Anime of the Year 2012-III Summer - Kingdom

Kingdom and Sword Art Online are genius masterpieces for me with Kingdom being the more grittier one. 

1. Sword Art Online ソードアート・オンライン  [A-1 Pictures] (Finished 25/25) Tags: Love Polygon, Video Game Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Romance Ever since the release of the innovative NerveGear, gamers from all around the globe have been given the opportunity to experience a completely immersive virtual reality. Sword Art Online (SAO), one of the most recent games on the console, offers a gateway into the wondrous world of Aincrad, a vivid, medieval landscape where users can do anything within the limits of imagination. With the release of this worldwide sensation, gaming has never felt more lifelike. However, the idyllic fantasy rapidly becomes a brutal nightmare when SAO's creator traps thousands of players inside the game. The "log-out" function has been removed, with the only method of escape involving beating all of Aincrad's one hundred increasingly difficult levels. Adding to the struggle, any in-game death becomes permanent, ending the player's life in the real world. While Kazuto "Kirito" Kirigaya was fortunate enough to be a beta-tester for the game, he quickly finds that despite his advantages, he cannot overcome SAO's challenges alone. Teaming up with Asuna Yuuki and other talented players, Kirito makes an effort to face the seemingly insurmountable trials head-on. But with difficult bosses and threatening dark cults impeding his progress, Kirito finds that such tasks are much easier said than done. For me original has always been a genius masterpiece, but sequels aren't so much, will decide on sequels scores later.   Overall Rating: 10/10

2. Kokoro Connect ココロコネクト [SILVER LINK.] (Finished 3/13) Tags: Love Polygon, School Drama, Romance, Supernatural When five students at Yamaboshi Academy realize that there are no clubs where they fit in, they band together to form the Student Cultural Society, or "StuCS" for short. The club consists of: Taichi Yaegashi, a hardcore wrestling fan; Iori Nagase, an indecisive optimist; Himeko Inaba, a calm computer genius; Yui Kiriyama, a petite karate practitioner; and Yoshifumi Aoki, the class clown. One day, Aoki and Yui experience a strange incident when, without warning, they switch bodies for a short period of time. As this supernatural phenomenon continues to occur randomly amongst the five friends, they begin to realize that it is not just fun and games. Now forced to become closer than ever, they soon discover each other's hidden secrets and emotional scars, which could end up tearing the StuCS and their friendship apart. Who in sane mind would consider idea of switching bodies good? Having consent makes it a bit better, but only a bit. So it's super confusing as I never know who in which body is. Furthermore, just the fact of switching spurs so much pointless drama... and that drama, plus personal crazes become the gist of the anime....   Overall Rating: 6/10

3. Hagure Yuusha no Aesthetica Aesthetica of a Rogue Hero はぐれ勇者の鬼畜美学〈エステティカ〉 [Arms] (Finished 12/12) Tags: Isekai, Super Power Action, Fantasy, Ecchi Since the discovery of "Samon Syndrome" 30 years ago, thousands of young people have traveled to fantasy worlds, the few returnees managing to keep the special abilities they acquired in those parallel universes. Akatsuki Ousawa, known as the "Rogue Hero," discards his peaceful life in the fantasy world Alayzard to face new challenges upon returning to Earth. He comes back with Miu, the daughter of the Demon King he defeated, and is now forced to hide her true identity by having her pose as his little sister. The two soon join Babel, a special school designed for those who have acquired special abilities and magical powers through their journey to a fantasy world. Babel was seemingly founded to train young interdimensional travelers and "guide them to the right path for the sake of humanity and themselves," but its true purpose remains unclear to the pseudo-siblings. Will Akatsuki and Miu be able to overcome the hostile, powerful student council and uncover the forces at play behind the scenes? Missed it back them, probably because synopsis is rather ridiculous. Now I see that it's watchable, but it still does not have any bigger story - just duels and battle royale at battle magician academy. Perverted overpowered protagonist is a rare sight, but he needs that to have his way over girls, though in battles it gets rather boring. Still could be a good anime if it had a normal story Overall Rating: 6/10

