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TL;DR: Oregairu is an awe-inspiring experience no words could accurately describe. I will try my best here, but experience it yourself, you won’t regret it.

In episode eight of Oregairu Zoku, Hachiman made a life-changing decision. For the first time, he entered the club room sitting not aside, but in front of the two girls he has grown to be so comfortable with—to finally open up and speak his mind. Hikigaya’s request for something genuine was played out so much it became somewhat of an inside joke in the anime community. But its lasting impression is also a testament to the impact many must have felt ... upon witnessing that scene for the first time.

Fast forward five years later, fans finally get to witness a resolution to questions that the “genuine scene” has raised. Be it Hikigaya’s unfulfilled request, Yuigahama’s selfish wishes, Yukinoshita’s family and internal struggles, or the three’s respective expectations on their relationship, Oregairu Kan answered in striking fashion. Aided with snippets of perspectives other than those of Hikigaya’s, this instalment was made much more straightforward than the previous two. By getting into their headspace, viewers can better understand and untangle the perplexing plot threads that were laid down in previous seasons, giving this grand trilogy a fulfilling conclusion.

But that’s not all Kan has to offer. Setting up multiple red herrings, the beginning two-thirds of Kan was a little conventional, until the last three episodes started rolling. The plot twists surprising and the payoff huge, how the ending played out was honestly unexpected given how things were from the start. It won’t be the closure that all fans had hoped for, at least not me; but it is the ending’s ability to impress even when it goes against your wishes that makes it so much more astonishing. These displays of spectacular writing were made possible by covering only three novels instead of the usual five to six, for Kan can now skip less material and include a lot more details in this adaptation.

Which brings me to the one thing that they didn’t include in the previous seasons: fillers. In first season and Zoku, Oregairu gave viewers no time to draw breath, every episode is filled to the brim with information you cannot afford to miss. It was so packed and lacking in time that it skipped entire chapters just to reach a satisfying endpoint. This time around, Kan slowed down the pace, putting less narrative-relevant but engaging dialogue in between important plot points to let viewers some time to rest, giving it the best pacing among all instalments. Some might not find it appealing, and would rather have more plot progression and/or characterisation take place. But in any case, I believe those like me, who have followed along for two seasons and on for a third, would like seeing more relaxed moments from Oregairu’s endearing characters.

Speaking of characters, one might claim the game club members and Zaimokuza as nothing but glorified plot tools, there for the sole purpose of getting Hikigaya a few allies for his project. Nitpicking aside, these mistakes are not Kan’s fault whatsoever. As I have alluded to earlier, some crucial chapters were lost during the previous adaptations; the important ones here being those that feature the Volunteer Service Club’s visit to the game club in season one, and those where Zaimokuza was supposed to be featured in both seasons. What results is the degradation of Zaimokuza’s role in the anime-only story; while the game club became total strangers to both the trio and the viewers, even when they should’ve been familiar faces. To make up for that, Kan slightly altered a few scenes to make up for the missteps previous seasons have taken, and I think they did a great job of that. I think it goes without saying that it wouldn’t be fair to deduct points off of Kan because of other seasons’ problems.

Still, I would be lying if I say that Kan had done everything perfectly, with the most apparent oversight being the supporting cast’s development. Hayama, for example: a character very invested in the trio’s relationship, particularly Yukinoshita, rarely appeared. Having been hinted with great character depth, he didn’t get the screen time he deserved. In the same vein, while we can witness all the other characters’ growth (like Ebina, Yumiko, Isshiki and hell even the student council president of that other school) we were only ever shown a glimpse of what they have become; which is unfortunate given how closely tied they were with Hikigaya's growth, but understandable because of the limited screen time.

Nevertheless, what Kan has done with characterisation is nothing short of amazing. Haruno’s intentions, something that was set up in Zoku and ultimately became a cornerstone in Kan, added a lot of humanity into both members of the Yukinoshita household. The trio’s respective wishes, told through Yuigahama and Hikigaya’s lens, were spectacularly presented, with their actions having a sprinkle of previously established personalities while breaking the mould and showing the growth each of the three had experienced. It is not far-fetched to say Kan handled the main trio and Haruno’s development brilliantly.

That said, animation is one thing I cannot give the highest praises to. Don’t get me wrong, it’s much better than the average show, with standouts like the detailed portraits, expressive facial expressions and the classic waving hair from studio feel.. And to Oregairu’s credit, there is a limit to how far animation in school settings can go other than your occasional Hyouka. But that isn’t an excuse for distracting scenes of looping animation, such as the rapping and prom preparation ones. Even so, given the gorgeous still shots and more than obvious improvement in animation quality from previous seasons, the animation can still be considered as very good indeed.

