sothis

Story
Clocking in at around eight minutes, Magic School Lunar definitely isn’t the easiest thing to write a full review about. The "story", if that’s what you want to call it, involves two villains who have kidnapped the students of Magic School. They want the power of the Blue Dragon in exchange for their lives, but there’s a catch: the dean of the school has absolutely no idea what the Blue Dragon is! Like any good headmaster, he then rounds up three stragglers and sends them off to save the day, much to their dismay. Though they do head towards the castle and ultimately battle the bad guys... See full review

Story
I’m a Final Fantasy VII fan, that's for sure. Having recently watched Advent Children and coming out of it fairly disappointed, I was eager to pick up Last Order and see if it managed to be any better. To my dismay, I walked away even more disappointed than my prior AC viewing. *Le sigh*. As a warning, you might not want to read this if you haven't played the game, since I'll be discussing plot points from it.

Unlike Advent Children, Last Order takes place before and during the game. In fact, the entire twenty or so minutes of Last Order is nothing more than an animated... See full review

Story
The story of Nadia takes place in the late 17th century, when planes are just starting to fly and inventions are being discovered every day. Jean is one of these inventors; he's fourteen, and lives in France with his uncle and aunt. Things in his life were fairly normal until Nadia drifted through town. Dark skinned and companions with a lion, Nadia was not only unusual, but was a sight for sore eyes, and Jean was instantly smitten. What he'd soon discover is that a wide variety of bad guys are after Nadia and her pendant known as the Blue Water... and thus the story begins.

Nadia... See full review

Story
When I started watching Yumeria, I really had no idea what I was in for. I had heard rumors it was a sci fi series, and others that it was of the ecchi variety. Nevertheless, I decided to just pop it in and see what happened. Needless to say, I was a little disappointed.

Don’t get me wrong, the first few episodes aren’t that bad at all. The series opens with Tomokazu narrating the fact that it’s his birthday. He falls asleep and wakes up in a dream world where pointy robotic creatures of sorts are flying around causing mayhem. Enter Mone, an absolutely obnoxious little girl... See full review

Story
Wind: A Breath of Heart is a short fifteen minute OVA, based on a game of the same name, which makes absolutely no freaking sense at all. It’s Christmas Eve, and a group of unknown friends want to have a party. I say unknown because unless you have played the game, you won’t know who they are or get any sort of introduction. Anyways, a few of the girls have planned a soiree and one of the boys has decided it’ll be a cosplay parties. Cue the fantasies, please! The rest of the OVA (about ten minutes) follows the individual friends who are trying to make their way to the party. A train is... See full review

Story
Prior to watching GANTZ, there were only two anime that I had seen that made me think "SHOCK VALUE": Elfen Lied, and Narutaru. While Narutaru excels in psychological shock value (episode 12, anyone?), Elfen Lied excels in "oh my god I can’t believe that body part just got ripped off of their body" shock value. GANTZ definitely rivals Elfen Lied with its grotesque nature, but is definitely stronger due to how nonstop the gore, violence and sexual undertones are displayed. While Elfen Lied only has sections dedicated to brutal violence, GANTZ is a nonstop assault on the senses with scenes of... See full review

Story
Having just watched Magical Play, I have to say I was thoroughly let down with Magical Play 3D. The stories are pretty much not related in any way (with only one scene of shared footage). Padadu washes up in a town where she’s promptly thrown in the dungeon. She then meets Nonononn, a fugitive, and they have a fairly terse conversation about magical girls and the like. In this magical world, girls train to be magical girls, earning them the right to go to Earth. This is explained in Magical Play but only given a side note in the OVA. Thus, really, this is pretty much useless unless you’ve... See full review

Story
I have to say, I was very unexcited for watching Grrl Power. I wanted to add it to the AniRec (and get a DVD for the prize pile), and expected some sort of PowerPuff Girl-style nonsense, but instead was pleasantly surprised with what ended up being an entertaining story. The premise is simple: 3 young girls run a business called Irukuya where they complete odd jobs, no matter how big or small the task. Sort of like Get Backers, but with a younger and lighter feel (and no crazy battles). The crux of the story involves one job: to convince a young man to go back to school. He’s opposed to the... See full review

Story
It always irritates me when I watch something that has a misleading title. For example, if "Scary Blood Fest of Evil" ends up being a light school kid comedy about love and relationships, I’ll be a little annoyed. Equally as offensive is something called "Funny Pets" which didn’t up being funny at all. Watching ants crawl all over my foot and bite me a million times would be funnier. Making a delicious ham sandwich, only to have it stolen by rabid boar and devoured would be funnier. Watching rats eat themselves would be funnier. Vomiting all over my pants on a... See full review

Story
At twenty-something minutes in length, it usually is difficult for one episode OVAs to have a decent storyline. Luckily, in Ursa Minor Blue’s case, I was pleasantly surprised. A young boy and his grandfather live in an island observatory, secluded, in the middle of a vast sea. The setup reminded me quite a bit of the Myst novels, to be honest. One night, during his ritual star observing, the boy discovers that the Ursa Minor (bear) constellation has what appears to be a new star. He shows it to his grandfather, who recognizes the mysterious urgency of the situation and takes him on a voyage... See full review

Story
In the streets of Tokyo, demons walk amongst us, but only they know we exist. The protector of the city is Karas, a man who transforms into a crow-armored persona when evil threatens humanity. Saying much more about the plot of Karas would be borderline spoiling (don’t worry, the AniRec description doesn’t spoil), so that’s really all you need to know. Creatures are draining humans of blood, and a sinister villain wants to take control of Tokyo. Who better to stop the nefarious plans than Karas?

