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Ended up being way better than expected after seeing the mostly negative reception to this. I guess the movie just knew how to get to me emotionally while still trying to put some effort in its story.

I understand that the plot can be hard to follow and how the logic makes sense in its setting, but this like a Your Name thing where it does prioritize evoking strong emotions over trying to succeed in its seemingly complex storyline.

What really made this work for me is its how effective it managed to pull off that youthful angst that I keep craving for every time. It's cheesily ... romantic and dumb at times, but it's that unapologetic approach that makes it endearing for me.

I also like how it touches on themes of grief and just feeling stuck and hopeless in life, which comes as no surprise given how much angst the movie has in spades. It tries to be hopeful in the end albeit I wish it wrapped things up in a more satisfying conclusion.

The animation and character designs are pure eye candy as to be expected from MAPPA, even the haters will at least admit to its visual appeal that can even rival Makoto Shinkai's films.

Overall, a pleasant surprise that while not perfect in all fronts, managed to stick the landing in telling a resonant tale of altered realities and the optimistic possibilities of a future that lies ahead beyond those cracks.

Still falls into the trappings of tropes and cliches typically found in the shounen genre, but it understands the assignment. One thing I'd like to highlight is how well-written enough most of the characters are such that we have a reason to care about them, or at least understand where they're coming from.

Another thing I like is how the show gives extra care in laying out its concepts and mechanics, albeit it consequentially suffers in reliance to info dump as an easy way for exposition. Still, most of its logic can be followed and there's minimal obvious flaws and deus ex machina moments.

Going back to ... the characters, I appreciate how it structures its plot in a way that we can actually see the characters develop not only physically. You can especially see the change in character of the main protagonist when you make a comparison between the first and last episode. Ideals were tested and you can see the result of those ordeals.

Much has been said about how great the animation is, especially during fight scenes, but I also like its choreography choices, making it very engaging to watch. Certain sequences and angles can be overused and recycled, but it still doesn't take away much from the intensity of those moments.

Overall, not the most original shounen show out there, but at least it makes the most out of what it has. It's been a while since I've watched an anime that genuinely got me hooked and I'm looking forward to where will it bring its story next.

Yesterday wo Utatte is an anime that had great potential, but unfortunately wasted it. When I saw its premise, I immediately felt a strong sense of connection to it. It's been more than a year since I graduated from college, and the show reflects the uncertainty I've felt about the future recently. Not everyone will find their success story immediately once they set foot on the real world. Feeling like you're in limbo during the time between graduation and employment is normal. Perhaps, these are just assurances to comfort me as I’ve been stuck in one place for a while now. Watching the first few ... episodes made me reflect if I made any real progress in life as an adult. It made me root for Rikuo's character, hoping things get better for him eventually. The show could've been an emotionally compelling coming-of-age story about overcoming obstacles that adult life brings. Instead, it ended up being a complicated romance story with mixed results.

Even if the show didn't end up going for the coming-of-age route, I became invested in the romance. Rikuo finds himself stuck between two women that showed interest in him. One of them is Haru, who is the eccentric yet cheerful type that has a massive crush on Rikuo. The other one is Shinako who Rikuo has a crush on ever since they were classmates back in college. To make things more complicated, we also have Rou who's in love with Shinako even though they are childhood friends. The show does a decent job initially in exploring each character's backstory and making the audience understand their train of thought. I honestly didn't care who will end up with who as long as enough time is given to flesh out their characters. The show's focus on romance was starting to get the justification it deserved until it got ruined with one logistical decision that led to its downfall.

As the show progressed around the halfway mark, it started to have a noticeable drop in quality with each episode. They no longer have the same impact as the earlier episodes. It felt like a long period had passed between episodes, and the show's continuity suffered because of that. I soon discovered that a lot of content from the manga were skipped over, and most of them are considered crucial to the story's progression. New episodes would have developments that startled me and made me wonder if I wasn't paying enough attention to the previous episode. The characters' actions started to make less sense, and I still tried to connect the dots despite that. It's almost like Doga Kobo was in a rush to conclude the whole thing, which is a disappointing move that even the extras that are supposed to fill in the gaps couldn't remedy.

