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It's a quickie 4-koma, 30 pages in total, you can probably bang it out in 15 minutes, with distractions. It starts from an accidental rejection in which Tsuyuki is caught off guard by Imao's confession. Imao takes it quite well, but since Tsuyuki had not planned on rejecting him, she's upset by the turn of events. She tries to figure out what to do, and due to being a bit dishonest about her feelings, is sucked into the usual 4-koma pattern of setting up and delivering a punchline in four panels. It's just unlucky that the ending is so unsatisfying. The jokes are worth a ... few quick smiles, but this could have continued for quite some time. I guess the author got bored and ended it on a poor note.

This is a straightforward romcom, one boy, one girl, no harem, and bringing them slowly together for the enjoyment of the viewer. It has a formula that works, namely, what are common things regular people never think twice about, and how can an extremely sheltered ojou-sama be the butt of a joke about it?

Our couple, Sewa and Kotone, are first years in high school and meet because Sewa is a good guy who doesn't think twice about helping someone out. Kotone is truly charmed by this and asks her father for the chance to enter Sewa's school. Indulgent father that he is, he grants it, ... and thus begins our sweet and vanilla journey for these two.

This is completely a feel-good romantic comedy, with absolutely no doubt who the chosen couple is, and no obstacles being placed between them that would change that dynamic. The series follows its formula and it works, which is the most important part. It did end a bit too soon in my opinion, since this kind of feel-good vanilla can continue for quite a while, so at least it didn't wear out its welcome. The ending is also delightfully vanilla, so it's a soothing balm for the darker stuff most people (including myself) usually read.

Another manga that became the victim of a cancellation, which is too bad since it was fun. I suspect this manga was inspired Date a Live and Kekkon Yubiwa Monogatari, what with the harem of disasters personified and the marriage mechanic, so the inevitable romcom antics are mixed with active shounen combat, a winning formula.

So student council vice president Dazai Ryunosuke lives a normal life at school where he is always helping everyone out due to reasons rooted in a vague childhood memory. That life collapses upon itself when a girl falls from the sky - a dragon girl, a walking calamity. This girl, ... Rinne, forges a marriage link with Ryunosoke, which is the only way to contain her powers as they rampage. Conflict is quickly introduced with the arrival of Mari, Ryunosuke's assistant on the student council who has persistently declared her feelings for him... and is a vampire girl. Cue the romcom.

It's too bad this was cancelled, as it's perfectly able to make fun of itself and its characters, often with quite funny faces. However, the first arc became the only arc, and it was also rather far shorter than a first arc should be due to its cancellation. Still, as I've said before, it should be read for a fun read that takes an hour or two, and to see the mangaka's feelings for their work.

Gundam is one of what I consider to be the legendary series, a story that was told in 1979 and is now at the point where the children who grew up with it are now making their own contributions to the saga, and in a way that enriches the saga, not destroys it. You know, the opposite of its near-contemporary, Star Wars, which has been reduced by a collection of untalented narcissists in a shambling monster completely unrelated to its roots. But we are here to speak of Gundam and the superiority of its contributors, not of the Disney-mutiliated abomination wearing Star Wars the way ... a serial killer would wear the face of a cherished friend before making the next murder.

Broad strokes of a quite familiar story: In the middle of a war, the youth Amuro Ray ends up in possession of a prototype mecha known as the Gundam. Conscripted into service in order to protect the warship that carries both this weapon and civilian refugees with no other choice, he must use the Gundam in battle against one of the most dangerous men in the universe: Char Aznable, the Red Comet.

Unlike other remakes and reimaginings, this manga was illustrated by the animation director of the original Gundam, Yasuhiko Yoshikazu. Not only a man intimately acquainted with one of the most defining science fiction franchises, he himself is a legendary mangaka: every panel is drawn by hand, using art brushes, without any of the modern technologies that have made drawing manga easier, all of it in a solo effort. That means all the work in modern manga that requires a small team to do (the storyboards, panel arrangement, character positioning, and penciling without guides (the shapes other artists use to orient themselves and the action)) was done by one elderly Japanese gentleman. Well, the man's a legend, so the art is excellent, with a distinctive style that recalls the original Gundam anime, but also surpasses it with the cleanness of its lines and the compelling action Yasuhiko-sensei's art conveys. The layout and action flows from one panel to the next quite naturally, and there is definitely a sensation of being drawn in a manner similar to an anime. The art is as much of a carrying point as the story.

