Tamako Love Story Anime review

Type: Movie

Episodes: 1

Status: Finished Airing

Aired: Apr 26, 2014

Producers: Kyoto Animation

Genres: Comedy, Romance, Slice of Life

Duration: 1 hr. 18 min.

Rating: PG-13 - Teens 13 or older

"Everybody loves somebody."

"Bitter memories are proof that you did something".

Do you ever get that choked, somehow disappointed feeling when you finish a great show or movie? A void that lingers in your mind, trying to piece together everything you just watched? You curl up in your bed or floor, both incredibly happy but sad at the same time, thoughts racing through the mind? Yep! This particular movie will definitely leave you with that feeling. Tamako love story is a small, nice, pleasant, sweet, adorable and touching film. Highly recommended and a must watch!

 Tamako Love Story is that closure to Slice of Life anime that many don't have. The romance between the characters were apparent in the original series, but nothing really happened. Even though this movie is only an hour and 26 minutes long, it's the perfect ending to a series that was good. Tamako and Ooji are both in their third year of high school, and times are changing. While both are still the same character, you see development in both of them about perspective for the future, and just about each other.

Sometimes you don't need a romance filled with actions everywhere, and also sometimes you don't need a serious dramatical romance. You just need a simple, but profound love to find the perfect beauty of romance. That feeling of embarrassment after telling someone you love them and same for the one being confessed, every step was in this movie. This movie shows just what it's like if you are confessing to a friend, or even anyone, and what it can do to a relationship.

Development in all the characters are something that was really emphasized, even besides the main two. Tamako and Ooji are the main ones with development in the film, but the side characters are also moving on along side the both of them. Tamako Market and the movie itself has really nice art, I can't deny that. Kyoto Animations have always been praised for their excellent art, but there's one problem with it for me. Stunning backgrounds and quality are nice, but their diversity in character design just isn't there, not for this series at least. 

Music was always said to affect many people in different ways, but it's shown in this movie that music is definitely something that can help people. Aside from this aspect, the music was beautiful and sound clips were soothing. Take the stream scene for example, the scenery was visually stunning, but the sound of the water enhanced it to the next level to bring the feeling to life. Sound was certainly a department that didn't drop in this movie. 

"Everybody loves somebody." as the preview suggested has perfectly fit the theme of this movie. This has probably made more of an impact than the series itself, It's breathtaking, light, and brings serenity to your heart. It was quite enjoyable for me, if you are a fan of light story I fully recommend Tamako Love Story. If you have watched Tamako Market (The series) or not, you should definitely watch this Movie.

Trailer:

Ookami Shoujo to Kuro Ouji Anime review

English: Wolf Girl and Black Prince

Synonyms: Ookami Shoujo to Kuroouji, Wolf Girl & Black Prince

Type: TV

Episodes: 12

Status: Finished Airing

Aired: Oct 5, 2014 to Dec 21, 2014

Producers: VAP, Yomiuri Telecasting Corporation, TYO Animations, Sentai FilmworksL, Nippon Television Network Corporation

Genres: Comedy, Romance, School, Shoujo

Duration: 24 min. per episode

Rating: PG-13 - Teens 13 or older

Check out the manga review here.

A desire for acceptance is something that most of us can relate to, and at times that can drive us to certain extremes. It's a premise that is not necessarily unique, but for a shoujo series it actually is. The clichéd trope of a spineless heroine and her tsundere love interest is all too common. However this series provides us with a slight variant; our main character is a compulsive liar and her love interest is a two-faced jerk who is content to treat her like a dog.

The story centers around Erika Shinohara, a vain 16-year-old girl who tells her friends about her romantic exploits, but she actually has no boyfriend. She claims that a handsome boy in a candid photo is her boyfriend, but it turns out that boy is a schoolmate named Kyouya Sata. She has no choice but to make him her fake boyfriend. Unfortunately, Sata may look like a sweet person, but he is actually an ultra-black-hearted sadist. Sata takes advantage of Erika's weakness and treats her like his dog.

