Author Archives: Joanna

Mid-Spring 2025 Anime Ranking

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01. LAZARUS (Ep. 1-10) – The world is going to end for humanity, after a scientist reveals his widely used pain-relief drug, Hapna, is actually a ticking time bomb. A group of misfits is tasked to find him, with the goal of obtaining an antidote.

I really like that Axel’s parkour and prison breaks are believable because his inability to stay still for long is so well-demonstrated. Miyano Mamoru is a natural fit in the lead role here. In general, the characters and voice acting are great. And the action scenes – wow, truly phenomenal!

I wish they would give Hersch a more generic outfit though. Her usual clothes are too distinctive (and ugly) to wear every day.

Other criticisms: There are maybe a few too many coincidences. And there is a strange, dreamlike, lack of urgency to everyone. Why would people go so out of their way to protect their own agendas when everyone is going to die?

Regardless, this sort of anime is my jam, and I look forward to it every week!

02. TO BE HERO X (Tu Bian Yingxiong X) (Ep. 1-11) – The narrative consists of individual story arcs with no clear connection so far. Additionally, the order in which they are presented is not even linear. Anyway, the stories are good, and intriguing, though I fear I may need to re-watch once I know what’s actually going on.

Going in, I was a bit unsure about the CG animation, but there was no need to be wary as it looks really good.

The soundtrack, including the OP and ED, are great! Sawano Hiroyuki delivers again!

(Streaming at Crunchyroll)

03. KOWLOON Generic Romance (Ep. 1-10) – The retro setting seems at odds with the modern-day devices and futuristic object floating in the sky. And the main character might be a clone? Kowloon Generic Romance is definitely unique and mysterious and very interesting.

(Streaming at Crunchyroll)

04. The Apothecary Diaries Season 2 (Kusuriya no Hitorigoto 2nd Season) (Ep. 33-46) – The sheer amount of medical and scientific knowledge that Maomao possesses defies credibility, in my opinion. And it’s also quite the stretch that she’s kept her blinders on for so long about Jinshi’s secret, when she’s so morbidly curious about literally everything else.

Regardless, this show is consistently well-written and Maomao is a great lead. I am not personally watching for the potential romance aspect; but for those who are, there’s finally some development here.

(Streaming at Crunchyroll)

05. Anne Shirley (Ep. 1-10) – Anne of Green Gables by L. M. Montgomery. Classic Canadiana, countless publications, TV and movie adaptations. Despite growing up in Canada, it all somehow eluded me. Typical story of my life: it took Japan to make a modern anime to reel me in!

Anne is really charming. This is basically a slice-of-life tale, but the story moves fast – each episode finds her about a year older!

(Streaming at Crunchyroll)

06. Rock is a Lady’s Modesty (Rock wa Lady no Tashinami deshite) (Ep. 1-11) – A pretty fun show about proper young ladies letting loose and being true to their heavy metal hearts. Also, because of how repressed they usually have to be, it’s understandable they find it refreshing to be able to cuss each other out too. However, I will posit that there’s a difference between blunt honesty and verbal abuse!

Real life metal band BAND-MAID not only provides the OP song, but also the music played by the girls; so it looks and sounds really authentic!

(Streaming at HIDIVE)

07. Apocalypse Hotel (Ep. 1-9) – The world has ended for humanity long ago, but the Gingarou Hotel in Ginza, run by robots, continues to operate, eventually providing hospitality to extra-terrestrial guests.

(Streaming at Crunchyroll)

08. The Gorilla God’s Go-To Girl (Gorilla no Kami kara Kago sareta Reijou wa Ouritsu Kishidan de Kawaigarareru) (Ep. 1-9) – I tend to have a soft spot for anime featuring super strong, female, reluctant heroes, and Gorilla God fits the mould. The supporting characters are sufficiently pleasant too.

I love that Sophia routinely gets different hairstyles and outfits depending on the situation. However, it is hard not to notice the increasing use of recycled footage otherwise.

The most annoying thing, well maybe it’s just a personal pet peeve, is that most of the characters’ names are derived from the animals they are blessed by. It makes no sense, since the blessings are not hereditary, and are not received until one is in their teens. It goes so far as to be a spoiler, since the show doesn’t reveal everyone’s animal god right away; but you know.

(Streaming at Crunchyroll)

09. The Shiunji Family Children (Shiunji-ke no Kodomotachi) (Ep. 1-9) – Okay, incest/harem anime are pretty far off the beaten path for me! If it weren’t for Umehara Yuuichirou in the starring role of Arata, I never would have found my way here. Surprisingly, it’s not nearly as trashy as I anticipated, partly because Arata is a decent guy and a good brother to his siblings. He is rightfully weirded out when his sisters start thinking of him as potential romantic partner material once they learn they are not blood-related.

