mariprosa's avatar

mariprosa

  • US, North Carolina
  • Joined Nov 15, 2007
  • 39 / F
sort

Master Keaton

Jul 17, 2009

Story
Master Keaton is indubitably an anime series that will make you smile in its aftermath, as it provides a charismatic protagonist juggling life as a archeology teacher with his numerous travels around the world, helping other individuals in the process.  Naoki Urusawa, the creator of such series as Monster and 20th Century Boys, created a gem of a series with Master Keaton that does well in its respective aims. Honestly, I haven't watched a series that made me feel this good since watching Kino no Tabi.  Keaton, as a character, is a bit of a humble, good-natured... See full review

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

Rental Magica

Jul 14, 2009

Story
Want a series that revolves around the mystic arts and revolves around a cast of characters that blend a typical brand of harem comedy/romance with nice animation and music?  Rental Magica might be a series worth looking into as long as you don't come into it looking for an overarching story that's both inventive and sets itself apart from peer series.  It takes quite a bit of patience to endure, as some of the moments in the series can both run in the flame of cliches and filler stories, even for a series of average length.  Still, it improves enough to be worth viewing at least... See full review

5.5/10 story
8.5/10 animation
8/10 sound
6.5/10 characters
6/10 overall

Detective Conan Movie 4: Captured In her Eyes

Jun 13, 2009

Story
"Captured in Her Eyes" is one of my favorite Conan movies for good reason, because like many installations of the franchise, it keeps you on your toes from beginning to end and does a great job showcasing character chemistry throughout the work.  This film revolves around a series of murders committed against police officers, and the force believes it may be an inside job, so they keep the details scant from public knowledge.  Yet when an officer is assassinated in Ran's prescence, she becomes traumatized and loses her memory in the event.  To make matters worse, the killer... See full review

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

Mermaid Forest

Jun 13, 2009

Story
Mermaid Forest was one of the select few OVA titles that I first saw subbed aside from Vampire Princess Miyu and even Shamanic Princess when anime first started crossing over into my hometown in terms of popularity.  With production values dating back to 1991, a story by famed mangaka Rumiko Takahashi, and a flair for supernatural horror, I knew it was a title I wanted to watch within its own terms. If you think about it in one spectrum, it was one part of a two episode progression in the early 90s. The story revolves around Yuuta and Mana, two immortal beings who became so after... See full review

7/10 story
6.5/10 animation
8/10 sound
5.5/10 characters
7/10 overall

Bartender

Jan 7, 2009

Story
Bartender is an anime series that takes an acquired taste to appreciate: its progressively engaging slice of life premise is unlike most anime series that are either exuberant in tone or use emphasized elements to tell their respective stories.  Instead, Bartender takes its time to immerse you in an environment that's enticing and seductive in its own undertones. Like Antique Bakery for pastries, or Yakitate Japan for bread, Bartender immerses you in the world of alcoholic beverages with a mature flair.  Only...it doesn't quite invest in the same humor or flares that define the... See full review

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

Kurenai

Jan 7, 2009

Story
Kurenai was a pleasant surprise of a series considering its 13-episode length, providing an engaging conflictive story revolving around charismatic and charming characters that drive it through to a satiating conclusion. Kurenai, the titular protagonist, is a dispute mediator that settles various missions under the watchful eye of Benika. His occupation lends him to settle things with quick, precisive force, yet also concealing a power and past that tends to catch up with him in sporadic occurrences. His world matches his rather meek, if a bit timid, personality: safe, unchanging, and lacking... See full review

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

Night Head Genesis

Dec 10, 2008

Story
If I could name a handful of series that I came into with initial, yet extremely low expectations, and come out enjoying in the aftermath, Night Head Genesis would be one of them. Based on a 1992 live action Japanese series called Night Head, this animated adaptation walks familiar territory to developing stories that featured psychologically bending situations with an episodic format. I was reminded of series in the progression of Paranoia Agent, Boogiepop Phantom, even a touch of Mokke, in how it deals with children coming of age with unique abilities, when I watched this series. Night... See full review

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

Antique Bakery

Oct 18, 2008

Story
If anime series revolving around food are of any comparable measure, one can expect them to have an illuminating, if not downright addicting, feel to their overall atmosphere.  Antique Bakery happens to revolve around a group of handsome gents that manage a cake factory, and honestly, I haven't watched a series with such a nice, calming atmosphere that pulls you into the realm of the treat it revolves around since Bartender (alcoholic beverages) and Yakitate Japan (bread). I sincerely love series like this, because not only do they properly do their homework regarding the subject at... See full review

