Back to Magenta-Magic's Profile Magenta-Magic's Profile

Fabulous Beasts (You Shou Yan) is a donghua based on the manhua of the same name published on FENZ. Like most short comedy donghua, the episodes are 5 minutes long or less, and the first season gradually introduces the cast as they become relevant to the story.

I actually really, really like Pixiu (Tianlu), the main character. He is super super cute and I personally can't get enough of him. Sibuxiang is a close second. You'll notice a recurring theme on the show where characters are based on (typically) traditional Chinese folklore, while others come from famous ancient literature and texts. There are also cross-series character ... references occasionally snuck in which you will notice IMMEDIATELY if you're very familiar with a lot of donghua.

The visuals are cute and soft with visible and detailed brushstrokes make up the outlines. It's very appealing to watch in motion, and makes me personally very excited to watch each new season. All of the episodes are available with English CC officially on Bilibili's YouTube channel. Without spoiling anything, if you end up enjoying the first season, it's definitely worth going ahead and watching the rest!

(Spoiler-Free Review)
*Just so you know, MAL currently does not list this manga as yaoi, but this story contains it.

Story (7.6/10)
Yakimochi wa Kitsuneiro is a short manga about a boy who is possessed by a fox who unexpectedly begins to feel a closeness for his savior. Since this manga is very short, I can't say too much without spoiling it, but I personally found the story to be cute and enjoyable how this relationship unfolds and develops. I love foxes, and it's exactly what I was hoping for.

Art (8/10)
I found the art to be pretty great, actually. There was a lot of attention to detail, even ... in the smaller scenes, and you can tell this artist is quite proficient. As for the yaoi, clearly the artist knows what they're doing. I just wish it went on longer!

Overall (8/10)
Akiha is a precious boy that must be protected at all costs. Good read. Will probably check out the spin-off soon.

[SPOILER-FREE REVIEW]
Okay, I'm usually very sharply critical about anime. I rarely give shows a score above 6, especially if they're short, but this one's an exception. I love this show!

For people who have been paying attention to east-asian anime outside of Japan for around the past 2 years, it should come as no surprise that China of all places has really been knocking it out of the ballpark lately in terms of production quality and polish. Wan Sheng Jie, despite having very short episodes (Only 4 minutes each!), manages to perfectly capture what it sets out to accomplish. Since anything I say might be spoilers ... due to the length, I'll keep this review short, as well.

Story & Character (8/10)
This first season has a huge focus on character building, but sets out on giving each character a unique background and lifestyle, as well as how their personalities interact with each other. It's pretty funny slice of life, and I quite enjoy the werewolf man. The demon boy protagonist is a close second.

Art (10/10)
It's actually really good and cute. The simplicity perfectly matches the animation and tonal direction of the show. It can be simple and cute when it wants to, or more complex and detailed when it needs to be. The framerate is a bit higher than that of normal Japanese anime, and it's very relaxing to watch. No matter what frame you pause on, nothing ever feels rushed. I know the style can be a bit jarring at first, especially if you're only used to regular anime, but it really grows on you. I have no complaints.

Sound (8/10)
I don't remember too much about the sound design, but everything felt pretty matching to me. The show is too short to give much of a comment on the sound effects and music, but everything seemed pretty lively to me. The intro is cute and makes me excited for each episode, and the ending theme will change with the tone of each episode. It's a nice touch.

Enjoyment (10/10)
Yeah, I really don't have any complaints. Rarely ever do I give this score, but I got exactly what I wanted out of this show. Season 1 left such a good impression on me that I wanted to start Season 2 right away, especially with the way this one ended. I wish it was longer, but somehow 4 minutes for each episode seems perfect. You can watch the whole first season in under an hour.

Overall (8/10)
It's a short first season that excels at what it is trying to accomplish, and was a very enjoyable watch where I had no real complaints. Without spoiling anything, I'd definitely recommend this to anyone looking for a fun, yet quick little show with cute characters. It is very underrated, and has a pretty good chance to make you want to watch more after this. Good stuff. I recommend.

Well, a short doujinshi deserves a short review. Especially when it's so short that practically anything too specific you write about it could be spoilers.

It's a brief story about a teacher who fantasizes about one of his students while receiving help from the student, Natsushiro, in preparation for an assembly the next day. Despite the fact that Natsushiro is male, he finds the cross-dressing boy to be way too cute to just ignore. Before he can say anything, it would seem that the boy had mutual feelings for his teacher, and is very eager to express them...

It's good for a quick read if you're into ... "otoko no ko" (Femboys) and yaoi, but don't want too much of a story getting in the way of your session.