Saikyou Tank no Meikyuu Kouryaku: Tairyoku 9999 no Rare Skill-mochi Tank, Yuusha Party wo Tsuihou sareru
Saijaku Tamer wa Gomi Hiroi no Tabi wo Hajimemashita.
Ashita no Joe
Ji Yao Lu: Qicheng Pian
Seirei Gensouki 2
Bullbuster
Femboy_Hooters
Danganronpa 3: The End of Kibougamine Gakuen - Mirai-hen
Jan 14, 2025
I was unable to finish this installation of Danganronpa. While the last season provided some interesting backstory, the Future Arc fails to take the next step and evolve into something new. Instead, it becomes dumbed down and relies on multiple twists during the murders, similar to jump scares in a horror movie. While this may be effective, the payoff is ultimately meaningless, like an underwhelming cliffhanger. After the Despair Girls episode, I had hoped that the plot would move beyond the silly sleep-killing game, but unfortunately, it did not. The new villain is not properly explained, despite having the potential to surpass Junko's underwhelming motives ... for her chaotic evil. This villain was even taught by Nagito, a character who, under the influence of Junko's mind control, could have been a great villain. However, instead of Nagito, we are given a wannabe with a supposedly "high IQ." This character's intelligence is so high that she suddenly decides she no longer wants to be a villain after trapping two main characters in a death trap. This type of writing feels like a deus ex machina and is some of the worst writing in anime that I have encountered. The world building of Danganronpa should be relegated to a school building and grounds, not a fancy Future Organization building with the same plot, be it dumbed down like a concaved head. This one is really bad. Avoid at all costs.
boofgal
Estab-Life: Great Escape
Jan 14, 2025
Are we at Peak Anime? I think we must be at Peak Anime. There's certainly a glut of it - an inexhaustible supply of anime so cheaply-made that it seems not to matter that hardly anybody watches it. I'm the kind of person who looks at something nobody has watched and says to herself, "I should watch this." Not because I expect it to be good. As a learning experience. I think you can learn a lot about the world we live in by looking at its ephemera, at the products we take for granted. Estab-Life was apparently created to ... promote a mobile game that never actually got released. It was made on the cheap, even by the standards of the notoriously parsimonious anime industry. The thing about the anime industry, though, is that... human beings are fundamentally creative. We all have stories we want to tell. We can be passionately devoted to telling those stories, any chance we get. Sometimes, the trade-off to getting paid peanuts is that you get to tell the stories you want to tell. Getting on TV? Getting a platform? One takes what one can get. Humans are willing to sacrifice a lot in pursuit of our dreams, in pursuit of a life where we can find meaning and fulfillment. Which, it happens, is the basic theme of Estab-Life. This series tells stories of people who want to run away from their lives, even though the _title of every episode_ says that you _can't_ run away from whatever the episode's subject is trying to run away from. Schoolwork. Democracy. Destiny. Control. All of these things, the episode titles say, are things you can't run away from. And then the stories show people doing exactly that, with the help of the series' main cast, the Extractors. One by one the things you can't run away from are eliminated, until at the end there's only one thing left that the characters can't run away from: Themselves. There's a great deal of subtlety in the show, in the way it portrays its characters, particularly the leads. The main lead, Equa, stands out because she _doesn't_ want to run away. She does what she does because she's genuinely happy with her work, because she's living her values to their fullest. She's forthright and clear that this is _why_ she helps people run away - because she wants other people to have the same opportunity she's had. I'm genuinely surprised at just how much I _liked_ Equa. This is a lady whose personality is that she's irrepressibly cheerful, upbeat, and compassionate. She's an amazing person, everybody loves her, and for most of the show she's functionally invincible because she has plot armor that's not _literal_, but is so blatant that calling it "metaphorical" seems like a stretch. Characters like this normally annoy me. Here, though? First, while the story is one about human smugglers in a dystopia, for the most part it isn't _nearly_ as serious as that description implies. Their clients are a yakuza boss who wants to become a magical girl, penguins who want to escape the Stasi. Equa is loveable first, because she takes these characters completely seriously. She's utterly sincere about things that other people would raise a cocked eyebrow at. She's not kind because the plot demands it, she's kind because that's the fundamental basis of her character. In fact, her kindness isn't seen as completely good. She's not always right. Most notably, she gets the rest of the team shot at a lot, which is pretty convenient given that the show is an action comedy and therefore a certain amount of action is called for. Everyone around her loves her, everyone around her works to protect her, because even _with_ the plot armor, she constantly puts other people before herself, she constantly puts herself in harm's way for others. The trick the show pulls, though, is it does the same thing Equa does - she's important, but she doesn't ever center herself. It focuses on the other characters, their personalities, their stories, and you learn about Equa by how she treats _other people_. She avoids talking about herself. She turns the focus back onto other people, and it works because that's the most important thing about her, not her history, not her backstory, but her deep, principled _compassion_. That's all you need, really, for a great series, in my opinion. Compelling characters with strong, realistic motivations. Well, maybe I'd ask for a little more than that in a show this cheap-looking. The animation here isn't what I'd call garbage-tier, but it's largely not very visually impressive. It's not going to make a lot of sakuga rolls. In general the show tries to show, not tell, but with a budget this limited there's only so much you can show. Even though I grew up on "classic" Doctor Who, even though I can accept green bubblewrap as convincing body horror, I wouldn't be bothering to tell you about this show if it was simply a good story with strong characters. No, what puts this show over the top is that this show is also _very queer_. The three main characters in this series are also a sapphic love triangle. How sapphic? You know Birdie Wing, the girls' golf anime from this season where one constantly has the sense watching it that the two leads are going to start making out at any second? This show is more sapphic than that. It also happens to feature some of the best trans representation I've seen in anime. Admittedly that's a pretty low bar, but the show _sails_ over it with ease simply by having the lead character state the obvious - that there's nothing wrong with a yakuza boss wanting to be a magical girl. It repeatedly features tropes that anime has done very, very badly in the past, and generally does them well. I wasn't happy about the implicit fat-shaming in one of the episodes, but that's about the worst objection I can make to anything in this show. But WAIT, there's MORE. The show is clearly, obviously set in a dystopia that, uh, shares some distinct similarities with dystopian situations other people might be familiar with. Do I personally know what it's like to leave everything behind in search of a life where I can be happy with myself, with who I am? Absolutely, and I'm far from alone in this. The show starts out by centering the joy of being able to do that, of having someone who will give you an opportunity for that better life. The thing about this world, though, is that everything comes with a cost. Equa's blithe pursuit of her values eventually does get the Extractors into trouble. At some point in the series, she does something that seriously threatens the entire structure of the society she lives in, the society that turns a blind eye to the Extractors' criminal activities. She does this without a second though, because it's the Right Thing to Do. There are consequences to this. So the show, having succeeded thoroughly at lighthearted episodic comedy, takes a sudden turn for the dramatic. It works. Not only does it work, this turn builds naturally and organically on the framework the show has already built. Not only was the Extractors' world always a dystopia, but the ridiculous, lighthearted things they did in the earlier episodes are shown to have real consequences. It does all this, and then, at the end, it sticks the landing. The last episode does have a big old exposition dump, but it also has the best action and design work of the show. That's still not a ton, but I certainly wasn't expecting to, at any point, find myself saying "Wow, that actually looks pretty cool" about anything in the show. More importantly, over the last few episodes of the show it absolutely reveals itself as a thoughtful and heartfelt meditation on not just life under dystopia, but the nature of dystopia itself, on what it means to truly escape from a tyranny of not just people, but of systems, systems designed with all the best intentions in the world. Not only do I think the ending doesn't cop out at all, I think it goes beyond even a lot of anime that I love. Estab-Life celebrates diversity, but at the same time does not shy away from acknowledging how difficult it is for people who don't have the same values or the same experiences to practice diversity as a central value, the way Equa does. It's enough, in this world, to point out the glaring and obvious problems we face, but Estab-Life served to reinforce my genuine hope and belief - belief that a better world is possible and that it is within our grasp, and that sometimes, the best way we can do that is by leaving behind the things that no longer serve us. In the earlier episodes of the show, characters repeatedly question why the characters' clients would want to leave. Why would a powerful mafia boss want to run away? Why would a celebrated, elite troup of ballet performers want to run away? Why would a high priestess want to run away from a land where she's the voice of the local Goddess? Why would an otaku want to run away Akibahara? Maybe, the show suggests, the characters aren't running away, but walking away - walking away from the same land, a land Ursula K. Leguin called "Omelas". Estab-Life is a genuinely great show. I'd give it a 9/10 if it'd had a budget of more than about 500 yen per episode. You should watch it.
permalink
Chio-chan no Tsuugakuro
Jan 14, 2025
95% of this show comprises some of the most lighthearted, uplifting, creative, relatable and funny writing I've ever seen on screen, channeling things like Nichijou and Peppi Longstocking. The other 5% is sexualization of minors. It's usually embedded randomly throughout the episodes and of course it doesn't serve any purpose other than to appeal to a specific demographic. Given the stark contrast with most of the show it's deeply disheartening, making me wish that someone had taken these episodes and cut these 5% out of them in a video editor like the tumors of Japanese entertainment that they are. It's in the manga, too. The ... author is a mangaka of hentai heritage. Anime like this could be a useful means of improving mental health and gaining appreciation for creativity in art, but some writers and studios can't help but corrupt it. Be advised.
