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Apr 6, 2022
I emerge from cryostasis to spread my filth once more! Or I got COVID and have had time to mindlessly browse and catch up on weeb-shit. I know which one I think sounds cooler.
When I was originally recommended Spy X Family via a YouTube video, I was a little suspicious of it. The premise sounds gimmicky and could easily end up being circuitous, ESPECIALLY if it ended up being long-running in shonen jump. I’m glad to say my fears are unfounded and that this has held up on a repeated viewing.
It works for really simple reasons as well – the scenarios and characters are fun
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and engaging, the art and panel composition strike all the balance between being clean and attractive while bleeding personality and this is all tied together with a coherent overarching narrative. Namely, adults are whack yo!
I tease, but that is ultimately the core emotional edge of this manga. Providing us with comedy and cutesy. I never saw Mr & Mrs Smith (I should be glad from the looks of it), but just observing the plot synopsis I can tell it was more suited to a film format than Spy X Family would be.
The reason? Because two assassins trying to kill each other is powerfully antagonistic with a short shelf-life of intrigue, while the antagonism on display in Spy X Family is more akin to exaggerated reality. Yor and Loid are keeping secrets from each other, rather exotic ones at that, but this is not dissimilar to most relationships IRL.
Given the relative competence of both characters at their in-universe jobs, hell, we may never have seen this other side of them if not for Anya, who functions as the deadest-of-pans to the ridiculous internal worlds of those around her.
The Esper twist to this formula is icing; but the kind that wraps around, coating the entire cake. Providing a second skin to our ever so spongy inner world. You know that sponge could function by itself, but the icing has recapitulated it’s identity and changed the flavour.
So this, eh, somewhat general East vs West, spies, assassins, espionage and an elite school narrative could have been quite interesting all by itself, but it wouldn’t have the belly laughs and possibly some of the emotional sincerity if it wasn’t for our small, cute diegetic mind revealer.
Past that, Spy X Family is a simple and easy recommend. The 62 available chapters are a gold mine for eye candy and reasons to laugh and get choked up BECAUSE THE FUCKING DOG MAN! I have also been masochistically trying to at least try every “I’m the villianess blah blah”-isekai in existence, so mumma has been GASPING for competency. Loid is also several magnitudes hotter than the “pretty boys” from those works so why do I even bother…
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Oct 17, 2021
I planned to skim the proceeding two seasons before offering my opinion on this one, but the spirit has gripped me. Literally, with my G&T in hand.
MitchellGSPR with 132 current upvotes (AniList review) provides the review summary of “Imagine an isekai where the main character gets transported to another world, but without any OP powers.”
I can, but why would I? Not that Re: Zero even fits into this category… Subaru is indeed physically unexceptional, but his entire existence is predicated upon the ability of resetting until you get a desired outcome. I would consider that rather OP.
I do appreciate the analysis on this show though.
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Painting it as a looking glass for the personally resentful otaku. That’s cool. It’s also not for me. I am none of the things Subaru was when he was in his home world. I am, however, relatively unexceptional. Which is why the classic formula provided by the classic isekai is so classically entertaining to me. El Giggle. Pure power fantasy.
This show should have been mega-mindTM , where Subaru uses his unique power in interesting and world breaking ways. We are still leaning into otaku-esque power fantasies here, but they aren’t of a physical variety, but ones of intellectual and social/romantic orientation. Re:Zero quite clearly achieves the latter given the simping over the girls in the show, but the former? I don’t feel sold on the favourable outcomes of this story. A few formulaic phases of emotional angst and charged confessionals don’t convince me hun.
Not to necessarily suggest I watch the well illustrated emotional journey Subaru goes on and don't appreciate it, but it just lacks personal relevance to myself. Plus... The cringe is poignant enough to puncture my blood brain barrier and get some neurotransmitters mixing that send me into a catatonic stupor at a few too many points. The dialogue can be overly repetitive and strained in an attempt to drive home it’s message. That just makes it activate my fight or flight more.
I guess, the girls are relatively cute (well, some…), and I really enjoyed Rem’s backstory, but are they Dragon Maid level? Do they threaten my homosexuality as such show did? Nope. Beatrice is dope though.
