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The thoughts of being sold off to a stranger can instill in those fear and uncertainty, especially when considering that the one that is being sold is a mere happy (and unknowingly orphan) child, oblivious of the harsh conditions of the 19th century of France. Ie Naki Ko, or No Man's Boy Remi, narrates a sad, yet heartwarming tale of Remi and the hardships throughout his life as a travelling entertainer, learning valuable lessons about life itself. Although it is a beautiful anime, it suffers from some issues, the most notable one being the pacing of the story.

The story of Ie Naki Ko is pretty ... straightforward, audiences being presented with an accurate historical representation of France and a simple lifestyle of some villagers, whose sudden average life is torn apart. Remi is sold off by his supposed father to a travelling entertainer by the name of Vitallis for monetary reasons, much to his wife's horror and the child's pain. However, it soon becomes apparent that the old, broad-shouldered man only has good intentions with the boy, saving him from his wicked foster father and poor life. This is visible through subtle characterization, which is shown, rather than narrated.

Throughout Remi's long and arduous journey, viewers are presented with a very realistic portrayal of France. Examples such as the wonderful rustic views of the french countryside, or the harsh conditions of that time, and with that, society itself. Other aspect to consider is the fact of being thrown in a job as an entertainer: it comes with both good and bad sides to it. The social standing of such people are lowly viewed and looked down upon by society, as well as the difficulties of the troupe, such as their income: searching for a place to stay, closely following their monetary balance are such examples.

As mentioned earlier, the anime generally suffers from some pacing issues in all the different arcs: most events could have been solved/displayed without dwelling on it that long, whereas there were instances where it was actually desired. Some examples, such as Remi learning to read or living on his own, could have been extended upon and used its time to portray how french society was faring in that period. Other thing that could have been displayed are the difficulties of the different classes. Nevertheless, those were just minor things. Surely enough, most of said events are very mundane, which added to the immersion of the story, in addition to creating a well-balanced drama within. Naturally, the whole journey of Remi may seem ultimately a very convenient one (especially in the last part), but it seemed to be the goal the anime was working towards to, that of happiness, and in that regard it executed it well.

Characterwise it could be lacking it the eyes of some, as the show focusses mainly on the main protagonists, Remi and Vitalis. Both are well-developed and fleshed out through the series, in addition to their motives. There is Remi, a good-natured boy who develops significantly alongside the story in a satisfying manner. Then there is Vitalis, who seemed to be at first a simple device to push the story forward, yet is the exact opposite: both mentor and like a father to the boy, whose ultimate motive is a very noble one. What is curious is how this character is developed: instead of being narrated and directly told to the viewer, it is carefully displayed and shown through his actions and images. This was very refreshing and worked significantly in favour of the anime.

However, the little background story regarding Vitalis could be seen as a bit lacking and disappointing, yet the sheer amount of fleshing out of his character was surely more than enough to compensate for it (besides of being interesting on its own). There are quite a lot of side characters shown throughout the anime, which hinders the expansion upon those a bit (which would have been nice to see it included), but this is ultimately due to the vastness of Remi's journey. For the most part, they are well presented to the viewer, serving their purpose.

Regarding the animation of this work, it is dated as expected with some rather rough motions, or still frames. Nevertheless, the art style compensates this issue significantly, with great hand drawn pictures of the wonderful french countryside or just the characters themselves. Occasionally, still frames are used to portray different atmospheres the anime is trying to portray with different colors, be it very vivid or raw. It must be said that for new comers to the `old school` visuals may be taken aback by it, yet I cannot stress that this is actually a very pleasant change to nowadays art style and direction.

Concerning the soundtrack used, it is at times wonderful and befitting of the situations, yet at times it felt a bit off, breaking the immersion within, yet as a whole was above average. This does not include some wonderful male vocals, which was a joy to listen to. As for the voice actors, these had their up and downs as well, sometimes either being too forceful in their interpretation or unconvincing; this was however a small drawback. The opening and ending were very suited with the use of simple instruments of that time, such as a harp violin, you name it

Ie Naki Ko was overall a beautiful anime, portraying the beauty and difficulties of life, yet sadly suffered from pacing issues as well as a bit of progression issues in the story. The art style was a very pleasant change to the current ones, as well as the great characterization of the main cast. It shows audiences the struggle of life, the hardships, and how one should always push forward no matter the situation. I can recommend this anime to viewers interested in drama, or interest in the a character driven story; the dated animations and sounds can be off-putting, yet it is certainly worth the try despite this.

Thank you for reading.

It is truly fascinating of what people are capable of doing to survive in society, especially when you are basically abandoned by your relatives. A young boy who once aspired to be a dancer has no choice but to learn the art of Rakugo, a form of Japanese verbal entertainment in which the storyteller sits on stage while performing a complicated comedical story. Audiences may have had the impression that it solely focuses on the profession, yet this is not the case. At first it seems that it simply served as means of survival, but it becomes apparent that the journey throughout his life was ... more than just Rakugo: it is a tale of a flourishing and wonderful friendship, conflict and realization of oneself.

The story of Shouwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu, or "Showa and Genroku Era Lover's Suicide Through Rakugo" in its english title, is focused around Rakugo and with that, the characters and their interactions. Instead of consisting of a simple story about the ascension of two performers, which it is to a degree, it is a character driven story that ties the lives of the various individuals implicated: Yakumo, Sukeroku and Yurie. The profession is merely used as means to develop and unfold the storyline, whilst portraying the art of Rakugo itself. It must be mentioned that the synopsis of the anime is as a matter of fact a bit misleading; it is focused upon the afore-mentioned trio, albeit showcasing Yotaro's interactions with his master. This however will probably developed in the second season. Another aspect that is prevalent in the anime is drama: it was depicted in a subtle manner, without exaggerating it, making it much easier to digest and enjoy.

The pacing of this work is splendidly done, and very befitting, although it may seem at first sluggish and uninteresting to some. However, it becomes apparent that it is actually a necessary buildup to portray the characters relationship in a very satisfying manner. It is a journey that spans from their childhood to their puberty, culminating in their adulthood. It is a narrative ridden with little details, such as portraying subtly the daily interactions between the protagonists and the cast, or its setting, the 70's and 80's of Japan. Naturally, Rakugo is depicted as well in a satisfactory way: it shows viewers the difficulties of the profession, besides of the great stories contained within: it is simply delightful to listen to. In addition, it quickly becomes clear that world the protagonists live in is strongly favoured by those with status, rather than cunning. This reflects the society of that time rather well with the outdated mentality. Naturally, audiences may find the performing parts tedious, yet these are arguably rather amusing.

