Uchuu Patrol Luluco Anime Review

Uchuu Patrol Luluco
Information:
Other Names: "Space Patrol Luluco" & " 宇宙パトロールルル子". 
Studio: Trigger
Writer: Hiroyuki Imaishi
Director: Hiroyuki Imaishi
Music: Kenichiro  Suehiro
Type: Short TV Series, Original
Length: 13 Episodes. 7 minutes per episode approx.
Genres: Action, Comedy, School, Space, Romance
Rating: PG - 13
Air Dates: 1st April 2016 - 24th June 2016
Alternate Recommendations: "Kill la Kill" & "FLCL". 
(Source: MAL (myanimelist) & Wikipedia)

Synopsis:
The show takes place in Ogikubo, which is the name of the specially designated area in space in the Milky Way where Earthlings and aliens can live together. Luluco is a female middle school student who lives with her father, and no matter where she is, Luluco is a common, "super normal" girl. As she is living her normal life, one day the mysterious transfer student ΑΩ Nova abruptly appears before her. That meeting will change Luluco's fate.
(Source: MAL(myanimelist))

Review:

How to describe Space Patrol Luluco? It’s dumb, defiantly dumb, fun to watch and is obviously a TRIGGER show. Thanks to its over the top comedy, dialogue and action scenes plus the references to various TRIGGER shows, this anime is going to be your new favourite if you’re a fan of the studio.

This being a seven minute per episode series really helps it a lot, if it was thirty minute instead, it would have gotten old very fast, but due to its small time frame each episode there just enough there to keep you entertained. However, it’s not only that both the setting and story are enough to keep you entertained; starting with setting, the main character Luluco just wants to leave a normal life in a city full of aliens until her father is frozen in ice in which she has to take over for him as a space patrol agent: catching space criminals and most defiantly being far from normal.

 So it has a setting that is completely random and has lots of spare room in it for creative freedom, which the studio explore until it bleeds. As for the story it will be hit and miss for some people, for me it was a HIT, with over the top plot lines and scenarios that are pleasing to eyes as well as being fun to watch as they unfold. If you are looking for a deep or light-hearted I’m afraid you’re in the wrong place, this only for people who like balls to the walls action stupid stuff. 

But for all romance there is one to salvaged from the stupid series, but when I mean salvaged I don’t mean it’s bad, as it was fairly good being fun to watch, good development and quite moving at times plus it has an ending to romance but this similar to the ending of the actual main plot is satisfying but kind of leaves on an open ended cliff-hanger which was kind of a disappointment with no second season confirmed.

 As this is a TRIGGER show the art style is very stylish being similar in design to Kill la Kill and even Panty & Stocking having a similar cartoony style that fits the over the top animation, that just like other shows of the studio can look amazing but can also look very clip art/poor at times. As for character designs they are really likeable having unique appearances to them, which can be said of the actual characters anyway since they don’t feel like they were cut ‘n’ paste from anywhere and also have strong personalities that fit with goofiness of the show in general.

In a final note the soundtrack was good but hardly anything spectacular, with nothing really standing out for me in any particular track, as for the opening song however I found it fir the series better being to fun to watch and listen to, while on the other hand the ending was another great song but didn’t fit the style of the show.
In conclusion: you a fan of kill la kill or other silly shows, if yes this is a show for you. If you’re not, I suggest you try something else out. 

Final Scores:
Story/Setting: 8.3
Characters: 7.8
Art/Animation: 7.5
Sound: 7.3

Final Verdict: 7.8/10 (Good)

Netoge no Yome wa Onnanoko ja Nai to Omotta? Anime Review

Netoge no Yome wa Onnanoko ja Nai to Omotta?
Information:
Other Names: And you thought there is never a girl online?, Net Game no Yome wa Onna no Ko ja Nai to Omotta?, ネトゲの嫁は女の子じゃないと思った？
Studio: Project No.9
Writer: Tatsuya Takahashi
Director: Shinsuke Yanagi
Music: Maiko Iuchi
Type: TV Series, Light Novel Adaptation
Length: 24 mins per episode approx. 12 Episodes.
Genres: Comedy, Ecchi, Romance, School
Rating: PG - 13
Air Dates: 7th April 2016 - 23rd June 2016
Alternate Recommendations: "Chuunibyou demo Koi ga Shitai!" & "Denpa Onna to Seishun Otoko".
(Source: MAL & Wikipedia)

Synopsis:
Our naïve protagonist proposes to a female character in an online game, only to find out that the player is actually a guy. Traumatized by that, he decides to never trust a girl online, but now, two years later, a female player is proposing to him. What will happen?
(Source: MAL)

Review:

The concept of girls for play games or into anything nerdy in general was once a strange topic that was very alien to men who did, but that was then and this is now 2016, where it is very common place with over forty percent of gaming players to be female while steady increasing at the same time. So why did this anime feel so alien to me, like it was out of place and should have been released far in this past around 2007 – 2009. Well that’s because it revolves around a guy, the main protagonist “Nishinmura” finding out that all of his guild mates as well as in – game wife are all girls playing as boys and he is generally surprised by this, while the audience including me was not.

