Anime Reviews ⇢ Contributors ⇢ faithb4sight
Contributor Report: faithb4sight

The following is a list of all ratings and reviews submitted by faithb4sight. The links below can be used to quickly scroll down to a specific title.
A Little Snow Fairy Sugar (Jump to title)
- Overall: 7
- Violence Rating: 2
- Nudity Rating: 2
- Theological Themes: 2
- Other Negative Themes: 2
Review Note: This is a review of the Geneon dub version of this series.

Violence / Gore:
Very little violence at all. The only thing I can think to mention is that in a play, a guy gets a gun pointed at him.

Nudity / Sexual Content:
A Little Snow Fairy Sugar is an extremely innocent anime so things that might sound scandalous in my review truly came across as very minor issues (to me)...
There are multiple bath scenes in which the main character is sitting in her tub. She is usually talking to fairies while she bathes. The fairies are portrayed as being young children so it is innocent. Plus, they are covered in bubbles.
There is one bath scene where an elderly male fairy is in the bathtub. He's facing away from everyone, and I'm pretty sure he gets thrown out of the tub.
This particular elderly fairy spends the majority of the series chasing after a woman-fairy who is MUCH younger than him. Nothing ever comes of it - she obviously does not share the affections.
There is one minor female character who (in a play) is portrayed as a man. A young girl becomes obsessed with this person. When it is revealed that the person is a girl, she still acts very affectionate. She later refers to the woman as her "beloved." This is portrayed innocently enough, but I thought it worth mention.
Sugar (a young fairy) loves to give everyone kisses (on the cheek). Whenever she tries to kiss boy fairies, they usually shirk away from it.
A 3-year old runs around without clothes, but nothing is shown.

Potentially problematic theological themes:
This anime revolves around fairies and magic. The fairies play their instruments and it causes weather changes. At one point some fairies chant together, but it seemed more as if they were trying to send out good vibes rather than cast a spell.

Other potentially problematic themes:
Some men are shown drinking at a festival. One guy has a red face and you are to assume he's had too much to drink.

* A Little Snow Fairy Sugar is a lighthearted anime about a tiny fairy who wants to do her best. The anime takes place in the real world, where young fairies are sent to learn about themselves before they become full-fledged season fairies. The anime is not action-packed, but it's not thought-provokingly deep, either.
I would designate this anime as a breath of fresh air. Yes, a nice breather where you really don't have to worry about content. I will mention that the beginning of the anime took me a little time to get through. However, the more I watched the more I enjoyed watching Sugar, Salt, Pepper, and the rest of the fairies learn and grow throughout the series.
Aria the Scarlet Ammo (Jump to title)
- Overall: 7
- Violence Rating: 5
- Nudity Rating: 5
- Theological Themes: 3
- Other Negative Themes: 3
Review Note:This is a review of the Funimation English dub version of this series.

Violence / Gore:
This anime focuses on a school where high school students are trained in weaponry. You'll constantly see people shooting/sword slashing at enemies, and even each other when someone gets angry (which happens pretty often). That said, this anime doesn't show a lot of actual bloodshed.
There is some brief comedy violence in this anime (i.e. girl kicks guy on head, he has a lump after).
The final episode of the series is the most violent. Blood splatters as characters are hurt, a spreading pool of blood is seen on the floor surrounding a body, and a girl is tortured Spoiler: by having a necklace forcibly shoved down her throat.
OVA note: In the special episode OVA, two bound women are shown hanging from a ceiling - they appear dead.

Nudity / Sexual Content:
In one episode, a group of girls wearing only their under garments flirt with their male teacher. Also, one girl technically lives with Kinji in his dorm (though she seems to have her own room).
Kinji goes into "hysteria mode" when he takes too much notice of the female form. I'm sure it's easy to imagine that Kinji is put into some pretty awkward situations to urge him into transforming.
Girls in their undergarments are shown many times. Female chests are often shoved into the main character's face. Lots of focus is put on female bodies.
Two girls are particularly sexual in their conversations. They both offer themselves to Kinji (very openly) multiple times. Some girls take their tops off in front of him or sit in his lap. One girl tricks Kinji into touching her breast.
Know that Kinji is not necessarily portrayed as perverse - he just keeps getting put into awkward situations.
OVA note: The OVA is a hot-spring episode that has a character standing nude - she is shown from the legs up (her rear is shown). Many girls in the hot spring are shown topless (the important parts of their chests are covered, but barely). Multiple conversations about breasts take place in this episode.

Potentially problematic theological themes:
One girl reads horoscopes. Some students have a "paranormal stealth ability" which leads to the use of supernatural powers.
A girl says she has a "devil side" ; a character is called a "demon."
In one episode, the sound of a human in pain is the catalyst that causes a monster to appear.
OVA note: The OVA focuses on a possibly haunted house and various paranormal instances take place.

Other potentially problematic themes:
Mild cursing (usually d*mn). Averages about 1 word per episode.


*Aria the Scarlet Ammo has an interesting storyline and memorable characters. While there is a lot of sexual content in this series, the two main characters seem to shy away from (or at least try to shy away from) sexual situations. Though Kinji changes demeanor when he goes into hysteria mode, he actually behaves like a gentleman rather than an out-of-control assassin.
This series is not a slapstick comedy, but does have some timely humor to balance the action. At only 12 episodes, Aria the Scarlet Ammo does end with a few plot points left opened for a future season/series.


Bamboo Blade (Jump to title)
- Overall: 7
- Violence Rating: 3
- Nudity Rating: 2
- Theological Themes: 2
- Other Negative Themes: 3
Review Please note: This is a review of the Funimation English dub version of this series.

Violence / Gore:
This anime focuses on a Kendo club, so there are a lot of Kendo matches/ people fighting with wooden swords. The matches are not specifically violent. There are a few characters that go too far in their fights, and seem like they intend to do bodily harm, but they are not shown to be right in feeling that way.
There is one scene that makes it seem like a girl is about to intentionally cut her wrist with something sharp. She texts someone to say she is going to die.
There is a good handful of comedic violence. i.e. a guy hit with a broom flies through a window.

Nudity:
There is a character with a large chest area who wears a midriff-baring top.
One girl is, very creepily, in love with another girl. She stalks the girl and takes photos of her. The other girl does not return the sentiments at all.

Potentially problematic theological themes:
One character believes that there is "a kendo god."
A creepy “spirit” hangs over people sometimes.
One character possibly becomes pregnant outside of marriage. Difficult to tell by the dub translation.


Other potentially problematic themes:
Minor swearing. I counted 20-some-odd occasions of this. Mostly the d-word and a-word. Some male characters are shown drinking and smoking in a restaurant. A teacher goes to the store to buy some beer, saying it is “the working man's drink." A woman tries to take his drink and he says she deserves to die for it.

*
For a slice-of-life anime, I did enjoy Bamboo Blade. The characters seemed a bit flat at first, but they did round out in the end. It was interesting to see everyone interacting together even though their personalities were so different. I also liked how characters were called out on their flaws. I never thought I would enjoy watching Kendo matches, but this anime certainly piqued my interest in the sport.
This anime was not super-serious. It was funny and over the top. A good filler anime for me.
Dragon Ball (original series) (Jump to title)
- Overall: 7
- Violence Rating: 6
- Nudity Rating: 3
- Theological Themes: 3
- Other Negative Themes: 2
Review 1986-1989. 153 episodes. Recommended for ages: 13+ (with caution, due to child nudity).

Note: This is a review of the Funimation English dub of Dragon Ball.

Violence / Gore:
Dragon Ball's plot usually revolves around fighting enemies. Some blood (usually not a lot) is shown. Violent punches/kicks/etc. are common in this anime. People occasionally die due to fights.

Nudity / Sexual Content:
Various instances of girls showing their undies. Intended focus on women's bodies. One girl accidentally flashes a guy while she isn't wearing underwear (we do not see what she flashed). A frequent character is obsessed with girls and their bodies. Occasionally he grabs (or tries to grab) them in inappropriate places. He attempts to peek on girls in the bath, and constantly comments on girls in a lecherous manner. This happens often in Dragon Ball.

It's worth mentioning that Goku (the main character) is shown completely nude from the front and back multiple times. This is to be taken as a mark of his innocence rather than as sexual behavior, but know that he is shown uncensored. He also urinates while nude, uncensored. Goku frequently taps people (boys and girls alike) in the groin to find out their gender - he can't always tell by looking at a person's face.

Potentially problematic theological themes:
One character is dubbed the "god" of the Dragon Ball world. There is a "demon" character. A magical dragon can grant wishes, including the wish of bringing a dead person back to life.

Other potentially problematic themes:
Sometimes you see a person who is drunk.

