This story really embraces the spirit of adventure! Why do we venture into the unknown, even when it's dangerous? The Abyss is a mysterious place with strange dangerous creatures. The mortality rate is quite high for those who dare to explore and the return trip can be even more dangerous. You can get mysterious diseases just by living around the Abyss. Yet, people strive to reach the bottom and find out what is there, it is their dream!

Mystery and world-building are some of the best parts of this story, but there is also plenty of action as well as life-changing decisions that need to be taken immediately and without hesitation. This is a savage world of survival of the fittest, where nature is always trying to get you. The imagination of the author, Akihito Tsukushi, really shines on this world and the creatures we find.

It is not just the world of the Abyss that is explored through the journey, but also several philosophies and points of view through the characters' interactions. This show has many layers, some conveyed through symbolism and some through metaphors.

The art style is very different from other animes, it is quite cute & childish for the characters, in my opinion, meant to give a sense of innocence that matches the personalities of the characters. The adults on the other hand tend to look more dangerous, they have lost their innocence. The backgrounds and creatures are very imaginative and very detailed.

Don't be fooled by the cute characters, this is a Seinen anime, meant for adults. This is a harsh story that shows the cruelty of nature, including human nature. This misconception has created some bad reviews for the show from people who thought it was a kid's story.

Another source of complaints is that The Abyss leaves a lot of things unexplained. But this is a story about adventurers exploring an unknown world, akin to walking into a jungle you have never been, you'll find lots of weird creatures and places you know nothing about. It is an unknown environment where very few people have been before, so it makes sense that there will be no explanation for all. Besides, a lot of the creatures and what happens here are meant as 'symbols' rather than 'knowledge'. This show wants you to wonder about the world and find your own answers.

Finally, this story is incomplete, it will need more seasons that may take a long time, like most anime, so for the moment enjoy the journey, but don't expect to reach the destination any time soon.

The background music plays an integral part in the show to create the moods from wonder to mysterious to dangerous, to inspiration, etc. The sound effects make the world come alive, they really did a beautiful job on par with the animation.

'Well the manga itself is a MASTERPEACE, so I have no doubt the finished anime will also be one...

Made in Abyss is an outstanding work of art by any standard. Cute and gritty, vivid and gloomy, delicate and overwhelming, heart-warming and spine-chilling - it'll sweep you off your feet and drag you down into the world of sinister beauty you'll never forget.

So, what does make Made in Abyss so special? Just about everything.

For one thing, it's the Abyss itself. It's a weird and fascinating place with its very own laws of physics, mythology and ecosystem.

Mesmerizing scenery, lethal monsters, priceless treasures - the Abyss has it all, has it everywhere, has it in any combination...' -r0manas

The dub is excellent!

Continuation of the story.

Continuation of the story.

This season has received some bad reviews, but as I read through them, the majority are about people who didn't like some characters or were hung up on the disgusting parts of the story, unable to move past them. But made no mention of what the story was trying to say and how good it was at conveying the message.

So let me be clear, this is a thinker's anime, if you only care about being entertained, then this show is NOT for you! You'll be better off watching something like Jujutsu Kaisen, which offers excellent animation and some good fights and doesn't have a complicated story to follow.

In order to enjoy this show, you have to be willing to try to decipher what the author is trying to say, you want to discover the mystery of the abyss yourself (not be expecting someone to tell you what it is), you probably like philosophy and have read a few books about it. This season's central theme is "value" and how much we are willing to go for what we value the most. You can read my full review here.

Blame! offers one of the best and most intriguing settings in sci-fi, the concept of a Megastructure, that is, a structure so large that 'At one point even the Moon, which used to be up in the sky above, was integrated into The City's structure'. It has been suggested by author Tsutomu Nihei himself in his artbook Blame! and So On that, the scale of The City is beyond that of a Dyson sphere (a hypothetical megastructure that completely encompasses a star and captures a large percentage of its power output.), reaching at least Jupiter's planetary orbit (for a radius of around 5.2 AU, or 778,547,200 km); this is also suggested in scenarios such as Blame! vol. 9, where Killy finds himself having to travel through a room roughly the size of Jupiter (roughly 143,000 km).' -Wikipedia

The structure started on Earth and was created by humans that at some point lose control of the city, who had kept expanding at an uncontrollable rate for an unspecified amount of time, creating a massive labyrinth and since then, treating humans as vermin to exterminate. The main protagonist is looking to regain control of the city, while other humans are just doing their best to survive this hostile environment, not knowing if there are others out there.

For me, this is the first and only time I had ever heard of a concept such as this in any media. I've been wanting to see this story in anime form for quite a while. This movie's story is not an adaptation of the manga, but rather a new original story created by the author himself, and it serves really well as an introduction to this world. The upcoming movie is supposed to start adapting the manga story, but we'll have to wait for its release to confirm that.

This concept is not explained in the movie, but it helps to know it in order to appreciate what you are seeing.

The animation has incredible visuals, Polygon Pictures really has excellent 3d technology and they know how to leverage what 3d does best, like photorealistic backgrounds, camera movements in a 3d environment, interesting textures, shadows, and lights. Add to that a good choice of artistic composition to every frame and interesting color palettes. This movie's visuals are the best 3d has to offer!

The audio is of exceptional quality as well, from sound effects to interesting music that helps to set the mood for each scene without being overwhelming or distracting. The dub is excellent! And I highly recommend it so you can focus on the visuals (unless you speak Japanese of course).

The story has no comic relief, instead, every character is serious about doing their best to survive, bringing a sense of reality and we still see some character development, despite the short timeframe the story takes place.

Overall, I would recommend this to anyone who likes sci-fi, action, serious plots, mysteries, and hypothetical theories about the universe we live in.

'...based on the Japanese video game series of the same name by Konami. The first two seasons adapt the 1989 entry Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse and follow Trevor Belmont, Alucard and Sypha Belnades as they defend the nation of Wallachia from Dracula and his minions. Seasons 2 and 3 borrow characters and elements from the 2005 entry Castlevania: Curse of Darkness.' -Wikipedia

This anime has excellent animation, with a style that seems closer to western animation, but that works great for an anime set in medieval Europe. The composition, facial expressions, voice acting (especially in the dub), music, sound effects, etc. all are of excellent quality!

The first season quickly introduces and sets the stage for the main story, yet it never feels rush, on the contrary, it captivates your attention from frame to frame and never lets's go. The added elements of sci-fi only help to build more mystery and interest in the world. You don't need to know or have played the games in order to understand this story.

All characters have complex backstories and seem to have many layers.

Obviously, this anime has lots of violence & gore, with gothic & macabre images, so if you are squeamish you'll want to move along to other shows.

'First of all, Castlevania has a real sense of the gothic going for it, an art-style replete with gory reds and dark colours but also really nice to look at, beyond the many disembowelments. A great deal of effort had obviously been put into the look of the show, and the fluidity of animations make combat and action scenes a joy to behold. A similar level of effort is put into the voice acting, which frequently (in the English language version at least) breathes life into characters who in some cases may have seemed derivative otherwise.

