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I just finished watching the main series, so watching this little extra episode seemed like a no-brainer. So, was this episode any good? Well, let's hop in and find out, shall we?

Story
After the battle at the capital, the heroes get to enjoy some R&R as a festival draws near. This is the perfect setup for a standalone episode like this one because viewers need breaks after world-shattering events, not to mention that characters need character development and to think about what has happened to them.

The basic plotline is that this festival allows the living to spend time with their dead relatives, facilitated by the magic ... of this world. This, of course, gives Taichi the opportunity to find closure after the death of Anastasia, a girl he met back in the original series. There isn't much I can say beyond that, but it still makes for a fun episode. (7/10)

Characters
Again, the character writing is what really elevates Isekai Cheat Magician. The episode itself is just the characters just having fun and Taichi himself getting to enjoy one intimate moment with a girl he loved. We also get to see characters from previous episodes get to have fun. (8/10)

Art
Because of the quieter and more relaxed atmopshere of the episode, the show doesn't need to go all out with its visual effects and instead can give more focus to the characters. (7/10)

Sounds
Since I watched the original series in English, I felt that watching this episode in its original Japanese was a nice change of pace. I shouldn't be surprised considering the talent involved in this series. We already know how talented Rie Takahashi (Rin), Sayaka Oohara (Lemiya) and Minami Tanaka (Myura) are, but I think this is the first time I listen to Kouhei Amasaki (Taichi) in a main role. Props to the guy. (8/10)

Conclusion
Not every installment in an action series needs to be big and epic. Sometimes, stories can benefit from smaller and slower-paced episodes like this one. No, this episode doesn't advance the main story in any meaningful way, but I do recommend it for the great character moments and the humor. (7/10)

I gotta be honest with you: I love watching movies and TV shows long after their respective hype trains and hate bandwagons have departed from their stations. I don't like watching TV shows when those are still ongoing because I want to do a holistic analysis of what I just watched. I'm perfectly aware that Isekai Cheat Magician didn't leave a good impression on viewers when it first premiered, but I decided to give it a chance because, well, I'm as casual as an anime fan can get.

Story
At its core, Isekai Cheat Magician is a pretty basic story about a guy being summoned to another ... world and becoming a great hero. The twist this show offers is that the guy brings a girl with him and they both become powerhouses. Of course, the guy gets the lion's share of power and screentime because the TV show is obviously meant to be a power fantasy for male teenagers.

Is that a bad thing? No, of course not. What I like about this show's plot development is that it takes the time to explore the world the main characters have been thrown into. I love the attention given to the power acquisition system and how characters, especially the protagonist, come to terms with the power they've been given. Yes, I know how tired people are of hearing that "with great power comes great responsibility", but that lesson is used very often because it's a universal lesson of life. Those with power have the duty to help those who don't.

The problem I find with this show, however, is that it tries to deconstruct its themes of power by making the protagonist question how far is he willing to go in order to obtain power, even if it is to protect the people he cares about. Taichi is told plenty of times that if he becomes too powerful, he might stop being human altogether, but the show doesn't dig deep into that particular plotline. The story constantly reminds him that as long as he keeps in mind what's truly important to him, his humanity will remain. It's like this show wants to have its cake and eat it, too.

That said, I never really expected this TV show to be some sort of deep and poignant exploration of the heroic archetype, most likely because it would clash with its intention to be a power fantasy for its target audience. Just treat this show like a fun distraction and you'll be fine. (6/10)

Characters
Any story, no matter how rudimentary it might seem, can be elevated by the quality of its character writing and, fortunately, this is where Isekai Cheat Magician shines. I really loved the chemistry between the main duo. Taichi and Rin are already good friends since the beginning of the story, and that relationship becomes progressively stronger by their shared experiences. I don't think the show wouldn't have been as enjoyable if the main duo didn't share such a great chemistry. Also, the show does a nice subversion of expectations by keeping the main duo as friends instead of immediately turning them into a couple. Not only would that be clichéd, it would screw up the buildup between them.

The supporting characters aren't bad, either. Lemiya and Myura are great foils to the main duo, doing their best to guide them throughout the new world. That said, Lemiya does play a bigger role by serving as the mentor for Taichi and Rin. She constantly advises Taichi on what to do with his power and what is the right course of action. Remember the good old days when heroes needed mentors to hone and refine their skills? I miss them. (8/10)

Art
Let's get the obvious out of the way, a lot of the show's budget went into the intro. It enjoys better animation and movements than the rest of the show. Don't get me wrong, the show itself doesn't have bad animation, it's just that the differences between the intro and the bulk of the episodes become more and more noticeable the more you watch the show. Also, this show really loves magical circles. (7/10)

Sounds
The OP song is a fast-paced action song, while the ED song is a quieter piece sung by Rin's Japanese VA Rie Takahashi. Both aren't bad, but they aren't something I'd be excited about it, either.