Starting with setting which as mentioned before is a world before female gamers became common place or at least it seems that way, the main characters of our story play an online net game and are part of a guild within that game known as “Alley Cats”, in which all members of the guild are believed to be male with exception to Ako the main female protagonist who uses a female avatar, to which the only real male in the party is the main male character Nishimura also known as Rusian, this he finds out when they schedule an offline meeting. The people he meets are not only girls, but also high-school the same age as him and not only they also go to school and are in his year. Pure coincidence right?

As for the characters themselves I found that they were fun to watch as well as having good chemistry and fairly good conversations with each other, that I didn’t find forced in anyway, which also includes minor characters as well. Which could be said for characters personalities as well, even though some do go hand in hand with known anime stereotypes, I felt like they were tweaked enough to make them stand out better, which similarly can be said of the character designs in which the real life character design are fairly plain, but the in-game character designs are nice to look at, feeling different but also recognisable as to what class they play in the game. But as far as the characters development goes it isn’t all that great, sure each girl slowly warms up to the main character but no enough so it turns into a harem, this felt like a bonus, aside from this nothing really happens by the end.

Which can be said of the romance sub-plot and the main plot as well, due to them both having a fairly good built and good pacing going along with it plus fun episode that are a joy to watch, but by the end it falls flat into a cliff-hanger ending or rather a none conclusive ending, that feels dry and bland.

In a final note I must say that the animation was good during the fight scenes that take place as well as decent enough during normally animated slice of life type scenes; which also be said for art which felt fitting for the series giving it a good identity. As for the soundtrack, it felt okay at times fitting the necessary scenes that unfolded but had no stand out tracks, this can also said of the opening and ending songs as well; fitting but outstanding.

In conclusion Netoge is an anime that feels out of place in time but is still a great show with heart-warming characters, which are fun to watch and is overall enjoyable to just about any audience. 

Final Scores: 

Story/Setting: 7.2

Characters: 7.4

Art/Animation: 7.1

Sound: 7.2

Final Verdict: 7.3/10 (Good)

Hundred Anime Review

Hundred
Information:
Other Names: ハンドレッド.
Studio: Production IMS
Writer: Hideki Shirane
Director: Tomoki Kobayashi 
Music: Shuhei Naruse 
Type: TV Series, Light Novel Adaptation
Length: 24 min per episode approx. 12 Episodes.
Genres: Action, Ecchi, Harem, Mecha, Romance, School, Sci-Fi
Rating: PG - 13
Air Dates: 5th April 2016 - 21st June 2016
Alternate Recommendations: "Infinite Stratos" & "Saijaku Muhai no Bahamut".

Synopsis:
"Hundred"—that is the only weapon that can oppose the mysterious life form "Savage" from visiting the earth.
The protagonist, Kisaragi Hayato, aims to become a Martial Arts Master using this Hundred. He managed to get into the battleship university Little Garden.

However—
"I wanted to see you, Hayato!!!"
"H-How do you know my name?"

Around the room-mate, Emil Crossford, who somehow knows him well (?), Hayato gets an uneasy feeling.
What's more, just after the entrance ceremony, he gets asked for a duel by the campus' strongest martial arts master "Queen" Claire Harvey...!?

The ultimate academy battle begins here!
(Source: MAL, Edited)

Review:

Why do I keep coming back? Every time one of these types of shows’ airs each season, why do I watch these? Well one I make it a point to try and watch everything in the season and two they are easy to watch, since they require you to not try and work things out, while also remaining light – hearted time wasters. This is what Hundred is: a time waster. Though I must say it’s better than last season’s harem-ecchi anime (Saijaku Muhai no Bahamut), having a romantic plot that feels like it actually developers but still stays truer to formula by having a predictable plot and one dimensional characters.

As said the plot is fairly predictable being easy to follow and understand with a fun romance side plot to go alongside it, which as said previously actually develops over the course which is a plus for this type of show but doesn’t actually go anywhere by the end, thanks to the classic “being interrupted at the end by other harem members”. Like the series itself though the setting is fairly boring and feels like a direct copy of another harem series “Infinite Stratos” just like another series that happened to air this year; the setting is based around people known as Slayers who use weapons known as Hundreds (Exoskeleton Mech Suits) to fight against evil creature known as Savages, while also living on a quiet ship and attending high-school; if this isn’t as much of hint as how this turns out, I don’t know what is.

