My Hero Academia: Vigilantes — It's "Your Friendly Neighbourhood Spider-Man", MHA style! Simple, straightforward, and effective.
In all of what the AniManga industry has to offer since the turn of the millennium, I'm actually surprised that within the oversaturated pile of shows in each passing year, we don't actually see a lot of spin-offs from well-known franchises, or they're so gravely overlooked by the masses, thinking that they're like short snippets of the representation of their own universes. Sure, there have been spin-offs where the main series still has content that diverges along the offshoots (a great example of this would be KonoSuba's spin-off of
...
Spring 2023's Kono Subarashii Sekai ni Bakuen wo! a.k.a KonoSuba: An Explosion on This Wonderful World!, which features Megumin), as well as franchises that have relation only as much as from the companies that made the IPs themselves (a la Kadokawa's Isekai Quartet).
However, if there's one such IP that's to be duly noted, it would be the franchise of Boku no Hero Academia a.k.a My Hero Academia. The world of famed mangaka Kohei Horikoshi's creation that defined the generation of Shonen fans of the 2010s, as well as the AniManga market that we see with Shueisha's Weekly Shonen Jump magazine that has featured massively popular Shonen works since then, you can't tell me that you've gone under the radar and lived under a rock to not see one glimpse of MHA that's been going around the internet for the past decade or so. Its influence is quite the monumental foundation that set the standard for Shonen fans when Bones dropped the anime series in Spring 2016 and has developed quite the roller coaster of an adaptation that is coming to an end with the final season this Fall, putting the final touches on a Weekly Shonen Jump work that has consistently been THE buzzword for a full decade.
But, not to be outdone, even to the hardcore fans of the now-recently concluded manga, there is another series that depicts the MHA life, though it is set back in a period before the parent story would see all of its development birthed from the events that transpired from there. This is author Hideyuki Furuhashi's completed manga series of Vigilantes -Boku no Hero Academia- ILLEGALS a.k.a My Hero Academia: Vigilantes, the spin-off and prequel that's set 5 years before the mainline series, which I think would be the perfect series to get the ardent MHA haters onboard without having to suffer the problems of the mainline series.
Something that you may not know about Hideyuki Furutachi himself is that he used to be like any author writing his/her own series, with the equivalence of one-shot LNs and the like, before dabbing into GoHands's Project K series with its diverging LN and manga variants that serve part of the story (but in a spin-off way). The rest, with Vigilantes, is history.
The world of Vigilantes, as compared to the mainline series, is a lot darker and grittier, despite having the "Friendly Neighbourhood Spider-Man" vibes that show otherwise, where Quirks are seen to be "reserved" for the superheroes and villains going about their usual heroic and cynical ways possible, dictating whatever it is that they want to do, without any restrictions whatsoever. And at the heart of it all, in the city of Naruhara, stands the unassuming college student of 19-year-old Koichi Haimawari, nicknamed "The Crawler" with his Quirk of Slide and Glide, going by his everyday mundane life trying to be the (Pro) Hero that never was to help people in trouble, thus earning illegal heroes like him another name: Vigilantes. Though there are the true Pro Heroes that do exist in capacity, like U.A.'s Class 1-A homeroom teacher Shota "Eraser Head" Aizawa (though U.A. doesn't quite exist in Vigilantes's world), society was largely unregulated, and it was thought that both minor and major implications against the stereotypical villains could be handled by the Pro Heroes alone. However, this case becomes relevant to backfire all the more when Koichi gets acquainted with a street performer and is attacked by villains wreaking havoc across the city, only to be stopped by someone who's just like them, and thus, the story of Vigilantes was birthed between the regular neighbourhood hero of Koichi "The Crawler" Haimawari, the street performer of Kazuho "Pop☆Step" Haneyama, and the strong, bulky old man of Iwao "Kunckleduster" Oguro.
The one SOLE question that you'll definitely hear on the grapevine, sadly, is one that pretty much echoes in the backdrops of what My Hero Academia has become over the years: the Quirk of the story and plot being Quick and Swift, and establishing many characters that have grown to nurture quite the various levels of reputation that follow them throughout the series in general. However, if you hate all that and desire some true, down-to-earth premise that puts characters on the back end and lets its story be the stipend of the focus, then Vigilantes is most certainly right up your alley, for both MHA and non-MHA fans in general, being a suitable "replacement" setting of sorts. And with Vigilantes nurturing every part of the "Friendly Neighbourhood Spider-Man" comic book style theme, I'd say that what Hideyuki Furuhashi created here is one that will finally put the aforementioned question into the books of why this series stands better in contrast against the mainline series that depicts your stereotypical but good Shonen superhero story in a classic but effective way to get its audience involved in its matters.
And matters in Vigilantes, it really deserves all of the highlight, not just in the manga, but how it's expressed here being translated into the anime. For one, VA Shuichiro Umeda does an outstanding job depicting Koichi and his neighbourhood vibes, so much so that for anyone who has watched the mainline series prior to Vigilantes (myself included), it can take time to get used to a voice that's unlike Izuku "Deku" Midoriya for an MC, and it really works. The happy, lucky, and chappy but broke college student has quite the charm as Peter Parker's character that's brimming with life. He's messy around the edges, but the strong foothold feeling of his to genuinely want to help people no matter the cost is telling that characterization IS KING here, and it does to full effect. On the other hand, you could say that Kazuho is the fanservice character with her rather skimpy hero outfit that supplements her Quirk of Leap, which enables her to jump high, and is quite the performer, being able to entice her group of hardcore fans with her dance choreography and likeness to civilians and heroes and villains alike. However, the same could not be said for Oguro, whose rather big build and strong personality in both physical and mental weight are the ire of just about anyone who crosses his path, and you do not want to get on his bad side. Despite his strong power that's indicative of having a Quirk, it's just his raw strength that drives into others his fists of justice as a vigilante.
The trio as a group, and being Naruhata's representation of the illegal hero Vigilantes, puts a message to the actual pro heroes (like All Might) that of a society where, if not maintained, the significant events down the road (as such with the season's antagonist of Kuin "Queen Bee" Hachisuka) will punch a devastating hole that would weaken the morality of its surroundings and put a dent in the affair of heroes vs. villains that will set the stage for the events of the main series to come. And this story plot and premise here, which features Knuckleduster enlisting the help of Koichi to track down a dangerous drug that could boost the user's Quirk at the expense of their rationality, I can guarantee you, is far more interesting than the entirety of My Hero Academia in general, replacing action for story and centralized characterization that intrigues all the more, for better.
Of course, with such an integral work as the spin-off of Vigilantes, surely it has got to look and sound different from what we've come to expect out of MHA right? And yes, it does, still being handled by Bones (though now under their wholly owned production division spin-off subsidiary of Bones Film) and given every bit of workout as much as the mainline studio has given its effort to the mainline series over the years. The production is just as great, embracing the comic book format and style, right down to the effects that you would commonly find in superhero stories, and given both its visual and sound impacts whenever possible. You can always trust Bones, and especially JoJo no Kimyou na Bouken a.k.a JoJo's Bizarre Adventure's series director Kenichi Suzuki, to deliver the impact that's to love about Vigilantes in overall subtlety.
The music is just as great, but it shouldn't be a surprise, as both rookie composers Shogo Yamashiro and Yuki Furuhashi accompany MHA's music composer Yuki Hayashi and sound director Masafumi Mima, so this is every bit of resurgence that Vigilantes doesn't stay out of touch as a direct affiliation to the main series. And for a debut Anisong, the middle child in a very prestigious family of talents that consists of television personality Arata Sugo, the elder brother of actor-singer Masaki Suda, and the younger brother of actor-model Araki Sugo (both of whom are film and TV veterans), Kocchi no Kento a.k.a Kento Sugo, who made his breakout single of "Hai Yorokonde" last year, is now an internet sensation with his OP song for Vigilantes, which is a clear front-runner for banger OPs of the Spring season. And while less impressive, yutori's ED does the job as decently as it does.
When it all comes together on a plate, Vigilantes -Boku no Hero Academia- ILLEGALS a.k.a My Hero Academia: Vigilantes, is a great example of what a spin-off should be: expanding upon the setting of the main series but only having as little affiliation with it as possible to create its own identity. It's even better when you think that you, the viewer, basically don't need to get forced to be shredded by both Deku and Bakugo at the same time and, instead, could just focus on the raw, unfiltered elements that form the core statement of Vigilantes.