Fortunately, Isekai Cheat Magician stands tall for the quality of its voice acting. It's always a pleasure to listen to the talents of both Griffin Puatu (Taichi) and Lizzie Freeman (Rin), but I had no idea how talented Tara Sands was, considering she voices two different characters with different vocal tones. (8/10)

Conclusion
Is Isekai Cheat Magician generic? Yes. Should you watch it? Hell yes! At the end of the day, I don't hate this show, I actually had fun with it and I think that's what really matters in the end. We merely watch this TV shows for fun. Sometimes, people don't want life-changing dramas that force them to rethink everything they believe them. Sometimes, they just wanna switch their brains off and watch cartoons and, at its core, that's what Isekai Cheat Maigican is. Also, let's face it, the isekai genre's dominance over the anime realm isn't gonna end anytime soon, so let's make the best of it. (7/10).

I did watch some annoucements about In/Spectre back in 2020, but I had a lot of other shows and movies to catch up on and with season 2 on the horizon, now seemed like a good time as any to give this show a try. So, did In/Spectre live up to the hype? Well, let's hop in and find out, shall we?

Warning! Spoiler alert!

Story
If you wanna watch this show, I'd suggest you pay attention to every little detail the characters says because not only does this show combine the detective and fantasy genres, it's also very heavy on exposion and plot progression. In/Spectre is plot-driven, ... not character-driven. What do I mean with that? We learn more about the world the characters live in and the mysteries the characters solve than we do about the characters themselves. That's not necessarily a bad thing, as some stories work better like that, especially when they do bother explaining what's happening around the characters.

What's really impressive about this show is how some characters have the intelligence and deduction skills of detectives and those that don't have to continuously ask questions in order to avoid lagging behind, which prevents the show from becoming a rambling mess of splitting hairs. The mysteries are complex, but never to the point where you throw your hands up and just hope for the story to end and the show itself never rubs its supposed intellectual superiority in your face. It's just a fun story about ghosts and detectives. (8/10)

Characters
This is where In/Spectre falls a bit flat: the character writing. Like I said before, In/Spectre is plot-driven, which means that we don't get that much insight into the characters' relationships or emotions beyond the problems they currently face. I don't know, maybe I'm being too harsh on the characters, but sometimes, they feel more like exposition machines than as actual human beings.

There isn't much in the way of exploration of the characters' backstories. Sure, we get flashbacks here and there and the characters do talk about the current situations they face, but they do so in a casual manner. They have already gotten used to their status quo, which means that the role of everyman, or in this case "everywoman" falls into the shoulders of Saki, the ex-girlfriend of the male protagonist.

I actually like Saki. I thought she was gonna cause friction between Kotoko and Kurou, but in the end, she accepts the relationship between them and admits that she wouldn't be able to handle the supernatural antics these characters go through on a regular basis.

Speaking of the main duo, the show doesn't really devote that much time into their relationship. When they meet, Kotoko immediately declares Kurou to be her boyfriend and he's all like "Ok, then." There's barely any meaningful conflict between them and while I won't deny there is chemistry between them, the pace of their relationship feels too fast for my liking. Still, I do like the bond that develops between them and I actually believe it when the show tells me that these are the perfect fit for each other. (7/10)

Art
A lot of attention went into the visual aspect of this show. Everything from the monsters to the backgrounds and the lighting was perfectly made and well-crafted. That said, I do think the show indulges a bit too much in blood-staining and gore. Since Kurou is immortal, that just gives the show the chance to show as much blood as possible, with the belief that "well, since Kurou is immortal, he will come back to life and we can get away with all that violence." Fortunately, it never reaches dark and gritty levels of gore, so I can live with that. (7/10)

Sounds
I really liked the OP and ED songs used for this show. One is an exciting pop-rock song that showcases the supernatural aspect of the main characters' lives and the other is a quieter dance song that puts the characters in a more relaxed atmosphere.

