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Pole Princess!! has been a surprisingly rewarding breath of fresh air, in short :)

For anybody willing to take a minute or two to look into what pole dance is nowadays (away from strip clubs) or anybody interested in performing arts, I think you'll be richly rewarded if you give this niche anime a chance. Anybody who lacks the maturity to either try to understand or accept the creators' vision will probably be better off sticking with the run-of-the mill stuff everywhere else.

Story - 9/10

In the context of a short series, I'd say the story is about right, in terms of complexity and depth. I've given ... it a nine in this case because although a bit tropey in places, the script quality is really good, with the original metaphors and similes that the writers have come up with. When a metaphor sticks with me beyond watching an episode, that's usually a good sign in my book, given how rarely it happens (I read a lot and also write novels and it's still rare). Also, the script writers have done a good job at working with scenes which revolve around a good range of emotions, which I appreciate.

The creators of the series are also evidently aware of the perception and negative connotations associated with pole dance and manage to work some discussion on this into the story, which is appreciated, even if slightly hard to watch as a fan of the sport.

Art - 10/10

This anime's strong suit, by a very long way.

There are small things (like hair motion) which I complained about in the first couple of episodes and looking into them a bit further, I can sort of excuse them as trends prevalent in anime as a medium and also limitations of entirely using CG.

Artistry is abundant in this anime and this simple statement is probably still selling it short. Set design, costume design, music production, character design have had a lot of effort put in and it very clearly shows with the final result.

Initially, when I heard about this anime, I suspected that they'd be looking more into the performance or competition forms of pole dance. I severely underestimated what the creators would treat us to. Routines that combine modern pole dance with dance styles from different cultures of the world (Japan, Europe and North Africa/ Middle-East) and different eras have been a delight to watch. As if that wasn't enough, there are also realistic depictions of floor gymnastics to marvel at. That said, there is still great variety with the pole dancing and the moves featured in each routine and obviously, the execution and beauty of the body motion is splendid to watch.

I have watched a few idol/ performing arts series and not really had an impact made by set designs and Pole Princess has managed to leave a mark, largely leaning on nature and more scenic sets, though there are other styles as well.

Costume design is similarly wonderful, playing with aesthetics that reflect different cultures of the world, different themes and/ or features of nature. The fact that world culture is used is nice, but the level of detail is also striking.

Sound - 10/10

If I were judging solely on performance music, then I'd probably rate this series only 8/10 because I'm very picky about music. To the creator's credit, they have used a variety of music tracks, which is appreciated. Overall, I've ended up at 10 because although the voice acting is nothing spectacular (though good across a range of emotions from fun and silly to heartfelt and serious), the sound effects and original composed music is spot-on.

The use of acoustic instruments (piano, strings and percussion mainly) for backing music across a variety of moods is very much in line with the level of artistry that elegantly flows through the visual elements of the anime and my ears absolutely love it.

Character - 10/10

Not so much depth is what influenced this score, though there is a decent amount (well, pretty good for a short series, I'll admit). I've already mentioned that the voice acting is good, so combine that with the artistic treatment that the characters have all been given and the story writing that I mentioned earlier and you end up with a cast of endearing characters who are all unique enough to live in one's memory after watching, despite how short a series this is (Subaru is my favourite, just saying...).

Enjoyment - 10/10

The regular "story" episodes and the performance routines are great to watch, yes, but there are also mocap overlays for the dance routines as well. The studio routines are wonderful to see as well, as we get treated to the raw body motion behind the CG routines.

Overall - 10/10

Very few titles are beautiful and show enough passion for art to make me cry and no others to the extent that this series has. Despite having a decent clue of what pole dance is before watching this series, I've been treated to a wonderful display of artistry far beyond my expectations, in a variety of different disciplines and for that I cannot express enough thanks to the creators of this project.

So, I originally had Shokei Shoujo no Ikiru Michi sold to me as a "yuri-themed action-adventure" and after completing four volumes, I'm glad I picked up the LN, rather than getting influenced by the anime reviews.

