Anime of the Year 2014-I Winter - Wake Up, Girls!

Gin no Saji 2nd Season and Wake Up, Girls! are my choice.

1. Noragami ノラガミ  [Bones] (Finished 12/12) Tags: Shounen Mythology Action, Fantasy In times of need, if you look in the right place, you just may see a strange telephone number scrawled in red. If you call this number, you will hear a young man introduce himself as the Yato God. Yato is a minor deity and a self-proclaimed "Delivery God," who dreams of having millions of worshippers. Without a single shrine dedicated to his name, however, his goals are far from being realized. He spends his days doing odd jobs for five yen apiece, until his weapon partner becomes fed up with her useless master and deserts him. Just as things seem to be looking grim for the god, his fortune changes when a middle school girl, Hiyori Iki, supposedly saves Yato from a car accident, taking the hit for him. Remarkably, she survives, but the event has caused her soul to become loose and hence able to leave her body. Hiyori demands that Yato return her to normal, but upon learning that he needs a new partner to do so, reluctantly agrees to help him find one. And with Hiyori's help, Yato's luck may finally be turning around. Of course I skipped it before because of all the spirit and mythology stuff, but, since it's currently №27 by popularity on MAL, I can sit it through to see the reason myself. And that's a mediocre and unmemorable action with curses and gods and all that deus ex machina stuff. It holds on characters and episodic comedy, because there's nothing else to hold on to, like no coherent story. And to put the last nail in the coffin there's amnesia poured in by the end. I'm just shocked that such a barebones anime gets so much attention.   Overall Rating: 5/10

2. Nisekoi Nisekoi: False Love ニセコイ [Shaft] (Finished 3/20) Tags: Shounen Harem, School Comedy, Romance  Raku Ichijou, a first-year student at Bonyari High School, is the sole heir to an intimidating yakuza family. Ten years ago, Raku made a promise to his childhood friend. Now, all he has to go on is a pendant with a lock, which can only be unlocked with the key which the girl took with her when they parted. Now, years later, Raku has grown into a typical teenager, and all he wants is to remain as uninvolved in his yakuza background as possible while spending his school days alongside his middle school crush Kosaki Onodera. However, when the American Bee Hive Gang invades his family's turf, Raku's idyllic romantic dreams are sent for a toss as he is dragged into a frustrating conflict: Raku is to pretend that he is in a romantic relationship with Chitoge Kirisaki, the beautiful daughter of the Bee Hive's chief, so as to reduce the friction between the two groups. Unfortunately, reality could not be farther from this whopping lie—Raku and Chitoge fall in hate at first sight, as the girl is convinced he is a pathetic pushover, and in Raku's eyes, Chitoge is about as attractive as a savage gorilla. Nisekoi follows the daily antics of this mismatched couple who have been forced to get along for the sake of maintaining the city's peace. With many more girls popping up his life, all involved with Raku's past somehow, his search for the girl who holds his heart and his promise leads him in more unexpected directions than he expects. Fake relations never could grasp my attention. Typical protagonist and typical tsundere with all the pointless drama don't add appeal. The beaten amnesia mystery just infuriates at this point. There are much better similar works.   Overall Rating: 5/10

3. Chuunibyou demo Koi ga Shitai! Ren Love, Chunibyo & Other Delusions!: Heart Throb 中二病でも恋がしたい！戀 [Kyoto Animation] (Finished 1/12) Tags: School Comedy, Romance  The awkward lovebirds, Yuuta Togashi and Rikka Takanashi are now living together as they enter a new school year, but their adorable relationship remains stagnant. Yuuta struggles to adapt to having a chuuni girlfriend while the gang—Sanae Dekomori, Shinka Nibutani and Kumin Tsuyuri—are still keeping up with their quirks despite having advanced a grade. Making matters worse, another chuuni girl from Yuuta's middle school, Satone Shichimiya, appears... With the various events revolving around Yuuta, will he be able to develop his relationship with Rikka? Sequel.   Overall Rating: 6/10

4. Mikakunin de Shinkoukei Engaged to the Unidentified 未確認で進行形 [Doga Kobo] (Finished 1/12) Tags: School Comedy, Romance, Supernatural  Just an ordinary teenager, Kobeni Yonomori receives quite the surprise on her 16th birthday—a fiancé and a sister-in-law she never even knew she had. As a result of an arrangement that her late grandfather made, Hakuya Mitsumine and his younger sister Mashiro have moved from their countryside home to the Yonomori household in order to deepen their relationship with their new family members. Mikakunin de Shinkoukei follows Kobeni's "love life" with Hakuya as she tries her best to adjust to the abrupt changes forced upon her. However, as some extraordinary secrets regarding the siblings come to light, Kobeni will find her life changed forever. It starts as story about early engagement, but then forgets any direction and majority of time is devoted to two step-sisters. And even humor is not great as it's mostly half-tsundere imouto antics. Truly daunting.   Overall Rating: 6/10

