Back to Chuy_diazz's Profile Chuy_diazz's Profile

Journey Through Madhouse, Episode 12: A Film That's a Classic.

The film is set at the end of World War II. The story shows the life of a family before, during, and after the first atomic bomb was dropped. You probably don't know this film by its title alone. I'm 100% sure you've seen a clip somewhere of the bomb exploding and burning, melting, and vaporizing the people it hits. That scene is based on this film. Aside from that moment of great impact, the rest of the story isn't as dramatic as one might expect. The film isn't about portraying the victims of the event ... but rather criticizing the government of the time. It shows how even before the bomb fell, people were already suffering. Jobs were scarce, wealth was unevenly distributed, and food was in short supply. At the same time, the government was giving messages of hope, saying they were on the verge of ending the war and, above all, winning it.

History has shown us that this wasn't the case. Two bombs fell, Japan surrendered, and on top of that, had to accept American intervention on its territory. Watching the film, you can feel the staff's discontent with the government. The message, "What was the point of enduring so much if in the end we were the ones who lost?" is very palpable. "We" doesn't refer to all of Japan equally, but to the civilian population. The film consistently portrays the difficult situation of the average citizen in such a devastating scenario as the one they experienced.

The film is made more difficult to watch because we always have the perspective of a child. Even though he doesn't know what is happening or why it is happening, we do. It's hard to see how a child has to move bodies to help find food and feed his newborn sister. It's hard to see how members of his family are dying due to something beyond his control. As mentioned, the film doesn't try to portray itself as a victim and shows the deaths exactly as they happened. It's a film that shows how, while the high command lost the war tactically, it was ordinary people who suffered the consequences. These consequences are also difficult to witness because of the radiation. People losing skin, hair, limbs, eyes as if it were something normal. Entire fields filled with dead bodies and a collapsed healthcare system while they tried to figure out how to deal with something as unknown as the effects of radiation.

While the film tries to balance so much tragedy with a couple of happy moments, it also quickly ends that momentary happiness. Barefoot Gen is a film you should see, whether for historical appreciation or simply out of morbid curiosity to see the explosion scene. Primarily, it's important to understand the thoughts of Japanese civilians during this catastrophic event.

Journey Through Madhouse, Episode 11: We're facing the studio's first sequel. A bit strange considering the studio's reputation.

In this sequel, Unico's journey takes us to an island where everyone is turned into toys. Our protagonist, along with a young girl, will be tasked with defeating the evil sorcerer who is transforming people. The film is clearly aimed at a children's audience, so the story feels quite digestible. It doesn't strive for a complex plot that will keep us thinking for an hour and a half; rather, it aims to get us to press play and be distracted by the light show it has to offer.

If ... there's one thing I have to highlight about the film, it's a sequence during the third act with an animation fluidity that many current studios would envy. For a film from '83, this sequence even seems ahead of its time. If you're an adult, you'll hardly enjoy the film. On the other hand, if you have children, nephews, or young children at home, it could be a good movie for the weekend.

You might get a moment of peace, whether the kids were entertained or had an epileptic seizure while watching it.

Memes aside, Wandance has a decent story. Memes aside, it looks as bad as any edit you've ever seen.

Wandance arrived with all eyes on it simply for being a Madhouse production. Unfortunately, it's a series that succumbed to the pressure. The anime is a co-production where Cyclone Graphics was in charge of CGI and motion capture. It's clear there was no communication between the studios because it feels like a team effort where everyone did their part and they just slapped it all together at the end. There are many points to address, so let's get to them.

1. CGI and Motion Capture: Let's address the ... elephant in the room. The dances are very bad and uncomfortable to watch. The problem lies mainly in the 3D character modeling. When you see how the motion capture was done, thanks to the videos shared by the production, you can see that the dancing and movement were never the issue. The characters' movements are incredibly fluid; if you compare them to any dance video, or if you dance yourself, you'll understand that their movements are perfect. However, if you combine those movements with inefficient character modeling, then you ruin the good part of the work. The characters in their 3D models are expressionless to an extreme. You focus on their faces, and they look like possessed dolls about to undergo an exorcism. They're always smiling but don't move; they're frozen in the same expression, to the point that they become uncomfortable after a certain amount of screen time. It doesn't matter how well-done the dances are; it's all for nothing if you make the viewer look away from the screen.

