Anime of the Year 2014-III Summer - Gekkan Shoujo Nozaki-kun

Comedy Gekkan Shoujo Nozaki-kun is the winner. Last Koukaku Kidoutai Arise: Ghost in the Shell - Border:4 Ghost Stands Alone movie also impressed me to a degree.

1. Tokyo Ghoul 東京喰種-トーキョーグール-  [Pierrot] (Finished 12/12) Tags: Seinen Gore, Psychological Action, Fantasy, Horror A sinister threat is invading Tokyo: flesh-eating "ghouls" who appear identical to humans and blend into their population. Reserved college student Ken Kaneki buries his nose in books and avoids the news of the growing crisis. However, the appearance of an attractive woman named Rize Kamishiro shatters his solitude when she forwardly asks him on a date. While walking Rize home, Kaneki discovers she isn't as kind as she first appeared, and she has led him on with sinister intent. After a tragic struggle, he later awakens in a hospital to learn his life was saved by transplanting the now deceased Rize's organs into his own body. Kaneki's body begins to change in horrifying ways, and he transforms into a human-ghoul hybrid. As he embarks on his new dreadful journey, Kaneki clings to his humanity in the evolving bloody conflict between society's new monsters and the government agents who hunt them. To tell the truth, I initially dropped it, because it was rather repulsive. But seeing how popular it is, need to finish original season. And I don't see what to like here. Each time someone lures protagonist out of his safe heaven, and each time the only reason to attack him is because he smells tasty. Another brainless flashy action shounen with typical protagonist, but this time also with cannibalism and gore.   Overall Rating: 5/10

2. Akame ga Kill! アカメが斬る！ [White Fox] (Finished 24/24) Tags: Shounen Gore, Super Power Action, Fantasy Night Raid is the covert assassination branch of the Revolutionary Army, an uprising assembled to overthrow Prime Minister Honest, whose avarice and greed for power has led him to take advantage of the child emperor's inexperience. Without a strong and benevolent leader, the rest of the nation is left to drown in poverty, strife, and ruin. Though the Night Raid members are all experienced killers, they understand that taking lives is far from commendable and that they will likely face retribution as they mercilessly eliminate anyone who stands in the revolution's way. This merry band of assassins' newest member is Tatsumi, a naïve boy from a remote village who had embarked on a journey to help his impoverished hometown and was won over by not only Night Raid's ideals, but also their resolve. Akame ga Kill! follows Tatsumi as he fights the Empire and comes face-to-face with powerful weapons, enemy assassins, challenges to his own morals and values, and ultimately, what it truly means to be an assassin with a cause. Another surprisingly popular title with rather plain shounen synopsis. Of course, protagonist is a typical dimwit, but with fighting talents. There's a huge cast of powerful allies, so it feels only natural that they would face an even greater danger. Most of allies are just cliche personalities that aren't to be regretted, anyway. From the start I only expected Akame and protagonist to survive. I did this prediction before any ally died, so it can't be called a spoiler. Let's just say that it it was not that far from realization. So what we get is simplicity and cheap taking out characters instead of complexity of capital. Everything is black and white, and villains are necessarily torturers and sadists. It reeks of false emotions, cheap moves and undeveloped characters, so it does not deserve a masterpiece status.   Overall Rating: 6/10

3. Sword Art Online II ソードアート・オンライン II [A-1 Pictures] (Finished 24/24) Tags: Love Polygon, Video Game Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Romance A year after escaping Sword Art Online, Kazuto Kirigaya has been settling back into the real world. However, his peace is short-lived as a new incident occurs in a game called Gun Gale Online, where a player by the name of Death Gun appears to be killing people in the real world by shooting them in-game. Approached by officials to assist in investigating the murders, Kazuto assumes his persona of Kirito once again and logs into Gun Gale Online, intent on stopping the killer. Once inside, Kirito meets Sinon, a highly skilled sniper afflicted by a traumatic past. She is soon dragged in his chase after Death Gun, and together they enter the Bullet of Bullets, a tournament where their target is sure to appear. Uncertain of Death Gun's real powers, Kirito and Sinon race to stop him before he has the chance to claim another life. Not everything goes smoothly, however, as scars from the past impede their progress. In a high-stakes game where the next victim could easily be one of them, Kirito puts his life on the line in the virtual world once more. I refuse to acknowledge this. It has some nice moments, but it's not really enjoyable for me. The way it disguises a totally different anime for SAO by using some of the same characters and some ties is misleading.   Overall Rating: 6/10

4. Zankyou no Terror Terror in Resonance 残響のテロル [MAPPA] (Finished 11/11) Tags: Detective, Psychological Mystery, Suspense Painted in red, the word "VON" is all that is left behind after a terrorist attack on a nuclear facility in Japan. The government is shattered by their inability to act, and the police are left frantically searching for ways to crack down the perpetrators. The public are clueless—until, six months later, a strange video makes its way onto the internet. In it, two teenage boys who identify themselves only as "Sphinx" directly challenge the police, threatening to cause destruction and mayhem across Tokyo. Unable to stop the mass panic quickly spreading through the city and desperate for any leads in their investigation, the police struggle to act effectively against these terrorists, with Detective Kenjirou Shibazaki caught in the middle of it all. Zankyou no Terror tells the story of Nine and Twelve, the two boys behind the masked figures of Sphinx. They should not exist, yet they stand strong in a world of deception and secrets while they make the city fall around them, all in the hopes of burying their own tragic truth. That's a weird little anime that I watched before, but it completely burned out of memory, and that alone says a lot for me. Basically, it's imitation of genius Ghost in the Shell the Laughing Man case as some kids with initially good intentions fool around the government and come out victorious from fierce confrontation thanks to wits, planning and bit of luck. For me it all looked amateurish, unrealistic and too twisty in order to provide material for eleven episodes. Maybe after works like this I grew to hate mysteries as genre.   Overall Rating: 6/10

