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Apr 5, 2020
I write this review in a vain attempt to get even a single extra person to watch this. Even though this is a season 3 review, perhaps in some small way this tiny blip will contribute a fraction of a fraction of a percent to increasing its popularity. I truly believe this is one of those hallmark shows, one that every anime viewer should see.
It was six years since season 2 ended, and to have even witnessed this new season is what I perceive to be a miracle. Seasons 1 and 2 had grand achievements in story telling, character development, and even world building I
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would say. It dove deep into the interesting world of karuta, bringing us along the way with Mizusawa high school's karuta team as our host. Chihaya, Taichi, and Arata are a formidable trio, capable of carrying two full length seasons on their shoulders alone, with all supporting characters playing a strong and likeable role.
Season 3 continues this great tradition of storytelling, providing knock out keystone moments that feed fuel to the fire of the Arata vs Taichi debate. We also take an interesting turn into exploring older and new characters. Fresh and familiar faces alike are given extra attention this season, and they all add their own flavor to this karuta world, and more opportunities for our original trio to show all their facets.
The characters and build up in the story are still amazing. The art even seems to have been notched up a level, and we are even fortunate enough to have a few new songs to add to an already awesome soundtrack.
If you liked season 1 and 2, of course you're going to watch this. If you haven't yet seen this show at all, this review is here to tell you that all three season are well worth your viewing. Please check it out so we don't have to wait so long for a season 4.
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
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May 14, 2019
Ah, the will-they-won't-they romantic comedy. A classic and familiar trope, a story told many times before. But what happens when you infuse this story archetype with two fiercely intelligent characters, both madly in love with each other but are too prideful to admit it, and then you have those characters constantly duel each other in a battle of wits to trap the other person into confessing their love first? Well what you get is an excellent anime called Kaguya-sama: Love is War.
This show features a fantastic protagonist duo. Shinomiya and Shirogane (the ones whose love are kept secret from each other) are initially shown to
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be nothing more than arrogant, top of the class student body bourgeoisie types. Their initial motivations seem to derive from nothing more than pride. But as the anime progresses, you get to see them in a variety of scenarios, both in dealing with each other but also just living their day to day life. It is in these different scenarios that we see the different layers and the depths contained within Shinomiya and Shirogane. You start to see them not as the hoity toity smarty pants they were initially presented as, but as regular kids with perfectly normal insecurities. They become highly relatable people that you end up rooting for more and more as the show progresses.
The rest of the cast is rounded out nicely with supporting characters that show different perspectives on Shinomiya and Shirogane. They are all important in their own way, though none are worth mentioning more than Fujiwara and Ishigami. Fujiwara acts as the wild card, and often throws a wrench into our main' duo's plans, often to comedic effect. Ishigami is your typical introvert nerd that is constantly embarrassing himself, though will sometimes act to the benefit of the others. These two are lovable in their own way and are able to mix things up with the show's formula through entertaining and sometimes unexpected means.
Perhaps this show's greatest accomplishment is that it's genuinely hilarious. Each episode features typically normal and benign situations, that are elevated to comedic heights thanks to the animation, writing, and directing. These regular situations become battles of the gods, played out in the battlefield of the minds of Shinomiya and Shirogane. The ridiculousness of it all coupled with the crazy animation make for jokes that seem to stick the landing every single time.
Overall, it's a fresh take on romantic comedies that is done very well. You've got lovable characters and funny ass writing, and that's all I personally ask for in a show like this. Kaguya-sama: Love is War is definitely one this year's greatest releases.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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Apr 24, 2019
This show is bad but not completely awful. At the very least it provides some laughs, but most of the time it's just boring. There is pretty much no reason to watch this other than to judge for yourself how bad it is.
Story: 4/10
Half of the story is told in flashbacks, during the last King's Game the MC experienced, and the other half is told in the present, during the current King's Game. The show tells you pretty early on what happened in the past so there's practically no tension during the flashback segments since you know what's going to happen. Figuring out what the
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King's Game is is not satisfying because the answer is pretty stupid. The rest of the story is just an exercise in debauchery and gore, building up to an unsatisfying climax.
