wood bird houses: January 2018

Why Is the edolas Wendy older?

Why Is the edolas Wendy older?:

Hi everyone,
Today I want to discuss a very frequently asked question because I think I have found the reason and I can guarantee you that you have never heard this reason before. And as you can tell from the title the question is, "Why Is the edolas Wendy older?". Now for those of you that think that, "The Edolas counterparts were all meant to be the exact opposite as their Earthland counterparts and represented the opposite of their strongest characteristics. In this case, Earthland Wendy's strongest traits were that she was young and shy, while the Edolas version was older, and more confident." This is so not true because Gajeel seems to be pretty cool of a person even in edolas.

Im pretty sure that the actual reason that Wendy isn't more developed physically is because she probably has some sort of curse. It could be like in the case of the first master where she would shot become older. It could be that using Sky Dragon slayer magic affects your age and keeps you young. Since sky dragon slayers can heal people I can see why the healer would have to be young.

HOW TO MAKE A FUMA SHURIKEN

Should I Watch Rainbow: Nisha Rokubou no Shichinin?

Rainbow: Nisha Rokubou no Shichinin:

WHY IS NO ONE WATCHING THIS SHOW?!
No one talks about it, no one talked about it when it came out. No one hyped it up. I don't get it. This should be seen by more people. It tells probably the most refined story of perseverance ever told in not only anime,but in any type of visual media,What am I talking about?

Rainbow: Nisha Rokubou no Shichinin (Rainbow:The Seven Criminals of Compound Two, Cell Six) is a long term tail of these seven teenagers, in disciplinary Shounan Special Reform School which is kinda like Juvie in the US, but in this show, these kids are prettymuch treated like criminals. These delinquents go through SO MUCH SHIT, and this is only the first half, I thought these people were straight up adults but then someone said they were like sixteen or seventeen, HOW? This show takes place after WW2 in Japan, but no way they treat kids like this. They get beaten for the smallest reasons and they suffer not only pain but also humiliation.But after every punch, they heal and grow more with the help of their superior, Sakuragi. It is violent of course, but there is a reason why instead of showing craziness for the sake of it. Before each episode,there is a disclaimer explaining why it is violent.Cuz it was like that back then. This show's first half is pretty much Shawshank Redemption but the second half of the show is soooo much better. The adversity in the second half is more organic and similar to what real-life is like and it speaks out more. One thing that might be unreliable for some but a message i appreciate is how hard things get, a friend will help. It may sound cheesy, but whether it's a child's show or something more mature it is the case.It may not be like it now because this show takes place in the 50's, but if anyone asked of a show that really is a realistic example of overcoming hardship, this show would be my first recommendation(well at least the second half.)

Madhouse made and while watching this and Monster simultaneously is that madhouse doesn't focusing on having fluid animation when their main goal is capturing the tone of the time. From the lighting,setting, and character designs,Madhouse was portraying how depressing,but not depressing, time that was after WW2. The animation is not outstanding but it doesn't need to be cuz these people don't have magic powers. The best thing this show has visually is these still frames made with overpowering colors . This happens at least twice an episode and when it happens, that's when you know shit goes down .Sometimes when it happens, also I like how the show is colorful, but not.Sure the palette is depressing and soggy, but there are some very colorful scenes as well.

The opening in the show scared the crap out of me when I first saw it. It was made by coldrain,a band that is pretty much like"Fear and Loathing in LasVegas" except without the autotune and the techno piano. I like it because it's catchy as heck, but what is weird about the song, is that these singers are screaming at the camera but the lyrics are uplifting.The ending is beautiful, not only that but, its one of those songs that start of slow, but then it swells and is so harmonious. The OST is like a more refined version of all those motivational osts online but it is more refined and has a twist of western.It incorporates Whistling, harmonica and guitar. The main theme is not only the best part of the soundtrack, but one of my favorite pieces from anything. There is just so much passion put into it and then the fucking horns kick in and the entire scene becomes a pivotal moment. It is just pure genius

I'll try hard not to get into all of the characters because there are so many. Mario looks like he's the main character, but don't be fooled. Each episode focuses on each individual character and none of them get a good amount of screen time to be called a "main character".Sakuragi can be considered one, but he uhh....."takes a back seat" in the second half. Each character is given development and even more development to top it all off. The characters themselves are so wonderful together, they are a very good example of what Friendship is supposed to look like.There are seven characters: Mario, Joe, Cabbage,Turtle,Scam,Soldier, and Sakuragi(yes I remembered their nicknames and not their actual names).These guys are very down to earth human beings. Despite the crimes they were arrested for and the terrible things they go through, the are still just juvenile teens.They all have a motive and they stick to-- well not all of them at least:/ There will be at least one person that you will relate to.The people around them though, I feel like it kinda victimizes adults, because if one adult is not salty about the war, the other is in a bad condition and treats the boys like crap. There are some adults that aren't that bad and they help the boys, but they are not in the second half AT ALL.

People please, stop watching those depressiing shows and stop watching those slice of life anime that you hate because you know that your life will never be like that, this show is a great coming of age tale about redemption and the upsides to having friends, and heck, if you don't have friends, just get arrested and maybe you can......no.. actually don't get arrested, But still, I wish more people watched this show and praised it, The downside is that the show is not available anywhere legally, so you may have to pull some strings, but it's really worth people, I mean come on.

How To Write An Amazing Anime Blog?