Karas is touted as being like Batman Begins, and that’s a damn accurate... See full review

Story
Now, before those of you who have seen this already scoff at what might be a high score for the story section, hear me out. Although poorly executed, Mask of Zeguy has one of the more unique plots I’ve seen in a series, and definitely is an odd mix of technologies and times.

In Mask of Zeguy, a legendary mask (guess what it’s named??) which supposedly gives its wielder great power (and can open a huge gate that controls nature or something like that) has been kept safe through history due to people called the Time Warriors. They travel through time, keeping it safe from... See full review

Story
I’ll admit it: shoujo normally isn’t my thing. I’m not a big fan of girlish delights and sappy friendships and romances. Give me sci fi or horror any day! Nevertheless, the Candy Candy movie wasn’t in the database yet and it was short, so I decided to watch it anyways. As it turns out, I ended up being fairly surprised at how much I enjoyed it, and how little I disliked it.

The story itself follows a young girl named Candy, as she is adopted into a less than pleasant situation: to become a servant for a perfectly beastly girl named Eliza. Really, it’s basically a... See full review

Story
First, if you'd like information on how this fits in with the movies, please check out the AniRec Database entry, and click the yellow question mark.

Silent Mobius is a gripping sci-fi cyberpunk thriller about a group of women, with their struggle to destroy the merciless beings known as the Hawk. In general, the storyline is unique and interesting, with a great deal of story that isn't revealed until later in the show.

But the part I liked about the Mobius plot the most, was how it was executed. The series starts out how it should be, alternating bits of plot... See full review

Story
Throughout my anime-watching career, I’ve seen a fair amount of hyped/fanboy series. Some of these (such as Witch Hunter Robin, Hellsing, Full Metal Alchemist for a newer one, or Berserk) are damn good; I’m talking good on a variety of levels: plot, imagery, or the core feel and impact it has on you. On the other hand, I’ve also been privy to series that are extremely hyped and loved by pretty much all anime fans, whereas I’ve found them to be quite average and unexciting. Bebop is one of them (yes, I know I am fairly alone on that thought), and Ah! My Goddess is now... See full review

Story
I have mixed feelings about the plot of Mirage of Blaze. As far as originality, two thumbs up. I have never seen a series or movie that deals with reincarnated souls who exorcise warlords of the past, who still battle in the present for territory. In addition, the whole thing is done under a very dark mood and atmosphere.

However, the plot isn't consistent. At first you think the plot is based around one warlord that wants power... and several episodes are based on the person. Then suddenly, the focus changes to a whole different plotline, which doesn't work well for a series of... See full review

Story
The first thing I'll say is that the story score would probably be higher if I understood a lot of what was going on. Since this is a standard length 1 episode OVA, you merely see the tip of the iceberg of what the story could be. Many characters are introduced, many names of projects and secrets are given but not explained. But the crux of the story, at least for most of the OVA, revolves around Lily and Kuro, trying to track down the ellusive Demonbane. I must say, this OVA was incredibly entertaining on basically every level, so even though the story was a bit confusing, it managed to... See full review

Story
There are good fantasy series out there: Escaflowne, El Hazard, Record of Lodoss War, Five Star Stories, to name a few. Then there are bad, average, and totally generic series such as Dragon Slayer. The story, to start out with, is unforgettable and boring. Evil demon takes over kingdom, young prince escapes, grows up, comes back to kill demon and save kingdom. Add swords and monsters and mix well. There truly is nothing unusual or unique to mention about the story. You could watch one or more of any of the above series I listed, and already have seen enough fantasy to not have to suffer... See full review

Story
Yeah, I know what you are thinking. First, that this sounds really girlie or shallow. Secondly, that it sounds like an overdone romance. While this is partially true on both accounts, it definitely succeeds at being at least somewhat unique in its premise. As far as the girlieness, well yes, it's a romance OVA, so it has an aspect of that. But in general, it isn't SUPER girlie shoujo in most ways (the animation, the story, etc). As far as the story, it as least manages to tell the same old "girl goes for unattainable guy" idea in a new setting... in this case, a boutique with a french name and... See full review

Story
Record of Lodoss War is basically the ultimate fantasy story. You like Lord of the Rings? The Shannara series of novels? This series would be right up your alley. All the traditional characters and monsters are to be found: dragons, kobolds, elves, dwarves, you name it. Magic abounds, the power of good and evil is key, and the power of comradery is the strongest of all. The story itself is an epic tale of all of these things, and more. Unfortunately, it does come off as being somewhat generic, because it is essentially a fantasy staple. If you are looking for something unusual besides the... See full review

