| JANUARY 2017 ANIME RECAP |

1. FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST: BROTHERHOOD

"A lesson without pain is meaningless. That's because no one can gain without sacrificing something. But by enduring that pain and overcoming it he shall obtain a powerful, unmatched heart. A fullmetal heart."

Rating: 8.5/10
Number of Episodes: 64
Status: Completed
Synopsis: Edward and Alphonse Elric goes on a quest in order to find a way to bring Alphonse's body back and Edward's body parts which they lost when tried to bring their dead mother back to life.
Non-Spoilery Review: Many people had been bugging me to watch this for a while now. I kept procrastinating because it had 64 episodes. However, let me tell you it's worth it. FMA is an amazing anime. The bonds between the different characters are entertaining and heartwarming to watch. There are fun scenes and heartbreaking scenes all throughout the anime which will break your heart and make you smile. The story is amazing and the twists and turns introduced is great. Many of the characters are interesting to watch even the enemies. Some enemies will give you conflicting feelings because they have their inner issues. It's fun to see some of the powers of the different alchemist though I would've liked it more if it were explored more. Plus, the fighting scenes are amazing. It gave a satisfying ending that will make the hours you spend on it worth it.

• The bond between Edward and Alphonse is really touching and inspiring. You can see how much they care for one another. I found the ending great because they got Alphonse's body back. Edward is really admirable because he had to sacrifice his alchemy in order to get Alphonse's body back and he didn't hesitate.
• The relationship development between Edward and Winry is really cute. They are adorable together even though they used to fight a lot in the beginning. I really liked them together and was happy when Ed proposed even though it was kind of a weird proposal and Winry's reaction was just perfect. It's cute to see that they had children in the end. 
• Izumi and Sig's relationship is really adorable. They went through a lot especially since we find out that they lost a child long ago which Izumi tried to revive. Izumi is really powerful and it's a good thing they're part of the good team.
• Van Hohenheim is an amazing character. Even though he sucked as a father in the beginning, there's a reason why he left. He didn't just abandon them. I find it quite sad that he wasn't able to spend more time with his sons. However, it's a good thing that he died happy. I wish that he's together with Trisha in the afterlife.
• Van and Trisha's story was heartbreaking. It seems that Van really loved Trisha. I was saddened when Trisha's last words were revealed which was to tell Van that she's sorry that she couldn't wait for him. It was heartbreaking to watch Van cry.
• Roy Mustang is an amazing character. I love that he's the head of team good. I wanted him to be the next Fuhrer but he was still young so he'll have his time. He's very powerful and he cares a lot for his friends. It's scary to see him so mad. 
• Roy and Riza were a couple that I shipped. I love them together. I love how they cared about each other deeply and how they strengthen each other. I wish they could have been ended up together.
• Roy and his team were really adorable to watch. They're so close and the bond they have is so strong. They would sacrifice themselves for each other without hesitation. 
• I really wanted Sheska skill. To remember everything she has ever read. I mean it would probably make things easier. I really want to remember all the books I've read in my life but I forget easy.
• The Armstrongs. I love Alex and how caring he is about his friends. He's so funny especially when you see him cry because of some touching thing or try to show off his muscles. I love how strong he is and the ridiculous things he does. I also love his sister - Olivier. She's so strong and fierce. I love how she cares for her team and how strong she is despite not being an alchemist.
• 2 reasons why I cried in this anime: 1) Damn Shou Tucker. It was heartbreaking to see how his madness caused him to ruin his daughter's life. Nina you poor child. Now I know the reference but God I wish I didn't; 2) Maes Hughes death. I loved him and his adorableness towards the other characters especially his daughter. I love how proud he is of his wife and child towards Roy. It was a very heartbreaking event especially during the funeral when his daughter was beginning not to bury him.
• I thought at first that Scar was going to go to team bad. I'm glad that he became part of team good because I liked his character. I mean he assassinated alchemists but it was because of his hatred for the wrongness that the military did to the Ishbalans. I liked Scar and his team (May, Marcoh and Yoki). It was good that he became part of the team that would help resurrect the Ishbalan traditions.
• Envy is a homunculi that broke my heart. I really hated that he killed Hughes but he was entertaining to watch. It broke my heart to see him commit suicide after accepting that he was envious of human relationships and how they are able to have friends and create bonds.
• Greed is the homunculi that I didn't want to die. Sure he was mean at first but he changed through Lin Yao. I love how he tricked Lin Yao to let go and sacrificed himself to fight Father. 
• I liked Alphonse and May. I want them to end up together in the future. I liked how Alphonse protected May when she was in danger and he even took care of her small panda.
• I really loved Lin Yao. I thought at first he was a minor character and I'm glad that he's not. He was really fun to watch especially when he collapses due to extreme hunger. I love how he became the new emperor of Xing in the end. He deserves it. I also love the fact that his voice actor is Mamoru Miyano. I love that guy.
• Barry the Chopper was an entertaining character. Even though he was supposed to be a killer, he helped Roy and the others rescue Maria. It's sad that he had to die.
• I really love the scenes where they make fun of Edward's height. I can relate and it's funny how he reacts so violently. Also, the fact that others thinks it's Alphonse who's the fullmetal alchemist was funny too.
• I love that Roy's power becomes useless when he gets wet. It's funny haha. 
• I really love Pinako. She's the mother the three characters - Edward, Alphonse, Winry had. It's funny though to see how short she is even though in the flashbacks she's tall.
• The seals look pretty af.
• FAVORITE SCENES: Roy figuring out Havoc fell for Lust's trap - her boobs; Lin Yao and Edward trying to prove to each other that they're not Envy - Lin Yao asks if he would like him to recite the menu of the room service while Edward violently reacts to being called a pea-sized runt; Sig and Alex Armstrong showing off their muscles; 

