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Roughly three years after the last proper season of Haikyuu!!, the production staff for the series underwent major changes, such as replacing its previous director as well as animation director. The changes to its staff as well as the impact of COVID-19 have both been detrimental to the once consistent and energetic quality the series had boasted in the past. Unfortunately, Haikyuu!!: to the Top's greatest enemy is its own series' legacy. While there are glimpses of brilliance over the course of this arc, it largely lives in the shadows of preceding seasons' stellar animation, pacing, and character development.

The most notable difference on the ... surface is the decrease in animation quality and the roughness of To the Top's art style. While viewers could occasionally catch some awkward-looking frames in past seasons, these were few in number and would typically pass in seconds. Seasons 1 to 3 showcased brilliant creativity in its camera-work, care in its research of natural volleyball player movements, and a drive to deliver exhilarating fast-paced action. To the Top, on the other hand, is plagued with stiff animation throughout the entirety of both part 1 and part 2. From robotic serves to unimpactful receives to just a lack of animation all around, To the Top is, on average, unpleasant to look at from beginning to end. Previous seasons excelled in showcasing the impact of powerful action shots, as not only was the animation of said action smoothly animated (such as jump serves and spikes), but even the reactions by the characters who receive such attacks were impactful. Previous seasons showed characters reeling back when trying to receive high-speed attacks, yet this season's action shots feel weak and slow in comparison due to sluggish animations and cardboard reactions upon receiving hits. There are occasional moments of thrilling action scenes in To the Top, such as Hoshiumi's cheetah-like chase after the ball or during Hinata's rare clutch dig, but these beautiful moments are so infrequent and surrounded by a sea of mediocre animation quality that it leaves the viewer pining for more, only to be disappointed when met with all-too-frequent recycling of flashbacks as well as animation speeds reminiscent of a university lecture PowerPoint deck.

Adjacent to the drop in animation quality is the shift in art style, which I would argue also hurts To the Top's visual aesthetic. Some may argue that art style is subjective to one's preferences, but as an artist I would highly disagree. Some art styles lend better to particular genres, and some styles also depict action better than others. Haikyuu!!, being a sports anime with a flair for drama and energy, flourished under the previous art direction that emphasized more on the use of shading, angular shapes, and a somewhat more subdued colour palette. To the Top throws away much of the shading that its predecessors had, opting for a flatter look that feels unfinished, unrefined. The lack of shadows reduces the weight of the furrow of a character's brow, minimizes dynamic angles when arms and legs are bent, and overall feels amateurish compared to prior seasons' art style. Some changes in the art style, while more faithful to the manga, are unflattering to look at. One obvious example is Kageyama's change in his skull proportions, as his hair lays much flatter to his head than in previous seasons, and anatomically is visually unappealing, if not outright incorrect. Character faces are also more round in this season, and while it's closer to the source material's look, simply make characters look more cartoony and less "gritty", for lack of a better term.

The sluggishness in animation also goes hand in hand with the slow pace of To the Top. While previous seasons had their fair share of flashbacks, training arcs, and audience narration, they were used to elevate and provide a brief respite from the otherwise action-packed episodes. In contrast, To the Top's slow moments test the audience's patience, as they're often inserted during inopportune times or dragged on for far too long. Some of the most frustratingly poor pacing happens right during the match between the two schools, as episodes dwell too long on the stadium audience's reactions to some stiffly animated action shots. The teams' characters themselves also tend to have too much internal monologue, which is often narrated during uninteresting still-shots. The pacing of To the Top is incredibly disappointing, given that the series has been known for packing a punch in not only its animation fluidity but its storytelling speed as well. While previous seasons had me on the edge of my seat, as though I was watching an actual volleyball game, I found myself wishing the episode would just move on to the next action shot instead of listening to yet another internal monologue. It's unfortunate that this season's pacing feels more akin to a typical flashback-ridden sports anime than previous Haikyuu!! seasons.

