Gin no Saji , Servant x Service and Kingdom 2nd Season are my favorites this season, but Servant x Service is more to my liking among new titles because of more mature characters and fresh focus. There are also honorable masterpieces Genshiken Nidaime and Gintama Movie 2: Kanketsu-hen - Yorozuya yo Eien Nare .
1. Danganronpa: Kibou no Gakuen to Zetsubou no Koukousei The Animation Danganronpa: The Animation ダンガンロンパ 希望の学園と絶望の高校生 THE ANIMATION [Lerche] (Finished 3/13) Tags: High Stakes Game, Psychological, School, Survival Horror, Mystery Makoto Naegi, a teenager with no remarkable talent, is surprised to learn that he has been accepted into Hope's Peak Private Academy: an elite school that gathers the best students from various fields. Despite believing his admission was just a fluke, Naegi is delighted to attend an institution known for ensuring success to those who graduate. Determined, he enters the front doors of the prestigious academy. However, after losing consciousness inside, Naegi wakes up in a seemingly abandoned classroom. Failing to comprehend how he got there, Naegi begins to explore, and to his surprise, finds his classmates assembled in the gym. While everyone is trying to figure out what happened, they are confronted by the school principal—Monokuma, a robotic teddy bear. The mysterious toy explains that the freshmen are trapped inside the school with only one means of escape—kill a classmate without being discovered. Tension fills the air as Naegi and his classmates realize that they are faced with two choices: participate in Monokuma's killing game, or reside together in the school for the rest of their lives. It's a mystery and it's tied closely to detective murder investigation and puzzles, something like Umineko, and I love to hate such titles. Overall Rating: 6/10 |
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2. High School DxD New ハイスクールD×D NEW [TNK] (Finished 1/12) Tags: Harem, Mythology, School Action, Comedy, Fantasy, Romance, Ecchi The misadventures of Issei Hyoudou, high school pervert and aspiring Harem King, continue on in High School DxD New. As the members of the Occult Research Club carry out their regular activities, it becomes increasingly obvious that there is something wrong with their Knight, the usually composed and alert Yuuto Kiba. Soon, Issei learns of Kiba's dark, bloody past and its connection to the mysterious Holy Swords. Once the subject of a cruel experiment, Kiba now seeks revenge on all those who wronged him. With the return of an old enemy, as well as the appearance of two new, Holy Sword-wielding beauties, it isn't long before Issei and his Devil comrades are plunged into a twisted plot once more. Sequel. Overall Rating: 6/10 |
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3. Free! Free! - Iwatobi Swim Club [Kyoto Animation, Animation Do] (Finished 1/12) Tags: School Sports Haruka Nanase has a love for water and a passion for swimming. In elementary school, he competed in and won a relay race with his three friends Rin Matsuoka, Nagisa Hazuki, and Makoto Tachibana. After claiming victory at the tournament, the four friends went their separate ways. Years later, they reunite as high school students; however, Rin couldn't care less about returning to the way things used to be. Not only does he attend a different school, but the sole thing important to him is proving that he is a better swimmer than Haruka. After the bitter reunion, Haruka, Nagisa, and Makoto decide to form the Iwatobi High School Swim Club, but they will need a fourth member if they hope to take part in the upcoming tournament. Enter Rei Ryuugazaki, a former member of the track team whom Nagisa recruits. As the time to compete draws near, the four develop a close bond while training intensely to come out on top and settle things between Haruka and Rin once and for all. Boys' swim club feels super boring and nauseating to me, same as back then. Overall Rating: 5/10 |
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4. Blood Lad ブラッドラッド [Brain's Base] (Finished 10/10) Tags: Seinen Delinquents, Mythology, Vampire Action, Comedy, Fantasy Staz Charlie Blood is a powerful vampire who rules the Eastern district of Demon World. According to rumors, he is a bloodthirsty and merciless monster, but in reality, Staz is just an otaku obsessed with Japanese culture and completely uninterested in human blood. Leaving the management of his territory to his underlings, Staz spends his days lazing around, indulging in anime, manga, and games. When Fuyumi Yanagi, a Japanese girl, accidentally wanders through a portal leading into the demon world, Staz is overjoyed. But just as he is starting to feel an unusual attraction to her, his territory is attacked, resulting in Fuyumi's untimely death. She turns into a wandering ghost and the crestfallen Staz vows to resurrect her as this would mean being able to travel to the human world, something he has always dreamed of. Blood Lad follows Staz and Fuyumi, soon joined by the spatial magician Bell and the half-werewolf Wolf, as they travel to find a magic that can bring humans back to life. Another experiment to liven things up, but the concept remains a boring action. Nothing really fired for me here even though it's watchable. Overall Rating: 6/10 |
