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I enjoyed Tatoeba Last Dungeon much more than Konosuba, which should set the tone for the following no-spoilers review.

I genuinely don't understand why Tatoeba Last Dungeon got review bombed. It literally gives you its synopsis in the title, yet people seem to approach it as if it's something else. This is a blatantly generic COMEDY, and that alone should account for a lot of the "no character development" or "no story line" complaints. It was never meant to be viewed as a thought-provoking adventure driven story, nor a wish-fulfilling device for viewers to project themselves into the overpowered main character. The same could be said ... for other amazing comedies such as Nichijou, Gintama, and Asobi Asobase, or Hinamatsuri. The comedy stems from the chemistry between character personalities and sometimes gimmicks. These comedies were never about the end goal, but the friends and interactions these characters make along the way.

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Humour (arguably the only thing that matters):
While Tatoeba Last Dungeon's humour may not click with everyone, it is easily approachable and digestible. The simple synopsis was able to provide enough agency to continuously propel the main narrative forward. From main character Lloyd leaving his village, to the end of the first arc; from the conclusion to the first arc to Lloyd's subsequent new adventures, the plot proceeds logically with impeccable pacing, and the problems and mysteries were gradually resolved in a satisfying manner. While the character cliches haven't been anything new, the show was able to exploit such stereotypes for light-hearted comedic effect. Just because a good formula had been repeatedly used many times in the past does not make it any worse when executed well. The simplicity of the story and the characters' motives spotlights the straightforward comedy. Like many other shows of the same genre, its hit-or-miss rate is largely determined by personal taste. While the show may not offer many chuckles, its character interactions should guarantee with many smiles and grins.

That being said, Tatoeba Last Dungeon is not without its flaws. The humour is highly dependent on the Lloyd's power gap with his fellow cast, which resulted in some repetitive jokes. It also failed to subvert the expectations in most scenarios, which some may recognize as a lack of creativity. However, its deficit in joke variety was compensated with its delivery, density, consistency and attention to detail. If you had enjoyed any moment of the series, you will likely feel the same throughout the entire series. There is enough new material in each scenario to keep you guessing to a certain extent. Unlike Kemono Michi (which got boring very fast), the chemistry between all the likable characters in Tatoeba Last Dungeon felt more organic and believable in Tatoeba Last Dungeon, and was able to provide continuous entertainment past their initial encounter. Instead of relying on its main character to be the sole funniness output, Lloyd enables other already funny characters to be funnier.

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Characters:
The characters have clear and distinct motivations, clear-cut shallow personalities and stereotypes. However, they are great comedic devices and are generally likable. Character development is not absent, but I would imagine most were omitted as they rarely add to the comedy, especially given the solid pacing of the story. Some sacrifices had to be made for comedy.

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Art:
Although the animation is imperfect in certain episodes and the production value isn't always incredible, its smooth and fast action scenes never ceased to blow me away. Moreover, the visuals and imagery were successful in achieving and enhancing the show's comedic effect. Tatoeba Last Dungeon's producers were able to identify the more important moments of the anime, and subsequently giving them all the budget/attention they deserve. The resulting pros had doubtlessly overcome the cons, making it at least a decent looking show.

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Please don't be discourage by the negative reviews and give Tatoeba Last Dungeon a shot. Though its straightforwardness may crater younger audiences better, it is certainly not a bad show. It gave me plenty of Iruma-kun vibes with lots of fun to be had, and I have personally enjoyed every episode so far.

It's worrying when the only good thing about the first season of an anime is its source material for seasons beyond that. Unfortunately, I believe Tower of God is one of them. As someone who has never seen its Webtoon nor intend to, this is my personal, spoiler-free review based solely on the first 10 episodes of anime I have seen so far.

TLDR: the anime is average, but will most likely get better.

Allow me to quickly pointing out the worst and the best:

WORST:
If you think the male lead in most harem shows are the shallowest, lack personality and are mildly infuriating, think again. ... Baam, the lead of this show, is one of the hollowest and most unbearable main characters across all genres, and especially so given the dark-fantasy-action setting of his universe. As a character whose existence hinges only on Rachel, another mysterious figure with little screen time and information revealed, Baam is as weak of a main character as you can possibly imagine.

Despite knowing that such a blank canvas of 0 appealing personality leaves plenty of room for character growth and development in the future, I struggle to enjoy anything whenever he's on screen, so much so that my immediate frustration outweighs my anticipation for fruitful outcome. There is simply too much unknown for new audiences to empathize with the cast and there is too little time to resolve them in a satisfying way.