And maybe dwelling on the Miya twins' pasts would not have been so painful if Haikyuu!! had taken the time for the audience to develop a connection with the new characters. Perhaps the greatest contributions of old rivals Oikawa and Ushiwaka to the previous seasons were not their volleyball prowess, but rather their relationships with the dual protagonists Hinata and Kageyama. Production IG had taken the time to make sure that we understood the importance of the two main characters overcoming their rivals, with Kageyama attempting to break free of playing in Oikawa's shadow and Hinata proving to Ushiwaka that even the smallest person can make a difference in court. For the Miya twins however, who are the main rivals of this season, we only see Kageyama briefly communicating with Atsumu and being told he was too subservient to his teammates' wishes. There is no emotional connection, no serious drive for Kageyama to beat him. As a result, there's a disconnect from the audience and an overall lack of engagement compared to prior seasons. Yes, Karasuno is playing at a national level, but the emotional stakes are diminished as there's nothing to care about in the Miya twins from the main team's perspective. Other characters do get development, including Nishinoya and Tanaka, though again the development feels stretched out and takes too much time from the action. This isn't to say that character development moments should always be short, but they need to be concise. We understand that Tanaka feels frustration in his poor play and the importance of him overcoming his rut, and Nishinoya learning to move past is fears is vital for his volleyball performance, but To the Top takes too long to move on from these points, whereas previous seasons' pacing felt much snappier in contrast. Even for characters I had always felt partial to, I felt a twinge of impatience waiting for their flashbacks or ruts to end.

Despite the drop in quality in this season's pacing, art, and animation, Haikyuu's sound department once again demonstrates its ability to pump up the audience during high-action moments with energetic soundtracks, while also being able to mellow out during quieter character moments. Sound effects return in full force, and perhaps unfortunately are much more powerful than their accompanying animations.

Overall, however, despite its major flaws Haikyuu!! is still Haikyuu!!, and thanks to its strong source material, the audience can continue to enjoy silly banter between the overly enthusiastic high school boys and be enthralled once again by unexpected plays during matches. I sincerely hope Production IG can improve its pacing and visuals for future seasons, as the Haikyuu!! series is truly something remarkable. With its legacy of being one of the most refined sports anime adaptations to date, as well as the return to normal from COVID-19, hopefully the new staff can deliver a better season and live up to the series' past quality and enjoyment.

Ahh, +Anima. Half the readers probably stumbled upon this manga because its name is, alphabetically, one of the first to appear on a manga-hosting website.The other half probably just liked the word "anima" because it sounded pretty. Despite what coincidental "methods" we readers used to find it, +Anima was far from something meagerly amusing, and in fact, was engrossingly endearing in its own right. You can tell a professional storyteller from an amateur one, and Natsumi Mukai is by far the former. A story that's able to be told with stunning and consistent aesthetics, married with heartwarming character development and engaging subplots is difficult to ... find. Look no further, however, because +Anima is one of the most underrated manga I've ever read (according to MAL scoring); I write this review on this sleepy Monday night to bring light to the wonderful +Anima.

STORY: 10
Some lump character development in the "character" section of reviews. I don't disagree that character development is related to the characters themselves. However, MANY stories convey the growth of characters as their means of storytelling. It's not something merely physical such as a journey (though that is the physical plotline of +Anima); story also includes the story of character growth and how their interactions change later on in the manga. Despite other reviewers' relatively lower scores of +Anima's story, I give it a well-deserved 10.

The premise is simple enough. You have children that have the ability to use physical traits of animals, be it because they've been forced to adapt to this ability or whether they're born that way. Cooro sets on a journey to find other +Anima and travel with them for no exact reason, other than perhaps an innocent "because it's fun" chain of thought. Given its somewhat linear overarching physical plot, it's deduced that this is a slice of life manga. Which is perfectly fine, but I'd have to disagree with other people giving the story a lower rating because of it. Stories don't need to be complicated to be wonderful; the purpose of telling +Anima's story is not to confuse readers or tell a save-the-world/damsel/treasure story, but rather portray the everyday lives of our party of +Anima.

"Given that it's a slice of life manga, how are the daily events of Cooro, Senri, Nana, and Husky, anyway?" you may ask.

"Well," I answer, "it's sweet, relatable, and shifts between fun and serious." Some of the fun ones, such as Husky being mistaken as a mermaid later in the series by a young man, makes the corners of the reader's mouth daintily twitch up in amusement. Yet, there are also points of reflection and the subplots provide small tidbits of information on the characters and their pasts. The more serious stories, such as meeting Senri's tribe, heavily emphasize on the characters' pasts and why they've become whom they are today. It's difficult to convey the endearing moments in these events in this review, but each story provides a small moral or lesson that is IMPLICITLY (and I emphasize this word because there's just not enough IMPLICITNESS in manga) told to the reader, not shoved in our faces like a whole pie. Beautiful, beautiful storytelling. The daily lives of our protagonists are interesting and allow the reader to reflect upon common morals that we may or may not agree with.

