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Alright, enough time has ed. I finally feel prepared to tell you all, why YOU should be reading Kagurabachi right now! What was considered by many to be a meme at the beginning has blossomed into one of the biggest bangers in Weekly Shonen Jump today. It's a unique and engaging story that only gets better over time. So do yourselves a favour and get into it now, you won't regret it.

Right, let's start with something obvious - this manga is just super fun! Right off the bat, it starts off with some of the classic elements of early 2000s cool - katanas, gangsters, crime, ... trenchcoats and buckets of blood! Add to that the simple, yet versatile magic system and you've got an absolute heater on your hands! It's action packed, stylish, and just really engaging to read on a surface level. There's tons of love for swords and swordsmithing for those ionate about that. The author Takeru Hokazono has shared that John Wick and Kill Bill were some of his key influences for the story and it's blatantly obvious. Those are what inspired him to make it a tale of revenge and you can definitely feel the vibe of those iconic films in here. So if you enjoy any of these things, I firmly believe you'll love it. However, it would be foolish to brush it off as merely just an edgy revenge story, because there is so much to love here! While yes, the series can be pretty edgy at times, people might overexaggerate this aspect. Let me tell you, while reading this series, I also read the Hellsing manga and that's billions of times edgier than this ever gets! And yet Hellsing is a very popular and well respected series. So whatever edge there is, it's tasteful and well measured, like a well honed katana! So now, allow me to convince you of how different and unique Kagurabachi really is!

The best place to start is to show you how this series defies stereotypes and stands as something truly unique! I firmly believe that across all of Shonen Jump, past and present, Kagurabachi really stands out! Firstly, it retains all of the core tenets that make a battle shonen great - amazing action, cool power system, high stakes, character growth, a dash of humour, etc. However, it doesn't follow any established shonen formula and actually feels a lot closer in tone to seinen at times! At its core, it's a bloody revenge story in a yakuza crime thriller setting with lots of fantasy elements like magic. There's truly nothing else like it to my knowledge. It's intense, dark, engaging and rich. The world is this familiar yet strange anachronistic setting, where everyone carries swords and clashes with them like in Feudal Japan, yet there's cars like in the mid 70s and then modern tech that borders on science fiction. You can compare Kagurabachi to Bleach or Jujutsu Kaisen for example but while it shares elements with those for sure, it stands on its own as something starkly different. There's a strong escalation of tension and some pretty strong worldbuilding that adds over time and our protagonists Chihiro grows in body and mind through training and turmoil as any good shonen MC should, but the threats doesn't merely grow through stronger and stronger fighters. While there's plenty of those, a lot of the threat level stems from the many shady organizations involved and their vast influence and controlling power! Not to mention that all sides have to use a lot of strategy, politicking and manipulation to reach their end goal. Never has pure brute force been the solution and that makes every arc so exciting!

This seems like a perfect transition into what I believe are the biggest strengths of this story. First - the execution! While the premise might seem a bit generic at first glance - revenge story, yakuza, sorcery, etc. - it's anything but and what really sets it apart is how the story unfolds. Every arc is this multi-layered tapestry of ideas that mix together and unfold in beautiful fashion. Among the bloody, gory action, there's philosophical quandaries about morality and honour, deep emotional stories of perseverance, suffering and turmoil, introspections about the power of the human spirit, comments on society and the perception of conflict and those within it. Every arc has a lot of such powerful themes and leaves you with lots to ponder and think about and the answer is never obvious. Within the events themselves, every arc isn't just your standard "MC has to beat this week's big bad evil guy". Instead, there's always multiple parties involved, all with their own agendas and goals. Like I said above, they often don't rely on just their strength and have to instead use their influence, intelligent strategy and mental games to accomplish whatever it is they're after and watching them maneuver around each other keeps the story thoroughly exciting and unpredictable. For all parties and people involved, the line between good and evil is razor thin and exploring where that line lies is a core aspect of the story. In fact, I'd say the debate of morality is the one central theme for the entire story!

More of the excellent execution can be explored through the art! Now, it's clear from the get go that it's a bit simplistic and the line work is a little rough around the edges. However, it's very competently made, it's pretty clear at all times what is happening and the character's faces are simplistic, but expressive and memorable. Plus there's plenty of unique aspects of the art that make it instantly recognizable. Definitely es the "what is that guy reading on the train" test. Kagurabachi is definitely among the first disciples of the Chainsaw Man school of character design, so expect a lot of sharply dressed characters in stylish black suits. Nonetheless, while keeping things grounded and realistic, every character has a distinct appearance and is easily recognizable, even when drawn smaller, without details or reduced to chibis. This all helps add to the awesome neo-noir setting that the series is going for and it honestly looks damn perfect in black and white!

However, the true strength of the art isn't in the purely technical aspects of it, but in everything around it - pacing, ing, page layouts! Now, this is a battle shonen after all, so you need excellent fight scenes to pull it all together and Kagurabachi definitely excels here! There's lots of dramatic and dynamic posing, fast paced movement and excellent choreography. The sword fights feature a lot of intense close clashes and the sorcery also begets many massive, high impact shots that feel colossal and devastating. For those curious, the title of the series can be roughly translated as "Karmic Ritual Dance", a title very apt on many levels, but one of those is the action itself! Hokazono-sensei uses a lot of exaggerated poses and movement that really make the fights feel like a dance of death! Exaggerated perspectives, even five point perspective, unique positioning and very unorthodox camera angles definitely help make everything feel so fluid and epic! Every sword swing is dangerous, yet graceful. Seriously, if you love sword fights, Kagurabachi has some of the best out there!