5. D-Frag! ディーふらぐ！ [Brain's Base] (Finished 12/12) Tags: Seinen School, Strategy Game Comedy The Kazama Family—a gang of three wannabe delinquents and close friends, spearheaded by Kenji Kazama, is trying to make a name for themselves at Fujou Academy. On the first day of the term, the gang finds themselves putting out a fire in the Game Development Club. Instead of thanking them, the eccentric club members attack and knock out Kenji's two friends, forcing Kenji to fight for his life. Failing to escape, the gang leader is coerced into joining the Game Development Club. As he settles in, Kenji gets to know the four girls responsible for his provisional membership—student council president and general tyrant Chitose Karasuyama, spirited tomboy Sakura Mizukami, negligent club advisor Minami Oosawa, and the school's infamous shadow leader Roka Shibasaki. Throughout the Game Development Club's constant shenanigans and his desperate attempts to leave the club, Kenji begins to realize that he may be actually enjoying himself. Gave development anime is usually of higher quality. Here humor is average, story is absent as usual, and it's neither memorable nor standing out. There's nothing that I could enjoy.   Overall Rating: 6/10

6. Space☆Dandy Space Dandy スペース☆ダンディ [Bones] (Finished 1/13) Tags: Adult Cast, Space Comedy, Sci-Fi Dandy is a groovy, pompadour-wearing man who explores the stars in search of strange aliens for money, desiring to visit his favorite place: BooBies, the best diner in all the cosmos. Traversing the galaxies in his trusty ship, the Aloha Oe, Dandy is accompanied by his two equally unique friends: QT, the vacuum cleaner robot, and Meow, an alien with a cat-like appearance. Although exciting, Dandy's job is never simple, and each new day promises a completely different, thrilling adventure. Together, Dandy and his crew get dragged into perilous journeys, misadventures in romance, and out of this world scenarios—all whilst steering clear of the evil scientist, Dr. Gel of the Gogol Empire. Rick and Morty first season aired in Winter of 2013/2014, and I see Space Dandy as ripoff of Rick and Morty, because both explore new worlds and both constantly have characters die or undergoing other irreversible changes, and the next episode all that is started anew. So it's irresponsible, disintegrated and random type of comedy which takes away enjoyment from the coherent story. Drama episodes look as if cut from Cowboy Bebop, but not fitting due to some fantastic elements involved. So these small stories covering a single episode should be genius to make a stand. Rick and Morty is genius, but Space Dandy is surface scratching shallow thick parody with ideas of a very ordinary human. .   Overall Rating: 6/10

7. Witch Craft Works ウィッチクラフトワークス [J.C.Staff] (Finished 3/12) Tags: Seinen School Action, Supernatural  Even though they shared the same bus every morning and sat next to each other in class, Ayaka Kagari, the "Princess" of Tougetsu High School, was nothing more than an unreachable idol for Honoka Takamiya. The horde of students who worshipped the "Princess" was merely a nuisance to Honoka, living his lazy, regular high school life. Everything seemed perfectly normal until, one day, Honoka is attacked out of the blue by a mysterious witch. To his surprise, Ayaka saves his life, revealing herself to be a fire witch on a covert mission to protect Honoka. From that fateful day, the ordinary life of Honoka is turned upside down as he is thrown into the war between the Workshop Witches, who strive to protect the citizens, and the Tower Witches, who desire to steal a power hidden within him. I remember dropping it early, because it bores so fast. Again typical boy writes a contract with a powerful being which is this time a witch. Of course they get attacked by other witches and have to react... There are some alterations to the usual Shana route, but comparison is not in favor of Witch Craft Works.   Overall Rating: 6/10

8. Hamatora The Animation ハマトラ THE ANIMATION [NAZ] (Finished 1/12) Tags: Detective, Super Power Action, Mystery, Supernatural The ability to create miracles is not just a supernatural phenomenon; it is a gift which manifests in a limited number of human beings. "Minimum," or small miracles, are special powers that only selected people called "Minimum Holders" possess. The detective agency Yokohama Troubleshooting, or Hamatora for short, is composed of the "Minimum Holder PI Duo," Nice and Murasaki. Their office is a lone table at Cafe Nowhere, where the pair and their coworkers await new clients. Suddenly, the jobs that they begin to receive seem to have strange connections to the serial killer whom their friend Art, a police officer, is searching for. The murder victims share a single similarity: they are all Minimum Holders. Nice and Murasaki, as holders themselves, are drawn to the case—but what exactly is the link between Nice and the one who orchestrates it all? Wow, a whole collection of my disliked tags. And obviously I get to hate every element and every second of first episode.   Overall Rating: 5/10

