CAA: Christian Anime Alliance

Anime Reviews ⇢ Contributors ⇢ Rose Faerie

Contributor Report: Rose Faerie
The following is a list of all ratings and reviews submitted by Rose Faerie. The links below can be used to quickly scroll down to a specific title. Quickly scroll to... Angel Beats! Blue Period Boogiepop wa Warawanai: Boogiepop Phantom Castle in the Sky Death Note Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Mugen Train Arc Durarara!! Erased Fate/Stay Night: Unlimited Blade Works Fruits Basket Fruits Basket (2019) Fullmetal Alchemist Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood Ghost Hunt Ghost Stories Haikyu!! 2nd Season Haikyuu!! Horimya Howl's Moving Castle (Movie) Hunter x Hunter (2011) Jujutsu Kaisen K-On! K-ON! The Movie K-On!! Kageki Shojo!! Kaguya-sama: Love is War Kamisama Kiss Kamisama Kiss (Season 2) Kiki's Delivery Service Kimi ni Todoke (From Me to You) Kimi ni Todoke (From Me to You) 2nd Season Kobato. Komi Can't Communicate Life Lessons with Uramichi Oniisan Link Click Little Witch Academia Maid-Sama! March comes in like a lion Millennium Actress Monthly Girls' Nozaki-kun My Hero Academia My Little Monster My Love Story!! My Neighbor Totoro Natsume's Book of Friends Natsume's Book of Friends 5 Natsume's Book of Friends Four Natsume's Book of Friends Sequel Natsume's Book of Friends Three Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind (anime) Noragami Noragami Aragoto Orange Ouran High School Host Club Pandora Hearts Ponyo Princess Mononoke Sailor Moon Sailor Moon Eternal Sailor Moon R Sailor Moon R Snow White with the Red Hair Spirited Away Steins;Gate The Case of Hana & Alice The Case Study of Vanitas The Case Study of Vanitas Part 2 The Promised Neverland The Secret World of Arrietty The Twelve Kingdoms The Way of the Househusband Toilet Bound Hanako-kun Vampire Princess Miyu (OVA) Wotakoi: Love is Hard for Otaku X (TV) xxxHOLiC Yona of the Dawn
Angel Beats! (Jump to title) - Overall: 5 - Violence Rating: 6 - Nudity Rating: 2 - Theological Themes: 4 - Other Negative Themes: 5 Review Violence: I gave it a six due to the amount of blood and death that occurs in the series. (However, no one can stay dead.) People are impaled and chopped to bits frequently, and not a single episode goes by without a death with blood. Death is also used comedically, as characters occasionally kill each other to the effect of comedic violence. Spoiler: A character's backstory involves her younger siblings being murdered. You don't see their bodies, though. Nudity/ Sexual Content: Two jokes that lean towards the sexual side. They aren't taken seriously in show, and nothing comes of them. The show is actually very tame in this regard. Theological Themes: The members of the SS Brigade are fighting God due to fear of the afterlife and a general cynicism, as they feel like their lives were unfair. Most of them believe in reincarnation.Spoiler: The ending may imply that the characters did reincarnate, though it is left ambiguous Problematic Themes: The characters swear quite frequently, at least a couple times per episode. They just make use of the regular four letter words, and there are no f-words. I've heard that the subbed version has less swearing than the dub (which I watched), but that information could be inaccurate. Overall: It's been a long time since I watched it. I straight up loved it when I was younger, though as time has gone by, I've found more issues with it. I gave it a five, since it was pretty average looking back, though it isn't half bad. I'd definitely still recommend it to people. I remember being a lot more engaged with the first half of the series than the second half. I suppose I found it funnier and I liked the character backstories that were revealed in that half a lot more. The second half did have its moments. Otonashi's backstory was probably the highlight of the second half for me, as it had a lot of meaning. I didn't like it as much as I liked Naoi or the singer girl's backstories, though. (Naoi's backstory almost made me cry and I almost never cry over TV shows.) Yuri's confrontation at the end was pretty cool too. Though, the fishing episode and the graduation episode were an absolute chore to watch. There are a ton of characters in Angel Beats. Too many. All of them have potential, but most of the side characters get glossed over. It's a shame, since they seem to be more interesting than most of the main cast. The main cast were a mixed bag. I was fond of half of them, while I found the other half either dull or annoying. Maybe sometime I'll pick up the Angel Beats manga to see what they were up to before the events of the show, since that will hopefully lead to more character development. As for art, it was rather pretty. The concert scenes were very well done. The music was superb and absolutely the highlight of the series. If you are familiar with LiSA (she sings the first two Demon Slayer openings and endings) this is where she got her anime debut, as she provides the singing voice for Yui. I could go on for hours about how great all the songs are. I'd say teenagers and up for the blood and swearing. PG-13 seems to be an accurate rating.
Blue Period (Jump to title) - Overall: 5 - Violence Rating: 2 - Nudity Rating: 4 - Theological Themes: 3 - Other Negative Themes: 2 Review Violence: One character gets slapped by a parent. Sex and Nudity: One character draws an uncovered woman's chest for an assignment. It's very crudely drawn, but still there. The art teacher encourages him to draw it, describing the characteristics of the chest. One character is said to have an art fetish and can get weird when he talks about doing art. This is a very minor part of the show, though. Other than that there really isn't anything sexual present in the show. The last four or so episodes cover nude art and its various meanings, as well as how the symbolism relates to the characters in their lives. In one episode, two characters sit drawing themselves nude, separated by a curtain. None of the more sensitive areas are shown. The characters also draw a nude model for an exam. She is shown in a Barbie-doll-esque fashion, though she is as detailed as you can get with those guidelines (I assume for anatomical realism, not for fanservice). Theological Themes: One character centers her art around prayer and does pieces from different religions, such as Christianity and Buddhism. I'll also mention one character has an ambiguous gender identity and is either a crossdresser or nonbinary. I'm not really sure. They're also bisexual. Problematic Themes: In the first couple of episodes, Yatora is shown smoking and drinking with his friends. The first couple episodes have some swearing in them as well. Both things fade into non-existence pretty quickly, as Yatora focuses more on art than partying. Overall: Blue Period was okay. I was really excited at first, since it was about art, and I've always loved drawing and taking art classes. I just felt like Yatora got too good too fast. I would have liked to see him struggle and progress a little more. Most of the show was about him trying to get into an art school and less about him doing actual art. I did adore Yuka's arc and the symbolism in the final exam, though. As for the characters, there were a lot. Unfortunately, most of them were really boring. I liked Yuka and Yatora, since they were both fleshed out really well, and I was somewhat interested in the brown haired girl in their prep school. She seemed really interesting towards the end, but she was only a very minor character. Yatora is a very inspiring and determined character with a lot of inner struggles. Yuka is very complex and plucky. Unfortunately, the recurring characters don't have much in the way of personalities, let alone character development. I didn't care about any of them. The art was fine. I liked the way the eyes were drawn, and most of the characters looked fine. However, some of them came out kinda weird, like Yashida and Kuwana. The opening was catchy and the ending was nice, too. I'd recommend this one for older preteens and up, due to the non-sexual partial nudity. I think it's probably fine for that age group due to the artistic lens it views it through. I do think its' original TV-14 rating was a bit more accurate than the current PG one, though it falls more in between.
Boogiepop wa Warawanai: Boogiepop Phantom (Jump to title) - Overall: 8 - Violence Rating: 6 - Nudity Rating: 3 - Theological Themes: 4 - Other Negative Themes: 4 Review Violence: The violence in the series is very occasional, but what is there is very disturbing. People get eaten and dismembered. You can't see this happening, only the blood pouring. I think at one point you see a bit of brain in a pool of blood. Parts of a mangled corpse is shown in the back of a car. A girl who isn't in her right mind is said to have slashed her wrists, and you see her dead body in a pool of blood. You see serial killer victims in pools of blood a couple times, too. Sex and Nudity: There's a creepy scene of a guy licking his computer monitor. Another guy pulls bugs only he can see off of people's chests, and it looks like he's groping them, especially since the bugs are located under the clothes. Women's cleavage is exposed during these scenes. A girl witnesses her mother doing you-know-what in a car with who we can assume is a new boyfriend. All you see is brief flashes of their mouths as they make out. A teenage girl is stated to have changed once she lost her virginity. Theological Themes: Electronic fields have the ability to maintain mysterious creatures. "Evolved" humans with special powers play a prominent role. People are created out of others' memories and feelings. Boogiepop is referred to as a Shinigami. Spoiler: However, she isn't really. It's complicated. Problematic Themes: The only swear words used are the d-word and the s-word. Their use isn't frequent. No episode features more than two instances of swearing. Most don't have any at all. The only reason I gave it a 4, was that one episode features prominent drug use. It is an evil drug used to control people, and it is portrayed negatively. Overall: The story is complex and it slowly falls together (with a few gaps). It is truly a horror anime, though the horror mainly comes from general disturbingness, rather than traditional horror elements. It features a lot of philosophical themes, as well. It is really, really confusing, though. I still don't really understand it. I think I'll have to check out Boogiepop and Others and maybe the light novels in order to understand, what's going on. The characters are all interconnected in some way, even if it's hard to see. Everyone has a few mutual friends here. Most of them have psychological issues, too. I'm not even going to try to explain most of them, since there are so many and there are few recurring characters. The art is one of my biggest issues. It would have been so much easier to understand the story if the characters weren't all suffering from same-face-syndrome to an extreme. The only way to tell them apart is their hair, and a lot of them have the same hair, too. Not to mention, the characters mainly wear school uniforms and go to the same two schools. It took a lot of brainpower to figure out if you had seen the characters before. The music is very creative, and it definitely doesn't sound typical of a horror series without sounding out of place. There's a lot of techno-beats. I also really liked the ending theme. I do recommend this series, though for older teens and up, due to complex themes and moments of really disturbing content.
Castle in the Sky (Jump to title) - Overall: 9 - Violence Rating: 2 - Nudity Rating: 1 - Theological Themes: 2 - Other Negative Themes: 1 Review Violence: There are planes and airships that shoot at each other. Some guns are fired, though the worst injury anyone receives is a scratch to the face. Buildings are damaged, and soldiers fall from an airship, though no one sees what happens to them. I'd say it's typical PG level violence. Sex and Nudity: None. Theological Themes: Words spoken by the royal family of Laputa have a special effect, which seems magical. Problematic Themes: None. Overall: This was one of my favorite Ghibli movies as a kid. I really liked Sheeta and I thought the art was extra pretty in this one. It also made my interest in "Gulliver's Travels" increase, as Laputa seems to be inspired by the floating island of the same name in Jonathan Smith's novel. The characters are lively and colorful and the stakes were higher than any other Ghibli film that I had seen. The world that was crafted was definitely interesting and unique. It gives off its own special vibe, and it's definitely worth a watch. I recommend this one to older children and up.
Death Note (Jump to title) - Overall: 9 - Violence Rating: 4 - Nudity Rating: 2 - Theological Themes: 5 - Other Negative Themes: 2 Review Violence: Even though there are a lot of deaths, the vast, vast majority of them are heart attacks. There are a few car crashes, though the scenes themselves are not portrayed on camera. You might see a few blood splatters but that is about it. There is an explosion, and there are a couple of shooting scenes, which are probably as graphic as it gets. A character is gunned down, and another one gets shot a few times. There is blood. Also, the death note can manipulate people into suicide, though the act is never shown on screen. Sex and Nudity: It's pretty mild for the most part. Misa's outfits can be...interesting, particularly towards the end. Some of her dialogue indicates that she has a physical relationship with one of the characters (they aren't married but live together). Of course there is also a chance that she's making some of the stuff up. One female character is asked to strip (more of a search for weapons) but you don't see anything. Light also looks at presumably dirty magazines once to hide his tracks. There really isn't too much going on in this area. Theological Themes: Light regularly proclaims himself "God of the New World". He believes that he should have the ability to pass judgement on who lives and who dies. People do worship him, and, near the end, it seems he has himself a cult. One character is a literal fanatic and addresses Light as "God" throughout his entire role in the series. The detectives who search for Kira refuse to worship him. Shinigami (gods of death) and a notebook that kills people play a big part in the series. Problematic Themes: There was very little swearing. Nothing worse than the d-word. Misa also gets drunk once, but that is the only time alcohol is featured. Overall: I really liked Death Note. The plot was intricate and I enjoyed the mind games. Light's plans do develop over time, as he gains more knowledge and grows up. The Yotsuba arc was my favorite, since it gave off heist vibes. Towards the end, it does lose steam. However, I thought the ending was satisfying, though there was an element that was missing that would have improved the whole thing by a lot. The characters were engaging. I loved L and Matsuda in particular, as well as the two major Shinigami characters. Light was entertaining as well (up until the timeskip, where I just wanted him gone). I did like Misa, too, though that was probably because I was able to rationalize her actions (that girl has an insane amount of unaddressed trauma). I didn't even have problems with Near and Mello. (Near is a lot more likeable when you think of him as Baby L instead of knock-off L, and I actually really liked Mello.) I hated Ray Penbar and his girlfriend deserved better. (Also do not expect developed female characters who don't worship Light or die. That was another problem I had with the series.) The art was lovely until the Yotsuba group arc, where things get a little wonky. Serial Killer Light is actually drawn differently than regular Light. Things go back to normal after Yotsuba, fortunately. As for the themes, I liked the first opening's music, and I liked the visuals of the second opening (I don't care for heavy metal, though). As for the recommended age, I'll say older teens and up. I don't think it's R-rated, though. My age recommendation is mostly based on the themes, and the maturity needed to tackle them. I'd say high school kids could handle it.
Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba (Jump to title) - Overall: 8 - Violence Rating: 7 - Nudity Rating: 2 - Theological Themes: 3 - Other Negative Themes: 2 Review Violence: Demon Slayer is pretty bloody. Most of the violence is against the demons, and the only way to kill demons is through decapitation. Most of the demons are dismembered vividly. Lots of limbs are chopped off. We see the results of a bloody murder. Violence is the sole reason some streaming services list it as R-rated, and it is the only area of much concern. Sex and Nudity: There's barely anything worth mentioning. A guy's clothes are dissolved, though nothing is shown, and it's more of an immature gag than anything else. It's in the vein of "Hahaha! He's naked!", as opposed to anything sexual. A female demon slayer wears a very revealing outfit, though she's only in the last two episodes and plays a minor role in those episodes. Theological Themes: There are demons, though they are all portrayed as evil, except for the ones who Spoiler: don't eat humans. The demons can only be killed by sunlight and being decapitated by special swords. Demon slayers have swordplay techniques that seem magical, though I don't know how much magic is a factor. The demons gain special powers by consuming blood. The more blood they consume the more powerful they get. They're more like vampiric monsters than actual demons. Problematic Themes: Some minor, mild swearing. I don't remember anything worse than the d-word. Overall: The story is nice, though there are a few aspects of Nezuko's state that don't make sense, as more about the demons come to light. I liked how, unlike many shonen protagonists, who have selfish goals (become the greatest hero, become the pirate king, ect.), Tanjiro's goals are completely selfless. The one thing he wants is for his sister to be human again. Tanjiro is a bit perfect, though he doesn't come off as annoying. His relationship with Nezuko is one of the highlights of the show. The other leads balance out Tanjiro and Nezuko's quiet natures with their vivaciousness. Inosuke, a wild and competitive demon slayer (basically a feral gremlin) and Zenitsu, who's whiny, emotional, and desperate, are pretty much screaming for the entirety of the show. My personal favorites are Shinobu Kocho and Giyu Tomioka, two of the head demon slayers. Shinobu seems to be the most complex of the characters, as her personality is the hardest to peg. I liked Kanao too. The show does have more flaws than the plot holes I mentioned above, one of which being the comedy. The comic relief character is pretty annoying and caused people to drop the show. (I personally didn't mind him that much, though I did want to slap him from time to time.) The other highlights include the gorgeous art and soundtrack. Tanjiro's water breathing is so beautifully animated, it makes me happy. The OST was perfect for the atmosphere of the show, and I loved the opening and ending themes. I will say, Demon Slayer was definitely worth the watch. I will recommend this to older teens and up, due to the sheer amount of blood. From what I've read of the manga, it's less brutal, so that would probably warrant a lower age rating.
Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Mugen Train Arc (Jump to title) - Overall: 9 - Violence Rating: 6 - Nudity Rating: 1 - Theological Themes: 4 - Other Negative Themes: 1 Review Violence: The violence felt less intense and brutal than the first season, though there is still quite a bit of blood. Spoiler: A demon fuses with the train, and the characters have to cut through a gigantic neck bone. Also the demon has a decoy head attached to a lump of flesh, and that was kind of creepy. Characters are stabbed and one is impaled. Arms are repeatedly cut off (however, they are regenerated). Spoiler: A character repeatedly commits suicide by slashing his neck within a dream to wake up. Sex and Nudity: None. Theological Themes: We have the same stuff as last time, demons, demon blood arts, and breathing forms. Problematic Themes: None. Overall: I really, really liked it. I enjoyed it more than I enjoyed the first season. The theme of this season appears to be temptation, as various characters are shown to be tempted by the demons. I thought it was interesting to contrast Rengoku and how he handles his temptation with the passengers on the train. The ending was also very satisfying. It was sad, but it leaves you with a moral victory and the feeling that nothing was in vain. Rengoku is very interesting. He's rather odd, but likable. In a way, he serves as a foil for Giyu Tomioka from the first season, as they have completely different views on strength and heroism. He's an unbreakable character and I admire him for that. His impact on Tanjiro is very significant. Tanjiro develops a lot over the course of this arc. Inosuke also gets some time to shine, which I appreciated, as Zenitsu and Nezuko were shafted for most of the arc. The art was gorgeous as usual. The final fight scene was one of the prettiest, most engaging fight scenes I have ever seen. I could gush for hours about how pretty Demon Slayer is. I loved the music, too. I actually prefer the opening for the Mugen Train Arc to that of the first season. For an age rating, I would say older teens and up still, for the violence, even though it has been toned down a tiny bit.
Durarara!! (Jump to title) - Overall: 10 - Violence Rating: 5 - Nudity Rating: 3 - Theological Themes: 3 - Other Negative Themes: 4 Review Violence: The plot centers around gang warfare, so expect quite a bit of that, though it isn't portrayed positively, and it is handled quite well, in my opinion. There is also a serial killer. Knife wounds and hits to the head cause bleeding. At one point a character is shot. Slapstick violence also occurs. Sex and Nudity: Celty is shown in the shower, though only her legs and back are visible. The shots are brief. Shinra tries to peek at her, but that doesn't go over well. A male character is shown in the shower, though the scene is nearly identical to the scene featuring Celty. Shinra sometimes makes suggestive comments toward Celty. She usually doesn't stand for it, though. Anri has a large chest and this is commented upon, though the comments don't become frequent until the end of the series. Namie is a bit too fond of her brother, and Izaya suggests that she feels romantically towards him. A teacher is shown to be attracted to some of his students. Neither of those relationships are endorsed. The first isn't really focused on and comes up briefly twice. The second is clearly portrayed as negative. Theological Themes: The black rider doesn't have a head and is supposedly of mythological orgin. There is a demonic blade that possesses people, though it can be suppressed. One character talks about how he doesn't believe in God and his views on the afterlife (though he has an antagonistic role in the story and can hardly be described as a good person. Problematic Themes: There is a lot of swearing. The d-word, s-word, h-word, and both versions of the b-word are used. Shizuo in particular loves the s-word. He also is rarely seen without a cigarette, though the cigarette is mainly used as a prop. Overall: I did not expect to love this show so much. I thought I'd probably like it, but it wouldn't be a favorite or anything. And yet, here we are. The plot is really creative, as mystery and plot twists abound. I think it's a pretty cool look at gang warfare with a bit of supernatural elements and evil plots added to the mix. I look forward to seeing how the second season ties things up. The characters are amazing, with many standouts. Shizuo, Izaya, Celty, as well as Kyohei and his gang were all standouts for me, though the entire cast was terrific. Shizuo is weirdly likeable and endearing for someone so violent. He's just very, very awesome. Izaya on the other hand is a horrible person who doesn't deserve much, but he's interesting and drives the plot, so he can stay for now. Celty is the nicest supposed monster ever. Honestly, she is one of the most morally good characters in the show. The van gang is just plain cool. I'd be friends with them in real life. The teenage characters were interesting, just less compelling to me.There are so many characters, yet they are all interesting and distinct in their own right. They were definitely my favorite part of the show. I also really loved the character designs and the backgrounds. They add a lot to the aesthetic and overall appeal of the show. I adore all the openings and endings, though "Trust Me", the first ending, was my overall favorite. It fit my musical taste so well, and the graphics they used made me happy. I really recommend this show. I'm kinda obsessed now. I could re-watch this over and over and never tire of it. I recommend this to older teens and up, given the subject matter, as well as the general consensus on the show's rating.
