Tides

The denizens of Academy City are espers, people capable of manifesting psychic abilities. These abilities range from heat to spacial to electron manipulation. Society in this city is organized through so-called "Levels." From 1 to 5, and kind of like grades, these "Level" designations are awarded to espers by officials based on how proficient they are in manifesting their abilities. According to the official line, 1 represents the most basic proficiency, and 5 represents the most advanced. People are accorded higher stipends and privileges based on how highly they are graded on this "Level" system. As is constantly and proudly touted by the system's administrators, "Level" mobility can be achieved if people invest enough effort.

Mikoto "Railgun" Misaka has managed to ascend to Level 5 through what she believes was her own determination. Ruiko Saten, on the other hand, has remained stuck at Level 0, no matter how hard she's believed she's tried.

Outside the system, however, are those "Level 0" anomalies who are technically able, but effectivly unable to manifest their powers. From this, A Certain Magical Railgun explores the ego-bruising effects of socioeconomic inequality and stratification (disguised and, as such, justified as meritocracy) through the phenomenon of what I call "Class 'Level' Conflict."

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Is there a difference between utopia and dystopia? The two concepts have gained tremendous popularity over the past century as a key thematic element in the both written and filmed mediums. However, both models seem to be much closer connected than one would initially think. On one hand, utopia requires a significant amount of sacrifice on both the humane and societal fronts in order to retain an apparent form of cohesion. While on the other hand, dystopias a noted for the lack of humanity and freedoms in order to keep society in line. We must ask ourselves, do the ends justify the means, or they even matter at all when we differentiate the two?

In Shin Sekai Yori we are presented with the community of Kamisu 66 which may at first seem to be the idyllic version of a utopia, but the sacrifices required to retain the community’s cohesion strips us of any such notions. A culture of fear, restricted access to knowledge and brutal slavery all tarnish the notions that Kamisu 66 is the utopia that it first appears to be. Instead, we witness that the sacrifices required to keep the appearances of a utopian dream far outweigh the ends of such a vision.

In the end, the case of Shin Sekai Yori demonstrates that the line between utopia and dystopia is blurred to the point where to differentiate the two becomes a matter of perspective. And that ultimately, the utopian dream is simply unachievable due to simple human nature and all the needs it entails.

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The phrase ‘anime adaption of a video game’ has had a checkered past. Given how loved Persona 4 is, there was every possibility that the anime would fail to live up to the hype at all, if for no other reason than that comparisons between media will by nature split fans. Thankfully, the series was run by AIC ASTA who brought us the phenomenal Ah! My Goddess and classic Tenchi Universe series. The pressure of this pedigree appears to have pushed the team into making something far better than it could realistically have been expected to be.

The large but colourful and well-rounded cast ensure that the story is never without suitable foils to play off, and in turn the animation has a certain slickness to it that lends itself to this type of tale and shines in particular in the well-paced action scenes. For the most part, the series presents itself as a serious (and more than a little dark) action series, but throws in some comedy at suitable times to lighten the mood. In fact, for a short period, the series jumps into comedy overdrive and focuses on this side of the story for a few episodes before leaping headlong back into the main story.

Of course, the series does have one lingering problem. The lead character is more than a little bland. In the games, he is a silent character and is no doubt designed as such to help the player immerse themselves in the world. Here though, he struggles to stand out against his far more interesting colleagues and, without the interactive element, this remains a constant throughout the 26 episodes. Don’t let that put you off though! The overall quality of the show ensure that this is a thoroughly enjoyable adaption and more than worthy of the Persona 4 name!

Rating: 5/5

→ Full review (on Matt Doyle Media)

Upon release, Guilty Crown quickly became one of the most controversial anime to exist amongst the fandom and still withstands a considerable amount of backlash to this day. Part of it has to do with the huge amount of hype surrounding the talent behind it. Part of it has to do with it airing on the noitamina timeslot back when it was well-respected. A lot of it has to do with its incredibly cliche writing, lackluster/stupid characters, and awkward plot turns combined with a self-serious tone that never once acknowledges its stupidity.

