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Mar 31, 2024
This is one of those anime where you know by the first 1-2 episodes if this show is for you or not. After all, the same joke is essentially overplayed throughout the entire season: That Hime's "torture" is just a joke to see what simple thing she'll cave to next. And she always caves. That's it, that's the show.
Except the characters are full of life with their own personalities and ideas. Every character is interesting in their own way believe it or not. Torture/Tortura is our main torturer and typically goes with good food. She's the most mature and quite the joy as the spotlight
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is on her about as equally as Hime. The actual demon lord is a completely different spin from what you'd normally expect. He might be looking for secrets, but truly he's nothing more than a weeb otaku. The rest of the cast have their own gimmicks such as beast demon with cute animal companions, a giant invested in making Hime relax and chill, the two gal pals who take her out to places like the teens they are, so on so forth.
It's cute and has its own quirky charm to it, but you'll learn rather quickly how repetitive it gets. It really depends how much you can stomach the same thing over and over again! Because it doesn't change aside from later episodes displaying their growing friendships throughout. But its also a fine chill thing to watch especially if you're here for the overly animated food that makes you yourself crave that exact food how dare--
Reviewer’s Rating: 6
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Mar 31, 2024
Look, if you're looking for a chill anime with good vibes and fluffy moments, look no further than A Sign of Affection!
This anime is a pleasant watch for someone who wants an easygoing shoujo that doesn't involve a whole lot of convoluted unnecessary drama. Sometimes you just want a show that's simple and to the point of a sweet romance! And boy the two main couples of this series are sugary sweet in different ways. Yes, there's a little of the typical shoujo drama here and there, but it's hardly the focus. If anything, those drama points help to expand on background characters who are
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living their own lives.
The main charm points comes with the fluid animation, the lovely art style, and the fact they put such special care into Yuki's disability and sign language. Rarely ever do you see a show focus on such aspects, especially to the lengths they go in making sure nothing is slipped up in that regard. The style is very modernized to the current age in how we live, between smartphones and current fashion trends. The art is also soft and warm which gives such an inviting and cozy feeling.
All in all it's a worthwhile watch. As some have mentioned in other reviews, nothing goes incredibly too in depth for this particular genre. But honestly? We need more shows like this. Just some good-feeling fluff that makes you smile after a long day.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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Mar 31, 2024
Well, its better than most mid stories in that it actually tries very hard to keep the viewer entertained, regardless of its lacking in certain areas.
If you can get around the blatant CGI, the animation nosediving the further along we go, and the outright unnecessary death toll of "beloved characters" by the end... Ragna Crimson has a fairly enjoyable story in theory. From the very get go, everything is stacked against Ragna and the humans in general. It has such a strong start in introducing you to the world and the state that it's in-- namely dragon hunting being such a main staple for how
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much havoc they wreak against humanity.
Ragna has suffered the dragons plenty throughout his life, despite being weak he survives. He counts on Leonica more times than not. Until the moment he can't. Suddenly there are superior dragons in the picture and they're on a whole other level. Catastrophic world ending kind of level. And suddenly Ragna realizes this is in fact a loop world. And that his future self had entrusted with him everything to right his future wrongs, with power that took lifetimes to achieve.
This is when Ragna leaves everything he knows behind and instead partners up with Crimson who was his partner in crime in the future. They both know the true enemy at hand and are prepared to take them down once they're strong enough.
...Except you'll soon find out that Ragna goes against reason constantly. He could be on death's door and still stubbornly do the dumbest actions you could possibly conceive with given circumstances. All bones broken? So broken every orifice of your body is bleeding? Nah, he just keeps on going! And Crimson has to have pulled their hair out at least a thousand times for everything that's gone wrong because clearly his future self knew better.
Won't go into too much more detail regarding later parts, but just know that the whole second cour stagnates to an unbelievably slow snail's pace. For an action-focused anime, you'd really think they'd put more love and care into the fighting. And they do to some extent. One can only guess the budget was low but they did what they could. Just like any other shounen though, they fight at the same location for multiple episodes. Long and dragged out. There are star moments where they truly shine when it matters, but those moments are few and far between.
