Note: If you've been directed from another section of my site looking for a ratings guide, it's now here.

Well, what can I say? Anime is one of my favorite things ever. Here I will review TV, and movies, and OVAs (original video animation), and even maybe even ONAs (original net animation). Of course, there are also manga reviews here, even though it's not really anime. I suppose I should say, I'm generally against considering anime (or animation in general) a genre unto itself, cuz it just ain't so. Cartoons and anime can be made for any age group, they can be dramatic or comical, they can fit into any live-action genre you care to name. So why put anime in its own category, instead of spreading specific animated shows or films amongst the other categories based on genre? I dunno. Maybe just cuz I like them so much. I'm afraid I can't think of anything else to tell you. (Well, that was the old explanation, which will always hold true. But the newer explanation is that I eventually moved my anime reviews from my TV and movie review sections to Otakuphrenia.)

Networks:
I'll try to list the networks on which shows originally aired in Japan. I'm using Wikipedia as my guide, which I don't suppose is infallible. It can also be confusing in various ways, such as the fact that some Japanese networks happen to have the same names (or abbreviations) as completely different American networks. So if you see a network name that looks familiar to you... you're probably wrong. Also, shows may have simultaneously aired on more than one network, so sometimes I'll list more than one, but undoubtedly I will sometimes fail to list all the networks on which a show originated. And sometimes I may list a network that either never aired it, or didn't air it until later. (Again, not infallible.) And there may be any number of other mistakes I may make. So... whatever, I'm doing my best.

Links:
Whenever possible, I'll include links to Anime Galleries, Anime Characters Database, Anime News Network (ANN), IMDb, Rotten Tomatoes, TV Tropes, Wikia, and Wikipedia. Also streaming sites such as Crunchyroll, HIDIVE, and RetroCrush (in addition to non-anime streaming sites). I may also link to American TV network sites or distribution companies. Maybe even Japanese companies, but I'd do that less often. And... maybe other things. (Be advised that some external sites to which I link may have explicit content.)

MPAA Ratings:
I have changed my mind a few times about whether to include MPAA (or CARA) ratings in my reviews, but currently I'm thinking yes. (Of course, this is mostly for movies, and occasionally OVAs, not TV... though some things listed here as movies or OVAs may be considered TV by the MPAA, and so wouldn't be rated, anyway.) Even for definite movies, it tends to be more difficult to find ratings for anime movies than non-anime movies, as many of them aren't rated, which may mean nothing more than that the MPAA hasn't bothered to rate them. Though there are certainly unrated movies that are definitely not for kids, and I'll try to note that where appropriate. Meanwhile, bear in mind that different countries have different ways of rating movies, but as I'm in America, I'm going with the American ratings. Also, some movies have been released in different rated (or unrated) versions. And that's all I can think to say about that, for now.

Attraction:
I have often, in my reviews, put parentheticals next to the names of female characters, saying "who we like," in order to indicate that I find those characters attractive. This is just as true (if not more so) in animation as in live-action. It's something I've always had mixed feelings about doing, because I don't want to give the impression that I'm judging female characters based either solely or primarily on looks. But on the other hand, finding characters attractive can add to my appreciation of shows/movies/comics/whatever, and I feel remiss if I don't mention all that I enjoy about any given work of entertainment. (In real life, I hate attraction, but in entertainment... it can be nice, as long as there's more to the story, and to the characters themselves, than just that.) Nevertheless, I have finally decided (for reasons) to delete such parentheticals from all (or most of) my reviews, which is likely going to take quite awhile, considering how many reviews I've done over the years. And I may miss a few, so if you see such things, please just pretend they're not there. (On the other hand, I may occasionally, in some of my reviews, choose to include a mention of one or more characters being attractive, for some specific reason, such as their attractiveness being an actual plot point, or as a commentary on animation style, or... various other reasons.) But whether or not I specifically mention it, chances are almost anything I review has characters I find attractive. And while I don't believe there's anything inherently wrong with anyone (male or female) appreciating that aspect of entertainment, nor even with making innocuous, non-suggestive mention of such appreciation, the fact is we live in a world where such comments can quite reasonably be construed as objectifying, even when that is not the intent. And the objectification of anyone (male or female, but especially women and girls) is not a mindset I have any desire to perpetuate, even unintentionally. (It's kind of a fine line, because I also don't want to make it seem like attraction or attractiveness are things to be ashamed of or feared, but I expect it's best to err on the side of caution.)

So, I guess that's all I can think to say. Hope you enjoy the reviews section of Otakuphrenia, and um... if you want to know more about my thoughts on anime, you could probably find something in other sections... so you can always go back to the Otakuphrenia Index.