Tag Archives: Netflix

Mid-Autumn 2025 Anime Ranking

Posted on by

01. The Fragrant Flower Blooms with Dignity (Kaoru Hana wa Rin to Saku) (Ep. 5-11) – The opposite-side-of-the-tracks friendship/romance between Rintarou and Kaoruko sparks character growth for both of them, as well as for their friend groups. It’s an incredibly solid piece of work, full of positivity.

Anime is often not the place to find good parenting on display. Rintarou’s mom, Kyouko, is a different breed; she is really supportive and amazing.

(Streaming at Netflix)

02. SPY x FAMILY Season 3 (Ep. 38-46) – After many episodes of light confections, SPY x FAMILY finally serves up some meat! The long-overdue flashback story of Twilight’s youth did a lot to renew our interest in the show. And the bus hijacking arc was a great showcase for many characters, especially Anya and Damien.

(Streaming at Crunchyroll)

03. Mechanical Marie (Kikaijikake no Marie) (Ep. 1-11) – Marie takes on a job as a maid and bodyguard, but has to pretend to be a robot because her new master has severe trust issues. It’s all pretty absurd, but also sufficiently funny and quite sweet. For example, the way Arthur always carries a bunch of extra AA batteries for Marie – it’s a stupid recurring joke, but ultimately it shows that he values her and really cares for her.

(Streaming at Crunchyroll)

04. Tojima Wants to Be a Kamen Rider (Toujima Tanzaburou wa Kamen Rider ni Naritai) (Ep. 1-10) – Ugly as heck. Imagine a bunch of grown adults with incurable chuunibyo syndrome, finding out their fantasies are real. The anime is fairly well written, it’s amusing, and sometimes even thoughtful, but some of the fights are too long.

(Streaming at Crunchyroll)

05. Dad is a hero, Mom is a spirit, I’m a reincarnator. (Chichi wa Eiyuu, Haha wa Seirei, Musume no Watashi wa Tenseisha.) (Ep. 1-11)

(Streaming at Crunchyroll)

06. Inexpressive Kashiwada and Expressive Oota (Kao ni Denai Kashiwada-san to Kao ni Deru Oota-kun) (Ep. 1-10)

(Streaming at Crunchyroll)

07. May I Ask for One Final Thing? (Saigo ni Hitotsu dake Onegai shitemo Yoroshii deshou ka) (Ep. 1-10) – The idea of a high society lady who loves to brawl is certainly novel. And Scarlet looks so cool too, so at first this anime seemed like a lot of fun. But somehow the storytelling doesn’t flow well; there are revelations out of nowhere, like they’re trying to force some depth into the plot. And yet, Scarlet still acts like she can solve all their problems with only her fists.

(Streaming at Crunchyroll)

08. Li’l Miss Vampire Can’t Suck Right (Chanto Suenai Kyuuketsuki-chan) (Ep.1-8) – This anime really doesn’t do anything for me. I don’t get the attraction of Luna. So she actually turns chibi for real when she tries to suck blood? And why is the male lead always missing the lower half of his facial features?

(Streaming at Crunchyroll)

Mid-Summer 2025 Anime Ranking

Posted on by

01. TO BE HERO X (Tu Bian Yingxiong X) (Ep. 14-24)

(Streaming at Crunchyroll)

02. Leviathan (Ep. 1-10)

(Streaming at Netflix)

03. The Summer Hikaru Died (Hikaru ga Shinda Natsu) (Ep. 1-10)

(Streaming at Netflix)

04. Betrothed to My Sister’s Ex (Zutaboro Reijou wa Ane no Moto Konyakusha ni Dekiai sareru) (Ep. 1-9)

(Streaming at Crunchyroll)

05. KAIJU No. 8 (Kaijuu 8-gou) (Ep. 13-21)

(Streaming at Crunchyroll)

06. Anne Shirley (Ep. 14-22)

(Streaming at Crunchyroll)

07. DAN DA DAN (Ep.13-22)

(Streaming at Crunchyroll and Netflix)

08. My Dress-Up Darling (Sono Bisque Doll wa Koi wo Suru) (ep. 13-22)

(Streaming at Crunchyroll)

09. Scooped Up by an S-Rank Adventurer! (Yuusha Party wo Tsuihou sareta Shiromadoushi, S-Rank Boukensha ni Hirowareru: Kono Shiromadoushi ga Kikakugai Sugiru) (Ep. 1-10)

(Streaming at Crunchyroll)

Also Started:

The Fragrant Flower Blooms with Dignity (Kaoru Hana wa Rin to Saku) (Streaming at Netflix)

Notable Drops:

TOUGEN ANKI (Ep. 1-7) – Too violent. Terrorizing, murdering of children never feels like entertainment to me. Atempts at humour were frequently tone-deaf.