* Dragon Ball can be a tedious watch at first as it takes awhile for the action to pick up pace. At 153 episodes, it can take some time to complete it. However, Dragon Ball provides a great base of understanding for the characters in Dragon Ball Z, and in the end is worth the time it takes to finish it.
Glitter Force (a.k.a. Smile Pretty Cure!) (Jump to title)
- Overall: 8
- Violence Rating: 3
- Nudity Rating: 1
- Theological Themes: 3
- Other Negative Themes: 1
Review Note: This is a review of the Saban Brand English dubbed version of Glitter Force. Also Note: for now, this review is only for the first set of episodes of Glitter Force (the first 20 episodes of the English adaptation). When the rest of the episodes are released, I will update this review.

Violence / Gore:
Glitter Force has a LOT of fight scenes. But the Glitter Force fight with their Glitter Powers (usually), not with actual weapons. There are a few kicks and hits, and the girls get tossed around sometimes, but it's not gruesome at all. The ending of season 1 (around episode 20) has a more serious fight scene in which the action is just a smidge more violent (it just has a more serious feel, and the villains look a little scarier than usual).

Nudity / Sexual Content:
None that I recall. Clean, clean, clean.

Potentially problematic theological themes:
The Glitter Force gain their powers through magic makeup compacts. They fight with magic against evil adversaries who transform everyday objects into living "monsters" for them to fight. The adversaries from the Shadow Realm are trying to resurrect their master, who is in a sleep-like state until enough despair is collected from the real world to revitalize him.

Other potentially problematic themes:
None that I recall. Clean, clean, clean.

* So I know what you might be thinking: They fight with glitter powers! They're using powder-puffs! This is way too much!
Actually, I very much enjoyed Glitter Force. The characters have enough personality to keep the show lively. The humor (in the English version at least) was quite funny - even the softly spoken bits in the background made me smile sometimes. They just say such off-the-wall things (especially Emily)!
This show was clean, entertaining, and just mad me smile. It was not an overly happy, skip-around-for-no-reason-and-drive-me-insane sort of show... it was refreshing. No real content issues, either. Imagine Power Rangers (you know, master villains send out a lackey-per-episode who causes problems but is defeated)... it's like that, but with more glitter.
The reason I couldn't give this show a 10 was that the defeated mini-villain per each episode could make the show feel lengthy. Not to mention the complete lack of love interests for the characters. But hey, Glitter Force was still great.
Spoiler alert: Glitter Peace is so funny without trying. P.S. Pop is the best character. P.P.S. I was very impressed with the English voice actors! (especially the voices of Rascal, Lily, Ulric, and Pop of course. Todd Haberkorn was noticeably fierce.)
Good Luck Girl! (Jump to title)
- Overall: 5
- Violence Rating: 4
- Nudity Rating: 5
- Theological Themes: 5
- Other Negative Themes: 4
Review Note: This is a review of the Funimation English dub of this series.

Violence / Gore:
All of the violence in this anime is comical rather than gory.
A girl is shown hanging from the ceiling with a rope around her neck (she's trying to scare someone). A few times when people are stabbed through the head with a needle. A character is smacked in the head with a mallet until he bleeds. There are grotesque, dead zombies. People are kicked and spurt blood. Lots of random, comedy violence.

Nudity / Sexual Content:
This anime contains quite a bit of sexual content.
People constantly talk about female breasts (using various words to describe them, not just "boobs"). A lot of emphasis (visually and vocally) is placed on the main character's large bosom. 2 characters sing a song about breasts. Multiple times, the main character's chest is grabbed/squeezed. At one point, a girl promises a guy he can "fondle" her breast in exchange for his help (she's lying, though).
There are a handful of shower scenes where the girls are mostly uncovered (strategic, tiny clusters of bubbles hide the important areas). There is also a bathhouse scene.
Guys in this show tend to storm in on females bathing - sometimes themselves nude. When not covered by a towel, the guys are shown with a black circle covering their lower regions.
The girls in this anime can dress scantily. Especially in the theme/ending song.
A perverse monk goes through a girl's underwear drawer and rubs his face on a bra. He is constantly shown as being lecherous. Another character is a masochist. He enjoys being "hurt" by females, and often binds himself so he can be whipped.
Despite the way it sounds, this show is portrayed as comedic more than raunchy.

Potentially problematic theological themes:
This anime begins with a dialogue about how there is, "a diety in everything on earth" (in trees, mountains, etc). One of the main characters is a "poverty god" and is constantly referred to as such. There are a handful of other "gods" who make appearances in this anime.
Brief mention of reincarnation.
Random use of magical items that have various uses (i.e. able to read people's minds, or expand a small space).
One character tells another that a poverty god is a deity, not an evil spirit, and that he's mixed up his religions. He retorts that Buddhism and Japanese deities go hand in hand. He finishes this conversation by stating that, "there is no such thing as a wall between religions."
A priestess is referred to as a "link between God and man."
One girl swears, "on everything holy."
A monk uses prayer beads for lecherous pursuits.
The Lord's name is briefly used in vain.

Other potentially problematic themes:
Mild swearing. Averages about 3 words per episode. The most commonly used words were: a**, h*ll, d**n, and b**ch.
Some characters are shown drunk in an episode.

* Good Luck Girl! is a comedy, and is hard to take seriously. If you can get past all the awkwardness, you'll discover that Ichiko is a vibrant character who experiences real emotional growth as the series progresses.
In the reprieves from the breast jokes, you'll find positive ideas about friendship and selflessness.
Added bonus: this series is full of hilarious spoofs and parodies of other famous anime series such as DBZ, Naruto, Death Note, etc.
Hetalia: Axis Powers (Jump to title)
- Overall: 8
- Violence Rating: 3
- Nudity Rating: 4
- Theological Themes: 3
- Other Negative Themes: 5
Review Note: *Hetalia episodes only last about 5 minutes each.* Also, this is a rating of the Funimation English Dub of Hetalia: Axis Powers (not World Series, etc.)

Violence / Gore:
Not much. Comedy violence. Though this is a historical (of sorts) anime, the portrayal of wars and battles is usually quite mild and even funny rather than violent. i.e. a chibi character with small arrows poking out of their back.

Nudity / Sexual Content:
Girls with large bosoms (one character makes noises when she moves due to her breast size). Some characters are shown shirtless. One episode where France is shown almost nude, but is covered by a leaf. Characters sit nude in a hot tub together.

Holy Rome is in love with Italy. Both are boys. This takes place when the two are chibis (very small, children) and Holy Rome is not aware that Italy is a boy - Italy at the time is dressed in a girly outfit and has a pre-pubescent, girly voice.
Italy also tends to wind up in the bed of other guys (usually Germany's bed, and this makes Germany angry). Italy constantly comments on his love of women, though, and his relationship with other guys in the show does not seem to be anything romantic.
At one point Germany receives a phone call from a panicked Italy who sounds as though he is in a sexual situation with a male, but it winds up his hair is just tangled with his brother's hair due to a fight.

The dub does make random references (usually France) about boy/boy relationships. This is not the brunt of the series, but it is portrayed often enough to be of note. Usually this is done in a non-serious way as an attempt to be comedic. Actually, Hetalia is a completely non-serious show, so it is possible to disregard any awkward references as random prattle.

Potentially problematic theological themes:
Christmas is shown from the point of view of various countries, and America is shown to care more about the food than the meaning behind it. Since the anime portrays countries as stereotypes, some lines portray countries to be part of (or not part of) a religion. i.e. Russia is called "godless." England occasionally tries to "curse" people with magic.

Other potentially problematic themes:
As far as the dub goes, yes - there is random swearing. It can be anything from mild swearing to words that sound like major swears. An alien sounds like it is saying the f-word. In the Paint it White movie, the f-word is used by the alien, then repeated by other characters. Hetalia moves at such a quick pace that it is easy to disregard some of the words said (honestly, you might not always realize they said anything).

*Hetalia is a humorous anime. It can be crude and awkward, but may teach you a thing or two about history by the end of it. Each country is shown to have strengths and weaknesses, and it is interesting to learn about the differences and similarities among them.
Kaleido Star (Jump to title)
- Overall: 7
- Violence Rating: 2
- Nudity Rating: 2
- Theological Themes: 2
- Other Negative Themes: 2
Review Note: This is a review of the Funimation English dub version of this series.

Violence / Gore:
This show is very clean. Maybe an angry outburst, but not much else.

Nudity / Sexual Content:
Very rare in this show. Some of the outfits are more skin-tight than others, but they are on stage in spandex so it's just being true-to-life in that aspect. One character (female) is overly fond of another character (also female) but she is not necessarily portraying romantic feelings.

Potentially problematic theological themes:
If there were, I don't remember them. This show is mostly about the stage productions that are put on.

Other potentially problematic themes:
Maybe a mild swear. A couple characters drink a little (i.e. while talking in a restaurant).

