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Mar 23, 2024
Humans are frail creatures. Never escaping their final fate, and yet always clinging to their lives and loved ones when the time comes. Maybe it's the brevity of existence is what makes us so eager to leave something unforgettable in this world. A legacy, whether artistically or scientific, will always be one of the most desired goals of mankind. But why leave a legacy if, after leaving this world, nothing else will matter? Humans are indeed frail creatures, aiming for a goal they won't witness. And still so passionate about it.
Sousou no Frieren is a story about humans. About how their names can still
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echo through time even centuries after their departure. It's also about an elf’s perspective towards them, an elf who attends by the name of Frieren. Several years before our story takes place, she was part of the legendary Hero's Party, that consisted of Himmel, the hero; Eisen, a dwarf; Heiter, a priest; and Frieren, our main character.
After defeating the Demon King, they part ways and decades pass. For the small elf, it was a short time in her long life; but for the other members of the party, their lives were reaching the final point. After meeting each one of them and witnessing the passage of time (as well as their departures from this world), she takes two youngster apprentices under her guard. Fern, a magus in training, and Stark, a carefree warrior - both adopted by Heiter and Eisen respectively. In her journey to find spells, Frieren learns more about the current world and witness the legacy left by The Hero's Party, with an emphasis in Himmel – who has an statue in his memory. In their brief existence, the impact left by his feats are still remembered.
As a contemplative story, Sousou no Frieren brings the viewer to reflections towards immortality, emotional bonds and the impact of a legacy that echoes through time. The elf, who always took their coleagues' presence for granted, starts to understand the importance such brief living beings had on her. As someone who never tried to reflect upon mortality (something strange to her race concept), she learns about her emotions towards the Party and towards her new coleagues. Not only this, but Frieren also understands more and more about Flamme, her master – who became the biggest magus in the world. A magus that, even withholding outstanding power, had as favorite spell the one that made flowers grow, showing the value Flamme gave to appreciating the small things in life.
As a long awaited show, Sousou no Frieren has a top tier production and a great soundtrack. The opening ”Haru" by Yorushika became one of the best themes I have ever heard, and one of my favorites of 2024 already. It is lively and encapsulates the anime's lore and atmosphere nicely. Madhouse really gave us something memorable. The voice acting was well chosen, with a special mention of mine to Nobuhiko Okamoto - Himmel's seiyuu. Personally, this series was one of the few I looked forward to every week and I am glad that I could witness its transmission. It's a series that should be remembered decades later.
Thank you for reading.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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Feb 5, 2024
What is that... eh... That feeling and miracle everybody longs for... The conclusion of a neverending cycle...
Higurashi is a fully fleshed out experience that goes through 8 major chapters. It tells a main mystery that revolves around a series of murders, known as the "Curse of Oyashiro-sama" (the Deity of Hinamizawa - a small village where the game takes place).
The plot is mainly expository, with different perspectives and points of view. Telling more about the case and characters involved. After every day in novel, there are tips before the next one, something that happens until the Answers Arcs (chapters 5 - 8).
Matsuribayashi
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Arc is the final chapter of Higurashi No Naku Koro Ni Kai. Its story happens mainly in the day of Watanagashi, a festival to praise Oyashiro-sama and cleanse the village's sins. In this sense, it is a purification ritual in a day to celebrate the local Deity, but also to unite the villagers' spirit in one and protect themselves from the yearly Curse. In this chapter, Rika Furude and Miyo Takano finally have their clash, with various factions and parties involved, in order to prevent a major incident.
The final battle starts early in the morning - 4 a.m. - and finishes three yours before the Festival. The arc offers the background of both sides, the Mountain Dogs (Yama Inu) and the "Hinamizawa Alliance" in an intensity scale that was never shown before in the novel. The sudden turns in the whole information war, the shooting chaos before the dawn and the union of every party involved to break the Death Loop are the main points of this setting. Ryukishi's writing is sharp here, with a few over the top moments that couldn't be helped. Matsuribayashi-hen is not only the end of a Thousand year finding, but also the proof that miracles can happen if everybody involved reach their hands and trust one another. It is the definitive stage in the first novel of the When They Cry series, and a memorable farewell to the work's iconic cast.
