For people who have already read the Manwha and are curious about the animation, Episode 5,6 and 11,12 are my recommendations. You get the best of the anime there. For everyone else, give it a 3 episode rule and see if you vibe with it.
What you can expect is a journey of a weak person into becoming strong not through abusing a mechanic or cheat but through sheer grit and willpower, along with ofcourse a great many strong foes to overcome.
Now to the actual review:
The most popular Manwha out there, the Power Fantasy of Power Fantasies. I read and finished the Manwha and it was
...
a fun ride. Though by no means I'll call it a masterpiece for art is more to it than just flashy power trips and Solo Levelling suffers greatly from cardboard characters and paper thin personalities. However, the anime is not the same as the manwha and I think in a good way, since the anime has done more to delve into the side characters and Jin Woo's Psyche compared to the source material which imo was just balls to the walls power fantasy, while here Solo levelling shows the journey and growth of a once weak and powerless Jin Woo now going through hardship to become stronger and face progressively stronger foes. I think a 3 episode rule will give it a fair shake for everyone to decide whether they like this or not. I see many people who hate it because its a Power Fantasy or a Video Game inspired Magic System which they don't like, I mean yeah anime taste is subjective. If you don't like it, that's fine. That said, I personally enjoyed watching Solo Levelling, especially with Food. The Igris Fight at Episode 11 and 'ARISE' in Episode 12 is great.
I usually watch anime at 2x speed since most of the times they either bore me or the pacing drags on. However anime that impresses through engaging plot developments and emotionally climatic moments often have me slow down and watch it more closely. Usually reserved for masterpieces like FMAB, Steins Gate or AoT. I oddly found myself really enjoying Solo Levelling.
Anyway, onto my objective assessment. You can refer to my profile for more details:
Rubric 1: Arts and Fun = Entertaining & Artistic Merit = 2/2 points
Originally I would have given it a 1/2 since the Artistic merit is nothing new. However, you have to understand this Manwha is really old and predates SAO in the video game fantasy genre. That said, despite the aged context of the plot the anime does a really great job of portraying Jin Woo's evolution from being weak & powerless to being a strong, ruthless and often times cold blooded hunter. In future context of the plot it also sets the elements for the future plot in motion pretty well too. Plus the production value is pretty good, as such I'm happy to award it artistic merit since It managed to iterate over the existing material and improve it.
Rubric 2: Recommendation = It's a really fun time if the premise doesn't turn you off = 2/2 point
I understand people who don't like Power Fantasies or Video Game Mechanics in anime, calling it creatively bankrupt or whatever. However, I disagree on the creative bankruptcy part. Good stories can be told through any means and media, utilizing game like mechanics is only bad if the anime does little to explain any of it assuming 'you know it already' which is what I'd call mooching off others work. But I digress, I'd recommend Solo Levelling with the idea that if you enjoy Power Fantasy, you will love it as its a slow ascent to power and then balls to the walls power trip, however I definitely think Jin Woo right now when he is still weak in contrast to the absurdities in the later manwha still has a journey of overcoming your limits that is quite a treat to see. You can't just solve all your problems by grinding, you need to pick your battles and push yourself beyond your limits. So basically, I found it fun and I think you might too so give it a chance and see if it vibes with you.
Rubric 3: Narrative Consistency = Completely Flawless = 2/2 points
Narrative consistency I define is the idea that anywhere in the story, you can stop and ask How, What, Why, When, Where and you should be able to answer that without any confusion. Atleast as far as the anime has progressed there isn't a concern with the flow of the story and thus the narrative consistency is sound. This makes it easy to follow and tracking Jin Woo's progression and growth is really fun and rewarding.
Rubric 4: Emotional Moments = Has atleast 1 emotional moment = 2/2 point
An emotional moment is something that evokes an immense intensity of emotions:
Happiness (You are happy and smile in joy)
Saddens (A scene makes you sob)
Thought Provoking (A scene that makes you think very deeply)
Memorable/Iconic (A scene unlike any other that will stick with you)
A good example of an emotional moment is United States of Smash by All Might in My Hero Academia, also Endeavour VS Nomu fight from the same.
The Serpent Fight in Episode 4, The Ending and the incredibly direct reference in Episode 12 along with Arise all served up enough Emotional Moments to justify the upgrade to 7 points
Rubric 5: Personal Bias = Does not cater to my biases = 0/2 points
I like 3 things:
1 = History (If the anime has a rich lore or is inspired by actual history and adheres to it)
2 = Idealogue (The anime jostles with deep and thought provoking topics like the Idea of a King or the Concept of Freedom and Justice, and tries its best to explore or deconstruct)
3 = Magic Systems (Be it a hard magic system defined by rules like FMAB's Law of Equivalent Exchange, or a Soft Magic System that is more mysterious like bending in Avatar the Last Airbender)
The History and World Building is incredibly surface level, we don't know much about the world beyond its pretty much the modern world and then the gates arrive and we get Hunters etc. Wasted potential there..
Idealogue is surface level in the anime, it does deal with the psychology of strength and what it means to kill someone to lose a part of yourself, but it doesn't really go into any depth about it. Just an acknowledgement and moving on. However, later in the Manwha Solo Levelling explores other themes but I won't discuss them here since it's not relevant (yet).
The Magic System is incredibly bare bones, you Level up in a way you do in RPGs and get stat points to allocate and skills and items and stuff. Aside from plot relevant and surface level information and comparisons, it really doesn't dive in deep to flesh out the entire system. I won't say anything about it, but this is a plot point thats relevant later in the story However or now the 'Magic System' is sadly surface level and not properly fleshed out. Jin Woo can get skills and items and stuff all in a matter of convenience. Sanderson said in his Laws of Magic that 'Magic is best known through it's Limitations rather than Capabilities' meaning it is more interesting to know what are the limitations of a given system and have your characters problem solve with that in mind. FMAB's Law of Equivalent Exchange is a masterclass in this, we know the cost of doing anything must come equally in payment. In Solo Levelling, constraints are dynamic and often only show up in context of scenarios or plot complications, there is no overall law that governs hard rules of what constitutes what can and cannot be done which adds too loose of a definition in terms of Power Scaling. But eh I'm rambling, point is the Magic System of SL is surface level serviceable, not the sort I particularly like hence I can't award any points here.
Final rating: 8/10
Apr 15, 2024
Ore dake Level Up na Ken
(Anime)
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Recommended
For people who have already read the Manwha and are curious about the animation, Episode 5,6 and 11,12 are my recommendations. You get the best of the anime there. For everyone else, give it a 3 episode rule and see if you vibe with it.
What you can expect is a journey of a weak person into becoming strong not through abusing a mechanic or cheat but through sheer grit and willpower, along with ofcourse a great many strong foes to overcome. Now to the actual review: The most popular Manwha out there, the Power Fantasy of Power Fantasies. I read and finished the Manwha and it was ...
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Mar 29, 2024
Sousou no Frieren
(Anime)
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Recommended Well-written Preliminary
(22/28 eps)
I'm finding it hard to understand why people hate this anime. I guess it's likely due to the sentiment of being 'overrated'.