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5. Monogatari Series: Second Season 〈物語〉シリーズ セカンドシーズン [Shaft] (Finished 1/26) Tags: Vampire Comedy, Mystery, Romance, Supernatural Apparitions, oddities, and gods continue to manifest around Koyomi Araragi and his close-knit group of friends: Tsubasa Hanekawa, the group's modest genius; Shinobu Oshino, the resident doughnut-loving vampire; athletic deviant Suruga Kanbaru; bite-happy spirit Mayoi Hachikuji; Koyomi's cutesy stalker Nadeko Sengoku; and Hitagi Senjougahara, Koyomi's aloof classmate. Monogatari Series: Second Season revolves around these individuals and their struggle to overcome the darkness that is rapidly approaching. A new semester has begun and with graduation looming over Koyomi, he must quickly decide the paths he will walk, as well as the relationships and friends that he'll save. But as strange events begin to unfold, Koyomi is nowhere to be found, and a vicious tiger apparition has appeared in his absence. Hanekawa has become its target, and she must fend for herself—or bow to the creature's perspective on the feebleness of humanity. Sequel. Overall Rating: 6/10 |
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6. Watashi ga Motenai no wa Dou Kangaetemo Omaera ga Warui! WataMote: No Matter How I Look At It, It's You Guys' Fault I'm Not Popular! 私がモテないのはどう考えてもお前らが悪い! [SILVER LINK.] (Finished 3/12) Tags: Otaku Culture, School Comedy After living 50 simulated high school lives and dating over 100 virtual boys, Tomoko Kuroki believes that she is ready to conquer her first year of high school. Little does she know that she is much less prepared than she would like to think. In reality, Tomoko is an introverted and awkward young girl, and she herself is the only one who doesn't realize it! With the help of her best friend, Yuu Naruse, and the support and love of her brother Tomoki, Tomoko attempts to brave the new world of high school life. Watashi ga Motenai no wa Dou Kangaetemo Omaera ga Warui! chronicles the life of a socially awkward and relatively friendless high school otaku as she attempts to overcome her personal barriers in order to live a fulfilling life. For me it's just unpleasant senseless rambling. It's all is done to be funny, but can't call it funny too. Overall Rating: 6/10 |
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7. Kami nomi zo Shiru Sekai: Megami-hen The World God Only Knows: Goddesses 神のみぞ知るセカイ 女神篇 [Manglobe] (Finished 1/12) Tags: Shounen Harem, Otaku Culture Comedy, Romance, Supernatural Having freed a myriad of women from the runaway spirits possessing their hearts, the "God of Conquest" Keima Katsuragi is confronted with a new task: find the Jupiter Sisters, the goddesses that sealed Old Hell in the past. Diana, the goddess that resides inside his childhood friend Tenri Ayukawa, explains that they have taken shelter in the hearts of the girls he had assisted previously. Moreover, once Diana and her sisters are reunited, their power can seal the runaway spirits away for good and relieve Keima of his exorcising duties. Though he is initially reluctant to get involved in yet another chore, everything changes when tragedy befalls one of the hosts. Discovering that the goddesses are being targeted by a mysterious organization known as Vintage, Keima is caught in a race against time to reunite the sisters and rescue the girl who has already fallen prey. With deeper resolve than ever before, Keima works together with demons Elsie and Haqua to recapture the hearts of the girls he had charmed in the past. However, the road ahead is a difficult one, as he is soon met with the consequences of his previous conquests. Sequel. Overall Rating: 6/10 |
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8. Gin no Saji Silver Spoon 銀の匙 [A-1 Pictures] (Finished 11/11) Tags: Shounen School Comedy Yuugo Hachiken is studious, hard-working, and tired of trying to live up to expectations he just cannot meet. With the ushering in of a brand new school year, he decides to enroll in Ooezo Agricultural High School, a boarding school located in the Hokkaido countryside, as a means to escape from the stress brought upon by his parents. Initially convinced that he would do well at this institution, Hachiken is quickly proven wrong by his talented classmates, individuals who have been living on farms their entire lives and know just about everything when it comes to food, vegetables, and even the physiology of livestock! Whether it be waking up at five in the morning for strenuous labor or to take care of farm animals, Hachiken is a complete amateur when it comes to the harsh agricultural life. Gin no Saji follows the comedic story of a young student as he tries to fit into a completely new environment, meeting many unique people along the way. As he struggles to appreciate his surroundings, Hachiken hopes to discover his dreams, so that he may lead a fulfilling life on his own terms. It's a surprisingly pleasant rural SOL comedy, especially when watched for the first time. Overall Rating: 8/10 |
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9. Fate/kaleid liner Prisma☆Illya Fate/Kaleid Liner Prisma Illya Fate/kaleid liner プリズマ☆イリヤ [SILVER LINK.] (Finished 1/10) Tags: Mahou Shoujo Action, Comedy, Fantasy Mage's Association members Rin Toosaka and Luviagelita "Luvia" Edelfelt are tasked with finding and retrieving seven Class Cards, medieval artifacts containing the life essence of legendary Heroic Spirits. To aid them in their mission, they are granted the power of Ruby and Sapphire, two sentient Kaleidosticks that would enable them to transform themselves into magical girls and drastically increase their abilities. However, the two mages are on anything but good terms, prompting the Kaleidosticks to abandon them in search for new masters. They stumble upon two young schoolgirls—Illyasviel von Einzbern and Miyu—and quickly convince them to form a contract. With their new powers and responsibilities, Illya and Miyu set forth to collect all the Class Cards. Shameless totally uncanonical silly fanservice milking. Overall Rating: 5/10 |