Erika is not your traditional shoujo heroine, she's actually a plucky, resilient lead who actually seems to enjoy Kyouya's treatment. When situations arise that would stereotypically end in an angst-filled fight between our couple, Erika maintains her usual headstrong, blind determination to win over her ice-hearted prince. She does actually develop as the series progresses. Kyouya is, quite frankly, a jerk to Erika constantly and only occasionally showers her with some vague form of affection. But the series doesn't try too hard to redeem him—he has no sad backstory to fall on and his behaviour is not entirely without cause - being cynical and misanthropic seems to run in the family. The supporting cast is entertaining but they receive minimal attention or development. That is a disappointing fact about the series

In regards to the animation, the colour palette is vibrant and charming. In comparison to the manga, it actually has adapted all of the character designs quite nicely. Although it is like any other shoujo style, each design is unique and rather fitting giving each character's unique persona. Unfortunately another weak area is perhaps the soundtrack. The opening is catchy and adorable, but during the course of the series there are a few scenes with background music that just seem utterly out of place in an almost comedic sense. 

Overall, the series has enough merits to warrant it being a good shoujo anime. This certainly is not for everyone, it's not about a sweet couple that fall in love gradually—it's about two characters who are so entirely human that they are flawed and utterly unlikeable, but as a result of which, happen to be highly entertaining together.

Opening titles:

Hana Yori Dango Anime Review

English: Boys Over Flowers

Synonyms: HYD, Boys Over Flowers: Jewelry Box, End of the Century

Type: TV

Episodes: 51

Status: Finished Airing

Aired: Sep 8, 1996 to Aug 31, 1997

Producers: Toei Animation, Viz Media

Genres: Drama, Romance, School, Shoujo

Duration: 25 min. per episode

Rating: PG-13 - Teens 13 or older

I am absolutely positive that everybody must have heard about Korean Drama called "Boys over flowers" with 'Lee Min Ho' and' Kim Hyun Joong' as the lead actors. Or The Taiwanese drama called "Meteor Garden" or the Japanese drama that goes by the same name "Hana Yori Dango".When I started this anime, I have seen all the versions of the dramas based on this anime. Hana Yori Dango, being the original version, beats all the other versions out there. It sticks to the manga. Though the animation is old, the art and sound are not good, the emotions involved are raw and powerful. I recommend it to the people who haven't  seen any versions of the dramas yet and also to who have watched all of them. Trust me guys. you gonna enjoy it more than anything that's out there in this genre. 

The anime starts out in a most likely way that you wouldnt expect any romance to develop from. Tsukushi Makino is ranked as a lower class student at an all exclusive high school with the majority of the students coming from a wealthy background. The school is crontrolled by the F4 known has the Flower 4, a gang of 4 guys that come from extremely rich and powerful families. Basically, the entire school idolize them but also lives in fear of getting on their bad side and getting the red card, a declaration of war by the F4, which basically means your school life becomes a living hell until you transfer out.Tsukushi goes about her day just trying to be unnoticed until she graduates, leading a fairly miserable existence. This all changes when she jumps to her freind's rescue against F4. As Tsukushi fights back and starts to gain the respect of many classmates and even begins to befriend the F4, we learn that they are not quite as bad as initially thought. About the romantic aspect of this anime is quite difficult to say without giving away any spoilers. The journey is quite an unforgettable ride that you dont want to miss out on.

Tsukushi Makino in my opinion is a boss bitch. She is tough, honest, loyal and no-nonsense type of girl Viewers will be drawn to her, She is overall a very inspirational character.

Tsukasa Domyoji is the leader of the F4 and one of Tsukushi’s love interests. He has all the classic elements of a shoujo love interest. He's wealthy and handsome. Initially he will be seen an extremely frightening character making him almost impossible to like at all. However has the series progresses he becomes less and less cold spoiled little brat and turns into a decent and sympathetic human being. Although I tried my best to keep hating him, he wore me down into actually loving him. 

As for Rui another member of F4 and another main love interest of Tsukushi. He is almost the complete opposite of the hotheaded Tsukasa. While still from an enormously wealthy family and suitably good looking, Rui is far more introverted and shy. I liked him far more at first than any of the other men in the cast but he really isn’t any nicer that Tsukasa is. My feelings for him are pretty much the reverse of what I felt for Tsukasa. I lliked him at the beginning of the series but towards the end, I actually got tired of his personality.