* Kaleido Star is a lovely anime about a girl who just wants to try her best. Sora dreams of being on the Kaleido Stage, doing gymnastic performances that make people happy. On her road to stardom she hits pitfalls and hardships, and finds out that not everyone is as pure in their love of the stage as she is. I found myself rooting for Sora as she persevered - all the while still being true to herself. She experiences personal growth and encourages those she meets. Honestly a wonderful series to watch. My only complaints were that the episodes don't always have a lot going on, and the constant stage drama can get a little tiresome.
I recommend this series to people who enjoyed Princess TuTu - though PTT has a little more going on in it.
Kamisama Kiss (Jump to title)
- Overall: 8
- Violence Rating: 2
- Nudity Rating: 2
- Theological Themes: 5
- Other Negative Themes: 2
Review Note: This is a review of the Funimation English Dub of Kamisama Kiss.

This anime has only 13 episodes.
Edit: This anime now has a second season, which I have reviewed separately.

Violence / Gore:
There are brief fight scenes in Kamisama Kiss, but little to no blood is shown. Various acts of comedy violence make up this anime.

Nudity / Sexual Content:
There is a scene in which a character talks of taking a girl "by force." One character is found in the red-light-district surrounded by women. A girl falls down and her undies are shown.

Potentially problematic theological themes:
The plot of Kamisama Kiss revolves around a girl who is given magical powers and is referred to thereafter as a "land god." Various other "gods" appear in the anime. Spells and magic are occasionally used (usually in comedic ways).

Other potentially problematic themes:
Characters occasionally drink sake. There is a ritzy party where random people appear tipsy.

*Kamisama Kiss is a lighthearted romantic comedy. If you can imagine it, this anime is like a mix between Inuyasha and Fruits Basket. If you enjoy a good Shoujo anime, Kamisama Kiss is probably right up your alley!
Kamisama Kiss (Season 2) (Jump to title)
- Overall: 8
- Violence Rating: 3
- Nudity Rating: 3
- Theological Themes: 5
- Other Negative Themes: 2
Review Note: This is a review of the Funimation English dub of this anime.

Violence / Gore:
Most of the violence in this anime is comedic violence. In example, chibi-like versions of characters kick/hit each other. There are a few actual fight scenes using fire/swords/etc. A character reminisces on being beaten as a child. There is one flashback in which some people are killed, and a little blood is shown. Nothing too graphic.

Nudity / Sexual Content:
This second season has a smidge more sexual content than the first one did. A girl takes off her shirt but winds up having a shirt on underneath. A guy straddles a girl to prove a point to her. There's a bra shopping scene. It's implied that a character had relations with a prostitute; he also mentions prostitute buying in another conversation. Oh, and there's a kid who doesn't wear pants. He wears this outfit that covers the front completely but doesn't cover the back. Spoiler: He's not really a boy - more of a monkey spirit. You never actually see him from behind, and it did not come across as sexual.

Potentially problematic theological themes:
Kamisama Kiss' plot revolves around a girl who has been designated the "land god" of a Japanese shrine. She meets and makes friends with other gods. Characters occasionally pray to gods. There are yokai and spirits in this show, and these beings can use magic. Despite all this, Kamisama Kiss does not overtly try to convince it's audience to convert to a different religion.
If you feel that watching this show could cause you to stray from your Christian faith, don't watch it. I encourage you to know your weak points (not only in this matter), and to actively avoid anything that could harm your Christian walk.
Personally, I find it interesting to see the way the Japanese culture views religion. I see this show as a way to understand the mindset of a different culture from my own.

Other potentially problematic themes:
Not much. A couple of minor swears. A character accidentally gets drunk.

*Kamisama Hagimemashita, Season 2 is a generally lighthearted romantic comedy. It has some emotional depth, though. The characters show a bit of growth from the first season, and seem to change a bit as the series progresses. Again, Kamisama continues to be a nice mix of Inuyasha and Fruits Basket. It was cute and funny, and I look forward to more episodes.
Level E (Jump to title)
- Overall: 3
- Violence Rating: 4
- Nudity Rating: 4
- Theological Themes: 2
- Other Negative Themes: 5
Review Note The first two and last two episodes of Level E are quite mild and have very little to report about as far as averse content. As the series progresses towards the middle, the themes and language become more and more of an issue. Also, this is a review of the Funimation English dub of the series. The brief amount of the series that I watched in subtitles appeared to have even more language issues than the dub.

Violence / Gore:
The series does not show a lot of actual bloodshed. Usually it is in splatters on the ground, or else you see aliens bleeding (but their blood is blue). There is a point in which a man's silhouette is shown getting stabbed through the head. Also, a woman shoots three men, but the screen blacks out as she shoots. One episode shows a boy preparing to eat the flesh of a girl's corpse. After, he is shown licking his blood-stained hands. There is less-violent monster fighting during a few episodes. Some characters get kicked/punched pretty hard. Oh, and a scene in which we see a dead-looking body shoved into a trash can. The image is shown multiple times.

Nudity / Sexual Content:
One character mentions that it is, "normal for people to have multiple sexual partners throughout their lives."
A main character cross-dresses for almost an entire episode; a monster reads a sex-book during the same episode, and asks the cross-dressing character some questions of a sexual nature. Though nothing actually happens, there is mention of teacher/student sexual role-play.
One scene shows two bugs mating. Mention of an alien "STD."
A girl is shown in the shower from behind, and part of her breast is shown. There is a naked female silhouette in an episode. A guy sees a girl's breasts while spying on her and comments. A couple of female characters are shown in bras/undies. A woman takes off her shirt in front of a group of young boys.
A square-shaped monster gets knocked down to reveal what appears to be genitalia and pubic hair. A chibi-looking character pulls a missile out of his pants.
A female character tries to have relations with another female. A girl grabs another girl's exposed breast. Spoiler: A girl's gender is changed so she can mate with an alien. It is mentioned that although biologically female, that the girl is a male "deep down."

Potentially problematic theological themes:
Joke about offering a boy as a human sacrifice. Mention of alien "evolution" a few times (not sure whether macro or micro evolution). A man wearing a cross necklace is portrayed as possibly being high. One character swears "on all that is holy." One character is called a "demon king".

Other potentially problematic themes:
Other than the first and last two episodes, this anime is full of mild profanity (even on the fringe of deeper vulgarity at times).
Mention of a perfume "so strong it'll make you high." One character is often seen smoking a cigarette.

*Level E starts out innocently as the story of a high-schooler having to deal with an unwanted roommate. The series breaks off of that completely on a few random tangents before arriving back where it started. Though at times humorous, Level E often winds up being crude and at times vulgar. It is most certainly not intended for young audiences.
Maid-Sama! (Jump to title)
- Overall: 7
- Violence Rating: 3
- Nudity Rating: 3
- Theological Themes: 1
- Other Negative Themes: 2
Review Note: This is a review of the Animax English dub only.

Violence / Gore:
Maid-sama is full of comedic violence. Usually Misaki is the one to blame as she beats up on the guys at her school quite often.

Nudity / Sexual Content:
Two guys attempt to assault a girl.
1 guy kisses another guy (their lips are censored), though it is not meant to be a romantic kiss. Spoiler: He kissed the guy to force Misaki to stop acting weird.
There are some shower/bath scenes, but nothing is really shown.
One guy is forced to cross-dress a lot (he doesn't like it).
A different character constantly cross-dresses because he likes it (though he seems to be heterosexual).
Guy bites a girl on the back. Spoiler: This is to keep her from wearing a bikini in public.
The guys in the school are kind of lecherous.

Potentially problematic theological themes:
None come to mind.

Other potentially problematic themes:
A few uses of the "OMG" phrase.

* Maid-sama is a cute anime mostly revolving around the relationship between the two main characters (Takumi and Misaki). Takumi is an aloof oddball who tends to act possessive and jealous at times, but he is mellowed out by Misaki's harshly passionate attitude - who in turn is mellowed out of her sharpness by Takumi's understanding.
All of the characters are fun (even side characters) and have memorable personalities. A sweet and humorous shoujo pick for fans of the genre.
Noragami (Jump to title)
- Overall: 8
- Violence Rating: 4
- Nudity Rating: 4
- Theological Themes: 5
- Other Negative Themes: 3
Review Note: This is a review of the Funimation English dub of this anime. Also, this review does not include the OVAs.
Edit: This review does not include the 2nd season of Noragami (Noragami Aragoto). I have created a separate review for that.

Violence / Gore:
There are quite a few fighting scenes in Noragami. Usually swords/whips/etc. are being used to disintegrate monster-like creatures. Occasional blood. Some people are shown considering suicide (this is portrayed as a negative thing). There is quite a bit of comedic violence.

Nudity / Sexual Content:
A couple of characters are shown while bathing/ during out-of-body experiences. The times when they are shown are usually during a scene of thoughtfulness - in other words they "just happen to be naked." That said, a side/frontal view of a fully nude female body is shown once or twice. The important bits are not detailed. There are also a few shots of a bare rear end.
As I said, usually the females are alone and thinking during these types of scenes. They are not being peeked on or anything like that. One guy does talk to a woman while she is in an outdoor bath - but there is nothing sexual about the scene.
While the nudity in Noragami did not come across (to me) as too risque in nature, it is worth mentioning for younger audiences, and for those negatively affected by such.
One character does have what we assume are "dirty thoughts" - but he does not appear lecherous. He attempts to touch a girl's chest at one point, but does not. Emphasis is placed on how his thoughts and actions like those are wrong - which was surprising and appreciated (by me).