Some of the directing is ON POINT. Big fluffy icy decapitation was next level. Credence where due. But are the moments common enough to make up for what I see as a story that is weak on fundamentals? No.
I think I’m beginning to see the lack of bite point for me…
The reason this shows spends so much time on it’s dialogue and character interactions is because it’s selling you more on an emotional journey. One where the filthy, dirty, useless otaku is continually redeemed through struggle and victory. He is still weirdly successful with women and seen as charismatic by the non-designated romantic interests. This story may even be more relatable to you because you view Subaru as “not OP”, and therefore normal. Making that salacious, covert power fantasy of charisma and success all the more succulent.
But if you don’t really like Subaru, and even find him actively repellent at times. If you don’t find the girls that engaging or attractive. If you don’t buy into the flimsy justifications provided for Subaru’s spontaneous successes, then what is there for you here?
As such, I think I’m in a situation that another person may be when reading my review of “The Saint’s Magic Power…”. Do you really think this is good? Yea I can kinda see the appeal in certain elements, but come one… Are we all far more motivated by our own personal aesthetic preferences and sexual personae than we realise? Well, we are probably plenty aware already…
Re:Zero was never made for me, nor was it meant to comment on me. It just is. A cultural phenomena I will never understand. I feel bad putting this on (almost) the same level (in terms of score) as “When The Villainess is in Love”, because this is FAR stronger in presentation But I did find this FAR harder to consume.
Let’s hope the next viral anime has more hots boys in it… xD
Reviewer’s Rating: 3
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Sep 27, 2021
Spoiler Free TL;DR
“The Saint's Magic Power is Omnipotent” is a relaxing romp through a world that exudes a comforting, feminine energy. Beautiful backgrounds and attractive, good people everywhere! While it can be slow to get to the isekai flavour, and what it does show lacks the complexity of other popular isekai, it is still entertaining. The final bow on this parcel is the completion of a cute, interpersonal arc for the heroine that leaves me wanting more, but feeling satisfied with the 12 episode run of the anime. For those who like pretty boys, pretty fantasy worlds and pretty feelings.
Review
Having been getting back into watching
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anime again by swiftly binging season 2 of Dragon Maid and wailing about how everything else looks shit in comparison, “The Saint's Magic Power is Omnipotent” sates me. Certainly it doesn't come close to the top tier aesthetics of DM, but it has been good enough to get me through it's 12 episode run and make me read the manga.
You can't say they don't try here. The backgrounds are stunning, the shot composition is varied, character designs look good and there are moments of quality animation in depiction of magic and what little combat is present in the series. Even despite the lack of typical anime exuberance in character reaction, they still throw in those small piece of animation - cow lick quivers and heroine screams - that remind you you're still in anime land. It all feels very good natured and relaxing. Like "Shirayukihime", but with the shoujo melodrama stripped out of it. In it's place is the older office lady, who straddles the line between world weary and pure maiden (when it comes to her love interest).
I was actually very impressed with the characters in this series. Namely Prince Kyle/Liz, and I also enjoyed the relationship between our two isekai'd heroines. It was nice to feel like the dickhead royalty trope was getting turned on it's head a bit - Kyle recognises his faults (some of which are a ruse to greater ends) and he made an effort to rectify it. Sei and Aira also don't have any ill will towards each other, but actually demonstrate empathy. Sei being the older one realises the hard position Aira is being put in as girl still in high school, with false preconceptions and expectations placed upon her by a foreign aristocrat. When Aira is then removed from her social vacuum and finally given a chance to make her own place in her new world, it may be saccharine and easily found, but it just felt good.
I would also be remiss to not mention the very clear and direct romance that is central to the narrative of this story. I was already grasped from the beginning when Sei just straight forwardly proclaims to the audience that Hawk was very much her type. Nice. Hawk's design isn't my favourite, even though I think he looks good (I'm probably more likely to remember Prince Kyle than Captain Hawk at this point), and his personality is one of the least explored. But their relationship does end up being the interpersonal backbone of the season; the broader plot is really only getting going by the time the 12th episode finishes after all. No, instead the creators of this anime choose to have the main pairing literally creating life with the power of their love. More foliage than flesh, but still.