I also enjoyed the vocal performances in this show. I think this is the first time I've listened to Lauren Landa (Saki) voicing a major role in an anime, Brandon Winckler did a fine job as Kurou and it's always a pleasure to listen to the talents of Cristina Valenzuela (Rikka). Still, the standout performance was delivered by none other than rising star Lizzie Freeman (Kotoko). Sure, most of the time, she delivers exposition, but there are moments where Kotoko is allowed to be more emotional and that's where Lizzie truly shines as a performer. (8/10)

Conclusion
In/Spectre likely won't rewrite the book on anime about detectives and ghosts, but luckily, it never needed to. Sure, the character writing could have been a bit better, but the show makes up for that with excellent does of supernatural mystery and detective intrigue. I am looking forward to see what season 2 has in store for us. (7/10)

Do you remember the old saying "once you hit rock bottom, the only way to go is up"? Well, apparently, someone forgot to tell that to Infinite Stratos, which keeps reaching new and abysmal lows with each new installment. If World Purge wore my patience for Infinite Stratos thin, this particular story put it on life support. How bad it was? Well, let's hop on and find out, shall we?

There are gonna be spoilers, but come on, do you really care?

Story
So, the girls are having a day off and having fantasies about how their perfect wedding with Ichika would feel like. I like the idea ... (again, the idea) of girls trying to picture the future with the men they love but the execution was painfully lacking. Every time one specific girl has a fantasy, another girl has to ruin it and this gets repeated over the coruse of the entire story and we are supposed to find it funny.

Laugh. Come on, laugh. Laugh, you fool. Why aren't you laughing? This is top-tier writing! Good grief. (3/10)

Characters
How is it possible that a group of objectively interesting characters could be done dirty by such a painfully boring story? The girls don't grow or evolve in any way during the course of the story, which only serves to reminds us of what we have known all the way back in season 1: they love Ichika. It's like that's their only defining trait as characters.

Speaking about Ichika, it seems that the show itself has lost all respect for its main character. For most of this story, Ichika is treated either as a prop for the girl's stories at best or as a butt monkey at worst. Ichika is in a serious competition to become the ultimate beta male in anime history. (3/10)

Art
Props should be given to the series for attempting to trying out something different with the story, but I just hated that the story was presented as, well, a PowerPoint presentation rather than as a fully animated feature. It's like the crew of the show just threw up their hands and lost faith in the IP. (4/10)

Sounds
God bless the brave voice actors who partook in this steaming pile of garbage. Infinite Stratos doesn't deserve them. This is the first Infinite Stratos story that I watch in its original English and it feels so refreshing to listen to the talents of Kouki Uchiyama (Ichika), Youko Hikasa (Houki), Kana Hanazawa (Charlotte) and Marina Inoue (Laura). They're all personal favorites of mine and it just breaks my heart watching their talents get squandered by something so generic and mediocre. (8/10)

Conclusion
With its recent installments, it's obvious that Infinite Stratos is facing a dark and uncertain future. It's 2021 and we haven't gotten any news for season 3, which should have been instead of this... whatever you wanna call it. What's really sad about all of this is that ever since season 2, the show has failed to do both the characters and the story justice and I'm just left worried about what will happen to Infinite Stratos now that so many years since its very first episode made it to broadcast. (5/10)

Infinite Stratos, what happened to you? You used to be filled to the brim with potential for a great story with interesting characters and now, you end up doing this? Whatever. Let's just get this over with.

There are spoilers, but come on, do you really care?

Story
Ichika has to go to a special facility to get his IS unit checked out while the girls enter some sort of virtual world to counter a cyber-attack into the IS Academy's network (trust me, I'm just as confused as you are). Meanwhile, the girls that don't enter the cyber-world have to confront a military group that attacks the academy, ... again for ill-defined reasons (doesn't this count as an act of war or something?).

Something that really annoyed me from Infinite Stratos 2 is that the story played awfully, awfully, awfully coy with its long-running plotlines and World Purge continues that trend by not bothering to explaining what the fuck is going and instead indulges in more harem antics. Yes, the girls use the virtual world to live out the personal fantasies with Ichika. I thought this was gonna be one of those stories where the girls had to choose between fantasy and reality because that would give the story and the characters some degree of pathos, but instead Ichika has to save them all on his own. Never, not even once, do the girls wonder if this is all good to be true. Common sense is thrown away for the sake of harem antics and that's just sad. (3/10).

Characters
No matter how generic and rudimentary a story is, it can always be elevated by how much you connect and relate to the characters, but unfortunately, World Purge forgets that and doesn't bother trying to get us to make the characters relatable. Yes, the harem antics are fun at first glance, but then you realize they are fake and they don't really teach you anything new about the characters, only that they're in love with Ichika.