"This is not the story of the best, but a story of a group of people who just want to do good and find their place in society." And MHA: Vigilantes NAILS that to a T.
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Jun 30, 2025 Recommended
My Hero Academia: Vigilantes — It's "Your Friendly Neighbourhood Spider-Man", MHA style! Simple, straightforward, and effective.
In all of what the AniManga industry has to offer since the turn of the millennium, I'm actually surprised that within the oversaturated pile of shows in each passing year, we don't actually see a lot of spin-offs from well-known franchises, or they're so gravely overlooked by the masses, thinking that they're like short snippets of the representation of their own universes. Sure, there have been spin-offs where the main series still has content that diverges along the offshoots (a great example of this would be KonoSuba's spin-off of ...
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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Jun 29, 2025
Sentai Daishikkaku 2nd Season
(Anime)
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Mixed Feelings
Go! Go! Loser Ranger, the 2nd Sunday Morning Battle Fest — Damn, this is REALLY the Ranger Reject portion coming alive now...
I had hopes that the newest creation of Gotoubun no Hanayome a.k.a The Quintessential Quintuplets' mangaka Negi Haruba, will go beyond what we've just seen on the surface with last Spring's showing, being one of pure intrigue and worth its weight to be demanded another look despite its flaws with its plot and gimmicks, literally a seasonal hidden gem if you will. However, come the sequel the following Spring season...and I'd have to say, it sure impresses AND not at the same time, which ultimately ... left a sour taste in my mouth. With the sequel here covering Volumes 7 to (mid of) 14 of the manga, at this point, you might be wondering: WHY, in a standard 12-episode season, does the adaptation for Season 2 go at a breakneck speed as compared to Season 1? Let's break it down: Despite my praise for how Season 1 turned out last year, there was a clear issue that pacing was one of the series' Achilles heels, with the season containing the introductory notes of the R1000 and D Survival arcs andthen proceeding with the Bailong's Nest exam arc, which was considered by manga readers to be the most crucial because of its content that will supersede into the anime as both cut and significant information for what's about to come. And through it all, the anime largely succeeded in still being able to feel consistent, despite the cut content that, in an otherwise standard seasonal showing, would've been the perfect stopping point for anime-onlines to read the manga further. And with Season 2's showing this Spring, it feels consistent at first going into Volume 6's adaptation with the Dreamy School Life arc, where Fighter D/Hibiki Sakurama teams up with the Green Battalion this time to investigate a cult group that was suspected to be working with one of the 12 Boss Monsters that was seemingly related to the disappearances of high school students. This "Endless Eight" arc is quite the sum of problems, where if a rule is violated, time resets to the very beginning, and you'll basically have to get all of the sequences 100% correct to reach the Boss Monster. It's quite the irritation and amusement to see Fighter D and the Green Battalion struggle a lot, though this is ever more important, especially for Hisui, given her life's calling to exact revenge on the monsters that decimated her childhood, which serves as a straight-line adaptation that feels every bit like the manga itself. Pass a few minor storylines of the Green Keeper and Monster Zoo arcs, and we arrive at the core meat of Season 2: the Invader Rights Association arc, where the Monster Protection Society claims its stance on protecting the monsters and decimating the Ranger Force and its Dragon Keepers, which is where Fighter D will realize that the goal of eliminating the Dragon Keepers...is more complex than it actually is, putting his objective in question as to which side he should actually commit to. This part, the biggest and most extensive arc thus far in the manga...got ABSOLUTELY BUTCHERED to bits in the season, to the point that people were getting lost in all developments going left, right, front, and centre. So have that if you will, as a precaution going into the anime sequel. For the most part, switching character gears to Fighter D/Hibiki Sakurama and his affiliation with the Green Battalion, and not to outdo what was presented in Season 1, but I actually found a better coherence here with the Duster himself alongside Green Keeper Chidori, Angel Usukubo, and Junior 1st-Rank Kanon Hisui, of whom the latter serves as his go-to support for pretty much the entire season, aside from meeting the same and new Boss Monsters. The focus on the Green Battalion here meant that the character switcheroo in Season 1 was bound to appear less often, and characterization can serve as the focus here for what his future will look like while dealing with the usual suspects of the Boss Monsters and the Monster Protection Society. It will serve quite the dilemma for Fighter D and what he has been aiming towards up to this point. Alas, not even the production holds up better than Season 1, not at all. Despite literally having the same staff, Yostar Pictures just somehow could not keep up with the animation, which Season 2 has a HELL of a lot of action involved in, and the cracks slowly start showing that seemingly good animation is only just a front and a fluke. The music too suffers from quite the monotonous melody as well. I know it's a tall order to trounce Tatsuya Kitani's Season 1 OP, which was, in all ways, perfect for the series, and while the once popular rock band Orange Range provided a decent OP song for Season 2 here, it's nowhere near as good and entertaining and now looks like just a normal OP song sequence. At least for Fukurou Note's ED, the POV changes from the Dragon Keepers in Season 1 to the Fighter Dusters here; it's also fine, but a song that I'll cease to ever remember when all is said and done. It's truly an understatement for me to tell you that Season 2 was just miles below average compared to Season 1, because not only was the butchering translation from the manga to the anime more obvious this season, but with the sequel being more serious than the prequel, it didn't have quite the belligerent impact that the manga had. All in all, it was a half-assed adaptation that both manga readers and anime-onliners from Season 1 need not have suffered this late in the game.
Reviewer’s Rating: 5
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Jun 29, 2025 Mixed Feelings
Reincarnated as a Neglected Noble: Raising My Baby Brother With Memories From My Past Life - It's sweet, it's endearing, and above all...it makes me want to sleep in its arms because it's TOO comfortable.