Pure speculation, but don’t tell me Lala, the girl he actually likes, is his blood-related sibling for real. That would be groan-worthy; but it would serve as an ironclad reason he cannot end up with her, and he has to consider looking in-house instead!

(Streaming at Crunchyroll)

10. I’m the Evil Lord of an Intergalactic Empire! (Ore wa Seikan Kokka no Akutoku Ryoushu!) (Ep. 1-4 + select episodes only) – This isekai sci-fi comedy is gratuitous and somewhat misogynistic. It does have its humorous moments, but I really cannot recommend this show! I only started watching because of my sister. And she only watched because Hirose Yuya plays a bit part. It got to the point where she was checking the end credits for his name before deciding whether or not to continue each episode.

I expected Shiunji Family Children to be trash, but it was not even close compared to I’m the Evil Lord.

(Streaming at Crunchyroll)

Mid-Winter 2025 Anime Ranking

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01. Orb: On the Movements of the Earth (Chi. Chikyuu no Undou ni Tsuite) (Ep. 15-24) – This second cour, with almost all new characters, is not quite as engaging as the first, but the storytelling remains top-class.

(Streaming at Netflix)

02. Rurouni Kenshin -Meiji Kenkaku Romantan- Kyoto Disturbance (Kyoto Douran) (Ep. 37-45) – Saito Hajime, and company, stop the burning of Kyoto.

(Streaming at Crunchyroll)

03. ZENSHU. (Ep. 1-9) – If you get the numerous references to other anime, I think there’s an extra level of enjoyment possible. To be honest, a lot of them are over my head; but I’m still enjoying this isekai, starring an anime director, a great deal!

Episode 4 was a stand-out. How true that having an oshi can be a life-affirming experience!

(Streaming at Crunchyroll)

04. The Apothecary Diaries (Kusuriya no Hitorigoto) (Ep. 25-32)

(Streaming at Crunchyroll)

05. From Bureaucrat to Villainess: Dad’s Been Reincarnated! (Akuyaku Reijou Tensei Ojisan) (Ep. 1-10)

(Streaming at HIDIVE)

06. Unnamed Memory Act.2 (Ep. 13-20) – Still as ridiculously fast-paced as the first season. Still I like it regardless of its significant flaws.

(Streaming at Crunchyroll)

07. Blue Box (Ao no Hako) (Ep. 13-21) – Props to Hina for being so forthright and decent. But the love triangle is dragging on a bit.

(Streaming at Netflix)

08. Blue Miburo (Ao no Miburo) (Ep. 13-20) – A younger Saito Hajime, and company, stop the burning of Kyoto.

(Streaming at Crunchyroll)

09. I May Be a Guild Receptionist, but I’ll Solo Any Boss to Clock Out on Time (Guild no Uketsukejou desu ga, Zangyou wa Iya nanode Boss wo Solo Toubatsu Shiyou to Omoimasu) (Ep. 1-7) – I enjoy this more for the relatable and sweet characters than the one-note plot.

(Streaming at Crunchyroll)

10. Übel Blatt (Ep. 1-9) – The storytelling is poor and many plot developments in this revenge tale seem unintentionally funny. But who cares, right? My sister’s oshi, Hirose Yuya is voicing the lead character (and doing a fine job of it!) so we are watching avidly, and laughing when we feel like it.

(Streaming on Amazon Prime)

11. HONEY LEMON SODA (Ep. 1-8) – Shy, bullied Uka finds her saviour in heartthrob, and high-school Jesus, Kai. Full-on shoujo romances are not my thing, clearly. Kai doesn’t seem like a real person to me; and the pair of them have no chemistry.

(Streaming at Crunchyroll)

Also watching, sort of:

My Happy Marriage (Watashi no Shiawase na Kekkon) (S2 Ep. 1-5) – Whatever my thoughts on this potato of an MC and her wish-fulfillment protective fiancé, wow, the incredible scenery and all of Miyo’s gorgeous kimono are enough to make this worthwhile! (Streaming at Netflix)

Baban Baban Ban Vampire (Ep. 1-5) (Streaming at Netflix)

Mid-Autumn 2024 Anime Ranking

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It’s a season of blue-coded anime, apparently. I am watching Blue Box, BLUE LOCK, and Blue Miburo. If I was still following it, I could have been watching Blue Exorcist as well!

01. Orb: On the Movements of the Earth (Chi. Chikyuu no Undou ni Tsuite) (Ep. 1-12) – A fictionalized account of the perils faced by astronomers who realized the truth of heliocentrism during a time when the powers that be (ie, the Church) were politically and murderously committed to geocentrism.

The concepts raised here are surprisingly timeless. We might expect that we no longer have our heads in the sand when it comes to scientific progress, but clearly it has been shown time and time again that misinformation and mistrust are prevalent in any century.