BEST:
Now that the flaws are out of the way, I have nothing but praise for the consistent art. It is truly refreshing to see something unique, deviating from the generic style yet aesthetically pleasing. I especially enjoy the simple yet dynamic animation for liquid and other particles, which is able to mask some of the arguably lackluster fights. Great care was put into the different environments of the Tower, ranging from a grassy field outdoors to various combat arenas, while feeling coherent at the same time.

In terms of plot progression, the pacing is surprisingly natural. Despite the slow start overall, nothing felt rushed or forced. Although Baam's halt in terms of development may well be a byproduct of this, I would still prefer the way it is right now. It is certainly building up towards something better.

In contrast to Baam, the side characters are interesting and well pronounced. Instead of the common "main character making friends along the way" archetype, we are immediately introduced to a large amount of side characters. Thankfully, the execution was well enough to justify for other risks. They are memorable with unique designs, and are given sufficient time to showcase their reactions and interactions. Better (or worse) yet, all of them (individually) are way more interesting than Baam himself. Although most of their backstories and motivations have yet to be revealed, their diverse personalities are more intriguing even at face value, not to mention those with compelling reasons to climb the Tower. Needless to say, this makes for a conflicting viewing experience when you care for everyone but the main character.


Verdict:
Unfortunately, scoring 10/10 in terms of potential does not change the fact that the start to Tower of God is (necessarily and reasonably) slow, resulting in an average overall rating within the given small scope for anime-only viewers. I believe this is the type of show which is better at bringing attention to its source material, than it is at constructing a satisfying story in a limited time frame in regular anime pacing. That being said, I was so disheartened by the shallowness of Baam that I can't bring myself to sit through more of him in the Webtoon. I sincerely hope the buildup is worth it.

This review is separated into 2 sections: a spoilers-free review for new readers of the series, and a more critical analysis for those who has read or seen Kakegurui (main story) before, containing minor spoilers. Feel free to scroll down and find the one you're looking for.

(I am currently caught up to all 52 chapters of Twin I have access to, as of Jan 27 2020.)

Synopsis, in case you missed it:
Kakegurui Twin tells the story of Saotome Mary, an intelligent scholarship student, and her path to achieving success at Hyakkaou Private Academy, a school which evaluates people by their ability to gamble, and attended by ... students who are much richer than her. The stronger you are at gambling, the higher your social status would be in the academy. After learning what brutality the system may bring, Saotome sets off to quite literally, gamble her way to victory, making friends and enemies along her exciting journey.

>> The following section is for readers with no prior experience with Kakegurui (main story), and does not contain any spoilers.

Although Kakegurui Twin is the prequel to Kakegurui (main story), I would highly recommend starting the series with Kakegurui the manga (ongoing) or the Kakegurui anime (2 seasons aired, 12 episodes each). Not only was Kekegurui published first, reading/watching that first would give you a better beginners' perspective to the universe, and a greater appreciation for the Twin prequel. Case in point, Saotome Mary (main character in Twin) is the second female lead in the main story, and the consequences of gambling can be better understood by reading Twin's "predecessor". That being said, Twin still provides adequate introduction to its unique premise and fascinating system, one of compulsive gambling and class divide.

Story-wise, character chemistry and the specially designed games for gambling are some of the strongest suit the Kakegurui series (as a whole) has to offer. Saotome is one of my favorite characters of all time, so I would be lying if I say I'm reading Twin because of something else other than her. With her being the main character of this series, it wouldn't take much else for me to enjoy Twin. If you enjoy stories with a strong, confident, tsundere (but not the irritating type) female leading protagonist, Saotome Mary will not disappoint you. It is a bit unfair to compare the rest of the cast with her, as they were given much less "screen time", while some have much less impact to the story's progression as a whole. However, their design, both aesthetically and characteristically (personality and back stories) are highly memorable. Instead of diving deep into their past, Twin spends more time displaying their growth and change of attitude caused by character interaction and gambling, and I found that really enjoyable. Using this formula, story progression feels smooth and satisfying, with very little filler in between. The more I read, the more I get this "as long as the characters are interacting I don't really mind what they're actually doing" vibe, if you know what I mean :)

Some may point out that most side characters have extreme and unrelatable traits, to which I very much agree with. I don't think that makes them bad characters. With a setting as ridiculous (in a good way) as a "school for rich teenagers to gamble at", it's reasonable that the characters are just as twisted. This to me makes for a more riveting story.

