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Never heard of this show until it popped up when I opened Netflix today so I watched it out of pure curiosity.

My feelings, in short, are that this is mid at best. I just finished it and I'm already forgetting plot points is how forgettable it was.

Before I tear it apart I do want to say the visuals were nice and reminded me of another show (more on that later) and I did appreciate how they added audio effects for all of the video call conversations I think that was a nice touch. I'd even go as far as saying moments of it ... almost look beautiful.

The plot kinda ruins it though.

I will admit, I am a little biased because I don't usually watch this type of show much. Wherein the world has sciーfi elements but a mostly modern-day setting and in spite of that setting, they have like crazy technology. I just think if you're going to have super-advanced technology in your story (of any sort, not limited to anime) you have two choices to make it jive better in a modern setting:

1. It's alien, characters (and the audience) can't understand it for that reason.

2. Time travel shenanigans

I know that Marvel and DC break these rules but I think it's fair to say that their worlds are just different enough from ours that it's more palatable. I still don't really like them doing it either though.

I'm of the belief that shows like this (especially given events near the end) would sincerely benefit from going with supernatural themes as opposed to occasionally hitting us with SOME things based in real-world science (just concepts btw nothing educational here, when introduced it's very much a dismissive non-explanation) and then expecting the audience to just believe robots are basically magical anyway and all the protagonists have to do is ask them to do basically anything.

SPOILER MENTION!!

From the start of the show, they establish a rule that AI intelligence has limiters on every robot, and these limiters roughly determine/classify basically how smart the robot is and what it can gain access to presumably by some kind of override since they don't inherently have access to everything. Well like, this kid who works for the UN (just temporarily a low rank too) literally just takes the MC's robot tells his own robot "hey can you make him literally the second smartest robot ever?" and it just works. This character's average nothing robot can just make any other AI (10x smarter than itself btw) turn into a super magic computer that can do anything.

Like...the actual plot of this show is a predictable joke.

Overall it's not the worst thing I've ever seen, if you like the visuals on in the background while you stare into the void that's perfectly fine I just don't see myself actually recommending this ever. Watch cowboy beep bop or darling in the franxx instead. It actually seems to have a carbon copy of Darling's art style so if you like that about this show you can check Darling out too. They don't have as many shots of space but like the art is so similar the protagonists could be clones of each other.

If you think you wanna watch this maybe watch it with friends so making jokes feels less insane and isolating XD.

I'm not exactly a tank or weapons kind of person but I found this to be really fun! I feel like I learned a little about tanks too! I don't know how accurate the information is and given the nature of some of the fights I think they took a little creative liberty in how swift and agile the tanks can be but it honestly makes certain moments more tense and exciting so I'm not complaining.

I will say though, the characters don't stand out very much and feel very generic and cookie cutter. I also found it odd that despite everyone in this world ... being knowledgeable enough of tanks to know that there are several types at the very least to also treat a girl who is obsessed with them as a "weirdo" like.. in one episode we get a glimpse of an entire tank themed cafe and everyone talks about how a girl who rides in a tank is really attractive so.. Why is the one girl who knows everything about tanks treated like a gross nerd? It just doesn't make much sense in the context of the world and its rules.

A more positive thing I'll say about the characters is that while being very 2D, they're all pretty sweet and moe with each other. Generating very little unnecessary conflict which does work for a show like this I think. Also because of the nearing all-female cast and the level of friendliness uh, you can totally headcanon practically everyone as gay or bi. I'd even go as far as saying the lead is DEFINITELY gay given what she says at the very end to her friends. (Won't spoil but she implies she doesn't need a boyfriend.)

I thought the CG of the tanks was decently executed and the animation itself felt well done but the art style is just... another thing about this show that's generic and forgettable. I can tell that outside of the tanks they didn't care how the girls or anything else looked.

All in all this show is kind of a gimmick, if you like suggested but not presented lesbian relationships, lighthearted comedy, and tanks this show is for you. It's a nice turn your brain off and watch stuff blow up kinda show.

Synopsis: An adaptation of the game with a few changes.

Watch it if you’re curious about TWEWY or don’t have much else to do.

Thoughts: A good intro to the series but I’m glad I watched a let’s play of the game first because I honestly found that a bit more enjoyable. Some changes were welcome but, I feel like they really skimmed a few parts I really enjoyed like the “trial” part lol. It was funny watching the game turn into a Danganronpa trial for a second. I also felt like skipping over the monologue at the beginning really changed the characterization of the MC and ... kinda missed out on some of his personal growth. When you don't see his thoughts about how people are loud and annoying and he'd rather tune them out it makes his progression out of antisocial behavior honestly a little invisible.