One of the things that occurs most to me, in considering the series, is how bloody the whole affair is. Frederator Studios does not shy away from viscera, child deaths or dismemberment, and under other circumstances I would probably call this overkill. In Castlevania's case however, whether due to the gothic feel or the hellish atmosphere that precedes such sights, it doesn't seem out of place; it doesn't feel ludicrously excessive...

In conclusion, however... Castlevania is easy to recommend to fans and newcomers to the franchise alike, and certainly one of the better efforts I've seen from 2017 thus far. Give it a look-in if what I've said appeals to you (obviously), because, above all, I was never bored while watching this one.' -sw00ty

'An absolutely amazing anime to watch, with the characters in this one were truly exceptional. The personalities of the characters were very consistent and did best to reflect the gritty world that these people have been forced into. I felt the animations were also very good, with the magic and blood effects looking excellent against the grim bleak background of the world. When there was fire and battle, it really showed, which added tensions and vigor to the battles. Add it to your list to watch.' -SaltySnail

The dub is excellent and highly recommended!

Continuation of the story.

Continuation of the story.

Continuation of the story.

This is an original story, that reinvented the Dragon Myth into an intriguing mythology, full of mystery and a good balance of action & drama. The animation is superb and the characters very likable. This short serves as an introduction to the story that will be expanded in the 2017 OVA.

'This short written and directed by Ōtarō Maijō that was released as the first part of Hideaki Anno's Animator Expo' -Wikipedia

Continuation of the story.

'Don't let the title fool you.  Dragon Dentist looks like a kind of alternate WWII era type world only dragons are additional forces in the war and act like a cross between Zepplin's, heavy bombers, and air born battleships. There are black creatures that attack dragons and people.  The lives of dentists are connected to fate and the teeth not only serve as the source of dragon power but a gateway to the afterlife for all living things so anyone who returns from a tooth can litterally be brought back to life from death or they return after passing a dangerous test.  The style resembles a kind of WWII era steam punk theme.  The story is strong and compelling where early on it may well be hard to tell who the enemies are and who the allies really are.  Treachery rears it's ugly head into the story starting with how the main male character winds up in a dragon's tooth in the first place. 

...The story is unique and original enough plying on a nice blend of styles, eras, and themes rarely if ever even attempted.' -Epimondas

The dub is excellent!

If you want to see something different & original look no further, the theme and setting break the mold on most shows. This story's almost a slice of life but in such a strange world that all the attention goes for world-building and character development. There is at least one fight per episode, but it's not the kind of show that you watch for the action scenes, they are just not the focus of the show.

The story may seem aimless at best but it slowly develops and there is never a dull moment despite that. There is an overall mystery, but unfortunately, we will have to wait for more seasons to get to the bottom of this, the abrupt ending is perhaps the worst part of the show, with this arc barely covering character development for the main protagonist and introducing us to their world.

The animation is superb, in this case, the decision to use 3d animation was made partially due to the difficulty in depicting translucent gemstones using hand-drawn animation, but they really took the time to create a unique style of 3d for this show and the crystal theme lends itself to the 3d environment.

'This indeed is an eye-catching anime among the others. Anime fully animated by CG?! Yes. And it does its job well unlike other shitty CG animations. Not only the animation, but the story, characters and the VAs are top notch. This really is a 'gem' ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) among the ocean of anime...

The story setting itself was intriguing. People made of gems? No humans? and there is a lot more. It was just done brilliantly. Your brain will be constantly on the work decrypting the possible paths the story can go and how interesting it would be if it did. And believe me, the story won't fail to amaze you. The first episode will keep you hooked till the last. Every episodes ends in a cliffhanger teasing you to watch the next episode. And the cliffhanger won't be disappointing you in the next episode, since they really matter and bring a lot of change to the story. In overall, the story part was really great and well done.

I would highly suggest you give this a try. If you like something interesting, if you are familiar with CG animation and if you like chemistry of minerals, then you should give this a try. Even if you hate CGs, just give this a try...' -Justhappydog

The dub is very good.

This is quite a hidden gem if you like unconventional stories and Fantasy. The story seems to have something to say and if I were to summarize the overall theme that will be dealing with Emotional Intelligence, contrasting different ways to deal with tough emotions and difficult situations. The world-building is very good with plenty of mysteries to unravel and the plot is one of revolution, and change the current system to gain a better life.

This show received some harsh reviews and they seem to come from people that were expecting a slice-of-life light-hearted anime and instead they got a dark story where children go to war. There is also a lot of symbolism through the visuals that some people may have not understood or no pay attention to, so they feel some things are left unanswered. There was also some criticism regarding pacing and people doing dumb things, like running into danger, but on this regard, it seems the viewers fail to place themselves on the character's shoes, as we are talking of people that have been isolated from the world and never had contact with other cultures, so of course, they are not going to know how to behave in new situations that takes them by surprise. And finally, this is just the first part of the story, with a sequel hinted but that hasn't happened yet, and of course, this will left several viewers unsatisfied. Unfortunately, the only way to get a sequel is by watching the first season through legal means or buying the DVD/BR, so on my part, I'll say that I'm still better of viewing this first installment than without, and will hope for a sequel without holding my breath.

The visuals are a big part of what makes this show enjoyable, they have great art, they use vivid colors for most of the show and they go with dark & muted colors for bleak moments through the story. Landscapes are amazing, painting a world full of wonders and they have very interesting character designs, especially for the supernatural characters and mental images they show. 

Music is a big part of this story and is of great quality. The sound effects are done well, blending themselves in the story and the Dub is very good too.

Overall, this is a hidden gem that perhaps failed at founding the right audience. If you like dark stories with fantasy & mystery and don't mind supporting a show with an incomplete story in lieu of increasing the chances for a sequel, then give it a try. My thoughts are that you are better watching it than without but everyone is different and able to choose for themselves.

Despite having a classroom setting and the same premise as 'Baka and Test - Summon the Beasts', where classes compete against each other for resources and prestige, this iteration its quite different. In part for the more serious tone where all characters bring a sense of desperation to try to increase their standing and make it to Class A, and also because the show tries to 'open our eyes' to the current class disparity in our societies, brought forth by economical differences and privileges given only to the ones considered the elite. The anime seems to try to compare the Spoils System vs. the Merit System by exemplifying how they work, with some critique of current conditions.

The success of this show is in its execution, despite having a predictable plot, the story manages to keep you interested and entertained from beginning to end. Things are not always what they seem, and uncovering some characters' motivations, as well as how things work behind the scenes, becomes an interesting part of the show, with several parallels to real-life.

Unfortunately, the show is not without its flaws, there are some parts that feel more like filler material, and it is also one of those shows that leaves the door open to a sequel that hasn't happened yet, in order to complete the main plotline, but the story arcs presented here do finish within this season.

