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My Next Life as a Villainess was a fantastic and enjoyable show in 2020 that, while not particularly deep or complex, had interesting premise, lighthearted moments, and laughs aplenty. Overall, I enjoyed the experience, quite satisfied with the show’s single season run. However, come 2021 and we received another season, seeming to come from nowhere after the first season so neatly wrapped a conclusion onto the original premise. Altogether, it felt like milking a somewhat popular anime of the season for all it was worth, with a movie also being announced to be in the works. To say I went into the season with hesitant ... expectations would be putting it lightly. So what did I think of My Next Life as a Villainess X? I wouldn’t say it blew me out of the water, but I found it a still enjoyable time overall.

As with the first season, the strong characters remain a primary part of the enjoyment. Are any of them particularly deep or fascinating? A bit more than before, but nothing I’d consider really impressive. But, regardless of that fact, everyone just oozes so much personality and charm that it’s pretty easy to overlook the somewhat tropey characters. Seeing their interactions and reactions with and to one another is part of the show’s main target, and I at least found it hard to resist liking them all.

And the characters fuel what is largely the show’s most notable and best element; its consistently humorous and side-bursting comedy. Be it a simple exaggerated character interaction, a running gag, or just our main character being an absolute moron again, every episode of this season had me just about ready to give out with the laughs I had. Much like with the characters, I wouldn’t call the humor particularly nuanced or advanced, but it’s just simple fun gags and character comedy, and sometimes that’s all it needs.

That fun value is what I would cite as Villainess’ continued strength. At this point the character personalities and actions often border on absurd, the comedy nonsensical, and the story largely minimal. But everything is just done in such good fun, with a clear conscience of the kind of story it wants to be. Is it more of the first season quite fundamentally? Yes, and not too much more. At this point though, one watching should really know if they do or don’t care for the kind of anime this is, and, as such, I don’t find much issue in that fact.

As I previously mentioned, the overall plot is rather simplistic, lacking much of whatever nuance or intrigue the first season had in its story. It’s a very straitforward and generally rather unfocused story, not particularly stringing together into an overlying narrative up until the few final episodes. Early episodes do have use in introducing new characters or allowing us to better explore our existing cast, but it’s a notable thing to be so aimless in nature.
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This lack of an overlying story leads to the other main issues this season suffers from, and that’s its pacing. When you never know what an episode is going to do or be about, only for a series of two or three episodes to contain fully focused stories in their own right, suddenly the rhythm of the show becomes a lot more noticeable in how completely nonexistent it is in any tangible form.

Of course, with such a season that seems so pointless compared to the first, questions of its comparisons will likely arise. In turn, I’d say that, rather than being strictly better or worse, I find the two seasons to be different kinds of stories. Season 1 of Villainess was a kind of comedic psychological experience, aimed to tell a story with a definitive end. However, it may be more accurate to not even consider this as a “season 2”, since the main overarching set up story from the beginning has already come to an end. Rather, Villainess X is more of a series of comedic short tales and character studies that occur after the end of the main “story”. In short, it’s more akin to an epilogue than a continuation.

In summary, while I wouldn’t say My Next Life as a Villainess X lives up to the standard set by the first season, I believe it wasn’t meant to. It seems, I think, designed to be watched by those who enjoyed the characters and humor of the first season, and wanted to see more of them, as well as a more definitive closure to some arcs rather than the open-ended one of the first season. In all, the characters are as fun as ever, the humor as excellent, and the overall package just as enjoyable, if perhaps for different reasons than the first season.

Grade - B

Anime movies in the West have never been the biggest hits. Aside from Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli’s works, having a truly successful anime-styled film outside of Japan is notable rare, especially for one not linked to a famous TV anime. However, despite these known factors, the smash hit Your Name appeared onto the scene in 2016, reaching record success among even non-anime watchers, acclaimed for its incredible animation and beautiful story.

And what a story it is. Telling the tale of a boy and girl separated by space as they switch bodies and attempt to live their lives, Your Name is all at once a ... comedic, heartfelt, and deeply emotional experience that truly must be viewed to understand. While the narrative itself is rather simple, the way it’s conveyed and told is beyond enthralling as you witness a grand story unfolding itself before your very eyes in ways you might never imagine, ways that could never be done by any live-action movie.

