Positives:
* The OVA set the tone for more earthly Gundam shows, like 08th MS Team and 00 Gundam
* Bernard Wiseman was kind of cool at the end
* The last one and a half episodes
* You're going to end up watching this series eventually. It's inevitable.

Negatives:
* The first half of the OVA is insanely (almost painfully) slow.
* You know how the original Gundam series had horrible animation, yet the art style still had some charm to it? Same thing here, minus the charm.

Overall:
I know that since I love real robot mecha and anything Gundam, that means Gundam 0080 should be my holy grail. I can't agree with that, though; there are too many things in Gundam 0080 that annoy me. Where do I begin: the girl with the vague backstory, the Zeon pilot who goes undercover (yet he's wearing his Zeon motorcycle jacket the whole time), or the walking plot device bartender? Gundam 0080: War in the Pocket is supposed to be this "slice of life" real world tragedy that offsets the Newtype magical elements of the original series. What you get instead is a smart-ass kid with bad grades who comes across a bad Gundam pilot on a mission with his hard-ass teammates. It's a workable plot idea, but the insanely slow pace it takes to build up the story just turns me off of the OVA. By the end, you just want the colony to explode.

Let's be honest, though: you're probably going to watch this OVA if you're reading this review. 0080 is one of those series' that the average mecha fan must watch. I won't blame you if you watch it and like it, either: the show has some charm and you might see yourself in Bernard Wiseman. Just remember, though, that Gundam 08th MS Team is a strong alternative if you like the idea of 0080, yet you felt that the story was slow, dry, and flat.

Positives:
* The series is a good choice for action fans
* Definitely an "essential" series; important to understanding the history of anime
* There are 291 episodes, 13 movies, 2 OVAs, a prequel series, and a sequel series, so fans of shows like Bleach and Naruto will probably enjoy the episodic action
* This show and Sailor Moon set off the US anime explosion, so the show is one of the few anime series' that the average person will recognize
* Akira Toriyama always found a way to make the Vegeta-Goku fights epic

Negatives:
* Dragon Ball Z is light on plot; mostly provides an excuse for high octane action
* The Funimation dub was horrible; watch the subs
* The dub music was gross too
* I get annoyed whenever Goten and Trunks are together. That might just be me, though
* There's a new series, Dragon Ball Kai, that cleaned up Dragon Ball Z and shortened the show. Newer viewers may prefer Kai, since it's half as long and cleaner looking.

Overall:
Rather than review Dragon Ball Z properly, I'm going to list some thoughts I've had about the show:
1) I always hated the Freeza saga, but now I realize it's the best arc
2) That "Gohan goes beyond Super Saiyan" scene at the end of the Cell Games? It was better when Goku did it with Freeza.
3) Vegeta is a lovable jerk.
4) Dragon Ball Z movie 8 is probably the single best DBZ contribution, followed closely by the Bardock special and the Majin Vegeta-Goku fight.
5) The dub was absolutely atrocious and the dub music sounded like a five year old found out how to use a Casio keyboard
6) Buu Saga: Too long
7) Android Arc: Too short
8) I always hated how characters like Krillin, Yamcha, and Tenshinhan never got any attention after the Android Arc

Note: This is the first Fullmetal Alchemist anime series. The second is called Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood. They both exist entirely seperately.

Positives:
* Good series for a general audience. It was a good pick for Adult Swim.
* Alchemy is an interesting theme for an anime series. It was also a good idea to keep it light, rather than gloomy.
* Branches off from the manga at the half-way point, which actually makes the show more interesting
* Dub is pretty good, as is the Japanese language original
* Music is pretty good. A couple of the theme songs may find their way to your iPod.

Negatives:
* First half of the series drags on for too long
* Some of the character designs are... interesting. Luckily, the major characters look good and are well-rounded.
* The show is not entirely self contained: you will need to watch Conqueror of Shamballa after this series.

Overall:
If you're on a site like this, you've probably already seen FMA or intend to, as Fullmetal is considered a 'definitive' anime series. As for my opinion, I think Fullmetal Alchemist is a solid show, overall. It's also a good series to introduce to someone who is newer to anime, as it's set in a European-like country, which makes the show more accessible to Western audiences. Another upside is that there's generally a good balance between exposition and action, so you'll never really feel a big lag that will make you want to give up on the show. I'm generally a big mecha fan, so a good balance between story and action is essential to me, and I walked away from FMA satisfied with the balance.