(Streaming at Netflix)

02. Rurouni Kenshin -Meiji Kenkaku Romantan- Kyoto Disturbance (Kyoto Douran) (Ep. 25-35) – The Kyoto arc, unabridged. What more needs to be said?

(Streaming at Crunchyroll)

03. BLEACH: Thousand-Year Blood War – The Conflict (Sennen Kessen-hen -Soukoku-tan-) (S3 Ep. 1-10, Overall Ep. 27-36) – This third instalment of TYBW has been my favourite yet. Lots of major revelations and developments for the Soul Society Squad Captains and really nice animation to boot.

The OP is also remarkably gorgeous; I never skip it.

(Streaming at Hulu and Disney+)

04. Blue Box (Ao no Hako) (Ep. 1-11)

(Streaming at Netflix)

05. Nina the Starry Bride (Hoshifuru Oukoku no Nina) (Ep. 1-10)

(Streaming at Crunchyroll)

06. DAN DA DAN (Ep.1-11)

(Streaming at Crunchyroll and Netflix)

07. Blue Miburo (Ao no Miburo) (Ep. 1-8) – I’m no stranger to historical dramas about the Shinsengumi. This is right up my alley.

(Streaming at Crunchyroll)

08. BLUE LOCK 2nd Season (BLUE LOCK VS. U-20 JAPAN) (Ep. 25-34) – The Blue Lock project is put to the test in a pivotal game against the U-20 Team. It’s a shame that the animation quality is so very lacking this season, but the soccer is still as tense and over-the-top as always.

(Streaming at Crunchyroll)

09. Yakuza Fiancé: Raise wa Tanin ga Ii (Ep. 1-10) – Right off the bat, I found Kirishima to be a toxic and off-putting love interest, and I nearly dropped the show because of him. However, I did like Yoshino’s tough yet vulnerable personality. And maybe I was a little morbidly curious at how things would go.

Yakuza Fiancé is certainly an unconventional romance, to say the least. However, I did warm up to the characters and their relationships, even if I still had difficulty supporting the main romantic pairing.

(Streaming at Crunchyroll)

10. NEGATIVE POSITIVE ANGLER (NegaPosi Angler) (Ep. 1-11) – This one would normally be off my radar, but the word of mouth was good and plus, one of my sister’s oshis, Hirose Yuuya, has a role in it.

I don’t know, there’s something about fishing stories, they always put me to sleep. So the only way I can pay attention is if I’m multi-tasking, such as having dinner, at the same time. My sister, on the other hand, cannot eat while watching anything gross and slimy, so it has been interesting fitting this show into our schedule!

(Streaming at Crunchyroll)

11. The Healer Who Was Banished From His Party, Is, in Fact, the Strongest (Party kara Tsuihou sareta Sono Chiyushi, Jitsu wa Saikyou ni Tsuki) (Ep. 1-9) – Okay, out of the dozens of fantasy/isekai series on offer this season (and every season,) I selected this one to check out because of the voice talent. Specifically, Umehara Yuuichirou plays a supporting role. I wouldn’t say it’s bad, but it is pretty forgettable, and the animation quality is about on level with BLUE LOCK 2nd Season.

(Streaming at Crunchyroll)

Mid-Summer 2024 Anime Ranking

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01. [OSHI NO KO] (Ep. 12-22)

(Streaming at HIDIVE)

02. YATAGARASU: The Raven Does Not Choose Its Master (Karasu wa Aruji wo Erabanai) (Ep. 14-19)

(Streaming at Crunchyroll)

03. Suicide Squad ISEKAI (Ep. 1-10 complete)

(Streaming at Hulu)

04. Senpai is an Otokonoko (Senpai wa Otokonoko) (Ep. 1-11)

(Streaming at Crunchyroll)

05. Twilight Out of Focus (Tasogare Out Focus) (Ep. 1-11)

(Streaming at Crunchyroll)

06. The Magical Girl and The Evil Lieutenant Used to Be Archenemies (Katsute Mahou Shoujo to Aku wa Tekitai shiteita.) (Ep. 1-11)

(Streaming at Crunchyroll)

07. Egumi Legacy (Ep. 1-10) – Voice actor Eguchi Takuya’s unique character designs in glorious animation. To be honest, I’m not sure I get it, but this work is one of a kind, that’s for sure!

(Streaming at YouTube)

Notable Drops:

Delico’s Nursery (4 episodes) – Certainly, the message that child-rearing is as important a job as any other is a meaningful one. But I don’t know. When your other job is crime-solving, and people are out there dying while you and everyone on your team are changing diapers and looking after the kids, it does make me question your priorities.

