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Apr 26, 2024
Denpa Onna is an anime about the alien girl wrapped in the futon. This is a high quality comedy that gets overlooked.
The story is about a boy who moves in with his aunt in the city protected by the aliens, and the humor comes from the interaction between this normal main character with the crazy characters of this city, especially his cousin, Erio, the alien girl. Erio is the main reason why this anime was so enjoyable, since she is such an adorable character. With a shy and cute personality, while being a weirdo shut-in, it's easy to fall in love with her. The main
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character, Niwa Makoto, is not really interesting in his own, but the fact such an average and boring boy has to deal with all the wild characters is what makes this anime so funny. For the other characters, Maekawa and Meme are good characters, each with their own quirks. The only bad character is Ryuuko, not only is she annoying, but the fact she hates Erio for no reason and gets jealous of her relationship with itoko is irritating. She is not pretty nor interesting and the joke about her name is also too repetitive and dull, this character could have ruined the show if she had more screen time. It could be better if there was more focus on Maekawa instead of Ryuuko, as Maekawa is such a nice character and it is disappointing when she is not considered as the main option for Makoto, despite being part of the harem. All in all, there's a good cast of characters, but Erio is what makes Denpa Onna truly special.
The art is another great point about this anime, as it keeps the standard for what is expected from Shaft, following in the steps of shows like monogatari and nisekoi, the animation is top-notch and elevates this anime to another level far above the average show. A good example of this is the sakuga moment when Erio's appearance is shown for the first time, a beautiful and memorable scene.
The opening and ending follow the theme of the story with aspects of astronomy and ufology in the lyrics and eerie sounds, giving the personality to the anime. The soundtrack is outstanding, there's a vast list of pieces, all meshing perfectly with the anime. Not only are the songs high quality, but they are made with the anime theme in mind, showing great attention to detail.
Denpa Onna is an enjoyable comedy anime that is carried by an iconic character in Erio with great production value. Even though the story is pretty simple, this is a must-watch for being such a unique anime with great technical elements. It's definitely an underappreciated gem.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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Apr 11, 2024
This OVA was released along with an Oregairu visual novel, so it should be considered as an extra rather than a conclusion. Especially because the source material itself (Oregairu Shin) was just something released along with the Blu-ray discs of the third season. So the events here are more an epilogue than a conclusion, as the series already has a suitable ending in the third season episode 12. This is just something extra for the fans. As a big fan of the franchise, I can say it was an enjoyable OVA, just seeing the characters again and the interactions with each other, as well as
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a bit of yukino and hachiman as an established couple was good enough. It's hard not to get emotional in the credits with Diamond no Jundo and scenes from the third season being shown, as I know this is really the end of Oregairu (and I hope so). But there are a few things that are bothersome: not enough focus on Hachiman and Yukino's romance; Yui crossing the line and not respecting the fact Yukino and Hachiman are already in a relationship, as well as Komachi and Iroha inciting her to not give up on Hachiman, even though she is supposed to be a friend of Yukino. This development not only makes for an uncomfortable mood, as it shows Yui in a bad light, because it feels her friendship with Yukino and Hachiman was not as strong as it had been portrayed. Whenever releasing new media for a finished series, one should be careful not to tarnish the original, and the OVA doesn't seem to respect all that happened in the anime. But again, this is just something extra and not a sequel. When watching it, one might think "What is Wataru thinking?", but now I see that this is a warning about what could become of Oregairu if a sequel arises. Ketsuron, Oregairu already has its conclusion in season 3 and this OVA doesn't add to nor tarnish the story, but it can be something enjoyable for the fans who miss the series.
Reviewer’s Rating: 6
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Apr 7, 2024
Kimizero is an anime about a popular girl falling in love with a shy nerd.
