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Jan 23, 2025
The “E” in “Everyone” is most accurate in My Neighbor Totoro than in any other anime and even movie. I’d recommend Totoro to literally everyone. I’d show it to my future grandkids. My nieces and nephews. My grandparents. My parents. Hell, I’d even play it on a first date. And don’t even think about touching me until the end credits roll.
What makes My Neighbor Totoro so special is how it leans fully into simplicity. It doesn’t try to wow you like Miyazaki‘s previous works, intricate story or a traditional sense of conflict. Instead, it focuses on evoking something universal yet deeply personal. That’s where the
...
film’s strength lies, but it’s also where it can challenge your expectations as a viewer. Because, unlike most movies, Totoro isn’t interested in what happens. It’s interested in how it feels.
In many ways, My Neighbor Totoro feels reminiscent of early Isao Takahata, particularly his work on Heidi, Girl of the Alps. Takahata’s ability to capture the quiet rhythms of rural life, the innocence of childhood is something Miyazaki has often admired. In fact, Miyazaki himself has called Heidi one of Takahata’s greatest achievements, and you can feel that same influence in Totoro. It’s a film that doesn’t rely on spectacle but instead invites you to appreciate the beauty of the "mundane" a gentle ode to the small, fleeting moments that make life magical.
Speaking of magical… Some of the issues I have with this movie can’t exactly be classified as “criticism.” They’re more about aspects of the film that feel deeply personal… things only Miyazaki himself might fully understand. For instance, the way children perceive the world differently than adults, especially when it comes to seeing things that aren’t “really” there. Like the grandmother says, “I could see them too when I was little.” That line encapsulates the entire story, which is built around a concept rooted in the fantasy of a child’s mind, an imaginative escape, perhaps even a reflection of Miyazaki’s own longing or nostalgia.
After the highly conceptual Castle in the Sky, this film feels like a retreat into something smaller, quieter, and more introspective.
So, why is this an issue for me?
From a very sober perspective, you could argue that it’s a lazy film in terms of writing. Things simply happen without much explanation or structured narrative. But then, that’s also where its beauty lies… it’s less about plot and more about capturing a feeling, a fleeting sense of wonder that’s almost impossible to pin down.
Pokémon probably wouldn’t even exist without Totoro. I mean, have you seen Snorlax? The massive success of Totoro not only solidified Studio Ghibli’s legacy but also kickstarted the merchandising empire that built the studio into the powerhouse it is today. And all of that came from one small, brilliant idea rooted in childhood nostalgia and simplicity. Now that is what I’d call a true classic, not just for its quality but for its cultural impact.
The more I think, watch, and listen, the more I’m convinced: Totoro has the best Ghibli soundtrack. Conceptually, it’s perfect. The New Age and post-minimalist influences, more noticeable in Nausicaä, truly come alive here in a beautifully orchestrated and timeless way. My favorites are the more ambient songs, because those are truly unique even for the 80s having countless New Age albums in Japan. If you like that stuff, check out Hiroshi Yoshimura's music.
And oh boy, "The Path of the Wind". One of the greatest soundtracks in anime of all time. Yes, it's a product of its time, but it sounds so incredibly beautiful and encapsulates the themes of Totoro perfectly. I remember I first heard the song, in 2017, it felt nostalgic, instantly, at the first listen.
Some of the soundtracks are even "first ideas" for other tracks later in Joe Hisaishi's compositions.
For example, the main theme is very simillar to the Princess Mononoke main theme.
Or, the first couple of seconds in the track "A Little Monster" is a first idea of the track "The Dragon Boy" but just loops the first couple of seconds with larger horn sections? It feels like Totoro was a main pillar in the song structuring idea writing and compositions of Hisaishi's career. While, yes, of course, he "plagiarised" many known Minimalism pieces out of the 1800s and 1900s, as many people know, but it does not bother me at least.
What else makes this soundtrack great and unique? It composes in the movement of the main characters, especially Mei. The character expressions are very strong in Totoro and Hisaishi nails the suiting composition for its character movement like... curiosity for example. I haven't seen that in a lot of other Ghibli movies.
It’s far from Ghibli’s most intricately or densely animated film. In fact, some scenes feel like they’re just meeting the bare minimum, occasionally dropping to as low as 3 FPS.
With its limitations, Totoro still managed to be beautiful. Especially the character movements and expressions. It is so blatantly "Takahata", he must have been sitting behind Miyazaki's back the whole time. But, with both genius minds combined, and Miyazaki's touch, you truly have beautiful storyboards and character Layouts, that never touch that level quite again. Yes, it will get more detailed, but the movie has a soul for itself.
Let's talk about our big furry friend, Totoro, now.
There’s something about Totoro that’s so deeply comforting. He’s the kind of presence that makes you want to wrap your arms around him and sink into his fur. It’s not just that he’s soft and huggable (though he absolutely is); it’s that he feels safe. When you look at him, you feel like everything is going to be okay, even if you don’t quite know how or why. The same speaks also for the Cat Bus, while being a bit creepier to be honest.
One of the most magical things about Totoro is how he exists without fanfare. He doesn’t try to impress you or explain himself. He’s just there, waiting in the rain with a leaf on his head, offering a quiet moment of connection. That bus stop scene... it gets me every time. Totoro’s little hop when he realizes how an umbrella works, the way he just stands there beside Satsuki in companionable silence... it’s so simple, yet so full of heart. It makes me want to reach through the screen, pat him on the head, and maybe lean on him for a while.
When I first watched My Neighbor Totoro, I didn’t like the main characters, Mei and Satsuki. Looking back, how wrong I was... they’re so well-written, especially in how their emotions feel real and relatable. Even Kanta, the boy from the village, is interesting in his own way. The father is another great character, especially in how he acts during moments when the kids feel scared.