The worst part I can say about World Purge is that the characters were painfully reactive this whole time. Nothing they do actually changes the course of events and when the story ends, the antagonist (wait, is Chloe an antagonist?) has already gained what she wanted, so the protagonists and the viewers are left wondering what the fuck what that all about. (4/10)

Art
One thing I can't fault World Purge about is the aesthetic values. The budget of the story really went into the fanservice and the action scenes, but they don't do much elevate the story. The action scenes involve secondary characters and the fanservice is distracting and doesn't compliment the story (other than showing that the girls are really into Ichika). (7/10).

Sounds
God bless the brave voice actors that partook in this steaming pile of garbage. Infinite Stratos doesn't deserve them. (8/10)

Conclusion
Infinite Stratos continues its downward spiral into mediocrity and obscurity with a story that didn't really add anything new to the grand scheme of things and when it does add something new, it's something obscure that will probably never be explained because we have no idea when season 3 will reach us. I'm telling you, Infinite Stratos is really showing its age in a time when anime is pushing boundaries of what the harem genre is really capable of. (5/10).

I actually enjoyed the first season of Infinite Stratos. No, it wasn't perfect and I can understand why people dislike the show in general, but it was still a fun, character-driven romantic comedy with a healthy dose of action. Naturally, I wanted to see how the story continues, so watching Infinite Stratos 2 was kind of a no-brainer. So, does season 2 improves on season 1's traits? Well, let's hop on and find out, shall we?

Warning! Spoiler alert!

Plot
Infinite Stratos debuted at a time where the harem genre was on its heyday and it was one of the anime that served as torchbearers for the harem ... genre, alongside A Certain Magical Index, Highschool DxD and Date A Live. Season 1 was a flawed, yet ultimately acceptable experience, so how does season 2 hold up? Short answer: badly.

Long answer: the show doesn't really evolve in either the harem aspect or anything else really. Yes, we are finally introduced to a true antagonistic group in the form of Phantom Task, but they're not really proactive in the grand scheme of things but when they do act, their fights feel repetitive and don't affect the grand scheme of things.

No, seriously, the grand scheme of things doesn't actually involve stopping the bad guys at all. It's still the girls' competition of winning Ichika's heart and, like I said before, that plotline moved a glacial pace in this season. No progress is ever made during the season, even when season 1 implied that Houki had gained a lead on the others. Yes, I get that harem shows need to keep the harem aspect going somehow, but other shows have been better at handling this aspect that IS did, which is very sad because IS is one of the first modern harem shows, meaning that it's starting to show its age. (4/10)

Characters
Characters are the lifeblood of the story. I've said that before and I'm sure I'll say it again. No matter how generic or rudimentary your story can be, it can be elevated by how much you can relate to the characters and, unfortunately, Infinite Stratos 2 falls flat in this regard. All the character development the girls have experienced in season 1 (well, at least the girls that did experience character development) is magically undone for the sake of keeping the harem aspect going and that means introducing new characters.

Meet the Sarashiki sisters, Tatenashi and Kanzashi. Tatenashi is, for the lack of a better term, perfect. She is the IS Academy's student council president, has a monster of an IS and can run circles around Ichika and the other girls. Hell, even Ichika herself feels she is unattainable; and yet, that doesn't stop Tatenashi from inserting herself into his harem, whether he likes it or not. She doesn't have any discernible flaws and if she does have flaws, they don't affect her character in the long run. Can you say Mary Sue?

As for Kanzashi; well, she is a bit better and her character development feels more natural, but I think it feels a bit of a retread of Laura's own character arc. She hates Ichika for something beyond his control but then she falls in love with him and to me, that just reeks of a lack of creativity.

And now, we move on to the villains: Phantom Task. They're a trio of women who want to obtain information on IS units. Why? Who knows? The group is mysterious and the show wants to keep it that way. This show had 12 episodes to develop this group of characters and it wasted it in worthless harem antics. Holy crap! Talk about misplaced priorities! The only remotely interesting character in this group is Madoka, Ichika's long-lost sister (don't think about it too hard), but the show doesn't dwell on her relationship with either Ichika or Chifuyu or why she wants them dead.

