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This is the problem with changing standards: it's evident that Ikoku Irokoi was received better in its hayday than it is now. It's not that this anime is bad, per se; it's more that it reflects the inclinations of the early 00s.

So before you completely dismiss this anime, consider a few things:

1. It seems that not many have focused on Ranmaru's wife despite her serving as a catalyst in this anime. Kaoru, who he wed to for the sake of his family, was physically and verbally abusive, which only gets worse over time. As a result, Ranmaru meets Al, who he immediately becomes attracted ... to.

There's a stark contrast between Kaoru, a highbrow yakuza's daughter who repeatedly shows her disdain for marrying a brutish, old-fashioned man she believes to be beneath her, and Al, a chauvinistic gentleman who's aloof enough to prioritize having a good time. So the anime presents a situation where Ranmaru is faced with two choices: the wife he doesn't love and that doesn't love him back, or the man who seems to fetishize the very traits his wife loathes, and that Ranmaru himself is proud of. It's obvious to see why it's called a "Love Affair".

2. Although there was non-con in the series, it was NOT between Al and Ranmaru. Not only did Ranmaru not stop or want to stop Al's advances (even when he wasn't drunk), but he plainly acknowledged it, his bemusement stemming primarily from cultural differences and his naivety with relationships. I won't go as far as to say that there's enthusiastic consent, but their relationship would better be classified as dubcon at least. That still might be a deal-killer to some.

Al, despite his gracefulness, is kinda scummy, but so is the whole cast. There is no development to be found here; there's only a string of tangentially-related one-night stands that clumsily guides the viewers to the grand finale. You'll be terribly disappointed if you expect anything more than what the title indicates. (Admittedly, there are things here and there to give the feel of 'the heart grows fonder apart', but that feels like a bit of a stretch.)

3. And, finally, keep in mind that this is the same creator of Viewfinder and Crimson Spell, the former of which was briefly animated. If you're expecting a well-rounded, tame, wholesome couple with no problems whatsoever, you won't find it with Yamane's works. Instead, try Given, Cherry Magic, Sasaki to Miyano, or any of the other BL series that are more suited for the times.

With that said, I personally have always enjoyed this (albeit with a few eye-turning caveats), especially as the smut was more daring then than it ever will be now, but I realize my opinion is a sorely unpopular one. Taking the larger audience into consideration, it's very likely that some viewers new to BL or searching for a mainstream-compatible series will not find enjoyment in Ikoku Irokoi, which is why I struggle to recommend it. That said, it doesn't erase the few charms the series does have, between its above-average animation and some lighthearted scenes here and there to soften the mood.

Yes, yes, this anime does have its fluffy, lovey-dovey couples, no problematic content, whatever. Not that it needs to be barren of problematic content to be considered a good story. Anyways, I personally enjoyed this anime for a few reasons, but it's not without its problems.

Let's just put it up front that I'd give 10 stars for one particular supporting character who was an absolute riot throughout the series. They're the very embodiment of 'don't judge a book by its cover', which makes every interaction with Adachi absolutely hilarious to watch. So there's your comedy.

One part of the story that might not have been ... discussed in other reviews is how the anime slowly takes the concept of mind-reading and flips it on its head. Cherry Magic slowly deconstructs this super-power, revealing its pitfalls through the eyes of the characters. Honestly, if it had been just the beginning, this anime would have received a much lower rating from me, but I really like the problems that came along with the second half. It was a unique take on a hackneyed cliche.

That's not to say this anime is without its problems. We're given one couple in the beginning of the series, but somehow end up with two by the end. It's a very 'Junjou Romantica' approach, but unlike Junjou Romantica, which gives each of the three couples similar amounts of screen time (more or less), it's more like a 3:1 ratio between the first couple and the second. The transitions between the couples takes a hit, too, and while the main couple gets away with it by the skin of its teeth, the side couple takes a hit for it. Its much easier to forget Tsuge and Minato than Adachi and Kurosawa. Tsuge has been both Adachi's support as well as the lead of his own romance, but Minato leaves much to be desired.

There's also a lot of cringeworthy moments in the anime, both having to do with mind-reading powers and just the natural 'non-normie' charm of Tsuge and Adachi. And then there's the animation, which, along with the telepathic scenes, was the most cringeworthy part of it all. For every significant thought the characters have, the viewers are unfortunate enough to have to sit through 15-30 seconds of stilled frames as we listen to whatever character think whatever life-changing thought they're having and how it impacts Adachi (or Tsuge). If this happened every so often it wouldn't be a problem, but it happens every. Single. Episode. It's awkward, and it takes the enjoyment away. I'm sure I'm not the only one who thinks so.

