Sword Art Online

I found the overall theme and atmosphere of the series to be great, and being an avid lover the MMORPG genre obviously a lot of things in this series appealed to me. I really enjoyed the idea of being stuck in a game that was impossible to escape from without winning and having real consequences, it really made everything much more dramatic and meaningful in the story.

If I had to pick two of the best things this anime did well for me it would probably be the animation and soundtrack. They both were really well done, and honestly without them being as good as they were this series would have gotten a much lower score from me, and when I say I really enjoyed the soundtrack I mean that I loved it, it was superb. 

I think what it really comes down was just the fact that I enjoyed watching it. I can look at the flaws and pick the anime apart pretty easily, but those flaws never really stopped me from enjoying this anime.I really do feel though that it had a lot of potential to be a top tier series, it just made far too many mistakes. It was good because I found it to be enjoyable, but it wasn't great or amazing. 

At the end of the day I watch anime because I want something that will entertain me and keep me interested, and I feel that Sword Art Online did a good job at accomplishing that. 

FMA Brotherhood

First of all, I have seen the original FMA and although it was very popular and original, the pacing and conclusion did not sit too well with me. Brotherhood is meant to be a remake of the original, this time sticking to the manga all the way through, but there were people who thought it would spoil the franchise. That myth should be dispelled, as there's only one word to describe this series - EPIC.

The animation in FMA Brotherhood is crisp and very well done (although it does sometimes dip a bit in quality). Compared to the original FMA it's a bit simpler but that's just because the original set a very high standard to follow. The facial emotions of the characters are also perfectly presented. The action scenes are brilliant and VERY well animated, with a variety of alchemy techniques and other talents being displayed nearly every episode. The various battles are consistently exciting to watch, but somehow get even better towards the end of the series.

One of the many good things about this series is that there has been absolutely no filler at all (yes, I'm thinking of Naruto, Inuyasha, etc), which prevents the story from losing momentum. All the episodes are concise and every scene is important as part of the huge plot. The dialogue fully explains everything and is straight to the point. As multiple characters are explored there are lots of side stories, but these are all perfectly intertwined with the main story of the Elric brothers and more often than not directly influence their journey too. Like most anime series, there are things from the manga which have been left out, but these are usually just restricted to comedy moments. There has been one episode which shows a lot of flashbacks of events so far, but that's forgiven as it shows the most epic moments of the series, and also provided us with some history on the father of the Elric brothers. 

It is excellent in every aspect and has very little, if anything, that can be called a flaw (maybe rushed character development at first due to the fast pacing, but this quickly subsides). Each episode feels like it's too short, a testimony to how much it draws you in to the story and characters. There are moments which leave you smiling, laughing, sad and simply amazed. Try this anime, it's recommended for absolutely everyone, to newcomers and to those familiar with Fullmetal Alchemist

GJ-Bu

the most confusing and yet memorable aspect of GJ-bu is that the story is relatively... non-existent. GJ-bu follows a chronological order, spanning a year, and documents the lives and various antics of the members of the GJ (Good Job) society - a school club that seems to have no real purpose other than to eat cakes, drink tea and have fun. This might sound rather dull - and, in lots of similar slice of life anime, such a formula has proved to be dull; but GJ-bu shines in... not trying too hard, I suppose. Or, rather, not trying so hard it becomes unrealistic, contrived and pointlessly melodramatic.

I found GJ-bu an incredibly likable slice of life of anime, which respects its audience and doesn't spell out all its jokes. The script seems slightly more mature than a lot of other comedic anime, and was more subtle in its humour. The contrast between whacky, high-energy characters and mundane situations was enjoyable, and it was fun to watch the characters interact with one another and their environment. The characters might not have been anything special, but the script of this anime seemed so refreshing, and genuinely amusing, to me, that the characters didn't seem as sterotyped as they might have done in a show of lower quality, so this flaw is easily overlooked

Kokoro Connect

What would you do if you and your friends started randomly switching between each other's bodies? Or if your deepest darkest desires were suddenly brought to the surface, out of your control?
Here we have a series that takes a supernatural storyline, adds some well-written high-school romance and plenty of compelling drama, and pulls it all together into one amazing package. Although some of the ideas may have been done many times before, Kokoro Connect manages to make it fresh and funny, whilst also being surprisingly realistic with how it portrays the effects of each of the phenomena. I felt the drama wasn't overdone at all and every arc introduced interesting new aspects of the story and allowed many sides of the characters to be shown.
Ultimately, Kokoro Connect succeeds in blending its comedic school life shenanigans with more serious emotional moments, a testament to the quality of the writing and the great direction.