Reading the majority of available manga chapters did make me realise that this series is currently best consumed via that medium though. There are just a lot of little details that have been cut out in the anime. Probably for good reason, but it is still missing lore and cutesy energy. The anime also takes 3 episodes before it even starts touching on magic, versus several chapters in the manga, and that just didn't feel as good to me. I'm a big fan of concepts and lore being woven into shows. Even better if it is done in an intelligent way where it reveals more about the world and our protagonists place in it. They do have this in the form of the saint’s powers, but as already mentioned, these are plodding discoveries over our 12 episodes. Unfortunately “The Saint’s…” reveals little else, so that dimension of this show is quite a bit weaker than the average isekai as a result.
BUT, I probably should hammer this home. This show is quite clearly not going for a deep dive into fantasy concepts and mythos. The very comfy energy stands in stark opposition. No, this is a different kind of isekai. One which probably has a name which I don't know of, but which I would define by the isekai'd hero shirking their duties in favour of finding true freedom in their overwhelming power. The ability to set up a business somewhere and commit oneself to that enterprise. This is depicted as truly different to the tensions and stresses of the office work so commonly the cause of the deaths of our protagonists. It is much more iyashikei than a fantasy action/adventure. Though this has sort of wound down by the end of "The Saint's..." with her beginning to have to take part in her saintly duties, after being thoroughly exposed.
I do think this show is worth the time of anyone who likes pretty boys, fantasy asesthetics and a little bit of isekai flair. If I had to choose, I would read the manga. But I also don't believe I would be able to sit through the anime if I had read the manga first. Proceed at your own discretion.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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Sep 23, 2021
UGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid S is the most fun I’ve had with a new anime in awhile.
Season one was already highly entertaining, but the writing, creativity, animation are further heightened here. The silly scenarios our main cast fine them in have layers, very much like Ogres. We get the fantasy backstory of the dragons. Moments of emotional conflict that always end being totes adorbz. Aesthetics on fucking point – women have never looked this good to me!! Dragon Maid is a celebration of life and…
ANIME. Dragon Maid is a celebration of anime as stereotype. It is the steelman of classic anime tropes –
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lesbian dragons (?citation) and huge knockers – that shows that they can have broader appeal outside of horny autistic boys. You could argue that Dragon Maid does that “despite” those “handicaps”, but I don’t know and I don’t care!! Dragon Maid is great and I don't feel the need to describe it's possible minor issues at the moment. Serotonin in a 12 episodes package. Thanks very much KyoAni.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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Sep 21, 2021
Now this is a hard one. “My Next Life as a Villainess” should be right up my street. I am quite the pig for this sub-genre. I’m not complaining about the anime adaptation, they did a pretty good job. No, the problem isn’t so much the anime as it is the actual source itself (I have also read the manga).
If I had to give a name to the primary issue facing this work it’s “solved relationships”. The best part of this anime is the first 3 episodes. Catriona is still navigating her way through the cast of characters that she is expecting to meet
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from the game. While there isn’t really any doubt that her concerns about “doom flags” are not going to come to fruition, the new relationships are new and exciting. Characters in turmoil over various hang ups, issues and trauma. Catriona shaking things up with her weird, isekai heroine behaviour.
But then, what happens after the first few episodes? The main casts personal issues are solved. Catriona and her relationship with each of her coterie are now complete. Shiny and unblemished. The story then moves to continuous, rather boring exposes of the same joke, told in similar ways without the visual flair or characterisation to make up for it. “Wow Catriona is so dense to how much everyone loves here hahaha. Look at her eat her sweets so unaware!”. Like why even have the main cast together constantly if the formula of their interaction is always going to be the same old tale. What is meant to be the hook here?
The final antagonist then throws a spanner in the works by REALLY hating Catriona (well, kinda lol) before he becomes apart of her harem as well. Right… “My Next Life…” isn’t ugly and it’s not particularly annoying, insulting or offensive. It’s just boring.
Reviewer’s Rating: 5
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Sep 20, 2021
Having read and then reviewed part one of the “Ascendance of a Bookworm” manga, it was interesting to look back and see how my perception of part 1 of this story stood up in light of the anime adaptation and also the uncovering of part 2.