5. Gekkan Shoujo Nozaki-kun Monthly Girls' Nozaki-kun 月刊少女野崎くん [Doga Kobo] (Finished 12/12) Tags: Otaku Culture, School Comedy, Romance Chiyo Sakura is a cheerful high school girl who has fallen head over heels for the oblivious Umetarou Nozaki. Much to Chiyo's confusion, when she confesses to her beloved Nozaki, he hands her an unfamiliar autograph. As it turns out, the stoic teenage boy is actually a respected shoujo mangaka, publishing under the pen name Sakiko Yumeno! A series of misunderstandings leads to Chiyo becoming one of Nozaki's manga assistants. Throughout the hilarious events that ensue, she befriends many of her quirky schoolmates, including her seemingly shameless fellow assistant, Mikoto Mikoshiba, and the "Prince of the School," Yuu Kashima. Gekkan Shoujo Nozaki-kun follows Chiyo as she strives to help Nozaki with his manga and hopes that he will eventually notice her feelings. Not sure whether I finished it or not before, but it deserves finishing. A good comedy around drawing manga. It's full-length, and the level of enjoyment is comparable to Tonari no Kaibutsu-kun, so it deserves the same score.   Overall Rating: 8/10

6. Ao Haru Ride Blue Spring Ride アオハライド [Production I.G] (Finished 3/12) Tags: Shoujo School Romance While most young girls make an effort to show off their feminine charms, Futaba Yoshioka deliberately behaves like she wants to repel anyone who might be attracted to her. Ostracized by her female classmates in middle school for being a little too popular with the boys, she desperately strives to avoid a similar situation in high school by being unnecessarily noisy and graceless. Nevertheless, scattered among Futaba's unpleasant memories are the treasured moments with the boy she had a crush on, Kou Tanaka. Unfortunately, that spell abruptly ended on a sour note when he suddenly stopped attending school and never came back. When Futaba finds out that Kou has returned—with a different last name this time—she can already feel the butterflies in her stomach. However, Kou Mabuchi is not the warm boy that she remembers from her days in middle school; he is now taller, more charismatic and withdrawn—making him far less approachable. Futaba believes that if she returns to her former self, Kou will begin to take notice of her again. But is she prepared to sacrifice her bubble of normalcy and risk losing her friends in the process? Serious shoujo is pretty boring no matter how I look at it.   Overall Rating: 6/10

7. Barakamon ばらかもん [Kinema Citrus] (Finished 12/12) Tags: Childcare, Iyashikei, Visual Arts Slice of Life Seishuu Handa is an up-and-coming calligrapher: young, handsome, talented, and unfortunately, a narcissist to boot. When a veteran labels his award-winning piece as "unoriginal," Seishuu quickly loses his cool with severe repercussions. As punishment, and also in order to aid him in self-reflection, Seishuu's father exiles him to the Goto Islands, far from the comfortable Tokyo lifestyle the temperamental artist is used to. Now thrown into a rural setting, Seishuu must attempt to find new inspiration and develop his own unique art style—that is, if boisterous children (headed by the frisky Naru Kotoishi), fujoshi middle schoolers, and energetic old men stop barging into his house! The newest addition to the intimate and quirky Goto community only wants to get some work done, but the islands are far from the peaceful countryside he signed up for. Thanks to his wacky neighbors who are entirely incapable of minding their own business, the arrogant calligrapher learns so much more than he ever hoped to. Childcare anime without actual childcare as it's neighbors' kid, so mundane side is excluded and only fun part remains. On the other hand it's really difficult to empathize with the protagonist, because calligraphy is nonsense. It's not super interesting or funny, but characters are good, plus some parts like fujoushi are still fun. Just good SOL with occasional humor is not enough for me. Is it a good anime? Yes. Do I enjoy it? No.   Overall Rating: 6/10

8. Aldnoah.Zero アルドノア・ゼロ [A-1 Pictures, TROYCA] (Finished 4/12) Tags: Mecha, Military Action, Sci-Fi The discovery of a hypergate on the Moon once allowed the human race to teleport to Mars. Those who chose to settle there unearthed a technology far more advanced than that of their home planet, which they named "Aldnoah." This discovery led to the founding of the Vers Empire of Mars and a declaration of war against the "Terrans," those who stayed behind on Earth. However, a battle on the moon—later called "Heaven's Fall"—caused the hypergate to explode, destroying the moon and leading the two planets to establish an uneasy ceasefire. Their peace was a fragile one, however. Fifteen years later, high school student Inaho Kaizuka witnesses the plotted assassination of the Vers Empire's Princess Asseylum Vers Allusia, who had come to Earth in hopes of repairing the relationship between the empire and its homeland. The ceasefire is shattered, and the Martians declare war on the Terrans once again. In the face of this insurmountable enemy, Inaho and his friends must now fight against the Vers Empire to settle the war once and for all. Description that Gundam meets Code Geass is pretty accurate, because overpowered Martians with one hesitating protagonist attack and another earthling protagonist does miracles in one of few remaining mecha on this side. Introduction takes as many as three episodes, afterwards it gets black and white. Battles are done in CGI, so not really good. So basically we know what's going to happen from the start, action is not good and characters are rather bland maybe except for hesitating Martian. There's not much incentive to watch it further, to be honest.   Overall Rating: 6/10