On the topic of the story, it's a retelling, but it's not a retelling the way the West does things, where the original story is forgotten in favor of using the franchise name to tell some worthless hack of a "creative's" totally unoriginal fanfic (Rian Johnson). Yasuhiko-sensei instead moves <i>events</i> to make the story flow more cleanly than the original Gundam did. The broad strokes remain the same, but the timing changes in a way that makes the narrative flow more rapidly, while fitting in more backstory that was lost in the original series.

Anyway, for Gundam fans of old and for new readers, it's a must-read. A true masterpiece created by an actual master who worked on the original series, it is Gundam at its quintessential finest. The volumes are still being published in the West, so gather them all up and devour them as time enables, as the story is timeless, the heirs to its tradition continue to love this franchise, even if it is recently starting to show some cracks in the foundation (Witch from Mercury? Who thought that Gundam Utena was even remotely a good idea?)

The Legend of Heroes (aka Trails) series is quite the beloved JRPG franchise that has stuck the classics hallmarks of the genre rather than lose itself in the "innovations" that seem to haunt it these days. As a result of a combination of strong writing and fun gameplay, side stories or media projects like this manga have a high bar of expectations set for them from the moment they're announced. Fortunately, this short story does its best to meet expectations and nails the landing.

The quality of the art is all right, but it's not the art that is the main draw, but the characters. This ... story features the couple of Estelle Bright and Joshua, the stars of the first three games (Trails in the Sky), which truly launched the entire franchise and set it on its path to being beloved. It's structured similarly to the guild requests from their series, in which they take on a story-relevant mission which has significantly more impact than meets the eye. The Brights are hunting for information regarding a certain missing person whom they cherish in the Erebonian Empire, and along the way end up in over their heads, as usual.

One thing this manga nails is the characterization, as Estelle's shining personality leaps off the pages. She's the beating heart of her part of the franchise, and as a result, she pursues things that are almost miracles because they are the right thing to do. Joshua as her other half continues his supporting role, protecting her and seeking to help her make those near-miracles come true. Toval, the third wheel, is a good guy who is doing his best to watch over his friend's kids.

Now, obviously this was made with fans of the franchise in mind, so it's more of a treat for fans. This also means it spoils a lot of things for those who haven't played the first three games in the series, so I warn readers *not* to touch this until after they've played it! If you're going to read it anyway, be aware that here, this something to remind you that the bad guys don't always win and that good people can accomplish great things.

A shoujo story inspired by Cinderella blended with magic powers and demons, set in an urban fantasy-type 1910s Japan, Watashi no Shiawase na Kekkon is a slow-burn show that eventually results in an adequate pay-off for a one-season anime.

The story revolves around the main couple. The woman, Miyo, is a young noble who has suffered intense emotional and physical abuse since the death of her mother. Due to being born without magical talent in a family with such power, she is deemed useless to the family, particularly when it comes to the succession. Her original intended is betrothed to her younger sister and she herself ... is shipped off to her new betrothed, Kudou Kiyoka. As expected, he's the man, in more ways than one. You see, Kiyoka has a legendarily bad reputation amongst the nobility, as the daughters they send over for a prospective betrothal are all chased out of his home. Why? Because our boy Kiyoka <i>hates</i> gold diggers, and all the noble daughters sent to him thus far have been gold diggers who only care about his noble status and his money. So what happens when Miyo shows up? Well, nothing immediately, because she's not a gold digger. She genuinely wants to stay because even the minimal courtesy Kiyoka shows her is leagues above the abuse she's been getting every day for the last ten years or so. The lack of gold digging, the genuine kindness and helpfulness she displays towards Kiyoka's childhood nanny (who continues to serve her beloved master even after he's grown up, and he loves her just as much), spark his interest. What follows is the two treating each other with growing kindness as Kiyoka slowly starts healing Miyo of her traumas and investigating exactly what happened to her in the past. This being entertainment, they're not allowed to continue this character development without outside forces meddling to try to drive them apart.