(Streaming at Crunchyroll)

The Elusive Samurai (Nige Jouzu no Wakagimi) (3 episodes) – It was not bad, by any means; the animation especially, looked great. But I just felt too much discomfort reconciling the very violent and disturbing narrative elements (eg. torture and murder of children) with the comedic content. Well also we have a tendency to be less interested in action dramas starring child-protagonists.

(Streaming at Crunchyroll)

Mid-Spring 2024 Anime Ranking

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01. KAIJU No. 8 (Kaijuu 8-gou) (Ep. 1-10) – After only one single episode, I already cared about Kafka and was convinced of his bond with Reno, even though the two of them just met each other. Week after week, KAIJU No. 8 continues to impress me with well-paced storytelling, detailed world-building, likeable characters, and brilliant humour.

(Streaming at Crunchyroll)

02. YATAGARASU: The Raven Does Not Choose Its Master (Karasu wa Aruji wo Erabanai) (Ep. 1-8) – There are a lot of characters to keep up with in this historical drama with a fantastical spin, but once you get to know them, it is really engrossing and suspenseful. Basically, a deadly succession battle is going on between supporters of the Kingdom’s 2 princes, and it’s hard to tell who can be taken at face value and who is scheming something. It’s reasonable to suspect that probably everyone except Yukiya has a hidden agenda.

(Streaming at Crunchyroll)

03. Unnamed Memory (Ep. 1-10) – Undeniably, this is a pretty troubled adaptation. It seems like they are trying hard to cram an immense amount of story into a span of a single season. It’s actually kind of impressive that this anime is not a total incoherent mess!

In spite of its flaws, I still find I enjoy it a lot, mainly because I’m sold on Oscar and Tinasha. Whereas I often feel nothing for romance shows, such as A SIGN OF AFFECTION or My Happy Marriage as recent examples, I am surprised at how invested I am in this love story!

(Streaming at Crunchyroll)

04. Astro Note (Ep. 1-10) – By contrast, the storytelling and plot progression of Astro Note are top notch. The characters are eccentric but endearing, and I believe there are visual clues throughout that hint at future developments of the story.

We only started watching this sci-fi comedy because of Saito Soma hamming it up in the trailer, but it’s looking to be a cute and funny and satisfying series overall.

(Streaming at Crunchyroll)

05. OBLIVION BATTERY (Boukyaku Battery) (Ep. 1-9) – Speaking of hamming it up, here we have Miyano Mamoru as the quirky, amnesiac catcher in this baseball anime. OBLIVION BATTERY‘s character art is a little questionable, what with the tiny faces, small heads, and long necks. But the animation is kind of amazing and the show is pretty funny. Some parts, including the opening flashback sequence, are overwhelmingly melodramatic, but I’m going to assume those are meant to be funny too, because I was cracking up!

(Streaming at Crunchyroll)

06. Black Butler: Public School Arc (Kuroshitsuji: Kishuku Gakkou-hen) (Ep. 1-5)

(Streaming at Crunchyroll)

07. WIND BREAKER (Ep. 1-10) – At the start of the season, this was near the top of the list. The animation was impressive, the characters were likeable, plus omurice! 

I was wary though, when Shishitoren came calling and they all matched up for a big fight. Indeed what followed was episode after episode of largely pointless brawling, while our enthusiasm for WIND BREAKER evaporated. It’s basically the opposite problem of Unnamed Memory, in which huge conflicts are wrapped up in half an episode; these small conflicts don’t need to be half a season long.

Also, is it not weird that Furin High School is all plastered over with graffiti? The boys take such good care of their neighborhood; yet their school looks like that?!

(Streaming at Crunchyroll)

08. Vampire Dormitory (Ep. 1-6) – Ah, this one’s pretty bad. It’s laughably ridiculous that Mito’s close contacts can’t figure out that she’s actually a girl; meanwhile a couple of random thugs on the street outed her in seconds! Her wig is so unbelievable! It would have been way less distracting if that was just her real hair.

In one episode, Mito up and leaves in the middle of work and doesn’t go back, and it’s okay? And what about that mixer that 8 people showed up for? Two walked off to speak privately, which was weird because the person they were talking about was actually present at the meeting, and then the mixer was totally forgotten. What kind of writing is this?

Also, how is it that Ren is so much more likeable than lead guy Ruka? Go ahead and count me for Team Ren.

(Streaming at Crunchyroll)

Mobile Suit Gundam SEED FREEDOM

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Released 2024

I admit, I’m terrible at telling mechas apart, so I was never a huge fan of the series’ battle scenes. I was surprised that even the director said in his introduction that battle scenes could seem “insipid” if there were too many, and unfortunately, for me this was already too much.

Maybe it’s just me not paying enough attention, or not recalling enough from the TV series, but I wished there was better explanation of their strategies. Like, they decide to let’s save Lacus – but how? And I didn’t get a good grasp of how the antagonists’ mind-control/mind-reading abilities worked.

