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As this manga is now officially complete and i assume people want to read this because it's finished so the best opportunity to read this series.

Does it reach the heights as the legendary sports manga/anime like Hajime no Ippo, Major, Slam Dunk, Ashita no Joe.... well nope this is a serviceable sports manga however its a fun read.

Art:

This is honestly the biggest highlight for me, it damn impressive framing and considering this is drawn in a weekly schedule idk how the author does this amount of detail this ridiculously fast. Thats not really it though, good art is easy to appreciate like ... death note but framing more important ( where death note fails at) this succeeds. The Art the framing .... tells the story and what can be considered pretty cliche and general okay in terms of writing is goes to new heights because as a whole it works wonderfully.

Story/Writing :

if u read a sports manga ( or watch anime) you know the plot straight away and doesn't really stray from it too much its pretty standard. However, that said the author does a good job making characters likable and relatable pretty quickly they is really a lack of padding everything pretty much plot and concise.

This isn't a particular deep in writing like the ones i listed above however for what its worth it does a solid job. Its good knowing that this isn't only High School but also as a Professional.


Cons:

as i said don't particularly amazing, its good though for what its worth. It gives u some perspective of the life style of a wrestler but i would like to know more about them. Like when u read Hajime no Ippo u really do feel u understand the lifestyle because ( author is an actual boxer trainer) the amount of time and detail the author puts in into his craft.


The Ending its not bad, its exactly as you expect however its the type of ending u feel like 30 pages was cut. This needed some sort of epilogue even the cliche main character marry Heroine and updates of all the former members....


Conclusion

Before MAL basically made 5-7 worthless, when i mean 6.7/10 that's a compliment, not a diss if the ending was better definitely give it a 7/10 however i just can't unfortunately. Everyone will have a fun time reading this manga for sure and it does emotional pretty well as a short person i do relate.

I think this little series that doesn't go on too long to outstay its welcome, due to the simplistic nature of ending ( not a bad thing).

Is this series a gem like Gakuen Babysitters while no, in terms of the cute factor. But is it as well comedy and a slice of life nearly as well as the Yotsuba well nope. Yotsuba is the highest standard when it comes to that type of series, however, is this a fun excellent manga yes it is.


If you're reading this series for the plot, well i suggest u don't bother as they are hardly any ... progression in terms of plot. The last two-volume is the closest thing to a plot. However, this deals with the daily life of the gang 3 kindergarten teachers and a bunch of students.

This is definitely a feels good manga, not to be taken too seriously but as a relaxing mood. You can pretty much read this manga at any pace as the majority of chapters have a clear beginning, middle and end ( with few exceptions near the end).

The Art

Well in truth they isn't a dramatic difference between art from volume 1 to v11 however the presentation as it goes on is much better. The background presentation, paneling.... are heaps better as it goes along as u can clearly recognise from volume 1 to 11. The art style itself has had minor tweaks but really the presentation which gets better as it progresses


Conclusion:

Is this worth reading sure but it a fun completed series. However, i can't say anything too special about this manga in particular when u compare it to Yotsuba.... That said if u enjoy slice of life manga you definitely get some kick out of this.

First off the score is not 8 but its 7.5

This manga was released in a weird phase of the mangaka life during 1973 to 1974 it was Tezuka Osamu transition period between shounen to seinen work ( more children to mature). Before the manga starts their is a brief history about the man's life and the situation he was in. The protagonist of this story, is intentional or unintentional similar to the author having a huge slump problem.

The Protagonist is not likable, he's an alcoholic, abuser and has sorta mental illness the manga never really clarifies. This manga is the closest thing ... as a realistic story from what i read from this author but that is not saying much. A lot of times, in the end, your unsure what is real or not, the supernatural a delusion or its an actual element. don't mean to make u not read but you have understood the context this is definitely a stepping stone for one of his more mature mangas.

I think i have to always state this but this manga fucken use of panels are amazing, how it seamlessly flows puts most modern manga to shame. This compliments the art as at times it really vicious and damn scary some drawings looking like one of those history lessons in Legend of the Galactic Hero with striking art (biggest compliment for Fear). The character development is interesting as they don't significantly change neccessarily but instead more of the downfall of a man after he peaked.