9. Hanamonogatari 花物語 [Shaft] (Finished 1/5) Tags: Comedy, Mystery, Supernatural  Now that Koyomi Araragi and Hitagi Senjougahara have graduated, very few familiar faces remain at Naoetsu Private High School. One of these is Suruga Kanbaru, holder of the Monkey's Paw. When she begins to hear talk of a mysterious being known as the "Devil" who will magically solve any problem, Kanbaru immediately thinks these rumors are about her and decides to investigate. She discovers the Devil is actually Rouka Numachi, a former basketball rival from junior high who is no longer able to play due to a leg injury. Rouka provides free advice to those who seek her out. Acting as a collector of misfortune, she enjoys relieving the stress of her clients by providing them with the false hope of having their problems solved. Although Kanbaru sees no real harm being done, she reprimands Rouka for lying and heads home, relieved she is not the cause of the rumors. But she may have a reason to worry after all: she finds that her left hand has reverted back to its human form. Sequel.   Overall Rating: 6/10

10. Free! Eternal Summer Free! - Eternal Summer  [Kyoto Animation, Animation Do] (Finished 1/13) Tags: School Sports  Even though it has been a year since the Iwatobi High School Swim Club has been created, new members have yet to join the club. Now that Haruka Nanase and Makoto Tachibana are senior students, along with their younger friends Nagisa Hazuki and Rei Ryuugazaki, they have to find a way to attract new members. If not, the club will be forced to close the following year due to a lack of membership. Meanwhile, with impending graduation, it is also time for the seniors to decide their plans for the future. Unlike their friend Rin Matsuoka, the new captain of Samezuka Academy Swim Club who is determined to fulfill his dream of being a professional swimmer, Haruka and Makoto are unsure about what career path they want to take. Further problems arise when an old friend of Rin's, Sousuke Yamazaki, comes to the city to study at Samezuka Academy; the recently scouted swimmer's arrival causes tension in the relationship among him, Rin, and Haruka. Sequel.   Overall Rating: 5/10

11. Kuroshitsuji: Book of Circus Black Butler: Book of Circus 黒執事 Book of Circus [A-1 Pictures] (Finished 1/10) Tags: Shounen Historical, Mythology Action, Fantasy, Mystery Full of wonder and excitement, the Noah's Arc Circus troupe has captured audiences with their dazzling performances. Yet these fantastic acts do not come without a price. Children have mysteriously gone missing around London, correlating to that of the group's movements. Unsettled by these kidnappings, Queen Victoria sends in her notorious guard dog, Ciel Phantomhive; and his ever-faithful demon butler, Sebastian Michaelis, on an undercover mission to find these missing children. Trying to balance their new circus acts with their covert investigation under the big top, however, proves to be quite a challenge. With the other performers growing suspicious and the threat of the circus' mysterious benefactor looming overhead, what the two discover will shake Ciel to his very core. Sequel.   Overall Rating: 6/10

12. Seireitsukai no Blade Dance Blade Dance of the Elementalers 精霊使いの剣舞〈ブレイドダンス〉 [TNK] (Finished 2/12) Tags: Harem, School Action, Comedy, Fantasy, Romance, Ecchi On his way to Areishia Spirit Academy, Kamito Kazehaya runs into a naked Claire Rouge, a student who had been bathing as part of a purification ceremony. She had been preparing to form a contract with a powerful spirit in order to acquire more power as an "elementalist." Her efforts are wasted, however, when Kamito ends up with the spirit despite the fact that only shrine maidens can become elementalists. Yet to be discouraged, Claire then announces that Kamito must become her contracted spirit instead! After reaching the school grounds, Kamito escapes from Claire and meets Headmaster Greyworth Ciel Mais, who invites him to enroll at the academy. Although his life at Areishia will be far from easy as the only male student among the shrine princesses-in-training, he begrudgingly accepts in exchange for information about his former contracted spirit, Restia Ashdoll. Adding on to that, he also must fulfill Greyworth's main request: to win in the Blade Dance, a battle festival occurring in two months, where he will face the strongest elementalist rumored to be contracted with a darkness spirit. Ecchi harem with binding contract with a powerful girl... such a beaten concept. Slightly perverted protagonist, nice action and enough attention to characters pull it out of mediocrity, but it's nowhere near great.   Overall Rating: 6/10

13. Rail Wars! RAIL WARS! [レールウォーズ] [Passione] (Finished 2/12) Tags: Detective, Harem, Workplace Action, Ecchi Rail Wars! takes place in an alternate universe where the Japanese government remains in control of the nation's railway systems. Because of the stability afforded by the leadership of the government, the railway system is allowed to flourish. Naoto Takayama aspires to become an employee for Japan National Railways because of the comfortable life that it will enable him to live. In order to accomplish this he enters its training program, where students must demonstrate their knowledge of trains as well as their ability to be ready for any challenge that might arise. During this time period he will encounter other students such as the athletically gifted Aoi Sakura, the constantly hungry Sho Iwaizumi, and the human encyclopedia Haruka Komi. Together they will work towards surviving their trainee period, all the while taking on purse snatchers, bomb threats, and the looming specter of the extremist “RJ” group who wants to privatize the railway system. Just SOL in government organization with no fun involved. Since there's no plot, some detective elements are introduced. If you don't like trains like Sheldon Cooper, there's little hope here.   Overall Rating: 6/10

