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Taming the Final Boss has the pacing and plot-progression I was waiting for and never quite got from the second season of HameFura. While it follows a lot of the basic villainess otome tropes, I had way more fun with this show than I was supposed to.

As much as I love Catarina, seeing Aileen work was a marvel. She's still scheming and manipulative in ways (like the villainess she is), but her heart is in the right place. Coupled with her determination, Aileen works as a smart, active protagonist that I can see scheming her out of any death flags. Her relationship with Claude ... is also cute to see develop. The highlight of the show for me was definitely the relationship between Aileen (the villainess) and the game's original heroine. I think it plays with the formula of the story a little more and seeing it escalate was a delight. Almond is also the most precious thing ever. Please protect that cookie-craving crow at all costs.

My main critiques would be the extended cast and the pacing. There's a lot of characters here for a 12-episode anime, so it's easy to struggle to get a grasp of the cast outside of the main key players. It doesn't feel like a deal breaker, since the characters who are important to the story are given enough time. Taming the Final Boss also moves at what feels like lightning speed. Earlier on, this pace seems like a strength of the show. We get to explore characters, delve into different plotlines and see more of the world. However, the plot gets more ambitious in the last two episodes, and that's where the pacing begins to hurt. More characters needed to be introduced but the speed of the show makes it hard to understand who they are, where they came from, and how they got here in the story. The high-pace also seems to skip some details or hinder the flow of the story.

Ultimately, the show is still a lighthearted, funny otome-isekai with great moments and is a fun time. If you wanted some more villainess shenanigans and a slightly different flavor than Hamefura, I'd say Taming the Final Boss is worth checking out.

TLDR: 6/10 - Still a fun time with the characters if you love them, while also introducing more colorful cast members part of the harem or otherwise. Unfortunately, the lack of progression in story and character relationships make me doubt this season is worth watching unless we have a solid story continuation in a season 3 (or the movie).

STORY (6): There just wasn't much of a sense of progression this season. Relationships looked like they were beginning to change, but they kind of fell back to where they were before instead of developing the cast. The beginning and last couple of episodes had story arcs. ... I think the second story arc was weakened by slow pacing, not much active action by the characters present, and a lack of detail in the mystery set-up.

Outside the two arcs were standalone episodes of varying quality. There was an episode that just felt like a repeat of one of the fillers from the first season, so that just felt reused, and some episodes didn't feel particularly memorable.Filler isn't necessarily bad: there was filler that delved into Geordo and Nicol as individuals that was excellent character building, and I found those bits more interesting than the actual final arc of the season. The last episode's stinger holds promise, and I hope that potential follows through.

CHARACTER (7): Catarina, while still charming, is beginning to incite some frustration because she doesn't seem to grow as a character. I think members of the harem are beginning to outshine her. Catarina's status as a reincarnation also isn't quite touched upon or plays a strong role in the story, especially compared to when her reincarnated identity is what fueled the plot for season 1.

It was great to see some characters take more action, especially in regards to the harem. Unfortunately, some cast favorites may have been sidelined in favor for the new characters. The new cast members do add a lot to the world of Socier, especially people at the Ministry of Magic and even some characters from foreign lands. They each have personality and some even complete small character arcs that solidify them as characters that can stand independent of the harem.

PRESENTATION (8): The animation feels a little more stiff than the first season, but perhaps that's because quality bumps were saved for some serious magic effects. Still, some shots were absolutely stunning, and the characters are as colorful as ever. The soundtrack choices served the atmosphere and time period well. The OP and ED took some time to grow on me, but I ended up loving them and their visuals just as much as the first season's.

ENJOYMENT (7): I still looked forward to watching each new episode, even if sometimes I wondered what the purpose of an episode was. There were some heartwarming bonding moments, but I was waiting for something to hit me with the emotional weight of the finale of the first season and never got it. I understand it's a harem anime, but the first season set the bar and I just kept holding out hope that the second season would uphold that standard.

CONCLUSION: A decent season that never quite reaches its potential, but if you enjoyed the first season for its character interactions and the squad just being the squad, then this season still has those fun character interactions. I suspect this season would be better if you set your story progression bars low and just enjoy it as a slice-of-life.