Potentially problematic theological themes:
Noragami's plot revolves around a god (lowercase), Yato, who wants to be worshiped by oodles of people. He imagines this many times - his greatest desire is for people to offer him money. In exchange for their money, Yato grants the people's wishes.
There are other gods who are prayed to and who grant wishes in Noragami.
Also, there are many demon-like creatures who are destroyed by Yato and other characters. They are portrayed as evil and horrible - and are created as a result of fear, hopelessness, and other negative emotions.

Other potentially problematic themes:
Some minor swearing. A couple of instances where people are drinking (no one underage). One character does smoke cigarettes.

*
Noragami was, for me, quite enjoyable. I found it to be a brilliant mix of Blue Exorcist and Soul Eater, with a splash of Kamisama Kiss on the side. Basically, the kind of series I personally love watching. It's not a slapstick comedy, but it does have great humor - plus lots of action and the nice bit of emotional meat thrown in there, too. Oh, and the artistry is gorgeous. I certainly recommend to anyone who enjoyed the series I mentioned above.
Noragami Aragoto (Jump to title)
- Overall: 9
- Violence Rating: 6
- Nudity Rating: 6
- Theological Themes: 5
- Other Negative Themes: 3
Review Suggested Age:14+ (with caution! see review below)
Year Released: 2015/2016
More info: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noragami

Note: This is a review of the Funimation English dub version of Noragami Aragoto. Also, this review does not include the OVAs.

Violence / Gore:
Noragami Aragoto is similar to the first season of Noragami, although the theme is a bit darker. Due to this, the violence is a little darker as well. This anime has quite a few fighting scenes, but they are not always bloody.
-Here are the instances that were bloody: There is one point in which a monster is cut out of someone's back and there is some blood. One character has his hand cut off and some blood is shown. Blood drips down a character's face after he is cut on the head. At one point, blood rains down from the sky and splatters on a few bystanders. A character explodes in a sudden splash of blood, leaving nothing behind.
-For non-bloody violence (other than the generalized phantom-fighting):
Phantoms that are made of water and resemble females are sliced in half. A woman starts to get eaten alive by monsters (not too graphic, and it isn’t really shown because the monsters are in the way).
Some characters are shown being choked to death... Spoiler: They are regalia and it is during their transformed weapon form. The weapons are being choked, and thus the regalia are demonstrating that in their phantom forms. This was a very brief scene.

Nudity / Sexual Content:
Noragami Aragoto definitely had a few more eyebrow-raising points than its predecessor when it came to sexual content. That said, I do not recall any of the fanservice-driven moments having been overtly sexual in nature. In other words, the characters are never shown to be thinking perverse thoughts while this stuff is going on.
-With that in mind, here are the sexual content details about Aragoto:
When Hiyori is fighting, sometimes her undies are shown while she is flying through the air.
There are a few instances in which an unclothed girl (or monster that resembles one) is shown from the side. One girl is shown getting in a pool - in some way or another the most important bits are blurred out, but basically her entire outline is shown.
A girl is shown stripping down in front of a guy. Spoiler: She was showing the guy that she had been blighted. Her rear end is shown. Later, a guy strips in front of a bunch of ladies. This is mostly off-screen (and did not happen in a sexual way). Spoiler: He was showing that he had not been blighted.
There are female phantom-like creatures that seem to be made of water - they have uncovered chests but they are not completely detailed.
Bishamon's outfit in the first half of the season does not cover her very much (basically a bikini top). It's the same outfit she wore in season 1.
---Now, let me pause a moment to say that if you personally struggle with content like this, do not watch this anime. If such things take you further away from your relationship with God, it is not worth the risk to watch this, or any anime that you are questionable about.

Potentially problematic theological themes:
The plot of this anime revolves around magic/ gods (lower case). They have shrines, and visit a different realm reserved for gods. Sometimes these gods are prayed to by people in the anime. The gods are capable of murdering humans, and sometimes do. Their reasons for doing so are not always clear. Still, it seems that most of the gods want to help humans, not hurt them.
One character proclaims that, "everything a god does is right.” At the moment, he seemed serious – but it is definitely shown that the gods in this anime are capable of making mistakes, and are sometimes punished for them.
The "heavens" appear to rule over the "gods" in Aragoto. The "heavens" have the power to kill a god if they see fit.
There is reincarnation upon death for most of the gods in Aragoto. This is a major theme throughout the second half of the season.
All that said: if your mind is in the right place, this is a good anime to watch to understand the religious views of Japan (I’m including the original season in this remark).

Other potentially problematic themes:
Minor swearing. To be specific, a handful of instances in which the d-word is used, and one instance each of a** and h*ll.

* Personally, I found Noragami Aragoto to be a fantastic anime. The plot moved at a perfect pace, and it kept me guessing. I was intrigued by the characters, and the art was great, too. Yukine really stood out to me as far as character growth, but he wasn't the only one in this season who experienced it. And it was brought about so well! This anime left me wowed. I had not been expecting it at all. And the last few seconds after the final ending theme song… WHAT?! Woah.
However (ah, I have to say it)... I could not give this anime a 10/10 because of the fanservice. While I do appreciate the fact that the characters themselves were not acting perversely, the fact is that there was still content, and it was harder to ignore it than in the first season.
Nura: Rise of the Yokai Clan (Jump to title)
- Overall: 6
- Violence Rating: 6
- Nudity Rating: 3
- Theological Themes: 5
- Other Negative Themes: 3
Review Note: this is a review of the Viz Media (Neon Alley) dub of this anime. This review covers both seasons of the series (Nura: Rise of the Yokai Clan, as well as Nura: Rise of the Yokai Clan: Demon Capital)

Violence / Gore:
Nura revolves around a boy who is 1/4 demon. Due to his lineage (and the fact that he lives in a house full of demons), Nura gets pulled into many fights. Still, there is not a gratuitous amount of blood. When someone does get hurt, they don't go overboard trying to show it. The fights are very Inuyasha-esque. Characters use swords, magic, etc. to fight each other.

Nudity / Sexual Content: There is (very late in the series) a women who is unclothed. Sort of a transformative scene, but darker in purpose. She's covered by water, etc., but a lot of her is shown.
There is one character who is 1/2 girl 1/2 guy. Not detailed, but she/he is shown unclothed.
There are a couple characters with large chest areas who don't cover them as well as they should.

Potentially problematic theological themes:
The plot revolves around a household full of demons. Are they portrayed as evil? No. Not these ones, anyway. They get up to mischief sometimes, though. And it is hinted that they might be behaving only because their master commands it.
Characters frequently use magic to fight. The end of the series talks about a "gate to hell" that the bad guys are trying to open. It is shown symbolically with a six-pointed star.
There is a lot of "reincarnation" in this series, and it is a big focus at the end of the series.

Other potentially problematic themes: The demons like to drink sake... a lot. Often you will see characters running around who are obviously tipsy. A few swear words, but it's not excessive in that - and they are mild ones.

* Nura: Rise of the Yokai clan is an interesting look into Japanese mythology. There are a lot of names thrown around that I've heard in other animes. Honestly, the giant names go over my head sometimes (why are they so long)?
It should be noted that the premise of Nura changes drastically between the first half and second half of the series. The first half is more focused on Nura's human-half. He has friends and deals with the difficult task of keeping them from finding out his secret identity.
The second half of the series is about Nura's demon half more than anything. The Daisuke Niwa-esque innocence isn't seen very often - Nura spends most of the second half of the series apart from his friends. The flow and feel of the anime are completely changed.
I enjoyed Nura, but it will take some effort for me to sit down to it again. It just didn't have the relationship-based backbone that I enjoyed from similar series (i.e. Inuyasha). Also, in my case, it was sometimes hard to follow. They threw around names in their conversations and I couldn't always remember who was who. Still, the series as a whole was interesting enough to keep me watching until the end.
Okami-san and Her Seven Companions (Jump to title)
- Overall: 5
- Violence Rating: 4
- Nudity Rating: 5
- Theological Themes: 2
- Other Negative Themes: 3
Review Note: This is a review of the Funimation English dub of this series.

Violence / Gore:
Okami-san often punches/kicks people (especially when she is angry). She sometimes uses boxing gloves which leave cat-shaped marks on people's faces. This anime has various fight scenes. The only blood shown is limited (i.e. dripping down someone's face).
One guy gets intentionally kicked in the groin area. Some guys forcefully kick a girl in the stomach as she lies helpless on the ground.