Look, I'm not against ideas of child-rearing between familial people of any age, particularly because they're designed to make you feel the "oohs" and the "ahhs" when you see people care for their loved ones. This is especially the case between siblings of younger ages, where they're most vulnerable to the world around them, and the older ones must help them navigate and teach them the correct ways before the world's ... influences, starting with their parents, will change them for good or for worse. And this is better shown through novelist Yashiro's lone work, which is Shirobuta Kizoku desu ga Zense no Kioku ga Haeta node Hiyoko na Otouto Sodatemasu (shortened to ShiroHiyo) a.k.a Reincarnated as a Neglected Noble: Raising My Baby Brother With Memories From My Past Life (the usual elongated LN title, I know), which depicts an exact scenario of an Isekai reincarnation story where, as much as adults try their best to string the royal children along, it's the children themselves that would have to defend one another, with some help from the typical past-life scenario. Isekai reincarnation stories are, by this point, so bread-and-butter-ish that nothing actually should surprise the heck out of anyone. This goes for the 5-year-old MC kid of Ageha Kikunoi, the only son of Count Kikunoi, in the face of the Asian tradition and the Western modernization cultures clashing together in the specialized Kiryuu Empire. More than just your typical MC who has little to no talent or skill, Ageha's proposition is that he's like a pig, overweight and only destined for less than what his own family promised him to be. However, one day, the other brother of Ageha's, the younger 3-year-old Regulus Bernstein Kikunoi, comes, who is set for his future star to rise in the kingdom...and slay his older brother in the process when they grow up? If you're thinking what I'm thinking, yeah, this is all sorts of weird, but an internal coup d'état is not a surprise, if even at all. Yet, for all of the negativity surrounding Ageha, there's only one thing that allows him to get by and do much good: memories from a past life (which is where the Isekai reincarnation inspiration comes from), enabling Ageha to help take care of his little 'brother while the adults fight their own political agendas (because why the hell would kids understand adults?). What Ageha could not do, he's certainly a better housekeeper to do all of the house's duties, as well as look out for the brother that he sees now as a literate Kawaii-ness of human fluff. From the cooking to item creations for Regulus's growing-up years, Ageha's future may be cooked, but what a time to live in the present and to help his brother grow up into a fine man, even though the same fine man would turn out to be his slain brother to take him down. The Kikunoi family may be one of the most hostile families we've seen in anime, but fear not, for the adults closest to the family's young brothers certainly will help them understand along the way. Instead of family figures, using the rather uncommon people, like an elf, the housemaid, and gods themselves, it's certainly a different rhetoric to provide education to the young boys who know no better. Starting off with the elf of Aleksei Romanov, he's the teacher in charge of Ageha's development on all that's to know about the construction of the world and its magic, and the young boy's questions and answers to him on every single occasion, because he's not a stuck-up kid who knows his situation best. Alongside the strong-headed woman of Adelheid Rottenmeier, the head maid of the Kikunoi family always looks out for the entire family and has to put up with its idiosyncrasies. I admire Rottenmeier for the shit that she has to go through keeping the sanity of the always eventful family, which has constant bickerings from time to time. This, coupled with the other lower maids (Elise, Elsa, and Alice Utsunomiya; the latter of the 3 having the most exposure) spending time with the younger brothers, and nothing says eventful quite like some action within the Kikunoi house itself. However, there's one more group of people that both Kikunoi brothers are acquainted with, and that is the gods themselves. To have people like Princess Hyakka and Igor be represented as gods with peculiar personalities helps to provide entertainment for both Ageha and Regulus in entertaining ways possible, like creating origami cranes and being inspired by songs from Ageha's previous world to see a musical of sorts. One thing's for sure, these gods are not devoid of any entertainment given to them by the Kikunoi brothers and will promise anything that they desire to manage them through turbulent moments. It's an unorthodox set of characters, that's for sure. With such a simple premise, surely the production itself doesn't need to put forth too much effort, yes? And indeed, it doesn't take one too much to just animate with as little effort as possible, as do Studio Comet and its in-house director Masafumi Sato in just making this as bright, colourful, and palatable as possible to appeal to those who love comfort. One thing I like about the show definitely lies in the music aspect. Composed by Arisa Okehazama, who has been in the AniManga industry since her days of working on MAPPA's Summer 2020 adaptation of The God of High School, the amount of experience she has, even working on low-profile shows like ShiroHiyo, proves that she can take anything and make it work. Even the OP and ED theme songs are quite good rhythmic ones, as is the case with every stylized Wanuka OP song and Ms. Ooja's simplistic but effective ED song. I wish I had many things to say of ShiroHiyo that are good, and while it doesn't offer much in the way of plot and premise, its characters do the bulk of the work that makes the series what it is. However, the anime is just too comfortable for me to ever enjoy anything, even to the point of boredom, to end up not vibing with the show. Maybe you feel different, and that's A-OK. ShiroHiyo is a comfort show after all, so be warned when you try to watch this show ahead of time thinking that it has something else to offer, that it ends up just being in its own circle of thought and never wandering elsewhere outside of the main plot.
Reviewer’s Rating: 5
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Jun 29, 2025
Uma Musume: Cinderella Gray
(Anime)
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Uma Musume: Cinderella Grey — Finally, something that's off the usual trodden path of the field...that's even better than the mainline series itself?
Horse Girls, make them female and give them a demihuman representation, and you have quite the double trouble awaiting you on the racetrack. Since Spring 2018, with the arrival of P.A. Works's adaptation of Uma Musume: Pretty Derby, one of a handful of IPs from one of the best modern game companies, CyGames, the series may have started in Japan all those years ago. But with every new iteration of the anime series, which has now brought about a large franchise, fans of Uma ... Musume are going bonkers left and right, with the latest development being the official English version of the game that has been recently released for smartphones on June 26 of this year (2025) (it's fairly new as of this review) so that international fans are not left out of the Uma Musume craze. Most importantly, in the context of the anime mentioned above, is a manga series that's part of the Uma Musume franchise but one that has its deep roots within the Japanese racehorse history books. This is the spin-off series of Uma Musume: Cinderella Gray, which features Oguri Cap and her claim to fame in Japan that's situated between the time of the late Showa era and the early years of the Heisei era, from 1987 through 1990, produced by Junnosuke Ito, illustrated by Taiyo Kuzumi, and written by Masafumi Sugiura, scriptwriter for Season 1 of the mainline series that has been serializing since June 2020. While I'm not going to do an overview about the real horse reference in question (you can read that for yourself on Wikipedia), the criticality of Cinderella Gray is where the series lies in the many veins of the Uma Musume universe. To be specific (as a pseudo-spoiler alert), you will recognize some of the horse girls who appear in this anime as the generation before the mainline series, but if it's in the vein of Oguri Cap, it's pretty much a prequel to the mainline series, being somewhat way back before Uma Musume's Tracen Academy was even a blip in the eyes of others. The story starts off at Kasamatsu Academy with its own home of horse girls, though if they were to compete competitively, it would only be on a regional level as compared to Tracen Academy aiming for the national and international levels. If you need a direct comparison to how Oguri Cap is like in this spin-off series, think of her similarly towards Season 2 of the mainline series where Tokai Teio takes centerstage, and the talented horsegirl that has a goal to make herself big, at least on a national stage. In Cinderella Gray's case, Oguri Cap has only one important mission to do: run as fast as possible and outdo her competitors, even if the country bumpkin herself doesn't see favour with the rest of the Kasamatsu Academy's horse girls. Namely, their version of the BNW girls of Biwa Hayahide, Narita Taishin, and Winning Ticket, through the likes of Norn Ace, Mini the Lady, and Rudy Lemono, alongside her good horsegirl buddy friend Belno Light and the trainer that makes all of her dreams possible: Joe Kitahara. As with every Uma Musume iteration, trying to push your limits towards the likes of national horse girls is a very tall order, but much like Tokai Teio's spirit, Oguri Cap does things the same, keeping her mother's dreams in mind as she makes it out to the local Kasamatsu Academy to refine her steps, one race at a time. And though she comes off as aloof (which gives some comedy space to her character), even under the pressure of the group of bullies who would try and sully her, she only has her ardent supporter of Belno Light help bail her out of trouble and take care of her everyday needs, like a helpless mother figure to her otherwise monotonous horse girl daughter. But still, the heart of Uma Musume is readily there, as Oguri Cap soon proves herself under the training of Joe and amasses local wins enough to make it to the famed Graded races in Japan, eventually meeting with her generation's bigwig rivals of Tamamo Cross, Super Creek, and Inari One (though they too appeared briefly in Season 1 of the mainline series). It's classic Uma Musume through and through. No doubt that with a CyGames IP, both P.A. Works and Studio Kai have experimented much with the mainline series, and they did an admirable job, considering that their animation arm was established but not ready for full-time anime production at the time. And come 5 years later, with PriConne's adaptation being the very first primetime anime production back in Spring 2020, after the mainline series' Road to the Top movie, CyGamesPictures is back with a vengeance, tackling their own IP franchise, and Cinderella Gray defintely benefits from an in-house, home-ground playing field of an immense production and great animation. No doubt that the studio has done well with the underrated hit of Apocalypse Hotel this Spring season as well, so it shouldn't really come as a surprise when the interconnected IP gets pretty much the same treatment as well. Really some great work that continues to seed the great image of CyGames and their animation division. The OST, I think, is top-notch, but given the work records of music composer Kenji Kawai, that's pretty much a given. And while I find that [Alexandros]'s OP here was decent, knowing their track record on Ao Ashi's 1st OP makes me feel that there's something holding the rock band back that feels incomplete. But not a bad effort at all. Even Oguri Cap's VA's ED performance is alright; there's not much to say about that as an above-average song. As the first spin-off in a rather huge franchise, Cinderella Gray just adds another layer to the Uma Musume complexity that's to be expected from the stories of real-life Japanese horses, but given CyGames and its flair that just makes the marriage of history and modernization all that powerful. And yet, this is only the 1st half of the split-cour adaptation, so expect more things to come when the anime comes back in Fall. Uma Musume: Never doubt the competition, because you ARE the competition.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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Jun 28, 2025 Mixed Feelings
I Left My A-Rank Party to Help My Former Students Reach the Dungeon Depths! - Sensei, please let me join in on your harem party of female students, as I support your endeavour of getting kicked out from the party that abuses you to no end, and you'll be happier living with us sharing the communion of adventures together while we slowly fall in love with you! (Yelp, I just felt the cringe of that...)
