BowlerConspiracy's Profile - Reviews

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Fantasy Anime League

【OSHI NO KO】

Easter Egg Hunt (Easy)

Fantasy Anime League

Ode to MALentine

Fantasy Anime League

Jun 23, 2022

Komi-san wa, Comyushou desu. 2nd Season (Anime) add

Mixed Feelings

"I... It's sort of blurry."

-- the following is a brief paragraph or two on my overall thoughts, followed by spoilers about what's been improved and what's failed between seasons. reader discretion is advised. --

We're back in record time with another Season of Komi Can't Communicate, the show that has a major focus and character problem! My friend put it best, stating that where Komi succeeds is romance but it prefers to spend time failing at comedy. Where this season improved upon the last is by introducing a few characters that are actually likeable and having more moments between our two leads. The anchor that continues ... to prevent this hot air balloon from reaching the heights it should be is the continuation of, to be blunt, being unfunny, predictable, occasionally creepy, and tiresome.

First off, I did enjoy this season more and that's partly due to the debut of Katai, Kometani, Katou, Sasaki, and Naruse. Katai is the obvious favorite, a quiet dude who looks like a yakuza member, being one of the first characters to show bias towards Tadano rather than Komi herself. With such a huge emphasis on everyone falling head-over-heels for the titular character, it's nice to see someone who has a preference that goes against the grain. The interactions between the two of them, and the occasional Komi added into the mix, are fun. There's also a bigger push for the friend group of Komi, Onemine, and Otori which features a lot of feel-good moments. Onemine was one of the characters from last season I actually found myself enjoying and not wishing to evaporate so any involvement by her is a plus.
The romantic element is also given more light, makes sense, progression and all that. There aren't as many interruptions as there were in the first season. The umbrella moment at the end of an episode in S1 has neighbors now such as the snowman building, accidental meeting during night, bullet train, etc. As I previously mentioned, this season does romance so well and the most interesting aspect is that relationship...

But then here's the problem: Komi-san wa, Comyushou desu wants to be funny. It wants to pass on the LOLs, the ROFLs, the LMAOs, and every possible acronym in-between. Yet, the issue still lies in the motivation for almost every side character being a want to interact with Komi. The majority of the supporting cast is a bunch of drones, a hivemind all thinking the same thing and wanting the same thing. The biggest offender, like last season, is Yamai. Her character hasn't changed at all, if anything I feel like her actions were even more rancid this time around. It's such a disappointment that other weak, prominent side characters from S1 like Agari were deservedly distanced from segments, but Yamai seems to still stick her nose into every episode. Other than her, the beacon of disgust, a lot of the other jokes don't pop or land. New bits such as a few guys imagining what ideal dates they could have with the girls in their class or the new Komi rivalry between Yamai and Nakanaka don't work. Time is spent on these barely two dimensional characters. Not everyone in the class needs to be given a cardboard personality, we have enough whacky kids, thank you!

A bell-curve of a season. A pretty great middle part with higher highs but honestly lower lows. Laughed more this season than last. If we continue down this path, Komi Can't Communicate may actually reach the point of deserving the hype. More excited for the next one than I was in December.

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Jun 23, 2022

Gaikotsu Kishi-sama, Tadaima Isekai e Odekakechuu (Anime) add

Not Recommended

"Hi there. It's me, Arc."

-- the following is a brief paragraph or two on my overall thoughts, followed by spoilers about boring world building, the lead MC, and the creepy factor. reader discretion is advised. --

When the word "generic" is thrown at something, it's almost more insulting than calling said entity "bad". Something that's described as bad can still have that connotation of originality while generic media already has the disadvantage of being similar to other entries right out the gate. This isn't to say that that quality is an immediate reason for discouragement and original != good by default, there can be great reinventions ... of something tried and true, but when we want to elaborate on something having a lack of uniqueness in a positive way, generic isn't the word that gets slammed on it.

That being said, Skeleton Knight in Another World is generic. An isekai that takes a lot about the genre that makes it interesting and decides to just drop it all. A drab fantastical world, an overpowered MC that immediately accepts the fact that he's been forced to live in a video game, and moments that just feel disgusting.

