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Contributor Report: Mouse2010

The following is a list of all ratings and reviews submitted by Mouse2010. The links below can be used to quickly scroll down to a specific title.
Gun X Sword (Jump to title)
- Overall: 8
- Violence Rating: 5
- Nudity Rating: 6
- Theological Themes: 2
- Other Negative Themes: 5
Review Overall: Gun X Sword is an action-adventure which includes many comic elements and an emphasis on character development. Some viewers find that it starts off a bit slow, but the plot begins intensifying mid-way through the series, building to a climactic and generally satisfying conclusion. The series is derivative, borrowing elements from earlier anime and from works of Western cinema, but it generally makes good use (sometimes, hilarious use) of the elements it borrows.

Violence:
Gun X Sword involves fighting of some kind in almost every episode, and some of the fights end in death. However, there's very little gore; much of the time the fighting is bloodless, as it involves destruction of enemy armor (mechs). Note that there is some violence aimed at minors Spoiler: including the death of children.

Nudity/Sexual Content:
This is an anime to skip if you don't want any fanservice. Some of the female characters wear quite revealing clothing, so there is some fanservice scattered throughout the series. There is a beach episode/swimsuit episode (episode 17) that's fairly heavy on the fanservice, including some minor fanservice involving an underage girl. In terms of sexual content, there is a sex scene with brief nudity. There is also some sexual humor. Sensitive viewers should be warned that an early episode involves the threatened sexual assault of a minor.

This point doesn't quite fit any category, so might as well go here: some viewers may be uncomfortable with the emotionally intense relationship that develops between Van (a grown man) and Wendy (a middle-school-aged girl). This relationship is primarily Platonic, with Van relating to Wendy the way a protective older brother might relate to a beloved-but-annoying little sister.

spoiler Eventually Wendy does fall in love with Van. There is no clear indication that Van ever reciprocates her feelings in a romantic way, but the end of the series seems to intentionally leave open the possibility that a romantic relationship between the two might develop once Wendy is of age.



Theological themes:
There is little direct religious content, except for vague references to God or prayer. Cross imagery is frequently associated with the protagonist, though it doesn't seem to have any real theological significance. It might be worth noting that the villains of the series sometimes employ language which sounds very much like religious language, and one character in particular could be seen as a false messiah.

Other problematic themes:
This is a revenge drama, and the protagonist's pursuit of revenge may not jibe well with Christian views on vengeance. (In the end, viewers may question whether Van was justified in some of his actions.) Note that there is minor-to-moderate swearing, and in the English dub, this occasionally involves taking the Lord's name in vain. There are frequent references to alcohol or drunkenness, and several scenes involving drunken characters.

Haibane Renmei (Jump to title)
- Overall: 9
- Violence Rating: 3
- Nudity Rating: 2
- Theological Themes: 2
- Other Negative Themes: 2
Review Haibane Renmei is a slow-moving but beautiful dramatic anime. A young girl, Rakka, emerges from a cocoon in a strange world. Viewers struggle along with her to figure out what that world really is and why she is there. Along the way, she meets other characters who have their own issues to work through; most notably, her mentor Reki becomes a central character as the series develops. Though not all questions are fully answered, the situation becomes clearer at the end, making this a very satisfying mystery of sorts. Highly recommended for viewers who like drama, character development, and emotional depth, provided they have the patience to deal with a series that is not full of action.

As far as objectionable content goes, there's not a lot. There is some blood and some intense dramatic scenes, including scenes which deal with grief and loss. One character does smoke consistently, which some people may find objectionable.

There is a good deal of philosophical and even theological content in this anime. There is mysticism, but not exactly any magic, and Christianity is certainly not depicted as evil. However, some viewers may be confused by the ways in which the anime does and does not conform to their expectations. Despite what you might think, the theology of Haibane Renmei does not exactly correspond to any specific Christian tradition, though it clearly borrows elements from Christianity. Just be aware that you shouldn't come to this anime expecting it to conform 100% to traditional Christian theologies.
High School of the Dead (Jump to title)
- Overall: 5
- Violence Rating: 9
- Nudity Rating: 9
- Theological Themes: 2
- Other Negative Themes: 2
Review High School of the Dead is the classic example of a fun series ruined by too much fanservice. All you have to do is watch the opening to realize that this is a series which focuses enormous attention on scantily-dressed female characters with unrealistic proportions. I suspect that most CAA members will want to give this title a pass for that reason.

And yet . . . underneath the fanservice there is a good zombie apocalypse story. Yes, there are very high amounts of violence and gore, but those are par for the course in a zombie flick. There is a core narrative about a group of high school students being drawn together in a calamity and discovering unexpected strengths and weaknesses. It's a show that had a lot potential, and it's unfortunate that much of that potential was blown by the decision to turn the whole series into a fanservice show.

Bottom line? Action fans (and especially zombie fans) may find this series worth watching ONLY if they can look past the fanservice and sexual innuendo, and of course only if they have a high tolerance for gore.
Princess Jellyfish (Jump to title)
- Overall: 8
- Violence Rating: 1
- Nudity Rating: 3
- Theological Themes: 1
- Other Negative Themes: 2
Other activities: 0 records found.