Clephas

Zero no Tsukaima- Classic early-era isekai series that defined the harem comedy sub-genre. Surprisingly enjoyable even today (most early-era isekai didn't age well). Night Head- Esper story with Yaoi-esque vibes.

Yet another company escapes the evil grasp of social media giants.

Ouran- Very popular series amongst English-speaking anime watchers at the time (moreso than Japan relative to the anime-watching population). Non-doormat otomege style heroine/protagonist cross-dressing as a guy while playing with the hearts of girls as part of club activities. Gintama- A series that needs no intro... you either love it or you hate it. Black Lagoon- Blood, guns, explosions, death... fun fun and fun all over for people who love violence. Glass no Kantai- Middling quality space opera. The Third Aoi Hitomi no Shoujo- Kami-anime save for the fact that they ran out of budget midway through and several episodes dropped quality. Music is top-quality, story is generally emotional and interesting, setting is post-apocalyptic with a single faction holding all the technological cards. Protagonist is generally a powerful and well-developed character that is made more so by the narration dialogue. Soul Link- Horror sci-fi, mashes the VN's routes together. Reasonably enjoyable for a single watch. Simoun- Yuri-esque mech series. Princess Princess- Surprisingly good anime about a guy forced to cross-dress at a guys' school. Higurashi no Naku Koro Ni- Does this need an intro? Higurashi's anime is a classic great, even though I only wanted to watch it once (once the mysteries are solved, it is hard to go back to this kind of thing). xxxHolic- Very very good for someone who wants to dig into the peculiarities of some aspects of Japanese myth, occultism, and fables, as well as for those who want to understand the language better. This series' dialogue - particularly Ms. Witch's - is great for learning to pick up subtleties as opposed to general vocab and grammar. Suzumiya Haruhi no Yuutsu- One of the few tolerable 'psychedelic' anime.

You might be wondering why I chose this VN for the first one to review in quite some time, and you would be right to wonder. I wonder why I felt drawn to this VN myself, given how the first impression from the cover is a nukige. However, something about it drew me in and made me want to play it. Thankfully, it isn't an experience I grew to regret, so I'll go ahead and give you my impressions. This VN focuses on a club (six girls, one guy) who get stranded in an abandoned village in the mountains, surrounded by impassible mist. The protagonist, Itsuki starts having ero dreams that disgust him, and the girls gradually start acting strangely. A red-eyed, white-haired girl named Kagome occasionally appears and hints at the nature of his predicament and warns him the only way to leave the village is to offer up a sacrifice. Up to now, there are no actual spoilers you can't find on the official website. Atmosphere-wise, this game kind of resembles Higurashi, though the actual content is drastically different (basically exchange violence for h-scenes and Rika for Kagome, lol). A great deal of the actual plot parts is the characters gathering food and researching the village as they try to find a way out, even as they find themselves going a little crazy (sometimes realizing it, sometimes not). The story itself is structured so that most of the content is shared, with the final split-off occurring rather late in the game (about seven-eighths of the way through). If it weren't for the impact of the last scenes in each ending, I would have complained about this, but it works out well because the point of the split-off is timed perfectly from the perspective of telling the story as a whole. For people who want a straight-out happy ending, I recommend only playing Kagome's path, because it is really the only ending where things turn out in a way that doesn't leave you with a bitter taste in your mouth. I very much enjoyed the way the writers portrayed the differing perspectives between the various characters, with the discussions between Kagome and the protagonist often providing the most food for thought. In conclusion, this is a VN for those who like a little mystery, a lot of H, and bittersweet experiences.

The Sakura series is typical of Sca-ji, who tends to overuse foreshadowing and unreliable narrators. Personally, Sca-ji's VNs make me want to pull my last few remaining hairs out in frustration, more often than not.