Now about the ing and page layouts, this is probably the most notable aspect of Hokazono-sensei's unique writing style. The dialogue is simple and rock solid and there's lot of dramatic framings that use both emotional expressions and strong symbolism to add a lot of extra oomph to any scene. Sometimes, just a simple memory can be as dramatic as a clash of swords. One of his most unique techniques is how he loves to have a current event and a flashback happen at the same time, alternating s between the two of them. Techniques like this allow him to add worldbuilding, explain attacks, add backstory and also just tell two different events at the same time, which is so engaging and different, I absolutely love it! Beyond that, there's something that I can't quite put into words, but a lot of the scenes are so...cinematic! That really is the best word to use about it. There's just so many scenes that I can feel will become truly iconic with time, just from how powerful and memorable they are. The expressions, the pacing, the way they're arranged, the juxtapositions, combined with how unpredictable the story itself is and how it twists and turns in unexpected directions, it just builds more and more hype and after every chapter and you just can't look away!

Lastly, I want to talk about the star of the whole show - our main character Chihiro! In this series, practically every character is a rich tapestry of emotions and aspects and brings so much to the story. However, Chihiro really is a cut above the rest. Many might brush him off as just another generic edgelord - red eyes, big scar on his face, katanas, trenchcoat, avenging his dad. He's got all the elements. But I think that was kind of intentional on Hokazono-sensei's part, making this character that looks like a generic edgy boy and then subverting the expectations so masterfully! For Chihiro is a killer, he leads a path of violence and bloodshed, but he finds no pleasure in any of this. He might seem aloof, stoic and uncaring but deep down, he's a very comionate and loving person who wants to protect others and prevent the work of his father from being used for evil. He's never afraid of sacrificing his own life for someone else and even after being a hair's breadth away from death, he still persists and moves forward. Unlike many Shonen Jump good boys, his motivations are believable and real. He wants to walk through Hell and close the door behind himself. Be a monster so nobody else has to be one ever again. His path starts with blind vengeance, but as he experiences more, he learns and grows, becoming a much more complete person and learning to see the bigger picture and work for the greater good. I can confidently say, Chihiro is one of the most engaging protagonists in Jump and it's just a joy to follow his entire journey! Plus, he's a left handed swordsman, which is super rare across all kinds of fiction!

So there you have it, I have gushed long enough and I hope I've convinced you of how awesome Kagurabachi really is and now you feel the urge to read it! This was one of the first series I was able to catch right at the beginning of its serialization, there were only 3 chapters out when I started. Like many, I first heard of it thanks to the memes and decided to check it out, given that it was so short at the time. However, while the many that memed on it at the start dropped off, I stuck around, I was curious to see where this goes. And boy, am I glad I did! Kagurabachi has blossomed into something beautiful and every aspect of it has become absolutely spectacular. Over time, Hokazono-sensei has really fleshed out the characters, the worldbuilding, the power system and now I am just locked in for the ride! I think any bad rap that came at the start was simply because the series took a little while to really get going, a couple of edgy moments and because a lot of the early scanlations were of very poor quality. I've gone back and reread the official volumes now and I can tell you, this has been a heater from the get go and just needed to flesh things out and show all of its greatness! There's a lot of subtle foreshadowing, very careful writing and lots of consideration put into it all, so this duck is definitely not winging it! It's unique in both visuals and story, has many stand out writing techniques and some of the most exciting ing out there. Honestly, the fact that Takeru Hokazono can bring this level of quality in his first every serialized manga is absolutely insane! The memes of the internet put massive pressure and unexpected attention on this inexperienced young mangaka, but dammit, he pushed through and came out in force! The irony is that people memed on this series at the start, sarcastically claiming how it will be the best manga ever, but now, it's so good that it might just unironically achieve that! The hype just builds and builds and every chapter just leaves me floored. After the last page, I keep finding myself screaming at the heavens in excitement and joy with just how hype and awesome what I just read was. This fine blend of swords and sorcery, this tense yakuza thriller, this action packed shonen-seinen hybrid has unironically become one of my favourite series to follow and I just tremble with anticipation for each new chapter. After everything I said, I just wanna end on this - Kagurabachi is just....so so good! I really can't explain this feeling without spoilers, so do yourself a favour and jump in, see what I mean! You won't be sorry! Enough time has ed, the new King is here!

So every day, I start the morning with fresh love for Kagurabachi! I hope you will now too.

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These short story collections are always really charming and this is one of the most charming ones out there. If you're a fan of Eiichiro Oda's work, then here you can experience the start of his career with five really engaging and fun stories that all have that signature style of his, both in story and visuals. It's a short read that is very engaging and very worthwhile in my opinion!

