Cartoon is a term that once referred to fine art during the renaissance period. Somehow, though, the terms meaning evolved (or devolved, depending on how you look at it) into humorous and witty illustrations and, finally, into animated programs meant to entertain people, mostly children. For, clarity, the term cartoon in this article shall be referring to the animated programs. Recently, however, a new term has been coined: Anime. And the distinction between these two has caused much confusion.

Strictly speaking though, there should be no distinction between anime and cartoon. Anime is a term used by the Japanese to refer to animated cartoons, from their own country and from others as well. Somehow, though, the world started using the term anime in reference to Japanese cartoons exclusively. Japanese animation was once called "japanimation", but this term was aptly discarded when the term Anime was put into use.

Some say that they see absolutely no difference between the two, even going so far as to classify both cartoons and anime as childish because of the nature of how they are presented, much to the woe of anime fans. Technically, there's no official difference and they are somewhat correct. But you only have to watch a single episode of any anime series and you'll see that anime is far more than your usual slapstick comedy man-tripping-on-a-banana-peal early morning cartoons. There is a real and profound difference between the two besides their spellings: Anime is so much more than just a cartoon.

Storylines/Plots

Cartoons usually have a simple and defined plot. And they're usually about the good guys fighting the bad guys. Cartoons rarely go beyond that old cliche. Most Anime series, on the other hand, are also about the same good vs. evil but the plots are rarely simple and rarely predictable. You'll find an element of politics, religion, humanity, and a score of several other abstract concepts within an anime. Whereas cartoons are just about evil cats chasing innocent mice or a hero defending himself and others from a very evil bully. Anime can blur the lines between good and evil so much that you'll be left wondering which side is really right. Look at the plot of Gundam, there aren't any good guys or bad guys. They're both fighting for a cause a worthy one, and both sides are prepared to do good and evil to achieve their goals. Look at the Wave Country arc of Naruto which is now at Naruto Shippuden. Zabuza, evil as he was, had evoked more sympathetic tears than any of the typical Disney antagonists. There are, however, few exceptions to the cartoons are simple rule. There are cartoon series that are far advanced like X-men.

In terms of humor, anime goes beyond the slapstick comedy that cartoons offer. There won't be any corny joke about the chicken crossing the road with anime. There won't even be the quintessential banana peel. Anime humor is deep and witty. However, it is to be noted that cartoons are mostly for kids. Anime can be for an adult audience; it mostly is, actually. There are even times when anime plots are hardly suited for children.

Characters

In cartoons, there's a protagonist, an antagonist, and a damsel in distress. Their roles are well-defined and clear and the characters always act according to their roles. In anime, however, the damsel in distress may very well become the antagonist, leaving the protagonist in distress. There's no knowing what to expect in anime. Anime characters, a lot of times, are developed overtime through trials and growth, while cartoon characters remain the same from when the show started. (Of course, there are exceptions such as Spiderman.) Since there's an ongoing plot, Anime characters actually grow up and may even produce the next generation for the series. Anime fans tend to get into the characters a lot deeper because of the characters depth and charm. Consider Naruto; viewers see him growing up from an infant to a young powerful ninja, the way he relates to people, the way he learns new techniques, and the way he evolves visually. That is one of the chief reasons for popularities of anime over plain cartoons.
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Anime is known to span across so many genres and themes, and is a huge reason on why it is so interesting to watch. Below is a link to a site with the various genres explained. We will be adding (in a later build) our own handwritten descriptions, but for now this will have to do.
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I like anime because it can achieve things that normal shows can't. It can cross the boundaries of real life and turn a simple animation into a work of art, a masterpiece. While it may be hard to understand at times characterization is usually brilliant, making me able to connect and understand the characters, enabling me to feel genuine emotion throughout the series that I am watching. I also like how there is a genre for everybody. If you want to see a soldier riding a 100 foot mech then you can, if you want to see a touching love story you can, there is a show for you no matter what you are into. The experience does not simply stop once you are finished watching a certain show though, there are many good people that share a common interest, a whole new social circle is opened up to you, whether it be on the internet or in your group of friends at school. Rapping this up i don't simply see anime as 25 minute segments, just mere episodes. I see anime as a work of art, something where you can gain new experiences and make new friends. Well.. its also a great time killer. Katsumi

I love Anime because the stories are endless. There is no limit to what can be made. There is an anime for everyone. If you like crazy killing, there are anime for that. If you like an amazing love story that will bring you to tears, there are anime for that. It is like an endless source of entertainment. The characters are amazing and can get you really attached to them. Many people I talk to who enjoy anime are really great people. It's just something fun that can keep me entertained for hours. Waifu

I love anime because there's no other medium quite like it. No other means of (decent) media will come at you in quite the same angle as anime. Its an endless pit of awesome stories, there's always always ALWAYS something new to be watching. The reason it's better than any American media in my eyes is that it tells an incredible story in a couple hours. It leaves much room for discussion and in most cases leaves you wanting more and more. The anime community is just another reason to love it so much. In the past 8 months or so that I've been watching anime, I've met some of the coolest people ever, including all the main guys in here. Just give anime a shot, I promise you won't be disappointed. Evigishki

I love anime(s) (fudge yourself Waifu hehe) because of the diversity. There's plenty of different anime(s) out there no matter what your taste is. Whether it be action, magic, mecha, etc. Each character can be very relatable even if the story being told has never happened to you. Anime(s) have much more meaning than pretty much everything on American television. The Japanese voice actors put more emotion into their characters than any other show. Which is why I prefer anime(s) over any other type of show. <3 Activez

"I like anime because I can live out my fantasies because loli doesn't exist in the third dimensional form." -NASA

Anime has forever been associated with (mostly) negative stereotypes. These include pedophilia, social awkwardness, neckbeards, and trying to hump our body pillows. I (Evigishki) will do my best to attempt to debunk these stereotypes one by one.