The cast of characters in Shouwa is rather small, consisting of a handful of characters, yet it is certainly sufficient to portray the whole scope of this tale. As mentioned earlier, Shouwa is a very character driven story, and it excels in this department greatly. because of the gradual buildup that spans various decades, the characters were slowly fleshed out and developed accordingly to the changes these experienced - this was done through subtle interactions with their peers. The two main protagonists are Yakumo and Sukeroku, who have quite diverse personalities, which enhances the narrative. By the end of the show, audiences may have a total different view of some of the characters.

Yakumo could be described a silent, cunning and self-containing character, yet from the inside insecure and delicate: it is marvelous to see his character develop through the various stages of his life, which includes the realization of himself. On the other side there is Sukeroku, a very charming and enthusiastic man, with a great talent and love for Rakugo, with no relatives. Character development and fleshing out of him is no exception either. The relationship between these two is very well-developed and presented to audiences, it is truly a tale of friendship.

Another crucial character in the anime is Yurie: she is the gear that triggers the wavering interactions between the cast and the main protagonists - in fact, romance is another theme that is present in the anime. As character she may seem rather underdeveloped, yet through various scenes and interactions with her peers, it quickly becomes clear that she is not as shallow as she appears to be. Her life, profession and unrequited love are thing that drove this character forth. The romance can be rather lacking, as it came pretty abruptly and was not really well-developed, alongside the reason on why she fell in love. However, love is not often a rational reaction, so it may be excused in a manner; regardless, some more expansion on it could have been welcome.

The studio behind Shouwa is DEEN, and the animation quality was well done, with very fluid motions. The character's movements when showcasing the performances were subtle and very detailed presented, conveying the art of Rakugo and how these are crucial for a good play. Facial expressions, sweat and similar traits managed to portray the various states of the cast. As for the art style itself, it has a slightly different take than the usual character designs which was enticing; the backgrounds were detailed, despite being composed mainly of internal locations. In some cases some inconsistencies could be found in the background characters, but this was negligible.

Concerning the soundtrack of Shouwa it was befitting, albeit a bit startling at first with various jazz tunes, as it didn't seem to fit the narrative: nevertheless, it quickly becomes apparent that this used to its advantage to upheave the pacing and importance of each scene when required. Piano or violin compositions are used as well, depending on the atmosphere. The voice actors did a splendid job, the various personalities matching with the characters, as well as wonderfully portraying the different intonations required for the various situations, be it the emotional states or the Rakugo performances itself. As for the opening and endings, these consisted of jazz, and blues, while having a great representation of what Rakugo is.

Shouwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu was overall a fantastic anime with a great story and characters, enhanced their interactions and the Rakugo. I was very surprised by the lack of attention this anime got - or rather, it is criminal. I throughly enjoyed this anime, in addition to the plays presented, which were quite intriguing at a personal level. Naturally, this may have been the main factor that have had viewers discontinue the anime, as it can be boring. Regardless, this is a necessary buildup for a great conclusion of the series. I want to mention the fact that viewers who expected a story focused on the difficulties after being jailed, will be let down, as this was not the case; however, audiences are rewarded with a great narrative. Moreover, a second season was announced which in turn may delve into said subject. I highly recommend people who like drama, or character driven stories to try this piece out.

Thank you for reading.

When it comes to sequels, It is often unclear whether it will live up to the quality of its previous installments, and in the case of the fourth season of Gintama fans can be assured: it maintains its defining traits. There continues to be a great variety in the comedy offered, as well as its share of arguably one of the best consequent "serious" arcs in the entire series so far, expanding greatly upon the setting itself, as well as its cast of characters. However, it must be mentioned that it comes with a slight controversy amongst the fans, the main concern being the inevitable ... conclusion the series is heading to, and with that, loosing in the process some of its main charm, the comedy, which mainly affects the last third of the season. Regardless of said matter, Gintama delivers in all of its main aspects in a very satisfying manner, where viewers can observe the culmination of the author's experience in the different aspects the anime has to offer.

~Story~

The story of the show follows a similar structure to its previous seasons, following the daily, both chaotic and amusing, lives of the beloved trio of the Yorozuya: Kagura, Shimura Shinpachi and of course Sakata Gintoki. The series is known for its great variety in comedy incorporating different genres from both the East and West, in addition to providing great referential comedy to the variety of different anime to its advantage - Kuroko no Basuke or Saint Seiya anyone? These are often well executed, albeit being in some cases too repetitive. Naturally, it is not all referential comedy: it has its share of situational comedy, or just simple daily issues taken into a comedic stance: hiding pornmags, or even a marriage encounter.

In various instances it also provides some social critique; what is more, this time around it is more universally centered, making it much more accessible to audiences unaware of japanese culture. Examples such as paranoia over a lottery ticket, greedy shopkeepers, corruption amongst civil employers, you name it. Naturally it has its share comedic sketches mainly catered to the japanese viewers, which are arguably hilarious as well. Not to mention the premise of some of the mini arcs presented: the hilarious gender bender arc and of course, the beloved Shogun gags - which once again are arguably of the best sketches of the entire series.

However, this time around it is impossible not to mention the story oriented arcs in the season: these are a magnificent portrayal of the author's acquired experience over the years, expanding upon the Amanto and the mysterious Tendoshu that rule over Edo. Its "serious" arcs were often criticized for being a bit random and too over the top, yet this time this is not the case. Furthermore, the foreshadowing that was done in the previous seasons become very apparent and explained, in addition to providing a very satisfying flow of events: fast-paced when required, yet balanced and thoughtful when necessary to emphasize on the atmosphere and gravity of the various situations. It ultimately works itself towards a great finale - or rather, another buildup, but to this later - with fantastic action across the board, with a minimal amount of "asspulls" action shōnen are well-known for. The battles are tense, the stakes are high, and it is in fact brutal as it can be: people die left and right, betrayal and disbelief are just some attributes that could be associated to it.

~Characters~

The cast of characters in Gintama remain largely unchanged, with some exceptions, yet this was to be expected, as the series is building itself towards its inevitable finale. Instead, the anime expands on its characters by developing them, as well as further fleshing them out in a satisfying manner. Audiences are presented with the expansion upon Gintoki's past, and with that, his other comrades as well as his master - a wonderful and satisfying display to the character's personality, and of course the story as well. Not only that, it becomes apparent that all the story oriented arcs are in fact used as means to develop and flesh out various characters which initially remained clouded in mystery from the previous seasons: be it Sasaki Isaburou, the founding of the Shinsengumi and its integrants, or even the shogun himself.