First, the world. Nothing about it is intriguing. Monsters are your typical fair: hydra, basilisk, boars, wolves, etc. The villages and environments are in the same camp. There's a whole subplot about the kingdom Arc, our MC, has found himself in about the royal family facing off against each other with differing views on how to handle elf-human relations and other aspects of governing. These moments are given such little screen time and barely impact our characters, there's no shock value or story building here - just future set-up that I doubt will pay off. You don't need to reinvent the wheel to make something awesome but Gaikotsu Kishi-sama, Tadaima Isekai e Odekakechuu feels like it's not even trying.

Next, the MC. Arc gamed so hard that he now finds himself in the video game he was playing as his avatar, a skeleton. Practically immediately, he reaches the conclusion that the outside world doesn't matter and accepts his new life. No regrets, no dwelling on the life before, nothing. The fact that he was a human on planet Earth before being a bucket of bones means nothing other than he knows all about spells and attacks and identifying monsters. So, with a brain full of knowledge, naturally every single enemy is defeated with ease, a few frames of flashes and a spell chant are all that are needed to defeat 90% of the opposition, at no point are there any stakes. He just says a word, does the thing, and boom, altercation over, let's go get a beer. Zero personality and no challenges to overcome, Arc is a great example of a boring protagonist.
(Aside: him being 'cursed' as a skeleton can't even really count as an obstacle because he seems to have not much of a problem with it, it seems like just another quest he can take on)

Finally, the shortest section, just a note on the creepy level. There are a few moments of sexual abuse throughout this show, hell, the first episode starts with just a warning and then someone ripping off a woman's dress... in this silly, fun isekai about a skeleton gamer. A lot of these moments drag on too long as our MC decides to just wait and watch in the bushes... excuse me? Sickening.

A show that I knew from name alone I wouldn't enjoy, but thought I might give it a chance as I wanted the seasonal anime experience of indulging in a LOT. Definitely regret this one and wouldn't recommend it to anyone.

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Jun 21, 2022

Tomodachi Game (Anime) add

Mixed Feelings

"Or, is it just that you care more about money than your friends?"

-- the following is a few paragraphs on my overall thoughts, followed by spoilers about some of this show's problems. reader discretion advised. --

TOMODACHI GAME

What a show this was. Watching the change in rating was fun enough, it jumped all over 7's backyard, and now seems to be heading for a high one. Checking forums every once and a while seeing people praise it and people absolutely dunk on it. Sitting thunderstruck weekly with a friend as it dragged on and on and ooonnnnn. The experience of watching Tomodachi Game while it aired ... was worth it alone.

This show is dumb. Like, immensely stupid. But dear god, if it isn't entertaining as hell. Every game has rules purely for loopholes, for some characters to misinterpret or not utilize to their full potential while the MC has already fully adapted to the situation and everything that happens was completely foreseen. Yep, it has an overpowered MC that can worm his way out of any situation AND he's incredibly edgy, it's the early 2010's my friends.

Yuuichi is a young man who must decide between the two most important things in life: friends or money. Now, everybody would choose the former of course... but what if the money was... a LOT of money.

Would your answer change?

That's basically the entire show. Lots of money on the line, choose your relationships or financial wellbeing. It works. We get abysmal accusations, terrifying twists, wacky whodunnits, and radical revelations and/or red-herrings (whatever floats your boat).

The problem lies in length and the edgy stuff that doesn't revolve around Yuuichi. Over the course of twelve episodes, three games (and an unofficial one) are conducted. Yeah, only three and it isn't like they're super complex or deserving of these heinous runtimes. So, at times, it feels like you're dragging your feet. The edgy stuff that doesn't work is Tenji's role in the second game - he's revealed to be a stalker and we get an episode completely from his perspective where it shows how much of a creeper he is when it comes to their friend Shiho (wanting her "all to himself" by cutting off the others from her and revealing he's been stalking her for over a year). The problem is that, for one, it's uncomfortable and not fun / interesting to watch, but that after, before the third game, he reveals his true intentions to Yuuichi that explains his behavior in a more interesting manner... so why did we need that episode where he becomes the worst character ever? He becomes a better character, but that episode still leaves a bad taste in the mouth. The other edgy stuff that's bad is the random moments of sexual harassment like during the last episode with Kokorogi and, as previously mentioned, Tenji's treatment of Shiho with some of his terrible lines.