The big question, though: this or FMA: Brotherhood? I can't answer that, nor can anyone else at this point. Who knows if Brotherhood will stay faithful to the manga until the very end?

Note: This movie follows the first Fullmetal Alchemist anime series. Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood is an entirely different anime series that REPLACES the first series and this movie.

Positives:
* Actual quality of the movie was good. With some more exposition, it could have been a hit stand-alone anime movie.
* Animation is several steps above that of the TV series
* The real world historical setting was kind of a cool inclusion. It was also cool to see the alternate world versions of some characters.

Negatives:
* Did this tie up the show? Just wait till you see what the ending is...
* You should probably watch the original Fullmetal Alchemist series before watching this movie. It's nearly impenetrable otherwise.
* Main villain was kind of slipshod

Overall:
You know, for a movie that was to be the bookend for the Fullmetal Alchemist series, Conqueror certainly left everything wide open for a sequel. Oddly enough, the sequel series, "Brotherhood" serves as a reboot to the franchise. While it may be beneficial in the end that the current series follows the manga more closely, some fans will want to know what became of THIS set of Elric brothers. My bet is that we'll never know.

Positives:
* Character designs are mostly great. Wing fans (like me) will get their fix.
* Mecha designs are solid, as can be expected from a Gundam show. Specifically, the Virtue is a powerhouse instant classic.
* Pacing is better than average; something important happens in nearly every episode
* Avoids an excessive amount of backstory in favor of current action

Negatives:
* If you don't like Gundam Wing, you'll hate this one nearly as much. Luckily, this does not apply to me. Go Heero!
* Hearing "Blah blah blah blah Celestial Being. Blah blah blah Celestial Being" over and over again really gets annoying after a while.
* The music, while nice, isn't as good as it was in SEED and Destiny. The first opener of the first season is good, though. TM Revolution saves the day.

Overall:
I can break down this review for you and definitively recommend whether or not you should give 00 a try. If you like mecha, you will, at the very least, like the action parts of Gundam 00. There are definitely a lot of instant classic mecha fights towards the end of the show. If you like political anime, you will like Gundam 00. There is most definitely a lot of factional warware occuring that this show, much like the Oz/Specials/Treize Faction/Romefeller/White Fang stuff in Wing. Along those same lines, if you liked Gundam Wing but were turned off of some of the other Gundam shows, you will enjoy 00. If you think Zeta Gundam was the be-all and end-all of Gundam, though, you may walk away disappointed. This show isn't a polemic about the pain of war and "one man's struggle". This is a amazingly animated anime series that attempts to modernize the Gundam franchise for the current generation. It takes the SEED audience that is now 5 to 7 years older than they were when SEED premiered and attempts to give them a story that is a bit darker and more "real". Likely, the next Gundam series will attempt to be more "real" than Gundam 00 in an attempt to grow up with their audience.

I'm a Wing fan, mostly because I like having multiple protaganists- it's good to have multiple plot threads running at the same time as opposed to dealing with the same "whiny kid in a mobile suit" archetype over and over again. Because of this, 00 impressed me. If I had to deal with Alleluja Haptism alone for 50 episodes, I'd probably lose my mind. Thankfully, I was given the option of following Lockon, Tieria, and Setsuna instead. One final warning, though: if you like stories that are neatly tied up with a proper epilogue, you might want to wait to watch this until 2010, when the Gundam 00 movie is released.

Positives:
* Most episodes are self-contained, which is the right move for this type of show.
* "Samurai, hitman, undercover agent, and spy" is a great combination for main characters.
* The studio made a good move by seperating the different Lupin III shows by Lupin's jacket color. This is the red jacket series.

Negatives:
* No real central plot
* Animation might be too dated for some people, though the simplicity ends up working well for this kind of show.
* Dub takes a lot of liberties, but I've seen worse.
* Typical bumbling detective

Overall:
In general, I guess I can consider myself a fan of Lupin III. This version of the show (Red jacket Lupin) is one where you can casually tune in and watch a relatively entertaining self-contained adventure. It's a show where you can just partially zone out for half an hour and walk away entertained afterwards. For this reason, I think this show did particularly well on Adult Swim, where there are other self-contained American offerings. Additionally, the cast is well balanced and many will find Jigen or Goemon to be their favorite, but don't forget that Fujiko is a strong female foil character in the vein of Spy vs Spy's Gray Spy.