2. The story: If you happen to be blind or have myopia and astigmatism, then you might enjoy the story. The story is well-crafted, with two very charismatic protagonists who complement each other. You have a boy who stutters but doesn't have social anxiety. He simply can't control his stutter, and that prevents him from communicating the way he wants to. The girl is beautiful and attracts everyone's attention, but she doesn't know how to communicate, so she ends up pushing everyone away. The two of them meet and understand each other, finding in dance a way to express themselves without using words. Throughout the story, we see how they both grow personally and how they evolve. When you ignore the awful CGI, you're left with a pretty interesting story about overcoming challenges. It also has light romantic undertones that you'll appreciate because it's not like the protagonists can ignore their feelings, even if it's not the main focus.

3. The Sports Part: While dance is an artistic form of expression, the anime doesn't want to leave everything in the ambiguous and subjective realm of art. They have a school competition system with judges and so on. At first, it's a good idea, and you can use the characters' competitive spirit to help them grow through frustration and other emotions. However, in the final stretch, this aspect falls apart. The male protagonist is often sidelined to allow the female lead to shine even more. They momentarily undermine the entire structure to make the male protagonist emotionally dependent on Wanda. The final tournament isn't even fully depicted because the final battle isn't shown. The competitive aspect, where Kabo should shine, is only used to destroy him so Wanda can claim the glory.

I'm not going to tell you not to watch Wandance because it looks awful, like 90% of the internet does. I want you to be aware that the greatest appeal of this work is also its greatest weakness. The dances are the last thing you'd watch this anime for. It has a good story, good characters, and good sound design. I would recommend giving it a chance, although I also understand if you don't want to watch it. Ultimately, it's a dance anime, and if its best feature doesn't appeal to you, then nothing else will.

The villainous isekai genre doesn't have stories that revolutionized fantasy, but damn, they're fun.

Something I'll always say about the genre is that, being so limited, it always forces you to be creative in some aspect. Tensei Akujo was creative in the figure of its main villain or antagonist. It's already a classic for the protagonist to reincarnate in a story of her own creation. It's just that the protagonist's writing counterpart isn't usually given much focus. Something they do here, and in a very entertaining way. Since the story was written by her teenage self, she's constantly attacked for the embarrassment of her teenage fantasies. ... It's hilarious to see how every conflict that arises within the main story is simply because the girl was raging on a summer day. While there are characters who are the villains of the moment, they only serve to let us see an aspect of the protagonist's personality. Furthermore, the rest of the world is designed for the protagonist's convenience, who was created to be a self-insert. So, since she's reincarnated as the villain, everything she designed for her own satisfaction is now what puts her in danger. I'm telling you, these aren't stories that will revolutionize the genre, but you'll never be short of fun.

On the downside, the comedy can sometimes be too annoying. There's a point where you enjoy the characters, but then it gets to the point where instead of being funny, they become irritating. The protagonist steals so much of the spotlight that the supporting characters are somewhat neglected. The story doesn't invest any time or resources in the secondary characters. They only exist to embellish the protagonist's story. All the stories revolve around the villain, so the other characters can't develop properly because they depend on the story giving them that moment with the main character. The production overuses chibi models. There are moments where seriousness is needed, but for some reason, the characters remain in their chibi form. It's not really annoying, but it does break the immersion a few times.

It's an anime made for fun, nothing more, nothing less. If you give it a chance, at least a laugh is guaranteed.

An anime that doesn't try to sell you on obesity as something positive. It aims for something simpler: simply love yourself.

The anime is good and has a solid story. It's not the best story you'll ever see, but it's good enough to keep you engaged for all 12 episodes. We have a girl who gets a second chance at life after an accident that left her with amnesia and a personality change. Added to this is the mystery of who tried to kill the protagonist in the incident. Two things happen here: one that can only be told from the viewer's personal experience, and the ... other where one can be objective and neutral.