It's not an amazing story, but it's not a terrible one either. Ragna and Crimson are easily the most interesting characters, considering their future selves and the way their personalities bounce off one another. Crimson especially is just... this wild character of so many schemes and mischief that constantly gets ruined by Ragna's idiocy and protagonist syndrome of fighting literally anything that smells like a dragon. You might find yourself enjoying the enemy's stories more than you enjoy the 'good side', because they get equal screen time if not more sometimes. If you can make it through the first couple of episodes, you may as well buckle in for the ride.
Reviewer’s Rating: 6
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Mar 23, 2024
This anime right here is a feast in terms of storytelling, drama, fun shenanigans, you name it-- it has it all.
From the very start, Apothecary Diaries grips you with an interesting cast of characters. Maomao, an eccentric apothecary who gets abducted into the role of a maid forced to pay off a debt for freedom. She keeps her head down and plans to silently get through her term without bringing focus to herself. But she just can't help poking her head into mysteries that only she has a knack for solving... leading her into meeting Jinshi, the head eunuch in charge of the inner palace
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and its head consorts. Someone who immediately took notice to her apothecary knowledge and just as swiftly put her in a position to work under one of those very consorts-- in a much more risky field of work, yet interested her nonetheless with her penchant for poison.
Every day thereafter is a new day full of mystery and intrigue. Every character vibrant with personality and stories of their own. Yes, there is a bit of a "new mystery every episode" kind of thing going on at the start. But overtime you can feel there is so much more at work going on as time passes. There are deeper, heartier secrets hiding in these inner courts. So many higher politics and juicy gossip that gets you wanting to learn more. Gyokuyou especially is a fun consort you can't help but laugh along with!
I especially would like to highlight the relationship between Maomao and Jinshi. It is a fun one and they bounce off each other so delightfully well. The misunderstandings between the two are hilarious. Sometimes I wonder if I don't watch this anime solely for these two, but its hard not to love the whole cast from start to finish. These characters are just so well-written. Maomao especially is one of the few rarely well-written women characters I've seen, and she's so fun to watch and interact with the world around her. In a very real and realistic way in the times that she holds back in favor of keeping her morality and safety.
The art and animation style for this anime goes hand in hand with its bright and vibrant style. Everyone is full of life and the style reflects this incredibly well. You can see emotions plainly laid out, even those that are more subtle and on the secretive side which is especially important for the amount of intrigue that goes hidden in the background. The OST fits every situation perfectly and lets you feel exactly as you should in the moment. I have no nitpicks here, everything just meshes together so well!
This is easily one of the best gems that came out between this and Frieren! I was hooked on every episode and so too were my watching partners who kept begging for the next episode after each week. There's hardly a dull moment and I cannot wait for season 2 to astound us once more!
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
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Mar 22, 2024
I feel so catered to.
It feels like an eternity since I've been given such a phenomenal anime with a well thought out plot, great art and animation to accompany it, emotional thought provoking moments... more than that, it feels so mature in that it doesn't baby me with your typical anime tropes. No obnoxiously screaming kid protags, no overly ecchi scenes meant purely for fanservice, no moments where I have to groan and just deal with whatever stupidity is put before me-- Just a fun and emotional journey that is pure story and human feelings.
I'm not going to go into too incredible detail, but if
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you're a fan of fantasy and pure story elements, this is the anime for you. It focuses on the after story of Frieren, who has already well and finished her main quest to defeat the demon lord that plagued their lands. We join her at the end, celebrating the accomplishments of her and the party she traveled with. Time passing ever so swiftly as her party aged while she does not as an elf. She's always known that she will easily outage everyone surrounding her and did not think twice of how she spent her time in those many years till next they met. And then she had to come to face with reality-- The hero she'd traveled with would die. Her compatriots would surely soon follow. Uncaring as she was before, she now realizes just how much she should have bothered to care.
Thus does she go on a journey to find herself and to meet up with the others in their older ages. Thus does she take on an apprentice and decide to try and reunite with the hero waiting where they last felled the demon king.
