Sarynn’s Anime Wishlist

Short Synopsis: Tomoya Okazaki considers himself a delinquent. He hates school, usually turning up late, and has had a troublesome relationship with his father since his mother died. One day on the way to school, he meets Nagisa Furukawa, a girl who lacks confidence after being away from school for a year due to sickness. Over time she opens up to Tomoya and finds herself spending more time with him, changing him in the process.

Recommended Audience: 13+ (dramatic/tragic elements, suggestive themes, animated blood)

Short Review: Clannad’s masterful mixing of drama, comedy, and romance make it a very charming watch.  Probably one of the best examples of drama in anime actually, thanks to great character development and strong themes. Some might be disappointed in its slow middle and deus-ex-machina ending, but for most, this is a classic to be remembered fondly for years to come.

Tomoya is labelled as a delinquent at his school because he is constantly late and skips classes, but he seems to have little care about how others perceive of him. Everything in his life seemed dull and unchanging until one morning he meets Nagisa Furukawa on the road to his school; he finds her muttering to herself to give her more motivation for the day. She has an odd habit of saying the names of foods she is going to eat to encourage herself. Nagisa has been sick for almost a year last year and subsequently has to repeat her third year of school. But now all her friends have graduated and she feels alone. Tomoya is rather indifferent at first, but decides that he has nothing better to do and spends increasingly more time helping Nagisa restore the school drama club.

NOTE: If you enjoy this show, I highly recommend you watch its sequel season “Clannad ~After Story~” as well.

Family Reviews:
THEM

Other Reviews:
AniDB - AnimeNfo - Anime Planet (Review #1, Review #2) - Anime Source - MyAnimeList - Nihon - Star Crossed

Status: Currently Watching

Short Synopsis: Yuuko is a witch who grants people’s wishes, but in return the person has to give up something precious. Watanuki Kimihiro, a man who has visions, encounters Yuuko and she promises to get rid of the spirits that torment him. In return Watanuki must work in Yuuko’s shop and help her grant other people’s wishes.

Recommended Audience: 13+ (some disturbing violence, mature themes)

Short Review: xxxHolic is a very unique show with stunning characters and a nice blend of different atmospheres. It’s a case-based mystery drama and watching the interactions of its unusually original (yet likable) cast and the supernatural scenarios they’re put in is what really makes this series shine. It has a strange animation style and dark feel that might put off some viewiers, but for most it’ll be a very special and fun viewing.

NOTE: The show is simply pronounced “holic” as in “alcoholic.” Most of the stories deal in some way with addictions, compulsions or obsessions.

Kimihiro Watanuki is more than a normal high school student. He possess the ability to see spirits. However, more often than not, he meets with malevolent ones that are likely to chase him and give him the time of his life. One day, he wonders into a shop own by a mysterious Yuuko who grants people’s deepest wishes and desires. She can free him of his “ability”. However, she demands a price in return - he must work for her. Thus, begin Watanuki’s new job in a shop that is not quite what it seems…

NOTE: If you enjoy this show, I highly recommend you watch its sequel season “xxxHolic Kei” as well.

Family reviews:
FunBlog - THEM

Other reviews:
AniDB - AnimeNfo - Anime Source - MyAnimeList - Star Crossed

Status: Finished Viewing

Short Synopsis: Renton is 14 year-old boy who lives with his mechanic grandfather, and whose life is thrown somewhat off-kilter when a mech called Nirvash crashes into his house one day and a young girl called Eureka pops up asking for help to repair it. This would become the catalyst to a set of events that would forever change his life, if not the world.

Recommended Audience: 16+ (some bloody violence, nudity, language, mature themes - though never to excess in any of these)

Short Review: A compelling story that should be checked out by any anime fan. Though not for everyone, Eureka Seven has many excellent qualities going for it… great characters, a deep emotional plot that twists into rather surprising directions, fantastical animation, cool battle sequences, and actual originality that breaks from the mecha stereotypes. It’s not flawless (slow beginning, some annoying characters), but it’s definitely one of the best action tales ever produced, and worth a watch.

Renton Thorston is an average 14 year old with an uncommon passion for “reffing”, a fantastical type of air surfing that involves riding transparent light particles through the sky. But to Renton, his love for reffing is more than just a hobby — it’s the only way to escape the oppressive boredom of his life in Bellforest, where he lives alone with his cantankerous grandfather.

