Anime of the Year 2014-IV Fall - Shirobako

Log Horizon 2nd Season and Shirobako are the only borderline masterpieces that I can highlight.

1. Shigatsu wa Kimi no Uso 四月は君の嘘 [A-1 Pictures] (Finished 22/22) Tags: Shounen Love Polygon, Music, School Drama, Romance Kousei Arima is a child prodigy known as the "Human Metronome" for playing the piano with precision and perfection. Guided by a strict mother and rigorous training, Kousei dominates every competition he enters, earning the admiration of his musical peers and praise from audiences. When his mother suddenly passes away, the subsequent trauma makes him unable to hear the sound of a piano, and he never takes the stage thereafter. Nowadays, Kousei lives a quiet and unassuming life as a junior high school student alongside his friends Tsubaki Sawabe and Ryouta Watari. While struggling to get over his mother's death, he continues to cling to music. His monochrome life turns upside down the day he encounters the eccentric violinist Kaori Miyazono, who thrusts him back into the spotlight as her accompanist. Through a little lie, these two young musicians grow closer together as Kaori tries to fill Kousei's world with color. It's both popular and high scored, so had to sit it through. First of all, all piano shows use the same suspense tricks that are too obvious by now. Of course there's no real story in this anime, just two disabled youth can't get over own drama, so they use concourse just to treat their traumas... And it's especially laughable how audience every time sits with their mouths open and living through protagonists' feelings. It's beyond my understanding what to like here.   Overall Rating: 6/10

2. Nanatsu no Taizai The Seven Deadly Sins 七つの大罪 [A-1 Pictures] (Finished 8/24) Tags: Shounen Action, Adventure, Fantasy In a world similar to the European Middle Ages, the feared yet revered Holy Knights of Britannia use immensely powerful magic to protect the region of Britannia and its kingdoms. However, a small subset of the Knights supposedly betrayed their homeland and turned their blades against their comrades in an attempt to overthrow the ruler of Liones. They were defeated by the Holy Knights, but rumors continued to persist that these legendary knights, called the "Seven Deadly Sins," were still alive. Ten years later, the Holy Knights themselves staged a coup d’état, and thus became the new, tyrannical rulers of the Kingdom of Liones. Based on the best-selling manga series of the same name, Nanatsu no Taizai follows the adventures of Elizabeth, the third princess of the Kingdom of Liones, and her search for the Seven Deadly Sins. With their help, she endeavors to not only take back her kingdom from the Holy Knights, but to also seek justice in an unjust world. Greatest sin is boredom here. Even when I was more acceptive I had to force myself to watch it for eight episodes, and it never gave anything positive in return.   Overall Rating: 5/10

3. Kiseijuu: Sei no Kakuritsu Parasyte: The Maxim 寄生獣 セイの格率 [Madhouse] (Finished 24/24) Tags: Seinen Gore, Psychological Action, Horror, Sci-Fi All of a sudden, they arrived: parasitic aliens that descended upon Earth and quickly infiltrated humanity by burrowing into the brains of vulnerable targets. These insatiable beings acquire full control of their host and are able to morph into a variety of forms in order to feed on unsuspecting prey. Sixteen-year-old high school student Shinichi Izumi falls victim to one of these parasites, but it fails to take over his brain, ending up in his right hand instead. Unable to relocate, the parasite, now named Migi, has no choice but to rely on Shinichi in orderf to stay alive. Thus, the pair is forced into an uneasy coexistence and must defend themselves from hostile parasites that hope to eradicate this new threat to their species. It's rather popular, and the podcast I watch often remembers Parasyte as a good anime, so need to watch it in full. Well, protagonist is quite ok and reasonable. The whole concept and fighting action is not new, reminded me Guyver the most (especially after fatso friend showed up), but the wonder waffle can talk. There is enough of character and story progression, but the core is not interesting, just getting attacked because of the smell like some Tokyo Ghoul, and ending is anticlimactic at best. I did not enjoy it.   Overall Rating: 6/10

4. Fate/stay night: Unlimited Blade Works Fate/stay night [Unlimited Blade Works]  [ufotable] (Finished 1/12) Tags: Action, Fantasy, Supernatural  The Holy Grail War is a battle royale among seven magi who serve as Masters. Masters, through the use of the command seals they are given when they enter the war, command Heroic Spirits known as Servants to fight for them in battle. In the Fifth Holy Grail War, Rin Toosaka is among the magi entering the competition. With her Servant, Archer, she hopes to obtain the ultimate prize—the Holy Grail, a magical artifact capable of granting its wielder any wish. One of Rin's classmates, Shirou Emiya, accidentally enters the competition and ends up commanding a Servant of his own known as Saber. As they find themselves facing mutual enemies, Rin and Shirou decide to form a temporary alliance as they challenge their opponents in the Holy Grail War. Sequel.   Overall Rating: 6/10

5. Akatsuki no Yona Yona of the Dawn 暁のヨナ [Pierrot] (Finished 1/24) Tags: Shoujo Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Romance The kingdom of Kouka is blessed with a beautiful princess whose childlike innocence charms all who come across her. Named Yona, she has grown up sheltered in the royal palace, shielded from any danger that may befall her. However, all good things must come to an end. Yona's perfect world comes crashing down when a heinous act of treason threatens to erase all that she holds dear, including her birthright as the princess of Kouka. Left with no one to trust but her childhood friend and loyal bodyguard Son Hak, she is forced to flee the palace. Faced with the perils of surviving in the wild with a target on her back, Yona realizes that her kingdom is no longer the safe haven it once was. Free from the shackles of naivety, Yona vows to do everything in her power to become strong enough to crush her enemies. With Hak by her side, she must piece together the remains of an ancient legend that might be the key to reclaiming her kingdom from those who conspired to steal it from her. It's reverse harem that is not marked properly, so just not for me.   Overall Rating: 6/10

