Rate the Last Anime You Watched Out of 10

Seirei no Moribito: 8.5/10

Moribito is hard to describe. It started out as an action series, complete with some of the most fluid animation I've seen in a TV series, then switched to being a slice-of-life series, with very little action and ended in fantasy territory with a fight against a small army of spiritual squid...things. Since it's impossible to create an original story these days, genre mixing is becoming more and more common in an attempt to paint over the lack of new story ideas. As a fan of realistic anime, I enjoyed the non-squid action sequences and slice-of-life parts more than the fantasy section towards the end, getting most of my enjoyment out of the relationship between Basla and Chagum as they lived together. I actually came close to tears a few times during the final episode simply because of the mother-son bond that had been forged between the two.

I find Moribito difficult to rate. I loved the "mother and son" relationship between Basla and Chagum, and the main plot of a water spirit being reborn was pretty good, aside from the lack of explanations given about the supernatural stuff in general. My problem, however, is that most episodes weren't 9-10/10 worthy because of the overall slow-paced, fillerish feel of he series. If it had ended with less episodes then the quality per episode would've been far higher, and my rating for the series itself would've been easier to give. It's too high quality for a score below 8/10 and not perfect enough to warrant top marks, so I went with 8.5-9/10, giving it 8.5/10 in the end because its pacing/filler issues.

It's a shame there aren't more series like Moribito around. I can't recall seeing another mature woman in an anime who isn't moe and doesn't act like a whore from time to time. If there were more adult-oriented stories like Moribito aound then I'd be far more interested in anime than I currently am. But the sad truth is, there will always be more immature/perverse rubbish than there is truly high quality anime...
 
Kurozuka

I was going to type a proper, 10-15 paragraph review for this. So, why didn't I? Because I struggled to come up with a basic description to get the review started with. I mean, when you think about it, why the hell was Kuro running from zombies at the start? Why did the zombies chase after him when they should've been after Kuromitsu? I couldn't tell you, and the same answer could be given for any number of Kurozuka related questions going through my head. I'd need to sit for 30 minutes to figure out how to word a plot description in order for the reader to understand what I do not. It isn't a series to watch if you value substance over style, that much I can tell you.

I have near to no idea what went on in this series. And it wasn't my brain that prevented me from understanding; it was the lack of any real story. The entire 'plot' was there as an excuse for lots of silly action in all honesty. The first two episodes, although confusing, were great - I thought the series was going to be a wonderful tale of eternal love - but it REALLY went downhill from there once the story jumped 1000 years into a post-apocalyptic future, where the nations of the world had randomly nuked each other after failing to destroy an asteroid (lol). There was lots of fighting after the 1000 year jump but, compared to the action in the first two episodes, it looked cheap, and there was very little in the way of story outside of the opening episodes.

I don't think even Madhouse themselves understood the story they were animating. I say that because the ending of the 'story' was executed as confusingly as humanly possible, complete with more time jumping and a hint at everything being part of some sort of time loop. There was even a hint that the entire 'story' was a dream chucked in for the hell of it. It was clearly an attempt at hiding the lack of a plot by not explaining anything and throwing as many random scenes at the viewer as possible. And don't get me started on Benkei, the last villain and a character from the start, who apparently fell in love with a woman he'd spoke only a few words to and killed his master because of her.

I'm only giving it 6/10 because the first two episodes were great and the animation was, aside from switching between frames/teleporting and white screening, pretty good. If it hadn't started so well then I'm pretty sure I'd be giving it somewhere between 3-5/10.

I apologize for not giving a detailed review but you have to understand how difficult it would be to type up an in-depth review for a series with little in the way of plot and much in the way of mindless action. I feel pretty indifferent about the series overall, not feeling enough to hate it for being so disappointing or love it for being more confusing than the end of Evangelion.

Rating: 6/10

Fabio got lucky when he never bothered to watch beyond episode 2!
 
Step Up Love Story - 3/10

Step Up Love Story is a four-episode OVA that tells the deeply uninteresting story of two deeply uninteresting 25-year-od newlyweds, Makoto and Yura, who just happen to be virgins. LIKE I CARE. So they get married and start shagging. The end.

Well, okay, a few other things happen. Yura's slutty sister shows up and causes trouble. Makoto's sexually frustrated cousin shows up and causes trouble. The student Makoto used to tutor shows up and tries to seduce him (trouble). Yura gets a job as a waitress in a maid café. They go to a hotsprings resort. Yes, this show has been beaten half to death with the cliché stick and proceeds to stagger around bruised and bleeding for 100 torturous minutes.