This season is the first time Gintama feels like a traditional shonen and completely embraces its space setting, delivering those paired off fights and large scale conflict with the character depth and heart Gintama is known for.

The story is as top notch as ever: using personal stories of characters struggling with themselves to ground an interstellar conflict. The character stories also tie into the worldbuilding. A more fantastical element has now been firmly added (there's always been some supernatural stuff before, but this is the first time it feels important to the overarching storyline), and even those mystical things are explored through character ... backstories and choices. There isn't much I can praise that I haven't said before. Most notably, Kagura seems to reach the peak of her arc here, and all the development was worth it. The story and character quality is consistent (perhaps even consistently getting better), and it's always more than enough for an invested watch.

What stopped me from giving this season a 10/10 was a conglomerate of small things. The biggest is how the switches between past and present didn't feel as seamless as Gintama has done before. The sequences feel a little rushed and a little stitched together to fit the 12-episode runtime. There were also a few character reactions to recent reveals that softened the weight of the previous arc, but I think that was just personal preference. In the animation department, there were moments where I would be expecting weight to the movement, only for it to fall short. This season was just the first time little animation hiccups has interfered with the atmosphere of the story.

Still, an excellent season. I am looking forward to the next season of laughs because these three serious arcs have exhausted my tear ducts and emotional strength.

Also: badass Zura is one of my absolute favorite things.

I need to stop watching Gintama while I eat because I'm going to choke, either from laughing or crying.

The story in this season is absolutely incredible. I have always been impressed with how Gintama maintains perfect pacing on its serious arcs, allowing a cohesive story to be told in 3-5 episodes, even if they are more or less self-contained. Not anymore. The small comedy arcs and gag episodes in this season are especially intentional, building relationships that become core to the plot and this strange but so alive rendition of Edo. Every piece being laid out is part of a larger picture.

The character exploration ... in this season is much more in-depth and satisfying than we've had before. Countless questions about the formation of Shinsengumi, Gintoki's history, and the Joui Wars viewers have been hungry for are delivered in all of their cinematic glory. What shines even more brightly than the individual characters are the relationships they share. The connections they have made serve as the heart of the story, making for an intimate, character-focused ride.

While Gintama isn't known for a super high-budget production, the team have outdone themselves. There were small moments of clunkiness, but the slapstick timing is as sharp as ever. I caught the music overplaying a few times, but the atmosphere is built so well that it doesn't matter. What really takes the crown this season is the action. The fight and flashback scenes are done with so much care that emotions bleed from the screen. The fight choreography is some of the most raw and gripping I've ever seen; it's not about flashy powers or friendship speeches, but humans fighting their hardest in a world that threatens to take away everything.

This is the season Gintama delivers politics, fights, and character drama like you haven't seen the show do before, and it makes sticking with these characters through their antics and action oh so worth it.

TLDR: There is a lot of build up, character, plot, and worldbuilding wise, and when those come together and it explodes, the high moments are definitely worth it with strong characters to make the journey feel ever the more satisfying. Please give us a season two and not just a prequel movie.

STORY: I feel like I've seen a lot of "teenage badasses fights evil-manifestations" to struggle to be fully engaged by Jujutsu's basic plot. I like how there's an overarching plot brewing, but it feels a little too far in the background for me to feel immediate urgency. What really made Jujutsu's plot interesting ... for me was the idea that the main protagonist was also the ultimate villain. Sukuna being part of Yuji and the associated morally ambiguous conflicts that brews is definitely my favorite part of the story.

CHARACTERS: What really makes Jujutsu's characters, especially its main cast, stand out is the sheer level of character development. Yuji faces ideological questions and must confront them to move forward. Megumi's growing fighting prowess is absolutely incredible (and very satisfying) to behold. Nobara didn't get as much of an arc yet to me, but she has been built as a strong and very capable character and I'm very excited to see how it goes. Gojo is amazing, and everyone knows that. The show also spends a lot of time establishing the other students, and while I do like several of them (Maki, Miwa, Inumaki), I have yet to see the character building pay off. Here's hopes for a season 2.

