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Bathtub, onsen, hot springs, Thermae.
"Thermae" - a public bathing establishment of the ancient Greeks or Romans.

This series is about that.

This show was really big on the cultural appreciation of Japanese bath culture. You get to explore how sophisticated and wonderful culture. Lucius, our MC, sure did have a great time appreciating every bit.

Every episode, you get to learn some rules and quirks about Public Bathing (like drinking Fruit Milk after a bath as an unspoken rule and maintaining etiquette inside the bath). You get to see Lucius explore and get inspiration from these modern-day inventions to bring to his fellow Romans. It's beautiful.

There are no ... "hateable" characters here. There was no actual "villain" in this series. If anything, Lucius' enemy was "art block." So don't expect some action scenes here. Just smile and laugh at Lucius' fascination and wondrous appreciation as he brings this to his people.

The music is great. The suspense, thrill, excitement, and other feelings were conveyed perfectly with the help of music. The art is.. well ok? I mean, there are shots/scenes that are beautiful. But some scenes are mixed with a bit of CGI. The background characters would move so fluidly while the characters in the foreground would move with certain frames per second. You can tell easily which one is CGI and which is not. I am not really against the use of CGI in anime. It's just that it's very obvious to not point out. But that did not hinder me from enjoying the show.

Towards the end of every episode, we get to hang out with the author of Thermae Romae, Mari Yamazaki. Join Yamazaki-sensei to experience the wonders of Public bathing. Explore the history of the bathhouses in Japan while experiencing second-hand relaxation. It's basically Yamazaki-sensei geeking out with public baths and their historical value and stuff and an awesome sketch every end of the episode made by yours truly! (also Tsuda Kenjiro is also narrating it, and that's a huge plus)

I am a sucker when it comes to Cultural Appreciation - kind of media. I'm also a sucker for Tsuda Kenjiro. Plus, I've been studying Greco-Roman history for school, and seeing some references to Roman Gods and the founders of Rome in it made me chuckle. This show tugged my heart. I even did a standing ovation at every end of the episodes lololol.

I don't have a bathtub in our home. We don't have a local bathhouse too. This show made me more eager to go to Japan to try their bathhouses. Or any bathhouse in the world. I would be ecstatic to try an actual Thermae.
Hey Lucius? Yes please build me one. Thank you

I've been waiting for this to drop ever since it was announced during the Netflix Festival Japan last November. I stopped what I was doing at the last minute before the show was released on Netflix. I binged all 10 episodes. And here's my review

Story.
In this anime, we are shown the stories surrounding Kotaro and how he goes about his independent life. Along the ride, we get to know his circumstances and have an idea why he is living alone. This alone intrigued me and made me interested. We also meet Karino and the rest of the neighbors.

Art
To be honest, I was a bit ... uncomfortable with Kotaro's eyes. They just look weird. But I do understand that they were staying faithful to the manga's art style. His design just grew on me as I watched until ep 10.

Sound
I like their use of soundtrack here. Tonosoman theme song is amazing. haha

Character
Maybe the reason that I like "Kotaro Lives Alone" is because I always feel sympathy for all of the characters. I could see myself in them. Kotaro's determination to be independent was what struck me the most. He tries so hard to be strong at his age but at the same time, seeks love and warmth. His relationship with Karino is wholesome. They found each other's company and it inspired them to be better and stronger. I love the neighbors too. Their relationship with Kotaro was just inspiring. They care about him and Kotaro cares them back. My favorite is Tamaru. His appearance may look 'hostile" but he has great standards when it comes to being a father. What a great guy.
There are also a bunch of minor characters that have small screen time but all of them left an impression on me. The way their struggles/problems were displayed? hit home. Just. wow

Enjoyment
I enjoy this very much. But it's not for everyone. Serious topics like child abuse, neglect from family, toxic relationships, etc. are conveyed n this show. There were moments that burst me into tears. There were scenes that are just witty and funny. There was suspense and laughter.

I give this show a solid 9. I actually watched the live adaptation of this which I think it's also good. But the live-action series changed some things (which is fine for me i guess) I also recommend watching the live-action. The cast did a great job portraying their characters. The same goes for the anime cast.

Please give this show a shot!

