Pokémon TCG: Sword and Shield—Brilliant Stars

Anime Review Thread (No Spoilers)

Sandslash7

Sandslash7

<a href="http://pokegym.net/forums/showpost.php?p=
Hey Guys, I had another idea for a thread here. Basically, its similar to my other thread, "Best/Favorite Anime???", but different. The other thread is more for discussion on the various anime, while I'd like this thread to have a different focus.

Mainly, I'd like to see members contributing semi-lengthy reviews on various anime that they themselves have watched. This can be done by either a single poster or by a conglomerate/group. However, I'd like ONE post per anime, which I will link from this initial post.

Generally, I'd like this to be a place where members can come and find good suggestions on what anime to watch, and if we have diligent reviewers, that should help finding great series even easier.

Please don't be frightened by the requirements. They're not difficult, and I'm going to be lenient. I want this thread to take off and have a life of it's own.

If you would like to review an anime, please adhere to the following guidelines:
  1. If you'd like to review a specific anime, post in this thread, and you can get back to me with the review later. FIRST COME FIRST SERVE. HOWEVER, SEE THE FIRST NOTE.
  2. Please make it 500-1000 words. I'd like to make the reviews long enough to give some depth from which other members can decide whether to view said series, but not drag on for paragraph after paragraph.
  3. Please no "extremely questionable material". This should not need to be mentioned, as we are on a PG forum, but I figure safe is better than sorry. We all should know what I mean by this, without actually saying it. (as I don't know if that word is censored.)
  4. Try to avoid spoilers. However, mentioning things like "character death" is fine and may be even needed, as long as it directly pertains to how the anime plays out and is received by the re/viewer.
  5. Again, ONE post/review per anime.
  6. For some of the longer/more popular series, a collaboration may be better than a single reviewer. If you'd like to participate in a group, post and I'll hold that anime for a group project. The only difference is that the length may be extended by 500 words IF you need that much.
  7. Also, please only review if you've seen the anime within a recent time span. Doing a legitimate review on a 2-3 year back remembrance in your mind doesn't bode well for being accurate.
  8. You may review: Completed series OR Series that are significantly long enough that there is a good amount to review. An example of each would be: Death Note and Bleach. Death Note is completed, which allows for reviewing, and Bleach, while still on-going, is well into the 250+ episode mark, and therefore can be reviewed relatively easily, based on the merits of what has been produced thus far.
  9. You may not review: Series that are ongoing or have, as I said, questionable material. Examples are FMA: Brotherhood or "Variable random tentacle show (no this is not an actual show, I hope)" Brotherhood due to it is still running and not over 52 episodes yet. (I'll arbitrarily say 4 seasons is the limit for ongoing shows to be reviewed.) and tentacle show because of the content described.

Now for some specifics on what to include in the review.

  1. Name/Title (obviously), but in large type so we can skim by and see which anime are reviewed.
  2. Date released, Licensing Company, and availability in the US.
  3. Genre/ages aimed for. Shonen/Shojo etc is fine, along with 14-17 guys, 10-13 tweens is also good in addition to the "specific Japanese genre titles."
  4. Then progress into the actual review. This can be pretty free-form, but please be detailed with stuff similar to "good character development, really displaying how one goes through this situation" etc. Please be neutral, and if possible, show where possible faults are. No series is perfect, and I'd like to see whether the art needed some work in places, character development was lacking overall etc.
  5. Culminate with your thoughts on the series, as well as a recommended/not recommended rating, along with WHO you'd recommend this series to. i.e. "This series is great for those just getting into anime, and really helps build a love for the genre."


My main goal is to give the Gym a resource that anime lovers can use to find other shows that they'd otherwise miss. I find it incredibly difficult to just sit down and start watching an anime, I don't want to waste my time, and I'd rather other people not waste their time either.

NOTE ONE: Don't sign up to do a well known anime UNLESS YOU ARE WILLING TO PUT IN THE TIME TO REVIEW IT WELL. I don't want to see "FMA: good show. Awesome action. 9/10" THIS IS NOT OPTIMAL!

