Anime of the Year 2017-II Spring - Eromanga-sensei

I decided to lower score of sequel Shingeki no Kyojin Season 2 if there was a new firm masterpiece - and I found one for me - Eromanga-sensei . There's also a scattering of minor masterpieces in my opinion - Dungeon ni Deai wo Motomeru no wa Machigatteiru Darou ka Gaiden: Sword Oratoria , Berserk 2nd Season , Fukumenkei Noise , Quanzhi Gaoshou .

1. Shingeki no Kyojin Season 2 Attack on Titan Season 2  進撃の巨人 Season2 [Wit Studio] (Finished 12/12) Tags: Shounen Gore, Military, Survival Action, Drama, Suspense For centuries, humanity has been hunted by giant, mysterious predators known as the Titans. Three mighty walls—Wall Maria, Rose, and Sheena—provided peace and protection for humanity for over a hundred years. That peace, however, was shattered when the Colossal Titan and Armored Titan appeared and destroyed the outermost wall, Wall Maria. Forced to retreat behind Wall Rose, humanity waited with bated breath for the Titans to reappear and destroy their safe haven once more. In Shingeki no Kyojin Season 2, Eren Yeager and others of the 104th Training Corps have just begun to become full members of the Survey Corps. As they ready themselves to face the Titans once again, their preparations are interrupted by the invasion of Wall Rose—but all is not as it seems as more mysteries are unraveled. As the Survey Corps races to save the wall, they uncover more about the invading Titans and the dark secrets of their own members. Sequel.   Overall Rating: 8/10

2. Boku no Hero Academia 2nd Season My Hero Academia Season 2 僕のヒーローアカデミア [Bones] (Finished 1/25) Tags: Shounen School, Super Power Action At UA Academy, not even a violent attack can disrupt their most prestigious event: the school sports festival. Renowned across Japan, this festival is an opportunity for aspiring heroes to showcase their abilities, both to the public and potential recruiters. However, the path to glory is never easy, especially for Izuku Midoriya—whose quirk possesses great raw power but is also cripplingly inefficient. Pitted against his talented classmates, such as the fire and ice wielding Shouto Todoroki, Izuku must utilize his sharp wits and master his surroundings to achieve victory and prove to the world his worth. Sequel.   Overall Rating: 5/10

3. Boruto: Naruto Next Generations  [Pierrot] (Finished 1/293) Tags: Shounen Martial Arts Action, Adventure, Fantasy Following the successful end of the Fourth Shinobi World War, Konohagakure has been enjoying a period of peace, prosperity, and extraordinary technological advancement. This is all due to the efforts of the Allied Shinobi Forces and the village's Seventh Hokage, Naruto Uzumaki. Now resembling a modern metropolis, Konohagakure has changed, particularly the life of a shinobi. Under the watchful eye of Naruto and his old comrades, a new generation of shinobi has stepped up to learn the ways of the ninja. Boruto Uzumaki is often the center of attention as the son of the Seventh Hokage. Despite having inherited Naruto's boisterous and stubborn demeanor, Boruto is considered a prodigy and is able to unleash his potential with the help of supportive friends and family. Unfortunately, this has only worsened his arrogance and his desire to surpass Naruto which, along with his father's busy lifestyle, has strained their relationship. However, a sinister force brewing within the village may threaten Boruto's carefree life. New friends and familiar faces join Boruto as a new story begins. Sequel.   Overall Rating: 6/10

4. Rokudenashi Majutsu Koushi to Akashic Records Akashic Records of Bastard Magic Instructor ロクでなし魔術講師と禁忌教典 [LIDENFILMS] (Finished 4/12) Tags: School Action, Fantasy The Alzano Empire is home to one of the most distinguished magic schools in the world: the Alzano Imperial Magic Academy. Here, ambitious young students undergo training to become competent magicians. Sistine Fibel—a stern noble girl—and her bright-eyed best friend Rumia Tingel attend the Academy, determined to cultivate their magical skills. However, their world is thrown for a loop when their favorite teacher suddenly retires and the enigmatic Glenn Radars replaces him. His lazy and indifferent attitude toward life and magic quickly puts him at odds with his class. What's more, nefarious forces hidden within the empire's walls start to become active, and Sistine, Rumia, and Glenn find themselves caught up in their schemes. Rokudenashi Majutsu Koushi to Akashic Records follows Sistine, who is captivated by a mysterious floating Sky Castle; Rumia, who is haunted by a troubled past; and Glenn, who may be more than meets the eye. Though completely different on the surface, they are inexplicably bound together by a thread of fate. It was usually genius student, now it's genius teacher, but can't say it makes anime more interesting in any way without good story or characters.   Overall Rating: 6/10

5. Eromanga-sensei Eromanga Sensei エロマンガ先生 [A-1 Pictures] (Finished 12/12) Tags: Otaku Culture Comedy, Romance, Ecchi One year ago, Sagiri Izumi became step-siblings with Masamune Izumi. But the sudden death of their parents tears their new family apart, resulting in Sagiri becoming a shut-in which cut her off from her brother and society. While caring for what's left of his family, Masamune earns a living as a published light novel author with one small problem: he's never actually met his acclaimed illustrator, Eromanga-sensei, infamous for drawing the most lewd erotica. Through an embarrassing chain of events, he learns that his very own little sister was his partner the whole time! As new characters and challenges appear, Masamune and Sagiri must now face the light novel industry together. Eromanga-Sensei follows the development of their relationship and their struggle to become successful; and as Sagiri slowly grows out of her shell, just how long will she be able to hide her true persona from the rest of the world? Liked it before and enjoying now since I'm a sucker for Oreimo, and this is very close. The question is about the score. It's not super original or anything, but all the heroines are nice here, and there's no wasted time on anything unpleasant, so I'm ready to give it the maximum possible score for SOL comedies like this.   Overall Rating: 8/10