Erased (Jump to title) - Overall: 7 - Violence Rating: 3 - Nudity Rating: 2 - Theological Themes: 2 - Other Negative Themes: 2 Review Violence: Satoru's mother is murdered, and there is blood. There are depictions of child abuse. Sex and Nudity: People suggest the killer/kidnapper could be a pedophile, due to the fact that he targets children. Theological Themes: Satoru has his time travel ability, which only sets into affect when an accident is about to happen. It plays a role in the series, but it definitely doesn't take over. Problematic Themes: There is some swearing. A sleazy male character is shown smoking. Overall: I thought it was a pretty good mystery show. It really is difficult to try to save lives when you can't report things that haven't happened yet. I'm proud of myself for figuring out the killer beforehand. I liked it until the last couple episodes, which basically turned into some type of showdown-amnesia type thing. Overall, it was pretty solid. I think they handled the child abuse plot-line very well, too. I did like the characters, too. I can't think of any that got on my nerves. Satoru was a good protagonist for this type of story and Kayo is literally my child. Sachiko, Satoru's mother was actually the best character in the series, as she embodies kindness and strength. I also loved the opening and ending. I'm obsessed with the opening in particular, though the color pallet for the ending theme was really cool. The art style was cute, but different from what I normally like. It was a nice change. I recommend this one to teenagers and up, mostly due to the darkness of the plot.
Fate/Stay Night: Unlimited Blade Works (Jump to title) - Overall: 7 - Violence Rating: 6 - Nudity Rating: 3 - Theological Themes: 5 - Other Negative Themes: 2 Review This is a review of the Fate/ Stay Night: Unlimited Blade Works TV series. The other entry is meant for the movie. Violence: There is typical fantasy violence with blood. Characters try to kill each other on a regular basis. Lots of people are stabbed with weapons. Some of the deaths seem brutal and heartbreaking. This is a battle royale after all. I will say, the second season is quite a bit bloodier than the first. Sex and Nudity: The only nudity is a non-sexual bit involving a little girl in the bath. All parts are covered. A male and female character take off their shirts for magic transfer reasons. The girl is wearing the equivalent of a crop top through the scene. It's kind of awkward to watch, though it isn't sexual. A guy captures a girl, strokes her legs and talks about doing whatever he wants with her. It's pretty creepy, but nothing happens. (Thank goodness!) Theological Themes: The plot is all about magic users called mages. Those involved in the war can summon "heroic spirits", who are essentially mythological warriors to fight for them. The mythological spirits have a place they hang out until they're summoned. They're in search of the Holy Grail, which is said to grant any wish. Problematic Themes: I recall some swearing. It was mainly the s-word and the d-word. Most of it comes from Lancer, who can have a foul mouth. The rest are used in fairly fitting situations (i.e. when they're about to be murdered). It is very infrequent. I don't remember any substances. Overall: I've always been curious about this one, so I decided to give it a shot. It was pretty cool. The story is what drew me in, as the premise was appealing. Amidst the fighting, there is a clash of ideals and some pretty nice philosophical conversations. The main plot point of season two was pretty cool, too. Unfortunately, it wasn't very memorable for whatever reason. As I edit this review to make it less messy, I'm realizing that I don't remember much about what happened. I just remember enjoying it. I liked the majority of the characters, though. Saber and Archer were personal favorites. Saber was a favorite because she was cool (though looking back I think it was mainly because of her aesthetic appeal-- her dress is really pretty). Archer was compelling due to his complex relationships with Rin and Shirou. Some of the characters just seemed to be there to fill the roster and didn't have too much of a purpose. I did like Rin. She was dyamic, but Shirou didn't leave much of an impression. The art was beautiful, and the fight scenes were breathtaking. Just some aspects of the character design I didn't like, though that wasn't much. (I'm not complaining about Saber or most of the outfits. Everyone is very fashionable, thank you very much. It's mainly the anatomy that could get a bit weird.) The music was great. I loved Brave Shine and Kalafina produced some beautiful ending themes, which reminds me why I love them so much. I'm going to say older teens and up, mostly due to the violence and blood, as well as a few awkward scenes... I think the first season was tamer, though. I'd put that at more of a PG-13.
Fruits Basket (Jump to title) - Overall: 6 - Violence Rating: 2 - Nudity Rating: 2 - Theological Themes: 3 - Other Negative Themes: 2 Review Note: This is a review for the 2001 version of Fruits Basket Violence: I gave it a 2 for multiple scenes of slapstick violence (in the form of martial arts battles) and a single scene of more serious violence. If the more serious scene had blood it was probably very minimal. Sex and Nudity: I gave it a 2. There are a few scenes that contain light innuendo, though it is often tastefully worded. When characters turn back from their animal forms they are naked, though everything is thoroughly obstructed by smoke. Most of the transformations are obstructed from the neck down, though a couple of male bare chests are shown. It's very mild. Theological Themes: I gave it a 3. The characters are under a curse that turns them into the animals of the Chinese zodiac. Eastern religious funeral practices are depicted in one episode. One of Tohru's friends has "wave powers". Negative Themes: Two adult characters are shown smoking a couple of times. Kyo is fond of swearing, though the words he uses are the more mild ones. Overall: It was a fun watch, with loads of positive messages, particularly about what it means to love people. The reason I didn't rate it particularly high was the existence of the reboot, which I liked much better. This is still worth a watch, though. There are some cute filler materials, which make things quite a bit funnier. They add to the charm. The characters are cute. We have Tohru, who is an absolute ray of sunshine, though she doesn't have quite the amount of depth she receives in the reboot in the manga. Kyo is the tough fireball of the group, who has a hard time getting along with everyone. Yuki is Kyo's polar opposite and rival, who has a charming prince-like exterior and a quiet disposition (It doesn't stop him from smacking Kyo across the room, though). Shigure is Kyo and Yuki's older cousin, who just likes to annoy people. Everyone just lives in his house. There are a ton of other characters, but listing them all would take forever. While the art style wasn't my favorite, the story is a heartwarming one, and the characters are all very likable (except when they're not supposed to be.) I liked the dub, even if it was difficult to hear Tohru and Yuki sometimes. Actually, I've heard that the dub is regarded better than the sub, so that might be worth checking out. I recommend this one to preteens and up, as this is the cleanest rendition of the tale. It's rated PG for slapstick violence and implied nudity.
Fruits Basket (2019) (Jump to title) - Overall: 10 - Violence Rating: 3 - Nudity Rating: 4 - Theological Themes: 3 - Other Negative Themes: 4 Review Violence: There is quite a bit of slapstick violence, particularly in the beginning, as the characters get into marital arts battles. There is quite a bit of physical abuse, as well. This entails regular beatings and getting scratched on the face. A character gets thrown out the window, and there's blood. Another character is stabbed. There is a car accident scene, which depicts a character lying dead in a pool of blood. A character's mother is stated to have committed suicide. A character is attacked and loses the use of his left eye. Sex and Nudity: When the zodiac members transform back to human form, they aren't wearing any clothes. Everything is covered with steam, hair, or objects. In the first season, the worst you see is a female character's bare hip and the top of a male character's rear end. The second season takes things a bit further, where the only thing censoring a female character's top is some strands of hair. A female character is shown topless, but with barbie-doll style nudity. This is shown only once, to highlight an important plot point. It is non-sexual. There are three scenes that imply characters have had sex. The most you see is them in their beds and their bare backs. Two characters have a conversation about who they have and haven't slept with, which sets up some tension and drama in between them. Ayame's shop specializes in male fantasies. Two characters like to joke about being a couple and doing...things. Hatsuharu occasionally makes suggestive comments about two of the female characters. Shigure sometimes says weird and occasionally inappropriate things to annoy people. One of Yuki's friends makes suggestive jokes about Yuki getting together with girls. The same friend hands Yuki a girl's bra when they're at her house. Some of Rin's outfits are a tad revealing, but she isn't sexualized. Theological Themes: There's the zodiac curse, though it causes more pain than pleasure. The zodiacs have a "god" figure. Eastern funeral practices are featured. One of Tohru's friends is stated to have a type of psychic powers. Problematic Themes: There is quite a bit of swearing, primarily towards the beginning. Kyo can't seem to refer to Yuki without using the d-word. The s-word, h-word, the word for illegitimate child, and the b-word are all used. Shigure is implied to be drunk at one point. I will also mention that domestic and child abuse are portrayed, though negatively. Overall: This is my favorite anime ever. I love Fruits Basket. The plot is very nice. It starts off very light and comedic with dramatic undertones. Then, things gradually get darker and more dramatic. There is still comedy, though it's less prevalent than it was in the beginning. There are also tons of positive messages about love and how we treat other people. Everyone in the show is damaged in some way, and it shows how they cope with their brokenness and move on.The Sohmas may be cursed to turn into animals, but the real curse just might be the bonds that hold the family together. The characters are all amazing. I don't think there are any I could actively hate, just a few I was indifferent towards. All of them undergo some sort of development, even the random side characters. In the beginning most of them seem stereotypical: Tohru is the happy sunshine girl who sacrifices everything for others, Kyo is the angry, hot-headed bad boy, Yuki is the cool, charming prince of the school, ect. However, Fruits Basket really digs deep into the characters' psyches and goes into what makes everyone the way they are. The animation is nice and fluid. I just didn't like the character designs at first, because it reminded me a bit of a strange drawing phase I had, but it grew on me. The music is superb. I adored every single opening and ending, though "Prism" and "Pleasure" were personal favorites. I strongly recommend this, though for older teens and up, due to the mature subject matter and the sexual content. It's a very well written tale of family, friendship, and love without being cliche. It's a 10/10 in my book.
Fullmetal Alchemist (Jump to title) - Overall: 10 - Violence Rating: 5 - Nudity Rating: 2 - Theological Themes: 5 - Other Negative Themes: 2 Review Violence: I gave it a 5. There is quite a bit of bloody violence. A character blows up people's brains frequently, though all you really see is blood. There is frequent fighting and most of the fights involve blood. There are also a few instances of body horror, as well. Sex and Nudity: I gave it a 2 for a few instances of non-sexual partial nudity. There are also a few revealing outfits (a villain wears a dress that shows quite a bit of cleavage and Winry works in a sports bra from time to time). Theological Themes: I gave it a 5. Edward is a self-proclaimed atheist, who claims that science can take the place of God. A corrupt church of a fantasy religion plays its part in the plot. The story is about alchemy and the forbidden art of bringing people back from the dead. However, resurrecting people is played as negative. Problematic Themes: There is some PG level swearing. A character is seen smoking. Overall: I enjoyed this show very much. The things they changed from the original story actually helped to create the overall tone. The comedy was well done. I actually thought this version was funnier than Brotherhood, which is more widely regarded as the more comedic of the two. I appreciated a lot of the changes, actually. The homunculi are much more interesting in this version and certain characters and situations felt a lot more developed. The beginning of Brotherhood is really rushed, but this fleshes out the Elric brother's backstory quite well. The ending was an absolute trainwreck, though. There were a ton of loose ends and abandoned plot points. Stuff just started coming out of nowhere. They absolutely did Envy dirty, since his backstory had so much potential. Despite its' flaws, this will always be a solid favorite of mine. Both versions are fantastic and both have aspects I favor. The characters are great. We have our lovely pair of alchemist child soldiers, Edward and Alphonse. Edward is hotheaded and impulsive, while Alphonse is more reserved and outwardly caring. Honestly, I thought Alphonse was more developed in this version. The characters introduced earliest in Brotherhood and the manga also get a lot more screen time and development, such as Roy Mustang's crew and Winry (who I actually didn't care for in Brotherhood). I loved the Homunculi, though I thought the main villain was very, very lacking, despite having a lot of potential. The music is quite nice. The theme songs bring me a lot of Nostalgia, and I liked the background music. The art is nice. My sister was surprised that it was 2003 animation. I'm going to say this one is for teenagers and up. It isn't as bloody as Brotherhood, but it has a darker tone. It's definitely for teenagers and up. It isn't as violent as Brotherhood, though it definitely has a darker tone.
Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood (Jump to title) - Overall: 10 - Violence Rating: 7 - Nudity Rating: 2 - Theological Themes: 5 - Other Negative Themes: 2 Review Violence: I gave it a 7. There is a lot of blood, especially near the end. There is a lot of fighting, some exploding limbs, and a couple impalements. There are also a couple of instances of body horror, though it isn't particularly horrifying. Limbs are lost. People are eaten, as well, though it only gets gory towards the end. The violence is what keeps it from being suitable for children. Also Spoiler: the mannequin soldiers creeped me out with their zombie-like ways, though that could just be a me thing. Sex and Nudity: I gave it a 2. There are a few instances of non-sexual partial nudity. This is in the form of a couple bath and shower scenes, as well as a female character showing a man her bare back. The latter instance is exclusively for plot reasons. A palm sized infant is shown fully nude. There are a couple revealing outfits and a single joke about a female character's chest. Theological Themes: Ed is an atheist, who doesn't believe alchemists can believe in God, though he is seen praying later in the series. Alchemy is the main focus as the series, as well. There are blasphemous villains, and the main villain seeks to become a god. Bringing humans back to life is also a factor, though it is later revealed that Spoiler: it can't actually be done Problematic Themes: There is minor swearing. A character is always seen smoking. Overall: I love this series. It definitely gave me a lot to think about, as it goes into all sorts of philosophical questions. All of the members of the series' large cast have a role to play and leave an impression. The plot is very well developed, though I started to feel like the ending was dragged out a bit longer than it should have been. (Though I am glad that there was lots of character development pulled from it.) This show is definitely worth a watch. Our characters are interesting. Edward is our impulsive protagonist. He has a strong moral compass and is desperately trying to make up for his past mistakes. His brother, Alphonse is quieter and more overtly kindhearted. The vast majority of the characters are very distinct and more that meets the eye. Roy Mustang and Riza Hawkeye are particularly interesting. The cast is large, but no two characters are similar or boring. I loved the antagonists, though I will say the big bad was rather generic. The art wasn't initially my taste, though it really grew on me over time. Speaking as an artist, I love Hiromu Arakawa's use of anatomy. It's very nice. The opening and endings are absolutely fantastic. I think Golden Time Lover is the only one I don't like. I very much recommend it. Its bloody violence makes it suitable for older teenagers and up.
Ghost Hunt (Jump to title) - Overall: 9 - Violence Rating: 4 - Nudity Rating: 1 - Theological Themes: 4 - Other Negative Themes: 2 Review Violence: There isn't much in the way of violence. The worst I can recall is invisible knives tearing clothing and causing some mild injury. In a case called "The Bloodstained Labyrinth" expect quite a bit of bloody imagery. There are lots of discussions of death and suicide. Failed suicide attempts are recounted, and a possessed character jumps off a cliff into the ocean and kills himself. The scene wasn't graphic. Sex and Nudity: Nothing worth noting. Theological Themes: Well, in our cast of ghost hunters, we have a medium, a Shinto priestess, a Buddhist monk, a Catholic priest, and some specialized psychics. All of them are shown to be effective with their powers in some way. Messing with spirits is shown to be a bad idea. Summoning them is portrayed as negative, as our crew deals with evil spirits who actively cause harm to others. Psychic powers are somewhat common in the show. Problematic Themes: Exactly three instances of swearing; two uses of the d-word and one use of the word for illegitimate child. Overall: Reviews of Ghost Hunt tend to be very polarized. People either love it or hate it. I lean towards the former. It gave off strong Buzzfeed Unsolved vibes, as it seemed to be more of a horror mystery series than straight up horror. This is because our crew can't get rid of the spirits until they find out what's going on. This show is really re-watchable, too. It's a lot of fun and difficult to get bored of. Our cast isn't particularly well-developed, though they are all likable and have their own distinct personalities. They have nice banter. It's a really good group dynamic. Mai is a great protagonist, and I really liked her. Naru, on the other hand, at times was a bit too talented for his own good. I did like his narcissistic side, though. It made him much more rounded out as a character. This is from the creator of The Twelve Kingdoms, Fuyumi Ono. While, I liked The Twelve Kingdoms better, Ghost Hunt has a lot going for it. The art is better than Twelve Kingdoms, for one thing. The music is great, too. It's very spooky and mysterious, which fits the vibe. I recommend this to teens and up, for frightening imagery and discussion of suicide.
Ghost Stories (Jump to title) - Overall: 5 - Violence Rating: 4 - Nudity Rating: 6 - Theological Themes: 7 - Other Negative Themes: 10 Review Note: The dub and sub of this anime are completely different, since ADV was given free reign to do whatever they wanted with the dub. I have only seen the dub, but I will try to comment on the sub based on my knowledge. Violence: This area of the anime is pretty much the same in both dub and sub. There is some mild horror movie violence and blood. There is a bit of body horror too. Honestly, it seemed kinda creepy and violent for a kids show, but I know Japan has different standards regarding death and violence and what is appropriate for kids. The dub has a joke about child abuse, so there's that. Sex and Nudity: In the subbed version we have a few panty shots, three of which are taken notice of. It's really creepy since these are literal elementary school aged children. Satsuki and Mamiko are like ten and twelve. I'd give it a two or maybe a three for the creepiness. The dub is a completely different story. We have tons of sex jokes. I bumped it up to a six, despite there being no real nudity, just for how absolutely raunchy some of the jokes were. At one point one of the teachers literally explains how sex works to the children in the most blunt way possible. They make jokes about pretty much everything in this regard. I'm not even going to try listing things. I'm just going to say that these children do not seem to act like children and are very, very curious about this stuff. Theological Themes: In the subbed version, we have ghosts and rituals and the like. I don't think it's any worse than your run of the mill supernatural anime. If you are familiar with xxxHolic, Ghost Hunt, or Toilet Bound Hanako-kun it's on that level. The ghosts haunt places and Satsuki and the gang have to exorcise them with magic spells. Momoko has ESP and is sometimes possessed with the ghost of Satsuki and Keichiro's mother. I'd say a 5 or maybe a 6 to be safe. The dub portrays Momoko as every negative stereotype of Christians rolled into one. She's a right wing homophobe (kinda racist too) who spouts thinly veiled references to Christianity every time she opens her mouth. She also regularly disses other religions, and she is generally an intolerant person. Leo is a stereotyped Jew. I bumped it up to a 7, since Momoko is probably a deal breaker for a lot of people. Problematic Themes: I dunno what the sub would be rated. It might get a 1 or 2, depending on whether or not there is mild language in the sub. The dub gets a 10, because of how unbelievably offensive it is. No one is safe. No one. No religion, political party or race. Satsuki's brother is disabled, and they can get pretty mean. They say lots of slurs, too (slurs for trans, gay, and disabled people-- I don't rememver any racial slurs, but I could be wrong). There is racism. It is very, very inappropriate, and parents should take a second look before they let their children watch it. Overall: Is this show incredibly offensive and inappropriate? Yes. Is it absolute trash that I wouldn't recommend casually to anyone on this site? Yes. Did I actually enjoy it? Yes. I don't know if I could ever rewatch it, but it certainly was...something else. Yeah, I liked this show way more than I should have. I will mention that aside from the offensive humor a lot of the jokes were pretty outdated with a strong hold in pop-culture from the early 2000's and late 90's that I was too young to get. The plot is simple. Five children deal with supernatural happenings, most of them at their school. The characters really made the show. I have way too many quotes from this show living in my head rent free. That's probably not something that should be happening, but it's too late for me to un-hear them. Satsuki, our lead is a self-absorbed little jerk. Hajime is her dirty-minded neighbor, Leo a Jewish nerd, Momoko an offensive stereotype of Christianity, and her brother Kechiiro, Satsuki's "innocent" and mentally disabled little brother. The opening and ending are pretty catchy. The voice acting for the dub was beautiful. Hilary Haag, Chris Patton, Greg Ayres, and Monica Rial were exceptional as the lead characters. I also feel the need to for me to give a shout out to Brittney Karbowski. In episode 9 (my personal favorite) she transforms a quiet, animal loving girl into a psychopath in love with a rabbit. It was one of the best vocal performances I've seen in a while. Age wise, the dub is probably best for older teens and up for obvious reasons. I'll go with preteens and up for the sub. It would probably get lower if not for the out of place panty-shots, which do not belong in a kids' show.
Haikyu!! 2nd Season (Jump to title) - Overall: 8 - Violence Rating: 2 - Nudity Rating: 2 - Theological Themes: 1 - Other Negative Themes: 3 Review Violence: The same as the first season. Mild slapstick and roughhousing-esque fights. Sex and Nudity: I think there was a single comment about Tanaka's sister's chest. You can only hear the beginning of it, since other characters begin to talk over it. Theological Themes: None. Problematic Themes: Same as the first season. Some swearing while under stress. The d-word, h-word, and s-word are used. The s-word is only used in a joke scene, where one of the characters is using the word literally and a teammate berates him for his bad language. (Of course that leads to him saying the word a few more times to annoy the other character.) Overall: I liked it better than the first season. Yachi was a welcome addition to the team, and, unlike Kiyoko, she actually has a defined personality. Tsukishima and Yamaguchi get lots of screen time and character development. Even one of the resident background characters, Ennoshita, gets an episode. It's very awesome. Of course Hinata and Kageyama get a lot of focus and they grow a lot as players and people. Every match the characters play is full of emotion. Sometimes you aren't even sure who you want to win. The art and music are great and atmospheric as always. Haikyuu!! has a very distinctive and fun style. Like the first season, I'll recommend it for preteens and up for swearing.