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10. Kamisama no Inai Nichiyoubi 神さまのいない日曜日 [Madhouse] (Finished 8/12) Tags: Adventure, Fantasy, Mystery God has abandoned the world. As a result, life cannot end nor can new life be born, and the "dead" walk restlessly among the living. Granting one last miracle before turning away forever, God created "gravekeepers," mystical beings capable of putting the dead to rest through a proper burial. Ai, a cheerful but naïve young girl, serves as her village's gravekeeper in place of her late mother. One day, a man known as Hampnie Hambart, who is supposedly Ai's father, arrives and kills all the people in her village. Having lost her village and with no plans for the future, Ai decides to accompany the mysterious man on his journey. As she travels the land, the young gravekeeper strives to fulfill her duties, granting peace to the dead and assisting the living, while at the same time learning more about the world that God left in this tragic state. I see concept as very weak (of course, it's mystery genre), and there's really nothing going on. After lousy introduction arc there's just SOL with absolutely not memorable characters - truly appalling. Overall Rating: 5/10 |
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11. Servant x Service サーバント×サービス [A-1 Pictures] (Finished 13/13) Tags: Seinen Workplace Comedy Frustrating, insufficient, and irritating is how most citizens would describe civil servants. However, three new employees are about to discover what really happens behind the scenes. Lucy Yamagami, bent on revenge against the civil servant who allowed her comically long name to be put on her birth certificate; Yutaka Hasebe, an easygoing guy always on the lookout for a place to slack off; and Saya Miyoshi, a nervous first-time worker, are about to experience the underwhelming satisfaction of being government employees. They are supposed to be trained by Taishi Ichimiya, but he has no idea how to do so, even though he has worked there for eight years. With an incompetent senior colleague and unfavorable confrontations with clients, the trio starts to lose faith in their chosen occupation but encourage each other to do their best. A very refreshing comedy with adult characters and almost no tilt into romance. Enjoyable even when watching for the second time. Overall Rating: 8/10 |
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12. Love Lab 恋愛ラボ [Doga Kobo] (Finished 3/13) Tags: CGDCT, School Comedy, Romance At Fujisaki Girls Academy, student council president Natsuo Maki is the epitome of grace and perfection, admired by all the young girls who attend the school. One day, Riko Kurahashi walks into the student council room on an errand, only to discover Natsuo practicing her kissing techniques on a pillow, an act that is neither graceful nor elegant. Riko soon discovers that Natsuo desires more romance in her life, leading her to practice "romantic situations" in secret. Sympathizing with her, Riko agrees to help Natsuo with her love research. Named "Love Lab," the project practices the essentials of love and romance, such as bumping into each other "accidentally" and holding hands. Soon, the entire student council joins in on the fun in the Love Lab too! Through their research and real life encounters, what will they learn about romance? Weaving together funny characters and comedic situations, Love Lab builds a story of friendship and romance, while never missing a beat with the laughter. Not that Love Lab is bad, but there are a lot of more memorable school romance comedies, and Love Lab does not stand out and is not memorable after some time. Overall Rating: 6/10 |
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13. Gatchaman Crowds ガッチャマン クラウズ [Tatsunoko Production] (Finished 3/12) Tags: Super Power Action, Sci-Fi Hajime Ichinose's ordinary life is in for a change when a transcendent being named J.J Robinson hands her a small book called NOTE—a device which transforms her into one of the Gatchaman, the legendary protectors of Tachikawa City. Stressing that the existence of their group must remain a secret, fellow Gatchaman Sugane Tachibana takes Hajime to their base of operations, where Paiman, the panda-like alien leader of the Gatchaman, reveals their purpose: to eliminate aliens that pose a danger to humanity. These existential threats, called MESS, are becoming increasingly dangerous, destroying everything they touch. Now it's up to the Gatchaman and their new recruit to stop them before the world is engulfed in chaos. It's too silly, immature and irritating. Feels like a kids show with normal character designs. Overall Rating: 5/10 |
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14. Kiniro Mosaic KINMOZA! きんいろモザイク [Studio Gokumi] (Finished 3/12) Tags: CGDCT, School Comedy, Slice of Life Shinobu Oomiya once left Japan to participate in a homestay in England. During her time there, she became close friends with Alice Cartelet, the daughter of the family she was living with. However, when it was time for Shinobu to return to Japan, the two were able to express their sorrow despite the language barrier between them. Five years later, now a first year student in high school, Shinobu receives a letter by air mail in a language she does not understand. This letter is penned by none other than Alice, detailing her own homestay in Japan. In fact, Alice will be attending Shinobu's high school and living with her! Alongside their friends Youko Inokuma, Aya Komichi, and Karen Kujou, the five girls attend school together and learn about what their different cultures have to offer, day after day. Take Strawberry Marshmallow, take out most characters and humor and what's left is transfer student side story, and that is what KINMOZA is doing. After Strawberry Marshmallow such incompetence is unbearable to watch. Overall Rating: 5/10 |