(Streaming at Crunchyroll)

Secrets of the Silent Witch (Silent Witch: Chinmoku no Majo no Kakushigoto) (Ep. 1-8) – Not exactly bad, but the storytelling was clumsy, and we lost interest.

(Streaming at Crunchyroll)

CALL OF THE NIGHT Season 2 (Ep. 1) – Tried to keep an open mind, but all the worst elements of season 1 were still there; and worse, it felt like a goddamn SHAFT anime, complete with Sayonara, Zetsubo-sensei reference.

Mid-Winter 2025 Anime Ranking

Posted on by

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

Posted on by

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-Autumn 2023 Anime Ranking

Posted on by

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

Posted on by

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-Autumn 2021 Anime Ranking

Posted on by


01. Irina: The Vampire Cosmonaut (Tsuki to Laika to Nosferatu) (ep. 1-9) – Aside from the fact that the star is a vampire girl, this series is a convincingly realistic portrayal of astronaut training and the politics of the USSR-USA space race during the 1950s.

Irina receives the same training as the human candidates, but she is regarded as an expendable test subject, just a step up from the animals that have been sent into space before her. There are some of the same social/moral issues as in 86 EIGHTY-SIX in how she is exceptionally skilled, but unfairly treated as less than human. I also find it a little bit hard to believe that they would consider Irina to be so easily expendable. It can’t be a simple task to find such a willing participant, who could potentially help them with numerous test flights. But I guess they are ultimately also afraid of her, and of having her existence revealed to the public.
(streaming at Funimation)


02. 86 EIGHTY-SIX (ep. 12-19) – The drastic change in setting is a welcome development for this second part of 86 EIGHTY-SIX.

I appreciate the Federacy’s concern about enlisting the 86ers and pressuring them into dangerous combat once more, but it’s a bit heavy-handed in my opinion. Fighting is all these kids have known for so long; it’s what they are good at, as sad as that is. The important point is that they now have the freedom to choose, and I hope, to be respected and fairly compensated for their service.
(streaming at Crunchyroll)


03. The Night Beyond the Tricornered Window (Sankaku Mado no Sotogawa wa Yoru) (ep. 1-10)
(streaming at Crunchyroll)


04. The Heike Story (Heike Monogatari) (ep. 1-10) – I don’t know enough about the history of the time to follow the story 100%, especially given all the time skips, but it’s not hard to understand the main points. It’s interesting that there are numerous tales of warlords fighting valiant battles, also of powerful clans abusing their authority. However, it’s rare to see what happens when a once-powerful family falls and the entire clan is left wandering and homeless, which is something that must have occurred commonly during those times, if they were lucky enough to escape with their lives at all, that is.
(streaming at Funimation)


05. BLUE PERIOD (ep. 1-8)
(streaming at Netflix)


06. Puraore!~PRIDE OF ORANGE~ (ep. 1-9) – Obviously we had to check out the ice hockey anime! Well, it also happens to be a cute girls anime, so that sort of tempered any expectations we might have had. Fortunately, other than the occasional reference to an idol-style song and dance routine, Puraore! is a pretty respectable sports show so far; and the hockey (and dance) animation is very good.
(streaming at Funimation)

Also started, but did not get far enough to include in the ranking:

The World’s Finest Assassin Gets Reincarnated in Another World as an Aristocrat (Sekai Saikou no Ansatsusha, Isekai Kizoku ni Tensei suru) (ep. 1-5) – The first episode was amazing, 10/10; then sadly, the main character gets isekai’d, and the next episodes feel more like 6/10. In any case, World’s Finest Assassin should probably stop trying to be funny; its attempts at comic relief are 4/10 at best.
(streaming at Crunchyroll)

JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Stone Ocean (JoJo no Kimyou na Bouken Part 6: Stone Ocean) (ep. 1-4)
(streaming at Netflix)

Also started, and DROPPED:

takt op.Destiny (ep. 1-4)
VISUAL PRISON (ep. 1-5)

Also intending to resume, but haven’t yet:

Demon Slayer: Entertainment District Arc
TSUKIPRO THE ANIMATION 2

Mid-Spring 2021 Anime Ranking

Posted on by


01. The Saint’s Magic Power is Omnipotent (Seijo no Maryoku wa Bannou Desu) (ep. 1-9) – Seeing as this is a thematically ‘ordinary’ almost-slice-of-life isekai, I hesitated to give it my No. 1 spot. At the end of the day though, it’s probably the one I like the most, because it’s such a feel-good anime to watch. Pretty much all the characters in this show are likeable and funny and attractive.