NemethBooshi
Koukyuu no Karasu
Jan 14, 2025
After The Apothecary Diaries, I wanted to watch more anime similar to it. The show's rating and lack of online interest made me skeptical but I gave it a shot nonetheless. I'm happy that I did. Chinese palace dramas are essentially a genre onto themselves so if that doesn't sound appealing to you then this is an easy skip. For those who do, this anime still stands out for its supernatural twist. By the end, I actually found that the show was more xxxHolic than The Apothecary Diaries. There's a beautiful simplicity to the art but the animation is serviceable at best. I don't consider that a ... big detraction due to the show's light use of action and its relaxed pace. I do begrudgingly admit that for a show that came out in 2022, it looks and feels like an anime that came out in the late 2000s/early 2010s- that might actually be a positive for some fans. The first ten minutes of the first episode is all you need to decide whether this show is for you or not.
lucasvg_09
Charlotte
Jan 14, 2025
The character design is excellent. I personally love it. Even the side characters (MOB) have personality. The music was really well done. Adding another composer besides Maeda was an interesting choice that I personally appreciated. The additional composer was responsible for creating music for the anime’s rock band, ZHIEND, something Maeda himself likely wouldn’t have delivered as effectively. Maeda tends to focus on a “stable” style of music, which can leave the listener feeling slightly uneasy due to its consistency and constant rhythm. This can also be challenging for the singers performing his songs. On the other hand, the music for ZHIEND was composed instrumentally by Hikarisyuyo, ... who did an excellent job creating a more dynamic sound that truly brought out the essence of post-rock. I deeply respect Maeda’s work, but he wouldn’t have been able to achieve what Hikarisyuyo did. Delegating this task was a brilliant decision. That said, Maeda still wrote the lyrics for ZHIEND’s songs, and there’s nothing to criticize in that regard—he’s great at what he does. Beyond the band’s music, Maeda himself composed the entire soundtrack with the assistance of the group known as ANANT-GARDE EYES, who, as far as I know, are involved in almost all his musical projects. Their contributions truly make a difference. The process typically involves Maeda creating the demo version (just the instrumental), writing the lyrics, and then ANANT-GARDE EYES arranging the music. This is what truly brings Maeda’s compositions to life. Without an arranger, Maeda’s music feels incomplete, so their role was significant here. As mentioned, the instrumental OST was impactful, as were the sound effects. The ending might not have been satisfying for some, and I won’t dive into details to avoid spoilers. I hope you can watch it without knowing too much beforehand. This anime left a mark on me during my teenage years. It introduced me to perspectives I had never considered. This makes sense, as shounen stories in Japan often aim to do just that—the primary audience is teenagers and young adults, who have more free time to watch due to not yet working full-time or only doing part-time jobs (baito). Additionally, this demographic is easier to please and contributes significantly to streaming revenue. To wrap up, while the ending may not have pleased everyone, I personally found it good. There wasn’t much else to show because... (⚠⚠⚠ DO NOT READ BELOW IF YOU WISH TO AVOID SPOILERS!! ⚠⚠⚠) The leader of the organization aiming to exploit the abilities of young people had gathered their memories, powers, and ambitions to weaponize them against the rest of the world. There were still other organizations, but they seemed less serious in comparison. These groups appeared to focus more on using the youths for internal conflicts or future wars when their abilities matured, as these powers are a symptom of youth. Regardless, this type of ending doesn’t appeal to the majority, so I’ll classify it as “mixed feelings” and leave the recommendation up to you. Whether you like it or not is entirely your choice.
AnimeExplorer21
Kimi wa Meido-sama.
Jan 14, 2025
What would you do if a cute assassin maid suddenly showed up at your doorstep and asked to live with you? Yeah, it sounds like your typical anime setup, but trust me, You Are Ms. Servant takes that cliché and spins it into something really special. I went in expecting a fun, light-hearted show, but what I got was an unexpectedly touching and well-developed relationship between Hitoyoshi and Yuki. Yuki’s character really hit me emotionally. She’s spent her whole life in the shadows, trained to kill, with no idea how to function in normal society. It’s heartbreaking to watch her struggle with something as simple as ... understanding kindness or even fitting in. But then comes Hitoyoshi, who, despite the initial awkwardness, slowly helps her navigate life outside of assassination. Watching them grow closer felt so genuine—like every little moment between them mattered. By the end of episode 12, when everything comes full circle, I honestly felt a lump in my throat. Now, about that ending… UGH. It’s one of those bittersweet cliffhangers that makes you want to scream. When Hitoyoshi said he liked Yuki and wanted her to be part of his family, my heart melted, but it’s like… did Yuki even understand what he meant? Did they actually become a couple? I have so many questions, and I’m desperately hoping for a Season 2 to answer them. Also, can we talk about Riko? Hitoyoshi’s little sister was adorable. She’s got that perfect mix of cuteness and sharp intelligence that makes her stand out. The scenes with her always brought a smile to my face, and props to the animators for bringing her personality to life so vividly. The animation, by the way, was top-notch. Yuki’s combat scenes were crisp, fluid, and so much fun to watch. But what really impressed me were the quieter, more emotional moments—the subtle expressions on Yuki’s face as she tried to process her new life, the warmth in Hitoyoshi’s eyes when he reassured her—it was all beautifully done. Overall, I loved this anime. It’s got action, heart, humor, and characters you actually care about. Sure, the plot might seem a little generic at first glance, but the execution makes all the difference. I didn’t want it to end, and I’m crossing my fingers for a second season. Until then, I’m giving You Are Ms. Servant a solid 9/10. It’s a must-watch for anyone who loves character-driven stories with a touch of action and romance.
Panda_Roll
Sugar Apple Fairy Tale
Jan 14, 2025
Thanks, I hate it. From the bottom of my heart I hope this is a case of the anime bungling the source material. Because this show manages to hit every wrong note on the way down... and that was on episode one. It just got worse as it went. In this world slavery is an accepted part of life. Actually it's more than that. You see fairies aren't just slaves, they are considered things. One of my favorite quotes is by Terry Pratchett. "Evil starts when you begin to treat people as things" See, the moment your main characters start doing this as well they become irredeemable. Most shows ... that have slavery either down play it or have the main character go against it (at some point at least if they're going for an arc) In Acid Apple Fairy Fail they push it, in all it's ugliness, in your face. The main characters too consider it normal to treat others that way when it suits their needs. They are only "nice" when it doesn't matter. Anne in particular is completely spineless. Also so cringe! These are two scenes back to back= - "Ugh, I don't want to get married and be someone's wife! I want to live on my own merits and hone my skillz" - Sees handsome fairy and falls in love at first sight, buys him instantly. Also this one - Fairy "Look I don't care, you're not going to use my name so just give me whatever human name you want." - Anne "no, I need to call you by your name." - Fairy "Fine, it's Shall Fen Shall. No not first or last names, we just have names. that is my name." - Anne "too long, I'll call you Shall instead" Pain...ful... I'd support the fairy in wanting to kill her if he wasn't clearly a dark prince type so the only love interest that matters. Anne also acts like she knows nothing about fairies, at least in the start, outside that one time her mother imparted words of acid wisdom on her. This doesn't work because:- 1. The words were to respect the fairies, you can't respect someone if you are going out of your way to enslave them and bend them to your whims. 2. Her childhood friend has one and they're not on the best of terms. So why the born yesterday troupe?! 3. She had money, she could have hired a bodyguard or asked a friend for help. She CHOSE to buy an enslaved fairy. Knew enough about them to go out of her way to where they were sold and specifically get a fighter type too. There is hypocrisy and there is making your MC... whatever stupid thing Anne is supposed to be. From the title I thought I was getting a silly mindless shoujo I could relax with. Well, I got the mindless part right. Dropping this thing. It's too horribly written to have any chance to recover.
kirinamaterasu
Schwarzesmarken
Jan 14, 2025
When rating an anime, the story is not the only criterion. The design, voice acting, environment, and other factors are also very important. Although this anime had some weaknesses, having a strong design, correct characterization, and depicting a historical period in an unrealistic way made it attractive. Although in some episodes, you will feel bored, but overall you will be interested in finishing it. Overall, it is a good thing to watch once and fill the empty time. Although the story is a bit sad, the narrative elements are well-crafted. If you're a fan of anime with strong, determined girls, you'll find plenty of crushes in this anime.