I have to say, Kokoro Connect is a must watch and I recommend it to everyone. It was fully entertaining throughout. As the supernatural phenomena start to take their toll on the five main characters - will their friendship be able to survive? Join them on an emotional rollercoaster as you see them handle various unusual situations, all the while learning more about themselves and each other.

Clannad

Clannad is something I would recommend even to a friend who have never watched any kind of anime. There is no need to have a "anime background" in order to enjoy it, it's something everyone, without exceptions, can watch. Despite the genre, age, tastes... There is no gore, violence, profanity, battles... it's just the classical slice-of-life humor mixed with a lovely romance, that proves how strong some stories can be by themselves without any kind of "attractive" or fan-service. 
Do you know anyone who's a little depressed and is now reading some kind of self-help book trying to see the "beauty of life"? Recommend to him/her this anime.

If I were to define this series with one word, I'd say it's "charming". It's an anime to be enjoyed, appreciated. All the aspects of it, including art, soundtrack, characters but specially story.
When we were little, we used to find everything amazing, even the most stupid and simple thing was something amusing. We had a hell of a time with friends, laughing for no reason... But, suddenly it's all gone. 
All those great mementos are now just vague memories and you're stuck in a boring and endless routine. This are the thoughts of our male protagonist, Tomoya Okazaki. And this little fragment from the first scene gives you already an idea of how the story will progress. However these are also thoughts we all have inside of us, and that's why Clannad's story becomes so realistic at some point, because it's close to reality, a reality some people have experienced themselves. 
Don't worry, this sadness isn't the main focus of the story. Clannad is a heartwarming tale. Our protagonist will make many friends along the way, and with them new situations will appear, turning his lonely days into something much more enjoyable, happy, and also mysterious. 
Jun Maeda and the screenwriters from Key did a marvelous job with the development of some points from the story, keeping some surprises hidden until the very end.

The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya

The plot is exceptional, with a huge plot twist in the middle. The monologues are very well done, including a really epic monologue near the end of the movie. The amount of thought put into the entirety of the plot is also well done; just by reading the plot summary will automatically suck you in. You will be on the edge of your seat the whole time trying to figure out the reasons for these bizarre events. There are some epic moments that really bring out your emotions. You will, at least one, feel tingles down your spine; for me it happened like 10-20 times. The plot is just that well put together that your body can’t help but to let you feel it epicness. Time travel is AMAZINGLY done in this movie. Your mind will be blown by the end of this movie because of time travel. One point in argument is that there are loose ends to the movie. This, of course, is part of the story because it will tie in with the seventh light novel of Haruhi (This movie being the fourth), so the movie automatically is open to a sequel, which of course is a really good thing.

The art is amazing, just as good, if not better, than the TV series. There is a fair share of flashy lights and warping colors when time travel or alien sequences occur. The art is wonderfully beautiful at Kyon’s monologue near the end; trust me when you see it you’ll know. The music is of course amazing, the OP is Bouken Desho Desho, sung by Hirano Aya (Haruhi) and is the OP to Haruhi season one, and the ED is Yasashii Boukyaku sung by Minori Chihara (Yuki) which is peaceful sad melody. The overall OST is amazing and I would definitely get it since it combines sad music with upbeat music when Kyon makes a breakthrough in trying to solve the mysterious occurrence.

Characters are at their best in this movie. Kyon is the central character and makes the biggest change in this movie. He comes to an ultimate realization of everything he was living for: Does he like the life with aliens, espers, and time travelers? Nagato Yuki would be another major character because her life, not as a humanoid interface, but as a human grows. She gains a little bit of emotions and is able to realize her true feelings. Even in the end, Kyon realizes that he has never been thankful everything that Nagato has done for him and ultimately saves her. Even minor characters play a big role, for example Taniguchi, who is ultimately the one who saves Kyon from absolute despair. Haruhi in the distorted world is just a normal person, but without her help, Kyon would not have been saved. The characters are amazingly done and you will love the way they are all presented.

