Jul 4, 2025
Kusuriya no Hitorigoto 2nd Season
(Anime)
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I ended up watching season 1 and season 2 back to back because I was late to the party, and boy this anime (both seasons) has been a party. This review, of course, is about season two and only season two. Season two for me was almost as strong as season one but not quite, however, my engagement level and enjoyment factor were the same, which is why I rated this season a 10. It was my favorite of its cour. Once I caught up I looked forward to every episode that came after and I HAD TO KNOW what happened next. Even now I'm
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Jun 23, 2025
I really enjoyed this anime. It was one of my favorites of its cour. The characters and the mysteries were inviting. I also liked how it was set at the end of the 1940's and so there were still lingering effects of World War II in the psyches of the characters which I think lent an extra layer to what could have been a run of the mill school ghost story story in other time periods. I would love to see another season.
If you enjoy historical fiction, ghost stories, and a solid platonic mentor-mentee relationship, then you'll likely enjoy this anime. If you want ... 
Jun 23, 2025
Aharen-san wa Hakarenai Season 2
(Anime)
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This was one of my favorite anime during the first season's cour and it was one of my favorites in this season as well, but as someone who is anime-only to me it was more obvious, especially at the end, how much must have gotten cut from the manga. That, to me, made things a little less fun because there were clear gaping holes and I have a suspicion some fun scenes cut. That of course can happen with any adaptation, but I think if the audience can pick up on it, then some things that shouldn't have gotten cut were probably cut. That said,
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Jun 21, 2025
This is one of those offerings that comes out every cour that's good but not thrilling. What kept me coming back for more and looking forward to it each week were the characters, especially the main character Beyrl. He's very straight-forward, humble, and luckily not a perv. It made this harem gathering anime really interesting and gave it a fresh feeling. Unfortunately parts of it do move kind of slowly and things that should be punchy don't always punch (hence a 6/10 instead of an 8/10), but I grew to really like Beyrl and some of the other secondary recurring characters and wanted to know
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Jun 19, 2025
Wind Breaker Season 2
(Anime)
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I really enjoyed this season but I felt like it grew stronger as the season played out, but part of that was because season 1 ended in an awkward place. I'm glad that they didn't make season 2 end in a weird kind of mid-cour way like season 1 did. There were new characters introduced and all of them were interesting. I liked that we're getting into side character's backstory and starting to flesh out the history of Furin. This season, like season one, left me sad that it was only 12 episodes and left me eager for more. I can't wait for season 3.
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Jun 18, 2025
Haite Kudasai, Takamine-san
(Anime)
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I don't normally go here, but I always like to poke about the wilder offerings from time to time to see if there's anything worth watching. This one, for me, was. The characters were likeable and easy to root for. The situation was kind of silly and I liked the absurdity of the closet scheme and the situations that arose from it. Both the leads seemed to mean well for the most part and I think, for me, that is key in any sexy romp. If I can't root for the couple eventually getting together, then I just nope on out even when everyone's clothes
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Jun 17, 2025
Ballpark de Tsukamaete!
(Anime)
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This anime was one of my favorites of its cour. I looked forward to each new episode. There was a lot of things to like about it for me. First off, the characters were really easy to like and easy to root for. I especially enjoyed Ruriko and I think making her the lead was a wide choice. I also liked that this anime took a slice of life approach to the story rather than a sports anime approach to the story. We got to know the people working and playing for the Motor Suns. There was less focus on the drama of winning and
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May 18, 2025
SKK: Shoujo-tachi no Sekai
(Manga)
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Even though my review is marked preliminary I wrote it after the manga ended but before MAL updated the status of the manga.
SKK Girls finished this week and I'm sad to see it go. It was a unique manga experience and I enjoyed it immensely. The characters were likable and easy to root for. I liked that the mystery wasn't easily guessable but also progressed in a logical manner that showed the mangaka probably had at least a general plan from the beginning. The ending was good and fit with the vibe of the manga as well. I don't really have any problems or ... 
May 3, 2025
Tsuruko no Ongaeshi
(Manga)
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Gave this manga a chance because I was interested in how it might approach the concept of grief. It ended up being a cute and enjoyable read but I marked it as mixed feelings because I think the way the manga handles the material at times might turn some people off. Overall, despite the ups and downs, I thought it was a good exploration of growing and changing for both the teacher and the student. I'm glad that things didn't take any weird, sexy turns either, or I'd have dropped this like a hot potato. The ending resolved things well and I felt satisfied with
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Apr 28, 2025
Kusuriya no Hitorigoto
(Anime)
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When this first came out I didn't realize what kind of vibe it would have so I skipped it. Recently I saw a meme about how the heroine will eat poison willingly and I thought it was so funny that I watched the first episode and then watched all the episodes in the span of a week or so. This show has everything - drama, comedy, quirky characters, stakes, and a narrative that pulls you in and won't let you go. I always ended up watching it in 1 - 2 hour chunks and it didn't feel like that much time passed at all. It's
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