Shinsekai Yori

Image from: http://www.animefreak.tv/watch/shinsekai-yori-online

Name: From the New World 新世界より Shinsekai Yori

Status: Completed
Episode: 25
Release Date (for eng subs): -


Summary:
A millennium from now, in Japan, exists a utopia. The Protagonist, Saki Watanabe, lives in an idyllic village barred from the outside world. Her world is ruled by the people who possess the "gods' power" of psychokinesis. After finally obtaining her own powers, Saki enters the Zenjin Academy to train along with five other children: Satoru Asahina, Maria Akizuki, Mamoru Itou, Shun Aonuma, and Reiko Amano.


Not all is as it seems, however. In this utopian village, strange rumors about a monstrous cat that abducts children circulate, and students are said to disappear from the academy. The world and its history are much darker than they appear and humanity is on the verge of collapse.


Summary from: http://myanimelist.net/anime/13125/Shinsekai_yori
Summary Source: TV Tropes


Personal Ratings: 3
This anime is really unique. It does not really have a specific genre.

The anime was really quite hard to understand, especially since they do not give us time to digest the information they are feeding us. The names of the creatures and the types of species there are were hard to grasp. They way they give us information was also really dry and not unique, so it was hard to take it in since it was boring. 
It was also hard to understand the feelings at that point of time, because they make it seem like everyone was evil all the time. So it was hard to understand who was evil and who wasn't. There was also a change in drawing in the middle of the first arc of the show, so I was very confused as to what was happening. 

The anime may have very boring parts, but it's usually quite intense and thrilling for the climax of each parts.
The unique thing about this anime is that human relationships between one anther is not differentiated between boys and girl. You can be a lesbian one time, and yet still like a boy after that. I guess this is how the society would look like if the world accepts lesbians and gays. 
I think that this anime actually shows a lot about the human race, in a unique and indirect way. About how human view themselves as a being more superior than others, and also about the way the human acts when facing different situations (e.g. when stressed). 


Art Ratings: 3
I like the way they draw the hair. Didn't really like the way they drew the eyes though.
I find the designs some times a little weird. But I think they could really bring out the personality of a person from their designs.
The animation was smooth too. 


Recommended for: 
Gender: Male & Female
Age: 16 and above
My Ratings: NC-16

Accel World

Image from: http://myanimelist.net/anime/11759/Accel_World

Name: Accel World アクセル・ワールド

Status: Completed
Episode: 24
Release date (for eng subs): -


Summary:
Haruyuki is an overweight kid and at the bottom of the food chain at his middle school. Within the sci-fi setting of the real world he often seeks refuge in a virtual one. One day however his life changes when he is given an opportunity by the prettiest girl in the school no less, to integrate the two by means of a program called accelerated world. There is a catch however, in order to keep this add-on he must score points by fighting others within the realm of this new virtual world.


Summary from: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2339875/plotsummary
Summary by: Mattias1



Personal Ratings: 2.5
Was expecting a lot from this anime, since it was really quite popular. But I didn't see anything I liked from the beginning to the end. The only thing that I liked was the fighting scene between Black Lotus and Yellow Radio (fight between the two kings). But that lasted for like what 5 seconds? 

Was really expecting this anime to have a lot more action scenes. But honestly, there was barely any decent action scenes. I also didn't like they way they name the fighting moves, I think it makes the fighting scene less cooler.

Although this anime is a lot more unique compared to the typical mainstream animes, I don't think that it has any great contents. Though, I do like all the strategical scenes and thinking process. 
Confusing relationships and action between the main characters. 



Art Ratings: 3
Quite nice designs. Liked the animation. I feel that the drawing was a little to edgy, like the hair and the eyes had very sharp lines. 


Recommended for:
Gender: Male & Female
Age: 16 and above
My Ratings: PG-13

No. 6

Image from: http://myanimelist.net/anime/10161/No.6

Name: No. 6 ナンバー・シックス

Status: Completed
Episode: 11
Release date (for eng subs): -


Summary:
In a near future world, after the last great war, most of mankind lives in a handful of city states. There, for the privileged elite, life should be perfect. But for young Shion, the only thing perfect has been the nightmare his life has become since letting a strange boy called Rat spend the night in his apartment.