Anyways its not a perfect read but definitely, an interesting one 7.5/10 seems good

Modest Heroes is 3 shorts film by the newly formed studio Ponoc, former Ghibli employees. These 3 shorts films give us a much better indication of how Ponoc films are going to be different from Ghibli. I first have to say some sad news if your wondering ( probably not) why is this film so short like it doesn't even reach an hour all together well sadly this was supposed to have a 4 short film directed from the legendary late Isao Takahata for a personal reason or to give these new directors more exposure. Also got to give credit to Yoshiaki Nishimura ... the producer and is the only reason why this studio was formed giving these animators a chance to show off their abilities.


1st Short directed by Hiromasa Yonebayashi definitely the most established director out of the 3 directing two films from Ghibli " The Secret World of Arrietty " and "When Marnie Was There" plus the debut film of this studio "Mary and the Witch's Flower". Plus he a veteran animator some of his best works in animation was Ponyo where she was running on the water catching up with the car...

Unfortunately, this is weirdly the weakest film out of the 3. It doesn't feel as intimate and personal than the other two felt for the directors ( how I see it). However, what this man is really known for is his expectational background work how he characterises his surroundings. They is a youtube video that does a solid job describing it but basically, his backgrounds is a reflection of characters attitude. it shows the rawness of the sea how its not only beautiful but dark and scary due to pollution ( not hamfisted) its easily done from symbolism. Unfortunately, the characters for me is really that effective however you got to appreciate its animation and making up a language. When watching i thought was watching the Japanese version however i was incorrect it just a made up language and its brilliant through characters expression you pretty much understand everything you need to know. The blend of CGI and 2D is usually hated for good reason as its uncanny however similar to Metropolis from Osamu Tezuka's the mix between the two is pretty good, however some moments it is noticeable. Takatsugu Muramatsu did the music i ain't much a critic of music however its really good his past work was all this directors film except The Secret World of Arrietty however the sync between the two is great two artistic complementing each other. I feel like this 18 minute short should have at least been 30 minutes for a good introduction however its still worth watching. A



2nd Short well this one is fantastic but first the director for this one named Yoshiyuki Momose a veteran Ghibli animator work since Grave of the Fireflies by Isao Takahata. This man done severely great key animations you just got to search it up, however for directing he's also just been doing music videos, specials ... hasn't really got too much experience directing however animation he's a champ.

Lol sorry for long set up anyways this film is about a kid dealing with food allergies. Its also about a mother dealing with these circumstances and teaching her son the right ways. Honestly thinking about it truly sad like going to festivals bunch of food around you and if some accidents go on ur mouth you could die ... They some interesting circumstance with the mother, however the short doesn't showcase it for too long however really looking at it it's kinda sad about how a child can affect ur dream career ( however maybe that's looking too deep into it). I don't want to give anyone spoilers as you know its 18 minutes each so i won't. However, will go little more in depth.

The animation is excellent that's a given but holy damn they is like one section where people are dancing and honestly reminded me of the animation style of Princess Kaguya. Anyways less said about animation the better but visually it reminds me of those flashbacks in Only Yesterday well it does make sense as he did storyboard the movie. Ohh yeah the English dub is excellent highly recommend and the facial animation is truly top notch maybe not as good as Only Yesterday ( best facial animation in anime period fight me lol) however comparing a legendary film to this is unfair. its basically maybe just about standard Ghibli ( which is a truly high bar) definitely better than Kyoto Animation. Also last note is the music is done by Masanori Shimada is i think his first music in anime however has tremendous talent can't wait for him to be apart of more projects in the future.


3rd and final short directed by Akihiko Yamashita which is my favorite film out of the bunch however strangest. His credits is impressive Animator director from From Up on Poppy Hill, Howl's Moving Castle, The Secret World of Arrietty ... done alot of key animation like Evangelion: 2.0, Spirited Away ... he got an impressive career however in this directorial not so much only a small 13minute short for the Ghibli museum which is like impossible to access.


They aren't really a lot of to be said for this one because they aren't really a plot of a sort. It's about an invisible man I think literally and figuratively. I won't really talk about the plot as its something you just have to experience.