I can't help but feel that this anime could've been way better as I reached the final episode. It started extremely well, began to lose focus, and ended up with a conclusion that didn't feel earned. The main characters didn't get the proper exploration that they deserved. Every major decision they make doesn't feel justified later because the show starts to make less effort to help us understand what made them reach that decision. They all feel like the same flawed person they were at the start. They deserve to be more than that because they feel like real people. At least, their interactions made it feel that way, whether it's those moments of awkward silence or sudden outbursts of emotion. If there's anything that I got from watching this show, it made me want to read its manga. I want to know what the story would be like untarnished by the limits of an adaptation. I want to learn more about the characters and understand them better. I want to forget the bitter aftertaste this anime gave me after pinning such high hopes on it.

“Otaku” is a term that I’ve labeled myself with in the past, when I’d eagerly watch new episodes of seasonal anime that come out weekly as a getaway from hours of tedious class lectures. Fully professing as one at the peak of my teenage years, I rejected most of the reality around me and got absorbed at the 2D world in front of my laptop screen. I had friends who would identify as one and we’d chatter away during school breaks about the latest developments in the anime world. I’d start obsessing over the latest doujins and video games which caused me to neglect ... real life priorities. This hobby persisted up until college, where I slowly lost interest due to academic stress. I’d still come back to its comfort frequently but it’s often short-lived. Now that I’m at the end of my college days, Genshiken came at the right time and reminded me that the days I’ve spent living the otaku life wasn’t time wasted.

One striking aspect of the manga is that it holds well a sense of realism. The Genshiken members act like what an otaku would act like in real life. They are hopeless and degenerate, but the story shows the embracement of it rather than shaming it. It is self-aware about the negative perceptions about otakus, but it addresses them in a mature manner. The eccentricities are present, but they are not overbearing to the point of being annoying. Rather, the manga uses it to its advantage to present a healthy group dynamic among the cast which results to very enjoyable and hilarious moments. The manga is split into two generations: the old and the new generation.

The old Genshiken members include the enthusiastic Madarame, the timid Sasahara, the cosplay otaku Tanaka, the artist Kugayama, the normal Kasukabe, the BL-loving Ohno, the flawless Kousaka, and the otaku-hating Oguie. It’s worth noting that the manga doesn’t have an actual main character, even though we are fooled to believe that it’s Sasahara at the start of the story. What I really loved with this generation is that it manages to develop and flesh out almost all its characters. The narrative shows how the Genshiken members warm up to each other over time, even leading to romantic developments. Every activity that they bond over with builds up their friendship over time, leading to a fulfilling closure as they separate paths in the future.

The new cast for Genshiken Nidaime sees most of the old members graduating and some of the side characters in the previous generation gaining more relevance to the story. The new addition to the mix includes the crossdresser Hato and the fujoshis Yoshitaka and Yajima. There’s an observable shift in the tone of the series, as most of the gags revolve around BL. It’s also used to progress the plot as there are some immense romantic developments that are handled in a way that is not forced. It might alienate the fans of the old Genshiken gang but it’s a refreshing way to continue the story. What I also like about the reserialization of the manga is that the mangaka came back with a really improved artwork.

There are some issues I have with the manga but most of them are just nitpicks. One of which is that we didn’t see much of the campus life outside the clubroom. It could’ve help put that realism up a notch. Another one is that it derails to certain romance subplots, detours with no conclusion, and then the manga picks it up again later. There are also some characters that could’ve used more of the spotlight to make the readers more invested in them. But then again, it could complicate the plot that was already at the brink of collapsing near the end, only to be saved by a well-executed conclusion.

Overall, this is a must read for anyone who has the slightest idea what it means to be an “otaku”. It’s a well-written story that throws in typical otaku clichés and stereotypes and makes it an enjoyable and emotional reading experience. If Welcome to the NHK displays the dark side of being an otaku, Genshiken shows the fun side of it while not neglecting its drawbacks. Don’t miss out on this amazing manga.

Bambino is a frustrating reading experience that had me feeling all sorts of emotions. I don’t mean that in a negative way. You see, it’s always a tendency that success is always the objective of the story when it revolves around an empowered character. They have their own share of struggles, but they immediately overcome it through the power of plot convenience. Bambino, however, is quite different.

The road to success is not a smooth route that can be achieved by just having talent. The manga attempts to slap the harsh truth to our main character Ban Shogo. He is not as great as he ... thinks he is. He may cook good food, but can he maintain that quality when put under constant pressure? It becomes apparent that he is just a naïve amateur who thinks he can be like one of those overpowered shounen MCs that can take down any opponent because he is the rising star of the story. While this realization comes as a gut punch, he slowly accepts this reality and swallows his own pride, proceeding to improve the weaknesses that he never realized before.