Overall, The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya is a plot filled, plot twisting, emotional giving, character changing, enjoyment giving, plot loving, mind blowing, time traveling, time distorting, epic bringing, ultimate awesomeness, wonderfully put together, amazingly amazing story. There is only one scene in the movie that is particularly different from the light novel; this would be when Kyon and Asahina encounter Nagato at the school early in the morning (you'll know when), the movie has the scene take place outside the school gates, where in the novel it takes place inside the clubroom; however, I would say putting that particular scene outside was a good call. Fans and haters alike will not be able to deny that this movie is amazing and will love every moment of it. As I said many times before, Kyon’s monologue near the end is wonderfully epic and you will love every moment of it with a passion. Your two hours and forty minutes will not be in vain in any manner, shape, or form. The DVD will come out in 8 to 11 months and you WILL rewatch it because it is just THAT good, I wouldn’t be surprised if I watch it two to three more times. The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya is a wonderful experience and might be the best anime this 2010 year.

Persona 4 The Animation

"Bonds of people is the true power"

Persona 4 is one of the best video games that I have had the chance to play. Despite being highly acclaimed by critics both in Japan and in the West, Persona 4 remains somewhat of a niche title and this more or less transfers to the anime adaptation too. As a result, those who have played the game are the ones best-placed to be able to fully appreciate the anime series, but new fans will also find a very good anime thanks to Aniplex doing a commendable job with the existing game material.

The game features several short anime-styled cut scenes, and the anime series is similar in terms of artwork and animation. Character designs, which have been copied from the game, are simple and sharp. This means it's decent, but compared to certain other anime it's probably not as visually striking. In some episodes the animation is quite inconsistent; for example, facial expressions are usually good but sometimes become lifeless. Nevertheless, the battle scenes featuring personas and shadows are mostly excellent and full of action, appropriate BGM and variation. It's also amusing that the anime retains the look and feel of a video game; the main character's stats appearing halfway through each episode, as well as the calendar being displayed when each day passes are just a couple of examples.

The sound, in my opinion, is the best aspect of this anime. Poor music alone can't make-or-break a series, but that is irrelevant anyway when it comes to Persona 4 The Animation. The background music is composed by Shoji Meguro, who also composed the music for the game, and it doesn't disappoint, especially during battle scenes. A lot of the music has been recycled from the game and rightly so; why change something that's already superb? The OP and ED themes are new, but they're done in the same style as the OP: sung in English but still sounding incredible. The Japanese VAs have done a good job (which is expected as they also voiced the characters in the game, and therefore have previous experience), and more often than not they suit the roles well.

Usagi Drop

Raising a child isn't easy, and every parent or guardian knows just how taxing all of the daily tasks can be, the sacrifices that need to be made in terms of work and social life, and the almost constant stream of considerations and worries. The truth is that looking after children is one of the biggest causes of stress and grey hairs (or hair loss), amongst adults, but given that the majority of people in the world are (or will be), parents, it's a little odd that such a major topic is still a rarity in anime.

The again, who wants to watch a show about the trials and tribulations of raising children, especially when the steady diet of fanservice, explosions, brainless muscular heroes, top heavy heroines, nonsensical plots, pseudo-psychology, etc, are apparently what passes for entertainment these days. It's a sad fact that in a medium where literally any story can be told, the ones that may actually cast anime in a positive light are constantly overlooked or ignored completely.

Which is why Usagi Drop is such a rarity.
The simple fact is that this anime is one of those rare titles that doesn't use the word "mature" as a marker for violence, gore, sexual content, etc, and this makes it almost unique when one considers the shows that have been released this past year. The emphasis on realism, albeit in an idealized form, may also be a factor as there are a few people out there who want pure fantasy and escapism.

