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Jul 2, 2025
'The Beginning After the End' is infamous and widely hated this Spring 2025 season. I watched it, thinking I'll be scoring this a 2 out of 10 or at most a 4 out of 10. I was surprised that I liked it and ended up giving it a passing score of 5 out of 10.
Its story is basically about how the evil King Grey, the strongest in his world, died and reincarnated into the boy Arthur in a new world that's more like the Middle Ages and not technologically advanced, unlike his old world. The new world has great magic, though.
It has the
...
hallmarks of modern isekai. The protagonist dies and gets reincarnated into a world resembling the Middle Ages, filled with castles, knights, magic, adventurers, etc.
That said, I don't think it is self-insert. It's trying to convey Arthur, with his dark past, as a fully fleshed-out character. One may admire him or even try to relate to him, but that's just standard emulation or hero worship, which is the purpose of Homer's epicks, a vehicle for teaching virtue.
In Arthur's case, this is a story of how his soul is redeemed, so to speak. From an evil and unforgivable king to someone with a heart, who will protect his loved ones. (Without trying to spoil how, Arthur met a mentor figure who set his heart from being vindictive to the right virtuous path.)
Ladies and gentlemen, I judge the anime 'The Beginning After the End' more favourably because it seems to be a vehicle for teaching heroic virtues, and this is consistent with the classickal humanist view of literature.
"Poetry should both delight and instruct."
– attributed to Horace
I love how introspective Arthur is. Many adaptations of light novels barely use voiceovers for the protagonist, even though the source material has so many internal thoughts. This adaptation includes Arthur's cogitations.
Some might dislike it, but as far as I'm concerned, it adds depth to it because we hear his motivations and how his actions and his experiences help him grow as a character.
If we see Frieren contemplating her past experiences through flashbacks, we then see Arthur processing everything via his internal thoughts.
Much of the hate in this anime comes from how lousy the animation is. To some extent, I agree. Whenever blood is shed, they just move in slow motion, the same way a slow PowerPoint transition crawls. If the source material is truly great, as claimed by some fans, then this anime deserves better animation and not one whose quality is best reserved for the nth isekai slop.
For someone like me, who wasn't expecting much from this anime and actually more tolerant of bad animation, the animation isn't really that bad. It's tolerable and doesn't detract from the viewing experience. It's just that I agree with the proposition that 'The Beginning After the End' deserves better animation proportional to how the source material might be great (whose score is at least an 8 out of 10), and I reckon it is great based on how I enjoyed watching this.
The cinematography is inconsistent. I appreciate one framing where a child seemed that she will be raped. She wasn't raped actually, but visually, it looked ominous. This is one instance where I saw a display of visual storytelling. But other than this instance, it seemed to be just serviceable and not worth noting. When Arthur was entering a palace or at least a great mansion, the camera angles did not attempt to give you the visceral feeling of being at a significant place.
Still, it is a far better adaptation than Unnamed Memory. 'The Beginning After the End' did not have pacing issues despite some claims I am reading that the anime omitted so much from the source material, an omission whose inclusion probably would have made this anime great and worth giving a high score. Without knowing the contents of the source material, the anime did not feel that it was missing something, unlike in Unnamed Memory. It didn't seem that it was cramming so much material in a single cour. I think it is better paced.
Some people say that the entire first season is a preparation for the next part. I agree. The story could have been better presented as two consecutive cours. Despite that, I love it for what it is. It kept me engaged.
The bottom line: I love it, but it has blemishes that keep it from being great. It has a lid to its potential and could have been a better adaptation.
NOTA BENE: A rating of 5 out of 10 means that 1) I find this anime to be average, 2) I enjoyed it to some extent, but it has some flaws. 3) Or simply, I rank it below my 6's but above my 4's.
A 5 means a passing score. If you think that a score of 5 out of 10 means TRASH, YOU'RE AN IDIOT!
Reviewer’s Rating: 5
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Jun 28, 2025
I enjoyed watching 'From Old Country Bumpkin to Master Swordsman.' It's a bit different from the average slop.
§ Overview
Beryl Gardinant is an instructor for a sword school in a rural area. He did not achieve his dream of being a master swordsman — or so he thought. One day, thanks to his former student, he received a summon to become a special sword instructor for the knights of the Liberion Order. Thus begins Beryl-sensei's adventures.
§ Notes
...
