Anime Reviews i1o5w

I’ve been regularly watching anime since 2016 and this is single-handedly the worst industry plant anime I’ve laid my eyes upon. First of all, this show is a disgrace to delinquent genre, there is NOT a single delinquent character in this show and I’m not even joking. Are you kidding me? How come I don’t see anyone mentioning this obvious mistake when criticizing this show? Anime fans really turn their brains off as soon as they see a show with good animation I guess

Story [0/10]: In the first episode we are told that mc, Sakura Haruka (probably the worst mc name I’ve seen in years) ... has been bullied his whole life for having two toned hair and heterochromia. Honestly who gives a fuck if his hair is black and white? What a lame ass context but still I’d try to act like this is a decent way to get us sympathize with edgy lone wolf behavior of the mc if his bullies didn’t look like failed clone experiments. There are some cliche anime tropes I hate and this is definitely one of them. If the author wants us to take “got bullied for their looks” trope seriously then don’t make the character look like a gacha game twink at least! Mc literally looks better than every single individual in this anime but apparently the author is scared to lose fujoshi money so he didn’t even try to make mc’s appearance fit to the description we hear from his bullies in the first episode. Worse thing is almost every guy from his new high school has weirder hair than him. Does that mean he moved to a different town because his hometown didn’t have any pink or blue haired guys in it which caused him to be an outcast? Lol
Mc got bullied for being pretty and you’re telling me to act like this is the best delinquent anime made in the last decade…? Nah
Anyways about the rest of the story-
What story? There’s no story in this anime so I’ll just summarize you what happens for the rest of the season:
They fight in a flashy animation with the dumbest choreography known to mankind then the fight gets cut by corny and horribly written backstory of side characters we’ve only known for 20 minutes then that bad guy starts losing the fight and suddenly turns into a good guy because the beating he took made him his true ambitions… Congratulations they’re all friends now!

Characters [0/10]: I give all of the characters zero point because any random delinquent from a slice of life anime looks more menacing than manlet twinks of wind breaker.
Mc gets zero point from me because of his pathetic background writing alone and his bitchy tsundere behaviors ruin the every scene he’s in. So unless you’re a hardcore tsundere fan I don’t see a point in watching a show with the mc as annoying as mosquitos in summer nights. Even the most unbearable tsunderes tone down after a while but this guy just keeps making the same blushing face like a hentai character every time someone interacts with him throughout the whole season. He’s a painfully one dimensional character, you can tell he was made for fujoshi girls to glaze him on Tiktok edits and man child weebs to self insert themselves into this edgy high schooler as he gets treated like a Y/N by every other individual in the story. Also there is an actual plagiarism problem in this anime, which are the two characters that look 100% identical with Takemichi and Baji from Tokyo revengers. Pathetic
Not to mention the obvious haikyuu rip-off designs of the shishitoren . Basically this show is full of stolen characters.

Consistency [0/10]: In the first episode mc gets jumped by bunch of thugs, one of them scratches his ankle and he gets immobilized because of that small ahh injury.
In episode 7, same character sakura gets his head slammed into the floor several times, bleeds the heck out and walks off the stage as if nothing happened after winning the fight. So— is this show tryna be realistic or not? Idc about logic or realistic stuff normally but this show looked like it was leaning towards realistic route in first 3 episodes then completely became sakuga shitshow without any logic afterwards. There are excessive tone gaps between similar situations in different episodes which are impossible for anyone with a functional brain to ignore.

Soundtracks [5/10]: Opening and ending songs are okay, not worth adding to my playlist though. Crazy part is they made a different insert song for every single fight to distract the viewers from terribly written dialogues during these fights.

Overall score: 0

I wouldn’t recommend this show to anyone above the age of 12

Dandadan is an interesting anime. Personally, I really enjoyed the mix of themes that, while somewhat "generic," ended up having a unique flavor. I believe there was a clear intention to portray a teenage romance without relying on the typical clichés found in Japanese school anime, and that's definitely commendable. However, to be honest, the show ends up falling into a lot of those same clichés along the way and fails to fully stand as an alternative to a traditional romance anime.

One of the weakest aspects of this series is the lack of personal development, at least up to this point. None of the characters ... go through any significant change from the beginning to the end. Even after "tragic" events, they remain with the same personalities and mindsets, showing little to no internal conflict to work through (and when there is, it's mostly left unresolved). The only real character development is how the characters slowly realize they're in love and how they deal with those feelings, which is nice, at least there’s some kind of growth.

Another point that makes the anime feel a bit tiresome, especially from the second half onward, is the weird structure of the episodes. It’s hard to even explain, but most episodes are basically several action scenes against some alien or spirit that supposedly lead to some progress in the relationship between Okarun and Momo. While it technically does, the progress often feels so small that it’s hard not to feel like the conflict had a pointless resolution.

Along the same lines, it’s impossible not to mention how most action scenes end up with one of the female characters naked, half-naked, or in some sort of awkward situation. Honestly, it feels strange and uncomfortable at times, and there’s no clear purpose behind it besides pure fan service, the same goes for the constant questionable camera angles whenever Momo’s grandma appears on screen.

The arc that takes place in episodes 6–7 is definitely the highlight of the entire anime. I won’t give spoilers, but this specific part is the only real reason I would recommend Dandadan to someone. From the beginning of the conflict with the spirit to its resolution, everything is incredible and shows the true potential of both the author and the series.

So, to sum it up, this is a very “okay” show. It’s definitely not bad, it has an interesting concept and still holds a lot of potential but at this moment it’s not as good as it could be. If you’re a teenager, I think this show might resonate with you better than it would with an adult. Watch it, but don’t set your expectations too high.

Solo Leveling Season 1 is a power fantasy done right. While it doesn’t break new ground narratively, it fully leans into what makes the genre fun—incredible animation, a wildly satisfying power progression, and nonstop momentum.

Jinwoo’s transformation from a weak, helpless hunter to a borderline god is deeply enjoyable to watch, even if the mechanics behind the system feel a bit repetitive at times. The show doesn’t dive too deep into its worldbuilding or character nuance, but that’s not really what it’s aiming for. It knows exactly what it is—and executes it with style.

The visuals are consistently stunning, with slick fight choreography, vibrant effects, and a ... killer soundtrack that amplifies every boss battle and epic moment. It might not be a masterpiece, but it’s absolutely a solid 8/10—an adrenaline-pumping ride that’s hard to stop once it gets going.

If you want depth, you might leave a little underwhelmed. But if you’re here for pure hype, sick fights, and overpowered moments, Solo Leveling delivers in spades.

Was gonna rate this a 1, but then I ed how the TV in my house brings memories to me and my family. Okay, just imagine this. One day, you decide to turn on the tv to binge watch some animes. Then, all a sudden, lighning strucked and caused static to your TV, the screen kept flickering black and white images. You also managed to catch some scenes where the screen showed pictures of rocks, pebbles or even should I say...mitochondrion? (Biology shit you should know) Anyways, if that story sounds familiar to you, well you must've also finished this 'movie'! ..... "So, what's the ... point of watching this so-called 'movie'? ". Answer is Non, there's no meaning to it. If you are trying to recall the sweet memories of you and your loved ones bedrotting in yall houses, watching that static filled TV, well there you have it.

Short animated clips following a motivational penguin, the story follows them through short daily scenarios. Content is clearly intended towards children and the format resembles something meant to be watched between shows airing, almost like an instragram reel. Nonetheless very cute and enjoyable, animation is precious since it's a mix of watercolor and traditional animation techniques, so I doubt anyone will regret spending 10 minutes with this, which is what I've spent watching it so far. Not much to think about, a palate cleanser. On a positive note, this could be used to practice japanese if you are a beginner since vocabulary is basic and ... easy to follow.

Holy fucking shit I hate this anime with all of my might
I finding it somewhere between 2016-2017 when I was still a child
I forgot how I found it but I either heard it's an eroanime or confused it with Shoujou Ramune
I still my thoughts when I first watched this anime
I being confused why Pico who is a "girl" has a penis, to my horror I realized it's a boy...
IT'S A GAY PERSON! FUCKING GAY TRASH!
WHY IS THE HEROINE A TRAP AND NOT A GIRL!
I WANT GIRLS!
(from my recollection which I barely )

What my life would have been if I watched Shoujo Ramune ... instead of Boku no Pico
Maybe I won't be traumatized by BL today
Maybe my life might be a little better

so what did I learn?
>I hate shota BL
>maybe don't go searching stuff over the internet

but maybe, the real lesson I learned is that this is kinda a commentary on how predators prey on young people and get taken advantage, and on the second part is the cycle of abuse
but too bad they never go too in-depth to that and made that the main focus of the anime; it's just shota porn

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa G0DAMMM!!!!,THIS IS MASTERPIECE.........NO CAP duhh 10 out of 10 for this mind blowing fantasy and the romcom ಥ_ಥ, fr this is why i always have high hope for the fantasy+romcom genre, im totally intrigued to watch S2 fuxk MAaaa😭😭😭2 time re-watch..... hellla worth it bruhhhh
Unnamed Memory is a hauntingly beautiful mix of fantasy, romance, and emotional weight. While the anime stumbles with rushed pacing and missed depth, the heart of the story—Oscar and Tinasha’s tragic connection—still shines. Their dynamic is slow-burn perfection wrapped in centuries of pain, magic, and fate. I wish the adaptation explored more arcs and gave their bond room to breathe, ... but what we got still hit my soul. The world feels lived-in, the soundtrack is ethereal, and the lore? Wild. It's a story about love, sacrifice, and identity—just wish it had more time to bloom.