Given the age of this series, the animation and visuals aren't very much a fair site to look at. And I know some people really do care about the outer appearance of anime and won't even give this show a chance which is really a shame because like they say don't jude a book by its cover the same goes for this anime. Even though the hair styles and fashion are extremely dated. The artwork given for the anime does match the one for the manga. The audio for me gives me mixed emotions. There are time where i would despise the background violon music which obviously dated. But overall the voice acting is outstanding

Overall Hana Yori Dango is a series that should be on your number 1 must watch list of animes for a serious romance anime fans like me. When I say there is no other anime like Hana Yori Dango i mean it. This show is very intense and it will bring you so much emotion as a viewer. I can say that it is one hell of a rollercoaster ride.

Bokura wa Minna Kawaisou Anime review

English: The Kawai Complex Guide to Manors and Hostel Behavior

Type: TV

Episodes: 12

Status: Finished Airing

Aired: Apr 4, 2014 to Jun 20, 2014

Producers: Brains Base, TBS, Sentai FilmworksL

Genres: Comedy, Romance, School, Slice of Life

Duration: 24 min. per episode

Rating: PG-13 - Teens 13 or older

What is love? The Oxford English dictionary defines the word "love" as: a strong feeling of affection. However is it really just that? The definition for love is different for everyone is it not? It's complex, it’s unique, it’s a roller coaster and above all love requires time and work. And with that resonating definition, we have Bokura wa Minna Kawaisou. It is a good light romantic and little comedy themed anime. The story is very unoriginal, stereotypical and blatant. Nonetheless it's a good romance anime that people can enjoy watching, get a good giggle out of, and feel happy about. Of course, I love almost all romance anime, so if you don't like romance anime, then this anime probably isn't going to be that appealing to you.

(Check out the manga review of Bokura wa minna kawaisou here)

Anyways, the plot is very simple. It's about a high school freshman, Kazunari Usa who movies into a boarding house and it turns out that the love of his life, Ritsu Kawai is living there too. The story focuses on the development of the relationship between these two. Basically Ritsu loves books (a little too much), and is easily bothered/annoyed with other people, especially those that talk too much. She really doesn't show any kind of emotion towards other people, and doesn't show any sign of "love" towards Usa. Usa basically tries everything he has to get Ritsu to notice him, but sort of fails due to his shyness. But that's where the other fun characters who also live in the same boarding complex come into play! 

In terms of character development, we have Ritsu as our pupil. Her development is based off the main plot of this anime, which is flowering relationship between herself and Kazunari. If I were to use the caterpillar, cocoon, butterfly analogy; I would say that Ritsu evolved from a caterpillar to a cocoon by the end of the series which I find perfect because it just makes the concept of love more authentic and leaves an air of mystery for the audience. .Of course you have to deal with stereotypes for the most part, but they are overall a good relatable cast, which have their flaws and never feel too one sided.It's also funny how characters become more likable the further the show progresses. It is evidence of character progression.

The art in the anime is nothing special, nothing that stands out particularly.he sound is perfect; everything from the pedalling of the bikes to the rustling of the bed sheets when someone wakes up is heard, it’s all there. The opening was nice to listen to; I watched/listened to the opening every episode. The voicing didn't disappoint either, each character's voice fit their personalities. 

 I was going into this series expecting two people to eventually fall in love, confess to each other and by the end have their first kiss and that would be the end of this anime; just like and typical romantic comedy. To my surprise, it was the complete opposite of what I thought. If you like romance comedies, then this anime is one that you might want to check out. I enjoyed it despite it's obvious, unoriginal plot. Kind of a relaxing anime, that isn't very serious, and there's absolutely nothing scary or confusing about the anime. 

Opening titles:

Sket Dance Anime Review

Type: TV

Episodes: 77

Status: Finished Airing

Aired: Apr 7, 2011 to Sep 27, 2012

Producers: TV Tokyo, Avex Entertainment, Dentsu, Tatsunoko Productions

Genres: Comedy, School, Shounen

Duration: 24 min. per episode

Rating: PG-13 - Teens 13 or older

"Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass, it's about learning to dance in the rain."