ART: 10
Beautiful details. Intricately drawn backgrounds. It's not like your common shoujo with half-assed bubbles or flowers shown in the background when a character has her moment of pleasant surprise. Instead, these beautiful, lush backgrounds of the nature surrounding the party is depicted. And if it's not nature, it's the bustling towns that they move to and fro. Line art is well done -- bolder where emphasis should be and shyer where they're just small wrinkes in the clothing, etc. Given the age of this manga, the style of art has stood the test of time because the mangaka knew how to actually DRAW. As stated before in my review of He Dedicated to Roses, you'd be surprised at how many mangaka can't draw for the life of them despite the nature of their occupation. The characters' clothing designs are done extremely well; one look at a coloured (actually, it doesn't even have to be coloured) picture of Cooro and you can see the bright yellows contrasting the blues and reds, as well as the well laid-out, yet practical, layers of clothing he adorns. Wonderful work on the mangaka's part.

CHARACTER: 9
Despite the colourful cast of protagonists that most readers grow to love, there are several irking supporting characters within +Anima that were evidently not well-designed. Characters such as Fly could have had so much more done with them, but instead they're presented as rather 2D, especially in contrast to the well-designed +Anima protagonists we all know and love (at least, I do anyway).

Even if the supporting characters fall short of what's ideal, the main party makes up more than enough for it. Each of the main party's members has a distinct feel to them. Cooro is playful, yet mysteriously obedient, and loves to eat; Husky is rather frugal, dislikes girls, yet looks like a girl himself; Senri... I'd have to be a little biased and say that he's my favourite character in the manga because there's so much to him (you'll love his absent-mindedness, his ability to spice up cooking, and his forgetfulness); and then there's Nana. Not particularly likable at the get-go, but later on she does learn her place and even Husky learns to tolerate her. Though these may sound stock characters to you, rest assured they're not; the mangaka uses tiny details in their actions and cleverly manipulates the dialogue to give colour to the characters.

ENJOYMENT: 9
It's a great read, but don't expect to finish it all in one or two go's. It's slice-of-life, and meant to be taken in small doses because it's calming and simply a pleasant read. Like Cooro and friends, just take a bit of time out of your daily life to read a little at a time, as reading +Anima could be a slice of your own life's events.

I couldn't give it a solid 10 because some of the events weren't consistently strong; however, they were all well-done. Some were simply better than others, and when compared, the reader wouldn't have the same gratification of reading some of the weaker stories.

OVERALL: 10
Terribly underrated series, and I suppose being a slice-of-life really can bring the story score down for certain reviewers. Don't treat it like a manga you can race through, because that's just simply not how you can enjoy +Anima. Read as much as you want, and stop when you feel you won't get any joy out of reading more. Then pick it up again, sprinkling it in the multiple slices of your own life to help sweeten a tame Sunday afternoon.

One reason why I like seinen and josei manga is that the themes, characters, and messages presented are sophisticated. Not to say that shoujo and shounen manga aren't, but the percentage of the latter manga that actually contain such attributes is minimal. Watashitachi no Shiawase na Jikan (Our Happy Time) was a surprisingly astounding read I came across around one in the morning, hoping to find something short, sweet, and rid of filler material. Upon reading the first few pages of the manga, I realized that what I discovered was much, much more than just that, and consequently provided a MEANINGFUL literary experience -- ... something that tends to be rare when it comes to manga, which particularly specializes in fan-service.

STORY: 10
The reader is quickly introduced to protagonist Juri and her wish to commit suicide, though reasons are not completely revealed until the latter half of Watashitachi no Shiawase na Jikan. She's then taken by her nun of an aunt to accompany her visits to jail, where the aunt attempts to emotionally aid convicts. There, Juri meets serial killer Yuu, who has a death sentence hanging over his head. The rest of the manga unravels the tragic pasts of both Juri and Yuu, and we begin to discover why they act as they do (or did). Though it was initually Juri who was supposed to provide help for Yuu, he also returns that same favour by gently letting her realize the beauty of the world, and of life itself. It's a heartwarming tale that not only delves into both characters' pasts, but also brings the characteristic contribution from the past to the present in order to resolve each other's current conflicts, providing a wonderfully woven tale that ties in a clean knot at the very end.

ART: 8
The first few pages of the manga gives the reader a concrete idea of what the artist is capable of. Characters are drawn extremely cleanly and with incredibly accurate proportions (and you'd be surprised how many mangakas can't draw properly, despite the nature of their occupation). Expressions are also well-conveyed. Backgrounds are present enough such that the reader has a general idea of where the characters are, though some more use of far shots would have helped establish a sense of relative position between characters and create greater atmosphere. Nonetheless, the mangaka made great use of toning to compensate and was able to generate a solemn mood throughout the story -- fitting for its nature.