VicenteDragneel
Tokidoki Bosotto Russia-go de Dereru Tonari no Alya-san
Jan 14, 2025
Let's see how I start writing this, I'm liking the anime but not that much I really like the drawing style as well as the fact that it focuses so much on Alya as the protagonist The anime is quite funny but there is one thing that I disagree with most people and that is that the sister is unbearable, I don't know what's wrong with them that they throw so many flowers at her because the anime would be much better without the sister who only bores or makes annoying comments at least for me to read. I love the endings xD Random comments: I always write whatever I ... want and I want to repeat it, the sister is unbearable
toastedtofu02
BanG Dream! It's MyGO!!!!!
Jan 14, 2025
If there is a ranking list for the most underrated anime in history, this is top 1. People would easily overlook MyGO because 1) it's part of the Bang Dream universe 2) it's the cliche "cute high school anime girls do bands" genre 3) it's 2.5D. They are making a fatal mistake. MyGO has an insanely well-written story packed with unexpected plot twists, expressive details, and subtle emotions that very few anime, even beyond the cliche music genre, could handle. I was never a Bang Dream fan or ever a "girl band" fan, but now I have bought MyGO albums just because of this anime ... alone. A flawless rollercoaster experience. I can't say anything about the other Bang Dream shows but MyGO is a standalone masterpiece. With all that being said, its final score depends on Ave Mujica, so fingers crossed.
Ramun_Flame
Romantic Killer
Jan 14, 2025
I went into this anime completely blind, and didn't really know what to expect. I haven't watched too many shoujo anime, and from the tags this looks like this isn't even categorized as a shoujo. Well either way, the series is a bit of a barody of lots of shoujo romance tropes, and it does a good job. The main character Anzu isn't interested in romance at all, and just want to play games, eat chocolate, and play with her cat. For some reason a wizard comes in, and takes that all away while forcing her to get into romantic situations. She's against it, and fights ... it at eveyr turn though. Anzu is a great character, and the best part of the show. The other characters aren't that bad either, but they do fall into the usual stereotypes. They take soem time to give them interesting enough backstories though. There were a few really funny moments, but for the most part I was just mildly enjoying the show. It was for sure clever in how it did all the tropey stuff shoujo romances do, but it only happened since the wizard made it happen. I was on my way to give this a 6, since I usually reserve 7s for shows that strongly make me want to watch the whole thing through, and although I was enjoying it I could have stopped and been alright. That changed with the last 2 episodes. One of the issues I had with the show was how the main guy character was "too hot" and the show was constantly showing us how bad it was for them that all the girls are interested in him. It's kinda the perfect scenario for the protagonist, where the hot guy doesn't like the attention of any other girl but her, and it felt like a weird plot device. They expand on it more though in the last few episodes, and they stick the landing. The end of this show bumped it up for me. To be honest, I was even considering going as high as an 8 from how much I enjoyed the ending, but overall I gotta stick to 7. The show starts out entertaining, and has a fantastic finish.
DukeFiddler
NegaPosi Angler
Jan 14, 2025
As this anime was a new original series from Studio NUT—who have, in my book, a nearly flawless track record—my expectations were high. From the synopsis, I gathered this would be a deep dive into the psyche of someone whose life hits rock-bottom and how they struggle to pull themselves out of their situation. And while the actual show did not exactly hit those emotional beats, containing a lot more wholesome fishing antics than I anticipated, I still found the story and characters compelling. The animation and music for the show fit perfectly and are what got me to stick around after episode 1. You wouldn't ... think watching someone reel in a fish could be exhilirating, but the stripped-down, groovy soundtrack—usually consisting of just guitar, keys, and some percussion—and incredible direction make it possible. There's nothing flashy going on, but I think it's an intentional choice to make everything seem more authentic. With that said, the show is at its best in the first and last third. No matter how well the scene is executed, you can only watch someone reel in a fish so many times before the initial charm wears off. Additionally, the main plotline stagnates in the middle of the show as it momentarily seems to devolve into an episodic exploration of each side character's backstory. This comes off as "filler" mainly because the show does such a good job up to that point of getting us invested in the character arcs of the main cast. Luckily, the last three-or-so episodes are not fumbled, and the show gives a satisfying climax and conclusion. Overall, I'd say this is a good choice if you need a somewhat motivational, feel-good watch on a rainy day.
Jan 14, 2025
This season has improved a lot or it's just me because last season aired in 2020. Animation is top tier , Opening & Ending are fire as always. Story progression is also good. Re:zero is diffrent from all the other isekai anime (they just copy paste each other{almost}) . Protagonist is also representation of us viewers. Everyone one thinks is they get transported to another world they would become King of the world but that isn't true as shown in anime that kind of thing only happen in other isekai anime. All the thing Subaru faces and overcome gives me strength to not give up . I ... enjoyed every episode & am looking forward to next cour. That's all! Thanks for reading
Jan 14, 2025
“Alya Sometimes Hides Her Feelings in Russian” is what happens when an interesting shtick is destroyed by bad writing. This show surprised me in to major ways: 1. That it destroyed its own shtick right from the get to in favour of… practically nothing because nothing comes of it. 2. How boring and devoid of story this show is Before we start I would like to explain something. I will be talking about “plot” and “story”. Many people use those terms interchangeably. I’m not one of those people, so to make sure everyone is on the same page… I use the definitions for “plot” and “story” as Lisa ... Cron describes them: “What happens in the story is the PLOT, the surface events.” “STORY is about how the things that happen affect someone in pursuit of a difficult goal, and how that person changes internally as a result”. If I had to tell what kind of story telling method this show utilises it would be “and then that happened”. About 90% of what happens in the show's 12 episodes happen because the writers decided to show a cliche scene that You saw a million times (with better execution) before and had no idea how to organically implement it. I’m gonna be honest, the first episode is rather solid for what it’s supposed to be. Get an overall view of what we’re working with. The main characters (Kuze and Alya), supporting cast (the most important of which would be Yuki), their relationship and interactions and the great view of the main “conflict”. It’s not exactly a surprise, the title gives it away from the get go. Alya speaks Russian sometimes, mostly to confess her feelings towards Kuze, and thinks the boy doesn’t understand her. But he does and we even get an explanation for that. On top of that the explanation works also as a setup for something that could (wink, wink) happen later. It’s also a bit misleading of the type of way Alya teases Kuze. It’s much more ecchi than the rest of the show. I don’t know if it's bait for the viewers or someone just managed to hide this scene from the higher ups. As far as first episodes go this one is a solid one. It fulfils its function pretty well. It’s mostly downhill from here unfortunately. The problem is there is very little story to this show and what story there is is mostly shown in the last 3 episodes. Everything (well… 90%) before that is just plot. If You want to argue that it’s a story about two people getting close to each other, go right ahead, but their relationship doesn’t change in any meaningful way. They start as friends with one having an obvious crush and they end as friends with one having an obvious crush. The second is an idiot, I’m not counting him for anything. Something I’m not quite sure why was made is giving Kuze the ability to understand Russian. It destroys a lot of mystery from the plot. If he wasn’t able to understand Alya we would have an element of mystery (You could even leave tha translations for the viewers), as we all know, mysteries are sexy. It would add a lot of tension and drama to their interactions. Something that they lack in the finished product. As it stands Kuze is an asshole. He knows the girl is into him. It’s not a guess, she declares her feelings and urges on multiple occasions. If he wanted to, we would have a relationship between those two in episode 3 at the latest. He allows this relationship to be stuck in limbo. I call that being an asshole. It’s not like he is opposed to the idea of a relationship with her either. If he was he wouldn't have those over the top, pseudo-comedic reactions he has everytime he hears her declaring her feelings in russian. I fail to see the reason why the writers would play it that way. They just created a MC that is really hard to root for, because he’s just an asshole. Listen I get it, the name of the game in rom-coms (and romance in general) is the “Will they - Won’t They”. But in most cases it’s based on insecurity and unknowns from both parties or on some sort of conflict that prevents the characters from getting together. In