Mushi-shi- Weird series that is nonetheless reasonably enjoyable. Most episodes in the series are standalones, so there is no real sense of a unified story. Shakugan no Shana- Top-class fantasy anime with a strong setting and first-class presentation. Jigoku Shoujo- Proxy Revenge using a damned (literally) loli and her demonic companions. Angel Heart- Action drama series. Reasonably high-quality. Reliant on you knowing City Hunter to get everything. Solty Rei- Second-rate sci-fi action series. A decent watch to kill time with, but not something to go out of your way to watch. Lamune- VN turned SOL anime. Shares the same problems most VNs turned anime from this era had. Black Cat- Series following an assassin (who becomes a former assassin) as he tries to escape his past after a girl changes him (pretty tropey, but meh). Eve (Golden Darkness) from To Love Ru (an alternate world version, possibly) is present in this story as a main character, for those who like easter eggs. Rozen Maiden 2- Continuation, not much to be said if you saw the original.

This review is a bit spoiler-y for my tastes, but this is one of my favorite VNs for a reason. Shumon Yuu is perhaps the single best all-around writer that has ever graced the VN scene. I don't say this because he produces VNs that fit my tastes - quite the reverse, most of his VNs are not a good fit for my obsessions or tastes - but rather because it is a simple fact that no other VN scenario writer I've encountered has ever managed to put half as much meaning as he puts into every VN he writes. Some have edged farther ahead (Sakura, Moyu comes to mind) in seeking to match Shumon Yuu, but most don't even manage to do that, even amongst plotge from the 'golden era of VNs' (2004-2011). To be clear, he isn't a setting-builder. Shumon Yuu builds stories and uses settings as a tool, rather than making settings the object (Light's Masada and second team both tend to do the latter, as a contrast from a company that fits my tastes). If any VN writer that has ever lived can be considered a true artist, it is him.

Shuffle- Like most VNs turned anime in the early days, this one had all the paths mashed together. However, Shuffle is one of the rare exceptions to the 'early VN anime suck) rule. I say this because, for some reason, the resulting story is actually coherent in its own way, separate from the VN. In fact, some aspects are actually better than the original text (particularly Kaede's yandere-ism). It also has a few peculiarities, like the original story writer appearing as a character cameo briefly at certain parts of the story (apparently, Asa was his favorite heroine). One thing you have to keep in mind, though, is that Shuffle is a harem story, not a boy meets girl one-on-one romance, lol. FMP3- Full Metal Panic never does manage to go anywhere, but it has some great combat scenes. DC2-Da Capo 2 suffers from a more severe version of the problems that plague VNs turned anime, in that it was truly incoherent. xxxHolic Movie- Definitely worth watching if you like Clamp series or xxxHolic's style. Seikai no Senki III- The last of the Crest/Banner of stars anime. This one focuses on the inevitable differences between conventional humans and the Abh civilization and the protagonist's inevitable permanent alienation from the rest of humanity. Tbh, I wish they'd continued putting out more after this one, as this is only a third of the way through the story as a whole, but that's anime for you. Guyver- Classic-style transformation hero anime with a strong darkside. Quality is moderate.

Shin Koihime- started this, immediately asked for a return on the website I bought it from. If you wanted more Cao Cao and friends, it will probably satisfy, but it isn't really interesting for people who want more than just a fandisc, at least from what little I played. Koi ni Amae wa Hitsuyou desu- It is Hook soft, so predictably it will be a saccharine romance with a truly mundane premise. Kemonomichi 2- The first game was boring, I seriously doubt this will make anything better. Whirlpool should return to its old style of making plotge masquerading as rom-coms.

Tsubasa Chronicles- Have to disagree that this was crap. For fans of xxxHolic and CCS it is a good anime. I loved it as a multiverse journey, myself.... Basilisk- High-quality animation, powerful combat scenes, ridiculous story. Trinity Blood- Excellent setting, sub-par protagonist, good action. Elementar Gerad- Shounen, middle-of-the-line quality, decent but no better than decent. Futaokoi Alternative- Weird series, somewhat humorous, thought the person who made the original material had to be high on crack.

Backing up the rec for Hollow. Easily the best game in the series. The protagonist, Leon is an experimental soldier/commander who was altered by the current leader of the demons to be a counter to divine forces. Game begins with him brutally suppressing a military rebellion.

Air- Like most VN-based anime that came out in this period, it basically smashed all the paths together into a single story. However, it needs to be said that the last arc is godly in quality, with perfect dialogue and presentation. Aa Megami Sama- Actually one of my favorite series. A good fantasy rom-com.