I recommend giving the show a try for an episode or two. If you don't like it, you've only invested a few minutes and aren't missing out on a greater story. If you want the best story of this Lupin era, though, go straight to The Castle of Cagliostro. It's not every show that gets the Miyazaki treatment, but The Castle of Cagliostro immensely benefits from Hayao Miyazaki's direction.

Positives:
* Along with Bleach, fulfills the need for epic action anime
* Character designs are the strongest part of the show
* The soundtrack, while nothing spectacular, is fitting and vibrant. Some of the theme songs are pretty good.

Negatives:
* The insane amount of filler episodes toward the end
* Dub is spotty, but I've seen worse

Overall:
There's not really much to say here about a series that's the current "king of anime" in most of Europe and North America. If you're in your 20s or 30s and enjoyed Dragon Ball Z back in the day, you'll probably enjoy most of this series. Failing that, try Bleach. If you like long-running shows like Yu Yu Hakusho or Gintama, you'll probably like this series. If, on the other hand, you're all about new experiences and shows that push boundaries, move along. There's nothing here for you.

Just skip the filler towards the end of Naruto and skip right to the sequel series, Naruto: Shippuden, unless you become a hardcore completist and insist on watching everything.

Positives:
* Music fit the mood.
* Animation was great for its time.
* Arguably helped start the 90s anime boom in the US

Negatives:
* Overly complex storyline.
* Contemporary viewers may see too many parallels to The Matrix.
* Characters don't do anything for me.

Overall:
This review is based on my second viewing of the movie; previously, I had watched this movie in 2000.

I watched Ghost in the Shell again recently and left with a vastly different experience that I had originally. Years ago, this movie was fresh and complex. The villain was cerebral and the protaganists were complex and multidimensional. Now, the movie feels overly complex, and the characters all appear to be walking devices for the muddled story. The Matrix did Ghost in the Shell a disservice by ripping off so much material. Unfortunately, since The Matrix has higher name recognition than GitS and Matrix has succeeded in changing action movie culture so much, Ghost in the Shell comes off looking like the rip-off. The animation is still nice, though and the music gives off a cyberpunk vibe, even though the movie is distinctly more modern feeling and sterile than it should be. I certainly could have lived without the main theme droning on and on every 10 minutes, though.

Positives:
* Breath of fresh air for the franchise and for American audiences
* Overall, probably tied with Evangelion for the best anime soundtrack of the 90s
* No whiny main characters
* Treize Kushrenada
* Some of the best and most unforgettable mecha designs I've ever seen.
* The political intrigue

Negatives:
* The Milliardo Peacecraft/Relena Peacecraft angle
* Whether you like this series or not entirely depends on whether or not you watch the Endless Waltz follow-up
* Gundams are invincible?

Overall:
It's really hard to remove the fond memories I have of this anime era from my review of Gundam Wing. Because of this, I'm not going to even try to be objective. Imagine its the year 2000 and your only real experience with anime comes from Dragon Ball Z and Sailor Moon. Suddenly, Toonami introduces a new series that promises to be something quite different; for the first time, older brothers are sitting with their younger brothers and parents are sitting with their teenage kids to watch the first truly all-ages anime on network television. Gundam Wing, even though it has its faults (especially whiny Relena), showed Americans for the first time that they can expect better than slapstick humor or mindless action in the animated shows they watch. The popularity of Gundam Wing brought shows like Kenshin and Outlaw Star directly to American audiences.

Because of this, I cannot give this show a negative review. I refuse.

The story is solid and compact, and the twists are numerous, yet easy to follow. Unlike the later SEED, Wing makes little attempt to closely follow the original source material, Mobile Suit Gundam. You can watch Gundam Wing and the follow-up movie Endless Waltz, and you would have a self-contained story that requires no knowledge of what came before or after. The main characters are considered "pretty boys", but only the most insecure of us will care, because the characters thrive on their own merits. Quattra is the fair haired Middle Easterner who hates war, Wufei is the Asian pilot who holds honor in the highest regard, Trowa is the quiet and reserved pilot of indeterminate origin, Duo is the likable and popular American, and Heero is the most mission-focused and serious Gundam pilot seen yet. Together, they add a lot to a simple formula of X vs Y warfare.