I really do admire Sei’s work ethic and her modesty. Even though she would prefer to live and work freely outside of the spotlight, she also refuses to shirk the responsibilities that come with the great power she has unwittingly obtained. She’s a true hero.
(streaming at Funimation)


02. ODDTAXI (ep. 1-9) – ODDTAXI, featuring a large ensemble cast of animal characters and interconnected stories, is a truly novel presentation. The writing is exemplary – and dark. This is no kids’ show. Gradually, it’s also becoming clear how this quietly suspenseful story is uniquely suited for the animated format.

To think I could have easily passed on this, as I rarely watch anthropomorphic anime!
(streaming at Crunchyroll)


03. MORIARTY THE PATRIOT (Yuukoku no Moriarty) (ep. 12-20) – Still excellent, but not as good as the first cour. William and Sherlock have had limited screen time, especially together, and their absence is felt.
(streaming at Funimation)


04. VIVY: Fluorite Eye’s Song (ep. 1-11) – This is a sci-fi anime about a couple of AI trying to change the past, to save humanity from being destroyed by an apocalypse of its own creation. The time-travel narrative makes me think of Terminator and Touken Ranbu. The story and art are excellent, and the action sequences are particularly impressive.
(streaming at Funimation)


05. Thunderbolt Fantasy: Touri-ken Yuuki 3 (ep. 1-10) – Considering this is a series starring dolls, I shouldn’t have been surprised at the sudden appearance of a Nendoroid. But that’s just the kind of simple genius that’s typical of Thunderbolt Fantasy’s brilliant and ironic storytelling style.

By this point, I don’t even question Lin’s intentions anymore. It’s plainly obvious he is more hero than villain. Could it be he has really been outdone by the demon sisters though?
(streaming at Crunchyroll)


06. 86 EIGHTY-SIX (ep. 1-9)
(streaming at Crunchyroll)


07. Those Snow White Notes (Mashiro no Oto) (ep. 1-10) – The actual plot and character motivations are a little weak, or maybe just not that riveting to me, but seriously, the beautiful shamisen music and highly detailed performance animation are enough to make this worth watching.

As an aside, long bangs on anime characters have never really bothered me before, I might even say I generally like the aesthetic, but this show is testing me. So many of the guys and girls here are in dire need of a haircut! Or at the very least, someone please introduce them to styling products to get that unruly hair out of their eyes!
(streaming at Crunchyroll)


08. Jouran: The PRINCESS OF SNOW AND BLOOD (ep. 1-10) – It’s hard to get a grasp on what’s going on when there are so many double-crosses and plot twists in just the first 3 episodes! The art and the period setting of this revenge story are appealing and evocative. The theme songs by RAISE A SUILEN, featuring traditional and modern instrumentation, are very fitting too.
(streaming at Crunchyroll)


09. SHADOWS HOUSE (ep. 1-9) – At the beginning, it’s just the 2 main characters in one room, and SHADOWS HOUSE seems a little claustrophobic. But things get interesting, and the mysteries intensify, when Emilico starts hanging out with the other dolls in the house.
(streaming at Funimation)


10. Backflip!! (Bakuten!!) (ep. 1-9) – They have done a great job with the gymnastics routines! Some viewers might not like all the CGI, but it looks pretty amazing to my eyes.
(streaming at Crunchyroll)


11. MARS RED (ep. 1-9) – Certainly artful, you often have to read deep between the lines to fully understand this vampire period drama. But there is such a thing as being too obtuse. Just personally, I find it hard to get really invested when I feel so much like I’m guessing at what’s going on.
(streaming at Funimation)


12. TOKYO REVENGERS (ep. 1-9) – Another time-travel story, but on a smaller scale. Takemichi suddenly acquires the ability to go 12 years back in time, with the possibility of changing the events that ultimately lead to the death of a girl he cares about. While he does some things right, it’s kind of frustrating that he isn’t very strong or smart, and doesn’t seem to have much of a plan either.
(streaming at Crunchyroll)


13. Burning Kabbadi (Shakunetsu Kabaddi) (ep. 1-10)
(streaming at Crunchyroll)


14. Fruits Basket: The Final (Season 3) (ep. 1-9) – As always, I have my issues with Fruits Basket. It isn’t all bad, but the dialogue lines are often redundant, the (too many) romantic pairings are still kind of unconvincing, and just when I’m finally ready to maybe give Akito a second chance, yet another unforgivable thing happens.
(streaming at Crunchyroll and Funimation)


15. The World Ends with You (Subarashiki Kono Sekai) The Animation (ep. 1-9) – I really love the art of this show! The dark outlines and vibrant colours are very pleasing to the eye. And the setting is like a love letter to Shibuya.