For Eushully, the ones that are fully translated aren't good choices for introducing the setting. Ikusa Megami Zero and Verita are the best intros, with Madou Koukaku coming a close third. Vermillion Bind of Blood The Silverio series

https://vndb.org/v18142

Please clarify... I can't make a recommendation with just that.

Elfen Lied- It's Elfen Lied... this series is pretty controversial, but it is a highly emotional horror series with a tragic backstory and ending. Also, awesome music. Demonbane- Like most of the early VNs turned anime, it combines all the routes into a single story, resulting in a somewhat incoherent story as a whole. However, it does have decent action and some interesting moments.

Monster- Monster... is unique. It is a story following a doctor who was framed for murder as he follows the chameleon-like sociopath who framed him in the first place. It is pretty close to the Fugitive (the old US TV series) in concept, but it is based in Europe. Tenjou Tenge- High-quality animation, horrible-quality story. This was made to appeal to fans of Ikki Tousen who wanted a story that was more serious from the beginning. Unfortunately, the makers failed miserably to make it coherent, and as a result, it never got a second season. Kyou Kara Maou- Pretty famous fantasy series. It has a decent story and a good set of characters. The downside is that the protagonist is a bit too fuzzy most of the time,. Boukyaku no Senritsu- A rather incoherent series based in a world where 'monsters' have won the war and young humans are offered up as sacrifices so the rest can live. Madlax- Madlax is the second in the 'girls with guns' series started by Noir. If you liked Noir, you'll like this one. However, if you didn't like it, you probably won't. Aishiteiruze Baby- This series is unique, which is rare for a love-comedy. It follows an airheaded playboy teenager as he takes care of his much younger cousin after she is abandoned by her mother. His interactions with Yuzu eventually result in the formation of a more serious relationship between him and another girl. It is a pretty good story, given how the characters evolve. Kono Miniku- A weird apocalyptic series that probably sparked the idea for Rewrite's setting.

Tsundere annoyance is generally a matter of perspective and usage. Old-style tsundere usage is fairly stale and boring, and in that sense this VN hasn't aged well. However, the draw of this game is that it is an old-style nakige more than anything else. If you want a change of pace, this - and other games like it - probably isn't the best choice. While it isn't terribly dark, it is a game that is focused on creating emotional catharsis through contrived 'sad' situations that are later resolved (the standard style made popular by Key's early games). If you want an emotionally light game, there are a ton of high-quality and emotionally 'light' rom-coms and sol-focused vns out there. If anything, there is such a plentitude of that type of VN out there that it makes up more than two-thirds of all the non-nukige VNs released over the years.

They probably never finished the game/vanished. Since I can't find it on steam, it was probably never released.

Paranoia Agent- I hate this anime. It is an abomination that should never have existed. Please destroy this. It is the reason I can't enjoy half of Nitroplus's VN lineup. Phantom- Phantom's OVA is a prequel to the VN focusing on the events that lead up to Zwei being captured and used by Dr Scythe.