Art: 5/10
The art has two things going for it: attractive anime girls that would've been waifus in a better show, and gory deaths that make you cringe. There is definitely some entertainment value in watching these people die gruesome deaths, but not enough to make the show worth watching. It'd be more worth it to watch a compilation video on YouTube or something, if there is one.
Sound: 5/10
Not much to say here, nothing particularly excellent or terrible about the soundtrack or the voice acting.
Character: 4/10
The show likes to throw in new characters you're supposed to care about each episode, only to watch them die by the end of the same episode. Each character is somehow the MC's best friend/love interest by default, so they all have some kind of crazy loyalty to him for no reason at all. Suffice it to say that the relationships are extremely underdeveloped and the characters are uninteresting. They might as well skip straight to the death scenes of everyone to get it over with.
Enjoyment: 4/10
I was expecting something truly terrible, something to hate with all my guts. What I got instead was something worse - a bad anime that makes me feel lukewarm. It falls squarely into the below average category in my mind.
Reviewer’s Rating: 4
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Apr 18, 2019
Devilman Crybaby is a wild and bumpy ride. It is blood, tits, and gore galore. While it does have its memorable moments, ultimately it falls apart due to its story. Still, I enjoyed watching it.
Some might find the animation off-putting or just downright bad, but I personally love it. It has a unique style that produces some unforgettable visuals. Sometimes it has a dream-like flair, other times it’s like a crazy acid trip. This variety of aesthetic means there’s always something interesting to look at. However, there is definitely an inconsistency in quality. Some shots lack detail to the point where it looks downright lazy.
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Other times it’s like looking at a beautiful watercolor painting. At the very least, it’s a visual experience that stands out from most other anime.
I also really like the design of the main character. His sharp features, wild hair, and black eyeliner hearken back to an age where the bad boy look actually looked cool. Everyone else looks pretty decent as well. And I can’t talk about character design without mentioning the demons. These are some fucked up looking creatures, and easily one of the best parts of the animation. Seeing them erupt from their human forms is pure horror delight.
This show also has a pretty sick soundtrack. There are some truly great techno beats that pump you up and get you engaged with whatever is on screen. It is definitely the soundtrack of choice to listen to while you’re speeding down the highway on your motorcycle, city lights streaming by.
The characters are pretty decent. They’re likable and interesting, and each one has some layers to them. However, I do wish the relationships between them were fleshed out just a tad more. This show could have benefited from a few extra episodes focused solely on the characters. By the end of it, I just didn’t feel as connected to these characters as I feel like I should have. Also, I wish the show spent a bit more time with Akira before he turned into the Devilman. It would have grounded his character more and made the transformation feel more impactful.
Lastly, the story is all over the place and holds this show back from being truly great. Throughout the show, I couldn’t really get a handle on what was going on or what was important. There are several mini arcs throughout, each having their entertaining moments, but whenever a new arc started it was clear that the previous storylines didn’t really matter. I think this anime would have been far more effective if it focused on a single, cohesive story, especially considering that it’s only 10 episodes. The ending was also pretty disappointing to me, and made me wonder if the rest of this series was pointless. I will say that the story is unpredictable, at least.
Ultimately, Devilman Crybaby is entertaining but not great. I think this show had a lot of potential that it just didn’t live up to. I think those looking for a unique show should check this one out, but maybe don’t expect too much going into it. I had my fun with this one, but I just can’t help feeling this show should have been better than it is.
Reviewer’s Rating: 6
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Apr 15, 2019
Run With the Wind is an anime that takes a while to hit its stride, but once it does, it becomes an engaging show with a lovable cast of running boys. It is unique in many aspects, making it a breath of fresh air to the sports anime genre. Those looking for a strong, character driven show will enjoy this one.