Banished to the outskirts of the city and stripped of all privileges for helping the mysterious stranger who has since disappeared, Shion now finds himself in even worse danger as his inquiry into a new series of mysterious deaths results in his being arrested on suspicion of murder! 

But even as Shion is being sent to the city's Correctional Institute, the long-missing Rat reappears to rescue him! Now on the run, the two young men have only one chance at survival: uncover the mysterious secrets that lie at the sinister heart of No. 6!

Summary from: http://myanimelist.net/anime/10161/No.6
Summary Source: RightStuf


Personal Ratings: 3.5
Very unique anime. At first when I first started to watch the anime, I found it weird and boring. Since the starting starts out a little slow, (and maybe a little weird even as you go on,) I really recommend that you continue to watch as it gets a lot more interesting in the later part of the show. 
I realise that shows about future unfair systems are in some way weird at first. (animes like Psycho Pass). They also usually show the system as unfair.

Like most shows that shows technology of the future, it is really fun to see how the producers think that the systems and gadgets would be like in the future. I really like to see the advancement and uniqueness of the future. However, unfortunately, this part of the anime does not really show or play a huge part of the anime. The anime is more about the psychology of the people who rule the country. Exciting and unexpected story line from the middle to the end.

This show maybe a little hard to understand, especially the random gay scenes. It's a little complex, especially when there is a change of pace from being very logical, to being a little more fictional. The relationships between the peoples may also be a little hard to understand (since they are not limited to only people but animals.) Abrupt ending, which left me kind of clueless as to what is happening. I'm hoping that there would be an OVA to see what happen to the two main character of the anime. (if they had went separate ways, or still continue to be together).


Art Ratings: 3
Nice art, though a little plain and lack originality. Love the animation. Really smooth action scenes.


Recommended for:
Gender: Female & Male
Age: 15 and above
My Ratings: PG-13

Hal

Image from: http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/343074

Name: Hal ハール

Status: Movie
Release Date (in Japan): 8 June 2013
Watched on: 1 January 2014


Summary:
Hal takes place in the near future and focuses on a girl named Kurumi and a male humanoid robot with the same name as the movie title. In the story of Hal, a boy named Hal dies in a plane explosion. Due to Kurumi having feelings for Hal, her will to live is gone after his death. However, that changes when Kurumi is provided by an android that completely looks like Hal. From there, the romance between Kurumi and “Robo Hal” starts to bloom. But, the robot starts to learn about the couple's past.

Summary from: http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/343074


Personal Ratings: 2.5
Honestly, I think this movie is really quite nice. There isn't a lot of talking, and a lot more emotions and actions packed into the movie. 

But I felt like the movie was some what incomplete and too short. The development of the feelings toward each other (the robot and Kurumi) was just too short. Honestly, it did not felt like a proper development. I also thought that it was necessary to properly show the past between Hal and Kurumi, not just small parts of it.
And I did not really understand the last part. So in reality, who was the one that died, Kurumi or Hal? 

I loved the idea about the Rubik cube. All in all I think it's a really unique movie. It's a pity that there was not enough time for proper development. 



Art Ratings: 3.5
Like the art. I think it resembles Ao Haru Ride (Manga). Though for some parts, the art may look a little weird. 



Recommended for:
Gender: Female & Male
Age: 15 and above
My Ratings: PG-13

Samurai Flamenco

Image from: http://www.animefreak.tv/watch/samurai-flamenco-online

Name: Samurai Flamenco サムライフラメンコ

Status: Completed
Episode: 22
Release Date (for eng subs): Every Thursday


Summary:

Masayoshi Hazama: a man who has become a superhero "by himself" with no superhuman powers or any sort of high-tech conversions, NONE!! 

Hidenori Goto: a cop who found out the true identity of "the superhero" by a strange twist of fate and thus constantly gets in trouble thanks to Hazama, the superhero. 

