Honey's Highlights

Key Visuals

Key Visual 1

Key Visual 2

Characters & Voice Actors List

[ua_character name="Jean Otus" voice="Hiro Shimono" desc="Jean is the main character of the series. Jean is the 2nd in command of the inspections department at the ACCA head office. His nickname is 'cigarette receiver Jean.' He likes bread and strawberries." img='']

[ua_character name="Nino" voice="Kenjirou Tsuda" desc="Nino is Jean’s friend and a reporter. His hobby is motorcycling and he likes chocolate." img='']

[ua_character name="Grossular" voice="Junichi Suwabe" desc="One of the top five chiefs. From the Rokkusu ward." img='']

[ua_character name="Lilium" voice="Kouji Yusa" desc="One of the top five chiefs. From the Furawau ward." img='']

[ua_character name="Spade" voice="Tooru Ookawa" desc="One of the top five chiefs. From the Yakkara ward." img='']

[ua_character name="Pastis" voice="Hikaru Midorikawa" desc="One of the top five chiefs. From the Suitsu ward." img='']

[ua_character name="Pine" voice="Hiroki Yasumoto" desc="One of the top five chiefs. From the Jumõku ward." img='']

[ua_character name="Rotta Otus" voice="Aoi Yuuki" desc="Rotta is Jean’s younger sister and she is shrewd. She has a serious personality and is good at cooking. She also likes flour-based snacks. " img=' ']

[ua_character name="Owl" voice="Youji Ueda" desc="Owl is the head of the inspections department. He eats snacks in a separate room. He hates vehicles." img='']

[ua_character name="Note" voice="Tomoaki Maeno" desc="Note is an official working in the inspections department in the main office. Recently his wife ran off without him. He is calm and gentle. He has three children. " img='']

[ua_character name="Atori" voice="TBA" desc="Atori is another official working in the inspections department. Snack time is a moment of sheer bliss for her." img='']

[ua_character name="Moz" voice="TBA" desc="Moz is another official working in the inspections department. She adheres strictly to snack time." img='']

[ua_character name="Kerry" voice="TBA" desc="Kerry is another official who works in the inspections department. She sets an example by taking initiative when it comes to snack time." img='']

(Credit Honey's Anime when you use our description.)

Qualdea Code Introduction and Story (Spoilers)

Welcome to the future. Qualdea Code takes place in a war-torn future where humanity is under constant threat form cross-dimensional invaders simply referred to as the Unknown. A plan to save humanity’s children from the horrors of war by placing evacuated kids in cold sleep backfired. The children, for some unknown reason, developed magical abilities referred to as “world,” far beyond those of normal humans. A super-powered army of young men and women then take the field to defend the cities of Tokyo, Kanagawa and Chiba in a fight against the unknown in this supernatural, psychological tale.

What We Liked About Qualidea Code

Qualidea Code is a good anime for three reasons: pace, action, and ensemble cast. We are carried at a very fast pace through the entire story; there’s no filler. The first episode gives us a battle right off the bat and successfully lays out the introduction for the situation and the characters we are going to be following. We see the impulsive, arrogant loner Suzaku carry Canaria into battle ahead of the Tokyo School troops they’re supposed to advance with. We watch Asuha and Kasumi show up with the rest of Chiba via train to the front lines, each brandishing guns. The most impressive visual introduction by far is Miahime and Hataru standing tall on the deck of an aircraft carrier as they head into battle. Qualidea Code is one of those stories that hits us with a battle in every episode, in some cases the battle even lasts more than one episode giving us more than enough action. The battle Miahime has by herself against a whole slew of enemies in a knock-down, drag-out battle royal as the rest of the Kanawa school escapes leaves us hanging in one episode and picks up in the next. We even get a cast that shares the load equally. We don’t often get see anime that truly gives each character (or pairing in this case) an episode to have their own plot line explored. The focus on the relationships of six main couples, best friends, crushes, and siblings gives greatly added depth to an otherwise straight action adventure.

[sourceLink asin="" asin_jp="B01JA473OW" text="" url="" ]

Discussion Time: Should You Watch Qualidea Code?

Qualidea Code is a wonderful fantasy world with a somewhat surprising twist. The story that many of us tuned in for and the one we got were two different things. The previews and descriptions that were laid out before first episode led us to believe we were tuning in to a supernatural/sci-fi school story in the same vein as The Irregular at Magic High School or Infinate Stratos. The first episode is filled with action, and that’s a good thing, we even get a peek at school life. We quickly find out the “schools” are not the focus of the story, at least as schools. The word school refers to a militia of children charged with defending their district. Many of us saw the twist coming, but anticipation of a twist in plot and watching it unfold are two different things. We get the first hint that something isn’t as it seems when Canaria is suddenly killed off. It didn’t feel right, even though we know anime can go for shock value. We are further convinced something isn’t as it seems near the end of an epic battle by Maihime and Hataru against the Unknown. Two people who you know would go down swinging seem to have an epiphany and let themselves apparently get crushed by an Unknown ship. A great part of unraveling the mystery is doing it through the always calm and understated Kasumi. We are never just told the world the heroes live in is a lie, we have to watch them discover it. Qualidea Code did another thing very well and unexpected: we got an ensemble cast – a real ensemble cast. This group of characters don’t just revolve around a main pair. We get to look at several different pairs of protagonists, Canaria and Suzaku of Tokyo, Hotaru and Maihime of Kanagawa, and Asuha and Kasumi the brother and sister pair from Chiba. We have various intersecting arcs that delve into the motivations and histories behind each pair (that’s called character development, people) something we miss in all too frequently in anime. Canaria and Suzaku’s development really begins to happen, ironically enough, when she is out of the picture. Suzaku gets to brood and mope and come to terms on why he fights and takes on all the toughest burdens and comes to the conclusion that it was for her. He wanted to be stronger to protect the person most important to him, Canaria. We see the depth of the bond Hotaru and Maihime share through flashbacks and action scenes. The two of them are best friends and soulmates, each drawing strength from the trust they have in each other to always be there. The only pair of true siblings are Ashua and Kasumi from Chiba. We see a very deep relationship between the two without venturing into bro or sis con territory. They’re also both pretty standoffish and aren’t the typical polar opposite brother and sister paring we see in anime. The black uniforms and use of guns as their primary weapons drive that home. We find the Unknown are led by the motherly Airi and fatherly Gutoku. Airi seems to truly care about her “children” and want them to be happy. She is simply sad when they realize what has been done to them and she knows she can do nothing to maintain the world she created. Airi decides to destroy her people’s access to the world and herself, lamenting that she couldn’t be a mother to her own child, a genetic hybrid created through her romance with human Gutoku. Aoi Yaegaki is a student at Kanagawa High School. We get the chance to look back at Airi and Gutoku’s relationship and see that it was one based on love. They’re not paper villains but characters with depth. When we finally meet the actual humans and in turn Yuu Chigusa, the mother of Ashua and Kasumi, we are presented with a population of adults that are guilt-filled from fighting their own children for so long. The attitude of the adults comes off as abrasive and overbearing in some ways as they tell the liberated children “you don’t have to fight anymore it’s a job for the adults.” The statement seems preposterous since the children are super powered and the adults are not. Yuu Chigusa understands that she has a lot to make up for and wishes, not unlike Airi, that she could be more of a mother to her children.

[sourceLink asin="" asin_jp="" text="Official Website" url="http://qualidea.jp/character/" ]

We like this story for the way it doesn’t fall into some of the more typical traps of some school-based, alien invasion, magic school, hero-rises-by-will-alone to defeat “the big bad” storylines. Qualida Code is on our watch list because of its diversity of characters. We don’t often, as we said before, get a true ensemble cast. The twists and turns of the plot are big assets as we, along with the characters, are left wondering which truth we should trust. The 12-episode series won’t take long to watch and the action and plot move along quickly -- all good things when your watch list is long.

1. Surprises

[sourceLink asin="" asin_jp="" text="Official Website" url="http://qualidea.jp/character/" ]

We get a lot of twists and turns in Qualidea Code. Right off the bat you’re led to believe the show is about one thing and it is about another. Qualidea Code sets you up for what could be a school-based comedy/romance/adventure and takes a completely different tack. We are surprised to see almost no classroom antics, and even Angle Beats! and its themes about death had its funny classroom moments. Qualidea Code has its funny moments, but they’re mostly built into the dialogue with a snide remark here and there. Instead the story relies on action to move its plot forward as the cast tries to solve the mystery.

2. The Large Cast

[sourceLink asin="" asin_jp="B01ICTAXUW" text="" url="" ]

The cast of Qualidea Code is rather large for an anime not about a group of nine high school girls who want to be idols. We’ve experienced large casts of characters before in shows like The Melancholy of Harui Suzumiya, but the characters are all mainly supporting cast members for Kyon. The cast of Qualidea is four couples for a total of eight individuals each with their own stories. We even get to see a lot of their back stories, which is amazing considering the show is only 12 episodes long. We really get the sense that each of these couples really care for each other in deep, meaningful ways.

3. Action

[sourceLink asin="" asin_jp="B01ICTAXUW" text="" url="" ]

Qualidea Code is filled with action. We don’t have a single episode without a firefight. The action at some points seems like it also includes a big body count, that is until we realize that people were being abducted and not crushed by those falling pods. We even get a little music accompaniment a la Macross Delta. The way Caniria’s singing can reinforce the power of others reminds us of the way Walkure’s singing gives strength to the pilots of CHAOS. We see some amazing one-against-the-many battles, too. Maihime standing against a hoard to protect the retreat comes to mind. We even aren’t sure if she is going to survive considering Caniria was “killed off” a few episodes earlier.

1. Not Really A Love Story

[sourceLink asin="" asin_jp="" text="episode 01" url="" ]

Qualidea Code has many of the elements that can make a good love story, but it does fall flat. The relationships between students Canaria and Suzaku and adults Airi and Gutoku are good on the surface but don’t carry the high drama we’d hope for in a love story. Suzaku understandably is a rather closed-off person and becomes almost suicidal when he thinks Canaria is killed. But for all his moaning he is still standoffish when it’s revealed to him that she is alive. We expected a little more in his reaction. A very interesting avenue that is missed is with Airi and Gutoku. We are led to believe they fell in love with each other after he was nearly killed in the initial invasion and she saved him. We know there has to be more and we don’t get it in the story.

2. Long and the Short of it

[sourceLink asin="" asin_jp="" text="episode 07" url="" ]

Qualidea Code isn’t a long anime with its 12 episodes. We get a concise story with not a lot of filler. We can agree that filler can be bad for a lot of reasons, yet if this anime had the chance to stretch its legs to consider the concept of reality it could have gone from a good action anime to an amazing one. The story has good character development but there can always be more. Qualidea Code has a good premise but could have a deep plot that gives it some staying power and has the viewer watching and re-watching to see what clues they missed. If a fun action fantasy is for you watch Qualidea Code, if you want epic keep looking.

3. Not Funny

[sourceLink asin="" asin_jp="" text="episode 10" url="" ]

Comedy isn’t in the description for a reason. Qualidea Code may have a fun moment or two, with either a snide remark by Ashua or Kasumi, most often about Suzaku. We also get a handful of comical moments curtsey of Canaria being a complete airhead. We just have to remember this is an action story despite the cute characters. Qualidea Code is trying to make us buy into the future of humanity being at stake and doesn’t leave much time for classic antics. If you are tuning in just be prepared for a fast-paced ride from beginning to end.

