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Jun 24, 2025
DISCLAIMER: I have not watched any other Gundams and in fact have hardly watched any mecha (besides Code Geass and...oh god Guilty Crown I'm so old)
I really
really really really really
really really really really really really really really really really really really really
REALLY wish this series was 2 seasons like the past Gundam series apparently were
There is no avoiding it. This series is an absolute mess. Our main leads have "arcs", but they feel like sudden plot points rather than proper progression and don't get to interact nearly as much as I would have wanted. Like suddenly, this character needs to feel angry,
...
suddenly this conflict between these two characters needs to be resolved. There is way too much going on for such a short series, between multiverses, political feuds, an initial premise that gets turned on its head halfway through, and tons upon tons of undercooked characters. There's a ton of jargon and references to other Gundam shows that makes it difficult for me as a new view to keep up with (Episode 2 was pretty much a non-starter for me). And, well, there's still a big reliance on "hype moments and aura". The fact that this series started development in *2018* is just a sign that this series had a troubled development, and it would explain a lot since that's the same year Spiderverse came out (which I am absolutely sure this anime owes a lot to).
Anyways, Gundam GQuuuuuuux is the first anime series (not counting movies) I've finished watching as it aired since Assassination Classroom and it reminded me why I fucking love this medium.
What hooked me to GQuuuuuux was its colorful sense of its style, its visuals and animation, its wonderful soundtrack, and its premise. Holy crap, I love the premise of young people stumbling upon a mecha and getting roped into doing illegal underground combat for the purposes of making money and getting some excitement in their lives. Yes, the premise isn't at all reflective of how the series shakes out. And yes, I really really wish Nyaan and Machu got more development. But...god damn it, I love these two characters. I love Nyaan's desire to find a life that fulfills her after losing everything, and her uneasiness with people, her bright and ecstatic highs and her cold and lonely lows. I love Machu being this goofy ass high school shonen angsty teenager who somehow got roped into having to pilot a mech for criminals and using it to make her life feel less mundane. I treasure every moment I get to spend with these eccentric dorks and their journey to free themselves from the world around them. I adore stories about multiple normal characters wanting to lead normal lives, but are forced to enter fights involving powers far beyond their understanding, and have to fight not to "save the world", but simply for their own inner peace and the people and small world they care about. And that ending...man. I know it was a big dose of "hype moments and aura", I know that last bit was way too painfully short, but...I JUST LOVE THESE CHARACTERS AAAAAAAAAA
There is a hole in my heart after finishing this series. I can't tell what exactly is the cause. Is it disappointment? Do I wish this series was more than it was? Or is the fact that I can't accept that this is the last we'll see of these characters and that their story is likely finished? I mean, I guess in that case I should be upset that the show is rushed and I don't feel satisfied with the journey I had with these characters. But...in a modern anime landscape where there is so much coming out, so many high quality fantasy and shonen anime that I just can't bring myself to care about, so much isekai, I am just glad there exists a messy-ass, but passionate, human-focused, and gorgeous-looking sci-fi anime I can have fun with. I'm glad this made it out of its 7 year development alive and I got to meet these characters at all.
Should you watch Gundam GQuuuuuux? Unless you're already a big Gundam fan, or you're a sci-fi loving freak like me who sees the beauty in the messiest pieces of media, absolutely not.
In fact, this is maybe a sign I should develop better taste and watch FLCL and Gurren Lagann...and other Gundams...and Evangelion...and fuck it, I should probably watch Symphogear too. Or maybe I'll give up on anime series again and return to manga and anime movies.
But the fact remains...this is what pulled me back into watching anime.
Thank you, Gundam Gquuuuuux, for reminding me why I love anime.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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Dec 18, 2023
Martial Master Asumi is the best manga to run in Weekly Shonen Jump since Ruri Dragon. Hands down.
It has a large cast of characters that each have their own dilemmas personalities, distinct enough that they don't feel like they blend together or the author is giving you too much. It should be noted that there are some well-written women, most of whom get fight scenes and some solid spotlight.
Asumi's own dilemmas are compelling. The current "main villain" is arguably not evil or a fully bad person, especially when we the manga shows his perspective, he just happen Asumi's own very personal villain.
The art is
...
solid and knows when to really punch itself up with detailed spreads for the high-intensity action.
The tone is well-balanced, knowing when to be serious, when to show some heart, and when to take it easy and be a little silly.
As someone who doesn't know anything about combat sports, the nuances of MMA are explained well. It's detailed enough to make fights feel incredibly complex and filled with mindgames (and not just people just beating each other up) but it never gets too overwhelming. It almost gives the fights a Hunter x Hunter-like feel.
Martial Master Asumi is just a really cleanly executed shonen. It might not yet be doing anything *amazing*, but it's very good in all aspects. Please read this manga. It's a bit up in the air if it will get axed or not, but I'm really hoping it doesn't...
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Dec 18, 2023
Seeing as there aren't any reviews on MAL that go past Chapter 8, I'm taking it upon myself to write it.
Kagurabachi's time as a meme has largely run its course. As most MAL reviews will tell you, for its first 7 or 8 chapters, Kagurabachi is a series with good art, an ok cast, and a story that's generic but is still decent and shows potential with its worldbuilding and cold tone.
And then Sojo arrives in Chapter 8. And then there's Chapters 9 and 10.
By the end of Chapter 10, Kagurabachi becomes a legitimately good shonen.
Sojo, a character mentioned early on, is properly
...
introduced in Chapters 8-10 and is a GREAT villain. He's cold, he's sadistic in his treatment of others, and worst of all, he also worships Chihiro's father, but in the most terrifying way possible. He's a perfect foil to Chihiro; if any character is going through an early training arc right now, it's not Chihiro, it's Sojo.
And it's thanks to Sojo that Chihiro has someone he desperately needs to stop. They have no direct connection, their relation is so unlike most shonen protag/antag relations, and yet it feels so strong. The cast is being extended to include more characters who can fight against Sojo. Char's terror is now made clear thanks to Sojo's plans, plans that, if they go through, could make Sojo develop into a long-term villain rather than the secondary villain he technically is.
The art has gotten a lot better. Almost every chapter since Chapter 9 has an absolutely insane panel or two. While the faces could still use some work, the details going into character art is getting more polished. The cast themselves is showing some more emotional range, with Chihiro finally expressing sorrow rather than just the "fresh hatred" he's had since the start. To prevent it from being too overbearing, the supporting cast that surrounds Chihiro are much more emotive and even a bit goofy, albeit still able to do their jobs when necessary. The cast also helps make it clear that Chihiro's apparent lack of emotion is really just a way to mask his recklessness.
The point is that it's clear by this point that there's a lot more going under the hood of Kagurabachi's generic-sounding premise. That's not to say it's a *great* series, the art is still a bit rough at times, and the cast and story, while good hasn't yet made me fall head over heels. But that's the key word, potential. Kagurabachi is not just a series with potential but, unlike many manga that have ran in Shonen Jump (I would give Mamayuyu as an example but people would get mad at me because a lot of people really like that one), it's focused enough that me and other readers feel like author Hokazono is indeed capable of realizing that potential
The jury's still out on whether or not Kagurabachi is the next big shonen, but well, I won't be too surprised if that ends up happening.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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