And yet, most people watched it. Most people laughed at it. Why? Because there was something about stupidity taken this seriously that really compelled us. And over time, this reviewer has come to appreciate Guilty Crown on its own terms whilst understanding that it's less a bad anime and more a well-made show that wasn't what fans wanted at the time. It's fast-paced, all the important characters are developed well enough, the technicals are consistently good for the most part, and most of all, it's a show that seeks to offend on purpose. Guilty Crown is an anime that seeks to challenge the fanbase without losing its identity as a genre piece, not unlike Metal Gear Solid 2. And whilst it's not a perfect one, shaping your viewpoint in that direction allows Guilty Crown to stand on its own as a solid satire piece in a medium full of weak entries.

Rating: 4/5

→ Full review (on Standing On My Neck)

What is the best of the best and where are the best of the rest? Right here. One hundred entries plus a list of honorable mentions, this a list of anime movies to enjoy for all occasions.

10. Barefoot Gen
9. Summer Days with Coo
8. Spirited Away
7. Princess Mononoke
6. Only Yesterday
5. Perfect Blue
4. Wolf Children
3. A letter to Momo
2. Time of Eve
1. Colorful

The final ten are not the only titles worth your time. Every movie on this list is a must see for any anime fan. From musical intrigue to epic space operas this list of classics will provide endless hours and options of entertainment. There are a variety of titles that may not even be known at all but still deserve to be known. This is a list guaranteed to provide hours of entertainment for those willing to seek these movies out. From personal viewing experience numbers 93: Escaflowne: A girl in Gaea, 89: Redline, 72: The place promised in our early days and 71: Origin: spirits of the past, are worth checking out at least once. Possessing a blend of emotional depth and exciting action these films are worth checking out and are a new breed from the dime a dozen anime that are widely available. It is needless to say that the additions from Studio Ghibli that do make their way to the list are worth a look. A brief glance at this list will definitely do any anime fan a huge service.

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Our Home’s Fox Deity, also known as Wagaya No Oinari-Sama, is a genre-bent anime based on a series of light novels by Jin Shibamura. The plot is fairly standard (a family is plagued by youkai and so release the family guardian spirit to protect themselves, but said spirit has to find a way to fit in with modern society), but don’t let that fool you. While far from perfect, Our Home’s Fox Deity goes out of its way to differentiate itself from other shows with similar set ups.

Combining elements of shōnen action, a small degree of harem-esque set-up, a smidgen of horror (including some beautifully done werewolf transformations later in the series) and boasting a fair few slice of life tendencies, it’s no wonder that the show is commonly described as not knowing what it wants to be. Rather than come across as directionless however, the genre-bending pays off thanks to a decent cast that includes a nice variety of spirits: the title fox deity Kuu switches between male, female and fox form throughout the series (it’s been locked up so long that it doesn’t remember what gender it was) and works as a fine lead. Meanwhile, Ebisu (the god of commerce) throws out some wonderful comedic moments and Daigoro the fox child is absolutely adorable. The humans, while less interesting, are not without their charms either. Misaki Sakura, the potential love interest of the elder brother in the plagued family, is an absolute hoot when she lets her paranoid mind run away with her.

On the downside, the lack of pulling in one sure fire direction will no doubt be harder to stomach for some viewers, and it is undeniable that some characters have been given far less depth than others. In truth though, these are minor issues. The show may not be to everyones tastes as a complete package, but it can safely say that it has a little something for most. It’s simple, uncomplicated fun.

Plus, any show that has two bath house episodes and avoids devolving into a mass of fan service gags (one is a ghost story and the other a comedy mystery) has got to be worth a look-in!

Rating: 4/5

→ Full review (on Matt Doyle Media)

One-Punch Man is the type of manga/anime that could bring in all types of anime lovers since Dragon Ball. It has humor, insanely awesome fighting sequences and the animation is top notch. The voice acting is exactly like how you would imagine the bald headed protagonist to sound like and the music is exactly how you would imagine the music would be in a superhero and a fighting anime. The manga is also a must read because some of the art is better seen in a manga than in an anime. For example the meteor scene is so believable that you would feel that the meteor is actually gonna fall on you.