And then there’s the mother, clearly inspired by Miyazaki’s own mother. She’s a recurring figure in his work, a character that feels like she’s explored a little more deeply in every film. It’s almost like how Robert Eggers includes Willem Dafoe in so many of his movies, this important figure that keeps showing up in different but meaningful ways exploring the character more and more universally.
Alright, let’s break a reviewing taboo for a moment. Let’s talk about the pure feelings this movie gives me. Normally, I’d say reviewing a film based on how it makes you feel is like describing what you’re eating by saying, “I like it,” instead of actually talking about the taste. But with Totoro, it feels impossible not to talk about how it makes me feel.
It’s like the first time I went to an amusement park. Or how it felt playing with my brother in the house we grew up in, back when we all lived together under one roof. It’s the feeling of visiting my grandparents when they were all still alive, playing hide and seek in their old house, filled with dusty relics of another time. Even something as small as finding a deflated tennis ball in a forgotten corner could fill me with wonder.
It’s the memory of going to bed as a kid at 8 PM during summer, when the sun was still up. I had the perfect window for sunsets. I guess I was always a sunset kid… never waking up early enough to catch a sunrise. Totoro feels like those days, like the time we were in some remote village in Italy or France, far from anyone else. One day, there was heavy rain and loud thunder… no electronics, just the sound of the storm as the temperature hung at 30 degrees.
It reminds me of playing Pokémon for the first time in the basement, or diving into Super Smash Bros. Brawl’s story mode for hours. These were moments when life felt simpler, when everything seemed exciting and new, when the future was full of promise, and I couldn’t wait to grow up. Foolish me.
Totoro captures that feeling, like fireflies in a jar on a summer night. The light flickers faintly in some corner of your mind, and when you watch Totoro, the jar opens. That’s the magic of it, and why so many people my age… and older… still hold it close to their hearts. Those are the feelings Miyazaki builds his movies around. It’s so easy to get swept up in the beauty of this simple story.
These days, I do similar things, but without the magic or the wonder.
I go on vacations to see other countries, to check them off a list and say, “I’ve been there.”
I play video games, not for joy, but to pass time or collect achievements because everyone else is playing them.
I visit the grandparents and family I have left, not out of excitement, but to avoid the guilt of not visiting.
I write reviews to reflect on movies, games, and shows, not *necessarily* because I love them, but because I enjoy the validation of others agreeing with me.
But where’s the enjoyment? Where’s the magic?
And that’s why My Neighbor Totoro evolved into mattering so much more to me. It reminds me that the magic isn’t gone, it’s just hiding, like Totoro himself. It’s in the quiet moments, the little joys, the simplicity of being present. Watching this film is like being handed a reminder of what it felt like to be a kid, when everything was new and full of wonder.
And yet, My Neighbor Totoro remains one of the best films ever made, precisely because it defies all the conventions we think a story “needs” to succeed.
There’s no central character, no antagonist, no real threat. Side characters appear and exist without a defined purpose, and there’s no three-act structure to tie everything neatly together. There are no punchlines, no jokes, no catchphrases you can plaster on merchandise. No melodrama to force emotional reactions. No grand lessons to learn, no overt political voice to dissect, no beginning that sets you up or ending that wraps everything in a bow.
It just is.
And that’s why it’s genius. Totoro isn’t about following rules; it’s about breaking them in the gentlest, most honest way imaginable. It dares to trust its audience to sit with moments of stillness and simplicity. It doesn’t need explanations or traditional storytelling because it’s not trying to tell you what to feel, it’s inviting you to feel for yourself.
What some might call “flaws” are, to me, the soul of the film. This lack of structure, conflict, or agenda creates a world where you can just be. It’s a rare space where wonder and quiet coexist, where you’re not pushed toward a resolution but pulled into the joy of simply experiencing.
For a movie with no beginning, no end, and seemingly no purpose, My Neighbor Totoro somehow accomplishes everything. It stays with you, not because it tells a great story, but because it reminds you how beautiful life can be when you stop trying to define it. That’s the magic of Totoro and what sets it apart to other anime, and movies.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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Jan 18, 2025
Suzuki: Hey, Yonebayashi-san! Sit down... have a seat. Here we have something to eat for you!
Yonebayashi: Oh, really! Wow, thank you! Let's dig i... wait, aren't these yesterdays left-overs again?
Suzuki: Oh, I am sorry, Miyazaki already ate all of it, but this one is specifically for you, you know... Miya-san is always very hungry.
Yonebayashi: Oh well... let's see then.
...he warms them up nicely, but it's hard to make a gourmet meal out of scraps.
Saddled with the studio's less glamorous projects, he churns out anime that's competent, charming even, but never quite the stuff of legends—more the side dish than the main course.
The Secret World
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of Arrietty. It’s as if Miyazaki decided to hand over the reins, not because he saw a spark of genius in Yonebayashi, but because the project itself didn’t seem to warrant his own full attention. After all, Arrietty was based on "The Borrowers", a charming but modest old novel. Miyazaki, who wrote the script and shaped its broader vision, likely saw it as an opportunity to pass the torch while keeping a safe hand on the flame. Yonebayashi, for his part, brought his known craftsmanship to the film, but without Miyazaki’s signature ambition or just pure EFFECT, it feels more like a pleasant footnote in Ghibli’s history than a centerpiece. As it always have been for the second row directors behind Miyazaki and Takahata.
Arrietty certainly has its charms... it’s cozy, delicate, and filled with a quiet sense of wonder.
But to me, it’s like Animal Crossing: pleasant to visit, but hardly the most thrilling experience on offer. Just as there are more exciting Nintendo Switch games, there are more captivating Ghibli movies with bolder, more inventive settings than Arrietty. It feels distant, perhaps too faithful to its western source material, much like Marnie, Yonebayashi's next movie, charming in a Disney-like way, but without Disney’s blunt story writing.