This is where most of my personal frustrations materialize. Reading the early chapters made me cringe a lot due to the endless streams of embarrassment the main character receives every chapter. I initially thought this would be a laid-back comfy cooking manga with a highly determined main character, but boy that first impression was wrong. This is not Shokugeki no Soma where you are a newcomer chef who thinks he is hot stuff and still manages to dominate because who doesn’t love seeing underdogs triumph? Bambino, on the other hand, knows how to put its main character in his place and let him develop and mature by letting him taste hardship. Every time the main character feels like giving up, I relate to that. Because I understand what it feels like thinking you know everything but then you find out you still have a long way to go. You then harden your resolve for self-betterment and fight against the things that are holding you down.

An aspect of the story that I appreciate very much is that it lets the main character go through the various sectors of the restaurant. Every time he is transferred to another work station, it would come as a shock to him to adjust. But with these difficulties that are placed on him, he can gain more experience and see cooking in different perspectives. Cooking is not just tossing a bunch of ingredients in a fry pan; it’s a delicate form of art that requires both passion and skill. Also, it also gives you a realization that cooking is not everything. Bambino teaches us that serving great food also requires great service. This includes from how you serve your customers to how you leave a strong impression that goes beyond the food. It’s not only about the ones making the food, it’s also about those who receives the food.

While the initial story puts Ban in a series of challenges that tests his determination, it slightly devolves later into a set of predicaments that you can predict that he will overcome. The stakes are still there, but you no longer feel that sense of uncertainty of whether you get a pass or not. It could be due to how he has accumulated experience over time that tempered his character, but I find myself relaxing that he can hurdle through any obstacles thrown at him with guarantee. To be honest, this is the only issue that’s holding me back on giving this manga the 10/10 that I was eager to give early on. It’s certainly a personal nitpick of mine, but I want to give this review a subjective edge to it.

This review wouldn’t be complete if I don’t at least say something about the art. The centerpiece of this manga is not really the food as it’s just a medium of how the story progresses. However, I can see the effort put into drawing them into gorgeous and savory meals. They don’t feel too perfect, but they look like a labor of love. The character designs are alright, albeit I get the impression that they are inspired from the shounen demographic despite the manga being a seinen. The paneling is impressive, I had no difficulty at all devouring every page of every chapter. They seem to flow very efficiently although very chaotic at times, just like the atmosphere of a cucina.

Despite only being a prequel with no conclusion yet, Bambino is a fantastic yet underrated manga that everyone should read. While I do also love the more popular cooking titles like Shokugeki no Soma, Bambino deserves the same amount of attention. Not only it’s more realistic, but it has actual development going on. It might only stick with Italian cuisine but fusion with other cuisines happen from time to time. I still feel like it hasn’t used up all its potential and I’m excited to see what happens next with the sequel. The question is, when the hell is it going to be fully scanlated? Give this the acclaim it deserves, and we might see that fulfilling conclusion.

I’ve long admired Ashinano Hitoshi for his slice-of-life masterpiece Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou and his landscape eye candy Kabu no Isaki. His minimalistic art style won me over with his expressive strokes which gives a lighthearted aesthetic whenever I read his works. The relaxed pacing, the simple yet insightful characters, the calm world-building, this is evident in all his manga. While this includes Kotonoba Drive, it pales in comparison to his previous works.

I can’t help but feel disappointed that this manga was short-lived. Maybe if it was extended to another 50 chapters or so, it could have fleshed out things better. The characterization is fairly weak, ... leaving an unmemorable cast of characters that I could’ve been emotionally invested with. The world-building is there, but it still feels very mysterious and limited. It’s like getting a vacation in the countryside that ended prematurely. There were more places to visit, more people to get acquainted with, more mysteries to explore, more culture to experience, and so on. It didn’t really feel fulfilling at all.

Still, the manga still has its good parts. I like that it’s more surrealistic than the mangaka’s previous works. The 5-minute phenomenon the main character is experiencing daily is never given much justice, but it’s a unique thing to drive the story. I just wished I get to see more interesting variations of it that may end up playing an important role if the story was developed even further.

If you haven’t read any of the author’s previous works, then I wholeheartedly suggest giving this a read. It’s atmospheric, light-hearted, easy to read, simple: everything that makes reading a slice-of-life manga a refreshing experience. But if you feel unsatisfied like me, then I encourage you to read the author’s other works which I feel is greatly superior than this.