The humor is funny as hell. It will actually make you laugh out loud. Even though the protagonist is overpowered, you wouldn't feel that the fights are one sided. Saitama, who's the protagonist is an interesting character to witness. His design is simple, whereas the environment around him is complex and beautifully drawn. His simple character design is truly magnificent. The villains are funny and freaking strong as well. Some are suggestive but they can pass. No sexual content, which is a first in thi skind of genre. Overall, it is a must see anime and everyone must see this

Rating: 9/10

→ Full review (on GeekMaester)

What's the life of a rabbit weighed against the life of a human? Most people would probably say it's not much; that a human life is obviously much more important than a rabbit's. But when Kino encounters three strangers caught in a snowstorm and on the brink of starvation, she has trouble justifying stealing one creature’s life to feed another. As soon as she stumbles upon the situation, she is forced to be responsible for one set of lives or another.

In episode 2 of Kino's Journey, our protagonist continues to struggle the hardships of being a free agent, condemned to make decisions and be responsible for their outcomes. But when she doesn't owe malice or debt to either the rabbit or the men, what right does she have to make such a decision? And is she responsible when her decision leads to the deaths of both parties? We have an obligation to our own wellbeing, Kino suggests, which justifies hunting for one’s own food. And it seems that same obligation can be bought by others, as, after the men give Kino an expensive ring, she has much less trouble hunting for their food.

The choice of a rabbit life as the stakes in this episode helps maintain the steady somber pace that characterizes Kino's Journey. There doesn't have to be tension or climax to Kino's choice like there would if she was killing a person, so the episode can carry on and develop the significance of Kino's decisions after the fact.

Certain dub changes indicate both production confusion, and a difference in vision between the original Japanese writers, and English adapters, but nothing significant. The episode also delves a bit further into Kino's character, and Hermes' purpose as an object.

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In the first episode of the anime series Kino's Journey, the protagonist and self-defined traveler Kino, and her sentient motorcycle Hermes, visit The Land of Visible Pain. In this country the people have given themselves the ability to know the thoughts of others near them, hoping that true understanding would be the way to end all conflict and misery. However, in an unexpected yet probably should have been totally expected twist, it turns out that people don't always think positive things about one another. A rude comment you would usually keep to yourself is now unavoidably known to everybody around you. One person's pain is felt by everyone nearby. And even something as small as having different tastes in music can be enough to end once happy relationships.

By the time Kino arrives the land looks deserted. Robots manage the dense city area, while all the people have spread out across the countryside, staying in their own homes and far enough away from each other that they can’t read any thoughts but their own. Almost on a stroke of luck, on her way out of the country, Kino runs in to one man who is willing to tell her what happened.

This first episode is obviously about communication, and the struggles formal spoken and written languages have conveying pure thought, motivation, and emotion. But, while the mind reading thing turned out to be a bust, it does offer some way people can communicate these things. Body language; the little details of facial expressions, and the way we visually present ourselves. This is shown at the end of the episode when Kino's smile to the lonely man expresses more than she could in words, but also more subtly in the introduction of the lonely man, when he goes from Stubbleface McStoppedcaring, to clean shaven before sitting down to talk with Kino.

The early scenes deal with equality, identity, and purpose, both self-defined and externally imposed. The second act uses the country's advanced robots to brilliantly manage pacing in a show that doesn't stop for conflict. And the opening conveys an existential sense of freedom that characterizes the entire show.

Episode one of Kino's Journey is brilliant.

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After watching Ring and The Grudge, some horror fans can be at a loss of where to go next. Here is an eclectic mix of J-Horror for you to try out next.

Audition, 1999, Dir. Takashi Miike
A lonely widower holds an audition in order to find a girlfriend. Unfortunately for him, the woman he selects has some dark secrets that destroy their relationship and even his life.

Battle Royale, 2000, Dir. Kinji Fukasaku
A class of delinquents is stranded on an island, forced to kill each other over the next three days. If there isn’t one person left at the end of those three days, everyone dies. Hell breaks loose, with friendships and rivalries being taken to whole new levels.

Dark Water, 2002, Dir. Hideo Nakata
A recently divorced mother moves into a run-down apartment building with her daughter. The constant presence of a mysterious handbag, dripping water, and strange appearances of a dead girl threaten the mother’s sanity.

Hausu, 1977, Dir. Nobuhiko Obayashi
Six girls travel to one of their aunt’s house for vacation. But after decades of living alone, is the aunt still the same woman she was?