6. Trinity Seven トリニティセブン [Seven Arcs Pictures] (Finished 3/12) Tags: Shounen Harem, School Action, Comedy, Fantasy, Romance, Ecchi One day, the bright red sun stopped shining, causing the "Breakdown Phenomenon"—the destruction of Arata Kasuga's town and the disappearance of the people inhabiting it. All, however, is not yet lost; by utilizing the magical grimoire given to him by his childhood friend and cousin Hijiri Kasuga, Arata's world gets artificially reconstructed. In order to investigate the phenomenon, Lilith Asami appears before Arata, whose artificial world suddenly disintegrates. He is given two choices: hand over the book, or die. However, Arata chooses the third option—enrolling in the top-secret magic school Royal Biblia Academy, where six other magical users await him. Together with Lilith, these six form the Trinity Seven, the elite of the school who each bolster their own power and skill. With the ambition to save Hijiri and the help of his newfound friends, Arata stops at nothing to prevent the destruction of his beloved hometown and to bring his best friend back. All I see is brainless harem ecchi with perverted protagonist.   Overall Rating: 5/10

7. Amagi Brilliant Park 甘城ブリリアントパーク [Kyoto Animation] (Finished 3/13) Tags: Workplace Comedy, Fantasy Seiya Kanie, a smart and extremely narcissistic high school student, believes that the beautiful but reserved Isuzu Sento has invited him on a date at an amusement park called Amagi Brilliant Park. Much to his chagrin, not only is the location a run-down facility, the supposed date is merely a recruitment tour where Sento and Princess Latifa Fleuranza, the owner of the theme park, ask him to become the park's new manager. Their cause for desperation? As stipulated in a land-use contract, Amagi has less than three months to meet a quota of 500,000 guests, or the park will be closed for good and the land redeveloped by a greedy real-estate company. Seiya is won over by the revelation that Amagi is no ordinary amusement park; many of its employees are Maple Landers—mysterious magical beings who live in the human world and are nourished by the energy created by people having fun. Entrusted with the hopes and dreams of this far-off enchanted land, Seiya must now use his many skills to bring Amagi back on its feet, or watch it crumble before his eyes. It's on the level of the Devil is Part-Timer for me, because it also does not have great SOL, but also introduces magic that only aggravates things. And it's not interesting to observe constant crisis management.   Overall Rating: 6/10

8. Psycho-Pass 2 PSYCHO-PASS サイコパス 2 [Tatsunoko Production] (Finished 11/11) Tags: Adult Cast, Detective, Psychological Action, Sci-Fi, Suspense A year and a half after the events of the original sci-fi psychological thriller, Akane Tsunemori continues her work as an inspector—enforcing the Sibyl System's judgments. Joining her are new enforcers and junior inspector Mika Shimotsuki, a young woman blindly and inflexibly loyal to Sibyl. As Akane ponders both the nature of her job and the legitimacy of Sibyl's verdicts, a disturbing new menace emerges. A mysterious figure has discovered a way to control the Crime Coefficient—a number compiled from mental scans that allows Sibyl to gauge psychological health and identify potential criminals. Through these means, he is able to murder an enforcer, leaving behind a cryptic clue: "WC?" scrawled in blood on a wall. Akane and the rest of Division 01 soon find themselves playing a deadly game against their new foe, coming face-to-face with a conspiracy threatening not only the authority of the Sibyl System, but the very foundation of Akane's own convictions. Sequel. I can't say I did not like it. Change of roles is done well, and cases are well done as well. The problem is that it's not really memorable after ten years, so is just not mandatory.   Overall Rating: 6/10

9. Grisaia no Kajitsu The Fruit of Grisaia グリザイアの果実 [8bit] (Finished 13/13) Tags: Harem, Psychological, School Drama, Romance Yuuji Kazami is a transfer student who has just been admitted into Mihama Academy. He wants to live an ordinary high school life, but this dream of his may not come true any time soon as Mihama Academy is quite the opposite. Consisting of only the principal and five other students, all of whom are girls, Yuuji becomes acquainted with each of them, discovering more about their personalities as socialization is inevitable. Slowly, he begins to learn about the truth behind the small group of students occupying the academy—they each have their own share of traumatic experiences which are tucked away from the world. Mihama Academy acts as a home for these girls, they are the "fruit" which fell from their trees and have begun to decay. It is up to Yuuji to become the catalyst to save them from themselves, but how can he save another when he cannot even save himself? It follows a traditional scheme of comedy with weird characters and then routes varying from just peculiar background stories to pretty dark ones. Fruit of Grisaia just have those elements almost perfected. But if I don't like something, can't do anything about it.   Overall Rating: 6/10

10. Log Horizon 2nd Season Log Horizon 2 ログ・ホライズン 第2シリーズ [Studio Deen] (Finished 25/25) Tags: Adult Cast, Video Game Action, Adventure, Fantasy After being trapped in the world of Elder Tale for six months, Shiroe and the other Adventurers have begun to get the hang of things in their new environment. The Adventurers are starting to gain the trust of the People of the Land, and Akiba has flourished thanks to the law and order established by Shiroe's Round Table Alliance, regaining its everyday liveliness. Despite this success, however, the Alliance faces a new crisis: they are running out of funds to govern Akiba, and spies from the Minami district have infiltrated the city. As formidable forces rise in other districts, there is also a need to discover more about the vast new world they are trapped in—leading Shiroe to decide that the time has come to venture outside the city. Accompanied by his friend Naotsugu and the Sage of Mirror Lake Regan, the calculative Shiroe makes his move, hoping to unravel new possibilities and eventually find a way home. Sequel. I still enjoyed following seasons to some extent, but only with minor interest.   Overall Rating: 7/10