'The premise was SO GOOD, and so original, so in tune with what I sought after at the time (*), so marvelously displayed visually, the CONCEPT it offered to dive into so promising, I was instantly hooked. It paints a scenario in which a selected few are permitted entry into another reality; a school cut off from the rest of the world, complete with its own living and commercial facilities, and most of all, a system of merital points with monetary value, through which each student navigates this privileged world... What isn't apparent at first is just how ruthlessly competitive it is, and how the internal hierarchy works, in line with the institution's own infrastructure.

*To be precise, the 'theme' I was interested in (and am, currently) is this Macchiavellian side to the main character, Ayanokouji Kiyotaka, that enables him to exert influence in the most surrepticious way: due to his purposefully dispassionate appearance, sharp intellect and level-headedness, it possible for his outstanding abilities and unperturbable character to pull strings from behind the scenes, completely unnoticed.' -barbrastreisand

'Honestly, this is one of my favourite animes now. This anime reminds us how cruel the current society is. Our main protagonist Kiyotaka Ayanokouji can see how unfair our society really is, the system is that the whole world is like a ranking system. Kiyotaka Ayanokouji attends a school called Tokyo Koudo Ikusei Senior High School, the school system is based on points which can be used to buy items inside the school.' -Spectraldog

The dub is good.

Continuation of the story.

This season was average, the games are not as exciting, and the formula gets repeated and becomes quite obvious. There is very little character development. I can only hope the next season picks up with the quality it had in Season 1.

Fate/Series - Watching Guide

This is a retelling or alternate world, that reuses the same characters and their personalities from the 2006 anime & Unlimited Blade Works, but they play a different role and events are also different. In this series the main heroine is Sakura.

This movie quickly goes through a compilation of the parts that are similar between all instances, so you must have watched either the 2006 anime or Unlimited Blade Work first, in order to understand the story better and truly appreciate it (both versions will be preferable). It will also help to know the events of Fate/Zero as well. The film then focuses exclusively on what's different for this timeline. The only character explored in these movies is Sakura and only the parts we couldn't see in the other installments. You are expected to know everything about the other characters already, what is the war about, and how the world works. So I strongly recommend you follow the Fate/Series - Watching Guide.

As always Ufotable delivers perfectly in animation, music & sound effects. Characterization is kept to a minimum since we already know who they are and their backstories.

'Some of the most epic fight sequences ever put to the animated screen... It's not even just the fights though. The stakes are incredibly high, and we know there's some greater evil at play.

The visuals are nothing short of spectacular. Ufotable at their best as usual, you can feel the Kara no Kyoukai similarities.

I liked how the movie 'fast-forwarded' through some of the introductory stuff, it doesn't re-tread over old ground (When Shirou Emiya's first encounter of a battle between Servants). It very much assumes that the audience have already seen or experienced the first two routes so one should be familiar with the Fate series before watching the film.' -2nsane

The dub is excellent!

Continuation of Fate/stay night: Heaven's Feel story.

Continuation of Fate/stay night: Heaven's Feel story.

This turns out to be an excellent police drama anime set in the Edo Period, which makes it more interesting to watch as you can see how they deal with theft & arson during those troublesome times, without the aid of technology and laws as we have now. It's very serious & realistic (although I'm not sure if it is historically accurate?).

The fights are short but very intensive, you see limbs flying and lots of blood, but they are not the focus of the show, they happen as part of the stories. Most episodes are self-contained stories so you'll find some more interesting than others but the overall quality is excellent. The major appeal of the show may be how Onihei outsmarts the thieves and murderers to catch them in the act. 

Onihei is not the only character that gets developed, some episodes are dedicated to other characters as well, which helps bring variety and different points of view for how people live during this time.

'The title character is Hasegawa Heizō, Hasegawa Nobutame, a historical person who was a Hitsuke Tōzoku Aratamekata Chōkan (Superintendent General of the investigation agency specialized in theft and armed robbery and arson). He started as a chartered libertine before succeeding his father as his heir and being appointed the head of the special police who had jurisdiction over arson-robberies in Edo. 

...a villain eventually nicknamed him 'Onihei,' meaning 'Heizō the demon,'. He led a band of samurai police and cultivated reformed criminals as informants to solve difficult crimes. Later, he was titled 'Hitsuke tōzoku aratamekata' (police force for arson and theft), and opened an office at his official residence. While he was called 'demon' and was feared, he was forgiving and merciful to those who committed a crime out of necessity or are faithful even if they were criminals...' -Wikipedia

Onihei Hankachō is a series of Japanese historical novels written by Shōtarō Ikenami in 1967. It was also adapted into TV Series, a film, theater play, and now into this anime adaptation.

'Simply amazing! Pure classic Samurai Detective story, at least what I felt after watching the first episode. It has great animation/drawings, characters, mature story, samurai actions, classical Japan era settings, cool soundtracks, very well written, and great voice acting. You only need the first episode to understand the flow of this anime...' -LAJL

This anime deserves a Dub!

Kino's Journey invites you into an allegoric journey to explore different philosophies, politics, dystopias, morals & values. It's a deep exploration into humanity, including its dark side, while still manages to show 'the Beautiful World', although open to interpretation. It has an episodic format that works perfectly for these short stories. The chapters are out of chronological order but it really doesn't matter where you start, each story is independent and eventually, you get to know more about the protagonist.

I recommend you start with this remake as it has the best adaptation to date and has excellent animation and sound quality, therefore it's the perfect place to start before you can decide to continue the journey. Some of these episodes are the same stories as the 2003 Original, with some slight differences in storytelling. But the majority are new stories. The original adaptation is not as good in quality & storytelling as this one, but it's still worth watching.

I should mention that Kino's personality in this adaptation is slightly different than in the original. Some fans of the original do not like these changes, but personally I prefer this version than the original. I guess its a matter of preference, but I cannot list the differences without spoiling some parts, so you'll have to try both versions for yourself.

If you decide to keep going into the original series, I recommend you watch the 2003 TV Series first and then the OVAs & Movies, especially Life Goes On should be watched at the end of the original series, as although this story is a prequel to the series, showing Kino being trained by the teacher, it's better to leave at the end in order to avoid spoilers.

The dub is excellent!

So this is a notable mention, the story is entertaining and has good animation and action, but seems lost in what is trying to say, I mean, the story seems to be trying to make a statement by trying to prove the existence of God and why it allows for war and cruelty in the world contrasted against the ideology of a man who lives by logic and uses his available resources to stand in his own two feet, without asking God for help. However, the story has focused mostly on the war and action, and barely any time has been given to answer these philosophical questions. But currently the story is just half-way or less, so it's hard to tell if the author really has something to say about that, or is just being used as a plot device to try to make the story seem deeper than what it really is. This is the weakest aspect of the show so far.

Then there is the question, What would you do if you were reincarnated in a parallel world, during the events of World Wars 1 & 2, and you could remember everything from your past life since you were an infant? There are a lot of reinterpretations of our history, I'm not sure where the author is going with this either, it's just too soon to tell.