I was hyped when the trailer dropped. Coincidentally, I was reading a book critical analysis about superheroes before Super Crooks officially came on Netflix. Pretty fitting right? Cuz like, superheroes? supervillains? powers? The whole sad origins and everything? Ok


Super Crooks had an okay- flow of the story. We start the episode with the origins of Johnny Bolt a.k.a our MC and how he came to be the "crook" villain as he is today. We then follow him getting out of this super jail and we meet his girlfriend - Kasey, and his (idiotic) villain friends. Then Kasey introduces him to Carmine and meets other ... superpowered guys. After 10 episodes, there comes a time leap. Thankfully, we didn't miss any important information but only that the gang has been busy in that time period. And I'll stop from there.

Story-wise, it's easy to follow. We got the generic bad boy and his bad girl and his bad friends doing bad stuff against this really really bad guy that could literally blow your minds. And of course, a heist! It's not a villain-centered story without a grand heist. We have the scenic backdrops of America and its heavily hero-influenced environment. I have a problem with the synopsis here tho. It says that "they have to head to Spain.." In this adaptation, they went to an Island that is somewhere around Japan. I hope they fix that. Other than that, the premise is alright.

Art is good. The backdrops were nice and the colors have fit the mood of the story. There's definitely a noticeable chunk of gore elements like having your guts and heads wrecked. Character designs were decent too. (But probably except the disguise Josh wore in the first heist. Just, why did he pick that?) The animation was decent. The action scenes didn't fail my standards. Sound-wise, not so much. I love the OP and ED though. The background music was my problem. I'm not saying they're bad but some scenes were lackluster because of the background music. There are times it was distracting and some just felt like it's not right. I noticed the bg music was repetitive though it's not that memorable.

I can't say that the Characters are unique or "never seen before." In a world that acknowledges superpowers as normal, of course, there are always some after-effects. We have Johnny Bolt that can produce and manipulate static electricity. We have Kasey that has psychic powers. We have reckless dudes that can cut off their limbs and be in one piece later on. We have a ghost, a weather forecast, a telekinesis guy, a closeted dude that turned kinda wholesome in the end, and some old dude past his prime with his lava guns. Despite that, I love their dynamic in the show. But trust me when I say that most of these characters lacked a bit of texture. By texture, I mean no backstories or why any reason why they're like that. They focus on the "now" situation. Thankfully, the voice acting helped flesh out their personalities so props to them. My fave character is Kasey. She arguably has the strongest powers in the group. I'm glad to see her great potential in the later episodes, unlike the start.

If I have to be honest, I enjoyed this show. I have seen a lot of heist-related shows and movies so this was kind of predictable but I enjoyed it nevertheless. The casts did a great job and they did not disappoint. Overall, I give this an 8.

The show's not THAT bad.

First of all, I'd like to give my thanks to the creators and staff of this show because I have enjoyed every second of it!

What really stood out for me is the direction or how they (staff) handled it. They carefully thought out what's best for every scene. When it calls for a dramatic scene, the atmosphere changes, and they do it well showcasing that. The music (sound) was perfect! I fell in love with the overall soundtrack, including the OP and ED. It captured the atmosphere really well! Especially the opponent's performance. (I forgot the name of the school tho lmao) It ... was fiery and I got goosebumps watching it. The art is also great here. I know some people think that CGI is a minus for an anime show. But this show handled it really well! The way they blend CGI with 2D animation during the performances wasn't that bad at all! It was fluid. I caught myself mesmerized and dizzy because of the angle shots BUT I STILL LOVED IT! HAHA

To be honest, I didn't expect much of this show. I saw Skate-Leading Stars and that show kind of sucked for me especially when it comes to the performances. But I decided to give it a shot because of the sport; Gymnastics. The other gymnastics anime that I loved was Taisou Samurai. The obvious difference is that Taisou Samurai showcases a solo routine while Bakuten!! required a group or a team. I loved Taisou Samurai and I thought it was one of the hidden gems last Fall 2020. So is Bakuten!!

Overall, I love it. Give it a try.

One word, why

I wasn't really expecting this.

Story is kind of a meh for me. I mean, mecha and magic is cool but to be in this time period, specifically 15th century Japan is just full of question marks. There's a lot of plotholes like the origins of Technology and Magic. Or like why on earth do they have powered people in the first place? Like how and why? There was no explanation nor reason behind this. Somehow, the residents of Japan seem to have no problem with this.