9. Sakura Trick 桜Trick [Studio Deen] (Finished 1/12) Tags: Seinen School Comedy, Girls Love Having been best friends since middle school, Haruka Takayama and Yuu Sonoda plan to attend Misato West High School together. However, despite being assigned to the same class, a cruel twist of fate has them seated on the opposite ends of their classroom! To make matters worse, their school will shut down in three years, making them the final intake of first-year students. Undeterred by this chain of unfortunate events, Haruka is set on sticking with Yuu, striving to create many wonderful memories with her. Much to Haruka's jealousy however, Yuu's easygoing demeanor quickly attracts the attention of their female classmates. Sympathizing with her friend's growing insecurity, Yuu ends up sharing a deep, affectionate kiss with her in an empty classroom. The act intensifies their bond as "special friends," gradually revealing a different aspect to their unique friendship while also inviting new conflicts. I already know that I'm not fond of serious girls love, so I'm not going to try past pilot episode unless there are additional reasons to check further. But it's one of the best of its kind, because it's mildly funny and fast-paced.   Overall Rating: 6/10

10. Seitokai Yakuindomo* 生徒会役員共＊ [GoHands] (Finished 1/13) Tags: Shounen Gag Humor, School Comedy They say that the more things change, the more they stay the same, and those words could not be more true for the student council of Ousai Private Academy. Though an entire year has passed—bringing the senior members to their final year of high school—not much has changed. President Shino Amakusa is just as perverted as ever, Secretary Aria Shichijou still refuses to put on a pair of panties, Treasurer Suzu Hagimura has yet to grow an inch, and Vice President Takatoshi Tsuda is still stuck as the straight man to their crazy antics. Of course, limiting the fun to a four-way might get a little stale; although the group still messes around with the Judo Club and the Newspaper Club, more girls have come to get in on the excitement. Takatoshi's sister Kotomi, a new student at Ousai, is as perverse as the president, while Uomi, the aloof student council president of the nearby Eiryou High School, fits right in with the insanity at Ousai. With loads of absurdity and sexual humor that keeps on coming, Takatoshi needs to harden up if he is going to keep up with all the madness around him. Sequel.   Overall Rating: 6/10

11. Mahou Sensou Magical Warfare 魔法戦争 [Madhouse] (Finished 2/12) Tags: Action, Fantasy  The world as we know it is actually just half the story, as Takeshi Nanase finds out abruptly one summer morning. On his way to kendo practice, Takeshi comes across an unconscious girl in a uniform he doesn't recognize. Takeshi does the decent thing and saves her, and in return the girl wakes up and accidentally turns him into a magic-user. As Takeshi finds out, there is the world he lives in and the world of magic users. Most magic users just want to peacefully coexist with non-magicians, but there are some with bigger ambitions. Mui Aiba is a magician enrolled in the Subaru Magic Academy, where magic users can learn to control and channel their powers and how to live in peace with regular humans. After his fateful encounter with Mui, Takeshi and his newly magician friends Kurumi Isoshima and Kazumi Ida decide to enroll in the Magic Academy as well. All three friends have different reasons for fighting on, whether they're fighting to escape the past or catch up to the future. They wield different kinds of powers, which they must learn to harness in order to fight off the Ghost Trailers, a group of magicians who are willing to use violence to assert their superiority over humans. Pursued by the Ghost Trailers, Takeshi and his friends must train to become stronger, face the leader of the Trailers, and prevent the beginning of the Second Great Magic War. Bland imitation of Harry Potter or something, but with cool magical weapons. Average in all aspects, so the score is fitting.   Overall Rating: 5/10

12. Tonari no Seki-kun Tonari no Seki-kun: The Master of Killing Time となりの関くん [Shin-Ei Animation] (Finished 3/21) Tags: Seinen School Comedy All Rumi Yokoi wants to do is focus during school, but she is constantly distracted by Toshinari Seki, her neighboring classmate. Paying attention during class is the least of Seki's worries, as he obsesses over intricate setups created using an assortment of items, from an elaborate domino course on his desk to a treacherous war played out with shogi pieces. Yokoi desperately attempts to focus in class, only to be repeatedly sucked into his intriguing eccentricities; however, they always seem to end up with her getting in trouble with their teacher. Fortunately, lessons will never be dull with Seki's antics around! I generally don't include small formats, but some of the more popular ones deserve the coverage, like  Tonari no Seki-ku. It's pretty hilarious, but I refuse to call masterpiece such small format about just different ways to waste time, it's getting old  fast.   Overall Rating: 6/10

