Monster Strike Anime: Kieyuku Uchuu-hen

It's honestly crazy how much effort was put into this anime series as a whole when you stop and remember that it's ultimately just an advertisement for a mobile game. We've had tons of character arcs and development and a buildup to a genuinely great climactic battle. Twist villains are little played out, especially in media targeted at kids for whatever reason, but the villain motivations weren't complicated and didn't really need to be. The power of friendship wins out as the mascot character sacrifices himself even though he's too marketable to die so you know he'll be back anyway. Then we get a nice ... time-skip to a future where everyone is pursing their dreams and Ren finally gets to be with his waifu again and all is well.

It's a cute ending to a surprisingly good anime series, and as a whole it's honestly a fun watch even if you've never played the game it's trying to sell you. 8/10