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2. SUPER GALS!

Rating: 7/10
Number of Episodes: 52
Status: Completed
Synopsis: Ran Kotobuki is the self-proclaimed "world's greatest gal." As a teenager in Shibuya, she is determined to live out the gal lifestyle for the rest of her life, and she has gained a reputation as the most respected gal in all of Shibuya. However, she comes from a family of police officers—her grandparents, her parents, and her older brother are all officers, and her younger sister is set on following in their footsteps. Ran has other dreams for her future, but as frequently shown, she has acquired the family's sense of justice and spirit. Her two friends, Miyu and Aya, also have their own problems and circumstances. (Wikipedia)
Non-Spoilery Review: I remember watching this when I was in elementary. Me and my bestfriends during that time loved pretending we were the three main characters from this anime. I decided to finally download it and watch it this year. There really isn't a plot to this anime - it just follows the three main character. It was just an easy and fun thing to watch. I would suggest you watch this if you just want something light to ease your mood. Ran is a great character even though she's quite lazy and doesn't study, she's the idol of most people in Shibuya. She gets their respect through the deeds she does - helping others and protecting the ones in trouble from bad people. Her bestfriends, Miyu and Aya are there to help her. Miyu used to be a rebel who stopped after she became friends with Ran and her brother. She lives a hard life due to the fact that her mother doesn't really care about her. Aya used to be focused on her academics and didn't really enjoy her life. Meeting Ran and becoming friends with her made Aya stronger and more confident about herself. Through the various episodes, other characters are introduced. They helped progress the anime and some gave the main characters a love life. Rei used to be one of the characters I really loved when I was young due to the fact that he was handsome. However when I watched the whole anime there were times that I was annoyed at him. Yuya is one of the most adorable characters in the anime because he was there to support the others. I'm happy that he got his happy ending in the end. I really didn't like who Ran ended up with even though he was a nice character. There are also other characters who I really didn't like. They were sort of annoying and I would like to kick them. I was let down by the fact that the anime didn't follow the manga. So in the future, I probably should read the manga. The ending wasn't enough for me because it wasn't really an ending? Like some animes it was just there to sort of end the run of the anime and not the whole story. In addition to that, I really like the theme songs of this anime. The opening is fun and cheerful to listen to while the ending is more serious and kind of heartbreaking if you translate it to English. Overall, Super GALS! is an interesting anime that gives you feels at some points and entertains you. It's a nice watch.

• I really liked Yuya and Mami together. Yuya deserved someone who treated him better. Ran usually just used him for food and she didn't deserve his attention at all. Yuya is a nice guy and I'm glad that Mami found him. They deserve each other. I'm glad that they worked things out after finding out that they really do love each other.
• Aya and Rei used to be my favorite couple from this anime. Mostly because of their looks. I didn't expect that Aya experienced many heartaches because Rei. I didn't expect that Rei liked Ran at first. It was so heartbreaking for Aya because Rei was really harsh. However, it worked out in the end and I was glad they got back together. They were able to resolve their issues and Rei developed real feelings for Aya.
• Yamato and Miyu are really adorable together. I like how they met and their support towards each other. I love that they got engaged at some point of the anime. Even though there was an age gap between them, it was alright.
• Ran and Tatsuki are cute together but they weren't my favorite couple. 
• Towa is a cute woman. I really wanted to know what Ran's secret was. It was amazing to find out that she used to be the best woman in Shibuya.
• Sayo, Masato, Naoki, Maki, Kasumi are the characters that annoyed me the most. Usually when they appear, I wanted to skip out the episode. There was only one episode that I liked that Sayo appeared, where she helped Detective Kudoh.
• I love how Nakanashi supported his students well even Ran. Even though he was really annoyed at Ran at some points he still helped her pass the grade which showed how a great teacher he is.
• The Ganguro Trio are fun extra characters. Even though they appear randomly, it's usually for fun. I liked how they allowed Aya to give her chocolates to Rei after they saw the wound in her finger which signified that she worked hard to make them.