Hi everyone, Today I wanted share some valuable tips and advice that will for sure help you start an amazing anime blog or improve an existing one. If you have something more to add to my tips, make sure to comment down below and I will be sure to get back to you.

Ive started noticing that half the sites on "how to start a good anime blog" aren't even anime sites so I thought "why not make one myself?". Also, its pretty fun being an anime blogger so if you've already started one and you think that you have some good contents there and just can get any readers I will be talking about traffic and all that. So, without any further ado, lets get right into it.

Here are a few things that you need to think about prior to starting an anime blog:

Anime might sound like a small topic but its pretty much science. While writing anime blogs, there are thousands of different branches that you can focus on. You could be a blog that focuses on various different topics. Let me list a few below:

Anime reviews: You could be someone who watches a bunch of different anime just to see what they are or to check out If they're worth the time. In the process, you choose which anime you will be watching and which one you will avoid. If you just so happen to be one of those people writing anime reviews if perfect for you.
Anime theories: If youre a diehard fan of an ongoing series like Boruto, DBS, One Piece and you have a bunch of different ideas on what could possibly happen next, writing anime theory is what you should focus on.
Top 10's : If you are someone has seen almost all the must watch anime, you would know a lot of different characters and plots. Thus, if you've got good skills of "compare and contrast" you could do various list like, "top 10 strongest anime characters".

Beside from all of the things above, you could do product reviews, recommendations, and also write about Japanese culture.

How to Start a Blog in 4 Steps:

There’s four main steps you need to do in order to start a blog. If you follow this guide exactly, you’ll have your own blog set up in 30 minutes or less.

Choose your preferred blog platform
Choose web hosting for your blog
Design your blog
Write good content
Share on social media (build a fanbase)

Step 1. Choose your preferred blog platform

There are a few different blogging platforms you can choose from but I would suggest blogger because I also use blogger :p . You can also use Wordpress which is currently the best blogging platform with a lot a users.

Step 2. Choose web hosting for your blog

Are you going to buy a domain for you blog or are you going to reserve to a free alternative? With a domain you can own the blog and its also pretty cheap. Like 2-3 bucks a year.

If you don't want to buy a domain you can always use Wordpress or Blogger. The only downside is that you will have a pretty ugly name and most names are already taken. If you do choose a free blogspot you will have a url like:

blah.blogspot.com

blah.wordpress.com etc

Step 3. Design your blog

If you are using blogger or Wordpress, I suggest that you use a clean theme. I started out my blog with a pitch black color and made the test white but I didn't get a lot a good feedback. If you are wondering what I'm using Im using the emporia theme with some customization.

I get that you want a lot of attention and all that but make sure to keep it simple. Dont have a lot of movements and make sure that it is easy to navigate around. Also make sure its mobile friendly.

Step 4. Write good content

Once you have decided what categories you are going to be writing on, make sure that your content is worth reading. People are pretty lazy these days so you should give them a reason to take more time reading your blog instead of watching a video on the same topic. Make sure that you write amazing content with a good tile and hook. Also make sure your title is good and has good keywords. If you have written the best review of overlord buy you tile the blog post something like "My thoughts and opinions on overlord" you are less likely to get traffic.

Step 5. Share On Social Media

Lets say you have the best anime blog there is out there but you are really passive and think that people are just gonna come in big groups to read you blog after you writing a good post. Sorry to break t to you but if thats how you're thinking , you are wrong. In order to get good traffic and readers you need to let people know about your content. There are thousand of social media out there but here are some of the best medias you can use in order to get a LOT of readers:

1. Facebook: Facebook is the best social media if you are an anime blogger. With

majority of internet users using Facebook you are bound to get a lot of traffic. As you can clearly see most of the traffic I get is from Facebook. In order to get good traffic I suggest that you join Facebook groups with tons of members and share your posts there. Make sure that you do not spam the group or page because you are bound to get kicked out. Also make sure to create a Facebook page where you share your latest posts.

Besides from pages here are some good anime groups you can join on Facebook.

Besides for Facebook you can create a collection in google plus because as of now, google + is the largest growing media. There are a whole lot of different communities you can join there. I recommend that you share frequently so you don't lose readers. Also be a member on MAL because you will meet a bunch of anime lovers there and having a bunch of links is the most important thing for a blogger.

Thanks for reading guys. If you would like me to check out your blog leave a link in the comments below or send me an email via the contact form and I will get back to you within 24 hours with customized tips for all of you.

Should I Watch Bakemonogatari ?

Bakemonogatari :

Every other "anime connoisseur" seems to have a Monogatari profile picture or a monogatari series entry on their favorites list. Wanting to see what all the fuss was about, I gave Bake a whirl.

Story:

The thing that annoys me the most about the monogatari series is how on one hand it tries to be deep and philosophical while on the other hand, panders to fans of a very base level of entertainment. As a result, it feels like a pretentious and disingenuous harem, instead of the cerebral and psychological supernatural romp into the human psyche like it tries to make itself out to be.

Exhibit A: It's filled to the brim with fetishized female characters, 40% of which are lolis. I love lolis, don't get me wrong, but I cringe whenever I stop to consider the audience that Bakemonogatari is pandering to: people who want to feel smart and deep but also want to be surrounded by cute and sexy (little) girls. It's like the writer wanted to write both a serious story and a light-hearted romcom story at the same time, and Bakemonogatari was born as an amalgamation of these two conflicting desires. To me, this combination doesn't work.