This is the story of the birth of a true hero featuring these two young men with a touch of comedy and serious drama, while they come face to face with hardships as they search for the true meaning of becoming a hero of justice in this world!

Summary Source: Aniplex USA

Summary from: http://myanimelist.net/anime/19365/Samurai_Flamenco

Personal Ratings: 3.5

Oh, a very unique show. 

Though, I'm kind of confused if it's suppose to be more of a kamen rider (masked rider), or power ranger. At first, they said it was Kamen Rider. So I thought that it would be him and him alone. But then they suddenly moved into power ranger. So I was kind of confused. But now it looks like they are totally stuck on power ranger.

I loved the first part of the show. Because it is not your typical super hero shows, but more about the reality side of heros. However, when the show suddenly made random monsters appeared, it started getting more typical. So I didn't actually like it. If the monsters were a little more realistic-like, I'm sure it would have been a lot better.

Last 3 to 2 episodes was really awesome. I really liked it. I think that if they were going to make the anime this way, they should have made the first half of the anime a little shorter. I find that the last two mini arcs of the anime lacked development, even though it was nice. There wasn't really a conclusion when it came to Goto's girl friend. They didn't say what happened to her and the bus driver who disappeared. 

I really do recommend people to continue watching the whole show if you have started, even if it get a little boring and idiotic in the middle of the anime. The last few episodes were really really good. 

Art Ratings: 3.5

Quite nice animation, art and character design. But Some times in the animation, the character's hair can look a little weird.

Recommended for:
Gender: Male & Female
Age: 16 and above
My Ratings: PG-13

Recommended anime: Winter 2014

Winter 2014

Shoujo:
Chuunibyou demo Koi ga Shitai! Ren
*Nisekoi

Shounen:
Buddy Complex
Hamatora
*Noragami
Silver Spoon 2


Autumn 2013 (Now still on-going)

Shoujo:
Golden Time
Nagi no Asukara

Shounen:
Diamond no Ace
Kill la Kill
Kuroko no Basuke 2
*Log Horizon
Magi Season 2


View List of Recommended animes here: http://strawberryshortcake-reviews.blogspot.com/p/recommened-animes.html

* Highly Recommended for this season (Sequels not included)

Frozen

Image from: http://www.skwigly.co.uk/new-uk-disney-frozen-poster/

Name: Frozen

Release Date (in Singapore): 28 November 2013
Watched on: 28 December 2013


Summary:
Elsa is born with a unique power that enables her to turn things into ice. Her powers grew stronger as time goes by. She soon was not able to control her powers, as she grew more and more afraid of her powers. 
When one day, her parents died, and she has to take over the throne. The palace was than open for the people. However, when her sister, Anna, brought back news that she was going to get married to a guy she just met on that day, they fought, making Elsa lose control of her powers. Elsa than fled into the mountains, and Anna went to look for her.

Summary by: AngelaAgness


Personal Ratings: 4
Honestly, I was expecting a lot from this show, since the trailer was really awesome. And I would have to say that it was some what to my expectations. Though I didn't know that they would have it in the form of a musical. 

Honestly, I thought that Elsa would be the main character, and was kind of disappointing when Anna was the main character, instead of Elsa.

I really liked all the songs in the show, and I really thought that the first part was really interesting and funny. I love the parts where the voice actresses and actors harmonize their voices together. 
Unique show. I think it's really different from the classical Disney pictures. 
Basically the show was awesome, and I think they did a great job with the emotional first part. (I know I started crying a little). Loved how they matched the song tune with the pictures (especially the part where Elena was using her powers).

However, I find that the show seemed a little rushed. I felt like the ending was really rushed, and there was like a plunge from the climax to the ending. And for some songs, it felt kind of long, even though the pictures were really funny. But the kids around me were all moving and started to get bored during those long songs. If they had cut down the song length, and have more songs instead, I think that would have been a little better. 

Overall, a really awesome show. Must watch this year!


Recommended for:
Gender: Female & Male
Age: All ages
Ratings: G