Naturally, for the more comedic episodes audiences are presented with the homeless Hasegawa Taizou, a great representation of society itself, meaning the hardships or the apathetic attitude towards life. He is arguably one of the greatest characters in the series, alongside the noble and resourceful Katsura Kotarou. Besides his outdated sense of humour and his fantastic personality, It is truly curious to see his evolution as a character throughout the series from being a radical terrorist to a more pacificist person in the quest to change Edo without causing unnecessary deaths. There is a downside to its cast though: for example, Shimura Tae remains pretty much the same throughout the entire series as a forceful woman, who can instantly change to a damsel in distress whenever the plot required it; in addition, the gags surrounding her persona remained the same, and ultimately got annoying.

As for the character interactions and relations, these are often very well handled because of the nature of the anime and the characters themselves that has been developed throughout its duration. This is however not always the case, as in some instances these were rather abruptly presented to the viewer, which in turn caused the whole scenario to feel unnatural. Some of the characters actions occasionally conflict with their own ideals and personality as well, but as a whole, it could be said that it was satisfying. Now there are some issues to be held with the background of some of the characters: these follow the same formulaic approach which is usual in the series, which naturally may be bothersome for audiences. In some instances it could be said that the motives were either too predictable or convenient for story progression.

~Animation and sound~

The animation in Gintama was surprisingly consistent and well done considering the fact that it aired for a whole year. However, where it excelled was in its action scenes: the fights were incredibly dynamic and fast paced, accurate as well as fluid and detailed, never leaving any viewer bored throughout its entire duration. This however has a cost to it, the backgrounds suffering in various instances from poor quality character models, and the occasional still image that are displayed throughout the series. As for the art style itself, nothing new, it remains with the same standard as the previous seasons; character models are very simple as well, yet varied enough to easily distinguish its cast.

What however stands out is the selection of soundtrack for the different scenes and atmospheres the anime was trying to portray: the usual tunes for the more relaxed and comedic moments, whereas for the serious moments the studio pulled out a great variety of soundtracks that matched wonderfully with the setting. Metal songs, rock songs, gloomy sounds or the usage of percussion instruments which serve to inspire suspense and tension from the viewer, further enhancing the whole experience the show has to offer. Naturally, the voice actors are of great importance as well, which retained their previous ones: Sugita Tomozaku as Gintoki, god-like voice of Wakamoto Norio or Tachiki Fumihiko as Hasegawa which greatly enhanced the characters personality, and with that, the comedy as well.

~Enjoyment~

The fourth season of Gintama was overall a fantastic experience which I personally doubted to be able to surpass that of its previous seasons, yet was pleasantly surprised. It managed to maintain its variety in jokes, the references and such, as well as displaying the one of the greatest subsequent story driven arcs with great characterization contained within. This was all accompanied with a great usage of the soundtrack as well as the fantastic action scenes. It must be said that it did not reach the final conclusion, as the manga is still ongoing, and there were some chapters from the manga left out: this mainly affected the comedy parts.

This does not mean Gintama has no flaws: it does, and quite some in fact. There are some episodes that either were too repetitive on its theme to the point of being annoying, as well as the infamous episode where they literally turned into shit. This was rather distasteful and off-putting for obvious reasons. Another problem that arises with the "serious" arcs are the integration of some of its characters: these are either at times useless/helpless for such situations, yet miraculously survive; or they're included just for the sake of it. Other issue that fans may have with the series is the fact that due to its inevitable conclusion, the anime has gone past the point of no turning back. This in turn meant that the last third of the series had hardly any comedy in it, which may be an issue for some, as the comedy aspect is one of the main charms of Gintama.

All in all, despite the above mentioned problems, I still loved the series as a whole and consider it to be the best comedy anime I have watched so far; I have blurted out in laughter a great amount of times, which is the whole point of comedy. It is very rare to find a series that can maintain this type of quality for over 300 episodes. For anyone who hasn't tried out the this sequel yet, I can highly recommend in checking it out, as it provides both great comedy and expansion upon the setting.

Thank you for reading.

Losing a beloved person would certainly leave any person stricken with grief and confusion: self-condemnation and thoughts of preventing such death are things that would cross anyones mind. Luckily in the case Boku Dake Inai Machi, or Erased in its english title, the protagonist Satoru Fujinuma finds himself able to travel back in time to prevent such tragedy from happening; furthermore, he is set back at the time where a fellow classmate died. This is not everything: the mystery surrounding the death of the girl also seems to be tied to that of his very own family. Erased is a psychological mystery anime that portrays ... human drama, yet sadly was very disappointing, being the characters and numerous plot holes the main culprits. However, it must be mentioned that it has a great direction in animation and a good buildup in the first few episodes, which arguably was enthralling, pulling viewers into the show.

~Story~

The main problem in Erased lies in the little problems that become apparent as the show progresses: these ultimately are magnified by many others, which will be depicted. The concept of preventing occurrences through time travelling has been explored in numerous other works, yet a problem with the anime is the fact that these are completely random, allowing the author to make any necessary changes in direction when necessary. This is not bad on its own, yet instead of using it as means to develop the characters in the story, it utilizes it purely to change the direction in the narrative, which was not done in a subtle manner. Regardless of said issue, it managed to create some tension in the story as viewers never really could correctly anticipate the course of the narrative.

As mentioned earlier, the protagonist is able to travel back in time to his 11-year-old self to prevent a certain death from happening, in a time in which one of his classmates died. However, it becomes soon apparent that the protagonist does not explore said option at all, and instead of going to the root of the problem, investigating the possible murder, he decides to protect Hinazuki, his classmate. Another complication is also associated with the mystery surrounding the murderer: it is very clear who it is, which is not a great issue on its own, but the anime does not offer any alternative that may leave viewers in doubt. In essence, this anime fails at being a good "mystery". The anime also presents human drama, yet was rather poorly portrayed because of the characters actions and all the events tied to those. These were often of very simple nature, such as parents beating their own child, deaths or betrayal just to name some. The main problem with these are that they're cheap, without ever sufficiently expanding on it in a satisfying manner. It must be said that it uses this to its advantage to create tension, but it is just that, tension and shock factor without any strong meaning behind it. In addition, the anime sets up a lot of things, time-travelling, possible consequences of his own actions, yet just never explores them in-depth.