11. Ookami Shoujo to Kuro Ouji Wolf Girl & Black Prince オオカミ少女と黒王子 [TYO Animations] (Finished 3/12) Tags: Shoujo School Comedy, Romance Erika Shinohara has taken to lying about her romantic exploits to earn the respect of her new friends. So when they ask for a picture of her "boyfriend," she hastily snaps a photo of a handsome stranger, whom her friends recognize as the popular and kind-hearted Kyouya Sata. Trapped in her own web of lies and desperately trying to avoid humiliation, Erika explains her predicament to Kyouya, hoping he will pretend to be her boyfriend. But Kyouya is not the angel he appears to be: he is actually a mean-spirited sadist who forces Erika to become his "dog" in exchange for keeping her secret. Begrudgingly accepting his deal, Erika soon begins to see glimpses of the real Kyouya beneath the multiple layers of his outer persona. As she finds herself falling for him, she can't help but question if he will ever feel the same way about her. Will Kyouya finally make an honest woman out of Erika, or is she destined to be a "wolf girl" forever? I see an imitation of Tonari no Kaibutsu-kun here, but with repeating of previous poor shoujo mistakes of zero progress and repeating cycle, and also without that charm. Also main heroine is too normal and naive which is irritating, and main male lead is some kind of weird tsundere, so not appealing either.    Overall Rating: 6/10

12. Shirobako [P.A. Works] (Finished 24/24) Tags: Adult Cast, Otaku Culture, Workplace Award Winning, Comedy, Drama It all started in Kaminoyama High School, when five best friends—Aoi Miyamori, Ema Yasuhara, Midori Imai, Shizuka Sakaki, and Misa Toudou—discovered their collective love for all things anime and formed the animation club. After making their first amateur anime together and showcasing it at the culture festival, the group vows to pursue careers in the industry, aiming to one day work together and create their own mainstream show. Two and a half years later, Aoi and Ema have managed to land jobs at the illustrious Musashino Animation production company. The others, however, are finding it difficult to get their dream jobs. Shizuka is feeling the weight of not being recognized as a capable voice actor, Misa has a secure yet unsatisfying career designing 3D models for a car company, and Midori is a university student intent on pursuing her dream as a story writer. These five girls will learn that the path to success is one with many diversions, but dreams can still be achieved through perseverance and a touch of eccentric creativity. It impressed me more when I watched it for the first time. Maybe it lacked comedy for me to enjoy more.   Overall Rating: 7/10

13. Inou-Battle wa Nichijou-kei no Naka de When Supernatural Battles Became Commonplace 異能バトルは日常系のなかで [Trigger] (Finished 3/12) Tags: Harem, School, Super Power Comedy, Supernatural During a Literature Club meeting, the four club members—along with their faculty adviser's niece—suddenly find themselves with supernatural powers. Now capable of fabricating black flames, resident chuunibyou Jurai Andou is the most ecstatic about their new abilities; unfortunately, his own is only for show and unable to accomplish anything of substance. Moreover, he is completely outclassed by those around him: fellow club member Tomoyo Kanzaki manipulates time, Jurai's childhood friend Hatoko Kushikawa wields control over the five elements, club president Sayumi Takanashi can repair both inanimate objects and living things, and their adviser's niece Chifuyu Himeki is able to create objects out of thin air. However, while the mystery of why they received these powers looms overhead, very little has changed for the Literature Club. The everyday lives of these five superpowered students continue on, albeit now tinged with the supernatural. Weird club SOL with kinds having superpowers. There's enough discovery to do in order to waste time, but there's no concept real behind it.   Overall Rating: 6/10

14. Tsukimonogatari 憑物語 [Shaft] (Finished 1/4) Tags: Comedy, Mystery, Supernatural, Ecchi  Koyomi Araragi is studying hard in preparation for his college entrance exams when he begins to notice something very strange: his reflection no longer appears in a mirror, a characteristic of a true vampire. Worried about the state of his body, he enlists the help of the human-like doll Yotsugi Ononoki and her master Yozuru Kagenui, an immortal oddity specialist. Quickly realizing what is wrong with him, Yozuru gives him two choices: either abstain from using the vampiric abilities he received from Shinobu Oshino, or lose his humanity forever. Sequel.   Overall Rating: 6/10

15. World Trigger ワールドトリガー [Toei Animation] (Finished 3/73) Tags: Shounen  Action, Sci-Fi When a gate to another world suddenly opens on Earth, Mikado City is invaded by strange creatures known as "Neighbors," malicious beings impervious to traditional weaponry. In response to their arrival, an organization called the Border Defense Agency has been established to combat the Neighbor menace through special weapons called "Triggers." Even though several years have passed after the gate first opened, Neighbors are still a threat and members of Border remain on guard to ensure the safety of the planet. Despite this delicate situation, members-in-training, such as Osamu Mikumo, are not permitted to use their Triggers outside of headquarters. But when the mysterious new student in his class is dragged into a forbidden area by bullies, they are attacked by Neighbors, and Osamu has no choice but to do what he believes is right. Much to his surprise, however, the transfer student Yuuma Kuga makes short work of the aliens, revealing that he is a humanoid Neighbor in disguise. Pretty generic fighting action. Aliens attack, and some espers learn to beat them. And without decent characters it's difficult to watch it.   Overall Rating: 6/10

16. Shingeki no Bahamut: Genesis Rage of Bahamut: Genesis 神撃のバハムート GENESIS [MAPPA] (Finished 12/12) Tags: Mythology Action, Adventure, Fantasy Thousands of years ago, the ancient dragon Bahamut wrought havoc upon the land of Mistarcia, a world where both gods and demons live amongst mankind. Working together to prevent the world's destruction, the rival deities barely managed to seal Bahamut, agreeing to split the key between them so that the dragon would remain eternally imprisoned. With the world safe from the destruction of Bahamut, it is business as usual for bounty hunters like Favaro Leone. Living a laid-back, self-serving lifestyle, the amoral Favaro goes about his work while on the run from fellow bounty hunter Kaisar Lidfard, a righteous man who swears vengeance upon Favaro. However, Favaro's carefree life is thrown into chaos when he meets Amira, a mysterious woman who holds half of the key to the world's fragile peace. Shingeki no Bahamut: Genesis tells the story of a group of unlikely heroes who find themselves caught in the middle of an epic clash between gods and demons, forced to carve their own path in the face of the imminent storm. Kind of travel anime with supernatural abilities. Felt like some freaking Supernatural spin-off.   Overall Rating: 5/10

