Phi Brain: Kami no Puzzle 2

Image from: http://www.animefreak.tv/watch/phi-brain-kami-no-puzzle-2-online

Name: Phi Brain: Kami no Puzzle 2 ファイ・ブレイン 神のパズル2
Prequel: Phi Brain: Kami no Puzzle

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


Summary:

After Kaito released Rook from the Orpheus armband and helped changed the POG, Kaito and his friends faced yet another problem; the Orpheus Order. They give a replica Orpheus wristband to people and make them challenge Kaito. In order to free them, Kaito has to defeat them. The story further proceeds by telling us that Kaito was at fault for killing Freecell's mother. Kaito has to defeat Freecell in order to free him from the false memory instilled by the replica armband.

Summary by: AngelaAgness

Personal Ratings: 2.5

Honestly, I found this season very boring. After watching for a while, I actually stopped watching because it was boring. But towards the ending, it got a little more interesting. 

I think the season why it got boring was that the puzzles were not the main thing in this season, but more of the storyline about Kaito's fake past. But than because it was really portrayed in a sloppy way, it didn't really appeal to me. 

Also, the part about Kaito was really sloppy, because from his character, no matter how much he hates killing people, I don't think he would let that get in the way of him solving puzzles. Also, there was to much cubic and Anna scene. 

I feel that for this season, it was worst then the previous season. Anna was really sprouting a lot of nonsense in this season. His lines were really poorly thought out. I feel that Gammon really have no screen time in this at all. 

Lastly, I think that the whole story line don't seem to flow and link very well. The significance of the new characters are also not there, other than Freecell, pinochle and Melancholy. 

Art Ratings: 1.5
Got a little worst compared to season one.


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

Phi Brain: Kami no Puzzle

Image from: http://myanimelist.net/anime/9981/Phi_Brain:_Kami_no_Puzzle

Name: Phi Brain: Kami no Puzzle ファイ・ブレイン 神のパズル
Sequel: Phi Brain: Kami no Puzzle 2

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


Summary:

Kaito Daimon would be a completely average high school student except for one thing: he's a 'demon' at solving puzzles. Kaito is so brilliant, in fact, that when he's asked to take some 'special' tests of his unique ability, he immediately suspects that the test itself is a test. Kaito suddenly finds himself caught up in a lethal Philosopher's Puzzle made by the sinister group POG, a murderous maze of trap upon trap, where failing to solve the secret correctly will result in death! Fortunately, Kaito's skills prove up to the first test, both for himself and his childhood friend Nanoha, who is also caught up in the deadly scheme. But now that he has been designated as a Solver, he is pulled into a new life where he must travel the world with other Solvers, attempting to solve the latest deadly riddles left by POG. There's a new conundrum around every corner and each deception could lead to death, but once a riddle has been posed, you can count on Kaito to unfold, unravel and unlock it!

Summary from: http://myanimelist.net/anime/9981/Phi_Brain:_Kami_no_Puzzle
Summary Source: Sentai Filmworks

Personal Ratings: 3

A unique anime about puzzles. In the anime, there is many different types of puzzle (I'm not sure if they made some of them up).

I love the first part where Kaito always finds a way out of the situation even though there seems to be no solution. I think that part is a lot more unique than solving a normal puzzle the normal way. I also like the story line for POG and Rook. Really makes the anime a whole lot more interesting. Though I think that they should properly explain Rook's past, by showing some scene.

I think that the 2nd half of the anime got a lot more boring, especially with the two new characters added (Cubic and Anna). I feel that since they came in, the importance of Kaito and Gammon is not there. I feel that since Cubic and Anna play such a huge role, it over powers Kaito's ability to solve puzzle. Also, the thing about Anna is really weird. I feel that her words don't actually meant anything. 

Art Ratings: 2
Not very nice. I don't like the way they draw the hair and the eyes. 


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

Log Horizon

Image from: http://www.crunchyroll.com/log-horizon

Name: Log Horizon
Sequel: Log Horizon 2

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


Summary:

One day, while playing the online game Elder Tales, 30,000 players suddenly find themselves trapped in another world. There, eight-year veteran gamer Shiroe also gets left behind. The trapped players are still alive, but they remain in combat with the monsters. The players don't understand what has happened to them, and they flee to Akiba, the largest city in Tokyo, where they are thrown into chaos. Once proud of his loner lifestyle, Shiroe forms a guild called Log Horizon with his old friend Naotsugu, female assassin Akatsuki and others.