Take Howl’s Moving Castle as a comparison... it’s also based on a British novel, but under Miyazaki’s vision, it transcends its origins to create a beautiful, larger than life, enchanting world that actively engages its viewers. It has the imagination, unexpected twists, and an emotional depth that Arrietty can’t quite match. Miyazaki’s touch transforms source material into something extraordinary, while Arrietty, in Yonebayashi’s capable, but cautious hands, remains an enjoyable yet far safer adaptation.
But it’s also foolish of me to just compare and compare... it feels almost unfair to pit them against each other. Still, the comparisons are hard to avoid because these two examples are so fitting. Arrietty and Howl’s Moving Castle both share British roots and adapt beloved stories, yet the difference in execution is striking. Where Miyazaki’s work expands and elevates, Yonebayashi’s stays rooted, almost too loyal to its source. It’s not about dismissing Arrietty entirely but it has a quiet beauty all on its own, but these parallels make it easier to see why it doesn’t quite ascend to the heights of Ghibli’s finest.
When it comes to Arrietty’s plot, it feels flimsy at best. The whole premise of "borrowing", taking things from humans that they won’t miss, is absurd when you just stop to think about it for a second. The "stealing" as a more accurate term, is even dismissed in the movie, after an explanation, that they only take stuff, where the big humans wouldn't notice, but they do? So why all this then? Why the idea? The concept collapses under the weight of its own illogical foundation.
Arrietty herself, as a character, lacks compelling motives or emotional depth. She’s a little girl living an admittedly unique life, but her blandness makes it hard to invest in her journey. Add in the subplot about the boy with a heart disease, and the emotional weight it’s clearly striving for falls flat. It’s more of a hollow attempt at tugging heartstrings than a meaningful exploration of human connection.
I don’t think even children would find Arrietty particularly engaging, because nothing truly interesting happens. Its most "dramatic" moments lack any real emotional depth, and the boy’s strange fascination with the small people in his house comes off as oddly detached rather than captivating. Teens, on the other hand, are unlikely to connect with it at all, (unlike Marnie for example, that movie nails this point in the most perfect way, the "Teenage-Angst"...) the story feels more like a bedtime tale for very young kids rather than something with the complexity or excitement to hold older audiences’ attention. It’s a gentle, sleepy sort of movie, but it misses the mark in crafting a universally appealing or emotionally potent experience.
Miyazaki once said that only children truly understand "these things", stuff like small humans living somewhere inside of your house, they have the imagination, and I don’t deny that.
However, at the end of the day, children still need to be captivated by the characters, and Arrietty simply doesn’t deliver on that front. Unlike Chihiro in Spirited Away, where even the smallest side character... like the frog, is brought to life with interesting actions, motives, and a distinct design, Arrietty’s characters feel flat and uninspired. They lack the personality and charm, that make Ghibli films so memorable. Without those layers, there’s little for anyone, child or otherwise, to truly connect with.
One undeniable strength of Arrietty is its level of animation. Yonebayashi, having been a skilled key animator for years, brings a remarkable consistency and fluidity to the visuals. The attention to detail in the movements and the smoothness of the in-betweens is top-tier, showcasing his technical mastery. Goro could never.
The soundtrack is another highlight. Composed by the harpist Cécile Corbel, the music is both beautiful and fitting, perfectly complementing the delicate, whimsical atmosphere of the film. The insert songs are especially lovely, adding an emotional resonance that the story itself sometimes struggles to achieve. The combination of Yonebayashi’s animation finesse and Corbel’s enchanting score creates a sensory experience that, while not groundbreaking, is undeniably charming and "a e s t h e t i c a l l y" pleasing.
However, The Secret World of Arrietty stumbles with its thin plot and bland characters. The premise of “borrowing” from humans feels illogical and unconvincing, while Arrietty herself lacks emotional depth or compelling motives. The boy’s fascination with the tiny people in his house feels odd and underdeveloped, and the story overall struggles to engage. While technically polished, Arrietty remains a pleasant but forgettable effort, far from the emotional and imaginative brilliance of Ghibli’s best.
I don't recommend this movie, overall there aren't enough selling points for an enjoyable experience for most, except if you want to be able to say "well, I've seen all the Ghibli movies".
Reviewer’s Rating: 5
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Jan 18, 2025
"Ged Senki" or "Tales from Earthsea" is less a tale of dragons and destiny and more a battleground of family drama far juicier than anything on-screen. The story behind the movie, Goro Miyazaki stepping out of his father Hayao's colossal shadow, holds more intrigue than the story within it.
And while Goro's architectural background only help the beautiful setting designs, it turns out you can’t construct compelling characters the same way you design a roofline.
That said, judged as a regular animated movie, it’s far from disastrous; as a Ghibli film, though, it struggles to keep up with the studio’s soaring legacy.
The characters in Ged
...
Senki are like hastily drawn sketches from a novel, there's an outline of who they should be, but no shading to bring them to life. The two main characters flip from hostility to trust so fast it feels like someone accidentally skipped a few pages of the script.
Meanwhile, the motivations of others, like the villain and the arc-wizard, are an enigma, not in a "mysterious and fascinating" way but in a "did I miss something here?" kind of way.
Then there’s the main character's expressions of fear, which can only be described as the blandest rendition of terror ever committed to celluloid.
One of the film's most perplexing moments comes early on, setting the tone for its shaky narrative foundation. A key event involving the protagonist’s father feels abrupt and unearned, as if the story is forcing drama rather than letting it unfold naturally.
What follows is an equally jarring shift in the protagonist’s mindset, where their reaction seems less like a genuine emotional journey and more like a plot point the film insists on hitting.