His life takes a turn when a hulking mech robot crash-lands in Renton’s backyard and he meets the mysterious young girl Eureka, a fellow reffer who seeks Renton’s help in getting her machine back off the ground. When the military gets involved and attempts to attack them, Renton is invited to join Gekko State - a rebel group of reffers that is against the military. However, he quickly realizes that behind the facade of a traveling group of mercenaries is a very bitter reality.

As the story unfolds Eureka and Renton will grow and become entangled in a series of events and choices that’ll affect each other and the whole of humanity.

Family reviews:
Common Sense Media - CAA

Other reviews:
AniDB - Anime Academy - Anime Nfo - Anime Source - Meta Anime - MyAnimeList - Star Crossed - vissiOne

Short Synopsis: Eleven years has passed since the legendary assassin Hitokiri Battousai disappeared. Now using his real name Himura Kenshin, his travels lead him to Tokyo where he befriends a Kendo master, a former thief, a brawler, and a doctor all with their own secrets. Together they fight off the enemies surfacing from the dark past that Kenshin cannot escape.

Recommended Audience: 13+ (bloody violence though not excessively gory, mature themes)

Short Review: A wonderful action classic for the first two seasons, though the third adventure is merely passable filler.

In the period of time when Japan was undergoing its transition into the modern world, the samurai was quickly becoming an obsolete piece of tradition that was hindering the new government’s ability to solidify its power. Using the Hitokiri (literally: man-cutters - professional killers), and the conscript army, the government was able to put down the rebellious samurai once and for all.

However, one of those Hitokiri, the most powerful and deadly of the lot, the one named Battousai … gained a conscience. The deeds he had justified in the name of the new order had cost him his soul, and he could no longer serve the government in his duty. He swore he would never kill again, so he became a rurounin, a masterless wanderer who would use his powers to protect, rather than kill.

In a time when law was not yet just, and the lawless were still strong, only he was there to protect the innocent from those who would take away what little freedom they had. And he used his real name: Himura Kenshin. Can Kenshin hold his word that he would never again kill? Or will the onslaught of new threats finally force him to become yet again the Hitokiri Battousai … one who relishes the sheen of blood on his sword?

Family Reviews:
AAW - Anime Cafe - Anime Review - CAA - THEM

Other Reviews:
AMR - AniDB - Anime Academy - AnimeNfo - Anime Planet - Anime Source - Meta Anime - MyAnimeList

Short Synopsis: Mikako Nagamine and Noboru Terao are two young lovers about to enter high school together. One day, Nagamine become a pilot of a giant mecha in a war with aliens known as Tarsians. She attempts to contact Noboru through her cell phone, but as she travels light years away from Earth, this gap widens and widens, and communication with her beloved becomes painfully difficult.

Recommended Audience: 13+ (mature theme, violence, minor blood)

Short Review: A nigh-perfect anime for its genre; a must-view movie.

Nagamine is a young high school student who lives a fairly typical teenage life: hanging out with friends, attending class, and falling in love with a wonderful boy. But when she enlists in the galactic army, who is desperate for candidates to fight an alien war, she finds herself drifting farther away from her first love, Noboru. In the depths of space, where a simple email takes years to be delivered, will their love truly flourish, or simply fade away?

Voices is the product of a single man and a Power Mac. Shinkai Makoto, the film’s director/animator/creator, literally did every last thing on the show save for the voices, the music, and the sound effects.

Family Reviews:
AAW - Anime Review - CAA - FunBlog - THEM

Other Reviews:
AMR - AniDB - Anime Academy - AnimeNfo - Anime Planet - Anime Source - Meta Anime - MyAnimeList - Nihon

Status: Finished Viewing

Short Synopsis: It’s the year 2012, and the entire world, except Tokyo, has been destroyed… or that was what Kamina Ayato was taught at school. When Tokyo is attacked, Ayato finds himself escaping the city in a secret weapon: RahXephon. What he learns away from his city is that everything he knew was a lie; the rest of the world is not only populated, but also at war with Tokyo. Now, Ayato, along with RahXephon, is a pivotal part of a war he didn’t know about, and a nightmare he doesn’t want to take part in.

