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Hyped as the next big thing in shounen anime by some, Black Clover is the story of Asta and Yuno, two boys who were abandoned at a church on the same day. As they grow up, the unlikely duo develop a heated rivalry and vow to best each other in their like-minded ambition to become the next Wizard King. Yuno, the clear favourite to emerge victorious, is reserved and highly competent, even having a rare and powerful Grimoire bestowed upon him when he turns 15. Asta, on the other hand, is loud and utterly inept at magic, but receives a similar blessing in the form ... of an even rarer "five-leaf clover" Grimoire. Set on their diverging paths to greatness, the adopted brothers must work their way up in the new world of magic that they find waiting for them outside of the church.

Aesthetically, Black Clover is decent, but certainly nothing ground-breaking. The artstyle fits the medieval European flair it seems to be going for well, and lends the series a grittier, more rustic feel compared to shows of a similar vein like Fairy Tail, which is much more upbeat and colourful.

Character designs feel a bit bland and unoriginal, lacking a much-needed quality to prevent themselves from appearing too "shounen-y." The leading duo of Asta and Yuno look way too similar to their counterparts in other shounen anime such as Naruto and Fairy Tail. Which is unfortunate, considering Black Clover should be doing as much as humanly possible to distinguish itself from the giants whose footprints it so stubbornly insists on following.

Excepting the fact that there haven't been that many fights of note so far, the animation has remained solid. For a show of this length (51 episodes), it will be interesting to see if the animation eventually falls apart by the time it reaches the finish line, or if it'll manage to surprise and keep a high level of quality all throughout.

To keep things simple, Black Clover does not have a good protagonist. Asta is an exact clone of the typical knuckle-headed, high-energy shounen hero, with the added baggage of being obnoxiously loud and persistent. He is in no way original or likeable, and neither is Yuno, who is a straight-up copy-and-paste of the introverted, yet incredibly gifted childhood rival archetype.

It is too early to make any sort of decision on the rest of the cast, but one thing that was painfully evident about the Black Bulls was that their introductions and characterization were blatantly similar to those of the Fairy Tail Guild in Fairy Tail. This is another aspect of the show that feels much too similar to the shounen giants that it should be competing with. For a shounen anime so late in the game, Black Clover really should be investing its energy in shaking up the formula shounen fans have grown so accustomed to, or at least making the ride a bit more fun and unique.

The story is, so far, nothing surprising for a shounen anime. Plenty of flashbacks, high-soaring ambitions, and snippets of action are present from beginning to end, yet the major weakness in terms of narrative is not managing to get the audience behind the characters' motivations. Asta is so annoying and Yuno so guarded that it is difficult to really find yourself cheering them on or feeling their pain. The new characters that are slowly piled on may present a solution to this, however, as they are coming across more likeable and diverse than the initial two, as would some meaningful character development for Asta.

Your own personal enjoyment of this show will come down to how willing you are to watch a standard shounen anime with not much to offer in terms of new ideas. Fans of the shows it so closely mimics, namely Naruto and Fairy Tail, may find themselves unable to take Black Clover seriously as its own separate experience, and inevitably make an unflattering comparison to the aforementioned titles.

Someone really pining for a more recent shounen anime may find the familiar story developments and archetypal characters comforting and satisfying in a way, but only if they are truly desperate for something so characteristically shounen. When the anime adaptation was first announced, a lot of people were calling it a "magic-themed Naruto" and after watching the first cour, I can confirm that this is a totally-justified claim. If that sounds like it would be right up your alley, then this show will likely be an enjoyable experience. If not, I would say it's probably going to be the complete opposite.

Taking into account the endless screaming on Asta's part, the overreliance on tired tropes, and a general failure to bring anything new to the table, Black Clover is not something easy to recommend this early in its run. That is, unless what you are looking for is a new shounen anime to watch after having seen all of the firmly-established titles.

If it manages to keep up its solid animation, develop Asta and Yuno in meaningful ways, and bank on the strengths of its genre's tropes, while also changing them up and doing more to distinguish itself from its predecessors, Black Clover may end up becoming a show worth watching, but if, and only if.

Juuni Taisen's premise is straightforward and unsurprising: twelve warriors, each carrying the name and various traits of one of the animals of the Chinese Zodiac, engage in a brutal free-for-all battle royale. Why? All for the sake of having any one wish of their choosing granted. If it sounds familiar, it is because it very much is, the premise being a near-exact imitation of the Fate series'. So the question remains: does Juuni Taisen do enough to set itself apart in this bloody free-for-all, wish-granting niche? Or does it fall flat on its face, and accept forgettable mediocrity, achieving little besides its initial zodiac gimmick ... to forge a new identity for itself?

If someone were to stop watching Juuni Taisen after only a couple of episodes, they would probably remain under the impression that the show's strong suit is of a visual nature. In these opening episodes, animation is fluid and crisp, making early bouts of violence and action a genuine pleasure to watch.