Firstly, from the very first page you can immediately tell that Oda-sensei was behind these. The art is a bit rough, but the signature style is already there! The big expressive faces, overexaggerated expressions (especially ... the One Piece gaping mouth, you know the one), charming stylized backgrounds and dynamic poses. The writing also has that typical humour and wit that is quintessentially Oda. It's hard to put into words, but if you've experienced One Piece, then you know exactly what I mean. He also manages to effortlessly blend action, tension, humour and lore like only he can. It's also crazy how so many of the core elements of One Piece are felt here already. Wanted posters and talk of huge bounties in a made up currency - check. Comedic twists to supernatural elements - check. Weird magic fruit powers - check. Outlandish character designs and anachronistic mishmashes of designs and looks - check. Strange people gaining notoriety and fame across the world - check. Main characters who are strong and kind but are also complete morons - check. It all really comes together nicely and shows how One Piece was the story Oda-sensei wanted to create since childhood!

Additionally, these stories allow Oda-sensei to explore some different settings that really don't occur in One Piece. Wanted with its Western style definitely show his love for all things cowboys as well and it feels like a classic gunslinging action flick, while also having the trademark Oda wit and comedy. God's Gift for the Future is set in modern times, which feels almost surreal as we've literally never seen Oda-sensei do this. And yet he still manages to insert supernatural elements in. Regardless of the different settings though, what unites all the stories is that they are all effortlessly engaging. They all have progressively absurd premises but of course Oda-sensei makes them work. There is strong tension and intrigue, some strong action moments and yet also the heaping dose of Oda's iconic humour and character work. I can guarantee, you won't be bored for a second reading any of these. Reading them chronologically also shows Oda sharpening his techniques more and more. First the layouts start to break up and be more interesting, then the adds full page spreads, then double page spreads and then he truly unleashes his creativity on all fronts. You can really feel the growth!

Overall, this collection is an insanely fun read and highly recommended to gain full appreciation for Oda-sensei's legacy, journey and body of work. Plus, him being a guy so laser focused on one series, this is rare opportunity to see him do something completely different from the usual we get to see from him. The different arcs of One Piece have allowed him to explore a variety of genres and styles, but here that versatility is even more apparent and his biggest influences are even more obvious.

While the art can be a bit rough (even by his standards), it's more than clear enough and you're never confused what is happening. You're always fully immersed in the story and that's the whole point, right? Plus, you have to , Oda-sensei was insanely young when he made these! The fact that his understanding of ing, layouts, character design, posing, dialogue flow and more were this good this early is shocking. The fact that his stories flow so well even more so. Really shows that the guy is a genius when it comes to manga. He was born to do this!

Thus Spoke Kishibe Rohan is such a unique experience and I firmly believe that anybody will find some appreciation for it. It's even constructed in such a way, that I even think if you're not a fan of JoJo or haven't read it yet, you can still experience this and get it. These one shots are a great peek into Araki-sensei's writing, allowing him to experiment freely and really show what he's got. It's a short read, but a must read and despite what others might say, I look forward to when new Rohan chapters are released!

Araki-sensei has always been a fan of horror and ... thriller, which shows greatly in JoJo, but nowhere is this ion more apparent than in these one shots. Every chapter swerves and twists in unexpected ways and you can never predict what will be on the very next page. It really shows the variety and intensity that this man is capable of even in such compact stories. With very brief setup, he's able to build these incredibly intense and dramatic moments that leave you on edge, eager to see what comes next and how it all goes down. While paranormal and supernatural elements like the various creative yokai are very prevalent and add a lot of intrigue, it also shows Araki-sensei's insane creativity and unmatched talent to take the most mundane things in real life and turn them into something dramatic, intense and even horrifying. The weird bum that stumbles nearby and starts talking to you, the guy at the gym giving off unsettling vibes, all the people walking on their phones without looking where they're going, the weird and oddly specific rituals of certain people, being forced to follow strict etiquette at important events, etc. Such normal things that a lot of us are likely to have experienced and yet here they are pushed to the extreme. No punch-fighting, no direct confrontation and yet it feels even more dangerous than any fight in a battle shonen. Only Araki can make a scene of a guy trying to catch popcorn in his mouth be so nail-bitingly intense and nerve racking. Each chapter is just so unique and stands on its own as something noticeably different from the rest, you never know what you're going to get, except that it will be thoroughly exciting!

The whole ordeal is really engaging from an artistic standpoint too, because these chapters were made years apart and you can clearly see Araki-sensei's artstyle evolve with time. Like little time capsules of moments of his career captured on the face of one of his favourite characters (and mine too). Regardless of the time they were made, each chapter was drawn just as crisp and clean as we've come to expect from the legend. Not just that, but the ing, page layouts and flow are exquisite as well and always keep you on your toes! The little details in the s foreshadowing future moments and plot developments are exquisite too. Araki-sensei has always been excellent at that and here his skills are on full display, turning every simple dialogue scene into a theatric experience full of emotion and intrigue.

