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My Broken Mariko is about a woman who reminisces about the times she spent with her best friend after she learns that her best friend committed suicide. But it's too short for a work that deals with topics such as suicide, abuse, longing, and sometimes regret and anger. There is no story in particular, and for the reason I just mentioned about it being way too short, there isn't enough time to connect with or empathize with the characters. While the feelings of a woman who lost her best friend and her anger towards life in general are beautifully presented at times, I think the ... manga fails to deliver any message. In addition, the most unacceptable part for me is that the manga does not reach any conclusion.

I won't comment on whether to recommend it or not because despite the problems I mentioned above, it is a very short manga that does not require much time.

The film must have been damaged or something. Because it was only filled with worst possible animations, designs and sound effects. I don't know what the movie was about or why it was shot. There was only one thing I knew for sure. This young man in the suit seemed to be the main character because the movie was based entirely on him. It was so gruesome and I didn't get the point of it. But still that man kept wearing his suit and being the worst main character in the worst anime ever, through the duration of the movie. Without even realizing it... I ... found my hand was clenched in a fist and I went to the bathroom to puke.


(I just tried to write my opinion of this pile of garbage called Hametsu no Mars by using and changing a quote from Fire Punch. If you care about your sanity, I advice you stay away from this horrid shit show. Trust me, even 19 minutes can have serious effects on your life.)

Hajime no Ippo: New Challenger continues where it left off in the first season. Ippo is now the Japan Featherweight champion. But in the second season, Ippo is not in the major role and the anime focuses more on other characters, especially on Takamura. Which is something great because in my first season review, I mentioned that the characters of this anime are its greatest weapon so focusing more on Miyata, Eiji and Takamura was great to watch. I think each of them took themselves a step further and became even better characters than before. But I can't say the same for Ippo.

Ippo wasn't ... an original main character in season one, which is not something bad as I also mentioned in my review for the first season. After all, this is still an adaptation of a shounen manga that is older than 30 years. But despite that, Ippo was an enjoyable character to watch. He was determined, hard-working and a character whose progress was again, enjoyable to witness. But in season two, Ippo felt like he was going backwards instead of improving. I know being arrogant isn't in his character, but for a Japan Featherweight champion, he still remains so passive about certain things. I would never want Ippo to be arrogant or cocky but I would really appreciate seeing him gaining some self-confidence since it is very different from being arrogant.

If I to talk about the matches, they were more legendary but as might be expected, they were far more exaggerated than season one. Do I mind that? Honestly, no. Because this season, no matter how exaggerated it was, had the best fight of Hajime no Ippo so far without a doubt.

Visually, the image quality has increased much more, naturally. Opening and ending wise, second season is still as good as the first season but I have to say, It was sad that I could not hear some of the soundtracks that fit the atmosphere in this season.

As conclusion, New Challenger, despite some minor problems, is a pretty good season as a continuation of the first season. Those minor problems are the reason why I'm not giving it a 10 again.

Well this is my first time reading a one shot manga so I'm not too sure about how to review it so I'll keep it basic and short.

The story is about a girl named Akino. As she is visiting the mountains with her father one day during Autumn, she finds some blue leaves and then, she comes across with a blue tree. There, she meets a boy named Konoha whose spirit lives in that blue tree. Akino learns that she can only see Konoha during Autumn so she waits for Autumn to come each year as she starts hating other seasons.

The problem I have with ... this manga is the fact that it failed to give a more tragic ending. I expected something more impactful since this is a one shot and there is not much to say about its characters or its story, only the ending could have made it memorable.

To sum up, I say the story is rather cliché, art is simplistic yet good enough but as I said, it doesn't have a memorable ending. It was still a different experience so my overall rating is 6.

From the storytelling to its pacing, to the way it blends the theme of depression with philosophy, literature and a little bit of romance on top of wise usage of symbolism, Aku no Hana was both a tiring and a wonderful experience for me. I would like to go into more details of all of them, but I haven't been able to get over the tiredness of just finishing Aku no Hana yet, still I wanted to write this review when my memories are fresh. I'm not saying tiredness as a bad trait. I just held my breath and went with it all the way ... till the end. Towards the end, I actually felt my heart tighten.

Even if the drawings are not out of the ordinary, they are good enough to reflect the subject and the impact of the events as well as the emotions of the characters. By the way, I don't think any of the characters are worthy of being remembered, but each of them is very important in this story. While the situations they find themselves in, their reactions and the things they say are not always realistic, I think this was done to highlight the issues Aku no Hana covers and the story it wants to tell. So I don't consider this a minus entirely.