Honey’s Closing Statement

Qualidea Code has hits and misses like all anime. We think that there are more hits than misses in this action, magical, supernatural story. We have an array of characters to learn to love and understand. The action has very few slow spots and will keep the viewer’s interest. We find it does miss the chance to be much more by moving so fast and not giving the characters a chance to truly understand what has happened to them over the last decade as they fought for the very enemy they thought they were fighting against. We think that Qualidea Code should get a thumbs up and should be enjoyable as long as you remember what you see in the first episodes isn’t what you’ll get.

Who it caters to

What to expect

[2_images_in_row character='' anime='']

Story　

[2_images_in_row character='' anime='']

Gameplay

[2_images_in_row character='' anime='']

[2_images_in_row character='' anime='']

Honey's Gameplay Consensus:

Honey's Final Verdict:

[2_images_in_row character='' anime='']

[en]Honey’s Highlights[/en][es]Comentarios de Honey[/es]

[en]Key Visuals[/en][es]Visuales[/es]

Key Visual 1

Key Visual 2

Key Visual 3

[en]Characters & Voice Actors List[/en][es]Personajes & Seiyuus[/es]

[ua_character name="Mitsuya Majime" voice="Takahiro Sakurai" desc="Serious and quiet. A Genbu Shobou employee, he is headhunted from his idle position in the sales department as a star of hope who could lead the next generation of the dictionary editing department. He becomes the helmsman for the Daitokai dictionary, and decides to dedicate his life to making dictionaries. He has absolutely no other skills other than making dictionaries." img='']

[ua_character name="Masashi Nishioka" voice="Hiroshi Kamiya" desc="Sociable and flashy. Seriously flashy. Just as he starts to lean towards feeling passionate about making dictionaries (possibly due to Majime’s influence?) he’s moved to another department. Although tragically separated, he goes all-out in showing off his social skills, and still plays a part or two in the publication of Daitokai. His flashiness remains unchanged." img='']

[ua_character name="Kaguya Yashi" voice="Maaya Sakamoto" desc="A chef in training and the granddaughter of the landlord of Majime’s boarding house, granny Take. She ends up moving into the same boarding house and develops an interest in Majime." img='']

[ua_character name="Kouhei Araki" voice="Tetsuo Kaneo" desc="A member of the dictionary editing department at Genbu Shobou. With his retirement approaching and the compilation of the Daitokai not yet complete, he rushes to find a successor. A man who has dedicated his life to creating dictionaries." img='']

[ua_character name="Tomosuke Matsumoto" voice="Mugihito" desc="An aged Japanese linguistics scholar and the supervising director of the Daitokai. Alongside Araki, he has been involved in the planning and editing of many different dictionaries. A man of conviction who is committed to creating the ideal Daitokai, wanting to make it a new generation of dictionary." img='']

[ua_character name="Kaoru Sasaki" voice="Yoshiko Sakakibara" desc="A contracted worker in the dictionary editing department at Genbu Shobou. An unsung hero that single-handedly takes on all of the department’s clerical work." img='']

[en](Credit Honey’s Anime when you use our description.)[/en][es](Dale créditos a Honey’s Anime cuando uses nuestra descripción)[/es]

[sourceLink asin="" asin_jp="" text="Bleach Magazine OP Image" url="" ]

10. Hyouka Episode 14

[sourceLink asin="" asin_jp="" text="Episode 14" url="" ]

[Information episodes=" 22 " aired=" Apr. 2012 – Sep. 2012 "]

Now Hyouka’s Halloween special is during a school festival and only has a small focus on Halloween to be honest. In fact, most of the episode is based around a cooking competition. However, you do get quite a few nice snapshots of some awesome costume choices, such as one who takes on Miku Hatsune. Nonetheless, the episode hits its high point when two girls from the confectionary intrude upon the Classic’s Club room. They’re dressed up with massive pumpkins covering their faces and they repeat trick or treat followed by a ‘yay!’. The scene is just somewhat off putting, but more than anything, ridiculous.

9. Danshi Koukousei no Nichijou (Daily Lives of High School Boys) Episode 4

[sourceLink asin="" asin_jp="" text="Episode 4" url="" ]

[Information episodes=" 12 " aired=" Jan. 2012 – Mar. 2012 "]

There are a few awesome episodes in the Daily Lives of High School Boys where the rivalry between the sexes devolves into a pretty glorious battle. In episode 4, the battle is centered upon whether or not the boys’ haunted house will be able to make the girls scream. This is quite epic for several reasons. First off, battles of the sexes always make for awesome scenes. Secondly, the boys have a surprisingly terrifying house set up. To be honest, the style and graphic nature of the horrors they throw forth is extremely unexpected, considering the humorous nature of the show. Finally, the fact that Ringo, the president of the girl’s school, ends up wrecking the boy’s president, because she walks in on him changing, is perfect.

8. Gintama Episode 68

[sourceLink asin="" asin_jp="" text="Episode 68" url="" ]

[Information episodes=" 201 " aired=" Apr. 2006 – Mar. 2010 "]

When you want to see Halloween done right, you need to watch this episode of Gintama. Gintama correctly captures two things about Halloween. The first is that costumes matter. This is something most shows capture as their characters don some type of outfit. However, Gintama does it better than most as each of its characters take on the get-ups of well-known horror stars. Gintoki takes on Jason and Kagura takes on Chuckie and Shinpachi, well Shinpachi didn’t get the memo and dressed up as a generic Yakuza member. However, when they’re forced to take on different costumes, the creators properly show off the last-minute ditch effort that people generally go through. The shows overall nonchalance about the holiday outside of dressing up is essentially what Halloween is for anyone too old to go trick or treating.

7. Orenchi no Furo Jijou (Merman in my Tub) Episode 5

[sourceLink asin="" asin_jp="" text="Episode 5" url="" ]

[Information episodes=" 13 " aired=" Oct. 2014 – Dec. 2014 "]

Orenchi no Furo Jijou is one of those series that can basically take on any subject with ease and humor due to its styling and short nature. Well, on episode 5 they decided to take on Halloween and they captured the biggest part of it for anyone growing up. The candy. Yep, in this episode, it’s clear that the trio is really only interested in getting candy. However there were two standout moments that are fighting for top scene in this episode. The first is from the get go when Tatsumi asks Wakasa “why are you dressed like a woman?” Now there’s nothing wrong with dressing like a woman in the first place, but Wakasa’s response of “It’s the sad destiny of a blond” is pure gold. Then a little later on, when Tatsumi carves a jack-o-lantern, Takasu becomes the star of the show. He takes the pumpkin and shoves it on his head and begins to experience amounts of pleasure that feel inappropriate to describe.

6. Yamato Nadeshiko Shichihenge ♥ (The Wallflower) Episode 6

[sourceLink asin="" asin_jp="" text="Episode 6" url="" ]

[Information episodes=" 25 " aired=" Oct. 2006 – Mar. 2007 "]

When you imagine Sunako, what do you imagine her favorite holiday to be? Christmas? Valentines’s Day? Come on, we all know her favorite must be Halloween and this episode makes that fact rather clear. Sadly, the only reason why this episode isn’t higher on this list is because only the beginning and end really focus on Halloween. Outside of those moments, it’s the crew just trying to figure out why Sunako is so sad. However, few events are as awesome as the beginning scene in any anime. What do we have? We have Sunako running with Jason and his lovely chainsaw, her skeleton Josephine, and the two anatomy figures. Her happiness and the creepiness of the entire scene are quite extraordinary.

5. Bleach Episode 304

[sourceLink asin="" asin_jp="" text="Episode 304 " url="" ]

[Information episodes=" 366 " aired=" Oct. 2004 – Mar. 2012 "]

It’s somewhat surprising that other shows that have a similarly high episode count don’t have a Halloween special. Shows like Naruto and One Piece both fall short in this department, but thankfully Bleach took the time to give us Halloween lovers a special treat. Episode 304 starts off with Ichigo waking up as Frankenstein’s monster and being convinced that he must be in a dream. Then Rukia pops up as a succubus and takes him to a castle, where a good chunk of the gang resides. Well, not too surprisingly is the fact that all of them have been monsterfied in some way. Hitsuguya’s a wolf, Uryu’s a vampire, Rangiku is a witch, Orihime’s a pumpkin ghost, and it’s all quite ridiculous to be honest. However, there are two particular moments that stand out, and they’re pretty close to one another. One is that Uryu refuses to drink blood and so is an anemic vampire and the other is that Rukia has an overt desire to seduce her older brother. Overall, the episode is ridiculous but good for a laugh or two.

4. Prism Paradise (PriPara) Episode 17

[sourceLink asin="" asin_jp="" text="Episode 17" url="" ]

[Information episodes=" 105 " aired=" Jul. 2014 - ? "]

Thought not actually terrifying, this Halloween episode captures just about every aspect there is to the holiday. It captures scaring people, epic costumes, as well as lots of candy. One of the main things going for this episode, is simply the overload of Halloween-related items they’re able to fit within each scene. It’s honestly pretty amazing. Admittedly, there are a lot of great scenes to choose from this episode, because the girls are constantly trying to scare one another and there’s even a point where Laala takes a selfie with bat balloons that’s just too much to handle. However, the actual performance part of the episode takes the cake as their outfit transformations are just spot on. The little touches, like bat wings, a witch’s hat, and neko pumpkins, are just amazing.

3. Doraemon Episode 580

[sourceLink asin="" asin_jp="" text="Episode 580" url="" ]

[Information episodes=" 600+ " aired=" Apr. 2005 -? "]

True to its nature, Doraemon’s Halloween special is actually quite educational. From the get go they discuss how it’s a festival to celebrate the autumn harvest as well as the meaning behind the words ‘trick or treat’. Thankfully, they cover that within the first minute, and from there on they have Goda take the idea of trick or treat too far. Admittedly, Nobi didn’t do a very good job of explaining what Halloween is actually about, but Goda shouldn’t really go about coercing people into giving him free things. Though there are a lot of great moments in this episode, such as Nobi dressing up as a knight by means of newspapers, none are as awesome as the full-on battle that ensues by the end of the episode. Goda, acting as the famous thief Goemon, summons an army of the undead that the crew has to defeat.

2. Ouran Host Club Episode 21

[sourceLink asin="" asin_jp="" text="Episode 21 " url="" ]

[Information episodes=" 26 " aired=" Apr. 2006 – Sep. 2006 "]

Scream challenges and tests of courage have a pretty big role in Halloween. Class 1-A takes on this tradition by splitting up into teams and seeing which team can scare the other better. Enticing each team is the fact that the losers will be featured in the school newsletter with the headline “The Captains of All Cowards.” The whole episode has some pretty epic moments. There’s Honey jumping out with a massive pumpkin on his head, Tamaki seducing girls as a vampire, and the episode finishes up with Nekozawa scaring the entirety of Class 1-A with a shadow of Beelzenef. However, the shining moment of the episode is when Haruhi and Hikaru get caught up in a net and have a rather intimate, if not awkward, moment. It was one of those moments that really gave shippers of the two something to enjoy.