6. Tsuki ga Kirei 月がきれい [feel.] (Finished 12/12) Tags: School Romance  With a new school year comes a new crowd of classmates, and for their final year of junior high, aspiring writer Kotarou Azumi and track team member Akane Mizuno end up in the same class. Though initially complete strangers, a few chance encounters stir an innocent desire within their hearts. A yearning gaze, a fluttering heart—the hallmarks of young love slip into their lives as fate brings their paths to a cross. However, though love is patient and love is kind, Kotarou and Akane discover it is not always straightforward. Despite the comfort they find in each other's company, heartache and anxiety come hand in hand with pursuing the feelings in their hearts. With the uncertainty of how the other truly feels as well as the competing affections of those around them, the road ahead is unclear. Even so, under the shining light of a beautiful full moon, Kotarou gathers his courage to ask Akane a single question, one that forever changes their quiet relationship. For me it may be worth watching to understand the meme, but watching two extremely shy kids is awkward and hardly any fun at all..   Overall Rating: 6/10

7. Re:Creators Re:CREATORS 〈レクリエイターズ〉 [TROYCA] (Finished 3/22) Tags: Isekai, Mecha Action, Fantasy, Sci-Fi Humans have designed countless worlds—each one born from the unique imagination of its creator. Souta Mizushino is a high school student who aspires to be such a creator by writing and illustrating his own light novel. One day, while watching anime for inspiration, he is briefly transported into a fierce fight scene. When he returns to the real world, he realizes something is amiss: the anime's headstrong heroine, Selesia Yupitilia, has somehow returned with him. Before long, other fictional characters appear in the world, carrying the hopes and scars of their home. A princely knight, a magical girl, a ruthless brawler, and many others now crowd the streets of Japan. However, the most mysterious one is a woman in full military regalia, dubbed "Gunpuku no Himegimi," who knows far more than she should about the creators' world. Despite this, no one knows her true name or the world she is from. Meanwhile, Souta and Selesia work together with Meteora Österreich, a calm and composed librarian NPC, to uncover the meaning behind these unnatural events. With powerful forces at play, the once clear line between reality and imagination continues to blur, leading to a fateful meeting between creators and those they created. It's terribly boring. Nothing to see here unless you enjoy FSN clones, of course.   Overall Rating: 6/10

8. Dungeon ni Deai wo Motomeru no wa Machigatteiru Darou ka Gaiden: Sword Oratoria Sword Oratoria: Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon? On the Side ダンジョンに出会いを求めるのは間違っているだろうか外伝 ソード・オラトリア [J.C.Staff] (Finished 12/12) Tags: Action, Adventure, Fantasy After having descended upon this world, the gods have created guilds where adventurers can test their mettle. These guilds, known as "familia," grant adventurers the chance to explore, gather, hunt, or simply enjoy themselves. Dungeon ni Deai wo Motomeru no wa Machigatteiru Darou ka Gaiden: Sword Oratoria begins in Orario, the lively city of adventures. The Sword Princess, Ais Wallenstein, and the novice mage, Lefiya Viridis, are members of the Loki Familia, who are experts at monster hunting. With the rest of their group, they journey to the tower of Babel in hopes of exploring the dungeon underneath. Home to powerful monsters, the dungeon will fulfill Ais's desire to master her sword skills, while bringing Lefiya closer to her dream of succeeding Riveria Ljos Alf, vice-captain of the Loki Familia, as the most powerful mage in the land. Sequel.   Overall Rating: 7/10

9. Shuumatsu Nani Shitemasu ka? Isogashii desu ka? Sukutte Moratte Ii desu ka? WorldEnd: What do you do at the end of the world? Are you busy? Will you save us? 終末なにしてますか？忙しいですか？救ってもらっていいですか？ [Satelight, C2C] (Finished 12/12) Tags: Drama, Fantasy, Romance, Sci-Fi  Putting his life on the line, Willem Kmetsch leaves his loved ones behind and sets out to battle a mysterious monster, and even though he is victorious, he is rendered frozen in ice. It is during his icy slumber that terrifying creatures known as "Beasts" emerge on the Earth's surface and threaten humanity's existence. Willem awakens 500 years later, only to find himself the sole survivor of his race as mankind is wiped out. Together with the other surviving races, Willem takes refuge on the floating islands in the sky, living in fear of the Beasts below. He lives a life of loneliness and only does odd jobs to get by. One day, he is tasked with being a weapon storehouse caretaker. Thinking nothing of it, Willem accepts, but he soon realizes that these weapons are actually a group of young Leprechauns. Though they bear every resemblance to humans, they have no regard for their own lives, identifying themselves as mere weapons of war. Among them is Chtholly Nota Seniorious, who is more than willing to sacrifice herself if it means defeating the Beasts and ensuring peace. Willem becomes something of a father figure for the young Leprechauns, watching over them fondly and supporting them in any way he can. He, who once fought so bravely on the frontlines, can now only hope that the ones being sent to battle return safely from the monsters that destroyed his kind. It has nice premise, but overall it's pretty bland and slow and boring. Resembles Utawarerumono a lot as it's also neither fish, nor meat  - neither harem, nor really plot driven story. Just some messy fantasy SOL with rare side-tracking into something else.   Overall Rating: 6/10

10. Busou Shoujo Machiavellianism Armed Girl's Machiavellism 武装少女マキャヴェリズム [SILVER LINK., Connect] (Finished 3/12) Tags: Shounen Harem, Martial Arts, School Action, Comedy, Ecchi The Private Aichi Symbiosis Academy was originally a high school for high-class girls. When it became co-ed, the girls, out of fear, asked to be permitted to bring weapons to school. When that was enforced, a five-member vigilante corps-like organization called the "Supreme Five Swords" was also formed. After many generations, the five swords eventually became a group which corrected problematic students, and the academy started proactively accepting such students in order to correct them. Nomura Fudou was sent to this school after being part of a huge brawl. What will he do when the only options he has after enrolling are being expelled from that school or being corrected the way the rest of the male students there were...by being forced to dress and act like a girl! Silly ecchi fighting action is not what I typically enjoy without memorable characters or plot.   Overall Rating: 6/10