Rohan is also such a perfect character to be the audience surrogate and narrator of these wacky tales. I'm a wannabe author myself and I know for a fact that in order to write great characters and stories, you need to go out there and experience life yourself. Your characters will only ever be as interesting, intelligent and wise as you are, so you need to make yourself an interesting person for their sake if nothing else. You have to visit new places, try new things, meet new people and do some thorough research, especially of the on-site variety. This is why Rohan's endless and sometimes even risky curiosity is so captivating. His desire to experience reality and discover the weirdest and wackiest things life can offer are palpable and infectious. Plus, he is himself a rich, multilayered, morally ambiguous character who is cunning, smart and observant, but also arrogant and stubborn, which make him a very compelling protagonist as well. In the chapters where he does get directly involved in the action and the story fully revolves around his own experience, he confidently carries the story and provides a lot of intrigue. I loved Rohan since I first saw him in part 4 and I enjoy him even more in this role. Others might disagree and call him a self insert but I don't buy that. Rohan is one of the most engaging JoJo characters and out of many that deserved to have their own spinoff, he definitely topped the list.

Overall, Thus Spoke Kishibe Rohan is a really engaging read that I can't recommend enough. It's a short, casual experience that is incredibly intense and captivating. While JoJo is obviously the work Araki-sensei has dedicated his life to, it's clear that the Rohan one shots are his beloved ion project and also go to explain why year after year, he keeps coming back to write more. Plus, it allows him to revisit the old universe and let us say hello to some iconic characters one more time. If you love horror, thriller, mysteries, the supernatural, the paranormal or anything similar, this is a must read.

It's a bit under the radar, but I feel like this is a real manga connoisseur's choice. Like, if you're an intense JoJo fan and Araki simp like me, you'll definitely pick this up, but if you're also deep into the manga sphere, you've already read JoJo and you want something a little different, this is a natural place to go. Regardless, even if you're new to this, I still heartily recommend it, because these bite sized stories are still so well written and enthralling, that you'll be hooked either way. Also, watch the OVAs too, they're really good! Fingers crossed that DavePro adapt the other chapters some day as well.

Initial D is an absolute classic and there isn't much to say that hasn't been said already. If you love cars and motorsports, watch Initial D, it's made for you. If you don't love cars, watch it anyway, it's so good you'll still like it. If you love eurobeat, watch Initial D, it's heaven for you. If you don't love eurobeat, watch it anyway and that will no longer be the case. Point is, this anime is among the best, do yourself a favour and watch it.

I personally love deep, intricate, emotionally invested stories. However, often times, it just feels really good to unwind with ... something fun, simple and straightforward. Initial D is one of the best in the latter category. This is a classic anime built solely for one purpose - to be fun as hell! Regardless of what your disposition is going in, after the godly opening from m.o.v.e. finishes, you see those first few shots of Akina as the AE86 zips by and the moment you hear Dave Rodgers' supple voice shout "I'M A SPAAAAACE BOOOOY WOAH WOAH WOAH WOAH". you're instantly hooked and you know you're in for a good time!

In fact, let's just get the elephant out of the room right away - the music! There are many anime out there with legendary soundtracks, but I can't think of any other series that gets so much of its fun factor and power from the music alone. And how could it not, the pairing of the energetic eurobeat songs with their catchy choruses and infectious synth melodies are just a perfect fit for a racing story and to this day, fast driving, especially drifting, and eurobeat are inseparable. The songs on here are absolutely legendary bangers and raise the entire experience to another level. In the downtime between races, we also get lots of city pop, synthpop, funk, electronic and more that are just as cool and fit the vibe perfectly. Because of memes, it feels almost weird hearing these songs in their original context, like seeing a legendary landmark in person for the first time, but they fit the vibe so well that the feeling quickly dissipates as you're just immersed in the fun and just fully enjoying the moment. What else can you ask for from an anime soundtrack.

Initial D isn't just a killer playlist with some animation attached though, the whole experience is just solid. Now, this is a pretty old anime and the visual are a bit rough by modern standards. They can be stiff, not too dynamic and watching it in not-potato quality can be a hassle. Plus there's some jank in the artstyle too, which some kind of generic faces, stiff posing and what I have dubbed "monkey mouths". You'll know what I mean when you see it. Granted, that last part stems from the manga, as that's what it looks like there. Beyond that though, the visuals are still dynamic and lively enough to keep the story going and my immersion in the story was never broken. When the races kick in, the cars are obviously CGI, but despite its age these visuals look awesome! Clean, fluid and clear as to what is happening. Every single race looked amazing and the CGI allowed the shots to be more dramatic and dynamic. They even bothered with some good rain effects, which was probably pretty impressive for the time.

Story-wise, it's the simplicity of Initial D that really makes it work so well. The story is direct and straightforward with little distractions, the character interactions are quite natural and engaging and the motivations are clear and believable. The voice acting is pretty strong with several big names making some of their earliest big profile appearances. Because of the premise, there are basically no villains here, just rivals that need to be overcome, which helps the story feel really wholesome and laid back in a way, while also keeping you excited for what comes next. In a way, it feels so refreshing and enjoyable, almost like a modern-ish fable of sorts - no philosophical undertones, no deep allegory, no attempt at social commentary. Just the youthful story of a boy and how he fell in love with driving. It's a tale about finding something you're ionate about and then learning to follow it with all your heart. Even the romance was kind of cute and sweet, showing youthful innocence in a really wholesome way and showing how you can find both ions and people that makes your heart flutter. There were some exceptions though as some romantic scenes and subplots were a bit odd. Can't blame them too much though, after all the source material was written by someone who's only ever been intimate with cars. Oh, and Itsuki can be a bit annoying, although he does grow on me a bit by the end. And none of this is anything that detracts from the enjoyment in any significant way.