this case we don’t have any sort of unknowns. We, as well as both parties, are more than aware of the fact that Alya is into Kuze. So we should get some sort of conflict as a counterweight, right? Yeah… no such luck. Kuze acts like an idiot and we really don’t get a good reason why. Even in later episodes we are still left in the dark. There is also very little I would call a proper romance set up. This is a rom-com but the “rom” is silent for most of the show. Yes Kuza and Alya have a lot of interactions but they are not what I would call romantic or even pseudo-romantic. Out of all 12 episodes I think there are only 2 scenes that could work as a romance set up, that is if they weren't destroyed. Once by a cheap joke of stunned background characters who clearly have too much interest in other people's interactions. The second time by a fanatical attendant coming by. Those were the only scenes I would call proper for the “rom” part of rom-com. Mostly everything else focuses on comedy. Which is a problem all by itself because even in straight up comedies You need contrast. You need to give jokes room to breathe and sink in. You want to have a lazy joke? Go for it but contrast that with something full on romantic or dramatic. You can’t just feed the viewer only lazy comedy and expect them to not feel fatigue. Granted this show isn’t as aggressive as something like “Grand Blue” but it still has too many jokes and instead of giving contrast by showing scenes more attuned to drama or romance it gives us… nothing. An anime equivalent of a “Please Stand by” screen. Most scenes between are just filler that leads nowhere. It’s all just plot and lazy at that. The only reason I was able to watch this show (apart from having OCD and Asperger) was Yuki. Probably the only character with personality. Her switching between a perverted otaku sister and a proper Young lady working for the student council was actually enjoyable. I wouldn't mind if she was the protagonist of this show. Listen. Not all MC’s have to be blank slates. In most cases it is better for a protagonist to have an established personality and traits. For fuck’s sake Spike from Cowboy Bebop is far from a tabula rasa and is one of the greates MCs in history. Same goes for the kids in “Grave of the fireflies”. I have no idea why the anime industry insists on having bland, tasteless, white bread as protagonists but this shit needs to stop. It destroys their ability to tell actual stories and leaves them with nothing but plot. As it stands this show isn’t a total travesty or an example of how to fail at a rom-com (well… maybe a little) it’s just so damn safe and full of cliches that I see no reason to watch this over any other rom-com on the market. There are moments when the show tricks You into thinking that it will be better. The last 3 episodes are actually better both with plot and story but it’s too little too late for my taste. The worst part? We don’t get any kind of payoff. We watch 12 episodes of this show, how Alya admits to herself about her feelings and Kuze starting to act like he has a spine and… we end with nothing. Everything seemingly returns to status quo so the authors can pretend to know what they are doing all over again in the next season.
Tsjsbdvwkd
Burn the Witch
Jan 14, 2025
Burn the Witch Review What if dragons weren’t just mythical creatures but an everyday part of life—and only a select few could control them? Burn the Witch, by Bleach creator Tite Kubo, explores this thrilling premise in a stylish, action-packed fantasy set in Reverse London. About the Anime Released in October 2020, Burn the Witch is a three-episode ONA (Original Net Animation) adapted from Kubo’s manga. The manga began as a one-shot before evolving into a short serialized story. The anime currently holds a solid 7.15 rating on MyAnimeList, reflecting its balance of quality and brevity. A Quick Summary The story follows Noel Niihashi and Ninny Spangcole, witches working for ... Wing Bind, an organization that manages dragons in Reverse London. As they tackle dragon-related incidents, their lives are complicated by Balgo Parks, a reckless civilian entangled in their dangerous world. Why You Should Watch It 1. Fans of Tite Kubo and Bleach Will Feel Right at Home While not reliant on prior Bleach knowledge, the series offers subtle nods to the franchise, including a connection to Soul Society’s Western branch. 2. Strong Female Protagonists Noel and Ninny steal the spotlight with their contrasting personalities and teamwork. Their dynamic elevates the story, offering a refreshing focus on capable female leads. 3. Kubo’s Signature Artwork From detailed cityscapes to stunning dragon designs, Kubo’s artistry is at its peak. Taking his time with this project has allowed him to craft visuals that stand out as some of his best. 4. Perfect for Busy Viewers With its short format (originally a one-shot, then a four-chapter manga and three-episode anime), Burn the Witch is easy to get into without a huge time commitment. Where It Falls Short The story struggles with limited character development for secondary figures like Balgo, Bruno, and Macy. While intriguing, these characters feel underutilized, leaving potential untapped. Before diving into the three-episode ONA, watch the Burn the Witch special episode. It’s a prequel that provides essential context for understanding the story and its world. Burn the Witch brevity may leave some craving more, but for fans of Kubo’s work, it’s a must-watch, If expanded in the future, it has the potential.
kevbaka
Made in Abyss
Jan 14, 2025
Recommending this anime is akin to playing a cruel joke. The entire introduction, cover art, and synopsis are a misleading trap into watching the author's disgusting torture fetish. The art and atmosphere are successful in capturing the wonder of any good fantastical coming of age story. Unfortunately for audiences it all leads to a subversive plot and frankly childishly shocking imagery. The protagonists have legitimate motivations and are easy to sympathize with. The characters they meet in the Abyss are less so however. Being either cartoonishly villainous or shallow characatures of victims, the plot and personalities of all of the characters in this anime take a back ... seat to the aforementioned imagery. Find something else to watch, and avoid the mental gymnastics it takes to justify the existence of this work.
Jan 14, 2025
The intermingling of emotions and animation in this show that is the Theatrics is top notch. Makes all to much sense for a anime based on the show biz. Quite the irony, Highlighting the dark side of show biz, it totally fits right in. Loved it. If you liked the first season, you'll love the second too. •Good soundtrack (4/5) (not as great at the first one but okay) •Flashy animation (4/5) (maybe a bit too flashy), •Developing characters (3/5) (though it focus on development of so many characters that you don't get enough time to actually relate to it) •Story (3/5)- it doesn't progress much atleast in the first ... half and it focuses too much on the secondary characters, it's almost like it's a side story arc for each character but it's still likable. I would have given it a 4/5 if it wasn't for the next half The story doesn't seem to go anywhere after the play ends, I don't want to spoil it by any details but the later part just ruins the mood. Total 3.5/5
WilisDirty
Dead Mount Death Play
Jan 14, 2025
The first four episodes are weird in their exposition and it made it hard to get in to. I normally watch anime while I’m working so it was fine to have on in the background. BUT it wasn’t until episode 5 that I actually cared about the story. I don’t like how many open holes there are and how the story seems to be juggling like nine storylines at once. It’s just doing too much. I’m going to finish it of course, but still. The Corpse God doesn’t seem to have himself together, Polka is a one-note caricature, Zaki has no depth. The art is great. There’s ... just too much going on at once. And my original review was much shorter but MAL is weird.
Jan 14, 2025
I have so many questions. It felt like I was on a weird trip. I thought the show was going in a completely different direction. I thought it would be more of a comedy, playing on the stario type of isekai, but it did not. The fact that it took itself seriously most of the time was really weird. It felt so bizarre. The show over all isn't bad, but it's not necessary good. It's very middle in the road. The plot is as generic as a isekai show can be. Its very basic. The only thing that sticks out is that this dude is ... a vending machine. That's it. The animation is fine. Nothing to write home about. It's the most 5/10 show ever.
valkaryah
Raise wa Tanin ga Ii
Jan 14, 2025
Yakuza Fiancé is not a serious anime series. What first drew me to this series was exactly that unserious, insane, toxic "romantic" element. It was wild enough to keep me entertained during the first manga chapters, but I soon grew tired of it. And the same happened with the anime. The whole thing "it's so bad it's good" ran its course and became just boring and, at times, even unbearable. Once the shock of the crazy circumstances and the batshit insane male lead is over with, and we become accustomed to everything, it kind of becomes predictable. And the secondary cast and fights, "scheming" and sexual dalliances ... are just boring and irritating; they very much feel like someone's idealized wet dream of a gangster/mafioso/yakuza/criminal bad boy. The animation is not bad, but it's not good either, it's just "meh", it does its job well enough. But I really, really dislike the characters' designs, specifically those horrendous eyes with the weird pupils. Yakuza Fiancé is a mind-numbing show. I didn't watch this anime for wholesomeness or realism, but I did watch it because I thought it would be stupid and crazy enough to keep me amused. Turns out it was mainly just stupid.