Finally, the contrast between a being that sends thousands of thousands to their deaths and throws the whole world into war just for the sake of one person. Who is wrong, who is right, who is the real evil? If the author can tie all these disjointed ideas and the story actually has something to say, then this show will excel, but I'm more inclined to think that the author is as confused as what is trying to say as I am after watching the story unfold.

However, what the show does well is the fighting scenes, the drama of killing the enemy at close range and the strategies employed during the war.

Anyway, for the moment, this is a show you watch for its action, war themes that soldiers face, and its entertainment value. Only time will tell whatever the show has something more to say.

'The story is well executed. The pacing is good until half way, after that I thought it slowed down a bit giving us just one battle after another. But I never got tired of Tanya, so in the end her character and personality alone are enough to hook you on to the story and make you watch to the end.

The animation is extremely good. Details and backgrounds are amazing. The battle scenes are also really well done, especially the ones fought in the sky. Sound is also extemely good, Op and Ed are perfect for the story and Tanya's voice actor in my opinion did a really good job.' -haize78

The dub is good.

Continuation of the story.

Inuyashiki is written and illustrated by Hiroya Oku, who is also the author of Gantz, and offer us a different kind of hero, in the form of a 58 years old man.

At first, the story may seem like a rant of the bad treatment of the elderly by the young, with an attempt to shock you with lots of violence (including torture both physical and psychological, and violence against children); but the story evolves into something more psychological than that and goes beyond the social commentary by trying to figure out what makes a life worth living and where you should focus your efforts and time.

The fighting scenes look like a brawl you'll see in the streets of real life, there are no special martial art movements and they are rather raw and ugly to watch, but that brings a sense of realism to them.

The story is not free of flaws, the hero's personality does not make him a likable character and the attempts to do that seem forced at times. There is a lot of innovation in the way the story is told, but there are some plot inconsistencies and some things that do not make sense, especially in the decisions some characters make. But in the end, Inuyashiki is 'a very human story' with all of its flaws and moments of greatness that seem to mimic the life of the hero. It is certainly true that you don't need to have a perfect life, just a few moments of greatness can be enough to make the story worth watching.

'The story is quite unique, I certainly enjoyed it. Some seem to think that this is your generic good vs evil plot, and so they denigrate the anime. The show actually has more depth than that, it intentionally explores the concept of good vs evil in a philosophical way. The story likes to bend certain certain writing rules, and it does it greatly.

Despite the story being fictious, it somehow keeps it real and grounded into reality, where things don't always go your way. This degree of realism and the psychological elements of the show can make it hard to watch for the faint of hearts.

The story is quick paced and it doesn't waste your time with slice of life. It only shows the parts that matter...

A lot of effort has been put into the animation, this is not some cheap anime, I imagine that a lot of money has been put into this. From time to time you'll see CGI, I don't particularly fancy CGI in anime but it doesn't get in the way and it's smooth enough.

The show explores the complexity of human personalities, relationships and emotions. There's no 'something-dere' character in this show. All of the characters are realistic (and pessimistic). The character progression is real and quite satisfying.' -SunlightCoat

This anime deserves a Dub!

The movie is part of a are a trio of works (Genocidal Organ, Harmony & The Empire of Corpses) by the late Japanese science fiction writer Satoshi Itō, under the pseudonym Project Itoh. They are stand-alone works rather than a true trilogy (they are just joined thematically), so you don't need to watch any of them in a particular order.

This movie is based on somehow in real-life events, but they are exaggerated and taken into a sci-fi alternate reality in order to create the setting used to discuss the themes of the story. Do humans possess a Genocidal Organ? How far are we willing to go in order to protect our peace? Is it ok to remove a soldier's emotions in order to make them better at killing the enemy? These are some of the questions explored throughout the story, but they are also a means to deliver some social criticism of our societies and the way the world works, especially in regards to involving ourselves in the problems of others.

The movie has plenty of action and interesting sci-fi technologies, but the focus of the story it's the philosophical message it tries to convey and the questions that will linger in our minds with real-life issues that we are yet to overcome in our societies.

The dub is ok.

As of 2019, this is the only anime that completely focuses on dancing, as such, it defaults as the best. They really did a great job of introducing ballroom dancing, its world, and making you excited about it.

The animation is good, but they don't show a lot of dance moves and barely focuses on footwork, choosing instead adding some weird symbolism to try to capture the feeling of dancing to mixed results. There are lot of static frames panned on the screen to imply movement and a lot of focus on facial expressions instead of actual dance moves... I guess budget constraints? I'll say that it does captures some of the feelings, but it definitely falls short of what really happens on a dance floor. If you are new to dancing this will surely pass you by, but if you have some experience you'll be guessing what moves they did during their 'mental fantasies' and why sometimes the visuals are not matching the rhythm of the music when they should, lol. So in short, other than movement, the animation is indeed very good.

The show does introduce different types of dancers, their views, and common conflicts everyone faces, either when starting to dance or as a veteran dancer. There are a lot of characters in this show with different personalities and character development is very good with all of them. 

I still recommend this show to anyone who wants to take a glimpse at the world of dancing or may want to expand their horizons in anime. I think that everyone will benefit from taking a peek at the first episodes and see if they get interested in keep watching.

'Let me just get it out of the way: I liked this series. I like it a lot. I liked it so much that I binge watched all 24 episodes in a single day because I just couldn't stop hitting the 'next episode' button. For me, this series was reminiscent of Nodame Cantabile (minus the romance) or Haikyuu in that we, the audience, are introduced to a world that we probably knew very little about and it teaches us while the characters within the series learn as well. And, honestly, if you had told me 'an anime about ballroom dancing will be fantastic' I would have just rolled my eyes.

The entire series is one man's accident trip down the rabbit hole that is ballroom dancing. The series has two primary focuses: the protagonists relationships with the other dancers and the competitions where the protagonist undergoes the majority of his personal growth. There's no deep seated meaning to the majority of the story but rather it's like a train of slow but steady progression.' -Panma

'This is one of my favorite anime series ever - and I'm speaking as a person with no interest in dancing whatsoever.

First, the story is great. It's structured perfectly in over twenty episodes during which the main protagonist (and the viewer) gradually meet quite a group of well-developed characters. Competitive dancing is the core of the storyline but it's shown through several tournaments which creates tension and excitement even if someone (once again - like me) isn't all that interested in dancing.

Second, the characters are interesting and every single one of them has an arc that he or she complete by the end of the season. The main protagonist is very talented and learns how to dance very fast but his progress is realistic and doesn't break suspension of disbelief. The show pulls off a difficult task of introducing several characters right in the middle of the story in a way that doesn't make them one dimensional or just plain boring.' -captivus

This anime deserves a Dub!

This is a show that blends light-fantasy, dystopia, slice-of-life and romance and tries to create something new, it mostly succeeds thanks to the attention to the details in the story and creates a different feel than similar shows.

The setting is quite interesting and opens up the story for lots of possibilities that may be developed in future seasons. There is a little bit of action in a few episodes, it's not the focus of the show, but the action sequences are good when they come out.