It's with these praises and complaints in mind that I can't fully recommend it, but still say that I enjoyed it very much. There's no such thing as a 'perfect' anime, sure, but the problems really do weigh a lot on the viewers enjoyment of the anime, and should definitely be taken into consideration when deciding whether to watch it.

"What's old is what's new," right? For those who Wedding Peach rings nostalgic for, this sentiment probably hits the mark, including myself. But after re-watching this anime, the rose-colored glasses have unfortunately shattered. Still, its inherent charm still carries on.

Story: This anime has a persistent--almost borderline obsessive--fascination with the concept of love, yet its portrayal of love is one-dimensional at best, and stereotypical at worst. Many of the episodic couples have similar themes, with similar dynamics, with similar endings. Some episodes promote outdated premises, which could be uncomfortable for some viewers. There was also an episode that, while not intentional, could have really drawn out ... some Madoka Magica vibes if it had been taken to its logical conclusion. Fortunately, Wedding Peach is a purebred, through-and-through supernatural shoujo anime, where there is no such thing as debilitating, permanent hardship and where love always wins.

Like Magic Knight Rayearth, one of the female leads unfortunately gets the short end of the stick. In particular, that latter love square (I'll call it a square because of the innuendos (whether perceived or canonical)) had so much potential, which was unfortunately wasted. I really can't say more without spoiling it, but it does involve one of the later villains in the show. I've seen many shows (including Sailor Moon, Wedding Peach's aunt-in-law) showcase various types of loves with various endings, and THAT would have been the time to really delve into it. Wedding Peach's insistence on its certain portrayal of love really hindered it.

Characters: The three main characters all fill a "cliche" (the fourth appearing literally 3/4th into the show), yet have some trait that benefits the story. True, Momoko is a naive, loud-mouthed, childish, hot-headed, sometimes-slower-than-her-peers female lead that makes you either sigh in second-hand embarrassment or irritation, but she's THE kindest character in the entire show, including the so-called "angels" of love. She has repeatedly given second and third chances to her enemies, earning her several allies and the hearts of her viewers. It's occasional, but you'll find she's worth watching for. Her friends, well...

Then there's Yousuke. Initially, he's presented as a side piece to the guy who should have been the ML, Kazuya Yanagiba, but ends up outshining him over the course of the series. He comes off as a supporting character, but is actually a main character. Which is great, because his character is generally likeable and a bit more complex than the main cast. He initially comes off as brutish, snarky, and insensitive, but is revealed to be so much more through his interactions with Momoko and her friends. He's also implied to be more than he appears from relatively early in the series, which encourages the viewer to want to watch it despite the entourage of cardboard foes in each episode.

Speaking of foes, most of them felt like a horde of NPCs with a few notable exceptions. In hindsight, Lord Pluie was great foreshadowing for the show, despite his piss-poor performance. His charismatic bravado will either make you love him or not care for him. The other notable villain (besides the great mummy herself) is Igneous, who operated less as a villain and more as a construct and catalyst. Although his job was similar to his predecessors, he took a much more lackadaisical approach and had no problem enjoying himself along the way. He's not entertaining because he's a good villain; he's entertaining because of his relationship with the other characters.

And then there's Potamos, the bane of the viewers' existence.

Last Thoughts: Besides its stubborn portrayal of love, Wedding Peach also falls down with its reused footage each and every bloody episode. Worse, skipping 2-3 minutes during the transformation scenes sometimes allows viewers to miss vital parts that progress the overarching story. That said, Wedding Peach has stood the test of time, and while predictable, is still entertaining to watch to some degree. If you have your sanity after lasting 15 episodes, you'll probably scrounge up the patience to last the whole 51.

Take solace in the fact that those beautiful two males featured in the advertising art will be nowhere in this anime. You can also take solace that for seven painstaking minutes, you can watch two stick figure chibis hopping around that LOOK like the main couple.

Which, speaking of those seven painstaking minutes, each episode features a collection of mini-skits with a pretty stagnant background, not much motion, not much deviation, and not much introduced. I'd be bold enough to say that it's half a step above a drama CD, which...this anime would have probably fared better with than this thing. Not only is this ... animation a slap in the face to the original manga, but with how scarce it is to find the original four episodes, its evident that folks outside Japan don't care much for it either.