13. Nourin No-Rin のうりん [SILVER LINK.] (Finished 3/12) Tags: Parody, School Comedy, Romance, Ecchi Idol-obsessed Kousaku Hata is left devastated when his favorite, Yuka Kusakabe, unexpectedly announces her retirement at the peak of an illustrious career. As Yuka’s biggest fan, this news proves to be more difficult than he can bear. Shaken to his very core, he sinks into depression and places himself in self-imposed isolation. However, on the day his friends managed to convince him to attend school again, he gets a pleasant surprise. It turns out that his beloved idol, under the guise of Ringo Kinoshita, has transferred into his class. This miraculous development fills Kousaku with newfound resolve, as he dedicates himself to take advantage of the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. With the support of his teacher and friends, Kousaku works toward getting close to the girl of his dreams and uncovering the reason for her retirement from the entertainment industry. Good fetish comedy with baka characters, but it's hard to recommend such silliness, to be honest, especially since I can't watch much of it myself for long.   Overall Rating: 6/10

14. Saikin, Imouto no Yousu ga Chotto Okashiinda ga. Recently, my sister is unusual. 最近、妹のようすがちょっとおかしいんだが。 [Project No.9] (Finished 2/12) Tags: Shounen Comedy, Romance, Supernatural, Ecchi Saikin, Imouto no Yousu ga Chotto Okashiinda ga. follows a family just starting to rebuild. When they marry, Mr. and Mrs. Kanzaki bring a teenage son and daughter along for the ride. But high school freshman Mitsuki Kanzaki is less than thrilled. Stinging from a history of absent and abusive father figures, she is slow to accept her stepfather and stepbrother. But after an accident lands Mitsuki in the hospital, she finds herself possessed by the ghost of Hiyori Kotobuki, a girl her age who was deeply in love with Mitsuki's stepbrother Yuuya. Hiyori cannot pass on to her final reward because of her unrequited love for Yuuya, meaning she's got to consummate it... in Mitsuki's body?! Now, Mitsuki's life depends on getting Hiyori to Heaven. But will she get used to sharing herself with a pushy, amorous ghost? Can she overcome her distrust of her new family? Can she bring herself to fulfill Hiyori's feelings for Yuuya? And might she be hiding some feelings of her own? All that ghost invasion and perverted behavior while inside is pretty sickening, but it guarantees heavy ecchi investment.   Overall Rating: 6/10

15. Inari, Konkon, Koi Iroha. Inari Kon Kon いなり、こんこん、恋いろは。 [Production IMS] (Finished 2/10) Tags: Seinen Mythology, School Comedy, Romance, Supernatural Frazzle-haired middle schooler Inari Fushimi is less than average; she's painfully shy and horribly clumsy, but despite all this, she is undeniably kind. Running about the winding streets of her hometown, she takes a shortcut through the local shrine and stumbles upon a small fox pup in a river. After rescuing him, she continues on, but from this moment on, her life takes a drastic turn. Grateful for rescuing the pup, the shrine goddess Uka-no-Mitama-no-Kami, "Uka-sama," grants Inari a fragment of her power. Now, Inari has the ability to transform into anyone by shouting the magical phrase "Inari, konkon." Could this power also grant her the courage to convey her feelings to her crush, Kouji Tanbabashi? With her new heavenly ability and the fox spirit Kon, Inari forms a sincere friendship with Uka-sama, encounters more of the supernatural world, and learns that true love knows no bounds. Power of transforming into other humans can be really messy. Having many gods on rampage only adds to that. All the mythology and superstitions ruin what's left.   Overall Rating: 6/10

16. Maken-Ki! Two マケン姫っ！通 [Xebec] (Finished 1/10) Tags: Shounen Harem, Martial Arts, School, Super Power Action, Ecchi Takeru continues his education at Tenbi Academy as part of the newly formed Security Committee. As a team with the other members, they battle unscrupulous individuals who use their Maken for evil purposes. In the meantime, his libido and the conflicting romantic interests of the girls surrounding him complicate matters considerably. Sequel.   Overall Rating: 5/10

17. Sekai Seifuku: Bouryaku no Zvezda World Conquest Zvezda Plot 世界征服～謀略のズヴィズダー [A-1 Pictures] (Finished 3/12) Tags: Action, Comedy, Fantasy  Asuta Jimon, a runaway, is wandering the streets at night when he has a chance encounter with a young girl collapsed beside her tricycle. After he offers her some food, she is moved by his kindness and asks him to join her organization, offering him a face mask and a sweet bun. In need of a place to stay, Asuta decides to play along and accepts her offer, adopting the nickname "Dva." Little does Dva know, this cute girl is Kate Hoshimiya, the leader of Zvezda, a secret organization bent on world conquest. However, he soon realizes the true weight of her words as peculiar happenings rope him deeper into Zvezda and its eccentric members—the samurai-like vanguard Itsuka Shikabane, tech-genius Natalia "Natasha" Vasylchenko, troublesome Yasubee "Yasu" Morozumi, ex-gangster Gorou Shikabane, and multi-purpose robot Roboko Tsujii. With "White Light," a powerful organization of justice, and the entire Japanese government against them, can Zvezda really dominate all humanity and let their light shine throughout the world? It's all the stage and no story again. Two weird organizations compete, but majority of time is devoted to backgrounds of these eccentric characters.   Overall Rating: 6/10