1. This is not isekai, and I'm glad it did not start with some guy dying and getting reincarnated into a new life.
2. The protagonist Beryl Gardinant is middle-aged, and most probably in his 40s. By honing his craft for so many years and teaching it to different students, no wonder he is a great swordsman. It might feel contrived that he (and no one else) is overpowered, but at least no one can deny that there is an explanation for it.
He is sometimes challenged by magic users and if there are an overwhelming number of enemies, so it's not boring. He does not obliterate his enemies quickly.
3. You will notice that many of his former students are attractive women, and they tend to have romantic feelings for their former teacher.
One may be tempted to call this a self-insert for middle-aged guys, and it can function as that. But to criticise it as merely self-insert is reductive. Even if you don't insert yourself in Beryl-sensei, he is an interesting character whose time has come. He may be old, but he hasn't reached his potential. If there's anything that anyone can feel inspired by this story, it's the fact that no matter how old you are, as long as you haven't reached your potential, it's still worth pursuing goals that will help unlock your potential.
I cited this quote in my review for Medalist:
"It is never too late to be what you might have been."
--- a quote often attributed to George Eliot
If Inori in the Medalist can achieve much despite being late, Beryl-sensei can also do the same in this anime.
Back to Beryl's harem, he does not lust after his students even if technically speaking, there's nothing wrong with doing so. By the time they meet again, they are now adults. His father actually asks Beryl-sensei to find himself a wife. Beryl is just unwilling to look for one at the moment.
4. The art direction doesn't seem to stand out. It seems only serviceable. But if you look at the background art, especially in the ED, it's above average.
5. The tone is a bit more serious than the average anime, but it hasn't reached its potential because of the limitation of the 12-episode format. The plot involving the internal politicks of Sphenedyardvania was barely developed even if, more often than not, it has been central in the anime. I believe if this story were to be taken in its logickal conclusion, it would be better than what has been seen in the anime.
§ Conclusion
This is an enjoyable anime, especially for older guys. Implicit in the message is that it is not too late to have your adventures and your harem. But even without that, the story has potential.
NOTA BENE: A grade of 6 out of 10 means that I find this anime slightly above average and I enjoyed watching it.
UNLIKE IDIOTS IN THIS SITE WHO THINK A 6 OUT OF 10 IS MID/AVERAGE/FAILURE, a score of 6 out of 10 is decent.
Reviewer’s Rating: 6
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Jun 27, 2025
'Zatsu Tabi: That's Journey' is one relaxing and introspective anime. It's basically Suzugamori Chika's travels all over Japan. It's one of the anime I adore this Spring 2005 season.
§ Overview
Chika's drafts have been rejected consecutively. One day, posting a poll, she got inspired to travel all over Japan, hoping to find inspiration.
§ Notes
...
1. The anime's story is really basic: A mangaka is stuck in something like writer's block and magnified that Chika herself must draw the manga panels. The anime is about finding inspiration through travel. It's really about the places featured. In short, its purpose is to promote domestic tourism.
2. We can compare this to the Winter 2025 seasonal 'Okitsura: Fell in Love with an Okinawan Girl, but I Just Wish I Know What She's Saying' as both are about tourism, and Okitsura is specifically about Okinawa. If you've been following my reviews, I gave Okitsura a dismal score but I am giving Zatsu Tabi an above-average score. What does Zatsu Tabi do right that Okitsura failed to do?
Okitsura promised a romcom but failed spectacularly in its execution. Zatsu Tabi is about getting inspiration to create manga, a plot point that sounds almost non-existent but it is tightly linked with the places visited.
Okitsura's Okinawa Memo feels distracting, but the corresponding exposition in Zatsu Tabi doesn't feel distracting. The background musick that started before the exposition continues to play as the narrator gives the cultural trivia. As a result, it doesn't break immersion.
I, therefore, conclude that Zatsu Tabi is the superior tourism anime.
3. Let me address a criticism that since this is an anime about promoting certain tourist spots, it is worthless. Such people are speaking hogwash!
The producers may have the idea of promoting domestic tourism in mind when they commissioned this anime, but a creative's sense of burnout is a common experience. Thus, using travel to overcome that burnout is a valid premise for an anime about travel.