Exhibit B: Arararararagi is a low-key self-insert shounen protagonist. Sure, he's somewhat entertaining to watch, but once you take a step back you realize he's a predictable goody-two-shoes who constantly "saves" cute girls because he sees fit to do so. The show may try to make his motivations sound all grandiose, but if you boil them all down they're just generic happy-go-lucky bullshit that every other shounen protagonist has been spouting for the last decade or so. While I'm certainly not against helping out specifically female characters or anything, it gets really stale and the harem undertones really creep to the surface after he's saved the 5th female character in a row and she's fallen in love with him like the rest who came before her. People praise this series for "subverting the tropes" and "elevating the harem genre to the next level" but I ain't feeling jack shit. The protagonist is fucking boring, the characters are unlikable (Senjougahara can go choke on a thumbtack), and the dialogue feels like it's overcompensating for something.

While we're discussing the dialogue, the conversations are absurdly drawn-out to frankly obscene levels. It's great to have some witty banter between characters but sometimes the show just never knows when to stop. Hachikuji's arc was the worst offender out of all of them in terms of droning dialogue. There is no need for 10 minutes of constant discourse about trite subjects that go on tangents and loop back into itself a cow's intestines. Each of these conversations can be just as entertaining and meaningful in less than half the duration that they actually went on for. I don't know what Bakemonogatari is trying to do with the dialogue; I feel like it's trying waaaay too hard to compensate for the author's inability to express depth through any other means.

At the end of the day, my main problem with Bakemonogatari is that it feels incredibly wish-fulfillment, self-insert, and fetishized. Writing-wise, it's sound - profound, and sometimes moving, even. But in light of all the problems I've listed earlier, it feels incredibly disingenuous and pretentious, rather than playful and sophisticated.

Let's take Natsume Yuujinchou as a parallel. They're both supernatural series that delves into the human psyche. However, Natsume Yuujinchou never tries to be something that it's not. It has genuine heart. Its characters are flawed but also feel human. It gently takes you by the hand, and leads you on a journey of love, friendship, and self-discovery. Bakemonogatari, on the other hand, waves its dick in your face, tries to woo you with its meta humor and philosophical drivel, introduces a cute girl, shows you her problems, sniffs her panties, then saves her like the damsel in distress that she is, then sniffs her panties again, then introduces another cute girl. Rinse and repeat. I get it dawg I get it. You're really deep, even though you're a creep. What's that? You're inviting me to be a creep along with you too? Nah man. Unlike you, I'm not that far up my own asshole yet.

Art:
Great. Shaft's signature style is nothing to scoff and all of the girls' tits and asses are beautifully drawn, rendered and juxtaposed against the symbolic backdrops and rapid cuts. Art and animation-wise, you won't find anything like Bakemonogatari anywhere else.

Sound:
The soundtrack is actually really good. The OPs and most of the EDs are a treat to listen to every time. Nadeko's ED song, Renai Circulation, is a god meme.

Characters:
Hachikuji is the sexiest female character to ever be designed by a carbon-based lifeform in the observable universe in the milky way galaxy in the solar system in planet earth in japan

Enjoyment:
I fapped to Nadeko's bare ass with my left hand and read the unabridged version of Crime and Punishment with my right. Is this the Monogatari Effect?

Overall:
6/10 would be an intellectual pedophile again.

Should I Watch Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Kai?

Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Kai:

Story:

Higurashi became quite a goddamn mess because Ryukishi07 tried to incorporate too many new ideas into his series without the proper execution or build-up.
First of all, it loves being really dark and edgy, but at the same time, it doesn't know when to fucking give it a rest; it has an annoying penchant for dragging out the torture of its characters, as if more suffering and pain = higher quality of writing. As a result, the story sometimes becomes too edgy and takes itself way too seriously to be enjoyable. Whatever comic relief the writer shoehorned in is usually unfunny, sometimes cringy, or even downright annoying.
Don't get me wrong, it's completely fine - cool, even - to be edgy. Some of my favorite series are extremely edgy. The problem with Higurashi is that it just doesn't know how to have fun. Sometimes I feel as if it just loves to torture and create a pity party for its characters for the sake of it.

In contrast, look at something like Umineko: it rolls around in the puddle of blood, shit, and guts that it creates, smears brains all over its face, and chases after the reader with its bloody hands like a little kid playing tag. It downright invites the reader to laugh at the atrocity along with it. Despite doing these edgy things, at its very core, it understands extremely well what compassion is; it knows how to pull its characters up by the hand. It knows how to be a complete monster without alienating or boring its audience with the same shtick over and over.

Furthermore, Higurashi has made me suspend my disbelief one too many times . For instance, during many chase scenes, the characters just suddenly stop and start talking to each other, forgetting how to run until the enemy catches up with them. The time loop mechanic, along with Hanyuu, are shoehorned into the story with no context to try and explain away the resetting story arcs. While the writer, Ryukishi07, does explain this mechanic in a way that makes perfect sense in Umineko, it came completely out of the left field in Higurashi. And here, you see, is where Higurashi suddenly makes a leap into fantasy territory when for the entire first half it has been trying so hard to come across as a mystery. This mechanic will always feel off because it's been introduced so late into the story.

Also, a major suspension of disbelief and one of the biggest gripes I have with the story concerns a certain character's actions. If they have been in a time loop for hundreds and hundreds of years, shouldn't they have tried anything and everything under the goddamn sun? Why haven't they ever tried to explore the option of talking to their friends about it, if it works so well to break through this tragic fate? Did they just hold back for a few hundred years because the plot demands it? As a result, all of their struggles and suffering after the multi-verse reveal just seem artificial and unrealistic somehow. At some point, I became completely detached from the story, apathetic towards whatever happens to these characters who I feel have been overstaying their welcome in this drawn-out story.