In the past, I've encountered stories that attempt to be a slice-of-life setting about otherworldly beings or bizarre phenomenon. One way to assert the story's quality is to check if it establishes a setting to which it caters the outside element well enough to be normalized. If it does inject something you don't expect to be found in an everyday scenario, it must justify its existence by presenting a predicament that becomes the central focus of the story. Kanojo wa Rokurokubi falls short of exploring its eccentricities, and it has to do with how it unfolds its story.

The manga begins with an impression of ... being a sweet slice-of-life story about a long-necked girl Natsuki and her blossoming romance with her childhood friend Itsuki. The supernatural element’s presence is there, though it’s usually restricted to Natsuki stretching her neck for various comedic efforts. The first few chapters are laid-back and comfy, with the occasional tense moments, which I enjoy. However, it developed some issues when it shifts to a direction of being a story about the dichotomy of humans and youkai. This could’ve been incorporated in the early stages of the story by being a heartwarming story about a youkai’s progressive acceptance of the human world. Think about stories like Demi-chan wa Kataritai or Kobayashi-san Chi no Maid Dragon where they manage to address the dichotomy issue while simultaneously be a relaxing and fun slice-of-life. For the case of Kanojo wa Rokurokubi, it fails to succeed in doing this which is why it feels so unfulfilled.

On a more positive note, I enjoy Natsuki's interaction with Itsuki. Their chemistry is something, despite that they fight from time to time. The slice-of-life element is there, albeit it gets drowned out by the forced drama that came out of nowhere in the second half. I also enjoy the character designs, as I find them quite charming and pleasant to look at. All in all, it's a manga that is not entirely without merit. Just because the manga fails to do something, doesn't mean it has no redeeming qualities. It indeed showcased a lot of potential, only for it to come to waste by ending prematurely. I'd still recommend this, but I've seen other slice-of-life works that have done better than this.

After getting a general idea of the story, I was kind of hesitant to continue reading. The fact that it tolerates irresponsible parenting with an enthusiastic cute little girl who is okay with it makes me slightly angry. The manga gets most things right when crafting a lighthearted slice-of-life, but the premise just makes me uncomfortable. Ultimately, I decided to keep reading in hopes of it getting better. Surprisingly it did, but there are a lot of things left much to be desired in the story.

At the start, it planned to go episodic with no sense of development at all. The dad is a hopeless ... otaku who lets her daughter run the shop. All of the chapters build on this premise, and the way it goes around it in slight deviations is to be expected from the type of genre the manga is in. It's cute, it's heartwarming, but most of all it leaves a feeling of pity. It becomes evident that the girl has some serious struggles between peers, family, and the shop itself. She is refreshingly mature for her age but still has her childish traits intact in which she learns how to deal with naturally just like any other kid. However, there is an effort story-wise in making the overall situation better especially when the dad starts acting like one.

The story does reach a happy ending, but I can't help but feel that it happened too fast for everything to settle down. Given that this is only less than 20 chapters, I expected a bit more from it. It leaves certain subplots half-baked like the one about the mangaka or the one about the delivery girl. It's such a shame really that it started to discover its potential halfway but never managed to utilize it fully. Overall, it's a decent slice-of-life manga that initially tries to reel you in with the pitiful situation of the little girl but eventually evolves from it into a somewhat mature yet partially realized story.

Romance is a genre that has been done to death in anime. Some try to liven things up by going for a romance-comedy approach that often falls short of balancing between the two. Some try to go for moody serious drama that sometimes take itself too seriously by sprinkling dark elements into the mix resulting into a mess. Whatever various scenarios these shows present, what they all have in common is that they have always strive to show something interesting to its viewers beyond the romance, which can result to negligence of the potential development from it.

It has always bothered me, as a person ... who has encountered a lot of romance fiction, that stories revolving between two pairings are often beaten around the bush up until the very end. Not that it's automatically considered a bad thing since I wouldn’t mind it if there was a sense of progression in terms of character development, but the potential of a love in bloom is often ignored and then the story tries to come back to it with a very rushed resolution that can leave an unsatisfying taste. Of course, I’m talking about shows that don’t have romance as the only thing going for it since one that is purely about romance is a rarity. But what if there comes a show that puts all of its strengths on romance alone? This is where Tsuki ga Kirei shines through as a simple yet memorable tale of young love.

One thing that makes this show stand out is that the romantic relationship is established midway and the rest of the episodes detail their life as a couple. Even though we had shows like Lovely Complex and Ore Monogatari in the past, Tsuki ga Kirei beats them in terms of subtleness and intimacy. It wants to be mature despite the dullness it can accumulate from stripping away so many elements that make up a typical modern school romance. It wants to show the naivety and stubbornness that first love brings and how it basically screams the laid-back yet youthful lifestyle that most of the older viewers can relate to.