Would I recommend Tomodachi Game? If you think it'll be enjoyable and you're okay with a dumb thing, you're golden. If not, steer clear! Just check out the OP, it's awesome.

TOMODACHI GAME

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Jun 21, 2022

Yuusha, Yamemasu (Anime) add

Not Recommended

"Leo, do you have any regrets?"

-- the following is a brief paragraph or two on my overall thoughts, followed by spoilers about how twists can't always save a show and/or change their predictability. reader discretion advised. --

I have a few regrets in life, I think we all do. As you rack up years and that number since your birth continues to tick upwards linearly, more and more events get stored into your brain as something that could've gone better. The little things and the big things, you can reconcile with those demons later and soften the blow, but they always exist.

My point is that ... I regret watching Yuusha, Yamemasu.

I'm Quitting Heroing is a sub-par fantasy show that continues to bore despite throwing viewers on a makeshift rollercoaster. The want to surprise and stun the audience is there, the passengers may even gasp once and a while and go "I didn't expect that", but when the carts finally stop working halfway through, everyone will remember it more as a hassle than as the experience itself. My analogy may only wring true for myself, but personally, I found I'm Quitting Heroing to be a slog that had a by-the-numbers beginning & end as well as some supposed inversions of the genre that couldn't save it.

The 'inversions' that I'm speaking of is that this is supposed to be our modern world 3000 years in the future. Leo is ACTUALLY a human scientific experiment, the last of a line of artificial human defenders, designed to uphold harmony. Easily the best episode is an exploration of that during Leo's original fight against the demon army. It's a discussion with a demon on co-existence, it sets up a reason for him to find Echidna compelling and a good leader as she reminds him of Eibrad. A quick aside: the best episode of Heroing is still not that good. It also serves as the foundation of Leo's rebirth as he quits being a hero and joins the demon army in true formula form. He resists relationships and trust in an attempt to finally end his life when... he's told to "just disable" his programming that repeats the protection of humanity order... AND IT JUST WORKS! Centuries of existence and, at some point, his 'thought masking' was disabled so he developed an ego and this was the first time this possibility was ever considered. Don't wanna be sad? This is a case where "just don't be sad bro" works. Could've done that day one and we wouldn't have to have all this jazz.

So, the majority of the show is a standard finding one's self story of Leo helping each general with their duties and a slight characterization of Leo to find out his past. He's disguised himself as 'Lord Onyx' in an attempt to show his value to Echidna without her knowing it's actually him as she holds a major distaste for the one who brought her to defeat. There feels to be countless instances of Leo about to reveal who he actually is before being interrupted by arbitrary consequence, dragging out a plot isn't something a 12 episode show should be doing at all. Then, the last few episodes are a fight that showcases each general's ability and how they get absolutely crushed by Leo followed by the turning moment for our MC where he decides to keep living which he's always wanted but that pesky off switch was ever so slightly camouflaged I guess.

A show that I didn't find unique or enjoyable, one that I intend to forget and be reminded of whenever a friend teases me on the shows I've devoted time to.

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Jun 17, 2022

Aharen-san wa Hakarenai (Anime) add

Mixed Feelings

"Can you match my speed, Aharen-san?"

-- the following is a brief paragraph on my overall thoughts, followed by spoilers of formula and those last few episodes. reader discretion advised. --

Inoffensive fluff is what I'd probably call Aharen Is Indecipherable. It exists and therefore it is, nothing more. It isn't very funny, the leads are enjoyable, it's formulaic, the majority of side characters are bad, etc. A show that obviously brings heavy comparison to Komi, this suffers from similar and different problems.