There is no much of a story as in most slice-of-life shows. Everything goes around daily activities and world-building, but due to the status of the world and the setting, the story remains interesting and entertaining. There is a romance developing through the series. The dialog may be cheese at times but remains entertaining.

This season seems like the first part of a larger story and is, for the most part, self-contained, but until we get a sequel, we won't get answers to some things while the ending for this season will remain open to interpretation.

'The ending was amazing but the story seemed a bit rushed so not everything was explained or gone into dept. There was nothing special about this anime but it was still enjoyable to me...' -Chocochip

The dub is good.

This is a good light-hearted show, a spiritual successor to Princess Tutu, where the childish looks hide more profound messages suited for all ages. In that regard, the show focuses at least in 7 life lessons that create the journey for the heroines, and these lessons are exemplified through the story in a remarkable way, that invites you to re-evaluate your inner-child.

'The world of LWA is strange, with both witches and technology competing for relevance. The idea of witches growing weaker to the point of needing a giant crystal to use magic was well thought out and never felt like a plot point even when it was convenient. I would describe the setting as a less paranoid, lighthearted version of Harry Potter. Harry Potter influences this series so much that on reflection, the creators must have loved Harry Potter. What prevents this series from feeling like a complete clone is the difference in scope. Many episodes are focused on learning little and little about the characters and setting rather than a foreboding story building up over time. The filler in this series is short and sweet, with a excited pace that leaves me wanting more.' -zala

'This show has done everything I could have hope for. No show is the perfect show but what Little Witch Academia does is nothing short of coming as close as it could, at least in my eyes. It looks great, is chock-full with strong characters and consists of what is now one of my favourite self-improvement stories. An absolute must watch for Trigger fans of course, but it’s a show no fan of magical shows and films should miss.' -SpanglishJC

The dub is great.

This movie is standalone, and it covers one of the events during training. It is a separate canon from the TV series, but it can easily fit within any day at the academy. So I'm going to recommend to watch it after the TV series for a more in-depth knowledge of the characters (although some personalities are slightly different). But if you are not sure if you are going to like the series and don't want to commit to the longer TV story, then this can also serve as a good introduction to the franchise.

'OK, it's family friendly fun. The premise has been beaten to death in all forms of art. And yet, Little Witch Academia is so earnest and fun that it is absolutely fantastic. From the clever and distinct character designs (like a cartoon of Hogwarts), the brilliant backgrounds, the uplifiting cinematic music, multiple character arcs, and a bunch of jokes ranging from slapstick to situational via nerd and literary references, this is some top notch stuff.' -Gzerble

The Enchanted Parade Movie is also a standalone, 'day at the academy' story about participating in a festival, but in my opinion, is just ok, not as good as the first movie nor the TV series, which also contains a festival and was done much better.

The dub is good.

This is not perfect, especially due to some plot inconsistencies, however, it is way better than the first season, which seems to be a rip-off of Problem Children Are Coming From Another World, Aren't They? but with a far less meaningful story.

You don't have to watch the first season to understand this movie, just ignore the cameos at the beginning and end of the movie. This story happens in the same world but far in the past, furthermore, the world is completely different from the one in the first season, because the story shows how the world came to be that way and how it was in the past before the introduction of the gaming laws, so in short, it is a standalone story.

The graphics may be what makes this show worth watching, the plot is a familiar adventure story but is executed well enough to be entertaining.

'...The movie is basically the history of what happened before Sora and Shiro originally came to Elkia. It revolves around the 'Great War' of the Gods, and the story of how the system of the Gods ended up. The war takes place about 4000 years before the shows time. It shows an apocalyptic world where those without any powers are left to die between the conflicts of those with magic, machines, and other powerful weapons...' -Dragonblade

'...I was a little sceptical in the beginning of the movie but it turned out to be amazing. Honestly the movie was better than the anime. I had so many emotions watching the entire movie from wtf to icanthandlethismyheart. Of course the animation was amazing- so vibrant and colorful- and the outro song was so pretty and just added pain to my heart :'). All in all if you like action, romance, fun humour and you just want a good movie to watch...' -SinfulFlowerChild

The dub is good.

This is a hidden gem!

I was quite surprised at the quality of the animation, despite using something akin to Flash Animation, the backgrounds are really detailed, the movements fluid and they did a great job of conveying scale by showing the action from afar and then zooming in on the interesting parts. The style is unique & completely different from what we are used to in Anime, but works really well with the mood of the movie and looks very artistic. It's like a simplified watercolor painting with a palette that contrasts the muted colors of the oppressed people vs the bright colors of the adventurers.

There is no much of a story, the overall theme is 'The Chinese Film About Enslaved People Oppressed by a Brutal Regime', as advertised by the film itself. The story is full of action, and most of the time you'll see the protagonist escaping the regime while trying to fight back. But there is also plenty of symbolism and mysteries that have something to say about the people of this strange town and who they are.

What its interesting about the characters is the symbolism and what they represent. The design of the characters is probably what you find most different against anime. All characters are surrounded by the mystery of who they are? and why are they are doing? Not all questions will be answered in the story, but that is not the important part. It's irrelevant for the meaning the movie is trying to convey, as exemplified in the last conversation.

The music & sound effects help bring this world to life. There are some quiet sequences when the characters' are hiding, so the sound it's used sparingly when necessary to bring emotion to the chases and fighting scenes. 

Overall, I really recommend you give this one a try. It's not a kids' movie due to the violence, it is a story with something to say about oppressive regimes and the people who accept them as the norm. In my opinion, this is a great work of art, it may be rough around the edges, it obviously lacks the budget of a featured film, but I can tell they did their best with the tools they have, it really shows through the story.

This anime deserves a Dub!

This is a hidden gem!

Also known as 'I'm Joybo'. This is a romance story a little bit different from the norm. The author tried to create a very intelligent plotline based on coincidences, but not everything works perfectly, some events feel really contrived. They just added too many far fetch coincidences toward the end to make it believable, but I think the innovation of the story and the execution is really well done to make it worth your time besides the imperfections.

I was very surprised by the excellent quality of the music. Honestly, the songs are a big part of what kept me watching, as the lyrics are made for the story and even tell part of it instead of a narrator. The songs are soft indie rock, if you don't like them, then might as well drop the anime, because they are an intrinsical part of the story.

For not being a musical anime they seemed to have used all their budget towards the music instead of the visuals. The animation is bad for the characters using some kind of CGI that seems a little outdated for this year. The backgrounds are ok and they are especially good when it comes to the city landscape.

Although the pacing is slow, it never feels boring, in part thanks to the music. There is not much character development until the end and it only applies to the protagonists, which are the focus of the story. All characters are very likable, event with their personal imperfections, and seem realistic.

Overall, it's not a perfect show, but despite its imperfections, I will still consider it better than average, especially if you like the music as I did.

'Confidence isn’t something that hits everyone all at once, for some it takes time to grow. When someone is getting pushed around daily it’s no wonder that it takes something extraordinary like a time-traveling message to galvanize the m.c.