There are some stories that end up having a lot more to them than was initially expected. They aren’t perfect, they might not even be completely logical – but they’re something that managed to catch you off guard in the best ways possible. Take a look; there’s a chance that SKET Dance might blossom into such a series for you…

The core plot is just a simple, mainly episodic story about a quirky trio of friends that solve problems and help people out. But there are also some very tightly written and amazingly powerful (multi-episode) storylines within it . Just know that they don’t come off as abrupt, but rather fit smoothly into the ‘narrative’ and add a lot to it. Don’t let the comedy-oriented episodes fool you into thinking that that’s all the show has in store for you. The overall tone you are first introduced to is that of a school-life comedy. The drama picks up slightly near the beginning, but truly picks up a little farther in. The balance struck between the two is well-done, as neither overwhelms the other. They work together to create a fantastic atmosphere. One thing should be noted though. When the show ends, there’s no solid culmination for the characters. It just kind of... ends. So be prepared for that. (or continue the manga of sket dance for more of it)

The main three characters are pretty unique and unconventional, having a lot of depth and personality. Switch, the genius otaku, who talks through his computer… Himeko, the occasionally violent Okinawan “Yankee” with a soft-spot for cute things… And finally the leader of the SKET club, Bossun. He's a rather interesting choice for a main character, as at times he’s almost completely inept and useless - but at other times he really shines. It’s actually quite refreshing.  Interestingly, these aren’t the main character’s real names, but rather their nicknames. They go almost entirely by those nicknames - each of which has a story behind it.  There are also almost too many side characters to mention (which can be a good thing or bad thing depending on your tastes). Most of them are great, having something of worthwhile value to contribute. A few serve almost no purpose – but they don’t overstay their welcome. The characters are the true heart and soul of this anime. 

The art is very high-quality. Frenetic motion (due to the fast-paced comedy within the series), facial expressions, backgrounds and lighting are all above par. Character designs have had a lot of thought put into them – almost everyone is unique. And the best part is that the quality stays consistent through all seventy seven episodes.

SKET Dance utilizes music in a very effective way. It plays songs that match the current scene. If it’s comedic, the music will be bombastic and crazy. If it’s serious and dramatic, the music will fit that. It helps enhance the presentation. But it also does one thing that is greatly appreciated: it shuts up when it needs to and lets what’s happening play out with no influence from the music at all. 

This was, honestly, one the funniest anime series I’ve had the pleasure of watching. It was also very emotionally powerful at times. That experience being the character interactions, and also the lessons the show teaches. Almost everyone can find something of value in this anime. If the comedy doesn’t do it for you, the serious bits of the show probably will, or vice-versa.

Opening titles

Nogizaka Haruka no Himitsu anime review

English: Haruka Nogizaka's Secret

Type: TV

Episodes: 12

Status: Finished Airing

Aired: Jul 3, 2008 to Sep 25, 2008

Producers: Geneon Universal Entertainment, Diomedea, ASCII Media Works, Studio Mausu

Genres: Comedy, Romance

Duration: 25 min. per episode

Rating: PG-13 - Teens 13 or older

Nogizaka Haruka no Himitsu (Haruka Nogizaka's Secret) is an Ecchi, Romantic, Comedy about a relationship formed from a secret shared between two high school students. This anime doesn’t offer anything remarkably different to your average Rom/Com; however it certainly has a refreshing feel to it.

Yuuto Ayase is a fairly normal guy and Haruka Nogizaka is the school idol but their separate lives soon intertwine when Yuuto discovers Haruka’s secret hobby (Anime). Hardcore anime fans may enjoy the concept because it’s easy to relate to the stigma that may comes along with being an ‘open anime fan’, even though it does go a bit overboard. Though what makes this anime worth watching is the sweet romance that develops. The story moves at a steady pace, dealing with one issue at a time however the problem with this is that the episodes feel very disjointed, as there’s no real flow between one episode and the next. Also once the major issue about Haruka is resolved, this ends up becoming yet another typical romance anime.