What makes this anime particularly enjoyable is the main character Kashima Ryuuto. Ryuuto is an insecure and shy boy, even being afraid to speak to a girl, being a relatable character. This character is perfect for creating an interesting dynamic with the outgoing and confident girl and the viewer can easily understand Ryuuto's way of thinking. The story shows the possibility of a romance between an extroverted gyaru who has many ex-boyfriends already and an introverted boy who doesn't have any experience, an interesting premise. It is a good reminder to
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not judge the girl because she has many exes, since she can change and fall in love later. Also, all her previous relationships were not true love, and now she is experiencing a sincere romance for the first time. Despite being a spineless character, Ryuuto is capable of showing Runa how to experience a true and sweet romance for the first time, which puts him above the guys who only wanted to have fun with her in the past.
After the introduction of a third character, the anime becomes a love triangle that creates most of the drama throughout. The problem of this dynamic is that it doesn't work here. For the triangle to be interesting, it needs a possibility for the boy to be with any of the two girls. If it is known already that one girl will be chosen and the other has no chance, the tension becomes predictable and trifle.
Aside from Ryuuto and Runa, the anime has two good characters: Maria and Nikoru. Maria is Runa's twin sister, who has the opposite personality to Runa. She is the character with the most depth in the anime as she is not as stereotyped as the protagonists. This anime would be better if Maria had more screen time. The other character is Nikoru, Runa's best friend. The reason she is such a good character is the contrast between the angry gyaru persona and the sweet personality deep down, and she is also a better character than Runa.
With so many good qualities, what prevents Kimizero from greatness is the lack of depth in the characters and the low production value. The characters are plain and predictable, which prevents the drama from having a big impact on the viewer; Ryuuto's best friends Nishina and Ijichi are good examples, who are bad even as side characters. As for the production value, that is what you would expect from the average adaptation of a romcom light novel, and it also doesn't help that the studio ENGI is not known for making good animes in the first place; the art is decent, but unimpressive, and it is too weak in some scenes. The opening and ending songs are good, but the soundtrack is forgettable. As for the seiyuus, the one I have to commend for voicing Maria is Koga Aoi, who is already famous for voicing Shinomiya Kaguya. Her excellent job is a big reason why Maria was such an endearing character.
Kimizero delivers an enjoyable and satisfactory romance. However, with such an interesting premise and setting, it feels like the anime didn't reach its potential. With better technical elements and more complex characters, this could be something great.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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Apr 5, 2024
Chuunibyou Take On Me is the conclusion of the Chuunibyou story. This movie is a masterpiece for anyone who fell in love with the series, as it brings back all the main characters to a funny and compelling setting with a satisfying windup for Yuuta and Rikka's relationship.
The story is about Rikka struggling with the decision to change and abandon her chuunibyou self or accept herself, as well as the implications this quandary will have on her relationship with Yuuta. Meanwhile, an absurd sequence of events results in Rikka and Yuuta traveling together to many cities in Japan. The premise is not exceptional, but the
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most important thing is the feeling it evokes in the viewer, which is remembering why Chuunibyou is a loved series. The comedy is perfect, there's not any awkward or cringeworthy scene that is so common in animes trying to be funny. The romance is not rushed nor exaggerated, it's sweet and endearing. And most of all, the interactions of characters such as Dekomori and Nibutani, bringing back jokes from the previous seasons, which don't feel repetitive but rather nostalgic for someone watching this movie after many years of enjoying the series. Some people might think this movie is unnecessary as it doesn't bring much development, and might look like more of the same. But the nostalgic feeling of watching the series you loved after years is something valuable and was used competently here. Besides, the previous seasons ended with the possibility that there could be something more, while Take On Me is the definite conclusion to the franchise. I can't help but tearing up as the movie approaches its end, since I know it's the last time for these lovable characters, and I'm just glad I got to know this beautiful anime.