My original critiques were aimed at Main herself. Emotionally turbulent, inwardly focused and with a perverse attraction to the physical concept of a “book”. It sort of rubbed me the wrong way. In the context of the anime this feeling takes a different form though – Main is an anime character transported to a world of reaction blunted normies.
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Certainly side characters display emotion through the series, but the presentation is always very minimal, in stark opposition to Main and her mind cinema. Realism? Or just a lack of characterisation in the animation? Not sure. I noted both moments of strength and weakness in this presentation, so I really feel it’s a matter of preference to what extent this appeals.
Speaking of that, the anime adaptation takes small liberties in the continuity of the story. Leaving out certain details while stitching other parts together previously unmarried. The pacing felt brisk, which is good for a show that focuses so much on small efforts of economic enterprising. Even then it doesn’t cover up the fact that “Ascendance…” is a slow, meandering story. There are an extraordinary amount of mysteries left to discover about it’s world. Which is probably why the taste we got at the end of part 2 was so sweet to me. The rows of white noble housing. As if a Victorian was trying to copy the stereotype of white picket fence neighborhoods in the U.S. Sterile. A little strange…
Which brings me to something I only realised while watching the anime. This is a strangely sanitary fantasy world. What’s with all the buildings being tenements? I got the reference is meant to be Victorian Britain, but every shop of Downtown shows no variation in building structure at all. It feels like a city that has been very deliberately planned out. Sort of how the structure of the city in Attack on Titan would make no sense without knowledge of the Titans existing. I suppose I don’t know anything else about the world to say why it’s like that. If it does have a reason... The noble district is also just a sea of housing templates. I can’t help but feel this must be the weakness of the adaptation from novel, to manga and then to anime. I’m assuming the text does contain information about the structure of the city that does not paint it in such bland terms architecturally, but no attempt has been made to allow this to be visually represented. The church being the main setting for part 2 receives a least some development as an area. Despite the fact that we really have no feeling for the presence of other blue robed priests, their activities or much of anything else that goes on in the Church (even what our supposed antagonist, the high priest, is doing…).
This reminds me of a Mr Btongue video where he asks of Fallout 3, “what do they eat?”. The purpose being to recognise why Fallout New Vegas felt “lived in”, versus the desolation of Fallout 3. This is obviously not something that is directly comparable for a manga/anime, but it serves to illustrate a deficit I felt in the world building. This could probably be remedied by better visual representations of the inside of the temple and the city, but that would require resources, time and talent. While I think this anime adaptation is serviceable and generally enjoyable, I don’t think they are trying to do their utmost here.
So in the end, I’m sold on book otakuism a lot more than I am on the world of “Ascendance..”. You live to pull from your ass another day Ms. Main!
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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Sep 15, 2021
Hard work beats talent! Oh, mmmm... Wait a minute. Hard work beats talent that doesn't' work? Something feels a bit off... Ugh. "Talent" is a complex of traits, of which being able work hard and obsess over something is one of said traits. Ahhhhh much better. (Well not really xD)
This show is standard animu sports fare, of which the dichotomy of "natural talent" vs "work ethic/passion" is played out once again in the form of our two cute MCs. Cute they are at that. As are the rest of our candy coloured bishounen with coloured coded personalities. A lot of life is expressed in the
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early episodes though both animation and writing. While I was never impressed per say, it did at least feel on the level of other well enjoyed sport anime with beloved casts. The CG was noticeable, but the presentation of their floor work was certainly not ugly. At times even veering it to enjoyable to watch.
HOWEVER,
This “sports” anime really lacks the elements that I find most compelling. There is lack of tangible “combat” in tournaments because readable variation in competence is just not possible with the sport in question. In Haikyuu ball hit hard and score goal ooh aah aah!! Sometime block!! Lanky boy ooh ooh! Then oOUT OOOUTTT Ahhh AhOooHh!! Haikyuu, Kuroke No Basket, Baby Steps and other such ilk just have far more understandable systems of scoring, owed to them by their more directly combative sports.
I think this is the main problem of this anime for me. It doesn’t make a great “sports anime”, and it’s only a somewhat decent slice of life anime with a sports tint. It lacks the most compelling elements of both genres. Though it does get close in the presentation at times. I also don’t want to be overly harsh because narratively and pacing wise, this was no misery to watch. There are some genuinely great episodes here, even if certain tropes are utilised way to frequently for a 13 episode run. But then again, how big of a pot do they have to draw from. Make the pot bigger then dammit!! Or sooooooooar over it. But while you’re soaring, I’m cringing l o l.