17. Madan no Ou to Vanadis Lord Marksman and Vanadis 魔弾の王と戦姫 (ヴァナディース) [Satelight] (Finished 1/13) Tags: Harem, Military Action, Adventure, Fantasy In a fantasy version of Europe, a war between enemy countries is brewing. One of these countries, Zhcted, has its seven regions ruled by War Maidens, known as Vanadis. Equipped with powerful dragon-carved weapons, Eleonora "Elen" Viltaria, one of the Vanadis, launches an invasion against their neighboring rival country of Brune. Eventually, Tigrevurmud "Tigre" Vorn, a young archer and an earl for Brune's region of Alsace, has his entire army decimated at Elen's hands. In a strange twist of events, Elen spares Tigre, and gives him the order, "Become mine!" What could be the meaning behind this new alliance? Adapted from the light novel written by Tsukasa Kawaguchi, Madan no Ou to Vanadis is an epic adventure filled with complex war tactics and beautiful women. Trapped in a multinational conflict, Tigre and Elen are swept up in a war filled with dark secrets, conspiracies, and corruption. Battle stratagems cringe (like 2000 horses instead of traditional 2000 bulls), war maidens and reactivity makes this anime only decent.   Overall Rating: 6/10

18. Mushishi Zoku Shou 2nd Season Mushi-shi: Next Passage Part 2 蟲師 続章 [Artland] (Finished 1/10) Tags: Seinen Adult Cast, Historical, Iyashikei Adventure, Mystery, Slice of Life, Supernatural Ghostly, primordial beings known as Mushi continue to cause mysterious changes in the lives of humans. The travelling Mushishi, Ginko, persists in trying to set right the strange and unsettling situations he encounters. Time loops, living shadows, and telepathy are among the overt effects of interference from Mushi, but more subtle symptoms that take years to be noticed also rouse Ginko's concern as he passes from village to village. Through circumstance, Ginko has become an arbiter, determining which Mushi are blessings and which are curses. But the lines that he seeks to draw are subjective. Some of his patients would rather exercise their new powers until they are utterly consumed by them; others desperately strive to rid themselves of afflictions which are in fact protecting their lives from devastation. Those who cross paths with Mushi must learn to accept seemingly impossible consequences for their actions, and heal wounds they did not know they had. Otherwise, they risk meeting with fates beyond their comprehension. Sequel.   Overall Rating: 6/10

19. Terra Formars TERRA FORMARS [テラフォーマーズ] [LIDENFILMS] (Finished 1/13) Tags: Seinen Gore, Space, Survival Action, Horror, Sci-Fi During the 21st century, humanity attempted to colonize Mars by sending two species which could endure the harsh environment of the planet to terraform it—algae and cockroaches. However, they did not anticipate the species' remarkable ability to adapt. Now in the 26th century, a lethal disease known as the Alien Engine Virus has arrived on Earth, and the cure is suspected to be found only on Mars. The problem is, Mars in the present is overrun by creatures known as "Terraformars," incredibly powerful and intelligent humanoid cockroaches that mutated from those originally sent to the planet. The Annex I team, consisting of a hundred men and women genetically enhanced with characteristics of powerful organisms from earth, has been sent to Mars on a mission to find the cause of the Alien Engine Virus and to help cure humanity—signalling the start of the crew's fight for survival. Remember dropping it midway since initial impression wears off by that time. With all the cockroach concept cast aside it's a mediocre fighting action against aliens with more gore than usual.   Overall Rating: 6/10

20. Hitsugi no Chaika: Avenging Battle Chaika -The Coffin Princess- Avenging Battle 棺姫のチャイカ AVENGING BATTLE [Bones] (Finished 1/10) Tags: Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Romance  The search for the remains of Emperor Gaz continues. Chaika still in search of knowing who she really is and what her purpose is. Similarly, the Red Chaika continues the search for the rest of Emperor Gaz's remains. The Gillette corporation continues the mission to catch every last Chaika. In their adventure they give a revealing account kept secret by the Emperor, which Chaika, Fredrica, Toru, and Akari decide to uncover. Sequel.   Overall Rating: 6/10

21. Cross Ange: Tenshi to Ryuu no Rondo Cross Ange: Rondo of Angel and Dragon クロスアンジュ 天使と竜の輪舞〈ロンド〉 [Sunrise] (Finished 14/25) Tags: Gore, Mecha, Military Action, Fantasy, Sci-Fi Angelise Ikaruga Misurugi is the first princess of the noble Misurugi Empire. The kingdom has seen great power and prosperity due to the advancement of the revolutionary technology known as "Mana," an abstract bending of light that has reduced the world's problems of war and pollution to a timeless peace. However, not all are blessed with the ability to wield Mana. Those who cannot are labeled "Norma," outcasts of society who are considered a threat to civilization and live under constant persecution, and Angelise herself is one of many who want the Norma exterminated. But as Angelise's sixteenth birthday commences, it is discovered in a shocking revelation that she is actually a Norma. Chaos ensues, the public is outraged, and the once adored princess is exiled to Arzenal: a remote military base where Normas are forced into conscription. Now, the former royal must adapt to a harsh and vastly different lifestyle; piloting mechanical robots known as "Paramail" to fend off large, devastating beasts referred to as DRAGONs. However, a sinister truth about these savage creatures threatens to change everything. It starts decently, but degrades into some ecchi shounen/girls love with story having no direction to such extent that it just changes to revolt of Norma against humans at some point. Despite some good elements it's mediocre in the core and irritating in leftover elements.   Overall Rating: 6/10