The technical elements of the film are ideal. The art keeps the standard of the previous seasons and what is expected from a KyoAni production. The visuals are just stunning throughout the movie. There are new songs by ZAQ used in the opening, ending and as insert song, as well as the good old Sparkling Daydream, bringing back memories from the first season. Aside from these songs, the soundtrack is superb, worth listening to even after finishing the anime, and they added well to make memorable scenes. The seiyuus didn't change and they keep doing a flawless job here. It's good to highlight the work of Uchida Maaya, since she has become such a symbol for Rikka and Chuunibyou itself. Giving a unique and enchanting voice to Rikka already puts her as one of the legendary seiyuus.
This movie is an enjoyable ending for the franchise, done with great attention to detail and technical aspects, all the while respecting its preceding installments and giving it a satisfactory closure.
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
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Apr 2, 2024
It's just another subpar addition to the Seishun Buta Yarou Series.
There's barely any story, the movie is about Kaede deciding between correspondence school and Sakuta's school and that's it, not much occurs that could create any gripping tension. Even though this movie is only one hour long, it still feels way longer than it should be due to the lack of plot. Combined with the lack of substance, the anime still keeps the flaws of its predecessors. Cringeworthy interactions with Sakuta, especially with Mai, jokes that weren't funny for the first time being repeated after many times; scenes of the characters just doing daily normal
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stuff, which could work for a slice of life with good characters, which is not the case for this anime. And about the characters; it seems like they had to fill all the previous cast somehow even though they were completely irrelevant, so there are many random scenes with characters like Futaba and Tomoe that are pointless and dull.
The art style and animation are the same, mediocre and nothing to write home about. Even though it's a movie, there's no new song. Just like in the previous piece, they just use the old ending song and that's it. There's nothing memorable about the soundtrack.
It's hard to find something good to say about this movie, the only thing is that Kaede gets a lot of screen time. Even though this movie was focused on Kaede, who is the best character in this franchise, it wasn't able to present a compelling story, which is a waste of a good character. Her struggle with social anxiety makes for a promising setting, but it falls flat with the poor execution. This low-effort piece of media is not only bad but an offense to the honor of anime fans. It's unnaceptable to present an anime in this state and expect people to like it.
Reviewer’s Rating: 2
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Apr 1, 2024
This manga is recommended for people who like science fiction and want to read something different, as it differs a lot from the common tropes and styles in the standard manga.
The art is pretty simple, amateurish even. But it has its perks, such as using a vertical scheme (akin to the manga title and plot), making for some long and interesting vertical panels. It was created to be read specifically online, as this kind of style doesn't translate well into a physical manga. There are also some colorful parts in specific objects in important scenes, which is a fine touch. The characters are plain as
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they mostly have few traits and functions, so it's easy to predict what they are going to do. At the same time, the main characters form an endearing clique and enables the plot to focus on the enigmas of the world, rather than the characters' internal struggles.
Tate no Kuni has an intricate story that keeps building up in its complexity, adding many scientific concepts throughout the story. The best thing about the story is the world building. All the mysteries about the vertical world, including what it is and how it works, keeps the reading interesting and makes you wonder what's next and think about theories to explain the plot.
The manga has the potential to be a masterpiece, it has masterful world building and a compelling story. If it was done with better effort regarding its art and characters' depth, it could easily become one of the best mangas ever done, which can be frustrating as it's not bound to receive the praise it deserves for the story. That doesn't mean the manga is not enjoyable as it stands though.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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Apr 1, 2024
This is a great and deep take on abusive parenting and the effects it has on the victim. It shows the main character Seiichi going from an innocent child to descending into madness. The feeling is that Seiichi can't do anything to get out of his situation, which is the case for people who grow up with abusive parents and don't have the power to do anything, giving a realistic sensation of this kind of situation. The mix of reality and dreaming makes you question what is real and shows the point of view of the character who is going insane. The portrait of
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an abusive parenting is so good it makes you wonder if the author has a similar experience in real life to have such a good grasp on this kind of relationship, even depicting the most subtle aspects of it precisely, showing things that only someone who has the experience would get. It's a scary manga, since it's so realistic and shows something that happens in real life.
