Anime Reviews

Ouran High School if summed up into one word that word would be elite. It contains only the students with the most prestigious and wealthy backgrounds. Well that is all except one. Meet Haruhi Fukioka (Maaya Sakamoto) she has just transferred from Ouran Public Middle School to Ouran High on an educational scholarship. Deciding that she would never fit into the world of the rich she dedicates herself to study...that is until she breaks the vase of Tamaki Suoh (Mamoru Miyano), the beautiful but often clueless leader of the most popular club on campus. Now Haruhi must pay off her debt by working as a host in the Ouran High School Host Club.
This anime is one which while acknowledging that it is an anime still makes fun of anime stereotypes in a highly effective and hilarious way. With gender confusion, the elite’s constant effort to understand 'commoners', highly moe twins, dancing rivals and a mechanical pedestal that appears from now where Ouran High School Host Club is an anime which any girl would fall in love with.


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Freedom. What is it and who deserves it? This is the question which is intertwined and referred too constantly throughout Elemental Gelade. The story surrounds the main character Coud Van Giruet (Akira Ishia) who makes a promise to Ren (Mikako Takahashi), an Edel Raid, to take her back to her home which they suspect is heaven. Eden Raids have the ability to transform into a weapon once they have bonded with a human. Naturally there are those who wish to protect the Eden Raids and those who extort their power for their own gains. A story of unexpected love, courage, tragedy and hope.



Although this anime has a few filler episodes and the overall plot is not delivered straight away I suggest you pull through because the ending is completely worth it. For all those who love a tear jerking ending Elemental Gelade is the anime for you.

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On the first day back at school Tomoya Okazaki (Yuichi Nakamura) meets a girl standing at the bottom of the hill leading to their high school. She asks if she can walk with him because she does not have the strength to walk it alone. He tells her bluntly if she can do whatever she wants and thus begins the friendship between Tomoya and Nagisa Furukawa (Mai Nakahara).

The way that this anime is set up is unique and really impressed me. Clannad has its two main characters Nagisa and Tomoyo who are trying to re-establish the drama society their high school. That's the overall plot, however within that plot is four other plot lines which last for on average four episodes and all end in their own little climax. Although not a comedy the scenes which are comedic are perfectly executed so I suggest watch this one with a friend. Trust me.

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When a princesses 16th birthday predicts the end of the world her parents, the king and queen, decide it is their duty to dispose of the child. By a miracle Princess Pacifica Casull (Fumiko Orikasa) survives and 14 years on is hunted by practically the whole planet because she is preserved to be the most evil being on the planet. It's a race against the clock to discover the true meaning behind Pacifica's destiny before the day humanity is destined to be abolished forever.



Should the fate of one be sacrificed to save the life of many? Scrapped Princess explores this theme extensively but the anime is not all philosophical. There are great battle scenes, a unique blend of good and evil, loveable characters and more twists than you will know what to do with.

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Neko Mimi Mode De! Moon Phase follows the life of Kouhei Morioka, a paranormal photographer, after he meets the beautiful but quirky Hazuki. Shes sweet, calm, understanding and seems helpless…no wait now shes demanding, angry and forceful. Hazuki’s constant mood swings and her love of all things cat like make her an adorable character that you will fall in love with. Well that and the fact that she’s and vampire and Kouhei is her slave (even if he does not seem to know it yet).

This anime transport you into the hierarchical world of vampires and believe me you won’t want to leave. Moon Phase blends teenage love and supernatural fight scenes perfect with crazy situations which will leave you in stitches.

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Teenage angst, fight scenes full of rose petals and dark feathers and smart mouthed dolls. What more could you ask from an anime?

Set in modern Japan Jun Sakurada, after a traumatic event at school, spends his time at home ordering mysterious products of the internet to test and return. By a twist of fate his world changes when he orders and unknowingly creates a contract with a beautiful doll called Shinku, a Rozen Maiden.

Rozen Maiden turns the master – slave complex on its head as Shinku uses Jun as a medium that she sucks energy from in order to fight her sisters, the six other Rozen Maidens for an opportunity to meet their maker whom they all call Father by becoming physical purity, Alice. This deep desire is what makes Rozen Maiden so addictive as you yourself want to see which dolls succeeds and what it means to become Alice.

It is recommended that all three seasons should be watched (Rozen Maiden: Traumend and Overture) as the first season has barely any character development and leaves annoying questions about the plot which the other seasons answer. Nevertheless the characters are loveable, the plot line confusing but deep and the time spent watching the season will not be wasted.

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A supernatural comedy drama, The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya, will make you wish you were part of Haruhi’s world and leaving you questioning your position in your own. If there is anything you have to see this year The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya is it. This anime has it all. Dramatic scenes full of alien supernatural sparkle, a time travelling babe with ‘classified information’, a hot and smooth talking male esper, a girl who gets whatever she wants and a smart mouthed boy who is reluctantly caught in the middle. Kyon starts high school having let go of his childhood fantasies of secret superheros, evil syndicates and unbelievable monsters. This is until he meets the beautiful Haruhi. Haruhi finds the world boring and everyone in the world just doesn’t seem to interest her…except for Kyon. Together (okay so Kyon didn’t really agree to it) they form the SOS Brigade whose soul purpose is to search for aliens, espers and time travellers. Currently on its second season this anime has a huge fan base following (just type in Hare Hare Yukai into youtube) and once you watch it you’ll understand why.