Let's start with the first part. Yumeko Koda, the protagonist, is an overweight girl who attempted suicide. She survives but suffers from retrograde amnesia, which alters her personality. The new Yumeko is an overly positive girl who genuinely loves her body and feels beautiful. The series isn't telling you that the girl is pretty and you have to love her for it. It's telling you that she's comfortable with her body and with who she is. This is where I say it depends on the viewer's personal experience. If you've never struggled with being overweight, or if you did, lost weight, but dislike that version of yourself, then you're not going to like the anime. The anime isn't trying to be an anti-fatphobia message or anything like that. It simply shows a girl confident enough to love herself despite everything. That confidence is what bothers many people because they think it's a bad way to live, given their experiences. As someone who is currently losing weight, I can tell you that this anime, FOR ME, was like a band-aid on an emotional wound. The anime tries to tell you that loving yourself isn't wrong. This shouldn't be confused with the message that being overweight is okay. Yumeko loves to eat and has no intention of losing weight. We can all agree that this isn't healthy, but at the same time, it's not a wrong way to live because we can't dictate other people's lives. Her message is simple: live the way that makes you feel best. Many people can't handle other people's happiness, especially if they don't look like "a normal person" should.

The part where we can be objective is the story. The mystery is good enough to make you think of new theories at the end of each episode. It's a mystery that tries to tell you that appearances are deceiving. That those you see as good and kind can have a dark side, while people who usually seem tough can have a gentle side. The anime plays with appearances while incorporating them as pieces of its central mystery. Many times, you'll end up more interested in the mystery than in Yumeko's life because there isn't much to explore in the new Yumeko. The anime has many motivational messages tied to the "love yourself" ethos. It's a powerful message, but one that isn't always well-received. It's an anime that walks a tightrope, and it's understandable whether you like it or not.

It's a complicated anime for people who want a dominant female character. Yumeko Koda isn't for everyone; she's a character you either love or hate. You can see her positive side just by looking at the promotional visual. If you don't like what you see in that image, then don't watch the anime because you'll only make yourself miserable watching someone who is happy despite your ideology telling you it's impossible.

The best example of how a good start doesn't always translate into a great anime.

The anime starts off quite solidly. It introduces the characters, the plot, and the conflict in just a few episodes, grabbing your interest from the very first minute. You have a girl with zero facial expression who has to pretend to be a robot, a misanthrope who doesn't trust people but is easily swayed by his robo-maid, and if it's discovered that she's human, she'll be fired. The story is presented as a romance where, little by little, the male protagonist's high barriers will have to be broken down. So far, ... so good. The problem begins when the story doesn't know how to resolve its conflict due to the initial setup of its male protagonist. At first, the guy is not only a misanthrope, but he's also someone with a very sharp instinct, able to detect lies people tell him and always on high alert. Then, the series lacks the creativity to craft solid lies that could convince someone with these characteristics. Throughout the series, the anime focuses more on making its male protagonist stupid. The protagonist at the end is just a bad parody of what he was at the beginning. This aspect is what ultimately kills the series.

The girl's role also undergoes many changes throughout the series. At the beginning, she's a fighting machine worthy of being a steamroller. She can defeat anyone, survive a missile, and be as fast as a moving car. When the story's antagonist appears, all these characteristics disappear, and the girl is much more fragile than she was at the beginning. In the end, the girl can't beat anyone who isn't an NPC. The action aspect dwindles, while the romance fades away. The antagonist starts out hateful and ends up being pathetic. None of the initial versions of the characters are maintained at the end of the series. The anime is so inconsistent that it only makes you lose the desire to continue watching.

The worst crime in the story is committed in its last two episodes. They decide that the best way to end their story is to use the well-worn cliché of amnesia. I've always said that resorting to amnesia to reset your characters or the story is the most mediocre thing you can do. They didn't have the slightest idea how to fix their mess, so they tried to do a soft reset of the story. The final episode is just an attempt at fanservice for romance lovers. They ask themselves, "What kind of ending do romance fans like?" And that's where they come up with the idea that it's best to tie up all the loose ends with a final wedding. All the problems are magically solved, all the antagonists are invited and make up with the protagonists. It's a nonsensical ending that simply sought the laziest way to find closure without actually putting any effort into it.

The anime could have been a memorable and fun story worth recommending. In the end, it's just an anime that you'll put in the pile of forgettable anime that you once watched out of mere curiosity but didn't end up liking.

A slow-burn anime that will make you savor every moment.

Gachikuta is a story that takes its time. It wants to clarify its ideas, but above all, it wants to calmly convey them to the viewer. The first 12 episodes are dedicated to world-building and character development. Gachikuta isn't an anime that jumps straight into action and then tries to make sense of the mess it created. First, it establishes a unique world, then it forges a society with class hierarchies, then it creates a power system based on trash and a person's attachment to a specific object, and finally, it generates a conflict. The anime ... is like a matryoshka doll, moving from the general to the specific so you can enjoy the resolution of the conflict without needing to resort to unexpected plot twists. All the elements are clearly defined: the vital instrument, the factions, the divisions of the world. Everything is carefully crafted so that the questions you have at the end are only those the story wants you to ask. The story is so well thought out that it might seem slow at first.