Aside from the various skits presented at the end of most episodes, there is no actual comedy to be found in the show. It still maintains to be lighthearted despite that, as it never fails to leave a warm fuzzy feeling within. The chemistry between Azumi and Akane is beautiful, they are two socially awkward teenagers and it’s such a delight to see the two of them dealing with their feelings. Whenever they interact, their speech is limited but their facial expressions and body language brings up the message even clearer. There might be the occasional cliché moment here and there, but their generated reactions to such cases feel sincere enough to be not seemingly forced.

While the show brings its romance to the forefront, it still manages to provide glimpses of things outside of it. Azumi is an aspiring writer and Akane is a track-and-field member and the story details their struggles of compensating between priorities. If only the show was extended for another cour, it would be nice to see the story expound on this. It is a shortcoming that I admit prevents me from giving this show a greater score, but I still think it still sufficiently manages to explore that aspect of the story well enough.

On the more technical side of things, the animation is quite average. It can be mediocre at times, especially when crowds of CGI people are often used in the background. However, it gives more emphasis on individual movement towards relevant characters in the scene. One certain scene that stuck out the most is the one where Azumi is doing the festival dance with such eccentric animation but weirdly hypnotizing with its frequent thrusts and fluid maneuvers. The character design is quite good, nothing flashy but it’s pretty simple. The soundtrack is amazing and it helps set the mood and elevate emotional buildup at certain scenes. I can’t imagine the show without its piano-driven OST to be honest, as the show would’ve been too dull for my liking without it.

For a show that is about love, it might’ve been too optimistic. There were attempts to complicate the romance with a third party, but it got resolved swiftly. School matters were also used as a deciding factor for the couple’s relationship, but they still remained victorious in the end. It has its highs and lows and the story went ahead for a positive fulfilling conclusion. It might be too plain and basic for other people, but it feels very genuine enough to work as a compelling school romance. It might’ve been paced too slowly for anything interesting to happen every minute, but it’s that careful approach towards romance that creates a feeling of emotional tension. Maybe a straightforward story about love and its dealings like Tsuki ga Kirei can possibly save and revitalize the romance genre, that keeping things simple can be effective as long as it has a sense of direction leading to a realization that brings a profound emotional impact. Who knows, but I have still hope that romances like this will continue to exist in the future.

Old Boy had an interesting start. With the premise that it offers, it’s easy to get absorbed in its story. The mystery it presents early on is done well enough to be gripping. Violence is promised, with its very crisp action sequences. The execution is good with its captivating paneling of scenes. The art is well done, albeit character designs could’ve been done better. Yet, it started to fall apart halfway with its villain growing ever present by the chapter.

One main problem it has is pacing. When it comes to mysteries, it’s often natural for a slow yet steady buildup that is heightened by cliffhangers. ... Old Boy assures its readers with a payoff, but the story can only be dragged so much to be remotely engaging. It worked well for the first 20 chapters or so, but then you will realize that it becomes a repetitive cat-and-mouse scenario. It also attempts to be complex by setting the plot into a psychological maze, but the exposition is so lackluster. A lot of vital and even unnecessary info is revealed to the point that it’s considered spoon feeding. It could’ve been done more subtly, as it’s a strong asset in terms of exploring the mystery.

Another point is that the villain is not even that interesting. His motives felt weak and unjustified as he obnoxiously insists that it’s something very life-changing. His background isn’t properly explored well despite being the story’s main key to solving the mystery. His interaction with the cast is like of Friend’s in 20th Century Boys, only that manga did way better in terms of characterization and layering plot points. He even reveals himself way too early into the story, losing most of the essence of the mystery. It felt too lazy because the main character was being too slow in remembering things. Let’s not forget their past teacher who became a plot device in order to speed things up. Just as the story reaches the finale, the conclusion of the entire “Remember your past” detective game was so unfulfilling. At that point, almost everything that what made it so interesting in the first place was almost gone.

Overall I think it’s still a recommendable manga to a degree since it pulls of that noir vibe well. If you’re looking for a well-developed mystery game that has enough suspense to keep you going, look somewhere else. A disappointing read, but there is still merit from the reading experience. It’s an example of a well-executed manga that can still turn overwhelmingly boring when the plot leaves more to be desired.