Reviewer’s Rating: 6
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Sep 13, 2021
For disclosure purposes, I practically speed ran my viewing of this anime because... Just look at it. Normally I wouldn't even bother to attempt a viewing of something that insults my eyes this much, but I enjoy the manga and was interested to see how they had adapted the story. The interpolation of this human side of the story then acts as the 2nd crippling nail into my skull that makes this truly intolerable. Good fucking god.
I really don't believe this should have been made. I'm sure there are other shows out there with aesthetics this bad, but this probably takes the cake for
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the worst example of a modern isekai adaptation I've seen. Every single thing I saw looks drastically worse than the manga. The editing and animation then does little to order the visual slop placed before us.
Having a read through the reviews and also some of the comments on Crunchyroll I can see my disdain for the human story line is rather common. Is it really surprising. The whole selling point of Kumo Desu Ga is the fact it's the told from a monster perspective. Instead at least half of the run time of this anime is spent on the most generic isekai cohort I have had the misfortune of spectating in quite a while. There is the lightest of dusting of interesting elements. Character designs are wack. Personalities are eye-clawing levels of boring, cringe, trite and redundant. The only potentially good moments involving humans are those that I previously witnessed in the manga. But they didn't look like they had been shat out of a Dell made in 2001 there.
So fuck me. This was an experience that recontextualised my perceptions. It makes me feel quite a bit more positive about the Slime anime. It makes the CG in Overlord look positively resplendent (well...). I would like to say that this is bottom of the barrel, but I know there must be even worse out there. The terminal sludge factory that is the industry that makes it's measly living through the most cynical of adaptations. I hate it.
Reviewer’s Rating: 2
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Sep 13, 2021
I couldn’t sit through Durarara!! but I could sit through Odd Taxi. I am possibly a furry. ***spilers***
Joking aside (…), Odd Taxi is a lot of fun. In my recent review of “Beastars” I described it as “profoundly unserious”. Odd Taxi can be seen as oppositional to this, as it feels absurd at times due to character action and behaviour that strains believability (though I’m sure many characters here have enantiomers in reality), but also contains within it a cold fleck of realism. This isn’t a knock against it. Odd Taxi is possibly at it’s best when it is reflecting and exposing the workings of
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it’s characters minds. In it’s 13 episode run time, it is regularly straddling a line between cozy and then unnerving. The final frames of the anime being a great illustration of this.
Odd Taxi held my attention very well, and I believe this is mainly due to pacing that leaves the narrative sufficiently coherent as to be understood and analysed, while also continuing the drip of mystery. Personally I don’t find the larger presentational twist of the series to be as interesting as others. I liked that there was dialogue hints (mainly from Doc Gorilla) and the presence of actual animals that hinted at the illogically what was being presented. However, Odd Taxi doesn’t really do anything with it besides this. I had thought it was going to take it in the direction of fundamentally contesting the perceptions of our 41 year old Walrus. This doesn’t happen. I am also vaguely confused by the presence of animal references within the dialogue between characters (e.g. noting their animal characteristics) and other characters not responding to this. This had originally made me believe that my theory of a deeper perceptual issue was at play, but maybe it is some Japanese language/culture quirk that I cannot decipher. It wouldn't be the first of in this show after all lol. There is much to the cultural references and humour of the Japanese that continues to fly over my somewhat anime savvy head. It’s still vaguely funny, just not for the reasons the original writers would have intended. Like, is “We Are The World” a common reference for 40 year olds in Japan, or is the writer of Odd Taxi a Springsteen stan?