For how beautiful it is, it’s a shame there isn’t much more to the story than fighting digital monsters in a game.
(streaming at Funimation)

Also watching/watched:

NOMAD: Megalo Box 2 (ep. 1-6)
(streaming at Funimation)

The Way of the Househusband (Gokushufudou) (5 short episodes)
(streaming at Netflix)

Mid-Winter 2021 Anime Ranking

Posted on by

Going into this season, aside from the obvious sequels, there were very few new anime that caught our attention based on description. Therefore, voice talent became a major deciding factor for the shows we checked out. That’s how we ended up watching almost everything that Umehara Yūichirō and Saitō Sōma, my current favourite and my sister’s favourite seiyuu, respectively, have roles in.

I had to bail on EX-ARM (starring Sōma) after 3 episodes, however. I never had any delusions that it might be good. More like I had hoped it might be so bad it’s good. But it was just bad.

Also because of Sōma, we picked up The Quintessential Quintuplets (Go-Toubun no Hanayome) in the middle of its second season, without bothering with season one. So yes, we are now following both the sextuplet-brothers anime and the quintuplet-sisters anime.

We started HIGH-RISE INVASION as well (Ume plays Sniper Mask), also with the expectation that it might be so bad it’s good. So far, that’s panning out fine. We’ve seen only 4 episodes, so it’s not included in the ranking below. Of course The Quintessential Quintuplets∬ isn’t included either because we started on episode 9.


01. JUJUTSU KAISEN (ep. 14-22) – Last cour, we fell in love with Nanami. This cour, Tōdō has stolen our hearts with his instant bromance with Itadori.

I really did not expect to like Tōdō so much when he was first introduced. It turns out he is incredibly talented, strong, smart, stupid, and funny. When he’s being serious, his thoughts are impressively organized. Like any good eccentric genius though, he’s got his quirks. Not only is he a zealous otaku who lives for his waifu, he also happens to have a hilariously over-active imagination. That whole elaborate shared history he spontaneously fabricates for himself and Itadori is priceless!
(streaming at Crunchyroll)


02. Attack on Titan (Shingeki no Kyojin) Final Season (overall ep. 60-72) – This is a very different show from when it all started. The setting has expanded; the characters’ understanding of their world has completely been altered; and the character art has changed too – I’m not personally a big fan of the new art.

Because we felt a bit lost after the radical developments at the end of season 3, we weren’t as keen for this final season when it started airing in December as we should have been. We actually put off watching until mid-January. But once we started, it was very hard to stop.
(streaming at Crunchyroll and Funimation)


03. SK∞ (SK8 the Infinity) (ep. 1-9) – Langa grew up snowboarding in Canada, so when he takes up the skateboard in Japan, that experience informs his style and natural talent. As he rapidly gains attention in the underground “S” racing circuit, how will that affect his relationship with his newfound skateboard buddy, Reki?

All of the characters are likeable, fun, and attractive. Well, I’m not sure I can say I ‘like’ ADAM that much, but he certainly makes an impression! Langa and Reki have a genuinely sweet friendship. And for some reason, I really like Cherry, including how his distinctly masculine voice is somewhat at odds with his very feminine appearance. Long, pink-haired effeminate dudes are not uncommon in anime. I’m serious: check out Mochizuki from Skate-Leading ☆ Stars and Kokoro from I★CHU from this list alone. However, I don’t think I’ve ever come across one as elegant and manly as Cherry.

SK8 is helmed by Utsumi Hiroko, director of Free! and Banana Fish. If you loved the heart and artistry of Free!, this gorgeous anime is definitely one I recommend.
(streaming at Funimation)


04. Dr. STONE: STONE WARS (ep. 1-9)
(streaming at Crunchyroll)


05. Horimiya (ep. 1-10) – I’m really particular about my romance anime. I find the usual tropes and melodrama tiring. Fortunately, Horimiya mostly hits the right notes for me. The characters seem like good, well-adjusted kids. I like that when the main characters get confronted by classmates about their dating status, the response is “Yeah, so?” instead of denials and lies.

