Review guideline: Difference between revisions

==Disclaimer==

The following "guide" '''should not''' be treated as the official AniDB way to review anime.  The following are '''suggested guidelines''' to help beginning reviewers structure and give them points of interest to comment on.  '''This is not a manual.'''  Writing takes creativity, and a reviewer’s style and structure varies from one person to another. The following guidelines are what I personally try to follow, and I believe it is a fair way to review. This guide is meant for potential reviewers that want to receive an in-depth opinion on writing effective reviews at AniDB. However, I am confident that if you are taking the time to read this guide, you must be interested in furthering the quality of your reviews. I hope you enjoy my "guide".  

==Introduction==

Many reviewers at AniDB prefer to divide their reviews into the follow sections: Animation, Sound, Story, Character, Value, and Enjoyment. It is logical, and by no means a bad way to structure an anime review. Structuring your review into sections allow readers to easily locate information they want instead of searching for it in your review.  However, this method of writing restrict may restrict your thought process, explicitly dividing your review into sections.  If you choose to not divide your review into such sections, try to at least keep in mind the following guidelines stated later in this guide.  Always keep in mind that your review is to help users decide whether or not they want to watch.  '''"Sell" your opinions and ideas.  Do not hold back simply because your opinion does not jive with the majority.'''  Perhaps whoever is reading your review may have similar tastes. By not stating your honest opinion, you may adversly affect your credibility in the future.

===Commenting on Fansub Quality===

Commenting on fansub quality is unnecessary because you are reviewing the anime itself, not the fansub.  You can comment on a particular fansub's quality by either voting or posting your thoughts on a particular group in the "Group Info"  area.  This area can be found for all anime entries.  Post your comments on fansub quality there.

==Areas of Potential Commentary==

===Animation===

===Rating/reviewing based on "Style"===

The first section that you are able to rate in a review is animation. A common misconception when rating animation is comparing two different styles from two different periods. For instance, I currently use [http://anidb.info/a1217 Tokyo Godfathers] or [http://anidb.info/a890 Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence] as a reference point for "high quality modern animation". They are clear examples of superb animation seamlessly blending 2D with 3D animation. Now the problem arises when I compare that type of animation from a decade ago (1990s). Animation, like any art, progresses indefinitely through time. Tastes change, styles change, and potential audience changes with time. In 1999, [http://anidb.info/a73 Rurouni Kenshin - Meiji Kenkaku Roumandan - Tsuiokuhen], was considered the pinnacle of animation at the time. Comparing two differing styles like [http://anidb.info/a73 Rurouni Kenshin - Meiji Kenkaku Roumandan - Tsuiokuhen] with something modern like [http://anidb.info/a1217 Tokyo Godfathers] is unfair and too subjective. Rather than comparing one anime to another, it would be better to think about whether the anime effectively conveyed a unique style of animation.