Pedophilia- Are most anime filled with middle school and high school children? Of course. This, along with the schoolgirl outfit, has gone hand in hand to make us seem like pedophiles. So why do many anime favor this age range? For one reason, it opens it many gates of genre, such as slice of life, coming to age, and dealing with problems as a blooming adult. Having younger characters can create a large sense of contrast when compared to older characters in the series. Different viewpoints and styles are reasons why anime is so in depth and incredible. Lets use this example: Pick your favorite movie of all time. Now replace all the main characters with high school kids. Does that really make the movie any worse to you? Do the different ages significantly hurt the overall plot and thought process of the movie? Of course not.

Waifu/Husbando- The description of these terms should be right below this section. Basically, they are our 2D significant others. Thats right, we each possess an anime girl whom wed like to marry. Of course, this concept is incredibly foreign and strange to most people outside of the anime community. The best comparison I can give to having a waifu is loving a celebrity. Lets say for example you are infatuated with Emma Stone. Would you marry said celebrity if you had the chance? Of course. Will it happen though? More than likely not. It is an unobtainable relationship. A primary difference being that ours is unfortunately way less likely somehow, so instead we fill our rooms with figures of our waifu, and cover our computer in her glory. Prime example, my waifu is my wallpaper. Is this really an issue? [ Register or Signin to view external links. ]

Hentai- One of the biggest arguments Ive gotten in with the ignorant is the all anime is hentai. At first glance, I can absolutely understand why many would think this, but once you become a real viewer, you see the absolute difference. In no anime that Ive watched have I ever seen complete nudity. Lets also not forget to mention that hentai has standards, that they have to blur out both the male and female genitals, so its actually cleaner say to say than, well, normal pr0n.

High/Annoying Voices This mainly attributes to subbed anime shows. Subbed meaning of course that it is completely spoken in Japanese, with English subtitles along the bottom. Yes, we know, girls in anime have extremely high voices most of the time. This goes hand in hand with the hentai stereotype I just talked about. People put high female voices; render them as orgasmic sounds, and draw the false connection to pr0n. After a long time of watching subbed anime, the high voices are of little annoyance. In fact, they have more emotion to them when compared to most dubbed versions. It may come down to what you prefer more: emotions or confusion with hentai.

LOL ANIME IS FOR KIDZ This might be the most annoying thing to us anime fans. If you read the very first section in this guide, it explains the fundamental differences between anime and cartoons. Anime was not created just for children, unlike cartoons. Every anime has a target audience, and delivers right to them. Lets take Higurashi, Mirai Nikki, or Elfen Lied as examples. In cartoons, are people getting dismembered, raped, torn apart, and gored? I didnt think so. If there was one, you better PM me that episode of SpongeBob ASAP. Yes, some anime is targeted for younger kids (Fairy Tail, Yu-Gi-Oh, Naruto, etc.) but the vast majority is for young adults and up. Youd be astounded by how many anime have showcased deep, emotional stories that drive directly into you. Some shows, like Neon Genesis Evangelion, plunged right into human mentality and instability. Anime is never something I would show my 6 year old, thats what cartoons are actually good for.

Throughout watching anime, youll be sure to come across various terms and traditions

Otaku - refers to someone who has a devotion to a subject or hobby (not necessarily anime) to the point of not leaving home. For instance, an otaku fan of a particular movie star could quite possibly know all of the films s/he has been in, their birth date, time of birth, shoe size, favorite toothpaste, etc. Generally speaking, calling someone an otaku in Japan is an insult, implying that their social skills have atrophied or never even developed, due to their manic involvement in their chosen fandom.

Weaaboo - Someone who is obsessed with Japan/Japanese Culture/Anime, etc. and attempts to act as if they were Japanese, even though they're far from it. They use Japanese words but usually end up pronouncing them wrong.

Waifu - A term coined by Otaku and Weeaboo alike for their 2D significant others; predominantly anime and video game characters. A Waifu, in contrast to a harem, is the love between one man and his one and only Waifu. You treat your Waifu with the utmost respect and courtesy and most refuse to even fap to their beloved, seeing the act as an insult to the non-existent woman they have committed themselves to.



Ecchi - Softcore hentai. Often includes panty-shots, nudity, or perverted situations. Almost always used for humor. Ecchi does not describe actual sex acts.

Tsundere - Tsundere is a word combining two words, "Tsun Tsun" and "Dere Dere". Both terms describe attitudes of a person. "Tsun Tsun" is used for cold/blunt/curt attitude, while "Dere Dere" is used when a person becomes spoony in front of his/her lover.

Yandere - Describes an anime character who is either psychotic or violent or both, and shows affection to the main character.

Mo -A Japanese slang term (ironically, first employed by otaku) used to refer to the fetish for or sexual attraction to idealized people, usually a fictional perfect young girl.

Harem - A genre in manga and anime where a single (often ordinary) guy is liked and followed by bunch of girls (3 or more) who are all madly in love with him.

Yaoi - A slang term used to refer to stories that focus on homosexual relationships, usually between men.

Yuri - The sexual and romantic relationship between 2 females in an anime, or manga.

Common Japanses words you may see a lot...

Baka - "Baka" means idiot, fool and stupid, everything along those lines.

Desu - Japanese for 'it is', often said at the end of sentences to seem cute or unwitting.

Kawaii - Japanese for "cute"

Onii-Chan - In Japan you would call your older brother "Onii-Chan" most of the time. Another common word for older brother that is meant to sound a bit cooler is "Aniki"

Onee-Chan - In Japan you would call your older sister "Onee-Chan"

In Japan, most of the time people will add an honorific to the end of a name to show respect. Here are common honorifics and what they are used for...