The biggest victim of the show's lousy character writing is, you guessed it, Ichika himself. The hero and the character we are supposed to relate to gets turned into a butt monkey that can no longer beat opponent on his own unless he has an overwhelming advantage over them and that's obviously a big strike against the main character of anything. When he does achieve a victory, it's either by the skin of his teeth, through sheer dumb luck or because he has help from more experienced fighters. In season 1, this made sense because he was still a rookie but we saw him improve and move past his flaws because he didn't want to be a burden to anyone, but this is undone for this season and now, he's become a glorified punching bag or a victim so that other characters save him.

Don't get me wrong. I like Ichika on principle and I enjoy him when he is done well, but for the most part, it didn't really amount to much. This season was a huge disservice to the character and his community. (5/10)

Art
Say what you will about season 2, but you can't deny it puts its money where its mouth is; and by that, I mean that the show delivers some really good action scenes when the show remembers that it's supposed to feature action scenes. The choreography, the CGI, the explosions and the backgrounds all look amazing, but unfortunately, the great aesthetic values of this show are not enough to save it from its painfully bad character writing and plot progression. This is a clear example of a story choosing style over substance. (7/10)

Sounds
The OP and ED songs are good, but nothing too memorable. That said, credit should go to the singers for giving it their all. As for the vocal performances, I didn't even bother with the Japanese version, so I'm just gonna address the English version.

It's always a pleasure to hear the talents of Josh Grelle (Ichika), Monica Rial (Houki), Brittney Karbowski (Cecilia) and even Tiffany Grant (Laura). Even Luci Christian did a fine job with the dual roles of both Chifuyu and Madoka and you'd have a hard time distinguishing them. Voicing the Sarashiki sisters are Jessica Calvello (Tatenashi) and Kira Vincent-Davis (Kanzashi) and I have to say they did a pretty good job with what they were given. Look, when I dislike a character, I don't hold it against the actor, I hold it against the writer because the actors are just reading lines from a script. The writer is the one in control of the story and it's not the actor's fault his/her character was conceptually bad or had bad development. (7/10)

Conclusion
Infinite Stratos 2 isn't bad, but rather, mediocre. Unfortunately, it's one of those cases where mediocrity is worse than outright badness. Why? It's simple, really. Badness inspires action, while mediocrity inspires comformity. If this was a bad show, the people behind it would move mountains to make season 3 as exciting and memorable as possible; but since this show is mediocre, the show settles into a comfortable formula and feels no need to change.

At the end of the day, I see Infinite Stratos 2 as the embodiment of wasted potential: a show that could have been great but ended up being just tolerable. It wasn't offensively bad, but it left a lot to be desired, which makes me wonder: "where do we go from here?" It's 2021 and there haven't been any news about season 3. This is the saddest part of it all because Infinite Stratos, as a whole, isn't conceptually bad and has a lot of room for improvement and I'm sure a lot of people want the story to continue, but from the looks of it, Infinite Stratos has been kept in some sort of holding pattern and we have no idea what will happen to it. Infinite Stratos isn't dead but it isn't alive either and in the end, only time will tell if this story even has a future at all. (6/10).

After the events of season 1 of Infinite Stratos, we get this fun little detour that delves into the summer vacation of Ichika and his friends. Do they have any fun? Did I have any fun? Well, let's hop on and find out, shall we?

Story
The adventures of the IS team continue in this fun little OVA that depicts all the girls in Ichika's harem dropping in unannounced in his house for a summer visit; which of course, is just a recipe for romantic comedic hijinx. Aside from that, though, nothing major actually happens here and, aside from a single partial deployment, the titular weapon itself ... doesn't even make an appearance. That said, not everything needs to a world-shaking event in a story, so I'm glad we get to see the characters relax, have fun and not having to fight for their lives... for once. (6/10)

Characters
The characters are their usual selves from season 1 and, aside from Houki, they don't experience any major development here. That said, it's fun watching the characters bounce off each other and engage in witty banter because it shows how close they have become. Even though they are rivals for Ichika's attention, they still acknowledge each other as friends, and that's always a positive in stories where you are supposed to care about the characters.