Brief synopsis: Set about five years after the first season. Lost matches have changed Joe into a sad addict who struggles to win a fight. He is once again at rock bottom and instead of trying to get to the top, he’s just trying to get out.



Upfront rating: 7.5 Better than any sports anime I have ever heard about on concept alone but missing a tiny *something* from the last season I can’t quantify. Still strong without it though.



Thoughts: This season has a much darker more “real” kickoff and premise than the first season so it felt fitting that those themes stayed consistent through the ... season. I can’t pinpoint if I don’t like this season as much because so many characters end up dying or hating Joe at some point painting Joe as a very pathetic character at times really going against how we saw him in s1 or if I just don’t like how sad the story is at times in general. By comparison, the first season feels like inspiration porn meanwhile in this season half the cast at least once tells Joe to quit and we spend so much time in the first few episodes just watching him suffer from what I can only glean as overdoses or withdrawal. I definitely don’t want to suggest people can’t write about strife or struggle nor do I find these narrative choices distastefully executed in this show I just can’t think of any other reason why I like season 1 more (Nevermind). In fact, I find it very fitting this season explored that “performance enhancement” can have direct and horrible consequences in both the form of Joe’s pain killer problem as well as in the character of Mac who is dependant on technology to move only to see how technology can fail horribly. I do appreciate that we at least got a happy end for Mac, I think it would’ve been too much for them to kill him off after killing off so many other great characters.

A new theme this season explores is kind of tied to its subtitle “Nomad” although I think “Outsider” is a word that works better for what they ended up conveying at least in the first half of the show. Joe and the show spend the first 4 or 5 episodes getting very invested in Cheif and his small-town “Casa” both himself and his fellow inhabitants are all Spanish-speaking immigrants. I don’t know the culture they were referencing well enough to pinpoint if it was Mexican, Spanish, or something else but from my understanding, I’m not sure the writers knew either as they barely scratched the surface of it. Anyway, what the writers were going for was a direct example of people who don’t “fit in” to society or aren’t widely accepted so that Joe can have people he relates to because he’s no longer a big-time boxer they also end up serving as motivation to him. Sometimes it worked really well but other times the “otherness” made their ideas seem mystical and it reminded me a little of a trope I won’t name. I definitely don’t think that was their intention, I think the writers just wanted to get back the underdog and fantasy themes but it’s something that can make this season weird for people of those cultures. I don’t think this ruins the show, it just seems to be that the writers might have been a bit too ambitious or just didn’t realize any implications about Cheif giving Joe special magic tea that helps with addiction. I’m actually nervous about saying this because I don’t want to sound like I read too much into it.

That said, I think that’s the only major weak point of the narrative. The season is sad a dark because it falls in line with the topics at hand. If you loved the last season like I did and want to see what Joe is doing, I still think it’s worth it although, the s1 ending is rather complete so I’m not sure this was needed. Still very enjoyable, still has good animation quality.



I’m optimistic this series might just survive the seasonal anime amnesia that sometimes takes hold where you get so invested in newer shows you forget about previous ones. More people need to give this one a chance!

*Spoilers, bewarb*

Brief synopsis: Megalo box seems to be set in some future desert-scape where a major source of escape lies within the world of boxing which is different from how we know it today. Every fighter uses something called “gear” which is a robotic attachment/cover for their arms that increases speed, defense, strength (and I think in some cases stamina) overall adding a sci-fi twist to what might almost be a normal sports anime. The protagonist is “Gearless Joe” a fighter who chooses to wear very little gear making his way to the top on skills alone.



Watch this show if you like sports or 90’s ... grunge style shows. You will love it!


I really liked the idea of gear, it actually reminds me of another show (that I can’t remember the name of) where people built robots to fight each other, and while I remember being disappointed with that show I really liked how megalo box simultaneously went for a commentary on anything that boosts performance as well as something fantastical that could make fights unique. I remember watching every episode as they came out because I was on the edge of my seat for every fight. The way the writers managed tension and action in this season was superb! It didn’t feel like a real sports show but rather how a Jojo fan would add a little spice to a sports show. It has just enough shounen logic to work really well regardless of how you feel about boxing. I might even rewatch this to give it a higher score because I think the first season might make this show a classic.