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

Ryoko's Case File

Oct 15, 2008

Story
There have been a lot of award winning mini-novels that have been adapted to anime series in the past few years (The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya, Baccano! among a few other titles), and it seems that Ryoko's Case File follows in the tradition.  On the surface, it seems like a mature, sophisticated action sci-fi series with a lot of spunk. The French-themed, jazzy and sensual OP sequence might turn a few heads and make one go "I have to check this series out." Yet, this isn't any "Bartender" or "Baccano" in terms of a structured story. Well, a lot of the appeal is true from a surface... See full review

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

Batman: Gotham Knight

Oct 1, 2008

Story
It's one thing to watch a movie that's based on a timeless series of works, but another to find when that basis roots itself in collaboration efforts to interpret and give new routes and ideals to that story. The Animatrix did so a number of years ago with its lucid, segmented set of stories based around the environment of The Matrix. Batman: Gotham Knight is a just over an hour of a series of stories built around the defender of Gotham City, interpreted by different Japanese animation studios such as BONES, GONZO, and Production I.G. Each of the segments bring to the table different... See full review

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

Mobile Suit Gundam 0083: Stardust Memory

Sep 25, 2008

Story
Mobile Suit Gundam 0083 takes place chronologically after the events of the original Mobile Suit Gundam series and Gundam 0080: War in the Pocket, and is an intended sequel to the series events. Matter in point: it links the events in the greater timeline from 0079 to 0087 in the Gundam Universe timeline. Note: I strongly would not recommend one who hasn't seen, or at least isn't familiar with, one or both of those series to see Gundam 0083: Stardust Memory, because the series potency will likely be lost upon you.  By itself, it isn't intented to stand alone and may lose some in terms of... See full review

6/10 story
7.5/10 animation
8.5/10 sound
6.5/10 characters
6.7/10 overall

Bagi, the Monster of Mighty Nature

Sep 2, 2008

Story
Stories about the manipulation of science and the bioethical challenges that arise from experimental taboos are not uncommonly explored in any type of media. If classics from Mary Shelley's Frankenstein to Issac Asimov's "I Robot" are any indication, beings created under the scientific spectrum allow us to explore what it means to be human, both in a technical context as well as in the general nuances one possesses. Bagi, the Monster of Mighty Nature, is a 1984 film that nicely explores this contrast, through the eyes of its rebellious protagonist Ryosuke. Part coming of age, part sci-fi with... See full review

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

Macross 7

Aug 29, 2008

Story
Lend your ears to the first fully musical installation of the Macross franchise. Now granted, this isn't so much a criticism of the series on the surface because if you're a veteran Macross viewer, the Macross installments have excellent J-pop songs to sing along to. Even I find myself humming along to some of the tunes from this collective series (most notably "Voices" by Akino Arai from Macross Plus). Nor is the idea of using music as a weapon if you know some of the backstory of the Macross franchise and why it was such a potent part in collective schematics. Even Gundam Seed/Gundam Seed... See full review

5/10 story
6/10 animation
7.5/10 sound
5.5/10 characters
6/10 overall

Oh! My Goddess: The Adventures of Mini-Goddess

Aug 28, 2008

Story
Even with as many years as I've watched anime, I usually refer to this series as "Ah My Goddess-on-something" just for fun, because that's exactly how it presents itself.  Considering I'm of the generation where the first series to relate to anything Ah My Goddess was the OVA series, I came into this not expecting much, but what I didn't quite expect was the format and short nature of the episodes. Goddesses Belldandy, Urd, and Skuld are in SD (read: super-deformed) form in a series of abbreviated, one-shot episodes which chronicle their adventures with friend, Gan-chan, a rat that seems... See full review

4/10 story
6/10 animation
5.5/10 sound
3/10 characters
4/10 overall

Angel Heart

Aug 28, 2008

Story
Decent anime series which manage to tug at the heart strings and also provide on-edge action sequences are literally a dime for every two dozen you manage to sift through. You're even more fortunate to find sensible comedy and effective character chemistry in the mix alongside such elements. I consider Angel Heart as something of an anomaly in the current anime spectrum in that it does all of these in a unique way. The story revolves around a girl known as Glass Heart, a codename assassin working for an underground crime group. When her last job breaks her in a way she never imagined it would... See full review