I've always said that a good mecha anime only works if it's built on the premise that giant robots are cool. In the same vein, a car story needs to be built on the intrinsic coolness and awesomeness of cars and Initial D is the prime example of it. If you love cars, this anime will be custom made for you. Without going into laborious detail or over-the-top explanations of techniques, it tells you all kinds of cool stuff about the vehicles, their drivers, the bond they have and the respect for the course they race. Made in the golden era of affordable Japanese sports cars (aka the prime shitboxes of today), Initial D is a beautiful and oddly timeless microcosm of oldschool motor culture and ion for racing. No overly dramatic cop chases, no illegal shenanigans, no forced interpersonal drama. Just love for the art of driving, love for the cars and a bond with all the drivers. As it should be.

All in all, Initial D has one simple goal and that's to be a straightforward and fun story about racing and at that, it's absolutely God-tier. Nothing even compares. This is what Fast & Furious wishes that it was. Great visuals for the time, simple engaging story and a soundtrack so unbelievably amazing that it defined an entire culture. This anime single handedly made eurobeat a massive sensation in Japan, before helping make it a global phenomenon and something forever associated with racing. This anime is every car enthusiast's wet dream and it's just so perfect for it. Even beyond that though, it's just such a classic and fun story that I firmly believe that everyone, regardless of how much they care about cars, should still watch it. I checked this out with my best friend who knows little about automotive topics and yet we were both equally engaged. Just shows you the timeless and undeniable quality of Initial D. It was made with a lot of love and genuine ion and it shows.

So get in and enjoy the ride!

Dr. Stone is the anime that just can't stop winning, man! It was peak in season one and it keeps being peak to this very day! Science Future is but the latest installment and it just keeps going from strength to strength. If you haven't started this series yet, do yourself a favour and do it! It's one of the most unique and engaging anime out there.

I can go into a lot of detail, but it's really not necessary as what I've said so far about Dr. Stone applies here too - great animation, vibrant dynamic visuals, great action, stellar voice acting, unique worldbuilding and ... an intense story told through a large cast of engaging and charismatic characters. One key strength of Dr. Stone is and always has been, very apropos, the chemistry between all the characters, the way they interact and the unique things they all bring to the table. Each has their own skills, strengths, weaknesses and their own vibrant personality and everybody has unique and engaging interactions with everybody else. The team splits and circumstances of this arc allow even more of that to shine and give us new combinations of characters that we haven't seen yet. The new additions are just as awesome and add a whole new layer to the whole thing and fit into the puzzle flawlessly. The complex ambitions of everyone also make for great dramatic tension. Despite that, the comedy is on point all throughout too. I mean, there's something really funny about how the first thing that happens to the crew once they arrive in America is that they get shot at. That's a joke worth waiting years for.

On a similar note, one thing that has always made Dr. Stone special and made it stand out, especially among the Shonen Jump crowd, is how it doesn't rely on straightforward action and the conflicts are instead more focused on intellectual superiority, strategy and, most importantly, ideology. This season also helped me realize something quite awesome about Dr. Stone and that's how every major antagonist has been not just a direct threat to Senku and his people, but an ideological rival to him and this has lead to some amazing dynamics. Here are my thoughts on it (spoilers ahead, mostly for previous seasons but not just, especially the last part):

Tsukasa presented the duality of technology. It was the battle of the man who accepted technology and the modern world along with all its drawbacks vs the man who rejected it and wanted to more or less play communist god in a primitive world. It showed how despite being physically weaker and severely outnumbered, the Kingdom of Science won through superior technology and cooperation. Their win also wasn't a crushing one, it was diplomacy. They had to prove that they're the ones in the right in order to be the true victors.

Ibara presented the conflict of selfishness vs teamwork. Ibara was physically stronger than anyone on the Science Team and was so cunning that he even outsmarted Senku at times. However, Ibara was the ultimate egoist. He only cared for himself and only truly relied on himself, only manipulating others around him to exploit them to his advantage. In the final fight, he basically sacrificed the entire island and all of its people to save his own skin, but this wasn't enough and he was ultimately defeated. Not through strength, not even just through strategy and technology (even though both of those played huge roles). In the end, Senku won thanks to the help he got from everybody and because he wasn't shy of relying on them. His phrase "I'm not alone anymore" at the end hits oh so hard.

Thus we arrive at Dr. Xeno. Man, the evil mentor trope is one of the coolest and this has to be one of the best implementations of this! While every adversary has been an ideological rival to Senku, none have challenged him as much as Xeno. First of all, this is the first time that Senku well and truly lost the technological advantage. He's no longer fighting savages that he can bamboozle by making them think he's a wizard or something just by lighting fireworks or making crude mechanical instruments. Xeno is way ahead of him in technology and knows how to use it, thus forcing Senku to rely on other means to win. A lot of these means of course fall back on teamwork and reliance on one another and allowing the different to use their unique strengths to give their team the advantage. The final confrontation really showed the peak of all this!

