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ThePatches

  • Sillver Spring, MD
  • Joined Jun 11, 2009
  • 41 / M
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Tsuritama

Sep 24, 2012

Story
Most anime is some form of coming of age story. Heck, a large chunk of literature is about growing up. From Journey to The West (Dragon Ball those in the know) to Guilty Crown to Catcher in the Rye, it’s all about how a boy (or a girl. Anime likes to tell this story about girls a bit, too) learns to accept himself and then change the world. Tsuritama, surprisingly, manages to... See full review

8.5/10 story
7/10 animation
7.5/10 sound
8.5/10 characters
8/10 overall

Nisemonogatari

May 2, 2012

Story
I really, really meant to review Bakemonogatari way back when it aired, since the show seemed to captivate the anisphere. Here’s the thing: I was never quite sure what I watched. To me, the show was overly complex when it didn’t need to be, a continual tease, and only “intelligent” in the way two teenagers up late talking about life can be. But I held my tongue. I could never form a set of arguments that satisfied me. ... See full review

5/10 story
9.5/10 animation
8/10 sound
7/10 characters
6.5/10 overall

Working'!!

Jan 26, 2012

Story
Working!! nearly wore out its welcome when it first aired. As the season wound down, the emphasis on Takanashi and Inami’s relationship began to consume all the screen time, reducing the fun and episodic slice of life series to a monotonously dysfunctional romance. So. Should we watch a second season when the first seemed to run out of steam? OF COURSE. With the two “leads” at a sort of developmental detente, Working'!! explodes in a bunch of... See full review

7/10 story
7/10 animation
7.5/10 sound
8.5/10 characters
7.5/10 overall

Sacred Seven

Nov 22, 2011

Story
Some of you fondly remember being a twelve year old anime fan. Back then the foundations of incredible storytelling--compelling plot twists, subtle characterization, and good acting--seemed of little import. What mattered most was whether the battles were awesome and the characters looked cool. For those of you deeply in touch with this younger self and a few hours to kill, run along and watch Sacred Seven. The rest of you, stick around a bit before you decide how to spend your time. Sacred Seven works by... See full review

5/10 story
8/10 animation
6.5/10 sound
4/10 characters
5.5/10 overall

Hidamari Sketch x Hoshimittsu

Sep 26, 2011

Story
4-koma adapatations are probably among my favorite anime. Their predictable pacing relaxes me, and the humor can range from raunchy (Doujin Work) to deliberately strange (Azumanga Daioh). Of these, ones set in high school seem to pop up again and again, threatening to make the genre grow stale. And then, there's Hidamari Sketch. SHAFT's work stands from the crowd out by marrying simple... See full review

7/10 story
8/10 animation
10/10 sound
6.5/10 characters
7.5/10 overall

Working!!

Aug 18, 2011

Story
Thanks to Lucky Star and Azumanga Daioh, it seems at times that “slice-of-life” is synononamous with high school. However, titles that buck that trend like Doujin Work and Muteki Kanban Musume demonstrate that the world at large holds just as many laughs and it’s into this tradition that Working!! falls. This series follows ... See full review

6/10 story
6.5/10 animation
8/10 sound
7.5/10 characters
7/10 overall

Ground Control to Psychoelectric Girl

Jul 28, 2011

Story
With its self-contained plot, small cast, and punchy finale, the first half of Denpa Onna to Seshun Otoko plays out like a clever OVA. After moving to the big city to live with his aunt, Makoto Niwa juggles a flirtation-filled school life with the thorny problem of his deluded cousin, Erio (she thinks she’s an alien and spends all her time wearing a futon). As he slowly... See full review

7/10 story
7/10 animation
7.5/10 sound
7/10 characters
7/10 overall

Kimi ni Todoke - From Me To You Season 2

May 23, 2011

Story
In the spring of 2010, Kimi ni Todoke charmed many viewers with its floral visuals and stunning performance by Mamiko Noto as Sawako Kuronuma. Like a rarefied picture of high school romance, the series drew out the bittersweet anticipation that comes from not knowing how your crush feels about you, and turned it into a kind of delightful torture--for viewers who were into that kind of thing... See full review

6/10 story
7.8/10 animation
8/10 sound
6/10 characters
6/10 overall

Guardian Ninja Mamoru!

