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Mar 22, 2022
Kobayashi's Maid Dragon delivered a heartwarming and well-executed first season; it didn't lose any steam in the second.
In season 2 we get a new character, Ilulu, who also comes to Earth from the Chaos Faction. However, the focus ends up not really being on her. Instead season 2 develops the existing cast to a deeper level, exploring how their past drives their motivations and their love for Kobayashi, the one who told them it was okay to be vulnerable.
A critical part of why this show is able to deliver such emotional scenes, whether it's comedic or sad, is definitely the animation. KyoAni continues
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to show why it's one of the top dogs in the industry, sparing no expense at creating beautifully animated atmospheres and even fight scenes. Without this many scenes would fall flat or carry less impact.
It's difficult to describe this show's plot as there really isn't much of one, yet somehow each episode makes you yearn for the next. You relate to these silly characters on a very human level; none of them are caricatures or unrealistic. I found myself rooting for each of their successes and happiness, like a proud parent. The comedy flows naturally without having to rely on over the top situations; the sobering scenes do as well, as this season explores more of each dragon's past.
Overall, Kobayashi is a fantastic show with everything you'd want from a slice of life, and it certainly helps that the art and music is beautiful. Fans of season 1 will be delighted to continue the story with this season.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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Feb 22, 2020
An oldie but goodie. Claymore is a show that blends dark themes with solid storytelling to create a suspenseful ride; I had a difficult time not clicking Next Episode.
Claymore does a great job with the world-building, and then using that unique world. The premise is laid out in a simple manner; half-monster half-human warriors called Claymores protect humanity from human-devouring monsters called Yoma. But to say this is the actual premise would be misleading. As the story progresses, we dive deep into the motivations behind the main character, Clare, who Claymores really are, and a little bit about the origins of their enemies, the
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Yoma. The show wastes no time in diverting with fillers; every episode reveals something important about the characters or the story. If there is one criticism of the plot, it would be the last few episodes. They felt incomplete and forced, but this is because the anime takes an original route at this point; I plan on reading the manga to learn the true ending.
Claymore also provides good characters. Despite having a multitude of other Claymores besides Clare, the show gives them enough character development to make us feel like they actually belong in the story. The show is still very shounen-esque, so the focus is overwhelmingly on the main character's thoughts and backstory, but I found myself becoming quite attached to some of the other characters as well. Each of them has their own dark tale to tell, and that kept me yearning for more.
Overall, Claymore is a well-executed tragedy about warriors with an ill-fated destiny imposed upon them: to be half human and half the kind of what they are trained to kill. Each warrior has to find their own method of survival, and as a result they develop starkly different perspectives, some which lead to disastrous consequences. The show is a fun ride; anyone looking for a grim show with a good story should give this a watch.
Thanks for reading my review.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Mar 29, 2019
While this season retains the intensity and absurdity of the first, the story falls flat towards the end, and leaves the viewer with a feeling that something more should've happened. However, those who enjoyed the first season for its debauchery will be entertained again.
Although this season introduces a slew of brand new characters, Jabami Yumeko continues to be the most captivating one. In a school full of gambling-obsessed lunatics, Yumeko finds a way to heighten the stakes of every game she partakes in. The pace of the story quickly picks up when the student council president makes an announcement which could shift the status quo
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in a nearly irreversible manner, causing power-hungry individuals to pour in, all eager for a slice of the pie. The only method that Yumeko knows in dealing with threats is to gamble with them.
With the arrival of these new powerful individuals, the gambles Yumeko faces become more complex and risky, but of course that only serves her excitement. Similar to the prior season, the games are ridiculous and entertaining, fueled by Yumeko's insatiable lust for risk. Other characters like Mary and the student council president play a heavier role this time, yet despite this the president's motives and beliefs remain veiled and irrational.
The show is genuinely entertaining, but the last episode is considerably weaker than the rest. The studio had decided to make an anime-original character who gets the spotlight towards the end, but a rushed buildup coupled with a abrupt finish culminated in an unsatisfactory ending. Hopefully, this character's story continues in a third season, but perhaps it would have been more well-paced if this character's story had been reserved for a third season altogether.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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Jul 7, 2018
Watch the second season to keep up with the story, but don't expect it to be on the same level as the first season.
The story begins quite strongly this season, with our crew beginning the reconstruction of Liones after the battle with Dreyfus and Hendrickson. Each character is developed more along the way, as we begin to glimpse into the pasts of Meliodas, Ban, King etc. As the title suggests, the Ten Commandments are the main villains this time around, and their arrival forebodes a great war. The show does a good job hyping up these fearsome villains, but somewhere along the way the
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show becomes distracted by too many side plots. Diane's and King's arc this season are downright frustrating to watch, and while there is a beautifully animated "big fight" towards the end of the show, the last 4 or 5 episodes were pretty awful. You can literally feel the studio running out of money at this point. The pacing starts to lack direction, the art quality drops a bit, and none of the "hype" action scenes seem to carry that impact.
