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SPOILERS for Neon Genesis Evangelion below!

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Evangelion starts off as a straightforward apocalyptic mecha story that, in its later parts, transforms into a deep character study that explores psychological and philosophical themes pertaining to the characters of the show. More specifically, Evangelion is a story about human connection, showing the importance of forming meaningful connections with others while also showcasing how things like our own doubts and past trauma can get in the way of forming these connections. This is shown through the main characters, who all deal with some kind of oppressive trauma in their life that cripples them socially, creating an interesting and relatable narrative around loneliness that has the potential to really resonate with its viewers.

ProductionBefore I talk more about the plot, I want to touch on the production. For a 90’s anime Evangelion holds up fairly well in comparison to more recent productions, having some flashy action scenes here and there that are very fluid and detailed especially for the time period. Another strong point for the art here is the character design, which is just fantastic all around and one of my favorite aspects of the show. A good example of this is a character like Asuka, whose bold hair and suit color match her personality perfectly. This strong design extends out to the Evas as well, with each Eva getting an incredibly memorable design that is instantly recognizable. Evangelion also shows off a cohesive creative vision that combines religious imagery with sci-fi seamlessly. The religious imagery is not only symbolic, but also lends itself to the apocalyptic feel of the show wonderfully at points, contrasting perfectly with the more visceral and gory action scenes, and creating a unique combination of religion and sci-fi that makes the art style more striking. The soundtrack is outstanding as well, with an incredibly iconic opening and ending track, as well as some of the most well known songs in anime history. The soundtrack is highly dynamic, with a wide range of pieces that set the mood perfectly throughout the show. Tracks like “Jikai Yokoku” create a more high energy upbeat feel that goes perfect with the more relaxed sitcom-like moments, while the dramatic and somber string sections on a track like “Thanatos” create a more serious atmosphere that immediately pulls the viewer in. This all being said, Evangelions’ production is not without its flaws. It's pretty clear that Gainax had trouble time and budget wise during the making of Evangelion, made obvious through some oddly long still frames and more abstract scenes that really didn’t add anything of significance to the narrative. This is even more apparent once you get to the final 2 episodes, where there is lots of reused animation and long sequences of nothing but dialogue. The ending episodes being like this is largely due to the creators having to scrap the original ending in favor of something that could actually be completed on time, but this is at least partially rectified in the End of Evangelion movie. Plot & CharactersThe overarching plot of Evangelion is fairly simple, but is given depth through its characters, and I think this is another real strong point of the show. As the plot moves along we see the main cast deal with not only the looming threat of the angels, but also with their own personal problems and emotional scars. These personal issues are often brought to the forefront of the plot, and the way they are handled and displayed in all of the characters is where some of the most brilliant scenes stem from. A great example of this and my personal favorite scene in the show comes about through Asuka. Asuka, similar to Shinj, struggles with wanting to feel validated. Having been abandoned by her mother at a young age, Asuka develops an individualistic mindset, becoming an incredibly prideful and arrogant person who stakes her entire being on her ability as an Eva pilot. Asuka believes strongly in her own ability, and as a result hates having to depend on others, avoiding it whenever possible. This all changes when Shinji begins to surpass Asuka as an Eva pilot, her seemingly unshakable confidence begins to crumble with the revelation that she is no longer the best at what she prided herself on. Asuka begins to lose herself, memories of her painful past begin to well up inside of her, and she breaks. This culminates in an extremely poignant mental breakdown scene that does a great job at providing a deeper analysis of Asuka as a character, showcasing her fears and struggles through some very vivid imagery. This is something that happens with the other characters as well, we are treated to multiple breakdown scenes from different characters that give a deeper and more introspective look into their mental state. The way in which this is all executed is nothing short of fantastic, and the ending of the series wraps up the theme of human connection nicely. The final 2 episodes are quite different from the rest of the series, becoming extremely dialogue heavy and going over Shinji's own thoughts and feelings in great detail as the third impact happens. Shinji, after much deliberation, comes to the conclusion that having connections with others is valuable, and an essential part of what makes us human. The ending, in contrast to the rest of the series, is very positive and hopeful. It pushes the message that it's ok to put yourself out there and create bonds, even if you risk getting hurt. It’s all part of the human experience. I now want to discuss a problem I have with Evangelion, which is the way in which some of the information is presented. The plot in general is very dense, and because of this important details and plot points are kind of rushed past or barely explained at all. This makes for a confusing first watch, as for all the questions that get raised over the course of the show, not a lot of them get answered very thoroughly. It’s not as if the plot is nonsensical in any way, it's just that not enough time is spent explaining select things. Examples I can think of are things like Adam and Lilith, who are mentioned very frequently but never talked about in greater detail, or something like what the dead sea scrolls are and why SEELE is obsessed with them. The complexity of the plot in this case could be thought of as a pro for the show, but the lack of clarity in explaining concepts like this could turn off new viewers from actually finishing the show, the writing is just not as tight as it should be. ConclusionPROS: - Great main cast, dynamic characters - Unique art style and incredible character design - Very deep exploration of many themes CONS: - Some weird production quirks/issues - Some core plot elements go unexplained/don't have enough time spent on them Overall, Evangelion is a highly entertaining and thought evoking anime with a fleshed out main cast and great production to back it up. Although it does fall short in explaining some of the core plot elements, its impact on the anime industry at large is undeniable. It explores a myriad of themes relating to the human experience in a way that is incredibly effective, and it is because of this that I believe Evangelions impact will continue to be felt for years to come.