If you were hoping for much actual legerdemain from a show ostensibly about a “magic club”, Tejina-Senpai is likely to disappoint.


The show wears stage magic like a cheap, skimpy Halloween costume: there’s very little actual ion for it, and it mostly serves to draw attention in hopes that the ecchi and “comedic” elements keep the viewer engaged once the theming wears thin. Unfortunately for Tejina-Senpai, such elements are worse than mediocre: they’re bog-standard.


You have the “poster-girl” Airhead Klutz FMC, regularly arriving in compromising positions (frequently unexplained bondage, the closest thing to “magic” the show has on offer), a handful of auxiliary girls ... that largely serve to spice up the splash screen visuals, a total cardboard cutout MMC for optimal self-insertion, and a bunch of other cardboard cutouts that can pretend to be characters just long enough to facilitate the current gag.


Said gags are entirely unmemorable. The punchline is usually “Senpai messes up a trick and embarrasses herself, usually in a lewd manner” which gets old very fast. For any given popular magic trick, imagine the most obvious way it could go wrong in an ecchi way, and you’re probably right, or close to it. The rest of the cast exists almost solely as spectators.


A show does not need to stick to its premise like glue, but in the sea of “waifu-bait” Rom-Coms and SoL Shows, hooks need to work overtime to keep attention, and a little substance goes a long way to get viewers to stick around. Alas, Tenjina-Senpai’s hook is dull and their bait is insubstantial. There is little reason to stick around for the reel.

If you are someone who just wants to fill up some time and love fantasy/isekai genre, TBATE aint for you. Its another budget version of mushoku tensei and is probably not gonna get a season 2 with all the critisim towards the animation quality which angered the existing manhwa fan base. Yes, its that bad, tons of still frames and subpar action sequence which made it hard to take this anime seriously. Even the OSTs are bland and invokes no emotion. The only bright spot was the palatabe story and characters but even that is at the bare minimum.

In hindsight, this anime was adapted ... by A-CAT. They have a dismal track record of making low budget slops and for them to butcher a series like TBATE is not unexpected. One might wonder how they even stay afloat. Thus, just avoid any anime made by this studio.

There's something rather frustrating about Yaiba. It's not a bad anime. It's not insulting, it doesn't take the viewer for a fool, it doesn't even try to provoke. And that's its biggest problem.

Everything in this series seems to have been mechanically assembled: a hero with great potential, a universe of demons, companions with stereotyped personalities, and a plot built on rails we know by heart. Yaiba ticks all the boxes of classic shōnen, without ever trying to break free. It doesn't fail because it tries something risky. It fails because it tries nothing.

Visually, the work is more than respectable. Wit Studio delivers fluid animation, spectacular ... effects and clean art direction. As for the music, it s the atmosphere well. At no point can it be said that Yaiba is “badly made”. And yet, behind this technical quality, there's nothing that vibrates. Nothing that moves, questions or astonishes.

One senses a lack of soul, of intention. It's as if the series existed simply to meet its specifications. For those new to Japanese animation, or simply looking for mindless entertainment, this will suffice. But for others hoping for a more singular, lived-in proposition - Yaiba is likely to leave a taste of unfinished work.

It's not a question of contempt, but of real sadness in the face of such blandness. After all, you can imagine how much talent a studio like Wit could bring to bear on a more audacious work. We can also guess that there are, perhaps, artists behind this project who would have liked to go further.

But here, the result is a series whose greatest quality is to be watchable... and whose greatest weakness is to be utterly forgettable.

If you're looking for a unique work of art, you'll have to .

Sword of the Stranger definitely is a good film. It has its flaws which I will elaborate below. I do want to make clear to future viewers that you shouldn't be expected a Samurai film dripping with action. This is a story of strangers coming together, forming a bond and finding themselves in the process with a smattering of sword play.

The story here is well told and is paced very well indeed. It conveys the antagonists and protagonist very well, especially given there are two sets of antagonists (I won't expand on this as it would be somewhat of a spoiler). The bond that ... develops between our two, or should I say three protagonist should we include the dog, is believable and enables easy emotional attachment as the characters progress and development. One small thing I thought was a little rediculous is in the final 30/40 mins, geographically, the distance characters travel in the time ing conveyed in the film is absolute madness, especially given the method of transport chosen for one of the characters. Setting that small thing aside, it's a great story. It's not mind blowing nor is it game changing or heart stopping, but great nevertheless. 8/10.

The animation was done by Bones, literally one of the best animation studios around. The heavyweight behind FMA and Brotherhood, MHA and Mob Psycho to name a few. The animation in this show is almost faultless of I'm going to be honest. If I'm going to be incredibly picky, I'm not the biggest fan of cutting away from the action when there is an impact, it's a bit like watching wresting through the day when it cuts to the crowd when there is a chair shot. Also, there is animation on horseriding from a first person perspective that wasn't great and only lasted a few seconds. It was a nice try at something different, it just didn't work for me. It's a 9/10.

Ok so. This is the most annoying thing for me and it's in relation to the music. Up until around the 1h 10m mark, it was great and probably around an 8/10, maybe 9. HOWEVER, at around the 1h 10m mark, we start hearing a cliche, euphoric, orchestra piece. This then essentially plays, almost continuously for the remaining 32 mins. When this music starts, it really does not fit the mood at all and really needed more ominous or suspenseful tones. Here, the story continues to progress and the music stays the same. The conclusion of the story is drawn, then it starts playing again with a mallet instrument maybe, I don't know what it was. Ultimately, the story progresses a reasonable amount in the last 30 mins and the same music, with the same tone, just plays. So for that, this is getting a downgrade to a 5/10 given it plays for a third of the film.

In summary, we have ourselves a 7/10. Which is a real shame as it should be an 8 or a 9 without the last third of the film being incredibly lazy as far as music is concerned. This film is definitely worth watching 100%. The story and animation are great so I would definitely still recommend.

8/10. Oh damn, that was so good.

For the first 5 mins, I was quite close to dropping it. I was confused and didn't realise what was going on. But as the episode went on, I realised that this is one great comedy.

Characters are all quite hilarious. Not only that, but you actually see growth and development as the show goes on. Some characters improve a lot as the episode progresses. Some relatively stay the same, which is not a bad thing as its for the comedy.

The father-daughter dynamic was absolutely amazing. The environment surronding thr characters of Anzu and Hina and the way it shapes ... them really makes this show stand out.

The humour of this show is so well written. The jokes feel fresh, there's no over exaggeration, characters aren't loud just for the sake of being funny. A breath of fresh air from the non-sensical jokes in a lot of other animes.

I really hope this gets a S2.

This won’t be a long review—at least it wasn’t supposed to be. But there’s one major issue that overshadows the entire season and drains all my enthusiasm to praise what could’ve been one of the best arcs in the series.

I’ve been following this series for 5 years, and I know many who’ve been with it even longer. The arc adapted in Season 5 is phenomenal in the manga. It’s full of important plot revelations, brilliantly written twists, and finally gives side characters—and even the servants—major narrative roles. Every chapter felt purposeful, well-written, and emotionally striking.

But the anime adaptation? It’s a disaster.

The decision to stretch it ... into 13 episodes is the first and biggest mistake. Because of this, scenes are dragged out pointlessly. Episode 9 literally wastes about 7 minutes on a recap. It’s baffling. Book of Circus worked in 10 episodes. The school arc barely survived being stretched to 11. But 13? Without adding meaningful, new content or better pacing?

They could’ve added anime-original scenes with approval from the author, or at least made the direction visually engaging. Instead, the adaptation comes off as cheap, soulless, and handled with zero creativity. There’s barely any actual animation—just a lifeless slideshow of manga s. And yes, this problem existed in the school arc too.

People complain about the art style, but the issue is deeper than that. The faces look odd in several scenes, and the coloring is incredibly basic. This isn’t just a change in style—it’s a clear attempt to cut corners and save budget wherever possible.

The only thing I can praise is the opening and ending. They genuinely match the mood of the arc and were well done. The voice actors also did a solid job, but that alone doesn’t justify watching this when the manga already does everything better. The artwork is weaker, the direction is weaker, and the emotional flow is nonexistent.

So why watch this anime at all?