May 2, 2011

Story
There is a place in everyone’s diet for comfort food. Whether it be a functional fantasy OVA like Ruin Explorers or a serviceable moe comedy like Kanamemo, not everything produced can or intends to touch greatness. Kage Kara Mamoru slides easily into this general bin, forfeiting any minor ambitions in order to become a security blanket of competence. And for the most part, it... See full review

5/10 story
4/10 animation
4/10 sound
5.5/10 characters
5/10 overall

Squid Girl

Mar 3, 2011

Story
It’s no secret that I like silly slice of life anime. Generally the less plot on display, the happier I am. So, when I fired up Shinryaku! Ika-musume, I knew there was a significant chance that I’d at least like the show. But this little anime’s potent mix of outlandish situations and well-placed narrative fake-outs surprised even me. Shinryaku! Ika-musume starts with an absurd premise: a squid-girl rises from the ocean intent on enslaving humanity armed only with an imperious attitude and ten... See full review

7.5/10 story
7/10 animation
8/10 sound
7/10 characters
7.5/10 overall

Tantei Opera Milky Holmes

Jan 21, 2011

Story
Remember when you were little and your parents left you alone in the house? You got out that giant mixing bowl and threw ALL of your favorite foods into it: pizza bites, pretzels, ice cream, chocolate and strawberry syrup, whipped cream, and cookie dough. Face it, it tasted awful. That, ladies and gentlemen is kind of what Tantei Opera Milky Holmes is--an ill-considered, pandering clusterfuck of moe. Tantei Opera Milky Holmes is an excuse to name some high school students after famous fictional detectives... See full review

2/10 story
3/10 animation
4.5/10 sound
1/10 characters
2/10 overall

Iria: Zeiram The Animation

Nov 28, 2010

Story
Back in the late '90's, I approached anime purchases as an exciting gamble. Armed only with a fistfull of cash earned from long hours as a soccer referee and unbounded enthusiasm, I would go to the video store and buy something, based only on attractiveness of its box art. In this magical time filled with VHS tapes and blissful ignorance, Iria: Zeiram the Animation by chance, drawn in by is short length and comely heroine. While not a masterpiece of storytelling, animation, or sound, it does everything a good OVA... See full review

6.5/10 story
7.5/10 animation
6.5/10 sound
7/10 characters
7/10 overall

Sekirei: Pure Engagement

Nov 17, 2010

Story THIS IS A REVIEW OF THE SECOND SEASON. AS SUCH, IT WILL CONTAIN SOME SPOILERS FOR SEASON ONE. You have been warned. Awhile ago, I reviewed Sekirei's first season as mediocre but entertaining. Its cocktail of boobs, action, foreshadowing, and boobs failed to live up to its potential, but I could see a strong possibility for improvement on the horizon. Luckily, the 2010 sequel, Sekirei ~Pure Engagement~ seems... See full review

7/10 story
4.5/10 animation
6.5/10 sound
5.5/10 characters
6/10 overall

Detroit Metal City

Nov 8, 2010

Story
I first learned about Detroit Metal City via an ANN review of the manga. The purile, no-holds-barred, and vulgar work proved to be a comedic gem, and so when KiraRin goaded me into reviewing the Studio 4C OVA spinoff, I needed little convincing. Though the animation offers little that fans familiar with the manga won't recognize, the direction and soundtrack enhance the material admirably. True to its heavy metal spirit, the concert (OVA) does not deviate in content from the album (the manga) and the result is... See full review

6/10 story
7.5/10 animation
8.5/10 sound
6.5/10 characters
7/10 overall

Shamanic Princess

Sep 3, 2010

Story
Nearly everyone who watched anime in the era when you had to buy it from your local video store has dropped shows for financial reasons. Or because it wasn't available. Or because you forgot to continue buying it. Either way, the age of the internet (and a 9-5 job) allows you and I to return to those shows that you never got around to seeing through. Of the anime on my list that fits this bill, Shamanic Princess stood out, since I remember having no idea what it was really about beyond cool magical battles in the dark. So, when I returned to... See full review