I think Frieren absolutely deserves its spot as the Greatest Anime of All Time alongside FMAB and Steins;Gate. Ill get to the more objective bit in a moment, but I'd like to Preface why I love this anime so much. I grew up playing Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim when it first released. 13 years on I am still playing it and I love it. Skyrim gave me that sense of 'Adventure' where there is the great outer wilds with magic, monsters and mystery. It is incredibly ... exciting, braving the unknown and coming out stronger and learning and exploring things. That sense of adventure felt lost to me for 10 years as growing up I had to confront the realities of responsibility, academics, worsening economic situations and global turmoil as well as climate change and what not. Life has gotten a lot more stressful and I often yearn for a simpler time where I could have that cozy sense of adventure. Frieren... is a 24 episode anime that effectively captured that sense of 'Adventure' I felt. Through Frieren's own journey, exploring the world she inhabits, reliving the memories of the time of Himmel the Hero and his party. Everything. Now onto more objective analysis. Refer to my profile for an explanation of my Rubrics: Rubric 1: Arts and Fun = Entertaining & Artistic Merit = 2/2 points = Frieren takes the plot of a story that is after the end of another. The great hero and his party already defeated the Demon Lord, and now as the relentless march of time continues the Heroes party fades into Legend. Frieren is an Elf, as such she lives far longer than any human being, and due to her past and disposition she is emotionally distant and experiences time radically different compared to humans. For her, only at the passing of Himmel the Hero, does she truly feel regret at not having gotten to know him better. As such, Frieren under takes a Journey to the ends of the World where the Dead live as spirits to go meet Himmel. This exploration of valuing ones encounters and appreciating life and those with you is poignant, all the while we are served Frieren's Bizzare Adventures as she explores the world, collects spells, teaches a disciple (Pout Queen Fern), getting caught by Mimics and Genociding Demons. It's fun and artistic and deserving of its place. Rubric 2: Recommendation = Recommend to everyone without reserve = 2/2 points; Frieren is a show that is simply unlike any other. It goes against all the established norms of what constitutes a great story, the idea of having a strong overarching plot, the idea of having deeply compelling villains or simply following the Heroes Journey Pattern. Frieren does none of these and yet excels in a way previously unheard of. It is a story that is so incredibly reliant on its characters, and the characters themselves absolutely deliver. I'd want everyone who has enjoyed anime to look at Frieren. It is better to watch it and hate it because you didn't like it, than never having watched it at all imo. Rubric 3: Narrative Consistency = Completely Flawless with no room for improvement needed = 2/2 points; What others considering a boring and slow pace is lauded as respectful depth and time given to properly develop and mature the characters on screen. Narrative consistency refers to how at any given moment in the story you can ask What, Why, When, Where and How. Good Narrative consistency means you will be able to answer those questions without being confused given you were paying attention. Frieren absolutely excels at this. From Episode 1 to Episode 24, everything flows uniformly. All events, all developments, all complications, all plot points, all conflicts. Everything progresses at a natural and organic pace and the emergent problems arise in a way that make complete sense and links back to the start. Everything is being done in service of a Journey to the proverbial end of the world to meet Himmel, though the anime takes the liberty of not stressing any urgency which is to our benefit as it allows our characters to live and mature whilst also being consistent with how Frieren experiences time. Fern is helpful here as she forces Frieren to consider Human Lifespans to factor urgency in, which makes all interactions realistic and interesting. Rubric 4: Emotional Moments = Minimum 3 Emotional Moments = 2/2 points An emotional moment is something that evokes an immense intensity of emotions: Happiness (You are happy and smile in joy) Saddens (A scene makes you sob) Thought Provoking (A scene that makes you think very deeply) Memorable/Iconic (A scene unlike any other that will stick with you) A good example of an emotional moment is United States of Smash by All Might in My Hero Academia, also Endeavour VS Nomu fight from the same. I have lost count of how many such moments have hit me in Frieren. The fact its over leaves me empty thinking I wont have Frieren Fridays for the Foreseeable future. Also contrary to what people think I really loved the first opening, the lyrics make it absolutely on point. Rubric 5: Personal Bias = Caters to All my Biases = 2 points I like 3 things: 1 = History (If the anime has a rich lore or is inspired by actual history and adheres to it) 2 = Idealogue (The anime jostles with deep and thought provoking topics like the Idea of a King or the Concept of Freedom and Justice, and tries its best to explore or deconstruct) 3 = Magic Systems (Be it a hard magic system defined by rules like FMAB's Law of Equivalent Exchange, or a Soft Magic System that is more mysterious like bending in Avatar the Last Airbender) Frieren has a rich history of its own world, and in fact our story begins after Himmel the Hero defeated the Demon Lord which adds a monument of Historical undertones which I absolutely love. Frieren delves into numerous philosophical areas, from the idea of mortality and time, to the value of ones connections and friends, to the idea of everlasting things and legacy, to the idea of what is Power, Strength and Passion. Perhaps most poignant is Frieren's take on Demons. I think people who hate it misunderstand it greatly, Demons in Frieren are monstrous beings. They have no regard of morality (which I argue makes one Human), and everything from their demonstrated empathy, humanoid features and even use of speech is all explained as a means to an end to deceive and take advantage of Humans. They are a species in love with Mana and Magic and spent their entire lives dedicated to that power. Demons don't have any concepts of Family or Kinship, merely Strength and Power through which they aren't afraid to ally or use others as pawns to enrich themselves. This is best shown through Aura who's power allows her to dominate anyone with less mana than her. However, despite all their strength a demons greatest weakness is their Pride. Frieren quite literally spent her entire life mastering an ability so utterly useless in every context.... but its supremely affective in fooling Demons which is what makes her an extraordinaire in slaying Demons. Frieren has a rich world with rich history and strong Magic Systems explaining its own power mechanics, there has never been an instance of a Deus Ex Machina suddenly saving them as every plot point is resolved from the confines of established consistent Magical Systems. Therefore in conclusion, Frieren deserves its position as Top 1 on MAL. I'd still rate Full Metal Alchemist Brotherhood as higher because unlike Frieren, FMAB has 64 episodes to Frieren's 24. Basically I want more Frieren >.> 10/10 Masterpiece
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
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Mar 29, 2024
Kusuriya no Hitorigoto
(Anime)
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Recommended
A fun anime following an apothecary with her adventures in China's rear palace. It's a fun approach to use Alchemy and Herbal techniques to problem solve complications. Maomao's character is really entertaining and takes a strong place as an entertaining, fun and highly unique characteristic female lead. Episodes follow the trend of a problem occurring which Maomao will solve using a mix of her Apothecary skills and Detective Intuition. Bit by bit towards the latter half of the series, we find out the incidents are actually connected and it culminates in a climatic event whilst also connecting to Maomao's past and how deeply she and
...
her family are involved.