The character who does evolve in this OVA is Houki, but to be fair, the development is nothing major. She just thinks about Ichika and how different her life could have been had the IS never been invented and she could stay and live with him. Again, this isn't necessarily a bad thing because short stories like this one gives us a window in the characters' minds and allow us to feel for them and the situations they're in. (8/10)

Art
Since the titular weapons see virtually no use in this short story, the show can use its budget more conservatively and focus more on the actions of the characters. The actions are more fluid and the close-ups to the characters faces are more detailed. I myself enjoyed Houki's dance near the end of the OVA. (8/10)

Sound
The entire cast of season 1 returns to voice the characters present in this OVA, but the standout performances has to be from Monica Rial (Houki), as the OVA allows us to see the more vulnerable and human side of Houki; something that we only saw bits and pieces of in season 1. We also get a nice new ED song by Youko Hikasa, Houki's Japanese VA. (8/10)

Conclusion
Does this OVA continue the story of Infinite Stratos in any meaningful way? No. Should you still watch it? Yes! Why? Because of the good character moments and the good development of the relationship between Houki and Ichika. If you ask me, character writing should take priority over narrative progression, even when, in theory, any good story should have a healthy balance between both; but this OVA did the right thing by prioritizing the characters over the story because are the vehicles in which we experience the events of the story. The story itself won't matter if it doesn't have characters we grow to care for and sympathize with. I've said that before and I'm sure I'll say it again. (7/10)

I actually watched Infinite Stratos a few years ago back when I first got interested in anime; more specificially harem anime. I admit I didn't watch the full series and I only watched the first 5 or so episodes, so I decided to go watch it again and refresh my memories about it. I've heard that IS hasn't really aged that well compared to other harem shows, so I'm here to see if that claim is true or it's just that other harem shows are still onboard the hype train. So, let's get this show on the road.

Spoiler alert!

Story
Infinite Stratos is the name of a ... cybernetic suit of armor that combines aspect of an Iron Man armor and a mobile suit from Gundam and, for some reason, can only be used by weapon. And yet, for some reason, our protagonist Ichika is the only male in the world capable of using an IS and that means he gets enrolled in the prestigious IS Academy; where he unexpectedly becomes a celebrity for his rare status and, yes, he gets a harem.

Much like other harem shows, Infinite Stratos wastes no time in introducing ladies for the main character's harem (I get to that later), but at the same time, it devotes a fair amount of time in exploring the titular weapons' powers and abilities. That said, I would have appreciated a bit more world-building in this series. The world outside the IS Academy practically doesn't exist and we're only told, not shown, that the IS changed the nature of warfare. Of course, a war featuring the titular weapons would distract from life at the IS Academy, so it's not like we were gonna get a full explanation of what's happening out there, unless it directly affects the main characters. (6/10)

Characters
Characters are the lifeblood of a story. You can have as many fight scenes, wonderful scenery and world-building as you want, but those things won't matter if your story doesn't have characters your audience can sympathize with and get behind. I've said this before and I'm sure I'll say it again.

Ichika doesn't have much personality beyond your typical harem everyman. He is just a blank slate for viewers to picture themselves as him and facilitate immersion into the story. The only real defining aspect of Ichika is that he is clueless about other girls' affections and the show just treats it a funny quirk of is, even when the other girls might as well be carrying big neon signs that say "I love you."

That said, it's not like the other girls have... believable reasons to fall in love with Ichika. Well, at least some of them. Houki, the first female character we're introduced to, and the closest thing the show has to a deuteragonist (essentially the second most important character in the story) has history with Ichika. They've known each other since they were kids. Unfortunately, events transpired that caused her to become emotionally withdrawn and distant from Ichika and she has trouble expressing that she is in love with him and often relies on ridiculous ploys like winning a tournament instead, well, asking him out on a date.

The other childhood friend, Rin, is a lot more straightforward in her affections towards Ichika, but she lacks Houki's depths. Cecilia, the high and mighty aristocrat from England, falls in love with Ichika because... uh, reasons. No, seriously, why does she fall in love with him again? Because he almost beat her in a fight? Okay, then. Laura, the German soldier, also has no reason to fall in love with Ichika and only does so because of plot convenience.

The only other believable relationship Ichika has in the show, aside from Houki, is with Charlotte, who pretends to be a boy in an elaborate ploy from her father to gain secrets about the titular weapon. Once that plot goes FUBAR, Ichika and Charlotte get closer and as a result, the progression of their relationship feels more natural, at least compared to the other relationships in the show.

Aside, from the main harem, there's also Chifuyu, Ichika's older sister and world-renowned IS champion. She is strict and professional most of the time, but in her very rare of moments of leisure, she likes teasing the other girls about the time she likes spending with Ichika (not that we see that time on-screen of course). Oh, and there's also Houki's sister, who invented the IS in the first place and there might be to her than meets the eye, but the show only hints that in the few moments of the final episode.