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

Hatenkou Yuugi

Apr 14, 2008

Story
Want an anime that's about a random trio of witty travelers with magical abilities?  How about one that includes a girl who seems to have a keen fashion sense and a smart mouth to match, alongside a quiet guardian bent on revenge and a silly oaf of a gent who seems to just go along for the ride?  If you're at all intrigued by the above description, Hatenkou Yuugi just might be what you're looking for.Granted, Hatenkou Yuugi was the first shoujo title I'd come across in a while that peaked my interest. For those who follow the manga...it's much... See full review

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

Lemon Angel Project

Apr 7, 2008

Story
Over the past several years, I can say from experience that musically themed anime series have jumped in overall appeal. From mature series like BECK and NANA among the modern rock titles to idol pop series like Chance Pop Session and Lovely Idol, the series explore the makings of a group trying to make it in the limelight while highlighting their day-to-day lives.Lemon Angel Project, for a 13 episode series, is one of the better ones in terms of idol based series, revolving around a girl named Tomo who idolizes a group called Lemon Angel Project, a group that her friend Yui helped create. ... See full review

5.5/10 story
8/10 animation
7.5/10 sound
6/10 characters
6/10 overall

Revolutionary Girl Utena: The Adolescence of Utena

Apr 4, 2008

Story
The Adolescence of Utena is a very difficult movie to understand on first watch. Some people may be quite thrown by it; one image that comes to mind immediately is when Utena actually transforms her body into a car. If that first statement's a bit awkward to swallow, then you may have to read further to see whether or not this movie's for you. Then again, I've heard people say that Utena turning into a car was pretty cool.It may be worth saying that this is a more strongly toned interpretation of the television series, much more mature, dark, and heavily... See full review

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

Infinite Ryvius

Apr 3, 2008

Story
Infinite Ryvius is a series that's quite in a league of its own, both for the time it was produced and also for featuring one of the largest views on a group of characters I had ever watched in an anime series to date.  Focusing on a group of students who find themselves stranded in space after a tragic accident, Infinite Ryvius chronicles their attempts to journey home while facing incredible odds: from external forces believing them to be a part of an enemy fleet to internal unrest among the temporary leading crew and the workers who struggle under their rule.Taking on a... See full review

8/10 story
6.5/10 animation
8/10 sound
8/10 characters
8.5/10 overall

Mokke

Apr 1, 2008

Story
Slice of life series with episodic progression are often difficult series to engage the senses overall, but there's something about Mokke that really draws a person into it. The series chronicles the adventures of two girls with supernatural abilities who come of age and grow with their experiences in meeting a wealth of supernatural creatures, all while living under the care of their grandparents.Many people may call Mokke the younger sister series of Mushishi, and while that's a proper comparison because the two do deal with similar themes, it's somewhat of an unfair comparison... See full review

7.5/10 story
8.5/10 animation
9/10 sound
7/10 characters
7.5/10 overall

Tenchi The Movie: Tenchi Muyo! In Love

Feb 11, 2008

Story
Stories about traveling through time aren't by any means new in the realm of anime.  While most deal with the subject of traveling through time and changing some aspect about the present that's unwanted, not very many deal with the possibilty of one's existence being erased on account of tampering with the past.This rather interesting plot point comes from a very unlikely candidate in the first installment of the Tenchi movie franchise, following the storyline of the Tenchi Universe progression compared to the original OVAs.  The story has Tenchi, Ryoko, Ayeka... See full review

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

Full Moon wo Sagashite

Jan 26, 2008

Story
Full Moon wo Sagashite might very well be one of the best shoujo series to carry a heavy theme within it in such a bittersweet and lighthearted way - merging drama, romance, some comedy and a predominant musical thematic.  There are few series that handle the overall presentation as well as Full Moon does, but the downside is that this may not be a series for everyone, as it's a series that goes well over 20 episodes and may strike some as repetitive with some of the same musical themes used throughout, character utterance... See full review

7/10 story
6.5/10 animation
7/10 sound
7.8/10 characters
7.7/10 overall

When They Cry: Higurashi - Nekogoroshi-hen

Jan 26, 2008

Story
The Nekogoroshi Chapter of Higurashi no Naku Koro Ni, I'll admit, was an interesting side story to the original series, and it was offered as a special DVD for those who purchased the series in Japan.  While it doesn't necessarily lead in to any conclusive events, it gives a nice eerie story and blends a good amount of comedy into the mix, so those who liked those elements of the original series would find something to enjoy with this.  The problem is that it's limited as just a single episode OVA, so one could see it as just a one-shot story without most... See full review

