Diamond no Ace

After my review of Yowamushi Pedal I attracted the attention of an anon with a penchant for sports anime. I was then pointed in the direction of 'Diamond no Ace'. It's been a while since then, but I finally got  review for you, I hope you enjoy it anon!
Diamond no Ace is an anime about baseball. That immediately causes problems for me because not only do I not like baseball, but I can't understand the rules! I persevered through it nonetheless! Anyway, it's not just about baseball, it's about Eijun who fell in love with baseball in middle school and made all his classmates play with him then, in his final middle school game a teacher from Seido high school school see him pitching and offers him a scholarship!

Kamisama no Inai Nichiyoubi

"The Sunday Without God", a world were God is a foolish being whom haphazardly grants peoples wishes before abandoning the world completely. Thus the world is littered with humans who have been granted powers and nobody dies. Even if you chop some one's head off, they won't die. Unless you have a gravekeeper bury your body. It's in this strange little world that we meet Ai; a young gravekeeper from a secluded village. Her father ran off before  and her mother recently passed away leaving her in charge of gravekeeping.

Ride Back

Based in a future world ride back is a unique kind of mecha where the robots are actually motorcycles. Our heroine, Rin Ogata was well on her way to becoming a top ballerina however after sustaining an injury and losing her mother she decides to quit when upon entering College. However she soon finds a new passion for said motorcycle/mechas (called Ridebacks) and her excellent balance and reflexes makes it easy for her to  ride with much skill. This all rather sweet, Rin finding a new dream to pursue almost a 'finding yourself' tale but her skills do get her into trouble with the new government  When Rin's best friend (Shoko) get's taken hostage in a terroist attack Rin knows she has to save her. But breaking through the government's barrier causes all sorts of knock on effects.
This is fine as well, a bit of government and politics making you question society and all that. I think it's even handled with enough maturity to be entertaining but still quite intellectual. But I'll tell you what's not okay in this very layered plot: Rin and her special rideback. The rideback that chooses it's rider and all that silly business that makes me dislike this genre. Machines should stay as machines, they shouldn't be given free-will or personalities it just takes the story to a whole new level of unbelievable.

Oh! Edo Rocket

"It's a show about fireworks & aliens!" says the large font on the back of my complete series box set. Not a combination I'd ever put together but I guess it works. Edo (Tokyo's former name) is under strict  rule by a magistrate who has banned practically anything that's fun, that includes fireworks. Which is a problem for Seikichi, firework maker. As he tries to create the best fireworks in the his life is bombarded by the sudden appearance of Sora. She comes to Seikichi to request that he builds a firework that can reach the moon. Why would she request this? Because Sora is actually an alien and wants to return home, almost reminiscent of E.T now that I think about it! Meanwhile Ginjiro is in cooperation with the 'men in black' trying to fight the mysterious 'Sky Beasts' who are killing young women by sucking out all their blood. Hard to see a connection between these to stories but what ever. It is definitely odd, and also quite hard to keep track of but I wouldn't necessarily call the plot bad. Thing is, I can never tell if they are trying to serious or humorous  there are jokes and there are serious bits but they kind of blur together so I end up not taking any of it seriously. But then, I never take aliens seriously.

The Girl Who Leapt Through time.

I bought this anime from HMV recently (only £5!!), I had already heard it mentioned before; mainly because of Nizo Yamamoto's (from studio Ghibli) presence as Art director. And so I was expecting the 'stunning visuals' that they promise on the back of the DVD. I was mistaken.
I absolutely LOVED the plot! It was so sweet! Ok, the opening scene was a bit odd and only vaguely related.... But after that it got better!
After having a little accident in a science room Makoto Konno found herself with the power to leap through time. So, of course, she went about making her own little school life a whole lot better. Avoiding accidents, passing tests, all those annoying day-to-day things. However, she soon finds out that it's not all good. Every bad thing Makoto avoids backfires onto someone else. In the end, she needs to put things right for her, and her love interest. The ending fails. Just let me get that out of the way. She could of had such a picture perfect ending. But no, she has to open her mouth! But other than the ending and the beginning, I thought the plot was absolutely hilarious! I was laughing so much! Then, about half way through it started to be a bit more serious (not much, just a little) and became absolutely adorable! It really tugged on the heartstrings.