rating: 5/10

23. Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children ファイナルファンタジーVII アドベントチルドレン [Square Enix] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Super Power Action, Fantasy Two years ago, the world was changed forever. The young Cloud Strife and his band of friends may have defeated Sephiroth and thwarted his plan to crash a giant meteor into the Earth, but this victory was not without great cost. The highly populated city of Midgar was nearly ripped apart in the conflict. Fortunately, many of the city's citizens were able to evacuate to safety, and in the years afterward have formed a new home called Edge. Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children revolves around Cloud and Tifa as they try to make new lives for themselves, as well as for those around them, in this new city. Together they run a courier service, and tend to their mutual friend Barret’s adopted daughter Marlene and a young orphan by the name of Denzel. Denzel, Cloud, and scores of children are suffering from a mysterious new illness called "Geostigma." The children of the city have one other threat looming over their heads—a trio of powerful men are kidnapping infected kids for unknown reasons. Cloud is determined to save these young ones, not only from Geostigma, but from the kidnappers as well. He has no idea, however, that these men share a link to his old enemy, Sephiroth, and Cloud’s quest to vanquish them will bring him back into conflict with the demons of his past. If there is any hope in conquering these threats, it lays within the bonds of friendship between Cloud and his allies who saved the world once, and now must do so again. It feels more like high quality fandisc with a bit of time for each character, a bit of action and just fates of characters. As a canonical continuation, it arouses interest and deserves a minor masterpiece, but story itself is not great, just extrapolation of old ideas.   Overall Rating: 7/10

24. xxxHOLiC Movie: Manatsu no Yoru no Yume xxxHOLiC The Movie: A Midsummer Night's Dream 劇場版　×××HOLiC　真夏ノ夜ノ夢 [Production I.G] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Seinen Psychological Comedy, Drama, Mystery, Supernatural Summer break has arrived, but while his other classmates are out having fun, Kimihiro Watanuki continues to work as compensation for the eccentric Yuuko in her shop. With the spirits and supernatural phenomena that bother him lessening, he pays his dues by cleaning, cooking, and doing whatever else the apparently lazy Yuuko needs. Watanuki, however, gets involved in a new predicament when Yuuko receives a mysterious invitation to a mansion whose owner seeks Yuuko's wish-granting ability. When he, Yuuko, and his classmate Shizuka Doumeki make their way to the peculiar residence, they meet others who were summoned by the same strange invitation. All of them are collectors of various unique items, drawn there by the chance to expand their collections. But as the collectors begin to disappear one by one, Watanuki and his companions must solve the mystery and put the case to rest, or find themselves in risk of danger. Paranormal mystery is not the combination that I enjoy. This starting movie is not impressive.   Overall Rating: 6/10

25. Glass no Usagi Glass Rabbit ガラスのうさぎ [Magic Bus] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Historical Toshiko Ei and her family are residents of Tokyo. Her father is a respected and skilled glass craftsmen so the family makes a good living. However, the Ei family soon finds itself having to suffer through many tragic hardships as a result of World War II. Another obligatory social movie about World War II. It delivers the message crudely.   Overall Rating: 5/10

26. Shisha no Sho The Book of the Dead 死者の書 [Sakura Motion Picture] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Award Winning, Drama, Supernatural When a young noblewoman, Iratsume, falls into a trance after copying Buddhist sutras and walks to a remote temple that women are forbidden to enter, she stirs up the ghost of the executed Prince Otsu. Otsu's ghost then mistakes Iratsume for one of her ancestors, a young woman who came to watch his execution. The beautiful face of this young woman was the last thing the Prince saw before he died, and his ghost cannot rest while her face haunts his sleep. It's not anime, just animated dolls. As for me, it's one of those Heian ghost stories that are just taking an hour of life without giving anything.   Overall Rating: 5/10

27. Nagasaki 1945: Angelus no Kane Nagasaki 1945 ~ The Angelus Bells NAGASAKI・1945 アンゼラスの鐘 [Mushi Production] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Historical, Medical, Military Drama August 1945. In a converted theological seminary on the outskirts of Nagasaki, a young doctor works to help his patients, as unsettling news comes of a new weapon used by the Americans on the city of Hiroshima. When the second nuclear weapon is dropped on Nagasaki, the hospital staff must work to save lives in the midst of the concentric circles of death that their city has become. Again, not a very spectacular or memorable echo of the war.   Overall Rating: 5/10

28. Final Fantasy VII: Last Order ラストオーダー -ファイナルファンタジーVII- [Madhouse] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Action, Adventure, Drama, Fantasy, Sci-Fi With reports of monsters terrorizing the reactor at Mount Nibel, the Shinra Electric Power Company dispatches their elite fighting force SOLDIER to investigate. Accompanied by fellow SOLDIER First Class Zack Fair and a small contingent of company guards, the war hero Sephiroth is to assess the condition of the Mako reactor at the behest of the company. In Nibelheim, the village that the reactor powers, Sephiroth discovers the source of the monsters and the origins of Shinra's legendary Jenova Project. Running through the woods months later, Zack is no longer the hero he once dreamt of becoming. He flees from the General Affairs Department of the Shinra Electric Power Company, better known as the Turks, who desperately seek to bury the evidence living within the two. Short and lacking in most aspects compared to movie. Will do as a prequel to the game, but I have not played Crisis Core yet, so may be missing a lot here. Anyway, it's too short for serious scores.   Overall Rating: 6/10

29. Koukaku Kidoutai: Stand Alone Complex - The Laughing Man 攻殻機動隊 Stand Alone Complex - The Laughing Man [Production I.G] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Seinen Adult Cast, Detective, Mecha, Psychological  Action, Mystery, Sci-Fi In 2024, the terrorist incident known as "The Laughing Man Incident" occurred in which Ernest Serano, president of the groundbreaking micromachine company, Serano Genomics, was kidnapped and ransomed. One day, the case having remained unsolved for six years, Detective Yamaguchi, who has been investigating "The Laughing Man Incident," sends word that he wants to meet with Togusa from Public Safety Section 9. However, soon after sending this message, Yamaguchi, crucial to the success of the case, dies in an accident. Many days pass and in the midst of a police interview relay concerning suspicions behind interceptors, a forewarning is received from "The Laughing Man" of his next crime. The incorporeal hacker begins to move once again. Laughing man is one of the most memorable cases in the series. The quality is still sky high.   Overall Rating: 9/10

30. Hotori: Tada Saiwai wo Koinegau ほとり～たださいわいを希う [Sunrise] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Drama, Sci-Fi  At the Personality Plant, robots are being built and slowly outfitted with the artificial memories of real people. Suzu is one such robot, being made to replace the young boy a family has lost. By chance, he meets Hotori, a young girl suffering from progressive memory loss. The two children become friends and attempt to define themselves in the light of their changing memories. Just a constant amnesia story with addition of artificial memories. As drama ok, but nothing big.   Overall Rating: 6/10

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