Story - 10/10

Undoubtedly the main strong point of Shokei Shoujo no Virgin Road. Although the author does admit in an afterword that they do sort of make up elements related to worldbuilding as they go along, thus far, I've found the events and world factors pretty consistent, though quite bizarre. The way which the adventure of Akari and Menou is told is very good; though following a linear path, it ... is peppered with events from previous points in time, to help (partly) explain the mysteries which get thrown up as things progress. The way that the story is written is so that you get just enough information to form an idea for the bigger picture, but not so much that events become in any way predictable, which I absolutely love. Suspense and tension are definitely the two most used literary devices in this series and if I'm totally honest with myself they're used pretty well (to the extent where at times I was genuinely concerned for the outcome of the protagonists) along with the ever-present prospect of bloodshed and mortal danger...
There are healthy amounts of yuri content, though maybe more platonic than some will be expecting (personally, I think it's the perfect way to go, given that it doesn't throw the story out of balance and reflects the characters' behaviours really well).
In the beginning, I did think Virgin Road would be a tale that looks at the other side of the whole "isekai MC comes to a different world and causes widespread damage/ disruption" scenario and while there are elements of this throughout the story, so far, I'm pleased by how it firmly feels like it revolves around the misadventures of the heroines and their adversaries in this fictional world.

Art - 9/10

Well, it's an LN; there aren't massive amounts of art, but the artworks that are there do their job at helping illustrating the nearby events very well, which I appreciate.

Character - 9/10

I'll not sugar coat it - all of the characters are at least a bit nuts. Pandæmonium and Momo being slightly more than a bit nuts... Flare and Flarette being self-declared villains... You know things are weird when it could be argued that the strength-seeking Princess Knight, whose primary weapon could probably level a city or Akari (a yandere with control over ridiculous levels of power) are the least nutty characters in the world of Virgin Road.
The characters are all nuts, but they are all very entertaining as well, it must be said. Oddly enough, for me, I feel like the main character (Menou) might actually be least entertaining, despite having countless engaging battles, very good combat and operational abilities as well as the interesting psychological background and upbringing. As the English title for LN suggests, Menou does also provide a fair amount of interesting philosophical discussion as well, which is a nice change of pace at times.
Akari brings forth many a mystery and as the story progresses and some impressive character development (depending on how you define development). Akari also contributes quite heavily to the more humorous exchanges throughout the series, which has been great to see.
Ashuna is undoubtedly the character of convenience. Though, to me, she has the best presence of the four heroines, partly owed to her demeanour and partly owed to her combat abilities (the less said about her outfits however, the better, I think, heh)
Momo is without question one of the most unhinged yanderes I've seen in a while. Made all the more worse by her unrestrained anger/ attitude problems. If you've come seeking rage-driven verbal exchanges and fury-driven battles, Momo will certainly keep you very entertained. (She does sometimes calm down and do wholesome things as well, but they're few and far between)

The "antagonists" - yeah; they're towards the more nutty end of the spectrum, though not so crazy as to be easily defeated in battle, fortunately. Maybe with the exception of one, these antagonists do have convincing motivations as well, helping make them more believable (at least in the context of this bizarre world).

Enjoyment - 10/10

The world is bizarre, yet somehow everything feels in-place, given that it's a mashup of your average RPG-type world, our world, and a high-tech, science-fiction realm rolled together as one. It's good, because I feel like it's left the storytelling opportunities very open, allowing for the discussion of familiar concepts and familiar plotlines as well as more abstract concepts and events/ dynamics. Also on the note of world-related writing (going back to my comment on anime reviews); the level of description for both the fictional world and the concepts that it's founded by is very detailed. Some may not enjoy the challenge of trying to understand the abstract concepts and sci-fi elements that get regularly discussed but personally, I love the mental stimulation that's come from trying to wrap my head around them so far. Some may also not enjoy how the yuri content is mostly explored through symbolisms and metaphors throughout the series, some of which are quite nuanced, but personally, after taking the time to fully understand them, I found them really beautiful and adorable. Also, before I forget, the series does also do a pretty good job of progressing across a variety of moods, from light and occasionally silly, to incredibly tense and grim/ bloody; it's not for everyone, but hits the right spots for me.

Overall - 10/10

I came for the yuri action-adventure and stayed because of the impressive world building, the interesting discussions of familiar topics through abstract concepts and metaphoric storytelling, the oddly charming characters and the sheer quality and engaging manner with which the story has been written. It's been a very long time, since I've been able to immerse so thoroughly into a fictional setting and enjoy all that it has to offer.