To be frank, I dread the curse of every season featuring the "Banished from the Hero's Party" rhetoric, which, like Isekai (or just fantasy in general) itself, has been nothing but ... underwhelming and exposing more of the "hidden can of worms" that ambitious authors can write what they want, but it'll always end up being the sloppy and generic mess that there's no way out of this trend that has been ongoing since post-COVID. Sure, many ideas have been tested and exploited before, but with anime being anime, the consensus will find it hard to justify anything good about this trope being so repetitive and unoriginal that it's easy to just give up on these shows for better or for worse. Yet, for the seemingly baffling decision to have one such author be given the good grace of a decent (but questionable) adaptation, let alone a consecutive 2-cour, 24-episode-long run, this is the first of which I'll see is quite the "justifiable" approach. And that blessed person is novelist Kousuke Unagi and his lone work of A-Rank Party wo Ridatsu shita Ore wa, Moto Oshiego-tachi to Meikyuu Shinbu wo Mezasu. (shortened to ApaRida) a.k.a I Left my A-Rank Party to Help My Former Students Reach the Dungeon Depths!, a work that's made to be heavily tropey and generic as possible within the adaptation of the Syosetu web novel, as well as the LN's 5 volumes, which ran from October 2020 and June 2021, respectively, to February of this year (2025). You know the drill when it comes to these "Banished from the Hero's Party" tropes: the useful-but-"useless" character gets his own mockingbird commentary by his own party, and they keep jeering endlessly at the hopes that he would eventually quit under the pressure, or at worst, even be forced to get booted by his leader thinking that they can get someone better than the one they replaced. This is just cookie-cutter party-ousting business, and the character in question is Yuke Feldio of the popular A-Rank party, Thunder Pike. The Red Mage who plays a support role providing stacked boosts to the party members themselves, might not look like much, but Yuke is one hell of a support character whose skills are already so good, there's no need to improve him further. However, his Thunder Pike party, namely its leader, Simon Berkley, whom he and Yuke had a dream to grow and become bigwigs in the adventurer party scene, saw otherwise of his childhood friend and turned his back against him, thinking that he's the superior hero and tactical genius over the humble young man. In reality, like all heroes with a facade, Simon can't do two shits about dealing with fights and the like, retreating as he saw fit and letting the other members of Warrior Barry, Healer Priestess Camilla, Mage Jamie, and Yuke take the brunt of the force, and he only claims credit if the party does a good job and word reaches out to the streets of the kingdom itself. Trust me, Thunder Pike, without Yuke, it would be a massive, easy undertaking to take them all down because of their pure ignorance and willingness to satiate their ego, pride, and power as the "best" adventurer party to ever exist. However, and thankfully, there's a silver lining for the ex-mage of Thunder Pike, because by pure chance and coincidence (and good timing), Yuke finds 3 of his former students who are looking to establish an adventurer party of their very own, and it's with this context that the brand-new adventurer party of Clover is born. Though Yuke has a lot to teach his former students on how to get better at the job, since he's the one with the most experience, he allows them to be humbled before him and receive his tutelage. And over time, like a real cloverleafthat expands its leaves, the party itself gains notoriety for completing difficult missions that are known throughout the kingdom, and its citizens recognize that Yuke and his party of girls are the ones to watch out for as the prime example of an outstanding adventurer party. About the only thing that's interesting in ApaRida is that, where in your typical fantasy show, adventurer parties are standard to being given quests by the Guild and go out and execute the missions fairly to get said rewards, the series incorporates the idea of livestreaming the accomplishments of the actual quests themselves on full display. So think of it as like a ranking system of sorts where ordinary people, everyone, can join in the fun by watching them right in the kingdom's centre atrium, or, in the case of the series in general, be used as evidence against the many attempts from indiscrimination to collaboration. With the series clearly labelling itself as a harem theme, I'm not surprised that Yuke develops many admirers along the course of his redemption as the leader of Clover, seeing that he's the true hero character that many will look up to him for, and that includes each and every single female member of Clover itself. The starting "Pokemon" trio of the Sword Mage "countryside bumpkin" Marina, the Dark Elf Ranger "mother figure" Silk Amberwood, and the Priestess/Mage "shy and sleepyhead" Rain are about as ideal as young ladies would get starting out their first phases of adventuring, though with the inexperience that Yuke has trained and topped up as the series goes, they become part of the party's pillars to hold their own weight and provide some serious firepower to the group. Adding to the list of Yuke's potential "wife" characters is the ninja cat girl Nene Shilfindle, whowas accused of a crime and was forced to be under the supervision of Clover, though she soon proved her own value and was considered an official member of the party. However, last but not least, there is Yuke's once a fellow party member of Jamie Osen, who was originally part of Thunder Pike but treated him with morality and was blamed for being the scapegoat after his forced dismissal. The first female character to ever care for the ex-Red Mage without any discrimination, though she'd at times turn her back on him when circumstances forced her to do so due to the domineering characteristics of the incorrigible scum that is Simon, and then being given a pardon for all of the sufferings that he knows have tormented her too, I just feel sad for Jamie that she should've been the one sticking by close to Yuke, though her circumstances really didn't befit her to do so. As you can expect, all 5 female members of Clover, which is a small reference to the 5-leaf clover (and if you've watched Yuki Tabata's Black Clover), even with the uncommon 5th leaf being devil's advocate (of which Jamie used to be one), all of them have their eyes on Yuke being the Sensei who impresses the lot with the kingdom's Adventurer Guild and working alongside its staff of Guildmaster Benwood and chief receptionist Mamal, as well as other nations' guilds. The serious young man with a penchant to always improve his team, thanks to the influence bred from his famous Uncle Saga who sealed the evil forces with a world-famous adventurer party...so, like uncle, like cousin, I guess? But with the focus on adventuring comes the naivety that Yuke is semi-conscious of the Clover girls who are into him and wanting to become his "wives," so have that if you will, with the manga adaptation of the LN being somewhat more explicit than the anime itself, which is entirely dedicated to the fantasy and action elements. And speaking of the adaptation, Senki Zesshou Symphogear's series director Katsumi Ono and Bandai Namco Pictures did alright on the overall production of the somewhat obtusely longer-than-usual run of the anime itself. Generally, you can trust BN Pictures to produce animation that is above average, and it would've worked either way to keep it consistent throughout its 6-month-long run, which is saying something. Sad to say, as much as music composer Go Sakabe has been quite the famed name in composing high-profile series like Date A Live and the Digimon Adventure tri. series of movies, his work here is just kind of meh and forgettable. And when it comes to the theme songs, it fares better than most. This is especially for Kazuma Kawamura, formerly of the J-Pop group THE RAMPAGE from EXILE TRIBE, whose series' OP song "Enter" is his debut solo under his new stage name of L.E.I. It sounds decent for the most part and is actually good in the sea of overbearing, mediocre fantasy works. As for Yuki Tanaka, her most recent Anisong journey has grown since last Fall's sequel of Tensei Kizoku, Kantei Skill de Nariagaru a.k.a As a Reincarnated Aristocrat, I'll Use My Appraisal Skill to Rise in the World, I'd say that she still has a ways to go with creating good Anisongs in general, though between all of her 3 ED song creations for the anime, the 2nd ED song, "Mirror," is (objectively) the best. Throughout all the talk and justifications I've listed in the review, ultimately, you just want the TL;DR version of whether it's worth your time or not. My judgment, however, is one that teeter-totters on either extreme: if you don't mind an above-average fantasy adventure series, even considering that it's generic at best, ApaRida is a decent, yet watchable experience altogether. Sure, it's not the best in terms of its own oversaturated genre, but it's a lot better than the truly 3rd-rate shows of a similar nature. "Kiss, Marry, Kill," what would be your choice? ApaRida has those choices for you, if that's worth entertainment at all.
Reviewer’s Rating: 6
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Jun 28, 2025
Hibi wa Sugiredo Meshi Umashi
(Anime)
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Food for the Soul — Food, glorious food, all spent in a day's worth of good company and enthusiastic spirits.