18. Gin no Saji 2nd Season Silver Spoon 2nd Season 銀の匙 [A-1 Pictures] (Finished 11/11) Tags: Shounen School Comedy Now accustomed to his life at Ooezo Agricultural High School, Yuugo Hachiken explores the deeper aspects of what school life really means. As Hachiken learns more about himself and earns the skills necessary for his everyday tasks, he is even offered the position of the Equestrian Club's vice-president. The new semester brings a variety of agricultural dilemmas and personal conflicts, but, nevertheless, Hachiken perseveres in order to discover his dream and continue working together with his friends. Sequel.   Overall Rating: 7/10

19. Hoozuki no Reitetsu Hozuki's Coolheadedness 鬼灯の冷徹 [Wit Studio] (Finished 2/13) Tags: Seinen Mythology Comedy, Fantasy Hell is a bureaucracy, and business is running smoother than ever thanks to the demonic efficiency of Hoozuki, chief deputy to Lord Enma, the King of Hell. Whether offering counsel to the Momotarou of Japanese folklore or receiving diplomatic missions from the Judeo-Christian Hell, the demon who runs the show from behind the king's imposing shadow is ready to beat down any challenges coming his way into a bloody pulp. Metaphorically, of course... The poster boy for micromanagement and armed with negotiation skills worthy of Wall Street, Hoozuki no Reitetsu follows the sadistic and level-headed Hoozuki as he spends his days troubleshooting hell. With an abundance of familiar faces from popular Japanese legends and East Asian mythology working middle management positions, this referential and anachronistic dark comedy brings new meaning to the phrase "employer liability." Just how hard could it be to manage employees from hell, anyway? Never found this concept any fun. For me it's like that tea ceremony anime during warring states period - pointless and useless. It might be different if I liked Heian period style and Japanese mythology, but I don't. Enough of absurd that I detest too.   Overall Rating: 6/10

20. Toaru Hikuushi e no Koiuta The Pilot's Love Song とある飛空士への恋歌 [TMS Entertainment] (Finished 1/13) Tags: Adventure, Drama, Romance  In order to uncover the "end of the sky," as spoken of in ancient mythology, Kal-el Albus is sent to Isla, an island in the sky. There he attends Cadoques High's Aerial Division, where he enjoys a carefree life with his schoolmates. That is...until a surprise attack by the air tribe drags Isla into a bloody war. Remake of movie.   Overall Rating: 6/10

21. Nobunaga the Fool ノブナガ・ザ・フール [Satelight] (Finished 2/24) Tags: Historical, Mecha Action, Sci-Fi  Guided by her visions revealing the location of the King of Salvation, Jeanne Kaguya d'Arc flees with the polymath Leonardo da Vinci from the West Star to the East Star. There, she encounters Nobunaga Oda—the son of a local feudal lord who, following a brutal defeat dealt by an enemy clan, has sworn to conquer the world with his friends. Quickly convinced that Nobunaga is indeed the King of Salvation, Jeanne pledges allegiance to the Oda clan. Meanwhile, King Arthur, the ruler of the West Star, sends his ruthless general Gaius Julius Caesar and his combat machine army to conquer Nobunaga's planet and seize the Holy Grail. Although Kaguya believes that Arthur is the King of Destruction, the reckless behavior of Nobunaga "The Fool"—who named his own combat suit after his nickname—on the battlefield sows doubt in his capability as a leader. With the help of Himiko, the Yamato Queen, Nobunaga and his clan must unify in order to overcome tragedies, recover from betrayals, and eventually save the world. It took me three attempts to even read this insulting synopsis where with each new character mention a new rage wave came. For each character one trait is taken and exaggerated, so everyone feels one-dimensional. And clusterization goes far beyond that with multiple genres and blend between fantasy and sci-fi which is never a good idea. Oh, and mecha makes everything worse. It's both mess and insult.   Overall Rating: 5/10

22. Buddy Complex バディ・コンプレックス [Sunrise] (Finished 2/13) Tags: Mecha, Time Travel Action, Sci-Fi When ordinary high school student Aoba Watase is suddenly targeted by a giant robot known as a "Valiancer," he is saved by his mysterious classmate Hina Yumihara. After revealing that she and their robotic enemy are from the future, Hina suddenly propels Aoba 70 years forward in order to prevent his death. Upon arrival, Aoba finds himself in the cockpit of a Valiancer called "Luxon," stuck in the midst of a firefight between the military forces of the Free Pact Alliance (FPA) and Zogilia Republic. After he shows high compatibility with an FPA pilot named Dio Weinberg, the two perform a successful "coupling," allowing them to share experiences and subsequently increase their capabilities and skills. Although Aoba is able to survive this unexpected battle, he is taken into custody by the FPA ship Cygnus, who wishes to interrogate him. While the student's main concern is whether he will ever be able to return home, what he doesn't realize is that he is about to get caught up in a war to protect the world. Sunrise original time shift mecha. That's three disadvantages already. Usual mediocrity.   Overall Rating: 6/10