That aspect is a key one of Your Name’s strengths; namely the sheer power behind its animation. In terms of beautiful landscapes and imagery, this film set a precedent that every anime film since has strived to attain. Every shot is stunning, every character on-model and full of life, every environment vibrantly alive. It’s simply a wondrous thing to watch, something that also goes beyond words if I were to be honest.

Something far more explainable is the strength of the characters in the movie. Each and everyone is not only (as discussed) wonderfully animated full of life and personality, but is distinctly real in their actions and decisions, feeling completely like any people in our world would. Even throughout the absurd premise of the movie, somehow the main characters’ central traits feel very defined, and their responses very realistic (sometimes a bit too realistic). It really feels just like peering into another world rather than an animated film.

And a vital part of making the world feel whole is the wonderfully composed soundtrack that pairs with the film. Performed by the band RADWIMPS, the movie’s music is equal parts, chipper, beautiful, and heartbreaking, covering every base to fit whatever scene it’s in perfectly. There are even a few voiced tracks that are played at certain, very important scenes in the movie to exemplify their difference. I don’t think I’ve ever felt such a closely integrated movie soundtrack before or since, and it adds so much to the experience.

In conclusion, Your Name is a truly wondrous, beautiful film that, try as I might, I simply can’t describe it entirely in words. It’s something that I think really must be experienced for oneself, and is something I think every person should try and watch at least once. Everything from its narrative, to the animation, to the character, to the incredible music is simply honed to near perfection, making a film I don’t find much personal fault in. Really, it’s nothing more or less than a breathtaking view.

Rewatch value - A+
Grade - A+

The most recent season of My Hero Academia has received a good amount of flak for a variety of reasons. Aside from its lacking story and pacing, one area of contention was the dedication of resources by Studio Bones. To make the story short, two of the arcs in the show’s positions were swapped for no explained reason, leaving the fans to speculate instead. The most common theory was that, as the arc moved earlier tied directly into the upcoming film My Hero Academia: World Heroes Mission, the show too was adjusted to make the movie sell better in the process. Whether this theory holds ... any weight or not is up to personal belief, but it meant that World Heroes Mission had some less than great reception going into its opening. But how did this third romp through the theater go for My Hero Academia? Overall, there are issues, but I would say it was fantastic.

The first notable high point is one true across the series, that being the characters. As always, even with many of them having limited screen time in the movie, they are a central aspect that makes us care even when the story doesn’t do as much. With a firmly established cast from the series, we’re able to simply sit back and enjoy their personalities that we all know and love in these new situations, and, as always, it’s a good time.

Of course, the other consistently strong point of the series is present too, and better than ever; the extremely fantastic and beautiful animation, courtesy of Studio Bones. Season 5 already blew me away in several scenes, but this film took those great moments and blew them up over an entire movie’s worth of insane and exciting animation. It’s quite honestly up there with some of the best-animated content I’ve seen in years, each fight being breathtaking in just how excellently it’s done.

As I have briefly mentioned, the story is not one of this film’s strongest aspects. A rather by the basics narrative that, while suitable for a plot hook, does little in the way of innovation or intrigue. The ultimate threat is really just “bad guy that heroes beat” with not much else to it. The pacing too is an issue, with the story moving rather slowly and without much purpose up until the end, where everything suddenly kicks into overdrive and moves at a breakneck speed. Again, not the end of the world, but a notable issue while watching.

When regarding any media that exists as a counterpart for another, there always lies value in contrasting it to the original source, and this film is no exception. I believe that the most relevant aspect to my enjoyment of the film is expectations. I went in expecting a fun, action-packed romp full of heart and character, and that was exactly what I got. While there was no amazing growth or in-depth plot or relatable villains as in the series proper, I felt as though that wasn’t what the film was trying to be. It knew what it was, and that was a movie to have fun watching and make a good experience.

In summation, while World Heroes Mission doesn’t do much exceptional, especially compared to the main series, it is a fun, action-heavy romp through a simple story, designed for us to have a good time seeing our favorite characters go at it with cool bad guys. And, I think it’s largely a story that knows that about itself and chooses to prioritize those great aspects rather than trying its effort in areas that could end up subpar at best. If you’re searching for a deep story or compelling development, I’d hardly recommend it, but if you just want some good My Hero Academia action and heart, it’s absolutely a great treat to put on.