Let’s start with what I think immediately sets this apart from other sports anime - the setting. Most sports anime are set in high school, but this one is set in college. This allows for story avenues not possible in a typical shounen setting, such
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as looking for a job or just trying to figure out what to do with your life in general. I do wish we saw more of the young adult life overall, since it’s something we don’t get to see in anime that much. Still, these college aged boys are going through things that are fresh to me in my mind, since I’ve only graduated college recently. Perhaps in that way I am biased, but to me it makes these characters more relatable, and it sets this anime apart from others in a very clear way.
At first, the show starts off a bit slow. You don’t really get a good feeling for what the show is gonna be about until several episodes in. Those who waive off shows within the first three or four episodes might be missing out on something special. It doesn’t start getting good until we really get to know the cast.
Which brings us to the team. 70% of this team have no experience with track and field at all. Most teams of sports anime have members that are at least somewhat experienced and have to deal with maybe one or two newbies at a time. It is through these characters that we learn about the intricacies of the sport. But since running is so straightforward, Run With the Wind takes advantage of this by comprising the team of mostly unathletic scrubs. This leads to a viewing experience where you get to see several people experiencing the sport from level 0 all the way to like level 5 or something. I was, however, skeptical of how the show was gonna be able to balance all of these characters and give them sufficient time to grow.
When the cast is introduced, they each have a defining quirk - one guy is a lawyer, one guy is the smoker, you’ve got some twins over here, one is an otaku, etc. etc. I was worried that they would be forever associated with these stereotypical character traits, but I was pleasantly surprised to see that the show is able to add layers to each and every single character. Each of them gets their time in the sun, and we learn about what they’re really like underneath these shallow introductions. By the end of the show, I was rooting for each and every one of them. It was like I knew them all personally, like I was on the team too. My highest compliment I can give is that I remembered all of the team members’ names, which is unusual for me.
The one thing I think puts a stain on the entire show is how the team itself is formed. Let’s just say that pretty much nobody voluntarily joins the team at first. The team captain manipulates the others, practically forcing them to join. This small fact, to me, gives the entire show a bit of a shaky foundation. After all, how can I believe in a team that didn’t really want to do their sport in the first place? If it weren’t for the show’s other strengths, I think this show could have easily toppled under the weight of this flaw. It still bugs me, even after completing the show. I think this aspect could have been handled better.
As far as the antagonists, there aren’t really any, which is fitting for this show. The show’s theme is all about answering the questions, “Why do you run? What does running mean for you?” It’s a very introspective show, and is less about super-hype sports moments and more about growing as a person. Thus, the lack of any hard hitting villains is appropriate. The self-reflective nature of the anime is another unique selling point.
The animation and the soundtrack are also pleasant surprises to be had. The background art of this show is quite lovely, and the attention to detail to the characters as they run is respectable. Each person runs in a slightly different way than the other, adding another dimension to who they are as a person and as a runner. This show does have CG, but it is wise enough to use it with restraint. It is mostly limited to large group shots where there is a bunch of people running at the same time. Everything else is classically animated. The soundtrack fits the very thoughtful mood of the show. It has some pretty chill-sounding beats overall, but is still able to amp up the mood when it needs to.
The last bit of praise I can give this show is a bit of a personal one but I think it’s worth mentioning. This show made me want to run again. And in fact, I did! I used to run a bit of track and field/cross country back in the day, and this anime reminded me of how simple, yet powerful, the act of running can be.
Despite its slow start, Run With the Wind is a special anime. It is very good in pretty much all aspects, such as characters, animation, and story. I think those that like shows with big, lovable casts should check this one out, as well as those who are fans of sports anime in general. This is one that I don’t think I’ll forget soon.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Apr 14, 2019
Parasyte the Maxim is a good, but not outstanding, anime. Overall, I would say there are no harsh critiques to be said, but also no high praises either. It’s a competent action-horror show with some good ideas.