(Refer to my profile for a guide on how I judge my 5 Rubrics) Rubric 1: Arts and Fun = Entertaining & Artistic Merit = 2/2 points; Apothecary Diaries is an entertaining and interesting take on using Apothecary knowledge as the 'magic system' in this series (It's not magic but the means to resolve plot points) which is interesting and the Character dynamics of Maomao and the whole gallery of side characters is quite interesting and fun Rubric 2: Recommendation = Recommend to everyone without reserve = 2/2 points; I have no qualms about recommending this to everyone. It has something for everyone, the detective-esque mystery, the calm slice of life, character drama, romance, diegetic alchemy and historical context. Episode 23 in particular is something really touching. Rubric 3: Narrative Consistency = Some flaws or Nitpicks with room for improvement = 1/2 point; Summarized as that at any moment you can ask Why, What, When, Where, How about the plot and you will know with little confusion. While for the most part the anime is quite interesting, there isn't a strong correlation of how it all ties together outside Maomao's Bizzare Adventures and whatever Jinshi is feeling like. This reservation is the strongest at the Finale of the series. I disagree with the explanation given at the end given the intense animosity and high running emotions as well as the history of the characters involved. It made little sense why half the things happened as they are if it was so easy to fix everything, it makes a core complication seem contrived or unnecessary. I'd happily take an extended Episode 23 with 5-10 minute extra epilogue with a decent explanation than Episode 24. That said, I understand why people like it so I won't rain on that parade, it is quite enjoyable but I have my reservations. Rubric 4: Emotional Moments = Minimum 3 Emotional Moments = 2/2 points; Moments which elicit a strong emotional response. Can be either excitement or sadness or even anger or shock/outrage. Think United States of Smash if you will. This anime had no shortage of them, I can count a minimum of 3 highly emotional moments that made me go 'OOOOOHHHH' or just deathly silent at how absorbed I was. 2 of which happen in the final 3-4 episodes. Well worth the build up and the emotional climax. This also includes sound track and sound design, Opening 2 is one of my favorite openings in general. Rubric 5: Personal Bias = Caters to atleast 1 of my biases = 1/2 point; I prefer 3 things: History/Lore, Idealogue and interesting Magic Systems. Apothecary Diaries has History theme done really well being set in China during the rule of what I'd consider either Ming or Qing dynasty. The Apothecary Magic System and Idealogue are both touched briefly, since Maomao somehow gets Detective Ex Machina as well, and while her place as a commoner and the fate of the lowborn is discussed early on it is dropped in the latter half to focus on Maomao's past and budding Romance with Jinshi. As such, I can say it only really catered to my Historical itch, with the other two leaving more to be desired. Overall that is 8/10 for Apothecary Diaries. Thank you for coming to my TedTalk
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Apr 22, 2023 Recommended
Alright, the show is finished so I can say the full story now. It is great to see a lot of people see the light and it shows in the reviews.
Tl;dr; 8/10 = For those who can enjoy it, this anime is a very entertaining and refreshing take on the football anime landscape full of interesting characters and growth in the backdrop of an ideologically charged character who believes Japanese Football requires Ego to grow and allow them to compete for the World Cup. Full of hype moments and exhilarating sequences that are incredibly fun to watch. Artistic and Fun: 2/2 It is fun to watch ... the craziness that unfolds on the pitch, it is quite entertaining in how the match progresses and the artistic merit of inducing ego within players is well founded. Recommended: 1/2 I can easily recommend Blue Lock to everyone, both the anime and the manga are a really good read. For people who watch actual football, I can understand they will find this cringe and jarring that is just how anime is. The focus of the anime is on developing egos and how the character chemistry works with other Egoists, it is less about tactics, structure and mechanics surrounding the beautiful game. If that is what you want to look at, you are welcome to watch other football centric shows like Ao Ashi but this one laser focuses on the Egoism and it does its job perfectly but I can understand that it will not be entertaining and even frustrating for some people but for those who can enjoy it it is a top tier treat. Narrative Consistency: 2/2 Made simple, if you ask your self 3 questions “Why are we here?” “Where are we headed?” “How are we gonna get there” If you are able to get a satisfactory answer for those 3 questions then that is good narrative consistency. “We are looking for the One Piece, that is why we are headed to the Grand Line but it is the pirates graveyard so we figure out a way to cross it from this guy Koby who explains how marines cross it” sounds good? A good anime has sound narrative consistency. Blue Lock, depending on who you ask, has an answer to those questions but each in their own way. For Ego “Japanese Football needs Ego, For that I made Blue Lock to cultivate their Ego. How that is gonna happen is through elimination so only the strongest egoists survive”, For Isagi “I want to play football on a high level maybe even the world cup, That is why I am at Blue Lock and why I am going to be the greatest striker. I do that by analysing, deconstructing and remaking myself to overcome my enemies”. You get the point, every character can answer that very well which is a very strong case for how good the narrative consistency is. On top of that, their reasons are compelling and get you invested. Emotional Highs: 2/2 Defined as moments that evoke strong emotion, be it Anger, Sadness, Happiness, Laughter or even Thought Provoking that can leave you speechless. United States of Smash, the unveiling of the master plan in FMAB and Okabe's Operation Arclight are good examples. Minimum 3 moments = 2 points Blue Lock has plenty of hype moments, from Isagi’s Direct Shot, to the Back Heel and how he overcomes Barou. That is Isagi alone, Bachira, my beloved Chigiri and Nagi all of them have their moments. Bias: 1/2 Ill mention it briefly, my biases are: Idealogue, Theme of Kingship, History Blue Lock has the idealogue of Ego down to a Tee, so it gets the point for that. Also there are plenty of Historical inspirations like Messi, Cantona and Ronaldo. For manga readers they will know in the later chapters how we have leagues and how players are inspired from actual people. However I cannot give it the point for Theme of Kingship which is my favourite, Barou briefly explored the idea of a King which quickly becomes about a Tyrant and for the manga readers they will know its more than that. Therefore, it is unfair but Biases are subjective and I find the Theme of Kingship to be the most worthwhile theme to discuss as it embodies Strength, Sincerity and Duty in a character while also as the political system that has prevailed the longest in human history. Therefore 2/3 bases means 1 point. Conclusion: 8/10 This anime is a very entertaining and full of hype as well as great art with the sound track, colors and animation. It breaks the usual mold of how football really is of the power of friendship sort, and for those finding it to be surface level or cringe haven't understood the point of the story. It's not Strikers are everything or All Strikers only. Football doesn't work like that; the idea is to induce Ego as that is what Jinpachi Ego believes is what is missing in Japans football and through is Ego every player finds what they are good at and use that to the full extent while still being hungry for the ball. The character dynamics, the growth of every character, their personal motivations and chemistry is a joy to watch. Most specifically the way Isagi breaks himself down and rebuilds himself again to overcome each challenge is one of the most interesting displays of dealing with obstacles.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Jan 12, 2023
Queen's Blade: Rurou no Senshi
(Anime)
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Not Recommended
Please don't judge me, I was watching this at 2x speed while grinding FGO. I didn't actually think by the end I would get invested and enjoy it, yet here we are.