4. Dakara Boku wa, H ga Dekinai. So, I Can't Play H! だから僕は、Hができない。 [feel.] (Finished 1/12) Tags: Comedy, Romance, Supernatural, Ecchi On the surface, Ryousuke Kaga is the token perverted teenager, spending his days ogling women and indulging in erotic reveries. Because of this, Ryousuke is ostracized by his classmates. Only his childhood friend Mina Okura knows that behind his lecherous persona lies a compassionate boy who has sworn to be chivalrous to girls, believing they are treasures that must be protected. One fateful day, Ryousuke runs into Lisara Restall, a Soul Reaper hailing from a noble family, whose primary objective in the human realm is to locate a magically potent person known as the One. In order to fuel her movement with magic, she decides to form a provisional contract with Ryousuke: to use his sexual desires as a source of energy. Carrying out this peculiar arrangement with Lisara, Ryousuke encounters many disparate individuals but also learns of the intriguing yet dark secrets surrounding his world. Binding a contract with a powerful mysterious girl is a super common plot starter. It's ok, but it got much better competitors.   Overall Rating: 6/10

5. Campione! Matsurowanu Kamigami to Kamigoroshi no Maou Campione! カンピオーネ！ ～まつろわぬ神々と神殺しの魔王～ [Diomedéa] (Finished 1/13) Tags: Harem Comedy, Fantasy, Romance, Ecchi The gods of the world are not myths or legends. They exist, unbeknownst to humans, fighting their battles and laying waste to land and life. People perceive the fights of such "Heretic Gods" as inexplicable natural disasters they cannot escape. Sixteen-year-old high school student Godou Kusanagi travels to Italy at the request of his grandfather to return a particular tablet to an acquaintance for safekeeping. Godou does not expect to get drawn into a battle between two Heretic Gods alongside Erica Blandelli, a self-proclaimed witch fighting to protect people. Fortunately, he manages to defeat the god of war in mortal combat and becomes a "Campione"—or "God Slayer"—whose duty is to fight Heretic Gods to save humanity. Godou's new status as a Campione attracts a bevy of Gods who wish to challenge him and a band of devout followers—mostly women—who are willing to aid him in his battles. Campione!: Matsurowanu Kamigami to Kamigoroshi no Maou follows Godou as he tackles dueling deities in a conflict between Heaven and Earth. First episode is too ridiculous to go on. Kiss a witch and gain superpowers to defeat gods! Too much bs just to make another ecchi harem action , this time with Italian flavor.   Overall Rating: 6/10

6. Oda Nobuna no Yabou The Ambition of Oda Nobuna 織田信奈の野望 [Madhouse, Studio Gokumi] (Finished 1/12) Tags: Harem, Historical, Time Travel Action, Comedy, Romance High school student Yoshiharu Sagara wakes up and finds himself in the middle of a raging Sengoku period battle. He is saved by the legendary Hideyoshi Toyotomi, but at the cost of the hero's life. With his dying breath, the warrior pleads for Yoshiharu to become a feudal lord in his place. Now that the course of history has been changed, Yoshiharu pledges to keep the timeline from diverging any further. Yet, after rescuing Nobuna Oda—whom he discovers is actually the fabled Nobunaga Oda's female counterpart—Yoshiharu realizes he has been transported to an alternate reality where most of Japan's historical warlords are now cute girls! To set things right and find a way back home, Yoshiharu agrees to become one of Nobuna's retainers and assist her in a conquest of Japan. As Nobuna initiates her campaign, Yoshiharu discovers that the history he learned from playing the video game "Nobunaga's Ambition" allows him to predict future events and turn the tide of war. Using this invaluable gift to aid the Oda clan's beautiful generals, Yoshiharu hopes to help his new lord fulfill her dream and win the hearts of women everywhere. Alternative history and Sengoku girlification is already a shaky ground, but adding a high school student via time travel makes it dubious entertainment. I don't enjoy it for sure .   Overall Rating: 6/10