22. Gugure! Kokkuri-san 繰繰れ！コックリさん [TMS Entertainment] (Finished 2/12) Tags: Shounen Gag Humor Comedy, Supernatural Gugure! Kokkuri-san is an eccentric comedy centered around the self-proclaimed doll, Kohina Ichimatsu. Her uneventful life goes from plain to absurd when she summons a fox spirit by the name of Kokkuri-san. But contrary to popular belief, he is not the omniscient, answer-granting spirit from the legend anymore. The loss of believers in modern society has rendered him powerless. Upon meeting the bizarre girl who summoned him, Kokkuri-san is shocked to discover that Kohina not only lives alone, but survives on just cup ramen! Filled with concern for the young girl, he takes it upon himself to ensure that Kohina has proper meals and lives a decent life. Thus begin Kokkuri-san's less-than-hopeful endeavors and their peculiar life together. Dropped it before, because it's all about situational humor and antics without any story which gets old even after watching first two episodes, not going to watch it further now.   Overall Rating: 6/10

23. Ore, Twintail ni Narimasu. Gonna be the Twin-Tail!! 俺、ツインテールになります。 [ Production IMS] (Finished 1/12) Tags: Magical Sex Shift, School, Super Power Action, Comedy, Fantasy, Romance Twintails: the glory of all mankind—or at least that is what first-year high school student Souji Mitsuka believes. At school, Souji spends most of his time daydreaming and rating girls' twintails, even going as far as creating a club dedicated to the hairstyle. His obsession does not go unnoticed, however; when monsters from outer space attack Earth and claim the world's twintails for themselves, a strange woman named Twoearle enlists Souji to fight back using twintails of his own! By transforming into the twin-tailed warrior Tail Red, Souji combats the vicious alien organization known as Ultimegil, whose main goal is to colonize Earth and steal everyone's spiritual energy, or "attribute power." Alongside fellow twin-tailed fighters Aika Tsube and Erina Shindou, Souji must find a way to defeat the invading army and defend the twintails he holds so dear. The type of synopsis I can't read in one go due to facepalms. Too much nonsense to bear even one episode, it does not look better in flesh, so to say.   Overall Rating: 5/10

24. Yuuki Yuuna wa Yuusha de Aru Yuki Yuna is a Hero 結城友奈は勇者である [Studio Gokumi] (Finished 3/12) Tags: Mahou Shoujo Drama, Fantasy In her everyday life, Yuuna Yuuki is a hero. As proof, she is in her middle school's Hero Club, where she does her best to help others and bring a smile to everyone's face. But Yuuna, always up to any task, is about to become an even bigger hero. Mysterious destructive forces called Vertexes begin threatening the world she loves, and the Hero Club is called upon by a strange phone app to save it. Along with her best friend Mimori Tougou, as well as sisters Fuu and Itsuki Inubouzaki, they must transform into magical girls in order to battle the Vertexes. In between studying and putting on shows for kids, Yuuna and the Hero Club must fight for the very existence of their world and face the harsh truths behind their own powers, all the while discovering what it truly means to be a hero. First thought upon starting it - Madoka imitation. And even in bad things, like abstract colorful vines and squares mosaic instead of normal space. The problem is that I don't like imitations - it's either unique or fake, and I don't see anything unique or captivating here.   Overall Rating: 6/10

25. Garo: Honoo no Kokuin GARO: THE ANIMATION 牙狼〈GARO〉-炎の刻印- [MAPPA] (Finished 3/24) Tags: Action, Fantasy  In the name of the king, the Valiante Kingdom launched hunts to exterminate users of witchcraft. Seventeen years later, their pursuit is still growing in both size and brutality. Unbeknownst to the citizens, the targets of these witch hunts are the secret protectors of humanity. Known as the Makai Knights and Alchemists, they have a strong will to protect people from Horrors, demons who possess souls plagued by sadness and pain. One such Makai Knight is 17-year-old Leon Luis who inherits the legendary armor of the Golden Knight Garo from his mother. Though he possesses great power, he struggles to overcome the hatred he bears from his mother's death at the hands of the kingdom. His father German, known as Zoro the Shadow Cutting Knight, is still training Leon when he is called to investigate the upsurge of Horrors in the kingdom's capital. Although German knows Leon's will is wavering, he decides to bring Leon along to continue his training. As German and Leon head to the capital, the king's amiable son Alfonso San Valiante struggles to find a solution to the growing Horror threat. But before he can do so, he is double-crossed and banished from his own kingdom. To return home, Alfonso sets out to find the help and strength he needs to reclaim the throne. During his search, he comes across Leon, whose interactions with the prince will forever change both of their fates. Variation of fantasy travel anime with fights as reactions. A very barebones shounen experience with fights as if from Guyver, just with a witch hunt flavor now.   Overall Rating: 6/10

26. Yowamushi Pedal: Grande Road 弱虫ペダル GRANDE ROAD [TMS Entertainment] (Finished 1/24) Tags: Shounen Racing Sports Second season of the Yowamushi Pedal series. Sequel.   Overall Rating: 6/10

27. Daitoshokan no Hitsujikai A Good Librarian Like a Good Shepherd 大図書館の羊飼い [Hoods Entertainment, Felix Film] (Finished 1/12) Tags: Harem, School Romance "The Shepherd," an urban legend of Shiomi Academy, is said to appear before hardworking students to grant them a wish. While engrossed in a book inside the school's renowned Great Library, Kyoutarou Kakei, a second year student and the Library Club's de facto president, receives an email from the Shepherd foretelling an event that will change his fate. Worried by the message, Kyoutarou rushes over to a nearby train station and encounters fellow student Tsugumi Shirasaki, whom he saves from being hit by a derailing train. Grateful for his heroic actions, Tsugumi joins the Library Club and invites Kyoutarou to participate in her mysterious "Shiomi Happy Project." Together with other new members of the club, they strive to make the academy a better place and uncover the identity of the enigmatic Shepherd. Harems from visual novels are worst kinds. Never liked this visual novel in particular.   Overall Rating: 5/10