If they were to keep watching, however, they would no doubt have to eat their words. As the show progresses, the animation absolutely falls apart, making it increasingly difficult to understand characters' movements, and just downright painful to experience. In fact, the 8th episode is probably one of the worst, visually, that I have seen all year, due to shockingly low-quality animation, and background + character art that is so poorly done that it is, at times, a struggle to even understand what you are looking at anymore.

Visually, it does pick up a bit after the horrendous 8th episode, but it never again meets the high standard the show establishes in its introductory episodes, which is quite a shame.

The artwork is overall okay, maintaining a dark, somber palette throughout, which does complement the show's overall tone and themes appropriately. Most of the character designs are well-done too, going hand-in-hand with each character's associated Zodiac, but some feel a bit over-the-top, especially Usagi's, considering the otherwise serious tone throughout.

Juuni Taisen's narrative effort is an uphill battle, especially considering how similarly it sets itself up to other, much more beloved anime. Unfortunately, it doesn't really do much to distinguish itself from these other works, and what little it does attempt to do, ultimately falls short and ends up not worth investing over 4 hours to get to.

A major fault on Juuni Taisen's part is that it decides to spend each of its 12 episodes focusing on one of the Zodiac warriors, revealing their backstories and unfolding the events of the war through their eyes, all in one shot. The problem with this is that no character ends up fleshed-out enough nor memorable enough to garner any audience interest in their ultimate fate. Without a central character arc, the show has to rely mainly on shock twists (i.e. unexpected deaths) to keep viewers watching, which, while not the best way to tell a good story, would be a decent idea. Yet, we are still subject to flashback after flashback, with way too much of the show's airtime wasted on failed attempts to flesh out characters who, ultimately, have little impact on both overarching narrative and audience.

Aside from this significant weakness, a few of the characters' backstories are somewhat intriguing, especially in their relation to the respective warrior's present-day situation.

In the grand scheme of things, it is the Zodiac war, not the flashbacks, that are most intriguing to watch. Fake alliances, rivalries, tricks, bonds being formed, and all of the other various political aspects of the war are cool to watch in action, and benefit quite well from the show's shifting perspective structure, as we are privy to how different characters feel about and approach similar situations.

One thing that I found odd was that the final episode occurs post-war and focuses on one particular character and a dilemma that they are currently facing. The details around their ability and the nature of this dilemma are introduced way too late to have any significant impact on the viewer, and the whole thing just seems kind of jarring and inconsequential, especially considering the climax had already passed.

The cast is a mixed bag for the most part. Approximately half of the warriors are forgettable and are of little importance in the grand scheme of things, while others stand out as power players. Sharyuu's pacifistic personality works well as a contrast to the situation she is placed in, and, ironically, is one of the most exciting to follow for this reason alone. Ushii is also likable and is given standout moments here and there, but is for the most part, appealing for his coolness factor as opposed to multi-dimensional, nuanced character writing. In fact, the majority of the cast is characterized in a rushed, stereotypical nature, but the show doesn't seem to want to be more than a standard action entry anyway.

As a villain, Usagi is satisfactory if only for his unsettling personality alone. Crazed and bloodthirsty, he functions as the main driving force behind the series' bloodshed and does feel like a real threat for the most part. On the other hand, he is also very one-note and is in no way more complex or nuanced than he appears at first glance, which is a bit of a let-down.

If you're looking for a dumb, enjoyable time, Juuni Taisen is not that bad of a choice. Of course, there are other anime that share its battle-royale flair while, in addition, managing to juggle profound themes and intriguing character writing with their action quite well. A prime example of this is Fate/Zero, which should 100% be watched before even considering a show like this. Nonetheless, once you have finished with the brainier shows and find yourself looking for something similar, Juuni Taisen is a watered-down yet still acceptable variation to try out.

Fans of pure action anime may enjoy the series' commitment to violence and bloodshed, but potentially also find themselves let down by the show's selection of fight scenes. Though intense, visceral and competently-choreographed, a large part of Juuni Taisen's fights don't end up lasting very long, which could certainly turn off viewers who have just waded through the endless flashbacks hoping to finally experience some actual action.

At the end of the day, Juuni Taisen does manage to offer its viewers an opportunity to experience some mindless, action-packed fun. On top of that, the typical viewer will likely find at least one character to root for, one fight to take their breath away, and one backstory to find themselves sympathizing with.

Beyond these few positives, the show has too many glaring flaws to merit being considered anything more than mediocre. Flashbacks stunt the flow of the narrative and offer little in the way of satisfaction and enjoyment, characterization is too tropey and simplistic, fights are cut way too short, and the visual presentation makes viewing a painful and confusing experience in later episodes.

Picking up right where the second season (and its associated OVA) left off, Shokugeki no Souma: San no Sara continues the story of Souma, underdog student at a renowned and extremely competitive culinary academy, focusing especially on his latest ambition to challenge Totsuki's Elite Ten, a group made up of some of the school's most reputable chefs-in-training. This most recent entry in the series retains the heated cooking battles and whacky foodgasms that the franchise owes its incredible popularity to. However, unlike the seasons that preceded it, San no Sara throws in a polarizing plot development about halfway through, which shakes up the show's tone ... considerably.