7. Koi to Senkyo to Chocolate Love, Election and Chocolate 恋と選挙とチョコレート [AIC Build] (Finished 3/12) Tags: Harem, School Drama, Romance Yuuki Oojima is a member of his high school's Food Research Club, whose main activity is eating snacks bought with funds allocated to them by the school. However, this peaceful and wasteful lifestyle is under threat as the upcoming student election draws near. Satsuki Shinonome, a major candidate and the head of the department of financial affairs, campaigns on a platform that includes disbanding meritless clubs such as the Food Research Club and redirecting their budgets to proper ones. Understandably, the Food Research Club is in an uproar over this development, with president Chisato Sumiyoshi vowing to preserve it. But what can they even do to stop the highly competent and popular Satsuki from getting elected? No story, only stage. For me that's just waste of time.   Overall Rating: 6/10

8. Binbougami ga! Good Luck Girl! 貧乏神が! [Sunrise] (Finished 1/13) Tags: Shounen Parody Comedy, Supernatural Ichiko Sakura lives life on easy mode. Blessed with good fortune, she has everything she has ever wanted, including beauty, intelligence, and wealth. Momiji Binboda is a goddess of poverty. In stark contrast to Ichiko, she is cursed with misfortune, such as a perpetual cast on her arm, a flat chest, and a box under a bridge for a home. Their lives collide when Momiji lives up to her title and delivers some unfortunate news to Ichiko: her large amount of luck is due to her subconsciously draining the luck from those around her! Momiji has been tasked with stealing back Ichiko's fortune before she leaves everyone without enough luck to even survive. But Ichiko, with the help of the wandering monk Bobby Statice, manages to fight off the poverty goddess. This defeat forces the goddess to enlist reinforcements in the form of Kumagai, her teddy bear familiar, and the masochistic dog god, Momoo Inugami. Insanity ensues as Ichiko's quiet life is replaced with daily battles for her fortune. To survive the chaos, Ichiko will need all the luck she can get in Binbougami ga!! I've never encountered anything even remotely good about luck and misfortune confrontation. Cringe squared.   Overall Rating: 5/10

9. Kono Naka ni Hitori, Imouto ga Iru! NAKAIMO - My Little Sister Is Among Them! この中に1人、妹がいる！ [Studio Gokumi] (Finished 1/12) Tags: Harem, School Comedy, Mystery, Romance, Ecchi Shougo Mikadono's father has just passed away, and now he must become the head of Mikadono Group, his father's company. After completing the training to take over, there is just one other stipulation he must adhere to: he will need to find a girl he loves at his new school and marry her by the time he graduates high school. Shougo transfers to Miryuin Private Academy, and it seems like he has many girls to choose from, such as Konoe Suruma, the class representative as well as his first new friend; Miyabi Kannagi, a standoffish but kind girl; Rinka Kunitachi, the student council vice president; Mei Sagara, who runs a cafe and dresses like a witch; and Mana Tendou, the student council president. However, there is a complication: one of them is his long-lost half sister, and he has no idea which one, so how can he become romantically involved with any of them? Harem Mystery ... that's a very poor combination for my tastes, especially after anime about strawberry pants. Anyway, this is terrible for anyone who does not like harems.   Overall Rating: 6/10

10. Kingdom キングダム [Pierrot] (Finished 38/38) Tags: Seinen Historical, Military Action China’s Warring States period, a raging dragon that would raze the land for 500 years, saw many kingdoms rise and fall, making way for the next generation of kings and generals to fight for supremacy. Eventually, seven powerful states emerged from the endless cycle of warfare. In the kingdom of Qin, Xin, a war-orphaned slave, trains vigorously with fellow slave and best friend, Piao, who shares his proud dream of one day becoming a Great General of the Heavens. However, the two are suddenly forced to part ways when Piao is recruited to work in the royal palace by a retainer of the King. After a fierce coup d'état unfolds, Piao returns to Xin, half dead, with a mission that will lead him to a meeting with China's young King, Ying Zheng, who bears a striking resemblance to Piao. Kingdom follows Xin as he takes his first steps into the great blood-soaked pages of China's history. He must carve his own path to glory on his long quest to become a Great General of the historic Seven Warring States. This is perfect. And if between the seasons I start to hesitate whether it was that good, next season overwhelms me again and forces to follow it day and night till it's over. It's useless to compare it with other historical action anime, because there's nothing else like it.   Overall Rating: 10/10