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15. Uchouten Kazoku The Eccentric Family 有頂天家族 [P.A. Works] (Finished 13/13) Tags: Mythology Award Winning, Comedy, Drama, Fantasy Kyoto has been populated by groups of tanuki and tengu for years, living alongside humans who are oblivious to the existence of these creatures. Yasaburou Shimogamo is the third son of an influential tanuki family who spends his carefree days taking care of an old tengu, observing humans through his ability to shapeshift, and dealing with the mysterious woman named Benten. Behind the peace and tranquility, however, is a painful memory from long ago as Yasaburou's father, head of the tanuki community, was killed and eaten by a group of humans known as the Friday Fellows. Uchouten Kazoku follows the trials and tribulations of the Shimogamo brothers as they struggle to avoid their own grisly demise while coming ever closer to unraveling the truth behind their father's death. An unusual story about tanuki family living in fantasy world. But I already forced myself once to watch it to the end, and won't do it again. It's decent at best, and I don't dig this world. Overall Rating: 6/10 |
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16. Choujigen Game Neptune The Animation Hyperdimension Neptunia 超次元ゲイム ネプテューヌ THE ANIMATION [David Production] (Finished 3/12) Tags: Parody Action, Comedy, Fantasy, Sci-Fi After years of fruitless war between the four realms of Gamindustri (Planeptune, Lastation, Lowee and Leanbox) over Share energy, the source of their strength based on how much their people have faith in their goddesses, the four CPUs that rule over them have finally signed a friendship treaty. The treaty bans any attempt at claiming Share energy through military force, in hopes of bringing peace and prosperity to their worlds. Yet, a month after the treaty, Neptune, the CPU Goddess of Planeptune, spends her time goofing off and playing games rather than doing her job, leaving her land's Shares plummeting. Choujigen Game Neptune The Animation follows Neptune and her friends' attempts at raising Shares, while dealing with an external threat that could spell the end of both the Goddesses and Gamindustri itself... Silly parody constantly breaking 4th wall and the like. Could not stand games either. Overall Rating: 5/10 |
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17. Kimi no Iru Machi A Town Where You Live 君のいる町 [Gonzo] (Finished 6/12) Tags: Shounen Love Polygon Drama, Romance Haruto Kirishima lived a calm life out in the countryside, away from the fast-paced life of the city. Then Yuzuki Eba appeared in his life out of nowhere, having come from Tokyo to briefly live with her family. Their time together left him enamored with the memories of that short period before she just as abruptly disappeared from his life, and left him full of questions. Kimi no Iru Machi begins some time later, after Haruto moves to Tokyo to live with his sister, in order to pursue a career as a cook. In reality though he wishes to be with Yuzuki. Things don't start good though. When he arrives he is mistaken for a burglar and attacked by his sister's neighbour Mishima Asuka. After the misunderstanding is cleared his feelings begin to waver though. Is Eba, who keeps avoiding him for seemingly no reason, the one for him or is it Asuka? Cliche romance, forced drama, not too keen protagonist couple. Overall Rating: 5/10 |
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18. Inu to Hasami wa Tsukaiyou Dog & Scissors 犬とハサミは使いよう [Gonzo] (Finished 3/12) Tags: Comedy, Supernatural A nonsense comical mystery. Harumi Kazuhito is a high school boy who loves books and is a fan of novelist Natsuno Kirihime. One day, he finds Kirihime writing at a cafe, about to be shot by a robber. He protects her from the attack but is killed instead. Through the supernatural power of a book-worm, he is reincarnated as a dachshund dog. Kazuhito (as a dog) writhes in a painful bookless life, when a sadistic woman carrying a pair of scissors offers him help. She is Kirihime herself. It all goes down to eccentric detective mystery. Humor is not to my liking, so whatever. Overall Rating: 6/10 |
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19. Kingdom 2nd Season Kingdom: Season 2 キングダム 第2シリーズ [Pierrot] (Finished 39/39) Tags: Seinen Historical, Military Action A year after the devastating battle against the formidable Zhao, the State of Qin has returned its focus to pursuing King Ying Zheng's ambition of conquering the other six states and unifying China. Their next target is Wei, a smaller state which stands as a geographic stepping stone for the sake of conquest. Xin, now a three hundred man commander of the swiftly rising Fei Xin Unit, continues to seek out lofty achievements in order to garner recognition for himself and his soldiers, motivated by those previously lost in battle. In the preliminary battles ahead of Qin's invasion of Wei, Xin finds competition in other young commanders who are of a higher social status than him. Back in Qin, the royal palace faces turmoil as opposing factions begin to make their move against Ying Zheng's regime. With their hands full both abroad and at home, Zheng and Xin must lead the way in this era of unending war, resolved to etch their names in history by creating a unified China. Only lowering sequel score if there is another firm masterpiece to highlight. Overall Rating: 8/10 |