As humans, we crave attention for anything that we have our eyes on for interest, and this seemingly simple craving leads to adventures that we wouldn't have otherwise encountered, making new friends and sinking in the pleasure of the seemingly normal-looking people who are just like you and me. It's even all the better when this becomes a community bonded together just to do all things related to food, because as the saying goes, "The way to a man's heart is through his stomach," though in ... this context you could swap the gender, and it would've worked either way. This is Hibi wa Sugiredo Meshi Umashi a.k.a Food for the Soul, part of the "Aniplex CGDCT Saturdays" lineup this Spring season airing alongside studio Soigne's adaptation of Yuru Camp mangaka afro's mono, courtesy of the King of Originals studio P.A. Works and created by mangaka Atto, the author of Non Non Biyori. One question to bring you back to your schooling days: Have you ever had that one classmate who looks and sounds awkward, almost to the point that nobody wants to have any affiliations with him/her, until someone pokes around and learns that the person's more than just his/her appearance alone? If so, then Mako Kawai would be that girl in question. The 1st-year college student, who starts out being the obvious outlier looking for people who align with her interest, mainly one of cooking, because the skill and work have been her bread and butter in her growing-up years, from working part-time nightly shifts at an inarizushi bar to being influenced by people like Mokotaro, whoseYouTube channel features food. By chance, meeting yet another group of people who also have that same interest and want to create a food research club centred around food itself, Mako sees her childhood friend Shinon Ogawa and the calling of their old nicknames of Makocchi and Oshinko, like they ever knew they would bump into each other one day. Coincidentally, with Shinon's idea of a food research club, she sees its initial members of Kurea Furutachi and Tsutsuji Higa alongside her trying to find their 4th member to officially start the club itself, and with Mako's inclusion, she makes the dream a reality...to slack off all she wants. And little do they know that the Food Culture Research Club that's formed around the young ladies, its stature begins to form and bring both the club and its members to new heights exploring food and the like. If you're thinking that the above sounds similar to Non Non Biyori, it should actually be, as it's a similar premise to how Hotaru Ichijo bands with Renge Miyauchi and the rest of the people that surround the countryside village of Asahigaoka. With this in mind, I love cozy comfort and serenity, so despite having not watched the aforementioned series and only seen snippets for that matter, the thought of this show being the spiritual successor to Non Non Biyori actually fits the narrative so well and shows off the flair that mangaka Atto has not lost for quite some time. Since this is a slice-of-life show that deviates away from the comedic Iyashikei vibes of the former series, sometimes, being simple is how you'll get far into the things that you love. This is pretty much so for Mako's case, where she is very enthusiastic when it comes to food and its creation, and her expertise will help leverage the Food Culture Research Club in its identity. Even then, to get the actual food out, there's Kurea to help out even more, because her family runs a local restaurant (that Mako only knows of her affiliation thereafter), and she is the better cook, while also being the purposeful, level-headed, and responsible girl of the group alongside Shinon...which she's quite the opposite of, featuring her lackadaisical feeling once the club gets going, but forced to make decisions after she and Kurea were appointed as leaders of the club. On the other hand, there's the shortest member of the club, Tsutsuji herself, though you'll always see her in sheep-like clothing and memorabilia (which gives her the nickname of Hitsuji (literally meaning sheep in Japanese)), and she always gives off the vibe that she's even lazier than Shinon herself. However, with the inclusion of the club's 5th member, Nana Hoshi, the shy girl who is a friend of Tsutsuji's, truly has a phobia of being around strangers but thrives in the company of friends and is a whiz at puzzles that Mako can instantly open up to her. It's quite the friendship bond amidst people who know each other separately but come together to achieve the same goal and just enjoy each other's presence together. For sure, the time spent with these 5 girls (plus other characters) never feels old. You know you're getting a quality show when it is animated by P.A. Works, because the studio's modus operandi has always been about creating quality originals that stick with you for the long run, even after those shows have ended their period of time, and HibiMeshi is no different in that sense. Due to the collaboration with Aniplex producing the anime, the glow-ups are noticeable, and the fine, crisp quality of a P.A. Works show is amped by the budget that it brings to good effect. Also, having director Shinya Kawatsura here, knowing his expertise as the series' director of Non Non Biyori in general, alongside coaching the relatively new director of Yu Harumi, makes it twice as good to lock in the Iyashikei vibes rather well. The triple whammy of making HibiMeshi the true successor to Non Non Biyori, adds music composer Hitomi Mizutani to the mix, who, like director Shinya Kawatsura, has been on the aforementioned series's staff team since its creation into adaptation. If vibes just won't do it for you, then the OST will surely invoke much of that feeling. Even trickling down to asmi's OP and Reira Ushio's ED, which are both fine and decent songs that help support the anime's slice-of-life emotions. What can I say, really? Of all the CGDCT shows this Spring season, alongside mono and ZatsuTabi —That's Journey—Hibi wa Sugiredo Meshi Umashi a.k.a Food for the Soul, is the anime that ends up being the best CGDCT show of the 3, one that caters to the adults being the grown-up version of Non Non Biyori. If the stacked staff team isn't enough to impress you into a gourmet prep of a food adventure, then I honestly don't know what will. All CGDCT fans, don't miss HibiMeshi, for it's the Chicken Soup for the Soul, made by talented people, for the Healing of the soul.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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Jun 28, 2025 Recommended
mono - It's the weekend; it's the animation you've been waiting for; it's mono! That's not a monotonous pun, by the way...
Who doesn't love the true-to-honest goodness of the "Cute Girls Doing Cute Things" a la CGDCT theme? It's the mainstay for every slice-of-life series that features an all-female cast doing the things that they love to do, and for days and nights that spontaneously form memories as time progresses, while being simplistic in general with a touch of comedy. And in this Spring season, which I like to dub "Aniplex CGDCT Saturdays", the duality of shows that air alongside each other are true definitions ... when it comes to pure feelings and emotions of the theme itself: P.A. Works's Hibi wa Sugiredo Meshi Umashi a.k.a Food for the Soul, and the brand-new studio Soigne's mono, of which I'll cover the latter here, are created by mangaka afro, which is the author's 2nd work after the beloved Yuru Camp a.k.a Laid-Back Camp, which was serialized just 2 years after the former in Houbunsha's ever-popular Manga Time Kirara magazine. As is with every afro work, you're going to get hints and splices of Yuru Camp that are splashed onto the series, and the author herself basically admitted that mono carries much of the same weight and relation to her other parent story, that both series can be constantly interchanged between each other since they take place in the Yamanashi Prefecture. For mono's case, compared to the more mature "high school to young adult" setting of Yuru Camp, the former takes on a purely high school approach, where, similar to Nadeshiko Kagamihara, Chikaki Oogaki, and Aoi Inuyama with their Outdoor Activities Club, it's the Cinephoto Club with the lead girls of Satsuki Amamiya, An Kiriyama, and Sakurako Shikishima, who are fated friends, each with their own goals and ambitions. What started as a spark for Satsuki "Sacchan" Amamiya is joining the Photography Club and admiring the things that the club has done, for someone who's initially not interested in the art skill itself. However, as great as the club is settling on the laurels of its Senpais, Sacchan is the club's only Kouhai, and when the Senpais reached their graduation phase, she's the only one left in the club, without a clear direction on what to do next. The thing is, besides her club, which is on the verge of shutdown due to a shortage of members, there lies yet another club with the same issue: the Cinema Club, led by Sakurako Shikishima, which has a member going by An Kiriyama, who is best friends with her and Sacchan. To help each other out, the two small clubs joined forces to create the Cinephoto Club to consolidate their efforts into one collective and start out their photographic and cinematic adventure...with a pseudo-Insta360 on hand. To put fate as coincidence even further, the Insta360 camera brought the 3 high school girls to meet the aspiring mangaka Haruno Akiyama (and her pet cat Taishou), as well as her friends, motovlogger Kako Komada and her fellow manga illustrator Torayo Kurokuma, who specializes in all things horror and supernatural. Together, the 3 Kouhais and 3 experienced Senpais embark on a journey and experience travelling within Yamanashi and beyond a la Yuru Camp style. For one, I really don't think it's a bad idea that afro chose to expand Yuru Camp with her ways knowingly possible, but the fact that mono is interconnected to the former series will inevitably mean that ideas and concepts from there (which has now become quite the big franchise) will be recycled into this series. This, therein, lies the problem that people will see through the lens that mono is just the inferior version of Yuru Camp, with a different setting that still results in a Yuru Camp-esque experience that's one and the same. Sadly, even with the original source materials of concern, with both series simultaneously being serialized at the same time, the progress of Yuru Camp will mean that mono has to take a backseat, of which, as of this review, is only 5 volumes long compared to 17 volumes of the former. But I'm getting a little too ahead of myself. While mono may have a smaller cast of characters as compared to Yuru Camp, they're still as enjoyable to watch, and the "plot" is more centralized as well, being of the fact that Satsuki, Kiriyama, and Sakurako have to keep their newly established Cinephoto Club alive by not just going on journeys but also documenting them as they go with their trusty Insta360 camera. It's pretty much the same feeling as Yuru Camp seeing Sacchan and the group go on their own adventures; the only difference is that this has a sense of purpose as compared to the real "laid-back" nature of the former. Undoubtedly, while I find that Satsuki and Kiriyama would be better served by standing out much more, it's the weight and collaboration of the others that help them find ideas and concepts and put them into execution that is what they wanted to do. Notably, it's the Senpais that do, due to Haruno being the lazy bum of a mangaka and Kurokuma adding to the flair with her horror-ific personality. Still, it's good characters written for good measure, like how afro always does in her works. For a brand-new studio and its debut series, studio Soigne truly impresses with its level of production and animation that goes beyond what C-Station and 8bit have done with Yuru Camp since its introduction into the anime scene in Winter 2018. Of course, I could just chalk it down to the ever-so-elusive Aniplex-backed project that gives the show quite the budget to work with, and budgeted it works to a great degree. If this level of animation is to come for the studio's next adaptation of the Yuri comedy series Kamiina Botan, Yoeru Sugata wa Yuri no Hana, then Soigne is off to a great start. Props to director Ryota Aikei for his debut directorial role for the series too. The OST by famed K-On! and GJ-bu composer Hajime Hyakkoku works alright in the series, considering that this is his first work after a drought of being left out of anime projects, with the last being Fall 2020's Senyoku no Sigrdrifa a.k.a Warlords of Sigrdrifa. Even the catchy OP by the VAs and Halca's ED also work, though they're good at best and not as memorable as that of Yuru Camp. At the end of the day, you can draw your own comparisons between mono and Yuru Camp, but I'd like to give the benefit of the doubt that each work is wholly its own, even if they're interchangeable works of the same setting. Both series are good in their own right, but most importantly, try not to associate (or, in simple words, lump) the series with Yuru Camp being the originator for all things that are to love about mono. An inferior Yuru Camp, but still very good, and that's what matters.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Jun 28, 2025
Kowloon Generic Romance
(Anime)
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Kowloon Generic Romance — The nostalgia, the retro feels, the setting feels perfect...but is it all a case of "trompe-l'oeil"?