14. Rokujouma no Shinryakusha!? Invaders of the Rokujyoma!? 六畳間の侵略者！？ [SILVER LINK.] (Finished 2/12) Tags: Harem, School Comedy, Supernatural After Koutarou Satomi's father is suddenly relocated for his job, the first-year high school student is faced with finding a cheap place to live by himself. Naturally, he jumps at the chance to move into Corona House's Room 106 for a mere five thousand yen a month. But while everything goes well at first, Koutarou soon gets a lot more than he bargained for after stumbling upon a mysterious cave while working his part-time job. The following night, Koutarou is visited by various seemingly mythical figures, all of whom claim ownership of the poor student's apartment. Among the invaders are Sanae Higashihongan, a ghost supposedly haunting the room, magical girl Yurika, alien princess Theiamillis Gre Fortorthe, and Kiriha Kurano, a direct descendant of the Earth People. But more importantly, each of these four girls needs Koutarou's apartment for her own reasons and won’t back down without a fight! Rokujouma no Shinryakusha!? is a comedic battle royale over a six-tatami mat apartment involving supernatural beings, romantic high school hijinks, and a deceptively cordial landlady. Pretty sure that harem watchers are target audience here, because harem approach is fresh and without jealousy. But there's nothing for me to enjoy - no story, no fun, no good characters.   Overall Rating: 6/10

15. Tokyo ESP [Xebec] (Finished 1/12) Tags: Shounen Super Power Action, Sci-Fi, Supernatural Rinka Urushiba works part time as a waitress to help out her unemployed father. By all accounts, her life in Tokyo is a relatively normal one—but her sense of normalcy begins to fade when she inexplicably sees a flying penguin one day. Chasing it all the way to the top of a building, she encounters more surprises, including flying goldfish and another person—a classmate named Kyoutarou Azuma—who can also see these strange things. After Rinka passes out when a goldfish phases through her, she wakes up an esper with the ability to phase her body through solid matter. However, her newfound ability is not the only strange thing about her: when she uses her powers, her hair turns white. Deciding reluctantly to use this new gift to help the city, she becomes Tokyo's new hero, dubbed the "White Girl." Along with Kyoutarou, who gained the power of teleportation, Rinka begins righting the wrongs in the city while fighting other espers who have much less noble intentions. Espers is one of the worst themes possible, and Xebec is the company that never produced anything great, so it did not have a chance with me from the start. And synopsis is so superhero'ish and messy that I don't want to move past first episode. Fighting action and gore are here, so it will have some fans anyway.   Overall Rating: 6/10

16. Re:␣Hamatora Re: Hamatora: Season 2 Re:␣ ハマトラ [Lerche] (Finished 1/12) Tags: Detective, Super Power Action, Mystery, Supernatural It has been three months since the incident at Yokohama. Things have been settling down at Cafe Nowhere. Murasaki and Hajime have teamed up and started investigating again. After an unforeseen reunion, Art holds Nice at gunpoint. What are his real intentions? What will become of the connection between Art and Hamatora? Sequel.   Overall Rating: 5/10

17. DRAMAtical Murder ドラマティカル マーダー [NAZ] (Finished 12/12) Tags: Psychological, Super Power Action, Sci-Fi Some time ago, the influential and powerful Toue Inc. bought the island of Midorijima, Japan, with the plans of building Platinum Jail—a luxurious utopian facility. Those who are lucky enough to call it home are the wealthiest citizens in the world. The original residents of the island, however, were forced to relocate to the Old Residential District; and after the completion of Platinum Jail, they were completely abandoned. "Rib" and "Rhyme" are the most common games played on the island. Rib is an old school game in which gangs engage in turf wars against each other, while Rhyme is a technologically advanced game wherein participants fight in a virtual reality. To be able to play Rhyme, you must have an "All-Mate" (an AI that typically looks like a pet), and the match must be mediated by an "Usui." Aoba Seragaki has no interest in playing either game; he prefers to live a peaceful life with his grandmother and All-Mate, Ren. However, after getting forcefully dragged into a dangerous Rhyme match and hearing rumors about disappearing Rib players, all of Aoba's hopes of living a normal life are completely abolished. I used to watch everything cyberpunk, and DRAMAtical Murder was quite ok, but for some strange reason I tried visual novel afterwards, and it had unavoidable forced violations. Needless to say, I don't want to have anything common with this anime anymore.   Overall Rating: 6/10

18. Glasslip グラスリップ [P.A. Works] (Finished 13/13) Tags: Love Polygon, Visual Arts Romance, Supernatural What if you hold the power to hear the voices or see fragments of images from the future? Would that be a good thing or a bad thing? Glasslip follows the life of Touko Fukami, an aspiring glass artist born from a glass artisan family. She enjoys her worry-free life in Fukui, save for the fragments of images that she sees on occasion. On her 18th summer, she meets the transfer student Kakeru Okikura at her school, and then again at her favorite café called Kazemichi together with all four of her friends. The voices from the future lead Kakeru to Touko, and his arrival disrupts her mediocre existence. All six of the friends must face their most unforgettable summer full of hope, affection, and heartache. I used to watch everything from P.A. Works on release, because it always had great visuals, but at least I don't have to go through this bore now. And just as with Red Data Girl I never understood the point of it - just waste of time.   Overall Rating: 5/10

19. Space☆Dandy 2nd Season Space Dandy 2nd Season スペース☆ダンディ 第2シリーズ [Bones] (Finished 1/13) Tags: Adult Cast, Space Comedy, Sci-Fi Second season of Space Dandy. Space Dandy is a dandy guy, in space! This dreamy adventurer with a to-die-for pompadour travels across the galaxy in search of aliens no one has ever laid eyes on. Each new species he discovers earns him a hefty reward, but this dandy has to be quick on his feet because it's first come, first served! Accompanied by his sidekicks, a rundown robot named QT and Meow the cat-looking space alien, Dandy bravely explores unknown worlds inhabited by a variety of aliens. Join the best dressed alien hunter in all of space and time as he embarks on an adventure that ends at the edge of the universe! Sequel.   Overall Rating: 6/10