Much like the main Kakegurui story, Twin also offers plenty of interesting setups, challenges, and rivals for Saotome to go against. These people don't gamble for fun, but usually for a deeper, sometimes more sinister purpose. Since money isn't usually the only thing on the line, the gambles have higher risks than regular casino games. Strategies and cheats are always applicable, even if the game itself seemed entirely luck based. Twin never cease to deliver new and creative games with their respective twists, and special risks and incentives tailored for each setting. Each game is drastically different from one another, keeping it fresh every time. The rules to each game are made clear to readers, so are the reactions of the players during the gamble. Their strategies are later revealed, allowing readers to strategize or theorize beforehand. All these elements combined adds an extra element of thrill to the games. If you enjoy table top games, or the likes of No Game No Life and Akagi, you will likely enjoy both Kakegurui and Twin.

As much as I'd like to say that both character and story are flawless, Twin has its fair share of issues. In terms of characters, the protagonists have somewhat heavy plot armor, and Saotome is a bit "overpowered". In terms of plot, the outcomes of the gambles have been really predictable, and some risks and the associate rewards of certain games feel non-existent. However, I'd like to point out that the outcome of a prequel is drastically restrained by the sequel, which serves as a reason behind some of the problems mentioned.

TLDR: It is important to read or see Kakegurui first before approaching Kakegurui Twin. Twin itself is really entertaining, but if you're looking for something else other than entertainment, please look elsewhere.


-------------------------------------------------- Spoilers ahead! --------------------------------------------------

>> The following section is for readers who has seen/read a fair amount of Kakegurui (main story), and contains minor spoilers for both series.

(I am currently caught up to all 71 chapters of Kakegurui both season of anime, as of Jan 27 2020.)
Let me just get the elephants out of the room.

1. The majority of the new characters in Twin are absent in the main story. Some felt so important to Mary, I simply couldn't imagine how this prequel being wrapped up within the short time frame (1 year) without conflicting with the main story. That is unless all the new characters introduced in Twin just graduated, or magically disappeared. If the characters in Twin were alluded to in the main story, this would not have been as jarring.
2. I hate to say it, but Mary can't really function as the lead character in a prequal of Kakegurui. In the main story, Mary takes on a redemption arc because of how she treated Suzui Ryouta and Yumeko. Twin however disputes the idea that Mary would gamble with Yumeko in the first place, because her sense of justice would not allow for it. The only other reason for Mary to do so, if not because she was a bit of a jerk, can only be out of jealousy (something to do with Suzui Ryouta), which also doesn’t fit the Mary in Twin… And then there’s the unavoidable plot armour for obvious reasons… I digress.
3. If the prequel was dated back when Kirari challenged the previous student council president, or even way back when the academy tradition of gambling had come to be, it would have been so much more interesting. Twin just felt like a missed opportunity.
Yes, the whole Twin story is kind of misplaced. It feels more like a weird ”what if Yumeko doesn’t exist and Mary was born a year earlier” spinoff than it is a simple prequel, but it really couldn’t stand on its own without the main story, so it exists as this awkward spinoff-prequel-hybrid that the writer probably did not intend for it to be.

BUT I still think Twin is wroth reading. Here’s why.
To me Kakegurui (main story) and Kakegurui Twin serve very different purposes and contribute differently to their shared universe. The main story has its spotlight on Yumeko, how her appearance has brought change to the academy (anime season 1) and the Momobami Clan (speculation) through the stage that is Hyakkaou Private Academy. The story is character (Yumeko) driven, and the events are happening because of Yumeko's unstoppable lust for gambling.

