Speaking of Anime

Mahouka Koukou no Rettousei (An Irregular at Magic High School)

What is it: World War III saw the rise of a new class of warfare: Magicians. Even after the war, things haven't exactly cooled down. At a school that divides those who have great academic scores from those who did not, two siblings enter and try to change the mentality. Along the way, they face opposition from rival schools, the segregation between the two divisions, and a secret government agenda.

Initial Reaction: This was recommended to me by my friend Treasure. I wasn't sure what to expect but the title alone sounded really interesting enough for me to watch.

Favorite Character: Tatsuya Shiba. He's a very serious, focused guy who cares a lot for his friends and his little sister. His situational awareness needs work though. Especially since most of the female characters have been smitten by him at least once. But, when you aren't focused on romance like some horny teenager who ships characters all willy-nilly, those social nuances tend to miss you. Also, the voice actor (Yuuichi Nakamura) is a familiar voice. He's voiced Gray from Fairy Tail, Oreki Hotarou from Hyouka, Greed from Full Metal Alchemist, Tomoya Okazaki from Clannad, Kuro Tetsuro from Haikyu, Kyohei Kadota from Durarara, and more. So that's a plus.

Crushes: Miyuki Shiba, Mayumi Saegusa, Erika Chiba, Mari Watanabe, Shizuku Kitayama

Ships: This is pretty much one for all, so I'll phrase it as Tatsuya with Miyuki, Mayumi, Erika, Mari, Shizuku, Haruka.

Final Thoughts: This is a pretty good anime. I was pretty surprised that it went the route that it did. There was plenty of action, with a little bit of flirty stuff. What I got from it tells a bit about separating the academically talented from the rest in school. Tests don't test everything, remember that. Even if you don't score well, doesn't define your potential or whether the knowledge you obtained was worth it or not. That said, I recommend this anime. I give Irregular at Magic High School a 9.1/10.