Positives:
* Original storyline. No "megamaniacal villain"
* Main character isn't a whining crybaby.
* The mecha designs, specifically the Akatsuki
* Lacus Clyne is significantly less annoying now- very few musical interludes
* Soundtrack is superb and iPod-worthy, as is usually the case with Gundam productions

Negatives:
* Not enough involvement from the SEED cast.
* Too many clip shows. Skip them.
* The final episode ends abruptly. You'll have to watch the FINAL PLUS episode afterwards. Why couldn't they just create an "Episode 51"?

Overall:
People seem to love trashing Destiny. The funny thing is that a lot of the criticisms are actually the best part of the show. First, critics tend to say that there are too many clip episodes. This is true; skip those episodes- you'll end up with a faster moving show than fifty episodes of pure story grinding. Second, people criticize the main character for being a slave to the main villain. Some people inevitably come out on the wrong side at the end of a conflict, and its good to finally see that in a Gundam series. The last big criticism was the character shift that occurred mid-series. I think the character shift was interesting; it's not as if it hasn't been done in a Gundam series before: by the end of Mobile Suit Gundam, Char was undoubtedly the main character of the series and Amuro was pushed off to the side. My single criticism of this show is that I believe that the main villain was absolutely correct and that the protagonists had no reason or right to go against him. This is a storyline criticism though, and does not reflect on the quality of the show itself.

Is SEED and SEED Destiny better than Mobile Suit Gundam and Z Gundam? No, but not much out there is better. Is SEED and SEED Destiny better than Wing and the other alternate universe stories? I would simply argue that they're all alternatives to each other, but the SEED timeline is the only one that was able to create a long-term compelling alternative to the traditional Gundam universe. Is SEED and SEED Destiny better than the average anime series? I have no doubt that its better, because a) it requires thought, b) doesn't hold the viewers hand, and c) has the right mix of drama, politics and action.

Likely, if you're reading this review, you've either just finished watching SEED, or plan on watching SEED and then immediately following it up with Destiny. Either way, its worth your time to invest in watching this series. Watch the show and skip the recap episodes. You'll be rewarded for your time once the SEED movie is released.

Positives:
* The first 24 episodes
* Easily the best anime soundtrack ever (perfect mix of classical, piano, and brass)
* Character design and personalities
* Emotionally draining
* Deep story

Negatives:
* The final two episodes
* Emotionally draining (both a positive and a negative)
* Excessively vague at times
* Animation quality is spotty
* English dub is horrific

Overall:
As of 2009, this is probably still the greatest anime series I have seen. If I knew someone who knows nothing about anime, I would first pick Evangelion as the introduction. I have a couple issues with the series, though: first, the animation quality is spotty and second, the last two episodes are trash psychobabble. If you want the best possible experience with the fewest speedbumps, I strongly recommend watching the first 24 episodes and then skipping right to End of Evangelion.

Positives:
* Character designs were solid.
* It's nice to look forward to a sequel once you're done watching SEED. Continuity is a plus.
* Suit designs were cool.
* The basic story and plot developments were good.
* Most of the themes were great, especially the first couple OPs.

Negatives:
* The last episode, specifically the very end, was disappointing. You'll need to watch the 5 minute After Phase: In the Valley of Stars after finishing SEED.
* The show was pretty boring up until episode 25.
* Typical megalomaniac villain at the end.
* Flay Ulster for most of the story.

Overall:
While I have a lot of issues with SEED, I still feel that its worthy of the Gundam name. Where some people might ding a series for taking too many liberties with the tried-and-true, I think SEED didn't do enough to differentiate itself from what's been done before. Overall, the strength of the characters, the solid soundtrack, and the Gundam designs make this show worth a watch.

Positives:
* Char Aznable was one of the greatest fictional villains of the 20th century. Ramba Ral was a great tragic character also.
* This series pushed the superior real robot genre on top of the super robot genre for the first time. Mecha fans everywhere greatly benefited from this.

Negatives:
* The “Newtype” angle introduced towards the end of the show felt tacked on. This can most likely be attributed to the series being cut short.
* Unfortunately, Amuro Ray began the tradition of whiny, selfish Gundam pilots. It got annoying at times.

Overall:
I'll just put it out there: the show is great. It runs long at times and there is a distinct point in the series where the 'realism' feels ruined by the superhuman pilots, but that is worth overlooking. What you'll get to see with Gundam is a) an epic story, b) the starting point of one of the largest anime franchises, and c) why Char Aznable is considered one of the premier characters in modern culture. Watch this series.