And by hitting I mean, Goro dreaming about beating the sh** out of his own father for what he has done. There is a lot of unresolved teen-drama in this movie, but written by a grown ass man.
This disjointed storytelling leaves the audience questioning not just the characters’ motivations but the reasoning behind the choices made in crafting the story itself.
The setting of Ged Senki hints at an ambitious fantasy tale of family, destiny, and moral conflict, but it never quite delivers on its promise.
While the backdrop offers intriguing glimpses of a world in decline... complete with a rundown city grappling with issues like drug abuse... none of it feels truly connected. The story jumps between these beautifully rendered locations without weaving them into a cohesive world, leaving them as standalone vignettes rather than pieces of a larger puzzle. And why does it all look so beautiful and gripping, while it is obviously a very grim setting full of dangers?
Visually, the film is undeniably stunning, showcasing Goro Miyazaki’s architectural sensibilities in the design of its landscapes and cityscapes. (While it left me wondering what he even did in that part? I think the Art Directors do not really need his help with all that.)
But unlike Hayao Miyazaki’s films, where every frame feels alive with detail and purpose, Ged Senki struggles to imbue its world with the same magnetic intrigue. The result is a setting that’s visually rich but emotionally and narratively empty, unable to draw the viewer into its fantasy as effortlessly as its predecessors by his father.
But this movie shows beautifully that you just can't put anyone in the director seat to expect greatness coming from an unschooled pen, barely managing a Storyboard and Screenplay.
the Goro storyboards are all on Sakugabooru, if you are interested to look at them, the characters look awful, the scenery beautiful.
The ghibli crew did a pretty good job though, there are scenes that look undeniably beautifully animated.
Fast scenes are not as detailed as other Ghibli movies. Especially when animating sand in a desert, it looked unnatural.
The music is pretty good. Basic cinematic fantasy BGM. Nothing major, but appreciated, and there was obviously money.
In the end, Ged Senki is a fascinating case study in contrasts: a beautifully animated, musically competent fantasy tale that fails in nearly every narrative and emotional aspect. It’s a film that dreams of soaring like a dragon but never quite manages to get off the ground, weighed down by its disjointed storytelling and lackluster characters. While it’s not a disaster as an animated movie, its shortcomings become glaring under the towering shadow of the Ghibli legacy... and of Hayao Miyazaki himself.
Reviewer’s Rating: 4
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Jan 12, 2025
Let me start with the truth, and the truth only: Episode 1 of Dandadan is a revelation.
There is a clear reason behind the hype and the explosion of the first episode and it's accessability through a Netflix release.
Energetic, chaotic, and unapologetically weird.
The visuals are a riot, the pacing is absurdly tight, and the direction feels like someone handed the reins to a mad scientist and said, “Just fcking go nuts.” The animation has that Wonder Egg Priority level of polish and experimentation, with bold cuts and transitions that scream confidence. Fuuga Yamashiro’s direction shows a clear vision, like a rollercoaster designed to make you scream,
...
laugh, and possibly vomit all at once.
Episode 1 is the anime equivalent of taking a triple shot of espresso and expecting that same buzz every morning for the rest of the season. After Episode 1, Dandadan starts limping to the finish line, and by the end, it’s running on the creative equivalent of lukewarm tap water and I think it's all downhill after a last "r*pe joke" before the season is concluded suddenly.
The dialogue between Ken and Momo at first is sharp, chaotic, and somehow charming in its ridiculousness. Even during its best action scenes in the first episode. Everything after is "throw-away rom-com stupidity". But it's a shounen, so it's more of a personal preference.
No need of talking about any character development here. Just barely limping on a somewhat progressive romance.
The “story,” if you can call it that, is painfully mundane. It’s like someone read the Chainsaw Man handbook but only got to the part labeled “weird for weird’s sake.” There’s no central hook or theme to anchor the chaos... it’s just a hodgepodge of “te-he-he-he p*enis b*lls hahaha” jokes and edgy shounen clichés thrown at the wall.
You can feel the Fujimoto wannabe energy oozing from every frame, but instead of crafting something innovative, it’s like a discount version of post-2016 Jump+ hits. It’s Chainsaw Man’s drunk cousin who thinks yelling random nonsense at a party is the same as being charismatic.
Episode 9 is the clearest example of the show’s downfall. The production quality nosedives... entire scenes are drowned in a single color, the animation feels rushed, and the gengas are solid but nowhere near what they could’ve been with more time. It’s obvious the staff was overworked, and post-production was scrambling to finish. It’s not “unwatchable,” but it’s the anime equivalent of reheated leftovers... passable but disappointing compared to the fresh dish you started with.
Despite its flaws, Dandadan is fun... in the way that eating way too much candy is fun. Sure, it’s bad for you, and you’ll regret it later, but for a while, it’s an enjoyable mess. There’s something oddly satisfying about its absurdity, like it’s daring you to take it seriously even as it makes Gintama’s dumbest jokes look nuanced.
Especially the later half of the anime scratches that itch with monster designs, being more and more absurd, at the verge of insanity, that makes me question the mangakas sanity.
This is the kind of show you talk about with friends, not because it’s great, but because it’s something.
That is the reason behind the popularity.
Dandadan Episode 1 promised greatness, but the rest of the show couldn’t keep up.
Episode 7 of Dandadan feels like watching a TikTok where someone tries to tell an emotional story about their life while a sped-up version of "Viva la Vida" plays in the background. Sure, you get what they’re going for, and maybe the intent is even admirable... but the whole thing is so tonally disjointed that you can’t take it seriously.
The emotional weight the episode aims for is drowned out by the show’s usual high-energy, chaotic vibe. Instead of feeling moved, you end up sitting there, confused, wondering if you’re supposed to laugh, cry, or scroll to the next moment of absurdity.