Twin however had greater emphasis on world building, and showcases the slightly more "common" side of school life at the Academy. The risks are much less extreme, with some gambles I'd consider trivial compared to ones in the main story. It isn't about Mary climbing to the very top, but rather a demonstration of how hard it is to achieve and maintain a successful school life, when you have the slightest bit of ambition while striving to be something beyond ordinary. Twin is, with a lack of a better word, environment driven, where Mary is dragged into chaos by the people around her. This helps to establish a couple things:
1. The universe when Yumeko isn't in the picture
2. The hopes and goals of students other than the cast from the main story (since Yumeko is a bit of an oddity and she tends to attract other characters with special cases)
3. How some of the regular events in normal schools operate under Hyakkaou Private Academy (monitor election, clubs and societies, festivals etc.)
4. How awesome Mary really is (which is somewhat relevant to chapter 71 of the main story manga)

There are major differences between the content as well. The main story has been building more and more suspense towards not only the outcome of gambles, but also a likely reveal of what the mysterious Momobami Clan entails. Yumeko has a clear goal in mind (to beat Kirari), and actively put herself up for various challenges including her going against student council members and the Momobami Clan members along the way. Each arc is clearly divided (as do the 2 seasons of anime). On top of that, the gambles are distinctively themed (fear, trust, compromise, determination, deception etc.), especially for the election arc.

On the other hand, Twin feels like a shorter and more lighthearted series where suspense is almost immediately resolved after each gamble. Problem appears, gamble, problem solved, rinse and repeat. Since Mary isn't really in the driving seat most of the time, the plot progression feels much more passive, and there isn’t any clear-cut arcs. I got smaller doses of satisfaction reading Twin than I did with reading the main story. But then again we should be reminded that there are plenty of limitations to what a “prequel” can deliver, as it has to be canon to the events merely a year later (hopefully so).

With all the flaws in mind, I still very much enjoyed reading Twin, even though it is structurally and thematically weaker than the main story. I get to see familiar faces from the main story, alongside elements that can't really be looked into in the main story because of where Kakegurui is heading towards. I doubt people who disliked the main story would consider reading Twin either, so there is no reason not to read Twin if you're coming from the main story, given that you can overcome the elephants previously mentioned.

If you're concerned that the art style of Twin would deviate from Kakegurui because of different illustrators, you shouldn't be. The art style had stayed consistent and good, both manga series has nailed the facial expressions that Kakegurui is known for. If I had to nitpick any noticeable differences, it would be how the panel layout of the main story felt a bit more dynamic. Literally had to flip through books of both series to spot that.

TLDR: Twin doesn't take away anything from the main story, nor does it add much to it either. You won't miss out on anything important, but why not give it a shot?
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Story: 7
Art: 9
Character: 7
Enjoyment: 8
My overall rating is 7.5, for "absolutely worth my time, very fun to read, but some parts could be done better".

After my 3rd time re-watching the series, I've decided to write a spoilers free review. I genuinely do not believe Tonari no Kaibutsu-kun deserve a rating lower than 7.8.

Seeing as you're reading this review, I'd assume you've seen plenty of other 4-6 reviews. Out of disbelieve, I've read through the majority of them, and I consider the majority extremely biased, or downright false. This also highlights some of the strongest suits that this anime possesses. Please keep this in mind while proceeding to the later section of this review.

1. This is a manga adaptation. If someone expects a conclusive ending after 12 episodes, he/she'd be ... complaining about horrible pacing.

2. The story was told by the main female lead. Her strong character growth has been displayed many times from the very first episode to the very last. There are even moments where she or her friends verbally reminded us of how different she is, and to bring our attention to it. The other characters have shown significant growth as well. I fail to understand how any counterargument could make logical sense, regarding "no character growth" and "plain and flat development".

3. This is a slice of life show, and people seem to expect a marvelous, unique story which not only teach a huge life lesson, impeccable character development, and also a spectacular romantic relationship. To that I say the following:
Please make up your mind. What you're actually looking for is called a fairy tale.

>> Side note: It is extremely irresponsible to discourage people from watching an anime, without acknowledging the pros along with the cons. You don't see 4-6 rated reviews discuss why the show isn't any lower than a 4. They simply bash the show to an absurd degree, so I don't see why they couldn't have rated it a 1 in the first place. Please don't speak for others. Let them be the judge.

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With that out of the way, let's take a look at what Tonari no Kaibutsu-kun excels at.

1. The pacing. Each episode is packed with enjoyable moments and engaging interactions between the well written characters. Anything more or less would have ruined the flow, yet the show kept on giving, pausing to reflect on important moments, and giving details when necessary. The progression is smooth throughout the series.