Ichi the Killer, 2001, Dir. Takashi Miike
Depraved hitman Kakihara is out for revenge when his gang’s boss is taken out by a mysterious assassin. What follows is a blend of dark humor and disturbingly graphic imagery.

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Anime releases in the West are contained. In the first seven years or so after production, a typical show will see a handful of DVD releases. The exact number depends on popularity. Then it quickly goes out of print with little to no chance of a revival. While this isn't a problem, in terms of longevity, for newer anime that enjoy all the preservation opportunities the internet has to offer, many older shows and manga are on the verge of being lost. Even massively influential items, like the works of Go Nagai, have long been out of print, and there are not enough second hand copies to support the growing fandom in the West.

The reasons these works don't often get re-released are understandable. Licensing deals can be complicated, and anime fans generally have much more interest in the latest simulcasts than in the old genre builders. But at a time when so many commentators and industry insiders are predicting the death of anime, fans should be most concerned about this art form's past. After all, while anime's future may be unsteady, we know anime's history is dying. In order to protect that history, we need to let studios know we care about it.

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Watching Samurai Flamenco is a lot like being on a ride at an amusement park. Unfortunately, it's type of ride that was assembled in a hurry, wasn't thought out properly, did have a few moments of entertainment while you were on it, but then when it's done you realize you didn't have that much fun and can't bring yourself to buy the commemorative photograph they try to sell you in the gift shop.

I really did enjoy this show while watching it but then I take the time and look it over again and it just doesn't hold up. It has huge plot holes that you can drive Mr. Justice's stars and striped truck through. Just so you don't have to watch the anime to get that reference, Mr. Justice is an American hero with the American Flag on the trailer of his truck. It humorous but right after that Samurai Flamenco fights the Ultimate Prime Minister who is powered by his approval rating. Remember this started as a show about a guy who got beat up because he was telling a bunch of kids that they were causing a ruckus and need to be more respectful for others. How did it come to this?

In the end this show fails as a comedy, fails as an introspective in the hero genre, and just fails overall. Its lucky I had any fun at all while watching it and gave as high a score as I did. Go watch Tiger and Bunny, the more superior anime with heroes in it. Trust me, it's so much better.

Rating: 2/5

→ Full review (on The Gigantic Project)

Huskey and Medley is a cute Yuri manga about two girls falling in love with each other. The plot is based on a real 2chan thread. It stands out from many other manga because the events in it feel like they could have(and may have) really taken place. The art work is simple but uncluttered. There is also a nice vocaloid song inspired by this manga, which I have linked in the article. It's short but neat, it doesn't extend itself any longer than it needs to before it becomes boring. The conclusion of the story is predictable but satisfying. It has got some content suitable for adult audiences but it's not porn.

The protagonist of this story code-named 'Medley' gets suggestions from anonymous 2chan users about what to text to her crush, which is quite similar to what is done in the popular Japanese drama Densha Otoko (train man) even though other than that there aren't many other similarities and 'Husky and Medley' feels a lot more realistic than Densha Otoko. When I say 'realistic' I don't mean sad or depressing. It's actually a pretty light hearted manga that also manages to not treat its characters as jokes, unlike some other manga/anime series. I am looking at you Shimoneta.

→ Full review (on Nanjou Sachi)

Art is subjective, and as such you could theoretically ask 100 people what their favourite song/painting/book/film etc. is and get 100 different answers. Being art forms themselves, the same can be said of anime and manga. One of the things that make them so enjoyable as art forms though, is the way they interact: manga, especially popular manga, is often adapted into an anime, giving fans the opportunity to watch their favourite characters and screen brought to life in full-blown, animated glory.

Now, several things affect whether a manga is adapted into an anime: a suitably large fan base is a positive, the reputation and connections of the mangaka, merchandising possibilities, current market mood, potential controversies, the pacing of the story arcs … all these things can affect the chances of a series moving from the page to the screen. How each of these things is perceived in relation to the series is then of course affected to different degrees by the subjective view of those in charge of the decisions as to which series get adapted.