TL;Dr 3/10: Fan service, Big Bodacious Bouncy Babes Battling it out in a Battle Royale to be Queen. The only thing I saw of merit was the MC Leina's development towards the very end, but that's basically it. There is a mountain of things here that could be explored but isn't cuz the show is simply Silly Huge Badonkers fighting one another. Artistic and Fun: 1/2 0 Artistic merit, I mean what do you expect ... from a show that is about Women Fighting where armor & clothes get conveniently ripped off to flash some racks. The Battle Royale and Character Journeys, as well as the existence of other races and higher beings could be interesting but none of it is explored cuz Badonkers is the focus. However, the show can arguably be fun if you watch it on 2x speed. Echidna is hawt, Tomoe is precious and Leina evolving from a weakling to a contender is actually fun. That is if you haven't already dropped it or paid attention to anything besides the flashing. Recommended: 0/2 I could never in my right mind recommend this to anyone. Please understand I only had this on as a sort of background junk to watch while I grind my gacha. If you want a battle royale that delves into the theme of Kingship where the winner will fulfill their wish and the main protagonist is also a Blonde Royalty voiced by Ayako Kawasumi, go watch Fate/Zero (To TM fans, yes I know. Now shush) Narrative Consistency: 0/2 The plot is pretty much a battle Royale, but the show seems unable to even respect that. Usually if you lose in a battle royale you get disqualified, but that isn't the case here, a lot of the rules and restrictions aren't explained leaving us, the viewer, very confused and giving it a Deus Ex Machina feel. Considering this show messed up handling its core plot, which was so shallow its amazing how they managed to mess it up, you will frequently wonder why anything is happening. The only way anything made sense would be in hindsight from the ending, it's all in service to Leina's growth. However, I argue, Character growth is not a plotline. It is something that happens over the course of one. Simply removing the involvement of the Angels declaring a Queens Blade battle outside the Imperial Capital can nicely address that issue, this way the pilgrimage to the Capital for the selection is made meaningful as you will likely face many dangers and competition on the way. Only the strongest will survive and reach in time for the selection. So yeah, you will find yourself confused and frequently wonder what is happening, why is it happening, whats the point and why are you even watching this. Emotional Highs: 1/2 Defined as moments that evoke strong emotion, be it Anger, Sadness, Happiness, Laughter or even Thought Provoking that can leave you speechless. United States of Smash, the unveiling of the master plan in FMAB and Okabe's Operation Arclight are good examples. Minimum 3 moments = 2 points Despite failing to service a plot (instead it services the fans lmao), Character growth is definitely present here. Leina's battle after her training arc was actually pretty fun imo. As someone who was cheering her on from the start, it was nice to see the MC finally blossom into something resembling a challenger. However, I'm really stretching over here to say this was an Emotional High. Considering the absolute hype that is Haikyuu, or the end of Vinland Saga, Operation Arclight from Steins;Gate. This is incredibly lukewarm, but I cannot say I myself didn't feel anything. So if I can feel it, means there exist others who might as well hence I feel this anime has earned this 1 point. Bias: 1/2 (mentioned after the next 3 paras) Queens Blade's Power and Magic System is incredibly shallow, it gets points for completeness like the first enemy having a limitation that was exploited. However aside from that it is bland, uninteresting and uninspired. Stuff happens cuz it happens, and there is extremely little information provided in understanding how powers function. Although, I do prefer this Limitation without Explanation System as opposed to a OP Can Do Literally Anything with a BS Explanation System (think OP MC kun with a harem) they are still both equally bad and I cannot accept such a terrible Magic System. The core complication is the Battle Royale Tournament to determine the next Queen: Queens Blade. The show touches on many things that merit a deep dive such as the idea that the strong take what they want rightfully: Law of the Jungle. The idea of one having Responsibilities from birth they need to live up to: Birthright. The idea of forging ones place in the world when you are a hybrid of two races: Mixed Race Identity, and of course the theme of what is in the name (it's male counterpart is more fitting) What Does it Mean to be a King? Is overwhelming strength the only perquisite? Where does Wisdom, Kindness and Duty come in? The idea of a King is something that truly fascinates me since it is the oldest and one of the most prevalent means of ruling for Mankind until we had Democracy in the modern era. However, sadly this show explores literally none of these. The sad part is there are alot more themes here that I haven't even mentioned and I know I'm not mistaken when a show full of bouncy badonkers can casually mention "Separation of Church and State" as part of National Policy. This anime has tons of deep themes ripe for potential, but it squanders all of them by being utterly shallow and not exploring them at all. Its utter disrespect since the show kicks you in the face saying "What did you expect from a show literally about tits" Queens Blade has its own World with its own histories, nations, traditions, factions, phenomenon, races and cultures. From the Oriental Nation where Tomoe comes from, to the more standard European one where Leina hails from. The Elves in their forest, the Dwarves in their Mountains, and while sadly most of this is just set dressing for the main show (Big Hooters) it isn't irrelevant. The Elf council making their decision based on Racial Prejudice, The Dwarves getting involved because the Humans were out producing their market with cheaper less quality goods instead, The Orient facing rampant corruption in their nations administration, the existence of Angels and Demons down to the fact that Queens Blade was a Divine mandate. This all tells us of a world lived in, and sadly this anime barely does anything to explore this world. Instead once again rushing ahead to flash some racks on screen. My biases: Magic Systems, Idealogue and History Magic Systems: Any system with strict (Hard) or implied (Soft) restrictions of what it's capable of qualifies as a Magic System for the purposes of this Review. Be it FMAB's Law of Equivalent Exchange, Steins;Gate's World Lines or Dr Stone's Science History: Real world History or World Building and Lore based History. Re Zero and Overlord have vibrant Worlds with their own fleshed out History, Races, Relations, Politics and Factionalism. Bonus points for Natural Phenomenon Unique to their worlds. Whereas Youjo Senki / Saga of Tanya the Evil takes direct inspiration from WW1. Idealogue: Deep and Thought Provoking takes on contemporary or otherwise archaic matters. Be it Intangible stuff like Justice and Meaning of Life, or something achievable like being the Best at X and the ramifications of being so. My favorite is the Idea of being a King, and the concept of a King in general. Conclusion: 3/10 This anime is wasted potential, a shallow caricature who's prime operating directive is "Boobies" The show is unable to remain consistent with its complications, it refuses to respect any of the themes it mentions, it keeps churning out episode after episode of sludge that is mostly tits flashing left and right. However, if you by some Herculean merit decide to look past the fan service. You will be left with nothing but disappointment at how much of a wasted potential this show truly is. This show is a very good example of how damaging fan service can be to a story, I'd like to believe the person who wrote the plot truly had something in mind but maybe I am giving this show too much credit and maybe all these deep things are red herrings there to give you a pretty pathetic attempt at an illusion of depth that all really exists to act as a backdrop for big bouncy boobs battling each other. The only thing off merit in this entire mess is the main characters development at the end, which isn't exactly impressive. I'm just saying its the "only thing that's good"
Reviewer’s Rating: 3
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Jan 2, 2023
Kawaii dake ja Nai Shikimori-san
(Anime)
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Mixed Feelings
Tl;dr 4/10