28. Denki-gai no Honya-san Denki-gai デンキ街の本屋さん [Shin-Ei Animation] (Finished 12/12) Tags: Seinen Otaku Culture, Workplace Comedy Umio is a shy kid who just started his part time job at a manga store smack dab in the middle of the city. But his lifestyle isn't as glamorous as the neon lights that illuminate the city. Umio's closest friends are his co-workers who are all unique characters, to say the least, and although they're nice people, they have their quirks. They are a tight knit group of friends, have nicknames for each other and spend their weekends inside, sheltered from the extravagant scene happening on the outside. It's hard to go wrong with manga store SOL , but I still dropped it before for the reason of not really appealing characters, vague art style and not great episodic humor. Basically, it's too immature for me while at the same time not particularly funny.   Overall Rating: 6/10

29. Donten ni Warau Laughing Under the Clouds 曇天に笑う [Doga Kobo] (Finished 3/12) Tags: Shoujo Historical Action, Supernatural In the 11th year of the Meiji Era, the end of the samurai shogunate and the prohibition of swords has left Japan with lasting scars. Displeased by these recent changes, many former samurai plot against the new government, inciting a wave of bloodshed. To counter this movement, the government constructs a colossal prison in the middle of Lake Biwa. Unofficially assigned to help the police arrest criminals, Tenka Kumou also serves as a ferryman to the Lake Biwa prison with the help of his two younger siblings: the ambitious Soramaru and the enthusiastic Chuutarou. Together with the former Fuma ninja Shirasu Kinjou, the Kumou brothers live a frugal and joyful life mostly dedicated to studying and training. However, behind this relatively uneventful daily routine, the specter of the "Orochi" curse is starting to spread its shadow over the city of Oumi. According to legend, every three hundred years, Orochi reincarnates in a human vessel—and it is believed that this is the harbinger of an imminent catastrophe. As various groups clash in search of Orochi's vessel, some aim to seal the curse, while others have darker plans in motion. A bunch of bishounens train and eventually face this curse to save the world. Pretty tasteless and bland reverse harem or something like that with samurai topping.   Overall Rating: 6/10

30. Magic Kaito 1412 まじっく快斗1412 [A-1 Pictures] (Finished 1/24) Tags: Shounen Adventure, Comedy, Romance Eight years after the mysterious death of his father, Kaito Kuroba, a slightly mischievous but otherwise ordinary teenager, discovers a shocking secret: the Phantom Thief Kaito Kid—also known as "The Magician Under the Moonlight"—was none other than his own father. The former thief was murdered by a criminal organization seeking a mythical stone called the Pandora Gem, said to shed a tear with the passing of the Valley Comet that comes every ten thousand years. When the tear is consumed, the gem supposedly grants immortality. Vowing to bring those responsible for his father's death to justice, Kaito dons the Phantom Thief's disguise, stealing priceless jewels night after night to find the Pandora Gem before his enemies can use the power for themselves. Remake or alternative version or something.   Overall Rating: 5/10

31. Sora no Method Celestial Method 天体のメソッド [Studio 3Hz] (Finished 3/13) Tags: School Drama, Fantasy A group of friends—Nonoka Komiya, Koharu Shiihara, Shione Togawa, and twins Yuzuki and Souta Mizusaka—once attempted to summon a flying saucer to grant their wishes. After thinking that they failed, they called it a day. However, soon afterward, Nonoka abruptly moved out of Kiriya City, breaking the bond of their circle. Little did the group know, they were successful and the saucer has been floating in the sky since then, waiting to fulfill its purpose. Seven years later, Nonoka returns to Kiriya, all but forgetting everything regarding her life there. She meets Noel, a little girl wearing strange clothes, and through her, Nonoka begins to remember the past and the friends she left behind. From there, she strives to reforge her severed relationship with the others as she uncovers the mysteries connecting Noel, the saucer, and the wishes they once cherished together. Again childhood mystery with amnesia... let's just say that reinventing Kanon in 2014 does not cut it anymore. There are so many borrowings from elsewhere that I can't watch this bland mess without sour face.   Overall Rating: 6/10

32. Ushinawareta Mirai wo Motomete In Search of the Lost Future 失われた未来を求めて [feel.] (Finished 1/12) Tags: School, Time Travel Drama, Romance, Sci-Fi Kaori Sasaki—a member of Uchihama Academy's Astronomy Club—confesses to Sou Akiyama, but later that evening, she dies in a tragic road accident. Her friends and fellow club members mourn her death in a local hospital. Yet she shows up to school the following day, and no one senses anything amiss. The day finishes without any unusual incidents, and the group of friends plans for the upcoming cultural festival. Suddenly, the room is shaken by an unnatural earthquake. Everyone splits up to investigate—except for Nagisa Hanamiya, who stays behind. As everyone leaves, Nagisa notices that the odd relic-like cube that she was toying with starts emitting a strange blue light. Meanwhile, Sou stumbles upon an unconscious, naked girl lying in a pool of water. Ushinawareta Mirai wo Motomete follows the Astronomy Club's increasingly bizarre adventures—from dealing with ghosts to quelling unrests between student clubs. All the while, they unravel the circumstances behind the sudden appearance of a new transfer student. Our pieces of puzzle are donkan protagonist, his harem and astronomy club... not great and I'd typically drop it early. I'm only finishing it because I don't hope to ever finish this visual novel. And it was pretty mediocre.   Overall Rating: 5/10

33. Selector Spread WIXOSS [J.C.Staff] (Finished 1/12) Tags: High Stakes Game, Psychological, Strategy Game Suspense The unforeseen outcome of Iona Urazoe's fan gathering continues to weigh heavily on Ruuko Kominato. Having uncovered the truth behind being a Selector, Ruuko and her friends Yuzuki Kurebayashi and Hitoe Uemura hesitate to partake in the battles that may ruin the lives they have come to cherish. The same cannot be said for Chiyori, a fellow Selector who remains oblivious to the consequences of losing despite all warnings. As she tries to convince Chiyori out of her cruel fate, Ruuko learns more about a WIXOSS novel—which may reveal the secrets of LRIGs and the Selector battles' very existence. Meanwhile, Akira Aoi and her model career have rebounded thanks to Iona, who is now possessed by Ulith. With her life back on track, Akira pledges to assist Ulith in any way she can. Unbeknownst to her, Ulith is scheming to utilize a familiar LRIG to not only torment Ruuko but also prevent the latter's wish from ever being fulfilled. Sequel.   Overall Rating: 6/10