The problems are further magnified by the pacing of the work, which is rather lackluster as well. The introductionary episodes are satisfying, yet as the show progresses, it quickly becomes apparent that important segments that contribute to the overall plot are either too rushed or information is omitted, whereas the more "mundane" moments are too much focused upon. In fact, the majority of the show is centered around Hinazuki and her problems - but to this later. This actually brings into play the positive aspect of the anime, the interludes between the different occurrences, which are generally well executed portraying insight into the characters and their emotional state: however, this doesn't affect the important points of the story. There are just so many improbable events in the story that it just looses any credibility it has, going from nonsensical behaviour of the characters, or just the sheer amount of centering on the violence exerted by a second party - victimizing for the sake of it is not good writing.

~Characters~

The major issue that brought the whole series down were its cast of characters: they didn't act according to their age, their motives/goals were either very lackluster or were just a mess, and ultimately the abrupt changes in behaviour to accommodate the direction in story. There is the 29-year-old Satoru, a typical otaku protagonist being mostly indifferent to society, and has the power to prevent deaths by sneakpeaking into the future. The main problem with this character is his incomprehensible and irrational behaviour he displays throughout the series, such as fleeing from a crime scene he didn't commit or even attempt on murder. In addition, his main goal of seeking the killer just shifts from finding the murderer to protecting his classmate - which in turn brings up the pedophilic tendencies the protagonist displays towards the minor. The anime develops a light romance, which includes Satoru constantly thinking of either being together with said person, or even imagining things when in the bathroom. This came out of nowhere, and just felt very off-putting for obvious reasons. Character development is present, yet is lackluster and limited by the actions of the character himself; rather than resolving the issues on his own, it gets resolved by a second party, which is understandable due to his physical appearance, yet could have been expanded on.

Then there is Hinazuki, a victim of child abuse, which throughout almost the whole series is treated as a mere plot device, rather than human being - it could be compared to seeing a soulless robot. Luckily enough, she gets fleshed out in which through subtle scenes her human side is displayed. Which is a nice change to the constant unnecessary abuse scenes. Other character of interest is the super intelligent psychoanalyst Kenya, who possesses an intellect far superior to that of Satoru despite being only 11 years old. He aids the main character in many instances, yet his motives behind why he supports the protagonist are rather lacking as well, as he apparently was smart enough to solve various issues. Finally, the last character of interest is the murderer: although he is portrayed to be a mastermind behind the scenes, avoiding detection over the span of several decades, he makes tremendous mistakes when the main character is concerned. He ultimately degrades to a simple one-dimensional villain with no convincing motive at all: furthermore, this also raises the question why said person took so many poor decisions and why he just didn't switch his killing target(s) when things became too heated and unfavourable.

The various interactions between the cast are handled poorly in most cases, be it the one dimensional evil parent or perverted manager, or the supporting cast whose poor choices leads viewers questioning their mental age; or just the fact that most act as passive observers. Because of the stale personalities of the cast and their changes in behaviour, the interactions between them feel unnatural: however, this mainly affects the main plot points. For the slice of life moments, these were often well handled by the studio - those were often the most enjoyable parts of the anime, which is a huge disappointment, as it is not the main purpose of the show.

~Animation and sound~

One thing that can be given credit to the studio is its direction and use of animation: this was well done, displaying the various themes the anime had to offer such as loneliness, isolation, happiness, you name it. Through the art it is able to portray the different emotional states as well as physical conditions of the characters; despite executing this well, it is rendered useless when the narrative constantly shows constant abuse, making these little detail utterly pointless, which is a waste of resources. An example would be the focussing upon the bruises of Hinazuki. As for the art style itself, I personally didn't like it and found it off in some situations, be it in the character design or the different facial expressions. The anime also tried to mitigate the problem regarding the mystery behind the killer by applying red eyes to suspects, yet this is a cheap alternative to creating tension, and when everyone is can have those eyes, it loses its purpose.

Concerning the soundtrack of Erased, it often uses the different compositions to its advantage to correctly portray the various atmospheres of the show, intertwining with the dialogue: piano, violins, xylophones, gloomy tones, you name it. There is fact a huge preference to classical instruments, which was a good choice. The opening and endings were equally well crafted, presenting the themes the anime had to offer with some pop tunes to it. As for the voice actors, these generally performed their tasks well, complying with the different personalities of the cast. This wasn't entirely the case with the protagonists, where no significant difference could be appreciated from his various emotional states.

~Enjoyment~

Erased had some potential, yet failed in executing the basic elements of the show, which was due to the little issues that ultimately snowballed into bigger ones - which is a shame, as its direction and usage of animation was befitting and well executed. I quite honestly did not enjoy the series at all, despite being intrigued by the first batch of episodes: the characters, lack of expansion upon key elements as the villain or time travelling gimmick are just a few of the many issues that made it a bad anime. It fails in providing a good mystery with cheap cliffhangers and shock factor to accomplish tension. It praises itself on being a human drama, but it equally lacks in said theme. Now I will admit I never have been a fan of drama, which made it more difficult to enjoy that genre. I personally do not recommend this anime, unless you aren't bothered by the above mentioned problems - which in turn, can make for an intriguing ride. Boku Dake Inai Machi is ultimately a show that feeds itself on cheap emotions and thrills.

Thank you for reading.

The influx of MMO themed anime in the recent years may have viewers disheartened by the fact that mostly those share very similar premises and are executed for the most part in similar ways without any significant difference. Kono Subarashii Sekai ni Shukufuku wo!, or Konosuba in short, is yet another such anime, yet with an interesting twist: it actually takes a comedic stance on its themes, as well as characters, which is great to see in the sea of MMO-type of anime. In fact, it could be seen as a parody of the genre. However, as enjoyable as the anime was, it suffers from ... various issues, the main one being its aimless demeanor after reaching its peak in the first half.

~Story~

The story of Konosuba is focused around Kazuma Satou who just casually dies on the most average day of his life, and in the most unheroic way at that. When he reawakens in the afterlife, he is given the choice to either go to heaven or defeat the Demon King, and goes for the latter - not after he appoints the arrogant Godess Aqua to join him in his journey. With both personalities being quite different, the one being pessimistic, while the other arrogant, hilarity ensures. This is further backed by the comedic approach on its themes and story, which for some may be hit or miss.