This arc deserved a 10/10—but not like this. If you’re new to the series, I highly recommend reading the manga. Even earlier anime seasons mixed in filler and altered the original story. Ironically, the fillers are known as “Season 1” and “Season 2,” while the canon arcs are just named after their respective titles.

Another issue is the fragmented way this story is adapted. The arcs are short, yes, but they’re also deeply connected. If the anime had continued seamlessly like Hunter x Hunter or Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, the perception of the story and its quality would’ve changed entirely. But that would require a studio and production committee that actually respects the source material.

How many people even know Season 1 wasn’t canon? Probably not enough. Many dropped the show early or disliked it without ever realizing what the real story is.

If there’s no budget—don’t force it. This adaptation only increases disappointment. Just adapt simpler stories instead. Black Butler deserves better. If anything, it needs a full remake from the very beginning—like Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood. Without that, anime-only viewers will never grasp the full depth of the story, and manga readers will continue to be heartbroken.

This manga ranks among the best, and with the right direction, it could’ve been legendary. But no season has ever felt as lazy and mishandled as Season 4 and 5. This anime no longer holds any meaning for me. It’s heartbreaking. It’s an insult to a story created with such ion.

Writing this review makes me sad. I waited for this arc for years—and instead of praising it, all I want now is for it to end. Leaving a negative review for a series I love is painful. But don’t fool yourselves—this adaptation is not what it deserved

7/10. It was a good anime. There are some flaws here and there but overall its worth a watch.

Characters are explored quite well. The asepct of our main character going back in time and changing things is also an important part which I am glad the show doesn't shy away from exploring. The consequences on the future of the characters he affects directly is quite interesting.

Through, I do think our MC is a weak point of the show. I think he lacks a bit of personality. Lack of individuality, I feel. Doesn't help that the girls around him just keep falling for him, despite us ... not seeing as to why.

I would like to see a S2, but I doubt at this point anyone even re this show.

This review is more of a rant than anything.

I thoroughly enjoyed s1. It was an okay series. Chinese imperial dramas are known for the sprawling complexity and politics, and the anime sort of captures that vibe. The animation is great, and the humour is fun. S2 retains that, but also brings some glaring issues with the writing to light. For one, the season more or less takes on a episodic mystery format, but the mysteries themselves are very contrived, with lots of leaps in logic and extremely niche scenarios. A lot of the “reveals” feel like a stretch, although this wasn’t the dealbreaker for me. ... If you don’t squint too hard at it, you might come out of the show having a good time.

That said however, I'm planning on dropping it right after I'm done with this rant. My main gripe with the show is with how maomao is written. TLDR: s2's static plot exposes maomao's poor character writing as a mary sue. It's hard to stay invested with her lack of personal stakes in the plot, and any internal struggle or character growth on her part. I have far too much to say on this, as i will in the rant below, but feel free to skip to the end instead.

(rant incoming)

Mary sues are characters who are improbably good at anything relevant, lack any meaningful flaws with consequences on the plot, don't grow or struggle internally and have their respective worlds revolve around their usefulness. Maomao, in my opinion, fits this to a T. I can look past her being some deductive genius with a good grasp on ancient medicine because she inherited it from her adoptive dad, but when she becomes this omnipotent problem-solver for almost everything in the rear palace, that just takes me out of the story. It’s the reason why the later episodes become unbearable to watch, because her role in the plot has basically ascended to this. An infallible, super-sleuthing, sherlock-macgyver type character with vast medical knowledge and feminine knowledge (from the brothel) and whatever other skill or knowledge the mystery-of-the-week calls for. It’s to the point where it seems like the palace might just collapse without all her help.

The people that matter in the show are also quick to be enamoured by her because on top of her broken skillset, she is also incredibly kind, class-conscious, emotionally intelligent and endearing. Jinshi especially (more on this later). A flaw the show tries to push is that she’s sort of awkward with emotions and people. But when this has little to no bearing on the plot, and she’s able to be emotionally perceptive and read people when the situation calls for it anyway, this becomes just another fun quirk that feels more like an accessory.

She also has no personal stakes in the main plot. She doesn’t have any real motivation to climb the ranks in the palace because of her general unbotheredness. Because of this, she’s mostly just reactive to the problems around her—she’s never changed by any event and she doesn’t really struggle or grow from them. She just steamrolls through any problem she encounters—just give her an episode or two to figure it out and she will. By this point of the show, everything goes something like "a problem arises-> maomao is called in to do sleuthing-> maomao solves the problem-> people are wowed-> foreshadowing that this is part of a bigger problem". Rinse and repeat. As a viewer, you just feel like you’re being strung along. There’s no clear direction with the story. Just stuff happening. And when the stuff happening borders on repetitive due to a lack of any character development or progression…it’s like, okay, where do we even go from here? Maomao was at least entertaining to watch in s1, but now it’s painfully clear that she is a dull character. She’s just so goddamn realised already that she doesn’t have any room to grow at all. The most I can imagine at this point is just her warming up to Jinshi. Which brings me to my next point.

Her relationship with jinshi is incredibly one-sided. On its own, it isn’t a problem. Sure, maybe for all her perceptiveness, maomao is actually incredibly oblivious. Or emotionally constipated. Or flat-out uninterested. Fine. But when the show doesn’t commit to either bit, and instead throws in innuendos, “almost” moments, blushing, kiss teases—all without establishing any real emotional groundwork from her side, it’s not romantic tension anymore. It’s whiplash. If the show is going to steer things in a romantic direction, at least make maomao’s feelings for him a little more ambiguous. Let there be a change in how she views him and treats him at least. But we're now a full season in and she has yet to regard jinshi with anything more than mild intrigue or ive tolerance. I read that the light novel had much less of a romance focus, and I think that would’ve served the anime better too. It just fits maomao’s characterisation more. And lets jinshi retain some of his dignity lol.

(rant over)

Whoever is reading, sorry you had to sit through all that. I don’t hate apothecary diaries, just frustrated at the poor character writing. If you can tolerate that, as I did for most of the series, then by all means. It’s not a horrible show and at least makes for an entertaining watch. The animation is charming and worldbuilding isn’t half bad. Personally though, I've hit my bullshit threshold at where I'm at in s2.

I wouldn't have watched this show if my SO didn't start it, since it's not my genre. I usually steer clear of isekai and battle shōnen. True, technically this is neither of those, but it's close enough in of how it "feels".

So, what to say after S1?
First of all, now I understand why it's so popular. It has good animation, plus battle choreography and direction are simply amazing. The pacing in those scenes is nothing short of phenomenal.
The premise is interesting, especially the fact that the appearance of these "gates" deeply affected society and economy.

However, at least from my perspective, this show has nothing ... else to offer. I didn't need yet another SAO-like RPG with gaming mechanics. I didn't need another SAO-like OP protagonist like Kirito (the only difference being that Kirito is OP from ep. 1, Sung Jinwoo from ep. 4).

Sure, this show is more mature, and the MC has a rags-to-riches story attached to him, but he still falls into so many tropes...

Him being so OP kills all the tension too, at least for me. He defeats with little effort enemies that should be way above his level (with their title card written in crimson red), so there are no real stakes: we already know he will win all the battles.
And the few times it looks like he's not going to win, the story gives him a convenient way out that suspiciously resembles plot armour. Going to be killed by a god-like monster in a dungeon? Nope, you're going to randomly get a superpower instead. Going to be overwhelmed by an infinite wave of knights? Nope, you forgot your daily quest and you'll be teleported out of danger "as a penalty". He doesn't earn his way out of dangerous situations: either they are not dangerous in the first place (intrinsically or because he is super-strong), or he gets a because the story says so.
If this isn't lazy writing, I don't know what that is.

The writing, beside the MC's characterisation (which is OK, especially in of progression and motivations), is poor in general. The economic and sociological implications of the premise are never developed, they are merely used as plot devices. Same happens also to most of the side characters, which are one-dimensional and underdeveloped because the focus is only on the protagonist.
Dialogues are also badly written, and used for infodump purposes: "as you know, the gates/monsters/hunters do XYZ"... but if two people already "know" about that, they don't spit out unnecessary recaps. Not this way, at least.

FINAL THOUGHTS:
Despite my critiques, I cannot say this show is bad. Not at all. It's fast paced, engaging, adrenalinic. I don't know much of isekai or battle shōnen, but this definitely looks like a good anime if you enjoy them.
My rating is 6 just because I'm not the target audience for this series. If you are, then it's probably closer to 8 or even 8.5.
Recommended only if you like action-packed shows and you don't mind extremely linear or sloppy storytelling.

I've only learned about the BanG Dream franchise because of the hype surrounding Ave Mujica in the Winter 2025 anime season. I reckoned that since this is a big franchise, I might as well start at the beginning and this is entry no 1 of the franchise.


§ Season 1 Overview

It's about Toyama Kasumi getting inspired to establish a band — Poppin'Party — and the struggles she and her bandmates faced.