11. Renai Boukun Love Tyrant 恋愛暴君 [EMT Squared] (Finished 2/12) Tags: Harem, School Comedy, Romance, Supernatural When a strange girl named Guri comes knocking at Seiji Aino's door, he quickly finds himself thrust into a world of romantic troubles. Claiming that she will die if he doesn't kiss someone within 24 hours, Guri's pleas of desperation are misunderstood as pleas for love, leading Seiji to kiss the cute stranger that came barging into his house. In actuality, it turns out that this cosplaying cupid is the wielder of a Kiss Note, in which any pairing of names she writes will kiss and become a couple. Guri explains that she misspelt and accidentally wrote Seiji's name while indulging in her yaoi fantasies, but because she had yet to pair him with anyone, their kiss was meaningless. Even worse, Guri reveals that if Seiji is not coupled with anyone soon, not only will she die, but Seiji will remain a virgin for eternity! Eager to escape his fate, Seiji sets his sights on the beautiful and popular Akane Hiyama. But after Akane hears that he kissed Guri, she reveals the obsessive and psychopathic feelings that she holds for the unfortunate boy and proceeds to viciously attack them. In the ensuing confusion, Guri is able to pair Seiji with Akane in the Kiss Note, temporarily saving Seiji from any further bodily harm. But to complicate matters, Guri's newfound feelings lead her to also pair the two of them with herself. Just when the situation could not get any more convoluted, this new coupling with Guri has turned Seiji and Akane into temporary angels, forcing them into assisting the cupid with her work of pairing humans, lest they be cast into hell. With all semblance of normality snatched from his life, Seiji gets to work at matchmaking with these eccentric girls by his side. It's trashy as any harem and has weird sense of humor that I can't rely to.   Overall Rating: 6/10

12. Saenai Heroine no Sodatekata ♭ Saekano: How to Raise a Boring Girlfriend .flat 冴えない彼女〈ヒロイン〉の育てかた♭ [A-1 Pictures] (Finished 11/11) Tags: Harem, Otaku Culture, School Comedy, Romance, Ecchi After finally completing the first route of his visual novel, Blessing Software's producer Tomoya Aki is optimistic about the future of his team and achieving their goal of creating the best game of the season. However, they still have a long way to go. For one, Megumi Katou still has an incredibly flat personality and is unable to fit the role of Tomoya's ideal heroine. The other members of Blessing Software, Eriri Spencer Sawamura, Utaha Kasumigaoka, and Michiru Hyoudou, often forget she is even there due to her lack of presence and character. Throughout the development of their game, Blessing Software learns the struggles of working in an industry where deadlines must be met and edits are made constantly, and the hardships of working in a group setting. Sequel.   Overall Rating: 6/10

13. Zero kara Hajimeru Mahou no Sho Grimoire of Zero ゼロから始める魔法の書 [White Fox] (Finished 4/12) Tags: Anthropomorphic Action, Adventure, Fantasy In a world of constant war between humans and witches, there exist the "beastfallen"—cursed humans born with the appearance and strength of an animal. Their physical prowess and bestial nature cause them to be feared and shunned by both humans and witches. As a result, many beastfallen become sellswords, making their living through hunting witches. Despite the enmity between the races, a lighthearted witch named Zero enlists a beastfallen whom she refers to as "Mercenary" to act as her protector. He travels with Zero and Albus, a young magician, on their search for the Grimoire of Zero: a powerful spell book that could be extremely dangerous in the wrong hands. During their journey, his inner kindness is revealed as he starts to show compassion and sympathy towards humans and witches alike, and the unlikely companions grow together. It's pretty slow and nothing really interesting happens. It's watchable... just... why bother, really.   Overall Rating: 6/10

14. Shingeki no Bahamut: Virgin Soul Rage of Bahamut: Virgin Soul 神撃のバハムート VIRGIN SOUL [Cygames] (Finished 1/24) Tags: Mythology Action, Adventure, Fantasy A decade ago, humans, gods, and demons joined forces to stand against the threat of the colossal dragon, Bahamut. Now, in the present, humans living in the capital city of Anatae have been enjoying lavish and prosperous lives. Their progress is largely due to the administration of the newly appointed king, Charioce XVII, who has stolen a power from the gods and allowed for the abuse and slavery of the demon race in the capital. As humans continue to immorally exploit demons, a sense of hostility against humans begins to build up within demon communities, threatening a revolt. Meanwhile, an atmosphere of uneasiness is spreading among the gods, as they scramble to regain their lost power. Amidst it all, Nina Drango, a cheerful young bounty hunter, has arrived at the Royal Capital with hopes of settling down and earning a living. However, her peaceful life in the capital is quickly thrown into chaos when she crosses paths with the ominous Rag Demon who is determined to seek revenge against humans, and Kaisar Lidfard, a noble knight battling an internal moral conflict. Shingeki no Bahamut: Virgin Soul continues the tale of the social and moral conflict between humans, gods, and demons, and their struggle for survival and dominance. Sequel.   Overall Rating: 6/10

15. Tsugumomo つぐもも [Zero-G] (Finished 3/12) Tags:  Harem, Mythology, School Action, Comedy, Supernatural, Ecchi In Japanese folklore, a "tsukumogami" is an object that has gained a soul, becoming alive and self-aware. There are two types of tsukumogami: the mature "tsugumomo," who have developed through long years of harmony with their owners, and the aberrant "amasogi," premature spirits that are only born to grant the destructive wishes of certain people. Kazuya Kagami has never gone without his mother's obi after her death. Be it at home or school, he keeps it safe with him at all times. One day, he nearly loses his life when a wig amasogi attacks him. When all seems to be over, his treasured obi defends him, transforming into a beautiful girl. She introduces herself as Kiriha, a tsugumomo owned by Kazuya's mother. With Kiriha's arrival, Kazuya enters a reality he has never seen before, a world with gods and tsukumogami. Harem mythology ecchi shounen already sounds underwhelming, but reality is even worse. Banality deserves corresponding score.   Overall Rating: 5/10