The premise of defeating a demon lord has been explored an innumerable amount of times, yet this anime manages to incorporate genuine hilarious elements such as parodies directly to some MMORPG game mechanics (useless skills, grinding, you name it) or the several anime troupes within the genre itself. It is actually hilarious to see. A thing that stands out in the anime is the sense of authenticity of the character's progression: by repeating several actions that represent the "grind" in a game, these convey to audiences a continuous, yet wide-spanning timeline, in which the characters relationships develop, besides of displaying the little details of the world they live in. Concerning the pacing of this work, it is well executed, keeping viewers for most of its duration interested by not prolonging any scene or event longer than necessary, which mostly applies to the flow events as well. Characters are introduced through the various mechanics of the world in a satisfying manner, which is an added bonus.

However, as positive as it may sound, the anime sadly suffers from progression issues after the first half. The first five episodes are dedicated to a introducing the main characters and their hardships, as well as introducing the various secondary characters; with of course hilarious scenes and jokes. Furthermore, progression was made to reach their ultimate goal, the defeat of the Demon King, which kept the story interesting. However, the anime settles itself with little to no progression on the last part, in addition to jokes getting old, and at times just lacking. This is further noticeable with various characters that are abruptly introduced and then left forgotten, with a heavy increase in fanservice in an episode that kind of broke with the immersion of this piece. Naturally, the short duration of the series may have had an impact on the aforementioned problems.

~Characters~

Comedy can never be as good without its characters: Konosuba did actually a great job on this department, albeit admittingly being a bit shallow at times. The different personalities of the cast further enhanced the comedic aspect of the series, which could have gone wrong when treated wrongly. Character development is nihil in this show, but was easily forgiven as it was not its focus. The interactions between the cast are well executed, despite their opposing personalities: this is tackled by the situation they find themselves in, in which they are forced together due to their circumstances. In fact, they're for most part actually just plain dumb or average. Some supporting characters are introduced, but for the most part felt rather lacking, as these were either introduced and forgotten, or the main characters came in contact with them, but that happened off-screen.

The protagonist Kazuma is where the show is centered about, and quite honestly, the driving force behind the whole show. His cynical and pessimistic personality on life really adds to the overall enjoyment of the series, as he is quite the opposite of your typical protagonist: furthermore, it is quite hilarious to see his interactions with his peers. Then there is Aqua that, despite being a Goddess, is quite arrogant and self-absorbed, it is quickly apparent she is quite the useless person, further mocking the "goddess" title. Some character development could be appreciated due to various events, yet was sufficient to feel authentic. Other characters of importance are Megumin, the archmage chuunibyou with am obsession about demon magic, or the masochistic crusader Darkness, who admittingly got a bit annoying by the end of the show.

~Animation and sound~

The animation quality of Konosuba was as a whole average, yet certainly sufficient without breaking immersion in the story. What must be mentioned are the animations on the boobs of the female cast: these varied immensely, going from either saggy to upright. This might have been on purpose, yet why is unclear. As for the art style, it was at first glance rather lacking, yet as the anime progressed, it became apparent that this particular art style worked in its favour: especially when the facial expression are concerned. This matched magnificently with the various situations, personalities and atmosphere it was trying to convey.

The soundtrack of Konosuba complemented with the comedic nature of the anime, although being either generic, or just forgettable. The opening and ending themes matched as well, yet, once again, were average. However, the selection of voice actors for the different characters were certainly very well done, matching with the different tones and personalities of the cast.

~Enjoyment~

Overall Konosuba was a title that came as a very pleasant surprise this season: in fact, I wouldn't have started it were it not for the recommendation of a user. The anime uses a template that has been recycled greatly, yet does it with a parodying stance on the MMO genre: this was further enhanced by its cast of character and voice actors. Despite all of this, it sadly suffered from an aimless demeanor in its last half, which was disappointing, albeit having some amusing moments. Regardless of said issues, I can't deny I enjoyed it, and I will be awaiting for the second season of Konosuba that has been announced. I truly hope it expands on its premise and progresses on it in the second season. This is a type of anime that can be either hilarious to some, or just plain bad for others, so depending on what you have read, it may be something for you.

Thank you for reading.

It is the 19th century of Japan, an age where the gap between the poor and the rich were as day and night, and thus having a fully functional body was required to survive. However, when a young boy is afflicted by a sudden illness that leaves him blind, he is left to cope with the struggle on being a drag to his father, and with that, his future. Ridden with insecurity, the 8-year-old child by the name of Nitaro found solace in music, specifically the shamisen, a traditional thee-stringed instrument. Nitaboh ultimately narrates the tale of a blind man and his journey to mastering ... the shamisen.

The premise may seem uninteresting for some audiences, yet Nitaboh's strength lies in exactly that: a down to earth tale of man, which was based on a real story. With that the anime sets itself apart from other works inspired from the Meiji period, also known as the Japanese revolution, which is a pleasant change to the often seen samurai struggles. This is basically a coming of age story, with its main focus on music. There are naturally issues tied to learning an instrument, especially when the apprentice is blind, and the profession itself was mainly meant to be played by either woman or monks. There is some drama present, yet was never the main focus of this piece; there is romance as well, which in fact felt rather unnatural.

The struggles that Nitaro experienced during his journey where naturally difficult, yet where very easily solved, which in turn may leave viewers disappointed. However, because the anime never emphasised on these aspects, it didn't feel too unsatisfying. In fact, in return, audiences were rewarded with a pleasant journey with both the struggles and joy of life, matched with some great music solo's, further enhancing the overall atmosphere of the anime. It must be mentioned that the flow of events could either be a bit unnatural at times, with here and there some basic dialogues.

The cast of characters in Nitaboh are small, yet sufficient to convey the story. Nitaro himself is in fact a passive person in the whole story, ocassionally undertaking some actons, yet overall rather dissapointing. This problem is further magnified when his problems are solved by others, rather than him undertaking it. Nevertheless, he is well fleshed out, as well as having some character development which was satisfying enough for its short duration.

The same could be said about the supporting cast, with some interesting people such as Kikunosuke, a young man in the chase after his dream, or Tamana and her mother, the journeying artist. As for some of the antagonists, these were mainly "vessels" of the traditional times such as monks, who were opposed to the main protagonist's way of playing music; these ultimately served to display the problems that came with the influx of western culture, as well as showcasing Nitaroh's skills.

Concerning the animation of the anime, it was as a whole average, yet satisfying enough to convey the story. Character designs were basic, yet distinguishable from each other and were consistent throughout the movie. The same could be said about the background, it is exactly as how anyone would portray the 19th century of Japan: dirt roads, wood houses, rice fields, you name it. The soundtrack of the movie was befitting, with naturally a prevalent use of the shamisen, which had great solo's, only heightening the experience the movie has to offer. There are however some unfitting uses of some of its compositions: at times the anime has some comedic scenes which were introduced with out-of-place music, which broke a bit with the immersion. The voice actors performed their roles well, each character seemingly having fitting voice for each role.