At the end of the day, it feels as if Higurashi tried too many ideas without the proper writing prowess to back these ideas up. As a result, it fumbles the fuck out of the plot, pulling aliens, diseases, and organizations out of thin air and cooking up unbelievably cartoonish villains to mastermind a very forced and drawn-out tragedy that's edgy just for the sake of being edgy.

Art:

At least the characters' facial proportions don't look like those of deformed polio victims like in the 1st season.

Sound:
The opening is ok but not as good as the 1st season. The voice acting and sound design are mediocre at best and fucking annoying at worst i.e Keiichi's voice.

Character:
I don't even care anymore tbh

Enjoyment:
Ehhhhh It was just ok.

Overall:
6/10 Satoko did nothing wrong.

TLDR forget Higurashi go play the Umineko sound novel it's lit af tbh lmao it's amazing how much the writer improves after writing one mediocre series.

Should I Watch Guilty Crown?

Guilty Crown:

"Story":

Guilty Crown is to anime what Buzzfeed is to feminism: it takes the themes and ideas people care about and have been nurturing for decades across multiple different works, then proceeds smash them all together into one amorphous, mass-produced and easily-consumed piece of shit.

There's nothing to see here but a complete clusterfuck of tropes popularized by various series, with the most blatant rip-offs coming from Evangelion and Code Geass. Not only is the protagonist a dumbed-down and pathetic discount Shinji Ikari, the plot unfolds exactly like how you would expect a Code Geass rip-off would - with the main character joining a resistance group that fights against some kind of authority. However, the difference is that in Code Geass, Lelouch is the boss of his organization. In Guilty Crown, Ouma Shu is just some bitch ass wet noodle who just happens to have special powers and is reluctantly dragged into the conflict by a sexy pink-haired girl who he immediately assumes wants to suck his dick. I honestly do not feel invested in any of the conflicts that occur, thanks to Shu, who always looks like he could be having twice as much fun jerking off in a corner somewhere. But you see, having a flawed protagonist isn't the problem here. The more flawed a protagonist, the more room there is for development and audience sympathy. Take Shinji Ikari for example, I genuinely feel bad for the kid because of his lonely past and because he is forced to face the horrifying ordeal of piloting an Eva just to gain his dad's approval. However, I can't even bring myself to do that with Ouma Shu, simply because he is the one of the wimpiest, whiniest, and most incomprehensible pussies to grace a screen. None of his troubles are even substantial enough to warrant the mental breakdowns that he exhibits every time they occur - he actually has a fairly good life with everything handed to him, from his powers, his friends, and even his hot fantasy love interest. Everyone else in the cast are extremely one-dimensional and cliched, grating enough for anyone who's seen them over and over again in other anime to want to punch them all in their fucking faces.

Not only are the characters atrocious, the writing and plot overall is also a fucking joke. The show pulls deus ex machinas every other episode in the form of extremely convenient Voids that are perfect for each predicament that the characters find themselves. Everything is extremely predictable - no one seems to be in any real danger, and nothing seems to be at stake. At one point, Ouma Shu somehow manages to convince his friends to go on a suicide mission with him because "the guys i'm about to save make me feel significant as a person so I want you to help me save them so I can keep feeling significant." Then right after that arc, a hackneyed and bullshit backstory involving random incest rears its head. At this point, I snapped. The shitty writing was too much for me. There were too many cliched, convenient, and inexplicable plot devices for my suspension of disbelief to stay intact, and so I stopped giving a fuck altogether.

Art:
It's extremely generic and uninteresting but is nice to look at. Other than that, nothing special.

Sound:
It sounds ok. Great, even. Supercell is a godsend. But like Claris, they make great music for really shitty anime. I want to fucking cry.

Characters:
deez nuts

Enjoyment:
Supercell was the only good thing to ever happen to this show.

Overall:
4/10 would shoot myself in the balls before watching this again

Should I Watch Barakamon?

Barakamon:

Story & Characters:

Barakamon is an absolute gem and deserves every bit of praise and popularity that it gets. The way it builds its world and characters is nothing short of magic, weaving a big but lovable cast of three dimensional humans who are just living out their mundane lives and through doing so, gradually discover new things about themselves. Character interactions and dynamics are extremely entertaining, oftentimes heartwarming. Its not so much the setting as it is the characters that make this show, and fuck me if the characters aren't believable, well written, and well developed. There's not much else I can say about Barakamon's simple but immensely enjoyable story because that's the magic of Barakamon: its premise is deceptively unimpressive on paper, but once you start watching it, you will feel the effectiveness of its writing seep through your very soul, and be reminded once again of why you even started watching anime as an entertainment medium in the first place.

Art:
Kinema Citrus did an amazing job with its character designs, animation, and color palette - everything on the island looks vibrant and full of life. The facial expressions are all perfect and convey all the right emotions at all the right times. It's truly great stuff.

Sound:
Both the openings and endings are topgun. They perfectly capture the show's joyful energy and sense of wonder. The background tracks that play during each episode are usually very mellow and easy-going, fitting right in with the mood of the anime.

Enjoyment:
Just sit back, relax, and feel the magic of Barakamon's simple but profound and touching writing.