Nostalgia. It's such an inducing drug that anyone WOULD cope for a pill of a bite size just to relish in the past days that are long forgotten: be it for life, for love, or sometimes, everything that you wished you'd want back from whence it came. But yet, if that pill was a reality in the making, would you have gone out of your way to buy it and change the world as you deem fit, leaving others wondering, "Hey, this looks every bit the ... same as how I'm seeing it! So why does it feel so mysteriously different and not the "past, present, or future" that I envisioned, that somehow repeats itself over and over again with the same feelings that are none the wiser?" Then, my friends, get ready for another famed mangaka in the making, whois once again back on the AniManga scene with her talented writing and prowess that leaves everyone wanting more: Jun Mayuzuki, the author of the completed coming-of-age romance drama series that is Koi wa Ameagari no You ni a.k.a After the Rain, which saw the 10-volume manga, Wit Studio's Winter 2018 anime adaptation, and Toho's live-action film all come together for a fit-to-finish conclusion around the same period of time. And this time, with her newest sci-fi romance mystery series, Kowloon Generic Romance, to have the manga, this season's anime adaptation courtesy of Arvo Animation, and the live-action film do the EXACT SAME rhetoric again...but unlike the former series, ending with 3 VERY DIFFERENT endings. "L'illusion est le premier de tous les plaisirs" "Illusion is the first of all pleasures" — Voltaire The inspiration that's based off the real-life infamous Kowloon Walled City of the former British Hong Kong (that's a whole can of worms that you can either read the Wikipedia of or ANN's coverage of the insider inspiration analysis of the once real place itself) that Jun Mayuzuki herself envisioned when her prior series was still being serialized, with a little help from the vast topic of Kowloon itself and her young times of playing the Japanese-exclusive PS1 game of Sony Music Entertainment's Kowloon's Gate, the idea of a romanticized Kowloon Walled City was set in store for the series to come. And what a better way to introduce the vibes of the long-torn-down Kowloon Walled City, through its immense nostalgia of the 1980s and 1990s, the people of Hong Kong being close neighbours and a trading mark for the Chinese mafia and triads, and above all, the lives of those who live there as if time had stopped and remained just as it is, such that any time spent there is timeless in a densely packed city that feels just as familiar to anyone acquainted. That is where we find the central couple of the reserved Reiko Kujirai and the easygoing, yet brash Hajime Kudo, both 32 and 34 years of age, respectively, working at the real estate office of Wong Loi Realty Company, right in the heart of Kowloon. Initially, there's not much to suspect about the both of them, but other than Hajime getting transferred from the Japanese branch to come to work in Kowloon, they're both as professional as working people could get, immersing themselves in Kowloon's urban culture and cuisine that's unlike anything outside of the Walled City itself. Yet, for much of the contentious dynamic between each other, laden with the office romance that sees them getting close and affectionate through the regular motifs of having meals together, life in Kowloon deepens their bond together...until that peculiarity soon finds its way by way of people going about their daily lives like the norm, that NOTHING feels out of place to say that something's wrong about the Kowloon Summer...that never ends, right in the heart of a fabricated, illusioned, reimagined Walled City that's created by a technology called Generic Terra and represented by a diamond-like structure in the sky. “Don't part with your illusions. When they are gone, you may still exist, but you have ceased to live.” ― Mark Twain At first glance, we, the audience, are led to believe that Reiko Kujirai's life just looks the same, feels the same, and does all the more of the same. However, even as Kujirai herself noticed that something about her just doesn't feel right, one hint I can give you is to try to look into the lens of the goldfish (which she names Success) that was offered to her as a souvenir from a teahouse that both she and Kudo frequent. Because if you didn't know, the goldfish itself has many symbolisms (especially in Asian cultures), from reflecting wealth and fortune to transformation and change, even love and fertility. However, one such interpretation is through dreams that represent subconscious thoughts and emotions, and it's quite the "life force" for the younger office lady to realize that part of her somehow exists in a Kowloon that feels ever more nostalgic and the same, but she's more dignified and was Kudo's senior before they got engaged to each other; that's unlike how the current Kujirai would've acted. And so, the pursuit of this OTHER Reiko Kujirai, namely Kujirai B, sets off a chain of events that'll string people not related to one another to see the facade of the Kowloon that requires a rather specific feeling in order to access it, because there's no turning back once you're out of that space. "L'amour est une rose. Chaque pétale une illusion. Chaque épine une réalité." "Love is a rose. Each petal an illusion. Each thorn a reality." - Charles Baudelaire All seems good for Reiko Kujirai and Hajime Kudou: the office workers in love develop a "Generic" romance in the heart of Kowloon that is the wish fulfillment of any couple in general who loves the Walled City's vibes and wants in despite its rather cramped space and unhealthy living conditions, but it becomes clear that the handful of characters they meet later on would turn their relationship upside down. Through their work, like clients meeting their customers, both Kujirai and Kudo would come to know the enthusiastic Xiaohei and Yaomei: the former a young, bun-haired, petite woman of stature, working part-time at various establishments in Kowloon, including shoe stores and cinemas, and the latter being a doll-making seamstress struggling in her self-business (until Kujirai, Kudo, and Xiaohei would come to help her). The friendships that bond between the four adults are endearing, soothing, and comforting to the soul, alleviating that which goes beyond what the business calls them to be, and that is essential to getting along in a small space, that for every nook, cranny, and corner, a friend is nearby. However, where there's the yin, there's the yang, and the same 4-person group represented by the darkness comes in the form of Hebinuma Pharmaceutical, represented by the serpent that is President Miyuki. You'd think that for a Kowloon that's constantly marketed to the people by the ONLY organization, it would be the very first issue of question, because deep down, some people were having issues with Generic Terra, so much so that a simple item like eye drops, or even having beauty consultation services, would not matter so much in the grand scheme of things. Yet, it's in the familiar that sets off the unfamiliar, because in all of this, it seems like Miyuki has full control and rein of how Generic Terra can be exploited for his uses; however, that's certainly not the case when he meets other characters who would come and derail his very plot: the waiter of the Goldfish Teahouse of Tao Gwen, where he is the mysterious worker that is acquainted with both yin and yang sides to identify which is true and/or false; his associate of Yulong, who is the brains behind Miyuki's own side of the investigation; and another version of Xiaohei, who serves not him, but his cryptic father instead. Believe me, as much of the yin is great, the yang provides another perspective of the same common objective, and this is where the classic "show, don't tell" narrative is best suited for it. However, the one CLEAR elephant in the room, as you can tell, is the whack pacing, because of the courtesy of Arvo Animation's in-house director Yoshiaki Iwasaki; trying to attempt compressing the ENTIRE manga into 13 episodes was quite the challenge. Even as Jun Mayuzuki herself indicated that the manga is on its final arc, thus necessitating the need to have different endings, it depends on the medium if you're either reading the manga or watching the anime and/or the live-action film (that's set to release in August this year). What the anime lost in its lustre was definitely the slow feeling that the manga