NOTE TWO: You may only review ONE anime until I lift this restriction. I don't know how many will be interested in partaking in this, and I'd like to have as many different reviewers/anime as possible so that we have a wide range of tastes and shows. Unless you can give me a solid reason that NO ONE ELSE will want to do that specific anime for a good length of time, you may only do ONE. And please, "Well I think I should be able to do X number of anime because I've seen OVER 9000!!! anime.... blah blah etc." Sorry, but no.

Thanks guys, and have fun!

Anime reviewed/Reviewer:
1.Cowboy Bebop/Trican
2.
3.
etc.
 
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COWBOY BEBOP

Licensed to: Bandai
Released: First aired in 2001 September
Availability: Best Sessions and Remix Often Available; Movie: Knockin on Heaven's Door Often Available; Original Series Rare find

Genre: Action, Drama, Sci-Fi(Not primarily)
Target Audience: I'd say adults, BUT later teenagers(16+) may appreciate this series for the action and story. There are no mature themes (unless you count violence or barely exposed cleavage), however some of the musical references may be lost on the younger generation based on music taste.

Review:
Set in the future the series follows Spike Spiegel and Jet Black bounty hunters and their rag tag crew they assemble throughout the episodes. The crew of the Bebop, their spaceship, include Faye Valentie and Edward Wong Hau Pepelu Tivrusky IV. The series is initially a series of get rich quick bounties to help fund food and the supplies it takes to run the Bebop. As the story progresses Spike's past is revealed and begins to catch up to him. The series goes between bounty hunting and Spike's past. The story is very rich and manages to capture the persona of the "minor characters" quite well with their episodes. Each member has their own story and receives some air time to why they are along for the ride. The music is one thing that makes this anime stand above many for me, it has a range from jazz to classical and many different things in between.

The anime has a few lacking points however. As you learn about Spike's past you want to know more and may go two or three episodes without returning to it. For a 26 episode series this can be a long time. Depending on what you like the ending leaves much to be desired wondering what happens after. Some of the bounties are somewhat silly or ridiculous, which is nice, but when it interrupts some background story it hurts the series a bit.

This stands as one of my favorite animes of all time. My dad who is not fond of anime watched this series on pins and needles with me. I will say the story is best at the end when all plot elements fully tie in together to form a perfect picture. For me at least the ride with the crew of the Bebop was an emotional one, I credit this series as the first to make me cry in reaction to what happened. The series is best watched 2-3 episodes at a time to allow time for what has happened to sink in. I would recommend this series to be watched with an adult who may appreciate the musical references subtly placed (Climbing the stairway to heaven comes to mind) and letting them see anime isn't just "Super happy flash flash pow pow magical scene" time. As said my next recommendation would go to the 16+ crowd as the story in my opinion is a bit complex for those much younger.
 
Great review Trican!!

Everyone, this is an awesome example of what I'd like to see.

I'll add links to the first post enabling everyone to make a quick jump to a show that they want to see a review for.
 
Great idea Sandslash, I really like the looks of this thread. To be honest, I've been looking for ways to revive this forum for some time, I hope this helps with that. I look forward to seeing some good reviews/discussion of reviews in this thread. I would write one, but I haven't really watched any complete series review-worthy in a long time, so it's not fresh on my mind. I will try to eventually write something, though. And since you yourself have seen like 9001 animes, I hope you'll be doing some reviews too, right??? :biggrin:
 
Great A_K. I look forward to any reviews you give us.

I've only seen 8999 anime, so I can only contribute one review. :thumb:


In all seriousness, I'll definitely review at least anime, and if I lift the restriction, then probably continue to review the maximum I allow. I just don't want this to be "Sandslash7's Take on the Anime Genre Based off his Biases and Other Factors." Honestly I want this to be a resource I can look to to find high-quality anime that I would like to watch. Like I said before, I don't like to take the risk of watching something that I don't like/isn't very good. I'm a Completionist-type of a person, so no matter what it is, I MUST read/watch/learn/know ALL of it, regardless of how good or bad it is. (I've been trying to wean myself off of that. So far, I've not seen the Bleach filler except for the Bount Arc. 2 classic examples of me watching/whatever everything are: FMA: The Conqueror or Shambalaa. I was warned not to see it, because it would ruin the ending of FMA, but I HAD to watch it anyway. My friend was right, I disliked that ending even worse.
 