Simply put, the show's most underwhelming aspect, objectively speaking, lies in its visual presentation, notably its animation. There is very little animation to speak of, overall, considering most scenes involve panning and zooming over still images, rather than actual movement. This is a shame, especially considering the high-quality, energetic animation of its previous installments went a long way in bringing the culinary battles to life, and was, in part, what made the series so appealing in the first place.

The artstyle retains the same quality as the previous two seasons for the most part. During the few instances when they are depicted, landscapes are detailed and picturesque, though for the majority of the show, background art is of little consequence and barely noticeable. Character designs are still wonderfully done, being both memorable and interesting, and newcomer Rindou Kobayashi is no expection.

The CGI used in the first couple of episodes is quite ugly and distracting, but fortunately, plays such a minuscule role that it is relatively easy to forgive. In addition, San no Sara seems to rely on more chibi scenes than its precedessors, which could possibly indicate the same lower effort/budget as the sparse animation.

The first story arc in San no Sara feels like an organic continuation of the formula Shokugeki has established since its first few episodes. What this means is that we are provided with more of the fun and intensity that we have come to love and expect from the show. Souma behaves and performs just as we expect him to, his opponent is fleshed out in a way we have come to expect, and hijinks from the supporting cast are served up as well, functioning as a decent way to remind us of who they are and allowing them to interact with each other in new and entertaining ways. This introductory arc works well by playing to its strengths, while consciously refusing to go out of its way in subverting any expectations. And maybe this is necessary, as the latter arc is like nothing the show has ever done before.

Smack dab in the middle of this third season, the show throws in a plot twist that shakes the very foundation of Shokugeki. Likely, this unexpected development will prove divisive amongst fans of the series, as it brings with it a wide array of strong changes to the formula.

For one, it leads to the emergence of a "main villain" of sorts, something which is quite typical for a shounen anime. Which is why the very idea may leave a bitter taste in some viewers' mouths, especially those who appreciated Shokugeki's refreshing new take on the genre, devoid of any big bads, and black-and-white depictions of morality. It also doesn't help that said main antagonist comes off quite one-dimensional, defined almost entirely by his cruelty and wickedness.

While the development serves to weaken the series' innovative approach to redefining shounen anime, forcing it closer and closer to conforming to more and more tired clichés, it isn't all bad. On the bright side, the shift does a great job of igniting Erina's character development, and causes a large portion of the cast to band together, which is incredibly satisfying to watch after getting to know them over the span of so many episodes.

Speaking of the cast, it continues to shine through as the show's strongest asset. Souma continues to be a fantastic protagonist, balancing goofiness and badassery incredibly well, and working well as a foil to the snooty, elitist students of Totsuki Academy. After Souma, the majority of San no Sara's focus is on Erina, who receives a lion's share of the character development this season and becomes increasingly more likeable and easy to root for.

Amongst the newly-introduced characters, Rindou Kobayashi is a standout, being equal parts mischievous and endearing. Though her role is relatively small, she leaves quite a lasting impression and will hopefully become more prominent in later seasons. Tsukasa also works well as a contrast to Souma, personality-wise, and an antagonistic force, cooking-wise. The most disappointing of the newer characters is, without a doubt, Azami, who functions more as a plot device than a fleshed-out character.

For a twelve-episode season, San no Sara also does a decent job of giving its supporting cast small moments here and there. The banding together that occurs in the latter half of the season provides an opportunity for generally-shunned characters to get some lines and interactions in before they completely disappear from the limelight. Given the considerable size of the cast and limited time to work with, the show's ability to fit this in is quite commendable.

In its third season, the wildly popular cooking series significantly deviates from its own status quo in a number of ways. Animation is underwhelmingly sparse, the visual variety can be distracting and questionable at times, and a controversial plot development at its midway point leaves a polarizing mark on the franchise as a whole.

At its heart, however, it still retains its charm, high-octane culinary showdowns, and incredibly likeable and memorable cast. On top of all that, it goes out with a bang thanks to a well-executed (and long-awaited) reveal in its final moments, which will make the wait until the fourth season even harder to endure. Overall, San no Sara still manages to hold up as a strong entry, thanks mostly to it recognizing its own strengths and keeping them at its core, even in light of its visual presentation and sudden plot twist, which are, at best, mixed bags.

Continuing the trend of taking alternative approaches to the whole "fantasy world/MMO" niche, Recovery of an MMO Junkie follows Moriko Morioka, a 30-year old woman and recently-turned NEET, and her foray into a popular MMO game. Rather than filling up its running time with heart-pumping action scenes or in-game world-building, the show takes a decidedly novel approach to the genre, concerning itself especially with slice-of-life and romance elements instead. Seeking refuge in her newly-found virtual home, Morioka chooses to play as a male avatar, and her fate in the game takes an interesting turn upon meeting Lily, a character she rapidly befriends, and joining a ... guild of kindred spirits. As the series progresses, Morioka's virtual life and personal life inevitably get tied up, which inspires her to reconsider the path she has chosen, both professionally and romantically.