4. Zatsu Tabi's art direction as well as its sound design and musick are great for keeping you immersed in the places being featured. Whether you're interested in going to the places featured or not, it cannot be denied that it gives you a strong sense of warmth and satisfaction. Its ED "bookmarks" by Sizuk is great by itself, but the fact that its musick is played before we see the credits, aka 'pre-ending theme insert', adds so much in terms of mood. (This phenomenon can also be seen in Bartender [2006] and Oshi no Ko.)
5. Its energy and vibe mean that it's an anime about introverts for introverts. Even though Chika also interacts with other characters, there are significant moments where Chika is only travelling alone and just experiences the vibe of the environment.
In contrast, I reckon that Bocchi the Rock is an extroverted anime about an introvert. Bocchi is often seen in situations where she is forced to interact with unfamiliar people and the struggles of an introvert in an extrovert world.
6. I am also glad that we see Chika making progress with her manga as a result of her travels. Her breakthrough comes from incorporating the feelings she felt or some character drama she experiences in her manga. If not for such progress, this would have been a source of addiction, and we can read reports of people addicted to travelling.
§ Conclusion
'Zatsu Tabi: That's Journey' is a chill and immersive travel anime. I enjoyed it so much, and it resonates with my introverted nature. If you're an introvert, I believe it will resonate with you as well.
NOTA BENE: A grade of 7 out of 10 means that I find this anime is very good and two notches above average. I enjoyed watching it.
It is a high score despite the fact that SO MANY IDIOTS in this site treat their 7's as an average score.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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Jun 25, 2025
'Please Put Them On, Takamine-san' is expected to be gooner trash, and it is great for being exactly that — TRASH.
§ Overview
Takamine Takane is sexy and beautiful. She is extremely intelligent. To top it all, she is the student council president.
But she has a secret: She has the ability to redo a part of her day. Called the 'Eternal Virgin Road,' she just needs to take off her bra or panty to activate it.
If somebody sees her naked, that person will not be affected by Takamine's ability and will notice that change has taken place. Shirota Koushi, who one day saw her
...
naked at the PE shed, confronts Takamine. Takamine in turn uses the ability against him and forces him to be his closet, i.e. every time Takamine uses her ability, Shirota must put on a new panty.
§ Notes
1. Don't expect realism from this show. Some have expressed disbelief that it is impossible for Shirota not to be seen putting Takamine's panties on. It's a fair comment, and I don't judge this anime on its lack of realism. It is supposed to be titillating, and that is its greatest strength.
2. Let's compare this anime to the ecchi 'Beheneko: The Elf-Girl's Cat is Secretly an S-Ranked Monster!' Beheneko's story is far superior to Takamine-san. In contrast, Takamine-san feels episodic. It feels something that the mangaka can prolong without really advancing the plot as long as he can come up with ridiculous scenarios. It goes without saying that as a romcom, Takamine-san is great.
But here's where both shows are different. Beheneko just relies on showing large boobs and having baths in almost every episode, and that's where it fails. On the other hand, Takamine-san relies on teasing Shirota-kun, in contrived situations where Shirota gets to see or even touch Takamine's body. This feels visceral so it is easy for me to get a hard-on just by watching this anime.
Between Beheneko's decent story but useless ecchi and Takamine's episodic story that induces hard-on, it's obvious that I will choose the choice of my little head below. This is why I only gave Beheneko a passing score of 5, and I am giving this a score of 6, a slightly above-average score.
3. Another thing I like about the Takamine and Shirote dynamic is that it reminds me so much of the dynamic between Senjougahari Hitagi and Araragi Koyomi's dynamic in the Monogatari series. I know die-hard fans of Senjougahara will be offended that I am comparing an awesome character like Senjougahara to a character designed to be trash, but it is what it is. Even if Takamine is just a derivative of Senjougahara, bringing a similar vibe is enough for me to praise this character.
Another evidence that this is derivative of Senjougahara, aside from being a purple-haired character, is that Kubo Yurika's vocal performance as Takamina approximates Saitō Chiwa's performance as Senjougahara.
4. The art design is so-so, choosing to only give faces on certain characters and blanking everyone else. (Some claim that the art style in the manga is better and perhaps that's true, but as far as the anime is concerned, it's passable.)
Nevertheless, there's a polarising sequence that I believe is great. There's a butterfly sequence that's shown whenever Takamine activates the Eternal Virgin Road. It's an imagery of a butterfly entering a door, then an image of what seems like a rose is seen, then the clocks in the background are seen reversing time, and then the door closes. Depending on the episode, it might be seen as short as 5 seconds but the full sequence is 45 seconds.