Disclaimer: I have not played the NieR games and so this review is based purely on what the anime has to offer as a standalone production

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ProductionIn terms of production the 2nd cour of NieR: Automata is very good all around. The animators continue to show off a consistent artistic vision that is showcased excellently through things like the background art, which is just so amazing at times and really helps in cementing the overall feel of the show, creating a visual experience that mirrors the tone of the plot perfectly. The combat scenes also proved to be a strong point for this cour, being quite flashy and showcasing some really fluid and fast paced choreography, though these scenes were few and far between, and often didn't last long enough to really make an impact. Just like the first cour, the animation was backed by an even more impressive soundtrack. The soundtrack itself containing a wide variety of tracks that go a long way in setting the mood for many scenes, featuring some of the best singing I've heard in an anime soundtrack backed by equally fantastic compositions ranging from quieter, more heartfelt piano pieces to explosive and emotional orchestral arrangements that do a great job of pulling you in when necessary. Plot & CharactersThe plot of the second cour differs quite a lot from the first, kicking right off with an event that changes the trajectory of the story as a whole. The plot also sees a change in scope, becoming much more character driven than the first cour. Of course, the first cour was already largely character driven, but the second cour differs in that it narrows the focus down to just two characters in particular, these characters separate journeys becoming the driving force for the action and also the emotional heart of the story. The plot itself is quite entertaining, showcasing a nice parallel between the main characters that becomes more and more apparent as the episodes run on. This duality between the main characters is really where a lot of the intrigue comes from, as the main characters both begin to develop different outlooks on machine lifeforms and their own purpose, eventually becoming at odds with one another. The characters ideas and progression are central to some of the themes that are showcased throughout the show as well. I will say that the characters progression in general was fairly linear, which in turn made it kind of predictable. I don't think this hampered the experience in a major way but I did feel as though I had a general idea of where the plot was going only about halfway through. aside from the main duo, the character writing for the rest of the cast was good, if not fairly generic at some points, with cheesy dialogue and some more common tropes on display during some episodes. Still, the dialogue certainly had its more profound moments, especially on the topic of family. NieR: Automata's second cour builds on the themes of humanity from the first, focusing more on the cycle of life and death and familial bonds, interweaving and exploring these topics through the characters interactions with each other. Many characters at different points talk about what family means to them, some of the dialogue that was centered on this topic was really beautiful and made some of the characters more tragic backstories hit a lot harder, I really felt deeply for some of the characters and what they had to go through and seeing them talk about their bonds with others just made it so much sadder when tragedy eventually befell them. Let us now talk about a problem I had with the show, which was the pacing. The pacing of some episodes just felt off, there were a few times where it felt like the show was just stumbling through the events of the story a bit too fast, and as such it was a little harder to really process what all I had just watched. It wasn't so egregious as to make it utterly confusing, but I do think that it moved on too quickly from some more important or emotionally charged scenes, reducing the overall impact these scenes had. ConclusionPROS: + Well done expansion of the themes from the first cour + Great all around production + Dialogue on the topic of family and life/death was great CONS: - Awkward pacing - Fairly linear character progression/predictable at times - Some cheesy moments, tropey dialogue NieR: Automata, while not perfect, still provides a fairly emotional and intriguing story that is easy to get into, with lots of great theming and a truly unique world that make it more memorable than others.