Grade - B+

Ever since its airing in 2016 (with the manga beginning two years prior in 2014), My Hero Academia has taken the world by storm. Known for its great characters and action, the shounen has swept through even communities unfamiliar to anime, making it a well known name in the general populous before long. Yet, even as the show continued on for a second, third, and fourth seasons and continued its rampant success, there was a vocal group of dissenters that didn’t care for the anime nor its success. And, come the series’ fifth coming, those cries only grew louder as the season went along. Just ... why was My Hero Academia Season 5 so unpopular among the fans? Was that view truly warranted? For me, at least, though issues exist, my answer would overall be a firm “no”.

As with the prior seasons, the characters remain one of the strongest aspects of the story, carrying the events forward and giving them weight even when the plot fails (which we will get to later). By this time in the story, their personalities and selves have been firmly established, allowing us to enjoy them shining in situations and continue to aim for growing as heroes. Even side characters and antagonists aren’t out of reach for this attention in this season, getting more time to shine and room to showcase their personalities than prior events have largely offered.

Much of showcasing these strong characters in their element can also be attributed to the absolutely stellar animation boasted by the season. My Hero has always had good animation from the very start, being animated by Studio Bones will do that to a show, but this season has moments on a completely different level that left me breathless seeing them happen before me. With animation so strong, personalities and determination can clearly shine through and elevate already superb moments with that energy of the characters we’ve grown to love.

Another strong aspect of My Hero that continues to receive focus and expansion here is the world. Across the season we see aspects of it we are familiar with expanded upon while also giving rise to new areas of untread ground covered for the first time, widening our perspective on the world. It’s nothing mind-blowing or earth-shattering, but merely more of the same given in the past seasons, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing in of itself.

Above all though, the show is still as fun as ever, providing a consistently good mix of action-packed fights, charming and funny character moments, and fantastic growth and development across the board. It’s simply a blast to watch, even with all the completely legitimate complaints that can be hefted against it, to make a very enjoyable experience overall.

If there is one area that My Hero Season 5 is less than stellar in though, it’s the pacing. At this point in the series, the stakes have been built up to be rather high, so for everything to slow down so much and cover an entire arc worth of interactions that, while charming and full of character, do little to advance the story is, for lack of better word, disappointing. Even when we move on from this initial arc into the second half, the arcs remain generally low-stakes, which, while remaining informative, definitely does cripple the show’s momentum it had been building. This aspect permeates Season 5 through its entirety, at least, right up until the very last part.

This point functions as a perfect transition to discuss the point of most contention in My Hero Season 5; that of the story arcs that make up its 25 episode run. And, for all the praise I have for the season, I can agree with this critique; Season 5 is, for most of its run, entirely carried upon the characters and their development, with the story on its own being generally subpar in its intrigue. If one doesn’t enjoy the cast and their interactions in the same way I do, I can easily see why this season would feel so lackluster compared to the previous ones.

However, at least for me, all is made up for by the absolutely stellar arc covered by the last five episodes. Fantastic action, wonderful characterization, high stakes, and, most importantly for this season, an intriguing and fulfilling story on its own. All these aspects come together to form what I would describe as easily one of the best arcs in the entire show thus far. It really is one that can’t be missed.

As the latest installment of a long-running seasonal show, comparisons are both expected and necessary, so how would I say Season 5 compares to the prior ones? Overall, taken together, I would likely still refer to this as the weakest season of My Hero thus far. Not to say I didn’t enjoy it or think it was good, but the other seasons simply had more of what good moments Season 5 had. Thankfully the final arc helps alleviate that somewhat, and setup for what seems to be an exciting Season 6.

In conclusion, while My Hero Academia Season 5 certainly has a good number of issues in its production, I find the show’s strong character, heart, and incredible animation to be enough to still make it an enjoyable experience overall, one that still keeps me eagerly anticipating the future of the series.

Grade - B+

Acclaimed director Hayao Miyazaki is well known for his fantastical and incredible forays into the mystical worlds he forms in his films, and for good reason. They are chock full of life, detail, and beauty at every turn, truly bringing a whole new kind of land to reality. And, while these are of course wonderful and amazing, Miyazaki set out to prove he could give the same wondrous experience through the lens of reality in his 2013 film The Wind Rises, set to be his final film before retirement.

