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I’ve traditionally been critical of Fujimoto’s works, often finding them overrated and more style over substance, however Look Back completely changed my perception of him and his work. While it’s one of the shortest films you’ll see in cinemas this year, it’s also going to be one of the most profound. I found myself sitting through the end credits and cast interviews in a daze, trying to sort through the beautiful artistic adventure I just went on.

Throughout its short but sweet runtime, Look Back is consistently a breathtaking work of art both in its artistic direction as well as story. At its core, it’s ... a film about the impact that one moment can have on our lives, altering the trajectory of our stories forever. Kyomoto and Fujino’s friendship and dare I say it, sisterhood developing over the course of the film is one of the most satisfying experiences I’ve had in recent anime. As myself someone who creates art and finds myself getting lost in my own hype at times, I found Fujino’s emotional development to be very relatable. In the past, I have struggled to accept seeing others get praise for things that I’ve always been told I’m good at. It seems silly, but we are all human at the end of the day and want to feel special. Unfortunately most of us don’t have a Kyomoto to become our muse, fan and rival, pushing us to get better. Still, you never know the impact that you or your work can have on other people.

While I didn’t cry when the climax and twist hit, I was profoundly impacted and was taken back to Kimisui/I want to Eat your Pancreas in the suddenness of it. A simple reminder that life can change in an instant and to never leave anything unsaid or undone. Life is too short and you don’t want to end things with anyone having regrets. Try as we might, we can never get time or people back. That’s what makes these simple days we live so special.

It’s already apparent from watching the film, but seeing the director and seiyuu interviews afterwards really drove home just how much love and effort went into this. The director really puts his own unique stamp on the film, elevating scenes from the one shot while staying true to the emotions that Fujimoto wanted to convey. Every single scene feels like a love letter to the medium and oozes passion and creativity. It has an almost auteur like quality to it, reminding you just how powerful animation can be. Anyone downplaying the impact and strength of animation in 2024 is either misguided or ignorant. It’s better than ever, only getting better and films like this remind me of it. And I’ve said all that without even bringing up the incredible job from the seiyuus. To bring such an impactful story like this to life it’s important having people who feel authentic and grounded. The seiyuus for Kyomoto and Fujino sound real to the point where you forget you’re watching an anime, just getting lost in the individual scenes. I appreciate the director going for someone who’d never voice acted before and someone who, in his words, sounded like a natural shut-in. Really helped me get lost in this world.

Look Back is short and sweet. It doesn’t overstay its welcome and is clinical in getting across its messages and themes in a concise and relatable manner. Out of all of Fujimoto’s works this is definitely my favourite and I feel my own life has been changed for the better by watching this. Thank you to everyone involved in this.

Look Back Gets 10 out of 10

Oshi no Ko season 2 might have started a little slow, but once it got going, we got episodes that were on par with if not better than anything in season 1. The Tokyo Blade Arc in the manga wasn’t my fave, but the love and attention to detail including anime original scenes that Doga Kobo added in the anime took it to a whole other level and over season 1’s story arc. It’s in this second season, which really feels more like a second cour of one continuous season, that we truly see the story of Oshi no Ko take shape. While the toxicity ... of the entertainment industry is certainly part of Oshi no Ko, it’s ultimately a revenge story and this season sees things begin to fall into place on that front. It’s a different experience from season 1 since it focuses on the play, characters’ internal struggles and it starts slow, but I promise you if you stick around this season you will be very satisfied with where things go.

So I said it before, but it’s really important to emphasise that this season of Oshi no Ko is a different sort of story from the first. I don’t want people to come into this blind and then the first couple episodes are a little annoying with the director drama and you give up watching it. Yes, she’s annoying, and yes, it gets better. It’s a lot slower at the start than last season was. No 1 hour film-like premiere, no suicide attempts etc. Instead, a lot of the conflict in this season is internal. Akane dealing with her insecurities and achieving her acting goals, Kana dealing with her feelings for Aqua and reconciling with her past, etc., the play is used as a conduit through which a lot of this happens. The characters that the cast portray in the play have many similarities and so they’re able to express themselves through those characters in ways they normally wouldn’t be able to. ESPECIALLY Aqua and Akane who get a ton of development in this season. Aqua can kind of come off as edgy and one dimensional at times, but this season shows there’s a lot more to him. For me, the slow build up to the play was entirely worth it just for the 3-4 episodes that we got of it. Doga Kobo really absorbed me into the story as if I were on the stage during the play.