That said, I do find Hori’s recent kink development to be problematic on multiple levels. It would not be an issue if they kept it very occasional and very private. Acting like that in public, however, can give their teachers and classmates the wrong idea and get them in real trouble.

Also, abusive behaviour could easily become real, as Miyamura has to change his mindset in order to act so differently from his usual nature.

Worst, their play-abuse normalizes that type of interaction for people who see them and makes light of those who may genuinely be victimized. So yeah, I know it’s not meant to be taken seriously, but I could do without that aspect of the show.
(streaming at Funimation)


06. 2.43: Seiin High School Boys Volleyball Team (Seiin Koukou Danshi Volley Bu) (ep. 1-10) – The early time skip was confusing to me. It wasn’t obvious how much time had passed and what went down in the meantime. Some of the characters seemed to be dealing with some past trauma, but that wasn’t very clear. And are Haijima and Kuroba actually close friends?

At least the Seiin team senpai, Aoki and Oda, are more likeable. Especially Aoki (Ume’s character); I love how bossy, manipulative, and clever he is.

Well, then the Fukuho team made their debut mid-series, and almost immediately, I was wondering, ‘Oh no, these are the rivals right? How come it feels so much like they are the protagonists of this story? I haven’t even warmed up to the home team this much yet!’
(streaming at Funimation)


07. Skate-Leading ☆ Stars (ep. 1-11) – This is a sports anime featuring skate-leading, a fictional group-ice-skating sport that’s part dance and part synchronized figure skating. Competitions have a short program and a long program like other figure skating divisions.

Ep. 6 kind of confused me. First Maeshima was criticized for being too sloppy, but then as soon as he tightened his performance, he got blamed for playing it too safe. I’m surprised he didn’t seem as frustrated as we felt watching it.

Sōma and Ume both have supporting roles, and both of them play to type here. Ume turns in another Non-Expressive Dude, while Sōma continues to make Radiant Golden Boy his personal specialty. Kuonji (Sōma’s character) is actually a highlight of the anime. Because he apparently spent time in Canada, he regularly peppers his dialogue with (well-pronounced!) English phrases. Kuonji is just so obnoxious and in-your-face, he kind of bulldozes over the rest of the cast and steals the show. It’s awesome.
(streaming at Funimation)


08. Hortensia SAGA (ep. 1-10) – A fairly generic fantasy-adventure anime starring an extremely generic-looking male lead, with some pretty generically evil villains. Surely Marius/Marielle could do a better job at pretending to be a man. Anyone who didn’t already know she was supposed to be a guy would take just one look and assume she’s female!

Anyway, the king of Hortensia has been murdered and the church has taken control. It’s up to the hidden princess and her trusted companions to defeat the evil forces and save her kingdom.

But wait. Let’s put aside the evil pope and the war for a moment. Adelheid, ruler and military commander of the Principality of Olivier, ‘noticed’ Deflotte! Could it be? Here I assumed his romantic advances were only meant to be a clownish character flaw. Could it be he actually has a chance with her?

Not saying anything about the rest of the show, but in general, I like how they’ve portrayed this (Ume’s) character. For all that he’s made out to be a girl-crazy flirt, I have to respect that Deflotte had no eyes whatsoever for the likes of the pretty pop-idol princess-pretender who charmed dozens of male admirers, and instead set his sights way, way above his station! He also gets to speak up and complain whenever they have to do anything unpleasant, though that never stops him from doing his duty faithfully.
(streaming at Funimation)


09. Osomatsu-san (Mr. Osomatsu) 3rd Season (ep. 13-22)
(streaming at Crunchyroll)


10. THE PROMISED NEVERLAND (Yakusoku no Neverland) Season 2 (ep. 1-9) – I had high expectations for this, based on how good the first season was, but it’s been pretty disappointing.
(streaming at Funimation)


11. I★CHU: Halfway Through the Idol (ep. 1-10) – It’s a common complaint of mine when it comes to these idol shows: too many characters. Even in their groups, I have trouble recognizing each guy. Once they are separated from their units? Forget it.

One of the groups consists of members from 5 different nationalities. I would think that would afford them the unique liberty of being able to incorporate a wide variety of styles into their music without worry of triggering cultural appropriation accusations; but they seem to play it safe. Of course, this is a show that has a walking, talking bear as a school principal, so never mind.