Not a lot to say, feels like 2007 nostalgia in a way. If you like the scenecore or webcore aesthetic watch it I guess. Episodes are only a minute long and there isn’t an overarching plot so there’s nothing that can really be spoiled or talked about in much depth.

Okay, I guess. Like the aesthetic!

Oh, MAL says I have to write a longer review.

Um, the pomegranate gag is cute I guess and it's funny haha when the guy gets mauled by pet bear bc bear angy haha. Don't get pet bears kids! They'll take your face off!/lh

You really can't say anything ... deeper about this lol.

Brief synopsis:
“Bishounen tanteidan/美少年探偵団” or “Pretty boy detective club” is about our four-eyed protagonist Mayumi (who I am not trying to insult, gurl rock’s those glasses! fr!) who has a beautiful memory of a beautiful star she saw on the night of her birthday and never again. She looks for it every night on a balcony where we see her meet a beautiful boy claiming to be a detective. They solve the mystery and go on to solve a few more! Very Ouran high school host club but with questions and a cast that seeks answers!

Personal rating 7/10
(Not a “classic” but definitely worthwhile if you like ... the concept and vibe with any tropes!)

Spoilers ahead!
If you haven’t seen it check it out before reading this section plz!
We learn very early on (second or third episode) that Mayumi actually saw a government rocket thing explode and not a star so, the first few episodes don’t quite establish the show itself, rather the main character instead. Her quest to see that star once again stemmed from her parents telling her to stop pursuing childish games and realizing she witnessed a government secret with her super powerful eyes (yes her eyes are literally too strong for her own good) she interestingly learns the value of “giving up.” an uncommon moral in anime and honestly media in general. After the third episode, the series almost completely shifts into a mystery of the week formula where Mayumi occasionally uses her eyes to spot hidden objects or people and help the boys do their thing. Technically, she initially joins so they can hide her identity and try to protect her from the government (Yes, she cross-dresses just like Haruhi in host club with admittedly a bit more purpose) but she proves herself in having beautiful sleuthing skills like the rest of them and she doesn’t quite successfully fool everyone into thinking she’s a boy like Haruhi in host club but she does present as a boy in almost the entire show so it’s a little unclear the direction they wanted with it.

Characters point out she’s a crossdresser almost immediately after meeting her and she never corrects anyone sadly missing an opportunity for some FTM representation. She does sometimes call herself a boy but mostly in reference to the fact that she's in a club of boys who act boyish which ends up reading in a more NB/tomboy kind of way to me personally which to some people is preferred but I’m dissatisfied in this aspect bc its 2020 let anime characters be explicitly LGBT, please. I beg. We shouldn’t have to squint to see NB protags, please.

I won’t recount too much of the midsection of the anime as it’s pretty formulaic for this kind of show and even though I marked this as spoiler territory all I can say is that I felt a little underwhelmed with the direction. There were just a few moments that could have had a bit “more” narratively but ended up being a bit forgettable. the show at times definitely suffers from not telling all the information upfront and thus not really trusting the audience to solve the mystery and just telling them how characters did it, often in Danganronpa crazy levels. It feels a lot more like watching a spectacle when you get an answer rather than feeling a sense of reward. Interesting sure, but just a little lacking for my taste.

Back to the positives as you may have guessed from my posts live as I watched the show, the last two episodes really picked up the steam the first three had! I honestly expected the girl to have just walked into a car or something like that given the info we get about cars being easily visible on the road she walked and the lighthearted tone of the show. Instead, we found out Yoshikage Kira jr. infiltrated the school and sought a position of power bc he’s a narcissist who believes people are stupid, exists to be under his control and anyone who stands in his way needs to be crushed.

While it was a bit weird he just told Mayumi that, he was a weird guy so it wasn’t out of character it seems. The way the art style shifted during his speech was SPOT ON, which really nailed the 180° in tone the scene had.





Some overall thoughts I have left:

**PLEASE NOTE THIS REVIEW WAS ANIME-ONLY, HAVE NOT TOUCHED THE MANGA AT ALL DON’T SPOIL THE MANGA FOR ME K THNX**

the animation is nice, so are the aesthetic choices (although a few characters have very copy-pasted eyes from one another, long legs has identical eyes to blue hair.) if you liked host club at all you’d like this show and I’d say vice versa applies as well. Just needs a little help in the presentation of the mysteries and a more explicitly NB/FTM protagonist (if that was intended) in the story.