Now for the cream of the crop as fair as harems are concerned the characters: starting with main two characters: Kisaragi Hayato our main male protagonist complete with a tragic past, spikey hair and his very own “badass” mode, he is as plain and generic with a nice personality that all the girls fall for, while the main girl takes on the role of the trap Emaila/Emile Crossfode is similar in that she is fairly obsessive over the main character and also has a tragic power and “badass” mode like the protagonist, also it’s not really a spoiler that she is girl even though she is introduced as male it was plainly obvious, since she look just like “Charlotte from Infinite Stratos”, and just before the introduction there a flash back to girl who looks just like him.
As for the supporting cast I felt like some of the more interesting characters barely got any screen time, while the ones who got plenty didn’t develop and were fairly generic on their own, including harem members plus the antagonist.

As far as character designs go I felt like I had seen them all before in a variety of shows, while I also noticed an increased amount of characters that should have been adults but were instead teenage girls, which was probably to appeal to some sort of fetish like every other character in the series. The art and animation I found to be fairly plain and is nothing you haven’t seen already.
For the soundtrack on another hand I found it passable but it had no real tracks that stood out to me much, though I did find both the opening and ending songs much more enjoyable, with it being one of the only reasons I kept coming back.

In conclusion like all other harem, you should watch this if you’re up for something you can turn your brain of to, as well as if you don’t mind over the top fan-service. 

Final Scores:

Setting/Story: 5.2

Characters: 5.0

Art/Animation: 4.7
Sound: 5.4

Final Verdict: 5.0/10 (Average)

Ragnastrike Angels Anime Review

Ragnastrike Angels
Information:
Other Names: ラグナストライクエンジェルズ.
Studio: Satelight
Writer: Takeshi Kikuchi
Director: Junichi Wada
Music: ?
Type: Game Adaptation, Short TV Series
Length: 12 episodes, 30 seconds per episode approx.
Genres: Action, Game
Rating: PG-13
Air Dates: 3rd April 2016 - 19th June 2016
Alternate Recommendations:

Synopsis:
The series follows fighting girls whose size is increased to 38 meters (about 125 feet) tall.



Review:
We would imagine a TV show as a commercial product that shows a basic plot, a reasonable duration time and has characters with at least some personality. However Ragnastrike Angels decided that is not necessary as having a thirty second episodic series is enough for it, where it gradually tells the story off a single battle against giant aliens when it eventually gets to that part after a few episodes of fan-service with girls, who have power of making themselves giant, that barely have personalities until you reach a completely cliff-hanger ending that is just poor in quality. This whole thing is just an advertisement for a game, that’s all it literally at the end of each episode it cuts to a bit of game footage of the game itself, this is just ridiculous and I must say this isn’t deserving off being on prime time TV even if it only short and kind of fun to watch, if you’re looking for something light to watch.

As for how the show looks as you’ll be spending thirty seconds of your life to watch this garbage, the character designs are probably its only highlight being fairly good and fun to look at, though the art and animation is average at best. However this shows worst part on another hand is its lack of no opening or ending making the show very plain to watch, plus it also has no soundtrack really or at least know such one that I can remember.

In conclusion if you have literally nothing else to watch or fancy a quick six minute anime give this one ago, but to any others I’d say you should stay away from this waste of time.

Final Scores: 
Story/Setting: 5
Characters: 3.2
Animation/Art: 5.4
Sound: 1

Final Verdict: 3.5/10 (Very Bad)

Shoujo-tachi wa Kouya wo Mezasu Anime Review

Shoujo-tachi wa Kouya wo Mezasu 
Information:
Other Names: "Girls Beyond the Wasteland", "The girls who aim for the wildlands", "Girls beyond the youth KOYA" & " 少女たちは荒野を目指す".
Studio: Project No.9
Writer: Yuniko Ayana
Director: Takuya Satō
Music: Tsuyoshi Watanabe, GoKoY
Type:TV Series, Visual Novel Adaptation
Length: 24 min per episode approx. 12 Episodes
Genres: School
Rating: PG - 13
Air Dates: 7th January 2016 - 24th March 2016
Alternate Recommendations: "D-Frag" & "Saenai Heroine no Sodatekata".