§ Franchise Overview

Whilst Poppin'Party is the main band of the first season, considering the material of other entries in this franchise, it's a franchise about how different girls with different personalities and backstories come together to ... create their own bands. Each band has their own story to tell. Regardless of how they came to be, it's a celebration of their ion for musick.


§ Notes


1. At first, the characters in the first episode don't seem to stand out. No one seems to stand out, except for Kasumi. Her hair is styled to resemble cat ears. So far, she is the most genki character I have ever seen. If you've ever seen Ruby of Oshi no Ko and Emilico of Shadows House, even combining the genkiness of Ruby and Emilico would fall short of how genki Kasumi.

Of course, this can be polarising. Some people will be annoyed, but others like me welcome Kasumi. In fact, the way she acts keeps the anime from being boring. It also helped me remain interested despite the first four episodes being cringe-worthy.


2. This anime's first season tends to have some drama that makes you feel so low only to compensate it with something peak during the next episode. Since I told you that the first four episodes are cringe, Episode 5 is....guess what!


3. Despite the presence of some drama, I don't see it as mostly drama, unlike the later entries of MyGo and Ave Mujica. It's CGDCT in the manner of the current Spring 2025 seasonal Food for the Soul.

It's not like K-On! though and, as far as I'm concerned, it's the better anime compared to K-On! though it may be inferior to K-On! in some aspects of art direction. Some notice the CGI as glaring though it doesn't seem as bad.


4. Kasumi's bandmates — Arisa, Saaya, Tae, and Rimi — are interesting in their own right. This season has done an adequate job of giving them a character arc, though one can't help but feel that it could have been better.


5. Poppin'Party's performance is great. After some awkwardness in their practice, we see the fruit of their efforts. Others with a critical ear might feel meh, but for me, it's good enough at the very least.


6. One can say that it's not the best band anime. It's probably not even the best in the franchise, but I give it a ing score for its sincerity, and this sense of sincerity is enough. It's about a girl's dream to be a performer and her sincere intention to be a performer despite her doubts and despite starting late.


§ Conclusion

I enjoyed this first entry of the BanG Dream franchise. Perhaps if I had watched this when it was first released, I would feel that the franchise has so much potential.

I'm just giving it a ing score because 1) of the cringe first four episodes, 2) I'm not a fan that much of the dramatick parts.


NOTA BENE: A rating of 5 out of 10 means that 1) I find this anime to be average, 2) I enjoyed it to some extent, but it has some flaws. 3) Or simply, I rank it below my 6's but above my 4's.

A 5 means a ing score. If you think that a score of 5 out of 10 means TRASH, YOU'RE AN IDIOT!

Sousou no Frieren is a rare gem in modern anime—a quiet, contemplative story that lingers long after the credits roll. Rather than focusing on epic battles or grand quests, this series explores what happens after the hero's journey ends. It's a beautifully crafted tale about memory, grief, and the age of time, told through the eyes of an elf mage who outlives her companions.

Sousou no Frieren offers a unique and emotional take on the fantasy genre by focusing on what happens after the hero’s journey ends. Instead of big battles, it explores themes like grief, time, and connection through the eyes of an elf mage ... slowly learning to value human life and relationships.

The story is slow-paced but intentional, with beautiful art and thoughtful character development. Frieren and her companions feel real—flawed, relatable, and emotionally grounded. While it may not appeal to those seeking constant action, it’s perfect for anyone who enjoys introspective, character-driven storytelling.

Quiet, emotional, and unforgettable.

One of my childhood anime, rewatching it as an adult makes it 10 times better. The whole story covered up so many things, like the future, friendship, and even love, mostly things that have to do with connections. I learned a lot from just watching this. So many funny moments, so many uncovered dramas, each and everyone get their own spotlight! Definitely one of the best, all the songs are top tier! 🩷

The art style are pretty cute over all, probably basic, but it was good enough. All the characters were fun to unravel, each and everyone have their unique words and things they ... like, which is very good!

Penguindrum is absurd and it knows it (if it weren't obvious from the synopsis already). The initial plot beats can seem disparate, with new characters bearing seemingly little connection to the brothers’ quest for the Penguindrum being introduced. The show demands your suspension of disbelief — just a bit, or maybe a lot, depending on you. But the repetitive imagery, the strange appearances of the penguins, the questionable character behavior, the mystery of the penguin hat — it’ll all come together in the end.

As much as I love this show, I must it that Penguindrum is deeply flawed. The level of absurdity in the ... first half feels unwarranted, like the show hadn’t quite settled on its identity yet. The pacing is sort of all over the place, characterisation isn’t always consistent, and the sheer amount of symbolism can be overwhelming. It rarely explains itself plainly, instead throwing you information wrapped up in dense motifs. Personally, I didn’t mind — it never got so confusing that I felt blindsided. There was always just enough that was understandable, and even when I was lost, it wasn’t because I wanted the story to be more literal; it was more that I felt a little stupid for not piecing things together. It’s like having all the puzzle pieces, but not knowing how they fit. That said, I completely understand why some people wouldn’t enjoy it. Penguindrum is a mentally demanding watch that doesn’t really explain itself, and not everyone is looking for that. If you like tight narratives where every plot point is perfectly addressed, this probably isn’t for you. You could argue that Penguindrum had bitten off more than it could chew, but somehow I feel like if it hadn’t sought to be as ambitious as it was, it wouldn’t have had nearly the same impact as it did. And I mean this in the least cringey way possible, but there’s a real beauty in Penguindrum’s confusing, larger-than-life storytelling. It’s messy in the way life is, and enigmatic in the way life can be. It’s a story about the three siblings and the lives they become entangled with. It’s a story about fate, destiny, and the train tracks of life. Above all, it’s about love, sacrifice, and broken pieces forming a whole. Oh, and penguins.

Overall, Penguindrum is a wild, fascinating ride — not always clean, not always clear, but always compelling. I can’t promise you’ll like it, but I can promise it’ll leave you thinking. It’s not for everyone and it doesn’t try to be. But if anything here has caught your attention, dive in. You won’t regret it.

To be honest, this anime is just TOO FLAT. I’ve been trying to hold on since the first season, hoping for some improvement. But after watching Season 2, I finally gave up.

The jokes just didn’t land for me, the humor felt too random and awkward, and the worst part was how emotionless the main characters were throughout the show.

This anime uses a deadpan concept — characters with little to no emotional expression. But unfortunately, it wasn’t just one or two characters. Almost everyone in Aharen-san wa Hakarenai acts like that. It makes the cast feel boring and the character dynamics feel isolated and lifeless.

Interactions are ... limited mostly to the two main characters. You barely see them engaging with their classmates, and even when they do, it feels rare and unmemorable. This lack of broader interaction makes the school setting feel empty.

Now let me bring up a comparison from another Spring 2025 anime:
“Kanpekisugite Kawaige ga Nai to Konyaku Haki sareta Seijo wa Ringoku ni Urareru.”

In that anime, the main character Philia also embodies the deadpan concept. But the difference is: only she is like that. The rest of the cast is expressive and lively, which adds balance and makes the deadpan humor actually work. The world feels alive, the interactions are more varied, and it doesn’t feel like you’re stuck watching a two-character skit over and over again.

This is the key difference between the two: same concept, completely different execution.
Aharen-san wa Hakarenai fails to use deadpan as a tool for meaningful comedy or character growth, while the other anime leverages it smartly and keeps things engaging.

Personal Score: 4/10
If you like extremely mellow humor and ultra-low-energy characters, maybe this is for you. But for me, it just felt dull and hard to enjoy.

Inu x Boku SS- 3/10, Quite boring. Dropped at Ep 5.

I am quite surprised by the decent rating this show has because the show is not nearly as good.

There is a disturbing age gap between the main couple as the female main character is underage. The romance also feels considerably forced. They lack any sort of chemistry and their extremely introverted and boring personalities do not help. A cardboard is more interesting than the male main character. Side characters are somewhat ok. Certainely more interesting than the main characters.

There is a supernatural element, but its not really the focus. It also feels like an afterthought, ... like if you remove it from the story, it would make no difference. The whole time I kept thinking "why are they monsters?".

TLDR- 3/10. I was trying really hard to not fall asleep for the whole 5 episodes before dropping.

I never write reviews and probably never will after this one, but this one broke me. It's not going to be a "professional" review. Just a nerd talking to other nerds.
This is genuinely the worst adaptation I've seen in my life. Did Berserk not do justice to the source material? Sure. Was Tokyo Ghoul done dirty by the anime? Very much so.
But this? This is on another level. This "anime" literally has fewer frames per chapter than the manhwa/comic does. If you thought Uzumaki had shit animation you are in for a ride.

Yeah, the source material wasn't top-notch, but it was decent. The vast ... majority of people who are not pretentious assholes pretending to be some media sommeliers would agree that it's a nice read; especially the comic.
This adaptation not only doesn't do it justice -- it actively tries to make the viewer dislike the series. Non-sequitur info dumps, PowerPoint presentations instead of animation, and horrible CGI, unless you like those, I strongly advise you not to waste your time on even a single episode.