2. The characters. All characters were presented with their own issues, and their way of tackling them. Most importantly, they are down to earth and very relatable. It's a story of ones who discover and experience friendship and romance for the first time. This is the show that made me go "yeah I was pretty silly as a teenager". I can't help but wonder how mature and experienced some people were as a teen, when they criticized the characters for "falling in love too fast". Similarly, I wonder how lucky they must have been to not be able to relate to "relationships going nowhere". Maybe they simply had no life experience whatsoever. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

3. The cliché. It is true, that this show might not have been the first to "exploit" the "introvert meets extrovert, opposites collide" stereotype, nor was it the most outstanding and inspiring romance of the decade. However, this is an anime which perfects it. I'd go as far as to say that it coins the genre. The awkwardness between newly met friends was on-point, the conversations felt natural, while embracing what the stereotypical cast of characters could offer. Cliché =/= bad. Stereotypes usually came to be because they are true / accurate / popular.

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Conclusion:
I highly recommend this series, especially to those who are new to the genre. It showcases what slice-of-life rom-com has in store, which makes for a great starting point. For those who has seen plenty of the genre, please watch it and judge it for yourself.

As I have mentioned at the beginning, this is my 3rd time watching the anime over the span of 6 years. Being one of the earliest anime I've seen, I've decided to revisit it every 2 years, to see how my thoughts of it differs as time passes. My impression has gone from sweet to bittersweet, and for that I liked it even more.

I wouldn't deny that nostalgia may have had an effect on my rating. Realistically I can see the show rated at 8.5, while I have personally rated it a 9. (My 10s are preserved for no more than 7 shows, and they change according to time.)

Thanks for reading :)

The only show where I do the absolute opposite:
Skip half of the actual content and sat through all the OPs and EDs.

Short & Sweet Spoilers Free (9 episodes in):
This is probably as trashy as a cliche generic fantasy harem show could get, and it really is just that. To my surprise it's pretty enjoyable, for perhaps the wrong reasons. But as long as you don't mind shutting down your frontal lobe a bit, it's a solid time pastime. The show is "special", and any meaning of the word "special" you can think of can simultaneously apply here.

I can definitely see polarized opinions on this show, ... for it excels (in a good way) but for the worst things. It has no shame displaying the silly parts, and instead reinforces them to a point where you don't feel weirded out anymore. Despite being able to spot the flaws, I couldn't deny that I liked it. Just for that alone I think it's fair to compare it with SAO, or The Irregular at Magic Highschool, my personal favorite guilty pleasure. You hate to love it.

On a side note, I really enjoyed the catchy OP and the memorable ED, some of my favorites this season. The animation on the OP and some of the post-budget-apocalypse action/dramatic scenes were done very well.

In the end, Assassin's Pride gives you plenty reasons to watch it, be it ironically or genuinely. Rated a 6 for "ehhhhh could be worse".

In case you're wondering why the score on season 3 on this particular website is so low, it's because certain people were upset that Chihayafuru 3 was the HIGHEST rated show of the season, when there are much bigger titles out there. You can easily find proof on weekly records of the ratings.

I've never written a review, I think there are better places for reviews to be, but a score below 7 (6.9 atm, 29/11/19) just goes to show how jealous some people can get. If anything, a score this low reflects more about the website, than it does for the anime.

Since I'm ... not a professional critic, I'll share only my 2 cents. Please take the following with a grain of salt. There are no spoilers in this review.

Chihayafuru excels at both the school-drama-romance and the sports-passion-competition. If you enjoy either genres, this could be your "gateway drug". If you don't find the sport "Karuta" interesting, the show will make you fall in love with it. If you find the visuals odd and weird, the art style will definitely grow on you. This is me speaking from experience, as someone who avoided sports anime, knew nothing about Karuta, and usually picks generic art styles over unique ones.

After starting season 1, it took me only 2 days to binge through both seasons 1 and 2. Chihayafuru has this special charm where I couldn't find in anywhere else, whether it be escapist fantasy, or close-to-home slice-of-life. Instead of being told what is happening, I experienced the story from natural conversations and messages were conveyed by strong animation, something modern anime often lack. On top of that, character development has been impeccable, especially in this very season. This is frankly the most enjoyable anime of the season for me (I'm caught up to 14 shows airing this season), and no amount of low ratings can change that fact.

I'm rating this season an overall 9, as I did with season 2. Personally, I preserve the 10/10 rating for anime that are especially impactful, or ones with strong personal attachment. Since I'm only 8 episodes in, I think the current 9/10 is fair. It does have strong potential to reach a 10.

TLDR: There is no reason for you to not watch it, and you shouldn't judge a book by it's covers. Why not give it a shot, and then give it a deserved rating?