20. Fate/kaleid liner Prisma☆Illya 2wei! Fate/Kaleid Liner Prisma Illya 2Wei! Fate/kaleid liner プリズマ☆イリヤ ツヴァイ! [SILVER LINK.] (Finished 1/10) Tags: Mahou Shoujo Action, Comedy, Fantasy  Another lovely summer goes by for Illyasviel von Einzbern. Taking a break from her magical girl duties, she enjoys her time off after collecting the Class Cards with her best friend Miyu Edelfelt. However, her break comes to an abrupt end when she and Miyu are abducted by Rin Toosaka and Luviagelita Edelfelt, while out with her friends. The magical girls learn that their work is far from over, as Clock Tower informs them that the out of control mana thought to have been sealed continues to be dispersing throughout Fuyuki City. After heading to the origin point of the out of control mana, Illya and Miyu are tasked with solving the anomaly. But after casting their spell, Illyasviel discovers that she's split into two people! As this mysterious new form darts off, she can only wonder: what is to come from the existence of her dopplegänger, running amok in the unsuspecting town? Sequel.   Overall Rating: 5/10

21. Sabage-bu! Sabagebu! -Survival Game Club!- さばげぶっ! [Pierrot Plus] (Finished 1/12) Tags: Shoujo CGDCT, School Action, Comedy On a train to her new middle school, Momoka Sonokawa is preyed upon by a molester, only to be rescued by a girl wielding dual pistols. The girl turns out to be Miou Ootori, Momoka's upperclassman and president of the Aogiri Academy's Survival Game Club, called Sabage-bu for short. Noticing Momoka's aptitude with a pistol, Miou takes a liking to her and tries to persuade her to join the club. In spite of her steadfast refusal, Momoka inexplicably finds herself a member of Sabage-bu. Sabage-bu is anything but a typical middle-school club. Its members' socially awkward behaviors scare Momoka. Their personalities range from the fanatical to the completely delusional. They do not hold back from walking around public areas wearing ghillie suits or even bungee jumping from the school building. Thrown together with this collection of survival game maniacs, the zealously ordinary Momoka must somehow adjust to her unexpectedly wild school life. There have been so many survival/paintball club anime that they all mix into some slimy mess in my memory. But what I remember for sure is that none of them was great. This one stands out for trying into humor. But it's not good enough to save the day for me.   Overall Rating: 6/10

22. Hanayamata ハナヤマタ [Madhouse] (Finished 2/12) Tags: CGDCT, Iyashikei, Performing Arts, School Slice of Life At the tender age of 14, high school student Naru Sekiya finds that she pales in comparison to the fairy tale princesses she adores so much, not to mention the ideal girl she wants to be in contrast to her peers. Her childhood friend Yaya Sasame is enjoying herself with her school rock band, while her other childhood friend Tami Nishimikado is a member of the student council. Desiring the strength to take the next step forward, Naru has wanted a magic key to open her timid heart since the start of high school. During one moonlit night, Naru encounters what she believes is a cute fairy standing atop a torii gate who shortly invites her to dance with her. The next day, she discovers that the "fairy" was not only just an ordinary girl, but also a transfer high school student from America! Excited to meet Naru again, Hana N. Fountainstand encourages her to help her start a club for yosakoi, a festive type of Japanese dance that Hana has been entranced by since childhood. Though initially terrified of Hana's enthusiasm and the thought of being seen dancing, Naru slowly finds herself immersed in the art of yosakoi and assisting her new friend achieve her dream—for the path for a maiden such as herself is at the mercy of the wind! I've learned only now that cute girls doing cute things is actually a genre now that's called CGDCT. But this genre does not work out for me without decent comedy or at least some meaningful and interesting activity like in K-On paired up with ultimate cuteness. Hanayamata is neither - not cute, not interesting, not funny.   Overall Rating: 5/10

23. Persona 4 the Golden Animation ペルソナ4 ザ・ゴールデンアニメーション [A-1 Pictures] (Finished 1/12) Tags: School, Super Power Adventure, Mystery, Sci-Fi, Supernatural Spring. Far from the city, time flows peacefully in this rural town. As the cherry blossoms scatter in the wind, a young man named Yu Narukami steps off the train at Yasoinaba Station. Yu has come to this town, where his uncle lives, for family reasons; he will be transferring into the local high school, Yasogami High. And so begins his school life... The shopping mall after school. A series of murders taking place in town. The Midnight Channel, airing late at night.... What lies in store for Yu and his friends ‘this time around? Wait a minute, there was already Persona 4 Animation in 2012... but who cares - did not like the game, can't like the anime.   Overall Rating: 6/10

