This was a question I had when I was starting to write my own anime reviews.
I wanted a list of facts and terms I could use to describe what was going on with the series. So I decided to come up with this post on the go. I read some posts I will share here at the end of the post and will talk about what I learned from them.
The first thing that I was actually surprised to see coming up as a tip was to:
1. Just start.
It might seem like basic advice but when you’re starting out and are thinking your reviews suck balls then it’s a good idea to be reminded that yes, they might suck now but, you will get better. And you will. Because naturally you start gaining experience and naturally you start looking for information that will help give you a boost in your post’s quality. Also, remember to have fun. The reason I even write what I do is because writing is my go-to entertainment during the day. If writing is a bit more difficult for you to do, then just find something you’re fascinated with and write.
Is it a show from last year? Are you behind on the releases of current episodes!? That’s fine. Go write about One Punch Man before the next season comes out. Or about K-On! if that’s your thing. But just remember the joy of finding what you love to write about can be such a wonderful thing and yes, it will be what defines you as who you are.
The second thing I wanted to talk about was one that I feel is very important and that I feel I need to become much better at.
2. Justifying one’s claims
To justify and cement why you said what you did is a sure fire way to make your posts are more fail-proof and quite possibly more interesting. Sadly this is something that requires you to maybe have to constantly stop the anime as you watch it, have to rewatch the episode you’re watching and that’s why, if you have a faulty short or long term memory, this can be quite the hassle. Having to actually explain and think seriously about what you’re saying can be a challenge but in discussions with others later on about the subject you are talking about, you will come about as a much more solid opinion than the rest of the crowd.
This also requires that you can put your gut feelings into words, which can be immensely difficult. Especially if you don’t have any experience on the issue.
3. Specific Vocab for Reviews
This one could be a doozy for me. To find the words to describe exactly what I wanted to convey could be quite a challenge. When to use the “depth of the plot” or “the light atmosphere” of a show, can be difficult. Having that said. After seeing and going through some of the reviews in MAL and the (don’t kill me) Crunchyroll awards sections I came to the conclusion that there were some great points we could all touch upon when making a review.
Main ones:
1) Story/Plot
2) Art/Animation
3) Sound/OST
4)Characters – Main characters, Villains, Other Characters
5) Enjoyment
6) Overall
Others:
1)Opening
2)Ending
3)VA Performance
As for vocab specifically, I found very useful to read other people’s reviews, especially those from people who have been writing for a long time or are very verbose in their writing. Using the Thesaurus is also a great idea to find synonyms and antonyms for words you do know, in order to change things up somewhat. Just don’t overdo it too much. A bit of spice is good in small amounts.
4. Write a Synopsis (but no Spoilers)
One great way to start a post is with a small summary of the episode or anime you saw. I usually just write about what I like and how I like it, and for now, I think that’s ok. It’s actually therapeutical for me to do so but, if you’re in the same situation as me, it would be important to start considering doing a small summary of what happened in the episode in the beginning and to avoid giving away spoilers to the readers.
This works especially well if you’re reviewing a full anime and not just an episode. If it’s just an episode I usually have an area just for free talking and theorizing about potential spoilers in the show.
5. Most Important of all
Be kind to yourself. And take it easy. All of us have different objectives when writing but if you end up like Death the Kid you won’t be able to write anything. You have to enjoy it and if all these ideas I’ve listed here get you concerned then just throw all of them out except for the first one.
I hope this post has helped you. Stay well, write a lot and be mentally healthy!
Until next time. 🙂
All things Anime 
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