From what I can tell, this series covers the first two volumes of the light novel, which leaves another five out in English, so like many other anime, it's designed to sell its core media. This is not a bad thing, as the animation is well-done and the main couple as they develop become more passionate. I'm genuinely curious how this tale is going to continue, and that despite not being a fan of the shoujo genre. The animation is generally quite well-done, especially for a Netflix production (look at High-Rise Invasion for an example of anime on the lowest of low budgest animations). What's interesting to me is that Miyo as a character begins passive and submissive, slowly begins to develop her own strength of personality, but also suffers from backsliding, like any normal person would. The fact she backslides yet continues to persist in trying to attain the happiness she's always wanted is to me a nice touch of realism, the sort of persistence that many people need to remember is an active choice. People don't get to do one and done, so to speak, on their own development. It's something they have to choose to do, again and again. Nobody's perfect, so they'll occasionally suffer from cowardice or weakness, but Miyo stands up and tries again, even though the pain terrifies her.

There are flaws, of course, since there are some weaknesses in story delivery, as things in the last third or so are rather rushed. The series is absolutely a slow-burn, so it takes time to really get into it, so I wonder if it would have been better to only adapt the first book and reduce the episode count. Still, by the third episode you'll have decided whether or not to stick with it, as I personally think it was entertaining.

Kanojo mo Kanojo succeeds as a romcom as it consistently delivers laughter in almost every chapter. The series works due to the interactions of the main characters with each other and the absurd situations they find themselves in, and the underlying tension that lurks beneath every harem story.

The whole thing starts because the main character, Naoya, is straightforward and sincere to the point that an ICBM has less impact when it hits a wall. After confessing to his childhood friend Saki every month for the last ten years, he has finally gotten her (always was going to be given but she felt shy) consent to ... a relationship. Then the first wrench is thrown in when Nagisa confesses to Naoya, revealing how dedicated she was to that moment. Being a sucker for hard work and sincerity, Naoya falls for her, and rather than engage in infidelity or secrecy, goes directly to Saki and asks for her permission to two-time her. He gets punched in the face, but Naoya manages to overcome her objection via that same straightforward sincerity that made Saki and Nagisa fall for him in the first place.

Does it end at two-timing? ....no. The whole thing is over the top comedy, and it being limited to just two would limit the quantity of jokes, which follow a fairly reliable formula. Under the thick layer of comedy, the manga is surprisingly considerate of the characters and their feelings. Saki is, both in her eyes and those of Naoya and the others, the "legal wife" here: this entire situation continues at her say-so and hers alone. She can at any time terminate it and a handful of time threatens it to force the other girls to work harder for the benefit of the entire harem. Nagisa, the first girl added, is so considerate and tender that despite the situation, Saki instantly befriends her. Really, if Nagisa had not been the first girl, the whole situation may never have occurred. The other two, Rika and Shino, have competing goals: Rika wants to destroy the harem and dethrone Saki, taking Naoya for herself alone, while Saki's best friend Shino wants to either destroy the harem for the mutual benefit of Saki and herself or (and only with Saki's express permission and blessing) join as Naoya's third girlfriend.

With these contradictory motives, there also comes the problem of not being someone's number one. Late in the manga, the frustration the girls have quietly expressed is thrust out into the open, as the problem in a harem is that time is not infinite, each one has a limited amount of time to be Naoya's focus of attention, and the girls must sit on the sidelines when someone else is the focus of all Naoya's attention and not inconsiderable affection. Counter-intuitively, the girls develop friendships and relationships outside of the one they form revolving around Naoya - while he is the center spoke, they all connect to each other as well, so the entire relationship also means being thoughtful and considerate of your friends who happen to share your boyfriend.

Make no mistake, this is first and foremost a romcom. It's about the humor, but there are moments of tension and drama to prevent it from becoming rote. I recommend reading it, as it's a fun way to enjoy yourself with a silly read.

A subtitle for this series could be "In which the title of the anime slanders the protagonist." The heroine has never been a villainess, she's a brave, clever, and resourceful girl with plenty of innate charm whose ploys are worth watching.

