Review guideline
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.
Referencing Anime
As you watch more anime, it may be beneficial to reference other anime to help readers see your point of reference. However, do not just simply state that "so and so" anime is just like "this" anime. Justify your comparisons by commenting on what is similar or different. If you can't comment on how the two or more anime are similar/different, you may end up confusing your reader.
Using Emoticons
Personally, I believe that using emoticons detract from a reviewer's credibility. I treat reviewing as if it were an essay. There are far more creative ways to express your thoughts without using emoticons. However, if you must use them, use them sparingly. Good writing comes from "presenting", "expressing", or "showing" your ideas to your reader. Try to do so by varying your word usage and keep in mind the connotations of your words.
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
Animation refers to anything "animated" hence the term "anime". You should try commenting on any of the following sections as it would help potential viewers get a grasp on what they can expect. Whichever style you choose to rate animation by, be sure to consistent.
Choose your Style of Rating Animation
There are two popular styles of rating and commenting on animation -- by uniqueness or by realism.
Judging by Uniqueness
- 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 Tokyo Godfathers or 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, Rurouni Kenshin - Meiji Kenkaku Roumandan - Tsuiokuhen, was considered the pinnacle of animation at the time. Comparing two differing styles like Rurouni Kenshin - Meiji Kenkaku Roumandan - Tsuiokuhen with something modern like 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.
- It is not always about if the anime can produce the best special effects or computer generated graphics. Raising questions like:
- "Is the animation’s style unique?"
- "Does it break away or goes beyond the time period’s typical animation?"
- "Can the anime be immediately recognized simply by looking at its animation?"
- "What level of realism or zaniness was depicted?"
- This sort of thinking can be applied to backgrounds, opening or ending sequences, character designs, and special effects. These are all good areas to comment on in the animation section.
- As for numerical values for rating animation, here are some guidelines:
- 10 – The animation is superb, effectively conveying its own sense of style. Many times the animation goes beyond the modern trend of animation at the time. The animation is easily recognizable. Character design, background, and special effects are well done. It is apparent to see the high level of thought that goes into every detail or design.
- 9 – The animation is great, effectively conveying a clear sense of style. However, what keeps the animation from receiving a 10 is that maybe the animation builds upon a previous style. The style is presented well and may even give a refreshing look on an old or current style of animation. The animation maybe superb in most areas, but maybe lacking a bit in one or two areas like character designs and backgrounds.
- 8 – The animation is good, usually good enough for the animation to be clearly recognizable. The animation may have its own sense of style, but is lacking in many areas. For example, character designs may have received great thought, but backgrounds and special effects were average.
- 7 – The animation is decent and easily recognizable to most otaku. However, the problem with the animation is that it does not have a good sense of original style. It follows a previous trend or animation, and offers little in uniqueness.
- 6 – The animation is just fine. Its animation style has been done before and the animation does not show much in the way of improving it. This does not mean the animation is bad; there just is not anything special about the animation.
- 5 – The animation’s style is passable. It uses a previous style of animation, and does not make any effort improve on it.
- 4 – The animation’s style is almost passable, but on the borderline of being bad. It uses a previous style of animation, and instead of sticking with it, may even make the style worse. Areas such as character design and backgrounds are in adequate, and they maybe painful to watch throughout the ova/movie/series.
- 3 – The animation style is clearly bad. It looks like very low budget animation and reuses many frames. Character design and backgrounds received barely any thought whatsoever.
- 2 – The animation is very bad. Character designs and backgrounds received no thought at all, and the animation has no distinguishing traits.
- 1 – The animation can cause eye cancer. It is just drop down bad; there are no qualities that can receive any positive regard.
- 10 – The animation is superb, effectively conveying its own sense of style. Many times the animation goes beyond the modern trend of animation at the time. The animation is easily recognizable. Character design, background, and special effects are well done. It is apparent to see the high level of thought that goes into every detail or design.
Judging by Realistic-ness
- The other popular way to comment on animation is to use an exemplarly anime of realistic animation as a gauge. An anime such as Innocence or Macross Zero are popular guages. Because an anime like Innocence or Macross Zero aims to be highly realistic and uses cutting edge animation techniques, this way of reviewing animation helps readers differentiate between the "typical" 2D animation style and the more "realistic" 3D animation style.
Background
Character Design
Opening and Ending Sequence
Sound
First off, the seiyuu (voiceactors). If one of the voiceactors is doing a horrible job since his/her voice doesn`t fit the character at all, now is your chance. Or if someone is doing such a good job that the voice of that person keeps the bad storyline interesting, tell it. Tell why it is a great openingsong, like when it fits the series very well, or if it doesn`t fit at all even though it`s a good openingsong.
Story
How is the story? Is the plot deep and good enough to make an interesting anime, or is there no plot at all and is it only fighting or fanservice?
Characters
Are the characters unrealistic, are they annoying or are they welldeveloped and do they change when the series progresses ?
Value
The value of a series is like saying how much rewatch value it has. Is it a series/movie which you would likely rewatch some time, or was it as uninteresting that you will never ever watch it again?
Enjoyment
This is easy. How much did you enjoy this series/movie? Tell us what you particularly liked and disliked (try not to spoil though).