All in all, Nitaboh was a highly enjoyable anime with a great premise and journey, yet experienced shortcomings in the character department. Regardless of these issues, the music itself, which was the main focus, was very well executed with the magnificent solo's offered for the unfamiliar instrument, which if I may add, is a joy to listen to. I would recommend anyone with an interest in either music or historical genre to check this piece out, as it is one overlooked title which was very satisfying on a personal level.

Thank you for reading.

Stories with a non-linear narrative can be a pleasant change to the usual approach as these can be arguably more interesting as it can take alluring twists and turns to the plot, as well as being able to provide more diverse themes that could possibly not work well with a linear narrative. However, this method can be difficult to convey to audiences in a satisfying manner as it can be either overly confusing, or contains an underdeveloped cast, in addition to a weak story. Bacanno! is such a non-linear story which presents an interesting premise with a distinguishable cast of characters, yet lacks in some ... departments which ultimately hinders this piece from being a great anime.

The story of Bacanno! is centered around various story-lines that ultimately converges with each other: the bloody trail of the train "Flying Pussyfoot", the mafia wars, the missing brother, the search for the bottles of immortality, all of them taking place in the 30's; and finally, alchemist discovering immortality in 1711. It goes without saying that the unusual narrative is confusing the first few episodes, as a lot of information is relaid to viewers in a short amount of time, in addition to all the characters involved. It has been mentioned that this work is difficult to follow, yet this is not entirely the case: as long as viewers are focused upon the three mysteries of the anime, it is in fact easy to keep up. What is curious about the anime is the fact on how all these stories are tied to each other, as often the execution and implementation of these can go wrong; yet the anime managed to maintain a satisfying pacing as well as conclusion to the series.

Naturally, with a relatively short duration of only 16 episodes (including the specials), it is not able to fully explore the diverging story-lines, which in turn may leave viewers disappointed. This concerns mainly the mafia wars as well as the alchemist discovering immortality. The lack of development concerning these two hindered the story, as opposed as the other two stories mentioned previously, which were well executed. However, which was a pleasant to see was the setting itself: the 1930's of New York. It was refreshing to see the customs, technology and people and how these differed from current society, not to forget the mafia's which New York was known for in the 30's. Naturally it isn't a perfect representation of New York with the cast of characters, yet this was not an issue at a personal level, as the presentation of the city itself was great.

The characters of Bacanno! are certainly distinguishable from each other, being both likable and varied at the same time. However, due to the vast amount of characters, these are in fact underdeveloped for most part of its short duration. Furthermore, although not much of an issue, these can be basically categorized in psychopaths, forgettable characters, silent and cunning, or just plain eccentric. The problem with some of its cast is that motives behind some of their eccentricities or personalities are hardly explained, making it just feel as it was for the convenience for the plot. This doesn't apply to the whole cast, yet it is clearly visible when a big deal of characters have this very problem.

As for the development itself, the anime offers some in some characters enough development to be satisfying, be it either realization of one self, fear or loneliness. However, the various interactions between the characters is certainly very well done, which in turn makes up to a certain degree the aforementioned issues. Audiences are either engaged on how the author develops and portrays the different encounters between the difference in personalities, be it either Jacuzzi Splot and his kind, yet whiny personality (which surprisingly wasn't irritating) dealing with the strong and arrogant people; or even Claire Stanfield and the silent Chane. Not to mention Isaac and Miria, which can be very entertaining to watch due to their simple-minded nature, yet admittingly could be annoying at times.

Concerning the animation of the anime, it was well executed alongside fluid motions on both characters and environment; some inconsistencies could be found, yet were overall not detrimental to the experience. Nevertheless, the various action scenes were splendidly animated. As for the art style itself, it is nothing out of the norm with satisfying character design being both varied and befitting for the character's personalities. However, both backgrounds and characters were at times blurry and very simplistic, but considering the small budget it was easily overlookable.

The soundtrack used in Bacanno! was splendid and very befitting of the atmosphere it was trying to portray: the 1930's of New York. Jazz compositions are prevalent which serve to attribute the anime a somewhat unique soundtrack (albeit some compositions being forgettable) that complements with the different scenes at given moments. As for the voice acting, these were splendid and just right for the various characters that were presented, which in turn made the distinct personalities of the cast shine. The opening of the series had a great tune to it that gave an accurate representation of the series, whereas the ending was rather disappointing.

Overall Baccano! was a very enjoyable anime with an interesting approach on the narrative as well as it diversity of its cast, in which both sound and the setting matched to convey a great atmosphere. However, due to its duration, the anime had not enough time to properly develop and flesh out most of its cast, in addition to some of the main stories, which ultimately was a bit disappointing at a personal level. The specials of the series do indeed tie some loose ends which may have left some viewers wondering about various outcomes, so I would suggest watching these as well. Regardless of said issues, I really enjoyed this piece and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys a non-linear narrative alongside a likable cast of characters.

Thank you for reading.

Teenagers being send to a fantastical, foreign world is a concept that has been vastly explored in both the manga and anime, often playing out in a very similar manner in which protagonists dominate the scene through sheer overpowering of the characters themselves. In numerous cases this results in a boring and typical narrative, which isn't bad on its own. Although Juuni Kokuki, or its english title "The Twelve Kingdoms", is not innovative setting-wise, it has in fact more to offer in terms of characterization as well as story, which are enriched with the lore and the presented world. However, there are some issues with ... the anime, being the somewhat undesirable transitions from one story to another, alongside some exaggerated facets of the cast its main issues.

~Story~

The story of Juuni Kokuki revolves mainly around the highschool student Nakajima Youko who is dragged to an unknown world with demon-like creatures, which appeared immediately after a man by the name of Keiki who swore an allegiance to her. Swung in the fantastical world separated from her friends who came alongside with her, they struggle to survive this new environment which viewers may associate to a medieval China - divided in twelve kingdoms, each with their own ruler. The struggle for survival comes along with its share of combat, which may not be very spectacular, yet satisfying as battles are won through people working together, rather than needless overpowering of protagonists.

The anime handles the despair and utter loss of direction well when situated in an adverse environment; the unknown language, the customs as well as mindsets between medieval and modern society are contrasted in a satisfying manner. What is remarkable is the fact that although it is mainly focused upon the main protagonist, it also fixates on some of the different kingdoms, each with their own story and the rise of either queens or kings. It is such that these feel like an entity, a different world on its own; this is because of the system on how rulers are chosen, which are appointed by beings called "kirin". People are naturally individuals, so defection of their initial standings may happen, which either causes kingdoms to fall in disarray, or be peaceful.