Haikyuu!! (Jump to title) - Overall: 7 - Violence Rating: 2 - Nudity Rating: 1 - Theological Themes: 1 - Other Negative Themes: 3 Review Violence: Just some fighting, along the lines of roughhousing. No one intends bodily harm. Sex and Nudity: None. Theological Themes: None. Problematic Themes: Their coach is seen smoking cigarettes a few times. There is some swearing, though it's mainly in the subbed version. The d-word, h-word, and s-word are used. The s-word is the most infrequently used. Overall: Haikyuu!! is a fun watch. I was skeptical at first, since I hate watching sports (with the exception of the Olympics), but I had heard good things about it. Now I know more about volleyball than I ever did before, and it was actually pretty interesting. It's very fresh, rather realistic, and there was enough drama and comedy to pad things out. I never expected to be so entertaining to watch volleyball. The characters themselves are diverse and endearing. Hinata and Kageyama have great chemistry and balance each other out. Not everyone gets along, which adds to the realism, though the team is close knit for the most part. It's fun to watch them evolve and grow as people and players. The art is really cool, and it employs a unique use of shading, which I haven't seen in any other shows yet. The songs all have an inspiring atmosphere and add to the environment. I recommend this one to preteens and up, due to the swearing.
Horimya (Jump to title) - Overall: 9 - Violence Rating: 2 - Nudity Rating: 2 - Theological Themes: 2 - Other Negative Themes: 3 Review Violence: Some of the characters get into fights, but it mostly amounts to rough housing. At one point some characters do hurt each other, but that is not shown on screen. The fight they got into is shown to be more comical anyway. Sex and Nudity: There is no sex or nudity shown on screen. However, there are a few suggestive comments made here and there (it's very infrequent). At one point Miyamura stays the night over at Hori's house with her family. Nothing happens, Spoiler: particularly since he had to share a bed with Hori's dad, but their classmates think otherwise and spread some rumors. Like most rom coms in this vein, it's very tame. Theological Themes: The worst I can think of is an offhand comment that one of the characters is Buddhist. Also, there was one girl who has a crush on Hori, but her feelings are unrequited. Problematic Themes: There was some swearing. I can't remember the details, since I filter out swear words very easily, but I remember the s-word and the d-word. Overall: Okay, this show is very, very cute and good and fluffy. It was also surprisingly emotional, too. I almost cried twice! That isn't something I normally do when I watch anime. It's a romantic slice of life. Our two leads live double lives to an extent. Hori is the one friend who's really pretty, outgoing, and popular, but outside of school she's pretty much a housewife and a substitute parent, since her parents both work time consuming jobs. Miyamura is that weird loner kid that no one likes. However, he's actually a really nice guy who has a lot of tattoos and piercings. They meet each other by chance and end up bonding. They all end up making lots of friends a long the way, too. The characters are what make the show. It has a large and colorful cast. My personal favorites were Sakura, a member of the student council who works hard and has body-image issues, as well as Miyamura himself. I could relate to both of them and their insecurities and fears. None of the characters were easy to dislike. They were all sweet and funny in their own ways. Okay, this is a romance anime, so how is the actual romance? Well, our main pair is absolutely adorable together. They both better themselves for each other. Hori learns to be more considerate of Miyamura's feelings, while she pulls Miyamura out of his shell. They are so cute together and their relationship is so natural. They start as friends and then gradually develop feelings for each other. I liked the relationship between the two student council members as well. The third couple, I was not really behind. I preferred the alternative option for both of them, but that isn't important. The art is absolutely adorable. The character designs and atmosphere make me think of summer for some reason. I also loved the music. I really like Yoh Kamamiya, and I think he did a good job with the opening theme. I feel like this would be a good one for teenagers and up, mainly for the occasional bouts of suggestive content. However, I wouldn't have a problem giving this to a middle-schooler, depending on their maturity.
Howl's Moving Castle (Movie) (Jump to title) - Overall: 8 - Violence Rating: 2 - Nudity Rating: 2 - Theological Themes: 4 - Other Negative Themes: 1 Review Violence: The violence is minimal. There is some shooting and random explosions from the war scenes. Only one character is shown to receive injuries. Sex and Nudity: The only reason I gave this a two was a scene in which Howl's towel falls off as Sophie helps him up the stairs. His bare rear end is shown. The scene is brief and not sexual in nature. Theological Themes: This is about witches and wizards, though it's more in the Harry Potter sense. There are both good and evil witches and wizards. There is also a demon, who assists the protagonist. He definitely isn't portrayed as fully evil. Problematic Themes: There is no swearing, and I don't recall any substances. Overall: While it felt a bit rushed and confusing, I enjoyed this movie. The artwork was typical Ghibli fare (straight up gorgeous). Sophie is my role model. She has a strong will and fierce independence. She takes whatever troubles come her way and just rolls with it. She's honestly one of the best heroines that I've ever encountered. Calcifer is another standout, bringing his fiery sass to the table. The other characters were very lovely as well. This is another movie worthy of recommendation. It is a family film. Nothing in it is worse than your run of the mill children's PG movie.
Hunter x Hunter (2011) (Jump to title) - Overall: 7 - Violence Rating: 7 - Nudity Rating: 3 - Theological Themes: 5 - Other Negative Themes: 4 Review Violence: Hunter x Hunter is pretty violent. The first few arcs do depict death and fighting, as well as a human heart being ripped out. (The heart just looks like a sack, but still.) After the magic system is introduced, the level of blood is significantly increased. Lots of limbs come off. It's pretty common. The Chimera Ant arc and the Yorknew City arc definitely have scenes that, were it live action, would receive a solid R. People are eaten, sometimes rather graphically. A guy bites another one through the skull. One character punches another until his head falls off, though all you can see is blood flying. Sex and Nudity: One villain gets aroused at the aspect of fighting others, particularly our twelve year old protagonist. He appears frequently, though his comments aren't frequent. The same character is shown naked from the behind twice, as well as from above, with the perspective blocking out everything. A minor villain is shown to be lecherous, and he is presumed to have relations with various women who he technically keeps prisoner. He may have had relations with an important female character in disguise, though it's a fifty fifty chance that nothing happened. Characters wonder if the female character was forced to have relations with the king of the Chimera ants. This turns out to be false. She is shown nude, but all parts are covered by the king's arms (this doesn't actually happen, it's just a mental image). Quite a few of the female characters wear revealing outfits, which show cleavage. A female chimera ant spends an episode wearing an outfit that barely covers anything. In the same episode, a female character loses her outer garments to a sticky fluid and briefly has to fight an enemy in her underwear. The camera doesn't sexualize her, and a male character loses some clothes to a villain in the same episode. In general, this show is pretty tame, particularly since it is very long and all these instances are spread out. Theological Themes: Nen, the magic system is based around controlling auras and life force. Nen is pretty crucial to the plot. Half-human, half-animal hybrids seek to evolve beyond humans at one point. A character is heavily implied to have reincarnated, though it may have been a result of his nen abilities. Another character believes in reincarnation. One character who appears very late in the series is transgender. Problematic Themes: The s-word, d-word, and h-word are all used, though the s-word is used very infrequently. They're all used almost exclusively when the characters are under stress or in life threatening situations. One character gains his nen ability when he smokes a pipe, which he uses to create smoke puppets. Another character is shown smoking cigarettes a couple of times and is implied to be addicted to them. Overall: Hunter x Hunter is a very nice show and definitely well written. I did lose interest about half-way through the Chimera Ant arc, as it dragged on for far too long, and it could have easily been cut down from the whopping sixty one episodes. Part of the reason I lost my patience was because the pre-established characters were sidelined for most of it. I'm probably just salty about the lack of screen time my favorite characters have received since Greed Island. Though after a certain point, it didn't really feel like Hunter x Hunter anymore, and I never really was on board with the concept of chimera ants in the first place. The characters are all very well written and receive wonderful development. As opposed to many selfless shonen protagonists, Gon is very much a selfish hero, and he definitely has a dark side. Killua is a great character as well, who has believable motives and development. I do wonder why Kurapika and Leorio are considered protagonists alongside Gon and Killua, since they're absent for probably over half the series. They are definitely interesting characters, Kurapika especially. The Phantom Troupe are some of the coolest villains I've seen in a while, as well. I just had a hard time vibing with Gon as a protagonist. I'm fine with selfish characters. I'm fine with irrational characters. I'm fine with stubborn characters. It's just when they mix when it irritates me. I really lost my patience with him in the chimera ant arc. While the other characters develop, he is a static character, though he has dimensions that are hard to perceive at first. The background music and the ending themes are great. The opening gets old, since they keep it the same for all 148 episodes. The art style is very clean, and while it's not my favorite stylistic choice, it works very well. It was worth a watch, though I didn't enjoy it as much as many people, nor do I consider it god-tier, as most of the fan base does. It's a solid, well written show, though I wouldn't consider it a favorite. I recommend this one to older teens and up due to violence, language, and Hisoka.
Jujutsu Kaisen (Jump to title) - Overall: 9 - Violence Rating: 8 - Nudity Rating: 3 - Theological Themes: 7 - Other Negative Themes: 4 Review Violence: Well, this is probably the most violent anime I've seen so far. There is a lot of blood and body horror. In general, the violence is pretty intense. People get burned to death inside a restaurant. Limbs get chopped off (sometimes they grow back). A character's heart is ripped out, and that was a bit graphic. You can sometimes catch glimpses of organs when the cursed spirits die, though it's pretty vague. I gave it an 8, to be safe. Sex and Nudity: At different points we have two scenes that contain undetailed partial nudity. Another scene has some detailed nudity, though what needs to be obscured is obscured. At one point a character draws a picture of genitalia and gives it to his friend. It's really, really poorly drawn and undetailed, though. A female character accuses a male character of looking at her chest (he wasn't). A male character tells a female character that the guys she hangs out with are only interested in her because she might be willing to have sex with them. There isn't really any fanservice, other than one scene where a guy imagines some girls in bikinis who are his type. The same character also states what he finds attractive in women a few times. Theological Themes: Well, our main characters are out fighting cursed spirits by using cursed energy. Cursed objects also factor into the equation. Itadori has a cursed spirit that lives inside of him (this is not portrayed as positive, though). One character's power allows him to bring dolls he creates to life. Spoiler: The character Panda is revealed to be the result of his power. I think he was a normal panda who was given intelligence. I'm kind of confused about the details, especially about his siblings, but that's another story for another time. Nobara's power is based off voodoo and voodoo dolls. Problematic Themes: We have some moderate swearing. It remains at the PG-13 level. The show also addresses serious topics like bullying and sexism. The bullying scenes can get a bit intense, so I would like to warn people about that. Overall: I liked this show way more than I should have. I absolutely loved it. I don't care how generic it is in comparison to everything else. I thought it was a well-executed battle shonen. I will say the plot is pretty generic shonen stuff. Collect all the fingers of Sukuna, so that he can fully reawaken and everyone can kill him once and for all. Meanwhile, everyone trains in magical fighting school in order to defeat curses and the like. I'm going to be honest, the characters are what I liked the best. Itadori is a nice, relatable guy. I swear I've met people like him in real life. I could be best friends with him. Fushiguro is quieter, with a stronger sense of justice. Unlike Itadori, who aims to save everyone, Fusiguro only wants to save the good people of the world. However, the two get along quite well, despite their different views. Nobara, the third member of their team is loud, bold, and blunt. She does what she wants. The other characters are lively and fun. Everyone has a bit of an untold story. There are all kinds of hardships the Jujutsu sorcerers undergo, and everyone has different views in accordance with their variety of life experiences. Other things I enjoyed include the comedy. The show made me laugh quite a bit. I also liked the way the show engaged with the topic of hardship. For example, the way Maki and Mai engaged with their difficult upbringing shaped them into very different people, granted they each had a different dimension to their struggles. In addition, the female characters are much more active and dynamic in Jujutsu Kaisen then they are in other shonen series. The art is nice and the animation is very fluid. I adored the first opening and ending themes. The second set were nice, though they weren't as dynamic for me as the first set. I know I gave this a higher rating than it probably deserves, but I like it, so too bad. It's probably one of my favorite battle shonen anime. I will recommend this for older teens and up for R-rated violence and occasional suggestive content.
K-On! (Jump to title) - Overall: 5 - Violence Rating: 2 - Nudity Rating: 2 - Theological Themes: 2 - Other Negative Themes: 2 Review Violence: It's all slapstick. Basically, some of the characters bop one another on the head from time to time. Though, it's only when they do something stupid. Sex and Nudity: The girls are shown in an open bath, though everything is completely blocked by water and steam. There was also a joke about chest size from what I recall. Theological Themes: I think they prayed at a shrine once or twice. At one point, two of the girls think one of their club members has a crush on a female teacher, though it turns out not to be the case. Problematic Themes: There were maybe two or three instances of minor, mild swearing. It was just the d-word and the h-word. Overall: While, it might have lost its appeal for me now, K-On! was my first anime show not specifically targeted at children. It's not something I would rewatch, though I was obsessed with it back in middle school. The characters are all charming and fun, and it's a laid back kind of show in general. We have the air-headed Yui who is full of silliness, the more serious and anxious Mio, Ritsu, the mischievous self-proclaimed club president, and Tsumugi a sheltered rich girl. They were all distinct, though Tsumugi fell a bit flat for me. The side characters are fun, particularly their overly enthusiastic teacher with a love for costuming and hard rock. I was obsessed with the music when I saw this when I was younger. The first opening and ending were my favorites. Fuwa Fuwa Time, their main song is absolutely adorable. The art is cute and typical KyoAni. This is one of the most influential shows in the "cute girls doing cute things" subsection of slice of life. I would easily recommend it to fans of the genre, even if it isn't my cup of tea anymore. It's very cute and silly. I recommend this to preteens and up.
K-ON! The Movie (Jump to title) - Overall: 6 - Violence Rating: 2 - Nudity Rating: 1 - Theological Themes: 1 - Other Negative Themes: 1 Review Violence: I think there was just the typical bops on the head. Nothing worse than in the series. Sex and Nudity: None. Theological Themes: None. Problematic Themes: None. Overall: The movie is one of the best installments in the K-On! franchise. There is a lot more music, as the girls preform quite a bit over the course of the movie, and there are a couple new songs added. It does retread material in the TV series and the OVAs, which Netflix markets as part of the regular series. The last part of the movie is pretty much the same as the anime. The characters are the same lovable goofs the TV series introduced us to, and the art is very similar. I enjoyed watching their London misadventures, too. Yui and Azusa had a lot of antics in this one. The art was about the same as the series. It was very cute. There was a lot of music in the movie, so fans of After School Tea Time should have a blast. It was a cute movie. I do think this could have gotten away with a rating lower than PG, but that's just my opinion. I'll recommend this to older children and up, since there aren't any of the minor indecencies that appear in the show. I do think that fans of the show would enjoy it more, though.
K-On!! (Jump to title) - Overall: 6 - Violence Rating: 2 - Nudity Rating: 2 - Theological Themes: 2 - Other Negative Themes: 2 Review Violence: It's the same as season one. It's just the slapstick head bopping, though there is an episode devoted to the gag. Sex and Nudity: It's similar to season one, as there is an outdoor bath scene, though everything is thoroughly censored with steam and water. There are a few jokes that might raise some eyebrows, though they would likely go over younger viewers heads. You can count these instances on one hand. Theological Themes: I know they pray at a shrine at least once. Their school has an occult club, though the girls in the occult club are never shown to do anything involving the occult. All you hear about them is that they believe in aliens. Problematic Themes: The same as the first season: light, mild swearing. Again, I can count these instances on one hand. Overall: This season is a bit more developed than the first, so I gave it a higher score. Azusa's character definitely got a lot more screen time, which is a bonus if are a fan of her (or a drawback, if, like me, you didn't like her). Towards the end, the crew does focus on more serious issues, such as the impending end of the light music club. However, it doesn't take away from the silliness and lightheartedness of the show, which remains ever present. I recommend this to preteens and up; the same as the first season.
Kageki Shojo!! (Jump to title) - Overall: 10 - Violence Rating: 1 - Nudity Rating: 3 - Theological Themes: 1 - Other Negative Themes: 3 Review Violence: None that I can remember. Sex and Nudity: Well, there are heavy implications that one characters' mother's boyfriend tries to molest her. (Fortunately, nothing happens.) One girl fantasizes about having a larger chest. Both of our leads are illegitimate children, and Ai's mother and uncle are said to sleep around. Theological Themes: None. Problematic Themes: I remember there being swearing. It wasn't frequent, but I don't remember any specifics. Kageki Shojo!! covers heavy topics such as child abuse, stalking, and eating disorders. Overall: This anime is extremely underrated. It is absolutely fantastic. Two girls with drastically different personalities and upbringings slowly form a friendship at an all girls theatre school. I was surprised that it tackled such heavy themes, such as child abuse and eating disorders. It's all about how these girls move away from their pasts and overcome their weaknesses all while navigating the harsh world of show business. Our two leads are as different as summer and winter. Sarasa is bubbly, bright and cheerful. She's optimistic and full of life, though she is a bit stubborn and doesn't believe in limitations. Ai is cold and quiet, mainly due to childhood trauma. She's intense, driven, and not there to make friends. The two of them grow on each other and balance each other out. Their friendship isn't immediate. It takes Ai quite a bit to accept Sarasa into her life. The two truly better eachother. Sarasa helps Ai to mellow out, while Ai helps Sarasa to tone herself down. The other characters were absolutely fantastic. I loved how all the characters grew to be a bit deeper than they seemed at first glance. Ayako's episode made me cry. This is the first time I have ever cried during an anime. Many of the characters struggles are either real insecurities that teenage girls have or things that everyone struggles with as they grow up and try to forge their own identities. The character designs were really fun. I love Sarasa's hair. It's really cute. The music was nice, too. I recommend Kageki Shojo!! to teenagers and up for the heavy themes and the stuff with the mom's boyfriend.
Kaguya-sama: Love is War (Jump to title) - Overall: 9 - Violence Rating: 2 - Nudity Rating: 4 - Theological Themes: 1 - Other Negative Themes: 2 Review Violence: There is very light slapstick. Sex and Nudity: There is some fan service centered around Fujiwara, as she has a large chest, and Kaguya is jealous of her. There is also frequent sexual humor. Ishigami makes a few off-color remarks about the girls in the student council, but he is punished. A few jokes revolve around Kaguya's innocence and immaturity when it comes to sexual matters. Kaguya and Miyuki are put in compromising situations a couple of times, though nothing happens. A segment is devoted to underwear and what kind people prefer. Miyuki is embarrassed about being a virgin. A girl constantly walks in on the student council at the wrong times, making her think that they're usually up to something dirty. Hayasaka is shown taking a bath, though she is covered by a towel or steam at all times. Theological Themes: None. Problematic Themes: There's mild swearing. The term "man w****" is used also in one episode. Other than that, it's just the d-word and h-word. Overall: I really liked it and thought it was funny, though I wouldn't recommend this to anyone against any type of sexual humor. It gave off the same vibe as Monthly Girls' Nozaki-kun, except this show has smarter characters, more of a romance focus (though still a lot of comedy), and it's not as clean as Nozaki-kun is. I do recommend the sub over the dub, since that is the best way to get rid of the annoying narrator. The characters are pretty likable. Kaguya and Miyuki have good chemistry despite their pride, and individually they both shine. Fujiwara's intelligence is some of the most contradictory I've seen, and she's a fun character. Isigami's a little weird, but he's likable. The only character I didn't really care for was introduced in the second season. I think there are nice messages in here about love and what-not, too. The love story is pretty cute. The art style was nice, though I didn't feel strongly about any of the openings and hated the first ending. I recommend this one to older teens and up.
Kamisama Kiss (Jump to title) - Overall: 8 - Violence Rating: 2 - Nudity Rating: 2 - Theological Themes: 5 - Other Negative Themes: 1 Review Violence: All fights contain very little blood, if any at all. They are also very short. There is some slapstick violence. Sex and Nudity: There is no nudity. A character is shown in the red light district with prostitutes. Nothing unsavory is shown. There is a joke about Nanami's chest, and a girl falls over, exposing her underwear (resulting in humiliation). There is a beach episode, too. A male character tries to force Nanami to marry him. Theological Themes: This series is about Eastern religions. Nanami is made a "land god" and encounters other gods. Familiars and spirits all play a part as well. Time traveling and soul swapping happen magically in an episode. Problematic Themes: I don't remember any cursing or substances, though I could be wrong. Overall: This was a fun series. Nanami was an interesting contrast to other female leads in the anime I watched, though I did get frustrated by her lack of progress. I wished she had been able to master her new skills as a god a bit more. The supporting characters are also really enjoyable. Tomoe, the love interest, is an interesting character, even though I don't quite understand what Nanami sees in him romantically. I do think the romance would have been better as a slow burn, so it did move a bit quickly for me. I've realized that I only really love the enemies to lovers trope when it's slow burn, so that's probably just a me thing. The concept was nice, and the comedy was lovely, though I could have done without the narrator. I've realized that the comedy was an integral part of why I liked the show. It's worth a watch for fans of supernatural romance and shoujo. I'd say middle school and up for this one for the occasional suggestive moment. I believe it's rated PG, and I don't remember anything big that would make me think the contrary, though I'd say it's on the more mature end of PG.