The animation is the most fantasizing out of the 3, due to the main protagonist being an invisble man. They is an end sequence which is just epic.... the use of color is excellent and how the background is kinda a reflection on the main protagonist mindset everything being a kinda greyish hue. The cinematography is spot on and the camera work is damn impressive. Yasutaka Nakata the person who did the music did an excellent job can't really commend on more.


Conclusion these 3 shorts are pretty good, considering how mediocre anime has been becoming this is definitely a breath of fresh air. I wish the success for this studio and live up to Ghibli legacy as i assume after Hayao Miyazaki last film How Do You Live? ( however its miyazaki he probaly never retire at this point lol). Anyways hope you check out these 3 shorts by any means possible as these shorts aren't really for the money basically giving the studio exposure where the money rake in will be the studio next big project.

This is surprisingly a really well-executed manga, this doesn't have the deepest of plots, nor characterization but it a real historical slice of life.

The Slice of Life of this manga reminds of two manga's first on everybody mind A Bride's Story especially with the plot Historical stories about arranged marriages with unusual settings so this is Tibet also both costumes are accurate for the time period and culture. This also similar to Golden Kamuy slice of life elements being a joy to read. This also reminds me of Altair on how it does the costume designs and attention to detail.


The Art is ... damn beautiful if a bride story is a 10 this definitely a 8 this manga done in a monthly sense and it definitely shows. This mangaka is really good at drawing facial impression usually alot mangaka don't do well in this department or it looks generic however, in this case, it really doesn't maybe looks a little similar to a bride story but thats like a compliment.

an expression to show the difference of “Tibetan” and “Japanese” character, didn't feel jelly with me the main protaginst is kinda confusing on how he expressed himself.




Well i give you a gist of the plot -


young apprenticed doctor has a deep passion for medicinal herbs he well liked in his remote village. One day a young bride being left with his family for the purpose of getting married in the far future. This is definitely a Iyashikei kinda manga a feel-good one. If you wondering Iyashikei means " Japanese for "healing", a term used for anime and manga created with the specific purpose of having a healing or soothing effect on the audience. Works of this kind often involve alternative realities with little to no conflict, emphasizing nature and the little delights in life." (wikipedia 2018)


Overall-

After reading two volumes i could easily see how this could lose steam i do believe a character moment does need to be introduced. I think A bride story is the best balance on story and slice of life. As you can definitely the evolution of the characters from beginning to latest chapter. However this is definitely a solid worth reading if you do like a bride story.

for me 7.5/10

I don't think this needs to be stated but this is Studio Ponoc first feature film, The studio is formed by former Ghibli members and is basically going to the new spiritual successor to the great legacy as i assume ( speculation) after Hayao Miyazaki last film in I think 2020 or 2021 that's it for Ghibli. Like every anime adaptation of a novel its best to think this as its own thing not as a replacement for The Little Broomstick by the Scottish Mary Stewart. This film is because an introduction to determine if this studio in the right direction they took ... something from children novel to set the tone so did it succeed. Well, I say its honestly a mix bag, they is alot of reason why is this a bad film nope, is it a really flawed film and overly safe yes it is.

Good:

It was during the introduction for the school, this was amazing the animators really went tenholds into that section the gym, the chemistry labs..... the detail, animation the lived in nature was great and fantastic.

Animation i have no complaints a lot of hard work and passionate went behind this movie.

Mary the character, she doesn't have that much characterization to say but the subtle facial expression, her tone.... really adds to the believability and honestly want to root for her.

Art design- again the lived in nature, it's not like generic anime rooms where it all tidy and has no personality.

The blend with CGI and 2D was honestly seamlessly only bits I notice was okay that way to detailed to be drawn and Mary interaction in this environment. But utlise CGI but really the hand-drawn nature is what makes anime look honestly beautiful.


Music- solid, i not expert with music so i can't really judge but it was well utilized.

Solid English Dub - All the VA does a solid job with they performance, the different accents.... interesting to listen to.