San - The most commonplace honorific, and is a title of respect typically used between equals of any age. Although the closest analog in English are the honorifics "Mr.", "Miss", "Mrs.", or "Ms.", san is almost universally added to a person's name, in both formal and informal contexts.

Chan - Expresses that the speaker finds a person endearing. In general, chan is used, but is not limited to, babies, young children, grandparents and teenage girls. It may also be used towards cute animals, lovers, close friends, any youthful woman, or between friends. It can be used for males in some circumstances, but in general this use is rather intimate or condescending. Using chan with a superior's name is considered to be condescending and rude.

Kun - used by persons of senior status in addressing or referring to those of junior status, or by anyone when addressing or referring to male children or male teenagers, or among male friends. It can also be used by females when addressing a male that they are emotionally attached to or have known for a long period of time. Although kun is generally used for boys, that is not a hard rule. For example, kun can be used to name a close personal friend or family member of either gender. Also, in business settings, young female employees may also be addressed as kun by older males of senior status. It can also be used by male teachers addressing their female students.

Sama - more respectful version of san. It is used mainly to refer to people much higher in rank than oneself, toward one's guests or customers (e.g., a sports venue announcer addressing members of the audience), and sometimes toward people one greatly admires. When used to refer to oneself, sama expresses extreme arrogance (or self-effacing irony)

Senpai, khai and gakusei - used to address or refer to one's senior colleagues (lower rank black belts) in a school, a dojo, sports club. So at school, the students (gakusei) in higher grades than oneself are senpai. Teachers are not senpai. Neither are students of the same or lower grade: they are referred to as khai or gakusei. In a business environment, colleagues with more experience are senpai, but one's boss is not a senpai. Like "doctor" in English, senpai can be used by itself as well as with a name. Due to the phonological rules of the Japanese language, although spelled senpai, the n sound turns to an m sound, thereby being pronounced sempai.

My Anime List, also commonly shortened to MAL, is a very popular site in which anime watchers keep track of the shows they are currently watching, have watched, and want to watch. Along with keeping track of individual episodes, you can also score the shows on a scale of 1-10, and compare your scores with all the other site members. If you begin to watch a decent amount of anime, I (Evigishki) recommend this site to keep track, so you dont accidently skip any episodes or forget what youve watched.
Here are some of the site members MALs (Just mine on here for now, need to get all these guys permission to add their MAL account onto here)
Evigishki [ Register or Signin to view external links. ]
Activez- [ Register or Signin to view external links. ]
Katsumi [ Register or Signin to view external links. ]
xxxde4nzxxx [ Register or Signin to view external links. ]
NASA [ Register or Signin to view external links. ]
Wowmanshark [ Register or Signin to view external links. ]
Linx [ Register or Signin to view external links. ]

These shows are all English dubbed, meaning they are completely spoken in English. Most anime newcomers prefer this, as reading your shows can be a bit of a turn off. This is a list composed of shows that are easy or enjoyable for most, and arent too prone to the strange anime stereotypes. The plot and story description will be right next to the names, courtesy of MyAnimeList.Net

Angel Beats! [ Register or Signin to view external links. ] !
Cowboy Bebop [ Register or Signin to view external links. ]
Death Note [ Register or Signin to view external links. ]
Clannad/Clannad After Story [ Register or Signin to view external links. ] / [ Register or Signin to view external links. ]
Kanon [ Register or Signin to view external links. ] )
Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood [ Register or Signin to view external links. ]
Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann [ Register or Signin to view external links. ]
Darker Than Black [ Register or Signin to view external links. ]
Soul Eater [ Register or Signin to view external links. ]
Ga-Rei Zero [ Register or Signin to view external links. ]
Fairy Tail [ Register or Signin to view external links. ]
The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya [ Register or Signin to view external links. ]
Baka To Test [ Register or Signin to view external links. ]
Higurashi No Naku Koro Ni- [ Register or Signin to view external links. ]
Black Butler- [ Register or Signin to view external links. ]
Full Metal Panic- [ Register or Signin to view external links. ] !
Hellsing Ultimate [ Register or Signin to view external links. ]
Black Lagoon- [ Register or Signin to view external links. ]
Air Gear- [ Register or Signin to view external links. ]
Steins;Gate- [ Register or Signin to view external links. ]
Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion- [ Register or Signin to view external links. ]
Samurai Champloo [ Register or Signin to view external links. ]
Trigun [ Register or Signin to view external links. ]

These recommendations consist of mainly subbed anime, but will have a star (*) next to it if the English dub is available. A (<) next to it means it has been reviewed by either Katsumi or Evigishki. The reason many anime fans prefer subbed to dubbed is that 1. The voices match the characters a bit better, creating a bit more emotion, while some English voice actors are emotionless and 2. All the new anime only starts off subbed, so to watch the newer stuff, subbed is the only option. These recommendations came from the founding fathers of this anime guide, where we each donated 5 recommendations. These will be sure to span multiple different genres and tastes, so be sure to check the links for a better description.