Aharen's main focus is the chemistry between the two leads, the titular character and Raido. Both of them are brand new high school students and ... Raido decides that this is the point in his life where he'll be more sociable which starts with befriending his seatmate. A friendship forms. The formula of the show is usually as follows:
Aharen is attempting to do something in a way that attracts Raido's attention.
Raido assumes the activity is something deeper than it is like she's an assassin or training to be a sumo wrestler or any other outlandish possibility.
He discovers it's something fairly normal and assists her in success.
The assistance consists of bizarre methods rather than the straightforward one or just a flurry of ideas. We need to make an art project, let's try sculpting, modeling for one another, etc. It's hard for us to communicate, let's try morse code, communicating via falcon, etc.
They succeed in some way, she shows gratitude for him, end arc.

It gets repetitive after multiple episodes but stays, as I said, just something slightly fun to keep you entertained for the 20 or so minutes it's present. There are sideplots to spice it up, but all of which I found boring and, well, unfunny. A teacher that finds their relationship so 'esteemful' she passes out whenever they do something, a little girl who sees her as a rival for her crush, a childhood friend that has to watch from a distance, and the Aharen family being confused by Raido as Reina.

Over the course of the majority of the season, it seems to be fairly standard slice of life. Yet, it takes on romance near the end. Everything beforehand seemed to just be of a friendship forming and how Aharen acted with everyone, anything romantic could usually just be dismissed as her failure to interpret distance. It goes on to be a thing of more blushing, friends and family telling Raido how she talks about him, all culminating in a confession that's well done visually and conceptually. A friendship can grow to be something deeper. I thought the problem would be "where do we go for here?" as if these antics couldn't continue in such a way if they were dating, but the last episode seems to reaffirm that everything will be the same with Aharen noting that her new partner is "dense".

As I will repeat for the third time in a slightly different manner, it's light and easy to digest anime. Will you be laughing consistently? Nah. Will you be filled to your heart's content with emotion? Nah. Will you grow attached to the characters? Nah. Does it occasionally strike gold and surprise you? Yeah. Shouldn't be at the top of your watchlist, but not a worthless addition to the catalog.

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Jun 17, 2022

Rikei ga Koi ni Ochita no de Shoumei shitemita. Heart (Anime) add

Mixed Feelings

"I am in love with you."

-- the following is a brief paragraph on my overall thoughts, followed by spoilers concerning sideplots and the final episode (as well as a brief allusion to sao ii). reader discretion advised. --

Himuro-sama: Science is War, er, I mean...

Science Fell in Love is back with another season that takes its perfectly good premise and squanders it by deciding to focus on other avenues that aren't as interesting as the central romance and shove in side characters that further hinder any enjoyment that could be had. The reason everyone enjoyed the last season is still here, but in a lesser capacity ... and side characters are fleshed out with some success but mostly failure. While I got through the first season with ease, watching this one became something of a dread every week despite ending every episode with "yeah, that wasn't too bad."

In the last season, Himuro and Yukimura finally achieved a kiss with the best 'mood level' and continue their antics to scientifically explain their affection towards one another. This season starts with a new useless couple in a different lab that come off as annoying and an excuse for more fanservice. In fact, this season explores a lot more love than just that between our two MCs which is a logical step in the right direction - 'Science' doesn't just refer to two people, people fall in and out of love on a daily basis. The relationship between Kosuke and Ibarada is explored more with that idea of childhood friendship blossoming into something more during adulthood, and a few other potential couples are introduced during a group experiment. Another sideplot of Yukimura becoming a tutor for a struggling highschooler is present, it's short and sweet with instilling an idea of preservation and the joys of education into a younger individual, but it speeds by and the two episodes containing it are so disconnected it feels like an afterthought.

The most vital plot and the one that actually ends up dominating the season is Kanade and her struggles with normalcy - or at least her own interpretation of what 'normal' is. From a young age it's explained that she wasn't like other people, a usual trope for any character in any medium, and since then she's done her best to try and blend in. Conforming to society's ideals is a frequent thing and can lead to damaging one's own sense of self, and, although it's less interesting and I don't like this plot as much as Yukimura & Himuro's, it's done with relative success. The problem with it lies in it being hard to root for Kanade and how it's resolved in the final episode. She didn't seem to have any problems in who she was during the last season so this sudden extreme doubt and prominence of this is jarring. I like her as a character, the want to see her happy is obvious, but it isn't the same in terms of gripping like Ishigami from Kaguya's struggle with the same general idea.