And while Step Up Love Story is billed as a comedy, I found myself neither laughing nor even smiling as much as I had anticipated. Like, not at all. It feels like a kids show with its simplistic characterization and banal dialogue, and only the frequent soft porn scenes (so poorly animated that the participants look like malfunctioning robots) remind the viewer that it's actually supposed to be for adults.

There was, however, some entertainment to be had. Imagine my surprise when the credits rolled and revealed that none other than Chiaki friggin’ Konaka did the screenplay. Yes, that Chiaki Konaka, the guy who worked on Lain, Texhnolyze, Rahxephon, BGC 2040, Armitage III, and… you get the idea. I almost did one of those comical anime faints. Almost as surprising is that the Japanese voice actors didn’t use pseudonyms, so the viewer is under no illusions that they really are listening to bad grunting and moaning from Yuji “Keitaroâ€
 
I'm surprised that nobody's posted here in a month o_O

Desert Punk - 7/10

Gonzo couldn't have made this show any easier to dislike: the protagonist is a genuinely dispicable character, the comedy is juvenile, some of the stories are weak, and the production values are nothing special -- even for Gonzo.

And yet I did like Desert Punk. As with Gun X Sword, I found it refreshing to watch a main character motivated by nothing more than his own interests, as opposed than the usual heroic "good guy" who acts as a moral compass for the viewer. I appreciate anime that isn't preachy, and Desert Punk delights in its moral ambiguity. The ending, which exemplifies this ambiguity, took me somehat by surprise, even though I should perhaps have expected it.

I also enjoy puerile humour when it pushes boundaries of good taste as far as Desert Punk does, and the fantastic dub ratchets up the crassness another few notches. Even the low budget animation seems to work in the show's favour, matching its lowbrow mood and general trashiness.

So, yeah, it's unique and definitely worth watching. Had some of the stories been more interesting I would have rated it higher.
 
Gungrave 8.5/10

I was surprised how deep this series was compared to the games, which was just shallow (but fun :D) run and gun type gameplay, the anime explored the character of brandon heat really well and some of the fight scenes were epic...Plus Bunji is a total badass 8).
 
One Piece 8/10

up to ep 140 og one piece at the moment and im likeing it alot more then i thought. Its alot of fun and i like the way the main characters are not super powerful and they always have to find news way and tricks to beatthe baddies. tho still got like a 150 eps to go, hope it dont go down hill.
 
Hellsing Ultimate IV : 9/10

I loved the entire Rip Van Winkle part, Alucard's amazing demonic laugh, and the whole opening. The end credits with that Nazi song was also briiliant. I also liked The Major's speech on war that went on for about 10 straight minutes.
 
Rumiko Takahashi Anthology - 7/10

A series of 13 self-contained stories about very ordinary people, mainly adults, who have to overcome a problem or hardship. While the show isn't strictly comedy, almost every episode is light-hearted and has plenty of subtle humour. Takahashi creates warm, sympathetic characters who, in most cases, I found myself caring about before the end of their short tales. Some of the episodes are quite dull, though, knocking a point or two off the final score. Visually it looks rather flat, but the character designs retain Takahashi's unique charm.

The final episode featured a guest performance from the delightful Fumi Hirano, who first played Lum in the anime adaptation of Takahashi's Urusei Yatsura 22 years earlier. A pleasant surprise to round off an interesting series :)
 
Amray said:
Hellsing Ultimate IV : 9/10

I loved the entire Rip Van Winkle part, Alucard's amazing demonic laugh, and the whole opening. The end credits with that Nazi song was also briiliant. I also liked The Major's speech on war that went on for about 10 straight minutes.
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Seconded. The Rip Van scene on the carrier deck is EPIC. Singing, excessive violence and that whole business with the rifle.. My fave episode in OVA's so far.
 
been rewatching all of Naruto and Naruto Shippuden again and out of 10 I would have to say 1000000. To me Naruto is the greatest show (not just anime) ever
 
Death Note, Volume 3: 10/10

Light Yagami's resurrection was amazing! I adored seeing him return to being Kira. The entire Higuchi story was brilliant too. It was good to see a great change in the atmosphere of the anime by seeing Light working with the Kira Task Force, pursuing this new Kira. It was really exciting to watch.
 
I already threw in a bigger spoiler in response to one of your posts awhile back, you just never noticed. And, since you buy other, less deserving crap, for more money per disc, I'd say it's money wasted, Mr. 6/10 Death Note. >:D

/will never forgive you for rating the best part of the series 6/10. Ever.

For some reason, I'm re-reading my DN books yet again. My drive to watch and read new stuff isn't there but, when it comes to DN, I don't tire of the first 1/3 of the story. I'm not reading the books fast - it's taken me ays to get through the first three volumes - but I'm getting there, slowly but surely.