I was expecting the story to be a simple action romp where the main character faces off against a bunch of monsters, each one more dangerous than the last. While there is certainly a lot of that, the anime does get a bit philosophical at time. What is life? What does it mean to be human? How should we treat other lifeforms? It even dabbles a bit into environmentalism.
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These questions added a new layer to the story which was unexpected but welcome. I wish the show would have dove deeper into these questions but I suppose the answers were meant to be open ended.
The story also focuses on the main character and his struggles with being part human, part parasite. At first, I was getting some Spiderman vibes. “Nerdy character gains superpowers and confidence,” that sort of thing. However, it is different from classic superhero genres because the source of the main character’s new powers has a mind of its own, and that mind is coldhearted and logical to a fault.
The main driver of entertainment is the tension between Shinichi and his parasite Migi. Shinichi is your average high school kid that reacts in ways you would expect. He isn’t your typical hero with the always-positive attitude. In fact, he is almost constantly beaten down by the unexpected turn in his life thanks to the arrival of the parasites. Shinichi is always trying to do the right thing, but the show does a good job at conveying that it pains him to do so. He is constantly paranoid and stressed about the dangers that can come from every corner. Migi has a more dead-pan and self-preservationist attitude. He makes it clear that he is willing to do whatever it takes to survive, even if it means harming Shinichi or the people he loves. Shinichi will often try to save people while Migi tries to save themselves. This dynamic makes the show fun to watch.
The villains of the show are the parasites. They are interesting because their motives are not necessarily evil. They are just doing what any animal does - survive. This makes them appear ruthless and cold-blooded. The parasites also evolve throughout the show, changing their methods often. These are formidable foes that are able to learn and adapt, making them feel like a real threat.
The art is at its best when it portrays the parasites. Humans that have been taken over by these things have an appropriately "dead" look in their eyes, making it easy to find out who they were. The highlight of the show is when the parasites reveal themselves to do battle or to eat humans. The faces split apart to reveal deadly flesh-transforming-blade-things, which is always fun to watch. There are other wiggly movements that they are capable of, particularly showcased through Migi. This establishes them as a truly unique lifeform that you just can't take your eyes off of.
Overall, this show was a good watch. It doesn’t do anything particularly noteworthy in terms of sound or animation, but the characters are good enough to sustain your attention throughout the show. The show has interesting ideas but it’s lacking that “it” factor that makes it super compelling. Nonetheless, I think those looking for an action anime with a unique twist will enjoy this one.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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Apr 10, 2019
This anime is pretty meh. The story is told with no dialogue or sound other than the overlay of Daft Punk’s “Discovery” album. It is an extremely simple story, which made it hard to be invested in at all. There is, however, one tragedy in the story that I was not expecting. It was effective in making me feel at least somewhat connected to the characters. It is an hour long romp that was overall inoffensive, but hardly engaging.
The art is standard fare and nothing special. It is vibrant enough to be a fun watch but it is otherwise not notable. The character designs were
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pretty appealing, though, and made me wish that the Crescendolls (the band of characters in the anime) were a real band because of how cool they were.
Obviously, the driving force is Daft Punk’s music. If you’re a fan of their stuff, then you’ll probably like this anime more than other people. In my opinion, their tracks definitely have a catchy beat but can be repetitive to listen to. Once you’ve heard about 10 seconds of their song you’ve pretty much heard the rest of it since they just loop the same thing over and over again. There are a couple gems, though, such as “Digital Love” and “Something About Us.” The rest of it I can go without.
The characters are unmemorable archetypes. You have the damsel(s) in distress, the hero that saves them, and the villain. The only other thing I can say about them is that they at least look stylish.
Overall my feelings for this anime are so lukewarm that I can hardly conjure anything too positive or negative to say about it. I think fans of Daft Punk will enjoy this, obviously, but I find it hard to recommend to anyone else. I think there are better ways to spend an hour of anime watching time.