Kamisama Kiss (Season 2) (Jump to title) - Overall: 8 - Violence Rating: 3 - Nudity Rating: 3 - Theological Themes: 5 - Other Negative Themes: 2 Review Violence: There is some violence, though it's mostly at the same level as season one, there is a bit more at stake. There is a scene that portrays the main villain, which shows a bit more blood than usual. Sex and Nudity: Prostitutes are shown again, though all relations are left solely to the imagination, and they seem to have been exclusively in the past. It becomes apparent that Tomoe visited them often. There is some innuendo involving Nanami and Tomoe. Theological Themes: More gods and spirits are introduced, and Nanami visits the underworld. Evil spirits play a stronger role in this season. Nanami has her own personal monkey spirit. Problematic Themes: A character runs around with his sacred sake and accidentally gets drunk once. There might have been a couple instances of minor swearing. Overall: This season definitely picks up the pace. Clear villains emerge and there are actual story arcs instead of the "problem of the day" set-up season one had. Kurama had his chance to shine, as his backstory was fleshed out. The comedy was also even better this season. Unfortunately, Nanami's starting to get a little too Tomoe-centric for my liking. I hope she develops a few more clear goals that aren't related to her love interest. I will say that in addition to Kurama, Mizuki was particularly great this season. He was absolutely hilarious and has solidified himself as one of my favorites. I hope they continue the series, since it definitely has a lack of resolution. I want to know what happens with the main villain. This show has a lot of potential to explore. In all, this season was better than the first, and I highly recommend it. Currently, Kamisama Kiss is one of the best supernatural shoujos out there, so fans of the supernatural and Japanese folklore looking for something more romantic, this is a good choice. This one, I'd say is for middle-schoolers and up, same as the first one. I don't remember it being any worse.
Kiki's Delivery Service (Jump to title) - Overall: 8 - Violence Rating: 1 - Nudity Rating: 1 - Theological Themes: 2 - Other Negative Themes: 1 Review Violence: Kiki is briefly attacked by crows at one point. Sex and Nudity: None. This is a children's movie. Theological Themes: Kiki's a witch, though her flying around on her broomstick is the most magical thing you see. Kiki meets a random witch who says she's a fortune teller. She's in the movie for a couple minutes most, and nothing comes of their interaction. Problematic Themes: There are no substances or swearing. Overall: This is a really sweet movie, which I can relate to very much. I love Kiki and her strong determined spirit, as well as Jiji and all his sassiness. Ursula struck a cord with me, as well. The art is gorgeous. I can't even tell you how much I wanted to eat the bread in the movie when I was little. Kiki's Delivery Service is a very sweet movie with lots of positive messages. It is definitely a family friendly film for all ages. I recommend.
Kimi ni Todoke (From Me to You) (Jump to title) - Overall: 8 - Violence Rating: 2 - Nudity Rating: 2 - Theological Themes: 2 - Other Negative Themes: 1 Review Violence: Nothing really, except for one scene where a character is slapped. Sex and Nudity: It is very, very clean in this regard, with the exception of a couple little things. A teacher tries to check out an adult video from the library (nothing inappropriate is shown), and a boy thinks about letting his arm graze a girl's chest (nothing happens). There was also a rumor about one of Sawako's friends being promiscuous (she isn't, the rumor is just based on her physical appearance rather than her character). The rumor is worded in a way that younger kids wouldn't be able to pick up on it. Theological Themes: They pray at a shrine in one episode and get their fortunes told. There are lots of misunderstandings about Sawako being cursed and having supernatural powers. Problematic Themes: None. There is no swearing or substances. Overall: I really liked it! It was so cute and wholesome! I have never shipped a couple as much as I shipped Kazehaya and Sawako. I personally loved the way they handled drama and relationships in Kimi ni Todoke. The way people treated each other, for better and for worse, seemed like something that could happen in a real high school. The behavior exhibited in Kurumi's backstory is behavior I have seen first hand. It just seemed very realistic. A lot of people criticize Kimi ni Todoke for being very slow in developing the relationship between the two leads, but it didn't bother me in the slightest. In fact, I felt as though it added to the realism. Perhaps because I would have behaved similarly to Sawako were I in her shoes. I loved how they showed a character break off a relationship because the situation was getting abusive. That was something I didn't expect, and I'm glad they included it. So much media romanticizes these relationships and I was grateful Kimi ni Todoke is taking a stand against it. Sawako's development is lovely, and I admire her for her unfaltering kindness. She's one of the most wholesome anime characters who I have ever come across. Her friends are absolutely entertaining and balance out Sawako's never ending cuteness. Ayane is more mature and has a bit of a mischievous streak, and Chizuru is loud, brash, and emotional. Her love interest, Kazehaya is another absolute ray of sunshine. Ryu, Chizuru and Kazehaya's friend, is very stoic and kind of clueless. Finally, we have Kurumi, who is a very accurate representation of a jealous, two-faced, teenage girl. I didn't dislike any of them, even Kurumi (I did at first, but I changed my mind after seeing a bit more of her). Characters are definitely a strong point. Unfortunately, the animation is rather bad. I have no issue with the character design and the art style. It's just the characters are mainly in the deformed chibi state for most of the early episodes, with the exception of Sawako and Kazehaya. It was very difficult for me to believe that Sawako was creepy when she was one of very few characters drawn with any effort. Everyone looks really nice when they're drawn normally, and I am glad they put more effort into the later episodes. It did not stop me from loving this anime, though. I'd recommend it to preteens and up. There's nothing to stop older children from watching it, though they might not be interested.
Kimi ni Todoke (From Me to You) 2nd Season (Jump to title) - Overall: 8 - Violence Rating: 2 - Nudity Rating: 1 - Theological Themes: 1 - Other Negative Themes: 2 Review Violence: A single instance of slapstick violence. Sex and Nudity: None. Theological Themes: None. Problematic Themes: A teacher gets drunk in the last episode. Overall: I liked this season of Kimi ni Todoke. It's too bad there isn't a third, though I do think this one had good closure. This season is centered around the eventual confession of love between Kazehaya and Sawako. This season does have a lot of the misunderstandings between the two, though it didn't bother me, personally. I also liked how it showed how their misunderstandings and drama, as well as them becoming a couple, affected the people around them. This season you get to see the dark side of Kazehaya. I loved him last season, but I thought he was a little too perfect. Perhaps that's because we were seeing the idealized version of him through Sawako's eyes. He very easily gives into anger and his negative emotions and is very stubborn. I liked that because it made him seem more human. This season really delved into how his and Sawako's individual character flaws were driving them apart and how they would have to overcome them in order to be together. Ayane and Chizuru didn't get much development this season, though Chizuru and Ryu had some nice moments. I loved the episode where they go to Ryu's brother's wedding. We are introduced to a new character, Miura, who like Kurumi, seeks to drive a wedge between Kazehaya and Sawako. However, unlike Kurumi, Miura just rubbed me the wrong way. He's slimy, insensitive, and he lacks the nuance Kurumi has. I really did not like him. He served his purpose though. I hope he gets developed in the manga. Kurumi wasn't as relevant this season, but she did get quite a bit of development, and we get to see how she and Sawako impacted each other for the better. The art is a lot more consistent than last season, and there are a lot more pretty shots than there were before. The music was also an improvement. I liked both the opening and ending songs for this season a lot better than the first. The age rating stays the same. Preteens and up would likely be the youngest group that would find it interesting, though nothing should stop older children from taking interest.
Kobato. (Jump to title) - Overall: 7 - Violence Rating: 2 - Nudity Rating: 2 - Theological Themes: 3 - Other Negative Themes: 2 Review Violence: Ioryogi uses his flamethrower to the extent of slapstick violence. I think he gets into a couple of fights with another character, but they're very mild. Sex and Nudity: There is one brief scene where Kobato is floating in some otherworldly place nude. Her hair covers everything, and it makes sense for her not to have clothes, given the circumstances. It's not sexual in the slightest and definitely innocent in nature. Theological Themes: Kobato collects objects that signify the broken hearts that she healed. There are worlds that seem to resemble Heaven and Hell. Spoiler: Ioryogi fought against the place that represents the heavens, and as a result was turned into a stuffed dog. His comrades suffered similarly. They do begin to lose their will to rebel as the series goes on. It is also revealed that Spoiler: Kobato is dead and if she succeeds with her goal she gets a second chance at life. A recurring character is an angel. Spoiler: Reincarnation becomes a theme at the end. Problematic Themes: Fujimoto sells beer at one of his jobs in one episode. Alcohol is shown to have been bought, but it is never shown to be consumed. There is no swearing. Overall: Kobato is my first CLAMP series. It's very cute and fluffy, and it's generally all around wholesome. It's very episodic until the last few episodes, where a plot begins to develop. Apparently, there's a lot of filler and an anime original ending, due to the adaption starting too soon. I did like the filler, though the ending ruined the overall vibe the show left me with. I know everything turned out all right, but I hate feeling sad. The characters were cute. Fujimoto and Kobato leaned on the cliche side, but they were enjoyable to watch. Ioryogi was amazing, and I wish they had been able to elaborate on his past, since so much was left unresolved. Ioryogi's friends seemed fascinating, as well. I liked the music. I can tell why everyone liked to hear Kobato sing. The art is very cute, too. Kobato's outfits are very nice. I have a feeling I'll like other CLAMP adaptations, since I enjoyed this one so much. I honestly have no idea why it has a PG-13 rating. It could have easily gotten away with a much lower rating, given the lack of objectionable content. I've seen G-rated movies with worse content than Kobato. It's suitable for all ages, though the youngest kids might not be able to follow along with the subtitles.
Komi Can't Communicate (Jump to title) - Overall: 7 - Violence Rating: 1 - Nudity Rating: 3 - Theological Themes: 2 - Other Negative Themes: 1 Review Violence: None that I can recall, though one character stoops to kidnapping, and she sometimes threatens people with knives. Sex and Nudity: There is no nudity, however there is fan service. The characters go to the pool and there are fan service shots of all the girls through the eyes of male characters ranking them. Another character is shown with her chest bouncing and a male teacher comments on it. There are also infrequent dirty jokes. A character is almost assaulted, but the perpetrator is scared away by Komi. Theological Themes: Komi prays at her ancestors' shrine. Komi was also elected class goddess in the student council elections. One character fits the lesbian stalker stereotype and is obsessed with Komi. Problematic Themes: None. One character is gender fluid. Overall: I really liked Komi Can't Communicate. It's a lighthearted comedy that doesn't make fun of the anxious protagonist. Instead it pokes fun at the bizarre people and situations around our leads. It was very relatable for me, as I have social anxiety and have suffered from selective mutism in the past. Though I did find the idea that people are tripping over themselves to be friends with her contrived (though the classes' Komi cult is very funny). Komi may be quiet, but she has a drive to change and improve herself. Watching her grow little by little was such a joy. Tadano is really ordinary, but he's awkward and kind. Watching him bond with Komi was really cute. Najimi was really fun, too. Honestly, I really liked the over the top-ness that came with their friendship. I don't think Komi Can't Communicate would have worked without Najimi to be honest. The side characters are mostly one note, though some of them are really fun. The only one who I didn't like was Yamai, the lesbian stalker character. Honestly, Komi should get a restraining order. Everyone is really expressive and I really like that. The art is cute and I love the array of facial expressions the characters have. The way Komi's face changes is really cute, and I do like Yamai's creepy facial expressions. The music was average, though the art in the opening was really pretty and some of the best in the show. For the age rating, I would say teenagers and up. While Netflix may say PG for suggestive dialogue, I think it kind of pushes the PG rating.
Life Lessons with Uramichi Oniisan (Jump to title) - Overall: 8 - Violence Rating: 2 - Nudity Rating: 3 - Theological Themes: 2 - Other Negative Themes: 5 Review Violence: I don't remember much, other than Uramichi occasionally beating up Usahara, which was used for comedic purposes. Sex and Nudity: There isn't any sex or nudity. However, Iketeru has the sense of humor of a middle school boy and absolutely dies of laughter any time anything even remotely dirty comes up. For example, "This guy's name is Richard, so guess what his nickname could be?! cue maniacal laughter" This happens like once after the first couple episodes, though. One character lives with her boyfriend. Theological Themes: Uramichi states that he doesn't believe in god since he can't even believe in himself. Problematic Themes: Uramichi smokes. Another character vapes. The characters go drinking and get drunk maybe every other episode. The show has a dark and depressing sense of humor, which may be off-putting to some. Uramichi probably has depression. However, there are times that he actually gives good life advice amidst the jaded rants. I can sometimes spot glimmers of hope in there. Uramichi's father is implied to have been abusive. Overall: Dang. This popped up on my radar during the 2021 summer season, when it just started airing. I saw the cover and went, "What the heck is this?" I saw the premise, and it looked like something I would enjoy. I got what I expected and more. It is a slice-of-life comedy about a depressed 31 year old man who works as a gymnast on an educational children's show. Honestly, "Together With Maman" is really just a low budget free-for-all, if you ask me. I personally found it funny, since I am down with depressing humor. It's very dry and has a unique style, particularly in comparison to other comedy anime. The sense of humor stands out in the genre, though it isn't for everyone. I personally love the gags involving the music videos, Uramichi's drawings, and Uramichi's costumes. The characters are very fun. They are honestly surprisingly multi-layered. Uramichi may be a sad, sad man, but he genuinely loves kids and wishes the best for them. While some of his speeches can get into the TMI category, he sometimes gives them really good advice. While he may be jaded, he desperately wants the children to end up differently. There also seems to be a lot deeper, darker reasons as to how he ended up the way he is now. His juniors, Usahara and Kumatani also get a similar treatment as their hidden depths are revealed. I know the manga is ongoing, so I have hope for Utano and Iketeru to receive the same treatment. Utano is a failed pop idol who desperately wants her deadbeat, comedian boyfriend to propose. Iketeru is very naive, thinks about rice balls 90% of the time, and can't use scissors or read analog watches. Despite the hidden depths it is a comedy at heart, so expect much, much more of Uramichi staring at you with his cold, dead eyes than character analysis. I honestly believe the opening is the theme song for "Together with Maman". The ending was really nice. Also, the insert songs were surprisingly good, even though the lyrics are a bit...odd for a children's show. (I don't understand how "Together with Maman" is supposed to be educational in any way, shape or form.) The art and character designs were nice too. This was my first josei anime, and it's a very strange one. But I like it, and that's what matters. I'd give this one to teenagers and older based on content, though I know older teens and up would probably enjoy this one better.
Link Click (Jump to title) - Overall: 9 - Violence Rating: 3 - Nudity Rating: 2 - Theological Themes: 5 - Other Negative Themes: 3 Review Violence: A serial killer commits murders throughout, though I don't think any of them are shown. Characters die from natural disasters. Spoiler: some characters are stabbed in the finale though I don't think there was much blood. The rest of the violence is either comical or just characters punching each other. I don't think it was too bad. Sex and Nudity: Well, only the first episode has something. A man tries to seduce one of his employees, and he is quite creepy about it. Nothing happens, though. Theological Themes: Our leads have different supernatural abilities. One of them can see the past through photographs, while the other can enter the photographs as the person who takes the picture. Their landlady who runs the business refers to herself as a witch or a goddess online to draw attention away from her employees, while attracting customers. [spoilers]The main antagonist is revealed to have the power to control people's bodies. Problematic Themes: Well, the last episode has Spoiler: a suicide in it, though the victim was Spoiler: being controlled. Other than that, there's one episode where a key player gets drunk. It also touches on human trafficking. Overall: Link Click was absolutely fantastic. It's my first donghua (Chinese animation), and I'm glad it was. I loved the entire thing, both the episodic stories, as well as the eventual overarching plot. The finale was the best thing ever, though I am upset it was a cliffhanger, and I'm not sure if I'm interpreting things correctly. Our leads run a shop where they help people fix their regrets by going back in time through photographs. However, one of the key rules is that they cannot change the past, something that the more emotional Cheng Xiaoshi has trouble with. Meanwhile, a serial killer is on the prowl. Most of the stories are self contained, though they do often feature moral dilemmas, as Cheng Xiaoshi has to grapple with not being able to change the past or save the people who are going to die. Our leads are polar opposites. Cheng Xiaoshi is very social. He is empathetic and emotional, though that often leads to impulsive actions that could change the future. His partner, Lu Guang is more reserved, rational, and logical. He serves as the voice of reason. The other major recurring character is Qiao Ling, their confident landlady who is Cheng Xiaoshi's oldest friend. All of the characters are distinct, and I await more character development in the second season. All of the one off characters also had their own motivations. The music is the best. I vastly prefer the Chinese opening and ending themes to the Japanese ones. The opening and ending themes are some of the best I've heard. My sister, who doesn't like anime music actually really liked the Link Click ending. The art is also gorgeous. I love the character designs. It's really my type of art style. Link Click is a fabulous urban-fantasy, time-travel, mystery anime. I would recommend it to teenagers and up for the darker themes and subjects.
Little Witch Academia (Jump to title) - Overall: 7 - Violence Rating: 3 - Nudity Rating: 1 - Theological Themes: 6 - Other Negative Themes: 2 Review Violence: Typical fantasy violence is to be expected. It's pretty mild, though. There are some exploding robots, and our characters are sometimes in peril. Sex and Nudity: None. This is a children's show! Theological Themes: Our protagonists are witches. They're more in the tradition of Harry Potter than anything, as Luna Nova is basically if Hogwarts was an all girls school. The witches struggle to be accepted by society. In one episode Akko accidentally preforms necromancy and a skeleton follows her around until he completes his unfinished business to "move on". Problematic Themes: There are exactly four instances of swearing: two uses of the d-word and two uses of the h-word. Overall: This was another early anime of mine. It's a tale of hard work overcoming all odds. Akko is incredible, as she never gives up, despite her extraordinary lack of talent. She's a flawed and stubborn character, who works her hardest in order to achieve her goals. I liked most of the side characters, too. Akko has a talent of making friends with all kinds of characters, regardless of how they seem. The art is really cool. I've always been into the Studio Trigger style. I also remember being obsessed with the second opening when I first watched this. I'd say this is a pretty solid kid's show, and definitely one parents can watch with their kids without losing their minds. I recommend this to older children and up, mainly due to the swearing.
Maid-Sama! (Jump to title) - Overall: 7 - Violence Rating: 3 - Nudity Rating: 4 - Theological Themes: 2 - Other Negative Themes: 3 Review Violence: Misaki tends to attack the boys of the school with a brigade of slapstick violence. (It's usually deserved.) There are a few times our characters are in peril, but they are able to fend them off. The violence is never worse than kicks and punches done in a slapstick manner. Sex and Nudity: Well, the boys at the school are very dirty minded. They make suggestive comments semi-regularly, though they are portrayed as in the wrong. Usui does not seem to understand the meaning of the word consent and touches Misaki in ways that don't make her feel comfortable. In general his behavior is kinda sketchy and sometimes crosses the line into sexual harassment. At one point he bites her on the back. Also Misaki is almost sexually assaulted twice. Theological Themes: The maid cafe has an event with a fortune telling theme, though I one hundred percent believe the maid telling the fortune was just saying random stuff that popped into her head. Not all the characters believe in the fortunes. Problematic Themes: The swearing was pretty mild and kept to the d-word and the h-word. There's also some sexism, though it's usually portrayed as bad. Overall: I have a complicated relationship with Maid-sama. On one hand it's really funny, but I also have so many issues with it that I can't say that I love it. I have a lot of mixed feelings. I expected it to be a cute rom-com with some enemies to lovers vibes and an emphasis on the romance. What I got was really bizarre. I was not expecting the love rival to be some random country hick whose introduction was him eating grass and jumping off the roof. This show is hilarious and it has some quotes that are pure gold. When I started the show I was under the impression that Usui was going to be blackmailing Misaki, but that was not the case. He just takes advantage of being the only one who knows that the angry, no-nonsense student council president has a side job as a perpetually cheerful maid-waitress. The majority of the show has a slice of life setup, which follows Misaki and Usui's day to day lives. I have complicated feelings about the characters. I love all of the random side characters like Yukimura, Suzuna, Shizuko, Kano, and Aoi. The side characters are very dynamic and add a lot to the show. I'm fond of Misaki, too, though I felt like the show nerfed her a few times in order to give Usui the chance to save the day. She's powerful, passionate, and driven and I like that. On the other hand, I hate Usui. He is creepy and he makes me uncomfortable. I could write an entire essay about all the issues I have with this man, but I do not have the time or the energy. Misaki could do so much better. His love rival, Hinata, I cannot take seriously. He's a country hick who eats all the time and is as dumb as a rock. It's funny how threatened Usui feels by him, since he gives off strong comic relief character vibes. Also, some the antagonists are some of the most irredeemably horrible people ever. I'm mostly talking about the president of the rich people school. I did like the music. The art was cute, but a bit generic. The voice acting was good. I recognized Monica Rial as Misaki, and I think this is one of her better roles. Whoever did Usui did a good job too. I may hate him, but he has a nice voice. I'd recommend it to teenagers and up for the sometimes rampant sexual harassment.