Higurashi is a long journey. Sure, it is dragged through lots of moments and some of its answers might seem not fitting to the amount of initial expectations, but it is special. It has a lot of heart. The cast is one of the best I've seen in visual novels, with both the good and bad guys motives being understandable. It is immersive and well crafted, with truly brilliant moments that shine like few did. A must read for the ones with a passion for mystery works and stories in countryside settings.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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Dec 28, 2023
16bit Sensation: Another Layer is a series that didn't lift much dust when it was being released. One of the reasons is the fact that it was among two highly awaited shows in Fall 2023: Sousou no Frieren and Kusuriya no Hitorigoto. Also, the manga wasn't famous enough to bring some mainstream hype. Which is a shame, since this series was one of my favorites from the season with all its good points and flaws.
16bit tells the story of Akisato Konoha, a 19 year old illustrator who works at Blue Bell - a game company that focus only on the trends of the market.
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Such thing brings Konoha a feeling of disappointment towards the industry. After the end of her working hour, she finds a game story on her way home; there, the young illustrator finds classic visual novels from the 90s and 00s such as Kanon by Key. While checking the works available in the store, she is suddenly sent to 1992 (21 years in the past). There, Konoha finds a visual novel company called Alcohol Soft – composed by members such as the programmer Rokuta Mamoru and the illustrators Shimoda Kaori and Uehara Meiko. Konoha works hard to show her drawing skills with the 16 colors available in that time and to be part of Alcohol Soft's crew.
Little by little, she learns about their interests in common and blend in with the community, making a friendship with Yamada Touya, a girl who shares the love for moe and bishoujo with Konoha.
This anime pays its good portion of homages to the visual novel industry, with references to works such as Sakura no Uta, Fate Series and many other milestones of the bishoujo and action genre. It's interesting how it all feels natural, partially due to its main location: the 90s Akihabara, with all its otaku culture in peak. The series also shows how the japanese market changed through time, and how the bisoujo genre lost its spotlight.
16bit is a love letter for the visual novel industry. Even though it goes a little off rails in the second half, it never ceases to be interesting and enjoyable. The plot keeps going, with a charismatic cast and a passion for the media it is inspired on. It might be rushed sometimes but it tackles its themes well. Visually, the series makes use of bright colors and vintage filters, the main female characters are fitting to the bishoujo concept. The sound consists of songs with a happy atmosphere, with a special mention to the opening. The BGM's take inspiration in novel soundtracks, with a high similarity.
All in all, 16bit is a show that is worth watching. Especially if the novels theme is part of the reader's interest. It's one of the few works that represent and pay an homage to the industry, which has lost some of the influence it had but never ceased to show its true magic to the ones who love the media.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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Sep 14, 2023
"Fate Strange/Fake: Whispers of Dawn" is the prologue of the next Fate series installment. It takes place in a battleground town, ready for the next great Grail War.
Each master and its servant are shown without hurry, with the first being Gilgamesh and Tine, a shy but bold girl. The known magician El Melloi is another character worth mentioning, and along with him we have Flatt Escardos, a boy that doesn't seem anything special at first sight; in one ocasion, he gets an artifact ignored by Melloi. Such item is responsible to the coming of Jack the Ripper, who didn't show much of his power
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in that moment besides some tricks. In the last part, we have a brief conflict betwee Gilgamesh and Enkidu, that was stopped due to the presence of a sudden evil force. In the end, we see another master in the post credits.
The animation is good, even though some characters have some weird expressions in some frames. The sakuga in fight and explosions was great, and so was the atmosphere in general. I hope the production gets even better in the anime. The sound is your typical Fate soundtrack, it sets an epic mood.
All in all, I am looking forward to the Strange Fake series. I am a big TypeMoon fan and I'm always digging more of Nasuverse works.
Thank you for reading.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Aug 6, 2023
"To love is to set free". Now this is a quote I have heard a couple of times before, but when does this sentence is well used in the correct moments and situations? Liz to Aoi Tori is one of the best examples of such use, in a sensible and clever way.
Picture a watercolor painting of two characters, Kasaki Nozomi and Yoroizuka Mizore. Two highschool girls that attend Kitauji High, and have been friends for a good time. However, such friendship never was equal, as shown in the second framed segment of this movie. We see a shy and quiet Mizore, with no friends
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along with her; we see the brightness and melody find her location right when Nozomi shows up wishing her a good morning. Right after, both find their way upstairs to their music classroom: Kasaki in first view and Yoroizuka right after, depicting to the viewer the very way their relationship is. With the codependance unknown to Kasaki in that moment.