It's not in the manga, but it's a great addition to the anime as far as I'm concerned. It is like being inducted hypnotically into a trance, which is also the function of long takes in films.
Furthermore, the imagery in that sequence — a butterfly entering a door to feed on the flower — is an obvious sexual metaphor.
§ Final Thoughts
'Please Put Them On, Takamine-san' is trashy but so what? If it gives you a hard-on every time you watch it, it trumps every other consideration.
NOTA BENE: A grade of 6 out of 10 means that I find this anime slightly above average and I enjoyed watching it.
UNLIKE IDIOTS IN THIS SITE WHO THINK A 6 OUT OF 10 IS MID/AVERAGE/FAILURE, a score of 6 out of 10 is decent.
Reviewer’s Rating: 6
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Jun 25, 2025
'The Too-Perfect Saint: Tossed Aside by My Fiancé and Sold to Another Kingdom' is one of my favourites this Spring 2005 season. I enjoyed watching it. Unfortunately, it falls short in so many ways that I cannot give it a high score.
§ Overview
Philia Adenauer is considered to be 'a perfect saint.' She is highly skilled in many disciplines. Alas! The kingdom of Ziltonia doesn't like her for not smiling. Her fiancé was hell-bent on selling her to the nearby kingdom of Parnacorta and taking her sister Mia as his wife.
§ Notes
...
1. Many have compared this to 'My Happy Marriage', and they're not wrong. The premise is really too similar. Philia's parents hate her, and she is not treated as worthy of being an Adenauer. On top of this, riria sang the opening song 愛とか (aitoka). If you don't know riria, she is the singer behind the two lovely opening songs of My Happy Marriage, and this anime's OP is just as lovely.
2. The similarity between this anime and My Happy Marriage is there but it still sets itself apart. The latter is a supernatural romance drama, and My Happy Marriage can make someone like me, someone who is usually not emotional, cry. 'The Too-Perfect Saint' isn't really emotional. In fact, it can be comedic with how characters like Rina and Leonardo can be goofy.
3. Her sister Mia is a refreshing character. Unlike many anime that take inspiration from Cinderella, Mia doesn't hate Philia. In fact, Mia adores Philia so much that it is bordering on being a siscon.
4. Herein lies this anime's major weakness. Its villains are underwhelming. Prince Julius, who is supposed to be an object of contempt, is a caricature of a villain. He is clearly an idiot, and it pains me that the exposition says he was born a genius but what he has shown in the anime negates any of that.
This is why the revenge arc against him feels so extremely unsatisfactory.
5. Another wasted villain is the Demon Lord Asmodeus. When he came around, I believed he was better than Prince Julius. Yet the final episode shattered my hopes. He was only marginally better than Prince Julius, and I wish he had more screen time than Prince Julius.
His arc seemed to be better than the revenge arc against Prince Julius, but due to the 12-episode format, it was underwhelming. The resurrection of Asmodeus was deemed a terrifying threat earlier, but once he appeared, he didn't seem to be as terrifying as advertised.
Therefore, if the villains in this anime were better written, I would have given this a high score.
6. There is some romance brewing between Philia and Prince Oswald. The same could be said of Mia and possibly Prince Fernando. Alas! The romance is largely unexplored and could have been an anchor for this anime if the plot's execution falters. Philia's stuck-up personality means that the chemistry between her and Oswald is largely minimal.
7. If there are other aspects I like, it's the pink, purple, and white colour motifs in the character designs of Philia and Mia. They signify purity.
§ Final Thoughts
I am only giving this a passing score of 5, which is far from the 7 or even an 8 that I was planning to give it earlier. There are too many shortcomings that I cannot overlook.
NOTA BENE: A rating of 5 out of 10 means that 1) I find this anime to be average, 2) I enjoyed it to some extent, but it has some flaws. 3) Or simply, I rank it below my 6's but above my 4's.
A 5 means a passing score. If you think that a score of 5 out of 10 means TRASH, YOU'RE AN IDIOT!
Reviewer’s Rating: 5
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Jun 24, 2025
The Shiunji Family Children is a creation of Miyajima Reiji, the mangaka of Rent-A-Girlfriend. Since it's a sister series of Rent-A-Girlfriend, most people expect it to be trash. Is it really? Let's dive in.