7.5/10 story
8/10 animation
5.5/10 sound
8/10 characters
7/10 overall

Tweeny Witches

Aug 2, 2010

Story
My experience with Studio 4C had been--at the time--fleeting, but I can clearly remember seeing a preview for Tweeny Witches at Sakura-con in 2009. Despite the off-putting English language title, I did feel my heart beat faster and my imagination pique as the sequence rolled. The rich setting and fantastic characters implied a vast, sweeping narrative set in an engaging locale, which suited my escapist anime predilections perfectly; so when fellow reviewer therik asked me to give it as a spin before... See full review

6.5/10 story
9/10 animation
6/10 sound
6.75/10 characters
7/10 overall

Hanappe Bazooka

Jul 21, 2010

Story
It's easy to dismiss Go Nagai out-of-hand. His work is puerile, his characterization non-existent, and his art sloppy, but anyone can achieve these lows of quality. Nagai, on the other hand, frustrates, enrages, and offends because when a viewer takes time to consider his work he can see where his stories might have legs--had not their author been too obsessed with breasts, stupid expressions, and wanton violence. Encouraged to give him a second shot by an apologetic review of the Devilman manga, I fired up Hanappe... See full review

2.2/10 story
2/10 animation
4/10 sound
2/10 characters
2/10 overall

Demon King Daimao

Jun 28, 2010

Story
I have a deep affection for stupid, ecchi shows. Ninja Nonsense and Penguin Musume Heart rank among my favorite diversions and I'll watch a good, nudity-filled Xebec series any day of the week. Anime with no pretensions that provides amusing, modesty-driven humor forms an enjoyable staple in any male anime fan's diet. Riding high on the moderate success of Ladies Versus Butlers, I checked out ... See full review

6/10 story
6.5/10 animation
7/10 sound
7/10 characters
6.5/10 overall

Gakuen Utopia Manabi Straight!

Jun 16, 2010

Story
Cassie and I have similar taste in anime, which I find remarkable due to the fact that her list FAR outclasses mine and her favorite genre is shounen while mine is moe slice-of-life. But, when therik's incessant pestering had us buddy-grouping Manabi Straight, our near-uniform reaction to the title could only mean one thing: Joint review. What follows is part conversation, part essay, and all good. Cassie: It feels... See full review

4.5/10 story
8/10 animation
6.5/10 sound
5/10 characters
5.5/10 overall

Kimi ni Todoke - From Me To You

May 28, 2010

Story
Despite my Y chromosome, I have a thing for shoujo. Raised on Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman and The Cutting Edge, I love watching chemistry develop between two paramours from either furtive affection or outright antagonism into burning romance. Such a predilection stands behind my decision to watch Spring 2010's Kimi ni Todoke, a delicate flower of a high school love-story told through Production I.G.'s crisp visuals and astute sound direction. And, while the solid technical aspects and... See full review

7/10 story
8/10 animation
7.5/10 sound
8.75/10 characters
8/10 overall

Chokotto Sister

Apr 19, 2010

Story
It's nearly impossible to be an anime fan and avoid lolicon, as the medium as a whole is obsessed with youth sexuality. Though I've seen Kyou no Go no Ni and Kanamemo, I felt it was high time to try out the lurid and colorful world of more directly pandering shows, and so fired up Chokotto Sister. While I did not find a dark and twisted new fetish, I was beguiled by the adorable girl, her tantalizing, blank notebook, and her gaggle of entertaining... See full review

5/10 story
6.75/10 animation
7.5/10 sound
6.5/10 characters
6.5/10 overall

Ultimate Girls

Mar 23, 2010

Story
Skin and parody go hand-in-hand. As the US porn industry knows, the fastest way to make a good send-up of a famous movie or popular genre is to strip everyone naked, add some corny dialogue and milk the associations (among other things). Of late, we've seen Seitokai no Ichizon parody every popular anime of the last decade and Ladies Versus Butlers making fun of itself, so how could a satire of a classic show like Ultraman fail? Well, Ultimate Girls demonstrates that... See full review

2/10 story
4/10 animation
5/10 sound
2/10 characters
3/10 overall

Soul Eater

Feb 7, 2010

Story
Let's talk for a moment about pacing. Pacing is the rate at which a story progresses; the speed at which the plot develops can make or break any narrative effort, but appears to me to be an acute issue in anime. The deft, non-linear approach of Higurashi no Naku Koro ni keeps its viewers on the edge of their seats. Conversely, the plodding half-formed yarn of Aoi Hana withers when almost nothing happens (even by the statue-speed standards of yuri romance, that anime fails). Of all anime, ... See full review