Credit where it’s due, the I★CHU performance segments appear to be more hand-drawn than CG, and they look good!
(streaming at Crunchyroll)


12. WAVE!! -Let’s go surfing!!- (WAVE!!: Surfing Yappe!!) (ep. 1-9) – A dumb kid suddenly develops a passion for surfing. Then tragedy strikes (in a rather dumb way.) Then life goes on.

The CG surfing animation is not amazing, but I think it’s passable enough to service the story. The story itself is the real problem; I am pretty surprised at how it’s basically gone nowhere.

Right, and don’t get me started on that annoying synthesized soundtrack.
(streaming at Crunchyroll)

(EX-ARM, The Quintessential Quintuplets∬ are on Crunchyroll; HIGH-RISE INVASION is on Netflix)

Mid-Summer 2020 Anime Ranking

Posted on by


01. The Millionaire Detective – Balance: UNLIMITED (Fugou Keiji: Balance:Unlimited) (ep. 3-9) – The main feature is the odd-couple repartee between the 2 police detectives, and Millionaire Detective is probably worth watching for that alone.

Fortunately, the initial formula of Daisuke causing reckless, unnecessary damage and then paying huge amounts in reparations doesn’t last the entire run of the series. There is an actual mystery storyline here.
(streaming at Funimation)


02. APPARE-RANMAN! (ep. 4-11) – Like Millionaire Detective, APPARE-RANMAN! initially debuted in the spring season but got delayed due to the pandemic. It’s really nice to finally have these shows back.

Appare and Kosame are taking part in the Trans-America Race in their steamship-turned-racecar in hopes of winning the prize money and getting back home to Japan. More than the race itself, it’s fun to follow this motley crew of colourful and extraordinary characters on their adventure.
(streaming at Funimation)


03. DECA-DENCE (ep. 1-10) – Is this post-apocalypse? Sci-fi?… Isekai?

The second episode was a drastic departure from the first one; and it’s not until episode 3 and beyond, however, that we get a clearer picture of what DECA-DENCE is really about.
(streaming at Funimation)


04. AHIRU NO SORA (ep. 37-47) – Both of this and Fruits Basket (below) have hit a nice stride. They are reasonably enjoyable to watch every week; however, they’re still nothing to get super excited for either.
(streaming at Crunchyroll)


05. Fruits Basket 2nd Season (ep. 14-23)
(streaming at Crunchyroll and Funimation)


06. Mr Love: Queen’s Choice (Koi to Producer: EVOL×LOVE) (ep. 1-9) – I quite like the MC in this otome game adaptation. She looks like a little girl, yes, but she’s smart and independent. It’s obvious she finds Victor intimidating, for example, but she isn’t afraid to speak her mind to him.

Unfortunately, I do find it weird and somewhat troubling that the subtitled names and spoken names in this series are not the same, especially in the case of Lucian/Simon.
(streaming at Crunchyroll)


07. The Misfit of Demon King Academy (Maou Gakuin no Futekigousha: Shijou Saikyou no Maou no Shiso, Tensei shite Shison-tachi no Gakkou e) (ep. 1-11) – Instead of introducing characters and taking the time to get us familiar with them, the setup is often accomplished by characters standing around and explaining things. That does get us to the important part of the plot expediently, but we don’t know enough about the players to feel the weight of subsequent events. Because of that, the pace somehow manages to be too fast and too slow at the same time.

The story, and the humour, is passably effective, but I feel most of it could be a lot more impactful with some more skillful and graceful storytelling.
(streaming at Crunchyroll)


08. JAPAN SINKS: 2020 (Nihon Chinbotsu 2020) (10 episodes) – I was expecting something along the lines of its thematic predecessor Tokyo Magnitude 8.0, but with how this show seems preoccupied with killing off its characters in the most ridiculously shocking and gruesome ways, JAPAN SINKS comes off as more of a B-grade horror flick than a disaster movie.
(streaming at NETFLIX)


09. Food Wars! The Fifth Plate (Shokugeki no Souma: Gou no Sara) (ep. 3-11) – While there has always been a fair amount of fantasy to Food Wars!, it has gotten plain ridiculous at this point. The members of Noir are literally clowns! And what’s with the authorities of this BLUE competition randomly turning a blind eye to illegal activities?

Worst of all, the show is also rushing through the cooking and food presentation, which was previously one of the main highlights of the series.
(streaming at Crunchyroll)