Now, I was flirting with the idea of giving this a 7 before the final episode - the fence between a 6 and a 7 was where I stood. It wasn't my go-to first show on Fridays and I found it weaker than the last in an aspect I just couldn't pinpoint, but at the end of every episode I was feeling fine and enjoyed how my time was spent. This last episode though, oh do I have an idea of how to absolutely crush a relatively wholesome show.
The last episode starts with a warning, a "the following program contains violence and depictions of sexual assault or rape and may not be suitable for all audiences."
... yeah. It's uh, horrendous. Suddenly, the dude who's been courting Kanade, trying to woo her, turns into Shinkawa (Recon II as I call him) from SAO II in that a somewhat stalky character goes off the deep-end. Kanade is kidnapped, brought to a dark building surrounded by strange men, and the whole spiel about being a 'nice guy' and it turning into a 'forceful' relationship now... why? Why flip the script in such an abrupt manner and even then, who would find this as an acceptable play of events ESPECIALLY as a way to resolve Kanade's doubt in herself and - get this - a way to make this a harem as she realizes she also has feelings for Yukimura. On top of this blatantly bad writing decision, it tries to create an emotional and comical scene with Yukimura explaining to these criminals who Kanade is.

I just can't get over this show's direction in the last episode. It has a rocky start, a fun and standard middle, and a last episode that plunges it down to the gutters of some of the worst this medium has to offer.

It's really a shame that I'll probably go on to remember this season mainly for that final episode and nothing else. The slightest of recommendations for those who've seen the first, and a no-go for people who're thinking about picking it up - a missed opportunity for sure.

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Jun 16, 2022

Paripi Koumei (Anime) add

Recommended

"This is a business."

-- the following is a brief paragraph on my introductory thoughts, followed by spoilers with character and plot exploration. reader discretion advised. --

I think I've come to the realization that I love music anime. K-On started this fascination with it's obvious focus on jamming, Sing a Bit of Harmony continued it and a further appreciation for OPs, EDs, and inserts just led me to be in the perfect mindset for Ya Boy Kongming.
An incredibly enjoyable show that is, without a doubt, my favorite of the season.

Paripi Koumei is about a famous Chinese strategist being transported to present day Tokyo with an understanding ... of Japanese and a younger frame. From the get-go, it sounds like an isekai, a story dealing with the MC's new environment and dealing with the changes around them, but this show is actually about Eiko, it's her journey. Eiko is an aspiring singer/songwriter who finds herself working at a club and occasionally performing. Kongming sees her as a new master who could help fulfill his dream of peace, this time through music rather than war.

The trials and tribulations of the music industry, as well as one's place in the world, is explored over the brisk 12 episode length. Eiko is finally given a more substantial platform to share her music with the world, but then is met with the hurdle of "why?". What's the point? Why are you doing this? Why THIS in particular? After the opportunity of sharing her talent with the world, she's given another one to better herself and become more in-tune with not only her passion, but herself. It showcases how hard it is for newcomers to enter this industry (as it is for any landscape that finds itself oversaturated) and grow as well as how someone can find themselves with devotion to the future. Kongming helps her musically and mentally and she does the same for him - cutaways to him back in the Three Kingdoms age and reflecting on his past are fantastic.