11. Jinrui wa Suitai Shimashita Humanity Has Declined 人類は衰退しました [AIC ASTA] (Finished 3/12) Tags: Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy  Because of the constantly declining birth rates over many decades, human civilization is all but extinct. With only a few humans remaining, they survive in this post-apocalyptic world with what was left behind by the previous generations. Earth is now dominated by fairies, tiny creatures with extremely advanced technology, an obsession with candy, and a complete disregard for human safety. A young girl who has just finished her studies returns to her hometown and is designated as an official United Nations arbitrator. Her duty is to serve as a link between mankind and fairies, reassuring each side that both races can live together peacefully. She imagines this task will be easy enough, but controlling the disasters created by the oblivious fairies in their pursuit of candy will require a lot more effort than she initially believes. I remember trying and dropping it. It's episodic in the way that usually story takes two episodes , and not even in chronological order. It's random and with very weird and chaotic humor. Need to be either in love with this worldbuilding or appreciate humor. It's neither for me.   Overall Rating: 6/10

12. Yuru Yuri♪♪ YuruYuri: Happy Go Lily ♪♪ ゆるゆり♪♪ [Doga Kobo] (Finished 12/12) Tags: CGDCT, Gag Humor, School Comedy, Girls Love The girls of the Amusement Club return in Yuru Yuri♪♪, finding new ways to make passing time even more enjoyable. Their members consist of the always energetic Kyouko Toshinou; calm and sensible Yui Funami; polite but often overlooked Akari Akaza; and Chinatsu Yoshikawa, who stumbled upon the others while looking for the Tea Ceremony Club. Together they are the Amusement Club, which has the deceptively simple task of keeping its members entertained. Along with the Student Council and the odd family member, they strive to enjoy their youth to the fullest. Whether it's a trip to a hot spring or finishing overdue homework, their lives are never dull, and they will always find an excuse to spend time together. Sequel.   Overall Rating: 6/10

13. Joshiraku じょしらく [J.C.Staff] (Finished 1/13) Tags: Shounen Adult Cast, CGDCT, Gag Humor, Parody, Performing Arts Comedy Joshiraku follows the conversations of five rakugo storyteller girls relating the odd things that happen to them each day. Their comedic and satirical chatting covers all kinds of topics, from pointless observations of everyday life, to politics, manga, and more. Each girl has something new to add to the discussion, and the discourse never ends in the same place it began. Each of the rakugo girls has their own unique personality, with the energetic but immature Marii Buratei; the seemingly cute Kigurumi Haroukitei; the inherently lucky and carefree Tetora Bouhatei; the calm and violent Gankyou Kuurubiyuutei; and the pessimistic and unstable Kukuru Anrakutei. These girls—and their mysterious friend in a wrestling mask—give their observations to the audience, either backstage at the rakugo theater or in various famous locations around Tokyo. My acquaintance with rakugo happened with brilliant Shouwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu, and I'm happy for that. This is not rakugo, just wild discussions on random topics and without any kinds of satisfying resolutions. Feels like funny observations of stand up comedian that never got a punchline. Now compare this to hilarity of Lucky Star. Joshiraku only issues headackes. It's still possible to find some funny moments which inevitably get piled up in an instant. If I want weird clever fast-paced discussions, I'd sooner watch anything from Monogatari series than this.   Overall Rating: 6/10