16. Granblue Fantasy The Animation Granblue Fantasy: The Animation [A-1 Pictures] (Finished 13/13) Tags: Adventure, Fantasy  This is a world of the skies, where many islands drift in the sky. A boy named Gran and a talking winged lizard named Vyrn lived in Zinkenstill, an island which yields mysteries. One day, they come across a girl named Lyria. Lyria had escaped from the Erste Empire, a military government that is trying to rule over this world using powerful military prowess. In order to escape from the Empire, Gran and Lyria head out into the vast skies, holding the letter Gran's father left behind—which said, "I will be waiting at Estalucia, Island of Stars." Typical boring RPG adaptation.   Overall Rating: 6/10

17. Natsume Yuujinchou Roku Natsume's Book of Friends Season 6 夏目友人帳 陸  [Shuka] (Finished 1/11) Tags: Shoujo Iyashikei, Mythology Drama, Slice of Life, Supernatural Takashi Natsume has grown accustomed to his encounters with youkai through the Book of Friends, which contains the names of youkai whom his grandmother, Reiko Natsume, has sealed in contracts. These encounters allow Natsume to better understand the youkai, Reiko, and himself. The Book of Friends is a powerful tool that can be used to control youkai; it is sought after by both youkai and exorcists alike. Natsume just wants to live out his daily life in peace but is constantly disrupted by these experiences. If he is to end this torment, Natsume must explore more about the book and the world of exorcism, as well as begin to open his heart to those who can help him. Sequel.   Overall Rating: 6/10

18. Berserk 2nd Season Berserk: Season II ベルセルク [Millepensee, GEMBA] (Finished 12/12) Tags: Seinen Gore, Military Action, Adventure, Drama, Fantasy, Horror Demons have now become commonplace around the kingdom of Midland, which has fallen into chaos. The swordsman Guts still cannot stay in one place for long due to his demonic brand. He could always manage to protect himself when he was alone, but now he has the added challenge of protecting former Commander Casca, a shell of her former self who neither remembers nor trusts him. They never have a moment's rest with the constant threat of demons, and they need a place where Casca will be safe till they find a way to heal her. Their elf ally, Puck, tells of the mystical land of Elfhelm, which is supposed to be a safe haven from the demons that ravage the lands. Tired and with only a vague hope, they struggle on to find a place to live—and they still need to find those responsible for the madness they are forced to endure. Sequel.   Overall Rating: 7/10

19. Clockwork Planet クロックワーク・プラネット [Xebec] (Finished 12/12) Tags: Fantasy, Sci-Fi  Legend tells that when the Earth was destroyed, the great clockmaker Y made a replacement from cogs and gears. Naoto Miura is a young boy who aspires to be a great clockmaker. However, despite his unique talent—sensitive hearing that can immediately understand clockwork mechanics from noise alone—he has made little progress. But this changes when a coffin falls from the sky into his apartment, revealing RyuZU, a female automaton forged by Y himself. News of RyuZU's arrival brings Marie Bell Breguet, the gifted heir of a distinguished line of clockmakers, and her cyborg bodyguard Vainney Halter into Naoto's life as well. When she and Naoto both become embroiled in an action-packed battle for their lives, they discover an uncomfortable truth: the clockwork planet that humanity has lived on for over a millennium is beginning to break down—a secret that many people will kill to protect. Too bland and artificial... like everything from Xebec so far. And whatever potential it might have is buried by lackluster execution.   Overall Rating: 6/10

20. Sakura Quest サクラクエスト [P.A. Works] (Finished 3/25) Tags: Adult Cast, Workplace Slice of Life  Tired of her rural home, recent college graduate Yoshino Koharu is desperate to lead a more exciting life in Tokyo. After a fruitless job hunt, she finally receives a part-time offer as queen of the bizarre "Kingdom of Chupakabura," a rundown mini-attraction in the small agricultural town of Manoyama. However, Yoshino discovers upon her arrival in Manoyama that she was mistaken for a celebrity and the job offer was a mistake. Left with no other options, Yoshino reluctantly agrees to take on the role and aid the Board of Tourism in their efforts to revitalize Manoyama. Determined to bring excitement to the dying town with the help of local residents, the queen enacts a series of projects to highlight the beauty and charm of Manoyama's culture. Sakura Quest delves into the story of a tight-knit community that is struggling to balance change while also maintaining the rich traditions and bonds which define their identity. Dropped it earlier. It's the closest attempt to repeat successful scheme of Hanasaku Iroha which I consider minimally acceptable level for SOL masterpiece. And comparison is definitely not in favor of Sakura Quest here for me. It feels closer to mix of Locodol and Amagi Brilliant Park that I dropped. I'm not fond of stage where there's some poor proud place and lots of constant conflict management to make it survive. It's not bad and there may be mood for it, but first three episodes don't have even a bit of magic in it unlike Hanasaku Iroha.   Overall Rating: 6/10

21. Sakurada Reset Sagrada Reset サクラダリセット [David Production] (Finished 3/24) Tags: School, Super Power, Time Travel Mystery, Supernatural Kei Asai lives in the oceanside city of Sakurada—a town where the inhabitants are born with strange abilities. On the school rooftop one day, he meets Misora Haruki, an apathetic girl with the power to reset anything around her up to three days prior. While no one knows when she has reset, not even Haruki, Kei can retain everything before the reset thanks to his own ability: photographic memory. After they successfully help someone by combining their powers, they join the Service Club to aid others in their town. However, their club becomes involved with and begins completing missions for the mysterious Administration Bureau—an organization that focuses on managing the abilities in Sakurada and manipulating the town's events for their own ends. They may find out that there are more things at work in Sakurada than the machinations of the uncanny organization. Tags setup and synopsis are awful, so it requires a miracle for me to like it. I actually like windy dialogues and mature problem-solving attitude here, plus characters aren't repulsive. But at the same time there's just personal problem stories to explore, and something more integral would only crystalize by the end. There's a lot of needless constructed complexity just to make it look interesting instead of being interesting in a natural way. It's an example of good prominent literature akin to Monogatari. But do I like to see how these cases are handled and do I want to dive into this complexity just to somehow come to machinations of the uncanny organization? Don't think so, it contradicts my vision of concept about being "interesting", it's just not for me.   Overall Rating: 6/10

