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Probably the most realistic slice of life anime I've seen, with grounded characters that face real issues and more importantly, find real solutions to them. Even the character designs reflect this, looking more like actual humans than your typical anime character template and even the background characters all seem to have unique facial structures. Skip and Loafer is just solid around and an enjoyable, laid back watch with pleasant visuals. Unfortunately I think it's best aspects are also what might hold it back a little. The show *is* good, but there isn't that one single thing you come to it for, so while I did ... like it it was never the first thing I'd catch up on. I liked everyone, but it didn't have that one character or bit that you keep coming back for specifically like how Clueless First Friend had Taiyou's oblivious rizz or how Do it Yourself had a fun new project every week, and while the artwork is very well done it also never really goes above and beyond in terms of visual style. Still, if it sounds like I'm a bit down on it, I'm really not because this is just an all-around solid watch, but it's definitely subtle and you have to work for it a bit.

Usually when a show revolves around a single gag or concept , it can get repetitive, but this show does it's gag in so many ways and it's so good every time that I could go for at least a few more seasons of it. Taiyou is essentially a relentlessly optimistic and vibrant personality, to the point that he's a bit detached from reality. Any time someone tries to bully him he misinterprets it in a wholesome way which ends up making a somewhat shy, seemingly-gloomy girl come out of her shell just a bit. It's like reverse-cringe comedy where an awkward scenario becomes positive ... and it's great every time.

Every single episode is a joy and all of Taiyou's weird misinterpretations are hilarious but also wholesome. While the show does revolve around the central trio and their cadre of bullies, there is a nice cast of side characters who all bring their own seasoning to the dynamics without becoming played out.

Visually the show is fine, the characters and animation do get a bit off-model at times but it accomplishes what it needs to and the designs are very cute. The animation doesn't do anything fancy like D.I.Y did and I wouldn't really say there are any sakuga moments, but it doesn't really need them. The writing and scenarios are what makes this strong and I certainly want more of these characteres.

I went in expecting your usual cozy feel good slice-of-life vibes, and while it is cozy and feel good it's far from usual. The first few episodes really pour on the fast-paced absurdist gags and at first it reminded me a lot of of Kill me Baby, but while the show stays surreal it pulls back a bit for a much stronger focus on the characters and tight-knit nature of the titular town. It feels odd to say that it gets more grounded when later episodes get exponentially weirder, but there's a strong emotional core here you don't get in a lot of purely absurdist ... gag series that makes the show compelling on a deeper level than just the humor.

The characters are the real masterstroke and while Hotori is ostensibly the protagonist, the titular town is really the main character. Hotori is unique in that most series of this type would usually pigeonhole her into the role of the idiot comedy protagonist and she seems to fit that trope at first, but we find out that she's actually quite perceptive in certain matters and that people see her merits despite her faults. The supporting characters all have similar depths, nobody quite fits into the stereotype you'd expect of them. The girl with the strange face is a respected table tennis player and nobody treats her poorly because she looks different, the aloof rocker girl who you'd think would be above it all has no problem going along with zany schemes. Even the local antique dealer and Hotori's boss get entire episodes that let them shine.

The only real thing I'm conflicted on is the fact that this is only twelve episodes long. Each episode is jam packed, with at least 2 or 3 plots, lots of cutaways, surprisingly deep philosophical musings which might relate to the plot or might just be a strange thought to chew on. They certainly make the most of their 24 minutes, and the "plot" such as it is wraps up beautifully by the final episode, but I feel like there's so much potential for this setting and these characters, so many more stories that could be told with them, that by the time you're really vibing with the show and it's cast it's almost over. I suppose it's better to leave the viewer wanting more and leaving on a high note, and I generally like the fact that most anime don't get stretched past their prime, but I feel like there's at least another season worth of misadventures just screaming to be animated.

Visually the show is deceptively simple, but there's a ton of effort put into how it looks. The character designs are a bit different than your stock anime character model and I loved that the characters generally wear different clothes each episode which helps them feel like real people. There are a lot of interesting shot choices, angles, and even aspect ratios used to sell the gags and moments. The animation has a lot of life to it.

Early episodes may throw you off and it takes a while to quite figure out what the show's actual vibes is, but if you stick with it I think you'll be rewarded with a masterful, creative slice-of-life that's brimming with charm and constantly throwing surprises at the viewer.

A decent return to form after the disappointing and overly-morose Nolandia Affair, Project Eden is far more in line with the style and tone of the TV series. The plotline is unfortunately too thin to fill out the 80 minute runtime and just doesn't have as much substance as the TV episodes did, but the film makes up for it with an incredible sense of style. Dirty Pair always has fantastic action and the animation here is top-notch. The production design in general is a bit creepier than usual and it almost feels like a Metroid anime in places, and the atmosphere and music are ... both spectacular. That sense of style does a lot of heavy lifting because otherwise this kind of feels like the Rocky 4 of anime, in the sense that it's about 30 minutes of plot with 60 minutes of stylish music videos and action. That's not bad and it's still a ton of fun to experience visually, but it's also not super compelling, though there are still some good elements to the story. This installment introduces a very fun Han Solo-esque rogue in the form of Carson D. Carson, who gets the only really meaningful character arc. The ending is such a corny crap-out it kind of brings the film down a bit even more, but I still enjoyed another reasonably fun adventure with the Pair.

