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Sei Shoujo The Animation (Anime) add (All reviews)

Sep 24, 2023

Hakushama

Not Recommended

Has the slave trainer premise, but there's no rape, no BDSM, no humiliation. There's just normal sex, anal sex, blowjobs. The only thing that make this anime slightly different of 2000 others is the protagonist that has some kind of badass charisma.
Recommend it to those who dislike rape, guro or any other kink, cause it has none...
The story is the classic premise of a feminine school that turns JKs into prostitutes.
The art looks good in the majority of the time, sometimes it feels like "Welcome to the 90s".
With the exception of the moans, the sound kinda sucks.
For characters we have our protagonist, a drunk pimp ...

Kuro no Kyoushitsu (Anime) add (All reviews)

Sep 24, 2023

Hakushama

Recommended

The design is great.
The animation kinda sucks.
The audio sucks.
The humiliation aspect is marvelous.
The rape is merciless.

If you want to see some good rape and humiliation go ahead, it's great, the voice acting is bad and the animation is not great, but it just DOES NOT MATTER, there's so many S fetishes' in this this... Public defecation, humiliation, blackmail, anal rape, screams of pain, big objects being inserted etc ... Just way too wonderful to describe, really ...
Are you a sick bastard?
What are you waiting for?
Note that the original work, the visual novel is still better almost every aspect. The anime completely fails to develop the ...

A-Size Classmate (Anime) add (All reviews)

Sep 24, 2023

Hakushama

Mixed Feelings

Story (4): It's just a premise to put a 12 years old girl with two guys on a room and they rape her for no special reason.

Art (7): It's not bad, the design is pretty good, but it use too many gifs with few frames.

Sound (7): The dubbing is good and the moans are more realistic than the majority of h-animes.

Character (5): They aren't developed at all, they're just guys with stupid minds and a irrational grudge against the female character.

Enjoyment (8): The suffering and shame of the loli are quite enjoyable to sadistic lolicons, if you're not one, stay away from this hentai.

Overall (6): ...

Mushoku Tensei II: Isekai Ittara Honki Dasu (Anime) add (All reviews)

Sep 24, 2023

Barroblade

Mixed Feelings

If you're too busy to read the whole summary here are two points from my review:
- BAD ANIMATION
- BAD ARC

First of all, please take note that I am a big fan of Mushoku, and therefore I have high expectations.
If you like the season 1 for animation, battle scene, scenario... , I couldn't recommended you to watch this part.

This arc is like a wide pause between some interesting arc. An arc focus on a "slice of life/romance" life of Rudeus.
The main plot of this arc is the fact that the MC suffer of an ED and want to find a solution to cure it.
We will ...

FLCL: Grunge (Anime) add (All reviews)

Sep 24, 2023

jahver

Not Recommended

I have never felt so thoroughly repulsed in my life as I did while watching the first episode of FLCL: Grunge. Perhaps it’s a sign of the current state of the medium that a beloved OVA has been turned in a soulless cash-cow franchise with each successive sequel becoming somehow even more creatively bankrupt than the last, but regardless Grunge outdoes itself in being completely void of any artistic merit, passion, or ability to inspire anything other than instinctive aversion to the rational mind. It’s clear as day this is a vanity project, the long-dead corpse of a once great 6-episode series being puppeteered by ... the callous hacks over at Toonami. I can almost imagine the pitch meeting that spawned this embarrassment, and it makes me shudder.

The original OVA series was nothing short of remarkable, and you’d be hard pressed to find anything quite like it now. The cynic in me knows we’ll never get a project on this scale ever again. Something like FLCL is the culmination of so many brilliant minds putting painstaking effort into creating a work that, while totally unlike anything else at the time, was still evocative enough to strike a chord with people even 20 years later. The animation was boundary-pushing, using countless storyboarding and directorial techniques to reframe what could’ve been an unremarkable coming of age story into an adulation for the visual medium, accompanied by some of the most striking rock music ever composed courtesy of The Pillows. There isn’t a single uninspired thing about FLCL. You could probably recognize Haruko or Canti even if you’ve never seen the anime. When I look at FLCL: Grunge, I see a derisive, flavorless, calculated product. Completely devoid of any ambition, Grunge resigns itself to cheap, tacky 3D animation more fit for whatever brainwashing programs they show preschoolers on TV now; it’s fitting, because Grunge is also mindless slop, produced for America’s ever-growing army of adult children who refuse to let go of familiar things lest they be forced to step outside their comfort zones and experience the unfamiliar. Remember FLCL? Well, it’s back, with a shiny new coat of paint, but not too different. We even got The Pillows to come back! All the characters from the original show everyone loved too! You don’t have to think or learn new things, just be content with what you have. In its opening episode Grunge manages to force as many current year references to such vapid cultural touchstones as #MeToo and “mansplaining”. As if the last 10 years of entertainment weren’t already chock full of awful platitudes for the chronically out-of-touch (Californians) like this, now they’re in anime. Or whatever this is supposed to be, I’d honestly be doing anime a disservice by lumping this in with it.

What the fuck happened? FLCL was a story about maturity. Naota has to come to grips with the hard realities of life and accepts that he has to be his own man in order to face his problems head on. Screw what anyone thinks of him. FLCL: Grunge feels more than happy to oblige with what our increasingly neurotic society demands art be; inoffensive, free from anything that might offend the shareholders, or the emotionally stunted egocentrics of modern America who want everything to be safe and reassuring so they don’t have to pay $100 a month for antidepressants that don’t do anything rather than face the reality of how shitty everything is now. It’s the polar opposite of its predecessor. I hate it. If you have any self-respect not just as a viewer but as a human being, you should hate it too. If you do, Adult Swim’s execs might take a minute from counting their ever-dwindling stacks of money to consider funding animated projects that aren’t irredeemably bad.

tl;dr: it sucks. I saved you 23 minutes of your lives

Maou Gakuin no Futekigousha: Shijou Saikyou no Maou no Shiso, Tensei shite Shison-tachi no Gakkou e Kayou II (Anime) add (All reviews)

Sep 24, 2023

Fertar

Recommended

A wonderful second season of Anous the Goat
Despite the amazing plot in the first four episodes, it returned to its brilliance in the final one. I would consider it one of the five best anime of the year.
The story returns with news about the son of the god "Avos Delhevia" who will defeat the demon king Anos, and the journey towards the past begins to search for the truth.
With excellent drawing and animation, excellent mystery, a wonderful introduction to the characters, and an excellent ending to the part.
I actually liked it a lot more than the first season. The show ended with episode 12, but ...

Mushoku Tensei II: Isekai Ittara Honki Dasu (Anime) add (All reviews)

Sep 24, 2023

RZTwo

Recommended

I usually I am very thorough when it comes to writing reviews. This time, however, it is needless to say:

POG Anime.

One of my most favourites so far. Would highly recommend. Story, characters, animation. It is all beautifully made and well-composed. From its start until now, as a series, it offers a very engaging and brilliantly written story, which is displayed with great attention to detail and pace. Some may speculate CAP in my words, but I stand with what I say. Fear not the reviews that misjudge this exquisite creation. We who think alike know very well the greatness of this story. Despite it being ...

Shiguang Dailiren II (Anime) add (All reviews)

Sep 24, 2023

MoonRiverNights

Recommended

How is this flying under the radar of so many people?!

This season is an excellent follow-up to the first, the OP is fantastic. It's so in-depth about what's happening in the season and full of symbolism that you can analyze for fun or further after watching more episodes. Finding all the little things once you figure out everything is just such a fulfilling feeling, I'm going to try and find the song and add it to my playlist cause it's so good. The ending is also well done, but not as good as the OP. Not sure if this is accurate but I think ...

Hirano to Kagiura (Anime) add (All reviews)

Sep 24, 2023

bootlegaristotle

Recommended

I've been a big fan of Sasaki and Miyano since pretty much the early chapters so when the Hirano and Kagiura manga was launched I was there. I was under the impression this anime was going to be a full movie rather than a few minutes of snippets between the two boys however I do think it is something worth watching.

Hirano is a character well known to us through the Sasaki and Miyano anime, since he isn't just Sasaki's close friend but also a loving upperclassman to Miyano. There are a few mentions of Kagiura in the SasaMiya anime, althought we don't actually see him ...

Manaria Friends (Anime) add (All reviews)

Sep 24, 2023

Justykanna

Mixed Feelings

Decided to pick up a quick series that plays out as a slice-of-life, even though it takes place in a bit of a different world. My understanding is that it's based in the world of Rage of Bahamut, a different series, but it's not related to it at all.

Story & Characters: Mysteria Friends is a quick, ten episode series that takes place in a magic academy, and focuses on two princesses from different kingdoms. Anne is very dedicated to her duties, but you can tell she'd rather have a bit of her own life. She's a bit of a prodigy in using ... magic and is clearly looked up to by her peers. She doesn't seem to have a wide circle of friends though, and sees her classmates as peers, rather than friends. That is, outside of Grea. She is born from a dragon and a human, which comes with its own complications as it is. Like Anne, she doesn't have a wide circle of friends, but find comfort in each other's company. Grea's physical attributes are quite exceptional, likely from being part dragon, but she's a gentle giant.

The story structure itself really isn't much of anything. Like I alluded to earlier, the story elements are very brief, and each episode seeks to make a quick problem and solution right away. Nothing's really fleshed out, and this series plays out as pretty shallow as a result. Each episode spans roughly fourteen minutes, though curiously, two to three minutes plays after the episodes credits. Those two to three minute segments never have anything to do with the episode it's contained within, and it makes it feel kind of misplaced and random. While the pacing of the episode is strong, those segments at the end stagger them a little bit.

Side characters are mostly non-existent, and that in itself isn't really a problem for a series of this nature. Owen is Anne's faithful servant, and he's mostly likable. He's never a distraction, though one of the episodes does hint that he can be a bit of a goofball. Still, episode two and ten kind of reflect his commitment to his duties and he was a strong inclusion. Hanna is the student class president and isn't really much of anything. As much as she's fine in the role, you don't really sense she's above anyone else in terms of anything, outside of maybe popularity. Miranda is one of the academy's teachers and she was a fine distraction in one of the episodes, as strange as she was. Lou, one of Anne's classmates, pops up every now and then, but she doesn't really add anything.

Still, Anne and Grea would be why you're watching Mysteria Friends. The multiple moments of anxiety when they are separate are very apparent, especially with Grea. They spend most of the series tackling some problem or anything, some of which are trivial, and while they come out ahead in most of them, it's not always fully fleshed out. For Girls Love watchers, hints of such seem pretty obvious here and there, but I believe the goal is on friendship here. Anne's playful characteristics is a perfect match for the shy and timid Grea and it's those opposite that reflect the series' best moments.