The interactions are kind of cute, but the enjoyment is smothered by how boring it is to watch the same thing with different desserts. The characters' personalities don't really add anything to the charm either, but it does fit its role as a slice-of-life, saving this rating from an insulting 1 star.

As I don't have access to all four episodes, I've put a preliminary review based on only the first episode, but honestly, I don't see my opinion changing much.

If I can, I'll still watch it to the end, only as this is the only review for this anime and to give it a complete assessment. But ultimately? It's not worth your time.

FAKE is kind of an anomaly in that it's hard to recommend it, but hard NOT to recommend it.

It's entertaining in that cutesy 90s slapstick, romcom, fast-paced-banter sort-of way, where all the main cast are all familiar with each other and have their own intertwining circles of harem. If the dynamics of Kimagure Orange Road (or Ranma 1/2) turned gay and given a crime-mystery feel to it, you'd have FAKE. (And maybe that's an oversimplification but the bill should fit somewhat.)

With how they rapidly introduce the main cast, it feels like you're being dropped in the middle of a series, with only enough detail ... to get a superficial grasp as to how they're all connected. To their credit, they did give a 5-minute background check on the main couple, Ryo and Dee, and how they became involved with each other. Everyone else, including the love interests of Ryo and Dee respectively? Not a chance. Still, it's pardonable given that they try to tell a cohesive, original story in 1 hour, and they do it alright.

The mystery was a sloppy Burger King special. After the scene is set, it's laughably easy to narrow down the suspects, and therein the motives. No taste, much less flare. But the anime laughs it off anyways; it's background music for showcasing the main duo's relationship, which seems one-sided but is surprisingly mutual. There's also not much development you can do with a story that's already crammed with mystery, slapstick, spurts of fanservice (?), and frequent character introductions, so their ending, while sweet, falls a little flat.

The music was greazy. Not much else to it.

It took a good while to get used to the animation. Not cause of its stereotypical 90s look, but their faces. My god, their faces. I'm used to seeing cutesy art like the original All Purpose Cultural Cat Girl Nuku Nuku, Slayers, and the like, not...even Kizuna and Zetsuai weren't so bad compared to FAKE. But that's probably more subjective than not.

Overall, it was an entertaining hour that's purposefully open-ended in that "and their journey continues" kind of way, with new developments up to the last minute before credits, but at least leaves you not feeling weighed down. It's not an anime you should go searching for, but if you find yourself interested, you probably won't be too bored.

Let me be the trendsetter and be the first one with mixed feelings towards this anime.

First, concerning the somewhat "off-putting" animation style, it's really not as bad as it could be--IF you're used to 80s and 90s animes. I'm not talking about well-known ones like Bepop and Lain; I'm talking about the majority of anime series that were buried amidst the 2000s wave of really influential household anime names. It definitely takes some getting used to, but not enough to be an eyesore. (And it's still not as bad as its sequel with their razor-sharp chins.)

The biggest problem for me is pacing. And I get ... it--only 45 minutes to shove in a few chapters from the manga. But it does play a part on how this anime is perceived. Takuto in particular comes off as overly cagey and defensive. Then, three-fourths in, after Kouji sacrifices yet again for Takuto, he suddenly switches to warming up to Kouji, which leads to the finale.

On the other hand, Kouji is pretty stable throughout; he's true to his desires through and through. He's obsessive and possessive, and his desperation increases as the story goes on. Although Takuto is technically the one with the sad backstory, it's easier to sympathize with Kouji.You see the sacrifices he makes to Takuto without any prompting, and you feel for him each time he gets rejected.

Their messed-up relationship is supposed to set the stage to mirror Takuto's past, allowing him to make a crucial decision in the end that...is left to our imagination. Because they cut it off right at the end. I guess it's good they decided to air the sequel so we're not constantly wondering what's going to happen next.

Overall, Zetsuai is an anime with a good premise, but doesn't leave much of a lasting impression (except for a character study). Because I was interested enough to go to the sequel, I could find some resolution with this anime and say I wouldn't mind watching it again. Rated by itself, though, this OVA's performance is average at best.

Kizuna's one of those classics that doesn't age too well, but you find yourself liking it anyways. It stands above and apart from other BL peers of that time, yet its shortcomings does have me struggling to wholeheartedly recommend it.

The worst offense, by far, is the first episode, and the first thirty seconds will either make or break your interest. We're dropped right in the middle of a scene, which then crudely transitions to another tangentially related scene, with spurts of nature in between. The description you see as the summary? Pretty much the first two minutes of the show. If done correctly, the anime ... can bring you up to speed and not leave you feeling flustered. But with only 27 minutes to cram probably 3 manga chapters in, maybe it's the best Kizuna could do.