.hack//Quantum* [ Register or Signin to view external links. ]
.hack//Roots* [ Register or Signin to view external links. ]
<Accel World [ Register or Signin to view external links. ]
AnoHana [ Register or Signin to view external links. ] .
Ao no Exorcist* [ Register or Signin to view external links. ]
Attack on Titan [ Register or Signin to view external links. ]
Black Rock Shooter [ Register or Signin to view external links. ] )
Chuu2 [ Register or Signin to view external links. ] !
Densetsu no Yuusha no Densetsu* [ Register or Signin to view external links. ]
Eden of the East* [ Register or Signin to view external links. ]
Elfen Lied* [ Register or Signin to view external links. ]
<Eureka Seven* [ Register or Signin to view external links. ]
Fate/stay Night* [ Register or Signin to view external links. ]
Fate/Zero* [ Register or Signin to view external links. ] / [ Register or Signin to view external links. ]
FLCL* [ Register or Signin to view external links. ]
Guilty Crown* [ Register or Signin to view external links. ]
Mobile Suit Gundam Seed* [ Register or Signin to view external links. ]
Gungrave* [ Register or Signin to view external links. ]
Hyouka [ Register or Signin to view external links. ]
Infinite Stratos [ Register or Signin to view external links. ]
JoJos Bizarre Adventure (2012) [ Register or Signin to view external links. ]
K-On!* [ Register or Signin to view external links. ] !
Katanagatari [ Register or Signin to view external links. ]
Kaze no Stigma* [ Register or Signin to view external links. ]
<Kids on the Slope* [ Register or Signin to view external links. ]
Kokoro Connect [ Register or Signin to view external links. ]
Little Busters! [ Register or Signin to view external links. ] !
Mirai Nikki* [ Register or Signin to view external links. ]
Monogatari Series* [ Register or Signin to view external links. ] / [ Register or Signin to view external links. ]
Mushishi* [ Register or Signin to view external links. ]
Neon Genesis Evangelion* [ Register or Signin to view external links. ]
Nichijou [ Register or Signin to view external links. ]
Pet Girl of Sakurasou [ Register or Signin to view external links. ]
Phantom: Requiem for the Phantom [ Register or Signin to view external links. ]
Psycho-Pass [ Register or Signin to view external links. ]
<Puella Magi Madoka Magica* [ Register or Signin to view external links. ]
Samurai Champloo* [ Register or Signin to view external links. ]
Shinsekai Yori [ Register or Signin to view external links. ]
Sora No Otoshimono* [ Register or Signin to view external links. ]
Spice and Wolf* [ Register or Signin to view external links. ]
<Sword Art Online* [ Register or Signin to view external links. ]
Tiger & Bunny* [ Register or Signin to view external links. ]
Toradora [ Register or Signin to view external links. ] !
Welcome to the NHK!* [ Register or Signin to view external links. ] !
Zetsuen no Tempest [ Register or Signin to view external links. ]

These are some awesome anime movies. Beware, because I (Evigishki) am a huge Evangelion fan, so theres a lot of it in here Just like in the anime recommendations section, the * indicates that an English dub is available.
5 Centimeters per Second* [ Register or Signin to view external links. ]
Akira* [ Register or Signin to view external links. ]
Evangelion 1.0: You Are (Not) Alone* [ Register or Signin to view external links. ]
Evangelion 2.0: You Can (Not) Advance* [ Register or Signin to view external links. ]
Evangelion 3.0: You Can (Not) Redo [ Register or Signin to view external links. ]
Howls Moving Castle* [ Register or Signin to view external links. ]
Neon Genesis Evangelion : The End of Evangelion* [ Register or Signin to view external links. ]
Ponyo* [ Register or Signin to view external links. ]
Spirited Away* [ Register or Signin to view external links. ]
Steins;Gate Movie [ Register or Signin to view external links. ]
Summer Wars* [ Register or Signin to view external links. ]

Under construction!

Finally! A review section that Ive been overlooking for too long. These reviews will be user oriented from TTG, so if youd like to review an anime to put in this guide, message me (Evigishki) and Ill read over it and most likely put it in, giving the reviewer all credit of course. The requirements to file a review for here are
-MUST have links to shows and any videos cited
-Include anime title in both English and Japanese. Ex. Spice & Wolf/ Ookami to Koushinryou
-Include basic review parameters (sound, animation, plot, etc.)
-Include your TTG username so I can properly give credit.


Magi: The Labyrinth of Magic
Review By Katsumi
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Genre - Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Shounen
Episodes - 25


I personally really enjoyed this anime, i actually dropped it on episode 1 a few months back as i thought it would just be another failure of a slapstick comedy anime. After actually watching it i realized how wrong i was on this assumption. I believe that magi was executed to an extremely high level and turned out to be a great anime. The show had a deepness to it and honestly immersed me into the seemingly endless world that it was set in, one of the selling points of the show. It doesn't feel confined,It feels expansive leaving much room for a sequel that has already been announced.

Above that the show was action packed, it had enough balanced combat scenes to keep me engaged the whole way through while also developing their characters therefore providing me the character connection that i like to see a show like magi. As for the plot it was pretty solid despite some plot holes it covered everything in detail, in general it is about a magician called Aladdin and his adventures with many different people. As expected there was a little comedy used in this show, but was used appropriately and actually made me laugh (unlike 80% of Japanese comedy)

What surprised me with this show is the amount of emotion i displayed while watching it. I honestly felt sad when something bad happened to the characters. Which is very rare for me. Wrapping this up i see Magi as more than just 'another anime'. This show stands out above the masses with a great plot and great characters that you can honestly become connected to. Magi: The Labyrinth of Magic has earned a place in my top 5 anime of all time.

Rating : 8.5/10





Kids On The Slope (Sakamichi no Apollon)
Review by Evigishki
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Genre Drama, Music, Romance, School
Episodes 12


Jazz has never necessarily made an impression on me as a musical genre, coming from someone who listens to way too much music. That statement was true prior to me watching Kids on the Slope, otherwise known as Sakamichi no Apollon. This was not a show that I really had the need to watch, but more of a show I saw browsing through Crunchyroll on a rainy weekend. After watching the first episode, I instantaneously knew that this was an anime worth watching. This may be an increased bias due to my background in playing music, but it felt way more real than that.