While getting to the end, the sense of direction isn't really there, so outside of episodes one, two and ten, three to nine could have been viewed in basically any order. That's unlikely why you're watching this series to begin with regardless. The ending is sweet and was probably the best place to leave our two characters. (Story: 5/10, Characters: 8/10)

Art: Cygames Pictures isn't really a studio that's everywhere in the anime world, but they do a pretty admirable job here. They have no real flaws that show up in some bigger names, so that in itself keeps them ahead of them at times, even if the ceiling is lower. (8/10)

Sound: Similarly, I have no real issues with the sound production here. Most of the OST is made up of piano tunes in the early going and some of the later tracks do get a little more exciting. Avery Smithhart (Grea) was the strongest of the crew, which comes off as a nice surprise, as I'm not familiar with her work outside of Scum's Wish, where she was mediocre, and O Maidens in Your Savage Season, where she was hilarious. Cat Thomas (Anne) is someone I'm back and forth on similarly, and I didn't love her work here. She had moments where her lines felt more "said" than acted, and I'm not sure it was the best fit. Adam Gibbs (Owen) and Hilary Haag (Lou) have been around forever, and are both predictably strong here. (8/10)

Overall: Mysteria Friends is a short series that shouldn't have strong expectations, due to the episodic length. It's still worth watching because Grea and Anne are great, and it's not a huge time commitment regardless. You can basically ignore all the side characters and still have a decent time. (7/10)

Hakushaku to Yousei Specials (Anime) add (All reviews)

Sep 24, 2023

Aqua-Phoenix

Not Recommended

Hakushaku to Yousei (Early and Fairy) Specials - a picture drama where the characters recite lines from Shakespeare poems. The poetic lines are recited using Old English terms like "thine" and "thee".
Imagine sitting through literature class deciphering the intricate meanings behind every line of Shakespeare's poems. A dictionary needs to be rested in the audience's hands that cracks the Old English terms into the modern day language. Even the subtitles and captions are written in Old English. It confused me greatly. There's no substantial plot. It's more of a poetry recital. I'm also not in the mood to crack each poetic line to decipher the ...

Dr. Stone (Anime) add (All reviews)

Sep 24, 2023

fatrabbits

Not Recommended

Preliminary (3/24 eps)

Without a shadow of a doubt the worst piece of media I've ever had the displeasure of watching. An incredible premise that contains so much potential, but doesn't fulfil even a sliver of it. Shallow in every sense. Posing as an intellectual anime, but its everything but. Obnoxious characters. Horrifically passed story where nothing happens, only to end on a cliff hanger making you want to watch the next episode, only for nothing to happen again. Every awful trope from shounen anime's rolled into one, without a single redeeming quality.

I watched 'Angels Egg' for the first time last night and the unique approach to all ...

FLCL: Grunge (Anime) add (All reviews)

Sep 24, 2023

Zeroconvoy

Recommended

While the animation of this show was at first questionable, I feel like FLCL Grunge did a great job just condensing what made FLCL great to watch. The Anime's one-day episode, broken into multiple points of view, gave us so much to look at. More world-building, more about normal life in this world.
There are moments when Grunge gave us these real down-to-earth mellow times that remind me of the calm and peaceful moments of the original, While at the same time still giving us, while not as good as the original, the action moments. Which for what they were, were just fun.
The show ...

Mushoku Tensei II: Isekai Ittara Honki Dasu (Anime) add (All reviews)

Sep 24, 2023

ANTITHE5IS

Not Recommended

Everything this anime was praised for in the first season–high production values, cinematic direction, extensive worldbuilding and engaging turning points–is now nonexistent as it hones in on all the things that made this a nauseatingly unpalatable work from the very beginning. The only thing that remains this season is what Mushoku Tensei has always been at its core: An unsosphicated and unprofessional generic power fantasy isekai with fetishistic eroticism as its defining characteristic.

Mushoku Tensei wants to have its cake and eat it by being a pensive fantasy epic about redemption with immersive worldbuilding whilst incorporating trashy seasonal ecchi power fantasy elements operating on hentai ... logic into its narrative. Instead, the former narrative style gets engulfed by the latter because the author can’t help himself and the end result is a sum lesser than the parts that reads like a degenerate fanfiction masquerading as a coming-of-age story. This disconnect plagued the first season and jeopardized any prospect of Mushoku Tensei being a serious story, but the second season thoroughly exposes this tonal and thematic mess as the failed assimilation of the two antithetical storytelling approaches that it is; this season only serving to expand the MC’s forced harem. To many Mushoku fans, the insufferably grating MC is part of what makes this isekai special. In actuality, there is no hint of self-awareness or meta commentary that this is a depiction of how an otaku at the lowest of the low who lusts after underage girls would act in a fantasy world. The show instead fully embraces it and Rudeus continuously shown to still have the mental age and awareness of a 34-year-old man from contemporary first-world Japan through various forms of dialogue, including being depicted in his real-world state with the Man God. without doing anything meaningful with it and letting him fully pursue his perversion. Moreover, it’s awfully convenient how the worldbuilding of this extremely derivative medieval fantasy setting is fine-tuned to the MC’s tastes (whilst pretending it’s vice-versa), such as the low age of consent, society’s liberal attitudes towards it, physically ageless lolis for him to lust over (e.g. Roxy), etc, etc. Getting killed by a truck was the best thing to happen to him because not only can he and does he finally act on his pent-up perversions with no repercussions, he also immediately jumps from the rock-bottom of the social hierarchy to high-value with no effort and self-improvement as well as being a natural prodigy for everyone to revolve around. Rudeus is such a skilled badass that even while depressed, the leader of an S-ranked Adventurer party mistakes his low energy as him hiding his power level from looking down on his peers and thus develops an inferiority-complex towards him. This is totally not a wish-fulfillment series. Redemption story this is not, and in line with the insipid conventions of modern isekai, au contraire is the normalization of escapism and the promotion of docility.

Straight off the bat, this arc is about the MC’s erectile dysfunction. The 34-year-old psyche inside a healthy teenager body is now impotent from the shame and trauma of his underage cousin leaving him after bedding her last season. There is no shame in the act of bedding his underage cousin itself and using that instead as an opportunity for the MC to grow, of course; which was instead celebrated due of everything I have already established about the type of series that this is. The new premise is farcical on multiple layers. It’s the start of a new story despite the one thus far being left unfinished, and the plot immediately degenerates into aimless, feeble meandering with lethargic pacing that reads more like the author’s escapist hentai fanfiction than ever before. It takes an inoperative veer from Rudeus having to escape an alien continent and reuniting his family into him breezing through a magic academy in laxity (as if one extremely derivative setting for this series wasn’t enough) and hoping he’ll somehow cure his impotence there. There is no defined act structure nor genuine narrative drive and momentum, and it feels like a tedious detour from the initial story. More importantly, however, is that this entire premise is made all the more laughable by the fact that it’s based on the dopey contrivance of Eris’ unrealistically stupidly written letter. The story here is not only nonsensical, unengaging, moves at the glacial speed and is tonally dissonant from pre-established plot-points, but its very foundation is faulty and it should’ve never existed. In fact, the erectile dysfunction arc is so bad and borders on filler that the manga skipped it entirely and reduced it to supplemental content. And the worst part about all this is the resolution of familiarity - operating on the aforementioned hentai logic and in any other story would read as cop-out if this entire arc wasn’t just an excuse to add another to the expansive harem.

As I said, this season only serves to expand the Rudeus' forced harem because that is the type of series Mushoku Tensei is first and foremost - a generic power fantasy harem with fantasy elements orbiting it. Otherwise the narrative wouldn’t have been so unfocused with nigh-inconsequential subplots. The author should’ve simply played to his strengths of writing a fantasy epic–as flawed as it already was–instead of trying to write character-driven introspectives, since he can’t write believable characters and character dynamics. Dialogues are extremely corny and all the characters seem to have IQs on the left end of the bell curve in order for the plot to progress based on unintelligent character decisions, accidental happenings, poor character drama alongside the usual plot conveniences as if the causality of this world flows to the tune of the power fantasy MC. A good example of this is the embarrassing feud between Rudeus and Sara, but there isn’t a more egregious one than the entire “will-they-won’t-they” plotline between Rudeus and Sylphiette which is excruciatingly self-aggrandized into seven episodes of non-happenings between an apparently dunce MC who (still) lacks any social cues and a love interest who apparently only now is discovering the basics of life; and so the finale can serve as a “reward” for the viewer because this anime knows exactly the type of people it caters to. The main cast is just exaggerated isomorphs of trite and vapid anime archetypes whilst most of the rest of them are one-notes who will typically be used for comic relief that stops being funny the second time the joke is made, such as Elinalise who's entire character revolves around sex and represents everything vulgar about this series. I thought Eris was the most annoying female in the series for her muscle-brained tsundere demeanor, but turns out Sylphiette and Elinalise are even worse. It seems as though every season there’s only one respectable character in the narrative. Last season this was Rujierd and this time it seems to be Ariel.

TL;DR: Mushoku Tensei takes a subgenre of anime culture that’s always been trashy and cringe, packages it in a fantasy epic, and the package starts leaking and creasing to the inside contents. Any sophistication or intelligence that the show suggested it might have in the first season is thrown out the window. Inconsistent and mediocre production values, bad compositing, lack of any directional finesse, awful and bloated storyboards, lethargic pacing, repulsive themes, good character designs with terrible character-writing with even worse character drama, extremely derivative world, infantile humour and atrocious dialogue.

Mushoku Tensei II: Isekai Ittara Honki Dasu (Anime) add (All reviews)

Sep 24, 2023

IzanaSolos

Recommended

There's only one way I can explain Season 2 of Mushoku Tensei. If season 1 was about the exposition and the battles, the the true essences of season 2, is love! Rudy endeavors to move beyond his former love, wrestles and stumbles with newfound affections, all in the pursuit of unraveling what love truly signifies to him. Ultimately, he discovers love at long last.

This season was an emotional roller coaster from start to finish. I was in awe by the character designs and their evolving personalities. Despite its fantasy scene, the characters exude a genuine humanity, flaws and all. The attention to detail in creating ... and describing situations is a standout aspect, making these seemingly otherworldly characters more relatable in comparison to other Iseakis. Objectively speaking, it excels in every aspect you'd say when seeing an A+ tier story, aside from its exceptional characters. The pacing, particularly in the initial episodes of season 1, where we witness the main character's infancy, maintains a steady and engaging flow. Although slow in some parts, it makes up for it.

One standout quality is how the story handles its morally questionable main character. The overarching theme of transformation and personal growth shines through, most notably in the protagonist's growing disdain for his former selfᅳa clear indication of significant change. The evolution feels natural, with occasional reminders of his origins and imperfections despite the substantial development he undergoes.

Moving into the latter part of the season, new characters like the endearing Fitz are introduced, and the interactions between Rudeus and Fitz are some of the most heartfelt moments in the series. Fitz's perspective resolves a previous concern about characters sounding too similar to Rudeus. Overall, the burgeoning relationship between characters is portrayed genuinely, with mutual affection blossoming.