Always a pleasure to see an anime that's a bit more unique in terms of concept and genre. Easy to overlook this one, but I thoroughly enjoyable from the start to the end :)

Story - 9/10

For some reason, this isn't tagged as being psychological-themed, which is a bit weird, as there are elements of psychology that play a significant role on the story and how it develops. The story itself a bit like an action-film of the late 00's/ early 10's, which was nice to see (thankfully, not too much like one), with mystery being tied in quite nicely. The storytelling order is a bit ... chaotic but really good, in that the mysteries are kept alive long enough to be engaging.

Art - 8/10

Probably one of the weaker areas of Koroshi Ai, I'll be honest. Not that the art is bad, but it's quite inconsistent; having some impressively accurate depictions of weapons and vehicles and then at other times, similar things being anatomically strange. On balance though, the art is really good though; character designs are all distinct and memorable. On the art front, it's also worth noting that romance/ comedy elements are executed just as well as the action sequences (Jim and irritated Chateau for example XD). One neat thing that I appreciated about Koroshi Ai is the use artboards for intervals; they're always good to see.

Sound - 10/10

Score in this department is largely driven by, but not entirely limited to the soundtrack. In terms of SFX and sounds used during action sequences, Koroshi Ai does a good job of creating a believable atmosphere throughout.
The areas that Koroshi Ai excelled with in terms of sound, were the music and musical accompaniments. The opening music is one of only a handful which you fall in love with within the first five seconds. Masuda's "Midnight Dancer" reflects the sophistication and energy of the anime and the world that the main characters live in, it also reflects Song's personality and situation perfectly as well. Aside from how well the piece works with the anime, it's also a really good salsa/ big band/ J-Pop piece away from the anime. The ending speaks more to elements of Chateua's personality and provides each episode with a soft and beautiful ending - one that I never really wanted to skip, thanks to Makoto Period.

Character - 8/10

A good range of characters here, including some of the more absurd individuals that one would expect from action media. While there's a healthy dose of organised criminals, they are still some sequences here and there, with interesting civilians, who play more to the romance elements of the story. Needless to say, the main characters are the main attraction of Koroshi Ai, both of whom are heavily shrouded in mystery. Psychology definitely plays a big factor in how Chateau develops throughout the story, which I felt was good to watch and see explained out and referenced as things went along. Song felt a bit like one particular, black-suit-wearing, seemingly un-killable character (Mr Wick) for a while, but the romance elements definitely give his character some unique flair, which I really liked. We also get a good selection of characters that contribute to comedy, drama and action, which is always good to see.

Enjoyment - 9/10

Feels a bit like an action-thriller from yesteryear but does really well in being engaging through the use of drama, psychology and comedy throughout, to help keep things varied. While the action and drama sequences were the mainstay of Koroshi Ai, there were still some genuinely funny moments, even if they're mostly along the same line. I presume that the anime only covers a portion of the manga content, because the ending definitely leaves a feeling of suspense and a story still to be told.

Overall - 9/10

A breath of fresh air, blending a number of genres and themes and exploring them in an engaging way, with thrills, occasional laughter, great music and lovable characters at the heart of it all - well deserving of 9/10 rating in my humble opinion.

Well, this one certainly left a mark ;-; Although I'm not massively fond of the idol concept, I did want to try out another music anime. I got much more than I was expecting... (seiyuu spoiler disclosure at the end, which may have affected my rating)

Story - 10/10

I wasn't actually expecting too much in this regard (thanks MAL for not adding genre information), but found myself surprisingly invested in the dramatic elements of the plot and how they were developed as the anime progressed, which was a nice contrast to the otherwise upbeat and positive events related to being an upcoming idol group. That said, ... similarly, the supernatural element also helped with creating an interesting story as well, which I appreciated.
Now, I'll be honest, I can understand if some people give the story writers ire for the outcome of some of the battles and I'll admit, I thought it a bit odd as well, though ultimately forgave the story writing direction, as it would probably have caused a dramatic imbalance. I was intent on giving IDOLY PRIDE a 9/10 in this area and then the final episode prompted me to change my score.

Art - 10/10

Very easy on the eye and very well executed as well, down to small details. I'll be honest, I'm usually not a big fan of heavily saturated colour palettes, but in this instance it works well, especially with helping maintain an overall positive and cheerful feel. Strangely, there wasn't an abundance of special effects for the on-stage performances, though I must say that the lighting design and general stage production representation was really good.