Much like that TikTok, Episode 7 is trying to hit an emotional high note in a setting that’s just not built for it, leaving the entire attempt feeling awkward and out of place.
Furthermore, talking about other aspects of this show. The animation direction nosedives a lot. I could only catch 3 scenes that had spectacular animation. While the other half is rushed and messy. Especially a lot of the in-betweens.
Kensuke Ushio has to take a break. He is clearly working on too many projects, that his soundtracks get more and more plain and uninteresting and less imaginative than his early projects like Koe no Katachi and Ping Pong, Devilman Crybaby, maybe even the great silence of the ambient songs in the Chainsaw Man anime.
The emotional BGMs are some of the worst string arrangements I have ever heard.
The Overture Tchaikovsky remix defiled his grave. Like... jesus. Just listen to it, it's horrible.
Dandadan is a chaotic rollercoaster that peaks with its masterful first episode, stumbles into a shallow story drowned in post-2016 Shounen Jump+ clichés, and occasionally derails with misplaced emotional attempts like Episode 7, all while struggling under uneven production but still managing to deliver absurd, unhinged fun.
Reviewer’s Rating: 4
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Dec 8, 2024
Delicious in Dungeon: Gimmick or Genius?
Anime often starts with a “hook”.
A catchy, high-concept premise designed to grab attention. This could be a wild “What if?” scenario, like “What if people turned into giants?” (Attack on Titan). These premises are simple, memorable and marketable.
In Delicious in Dungeon we have: "What if we cook monsters?" "What do Monsters taste like"
and I don‘t mean the energy drink, to set up a hook.
It only stays a gimmick show for the first 8 episodes. After that I see it as a traditional fantasy story.
So I will critisize it like one.
...
There is zero to none emotional depth.
And if they try to show some of it, it just floats on the surface area of how deep the characters could actually show their emotions.
They will point out very important bits for 3-4 minutes only to blabber about the next monster food for 12 minutes. It‘s like a traditional fantasy story with filler.
But why are you calling it filler Lugga? It is called Delicious in Dungeon?
Because it is not that interesting of a concept.
And it has the same joke about the food over and over… Like: "Ewwww are you going to eat that?" "Yucky." (Eats it anyway). "Wowzers! So Yummy!"
Explaing the texture and the taste for 2 minutes…
The same thing over and over.
I appreciate the trivia, but having all that as the main theme of the plot? It just does not work for me. On the other hand, they make the monsters work in another more substantial way. They portray the fights against or with the monsters really, really well. They are making them so damn interesting. Why is the foood part then needed as a main part?!
Getting back to my beginning example:
Some creators genuinely want to “elevate” their gimmick. What begins as “silly concept” becomes an opportunity for reflection. And it has to. Or it is just dull. And Delicious in Dungeon does not do that.
Here are some good examples:
Attack on Titan: Starts as “humans vs. big naked titans” but shifts to a narrative about war, politics and human nature.
Paranoia Agent: Feels like a “crime mystery” but turns into a surreal exploration of social anxiety and repression.
The good thing is that the writer is pretty self-conscious about the food part and makes it less the main trait of the story after the first big progressions.
The positive side is, that you feel very "home" in the friendships of the group.
This has heavy comfort-show-potential!
There is a lot of dialogue, while they are making food, while reflecting on what they have gone through, what plans they have and just to get to know each other more and more.
That is not very common in Japanese media.
If you stay in the fantasy genre in media made in Japan, there are not a lot of fantasy stories where the characters get to know each others details, traits and ideas just through dialogue. Present or past, both.
Take Baldur‘s Gate 3 for example: you will get to know the group and character more and more, while actively talking to them day to day. And you are excited to go onto the next journey and that was the reason for me to power through that game in a couple of days. That is great character writing in dialogue in fanatsy.
Delicious in dungeon has that. Sadly only on surface level. (At least throughout the first 24 episodes, they had dozen of possible situations where they could have gone deeper, which is why I critisize here…)
Let‘s talk about fights, trials and overall conflicts.
It‘s not just "Let‘s figure out the weakness of our enemy!" or the typical low effort written "I have won because I have the biggest willpower and because I am the main character, and have plot armor."
It dives into clever, creative and "edge-on-seat" plots with intersting turns and events while being conflicted with monsters, nature or setting in general that almost scratches at Made-in-Abyss-level of monster writing.
Thats why all the food part is not needed as such a big of a deal.
What about the Animation and Music? The Presentation?
The scripts, additions and storyboards should have been like a great piece of cake for the staff. The mangaka herself was involved in the production side and changed some things more to her vision, which is always great. That is also why this show does not feel as "Studio-Trigger" as you might expect.
Yoshihiro Miyajima has done some Episodes for Trigger in the past, but those also were not very Gainax pilled. But the older staff that Masahiko Otsuka slammed into some Trigger chairs are very welcome.
You have some of the best Ogura cuts in a long time here, very much appreciated. Trigger is also known to train younger staff, and you can see some fresh blood with great animation cuts all around. The quality is mostly very high-bar. Especially with Assisted Episode Directions by older Gainax staff. The characters feel and look very lively to their ways of acting. There is a lot of great additional comedy animation and character acting, that elevated the laugh factor for me.
The music is fine. It is basic fanatsy BGM. Nothing major.
Delicious in Dungeon starts with a quirky premise, but struggles to evolve beyond it. The monster-cooking gimmick quickly wears thin, while the more compelling elements, strategic battles, clever monster writing, and group dynamics remain underexplored.
That said, the show isn’t without charm. The warmth of the party’s camaraderie gives it “comfort-show” potential, and the animation by Trigger talent is lively and engaging. But for all its strengths, it never fully commits to deeper storytelling, cycling back to the same food jokes instead.