ProductionFirst, lets talk animation. The visual experience provided by NieR: Automata is solid all around besides a few hiccups here and there. Namely, the CGI used for certain things such as the flying YoRHa units is quite rough, this is especially noticeable during the first 2 episodes. aside from episode 1 and 2 the blend of CGI and 2D animation is done well save a few moments where it looks a little janky or underdone. Moving away from CGI though, the 2D animation itself is very good, although not quite on the level of some more popular anime like JJK or Demon Slayer, the action scenes are still fluid and paced well, if not just a little stiff at times. The environments and background art really help sell the post-apocalyptic/war torn city vibe, great use of a more bleak color palette in city areas with a splash of green in areas that nature has already started to reclaim. Character designs are another strong point for the animation here, I never had trouble telling characters apart despite a lot of them wearing a similar outfit, and the designs in general felt fitting for the personalities of the characters attached to them. Moving on to sound, the soundtrack as a whole is truly fantastic. The singing and instrumentation was unique and memorable, really adding to the atmosphere at times and enhancing the emotional aspect of many scenes throughout the show. The sound design team was very tasteful in their implementation of the music as well, letting it get loud and swell during quiet moments and making sure to back off when characters start talking so as to not take away from the dialogue. as a whole, I'd say this is one of the best soundtracks I've heard in an anime recently, and it was refreshing in just how stylized it was. It truly felt like every song was handcrafted for this show specifically, not generic in any way. Plot & CharactersAs I mentioned briefly in the animation section, the first couple of episodes are rough to get through, I think this is largely due to the video game intro just not translating well to the anime format. However, this becomes a non-issue starting with episode 3, where the anime starts to really pick up in terms of the plot. Speaking of the plot, NieR: Automata is centered around a variety of themes having to do with war and humanity itself. The main groups, all of which consist of non-humans, have differing opinions on humanity and what it means to them, this becomes a major focus for the anime as a whole and kind of guides the characters philosophies at times, showing stark differences between characters by way of their mindsets when it comes to the war and what humanity means to them. The plot itself proves to be hard to follow at times, due to a fair amount of info dumping and also the main themes being very involved and hard to keep track of. This becomes a more prominent problem during the last two episodes, where the pacing feels rushed compared to the rest of the series. The ending itself is great and leaves off on a great plot twist, but I still can't help but feel the lead up was a bit lackluster in terms of setting up the final reveal. That being said, the plot for the most part is entertaining, stringing the viewer along as questions are raised and answered in tandem, the plot provides plenty to think about throughout the show as the different groups involved in the conflict pursue their own goals/interests. The characters of NieR: Automata are, for the most part, well developed and likable. The dialogue between characters feels natural and conversations have a good flow to them. This is especially true for the main duo, 2B and 9S. 2B and 9S have lots of well written banter that goes a long way in helping the viewer become attached to them as a pair, and this is especially important because the majority of the show is spent following this duo on their various missions. Side characters were quite enjoyable as well, characters like Jackass and Lily had their own charm to them that was brought out nicely through their dialogue and actions. I also just really loved Lily's backstory, which is why I was sad that she wasn't a little more involved in the plot overall, but this is a bit nitpicky considering that 2B and 9S are very clearly meant to be the focus. There were also other characters that I wish I got to know more about such as Commander White and A2, but this is something that I'm hoping is rectified in cour 2. ConclusionPROS: + Fantastic soundtrack + Great main duo and likable side cast + Lots of great themes explored in some capacity CONS: - Plot is a bit dense, hard to follow at times - Animation quality varies, janky looking CGI - Pacing also varied somewhat, especially near beginning and end of series Overall, I'd say while NieR: Automata may be fairly rough around the edges, it is most certainly worth your time if you are looking for a decently entertaining plot spearheaded by a great main duo.

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SPOILERS for Shangri-La Frontier below!