Overall:
10/10 very few slice-of-life shows have managed to contain as much heart and soul and Barakamon, and I doubt we will see anything so deep and genuine like it again for a quite a long time.

Should I Watch Drifters?

Drifters :

Story:

There's no denying it; Drifters is glorified fan fiction.

However, it's *good* fanfiction.

While the character development is subpar, the characterization is done very well. Oftentimes, Kohta Hirano would adapt a "show, not tell" storytelling style, demonstrating to audience what kind of person a character is through his or her bombastic actions rather than explaining it to them. Thanks to its larger-than-life cast of characters and fantastical setting, if nothing else, Drifters is extremely fun and interesting to watch. Its premise of portraying historical figures in a fantasy setting is simple and straightforward but also immensely satisfying. There is something inherently intriguing about seeing people from across the ages cross the boundaries of space and time to interact and fight with or against one another, and Kohta Hirano, the original author of Drifters, understands this completely.

Also, another thing I like about Drifters is that it's not afraid to portray wanton violence that befits its characters and setting. Toyohisa is a samurai from the Sengoku period, and it makes sense that he has no qualms about slaughtering hordes of enemy soldiers. The same goes for Nobunaga the ruthless tactician, who cares as much for human life as he cares for the shit that he smears onto his booby traps, and Yoichi, an assassin bowman who picks off stragglers like a seagull picking off baby turtles crawling out to sea. Watching these historical figures wreak havoc on screen, you can really tell that the writer did his homework, that he is really having a lot of fun writing about these people, and that he's inviting the audience to step into his weird world to have fun with him too.

TLDR: interesting setting, compelling characters, subpar character development, competent pacing, and overall just a blast to watch

Art:
Very stylish and vibrant. The art manages to perfectly capture Kohta Hirano's signature cool, dark and edgy drawing style, staying true to its source material in both character designs and art style.

Sound:
The OP, Gospel of the Throttle, may appear unremarkable at first, but it gradually grows on you with the help of the accompanying OP visuals. The sound effects during really really highlight the weight of each sword swing, bullet fired, each disembodied limb that gets ripped from each enemy soldier. 8/10 for sound

Enjoyment:
9/10 would see Hannibal piss his pants again

Should I Watch Hajime no Ippo?

Hajime no Ippo:

Story and characters:

Let me say that I have never really cared for boxing at all. It has never seemed exciting or appealing to me.

But holy fuck.

Never have I seen boxing, of all things, depicted in such a passionate, uplifting, breathtaking, and intense manner.

It is not an exaggeration to say that Hajime no Ippo lives and dies by its writing - its simple yet masterful writing. Boxing itself is not the actual focus here; Hajime no Ippo is a story about humans and their undying wish to fulfill their dreams and ambitions, no matter how beaten and bruised they get in the process. All of its characters have depth and feel human; they have hopes, dreams, emotions, fears, complexes, and believable backstories. Never will you see them as just a caricature or a trope, Hajime no Ippo's writing consistently makes them feel human through all 75 episodes, and you, as an audience, will sympathize with and get extremely attached to these characters, rooting for them whenever they are fighting in the ring. This fact is true no matter which corner you gaze at the boxing ring from: even Ippo's opponents are given proper backstory and characterization. The magic of Hajime no Ippo's writing is that there is never a clear "villain" or "protagonist" in the ring, just two people who are pouring their hearts and souls into their fists, chasing their dreams with all their might.
That's right. No matter where you look, there are only people worthy of sympathy and respect. That's Hajime no Ippo.

With the characters out of the way, let's discuss Hajime no Ippo's plot. The story is very straightforward: it follows Makunouchi Ippo's on his journey to become the champion of the featherweight boxing division. It excels at everything it does to try and entertain its audience, from hilarious bits of comedy to extremely intense, suspenseful and powefully animated matches; there is never a dull moment watching Hajime no Ippo.

Art:
For an anime made at the turn of the millennium, Hajime no Ippo looks very good and has a charming retro feel to it. The animation quality (courtesy of Madhouse) is breathtaking, and every punch, jab and hook thrown in the ring look like they immense weight and power behind them.

Sound:
This is most likely the only show in existence to ever use jet engine sounds to accompany punches. The sound effects are powerful and perfectly complements the strength and ferocity behind the action sequences that occurs on screen. The openings are decent and catchy even, but some of them are not as remarkable as the first.

Enjoyment:
A complete blast from start to finish.

Overall: 10/10 an absolute must-watch underrated gem. Throw away your skepticism and preconceptions against boxing because this show is gonna take them and blow them all to kingdom come.

Should I Watch Boku dake ga Inai Machi?

Boku dake ga Inai Machi:

*minor spoilers*

Story:

Are you fucking kidding me?

An unsaid rule among works of fiction with the "mystery" label is that the "mystery" should be oblique and hard to solve. All the clues should be interspersed throughout the series, subtly but surely leading up to an unexpected but satisfying conclusion.

On the contrary, Erased masterfully builds up a mysterious, bone-chilling and suspenseful atmosphere for 8 episodes, then trips and falls flat on its face with a pathetic reveal of who the culprit is. "What the fuck, that's it?" is all you'll be left thinking as the show's main character acts as if it's never even crossed his mind that this person, who is the most suspicious and obvious of them all, is the culprit. The show acts as if you're the weird one for even suspecting the guy, even when he is the most fucking suspicious person out of all of them.

Also, while the show is masterful at building suspense, it sometimes devolves into an unrealistic mess, requiring the audience to stretch their suspension of disbelief a bit too thin.