Is it a gimmick or genius? Somewhere in between. Fun while it lasts, but it leaves you craving something more substantial.
Reviewer’s Rating: 6
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Nov 17, 2024
After writing a review for Neon Genesis Evangelion, I once again stumble upon an anime, or rather, a story that feels deeply reflective of the artist himself.
The story isn't based on the life of its author, but rather draws inspiration from Fujimoto's personal experiences as an artist.
Having read almost every work by Tatsuki Fujimoto, I have to say that behind the Chainsaw Man edgelord persona lies a truly profound drama queen.
Self-insertion is very rare in shounen, which is probably why this one-shot manga exists. It feels like all the bottled-up emotions of an overworked artist were poured into it. Questioning the self in the
...
manga industry and where it all began... when there still was the "rookie-energy".
(By the way, Fujimoto had some top-tier assistants, like the creators of Dandadan, Spy x Family, and Jigokuraku back in the day.)
A big part of this anime is also the theme of "Quality over Quantity" "functional art vs quality-driven art" "family and friends vs work" "Lawson vs 7eleven".
Look Back is a double-edged sword.
First, this anime perfectly encapsulates the question of "Who are you creating art for?" and demonstrates beautifully that you should create for yourself in the first place.
But also, a way for the artist to say: "I should enjoy creating for other people more, than for myself." while it shows the opposite in the beginning.
I think Fujimoto wants us to see both sides, and what kind of pain both sides bring.
And he nailed it.
It's like in Sayonara Eri where Fujimoto probably has a checklist on what he has to come back to in a story so it will make sense. Like a puzzle where you could even start right at the end and conclusion of the story.
I had some nitpicks with Kyomoto's writing sometimes.
I understand that Kyomoto is meant to be socially awkward, but her actions still feel strange to me. Especially since this anime is supposed to be somewhat realistic.
But her story still unfolds very nicely.
Well, realism... The story’s nonlinear structure isn’t inherently bad, but the way it leans on a “4th-wall viewer ...what if... perspective” approach didn’t sit well with me 100%. While the anime’s strongest moments happen between these shifts, some parts felt almost ridiculous. I don't even know if this criticism is positive or negative.
Maybe it's just the me saying: "NOOO, NOT THE "IT'S THE FRIENDS WE MADE ALONG THE WAY STORY, NNOOOO".
Because the reasoning is definetly there. It was necessary for the story to unfold. To show why Fujino is still coming back. And is moving on. Hanging the 4-koma by Kyomoto on the window.
Look Back is a deeply moving and vibrant piece of art. At a runtime of almost an hour, the animation is all killer, no filler—at least until minute 48.
The character animations are godlike. The film doesn’t just adapt manga panels but adds carefully thought-out, full-of-life in-between character motions. until minute 48.
We even get fully animated backgrounds in some scenes! Frame-by-frame animated soil and ground!
There are so many “on ones” in this anime—it’s absolutely stunning.
But then... minute 48 happens. I guess they needed another montage, but with no dialogue and barely any motion, it felt flat.
Fujimoto really loves single-perspective Montages. There are so many in Look Back and in Sayonara Eri, another manga by him.
The music, at times, feels unnecessarily powerful—almost overwhelming—but it’s still undeniably beautiful. Haruka Nakamura blended impressionist influences with classical strings and dramatic laments, creating moments that work as effective tearjerkers.
Toshiyuki Inoue has many incredible scenes in this movie, and I always love to see legendary staff coming on on new anime. Like the beginning zoom-in scene. The Montage scene where they share the first 100.000 yen. The ending scene. incredible
The Director Kiyotaka and Inoue closely worked together, on these scenes. And with a new brain and a wise old animator soul... always work very well together.
If you want to see the Directors work, where he almost single-handedly made an episode of Space Dandy, watch Space Dandy 2nd season episode 5. Working with Watanabe, Kiyotaka also knows how to do the right v i b e.
In the end, Look Back is an emotional rollercoaster and a love letter to the struggles and joys of artistic creation. While it isn’t perfect, its poignant themes, stunning animation, and powerful storytelling make it a must-watch.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Nov 12, 2024
There are many ways to watch Neon Genesis Evangelion.
You can try to overanalzye it.
You can see it as a whole recreation of different personalities and incarnations of its creator Anno Hideaki and crew.
You can watch it for the 90s art, the music, the aesthetic, for those who only watched it cause "I'm 16 and this is deep" (that was me 5 years ago).
And of course:
you are allowed to hate the ending - because the last two episodes are mainly made out of the deepest emotions and feelings of how the creator felt at the end of the show. And this point is only made for
...
the one side of the audience. Those who deeply connect with the characters and maybe even the creator. (which left the other two sides of audiences in the dark.)
I also hated the last two episodes of the original TV Anime when I first watched.
Just after the third time watching, I realized what it all was about.
There were no strings attached. (Anno and his Episode Directors edited the show themselves after the 12th episode. And editing was a huge part of Evangelion.) Almost like an abstract entry into Anno's diary. But it's not lazy at all. It is the stepping stone for Anno to at least come back to the ending of evangelion once more. Damn, he even came back twice now. But that's not the entire POINT. The point lays deeper. And I will talk about it later in this review.
So from that on, Anno made The End of Evangelion for those who love to overanalyze.
And he did the rebuilds 1.0-3.0, for those who watched for the art, the music, and to go "I'm 16 and this is even deeper".
And of course for the part of Anno that just (enjoys) 'creating' or the part that creates. He stated many times, that Evangelion is his life, his soul.
And 4.0 to say goodbye, for just a last time and reflection of his own creation.
He faced his limits many times, but that's when he feels alive.
Shinji is a very polarizing character for some. Especially for the western audience.
Especially for those who grew up watching shounen. Those who want to watch real men fight against the bad guys.