While inside the game, both avatars and world pop with vibrant colours, serving its purpose as a place of fantastical refuge for our low-spirited protagonist. Certain backgrounds appear a bit crude and lacking in detail, but again, this is more to do with the nature of the show, which places an emphasis on the real-world players and their interpersonal relationships than the world itself. Character designs are a bit basic, especially for the majority of the in-game avatars, but still serviceable seeing as MMO characters generally come with limited customization options, and tend to follow a one-note color palette. Real-life Morioka's design stands out as most memorable outside of the game, and does its job quite effectively, with her lifeless eyes and dreary color scheme accentuating her reclusive personality.

Animation is nothing to write home about; it's simplistic and just barely enough for a show of this nature. The only snippets of action present throughout the entire series are generally played to comedic effect so the mediocre animation poses no problem in getting its point across.

Recovery of an MMO Junkie is without a doubt a character-driven narrative. Morioka's personal shortcomings and interactions with her fellow players drive the beginning of the story and eventually, a certain budding relationship takes over until the show's conclusion. What makes the series a success is that it knows exactly what kind of story it wants to tell, and it just does. No toying with the idea of an overarching narrative, or introducing useless character after useless character to get something else going. The confidence and certainty with which things unfold plays a big role in keeping the viewer invested and appreciative of what they are watching.

MMO Junkie maintains a lighthearted vibe throughout, thanks to fun slice-of-life moments and interactions between the guild members. The slightly more intense/emotional moments have to do with the romantic development at the core of the story, but these are never serious enough to induce a complete tonal shift.

A surprising tidbit about the show is that it is fairly cognizant of "gamer" culture and incorporates a few MMO elements into the story without stretching it or making stuff up. It also refrains from painting the characters as stereotypical gamers and functioning as a type of anti-gaming propaganda, instead depicting them as the diverse and realistic group of people that gamers can be in real life.

Moriko works well as a protagonist, being just likeable enough for viewers to root for her, and just miserable enough to make her internal struggle an interesting one to watch. Watching her jump through the various hoops she encounters as a gamer with an oppositely-gendered avatar, while dealing with the burden of social interaction in the outside world, is a unique and entertaining experience.

The supporting cast, namely the other guild members who support Moriko both personally and game-wise, are a fun group and have their share of enjoyable moments here and there without interfering with the primary narrative too much. Which is a good thing, seeing as some of their antics may have become a bit repetitive and annoying had they been featured more prominently.

All-adult casts are rare in anime (especially romance anime) so MMO Junkie's is a very welcome change of pace. Characters are emotionally more mature, and there are way less silly misunderstandings (though still some), illogical decisions and clichéd bouts of blushing present to impede any and all romantic development.

Finally, there is Sakurai, the deuteragonist of MMO Junkie, and a salaryman by day, MMO gamer by night. The main problem is that he is a tad too dry and milquetoast to carry all of the POV scenes he receives; were he to be featured primarily through his interactions with Moriko in the real world, this problem may have been fixed. The fact that I found myself more interested in his in-game avatar than Sakurai himself goes to show you how dull he is as a character.

Fans of both gaming and slice-of-life/romance anime will likely flock to this title as soon as they hear of it, but, while the latter will likely not regret their decision to invest their time, the former almost certainly will if they are misinformed about what to expect. The show's primary motivation is to tell a story of a romantic nature, not one deeply rooted in MMO mechanics and epic adventures/battles. Unless you enjoy romances or at least lighthearted slice-of-life stories, don't expect this show to appeal to you simply because you are a gaming fan. In this case, the MMO setting is more of a flavor than a key element.

Anybody looking for a refreshing take on the isekai/gaming genre should definitely give MMO Junkie a try because it is a (mostly successful) attempt at exactly that. Both the time spent within the game world and that spent in the real world are entertaining and fulfilling in their own ways. Best of all, the characters continually grow, there is actual romantic and emotional progress, and all without ever taking itself too seriously.

Though the series falls into a lull about halfway through, it is overall a fun ride and will, at least, hook you in at the beginning and leave you with a smile on your face by the time the final episode is over.

Blending slice-of-life, romance, and gaming elements, Recovery of an MMO Junkie deserves points just for its unique endeavour to provide an original viewing experience. Moriko's growth as a person is conveyed in an entertaining way, making use of both the real and the virtual. While it doesn't merit any artistic accolades nor transcend genre boundaries to win over too many fans of faster-paced narratives, the show still has a very enjoyable story to tell, helped along by an entertaining, mature cast, a decent interweaving of gaming culture, and a healthy serving of romantic and personal development for our NEET heroine.