Do not come into Kids on the Slope expecting some adorable and funny characters and high energy music as something like K-On!, and dont expect to jump out of your seats from fighting scenes. Kids on the Slope is a show I can really only describe as being Boring? Boring however does not translate to being in a bad way though, its actually quite the opposite. It takes place in a quiet town in the 1960s, with the main character being a classic pianist and all around stuffy sort of guy. This all changes when he transfers schools, where he runs into the notorious school delinquent, Sentaro. Getting involved with his antics, he eventually finds himself hanging out with Sentaro and seeing things from his point of view: jazz.

Romance does not take a backseat in this show like it might in other anime you may have watched. Love is consistently placed in the background, whether it be between two people, or a person and their instrument. Drama might be a little too predictable, but it is executed in a very realistic way, which ultimately will end up heartwarming. Time for me to talk a little bit about quite possibly the largest part of Kids on the Slope: the music. Those who are turned off by jazz as I once was, fear not! The tracks they cover, whether it be Blake and The Jazz Messengers Moanin or a cover of My Favorite Things from The Sound of Music, are very easy and pleasing on the ears. The greatest part is the role this music plays in this show. Many conflicts in the show are not dealt with by words or fists, but rather their instruments and the way they play together. The way they did this amazed me and it felt incredibly fresh the entire time.

All in all, Kids on The Slope landed in my top 3 anime of all time instantly, since I did watch all 12 episodes in a day: I just could NOT stop. Drama and scenarios feel a little forced at times, and the changes of pace may be a turn off for some viewers, but if you want a fresh, relaxing, and pleasing show, Sakamichi no Apollon may just be for you.

Rating : 9.0/10


Accel World
Review By Evigishki
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Genre Action, Romance, Sci-Fi, Shounen
Episodes 24

Picture the upcoming point in society in which technology is so heavily incorporated into everyday life, every minute from the moment youre born. The invention of the Neuro Linker has turned the planet into a place where a virtual world is on par with the real world. This is a sort of dumbed down way to explain the setting of Accel World, and its much easier for you to just watch the show. First however, lets do a brief summary of the plot as spoiler free as possible.
In Accel World, the main character, Haruyuki, is a sad, lonely student who is tormented by bullies on a daily basis. All students (as well as adults) are equipped with Neuro Linkers, a small device on your neck that can do anything from calls to transferring money: basically a computer on your neck that displays directly into your brain. Using this technology, students can jump into a LAN connection in which they use customized avatars to play games, chat, and various other things. Haruyuki spends insane amounts of time in this virtual world, to escape from the harsh reality of his real life. This all changes when the most infamous girl in the school, Kuroyukihime, calls him over and downloads a game into his Neuro Linker that will change his life forever: Brain Blast.
Now that Ive described a little background on the story, its on to the actual review. Accel World has been living in the shadow of Sword Art Online, which was written by the same exact author, even though Accel World was written and animated first. Accel World revolves around Haruyuki coping with his real life, indirectly through the game Brain Blast. The premise of the game may seem a little generic to many gamers, but still managed to hold onto my interest. Fight animations are fairly good, and the character models (especially Brain Blast avatars) generally look fantastic. Colors also play a pretty big role in the show, since they represent different playstyles and factions. The show is a little slow to start, mainly because the main character has to figure out the mechanics of the game and learn everything. By the halfway point, I was only going to be giving Accel World a very mediocre 6/10, until a certain antagonist showed up that may just be the most infuriating villain of any show Ive ever watched. This antagonist alone made me marathon the last couple episodes just to wait to see him get what he deserves. Even with the last arc being very involving and surprisingly dark, the show still had lots of flaws that I really wish were filled in a little better. As much as Id like to, I cannot rate a show solely on the last set of episodes, but the show in its entirety. This is where Accel World lost some points, since even though it was 24 episodes, it could have been delivered just as well, if not better in, say, 13 episodes.
To sum it all up, would I recommend watching Accel World? The answer would be yes, provided you have no problem sticking through some of the earlier episode content, and endure the biggest complaint of the show: The main character design. Nothing threw me off more than watching a fat midget transform into an awesome silver robotic hero. The nice graphics and interesting backstory of Accel World make it a good casual watch, but I feel it really comes down to how much you like the tech concept behind it.

Rating: 8.0 /10



Eureka Seven
Review By Evigishki
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Genre Adventure, Drama, Mecha, Sci-Fi, Romance, Shounen
Episodes 50

Mecha has forever been a fan favorite in the anime community, and it hardly shows signs of slowing down anytime soon. Eureka Seven was no exception to this when it aired from April 17, 2005 to April 2, 2006, for a total of 50 episodes. Eureka Seven takes place on a planet where Trapar, which are basically air waves, are the main source of power for things such as airplanes, cars, and more importantly: ref boards. Reffing is the extreme sport in the world of Eureka Seven, which is basically surfing on the Trapar waves in the air. The main character, a young boy named Renton Thurston, is the son of the legendary Adroc Thurston, considered the man who saved the planet in The Summer of Love. Renton is infatuated with reffing and only dreams of doing so with the most famous name in reffing: Holland from Gekko State.
Eureka Seven starts out a bit slow, since it takes place in a country side where Renton works with his grandfather at a mechanic shop. This changes once a mysterious girl Eureka, as well as Rentons role model, Holland, drop by with a huge mech called the Nirvash, asking for repairs. The Nirvash is one of the first LFOs, mechs that have giant ref boards and use them during combat and for transportation. Mech design in Eureka Seven almost reminded me of Transformers a bit, since most the LFOs transform into cars for land transportation. Designs are sleek as far as most mecha goes and they resemble human anatomy. Combat between mechs is animated very well for being done in 2006, and fights are entertaining to watch. Watching two LFOs zoom back and forth creating wakes and splashes of Trapar in the air is among one of the cooler special effects Ive seen in a mecha anime. One thing I did not personally like is that the LFOs werent really just standard machines, and kind of had temper tantrums as opposed to breaking down like in other mecha.
The plot of Eureka Seven is the main reason I cant give it the score Id like to. It hits the standard wall that anime with a larger amount of episodes often face: filler. Many episodes dont really develop too much among the main characters, and all you come out with at the end is that Renton is a whiny brat. The plot speed wavered a bit which also dropped down some viewing momentum for me, since some arcs were incredible then theyd be followed by terrible filler arcs. This up and down interest was a little annoying for the duration of the show. The ending arc also felt weird, since it claimed to be urgent yet it stretched out for pretty long. Dont get me wrong however, the overall plot of Eureka Seven is great, it just could have delivered it better in a few less episodes. The crew of the Gekko-Go is overall interesting but were unfortunately not developed as much as Id like, leaving the viewer to wonder about the motivations behind some of the crew. One arc that I will praise for a while was the Ray and Charles Beam arc, which left awesome amounts of tension and twists.
After it all, Eureka Seven is a solid watch provided you have the time and patience to watch all 50 episodes. If you are a fan of mecha, this is probably one you should not miss, as it delivers some different plot elements than a more traditional mecha. The story might be lacking a little bit, but thats really the only thing I could ever have against it. Between the fantastic soundtrack, funny humor, hints of romance, and action, Eureka Seven will leave you wishing you could go down to the local sports store and by a ref board.