24. Majimoji Rurumo Magimoji Rurumo まじもじるるも [J.C.Staff] (Finished 2/12) Tags: Shounen School Comedy, Fantasy, Ecchi After an unfortunate accident, completely normal heterosexual high school student Kouta Shibaki is branded as the school pervert. With girls avoiding Kouta like the plague, truly the young man's worst nightmare has come to fruition! One day in the school library, he stumbles upon a peculiar book said to possess the power to summon witches. Partly out of desperation, partly out of boredom, Kouta decides to play along with the joke of a book, until an apprentice witch going by the name of Rurumo Maji Mojiruka appears before him. In an unusual turn of events, Kouta ends up helping Rurumo with some general witchery tasks in exchange for his soul being spared. Majimoji Rurumo follows the misadventures of Rurumo as she attempts to persuade Kouta to use 666 magical wish-granting tickets in her efforts to become a fully-fledged witch, unaware that every time she grants a wish, Kouta's life is shortened. Aided by Rurumo's familiar Chiro, Kouta must decide between helping Rurumo or saving his own life. It's slightly perverted, but concept is rather messy and it's just not fun for a comedy - more like SOL with elements of fantasy and constant protagonist antics.   Overall Rating: 6/10

25. Jinsei JINSEI -Life Consulting- 人生相談テレビアニメーション「人生」 [feel.] (Finished 1/13) Tags: School Comedy, Slice of Life Yuuki Akamatsu lives a normal high school life... that is until his cousin, Ayaka Nikaidou, convinces him to join the Journalism Club as a life consultant! His new job is to manage the advice column for the school's weekly newspaper to help him become more social. Soon, Yuuki is joined by three girls: the smart and shy Rino Endou, the athletic and outgoing Ikumi Suzuki, and the cultured and sweet Fumi Kujou. Together, they solve the personal problems of those who anonymously ask for advice. Although each of the new life consultants has their own unique perspective, they are able to reach solutions together by holding debates and social experiments throughout the week. However, as time goes on, the four slowly come to realize that they have not only been guiding other students through their troubles, but also working through problems of their own as well. Basically, it's another club, but about counselling. Compared to K-On, it has similarly interesting activity, but it's not cute enough. It has to be inventive with situations, but in reality these situations get pretty silly with it all becoming nonsense. And, again, I'm not enjoying this.   Overall Rating: 6/10

26. Nobunaga Concerto 信長協奏曲〈コンツェルト〉 [Fuji TV] (Finished 5/10) Tags: Shounen Historical, Time Travel Comedy, Romance "Who cares about what happened in Japan's past? It has nothing to do with my life." With these words, carefree high school student Saburou finds himself unceremoniously thrown back in time to the Sengoku Era, landing directly in front of the legendary general Nobunaga Oda. Nobunaga, on the run from his retainers and wishing to rest due to his frailty, beseeches Saburou to take his place, as the two bear an uncanny resemblance. Although Saburou is still confused by his surroundings, Nobunaga hurriedly provides the boy with the necessary items to prove that he is the bona fide feudal lord and makes a hasty getaway. Now a stand-in for someone he doesn't even know all that much about—though his modern experiences and knowledge are sure to help him—Saburou begins his unexpected quest to pose as the man who attempted to unite all of Japan. It's ugly and full of CGI. It's not funny or entertaining or interesting. I consider this alternative isekai a total failure.   Overall Rating: 5/10

27. Futsuu no Joshikousei ga [Locodol] Yattemita. Locodol 普通の女子校生が【ろこどる】やってみた。 [feel.] (Finished 12/12) Tags: Idols (Female) Comedy, Slice of Life In the town of Nagarekawa, Nanako Usami, an ordinary high school girl, is approached by her uncle to become a local idol or "Locodol," partnering with upperclassman Yukari Kohinata to form the idol unit, Nagarekawa Girls. As the girls use their talent to promote Nagarekawa and their businesses, they are joined by Yui Mikoze, who acts as the local mascot, and Mirai Nazukari, who serves as Yui's substitute. There have been quite a lot of local idol anime lately, and this one has set the trend. It's cute, but there's nothing essential to pick up here.   Overall Rating: 6/10

28. Shirogane no Ishi: Argevollen Argevollen 白銀の意思 アルジェヴォルン [Xebec] (Finished 5/24) Tags: Mecha Action  The Kingdom of Arandas alliance and the Countries Unification of Ingelmia have been at war for many years. The fortress of the Great Wall has remained firmly closed, but when it creaks open, the complexion of the war starts to change dramatically. A new recruit, Susumu Tokimune, is waiting for his first battle. He takes the lead without thinking of the possibility of being trapped, and has a fatal encounter with engineer Jamie Hazaford and the Silver Trailkrieger, Argevollen. The encounter takes place in a corner of the world where fighting has become the norm. This small coincidence is going to change the future of Tokimune's Independent 8th platoon, as well as the course of the war. Xebec original mecha is almost necessarily means trash. Rare battles are CGI-filled, and outside battles it's terribly boring.   Overall Rating: 5/10

29. Momo Kyun Sword モモキュンソード  [Project No.9, Tri-Slash] (Finished 3/12) Tags: Comedy, Fantasy, Ecchi  Momoko is a beautiful young sword fighter who was born inside a peach (momo in Japanese). She lives with her constant companions—the dog god Inugami, the monkey god Sarugami, and the pheasant god Kijigami—in a peaceful paradise. However, a demon army led by devil king invades the paradise and steals the precious treasure that protects Momoko's land. To retrieve the treasure and save the people, Momoko embarks on a great adventure with her three companions. Weird mahou shoujo ecchi parody with momoko legend flavor.   Overall Rating: 5/10