RyanSpring
Blue Lock
Jan 14, 2025
Pulling no punches, Blue Lock underwhelmed me from start to finish. Its base concept on which the entire show revolves around and within which it takes itself extremely seriously, youth soccer, simply isn't all that intense or all that dramatic. The setting wildly underwhelms as it is an entirely true, non-hyperbolic statement when I tell you that literally every single episode, 24 out of 24, takes place within the Blue Lock facility and after reaching said facility in the first episode, the characters literally never leave. The writing and manufactured drama have a very juvenile, blatantly aimed at teenagers kind of tone and never has ... any meaningful stakes beyond simply winning or losing at soccer. Expect eye-roll-inducing lines such as an antagonistic rival player telling the main character "You're just an NPC!" that SCREAM "We're trying really hard to make 14 year old boys think our show is cool". Its run of the mill modern graphics and equally run of the mill modern voice acting, while not detrimental to the show, never do anything to distinguish themselves from its contemporaries, nor does the soundtrack. Ultimately unless you really, really love soccer or if as far as you're concerned any shonen is automatically good, there's just no reason to watch Blue Lock. It isn't particularly good at ANYTHING. A score of 8+ here on MAL is WILD to me. That MUST be a very young crowd with low standards and/or recency bias, but this show is super overrated. OBJECTIVE RATING- 6-7 PERSONAL ENJOYMENT RATING- 6.5
GT3_gamer
Sorairo Utility
Jan 14, 2025
Let me surprise you with a fact: I never watch any golf anime. Yup, so I don't actually know a lot about golf. I do know some rules and the names of the equipment, but I don't know the whole thing about it, so I'm glad I picked this anime up. Thanks to Masayoshi again for being in charge of the TV version's opening; I'm now watching the anime. This feels like a pilot episode and I'm so happy that Yostar is the one who picked this project they nailed it. Like holy moly, the colors in this anime are so alive and it also carries ... to the TV version. I don't know how you guys keep doing it, last time it was the Ranger Reject (or Go! Go! Loser Ranger!) anime, and from the opening itself, it's so insanely good. (I know I haven't watched the anime but don't worry I am going to) I just hope the TV series didn't suffer the same faith as a lot of original anime in the past. Please make the story in the TV series good. I beg you guys.
AnimeExplorer21
Grand Blue
Jan 14, 2025
I went into this show with a lot of expectations, thanks to all the hype. People kept saying, "Oh, it's one of the funniest anime out there," and honestly, I feel like I missed the joke. Don’t get me wrong, I can appreciate over-the-top humor and ridiculous situations, but this? It just felt like it was trying too hard most of the time. Like that one friend at a party who keeps telling the same joke, hoping someone will laugh, but you’re just sitting there sipping your drink, waiting for it to end. Let’s talk about Iori, the main guy. The dude has zero backbone. I ... get it, he’s supposed to be this everyman thrown into absurd situations, but come on, bro, stand up for yourself! Watching him constantly get dragged into drinking contests or stripped down to his underwear while he just awkwardly smiles or panics… it wasn’t funny after the third time. It was like watching a train wreck in slow motion, except you don’t even care about the train. And then there’s the comedy. Look, I’m not some stoic guy who doesn’t laugh—I wanted to laugh. I really did. But half the jokes were just loud yelling, dudes getting naked (again), and overused gags that felt stale after two episodes. Like, I get that naked guys are funny in certain contexts, but when it’s 80% of your humor? Eh, it gets old fast. My face was so blank most of the time, I could’ve been mistaken for a statue. The diving part? Oh yeah, remember how this anime is supposedly about diving? Because the show sure doesn’t. Every now and then, they throw in these beautiful underwater scenes that made me think, “Okay, maybe now it’s going to get serious and meaningful,” but nah. It’s like the anime itself forgot it had a plot and decided to double down on its frat-boy antics instead. And can we please talk about the lack of romance? I’m not saying every anime needs to have some grand love story, but they teased something between Iori and Chisa just enough to keep you hoping for something—a confession, a real connection, maybe even just a moment where they’re not awkwardly arguing. But nope. Nothing. It was like ordering a pizza and getting an empty box. A little disappointing, you know? All that said, I won’t lie—there were a few moments where I cracked a smile. Like when Kohei gets into his otaku rants or when the older guys act like total lunatics. But those were rare, and they weren’t enough to carry the whole show. So yeah, I’d give Grand Blue a solid 5/10. It’s not the worst thing I’ve ever watched, but it’s definitely not something I’d recommend unless you’re really into slapstick humor and drunken chaos. Maybe the manga is better? I dunno. Either way, it’s one of those shows I’ll probably forget about in a few months.
Fenixfeather
Made in Abyss: Retsujitsu no Ougonkyou
Jan 14, 2025
The second season of Made in Abyss is in no way inferior to the first and offers an equally fascinating and dark journey into the mysterious world of the Abyss. The story is exciting and well developed, with profound character developments and a worldbuilding that constantly reveals new, interesting facets of the world. As in the first season, the characters are well developed and the mixture of adventure, emotional moments and dark discoveries is perfectly balanced. The visuals and atmospheric music play a key role in creating the mysterious and sometimes oppressive mood. However, I have to say that the increasing amount of splatter and extreme violence ... in this season can be a bit too much of a good thing. It seems almost exaggerated in places and can disturb the immersion for some viewers. Despite this minor flaw, Made in Abyss remains one of the strongest and most intriguing series to stand out in the dark fantasy niche. Overall, an excellent sequel
Fenixfeather
Made in Abyss
Jan 14, 2025
“Made in Abyss” is a true masterpiece that shines with its extremely creative and unique worldbuilding. The world of the Abyss is breathtaking and profound, and the way it is revealed piece by piece is fascinating and captivating. Each new discovery heightens the sense of wonder and mystery that makes the anime so extraordinary. The characters are the heart of the anime: they seem incredibly believable, far removed from typical anime clichés. Each has their own well thought-out personality and profound motivations that make their decisions and developments understandable and touching. Particularly noteworthy is how the child characters carry both the innocence and the dark, painful ... sides of the story, giving the anime an emotional depth. The animation is brilliant, as is the music, which perfectly supports the melancholy yet adventurous atmosphere. The anime masterfully manages to create suspense and a mystical, eerie mood without losing its seriousness. The story is not only unique, but also incredibly well told, captivating the viewer from start to finish. “Made in Abyss” is an unmissable experience for anyone who appreciates profound, visually stunning and emotionally gripping stories. A true classic that is exceptional in both its storytelling and its setting. A must see!
Jan 14, 2025
Simply Ok. It is a funny parody but I found it could be boring throughout it wasn't until the final episode or two that I was intrigued which is why my rating is 6 not 5. Also, the same things they poked at in the first season repeated which wore out the enjoyment, it actually made it slightly irritating and made me feel very little for the characters The animation can be cool at times and Yes the opening is fun but that doesn't cover the problems with the series. Overall a good parody but I wouldn't look for more past that. It is something ... to watch when you want to turn your brain off
Jan 14, 2025
„Seishun Buta Yarou wa Yumemiru Shoujo no Yume wo Minai“ is an excellent movie that does justice to the series and even offers some improvements. The movie brings a gripping arc of suspense and tells the story in a mature and emotional way that provides deeper insights into the characters and their relationships. It's basically a second season in the form of a movie, which works very well. Those who have already seen the series will definitely enjoy the movie - it offers a strong continuation and fulfills the expectations of an exciting and in-depth story. As in the series, the animation is good and ... the music is fitting, which supports the atmosphere of the movie wonderfully. Overall, a very successful movie that rounds off the series well and continues it in a satisfying way. On its own, it's a great movie for fans of the series.
MrSlamboni
Tonari no Totoro
Jan 14, 2025
I'm a massive Studio Ghibli glazer, but this movie was kind of a nothing burger. The animations, character design, art and music were spectacular as always. BUT.... there is absolutely no plot. Nothing really changes from the start of the movie to its end. Sure, there is the usual theme of co-existing with nature, but I do expect something meaningful to happen in the movie. It seems that My Neighbor Totoro was targeting very young children (3-6 years). If my niece was around, I might put this movie on. As an adult, I wouldn't really watch it more than once. The eye candy is good, but ... the lack of any story isn't. I would give it a 7-8 because for the child demographic, this is probably good. But for older demographics, this is a 5-6.