Sound - 10/10

I came hoping for a good soundtrack and was not disappointed. Despite having very picky taste in music, I liked quite a few of the opening and ending pieces of music and appreciated that they were good across a variety of genres, energies and overall feels. Not just the performances from LizNoir and TrinityAiLE; the performances from the main seiyuu were also good as well. I ended up buying a couple of the LizNoir albums in the end because their music stood out for me :)
OST/ score were very well put together. I'm always pleased when background music for scenes are able to make their presence known through sheer production quality and contributing effectively to the scene (if the score gets released, I'll probably buy a copy).
On-stage music performances were all fairly good, managing to keep my attention even if not primarily suited to my taste in music, which is an impressive feat.
However, voice acting is probably what I'll remember IDOLY PRIDE for the most, in terms of the sound department, largely owed to the beautiful voice featured in the solo acapella performances delivered by Sayaka Kanda - able to make you feel something warm within a 10-20 second sample.

Character - 10/10

It's easy to get swept away by Mana, no doubt, but I felt like they made a good attempt to not have the anime focus too heavily on her, through making Kotono and Sakura's relation to her and wanting to be their own characters a focus throughout the story as it progresses. We do get a decent bit of character development throughout the story as well, with the main characters and the supporting characters as well, without regressions or inconsistencies, which is good.
In terms of design, each character is given a distinct appearance and behaviour as well as some quirks in certain cases, which helped with keeping the anime interesting, in terms of seeing the different relationships and dynamics.

Enjoyment - 10/10

Maybe somebody was cutting onions nearby or I was having an allergic reaction for half of the time I was watching this anime, but the dramatic elements of it were really well put together I felt. Dramatic elements that were in contrast to wholesome and bright scenes aplenty, so each episode was without a dull moment. Add in the musical aspect and I found myself much more engaged whilst watching this anime than I anticipated I'd be. The final episode introduced another genre that I slightly suspected would feature somewhere later on, after seeing the flashbacks in the first episode. The speed and force with which it's introduced is pretty brutal I think, even if you picked up the undertones; one could argue that it's rushed, but you certainly can't deny that it's impactful T-T

Overall - 10/10

Admittedly, I'm still sceptical of the idol anime as a concept, but IDOLY PRIDE will be remembered fondly for being an unexpectedly entertaining and engaging music-drama anime.

---SEIYUU SPOILER NOTE---

I was made aware of Kanda's death when I completed the first episode. I've tried to rate the anime without factoring in how knowing this affected how I felt about the anime as it progressed, especially given how a similar event plays a pivotal role in story.

Thank you for such a warm contribution and Rest In Peace Sayaka Kanda ;-;

Well, this was a departure from the types of anime that I usually watch, but, having completed it, I'm glad that I watched it :)

Story - 8/10

I'll be honest, I agree with the people who felt underwhelmed by the ending, not so much because of how I felt while/ after having watched it, but because of how one simple action could have drastically changed how events played out. The ending isn't a complete deal-breaker though, as it contrasts to otherwise pretty good story writing, I felt. I'll admit that certain themes made me feel uneasy, but they do exist in reality, so their exploration through ... the story was pretty well handled, especially in that they made me think more carefully about the characters and how these themes contributed to the story as it developed. I'll also give some credit for the foreshadowing in the first episode and how it's surprisingly resolved in the final episode as well. I appreciated the thought-provoking and often surprising twists that the story took.

Art - 10/10

Seemingly moe, if the promotional media is to go by. I was nervous about how such an art style would lend itself to horror, but it did so very well, which was a pleasant surprise. The art-style works very well for the positive and happy scenes, owed to the more pastel-like colours that get used, along with special effects that help with setting the mood. In contrast, night scenes and scenes with are filled with darkness left me feeling quite immersed as well, which was a pleasant surprise. I'll admit, the cat-like pupil's for the Koubes were a bit odd, but they at least drew my attention, which I can respect. Horror scenes weren't as gory as I thought they would be, which I'm honestly okay with.

Sound - 9/10

An area which is handled quite well, though with the music, I felt something was lacking. The OP and ED are fine, but nothing spectacular. The ED for episode 9 (ReoNa - Canaria) did stand out however, being both a simple, yet well performed song and a perfect accompaniment to the events that were taking place and doing an excellent job of adding emotional weight to the scenes occurring in the foreground.
Voice acting contributed more heavily to my scoring in this area however. I've heard Hanazawa's performances in a number of other anime, but I think her performance in Happy Sugar Life is among her best, as I was treated to a wider range of emotions than I'm used to hearing from her and the lines were delivered just as well as I'd come to expect from Kana as well. The rest of the cast also do a great job, in terms of voice acting, with Kuno (Shio) putting in a similarly good performance, along with the other main characters well. I always appreciate voice acting that helps bring a character to life and all of the main characters, along with some of the supporting characters were all portrayed very well I felt, across a wide range of emotions and situations, especially the psychology-driven scenes that are relatively difficult to perform.

Character - 9/10

So many psychological issues - yikes ':/ I can understand why some people just don't like any of the characters - almost all of them have major flaws. Personally, I think that despite how disturbing they may be to watch at times, such characters are what made the story interesting. As the story unravelled and I began to see the source of the characters' psychological issues, some of them became easier to sympathise with and others at least became easier to understand. I liked that relationships to Satou were explored in good depth, in that they helped explain how complex a character she was. Trying to understand the intricacies of various relationships between the characters throughout the series was also quite the experience, which I'm not complaining about, as this aspect helped with engagement.

Enjoyment - 9/10

This is a bit of a weird one, despite the awkward themes that get regularly explored throughout the series, I actually found myself quite invested in the story from start to finish. In terms of romance, there was a good bit of content, though very unconventional, meaning that I had to think a bit in order to sympathise with the characters in various scenes - a good thing in my book, at least from a keeping interest and keeping me engaged perspective. Tension is used a fair bit throughout the anime as well, to good effect, which I liked (worked very well with the yandere lead at least). I'll admit, there were also a few moments where the developments of the story were quite depressing (character deaths), but I take the emotional response to be a sign of good story writing and character portrayal.

Overall - 9/10

An interesting concept; a love story driven by unfortunate circumstances and psychological issues. A concept that (despite a few flaws) is very well delivered I felt. While horror and psychological anime aren't really my thing, I'll remain glad that I experienced the unique story that is Happy Sugar Life.

I came for the culture and stayed for the surprisingly well-executed portrayal of an undeniably absurd sport concept xD

I'll get a few things out of the way;

1. I'd put watching Keijo off for ages, because the concept itself isn't something along the lines of what I'd normally watch.
2. I went into watching this with the preconception that it'd be something funny and would basically require watching with my brain switched off.
3. I am fully aware the anime defies the laws of physics, the laws of time and probably a few other laws that would normally negatively affect a rating, heh

So...

... Story - 6/10

There isn't too much going on in terms of story content here, but in the context of Keijo mostly being a fanservice sports anime, I think it can be forgiven for not having too much story content. Obviously "too much" does imply that there is some story content, which mostly comes in the form of backstory and context , which I appreciate. I'll admit that the progression of events was a bit predictable towards the end, though was pleasantly surprised by the execution, which I applaud.

Art - 7/10

Nothing too special going on here, at least where the ordinary scenes are concerned. Pretty much everything takes place under bright light in the daytime, so I can't say much about the art-style beyond that it works well for what scenes there are and the comedic skits that often turn up.
However, as is probably to be expected from an anime focused on fanservice, the detail thrown into character appearances, actions and costume design is understandably quite good.
The area that the anime does the best, unsurprisingly, is the "races" (or matches/ battles as I'll call them), with very good animation for special moves used in combat by the characters, especially later on in the series, where the sense of intensity definitely gets ratcheted up thanks to the art-style.

Sound - 9/10

I'm disappointed that the OST/ score was never released ;-;
The voice acting throughout the season was generally pretty good, setting the scene for a variety of emotions and energy levels quite eloquently. Of course, the ecchi and yuri content gets pretty good service from the voice acting as well, which is always a good thing.
The ED and OP are okay, but the score/ orchestral music that gets used throughout the season is definitely the centrepiece of the sound set. Using all of the instrument families very well, with brass, strings, woodwind and the drum kit being the most prominent, the training sequences and battles were made so much more enjoyable[/ engaging to watch, thanks to the beautifully arranged accompanying music.
As stated earlier, it's a shame that the composed music was never released 💔

Character - 7/10

Accounting for the fact that this is a fanservice-driven sports anime, the characters are created very well, in relation to the concept ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
A very wide variety of moves and behaviours are displayed throughout the season. Each character having specific moves, which go hand-in-hand with their body-type, background and/ or personality, which I found surprisingly sophisticated. I'll be honest; I will likely forget the names of characters (there are quite a lot of them), but am pretty certain that I won't forget their appearance, fighting abilities or general behaviours...