Foundation needed Lacus’s support to make their plan a reality; but they didn’t even try to court her in earnest before resorting to underhanded methods. In general, I found all the villains to be too blatantly villainous.

I also personally thought the cheesy love stuff, and love triangle side plots, to be a bit overdone. I get that freedom of choice to love was being used as an analogy for freedom of life, but I guess I’m just particular in my enjoyment of love stories and this wasn’t my thing. For the record, I was invested in the Murrue x Mu romance back in SEED and the Cagalli x Athrun pairing during DESTINY.

There were things to like about the screening. Obviously it was pleasantly nostalgic to re-visit these iconic characters. But the biggest crowd-pleaser was when several of them got into a full-on fist-fight.

The first Gundam SEED anime used to air on YTV in the 2000s, so I’ve watched it all the way through at least twice. As the overall plot is very complex, I definitely got more out of it during subsequent viewings. The same could be true of this film, I suppose.

Mid-Winter 2024 Anime Ranking

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I’m adequately enjoying most of what we’re watching, however this is yet another season in which I have no clear favourites.

01. 7th Time Loop: The Villainess Enjoys a Carefree Life Married to Her Worst Enemy! (Loop 7-kaime no Akuyaku Reijou wa, Moto Tekikoku de Jiyuu Kimama na Hanayome Seikatsu wo Mankitsu suru) (Ep. 1-9) – Riche says she won’t do any work, that she wants to live a carefree life. But all that means is she won’t do the official duties expected of the betrothed of royalty. In her idle time, she is working her butt off, fixing the economy, curing diseases, and trying to stop a war! And ultimately, she hopes to avoid suffering an untimely death yet again.

The Prince Theodore arc was weak, and strained my interest in the show a lot; but subsequently the narrative has picked back up, now that elements of Riche’s past lives are coming together.

For a villainess-do-over-genre anime, I wasn’t expecting anything special in the animation department, but 7th Time Loop has some pretty nice-looking fights. And the ballroom dancing scene was the best of the 3 shows in this category that we’re watching. Yes that’s right: 3! The others are Doctor Elise and Villainess Level 99; and yes they both happened to have a ballroom episode too. However, I think I prefer the more subdued colour palette of the other 2 anime.

(Streaming at Crunchyroll)

02. FRIEREN: Beyond Journey’s End (Sousou no Frieren) (Ep. 17-27) – With most anime, I usually find that the fights and action scenes don’t do that much for me; and I prefer the quieter character-building moments. It’s the opposite with FRIEREN, though. The fights are really interesting and smart, while the slice-of-life sequences come off as slightly boring.

(Streaming at Crunchyroll)

03. The Apothecary Diaries (Kusuriya no Hitorigoto) (Ep. 13-23)

(Streaming at Crunchyroll)

04. Chained Soldier (Mato Seihei no Slave) (Ep. 1-12) – My sister has a new Roman Empire, as it were (I just learned this phrase recently lol), and it’s seiyuu Hirose Yuya. So expect us to be watching more of his works going forward, starting with this raunchy harem anime, which is certainly outside our usual zone of interest.

Considering the ecchi and nudity, Chained Soldier is surprisingly not as exploitative as one might expect, since it’s the females who hold most of the power in this society. And yes, it’s actually pretty funny too.

(Streaming at HIDIVE)

05. Villainess Level 99: I May Be the Hidden Boss but I’m Not the Demon Lord (Akuyaku Reijou Level 99: Watashi wa Ura-Boss desu ga Maou dewa Arimasen (Ep. 1-9)

(Streaming at Crunchyroll)

06. Doctor Elise (Gekai Elise) (Ep.1-9)

(Streaming at Crunchyroll)

07. Mr. Villain’s Day Off (Kyuujitsu no Warumono-san) (Ep. 1-9)

(Streaming at Crunchyroll)

08. A SIGN OF AFFECTION (Yubisaki to Renren) (Ep. 1-8)

(Streaming at Crunchyroll)

09. The Witch and the Beast (Majo to Yajuu) (Ep. 1-7)

(Streaming at Crunchyroll)

ALSO STARTED:

HIGH CARD Season 2 (Ep. 13-17) (Streaming at Crunchyroll)

Classroom of the Elite III (Youkoso Jitsuryoku Shijou Shugi no Kyoushitsu e 3rd Season) (Ep. 1-6) (Streaming at Crunchyroll)

Mid-Autumn 2023 Anime Ranking

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It was very difficult to do a ranking this time.  All the shows we are watching are good enough to keep us coming back every week, but none of them stand out as something we can’t wait to watch.

01. My New Boss is Goofy (Atarashii Joushi wa Do Tennen) (Ep. 1-10) – Momose starts to heal from the workplace abuse that he suffered at his previous company with the help of his kind new supervisor.