1. Cowboy Bebop: Tengoku no Tobira (Cowboy Bebop: Knockin on Heaven’s Door)

[sourceLink asin="" asin_jp="" text="Cowboy Bebop: Tengoku no Tobira" url="" ]

[Information episodes=" 1 " aired=" Sep. 2001 "]

With Shinichiro Watanabe’s love for references within his work, especially ones directed at Western culture, it’s no surprise that a few scenes within this movie (which takes place in late October) have nice little shout outs to Halloween. Though the entirety of the movie isn’t dedicated to the holiday by any means, it still earns nostalgia points every so often with a well-placed pumpkin. In the very first scene, with the robbery, there’s actually a pumpkin balloon in the store. Little touches like that help create an overall nostalgic tone to the movie, which works on multiple levels, considering how the movie in many ways feels like we’re receiving a flashback of the Bebop crew when it was still fully together. Nonetheless, the hat must be tipped to the scene where Ed decides to pretend to be a trick or treater by shoving a pumpkin over her head. Sadly, it’s the day before Halloween so the first person comes out with a shotgun. The second person believes Ed is giving a little more suggestive ring.

Conclusion:

[en]Key Visuals[/en][es]Visuales[/es]

Key Visual 1

Key Visual 2

[en]Characters & Voice Actors List[/en][es]Personajes & Seiyuus[/es]

[ua_character name="Yuuri" voice="Akira Ishida" desc="A young commander who founded a volunteer army in order to save people from the Black Army. He’s a reliable leader with a calm aura and a passionate heart." img='']

[ua_character name="Aram" voice="Daiki Yamashita" desc="A young man who joins the volunteer army after meeting Yuuri. An orphan, he lived his live completely alone and didn’t have any friends until he joined the volunteer army. Skilled at using the magical energy mana, he can also steal and share mana at will." img='']

[ua_character name="Pheona" voice="Ayane Sakura" desc="A girl who owns a mysterious book with great power, the Chain Chronicle. Having lost her memories, she is saved by Yuuri when she is attacked by magical beasts and ends up travelling with the volunteer army." img='']

[ua_character name="Pirika" voice="Maaya Uchida" desc="Yuuri’s partner, a fairy. She flies about with her small body, full of energy, and helps brighten everyone’s spirits." img='']

[en](Credit Honey’s Anime when you use our description.)[/en][es](Dale créditos a Honey’s Anime cuando uses nuestra descripción)[/es]

What You Need to Know:

• The last we heard from upcoming vocaloid-based anime movie Kokuhaku Jikkou Iinkai: Suki ni Naru Shunkan, the sequel to Kokuhaku Jikkou Iinkai: Zutto Mae kara Suki Deshita, it was announced it would be premiering on 17 December 2016.
• Now, a new key visual (pictured above) has been released, as well as information on the opening theme, which will be titled Senpai and performed by HoneyWorks meets TrySail.
• A three-minute PV showing off the song has also been revealed - watch it below!

Source: Animate Times

Who it caters to

What to expect

Chase: Cold Case Investigations ~Distant Memories~ Trailer

Story　

Gameplay

Honey’s Gameplay Consensus

Honey's Final Verdict:

What You Need to Know:

• It has been revealed that Sekina Aoi's light novel Gamers! will be getting an anime adaptation.
• The romantic school comedy follows a group of characters who all love gaming in different ways.
• Whether the anime will be a series, OVA, or movie is yet to be revealed. We'll be back with more information once it's available!

Source: Yaraon

What You Need to Know:

• With the PS VR now out and VR technology quickly developing, you might wonder if it's an unreachable world if you don't have the right consoles or the money to splash on virtual reality.
• But fear not! There are quite a few VR apps and mobile games out there - and some don't even need a mobile VR headset!
• With this in mind, Animate Times have put together their top five recommended anime vr apps - check them out below!

Top 5 Anime VR Apps

Icha Makura

[2_images_in_row character='' anime='']

This app allows you to use popular character Unity-chan's lap as a pillow! Created for those both with mobile VR headsets and without, you can choose which way to experience sleeping on Unity-chan's thighs.

Alternative Girls

[2_images_in_row character='' anime='']

The Alterna are girls that put their lives on the line to fight - and you are their captain. This RPG also has a VR mode where you can get up-close and personal with your best girl.

Nagomi no Mimikaki

In this relaxing VR app, Nagomi-chan will clean your ears for you. You can play without a mobile VR headset, but headphones are recommended as the sound effects make the experience all the more real!

PashaloVR

[2_images_in_row character='' anime='']

In PashaloVR, you can jump into the world of anime such as Punch Line and Hidan no Aria and see the characters right before your eyes! You can also touch them and take photographs of them.

Punch Line VR Museum

[2_images_in_row character='' anime='']

From the anime Punch Line comes this VR app where, very much like Yuuta's spirit form, you can peek inside the house where they all live - and at any of the girls you wish.

---

Source: Animate Times

---

[balloon_speech align="left" text="Be right back, downloading ALL OF THESE." image="bee-love"] [balloon_speech align="right" text="Really? Even the ear-cleaning one? That looks weirddd. What kind of sound effects do they use to make it realistic? I'm scared." image="honey-shocked1"]

---

[recommendedPost post_id='91125' url='' title='' img='' class=''] [recommendedPost post_id='104297' url='' title='' img='' class=''] [recommendedPost post_id='102519' url='' title='' img='' class=''] [ad_dfp position="bottom1" unit_pc1="true" unit_pc2="true" unit_sp1="true" class="mt40"]

[en]Key Visuals[/en][es]Visuales[/es]

Key Visual 1

[en]Characters & Voice Actors List[/en][es]Personajes & Seiyuus[/es]

[ua_character name="Gren Reiders" voice="Souma Satou" desc="Gren is a magic instructor in the magical arts. There is always a good chance that he has zero motivation to do anything, and as a magic instructor, he is third-rate. He also has zero redeeming qualities. However, what is he really like?" img='']

[ua_character name="Sistiana Fiebell" voice="Akane Fujita" desc="Sistiana is an overtly serious honors student. Her grandfather was a great and respectable magic instructor and Sistiana wants to continue in his footsteps. She plans to raise to the occasion to bring this dream to fruition with her passion." img='']

[ua_character name="Lumia Tingel" voice="Yume Miyamoto" desc="Lumia is a gentle and neat girl. She has a secret that she bears that she is unable to tell anyone about. She is earnestly trying her hardest to study magic with her best friend Sistiana." img='']

[ua_character name="Rielle Layford" voice="TBA" desc="Rielle is Gren’s former coworker. She can swing around a large sword that was refined through accelerated training in alchemy. She is a unique mage who boasts unparalleled strength when it comes to close quarters combat." img='']

[ua_character name="Albert Fraiser" voice="TBA" desc="Albert is also a former coworker of Gren and a member of the Special Magic Division of the Imperial Court. He is a resourceful mage who excels at magical sniping that is equivalent to pulling off a miracle." img='']

[en](Credit Honey’s Anime when you use our description.)[/en][es](Dale créditos a Honey’s Anime cuando uses nuestra descripción)[/es]

Characters & Voice Actors List

[ua_character name="Sagara Sousuke" voice="TBA" desc="Sousuke is a soldier currently enlisted in Mithril. He grew up in a war-stricken zone with guerilla warfare and mercenaries. He is referred to as a specialist. His official age, nationality, parents, and name are officially unknown." img='']

[ua_character name="Kaname Chidori" voice="Satsuki Yukino" desc="Kaname is a second year high school student who is joined by her classmate Sousuke Sagara. She has returned from America, so she can speak English. She is the vice principal of the student council. She has good looks and her style is on point. Her grades are also above average. She is a whispered." img='']

[ua_character name="Teletha Testarossa" voice="Yukana" desc="Teletha is the captain of the TDD-1 unit. She is currently 16 years old. Her nickname is ‘Tessa,’ and like Kaname, she too is a whispered. She has long silver hair and is American, but her family hails from Italy or Austria." img='']

(Credit Honey's Anime when you use our description.)

What You Need to Know:

• There's something pretty special about sports anime. They make you want to get up out of your seat and either pursue some new form of exercise, or just cheer on the characters for their efforts.
• But which sports anime is the fan favourite in Japan at the moment? To find out, Akiba Souken held a poll from October 7 to 21, receiving 2384 votes in total.
• With plenty of new sports anime around this year, did any of the newbies beat the classics? Let's get to the results and find out - and don't forget to check out our very own top ten recommendations linked at the end of this article!

Top 10 - Top 6

10. ALL OUT! / 83 votes

9. Prince of Tennis / 102 votes

8. DAYS / 105 votes

7. Yowamushi Pedal / 144 votes

6. Over Drive / 164 votes

Top 5 - Top 1

5. Free!

[imgOverlaySmall img='' text="179 votes" text_position=""]

[Information episodes=" 12 " aired=" July 2013 to September 2015 "]

Synopsis

The story revolves around Haruka Nanase, a boy who has always loved to be immersed in water, and to swim in it. Before graduating from elementary school, he participated in a swimming tournament along with his fellow swimming club members, Makoto Tachibana, Nagisa Hazuki, and Rin Matsuoka. After achieving victory, each of the boys went their separate ways. Time passed, and in the middle of their uneventful high school lives Rin appears and challenges Haruka to a match, showing Haruka his overwhelming power. Not wanting it to end like this, Haruka, gathers together Makoto and Nagisa once again and brings a new member named Rei Ryugazaki to create the Iwatobi High School Swimming Club in order to defeat Rin. (Source: ANN)

4. Prince of Stride: Alternative

[imgOverlaySmall img='' text="193 votes" text_position=""]

[Information episodes=" 12 " aired=" January 2016 to March 2016 "]

[recommendedPost post_id='47176' url='' title='' img='' class='mt40' widget_title='Anime Database Page']

3. Diamond no Ace

[imgOverlaySmall img='' text="205 votes" text_position=""]

[Information episodes=" 75 " aired=" October 2013 to March 2015 "]

Synopsis

With a stray pitch that completely missed the batter, Eijun Sawamura loses his final middle school baseball game. Frustrated by this defeat, Eijun and his teammates vow to reach the national tournament once they are in high school. But everything changes when a scout unexpectedly invites him to Tokyo's prestigious Seidou High School after seeing the potential in his unusual pitching style. Encouraged by his teammates, Eijun accepts the offer, ready to improve his skills and play at a much more competitive level of baseball. However, now surrounded by a large number of skilled players, Eijun struggles to find his place on the team. He declares that he will one day become the team's ace, but that's only if fellow first year Satoru Furuya doesn't take the title first, with his breakneck fastballs that earn him a coveted spot on the starting roster. With the addition of these talented new players to an already powerful lineup, the Seidou baseball team aims to become the best in Japan, facing off against a number of formidable foes that stand in their way. (Source: MAL Rewrite)

2. Kuroko no Basket

[imgOverlaySmall img='' text="417 votes" text_position=""]

[Information episodes=" 25 " aired=" April 2012 to September 2012 "]