22. Oushitsu Kyoushi Heine The Royal Tutor 王室教師ハイネ [Bridge] (Finished 1/12) Tags: Shounen Historical Comedy Equally charming and stern, Heine Wittgenstein is a brilliant man who commands respect, despite his short, childlike stature. Thus, the king of Grannzreich has called upon Heine to undertake a daunting task that has driven away many before him—become the new royal tutor to four princes who are in line for the throne. The four heirs each have very distinct and troublesome personalities: Licht, the flirtatious youngest prince; his immature older brother Leonhard; Bruno the studious third prince; and Kai, the oldest of the four and the most reserved. Hilarity ensues as Heine attempts to connect with each of the princes in order to groom them for the throne. However, Heine's mysterious past and dark undercurrents in the present may threaten the harmony within the kingdom. It resembles Ouran Host Club to me - a sort of comedy with everyone being a bishounen and behaving erratically. It's obvious that everyone becomes keen on learning in the end, but I'm definitely not interested in the process.   Overall Rating: 5/10

23. Fukumenkei Noise Anonymous Noise 覆面系ノイズ [Brain's Base] (Finished 12/12) Tags: Shoujo Love Polygon, Music, School  Drama, Romance Every day, a young girl wearing a mask stands by the beach and sings a nostalgic melody. After experiencing two sudden heart-wrenching partings when she was only a child, Nino Arisugawa has been singing her songs to the ocean, bound by a promise made with her two childhood friends—her first love, Momo Sakaki, and a boy who composed music, Kanade "Yuzu" Yuzuriha. Having never met each other, the boys both individually promised that if Nino was ever separated from them, her voice would be the beacon to reunite them once again. After six long years, destiny has finally placed Nino, Momo, and Yuzu in the same high school. However, the passage of time has changed many things in their lives—while Nino relentlessly attempts to fulfill her childhood promise with the boys, Yuzu's feelings for her from the past resurface, and Momo goes to great lengths to prevent a reunion with Nino. Through music, will they be able to mend their friendship and overcome all the feelings involved in this complicated love triangle? Got good memories of it, but mostly about gigs and songs. Having refreshed memories, it's a bit autistic, but still emotional and even with some nice humor at times. An unusual raw experience with goosebumps that I'm willing to recommend even despite some setbacks.   Overall Rating: 7/10

24. Alice to Zouroku Alice & Zoroku アリスと蔵六 [J.C.Staff] (Finished 3`/12) Tags: Seinen Super Power Adventure, Mystery Sana is not an ordinary little girl; she possesses a special ability known as "Alice's Dream." Due to her power, which allows her to create anything from her imagination, all that she knows is the laboratory where she is a test subject. Wishing to experience the outside world, she escapes and meets a stubborn old florist named Zouroku Kashimura in a convenience store. All too soon, her pursuers catch up and Zouroku is roped into Sana's troubles. However, far from trying to distance himself, Zouroku extends a hand to help Sana. Following his values and sense of justice, he even gives the pursuers a piece of his mind! Zouroku then offers Sana a place to stay, beginning the daily life and struggles of the unlikely duo. Mystery, adventure, superpowers and running away concept is a failure recipe for a failed work, at least for me. Actual result feels half-baked.   Overall Rating: 6/10

25. Gin no Guardian The Silver Guardian 銀の墓守り〈ガーディアン〉 [Haoliners Animation League] (Finished 1/12) Tags: Adventure, Fantasy High school student and gamer Suigin Riku attends the prestigious Shinryou Private Academy, a school for the elite and the children of the wealthy. But rich or wealthy are not words that describe Suigin; in fact, he is dirt poor and must work many part time jobs to pay for his tuition. During one such job, he dives into a pool to save his pet cat, fully aware that he cannot swim. Luckily, he is saved by Rei Riku, the beautiful and popular daughter of a game developer, and he falls in love with her. He is also drawn to another girl: a new friend he meets in Dungeon Century, his favorite online RPG. But when the game is scheduled to shut down, he knows his adventures with her will soon end. However, the day after the game is shut down, he finds out that Rei and the online girl are one and the same. Soon after, Rei gives Suigin a new game meant to replace Dungeon Century—a tomb raiding game called Grave Buster. But when Rei is suddenly kidnapped, Suigin is pulled inside Grave Buster to save her. Gin no Guardian follows Suigin as he plays through Grave Buster to save Rei, while uncovering the secrets hidden within the game. I quite like it. The problem is that it's half-length episodes, and half of the time is spent on setting the stage. And then right from the start of new Grave Buster MMO there's a lot of abstract battles that don't make much sense. The ending is a cliffhanger. So I still have no real idea what this Grave Buster game is about and how characters are connected. It's in no state to be called a masterpiece now just because substance is yet obscure, I'll make my mind after sequel.   Overall Rating: 6/10

26. Seikaisuru Kado KADO: The Right Answer 正解するカド [Toei Animation] (Finished 3/12) Tags: Adult Cast Sci-Fi Cool-headed and rational, Koujirou Shindou is a government official and master negotiator with a well-earned reputation. While departing on a business trip, a giant cube materializes and his plane is taken undamaged into the mysterious, indestructible structure. As Japanese authorities attempt to identify the cube's properties and origins, Shindou encounters an otherworldly entity known as Yaha-kui zaShunina, who materializes in the form of a human man. He assures Shindou that the passengers are not in any danger and requests help in negotiations with the human world. Hailing from a higher dimensional universe known as Novo, Yaha-kui zaShunina is able to transfer information between Novo and Shindou's universe through a cube called Kado. Despite having these unfathomable abilities, he does not appear hostile. Instead, he announces that he has come to this world with only one intention: to "advance" humanity—starting with Japan. It's decent full CGI pseudo sci-fi about first contact, but it's slow paced and not interesting enough for me.   Overall Rating: 6/10

