Shad0wq
About
I indicate my level of familiarity with the source material to provide context for my ratings:
[I am well-versed in the source material.]
[I am not familiar with the source material.]
[The source material is unavailable.]
For adaptations, I primarily evaluate the anime or manga as an experience in its own medium.
If the story closely follows the source material, the narrative itself is not a major factor in my rating, as the adaptation is working with an already established story. Changes or reinterpretations are only considered when they meaningfully affect my experience.
My ratings are purely subjective and reflect my personal enjoyment and emotional response, not technical quality or critical consensus.
Strong negative feelings significantly lower a score, even if the work is well-made.
Likewise, something flawed can score highly if it genuinely engaged me or gave me a great experience.
A score of 5/10 represents a neutral experience, not an average-quality one.
“.5” ratings are used only when a title clearly sits between two tiers.
Favorites are handled separately and represent works that personally define or strongly resonate with me.
10/10 – Exceptional Experience
A work that fully clicked with me. I was deeply engaged from start to finish, and any flaws were irrelevant to my enjoyment. I cannot meaningfully argue against it without being dishonest to my own experience.
9/10 – Outstanding
An experience I loved and strongly appreciated. It did almost everything right for me, but there are specific elements that didn’t fully align with my taste, preventing it from being a 10.
8/10 – Distinctly Enjoyable
A work with clear strengths that made it stand out, whether visually, musically, narratively, or conceptually. It left a strong positive impression.
7/10 – Solid and Enjoyable
A genuinely good experience that I enjoyed overall, even if it didn’t leave a lasting emotional impact or push beyond familiar ground.
6/10 – Mildly Positive
An okay experience with some enjoyable elements, but mostly watched or read for the sake of it. Little of it stayed with me afterward.
5/10 – Neutral
Emotionally flat. It neither frustrated nor excited me. I don’t regret the time spent, but I also gained nothing memorable from it.
4/10 – Negatively Affected
An experience that left me with a negative impression. While it may have had some decent ideas or elements, poor execution, questionable choices, or wasted potential actively hurt my enjoyment. It wasn’t neutral — certain aspects clearly didn’t work for me.
3/10 – Actively Unpleasant
An experience I disliked. Watching or reading it was frustrating, boring, or irritating enough that continuing felt like a conscious effort.
2/10 – Miserable
A struggle to get through. Almost nothing worked for me, and the experience felt draining rather than engaging.
1/10 – Completely Negative
An experience I regret. It provided no enjoyment, insight, or value to me personally.
Openings and endings are evaluated based on vibe, audiovisual cohesion, and replay value, not musical complexity or technical merit.
A song can be strong on its own but score lower if it doesn’t fit the anime.
Likewise, a simple or flawed track can score highly if it enhances the mood of the series.
“+” and “-” ratings are used when a track sits between tiers or has a specific element that elevates/drags it down (e.g., an S- is a near-perfect track with one minor immersion-breaking flaw; an A+ is a very strong track with S-tier highlights like a standout chorus).
S-Tier – Iconic
Perfectly matches the anime’s tone and themes while also working as a standalone track. Instantly memorable and something I actively want to replay outside the show.
A-Tier – Excellent
Strong vibe and solid presentation. It fits the anime well and is enjoyable to listen to, even if it doesn’t reach iconic status.
B-Tier – Works Well
A good opening or ending that does its job. Pleasant and fitting, but not especially memorable.
C-Tier – Neutral
Doesn’t add much to the experience, but doesn’t detract from it either. Easy to skip.
D-Tier – Misaligned
Musically weak or poorly matched to the anime’s tone. Feels distracting or out of place.
F-Tier – Actively Harmful
Breaks immersion and actively worsens the viewing experience.