Synopsis

Teikou Junior High School's basketball team is crowned champion three years in a row thanks to five outstanding players who, with their breathtaking and unique skills, leave opponents in despair and fans in admiration. However, after graduating, these teammates, known as "The Generation of Miracles," go their separate ways and now consider each other as rivals. At Seirin High School, two newly recruited freshmen prove that they are not ordinary basketball players: Taiga Kagami, a promising player returning from the US, and Tetsuya Kuroko, a seemingly ordinary student whose lack of presence allows him to move around unnoticed. Although Kuroko is neither athletic nor able to score any points, he was a member of Teikou's basketball team, where he played as the "Phantom Sixth Man," who easily passed the ball and assisted his teammates. Kuroko no Basket follows the journey of Seirin's players as they attempt to become the best Japanese high school team by winning the Interhigh Championship. To reach their goal, they have to cross pathways with several powerful teams, some of which have one of the five players with godlike abilities, whom Kuroko and Taiga make a pact to defeat. (Source: MAL Rewrite)

1. Haikyuu!!

[imgOverlaySmall img='' text=" 521 votes" text_position=""]

[Information episodes=" 25 " aired=" April 2014 to September 2014 "]

Synopsis

Inspired after watching a volleyball ace nicknamed "Little Giant" in action, small-statured Shouyou Hinata revives the volleyball club at his middle school. The newly-formed team even makes it to a tournament; however, their first match turns out to be their last when they are brutally squashed by the "King of the Court," Tobio Kageyama. Hinata vows to surpass Kageyama, and so after graduating from middle school, he joins Karasuno High School's volleyball team—only to find that his sworn rival, Kageyama, is now his teammate. Thanks to his short height, Hinata struggles to find his role on the team, even with his superior jumping power. Surprisingly, Kageyama has his own problems that only Hinata can help with, and learning to work together appears to be the only way for the team to be successful. Based on Haruichi Furudate's popular shounen manga of the same name, Haikyuu!! is an exhilarating and emotional sports comedy following two determined athletes as they attempt to patch a heated rivalry in order to make their high school volleyball team the best in Japan. (Source: MAL Rewrite)

[recommendedPost post_id='68739' url='' title='' img='' class='mt40' widget_title='Anime Database Page']

Source: Akiba-Souken

---

[balloon_speech align="left" text="I love that DAYS and ALL OUT! are here, but how the hell did Prince of Stride get to number four?!" image="honey-shocked1"] [balloon_speech align="right" text="It wasn't that bad... But I think we can all agree that Haikyuu!! is amazing, I'm sure everyone is so excited for this current season!" image="mo-happy1"]

---

[recommendedPost post_id='16651' url='' title='' img='' class=''] [recommendedPost post_id='103397' url='' title='' img='' class=''] [recommendedPost post_id='106054' url='' title='' img='' class=''] [ad_dfp position="bottom1" unit_pc1="true" unit_pc2="true" unit_sp1="true" class="mt40"]

[sourceLink asin="" asin_jp="4864440026" text="" url="" ]

10. Sono Hanabira ni Kuchizuke wo: Anata to Koibito Tsunagi

[sourceLink asin="" asin_jp="B003NCLUK6" text="" url="" ]

[Information episodes=" 1 " aired=" Jul. 2010 "]

We’re going to start off this list with arguably one of the best yuri hentai available. Typically we wouldn’t consider adding a hentai that delivers only one episode but Sono Hanabira ni Kuchizuke wo: Anata to Koibito Tsunagi is the exception. Studio ChuChu really brought out the best in these girls in terms of animation and genuinely adorable moments. It’s one of those rare hentai that goes above and beyond just sexual pleasure and brings together a heartwarming story, despite its lone episode. Reo and Mai have a great bond with each other. If you’re looking for something more exotic and wild, this might not be for you. As for the aforementioned story, well here it goes. It’s about a second-year high school student by the name of Mai who always gets herself involved with a fellow student, Reo. Mai takes a liking into Reo and tries to get her to be more involved with the class. However, due to both females being headstrong about the situation, they generally end up fighting. Mai wonders if Reo simply doesn’t like her until one day when Reo confirms that she has it all wrong and it’s quite the opposite actually, as she confesses her love to Mai.

9. 15 Bishoujo Hyouryuuki

[sourceLink asin="" asin_jp="4904598482" text="" url="" ]

[Information episodes=" 3 " aired=" Aug. 2009 – May. 2011 "]

This selection was chosen for multiple reasons and we will get to that in a moment or two. First, we would like to fill you in on the story that is behind this completely original concept. Now when we say story, there isn’t too much to say really. This anime is about a guy named Kazuma and 15 beautiful girls who wash up on a deserted pacific island, thanks to a devastating storm. Kazuma then traverses the island in hopes of finding some of these girls. He does so, and that brings out some very peculiar scenarios. That’s the basis of the story. Just like many other hentai, it projects a fantasy for many males. Unlike other hentai, however, it does something a bit different. In its three extended episodes, it’s able to portray what one male would love to do if he was on a secluded island with 15 sexy females. There is a lot to like about this anime. It brings forth a variety of scenes, female diversity, and several surprises throughout. There are group scenes with yuri content, one on one action, as well as a plethora of sex positions showcased. It’s safe to say you will find something that satisfies you in this hentai.

8. Joshikousei no Koshitsuki

[sourceLink asin="" asin_jp="B01G772YI0" text="" url="" ]

[Information episodes=" 6 " aired=" Aug. 2013 – Apr. 2015 "]

Our next selection is from the fantastic studio of Mary Jane. The theme of this hentai is sexual acts that take place at the school between various different clubs. The action includes the all-girls billiards club, the manga club, the volleyball team, the photography club and finally the drama organization. The two-part story includes sisters Saori and Sawa Kiryuu who have a thing for their volleyball coach. Saori asks for special training and not too long after that she receives more than she bargained for. After viewing her sister get it on with their sensei, Sawa aims to have him all for herself. Just like our last selection, Joshikousei no Koshitsuki also brings a lovely taste of varied action. What is brought to this hentai is a collection of five different stories with one story having two parts. The situations presented are very different but the one thing that stays consistent is the setting. Most of these stories take place on school grounds in various locations, such as a gymnasium, storage room, classrooms and even the hallways. The animation is terrific and this hentai covers several fetishes. These girls are out to please and they certainly accomplish that goal.

7. Bible Black

[sourceLink asin="B003UNG8H8" asin_jp="" text="" url="" ]

[Information episodes=" 6 " aired=" Jul. 2001 – Jun. 2003 "]

A high school student named Minase found a book of magic in one of the isolated parts of the school. The book he found is full of black magic and he decided to use these spells to benefit his sex life. Because of the book, he was able to manipulate fellow students in performing extreme sexual acts on him and his friends. As he delved deeper into this evil book he was unaware of the potentially fatal outcome that it brings to the user. After the origin of the book was revealed to him he decided to come to his senses and try and separate the darkness from him before it’s too late. A sinister book, a menacing antagonist, a cult and rape describes Bible Black perfectly. We are aware that Bible Black was already on the previous list but it’s one of the most storied franchises in all of hentai. We felt it had to be included onto this list once again. This is far from a vanilla hentai and it covers a wide spectrum of fetishes throughout the plethora of h-scenes. If you prefer to have a darker side to your hentai viewings this one will take the cake. Despite being over 15 years old, it still holds up strongly as a gruesome but pleasing piece of hentai history.

6. Koiito Kinenbi The Animation

[sourceLink asin="" asin_jp="B00M6SPNHO" text="" url="" ]

[Information episodes=" 2 " aired=" Dec. 2012 – Mar. 2013 "]

Koiito Kinenbi The Animation delivers several stories and situations spread out between two episodes. The prominent stories involve the Okunaga family which consists of the younger sister Anna, the eldest sister Kanako and their mother Yurie. Kanako’s boyfriend Yuuichi becomes the beneficiary of the family’s lust. The other story is about a girl named Aisha who is taking place of Santa Claus delivering presents. While visiting her last house, she slips and falls, suddenly being woken up to a horny male who is taking advantage of her. Furthering the story a year later, Aisha’s younger sister Sasha visits and things start to heat up in the cold winter’s night. The story that involves the Okunaga family is nothing short of brilliant. There are a couple of lovely scenarios that play out between the lucky boyfriend Yuuichi and the rest of the family. One example is that excellent threesome scene that Yurie, Kanako, and Yuuchi, share around the hot tub. For a more in-depth look at that particular scene, you can search for our Top 10 Hentai Threesomes in Anime article. The other story involving the two sisters, Aisha and Sasha, is not one to overlook. When Sasha shows up she informs Aisha if she doesn’t produce a grandson for their mother, she will step in for her. This also leads to a marvelous threesome that’s worth checking out!

5. Rance 01: Hikari wo Motomete The Animation

[sourceLink asin="" asin_jp="B00VFV2934" text="" url="" ]

[Information episodes=" 4 " aired=" Dec. 2014 – Jun. 2016 "]

Rance 01: Hikari wo Motomete The Animation has one of the most compelling storylines on this list. It doesn’t share a multitude of shorter stories like some of the previous anime mentioned above. Instead, it offers a more cohesive plot that could easily have been made into an ecchi anime if it wasn’t for the h-scenes. The story is about a level two swordsman named Rance who is from the small town of Ice. He’s a member of a local guild and takes on odd jobs when money is needed. He’s out to save nations from demons while saving damsels in distress; ultimately for his biggest reward, sexual release. This series takes you on a wild ride with Rance and his slave Sill. During his magic-filled adventures, he comes across many females that he wants to sleep with. Rance is motivated by sexual instincts so naturally, when he is able to take advantage of these girls in dire needs, he will do just that. In some instances, he chooses to save them from the enemy in order to get a “reward.” Other times he challenges them to a duel and if they lose he gets to do whatever he wants to them. Either way, he makes his motivations clear and his sexual impulses drive the narrative of the story.

4. Mankitsu Happening

[sourceLink asin="" asin_jp="" text="DMM" url="http://www.dmm.co.jp/mono/anime/-/detail/=/cid=n_668accdl1033/?i3_ref=search&i3_ord=1" ]

[Information episodes=" 4 " aired=" Mar. 2015 – Aug. 2015 "]

This number four selection on the countdown comes to us by way of Collaboration Works, the producer of this fine hentai. They produce quality over quantity when it comes to hentai and it shows with Mankitsu Happening. Keiichi Oyamada lands a job at a manga café. Keiichi quickly discovers that he’s surrounded by some very “talented” females, including his childhood friend who has greatly matured physically and his beautiful co-worker Rei. As the events unfold it’s clear that Keiichi will have to try his best to resist the urge to have sex with these girls, otherwise he might be out of another job. As to be expected from Collaboration Works, the animation and art style is fantastic. The characters designs of the females are superb. They really come to life during their engagements throughout the series. Rei, Otona, and Kururu are super curvy and are willing to do anything in order to please Keiichi. In the very first episode, there is a hilariously outrageous scene, even by hentai standards that involve Keiichi and his trainer Rei. Long story short, Keiichi soars in the air and ends up landing on Rei with his manhood in her mouth. Instead of removing it she keeps it in there. That scene escalates quickly, so we suggest viewing this on your own.