An adaptation of the first in a series of acclaimed mystery novels by Nisio Isin (of Monogatari and Katanagatari fame), Kubikiri Cycle plays out much like a traditional murder mystery on the surface, but manages to do enough to set itself apart, even in anime format.

Any viewers familiar with SHAFT's visual style should know what to expect here. The overall style and art direction are as stunning and compelling as one would expect. Vivid backdrops and imagery effectively complement the show's numerous monologues and dialogues, forging a link between what is being said and what is being shown. This adds a new dimension to most ... scenes, and keeps the hours upon hours of talking from becoming stale. In addition, character designs are imaginative and unique, and do a solid job of conveying the various personality traits and quirks associated with each member of the cast.

Animation is lackluster at moments (which is probably the result of SHAFT tackling so many projects at the same time), but decent for the most part. The signature head-tilts and unconventional movements that the studio is so famous for make a return here, which may turn off viewers unfamiliar with their previous projects. Nonetheless, fans of the Monogatari Series, Madoka Magica and so on will be right at home with the visual presentation as a whole.

Murder mysteries, for the most part, tend to put too much of their weight on one thing: the reveal of the killer. The problem with this is that it usually goes one of two ways: the viewer either "sees it coming" and subsequently considers the story too predictable, or the identity of the killer ends up being too unexpected, almost illogical, which leaves the viewer feeling cheated, and as if the whole thing was a waste of time since there was no way they could have made a successful prediction. Very rarely does one such story manage to find that sweet spot in the middle, and remain standing as a work worth experiencing. Fortunately, Kubikiri Cycle does not put all of its eggs in one basket, seeing as its reveal is ultimately too clumsy and convoluted to stand on its own.

The mystery behind the murders is initially presented in a compelling way, laying all of the cards down before the viewer and keeping them on the edge of their seat awaiting answers. The problem is that the show ends up being too self-indulgent in its own plot twists and deceptions, to the point where it is still making game-changing reveals long past the time when most of the suspense fizzles out and the viewer stops caring. In an attempt to tie up all of its loose ends, Kubikiri ultimately provides an explanation that is way too convoluted and wishwashy to be as satisfying as it needed to be. Its saving grace is the appearance of a fascinating character towards the end which sustains interest in the storyline as a whole, and makes it easier to forgive the shortcomings of the murder mystery facet.

I mentioned that, though Kubikiri's resolution to its mystery storyline isn't ultimately enough to carry it, it does manage to get other things right. Namely, its characters, and the window into their psyches that we are provided. The concept of "genius" is explored thoroughly and is deftly woven into the overarching narrative. Ii-chan and Tomo, the genius he is attendant to, have a complex and intriguing relationship which we are privy to through the inner dilemmas Ii-chan faces as the murder case develops. At its heart, this is more a story about him and the nature of his relationship with Tomo, as well as why he sticks by her as the shadow to her brilliance, than it is about the killer and their identity.

As a whole, the cast is appropriately eccentric and likeable, with each genius carrying a sort of magnetism that reels the viewer in, and it is quite interesting to see Ii-chan, who is somewhat of a blank slate, interacting with these larger-than-life personalities. A couple of the geniuses, notably Maki Himena, the expert fortune-teller, felt a bit underexplored and underused, and I was really hoping to learn more about her than what the series ultimately provided.

For diehard fans of either SHAFT or Nisio Isin's other novels, especially the Monogatari Series, it would be a shame not to give Kubikiri Cycle a try. The same trope subversions, psychological explorations of its characters, and surreal, visually-explosive visuals are present in their full glory.

One key thing to note is that this is a very dialogue-heavy show, and feels akin more to reading a book than watching a TV show at times. Though there is an "action" tag, only one fight scene is featured towards the end, and certainly won't be enough to tide over hardcore action fans. If you are the type to enjoy stories that zero in on characters' motivations and psyches more than what the characters are actually doing, then this anime surely won't be a miss for you.

As a fan of both studio and author, I found this show quite enjoyable, simply for the fact that it retains a part of what made Monogatari such a great series, while adding in some novel ideas and personalities to keep things fresh.

Come for the murder mystery hook, but stay for the exploration of profound themes, insight into the characters' behaviour, signature visual style of SHAFT, and an introductory glimpse into a much larger world and series that may one day be fully adapted. Thought it fumbles with the execution of its underlying mystery elements, Kubikiri still has plenty to offer viewers who are looking for a wordy and thought-provoking anime, with an added whodunnit flair as a bonus.

For a twenty-year old show, Cardcaptor Sakura is visually quite impressive. The art probably won't look spectacular or ground-breaking to a viewer accustomed to modern anime, but it nonetheless does its part. Character designs are distinct and bursting with charm and personality, with stand-out examples being Sakura, Yue, and Syaoran. There is some stock footage used, but considering new details and touches of foreshadowing are added in to the sequences quite frequently, this isn't really a major fault. Considering the main characters are adorned in new outfits from episode to episode, it is clear that the artists weren't cutting corners in terms of the series' ... visual presentation.