23. SoniAni: Super Sonico The Animation Soni-Ani: Super Sonico The Animation そにアニ -SUPER SONICO THE ANIMATION- [White Fox] (Finished 1/12) Tags: Adult Cast, Music Comedy Super Sonico is a clutzy, adorable, and well-endowed 18-year old girl. She's a complete sucker for anything cute, especially stray cats, all of which she giddily adopts. However, though Sonico should be enjoying a carefree and simple lifestyle as a young college student, her life is really anything but easy: she must balance being a professional model, working part-time at her grandmother's restaurant, and practicing guitar and performing concerts with her friends Suzu Fujimi and Fuuri Watanuki in their band, First Astronomical Velocity—all while attending college. SoniAni: Super Sonico the Animation follows Sonico as she faces daunting challenges in her search for her place in the world, even when her days are brimming with love and happiness. Anime about fanservice mascot... what could go wrong? As expected, everything, but primarily shallowness.   Overall Rating: 5/10

24. Nobunagun ノブナガン [Bridge] (Finished 2/13) Tags: Super Power Action, Sci-Fi Shio Ogura is a Japanese high school student, who is visiting Taiwan on a school trip when she is suddenly attacked by monsters. Agents known as "E-Gene Holders" from the government agency DOGOO also arrive, who wield weapons infused with the spirits of historical figures. Shio is revealed to also be an E-Gene Holder when the soul of Oda Nobunaga awakens after she tries to rescue a friend. That's just too ridiculous to be taken seriously. There's nothing to catch with such a meh alien invasion story.   Overall Rating: 6/10

25. Wizard Barristers: Benmashi Cecil Wizard Barristers ウィザード・バリスターズ～弁魔士セシル [Arms] (Finished 1/12) Tags: Detective, Mecha Action, Fantasy The story takes place in Tokyo in 2018, where normal humans and those who can use magic coexist. As a result, there are laws against using magic, and a "magic courtroom" exists to preside over lawsuits regarding magic use. In these cases, "Benmashi" or wizard barristers defend those who use magic. The anime follows Cecil, the youngest Benmashi in history, and her associates as they defend clients in these cases. Fantasy detective mecha are tags that aren't supposed to stand even close to each other. And it is indeed a horrible mess of magical court and mecha pursuits.   Overall Rating: 5/10

26. Wake Up, Girls!  [Tatsunoko Production, Ordet] (Finished 12/12) Tags: Idols (Female), Music Drama The gateway to Idol stardom might have opened for the newly formed singing group Wake Up, Girls, but the path to fame is full of perils and pitfalls. And for Mayu, Airi, Minami, Yoshino, Nanami, Kaya and Miyu, it's going to be especially difficult knowing who to trust, as their manager Matsuda's lack of experience could give other, less scrupulous, individuals a chance to take advantage. That's a situation that quickly comes to a head when Green Leaves' president suddenly disappears with most of the money, and things only get worse when the replacement producer seems more interested in getting the girls into revealing swimsuits than promoting their music. As malicious gossip begins to surface regarding Mayu's past membership in a rival group, and internal tensions begin to tear the team apart, they'll need more than just ambition to survive. Singing may be a business, but friendship and a love of music is what will keep everything together. It's definitely a masterpiece, but can't call it super impactful. It's just idol story finally done right and truthfully.   Overall Rating: 7/10

27. Z/X: Ignition  [Telecom Animation Film] (Finished 3/12) Tags: Strategy Game Adventure, Fantasy, Sci-Fi The story is set in the not-so-distant future. Five "Black Points" suddenly appeared around the world as portals to parallel worlds. Immediately after, strange creatures began their invasion from these portals. These creatures are the inhabitants of five worlds—the same worlds in different timeframes. In order to ensure their own future timeframe survives, each of the five invasion forces battle to wipe the other future timeframes out. The key is one card-shaped device. Strategy card came is never a good choice for adaptation, but at least it tries to distance itself from kids shounens to an extent same as WIXOSS. It makes it better than those shounens, but it does not mean good.   Overall Rating: 6/10

