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So, this is a strange series to talk about. Despite being a huge success and the subject of a lot of hype, it really doesn't stray too far from other series in the genre. Chainsaw man is about a young man who had nothing and is given all that his heart desires; as long as he kills whatever his master tells him to.

It tries to subvert a lot of expectations set by previous shows and, at this point in the story, it does that fairly well. These twelve episodes are really just an appetizer of the much larger story and, in my opinion, it hits ... on the best Chainsaw Man has to offer. What that means to you will vary, but for me it meant enjoying the chaos like I did when reading the manga for the first time.

This season has characters that actually get to shine in the light a little before things go south, giving more weight to the tragedy that befalls many of them. Later plotlines don't give you even that much, so if this fails to impress, it IS NOT going to get better in later seasons.

Denji doesn't really grow much past this point in the story, but most of the fun with him comes from him being naïve to a fault. Aki has also reached the end of his growth at episode twelve, so don't think there's much more to see there. Overall, things only make less sense and get less depth from here on out.

However, if you're in this show for the high-octane action that doesn't let up, then you'll most likely enjoy the rest of the series. This isn't high art and anyone claiming it is should not be taken seriously. A confusing thing that I ran across was people claiming the characters in this series felt like real people and I cannot stress enough how absolutely ridiculous that is. Everyone is a caricature and the only people thinking these are what others are like are just as hard up for touching some boobs as Denji.

Humanity is a thing people can see in any show. There are relatable, even touching, moments. That does not change the fact that every character is extremely one note, leaving room for little in the way of meaningful character development.

So, in the end, I'm going to recommend this to people who enjoy action and some decent comedy at times. However, I am only extending this recommendation for this season of the anime. The rest is a mixed bag I don't care to vouch for.

Sometimes, a series comes along that is just strictly "alright". Kabaneri is one of those series. It does have some truly great scenes and compelling episodes, but half of its runtime is wasted on some truly terrible writing and characters you just want to slap upside the head. Characters range from brilliant to brain dead from scene-to-scene and those blunders are used to keep the narrative moving. Essentially, the cast is stupid for plot convenience, and that can leave a poor taste in anyone's mouth.

The story really never picked up, either. While some interesting concepts did shine through at times, a lot of them were ... stopped short of reaching full potential. The main villain of the show is also just boring. If you haven't seen anime before, this may have worked for you. Otherwise, you've seen the trope done before and probably rolled your eyes at it being done like this.

There are some really good action scenes, as well as some truly good performances from the cast. The soundtrack is absolutely fantastic and helps carry the show a bit. All of that can't make up for its bad side, though.

Nothing stuck out to me as interesting for the first half of the show. The second half picked up a bit and got me more interested, but it was a little too late to introduce the more interesting parts, only for them to fall flat in the final act.

If you enjoy a good popcorn action flick, you'll probably at least find Kabaneri entertaining. Otherwise, you should probably find something better to watch.

Despite the absolute bonkers ending that Trigger has to do with all of its shows, this anime was an absolute joy to watch. I've watched it twice through now and I liked it even more the second time. There were some people complaining about how the cast was handled, but I think it's because they all act like real teenagers going through things we all do.

Comparisons to Neon Genesis Evangelion are usually the first things people think when seeing this for the first time. That's the point, though. Darling in the Franxx wears its inspiration on its sleeve, and that's ignoring the fact that Trigger ... was founded by ex-Gainax employees.

It's easy to start comparing the two, until you realize that they're telling very different stories. In comparison to its predecessor, Darling in the Franxx feels more grounded in the portrayal of its characters and does a good job showing more lighthearted scenes. Evangelion has a tendency to show things in a bleak light, while I feel this anime always strives toward hope and relying on others. They're fundamentally different experiences, even if they have plenty in common with their designs.

I have no intention of spoiling anything here, but I will warn that there is a lot of fan service frontloaded into this anime. They chill out with it later on, but it's front and center in the first quarter of the show. There is a purpose to it, though, so if you can look past that, I'd recommend sticking with it for the truly amazing parts.