had, which is actually intentional to create the slice-of-life vibes of Kowloon's everyday life, as if the days themselves never felt like time was ever lost, which is quite the shame. But the counterargument would be that if the anime had time to expand on the manga, I'd assume that people would complain of the series being too slow and nothing significant happening of note, so taking the bold risk to adapt the entire manga wasn't a choice that was made without consideration from all ends. Still, for only the 5th work since its founding in July 2017, Arvo Animation may not be a studio that can compete with the other larger studios of note, being a small community, but the quality the studio puts out is nothing short of impressive. If Fall 2021's Tsuki to Raika to Nosuferatu a.k.a Irina: The Vampire Cosmonaut, is any indication that Arvo Animation could produce their most impressive show up to that point, then Kowloon Generic Romance is most certainly the studio's magnum opus to date. Everything about it screams well-composed with intention, and that's certainly what the art and animation styles Yoshiaki Iwasaki and his staff team were going for here. Despite a hit-and-miss record, music composer Ryohei Sataka does an outstanding job for the anime here, hitting all of the right notes and making sure that the carefully crafted OST for the show is done to perfection. Even better are both Wednesday Campanella's OP and Mekakushe's ED, of which, while the latter reeks much of the nostalgic Asian feel, the former is, dare I say, one of (if not) the best OP songs of the Spring 2025 season, just for the "not so coherently placed in the Summer season" Summer vibes alone. Kowloon Generic Romance, by ANY stretch of the nature, is NOT Generic at all. It's a play on the words that don't seem significant, yet when you peer and analyze it, it's a whole can of worms that keeps this ONE simple rhetoric alive: the classic "show, don't tell" storytelling and finesse, is KING. What a show, one of the BEST shows of Spring 2025, PERIOD. It has everything you want for a sci-fi mystery series, even if it omits the source material in a way that's questionable at best.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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Jun 27, 2025 Mixed Feelings
Teogonia — A traditional fantasy that has some semblances of an Isekai...interesting! Or...is not so the case?
I think we can all agree that Isekai has been unanimously integrated into the cusp of traditional fantasy, so much so that any and all kinds of plots have been experienced in one way or another. Albeit, to the point where, depending on the premise, plot, and execution set out by the authors themselves, that'll depict how the vast audience will take this and interpret it into their own opinions. And as it has been for the past decade, where we're seeing this trend still hanging on to dear ... life for its share of hit-and-miss series, there is that lingering feeling that fewer people are willing to deviate and experiment on the road less travelled to come up with something purely original, and I'm kind of sad to see this happen. That is, not until this season, where we encounter one such show that is the very definition of "odd, but something special." This is novelist Tsukasa Tanimai and his lone work of Teogonia, a traditional dark fantasy adventure series with a touch of Isekai that hits non-existently different than most. Of all the Isekai stories we've seen over the last few years or so, I can attest to the fact that Teogonia plays that formula rather radically differently, and its inclusion is only but a mere fraction depicted in a few seconds' worth of thought. This is the hidden premise that gets the audience introduced to the simple villager boy of Kai: a young foot soldier living in an era of relentless and brutal warfare between the regular humans and the demi-human creature counterparts, playing a part to fight and defend alongside the other people who call Lag Village their home. However, what sets the soldiers apart comes in the form of the entities called Guardian Bearers, who are akin to being leaders of their own tribe to enforce law and order within their control. These Guardian Bearers feed upon the souls of their fallen brethren, collectively known as godstones that help to increase one's strength, more from the power that was birthed from the land they're in. Because you see, the brutality that's similar to people of high authority claiming the fruits of the labour from the people whom they serve and not giving back to the people, the land gods are of a similar stance, where, depending on their geographical location, they can provide their respective areas with spiritual blessings that amount to power and strength, and each and every one of them serves a different purpose. It's then without a shadow of a doubt that even Lag Village has its own Guardian Bearers that are strong enough to fight off the demi-humans, which consist of the Ash Monkeys, a.k.a. macaques, and the pig-like Ogres (which the aforementioned applies to them the same), and it's truly a dog-eat-dog world of unsympathy, senseless logic, and lack of understanding that peace is an option, but that the long-term goal is too miniscule to even be of consideration. And while I wouldn't say that Kai, as the representative MC in all of this, is a bad character that unfortunately has to go with the flow with what he's been dealt, it definitely takes some time getting used to how he's like and the process of maturity that he has to get used to in quick succession, while grappling with a power that's clearly proving to prove its weight over him. The other characters of note that help Kai along the way, like his Childhood friend of Elsa who has a one-sided crush on the village boy; the feudal Lord Vezin of Lag Village that keeps him and his village informed of the proceeding conflict; the outsiders of Jose and Orla whom are Guardian Bearers in their own right; or be it of Porek and his small village tribe of Koror, they sustain Kai in their own ways possible, while letting the red-haired boy try to understand his newfound power from the valleys, as well as the lingering memories and visions of the modern day that despite the understanding, allows Kai to effectively use his Guardian Bearer magic that's imbued from the knowledge of life and its advanced technolgy that's beyond his years (which technically, this should be considered an Isekai, but it's not integral to the plot, even if by the slightest hint of it). With the abject failure of last season's Hazure Skill "Kinomi Master" a.k.a. Bogus Skill <<Fruitmaster>>, Asahi Production and director Kunihiro Mori are looking to stage Teogonia as a high-quality show, which I definitely got for the most part. While compared to the former series, Teogonia's production looks solid, and at times, bearable (due to the low-budget feel), much of it is very watchable. It's not the greatest, but it'll do against quite the development story for the series, which evokes the sense and fashion of old-school anime, a time when story takes precedence over everything. The music, however, feels so-so because there's just nothing going for the wavelength of what the anime is trying to portray, and even then, it's minute at best with the sound design. I'll give props to Emi Noda for her OP song, which Teogonia here serves as her 3rd Anisong outing that has the old-school charm to it. However, the choice to feature AKB48's sister group from the Setouchi Region, STU48, for the ED song is rather weird, because idol songs like these always never seem to fit the narrative well, apart from being a decent standalone song by themselves. Overall, Teogonia is not a bad show. In fact, I would say that its plot premise is one reason why it stands out from the oversaturated pack of fantasy shows, and with a world-building setting that is otherwise lesser seen than expected, it does take time for the show to cook and get moving, which is also its Achilles' heel. Still, give this the 3-episode rule if you can. It's different, but in a decent way.
Reviewer’s Rating: 6
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Jun 26, 2025
Rock wa Lady no Tashinami deshite
(Anime)
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Rock Is a Lady's Modesty — What's the cost of living a life of the fictional rich and noble when all things rock 'n roll are much more frictional to develop a hidden interest so bold and verbose that it tells a better life story above all?
