To be honest I'm not a big fan of this anime, maybe it's because I watched the dubbed version or something, but I thought it was so boring. The characters were just blah. Also I thought it was pretty random, things just didn't seem to fit well together. The whole virtual reality concept was good though, I have to admit; I just wish the story had been better developed, they could have really made something good.

I loved how it was a so 'everyday' type of anime. It's so real; it's cute. The innocence of children can be absolutely hilarious. The exchanges between Miu and Chika cracked me up. It's definitely an anime that will make you smile.

I wouldn't say this anime is excellent, I mean it's not bad, but I would only give it max an 8/10. And that's only because the moral of the story and the characters were good, because the animation was definitely not up to par. I also liked the whole concept of the zodiac animals, I always find that interesting, it's too bad that most of the plot was really random, like the ending, I still don't get what the purpose of it was.

This is a truly amazing anime. It's so different from a lot of other things you see out there. The animation itself was refreshing, and the OST is outstanding! But what I loved the most in this anime was the character development. I guarantee you will love all the main characters by the end of this show. It is definitely a Top Notch anime.

Very sound review and nice choice in wording. I would have just switched or modified your ratings for your Art and Story categories. I first saw this movie when I was about 12, and from then to now, now me being 18, I have to say that age did not really make a major difference in my analysis of the movie. I thought that the story was very unique and profound; and that the themes that are portrayed in this movie are very significant. I did not have to pay any extra attention to absorb all that. Also personally even though the art was superb, I just could not bring myself to like how the characters were drawn. Like you noted before they were just too…cartoony. That’s basically the only complaint I have about the movie, other than that it is a complete masterpiece.

merged: 09-28-2007 ~ 05:19am
Like you noted before they were just too...cartoony. That is basically the only complaint I have about the movie, other than that it is a complete masterpiece.

Sorry, I don't know what happened my last sentence got messed up in the previous post.

I was very impressed with this anime, the story and style of animation used were very unique. Plus the combination of comedy and action was great. Truly enjoyable.

Wow, I'm almost too scared to write a comment...ok, well I can't say I loved it, but I didn't hate it either. There are some worthy characteristics to the show that are appealing, and NOT just to a younger generation. I will admit that at times I found myself, asking myself why I was watching this, but yet I just couldn't turn away. And that my friend is where the "worthy characteristics" come into play: #1 the music was engaging, it suited the mood of the scenes perfectly, #2 the characters ,even though they were not animated to the best of standards, were endearing and likable, #3 the story was simple yet well thought out, on the surface, yes the story's just about a bunch of kids going to these top tournaments, but underneath, the message is stronger, the moral of the story is that you always have to put your heart into anything you do. And that is not something I think should be so carelessly ignored or overlooked. Plus remember, if it was SUCH a bad show, why did it become so popular when it came out? Think about it.

I wasn't much of a rock music lover before this show, and I'm still not, but there's just something about this show, that even though the english lyrics are a bit mistranslated and absolutely hilarious, you just want to listen to the songs over and over again and even perhaps sing along...Anyways the animation and story were pretty good and dare I say, even a little educational. I now know how to tell the difference between certain guitars .

Exactly, Thank you! All I was saying is that you don't have to be a fan of the games to love this movie. And like Tavia-chan said the plot wasn't exactly rocket science, it was pretty easy to follow.

Ok, this is weird, but the title was actually what attracted me to the series. lol. It's a pretty decent series. My sister, has the whole collection and we've watched it twice so far. The thing that annoyed me the most was the main character's hair, I know that seems like nothing, but like those who watched Escaflowne know how much a little detail like a "nose" could affect your whole viewing experience. Great, great animation, but no matter how many times you watch it you still can't get over it. Also the dubbed version was not very smooth and the main character's voice is not really appealing. But other than that it was good, the story was very interesting, it was very a normal story.

I first started watching the dubbed version and wasn't too impressed, after watching the subbed version though my opinion changed. It still wasn't the best anime show in terms of animation or even story plot, but for some reason I enjoyed it and even ended up watching the whole series.

I totally agree with this review, it was really good. It's too bad it was only 12 episodes. I liked the story line, it was pretty different from anything out there and the art wasn't too bad either. If you've ever had doubts about what to do with your future or feel like your parents are making all your decisions for you, then I'd recommend this show. You might be able to relate to the main character a lot more than you think.

So harsh, but everyone's entitled to their own opinion. I think this anime is cute, I prefer the voices for the dubbed version, it just annoys me that so many episodes were altered or taken out in the dubbed version. Certain things should just not be touched. The first season like the first movie were better. Though the second season wasn't too bad either, I liked how certain characters started to bond together more. Even though it was in enjoyable anime, I too would only rate it an 8.

For someone who hasn't played any of the Final Fantasy games and who just happens to own a copy of Advent Children; I think it's pretty fantastic. I mean the graphics are amazing. I couldn't get my cousins to watch anything Jap related until this movie and now they won't stop bothering me to borrow it all the time. No joke. The subbed version's pretty good too, and is it just me or are there missing scenes in the dubbed version.

It wasn't horrible, but it could have been better. I mean they could have done so much better with that plot, it had such an original idea. I don't want to sound too melodramatic, but there was so much potential, that the end results are a little dissapointing.

Ahh...I was really looking forward to seeing this movie. Well I'll still watch it, I really hope you guys are just being a bit too harsh.

I read somewhere that " The Cat Returns" is a story written by Shizuku from "Whisper of the Heart", that's why the title is "The Cat RETURNS". It could be false, but it makes sense, plus I think I read that on a Ghibli site. Anyways it's a good family movie, not a masterpiece, but still enjoyable.

I enjoyed it, I had a few good laughs, it was all good; it was pretty short though. My favorite episode was probably like many the concert. It was pretty well done. I wonder what they'll do for the second season, the way the first season ended I can't imagine.

I loved this series, it really surprised me. I really didn't think I would ever jump or get scared while watching an anime, but I was wrong. It really got to me sometimes. The story's good, the characters are likable and the animation is pretty good, I would atleast have given it a 7.5 if anything. But that's just my opinion. I wish it would continue too.

I've also seen both versions and I have to say that I agree with CamiChick, for some reason the subbed version is just more funny, but I find that applies to alot of other movies or anime shows. It's always better to watch the animation in its original language. That doesn't mean that the dubbed version of Howl's Moving Castle isn't good it's just different and the vocal emotions are more mild, but that's just how it is in the West.