I think I might give Love Hina a re-read when I'm done with DN. I don't really feel like it after only fairly recently going through Maison Ikkoku but my memories of it have already started to fade...


As for the topic, I ain't watched jack ****. Vexille, which I watched weeks ago, was a 6-7/10 all looks, no substance deal, and the first episode of FMA was 5-6/10 filler rubbish.
 
Indeed. On the plus side, it gives me even less incentive to watch the rest of the series. Money saved \o/
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Have you ever expressed why it is you dislike Death Note anywhere? As long as it's not because you find it morally abhorrent or because of it's fanbase I'd be interested to hear your thoughts.
 
Aion said:
I already threw in a bigger spoiler in response to one of your posts awhile back, you just never noticed.
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During my internet travels I've been spoiled on every major plot point. I don't remember the instance to which you refer, but whatever the spoiler was, it was almost certainly not the first time I'd heard it. Death Note is talked about so much that it's difficult to avoid spoilers.

ayase said:
Have you ever expressed why it is you dislike Death Note anywhere? As long as it's not because you find it morally abhorrent or because of it's fanbase I'd be interested to hear your thoughts.
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I'm sure I have expressed my thoughts somewhere. It's not because the show is morally abhorrent, although I don't find it remotely thought-provoking. The more vocal fans are annoying, sure, but they're not the reason I'm not crazy about Death Note.

My thoughts really aren't that interesting. The bottom line is that it's just a show that I can't take as seriously as it takes itself. The dramatic camera work that accompanies mundane actions, the continual music swells, the reclusive detective and his raincoat-clad sidekick. It's also exposition-heavy, with characters eager to vocalize every thought as if the audience are too thick to work out what's happening by themselves, which tends to annoy me. And I don't like how every character apart from Light and L are complete effing morons, making the protagonists look considerably more intelligent than they actually are.

So mainly personal things that grate on my nerves.
 
The more vocal fans are annoying
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............


My spoiler was a subtle one regarding the ending, when we were 'discussing' the value of Kino's talking bike in Kino's Journey. :o

I do remember you sent me a rather chunky message at some point explaining why you disliked DN...not that I agreed, of course. I think it was before the whole 'kill the internet rapist!' thing - that's how long ago, so I can't really remember. I know you had some sort of problem with the Lind. L Tailor at the start...

Not thought provoking? You saw the realistic depiction of our depressing world, saw someone acquire the Death Note and never thought what you'd do in the same situation as Light? :| That's impossible - even I put myself in his shoes, and I'm a ******* retarded goldfish.

As for your previous post, you're basically saying you dislike the anime for it having some of the best, most dramatic soundtracks in existence and for the attention to detail Madhouse made to make the anime superior to the manga. You're also saying that you hate it when characters talk during a story where words are more important than anything else - it is, after all, one big IQ battle between a few characters when it comes down to it, with little to no action from start to finish.
 
Death Note's soundtrack is excellent, but the way it's used is not to my taste. A bombastic orchestral score is highly appropriate as accompaniment to the destruction of cities in Giant Robo, but when a sociopath is writing names in a book? Too much for me. Same with shaky camera.

Dialogue is fine, but when every action and motivation is explained up-front I quickly lose interest.

As for not finding Death Note thought provoking, well, it's just another spin on the age-old captial punishment argument, and even that goes out the window when Light starts killing people who committed less serious crimes, those who hadn't even stood trial, and anyone who's in his way. So power corrupts, eh? Well duh.
 
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I don't much care for on screen exposition myself - but you do have to seriously pay attention to Death Note. I've just watched Twin Peaks and that show has a very dense plot too, but doesn't explain things very often (and doesn't explain some things at all).

It's fine if a story chooses to just imply things, but it makes for a very different kind of experience. If you pay attention to Death Note you know what's going on. If you pay attention to Twin Peaks you might think you know what's going on - but you'll never actually know. If Death Note was like that it would just be far too confusing, not to mention irritating.

Explaining seemingly pointless things like how Light hid the notebook in a drawer does also serve to illustrate how obsessive to the point of insanity the guy is. On both the exposition and the moronic character points, you may be overestimating the intelligence of the average person both in the real and Death Note worlds.
 
ayase said:
On both the exposition and the moronic character points, you may be overestimating the intelligence of the average person both in the real and Death Note worlds.
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Well, the manga was serialized in... eh, I'd better not go there :P

I understand what you're saying, but there has to be a happy medium between being cryptic and spelling everything out so explicitly.
 
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