14. Tari Tari  [P.A. Works] (Finished 13/13) Tags: Music, School Slice of Life  At Shirahamazaka High School, a special recital is held every year in which music students are able to showcase their talents in front of professionals and other prestigious guests. Third-year Konatsu Miyamoto desperately wants to sing in her last high school recital, but because she screwed up the year before, the vice principal has barred her from participating. That's when Konatsu comes up with a new plan to get involved; instead of joining the official choir, she'll form her own singing club with her friends! Unfortunately this proves to be harder than she imagined. Her friend Wakana Sakai has given up on singing, for one, and Konatsu needs more than just two members. With only a month left until the recital, will Konatsu be able to find enough members for her club and actually be ready to sing at one of the most important events of the school year and graduate without regrets? I watched everything from early P.A.Works, but I have vague memories about Tari Tari, because there are many dozens of such works nowadays, and without outstanding story it becomes yet another anime where girls go to club and work to fulfil their dreams. And it happens in every second SOL anime. Slow-paced boring SOL can be found almost everywhere.   Overall Rating: 6/10

15. Dog Days' ドッグデイズ' [Seven Arcs] (Finished 1/13) Tags: Isekai Action, Adventure, Fantasy  Cinque returns to the land of Flonyard in Dog Days' to resume his duties as the hero of the Biscotti Republic and it's as though he never left! The difference this time is that he's brought two friends with him who become heroes in their own right: childhood best friend Rebecca Anderson, who becomes the hero for the Principality of Pastillage at the urging of their leader Princess Couvert Eschenbach Pastillage, and his cousin Nanami Takatsuki, who becomes the hero for the Galette Lion Dominion. As with the first season though, with so many secrets to be uncovered and mysteries to be solved, will there even be time for the athletic events that these three hyper and athletic teenagers love to participate in so much? Sequel.   Overall Rating: 5/10

16. Muv-Luv Alternative: Total Eclipse マブラヴ オルタネイティヴ トータル・イクリプス [Satelight, ixtl] (Finished 4/24) Tags: Mecha, Military Action, Sci-Fi In 1973, following the ruthless six-year-long Lunar War, the hostile alien species known as the BETA—Beings of Extra Terrestrial origin which are Adversary of the human race—invaded Earth, killing billions and decimating Eurasia. While BETA can be destroyed with conventional weapons, their laser-class is able to wipe out entire aircraft fleets, forcing mankind to develop giant combat suits called Tactical Surface Fighters (TSF) to combat them. When the BETA reach Japan in 1998, military school student and TSF pilot—or eishi—Yui Takamura is ordered to defend Kyoto's last line of defense with her fellow classmates. At the cost of countless human lives and the sacrifice of Yui's friends, the Japanese Imperial Army manages to repel the invaders, leaving destruction in its wake. However, this encounter leaves Yui determined to never again allow something like this to occur. Three years later, now a lieutenant, Yui joins the XFJ project, an Alaska-based Japan-American TSF development program. In an international team composed of the uncooperative Japanese-American test pilot Yuuya Bridges and various eishi from countries lost to the BETA, Yui's task is to help develop the new Japanese TSF Shiranui. Amidst political tensions inherited from the Cold War, Muv-Luv Alternative: Total Eclipse follows Yui's delicate mission and Yuuya's journey to overcome the demons of the past that still haunt him. I liked both Alternative adaptation and Schwarzesmarken, but Total Eclipse becomes a typical horrible mecha after first two episodes. Just training and romance between really mediocre characters. Guess first pancake is lumpy, after all.   Overall Rating: 6/10

17. Natsuyuki Rendezvous 夏雪ランデブー [Doga Kobo] (Finished 5/11) Tags: Josei Adult Cast Drama, Romance, Supernatural Ryousuke Hazuki is a young man whose heart has been stolen away, stopping by the local floral shop daily in order to catch a glimpse of the beautiful Rokka Shimao, the shop's owner. In hopes of getting close to her, he decides to get a part-time job at the shop, but before he is able to make his move, he runs into a major roadblock: in her apartment dwells a ghost who claims to be Rokka's deceased husband. Atsushi Shimao has quietly watched over his widowed wife ever since he passed three years ago. However, Hazuki is the first person to ever notice him, and the two quickly find themselves at odds: the jealous Shimao attempts to thwart the suitor's advances and possess his body, while Hazuki simply wants the ghost to pass on for good, allowing Rokka to move on from the past and him to be with the one he loves. As both men refuse to let go of their desires, an unusual relationship forms between a troubled woman, an unrelenting ghost, and a stubborn man in love. So we're suggested to enjoy a love triangle with a male ghost... that's... fresh. My main complaints is that it's not particularly interesting and that story should not and can not take 11 episodes, because it gets full of fillers otherwise.   Overall Rating: 6/10