This first cour surpassed my expectations. It elicited moments that genuinely took my breath away, perhaps due to my heightened empathy at the time. I already believed it couldn't get any better, fearing an inevitable downturn, but I hope the story won't veer into overly grim territory. I prefer my slice-of-life romance with intermittent plot development, and this series strikes that balance perfectly. The writing style and the character's thought process align precisely with what I desireᅳnot overly explicit, not excessively sanitized, not overly naive, yet not omniscient either. I am genuinely content at this moment.

All in all, Mushoku Tensei remains a must-watch for of connoisseurs of the isekai genre. Considering its enduring popularity even seven years after the light novel's initial release, it's hard to envision it losing its appeal. To those uncertain about the series, trust in your own judgment. Your viewpoint is entirely valid. While I may not see flaws in Mushoku Tensei, I respect those who do, and I hope for reciprocal understanding. It's a divisive series, but one infused with love and passion, and that's what makes it a masterpiece.

Maou Gakuin no Futekigousha: Shijou Saikyou no Maou no Shiso, Tensei shite Shison-tachi no Gakkou e Kayou II (Anime) add (All reviews)

Sep 24, 2023

psykochomp

Not Recommended

Preliminary (3/12 eps)

Story: Plot so dogshit my brain cells committed seppuku. Actual brain rot.

Animation: Powerpoint.

Characters: chat Gpt has more soul than these characters.

Music: meh.

Enjoyment: enjoyed watching paint dry more than this shit.

Conclusion: why would anyone wanna watch this horseshit dogwater waste of human effort. you got this beautiful medium giving u creative freedom to make anything in your mind come to life and u make this big pile of stinky smelly shit. I swear if i was the one to make this shit, it would haunt me for the rest of my life. Miyazaki said anime was a mistake but this shit is a fucking disaster. ...

Eiyuu Kyoushitsu (Anime) add (All reviews)

Sep 24, 2023

RZTwo

Recommended

Preliminary (3/12 eps)

I believe this show is quite decent. I really enjoy the art style and the way the characters, scenery, and story is displayed. I would highly recommend expanding the story some more, considering that it is quite fast paced. Rather than having each episode present an intro-problem-solution style to something new, perhaps extending each topic's background, as well as adding a more detailed approach from the characters will improve the show substantially. Specifically, the viewers would get a deeper, more appealing understanding of each situation's background, and also enjoy its detailed storytelling of how the characters approached its solution. Now, I will not reject adding ...

Mushoku Tensei II: Isekai Ittara Honki Dasu (Anime) add (All reviews)

Sep 24, 2023

Stark700

Recommended

There are countless words that can describe the Mushoku Tensei franchise. But perhaps 'controversial' is one of the more fitting ways as Mushoku Tensei has some rather mature themes compared to other modern animated isekai. This isn't breaking news because for fans and the returning audience, this series has been known to take risks. At the center of that is Rudeus, a young man who is self-conscious with a complex moral compass. With a set of 13 episodes, this season is no short of controversy yet is also a colorful addition to its franchise.

First of all, I want to just throw this in and say ... that you must accept Rudeus' presence in this show whether you absolutely despise him for his personality, actions, or his morals. He's in every episode and we follow his journey across the Mushoku Tensei world from harsh outdoor landscapes to an advanced magical academy. Being the protagonist, Rudeus can draw in some negative attention for his inner narratives and high libido. While he has matured since the first season, it seems the past has affected him greatly especially since Eris left him after they did the deed. When watching the first few episodes, we see that Rudeus lost part of his mojo and charisma. He's not as carefree and seemingly has no real goal ahead of him. Sure, he has the idea of finding Zenith in his mind but having being abandoned by Eris truly affected his mental state. It is not until he joins the Counter Arrow party where he finds his place and slowly, his mental state improves. Throughout those moments, we see how Rudeus bonds with their members, gradually evolving from an outside stranger to a trusted friend. The most prominent relationship among them is Rudeus and Sara, the latter having a similar personality comparable to Eris. The season teases their relationship and attempts to take it to the next level but all this was more of facade. Nonetheless, Rudeus realizes that he is his own enemy and strives to improve himself as a person.

The University Arc in the second half of the show feels like a restart for Rudeus. It was his chance to become a better person by learning magic, making new friends, and moving on from the past. It's also there when he meets the mysterious Fitts who holds some secrets of their own. Reuniting with Zanoba also bought a feeling of nostalgia and he begins to see the world in a better light. The more episodes this season aired, the more we see how some characters have fragile personalities. In particular, Fitts' real identity is very obvious to the audience but she struggles to find the courage to reveal herself to Rudeus. It is until much later that she realizes her true feelings. Nonetheless, feelings are somewhat a bit ambigiously delivered in this show. One particular instance felt rushed such as Elinalise when she "falls" for Cliff with almost no buildup or development. Establishing characters in this anime should be the most basic norm yet some are just thrown into our face. On the other hand, the anime does take care at building Rudeu's character into a more likable protagonist. He still has some of traits from the older days but in this season, he's matured into a better person fitting of his age and personality.

Now, you may be asking yourself if Mushoku Tensei is trying to get across some sort of message to us. Is it trying to make us like Rudeus as a character more? The better question to ask instead is whether you should enjoy this season for the content it prepared. At a fundamental level, the season does improve in almost every aspect in terms of storytelling compared to the previous. The first few episodes wanted us to experience what a character is like after being abandoned. Rudeus' response to being abandoned by Eris is actually very normal and relatable. Furthermore, the anime had to take a deeper dive into his character for redemption. They didn't want to assassinate Rudeus' personality but at the same time, they wanted us to experience what he's been through. Quite frankly, they were able to protray his character in the most human possible, or at least someone of his age. Given Rudeus' background origins, he felt even more lonely and vulnerable to being abandoned. It is not until he discovers more meaning in life and hope that he gets back on his feet.

Similar to the previous season, Mushoku Tensei retains its witty dialogue usage and character expressions. Rudeus is less expressive compared before but the anime doesn't shy on showing his emotions when given the chance. This is most evident when he's paired with a female characters. I won't get too much into the controversial content but let's say that Rudeus is still a healthy boy who isn't shy about trying to have sex. To keep it less rated R this season, there's no explicit scenes and for character reasons too. Think about it, Mushoku Tensei had suggestive content since day one so none of them should really be a surprise.

They say controversy create cash and that's no further from the truth when it's about this franchise. The second season may be less explicit but that doesn't mean it's absent of mature material. However, I would say this season is an improvement compared to the previous for it managed to get us invested into Rudeus' human journey, a journey that he endures about discovering himself and being able to realize his purpose again in life. Let's just hope the next season builds on this even more.

Mushoku Tensei II: Isekai Ittara Honki Dasu (Anime) add (All reviews)

Sep 24, 2023

VersaceEroge

Not Recommended

This show didn't teach me anything about how to interact with girls, but it has shown me the power and strength when bros to overcome hardship:

Your bros have a remarkable capacity to overcome tough times together, forging an unbreakable bond through shared experiences and unwavering support. When challenges arise, whether it's personal struggles, setbacks, or unexpected crises, friends often become each other's pillars of strength. They lend a compassionate ear to listen, a shoulder to lean on, and a hand to help navigate the stormy waters. In these moments, bros not only provide emotional solace but also offer fresh perspectives and solutions, enhancing each other's ...

Mushoku Tensei II: Isekai Ittara Honki Dasu (Anime) add (All reviews)

Sep 24, 2023

ZeroMajor12

Recommended

As time passed, I felt empty as one of my favorite shows of 2021 ended its run with a bittersweet ending, yet I couldn't help but want more of Mushoku Tensei. Well, everything changed when the Bind nation announced an actual trailer for the 2nd season of Mushoku Tensei, coming with 2 cours. As the 1st cour has come to an end, I have nothing to say other than the feeling of satisfaction and happiness not a lot of shows can manage to evoke that same feeling. This 2nd season has come again to refill the dark void in my soul once again.

Unlike the 1st ... season which was filled with twists and surprises where Rudeus is thrown into a situation, let it be disturbing, challenging, annoying, or even sometimes amusing to watch, the 2nd season starts off subtly (or easy to say, pretty slow), not with Rudy magically knowing what to do or has a lofty goal to pursue after the end of Season 1. The character is lost, left with no purpose, and easily described, as just a dead man walking, waiting for change. This not only is in effect for the plot, but the comedy, drama, and ecchi have been a lot less obvious and more subtle. There are still moments of ecchi that happen here and there throughout this course. Still, even then, it's usually either censored or less visibly shown unlike the previous season's ridiculous amount of fanservice that were present in here. I'm not promising the anime has less fanservice, if you were already grossed out by it in the 1st season, you won't like this one either.

If there was a demerit this season had, the production value has seen itself a downgrade from its previous season. This means characters are less expressive and don't move much with the exception of its action sequences, which only last long enough to fuel dramatic tension. There are still moments of incredible animation, but not enough to make any action memorable that happened in this season. However, even with the downgrade, we still have characters that receive development and get meaningful moments without being forced or convoluted.

The divided attention between support and pure hatred for Rudeus continues to this day, thanks to the inner dark voice lying deep inside his head. I mean, it's hard to empathize with a man in a growing body to have such lewd thoughts, but the story, at the end of the day, has always been Rudeus' redemption for becoming a better person. We've seen countless proofs of how he's a disgusting human with excruciatingly low self-esteem and confidence, but even then, he still has the conscience to know he needs to be better, even if he's chasing the most stupid goals. And he still acts on it to improve himself, even if he needs others to back him up.

One thing that has remained consistent throughout the series has been the characters, even for characters you never see in this season, you still get mentions or see some implication of other characters (or love interests), it showcases the impacts these characters have on the narrative. The dialogues along with Rudeus' darker monologues to back with his choice of words have always been my favorite part of Mushoku Tensei. I realize how its well-written characters make a story good along with incredible voice acting from the cast. It may not have the brilliant visuals or fantastic fighting sequences to be gazed upon, but it still proves to be a good sequel for my favorite anime.

Thank you for reading.

Mushoku Tensei II: Isekai Ittara Honki Dasu (Anime) add (All reviews)

Sep 24, 2023

Mcsuper

Recommended

Ah, Mushoku Tensei, an isekai widely regarded as one of the best of all time, but as things get critical acclaim, it gets a whole lot of clashing discourse. This season was the subject of a lot of argument around the anime community, and while that was a little upsetting to see, I’m glad many people continued to talk about this wonderful isekai series, even though it was clear that the first cour of Season 2 was not nearly as good as Season 1.

Whether it’s positive or negative, Mushoku Tensei makes you care about what you’re watching, it has a morally grey protagonist, who ... attempts to take steps forward to improve himself, and that’s what I enjoy watching. I don’t like Rudeus’ personality, but that’s the point, as while I don’t like a lot of his actions, I do like how he’s written. I don’t want to see another overpowered protagonist with no personality to show for, I also don’t want to see a goody-two-shoes protagonist that’s all for world peace, because let’s face it, the world has its darkness no matter what we do, and a character with a “perfect” personality is just plain boring. Furthermore, the world-building continues to be stellar, as unlike a good chunk of isekai, it’s actually rather interesting seeing the vast world and its different settings, like the university.

This season was a very enjoyable one, but it did have a rough start, as it rushed through the first arc, skipping a lot of context from the light novel. I’m not a reader myself, but it was clear that it wasn’t really up to snuff, at least compared to how well S1 was adapted. The events in the first arc, with Rudeus being depressed after the departure of Eris, while you kind of feel for the guy perhaps, some of the moments with him and other characters just rubbed me the wrong way. There was just too much of a focus on the perverse nature of Rudeus’ character, and while it was present as well in the rest of the cour, it felt more interesting there. The second part of the season in Ranoa University was a much more intriguing and engaging part of the story, as it mixed together big reveals around Rudeus’ past, along with some light hearted moments as well, which I feel the first arc lacked. We also got to see the return of a character I have missed dearly, and if you have watched Episode 0 with The Silent Fitz, then you know exactly who I’m talking about.

From a production standpoint, it was abundantly clear that this was a step down in terms of animation quality, and it could be due to a rushed production, or a lack of resources from Studio Bind. That said, the quality did improve, especially with the background shots still being relatively solid. It just didn’t have that majestic, detailed look that Season 1 had. Maybe you could say that Season 1’s production was something truly miraculous, truly special, compared to what we got here. The soundtrack was still solid, and both the OP and ED were great, though I did miss the openings playing in the background, as those felt more unique, and gave the series its special identity.

This series has a very rich cast of characters as well, and I mentioned Rudeus already, but I’ll elaborate and say that he’s still the weirdo from before, but there is significant character development to be seen, and some of the actions he takes are pretty thought-provoking, whether it’s because of his ED, or because of his PTSD from previous tragedies from Season 1. The series calls back on those past events very effectively, whereas a lot of other series may have just thrown those events of the past to the wayside, never looking back. Fitz was another very great character, and it was interesting how we all knew who Fitz’s identity truly was, but we were just waiting for Rudeus to figure it out. The pay-off from that was very worth it, and the process was honestly awesome, as we got to see thoughts from both of their perspectives, which led to some good recurring jokes. Every character in this anime has a level of depth to them, whether they’re a main character or side character, which is kind of rare to see in media these days, so props to the author for utilizing every character to their fullest potential.

Overall, this cour, while somewhat controversial, was a wonderful ride, and powered through its hiccups in the beginning, to still reaching great heights in the end. Despite a decline in animation quality compared to the previous season, I still enjoyed it a lot, which is a testament to the quality of the story at hand here, and there is surely much more to come, with the second cour in April 2024, and whatever lies beyond that.

Mushoku Tensei II: Isekai Ittara Honki Dasu (Anime) add (All reviews)

Sep 24, 2023

nashyyyyyyy

Mixed Feelings

This very well might be the most controversial anime of the last few years. I want to make one thing clear though. Mushoku Tensei is an anime and Light Novel, NOT a political statement. Are the controversial aspects of MT cause for concern and gaping holes in the consistency of the show? Depends on how you look at it. But it isn't fair to the series if it is judged based on today's standards as it is clearly in some medieval/fantasy world.

Mushoku Tensei season two can be separated into two arcs essentially, the post-Eris adventuring arc and then the Ronoa school of magic arc. ... The first arc is standard Mushoku Tensei, business as usual. Rudy, being the stud that he is, goes adventuring solo, finds a group of people, and does his thing. Obviously, I don't want to spoil things but then he finds himself at a school. Here, the style changes, there is less action and an increased emphasis on humor, more than what was typically present in episodes past. There is also a large romance element at play as well. Towards the end of the season, there are some major plot developments that keep viewers guessing. Sound, animation, and voice acting are all TOP NOTCH, I need not say anything further, the production team absolutely killed it yet again.

Now on to my criticisms, first off is the story. I know that Mushoku Tensei is an adventuring story but there is no real tension in the series, there really isn't any end goal. This is a major issue because it just saps a lot of the tension and excitement from the series. I guess it is fun to watch Rudy and his friends/lovers run about and have fun but there is no goal for Rudy, which is made evidently clear at one point later in this season. We get almost nothing about Hitogami and Orsted in this season which is yet another bummer. Rudy is also stupid overpowered so we know he's probably not going to die as he is eons more powerful than anybody and everybody on campus.

The main purpose and moral that Mushoku Tensei is trying to push is that Rudeus, having been reincarnated into this world, has turned over a new leaf and actually wants to work to improve himself unlike in his previous life as a shut-in. Here's where the controversies of MT finally become a cause for concern. Rudy is SUPPOSEDLY trying to fix himself but almost everything he does is contradictory to that very goal whether that is worshipping literal panties or groping random girl's breasts, it just hurts to see no sign of improvement in a character that I try to support and defend. In the first cour or two, yeah, I can understand some lapses in judgment but in season two we don't get any of those inner character shifts where he strives to become better. Moments like Paul's reunion and Rudy's bond with Eris were very beautiful parts of the first and second cour but it seems like most of these moments are just gone in season two. Remember how I said that Rudy has no end goal? Let me tie that back here because, in season two, the world just feels like Rudy's playground. The inspiring story of the shut-in on his way to start fresh in another world is paused so that he can let his degenerate fantasies of old run free with his newfound power in his new world. That sentence alone encapsulates what goes wrong with Mushoku Tensei season two. If you love Mushoku Tensei, you'll most likely love this. If you were skeptical about the first and/or second cour. You might want to steer clear of season two. Final Score: 7/10

Mushoku Tensei II: Isekai Ittara Honki Dasu (Anime) add (All reviews)

Sep 24, 2023

Marinate1016

Recommended

Studio Bind continue to show the world what a masterclass in adaptation looks like. Monologue omissions and minor detail changes aside, Mushoku Tensei Season 2 captures the spirit of the Light Novel in a way that few other anime adaptations have, and shines brightly as a paradigm of fantasy writing.

This season really exemplifies why me and so many others love Mushoku Tensei. The richness of the world, Rudeus’ character development, and how real all the characters feel is on full display. Thanks to Bind’s beautiful direction, you really get a sense that you’re right there in the world with Rudeus. Growing and learning alongside him. ...

The main theme of this season is accepting loss and moving forward. Following last season’s finale, Rudeus is a broken husk of himself. Literally at rock bottom and with no one to turn to. In both of his lives, he’s had a massive fear of abandonment, so when the only family he’s got in this new world is taken away from him, he has two options. Give up and fall into despair like his previous life, or move forward. Rudeus, after getting some external help chooses to move forward and not waste the second chance at life he’s been given.

The audience is able to see a character go from his darkest moment to better than ever. This evolution doesn’t feel forced or cheap. It’s not given. It’s earned. Rudeus puts in the hard work, opens his heart up and makes connections with people, realising that while painful, life is still worth living. I can’t emphasise enough how big this is for a guy who spent the better part of 20 years shut-in in his house. The emotional impact of the biggest moments in this season can’t be overstated. Few shows can illicit goosebumps from episodes filled with pure dialogue. Mushoku is one of them.

Many will criticise Rudeus’ behaviour without consideration for the established reasons he acts the way he does. Without going too deep into a character analysis of Rudeus for the sake of this review, suffice to say he is a broken man. Someone who has had horrific experiences in both his original life and reincarnated life. While physically an adult in his past life, he was still a child mentally. That is, until this season. While he’s not a stand up guy yet, he’s made serious strides in this season to improve as a character and it’s a satisfying journey. By the episode finale, I walked away with a feeling that our MC had become a man.

Yes, he’s still got his cringe moments and he’s constantly down bad. But what draws us to this series is how flawed Rudeus is. I don’t want a perfect archetype of a main character. I want someone that I can empathise and relate to. We all have our character traits we’d like to change and seeing someone overcome obstacles and gradually change theirs allows us to strive to be something greater. That’s what fiction should be and that’s what Mushoku Tensei shows.

As with any Light Novel adaptation, there’s some cut and changed content in the anime. Of course, Studio Bind being created purely to make MT mitigates some of that, but you still have the occasional changed or omitted scene. Regardless, I’m very content with the end result we got as a LN reader. The spirit of the story was preserved and even enhanced in some key moments. The fears about the animation and pacing were totally unfounded as it ended up being just as good if not better than the first season.

There’s not as much action in this season as it serves as an emotional and developmental turning point compared to season 1 part 2s physical and combat development theme. But when it’s needed, Bind bring the sakuga like no one else. Episode 1, 3, 8 and a couple others have some Gorgeous animation that will knock your socks off.

There’s no shortage of praise that can be heaped onto Mushoku Tensei season 2, but the crux of it is that it expertly expands upon the previously introduced lore, world and story. Rudeus grows up in front of our very eyes and the emotional beats are excellent. An emotional and profound tale of grief, acceptance and growth. Mushoku Tensei is the gold standard of Fantasy Anime and a must watch for any fan of the medium.

Masamune-kun no Revenge R (Anime) add (All reviews)

Sep 24, 2023

Remjy

Not Recommended

Preliminary (3/12 eps)

Awful, the biggest problem is that the Art style changed, it feels more like those Chinese anime or those Korean anime.

I really hate how different the sequel looks and feels compared to the prequel, it doesn't feel like I'm watching (Masamune-Kun no Revenge), more like watching a Chinese anime despite it being the literal sequel, I was completely lost in the first episode, but I think that's because it has been quite some time since I watched the prequel back in 2017.

I gave up on this on the third episode, I was very disappointed that I couldn't even bring myself to endure watching despite being ...

Mushoku Tensei II: Isekai Ittara Honki Dasu (Anime) add (All reviews)

Sep 24, 2023

Lucianael

Recommended

[So, a quick disclaimer, I like this show, so if you think that because of that my opinion is invalid, kindly piss off]

If you don’t care about the controversy and are only interested in my simple opinion on the second season alone, you can skip all the way down to THE SIMPLE REVIEW. However, if you do that and still feel like attacking me for some reason, please read the following text first, maybe that already answers your question(s).

It is rare that you find a show to be the center of as much debate as Mushoku Tensei. No, that wouldn’t be right, you can hardly ... call monkeys flinging sh*t at each other a debate. There are negative aspects that I think are well worth being criticized. But for some reason everyone got so stuck on an overall pretty simple to discuss “flaw”, that they either failed to accept that this show is indeed able to tell a compelling story or were so taken over by that single thing that they can’t even begin to see anything but that.
Look, I am going to make this as simple as possible. If you don’t like this show, that is completely normal, it practically tries to make you hate its main character in an openly disgusting way, and if that puts you off, that is okay. It isn’t just me saying this, I have never even once heard a fan of this show claim that you have to like it or anything. What really gets me though, are those people that think, that because I watch this show, I am a pedophile or whatever. There are so many things that you can watch this show for, but not once have I actually met someone that deliberately decided to watch this show entirely because the Protagonist is a groomer.

With that out of the way, we can firstly get to the necessary stuff before finally getting to the interesting bit of reviewing season two in the context of the overall narrative.
Do you notice how insane that last sentence sounds? You made me do that, so please, just chill the f*ck out when someone just doesn’t like the same things you do.

The necessary stuff: This should be obvious, if you don’t get this, maybe start reading the subtitles. Rudeus is meant to be as disgusting as he is. I have argued with so many people that just didn’t get that this is intentional. And I am not saying that the “fan service” is intentional, that would be the case with pretty much every Ecchi-Anime, what I am saying is, that it is intentional, that the fan service is uncomfortable and that Rudeus is a weirdo. He is not meant to be a good guy. These are not the depraved fantasies of the author. If you think that something that Rudeus does is detestable, then you are right, because it is not meant to be the right thing. Are you going to call out Attack on Titan for “advocating” genocide? If your answer to that question is yes, please seek help, but if your answer is as expected a clear no, then I have to ask you what your problem with Mushoku is? Well….

The Problem with Mushoku: You remember how I said that there are negative aspects that are well worth being criticized? Well, here we go: Mushoku Tensei has fan service… Yes. That is what we are attacking the show for. Fan service isn’t a new thing, the issue is that the characters that are being sexualized are children and yes, that very much is an issue. I don’t really care, because it is filtered through the perspective of Rudeus and really not as bad as what people make it sound like (Have you seen like any trigger show). BUT, and I must say, that’s a pretty big BUT, you can be offended by that, and if you are, I am not going to judge you for walking away from the show. Hell, I would even defend you, if that was your opinion. It only becomes a problem, when you start blaming the show for not being something you like. This is especially an issue for Mushoku, because it already had it hard to even be taken seriously, that is how much the recent history of Isekai has squandered its appeal. I know that I am repeating myself, but I am going to say it once again, if this show isn’t your thing, nobody is going to attack you for that. The problem here is that habit of needing to justify your opinion, no matter how miniscule it is. I am not going to call you a racist if you don’t wanna date a person with a different skin color, this only becomes an issue if you start saying that this is an objective problem, because, listen up buddy, it is not. There are objective flaws that can turn you away from a story, but this is not one of them. You wouldn’t call out Breaking Bad because you find it morally wrong that they are dealing with meth, right?

Okay, I think we are finally done with this. If you felt like all of that was unnecessary, you clearly have never had an argument with a certain clown whose name I am not going to mention, simply because they don’t deserve it. Either way, after all that, I can finally give my simple thoughts on Mushoku Tenseis second season, without having all that on the back of my mind.

THE SIMPLE REVIEW:

New setting, new characters, new everything. Is it all as good as season one? Probably not, but it is really quite impressive how diverse this show is in its setting and tone.

Speaking of tone, we have a small step-down in atmosphere and world building. Season two quits the opening format of the first season after three episodes and replaces it with a simple anime opening. To make this clear, the opening is a banger and is amazing when compared to other anime, but then again, this show was exceptional from the start. In short, I miss the old openings, but the new one slaps. I also feel like there is a small step-down when it comes to the overall production value of the show, but it is more so a step-down from season 1 part 2. If season 2 part 2 is going to be awesome again, is something we will have to see, but this is still on the incredibly high production standard of season 1s first part.

Now, the story, this is going to be a bit difficult. The story is incredibly character rich, but it feels a bit directionless after the first three episodes. A lot of the stuff that seems like filler might just be set up for later seasons, either way, I feel like they could have done a better job moving the overall narrative. As it stands right now, season 2 feels incredibly disconnected from what came before it. There are a lot of plot threads that got picked up again and some were even wrapped together, but the mayor stuff has been entirely sidelined. Primarily, the Dead-End party has been entirely removed from the cast for this season and his been replaced with a similarly colorful but, overall, just shallow cast of students. Look, I like most of these guys, well, I would probably hate them if I ever met them, but they are a lot of fun to watch, a bit like Power really. And with that, we get to the big problem. If you don’t like these characters and especially are not interested in the redemption of Rudeus, this season is not only going to not change that, but it will probably bore you to death. This is why I must emphasize that I like this show, a lot actually, but it only really works if you have been immersed throughout the first season to such a degree that you want to see this tale be told.

A great season, but not one that stands out, that is what I am going to call it. I love it, but I am just some guy on the internet, so if you don’t, I’m okay with that. I have heard some crazy things about part 2 and I hope that I can be back in half a year to take every bit of criticism back, because this show truly deservers all the praise it is getting, even if it is fundamentally flawed.

Kaminaki Sekai no Kamisama Katsudou (Anime) add (All reviews)

Sep 24, 2023

baxa

Recommended

"KamiKatsu: Working for God in a Godless World"

Genre- Action, Comedy, Fantasy, Isekai, Seinen, Parody.

What are the dangers of a cult? Is it the unyielding faith that you must have in an idol? Is it the things that you do for the group? Or is it the future that follows you after you join a cult? While each is deviant in its way, they are nothing compared to the daily torture you endure once you are forced into a cult by friends, subordinates, or even family!

Yukito's past life ended when his father drowned him in the name of winning favors for his child from the goddess ...

Mushoku Tensei II: Isekai Ittara Honki Dasu (Anime) add (All reviews)

Sep 24, 2023

TheRealist68

Recommended

Funny

Imagine this scenario. You get home after a long day of work and doordash some orange chicken from your local Chinese restaurant. When you receive your food, you realize that your little to-go container doesn’t have orange chicken in it; hell, it doesn’t even have Chinese food in it. You stare down 3 tacos, chips and queso, and a fucking canned horchata from a Mexican restaurant you’ve never heard of. You have more questions than answers, especially since both restaurants can’t do anything about it and Doordash is offering you an insulting 6.90 in credit off of your 25-dollar meal as a pittance. With no ...

Eiyuu Kyoushitsu (Anime) add (All reviews)

Sep 24, 2023

Ionliosite2

Recommended

If you told me that this season I would find 2 series which are basically shows that look like they were written in 2015 and that I would have them as some of my favourites shows in 2023, then I wouldn't believe you, but here we are, and while I had no plans on writting a review about Temple because I can barely think of what to say besides that "it was a very fun show", on the other hand there is Eiyuu Kyoushitsu. I'm not surprised by people being very negative about it, after all, it is basically one of those magic school harem ... series that were the trend before isekais came around, and while watching the first episode I immediatly thought "this looks like it was written in 2015" and I was (not really) surprised to see it was, in fact, a light novel from 2015. But what exactly made me like Eiyuu Kyoushitsu? Well, because unike most of the light novels from those times, this one was actually fun to watch.

The protagonist Blade gets to the school and asks some people to be his friends, because his goal is to have many friends, and the reason is because he was a hero that couldn’t live like an ordinary person at all so he wants to try it now that he doesn’t have those duties, but he is terrible acting normal because he has never experienced such thing, and that’s basically what the show goes about. Since this is a light novel, the format on which it works on is that a different girl has the spotlight for the adaptation of a volumen, and the very first moment we get to the school we see a speedrun of the tsundered redhead with fire powers with Earnest, the thing with her is that while her fire powers make her strong, they come from a sword with a demon inside which she couldn’t control and her hair became red because of it, over time she starts acting less tsundere-ish once the thing with her sword is solved, as the show basically deals with the kind of stuff you would see in these magic school series adding just some minor stuff. As per usual, there are a lot of female characters since, to no one’s surprise, this is also a harem series, girls like Sophie (whom I like to call a Rei Ayanami clone) or Maria (who is the daughter of the demon King Blade defeated in the past) and even a dragon loli are in here, and while their characters aren’t complex they can be fun to watch. I was even surprised when the minor characters that I thought wouldn’t matter at all, the ones that Blade first contacted in the school, actually reappeared across the series multiple times helping Blade on whatever he was doing and had some moments for themselves, even if some of them were as simple as being interested in a girl and wanting to do whatever to get her.

I know this is going for the anime director because there's no way this kind of stuff is working into a written medium this easily, specially because many of them require visual cues, there are a lot of jokes that are references to different series and that is incorporated into the humour. There is some classic stuff like Shaft-like headtilts and Shokugeki no Soma's foodgasms, but the first time I was pleasantly surprised with these references is when I saw fricking Galeon from GaoGaiGar (a 90s show most people outside Japan don't even know) spouting water from its mouth in a mixed bathing to the point it was even recognized by that series' writer Yuuichirou Takeda in a Tweet, in another episode there is someone screaming "STAND ALONE COMPLEX" to name her plan of getting a soul into an android, and others that were easily recognizable like recreating the "Congratulations!" from Evangelion and the final scene of Ashita no Joe, this series has unironically better taste in anime than most anime fans I have seen.

Aside from references to other series the comedy itself is solid, as while some scenes definitely look more exagerated than they should be, some others hit me just right. This is the kind of series that can change from having a big fight with a huge monster to a very heartwarming moment celebrating someone's birthday where he is happy for being born, basically think about what Spy x Family does but actually good, it just has this very nice atmosphere all around. Take for example this scene where the MC and the Rei Ayanami Clone decide to go on a date and, since both most definitely don't know how to have one since they are utterly unaware of how normal humans act, they proceed to have one of the most autistic dates I have seen in an anime, and I loved that shit, and by the end of the episode, where Sophie tells Blade her backstory, it ends in a more heartwarming note.

However, this suffers from the same thing these adaptations used to suffer, obvious censorship in fanservice and bad animation. I mean, the animation in this series doesn't look good at all, it is barely animated at times and the characters aside from the main cast look like main characters from Boku no Hero Academia. And the censorship is obvious, the girls are literal barbie dolls, while I like the fact they aren't feigning they have nipples by hinding it under impossibly glued hair covering the breasts, it still looks kinda weird, and in other scenes like the mixed bathing? Would you really guess this series actually makes the girls wear bikinis instead of making them go naked? I don't know about the novel or even about the manga, but I'm sure you bathe naked.

Eiyuu Kyoushitsu is actually something I had my doubts at the beggining, I mean, how I could not with magic school harems? They have been dissapointing me a long time, but after watching it for some weeks, it became one of my favourites shows of this season, being very fun despite its obvious flaws in production.

Thank you for reading.

Mushoku Tensei II: Isekai Ittara Honki Dasu (Anime) add (All reviews)

Sep 24, 2023

rrakku

Mixed Feelings

If you were given a second chance at life, would you take it? For the 34-year-old NEET we know as Rudeus Greyrat, the answer couldn't be more of a resounding yes. However, his new life in a brand new world, as all lives go, is far from perfect. After a triumphant journey around the world and back, he realises that everything about his hometown has changed. His home turned to dust; gleaming golden-brown wheat farms became swathes of barren wasteland; smiles on villagers' faces all wiped away; and adding onto that his companions Eris and Ruijerd leaving his side, Rudeus starts his journey to the ... north of Central Continent dejected as ever.

There is no denying that Mushoku Tensei II lacks the sense of grandeur its predecessors proudly exude, but to accuse it of being inferior would be unfair. The slow start is the perfect continuation for the sombre wake–up call that is season one's ending, it further punches down on Rudeus when he was at his lowest, reinforcing the message that there's no such thing as a life all smooth sailing. The arc immediately following is a timely reminder that the world doesn't revolve around Rudeus: his reunion with Zanoba and Cliff shows us the adventures he had embarked on are not isolated incidents and could carry unintended after-effects; while Sylphiette and Nanahoshi are symbols of that fact that lives lived outside Rudeus' view could be equally as eventful as his own. The stark narrative shift this season from exploration to character drama is no doubt less spectacular, but it puts much needed emphasis on the mundanity and gloom of reality instead of the wonders of an isekai. The result is a grounded tone that creates a sense of authenticity for Mushoku Tensei's world that little isekais could replicate.

Needless to say, the way in which Mushoku Tensei utilises its cast of characters to construct its plot and themes are terrific. However, what really differentiates it from the others is the attention to detail that Rifujin na Magonote pays when crafting its imposing and consistent worldview. The two-cour long exploration in the previous season had left many loose ends to pick up from, and this sequel chose the best ones to follow up on. Roxy's alma mater Ranoa Magic University, teased since the start of the series, is now the stage where the story plays out on. The Eris family drama that Rudeus had deliberately avoided makes an unexpected return through Slyphiette's companions. The unsolved mysteries of Turning Point 1 and 2, overshadowed by their horror and shock value, are radically recontextualised with the reappearance of Nanahoshi. Remembering to call back to a few instances of foreshadowing is light work, I'd argue it's even essential for fantasy epics like this, but it is their interwovenness combined with the seamlessness of how they are shifted from the background into the front stage that makes it so impressive.

And yet, even though the story is so beautiful, this sequel is one of the most disappointing in recent memory. Whether the drop in quality is due to the staff member changes or time constraints is a discussion that I'm not going to delve into. For all that matters, Mushoku Tensei II's production value is far inferior to its predecessor. Characters' faces are often disfigured; the failure to do proper scene changes renders many moments difficult to follow; sakuga is few and far between. These issues are especially prominent in the first arc, and I suspect it's because of the time spent at the attempts at creating the unique-to-each-episode 90 second opening animations.

It is, therefore, such a shame that the new team didn't seem to understand what makes those sequences great in the first place. In season one, they captured the splendour of the landscapes without compromising on the runtime, or delivered on concise exposition without slowing down the pacing to a snail's pace. This often means expanding on the original source material in order to make good use of the advantages of the change in medium (visual storytelling and the concurrence of the image and audio). In contrast, the animation that accompanies the openings of the Counter Arrow arc takes little liberty in diverging from the light novels, and makes no effort in carefully selecting which segments to include. Episode one's internal monologue paired with a flashback was Mushoku Tensei II's best take on the concept, but the opening could have been moved to the start for a view of the northern lands, then pair the ending song with Rudeus' monologue. Episode two's snow clearing scene could have easily been skipped and instead feature more details of the dungeon they were exploring that episode. Episode three's date with Sara put too much focus on the inconsequential actions of the two and missed the opportunity to show more about the city. Episode four's blatant foreshadowing also suffers from the same problem, too much runtime is spent featuring upcoming characters, entirely omitting Rudeus' journey to the University. If you feel that Mushoku Tensei this season feels different and sometimes even flavourless, this is why: their poor execution created a rippling impact on the quality of the show as a whole, not just the sequences themselves.

Given that the new team at Studio Bind couldn't capture the je ne sais quoi of the openings of its predecessor, the decision to cut such sequences was a good call. The show as a whole looked a lot better from the university arc onwards. Nevertheless, it hadn't returned to the high standards that people had come to expect. Still showing up from time to time are the weird portraits and awkward framing, and some dramatic moments fall flat due to the limited amount of sakuga (e.g., the confrontation with Badi). All that is to say, don't expect too much from Mushoku Tensei II's production. Even if (somehow) one comes out of season one limiting their expectations, they won't be impressed in the slightest: judging purely based on animation, season two is only marginally better than your average seasonal anime. It's fortunate that Rudeus' story in the northern countries requires much less spectacle to be entertaining, inadvertently making quality drop-off a little more palatable.

While we are on the topic of flaws, one cannot simply ignore Mushoku Tensei's narrative and thematic troubles. Detractors of this series have long criticised the show's pervasive perversion of the female cast, this time around Rudeus' condonation of slavery, and there's simply little excuse. This is a recurring problem with Mushoku Tensei: morally devious actions/events (as conceived by the modern person) are justified by in-universe explanations and rarely criticised textually or otherwise. Rudeus' abnormal sexual drive and creepy advances are conveniently accommodated by the deeply patriarchal world, and his apathy towards those living in appalling conditions is never questioned. Many say Mushoku Tensei is ultimately a story of a broken man's coming-of-age story, and thus moments like these are required for comparison and contrast. I find that argument disingenuous at best. While later entries could make this theme apparent with time, it doesn't follow that the show must handle such sensitive subjects in a tone deaf way.

In the end, I'm left conflicted. On one hand, Mushoku Tensei II is a disappointing sequel plagued with production issues, equipped with a questionable moral compass, and mired in fans' overexpectations. On the other hand, it is a comparatively decent entry in the over-saturated isekai genre, featuring a carefully crafted world with immense potential and countless engaging mysteries. Chances are, if you are invested in Mushoku Tensei, this season is probably a fine entry that's mildly disappointing; but if you only liked it for its fantastical explorations and startling plot twists, maybe it's time to look elsewhere.

Zhe Tian (Anime) add (All reviews)

Sep 24, 2023

htrej

Recommended

Preliminary (23/53 eps)

Beware of rating/dropping this anime too soon. I almost made the mistake of doing so.

To be more clear, the first 7-8 episodes are COMPLETELY different from the remaining episodes. Patience is key— they really took their time in the “origin story” or prologue of sorts (the first 7 or 8 episodes). Honestly it might have been a little too much — I bet many watchers would drop and underrate the show before then. I almost did. So basically, in my opinion the first 2-2.5hours are kinda boring, and don’t contribute a ton to the overall story—it also is fairly confusing, I didn’t really connect ...

Kumichou Musume to Sewagakari (Anime) add (All reviews)

Sep 24, 2023

Cartier117

Recommended

The best way to describe Kumichou is that it had all the necessary ingredients to make an excellent pastry, but it was never prepared or baked properly, and instead was left unfinished on the kitchen counter. The seasonal model of 12 eps has once again butchered an excellent show, because it was obvious that there simply was not enough time to flesh out everything. It's a shame because this story, while simple in its premise, had the support of a studio(s) that clearly cared about their craft. If the source material was more plentiful, and if more advertisement went into this title, it could have ... easily become one of the most popular anime of the year. A second season is not only desired by its fans, but necessary to do the story justice.

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What this anime DOES have:
- Complex and likable protagonist (in the sense that you can root for his character development despite his flaws)
- Wholesome and cute (moe) moments, as advertised (hence the comedy is also strong)
- Soothing soundtrack that matches the slice-of-life feeling well (on par with stuff like Fruits Basket or Yuru Camp)
- Consistent and pretty animation that might appear a little generic but still retains its own style
- Amazing dub performance from everyone (especially the protag), for those who are not sub elitists
- The basic schematic of an interesting and complex premise (see below)

What this anime DOES NOT have:
- Proper pacing (the biggest problem; everything in this show felt rushed: character relationships, introductions, exposition, character arcs, climax, you name it). The fact that ep 3 or 4 was a throw-away filler for some reason does not help at all
- Proper order (sometimes it feels like the events of the anime are out of order, but maybe that's just me)
- Fully fleshed out Yakuza family dynamic (there is SO much more they can do with this, the potential is there)
- Expansion of side characters' personal arcs like Kei and Aoi (they were surprisingly interesting and not entirely cliche)
- Clear purpose for random characters like the cat and the hungry girl who are just kinda... there (for only like 1-2 episodes!)
- Proper antagonists (they come across as one-dimensional; except Yuuri, but his purpose in the show was never fully depicted)
- An ending (the studio sorta hinted at the potential for a sequel, but it has not been confirmed)

In summary, this title seems to be a case where an animation studio was prepared to take the next step forward but was restricted by the lack of source material and weakness of the manga (a testament to this is that the anime has a higher score than the manga, which is pretty rare). I do recommend this to people who enjoy moe, slice of life stuff, however do not expect it to be a complete or robust story.

Shinigami Bocchan to Kuro Maid 2nd Season (Anime) add (All reviews)

Sep 24, 2023

Marinate1016

Recommended

Bocchan Season 2 is fluff of the highest order. It’s a very cute watch with some really good romantic developments and awesome CGI. If you enjoyed the first season it’s a no brainer to watch this one as the story is substantially better and the character relationships have finally taken shape.

While I really liked Season 1, it was a little lacking story wise. You had really cute moments between Alice and Bocchan and Cuff and Zain’s relationship, but the quest to cure Bocchan of his curse seemed like a backdrop. In this season, it’s front and center and drives the developments of the season. Every ...

Eiyuu Kyoushitsu (Anime) add (All reviews)

Sep 24, 2023

KANLen09

Mixed Feelings

From a comfy little slice of life series...to Classroom of the Elite wannabe Chuunibyou heroes? What the...?

To speak of this series called Eiyuu Kyoushitsu a.k.a Classroom for Heroes, we need to go back into history just a teeny bit. Novelist Shin Araki is someone that most people would not recognise, though I did, and that's thanks to one of his works called GJ-bu a.k.a GJ Club, which started as a LN in 2010, then to Doga Kobo's Winter 2023 anime, which to this day, is still one of my low-key favourite anime of the 2010s that despite the dwindling numbers, had a lot of discussion ... back in the day. I loved and embraced GJ-bu for what it is, being primarily a school slice-of-life series with its etched comedy that wasn't forced on you, that despite so many unknown works done, GJ-bu would be Shin Araki's first series to capture sizable attention.

Fast forward a few years later, and we get his 2nd biggest attention-grabbing work: Eiyuu Kyoushitsu a.k.a Classroom for Heroes, with the LN released in 2015 and its subsequent manga counterpart the year after. And it's safe to say that whatever Shin Araki has got planned out for this, it's going to be in the same vein as GJ-bu, but being in an action, fantasy setting that while wasn't new at the time, it was a series that doesn't take itself seriously (though it has its serious moments). This is certainly true when the anime was announced back in 2021 around this time, and it hearkened back to the old days of school-type fantasy traits where if the audience can jibe with whatever works, then it's guaranteed a success.