30. Bakumatsu Rock Samurai Jam -Bakumatsu Rock- 幕末Rock [Studio Deen] (Finished 3/12) Tags: Historical, Music, Performing Arts Action, Comedy Ryouma Sakamoto wants everyone to know about his passion for rock 'n' roll, so he roams around town with his electric guitar willing to show anyone he encounters that he's just as skilled as the famous Shinsengumi stars they admire. Unfortunately, Japan doesn't allow anything other than that group's Heaven's Songs, for writing or performing different types of music is forbidden and can lead to harsh consequences. Agitated by these strict rules and brainwashing, Ryouma does everything he can to show people that the music he loves will bring them the freedom they deserve. Along with his bandmates Shinsaku Takasugi and Kogoru Katsura, Ryouma works hard to find places for his rock 'n' roll group to perform. Refusing to back down until their music is accepted in Japan, the trio begin to realize that there's more to their passion than they had thought. Bishounen samurai playing rock... that's very weird and pointless.   Overall Rating: 5/10

31. Sengoku Basara: Judge End Sengoku BASARA: End of Judgement 戦国BASARA Judge End [Telecom Animation Film] (Finished 1/12) Tags: Historical, Martial Arts, Samurai, Super Power Action Based on CAPCOM's 2010 game Sengoku Basara 3 (Sengoku Basara: Samurai Heroes), Sengoku Basara: Judge End will depict the epic Battle of Sekigahara. Remake.   Overall Rating: 6/10

32. PriPara プリパラ [Tatsunoko Production, Dongwoo A&E] (Finished 1/140) Tags: Idols (Female), Music, School Slice of Life Every little girl waits for the day she'll get her special ticket, one that will grant her entry into the world of PriPara (Prism Paradise). PriPara is a world of music, fashion, and daily auditions for a chance to become a pop idol. Laala Manaka's friends and classmates aspire to become idols, but her school forbids elementary school students from participating in the idol competitions. Luckily, Laala is only interested in watching the idol shows. Yet somehow despite all this, she manages to bumble her way into the PriPara world, and debut as a fresh new talent. After being told all her life that she's too loud, Laala has finally found a place where she can be as loud as she wants and sing from her heart. And not only that, but there's a possibility that she might be the legendary Prism Voice. Adventure, fashion, and music awaits as Laala climbs her way to the top, on her way to become the cutest and most beloved pop idol in the world of PriPara! Sequel.   Overall Rating: 6/10

33. Shounen Hollywood: Holly Stage for 49 少年ハリウッド-HOLLY STAGE FOR 49- [Zexcs] (Finished 1/13) Tags: Idols (Male), Music, Performing Arts  At a theater called Hollywood Tokyo in Harajuku, members of the idol group "Shounen Hollywood" develop their talents with diligent work and studying. Dreamy light-hearted bishounens look really bad, even worse than samurai rockers.   Overall Rating: 5/10

34. Minarai Diva みならいディーバ [Yaoyorozu] (Finished 1/10) Tags: Idols (Female), Music  The story follows two aspiring divas who hope to become famous through a unique brand of music. Not translated. Basically, vtubers who also sing.   Overall Rating: 5/10

35. Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon Crystal Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon Crystal 美少女戦士セーラームーン Crystal [Toei Animation] (Finished 1/26) Tags: Shoujo Mahou Shoujo, Mythology Fantasy, Romance Though a little clumsy and easily brought to tears, Usagi Tsukino is a typical 14-year-old girl in her second year of junior high. However, all of that changes when an encounter with Luna, a mysterious talking black cat, whose head bears the mark of a crescent moon, results in the animal bestowing a magical brooch upon her. Now Usagi can transform into Sailor Moon, a magical girl in a sailor uniform who protects love and peace! Usagi is appointed as a guardian of justice and is tasked with the search for the legendary Silver Crystal, a magical artifact that holds immense power, as well as finding the other Sailor Guardians and the lost princess of Luna's home, the Moon Kingdom. Her mission isn't without opposition, however; Queen Beryl, ruler of the Dark Kingdom, wants to claim the Silver Crystal and take its power for her own. Though she still has to worry about her school, family, and love life, it is up to Sailor Moon and the other Sailor Guardians to save the day! Remake.   Overall Rating: 6/10

36. Karen Senki 夏恋戦機 [Next Media Animation] (Finished 11/11) Tags: Action, Sci-Fi  In the post-apocalyptic aftermath of a war between machines and their creators, machines rule while humans exist in a state of servitude. Titular character Karen leads Resistance Group 11, an eclectic group of humans who find themselves fighting for their lives as they are hunted by the robots in each episode. Is this the end of humanity? Are they fighting a losing battle? Through Karen, we delve into a struggle between right and wrong, between indifference and love that explores some of the deepest questions about humanity. What is the difference between a thinking machine and a human being? What is a soul? Full CGI action. Quite ok, but nothing really deep or interesting .   Overall Rating: 5/10

37.  Balgwanghaneun Hyeondaesa 발광하는 현대사 [Studio Dadashow] (Finished 3/3) Tags: Drama, Slice of Life  "I can't finish you..." There's a man named Hyeon-dae who has sex and a woman named Min-joo who loves! 32-year-old man Hyeon-dae is a part-time illustration instructor. He looks like he has a normal life but he suffers from his endless sexual desires and emptiness. 27-year-old Min-joo is a traffic reporter. She always greets people with a bright smile everyday but she's smudged with pain and betrayal. They have been seeing each other for 2 years but Hyeon-dae's marriage ended things. However, they crave each other without realizing it. They are confusing sex with love and the world is a confusing place. What do they desire? Not translated. Hentai with a twist, just not marked properly.   Overall Rating: 6/10

38. Ane Log: Moyako Neesan no Tomaranai Monologue Ane Log: Big Sister Moyako's Never-ending Monologue 姉ログ 靄子姉さんの止まらないモノローグ [Brain's Base] (Finished 1/3) Tags: Shounen School Comedy, Ecchi When Konoe Moyako and her little brother, Akira, were young, he said he wanted to marry her. Naturally, Moyako decided that her little brother was a complete pervert who was obsessed with her. Now that they're both teenagers, Moyako is convinced she needs to "rehabilitate" him. However, it seems that the "perversion" is entirely in her imagination, and she can't seem to help turning completely innocent situations into creepy ones in her mind! Fantasies of older sister about her brother.   Overall Rating: 5/10