The manga is good in depicting the helplessness of Seiichi, making it a distressing story. It presents the possibility of a good life for seiichi (salvation) in Fukiishi only for it to be taken away, showing the horror and absolute hopelessness of seiichi situation. His fate is not only terrible, but it feels like he couldn't really do anything to avoid it as he never had the power to prevent it from happening. Then you have his father who isn't doing anything bad to him but isn't really helping, which reminds him that no one is going to help him.
The mother who seems so self-absorbed and detached that she may freak out at any moment and is capable of anything is a scary character. And the power she holds over Seiichi causes a dreadful feeling, keeping the story a scary suspense, horrific and thrilling thoroughly.
The art is top-notch, Oshimi's art has only gotten better through the years and it definitely reached its peak in Chi no Wadachi. The characters' expressions are essential for the storytelling and it's done superbly. Seiko is such a beautiful character, it's hard to accept she is so vile, which helps in creating a distressing atmosphere.
The only flaw is that the manga ran out of steam in the final chapters. The story failed at keeping it interesting after Seiko gets old. After the suspense is gone, we get a pretty anticlimactic conclusion too, which is the only reason why this is not a perfect manga.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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Nov 15, 2022
This anime is criminally underrated. Yesterday wo Utatte is a realistic romance with adult characters. It's different from ordinary romance animes, as it doesn't have fanservice and many tropes. The reason why this anime is so good is the intricate story and deep characters, which is what you should expect from a seinen.
The anime is about this guy, Rikuo who is stuck in life and is still in love with his friend from college, Shinako. Meanwhile, there's this new girl, Haru, who is in love with him. The story focuses on the relationship of those 3 characters, where Shinako denotes Rikuo's past and being stuck,
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while Haru denotes the future and moving on, as well as other characters who get entangled in the love polygon throughout the anime.
The four main characters are well-written. Each one of them has their own struggles and complex personalities. It feels like each of them has their own stories, instead of just being tools for the protagonist. Rikuo is the main character, who can't move on with his life and is stuck in the past. He is a simple person with mundane problems, to whom many people will relate. Since it's so common to be indecisive and uncertain during this period in life. So, the anime tackles a relatable topic in this regard. Haru is a cheerful girl who loves rikuo. She is a lovable and endearing character, and the main reason why many people like the anime. Every scene with her brights the mood of the anime, so it's easy to like her. She is more straightforward and bold, contrasting with the other adult characters. The fact she is so pushy and persistent is essential in helping Rikuo's growth.
Shinako is the girl who Rikuo has always been in love with and it's easy to understand why from the first the very first scene with her, since she is such a charming girl. She is indecisive about keeping him as a friend or dating him, and even though many people dislike her for that, I think her indecisiveness is understandable. She knows she has to move on with her life and get over her lover's death, but still, she doesn't feel the same thing for Rikuo that she felt with her deceased lover, as it's evinced in one of the extra episodes. Shinako is the best girl in the anime. Her tender personality along with her maturity are what makes her such a lovable character, she is the kind of girl anyone would want as a wife. The fact she was indecisive is not a bad thing for me, as it shows she kept loyal to her feelings for her first love, it's commendable. And finally, Rou, easily the worst character in the anime. It's a good thing he just disappears for some episodes, despite being portrayed as one of the protagonists along with the other 3. It's absurd the fact he wants to force Shinako to forget about his brother, and not only that but dating him. I just can't get my head around this no matter what, and the fact he is so pushy and aggressive just makes it worse. This character is irredeemable.
This anime has a very distinguishable art. It looks pretty simple at first with simplistic characters' design but the animation was astounding, especially the backgrounds that were really detailed, creating some beautiful scenes. Even though there's no opening , the ending themes make up for it. All the 3 ending songs are amazing, and are songs that you keep listening to after you finish the anime. Even though all the seiyuus were great, Hanazawa Kana voicing Shinako was remarkable, and definitely one of the reasons this character was so endearing.