Being a Madhouse work, it should come as no surprise that Cardcaptor Sakura's animation is top-notch from beginning to end. This especially adds an extra dimension to the scenes involving the Clow Cards, breathing life into the cards' various magical abilities in ways that few anime hoped to do at the time of the show's airing.

As one of the anime that pioneered the magical girl genre, and preceding two decades of deconstructions, reconstructions, and everything in between, Cardcaptor Sakura understandably plays many of the genre's tropes straight, resulting in a more stripped-down, uncomplicated narrative. So is there a point in watching it if one has already seen anime like Madoka Magica or Yuki Yuna is a Hero, which seek to flip the magical girl's tale on its head, and provide a more complex, nuanced retelling of one such story? The answer is yes. Though Sakura does little in the way of reinventing the "magical girl," it still has plenty to offer in the way of story, and plenty of heart and charm for viewers to fall in love with.

As it mainly revolves around elementary school children, the bulk of the series' narrative involves growth and discovery, be it emotional, magical (for Sakura and Syaoran), or romantic. Fortunately, the show does a stellar job of depicting the cast's development, making exceptional use of its episodic format, a feat which few anime pull off so effectively. With her triumph over Clow Card after Clow Card, Sakura becomes more confident in her magical abilities, picks up important life lessons along the way, and develops strong bonds with those who choose to lend her a helping hand. Speaking of which, the show also succeeds in fleshing out its supporting cast in terms of characterization, though Sakura does get the lion's share of focus.

The primary reason Sakura manages to be such an enjoyable ride is the likeability of its cast. From enthusiastic, happy-go-lucky Sakura to her jovial, soft-spoken best friend, Tomoyo, and even more obscure characters like their classmate whose hobby is making up ridiculous stories for the purpose of scaring/amazing his unsuspecting peers. Almost every character has their role in the story, be it a personal arc that spans all 70 episodes or simple, light-hearted antics to provide some comedic relief, and few outstay their welcome.

Besides Sakura's growth as a person and Cardcaptor, the most fundamental development that occurs throughout the narrative is that of the relationship between Sakura and Syaoran. When Syaoran transfers into Sakura's class, the two engage in a sort of rivalry, seeing as both are after the Clow Cards, but with time, as they get to know each other and eventually begin working together to reach their common goal, a bond of deep trust begins to form between the two. Unlike countless other anime where relationships between a male and female character progress at a glacial pace, Sakura and Syaoran are quite honest about their feelings, and as a result, a satisfying transformation in the way they interact with one another unfolds before the viewer.

The only stand-out in an otherwise appealing and well-developed cast is Yukito, who functions as a Mary Sue, especially in the first half of the series. Unfortunately bland, forgettable, yet adored by many, a lot of scenes involving Yukito towards the beginning of the show are quite annoying, and consist of little more than Sakura or Syaoran fawning over him. This changes as the story progresses, and there is actually a reason behind his character's shortcomings as laid out in the second half of the show. Regardless, Yukito still sticks out as a sore thumb in an otherwise strong line-up of characters.

Whether or not you will enjoy Cardcaptor Sakura comes down almost entirely to preference. This being a show targeted towards children, there isn't much in terms of darkness or intensity to appease viewers who are mainly into that kind of thing. The themes tackled here are distinctly more light-hearted and geared towards children than those in media produced for mature audiences. That is not to say that the issues presented aren't handled with maturity and emotional depth, but it is a factor to consider nonetheless.

Another dealbreaker for some may be the monster of the week format which makes up the show's backbone. The majority of episodes in Sakura involve Sakura and her friends coming across some sort of trouble, finding a way to stop the Clow Card behind it, and then collecting it. It may seem formulaic, but rest assured, the show fits in plenty of fun moments and character development in between. Though the episodic structure is modified a bit in the last quarter or so, the "antagonist" behind all of the chaos Sakura faces is made clear to the viewer from the beginning, and watching Sakura and co. fail to realize who it is, even though it's so painfully obvious, can be quite frustrating to watch.

All in all, those who enjoy neither light-hearted shows nor the episodic format should steer clear of this entry. For those who have no problem with either aspect, a memorable experience loaded with heart, charm and capable character writing awaits.

To reiterate, Cardcaptor Sakura is no Madoka Magica and may come off as archaic and unsophisticated to those looking for something of the sort. Instead, this is a simply enjoyable experience which keeps you watching by getting you attached to the characters involved rather than by throwing twist after twist at you. As one of the trailblazers of the magical girl genre, there is still just as much to love about Sakura as there was two decades ago. Using its simple formula to great effect, the show stands as a shining example of how to pack in character development, light action, intriguing lore, and messages about growing up and believing in yourself, all while maintaining a whimsical, light-hearted vibe throughout.