Like in most romance anime, this one centres on the characters in the main relationship. Well unlike most protagonists in these kinds of Rom/Coms, Yuuto is quite the appealing guy and acts how a guy is supposed to be and is a welcome change from all the spineless loser-kuns. Then there’s the main attraction, Haruka who is seemingly perfect and has a cute timid personality, however she also comes with her own problems. The supporting characters do an alright job providing some comedy, but can be a real nuisance when it comes to the story.

Just from looking at this series’ picture, anime fans can expect this anime to go for animation and music that we are used to. The art style is very typical for this type of anime, with very simple big-eyed character designs but the way it is animated is certainly better than some similar looking anime (Myself; Yourself, H20, etc.). On the other hand this series doesn’t perform too well in the sound department. The music is sub par and can easily go unnoticed during the non-dramatic scenes.

Overall Nogizaka Haruka no Himitsu is one of the decent Rom/Com of its season, though I feel that there can be an unnecessary amount of fanservice. The comedy is okay, especially on the rare occasions that it includes some obvious anime references but it does get stale after a while. Nevertheless the endearing romance is the only real reason worth watching this anime. It’s a shame the romantic relationship lacks a sense of progression and is littered with trivial problems.

Opening:

Kamisama Hajimemashita Anime review

English: Kamisama Kiss

Synonyms: Kami-sama Hajimemashita, Kami-sama Kiss

Type: TV

Episodes: 13

Status: Finished Airing

Aired: Oct 2, 2012 to Dec 25, 2012

Producers: TV Tokyo, Dentsu, TMS Entertainment, FUNimation EntertainmentL, Pony Canyon

Genres: Comedy, Demons, Fantasy, Romance, Shoujo, Supernatural

Duration: 24 min. per episode

Rating: PG-13 - Teens 13 or older

In a nutshell, I would say that Kamisama Hajimemashita is a romance with a drop of supernatural element. 

The plot has it all: beautiful animation, interesting story, spiritual world, current world and school life as well as different handsome male characters. Everything is perfectly combined and thus great romance and comedy has been created. If you are looking for a heartwarming romance, don’t forget to give a shot to Kamisama Kiss.

The series tells the story of a young girl named Nanami Momozono, who is alone..abandoned, and helpless. The innocent little lamp makes an interesting encounter with a strange man (Mikagi) and from there, her life changes forever. But wait, it doesn't stop there. She also encounters the big bad wolf (or rather familiar) Tomoe. Along with him comes the package of two other spirits (Onikiri and Kotetsu). After a contract sealed by a kiss, the two forms as peculiar relationship. This series details their relationship and what's to come from it because the world is never fair. It's not perfect.

The relationship between Nanami and Tomoe is one of the most strange, amusing, and interesting part of the series. A human and a familiar relationship has trouble written all over it especially the gap of difference between the two. Nanami is a normal human girl who has normal skills in life with normal friends attending a normal school. On the other hand, Tomoe is a supernatural being with supernatural abilities and able to accomplish feats with supernatural degrees. 

The animation is really amazing! Color palette made my heart tremble. It’s so charming…

And also I am Positively surprised by the pleasant opening and ending music, I must admit the anime has really charmed me. Right from the start you get drawn into it and sing along :) a… a a a… kamisama…

Opening:

Ending Song (Love it):

Amnesia Anime review

English: Amnesia

Japanese: AMNESIA

Type: TV

Episodes: 12

Status: Finished Airing

Aired: Jan 7, 2013 to Mar 25, 2013

Producers: Brains Base, Sentai FilmworksL

Genres: Mystery, Fantasy, Romance, Shoujo

Duration: 23 min. per episode

Rating: PG-13 - Teens 13 or older

Are you a lonely, boy-less teenage girl? Do you wish you could have many hot guys surrounded by you, astounded by you ? What about living in a world where you get to date and be submissive to no, not just one attractive male, but over FOUR of them in many different worlds? Does that sound like the dream life to you? Have no fear, "Amnesia" is just what you need to fulfill this!