So then, what's the story like for the series? In a nutshell, think of all of the "hero vs. demon lord" encounters of many series blemished within the past few years, then slot this one in for a countersolution to prepare for future conflicts. That's the resolution of the past hero who did this: the one simply called Blade, the Great Hero, who is capable of being objective, but lacks focus outside of that realm. He is summoned to help raise future heroes in this institution called Rosewood Academy, under the leadership of King Gilgamesh Soulmaker, though his clumsiness lands in straight on the trajectory of the top student of the academy: the Empress of Flames, Earnest Flaming. The conflict aside, Blade is in the academy for one sole purpose: to settle his daily life training heroes, as his title of the Great Hero is only known to the bare minimum of people.

For starters, nowadays, you can tell a work by its tropes and gimmicks, and Eiyuu Kyoushitsu has already felt dated by the time the anime premiered about 8.5 years since the start of the LN. And while that has old, veteran anime weebs like myself calling it a nostalgia throwback to a time where we don't know much ado about the anime climate of the late 2010s, people who are either: new to anime; have been watching anime for less than 3 years; or have not explored past classics will not get the intentionality of authors like Shin Araki to just go ham on whatever works that progress both the story and plot. Which, in account of the anime, despite it following the LN, the pacing (as per the manga adaptation which is almost 1-to-1 of the anime) is indeed quite slow, but that's a testament to the content and free real estate of how much they're willing to commit to the act. And while most people have no monkey brains of understanding capability, I found some fun to be had through this show and its weird idiosyncracies of the past.

Onto the characters: as aforementioned, Blade is the Great Hero of the past, but he's thw awful, dense type of character in the current day. And to the first girl that he faced, Earnest Flaming was no slouch for her "Empress of Flames" moniker, that she found herself evenly powered with Blade, though she quickly earns an affection for him...aside from getting friend-zoned most of the time. Sophie is next, and while she exhibits the standand kuudere type of character, she's effectively an android who simply can only follow commands, though she also gains a heart for Blade from being once programmed to eliminate the Great Hero, to one who becomes his most trusted ally. Soon, Blade earns other loli in the form of Cu Chulainn, formerly of the demon lord's daughter and a dragon that has nowhere else to go, but to reside together with the Great Hero to be taken care of like his own kin. The other classmates of Claire, Yessica (yes it's Jessica with a Y), Maria/Mao, Iona, Clay, Kassim, Leonard and Eliza, they're your typical bunch of wannabe hero classmates who can done goof, though with their various professions that help lend teamwork together as one. Also, despite this not being a romance series, Earnest and the girls all have affections for Blade, though he's just being dense, clueless and not even understanding common sense as a whack character. If you don't take this seriously, it's all fine and well, but character progression is not what you're here for in the first place.

The rather small studio of Actas has largely vanished and has been lost to time since their days with the very impressive Princess Principal (which was a collab with Studio 3Hz) back in Summer 2017. Even with the acquisition of the studio by (formerly Sunrise) Bandai Namco Filmworks back in September of that year making the studio a subsidiary, other than Princess Principal, there hasn't been anything new from the studio, that is until 6 years later with this show. Don't get me wrong, this show is decently produced and doesn't look the best, but Actas has always felt like the studio that does in-between assistance works that may get them credited, but it's not like a huge affair as well, considering that the show is also produced mainly by Bandai Namco Filmworks as its main in-house production powerhouse.

On the music side, VTuber Kaede Higuchi may had a decent start in AniManga with her debut song on Season 2 of 100-man no Inochi no Ue ni Ore wa Tatteiru a.k.a I’m Standing on a Million Lives (though I didn't really like that song), but in this show, I'm sad that her 2nd OP song of "Bravery? Naturally?" didn't really catch on to the mainstream, because this song is really very good and captures the tone of the anime well, even though I gave it a fair bit of flack when it first debuted. which slowly turned to one of my favourite OP songs of the Summer season. Akane Kumada's ED song is decent, and there are no complaints there, but it felt bland.

Eiyuu Kyoushitsu a.k.a Classroom for Heroes, is a show that, as its title suggests, you should watch with the mindset of not wanting to take things seriously because like GJ-bu, it embraces goofiness and stupidity above all else other than the story and plot. If you can jive with that, then the show becomes more palatable to watch, at least to me. Otherwise, just find another show of your choice; there's always that.

Shin Captain Tsubasa (Anime) add (All reviews)

Sep 24, 2023

Sakuragi79

Recommended

Direct continuation of the 1983 series that, since there are only 13 chapters, we have shorter and less epic matches. With the exception of the semifinal with France and the Germany-Japan final, which are two very exciting confrontations, and with spectacular plays. The rest of the games are very basic.
If you are a fan of the original anime, you will really like this series of 13 OVAs.
It doesn't stop at developing the characters, since they assume that we already know them. And those who add new ones are not too charismatic except for Schneider, the German, and perhaps Pier, the Frenchman.
The weak point of ...

FLCL: Grunge (Anime) add (All reviews)

Sep 24, 2023

Ionliosite2

Not Recommended

FLCL Grunge is the worst FLCL sequel yet. The original FLCL was one of the most creative, beautifully made anime of its time, with every bit of it oozing with the passion of every person involved, but as has been proven time and time again, Americans getting their hands on anime has heavily hurt the industry, and the FLCL sequels commissioned by Adult Swim have been no exception. Not even bothering to bring back the minds that made the original great, Progressive was a swallow attempt at trying to make the OG again, but lacking any of the charm and boundless inspiration that it had, ... instead coming across as a cynical rehash solely made to satisfy corporations. The next sequel, Alternative, fared even worse, as it completely butchered even basic ideas that the original had, completely misunderstanding the metaphors it had used, and just overall had nothing to offer thanks to its bland and inspired art that, while pretty, had nothing to make it stand out from any other anime. I believed things couldn't get worse for this once great series, but then Adult Swim came again with 2 MORE SEQUELS, and FLCL Grunge sure didn't disappoint in how bad it is.

Let's start with the elephant in the room: the visual style is the equivalent of a pig rolling in shit. From the second the trailers showed this season would go full CGI, I had my expectations at rock bottom, but the compositing here is just atrocious, mixing horribly with the aesthetic of the returning characters, and making the new ones feel like they belong in a completely show. The fact it sometimes mixes the cel shaded CGI in with some traditional animation (which still doesn't look good, mind you) brings back nightmares of Berserk 2016, even if this at least doesn't reach such criminal levels of bad. The fact the series tries to recreate scenes from the original show, but using this ugly look in place of the brilliant original, they just look plain bad as the visuals the OG had gone for just don't translate to CGI at all.

Even if you let the visuals aside, another great issue with Grunge is the story, as this franchise whose main message is growing up sure has been stuck repeating the same plot for 4 seasons now. So yes, the plot is again a copy paste of the original whose deviations just don't matter, as nothing this blatantly corporate product could do would hope to match the most thematically perfect coming of age story of this century, let alone when the execution in this one is so poor even 2/3 into it you're not sure what even is this trying to do beyond said rehash. Really, when a franchise starts contradicting its messages, you know it has gone for far longer than it should've, as the fact this keeps preaching to move on while being stuck on trying to cater nostalgia for the original series as its only marketing method is just disgusting. Oh, and they couldn't even bother to get back Haruko and Amarao's voice actors, showing once again that they just don't care and only want a cheap cash grab, the only positive I can even give to this show is once more bringing back The Pillows, as their songs are just as good as ever.

In the end, I just don't get who this series even is for. FLCL fans have no reason to watch a criminally watered down version of the show they can watch again in one sit, most new people wouldn't start watching a 20+ years old series in the 4th season, and anyone who would do it anyway won't get anything of real value out it since it's just a bland, corporate and ugly turd. Earlier this year, I said that a certain isekai show would be the worst anime of the year unless something went really wrong, and seeing how Grunge just utterly fails in every conceivable aspect and I see no reason anyone should waste these 90 minutes of their time even trying to watch this mess, I see I summoned the monkey's paw, as I know declare this to be the worst anime of 2023.

Thank you for reading

Goblin Slayer (Anime) add (All reviews)

Sep 24, 2023

MrHoggyPants

Recommended

Fan of Dungeons and Dragons or have you never played but slightly interested? Well, this anime is the definition of a DnD world. You follow a devoted warrior, a cleric, an elf archer, a drunk dwarf, and a magic lizard in a world where goblins are rising in numbers for an unknown reason. Is it because of a goblin or something more sinister?

For real though, this anime is a good time consumer if you like watching fights. The story is not bad at all, but the best parts are when Goblin Slayer goes doom mode. The main character is interesting, speaks very little, but does ...

Akame ga Kill! (Anime) add (All reviews)

Sep 24, 2023

MrHoggyPants

Recommended

I enjoyed this anime a lot. The animation was solid, the story was good, the characters were enjoyable, and the villains were hated (in a good way). The only thing that is keeping it at a 8/10 for me is the ending as I felt some of the events were not necessary. The anime tried to go a different route with the story and most of the community hated it. As someone who did not read it until after, I can say I prefer the manga ending but at the time, the anime ending was okay. I really did enjoy the character arcs from both ...

Shinigami Bocchan to Kuro Maid 2nd Season (Anime) add (All reviews)

Sep 24, 2023

KANLen09

Recommended

The Duke of Death who cannot be touched, and can only be tempted by His Maid, is back for Season 2, and is still ongoing for Season 3 next year...I see that the reception is rather low and dwindling (a noticeable 25% drop in member counts, and a staggering 90% in user counts), especially if you didn't like the premiere season that came out back 2 Summers ago in 2021, partly in question towards the choice to go full CGI on this one, courtesy of SMDE a.k.a Shogakukan Music & Digital Entertainment.

Well, I'm sorry to say that the naysayers will never be silenced, for 2 ... Summers ahead in time, we finally have Season 2 of "My maid is in love with me, but we STILL cannot touch each other". And since there is enough material from mangaka Koharu Inoue's already completed manga to cover, we're officially now past the halfway mark of the manga, I hope that the anime can continue to adapt the remainder of the story towards the end for a completed adaptation in time to come (but save for Season 3 next year first).

The crux in Season 2 for the character cast is twofold: finding a way to cure Bocchan of his lingering curse that has been there since the beginning, as well as the coming of witches of Cuff and Zain, especially with the latter's magic, which could very well be the key player in helping Bocchan reverse the curse that was put on him, that coincidentally, could help Alice's mother Sharon be awakened as well. And it all hinges on finding the witches that were held responsible for this big affair: the current leader Daleth and her older sister Sade, which aside from being the main antagonist, she's physcially dead, but not soulfully dead yet. Even Sade did not spare her younger sister safely, scarring her for life by being disfigured with a head close to a naked skull, which Daleth uses her magic to hide it by showing her as an undead witch. It's a long way to recovery, for Bocchan, Alice, Cuff and Zain's queries must now be questioned by outsiders who know the witch business fairly well, and their services in full aid for the main cast to reach to the answer they've all been seeking.