What anyone may appreciate most will go into just how well these characters are written. Especially the women! Rarely have I seen a well written woman character that I could fall in love with... and I had just about given up hope in such a male protagonist dominated field. You'll come to appreciate that they're their own characters, with their own thoughts and emotions, with varying personalities and things that get to them in a very human way. Sometimes our emotions don't make sense and occasionally you'll see these characters on their bad days, acting out of sorts and it's interesting to see.
Everything from the art, to animation, to music, to details... all of it is wonderful on the eyes and ears. When the going gets tough and the fights begin, the battle choreography is just so gorgeous to watch. So much detail and weight goes into everyone's movement. I think my only possible gripe could be that sometimes the characters can come off as a little stiff, their faces of emotion not as exaggerated when it comes to anime standards. Maybe that's a good thing and we're too accustomed to over the top facial expressions after all this time-- but occasionally, one wonders if it's not just a little too lifeless at times.
Other than that nitpick though, I can't help but recommend this anime to all of my friends and share in all its glory! My group of friends were particularly entranced and just so pleased to have a more adult show that felt appropriate for our older age. Just don't go into this expecting it to be fast and getting into this for that quick hit of awesome epic moments. This is a slow ride and an enjoyable one as it builds its world and relationships at a relaxing pace.
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
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Dec 23, 2023
You really can't go wrong with Spy x Family if you're looking for a fun and wholesome experience. I'm going to keep it short and say that if you liked the previous season, then no doubt you'll enjoy this season too.
While it starts out weak with a few episodes of slice of life nothingness (And nothing wrong with that, we're here for those silly little bits too), we do inevitably hit the cruise ship arc that more than makes up for the wait. At long last, we're given what we lacked in the first season and that is more Yor-centric content. A spotlight is shined
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down on her own responsibilities, her growth, and how seriously she takes her job. Loid and Anya are there for the ride too as they earn themselves a spot on this summer vacation-- and even then, Loid can't help but lend his expertise when the situation presents itself. It's a fun time all around and a generally enjoyable season.
The only complaint I find myself having is that most of the episodes are filler content. Aside from Yor's arc, nothing of import happens that relates to the story that has been setup from the beginning. It's a step back from what season 1 was and you can definitely feel it's lacking something or another. What that is, I hope we see it in future seasons. Greatly looking forward to the movie as we might have some true stakes on hand!
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Dec 22, 2023
Incredibly slow and sluggish from start to finish... we have finally come to an end with this school arc. And thank goodness for that!
This whole arc, from first to second cour, has been a difficult watch. In that I very much enjoyed the typicals that come with this series: The gorgeous art and animation, the music, Chise and Elias, the familiar magical elements... the OP is fun to see with every episode beginning! Beyond that however, our main characters are sitting around twiddling their thumbs playing second fiddle to Philomela. The true MC of what felt like the longest filler arc I've come to watch.
By
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the time this season ended, I couldn't recall a single moment that particularly caught my interest. It was all situated around helping Philomela as she painstakingly hid everything from the cast up until the final moment. Impossible to talk to, impossible to get close to... we spend almost the entire time watching her suffer alone and refuse all aid. To the point you know what to expect in that it self-destructs on her sooner or later. To the point you can sum up both parts of season 2 into a few words: "Chise goes to sorcerer school and makes friends+helps them with their problems". That's it. What few moments you get to even see of Chise and Elias doing SOMETHING together, I was cheering for that little bit of familiarity before taking a back seat to everyone's problems once more.
I guess the only thing that really came out of all this is Chise getting a little bolder and coming out of her own shell. She made friends. Elias made a friend. But nothing was exactly... learned or necessary in the grand scheme of things. Lots of foreshadowing on Chise's part from the tiny hints we've got here and there-- which looks promising in the final preview of a new arc we got at the end of the last episode. Something that looks actually story-driven!
This is my hope that we can return to form in the next season. Because otherwise? You could entirely skip season 2 and just know that there are now Friends in the mix I guess. Though if we're lucky they'll all just go back to school and Chise will be done with her studying so we don't have to suffer anymore.