In case you don't get the vibe, this is pretty much a reverse harem used primarily for female wish-fulfillment. The story centers around our lead girl, erm, I guess we just call her Heroine? Because her boyfriends that love her oh so dearly never bother to call her by her name? Yeah. Heroine finds herself awakening with no memories, and it's up to her and a spirit called Orion to collect her memories. She's also trapped in this sort of "time loop." Basically, each time she dies, the date resets. By date I mean both the month and day and her current boyfriend.

The story has two main issues: the pacing and the Heroine. The pacing moves by pretttty damn slowly, to the point where even when we hit episode nine, nearly nothing is known about the main plot.

And here comes our other issue, the Heroine herself. This girl is so bland, so personality-less, and used as such a wish-fulfillment device that she doesn't even have a name. she provides little to no advancement to the plot herself and has to rely on everyone else to push her in any direction possible. 

Speaking of Heroine's reliance, this also brings another issue: she's submissive. Too, too submissive. Almost all the guys do extremely improper things to her, like shoving her against a tree in the middle of the dark against her will or forcefully kissing her, getting too close to her, anything. And she just accepts all of this. She never sticks up for herself, and is even willing to stay with a man whom she pretty much knows will dump her when his time limit is up. Great example, right guys? The male characters ain't any better. Some want to play her, others want to lock her up in a cage. You know how it is.

Oh uh, the positives? Well, the art is pretty crisp, as expected of Brain's Base. The eyes look downright gorgeous and the opening theme is pretty much eyecandy. The men are attractive, which is a key for these anime, and the backgrounds are well-created. 

Soundtrack is merely mediocre and unmemorable, though bonus points are awarded for such an awesome opening song. And over all watch it if you really like pretty boys in different worlds wanting the same girl. Then its your thing.

Opening titles:

Kimikiss Pure Rouge Anime review

Synonyms: Kimi-kiss pure rouge

Type: TV

Episodes: 24

Status: Finished Airing

Aired: Oct 7, 2007 to Mar 23, 2008

Producers: J.C. Staff, Bandai Visual, Lantis, Sentai FilmworksL

Genres: Drama, Romance, School

Duration: 24 min. per episode

Rating: PG-13 - Teens 13 or older

Wow. Just wow. After watching the last episode of Kimikiss, I can say that this was one of the best romance animes I've seen in a long while. 

The story is so simple ... it's about true love. We all chase it, but not all catch it. And that's what our two main guys are doing as well. Revolving around the typical high-school environment, two events of the first episode put a whole romance story in motion, a romance story you probably won't forget that easy. It seems so simple and human that you easy forget about this world and live the feelings of the characters involved in this story. As in all romance animes, the drama can't miss out, and you'll find many moments when you'll actually feel like crying. One thing I didn't like was the ending, since I hoped I could see a bit of a "1 year later" story but it ended kind of abruptly. Well, nevertheless, the story is probably the greatest thing about Kimikiss. 

I've heard some people don't like the artwork from Kimikiss and I certainly don't know why, because I consider it pretty good. The characters are drawn good (even though it has a different style than other animes), the background scenery is pretty good as well so I see no reason why. Plus, in episode 20, when they changed the art for the Kazuki-Eriko scene, it was very interesting to see that depth in the eyes, that facial expression that few animations can give, even for one episode.

Not much to say about this part. The OST is very good and the background music fits the anime like a glove. Not to mention the great OP/ED songs that can really make you sing along with 'em.. It's one of those songs that make being in love a happy, cheerful and awesome thing, like you forget all the bad parts. 

Character was one of the things that caught me from the first episode. The variety of girls fits a harem anime, yet one of the main elements here are the guys. 

It's the first romance shows I've seen that actually has 2 main guys, so two main stories at the same time. You can see them throughout the anime how they become from the inexperienced, lonely bums to guys that know how to face the facts and have the guts to get past the obstacles in their way. They fall in love, and that's what makes them stronger. I really think the characters made this show more worthwhile.

I loved it. From the first episode to the last episode in spring , I loved this anime. When I saw the first episode, it captured me and didn't let me go. I still love it even now and I'll keep it because I'll surely watch it again someday, probably when love strikes me. Here's one anime that deserves a hats off. Good job. Definitely recommended!

The opening titles: