Rating System

NOTE: I don't usually give ratings to OVAs unless they add something significant to their show; PLEASE note that this is all my personal opinion.

10 | Masterpiece.

While no work is perfect, this rating is given to the few works that go above and beyond to provide an experience like no other in every aspect. More importantly, they are also works that hugely resonate with me emotionally. These works have the biggest heart and stay in my mind long after watching them.

9 | Excellent.

A work that manages to do exceptionally well in its execution of ideas in tandem with remarkable production. However, it may suffer from having one or even two significant issues (e.g., an unsatisfying ending and/or pacing issues) or not entirely resonating with me as much as I would have liked. Still very much in a league of its own.

A major point to bring up is that once I start to consider giving a work a 9 or higher, I always bring up this question to myself in regards to that: "Is this one of the best works I think the medium has to offer?"

8 | Great.

A solid work with some glaring issues throughout its runtime that don't severely take away from the other aspects its better at such as its direction. However, those issues do cause it to just miss the mark of being 9 or higher.

7 | Good.

A work that I find plenty of enjoyment out of, even if it doesn't particularly excel in most aspects outside of one or two such as music or animation.

6 | Decent.

It is a perfectly serviceable work that doesn't do much to make itself stand out outside of a few notable story beats or animation sequences. Those few shining moments help to outweigh any major shortcomings, but not by much.

5 | Average.

An average work is not good, but it's not bad either. These works have very generic settings, plotlines, and direction or fall for typical anime tropes that don't help make them stand out in any specific aspect. I usually feel indifferent about these works, with a handful of exceptions.

In other words, it's mid.

4 to 2 | Varying levels of awfulness.

This range of ratings is given to works that suffer from subpar direction, story, animation, and/or character writing. Many of these works also feel more like a chore to watch due to these factors, potentially becoming unbearable to watch, depending on how bad it gets.

1 | The worst of the worst.

The absolute bottom of the barrel. Take everything mentioned in the ratings above and somehow fail spectacularly at every aspect of that.