If you want to watch a TBATE anime, you are better off quickly scrolling thru the manhwa and trying to understand what's being said based on context clues.

TL;DR – The gifs and memes don’t do this artistic imagining of an interconnected world justice, it’s so much more than powerlines and edgy quotes. This is an old anime from 1998, an era shared with several classics such as Cowboy Bebop, Trigun, Neon Genesis Evangelion, and Great Teacher Onizuka. It rightfully occupies a place alongside them as one of the first modern classics which trailblazed an anime fandom in the west. It explores the impacts of the internet on social relationships, mental health, and our perception of reality.

This is a thought-provoking classic, made in an age when the masses were just beginning to log ... onto the rapidly growing internet. Like many sci-fi works created in this era, it attempts to predict what may come to in a future where we live through the internet and largely spurn real world human and a seemingly dull existence. While taking a much more fanciful approach vs. the grittier and more accurate depiction of Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, Serial Experiments Lain still inspires introspection in those of us who are chronically online or have tech addicted people in our lives.
Which person are we, really? Our online selves or what we show to people in the real world? Is the internet a place, is it an experience, or just a tool? Are there clear boundaries, or have the lines blurred so much that the internet and the real world are indistinguishable? What happens when we forsake human in favor of living vicariously online?
Ghost in the Shell is the only other anime I’ve seen which provokes viewers to ask themselves these sort of questions as it relates to tech. Sure, there are other anime and OVA which will present us with moral quandaries – Time of Eve comes to mind for example – but these are often more on the nose and less subtle. Are robots sentient and should they have rights? These are fun thought experiments but are of a completely different nature. Serial Experiments Lain shows us a world where the internet can change who you are, destroy your real-world social life, and even has Lain experience what could be interpreted as internet virality.
This anime remains one of my favorites, and I highly recommend it to anyone who is into psychological thrillers – think “Perfect Blue” “Paranoia Agent” and “Paprika” for example.

If you're looking for something fun to watch that doesn't have too much angst (although it does have some), this may be a good anime to try. It's also a good anime for people who can't get enough of the "reincarnated as a villainess" trope that's become so popular recently. That being said, there are a few details to keep in mind while watching it.


The first of these is the animation. For some reason the animators decided to use a mix of 3D and 2D animation for this anime. When the 3D animation (generally used for non-humans) is used in a scene with 2D animation ... (human characters or landscapes), the animation styles clash. The anime lost a star on my rating for this reason.

That being said, the storyline made up for the poorer quality of animation. While it didn't have too much that was unexpected (the overpowered, reincarnated villainess does her best to survive when she thinks she's supposed to die), the story was quite enjoyable. It also uses the "reincarnated villainess" idea slightly differently than what's been done in other anime. For example, it doesn't give the main character (aka. the villainess) the heroine's harem, which some audience might appreciate. (Note: this doesn't mean there's no romance at all, but it's also not the main plot point of the story).

I would also highly recommend watching at least two episodes before deciding to drop this one. The first episode was a bit difficult for me to get through, especially since you don't even really see the main character till most of the episode is over. It does provide some necessary information, it was just kinda difficult for me to maintain interest till the second episode.

The first few episodes of this anime seemed pretty promising. The four main characters can switch into other fairytale heroes to help fight evil (or something like that). The art style is fine, and I did like Ex, one of the main characters.

Then the four main characters suddenly start to change into other characters that they hadn't switched to before, with absolutely no explanation of why they were able to do so. I like Ex enough that I'll likely continue watching this, but it's already broken my suspension of disbelief for this story (since there's too many parts of it that aren't properly explained before ... being introduced to the viewer - although this is mostly related to how they switch to various characters). That's why I gave it such a low score.

ok so this show is basically what The Magical Revolution wishes it was. Generic isekai protagonist is brought into another world, but there no magic! so what are they gonna do? make it themselves. A great premise that CERTAIN shows should probably take notes from. But anyways yeah the Premise is good, the main character is great, the side characters are great. Sure the art isnt that good and it has this weird 3d thing going on for his gauntlets but I dont judge. Pretty decent score that fits the theme aswell so theres that. It sticks the landing without anything crazy going on, but ... ultimately doesnt provide anything other than what you would expect from the story, which is holding it back from a 8 or 9 critically speaking. As far as fantasy shows go, this one is pretty good, and I recommend it to anyone interested in the genre.

I first watched Black Butler back in high school nearly a decade ago, and I was instantly drawn in by its moody Victorian setting, elegant character design, and the unique dynamic between Ciel Phantomhive and his demonic butler, Sebastian. Add in the quirky, clumsy, but endearing household staff, and it was easy to see why the series stuck with me. Having recently rewatched it, I’m happy to say that much of what I enjoyed still holds up, especially the strong visual style, atmospheric soundtrack, and its moments of strong storytelling (Additionally, I forgot just how funny certain scenes were).

That said, Black Butler's first season is ... not without its issues, most notably in how heavily it deviates from the manga. Roughly nine or ten of its twenty-four episodes closely follow the source material, and those tend to be the strongest in of plot and tone, particularly its first 6 episodes are fantastic. The remaining episodes, which are largely non-canon, are a mixed bag. Some, like the Frost Festival episode, are pretty fun. Others, like the dog village arc, just felt like filler.

The anime-original characters also vary in quality. Ash/Angela is a fairly interesting addition, but Pluto is more obnoxious than anything else. As the season progresses, the plot becomes somewhat convoluted, especially in the final stretch. While not enough to derail the experience entirely, it does slightly weaken the momentum built in earlier episodes. It develops a storyline which seems to conclude Ciel's journey but again, the manner in which they do conclude things is odd to say the least, and one note of solace to take is the fact that it isn't a canon ending (Season 2 would build off of this ending but the entirety of Season 2 itself is not canon).

Still, Black Butler endures for me because of its core strengths: the Victorian aesthetic, memorable characters, stylish art direction, and a beautiful soundtrack. When it follows the manga, the storytelling is honestly great, and for me, offered an emotional experience. If you're someone who enjoys a blend of mystery, supernatural intrigue, and historical flair, with a heavy dash of Victorian gothic horror, Black Butler is worth your time. Despite its flaws, I still love it, and Ciel remains one of my favorite anime protagonists because of his sharp and magnetic personality.

Early last year, I watched the OVA of Starship Girl Yamamoto Youko. The premise is ridiculous, but it was a lot of fun. Youko is a fun character.

I was excited to watch the anime series, but I was disappointed that it's not as fun as the OVAs.

The premise is similar. Yamamoto Youko is an ordinary high school girl, except that she is a highly skilled arcade gamer, and we're not even taking into that she's good with a bunch of other stuff like sports. One day, she is invited to travel to the third millennium where Terra and Ness are fighting for control ... of different planets and star systems. Instead of a war, games and space battles take place between select pilots of each side. If someone's starship is destroyed, the pilot is teleported, so no one dies.

Whereas the OVA seems to be so fun, the anime that came later is dreary in comparison. Even Youko didn't seem as fun of a character compared to her OVA version. She is still competent but bored.

So if you like the OVA, should you skip the anime? It's your call. There's a benefit to watching the anime, but it won't be as fun as the OVA.

The OVA seems to be random episodes and lacks a plot. The anime, for all its faults, has a semblance of a plot. The OVA Youko is a fun Mary Sue, but TV Youko can sometimes lose, even though she's highly skilled and competent.

If you only watch the OVA, the ing characters are forgettable. But if you watch the anime, the ing characters are much more memorable, especially Madoka and Ayano. Too bad Momiji isn't as well written as these other two.

They become memorable due to them having some character arcs that highlight their quirks. If you rewatch the OVA, you will start to notice these quirks as well, which is something you might overlook on your first viewing.

Now let's talk about the bad. It starts out slow with Youko and Ayano refusing the call of adventure. It starts to pick up at around Episode 6 to Episode 8, but still slow compared to the OVA. If this were to air today, many people would have dropped this.

Another element that makes this difficult to recommend is the Shimboisms. the unusual sequence in the final two episodes of Evangelion? Other people find that it's executed similarly. I'm not surprised. The director of this anime is Shimbou Akiyuki, the same director as Bakemonogatari. The unusual visuals in Bakemonogatari reminded me of Evangelion. Even though no staff from Eva are present in either of Shimbou's two projects, the influence of Evangelion is clear and apparent.

Perhaps we should thank that this anime existed so Shimbou could experiment with his visual style and found its way in full bloom in shows like Bakemonogatari. This however doesn't mean it's good. It makes it a slog. The experience of watching this anime is similar to trying to kick while your body is submerged. The use of contrasting colours and shadows, and sometimes in a wide shot make it feel oppressive. I very much prefer the direction Shimbou did in the OVA. Speaking of the OVA, something similar to the anime can be seen developing in the final two episodes of OVA II.