It's a vanilla romcom where nothing happens besides the main couple doing cute things, the gimmick being the roles are usually reversed with the man gushing and the heroine being cool. It's fun and rewarding to watch since the heart tugging scenes are nice; if you watch it on 2x speed. Artistic and Entertaining: 1/2 It is fun at times, Hachimitsu being an absolute mood, Shikimori being cute and cool simultaneously and seeing Izumi actually grow past his weaknesses and try hard. However, I'll be lying if I said it wasn't a snore, I watched it on 2x speed after episode 5 to actually be ... able to finish it. Artistically it really doesn't do anything aside from the Heroine being cool gimmick, Shikimori has no weaknesses at all. The only problem she had in life was an insecurity which she kinda overcomes anyway; Izumi being the opposite. There were moments I thought it might do something like with Kamiya Sans Arc, Hachimitsu or even Izumi in the end since it delves into their insecurities and weaknesses. However, aside from Kamiya (which I say sparingly) there is nothing special or interesting being done at all. Simply put, it's uninspired and simplistic to a fault. However, that does make it fun cuz it gives you exactly what it says, a Wholesome Romcom. Recommend: 0/2 I'm afraid I cannot in my right mind recommend this to anyone. I enjoyed it myself, but I can never imagine a situation where I would recommend this to someone else. If you want a good romcom watch: Kaguya Sama, Quintessential Qintuplets (I love Itsuki) and even Nagatoro (Unlike this the development does pay off) simply put, its a feel good anime that I wouldn't bother recommending to anyone else. Narrative Consistency: 0/2 There is none, plainly this means there is a core complication that the plot will progress towards. All options slowly close off until conflict is inevitable which results in a Climax that ultimately resolves and ends with a Conclusion. Shikimori has none of that, for better or worse there is no difference between starting from Episode 1 or Episode 8. Every character is shallow enough you can get what they are irrespective of episodes, and the anime does little to have you pay attention to previous episodes as it feels encapsulated. That may be for the best since the show is a generic slice of life romcom, but if you are expecting any sort of a plot outside "What is Sihkimori donig today" "What is Izumi doing today" "What are Shikimori and Izumi doing today" then you will be disappointed. Even in a show like Phineas and Ferb, the overarching vector is the End of Summer and the boys being motivated to do stuff every day to make the most of their Summer vacation. If Izumi had Cancer or if Shikimori was already set to be married off to someone else, then it would have suddenly added a lot more drama and tension to this anime. However, this anime doesn't have any of that again for better or worse it's just feel good. It is no stretch to say there isn't any plot, its just a show about a Submissive Boy with Bad luck and a Cool Cute Heroine that ends up as his Girlfriend. Emotional Highs: 2/2 Emotional high is defined as any scene or set of events that evoke a high sense of emotion. Anger, Sadness, Laughter, Happiness, Wholesomeness, Thought Provoking etc. minimum 3 of these = 2 points while atleast 1 = 1 point. I dumped a lot on this anime already, but this is where I will sing my praises. Shikimori is an anime with a singular focus, to be a nice wholesome romcom of the romance between Shikimori and Izumi. There are no complications, no love triangles (say what you will but that plot point got wrapped up neatly), no impending doom. It's all warm and fuzzy. As a result, this anime is packed to the brim with plenty of moments that will have you feeling things. My favorite episode was episode 10 with the Sports festival. Seeing Izumi overcome his bad luck, Seeing the Lethargic Hachimitsu go beyond herself and for once legitimately rooting for Shikimori to carry the day had me on the edge of my seat. Well I'll put that mildly as well, it isn't a huge hype moment but it resonated really well with me and I am sure it will with a lot of people. Other high moments include the use of Shikimori's cool moments, while they become stale later on the first few episodes really nail it on how Shikimori Juxtaposes cute along with cool. Other heart tugging moments are in the Anniversary episode where Shikimori makes a promise to Izumi as well. Lastly the final episode with Izumi and Shikimori pretty much filled the quota for 3 emotional highs for this to get full points. So yeah, this is the one department Shikimori focuses on and it gets full points for achieving that. So credit where it's due. Bias: 1/2 This anime caters to none of my biases (Idealogue, Magic Systems, History) However, Shikimori's cute side really makes me think of my beloved Itsuki from Quintessential Quintuplets. Whereas Shikimori's cool side makes me think of Saber Alter (Arturia Pendragon Alter) my beloved wife who is from the Fate series. So a large part of why I even bothered watching this anime instead of dropping it, and the reason why I enjoyed the mundane but wholesome sequences was largely in part a wish fulfillment gimmick. Imagining a fun school life with the person I love so dearly truly is Peak Isekai especially since Covid happened. But besides that it doesn't have anything else. Conclusion: 4/10 Ill be honest, this anime was quite difficult for me to grade. I started around with 5/10 (1 point in each category) I was inclined to give it another point for the attempt at Kamiya and Izumi's flaws so that would be 6. With the conclusion of the final episode I was feeling nice enough to maybe even contemplate a 7/10 But alas, I'd be doing a great disservice to my standards if I had let emotion dictate so much. In the process of writing this review, I ended up critiquing a lot of things in Shikimori in comparison to other anime. The decision to give 0 to recommendation and narrative consistency was the result, if an anime is truly amazing I would recommend it to everyone in a heartbeat. However, if I feel the anime requires some homework or appeals to a certain type of audience (basically not for everyone) then I give it 1 point, but this anime had nothing I could ever in my right mind recommend. It is guilty pleasure if you may. As for narrative consistency, my grade is incredibly harsh and you might rightly point that out. However, I feel justified in doing so since there are a great many anime that show you can have an amazing plot structure and narrative delivery outside simple wholesome romance. Kaguya sama is a masterclass of such things. So outside me enjoying it for my biasness and personal attachments, the only objective point I could give was there was a certain element of enjoyment present in the anime BUT I recommend watching it in 2x speed since it can feel like a drag or even a total snore. So yeah, I can't objectively recommend it. However, it does have nice feel good things that service it as a guilty pleasure.
Reviewer’s Rating: 4
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Dec 31, 2022
Bleach: Sennen Kessen-hen
(Anime)
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First off, Congratulations to all Bleach Fans. I am happy for you guys, your beloved franchise celebrated a glorious 20th Anniversary with an absolute banger of an anime. Now for the Review
TL;Dr 9/10 = If you are a Bleach fan, it's a love letter. If you aren't then you might want to read the next para and skip to the Conclusion at the bottom. Be warned that watching this arc's adaption blind (without context) is gonna leave you confused. Watching it blind is not the ideal experience. However, the fight scenes, the music, animation, narrative consistency and the Emotional Highs are done so well they can ... be Universal. So if you do decide to watch it blind, you will be in for a fun (albeit confusing) time Artistic and Fun: 2/2 The animation is top notch which makes fights incredibly fun to watch. The music is on point and hype. The narrative build up to the fights makes them impactful and their resolution truly something captivating. As far as fun goes, this is definitely fun. Huge credits to the studio for making it artistically sound with wide panning shots and dynamic camera work that makes for amazing visual story telling. Recommended: 1/2 While the anime is a work of art and highly enjoyable, I'm afraid it is unfairly saddled with the burden of needing 300 episodes worth of anime context. The amount of commitment to see through that I argue is better spent watching FMAB (64), AoT (25+12+22+28) and Steins;Gate (25 +24) which all neatly add up to 200 episodes. The pay off for each anime is immensely huge and I argue far greater than what this arc could give you. However, for Manga readers, people who have been following Bleach for a long time or dropped it couple of years back (meaning you have enough knowledge up to the Hueco Mundo Arc) they will definitely enjoy it. Those who haven't will struggle to understand and I don't blame them, plus the reveal at the end might ruin the 300 episodes preceding it as it is a Darth Vader level reveal. Narrative Consistency: 2/2 I used to hate on Bleach back in the day because for some reason it felt to me the franchise was all about making Ichigo relevant to everything in existence. Also the Ywach reveal felt wrong to me, rather that re contextualizing it felt like I was being told everything I saw was a lie. However, watching the anime and how they handled the same plot points but only gave them a good treatment presentation wise. I suddenly respect all the developments infinitely more. From Episode 1 - 12, you are never lost (assuming you have context of Bleach) regarding what is happening. The Plot, Complication, the Climax are always in play and result in a very satisfying Resolution upon completion. Even for someone who hasn't touched Bleach in a decade I was able to quickly grasp and understand the significance of a plot point, the vector of the complication (where and why it's headed) with the resulting Climaxes being truly amazing. This proper use of a narrative cycle keeps going and has layers, truly a well made anime. Emotional Highs: 2/2 Defined as moments that evoke strong emotion, be it Anger, Sadness, Happiness, Laughter or even Thought Provoking that can leave you speechless. United States of Smash, the unveiling of the master plan in FMAB and Okabe's Operation Arclight are good examples. Minimum 3 moments = 2 points Suffice to say, Bleach has a great many Emotional highs. From the fight scene of Old Man Yamamoto against Ywach, Kenpachi's awakening, Ichigo's awakening, the Origins