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20. Makai Ouji: Devils and Realist Devils and Realist 魔界王子 devils and realist [Doga Kobo] (Finished 3/12) Tags: Josei Historical, Mythology, School Comedy, Fantasy, Mystery Seventeen-year-old William Twining takes pride in his lineage as well as his devotion to modern science. When he learns that his family has gone bankrupt, the pompous noble is faced with the reality that he can no longer afford his tuition or the lifestyle he is accustomed to. In a desperate search for valuables in his manor, William discovers a hidden room and accidentally summons the arrogant demon Dantalion, the Grand Duke of Hell. Apparently, Lucifer—the ruler of Hell—has fallen into a deep slumber. In his absence, only the human "Elector" has power to select a temporary successor, which is the cause of tension among demonkind. Although told that he is the direct descendant of King Solomon and has unshakable authority in the underworld, William refuses to believe it. While denying the existence of magic and the supernatural altogether, the defiant realist fails to recognize that he is at the center of the ongoing battle between Heaven and Hell. Bipolar protagonist is supposed to be main attraction here. Or maybe constant BL references are. Overall Rating: 5/10 |
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21. Rozen Maiden (2013) Rozen Maiden: Zurückspulen ローゼンメイデン (2013) [Studio Deen] (Finished 1/13) Tags: Seinen Action, Comedy, Drama During the events of the original Rozen Maiden, after circling "yes" on a paper and agreeing to wind an unknown "something," a traumatized Jun Sakurada fights alongside the lifelike dolls known as the Rozen Maidens. But what would have happened if Jun had circled "no"? Jun, having gotten over his school trauma from his younger days, spends his time attending college and working in a bookstore. However, he does not feel as though he belongs anywhere. One day, he finds a book containing instructions on how to make a Rozen Maiden. Mysteriously, when he arrives home that night, the second volume in the book series has been delivered to his house, along with some pieces of a doll. But as suddenly as they started arriving, the books stop coming, and Jun gets a notice that says that the books have ceased being published. With an incomplete doll in hand, and a message from his other self in another world, this Jun also finds his way into the world of the Rozen Maidens. Sequel. Overall Rating: 6/10 |
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22. Hakkenden: Touhou Hakken Ibun 2nd Season Hakkenden -Eight Dogs of the East- Season 2 八犬伝 -東方八犬異聞- 2 [Studio Deen] (Finished 1/13) Tags: Shoujo Mythology Action, Fantasy, Mystery The journey to find all eight sacred gems continues, as Sousuke and Shino travel in search of the remaining gem holders. From the shadows the Imperial Church continues to scheme, and a mysterious woman seeks to fulfill a sinister plot with the gem holders at its heart. As the origin of the gems comes to light, so does the truth behind Sousuke's doppelganger, Ao, as he resurfaces with his own goal—one involving Sousuke and his gem! Sequel. Overall Rating: 5/10 |
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23. Senki Zesshou Symphogear G Symphogear G 戦姫絶唱シンフォギアG [Satelight] (Finished 1/13) Tags: Idols (Female), Music Action, Sci-Fi Three months after a Lunar Attack which nearly caused Earth's destruction, Hibiki Tachibana, Tsubasa Kazanari, and Chris Yukine continue to fight the Noise—a mysterious alien threat—using powerful armor known as Symphogear. After defending an American convoy from a Noise attack, Hibiki and Chris race toward the Queens of Music concert hall to attend one of Tsubasa's concerts. Meanwhile, Tsubasa and rising international superstar Maria Cadenzavna Eve deliver an amazing performance that is broadcast throughout the entire world. Just as the concert is about to conclude, a group of Noise suddenly appear, plunging the hall into chaos. Amidst the panic, Maria declares war against the world as the successor of Finé—Chris' former mistress—and her allies Kirika Akatsuki and Shirabe Tsukuyomi reveal Symphogear powers of their own. After initiating a skirmish with Tsubasa and her teammates, they retreat mysteriously, leaving the three friends bewildered as to what their true intentions could be. Sequel. Overall Rating: 5/10 |
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24. Stella Jogakuin Koutou-ka C³-bu Stella Women's Academy, High School Division Class C³ ステラ女学院高等科C³部（しーきゅーぶ） [Gainax] (Finished 13/13) Tags: Military, School Sports Command, control, and communication: the three pillars to successfully execute missions in modern military combat. They are also the source of inspiration behind Stella Women's Academy airsoft club, aptly named the C3 Club. Due to the club's nature, the members have trouble finding newcomers, but, as the school year starts, they hope to find their next sharpshooter among a new crop of students. Yura Yamato is a freshman at Stella; she sports an unassertive personality that makes it difficult to make friends. She soon discovers her absent roommate owns a massive collection of military memorabilia and movies, including a replica Desert Eagle. When one of the C3 Club's members catches Yura re-enacting an action movie, she drags her into the Club's airsoft practice match. Despite being on the losing side, Yura is unexpectedly drawn to the excitement of the game. Upon her return, Yura's roommate—Sonora Kashima—reveals herself to be the C3 Club's president and invites her to join. Now with Sonora by her side, one more exhilarating match convinces Yura to sign up. Thanks to her new teammates, Yura discovers a hidden side to herself and an unexpected love for airsoft. However, as her dedication to the game slowly takes over her life, Yura finds herself on the path of great change and success—one that may easily lead to self-destruction. Gainax did not create a miracle this time. Just paint-ball club without anything really memorable. Overall Rating: 6/10 |