Whatever your opinion or taste, one thing remains true - Usagi Drop is clearly aimed at a more mature audience than the norm. The fact that it doesn't demean the creators with pointless gore, violence or fanservice, or insult the viewer's intelligence by explaining everything that happens, are what sets it apart from many other slice of life shows out there.

Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion

This may be because practically every episode ended in a cliffhanger, but I could not stop watching this show. From the first episode to the last I could not stop myself from watching. I wanted to know what happened next. I wanted to know the consequences of Lelouch's actions, and how he would respond. I wanted to see in what unique way he would tactically take down all of his opponents the next time. I wanted to see how Lelouch and Suzaku's friendship would pan out. The show provides you with countless small and large desires that can get fulfilled within minutes, or not be answered until the last episode. This recipe of teasing and rewarding made this show addicting as hell and was beautifully crafted. The intriguing plot, interesting politics, and fantastic characters were melded beautifully by the writers to create a show perfectly executed to entertain the viewer. The two seasons differ in their approach, but the basic tease and deliver equation was still in place throughout it all. The first season contained a stable goal for the characters filled with shocking surprises and twists. The second season was far more inconsistent with its objective, but really delivers massive emotional punches, and eventually steers itself up for the grande finale. Code Geass was filled with practically everything you could ask for in an entertaining anime, and all these tools were utilized perfectly with fantastic execution. If there's one thing Code Geass did right, it was that it kept me entertained.

The plot, pacing, characters, emotions, and most importantly the execution of it all are what pull Code Geass out of the crowd and make it truly something else. The plot can push towards over the top at times and trip over itself, but the overall story and the characters within it make Code Geass one heck of a ride.

AnoHana: The Flower We Saw That Day

Dealing with the death of a friend or loved one isn't easy, no matter how old you are, and everyone comes to terms with their loss in different ways. Adults can drink themselves into a stupor in an effort to dull the pain, take off on a journey of self discovery, bury themselves in their work, or find some other coping mechanism. Unfortunately the same isn't true for children, and all too often they are unable to truly deal with the emotional turmoil that occurs.

Now it may seem a bit odd to talk about death, grief, and learning to deal with the loss of someone close, but essentially that's what AnoHana: The Flower We Saw That Day is all about.

AnoHana is a surprisingly simple, yet slightly over sentimental, look at the coping mechanisms of children and adolescents when coming to terms with a past trauma, and in that respect it's one of the more surprising titles of the last few years. The series errs more on the side of soap opera than outright drama from time to time, but like many of the other relatively minor flaws, this can be forgiven in light of the fact that the subject matter is well managed and delivered. In truth, the closest neighbor to AnoHana would probably be Tokyo Magnitude 8.0 as that also highlights the difficulty children have in dealing with the sudden loss of a loved one.

Little Busters!

There are many things in this world that can break a person's heart. Whether it's a tragedy, a memory, a breakup, a betrayal, or just because, these things can affect an individual's well being beyond repair. It's not like a physical injury where the wound heals. It's emotional and affect's a person's heart. Once that's damaged, it can be very difficult or in many cases, become unhealable. Luckily though, there are ways to go through this process.

For starters, friends are probably one of the best medicines. In fact, friends are one of the most valuable things that should be treasured in this world. It's not purchased at your local grocery store. It can't be collected like baseball cards. It can't be earned like points from a video game. Rather, a friend is a someone who looks after your well being and someone that you hold mutual affection for. When you're having a bad day, they are there for you and someone who can understand the situation. Through friendship comes forth a connection as people learn more about each other and more about themselves. If you look back through those memories and your photo albums, you might remember some of those memories of childhood. These memories that are built with your friends are irreplaceable and as long as you treasure them, nothing can take that away. With these friends, you learn to climb the stairs to adolescence through experiences while learning about the world. You know what that's called?

It's called growing up, and is exactly what Little Busters! is all about.

SNAFU

"Some walks you have to take alone."

Somewhere along the way, I read that quote. The source is unknown to me, but I found that it struck key point in life. Well, I guess I can't generalize and say everyone's life, but I would say most people have had times they felt they couldn't count on anyone. Life is full of things that make us want to isolate people we don't understand and make us want to quit life. Life is full of those moments, those "emotional roller coaster" kind of moments, and very apparent in SNAFU.