The reason I'm giving Aku no Hana 10 points is not because it does everything perfectly. The reason is entirely because of the feelings it gave me. I'm still under its influence since I just finished it. A few days later, when I think about it with a calmer mind, its score may drop a little.(To 9 or 8 at most) But I don't think the fact that it's among my favorite mangas now will change. I recommend you try it and see for yourself.

Hajime no Ippo, in short, is about a boxer coming from scratch and trying to reach the belt. The subject may seem simple when viewed from the surface, but with its narration, depth and a very good focus on almost every character, the subject comes out of simplicity and the atmosphere becomes fun as well as dramatic. By the end of 2022, Hajime no Ippo is a solid proof of how fun and beautiful cliches can be.

Characters are the best part of Hajime no Ippo. Not a single one of them are subject dummies. The main group of four is truly well written. Ippo's ... determination to be a pro boxer as well as helping his mother along the way, Takamura's goal of being the strongest, having a noisy and humorous personality but his ability to shift himself into a role model for Ippo and for others when it is necessary, Aoki and Kimura being absolutely the best duo out there and so on. The show does not stop there. We get to see Ippo's opponents backgrounds as well and they are not made just to fill the gaps. They are actually important, as the audience you feel they are important. When they start breaking each other in the ring, you can not even decide who to root for. I think this is something really important when you watch or read any kind of fiction.

Since this is a boxing anime, what about the box matches you ask? They are very exciting. None of it lasts for 20 episodes like many other shounens (and sports animes in this case) out there. There are no magical super punches, no fake techniques. Of course, this is an anime after all so the matches are flashier than actual boxing but every technique the boxers use like peek-a-boo, dempsey roll, gazelle punch, southpaw etc are actual and legit moves the real boxers use and the show does a real good job on doing homage to the real life boxing legends.

And the soundtracks... They are amazing. They fit perfectly to the genre and the setting. Just search for them, even if you don't watch Hajime no Ippo, I'm sure you can still enjoy the soundtracks. (My personal favorite is Irradiation. Whenever I listen to it, Ippo is training constantly in the back of my head.)

To sum up, Hajime no Ippo contains everything from daily life together with sports. Each episode is exciting and it makes you lose count of how many times it got you hyped up. With its great characters, great soundtracks, great sense of humour and great ability to know when to get sad, I definetely say it is a must watch.

(Technically this is not a review. This is just the words of a Bleach fan.)

When Bleach ended nearly 10 years ago and when its manga ended nearly 6 years ago, I was heartbroken probably like every other Bleach fan out there. I was heartbroken because I thought we'd never get to see Thousand-Year Blood War arc on screen. I DID MY WAITING, 10 YEARS OF IT! Jokes aside, the day I thought would never come finally arrived. I just completed it and I still can not believe I actually watched 13 episodes of TYBW on screen. The day the first episode aired, I was afraid ... that my expectations (due to the long waiting) could never be satisfied but I have never felt so wrong in my life. TYBW exceeded my high expectations and left me craving for more.

Amazing animations from character designs to battle scenes, heavy tension from the beginning till the end, bloodbath, amazing flashbacks for characters like Unohana, Zaraki, Isshin and Masaki, Yamamoto and so on. TYBW gave me everything I could possibly ask for, except more episodes but hell, my waiting for the arrival of the continuation of this will be easier now compared to the past because I know it will be here sooner or later.

Even though I don't really enjoy shounens that much anymore, Bleach will always have a special place in my heart and I will keep enjoying it even if I'm 60 years old. Thank you Tite Kubo for this amazing work and thank you studio Pierrot for bringing this work into life so brilliantly.

10/10

In 2036, the existence of a new dimension called Dimension W has been proven. Unlimited energy can be obtained from Dimension W with electromagnetic induction devices, which are produced and called coils. Collaborating with governments, New Tesla Energy company builds a total of sixty gigantic tower-shaped structures around the world, taking the energy current from Dimension W and transmitting it to the coils. Thanks to the coils that can fit in the palm of your hand, all kinds of electronic devices can work and there is no need for electricity or oil. In 2072, when the anime took place, the new technology was well established ... in human life, and there was no area where it was not used. One feature of the coils is that they give feedbacks to New Tesla Energy. In other words, they are under constant supervision to prevent abuse. When this is the case, bad people have started to produce and use illegal coils in order not to be followed. And bounty hunters called "Collectors" are assigned to seize these illegal coils. Our main character is one such collector, Mabuchi Kyouma. He is an incredible fighter and knife thrower and he hates coils because of a past experience. He does not use any device that works with a coil on it, even his car runs on gasoline. In such a world, while Mabuchi is doing his job, one day he meets Mira. Mira is an android that was created directly by the founder of New Tesla Energy. After that point, Mabuchi's bounty hunting business takes a different direction and his past is revealed.