Bad:

The Plot : The problem this film is messy structurally, it's honestly all over the place. I kinda sick to the beat the bad guy plot, because they messing with..... This is where the Ghibli comparison comes in. The story in Ghibli are honestly never the focus its always the characters and the bad guy stuff is usually a backdrop. Great thing in Miyazaki work like Princess Mononoke they is no bad guy. Everyone has they motivation and a good reason for the actions, where people associate Ghibli films with is nuanced storytelling.

Characters: honestly besides the MC ( even she kinda underdeveloped) no characters really stand out. I again going to compare to Ghibli again ( impossible bar i know). Where characters do they subtle expressions or how they act you have a good understanding with them as characters. My Neighbor Totoro the Main Protagonist Dad you can understanding everything about them for his room, how he reacts to situations, how he works and plays with his daughters ..... You feel like he's a person, or the Main Protagonist Mei and Satsuki that acts like real sisters and act they age Not as stupid idiots just a little naive.

Bad Guys: they honestly unremarkable and leave little impact on me.

Pacing: This is what honestly killed the film when it comes to structure it felt longer than it should have tbh.

Conclusion

Well, they are a solid foundation yet it doesn't do anything to distinguish themselves as ex Ghibli employees, what makes Studio Ponoc different. They really don't do much, however, I'm optimistic looking at the next project the 3 short stories it's definitely on the right track a little weird and obscure, I like it. Hopefully, people do watch it as its a wonderful children film, it's beautiful and polish yet safe and generic which is a problem.

I rate this 6.4/10 alot of great elements to do it excited for they future work.

Thank You Australia for releasing this film to the cinema, I thankfully watched this at the cinema while not having many people annoying me it was quiet and people were respectable.

BTW this film is 8.5/10 so the overall score would be 8 in MAL but 8.5 my real score.

Story

This doesn't really have a traditional structure, this can either be a pro and con because one we really don't know what happening and interesting to see. However, the downside is the pacing u wonder what the point at intervals. They isn't really a proper plot like a 3 act structure if they are it's ... really loose which isn't a bad thing. This story is mainly in the perspective of a 5-year-old kid Kun having a baby sister and introducing various emotions like jealousy, wants attention, not feeling as love, he's way of life has changed for him and his parents. Even though the film mainly about Kun its also about his parents you probably wondering why don't u say they name well u don't know they name u just remember them as Dad, Mom, Grandma .... like a real kid would. This is an experimental film to say the least, it feels like a ghibli film as a positive aspect it with the plot not being the focus but characters, if anything close to My Neighbor Totoro as they no real plot or objective but a wonderful look at characters and how they deal with life.


Art/Animation

For the most part it has some stunning animation, that is truly breathtaking. This film contains beautiful artwork and cinematography in particular whenever he has to interact with something, not in the present ( no spoilers), it has some imaginative transition. The art showcases a really lived in environment where stuff isn't too clean but is clean and from inside they house u can tell the personality of the parents. Its feels like somebody actual house which is wonderful it doesn't feel stale and the amount of detail when it comes to the environment like cracks in a wooden door really evaluates this movie.

Alot really well done subtle animation like in the beginning of the series how kun walks down the stairs, how he plays with his toys, how he touches a baby ( Mirai). Its visually almost a masterpiece, however, they are problems with the art and animation I will discuss in the next section.

CGI:

well most of the CGI is well integrated it's so smooth at times its hard to tell however problem comes with the human body. especially in crowds it feels really jaring especially because of how well drawn the characters are as 2D when they is a CGI person it feels weird. However the external environment as CGI was really good for the most part especially that 1 train i won't spoil.



Characters:

The characters feel real especially the mom and dad. However Kun acts like a real kid that maybe like no shit, but in media, like movies or shows kids really don't act like kids so it great to see that. Getting jealous over the smallest things, not doing what ur told like if u don't clean this place then i'll chuck ur toys. The Dad and Mom are strangely relatable, its nothing like my mom or dad acts like them however those few parental moments feel like yeah a kinda remeber something like that when i was a kid. How the kids packed his bag and wanted to leave the house for a stupid reason is literally what i did when i was a kid i got a bunch of sweets in my bag and was going to leave however my parents are responsible lol.


Problems:

Well this movie is brillant however they are problems reason why i won't give 9 upwards.