Nudity / Sexual Content:
A girl is dared to kiss another girl and quickly does so (this is at the end of an episode after the ending theme song). One girl is said to have "a thing" for another girl. Another girl jokes that if her female friend "changed preferences" their friendship would end and be replaced by "maidenly true love."
One girl in the show often drags her boyfriend away and we are to assume they are having physical relations. During one of these scenes, the door the couple is behind starts shaking. We often hear the guy yelling in protest.
One guy cross-dresses a few times. There is also an episode where a group of guys dress as maids to cheer someone up.
Many comments about (and a lot of emphasis on) female bosoms. One character has a noticeably large chest and some guys often talk about her "dumplings." An older man talks about breast sizes and gravity. There are some swimsuit scenes that zero-in on female rear ends. One girl's top falls off but she's covered.
Girls/guys are shown nude in shower scenes - the important parts are covered by steam or towels. A girl falls down and her undies are shown. The same character later unbuttons her top and exposes her bra to a guy.
Some thugs try to take off a girl's shirt. Their comments make it sound as if they were trying to force themselves on her.
One character claims he raped a girl. Nothing is shown, and he seems to take back this statement later, although it's clear he did try to do something to her.
False rumors are started that a character is "sleeping around." A girl tells a guy that she will repay his kindness towards her by letting him be her "first."

Potentially problematic theological themes:
Some guys bow down to a girl because she has a large chest. Later, these same guys state that they will go "through fire and damnation" to thank the girl for having such a large chest.

Other potentially problematic themes:
Mild swearing (bi*** is the most commonly used word). Averages about 1 word per episode.

*
Okami-san is a comedy about a group of very different people working together to complete tasks for students who request their help. Though the humor doesn't always work and the content can be questionable, the changes in Ryoko and Ryoshi's interactions were refreshing to see. There was definitely some character growth buried in this series.
Prétear (Jump to title)
- Overall: 8
- Violence Rating: 3
- Nudity Rating: 3
- Theological Themes: 4
- Other Negative Themes: 2
Review Note: This is a review of the Funimation English dub version of this series.

Violence / Gore:
This anime centers around a girl and her new friends fighting off different creatures with the use of their powers. There is not a lot of blood - when a character is hurt they just look disheveled. Some comedic violence in the show, too.

Nudity / Sexual Content:
One girl in this anime is shown taking a shower multiple times. She is mostly covered by steam. At one point she walks out of the shower and hugs a guy - her breasts are on him. Not totally detailed (these scenes are meant to be more comedic than anything else).
Another girl mentions that her transformation with a guy is like they have "become one."
The transformation scenes are pretty awkward. The girl is unmistakably nude, and mostly uncovered.

Potentially problematic theological themes:
This anime's plot revolves around the use of magic. People transform and use their powers to fight. Magic is shown to have two forms: good and evil.

Other potentially problematic themes:
Random, mild swearing (usually s*** and d***). Not in every episode, but noticeable.

*Pr�tear is a combination of fantasy, comedy, and romance. It has its share of lightheartedness, but a good chunk of the show deals with inner turmoil and emotions; thus, Pr�tear actually has some surprising depth to it. A great Shoujo pick for fans of series such as Princess TuTu or Sailor Moon.
Puella Magi Madoka Magica (Jump to title)
- Overall: 7
- Violence Rating: 6
- Nudity Rating: 4
- Theological Themes: 5
- Other Negative Themes: 3
Review Note: This is a review of the Aniplex of America English dub version of this series.

Violence / Gore:
This series is not overtly bloody. Not every episode centers on violence. However, central to the plot is the emotional turmoil that violence brings.
There are some blood splatters throughout the show. Guns, swords, etc. are used to fight and kill monsters. One girl is shown being eaten by a monster. A girl violently shoots a cat-like creature. A woman tries to commit suicide. Later, a group tries to commit mass-suicide. Spoiler: They were not in control of their minds. A man murders his family before killing himself as well. One girl beheads (and repeatedly stabs) a monster. Though you only see its silhouette, there is a lot of blood shown.

Nudity / Sexual Content:
There are two instances (in the theme song, and late in the series) in which two nude girls are hugging each other. Neither instance is sexual in nature. One girl misunderstands a situation and is upset because she believes that her two female friends are dating each other.
The girls in the show wear pretty short skirts but it's portrayed innocently for the most part. That said, there is a picture at the end of an episode that shows quite a bit of one girl's rear end under her skirt.

Potentially problematic theological themes:
The use of magic is prevalent in the series. There are also witches, and a conversation about how a human could posses the power to change the fabric of the universe, and become a "god."
Also prevalent in the series is the idea of a soul - in Madoka Magica, it is something that can be taken from someone Spoiler: and exchanged for wishes. It is also something that can be spoiled.
In one episode, a preacher begins to preach ideas that are "not in the Bible." His ideas are portrayed by one character as being correct. However, religion is not portrayed as being evil.

Other potentially problematic themes:
As a whole, this anime does not usually have more than 1 swear-word per episode. Sometimes none are said. However, in one episode, two random men are having a conversation near a main character. Their conversation is full of vulgarities and their topic of conversation is degrading women. Most of the swear-words they say are mild (as in the rest of the series). One person does begin to say the f-word before getting distracted.
One woman tells her daughter that being an adult is difficult, and that's why adults are allowed to drink alcohol. The girl replies that she's excited to grow up so that she can drink with her mother.

*Beautiful artistry and good pacing. Puella Magi Madoka Magica is an interesting take on a well-known anime concept: magical girls. However, these characters are not run-of-the-mill. Neither is this series meant to be a comedy. The characters grow and mature as they begin to understand that everything has a price. But are they willing to pay it?
Ranma 1/2 (Jump to title)
- Overall: 8
- Violence Rating: 4
- Nudity Rating: 7
- Theological Themes: 4
- Other Negative Themes: 3
Review About age rating:
While Ranma 1/2 is usually innocent fun, multiple girls are shown uncovered and completely topless in this anime (sometimes we even see a rear end). As a female myself, I took this with a grain of salt and was not significantly affected by this since the scenes are not usually provocative in nature. Not to mention, the art style kept me from taking it seriously. I didn't want to over-rate the age ranking and turn people off of this particular anime, since its intended audience would be younger teen girls (it is a shoujo series, after all). That said, this anime is not recommended for those negatively affected by the sight of bared female chests.

Please note: This is a review of the Viz English dub of the Ranma 1/2 series. The sub may have more language issues.

Violence / Gore:
Ranma and multiple other characters in this anime constantly fight in martial art battles. There is little to no blood shown. There is a great deal of comedy violence as well, i.e. characters getting hit with tables and tea kettles.

Nudity / Sexual Content:
As mentioned above, this anime shows female chests (uncovered) multiple times. There are multiple bathhouse scenes in which characters run around half-covered or nude. Ranma tends to run around naked in his female form because he's a guy and doesn't care about being modest.
Ranma constantly changes gender. Though he does not like the fact that he changes into a girl when splashed with cold water, Ranma does use his female form to his advantage in fights, etc.
There are a couple of times when a character imagines "deflowering" a girl. This is shown figuratively (usually we see a flower losing a petal). Nothing graphic is ever shown, and nothing ever actually happens.
Note that Ranma is not lecherous nor sex-driven. His mind is usually on fighting and winning whatever battle or challenge he's gotten himself into. However, one recurring character (a kid-sized old man) is extremely lecherous. He tries to peek on women, steals underwear, and often tries to hug large-chested women.
Many male characters are in love with Ranma (whom they believe is a girl). This is portrayed as more comedic than anything else. Ranma sometimes toys with these guys to put a situation in his favor, but he does not have romantic feelings towards any of them. Again, these guys believe that Ranma is a girl, hence their behavior. Ranma generally employs comedic violence to get rid of them.
Ranma also has many female suitors, who want to kiss/marry him. These girls can dress skimpily. One girl is at one point willing to have her way with Ranma to make him hers. Nothing ever happens. Ranma's suitors mainly want his undying and undivided love and affection rather than anything physical.
Some males are also shown nude in this anime, though the important parts are always covered. This is another shot at comedy, and the guys are not trying to be sexual.
The Ranma 1/2 movies are generally more detailed art-wise and seem more provocative than the series itself.

Potentially problematic theological themes:
Ranma (and many others) fell into a "cursed" spring. They magically change form when doused with cold water. This happens very. very often. There are various attempts to find a magical cure to the curses. There are also various monsters in this anime, some with powers.

Other potentially problematic themes:
Random, mild swearing. Not too often in the dub. A few times where characters seem tipsy.

* Ranma 1/2 is a rambunctious laugh from beginning to end, but it has its flaws. While the many characters are unforgettable, some of them are downright annoying. That said, the adorable almost-romance between Ranma and Akane is worth the time investment (in my humble opinion). Ranma's shy-and-stubborn attitude is much like the main character from Inuyasha, which was written by the same author as Ranma 1/2. Shoujo fans will likely find Ranma charmingly (and humorously) entertaining.
Sands of Destruction (Jump to title)
- Overall: 7
- Violence Rating: 3
- Nudity Rating: 2
- Theological Themes: 2
- Other Negative Themes: 3
Review Note: This is a review of the Funimation English dubbed version of this anime.