Second of all, Xeno is the representation of the dark aspect of science. Him vs Senku isn't just a battle of two geniuses, it's a battle between the man that believes in the benevolent power of technology and how it can help uplift humanity vs the man that believes technology should be used for subservience. In this moment, I am reminded of an iconic quote by the legendary Richard Feynman that goes a little something like this: "Science merely gives us keys. Everything we learn about the universe is a key. But these keys unlock both the gates of heaven and the gates of hell. The same technology that sent man to the moon was used to make nuclear missiles. Science doesn't tell us how it should be used. It just gives us the keys. It's up to us to decide how we use them from then on". This clash of morality I believe is at the center of this conflict. Showing how Senku learned from Xeno, but didn't absorb his ideology also truly shows what kind of person he is. While Xeno was busy remaking every gun imaginable and building fighter planes, Senku spent days upon days upon days trying to find the secret of depetrification. While Xeno was plotting world domination, Senku fought an entire island to get a petrification device, just on the off chance that it helps revive his friend (who tried to kill him I might add, twice). This conflict really elevates the whole struggle and gives greater depth to it all, greater meaning to why Senku is even bothering with all of the insane things he's trying to achieve.

So there you have it. Dr. Stone keeps being kino and shows no signs of slowing down. I personally still cannot find a single thing to complain about. Well, maybe only the fact that I want more and I have to wait two months to get it. Sigh. I hope that for you, dear reader, it's already the (science) future and this doesn't apply to you. If you haven't started this series yet, just do it, you won't be sorry!

I find it difficult to put into words what Shinsekai Yori actually is. The feelings it evokes are complex, but what I can tell you for certain is that this is something that you need to experience! This is just one of those stories that will move your heart and get you thinking, leaving you a changed man in the end. It might be hard to grasp what to expect when looking at it on the surface level, but believe me, Shinsekai Yori is definitely worth it!

You can see how it has been branded with many genres and I think all of them are quite ... apt. However, suspense horror is probably the most accurate descriptor. Don't get it twisted, this isn't some supernatural tale about ghosts and monsters haunting the innocent, it's something far deeper and far more real than that. Shinsekai Yori explores a world where humans have acquired immense psionic powers and the effect that this has on a society. How do you tame this power? How do you live knowing that any other person could be a walking weapon of mass destruction? What if the person goes mad? There's a lot more to it, but I want to avoid detailed spoilers. The best word I can think of to describe the feeling of the anime is "unease". At any moment, you can't shake this feeling that something is wrong, that something horrible is about to happen and often this turns out to be true. But the source of that misfortune is something you cannot predict and that keeps you on edge from beginning to end. You don't know who or what you can trust and this tension just keep building all throughout.

The horror however is just the backdrop for the real story, because at its core, Shinsekai Yori is a societal commentary, a musing on human nature. The thin line dividing good and evil, making sacrifices for the greater good, the responsibility that comes with power, societal casts, the role of love in the bigger picture, etc. In many ways - the strive towards utopia, the pleasure driven society, the distinction between civil and savage - it draws parallel to Aldous Huxley's iconic novel Brave New World. Given the similar titles, I think this comparison is quite intentional and the inspiration quite obvious. In line with a lot of recent things I've been reading, I've been getting acquainted with the idea of the "anti-utopia". The way I understand it, a utopia is an ideal society where interpersonal issues have been resolved and we focus on the greater good, a pure dystopia is one where you can tell at a glance that the world is fucked and nobody is trying to hide it, but an anti-utopia is a flavour of dystopia, where things are well and truly fucked, but the powers that be and their followers are trying to convince you and themselves, that they in fact live in a perfect society and that all of the horribleness around you is just necessary sacrifices for the good of all. Shinsekai Yori definitely fits that last description and the questions it explores through its universe are deeply engaging and very poignant.

Criticizing the details will be a bit tricky, but I'll do my best here. I firmly believe Shinsekai Yori is one of the most finely crafted stories I've seen in anime. The only downside is that it's presented in a bit of an odd way that some may find confusing. Multiple timeskips, multiple perspectives, plenty of heavy symbolism and stories told out of order are just some examples. It's one of those series where you really have to flex your brain folds and pay proper attention. Every moment matters and minute details revealed in one episode might become of huge importance ten or more episodes later. While the anime takes the effort to remind you of important things, it's still vital to keep your eyes peeled for these tiny details that build the greater narrative. This isn't Haruhi Suzumiya where it was made by a schizo on shrooms, the narrative absolutely makes sense but you need to be vigilant to piece it all together.

The story itself was, in my opinion, amazing! I loved how the line between good and evil was razor thin. The characters were all believable, realistic and engaging, having fantastic and believable relationships with each other that all had tremendous depth to them. The micro of their interpersonal stories mixed with the macro of the tension of the greater world beautifully and all the elements tied together into the central themes awesomely! They also all feel like real people, often making brash, emotionally-charged poor decisions, but guess what, we all do that, so it all makes sense for who they are as people. Being that this is based on a novel and there's lots of heavy worldbuilding, the series is very dialogue heavy, but this was handled very well and it never felt annoying or clunky. Every conversation was filled with tension, emotion and intrigue that made it engaging.