Fluger's character design is better in the anime and his OVA design seems to have been thrown to a nuisance character. In general, I dislike the character designs in this anime. It reminds me of moe blob and not the rich details that older anime from the 90s and earlier bring. I prefer the design from the OVA.

Is this a must-watch? No. Fans of Shimbou Akiyuki might consider watching this, but they might dislike the anime's slow pace. If you like the OVA, consider watching this even though it's a downgrade. You will get to know Ayano and Madoka more.

The TV anime version of Starship Girl Yamamoto Youko tries to have a satisfying story, and I think it's a somewhat satisfactory watch, but the fact that it's not as fun as I had expected, coming from the OVA, makes this hard to recommend. I still give it a ing mark.


NOTA BENE: A rating of 5 out of 10 means that 1) I find this anime to be average, 2) I enjoyed it to some extent, but it has some flaws. 3) Or simply, I rank it below my 6's but above my 4's.

A 5 means a ing score. If you think that a score of 5 out of 10 means TRASH, YOU'RE AN IDIOT!

I am writing this review out of pure malice towards reviewers who does not recommend this anime just because of the "fast pacing". You have got to be an illeterate first grader to not be able to comprehend and process the emotions and motivations this show tries to evoke. All you need to do is to pause once in a while and THINK why things are the way they are, and why the characters are acting the way they do. Or finish the entire episode and reflect on it afterwards. It is not the problem of To Be Hero X that you are incapable of ... thinking that you need everything spoonfed to you. The show is perfect. The storytelling is solid, and the characters DO have character development—it's just that you're as slow as a turquoise. For Bob's sake.

Anime bem legalzinho, mas é só isso, na verdade fui até generoso em dar uma nota 7, o anime conta com um design bom, a animação pra esse tipo de anime até que é consistente, porém eu esperava mais pela nota alta do MAL, o protagonista é muito denso, e pra mim é o ponto baixo dessa obra, a heroína e os bons momentos de comedia e o final são o que salvam a obra porque o personagem principal é deplorável, é legal ver o crescimento dele, mas nossa, ainda sim é muito ruim. Dito isso, não esperem muita coisa, pelas notas eu esperava ... muito mais....

Pretty cool anime, but that's it. In fact, I was generous enough to give it a 7. The anime has a good design, the animation is actually quite consistent for this type of anime, but I expected more from MAL's high score. The protagonist is very dense, and for me that's the low point of this work. The heroine, the good moments of comedy and the ending are what save the work because the main character is deplorable. It's nice to see his growth, but wow, it's still really bad. That said, don't expect much. Judging by the scores, I expected much more....

The only thing that ruined this anime was this insufferable character named Louise. This tsundere style is really annoying, and I don't mind characters with this trait. A well-written tsundere would be, for example, Makise Kurisu from Steins;Gate — for me, that's a real tsundere. You could say to me: "Oh, but Saito keeps chasing after other women", but honestly, if someone treated me like trash (a dog) like she always did, I wouldn't give a damn about that person. For me, Queen Henrietta, or even Tiffa herself who was innocent and never knew what love was, would play a much better role as a ... female protagonist. Other characters, like Siesta, in a world where the nobles treat her like trash, Saito is a shining star. He is a man who didn't care what the nobles thought of him and treated the commoners with kindness. From season 2 to season 3 I started to hate Louise so much that I almost dropped the anime and forced myself to watch season 4 just for the secondary characters and Saito himself. Rating 6 at least for a closed ending

This anime is PEAK. The story is amazing and can so easily get you sucked into it. The character's are amazing and I have gotten attached to almost all of them. The development and huge moments for each character makes this even better. The world development is also the best in anime with there being countless episodes just exploring and devloping the area's the main characters are in. Littearly go onto the One Piece fandom and you will see countless pages full of information on just 1 island. With all that being said, watch the anime or read the manga. It's peak!

the idea of this whole plot is kind of basic, it's definitely not for everyone and i can see how people could complain about how a lot of this is really.. surface-level but as someone who doesn't particularly go for animes that focus this much on 'power play' i really enjoyed solo-leveling. it's mindless and it got me excited in a lot of scenes - when i was on the part where sung arrived at jeju, i was basically BUZZING. so, yeah i was having fun with this whole "this guy is the strongest and he keeps getting stronger, no one can touch him like ... ever" thing. i joked a lot about how they should make a whole other rank for him 'S*'. this is a fun watch if you like sung, if you don't like him as a character then it'll probably be hard to root for him.

Maomao has more Aura in a single scene in episode 4 alone then the Main Character of any edgy power fantasy solo levelling-like has in their entire series.

the undisputed GOAT

Amazing that a show about Concubines and Prostitution treats its female chracters with more respect than any shonen
Amazing art, incredible chracters, an incredibly good story. Highly reccomend, much better than I ever expected and I was already expecting it to be pretty good. I dont think I've ever related with a show's main character as much as I have with Maomao. Unique set up, interesting situations, like a better version of HouseMD

A very faithful albeit short adaptation of a classic video game. So much action and flair and it doesn't skimp out on anything besides some more slow burn scenes for the development of the plot which is okay, I wouldn't expect a fighting anime to have characters or topics in it be thoroughly explored. This really put me on to how cool Darkstalkers actually is as someone who isn't a big fan of fighting games but the concept of western horrors dressed up and stylized and made to have symbolic battles of "Light V Dark" makes me giddy. The entire series including this anime is ... just oozing coolness and makes me wish we could've gotten the entire story of the game animated.

Story (4/10): The problem with a lot of Samurai stories in anime is encapsulated here in my opinion.
Always adding an unnecessary part of weird fiction, constant style over essence and such — I would recommend watching the much better Kenshin OAV that is so far the most interesting samurai animated movie we’ve had and it is much older.

Voice Acting(4/10): The voice acting for mandarin was beyond subpar — not even talking about tones it just sounded wrong and the Blu-Ray has a warning before the start of the movie saying that the author purposely pushed the use of mandarin in some scenes but the Japanese ... voice actors didn’t even bother replicating a mandarin « accent », it is (and I mean it) completely unintelligible. That being said, the Japanese VA were standard.

Animation(8/10): Animation is great, although it is to be expected from the storyboarder behind Cowboy Bebop and Ghost in the Shell — with fights being especially well drawn and the overall style being interesting although as always with 2000s anime — the 3D elements feel incredibly out of place.

Overall: 5 /10, this isn’t a necessary watch and truly is disappointing when it comes to such an esteemed director in my heart. Watch the kenshin OAV lol.

This was part of the Bilibili 2021 Lineup,
This original 18-minute short film, released over four years ago, garnered attention for its compelling visuals and storytelling, and it has an English dubbed version on YouTube (like most Bilibili Productions, though they really ought to get better subs too).

A full-length series adaptation is scheduled for release in the second half of 2025, and to prepare myself for it, I decided to rewatch the original material.

What a refreshing animation-style and depth of storytelling, these 18min would've been a convoluted 3x26min Donghua otherwise, as such I believe this truly serves as a Pilot to what False Memory (2025) could ... be like.

Inspiration-wise, it reminds be a bit of Natsume Ono's Not Simple, with some suprising non-linearity in the narrative structure.
Per the short nature of the film, I don't wanna spoil any further, it's really great and easily accessible, go give it a try !

An exceptional story told with exceptional flair. I first encountered this film when I had only just discovered The Beatles and was awakening to the revolutions of the ’60s. As a teenager still trying to grasp the meaning of peace, it struck me hard and gently bent my moral com toward the good. I’m convinced everyone should meet this film while they’re still young; it has the power to reshape a person from the roots up and fling open entirely new windows on the world.

I it the finer points of its technique and animation have faded in my memory—one day, when I rewatch it, I’ll ... revise this note—but I do , vividly, the force of its sound design and visual language. With a disarmingly simple yet piercing style, the film drives its message straight into the deepest veins of the viewer.

Morally and emotionally bankrupt trash with no sincerity whatsoever. This is a staggering display of emotional immaturity/delusion from the writer. It feels like it was written by some rich tiktok-for-brain idiot ipad kid. Or rather just some insulated delusional rich idiot trying to larp as what they think the kids are like these days.

This shallow movie is an unwitting display of hypocrisy, a monument to vanity (despite explicitly superficially wearing the abused corpse of Beauty and the Beast as it hollowly parrots a mockery against being vain), of greed (as they churn out this soulless facsimile of emotionally bankrupt propaganda slop), of pure vitriol seeking ... to normalize itself.