28. Saki Zenkoku-hen Saki: The Nationals 咲-Saki-全国編 [Studio Gokumi] (Finished 1/13) Tags: Seinen School, Strategy Game Slice of Life Saki Miyanaga, along with the rest of Kiyosumi High School's mahjong team, proceeds to the national level of the Interhigh Mahjong Championship. However, reaching the top will prove difficult as she faces opponents on par with and, quite possibly, exceeding her skills. Even so, she refuses to back down, vowing to stop at nothing to fulfill her goal: to see her sister face-to-face once more. Sequel.   Overall Rating: 5/10

29. Happiness Charge Precure! ハピネスチャージプリキュア！ [Toei Animation] (Finished 1/49) Tags: Mahou Shoujo Action, Fantasy  Some time ago, the opening of a box known as the "Axia" set loose the previously sealed members of the Phantom Empire into the world. Rising to protect humanity from these spiteful villains are warriors known as the Precure, whose heroic feats have garnered them celebrity status on television screens across the globe. Hime Shirayuki, princess of the kingdom where the Axia was originally held, is one such warrior who transforms into "Cure Princess" to battle monsters summoned by the Empire. However, Hime's timid personality often hampers her success in fending off the enemy. Frustrated with her hard luck and determined to find a Precure partner, Hime befriends Megumi Aino, a happy-go-lucky teenager. When a general of the Phantom Empire appears, Hime fails to do much in the face of his attacks. Intent on protecting her new friend, Megumi ignites her hidden potential—transforming into "Cure Lovely." With their sights set on protecting the world, Megumi and Hime form a new Precure team known as the "Happiness Charge Precure" whilst embarking on a journey to discover true love. Sequel.   Overall Rating: 6/10

30. Future Card Buddyfight フューチャーカード バディファイト [Xebec, OLM] (Finished 1/64) Tags: Strategy Game  An adaptation of the Future Card Buddyfight card game. Future Card Buddyfight takes place in a more futuristic version of today. The card game connects to a parallel universe through special cards (Buddy Rare Cards) that act as portals. They bring monsters to Earth in order for them to become buddies with humans. Through friendship and courage, they take on and fight challenges, known as Buddyfights, where people of all ages have friendly non-hurtful competitions. The main character, Gaou Mikado has just started Buddyfighting. As the story progresses, Buddyfights are seeming to become a little too real... Cool new card game! Kids stuff again.   Overall Rating: 5/10

31. Tesagure! Bukatsumono Encore てさぐれ！部活もの あんこーる [Yaoyorozu] (Finished 1/12) Tags: Parody, School Slice of Life Second season of Tesagure! Bukatsumono. Sequel.   Overall Rating: 6/10

32. X Maiden エクスメイデン [Lambert] (Finished 1/8) Tags: School Comedy, Slice of Life  In 20XX C.E., a mysterious alien race named Firow suddenly appears on Earth. The Firow's dreadful attacks force humanity to engage in a difficult battle. But humanity's last hope, the X Maiden who wear weapons built to destroy the Firow, are about to set out. Not translated and full CGI and half length. And it's all just talks.   Overall Rating: 5/10

33. Nanocore 纳米核心 [Coastline Animation Studio] (Finished 4/10) Tags: Sci-Fi  Nanocore is a science fiction Chinese cartoon in 3D. The stage of the story is established on a fictional planet Birthigin. In this young planet, humanity will never stop longing for a bright future despite reason and fear. In revolutions and evolutions, humanity keeps challenging the Creator, and which eventually induces contractions intensified. People choose to wake up and struggle for their own ideals. They end the peace and angers sweep the whole planet, resulting in outbreak of the crisis known as Purple Fog. In time of humans facing their odds of survival, the plan N.S.P led by the elite keeps frustrating until NanoCore's involving. It brings the plan his birth. As the existence, that the elite thinks should lead the development of human weapons, however, he breaks shackles of fate, and arrives at a land where faith no longer exists. He learns to make choices and grows up with them, and the dim future of Birthigin thus begins to change. Chinese and full CGI. It's looks like a pretty shameless FFVII ripoff for beginning with different characters and more mecha. As such, it's not the worst of its kind.   Overall Rating: 6/10

34. Hori-san to Miyamura-kun 堀さんと宮村くん [Gonzo, Hoods Entertainment, Studio Kai, Marone] (Finished 1/6) Tags: School Romance Within everyone there exists a side preferably kept hidden, even from close friends. For the smart and popular Kyouko Hori, it's the fact that she has to do all the housework and care for her little brother, Souta, because of her parents' busy work schedules. For the gentle Izumi Miyamura, whom everybody sees as an otaku, it's his nine hidden piercings and large body tattoo. So what happens when they accidentally discover each other's hidden sides? Sharing parts of themselves that they couldn't with anyone else, strong bonds of friendship soon begin to form between Miyamura and Hori, as well as those around them. As their hidden personas start to dissipate, they slowly learn how to open up to others. Too many cliche for me. Art is super simplistic as if from the previous century. Don't see a reason to watch this over remake version.   Overall Rating: 6/10