The movie holds a deep connection to artistry not only in its themes and story, but in its visual techniques as well. "The Great Wave off Kanagawa" and other works of art depicted throughout are seamlessly woven into scenes here and there, making for welcome visual variation. Landscapes and backdrops, especially the Ryogoku Bridge at the centre of Edo, are beautifully drawn, and go a long way in immersing the viewer in O-Ei's world.

Animation is also high-quality from start to finish, which is understandable considering the movie budget involved. There are, of course, very few movement-heavy scenes to speak of in this type of movie, ... but any examples are handled with competence and are effectively directed and animated. Two examples that stand out are O-Ei's night with the male geisha, which drips with awkwardness, and the scene towards the end when she runs out of her house.

My only gripe with the visual style is that almost all of the male characters seem to have the exact same long, rectangular face. This isn't all bad though, as it ensures that our main heroine stands out and is easily distinguishable, both visually and personality-wise.

Miss Hokusai is very much a movie that handles its characters with grace and maturity. Pretty much every member of the cast is grounded in reality and, although the majority are artists, enough distinctions are laid out between them, both in terms of personality and attitude towards their art.

Hokusai is surprisingly depicted as a near-deplorable figure, seemingly concerned with not much else besides his art. He is difficult to deal with, sarcastic, and, frankly, not very interesting once you look past his genius shtick. In fact, he is probably the most one-dimensional of the main cast, characterized almost entirely by the eccentric prodigy archetype he falls under. Aside from his shortcomings as a character, he is also a terrible father, refusing to see his blind, ill daughter because he is "afraid" of the sick.

Left to fill the gaps her father has left in the family, while also struggling to emerge from his creative shadow, O-Ei stands as the thematic core of the story, as well as the most admirable and endearing character. Being not the genius, but rather the person chasing after them, she is flawed, complex, and human enough to make for a good protagonist. In a time when women took on more passive roles, O-Ei makes for a refreshing heroine, being stronger, and more mature and independent than any of the other artists she spends her days with, and especially more so than her sloppy, difficult father. Strong-willed and determined, we see O-Ei's world through her eyes and her struggle to balance the things her father is a failure at with the things he excels at is quite interesting to watch.

The way the story is structured is a bit problematic and would have been more effective had it been done a lot differently. Instead of a central narrative, the movie instead presents its story in a series of loosely connected happenings. While it is cool to see different snippets of life in Edo and immerse yourself in the period, this results in several narrative problems for Miss Hokusai. O-Ei's character development is quite weak as a result of this format, which is quite a shame because there is a lot of potential in her character. Instead, the movie provides the viewer with random circumstances surrounding O-Ei, each ending too soon to leave any sort of impact on either her as a person or those watching.

Miss Hokusai works quite well as a period piece, a great watch for anybody looking to experience daily life in 19th century Edo, and maybe learn a bit about Hokusai and his daughter. Any viewer looking to immerse themselves in the time and place these characters lived in will likely appreciate this movie by way of visuals and atmosphere alone.

The film unravels at a slower pace so those mainly accustomed to watching anime concentrated with intense moments or fight scenes will more than likely have a hard time sitting through this one. Considering the ending doesn't come with much in the way of payoff, it probably isn't worth dragging yourself all the way to the hour-and-a-half mark anyway.

Those looking for an anime of high dramatic caliber or character work would be better off watching something with a more focused narrative. One such example would be Hyouge Mono, which is also historical fiction with a biographical feel (though in an earlier period of Japanese history), and is much more effective at exploring and developing its characters.

Ultimately, Miss Hokusai is a film of great potential. An admirable heroine, O-Ei's story is of a unique nature, being the successor of a great rather than the great himself. Her struggle is profoundly human and multi-dimensional, and the viewer can't help but cheer her on in her endeavours. Unfortunately, these endeavours are few and far between, veiled by a jumbled mess of daily instances and anecdotes, making it difficult for the movie to tell the coherent, development-rich narrative I so badly wanted it to tell.

“No matter how much you bleed and even if your tears run dry, you stick to it. That’s what a knight stands for.”

Elizabeth Liones, the third princess of the Liones Kingdom, sets out to find the “Seven Deadly Sins,” an ill-reputed group of former knights, with the hopes of taking back her once-peaceful land from the corrupt Holy Knights who have taken over. The show is, unsurprisingly, packed to the brim with the larger-than-life fights, adventurous spirit and charismatic characters that one would expect from a battle shounen.

Nanatsu no Taizai‘s artwork is vivid and lively, with lush, emerald hillsides, rustic cottages and eye-popping shades of ... blue sky depicting the show’s English countryside-inspired setting to great effect. In addition, character designs are unique and memorable, doing a good job of conveying personality and ensuring the viewer is able to distinguish between the individuals of quite a large cast.

In terms of animation, Nanatsu has its weak moments, especially during more static scenes that center around a conversation or something to that effect. For the most part though, the show’s animation works greatly to its advantage. Fast-paced action and movement scenes look dynamic and visceral, to the point where if you blink at the wrong moment, you might miss something important.