27. Hinako Note ひなこのーと [Passione] (Finished 1/12) Tags: CGDCT, Performing Arts Slice of Life Born and raised in the countryside of Japan, Hinako "Hina" Sakuragi gets anxious easily when she talks to new people—so much so that she resembles a stiff scarecrow. To overcome this, Hina hopes to get involved in theater, inspired by a play she saw during her school's field trip. So, Hina moves into the Hitotose Manor in the bustling city of Tokyo to study at Fujiyama High School, aspiring to join the school's renowned theater club. But to Hina's dismay, she learns that Fujiyama High's theater club has been on a lengthy hiatus. Having already come to Tokyo and enrolled in the school, Hina is at a loss for what to do next. Sensing her disappointment and eagerness to learn theater, Chiaki Hagino, the landlady of Hitotose Manor, encourages Hina to create a troupe with the residents of Hitotose Manor as its members. Hinako Note follows Hina as she begins a new life in Tokyo attending Fujiyama High while learning the ropes of theater with the support of her friends along the way. CGDCT without comedy hardly cut it anymore as very few of them can beat K-ON which is a requirement to be appreciated by me.   Overall Rating: 6/10

28. Uchouten Kazoku 2 The Eccentric Family 2 有頂天家族2 [P.A. Works] (Finished 1/12) Tags: Anthropomorphic, Mythology Comedy, Drama, Fantasy  After uncovering the truth behind their father's untimely death, life for the four Shimogamo brothers returns to relative peace with each trying to live up to their father's greatness in their own way. For the eldest, Yaichirou, who aims to become the next Trick Magister and leader of the tanuki society, it starts with reinstating the popular shogi tournament. For Yajirou, it is restoring his former shapeshifting abilities, whilst little Yashirou is content with continuing his work at the family’s factory. But for the third son, Yasaburou, it simply means embracing the "fool's blood" he inherited from his father and living a carefree but interesting life. This, of course, includes hunting for the mysterious and elusive snake-like creature known as a tsuchinoko, and causing ripples of trouble at every turn. However, these ripples threaten to turn into waves with the return of Nidaime, the estranged son of the brothers' tengu teacher, Professor Akadama. Nidaime bears a grudge against not only his father, but his father's apprentice Benten as well. His loyalties suddenly brought into question, Yasaburou must use his tanuki wit to appease all sides without getting caught in the crossfire, before the delicate balance between human, tengu, and tanuki is overthrown and all hell breaks loose. Sequel.   Overall Rating: 6/10

29. Frame Arms Girl フレームアームズ・ガール [Zexcs, Studio A-CAT] (Finished 2/12) Tags: Mecha Action, Sci-Fi Ao Gennai is a completely average first-year high school student—that is, until a mysterious package is delivered to her home one day. Inside she finds Gourai, a tiny humanoid robot capable of movement and combat known as a Frame Arms Girl. Gourai is the first of her kind, possessing an extremely advanced AI that allows her to form a personality, learn, and grow, much like the human mind. Following Gourai's activation, Ao is thrust headfirst into the world of Frame Arms Girls as more and more of the intelligent robots are delivered straight to her front door. With a rather hefty cash incentive pushing her forward, Ao is committed to collecting as much data about the Frame Arms Girls and their combat as possible, all while they learn what it means to be human. Partially CGI completely mediocre SOL and fighting series, probably just for advertisement.   Overall Rating: 5/10

30. Atom: The Beginning アトム ザ・ビギニング [Production I.G, OLM, Signal.MD] (Finished 1/12) Tags: Seinen Action, Sci-Fi  Japan in the near future suffers an unexplained major disaster. Five years later, reconstruction is well underway. Two young researchers at a university are pinning all their hopes on robot development. Now their new interpretation of the eternal hero Astro Boy up until his birth is just about to start! Sequel.   Overall Rating: 6/10

31. Kyoukai no Rinne 3rd Season 境界のRINNE [Brain's Base] (Finished 1/25) Tags: Shounen Mythology, School Comedy, Supernatural The third season of Kyoukai no Rinne. Sequel.   Overall Rating: 6/10

32. ID-0  [SANZIGEN] (Finished 3/12) Tags: Mecha, Space Sci-Fi Transferring the human consciousness into a robotic "I-Machine" is now a reality thanks to the discovery of a valuable ore called "orichalt." However, there is the possibility of the consciousness failing to return to the host's body, rendering them stuck inside their new metallic frame for good. Such is the situation of members of the Excavate Company, a reckless band of I-Machine miners led by the notorious Grayman that aims to gather orichalt for profit. During a mining incursion, the group rescues Maya Mikuri, a student who was abandoned by her crew. Accused of stealing classified information on orichalt by her former colleagues, she joins the Excavate Company in hopes of clearing her name. They then begin an adventure that will change their lives—including that of Ido, an ace member of the group with no memory of his past. For the first time, Ido might have the chance to rediscover his true identity. Full CGI, but rather pleasant. The closest thing we have is Planetes, but there's illegal mining by robots with human personalities instead of litter gathered by humans in space. What we're expected to enjoy is these human consciousness robots identities and past while having some adventures... and I just don't find it interesting enough.   Overall Rating: 6/10

33. Kabuki-bu! Kabukibu! カブキブ！ [Studio Deen] (Finished 1/12) Tags: Performing Arts, School  Kurogu had a love of kabuki theater instilled in him from a very young age thanks to his grandfather. Now, as a high school student, he desires to create his own kabuki club in order to bring an appreciation of kabuki to a wider audience. He'll find, though, that with the weight of hundreds of years of strict tradition, it's not so easy to get high schoolers interested. A rough start is not enough to deter Kurogu, and he'll work hard to inspire in others the same burning passion he feels, until the day he can put on his own performance! Mainly male kabuki school club is on one of the the lowest interest tiers for me. Pilot episode is mundane and familiar, so I'll stop there.   Overall Rating: 6/10