34. Gundam Build Fighters Try ガンダムビルドファイターズトライ [Sunrise] (Finished 1/25) Tags: Mecha Action, Sci-Fi The story of Gundam Build Fighters Try is set 7 years after the end of the 1st series. Now Seiho Academy's Gunpla Battle Club has only one member, Hoshino Fumina, who is a third grade student in junior high. As the president of the club, she needs two more members to participate in the upcoming All-Japan Gunpla Battle Championships. One day she encounters a transfer student named Kamiki Sekai, who has traveled around for Kenpo training with his master. Then joining by a young Gunpla builder Kousaka Yuuma, their challenge to the Gunpla Battle begins.... Sequel.   Overall Rating: 5/10

35. Girlfriend (Kari) Girl Friend Beta ガールフレンド(仮) [SILVER LINK.] (Finished 2/12) Tags: School Slice of Life A TV anime adaptation of the Girlfriend (Kari) a mobile game where players can have girlfriends through playing the game. Shiina Kokomi is a hard working but even tempered high school girl who is the lead performer in her school's rhythmic gymnastics club. The story follows her and her growing circle of friends as they support each other through the various trials and situations that comprise high school life. Mobile dating sim is a horrible source. Result is corresponding.   Overall Rating: 5/10

36. Gundam: G no Reconguista Gundam Reconguista in G ガンダム Gのレコンギスタ [Sunrise] (Finished 3/26) Tags: Mecha, Space Action, Sci-Fi In the year Regild Century 1014, an entire millennium has passed since the end of the fabled Universal Century, where legends like Amuro Ray and Char Aznable ruled the battlefield as ace mobile suit pilots. The Earth's surface that was once hotly contested is now mostly abandoned, with humanity preferring to live in space colonies and the surface of the moon. Capital Guard Academy student Bellri Zenam lives a peaceful academic life, but his normal days are brought to an end with the capture of pirate pilot Aida Surugan and her mobile suit G-Self. Bellri feels a strong mental connection with the G-Self and discovers that he is able to pilot it. He soon finds himself in contention with the "Capital Guard," a radical faction that follows its own secret agenda despite the wishes of the Amerian Army, who still hold power on Earth. Joining the crew of the Amerian spaceship Megafauna, Bellri and Aida must pilot the G-Self to victory against the Capital Guard and its leaders, the charismatic Colonel Kunpa Rushita and the enigmatic Captain Mask. A ridiculously bland and amateurish mess.   Overall Rating: 5/10

37. Sanzoku no Musume Ronja 山賊の娘ローニャ [Studio Ghibli, Polygon Pictures] (Finished 1/26) Tags: Adventure  The story is about a girl named Ronja who is the daughter of a chief of a tribe of bandits and lives in a huge castle in the forest with the bandits. The story follows Ronja as she encounters mystical creatures, makes friends with another young child like herself, and experiences life in the forest. I dropped Ronja even at the time when I liked Ghibli. Usage of CGI is always uncalled for, lack of narrative makes it plain bad. It should have been a movie just like live action.   Overall Rating: 6/10

38. Cardfight!! Vanguard G カードファイト!! ヴァンガードG [TMS Entertainment] (Finished 1/48) Tags: Strategy Game Action Taking place after a three-year time skip, the series will follow Shindou Kurono, Kiba Shion, and Anjou Tokoha as the new protagonists of G. Kurono uses the never-before-seen clan Gear Chronicle, which brings together the destinies of these three toward an "impossible future, an impossible self signifying 'Generation.'" Sequel.   Overall Rating: 5/10

39. Hi☆sCoool! SeHa Girls Hi☆sCoool! セハガール [TMS Entertainment] (Finished 1/13) Tags: Parody, Video Game Comedy The story of the anime will revolve around Dreamcast, Sega Saturn, and Mega Drive, who have just enrolled in SeHaGaga Academy at Tokyo's Haneda Ōtorii station. They are given an assignment needed to graduate by a suspicious teacher, and to clear this assignment, the girls need to enter the world of Sega games. The girls must try their best to graduate without incident. Fully CGI half-length chatter about ancient consoles is hardly enticing in any way...   Overall Rating: 5/10

40. Tribe Cool Crew トライブクルクル [Sunrise, Bandai Namco Pictures] (Finished 1/50) Tags: Music, Performing Arts, School Sports Haneru Tobitatsu is a hyperactive middle schooler with a passion for dancing. Inspired by his idol Jey El, the hottest star in the world of dancing, Haneru practices outside Memorial Hall every day after school. Unbeknownst to him, his "secret" practice sessions are being watched by Kanon Otosaki—her true identity being the famous online dancer, Rhythm—who also frequents the same location for practice. When Haneru finds out about this, he shows an immediate interest in teaming up with her. Slowly realizing the joy of performing with others, the duo makes their way into the world of street dancing, where they meet Kumonosuke, Mizuki, and Yuzuru, ultimately forming the dance group "Tribe Cool Crew." As they face off against tough competition, they strive to one day realize their dream of sharing the stage with Jey El. Another anime for kids that's not properly labeled.   Overall Rating: 5/10

41. Nano Invaders ナノ・インベーダーズ [TV Tokyo] (Finished 1/52) Tags: Super Power Action, Adventure Nano Invaders follows the eye-popping adventures of Hikaru, 11, who is dragged into a series of battles between two rival alien clans. One day Hikaru tries on a bracelet that belongs to his classmate Mimi and he turns into a monster. Mimi’s family is a special scouting unit from planet Anima. When alien invaders from a rival planet Damon attack the city, Hikaru joins force with Mimi’s family to fight back. The battle gets on the TV, making Hikaru and the aliens instant heroes. Simple-minded Hikaru is happy to see his dream come true, not knowing that Mimi’s family is plotting to take over the earth too! Not translated. Animation is of low quality and direction is definitely childish.   Overall Rating: 5/10