So, despite Odd Taxi not representing a badger scheme perfectly or doing mobile game whales dirty, I was thoroughly entertained. It was a treat to watch and I think one that will be even better to go over with foresight of what the plot has in store. Also, learn your lessons: don’t play mobile games, steal your parents credit card or psychotropic medication, have a twitter account, attempt to rob a bank (which still deals in cash transactions to lottery winners for some reason!?) and take out thousands of pounds in debt to seduce someone more than half your age. Those animals fell on their faces so you could have a softer landing.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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Sep 10, 2021
Beastars is fascinating. As is a large swath of the commentary on it (primarily because it illustrates just how retarded most people on this site are). There is a large amount of levity here. While a lot of fucked up stuff is hinted at and the story tries to deal in darker themes, it never really goes full throttle with it. I also think Beastars is PROFOUNDLY unserious. I find it almost hilarious to even imagine the creator of Beastars is unaware of how little sense certain aspects of her story make. The "real history" being a prime example of this, called out in universe
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by Mr. Wolf. But the whale is real y'all. In Beastars absurdity is where a lot of it's character and pleasure comes from. If you spend too much time thinking about possible associations between the world of Beastars and our own, you are going to be sorely deprived. The creator of Beastars is fantastic at sub-narratives, character interaction and broad aesthetics. They are not so fantastic at prevailing narratives and themes. Even I can not totally look past the obvious truncation of this story. Haru, The Black Market, "The Beastar" and hybrids were all to central to the core of this story and some of it's most interesting components that they deserved a far better send off than not even a whimper of a curtain call before the ink ran off the page.
But that's isn't the sort of criticism I seem generally leveled at Beastars. It's more in the intellectual vein of deadoptimist, who I quote:
“Real life zoological connections also fail. Omnivores are a non-entity, for example. Hyenas are called canines in the beginning. Hippos are carnivores now (they are opportunistic carnivores irl, but c'mon). Sizes make no sense, with birds and reptiles as big as mammals, an adult red deer smaller than a wolf, yet mice being correctly tiny.”"
His overall review is actually pretty good, and heads and shoulders above most on this site for it's writing. HOWEVER, I just feel like you maybe should have dropped Beastars out of the gate if you think it's a failing that the relative sizes of it's character do not map onto IRL animals very well. Even worse is their comment about omnivores... Omnivores are a non-entity because they have no relevance to the core thematic drive of the plot. "Carnivore" and "Herbivore", despite their IRL definition, do not mean the same in Beastars. They are labels for those that CAN predate, and those that cannot. All "good carnivores" and by extension "good citizens" of Beastars world are as close to herbivores as possible because eating meat is illegal. An "omnivore" is just a "carnivore" in the world of Beastars. It basically means the same thing.
I'm pointing this criticism out because it's a coherent example of the attitude you shouldn't be coming into Beastars with. You can't look at the world on display and use a lot of the illogical charm on display to tear it apart. Did you find it cute when all the canines went and played fetch at the mall? Well you shouldn't because in a world lacking humans and their relationship with dogs, how the hell would the characteristics that make that scene cute have ever come to exist!? Decide what hill you want to die on. A story can be barely coherent, yet be carried on it's aesthetics. Your favourite story will inevitably have it's flaws (in the same way your favourite non-fiction work does), you just don't notice because your so enamored with it that you'll cover for it like an abused spouse.
HOWEVER... Beastars as it continues onward, sprawling outside of Cherryton, begins to lose a hold of the tight and compelling structure that made it's beginning so great. The facade that it isn't serious about trying to tackle it's heavier themes is dropped and it simply degenerates into a teasing fest. I still really enjoy a lot of the characters and their interwoven stories, but there isn't any doubt that a lot of the "potential" of Beastars is prematurely dissipated.
And that brings me to, what was the purpose of Melon? He is after all the character that most typifies the issues with Beastars. The story is in a constant push and pull as to whether he is really sympathetic or not. He's tied into The Black Market, but he is a very poor character to represent the dark pleasures that the Black Market is meant to represent. After all, he hates eating. What is his struggle against Legoshi meant to represent? Melon in all his shlocky, evil glory, is completely misaligned with the core thematic drives of Beastars. His backstory contains great elements (as most of Beastars characters do), but when it comes to paying that off Beastars fails. Or it's cut short at the very least.
Beastars never bored me. Even though it's last leg is messy and lacks any compelling finality, it easily buys good will from me based on the tendrils of luminescent character it's grown throughout the story. So I recommend for those with a 1:1 of empathising and systematising, or possibly even a schizo-loaded profile ;) Those of you of a sperg variety may find the pure emotional dialectic on display to be a little too human.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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