This is a mature slow burn romance with great production value. There are a couple of caveats I can point out that prevent it from being perfect, but it doesn't really hinder the enjoyment.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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Oct 30, 2022
Mamahaha no Tsurego ga Motokano datta, a romcom with an entrancing premise of a romance between stepsiblings. The story is about Irido Yume and Irido Mizuto who, after breaking up, become brother and sister. For the most part of the anime, the relationship between the main characters is unclear and pretty confusing, and it only makes sense later when we get to see what happened to them previously through flashbacks. Because of that, their romance only became interesting in the final episodes, when you finally know why they broke up and their actions start to make sense. This part of the story is really good
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when the characters recognize their relationship has only been an "youthful indiscretion" filled with mistakes, but still can't let go of those feelings. But it could be better if those flashbacks were shown in the beginning.
There are fanservice scenes galore. Some scenes that deserve special attention are those of Higashira's feet, but there are many great scenes that highlight the girls' beauty. It's hard to enjoy this anime if you get annoyed by fanservice, since it's so frequent and is present in some of the best scenes in the show.
The characters are a weak point of this anime, since there are so few and only one or two are interesting. Yume is the main girl, a shy and nerdy girl who is trying to change herself and become popular in school. The contrast of her shyness with trying to be imposing makes for a lot of cute and funny interactions with Mizuto and others. Mizuto is the emotionless MC. He has a bland personality and is the main reason this show is hard to enjoy sometimes, since it's hard to like his character. There's some development in the final episodes when we get to know more about him, when they explain why he is like that and he shows a bit of emotion, but he was really boring for most of the anime.
Higashira Isana is the character that came to save the anime. She is an otaku awkward girl who everyone dreams of being friends with. It's a shame that, ever since her introduction in the anime, it's already known that she doesn't have a chance of winning, even though she is clearly the best girl. The fact they used her in episode 7 to show Mizuto only has feelings for his sister was unacceptable, and meanwhile, making higashira be rejected just one episode after being introduced. That was a huge mistake. Even though she was not meant to end up being mizuto's girlfriend, she should have more development with mizuto before something like that happening. The chemistry between Mizuto and Higashira is even better than with Yume. There needs to be more of her in this anime. Manami Akatsuki is the funny character, has good chemistry with Yume and they work well together for comic scenes. There isn't any relevant character other than those 4, not even Kawanami, who just pretends he is relevant.
The art is nothing to write home about, it's just about what you would expect from this kind of anime, it's nothing impressive, but it's satisfactory. The characters' design is pretty bland, but the animation looked good in general, with a couple of beautiful scenes. The opening is sung by DIALOGUE+, which is already pretty well known for anime songs, and this one was as great as their other songs. The ending is catchy and even better than the opening. From the seiyuus, Tomita Miyu voice for Higashira was remarkable, as expected from a talented seiyuu. Other than that, the OST was just fine, there are some piano parts that complement well the scenes, but nothing noteworthy.
This anime is good if you like romcoms, it has all the elements of this kind of anime and is decent in all respects. The complaint about the story is that there is little to nothing progress in the anime and some episodes were just boring. The relationship between the main characters are about the same as when the anime started, which was already expected with the way the anime was going, and it's the same for other characters, like the relationship between Mizuto and Higashira, nothing really changes even after some important events.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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Oct 25, 2022
Hibike! Euphonium is an anime about a high school band and their struggles to improve. The story is simple, but the great characters and superb presentation are what make this anime a triumph. As someone who has never been in a band and never had much interest in being part of one, I have never thought I would enjoy an anime about high school band competitions so much. That's the power of KyoAni, this anime is so well done in every aspect that you can't help but get hooked. If anyone wants a KyoAni anime recommendation, I would say Hibike, since this is the anime
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that can show why this studio is loved by many anime fans.
The first scene in the anime set the tone brilliantly. In a brief interaction between the protagonists Oumae Kumiko and Kousaka Reina, you can already see their personalities, their role in the story and what the story is about. With hindsight, I consider this one of the best introductions ever in an anime, everything later keeps coming back to this very first scene which seems more and more meaningful as the anime goes on. And the words that seemed harmless at first, appear again to haunt the characters.