1st Pacing - the pacing is awkward for a film, I can say it feels like if u put all the episodes of FLCL into 1 film ( 3hr film) instead of separating it into 6 episodes. This feels similar in a sense u can probably make this as a 5 episodes anime as alot of parts resets the beginning, middle and end of a story. Even though their is actual 1 main reasons it feels better if it was more spread out as a TV show, however my opinion due to the structure of the series.


2nd Kun - its not he a bad character he's really well developed the problem lies he is a 4-year-old child so he screams alot and has temper tantrums which can get annoying. I would say alot of my problem lies solely on me as at times he gets annoying but then he becomes really sweet i think something with the VA performance or the script she was provided.

3rd Story- the story is well done but really confusing, the main story like the objective of the film makes sense however its other things. This anime blends fantasy and reality so when these supernatural things occur it feel like a fantasy made by the kids but then u realise wait that actually happened. Its not like Isao Takahata when where it clear which bits are fantasy or exagerations of emotions. Or Saotshi Kon which loves playing the concept of reality vs perception.

4th CGI Model- i explained above the CGI character models was distracting and took me out of the scene. However 1 moments that jarring CGI works for the film advantage.



Conclusion


Well this movie is solid yes it has problem but what film doesn't This is a perfect film for family to watch together especially kids with silbings, it has good morale and not entirely black and white. This will resonate well with families in my opinion and i recommend everyone to watch it however just i feel like those are the target market of the film. The fact i can see this film in Australian cinema is impressive, it definitely worth buying a ticket to support great films.

This film for me is a 8.5/10 but definitely not 9 and above so in MAL it say 8.

Hopefully this reviews comes in useful for people who are considering to watch this film.

This is a best a 4.5/10 manga, however, they are merits to this manga that i will state. This manga basically has 3 different stories in different timelines whats recommended the first volume. Because they basically 3 different stories its harder to review this series as a whole.

Volume 1 - is the direct aftermath of Miki death in devil man, this is the most probable scenario in this series. Akira being so broken that his mental state is destroyed and Amon takes over. I was wondering whats up with the mixed feeling about this series online but reading this makes alot of sense. ... The character in this first volume is solid, we see the bullies that become Akira friend perspective and how to save they, friend. They is alot more interesting dynamic going on that feels like it can be canon, however, shin devilman final chapter is the best epilogue we going to get. Satan and Akira has always been the most interesting aspect of this series and this basically the same thing applies. If you really devilman i recommend the first volume - 7/10

Volume 2-4 : this is where the problem lies we see amon backstory and he interacted with his peers. With Satan ..... However for this you just don't care, its like meh it feels like a giant filler arc in a middle of a story they is some neet things however really unnecessary in my opinion. 3/10


Volume 5-6: Well this is much better than the previous story, however, the side character and reimagining of certain events is way less impactful compared to the original source material. However it is an interesting perspective, Miki step up i would say much better, however, the images in the original series is crazy and chaotic. The art is technically much better than the original series however how Go Nagai frames a scenes, is much more artistic and has alot of dynamic panels. Still i would say this volume is okay nothing great but not bad if gives "some" answer when it comes to motiviiation. However, the biggest highlight is what Akira definition of Devilman and his group together being happy before the more disaster occurs. 5/10




Overall i recommend the first volume and maybe read 5 and 6, however, this is entirely my perspective volume 2-4 should be avoided as it just feels like filler.

Despite the score seen this manga is a 6.5/10 it definitely not a 6 however not as high as a 7. However before viewing this manga Devilman and Shin Devilman, as everything set up in those manga basically gets development, this manga is great for lore enthusiast of Go Nagai.

This contains the similar anti-war message that devilman has stated however like many reviews and blog have stated. However this is a different perspective, about mankind, heroism, corruption of man this is clearly showcased in really at the beginning of the series where it was most episodic which different character showcasing a different point of ... view. Before going further your probably how do u read this series? because it's not official translated you have to find out that yourself, before going further, let's discuss the positive.


Art:
The art showcases an evolution of Go Nagai artistic sense, everything has been improved, better shading, more accurate anatomy, the art in Devilman compared to this series literally is no comparison. The shock value aspect that this manga is known for is evaluated in this sequel. This is not a huge spoiler however the deception of hell is really amazing, you feel like he saw Miura eclipse from berserk and stated that shits tame. It retains the grittiness that Devilman showcased especially near the end of the original series but evaluates into a 3 dimension aspect like comparing the beginning of berserk art to volume 14 onwards its an evolution.