CHARACTER: 10
Juri and Yuu are very convincing characters in that they actually have dimension. They're believable. It's not often you find (in manga) suicidal women that have understandable reasons for their actions, and convicts that actually seem to be human, including wishes, likes, and quirks. Definitely one of the strongest points of Watashitachi no Shiawase na Jikan. Juri and Yuu may not stand out, or even be likable for many, but they're relatable. The characters' pasts AND present states are so well fleshed-out that you can't help but empathize. You can't help but realize the dire states that both Yuu and Juri are in, and I believe it's empathy that's lacking in a very large portion of today's manga. Watashitachi no Shiawase na Jikan is able to bring that back to us by providing such attention to detail; the mangaka explores every nook and cranny of both characters' personalities to ensure that with each action, there's justification for it through characterization.

ENJOYMENT: 9
Quite a mellow story, and I thoroughly enjoyed it because of that. The morals and messages given pertaining to gratefulness are absolutely heartwrenching. As a reader, I wanted to know more and more about the tales of Yuu and Juri, and eight chapters more than sufficed, given the well-paced plot and character development.

OVERALL: 10
A must-read for those who know how to appreciate an actually well-written manga that's not out in the market to simply vaccuum our wallets like virtually every other manga out there. And even if you don't like it (and admittedly the dark nature of it is not everyone's cup of tea), the beauty of it is that it's only eight chapters long.

One day, as I scrolled down Mangafox's home page, I took a quick glance at the "most popular manga" sidebar to see if there were any prospective reads out there. Funnily enough, one title I've never heard of topped the ever-so-popular Naruto, and I clicked its name, hoping I would find a glimmering jewel amongst the lackluster rubbish I've attempted to read. Its name: He Dedicated to Roses.

I should have known better. What I found was worse than rubbish; not only did it not shine, but it also shoved itself in my eyes, blinding me in all its horrific glory. In contrast to the ... hype and MAL scoring, I present to you a very disapproving analysis.

STORY: 2
He Dedicated to Roses starts off with your typical destitute high-school heroine. Choi Ida is one angry child who serves for her family's financial aiders to protect her parents from being disowned -- in particular, Shin Mimi, the twisted and spoiled daughter. Choi Ida lives a double life to vent her anger without the risk of ever having to endanger her family's brittle position with her own rage.

He Dedicated to Roses' story leaves a sour taste in your mouth and heaps to be desired. High school setting? Check. Bullied heroine? Check. Irrationally evil authoritative figure? Check. In no way has this formula never been used before; it's another recycled shoujo premise that should have been thrown out ten years ago. The only reason why the manga lasted as long as it did was because of Shin Mimi's constant threats, and Choi Ida's inability to rise in defence and defiance for herself. It was as though the manhwa author decided that it would be alright to throw in every shoujo cliche available and try to sustain the story using obvious plot twists and even more obvious character reactions.

ART: 1
I admit that in comical art such has manhwa and manga, proportions are often blown hyperbolically to lend itself to "style". Yet this isn't "style" that's present in He Dedicated to Roses. It's laziness and a complete lack of anatomical knowledge.

Let's begin with one of the most critical flaws of the manhwa: the perspective. It's painfully obvious that the author is in no way a professional artist when you begin to see the same, recurring eye-leveled angles in each and every panel. Not only is there no emphasis on what the reader should concentrate, but it also destroys what little "action" there is (read: totally unrealistic street fights). Action lines are minimal, so a punch really doesn't look like a punch; expressions appear as superficial and almost emotionless because the author couldn't be bothered to study the angles of eyebrows and the mouth; toning is minimal and provides a monotonous read for us all. Though all aspects of the manhwa was weak, I'd have to say the art, along with what's coming up next, takes the cake.

CHARACTER: 1
You'd think that a shoujo manhwa that delves into the relationships and interactions of its characters would be shine in such an aspect.

Not this one.

Every character presented in He Dedicated to Roses is one-dimensional. Every. Single. Character. I kid you not. They all have their motives (if you can call them that), likes, and dislikes, but the author never graced us with the answer as to why. Why did Shin Mimi want to thwart Choi Ida so badly? Why did a handful of male protagonists fall for Choi Ida? And the list goes on.

One part that irked me was that the obese student was never seen as someone decent. Why couldn't the author try to provide redeeming qualities, something likable... Heck, nevermind that, something REALISTIC? Oh, forgot we're talking about this manhwa.

ENJOYMENT: 2
Couldn't enjoy it. At all. Couldn't even stand it. It simply didn't pull any heartstrings as it intended to, nor did it provide any comedic relief. It fails in every genre it's categorized in.

OVERALL: 2
The marriage of story, art, character, and enjoyment simply wasn't meant to be. Each individual aspect was piss-poor, and when brought together gave me an eyesore. If you're hoping for an emotional, enjoyable, and professional read, look elsewhere.