Violence / Gore:
One girl is whipped (slave-fashion) by a Gorilla-beast. A giant worm-like creature is impaled. One character carries handguns which she threatens people with/ shoots at people with. Another character carries a scythe-type weapon and uses it to attack people/defend herself.
Armies shoot at each other - no blood, just people falling down to symbolize death. People turn to sand and crumble away.
Some comedic violence (falling down on head, being hit on the head, etc.)
While Sands of Destruction does have its share of violence, the actual blood content is very, very limited.

Nudity / Sexual Content:
The characters at one point flee onto a "pleasure ship" in which a lot of gambling is taking place.
One guy had coconuts in his shirt at one point to fool people into thinking he was a girl.
Sometimes the screen-focus is on a girl walking - she wears a shorter-style skirt. At one point this skirt slowly starts to rip: a lot of upper leg is shown.
One character (male bear) is giving CPR to another character (male human). When the human wakes, he momentarily thinks the bear was kissing him.

Potentially problematic theological themes:
The focus of Sands of Destruction is that a girl wants to destroy the world, and she is seeking out a way to do that. She believes that the world is an awful place that has no hope of redemption.
There are some mentions of "gods" who created the destruct code/the world.
One minor character tries to put the moves on a lady by saying it is "the gods will" that they be together. At one point an evil character calls himself a "god of destruction." Beast-men sacrifice humans to the "god of the sandsea."
A smuggler has a cross tattoo on is face.
One person is said to have been alive since the formation of the world.
There is a "cursed cherry blossom tree" rumor in a town.
One episode has a phantom-like person in it.

Other potentially problematic themes:
A few minor swears (averages about 1 per episode). Usually it's either h*ll or d*mn. At one point some random characters are drinking alcohol (characterized by them having red faces).

*
Sands of Destruction was a mildly entertaining watch. It's about a place in which human beings are not exactly respected - they are more of a secondary/sub-par race that are ruled over by beast-men. The traveling aspect of the show was nice because the scenery changed so much from one episode to another. That said, the artistry left a little something to be desired. Combine that with the sometimes-slower pace of the show, and I had to give this series only a 7/10 rating.
Still, Sands of Destruction had its moments. The humor was really good sometimes. I just liked Kyrie's character in general I guess, because he's the one who usually made me laugh. The ending to the series was brought about well enough that I would watch this series again. At only 12 episodes, it was worth the time for me.
Sands of Destruction (Jump to title)
- Overall: 7
- Violence Rating: 3
- Nudity Rating: 2
- Theological Themes: 2
- Other Negative Themes: 3
Review Note: This is a review of the Funimation English dubbed version of this anime.

Violence / Gore:
One girl is whipped (slave-fashion) by a Gorilla-beast. A giant worm-like creature is impaled. One character carries handguns which she threatens people with/ shoots at people with. Another character carries a scythe-type weapon and uses it to attack people/defend herself.
Armies shoot at each other - no blood, just people falling down to symbolize death. People turn to sand and crumble away.
Some comedic violence (falling down on head, being hit on the head, etc.)
While Sands of Destruction does have its share of violence, the actual blood content is very, very limited.

Nudity / Sexual Content:
The characters at one point flee onto a "pleasure ship" in which a lot of gambling is taking place.
One guy had coconuts in his shirt at one point to fool people into thinking he was a girl.
Sometimes the screen-focus is on a girl walking - she wears a shorter-style skirt. At one point this skirt slowly starts to rip: a lot of upper leg is shown.
One character (male bear) is giving CPR to another character (male human). When the human wakes, he momentarily thinks the bear was kissing him.

Potentially problematic theological themes:
The focus of Sands of Destruction is that a girl wants to destroy the world, and she is seeking out a way to do that. She believes that the world is an awful place that has no hope of redemption.
There are some mentions of "gods" who created the destruct code/the world.
One minor character tries to put the moves on a lady by saying it is "the gods will" that they be together. At one point an evil character calls himself a "god of destruction." Beast-men sacrifice humans to the "god of the sandsea."
A smuggler has a cross tattoo on is face.
One person is said to have been alive since the formation of the world.
There is a "cursed cherry blossom tree" rumor in a town.
One episode has a phantom-like person in it.

Other potentially problematic themes:
A few minor swears (averages about 1 per episode). Usually it's either h*ll or d*mn. At one point some random characters are drinking alcohol (characterized by them having red faces).

*
Sands of Destruction was a mildly entertaining watch. It's about a place in which human beings are not exactly respected - they are more of a secondary/sub-par race that are ruled over by beast-men. The traveling aspect of the show was nice because the scenery changed so much from one episode to another. That said, the artistry left a little something to be desired. Combine that with the sometimes-slower pace of the show, and I had to give this series only a 7/10 rating.
Still, Sands of Destruction had its moments. The humor was really good sometimes. I just liked Kyrie's character in general I guess, because he's the one who usually made me laugh. The ending to the series was brought about well enough that I would watch this series again. At only 12 episodes, it was worth the time for me.
Sasami: Magical Girls Club (Jump to title)
- Overall: 6
- Violence Rating: 4
- Nudity Rating: 3
- Theological Themes: 3
- Other Negative Themes: 2
Review Note: This is a review of the Funimation English dub of this series.

Violence / Gore:
Sasami is a series that relies mostly on comedic violence, and fighting with magic. There are a few instances, however, that are a little more serious when it comes to fighting. I don't remember there being much blood being spilled.

Nudity / Sexual Content:
One character (female) constantly dotes on and acts infatuated with another character (also female). The feelings are one-sided.
One character attempts to peek up girl's skirts with a mirror.
There are a few random bathroom moments and quick conversation inserts, but nothing majorly scandalous as far as sexual content.

Potentially problematic theological themes:
Sasami and her friends wield magic powers. They fight with them and use them in everyday life. Other characters have powers as well. Some use their powers for good, some for evil.

Other potentially problematic themes:
A few minor swears.

* Sasami starts out as a series about regular school students who discover that they have magical powers, and follows their daily lives and random struggles. The second half of the series goes a bit deeper and has an overriding plot. It also has a darker tone, as one of the characters goes through a downward emotional spiral. I personally found the beginning of the series a bit lackluster, but I found that the later episodes were a bit more enjoyable. I would recommend this series for fans of Sailor Moon, though it isn't quite up to par (in my opinion).
Save Me! Lollipop (Jump to title)
- Overall: 8
- Violence Rating: 3
- Nudity Rating: 4
- Theological Themes: 4
- Other Negative Themes: 1
Review Note: This is a review of the Funimation English dub.

Violence / Gore:
Save Me! Lollipop has a lot of comedic violence. Seeing actual blood is rare but some people are smacked around pretty hard. Magic fights take place where people and buildings, etc. are often smashed.

Nudity / Sexual Content:
Surprisingly, Save Me! Lollipop has quite a bit of sexual content. It should be noted that the characters almost look chibi-like most of the time, so it's possible to not take the content as seriously as a more artistically refined show. Lollipop is drawn in a simplistic fashion.

One character (male) cross-dresses quite a few times in the show. He doesn't like it, and it is usually by accident. Some girls wear very high slits in their skirts. One girl wears lingerie (in public) in order to get a guy's attention.
There are girls wearing bikinis/towels in one episode. One girl's towel falls off as she's being rescued from harm. Her breasts are visible, but are partially covered by the guy holding her. Same episode, another girl runs around topless. She is mostly covered by a guy shielding her from everyone's view with his hands.
The main character is constantly mocked because she has small breasts.
One character is in love with his sister (though they are not blood related).
The main character is asked a few times if she and her two male friends are all dating each other.
A boy and girl are sitting together on a sick-room bed. The girl mentions that they are technically "in bed together." Same episode, the guy straddles the girl while they are still in the bed so that she is out of sight of someone entering the room. A similar (but less awkward situation) happens in the first episode.


Potentially problematic theological themes:
The premise of Save Me! Lollipop is that the main character has swallowed a magical object. Magical students come after her to retrieve the object. Every episode has some sort of magic (summoning magic, destruction magic, defense magic, etc.) Imagine Sailor Moon but less serious.

Other potentially problematic themes:
A guy calls a girl a "wench." No other noteworthy language issues.


*Save Me! Lollipop appears childish on the surface but has some emotional depth to it. I would not recommend it for really young audiences due to the random sexual content. The characters are entertaining and fun to get to know, but the show as a whole is more of a joke than a serious anime.

Spoiler: Note: the series ends without a complete resolution.
Show by Rock!! (Jump to title)
- Overall: 8
- Violence Rating: 3
- Nudity Rating: 4
- Theological Themes: 3
- Other Negative Themes: 3
Review 12 episodes.

Note: This is a review of the Funimation English dub version of Show by Rock!!.

Violence / Gore:
Although there are some "fight" scenes, they are not very violent. Characters are chased by monster-type beings at times. The most violent part of the show is that one of the bands has a leader that is very violent with his bandmates. He smacks them around (it pretty much makes them listen to him). Some blood is shown but the scenes are meant to be comical.