In the run-up to its premiere, it has been marketed as an incest anime, so there was some buzz about it. Those who dislike incest-related stories immediately dismissed it. Others who enjoyed Rent-A-Girlfriend despite being trash gave it a chance.
Alas! It's not really incest in the strictest sense of the word. Right in Episode 1, their father tells them that they are not blood-related. Despite that, the incest tag remains because
...
the Shiunji Family girls are into the protagonist Arata. Thus, instead of incest, it is reduced to a generick harem.
One thing that's glaring about this anime is how it ignores the Westermarck Effect. It's an observed phenomenon where children who grew up together as siblings, even if stepsiblings, don't develop sexual attraction for each other. Yet, we see them getting attracted to Arata. Therefore, if you think about it, this is one aspect where it goes against your suspension of disbelief, even if you're open-minded about such stories.
Arata is manly unlike the loser Kazuya from Rent-A-Grilfriend. Unfortunately, this is its only advantage over the latter.
The animation is mostly fine. Some would say it's good because it's from Doga Kobo. But for such a story, it only needs a serviceable animation and art direction so I don't think it's remarkable in terms of visuals compared to what Doga Kobo did in Oshi no Ko.
Character designs are generick and forgettable, unlike the design for the main girl in Rent a Girlfriend. One may argue that the generic design reflects how real-life people are not really the bombshell beauties in magazines. Despite that, it's glaring that they are not that attractive compared to their characterisation that they are ultra attractive. (Banri and possibly Ouka are their best girls in terms of looks, but that's it!) They are deemed by people around them as celebrities and models. Shouldn't we expect more in terms of looks? This disconnect between what's said and what is shown is glaring.
In the history of harem anime, Tenchi Muyou! (天地無用!) has a useless main character Tenchi, and that is told explicitly in the title. (無用 [muyou] means useless.) Its main draw is how interesting the girls are. Eventually, harem anime like Quintessential Quintuplets have both interesting girls and an interesting guy character.
In this anime, it's the reverse. The guy Arata is a bit interesting and manly, a step up from blank, self-insert characters. Unfortunately, the girls are not interesting compounded with the fact that they don't really look that gorgeous. So far, we've seen Minami and Ouka's character arcs. They are fine but are boring.
The Shiunji Family Children's worst sin is being boring. Overall, don't expect much from this. It's fine to watch on its own to pass the time. You might actually like it if you haven't seen other harem. But compared to classic and recent harem anime, it's worse than mediocre. Even worse, it's a downgrade from Rent-A-Girlfriend in terms of entertainment. Many harems have been a guilty pleasure. This is not.
Since we haven't seen the character arcs of Seiha, Kotono, and Banri, it is still possible that over time, this anime may improve. The first season did not end with a bang. In fact, it seems we're still in the phase where the characters and their possible complexities are being introduced.
But for now, I cannot recommend this.
NOTA BENE: A grade of 2 out of 10 means either of two things: the anime is extremely boring or it may have fun elements but it's ultimately illogickal and doesn't make sense. Or just possibly, I rank it above my 1's but below my 3's.
Reviewer’s Rating: 2
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Jun 22, 2025
Catch Me at the Ballpark!, also known as The Catcher in the Ballpark!, is a lovely slice-of-life anime. I wasn't initially keen on watching it, but I could not ignore how so many anime watchers were praising it on Reddit so I dove in.
My unfamiliarity with the term 'ballpark' led me to think that it's just a small, neighbourhood park where kids play baseball. In reality, 'ballpark' is a North American term for what I'd usually call a baseball stadium.
If you read the synopsis, you will be left with the impression that this is perhaps another potential romance between the salaryman Murata Koutarou and
...
Ruriko grounded in baseball. Whilst Murata and Ruriko are the key characters since the story is anchored on them, the anime is not exclusively about them. It's about fans of the Chiba Motorsuns and in general the community that this team fosters. (The Chiba Motorsuns are a stand-in for their real-world counterpart the Chiba Lotte Marines.)
There are some baseball terms thrown in, but it's not necessary to know them in order to enjoy this anime. It's not a sports anime where the character arcs focus on each individual player. It focuses firstly on fans whom we might casually dismiss as NPCs. These fans can be security guards, the food seller, the mascot, etc. It leaves you with heartfelt impressions.