Summary from: http://www.crunchyroll.com/log-horizon

Personal Ratings: 3

So far the anime is quite interesting. It's the same type as SAO and 1/2 Prince, about MMORPG Games. Honestly, comparing the first episode with SAO, it really lacked the visual impact, it also somehow really does not stand out as much as SAO did. However, the story line is a lot more thought out ad consistent, compared to SAO.

I really like how they use the visual symbols to help explain the type of jobs there is. It was really well explained. But I think because of huge number of jobs there are in the game, it's hard to tell them apart (like under mage, they have like the healing one, which has like 3 different types of jobs under it.) Really think that they should really minimize the type of main jobs and sub job there is out there. 

Like the lightness and simplicity of this anime. (though, I'm hoping that they would do something about the skill name, sounds so uncool). 

However, unlike in SAO, I didn't really like how this anime didn't really show how being inside the game was a lot different from real life, because half the time it just seems like they are just saying about how they can put things from the real life into the game, not the other way around. I also think that the levels of the characters are quite off. I don't think that there should be that many level 90s around. There were also not signs of anyone being level 91 and above, even though they mentioned that the level cap was up to 100.

I think they should add more action scenes, and especially to show specifically and properly how all the plans works out in reality, instead of just explaining it by words. I also felt that some of the strategies were really not that great, and some times I find that it's really quite retarded and normal, but they still make it seem like such a big deal. 

Some redundant parts, which I thought just dragged the anime, and wasn't really contributing to the anime. 

Can't wait for the next season! I'm hoping there will be more action scenes and information about the other cities. 

*2nd season this fall!

Art Ratings: 3

Not very nice. Lacks the impact and creativity. But I think the simplicity of the art really tones down the complexity of the story line.  

But I like the animation (especially for the action scenes, really smooth).

Recommended for:

Gender: Female & male

Age: 12 and above

My Ratings: PG

Nagi no Asukara

Image from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nagi_no_Asukara

Name: Nagi no Asukara 凪のあすから

Status: Completed
Episode: 26
Release date (for eng subs): Every Thursday


Summary:

Long ago, human civilization had lived in the oceanfloor. However, there were many humans who wanted to live above the surface and they moved to land. This created a separation between the two. After their middle school closes down, four middle school students from the sealand have to go to school on the mainland. This series is about their lives as they adjust to a new environment and the relationships with each other.

Summary from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nagi_no_Asukara

Personal Ratings: 2.5

This show is really quite unique. I would say it's purely about romance and love. This show can get a little clique and irritating in the middle, but you have to watch it will the end. There is just something about this anime that makes it different from others.

Some really confusing parts about their feelings and actions. Plot twists here and there, and there is a lot of love going on. I'm not sure if the basis of this anime is from any traditional history or story in Japan, but I think it's quite solid. It really flows throughout the whole anime, and they really kept relating to it. 

I like how they have the thing about living underwater. It was quite fun to see how there was the difference between living underwater and living on the surface. I think I actually found the 2nd half a lot more interesting, especially when it came to the difference between the people that hibernated and those that didn't. Though I thought the difference between the two episode (episode between the 1st part and the 2nd part) was kind of a huge difference that kind of got me thinking if I was even on the right episode. 

I think that they were really thorough when talking about the character's feelings, though some actions may really be quite contradicting. Some irritating parts here and there because they just kept crying (throughout the whole 2nd part).

I didn't really like this anime, until I watched the end. I think the end was really good, if there was a OVA or something that would tell me more about what happened in the later part, I would definitely look forward to it. 

Art Ratings: 4

I really like the art. I also like the animation. The only thing that is to over whelming is probably the eyes. It has to much sparkles.

Recommended for:

Gender: Female

Age: 13 and above

My Ratings: PG-13

Kuroko no Basuke 2

Image from: http://www.animefreak.tv/watch/kuroko-no-basket-2-online

Name: Kuroko no Basuke 2 (Extra: Kuroko Basuke NG-Shuu OVA: Tip Off)
Sequel: Kuroko no Basuke 3
Prequel: Kuroko no Basuke

Status: Completed
Episode: 25
Release date (for eng subs): Every Sunday


Summary:
Continuation from season 1


Personal Ratings: 3.5

I'm glad that they stick a lot more to the manga this time round. I really liked all the matches that were played. Though I think that the animation did no justice to the manga.