My New Boss is Goofy is practically the spiritual successor to Play It Cool, Guys, right down to Umehara Yuuichirou voicing the airheaded ad exec. While I’m not in love with the show, it is consistently sweet, and silly, and it makes me smile.

(Streaming at Crunchyroll)

02. The Yuzuki Family’s Four Sons (Yuzuki-san Chi no Yonkyoudai.) (Ep. 1-11) – The Yuzuki boys are really endearing, especially Gaku, who is the youngest in age, but acts the most serious and mature.

There’s a lot of content here that I personally relate to, being from a family of 3 sisters, with a big age gap, and now orphaned too.

(Streaming at Crunchyroll)

03. Rurouni Kenshin: Meiji Kenkaku Romantan (2023) (Ep. 14-24)

(Streaming at Crunchyroll)

04. FRIEREN: Beyond Journey’s End (Sousou no Frieren) (Ep. 1-12)

(Streaming at Crunchyroll)

05. The Apothecary Diaries (Kusuriya no Hitorigoto) (Ep. 1-11)

(Streaming at Crunchyroll)

06. Paradox Live THE ANIMATION (Ep. 1-10) – Out of the 3 music-themed anime we’re watching, this one has the best music and the most compelling and dramatic story line.

(Streaming at Crunchyroll)

07. Firefighter Daigo: Rescuer in Orange (Megumi no Daigo: Kyuukoku no Orange) (Ep. 1-11) – Very realistic firefighter stories, but it’s kind of slow-moving; and the amount of recap at the start of each episode is ridiculous. It’s almost like the storytelling is so realistic that it happens in real time, which is totally unnecessary. Otherwise, Firefighter Daigo can be pretty exciting and suspenseful.

(Streaming at Crunchyroll)

08. JUJUTSU KAISEN -SEASON 2- (Ep. 35-45) – The Shibuya battle rages on, in all its destructive glory. I don’t know what to say. Two of our favourite characters bit the dust in 2 consecutive episodes. When another of our favourites entered the fray the next week, we were like, ‘no – what are you doing??’

(Streaming at Crunchyroll)

09. The Saint’s Magic Power is Omnipotent (Seijo no Maryoku wa Bannou desu) Season 2 (Ep. 1-11) – Now that her Holy Saint duties are winding down, the kingdom wants to see Sei settled down. Of course, Sei has always been more interested in her research than in romance, so Albert understandably hasn’t pressured her; but if he doesn’t make his move soon, he might miss his chance.

Well it’s still good, but somehow less magical than the first season. Even the romance/chemistry between Sei and Albert feels kind of lacklustre.

Actually, you know who the cutest couple is? The king and his attendant! Just from one brief scene, it’s obvious how much they enjoy each other’s company and that they have a rich shared history together.

(Streaming at Crunchyroll)

10. GOBLIN SLAYER II (Ep. 1-10) – Less action and gore compared to season one, but still entertaining, as somehow, Goblin Slayer’s fixation on goblins never gets old.

I’m appreciating Lizardman a lot lately. He’s getting to be as into the goblin slaying as Goblin Slayer! And the subtle jabs he sometimes takes at their leader are so funny.

I also really like the makeover for Farm Girl. Previously, I was weirded out by that vacant look in her eyes, but now she seems bright and cute.

(Streaming at Crunchyroll)

11. SPY x FAMILY Season 2 (Ep. 26-35) – At first it seemed like this cour was going to be more episodic filler, but we finally entered a long arc with Yor’s mission on the cruise liner, and that was a huge improvement for the show.

(Streaming at Crunchyroll)

12. HYPNOSISMIC -Division Rap Battle- Rhyme Anima+ (Season 2 Ep. 1-10) – I was never particularly enamoured of any of the HYPMIC guys, but you know, there’s just something cute about the way Samatoki is always irritable and so angry; to the point that even his closest comrades can’t tell if he is under someone’s influence, or suffering nicotine withdrawal, or just being his normal self!

(Streaming at Crunchyroll)

13. B-PROJECT: Passion*Love Call (B-PROJECT Netsuretsu*Love Call) (Season 3 Ep. 1-11) – Tsubasa’s workload increases as Gandara signs up a streaming platform duo called Ultras. There’s a learning curve since the company is not accustomed to representing this type of talent, and Ultras are not accustomed to being represented.

Unfortunately, the English subtitles for this show are frequently problematic. It’s obvious the translator wasn’t given any background information or just can’t be bothered about getting any of the names right. Gandara Music is misspelled every time with an extra ‘h’ inserted randomly; the group names are often preceded by ‘The’ and are pluralized, as if they can’t conceive that music group names do not always follow that format. This, despite the fact that the correct typeset sometimes appears right on the screen.

