Gakuen Mokushiroku: High School of The Dead

Director: Tetsuro Araki
Written by: Yosuke Kuroda
Studio: Madhouse
No. of episodes: 12

WARNING: CONTAINS A LARGE AMOUNT OF FANSERVICE

Gakuen Mokushiroku: High School of The Dead is basically an apocalyptic zombie anime. This anime has a great storyline and most of the characters aren't too bad. One thing that really, REALLY brings the anime down is the amount of fanservice. Basically, it is filled with it. Almost if not every episode has many "fanservicy" parts in it. If you can look past that though, the concept is great and the anime really plays out very well.

Plot: (9.5/10)
The plot in this anime was really amazing. I wasn't too keen on watching it at first, but as soon as I saw the first episode, I was hooked. The story revolves around a group of 5 teenagers and 1 adult. It's basically how they learn to survive in a world that has already ended. The anime is pretty intense, but somehow they manage to fit in so much fanservice. If the anime did not have that factor, it would be much better in my eyes. Overall, the plot is great and if you're wondering if you should watch it, you should. Of course, if you can't deal with the large amount of frequent fanservice, don't watch it. I personally loved the anime, but just for the story.

Characters: (7/10)
(Marked down for fanservice)


Takashi Komuro - Quiet, depressed -> strong, protective. He was apathetic at first, but he grew into someone worth relying on.


Saeko Busujima - Tough, mysterious. She was the kendo club leader at the high school and is a master with swords.


Kouta Hirano - Nerdy, brave. He is the geek who sits at home and plays shooter games all of the time. He knows everything about guns.


Shizuka Marikawa - Bubbly, innocent. She is the nurse at school who is all over the place and can't get anything together.


Miyamoto Rei - Sensitive, strong. She is a character that is mostly depressed in the beginning of the series, but becomes a great companion to everyone.


Saya Takagi - Brilliant, annoying. She basically thinks that she is better than everyone else. She turns out to be okay in the end, but she was quite annoying in the beginning.

Animation: (7.5/10)
(Marked down for fanservice)
The actual art style in this anime I like. The fanservice is very annoying, but the art style and the movements seem pretty good. I liked the unique art style in this anime, and I hope that you do too.

Overall: (8/10)
The show was great, but the ending really disappointed me. If you end up watching this show, please tell me your opinion on the ending too. Other than that though, it was a great experience and I hope to find another anime soon that's just as good without the fanservice!

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Higurashi No Naku Koro Ni

Directed By: Chiaki Kon
Length: 26 episodes

(8/10)Higurashi No Naku Koro Ni is a strange show that you will probably think makes no sense. There are different chapters in the show, each one completely different. There is a similar pattern in each chapter, but something totally new at the same time. Every character has his or her strengths and weaknesses, but certain things can overcome them all. I know this isn't a very long review, but this show is pretty indescribable. It's something you need to see on your own. I loved it, but it's not for everyone. I recommend it to those who like mystery and comical shows. I'd give this show about an 8 out of 10. This show has mild gore, so keep that in mind before watching. Have fun!(8/10) Read more!

Elfen Lied

Directed By: Mamoru Kanbe
Original Story and Manga Written By: Lynn Okamoto
Length: 13 episodes

(8.5/10)Elfen Lied was a definitely one of my all time favorite animes. I loved the characters and the story was pretty amazing too. There is the factor of some nudity at parts throughout the show though, but I still think that it really was worth watching. It's basically about these humans (girls) born with a disease that gives them an extraordinary power. This disease causes them to kill everyone, even their own parents. These so called humans aren't really humans anymore and most of them are killed when they are born because people believe them to be the enemy of the human race.
This story is mainly about one "diclonius" (the name given to those with the disease) named Lucy. This story shows the back stories, so the viewer can see why things turned out the way it did. I'd give this show about an 8.5 out of 10. I definitely recommend this, but due to the nudity, I insist that you contemplate if you really should watch it before you do. One other issue is that there is a pretty good amount of blood. Make sure to think about this before you watch it! Be careful!(8.5/10)
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