39. Mujaki no Rakuen Paradise of Innocence 無邪気の楽園 [Seven, Office No. 8] (Finished 3/3) Tags: Seinen School, Time Travel Comedy, Romance, Ecchi Shouta Handa is a jobless 25 year old who is sick and tired of his boring life. One evening, at the class reunion, he gets to meet all of the cute girls that used to be his classmates. He soon discovers that they are all successful with interesting careers, and even more importantly—really beautiful now, with bigger curves. Unfortunately, it seems that they are all aware of his boring, unsuccessful life, so they mock him and call him a loser, just like in the old days. Everything changes when Shouta goes for a walk to have a smoke and accidentally falls into the school swimming pool. This triggers a supernatural phenomenon that takes him back ten years into the past. He finds himself in the same swimming pool during swimming class, surrounded by his female classmates in bikinis. How is Shouta going to deal with their cuteness and closeness now that he is a grown man in a boy's body? Just more and more perverted situations, very narrowly focused.   Overall Rating: 5/10

40. Nekketsu Jinmen Inu: Life Is Movie 熱血人面犬 Life is Movie [CoMix Wave Films] (Finished 1/3) Tags: Parody Comedy, Mystery The "Life Is Movie" featuring indie animator Junichi Yamamoto and Flash animator Tokumaru Naoko reintroducing the Hidenori Takahashi voiced passionate human-faced dog NEET/would be detective will be released as OVA and online on the Bandai Channel later this summer. It's based on idea of materializing thoughts into reality, so it's nonsense, and parody style with short length don't leave behind any emotions, just a shrug..   Overall Rating: 5/10

41. Omoide no Marnie When Marnie Was There 思い出のマーニー [Studio Ghibli] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Psychological Drama, Mystery Suffering from frequent asthma attacks, young Anna Sasaki is quiet, unsociable, and isolated from her peers, causing her foster parent endless worry. Upon recommendation by the doctor, Anna is sent to the countryside, in hope that the cleaner air and more relaxing lifestyle will improve her health and help clear her mind. Engaging in her passion for sketching, Anna spends her summer days living with her aunt and uncle in a small town near the sea. One day while wandering outside, Anna discovers an abandoned mansion known as the Marsh House. However, she soon finds that the residence isn't as vacant as it appears to be, running into a mysterious girl named Marnie. Marnie's bubbly demeanor slowly begins to draw Anna out of her shell as she returns night after night to meet with her new friend. But it seems there is more to the strange girl than meets the eye—as her time in the town nears its end, Anna begins to discover the truth behind the walls of the Marsh House. Omoide no Marnie tells the touching story of a young girl's journey through self-discovery and friendship, and the summer that she will remember for the rest of her life. It only manages to create the mood, but the essence is a shallow disabled person background mystery. It even leaves questions unanswered.   Overall Rating: 6/10

42. Koukaku Kidoutai Arise: Ghost in the Shell - Border:4 Ghost Stands Alone 攻殻機動隊ARISE -GHOST IN THE SHELL- border:4 Ghost Stands Alone [Production I.G] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Adult Cast, Detective, Mecha, Psychological Sci-Fi The story of this fourth installment takes place amidst signs of postwar reconstruction in the winter of 2028. Tensions are rising in New Port City as demonstrations are held concerning the interests of foreign cartels. This leads to a shooting incident involving riot police. It all started with a cyberbrain infection released by the terrorist "Fire Starter." An independent offensive unit led by Motoko Kusanagi entrusts the suppression of the situation to their ghosts and aims for their own justice. Below the surface of the incident, lies the "tin girl" Emma and the "scarecrow man" Burinda Junior. As Kusanagi deals with the incident, she draws near to what those two ghosts were seeking. They managed to finish series of prequels on a positive note. Spectacular episode on par with the first one.   Overall Rating: 7/10

43. Long Zhi Gu: Poxiao Qibing Dragon Nest: Warriors' Dawn 龙之谷 破晓奇兵 [Mili Pictures] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Action, Adventure, Fantasy  The land of Altera has observed an uneasy peace for years among Humans, Elves and Evil beasts who are loyal to the legendary Black Dragon. But the Black Dragon begins to stir from its hibernation, sending the Beasts marching across Altera. With a beast conquest perilously close, a small group of Humans and Elves unite to try to find a secret hidden road to the Black Dragon's cave and destroy it. But the fate of all of them may be in the hands of the young warrior Lambert, who must summon the confidence and skill to face the Black Dragon himself just when all may be lost. Dragon Nest had great gameplay, but not lore. Movie feels like childish Disney piece.   Overall Rating: 6/10

44. Qin Shi Mingyue 3D: Dianying Longteng Wanli 秦时明月3D电影龙腾万里 [Sparkly Key Animation Studio] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Historical, Martial Arts Action, Fantasy The movie reveals the events before Ge Nie and Tianming defeated 300 soldiers at Huangyang Chuan right at the start of season 1. The events will retell how Tianming and Ge Nie met. A new character and her relations to the Western Regions will be introduced as well. Full CGI. What happens if Aladdin gets fused with Chinse mythology and it all lays on top of ancient history. It seems the be the beginning of a huge series, but if it continues in the same flow will have to skip these.   Overall Rating: 6/10

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