The Wind Rises tells the life story of Jiro Horikoshi (1903–1982), designer of the Mitsubishi A5M fighter ... aircraft and its successor, the Mitsubishi A6M Zero, used by Japan during World War II. The film is adapted from Miyazaki's manga of the same name, which was in turn loosely based on the 1937 novel The Wind Has Risen by Tatsuo Hori. As one may guess from the several tellings of the story, the narrative is a strong one, chronicling Jiro’s journey through life chasing his dreams of making airplanes out of a joy for the craft, yet finding them used for war in the end instead.

As a story following the life of a central character, said main character is obviously a key focus of our attention, in both their growth and their interactions with others around them. Thankfully, The Wind Rises excels greatly in this area, with subtle, yet notable character writing that expertly establishes and grows characters over the film’s course. It’s not drastic or greatly noticeable, and is easy to dismiss as generally stale, but this subtly conveyance of character truly adds to the film’s overall life-like feeling.

That incredible lifelike approach is only exemplified through the movie’s incredible and fluid animation in both character and environment. As a film by Studio Ghibli after years of phenomenal releases, the animators truly know and understand their craft, and it shows. The characters are expressive in all their animations and facial expressions, while backgrounds are full of life and gorgeous to witness. And, as a key focal point of the film, the planes too are works of beauty as they soar through the sky and truly make you understand Jiro’s amazement for them.

To continue in speaking of the movie’s world, the environments all throughout are really something to be amazed by. It may seem odd to compliment the world of a movie based in the real world setting, but it’s true. Somehow the mundane and ordinary Earthly things we know well seem magical and full of life, as if imbued by Miyazaki’s usual fantastical spark. It makes the world feel more interesting than any live form of media could hope to do, by allowing some of our imagination and fantasy to leak through, enough to give it that signature Ghibli wonder.

And, part of that wonder can be found in the soundtrack played at every turn of the movie’s run. Rising and powerful, the music played evokes the very feelings of the wind and world embodied by the film, surging and falling just as we witness happening before us. It’s a difficult balance to be notable enough to be recalled, yet subtle enough to work into the movie without feeling overwhelming, but The Wind Rises manages to strike it just right to exemplify its themes.

It’s these very themes that are a large part of The Wind Rises’ identity. There are a good number of factors that go into the whole; freedom, life, imagination. If I were to fit it under one label though, I would call it dreams. Dreams are the engine that powers this vehicle of a story, driving Jiro forward through every curveball life throws at him to achieve that which he desires more than anything else. He will push through and fulfill it; it’s only a matter of looking back and questioning if his dream was worth it in the end.

There is one key aspect of the film I find fault with, though, and it’s regretfully embedded quite deeply into the story’s framework. The movie follows the life of Jiro as it skips throughout the years and, while this functions well for his development, dream, and character, it leads to an awkward pacing issue in which some eras last for far longer than others, and we leap from moment to moment without much in the way of steady progression, feeling more like jumps than a gradual incline.

Even with this issue in the film, The Wind Rises is overall a fantastic tale of freedom, life, imagination, and dreams. Everything from its story, to characters, to animation, to world, to its music all embody this united tale of a dreamer who grew to make what he loved, unknown of what it may one day bring forth. It’s a truly wondrous story, one that I most absolutely recommend to be seen.

Grade - A

Across the history of anime, as we know it, the works of Hayao Miyazaki have always been the most acclaimed and enjoyed in the public eye. Yet, well before his smash hits of Spirited Away and Princess Mononoke took the world by storm, Miyazaki’s first big success came in the form of a manga. Running from 1982 to 1994, this manga was a large financial success, and, despite initial resistance to the idea, Miyazaki eventually agreed to direct a film adaptation for release in 1984; thus came to be Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind.

The most remarkable aspect of Nausicaä that spoke to me ... immediately was its incredible world. Set in the post-apocalyptic landscape of a world consumed by pollution, every locale from the titular valley to the toxic jungle is full of life and detail, they feel very much a real place I could see existing. The people too are adapted, and in a way that is largely realistic-feeling given the situation at hand. From their ways of daily life to the technologies they have developed to live in this new world, everything just feels very complete.

That wonderfully built world is only accentuated by the remarkable animation throughout the film. Even as a movie made before the proper formation of Studio Ghibli, the animation is nothing short of incredible, pleasing to the eye with popping colors and smooth, lifelike movement. While it’s not something as remarkable as the modern creations, for its time, made without any computer aid, it’s something truly special and evokes a feeling of nostalgia in its old-timey style.