For instance, a lot of viewers will agree with me that the protagonist's behavior is extremely incredulous. You expect me to believe that a full grown adult can start acting exactly like a kid at the drop of a hat? On top of that, his act is so convincing that no one, not even his close friends, ever picks up on anything?

Also, why are none of the kids acting like kids? One of them is a cool-headed psychoanalyst who can pick up on subtle cues in the protagonist and immediately tell that something is wrong. Is this is how kids really were in the 90's? Or are all the millennial kids I know retards with iPads?

And also, why the fuck would the protagonist not do everything he can to change the past from the very get go? Has the gravity of the situation not sunken into him yet because the plot demands it? Does he need to fail at least once and has to redo before he realizes how fucked he is in his present timeline, before he decides to do things seriously? The protagonist's frustrating first failure completely stems from his inexplicable obliviousness to the gravity of his situation, and in retrospect it just felt like a cheap way to artificially pad out the show's run time.
These are only a few of the plot holes that drag this show down, but it'd be a pain to go into all of them so I'll stop here.

TLDR Erased is great as a thriller, but sucks dick as a mystery.

Art:

The color palette is drab and bleak, fitting in really well with the dark atmosphere of the show.

Sound:

While I'm a bit lukewarm on the OP, the ED is really great. It impeccably captures the pain and loneliness of the main character as he tries to watch over and save his friend.

Enjoyment:

Despite all its faults, I would be lying if I said I didn't enjoy the majority of Erased. As a thriller, it's great, but as a mystery, it kinda sucks balls.

Overall:
7/10

Should I Watch Elfen Lied?

Elfen Lied:

*minor spoilers*

Story:

Just picture a lonely emo who wants to jerk off more than he wants to die. That's Elfen Lied.

That is to say, Elfen Lied is a pretentious and edgy tryhard piece of shit.

On one hand, it tries to be a very "dark and edgy" show that explores pretentious themes such as child abuse and exploitation, government-sanctioned cruelty, etc etc but it remains just that: edgy. There is really no point to all the pain and torture that it puts its characters through. They don't really grow, nor do they really propel the plot forward. I say "plot" but that'd be too generous. Nothing groundbreaking or interesting ever fucking happens and no one ever grows. Miyu drifts to shore. Miyu does something. Kouta screams at Miyu. Miyu runs away. Someone comes at Miyu. Miyu kills them then comes back to Kouta. Rinse and repeat until the massive clusterfuck that is the ending. Not only is the the story stale and boring, the characters are fucking annoying and one-dimensional: Kouta is your average bitch-ass anime protagonist who's always clueless and passive as fuck, while Yuka wants to suck Kouta's dick for no apparent reason other than to shoehorn in the romance aspect that I will discuss later. Lucy (or Miyu), a walking plot hole, somehow drifts to the exact same shore that Kouta lives, then somehow loses her memories and becomes mentally challenged whenever she's around Kouta, then changes back whenever there's an enemy, then becomes mentally challenged again whenever Kouta comes for her. What the fuck is this personality switch plot device? Why is it even here? What purpose does it serve?
Is it because the show doesn't really know how to commit a dark story? Is it because it somehow still wants to jerk off to moe while at the same time be dark and emo?

On the other hand, it also introduces a melodramatic romance aspect with bullshit love triangles that go absolutely nowhere and serve no purpose in the story other than building a low-key harem for the protagonist. There is absolutely no point in Yuka falling in love with Kouta. This incest romance aspect feels completely unnecessary and out-of-place in a dark show like this. Even then, it would at least be tolerable if it didn't move slower than a disabled war veteran with Parkinson's. The MAIN problem lies with Kouta and Yuka, full grown adults who approach their emotions like autistic elementary schoolers. Thanks to them, the show has an excuse to fuck around with banal and obscene rom-com scenarios that I'd rather poke my fucking eyes out with a ball-point pen than sit through.

TLDR: edgy pretentious and inconsistent writing riddled with convenient plot devices; pointless story; dipshit characters; braindead romance; lukewarm ending. It's bad through and through tbh.

Art:
It's below average. The animation is mediocre; everything has this piss brown and puke grey hue over them to try and accentuate the "dark mood" of the story which I find to be pretty funny in light of how the story actually is. Also, the gore is really well done - so well that oftentimes I see people sell this anime on the gore, and to me that's the mark of terrible fucking anime: when the gore and not the writing is all a show has going for it.

Sound:
The OP has a very creepy and mystical feel to it which fits with what the series tries to be, but other than that it's not a really good song and I wouldn't want to listen to it again. I won't talk about the rest of the soundtrack because fucked if I remember any of it.

"Characters":
Kek

Enjoyment:
No matter how strongly I wanted to die, I forced myself to sit through to the very end to see what the fuss was all about, which made me enjoy it even less.

Overall:
3/10

Should I Watch Angel Beats!?

Angel Beats!:

*spoilers*

Story:
You see, Angel Beats is dope as fuck.
It holds a very special place in my heart.

Was it the lonely and melancholic but captivating setting?

Was it the because of the batshit insane cast of characters and their hilarious and over-the-top interactions?

Was it because of the genuine emotions that gushes from every note, bar and line of music that the composer puts out?

Was it because of the touching backstories of the characters, which elevate them from just being characters into genuine human beings who have been completely beaten down by fate but are still living to their fullest as a member of the SSS, trying to grasp at a happiness that they could never experience when they were still alive?