The premise is simple: as Rische is publicly dumped by the Prince of her homeland for allegedly being a villainess (a pack of lies, she's innocent of all charges!), she is already plotting to do something new with her seventh loop through life. You see, Rishe gets five years to live from this point forward, and she has done something new and different with it ... each time. Blessed with the ability to learn and a voracious desire to learn, she has been a merchant, an apothecary, an alchemist, a maid, a hunter, and a swordswoman before death has inevitably claimed her and sent her back to the moment her betrothal is broken and she is disgraced. Deciding to take it easy this time, as she rushes out of the palace to get things in order, she has one encounter that will change everything: Arnold Heine, the man who killed her in her most recent life. Who she intrigues so much that he asks for her hand in marriage.

What's interesting about this anime is that despite having level grinded for 30 years, Rishe is *still* not the equal of her future husband. This is not due to low self-esteem on her part (her self-esteem has always been quite healthy, as a matter of fact), but due to an honest assessment of her abilities and his. However, since she's the type of girl who throws herself wholeheartedly into each life, she has decided that in this time loop, she will be the Crown Princess she was always meant to be, which in her eyes means she must save Arnold from the darkness awaiting both their lives in five years time. Since she knows she's outclassed, she applies all of the knowledge she's spent 30 years acquiring crafting schemes to try to protect him from the BAD END waiting for them should she fail.

The animation, voice casting, and direction are all on point, with the end result that the anime is quite charming. I personally consider it to be an underappreciated gem in its season. I heartily recommend this series for those who rarely watch romance anime, as I've also branched out into the manga and will be gunning for the light novels next.

This is an absolutely glorious roller coaster of a romcom anime that had me cracking up the entire time. Left, right, up, down, the hijinks just keep on coming, and because the protagonist is the kind to be absolutely dedicated to his waifu(s), his absolute sincerity and complete commitment to each of them of them is a refreshing change of pace from the usual dense harem protagonist.

Rentarou is a great protagonist who has everything it takes to succeed at love, but doesn't for the simple reason that the Japanese deity in charge of regulating the love lives of humans was too busy watching TV ... the day he got to Rentarou's paperwork and screwed up. Ah, but it's not just ANY old screw up, oh no. You see, instead of scribbling down "1," the offending deity wrote down "100." As in 100 soulmates. And if Rentarou should fail to find them and love them, the unlucky girls will die. Rentarou, being a hot-blooded shounen protagonist, refuses to let that happen OR to be insincere in his devotions. Thus begins his quest to find and love the 100 destined girls of his harem!

Harem anime though it may be, it is first and foremost a romcom. The humor is constant and varied, be it dirty jokes, innuendos, breaking the fourth wall, ridiculous situations taken to extremes, copyright-skirting references to other shows and franchises, Hyakkano does not take itself seriously and wants you the viewer to laugh with them.

Funnily enough, because Rentarou is a shounen protagonist to the max, he contributes to the humor through his earnestness, while his waifus lend their not inconsiderable might to the comedy through interactions and schemes with each other. Which isn't to say the show is shallow as a puddle, since there is character development and demonstrations that the characters have more than one note to their individual personalities... but the comedy is still a crucial element to keep the show going.

If you need a good laugh, this anime is perfect for the purpose!

It's a weird short story that probably would have benefited from having a few more chapters. I'd recommend reading it, since it's a short and interesting read in a way that's not what you'd expect. The summarize, two young kids (Reiko and Hiroshi) discover a starving Pokemon-like creature one day and kindly feed it. They discover the Pokemon-like creature is actually a space alien saleswoman (Ponko), looking to make big bucks by selling on Earth! When she finds out they're broke, she tries to leave, but is dragged back by.... starvation. Anyway, they work out a deal, where she'll sell them a copier that can ... copy anything at all, but there's a catch. A very unfortunate and terrible catch that reminds you never to make a deal unless you know and understand all the terms and conditions attached...

Like I said, the manga's a bit too short, it needs a bit more meat to it, but that's due to some gaps in depicting character development, as there's a bit of a time skip to the second chapter, and a need for a bit more content revolving around the subsequent deals Reiko decides to make. However, the ending is quite interesting, as it creates and depicts new circumstances and might even be worth exploring in another short manga.