Both are taking part in Kitauji's school orchestra, in order to play "Liz to Aoi Tori", a work that focus on Liz - a quiet girl that attends a job at a bakery - and the Blue Bird, a being that can transform itself into a bright girl. One day, Liz finds the Bird transformed fallen outside her house. As time passes, both develop a friendship. Such bond little by little made the little Bird astray of her true purpose: flight to higher heights, leaving her good life with Liz.
The flow and transition between those two worlds is well done and natural, to the point of making both realities seem the same. Here, it serves as a parallel between Liz (Mizore playing the oboe) and the Blue Bird (Nozomi playing the transverse flute). Both stories are about setting free; one as a metaphor and the other as a lesson and a reminder that friends won't always be close to us. We see the dependence Mizore has, to the point of choosing the same college Nozomi chose to take part in. In the end, we find out that Mizore was actually the Bird, and Nozomi was Liz. Even though Mizore held her fault at being so dependant, Nozomi never really set her free. She tries to do so ignoring her, but Mizore notices. We see that the dependant part was the one with most potential, to such a level that the supposedly independent part chose the college just to reach her level. A moment that shows us how some talented people don't see their own potential, and instead decide to be taken by the life flow. Both walk side by side in the end, coming to terms and looking themselves though different lens.
The animation quality is great, with light colors such as blue and green; serving well to the movie concept. The fantasy and reality are easy to differ here, due to the difference of color palette. The sound is amazing as the usual of a "Hibike! Euphonium" universe work, especially when the third fill is played. This is my favourite Naoko Yamada movie, with Tamako Love Story right after. She is a director that has a talent I rarely find in the industry. Liz to Aoi Tori should be rewatched anytime possible, and it is a great movie.
Thank you for reading.
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
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Jul 20, 2023
I don't really know what to say about this series. The first word was "wait...", and the second a "bro". And the third one was "what". Because I'm slowly day by day understanding what is going on with the industry of japanese cartoons (yes I said the cursed word). If you picture the path from 10 years onwards, we had a full turn to romcoms and the "guess-who-the-self-inserted-MC
-will-end-up-even-though-it-is-obvious-from-day-one-but-you-will-watch-it-anyway"; which is fine to be honest. It was fine to me not because of its obvious outcome, but because of the whole way to this outcome. The funny situations, the lovey situations generated by those funny
...
situations that generated another funny situations. Yeah, I like that. Don't judge me.
The series in question is what I believe to be a birth of its own genre. The story starts with our MC, who attends by the name of Komura Kaede. The first very words that come out of his mouth (or head; I don't know if he was thinking his mind out) are related to his secret BAE/s.o./girl he likes, who attends by the name of Mie Ai (見え... got it? XD); she uses glasses (and write this up because it's a key point in the series). Our MC is initially on his way to school thinking about the story heroine. On the way to said place, we have a small demonstration of artistic choices regarding visuals and colors, the type that would give Satoshi Kon a triple seizure.
Right after it, class starts and (guess what) Komura is sitting next to... Mie! And it's clear visually that she can't see what is on the board. The reason being that she forgot her glasses. Remember the key part I mentioned? Yes. Our Heroine is different from the typical one of your generic romcoms. She has a couple of points that handicap her in her day, such as forgetting her glasses and/or stepping on it accidentally when getting home (the main reason is to create some nice moments with the MC in this same theme, you see?). Mie has a serious myopia, the type that doesn't permit her tact to distinguish a cat fur and a plastic bag; or the voice of Komura, the guy she spends a significant time of her school hours with, and Azuma (a famous boy she barely talks until the present moment); or the difference between a kitten voice and a human voice pretending to be a kitten. I know, I know... serious issue. When the has her glasses, such problems fortunately vanish.
To be honest, this series reminds me of Kyoukai no Kanata sometimes. But only for the fact that the writers have a fetish with glasses though; whether the girl in question uses them or has some issue with myopia. Now pardon me, I'm going to act in the author's defense here. I chose the "I want you with glasses" option in Tsukihime's Ciel route, so it's understood. What puzzles me here is how everything in this series revolves around this. I mean, come on, it's the NAME of the series. So there's gotta be something here. It's a circle: find the glasses; lose the glasses; put on the floor; break the glasses by accident. In a short time, the heroine will be as strong as Jackie Chan.
