Anime Review: Date A Live

I have really mixed feelings about this anime... So I'll proceed with this review

A little word before I begin. Date A Live (デート・ア・ライブ Dēto A Raibu) is the anime adaption of the Japanese light novel series, Date A Live. It is directed by Keitaro Motonaga and produced by AIC PLUS+.

Well let the dating game BEGIN!

Story

Spacequakes, a mysterious phenomenon that destroys everything at the point of impact within a given radius. They are unpredictable and appear randomly. Itsuka Shido lives with his sister Kotori in a town that experiences lots of Spacequakes but has proper countermeasure to warn the population and limit the casualties. 

Here's an example of a spacequake

Oh wait wrong picture

One day Shido is (through some complicated circumstances) running to find his sister who is not in a shelter and a spacequake warning has been issued.

He doesn't find his sister but discover that those spacequakes are caused by a girl.

This girl called Princess (Hime) is standing in the middle of the spacequake impact. She is attacked by a squad called the AST who's objective is to kill these creatures called spirits.

Of course he is shocked. But he is more shocked when he discovers that his little sister Kirino.... euh I mean Kotori is actually the boss of a secret organization aiming to stop these spacequakes.

The more shocking fact is that to stop these spirits from wreaking havoc on earth the solution is actually to date them, show them that there are people who actual want her and won't deny her existence.
So yeah in the end Shido will have a harem. This gets a whole lot more interesting when the number of girls slowly grows and the attempts to sway Shidou’s heart commence.

Characters:

The characters all have some pretty unique personality to them that makes them pretty special. The main girls are all pretty interesting even though they aren’t really fleshed out that well. We have a kuudere, a yandere, a tsundere, a loli and the childish one.

Itsuka Shido, the good looking character who gets all the girls etc etc etc.... Your typical protagonist in a harem anime, very generic. Shallow, bland at best, he only serve to advance the harem. An interesting personality Shido has as described by Kotori: "onii-chan had become strangely sensitive to the despair inside people.—Mm. Something like everyone rejecting oneself—thinking that one will never be loved by anyone else. Well, basically what he had been like back then. If there was someone with such a melancholic expression, even if it was a complete stranger, he would probably go help them without a second thought."

The character that caught my interest the most is Tohka Yatogami. It’s still not quite clear how she gains the last name Yatogami. On my first impression, she resembles Saber from the Fate Series. The usage of armor, the aura she gives off and her nickname “Princess” are all very similar to Saber. She even shares the same hobby as Saber (specifically eating). It is hard to tell whether or not the author did this on purpose. Tohka is voiced by Marina Inoue (Mikazuki Yozora in Boku wa tomodachi ga sukunai)

Next is a..... uh.... how should I say it... Oh yeah a Yuno rip-off (Mirai Nikki). Kurumi Tokisaki, who is was the second character that caught my interest. She dresses like a gothic lolita which is not very common these days in the anime industry. She is depicted with a very sadist/masochist yandere tone and I must admit I kinda like it

Next is Kotori Itsuka serves as the protagonist’s beloved imouto (little sister). Technically, Kotori is Shido’s foster sister. Like any other kawaii imouto, Kotori was doomed from the beginning to become lolicon material, much like Yoshino who is also essentially a loli spirit. Other than her loli physique and her tsundere personality, there is nothing moe about her. Well there isn’t much to fit the criteria of moe anyways... Also I should mention that she is voiced by Taketatsu Ayana, some might know her other no...

Sound:

I don't have anything to say, the music is good, the opening is good but I have to talk about ending #1 and #2 Save The World and Save My Heart. They are pretty addictive and I kept listening to them for a while
Edit: The second opening was also a really good surprise and I enjoyed it a lot!

Animation and Art:

The animation and the art were really good, it is always a pleasure for the eye to watch anime with such a good quality. The level of details is really high but still not the best we can get (KyoAni does that). The animation during the combats is smooth and the quality never dropped which is very good point. Here's some image to let you judge.

Difference with the light novel:

Didn't read the novel can't say

Conclusion:

It's pretty complicated to say what I feel about this anime, it is your typical harem anime with some new stuff added that actually doesn't make it like all the other harem. I personally enjoyed watching it because I like Tohka and I would recommend that you watch it
My original score would be 8/10 but the fact that season 2 should be airing around Spring 2014 I shall rate Date A Live : 8.5/10
EDIT: Dropped the rating to 8 because season 2 was... not that good, and the animation quality was awful... 8 because The movie: Mayuri Judgement has been announced and confirmed for 2015.

Enjoy

Makai Ouji Devils and Realist

" Bring two people with totally opposite points of view, throw them in a closed room, and watch them scratch out each others' eyes, this is the best description I could come up with for the anime. And I promise it will get you smiling on occasions, feeling a bit sad on a few others, and laughing hard at 2 am in the morning. "

Introduction:

I've been tired lately of some EPIC yet nerve-wrecking anime ( again ! ), so I decided to start some light anime that will leave me laughing rather than worrying. Apparently, Makai Ouji: Devils and Realist was the cure for my heartache and boredom.  Here is the trailer :3 

Editor’s side note: My heartache is due to my favorite anime taking too long to release new episodes. Ongoing anime are a test of patience if you ask me. On another note, Makai Ouji: Devils and Realist is quite a catch. It is funny, funny, with some good plot, funny, and quite a touch of eccentricity if you ask me although slow paced.