Up till now, every aspect I praise about Kan always has that “gotcha moment” that made it just short of perfect. But the one thing it nailed to a T is sound: OP, ED, OST, voice acting, you name it. The OP and ED are once again sung by yanaginagi and the two voice actresses respectively, somehow topping what Oregairu had offered in the previous two seasons IMO. OST is recognisable the instant you play it; the voice actors did a great job bringing the characters to life. All I can say is, the OST and voice actors did their job, so that the storyboard and writing can do their job.

Ultimately, to sum up the series as a whole, Oregairu demonstrated that a elementary premise would never limit a story’s potential. It started out simple with a teenager who despised social interaction and high school clichés. But with plot twists well written, characterisation phenomenal and themes echoing from start to finish, Watari had transformed a generic set up into an extraordinary tale. One that doesn’t end with "happily ever after" as its conventional start suggests, rather becoming an experience you could only ever see for yourself, something no words could accurately describe.

Kanokari might be the worst show I’ve ever watched. The story is built on a lie that snowballs out of control, told by a beta knucklehead that just couldn't stop boasting, and filled with smooth brains that can’t act like adults. I spent half my time watching these 4 episodes cringing at the male protagonist Kinoshita’s actions and their consequences.

There’s so much to say I don’t even know where to start. Right from the first episode, the idiocy of the protagonist Kinoshita is already on full display. Renting a girlfriend, then proceeding to get angry because of her “acting” is the kind of 10/10 mental ... gymnastics that would leave Olympic gymnasts in awe. Her partner in crime, Ms rental herself Ichinose isn’t great either: following him to his urgent and sudden hospital visit is the last thing she should have done, and the rest is history.

First lying to Kinoshita’s grandmother who we know takes trips to the hospital very frequently, and then to her own grandmother who is coincidentally in the same hospital. I get it, she was put on the spot and had little to no other options but to pretend to be Kinoshita’s girlfriend. But you are lying to people inches away from their deathbed here, wouldn’t you feel at least a bit hesitant to do such a thing? And Ichinose, what about not going with him to the hospital visit in the first place? Alas, the show needed this encounter to essentially “lock in” this idea that Kinoshita and Ichinose are a couple, at least to the characters in the show. This is furthered when they met Kinoshita’s friends and got him boasting about his “real girlfriend”, but I digress. Everything about this show is built on a lie, making the plot feel very forced and hard to swallow.

The nail in the coffin is that everything considered, these events could all be avoided by simply using common sense. If your customer is leaving because of something urgent, then as a rental, don’t bother him and call it a day. If you during a rental date bumped into someone you know, then just play it off as going out with a friend of yours. These terrible misunderstandings that constitute the entire plot of this show rely on the sheer incompetence of Kinoshita, while Ichinose has no choice but to play along. She really carried this series, being the most sensible person present, but nonetheless, she isn’t perfect, and one cute anime girl is not going to cut it for all this mess.

What about the other cast members then? Mami might be the most unlikeable character one has ever created, it’s as if Malty is in the real world instead of in an isekai. She’s manipulative and calculating, yet we see time and time again how Kinoshita reminiscing about their past relationship, which adds to the already long list of reasons for us to hate the protagonist. As for Ruka and Sumi, they only appear later in the story, hence because of spoiler reasons I cannot comment on.

The final thing that I can discuss then, is the exposition in episode four. The author seriously tried his best to get us viewers sympathize with the protagonist, talking about one of his (probably) many silly stories back when he was a child. The problem with that is we never get to see Kinoshita ever do anything that signifies the slightest of intelligence: he literally only thinks with his dick. We hate him for his utter uselessness, indecisiveness and foolishness, not something that could be fixed with some “haha funny” moments, is it? This supposedly heartwarming scene is here only to sway emotions of impressionable audiences, and anyone who with a slightly critical eye would recognise these cheap tricks immediately. For those who want to mention the cliff hanger, rest assured, it won't amount to anything significant.

It is then more than puzzling that they actually got a decent OP, ED, an all-star cast of voice actors (except for the male protagonist, how fitting), not to mention good animation. I normally would praise seasonal shows for actually putting some effort in their animation, and this one is definitely above average. The OP and ED sang by the peggies and halca are both great songs that I would regularly listen to. But somehow the premium treatment given to this abominable plot actually makes me mad more than anything else.

I’ve learnt my lesson that reviewing shows before they end is not a good practice. After all, with 8 episodes yet to air, a show’s quality can vary greatly. But no, I won’t give Kanokari the benefit of the doubt here. Being a source reader who loves self-torturing enough to catch up to the latest chapter, I would not recommend anyone to watch this show; unless you are one of those people who like watching cringe compilations for entertainment, then go for it all you want.