With all this said, I am enjoying this series. It has lots of wholesome moments, and the relationship growth between Mie and Komura is amusing to witness. By an unexpected situation, people can become close; even though this unexpected situation happens a couple of times so that it isn't so unexpected anymore. However this also makes things funny, it adds some absurdity to the whole situation.
"Suki na Ko ga Megane wo Wasureta" is heartwarming somehow. It is also kind of weird. It's also wholesome. So yeah, try it out if you want something that has some cute moments between two beginners in life and love. And... Yeah, that's it.
Ciao.
Reviewer’s Rating: 5
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Jun 28, 2023
This is some kind of different take about this season, considering the rolling-on-the-floorable atrocity I had to read here. Oshi no Ko is a manga series written by Akasaka Aka and illustrated by Yokoyari Mengo.
The story is initially about Hoshino Ai, a famous idol and leader of B-Komachi. Our main character, a gynecologist who attends by the name of Amamiya Gorou, is a big fan of hers, even though he is the usual doctor at first sight; and so is Tendoji Sarina, a little girl at terminal state in the hospital, and Gorou's patient. One random common day, he receives a special pregnant visitor,
...
who turns out to be Ai herself, who was brought by Saitou Ichigo, her manager. Ichigo himself doesn't know of the identity of the father, since Ai doesn't tell him at all. Fact is that young idol couldn't let her pregnancy of twins be of public knowledge, hence the secret visit.
Right before the babies were born, Gorou was pushed down a hill close to the hospital. The identity of the murderer is unknown in that moment. After this sudden death, Ai's healthy twins were brought to this world. And the surprising part is that her kids are Gorou and Sarina's reincarnated (the girl lost the battle to her disease, as revealed later). The offspring now attend by the name of Aquamarine and Ruby respectively, and are simply the son and daughter of a star; and still diehard Ai fans thar always take part on her show with happiness. We see the young idol's life as she accepts roles in a radio, a TV series and fashion magazines. One single dark day, the teenager receives an unexpected visitor – a supposed B-Komachi and Ai fan – holding a bouquet. After the door was opened, he took a knife out of the flowers arrangement and stabbed the idol right before Aqua's eyes. Reasons being that he knew that she had offspring, and that it was a “betrayal". Ai remembered him, and told that the man was always in B-Komachi ‘s meet and greet. This conversation lefts the man in tears and despair. The unknown man leaves the crime scene, and right after it he commits suicide. The idol falls on the ground close to the door, and hugs a crying Aqua. Ruby is on the other side, in tears as well. Ai tells that she loves both, and dies seconds later.
This is when we are brought to a inner perspective of the showbiz world, with Aquamarine and Ruby as the new protagonists. We meet many more characters in this journey, such as Arima Kana, Mem-Cho and Kurokawa Akane (the latter having one of the most accurate online shaming-depression-suicide attempt depictions I have ever seen). I have seen some people comparing Oshi no Ko with Perfect Blue, since both show us the bad side of the colorful idol world, although in completely different approaches. I think this series is as current as ever, since we live in the age of easy access to hatred spread. And with this I'm not talking about “boo hoo right bad” kind of thing. This anime shows us how people write on Twitter things they would NEVER ever say in real life. As long as we live in the comfort of our four walled world and supposed safety, we can say whatever we want without giving a damn about the proportions. And it's not about individual attacking, but a multitude of insults to a public image (even after said image's passing) as shown in the needlesly long first episode. The truth is that people could pull somebody into an emotional cliff dive, and never care about the consequences as long as no one never sees their own actions and words as one of the main reasons.
About animation quality, Kobo gives a good impression. This anime is bright, it is colorful, but also manages to use dark palette when needed. The atmosphere and mood is always set in the right way, never detracting. The OST isn't so memorable in my opinion, however it has some good tracks, such as the main themes and the idol songs that give me some Triple H vibes sometimes. And as a matter of fact, the girls here are as cute as in manga (thanks). The pacing made me a bit worried, since my initial impression was that they were going to devour the manga in large parts – like episode one. And well... this is the case but just in the beginning. I am enjoying the way the series is flowing so far. The comedy factor is not slapstick or childish cringey, which is a good point. If doesn't break the atmosphere, and flows in the right moment.
Oshi no Ko in general is a very good show. Of course, people hype it and to be honest I don't blame them at all. The top anime of this site will always have some overrated titles, so complaining about it is just pointless. It proves that the issue here is with the anime itself, which is hilarious and amusing to read and see. I like Akasaka storytelling a lot, and Mengo's drawing complements everything really well. If you are searching for a unusual story, be sure to give Oshi no Ko a try.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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May 17, 2023
This show is really fun. I was choosing anime to watch based on similar previous interests and it was a nice seasonal choice.