PRESENTATION: MAPPA went *out* animating this show. I can't believe part of it aired the same season as Attack on Titan because the detail, flow, and choreography is just top notch without a dip in quality. Every single fight scene is an absolute delight, even more so if Gojo is part of it. The soundtrack does its job very well, though perhaps only a few tracks really stand out on their own. Openings wise, Kaitai Kitan I think has smoother visuals and symbols, but VIVID VICE builds atmosphere and hype better.

ENJOYMENT: Maybe the hype surrounding the show set my expectations up too high, but for most of the show I felt like I was missing something. I feel like I'm not getting the "oopmh" people were saying it has. I think part of it could be the pacing, especially with the group fight in the second half of the show. I felt that the group battle between the schools was on the slower side of pacing, even if I did appreciate the character building. I didn't find this show absolutely amazing until the last three episodes with a tight plot, character growth, and amazing action sequences. Still, I had a great time throughout the show. Also do not skip on out the funny post credit scenes. They're worth it.

I've never cried so much in 13 episodes. This short season is the most compact TV version of what makes Gintama so amazing: emphasis on relationships between the characters, stories of humans bound by their individual vows, gripping personal and political storylines, and a wide array of dirty jokes.

I will admit that the Baragaki arc at the end of the previous season undershot my expectations, so I was a little worried going into the meatiest arc of this season. The Courtesan of a Nation arc blew my expectations out of the water with its grit, action, and reveals. The arcs that came before and ... after were also great, focusing more on the bonds Odd Jobs have built between other characters.

I will admit that I missed the comedy focused episodes/arcs in between the heavy stories. I watched the latter two arcs of the season in one day and now my tear ducts are completely spent.

Also, "Sakuramitsutsuki" is one of the best openings I've ever seen. Catchy, melancholic, with absolutely gorgeous animation and sakura aesthetic. Shinpachi's smile during the first chorus will now always hit different.

TLDR: The shonenest shonen I have ever watched. If you're not a fan of shonen, this probably won't change your mind. But if you are, it's a guaranteed good time in a (relatively) small package. Give all the openings a listen, though, they all slap so hard.

STORY (7): It's a conglomerate of every shonen plot you've seen before. There's a seemingly impossible goal, a rival, a cast of found family idiot misfits, and endlessly increasing stakes. Black Clover has not burned itself yet and has kept its scaling pretty consistent, which is great. It's also *so* shonen that what is often deemed as problematic ... tropes have been incorporated into the universe. For example, shonen power-ups have been incorporated into the magic system and characters purposefully put themselves in situations to activate said power-ups.

Each arc gains steam very quickly and there is little to no time to stop. The show sometimes moves too fast to feel the weight of emotional moments, but progression is the theme of Black Clover so it fast pacing ultimately serves it well.

CHARACTERS (8): Asta is an *excellent* shonen protagonist for being a lovable, hardworking, wholesome, and ideologically charged idiot. If you can get over his yelling, which does mellow out, he is very easy to like. Meanwhile, Yuno can die in a flaming dumpster and I would celebrate. The women of Black Clover are all incredible. Noelle is everything Sakura or Lucy could have been.

The other characters are often simple, but they work. At the very least, they will have a distinctive trait or quirk and most of them are very enjoyable. Each character does have a role to play and a backstory to explore. In this case, Black Clover's simplicity prevents information overload when dealing with such a huge cast.

PRESENTATION (8): Every single opening (and ending) in this show is absolute fire. By far the most consistent opening quality I've seen for a long running show. The sound design adds to the action and drama very well. The soundtrack isn't the most amazing thing ever, but it does have its standout tracks and it serves the atmosphere very well. Animation is sometimes a little clunky, but it's always awesome when it counts.

ENJOYMENT (9): I had a really great time with this show. I've laughed a lot, cried maybe twice, and have been endlessly hyped. Characters get their deserved moments, which makes for a very satisfying watch. Black Clover is also ridiculously bingeable. I don't know what it is about the show, but it's very easy to just hit that next episode button.