of Ichigo, Ichigo vs Ywach and even Byakuya's fight are all packed to the brim with emotion that will leave you in tears or at the edge of your seat. So there is no shortage of moments that are totally worth the build up for. Bias: 2/2 (mentioned after the next 3 paras) Bleach has a very well made Power System regarding Bankais, Zampaktos, Hollows and Quincy's. Their limitations are also well explained and often what eventually lead to proper conflict resolution. This entire arc struggles the idea of what it means to be a Soul Reaper, what it means to be a Quincy and even the question that supersedes it all: "Can Quincy's and Soul Reapers coexist?" While it isn't handled in the complete depth as it should, I suspect it will be later, it is still deep enough to merit having my interest. Time is not spent on idly pondering upon them, most time is spent doing and acting on things with these ideas being the backdrop of the conflicts at hand. Bleach has good world building, with the idea of the Soul Society, Hueco Mundo and now the new enemy that shows up all being explained and belonging in the world rather than being parasitical extensions of it (Meaning we are not forced to assume too much) In fact the main complication stems from a long winded History the Soul Reapers have with the Quincy which in turn is thanks in part to how well the world is made. It isn't as great as Isekai's like Re zero and Mushoku Tensei, Cyberpunk settings like Edge Runners or even Fantasy like Overlord. However, it is significant enough to be merited with having a strong sense of History. My biases: Magic Systems, Idealogue and History Magic Systems: Any system with strict (Hard) or implied (Soft) restrictions of what it's capable of qualifies as a Magic System for the purposes of this Review. Be it FMAB's Law of Equivalent Exchange, Steins;Gate's World Lines or Dr Stone's Science History: Real world History or World Building and Lore based History. Re Zero and Overlord have vibrant Worlds with their own fleshed out History, Races, Relations, Politics and Factionalism. Bonus points for Natural Phenomenon Unique to their worlds. Whereas Youjo Senki / Saga of Tanya the Evil takes direct inspiration from WW1. Idealogue: Deep and Thought Provoking takes on contemporary or otherwise archaic matters. Be it Intangible stuff like Justice and Meaning of Life, or something achievable like being the Best at X and the ramifications of being so. My favorite is the Idea of being a King, and the concept of a King in general. Conclusion: 9/10 This anime is a love letter to Bleach fans, be it those who have been following it and sticking with it since the start or those who followed it somewhat. I have 0 complaints with everything done and would recommend it to every Bleach fan. However, as for casual observers, I cannot recommend this as they will likely be confused and the experience will be ruined for them as this is an adaption of the final arc. Neither would I recommend someone to start Bleach as a consequence of this anime, I believe your time is better spent watching FMAB, Steins;Gate and Attack on Titan S1-4. Their collective episodes are still 100 less than the Bleach anime, and the pay off is significantly better in the aforementioned compared to Bleach. Therefore, I'd say this anime is best intended for people who already know about Bleach and it is a top tier anime adaption at that. Happy 20th Anniversary Bleach, it was a joy to see one of the former Big 3 blowing up again.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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Dec 30, 2022 Not Recommended Preliminary
(5/20 eps)
0 Points, dropped it. (Unless there is something huge I'm missing that actually makes this show good, please DM me and let me know because I gave it a 3 ep test and went further ahead to 5eps on 2x speed but it was still horrifyingly bad)
You can keep scrolling, or if you are curious go ahead and read my thoughts below: I watched up to end of episode 5. My experience is similar to most of the other reviewers in the early eps, It starts Pre Isekai, we are introduced to the characters including the MC. Get some development, pairing up to be interesting I ... guess. Episode 2 subverts it by starting the Isekai late. I consider myself good at inferring so I can sort of get what this anime is going for, the guy has an ideal of a superhero he wants to be and strived his life to be. Gets isekai'd and naturally pursues that goal. That's where my praise ends. Whenever I rate an anime, I judge it by: Artistic + Entertainment Merit, Is it worth recommending, Emotional Highs, Does it cater to my biases and most importantly NARRATIVE CONSISTENCY. Meaning, at any point can you reliably ask the question "What's going on" or "What's the point of this" or "How did we get here" and if the Narrative Consistency is top notch then you will have a very easy answer. No complex BS needed. Its, "MC is out to get this thing so he can save this person" or "MC aims to do this for which this is necessary hence why we are here" or "This guy wants the Mcguffin cuz he wants to be rich, this guy wants it for Honor and Glory, this guy wants this to harness its power and Rule the World, and this guy wants it cuz he originally owns it" This anime is a Masterclass in showcasing "How to not do narrative consistency" In any of the episodes between 1 and 5, I kept asking the questions above. Nothing makes sense, how did we get from A to B, why is this person like this, if they were why was there no previous build up, why was this person relevant. This anime is also a great example of "Don't Show, Tell" which is opposite of sound advice: "Show don't tell" The exposition dumps are insane. The only thing that remains consistent is our MCs downright religious obsession of being a background character so he can fancy himself being the "Eminence in the Shadow" which is fine, in fact thats the ONLY thing I can tolerate (even though its cringe but hey I don't mind that if thats what the anime is going for) The humor falls flat, The MC being all knowing to his subordinates but actually knows nothing is reminiscent of SASUGA AINZ SAMA from Overlord. It worked there because Ainz legit didn't know what was happening and didn't pretend to be all knowing, in fact he would subtly try to get his followers to explain what they are doing also cuz Ainz cares about his subordinates and isn't Sadistic or sees them as mere tools. So yea proper format wise Artistic and Entertaining: 0/2 If you had fun watching this, I don't intend to rain on your parade. Go have your fun, but objectively I found nothing artistic here to appreciate aside from the brief Pre Isekai which in the grand scheme of things seems pointless. I would normally award the entertaining point but I can't since I decided to drop this anime despite watching it on 2x Speed. Recommend: 0/2 I do not recommend anyone to watch this trash, your time is better spend watching actually good shows. If you want good Isekai: Mushoku Tensei and Re Zero are your buddies. Want more? That time I got reincarnated as a slime, Overlord, Saga of Tanya the Evil. Heck even Konosuba works here, the comedy at least hits. In fact I'd say go watch Chainsaw Man if you haven't already. Don't waste time on this. Narrative Consistency: 0/2 No sense of flow in the plot, things happen willy niily with often no prior build up. The amount of suspension of disbelief required may as well make you an Anti Vax, Moon Landing Denier, Tinfoil Hat Flat Earther. There is no pay off for anything because nothing ever builds up to anything. Nothing ever sticks or lands, if this was some sick deconstruction then I'm afraid there was no meticulous deconstruction like Fate Stay Night would attempt regarding the Idea of being a Hero of Justice, instead its just plain broken. Emotional Highs: 0/2 No build up means no pay off, meaning no chance of ever getting Emotional Highs. You might get a chuckle or two here and there, but you can more reactions out of scrolling memes instead of watching this. Bias: 0/2 Magic System: The Magic System is ridiculous. Absolutely nothing is explained, everything is assumed to be known by the user already, no limitations exist and no complications ever weigh down our MC meaning to no sense of stake either. Idealogue: There is absolutely nothing deep in this anime. Despite having situations handed to it on a plate where we could explore themes like the Darker Side of Fame, the idea of living a double life, the philosophy of being a super hero and even the Main characters insatiable drive to be the Eminence in the Shadow. Nope, nothing it is what it is and you are expected to accept it and roll with it History: A world exists, but all of it sounds like complete Isekai garbage. Absolutely nothing is ever built up, there is no world building. Things just are and are ham-fisted to us through the MC's exposition dump. This world seems completely dead as we have knowledge of it outside whatever is convenient for the MC to pull his stunts for. An example of how to not do World building right here too. Take everything or granted, explain and establish nothing. Conclusion: 0/10 Considering how much it costs for anime to be produced, and the pinnacle of the medium crafted by the likes of Studio MAPPA Seeing absolute trash like this being produced saddens me to no end. All the time and effort went into making this could have been spent on maybe making an amazing Berserk Adaption, or maybe even an illusive Vagabond Adaption or maybe a cool anime original like Cyberpunk Edgerunners. Or even I daresay, more Chainsaw Man. But no, time, people, money, sweat, tears and effort is wasted producing garbage like this.