Writing:

Writing is iffy still, Go Nagai writing has always been controversial to say the least the amount of times rape has become a plot device especially the beginning is kinda insane. This can kinda be an issue because of a lot of the writing feel old school but this is where berserk finished its golden age arc one of the best written Senien arcs of all time. The characters especially the side characters have much more depth than the previous series, however something about Akira is far more fantasizing to view compared to Jun, however, jun does grow as a character. She was an optimistic teacher from beginning the series to somebody who questions her actions all the time and more morally ambiguous.

The best thing about this series is that alot of things you thought were random in the series actually has an answer in middle, alot of plot twist where u look back makes a lot of sense. the best writing is far the hell section its showcasing everything great about Go Nagai captivating art, with at times impressive writing that you feel an emotional connection with these characters. The problem of this series is really the last 4 chapters because apparently this series was getting canceled, this makes a lot of sense due to the case a lot of random plot conveniences occurs, characters aren't properly explained, you feel like 20 big chuck chapters have been missing, plot points set up never gets brought up or has a conclusion.


Overall:

I say this was going to be a solid 7.5 however conclusion was rather lackluster, i still need to be updated on my Go Nagai lore. I assume they alot of side stories that need to be viewed before viewing devilman saga, i say if you want to ride on this roller coaster and u liked Devilman i recommending viewing this but not really as a standalone manga but knowing that you need to view the other series to have a proper conclusion. If you don't want to view the entire Go Nagai experience i don't really recommend i'm reading this because i want to conclusion for this franchise.


recommended reading order i still need to complete : Devilman, Shin Devilman, Devilman Lady ( optional Violence Jack), Amon The Dark Side, ( optional Neo Devilman) Devilman Mokushiroku: Strange Days sequel of Amon the dark side, Akuma Kishi a prequel to the entire franchise then lastly Devilman Saga.

I know that sounds like alot i don't think you have to view all of it however this is the recommended viewing i found, anyways its a solid read hopefully you enjoy it and spread the word so netflix can make an anime verison like devilman crybaby.

Sugimoto survived the Russo-Japanese war of the Meiji era. To save his deceased comrade windowed wife, Sugimoto trying to find the hidden stash of gold to help complete his friend dying request. During This adventure Sugimoto partners up with Ainu girl who saved his life and both have different motivation yet the same conclusion so they team up.

From this description, you think they nothing that special about this series in hindsight you're correct however what this manga does to distinguish from what could a simplistic manga is amazing. The attention to detail for this time era 1903-1904 is kinda outstanding this feels a ... history lesson but a lived in one so, however, an interesting one telling us little things like how Ainu makes clothes like shirt are fish scales, understanding the culture the indigenous people of Japan and Russia. From the back of the first volume, you see how many references that the authors use to make sure that is accurate during the time period, even having Hiroshi Nakagawa, an Ainu language linguist from Chiba University to supervise the story to make sure it's accurate. This attention to detail makes the world so lived that most manga never imagines doing, i feel like i understand some of the cultures because of this manga.


This aspect i stated above i would say its more icing on the cake, because of the actual foundation the characters, plot, detail and feels like a hybrid of toriko and a historical manga. That does sound weird but it works, the comedy is well timed, the author always has a small narration of him stating interesting facts that i don't think can be replicated in an animated format it only works because of its a manga. The characters are relatable having a great way of mixing tones from serious story oriented to just a slice of life episodic moment.


The Art is amazing feeling like a monthly manga art but weirdly its done a weekly rate, this attention to detail. I mangaka faces are quite distinct, a lot of times they not so detail but simplistic so like pokemon sun and moon because the character design is flexible you can express various emotions without taking you out this is apparent for Asirpa.


Overall atm its 9/10 just because i've only read 48 chapters, i still need to see where it goes but if it keeps up this momentum this could be a special gem hopefully I'm accurate. I highly recommend the first 2-3 volumes just to get a decent understanding of what to expect.