CONCLUSION: I started Black Clover after hearing a lot of bad things about it, and I was worried I would dislike the show. Thankfully, such a thing did not happen and it is one of the main shows that got me through the pandemic. It's a fun, action-packed ride that has few lows and a lot of highs that just keep on coming. It's the shonen present that keeps giving.

TLDR: As hilarious as it is heartfelt, Gintama is very much its own thing. I feel like I watched 201 episodes of a fever dream, but it was the best fever dream I've ever had and I want more. Highly recommended for any fan of anime, strong characters, and/or comedy.

STORY: Gintama doesn't have an overarching goal like most shonen. Instead, I would argue that it focuses on the healing that comes afterwards. Most of the episodes/stories are standalone but when Gintama decides to drop a serious arc? Hot damn, it's action-packed, dramatic, and emotional.

CHARACTERS: Easily the strongest element of the series thus far. ... Everyone has their own set of personalities that suit them well either in comedy or dramatic situations. Everyone's got a funny side, and a serious side, and seeing both throughout the episodes fleshes them out strongly. After laughing with these idiots for so long, seeing them struggle and face danger really hits different.

ENJOYMENT: I had a BLAST with this show. My roommate can attest to all the laughing I've done (and I will personally attest to all the crying). The show's humor is incredibly zany with every brand of comedy you can imagine. Don't like slapstick? Don't worry, a pun is on the way. Don't understand the satire? Just wait for the next anime reference. Nothing is safe from Gintama, be it Japanese pop culture, America, Santa Claus or Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. It's got crude jokes, dark humor, crazy antics, at least *something* will constantly make you laugh.

And when the show has its few and far between darker storyline, it gives you what you love about shonen action without the endless power-ups and confusing power scales.

PRESENTATION: The cast complains about their animation budget constantly, but the show manages to make it count, and even when they're trying to save budget, the banter is hilarious. Gintama is the only show where they can show me one (1) shot for five minutes straight and have me cackle endlessly. The openings are.. soft bops. Not super amazing outside of the first and fifth ones for me personally. The soundtrack oozes laziness and crazy energy, perfect for the show.

CONCLUSION: Gintama is a significant time commitment, but if you want investment in a cast that goes through many shenanigans, it's worth a watch. I guarantee it will make you laugh, among other things.

I wasn't exactly big on anime when I started Katekyo Hitman Reborn. It was introduced to me by my cousin and she went on and on about the story. I thought it sounded pretty cool so I decided to give it a shot. While I have to admit I found the first twenty or so episodes rather...random. Normally, I would get weirded out by Tsuna running around in his underwear, but I did find Reborn's antics amusing so I decided to stick with the anime.

When it got past the twenties however, Reborn became...wow. Just wow. Intense plot, epic battles. The story keeps you guessing ... the whole way. You get surprises, shocks and awesome fights along the way. There are certain times when the plot starts to get a little dull, but something immediately picks it back up again which keeps you watching more. Then there's also the little shorts that sometimes come up at the end of each episode, often being one and half minutes or so of humor that's good to enjoy after a very intense episode.

I don't really have anything to say about the story. I think it's really unique. I'd like to give examples, but I would like to avoid spoilers so I'm going to keep quiet. I just think that this plot is like something I've never seen before, or would be something I would think of. There would be times when the plot thickens and it's then that you would just keep going on to the next episode, eager to find out what's going to happen next.

In terms of character, I think they were well developed, better in some of the anime I've watched. You see how they first meet and how their bonds grow, as well as how they became stronger by helping each other. It's gives the story a more realistic feel, not like a random person pops out of nowhere and you immediately work well with them. I also personally enjoyed the inner turmoil featured in the story. Tsuna's important decisions were rather intense and you sympathize and understand what he's going through.

For the music and sound, I have to admit, Reborn has some of the best audio I've heard in anime. I enjoyed the sound effects, especially during battles and comedy moments. High and low pitches really affect the ambience of the scene and I think Reborn synced their sound with the animation and scene very well. The music and soundtrack is also great. I find most of the openings and endings incredibly catchy. The soundtrack contributes to the mood and how the character is feeling.

Overall, I really enjoyed Reborn. Don't give up if you find the first twenty episodes or so dull, stick to it and you won't regret it!