Calling Gotoubun a finished manga is like calling Fuutarou’s lunch a proper meal. It isn’t. It needed at least two more volumes to be finished, and much more to be entertaining. Once held in the highest regard as a romance/harem manga, its journey was cut short, and with it comes a bitter taste—a taste of overwhelming amounts of salt. From screaming fans nonetheless.

It flopped because Negi tried too hard subverting tropes. The ending shouts "haha *she* won you never saw it coming did ya" when in reality it lacked any substance. I started reading the manga when the first season aired, it was like 70 ... to 80 chapters long. And was a strong 7 to 8 for a while, until seeing the last 25 to 30 chapters.

It went from something interesting and unique into something like any other. The last festival arcs were especially dreadful, carrying a huge tonal shift that felt abrupt and out of place. But out of the five, Itsuki no doubt got the worst end of the stick. She was thrown into a corner until Negi was like "shit totally forgot about her" in the last arc. The biological dad, which had no impact in the story until then, felt like a convenient plot tool. It ended with melodrama trash, which was a distaste. The sharp writing was nowhere to be seen from then on.

With that, let's talk about the other four.

Ichika, she had no chance after the school trip, but at least an interesting character. I cheered for her all the way, and I would say I am satisfied with how she ended up. Definitely has the best resolve out of the four.

Nino, the confession scene was great, her blunt nature while still loving her sisters goes the same. Though by far with the most development under her belt, her change of heart can be seen as quite shallow. For reasons I can't mention because of spoilers.

Miku, the most generic. She later became Nino's ally and brought the two biggest ships together. Hot take, but she ended up being a more boring Nino. Nothing much to say.

And finally Yotsuba. Her story ended five years ago. The beginning teased about something great happening in the past but did not deliver. She has no resolve, and nothing of her felt finished once all the trouble was over. Worst character out of the five.

The art was good, Negi clearly got better the course of these two years as well. But nothing could make up for this mess of an ending.

There are times when you regret what you choose, and I regret being invested in Gotoubun. I remember the last time I became this disappointed in a series was when I finished watching Charlotte. Gotoubun lacked an explanation, and Negi's tricks to balance the chances of the five meant the story lack direction, there will certainly be outrage no matter who won with how it closed out.

It wasn't like any other harem, but it certainly ended like one.

This show is trash. You know it, I know it, everyone knows it. It doesn’t even try to hide the fact that it is indeed trash. It doesn’t take risks on the narrative, owns up to every typical harem trait ever, and just by watching it my functioning brain cells is halved each minute. Having paid the price of a million brain cells, I can, nevertheless, say without hesitation—I enjoyed this show, and I did so unreservedly.

“Why?” You asked in confusion, “why would anyone enjoy trash?” Well, Bokuben has reached a level of honesty only the most courageous can attain. When other trashy shows hide ... its true colours behind a curtain of drama, this show truly embraces being a dumpster. In short, I love honest shows.

There’s no plot to be spoken of but MC-kun flirting with his harem, albeit unintentionally on a daily basis. The shy classmate, the outspoken childhood friend, the school goddess, the teasing senpai, the clumsy teacher… I wasn’t spouting vague character traits, those are real characters inside this show.

They put some effort into the music though, not gonna lie. Both OPs in the first and second season is sung by the female leads of the show. The ED is nothing special though, not bad, but it probably would never get a place in my weeb playlist on Spotify. The character models are fine, but the animation is no good - it's literally manga on TV. Luckily, the manga panels flow quite nicely, which is a silver lining in the clouds.

But all these serious analyses isn’t why you are here, it’s the second season already! You already know what you are getting into—complete nonsense. And yet, to all you people out there who are still watching, I applaud your wisdom, for you have discovered the true way to enjoy this show. Now, spread that knowledge to those around you, I envision one day where everyone can enjoy any show they watch, where suffering is no more in the land of anime.

For those who want to try to get in the show, just leave your mind blank at all times. That’s how I think this series is best appreciated. And if you do so, I can promise it will be the most relaxed 20 minutes you are going to have all week. Just that you most likely won't be proud of yourself.

As the Buddhist saying goes, "the source of all pain is attachment." And this show has offered a first-hand experience on how true that is. Only by detaching ourselves from the chains of human decency and the pride as a tasteful weeb can we truly transcend and be freed of agony and pain - the pain from watching a dumpster in flames.

At the end of the day, what makes for a good anime is its ability to inspire. And the enlightenment this show bestowed on me has overcompensated for its flaws, proving itself worthy of a solid 7 and an earnest recommendation albeit with a pinch of salt.