7/10 story
8.5/10 animation
8/10 sound
7.5/10 characters
8/10 overall

Toriko

Jan 12, 2010

Story
Watch enough good anime and you start to ask more from it as a medium, and then the malaise sets in. If it doesn't look as good as Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children, sound like Nodame Cantabile, and touch you like La Maison en Petit Cubes, then there's no point in watching it whatsoever. Sound familiar? Let me offer you a re-calibrating balm: Toriko. If you don't find this one-shot animation funny, walk... See full review

8/10 story
5/10 animation
5.5/10 sound
8/10 characters
8.5/10 overall

Itsudatte My Santa!

Dec 11, 2009

Story
I had thought that Kanokon ~Manatsu no Daishunikusai~ would be the most lackluster anime that I'd see during 2009. Given that Kouta and Chizuru graced our screens in November, that assertion seemed likely to hold. Oh, how wrong I was. After the delicious melancholy of Blue Drop, I fired up Itsudatte My Santa! looking for something short and funny with a slight zest of holiday cheer. Unfortunately, however, it proved too long on stupid and... See full review

0.5/10 story
3.5/10 animation
3/10 sound
2/10 characters
1/10 overall

Kashimashi: Girl Meets Girl

Nov 26, 2009

Story Watching Strawberry Panic!Aoi Hana, and Blue Drop can lead you to think that shoujo-ai anime is serious business. Fortunately, Kasimasi: Girl Meets Girl demonstrates that an intriguing romance stories spring out of a stupid premises and unoriginal gags just as easily. Behind the gender-bending antics and zany ... See full review

6/10 story
5.5/10 animation
6.5/10 sound
7.5/10 characters
6.5/10 overall

Kanokon: The Girl Who Cried Fox

Nov 6, 2009

Story
I enjoyed the original Kanokon series. Coming to it right after Penguin Musume Heart and Sekirei, my reaction at the time was "Teehee! Ecchi is funny!" So, I figured that the 2009 OVA, Kanokon ~Manatsu no Daishanikusai~ would be another harmless and cheap source of perverted laughs. Not so. Short on quality fan-service and filled with dull ... See full review

2/10 story
4/10 animation
5/10 sound
2/10 characters
3/10 overall

Pandora Hearts

Oct 26, 2009

Story
Every so often, you stumble upon an anime that tries very hard to ruin itself: School Days, for example, almost runs for too many episodes; Code Geass takes a turn for the overly-complicated in the end of its first season; and Shakugan no Shana allows Kazumi to open her mouth. In all these cases, the foundations of the show prevent its failings from overwhelming the experience. 2009's Pandora Hearts falls... See full review

7/10 story
6/10 animation
8.5/10 sound
8/10 characters
7.5/10 overall

RIN: Daughters of Mnemosyne

Oct 13, 2009

Disclaimer: This is not a site review. If you're reading one of these, it's unlikely I'll ever write a site review for this anime. Probably because I don't want to pick it apart. ^_^I'll be honest. I saw Mnemosyne, because VivisQueen felt obligated to mention the large amounts of sex in her review. That said, I enjoyed the whole experience heartily. After the lackluster first episode, the OVA gains momentum until the final installment ends in a comparatively unimpressive manner. Maybe if there had been seven entries instead of six, the conclusion wouldn't have felt as rushed and confusing.Story... See full review

7.5/10 story
6.5/10 animation
7.5/10 sound
8/10 characters
7.5/10 overall

Saki

Oct 8, 2009

Disclaimer: This is not a site review. If you're reading one of these, it's unlikely I'll ever write a site review for this anime. Probably because I don't want to pick it apart. ^_^Saki's problem lies with its blatant imperfections. Up to around episode 15, this show is amazing. The spectacular animation and amusing characters mitigate the sometimes sluggish pacing, the mahjong sits center-stage at nearly all times in the show, and Rie Kugimiya is voice acting. What more can you ask for?However, when the action wanders away from the board into a land where the animation budget clearly isn't as high... See full review

7/10 story
8.5/10 animation
9/10 sound
8/10 characters
8/10 overall