Sandslash7 said:
I'm a Completionist-type of a person, so no matter what it is, I MUST read/watch/learn/know ALL of it, regardless of how good or bad it is. (I've been trying to wean myself off of that.
Click to expand...

It's not gonna happen. That's why I don't even start certain series and even video games. Us Completionists will always strive for 100%.

I too was thinking about starting a thread on this forum, but I didn't know if it would be considered a poll and then locked. I was challenged by my friend once to develop a list of every anime I've ever watch in completion. Good idea? Bad idea? Granted my list isn't over 9,000, but it is flooded with a lot of contemporary animes. Plus, I found the challenge quite interesting delving through 15 years of anime influence.
 
pokemonforever said:
It's not gonna happen. That's why I don't even start certain series and even video games. Us Completionists will always strive for 100%.

I too was thinking about starting a thread on this forum, but I didn't know if it would be considered a poll and then locked. I was challenged by my friend once to develop a list of every anime I've ever watch in completion. Good idea? Bad idea? Granted my list isn't over 9,000, but it is flooded with a lot of contemporary animes. Plus, I found the challenge quite interesting delving through 15 years of anime influence.
Click to expand...

That's comforting....

I just HOPE that everyone reading this doesn't actually think I've seen that many anime. Being an anime forum, I had to throw in some humor in relation to the topic. My list is significantly closer to ~30 than 9000. However, I'd like to think I've seen a few of the "must see" selections. FMA/Death Note/Geass/NGE/Bebop etc. Of course, I definitely defer to those who've been into the genre longer, as I've really only been an anime watcher for about ~3 years now. Though I've dabbled in it closer to 10 years now, seeing random snippets of YuYu Hakusho/DBZ/Rurouni Kenshin etc.

Again, that's why I'd like to have input from members who've seen the good stuff, and want to let the newbies in on stories that have meaning and value. I look forward to submissions from both of you, and I'm debating on what series I'd like to cover.
 
Sandslash7 said:
Being an anime forum, I had to throw in some humor in relation to the topic. My list is significantly closer to ~30 than 9000. However, I'd like to think I've seen a few of the "must see" selections. FMA/Death Note/Geass/NGE/Bebop etc.
Click to expand...

Is that what the scouter said? Fair disclaimer, I'm not a fan of that show. I'm just influenced by it because my friend cosplayed at Otakon as Hercule, as well as Vegeta...and every 10 seconds..well, you know.

I suppose I'll start my own thread and whatever happens to it happens.

Sidebar, NGE is a must see. Bebop has been on my to-do list since 2008. Death Note since 2009. My last 2 discs of Code Geass R2 just came in today! FMA just attracts the wrong crowd. I was sickened when I saw the airing of the movie, but not having watched the series, could enjoy it to pass the time.

I'll post up a review of something more modern that hasn't been released in the U.S. yet. What's your favorite genre?
 
I could do a review on Xam'd: Lost Memories if it is alright with you Sandslash.
Hopefully you have heard of it, its by BONES, who did Eureka 7, and i think it outdoes
E7 imo. I am 3 episodes away from finishing it, so i'll finish today, then right up the review
over the next few days or so.

Any interest in this? :D
 
That would be great R-o-M! I'd love to see that review.

I honestly haven't heard of it, but I'd definitely be interested if your review says good things.


As a side note, if no one has specifically "called" an anime, and you have already decided to write a review on it, go ahead and post it. You really only need to "call" if you would like to do a review but haven't finished the series yet/or need time to either refresh or take significant time to write it.
 
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Alright. I'm going to be posting a review of Code Geass within a week.

Hopefully that'll kick start something in this thread.


Don't be turned back by the requirements, please. I want this to be somewhere anyone can come to post a review of an anime. I'm going to be a little less strict on some things. I just want this to take off and have a life of its own, not just anchored to me.
 
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