3. Eroge! H mo Game mo Kaihatsu Zanmai

[sourceLink asin="" asin_jp="B00NW4OXPO" text="" url="" ]

[Information episodes=" 6 " aired=" Aug. 2011 – Mar. 2016 "]

Tomoya Mochizuki is a big fan of eroge. His dream one day is to work for an eroge studio and create what he loves. The problem is he’s not exactly talented enough to be taken into consideration to get the job. Fortunately for Tomoya, he sees an ad for a job opening as administrator of the company’s website. The local eroge studio known as Flower, hires him. He notices right away that they know nothing about making eroge. They lack the insight and understanding to become a real powerhouse in the industry. One way or another Tomoya will have these four girls focused on the important aspects of eroge. The cast of characters are voluptuous, gorgeous and willing to try new things in order to become successful. Tomoya watches over them and they seek his advice on how to improve certain aspects of their eroge scenes. In most cases, this leads to the girls and Tomoya getting it on with each other in order for the girls to fully understand and get in the right mindset. Curiosity and ambition is a major theme for this hentai. The only gripe we have with this anime is that Nene, the president of Flower Studio, isn’t involved in many h-scenes.

[sourceLink asin="" asin_jp="B019OO0OH6" text="" url="" ]

2. Oni Chichi: Rebuild

[sourceLink asin="" asin_jp="" text="DMM" url="http://www.dmm.co.jp/mono/anime/-/detail/=/cid=h_357acpdl1045/" ]

[Information episodes=" 3 " aired=" Dec. 2013 – Dec. 2014 "]

The countdown continues on with a PoRO production, known as Oni Chichi: Rebuild. Rebuild is the fourth OVA in the original Oni Chichi series. In this three episode installment, we have our first look at Kayoko, the mother of Airi and Marina. Kayoko looks to re-establish or “rebuild” if you will, her relationship with her kids and most importantly Kouzou. What she doesn’t know is that Kouzou has been having sexual relations with their daughters. In addition to that, Airi has become a little jealous of a new student named Yuka, who Kouzou has grown a fondness for. This was a tough choice because this hentai could have easily taken the number one spot. This anime is the pinnacle of the Oni Chichi series. It brings together the usual cast while implementing ‘fresh meat.’ Yuka brings an added element of jealousy to Airi, while the mother, Kayoko, only intensifies the situation more with Marina and Airi. With all these females entering or re-emerging in Kouzou’s life, he makes it his mission to have a fivesome with them. There’s a lot of sexual action in these three episodes and it’s certainly worth watching again, and again and again.

[sourceLink asin="" asin_jp="" text="DMM" url="http://www.dmm.co.jp/mono/anime/-/detail/=/cid=h_357acpdp1001/" ]

1. Stringendo: Angel-tachi no Private Lesson (Stringendo)

[sourceLink asin="" asin_jp="B007L9FF6C" text="" url="" ]

[Information episodes=" 12 " aired=" Jan. 2006 – Apr. 2012 "]

Here we are folks; we have made it to our number one hentai! If you’ve read some of our previous hentai recommendations you could have probably guessed that Stringendo would take the top bill. This particular Stringendo is a rather large series that spans twelve episodes. In these episodes, it portrays popular high school females who go around having sex with less popular guys. That’s the premise; there really isn’t much else to say about the plot in this one. It’s not what’s in the plot that makes this our number one choice, it captivates above and beyond what it lacks in the story. For starters, this is headed by Pink Pineapple which is arguably the top hentai producer out there. What this hentai does well is the supreme focus and detail it lends to their h-scenes. After all, that should be the main focus of hentai. The female's emotions and facial reactions really showcase how their feeling before, during, and after, each lust-filled scene. With the twelve episodes in this series, there is more than enough content for anyone to enjoy. There’s also a strong emphasis on fellatio in this anime with numerous camera angles, including internal. Regardless, after you watch all twelve episodes you will see why this is our top pick.

[sourceLink asin="" asin_jp="" text="DMM" url="http://www.dmm.co.jp/mono/anime/-/detail/=/cid=403jdxa56858/?i3_ref=search&i3_ord=3" ]

Final Thoughts

Timanin Yukikaze (Taimanin Asagi franchize)

10. Bible Black

[Information episodes=" 6 " aired=" Jul 2001 - Jun 2003 "]

Based on a 2000 PC game, the story centers around a gathering of witches and a student who finds a book on black magic and starts using it for his own viscous purposes. In addition to, obviously, it’s sexual content, the series has fantasy elements like mind control, reincarnation, as well as a fair share of horror. Mixing the occult with explicit, it’s no wonder the PC game and it’s succeeding OVAs struck a chord with the hentai crowd, offering something more than other anime on the market at the time. In what might have been the ultimate troll from a now ex-employee at the cartoon channel Teletoon, the first thirty minutes of a re-cut version of the first OVA entitled Bible Black Complete Version, was aired at midnight, probably shocking the hordes of 10 year-olds allowed to stay up late watching re-runs of their favorite cartoons.

9. Tentacles and Witches

Sorry, we cannot show this image.

[Information episodes=" 4 " aired=" May 2011 - Nov 2012 "]

It goes without saying that any self-respecting hentai anime top ten list – now I’m not claiming that such a thing exist, or that this list would fall in under that category, but just bear with be and try to imagine that it does – needs at least one tentacle r*** porn entry. Western discussions about this particular genre does however always seems to exaggerate the proliferation of such pornography in Japan – perhaps in an expression of this somewhat outdated ‘Weird Japan’ stereotype, but that’s a topic for another article. Anyway, boy peeps at teacher, teacher is actually a titular witch, boy is punished and turned into titular tentacle monster, tentacle sex ensues. Tentacles and Witches basically takes over where Urotsukidoji ended, minus the gore (and, arguably, pop-culture value and general edginess).

8. Enzai (Falsely Accused)

[Information episodes=" 2 " aired=" Apr 2004 - Oct 2004 "]

I was in doubt as to which sort of yaoi hentai I should choose, something light like Sensitive Pornograph or something less safe for work, and ended up opting for the latter. Based on the popular and most certainly highly controversial game of the same ways, Enzai is set in 19th century France in the aftermath of the revolution and follows a young boy named Guys, who gets convicted for a murder he didn’t commit. I’ll leave the conditions of the prison he is sent to up to the reader’s imagination, but he does drop his soap more than once. The ‘prison’ is one of the classic porn movie settings, and Enzai is the anime to choose if one’s into the Yaoi version of that kind of stuff. Though the anime is said to lack the game’s depth and plot, it still preserves a lot of elements that makes it live up to the ‘intelligent hentai’ brand.

7. Yakin Byoutou (Night Shift Nurses)

[Information episodes=" 10 " aired=" Dec 2000 - Jan 2004 "]

The most surprising part of this tale of a sadistic gynecologist named Ryuji Hirasaka is not the fact that it contains enough quantities of a certain bodily fluid that doesn’t put a certain girl in a tub to shame, but that all of the titular nurses are OVER the age of what sane persons would consider appropriate for being depicted in a pornographic movie. Another ‘hentai hentai’ anime, in the sense that it’s not only erotic but also features some pretty twisted stuff, Night Shift Nurses holds the actually pretty impressive reputation as one of the most graphic hentai anime. I try to live by the rule that if something is controversial, and by virtue of being controversial has managed not to fade into obscurity, it’s at least done something right and is thereby worth checking out.

6. Waver (Behind Closed Doors)

[Information episodes=" 3 " aired=" Sep 2001 to Apr 2002 "]

Although almost all the series on this list involves elements of BSDM, Behind Closed Doors is the best example of the genre: a couple is invited to a mysterious mansion, where the husband in question is about to discover a thing or two about his perverted sexual desires. While you, even though you have interest enough to read this far, might be put off by the overtly sexual contents of series like Behind Closed Doors, it might be worth asking: is there any substantial difference between this and any given harem anime? We have a guy, surrounded by maidens willing to please his every desire, just like the high school girls flocks mindlessly around the main protagonist in any given harem series, just without all that suggestive bullshit. Or am I overthinking things here?

5. Saishuu Chikan Densha (Midnight Sleazy Train)

[Information episodes=" 3 " aired=" Sep 2002 - Feb 2003 "]

A recurring image in almost every hentai or slightly erotic anime (perhaps with the exception of Virgin Night, see below) is that of the chikan – euphemistically translated to ‘Sleazy in the English title – the person which approximately 40% of all billboards on Japanese trains warns you about. A conductor that has probably watched one too many a sexual assault on his shift, who probably also is getting too old for this shit, decides to turn his train into a swinger’s party on wheels, giving birth to the mythological eponymous Midnight Sleazy Train, Crazy Train’s perverted cousin (bad pun is bad). As a synopsis online poetically puts it: ‘get ready to climb aboard… the sleazy train is COMING’ [sic].

4. Zettai Junshu☆Kyousei Kozukuri Kyokashou!!

[Information episodes=" 2 " aired=" Dec 2012 - Jun 2013 "]

If not for anything else, we got to give the creators of this anime credits for the ridiculous premise they managed to come up with: In a reverse China scenario, the male/female ratio is at a critical low, leading the government to issue a card for the seemingly only guy left in town – under the ‘New Sex Law’ he gets a permit to sleep with any girl he might desire, as long as he remembers to carry his ‘Free Sex License’. There’s no such thing as a free lunch though – in an obvious reference to the biblical figure of Onan, who for spilling ‘his seed on the ground’ was put to death, the ‘lucky guy’ is required to make a positive contribution to the country’s declining population – every single time. In addition to its thought-provoking story and provocative art style, Zettai Junshu has also been noted for its rare inclusion of strong, intriguing female characters, as well as its many, often satirical, references to contemporary Japanese society (or maybe I’m just trollin’).

3 . Choujin Densetsu Urotsukidouji (Urotsukidoji: Legend of the Overfiend)

[Information episodes=" 3 " aired=" Jan 1987 – Apr 1989 "]

If we choose to interpret ‘Hentai’ in the Japanese sense of the word, as meaning twisted or perverted, Urotsukidoji is probably the closest we’ll ever get. The OVA was based by the works of one of the pioneers of Hentai manga, Maeda Toshio, and is also where the tentacle r*** made its, if not first, at least most memorable appearance. Its tale of the revival of a Super God – the titular Overfiend – as well as epic battles between demons, humans and men-beasts places it in the sci-fi fantasy genre, and it also features a fair share of horror and guts, as well as, of course, tons of twisted sex scenes. It is said only to be rivaled by Akira when it comes to influential anime abroad, and even though this probably is an overstatement, it definitely deserves its status as an anime classic – Urotsukidoji is the epitomization of ‘Hentai’, in the original Japanese meaning of the word.

2. Virgin Night

Sorry, we cannot show this image.

[Information episodes=" 1 " aired=" June 2001 "]

As can most definitely NOT be said about all of the other anime on the list, this is one of the few erotic anime that I would actually consider finishing (I’m sorry if I ruined the impression that I’ve actually sat through every single episode of all this crap and consequently lost my credibility with the hentai community). Again, the title tells the story: virgin night (alternatively ‘First Night’) is about the first sexual encounter between two teenagers that have been in a long-term serious relationship. Compared to the other entries on this list, it might seem like a light-weight, but in terms of story this is probably as good as it gets. One of the few – if not the only – erotic anime to receive mainstream appraisal, this is the anime you want to watch if you want to fool your date that you’re doing the 2015 version of ‘reading playboy for the articles’, or if you’re genuinely interested in a good anime.