Yamada-kun to LVL999 no Koi wo Suru tells the story of Akito Yamada, an introverted gamehead highschooler, and Akane Kinoshita, a lovely college student; they met first in Forest of Savior (or FoS, you choose), a MMORPG.
Following a sudden breakup, decided by her (then ex) boyfriend Takuma Furukawa, she finds him in the street with her new girlfriend, Eri. Akane runs after both, and collides on the handsome Yamada, who proves to be quite the pokerfaced type of guy (and apathic
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to the point of ignoring multiple dating opportunities). This is when the story starts completely.
After some time, Akane meets the other players, who were quite a surprise to meet - such as Eita and Runa Sasaki and Takezo Kamota. They learn more about one another, and start to develop bonds outside the gaming fields. Even to the point of going to rescue Akane of a then dangerous situation, made by Runa. Their relationship starts in odd numbers, but it eventually turns into a big sis-little sis kind of friendship.
The humor here is fairly good. It is not forced, nor does dettract from the story or make everything cringey to endure. The situations that occur in this series are mostly common to the college youngster, and even more to the female ones (since it is a shoujo, and to be honest it fits a tad better in the josei genre). Madhouse's animation is lively and light here, that’s to say that it is pleasing in flow and in the color choices. OST is decent to good, the opening featuring KANA-Boon and Yuuha Kitazawa fits well to the series, and so does Trick Art by Ryujin Kiyoshi (a song that reminds me of Wotakoi, just like this anime in general does).
Yamada LVL999 is a chilling and funny anime. It is one of my season favorites, and it receives a positive feedback from me. It's the kind of light warming show that always manages to make me smile.
Thank you for reading.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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Apr 21, 2023
Makoto Shinkai's newest movie is nothing beyond the usual CoMix tropes. That's why it is good and well directed. The story revolves around Iwato Suzume, a 17-year old schoolgirl who lives with Tamaki, her aunt, and Munakata Souta, a college student that wants to be a teacher in the future.
One day, Suzume finds Souta in her way to school, and the boy asks her if she knows about an abandoned area; such place was unknown to her until she found out about it after arriving to school. In its center there was a door, such door was standing on its own, just like another
...
one she saw in her childhood, while searching for her mother. There, she finds a cat totem in the area, and picks it without being aware of the nature of that item. A couple of hours later, Suzume finds Souta trying to close the previously mentioned door, while a red slither was making its way out of the door. After succeeding in the task, Souta explains that he is a guardian that needs to close doors around Japan, and Suzume decides to treat his wounds in her house. This is when our story is established and explained.
The movie has a nice flow and progression. We have an understanding of both protagonists lives and backgrounds. There is a crescent and mutual friendship that grows more as they go through difficult situations in their task, and some allies give them support on their way. The soundtrack is fresh and immersive, basically the usual in Shinkai's movies, just like the animation quality; it is beautiful and a virtual machine wallpaper material.
There are a couple of points that always get away unexplained though, like the doors concepts, why they exist, the motive why Daijin (the totem cat) was seen as "bad" through more than half of the movie, etc. Some events could be better explained, in my opinion. However, the positive points outweigh the issues.
The reconciliation between Suzume and Tamaki is one of the best moments in the story, the thoughts both characters held from one another come to life in a difficult time in the story. Serizawa Tomoya, Souta's friend, helps the protagonists and gives some funny moments through the movie. The climax, when Suzume finds her way to save Souta, can be a bit forced considering the short time both had together, but it establishes their bond in a touching way.
Suzume no Tojimari is a good movie. It was a fun ride for me, who just left left the theater, and is one of the reasons why Shinkai's works are so amusing to me, even with some reused ideas and concepts. Maybe that's why this movie is good, because above everything it wants to tell a story without being pretentious or trying to stray its way from the actual point.
Thank you for reading.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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Feb 21, 2023
OreGairu is one of the most famous titles in the high school slice of life genre, and most of the community has seen or at least heard of Wataru Watari and Ponkan8's work. But I believe that a relatively smaller number actually read the light novel to completion. The reason for this is that Novel/LN media has a very different model from what the general public watches or reads. Unlike the ninth art (comics/manga) and animation/anime, with sequential movements and a sense close to the seventh art, Novels are close to literature. And, from time to time, we have some prints and art (if it's
...
one you have). The format causes disinterest in the public that does not have the habit of reading, which does not only concern LNs, but literature in general. However, the media thrives a lot among the public that have attachment and habit. And I can only hope it keeps growing.