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ProductionFirstly, lets talk production. In terms of animation this anime is clearly above average, Shangri-La Frontier is host to a plethora of environments that all have a distinct and memorable feel to them thanks to the outstanding background art. In particular, I thought Wethermon's arena and the Prismatic Forest Grotto were especially well designed, the monotone color palette used in Wethermon's arena creates a more somber and lonely feeling environment, while the Prismatic Forest Grotto is a vibrant forest hideaway, drawn completely in a style that is more akin to a painting than a drawing. Similarly, action sequences are also treated to some great animation, with every fight being consistent in quality. Sound overall was really good as well, I wasn't the biggest fan of some tracks that played during dialogue, but they never harmed the experience in a major way. The more fantasy themed woodwind tracks in particular were really excellent, tracks like the one that play at the beginning of episode 15 really helped in setting the correct tone for the scene. Another moment that just impressed me to no end was the smithing scene in episode 11, the way the sound of the hammer acts as the metronome for the song that starts playing is just genius sound design. Aside from songs, sound effects in general were good as well, everything was high quality and clear sounding, and action scenes made great use of chunky sound design to enhance the feel of collisions and explosions. Plot & CharactersThe writing of Shangri-La Frontier in general is very cheesy. Lots of cringeworthy dialogue, done to death tropes, and a story that is just too simplistic to get at any deeper themes or meanings. A simplistic plot isn't necessarily a bad thing, but there are times where the plot just feels like its moving from point A to point B without any nuance, which made some episodes a bit of a slog to get through. Some episodes also largely took place in games that weren't Shangri-La Frontier, which I felt impacted the pacing in a negative way. Writing wise Shangri-La Frontier makes up for some of its flaws in its action, the fight scenes are all well written and make extensive use of the setting being a video game world, with characters using game mechanics and items to overcome challenges, every action scene was engaging in some way. This is especially true for the Wethermon arc, which I think is the high point of the show. The plot also suffers from a lack of meaningful stakes, due mostly to the fact that none of the characters can actually get injured or die due to the setting being a standard video game. There is a noticeable lack of tension in most of the action scenes because you know that even if the character gets injured in some way, they will eventually recover/respawn and be perfectly fine, only losing some items or currency. This is not a problem in some scenes where the characters put a lot of money or resources into a single fight, or when an encounter is time limited, but for the majority of the action the lack of real consequence for failure makes it hard to feel as stressed as the characters do in the moment. Speaking of characters, the characters of Shangri-La Frontier are about as simplistic as the plot is, none of them get an extensive backstory or have any major growth as a character, and they largely only have 1 or 2 traits that really define them. The dialogue between characters had its flaws too, there were a few points while watching where I thought it just sounded unnatural and over the top, even for a gamer. More specifically I felt this way about how some of the characters would provoke each other and start arguments over things in the game, it just felt random at times and didn't add much to the scenes where it happened. I will say that despite this, the characters antics were still fun to watch, which I think is partially due to the great voice acting. The majority of characters while not having a very deep or complex relationship with other characters, still had fun dynamics with each other that resulted in some genuinely funny jokes and entertaining dialogue, though I still wish that the relationship between some characters was explored in a little more detail. I'm especially heartbroken over Setsuna and Arthurs relationship not being expanded upon, all we really get to know is that they are close to each other, but we don't get to see how they got to know each other or any of their past dialogue, I think this in particular was a big missed opportunity by the author to include a more emotional character arc in the show. ConclusionPROS: + Amazing overall production + Very entertaining fight scenes that make good use of the setting + Simple but fun character relationships CONS: - No deeper themes or messages are explored - Plot isn't very focused for the majority of the show - Lack of tension in most action scenes If you are looking for well produced and written fight scenes wrapped up neatly in a well designed game world, with a more simple storyline and characters to move the action along, then this is a worthy watch. If you want something deeper to dig into in terms of plot or characters, then you might be better off watching something else.

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SPOILERS for Jellyfish Can't Swim in the Night below!

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ProductionAnimation was fantastic, the vivid color palettes and sharp creative vision of the animators combined to present a visual experience that I think was truly flawless. Camera work was great to, I especially love the scene in the final episode where the re painting of the mural is shown through the POV of a phone camera, it really made the scene feel more sentimental and personal in a way. Sound design made heavy use of synths alongside a myriad of other more digital sounding instruments and sounds, creating a cohesive and stylized soundtrack experience that was enjoyable and fit the show nicely. Not to mention, the songs performed by the various musical groups in the show were good as well, which should be a given considering that music is a big focus of the anime as a whole. Plot & CharactersJellyfish Can't swim in the night consistently deals with a theme of feeling lost in the world that I think many people, including myself, can relate to. The characters throughout the show constantly struggle with figuring out what they want to do with their individual lives as well as with their group JELEE, and I think this struggle is best portrayed by the main character Mahiru. Mahiru's character arc is a real highlight of this show for me, as she deals with feelings of mediocrity and wanting to get better at drawing so that she can stand on stage with the others, who she feels are special and talented while she is not, the episodes that focus on her struggle with this were the most gripping to me. Kiui also gets treated to some great development, I honestly didn't like her very much at first but found that she grew on me by the time the show was over. Kiui learns to accept herself throughout the show while dealing with bullies at her school, and I think her story will resonate with anyone who has been ridiculed for enjoying things that others see as "nerdy." With all that being said, I think the plot is actually the weakest point of the show. The theming is handled well, but trying to fit so much character development and melodrama into only 12 episodes really took its toll on the pacing of the show as a whole. There are many plot points throughout the show that I think just got wrapped up too quickly, a lot of the drama and points of tension would be introduced at the beginning of an episode only for it to be resolved by the end of that same episode. Another thing that really bothered me was Kano's relationship with her mom and Mero, throughout the show Kano talks about how she feels her mom used her for her own benefit, and how she has a strong dislike for Mero, only for all of this to be seemingly forgiven by the end of the show with practically zero dialogue between these characters. It just felt unsatisfying, this combined with the rather odd pacing led me to believe that the plot was really just ok, not great, but not terrible. ConclusionPROS: + Fantastic animation + A relatable theme that is explored fairly well + Solid character development from the main characters CONS: - Pacing is too fast, could've used more episodes - The drama leaves a lot to be desired Jellyfish Can't swim in the night is definitely worth a watch, but if you are looking for a more serious music based drama, then it might leave you unsatisfied by the time you are done