The other two music side-plots are fun and emotional too.
Kabe Taijin is a rapper who has faded from the spotlight, experiencing a case of stage fright and letting the criticisms of others get to him. Kongming discovers him as a potential musical partner and encourages him to try rapping once more. His growth is similar to that of Eiko's, finding out why he does so, but his story is more concerned with where he started and why it was fun in the beginning whereas Eiko's journey is finding why it's relevant NOW and how to improve. Kabe is coming back into the fray, Eiko is trying to find the footing to jump in the frying pan for the first time. The differences between their storylines and character make both plots a joy to watch.
Nanami is another artist, one that touches Eiko with their shared career-path. The two bond over street performances, a true friendship is formed, but ends abruptly as Nanami reveals she's apart of a girl-group shooting for the same opportunity as Eiko, a chance that only has vacancy for only one artist. Nanami doesn't have the same unique circumstances though as she and her high school friends have had to deal with prolonged lack of exposure leading to another hole in the world of music - labels. A controlling manager, sacrificing what made them them in turn for promised fame, the lack of money and success leads to the want for both, but the cost is the loss of identity. Eiko, an individual who isn't under the same restraints, reaches out to Nanami and reminds her of why music is something so many people want to indulge in - that personal element.
Kongming's right - she has the ability to bring people together and realize what's truly right. Eiko's growth in Kongming being the one to give her a chance and being the one who encourages Kabe leads to her being able to reach someone completely on her own with minimal strategist meddling. Passion over power, love over agony, do now not later - this show has all the intentions of filling the viewer with happiness.

And Kongming succeeds in spades. A hilarious and surprisingly touching show for how outlandish it's plot seems, the ingenious method of taking historical tactics and modernizing them for a different field and time (and some further modifications that show Kongming's growth as well), it all just clicks into place with ease. Fantastic inserts. A show I won't shut up about for months to come and a new all-time favorite.

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May 1, 2022

Shenmue the Animation (Anime) add

Not Recommended

"It's called the Shenmue tree."

-- the following is a brief paragraph on my overall thoughts, followed by spoilers of story structure. reader discretion advised. --

Feel like I'm in the minority here, but I found Shenmue: The Animation to be an absolute slog and consistently boring. An overpowered protagonist who almost never loses and when he's on the verge, there's a plot device to save him out of the situation or a flashback that gives him the motivation to suddenly defeat his adversary. Being an adaptation of two separate games, there's a giant divide between the two halves as every character is basically forgotten as we ... make the switch from game 1 to game 2. The art is lackluster (looking at background characters is always my favorite and Shenmue doesn't disappoint in that department) and the music / sound seems like it was booted off any run-of-the-mill sound bank (although the opening has been growing on me). Every character has a single personality trait that drives them and no one seems to grow.

The video game pacing shines through with no regrets. Every scene feels linear, stitched together with a single rope. Ryo needs something, he doesn't know where to get it. He talks to someone. They tell him to talk to another person. He goes to the person and talks to them. They tell him to visit another location. He goes to the location and finds a thing. He brings the thing. Now, he needs another thing. He talks to someone about the thing. They tell h-
And it just goes on like that for 13 episodes. Circular in execution. It's a big fetch quest of a show just for the next point to be another fetch quest. I thought it was hilarious during the first few episodes, but it quickly becomes a bore. Maybe this seems more obvious considering the negative reputation Shenmue as a game series has (at least the one I have been led to believe) for being repetitive and a walk-athon. I really want to play them for myself given the positive reputation these games have, but haven't had a chance so the only idea I had was the one I've seen others spout and I can't help but think it describes the anime quite well. Progression seems obsolete. Ryo needs to learn the teachings of Wude. So, he does. And it seems like filler and a way to add more scenes to the flashback catalog as Ryo's fighting seems to stay exactly the same. Every scene seems to exist purely to move along, not for characterization or to let the world breathe. Point A leads to B leads to C etc. A friend joined me for a few episodes mid-season since I was lagging behind and consistently said "has anything happened at all?" Nothing seems purposeful.

When it comes to video game adaptations, I would much prefer something like Street Fighter (1994). Delightful camp happy to exist instead of something lifeless like this. There were times when I found myself enjoying the show, but those were all during the first half - due to it being better told or perhaps I hadn't formed a full opinion yet, I'm not to say. I'm glad others are having a blast, but the ship left without me this time.

Thanks for reading.

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Mar 27, 2022

Jujutsu Kaisen 0 Movie (Anime) add

Recommended

"I've always believed love manifests the most distorted curses."