Enjoyment - 9/10

Yes, it ignores a bunch of laws, yes it has a very simple concept and yes, there isn't much of a story, but let's be honest, did any of us come to watch Keijo thinking it would be anything more than endless fanservice? That said, I got more than I bargained for, with a large helping of good action sequences, pretty good ecchi content mixed in, a dash of yuri content, a sprinkling of references to other popular anime/ culture and a pinch of wholesomeness as well, to make this one really fun anime to watch. Despite my reservations prior to watching Keijo, I'm actually pretty happy I decided to give it a go.

Overall - 8/10

It's by no means perfect, but I respect and appreciate the utterly shameless manner in which this concept has been delivered. Obviously, the original author is a man of culture and I think the anime adaptation does a pretty good job of getting those cultured ideas across xD

Poor Natsuki; trying to be a relatively ordinary anime character in an at least mildly sensible anime xD

Story - 10/10

Well, it's an SoL, so I wasn't expecting too much in terms of story content. There was a decent bit of story content however, providing a good bit of balance to the abundance of other incoherent happenings, heh. With how non-existent the fourth wall is in Kitakubu, the various gags related to production, previous, current and future episodes are at least coherent, so I don't really have anything to complain about, especially given how well it's all executed.

Art - 10/10

Surprisingly good, even when deliberately reduced for ... comedic effect or jokes. There's nothing particularly standout about the predominant artstyle, but it's easy on the eye and lends itself well to the comedy scenes and also the battle/ confrontation scenes.
Artboards - something that doesn't get used that much in anime but I really appreciate. It's really nice to see the artboards for characters and also the photos taken during the production of the anime as well, for the purpose of authenticity and adding that bit of personal touch :)

Sound - 9/10

Very catchy music for the opening and ending sequences, all of which are pretty fun and compliment the generally light and fun feel of Kitakubu perfectly. The insert music also plays its role very well, having good background accompaniments for comedic scenes and also the more tense scenes as well, to the extent where I could at times notice it, despite the foreground activity being pretty engaging.
Voice acting wasn't absolutely spectacular, though it should be said that the scripting and the focus on comedy maybe didn't lend themselves that well to the sort of voice acting I've seen elsewhere. The voice acting is still very good though; all of the main characters being brought to life very well by their actors across a range of behaviours and emotions, so I can't complain too much here.

Character - 10/10

Some familiar feelings in terms of character design (Claire reminding me of Tsumugi and Karin reminding me of Miho Nishizumi), but that's where the similarities end; these characters are definitely unique, in offering up a spectacular level of silliness when interacting with each other, heh. It's nice to see that they each have other sides to them despite the focus being on comedy and them all having running jokes throughout the season.

Enjoyment - 10/10

The most important factor from an anime classified as comedy/ SoL and Kitakubu excelled on this front. Prior to starting, I had just dropped another anime for not being funny enough and I'm glad I started this instead because it was a complete delight to watch from start of the first episode to the end of the last, where I was kind of upset that it was coming to end, so much fun I was having watching it :c Fourth wall pretty much not existing, genuinely funny jokes aplenty, a few well-executed sentimental moments, to get some tears flowing and a good sound set as well, to complete the production make this one anime that I'll probably come back to for a re-watch at some point in the future as a go-to for great fun and a good laugh :)

Overall - 9.72/10

Not perfect, but it's close enough and given how unique and memorable Kitakubu is, I think it deserves a high score. Also, not much in this anime makes complete sense, which the creators unapologetically revel in, therefore I unashamedly give them this score for having some honest fun with this gem of an anime :)

I came into this film thinking it'd be pretty much the same as TV series and OVAs. I'm happy to admit that I was conclusively mistaken in that regard.

Story - 9/10

Keeping in mind that Konosuba is still a comedy/ parody in concept, I wasn't expecting anywhere near as much context and background story content as we got given. It was really good to see more explanations behind character origins and how they tied into the current events. Generally speaking, the quest that forms the main focus for the latter half of the film is pretty well put together, especially considering that it for a good ... part took me by surprise, in terms of the decisions made my some characters, heh Why is not a 10/10? It is a bit predictable in places, though I'll admit the comedic value that it provides makes it forgivable to an extent

Art - 10/10

Nothing too spectacular for the ordinary scenes, but definitely works well across both day and night scenes. The interval/ title screens and chibi artboards are still present in the film as well, which is good to see. Where did the 10/10 rating come from? The battle animation and graphic enhancements; I have to admit that they were visually stunning and really contributed to the feel of intensity and genuine fantasy setting. The design of characters introduced in the film was also pretty good, though I'll elaborate on this later.