March comes in like a lion (Jump to title) - Overall: 9 - Violence Rating: 2 - Nudity Rating: 3 - Theological Themes: 2 - Other Negative Themes: 3 Review Violence: There are maybe one or two instances of slapstick violence. A character is implied to have been beat up pretty badly in a flashback. Sex and Nudity: One character is implied to be having an affair with a married man much older than she is. It is treated tastefully and with tact, as the relationship is not particularly healthy. Characters are also briefly shown in the bath a couple of times, though the worst it gets is the equivalent of some cleavage on a female character. Theological Themes: The characters celebrate traditional Japanese festivals, and they do some of the run of the mill shrine praying. Problematic Themes: Alcohol is present, as Akari works in a bar. On rare occasions, one of the shogi players might be shown drunk. A character or two might be shown smoking on rare occasions. Swearing is not a huge issue. I think the max was two swear words per episode, though it usually had less. It's usually confined to the h-word and the d-word, though the bullying arc has two uses of the b-word. Overall: As a sports anime, March comes in like a lion is not very good. Even after hearing the shogi song with the cats, I still have no idea what is going on. I can follow along with the shogi matches by watching the characters expressions and listening to commentary and inner monologue, but it definitely is not as engaging as Haikyuu!! where I actually could follow what is going on. However, as a drama series, March comes in like a lion is immaculate. Most of the drama is intrapersonal, as we get to experience Rei's inner struggles. He has a lot of mental health issues and struggles with social interaction. He has a lot of inner conflict and turmoil. The characters around him are interesting. Kyouko, his adoptive sister, was particularly fascinating and I was intrigued by her relationships, particularly her toxic love-hate relationship with Rei. The Kawamotos were somewhat bland at first, though the second season really brought out their true personalities. Hina's strength and determination and Akari's struggles to be a mother figure are all an important part of the bullying arc. Rei's self proclaimed rival, Nikaido, is the most wholesome person to ever exist, and his mentor Shimada is a kind but gritty shogi player. I loved the art, though I know that is a bit of an unpopular opinion. I did not find it weird at all. I also enjoyed the symbolism and use of water imagery throughout the series. The watercolors done by the author of the manga were beautiful and suited the story very well. The music was pretty solid. I liked the second and fourth ending themes the best. I'd recommend this one for teenagers and up, since they are the most likely to enjoy it, since it takes a bit of maturity to understand. Preteens could be fine, since the most objectionable of the content is treated with enough maturity and taste, though I doubt they'd enjoy it.
Millennium Actress (Jump to title) - Overall: 10 - Violence Rating: 2 - Nudity Rating: 1 - Theological Themes: 2 - Other Negative Themes: 2 Review Violence: There is some brief fighting and some slight blood from injuries. All deaths are implied, but none are shown. Sex and Nudity: None. Theological Themes: One of the movies Chiyoko acts in has a spirit for a character, who appears throughout the film. This is for symbolic reasons, though. Problematic Themes: There were maybe a couple instances of very light, mild swearing. Overall: I really liked this movie. It was super creative in its storytelling methods and jam packed with symbolism. It was difficult to follow, though it all makes sense when you stop and think, since her films come so close to her reality. I also loved the camera man's snarky commentary the whole way through, as well as the director's sheer enthusiasm. The way the whole thing was staged was really cool. The artwork was beautiful, particularly the scenery and backdrops. The music was actually really great, as well. I strongly recommend this one to anyone looking for a good story. Melinnium Actress is really clean, but I'll recommend it to preteens and up, as younger children probably wouldn't like it or appreciate it. It definitely deserves a ten out of ten.
Monthly Girls' Nozaki-kun (Jump to title) - Overall: 9 - Violence Rating: 2 - Nudity Rating: 2 - Theological Themes: 3 - Other Negative Themes: 2 Review Violence: All violence is exclusively slapstick, and there is some blood, though not much. Sex and Nudity: There is no nudity and almost no fan service to speak of. (The only exception is some bikini-clad action figures, who appear exactly twice as a gag.) There is some light innuendo, though nothing happens. Theological Themes: There isn't anything problematic in this regard, though there are some things more conservative Christians would object to. A female character strongly resembles a handsome boy and consequently has many female admirers, who she flirts with. However, she has a male love interest. At one point, two characters decide that two male characters from a dating sim are soulmates and write a comic about it. Problematic Themes: One episode references drugs and alcohol in the context of a character concept. I don't remember any problematic language other than Chiyo saying "Oh my god!". If there was any swearing, it was very mild and infrequent. Overall: I love this series, and I can always count on it making me laugh. This is one of my first anime and it will always hold a place in my heart. When I first started it, I thought, "Eh, this is going to be really cheesy, but I'll watch it anyway." Halfway through the first episode I was laughing my head off, and I knew I had made a good decision. This is a good example of a romcom that puts the comedy well before the romance. (And I mean WELL before. Do not expect any relationship progression here!) Our characters are all gender-bent versions of popular anime stereotypes. For example, Mikoshiba is very blushy, insecure, and fumbles up his romantic encounters. The shoujo protagonist mold fits him like a glove, so Nozaki decided to model his heroine after him. Chiyo's best friend Seo is an exaggeration of the insensitive bad boy type. And so on and so forth. As for our protagonists, Chiyo is shoujo protagonist material, which makes her very upset, since Nozaki doesn't use her as inspiration instead of their other friends. Surprisingly she isn't the straight man of the group, despite being the most normal on the surface. She can get a little too obsessed with Nozaki... Nozaki himself is as dumb as a brick and as dense as one too. I honestly have no idea how he's so successful, since I've seen the kinds of things he comes up with on his own. I don't think there were any characters I disliked. Everyone was funny. I mean everyone. The art is really cute and recognizable. Chiyo has a wide range of reaction faces. It's beautiful. The ending theme was pretty generic, but the opening is crazy catchy. It's really, really funny and worth a recommendation. I'd advise you to check it out. I'd say preteens and up for this one, as Netflix's PG rating felt much more accurate to me than Hulu's TV-14 one. It really just comes down to mild suggestive themes and slapstick violence.
My Hero Academia (Jump to title) - Overall: 5 - Violence Rating: 5 - Nudity Rating: 4 - Theological Themes: 1 - Other Negative Themes: 4 Review Note: This is a review of seasons 1-4. At the time I wrote this review that was all that was out. At this time I have lost interest in the series, and likely will not continue it. However, I hope you enjoy the review I have written of the first 4 seasons! Thank you! Violence: There is fantasy violence with some blood. However, the second season does depict a serial killer, who targets heroes and one is shown badly wounded. The fourth season ups the violence by a lot, and blood is a more regular occurrence. Two villains get their power from consuming blood, though it isn't portrayed in a gross way. It's a super hero show, so lots of fighting is to be expected, as well as explosions. Only two deaths occur over the course of the series, and both are treated seriously. Sex and Nudity: There are quite a few revealing outfits, as per the tradition of tight fitting superhero costumes. One girl wears an outfit that shows a lot of cleavage, though there is an in world justification for this, based on her power. At one point, her shirt is ripped off, but she is censored by a bit of steam. This lasts only a few seconds, as her female classmate comes over to censor her. Another female character is invisible, though her clothes aren't. As a result, she's only effective in combat when naked, though obviously nothing is shown. Some female characters make innuendo-filled jokes. There is a character who is a pervert who makes sexual comments about the girls in their class constantly, though most of the characters don't stand for it. He tries to spy on them in the changing room and the bathhouse, and he gropes one of his classmates. He's punished for all of those endeavors. The girls are shown nude in the bathhouse, though only briefly and censored by water, steam, and limbs. A female villain is shown with barbie doll type nudity from the top, and patially nude from the back, also censored. This also has to do with her ability. A male character's ability causes him to leave his clothes behind, though nothing is shown. A female character is covered with slime and is said to be nude. I watched it on Hulu, which apparently censored the scene to make the slime cover her completely like a body suit. There is a brief flashback to the events in a later season, which doesn't censor her as completely (only the essentials are covered). Theological Themes: None. Problematic Themes: There is quite a bit of swearing, though nothing is worse than the s-word (which is used maybe twice). This is mainly due to Bakugo's need to address Todoroki and Midoriya by nicknames of his own invention (which involve curse words). Bakugo is foul mouthed in general. All other swearing is done in stressful situations. Overall: It's enjoyable, though I wouldn't say I'd watch it again. I'd say it's a typical shonen series, though it's insanely popular, especially here in the US, making it one of the biggest series right now. It's actually my first battle shonen, so the first two seasons in particular are really nostalgic for me. The characters are likable enough, though there are too many of them, and they are somewhat managed poorly, and more and more are constantly introduced. The first season had us thinking that Ochako and Iida would be the Midoriya's friends and rivals, though, after the second season, they were shafted in favor of Todoroki. I do think the series needs to chill with adding more characters and focus on the heroes they already have. Why must I be invested in Mirio, when he was just added to the cast this season when there are already hundreds of more interesting characters who could easily benefit from the screen time. And don't get me started on the way the female characters are treated. (We'd be here for a long time if you let me rant about the way the My Hero Academia characters were written, so I had to cut myself off.) I think the first and second seasons were strong points. It felt like a fun, solid superhero shonen. Season 3 and the first part of season 4 were enjoyable, though not as good as the first two seasons. Looking back, I can barely remember season 3, though. It did have strong plot significance, and I can see it being a favorite. Season 4 is where the issues started for me. It had some cool ideas and fights, but it fell short. The second half of season 4 was downright annoying, though the last two episodes were awesome. Again, I could go on a rant about how awful the second half of season 4 was, but we aren't going to go there. It was essentially glorified filler with annoying villains. I liked the music a lot. My favorites were Sora ni Utaeba and ODD FUTURE. I also really enjoyed Datte Ashino Hero, too. The art style is fun and different, though I feel like the animation has been going downhill. Don't get me wrong, I don't hate My Hero Academia. I just don't love it, and I have a lot of issues with the writing. It's a solid battle shonen to start with, and I definitely prefer it to the other battle shonens my brother likes such as One Piece and Naruto, which are definitely not my thing. My Hero Academia is a solid beginner series, which I'd say is suitable for teenagers and up for the superhero violence and fanservice.
My Little Monster (Jump to title) - Overall: 8 - Violence Rating: 3 - Nudity Rating: 3 - Theological Themes: 1 - Other Negative Themes: 3 Review Violence: Well, there's nothing crazy or frequent shown on screen. There is a blood stain in the shape of a person permanently stuck to a wall from a fight not shown on screen. Haru likes to try to fight people and there's a little bit of blood on occasion (if someone gets punched in the nose). Sex and Nudity: Well, the first episode was kinda yikes. There was an incident that could be read as a rape joke, so... Nothing happens though. Haru makes suggestive comments towards Shizuku maybe once every other episode. Also in the fist episode he takes off his clothes in the classroom and you see him from the back. (He was confused about where he was supposed to change I think? I can't follow his thought process...) Theological Themes: None. Problematic Themes: Haru's cousin is always shown with a cigarette in his mouth. For swearing, there is one use of the a-word. Overall: I liked it. I would have given it a higher score if there had been some resolution, but there wasn't. It's a shame because it looked like there could be an interesting plotline with Haru's family. I guess this will join the ever-expanding ranks of shoujo anime that I want finished. Why can't they finish these adaptions? I loved the dynamic between Shizuku and Haru. Even though things came off kind of weird from the start, it's interesting to watch them bounce off of each other. If you hate girls who let guys walk all over them, pointless miscommunication, and couples who take forever to confess their love, you might want to give this one a shot. Also there's a pet chicken. Who can say no to that? Our main couple are both brutally honest and blunt. However, Shizuku is a studious, rational, often insensitive introvert, while Haru is spontaneous, aggressive, and extraverted. They balance each other out very well. Haru pushes Shizuku out of her bubble and inspires her to open up to others, while Shizuku's lack of self-consciousness makes Haru feel at ease (not to mention, she doesn't let him walk all over her). I liked the other characters too. Everyone was dynamic in some way. I was actually okay with all the ships the show put out. The love rivals were actually good fits with our leads, too. I was surprised. Oshima, Shizuku's love rival is actually just a girl who happens to have a crush on someone in a relationship. She doesn't really try to pursue him even. I thought that was a nice, realistic change. I liked the art style. It's so cute and fresh. It's probably some of my favorite art in a shoujo anime so far. I liked the opening and ending, too. I'll recommend it for teenagers and up for the one joke in the fist episode and suggestive commentary.
My Love Story!! (Jump to title) - Overall: 9 - Violence Rating: 2 - Nudity Rating: 3 - Theological Themes: 1 - Other Negative Themes: 1 Review Violence: Takeo can be a bit rough with some of the creepier guys on the show. He also participates in a judo match in one episode. Sex and Nudity: The show begins with a creepy guy trying to grope Yamato, but Takeo gets rid of him pretty quickly. (He also tries to straighten out any other behavior of that sort.) Yamato tries to make his heart race with her swimsuit, but Sunakawa helps to keep Takeo's mind from wandering. Also, the girls misunderstand a situation between Yamato and Takeo, thinking they slept together. (Nothing happened, these are very innocent children.) Also there's a weird love rival, who is a grown man in love with a high school girl. It's all really rather tame, since the characters are very innocent in their expressions of love. Theological Themes: Nothing that I can recall. Problematic Themes: None. Overall: This was really cute and fluffy. It reminded me of Kimi ni Todoke and Snow White with the Red Hair. It's a slice of life romance about a group of really wholesome people. The characters actually talk about their problems, though they have trouble sometimes, since they're still very young and in high school. All the misunderstandings are more down to earth, and the characters get down to the root of their miscommunications as a way of improving themselves and their relationships instead of just addressing the immediate issues. This not only applies to the romantic relationships but the platonic ones. My Love Story!! really knows how to show healthy and solid relationships. The characters are super sweet and wholesome. The only exception is the baker guy at the end of the show, but that's another story for another time. Takeo is a very sweet person. He only sees the best in people, he's altruistic, and ridiculously straightforward. His greatest strengths can be his greatest weaknesses, and he's rather dense when it comes to people's emotions. Yamato is very girly in stark contrast to Takeo's macho-ness. She's very loving and strong willed. Sunakawa is kind of deadpan and anti-social, but he always puts his friends and loved ones before himself. He's also the best character in the show for some reason... I also thought the side characters were well done, especially Sunakawa's sister and the girl from the relay race. (I forgot their names.) Also, all three of the leads are my children. I've adopted them. The music was very nice. The theme song is getting stuck in my head a lot now, so it's very memorable. The art was very nice. The female characters in particular are done in a very shoujo-esque style. I LOVED Ai? Sunakawa's character design in particular. She was so pretty! Also we get some more diverse designs than normal, which is lovely! For the age rating, I'd say middle school and up for the occasional suggestive moment. It's really a very cute series.
My Neighbor Totoro (Jump to title) - Overall: 10 - Violence Rating: 1 - Nudity Rating: 2 - Theological Themes: 2 - Other Negative Themes: 1 Review Violence: There is none. Sex and Nudity: There is a single instance of a father bathing with his daughters, and you see some child butt. It's clearly non-sexual. Theological Themes: The dad suggests Totoro is forest spirit. Problematic Themes: There are no substances or swearing. Overall: This was my first anime, even before Pokemon. It played a huge part in my childhood, and I loved it. It holds a special place in my heart and is a classic in my household. It is an excellent portrayal of childlike wonder and the power of the imagination. (Though I sure hope Totoro wasn't supposed to be imaginary. That would ruin my childhood.) As a child I identified with Satsuki, as I too was an older sister, and Mei is the embodiment of my youngest sister. This is a delightful family film, suitable for all ages. I very much recommend it.
Natsume's Book of Friends (Jump to title) - Overall: 9 - Violence Rating: 2 - Nudity Rating: 1 - Theological Themes: 5 - Other Negative Themes: 3 Review Violence: Violence is usually kept to a minimum. Natsume gets chased far more than he gets attacked. I think blood was only present once for a brief moment. There is also some light slapstick. Sex and Nudity: None. Theological Themes: Well, this is all about yokai. Natsume can see them, but most others can't. Reiko is said to have great spiritual power, which allowed her to take the names of all the yokai. Some of the yokai are benevolent, others not so much. In one of the stories, a yokai was mistaken for a god and was revered, Spoiler: however without worshipers, it could not stay alive. Problematic Themes: There is some mild swearing, though its' super infrequent to the point where I could count it on one hand. Nyanko-sensei also gets drunk a few times. Overall: Natsume's Book of Friends is one of the most wholesome and refreshing shows that I've seen in a while. It really makes me feel at peace. Even the stories with more bittersweet endings feel right. It never made me feel sad, only that things are going the way they should. I honestly feel safe and hopeful whenever I watch it. This is an episodic anime, where Natsume deals with a few different yokai each episode, though a few look like they will be recurring characters. Some of them are friendly and just want help or their names back. Others aren't and seek to harm people or take the Book of Friends. Natsume is an interesting protagonist. He is very kind and gentle, always hoping to take the path that helps people. However, he is also very sad and reluctant to open up. He's been through a lot, and he does not want to put that burden on other people. He sometimes comes off as disinterested in people, even though he truly does care about them. One of my favorite things about it is watching him grow to care about other people and yokai, and slowly working towards forming relationships with others. I love him. He's my son. The other characters have a lot of potential too. Nyanko-sensei, our other lead, is rather vain and troublesome, but he grows to care about others, particularly Natsume. I look forward to seeing what they do with the rest of the cast, particularly since the last episode tied in a lot of the more important side characters in a very engaging way. The art and color scheme is very atmospheric, adding to the soothing nature of the show. The character designs aren't my favorite, but they are very fitting. I'd say preteens and up for this one, mainly due to the slower nature of the show, and some of the yokai being a bit creepy for younger audiences. I do think older children could give it a shot if they could handle that.
Natsume's Book of Friends 5 (Jump to title) - Overall: 10 - Violence Rating: 2 - Nudity Rating: 1 - Theological Themes: 5 - Other Negative Themes: 3 Review Violence: It's the same slapstick, threats, and fantasy violence as usual. Sex and Nudity: None, as per usual. Theological Themes: Again, it's the same as previous seasons. Problematic Themes: There's some alcohol consumption, though I don't remember Nyanko-sensei getting drunk this time around. Overall: This was a very solid entry into the Natsume franchise. I was extremely pleased by the backstories this season. We get to see Natori as a high school student, as well as his backstory with the head of the Matoba clan. This offered a lot of insight into his character. We also get to see the Fujiwaras before they take in Natsume, as well as what lead up to their decision to foster him. I love the way the world around Natsume gets so fleshed out. I always felt like everyone and everything had a purpose. The music was also super nice this season. It was an improvement over the theme song for season 4, which annoyed me. I actually recognized the artists for this season from other anime Sasanomaly and Aimer, who did the OP and ED respectively. I'd say older elementary school and middle school would be the youngest ages I'd give this series to.
Natsume's Book of Friends Four (Jump to title) - Overall: 10 - Violence Rating: 3 - Nudity Rating: 1 - Theological Themes: 5 - Other Negative Themes: 3 Review Violence: I had to up the violence count for this season because of one episode. Spoiler: We see more blood, because some youkai are being unwittingly sacrificed to revive a more powerful youkai who was once sealed away. It isn't graphic by any means, all you see is blood, but I thought it would be worth a mention. Sex and Nudity: None. It is as clean as ever. Theological Themes: There's nothing worse than usual. Some youkai have their own festival kind of like gods, since their powers have an effect kind of like Groundhog Day, except causing famine. Problematic Themes: Nyanko-sensei still likes his alcohol. Overall: After season 3, I didn't think it would be possible for Natsume's Book of Friends to get any better. Lo and behold, it did. It remains one of the most beautiful and heart-wrenching series I've ever watched. The finale was simply beautiful and it made me super emotional. Natsume's overcome so much, and I'm proud of him. He's learning to accept the past and move forward. He even has strong bonds with his classmates and friends. Other characters get fleshed out as well. Taki grows as a person and realizes what she wants to do with her life in terms of youkai, as does Tanuma. The older Matoba exorcist also gets some backstory about how she became an exorcist. I can't stand his cousin, though. I wish she came to realize the way she treated Natsume when they were kids was wrong. Even the way he was acting when he came to visit could easily be interpreted as panic attacks, but she refused to show him any sort of kindness. Natsume's Book of Friends is just so beautiful, and I will not hesistate to recommend it to anyone.