MINOR SPOILERS: As a side note, the introduction of power levels was unnecessary and detrimental to the show. The point of shounen is to SHOW people's power through their interactions with other characters or the environment. The fact that several characters were able to just see another person's power as a number completely takes away the magic of this genre.
Objectively I don't think this season was bad, but the final episodes of this season were disappointing.
Reviewer’s Rating: 6
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Mar 2, 2018
Unlike the TV series' theme of outplaying opponents in law-binding games, the movie is instead a narrative of the past, of how the seemingly powerless god Tet emerged triumphant among the Old Deus. The seriousness is definitely turned up a notch, and while the comedy is not the same as the TV series', I thought the movie presented a stronger story.
The TV series is mostly linear: Sora and Shiro gain power by repeatedly outsmarting the other races in various games. The movie's story is more complex and layered. We're first introduced to one of the main characters, Riku. Humanity is caught in the
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middle of the Old Deus's war, and Riku is tired of human casualties. This doesn't seem to bother any of the other races, who look down upon humans. Riku meets Schwi on a scouting mission, an emotionless android that was exiled from her brethren for pursuing knowledge of the human heart. Schwi decides to stick with Riku to learn what human emotions are made of, and seeing no reason to reject her, Riku accepts.
It was incredible to watch the bond between the two characters. They motivate and inspire each other, which eventually gives Riku enough courage to propose a drastic plan: humanity will alter the war in their favor through espionage and spreading misinformation. What follows in the rest of the movie is how humanity achieves this with Riku and Schwi at the helm.
The art and sound were absolutely outstanding; the action scenes were really beautiful to watch. Anyone who is a fan of action will appreciate the work put into the animation.
Overall, I thought this was a fantastic movie. It is more serious in tone than the TV series, but provides an important foundation for the story of the current characters. If you enjoyed NGNL at all, definitely watch this movie, but it'd be a crime to see this movie without having seen the show first.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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Dec 25, 2017
"Your belief in yourself is your magic!" - Charlotte, not Kamina
Having started off as a training project for new animators, Little Witch Academia, the TV series, has blossomed into one of the best shows I've seen. Based on the title and poster, you might think it's a shoujo or some "cute girls doing cute thing" type of show, but that couldn't be further from the truth. The show is Trigger at its best, and captures everything people love about the studio. The familiar over-the-top action scenes, eccentric characters, and a plot that culminates to a dramatic finish are all elements we see in LWA. The
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difference is this time they've somehow managed to include all that without making it a strictly shounen show; it's difficult to put LWA into a specific genre.
For this type of show, that's a good thing. What we get is an extremely well-developed story with minimal tropes. Instead, each character has a chance to shine as their own personality, and the show never makes the mistake of focusing too much on one character and allowing the others to fall flat. Each character pleasantly progresses and grows from their experiences; they are surprisingly human-like and relatable despite still having anime-like, eccentric personalities.
The story has no fillers; each episode reveals something important about the characters or story. It is excellently paced, though I do think the ending is slightly rushed, but the episodes leading up to are well-timed and properly portrayed. Similar to other Trigger shows, the beginning of the show consists of minor conflicts with no clear obstacle for the main character to overcome. However, the later episodes require the main character to prevail over some monumental villain or task.
LWA is an incredibly good show; its style and narrative remind me a lot of Gurren Lagann, as the quote in the beginning might have reminded you of as well. I have heard some people say this show doesn't interest them because it's just "cute girls doing cute things," but that's a wildly inaccurate statement. Like TTGL, it's a coming of age story where self-confidence is the key to your success. Therefore, any shounen or TTGL or fantasy or really any kind of fan should definitely watch this.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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Nov 24, 2017
A show that started off quite strong, but ultimately collapsed due to bad pacing and minimal character development.
The premise of the story is a little generic; there are too many "elite classroom" shows out there, but what made this one semi-interesting is the usage of "class points" as currency. The system is not exactly clear, but in general each class collectively earns points by doing well on exams etc., and can lose points if they sleep in class, fail exams. etc. "Class points" can buy basically anything in the school, including entrance into a higher class, which everyone below Class A is striving for.
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You'll soon discover our generic, average MC is not so average after all. He reminds me a lot of the MC in Mahouka, so if you enjoy that type of character, you'll probably find this one interesting as well. As the show reveals more and more about the nature of our MC and what he's hiding, you'll soon discover many of the other characters have their own secrets as well. All of this happens in about the first half of the story (~6 eps).
Then the pacing began to slow down to an unbearable pace. The second half contained many fillers, or what at least felt like fillers. The show throws many questions into the story, but fails to answer any of them. Save for the MC, character development basically stops; we don't witness why these shady characters do the things they do, or what drove them to become this way. I will admit that the last episode was actually quite strong, and we get a deeper glimpse into the motivations behind the MC, but it came at the cost of learning nothing about the other characters for the latter half of the show.
Overall, the show started off with an interesting enough premise and cast, but lost itself along the way. The conclusion was still quite good, however, so it's still worth watching if you really enjoy this genre.