The first half of the anime is designed to familiarize you with all the concepts and characters. The second half explodes with an action-packed arc and a stunning display of animation. The fights in the second half are incredibly good. The Zanka vs. Jabber fight breaks the cliché of flashbacks granting powers while risking the loss of a good guy. The Riyo vs. Noerde fight is a great choreography, but its greatest strength lies in what it adds to the power system. This fight transforms the power system into a game of rock-paper-scissors. It shows you that vital instruments aren't omnipotent and that a Giver can be defeated with any other item if you're clever enough. This fight might be the most important of the season and the series as a whole. The most visually spectacular fight is the one between the cleaners and Bundus. Bones used every penny of their budget to make all the characters look like they were worth a million dollars. Even the resolution of the conflict is good because they end the fight without making either side look weak. This is healthy for the series, as it allows them to create new conflicts without racking their brains trying to introduce new characters. Personally, the organizations that stick around and continue causing problems are some of my favorites.

When you look back to 2025 and wonder which anime from that year are must-sees, Gachiakuta is undoubtedly one of them.

The second season is good, but compared to the first, it loses quite a bit of its freshness.

I never watched the original Ranma or read the manga, so my first contact with Ranma is this remake. The second season starts off quite well, giving us just the right dose of absurdist comedy. Throughout its episodes, you can see Rumiko Takahashi's great creativity in creating super random events that are nonetheless entertaining to watch. This season also expands the supporting cast, adding more love rivals for both Ranma and Akane. Up to this point, everything seems to be going well and keeping us on the edge ... of our seats... That's where the problem begins. The story seems to lack a clear direction. The absence of a narrative thread that tells us we're heading towards a certain important event in the protagonists' relationship results in low emotional investment. If Ranma were a pure comedy, everything presented would be fantastic, and I'd be applauding it. The comedy is undoubtedly the strongest and most solid aspect of this work. The problem is that it's not pure comedy; it's also a romance. And the romance stagnates throughout the entire season. There's barely any real development, and from the beginning to the end of the series, the relationship only progresses one step. It's not necessarily bad that the romantic storyline doesn't advance, but it does make you disconnect from the story. You watch it, you laugh, you enjoy it, but it's very rare that you do anything beyond simply watching the episodes. There's no connection between the work and the viewer because the work doesn't try to show you anything solid in the romantic aspect.

Another problem with the work is the wasted potential of its great supporting cast. One of Ranma's strengths is having a large number of supporting character options for storytelling. The permutations and interactions you can create between all the characters are so numerous that it's very difficult to repeat the same segment. The issue is that the story seems unaware of this. The secondary character with the most screen time was Shampoo. I know the character has a solid fanbase and is very beloved. However, the constant exposure of the character makes her presence tiresome. It starts to feel heavy, and affection gradually turns into weariness. I understand her role as Akane's antagonist, but if you don't have a story to tell, don't try to cram the character into everything. There are characters from the first season who didn't even have a cameo in the second and who could have been used more effectively.

The ending felt a bit strange. The promotional materials and trailers sold the Romeo and Juliet arc as the central focus of the season. This seems to make sense because it's a moment where Akane and Ranma can solidify their romantic bond. It's a great episode that ends with a beautiful interaction between the protagonists—a worthy story to close the season. However, it didn't. They preferred to end with the battle between Moose and Ranma, which wasn't bad; it was a good episode. However, if the story had been slightly altered so that this mini-arc was the penultimate one, I think it would have felt better. You end with Romeo and Juliet, with a romantic interaction, letting us know that the relationship grew a bit. Since that wasn't the case, the momentum is lost, and the ending feels a little weaker compared to the season's high point.

It might seem like I hate the season, which isn't the case. I liked Ranma, I enjoyed it, and I laughed every Saturday I watched it. The problem is what I mention in the review: I simply didn't connect with it on an emotional level to make the story meaningfully important to me.

I don't know who was more high, the person who created this story or those who managed to adapt it so exceptionally.

