Plot: Following a (perhaps unfortunate) fairy encounter, Kahoko Hino is picked to participate in Seiso Academy's schoolwide music competition. She's a general studies student who's never touched an instrument in her life, and the fairy, Lili, gives her a magic violin that anyone can play. But up against the students of the music department, who dedicate all they have to music, she is constantly forced to face the fact that her music doesn't come from her skills. (A-)
Characters: Some of them are a bit hollow/weak (B)
Art & Animation: The animators get lazy a lot. (B)
Voice Acting: A-
Music: B+
Objectionable Content: Mild. Some profanity and suggestive dialogue.
Other: I'm getting to recognize shojo stereotypes and devices now, and there are a lot of your typical ones at play here -- in other words, not much new to see. But it's an entertaining watch nonetheless.
I've never read the manga
Overall Score: B+
Plot: Famed scientist Dr. O'Shay finds a robotic boy in a lab and reactivates it. The robot, dubbed Astro, has a special system called "Kokoro" that gives him human-like emotions. Astro protects his human companions from danger, but he himself is being targeted by the deranged Dr. Tenma -- as well as by people who hate and fear machines... (B+)
Characters: B
Art & Animation: B+
Voice Acting: Dub -- B
Music: A
Objectionable Content: Virtually none
Other: Yeah, it's a kids' show and some parts are dumbed down (especially later, when they decide to bring Astro's "sister", Zoran, into the picture). But overall, the stories are well-done and interesting to watch (especially when they go into Astro's backstory).
Overall Score: B+
Plot: Sawako Kuronuma looks like a character from a horror film and thus has earned the nickname "Sadako". Strange rumors surround her and her looks. But in truth, Sawako is a sweet and shy teenager who is too nice for her own good. When she catches the eye of the popular class nice-guy, Kazehaya, he starts talking to her, opening the way for Sawako to make some new friends. (B+)
Characters: A
Art & Animation: Manga -- B- / Anime -- B+
Voice Acting: A
Music: A
Objectionable Content: Mild (some profanity in the anime)
Other: Recently I seem to be reading more and more lovey-dovey shojo... Hmm. So far, this is a sweet and innocent series about a girl who's downright misunderstood. There are some nice personalities here, which makes it fun. *thumbs up*
They did a great job getting the anime to match the mood of the manga! =^^=
Overall Score: A-
Plot: While the rest of the world is at war with ZAFT's coordinators (genetically-modified humans who live in colonies in space), life in the neutral colony of Heliopolis continues without disturbance. Kira Yamato and his friends are students living normal lives until ZAFT forces attack their school to seize the mobile suits that were secretly being manufactured there. To protect his friends, Kira winds up piloting one of the experimental weapons. Because top military secrets were exposed, Kira and his friends can't return to their normal lives and instead are taken into the military. From then on, Kira finds himself locked in a battle he can't escape -- and on top of that, his best friend, Athrun, is on the other side...
Characters: A
Art & Animation: A-
Voice Acting: Dub -- B
Music: B+
Objectionable Content: Blood, suggestive themes, some explicit material, profanity
Other: This is the only branch of the Gundam saga I've read/watched, so I can't compare it with its predecessors. I can only say that I appreciate the strong anti-war message and that neither side is really vilified or glorified. I haven't finished either the manga or the anime, but I prefer the manga thus far (it's slightly cleaned up). Again, irritated that they had to stick explicit sexual material into this. (It made me LOATHE that manipulative fox, Flay.)
Overall Score: B+
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Plot: A young man named Joe Shimamura finds out that he has been made into a cyborg weapon by a mysterious organization known as "Black Ghost". With the help of eight others like him who have amazing abilities, he sets out to discover the global weapons organization's goals and thwart their evil plans. (A-)
Characters: Each one is well-explored and intriguing (A)
Art & Animation: B-
Voice Acting: A
Music: B
Objectionable Content: I watched the edited version that aired on Toonami, and I don't remember there being much besides blood and perhaps mild language.
Other: A sci-fi series that can range from light action/adventure to some very heavy sociopolitical themes. What I saw of the anime was very good; I have never read the book.
Overall Score: B+