The MC is a self-insert of escapism. The writer attempts to convince through appeals to the viewer's vainglory that you are right and can change the world and be perfect in everyway and overcome all the evils that are almost everyone else because you need only rely on the power of tryharding and friendship to get everything you could ever want.
Want to be a singer? You're already the best singer in the world from the moment you CONSUME PRODUCT, time/effort/practice and hard work? Fuck no. Want to be loved? You're ugly because you look like the generically attractive girl MC of every anime ever but with freckles until you CONSUME PRODUCT and look tall and anorexic and covered in makeup because this is your true inner self and now everyone finds you beautiful and trust me looks don't matter, just look at nearly all the other characters who are also generic examples of ugly=bad attractive=good because the narrative totally agrees that lookism is wrong see? Want to save children from their abusive parent? Just get on a train alone across the country and stand there in front of the ab and he'll bark like a dog until he runs away out of fear at how powerful you are at standing there.

The plot is dumb, shallow, full of pointless filler and poorly connected with a bunch of random bs scenes such as: "And then the edgelord beast comes and the dumb power rangers fight him again while Belle Delphine floats there damsel-in-distressing again."
The action is intrinsically dumb on multiple levels (LOG TF OUT?!)(back on that dumb virtual world action bs instead of anything even remotely realistic: hacking) and handled with cartoonish immaturity.
The main plot of the movie involving (idiotic, plot-holed, contrived) doxxing/bullying mean-girls garbage shoved in for no reason until the end and it's all handled with no actual understanding therein nor of human nature/society/social media/etc.
The dumb romance subplots are 1-note nothings with most of the character pairings never even speaking to each other for the entire movie. One of them is literally just 2 side characters speaking for the first time to confess and then that's it, they have no more role in the movie but standing in the background once or twice. The main MC's romance subplots are not particularly different.
The characters are almost all insufferably vague immoral cardboard cutouts with no sincerity favoring comedic relief. Imagine a bunch of little bratty kids (like from Lord of the Flies) larping as cartoon villains (Shazam?).
The main songs despite usually sounding well-produced are about as hamfisted as self-narrating the story along with a bunch of juvenile La La La-ing.
The dialogue is often as terrible as can be expected when it comes from a writer who has no sincerity nor understanding of humanity.
The art-animation (vapid in the digital world and boring in the real world) is high-budget but soulless outside of the 1 decent amount of effort they put in to their 1 main climax scene of her singing on a whale they reused again for the brainless hook opening scene of this soulless corporate cashgrab.
This 2 hour movie is 30 minutes of plot, the rest is redundant scenes and terrible filler. The soulless emotionally bankrupt nature of this movie is perfectly incapsulated by the ending scene of the creator's drawn out, masturbatory fixation on what they think is a really worthwhile image of a cloud (they even added it at the end of the soulless credit's cost-cutting slide show of selected movie frames).

1/10 (where 5/10 is average)

I came for the boxing... but stayed for Joe

I started watching Ashita no Joe season 1 purely out of curiosity. I wanted to understand why this series was so deeply rooted in Japanese culture and why it was held in such high regard. Little did I know it would completely flip my expectations and end up becoming my second favorite anime of all time, right under Hajime no Ippo.

Funny thing is, I never even liked boxing that much to begin with.

It all started with Hajime no Ippo, which introduced me to what you could call “the fun part of boxing”: the hype, the technique, the ... humor, and most importantly, the growth of a character you can't help but root for. But then came Ashita no Joe, and that’s when I realized boxing could be something else entirely.

Ashita no Joe isn’t about boxing as much as it is about Joe himself. Boxing is just the outlet, the arena where all the weight of his character and choices collide. Lets just say its not really about boxing till episode 20, which compared to most sportsanime is like night and day.

I’ll be honest, it took me nearly 50 episodes of Ashita no Joe S1 to fully grasp how good of a story this actually is. You know... after a certain tragic event, and thats where season 2 takes place. It is a big reason why i love this season so much , it covers my favorite part about Ashita no Joe and removes all the filler from season 1. At first it surprised me how little the show cared about technical boxing breakdowns, but then i realized instead, it focused on Joe’s self-destructive journey, his defiance, and the emotional wreckage he leaves behind. Every opponent Joe faces doesn’t just lose, they’re either broken, traumatized, or outright gone. And none of this feels flashy or overdone. It feels real. It hits you slowly, then all at once.

The best comparison i can make is probably Vinland Saga. Joe in S2 is a lot like Thorfinn in Vinland Saga S2. Both are broken, both are trying to find a new reason to live, and both eventually reach a form of peace through pain, reflection, and the connections they form with others. Neither of these series are about the "sport" or "war" itself; they’re about the human spirit caught in the middle of it. In many ways, it feels like Vinland Saga took direct inspiration from Ashita no Joe, especially in how it frames trauma, guilt, and rebirth. And honestly, it’s beautiful to see that kind of storytelling legacy live on.

And the ending? Man... It left me hollow in the best way. It’s one of the greatest endings I’ve ever seen in anime: quiet, haunting, and so thematically perfect it’s almost scary.

Looking at my profile now, I guess I’ve morphed from a casual sports anime fan to a full-blown boxing anime maniac. And it all started with a question: “Why is this show so beloved?” Now I know.

10/10

Happy Pride Month, everyone! I don't think I can take pride in the fact that I watched the subject of today's review, though, especially not for a second time. Yes, I rewatched an anime for the sake of reviewing it. I don't exactly how I found out about this particular yuri OVA, but I did originally watch it back in 2014 and think it was so-so, apparently. However, I recently decided that it might be a good idea to re-evaluate some of the anime I gave an average score to in the past, and this OVA particularly stuck out in my mind; I didn't ... much about it, but something told me that I rated it too highly at the time, especially given the little bit of it I did . Unfortunately, I was proven correct; I don't see what it was that made my younger self see Kuttsukiboshi as anything more than....well, not good.

Kuttsukiboshi, or "Stars Intertwined" in English, follows the relationship between two high school girls named Kiiko Kawakami and Aya Saitou. After an accident a year prior, Kiiko gained the ability to move objects with her mind, and the new student Aya just so happened to find out her secret. This leads to them conducting daily experiments revolving around Kiiko's powers; all the while, Kiiko develops a crush on Aya. Aya ends up reciprocating Kiiko's feelings, and soon enough, they begin a sexual (and I guess romantic?) relationship. Things threaten to fall apart between the two of them, though, when Kiiko stumbles upon Aya's own secret.

This OVA series only has two episodes, and between the two, I'm not sure which is worse than the other. The first episode is mostly very boring, establishing a relationship between two characters I don't give two figs about; meanwhile, the second episode has a lot more going on yet is much more frustrating to watch due to the choices characters make and an ending that makes no sense. I will give the writers some props for attempting to foreshadow a certain aspect of the anime's ending in the first episode, but at the same time, that aspect felt very forced. To make up for this poorly-done plot, there is plenty of "plot" to go through (though it's not explicit enough to be a hentai), and.... Well, going into detail would lead to spoilers, but I will say that anyone who was aroused by certain "plot" scenes - specifically in episode 2 - should probably get their heads checked out.

Talking about each of the characters should be easy enough, considering there are only three "real" characters in Kuttsukiboshi. Kiiko is kind of a bland protagonist; aside from her having psychic powers and being in love with Aya, there is nothing to her character that could make her endearing to the audience. Aya is the more developed of the two, but the choices she makes and the way she treats Kiiko makes her very unlikable; the series tries to paint her as a sympathetic character in the end, but the damage is already done at that point. You can imagine just how unpleasant and uninteresting their relationship is when all of that is said. As for the third character, Kouta Saitou (Aya's older brother), his only purpose in the series is to cause drama between Kiiko and Aya; what becomes of him after he has served his purpose is almost laughable. Almost.

The animation in Kuttsukiboshi was done by Primastea, a studio whose only animation work seems to have been for the Issho ni Training OVA series (and even that's only in a producing role). This lack of experience from this studio really shows in aspects like the rough and off-model at times animation and the bland color grading. The sound of this anime doesn't fare much better. Asami Imai, the voice of Kiiko, has done some pretty decent voice acting work before and after this - Chihaya from "The iDOLM@STER" and Kurisu from "Steins;Gate", anyone? - but her performance here left much to be desired; the other two named characters are voiced by people with little to no other voice acting experience, and it shows in their weak performances. (Miku Isshiki sounded kind of cute as Aya, though, even if her voice acting was weak.) Each episode has its own ending theme, but neither are anything to write home about; "Hatsukoi Kasoku Kuukan", in particular, is probably one of Asami Imai's weaker songs.

Overall, Kuttsukiboshi is a bad anime, and I can't even recommend it to the biggest yuri fan out there. That said, if I had a gun pointed to my head and was forced to choose between this and Netsuzou Trap, I'd gladly watch this a third time; at least the yuri couple in Kuttsukiboshi doesn't ruin other romantic relationships (and Kuttsukiboshi doesn't have Fujiwara). In any case, may everyone in the LGBTQ+ community have a good Pride Month, and may I find something that's better than average in any other re-evaluation I do!