I'm not sure why, but the manga really has that impact, especially when it comes to the really cool parts. (I'm guessing the difference in size of the picture really makes the important and cool scenes pop out more). But for the anime, I just felt like there was this momentum that it is going by, and it really doesn't bring out the coolness and the impact. There was just this huge lack of impact and excitement in the anime that the manga had. 

That being said, I still really like the anime (mostly because of the interesting story line), and I can't wait for the next season's matches. 

Art Ratings: 3
Kuroko no Basuke for more info


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

Danganronpa The Animation

Image from: http://myanimelist.net/anime/16592/Danganronpa:_Kibou_no_Gakuen_to_Zetsubou_no_Koukousei_-_The_Animation

Name: Danganronpa The Animation ダンガンロンパ 希望の学園と絶望の高校生 THE ANIMATION

Status: Completed
Episode: 13
Release date (for eng subs): -


Summary:

A group of 15 elite high school students are gathered at a very special, high class high school. To graduate from this high school essentially means you'll succeed in life, but graduating is very difficult. The school is presided over by a bear called Monokuma, and he explains to them that their graduation hinges around committing a murder. The only way to graduate is to kill one of your classmates and get away with it. If the other classmates discover the identity of the killer, the killer is the only one executed. However, if they fail to catch the killer, only the killer graduates and the others are annihilated. Which of the 15 will survive the bloodbath to come?

Summary from: http://myanimelist.net/anime/16592/Danganronpa:_Kibou_no_Gakuen_to_Zetsubou_no_Koukousei_-_The_Animation
Summary Source: MU


Personal Ratings: 3.5

Really thought the first episode lacked impact, because I stopped watching after the first episode, thinking it was boring. But seeing as so many people cosplayed this anime, I thought I should just watch the whole thing, and it really was quite interesting.

I like the two parts of the show, the solving part and the incident part. The different twist in the plot line was also really interesting and unique. I actually quite like the parts that they decided to keep it looking like a game (like the bullets during the discussion time, and the objection)

What I didn't like was how the story line was very uniform and sort of predictable (in the sense that you know that they would surely solve the case). I also didn't like the execution part. I really think that instead of trying to make it look closer to the game, it should be more like an animation of the whole game. Especially when they are trying to play the scene of what happened in the case. I think that making it like a comic strip with all the striking colours shooting at you all at once makes it really hard to picture what it happening. I think that they should change it to the normal animation but maybe draw the characters in chibi form or something. I also wanted to see the world when they opened the door, and I also felt that they should have dropped some clues as to who the master mind is. 

Art Ratings: 2.5

Character designs really suites their personality perfectly, but I don't really like the overly dramatic hair that makes it look like the two characters look the same. The characters are also very stiff looking. 

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

Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2

Image from: http://collider.com/weekend-box-office-cloudy-with-a-chance-of-meatballs-2-wins-with-35-million/

Name: Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2

Release date (in Singapore): ?
Watched on: 4 October 2013

Summary:
Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2 picks up where Sony Pictures Animation's hit comedy left off. Inventor Flint Lockwood's genius is finally being recognized as he's invited by his idol Chester V to join The Live Corp Company, where the best and brightest inventors in the world create technologies for the betterment of mankind. Chester's right-hand-gal - and one of his greatest inventions - is Barb (a highly evolved orangutan with a human brain, who is also devious, manipulative and likes to wear lipstick). It's always been Flint's dream to be recognized as a great inventor, but everything changes when he discovers that his most infamous machine (which turns water into food) is still operating and is now creating food-animal hybrids - "foodimals!" With the fate of humanity in his hands, Chester sends Flint and his friends on a dangerously delicious mission, battling hungry tacodiles, shrimpanzees, apple pie-thons, double bacon cheespiders and other food creatures to save the world again!
Summary from: http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/cloudy_with_a_chance_of_meatballs_2_2013/

Personal Ratings: 3.5
It was quite a nice movie. Unlike other cartoon shows were most of the time the 2nd season is usually not as nice compared to the first season. I find this one one par with it's first season. 
I really liked the unique ideas on the lab and the animals (making the food name rime with the animal name). It was really fun to see how they create the different type of animals with different kind of food. I also liked the side part about the dad. What I really liked most is probably the link throughout the movie. From the start to the end, everything that was said had a link to the main story line. 
Of course, because this is a cartoon, there were a lot of children and it was really quite noisy. But there were really quite a bit of catchy phrases that were remembered by the kids (one of them said it together with the character). I also liked some of the jokes (though half the time I'm pretty sure the kids didn't catch it).