1. Enbo (Taboo Charming Mother)

[Information episodes=" 6 " aired=" Nov 2003 - Nov 2005 "]

The title makes a nod to the classic Taboo movie series from the final days of the ‘golden age’ of American pornographic movies, and both the original and the anime share incest as a common theme. I won’t question the questionable subject matter here, I’ll simply just recognize the fact that it in some circles is regarded as the paragon of hentai, and a classic of the genre. Now for the plot: a mother, Misako, who of course is unsatisfied with her and her absent-minded husband’s sex life, starts receiving creepy calls from a stranger, and as that wasn’t enough, she and her stepson engages in a sexual relationship. And as her younger sister also eventually gets dragged into this twisted relationship, drama ensures. As before mentioned on this list, one should be cautious of drawing any conclusions on ‘Japanese culture’ based on this kind of source material, and rather see it as an example of how a business that’s seen profit fall significantly over the past few years chooses to opt for shock value to please its consumers.

Eroge! S** and Games Makes Sexy Games

Taboo Tattoo Introduction and Story

[sourceLink asin="" asin_jp="" text="Episode 5" url="" ]

Taboo Tattoo tells us the story of Justice Akatsuka, known to his friends as Seigi-kun, who is a young boy skilled in martial arts. Seigi lives up to his name, always trying to protect the weak and do what he feels is just. One day, he saves an old man from some bullies and in return this old man gives him a tattoo that gives him supernatural abilities. Later, Seigi finds out he’s not the only one with this kind of tattoo and he ends up in the middle of a secret war between the US and the Serinistan Kingdom. He meets a lot of very special and cool characters such as Bluesy Fluesy (AKA Izzy) from the US military, who recruits him in order to stop Princess Aryabhata of Serinistan from collecting different tattoos and taking over the world. Seigi has to learn how to control and exploit his new powers as he discovers the meaning of true justice.

What We Liked About Taboo Tattoo (Spoilers Ahead!)

[sourceLink asin="" asin_jp="B00BQAB0GQ" text="" url="" ]

Taboo Tattoo is a nice straightforward action anime with a lot of fighting scenes, explosions, some original super powers and a huge set of characters, most of which are total badasses. The story is quite simple, although at times we are given long and senseless scientific explanations of how these tattoos work and we end up more confused than we were initially. Taboo Tattoo is that generic show we get each season where the main character has to develop his newly acquired superpower to stop the evil guy (girl in this case) from destroying everything. And that’s good! We like that. There’s nothing wrong with watching a clichéd show as long as the action scenes are worth it. What Taboo Tattoo lacks in originality it makes up in action, coolness and awesome animation. The camera movements are great, the art looks nice, the powers are cool; for a generic action show, Taboo Tattoo definitely has a more than decent production. The storyline may have its ups and downs, but it’s overall interesting and easy to follow (besides, the superpowers come from tattoos this time, that’s new!). You may even find yourself attached to certain very likeable characters, such as Touko or BB (just try not to get too attached to these two…). In fact, BB is such a cool character that he has a whole flashback episode about him, so that we can get to know him better. All in all, Taboo Tattoo may be quite the forgettable show but at least it gets the job done, which is more than can be said about other generic shows.

Discussion Time: Should You Watch Taboo Tattoo?

[sourceLink asin="" asin_jp="" text="Episode 3" url="" ]

As has been mentioned, Taboo Tattoo is a very simple and straightforward action anime. If what you’re looking for is some pointless action, fighting scenes, superpowers, comedy, ecchi and an anime where everyone ends up cheering “USA! USA!”, then just go and watch Taboo Tattoo already, you won’t be disappointed. However, if you want to watch an anime with a developed and compelling storyline that requires a bit of thought and attention, then you should just stay with 91 Days (you can’t go wrong with 91 Days; that show’s awesome!). Taboo Tattoo is the kind of show you watch when you want to turn your brain off. We’re not saying this in a bad way, everyone needs to turn their brain off every once in awhile.

[sourceLink asin="" asin_jp="" text="Episode 1" url="" ]

1. The Action

[sourceLink asin="" asin_jp="" text="Episode 1" url="" ]

The action on Taboo Tattoo is everything you expect it to be and perhaps even more. From the very first fight scene between Seigi and Izzy we get that this show is doing at least one thing right. That fight, which is merely intended to introduce Izzy and show us the power of her tattoo, is already outstanding. She kicks Seigi’s ass of course because she knows how to handle her abilities, but not before giving him a chance to prove what he’s got. On that fight we can see some kick ass martial arts moves by Seigi and Izzy’s raw power, which is more than satisfying enough for a first fight. However, if we still haven’t had enough action, there’s an even more violent fight scene later on. And that’s just the first episode! What are they saving for the final battle? A fight between giant monsters maybe? Yup!

2. The Cool Characters

[sourceLink asin="" asin_jp="" text="Episode 7" url="" ]

Everyone who’s watched Taboo Tattoo and liked it agree that the set of characters is one of this show’s strongest points. The main character is not all that interesting at first, although eventually he becomes quite the badass, but the rest of the cast are worth watching. We have the sexy and badass girl who works for the US military, the main character’s well-endowed childhood friend who is super cute and has a crush on him, the middle aged otaku agent who triggers most of the jokes, a very lewd and sadist bad guy obsessed with sex and penises, a dozen buffed American soldiers, the badass guy who men want to be like and women want to be with and an absolutely charming yuri queen who’s just as evil and wicked as delightful. Yes, Taboo Tattoo certainly has a lot of characters for a 12-episode show and that undermines character development a little bit. But still, these characters make the show cool, sexy and funny, and that’s pretty much all there is to Taboo Tattoo. Sometimes a bunch of stereotypes put together can really work.

3. A Bit of Everything

[sourceLink asin="" asin_jp="" text="Episode 2" url="" ]

A great thing about Taboo Tattoo is that it has all the basic elements that make a show entertaining. Not great! Not memorable! Just plain entertaining and enjoyable. If you want to watch a show that appeals to your emotions then go watch something else (anything, even Bananya!). However, if you just want to watch something fun, then Taboo Tattoo has all you can ask for. It has comedy, it has increasing amounts of ecchi (with a lot of yuri thanks to the lovely villain Princess Aryabhata) and more action than you could ask for. The flow between one mood and the other is not actually the best, though; sometimes there are jokes when you least expect it, killing the dramatic vibe a bit, but hey, that’s called comic relief and it’s still fun.

1. Nothing You Haven’t Seen Before

[sourceLink asin="" asin_jp="B00LBPG5ZM" text="episode7" url="" ]

As you can probably predict by the plot, Taboo Tattoo is a clichéd shonen action anime. There is nothing really new or original about this show (other than the superpowers coming from tattoos). Taboo Tattoo is as generic as anime can come. It is quite predictable most of the times and even when something happens that we didn’t see coming, it doesn’t really feel like a big deal. This show is so unoriginal and straight to the point that it fails to create that suspense and momentum needed to achieve any sort of climax. Taboo Tattoo is just more of the same (again, not that that’s a bad thing; the show simply aims at providing more of the same for those who enjoy shounen action shows).

2. Underdeveloped Plot

[sourceLink asin="" asin_jp="" text="Episode 1" url="" ]

Taboo Tattoo’s plot has to be definitely its weakest point. The initial idea itself is not actually bad. We’re always happy to get shows about people with superpowers, and if this time tattoos are the source of such superpowers, then we can live with that. The problem comes when they tell us there’s much to learn about these tattoos, and episode after episode they come up with something new depending on what’s more convenient to the story. All the explanations seem too improvised, hardly believable and even unnecessarily too complex. For a show that is supposed to provide a simple plot with simple conflicts (like the war between the US and some Asian kingdom) and straightforward action, Taboo Tattoo makes things hard to follow at times.

3. Bad Timing

[sourceLink asin="" asin_jp="" text="Episode 6" url="" ]

We have mentioned that Taboo Tattoo has comedy, action and sexual content (basically everything we expect from a good average anime), and that very often the flow between these elements is not the most appropriate. This show has really bad timing when it comes to making jokes and providing fan service. The way they mix serious things with lewd jokes (such as when the evil Princess Aryabhata tells Seigi about the nature of the tattoos while squeezing Touko’s huge breasts) makes us think this show is more of a parody than a serious shounen. However, there are also moments in which Taboo Tattoo attempts to be dramatic and even tragic, although it lacks credibility to achieve that due to its parody-like essence. The show inevitably falls into a middle-ground between a parody and a regular shounen, failing to become a good show of either type.

Honey's Final Thoughts

Taboo Tattoo could have been a great show but it got a bit sloppy and improvised in the end. If you had high expectations for this one, chances are you got let down. Overall, the show’s not entirely bad and it does manage to be entertaining, which is probably the most important thing to judge. As long as you don’t expect a powerful and compelling story, you’ll find the fun you’re looking for on Taboo Tattoo. This show is what happens when you just throw superpowers, jokes, an improvised story and boobs into the mix; the result won’t be good but it’ll get the job done. Well, guys, we hoped you enjoyed this review or at least found it useful whether to pick up this show or to skip it. Now we would like to know what you guys think of Taboo Tattoo. Did you like it? Have we been too harsh on this anime? Let us know in the comments! ˆ-ˆ

[sourceLink asin="" asin_jp="" text="Berserk: Ougon Jidai-hen III - Kourin Poster" url="http://www.berserkfilm.com/trailer/" ]

10. Dragon Ball Z

[sourceLink asin="B001C4ZQCU" asin_jp="" text="" url="" ]

[Information episodes=" 291 " aired=" April 1989 - January 1996 "]

First up on our list is an old show that should still be close to most of your hearts, the all-time classic Dragon Ball Z. For those of you that don’t know what Dragon Ball Z is about or those who need a quick reminder after all these years, let us give you a quick overview. Goku has grown up and now tries to live a peaceful life with his wife and son. His quiet days are over, though, when he is visited by Raditz and is told that he is, in fact, a survivor of the Saiyan race which is known for its great powers and destructiveness. A new adventure awaits Goku and his friends. You might be surprised to see Dragon Ball Z on this list; after all, Hell isn’t really the first thing that pops into your head when thinking of the show’s storyline. However, their version of Hell - a spiritual realm where all deceased go - is definitely interesting enough to deserve a quick shout-out. In fact, it is based on common Japanese and Chinese concepts of the afterlife; oni or ogres are thought to be hell’s assistants and the bloody pond you can see in one or two episodes is also widely known in Japanese culture. Dragon Ball Z deserves to be on this list for being culturally accurate while still being entertaining.

9. Berserk

[sourceLink asin="B00JP5G3PW" asin_jp="" text="" url="" ]

[Information episodes=" 25 " aired=" October 1997 - April 1998 "]

For many years we’ve waited for the new remake of the Berserk series. Today, we want to go back to the original anime adaptation and give this gruesome masterpiece one more minute in the spotlight. This show follows mercenary Guts on his daily adventures that usually involve tough battles and lots of bloodsheds. Fighting is all Guts knows and he only has himself and his powers to rely on if he wants to stay alive. His solitary days might be over when he meets a group of mercenaries who want him to join their cause. Watch Berserk to find out where Guts’ story leads him. Most of the action in Berserk is situated in this world (even though Gut’s life seems to be gruesome enough to come straight from Hell), but towards the end of the show, you are presented with the most frightening version of Hell we have to offer on our list. Called “Astral Realm”, this place is not for the faint-hearted since it shows a fair amount of blood and gore. Guts has to fight the lords of darkness themselves while simultaneously giving up everything he has known and loved. Berserk is a recommendation for all fans of dark and gruesome stories.