On the technical side, the anime was quite well executed. Overall the animation was of very high quality, everything looked really beautiful and the characters were lively and expressive. The music and sound design were also really well executed, adding a lot of tension and great atmosphere to every moment. The fact that the anime also technically doesn't have an opening made it feel that much more eerie and immersive. The voice acting was superb, fitting all characters really well and handling the age differences masterfully too. There are some criticisms though. Firstly, the pacing, especially at the beginning, was also a bit slow, while also feeling like we jumped into big plot events a bit too suddenly. Regardless after the first third, things really pick up and it's all gas from there. As a lot of people have mentioned, the animation is a bit inconsistent. Most of the time it's good, but it does get stiffer or the artstyle might shift a bit in weird ways, for no apparent reason. It's not some dealbreaker, but it is worth noting. Lastly for the visuals, while I thought they were great and I actually applaud them for avoiding conventions and having a horror story take place almost entirely in broad daylight, I still think that the bubbly colours and somewhat generic anime style were not the best fit for this kind of story. I get that it's also part of the subversion of expectation by having these cute characters in such a dark narrative, I still feel like a more realistic and grounded Monster-esque visual style would've been a better fit. I get that this is from 2012 and we didn't have the animation we have today then, but I still have to mention this.

Right, I think I rambled on long enough. If you felt that the descriptors were a bit vague, I apologize, but I did my best to not give away any plot details as I think that will just spoil the experience for you. I hope I managed to convey that this is a thoroughly engaging story that you need to experience and one that will get you thinking about a lot of stuff afterwards. Shinsekai Yori is a knife through the heart in the best way possible. A lot of stories try to be dark and/or philosophical and a lot fall on their face, becoming cringey, boring, pandering or confusing. This is none of those things. This is a dark setting done right and its commentary on human nature, society and morality are woven masterfully with a deep, emotional drama between believable characters, showcasing their believable development as they grow up. It's a twisted and macabre story that feels bleak and dreadful, but there's a strong glimmer of hope through it all that culminates beautifully in the end. Once you experience this tale, I guarantee you won't be able to stop thinking about it for days and its implications will live with you for the rest of your life. So don't be shy, jump into the New World!

P.S. To my good friend who recommended this to me, a sincerest thank you! You know who you are. I get it now, I see why you enjoy this so much and why you didn't say anything about the story itself, you just insisted we check it out. And it took me a lot less time than the other guy to get to it and then finish it! Ha!

The best way I can describe this anime is as follows - I'm not sure what the hell I just saw, but I am sure that I liked it! Bang Bravern is just a bundle of fun dipped in weirdness so if you just wanna kick back with some giant robot fun, look no further. You've heard of cute girls doing cute things and (hopefully) also of BIG MEN DOING MAN SHIT. Well, this can best be described as BIG MECHS DOING MECH SHIT.

Right, you know how the saying goes that if you took Fist of the North Star and dipped it in pure unfiltered ... uncontaminated Gay, you'd get JoJo's Bizarre Adventure? Well, if you took Gundam and gave it a homosexual treatment of comparable potency, you'd get Bang Bravern. I have no idea why this anime is so aggressively gay. I don't mean that as a criticism by the way and I'm not calling this woke or anything. It's just an objective observation. I can definitely tell that all the gayness was included because the creators felt it appropriate, not because of some ulterior motive. There was an actual boys love anime airing the same season as this and it got outgayed by Bravern. It must be some cruel joke that the creators filled this anime with many cute girls and then made every single male vehemently gay. I really don't know what else to say about this, it's just what it is. Take of this what you will in whichever hole you prefer.

On the story itself, I always like to say, in order for anything involving mecha to be good, it has to be built on the fundamental concept that giant robots are fucking cool. I can confidently say that Bravern fits that criteria. It's evident that the creators of this love mecha and are very well acquainted with a lot of the cliches and stereotypes about them. So instead of fighting it, they embraced it and went full ham. They made the mechiest mecha show ever and added enough humour to show that they're self-aware about it. The show relishes in its own absurdity and that's a huge part of what makes it so fun. Plus, the bond between a pilot and his mech is a common topic among these stories, but I don't believe I've ever seen one about the mech and the pilot being gay lovers that are into each other and the whole thing playing out as some unholy mix between saving the world and saving a relationship. Points for originality I guess. The story at times is very stupid in the best of ways and at others it somehow loops back to being somewhat poignant somehow. Whatever it is, despite the experience intentionally riffing on cliches, it actually stayed shockingly unpredictable from beginning to end, keeping you on your toes both for its plot twists and ridiculous punchlines.

On a technical level, the anime is superb. The animation is top quality, using some spectacular 3D animation for all the mech stuff and some nice expressive 2D for the character moments. The two also blend together really nicely. There's some really competent direction here too with some great shot composition, transitions and scenes. Almost every episode has some throbbing action to keep the adrenaline and other fluids flowing and each action scene was executed very well. Sounds are adequately punchy in that characteristic sci-fi way. The music was pretty awesome, especially the opening and ending, which will both definitely get stuck in your head like gay propaganda for months to come. The voice acting is stellar too. From the crisp homoerotic chemistry of the main cast, to the bombastic taunts of the mechs to Lulu's autistic screeches, it's all perfect for the story. I loved Mechjiro Tsuda, he was my favourite.

Overall, if you're coming in here expecting a serious, philosophical tale about war and collaboration, boy is this gonna be a rude awakening. Bang Bravern is just a new unique twist on what we all know and love about mecha anime, embraced to the fullest. When we imagine our dream mecha in our minds and what it can do, we imagine Bravern. Well, probably marginally less gay, but I digress. Point is, this anime was designed for fun first and foremost and at that it succeeds with flying colours. Rainbow colours probably.