Gremoryforever
Seishun Fuufu Monogatari: Koiko no Mainichi
Jan 14, 2025
Koiko no Mainichi is at first weird, but you will love is when the time is going on. I watched the eng sub Version from Orphan, as always great subs. The Story is at first light Yakuza Comedy, but in OVA 2 there are really intriguing scenes und exciting betrayals. Koike is dumb but loveful and the other Character like Sabu and Matsu are decent developed. The Artstyle is something else and Koike is sometimes with these Eye's really Creepy. Sabu is really good looking and Hoshinaga is also really great in terms of the design. There is for a Yakuza OVA, not so much Violence, but more Romance Comedy and ... Dialogues, so no bloody turf war's. Overall was it a great experience. 7,4/10 Sabu chan
Fenixfeather
Vinland Saga
Jan 14, 2025
“Vinland Saga” (season 1) offers a strong basic story, which, however, often feels a little drawn out and slow due to its leisurely narrative pace. While some characters are complex and excellently narrated, others remain surprisingly flat and one-dimensional, which detracts from the anime's potential. Another weak point is the barely present music - a more powerful musical background could have lent much more depth to the immersion and emotional impact. The historical setting and themes such as revenge and honor are interesting, but the implementation does not reach its full potential throughout. All in all, an okay to good anime that has its highlights, but is ... not completely convincing due to its pacing and narrative weaknesses.
Fenixfeather
Umi ga Kikoeru
Jan 14, 2025
“Umi ga Kikoeru” is a sensitive and realistic movie that subtly captures the challenges and feelings of youth. The story is simple but authentic and has some unexpected twists that set it apart from typical high school narratives. The characters seem believable, and their relationships develop in a natural way that can take you right back to memories of your own school days. The music is harmonious and perfectly supports the gentle atmosphere of the movie. Although the movie may not reach masterpiece status, it offers a charming and honest story that is definitely worth watching - especially for fans of quiet, character-driven dramas.
Fenixfeather
Hotaru no Haka
Jan 14, 2025
"Hotaru no Haka” is a timeless masterpiece that portrays the horrors of the Second World War through the eyes of two siblings in an oppressively emotional way. The plot is heartbreaking, deeply moving and relentlessly shows how war not only destroys lives, but also takes away the innocence of youth. The visual production is impressive, with detailed animations that emphasize the tragic beauty of the story. The soundtrack perfectly complements the action and enhances the impact of the already poignant scenes. Not only is this movie one of the best anime films of all time, but it also rises above it to become one of the most ... powerful anti-war works ever made. It is a painful but essential experience that lingers long after the credits have rolled. Absolutely worth seeing!
Caeruleus_CCXVI
Tenkuu no Escaflowne
Jan 14, 2025
7.25 ~ Despite its age, still a banger I watched most of this one as a child and could not remember much past the fact that it was a Shojo Swords and Sorcery + mobile suits and had NO magical girls, which honestly stands out. Beyond that I couldn't remember anything other then I kinda liked it and the noses were really weirdly animated... man those noses keep me up at night. When I came back to MAL a few years ago it was one of the many shows I imputed a score for and gave it a 6/10 without much thought. However after rewatching Rayearth ... I realized I should probably rewatch this one as its from a similar time period and is more or less in the same genre, or so I thought. I gave Rayearths complete series a 5.5/10 so I was pretty scared to go into this one. Beyond a show having a female lead, being technically a Shojo, having swords and Sorcery + Mechs, that sounds like a recipe for two shows being pretty similar, right? Wrong. Aesthetically in the world of Shojo these two shows could not be more far apart with a Sunrise Vs CLAMP art styles. Honestly Escaflowne is closer to something like Lodoss in aesthetically and Feel, especially when you dip your toes into Crystania with all the beast people. Rayearth was also clearly made for a bit of a younger audience with Season 1 for 10-12yo's and Season 2 for +2 or so years on that, where Escaflowne felt far more mature in almost everyway, probably a 16+ demographic, but once you go above 15 it all really starts to get murky with demographics. Pros: - This show eloquently blended Scifi and Magic together where most of the mechs/mobile suits felt at home - this is the only acceptable version of a "Magical Girl" - Plot was easy to follow, and despite being complete nonsense... it made sense - Love the tie in with Isaac Newton lol - I thought I was going to HATE the cat girl but I think she was the best character lmao - I do not like the MC, but many of the parts that were annoying were honestly a normal reaction of a isekai'd 15yo girl lol - the MC's love interest's brother is just a Vash the Stampede clone... right? - The main Antagonist's mobile suite was forsure red because of Char, love it - Other then Iron Blooded orphans, this is the only good example of the piolet joining with the mobile suit physically where its a giant risk reward of piloting, I really enjoy this plot device. - very little fan service was such a nice change of pace from todays shows, and honestly there was only one scene that I can even think back on which was ep 20 that felt like it was right out of smut book that I felt that it was acceptable because it was literally the only one the entire show lol - alot of my praises for the show now that I think of it are that its not the trash that is so common today, -- No Fan Service, -- plot or character actions were not that predictable, honestly in most cases I didnt know what was going to happen next, -- no mascot character, -- no magical girl nonsense, she forsure rolled all of her stats into Luck, Charisma and randomly stamina lol -- the MC wasnt overpowered... alright I guess she was but she didnt know how to use it so it was acceptable, -- very little of the show felt like filler, honestly a little bit of filler to fill out the missing details would have been nice Cons: -Honestly the only reason this isnt a josei, is because of the pretty poor romance that comes with being a Shojo :/ -English Dub was pretty bad, certainly a product of the 90's -you can tell this was supposed to be a 39 or w.e episode count, many scenes felt rushed or cut and they assumed you got it sometimes, I would rather a rushed ending then no ending... but come-on - the ending felt kinda off, everything just wraps up, forsure rushed - music score could have been better, pretty forgettable - the MC was pretty annoying most of the time -- Please MC stop wearing your uniform...please - why did they animate the noses like that... I think this show desperately needs a remake, like so many of the 90's/early 2000's fantasy anime (mostly with Female leads) that will be forgotten to time if they dont get rebooted, many of these shows were not given the proper love and or financial backing in there original instalments; Twelve Kingdoms, Lodoss/Crystania, Slayers, Claymore and of course Escaflowne all come to mind. 7.25/10 is a very good score from me, and anything over a 6.5/10 is worth talking about, If only soloy because of the semi unique setting/genre this falls into I would bump this up to a "must watch", I do say that with some caution as this show does show its age, is not perfect and we have come along ways, this one could also easily be overthrown by a better product. None the less I would recommend this one to anyone that simply wants a decent High fantasy Meets Scifi Love story.
Jan 14, 2025
“The Angel Next Door Spoils Me Rotten” is an anime that scores with a heartwarming atmosphere and a sweet, clichéd romance, but offers little more than that. The story focuses almost exclusively on the two main characters and stays within the confines of their home, meaning the world outside barely exists. The relationship between the characters is charming but predictable. Those looking for a suspenseful or emotionally profound experience may be disappointed, as the anime offers no real arc of tension or conflict. Everything runs smoothly, which is relaxing, but at the same time leads to monotony. Technically, the series is well realized - the animations are ... pretty and the soundtrack is harmonious. However, the lack of variety in the plot, the lack of distinctive secondary characters or subplots and the very idealized romance ultimately make the series seem only “adequate”. Ideal for fans looking for something simple and feel-good, but a rather average experience for everyone else. You can watch it, but you don't have to... maybe season 2 will bring more out of it.
johnbradshaw
Doraemon Movie 43: Nobita no Chikyuu Symphony
Jan 13, 2025
It broke my heart to see my beloved series, the one that made my childhood, is nothing more than a soulless cash-grab nowadays. Nobita's Earth Symphony (like many other 'new' movies before) is an average, boring mess that fail to understand what makes Doraemon great in the first place. Fujio F. Fujiko is not just an iconic mangaka, he's also a great story-teller. The stories he drew is adventurous, imaginative and larger than life. He's often inspired by adventure stories like One Thousand and One Nights, Treasure Island, Momotaro or Jules Verne's books, etc... As a kid, I wanted to be a part ... of the gang to discover the world he created. Now, as a 30 year-old man rereading the manga, I still feel the same, nothing has changed, his stories are that mesmerizing. There's always a sense of real danger in his works, it makes the friendships between Nobita and his friends feel real and strong, they've been through trials and always remain loyal to each others. From there, it also highlights the differences in personalities amongst the main cast and flesh them out, that's why those characters are so beloved through generations of viewers. There's none of that in these new movies, there's no tension, there was never a time I feel that they're in real tough situations that needs intelligence and a strong bond of friendship to overcome. Everything is solved quickly through a Dues Ex Machina, it results in a forgettable story that serves no purpose, not even entertaining. I hope they stop making these movie and tarnish the legacy of the series I love. Doraemon deserves so much better than this.