Delightful slice of life with an awesome theme, great character designs, fun personalities and gorgeous art. Just a feast for the eyes and ears and I love all the characters and their little arcs and developments. Every character is quirky but brings something interesting tro the table and the show has a good message about how all different types of people can contribute to a common goal.

The construction scenes are portrayed in great detail (occasional safety flubs aside) and I loved seeing what they build each week. Hope to see more of this so we can get a new big project every season.

Just stellar absurdist drama that manages so many tones and ideas gracefully. The central joke is ridiculous, but within the world the characters take everything extremely seriously, and while the scenarios are bizarre and oftentimes hilarious, you begin to accept the drama of things in the same way the characters do and be come deeply invested. A tight, complete story that ends precisely where it should, this is a great watch for fans of dark comedy or drama. Visually the show is fantastic, with clean, interesting character designs, detailed backgrounds, and great action sequences. This show had so many targets it was aiming for and ... could have easily been a misstep, but the result is excellent.

An odd follow-up to a great series. It's apparent that Affair of Nolandia wants to be a bit of an "event" in the sense that it wants to be bigger, darker, and more serious than the TV Show, but in doing so loses a lot of the original's charm. The more surreal, morose tone is interesting at times, but the plot just doesn't have enough meat to justify the runtime which makes the whole thing feel sluggish. While some of the animation feels more consistently fluid than the show, the action is very low-key, the colors look dull, and the attempt at making the characters ... look more like real people just makes them look blander and kind of off. The attempts to be a bit more "adult" don't really fit the established tone, Dirty Pair was always a bit flirty and fanservicey, but this one has a couple of stereotypical tentacle bits that felt out of left field. Kei and Yuri are at least their usual selves, but even that doesn't work, because they're right back to their usual goofing after things that should be a bit more somber. Overall, this OVA does have it's moments, but the inconsistent tone, unimpressive action, and sluggish pacing make it kind of a drag. Not even the music really sticks out and that was a huge part of the original's aesthetic.

The basic premise seems decent, supposedly being a "first-person" anime where characters talk to you about their day. The series however, fails at its most basic conceit before even getting to its other issues. First and foremost, the camera changes angles frequently, sometimes jumping behind the character and back to their front within seconds. Other times there are conventional establishing shots, shots where the viewer is clearly higher than they should be (one even being high up outside a window before teleporting back into the room). Not only does the show frequently violate the 180 degree rule, but half the time the camera appears to ... be handheld like some kind of Dogme film, which is funny since Dogme clearly forbids temporal and geographical alienation.

The show's inconsistent visual language may have been forgivable if the other aspects were decent, but alas, the writing is dreck and the art never rises above anything standard. This could have been a cute, wholesome slice-of-life short series with a unique twist, but it's weirdly leering in ways that feel much worse than the usual anime fanservice. I don't mind fanservice or raunch, but the second arc is about your little sister coming over and the protagonist (who again, is supposed to be *you*) seems to perv on her the same way he does the other characters which just feels wrong.

There was however, one husk of value that I was able to extract form the show, and that was halfway decent listening practice if you're studying Japanese. Since the dialogue is at least somewhat slow and being spoken directly to "you" I was able to mostly follow the episodes. What's the opposite of collateral damage? Serendipity? Who knows, but there was at least something worthwhile even if the show wasn't very good. The concept deserves to be re-tried with a more capable writing team and more consistent direction.

I wasn't so sure about this on the first episode, but it's steadily become an anticipated part of my anime viewing every week. The first episode goes at a breakneck pace and throws dozens of names and concepts at you, but the second takes a more leisurely pace and while the overall narrative moves quickly it really finds its footing by episode 2 and consistently gets better.

The real joy of this series is the protagonist, Aileen, I went in thinking she'd be more of an anti-hero since the title does call her the Villainess, but she's more like a clever Machiavellian schemer who uses her ... planning and intellect to achieve wholesome ends. Aileen has a general knowledge of the basic plotline from beforehand, since she's basically been resurrected into this video game she played in life, but things tend to go off script and she does have to use actual resourcefulness and ingenuity and can't just coast by on knowing the game's plot. Seeing the schemes she comes up with and how they payoff is the appeal of this series and seeing a competent, smart protagonist really work things out is fantastic.

The supporting cast initially seem like generic RPG stereotypes at first, but as the show progresses layers are peeled back and they each bring unique and interesting personalities that add a lot of flair and humor to proceedings. It feels weird to say such a fast-paced show is a bit of a slow-burn but the attributes that make this so great are deliberately paced out to play with your expectations. I was a bit lukewarm on this at first, but it's quickly becoming a favorite and I'm eager to see how the rest of the story goes.

This isn't just a "good for it's time" show, this is a great and hugely entertaining for today. Every episode is like a 20 minute action movie, there's always an interesting plot or mystery and tons of shootouts, fistfights and explosions. Kei and Yuri are hilarious but also well-written, badass action heroes. The artwork is gorgeous and while some of the animation might be a bit stiffer than a modern production there's clearly a huge amount of effort in the parts that matter the most. I love the super-detailed backgrounds that bring this world to life, and while we don't get a ton of specifics ... on the state of the universe, most episodes take the pair to some unique and interesting locale. Additionally, the show's age works to its benefit, as everything from the music to the style just oozes 80's retro sci-fi cool. I can't wait to check out the OVAs and Movies.