34. Warau Salesman New The Laughing Salesman 笑ゥせぇるすまんNEW [Shin-Ei Animation] (Finished 1/12) Tags: Seinen Adult Cast Comedy, Drama Each episode follows Fukuzou Moguro, a traveling salesman, and his current customer. Moguro deals in things that give his customers their heart's desire, and once his deals are made and their unhealthy desires are satisfied, Moguro's customers are often left with terrible repercussions, especially if they break the rules of his deals... Sequel.   Overall Rating: 6/10

35. Twin Angel Break Twin Angels Break ツインエンジェルBREAK [J.C.Staff] (Finished 1/12) Tags: Mahou Shoujo Fantasy Amatsuki Meguru is a girl who innocently aspires to be a hero of justice and the cool Kisaragi Sumire who grew up in the strict Kisaragi household... The two girls who are in their 3rd year of middle school end up getting orders from a mysterious hedgehog named Miruku-chan and turn into Twin Angels in order to fight evil! Meguru is always cheerful but sometimes a bit too forceful. Meanwhile, Sumire isn't accustomed with being around others. Despite their differences, as they work together, they start opening up to each other. Sequel.   Overall Rating: 6/10

36. Idol Time PriPara アイドルタイムプリパラ [Tatsunoko Production, Dongwoo A&E] (Finished 1/51) Tags: Idols (Female), Music, School  The story focuses on Yui, a girl who lives in the town of Paparajuku, and who dreams of being an idol, even if she realizes that being an idol is next to impossible for her. Her friends often remark on how much she dreams about it. But then, the PriPara idol theme park opens in her town, and that an idol named Laala is coming to town from Parajuku, which only makes Yui dream even bigger. The new PriPara theme park has been updated with new concepts. However, due to a system error, Laala is no longer able to PriPara Change. Sequel.   Overall Rating: 5/10

37. PriPri Chii-chan!! PriPri Chi-chan!! プリプリちぃちゃん!! [OLM] (Finished 1/36) Tags: Shoujo Comedy, Sci-Fi The story revolves around a girl named Yuuka, who encounters a being from the depths of the Earth named Chii-chan (a pun of chiteijin, the Japanese word for underground-dweller), and an alien named Ucchan (a pun of uchuujin or alien). The story follows their heartwarming and chaotic everyday lives together. It's cute and fine, but it's still anime for kids akin to Doraemon, can't watch it.   Overall Rating: 6/10

38. Rilu Rilu Fairilu: Mahou no Kagami リルリルフェアリル ~魔法の鏡~ [Studio Deen] (Finished 1/51) Tags: Fantasy, Slice of Life  Second Season of Rilu Rilu Fairilu: Yousei no Door. Sequel.   Overall Rating: 6/10

39. Quanzhi Gaoshou The King's Avatar 全职高手 [B.CMAY PICTURES] (Finished 12/12) Tags: Video Game Action Widely regarded as a trailblazer and top-tier professional player in the online multiplayer game Glory, Ye Xiu is dubbed the "Battle God" for his skills and contributions to the game over the years. However, when forced to retire from the team and to leave his gaming career behind, he finds work at a nearby internet café. There, when Glory launches its tenth server, he throws himself into the game once more using a new character named "Lord Grim." Ye Xiu's early achievements on the new server immediately catch the attention of many players, as well as the big guilds, leaving them to wonder about the identity of this exceptional player. However, while he possesses ten years of experience and in-depth knowledge, starting afresh with neither sponsors nor a team in a game that has changed over the years presents numerous challenges. Along with talented new comrades, Ye Xiu once again dedicates himself to traversing the path to Glory's summit! It actually started as firm masterpiece with focus on PVE bosses, team play, power grind, bonding, guilds competition. But it became evident soon that plot is non-existent, and focus shifted to PVP, sometimes team PVP and PK - not things that I appreciate. It still got enough curiosity raging to keep going, but only as minor masterpiece.   Overall Rating: 7/10

40. Kakuchou Shoujo-kei Trinary Augmented Reality Girls Trinary 拡張少女系トライナリー [feel.] (Finished 7/34) Tags: Sci-Fi Born from the strong emotions of their creators, self-contained pocket dimensions known as Phenomenon have begun forming across Japan. These false worlds overwrite the reality of an affected area and will only be undone if the maker is defeated or appeased. In response, a military-sponsored task force known as Trinary is formed, and its three members—Miyabi Koigasaki, Gabriela Lotaryńska, and Ayami Kunimasa—specialize in dispersing Phenomenon. Caught in one of these Phenomenon during her favorite idol's concert, Tsubame Ouse is saved by the timely arrival of Trinary, and together they are able to resolve the incident. After these events, Tsubame, along with newcomer Kagura Uzuki, decides to join the current Trinary team. As the girls struggle to balance their everyday lives and their responsibility to handle each new Phenomenon that appears, they realize that their own reality also has its own distinct set of problems. Partially translated. I usually don't like to include titles with episodes under 10 minutes like this one that gets to 4.5 minutes of pure screen time per episode, because it usually means vague episode structure or episodic character or focus on random gags etc. This one is random as there's no exposition and it's either fighting or talking or a bit SOL. And since it's not translated fully, there's no incentive to try to figure things out .   Overall Rating: 5/10

41. Arad: Suming Zhi Men 阿拉德：宿命之門 [Success Corp., Dangun Pictures] (Finished 2/20) Tags: Action, Adventure, Fantasy On the continent of Arad martial arts, high-tech and magic coexist just fine. The protagonists start a new legendary journey as campus students. Partially translated. Looks like very ordinary shounen action.   Overall Rating: 5/10

42. Tian Yu Revelation 天谕 [Sparkly Key Animation Studio] (Finished 3/13) Tags: Mythology Action, Adventure, Fantasy A millennium ago, the Five Monarchs guarded the land of the Xia Dynasty with magical artifacts. Later, the leader of the Dragon Clan, Zu Long, assisted humanity by establishing the Yun Chui Empire. The Empire faces the Tranquil Ocean where the Xi and Black Water Clans have defended it throughout a peaceful millennium. Now, the waves are surging from below and chaos will rise once again. Full CGI, but at least it's not martial artists in ancient China, so not skipping right away/ But the actual contents is very similar - warriors and mages travel and get into adventures of varying degree of cringe.   Overall Rating: 5/10