Tarsembhaker
Boku no Kokoro no Yabai Yatsu 2nd Season
Jan 13, 2025
This anime had so much potential to be decent. I don't seem to understand how it's so highly rated. It has similarities to the anime my dress up darling, the only difference is the male lead in this anime is absolutely terrible. He has no particular gimmick that helps him stand out since this story line has been used so many times. He's the average frail anti social kid portrayed as the lead protagonist that's on a self journey of personal growth and finding love eventually. They could of made half the storyline better by sprucing up the male lead, you can literally copy ... and paste any other male protagonist that's worth the watch and plug it in here and it would work just as good if not better. None of the characters blend and mesh together due to the inadequate male lead. I dont get how this anime is higher rated than as some other animes in the same exact feild with far less praise from critics, with a better blend of personality and intrigue than this one.
AnimeExplorer21
No Game No Life
Jan 13, 2025
When I first started watching No Game No Life, I wasn’t expecting much beyond the usual isekai tropes. You know, the whole “transported to another world” thing. But, oh boy, was I wrong. This anime turned out to be something entirely different—a wild, colorful, and insanely strategic ride that I didn’t want to end. Honestly, it’s one of the most unique anime I’ve ever watched, and I’m still mad it only got one season. Let me start with the protagonists, Sora and Shiro. They’re a pair of socially awkward NEET siblings who are absolute geniuses in gaming. The way they complement each other is honestly heartwarming. ... Sora’s charisma and Shiro’s cold, calculating logic make them an unstoppable duo. And their bond? It’s so pure. Like, they literally can’t function without each other—it’s a little weird but oddly touching at the same time. The setup is brilliant. A literal god (Tet) challenges them to a chess match, and after they win, he invites them to a world where everything is decided by games. No war, no violence—just games. This concept is genius. It’s like the writers took every gamer’s dream and made it a reality. The games themselves are the highlight of the series. They’re not just about brute strength or luck—they’re all about wit, strategy, and sometimes bending the rules in ways that make you go, “Wait, they can do that?” One of my favorite moments was the rock-paper-scissors game with Jibril (the Flügel). The sheer mind games and psychological warfare Sora pulls off are next-level. It’s like watching a chess grandmaster play 4D chess blindfolded. Now, the visuals. Wow. Just wow. The color palette is so vibrant, almost neon-like, and it perfectly matches the surreal, fantasy vibe of the world. Every frame feels like a piece of art. The music? Don’t even get me started. The opening theme, “This Game”, has been on my playlist for years. It’s just that good. I’ll admit, the fanservice can be a bit much sometimes. Like, okay, we get it—Shiro is cute, and Jibril’s outfit is barely an outfit. But honestly, it didn’t bother me as much because the story and characters were just so engaging. What really stuck with me was the message of the series. Sora and Shiro represent humanity (Imanity) at its lowest—weak, looked down on by everyone else. But they prove that intellect and determination can outshine raw power. It’s inspiring, in a way. The only downside? It’s only 12 episodes. I cannot stress enough how much I want a second season. The story feels like it’s just getting started when it ends. I even picked up the light novels because I couldn’t stand the cliffhanger. In the end, No Game No Life is a masterpiece. It’s clever, hilarious, emotional, and visually stunning. It’s the kind of anime that leaves you thinking about it long after you’ve finished. For me, it’s a 10/10, no question. If you haven’t watched it yet, stop whatever you’re doing and go binge it. Just be prepared to join the rest of us in desperately waiting for Season 2.
DivisionDoodle
Overlord
Jan 13, 2025
As someone who typically avoids isekai anime due to their predictable tropes—overpowered protagonists, harems, and often "copy & paste" premises—I was surprised by Overlord's first season. Despite my initial skepticism, it left me with a fairly positive impression, though not without its flaws. The story kicks off with the familiar trope of a protagonist trapped in a fantasy world, but with a refreshing twist. Instead of the usual hero's journey, we follow Momonga, later Ainz Ooal Gown, who finds himself stuck in the virtual reality MMORPG, Yggdrasil, after its servers shut down. Unlike the typical isekai protagonist, Ainz isn't an adventurer or a random hero; he's ... the skeletal overlord of the most powerful guild, Nazarick, surrounded by NPC subordinates who suddenly gain sentience. This shift from the traditional hero to an apparent villain adds a unique angle to the overused formula often seen in the genre. Character-wise, Ainz is compelling, but it's Albedo, the succubus and Overseer of the Floor Guardians, who truly stands out. Her obsessive love for Ainz, sparked by a last-minute tweak to her character settings, is both amusing and occasionally grating. If its not obvious enough, she is the show's fan-service. Her infatuation leads to several humorous moments, like her owning a body pillow of Ainz and openly declaring her desire to start a family with him. While her character is undeniably memorable, the one-note devotion of all Nazarick NPCs can feel a bit monotonous. Visually, the character designs are detailed, with Albedo's look being especially iconic. The animation is generally solid, but the occasional use of CGI feels jarring and detracts from the otherwise engaging visuals. The tone of the show is another element that sets it apart—it balances dark, violent themes with bursts of humor, creating a unique blend that keeps the narrative interesting. However, the pacing of the first season is one of its weaker points. The slow build-up, while adding depth to the world-building, can feel tedious at times, especially when it culminates in a cliffhanger that leaves the story hanging. While this setup is clearly intended to entice viewers into the next season, it may leave some feeling a bit unsatisfied.
Sanokii
Amagami-san Chi no Enmusubi
Jan 13, 2025
Id say its fair game on who will conquer this main character harem male. The characters in this are sweet, innocent, and intelligent. It's been a while since I've written a review but I want to start out with the fact the characters are entangled with the male is sweet and all the formations of art and style are in this anime. To continue I have been watching since it started airing and It has been a joy to experience all the plots and art styles and subtle advances of character development. I would definitely recommend this anime to any one who loves harem and romance.
KimuraTheHatoru
Mato Seihei no Slave
Jan 13, 2025
Well, this was quite the ride if i do say so myself. The girls who straddled this anime's MC would say the same . Jokes aside, this anime was actually surprisingly good. And what i mean by that is the plot. Usually these sorta fanservice anime have a paper-thin plot. This one however has an actually intresting plot. The animation is allright, except for the CGI(obviously). And the fanservice is rather weak as well. The way powers work and all is also very nice,with all of them having drawbacks. With an exception here and there though. So yeah, if you came around excited mostly for ... the fanservice... It's pretty scarce but it's decent when it does happen, so in that regard you might get dissapointed. But instead you'll be welcomed by a solid world foundation. A thing that i doubt anyone who watched it at first expected. A nice watch. Over and out.
Jan 13, 2025
Shangri-La Frontier is a love letter to gamers and fans of the gaming anime genre. While the premise of a skilled player tackling a challenging MMO isn’t groundbreaking, the series stands out due to its fresh execution and attention to detail. Even when the story follows familiar beats, its charm and clever narrative twists make it thoroughly enjoyable. The art style is a standout feature, perfectly capturing the vibrant and immersive game world while maintaining a clean and modern aesthetic. The fluid animation, especially during intense boss battles, adds excitement and depth to every scene. This visual quality complements the story, enhancing the sense of adventure ... and challenge. The characters are well-rounded and relatable, with strengths and flaws that bring them to life. Sunraku, in particular, feels like a true gamer, driven by curiosity, strategy, and the thrill of the challenge. His realistic reactions to setbacks and triumphs, paired with strong dynamics with side characters, make the story feel grounded. Fans of gaming anime will find much to love in this series, though those uninterested in gaming mechanics may not connect as strongly. Overall, Shangri-La Frontier delivers an engaging and thrilling experience that leaves viewers excited for what’s next.
Yuki_Raine
16bit Sensation: Another Layer
Jan 13, 2025
A warm story filled with game nostalgia, weird time travel and McGuffins. Worth your time but be warned that the ending is rushed and quite a few things are left in the air, so I can really see lots of people being unhappy about it. I did appreciate the jokes and can forgive the gaps, thus the rating, but for others it can easily be a 6 for the same reasons. The art is great, MC is characteristically MC-like, annoyingly energetic and hopeful at times. There are some fitting choices given its about making games, the layout feels like quests/ routes to get to an ... ending of a visual novel. Some things really fall off, like a villain of the week that pops up for a bit and the water plants& zombies, but their existence is quite ironic in the setting.