35. Zetsumetsu Kigu Shoujo: Amazing Twins 絶滅危愚少女 Amazing Twins [Encourage Films] (Finished 2/2) Tags: Slice of Life Amane Todoroki is a young girl who is straightforward but also unthinking. She will try her very best in everything and say, "I don't know how to answer you if you ask me whether this can be done. I just believe it can. If not, then nothing will get started!" She easily gets stuck in her thinking, but she can also get easily moved at something small and start crying. It's a mix of espers and magical girls in a less than an hour gig, so pretty horrible.   Overall Rating: 5/10

36. Wild Adapter ワイルドアダプター [Anpro] (Finished 1/2) Tags: Shoujo Action, Drama, Mystery Makoto Kubota wandered through life, not taking things too seriously or looking too deep within himself. His job as the head of the Izumo Group's youth gang kept him pleasantly occupied with yakuza wars, mahjong and assassinations... Until the day he stumbled upon a strange drug called Wild Adapter that produces bizarre side-effects—including death. Forever changed, Kubota becomes entangled with a drifter named Minoru Tokito, and the two form an unlikely companionship that draws them deeper into the mystery of Wild Adapter... Freaking boys love not marked properly.   Overall Rating:4/10

37. Mitsuwano みツわの [Zexcs] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Slice of Life  In Kyoto, apprentices known as maiko are skilled performers of traditional dance and song. It is said their elegance and grace leaves any audience entranced. Mai Ichinose, Riko Kikuzuki, and Midori Aikawa are young girls who aspire to become maiko. They reside together in a geisha house to polish and perfect their skills, developing bonds of trust and supporting each other. However, their shared dream may prove disastrous for their friendship... When they learn about an upcoming festival, they cannot help but get excited. But soon they realize only two maiko can represent each house. It is then that the three close friends become distant, seeking to prove who is most deserving of the role. Ultimately, they must choose between fulfilling their own dream—finally within reach—or keeping their treasured friendship alive. Just boring short SOL.   Overall Rating: 5/10

38. Giovanni no Shima Giovanni's Island ジョバンニの島 [Production I.G] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Historical Award Winning, Drama  In the aftermath of the most devastating conflict mankind had ever experienced, the tiny island of Shikotan became part of the Sakhalin Oblast... and on the unhealed border in this remote corner of the world, friendship among children from two different countries timidly blossomed, striving to overcome language barriers and the waves of history. Inspired by true events. On August 15th, they told us we had lost the war. At that time, we did not really understand. Then one day, everything changed. Many soldiers, wearing uniforms we had never seen before, arrived on the island. That was the day I met Tanya. A good movie to shed a tear over the Japanese youth pushed away from Kuril islands, but it's not exceptional.   Overall Rating: 6/10

39. Wake Up, Girls! Shichinin no Idol Wake Up, Girls! The Movie Wake Up, Girls！七人のアイドル [Tatsunoko Production, Ordet] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Idols (Female), Music Drama In Wake Up, Girls! Green Leaves Entertainment is in the worst situation any Talent Management Agency can be in... they have NO talent! Desperate for an act, President Junko Tange targets the idol singer market and gives her flunky Matsuda his marching orders: get a girl group to manage, even if it means building one from scratch! Since complete singing groups rarely appear out of thin air, Matsuda's now in the difficult position of having to find girls with the right skills who don't already have contracts with Japan's music industry. That girl at the Maid Café? Good enough! A lead singer who's been fired from another group? Sure, why not? How about one who's only 13 years old? What could possibly go wrong there? They may not be on the A-list, the B-List, or even the C-list to start, but with a little love and a whole lot of hard work, it's possible that all Japan may someday wake up to the music of WAKE UP, GIRLS! I don't like prequels much. As usual, it does not feel needed, still ok.   Overall Rating: 6/10

40. Robot Girls Z ロボットガールズＺ [Toei Animation] (Finished 1/3) Tags: Mecha, Parody Comedy The story revolves around a new team of "Toei robot girls" named "Team Z" that is made up of three girls based on Toei's Mazinger Z franchise: Mazinger Z, Great Mazinger, and UFO Robot Grendizer. Usually they perform in activities around Nerima ward in Tokyo to raise the awareness of the promising future energy source "Photon Power" (koushiryoku). However, there are times when "Mechanical Beast" team of girls emerge from the "Subterranean Empire" and attempt to steal the energy. Thus "Team Z" has to battle them to prevent this, though sometimes they just go and beat up the "bad girls" to relieve stress. Please note that because in this particular case MAL lists airings, not episodes/chapters/parts, this show is considered to be 3 episodes and not 9. Each of the three airings consisted of three episodes for a total runtime of 27 minutes per airing. The duration on MAL reflects this. Sequel.   Overall Rating: 5/10

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