Natsume's Book of Friends Sequel (Jump to title) - Overall: 10 - Violence Rating: 2 - Nudity Rating: 1 - Theological Themes: 5 - Other Negative Themes: 3 Review Violence: There's nothing worse than the first season. I'm pretty sure one of the episodes featured blood, but I can't think of anything worse than that. Usually it's limited to the usual slapstick or smacking a youkai who intends to do harm. Sex and Nudity: Nothing worth noting. Theological Themes: There's nothing worse than the previous season. We are introduced to more exorcist characters and youkai. A character is able to make markings that allow her to see youkai. Also, it becomes clear that a female youkai had a bit of a crush on Natsume's grandmother. Problematic Themes: Nyanko-sensei's pre-established drinking problem makes a few appearances. Overall: I have become a die-hard Natsume fan. This season felt like a huge upgrade to me in terms of quality. I loved the stories in this one a lot more, and we have some new recurring characters. Seriously, this is now one of my favorite animes. There are a lot more multi-part episodes and some new characters. My personal favorite was the two parter that revolved around their new cursed classmate, Taki. I also enjoyed the forray into the world of the exorcists and the unethical practices of the Matoba clan. I'm also going to mention how the music was a huge upgrade. I love the opening theme so much! It's probably one of my favorites of all time. The ending was nice too! As for suggested age, I think the late elementary and early middle school audience should be able to handle Natsume's Book of Friends since it's so clean. It's really a beautiful series, and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to anyone.
Natsume's Book of Friends Three (Jump to title) - Overall: 10 - Violence Rating: 2 - Nudity Rating: 1 - Theological Themes: 5 - Other Negative Themes: 3 Review Violence: Again, nothing worse than previous seasons. If you've gotten this far, I can't think of anything out of the ordinary that would cause distress. Sex and Nudity: None. It's very clean. Theological Themes: Again, I can't think of anything out of the ordinary. Natsume has his usual youkai antics. Problematic Themes: Nyanko-sensei likes to drink, same as ever. Overall: At the beginning of this season, I was shocked. As Natsume began to introduce himself and his world, I realized just how much he had changed. It was so subtle that I didn't even pick up on it until now. And yet it was so fitting and made sense. Natsume has grown so much from the timid loner he was in the beginning, desperately trying to hide from the youkai who can't seem to leave him alone. He has so many friends, including Tanuma, Taki, and Natori, all of whom understand his struggles. He no longer resents the youkai who surround him, and has grown to love and respect both worlds that he belongs too. This season also has a strong relation to the past. We get to see much stronger glimpses at Natsume's past and how he dealt with youkai as a young child. We also get to see a bit more of Reiko, who has some ties to Natsume's foster family. The Matoba clan also plays a further role in the series, taking up the role of an antagonist, without disrupting the flow and charm of the series as a slice of life. Really, Natsume's Book of Friends is a beautiful series that keeps getting better and better. I cannot recommend it enough.
Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind (anime) (Jump to title) - Overall: 8 - Violence Rating: 4 - Nudity Rating: 2 - Theological Themes: 2 - Other Negative Themes: 1 Review Violence: There is some fighting. A few characters die on screen. There is some blood. Sex and Nudity: The only reason I gave it a 2 was a single line where a female soldier with a prosthetic arm says whoever marries her will see a lot worse. Most kids won't pick up on the intent of the line anyways. Theological Themes: There is a legend that features a messianic figure who will save them all from the wasteland. Problematic Themes: None. Overall: I really liked this movie. The art was gorgeous, especially the backgrounds. Nausicaa felt like a traditional virtuous hero, who could serve as a role model for young children. The story itself felt like a hero's journey, though it didn't feel cliche at all. I definitely want to read the manga now, which continues the story. I recommend this one for older children and up. It's very lovely, as to be expected from Studio Ghibli.
Noragami (Jump to title) - Overall: 9 - Violence Rating: 4 - Nudity Rating: 4 - Theological Themes: 5 - Other Negative Themes: 2 Review Violence: There is violence, though it's mostly against creatures. There is little to no blood in these scenes. There are flashbacks to bloodier scenes and the last few episodes entail a fight with some blood. I gave it a 4. Sex and Nudity: There is quite a bit of non-sexual nudity, as characters are depicted in the bath. A few bare rear ends are shown, though arms, legs, hair, and objects cover and block all other parts. A male character talks to one of the female characters while she is in the bath, though it's presented in a non-sexual way. A character's nude silhouette is shown as her mind enters the spirit world. A male character has dirty thoughts. We don't know what most of them are, we just know that he has them, the only exception being when he tries to feel up a girl in her sleep. (He's stopped.)His actions and thoughts are portrayed as negative. Bishamon spends most of the season wearing a bikini and a mini-skirt. I personally didn't have much issue with the nudity, as it felt tasteful and not invasive or degrading. Theological Themes: The story centers around Eastern religion. Yato is a god who seeks worshippers at his shrine. The spirit world is discussed, and the main characters fight corrupted spirits. Other gods are involved in the plot as well, and not sprits work for them. Problematic Themes: I'm pretty sure Yato got drunk once. There was probably minor swearing. Overall: Noragami is a fantastic supernatural shonen anime. I love the detail when it comes to creating a world based on Shintoism. It has a strong focus on character drama, which is a big plus for me. Seriously, the comedy and drama were amazing. The story was good, though the ending wasn't the best, which keeps it from being a perfect 10. The series is a very lovely one, which made me think about Jesus's sacrifice for us. The parallels between Jesus's relationship with man and Yato's relationship with Yukine were very interesting. Probably unintentional, but interesting nonetheless. Sacrificial love definitely plays a part in this series. All of the characters introduced were well written. Our three leads are all outcasts in some way. Yato is a homeless god with a dark past and many enemies, despite seeming very goofy and cheerful. Hiyori is a normal girl with a penchant for pro-wrestling, who no longer can keep her soul inside her body. Yukine is the spirit of a young boy who has to deal with all the pain of his new life. Most of the other characters are equally charming and compelling. The soundtrack was amazing, and the opening song is my favorite that I've heard so far. I also like the character designs and the art. It's very pretty. I definitely recommend this one. The nudity is the thing that keeps me from recommending it to people, so I shall follow the manga's age recommendation and say older teens and up.
Noragami Aragoto (Jump to title) - Overall: 10 - Violence Rating: 5 - Nudity Rating: 4 - Theological Themes: 5 - Other Negative Themes: 2 Review Violence: The violence is a tad bloodier than season one, though it isn't over the top by a long shot. Many deaths occur, though most of it is off screen. There is quite a bit of fighting. Sex and Nudity: There is some partially nude women in the context of doctor's appointments. A girl is shown in her bra, a guy strips in front of a bunch of girls (he's reprimanded for it). Spoiler: They're all either being examined to see if they have a disease that grows on their skin or showing that they have it. Bishamon is shown in the bath, with hair covering her chest. Bishamon is also shown wearing the bikini-miniskirt combo she was wearing in season one. Unlike in season one, she only wears this for about the first third of the season. Theological Themes: The heavens, where the gods live plays a huge part in this season. The gods are shown to have a grand council, and they can dispose of other gods as they see fit. Gods can also die, either at the hands of other gods or Spoiler: when humans cease to remember them. Powerful gods can reincarnate after death, which becomes an important plot point later on. The underworld also plays a part in this season as well. Problematic Themes: I'm pretty sure Yato is shown drunk at one point, and adult characters are shown drinking. There was minor swearing. Overall: The writing for this season was impeccable. The story was amazing, and the character development is perfect. This anime actually has one of my favorite character arcs ever. There is growing darkness in the world of Noragami, from the dark conspiracies beneath Bishamon's seemingly idyllic halls to the mysterious missions and dubious goings on in the heavens. It's so, so interesting. The new characters introduced only benefit the story, and the existing characters all develop nicely. I could rant for hours about the character development. While Yukine took center stage for the character development last season, Bishamon takes the spotlight here. Now she's one of my favorite anime characters period. I will also give a shout out to Kazuma, who was just lovely and a new character, Ebisu, who was very impactful. Important bits of backstory are revealed, as well. We finally get to understand why there's bad blood between Bishamon and Yato. I just hope this isn't the end. We need a season three! There's a reason this is one of my favorite anime ever. Same as the first season, older teens and up for partial nudity.
Orange (Jump to title) - Overall: 6 - Violence Rating: 1 - Nudity Rating: 1 - Theological Themes: 2 - Other Negative Themes: 3 Review Violence: None. Sex and Nudity: Nothing that I can recall. Theological Themes: Spoiler: Time travel and alternate realities factor in. That relates to how Naho was able to receive the letter from her future self. Negative Themes: I gave it a 3, since it deals with heavy topics such as bullying, Spoiler: depression, and suicide. Overall: Orange was a nice anime, though I prefer the manga. The plot revolves around our lead, Naho, who discovers a letter from her future self that tells her that her new classmate, Kakeru, is going to die and that she can save him. Orange goes into what it means to regret something and how you can make other people's lives happier. By being there for someone, you might just give them a reason to live. The characters are all distinct and different. I know a lot of people dislike Naho, but I personally found her relatable. I always relate to the shoujo protagonists people dub "wimpy". She has a lot of insecurities and fears, and yet she grows to overcome them. Kakeru is nice, but emotionally distant. He was honestly kind of bland until the last few episodes when you see just how much he's been through and all the pain he's been holding on to. Suwa, the love rival? (does he even count as one of those?), is very friendly and selfless. He's one of the nicest characters in the show. The side characters had appeal, too. Hagita is the best character, period. The art was okay. I like the manga art better, but they replicated it the best they could, and I'm just being picky. The opening theme was fine, just a bit generic. The ending theme was a bit better, though. I'd recommend this to teenagers and up, though I could give it to a preteen who has the maturity to handle some of the darker themes.
Ouran High School Host Club (Jump to title) - Overall: 9 - Violence Rating: 2 - Nudity Rating: 3 - Theological Themes: 2 - Other Negative Themes: 2 Review Violence: It is very, very mild, with a few instances of slapstick. Sex and Nudity: There isn't any nudity. However, the characters walk in on Haruhi changing a couple of times. She's usually wearing pants and an undershirt or bra in these scenes. The twins sometimes make suggestive jokes, and people mistake Tamaki's actions towards Haruhi as being more sexual than they actually are. Siblings pretend to be into each other as a gimmick to gain more views at the Host Club. It's overdone in a way impossible to take it seriously, though. The beach episode has a scene where one character pins another one down and states he could assault her. He has no intention of doing so, and she knows it. It was kind of uncomfortable to watch, so use your judgement. Theological Themes: There isn't anything religious in the series, however, there are a few things more conservative Christians might find objectionable. The twins pretend to be gay for views and one character is mistaken for gay. The main character's dad is a bisexual drag queen. There are a few episodes involving an all girls' school which as a lot of lesbians. Problematic Themes: Swearing was very mild and infrequent, though I may have filtered most of it out. The series is rather old and includes about four instances of a slur for transgender people. Haruhi's dad is implied to get drunk a few times, and he does work at a bar. Overall: This was the third time I tried the series, and it was the first time I loved it. I'm glad trying out the manga drove me to checking out the anime. It's very funny. Every episode had something to laugh at. Everything is so over-the-top, it's difficult to take seriously. The characters are so amazing. We have Haruhi, who is such a good friend, while being so done with everyone in the club. Tamaki is super dramatic, charismatic, and just an extra person he almost puts Light Yagami to shame. Kyoya probably lives off of the screams of small children. Honey basically has the personality of a small child. The twins are the embodiment of chaos. Mori's just there. They all get character development, too. Hikaru and Kaoru were super similar at the beginning of the series, but I was able to discover what sets them apart. Tamaki and Kyoya are also a lot more than meets the eye. Honestly, the only character I didn't like was Lady Eclair, who is awful. Also Mori is the best character. No, I do not take constructive criticism. The art was pretty cool. Everyone had a nice design. The opening was pretty catchy. I'll have "Kiss, kiss, fall in love!" stuck in my head for a while now. I'd recommend it for teenagers and up. PG-13 a solid rating for it.
Pandora Hearts (Jump to title) - Overall: 8 - Violence Rating: 6 - Nudity Rating: 3 - Theological Themes: 6 - Other Negative Themes: 3 Review Violence: Well, the violence tends to include blood. However, I don't think what was shown is on the level of Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood or Demon Slayer to make a few comparisons to popular shows. People get eaten by monsters from time to time. The majority of the violence is people shooting or stabbing each other. There are scenes that imply violence, though most of the actual death scenes are cut away, only showing the aftermath. I will mention frightening sequences here, since some of the monsters (Chains) can be quite creepy and there is enough creepy doll imagery and facial expressions to go around. (Honestly, for fans of this stuff it is a bit underwhelming, as I think the manga would probably do a better job portraying creepy imagery.) Sex and Nudity: There is no sexual content as far as I remember. There was maybe an accusation or two about the uncle being a pervert, though he didn't do anything inappropriate. As for nudity, there are only two things worth noting. The first ending theme has a lot of depictions of nude Alice, with the sensitive areas covered only by her arms or an object. You can obviously skip it without missing anything. The second thing is an episode where Alice gets drunk and tries to take off her clothes. She gets stopped before she fully removes her shirt. Honestly, if you skip the first ending theme, it could go down from my rating of a 3 to a 2. Theological Themes: Oz's existence is regarded as a sin by some of the main antagonists. There is a place called the abyss consumed by despair where criminals are thrown. Monsters called Chains come from the abyss to make contracts with humans. There are legal contractors and illegal contractors. Illegal contractors kill people and have their life energy consumed by chains. The abyss is controlled by a being called the Will of the Abyss. The goal of most of the characters is to control the abyss. It's really confusing, but that's the general idea. Problematic Themes: There are a handful of uses of d***. Language is very mild in this one. There is the episode where pretty much all the characters get drunk on accident. Some characters smoke. Gilbert is said to have tried to quit smoking eight times and failed every time (he isn't shown smoking though). Overall: I enjoyed it very thoroughly. For some reason it reminded me of Fullmetal Alchemist, probably due to the concepts, though Pandora Hearts feels more creative and clever. This definitely makes me want to read the manga, since there is so much left to explore! This is clearly an incomplete adaptation, which is a shame since it's so good. A major theme of Pandora Hearts is the self. Self-knowledge, self-reflection, and self-betterment all come into play. Our three leads are all lacking knowledge of and about themselves, and they all struggle with that. Many characters search for truths in order to help themselves reach a better understanding of themselves and find a reason for their existences or a reason to live. There are a lot of philosophical themes at play, and it all leads to the characters wanting to better themselves. Oz in particular has great character development. Oz is a very interesting and distinct protagonist. He accepts things as they are, though he is self-sacrificing to a fault, though this is explored in an unusual way. Honestly, I haven't encountered a protagonist like him before. Gilbert is deeply loyal to Oz, though he has ties to a dark past that he can't remember and doesn't want to. Alice is very loud, stubborn, and self-centered, though her brash exterior seems to hide her deep seated fear of being alone. The side characters tend to be interesting as well. Xerxes Break and Vincent Nightray are probably the best written, though Sharon Rainsworth and the Knights of Baskerville have a lot of potential. The art is very good, though I feel like some situations would probably be portrayed better with the manga art. I LOVE the character designs. They are so aesthetically pleasing and fit the atmosphere quite well. I love Alice's look in particular. I've never cosplayed before, but she would be at the top of my list. The soundtrack is also now my absolute favorite. I wasn't particularly familiar with Yuki Kajiura before, but I think she is is really talented. I could go on about the OST forever. For a suggested age, I will go with teenagers and up. The manga is rated 16+, but I feel like it's probably more violent. I don't think it's bad enough to be restricted to older teenagers. I'll say 13+ for some bloody violence and partial nudity.
Ponyo (Jump to title) - Overall: 7 - Violence Rating: 1 - Nudity Rating: 1 - Theological Themes: 2 - Other Negative Themes: 1 Review Violence: None. Sex and Nudity: None. Theological Themes: Ponyo's dad is a sea wizard and her mother appears to be some sort of ocean goddess. After tasting human blood Ponyo gains the ability to become a human, though she has to decide between being magic and being human. Problematic Themes: None. Overall: This is a cute movie. It lost its appeal for me, just because my siblings are obsessed. It's probably my least favorite Ghibli movie that I've seen so far, but it's still Ghibli, so I'd say it's worth a watch. Also, here's a word of random advice: if you watch the English dub, skip the ending song I implore you. It will save your life. It's a family film, suitable for all ages.
Princess Mononoke (Jump to title) - Overall: 10 - Violence Rating: 5 - Nudity Rating: 2 - Theological Themes: 5 - Other Negative Themes: 2 Review Violence: I agree with Atria35, that the violence is no worse than Lord of the Rings. There's some loss of limbs, and characters are shot and bleed. Animals are hurt, including the wolves. There is also a scene with a bloody boar, which I thought was kind of gross. Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood and Demon Slayer have much more gore than this movie does. Sex and Nudity: Nothing more than a passing reference to brothels. Theological Themes: There are nature spirits that are involved. They are both animals and tree spirits. Ashitaka has a cursed arm. Problematic Themes: There might have been some light swearing. Overall: This movie is another Ghibli favorite. It is very well written, as you can see both sides of the argument. Both the forest creatures and the people of Iron Town have solid points. They have equally good reasons behind their actions. Neither Lady Eboshi or San and her wolves are depicted as pure evil. Ashitaka acts as a mediator, as he tries to get the two to reason with each other. All the characters are well written and engaging, and the plot was very nice, as it veered from the standard "good versus evil". I definitely recommend this one, though for teenagers and up.
Sailor Moon (Jump to title) - Overall: 7 - Violence Rating: 4 - Nudity Rating: 3 - Theological Themes: 5 - Other Negative Themes: 2 Review Note: This is a review for the first season of the series. Also, since the title was submitted into the database, there has been a new dub for the series by VIZ Media, which doesn't contain any cuts or edits. I don't know if the Dic dub is still a thing anymore. Violence: The violence is typical fantasy violence, usually magical attacks that make the monsters disappear in a ray of light. One of the deaths of Queen Beryl's generals does involve blood. Spoiler: The Sailor Guardians all temporarily die. Sex and Nudity: Undetailed "Magical Girl" nudity is prevalent. It's literally just the girls' sparkly silhouettes floating through the air. I didn't even realize that people considered it nudity until recently. Usagi is shown in the bath, though everything is covered with water. Religious Themes: The Sailor Guardians have magical powers. The Silver Crystal holds many magical properties as well. Reincarnation factors heavily into the plot, especially towards the end. One of the girls is a Shinto priestess with psychic abilities. They spend a lot of time at her shrine, though most of that is just hanging out, not doing Shinto-y things. Though, I'm pretty sure at one point they did all act as priestesses to help the priestess character with her work load. Two of Queen Beryl's soldiers are a gay couple. I don't think anything goes any further than them flirting, though it's been a while. I'm pretty sure one of them was turned into a girl in the Dic dub, if it still exists. Problematic Themes: There is some mild, minor swearing. The d-word and the h-word are all that is used. Overall: I used to be really into this show. The story is pretty straightforward and repetitive, and the fights sometimes get a bit tedious to watch. However, I liked the drama of Usagi and her friends' normal school lives. I enjoyed figuring out the mystery of the Sailor Guardians and the Moon Kingdom (though it was somewhat spoiled for me, since I saw a bit of Sailor Moon Crystal beforehand and the theme song has the most spoiler-y visuals ever.) I could summarize the plot for this season as Usagi becomes a Sailor Guardian and searches for Princess Serenity and the mysterious Silver Crystal, all while discovering the other Sailor Guardians and fighting the Dark Kingdom, who are after the same prize. The cast is very colorful, and the side characters add such charm. The Guardians are very much typical teenage girls, while also being strong and independent fighters. In the first season I have to say Mars and Jupiter were my personal favorites as they felt the most distinct. The theme song is a favorite of mine (I was obsessed with it). The art is also very cute and aesthetically appealing. I recommend this to older children and preteens, who, I feel, would likely get the most out of this. It was originally aimed at that age group anyways.