Segments only last from 5–10 minutes. With its great characterisation, the storytelling is amazing. You don't need to know these characters over the long haul to get to know them and be left with a nice impression of each fan or staff.
I had problems in some anime where, rather than a full episode of a single action, it's actually divided into segments. Such anime tend to have 4-koma manga as source material. But this is not a problem in this anime.
It can be comparable to Bartender (2006), but the emotions you are left with are lighter and feel good.
Ruriko and the rest of the beer vendors are attractive. They are drawn with a pretty face and a sexy figure. Even though Ruriko teases Murata, it doesn't seem to be cheap, sexualised fanservice. The same could be said of the rest of the beer vendors.
There is some CGI that might be glaring, but by and large, they are easy to overlook. Animating the baseball matches, while fairly acceptable, is secondary to the story. It goes without saying that this is great for fans of slice-of-life anime but may not be what fans of sports anime are looking for.
The OP and ED are quite catchy.
In closing, this is a great, heartwarming slice-of-life anime. If you want something different to the typical sports anime, Catch Me at the Ballpark! is a perfect fit.
NOTA BENE: A grade of 7 out of 10 means that I find this anime is very good and two notches above average. I enjoyed watching it.
It is a high score despite the fact that SO MANY IDIOTS in this site treat their 7's as an average score.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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Jun 20, 2025
In my original review for Wind Breaker Season 1, I was critical of it, as it didn't seem to deliver a proper expression of male violence and aggression. Season 2 has altered my perspective.
The first few episodes are the continuation of the open thread in Season 1's finale. It's about one of their comrades who has a friend from a rival group who was being coerced into doing evil acts. Because of Sakura's concern, Fuurin got involved, culminating in an epick brawl.
This brawl is the expression of male violence I was expecting from this show. Whilst the fight in Season 1 looked tame, this brawl
...
looks hypermasculine and it's a good thing. This is what viewers expect — a spectacle that would allow our inherent urge for aggression to be purged in something so cathartic, a theory by Aristotle in Poetics.
Furthermore, this arc stands apart in terms of visuals. There is a noticeable improvement in the colour grading. What previously seemed bright and sanitised colour grading in Season 1 is now dirty, dark, and gritty. Although it wasn't consistent in the rest of the episodes, I appreciate this improvement in the visuals at least as far as the brawl is concerned.
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'It is easy in the world to live after the world's opinion; it is easy in solitude to live after our own; but the great man is he who in the midst of the crowd keeps with perfect sweetness the independence of solitude.'
- Ralph Waldo Emerson in Self-Reliance
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But more than anything else, this arc is crucial in Sakura's growth as a character. Up until this point, he seemed to have embodied the ideal of self-reliance and individualism as described by Emerson and others. However, his ineffectiveness in protecting his comrades from this paradigm of self-reliance has prompted him to re-evaluate his values and what he stands for. CloverWorks has blessed this arc with beautiful visuals that show how Sakura has learned to rely on others. Whilst it may seem off to mention 'Days with My Stepsister' in a different and unrelated genre, Sakura's growth parallels Yuuta's and Saki's respective character growths in that both have learned to rely on others: from isolation to connection.
It's not that self-reliance by itself is bad. It's not optimal if you consider what you can only achieve on your own versus what you can also achieve with the help of other people.
In my review for Season 1, I was concerned that Tsubaki's presence was a shallow and token representation to meet diversity quotas. I've changed my mind. This gay crossdresser is actually so cool, and I now approve of his presence in the show.
Another thing that annoyed me in Season 1 was Sakura's expectation that Fuurin would be so violent. Instead, he finds it as a school with supposed to be scumbags protecting the town and doing good things that the people revere them. Season 2 explains why such is the case: it's old Fuurin v new Fuurin.
I now have a charitable view of Wind Breaker thanks also to Professor Paul Kruse's interpretation of how Homer's Iliad is different to Hesiod's Theogony that, perhaps unknown to the creator of Wind Breaker, has an astonishing parallel to old Fuurin and new Fuurin. (If you want to find out why, be sure to watch the final episode. Anything I tell you to expound on that will be too much of a spoiler.)