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SPOILERS for Akudama Drive below!

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ProductionAnimation was really great, I was honestly surprised by how well the CGI blended with the 2d animation throughout the show, although CGI was only used sparingly. Animators did a great job of bringing the cyberpunk city aesthetic to life with a healthy dose of vivid neon colors, detailed and busy city backgrounds, and a sharp artistic vision that accomplishes exactly what it sets out to do. Combat/action scenes were also very well animated with great camera movement, pacing, and some decent hand to hand choreography to top it off. Soundtrack was good, I thought some song choices were a little odd for what was happening on screen but nothing too damning. I loved the sound design of the gunfire/explosions, overall I'd say the sound design just lent itself really well to what was happening on screen, more intense scenes were met with an equally chaotic soundtrack that really helped bring some of the most important action sequences to the next level. Plot & Characters:Unfortunately I think the underlying story/characters don't hold up to how awesome the production for this anime is. Pretty much the entire cast of characters here is just so underwhelming, we really don't learn anything about these characters at all beyond a surface level, and it really makes it hard to get attached to them in a meaningful way. I think this is especially true for the main character Swindler, by the time the show ends you know just as much about her as when you started. Swindler adapts to being a part of the Akudama crew way too quickly, so much so that it makes her less believable as a character. Any regret or remorse she has is shown through only a few scenes which consist of her just sitting away from the rest of the group staring longingly at the ground, we don't get any insight into her thought process really, and I think this presents to be a problem for the show as a whole. One of the biggest tools an author can make use of to better develop a character is internal monologue, showing how characters all react differently to events/things around them, showing characters different thoughts on their current situation, so many ways a characters own thought process can help show their motivations and morals and yet throughout the entirety of Akudama Drive this is something that is pretty much wholly absent. Characters like Courier and Swindler just do as they are told, even when Courier does refuse to do something it only takes the bare minimum amount of convincing for him to comply, his thought process on the matter not showcased at all, making his character fall flat. This lack of thought process and reasoning behind any of the characters actions makes them feel forced, and it becomes hard to feel anything for these characters during emotional moments like Brawlers death. Similar to Swindler, the side cast as a whole barely get any backstory at all. What is provided is really just the bare minimum information needed for the character, and some characters don't even get that. Characters like Hacker, Brawler, Hoodlum, and Doctor are the worst offenders when it comes to this. Apprentice had great potential to be an awesome character, but the show ends before her arc really completes properly. In the second half of the show she is seen struggling with her beliefs and even sympathizing with the Akudama at one point, all culminating in a scene in the final episode where a little girl asks her why the executioners killed her parents, only for the camera to cut away and not come back to her at all, we don't get to see the result of this interaction in the slightest, a complete fumble of her character by the writers. Despite my criticism, I do think the final episode of the show wrapped things up nicely, and Brother and Sisters arcs were fun to watch. ConclusionPROS: + Great production and style + Character designs are fantastic + Great action sequences CONS: - Plot leaves a lot to be desired - Characters are barely developed if at all - Overall lack of depth to story I think if you are just looking for some well produced, fast-paced action reminiscent of an anime like Cyberpunk Edgerunners, this might satisfy you. Otherwise, if you are looking for a deeper story or characters of any kind, I'd steer clear of this.