Reviewer’s Rating: 6
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Nov 5, 2017
One of the most heartwarming and cutest shows I've seen in a while. All romance fans should immediately watch.
Since the show is adapted from a 4-koma manga, its storytelling structure is composed of mini-skits rather than a full, linear episode. There are multiple "couples" in the show, as the main picture shows, and every episode has about 4 of these mini-skits where it rotates through each couple.
The tone is extremely light-hearted, so don't expect much drama, but you'll get to see the struggles each couple faces. There are almost no drawn-out conflicts; most problems get resolved during or the episode after.
The romance
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is endearingly innocent, and obviously highly idealized, but that's why we watch romance in the first place right. Overall just an extremely cute show to watch and give you some hope in love again.
10/10 would recommend
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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Aug 17, 2017
I have written and deleted my review for this show several times now, because I can't find the right words to express how incredible it is. It's a show that breaks every single trope you can think of in romance anime, cuts out all the BS that makes so many romance shows drag on and unbearable to watch, and just tells a heartwarming story of two kids in middle school.
Now I know what you're thinking. Middle school romance? Surely kids at that age know nothing of love. And you'd be exactly right to think that. This show's crowning achievement is its ability to realistically
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portray a middle school relationship. All the awkwardness, all the shyness, all the innocence, all the naivety is perfectly captured in the characters' interactions with each other. Through them, we are fondly (or not fondly) reminded of the many stupid things we did in middle school to impress our crushes, and how we learned from those experiences. Tsuki ga Kirei captures these youthful moments perfectly.
I cannot stress enough how well done the interactions between the two main characters are. A healthy relationship is composed of each person empowering the other and becoming better people as a result. Fights always happen when two people are that close, but communication is always the best method of resolving them. Tsuki ga Kirei reflects this perfectly. Problems are swiftly resolved through direct communication, and by the end of the show, we see just how long the two characters have come since the beginning.
On top of witnessing the interactions between the two main characters, we also see extremely realistic interactions between the characters and their families. There are no "oh my parents are working overseas" or "my parents passed when I was young so I'm living by myself" tropes. No, instead we get to see how a family cares for each other, gets angry at each other, but ultimately make up with each other over their differences.
Tsuki ga Kirei's appeal comes from its realism. Nothing in the show feels like it couldn't have happened in real life, and despite the story being about two middle schoolers, it's able to create a heartwarming tale with just the right dosage of drama. I truly believe this show should be the standard for romance anime, and I really consider it revolutionary in its genre. Any fans of a good and realistic love story should start this immediately.
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
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Jul 2, 2017
Kuzu no Honkai is one of those shows that's a hit or miss, because its messages and themes are about love; not just what it is, but how to convey, approach, and handle it. Its messages therefore cannot be objectively true, but instead are highly subjective.
There are many romance shows out there, and most of them are designed to appeal to the majority. This means either a happy ending where the characters who deserve love end up achieving it, or a tragic story where no one ends up with anything. Kuzu no Honkai attempts to be somewhere in between, and it does well in
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keeping the ending unpredictable.
This is not to say that this is one of those shows where it tries to show that people are not just black and white, but instead a combination of good and evil. As the title suggests, these characters are scum, and they act manipulatively, irrationally, and emotionally. Along the way, they try to do the right thing, but fail repeatedly, succumbing to their selfish desires.
And this is why the show is such a hit or miss. On one side, you may sympathize heavily with the characters, believing that love often drives us to commit acts we're not proud of. You may sympathize that the characters are only just teeangers, so their immaturity and jealousy cannot be faulted. On the other hand, you may find the drama ridiculous and exaggerated. You may believe that the characters are simply delusional, and that normal people, even angsty teenagers, do not behave this way. The first episode is enough to give you a sense of the tone of the story, and thus which group you belong to.
Of course, you may believe that the show is a little bit of both opinions, and that is the opinion I hold. Some of their actions make sense, despite how cruel they may be, but sometimes they are unrealistic and borderline psychotic. In fact, I believe one of the characters actually fits the psychological definition of a sociopath, but I'll leave that up to you to decide if its only one character who is.
Despite the wretchedness of the characters, I thought the show was extremely well executed. The pacing was on point, not so fast as to take away from the emotional moments, but not so slow as to make it painful to watch. The art and sound are some of the best I've seen in a while, and the voice acting is superb. The only fault I found in the story was its ending. It is satisfying, yet in my opinion highly unrealistic, even for someone who finds the show unrealistic to begin with.
It is difficult to say whether not I actually enjoyed the show. As a work of the anime medium, I would say it is objectively good. However, the story is designed to make you despise the characters, despise human nature, despise the dark sides of love. You won't come out feeling joyful about relationships, or really joyful at all. You will have watched 12 episodes of suffering and heartbreak.
So despite giving this show an 8/10, would I recommend it? I'm not sure. If you enjoy drama, heartbreak, and a more mature view of teenager romance, give this show a watch. If you're looking for a rom com, happy ending, or even a show where you watch the characters grow and overcome their flaws, then by all means stay away from this one.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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