An incomplete list of things to watch for in a new anime

1. Originality. Is this something new, or just a retread of a genre that's already been done to death? 2. Character Development. Do the characters become people you can sympathize with and understand, or do they remain simplistic and uninteresting? 3. Music-OP, ED, and BGM (I often can't remember whether BGM was being played at all!) 4. Animation/artwork-were colors skillfully chosen to "go" with each other in a pleasing way? 5. Was the plot plausible enough that the viewer could "suspend disbelief" and take it seriously? (or was it never intended to be "plausible" to begin with)? 6. Was there a well designed long term plot, or was it "episodic"?

> 1. Originality. Is this something new, or just a retread of a genre that's already been done to death?

You take the release year into account, right?

> 2. Character Development. Do the characters become people you can sympathize with and understand, or do they remain simplistic and uninteresting?

And do they contribute to the show? I may dislike a character but if this character was necessary for the story I'm willing to accept him/her. Too many likeable but unimportant characters are watering down the story - I prefer few but significant characters, like in Video Girl Ai. Stories based on computer games tend to suffer from too many characters (Triangle Heart 3: Sweet Songs Forever, but also Rahxephon and Tenkuu no Escaflowne).

> 3. Music-OP, ED, and BGM (I often can't remember whether BGM was being played at all!)

If I can't remember then it is usually okay, neither annoying nor great. In that case I usually check the last quarter of a handful of episodes, that's where the important scenes for the mood often are (except for the final episode of a series where it can be anytime).

> 4. Animation/artwork-were colors skillfully chosen to "go" with each other in a pleasing way?

Relative size of eyes / ears / noses (Tenkuu no Escaflowne, Kanon, Alien Nine). Use of colors (Haibane Renmei, Hauru no Uguko Shiro). Smooth walking. Use of SD. Use of CGI.