The second episode was much better in terms of pacing. Instead of the main pair, we're given a glimpse of Kai Sagano's personality. It does feel a little episodic, though, as we're, again, introduced to new characters with no prior explanation of who they are and why they matter. (Luckily, the second episode unveils the characters' identity a lot better than the first.) Although the first episode had the meat and potatoes, I found myself enjoying this episode a lot more...which made it incredibly disappointing when I reached the end of the OVA. It felt like the prelude to a story that would never start!

There's miscellaneous issues as well. Book any Marriott or Hilton Hotel and go into their elevator, and you'll easily find Kizuna's OST. There's some annoying cliches that, for the most part, Kizuna dodged the bullet on, but still got a scrape on its arm. An example: the obligatory near-sexual assault that cripples many BL series. A wider example not restricted to the BL genre: having a supposedly strong MC defenseless in the time of need, only for a hero to rescue them. To be fair, though, the situation here was complicated by other matters, but it's still a bone. Finally, for an erotica, there was only one or two completely risque scenes. A racier anime like Mignon AND a tamer anime like Junjou Romantica has Kizuna beat for implicit/explicit sexual content. It has a similar amount of eroticism of Ai no Kusabi (1990s) without the complications, sexual tension, and drama.

Shortcomings and all, I still found myself enjoying this anime. The characters are lovable and have a much healthier relationship than a good chunk of BL and shoujo/romance animes out there.The usual stereotypes of drama are absent, replaced instead with moments of introspection and 90s-style banter we know and love. The animation, while grainy due to its age, was beautifully done, and all the characters, including irrelevant ones, were treated with care. I found myself invested in all of them--which is why it's such a shame that there's only two episodes, both dissatisfying in some way. I'm sure that if it had been stretched to 4 episodes, this would have easily ranked an 8 or 9.

Conclusion: While I personally would rewatch this anime in the future, its shortcomings may be a turn-off to some viewers. As this is the only review for this series, though, I would recommend that if the summary interests you, give it a go, see how you like it. Just be sure to keep Kizuna's age and weaknesses in mind when you evaluate it for yourself.

As the oldest listed BL on this site, I had certain expectations. Unfortunately, watching this made me feel like I wasted an hour with nothing in return.

The most important part: the BL element was introduced in even a more subtle way than Ladiva from Granblue Fantasy. Worse than an NPC, the content in question is a snake in a field, only visible when it clamps its jaws down on the audience at the last minute. By no means was it the center of the story, which feels a bit like misrepresentation. If it was based off the BL alone, I'd give it a 2.

The next ... most important part: I'm not sure if it's been mentioned previously, but PG-13 is NOT the correct rating for this movie, as there are scenes featuring nudity and implied sexual content. It's plausible that that was the standard of that time. But as we all know, standards change, and I certainly couldn't call myself watching that in public.

I will admit that this is a passable drama that portrays the messy relationships of teenagers in love. Disregarding its execution, it faintly reminds me of A Midnight Summer's Dream--everyone is connected to everyone, no matter how small--and what affects one affects all. As a drama, it has the potential to pass the test of time, but as a romance and a BL, it fails horribly. Certain scenes were stagnant: frames lasted anywhere from 15-45 seconds, and a sketchbook of pictures that are supposed to portray a relationship falls flat due to its lack of substance. It feels desperate at least, and irrational at most. It's a shame that Studio Deen couldn't have covered this. They might have performed just as poorly, but they seem to have a good enough grasp on insinuating feelings between characters to at least make it juicy.

As for the animation and sound, it's indicative of its time period. You wouldn't go to the Philharmonics or the Colonne for dubstep; similarly, the look and feel represent the artistic appeal and focus of that time. The beautiful are beautiful, regardless of gender. The plain are plain, and the ugly are ugly, and all will be accentuated. (For more examples of this, see Tokimeki Tonight and the original manga/anime of Glass Mask.) Likewise, the sound is mainly orchestral. Especially as this is a drama, this shouldn't be too much of a surprise, neither should the movie be condemned for using it.

Conclusion: I'd like to come out saying, "Wow, that was a great movie! I'd sure love to watch that again!" To gain an understanding of how far the anime industry (and the BL genre) has come, the movie is worth at least one watch. Yet while I do respect this anime's age, there's just too many rotten tomatoes in the basket to feel like I've received nothing short of a rip-off.