That said, what's so special about OreGairu? What would motivate someone to read a juvenile title that has around 168 chapters?
The story revolves around Hikigaya Hachiman, an antisocial 2nd year student at Sobu High School. One day, he is taken by teacher Hiratsuka Shizuka to the Volunteer Club room. In which the only member at the moment is Yukinoshita Yukino, an exemplary student with a unique appearance. According to Hiratsuka, the objective of bringing him there was so that he could have his "distorted" ideals fixed. But through self-reflection, conditioned by Yukinoshita. Such action was encouraged, in large part, by an essay written by Hikigaya, in which he wrote abominations to the youthful spirit and the "riajuus" (the popular students).
Initially, both students take a dislike to each other, as they are theoretically opposites. However, when passing the first chapter, it becomes clear that both are similar in terms of interaction. Both don't have friends, but for different reasons. Hachiman for her antisocial and withdrawn attitude, and Yukino for being “perfect” in the extreme. The teacher then decides to establish a bet, in which both should strive to help as many people as possible in the club. The one who won could ask someone else for a favor. Such a gamble earns Yukino's revulsion, but she later reluctantly accepts. A few moments later, Yuigahama Yui arrives, the first person to open the bet. Yui is popular and, although not a bright student, she has a friendly attitude towards her fellow members and is kind. His aura is bright and spontaneous, the opposite of the two students. Yuigahama was asked to learn how to make cookies; such an arduous task is taken up by Yukinoshita, a proficient cook. After this unusual situation, which would be remembered many volumes later, our main trio takes shape. Over time, many other beloved characters emerge, each with their background and story worked on.
Although I have a lot of praise for the series, it is necessary to admit that everything started to take shape little by little. The first 3 volumes focus on daily problems and requests throughout the Sobu School. However, over time, the construction and destiny of the characters (and the protagonists in particular) intertwine, to the point that the story turns to what they really want. The trio begins to bond emotionally, to the point that they yearn for the Volunteer Club. An affection and companionship grows between the two girls in the club. The atmosphere and togetherness, even if routine, is a portrait of what is so special about them. A small fragment of daily life, which only gets due attention after a breakup. Be it due to raids and fights or the passing of the school years.
OreGairu shows that even if precious moments are lived, they won't be forever. The journey is about looking for “something genuine”, but also about breaking cycles. Which is evident from volume 10 onwards. There is a melancholy amidst the happiness during Novel. The feeling that those shards of joy will pass. For a significant amount of time, Hachiman struggles with his inner self. Self-sacrifice, not caring about those who care and want good is a recurring theme.
The lonely boy has always dealt with his problems using rough methods, but when in conflict with Yukino, they cause a bitter and distant feeling. Yui ends up always trying to unite the trio, even through superficial conversations. Speaking of which, authenticity is another notable theme. The need to maintain their appearances and masks is visible in order to have a favorable school life. What is Hachiman's point of criticism ends up turning against him. The loner who has always boasted of his emotional independence, when faced with people who become important, begins to fear losing his special days with his clubmates.
There is a sense of realism in each of the characters that I rarely find in industry work. My only criticisms overall would be a few points in Watari's writing. He likes to throw in a lot of references to games and manga. It doesn't bother me in general, but in some chapters it fills with references and this ended up getting a little off topic at certain times. Even so, I interpret it as an immersion into the world of youth and adolescence. And, of course, he never does this in more serious and tragic moods. And by the way, there's a slightly dramatic sense to OreGairu. Especially close to completion. And a lot of the time, the drama is timed right. I find the conclusion memorable and nostalgic, in part because of the tone adopted in his writing. Of course, I couldn't stop talking about the meticulous art of Ponkan8. One of my favorite illustrators in the Novel industry. I believe his art has evolved (and a lot) over time. There is even a separate book with her illustrations, with a great sense of fashion.
Overall, I consider OreGairu an amazing journey. With its ups and downs, the series shone a lot, especially in the triad of volumes 8, 9 and 10 (my favorites). OreGairu is a Novel aimed at everyone who wants to read something really authentic.
Thanks for reading <3
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
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