Paralleling confidence with remembering the past, having the past be the catalyst for present and future improvement is a common enough plot and for this anime it worked especially well. There weren’t excessive flashback scenes... or rushed and squished into a movie. The slow purposeful hints about the characters’ past and how they intertwine are important to what’s happening in the present and don’t jar the viewer from the story. There’s no what’s this got to do with anything? thoughts or get back to the present irritations while watching. The story is a whole that only makes sense by viewing it in the order intended by the creators. The snippets work because they are relevant. Plain and simple.

The past, present, and future are equally important. Don’t forget who you were. Let your dreams fly.

Author Torry returns home and immediately re-encounters Joybo, a boy from her high school, though she doesn’t recognize him right away. Once she makes the connection she does her best to get him to remember her indirectly. As each attempt fails she gives it another try, and another and another.

Yes, it’s CG, if you’ve got a problem with that, so sad, ‘cause you’re missing out on a great anime.

Unlike other shows where the episode just ends or the credits play on a black screen this anime has used that section to keep the audience genuinely interested. The ending credits for episodes 1-3 tell a story about a young boy and a young girl: each credit scene provides more information about the past, building by going backwards rather than forward

Regardless of if you are looking for a story like this or if you stumbled upon it [as I did] it will make you think about yourself and the choices you’ve made.

Forgive the image in the mirror.

This anime is definitely worth watching over and over again.' -Inu230

This anime deserves a Dub!

Continuation of the story and conclusion for the First Arc.

Let me start by saying that this is not a 'romance' anime, it is more of a psychological study on bad relationships and the reasons how people end up together after an unrequited love, just for the sake of alleviating their own loneliness and rejection. The relationships are really realistic, with all the ugliness that comes from low self-esteem, loneliness, co-dependency, boredom, confusing lust with love, and even sadistic tendencies. These are some of the themes explored in the show while trying to define 'what love really is', through the lives of these characters.

What I find really intriguing is that most of the show is narrated through each characters' thoughts, giving you a deep insight into their point of view. The show does a great job of showing you the difference between the people 'we think we fall in love with' and 'who they really are underneath' by displaying their inner thought process mechanisms that trap them in a vicious cycle of negative emotions which defines their personalities. And as stated by the name of the show, lots of people are just Scum! They are aware of it but they can't escape their desires. 

The major problem with the story is that the relationship they choose to exemplify 'real love' is more of an Oedipal Complex couple than a true love relationship, and the way they did it lacks both in execution and validity to the definition they are trying to give. Therefore the ending is the most disappointing part of the anime, so don't expect a perfect definition of love. Even so, the journey through all these relationships is meant to save you headaches in real life, as no one is safe from meeting scum after all, lol.

There are a lot of sex scenes, but the sex is not explicit and it's not the real focus of the show. They are within the context of the story and these are the moments where you hear their thoughts the most, so don't focus only on the visuals if you want to get the full story.

You can probably tell that this show is not for everyone. There are lots of bad reviews that in my opinion, are due to people identifying with a particular character, rather than seeing the anime as a complex study on relationships.

'I wasn't planning on watching Scum's Wish, but I'm glad I did. This is a poignant, painful and realistic view of human relationships - beautiful in both it's fragility and startling realism. It is indeed intended for more mature audiences, but the sexual content in the show is true to the characters and their motivations, so I wouldn't consider it unecessary. Beyond the theme of love and sexual awakening, the show touches on discovering and accepting your true and authentic self, even if you aren't who you believed yourself to be. Ultimately, Scum's Wish is emotionally satisfying, yet heart-breaking.' -HOPIE26

'I was amazed at this anime, i didnt expect much in the begining and was merely curious and it turned into the very first one i ever wanted to write a recommendation for! Character developement is amazing! There is not ascene wasted in storytelling, It is seriously deep and i felt everything very strongly. The points are coming across clearly, the pacing is amazing, just when you ask yourself 'but what about them?' you will be given an episode with a different point of view! 

I highly recommend this for persons with interest in psychology and patience for resolutions out of really messed up situations at first glance.' -MichIlhi

The dub is good.

This is a very intelligent show, it presents you with different thought experiments, theories, and value-process examples; they are all explained through the story arcs starting like a puzzle you need to solve in order to find the best outcome. This is beautifully done, while some explanations of the theories may initially seem unrelated when they are first told, those words are filled with meaning as you watch through the story.

Unfortunately, although the plotline is not really that complicated, everything can be quite confusing as in order to really follow and appreciate it, you'll have to keep track of several characters while remembering their abilities, the rules that govern their abilities, and their names. Add to this that there is a lot of dialog as I have not seen since 'Bakemonogatari', it feels almost like reading a book through the subtitles (and indeed, this show was adapted from a light novel, is perhaps not the best adaptation). I found myself having to pause/play/rewind several times so I can fully understand why things worked in a certain way, and I think is quite worth it, if you like shows like Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex and From the New World (although this one is not as good as those shows but is still worth it and better than average).

'This was one very hard to follow story, due to not only a lot of time skipping you are also challenged with timelines being altered almost every episode. More over, often things are left unsaid or unexplained so that the mystery is left for later episodes to explain. It takes a lot of memory and comprehention to keep up, not something everyone can do. Perhaps, in that way, it can be considered a failure as a show.

I could really only recomend this to people that can work their way through a complicated timeline that touches on a lot of existential topics as well as a wide range of emotions. It's not for eveyrone but for those that like something outside the usual fair and can deal with, or even enjoy it for it's complexity like I did.' -Otaku108

This one will definitely benefit from a dub if is done with good actors.

This anime deserves a Dub!

This is fun and entertaining but nothing more, it borrows heavily from Naruto, especially in regards to plot development and characters' roles & personalities; and you may find some character designs very similar to Fairy Tail and other animes. You cannot help to be reminded that something similar happened in Naruto and this whole show seems to have been created as a way to capitalize on Naruto's story in a fantasy setting (both are made by the same studio after all). If you haven't seen Naruto, then I rather recommend you watch that first in order to avoid spoilers, as Black Clover lacks the deeper themes of stopping a war, building confidence, and excellent battle sequences.

It's not a total loss, this show has its own appeal and what it lacks in originality makes up with likable characters, comedy, and interesting powers that are tied to the characters' personalities. Although events are recognizable from other shows, they still unfold in a different way, so they are not completely predictable.

I think as many people like this show as people who hate it, based on the reviews. Personally, I think it is average but I still found it entertaining enough to watch it, but I do like the Fantasy genre a lot. If you like shounen you should give it a try for a few episodes and see if it's for you or not.

'Action, shounen, and some serious voice acting, Black Clover certainly knows how to ring fall in with style. As the fall’s newest release is unabashedly shounen, fully embracing the usual tropes (i.e. all of them) while giving Naruto and Fairy Tail a good run for their money. It might be generic as hell, but Black Clover knows exactly what it is and makes no qualms about it. The problem is a lot of people will probably do otherwise.' -atomicliberator

The dub is good.