8. Hells

[sourceLink asin="" asin_jp="B007VML3VK" text="" url="" ]

[Information episodes=" 1 " aired=" October 2008 "]

What better story to include on a Hell-themed list than Hells, the charming movie from 2008? Amagane Rinne is your typical high school girl who is stressed out by her daily academic duties. Her young life ends abruptly when Rinne gets caught up in an accident. Instead of moving on to the afterlife, though, she finds herself lost in Hell. And what does Hell look like? Like a high school of course, with the exception that this one is filled with demons rather than pubescent teenagers. How will Rinne adapt to her new school life? What we like about the Underworld featured in Hells is the fact that it combines horror with comedy. While the artwork of Hells is rather gloomy and has an eerie vibe to it, the storyline is definitely supposed to entertain you. Its gothic cartoon style is unique while also reminding of Tim Burton’s creations or the hit show Soul Eater. Hells is a precious little gem that deserves more recognition, so why don’t you check it out when you get the time?

7. Kamisama Hajimemashita (Kamisama Kiss)

[sourceLink asin="B009A5S08U" asin_jp="" text="" url="" ]

[Information episodes=" 13 " aired=" October 2012 - December 2012 "]

After all these dark and gloomy versions of Hell, why don’t we talk about a more uplifting place where both good and bad demons live? Nanami Momozono might be young, but she has already been through a lot. After her father abandoned her with a huge gambling debt, she finds herself homeless on the streets. Her tough fate doesn’t stop Nanami from helping out a man in need and this little favor will turn her life around. As a token of appreciation, the stranger offers her a place to live. What Nanami didn’t see coming was the fact that this place is a shrine and she has now inherited the duties of a local shrine goddess. The afterlife or maybe parallel universe presented in Kamisama Hajimemashita might not be your common definition of Hell, but we still wanted to include it on our list. Why? Because it depicts the Japanese idea of spirits and how they interact with each other. Kamisama Hajimemashita shows a hierarchy between different beings that determines their everyday interactions. This demon world is as unique as it is entertaining and interested us enough to include Kamisama Hajimemashita on our list.

6. Blood Lad

[sourceLink asin="B00D7AJ8KI" asin_jp="" text="" url="" ]

[Information episodes=" 10 " aired=" July 2013 - September 2013 "]

After charming Nanami and her shrine spirits, we are moving on to another demon world, one that is filled with vampires and other scary creatures. Staz Charlie Blood is a fearsome vampire who rules over parts of the Demon World. You might expect him to be a cold-blooded killer, but what most people don’t know is the fact that Staz is an otaku. He loves everything related to anime, manga, and videogames and couldn’t care less about his duties. Lucky for him, a Japanese girl gets lost in his kingdom and requires his help to return back to life - a golden opportunity for Staz. So what do we have here? A demon world, a vampire lord, Japanese pop culture and lots of questionable characters. This unique mixture makes up most of the charm of this Comedy show. The demon world of Blood Lab is a lively place filled with all kinds of supernatural beings such as vampires, ghosts, demons and more. Blood Lad doesn’t necessarily try to creep you out, but rather to entertain you with its version of life after death, and that is why we think it makes a good addition to our recommendations.

5. Makai Ouji (Devils and Realist)

[sourceLink asin="B00PTUB6K4" asin_jp="" text="" url="" ]

[Information episodes=" 12 " aired=" July 2013 - September 2013 "]

After Blood Lad, we have another comedic view on Hell with Makai Ouji or Devils and Realist. William is the perfect son of aristocrats: he is smart, educated, interested in business and gifted in natural sciences. Too bad that he has a run-in with spirits from another realm he doesn’t believe exists. While trying to retrieve anything of worth from his family’s old mansion, William accidentally summons a devil who tells him he has been chosen to determine the next ruler of the demon world. This is a challenge young William hasn’t faced so far. Seeing someone being torn between Heaven and Hell, while still being a normal human in this world is something we haven’t seen on this list so far. Makai Ouji puts Hell into a bigger concept and talks about it in connection with a realistic point of view, while still remaining an entertaining show. The clash of supernatural beings and a realist who only believes in science is also a fun idea we don’t see too often in the anime world. Makai Ouji is our fifth recommendation!

4. Hoozuki no Reitetsu

[sourceLink asin="B01EL56NZ0" asin_jp="" text="" url="" ]

[Information episodes=" 13 " aired=" January 2014 - April 2014 "]

Hells isn’t the only show set in the Underworld - Hoozuki no Reitetsu, too, depicts the everyday craze of Hell in its own, unique way. Hell doesn’t have to be an unruly world suffering from chaos. In Hoozuki no Reitetsu, Hell is more like a business and Hoozuki is the one in charge. The right hand of the King of Hell, Lord Enma, is in charge of keeping all of Hell’s inhabitants in order and making sure that their demonic enterprise succeeds. Who would have thought of combining the idea of Hell with modern business and management strategies? What sounds like a weird story actually works out for Hoozuki no Reitetsu and offers a new perspective on the afterlife. The show convinced us and the characters you’ll meet throughout the show are all unique, charming, creative and simply hilarious. Hoozuki no Reitetsu is a show that puts a smile on your face, so we couldn’t resist to include it in today’s recommendations.

3. Saint Seiya (Saint Seiya: Knights of the Zodiac)

[sourceLink asin="B00E688K90" asin_jp="" text="" url="" ]

[Information episodes=" 114 " aired=" October 1986 - April 1989 "]

You might think of old-school anime what you want, but you have to admit that many of them are still as entertaining today as they were in their days. One of these shows is the classic Saint Seiya. An ancient tale tells of a group of brave men who have devoted their lives and powers to the goddess Athena. These heroes are known as Saints and are more powerful than you could imagine. Now, it’s time for a new generation of Saints to emerge and one of them is more courageous than the others: young knight Seiya. Here we have another show that convinces with its detailed and intricate depiction of Hell. In fact, the Underworld of Saint Seiya is based on a version depicted by Dante Alighieri in his Divine Comedy. This Hell features well-known characters like Hades and is divided into different areas known as Prisons. Saint Seiya found a beautiful balance between ancient folklore and modern fantasy and that is why it deserves the third spot on our list.

[sourceLink asin="B01LX44HK6" asin_jp="" text="" url="" ]

2. Ao no Exorcist (Blue Exorcist)

[sourceLink asin="B00DK3KOEQ" asin_jp="" text="" url="" ]

[Information episodes=" 25 " aired=" April 2011 - October 2011 "]

Next up is one of the most popular Shounen shows out there featuring our favorite son of Satan: Ao no Exorcist. Rin Okumura is an unlikely hero; the teenager seems to fail at everything he touches and is known as a good-for-nothing delinquent. His tough life is about to take another turn for the worse. The disrupted family he grew up in is attacked by supernatural beings and Rin has to find out a shocking truth: he is, in fact, the son of Satan and has to be trained in the art of exorcism if he doesn’t want to end up in the pits of hell. Ao no Exorcist might take place in this world, but this doesn’t mean that it doesn’t make you feel the horrors of Hell. We don’t know about you, but the few scenes featuring the fiery realm of Satan left a deep impression on us and that is exactly the reason why we included Ao no Exorcist on this list. You might never get a glance inside the gates of Hell, but the producers have succeeded at making their version of Hell seem mysterious, powerful and most importantly scary. A worthy recommendation for our list!

[sourceLink asin="B00CINZ7GE" asin_jp="" text="" url="" ]

1. Bleach

[sourceLink asin="B00YSBFOZS" asin_jp="" text="" url="" ]

[Information episodes=" 366 " aired=" October 2004 - March 2012 "]

It’s the end of our demonic trip, but before we leave you, we have one more show to talk about: Bleach. Ichigo Kurosaki’s life as a common teenager changes when his family is attacked by evil spirits known as Hollows. To save them, he takes over the powers of a mysterious Soul Reaper. But his battle doesn’t end there. With his new powers come new duties and it is now up to him and a group of friends to protect their loved ones and free this earth from other Hollows. Bleach’s idea of Hell seems to be pretty straightforward: it’s an ungodly place where lost souls go after they’ve died. But this is where the simplicity ends because the creative masterminds behind Bleach have spent a lot of time on making their Underworld as detailed and fascinating as possible. On top of pretty impressive looking Gates of Hell, you are also presented with lots of demonic creatures and a layout into several layers, each one more horrible than the previous one. We couldn’t get enough of Bleach’s Hell and that is why it deserves the top spot on this list.

[sourceLink asin="" asin_jp="" text="Poster Image" url="http://www.suruga-ya.jp/product/detail/608912479001" ]

Final Thoughts

Tales of Zestiria the X Introduction and Story (Spoilers)

Tales of Zestiria the X is a Summer 2016 adventure anime adapted from the Japanese role-playing game Tales of Zestiria, the fifteenth title in the long-running Tales of series. Much like the game, the anime focuses on the journey of Sorey, a young human who can see and interact with seraphim. Seraphim are a spiritual race with elemental powers. The story begins with Sorey living with the seraphim in Elysia, a village free from humans. Enamored by legends of a hero called the Shepherd, Sorey enjoys exploring ancient ruins that show a history of humans and seraphim living and working together. It becomes Sorey’s wish that humans and seraphim can live in harmony once again. While exploring some ruins, Sorey and his best friend Mikleo, a seraph of water, find a lost Alisha Diphda, who happens to be the princess of the Kingdom of Hyland. Alisha is the first human Sorey has ever met. Alisha, who cannot see the seraphim, can only communicate with Sorey in the village. With a shared faith that a hero will appear, Sorey and Alisha quickly become friends. Although Alisha leaves to return to her homeland, a spiritual being born from malevolence, called a hellion, appears and is in pursuit of Alisha. Sorey and Mikleo start on their journey to protect Alisha from danger. Upon their reunion, a greater malevolence has appeared in Hyland. Sorey makes a contract with Lailah, a powerful seraph of fire, and Sorey thus becomes a Shepherd. As a Shepherd, Sorey has the power to make contracts with seraphim, and use their powers to purify hellions. The main goal of a Shephard is to defeat the Lord of Calamity, so Sorey goes on a journey to learn more about the malevolence that plagues Hyland. It is revealed that humans themselves are the source of much of the malevolence, due to greed and corruption. Although Sorey’s naive and straightforward personality helps him to have a high resonance with seraphim and brings new seraphim to join his team, these traits are also his downfall, making him particularly susceptible to being overcome by malevolence. Will Sorey gain enough power to rid the world of evil and usher in a world where seraphim and humans can live together again? Maybe, we’ll find out in Season 2, due to air in 2017.

What we liked: Tales of Zestiria the X Didn’t Forget Its Roots.