(Streaming at Crunchyroll)

14. BEYBLADE X (Ep. 1-9) – The best opening theme of the season (of the shows we are following) is “PROVE” by ONE OK ROCK! That is in fact the primary reason we are watching BEYBLADE X. I have never touched a bey, nor have I watched any previous Beyblade anime. Also, Saito Sōma voices one of the main characters, so that never hurts!

ALSO WATCHED:

Onimusha (Ep. 1-8) (Netflix)

Mid-Summer 2023 Anime Ranking

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It’s more of an end-of-season ranking this time, partly because many of the series ended earlier than usual, and partly because I’m compiling it later than usual.

01. Ōoku: The Inner Chambers (Ep. 1-10) – Ōoku re-imagines what Japanese history might have been like if a virulent plague had wiped out the majority of the male population. Ironically, the story is still mostly about men, specifically the kept men who serve the female Shogun.

Even though Ōoku was already available in its entirety immediately at the start of the season, we made a conscious decision to watch week by week (along with My Happy Marriage, a weekly-release Netflix show.) I’m glad I experienced it this way, because it allowed me to really give thought to the story, and the characters, and especially to Arikoto’s plight.

(Streaming at Netflix)

02. Rurouni Kenshin: Meiji Kenkaku Romantan (2023) (Ep. 1-13) – Unfortunately, having previously watched the 1990s anime series, watched the live action movies, and read the manga, this new anime doesn’t quite deliver the wow factor for me that a new experience might have. That said, I definitely did have some complaints about the old series, and especially about the films, so I do love that this new iteration hews very closely to the best version of the story, the original manga.

Well of course, we wouldn’t miss anything that stars Saito Sōma, and I stand by my initial opinion upon learning of the casting, that he really is perfect for the role of Kenshin.

(Streaming at Crunchyroll)

03. AYAKA: A STORY OF BONDS AND WOUNDS (Ep. 1-12) – We went into this expecting it to be generic fantasy fluff, but right off, it was clear that AYAKA was a cut above. Something about the characters and the way they got along with each other, and the world-building, grabbed our attention.

The show left me contemplating how all of Yanagi’s disciples had internalized his ideals of self-sacrifice, whether he had expressly intended to teach them to be like that or not. The unfortunate corollary of bearing such a martyr mindset was that they didn’t know how to handle being the one who got protected, and that messed up their psyche.

True, parts of the story were predictable – I know some viewers anticipated Yukito’s true nature from the start – but the reveal played out really nicely in the final stretch, which was funny and heart-breaking and heartwarming.

(Streaming at Crunchyroll)

04. UNDEAD MURDER FARCE (Undead Girl Murder Farce) (Ep. 1-13)

(Streaming at Crunchyroll)

05. JUJUTSU KAISEN -SEASON 2- (Ep. 25-34) – The sudden flashback story line was a bit disorienting at first, but once things got going, this cour served as a powerful explanation of how Getou became so disillusioned.

I did learn something very important though. Apparently, “revealing information about your ability increases its fundamental strength.” That one nugget of wisdom did so much to enhance my appreciation/tolerance for shows such as BLEACH, for example, in which the characters are constantly explaining their abilities out loud. Naruhodo!

(Streaming at Crunchyroll)

06. Sugar Apple Fairy Tale (Ep. 13-24)

(Streaming at Crunchyroll)

07. My Happy Marriage (Watashi no Shiawase na Kekkon) (Ep. 1-12) – The setting and scenery are totally gorgeous, and sure, it’s effortless to root for Miyo against the abuse she’s had to put up with. But in my opinion, the characters lack nuance. Miyo is just a blob of soft-spoken, innocent goodness; Kudou is a protective hero she happens to get matched up with; while her evil stepmother and evil sister are evil. It’s kind of like Cinderella in a lush, historical Japanese setting, with supernatural abilities. The only character that makes me feel anything is Miyo’s friend Kouji; he’s a decent guy who definitely gets the short end of the stick.

(Streaming at Netflix)

08. The Most Heretical Last Boss Queen: From Villainess to Savior (Higeki no Genkyou to Naru Saikyou Gedou Last Boss Joou wa Tami no Tame ni Tsukushimasu.) (Ep. 1-12) – It’s another entry in the villainess isekai genre, and by now I have completely lost track of how many there have been. Anyway, I had a good early impression of this series. I was impressed with the way Princess Pride handled the ambush crisis, and especially the subsequent meeting with the knights. But it lost its momentum after that.

(Streaming at Crunchyroll)

09. Horimiya -the missing pieces- (Horimya -piece-) (Ep. 1-13) – I get how Horimiya fans would be thrilled to see previously cut content fully animated like this, and some of it is suitably amusing. But let’s face it, many of the clips are basically filler, and it seems obvious why those scenes were passed over in the first place.