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https://theimaginativeconservative.org/2019/08/homer-iliad-shield-love-strife-paul-krause.html
"The Iliad is a grand love poem on a cosmic scale. This epic of love moves heaven and earth. It is a poem that wrestles with the agonism between love and strife. It is a poem that moves beyond the strife-filled cosmos of Hesiod and Homer’s predecessors. It is the poem that brings love into the cosmos and gives us the faintest glimpse of hope that love can move heaven and earth and bring the joyful rest that the strife-filled human heart seeks. Lastly, the love that Homer inserts into the cosmos is a love that heals and forgives. That is why the Iliad is an eternal work."
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If there is anything I can really criticise about it, it's pretty uneven. The peak of this season takes place in the first half of this season, and one can argue that it should have belonged to Season 1. The second half is good but nowhere near the peak of the first half and only sets up Season 3.
In conclusion, I watched Season 2 to hate-watch and expected it to be lame, but I was surprised to find that it wasn't as bad as my impression of Season 1 had been. I now give it a passing score.
NOTA BENE: A rating of 5 out of 10 means that 1) I find this anime to be average, 2) I enjoyed it to some extent, but it has some flaws. 3) Or simply, I rank it below my 6's but above my 4's.
A 5 means a passing score. If you think that a score of 5 out of 10 means TRASH, YOU'RE AN IDIOT!
Reviewer’s Rating: 5
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Jun 20, 2025
June 21st 2025 UPDATE:
Thanks to Season 2, I now have a more favourable view of Wind Breaker. What puzzled me and left a bad taste in Season 1 has now been addressed in Season 2.
The gay crossdresser is actually cool, so props to that.
My issues with the colour grading in Season 1 are somehow addressed in Season 2.
Why Fuurin seems to be nonviolent is addressed in Season 2, and I now have a more charitable view.
I'll just leave my original review here and my score of 4 out of 10 because if you only watch Season 1 and not Season 2, you will be
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left with a less than stellar view of Wind Breaker.
ORIGINAL REVIEW:
"How a society channels male aggression is one of the greatest questions as to whether that society will survive. That's why I am not against violence in the media, I am against the glorification of immoral violence." ~ Dennis Prager
Wind Breaker seems to be the ultimate dream anime for a delinquent. Sakura Haruka is a violent delinquent who seemingly finds a school that fits him, Furin High School. It values strength over academic excellence.
It turns out that, despite being violent, the people in the town where Furin is located love them. These students of Furin refer to themselves as Bofurin who will protect the town from other gangs who sow discord.
Sakura was surprised because he expected the town to be an anarchic mess and where only the strong rise to the top. Sakura's reaction must be similar to the viewer's expectations. I for one expect something so violent that it stirs our repressed urges to be violent. What we get instead is something tame. The school for delinquents is actually just a collection of nice guys who happen to fight.
If the author meant this story to be a critique of male aggression, this anime doesn't play out as a morality tale about the negative consequences of violence. Instead, it brushes aside reality to create a story that seems hampered and not a full expression of male aggression.
In my previous reviews, I have often praised the anime created by CloverWorks. Their art direction is great, and I often bump their anime by a point. But I reckon that this studio is not suited for this type of show. Even if the objects of its mise-en-scène are messy, it doesn't give you a gritty feeling. I believe the æsthetics of the anime Lazarus better suit this anime. It has the grit and ugliness and tone, even if the story is not about delinquents, that I would expect of a story about delinquents.
We often complain that progressive leftists aka 'woke' emasculate a piece of media, especially with the inclusion of a queer side character. One might be tempted to criticise this anime as woke adjacent because it seems to pander to these people craving representation; even though a few would expect a member of the rainbow community to be part of a group of violent kids. Any viewer's gut instinct would be to consider it a token inclusion.
Ironically, both the left and Dennis Prager, who is a conservative figure, seem to agree on censoring the expression of male violence. Even if Mr Prager condones the expression of violence in media but draws the line at glorifying male violence, judging that any art glorifying it is bad is itself a form of censorship. Thus, their ethos largely agrees with how Wind Breaker presents the subject matter, a matter of feel-good camaraderie.
My point is, I can't take seriously how these kids seem to be neutered compared to how they could have been. The matches can be mildly entertaining, but you get the sense that it is held back by the anime's attempt to be tame.
Also, if Wind Breaker were to be only one cour, the logical finale should have been during the events of Episode 10. Season 1 ended in the middle of an arc, and this can be annoying if you watched this anime during the original air date.
In closing, Wind Breaker is an anime good enough to pass the time, but its punch is light just like the leader of Shishitoren in the anime.