Recommended Audience: 16+ (violence, mature themes will not interest younger viewers anyway, some nudity)

Short review: First of all, RahXephon is a thinker’s anime. It encourages you to think about what you just saw, to ask questions, consider why these events are occurring, just as the characters are asking the same hard questions themselves; if you’re not willing to devote any thought, or need the plot to be explained out to you, then you might want to give up on this before you get started. Though same as Ergo Proxy, if you’re open-minded to contemplate this series, then you are in for an extraordinary treat. This is an anime that is so good it will make you say “What the (expletive)!” several times. This is a series that is powerful, intellectual, and beautiful at the same time. In short, RahXephon is one of the greatest mecha animes ever, a sublime experience that is rivaled by very few other titles.

In the year 2012, mysterious alien invaders nearly destroyed the entire world, or so the people of Tokyo believe. Now 2015, the people of Tokyo are stunned by the attack of forces from outside of their city.

Caught in the middle of this conflict is Kamina Ayato, a young man who, like the rest of those in Tokyo, has been duped in to believing that the city around him was all that was left in the world. With help from his mysterious friend Mishima Reika, Ayato awakens RahXephon, a giant mecha with awe-inspiring abilities. Ayato then breaks out of Tokyo Jupiter, the name given to a giant dome controlled by the alien menace that encompasses the city of Tokyo and its 23 million inhabitants. Once out, Ayato discovers that the year is really 2027 and that the world outside of Tokyo is still very much alive. Together with TERRA, Ayato battles against the mysterious alien invaders (known as the Mu) in RahXephon, all the while attempting to discover what is real, what is not, and what his place is in the events unfurling before him.

NOTE: Make sure you watch the ending even past the credits.

NOTE: If you’ve finished the series and still don’t quite understand the full plot, you can read explanations and *complete* spoilers (i.e., please save it until after you watched the show) at http://www.kenoki.com/nko/index.html (also please see this link). Another great fansite is http://rahxephon.comicgenesis.com/ if you can appreciate something more chibi.

Family Reviews:
CAA - THEM

Other Reviews:
AniDB - Anime Academy - AnimeNfo - Anime Source - Meta Anime - MyAnimeList - Nihon -

Short Synopsis: Innocent, naive, and locked in the castle tower since birth, Princess Arete wants nothing more than to escape the royal life and live as the commoners live, and to see things that she has only dreamed about in her books. One day, her wish is granted — though under less than ideal circumstances — by the sorcerer Boax, who charms her into becoming his wife. On his flying machine from the days of magic, Arete embarks on a mystical journey full of discovery, enlightenment, and wonder beyond belief…

Recommended Audience: Everyone (PG / some fantasy violence, minor brief nudity)

Short Review: Princess Arete is not your typical princess anime, and the princess herself is not your typical princess. This is a beautiful watching experience in both the audio and visual realms, and the story is definitely subtle and slower paced, but as long as you can handle such a thing, this sweet drama tale will be a treat for you to see.

Confined in the castle tower by her father princess Arete spends her days watching the world outside her window. Sometimes she seeks out to watch the common people at work. The knights of the kingdom compete for the right to marry her and rule the land by competing to see who can find powerful magic objects made by a long dead race of sorcerers. Arete wants none of this. She longs to meet the common people and travel to exotic lands she has only seen in the books she keeps hidden under her bed. One day the sorcerer Boax arrives in a fantastic flying machine to take Arete as his wife and fly off with her to his far away castle. Will Arete find another prison … or finally find the way to her own heart’s desire?

Family reviews:
THEM

Other reviews:
AniDB - Anime Academy - AnimeNfo - Anime Planet - Anime Source - MyAnimeList - Star Crossed

Status: Finished Viewing

Short Synopsis: Shortly after entering high school, Tohru Honda’s mother lost her life in a tragic accident. After a brief period of living in a tent in the woods, Tohru eventually comes to reside at the Souma residence with her classmate, Yuki Souma, and his relatives.  But her life changes forever when she stumbles upon the secret of the Sohma family.

Recommended Audience: Everyone (PG / some violence and mild mature themes)

Short Review: The series is incredible, simply put. It brings together a light humor with a touching story that will even help you learn about your own life and how to deal with your experiences.