Trying to explain the premise of Sanda is a bit difficult while sober, and writing this review would be very difficult in the same state as Paru Itagaki when she wrote it. You just need to know that the story is about a boy who can transform into Santa Claus. If you think that's already weird, then you haven't seen the anime. Without going into too much detail, believe me, the experience alone makes investing time in Sanda totally worthwhile.

Sanda starts in a way ... that leaves you looking around, wondering what you just saw. As the story progresses, you start to understand the crazy stuff. You see how Santa's powers make sense according to the lore we all know. Up to this point, you're like, "Oh, look, Santa Claus defeating the bad guys, awesome, I'm in." And just when you think everything is fine, they throw in a twist that leaves you reeling. Suddenly, Santa Claus has to fight against an adult society that projects its desires and goals onto children. The idyllic world of children initially presented transforms into an oppressive society where children are mere livestock for the satisfaction of adults. The world has very clear and simple rules that benefit children at all times. Behind these rules is an adult world that only seeks to hoard the youth they no longer possess.

Sanda makes many criticisms of modern society, the culture of cosmetic surgery, and the beauty standards established by large corporations. Director Ooshibu is the embodiment of everything that is wrong within the aesthetic world: undergoing numerous cosmetic surgeries to stay "young and beautiful," always desiring the youth of children, rejecting old age, and how these people only seek the praise of others. They criticize educational systems, where schools resemble prisons instead of schools. They examine how uniforms are used to represent prison chains. They criticize how students are made to look the same so they lack a sense of individuality or critical thinking. Sanda is full of criticism from every angle, but you might miss some of it because you're too busy watching that damn Santa fight against adultcentrism.

In terms of the technical aspects and script, the entire Sanda staff contacted Paru Itagaki's distributor, as their adaptation only enhances the work. They understood the message and sought the best way to amplify it. From the lighting and color palettes to the camera work, everything was exactly where it needed to be. When the Sanda anime was announced, one probably wondered which studio would be the best fit for this story. Science Saru stepped up, and with all their experience in nonsensical stories, they delivered a knockout blow. After seeing the final result, I simply can't think of a studio that could deliver a better product. I want to highlight the aspect that surprised me the most: the camera work. It's rarely mentioned how well Saru handles framing, focus, and close-ups. He knows which angles and perspectives best convey ideas. He knows when to add elements to the frame, and also when less is more. Without a doubt, Saru delivered a piece of work that puts him on the map as a reliable studio.

The best way to understand Sanda is to watch it sober; the best way to enjoy it is with a dose of magic mushrooms. Enjoy, and happy holidays.

A fantasy that, with few elements, managed to be fresh enough to captivate the viewer.

Saigo ni Hitotsu is a one-trick pony. A villain appears, the protagonist arrives, and she punches the villain. The cycle repeats for all 13 episodes of the anime. The point is that the anime is aware of its reliance on this trope. Therefore, it seeks the best way to build an entire story around its protagonist. First, it understands that anime is visually appealing, which leads to incredibly beautiful character designs. The characters are mostly gorgeous and beautiful, with the exception of those intentionally made ugly. The costumes, backgrounds, effects—everything is ... designed to enhance the characters' beauty. Second, it tries to build a story solid enough so that its greatest attraction doesn't become a weakness. They are aware that their protagonist is an all-around fighter. So, they don't just throw punches at you one after another. They throw punching bags at you with the bare minimum of lore so you can also invest in the story of this world. The story isn't complex, it isn't profound, it isn't reflective, it's just entertaining. Because you feel like the world has a sliver of life, you decide to immerse yourself more in the princess's side. The third and final act makes you genuinely averse to the villains and antagonists. It's not the same when Scarlett punches a random person as when she punches someone you truly hate. That's the greatest strength of this story's script: the characters are utterly detestable. Every single victim of Scarlett's fists earned every single blow they received. In the end, you, as the viewer, are left with a feeling of satisfaction and relief. The pebble that's been bothering you all day is finally off your shoe.

There's really not much negative to point out. The biggest drawback lies in whether or not the viewer connects with the story or the characters. One-trick series require the viewer to be invested in the story. If you're looking for a specific experience or type of story, if you enjoy complex developments or intricate plots, then this isn't for you. This anime is as simple as it looks. It's a story that prioritizes visuals over narrative. If you enjoy action and straightforward storytelling, you'll love it. If not, then it's best not to even start it because it won't give you what you're looking for.

Saigo ni Hitotsu is undoubtedly an anime that can instantly banish boredom.