There is a problem when it comes to the narrative of the anime; the different substories surrounding the different kingdoms are rather hastily introduced, seemingly jumping directly in it after an initial conflict was solved, without any fore shadowing whatsoever; this may create a sense of confusion and incoherency in the story. In fact, it could be considered that this series are different stories latched together. Besides, not all the different kingdoms were presented, which the anime hinted on to be of importance - which was nevertheless a minor gripe. On another note, although these may seem unrelated to the main storyline at first glance, later it becomes clear as to what its main purpose was, besides of showcasing how this particular world works.

~Characters~

The setting itself is interesting, yet Juuni Kokuki is more character driven - this is very apparent when considering the main protagonist huge development and some of its supporting cast as well, each with a journey and story for its own. Nakajima Youko starts off as a person who tries to be accepted by everyone, and with that comes implications: the loss of identity on its own, a "weak" individual. Her being thrown in the new world with sudden responsibilities she can't cope with, only made these accentuate even more. It is fascinating seeing her develop throughout the series, realizing things about herself she never even thought of before. Now it must be said that it could get annoying at times, especially the beginning where she was constantly whining.

The other characters of importance are her close friends who came with her: although at first glance normal, they both are eccentric in some way: one who strongly desires to leave her own world, rather a strong feeling of escapism, while the other has a strong desire to return. Both feel out of place, which leads them in turn to showcase madness and hostility; the problem is that it is often quite exaggerated and nonsensical, to the point of feeling unreal and forced. Sometimes the abrupt changes in behaviour was rather immersive breaking as well, although this could be debated.

Concerning the supporting cast, it is composed of humans, the Kirin, demon-like creatures and "shapeshifting" creatures. While most are simple and at times clichéd, especially in case of some of the villains, these fulfill their purpose, in addition to providing some insight into the fantastic world. Some characters are presented to convey their difficulties, such as a dethroned princess, or an insecure Kirin. It must be mentioned that the story leaves some plot threads unsolved regarding some of the characters, which was a bit disappointing, as the anime treated these for a handful of episodes, yet ultimately didn't use it, thus feeling goalless.

~Animation and sound~

The animation of the anime was overall well executed, although as a whole it was nothing outstanding, especially when considering some of the combat scenes presented. Character designs are a bit lackluster in some cases, sharing same facial designs - this comes together with some inconsistencies in the anime as well. However, the backgrounds were detailed and nice to look at, showcasing the world.

The soundtrack used was very befitting of the atmosphere the anime was trying to portray with the use of for example guitars, drums, violins or flutes. It is overall not that outstanding at a personal level, yet there were some tracks such as "Fuushun" that were pleasing to lsiten to. As for the voice actors, these performed their roles well, conveying the different personalities and emotions of the cast in a satisfying manner.

~Enjoyment~

Juuni Kokuki was overall an enjoyable anime which had an interesting setting, as well as some very well-developed characters, in addition to its supporting cast. There were some issues as the characters behaviour felt rather exaggerated in some cases, which in turn broke a bit with the immersion. The story was interesting, yet felt in the long incomplete as well as a bit ill-paced; regardless, I can't deny I was very eager to see what would happen next despite of these gripes. The Twelve Kingdoms is recommended to anyone who enjoys character driven stories, or just the historical fantasy genre itself.

Thank you for reading.

When it comes to historical themed works, most are adjusted and tweaked upon to create an arguably more fascinating story behind such setting. Historie is no exception, and although it is based on a real person by the name of Eumenes, Iwaaki Hitoshi was able to take an artistical approach on it as that person's past is shrouded in mystery. The author of this work managed to create a fascinating story in which people familiar with the greek history will find themselves pleasantly entertained. However, there are some issues with the manga, being the inconsistent jumps in timelines as well as its direction the biggest ... hinderance for some.

The story of Historie is focused around Eumenes, which spans from his childhood to his adult self as introduced in the first few chapters; he was historically Alexander the Great's secretary and general. This should also speak for the setting itself: it takes place around 343 BC, which coincides with the Macedonian expansion. In addition. Eumenes meets several reknown people in greek history such as King Philip II or Aristotle. What further enhances the experience of this work at a personal level is to observe how Iwaaki treats and incorporates his story in the several occurrences that take place, mostly of what happened in reality. This concerns mainly occurrences such as political conflicts, expanding on the different factions of the current world and how these affected either the life of the protagonist or the Macedonian reign itself. As for the pacing, it was surprisingly well done, despite its share of slice of life moments: it felt fast and satisfying, which in turn keeps the reader interested in the story.

The introduction of the manga isn't that well executed as desired, as opposed to when the author begins to deal with the past of Eumenes himself. Herein readers find themselves intrigued with his past, seeing themes such as racism, conflict, warfare and love treated in the narrative. The manga puts enfasis on the intelligent nature of the main character, meaning it tries to solve various conflicts through ingenuity rather than brute force. Other aspect worth mentioning is the little technological improvements that were being made in that epoch, be it either the creation of chess, making a moving toy, saddling, etc. What however can be a problem is the direction of the story: this often sways a lot between either Eumenes or Alexander himself, in which in various instances feels detached from the storyline.

Concerning the characters of Historie, these were not big by any means, where its main focus lay on fleshing out and developing Eumenes himself. He is an eccentric character from a disputable origin for that time; a man who has a thirsts for knowledge, sometimes indifferent, yet cunning in his area of expertise. In fact, his intelligence is one of the aspects that drives the story forward and enable him to encounter all the different characters. Speaking of which, there are historical figures introduced in which some are interesting to observe, as well as their past; however, there is not much development to be found on the part of these to the exception of few, which in turn can be an issue to some. There are no real motives to speak of, seeing that these are real historical characters, yet any inclusion of these would have maybe been a good addition to enhance the characters.

As for the art style of Historie, it is consistent, yet simplistic and basic: character designs are very simple sharing the same facial model, being the hairstyle the only real defining factor; the same could be said of the backgrounds as well. This doesn't mean that there are no great panels: there are in fact some very detailed and impressive drawings that depict the whole scope of either the battle or scenery itself. Concerning the occasional combat scenes, this are somewhat basic as well, yet it is apparent that the author improves over time. It also must be noted that there is hardly any use of shading techniques, which means that the panels often feel empty.