CyGames are showing once again that despite mostly animating utter nonsense, they are a shockingly competent studio with loads of talent and skill under their belts. Just thinking that this studio is gonna bless us with the peak that is Kagurabachi soon makes me quake with anticipation. Godspeed, you fabulous bastards!

BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BUREIVAAAAAAAAAAN!

Wow! Just wow! I was already hooked on Dr. Stone from the word go, but damn, this season (or half of a season or whatever it is) was pure peak from start to finish! It was all gas, no breaks and it had some of the most powerful story moments from beginning to end.

The first half of this season was already cooking hard with the surprises, plot twists and character moments and the new faction introduced a whole other layer of tension to the whole ordeal. The Science Team were put against the ropes and really had to struggle to get out of this ... one. Ibara, even though I hate his fucking guts, is an insanely well written villain and although his motivations may be a bit lacking, he is superbly cerebral and intelligent, so much so he can basically negate the technological advantage that Senku and the others have over him. He is genuinely terrifying and it feels like he can end the whole journey right at the first stop.

Also, since we're on the topic of Ibara, can we talk about his design real quick? Ibara has to be one of the greatest examples of the strength of character design I've ever seen. Like, the millisecond that this Jafar-looking motherfucker struts his shriveled ass on screen, without him saying or doing anything, you just KNOW he is evil! Immediately and intuitively. I know that this is kind of odd, since basically every other Dr. Stone character is much more nuanced in their alignment and morality, but you can't deny that Ibara is just really fun and engaging to watch!

Thanks to his strength as a villain, the last few episodes, culminating with the final confrontation between Ibara and Senku, were just absolute art! Incredibly clever thinking, deep multi-layered strategy, insanely high stakes, outsmarting of the outsmarting and the strength of genuine bonds and teamwork overcoming terror and fear. Literally and figuratively, it was a battle of ideals and morality that had me on the edge of my seat the whole time. Well done!

It's clear that we're entering the big leagues of Dr. Stone and with the revelations shown in the last episode, the stakes and scope of things are gonna skyrocket real quick. And boy oh boy, I am ready for this! This arc was one of the highest highs we've had so far and I have a distinct feeling it's only going to get better. So if you haven't started Dr. Stone yet, DO IT NOW! The journey AND the destination are both worth it!

Man, exploration is fun, isn't it? Who doesn't love a globetrotting adventure? Well, I personally do and to my delight, that's exactly what we get here, a far journey on an old wooden ship, recapturing the essence of the golden age of exploration. And what an adventure it was!

Having everyone on board the ship and acting as a crew only went on to help the already amazing character chemistry shine even brighter. The way everyone works together on the ship and the moments where, for one reason or another, certain characters are unavailable, really go to show how they all rely on each other and ... how the whole is stronger than any individual part. Senku and Chrome the clever scientist. Kohaku, Magma, Kinro and Nikki the muscle and strongest fighters. Ginro. Kaseki the master carpenter and genius engineer. Taiju the tank with his ridiculous strength and limitless stamina. Yuzuriha the master craftsgirl with her magic hands. Ryuusui the captain and navigator. Gen the sharp tongued manipu...I mean diplomat! Everyone has their own strength and unique skills, thus making each and every one of them irreplaceable. Except Yo. We should've left him petrified (I don't like cops).

Beyond that, there isn't much to say besides the fact that the quality only keeps getting better. Visuals, sounds, music and voice acting remain cream of the crop. Story is incredibly engaging and only gets more intense with the introduction of the new location, its history and the new cast of antagonists. We're not playing with sticks and stones no more, things are serious now!

Honestly, all I can say is do yourself a favour and dive in! Dr. Stone is only going from strength to strength and the quality has only been going up. Get in here and explore science! The Stone World is our oyster!

*SNAP* "HA HAAA!"

Ah man, Ryuusui is such a shithead and I love him. The man is such a main character that he manifested an entire one hour special dedicated to him, something nobody else has gotten prior or since. He even gets to have my 60th ever review! This man is so cocky, he just bends destiny around himself it seems.

There really isn't too much to say, as it's just a longer episode to bridge the gap between seasons. It presents all the goodies we've come to know and love about the Dr. Stone anime. Great character interactions, good mix of serious work ... and humour, awesome visuals and sound design and a fantastic sense of togetherness and cooperation with the entire cast. Once again, the new characters introduced slot right in like the pieces of an ever growing beautiful puzzle and they have great chemistry with everyone. Except for the fact that we reinvented capitalism, bet Tsukasa is gonna love that one once he's out of the freezer.

Being a special, the episode also stands out with having a little bit of extra effort put into it than the usual anime does and you can definitely tell the studio pulled out the special sauce for this. Francois probably made it for them. The visuals in particular are even better and we got some absolutely spectacular moments, especially during the balloon flight. The art direction was impeccable during that too.

Dr. Stone was a masterpiece till now and it keeps going that way. So if you've gotten to this part, then it's really more of the same goodness with just a little bit of extra oompf to the mix. So come us on this journey and let's explore together! The destination is worth it. Trust me, a sailor's instinct is never wrong. HA HAAA!