Sailor Moon Eternal (Jump to title) - Overall: 9 - Violence Rating: 4 - Nudity Rating: 3 - Theological Themes: 5 - Other Negative Themes: 1 Review Note: Sailor Moon Eternal is the sequel to Sailor Moon Crystal. It is a reboot of Sailor Moon Super S. Violence: It is no worse than any other member of the Sailor Moon franchise. It is entirely comprised of fantasy violence that mainly destroys the scenery around them rather than inflicting severe wounds upon the characters. The villains are destroyed in rays of light. One character coughs up black blood from an illness (I think that's the only time blood makes an appearance in the movies). Sex and Nudity: We have a lot of magical girl transformations. All ten of the Sailor Guardians transform at least twice. It's all barbie doll nudity, though and they are all glowing different colors. One character spends the night with her boyfriend (nothing happens). A character from the future gets over the crush she had on the man who is destined to be her father. There are some revealing outfits. Theological Themes: It isn't much different than other installments in the Sailor Moon franchise. The protagonists are almost all magical girls, and every named character in the movie has some sort of magical ability. One of them is a shrine maiden. The girls are referred to as deities. One character can turn into a pegasus, and we have planetary kingdoms.Two of the Sailor Guardians are a lesbian couple. Overall: I have not seen Sailor Moon Super S, but I have heard that it wasn't very good. This movie is a good reboot, and it actually follows the manga almost perfectly without seeming as hollow as Sailor Moon Crystal did. I'm glad that they did this one well, because it was one of my favorite arcs in the manga. Problematic Themes: None. One thing I will note is Chibi-Usa is much less annoying in this than the 90's anime. The two movies center around her growth as a character, even though she already seems more mature than she did during her introduction. Sailor Moon Eternal at its heart is about Chibi-Usa growing up and finding her own role in their universe. She get's to find her own place and step outside of Usagi's shadow a bit. A good chunk of the movies are devoted to the other Sailor Guardians and their dreams and struggles with their roles. Mercury, Mars, and Jupiter wonder if what they thought they wanted from life is what they truly desire, while Venus wonders if she is no longer needed, now that the team seems to rely more and more on the outer guardians for leadership. Meanwhile, the outer guardians can sense something's amiss, but they can't do anything about it. I really liked all the interpersonal struggles the characters were able to deal with. I was surprised that they were able to fit so many mini character arcs in two movies. I loved the art. It had the newness of Sailor Moon Crystal, but it had the same style and charm as the original anime and the manga. I liked the music, too. It was all very cute. I do think that they could have done better with the villainous circus aesthetic, but that is a gripe that I have with the original manga, as well. I do love Queen Nehalennia's design, and the outer guardian's attacks were so beautiful. To be honest, this is the Sailor Moon adaptation we needed. I'd say preteens and up, same as the regular series.
Sailor Moon R (Jump to title) - Overall: 8 - Violence Rating: 4 - Nudity Rating: 3 - Theological Themes: 5 - Other Negative Themes: 2 Review Note: Sailor Moon R is the second season of the original Sailor Moon series. Violence: It's about the same as the first season. Most of the violence comes from magical attacks, rather than hand to hand combat. There is some blood, though it's minimal. Sex and Nudity: Like the first season, there are glowing silhouette magical girl transformations. Usagi is shown in the bath a couple more times, though she is covered by water. In the second opening theme, there is some brief Barbie-doll nudity (Feel free to skip it. It's the same song they play in season 1 anyway.)Spoiler: One character is transformed into an evil adult and acts kind of creepily towards her father. I know at least one of them was brainwashed at the time and didn't know the true identity of the other. It's been a while, so I don't remember the details of this part. It's only in a few of the later episodes. Theological Themes: There's the same magical stuff from the first season. Rei's still a Shinto priestess, and her shrine plays a bigger part in this season, as the girls hang out there a lot. They even volunteer there. Time travel and aliens are also a thing this season. A futuristic world is shown to be utopian. A villain has the ability to predict the future. There's probably other stuff, but I don't remember enough details to mention it. Problematic Themes: I just remember a tiny bit of mild swearing. Overall: It's as good as the first season. There is a filler arc, but I found parts of it kind of funny. The villains themselves seemed more comedic than intentionally evil, and it was fun, albeit pointless and sometimes stupid. It also got a substantial amount of the filler out of the way from the main storyline, which allowed for plot to be enacted in a more effective manner. The real plot begins with the Dark Moon Clan and Chibi-Usa. It's definitely more dramatic than the first season, as the villains have more complex relationships with each other and even with the heroes. The only thing that seemed forced was a break up subplot, which happened for stupid reasons. I could write an essay on how horrible it was, and how anime!Mamoru is inferior to manga!Mamoru!, but we don't have time for that. Our main cast is the same as ever and they continue to be likable. Usagi in particular has quite a bit of character growth this season. I can't say the same for our newest addition to the cast, Chibi-Usa, who's as annoying as they come. Yes, I disliked her more than I disliked Mamoru this season. (I do find her to be a significantly better character in the Eternal movies and the manga though.) The music is the same as last season, though with different illustration sequences. The art also stays on the same level as the previous installment. I'd say the age rating is probably the same as the previous installment. I'd give it to kids and preteens same as the first season.
Sailor Moon R (Jump to title) - Overall: 8 - Violence Rating: 4 - Nudity Rating: 3 - Theological Themes: 5 - Other Negative Themes: 2 Review Note: Sailor Moon R is the second season of the original Sailor Moon series. Violence: It's about the same as the first season. Most of the violence comes from magical attacks, rather than hand to hand combat. There is some blood, though it's minimal. Sex and Nudity: Like the first season, there are glowing silhouette magical girl transformations. Usagi is shown in the bath a couple more times, though she is covered by water. In the second opening theme, there is some brief Barbie-doll nudity (Feel free to skip it. It's the same song they play in season 1 anyway.)Spoiler: One character is transformed into an evil adult and acts kind of creepily towards her father. I know at least one of them was brainwashed at the time and didn't know the true identity of the other. It's been a while, so I don't remember the details of this part. It's only in a few of the later episodes. Theological Themes: There's the same magical stuff from the first season. Rei's still a Shinto priestess, and her shrine plays a bigger part in this season, as the girls hang out there a lot. They even volunteer there. Time travel and aliens are also a thing this season. A futuristic world is shown to be utopian. A villain has the ability to predict the future. There's probably other stuff, but I don't remember enough details to mention it. Problematic Themes: I just remember a tiny bit of mild swearing. Overall: It's as good as the first season. There is a filler arc, but I found parts of it kind of funny. The villains themselves seemed more comedic than intentionally evil, and it was fun, albeit pointless and sometimes stupid. The real plot begins with the Dark Moon Clan and Chibi-Usa. It's definitely more dramatic than the first season, as the villains have more complex relationships with each other and even with the heroes. The only thing that seemed forced was a break up subplot, which happened for stupid reasons. Our main cast is the same as ever and they continue to be likable. Usagi in particular has quite a bit of character growth this season. I can't say the same for our newest addition to the cast, Chibi-Usa, who's as annoying as they come. The music is the same as last season, though with different illustration sequences. The art also stays on the same level as the previous installment. Like the first season, I'll say the audience who would enjoy it the most falls to older kids and preteens.
Snow White with the Red Hair (Jump to title) - Overall: 9 - Violence Rating: 3 - Nudity Rating: 2 - Theological Themes: 1 - Other Negative Themes: 3 Review Violence: There is occasional violence, usually in the context of fighting bandits with swords. Characters occasionally get cut on the face, though a few get stabbed and die. The second season involves characters being whipped as a torture method, though the scene is brief. Violence is generally infrequent. Sex and Nudity: In the first episode, a prince wants to take Shirayuki as a concubine against her will. Nothing comes of it, and it isn't mentioned again after that episode. In fact, the show doesn't even go into what a concubine is. There are also a few suggestive jokes here and there, though they are quite tame. Theological Themes: None. Problematic Themes: Eh, a 3 might be a bit high for this one, but I'll play it safe. Language is kept to your usual mild swear words. The characters drink alcohol on a few occasions. One episode involves one character accidentally getting drunk, though it is handled tastefully. Overall: It was really cute! It was interesting to see a romance anime where the characters were able to talk through their issues with maturity, and they had careers to deal with. The first season was a lot of cute, wholesome interactions and the characters going about their sunshiney lives. The most serious antagonists are the random nobles who don't want our protagonists to be together. The second season has a bit more of a plot, as Shirayuki becomes entangled in a human trafficking ring. I liked the second season a bit better, since I liked the plot, and the few episodic episodes thrown in there were pretty funny or character relevant. Shirayuki, our protagonist, is hard-working, stubborn, and strong-willed. She wants to make decisions for herself and forge her own path. Zen, the prince of Clarines, is actually pretty similar. He wants to rule the kingdom in his own way and hates being confined to the hierarchy of nobles. However, he's less mellow than Shirayuki and seems to be easily irritated. Then we have the three attendants, the charismatic Obi, the snarky Kiki, and the devoted Mitsuhide. Obi by far gets the most screen time and character development, though. Prince Izana, Zen's older brother, is the ideal prince, though his motives in our characters' lives are a bit enigmatic. Finally, we have Prince Raj, who starts off the series as a vain, self-centered, spoiled brat, and emerges as a young man, striving to become a better ruler. All of the main characters get a bit of development or backstory, which was nice. Raj, Shirayuki, Zen, and Obi in particular grow a lot. One thing I wish happened was that Kiki and Mitsuhide were fleshed out more as characters, particularly Kiki. We don't know too much about her until the very end, and even then it isn't much. It's a shame, since she has the most interesting personality out of all of them. While Mitsuhide does get more of a backstory than Kiki, I would like to see more of his life that doesn't revolve around Zen. Hopefully the two of them are more fleshed out in the manga. (Obi's little teasing remarks have also made me prone to shipping them. They'd be cute.) The art was really pretty, especially in the opening and ending themes. The color pallet was perfect for the tone of the show, as well. The music was pretty nice, too. For the suggested age, I do not know why it's rated TV-14. I'd think PG would be more accurate, given how clean it is. I'll say preteens and up, though older children could enjoy it.
Spirited Away (Jump to title) - Overall: 10 - Violence Rating: 3 - Nudity Rating: 1 - Theological Themes: 4 - Other Negative Themes: 1 Review Violence: I don't recall very much, and what was there qualified as fantasy violence. Characters are eaten or threatened to be eaten by spirits. I can only recall one instance where a character is hurt badly enough to bleed. Sex and Nudity: None, unless you count the bare rear end of a giant baby. Theological Themes: As the title implies, Spirited Away is about spirits. Most of them have good intentions. A character is a witch, though she is technically the main antagonist of the movie. Some of the spirits have magical abilities. Problematic Themes: None. I don't recall any substances or swearing. Overall: This is by far one of my favorite Ghibli movies. Chihiro has wonderful character development and the world building is fantastic. I could seriously watch a spin-off TV series about Chihiro's adventures in the bath house. I'd say I recommend this to older children and up, due to a few scenes being a little scary for the youngest. In all, I'm glad I saw this one. It's very cute and heartwarming, and, in general, it is very well made.
Steins;Gate (Jump to title) - Overall: 8 - Violence Rating: 5 - Nudity Rating: 3 - Theological Themes: 4 - Other Negative Themes: 3 Review Violence: There's only some mild slapstick in the first half of the show, as well as showing a body in a pool of blood. The second half involves people getting shot, hit by trucks, run over by trains, stabbed, ect. Most of the time it cuts away from the violence occurring, showing at most the aftermath. It's very emotionally intense. Sex and Nudity: There is no nudity. Fan service-wise, there's a shot of one character in a very short dress, and a scene where a character's shirt gets wet, and you can vaguely see the outline of her bra (the only reason I even noticed it was because she accused a male character of looking at her). One of the lab members is rather fond of making suggestive jokes. He and two other lab members frequently accuse each other of being dirty minded. Apparently, some of the games this character plays are very dirty. Problematic Theological Themes: It's about time travel and changing the past. One character brings a dead person back to life with time travel. Another character uses time travel to change their gender. Problematic Themes: I think there was some swearing, though it wasn't frequent. I gave it a 3 just to be safe, in case I filtered things out. Overall: Steins;Gate was really interesting and complex. It provides us with an interesting use of the butterfly effect, as well as moral dilemmas. There are all kinds of paradoxes at work here. The first half of the show is devoted to our characters building a time machine and uncovering the secrets of time travel. The second half deals with the consequences of their discoveries and how Okabe handles it. The characters are all unique and fun. Everyone has many layers. Beneath Okabe's mad scientist alter ego, lies a compassionate yet broken man. The wholesome Mayuri has a deep sadness behind her cheerful exterior. No one is as plain as they seem on the surface. All the characters grow through their relationships with each other and the idea of time travel. Okabe and Kurisu's relationship was particularly touching. Everything is connected in Steins;Gate. All the characters are relevant in some way. No one is exterraneous. The art was nice. All of the character designs were fitting. My only issue was Suzuha, who kinda looked strange. The music was nice. I liked the opening theme quite a bit. I'd recommend this to teenagers and up, for violence and suggestive dialogue.
The Case of Hana & Alice (Jump to title) - Overall: 7 - Violence Rating: 2 - Nudity Rating: 1 - Theological Themes: 3 - Other Negative Themes: 2 Review Violence: Alice beats up kids who are mean to her, on occasion. It's very light and only in the beginning. It's the kind of fighting you'd do with your siblings. Sex and Nudity: None. Theological Themes: There's an urban legend about a kid who died cursing his seat. A girl is possessed, and there is a barrier around where he sits. The girl who was possessed refers to herself as the something along the lines of the "gate keeper of Hell". The kids preform a ceremony to rid the desk of evil spirits. Spoiler: It is revealed that all of the ghost and possession stuff is fake. The girl who was "possessed" exaggerated rumors to create the urban legend and boost her popularity. There are references to Judas Iscariot, as well. Problematic Themes: There are exactly two uses of the h-word (used as a swear word and not referring to the actual place), and no substances. Overall: I couldn't decide whether or not to give it a 6 or a 7. I decided on a 7, due to the sheer wholesomeness. There isn't any petty drama. Just two girls becoming friends naturally. It felt very real and very sweet. The characters are fun. Alice and Hana balance each other out, and they are a great team. The side characters are very colorful as well. The backgrounds are gorgeous pieces of art. Whoever did those watercolors is amazing. The people themselves are drawn simplistically. The animation, particularly the characters in motion, was actually kind of bad. Their movements tended to be very awkward (the ballet scenes were fine). The scene where Alice falls out of the window defied gravity which bothered me a bit. There wasn't much music, though the song they played at the end was very nice. The Case of Hana & Alice is a very charming slice of life mystery, which I do recommend. I don't know why it's rated PG-13. It could have easily gotten away with a PG rating. I'll say older children and up in terms of objectionable content. In terms of enjoyment, I feel like preteens and up would be more inclined to enjoy the slice-of-life type plot.
The Case Study of Vanitas (Jump to title) - Overall: 9 - Violence Rating: 5 - Nudity Rating: 3 - Theological Themes: 6 - Other Negative Themes: 2 Review Violence: There is blood, since it's about vampires. There is fantasy violence and action, though most of it is bloodless, with a few exceptions (traumatic flashbacks). It's really just those scenes and the bloodsucking to worry about. I will say the violence is enough to warrant a PG-13 rating. I'll also mention frightening images here, because there are quite a few of those.(Naenia freaks me out.) Sex and Nudity: I can't think of anything that's outright dirty, aside from an instance where Vanitas mentions Jeanne's chest size and the opening theme features a brief shot of the top of Noe's back while he's taking a shower. (The shower thing is supposed to represent a part of a routine and not be sexual in any way.) The reason I think it warrants a 3 is the somewhat sexual undertones of bloodsucking (the way Vanitas talked about a certain character sucking his blood kind of made me uncomfortable on occasion.) I'll also mention non-consensual kissing. Theological Themes: Well, we have a church organized vampire hunting unit. (They're obviously antagonists, since the majority of our protagonists are vampires, though it seems as though they only hunt vampires who harm humans or invade their base.) Vanitas insults one of the member's religious beliefs. I don't know how much of that was out of disdain for Christianity or his hatred of the specific person. Spoiler: That character does end up joining the side of Vanitas and Noe, while remaining a Christian, though he is accused of having more faith in himself as a servant of God than faith in God himself. This criticism comes from someone who opposes his interest in vampires and the idea that vampires and humans are similar.I personally think the idea of the Chasseurs was stemmed from the legend of vampires being repelled by crosses, but use your judgement when it comes to this series. I can see lots of people having problems in this department. Also there is a parallel dimension where evil beings curse vampires and turn them into bloodsucking monsters. The Book of Vanitas is the only thing that can cure them. Problematic Themes: One use of the h-word as a swear. The religious characters use 'hell's bells' maybe three times in total. Anyways, swearing isn't really a problem in this series. I don't recall any substances either. Overall: I really liked it. I would have given it a 10. The story is interesting. There's a lot of drama and a bit of political intrigue. It's interesting since it raises the idea of what would happen if some rando, who is connected to the ancestral enemy of a group of people, reveals he has life-changing information that can help them. Obviously some people are more open than others. Ethical dilemmas arise from time to time. The characters are very colorful and each has their own backstory and motives (though it's unfinished, so not all of them got screen time.) Vanitas is mysterious, morally ambiguous, and kind of creepy from time to time. He's an utter trash goblin, but I'm fascinated by him anyway.(His advances toward Jeanne were not amusing.) Noe balances him out with his empathy and innocence. I think he might end up being a parallel to Vanitas in some way. The art is gorgeous, and I adore the ending theme. It weirdly reminds me of Fullmetal Alchemist, with a dash of Toilet Bound Hanako-kun. It does have some great comedy. I'll say older teens and up for violence, the bloodsucking, and sexual harassment, as well as some creepy imagery.
The Case Study of Vanitas Part 2 (Jump to title) - Overall: 10 - Violence Rating: 6 - Nudity Rating: 3 - Theological Themes: 6 - Other Negative Themes: 3 Review Violence: I bumped it up to a 6, since I felt like it was a bit more violent than the first part. (Granted, it's been a year since I saw Vanitas Part 1.) There was a lot more fighting and blood, with characters getting stabbed and the like. There's a beast that eats people, as well as some mainly implied torture scenes involving children. Sex and Nudity: We only get one vaguely erotic blood sucking scene this season. I still maintained the 3, due to a scene where Vanitas and Jeanne huddle together in their underwear to keep warm (potentially less than that, I don't remember that episode clearly). The episode was mainly focused on them bonding rather than anything illicit, though. Also one character makes it clear that she wants to do the dirty with her crush, much to her friend's horror and embarrassment. Theological Themes: We have vampires, curses, and curse bearers like the first season. Unlike the first season, we have characters who Spoiler: accepted the curse of their own volition. However,Spoiler: said characters are able to heal and realize that the curse only makes their lives miserable. One character tampers with the Spoiler: world formula, essentially playing god. And the church does some corrupt things, but that only plays a minor role in the story. Problematic Themes: There was some mild swearing. It's also revealed that one character Spoiler: has severe mental health issues that affect her self-perception, and this character is manipulated by a villain into Spoiler: almost committing suicide, via magic that taps into the darkest part of the soul. Overall: I loved this season. It was beautifully done, and it never failed to impress me in the slightest. Both of the character arcs were stunning, and the romance was amazing. I was a hardcore Noé x Domi shipper, but now my love has only grown. I was absolutely repulsed by Vanitas x Jeanne initially, but now I ship it. To be honest, no matter what your favorite ship is involving the main 4, you will not be disappointed. The storytelling was beautiful and I loved the message of being able to move on from the atrocities of the past. The way Astolfo, Chloé, and Domi all handle their grief is very different, very poignant, and yet damaging. It was a joy to watch them grow or choose not to. In fact, everyone grew a little bit or had a new side of them revealed. This season finally gives us a bit of Vanitas' backstory, as well as more insights into his complicated personality. We also get to see how Louis' death affected Domi, since, before we only got to see that through Noé's eyes. Honestly, her arc was personally very moving to me. I actually got emotional. The art is as stunning as always, and it truly does do Jun Mochizuki justice. The outfits are so pretty in this! Also the music was fantastic. Yuki Kajiura can really handle the atmosphere of Jun Mochizuki's works. I loved the opening and ending theme too! They were both more my style than the first opening, though none of them hit me in the same way the first season's ending theme did. I'd recommend it to older teens and up like the first season. I feel like a 15-16 year old should be able to handle it, which is about the age rating of the manga.
The Promised Neverland (Jump to title) - Overall: 7 - Violence Rating: 4 - Nudity Rating: 2 - Theological Themes: 2 - Other Negative Themes: 2 Review Violence: There is some violence and death, though this is minimal. I can only think of one death scene that can even be considered bloody. There is also an attempted suicide and references to death. There are also frightening images, which is the reason I stacked things up to a four. Sex and Nudity: There's nothing even remotely sexual about this show, since our main cast is a bunch of little kids. There are two scenes which feature the little boys in the shower. Everything is censored by steam, and it's very innocent in nature. Theological Themes: Spoiler: There are monsters referred to as demons, though they aren't actually demons, more like a species of magical animals. There are also references to a couple of demon religions, including one, where a prominent demon character is worshipped. The content about religion is minimal and only in the second season. Problematic Themes: There is some light, mild swearing during stressful times. Nothing worse than the d-word is ever uttered. Overall: The first season is glorious. The atmosphere is creepy and tense, and you find yourself frequently at the edge of your seat. It's full of puzzles and mystery. I'd say it's fair to classify it as a thriller. It's definitely psychological. Everything is meticulously plotted, and the characters are great. Emma, Ray, and Norman all have their own ideals and plans, which sometimes clash, adding extra tension. They're all well developed and believable characters in their own right. The villains are downright unsettling. The opening theme is one of my favorites ever, and both it and the ending theme are actually pretty creepy once you've seen the first episode. The opening is actually even weirder once you see the whole thing and hear the English lyrics. If this were on its own I'd give it a 10. Unfortunately, its' not. Season two started off okay. I liked the first few episodes. It shifted gears to a more action, adventure-y type story, so it was different than the first. The opening was creepy, though more creepy imagery than "random stuff that looks normal but isn't really". The ending theme was really nice. I liked it. However, most of the creepy vibe vanished. Scenes that were supposed to be creepy were undermined. I was particularly frustrated with how the characters were treated. Emma was the only one who's actions really held any weight, not to mention she was kind of a Mary Sue this season. I'm not even going to start on how horribly Ray was treated. I kind of lost patience towards the end, as everyone's motivations and ideals start changing without any foreshadowing or second thought. I didn't think it was as terrible as people say, though I haven't read the manga and can't talk about cuts or anything. I gave it a four, and the overall score averaged out to a seven, so a seven it is. I recommend this series to teenagers and up. Definitely watch the first season. Fans will likely be disappointed by the second.