The 90s was full of crappy anime OVAs. I'm not kidding, it was literally the decade of the OVA, there were so many of them, the definition of oversaturation. Some of them managed to at least be entertaining or occasionally even a bit more than than that, like Violence Jack, Bubblegum Crisis 801, Cyber City Oedo, Gunbuster, and Yokohama Shopping Log, among others. This...is not one of them. It has appealing character designs, but unfortunately that's the only positive thing that I can say about it. The plot, or what plot it has, is so confusing that I can't even ... begin to write a synopsis, and it's painfully boring. The plus side? At least it's only four episodes.

GOD DAMN, the subtitles for this anime are terrible, from both HiDive and Amazon. Bilibili has slightly better.
Absolute brain-rot localization, as if you are watching a british show from the 90's.
If you have even a slight understanding of japanese, you will find it hard to listen to the dialogue and then to read the hellish tarnation the subtitles are.

Enough for the platforms, now for the anime.

Starts well with Episode 1, but then time skips some years and goes on episodic with the story. 10 episodes in, you get another 150 years of time skip for no reason. It gets really boring, since nothing of importance ... seems to happen and our MC just "lives his life", contemplating... nothing seemingly. He barely talks, his thoughts are not really shown. His motivation goes "poof" with the first time skip. He probably lives, just because he is breathing.
Side characters are bit more interesting, but after the 150 skip into the future, they become less relevant.

It seems to be mostly telling the life of the MC.
But you do not see what keeps him on going. I do not see any struggle, be it emotional or physical.

There is also sudden drop in animation quality at around episode 4. The best quality is in episode 1 which is expected, since its a pilot episode with movie length.

I think i will forget everything about this anime in few weeks. It is just quite unremarkable.

well, I actually enjoyed the 1st season a little bit, so I generally recommend giving it a chance. BUT I actually see a two main problems:

the first one is the story, or more to do with the characters. in a lot of time I was confused about the goals and purpose of a lot of the characters, and I even found it to be contradictory. I believe that because the amount of the deleted content from the manga, so they couldn't take their time in building the characters.

second is the production. its a little bit in the bad side, not to the unwatchable category, not ... even close.

my rating is based on the rough amount of joy. not an objective one

Really it's one if the best movie i have watched ever.

Like Your Name, Suzume and Silent Voice and Evargarden violet the last movie.

Short story tells about kids that want to travel to tokyo and start there own live.

The story of the serenity bringer was Perfect idea.
The characters was Medium it's same heros in :
Your Name.
Additional information: the Heros of Your Name Appears in this Movie in few scenes.
... The end was happy end so you will like it. If you like kind ends like it.
After all i like to rated it 9/10 and i reccomdation anyone to watch The movie "Weathering with You" i really like it and. Yeah . It's masterpiece

Fun, but not consistently funny, has some good bits, plenty of missed potential, peaks in the first few eps.

First couple episodes where everyone's first adjusting to life are the funniest and I wish they kept that momentum throughout the rest of the show. Ashiya is the funniest character + the show's strength, creating really funny situations that you would expect from a high demon commander trying to blend in to normal life. Mao on the other hand is pretty disappointing---seeing as he's the demon LORD you'd expect him to exhibit even more whiplash than Ashiya but instead plays the typical MC straightman to the hijinks ... of everyone else. Emilia could have been a lot funnier: she's a human from a 1400s European -esque society, it could have been really funny (and maybe offered some commentary) if they had moments from her POV like: failing at interacting with other people, being shocked at things like showers, hygiene, lack of famine, people workingout for fun + health instead of for battle or manual labor, being stuck inside all day and not having any greenery, but instead she fits in instantly. It's sort of set up initially that Mao would have large character development, going from a demon that sees humans as fodder to one that respects and understands humans, but that's glossed over immediately. Sometimes he indicates at his "true plans" at conquering Earth, but he just says that to get under Emi's skin and never acts on it.

Chiho is okay. She's supposed to be our rep. as the only modern human in the group so that we can get a frame of reference for how the gang would actually look in real life, but is way to flat, sexualized, and dull to be funny. The show focuses a lot on her one-sided relationship with Mao which in concept I don't have a problem with, I think it's fitting he would be pretty asexual, but it just gets way too much screen time. Every scene with her, even when she's alone, is about Mao---girl needs a personality. The police humans are pretty funny and those bits never fail, so i wish they couldve written Chiho to not be taken so seriously and be a bit more of a weirdo herself. Her misinterpreting everything between Mao, Emi, and Suzuno as being romantic gets old fast. More dimensionality is highly needed.

About halfway through the show, a bunch of characters from Ente Isla are thrown at us as well as a halfbaked political plot. Lucifer was funny, but others like blue hair girl and white hair guy are humourless and bland and take up screentime that could've been spent developing the main 4. the political plot isn't interesting either. the show just would have been so much better if they scrapped all of that and just focused on the character development, especially Emilia and Mao, really milking them for all the humour they can provide before adding in more characters.

My fix-it would be slowing down the adjustment period so you have several episodes like 1 and 2 with more comedy focused on the demons trying to blend in, Mao believing he can genuinely conquer Earth from his position and that humans are lesser creatures, and giving Emilia more screen time. Then Mao can start to warm up to Chiho a little more as he realizes he won't be replenishing his magic any time soon and that he has to learn to like his life on Earth, Emilia and him butting heads but realizing murder has legal consequences, etc. etc. I thought Lucifer was funny, so they can still introduce him, but I would put him later down the road so you get more time with Mao and Emilia.

Overall okay. I've actually rewatched it a couple times because it does have some good bits, and the english dub is actually great, but it unfortunately couldve been a lot better.

✍️My Personal Opinion✍️

I watched this show only because season two is coming out next month. I had no original intention to watch it. So my opinion is totally neutral—neither a fan nor a hater.

As a first season, the anime focuses heavily on visuals and sound design. The story doesn’t really begin until episode 7—and then picks up again in episodes 11, 12, and 13. I’m not exaggerating. Other than that, the anime was mostly average.

This is one of those shows you’ll either really enjoy or really won’t. It’s only suitable for a specific type of anime viewer—and I’ll list them below.

✅ Who I Recommend This ... Anime To ✅

This is the most important part of the review. If you fall into one of these categories, you’ll likely enjoy this show:

If you love anime with stunning visuals and backgrounds—this is for you.

If you enjoy works that blend audio, music, and dialogue in a stylish way—definitely give it a shot.

If you’re a fan of Samurai Champloo or the Monogatari series—there’s a big overlap in atmosphere and presentation, so I recommend it for you too.

I recommend this group to check it out—but not strongly. Also, if you’re planning to watch season two, the way season one ends really sets things up for it. And if you enjoy philosophical anime, or ones that feature quirky dialogues that often feel like filler but are “deep,” or if you just like vampire anime, light romance, simple plots, and two characters just wandering around together—you’ll probably enjoy it, but again, not strongly.

🚨 Who I Don’t Recommend It To 🚨

If you’re someone looking for:

A strong story,

A primarily romantic anime,

Or if you focus on narrative depth, character development, logical buildup, complexity, etc.

Then this anime probably won’t meet your expectations. It leans more toward a visually calming, aesthetically driven experience.

✍️Conclusion✍️

I watched this show because the second season is coming out soon. I didn’t personally enjoy it, but I do strongly recommend it to a specific group of anime fans who love visual and audio-focused storytelling.

The anime has an average story, weak ing character presence, and no plot that really feels worth your time (though season two might change that—I haven’t read the manga). And finally, I made the mistake of thinking it was primarily a romance anime.

My rating: 7/10.
I hope you enjoy watching it more than I did.

So as someone who HAS watched all of the original UC Gundam stuff, and am knowledgeable in almost anything OYW, Gryps, Neo Zeon, etc., I'd say this is a SOLID show that has so much potential, the only thing AT THE MOMENT stopping it is the overall episode count, which is supposed to be 12. I feel as though the story only really started in 6 and is now snowballing into something bigger, with a rush to develop the characters in a limited time. Despite this, I feel as though this show is a love letter to Gundam fans, and Mecha fans alike.

Is this good ... for people who are clueless to Gundam, and don't have someone to let them in on the references, characters and the like? Not exactly. Watch a summary of the UC timeline, really simple. Or watch the show, watch the 1979 tv or compilation movies.

If this is your first Gundam, unfortunately I think you're just not going to have the same experience as the person who's a Gundam veteran, but it's still enjoyable, with the beautiful visuals, cool character designs, and the soundtrack is INCREDIBLE.

One Week Friends had such a beautiful and touching story. The plot was simple yet heartfelt, and the way the anime began and ended was truly amazing.

I really loved and enjoyed watching this anime ❤️❤️. It felt like an underrated gem to me 😭 — more people should give it a chance!

The characters were relatable, and the emotional development throughout the series kept me engaged. The ending, especially, was filled with heartwarming moments 💖💖💖 that stayed with me long after the credits rolled.

If you're into emotional slice-of-life anime with a touch of romance and genuine feelings, One Week Friends is definitely worth watching.