18. Kyoukaisenjou no Horizon II Horizon in the Middle of Nowhere II 境界線上のホライゾンII [Sunrise] (Finished 1/13) Tags: Action, Fantasy, Sci-Fi  Taking advantage of the opportunity that the Mikawa Conflict provides, Tori and his comrades attempt to rescue Horizon from the Testament Union. But even as the Floating City Musashi speeds towards its next destination, the Floating Island England, Tres España is preparing its own armada for war against the British Islanders. Now, as the quest of Horizon's emotions builds to its climax, Tori's new battle is about to begin in the land ruled by the Fairy Queen! The reenactment of the history described in the mysterious Testament continues as the secret of the Armor of Deadly Sins is unleashed in the spectacular second season of Horizon in the Middle of Nowhere! Sequel.   Overall Rating: 6/10

19. Hakuouki: Reimeiroku Hakuoki: Demon of the Fleeting Blossom - Dawn of the Shinsengumi 薄桜鬼 黎明録 [Studio Deen] (Finished 1/12) Tags: Josei Historical, Samurai Action, Drama, Supernatural Beaten and left to perish, Ryuunosuke Ibuki is robbed of everything to his name. Seeing him in such a pitiful state, a man named Kamo Serizawa gives him a second chance and offers him to become his personal assistant. Ibuki seems to be spared by grief, but this new lifestyle only makes him nothing more than a dog to one of the most influential men in all of Kyoto. Meanwhile, with the rise of ronin attacks on the general population, the shogunate sends the Roshigumi to Kyoto to strike for peace. Led by the honorable yet soft-spoken Isami Kondou, the Roshigumi is composed of strong and skilled samurai but lacks any meaningful political connections to gain footing in the city plagued by crime. Having no other choice, Kondou allies with the arrogant Serizawa and his connections in exchange for their combative strength. Despite hating everything the samurai stand for, Ibuki finds himself tangled in the business of the Roshigumi. However, as he interacts with the members under Kondou's leadership, Ibuki slowly realizes that not all samurai are as cruel and dishonorable as he once thought. Hakuouki Reimeiroku explores the early days leading up to the formation of the Shinsengumi while the political tension in Kyoto gives rise to instability and uncertainty. Sequel.   Overall Rating: 5/10

20. Chouyaku Hyakuninisshu: Uta Koi. Utakoi 超訳百人一首 うた恋い。 [TYO Animations] (Finished 2/13) Tags: Josei Historical  Comedy, Romance Uta Koi tells the "super-liberal interpretation" of the Hyakuninisshu anthology compiled during Japan's Heian period of 100 romantic poems from 100 different poets such as The Tale of Genji's Murasaki Shikibu. I can't stand anything Heian already. Pure boredom, as for me.   Overall Rating: 0/10

21. Rinne no Lagrange Season 2 Lagrange: The Flower of Rin-ne Season 2 輪廻のラグランジェ season 2 [Xebec] (Finished 1/12) Tags: Mecha Action, Comedy, Sci-Fi Several months have passed since Lan and Muginami left Earth. Now in her final year of high school, Madoka spends most of her days thinking about her friends, when Lan suddenly returns to Kamogawa City. Sequel.   Overall Rating: 5/10

22. Moyashimon Returns もやしもん リターンズ [Telecom Animation Film, Shirogumi] (Finished 1/11) Tags: Seinen School Comedy, Gourmet, Supernatural In the second season the story continues exactly where it left off previously. Professor Itsuki's Fermentation Cellar and laboratory is ready for operation and with Sawaki Tadayasu's unique gift to see and communicate with microbes to help, Itsuki's motley group of students begin to process different fermented products like soy sauce and sake. Sequel.   Overall Rating: 6/10