[sourceLink asin="" asin_jp="" text="Opening Image" url="" ]

Studio ufotable did not cut any corners and made arguably the best-looking anime of Summer 2016. After just the first couple episodes, viewers would know exactly what to expect for the rest of the season: light-hearted adventuring, impressive landscapes, and drool-inducing fight scenes. Luckily, every episode was dominated by at least one mesmerizing fight sequence that would pull you back for another episode. The high quality of each and every fight sequence makes it even more difficult to pinpoint which battle would be the best of season, leaving it up to personal opinion. If you’re all about the bromance between Sorey and Mikleo, you may name the scene in which Sorey makes the pact with Mikleo in the midst of a battle and then shots an arrow that literally changes the weather. If you were pleasantly surprised by the Tales of Berseria filler at the beginning of the season, you may be inclined to say that Velvet Crowe’s daemon arm mechanics were nothing less than perfection in her battle against the Exorcists and a powerful dragon. If your fond of small details and technical motions, you may name one of Rose’s fight scenes as your favorite. Seriously, you don’t have to look further than the opening theme to realize, this is simply a visual buffet for your eyeballs. Unless you missed the reminder at the end of each episode that this show was based on a video game, we all knew Tales of Zestiria the X is coming from a source seeped in battles and character leveling, and we would expect nothing else from its anime adaptation. Frankly, recent fantasy anime, like Re: Zero and Grimgar of Fantasy and Ash, regardless if you liked them or not, were emotionally depressing and mentally exhausting. Conversely, Tales of Zestiria the X and similarly Arslan Senki give us fantasy anime that are much more optimistic and hopeful. They come from a place where fantasy is in fact fantasy, an idealistic world with wonder and magic that you want to escape into. Tales of Zestiria the X ended up becoming that anime for which you can sit back and relax and say, “Whoa, that’s cool,” at least once in every episode, and we appreciate it for being that anime for us.

Discussion Time: Should You Watch Tales of Zestiria the X?

[sourceLink asin="" asin_jp="" text="Episode 3" url="" ]

Tales of Zestiria the X is easily a watch-worthy show and a perfect time-killer. If you’ve spent your whole day thinking too much and stressing out, this is the show you want to watch in order to unwind. The series as a whole, with minimal fanservice and unburdened dialog, fits into a comfy space. If you happened to be going through Hell Month, Hell Month the Sequel, and Hell Month III this summer, Tales of Zestiria the X is the embodiment of a weekly dose of relax fuel. It’s accessible to both older and younger viewers without dumbing down its content, keeping its moderate political commentary. Although it sets up a battle of good vs. evil, and then continually blurs that line between good and evil, the subject matter isn’t that heavy and can be easily digested while viewing. The setting of Tales of Zestiria is epically vast, but it doesn’t require heavy world-building in order to get the gist of how this world works. In coordination with that, there aren’t too many characters, and their power is usually revealed through visuals, rather than explained by narration or dialog. Parallel to an “easy read,” Tales of Zestiria the X is, first and foremost, an “easy watch,” free of superfluous drama and emotion-baiting. While it may not be a frontrunner for your next debate among otaku intellectuals, Tales of Zestiria the X does what it does very well. Lo and behold, that’s exactly what we’re going to talk about next.

[sourceLink asin="" asin_jp="" text="Episode 5" url="" ]

1. The Sound and Music

As a fantasy adventure, the soundtrack is fittingly epic. Storytelling and world exploring scenes are matched with pleasant and pensive instrumentals. Battle scenes have blood-pumping music that hits its climatic points at just the right swing of the sword or devastating fall. Likewise, there is a fitting lack of music at moments of anxiety or desperation. This is exactly the type of soundtrack music that JRPGs are famous for. Then there are the songs with words. The upbeat and fun “Kaze no Uta” opening theme song by FLOW is the perfect start to an action-packed adventure. The refreshing “calling” ending theme song by fhána is equally the perfect match to a satisfying episode conclusion. The music, overall, leaves very little to be wanted. Even though Tales of Zestiria the X is just a video game’s adaptation, the voice cast is also filled with really popular seiyuus (Japanese voice actors). Kayano Ai’s delivery of Alisha reflects the character’s self-confidence but also carries a level of uncertainty that matches the character’s inexperience. Osaka Ryota adds gentleness to Mikleo’s character that is well-known but not often addressed in words. Finally, it’s hard to imagine anyone else voicing Sorey except Kimura Ryouhei. We almost feel sorry for the English voice actor, because this part feel like it was written for no one but Kimura.

2. The Impressive Visuals

Even if the story is uninspired, the visuals take the helm to add freshness to the medium. Unsurprisingly, this may be the exact same reason that the Tales of series is still popular, even as it prepares for the global release of its sixteenth major title. The animation is crisp and ambitious. Lighting effects are at the highest quality, and CG effects are more fitting than distracting. As mentioned before, the fight sequences are some of the best to grace the silver screen this season. The seraphim, though spiritual beings, look a lot like humans; but then again, they don’t. Even without an obvious character introduction, it’s easy to tell who is a seraph and who is not. Thanks to years of development for the video game, the character designs are very good without being too cliché. Although Lailah is an explosively strong seraph of fire, her design is sweet and elegant. Conversely, the earth seraph Edna is small in stature but when she uses her elemental power, her attacks are overwhelmingly powerful. Much like Toph in Avatar: The Last Airbender, this “dynamite comes in a small package” character is a fan favorite. Then, there are the backgrounds. Expansive, vast, and above all else, beautiful, each area has its own distinct feel and color palette that would make Christopher Nolan proud. Honestly, we could never say enough on how amazing this anime looks.

3. A Real JRPG Experience

Tales of Zestiria the X, being based on a role-playing game with an ESRB rating of “Teen,” carries an air of innocence, compounded by Sorey’s sheltered upbringing. This innocence is particularly important when we go out to journey into the larger world, where the main conflict is easily described as a duel of good and evil. Sense of adventure, after all, is grounded in naiveté and a want to explore and experience the greater world. As viewers, we also get to mature a little along with our protagonists as we learn many of stark realities of the world: namely, many of the “evil” dragons and hellions were once innocent seraphim and humans, much like themselves. The story, for that matter, follows the story in the actual game. It’s not a prequel, like the recent OVA Brotherhood: Final Fantasy XV. It’s also not an after story or alternate timeline, like many other game adaptations. It is the actual story with just a few small tweaks. Considering the recent popularity in anime that use RPG elements, à la Sword Art Online and Grimgar of Fantasy and Ash, it makes sense that ufotable would make a full-season RPG anime with the native story. Add in visuals worthy of a major JRPG, and we have the perfect storm of an anime for people, like us, who enjoy watching RPG cutscenes on YouTube. Finally, as to be expected with a role-playing game, the main character needs to be a bit of a blank slate in at least one way or another. In this case, Sorey is probably best described as a “mask face.” Unlike many anime main characters, Sorey has a laid-back personality and will give a smile or two, but overboard emotionality isn’t in his character design. He can look sad, but he won’t cry. He can feel flustered, but he won’t overreact. He can be really excited, but he will literally have on Pikachu’s battle face. This is so that we, the viewers, can embed our own emotions onto his emotionless mask of a face. Of course, he has a distinct personality: he’s kind-hearted and outgoing. He doesn’t fear defeat but dislikes people taking advantage of him. His hero personality, however, is more or less, why the Tales of fanbase would want to identify with such a character, and his lack of overboard emotion enables that behavior.

[sourceLink asin="" asin_jp="" text="Episode 10" url="" ]

1. It’s Basically a Long (and short) Advertisement

Although ufotable does Tales of Zestiria the X solid, they aren’t necessarily bringing anything new to the table. People who have actually played the source game will literally know everything that will happen, and may even be frustrated by how slow it’s moving along (see #2 below). This, however, isn’t considered a great sin the world of anime. Similarly, people will watch the anime of their favorite manga, even if it is completely source-faithful. It’s pretty obvious, though, that the real target audience, much like manga adaptations, is in fact that people who have not played the game yet. What better way to do this but show off the juiciest battles? “Isn’t that battle amazing? Don’t you want to fight in the battle for yourself, but you know, do it OP-style instead?!” screams the voice behind the aesthetically pleasing screen. If that weren’t enough, we have a two-episode intermission for Episodes 5 and 6, featuring the characters and story of Tales of Berseria, a totally different title that was released in Japan this year and will be released in North America and Europe after localization in 2017. It may seem really random, except we all know that this anime’s main objective to sell more games, so we’re not surprised at all. In fact, the Tales of Berseria episodes ended up being some of the most liked by gamers, because it was the only new thing in the whole season.

2. Alisha vs. Rose

One of the main reasons the story moved so painstakingly slow was to hold on to dear life to Alisha’s presence. Alisha, who is even featured in the Episode 0 of the anime, is treated as the main female protagonist in the anime adaptation, but that isn’t the case for the game. Heavily used during the marketing for the game before its release, many Japanese players were pretty disappointed when they learned that Alisha is actually absent for most of the game. Instead, the main female protagonist is Rose. This is justified by the fact that Rose has a higher resonance with seraphim. She can communicate with a seraph even before she meets Sorey. Alisha, with her low resonance, is too much of a burden on Sorey after they make the pact with each other. The anime tries to alleviate this problem by reasoning that Alisha has some resonance, which is better than nothing, and then suggests a possible solution for Sorey, who proclaims that Alisha won’t be a burden if he can become strong enough. Globally, however, marketing for the game was much lower in scale. Thus, many fans outside of Japan didn’t really care that Alisha wasn’t the main female protagonist. If anything, more global players are fond of Rose, who is very absent in the anime’s first season. It’s just a little strange that such an important character would be treated as just a side character. If they are planning on continuing to be faithful to the source in the second season, Rose will definitely need to become the main female protagonist, and Alisha has to go away. It may be true you can’t win over all the fans, but being wishy-washy with the female protagonist is off-putting, at the very least. Maybe they’ll surprise us all, and we’ll have two main female protagonists, but that’s just wishful thinking for now.

3. The Character Development is Limited.

With the plot dragging along so slowly, the character development is also slow. After the first couple episodes, we didn’t really expect lack of character development to be a problem, but here we are. Of course, we can understand the reasons for this slow development, but adding more depth to some scenarios would be much more appreciated. For example, when Mikleo goes looking for a weapon catalyst to be able to make a pact with Sorey, there was a lot of room to give Mikleo more of a story or at least more of a journey. Also, while we loved all the little glimpses into Edna’s past, much more expansion on those glimpses would be amazingly wonderful. A lot of the character development in Tales of Zestiria the X is based on assumptions we have to make as viewers. That’s fun for making theories, but the reason why we make theories is to see if they can be proven in canon. For Tales of Zestiria the X, they may never be addressed.

Honey’s Closing Statement

Tales of Zestiria the X, though a very well-made anime, doesn’t go above and beyond, especially in comparison with many other fantasy anime in recent years. The story is relatively uncomplicated and the advancement of the story is within the realm of the expected. It portrays its story well, however, with high quality animation, solid voice acting, and a perfected soundtrack. Of course, many of its high points are thanks to a long and laborious game development stage for its source material, in which ufotable actually worked with Bandai Namco for the game’s opening and cutscenes. With all of this in mind, ufotable didn’t aim for greatness, but instead relied on its strong source material foundation. The game Tales of Zestiria is not necessarily the greatest of the Tales of series, but it’s a solid addition. Likewise, the anime may not be the most wonderful thing made by ufotable, but it definitely meets a high standard we’ve come to expect from the studio. If we were to compare it to a gymnastics routine, Tales of Zestiria the X didn’t do the highest difficulty routine, but they also didn’t make any big mistakes with the leaps and flips they chose. They might not deserve a standing ovation, but we will clap while nodding in approval to this anime.

What You Need to Know:

• After the looong countdown that mysteriously appeared on the Date A Live website a few days ago, it has been revealed that the newest project will be a...spin-off light novel.
• After the announcement was made, all netizens breathed out sighs of annoyance, anger, and frustration, while die-hard fans were happy.
• Check out their comments below!

Source: Matolabel