Historie was overall a very good read, in which following the life of Eumenes is one of the biggest aspects I enjoyed, including the approach of the setting itself. Naturally, there were some issues to be observed where the indecisive direction of the author is the main culprit. Being a fan of the historical genre, I could definitely recommend this manga to anyone with a slight interest in it, besides that it has an interesting story and character behind its premise. I might want to add that the bimensual releases can be very paining for the reader, so I would suggest to take your time reading this work.

Thank you for reading.

Themes surrounding vampires has become commonplace nowadays, where readers are accustomed to see the regular school setting, in which protagonists either cope or familiarize themselves with those. Although Noblesse treats the same theme, it does tweak it by taking a somewhat different approach on its themes and interpretations of it, combined with great humour across the board. It basically could be seen as long running gag manhwa surrounding the topic of vampires with great action. What is important to note is that humour is an integral part of the manhwa, and for those who do not like this will not be able to enjoy this ... work in its fullest; what is more, its main protagonists are not teenagers, but adults.

~Story~

The story of Noblesse is focused on Cadis Etrama Di Raizel, or Rai in short, who after a 820 year slumber woke up to current human society, where mankind has made a huge scientific progress. Upon finding his loyal servant Frankenstein, he decides to learn and consequently blend in the human world in the very school his servant made. Along with his lacking knowledge on current society in addition to his own personality, hilarious situations are ensured. Even with the peaceful atmosphere surrounding him, the world is in fact no safer than the old. Mystery, deceit, blood lust and greed are on the order of the day. I might want to point out that the earlier chapters are in fact quite different from the rest. This means that the first batch of chapters are devoid of hardly any dialogue and with a strange format regarding its art progression; this may lead readers to assume (me included) that it would progress in the same manner, which much to my surprise was not the case.

As stated earlier, the premise of the series is generic and nothing innovative, yet what makes it intriguing is its approach: it utilizes the mystery surrounding its characters and themes to its advantage in order to create an overall atmosphere which makes readers curious on what is to come next. Surely enough, there are three greater factions: the Union, known for their human body enhancements, meant for the protection of mankind. Then there are the Nobles, the "vampires" (not in the traditional sense) if you may, the superior race, and then ultimately there are the werewolves. What is curious is the fact that the Nobles are not painted as the usual villains which is often frequent in the medium; instead a lot of neutrality is involved for the different factions. Deceit, greed and honor are central themes when addressing these groups, which in turn creates a lot of conflict between these.

Action is also a predominant factor in the manhwa: these are generally well executed without the abundance of any "asspulls". From a structural point of view they often play out in a similar way, but what makes them easily enjoyable are the different abilities of the characters, their growth as well as the progression of the battle itself. However, there were times where it got fairly repetitive, as well as characters of minor importance receiving constant convenient upgrades for the sake of keeping up with the plot, and thus not lose importance. Regardless, for the mayor characters this was not case, so it could be overlooked. Now it must be noted that it can be quite tensionless, as it is quite obvious that some of the characters are very overpowered, yet this was hinted at from the beginning, and thus was not a big issue.

Humour is not to be overlooked in the manhwa; it is as a matter of fact of crucial importance that enhances the overall experience. This is done by using the unknowing of the world of several characters about customs on both factions; in addition, the different personalities complement to these situations. What is remarkable, it is able to maintain its quality over the span of the story, in addition to introducing it in the appropriate moments without breaking immersion in the narrative. As mentioned earlier, it has a school setting, yet the only purpose of this is to enhance the comedy as well as delve and flesh out its cast. Speaking of which, school students were sometimes involved in the greater fights, and were rather cliché as it only served to create tense situations in which these dominated the decisions of the cast.

~Characters~

The main cast of characters of Noblesse are in fact very intriguing and interesting, having diverse personalities, especially when concerning the main protagonists Cadis Etrama Di Raizel and Frankenstein, both shrouded in mystery. Character development in general is rather lackluster, yet its fleshing out is well done. Cadis Etrama Di Raizel is a very silent and apparently an emotionless person, yet it soon becomes apparent that this tied to his very own background: he is fact a very cunning and thoughtful person, having experienced both loneliness and discovering friendship. Frakenstein is the servant of the former, and is characterized by his wacky and crazy personality, yet at the same time a very cunning and intelligent person. His absolute loyalty to his master and the cherishing he has to his belongings often creates well suited comedy, as well moments of "badass". In fact, it could be said that these two are the driving force behind the story of Noblesse.

Concerning the other characters, these are far from developed, especially when their motives are considered. The "villains" motives are rather shallow and unexplored, seemingly being one-dimensional antagonists with no real purpose other than to create conflicts between the different factions. To be fair, the manhwa is still ongoing and thus such issues may be explained later on in more depth. Nevertheless, the exploration on the Noble's side was satisfying as it gave introspection into the general culture and thinking behind these, in addition to their motives. There were some little gripes with these, as their own motives and personalities changed slightly according to story progression without a very convincing reason.

Other thing to note are the present student that converge and are in direct contact with the main cast; these are very generic and serve no other purpose than to create unneccessary situations as well as enhancing the comedy. This doesn't mean that there are no characters of interest; in fact, there are quite some with interesting personalities, being either very easygoing ones, excentric, strict, silent or just funny. Other also have the addition of having some intriguing past, including what could be considered one of the main villains of the story - it is really the mystery surrounding them what makes it an intriguing read.

~Art~

The art style of Noblesse is simplistic and not very detailed, which was done in favour to accommodate the full colouring of its work. The different colours used in its schemes and various atmospheres matched well with the narrative. Panel placement was at the beginning quite spacious and a bit immersion breaking, as it gave the impression of being a very slow-paced narrative. Concerning the characters design, there are overall somewhat varied, yet ultimately a bit generic, from a manhwa point of view. What is hilarious at a personal level is the portrayal of Frakenstein himself: a bishonen instead of the looks of an old and weak crazy scientist. Characters expressions are very well done, easily conveying the emotional state, be it either fear, cluelessness, surprise or sadness.

~Enjoyment~

Noblesse was overall a very enjoyable experience with the humour and intriguing main characters that just kept me reading and reading. The fact the approach on it was somewhat different, the gags and action was well executed, was one of the main factors that made it highly enjoyable, It must be mentioned that character-wise it is rather lacking is some aspects, especially when motives of the different factions are concerned. Despite all of these, I highly recommend anyone trying this manhwa out, as it was highly entertaining. However, I would like to add that the comedy can be a hit or miss for some, and thus these can be a hinderance to some.

Thank you for reading.