The result of this is that you will likely find at least one manga series that you would absolutely love to see get the anime treatment, but it just doesn’t. But which series fit this for you? Perhaps you wanted a full-on Shōnen assault from the time travellers of Psyren? Maybe Masamune Shirow’s Orion tickles your fancy more than a new Appleseed? Does the realistic Yuri world of Octave appeal or do you prefer your romance to have a gender bent Shōjo feel like W Juliet? With a wealth of series out there, you just know that there’s something in your collection that somehow missed the animation boat.

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K, also known as K Project, is an anime that clearly places some importance on style. Utilising a colour palette that seamlessly mixes the muted colours of Mardock Scramble with the bright tones of modern features like Summer Wars, it succeeds in creating a distinctive look of its own. Thrown in some consistently smooth animation and some well-placed visual effects and you have a series that is remarkably beautiful to watch.

Of course, when a series places too much focus on style, there is always the risk that the balance will become skewed and any potential substance will be lost. Thankfully, K manages to avoid this pitfall by weaving an interesting story that not only steps into the territory of world building, but also provides some surprisingly well rounded characters. The perfect example of the latter being the catgirl Neko: one look at the end credits and you’d be forgiven for thinking that she’s nothing more than the token cutesy-fanservice-character. As the series progresses however, you learn that she is genuinely quite sweet and that her powers are not entirely what they seem.

That’s not to say that K is perfect of course. No matter how cool the characters may be, it’s hard to look at them and not see other, better known characters. In all likelihood, you’ll find yourself watching the opening credits and thinking ‘Isn’t that Kanda from D.Gray-Man?’ or ‘Did I just spot Shizuo from Durarara?’ While a lack of originality in character design is a relatively minor gripe, far more umbrage could well be taken with the conclusion of the series. Throughout the show, you find little plot devices and backstories that you just wish were explored a little more than they were, but you let them slide because you expect everything to tie up in a big finale. Unfortunately, what you’re left with is a scenario where some things reach a satisfactory conclusion, but other points are left unsatisfactorily open.

Now, it’s worth noting that K is not just a single season anime. There are a plethora of light novels and manga out there, a sequel movie has been released and second season is on the way. When you take that into account, it becomes far easier to forgive the series’ failings in ending the story. With that in mind, K becomes something that, while not perfect, is well worth investing your time in.

Rating: 4/5

→ Full review (on Matt Doyle Media)

Blood Blockade Battlefront (also known as Kekkai Sensen) is Bones' biggest hit in several years, selling over ten thousand DVDs/Blurays on the first volume with a bright future ahead for the remaining ones. With the director of Kyousogiga, the original manga being written by the man who brought us Trigun, and a well-respected studio who has produced some of anime's biggest hits in the past, it seemed like a dream combination for all the nerds to fanboy over. But whilst the result has achieved a large fanbase thanks to its madcap energy, the actual quality of the show is anything but ideal.

Including the opinions on this review, the show has achieved a not-so insignificant amount of fan backlash for its decision to focus on style at the expense of substance, its shallow characterization, and the three-month delay between the penultimate episode and its finale due to scheduling/production issues. And despite the show's visual and technical positives, BBB managed to actively throw away everything that could have made it a good time to the point that it became one of the worst anime the writer managed to finished this year.

It's a show that thinks that as long as it looks cool, it doesn't have to actually try. Well it's right, given its popularity. But that won't stop this reviewer from calling it out on its fundamental failures.

Rating: 3/10

→ Full review (on Standing On My Neck)

Endless Eight – possibly one of the most controversial phenomenons to have ever come out of anime. Ever since Kyoto Animation in 2009 decided to broadcast eight different versions of the same episode for eight weeks in a row as part of the second season of the widely popular series The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya, a lot of debate has been formed around the subject. Particularly it made a lot of the show's initial fans angry, and understandably so; not only must it have been frustrating to realize that the brand new season of your beloved show mainly consists of rehashes of one and the same episode, but having to sit through eight weeks of that episode can't have been a too pleasant experience.

On top of this, multiple theories have emerged regarding what the point of it all was. Some say that it's meant for the audience to experience the same frustration as Yuki Nagato – the only character in the show to actually live through the in total 15 532 loops without her memory being reset each time – and thus get a better understanding of her motivations in the later movie The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya. Others argue that it was just a giant prank that KyoAni felt like doing to the then borderline fanatic Haruhi fanbase.