All in all, the color palette is full of life and spectacularly pretty, while the animation is quite strong, especially during the show’s high-octane fight scenes. Amongst A-1’s works, Nanatsu no Taizai stands near the top visually.

Adhering to the status quo as far as battle shounens go, Nanatsu‘s overarching story doesn’t really stand out as anything spectacular or refreshing. “Princess recruits ragtag outlaws to save kingdom from new corrupt leaders” doesn’t really stand on its own as a strong, mind-blowing narrative. On the way to resolving this main arc, the show takes us through an assortment of mini side arcs, which introduce the viewer to new team recruits and flesh them out, mainly via backstory. Again, this should be pretty standard fare for anybody accustomed to battle shounens, and though some may view it as repetitive, tired even, Nanatsu does its best at making it work. And for the most part, it does. And that’s because of the…

Characters – one of the major things this show has going for it. The cast involved are charming, likeable and memorable, each with their own stories and special abilities. As one of the “Seven Deadly Sins,” each of these characters has a past shrouded in mystery and regret, and it’s a lot of fun as a viewer learning more about them, and seeing how they overcome their past struggles in the present. For this type of story, it’s essential that we as viewers are presented with a group of fleshed-out protagonists whom we want to root for, and Nanatsu no Taizai does a great job of this, making up for the barebones nature of its overarching narrative.

Ban, King and Meliodas stand out as fantastic additions to the cast, and even characters that come across somewhat one-dimensional and annoying when they are introduced, like Diane and Gowther, grow on you by the end of the show. Hawk functions more as a sort of mascot for the show, but provides some welcome comedic relief at select moments throughout. The main gripe, character-wise, is Elizabeth, the main heroine, who reverts to being a passive damsel-in-distress whenever the events of the story call for it. After all, the show does have a tendency to fall back on shounen tropes now and then, so this doesn’t come as much of a surprise. Even the main antagonist comes off a bit cliché and probably would’ve been more effective had they been written to be more charismatic and/or interesting.

At the end of Episode 24, I realized that I didn’t want these characters’ adventure to end, and couldn’t wait for a second season (which is thankfully coming in a month). Looking past the sometimes tropey writing, Nanatsu no Taizai is at its core, a fun, light-hearted adventure, complete with the fights, plot twists and hints of romance that we have come to expect from the genre. It’s more akin to something like Boku no Hero Academia in its tendency to stick to genre conventions while still telling an enjoyable, highly effective story, than it is to Hunter x Hunter, which redefines the battle shounen entirely.

One element which may be a turn-off to some people is the ecchi present throughout. Though it occurs only a handful of times in the span of the show, instances of Meliodas groping Elizabeth or peeking under her skirt are quite jarring and seem unnecessary to the overall narrative. Elizabeth’s general passivity in these situations only serves to make things worse. Perhaps it is an attempt to paint Meliodas as a less-than-honourable figure or more likely a pandering to the target demographic, but it still feels like the show could have gone without it.

The fact that Nanatsu is so easily digestible (coming in at only 24 episodes), especially compared to longer shounen series plagued by filler and 5-episode long flashbacks, makes it an easy show to recommend. Unless you are vehemently opposed to shounen tropes being thrown in here and there, there is little reason not to watch and appreciate this show for what it is: a fun, colorful adventure and strong entry in the shounen lineup. Though it likely won’t end up becoming one of your all-time favourite anime, and you may not even remember much of it a few years down the road, Nanatsu has plenty of heart and charm to keep you entertained for the time being.

If you’re hot off the heels of watching a whole bunch of battle shounen anime (Naruto, Bleach, Hero Academia, etc.) and are now desperately seeking something new to fill the void, Nanatsu no Taizai is a fantastic choice. It plays off a good deal of the genre’s tropes, and while it doesn’t do anything ground-breaking with them, it still manages to be a highly enjoyable experience. Pleasing visuals, dynamic fights, a vast and memorable cast, and a satisfying array of romance, comedy, adventure, fantasy and plot twists all make for an exciting and fulfilling ride.

Despite its immense popularity and strong first half, ERASED is nowhere near perfect. In terms of sound and art, it excels; striking visuals, a catchy, dynamic opening and fittingly suspenseful BGM make ERASED a pleasure to look at, and listen to. Where the show fails to meet expectations is in its story and characters, particularly in the second half, where multiple character arcs are unresolved, the mystery comes to a disappointing climax, and the quality of dialogue takes a serious dive. For what it's worth, the show's initial suspense factor (which is introduced in a very strong first episode) will likely be enough to keep ... someone watching until the very end, regardless of the aforementioned shortcomings. If you enjoy shows such as Steins;Gate, Madoka, etc., ERASED would not be a poor choice to follow with (though it isn't nearly as innovative nor high-quality as those two). All in all, ERASED's strengths lie in its excellent sound, visuals and enthralling, well-executed first half. Though it is unfortunately dragged down by a weak conclusion, the show still remains enjoyable enough to merit a binge-watch.