Rating 7.75/10


Puella Magi Madoka Magica
Review By Evigishki
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Genre - Drama, Magic, Psychological, Thriller
Episodes - 12

"I want you to form a contract me and become a magical girl!" Says the albino magical cat, promising to grant you any single wish in exchange for your soul. In Puella Magi Madoka Magica, otherwise just called Madoka, this is the internal conflict in the main character, Kaname Madoka. Does this concept sound a little, well feminine? Why yes, yes it does at face value. Nobody in the world could probably explain Madoka in a way that gives it manly justice, but that might just be one of the best parts.

So why exactly has Madoka become such a raging cult hit since it's initial airing in Spring of 2011? One word: depth. After seeing nonstop talking about this show on place like 4chan, I one weekend decided to give Madoka a try. After watching the first two episodes, I wanted to drop it honestly, since it just felt like a crappy "cute girls doing cute things" show, until a twist in what I believe was episode 3 or 4. No matter what, do not let anybody spoil this for you, it's a lot like Clannad and loses it's impact if you're anticipating it. After this phenomenal twist in the story, it leaves you thirsty for more, and if you're like me, you'll probably end up watching the rest of the show the same day. Madoka travels in a downward spiral to a place so strange that you would have never imagined it possible by looking at the cover of this show. It rivals that of Neon Genesis Evangelion in making a viewer really mellow down and hypnotically watch the mind destruction occur.

Now that I tried to explain the psychological effects Madoka can have without giving any spoilers, it's on to a more objective and solid review part. First let's start out with something simple: the music. Music in Puella Magi Madoka Magica is consistently good throughout, especially the opening and ending credit songs being some of the most memorable in recent shows. Appropriate music is played at the appropriate time, and that's all one can really ask for. Next up is the art style, which is a pretty big driving force behind Madoka. The only complaint one can really give (and a mediocre one at that) are that all the girls' heads look like straight up boxes. This of course is easily overlooked by the great coloring and design of the girls. One art feature that especially stuck out to myself was eye design, which had the coolest look to them. Another huge art point is the witch's dungeons. They feature an almost "Scrapbook from Hell" sort of feel as our heroines traverse through them looking to claim their grief seeds. As mentioned before, the plot is very solid and will keep you hooked on throughout the 12 episode duration.

To wrap things up, Puella Magi Madoka Magica may look like a show aimed at little girls, where in reality it takes shots at human mentality and surprisingly deep issues. This might be one of those anime that you don't want your mom to walk into the room while watching, but you will never be alone thanks to the massive fanbase behind it. If you can suck up your manly pride for the first 2 episodes or so, Madoka will take you on a crazy ride that you will not soon forget.

Rating - 9.0/10


5 Centimeters per Second (Byousuke 5 Centimeter)
Review By Evigishki
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Genre - Drama, Romance, Slice of Life
Movie Duration - 65 Minutes

"The speed at which the sakura blossom petals fall... Five centimeters per second. At what speed must I live, to be able to see you again?". 5 Centimeters per Second, otherwise known as Byousuke 5 Centimeter, is a film created in 2007, split into 3 parts about 20 minutes each. The premise of the story is that two childhood friends are split apart after elementary school, and stay in contact over the years through letters that narrate the story overall. Wipe the man tears out of your eyes and let's get started on the review.

When I first watched 5 Centimeters per Second, the ending left me furious, and extremely upset. This however changed after I really sat down and thought about it, which is when you really appreciate what this film did. Unfortunately I cannot really talk about the ending without spoilers, but if you want to talk about it feel more than free to PM me about it and I'll gladly discuss. I have a thing about watching anime movies only dubbed, where as I prefer anime shows subbed. The dub in 5 Centimeters per Second was really just the definition of "OK". The male lead's English voice was fitting, but the female lead's felt like the voice actor just wanted to go home and take a filthy number two. It was honestly that annoying to me, since every other voice was perfectly alright and consistent throughout the movie. The music of 5 Centimeters per Second was pretty standard, but not to the point of being generic or cheesy. Tones were set the way they should and I commend the studio for not slacking in that department. The artwork and animation is really where this movie stands out. I can safely say that the artwork is so fantastic in this movie that you'll want to be taking screenshots the entire time to use as desktop wallpapers. Snow falls uniquely and realistically, wind blows grass and leaves in every which direction,and everything just feels so... Natural. Character designs are also very decent, albeit not as detailed as the environments. There were multiple morals that I left with after watching this movie, and it still feels like something that sticks. These morals were not forced, and neither was any of the drama which is pretty rare to encounter nowadays.