42. Zhen Gyi Hong Shi World Peacekeepers 正义红师 [-] (Finished 1/52) Tags: Mecha, Military Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi This series, which is set in the future, is about several events that break out after troops successfully rescued a teenager who was kidnapped by the mysterious Black Armors. Ever since Marty had his first contact with the Black Armors and was subsequently rescued, he has been found to possess mysterious prophetic abilities as he is able to see the future in fragmented visions portraying an avalanche, a tsunami, a storm and other catastrophes. These disasters will always come true after Marty experiences the prophetic visions, but he is unable to predict accurately when and where they will occur. When the government learns about this, a unit is sent to protect Marty, and World Peacekeepers, abbreviated as WPK, is established to fight against the Black Armors. In order to defeat the Black Armors, the government grants permission for World Peacekeepers to use Ammobots – mechanical armors which have been developed over many years. After several battles with the Black Armors, the World Peacekeepers realizes that they are actually linked to the unusual natural disasters and discovers that they originate from a small planet called Mirzam, which is outside the solar system. Their real intention is to seize the abundant ecological resources on Earth and when these resources are seized, the ecosystem will lose its balance, thus leading to natural disasters. Partially translated. Battles are done in CGI. It's mostly episodic fighting action with bits of everything else on the side, so has not gone far from some Power Rangers especially after superpowers of nature kick in. Add simplistic nature and silly humor to finish the picture.   Overall Rating: 5/10

43. Duan Nao Die Now 端脑 [Haoliners Animation League] (Finished 1/16) Tags: Mystery, Sci-Fi, Suspense  The word cerebrum refers to a gigantic system consisting of collision universes, which is called cerebrum universe. The story starts from a series of unknown murders, unravelling the secret hiding beneath the entire universe, ranging from horrifying conspiracies to galaxy wars, from anti-human betrayals to honourable sacrifices. Having realised her weakness and backwardness, mankind takes the last stand. Half-length episode detective suspense  mystery. It's amateurish, and after Classroom of the Elite it's hardly possible to watch as concepts are slightly similar, but level of concept depth and polish is heavens and earth.   Overall Rating: 6/10

44. Shi Xiong Zombie Brother 尸兄 [L²Studio] (Finished 11/41) Tags: Action, Comedy, Horror Protagonist XiaoFei used to be an ordinary guy from H city. After the spring water was contaminated with a virus, however, he unexpectedly encountered an unprecedented crisis. The people living in H City became zombies one by one, devouring each other, and gradually evolving. Can XiaoFei escape from H city and meet up with his girlfriend Wei? The story now begins... I was curious even though it's just 1/3 length episodes, but it's just nonsense, mostly zombie related.   Overall Rating: 5/10

45. Imawa no Kuni no Alice Alice in Borderland 今際の国のアリス [SILVER LINK., Connect] (Finished 3/3) Tags: Shounen Gore, High Stakes Game, Psychological, Survival Action, Supernatural, Suspense Ryouhei Arisu is a high school student with no ambitions and just wants to escape from what he feels is a meaningless reality. One night when he is with his two friends Daikichi Karube and Chouta Segawa, they see an abnormally large firework shoot into the sky, an event which signals a permanent change in their lives. Blinded by the incredibly bright explosion, the three find themselves transported to what is known as the Borderland. The only inhabitants of this world are participants of a deadly game where specific tasks must be accomplished if they wish to survive. As the three begin playing to determine how they can get back home, Ryouhei finds himself feeling alive for the very first time in his life. Another suspense mystery game for survival, but with just an hour length there's not enough development and no decent resolution.   Overall Rating: 6/10

46. Rakuen Tsuihou Expelled from Paradise 楽園追放 -Expelled from Paradise- [Graphinica] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Mecha Action, Sci-Fi In a future where a massive disaster has devastated Earth, most of humanity has abandoned their physical bodies and relocated in digital form to DEVA, an advanced space station orbiting the ravaged planet. Free from the limitations of traditional existence, such as death and hunger, the inhabitants of this virtual reality reside in relative peace until Frontier Setter, a skilled hacker, infiltrates the system and spreads subversive messages to the populace. Labeled a threat to security by authorities, Frontier Setter is pursued by Angela Balzac, a dedicated member of DEVA's law enforcement. When the hacker's signal is traced to Earth, Angela takes on physical form, transferring her consciousness to a clone body and traveling to the world below in order to deal with the menace. On Earth, she is assisted by Dingo, a charismatic agent, and during her journey to uncover the mystery behind Frontier Setter, she gradually discovers startling realities about the wasteland some of humanity still refers to as home, as well as the paradise above. Nice little movie, but there's very little of the plot, and most of the time is devoted to introduction of three characters and worldbuilding, so just not enough substance.   Overall Rating: 6/10

47. Timing (Movie) 타이밍 [-] (Finished 1/1) f Tags: School, Super Power Mystery, Suspense Based on a webtoon of the same name. This film unravels the mystery behind a series of suicides at a high school in Seoul. Park Ja-gi, a teacher at this school whose mother is a shaman, keeps rejecting mysticism, but he can foresee a catastrophe in his dreams. Witnessing in his dream many people standing aside to jump off from the top of the school building, the school teacher tries tostop the mass suicide. There are some people around the school who also have special gifts. Kim Yeong-tak is a student who can stop time. Kang Min-hyeok can rewind time 10 seconds back but suffers from a guilty conscience about failing to save his own wife and child. Lastly, Jang Se-yun can foresee 10 minutes ahead of time. These people gather their abilities to prevent catastrophe at the school. Not translated. Suspense mystery with espers is not my cup of tea. Teacher saves at least someone, so there's kind of happy end.   Overall Rating: 5/10

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