MidniteAndBeyond
Ousama Ranking
Jan 13, 2025
BOJJIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I will be shocked beyond belief if I find another character this year who even comes half as close to being as beloved to me as Prince Bojji. Such a brilliant ball of sunshine who positively impacts the world around him and brings smiles and joy to everyone within it. Literally every single second he was on screen, I was either rooting for him, crying for him, wishing him the best, etc. I was DEVOTED to seeing his success and happiness. I wanted to destroy every single character that brought him any sort of pain, no matter how minor. But of course, Bojji is completely ... pure-hearted and continuously does his best to better himself and will always help those in need and forgive people for their past actions and he's just so good and pure and precious and perfect and AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ...oh ya, the rest of the show is good, too. Visuals are fantastic. Like a highly detailed Professor Layton game. Other characters are great and work well as one big ensemble. Music was great, story is really deep and has great lessons throughout. There's a sequel/side series that gives you more insight on the characters if you wanna spend more time with them, while being a completely optional watch that allows the main series to keep moving forward at a satisfying pace. It was great. It was all really fantastic. The only nitpick I had was that it was sometimes a liiiiittle bit hard to follow some of the characters and their current allegiance. There's a lot of back and forth between who's good and evil, who's working with whom and against whom, etc. It all comes together and makes sense in the end, but I sometimes got a bit confused with how often some of them seemed to be switching sides. Or maybe I was just confused as to why they'd focus any time on any character that isn't Bojji. Because he's the best. End of story. 9/10 Bojji gets an infinity out of 10!
Zeno_Artaxerxes
Yarinaoshi Reijou wa Ryuutei Heika wo Kouryakuchuu
Jan 13, 2025
A reverse time anime about a 16 year old girl that gets betrayed by her husband and is getting another chance at life at age 10. Everything good until now... then it hits you. Right from the start. Her husband from her past life was the crown prince of a country, so at age 10, when the crown prince chooses her, she decides to go with another one... and that another one is 19... and he accepts her... he is overjoyed by her age... While there is a plot reason why he is overjoyed by her age and such, it is still quite the :| moment for ... me (could have been easily changed...). But okay, let's say we get over this, what do we have then? A comedy mostly that switches between somewhat serious moments with jokes and... quite a few close, heartfelt moments between the FMC and MC... Oh man, it just likes to emphasize the fact that it is a 19 y old with a 10 y old, huh... Let's see who is the author... a female... I see... well, I did hear quite a lot of 18+ stuff is drawn by females... Plot is basic to the point it is cringe at times for certain moments, but the main point of this anime is comedy, so ig it doesn't really matter that much, but there isn't that much comedy to make up for the plot imho. Nothing is explained when it comes magic and stuff. Worldbuilding? Ye, don't expect much. And man, sometimes it feels like you're watching on 2x for how fast the story suddenly starts developing, like they remembered they only got so much time and need to finish everything ASAP! Fighting scenes are quite meh as well. Quite a few "perfect" moments that aren't funny or anything, they just seem to be the copy paste of moments I've already seen in thrash animes... It's just the typical feel good story where everyone will be happy and the bed guy gets it. There are some characters that are quite funny, but they don't appear as much as I would have wanted. MC is the strong female lead type. I like her spirit. MC is okayish? Tbh he's pretty boring to me... Story: 7 -- There is a plotline... but it's kinda thrash anime plot style... Art: 7 -- Art was okay. Didn't use horrendous CGI at least, but the fights were kinda 1 frame per second type most of the time, or short af. Music: 7 -- Okay music. Characters: 8 -- A few funny ones, but that age gap is still bugging me quite hard... Enjoyment: 7 -- Was somewhat enjoyable, but didn't leave me with a strong impression or anything... besides that age gap. Overall: 7 Right now it has 7.06 from 26.698 votes Ranked #4095 Popularity #2673 Members 73,251 as of 14/01/2025. Tbh I cannot really recommend it much to anyone... there are better thrash animes out there. This one is for those that want a comedy that doesn't take itself serious, with a bit of shoujo put in it between the FMC and MC, can get over the ages of the MC and FMC, doesn't mind the generic thrash anime moments and just wants to chill at something and pass the time.
LoneStarDust
Seirei Gensouki 2
Jan 13, 2025
There is no better way to describe this second season. Sorry for my language but this second season is absolute dogshit, literal poop show. First season wasn't that good either but it was watchable. Sometimes first season for an anime can be slow and take times for story building so that next season can be fast paced and good. But for this anime, it hasn't got any better but become worse. I know when we search for an anime on Mal, we want it to be good so that we can enjoy watching it. If we watch first season, then we will most likely watch ... second season too. But I will say please don't waste your time and save yourself from mental torture. I like to watch braindead trash Isekai but it's not really enjoyable at all. Just forget this anime and watch something else. I am not saying what's wrong with the 2nd season because other reviews have already pointed them out.
ANMABro
Re:Monster
Jan 13, 2025
I am only writing this because of how many bad reviews there are. Anyway, this was amazing. There is no holding back a true anime, honestly, I hate Tensei shitara Slime Datta Ken and a growing majority of anime in this genre due to how filtered they are or how dumb they are take Tensei shitara Slime Datta Ken for example if I watched it when I first started watching anime I probably would've never watched another because it seemed like an over exaggerated (forgive me) cartoon because anime is about going beyond limits and be more mature this had the gore and other mature ... aspects but kept a sense of light-heartedness sure it had some plot holes but nothing big and it didn't get overloaded with light-heartedness or stupidity like a lot of isekais lately (looking at you "I parry everything") and it was honestly kinda nice having more depth with the friendships and growth. so in conclusion after that rant sorry BTW I would recommend just don't have high hopes. side note: I do admit I am rating this a tad high but its mainly out of thankfulness of it being more mature and being a good time
SushiSuperLover
Yumemiru Danshi wa Genjitsushugisha
Jan 13, 2025
I read the manga & watched the anime? The beginning of this series was really cool and I understand how it went viral for a bit on Social Media. A guy who willing chooses to stop stalking/simping/chasing after a woman seen in an Anime speak volumes. I originally thought that was the plot, but as time passes, it seems the MC's resolve wasn't that strong. Even though he stopped the bizarre behaviors, it seems he still decided to stick with his old feelings of "attraction" or "love." Basically the really cool beginning sizzled out in a matter of moments/chapters and you only got a regular series which is just like ... anything else
Benjax87834
Mecha-ude (TV)
Jan 13, 2025
This anime reminds me the studio trigger somntimes, in the best sence possible. Is a great story, with a good plot at the end and a great rhythm. Is a condense story that don't overexplain or overshow nothing. The argument isin't so original but the ejecution compensate it. The characters are great, every one matters and never create a "filler scene". The only thing bad I could say is that end's. Is not and profund or emotional serie, but is fun and with a pretty moral. I don't get why the score is so low, if a bigger studio had release this serie I know the score ... whould be higher. Give it a shot, is a good short shonen.
Joshua_0121
Tsuma, Shougakusei ni Naru.
Jan 13, 2025
Tsuma, Shougakusei ni Naru.(If My Wife Becomes an Elementary School Student.) While this anime as a cringe name the premise(reincarnationish) Was executed very well and grounded in realism Plot The anime as a simple plot with some well executed twist that keep you invested in the storyline (not to give any spoilers) Characters The Characters are quite relatable and realistic And the development of some Characters in the helps feel the emotions that are being passed across All in all it was a good watch although the first few episodes were a little clichéd and boring things pick up and progress well NB if you love slice of life ... this anime is something you will enjoy and I recommend it Ratings: 7.6/10
ChiefGamer
The Fable
Jan 13, 2025
I want to start the review by saying that I haven't read the manga but I loved the show. It is slow paced and old school but precisely because of that it presents a different atmosphere entirely compared to the anime of today. The show is mainly about an assassin trying to lead an ordinary life for an year and his interactions with ordinary people while getting into trouble due to his past and handling it while trying to maintain his ordinary life that he comes to enjoy. I won't be spoiling the story any more than this. The characters are very interesting. Most of ... them are certainly in the grey area so don't expect this to be a fluffy feel good slice of life. There is both the nasty and dangerous stuff that people in underworld are typically involved in portrayed throughout the anime. I hope there is a second season for this. It is rated highly but doesn't seem to be popular despite so many anime with worse stories being much more popular. Short Version - It's very interesting as long as you watch it with an open mind and are interested in something different from the usual anime made nowadays.