Plot:

William Twining is an aristocrat and has everything handed to him. Although his parents died and his uncle manages his financials, he is the top of his class in one of the most prestigious schools. He is a "perfect" by name, social status, and grades. He is one hell of a realist who only believes in the scientific line of thinking. What William doesn't know is that he is going to be denied from all of the comforts he enjoyed when news reaches him regarding his uncle's bankruptcy due to "Bad Investments".

Random snapshot from the anime, LOOK how promising the LOLs are :3 

Editor’s side note: So, what's so special with Twining? What William does not know is that he is the descendant of Solomon, who according to the story is the man who God bestowed upon him wisdom which is represented by the ring which Solomon wears. He also subjugated 72 demons also knows as the 72 pillars. Yet, what happens when the lord of hell Lucifer falls asleep and hell needs an interim ruler? ( Enters the ELECTOR)

A sample of the demon lords that are shown in the series :3 , and YES this hottie is the lord of FLIES -_- 

When William dashes home to inquire about his unpaid tuition, he is received by his house steward Kevin Cecil who informs him about his uncle's bankruptcy.  Desperate to find a method to pay his tuition, William accidentally enters a secret basement in his house and summons a demon when a drop of blood oozing from his injured hand comes in contact with an old magic circle drawn on the floor.

Kevin the house steward, ummm I shall refrain from commenting and leave the rest up to you :3

Editor’s side note: So up till now, we have a hard headed realist who summoned a demon using a magic circle in his basement who tells him that he is the Elector and has the right to choose hell's interim ruler! So how will William react ?

Characters:

1- William Twining: 

An aristocrat who has gone bankrupt. He is also Solomon's descendant, and a hell of a realist. Although, some of the 72 pillars approach him and try to Persuade him to elect them as the interim ruler, William denies each and every single one of them. He, not only denies their requests, but also their existence/nature as well as his responsibility towards them. He claims that they are all made out of atoms and he is not responsible in any way to deal with hell and its problems, that is if it exists to begin with.

On several occasions William will show his true soft nature especially towards his friend and house steward Kevin. I would like to say that his attitude issues are due to his beliefs although I have a feeling Dantalion will patch things up :P !

William and his friend Issac :3 This was one weird moment ! 

Editor’s side note: Twining's attitude sometimes pisses me off. He is proud on several occasions and denies Dantalion who appears to have made quite a connection with Solomon in the past. My brother says William's initial attitude is more annoying than Arthur Auguste Angel's from Ao No Exorcist.

 Arthur Auguste Angel from Ao No Exorcist, PLAIN annoyance on two feet

2- Dantalion:

He is one of Solomon's 72 pillars and also a Nephilim ( I will let you hit your head on the wall while trying to find a definition for Nephilim :3 ). He is the demon who was summoned in William's basement. He is protective of the initial, although William denies his existence and "badmouths" him on several occasions. He has a major connection with Solomon and wonders why William forgot about him (while William has flashbacks regarding the other demons). 

Dantalion is also one of Lucifer's favorites and is quite POWERFUL ! But why is he protective of William and throws his life to protect an Elector who does not even acknowledge his existence ? ( ^_^ ) NYA-nya !?

Dantalion is a very sweet demon if you ask me !

Editor’s side note: Dantalion's voice actor was a shock. I knew I heard that voice somewhere, yet I never knew this deep voice was the same as Misaki Ayuzuwa from Kaichou wa Maid sama as well as Ittoki Otoya from Uta-no Prince Sama and Inuta Kobungo from Hakkenden Touhou Hakken Ibun!

 3-Sitori 

He is also a candidate to replace Lucifer as the latter is in deep sleep. He appears to be a fallen angel as seen in one of Solomon's memories. Sitori is very refined, loves eating biscuits and quite powerful. He reigns over 60 armies of hell and is one of Solomon's pillars.

Editor’s side note: During his first appearance I had one reaction: "NOT sure if MALE OR FEMALE :P " Rest assured, he is a male !

 4- Gilles de Rais 
I do not know why but this DUDE (HE IS A DUDE ) pisses me off. I am not sure if he is a comic relief but he really needs some help. He is quite strong, battles Dantalion in the first episode if I am not mistaken and it is revealed that he is a man who died 400 years ago and became a Nephilim serving under the Great Demon Duke Baalberith. He once was in love with some historical character that we KNOW :3 !

Editor’s side note: During episode 7 mom walks into the room. I hit the pause button and the video stops at this scene. She inquires about the current scene and I tell her some stuff are better left unexplained .

There are other characters, whom I shall refrain from discussing in order not to ruin the anime for you :3

 I love your red hair dude, but hmmmm !

 I fell in love with his voice, he has the same voice actor for shirou from Ao No Exorcist and Hannes-san fron Attack on Titan

 Astaroth-sama quite a character. She reminds me of Youruichi from Bleach !

Camio, he is one of my favorites, pretty refined with a delicate human nature !

Music:

The intro was not bad, quite catchy but not very memorable ( in my opinion ) ! I enjoyed the closing more, and I like the vocals and lyrics :3  :3

Comments:

- I enjoyed the anime. It was a good change of genres, quite funny, and yet has an interesting plot of its own.

- I love how the battle between heaven and hell develops.

- Themes of friendship, betrayal, humans vs demons vs hell are raised and you can't help but love the demons in the series.

- One of my favorite quotes relates to how humans are more cruel that the darkest demons.

Although many might down-rate it, according to the atmosphere and the nature/genre of the anime as well as my psychological state while watching it, it would give it an 8 or an 8.5! Many would argue that it does NOT rival other 8 or 9 rated anime, but within its genre I would say it did a great job!