The only thing that may turn people away from Byousuke 5 Centimeters is the unfortunate lack of length, being only 65 minutes, which is short for any type of movie. Also, the ending might leave you wanting more as well as upsetting, but you should ultimately come around and make peace with it eventually as I did. The art and sense of reality will leave you wanting more as well. 5 Centimeters per Second is available both dubbed and subbed on Crunchyroll, so if you have an open hour to kill, this is not an anime movie to miss. "The things I had to tell her... and the things I hoped she would listen to. There were so many of them." ~Tono Tamaki, 5 Centimeters per Second.

Movie Rating - 9.0/10



Sword Art Online
Review By Evigishki
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Genre - Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Game, Romance, Shounen
Episodes - 25

"You can go anywhere you want in this world with just a single blade. This may be a virtual world, but I feel more alive here than in the real world." Judging from this first quote, I'm sure you could gather a rough idea of what the main character of Sword Art Online, Kiragaya "Kirito" Kazuto, is like. Sword Art Online, also just referred to as SAO, has absolutely exploded in popularity recently. It's become so possible and money grossing that I'm almost nervous to write this review. So does SAO deliver what it'd be like to be trapped in a virtual world, or does it try to patch up plot holes sloppily? Stay tuned to this review to find out.

The plot of Sword Art Online is very similar to the old show .Hack//Sign, in the sense of a player being trapped in a virtual world. Unlike .Hack//Sign however, it is not one single person trapped, but over 10,000. The main character, Kirito, is a hardcore gamer who puts so much into his games. This is when a game, "Sword Art Online" is set to come out, being the first VRMMORPG (Virtual Reality Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game). When all the eager gamers enter the game, they find that their "Log Out" button is missing from the in-game menus. The developer of the game appears before them all, informing them that if they die in the game, the NervGear (the virtual reality helmets they have on while playing) will explode, effectively killing them. This causes an uproar among the gamers and sets up the plot for the first half of the show. The main character is nothing special, and many have called him flat out boring. The female lead, Asuna, is a more than decent enough character for the position.

Now with a brief synopsis out of the way, we can focus on the actual content of SAO. First off, the animation and graphics. Being made in 2012, the animation is very smooth even during fast fights, and the graphics are very fine tuned and pleasing to the eyes. But what is good animation without a good story? This is unfortunately one of the parts where SAO drifts off a bit. The first half of the 25 episode series is the players trying to survive in Aincrad, the world in which they are trapped. This is an extremely interesting set of arcs, since it very accurately portrays how gamers act, and it feels insanely realistic in a sense. Ways in which it portrays how gamers act include PK (player killer) guilds (even though they know they are literally killing them), players that are too scared to leave the first town, and players that party up and steal gear to do boss fights. Being a gamer myself, I recognized every gamer mannerism that popped up on the way. The first half of Sword Art Online may just be one of my favorite things I've ever watched. This however, changes halfway through.

Warning, this part is a semi-spoiler, so if you have not watched yet, you may want to avoid this section. I will try my best to not give any specific details of plot however. ALO, or Alfheim Online, is the second VRMMORPG that Kirito gets involved in (for reasons I won't explain for spoiler sake). ALO is a fantasy game, so the player races are things such as dwarves, spriggans, and undines. The setting of ALO feels absolutely fine, but it's the underlying plot that just feels "ok" at best. This is where many people started dropping Sword Art Online, and if I had not read the books prior to it, I may have been one of them. The entry to ALO arcs are already, but the middle episodes were exceptionally boring and really not that beneficial to the story. It did however, end out very well and ultimately led the series to finish out strong.

Sword Art Online has gotten hyped beyond belief over the past year or so, and it really doesn't show any signs of stopping with a potential second season on the horizon. This series really appears to gamers the most, and if you are a dedicated gamer, I would by all means recommend this series to you. It doesn't really contain too many stereotypical anime aspects that turn many people away, so it's a great series to start on. SAO is only subbed right now, but the rights to an English dub have long been bought and it may roll out soon. Let's end this review with a quote from Sword Art Online shall we? "If we make it back to the real world,I'll find you. And fall in love with you all over again"

Rating - 7.5/10
* Read the Light Novels, they are MUCH better and less rushed. PM -Kyou- for a link to them




Samurai Champloo
Review by Evigishki
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Episodes- 26
Genres- Adventure, Comedy, Samurai, Shounen

Samurai Champloo is just one of those shows that I can't help but get goosebumps over every time I think back to it. The soundtrack is still incredibly present in my every day life. Seriously, if I had a nickel for every time I listened to the OST, I could actually afford the Blu-Ray sets for Champloo. Samurai Champloo is the soul successor of Cowboy Bebop, both of course directed by the legendary Shinichiro Watanabe. While right out of the gate I'll say no, Champloo does not surpass Bebop in any way, but damn it's a good ride.

Samurai Champloo, like Cowboy Bebop (yes I'll be comparing them a lot here), has one of those plots where there is a definite start and end, though each episode is generally independent (though some arcs last two episodes). The setup with Champloo is the weakest point in my opinion. Basically, there are two samurai with drastically different fighting styles. We have Jin, a very by-the-book levelheaded samurai, as well as Mugen, the hotheaded breakdancing pervert samurai. They clash in a restaurant, and between a few "whatever" things, it burns to the ground. The girl who works there, Fuu, ain't having none of that. Naturally, the two samurai get arrested, and Fuu breaks them out on one condition: They must help her find the samurai who smells of sunflowers.