Was it because of the intensely sad ending, which makes delicate emotions well up from the very bottom of your heart, making you feel as if you are about to cry your heart out along with Otonashi, who is left behind all alone in a vast purgatory of emptiness?

It's actually none of these.

It's actually because Yui is the absolutely #1 most bae anime waifu of all time oh my fucking god. Everything about her is just brilliant and perfect, from her backstory to her personality to her character design. She's the embodiment of a person who lives her life the best she can. She's jubilant, energetic, bouncy, and contagious. She screams, jumps, sings and dances her way through life, infusing you with a strange energy that makes you also want to rip your shirt open, smash all the windows in your house, light the curtains on fire, and break your laptop in fucking half on your knees. You'd do it for Yui. You'd do it for her pink hair, her wide, innocent eyes, her cute little fang that peeks around the corner whenever she shows off her dazzling smile that's as bright as a thousand supernovas combined. She put black leather straps all around her body to accentuate her personality as a "punk rock girl" but combined with her cute physique it all becomes moe as fuck. But don't be fooled. She excessively decorates herself and acts with utmost joy and energy only because of her tragic and painful past: her paralysis has led to her inability to do the things she wants. And now that she has been given a chance to move freely in this purgatory world, she goes all out and pulls no punches; she unleashes all of her pent-up frustration from all those immobile years of her life in a flurry of energy, puts on all the things that she's always wanted to wear, and immediately joins a rock band. And finally, when she finds true love with Hinata-kun, you don't even feel jealous. You feel happy for Yui. You feel satisfied that the person you love has found happiness, has finally found the final ray of light that has been missing from her life all along, that will finally allow her to ascend from purgatory. This emotion is as tearjerking as it is profound, heart-wrenching as it is euphoric. This is love, the single element that makes up everything in this world. Without love, the truth can't be seen. And aren't you happy that Angel Beats has allowed you to see it?

Art:
Yui is the best anime grill to have ever been designed by a carbon-based lifeform living within the bounds of the ozone layer on planet earth in the solar system in the Milky Way galaxy in the observable universe.

Sound:
Everything is perfect. It's a masterpiece.

Character:

Enjoyment:
Makes me feel like I'm Betelgeuss from Re:Zero but instead of saying "My brain trembles" like he does I say "My heart (and penis) trembles"

Overall:
10/10 would have a fucking stroke writing a review again

Should I Watch Overlord?

Overlord:

Story & Character:

Overlord is a self-insert power fantasy done right. Although the plot may be completely predictable and even bland at times, its diverse and interesting cast is what makes it shine. Overlord is the show Sword Art Online wanted to be but spectacularly failed to be.

Consider this: while SAO features a jerkoff protagonist with the personality of a hot turd surrounded by a pack of flies i.e a harem of virtual girls who inexplicably want to suck his dick, Overlord features a dude who loves to role play as an undead skeleton overlord but is actually insecure inside and easily succumbs to the pressure of having to meet the expectations of his minions who, incidentally, also want to suck his dick because they were literally programmed to suck his dick.

You see the difference?

The characters make and break this show, and it certainly is not boring in this regard. The Tomb of Nazarick is a colorful place with extensive history and lore, and seeing its inhabitants interact with the world around them is not only satisfying but intriguing. It's dark, it's edgy, and its characters are anti-heroic at best and cartoonishly villainous at worst. It's Overlord, and it's fun to watch. It's not exactly Shakespeare, nor is it a gritty fantasy psychological thriller like Re:Zero. It has the bare world-building and writing needed to immerse you into the story, but the thing that will have you staying is once again, its cast of crazy characters.

Art:
While Madhouse worked their usual magic for the first few episodes, the animation quality really dropped off towards the end. Other than that, everything from the color palette to the character designs are fine.

Sound:
Overlord's soundtrack is quite decent - good even. The OP and EDs are fairly catchy and will quickly grow on you.

Enjoyment:
9/10
I'll be honest, watching Overlord is pure guilty pleasure.

Overall:
8/10

Should I Watch Rokka no Yuusha?

Rokka no Yuusha:

Story:
Rokka no Yuusha started out quite strong, but ran out of stamina (source material) halfway through and fumbled the fuck out of its pacing for the second half, accumulating into a giant fucking slap to the face of any viewer who has been watching it for the mystery aspect.

You see, this is what happens when a 1 cour anime tries to adapt only 1 volume of source material, and in doing so, stretches the pacing out so thin that it becomes downright infuriating. The pace slows the a crawl for each episode as conflict after conflict arises for no apparent reason, incited by dipshit and braindead characters with an inexplicable "shoot first and ask questions later" mentality.

Also, the answer to the central mystery of the show is fucking trash. The most obvious suspect is actually the culprit; there was never really any mystery to begin with. You'll be left staring at the screen in disbelief as the show acts as if this insulting answer is some insane plot twist straight out of The Matrix; it felt like the show had shat on me, spat on me and given me the middle finger - all at once. I know what you're trying to say to me, Rokka. Don't worry, the feeling's mutual.

story 4/10 it's a real piece of shit

Art:
It's pretty and colorful and has some interesting character designs, which sadly, have been wasted on a show with subpar writing.

Sound:
Above average at best and mediocre at worst.

Character:
The characters started out with a lot potential but slowly devolved into retarded parodies of themselves, acting extremely immaturely, impulsively, and irrationally just because the plot demands more conflict. Whatever interesting or endearing traits there are are completely negated by their frustrating actions later on.