Sound 10/10

Very few anime have sound quality on par with Konosuba and the film steps up on the good foundation already laid by the TV/ OVA counterparts. The voice acting, as ever is really good, across a range of emotions and settings, from comedic and embarrassing, to intense and resolutely determined (and of course the interval/ title screen voicing is also really good at adding to the comedic value of scenes that precede them).
The attention to detail with sound is very good, with full stereo being utilised, not just for voice acting, but also environment sounds and sound effects, which really helps with the immersion, if you're watching between a stereo headset.
The music is a perfect feature in this trinity, with some truly magnificent composition work (arguably unnecessarily for a parody isekai film, heh) The music used for lighter/ silly scenes does a great job at reinforcing the element of comedy. The area of the score that stood out for me, unsurprisingly, was the battle music; really getting across the feeling of intensity and also doing a sublime job of matching the energy, action and voice acting present in the scenes. The full orchestral compositions that get used in some battle sequences make themselves stand out and I'm glad that they do, because the music is very beautifully composed and performed as well as doing its job for the scene.

Character - 9/10

I'll get the bad out of the way; why isn't it a 10/10 - again, I felt that there's somewhat an element of predictability, albeit small, which felt familiar, having just watched the second season OVA prior to watching the film (though I'll admit, it was pretty funny).
On the upside; we got more of Yunyun, which was great to see, as she's probably one of the most adorable characters in the Konosuba universe. We also get to meet characters that are mentioned/ teased in S2 as well, for good measure. Along with the addition of teased characters, we also get treated to more of our beloved Megumin's past as well; some much appreciated character development content in my opinion.
The newly introduced adversaries are really good as well in terms of design and how they behave, being quite true to what one would expect in a fantasy, adventure game, which I thought was a really nice touch.

Enjoyment - 10/10

Konosuba never fails to be an entertaining watch and the film is very much no different; having some of the silliest and funniest moments I've seen in a good while. There are some more substantial moments in the film as well, which was nice to see, though (unsurprisingly) they don't last for too long, because all of the characters really can't help being a liability or being weird, heh
Very good comedy content, pretty immersive adventure and fantasy content and some really good battle sequences made this one really fun film to watch.

Overall - 9.5/10

Lots of laughing out loud, some neat sentimental moments; good art/ design, amazing sound and a surprisingly impressive battle as well make me happy that I decided to watch this film and I'll almost certainly come back for a re-watch in the future :)

If you can forgive Lucoa's character design, then there's a really wholesome and fun anime to be found here :) Poor Shouta-kun... ':/ (12/13 eps seen because I've left the Christmas episode for next Christmas)

Story - 9/10

I'll say the bad first; what blocked off the 10/10 rating unsurprisingly was the fact that Lucoa didn't really contribute too much besides being the ara-ara onee-san -.-'
On the upside, the rest of the anime isn't too heavy on story content, which is perfectly fine for an SoL comedy and actively helps with keeping things light and fun, which I appreciate. That's not to say that there's no story ... content though; there was a good amount - perfectly balanced with comedy/ SoL content in my opinion. It's also worth noting that the story content helped bring in a few less light, but still enjoyable and often wholesome/ heart-warming moments without affecting the level of enjoyment.

Art - 10/10

Nothing particularly spectacular for the predominant art style, though the fairly balanced colour palette does lend itself well to all scenes, be they soft, harsh, light or dark, which I really liked. There was also a good bit of 3D included as well (video game footage) with nods to well-known real-life game franchises, which I really appreciated. Appropriate effects that added to the comedic value or action intensity of certain scenes were perfectly executed as well; in terms of art, there isn't really anything that I could complain about :)

Sound - 10/10

Simply the sweetest and most fun sound set I've encountered in anime thus far :3
Opening theme; Aozora no Rhapsody is arguably the most fun opening theme I've heard in anime to date (rivalled only by one other). The theme has really good positive energy, good use of acoustic instruments and a really catchy production behind the fun vocal performance. It's a piece of music that never fails to put a smile on my face; I can't ask for anything in that sense :)
Insert songs and backing music; at times repetitive, but easy to forgive, given how well the backing music works with the various scenes and the main emotions running through them.
Closing theme; Ishukan Communication - again "never fails to put a smile on my face" accurately describes this end theme. Borderline cute overload, because of the slower beat and softer feel, but I can't really call that a complaint. Even better that the vocals are provided by the character VAs in character, which is always good to hear :)