Chrono Crusade- A melancholy series that focuses on a girl and her servant demon as they try to counter the activities of free demons on Earth. Gunslinger Girls- A 'girls with guns' series focused on cyborg girls who have undergone brainwashing levels of conditioning. These girls were generally abused/crippled/terminally ill when they were taken in. Their memories from before were erased. The first season jumps around in time, focusing on different girls and their handlers. The only one that gets a long-term focus in this one is Henrietta. The girls are all a bit yandere due to the way the conditioning causes them to rely emotionally on their handlers. The whole point of this inhumane program is to counter terrorist organizations in a fictional future Italy where separatists have gone militant. Fullmetal Alchemist- C'mon Kvan, for all the flaws with this series, it is still better than Cromartie.... Avenger- Dystopian sci-fi at its mediocre, lol. In a childless world, androids have taken the place of children. The protagonist is a girl who wants revenge against the rulers of Mars for an event several years prior to the story. The action in this story is worth watching, and the music is first-class. However, the story is more than a little incoherent. Ai Yori Aoshi: Enishi- It's basically a continuation of the previous season, focused solely on everyday episodes instead of trying to draw out tears. You'd think this wouldn't work since he chose a heroine at the end of the first season, but somehow it does. Peacemaker Kurogane- Follows a page boy that technically existed as a servant of the Shinsengumi's core members and was one of the few survivors. Most of the story is everyday interactions with the Shinsengumi members as they mostly try to distance him from the bloodier stuff. Tsukihime- It has long been a joke that 'there is no Tsukihime anime' because of how badly it was handled. If you have never played the VN, it actually doesn't bother you as much, but if you have, it drives you nuts. They basically mashed three of the five paths into a single story (Ciel and Kohaku excluded) that, while coherent, has little to do with the original content. Since the events of Hisui and Akiha's path were fused with the events of Arcueid's path, it is a wonder that it somehow came out semi-coherent. Taken on its own, entirely separate from the VN, it is a better than average anime, but taken with the original material in mind, it is an abomination. Especially since they wasted a lot of the best scenes shared between the paths and in Arcueid's path. Maburaho- Nakige-style ecchi rom-com. It is actually a pretty good watch, but it is from an era with many similar anime, so it is often overlooked. Kimi ga Nozomu Eien- I honestly hate NTR stories, so this is one of my least favorite anime of all time. Based in the same universe as the Muv-luv series.

In a lot of ways, Onslaught Syndrome is an echo of the sudden personality changes seen in characters in Tsukihime. I say this because being influenced by the 'original existence' is very much the same as the way demonic descendants suddenly develop atavism in Tsukihime and the Fate setting in general. The key thing to keep in mind when thinking about HMIs is that the 'originals' are really similar to Cthulhu Mythos deities in nature, malevolent and alien. When this mixes with humans, you get a monster who has motivations that are incompatible with human society. There is mention of HMI abilities evolving, to be specific, Eru. Eru was not originally a top-class HMI, and it was only with extensive training that she reached those heights. In Shinri's case, his power 'evolution' is just turning his ability to mess with people's brains on himself and intensifying it. It's pretty similar to the random powerups you see in other chuunige, where the protagonist's abilities evolve for emotional or situational reasons. Also, random 'hero survives something impossibly because he is the hero' events are standard to all Japanese fantasy and action series, so there is no point in analyzing it. It's like asking the forbidden question about why they made the last Code Geass movie when the vast majority of fans liked the original ending of the TV series... lol

I should note that there is very, very little description/narration in this story. It is almost completely dialogue based, so in that sense it falls behind most other VNs. However, since the entire point of the VN is making you laugh, it doesn't matter as much as it would in a different VN (even a charage). I remember that this VN made me smile on numerous occasions, so I'm not going to go any further in saying anything negative about it.

Da Capo- It's Da Capo... early era SOL VN turned anime, and like most of those early era ones it combines all the routes into a single story. This makes it a bit incoherent at times, though it does have its high points. Onegai Twins- Onegai Sensei's side-story focusing on another local boy who is a programmer. Two girls end up living with him, both with the possibility of being his twin sister. There is a ton of sexual tension and emotional dependence in this story, but it is generally enjoyable to read. Fumoffu- A comedic second season for FMP. Unlike the former and latter seasons, there is very little action, instead focusing on the silliness and slapstick humor the series is infamous for. Ikkitousen- Martial arts action in a modern era lightly flavored with Three Kingdoms names on mostly half-naked (by the end of the battle) teenage girls. If it weren't for the constant partial nudity, there would be some good action scenes here, but it is too obvious what they are going for. Green Green- Crappy rom-com

DNangel- Moderately famous fantasy series that involves a body-switching phantom thief that takes over the protagonist's body. Hasn't aged very well. Scrapped Princess- A story about choices between the world and a pretty girl. You'd choose the pretty girl, right? Airmaster- Street-fighting female protagonist who is an adrenaline addict fights her way to the top of an underground battle competition. Great fun but the setting is pretty nonsensical. Matantei Loki Ragnarok- Random fantasy mystery series. It's a fun watch but don't expect a ton of depth.