Background music isn’t something I often take full note of unless it’s particularly bad or good. Nausicaä absolutely falls into the latter area, with its notable OST that perfectly fits each scene’s tone of adventure, mystery, nature, or whatever else. They’re fantastic and fitting tracks that really exemplify the already great elements of the film in its environmental and action sequences.

Unfortunately, this focus on a beautiful world and environments does come with its fair share of downsides, namely being in the plot and characters. While neither are anything atrocious by any means and are completely passable, it’s only the high quality of the other aspects that make these shortcomings apparent. None of the characters are particularly in-depth or compelling, mostly just existing to serve their narrative purpose for the plot, be it the kindhearted hero, the wise mentor, or the evil bad guy.

Characters not going much beyond filling a narrative purpose isn’t necessarily bad per se, not so long as the narrative itself holds up well. Regretfully, the plot is one of the weaker aspects of Nausicaä, being all together tropey, and generally predictable, though inoffensively so. Again, this wouldn’t be an issue on its own, as a standard story can still be held up with its strong characters. However, as discussed, that too is an area of lacking for Nausicaä, meaning that both aspects combined give the film a weaker-feeling narrative overall.

Nausicaä is a wondrous and beautiful movie that is only held back by its, not bad, but oftentimes tropey characters and narrative. The environments, animations, and music are all fantastic, and its only flaws really rear their heads in a critical, posthumous analysis, not taking away a thing from the experience within the moment. It is, in all, a truly stunning film to witness, one that captivates your attention till the very end.

Grade - A-

Everyone loves candy, right?

Well, maybe not so much in this world. I’ve seen a good amount of absurd, crazy, out-there power systems in my tenure with anime & manga, but giant weaponized candy is an absurd one I never really considered all too much. And I think that idea represents Ame no Furu [Candy Flurry] quite well: absurd. From the characters, powers, situations, gags, and even the base concept of most ideas, it’s an all-around absurd manga; yet I feel it works quite well.

Fitting a shounen series, the fights have a great emphasis in the series, and, as mentioned before, one of Candy Flurry’s greatest ... aspects is its absurdly creative and fun power system. The Recette (basically candy police) are cool enough with their utensil-based weaponry, but the real icing on the cake is the literal cake; the Sweets Users. Tsumugi alone uses her lollipop-based power in way more inventive ways than one would expect, and with every newly introduced user there only comes more interesting scenarios and awesome fights.

Other than the wacky and crazy action, Candy Flurry has one other crucial aspect to its benefit; the characters are just insane. And in the best possible way. Everyone from main protagonist Tsumugi to the loveable (yet ineffectual) Recette agent Misaki partakes in the wacky, comedic dialogue that fills every scene of Candy Flurry. Some of the exchanges are downright hilarious, and I found myself grabbing a good few just to use as quotes.

Unfortunately, for as crazy and fun the action scenes are, the paneling is often messy and disorganized, making it frankly difficult to follow the choreography. It’s a crucial aspect that I’d largely yet to see messed up given my limited manga consumption, but one that immediately stood out like a sore thumb.

The infamous Shounen Jump ax is something I’ve never personally borne witness to, yet always been acutely aware of. And with the amount of new manga series starting all the time, it was really only a matter of time before it occurred. Still, it’s truly unfortunate that Candy Flurry was canceled at a mere 19 chapters, well before I believe it was close to reaching its full potential. You can noticeably observe this closure toward the end, as story beats are flung through with immense speed and events come colliding far sooner than is narratively natural-feeling.

In summation, it truly is disappointing that Candy Flurry was canceled so early into its run before the manga could really live up to the potential I felt it had to be great. So many aspects reminded me of manga/anime I love, and the power system felt it had great room to be expanded upon. In the end, not much we can do about what happened, but I enjoyed Candy Flurry while it lasted.

Grade - C+

When it comes to the new hit shows, Jujutsu Kaisen is an inevitable topic to come up. As one of the biggest running manga picked up by a huge studio like MAPPA, perhaps its quality was always ensured, yet the ensuing explosion of popularity in the show’s 24 episode run is unprecedented on a level not seen since Demon Slayer. Much like any show of the sort, the inevitable question always arises upon such a work’s rise in mainstream popularity; does it really live up to the hype as an actual good product? Long question short, I’d say yes, very much so.