NOTA BENE: A grade of 4 out of 10 means I got some enjoyment out of this anime but the issues are glaring, or simply I rank it higher than my 3's but below my 5's.
Reviewer’s Rating: 4
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Jun 14, 2025
Due to the Summer 2025 seasonal 'Secrets of the Silent Witch' featuring a girl with social anxiety just around the corner, I reckon I might as well watch this anime where comparisons will eventually be made.
Bocchi the Rock! is a popular anime and it deserves its high ratings. Bocchi is relatable for the vast majority of introvert weebs.
§ Overview
Gotou Hitori is a self-taught guitarist who has always fancied playing in a band and getting popular. The problem? She has extreme social anxiety and can't even be relied on to do simple stuff such as buying from a convenience store. For someone who wants to
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invite others to form their band, it seems an impossible task.
This is why Hitori has settled into the role of being just a YouTuber (or what they actually called YouTube within the anime) with the handle guitarhero. Her videos are quite popular, and many viewers acknowledge her skill.
Her dream gets a new lease in life as Ijichi Nijika invites her to be their guitarist for their band Kessoku.
§ Notes
1. Since Hitori, nicknamed Bocchi — a word that really means loner — has social anxiety, we relate so much to her struggles. Her facial expressions can be funny, but we don't mock her. We empathise with her struggles as it is something some of us may have experienced or continue to experience. Essentially, this anime is about how Bocchi is slowly becoming social or at the very least a functional human being.
2. If you think about it, it's not really necessary that this story be about rock musick and being part of a band. Theoretically, it might work if the girl with social anxiety has to deal with situations that require her to be social and interact with people. Perhaps it could have been about being a lawyer, salesman, negotiator, etc. You name it.
3. One point of criticism I can levy against it is the assumption that her social anxiety and introversion in general are problematick and should be fixed. The anime's energy and vibe signal that its main audience is extroverts, even though it features a deeply introverted main character.
Despite this and since many people don't think about it, I'll note it without implying that it's bad and destroys this anime. In fact, it's quite enjoyable despite this imperfection.
4. This anime's character designs are obviously inspired by CGDCT. I'm almost tempted to claim it's CGDCT, but the story is not about being another incarnation of K-On! It's partly a slice-of-life anime that features a girl with social anxiety, but we see that there is a plot being followed.
If anything, the CGDCT æsthetic makes doing frequent chibi versions seamless.
5. I like Bocchi's character interactions with Nijika and Ikuyo. They provide quite a contrast to Bocchi. It's unfortunate though that the relationship between Bocchi and Ryou is under-explored.
6. Despite having lesbian characters, I'm not inclined to call this yuri. A certain character is vocal that she fancies another character, but that's just a small slice of the narrative and it's not deep. It's surface-level flirting.
Again, it's unfortunate that some anti-yuri anime watchers will dismiss any anime featuring lesbian love. It is equally unfortunate that yuri fans will latch onto this anime and call it yuri. I don't think that attitude is good either because it's not a commentary about same-sex attraction. Its priorities lie elsewhere.
It's not a romance anime. It's just Bocchi navigating and overcoming her social anxiety in order to showcase her talent.
7. The visuals are on point as expected of CloverWorks. We see frequent visual metaphors, like Bocchi turning into ash, to indicate her social anxiety without relying too much on too frequent internal voiceovers.
As far as NPCs are concerned, they are just rendered into grey although you can see that they are drawn with details. The net effect is that our main characters who have blue, red, yellow, and pink hair colour actually stand out. I tried to imagine what they would look like if these NPCs were not blocked out, and it would look so ugly.
8. Despite the fact that its story can skirt past the musickality, certain musicians are impressed by Bocchi the Rock — and they are less impressed with Rock Is a Lady's Modesty.
Source: https://www.reddit.com/r/anime/comments/1l44lhh/rock_is_a_ladys_modesty_enjoyers_did_you_feel/
9. Its greatest criticism is that the final episode felt anti-climatick. Perhaps it's just being consistent with Bocchi's characterisation or perhaps they are holding out on Bocchi's peak performance in Season 2. Regardless, it's not a 10 for me despite the fact that I think it deserves high ratings.
§ Final Thoughts
This is a solid anime that anyone can like. It's safe to recommend. It's especially relevant for introverts like me.
NOTA BENE: A grade of 8 out of 10 means that I find this anime is very good and three notches above average. I enjoyed watching it.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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