Reviewer’s Rating: 1
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Dec 29, 2022
Chainsaw Man
(Anime)
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tl;dr 10/10 It isn't overhyped, Tatsuki Fujimoto's Magnum Opus got the best adaption treatment ever. However, I'd still encourage everyone to read the manga. Anime of the Year 2022
Artistic and Entraining: 2/2 Artistically this is peak cinema right here with the Opening and every single Ending Song being an absolute banger, coupled with a stellar sound track. The amazing attention to details, down to design of the eyes, along with an incredibly creative use of 3D to make this adaption come to life. Chainsaw Man is very fun to watch, it's the one anime where the MC can go "Its Chainsaw'in time" and proceeds to Chainsaw ... everywhere unironically. With a simplistic focus on the MC (Denji) crawling up Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs, his simplistic and often childish approach to things makes it fun and endearing. Characters like Power and the stoic Aki Hayakawa breathe life into the antics of the trio which makes for incredibly satisfying viewing. Recommended: 2/2 I would happily recommend this to everyone, it is in my opinion the Best Shonen you can enjoy along with a masterfully craft plotline that spans from the very first episode with layers on layers of plot points that will reveal themselves. This first season sets up everything about Chainsaw Man with impeccable accuracy and artistic merit. Along with absolutely amazing OPs and EDs that would make it enjoyable for everyone Narrative Consistency: 2/2 You will be hard pressed to find yourself confused about the current complication in the plot, and the chosen direction towards it. No "Everyone is in danger, so let's go shopping" BS. From the start it is established that Denji lived life clawing for another day to live, and now he has a life he can enjoy. For him the natural consequence is to maintain his new life while at the same time indulge in new experiences. Simplistic goals that neatly align with Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs. With his base needs of Food, Clothes and Shelter fulfilled, Denji climbs to the tier of Social Needs where he wants to feel the touch of a Significant Other. A Primal desire that manifests in his absurd drive to not die. At the same time, Aki's motivations to find the Gun Devil are always in play as whenever you see him it is either resting or working on a mission where he is looking for Gun Devil parts to progress towards finding him. With a not too long flashback that establishes his motivations for hunting the Gun Devil to back it up. The 2 episodes that establish Power, the sequence with the Eternity Devil (with the amazing Perpetual Motion Machine antic) which sets up Kobeni and Himeno who would later play important roles in the story. Simply put, nothing is ever out of place in Chainsaw Man. Even the Yakuza guy from the past is relevant up to the final episode of this season. Furthermore, this anime rewards the more keen observers who pay attention to the smaller details, I will refrain from stating them to keep it spoiler free. Emotional Highs: 2/2 Moments that bring about an emotional reaction, be it happy sad laughter disgust or anger. Minimum of 3 such events equals 2 points. Chainsaw Man had plenty. Here are some out of context descriptions that only people who have seen will understand: Easy Revenge, Perpetual Motion Machine, Puke, The Future Rules, Nut Shots, Beast shouldn't trust a Hunter Bias: 2/2 (They are listed below the next 3 Paras) Devils embody fear and are powered by it, they feed on blood to get stronger and the Gun Devil is special. Fiends are a mix of humans and devils. Devil Hunters make contracts with Devils to use their power for price. Denji is a Chainsaw Devil, Power is a Blood Devil. Chainsaw Man has a definite and well constructed system that is always in place and the limitations are thoroughly abided by, which is what makes some moments hit hard (Ghost Devil). This ironclad Magic system is something I enjoy. With the overarching theme being Maslows Hierarchy of Needs, there is also the question of Dreams/Ambitions and how they measure up to reality. Aki is out to seek revenge, Denji wants to live his life to the fullest, Power is enjoying herself. The more subtle idealogue is something the Number 1 Devil Hunter touches on, the idea of having a screw loose to be a Devil Hunter. This is reflected through Himeno as well. Even the idea of Humanity and the Duality of being a Devil and a Human is explored, with the final episode having a brief exchange between Denji and the Katana Devil regarding the matter. I love idealogue, the exploration of deep themes, and Chainsaw Man has enough of it. Major credits into weaving it into the narrative without having an exposition dump thrown on us. There is a Soviet Threat, the Americans are also involved, World Agencies vying for powers of Devils for their own personal gains. The use of Yakuza, and as we will see later in the series: The presence of International Devil Hunters. Chainsaw Man uses an acute understanding of History and Political issues to imbed itself very well with what our world would be like. Giving us enough to accept a suspension of disbelief of a Hypothetical World where Devils would exist in the form they do in Chainsaw Man, as well as the natural response of Human Society to adapt to such threats. Historical references are something I greatly enjoy, be it Lore unique to the setting or Real World Examples being adapted or respected. My biases: 1) Magic Systems: Can be literal like FMAB's Law of Equivalent Exchange, or even something irrelevant to Magic but having a proper System that obeys a ruleset thus being defined by its limitations. The narrative making interesting situations and resolving them through the use of Systems without breaking the rules, if there are exceptions there are few and a really good explanation for them is given, Philosopher Stone in FMAB is an example of this. Other Magic Systems that aren't magic are: Science in Dr Stone, Sports Rules as well as Human Biology in Haikyuu and Time Travel/World Line operations of Steins;Gate, 2) Idealogue: Deep themes being explored, Idea of Justice, Idea of Heroism, Moral Relativism, Law of the Jungle, Spirit of Teamwork VS Individual Strength, The Idea of God and equivalent constructs, The Crisis of Meaning, The Nature of Conflict etc. Even something as simple as the Daily struggles of the Mundane, any idea explored with proper depth is greatly appreciated. My favorite is the Idea of a King: "What makes a good King?". So anything that explore deep ideas is something I like. Examples include Steins;Gate with the Idea of Causality and Parallel Universes, FMAB with the Theme of Humanity and what it means to be Human, Dr Stone with the question of Anarcho Primitivism VS Progressive Modernism 3) History: Be it actual Human History, or Lore of a Fantasy World or whatever setting the media is discussing. Having a world that is living and breathing independent of the main character and their story, is greatly appreciated and something I love. A good example of actual History being used would be Saga of Tanya the Evil/ Youjo Senki which makes use of WW1 theme and builds on it with the twist of Magic, whereas Fantasy Worlds best described by Re Zero, Mushoku Tensei and OVERLORD are examples for the other. Conclusion: 10/10 Chainsaw Man manga is already in the Top 5 of my favorite Manga of All Time (Vinland Saga, Vagabond, Berserk being the Top 3) and seeing an adaption, that I was admittedly sleeping on, into Anime totally blew me away. Unlike the debacle that is Berserk's anime adaption, Chainsaw Man absolutely delivered. It was fun and entertaining to watch the fights I only saw on Manga Panels unfold in Colored animation. Coupled with absolute Bangers for an Opening and every Ending being unique. With an absolutely solid Narrative Consistency that already existed in the manga taking advantage of Anime as Medium and utilizing it's strengths in story telling to give a truly amazing anime experience all with multiple incredibly satisfying Emotional Highs. Chainsaw Man has definitely earned a solid 10/10 on my list, it sits alongside Giants like Full Metal Alchemist Brotherhood, Steins;Gate, Haikyuu and Dr Stone. It also has the honor of being one of only 5 shows among a list of near 100s to have the honor of sitting on the 10/10 ranking. I thoroughly recommend anyone who has bothered to read my review thus far to go and watch it, even more so to go and read it. Tatsuki Fujimoto is a once in a generation talent in the Animanga industry and his works should be greatly appreciated.