Idly indulging in baseless ... paranormal activities with the Occult Club, high schooler Yuuji Itadori spends his days at either the clubroom or the hospital, where he visits his bedridden grandfather. However, this leisurely lifestyle soon takes a turn for the strange when he unknowingly encounters a cursed item. Triggering a chain of supernatural occurrences, Yuuji finds himself suddenly thrust into the world of Curses—dreadful beings formed from human malice and negativity—after swallowing the said item, revealed to be a finger belonging to the demon Sukuna Ryoumen, the "King of Curses." Yuuji experiences first-hand the threat these Curses pose to society as he discovers his own newfound powers. Introduced to the Tokyo Metropolitan Jujutsu Technical High School, he begins to walk down a path from which he cannot return—the path of a Jujutsu sorcerer.

To begin with the most surface-level and obvious part of what makes Jujutsu Kaisen so great, the show is animated by Studio MAPPA. Anyone that has any experience in the anime scene, should immediately provide expectations for the sort of quality to be expected from the show. Jujutsu Kaisen sports some of the cleanest fights and most fluid animation I’ve seen in all my time watching anime, rivaled only by the likes of other giants like Demon Slayer or Attack on Titan.

Beyond the simple quality of animation, the choreography is on a completely different level than most shows. Every movement and blow feel equal parts exhilarating and satisfying, accompanied by the banging soundtrack. Fights in this show are absolutely magical experiences that left me desperately watching them over and over and wanting more.

A large part of what makes the show’s combat so gripping and entertaining is its excellent power system; cursed energy. Naruto has chakra, Hunter x Hunter Nen, Bleach spirit powers: Jujutsu Kaisen, as a modern shounen, is very much a product of these classic systems, taking the greatest parts of each to shape its own identity. What results is an intriguing and fascinating power system that defines its capabilities and limits, while also providing unique abilities in combat and room for further development and growth on the part of the cast.

On that subject, any good shounen thrives on its cast of characters that do all the punching and fighting, and Jujutsu Kaisen does not fail in that department. From the offset, Yuuji Itadori is an entertaining and fun main character that quickly shows himself to be a different sort of Shounen protagonist than the norm. Other main characters Megumi Fushigoro and Nobara Kugisaki contrast and compliment Yuuji in both interesting and entertaining manners through their personalities and stories, and Satoru Gojou is just an absolute legend. The entire cast of the show is just filled to the brim with personality, making every scene equal parts hilarious and gripping.

There’s a lot more than what I’ve discussed, but if the hype hasn’t sold you on Jujutsu Kaisen, maybe this review will help you make that decision. Overall, the show is just a very solid Shounen story with great characters and an intriguing power system, aided by the incredible fight choreography and animation provided by MAPPA. If that at all seems up your alley, I urge you to give the show a try. You won’t be disappointed!

Grade : A

[Contains spoilers for the show]
Demon Slayer was one of the biggest anime series of 2019, receiving acclaim from anime fans and casual watchers alike for its incredible animation and loveable cast. With such success, a sequel wasn’t a question of if, only when. A question that didn’t take long to answer, as a movie adaptation of the next arc was announced following the series’ final episode. Nearly two years later, the movie has finally come to us in the US, and we can see how the story continues.

After a string of mysterious disappearances begin to plague a train, the Demon Slayer Corps' multiple attempts to ... remedy the problem prove fruitless. To prevent further casualties, the flame pillar, Kyoujurou Rengoku, takes it upon himself to eliminate the threat. Accompanying him are some of the Corps' most promising new blood: Tanjirou Kamado, Zenitsu Agatsuma, and Inosuke Hashibira, who all hope to witness the fiery feats of this model demon slayer firsthand.

To begin, the movie is still animated by ufotable; meaning it’s stuffed to the brim with fantastic fight animation and choreography. Calling it breathtaking is appropriate, as characters dance across the screen looking better than ever, stunning swordplay and incredible effects on display. From Tanjirou’s flowing Water Breathing to the stunning speed of Zenitsu’s Thunder Breathing to the unbridled power behind Rengoku’s Flame Breathing, the breathing techniques of the heroes bring some of the best-looking fight animation I’ve seen in any anime.

Another returning factor from the first season is the story’s continued prominent display of the touching themes behind each character. We are able to glimpse into the worlds of each of the characters and get to know just how they came to be as they are, along with the kind of world they strive to find for themselves. The already established characters are further explored and given room to show their deeper thoughts, while the new characters are fantastically debuted and provide instant likeability.