Enjoyment:
I enjoyed a lot it at the start but my enjoyment just teetered out as the show dragged on, then completely burned out at the pathetic "the moment of truth".

Overall:
5/10 don't watch this shit

Should I Watch Howl no Ugoku Shiro?

Howl no Ugoku Shiro:

Story & Writing:
Nowhere is Hayao Miyazaki's surreal magic more perceptible than in Howl's Moving Castle. He has the ability to turn adults back into little kids at the wave of his finger; at the drop of a pen. He sucks you into his world of imagination, holds you and does not let you go.

Howl's Moving Castle had me completely absorbed within the first minute of its runtime. I was so completely engrossed in its world, so vibrant and full of detail, that before I knew it, an hour, then two, had zipped by. The story, the characters, and the setting are all charming and captivating. Also, Miyazaki's trademark mind-boggling attention to detail goes an extremely long way to make it all the more believable and engrossing.

To understand why the writing of Howl is so good, one must understand the universal and unspoken rule of effective writing: "Show, not tell." Never does Howl underestimate the intelligence of its audience. It always shows us the pieces, and makes us fit them together on our own. It forsakes verbal exposition in favor of pacing and storytelling, and everything works out to a tee. It is as clever and witty as it is playful and humorous, but the truly amazing thing is how subtly the movie presents these elements to its viewers. For instance, punchlines are understated and low-key; foreshadowing is scattered all throughout and characterization is deep but subtle.

In other words, think of the show's writing as something that kids would understand 60% of and would greatly enjoy, but thinking adults would understand 90-100% of and enjoy even more.

There are a few gripes that I have with this movie, and one of them is that the character development happens too quickly. At times, characters seemingly fall in love with one another out of nowhere at times, their attitudes change so drastically from one scene to the next that it's disorienting if you haven't already picked up on the cues as to why that character has changed that the show must have dropped somewhere before.

Also, the movie became too cryptic towards the end. Context is seemingly lost and all conflicts got resolved too quickly and too instantaneously. But I guess at the end of the day, that's not the point of Howl. You don't need to understand all the fine details of the plot to enjoy Howl. You just sit back and let yourself get swept up by Miyazaki's magic.

Art:
Amazing. Not only is the scenery constantly vibrant and breathtaking, the characters' animations are something else. The way they move is so nuanced and packed with detail that these motions alone tell a story of their own. Also, the fact that every single animation frame is hand-drawn and every single background is hand-painted is mind-blowing. I don't think I've seen a lick of CG throughout the 2 hours of runtime.

Sound:
The fully orchestrated soundtrack is captivating and greatly heightens the effect of every scene.

Enjoyment:
9/10

Overall:
9/10

Should I Watch Kiseijuu: Sei no Kakuritsu?

Kiseijuu: Sei no Kakuritsu:

*minor spoilers*

Story & Writing:

"I expect this to be difficult for you to comprehend, given human emotions. However, we are fragile. We are merely a lifeform that cannot survive on its own. Don't bully us too much."

Kiseijuu was heavily inspired by The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka and had the potential to be a 10/10 series but I felt it only made the most of 70% of its potential. Great concept with semi-realistic execution and amazing soundtrack. The transformation and internal struggles of Shinichi is very gradual and believable. His life is a balancing act between humanity and the parasites. The conflicts and unions of interests between him and his right arm are always interesting to watch, and although he vows to reject the parasites, claiming that he can never sympathize with them, he does come as close as he can get to a parasite without actually becoming one. The various themes explored are also quite intriguing, ranging from existentialism, nihilism, individualism, to the sanctity and cruelty of life. Kiseijuu is anything but one-sided in its treatment of the either sides of the conflict. Not only do the parasites slowly become more humanlike, but the humans also slowly become more like the parasites.

Or, rather, the humans have been the original parasites all along.

However, on the flip side the show is bogged down by dipshit scumfuck romance subplots, complete with extremely annoying love interests. The romantic triangle mini-arc completely destroyed the atmosphere and pacing of the story, and annoyed me to no end. Also, while Shinichi's girlfriend is interesting in that she serves as a beacon of the human world that Shinichi still has one foot in and is trying to pull the rest of his body over to, she's a useless whiny bitch whose only purpose every time she's on-screen is to bitch, whine, and cry. Halfway through the show my only desire is to see her die a violent death.

As I've said before, Kiseijuu only made use of 70% of its potential because some of its most compelling themes feel underdeveloped and not as fleshed out as it could. Instead, the show chose to allot too much of its runtime to action scenes and retarded romantic relationships. What a waste.

Art:

Madhouse's animation is a visual treat as always, with insane and ultra-realistic tentacle animations the like you'd never seen before in all 20+ years of tentacle hentai history. The movements and anatomy of the parasites are mind-blowingly detailed and life-like, greatly enhancing the immersiveness of the show.

The color palette consists mostly of very dull and dark colors, which fits in quite well with the atmosphere the show is trying to create.

However, I feel like Madhouse really pussied out on the gore department. A lot of the carnage happens off-screen rather than on-screen, and when the gore does happen it's usually out-of-frame or soft-censored. Fuck that noise. In a dark and violent story like this, gore goes a long way to set the tone. Don't overdo it, but don't understate it either.

Sound:

Damn holy shit. These electronic trance and dubstep tracks really blew my mind. I haven't heard an anime series with a soundtrack this good since Re:Zero.

Enjoyment:

7/10

Overall:

7/10