And for those who 'enjoy' fighting, 'enjoy' war, because the characters have to, and the world is built for people to fight, just like in Evangelion.
... but that's when Shinji feels alive, just like Anno. And here is the point. Anno is Shinji. It's Anno in his mindstate when he was creating Evangelion
Being in the anime industry is like a living hell, where you face your demons, or where you have to get into the robot. Where you have to fight the Angels.
Where you have to start doing good teamwork, like Shinji and Asuka, and Rei. Sometimes it instantly works, sometimes you have to get the hang of each other.
And you have to be a leader of some sort. Your own leader.
Being a director is hard. The Schedule, huge team, the producers and 'King records' depending on you.
Studio Gainax couldn't even bear the huge amount of episdoes. 26 episodes were absurd. So they got help, but it still had to be coherent.
And it may drive you into insanity.
Then why don't you just quit? (See episode 4, where Shinji comes back - (after fighting against the higher ups, or his father) - while trying to quit.)
He came back, or stayed. Saying, that he is home. Which is the only Episode not scripted by Anno, which is crazy to think of. It's like someone wrote about Anno quitting, just for him to come back in Episode 5.
It is at least Shinji's life, the only home he has, staying with Misato, his family, living with Asuka and Misato.
This explains, why he is not 'fighting like a man'. Why he wants to escape. At some points this even feels like Anno saying, he feels most alive, when he is at his limits (see interview with Hayao Miyazaki on a park bench).
Have you ever went to your limits?
Maybe like Asuka - trying so hard, you burn out?
Maybe even like Shinji, where you are being overwhelmed with adolesent life? Where you are just as scared as him, while not even trying first?
That's why these characters are here.
Gendo's presence in the anime is more, let's call it versatile.
Hideaki Anno:
"Gendo is my dick"
Interview:
Takekuma: In the end I was surprised when she was revealed to be Gendo's lover. What's good about old man like him?
Anno: Hmm, I wonder what it is indeed.
Takekuma: His wife Ikari Yui also says things like "but he also has a cute side", doesn't she?
Oizumi: That became a basis for so many gags.
Anno: I wonder what's good about him. Hmm. Well, on one hand, there is something. Even saying that is unseemly.
Takekuma: To sum it up, isn't this the case with Anno too, right? (laugh)
Anno: Well, that is partly the case.
Takekuma: Isn't the gist here "though he is this kind of person, he also has a cute side"?
Anno: Maybe it's about penis. (laugh) My penis is the only cute part of me. "Oh my, how tiny!" and the like.
Takekuma: Do you lack confidence that badly?
Anno: I lack a penis.
.....
If you start seeing characters in Evangelion like this, it all will make more sense. Even the most obscure ones.
A special thing about the character 'interests' in each other is depicted as "Oedipus Complex" or "Electra Complex" with Shinji and Rei, Rei and Gendo and probably even Asuka with Ryouji. Even Ritsuko's interests can be explained with that. There is clearly something tied here that Anno never really talked about. But I guess that's all just his weird mind with character writing.
I even think that the Otakami (Otaku God) Hiroyuki Yamaga has his dirty hands in this one even. I guess they needed some "special" fan service with a new show.
He even portrays Rei as a vegetarian. Anno is vegetarian. (Episode 12)
Portraying yourself into a work is something that always happens, and should happen, in my opinion. In the art YOU create, there is always a little bit YOU.
It gives the art more 'life'. Some shows or anime do it more than other. Evangelion is someones life.
It then depends on yourself, if you try empathizing.
Obviously Anno was not in the 'best' mindstate while creating Evangelion, and there is a lot of venting. It just gets worse and worse until the last two episodes, which is like a self-therapy-session and then the clear-up at the end. Sobering up.
-----
That's enough for the characters.
Let's talk about P A C I N G. People loooove to 'critisize' a story with pacing, and that a certain show or story is "bad paced". I like to rant about that.
I don’t think there is anything that exists like „Pacing issues“
David Lynch once said: "I don‘t fucking care that the scene is too long“
Why? As long as nothing is missing or out of place, or dragged without any reason, it‘s a YOU problem
If it‘s too fast, you can look at it and ask yourself, has they skipped something because of it? If not, it is a YOU problem, just watch it again.
And these things can never just be pinned down to a pacing problem.
Anno: even Anime is a world of 'pauses'.
Miyazaki: If you just have non-stop action with no breathing space at all, it’s just busyness.”
And another Miyazaki quote: Fast paced animation should reflect the urgency or emotions of the characters in that moment. Only then it does feel genuine.
Evangelion nails these points, and even has the time to pause at points and some time to be fast. So there is no point of criticism here, and there is not a traditional story even on the surface level here.
Many Western audiences find Japanese films or anime “slow,” for instance, because they prioritize action before character and mood.
But why 14 year olds?
It‘s a trope, a necessity for its audience. Anno does not hate Otaku, and I think that he is even one.
The 'Teenager in school trope'... every anime does this. Why are poeple only picking on it in Eva?
The thing Eva did well in this point is, that it at least depicts how 14 year olds would actually act like. I hate any anime that portrays their teenager like a 27 year old bulky genius that knows anything about their enemy and the world around them. 14 year olds are foolish, unknowing what the world has for them at hand.
To go even deeper, let's talk about an example I also teased at the beginning of this review. Just a mere small part of one episode, where I analyze it in the Anno-Insert-Eye:
The time of an active Eva before it has no energy left running down from 5 minutes is like a set Schedule for Anno creating an episode. A set budget, strict rules, 5 minutes of hell.
People getting used for no good, being treated poorly making him quit. Just like Shinji again in Episode 19. But like Royji, watering his plants, there is something Shinji can do. Something good, and ultimately does not run away. A purpose in life. Just like Anime Director quitting. Quitting over and over, just to always come back to the hell they were born to create and kill in.