Reviewer’s Rating: 5
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Apr 7, 2019
Your Lie in April is an anime drenched with emotion and poetic imagery. It is absolutely dripping with saccharine. It’s almost too sweet, too cheesy, but its melancholic edge balances it out. It has its flaws, to be sure, but they are overshadowed by its immense strength. The show's technical mastery combined with its heart-wrenching story make for a worthy viewing.
I will begin with the flaws. This show often vacillates between two completely different tones. One moment it will be sincere and sad, and then the next moment it will devolve into slapstick comedy. I think I understand the intention, which is trying to
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break up the tension so that it doesn’t stay in a dreary mood the whole time. Still, such wild mood swings could be handled better, and it actually shows that it can do that at times. The anime is also just better when it decides to go with one tone and sticks with it.
The comedy itself is flabbergasting as well. One of the main points of tragedy is that the main character experienced physical abuse as a kid. But at the same time, many of the comedic moments involve that same character getting beat up by his friends. I understand that the intentions behind the two moments are different, but I find the prevalence of these types of goofs rather puzzling anyways. Not only that, but it seems to be the only type of joke that the anime can conjure. A typical “funny” situation follows as such:
1. Main character says something
2. Other character gets mad at him
3. Main character retorts at character for getting mad at him
4. Other character hits him
All of this done in a “cutesy” style of animation. Now that I think about it, this is the kind of comedy that can be found in pretty much all kinds of anime. But I digress. The humor in this show did not hit me as well as the other emotional moments did.
Lastly, the main character, Kousei Arima, is basically the center of the musical microcosm contained in this anime. He is the focal point that other characters revolve around. This can make the other characters seem a bit shallow, since it seems like nearly all they think about is either Kousei or music. I suppose this can be forgiven since the show is about the different relationships that pull you along in life, but a different layer to each character would have been appreciated.
Your Lie in April handles everything else rather well. For instance, the story’s romance component is implemented artfully. There is definitely a will-they-won't-they tug and pull dynamic that is present in this anime. It is common to many romance shows, and can be seen as a source of frustration or excitement depending on who you ask. I am usually the type to find it frustrating, but I did not feel that way in this anime. I think it is because the main character’s meekness was so believable that him getting with any girl seemed to be out of the question by default. Additionally, the other potential love interests felt very real as opposed to objects made solely for the protagonist's affection. They were definitely flawed, in ways that were understandable, and in ways that made the romantic tension bearable to watch instead of frustrating.
As for the animation, it is bright, vivid, and beautiful. It is a joy to watch. When the gorgeous imagery is combined with the emotional context of a musical performance, it can pack quite a punch. I felt chills at least once or twice every other episode because of how often the anime kept injecting me with a potent dose of the feels, driven mainly by the animation. One can imagine how an emotional person watching this could be taken for quite a wild ride.
The struggles the characters face are rooted in reality, which make them highly relatable. Most impressive of all, I think, is that each character can be likable or unlikable, given the situation. I believe this was intentional on the part of the writer, since people in real life can be like that. Despite their flaws, I was often rooting for each of them along the way.
Lastly, the defining layer of this show is its passion for music. It permeates everything, from the animation to the characters to the soundtrack. Need I say that an anime dedicated to the love of music has an awesome soundtrack? Each note is able to paint each scene with the right tinge of emotion. The musical performances are the pinnacle of the show's abilities, and are something to always look forward to. I don’t know shit about music, but the show did a good job of making me believe how impressive all the musicians in the anime were.
Your Lie in April is a heavy hitter. Gorgeous animation, likable characters, real-life struggles that pierce your heart with intense emotions, and, of course, charming music. I think those who enjoy a good romance anime will enjoy this, especially those who have treaded a musical journey themselves for any significant amount of time. This anime deserves its acclaim.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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Apr 4, 2019
Watching Mob Psycho 100 II will make you a better person. This is a show with a soul, with a positive message that will help you see the world in a brighter light. The passion behind this message permeates everything about this show, and I love it.