Hatenkou Yuugi is NOT the anime you should be watching if you want a good, thorough plot, and a riveting experience. This is an anime that you go to if you want to waste three or so hours of your life and not feel too bad afterwards.

Harsh as that sounds, let me say upfront that I do want to recommend this anime. Maybe because of their budgeting or whatever, but this anime chooses its battles very wisely. In the first half (episodes 1-4) the anime introduces its characters haphazardly and its cliche plots even more haphazardly. As such, the anime comes off as satirical and ... self-depreciating without actually aiming to be a parody (like Gintama). That satire, paired with the characters' hurried introduction and banter, gives the anime humor where none should be.

The second half of the anime (episodes 5-10) has a drastically different format from the first: two episodes make up one convoluted story, while the following episode--sometimes painfully--is unrelated to it and given a lighter tone. We are granted more insight about the characters, but not much. In fact, I was mistaken about one of the characters' relationship in the beginning until more clarification is given in later episodes.

The reason why that's important is because Hatenkou Yuugi thrives in simplicity. The simpler the story, the wittier the story is allowed to be. For how rushed the characters were in the beginning, we're given a superficial view of their relationship and thus are at least able to follow along. For the more convoluted episodes later on, it becomes terribly obvious how crammed and ill-paced the story is, even going as far as to skip transitional scenes that could have made it emotionally impactful.

There's also the ending, which...I really shouldn't have expected a decent ending from an anime with only 10 episodes. Just like its opening, it ends as hurried as it starts, and even worse, it introduces characters and plot points that will never be expanded on. I feel strongly encouraged to read the manga, but from what I've seen from some JP fans on the newest and concluding volume, it might be better to stick with the anime, weaknesses and all.

Conclusion: With all that said, Hatenkou Yuugi was an extremely enjoyable watch. Its shining points is definitely the main characters, their (ambiguously polygamous-but-not-quite) relationship, and the anime's self-depreciation. Each character, while filling a certain "trope", has little specks here and there that might keep your interest. Overall, the anime snatches more than it gives back, but does its best to entertain you along the way.

Tactics is one of those anime series that used to have mid-level popularity, and I always wanted the opportunity to watch it. Now, two decades from its release, I can honestly say that it did NOT live up to the hype.

Its underwhelming punch has less to do with its age and more with its execution. First, it's episodic, so don't expect a running plot until maybe episode 14. Which, episodic can be charming if done well, but...many of the episodes seemed to be done just because they could, and didn't leave much of an impact on me. Some episodes were predictable, and I grew ... more and more tired the longer I watched it. Still, I wanted to see it through to completion, which was why I kept going to the end. (And surprise, surprise: there's not a satisfying ending to be found. I won't say loose ends aren't tied, but there's a lot more ends just flailing in the wind.) If you can last until episode 14, you'll be treated with reoccurring characters, some deus ex machina moments, one episode with pretty decent psychological horror elements, and a cute scene or two from the main cast. Maybe, if you squint hard enough and tilt to the left, you won't notice how the plot drags in the latter half, and how the big, bad surprise ends up crunching in your mouth like rotten blueberries on a summer evening.

Then there's the characters. I was originally going to criticize Kantarou harsher, because god, his treatments of his summons ranges anywhere from callously flippant to borderline abusive. But Kantarou is, while incredibly selfish, pragmatic in ways that don't really stand out until you get to know him a bit better (albeit with contorted reasoning). You'll just have to suffer until you get there. Then there's Haruka, who does go through phases of character development in the story. He's who you'll probably want to cling onto to keep your sanity while watching this.

...Then there's the other two, the messenger pigeon and the girl who serves absolutely no purpose except until plot calls for it. Of all the characters, Sugino and Muu were probably the most enjoyable. They were meant to be comic relief, and they did their job brilliantly. But they were still lovable in all the ways that counted. They, along with Haruka, bring the best out of the show.

Last, for an anime that has been compared with various other BL series, there really isn't much in the way of fanservice. There IS something sprinkled here and there, but there's just as many moments where the characters become tangled with other affairs, some of them questionable by today's standards. If I was watching because of that, I'd be sorely disappointed.

Conclusion: Tactics was probably an anime that would have performed decently in the 00s. Standing on its own two feet, though, it pales in comparison with some of its older and younger peers even in the same genre. This is largely due to its incomplete plot, its predictable episodes, and its flat characters. Most likely, you might be interested in the premise and start watching it, but it'll tax you until you drop it somewhere in the middle. It is for that reason I struggle to recommend this series.