To go even beyond your limits. Where you are at 400%. To ultimately reach what the higher ups like SEELE want. They want the talented director, or the young boy Shinji, to go even further beyond so they can finish their product. A 1 billion heavy empire just raised from the ashes of Project Eva. Just to be primordial soup after, and everyone involved waiting to set him into the next fight, the next hell, the next 5 minutes, the next project.
But why did this writing happen this way? Why did the last 2 episodes turn out that way, why is the philosophical or psychological part so huge?
Anno could only start the next script of the next episode after the previous one was finished. And a lot of the writing changed after staff joining in. So the schedule has become even tighter, even in the pre-production.
And all that after 4 years of depression? You cannot even try to begin to think of the trauma inmit creating a show while being inside a tornado of emotions. I could not do something like that. That's why there is the escapism and etc.
There is also director and storyboarder Kazuya Tsurumaki who you may know from 'FLCL' I really wanted to talk about. He is quite a menace when it comes to Episode Directing and you can see the tip of the iceberg in episode 16 in every way. He has edited this episode all by himself and it is quite an extreme turning point for the whole anime. But also a point where you see the heavy build-up for the story, where you will think "what are the angels, where do they come from? Why do the Evas sometimes move by themselves? Why are we in Shinji's head? You can see that even Tsurumaki did not really know what Anno's idea of Evangelion really is.
For a casual viewer... I think episode 16 is the first stepping stone into people hating Evangelion, or the ending, or the anime in general. But they still love it. Why is that? Because of the premises of the anime?
Well, about the story, the world building and the overall plot?
It builds around the characters actions. It very much represents your popcorn-shounen. Especially in the first 12 episodes.
Anno said, that the anime industry is very close to the pornography industry, so you always need the basics to let the overly male audience to jack off over something.
The fan service is definetly there. The beautiful art direction. The subtle editing. The diverse character animations beautifully shot between dramatic movement and comedic brilliance. Your waifus of choice that are the "maria" now for Tsundere and Kuudere like Asuka and Rei. A sci-fi world building of Anno's wettest Ultraman-dreams. Legendary military, orchestral picks and easy listening soundtracks by Shiro Sagisu. An unmatched mechanical design, that changed sci-fi anime forever.
There is no point in trying to explain the story, like the biblical references, that were also used in Ultraman.
Anno once said: "I just want to create some really good looking pictures."
And you can especially see that from episodes 18-24. Some of the most legendary Gengas.
And it all has been created with not even that many cels per episode.
Even on surface level you have a story that insanely endearing. It draws you in.
The Yui Backstory from episode 21 for example.
This anime is not just all 4th wall breaking. It dives deep into the older characters and their stories and why they act like they act. Especially towards the younger ones. Gendo, Yui, Misato, Ritsuko and Ryuji all have fleshed out stories to explain their actions later on.
That's why they will never touch on that again after the original TV anime.
It's all there.
But reality too.
And idiots who still won't understand Neon Genesis Evangelion. But I don't blame 'em. You either way have to empathize - or live through a trauma portrayed in this anime of any kind. I didn't understand Eva, while I thought I could just flow with it just being pretentious. I now understand, but you have to go even deeper. Deeper into the intentions, which is the reason I now love the last two episodes.
A good intention.
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
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Nov 7, 2024
Adapting Big Comic Spirit Manga is known to be pure hell. Unadaptable, no major audiences, R+ or R Rated content, no money.
Even Junji Itou's manga can't escape the Downward-Horror-Anime-Spiral that fell after the 90s. Maybe even the 80s.
OVAs and Specials aren't an option anymore. So Uzumaki had to go down the 1/3 TV length which could not even manage that because of a very well known disease of our modern time, the covid.
Speaking of 'manage': awful western production. getting f...'d over by a certain 'Scrooge McDuck' and 'Gyro Gearloose and Crew' leaving the production site after just 1,5 episodes - made this anime what it
...
is.
A beautiful and amazing first episode took everyone by surprise. Many 2s one 1s, shit, even carefully black and white colored moving manga panels, just like in my wet 'Angel's-Egg-Dreams'.
And then they left. Silenzio. Stille. Silence.
Many reschedules later. My Body was ready. Colin Stetson's sax was ready.
They weren't.
An absolute horror show after 1st episode.
Everyone who says: "but it's well paced, the story is well portrayed and people worked hard..." - yes they did.
But it did not have to be this way. Which is why I think:
Classic-Manga Adaptations are dead.
Just read 'em.
Reviewer’s Rating: 3
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Nov 7, 2024
I am a heavy Ghibli and Miyazaki Enthusiast. Writing a somewhat negative review is hard and even breaks my heart to think back to this mediocre ... product of "dry clay". While reading Starting Point and Turning Point, a biography about Miyazaki's work, I thought to myself that I should review his last child.
Every Miyazaki movie had a soul, mindstate of its creator and a certain target audience it wants to slam into a cinema seat.
'Kimitachi wa Dou Ikiru ka' did not have any of that. It's just... a Ghibli movie. A group effort. A team that wants to recreate the magic of a
...
Ghibli movie without having the Miyazaki wizardry.
Miya-san is getting old. Storyboards are crumbling. Damn, not even forming from its start on.
Miyazaki does not really write a Script, he starts with maybe a Layout, an idea of something inside his head, to slowly start a storyboard without even knowing how the story will end, how it will turn out. A whole story starts with his theme he is onto at that moment.
This movie has the typical Miyazaki stuff of course.
There is always a certain "Miyazaki-ness" of his female characters, male characters, animals, creatures and world.
This has left all boundaries.
It's like a zoo. The ideas are trapped. For people to gaze at it, to just say: IT'S A MIYAZAKI MOVIE!
Reviewer’s Rating: 4
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