Plot: Nai is searching for his close friend, Karuko, using only the bracelet that he left behind as a clue. Somewhere along the way, Nai is captured, and a thief named Gareki rescues him. Afterward, the pair gets mixed up in a series of events, and Nai learns that the bracelet Karuko left behind is an out-of-date ID once used by a group called "Circus"... (A)
Characters: likeable, but they don't have much substance -- B-
Art & Animation: A-
Voice Acting: A-
Music: B+
Objectionable Content: Blood, suggestive material, profanity
Other: The anime caught my interest right away, so I looked up the manga too. There are some differences, but the anime adaptation is fairly close, though the characters are already a little stronger in the first couple chapters of the manga.
Overall Score: B+
Plot: Chiyo Mihama is a ten-year-old prodigy recently transferred to high school. She quickly makes friends at her new school and has wacky adventures. (B)
Characters: Nothin' deep, but entertaining. (B+)
Art & Animation: B
Voice Acting: I favor the dub. (B+)
Music: C
Objectionable Content: Suggestive themes/innuendo, profanity
Other: An off-balance slice-of-life comedy driven by its crazy characters that comes from the same author as "Yotsuba&!". This one has some pretty awkward moments as well as extremely hilarious ones.
I have never read the manga.
Overall Score: B
Plot: Mikado Ryugamine moves out to bustling city of Ikebukuro at the invitation of his friend, Masaomi. He soon learns of the city's legends and dangers and finds himself at their core...(A- for originality)
Characters: A-
Art & Animation: A-
Voice Acting: A-
Music: C
Objectionable Content: Blood, suggestive themes, profanity
Other: A series with oddness that will keep you coming back to find out what happens next. It's made up of the stories of several characters whose lives intertwine.
Overall Score: B
Plot: Five friends drift apart after the death of a girl named Meiko Honma (AKA Menma). One summer, she comes back to have a certain wish granted -- but only one of the group, Jinta, can interact with her. (A)
Characters: Though I didn't feel particularly attached to any of them, they were explored enough to develop well. (A-)
Art & Animation: A
Voice Acting: A
Music: A+
Objectionable Content: Suggestive material, profanity
Other: This is not an anime I would have watched if I hadn't kept hearing how good it was. Anything with "ghosts" I usually avoid, but this one isn't creepy or occult -- it has more of a fantasy feel. This one's a tear-jerker, so keep a kleenex handy (though it's not as bad as Clannad Afterstory).
Overall Score: A
Plot: When the infamous Kyousuke Hyoubu pays a visit to an anti-ESPer prison, Andy Hinomiya is quick to latch onto him. Hinomiya is an investigator sent to check up on Hyoubu's criminal group, P.A.N.D.R.A., and to do that, he must gain the group's trust. But he is surprised to find that the group, including its leader, has another face -- that of a protector for ESPers. (Interesting from the get-go -- A)
Characters: B+ (may be jumping the gun on this judgment, as there are only five episodes thus far)
Art & Animation: A
Voice Acting: A-
Music: B+
Objectionable Content: blood/gore, profanity, suggestive themes
Other: A spin-off of "Zettai Karen Children" (English: "Psychic Squad"). Unlike its predecessor, "The Unlimited" is undoubtedly shonen and fairly serious. It disposes of the fan service and innuendo (thank goodness), but starts out with some gore (so, squeamish viewers, keep your finger on the fast-forward or cover your eyes). Fans of "Children", you'll be pleased to see lots of the original cast reappearing here.
Overall Score: B+