(Streaming at Crunchyroll)

10. BLEACH: Thousand-Year Blood War – The Separation (Sennen Kessen-hen – Ketsubetsu-tan) (S2 Ep. 1-11) – This was kind of interesting at the start, with the reveal of the internal workings of the Quincy group and their second assault on Seireitei. But then it all devolved into fight-of-the-week shenanigans between random opponents that didn’t add much to their character development or the overall plot development. In fact, I think the part I liked best was the quiet showdown of Shunsui and Nanao against Jugram as the three of them seemingly just stood and watched the invasion at Seireitei headquarters.

Mid-Spring 2023 Anime Ranking

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01. [OSHI NO KO] (Ep. 1-11) – This is the anime of the season and it pretty much does live up to the hype. The characters are well-written and likeable; there’s a mystery and some social commentary; and generally, the balance of light and darkness hits the mark.

(Streaming at HIDIVE)

02. VINLAND SAGA SEASON 2 (Ep. 13-24) – Snake is an impressive character; even Thorfinn respects him. Their fight in ep. 16 is easily the highlight of the season. Also, I’m very glad to have Survive Said The Prophet back with the new OP “PARADOX.” It’s a perfect fit.

Tragedy abounds as Thorfinn’s and Canute’s opposing trajectories veer toward a clash.

(Streaming at Crunchyroll)

03. MY HOME HERO (Ep. 1-12) – The animation is certainly not amazing, but this story about a man trying to get away with murder after protecting his daughter against her abusive yakuza boyfriend is smart and riveting. The premise is a nice departure from the usual anime fare, and Suwabe Junichi is great as the daddy.

(Streaming at Crunchyroll)

04. My Love Story with Yamada-kun at LV999 (Yamada-kun to Lv999 no Koi wo Suru) (Ep. 1-13) – I love the fashions in this anime, and the characters are very cute. I do think the 2 leads have chemistry, and I was rooting for them, but it bothered me that he had to rescue her so. many. times. If I was Akane, I would personally be mortified if the guy I liked witnessed me over-drinking on multiple occasions and doing stuff like distractedly walking into traffic.

Also, while I applauded Akane for taking the high road with Runa after what the younger girl did to her, I didn’t think Runa deserved to be let off the hook so easily. In short, Runa is the worst thing about the show.

(Streaming at Crunchyroll)

05. Why Raeliana Ended Up at the Duke’s Mansion (Kanojo ga Koushaku-tei ni Itta Riyuu) (Ep. 1-12) – This isekai mystery/romance has some surprising superficial similarities with My Love Story with Yamada-kun at LV999, including the appearances of the lead characters and the way they started their relationships, but otherwise it feels like a completely different animal. While the character designs are sufficiently attractive, I think I might have liked this more if the animation, and especially the colour palette, looked a little more high-budget.

(Streaming at Crunchyroll)

06. Skip and Loafer (Skip to Loafer) (Ep. 1-12) – This wholesome, feel-good anime about an unlikely group of friends drawn together by a unique but unassuming classmate, is objectively a better show than the preceding two on this list; but the slice-of-life/high school setting just doesn’t draw me in as much from week to week.

(Streaming at Crunchyroll)

07. THE MARGINAL SERVICE (Ep. 1-9) – Entertaining in a so bad, it’s good kinda way, which I believe is the way it is intended to be enjoyed. Well I could do without the pervy mascot character, but I’m having fun with this stupid show.

(Streaming at Crunchyroll)

08. MASHLE: MAGIC AND MUSCLES (Ep. 1-8) – So derivative of Harry Potter as to be distracting, and the main character is an unbelievable cream-puff-obsessed idiot. We are trying to give this a fair shake, but its shounen trappings are getting somewhat tedious.

(Streaming at Crunchyroll)

09. DEMON SLAYER S3: Swordsmith Village Arc (Kimetsu no Yaiba: Katanakaji no Sato-hen) (Ep. 1-5) – We kinda have a bad habit of losing interest in long running shounen anime, and Demon Slayer was heading in that direction for us. While we did make it through all of season 2, much of it felt like a slog.

So after the first (feature length) episode this season, my sister and I discussed if it was time to drop; I actually argued to give it a bit more time to see where things were going. However, the second episode had us completely bored out of our skulls. At that point, the only thing that could save it was if they suddenly cast not one, but both, of our favourite VAs into the next episode. And well, the rest is history ’coz we’re still on board.

(Streaming at Crunchyroll)

ALSO STARTED:

Hell’s Paradise (Jigokuraku) (ep. 1-3) – but I felt the level of violence and grotesqueness was out of proportion to the quality of the narrative. The short time I spent with Hell’s Paradise was enough to convince me that colourful flower arrangements are creepy, and I’ll probably never be able to see them as lovely again.

(Streaming at Crunchyroll)