As a sequel, the story perfectly ramps the tension and characters from the show, clearly showing their forward development and growth. The stakes remain as high as before, not content to return to the status quo, Tanjiro and co. tangling with foes more dangerous than they have ever gone against before.

Despite these strengths, the movie is hardly perfect. Though good initially, the middle period of the film suffers from some issues in its pacing and tone, feeling a bit stilted at times. Much as Demon Slayer before, the delicate balance of serious and humorous tones is a narrow tightrope to walk. At times it tips a bit too far into its comedic moments, making light of some moments that could have perhaps been better used for development and character insight. And, while Tanjirou continues to shine and impress, this somewhat detracts from the side cast’s own attention, leaving them a tad overshadowed.

In conclusion, Demon Slayer: Mugen Train is a fantastic follow-up to the show, through its stunning animation to its touching moments to the continued building tension of the narrative that, while not without flaws, proves itself a worthy successor to the acclaimed anime...even if it took way too long to get here.

Grade - A-

[Spoilers for Promised Neverland S1, Slight spoilers for S2]
Lackluster second seasons of anime are hardly something new or particularly uncommon in the world. This isn’t a particularly good fact, but one that has proven its repeated existence through the years of stories. For the most part though, a good first season often gives way to an at least decent second season. And a great first season most often brings a great or even better second season.

The Promised Neverland Season 1 gave us a fascinating psychological experience, as we got to watch our protagonists Emma, Ray, and Norman attempt to escape the death farm they ... call home. With intriguing and intimidating antagonistic forces like Isabella and Krone, and the limited scope of the world, the kids had to use every trick and misdirection they could muster to deceive their captors and escape the farm. Leaving with a large group of her siblings, Emma swore to one day return for the rest and keep them all safe. With all that said, one would expect something as great at the first season of Promised Neverland to yield a fantastic follow-up...right?

Season 2 picks up following the kids’ escape from Grace Field House, set on escaping the demons relentlessly pursuing them and finding their freedom. Guided by the books of William Minerva, the children learn of information that can help them survive. But as their pursuers draw closer, Emma, Ray, and all the rest of the children must use everything they can to survive the ruthless world and find a place to call home.

Before discussing what Season 2 did wrong (we’ll get to that), what did it do right? The art is largely consistent from the first season, meaning that, while not particularly impressive or notable by any means, it still remains of good quality and serviceable framing. The characters continue their logical routes from where Season 1 took them as well, continuing to provide the story with a strong central core to propel it forward no matter how shaky the foundation gets.
(the opening also really slaps)

Now, onto the rest.

To begin with, the pacing is positively abhorrent. The first season sits at a comfortable 12 episodes, covering the first arc with incredible depth and focus. When observing the relative amount of content in the second season, one would expect something along the lines of 26 episodes at minimum in order to fit the immense story. Instead the season gives us 11 episodes of rushed content that alternates between blisteringly fast sprints and unbearably slow crawls through the plot.

And what a plot it is. For those not in the know, Promised Neverland Season 2 decided to, against all reasonable thought, skip much of the remaining story content from the manga. What should have been around 10 arcs of story was largely cut and skimmed, skipping several arcs and cramming the rest with the aforementioned terrible pacing. This includes one of the story’s best arcs and much of the setup that made the finale what it was in the first place.

While the cast remains strong and defined from the first season, they ultimately amount to doing little in terms of actual development. Any possibility of conflict or growth is entirely dismissed by the confines of both the crammed pacing and plot, leaving room for no character besides Emma to even contribute to the plot in a meaningful manner.

That factor in of itself is a major issue with the entire season; namely the fact that any character that isn’t Emma inevitably falls to the side, losing any former relevance or seeming drive to make their own decisions. Even largely independent characters like Ray seem to become nothing more than side pieces to Emma, existing only to constantly tell her how right her decisions are. Every issue that rises to challenge Emma’s views are neatly resolved, never providing her more than a momentary pause before being proved correct in the end.

In conclusion, the Promised Neverland Season 2 follows up the sublime first season with nothing but wasted potential. From its awful pacing to skipped content to lacking cast progression to failure of raising any true challenges, the experience is downright sad from start to finish. I quite honestly can’t even be too angry, just disappointed.

Grade - D-