As I said, a little weak on the initial plot-starter, but hey at least it's there. Samurai Champloo relies on the "rule of cool", a term sometimes used on shows such as Bebop that the flaws are overlooked just by how incredibly cool and chilled the shows are. While Champloo seemed to milk it a little more, it was by no means overwhelming or overused. In fact, I must say watching breakdancing samurais was pretty gosh darn cool. The coolest theme to Champloo in my opinion is the connection it brings to the table. It sets place in a time in Japan where wealth and power stopped coming from only family and honor, and more from just the individual. They flawlessly paired this with the hip-hop revolution over here in the 90's (correct me if I'm wrong). You'll see samurais breakdancing (yes, I know I keep mentioning it), punks spraypainting shrines, and even beatboxers delivering messages from the Yakuza. It was all there, and all so brilliant. Let's not forget the soundtrack. THE SOUNDTRACK! Nothing but incredibly smooth jazzy beats by Nujabes, a legendary Japanese name in Hip-Hop who died young unfortunately. Mix it in with other names like Force of Nature and Lil Jon, and you have an insanely perfect soundtrack. Seriously, go download it now, I don't care about your excuses.

Overall, Samurai Champloo will always stay with me. It may always be the little brother of Cowboy Bebop, but that doesn't mean you should just turn away from this. It's a standard 26 episodes, easily knocked out in a day, and trust me you might actually marathon this. Well, my AP Physics class is almost over now so I'll wrap this up. Oh also, the dub is pretty hype, I can honestly recommend it (one of the few shows I actually prefer the dub actually).


Score- 8.5/10

Manga can be compared to American comic books but with a multitude of differences, some subtle and others not so much. Manga is a popular form of entertainment both here and in Japan, and is printed on standard book-like materials. Manga, just like anime, is generally darker than traditional American storytelling and addresses deeper, sometimes more grotesque issues. Another similarity to anime is that manga can span from any genre, theme, and feel to match your unique tastes.

Also do not forget, a majority of anime spawns from either their manga or a light novel (sometimes visual novels as well). This means many of your favorite shows could have a manga, which (like books) are often much better than their respective anime adaptions. If you enjoy a show, you can look into its original manga and in some cases be able to read much further past where the anime adaption ended.

I remember the first time I ever read a manga: I believe it was some of the original Gundam ones. The first time I read through one, I read it like an American comic book: left to right, starting on the leftmost page. About halfway through it I realized that the plot was making zero sense and robots that were destroyed on one page were miraculously perfectly fine on the next page. Dont make the same mistake I did: follow this convenient guide to know exactly how your manga should be read.
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As can be seen, you read from the top right of the page, to the left, then go down to the next row and repeat.

Finding places to read manga is exceptionally easy, probably even easier than it is to find streams/torrents for anime. Here are a few sites off the top of my head that allow you to read manga for free:
http://www.mangahere.com/
http://www.mangareader.net/
http://www.tenmanga.com/
http://mangastream.com/

There are also many apps for reading manga on various mobile platforms:
Android
-Quick Manga (Compiles from multiple sources so I recommend this)

iOS
-Never owned an Apple device, Ill look into them later

WP8
-Manga 7

Ill lay this out exactly like we did for the Anime Guide Recommendations section: The title and then the respective description link (using MAL) right beside it. If a title catches your attention, feel free to click the link next to it to see its ratings, reviews, and plot overview.

Berserk [ Register or Signin to view external links. ]
Fullmetal Alchemist [ Register or Signin to view external links. ]
Monster [ Register or Signin to view external links. ]
Kaze no Tani no Nausicaahttp://myanimelist.net/manga/651/Kaze_no_Tani_no_Nausicaa
Death Note [ Register or Signin to view external links. ]
Ookami to Koushinryou [ Register or Signin to view external links. ]
Shingeki no Kyojin [ Register or Signin to view external links. ]
Watashitachi no Shiawase na Jikan [ Register or Signin to view external links. ]
Beck [ Register or Signin to view external links. ]
Liar Game [ Register or Signin to view external links. ]
Bakuman. [ Register or Signin to view external links. ] .
Kuroko no Basket [ Register or Signin to view external links. ]
Deadman Wonderland [ Register or Signin to view external links. ]

Resident Experts: Katsumi, Evigishki
-Intro: The reasons we love JRPGs are far too vast to list them all. To start off, the art style is distinct and clean, the storyline is well paced, branching, and diverse, and the game mechanics and content are out of this world. When many people think JRPG they think of Final Fantasy or Pokemon, and they arent wrong at all.
Recommendations


Tales of Vesperia - PS3, Xbox 360
Tales of the Abyss - PS2
Dark Souls PS3, 360, PC
Record of Agarest Franchise PS2-3,360, PC
Persona 3 FES PS2/PSP
Persona 4 - PS2/PSVita
Final Fantasy 13/13-2 - PS3, Xbox 360
Ni no Kuni - PS3
Dragons Dogma - PS3, Xbox 360
Final Fantasy 10 - PS2
Final Fantasy 7 - PS1
Okami/Okami HD Remake PS2/Wii (respectively)
Dark Cloud PS2
Odin Sphere PS2
Ys Origin PC

Resident Experts: Katsumi, HarmfulMushroom
-Intro: Visual Novels are a big sensation over in Japan, and for good reason. Let me give you an example: You read a normal American book where there is multiple female characters. Your favorite one is not the one that the main character picks in the end. This is when Visual Novels become so awesome. There are plots (commonly referred to as routes) for multiple characters, so you can see how each one would play out. Also, Visual Novels are decision based so your decisions actually affect the way the game plays out and how others interact with you. Knowing your way around a PC and its files is a good thing to have when it comes to VNs, since they install strangely and youll often find yourself digging through directories to find what you want.
Recommendations


Clannad
Muv-Luv Alternative
Fate Stay Night
Steins;Gate

I figured it was worth making a separate section for Touhou. Ill fill this in with the history and each iterative game whenever I find the time. For now, you can just watch this comedic introduction to Touhou.