"They call you Second Place and stuff, but you've totally got first place in my heart." 

"Somewhere along the way, it became natural for you to be by my side and I didn't even realize I'd fallen in love with you long ago. Just like how you called me "First Place", you're the most important person to me now, too."

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3. DEATH PARADE

I'm sure it's not wrong for people to want to understand each other. And even if it is, I want us to understand each other.

I say... that people do not live just so that they can someday die. It is because they are alive that they someday die. There is no point to living. The same goes for judgment. Judgment must be performed hand in hand with both life and death. It is something that must be performed hand in hand with humans.

Life really is a mysterious thing. Each and every life spins its own, totally separate tale, yet they become intricately entwined in each other. And no one knows how they will end up.

Rating: 6/10
Number of Episodes: 12
Status: Completed
Synopsis: Two souls are sent to a bar where the bartender, an arbiter, acts as the judge whether the souls would go to reincarnation or to the void.
Non-Spoilery Review: I don't really know what to feel about this anime. The concept was really interesting however I wasn't really amazed. Maybe it was because there wasn't enough episodes. It was a fast watch so I wasn't really bothered. It's sad that there's no manga because I kind of wanted more. There wasn't enough closure to the anime and it could've been explored more (I don't know maybe there's a plan to add more episodes?). It's interesting enough to watch because of some of the cases of the souls. There are some that aren't really that easy to judge especially in a human perspective. Humans tend to the things based on their emotions even if it is not their true nature. Seeing as the arbiter isn't human he couldn't have possibly understood that. Decim and Chiyuki's interaction are cute and touching especially at the end. I like them both. I don't get Nona's deal at all though. The concept and where it could go is really intriguing so I want more episodes.

• It is interesting to see that Decim was able to feel sorrow by the end. I wonder how Chiyuki ended up arriving at the bar with the memory that she is dead. Was she sent on purpose to help Decim develop feelings? Their interactions were lovely and interesting to watch. They created a bond and you can see that Decim listened to her opinion and it also somewhat affected him. I was devastated when Chiyuki was judged because Decim won't have an assistant. He just technically lost a friend.
• I don't get what Oculus' deal is. I want to know more about him and why he kept playing galaxy pool with Nona.
• I guess it makes sense why arbiter shouldn't have emotions. Especially since Oculus let it slip that an arbiter with emotions may not last. With all the judging they do, learning how some humans are terrible may end up making the arbiter insane. There's only so much that a human can take. 
• I was happy to see that Harada's voice actor is Mamoru Miyano. I really do love him.
• The first episode was really hard to watch. Machiko may have really just lied to Takashi that it wasn't his child so that he won't feel as much guilt. Takashi is the terrible one. Not trusting even his wife. I feel bad that Machiko was the one who ended up in the void.
• I wonder what Chavvot really means and why it became kind of a recurring theme in the episodes.
• Shimada and Tatsumi are the most conflicting pair to arrive in the bar. Although they both murdered, one was revenge and vigilantism and one was just revenge. For me, Shimada should have been sent to be reincarnated while Tatsumi to the void. Shimada only did what he did because of what happened to his sister. He killed a terrible human being who may have hurt a lot more women in the future while Tatsumi did the same however he let others get hurt first before acting. He didn't do anything to help Shimada's sister even though he saw everything.
• I like how pretty the galaxy pool looks like.
• Chiyuki's life was really a devastating one. It's sad that all her life she wanted to be an ice skater and then she got her knees injured. It was terrible. No one understood her and she felt so depressed that she killed herself. She regretted it later when she saw her mother however she didn't prioritize her own life over another. She realized her mistake and regrets it however she doesn't want anyone else to suffer.
• It was a bittersweet scene where a dummy of Chiyuki was seen in the Quindecim.