6/10 story
7/10 animation
7.5/10 sound
6/10 characters
6.3/10 overall

School Days: Valentine Days

Jan 25, 2008

Story
I didn't hold a lot of expectations coming in for the School Days OVAs, the Valentines special no different, and it's really more for people who want more of a silly, situational take on the series, almost like an extra episode, and to be honest, I did find it somewhat entertaining, but as for rememberance value...not really.There's really no essential story to School Days OVA, hence why the score's so low,  save for the fact it takes the characters and places them in a parody presentation that's intended more for humor purposes than actual character... See full review

4/10 story
6.5/10 animation
6.5/10 sound
4/10 characters
4/10 overall

School Days

Jan 25, 2008

Story
If you take a story that includes everything from a love triangle, to sexual promiscuity, to rape, to characters you'd expect to have continous flowing flaws and come on the edge of breaking down, you'd expect it to be great, right?Wrong.Honestly, I'll probably never watch the series again. It might sound harsh, but read further. School Days is a series that depends on how you want to approach it-for those who want a shocker series, it'd probably be more of a pleasant watch than those who look for solidly constructed characters and something different than the norm, and despite... See full review

4.7/10 story
6.5/10 animation
7.7/10 sound
4/10 characters
5/10 overall

Tenchi The Movie 2: The Daughter Of Darkness

Jan 20, 2008

Story
Tenchi Muyo's second movie "The Daughter of Darkness" had a very lagging story that I couldn't wrap my head around. If you follow the Tenchi Muyo franchise, the stories portrayed aren't as much story central at times as they are character central, and in part that's characteristic of many harem series. Tenchi Muyo's franchise falls within the realm of sci-fi, action, and romance/harem that the original OVA actually did well with some characteristic flaws. Yet, this movie doesn't follow the series at the all and marks a great deviation from the original... See full review

4.8/10 story
6.8/10 animation
7.5/10 sound
5/10 characters
4.8/10 overall

Night on the Galactic Railroad

Jan 19, 2008

Story
I always have a hard time recommending Night on the Galactic Railroad because it's not only an obscure title in terms of availability, but also in premise. For a children's story to have so many symbolic characteristics, and actually highlight themes such as growing up as a teenager and death is a feat in and of itself.However, most of the anime audience might find this perturbingly slow paced and dull...sad, because it really is a gem if you can understand the story it's trying to tell.In short, the movie tells of a young cat named Giovanni, poor and growing up in a struggling... See full review

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

Spirited Away

Jan 19, 2008

Story
Spirited Away is truly a trip into the imagination with excellent animation, a whimsical execution, and a storyline that leaves one not only liking the characters and progression of events, but also with warm emotions with the overall atmosphere. The movie introduces a young girl named Chihiro as a sullen 11-year old who comes into town with her parents for the first time, as they're moving into a new neighborhood. When the three come across a strange tunnel, they pass into what seems like a carnival...and her parents end up becoming caught in the strange place with a curse. As a result... See full review

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

Good Luck! Ninomiya-kun

Jan 17, 2008

Story
Harem series usually don't get much better than the characters that compose them and the situational aspects that they explore.  If it's your genre, then you're more likely to watch it not just for the characters themselves, but mainly the element that it expands upon like comedy, romance, etc. So what does Goshuusho-sama Ninomiya-kun offer to the genre? Over-the-top laughs and situational humor, at least for those who really have much to like from this genre, provided you can stomach anything from bust jokes to yaoi manga to general hints at fanservice. One shouldn't... See full review

5.5/10 story
5.5/10 animation
7/10 sound
5/10 characters
5.7/10 overall

Pretear

Jan 15, 2008

Story
Fairytales are often interesting stories that take us away from the stresses of real life and immerse us in the realms of insatiable romances, sweep us into lavish countries, or give a seemingly normal person powers that make them larger than life.One thing that I fully admit is that I do enjoy these stories, even variations of similar stories and themes, as long as they have heart and characters I can relate to. Pretear is a series that takes a clever twist on many fairy tales from Cinderella to Snow White, and portrays it in a way that gives it a magical girl spin. Himeno, a jovial girl who... See full review

6/10 story
7.7/10 animation
8.3/10 sound
7/10 characters
6.8/10 overall