23. Tanken Driland 探検ドリランド [Toei Animation] (Finished 1/37) Tags: Adventure, Fantasy  Due to the influence of someone who visited her town when she was a child, Princess Mikoto of Elua decides to become a hunter and search for treasure all over the land of Driland. She sets out on her journey with her personal assistant Wallens, but they are soon joined by Pollon, a hunter who dreams of being a hero, and Paan, a wandering knight. As they continue their exploration they begin to sense great danger drawing near. All characters having SD designs is usually a sign that it's for children. Very simple and toothless indeed.   Overall Rating: 5/10

24. Zhandou Wang Zhi Jufeng Zhan Hun Infinity Nado 战斗王之飓风战魂 [Alpha Animation] (Finished 0/52) Tags: Action  Dawn and Athas find a mysterious sleeping boy, Pandora, who suffers from amnesia after he comes around. When Pandora just arrives at Freewheel Town, he becomes the chasing target of an organization called Ancient Hunter Group, which demands of him to carry out the "Great Mission". Under the attack of Jin and his friends, Ancient Hunter Group is temporarily repelled. With the assistance of Jin and his friends, Pandora gradually gets used to life in this world and his skill on top is much improved.Can Pandora regain his memories? What is his "Great Mission"? The story will tell you...... Not found.   Overall Rating: 0/10

25. Ebiten: Kouritsu Ebisugawa Koukou Tenmonbu Ebiten えびてん 公立海老栖川高校天悶部 [AIC Classic] (Finished 4/10) Tags: Shounen Parody, School Comedy, Ecchi Noya Itsuki just transferred to Ebisugawa High School. Since he has always had a fascination with space, he decides to join the Astronomy Club; however, he mistakenly walks into the Asstronomy Club—a club whose members are all female otaku. Itsuki notices that the members are really weird, but he has yet to realize that he joined the wrong club. His life becomes very strange very quickly. A very random school club Ecchi comedy with a big amount of parody. Without normal concept it's difficult to watch for me.   Overall Rating: 6/10

26. Ookami Kodomo no Ame to Yuki Wolf Children おおかみこどもの雨と雪 [Studio Chizu] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Childcare Award Winning, Fantasy, Slice of Life Hana, a hard-working college student, falls in love with a mysterious man who attends one of her classes though he is not an actual student. As it turns out, he is not truly human either. On a full moon night, he transforms, revealing that he is the last werewolf alive. Despite this, Hana's love remains strong, and the two ultimately decide to start a family. Hana gives birth to two healthy children—Ame, born during rainfall, and Yuki, born during snowfall—both possessing the ability to turn into wolves, a trait inherited from their father. All too soon, however, the sudden death of her lover devastates Hana's life, leaving her to raise a peculiar family completely on her own. The stress of raising her wild-natured children in a densely populated city, all while keeping their identity a secret, culminates in a decision to move to the countryside, where she hopes Ame and Yuki can live a life free from the judgments of society. Wolf Children is the heartwarming story about the challenges of being a single mother in an unforgiving modern world. It was among recommendations in one podcast as a touching anime, but I expected only tearjerkers. And of course all kinds of misfortunes hammered down again and again which in conjunction with ungrateful children brings only disaster. People who like to cry will surely burst here, but it's a really bad and horribly long anime that brings nothing, just tearkerkers for the sake of tearjerkers.   Overall Rating: 5/10