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25. Genei wo Kakeru Taiyou Day Break Illusion 幻影ヲ駆ケル太陽 [AIC] (Finished 4/13)  Tags: Mahou Shoujo Akari Taiyou is an apprentice fortune teller living with her aunt, uncle, and their daughter Fuyuna. Having lost her mother at a young age, the only thing Akari has left of her is a deck of tarot cards and a dream to follow in her footsteps as a fortune teller. One night, Akari has a dream of being attacked by a plant monster and witnesses a stronger version of herself defeat it. When she awakens, she discovers to her horror that the monster was actually Fuyuna. But mysteriously, Akari and her relatives soon forget Fuyuna ever existed. After another close encounter with a similar monster, she is rescued by three magical girls: Ginka Shirokane, Seira Hoshikawa, and Luna Tsukuyomi. They explain that they are from the Sefiro Fiore organization, which uses Elemental Tarot power to fight the evil creatures known as "Daemonia." Akari discovers she too is a magical girl and has inherited her mother's power of The Sun card. However, she comes to realize Daemonia are actually people who have been possessed, and she must decide whether to try to save what is left of their humanity or to wipe them from existence. As Akari comes to terms with her grim duty of protecting the world from Daemonia, the bonds of the organization and that of their team will soon be strained when they deal with grave threats from the outside and from within. First Madoka imitation has arrived! And comparison is not in favor of Day Break Illusion. There's dark stories, blood and Cthulhu monsters, but it's still just fighting monsters which gets repetitive. Overall Rating: 6/10 |
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26. Genshiken Nidaime Genshiken Second Season げんしけん 二代目 [Production I.G] (Finished 1/13) Tags: Seinen Adult Cast, Otaku Culture, Parody Comedy Another college semester begins and the returning members of Genshiken attempt to recruit new club members. Three new members join the club, attracted by Ogiue's BL drawings. She welcomes the new members but fears the club will become a "fujoshi" haven for yaoi fans and is getting a bit too far removed from its original purpose. Sequel. Overall Rating: 7/10 |
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27. Kitaku-bu Katsudou Kiroku Chronicles of the Going Home Club 帰宅部活動記録 [Nomad] (Finished 3/12) Tags: School Comedy, Slice of Life When a friend asks Natsuki what high school club she's going to join, she cheerfully responds "the go-home club" (meaning, she's not going to join any of them). However, she soon realizes that this club actually exists at her high school, and she's just expressed interest in joining it! Before she knows it, she ends up as one of the two new members of "the go-home club," which is a small group of eccentric school girls. One of the girls likes fighting bears, while another is ridiculously rich. But what exactly constitutes the activities of "the go-home club"? Crazier school club comedy than usual with average humor. And after a few years it completely wipes out of memory. Overall Rating: 6/10 |
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28. Ro-Kyu-Bu! SS ロウきゅーぶ! SS [Barnum Studio, Project No.9] (Finished 1/12) Tags: School, Team Sports Comedy, Sports, Ecchi After their loss against Suzuridani Academy, the members of the Keishin Academy girls' basketball team—Tomoka Minato, Maho Misawa, Airi Kashii, Hinata Hakamada, and Saki Nagatsuka, along with their coach, Subaru Hasegawa—exert more of their time and effort in improving in the sport day by day. However, this time around, new rivals with strengths possibly exceedings theirs and friends appear on their way to the top. Sequel. Overall Rating: 6/10 |
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29. Fantasista Doll ファンタジスタドール [Hoods Entertainment] (Finished 1/12) Tags: Fantasy, Sci-Fi Uzume Uno is a young student and former champion of a trading card game competition. She is trusted with a special device containing five powerful Fantasista Dolls. These dolls are sentient virtual beings who reside in cards which are now controlled by their new master, Uzume. I don't know a single masterpiece anime about trading cards. I could not even get to like WIXOSS which is superior to this average story. Overall Rating: 5/10 |
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30. Tamayura: More Aggressive たまゆら ～もあぐれっしぶ～ [TYO Animations] (Finished 1/12) Tags: CGDCT, Iyashikei Comedy, Drama, Slice of Life The second season of Tamayura: Hitotose. It's the beginning of a new school year for Fuu and friends. With a new year comes new challenges as Fuu tries to open a photography club at her school. Sequel. Overall Rating: 5/10 |
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31. Futari wa Milky Holmes ふたりはミルキィホームズ [J.C.Staff, Nomad] (Finished 1/12) Tags: Super Power Comedy, Mystery Fans of the Milky Holmes detectives, Kazumi and Alice, decide to form their own detective unit, calling themselves "Feathers." Sequel. Overall Rating: 6/10 |