Recommended for:
Gender: Female & Male
Age: 6 and above
Ratings: G

Recommended anime: Autumn 2013

Autumn 2013

Shoujo:
Golden Time
Nagi no Asukara

Shounen:
*Kill la Kill
Kuroko no Basuke 2
*Kyoukai no Kanata
*Log Horizon
Machine Doll wa Kizutsukanai
Magi Season 2
Phi Brain: Kami no Puzzle Season 3
Valvrave the Liberator 2



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

* Highly recommended for this season (Sequels not included)

Kyoukai no Kanata

Image from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ky%C5%8Dkai_no_Kanata

Name: Beyond the Boundary, Beyond the Horizon, Kyoukai no Kanata 境界の彼方
Prequel: Episode 0: Shinonome

Status: Completed
Episodes: 12
Release Date (for eng subs): Every Thursday


Summary:
Akihito is a half Youmu, half human boy. He is immortal and recovered from any injuries fast. He one day saw a transfer student, Kuriyama Mirai, about to suicide and decided to stop her. But instead, she stabs him, thinking he was a human posessed by Youmu. From than on, she kept comming after Akihito. Kruiyama comes from an extinct spirit warrior clan, despite her job being to kill Youmu, she is afraid to.

Summary by: AngelaAgness


Personal Ratings: 4

Have been waiting for this anime for two seasons already. 

I really loved the change in the tempo throughout the episode. The fighting scenes were really smoothly done and exciting to watch. 

Though from the first episode, it's kind of confusing about what is happening, and what this anime is about. But I liked how it does not have the very typical anime action style in episode one or two. This anime is more of a "show what is happening and slowly let you figure out", though they do give some short explanation to guide you and make it less confusing, yet still keeping the curiosity in the viewers. The show slowly gets more interesting towards the end. So it really leaves a lasting impression.

I didn't really like the ending. Like how did Mirai actually revived? I want a 2nd season to explain that! I also want an episode on Akihito's past!!

People! The time has come! Kyoani has revealed that there would be an episode 0 coming up, showing about Akihito's past!!! I can't wait!!
Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AR836LhHwjE

Art Ratings: 3.5

Unique character designs. Loved the animation a lot. Though I feel that some times the art can get a little out of shape.

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

Kyoukai no Kanata: Screenshot Special
Episode 1

Gosick

Image from: http://myanimelist.net/anime/8425/Gosick

Name: Gosick

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


Summary:
The year is 1924, the place, Saubure, a small European country neatly tucked beside the Alps...

Kazuya Kujo has been studying abroad at the prestigious Saint Marguerite Academy, where urban legends and horror stories are all the rage. Kazuya ignores most of them but the story of the Queen Berry, a mysterious ghost ship, really gets to him. Of course, his brainy friend Victorique is much more intrigued by true stories, and she uses her unrivaled logic to solve mysteries even the town's famous detective can't. Ironically, it is Victorique's inquisitive nature that leads the duo to board a ship that matches the Queen Berry's description to a tee, a ship that might just hold the key to solving a sinister mystery...

Summary from: http://myanimelist.net/anime/8425/Gosick
Summary Source: Tokyopop, edited


Personal Ratings: 3
A mystery show. Unlike the typical kind of mystery shows (like detective conan), this anime does not talk much about the cases, but more of how the cases actually links to her family. In a way I liked this much better than detective conan. Mostly on the parts about the links between the cases. However, I really didn't liked the explaining parts. In detective conan, you can see that they really used logic to slowly figure out the cases while presenting evidence. However in gosick, there is no such thing. It was more like figure out than find evidence to show. I liked how this show flows really well since everything is connected to each other. Really liked the last episode. Was so touching.

I didn't really liked how they complicate things to much by the way they speak and some times by the things they show. Their speeches some times make too complicate and confusing, they use too abstract ways in their speech which is some times not consistent. 


Art Ratings: 3.5
I liked all their character designs. I think it all really shows a lot of their personality and really goes well with the seiyuu's voice. But it's really typical drawing. However, unlike some animes, I think they really did think more out of the box, because the character all look very different, and each have a special unique point to them.


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