Character - 8/10

Follows on from what brought down the story score; I like boobs, but like most things, I like them in moderation (looking at you mainly Lucoa -.-' ) xD Character design and involvement was really good though aside from that; each being very distinct and having unique and memorable personalities and behaviour. Seeing the progression throughout the season was really fun to watch and maintained good consistency as well, leaving nothing to stand out as a plot hole. The direction that characters developed in also really helped with the comedic aspects of the anime but also the more substantial/ wholesome moment, especially the minor characters :)

Enjoyment - 10/10

Although I watch quite a lot of SoL comedy, it's nor too often that they make me laugh out loud and smile as much as this first season of Kobayashi-san Chi no Maid Dragon did. Good characters, good music and sound, topped off with extremely good script writing and production leave very little to fault. Although there are more emotionally-involved scenes, they aren't too heavy and are balanced out very healthily by the lighter and more fun content :)

Overall - 9/10

Not quite perfect, but definitely the anime with the best ability to produce genuine smiles, laughter and happiness from the start to the very end of each episode :)

Well, this is probably the most wholesome anime I've watched in ages :3

Story - 8/10

The general progression is pretty good, especially in terms of how circumstances for the characters vary throughout the anime, which I appreciated. The anime did have a good amount of backstory and exposition to explain out certain circumstances as well, leaving very little to doubt. In terms of storytelling as well, there wasn't a moment where I began to lose interest or get bored. Why did I not rate a 10/10? Some mistakes made by characters do get repeated in the anime, which I found a bit irritating (thankfully, this didn't ... happen too much)

Art - 10/10

Well, probably unsurprising for an anime with a sub-focus on art, I thought they did an excellent job in this area. The predominant art style isn't anything too spectacular for the most part, but does really come into its own for the scenes with heavy amounts of emotion and tension, partly thanks to a few dramatic effects as well, I guess. Along with the general art style, there's also CG scenes, which I thought were nice to see, in terms of variety. The real winner for me however was the inclusion of traditional paint being portrayed so delicately (including the texture of the canvas as well for the most part); thoroughly deserving of the full rating in this area.

Sound - 8/10

I've heard better sound sets, truth be told, but that's not to say that Sakura-sou no Pet na Kanojo did badly in this area. Background music for scenes with high emotional involvement were for the most part very good, though the composition at times did stand out for not quite matching the emotion of the scene.
Away from the music, the voice acting was definitely the strong area of the sound set in this anime. A testament to how good voice acting can really drive the emotional involvement in a scene, a wide range of emotions come across very strongly throughout the anime, largely powered by the voice acting.

Character - 8/10

There weren't any characters that I generally disliked, though there were moments where I did look on a few them less favourably. Some characters go through significant change throughout the anime (Mashiro, Sorata, Ryuunosuke) which was good to see, though some repeated mistakes by one of them irritated me a bit. Some characters (Yuko and Misaki) were absolutely adorable throughout the anime, to the extent where (combined with story content) I did end up strongly rooting for them. I absolutely loved how Rita developed throughout the anime as well; I'll admit that my sentiment towards her did a full u-turn from the moment she was introduced up to the end.

Enjoyment - 10/10

I wasn't really sure what to expect from this anime, as it was listed as comedy, romance and drama. What I ended up experiencing was a good deal more than I'd anticipated. The earlier episodes, (where there's more light-hearted and ecchi content) were very funny and did a good good at making me laugh. On the romantic front, the content was a bit confusing and definitely a slow burn, but was extremely good at creating emotional involvement for the various emotionally-involved scenes. It's also worth noting that the romantic content explored a good range of aspects (upsides, downsides and confusing regions in between). Drama content probably was the mainstay for the anime after the first 1/3 of the story, for which, I can honestly say I was pleased with the dramatic content and its ability to conjure up a reaction, watching on at the various exchanges, where I pretty much always felt like taking a particular character's side or had to think considerably about it.

Overall - 9/10

Not quite perfect, but given how emotionally involved I was for a significant portion of this anime and the wide range of emotions that I went through while watching, I can only conclude that the overall combination of story, art, sound and characters came together really well in this anime :)

I was teetering on 8/10 overall, up until ep 23, where I spent pretty much the whole episode crying (unprecedented for me), tipping me towards the 9/10 rating ;-;