The Secret World of Arrietty (Jump to title) - Overall: 7 - Violence Rating: 1 - Nudity Rating: 1 - Theological Themes: 1 - Other Negative Themes: 1 Review I honestly can't think of why this movie would have a PG rating, as there isn't really anything objectionable. The only thing I can think of is that the smallest children might start "borrowing" random lego bricks from their friends if they tend to imitate such things. It's also slow enough that little kids might lose interest. Overall: It was a good movie, and it actually followed the book pretty closely. I remember my mom checked this one out from the library since I was reading the books. I will say that this is one of my few exceptions to the "the book was better" rule, as this was more enjoyable to me than the first Borrower novel. Arietty and Shawn are very endearing characters, and I remember even as a kid thinking about their philosophical argument about life. Arietty's parents and the maids are all easily distinguishable, as they all have their own opinions and quirks. The music was lovely, and the art is some of my favorite Ghibli art. It just feels very fresh. I recommend this to children of all ages, though not all of them will be interested.
The Twelve Kingdoms (Jump to title) - Overall: 10 - Violence Rating: 4 - Nudity Rating: 2 - Theological Themes: 4 - Other Negative Themes: 2 Review Violence: There is sword fighting, monster slaying, and quite a bit of action. Death occurs, though the scenes are brief. The deaths are never frivolous and always serve a purpose within the story. Blood is minimal. Sex and Nudity: The most sexual thing that ever comes out of this show is a scene where the girls are almost sold to a brothel. The scene is brief, and the only thing that clues you in is a tastefully worded line. As for nudity, Youko and Yuka are shown in the bath a couple times, though only their upper back and collarbones are ever visible. The Nyokai are magical creatures that seem to possess human and animal physical traits. One of the female Nyokai has the top of a human but doesn't wear a shirt. The vast majority of the time her chest is covered by her hair, and, the few times her chest is shown, she has barbie doll anatomy. I found it very tastefully handled. She is only relevant in the episodes that center on Taiki. A male character can turn into an animal. When he turns back he's naked. However, the camera angles always obscure everything, and he tries to avoid being seen in that state. These scenes are very rare (I believe it happened twice with reason). In general, there was little I found objectionable, due to the tasteful and non sexual handling of the partial nudity. Theological Themes: There is a whole religion made up for this world. They speak regularly about their god Tentei. I don't remember if they have other gods. The heavens play a huge part in choosing a ruler, and the heavens are said to smite down rulers who fail to rule properly. People can become immortal and have their immortality revoked. Problematic Themes: I recall exactly three uses of the d-word and one use of the h-word over the course of all 45 episodes. I don't recall any use of any substances. Overall: I straight up love this show. One thing that I found interesting was its similarity to another anime I enjoyed, Yona of the Dawn. I could write an essay on the similarities, though I will say I found this one to be a tiny bit better and had to knock down my score of Yona in accordance. The story starts off feeling like a bit of wish fulfillment. An unhappy girl gets pulled into a new world by a mysterious man, intended to be a queen. It sounds like so many bad fan fictions and cheesy YA novels. However, things here aren't as easy as they are in those types of stories. Hardships and trauma abound as Youko starts her journey. The story also shows us things that happen in the past, as we hear the stories of people who had great influence in the past. The world building is magnificent, and, overall, the story is just plain well written. The characters are equally well written. Everyone receives exceptional, realistic character development. No character remains unlikable except for those who you are intentionally supposed to dislike. Everyone grows and learns from their mistakes and works to overcome their fatal flaws, even if it doesn't happen overnight. The art isn't the best, mainly because it's old, and the production likely wasn't high budget. I did like the music. This title is very underrated. I wish more people knew about it. I recommend it to teenagers and older (mainly due to hard death scenes and a few of the scenes with Sanshi, in addition to the show generally being really complicated.)
The Way of the Househusband (Jump to title) - Overall: 7 - Violence Rating: 3 - Nudity Rating: 1 - Theological Themes: 1 - Other Negative Themes: 6 Review Violence: The violence in The Way of the Househusband is mostly slapstick or for comedic purposes. However, there are occasional shots of implied violence in the context of flashbacks. Yakuza members sometimes attack Tatsu with weapons, but little damage is done. There is little blood. Sex and Nudity: None. Theological Themes: None. Problematic Themes: The only reason the series has a TV-MA rating is substances and language. The language can get bad, and there are quite a few uses of the f-word. Other swear words are used (the s-word, word for illegitimate child, d-word, and h-word). A running joke involves Tatsu being mistaken for a drug dealer. There is also smoking. At one point all the characters get drunk. We also have lots of yakuza as side characters. Overall: The Way of the Househusband was a surprisingly wholesome comedy. Tatsu and his wife have no right to have that healthy of a relationship. It's very entertaining to watch Tatsu's misadventures. I could say the show pushes the message not to judge people based on their appearances and pasts, rather who they are now. You aren't going to see intense gang activities here or crazy fighting scenes. Instead, we have things like a gang that likes to thrash people at recreational volleyball. Tatsu is very odd and lovable. He tackles all of the tasks he encounters with the voracity of yakuza life. It's very entertaining. I love how all the neighborhood housewives just accept him with only a little confusion. His wife, Miku is very sweet and has an obsession with a Pretty Cure knock off (Policure). She balances out Tatsu's eccentricies with her more grounded personality. I liked them both. I also liked Tatsu's "apprentice" in the ways of the househusband, Masa. Masa isn't the brightest bulb in the box, but he is likable in his own way. We also have a colorful cast of gang members who engage in bizarre activities of their own. The cast is very lively and things are never dull. As for the music, it is very fitting. I love the opening theme, and the ending theme is very lovely as well. As for the art, it is designed to look like vaguely animated colored manga panels. I thought it worked, though it did leave me with the feeling that the manga is probably better. I watched the dub, and the voice acting is lifeless (though it fits, oddly enough). I thought it was funny and bizarre in a good way. I'd recommend it to older teens and up, though it could be viewed younger depending on your views on drug references and swearing.
Toilet Bound Hanako-kun (Jump to title) - Overall: 8 - Violence Rating: 4 - Nudity Rating: 3 - Theological Themes: 6 - Other Negative Themes: 2 Review Violence: There is some violence, though it is mostly between ghosts. I don't recall much blood, if any at all. Spoiler: There is something later on, which may allude to one of the ghosts having committed suicide in the past. The manga is still going and I haven't read it, so I could be wrong. It just seems that way from the information the show provides. Sex and Nudity: There is no nudity, and the only fan service is in the form of what we can presume are dirty magazines. They are portrayed as negative, as they make Nene's self esteem issues worse, resulting in a gag involving an oversized bra. (I personally didn't read that scene as fan service, though others might.) Another character is clearly uncomfortable with them and makes a conscious decision to avoid them. These magazines appear about twice. The only other thing worth mentioning is a male character accuses another male character of trying to take advantage of him and use him in pornography. This is an obvious lie to rile him up. This incident is also shown again in a flashback. Theological Themes: It's about ghosts and supernatural occurrences. The only way ghosts can maintain their existence is through rumors about them. The ghosts have their own realms inside the school. Two characters are exorcists. One of them wants to exorcise all ghosts, while another starts out hostile only to eventually warm up to and befriend them. Problematic Themes: There is minor swearing. I don't remember much, though I probably filtered it out. Overall: I watched this one on recommendation and I probably wouldn't have otherwise, especially since it has toilet in the title. My friend was really into it, so I figured I'd eventually give it a shot, despite my misgivings. It was actually pretty good. I'm actually seriously considering giving the manga a shot, as well (though I do have to get through quite a few series on my bucket list). The art style was one of my favorite parts of the series. It's very unique and it has a very beautiful color palette. It's very cute with a pastel Halloween vibe going on, which contrasts with the slightly creepy atmosphere. The whole show is a delightful mix between cute and creepy. The theme song was actually really good, too. The characters were likable or at least relatable. Strangely enough, more of the human characters were compelling than the ghost characters. Nene in particular was really relatable for me as an insecure freshman in high school. Hanako, her co-star is more chaotic with darker undertones beneath his sweet and teasing demeanor. Kou, who rounds out their trio is genuinely a nice and innocent guy, despite initially coming off as a brash rival character. I did enjoy the story, though I was hoping for more detective work, though the supernatural occurrences were interesting. There is so much left to explore. I hope a second season airs, since the first one did so well, and there are so many potential story-lines that are hinted at. I also like the show's sense of humor. It made me laugh more than a few times. I recommend this for teenagers and older, mainly for the dark themes and occasional suggestive joke.
Vampire Princess Miyu (OVA) (Jump to title) - Overall: 7 - Violence Rating: 3 - Nudity Rating: 2 - Theological Themes: 5 - Other Negative Themes: 1 Review Violence: There's light action. I don't recall anything disturbing. The only blood is from the vampire blood drinking scenes, which aren't gorey in the slightest. Sex and Nudity: A girl and a boy kiss and after the kiss, the girl's bra is exposed a little bit. The scene is brief. Theological Themes: We have spirits and monsters, as well as vampires (obviously). This is a horror series, after all. Himiko is a spiritualist, and so she can see and communicate with spirits. Most of the spirits are considered evil, though Miyu herself is morally ambiguous. Problematic Themes: I don't recall any swearing or substances. Overall: I enjoyed it. I gave it a 7, since, while it didn't leave me wanting to see it again, the Vampire Princess Miyu OVA series left me wanting more of Miyu and her life. I'm realizing I have a soft spot for episodic supernatural stories. The stories were nice, though I greatly preferred the second and the fourth over the rest of them. The other two were by no means bad, though. I just thought these two had more interesting concepts and ideas that were explored. Miyu is interesting and definitely morally ambiguous. Himiko is her foil, who stands to oppose her. One thing I did think was off, was that Himiko and Miyu, at certain points, seemed to trade ideals, which made me confused as to what the two characters stood for. The background music was nice, though the voice acting was atrocious. I only had access to the English dub, though. Maybe it's better in the original Japanese. The art is old, though it adds to the retro charm of the series. I recommend it to preteens and up, as I agree with Tubi's PG rating for the series. There wasn't much objectionable content anyways, making it an extremely tame horror anime.
Wotakoi: Love is Hard for Otaku (Jump to title) - Overall: 6 - Violence Rating: 2 - Nudity Rating: 3 - Theological Themes: 3 - Other Negative Themes: 4 Review Violence: We have mild, in-game violence. Sex and Nudity: Well, I was not expecting it to be as raunchy as it was, given that it's aimed at a female audience. For nudity, there's a shot of Hanako in the tub, but what needs to be covered is covered. Also, Hirotaka is naked in one scene, but he is censored with the Wotakoi logo. It's a very brief scene (fortunately). Also, there are quite a few comments on Hanako's chest (something which I was not expecting in a josei.) Also, there are a lot of references to pornography, which was one of the more yikes parts of the show. Narumi and Hanako are hardcore fujioshi. They read and write 18+ stuff, so...that was lovely. Honestly, it came off as really weird, and it felt like they were fetishizing gay relationships, particularly when they would talk about wanting their boyfriends to be in a BL. Theological Themes: There's nothing religious in Wotakoi, however, I will bring up the yaoi obsession that Narumi and Hanako have here. I know Christians on both ends of the political spectrum would probably take issue with what they are doing. The thing that bothers me is that they don't see gay people as actual people, but rather as objects to gush over. I personally think that Jesus would want us to love our neighbor and treat them with respect and as real people. Problematic Themes: Swearing was kept to a minimum. All I remember was a very rare use of the d-word. Alcohol, however played a much more important part. One character gets drunk and acts drunk easily, and the characters go out to buy drinks fairly frequently. Overall: Wotakoi, like Maid-sama! is somewhat of a mixed bag for me. I liked the romance, the comedy was hit and miss for me, and the characters were also a bit of a mixed bag. I also was not a fan of the dubious content present. I have a high tolerance for a lot of things, but the discussion in Wotakoi made me uncomfortable. I appreciated how down to earth the characters are in Wotakoi. They're adults and they know how to maintain properly functioning relationships and talk about their problems. Kabakura and Hanako were more dynamic to watch and harder to figure out. Narumi and Hirotaka were straightforward and easy to understand. I will say it did feel a bit weird that Hanako was constantly pushing Kabakura to do things that he repeatedly states that he does not feel comfortable doing. Narumi was a likeable character, despite not being particularly deep. She's super energetic and friendly, and she was easier for me to digest than the other female character. Hirotaka was sort of entertaining, but he was mostly boring, since he was pretty emotionless and lacked much of a personality. I did like how deadpan he was. Hanako... I liked her at first, but I became more and more uncomfortable with her as the story went on, but I could not get myself to like her at the end. She's short tempered and likes to tease everyone around her. However, she comes off as somewhat pushy and disrespectful. I did like Kabakura, since he was the most down to earth. He can be a work-a-holic and can project a bit much, but he means well. I did love Naoya. He's a solid 10/10. He is the least problematic Wotakoi character. He's the really wholesome type. His love interest, Kou was barely in the show, so I don't have any opinions about her. The art and character designs were decent. I didn't like it at first, but it grew on me as time went on. The music was good, too. I'd recommend Wotakoi to older teens and up for innuendo and alcohol.
X (TV) (Jump to title) - Overall: 6 - Violence Rating: 4 - Nudity Rating: 3 - Theological Themes: 6 - Other Negative Themes: 2 Review Violence: Lots of fantasy violence. There is some real-world violence, such as stabbing and explosions. A couple of instances imply characters have exploded. Blood is shown everywhere. There is a lot of death. I think most of the cast ends up dead or traumatized, but I don't think the violence was particularly graphic (it is supposed to be toned down significantly from the manga, though). Sex and Nudity: There is some non-sexual barbie-doll nudity. One character spends a lot of time in bed, nude, though fully covered, with the exception of her back. She talks frequently to a male character in this state. There are some scenes that are vague enough to potentially imply sex, though it could easily be more innocent than it appears to be. A character is heavily implied prostitute and is frequently shown in lingeree. Theological Themes: It's basically about the apocalypse and the end of the world. The dragons are fighting to determine whether or not the world as we know it ends. The Dragons of Heaven want to preserve the world as they know it, while the Dragons of Earth want to eradicate everything and start over. There is a lot of prophecy, telepathy, and magical powers. Most of the characters live in shrines. There is a lot of pentagram imagery. There is dream-seeing, and there is a vague afterlife. Problematic Themes: I think there was mild swearing at appropriate times. Overall: I had high expectations for this series. I like battle royales with magical powers and I enjoyed the other CLAMP titles I enjoyed. However, I kind of found X to be boring. I do have hope for the manga, since it seems to be a bit longer, which would smooth out some of the issues I had. There were too many characters, and all the ones I liked and found interesting were the first to die. The ones I didn't care about at all (some I outright hated) got to live a bit longer. Not all of them got development, but I am fond of the ones that did. My personal favorites were Yuto, Satsuki, Karen, Aoki, and Subaru. The romance was really bad and forced (I could write an entire essay about Yuzuriha and Kusanagi's relationship), though I did like most of the backstories (at least the ones that made sense and built on the characters). It definitely made me want to read its prequel, Tokyo Babylon, which is where Subaru and Seishirou come from. They were very interesting and I would have loved to learn more. I loved the end of the world battle royale concept which was introduced. It is a fascinating concept to build the story on, and I thought the story would have worked better had it been longer. The art was not CLAMP's best. Kamui and Yuzuriha's designs drove me insane. For the former it was the odd body proportions (that waist) and the latter it was the hideous hair cut. I did like some of the other designs, like Karen and Subaru's. Don't get me wrong, it was a fine show, especially considering we don't get much action shoujo animated, aside from the magical girl genre. It just failed to leave much of an impression on me, though it does have a lot of potential. I'd say teenagers and older for this one, though I understand the manga is more intense and probably warrants an older age rating.
xxxHOLiC (Jump to title) - Overall: 8 - Violence Rating: 2 - Nudity Rating: 2 - Theological Themes: 6 - Other Negative Themes: 5 Review Violence: A character is strangled by a magical object. Another character is shown bleeding. Watanuki is chased around by tengu who want to smack him around with their giant paper fans. All other violence is only alluded to and takes place off screen. Sex and Nudity: Yuko's outfits, while stylish, tend to show quite a bit of cleavage. In one episode she removes a magical object from the inside of her shirt. In another episode, she's shown in the bath briefly. No more is exposed than when she wears her more revealing outfits. Theological Themes: In the world of xxxHolic, Japanese folklore and superstitions come to life. We encounter spirits of many different kinds, bad habits taking control of people, and there is an episode devoted to fortune telling. Yuko, I believe, is a witch who grants people's wishes. Superstitions turn out to have some truth to them. Problematic Themes: I don't recall any swearing. Yuko has a bit of a drinking problem. She and Mokona like to beg Watanuki for alcohol, and Yuko is constantly shown drinking. They are shown hug over at one point. Yuko convinces Watanuki to drink the nectar of spirits, claiming he won't get drunk. Watanuki is shown seeming more than a little tipsy. Yuko is occasionally shown smoking a pipe. Overall: This is my second CLAMP series, and I enjoyed it, even more than I enjoyed Kobato. Come to think of it, didn't Watanuki cameo in Kobato? Anyway, I enjoyed the episodic nature of the series, though the two part stories were some of my favorites. I liked watching Watanuki, Yuko, and Domeki help out with all the supernatural occurances around them. The characters are great. Watanuki has great chemistry with everyone. Even the mascot characters, such as Mokona, aren't annoying. Yes, he's a trash goblin but an endearing one. I don't think there were any annoying characters at all. Scratch that. Most of the characters are annoying, but in an endearing way that makes you like them more. The art is weird and takes a bit of time to get used to. I will say, I preferred CLAMP's art in Kobato. I will say, their outfit designs are lovely. I would kill to have Yuko's wardrobe. I liked the opening and both ending themes, as well. I also now need a pipe fox. Pipe foxes just fill my heart with joy. I recommend this one for preteens and up for Yuko's drinking problem. Depending on your views on substances, older children could handle it, though I doubt they would be interested.
Yona of the Dawn (Jump to title) - Overall: 10 - Violence Rating: 4 - Nudity Rating: 3 - Theological Themes: 3 - Other Negative Themes: 2 Review Violence: It's mainly typical action violence. There is some blood and characters are sometimes injured. Nothing happens beyond stabbing and knocking people down, even in the death scenes. Sex and Nudity: Yona's initial love interest, Su-Won is her first cousin, though any chance of them getting together was ruined in the first episode. The story has a historically based background, so I would assume their relationship would have been socially acceptable at the time. The third episode depicts Yona nude and Hak sees her. This is brief, and it isn't sexual and Yona's arms and legs cover everything. She just wants his help getting leeches off her legs. Hak sometimes makes suggestive and flirty comments to psych Yona out. One of the Dragons can be... interesting, as he makes a few unwanted jokes and calls upon prostitutes at one point (nothing happens). However, the other characters don't find his behavior acceptable. One arc involves taking down a human trafficking ring. Some of the people being taken are intended to be prostitutes, though ultimately nothing happens. Theological Themes: There is a seer and a prophecy, which play a role in the story. The Four Dragons have enhanced physical abilities attributed to dragons. The original Dragons were mythological figures, though I can't remember if they were revered as gods. Problematic Themes: There is occasional mild swearing, and there might have been a pirate who smoked a pipe. Overall: This is one of my favorites. The plot is a very traditional one, as it follows a lot of fantasy tropes(finding a seer, locating magical warriors, ect.). It is the characters that truly make Yona of the Dawn shine. Yona is an amazing protagonist, who has some of the most realistic and well paced character development I've ever come across. Her companions are all equally lovable and well developed. Their views are all realistic and in-tune with their pasts. One thing I like is that they have the same goal, but different ideologies and viewpoints. Gi-Ja and Jae-Ha are prime examples, as they had similar upbringings, yet they reacted to their supposed destinies very differently. Su-Won is also a compelling antagonist with a point. I don't agree with his means, but his end goal seems reasonable, which I appreciate. The character chemistry is great. I personally thought things really started to pick up once Yona and Hak gained a few companions. Most of the comedy comes from the character interactions. The character designs are beautiful and the music is very lovely as well. The OST is really nice. I also can't think of a single character who looks weird. In general, I thought the anime was very well made. Unfortunately, the anime lacks a resolution. It's almost like a character introduction, as it is spent gathering most of the key players. I've heard things really pick up in the manga once the anime ends, so all I can do is hope for a second season. It's not like the anime was unsuccessful or anything. I really recommend this one, though for teenagers and up for suggestive comments and violence.
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