The characters in this show were phenomenal. Let me explain: from start to finish, how they started off as, how they developed, and the amazing interaction between the characters, especially Hikki and Yukinoshita, were just amazingly done. There really isn't a show I enjoyed more than this based solely on character development. Gotta love the bantering back and forth.

Truly, there are some gems of knowledge we can all learn from. Hikki, pessimistic and messed as he may be, truly understands the world far better than most of the other characters in the show. Despite his twisted views on life, he tries his best to help others. Not always in the nicest way, but definitely in a way that is effective. Throughout the show, there was nothing more captivating than listening to Hikki's thought process and views on life. 

After finishing the show, that quote really hit me. Not so much about what it meant, but that quote truly was something that describes Hikki so very well. He truly understands the meaning of "walking alone" and just doing what needs to be done. 

Steins;Gate

The subject of time travel is no stranger to the world of anime, so it takes a lot of work to make a time travel story stand out. For Steins;Gate, that hard work paid off. This is by far the best-executed time travel story that I've ever seen in my experience with anime, and if you haven't seen it yet, you're definitely missing out!

Unlike many time travel stories, especially in the world of anime, Steins;Gate has no noticeable inconsistencies objectively. I say objectively because this is a science fiction story, and that makes it really hard for everyone to agree on it. The thing is, none of us have experienced time travel in the way the characters in these science fiction stories have (and if you have experienced it, I'm very sorry for making assumptions), so there isn't a clear right or wrong way to write a time travel story. Obviously, if a story contradicts itself, something went wrong. But Steins;Gate seems to obey its own rules, and while a lot of people have made very compelling arguments that point out flaws in Steins;Gate's concept of time travel, they all make assumptions about how time travel works, and no one can really say for sure how things would change if we altered the past.

In the end, this isn't a science textbook, it's a science fiction anime. It's not supposed to be 100% believable, otherwise we wouldn't be able to watch it and say "wow, that was unbelievable!" I give the story a 10/10 because it was interesting, well-researched (many ideas are borrowed from other works of science fiction and played with), and overall just plain entertaining. 

This anime made me laugh maniacally and cry silently. It also made me think, and it rewarded my thoughts by having closure and clarity, which left me more than satisfied. Easily a 10/10 anime, and now one of my favorites that I've seen!

Spirited Away

When I first saw the movie, I didn't see what the big deal was. All right, so a girl gets whisked away to a fantasy world? We've heard that story before. And, unlike many other movies, there's no dramatic love story or epic battles and action scenes to keep you at the edge of your seat. Consequently, I didn't think of it as being very exciting.

Still, I watched it again and, for some reason, I got it the second time around. Spirited Away isn't meant to be anything grand, with all the bells and whistles. It has a quiet, subdued way of telling a simple story about a simple girl in a very strange world. Instead of expecting something huge, just sit back, watch, and appreciate the world and story Miyazaki has finely crafted for us all to enjoy.

To get to the technical aspects...

The art is, of course, amazing. The colors are rich and the animation is fluid. When Chihiro and her family first walk into the spirit world, you can practically feel the breeze as you watch it whisk through the grass. The lights of the spirit world at night are breathtaking. And watching the train ride closer to the end of the movie, coupled with the amazing music score (the track is called "The Sixth Station"), remains one of my most favorite animation sequences out of anything I've seen. Which brings me to another point: the music.

I dearly loved the characters. One of the best parts of this movie, for me, was that it lacked any clear good or evil characters. Everyone has a bit of both, though perhaps some allow the evil sides of them to come out a bit more obviously than others. In this way, it's very realistic. Granted, the characters were all quite predictable and Chihiro grated on my nerves at times, but overall, I enjoyed each and every one of the characters Miyazaki has create here.

Overall, Spirited Away is one of my favorite movies and will always be a treasured item in my small DVD collection. It requires some patience to get through since it's not packed with action or drama, but it's a nice fairy tale to watch and enjoy.

Attack on Titan

One thing I've been noticing in the past few years is that new anime releases are lacking on originality and a serious plot, so when Shingeki no Kyojin or if you prefer Attack on Titan first came out I had all sorts of mixed feelings towards it, but this feeling of relief was always present on me. Attack on Titan is one of those anime that even non regular anime viewers praise.