As I said, Dimension W is about Mabuchi's adventure. He is a charismatic lone wolf but after he suddenly meets Mira, they start working together. The first few episodes of the anime taste like formality, we get to know the characters, we get to know the world of Dimension W. And unfortunately, I can say that these are the best parts of the anime because when the main subject comes into play, things start to get complicated. You may be confused by the reflections created by Dimension W, the overlapping of parallel universes and so on. Especially when I saw the turmoil in the last episodes, I personally found myself disconnected from the story a little. What I'm trying to say is, Dimension W is a production that requires a lot of attention and it is very difficult for it to be appealing to everyone in terms of its content.

The drawings of the anime are quite beautiful. Mabuchi's charismatic demeanor, Mira's innocent silliness are presented beautifully. I have nothing to say to the background drawings, they are perfect. Also the white shading effects used in the characters are very successful and they add a pleasant uniqueness. Dimension W's soundtracks are as strong as its visuals. The opening is very good and the soundtracks played during the episodes complement the atmosphere well.

I have one more thing to say about this anime and about cyberpunk genre in general. In terms of sci-fi and cyberpunk, Dimension W is quite underrated in my opinion especially when I think about all the garbage tier products that try to hide behind the "cyberpunk" mask, despite the fact that it can be difficult to understand at times. That being said, I still recommend Dimension W and I will remember it as a hidden gem.

Alcoholic Gin, transexual Hana and a runaway teenager Miyuki are three homeless friends trying to survive in poverty on the streets of Tokyo. One Christmas Eve, they find a newborn baby in the trash and they name her Kiyoko, which means pure child. Hana, who has always dreamed of being a mother, convinces Miyuki and Gin to keep the baby with them for that night. The next day, they set out from the seedy streets of Tokyo to the rich neighborhoods filled with illuminated streets to find the baby's mother. This journey will be the adventure of their lives; because the trio will have to ... face their own past as well. Tokyo Godfathers, with its slow pace from time to time, is a cute and noteworthy movie that blends comedy and sentimentality with success.

The characters are great and worth remembering. Hana is filled with love for the child and declares herself as the child's mother. Gin, the more rational member of the group despite being an alcoholic, tries to steer the group in the right direction and takes great care of the baby. However, Miyuki is annoyed by this newcomer and doesn't want to deal with it. The group spends the next few days on a chase, running after any leads they get, really warming up to the baby and making an effort to be a family. As the characters discover more about themselves, the film becomes more open, poignant and full of warmth.

Although Tokyo Godfathers is an old anime, it has animations beyond its time. The drawing quality and character designs are truly off the charts. For example, there are such realistic facial expressions in the movie that when you look at a character, you can immediately understand their past, what they are thinking or feeling at that moment. However, Tokyo Godfathers is not good enough musically. You feel the lack of it throughout the entire movie.

Even though I was not very familiar with works of Satoshi Kon till now, three of his movies (Tokyo Godfathers, Paprika and Perfect Blue) have been on my plan to watch list for quite some time. Finally I decided to watch one of them and I picked Tokyo Godfathers because it was a perfect time to watch a Christmas movie and Tokyo Godfathers feels like it is a great way to get familiar with Kon's work. I would not mind giving it a solid 10 but as I said, musically it was not really satisfactory and it's a shame because otherwise it really would be a masterpiece, even though it is already very good as it is.

8/10

I'm glad I added yet another one of the classics to my repertoire but I'm also slightly disappointed. What I expected from Akira and what it actually turned out to be differed quite a lot. During the first 20 minutes or so, I was really enjoying it. A post-apocalyptic city in the grasp of gang violence, terrorism, oppressive government and poverty. Awesome animations, soundtracks, cool futuristic bikes and our "badass" bike gang. Their quarrel with the other gang will be enjoyable to watch, I said to myself and we will get some character development till hell breaks loose, I also thought. Then the story took ... a drastic turn so quickly that it felt like I accidentally switched the tab and started watching another anime. When that drastic turn happens, everything I've watched until that point felt meaningless and like a waste. But the biggest problem is, when that turn happens and the story changes, it gets worse. It is very vague and cryptic even, which is not something necessarily bad but in Akira, it feels like this was not a choice but simply incompetence on story-telling and world-building because characters are just as bad. Tetsuo sucked so bad as an antagonist but Kaneda was slightly better, however both of them and everyone else lacked personalities and depths and none of them actually achieved anything so this once again made me feel like this is all pointless.

Animation and soundtrack are the redeeming qualities of Akira and they are the reasons why I don't see it a total waste of time. It has iconic scenes and you can tell that it inspired lots of modern anime, which alone worth praising. It is just sad it lacks a story and decent characters to go along with those animations.

6/10