Story
.hack//DUSK is the last in the series of .hack anime, and just like LIMINALITY and SIGN, it has a completely different feel than any of its predecessors. While SIGN was mostly conversation and discussion of what was going on in the world, and LIMINALITY was a somber look at the outside world, DUSK is more along the lines of the recent Ragnarok series -- a fun, playful look at the inside of the game and the things that go on inside it. Personally, I liked this mood and feel much more than the alternatives, but others prefer the quiet, slower feel of SIGN. I guess what I'm trying to say is... See full review

Story
Anyone who knows me would also know how much this kind of story would interest me, and they'd be correct. I sought out this movie for quite awhile just based on the premise of the plot, and finally found it. Indeed, the story itself is fantastic, sounding like it could have come out of a science fiction novel, or has elements from a lot of movies and books out there. It starts off strong, introducing us to this new, sterile, and very controlled society. It shows us how the people live, and the travesties that happen to those who are suspected of being the Mu, people with telepathic abilities. I... See full review

Story
Paranoia Agent is a brilliant, intelligent story that is extremely hard to explain without spoiling. The general story revolves around what you see above: people are being randomly attacked by Shounen Bat. But around episode 5 or 6, a new plotline evolves, which becomes very enthralling and in depth. By the end, fear not, the main idea of the story is revealed, but you are indeed left with many questions, twilight zone style.

In general, the story is presented in an AMAZING way. It's hard to explain why the story flowed as good as it did. Each episode almost seemed like an... See full review

Story
Sound familiar? That's because this plot has definitely been done before. In the same fashion as Girl from Phantasia, Tattoon Master delivers a fairly lackluster story of a girl who falls in some sort of unrealistic love with a very unwilling boy, and clings to him the entire show while other random bad guys attack. In this case, it has a bit of a Scryed feel, as Nima and a few others have strange powers from the Tattoon tribe, that they use to kick ass. But for the most part, it's the same old story here, tied up in decent animation for once.

Tattoon Master is primarily a... See full review

Story
Boys Be is a set of tales that encompass many of a group of friends in high school. With a storytelling that is very similar to Kita-he, each episode or few episodes is dedicated to explaining a new relationship or situation with one of the people of the group. The focal point is definitely Koichi and Chiharu, though... two budding lovers who will experience great joy and sadness. While each story is seperate, they all still remain interconnected through each other's friendship and companionship. This is a step away from Kita-he, where the characters are COMPLETELY seperate. The stories are... See full review

Story
It is true that Archetypes Forces is only 15 minutes in length, but I am not exageratting when I say that the storyline is superb. Think of it like being in the vein of Alien, or some other thriller sci-fi flick. It's difficult to say what it's about without spoiling (the description above doesn't spoil, trust me), so I'd suggest NOT reading the AnimeNFO description. I will say that there is a really big twist at the end which is open ended, but still totally satisfying (I say that as a person who HATES open ended things). Honestly, it would have been great without the twist too... lots of... See full review

Story
On the surface, Don't Lose Makendo doesn't appear to have a very unique plot. And in this case, if you thought that, you'd be right! Definitely not anything special or unusual if you get down to it. If I had to discuss genres, I'd say it seems like a Ghostbustersish comedic action flick, with plenty of jokes and funny monsters to go around. A bit of magical girl transformations as well, and even a mecha to boot. Again, sort of a mix of everything, which makes it not so unique.

Then why the 6.5? It was difficult picking between that and a 7 simply for one aspect: entertainment... See full review

Story
Let's face it, folks. The plot of Ayane's High Kick is really nothing to scream about. There's nothing supernatural or unusual about it -- simply a girl who is training to be the best, under some fairly comical circumstances. But don't get me wrong, the "realness" of the plot is somewhat appealing. Instead of having hadoken type spiritual fireball moves or cheesiness, you get good old fashioned kickboxing moves.

The overall tone is definitely self-empowering and comedic at the same time. Ayane is determined to be the best, but yet is being tricked in funny ways, making fights and... See full review

Story
It was difficult trying to figure out what score to give this series in the story category. First, the story itself is mostly a slapstick type comedy involving Apulo and Lateil. There is a ton of filler, and many scenes shown simply for comic effect. Lateil is interested in Marsha, who thinks he's awful because of how "badly" he treats Apulo, who laughs all the way! Hilarious jokes are exchanged, especially between the ship (Lagendra) and the duo, who are obviously "inferior" to him. Like I said, a great deal revolves around comedy, and it really succeeds. I don't like harem comedy humor, or... See full review

Story
Sounds like a fairly entertaining OVA, right? Unfortunately, it doesn't end up being nearly as amusing as it could have been. The only similar series that comes to mind is I My Me! Strawberry Eggs, which I really disliked. But even with that series, it had humor that I enjoyed to some extent, or original type jokes, slapstick humor, etc. Delinquent in Drag, though it could have had a variety of things, really had none of this. The 40 minutes consisted of Bunji trying to shove his face in girls' behinds or breasts, very blatantly, not even in a subtle or humorous fashion. He also managed to get... See full review