Otherwise, everything pretty much stays the same as per Season 1, from the characters to J.C.Staff and SMDE's overall production, these are not likely to change as the seasons gloss along. What's different this time is the new OST for Season 2, and while both the OP and Nasuo's ED songs are good, I still have the emotional attachment from Season 1, so it's just a teeny step down.

There is progress, though this progress is in time to come. So, let's wait until Bocchan's curse can be broken, in Season 3 coming next year, garnering for the end of the story.

Sasaki to Miyano: Koi ni Kizuku Mae no Chotto Shita Hanashi. (Anime) add (All reviews)

Sep 24, 2023

abystoma2

Mixed Feelings

This is your average OVA with your average filler story. It' a side story with no bearing on the overal plot progress, there's no depth other than just being a stand-alone short story and no depth is really expected. This is mainly for people who just want *any* additional content with the characters they like.

The character design, especially for the main characters, makes them look somehow ET-ish, though that is not fault of the OVA alone. Other than that, the visuals are okay, about to be expected with the tighter budget of an OVA.

But hey, the cat was cute, so at least there's ...

Horimiya: Piece (Anime) add (All reviews)

Sep 24, 2023

8manYeager

Recommended

It was in the winter of 2021 that one of the best rom-com appeared on the screen. Horimiya is not just about the romance and comedy; the slice-of-life element has been supporting the show and bringing it to a different level that is amusing to watch. As a coming-of-age genre lover, Horimiya definitely caught my eye, and I know it’s a wholesome anime with its uniqueness and high quality of colourful animation and depiction that was projected to the audience. Despite the fact that the favour for the coming-of-age genre could be personal and subjective, the best part of it is that it can give ... simple pleasure.

As we know, what we’ve seen this time are pieces of side stories in the original, as the previous one has already animated the original ending in manga. There is no doubt that I thought it was the end, and now we have more time watching Hori-san and Miyamura spend precious time with lovely people around them. Frankly, the feeling of watching the first episode was quite strange and surreal, as it’s hard to believe that I am still watching Horimiya with new animated stories. I took some time to immerse myself in the show until episode 5, and this episode is probably my favourite episode out of all. The episode begins with introducing the Iura siblings, whose interaction has lightened up my mood, and somehow I started to have an authentic enjoyment. Likewise, what else could be more enjoyable than watching the characters have all kinds of jokes?

The presence of each character is vital, as their effects on the show can’t be left out. To put it in simple words, Horimiya merely has an appealing character design. This may be irrelevant, but I do think designing the characters with different hair colours is a very good choice. The variety of appearances can better portray a character as noticeable and likeable with catalytic voice acting that further enhance the impression on them. Also, there is some moment with something like a colour background when the character has felt something that is quite unique and aesthetic. It is interesting to see how the staff could come up with these ideas and ways for depiction. In short, there is nothing to complain about about the overall animation because it is merely outstanding.

Overall, it was a well-spent time watching the show. This could be the end, but we already got an extra bonus for having Horimiya: piece. Is it a masterpiece for you? Whether it is or not, it surely has made a standout in showing what a youthful school-themed anime could look like with the effort and love put into production.

PS: The last episode kinda hit different, seriously don't want it to end.

Temple (Anime) add (All reviews)

Sep 24, 2023

YudiYusantoS

Mixed Feelings

Here is my review of this anime in 2023!

Story (7)
The story is about a man who's bearing his father's burden. His father left behind a bad burden which made Him to pay a lot of money. In the middle journey, He's gonna bumps into a girl and the temple. That's where their journey begins.

Art (7)
The art of this anime is good. I like how they make the ecchi and comedy scenes. But I think they need to make it more animated.

Sound (8)
All the sounds that they used were very good and adjusted to the animation.
...

Level 1 dakedo Unique Skill de Saikyou desu (Anime) add (All reviews)

Sep 24, 2023

YoruFan98

Recommended

This is the most enormous shock masterpiece since Do Retry.

The intensive juxtaposition of Yoda's (our protagonist's) past life and his immense struggles with overwork against his current life emphasises the damage modern Japan's work culture has inflicted on an individual level. The comedy is brilliant (a friend of mine once described it as "it's as if Shakespeare became a clown"); the concept of a being who lives only to pursue carrots is comedy beyond comedy - genius beyond genius!

However, this all pales in comparison to the greatest part of this piece of fiction. It elaborates on these themes by constructing a world economy precipitated by ... monster item drops; in this concept, through very little elaboration (a genuine masterpiece of 'show not tell') it creates fascinating worldbuilding and frames a thought-provoking ideological discussion. The worldbuilding for the Machiavellian concept of a world that is ruled entirely by force - by the strongest - is mortifying. The sociopolitical implications of this world are subtly shown to viewers throughout the series, while it simultaneously uses them to emphasise its core themes of the necessity of hard work and the dangers of overwork.

Story: 10/10

To analyse the depth of Nazuna Miki-sensei's characters (another brilliant work by him!) you must first read Oliver Twist... or maybe Pride and Prejudice (I forgot).

Commencing our analysis, Emily "Slasher" Brown - the heroine of this epic - is a character of such immense depth that I thought I was staring upon the depths of Tartarus even beginning to dig into her character. She is a feminist icon, and, most importantly, she is older than 18.

Next, Yoda "Ryouta" Satou. Despite his intelligence stat of F, he has manipulation tactics on the level of Ayanokouji. He uses his experiences from his past life to elicit his moral code in his new life, allowing this brilliance. His charisma (rizz) is off the charts. Additionally, he gets things done - every time he lectures the audience on not putting in too much effort and working hard, I can't help but cheer.

There are also other characters.

Characters: 10/10

Let us examine the brilliant animation provided to us by the ever-benevolent Maho Film. Even when a still image is displayed for 30 seconds straight, there is never a boring moment - it is as if you are viewing an optical illusion where a still image appears animated! The dull colour scheme and intentionally "poor" CGI only serve to reemphasise the story's Orwellian themes.

Art: 10/10

The music is phenomenal. I am arranging to have it played to my pregnant wife so that my child grows up more intelligent.

Music: 10/10

Kengan Ashura Season 2 (Anime) add (All reviews)

Sep 24, 2023

ASHURAas

Recommended

For me as a person who likes and deals with martial arts, this is everything I could wish for, so this anime will appeal mostly to people who like a good fight and a little bloodshed. And the fight between Kaolan and Agito is one of the best anime fights in my opinion because it is very realistic, but of course with a little more action than in real life. If you like a good story, you won't find it here, but of course each character is special in its own right, and we get to know them through the episodes. So if you watched ...

Watashi no Shiawase na Kekkon (Anime) add (All reviews)

Sep 24, 2023

osakiesther

Recommended

"My Happy Marriage" is one of the greatest gifts this summer season has given us. It's not all about romance or the emotional challenges the characters may face, but it also incorporates supernatural elements, mystery, and even action. While romances typically follow lighter themes, this one delivers an exceptional performance in addressing delicate subjects."My Happy Marriage" portrays and embraces the imperfections of its characters, especially those of Miyo.

What I like most about this story is that, even though from the moment she reunites with Kiyoka, it could have completely ignored Miyo's past and portrayed her as a changed person since she already had her ...

Vinland Saga Season 2 (Anime) add (All reviews)

Sep 24, 2023

mukulsenpai

Recommended

So, as a big Seinen fan, I crave stories like these, so you better take this review with a grain of salt.

The series pacing has considerably slowed down compared to last season's breakneck pace. Season 2 appears to be, at least initially, concentrating on its characters. Not nearly as frequently as action scenes. None of this diminishes Vinland's strength, which is its ability to captivate viewers with its gorgeous yet terrifying universe.

Our main character, Thorfinn, is a wounded war veteran who no longer finds meaning in life and merely exists for the sake of being.
The plot occasionally takes a more ideological turn, primarily concentrating on ...

Horimiya: Piece (Anime) add (All reviews)

Sep 24, 2023

vadacius

Recommended

Supplementary stories are needed to make life interesting. The anime gives the viewers more information about the past stories of some characters before graduation. In real life, people are going for their own goals after high school graduation. However, before the separation, stories happen on every person. The moments that are shared with friends, for example in school are gold. People make valuable memories with beloved ones, so that they can live happily on old age. This anime tells those events.

The anime is quite enjoyable because it tells the viewers to enjoy every moment before ...

Temple (Anime) add (All reviews)

Sep 24, 2023

pixelante

Not Recommended

What a failure of a show this was. After watching Immoral Guild and KamiKatsu I was really looking forward to a bit of guilty pleasure ecchi so you shouldn't have trouble imagining how disappointed I was when we got served up whatever slop this was.

This was supposed to be ecchi, but it was so lame that a normal anime heavy on the fan service would have been more titillating. The girls looked okay but were let down by the animation (except for the stills in the ED), and their personalities were flatter than the paper they were drawn on.

As for the comedy, entire episodes would ...

Seirei no Moribito (Anime) add (All reviews)

Sep 24, 2023

kealkeal

Recommended

Female MC, hardcore warrior, serious story, no fanservice, great Japanese voice acting. This is top-tier. I love Mushishi and watched this based on MAL's recommended series. Not disappointed. Every step of the way, this did not go the way a typical anime would. Rather, it went the way a live-action TV series would go. This series could easily have been a great live-action Netflix series. Better yet, a movie trilogy. But we got a great anime series instead.

Closest to this would be Mushishi. Slight Rurouni Kenshin vibes, but more realistic. Ending was also worth watching ...

Level 1 dakedo Unique Skill de Saikyou desu (Anime) add (All reviews)

Sep 24, 2023

GRACEBINTAR_1422

Mixed Feelings

Anime family but no children, no authority, no way to be safe, his brain is working hard but he has no intention of raising a family, I hope season 2/3 is already a family and have children, it's hard to make such a plot

versi bahasa indonesianya
anime keluarga tapi tidak ada unsur keluarga nya ( mengajak nikah , mempunyai anak dan sejenisnya ) , tokoh utamanya atau authornya mencari jalan aman , yang jelas dia otaknya bekerja keras tapi tidak ada berkeinginan untuk berkeluarga , semoga season 2/3 sudah berkeluarga dan mempunyai anak , apa susahnya membuat alur cerita seperti itu , di anime yang mc ...

Berserk: Ougon Jidai-hen - Memorial Edition (Anime) add (All reviews)

Sep 24, 2023

erikusonurufu

Recommended

An anime perhaps best renown for being filled with blood and gore, torture, -ual assault and the like; yet somehow the above are never once displayed in such a way that feels shoehorned-in or unnecessary. Minus the unstoppable force of nature (yet still just an ordinary human) protagonist, the entire ride can be felt as taking place in a very natural and living world, making it easy to be drawn into the lore and story. The character and monster designs are second to none, and the animation is always downright stunning. Well, scenes with large crowds rely heavily on unpolished 3d animation to fill in ...

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