The story begins with Tohru Honda, an average high-school girl, who has led a very unfortunate life. Her father died of an illness when she was young and she has recently lost her mother in a tragic car accident. She is left with virtually no family except her grandfather whom she lives with for a time, but eventually he has to remodel the house to accommodate for more people. Rather than impose on her friends, Tohru instead decides that now would be a good chance to learn what it means to live alone and be self sufficient and sets up a tent on some vacant land. However, much to her surprise, the land isn’t vacant afterall, but is in fact part of the Sohma clan’s lands.

Yuki Sohma, her fellow classmate and the most popular (and good looking) freshman, lives with his cousin Shigure near where Tohru set up her tent. When a landslide buries Tohru’s tent however, Shigure and Yuki take Tohru into their home. In return, Tohru agrees to take on all the housework. However, her life is about to change as she learns more about the mysterious Souma family and their most unusual secret…

Family reviews:
AAW - Anime Cafe - CAA - THEM

Other reviews:
AMR - AniDB - Anime Academy - AnimeNfo - Anime Source - Meta Anime - MyAnimeList - Nihon - Star Crossed

Short Synopsis: An after-school bullying sessions turns Ippo’s life around for the better, as he is saved by a boxer named Takamura. He decides to follow in Takamura’s footsteps and train to become a boxer, giving his life direction and purpose.

Recommended Audience: 13+ (brutally intense action)

Short Review: Sports-related anime continues to be a surprise, as you might expect nothing more than mindless action. Instead, we are frequently presented with sharply-written, deep, and humorous shows which just happen to also contain great action. Hajime no Ippo is, without a doubt, the cream of the crop in the genre.

Makunouchi Ippo has been bullied his entire life. Constantly running errands and being beaten up by his classmates, Ippo has always dreamed of changing himself, but never has the passion to act upon it. One day, in the midst of yet another bullying, Ippo is saved by Takamura Mamoru, who happens to be a boxer. Ippo faints from his injuries and is brought to Takamura boxing gym to heal his injuries. As he regains consciousness, he is awed and amazed at his new surroundings in the gym, though lacks confidence to attempt anything. Takamura places a photo of Ippo’s classmate on a punching bag and forces him to punch it. It is only then that Ippo feels something stir inside him and eventually asks Takamura to train him in boxing. Thinking that Ippo does not have what it takes, Takamura gives him a task deemed impossible and gives him a one week time limit. With a sudden desire to get stronger, for himself and his hard working mother, Ippo trains relentlessly to accomplish the task within the time limit. Thus Ippo’s journey to the top of the boxing world begins.

Other reviews:
AMR - AniDB - Anime Academy - AnimeNfo - Anime Source - Meta Anime - MyAnimeList - KT+Anime - Spectrum

Short Synopsis: What starts as a simple interview of a legendary actress becomes a journey through the history of Japan. But this is no ordinary lesson; from the perspective of this actress, we learn of the beauty and sadness of love, the pain and regret and joy of the Japanese people and their film, through this film: Millennium Actress.

Recommended Audience: Everyone

Short Review: Even the best movies rarely get this good. It’s not for everyone, as its story is a bit complicated and calm, but it’s a simple, nostalgic, and yet profound work that will surely leave its mark on anyone who can feel deeply about someone. Millennium Actress is just undeniably enjoyable and good.

Legendary Actress Chiyoko Fujiwara has been the darling star of Genei Studios for years. But one day, at the peak of her career, she quits the movie business and goes into hiding, without giving any explanation to her adoring public. Many years later, while the old Genei Studios buildings are being demolished, an old fan of Chiyoko (now in her 70s) named Tachibana has been able to track her down and get her agreement to appear in the documentary he is filming about her career. He also comes bearing a gift. A long lost key that Chiyoko had been known to wear around her neck all the time. The unexpected gift launches a unique narrative of Chiyoko’s life and the significance of the key that blends the present with the past, and reality with cinematic fantasy.

Family reviews:
AAW (Review 1, Review 2), Anime Review, CAA, THEM

Other reviews:
AniDB - Anime Academy - AnimeNfo - Anime Planet - Anime Source - Meta Anime - MyAnimeList - Nihon