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
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Dec 26, 2022
Bocchi the Rock!
(Anime)
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TL;dr 8/10
"It won't reach everyone, but those it does it will hit deep" If you like K-on! you will love this, Bocchi is an absolute mood and the adaption to anime for this is nothing short of stellar. From the emotional tension and insane jerk that was the final episode, to the somber and more mellow first eps that really settle you into the vibe. Bocchi the Rock is a treat for anyone who appreciates Music and/or Anime as a medium. It hits even better to people who aren't generally extroverted and has a comedic but interesting take on dealing with social anxiety The long version: Entertainment and Art: ... 2/2 Bocchi the Rock is immensely enjoyable, it has a good sense of comedic timing combined with the show taking full advantage of being an anime with the portrayals and imagination on screen truly being wonderous. While the comedy and relatability is good, there is the growing story of Hitori Gotou being a shut in Guitarist slowly learning on how to open up to others and to enjoy her talent within a band. The show is entertaining and has made solid advancements in anime as a medium, thereby making it a work of art. Recommendation: 2/2 I can recommend this to everyone without reserve. As anyone who appreciates Music and/or Anime as an Art medium will immediately love it. Plus behind its efforts at being an excellent piece of art, it has a very personal as well as growing story involved which a great many can enjoy. For those who are socially anxious or shut-ins, they will relate. While those who aren't can still enjoy Bocchi's growth towards becoming a more active person. Aided by fun side characters who embody that growth she wishes to achieve. Narrative Consistency: 2/2 I really can't think of better ways to write the story myself. It is a story of Hitori Gotou in pursuit of wanting to be in a band, but suffers from social anxiety which makes it difficult for her. In between the antics and comedy, there is a well paced writing that isn't too overbearing as in so many things happen at once, and at the same time there is little if anything that happens without prior build up or expectation. Simply put, the story has a good start, a smooth journey and a satisfying end which makes you wanting more later as well. You won't be harassed by plot holes, enforced stupidity, sudden change in personalities or any deus ex machina in the narrative. Emotional Highs: 1/2 1 point = 1 high 2 points = minimum 3 highs An emotional high is a moment that evokes an extreme emotion, be it Joy, Anger, Sadness and even Deep/Thought Provoking A good example is United States of Smash from BNHA for Joy and Sadness 2 points if there are minimum 3 Emotional Highs, and Unfortunately Bocchi the Rock had only one: The last episode, which I believe is near guaranteed to have a high for everyone who was invested this far to make it to the end. Personal Biases: 1/2 1 point = meets atleast 1 bias 2 points = meets all 3 biases (Biases stated below this) Bocchi the Rock has definite Musical Theory present. This is showcased best in the final episode, to show Bocchi's Genius at the Guitar the Improv she pulls is something any Guitarist can appreciate. Furthermore the ecosystem of being a Rocker with having Concert Allocation and Ticket Quotas is appreciated. This contributes well to the Climax achieved in the Final episode, However it is unfortunate that is where my interests end. Bocchi the Rock does not have heavy handed use of History, at most used as a Gimmick for Ryou (the Blue haired one) who really knows her Music Knowledge and History. Furthermore, Bocchi the Rock is by no means deep, nor will I humor it to be deep either. It just isn't the sort of show that I usually like My biases: Magic Systems, Idealogue and History Magic Systems: Any system with strict (Hard) or implied (Soft) restrictions of what it's capable of qualifies as a Magic System for the purposes of this Review. Be it FMAB's Law of Equivalent Exchange, Steins;Gate's World Lines or Dr Stone's Science History: Real world History or World Building and Lore based History. Re Zero and Overlord have vibrant Worlds with their own fleshed out History, Races, Relations, Politics and Factionalism. Bonus points for Natural Phenomenon Unique to their worlds. Whereas Youjo Senki / Saga of Tanya the Evil takes direct inspiration from WW1. Idealogue: Deep and Thought Provoking takes on contemporary or otherwise archaic matters. Be it Intangible stuff like Justice and Meaning of Life, or something achievable like being the Best at X and the ramifications of being so. My favorite is the Idea of being a King, and the concept of a King in general. Conclusion: 8/10 Bocchi the Rock is an entertaining and fascinating show with one of the more creative and expressive takes of using Anime as an art form. Be it launching Bocchi into Cylinders in Blender, or depiction of real life slugs as an acronym for Bocchi with even minimalist sketches to showcase emotions on screen. It is compounded by a rich and personal story of a character learning to grow into their own and realizing their dreams whilst being faced by challenges that are uniquely theirs. Watching said character grow and interact with the world with their given limitations is equal times entertaining and equal times heart warming. Coupled with a Strong narrative direction that won't have you needing to make any stretches in logic nor having to suspend your disbelief too much (like some mysterious stand being the source of music genius) all in all its grounded in reality and the rules surrounding the complications introduced in the plot are easy to understand as well as their approach. This is all mixed in with some good spice that gives you a fun ride culminating in a finale with an Emotional High. I am not the sort who enjoys let alone watches this sort of stuff often (the only thing similar to this I have watched is K-on!) so I'm afraid I cannot rate this as highly as my other preferences. However, independent of my personal biases. Bocchi the Rock is an absolutely Solid show that I would recommend to everyone who watches anime to have a look as well, it is enjoyable and is truly something that contributes more to the medium. I put it right alongside 3-gatsu no Lion, Violet Evergarden, Kaguya Sama, Quintessential Quintuplets and Spy X Family on my list
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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