Synopsis:
Buntarou Hojo is a high school student who has a talent for writing, but no real direction in life or any plans for the future. His classmate, Sayuki Kuroda notices his talent, decides to help him find a way to use it properly by enlisting him in her bishoujo game development group.

When Buntarou is cornered in the men's bathroom at school by Sayuki, he is surprised when he is asked out on what he thinks is a date, and even further surprised when he finds out that it's not a date, but a job interview. Reluctantly agreeing, the two start recruiting other members for their team but will they learn more about game creation, or life itself along the way?
(Source: MAL(myanimelist.com)).


Review:

How hard is it too make a game? It a relaxing time or tedious chore? Does Shoujo Tachi produce and show this well to its audience. Yes sometimes but it leans more towards a harem series than anything.

I found that as this show plot slowly unfolded that it became closer to a harem series, rather than I show to do with creating games or even the romance show it tries to set itself up as (that goes no-where by the way). This was mainly due to the way the show is set up, with the show’s run time being broken down into separate arcs that focus on each character’s problems (even though the characters chosen are girls) being fixed by the main character (MC) Buntarou, a high-school script writer. This type of writing I felt could have fit the show well, as it focuses on each character stress regarding making their game and could have shown realistic ways solutions for them, however this does not happen, instead we get our MC going up to each girl, and telling them loosely “it’ll be alright” which then works and the show continues with no changes except they now have feelings for the MC. I feel like this could have been avoided had this not been a high-school setting or based on a visual novel, as it will eventually fall to troupes used in each media listed before, bringing down the show as a whole and running its potential.

But I felt what really let this show down was its characters as they are the main driving force behind this series but for the wrong reasons, as their personalities as a whole can be dumbed down to simple troupes and clichés present in many other shows, and add nothing new to set them apart. First there are only two male main characters: Buntarou, Houjou our main character is nothing but a boring template of most staple main characters in many anime, with no redeeming quirks at all, being totally forgetful. The other way is character is Atomu, Kai the “comic relief?”, well at least I think that what he is supposed to be, I’m not really sure. If he is that really bad comic relief as his comedy is based around the amount of times he’s been dumped and his then hate of relationships/love, which fell flat if those were jokes.  

As for the girls there are four in total composing the main cast, with Kuroda being only one I can remember by name but that because she is main female character as well as the “one with no emotions”.  The others I barely remember, which says a lot for its character designs doesn't it, but they can be summed up as “the hyper one, the quiet one and the one who like BL (Boy’s Love)” in a nut shell. As they have no development that helped me define them as character aside from liking the main character for no reason, which doesn't count.

The only redeeming factors I found about the show where it’s satisfactory but okay ending. And entertaining opening song and animation, that I felt was the only reason I kept coming back which cannot be said of its ending song that felt highly bland and its animation and art that felt average at best, just likes it soundtrack that added nothing to the scenes as well. Plus there also Hosokawa the best character this show has to offer having a fun personality and it overall entertaining the watch. 

In conclusion, I can’t recommend to anyone really as it’s not even entertaining, even to those who want something dumb to watch, it can’t even provide this. So my only conclusion is that you said stay away from this one, unless you have nothing else to watch. 

Final Scores: 

Story/Setting: 6.1

Characters: 5.4

Art/Animation: 5.3

Sound: 5.2

Final Verdict: 5.4/10 (Average)

Phantasy Star Online 2 The Animation Anime Review

Phantasy Star Online 2 The Animation
Information:
Other Names: PSO2 The Animation, ファンタシースターオンライン２　ジ　アニメーション.
Studio: Telecom Animation Film
Writer: Mitsutaka Hirota
Director: Keiichiro Kawaguchi
Music: Takashi Ohmama
Type: TV Series, Game Adaptation 
Length: 12 Episodes, 24 min per episode approx
Genres: Sci-Fi
Rating: PG-13
Air Dates: 8th January 2016 - 25th March 2016 
Alternate Recommendations: "Netoge no Yome wa Onnanoko ja Nai to Omotta?" & "Gunslinger Stratos: The Animation". 
(Source: MAL & Wikipedia)

Synopsis:
TV anime adaptation of the online RPG game Phantasy Star Online 2. It will feature an original story that takes place on Earth in the near future. (Source: MAL)

Review:

What usually happens when games are given anime adaptations? Most get set in the world that the game takes place and will try to turn that game’s story into the anime’s plot. Phantasy Star Online 2 (PSO2) does not do this instead it goes for a Slice of Life approach, where characters play a game, that game being PSO2 and then try to link the two worlds together. But does this work? Yes and no.