Few people though seem to have done a deeper exploration into this arc's potential artistic merit. In this post, I relate Endless Eight to two different concepts found within two different realms of art. The first concept is within music, and how through the practice of repetition one can achieve a sense of endless now. Here, Danish author and poet Niels Frank's book Seven seals of silence is mainly used as reference, in which he describes how Bach and the minimalist composers use repetition in two different ways and thus achieve different forms of infinity. This is furthermore compared to the works of ambient musician William Basinski, who's frequent use of tape loops works as a perfect example on this concept.

The second concept is found in French artist Marcel Duchamp's art piece The Green Box; a box which he manually reproduced and sold as part of his other piece The Large Glass. By the fact that each copy of this box had slightly different qualities to it and thus was in one way or another unique (much due to them being manually reproduced), Duchamp wanted to highlight the fact that all things that are seemingly the same is divided by a slight variation, and thus he sought finding a therapeutic way of coping with the increasing sameness of modern society. Through this concept, Endless Eight can partly be drawn to the same subject on the mundanity of modern life, but it can also more closely be drawn to the seemingly uneventful slice-of-life-genre that The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya embodies.

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With the first Vandread you saw the possibility of there being a pretty good show that seemed to be confined by the story telling. Luckily the second season was able to look at the mistakes that were made in the first place and improve upon them greatly. The result is an ending that makes the series greater than it deserves to be.

Picking up after the first season, the crew makes their way back to their home planets while at the same time growing as characters. Which is good because a lack of growth would have been detrimental to the series as a whole.

The final battle really is the best part of the entire season. As the crew pleads to their planets for aid against the oncoming armada, they soon find help coming from out of the woodwork to be able to preserve their ways of life.

Only real problem with this series is that they introduce a Super Vandread robot and don't take the time to use it properly. Good giant robots need to be showcased as much as possible.

Vandread is a good series overall but it takes a lot to get through the whole time. If your an anime watcher than can't take a few bland moments in the beginning or in the first season overall then you'll probably have to forget this one. If you can endure a few rough patches for a great ending then this is the series for you.

Rating: 4/5

→ Full review (on The Gigantic Project)

The Legend of Korra, created by Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko, is a spin-off of Avatar: The Last Airbender. The Legend of Korra initially aired on Nickelodeon, but by the third season, the show had become listed as an "online only show", due to its online popularity being so much greater than its popularity on television.

The Legend of Korra, much like its "parent" show, contains lots of action, disputes between characters, and intriguing plot-twists. What is most noteworthy in The Legend of Korra, in comparison to Avatar: The Last Airbender, is the shift in the style of plot/scene-pacing as well as the style of combat that is enacted by the characters.

This may be a heavily opinion-based post, but I personally find that, in regards to the action-scenes of The Legend of Korra, the "choreography" of the fight-scenes, as well as the order in which the fight-scenes take place, is poorly done in this show. Many epic fight-scenes happen too early in the series, or certain "moves" performed by the characters are done with such ease that the audience grows numb to acts of authentic skill. Thus, whenever a truly impressive "move" is pulled off in a fight-scene, the effect is lessened.

Questions to be answered in this post:
Does action-scene "choreography" really matter? Is "fight-scene sequencing" actually important for keeping fans interested? Are fans "numbed" by watching too many epic battles before the battles of ultimate significance take place?

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Among all the sports anime produced by Japan, Prince of Tennis can perhaps be among those on top of it's league when it comes to fanbase and story development.

Apart from the awesome tennis techniques it has introduced, characterization is also highly notable. Personalities are unique, making it easier for viewers to relate with any of the ones presented.

But with all the interesting teams and schools we've encountered so far, have you ever thought about what your dream team will look like in case you're given the chance to pick any of the characters and include them in your own team?

Selection will be difficult if you only base it on the skills of the individuals, which is where you preference comes in. Is skill your primary criteria for the selection or will the looks also matter. How about leadership and attitude?

Put yourselves in the shoe of any coach and see who can bring your team on top. Will a group of power players be efficient or will those all-rounders land you a secure spot for the championships. Remember, you are the coach. Your players are your choice.

So get yourself ready. Trim down your options to the potential ones and get them on board! Here's a potential team that might just be one of the best out there.

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