For the plot, I will try to not drag out for too much in this part even though Attack on Titan has a very big premise, when humanity is no longer at the top of the food chain because of what they refer as Titans who resemble giant people varying from 4m class to a big ass 60m class have putted humans at border of extinction. Now humans only option is to live cornered in this 3 gigantic walls Maria, Rose and Sina. This situation creates a lot of limitations for humans such as their resources and their live space. On a first look the plot doesn´t look that amazing or original, but it doesn´t just stop there as the majority of people think, no, the world of Attack on Titan is much bigger than that delivering complex theme such as new religions, monarchic government, new social ideals, etc.

So the anime follows Eren a kid that has always been curious of the outside world, he has always had this motivation to join the Scouting Legion, accompanying him there´s Mikasa and his friend Armin. When suddenly a Colossal Titan appears with what they call the Armor Titan breach over the walls that have protected them for their whole lives, letting minor titans enter the wall and start chaos, the outcome of this event had Eren seeing her mother get eaten by a Titan which starts Eren journey to obliterate the Titans!

Kids on the Slope

A series that revolves around music can be hit or miss for a lot of people. For example, if you aren't the biggest enthusiast of classical music, Nodame Cantabile might not be your cup of tea. While Sakamichi no Apollon does revolve around jazz, just like Cantabile, there are many things to enjoy about the series even if you're not a fan of jazz music.

Mixing together elements of romance, daily school events (albeit in the 60s), brotherhood, and, of course, jazz music, Sakamichi No Apollon tells the story of a pessimistic and bleak individual who finds a brother, a love for jazz, and a blossoming romance.

For those who have any experience in playing any musical instrument, this anime will hit home. As someone who's played the trumpet and the bass guitar, I found Kids on the Slope to be very entertaining and relatable.
The enjoyment of playing music you love is something you cannot replicate in any other means, and the series does a very good job portraying the self-expression and happiness emanating from Sentaro and Kaoru in all of their sessions of jamming.

Each episode makes you want to watch the next, and the ending is one of the most joy-filled scenes I have ever seen. To put it into words is difficult, but the expression "set free" hits home here.

If you're looking for a tale of camaraderie, brotherhood, romance, comedy, all brought together with some well-orchestrated jazz music, this is the anime for you.

Angel Beats!

Angel Beats started out as a rather unserious anime, that's to say at least. The beginning, which could develop into some thriller or horror story, turned out to be an action story with major elements of comedy. While it looked like an unpromising teen-oriented title, I found myself deeply involved in it soon after the start. The fact that jokes weren't the most clever ones I have ever heard and that anime dragged fast between comedy and drama, which came later, was repaired by elemental sincerity of this anime - and I laughed at it and gazed at it with a fainting heart in some several minutes, going through the pure and simple drama of its characters. And after its only thirteen episodes I could only sit with my mouth open experiencing endless excitement and sedation, sorrow and happiness, one the same time.

Love is not what two people feel to each other. Love is not what mother or father feels for the child and what he feels for them. Love is not what person feels to his brothers and sisters. Love is all above and yet more. It is an affection and sympathy to all people through yourself and person you call beloved. It is feeling compassion and forgiving. A dream of being forgiven came true. A feeling of being strong in your weakness. Your strongest connection to this seemingly cruel and meaningless world and life. Angel Beats truly shows and gives its viewer the best feeling in the world.

Howl's Moving Castle

The story is about a girl named Sophie who gets turned into an old woman and ends up living with a wizard named Howl in his moving castle. The story is the only part I felt was lacking in this movie. Though I have to admit I see more flaws with the story after reading the book (even though I find the movie much better). Overall, I felt many of the war scenes were over-dramatized and left a lot of questions. There were also a lot of small things throughout that they could have done a better job at explaining. Even after watching the movie so many times I cannot fully explain some scenes and still have questions about the movie.