High society (or sometimes simply referred to as society). What comes to mind when you hear of these two words that defined a group of upper-class citizens whose world is miles apart from that of the average common folk? If you're thinking of wealth, power, fame, social status, or anything of that sort, you've pretty much got the thinking ... on point. Reserved only for the "specially" born and bred, it's a life that no doubt anyone wants to experience, but in the world of mangaka Hiroshi Fukuda's Rock wa Lady no Tashinami deshite a.k.a Rock Is a Lady's Modesty, it is anything BUT the case, with its coming-of-age story about how musicality transcends the borders of one's heart being its driving force to be true to oneself and go against the formalities of the world. And if you didn't know any better, this is the mangaka's 2nd rondo of his works being adapted into anime, which started with the adaptation of his very first work: Spring-Summer 2013's action fantasy series of Joujuu Senjin!! Mushibugyou. The Noble Maiden, one of a handful of titles bestowed to ladies-in-the-making for being prim, proper, prestigious, and, most importantly, popular. This is the setting for the ladies-only elite school of Oshin Girls' Academy, where young ladies that are bred from the stature and reputation of families that have proven themselves and contributed to high society come together to be taught more of that same nature and be successors to their own families to keep the legacy going. One student in particular is the blonde-haired, twin-tailed young lady who goes by the name of Lilisa Suzunomiya, and the 1st-year lady student racks up her popularity by showcasing through her refined expressions what the next Noble Maiden should be like. However, deep down, there is a secret that the unassuming young girl holds her resentment for, and that is to play some music with the gift that made her the real lady beneath all the "preposterous" fine facade of hers, with an (electric) guitar that her late father had bestowed upon her. In the rage to fit the demands of high society and a family's remarriage that cemented her future, Lilisa is in one of two camps: to uphold her adopted family name and be the next heir to the Suzunomiya empire or commit to the guitar and see everything fall apart before her very eyes. It's within this context that we see Lilisa bump into another girl, Otoha Kurogane, who, as the daughter of a prominent political family, has all eyes on her as the top popular student that exudes admiration and fangirling from within. Yet, in an ironic twist of fate, Lilisa soon finds out that Kurogane is just like her — a relentless drummer practicing in the music room of the school's old and unused schoolhouse that's way off the beaten path, and a fiery confrontation between the girls' primp image and their preposterous rawness begins to rear its head. Clearly, this form of high society, or what is more commonly referred to as a "Class S" culture, is one that has existed since the early 20th century in Japan, and the literature's influences and legacy go far beyond as both a social phenomenon and even spawning its own genre as a pseudo-Yuri genre counterpart that depicts lesbian literature. And if there's one thing that's unapologetic about Rock Lady, it's that Hiroshi Fukuda wants the audience to know that this "Yuri" story is more than just an act of symbolism of how Japanese high society has been deemed "unreachable by the average reader," and that it allows the scrutiny of the market itself to be viewed through the lens of both Lilisa and Kurogane, who not only want to upstage themselves as girls of high stature but also as girls who know how to rock the party with "intended" BDSM-like sexual innuendos and phases of seduction that reek much in similarity to Kakegurui. Also, I think it's a fair judgment to call Rock Lady the "antithesis" of many shows of the same regard that have recently come into emergence to redefine the sub-genre of girls' band series, which you'll instinctively know THE one that made all of this possible: Bocchi the Rock!. In fact, author Aki Hamaji even endorsed and recommended the series alongside her very own when it comes to the deconstruction of the girls' band feature, which, as you can tell, it has revitalized the AniManga scene around that specific culture. With shows being similar in style, like the BanG Dream! franchise with its spin-off series of Summer 2023's It's MyGO!!!!! and last season's Ave Mujica, as well as last Spring's Girls Band Cry, the hype around the girls' band sub-genre has never been more fired up than before. From the pure to the raw, the fate of Lilisa Suzunomiya and Otoha Kurogane is one that's unapologetically doused in not just "friendly chaos" that's combined with the show's depiction of the class anxiety and societal sexism, but a dynamic and electric Yuri/lesbian relationship that knows no limits to amp the seductive BDSM traits of the series overall. It goes both ways between the ladies trying to be the dominatrix over the other with their explosive but sapphic and proud vulgar expressions. That's the story of "liberation and libidos," and the show constantly makes you aware that you're not just watching a constant catfight, but it's the catfight to end all catfights that doesn't diminish what's to love of the raw friction between the two ladies. However, while it takes two to form a small music team, it takes twice as much to form a band, and that's where both Tina Isemi and Tamaki Shiraya contribute to their "liberation" of rock 'n' roll. The vice-president of the girls' academy, Tina, looks the part of a model, and being the daughter of a family-owned cosmetics brand, she's instantly adept atupholding her Prince Charming persona in public. But in regard to her true self, she's anything but that as a gentle girl who has no mission in life until she chances upon the twin-tails girl's performance and wants to be in their reign. As for the latter, the childhood friend of Kurogane and a 2nd year at the academy's sister institution of Kuroyuri Girls' School, who's also well-versed in the underground music scene, holds nothing back against those who try to oppress her, and having only had Kurogane, who is her central area of influence, to even pick herself up to be a skilled musician, she's the epitome of "don't try to mess with me, or I'll mess you up even worse." On the sidelines, however, are also people who are in the direct line of fire when it comes to Lilisa and her two-faced facade of a persona, which, as you can imagine, affects them greatly. I've already mentioned that Lilisa was adopted into the Suzunomiya household after the passing of her late father, which brought both her and her mother, Yuka, into the prestigious family. However, like the strict confirmations of the Class S regime, Lilisa is always constantly informed by her mother to give up on rock music, something that was once shared within the commoner family before the remarriage, which is instantly noticed as a change of heart to not want to disappoint the new family's expectations. Moreover, the arrival of the mother-daughter duo does not bode well for the younger "adoptive sister," Alice, of whom she's the true biological heir to the name, and assumes her declaration to chase them both out by exposing Lilisa's facade and proving them otherwise, only for that same "class" act to rather influence her instead as a fan of Lilisa's. How the tables have turned. Interestingly enough, Rock Lady's production is also a twist on real-life fate as well. For the man who helmed the Gundam Build Divers series, as well as Fall 2023's The iDOLM@STER Million Live!, on a friend's recommendation, director Shinya Watada instantly found the series interesting and was even surprised that the studio of Bandai Namco Pictures reached out to him for a directorial role in the anime project, alongside assistant director Ori Yasukawa, who played drums in an amateur band. That proves more than enough to form a staff team centred around the marriage of rock music. And to make this effect come alive, the idea of using motion capture for the performance aspects of the anime comes as a consensus, but it's only with the help of producer Tatsuya Sunado scouring for bands that best fit what they're looking for that Watada picked the band that fits this rhetoric to a T: the famous all-female rock band BAND-MAID, which instantly hits all the right notes for rather gruesome recording sessions that at first were hard to overcome but went well thereafter. Even the VAs themselves have given recognition that despite the different-than-usual voice recording sessions that prove quite the challenge, at least to both central MC's VAs of Akira Sekine (Princess Principal's Charlotte, Senpai wa Otokonoko's Aoi Saki) and Miyuri Shimabukuro (Fruits Basket's Yuki Soma, Bofuri's Syrup), it's a lot of work and codependence with the author himself to flesh out Lilisa and Kurogane's characters to their very best. All of this combined really gives you the sense of appreciation of how coincidences can actually elevate the original source material to its full potential, which I think Shinya Watada and his staff team did an absolutely great job at that. When it comes to the actual production, Bandai Namco Pictures is as versatile as a studio you can get for its diverse range of shows, and Rock Lady is no exception to the formula. Great animation alongside the pseudo-3DCG motion capture that is supposed to induce head-turning epilepsy, which I'm thankful that it's not overused at all, gives the show its own identity to tell you that it's not goofing around, not even for a moment. Even the music is specially tailored for a series like this, with Band-Maid and its group members contributing heavily to the musical aspects of the anime, more than just its normalcy of a fired-up, rock-heavy hype of a banger OP song. With Little Glee Monster onboard for the ED, it's not a bad song either, and it's something that's outside the usual comfort zone for the all-female vocal group themselves. If you fancy a show that's all rock 'n roll, all hype, and Yuri/lesbian-induced, Rock wa Lady no Tashinami deshite a.k.a Rock Is a Lady's Modesty has you all covered for an experience awaiting its doors to be opened. While it has similar vibes to Girls Band Cry, the show is wholly its own thing that does just as majestically (in the ladylike sense), but with hard, punk rock vibes so toxic that it leaves you coming back for more battles. Even pure-minded ladies do have their antitheses of life as well.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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