Nudity / Sexual Content:
Show by Rock!! has a few issues content-wise worth mentioning. Firstly, there are quite a few characters who wear some shorter skirts, shirts that are cut quite low, etc. Not everyone in the show dresses this way.
The very first episode has a transformation scene in which an unclothed girl is shown from the side. This same girl is shown thinking/singing in the bath a few times, but she is always covered.
One guy's rear end is shown Spoiler: but he looks like an egg so it's not as risqué as it sounds. One guy wears a vest that shows his bared chest.
There is a beach episode with bikinis. A bath scene in which two girls are unclothed in a large outdoor bath together but they are covered by water.
Oh, and one character gets mad and takes a guy into a room and whips him with a whip. You do not see it actually take place, but you hear it.

A big point I want to mention is that one of the main characters (who is a girl) seems to possibly have romantic feelings for another girl in the show. She blushes a lot around this person, and hearts float around sometimes when she is looking at the other girl. Now, there is a slight possibility that her feelings are more of a deep friendship sort and she just doesn't understand that Spoiler: because she's never had real friends before... but given the circumstances I do not think the show was pulling in that direction. It does not seem that these feelings are returned by the other girl, although the other girl does feel strongly about their friendship as a whole.

Potentially problematic theological themes: Show by Rock!! takes place in a world where music is basically magical. There are people with the power to send their spirit into objects, and other people with different powers.
One character continually calls himself a "god." He says things throughout the show that refer to himself as a dark being (and he mentions that he can hear evil spirits). That said, he is not taken seriously. His behavior seems more like a stage act that he strictly follows even off stage.

Other potentially problematic themes:
A few mild swears. Averages about 1 every one or two episodes. One character is shown drinking too much - he gets red in the face.

* Although it has some content issues (in my opinion), Show by Rock!! turned out to be extremely enjoyable for me. The plot was interesting and enjoyable enough to eagerly follow. It moved at a good pace, but it wasn't breakneck.
Show by Rock!! had a good mix of emotional bits and plot-moving content. The characters were fun and memorable. And the ART! I... won't give any spoilers on that. I'll just say that whoever was responsible for creating this series did an excellent job in switching the artistry.
While I would not recommend this series for anyone really young (given some of the content), I will say that this series completely surprised me - in a good way. I would recommend this anime to fans of the fantasy genre, although really... I could see this anime being enjoyed by a very wide variety of people.
Snow White with the Red Hair (Jump to title)
- Overall: 9
- Violence Rating: 3
- Nudity Rating: 2
- Theological Themes: 1
- Other Negative Themes: 3
Review Note: This is a review of the Funimation English dub of Snow White with the Red Hair.

Also: This is a review of Season One and Season Two of this series. Season One has barely any content issues. Season Two had more of note. Still, as a whole, I viewed the anime as being incredibly clean.

Violence / Gore:
One character beats people with a whip (violently). There are some sword fights. People get cut (usually on the face) and there is some blood shown. Some fights result in loss of life (mostly in season two). Despite the setting (knights, kings) there are not too many battles like this.

Nudity / Sexual Content:
A girl is nearly forced to be a concubine against her will. It’s not really detailed what this would entail.
A guy jokes about another guy falling in love with him. He was not being serious. He later jokes about how his trust was broken when he sees that a character is sleeping in another guy’s room (due to an odd set of circumstances). This character is clearly joking in these situations, but I thought I’d err on the side of caution by mentioning it.
One character jokes about showing someone a girl’s sleeping quarters. One lady wears midriff-baring clothes. Otherwise, most characters in this show are very well covered!
There is a bathhouse episode which does show shirtless male characters. One of these guys jokes about peeking in on the ladies who are bathing.
A girl bathing is shown sitting in water. The very top of her cleavage is shown.

Potentially problematic theological themes:
There is a brief mention of an “evil spirit.” Otherwise, I can’t think of anything else of note here.

Other potentially problematic themes:
A girl accidentally drinks alcohol and gets drunk. Some other people are shown drinking alcohol. At one point some background characters are shown inebriated, with red faces, and some of them look passed out.
There is mild swearing – maybe 15 total from both seasons combined. Mostly the d-word. A few instances of the male-dog expletive. The “OMG” phrase is used one time. Most of the swearing takes place in the second season.

* I must say that Snow White with the Red Hair was a breath of fresh air to me. Beautiful! I became fond of every character. This anime can be slow – not a lot of action here. BUT. This anime was not boring. How to describe…. Shirayuki reminds me of Tohru Honda from Fruits Basket. She tries so hard, and I wanted her to succeed. Her blossoming romance with Zen was absolutely adorable. I truly enjoyed seeing their character growth. Same with Obi. Same with Raj. Basically, great character growth in this anime. Not to mention that I did not have much to worry about content-wise. Snow White with the Red Hair was splendid. It just might be one of my top anime favorites.



Spirited Away (Jump to title)
- Overall: 9
- Violence Rating: 3
- Nudity Rating: 1
- Theological Themes: 4
- Other Negative Themes: 2
Review Note: This is a review of the Disney English dub.

Violence / Gore:
Not a lot. There is one point in the film in which a character threatens to eat a girl's parents Spoiler: her parents are pigs at the time. There is a scene in which a girl is being chased by a monster-type creature. It's not violent per-se... things get broken and it could be scary for young audiences.

Nudity / Sexual Content:
Pretty clean. The outfit that the main character sometimes wears is a kind of spaghetti-strap piece that shows some of her back and leaves her shoulders exposed; that said, she never looks indecent.
One character (a baby) wears an outfit that does not completely cover his rear-end. Again, he's a baby, so it's not sexual in nature.
There is one sort of flashback scene where it is hard to tell if the main character is wearing clothes or not. It's underwater, you only see her from the shoulders up, and there are bubbles. Also not sexual in nature.

Potentially problematic theological themes:
Spirited Away's plot focuses on, well, spirits. They come in all shapes and sizes, and live in a world slightly connected to our own. The spirits in general are very human-like. They mostly seem to be good-hearted (though some are easily angered/agitated). A few of the spirits use magic - in example zipping a person's mouth shut so that they cannot speak.

Other potentially problematic themes:
One character smokes. Casual drinking is briefly mentioned ("sake's on the house tonight!") but it doesn't go further than that.

*
Spirited Away was my first Hayao Miyazaki movie, and it may be my favorite of his works. The art, the music, the character interaction,... all superb. Plus I found the dub work to be amazing. Honestly, I learned a lot about Japanese culture from this movie, and it is probably thanks to Spirited Away that I started watching anime in the first place. It has a depth to it that (in my opinion) makes it accessible to all ages. Chihiro goes through real struggles, and is forced to grow and mature in a short amount of time... yet the movie as a whole is very clean. I highly recommend this film to anyone who enjoys Miyazaki's works, or the fantasy/adventure genre in general.
Sword Art Online (Jump to title)
- Overall: 8
- Violence Rating: 4
- Nudity Rating: 5
- Theological Themes: 2
- Other Negative Themes: 2
Review Good anime, but not for young audiences.
SAO has a plot that is divided into two distinctive sections. The second part of SAO has more nudity/violence than the first part, but is integral to watch in order to reach a real resolution to the story.

Note: This is a review of the Aniplex of America English dub version of this anime.

Violence / Gore:
Characters continually use weapons to fight one another, but there is not a lot of actual blood in this anime as it takes place in a virtual reality. However, the fight scenes can be extreme. There are multiple death scenes in SAO, and people intent on murder.

Nudity / Sexual Content:
There is a scene in which a topless girl is nearly raped(the nudity is not totally detailed, but the scene is intense). A villain starts multiple conversations that are sexual in nature. There is a scene in which a young girl strips to her bra and panties and "offers" herself to a guy, though she is turned down. There's also a scene with an unclothed girl in a bathtub (again, not totally detailed). Some random scenes close-up on or highlight female body parts.

It is also important to note that one of the main characters of SAO has a female relative who turns out to have romantic feelings for him - though it is unrequited. This relationship is a major part of the second half of the plot and hard to ignore.

Potentially problematic theological themes:
There are a few times when a character uses the Lord's name in vain. Also, a villain repeatedly calls himself a "god" near the end of the anime.

Other potentially problematic themes:
There is mild swearing, but not in every episode.

*Despite its flaws, Sword Art Online is an interesting anime watch. The artistry is beautiful, and you'll find yourself rooting for the characters as they try to recover their lives and fight for the people they love. If you enjoy romance, fantasy, action, or even just RPGs... SAO is probably a good pick for you.
The Devil is a Part-Timer! (Jump to title)
- Overall: 7
- Violence Rating: 5
- Nudity Rating: 3
- Theological Themes: 6
- Other Negative Themes: 2
Review Note: This is a review of the Funimation English dub of this series.