A prequel disguised as an Evangelion story. A lead that faces the most insurmountable odds, thrust into a strange new world with a dark past haunting above. Despite being the newbie in every sense of the word, the burden of being considered a "special-grade" is immediately tossed as a label. The power to destroy millions, endless chaos in the hands of someone unaware of the pure untapped potential they possess. The icing on the cake is that Shinji and Yuuta have the same VA (and she's fantastic).

A great introduction to the supporting cast of Jujutsu as ...

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Mar 26, 2022

Sono Bisque Doll wa Koi wo Suru (Anime) add

Mixed Feelings

"Then... we should go to all sorts of places together."

-- the following is a brief paragraph on my overall thoughts, followed by spoilers involving a discussion of flaws and a quick episode examination. reader discretion advised. --

As someone who started watching anime in a serious capacity because of romance anime, I'll be quite honest - I don't think I've found all that much that I absolutely adore. I hoped that My Dress Up Darling would change that, a show about two individuals you probably wouldn't put together ending up making quite a match-up (a usual set-up). Yet, the fanservice and absolute horrid pacing kind of ... threw me for a loop. I never really let it live it down, and I think that definitely impacted my enjoyment.

There are consistently moments that make me want to love this. The first episode's connection that our protagonists find in one another, Gojo slipping out that he thinks Marin is beautiful after noting that he reserves the word only for things he finds truly special, the phone call they have in the final episode (that frame of the two separate beds as one is so damn good)... the moments of pure uninterrupted happiness between the two - just two people, enjoying the company of someone they care for.

It's also bogged down by loads and loads of fanservice though. At times it can be cute, teasing Gojo or Marin realizing what she's doing. Most times however, it goes WAY overboard. That love hotel scene dude... if this show was an ice skater, it's been sliding on that fine line of becoming an ecchi for a surprisingly long time, and suddenly the floor just shattered beneath. Yet, the moment of silence between the two is beautifully done. Fan service is something I just don't generally go for, it's the reason most Monogatari seasons get knocked down a point, but it fits more here I guess.

As previously mentioned, my god. The pacing. It's not as heinous as something like Horimiya, but seriously!? This season takes place over the course of an entire school year, deciding when to smash on the breaks and when to let the gas pedal taste car lining. The first cosplay takes up five episodes, with an episode dedicated to motivation / meeting, then to taking measurements for the outfit, then to gathering the materials, and then we decide to say "man, I'm gonna need to finish this outfit in two weeks!" to practically the next scene being "man, I can't believe I finished it just in time!" HUH!? It jumps around inconsistently in a way that's disorienting and not satisfying.

I'm gonna talk about the one episode in particular that makes me feel conflicted in giving this the score I'm assigning, that being the 8th episode or "Backlighting is the Best."

The episode starts out quite unremarkable. Meeting a character's sister and scoping out a location for their group cosplay photoshoot, nothing crazy. There's a scene between Gojo and Juju, the famous cosplayer they're collaborating with, that's incredibly touching - having our lead connect with another person, the first being Marin, resulting in a positive experience for both of them. It's good! Yet, the real reason I love this episode is the beach part after. Now yes, I know, BEACH should scream red flags on all cylinders, but... it's surprisingly the most tame out of the whole bunch?

It's fantastic because it lets our two leads simply breathe with one another, have a chance to see how their relationship has progressed and the state it's in now without any motivation other than having fun, being in the present with someone. Gojo has more of the "I haven't done blank before" and Marin extends the usual supporting hand in helping him branch out more. Plenty of laughs, smiles, stills of one admiring the other, it's great.

I wish everything was like this episode.

I think I was too harsh on My Dress Up Darling in the beginning. I kind of dismissed it after the first few episodes, realizing it wasn't exactly what I expected. Yet, it could also just be retrospect bias as I like the characters more now. Not 100% sure. A rewatch sometime down the line could prove quite favorable.

In the meantime, if you like romance, it's worth a stab. It's short, usually sweet, and it's pretty to look at as Cloverworks has always exceled in the animation department.

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