27. Gintama: Yorinuki Gintama-san on Theater 2D 銀魂 よりぬき銀魂さんオンシアター2D [Sunrise] (Finished 2/2) Tags: Shounen Gag Humor, Historical, Parody, Samurai Action, Comedy, Sci-Fi Demonic Vice-Commander of the Shinsengumi, Toushirou Hijikata, acquires a cursed sword—one which completely rewrites his personality, morphing him from a hard-boiled, no-nonsense cop into a hopeless otaku. As he struggles to break the curse, an ambitious new member of the police force, Itou Kamotarou, seizes the opportunity to depose Hijikata in his bid for power within the organization. However, Itou's scheme is revealed to be more devious than anyone imagined, and the very existence of the Shinsengumi is thrown into peril. In another time and place, the Yorozuya squad is suddenly greeted by a potential new recruit. Before them is a mysterious young woman named Pirako Doromizu who hides a penchant for extreme violence behind her smiling, enthusiastic exterior. However, unbeknownst to Gintoki and the others, Pirako has strong ties to one of the ruling figures of the Kabuki district of Edo, and her arrival sets off a chain reaction that throws the inhabitants of the district into a civil war. Can't rate recaps high.   Overall Rating: 6/10

28. Mardock Scramble: The Third Exhaust マルドゥック・スクランブル 第3部 排気 [GoHands] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Psychological Action, Sci-Fi The final plans to finish Shell off in court have been made by Easter, Balot, and Oeufcoque. But in order to execute those plans, they must set foot into Shell's domain: the BlueEgg Casino in the center of Mardock City, and find the chip where his memories lie. If they can't find the chip, their case will be dismissed in court, and their "usefulness" will be gone – resulting in all of their deaths. Will Balot find the chip in time, while still dodging Boiled and his now mad search for her and Oeufcoque? Again half of movie is wasted on casino. Second half is chaotic and it's not even explained what Deus Ex Machina allows to win...   Overall Rating: 6/10

29. Asura アシュラ [Toei Animation] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Historical Award Winning, Drama Asura is an unrelentingly dark drama that follows the struggles of a young boy who did whatever it took to survive during a time of war and famine in medieval Japan. Cannibal and serial killer kid causes trouble to everyone who happens to help him. As if it's not enough, as starvation comes, everyone else becomes akin to beasts. I doubt anyone would want to watch that.   Overall Rating: 5/10

30. Biohazard: Damnation バイオハザード ダムネーション [Digital Frontier] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Action, Horror, Sci-Fi  United States Special Agent Leon S. Kennedy sneaks into a small Eastern European country to verify rumors that Bio Organic Weapons (B.O.W.s) are being used in war. Right after his infiltration, the U.S. government orders him to leave immediately. Determined to uncover the truth, Leon ignores the order and enters the battlefield to end the chain of tragedies caused by the B.O.W.s. It has original story not used in games, and that's felt. It tried to copy whatever good there was in games, and result is not original story, more like compilation.   Overall Rating: 6/10

31. Starship Troopers: Invasion スターシップ・トゥルーパーズ インベイジョン [Sola Digital Arts] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Military Action, Sci-Fi A distant Federation outpost Fort Casey comes under attack by bugs. The team on the fast attack ship Alesia is assigned to help the Starship John A. Warden stationed in Fort Casey evacuate along with the survivors and bring military intelligence safely back to Earth. Carl Jenkins, now head of the Ministry of Paranormal Warfare, takes the starship on a clandestine mission before its rendezvous with the Alesia and goes missing in the nebula. Now, the battle-hardened troopers are charged with a rescue mission that may lead to a much more sinister consequence than they ever could have imagined... CGI. It's ok, but very local as it takes place during taking ship back from the monsters. It's decent, but due to just action story can't consider it a masterpiece.   Overall Rating: 6/10

32. Padak Padak 파닥파닥 [eigoMANGA] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Drama A mackerel from the sea attempts to escape from a restaurant! Padak is a mackerel from the sea, who is caught in a net and gets dumped into a restaurant tank. An old flatfish is the only one that's survived very long. He gains the trust of other fish with his survival skills. Thanks to Padak, who attempts to make it back to the ocean, the peace in the tank is shattered and conflicts with the old flatfish get bigger and bigger. CGI. Guess it's made by vegetarians or something as every single fish or crab wants to live and escape here, but a lot get eaten either by humans or by each other. Felt really unpleasant.   Overall Rating: 5/10

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