The animation, however, is absolutely stunning and many of the backgrounds look realistic. I also have to say that I am impressed with how Sophie is animated, and how it is so easy to tell when she is aging/regressing just simply by looking at the animation (her voice also helps). Overall this is the most impressive Miyazaki art I've seen and I really haven't seen much that can top it.

And the music! I'll just start off by saying the music in this movie is so beautiful. I love every single background music in this movie, and the only song I don't like so much is the theme with the words that plays at the end. Aside from the beautiful soundtrack, the sounds in the movie are so dead on. Hearing Sophie's bones crack as an old woman is really painful, and as much as I don't like Sophie's voice, her seiyuu does a great job at portraying the character and how she fluctuates between young and old so frequently throughout the movie. I think all the seiyuu in the movie were good as well. 

This movie is definitely worth watching, and even if you watched it and didn't like it, you only spent two hours watching it since it's a movie. I think it's definitely one of Miyazaki's better works. If you have time or interest, I think it's worth checking out the book, since it's a completely different take on the story. It's got a lot less romance between Sophie and Howl in it, but it brings a lot more character development to Markl and Sophie's sisters (she has more than one in the novel). But if not, just watch the movie! 

Toradora!

If you haven't guessed by now, I can get choked up by a great story. That being said, as I honestly think back, tears come to my eyes. Toradora! was a emotional roller coaster. This roller coaster, with its twists and turns, really made me feel that life and love is not all its cracked up to be. Maybe it was the fear of heights, or the unimaginable speed, either way, I was moved.

Two words, character development. Toradora! handles characters in one of the best ways I have ever seen. It is not biased with its opinions of each character, and does not fail to show details that will be used later on in the story. I honestly will not say anymore, I may begin to spoil the enjoyment of the anime.

The roller coaster has stopped, your seatbelt is unfastened and you slowly step out of the cart. As you step off, you look behind you and think to yourself "What a ride that was, will I ever experience something so great in my life again?" But sadly, the line to go again is extremely long, and you decide to come back another day. This line is the amount of time it will take for Japan to come out with another god-tier anime. However long the line is, you know in the back of your head after watching what is Toradora!, that patience is a virtue, and if you wait long enough, dreams will come true. 

The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya

The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya is an anime that needs no introduction. If you’re the least bit familiar with the anime medium, chances are you've heard of this series.

The first thing that surprised me about this series was how plot-heavy it was. The main arc takes up 6 of the 14 episodes, and is an adaptation of the first volume of the novels titled The Meloncholy of Haruhi Suzumiya. To my knowledge as someone who has not yet read the novels, the other episodes are adapted from scattered chapters in the later volumes of the novels, and though more of the main storyline could not be adapted due to time constraints, I feel each episode still adds to the experience in its own way. There’s a mostly serious but self-contained murder-mystery arc that consists of two episodes (Remote Island Syndrome Part One and Two), and other episodes serve to develop or provide more insight on the characters (The Day of Sagittarius, Live Alive) while some are just plain funny (The Adventures of Mikuru Asahina Episode 00). All things considered, I don’t think there was a single episode wasted.

The characters are probably the most divisive part of the show. Kyon is the cynical, level-headed protagonist and narrator of the series. His narration keeps the show moving along at a brisk pace, and his inner monologues provide more insight on the other characters and his true feelings for them. He’s the voice of reason in the cast, and is constantly questioning the other characters’ actions and the often shaky logic behind them—​and sometimes the show itself. For the non-critical types out there, this may make him come off as whiny, but for viewers like me whose minds are never at rest when watching, he becomes one of the most relatable characters in anime—​or any fiction for that matter—​as his inner thoughts mirrored my own when watching so closely it was almost scary at times (plus, it’s not exactly whining if it’s all in his head, is it?). It feels like Kyon is somewhat of a self-insert of the author, and his observations are based on things that the author has observed in other media and his own while writing it, and he wanted to make a character that called attention to these things for once in an attempt to reach out to like-minded viewers. Kyon is far from perfect, but that’s part of what makes him so relatable for me. He’s knowledgeable but not beyond his years, he’s grounded in his morals but mostly only when others are watching, he’s observant but still oblivious when it comes to such things as a certain someone’s feelings towards him (and the fact that he himself might be more than just a regular high school student).