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32. Gifuu Doudou!!: Kanetsugu to Keiji 義風堂々!! 兼続と慶次 [Studio Deen] (Finished 3/25)  Tags: Seinen Historical, Martial Arts, Samurai Action The Sengoku era gave birth to many historical legends. One of them is Naoe Kanetsugu, the brilliant military general of the Uesugi family. Together with Maeda Keiji, a legendary warrior on the battlefield, who become lifelong friends with each other, they carve out a piece of history in the most dangerous and volatile time in Japan's history. The two men recall their beginnings and the journey they took to get to the accomplished position they now sit at. It's hard to imagine how anime with such good tags can be spoilt, but creators managed to achieve that. First of all, there's not enough exposition. Secondly, it's historically inaccurate with a lot of frivolities. And protagonists are pretty boring and huge self-enjoying buffoons. Story is just encountering each other again and again. Resembles Hokuto no Ken a lot, feels random and unengaging. Overall Rating: 6/10 |
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33. Zinba 神魄 [Alpha Animation] (Finished 1/52) Tags: Mythology, Super Power Action, Adventure, Comedy The juvenile Kan from the earth is summoned to the Kingdom of Toria , where he encounters attack from the giant creature Zinba, and he's rescued by the linker Shibuki and Uranus. Later, he accidentally gets on the linker squad DUX truck to the maze valley, finding in a cave a golden Zinba. Chinese kids show probably imitating some other kids show. Overall Rating: 5/10 |
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34. Corpse Party: Tortured Souls - Bougyakusareta Tamashii no Jukyou Corpse Party: Tortured Souls コープスパーティー Tortured Souls -暴虐された魂の呪叫- [asread.] (Finished 2/4)  Tags: Gore Horror, Mystery, Supernatural Nine students gather in their high school at night to bid farewell to a friend. As is customary among many high school students, they perform a sort of ritual for them to remain friends forever, using small paper charms shaped like dolls. However, the students do not realize that these charms are connected to Heavenly Host Academy—an elementary school that was destroyed years ago after a series of gruesome murders took place, a school that rests under the foundation of their very own Kisaragi Academy. Now, trapped in an alternate dimension with vengeful ghosts of the past, the students must work together to escape—or join the spirits of the damned forever. A feast for mystery fanatics, gore-hounds, and horror fans alike, Corpse Party: Tortured Souls - Bougyakusareta Tamashii no Jukyou shows a sobering look at redemption, sacrifice, and how the past is always right behind, sometimes a little too close for comfort. Basically, I don't like horrors, gore and ahegao, and there's not much besides that. Overall Rating: 6/10 |
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35. Kaze Tachinu The Wind Rises 風立ちぬ [Studio Ghibli] (Finished 1/1)  Tags: Historical Award Winning, Drama, Romance Although Jirou Horikoshi's nearsightedness prevents him from ever becoming a pilot, he leaves his hometown to study aeronautical engineering at Tokyo Imperial University for one simple purpose: to design and build planes just like his hero, Italian aircraft pioneer Giovanni Battista Caproni. His arrival in the capital coincides with the Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923, during which he saves a maid serving the family of a young girl named Naoko Satomi; this disastrous event marks the beginning of over two decades of social unrest and malaise leading up to Japan's eventual surrender in World War II. For Jirou, the years leading up to the production of his infamous Mitsubishi A6M Zero fighter aircraft will test every fiber of his being. His many travels and life experiences only urge him onward—even as he realizes both the role of his creations in the war and the harsh realities of his personal life. As time marches on, he must confront an impossible question: at what cost does he chase his beautiful dream? All this airplane romanticization is alien to me. The gist of the movie is that everyone does not believe in Japan technologies, but protagonist gets inspired with the Nazi airplane that he investigates and creates his own airplane that finally does not blow up. There are some weird dreams and some sidetracking in between. The end. And as any biography, it's not particularly interesting. Overall Rating: 6/10 |
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36. Gintama Movie 2: Kanketsu-hen - Yorozuya yo Eien Nare Gintama: The Movie: The Final Chapter: Be Forever Yorozuya 劇場版 銀魂 完結篇 万事屋よ永遠なれ [Sunrise] (Finished 1/1)  Tags: Shounen Gag Humor, Historical, Parody, Samurai, Time Travel Action, Comedy, Sci-Fi When Gintoki apprehends a movie pirate at a premiere, he checks the camera's footage and finds himself transported to a bleak, post-apocalyptic version of Edo, where a mysterious epidemic called the "White Plague" has ravished the world's population. It turns out that the movie pirate wasn't a pirate after all—it was an android time machine, and Gintoki has been hurtled five years into the future! Shinpachi and Kagura, his Yorozuya cohorts, have had a falling out and are now battle-hardened solo vigilantes and he himself has been missing for years, disappearing without a trace after scribbling a strange message in his journal. Setting out in the disguise given to him by the android time machine, Gintoki haphazardly reunites the Yorozuya team to investigate the White Plague, and soon discovers that the key to saving the future lies in the darkness of his own past. Determined to confront a powerful foe, he makes an important discovery—with a ragtag band of friends and allies at his side, he doesn't have to fight alone. The only Gintama piece that I consider a masterpiece. It has good concentrated humor and great visuals and action. If only the series were on par with it. Overall Rating: 7/10 |