Infinite Stratos is all over the place with its cast of characters, and I have certain grievances with them, such as lacking character development or being just there to fill out the cast list, but for the most part, the characters do more right than they do wrong. (7/8)

Art
If there's one thing I can find no fault with in Infinite Stratos is the blend between CGI and hand-drawn animation. For the most part, everything is hand-drawn, especially the human characters; but the the titular weapons themselves CG-rendered and the show carefully frames its shots to avoid depicting the characters as CG models when an action scene breaks out, so I can't fault it for playing smart with its aesthetics, either. Honestly, I did enjoy how dynamic and fast-paced the action scenes where and how the characters switch places and fly and skate around the battlefield, further highlighting the titular weapon's mobility; so if nothing else, you can enjoy Infinite Stratos as a good action show. (8/10)

Sounds
The OP and ED songs were kinda catchy when I first listened to them and I remember listening to the OP over and over again, back when I first obsessed with the show. With my obsession gone, I don't plan on listenting to the OP anytime soon but still, credit goes to the artist for making it in the first place.

The soundtrack used for the fight scenes were incredible. Some were a bit repetitive, like during Ichika's fights with Cecilia and Rin, but others were genuinely haunting and gave me a genuine sense of dread, like the big battle with the Gospel.

As for the vocal performances, well, I did watch the show in Japanese; but since I only watched a few scenes of that version; I will only focus on the English version. It's always a pleasure to listen to the talented voices of Josh Grelle (Ichika) Monica Rial (Houki), Brittney Karbowski (Cecilia) and even Luci Christian (Chifuyu). Also, I think this is my first time listening to Shannon Emerick (Charlotte) in a major role and, while I do like her performance, I do find it to be a bit boyish, especially when Charlotte's gender is revealed, so it stands no reason for Emerick to use that tone for her character. I also liked the German accent of Tiffany Grant (Laura) and she actually makes it sound convincing; so really, we can't fault the VAs for wanting viewers to further immerse themselves into the story by putting on accents. (8/10)

Conclusion
I wouldn't call Infinite Stratos a masterpiece, but then again, it never to be such in order to be enjoyable. Just so you know, this TV show wasn't the first major show of the harem genre but it did bring so many known tropes and conventions of the genre into the forefront. Yeah, watching this show in 2021 alongside the parade of other harem shows does make it look dated, but the characters and the action scenes are more than enough to carry it. Infinite Stratos does more right than it does wrong and I do recommend it for fans of the harem genre. (7/10)

It's been quite some time since I've written a review, so it's safe to say that I've gotten a little rusty, so please bear with me, okay? I wasn't expecting much from this TV show back when it was first announced and I kept my expectations low when I tuned in. Still, I gave this show a chance and that's all that matters. So, was Fena any good? Well, let's hop in and find out, shall we?

Story
I've got to admit I don't have the best knowledge on stories about pirates and marines (except for those Pirates of the Caribbean movies), but I think this show ... has a good premise: finding the legendary land of Eden and discover its secrets. It's a simple story about adventure and excitement across the ocean, filled with humor, romance and certain elements of mysticism, but that only comes into play till the last stage of the story.

I really enjoyed the comedy of the story (mainly delivered by our titular protagonist) and the action sequences were very well-made, with believable emotional stakes and real danger for the characters involved. (7/10)

Characters
Even with people forget about stories, they will always remember characters and this show does honor that statement by putting the characters before the main story itself. Our protagonist, Fena, is a great example of a proudly feminine character, which is becoming rarer and rarer in an age where people believe that women can only be respected if they act like men. Fena does try to act manly by becoming a fighter or learning engineering, traditionally male roles; but ultimately accepts that those roles are unbecoming of her and the story does not villify her because of it. Quite the opposite, in fact. Fena succeds in her goals because of her femininity, her true self, not because she tries to become something she is not.

That said, this is a show about pirates and there are plenty of fighters to go around, women included. The show also treats the female characters with respect and makes them every bit as valid and competent as their male counterparts, such as Fena's friend Karin and the pirate captain O'Malley, who are very good at what they do and take crap from no one.

Of course, every good adventure story needs a romantic element and this comes in the form of Fena's relationship with her protector Yukimaru. While this relationship is a bit clichéd (she is cheerful and energetic, while he is stoic and brooding), their more private moments prove to be the most powerful in the whole story because they have gotten so used to each other's presence that they can be themselves, without fear of being put down by anyone.

I also found it surprising that Abel, the closest thing the show has to a primary antagonist, was a surprisingly sympathetic character. Even if viewers don't condone his actions, they can at least sympathize with his motivations, especially when his backstory is revealed and we see what kind of circumstances would turn Abel into the person he is today.