Reviewer’s Rating: 6
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Dec 15, 2023
Going to try to keep this short and simple. This is my first experience with the Rurouni Kenshin series and as such I have no prior knowledge or nostalgic rose-tinted glasses when it comes to giving this anime a try. Despite what's been said about the author, I'd heard plenty of times how good this series was and how much of a classic it is. That everything gets better the further into the story we go. Well I gave it a go and stomached the whole 24 episode season for the sake of giving it a fair shot.
But c'mon... no matter how much everyone
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was trying to sell it to me about the story, there was nothing great about it. Its lackluster at best. With potential here and there, but I found myself watching a shoddy villain of the week-type anime with the most subpar animation that just barely kept me from falling asleep.
There's potential. I'll admit that much. Especially with the ending being as it was and hinting towards much more to come. Perhaps I'll give it that last shot in the future! But nothing is particularly memorable to me as it currently is. The OST is basic. The "story" is basic. The relationships are basic. Everything about Rurouni Kenshin screams basic anime that might have been popular were we back in the 2000s era. It's just not up to par with anime in this day and age. The only interesting character here is Kenshin and everyone else is a bland support trope that will never be as helpful or as good as he is.
About the only thing that really caught my attention was the beautiful OP/ED for both cours. I've listened to those enough times and the ending songs are true bangers. But would I watch this anime again? Nah. It was a snooze fest from start to finish.
Reviewer’s Rating: 5
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Dec 10, 2023
How to begin... Ghibli's newest film feels like a Ghibli movie in terms of the quirks and familiarity we've come to know and love. Lovely, soothing music that prompts the right feeling and emotion to a moment. Art that has you admiring every little detail, the backdrops, the movements... it's a gorgeous movie much like all of his others. In that, you won't be disappointed.
Unfortunately, the tale we're being woven leaves much to be desired. A mix mash of another world and reality. Hardly do we ever have a moment to learn about anyone else but the MC and his loss of his mother.There is
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no relationships being forged. The friendships, no meaning to his actions. He even scars himself deeply for... what? You're left with a sense of asking more questions than gaining answers. How did his father fall in love with his deceased wife's sister? Why does none of her actions throughout the movie make sense, such as leaving the home to have her baby? The characters of another world that we are introduced, all is learned on the surface with no deeper meaning or care other than a reason to push the boy forward.
It almost feels as though we're given half of a story, with too much shoved into such a short time span. Fantastical in nature and wonderfully pleasing on the eyes, but little more as most of the length of the movie is spent purely on world building. All I have learned is the boy's grief... and how he's trying to deal with that grief I suppose.I found more interest in the owner of the tower, his legacy and what he had tried to build. A whole world begging to be explored and fleshed out-- but oh so rushed at the end.
It's worth watching for the sake of being a Ghibli movie and, once again, soaking in all those details (especially as an artist)! But do not expect to come out of this with a coherent understanding of what exactly went down.
Reviewer’s Rating: 6
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Dec 1, 2023
I had heard about this movie a long while back and decided to spend one of my evenings giving this a watch, given the premises and the praise I've seen about the BL relationship. After trudging through this 1 hour movie I would say... I'm glad I gave it a watch, but what on earth did I just watch?
This movie is super rushed from the get go. The relationships, the conflicts, the story... everything! There's hardly any build up, no showing of time spent together or truly loving one another. Most of the movie is spent with the two guys arguing and misunderstanding each other
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in every way possible! It's a chaotic mishmash of scenes and timeskips and a nonsensical conflict near the end that just makes no sense by the time its over. I feel like the story needed much more time to simmer. There were so many aspects that should have been expanded upon and honestly could have gone well with an entire anime season to truly flesh things out.
The only thing going for this movie is the animation. Beautiful, gorgeous, lovely to take in. Bright saturated colors and pretty backgrounds make it worth it alone. So many times I found myself gazing at the pretty artwork and appreciating just how much effort went into the art! But again, that is -all- it has going for it.
It could have been great. I wanted it to be great and with extra time it could have been. But I can't earnestly recommend this movie to any of my friends... but considering the genre and lack of its kind in a good light, this may find some interest in others regardless. At the very least, its only an hour of your life.
Reviewer’s Rating: 4
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