43. Ai Ni Zhidao Shijie Jintou Love Land 爱你直到世界尽头 [-] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Romance  Movie tells the story of a male protagonist who lives in a dream after breaking up with his girlfriend. Unwilling to face reality, he undergoes all kinds of difficulties in his dream. What will happen when he wakes up? Not translated. Trashy visuals. As focus is on dream, it's full of abstract and psychedelia stuff.   Overall Rating: 5/10

44. Yoru wa Mijikashi Arukeyo Otome The Night is Short, Walk on Girl 夜は短し歩けよ乙女 [Science SARU] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Comedy, Romance On a mysterious night that seems to last for a year, an ordinary college student continues to chase one of his underclassmen, a girl with black hair—the girl of his dreams. Up until now, he has been relying on a simple plan, which is to calculatingly bump into her every day while making it seem like a meaningful coincidence. However, his efforts remain futile as their relationship is not progressing at all. Meanwhile, the black-haired girl believes that everything is connected by fate and endeavors to experience as many new things as possible, leaving it all for destiny to decide. While strolling along the lively streets of Kyoto, she discovers that the very beginning of her fateful journey—a book she had as a child—is currently being sold in a second-hand bookstore. Upon knowing this, the college student eyes another opportunity to run into her "by chance": this time, he hopes to get the book before she does and finally grasp the thread of fate that could connect their hearts. Art is very simple akin to Tatami Galaxy. Story is random and constantly jumping through protagonists and with musical parts, so it's more like a torture for me.   Overall Rating: 5/10

45. Blame! Movie Blame!: The Movie  [Polygon Pictures] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Seinen Mecha, Psychological Action, Drama, Sci-Fi A young girl named Zuru sets out on an expedition through a post-apocalyptic city controlled by machines in a desperate hunt for food. Things go awry when her team accidently triggers the city's AI defense program called the Safeguard. Attacked by the machines, her companions are on the verge of being annihilated when a mysterious man named Killy arrives and exterminates the hostile units. Despite his heroic intervention, Zuru is hesitant to trust Killy and questions his motives. He reveals to have come from thousands of levels below the city in order to find humans possessing the Net Terminal Genes—a trait that would allow humans to regain control of their civilization and shut down the Safeguard. After hearing his story, Zuru and the rest of her team join Killy and embark on a journey in search of the Genes that could prove to be mankind's last hope of survival. Without deeper acquaintance with franchise it's just some CGI survival and adventures in futuristic setting.   Overall Rating: 6/10

46. Yoake Tsugeru Lu no Uta Lu Over the Wall 夜明け告げるルーのうた [Science SARU] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Music Adventure, Award Winning, Supernatural In the seaside village of Hinashi Town, Kai Ashimoto's grandfather is one of the locals who reinforces the legend that mermaids lurk near Merfolk Island and consume humans. Due to allegedly attracting merfolk and subsequently causing the death of the elder's mother, music is seldom discussed in the Ashimoto household. Even so, Kai finds solace in making looped beats on his laptop and uploading them to the internet. Despite his reserved and glum demeanor, Kai is approached by Kunio and Yuuho Ebina, two cheerful classmates that happened upon one of his videos. The pair ask him to join their rock band but are met with apathy. Nevertheless, Kai agrees to accompany them in a practice session on Merfolk Island, where he soon witnesses something that he cannot explain. Later that night, Kai is composing music in his room when he attracts a familiar entity—a mermaid. As she twirls and grins to the sound of his stereo, Kai discovers a number of aspects about the being who introduces herself as Lu: she possesses incredible water manipulation powers; she buds a pair of functioning legs with the sound of music; but most notably, she is a truly benevolent creature who simply wants people to like her. Fostering a dynamic friendship, Kai and Lu gradually come to express their genuine selves, testing the long-standing boundaries that have deafened the resounding harmony among the people of Hinashi Town. What if Ponyo was a musical? A rather simple family friendly story. Art is simple too though not feeling bad. A bit too childish for me.   Overall Rating: 6/10

47. Biohazard: Vendetta Resident Evil: Vendetta バイオハザード ヴェンデッタ [Marza Animation Planet] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Action, Horror, Sci-Fi Chris Redfield enlists the help of Leon S. Kennedy and Rebecca Chambers to stop a death merchant, with a vengeance, from spreading a deadly virus in New York. Full CGI. A good watch, but it does not really tell a new story or surprises on some other level. We know what we're about to gain and we gain exactly that.   Overall Rating: 6/10

48. Cocolors COCOLORS（コカラス [Kamikaze Douga] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Sci-Fi  There is a world in which an endless rain of dark ash fills the sky, and covers the earth. Humanity, fearing the ash that burns and melts away human flesh, had no choice but to cover themselves in protective suits, and their faces with gigantic masks. Bundled up in their suits and hidden away behind their masks, the people have fled deep within the underground. This is the story of the children growing up in this fearful world. Full CGI with some filter. It's done mostly in dark palette and focuses colors a lot which I detest as a theme. It fails to tell a story, fails to convey a message and decides just to throw a tearjerker. Terrible.   Overall Rating: 5/10

49. Crayon Shin-chan Movie 25: Shin-chan Shuurai! Uchuujin Shiriri Crayon Shin-chan: Invasion!! Alien Shiriri 映画クレヨンしんちゃん　襲来!! 宇宙人シリリ [Shin-Ei Animation] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Seinen Adventure, Comedy, Sci-Fi The film's story begins when Shiriri, an alien, arrives and turns Hiroshi and Misae into children. To turn them back, Shinnosuke must travel the length of Japan with Shiriri hidden in his butt. Meanwhile, Shiriri's father is moving forward with a huge conspiracy. Unfortunately, alien invasion means another thematic invader episode instead of something worthy like story focusing on some character. Whatever.   Overall Rating: 6/10

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