Kumiko is an unusual protagonist, she is not an oblivious and dumb character like is so common. She is smart and cynical, despite not being as brilliant as Reina or Asuka, and has more development than any other character throughout the series. Her interactions with other characters and frequent monologues make the plot progress. She is a very realistic and endearing character and that's definitely one of the reasons the show is so good. With all her imperfections and struggles, it's easy for the viewer to identify and empathize with her.
Kousaka Reina, Kumiko's best friend and the best character in the anime for me. Reina is a gifted musician, clever and hard working. At first she seems like a typical perfect girl, but we know the depth in her character as the story goes on. Her proud mentality, her desire to become unique and special, the fact she doesn't let herself be influenced by others and stick with what she believes, everything adds up for an amazing character. I have to say, ever since the first time I watched Hibike many years ago, I developed deep feelings for Reina, and now rewatching it after a long time, I still feel the same or even stronger feelings. Reina is the character I admire and love, and I don't think it will ever change. There are many things I like about Hibike, but for me, nothing compares to her. Maybe I am not suitable to tell all the qualities of this character, considering the feelings I have for her. And then there are the cute scenes that contrast with her character, when she shows her cute and fragile side like in some of her interactions with Kumiko or when she is talking to or about Taki sensei, which makes her seem more human.
Kawashima Sapphire and Katou Hazuki complete the cast of main characters, but in fact, they don't really feel like main characters. They are not as important to the story as Kumiko and Reina, and are sometimes even outshined by supporting characters. That's not to say they are bad, their interactions with Kumiko are some of the funniest scenes in the series. They were like a break from the serious and dramatic scenes, even though Hazuki has an important role at least for 1 episode. Another key character is Taki Noboru, or Taki sensei, the teacher of the band. Being the reason why the band became serious and is trying hard this year, he is definitely an important character. Taki is an interesting character; since the beginning, his reasons and real thoughts are unclear, which makes you wonder what are his real thoughts and reasons. Other than that, there are many great supporting characters, Natsuki, Asuka, Yuuko, Haruka and Kaori are so good that they could be the main characters as well, each one of them is well characterized, with their own personalities and struggles. Some are lovable like Haruka and others can be hateful (if you watched, you know who), but what is important is the anime can make you feel many emotions with those side characters that are as enchanting as the main ones.
You can always expect great things when it comes to art from KyoAni, and this one is no exception. Hibike is usually used as an example of how good KyoAni art can be or even how good anime can look like for people uninformed about anime, many people have seen that scene of Reina's hair flip. The attention to detail is astonishing, making the anime enjoyable even when the story is slow and could be boring otherwise. There are many subtle scenes involving the characters expressions and behaviors, you can perceive many things if you pay attention. The beautiful scenery along with the characters make for some of the most memorable scenes in any anime.
Since this anime is about music, the sound plays a big part and they did a good job in this regard, the pieces the band play are nice to hear and stick with you since you hear parts of it many times as they are practicing. You can see the differences when different characters are playing the same part as well, and identify when there are problems in the play. Seiyuus are impeccable, Anzai Chika voice for Reina was amazing, giving life to the character, with her calm and cool voice. But all the other voices were amazing as well, even for characters like Kaori and Yuuko who were not part of the main cast. And, of course, Hayamin as Ogasawara, a character perfect for her, making me love tha character even more. Opening and Ending were great, both the visuals and songs, especially the opening that is memorable and iconic for the series.
There are many animes I can say I enjoyed, but just a few are life-changing, and Hibike is one of them. This anime is inspiring, the themes brought up about not accepting failure and keeping pushing forward, doing what you want despite other people hit hard. Reina is the character that embodies those ideals the anime wants to convey perfectly; while Kumiko is the one to confront it and grows throughout the series, coming to understand Reina's feelings.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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