Art is decent enough to make me accept this. That's MAPPA for you. Sound is good but ... not really fitting for the show. I mean I vibe with the OP and ED and it just feels off y'know?

The characters in show are also kind of meh. Again, there was no reason explained in the show on how to they got psychic powers or really advanced technology. Nope, they just treat it like "Oh damn you have powers? Okay" On the other hand, Yasuke, a dude with no powers at all who is surrounded with overpowered people and somehow this dude is alive. I like how his character played out in the first half. Although I'm not sure if it's historically accurate. Then he got paired up with some child who is sick. Turns out she has mind powers and can defeat the daimyo or the Final boss of this series a.k.a the one who is responsible for everything in the first place. Yasuke and Saki's relationship is wholesome. They have this father-daughter dynamic going on. Which is nice. Both characters progressed because of each other. Yasuke got his redemption moment. Saki is not sick anymore and became more OPl and all is good. Kind of

While I was watching this, I couldn't help but burst into laughter when stuff is going on. I have lost count on how many times I choked while drinking water. This show is ridiculous but it kept me going. "What other plot twists do they have next?" "This is so ridiculous, what happens next?' "This doesn't make sense LMAOO"

Overall, I give it a five. In the end of the day, this is just a work of fiction inspired by the titular character, Yasuke, who was real. I'm not saying I'm racist because I give it a not so good score because of the leading man. No. But rather the way they handled this thing surrounding Yasuke and the overall plot. Again it's a work of fiction.

If you plan to watch some unexpected elements and a wholesome robot who is voiced by Darren Criss, an anime set in feudal Japan and some EDM, I guess this is for you.

One word to describe this, w h o l e s o m e

I've actually read this 2 years ago. I reread it today and the feels never cease to amaze me. It gives me some Studio Ghibli vibes. Glad I'm not the only one who noticed it too. Lmao

It's short but I like it. 10 chapters weren't really enough for me but I could see why the author decided to have this series 10 chapters. They explained it in their epilogue. You'll know why.

The story was amazing. Our heroine, Sori is truly a remarkable character. It's nice to receive letters like these. Bringing out ... the Sherlock in you lol

Ok, what other adjectives I could use for this comic?

Wholesome, Nice, Emotional, Beautiful, Short but Worth it

Just read it and you'll not regret it.

I wrote a review before (5 episodes were released) and here I am making a new one BECAUSE GUESS WHAT PEOPLE, THIS ANIME BECAME ONE OF MY FAVORITES!

First of all, I'd like to thank MAPPA for successfully finishing this show despite having a bunch load of projects this year. This anime is so good. It sucks not everyone knows this. One of the underrated shows this year.

I fell in love with this show. Honestly, it looked like a slice-of-life show with wholesome moments. Well, there were some wholesome moments. Art is so beautiful! Although in my previous review, I said that they could've chosen another ... art. But you know what? The art style fits perfectly. The sound is superb. The OP and ED are bangers. Even their sequences are bangers. Colors are really pleasant to the eyes. The characters in the show were unique but I wish we could explore some of their backgrounds. You could see the character development of the MC, Jotaro Aragaki, and the people he loved. His daughter, Rei was so cute! Ahhh the cuteness! oh and Leo's eyes, beautiful indeed. But his eyes aren't the only thing that is beautiful. Do you want to know? Then watch this show!

When I first heard about this show, I had big expectations given MAPPA is going to animate it. At the same time, I was worried that it might affect the production quality of the anticipating anime shows this year. (I am talking about Jujutsu Kaisen, Attack on Titan s4, God of Highschool, etc.) But MAPPA did not fail to amaze me. Every week, I was always looking forward to the next episode. Now that it has ended, I am now sad huhu. I guess I could rewatch the whole 11 episodes and not skip their OP and ED sequences. Yes

Overall, I give this a 10. I know what you're thinking. Why a 10? Here's my answer. Because I love it. This made me interested in gymnastics. I never knew that the world of gymnastics is like that. The father-daughter relationship is too wholesome and every interaction was heartfelt.

But then again, this is just my opinion on this show. But if I have somehow convinced you to watch this and agree with everything I said in this review, then you're welcome.

Like dude, I even shed a tear watching this. I almost choked on my water.

Taiso Sumarai has successfully made a place in my heart. Underrated, I tell you. This show deserves a lot more attention. I'm glad that I have watched this. I guess you can say it made my 2020 a little bit better. :))