Like the original, the story contains several mini-arcs which stretch for about 1-3 episodes. Each one investigates the character of Mob and his relationships with others, further testing the thesis that kindness wins over everything. The comedy is still funny, the action is still intense, and the wholesome moments are still memorable. This season’s ending was not as interesting
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as the first, but it was still satisfying.
The unique art style from the original series carries over into this season. There are still intense psychic battles, but there are also smaller moments where psychic abilities are used in creative ways in order to heighten the emotion, creating truly memorable scenes. The designs of the new characters introduced this season are pretty good and allow them to stand out from the original cast. The opening of this season is even better than the first season’s, which I would have found hard to believe if I hadn’t seen it myself.
Mob’s growth as a person continues in this season, which is still a joy to see. The relationship between him and Reigen was one of the hallmarks of last season, and watching this relationship further develop in interesting ways was one of the best parts of this season. However, we don’t see as much development with the other characters as we did last season. This could be seen as a disappointment to some, but I think the cast is still as likeable as ever and is able to carry this show as well as they always have. This season seems to be more concerned with how Mob reacts to nastier and nastier foes who contradict his worldview. The new villains match up to the typical power creep you see with battle shows like this, but as always, Mob’s attitude and how he tries to win them over with kindness is still entertaining to watch.
I think fans of the first season will find more than enough to be satisfied with this season. It offers more of the same as before, but with additional world building and a natural direction for these beloved characters to grow in. Here’s hoping that season 3 will continue to deliver.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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Mar 31, 2019
This movie is serviceable. The story is simple, straightforward, predictable, and inconsequential. It all takes place on a far off island that we’ll probably never see again in the series. Since there are zero real stakes involved, it makes it hard to feel invested in what’s going on. I suppose that is what is to be expected with Shounen anime movies, though. The opening scene has a young All Might apprehending a villain which was probably the most exciting part of the whole movie. If the rest of the story were just young All Might adventures, I think I might have enjoyed that more.
The art
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doesn’t seem to stand out from the original anime up until about the last 10 to 15 minutes of the movie, where it seems like most of the budget went. The fight scenes are nothing unique and interesting, except for the final one, so you won’t see the characters doing anything different with their powers than you would see them do in the show. The students’ colorful hero outfits are traded in for boring formal attire for most of the movie, which is disappointing since it gives the whole movie a very gray and sanitized look.
This was my first time watching these characters voiced by their English VAs, and I have to say, I’m impressed. Each character sounded completely natural and their voice actor fit their personality to a T. The music was fine, but not memorable.
The two original characters introduced in this movie are essentially the poster boy and poster girl for quirkless heroes. As father-daughter-combo scientists, Melissa and Dave use their inventions to help the heroes save the day. On the one hand, their presence is appreciated since it adds a new layer to the world of MHA we haven’t seen before. How much respect can you gain as a quirkless person in this world? The answer is: quite a lot, it seems. On the other hand, their presence is a detriment because they can essentially invent anything that can solve any of the heroes’ problems. And in this movie, they actually do invent devices which would greatly help our main characters. But of course, such devices are not meant to last and will never be spoken of again. As characters themselves, I think I will forget about them soon, given their generic personalities and bland design. Melissa is your typical one-note optimist while Dave is only slightly interesting because of his friendship with All Might. The villain is also pretty forgettable, he’s your vanilla bad guy that’s barely worth mentioning.
Overall, the movie was a fairly enjoyable ride that I think other fans of MHA will enjoy, since it technically delivers the stuff that MHA is known for - big heroic fights involving characters we love. That being said, I don’t think it comes close to matching the emotional heights that the original anime has reached. As a one-off filler movie, it’s impossible to do that. Still, I would have hoped to see something new. A young All Might was fun to watch, but beyond that there is not much to this movie, and I don’t think fans would miss much by not watching it.
Reviewer’s Rating: 6
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