I have to say, this is not my type of show, not really a fantasy, and not really a cooking show; but still, I couldn't stop watching it through the end and enjoyed it more than I was expecting.

The show is mostly about enjoying your favorite foods and plays with the question 'If these people from the other world really exist, how they will look at us and our culture?' This premise makes it quite interesting to watch, especially if you like fantasy shows and video games. But at the core, there is one consistent message throughout the show 'it doesn't matter where you come from and what race you are, we can all share a meal together and get along'. It also points out that we tend to see the fantasy setting as magical, but for them, something as simple as our food could be the most magical thing that happened in their lives; making you value what we have. Give one episode a try and see if it catches your eye.

The episodes are quite repetitive, if you watch one episode you'll watch the same formula repeated in all of them, so it's perhaps best to watch it sporadically.

'It was personally enjoyable to me, with a more familial and kind atmosphere that cannot be replicated by the vast majority of animes, though it may be bland in comparison to them. There is no dramatic battles of cook offs, no stunning display of magical prowess, no world impending doom, no beautiful curves of the feminine body, no enchanting gasps, no hilerious scenes. However, it's ambiant atmosphere and relaxing, mellowed mood created by all the small factors inserted into this anime builds it up to make it a wonderful anime to watch that fills up your heart.' -illusorum

The dub is great.

Continuation of the story.

The best part of this anime is the imagination that goes into creating an interesting beautiful world full of mystery and mythology that I haven't seen in other shows, as well as the characters that you meet along the way. This is mostly a slice-of-life set in a fantasy world, most stories take 1-3 episodes and there is not a clear 'main story', but there is a progression through all episodes that slowly fills the gaps in all characters' backstories as you get to know them better. The quality of each short story varies greatly.

Although there is some action in a few episodes, and most stories are quite sad, overall the anime will mostly leave you with a relaxing feeling at the end of each short story. The romance is not very good in my opinion, as its more of a father-daughter relationship at the beginning that turns into a mother-child relationship at the end. These are 2 beings that care for each other, but not exactly what I would call 'romance', as I don't see a needy co-dependent relationship as romance.

The anime is not perfect, the 'Ancient Magus' is a terrible character, and I mean as written by the author, not that is a terrible being. He basically talks and looks the part of a powerful Ancient Magus but in the end, he will disappoint at every step of the way (he is not even that ancient as he is often called a 'child' by truly ancient beings, lol). It really seems more of a lack of attention by the author for the role this character should have, than an intended part of the story, and this is the complaint most people have about the show. All other characters are great and have their place in the story, even the antagonists.

The anime also has problems with its philosophy, at times it seems that it's trying to say something through each story, but the author seems quite confused about what that is that she is trying to say through her work, so in the end is mostly about what you can get out of each story rather than what the author is trying to convey.

Due to all of these reasons opinions are greatly divided about this show as you see in the reviews. People either love it or hate it with everything in between. I think if you are expecting good storytelling and romance you'll be disappointed, but if you value imagination, mythology and great visuals then you may like this show.

'This is by far one of my absolute favorite anime of all time. The Ancient Magus' Bride shows magic and fantasy creatures while staying true to most of reality. The characters are lovable, and the entire plot is extremely interesting, especially towards the season finale, where shit gets real. It's full of such beautiful settings and themes, having the occasional emotional moment.' -StephanietheBi

The dub is excellent and highly recommend it!

Although this is a prequel to the Manga & Anime Season 1, it is better to watch it afterward to avoid spoilers.

'Those Awaiting a Star is a three episode OVA series based on a side story written specifically for the anime production by Kore Yamazaki, the creator of The Ancient Magus's Bride manga. Its episodes were originally released in Japan with volumes 6-8 of the manga... Both the original release format and the utter lack of establishing explanation in these episodes indicate that the OVA was created for established fans rather than as an introduction to the franchise. However, it also seems like franchise newcomers have had little trouble following and appreciating the events of these OVAs, so in that sense the episodes can serve as an introduction to the particular kind of magic that makes this story work so well.

The story is set some time after manga chapter 18, perhaps even between it and chapter 19 (both in volume 4). Its present-day story bookends an extended flashback into Chise's childhood. Though the manga has shown bits and pieces of Chise's life before Elias prior to this series, this is the first time that those snippets have been gathered into a cohesive story. That allows us to experience Chise's upsetting experience seeing apparitions around here quite vividly, placing stress on the adults around her who could not understand. Overall, the flashback provides considerably greater insight into how Chise ends up with the mindset she holds at the beginning of the main story and why she's so fiercely resistant to being separated from Elias...' -Theron Martin

'This OVA prequel to The Ancient Magus' Bride is nearly a perfect mixture of everything I love. The first scenes of a magical shop set in what looks like Victorian London alone covered nearly half of them. Magic that blends seamlessly into the characters' lives and doesn't really need explanation, an older or probably historical setting, and an enigmatic character that might not scare you but doesn't quite make sense either are a just a few of them.

The animation is gorgeous. This is some of the most detailed, well drawn, and colorful animation I've seen in quite some time. While the story in this episode is short, it is very well contained and does not leave you with questions or lost if you don't know the source material.' -destinyfatedreams

This anime deserves a Dub!

Continuation of the story.

Continuation of the story.

(Upcoming) Continuation of the story.

Also known as Smart-san or Mademoiselle Anne, is a series by Waki Yamato, one of the most popular manga artists of her time. The manga was awarded the 1st Kodansha Manga Award for shojo in 1977. This is a remake of the 1978-1979 original anime.

The story deals with women's emancipation & rights in Japan, contrasting the different points of view of the era, however, it do so with a light mood. The romance is not exactly the focus of this show.

The animation is great as well as the sound and voice acting.

The pacing is not very consistent, with some important parts feeling really rushed, especially where 'action' is involved, and then it spending more time in things that are of less consequence, making it feel slow.

In the end, this movie is not perfect, but it's a refreshing change from the norm that we have today, a good adaptation that makes us look into the past with modern eyes.

'I gave this a high score overall due to the incredible animation, character development and soundtrack. However, I do not recommend watching this if you are expecting a fluffy romantic film as you will be somewhat disappointed. 

REMEMEBER this is part 1 of 2 and the cliff hanger left at the end of this was pretty intense.' -GothicOtaku

'(spoiler free review) attention all shojo lovers, u dont wanna miss this one. Altho based on a manga from the 70's, this anime film still captured my heart with its shojo charm (u can think of this as being similar to the readaptation of fruits basket). The art style also adds to the appeal of this show with its unique old shojo artsyle which is still appealing today. The mc carries the show well with her sweet, upbeat and spunky personality. On the other hand, I found the main guy to be a bit too perfect in terms of his character/personality (but nevertheless rly enjoyed him being handsome and charming). Overall I rly enjoyed this anime film, and now see why it got such good ratings. I'm definitely watching pt 2. I would label the main genres of this anime film as shojo, comedy and romance. So if ur into any of those definitely check this out.' -moonchild15

Unfortunately Part 2, the continuation is not as good with a convoluted, contrived, and rushed plotline that often goes nowhere and chooses to focus largely on the romantic aspects of the story, but turning it into a soap opera. The fight for women's emancipation is largely forgotten and the ending is quite predictable and uneventful. I only recommend you watch this if you absolutely have to see the end of the story, but perhaps is still better to end it in Part 1, 'as is'.