The Devil is a Part-Timer! is a comical anime whose central character suddenly goes from being a dark, evil ruler to a laid-back, friendly guy trying to work his way up in the fast-food industry.

Violence / Gore:
There is a good bit of fighting (usually using swords/magical elements). Sometimes people are hurt pretty badly, but on the whole there is not a huge amount of bloodshed. One guy does wind up with a hole through him, but this is not as graphic as it sounds. Some people get shot at by magic/guns.

Nudity / Sexual Content:
There is an episode with a lot of girls in swimsuits. One girl is very endowed in the chest region and some emphasis is placed on this (though not really by the main guy characters, which was refreshing). Sometimes the view angle focuses on girl's bodies. At one point a girl is standing in the rain and her bra is seen through her shirt, and at another point her shirt is pulled open by a creeper and her bra is visible. She is also shown in the bath/ changing for work, but nothing is really shown. When she is at home this character is seen in only a long t-shirt (covers everything).
The main character often chills around his house in boxers (they might just be shorter shorts) and sometimes girls are in his house talking to him when he is dressed this way. Some circumstances cause the main character to go shirtless a couple of times, too.

Potentially problematic theological themes:
The title would have the audience believe that this anime is specifically about the devil, but it is actually more about a magical being referred to by that name. I rated this section a 6 because they use various names for the devil quite frequently, and I know that could be an issue for some people.
Christianity is not portrayed as evil in this anime, though some members of the "church" within it are not so nice. Also, an "angel" winds up being evil and a little bit lecherous. He claims he was sent by heaven and that heaven agrees with him, but given the situation he just appears insane.
Characters in this anime do use magic to fight with/fix things/etc. Both good and evil characters have these powers.

Other potentially problematic themes:
Minor swearing (a few h***s and d***s), and maybe one b-word.

* At the end of the day this is a comedy about a guy who has changed for the better, and a girl who doesn't believe it. The characters are an interesting group of people who somehow all get along with each other (for the most part). I'd recommend this anime to fans of Blue Exorcist (though this is more lighthearted) or D.N. Angel.
The Girl Who Leapt Through Time (Jump to title)
- Overall: 9
- Violence Rating: 2
- Nudity Rating: 2
- Theological Themes: 1
- Other Negative Themes: 1
Review Note: This is a review of the Kadokawa Pictures English dub of this movie.

Violence / Gore:
A person is hit by a train, but it is off-screen. A girl falls down and gets pretty beat up by it, but there is not a lot of blood.

Nudity / Sexual Content:
This movie is very clean except for one random comment that is repeated as the girl goes back in time and relives the moment again and again. It is said jokingly in the close-up background, and can go over the heads of small children, but it was sexual in nature and awkward to hear.

Potentially problematic theological themes:
I don't remember any. The time traveling is not magical - it's a sort of futuristic technology.

Other potentially problematic themes:
Maybe a mild swear, but I don't remember any other issues.

*
The Girl Who Leapt Through Time is a wonderful film about a girl who has to deal with the harsh repercussions of her choices. It is funny, moving, and thought-provoking. I felt the film lacked only in character art, but that comes down to personal preference. I've seen this film multiple times, and find that it is worth the watch every single time.
Tokyo Ravens (Jump to title)
- Overall: 6
- Violence Rating: 5
- Nudity Rating: 6
- Theological Themes: 6
- Other Negative Themes: 3
Review Note: This is a review of the Funimation English dub version of Tokyo Ravens.

Age Appropriateness: I rated this title 13+, but that is with a lot of caution. Please see below for details.

Violence / Gore:
There are many fighting scenes in Tokyo Ravens, the bulk of which are fights against monster-type creatures. Generally, there was not a lot of blood shown during these fight scenes.
A girl is impaled (no blood shown but it’s a very serious moment/injury).
A monster’s head is taken off, and the monster quickly disintegrates (no blood).
One girl speaks very threateningly to those around her.
A guy almost chokes a girl to death.
A guy is slashed with a sword and there is a huge blood splatter that follows. The guy collapses and there is blood all over the ground.

Nudity / Sexual Content:
I did not expect Tokyo Ravens to have the amount of content that it did within this area…
A girl threatens to cut off a part of a guy’s anatomy…
A fox-girl shows her butt to a male character. She wasn’t meaning to be sexual but it causes an awkward scene. Most of her rear-end is covered by her tail. This character is on the younger side, and some people accuse the male of being a pervert with her.
Some characters have very short skirts. So short that sometimes you can see flashes of their rears.
A character unbuttons her shirt and opens it Spoiler: but it turns out it was just a familiar meant to convince the school she was a guy… so nothing but a male chest is actually shown. During this scene, some students think that the female character (who they think is a male) is being undressed by a male character. They are very giggly about it.
This guy and girl later accidentally wander into an area of town full of “love hotels.” The giggling students above state that they think the two are going to “go all the way.” The conversations that follow are similar in nature, though a little more detailed. The girl and guy retreat into one of the love hotels to hide. They turn on the TV and (though the TV screen is not shown) there are some awkward noises coming from it. The two quickly turn the TV back off.
There is some accidental boob-grabbing when a character gets on a motorcycle.
A girl basically has all of her clothes ripped off during a fight but somehow the most important parts are covered in tatters (but barely).
A girl has an out-of-body experience in which she is unclothed. Sparkles hide the important areas.
A transformation scene shows some rear end.

Potentially problematic theological themes:
The plot of Tokyo Ravens revolves around a school that teaches its students to use spells to fight spirits/demons/people. There are shamans, spirits, exorcisms, etc. all throughout the show.
A girl seals a guy as a familiar by drawing a star on his cheek with her blood.
Quote: “May he traverse the heavens to move the hand of the creator.”
A character offers himself up to the “god of the afterlife.” A character calls on gods while casting a spell.
“Buddhist magic” is mentioned about some of the spells being used.
Some characters try to bring the dead back to life. This is an over-riding theme of the anime.

Other potentially problematic themes:
I counted about 7 mild swears in total through the series. They used a handful of different ones.
An underage boy drinks a can of beer and offers some to his friend.

*
Tokyo Ravens just did not hit the mark for me. From the get-go I had many questions that went unanswered. The sexual content was too much for me, too. Way too often, way unnecessary, and not funny.
The art shifted back and forth and I decided that the inclusion of the CG-style was just weird. Hokuto the dragon, however, was gorgeous. The way she moved and flew through the air reminded me of Haku in Spirited Away. Lovely.
As a whole, though, I found this series forgettable. Spoiler: Not to mention that I found the ending far too open-ended and un-resolving. In the end, when it comes to this sort of plot line, I prefer Blue Exorcist by a long mile.
[C]: Control - The Money of Soul and Possibility (Jump to title)
- Overall: 7
- Violence Rating: 7
- Nudity Rating: 5
- Theological Themes: 5
- Other Negative Themes: 3
Review Note: This is a review of the Funimation English dub of this series.

Violence / Gore:
C-Control contains many fight scenes in which characters/creatures are injured and bleed black blood. Sometimes the scenes are mild, other times more graphic (at one point a disembodied arm is shown). There is often black blood running down a character's face, and sometimes pools/spurts of black blood when a character is injured. As the fights take place in an alternate dimension (sort of), the characters are healed shortly after as if their injuries never happened.
In the real world, a man purposefully jumps in front of a train. Another man tries to jump off a building. A creature's face cracks open to reveal claws.

Nudity / Sexual Content:
The torso is shown of a girl taking a shower. This is quite detailed. After, the girl is shown putting on her underwear/bra (this scene is more mild).
The top of one character's bra is often seen peeking out of her shirt.
A woman jumps into a vehicle on top of a guy. She's flat on top of him during an entire conversation. She finally moves and the guy gasps because he had been unable to breathe since her chest had been covering his face.
One character wears a very short skirt, but she wears tight shorts underneath it which does provide some coverage.

Potentially problematic theological themes:
The Financial District of C - Control initially seems evil. It's common to see three 6's on credit cards, time counters, etc. in the district. The district is often shown as a dark place, and the "deals" solidify that when they turn violent. That said, the spokesperson for the Financial District says that he gets his orders from "the man upstairs." He later says that he "follows orders from above."
In the end, the district is not shown to be necessarily good or evil. It depends(largely) on the people in the district.
Characters put up their "future" as collateral for vast amounts of money. Not to mention that (in the district) when someone gets hurt, black money often spews out of them. Also, the Financial District seems to have the power to erase humanity from existence.
Many Assets are personified as monsters.

Other potentially problematic themes:
Mild swearing - a** and b**** are used most commonly. Averages about 2 swears per episode.

* The love of money is the root of all evil. C- Control does not deny this. The power and influence of money depends on the user. Some try to do harm while others try to do good. What's more important: having a future, or having money?
In the end, this anime finishes with quite a few questions unanswered. Not entirely an action series, [C] focuses a lot on how out of control money can become. Still plenty of fighting to keep audiences entertained. Certainly a unique anime. Side note: I really enjoyed the character art.
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