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37. Kara no Kyoukai Movie: Mirai Fukuin The Garden of Sinners: Future Gospel 劇場版 空の境界 未来福音 [ufotable] (Finished 1/1)  Tags: Drama, Mystery, Supernatural Shiki Ryougi, Mikiya Kokutou, and Touko Aozaki begin investigating a bomber after they witness a nearby explosion. That same night, Shiki catches a glimpse of the bomber, and as a result, he becomes fixated on her. To get rid of her, the madman plays a game of cat and mouse in attempts to lure her to an empty parking garage. And bombs are not the only thing he has in his arsenal: he also possesses the ability to see the future, and he intends to bring an end to Shiki. Elsewhere a few days prior, a student at Reien Girls' Academy, Shizune Seo, plans to head home for the summer. However, while exiting a bus, she has a vision of the future involving a nearby stranger's death. While trying to warn the stranger, she meets Mikiya—who succeeds in utilizing Shizune's information effectively. Subsequently, an employee is sent on a job with his employer's 10-year-old daughter in tow. However, the subject of his investigation turns out to be a ghost from both of their pasts. Mirai Fukuin tells the stories set during the main timeline of the Kara no Kyoukai films, as well as one set in the future. So after two epilogues there's more... And it has become just a detective mystery with bomber revealed at the very start. So the whole remaining hour is to see some SOL and investigation done with help of many new characters, and finally witness a clash. And some more SOL to be transition to future. Predictable and disappointing. Overall Rating: 6/10 |
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38. Captain Herlock Space Pirate Captain Harlock キャプテンハーロック [Toei Animation, Marza Animation Planet] (Finished 1/1)  Tags: Space Action, Drama, Sci-Fi After conquering the galaxy, mankind has reached its apex and is now on a steady decline. The resources of the universe are diminishing, and around 500 billion humans begin to return home to Earth. Thus begins a war between the various factions of humans for control of the planet. Eventually, an authoritarian government known as the Gaia Sanction prevents the re-population of Earth. Captain Herlock was one of the Elite Wing who was tasked by the Gaia Sanction to defend the Earth. His fleet of ships was unstoppable under his command. However, the Gaia Sanction allows a diplomatic elite to immigrate to Earth, which angers Herlock. He goes rogue and fires upon the diplomats and the rest of his fleet. He decides to unleash dark matter on the planet to make it uninhabitable, but also becomes engulfed in it which immortalizes him. One hundred years have passed, and the legendary Captain Herlock is still at large, with only the Arcadia under his control. The Gaia Sanction continues with their plans for control over the Earth, while hiding its true state. But Captain Herlock is preparing for one final showdown with them, which will determine the fate of the world! 3DCGI seems to use technology from latest Final Fantasy movies and thus humans usually look really great unlike aliens who feel terrible to me. It's not cool to know that time travel exists in this universe, but at least characters have some wits not to use it. Story is chaotic and confusing, but ends up with a big clash. Watchable, but lacks enjoyment. Overall Rating: 6/10 |
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39. Buki yo Saraba 武器よさらば [Sunrise] (Finished 0/1)  Tags: Action, Drama, Sci-Fi Based on a story by Otomo (Katsuhiro), it's about a ragtag group of hard-talkin', power suit-wearin' men tasked with disarming automatic tanks in a post-apocalyptic Tokyo. Not found. Overall Rating: 0/10 |
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40. Kara no Kyoukai Movie: Mirai Fukuin - Extra Chorus The Garden of Sinners: Future Gospel - Extra Chorus 劇場版 空の境界 未来福音 [ufotable] (Finished 1/1)  Tags: Drama, Mystery, Supernatural Mikiya Kokutou gives Shiki Ryougi a cat to watch, as he will be away for a little while. Though Shiki protests, he leaves the cat anyway, and Shiki is stuck trying to understand her new feline companion. But as luck would have it, the cat seems to have taken a liking to Mikiya and misses him. Later in another part of the city, Ririsu Miyazuki visits the place where her dear friend committed suicide. She intends to end her life as well, but she meets Fujino Asagami, a blind classmate with a traumatic past. Though the two girls don't have much in common, Asagami reminds Miyazuki of her lost friend and helps her understand her pain. Two months later, Mikiya elects to celebrate New Year's with Shiki instead of his family, which makes his sister Azaka very upset, leading to her spending the holiday with her school friends. As the snow begins to fall, Mikiya reflects on what he wishes for most of all: that Shiki's life be filled with happiness. Mirai Fukuin introduced characters rather hastily, and these three stories are a better introduction to characters with some of their circumstances. And of course we needed the third epilogue, so one of three chapters is the damn epilogue again. Overall Rating: 6/10 |
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