The dub is very good.

Mutafukaz is just a fun, violent, and at times obnoxiously gross movie, that you may want to watch primarily for its animation style with an incredible amount of detail, an artistic color palette, and unique character designs. Created by Studio 4°C who loves to experiment with different art styles and crazy plots with unbound imagination.

There is no much to the story, you have seen this plot in other movies/series for sure, it is mostly a story about survival with a mysterious organization chasing after the main protagonists. It depicts gang violence and has a good amount of comedy throughout the story.

The music is great, mostly rap & hip-hop, there is a lot of style in this movie, a lot comes from the use of music.

Overall is an entertaining show to watch at least once, but nothing more that will leave a lasting impression other than the visuals, which are top-notch. 

The dub is great.

This is a good show with strategies & tactics and what set this apart from similar shows is that in this case, the main protagonist wants to deter war by other means than fighting, especially through the use of economical gain, politics, alliances & commerce. Not everything goes as planned though. There are many intentional comparables to our own history of the world. 

The show also has plenty of action, blood, and thrills with constant pacing throughout the story. I'm surprised why this show does not rank higher? it is a hidden gem!

'Now, what I truly don't understand is why this series has such a low rating as it's a very enjoyable series to watch for anyone who enjoys anime based around war, tactics, and an underdog main character who starts off as inexperienced and immature only to grow with each conflict...

Overall, Shoukoku no Altair has very good animation, a good plot that keeps and holds my attention, a good soundtrack, and very good characters and character development. It's definitely a series worth watching and, quite frankly, gets far better with each episode that passes. My suggestion to anyone who watches this series is watch at least the first five episodes before passing judgement. It's worth it.' -duchessliz

'I loved the sheer quality and number of cultural designs that went into this anime - and when you consider the level of detail in heavily animated features like clothing and ornamental accessories, this anime becomes an outstanding feat based on the effort and outcome of the visuals alone.The cast is admittedly very large, even for 24 episodes, but every character is distinct, well designed, and none of them are cliche, or there to provide comic relief. While most of the cast's present and past hardships are made clear through the story, we aren't presented with any sob stories, or pity parties at any point in the series. Rather than dwelling in their sorrow, most of these characters are great examples of strength and fortitude that think only of the future and the consequences of their actions, which by itself makes this anime enjoyable to watch.' -Asyeurin

This anime deserves a Dub!

This show is a blend of Mecha powered by magic in a Fantasy setting and involves some isekai as well. Most of the time, when a show tries to combine different genres it becomes a convoluted mess, but this show manages to balance all aspects well and the end product, is quite entertaining. I would recommend to anyone who likes those genres, especially Fantasy & Mecha.

The show has an easy-going feel, if anything, everything goes too well to the protagonists, so it's not a show with a serious drama and follows a classic fantasy story. It focuses on how small innovations can bring a big change to society, mecha action, and world-building.

'The only things you need to know is that Knight's and Magic is a light novel adaptation, is usually a upbeat anime so don't expect a lot of tension or grittiness. And if your looking for an anime that has has weight and a heavy plot than you MIGHT want to skip it.

As for the plot itself it's almost simple enough that you could guess what would happen next but there are curve balls and twists most of the time so that doesn't happen. Overall the fast paced plot that's combined with an interesting setting like this always leads to a lot of fantastic scenes.' -Assatioanter

The dub is ok.

First, note that although this is a sequel to Rage of Bahamut: Genesis, it's really a new story with new characters, so I don't consider necessary to watch the prequel in order to understand this one. The prequel is good entertaining fun, and although is well executed, it does not have anything to make it stand out either, there is no deeper meaning in the story and the main character is quite unlikeable, so considering other animes created around that time, it just ends up being average. So it's up to you if you want to watch that first or not.

This story, however, has underlying themes of oppression, taking advantage of others, dealing with revenge and especially does a great job of showing what happens when decisions are only made by revenge, without caring for the methods and consequences (although I'm not sure if everyone will see what I mean here). Nevertheless, this is a more complex story that breaks the cycle of reusable plots, so although it's not perfect either, with some parts that only make sense to move the plot forward, at least it tries to be different and mostly succeeds! They also change the main character from the prequel and is no longer the main protagonist of this story, unfortunately, the replacement is quite a standard character.

I should also mention that a lot of people have issues with the ending for some reason or another, but this show is more about the journey than the end.

This anime deserves a Dub!

This is a notable entry, it is certainly not perfect. It is highly episodic and the quality of each episode varies greatly with the majority feeling as just filler fluff. But I like the concept of the main protagonist that is constantly lying with a lot of imagination and charisma, she seems unable to provide an honest answer, not even a comment without including a lie, but the truth of her intentions and thoughts still comes through in her dialog and actions despite that. in other words, despite all her lies, she still comes through as one of the most honest characters of the show.

The show is entertaining overall, but nothing great. We will have to wait for the upcoming movie sequels to find out if there is really more substance to the plot, but I won't be holding my breath.

Try a few episodes and see if you like it.

'One of the reasons that I like Princess Principal so much is that it’s fun. Dark at times, sure, and with a cast of interesting characters, but above all, in a year that’s been very patchy insofar as anime talent, it’s genuinely fun to watch.

...The writers also handle the notion of lying in a very interesting fashion; Ange, the protagonist, is experienced as a constant and almost pathological liar, but these lies have very different functions throughout the plot and can alternate wildly between those that, again, belong in the adult world of sabotage and assassination, and those that are seated in the realm of white lies, and lying to save a friend...' -sw00ty

The dub is good.

Without a doubt, this is the best film of the Star Wars Sequel, lol!

This anime has one of the most idiotic plots I have ever seen, I'm not sure if it is the fault of the author, the screenwriter, the director, or the editor; or perhaps they all contributed to the downfall of this show. In the end, the plot is not believable, full of holes and just stupid stuff like someone who is not supposed to see/meet with a character and then we find out that their lockers have been next to each other the whole time, lol.

The dialog is terrible, the animation is low budget and especially atrocious at the performances with a strange mix of 3d when they are playing the instruments. And there is no character development worth mention. Forget about the romance in the story, this is more like masochism through an eternal one-sided crush in an unrequited love chain. 

So what is good about this anime and why is it doing on this list? The music alone propels this show. It is some kind of alternative & pop-rock with lots of energy and a raw sound. The voice is a little dissonant but works well for the songs. There are only about 3-4 songs, but I think everyone agrees that it's better to listen to a good song several times than lots of bad songs. The live performances sound particularly good, way better than the studio versions. If you don't like the live performance at the end of the first episode then you won't like the rest of the show.

The dub is good.