Character writing is the strongest aspect of this show and I think every other show should take cues from Fena and remember that characters will always be remembered even when stories are forgotten (9/10).

Art
Everything looks so bright and shiny! No, seriously, I mean everything from the rocks, the sea, the sky, even the eyes of the characters! Wow! A lot of detail went into the background designs and the ships. No matter what you think of Fena, you can't deny that its technical achievements are impressive. (9/10).

Sounds
While the opening and ending songs are really good, they aren't that memorable and I'll probably forget about them in a while. What really made the show for me was the quality of its voice acting, the English version to be more specific. Brittany Cox was the perfect choice for Fena, conveying a good sense of innocence, bravery, kindness and even sadness. Robb Morerira was an excellent foil for Brittany as the introverted Yukimaru and the two VAs really played well off each other during their moments together. I also liked the performance of Ryan Nicolls as the tragic Able, allowing viewers to sympathize with a villainous character despite his actions throughout the story. (8/10).

Conclusion
In closing here, Fena is a good show. Sure, it won't rewrite the book on anime-making, but then again, this show never needed to do that. I don't need every story I watch to be some sort of masterpiece that opens my eyes that a completely new reality of storytelling, I just need them to be good story and Fena passes that test with flying colors. (8/10)

The adventures of everybody's favorite male idol group continue in the latest season of IDOLiSH7. COVID-19 wasn't kind to, well, anyone in particular and the anime was no different, so this particular season of I7 would have to move mountains in order to get out of the hurdle the pandemic had placed its second season 2. So, was season 3 of I7 any good? Well, let's hop on and find out, shall we?

Story
One of the things I've always admired about IDOLiSH7 is that it digs deep into the complications and intricacies of the idol business and this season ramps things up to 11 by introducing ... a genuinely antagonistic group in the form of ZOOL, which threatens to rip our favorite idol groups apart by using underhanded tactics like spreading lies, rumors and misinformation, which, as some people deeply involved in the entertainment industry will tell you, happens very often in real life.

Off-stage politics play a huge part in this season's intrigue, as I7, TRIGGER and Re:Vale struggle to maintain their sincerity and genuine hard work against a group that freely admits to have been manufactured. Once again, IDOLiSH7 depicts the dark side of the entertainment industry. Some people don't care about art or entertainment, they just care about making money and will do whatever it takes to get it, even if that means disrespecting others and tarnishing their reputations.

Without giving away too much, this season ends in something of a cliffhanger that leaves you both worried about our protagonists and excited about what will happen next. (7/10)

Characters
Of course, IDOLiSH7 wouldn't be the roaring success it is today without characters to push the narrative forward. Characters are the life-blood of the story and I7 is primarily a character-driven story. After 2 seasons of playing coy about his past, Yamato is finally forced to confront the demons of his past, a past he hoped against hope itself would stay buried and I feel this was the turning point of the entire season. No matter how hard you try to bury it, your past will catch up to you. It's how you deal with those demons what defines you as a person.

The antagonists are a bit of a mixed bag for me. On one hand, they're interesting because they provide the greatest challenge I7 has faced so far. On the other hand, they feel bland and generic. The antagonists are an evil corporate executive and his group of manufacted idols. That's it. That's a concept that has been used countless times in multiple media, and this season doesn't put an interesting spin on it.

Despite this, I7 succeeds in what matters most: making me care about the characters and their struggles. (8/10)

Art
At this point, it shouldn't be a surprise that I7 features some of the most stunning visuals in anime history. Everything from the character designs and movements to the brightness and backgrounds looks clean and refined. If this was a rushed job, it is significantly better than a rushed job has any right to be. (8/10).

Sounds
As expected of an idol anime, I7 does not disappoint with its music; but what really sticks with me is the voice work. I think the best scene in the whole season was the scene where Yamato bares his soul to his friends about his past and his relationship with his father. Not only does it provide good character development for Yamato, it gives Yuusuke Shirai a chance to display his talents as a VA. (8/10)

Conclusion
In closing here, season 3 of IDOLiSH7 is a good continuation to the story of our favorite idols. Like I said before, if this was a rushed job, it is better than a rushed job has any right to be. Right from the beginning, we were told that this was merely setup to a story that will be continued in a later season, so I can only hope that new season reaches sooner rather than later; but for now, we have 3 seasons to enjoy. (8/10)