The first thing that will probably interest you with this anime is its story & setting which take an interesting turn from the usual way this adaptations are handled. The setting is primarily set in high school, because you know if it’s not set in a fantasy world where else could it possibly be set, and follows the story of Itsuki Tachibana a teenage high schooler who is forced into the student council in order to play PSO2 for them, to promote that it doesn't cause bad behaviour/grades. For the reasons he is chosen, it is never explained but moving on eventually he becomes okay at the game after too many episodes, gets better at the game and gains a friend. 

Later he meets a Aika Suzuki the mysterious transfer student who takes PSO2 too seriously and behaves as if it was real. From here onwards the “real” story begins, with an interesting idea but overall becomes a generic Shounen action series that could have become much more than it was, feeling more like an advertisement for the game, rather than a TV series. Not to mention the ending sequence which was just boring, similar to the romance sub-plot element within the plot, that ultimately goes nowhere after twelve episodes of build-up.

But wait it doesn't end there because you know what important in any Television Series: Characters. Guess what, it doesn't really have any characters, well at least not any good ones save for a handful. Starting with the main cast, there is main character Itsuki, mentioned above, our generic male lead who is both dense and really good at the game PSO2, despite being a beginner, sound familiar it should do. Next is the two female leads, first Rina the main love interest and student council president-senpai, and then finally there is Suzuki, the mystery student for exhibits very little emotion, yes you have seen this all before.

The supporting characters are more promising, have a greater range of personalities though some exceed more than others, even going through some development that the main cast surely lacked. As for designs of the characters, there real world appearances were nothing special, having a very boring look to them, however their designs that set in the game are much appreciated with a wide range of looks and designs that make them all look more unique, with exception of Itsuki who still looks as boring in the game as he does in real life.

Following on from this the art is nothing to outstanding being very plain and simple, while the animation is decent is fight scenes and normal interactions, however the monsters (darkers) are done in 3D and oh man, do they look bad like really bad, to the point where it gets distracting as the  show progresses.

On a final note the soundtrack is nothing special, and is too be expected of the type of show it is with no tracks that stood out to me, which can also be said for the opening. However I found ending song to be catchy and fun to watch, especially with the fun animation that goes alongside it.

In conclusion, this was a decent attempt on a different type of game adaptation but it still fell flat on its back with all the rest. I can only recommend this too people who want a decent little show that can be fun if you switch off your brain.

Final Scores:
Setting/Story: 6.5
Characters: 6.3
Art/Animation: 5.2
Sound: 6.2

Final Verdict: 5.9/10 (Average)

Tabi Machi Late Show Anime Review

Tabi Machi Late Show
Information:
Other Names: 旅街レイトショー
Studio: CoMix Wave Films
Writer: Yuu Numata
Director: Yuu Numata
Music: Shingo Nishimura
Type: Short TV Series, Original
Length: 4 Episodes, 7 minities per episodes approx.
Genres: Drama
Rating: PG
Air Dates: 8th January 2016 - 29th January 2016
Alternate Recommendations:"Byousoku 5 Centimeter" & "Hotarubi no Mori e"

Synopsis:
Tabi Machi Late Show will have a theme of "goodbyes and journeys."

Review:

Is letting go of someone really that hard or is it an agonizing situation that can tear about your relationships? Well thanks to the series we find out, it’s neither; just a heart-warming emotional ride that tugs at your heart strings.

One of the first things you’ll notice just after you load up the first episode is the, art style which uses a simpler appearance that feels not, only refreshing but also has a more realistic look in the features department like normal shaped eyes and body proportions, which I felt allowed me to connect with characters more effectively, making the overall tone of the anime have a greater effect on myself, plus some amazing looking background art as well.

However, the animation is also something you’ll notice right off the bat as it can look a little unwelcoming being very simple with very little moment, which will I know it’s on purpose it can throw a lot of people off as looking poor in quality.

Though I felt that this can be forgiven thanks to the rest of the show’s overbearing positives, with one such point being the amazing soundtrack used through-out the series, as it really makes each episode feel just right, cool smooth ambience, making myself feel warmer as I watched; not to mention a great opening song that gets you ready for the touching show. Not only that but as said before, this series very heart-warming with each episode containing loveable stories that handle the series’ theme of “Letting Go” incredibly well, with just the good amount of variety in each episode, making each story feel unique and original.  

Take this and some well wrote characters with realistic but fun designs and you’ll get a show that I felt was really worth watching, even if it a little on the short side. I recommend you watch this if you’re looking for a quick relaxing series, that easy and fun to watch. 

Final Scores:
Setting/Story: 7.4
Characters: 7.2
Art/Animation : 6.9
Soundtrack: 7.8

Final Verdict: 7.4/10