Let’s face it, ship wars are a big reason for Oshi no Ko’s popularity and anime onlies could be forgiven for being a little confused on why the debate is so strong. Season 1 had Kana firmly in the lead, but this season is where the real best girl, Akane gets some of her big moments and really introduces herself as the best character in this series. This was a massive part of my enjoyment for the season because I am unapologetically a huge Akane stan and my girl delivered this season. So many memorable moments, face serves, you name it she was great. It also helps that Akane is so supportive of Aqua and is the driving force behind a lot of important plot moments. If you weren’t sure why the debates were so heated and passionate before, well you’ll know after this. Even with the staff’s obvious Kana bias, Akane was able to really shine through both in her role as Sayahime in the play and her everyday life.

Production wise Doga Kobo did an even better job in this cour than season 1 in my opinion. The Tokyo Blade play looked incredible with some episodes surpassing season 1’s B Komachi concert debut. “Magical” is the best way I could describe it. But there’s also more subtle improvements that I enjoyed a lot too such as the way episodes bleed into the ED so well. I’m a huge fan of shows ending with a scene that merges into the ED because it preserves a sort of “continuity”. Speaking of which, Burning is an incredible track, as is the OP, Fatal. They might not have the radio power of Mephisto and Idol from last season, but they’re still two very good tracks. Touched on this earlier as well, but it bears repeating. The anime original scenes that DG added really took some parts of the season to another level. They really understand the story and characters so well and know exactly when to interject a new scene to connect things.

Oshi no Ko season 2 is really where things start getting going and where a lot of the hype that you’ve indubitably seen online for this series comes from. It’s a different sort of story from season 1 and takes a minute to get going, but when it does the character development and emotional moments are top tier. If you like Oshi no Ko it’s a no brainer to keep up with s2 and for those potential newcomers, I really encourage you to go in with an open mind and don’t let the ship stuff on social media act as a deterrent. There’s some great stuff in this series and there’s a reason it’s so big.

Oshi no Ko season 2 gets 10 stars, out of 10.

When the topic of “best new gen” shonen manga series gets brought up, Yozakura is often left out which is an absolute shame because having now spent the past 6 months in this world with these incredible characters, the surprisingly emotional and well written story, the great fights and seeing Taiyo’s journey from average high schooler to a proper spy, I have to say this deserves to be front and center in those conversations. If you ever wondered what Spy x Family with more action would be like, look no further than Yozakura family. This was such a joy to experience every week and I’m ... certainly going to miss it.

Yozakura is great because it nails what many other shonen stories fail to, making the MC’s growth feel natural, earned and satisfying. Taiyo’s development is very much the core of this story along with uncovering the increasingly complex conspiracy around his parents’ death. Seeing Taiyo bust his ass week after week to become a proper spy who can hold his own and defend his wife was really cool. I became this guy’s biggest cheerleader over this last half a year, I think he’s right up there with Asta and Subaru as guys who just don’t know how to quit. The mental fortitude we saw from him and how he was able to outsmart opponents rather than beating them with pure strength was awesome.

But Taiyo’s not alone, this series is stacked with characters who you want to root for and see succeed. The Yozakura family dynamic is a massive part of the story. All the siblings have their own unique traits, strengths and weaknesses and although they may be a hodgepodge family not bound by blood, that doesn’t make them any less real. The Chemistry between all the family members is great. While they have a ton of comedic moments and fight a lot, when their backs are against the all they all come together and their differences become their strength rather than a weakness. I appreciated all the character arcs we got in this show. The family feels like an actual fleshed out cast, everyone had their backstory, their bonding moment with Taiyo and accepting him into the family over time. Also, Futaba best onee-chan.

Taiyo and Mutsumi also have one of the best ships in shonen. None of the beating around the bush or being flustered and dragging out a confession all season. They get married very early on and the show focuses on them growing into an actual married couple who can complement each other’s strengths and fill in for the weaknesses. I very much prefer shows that focus on the strengthening of bonds rather than just teasing a confession, couple gets together and it ends. Both characters here are also badasses in their own right. Mutsumi as family head is very capable, definitely not a damsel in distress relying on the MC to protect her. They have plenty of cute and wholesome moments too, really enjoyed seeing them be vulnerable with one another and learn to be a team in both body and soul. You can kind of think of them like the Tonikawa ship, but with much more action and frankly more enjoyable.

The story itself of Yozakura is really well done. Honestly, the first few episodes had me thinking this was going to be more of a gag comedy ala Spy x Family, but after the first few episodes it became clear there’s a lot more to it. It actually gets quite dark and emotional as things begin to unravel in terms of the main antagonists, their relationship to Taiyo’s family and the human experimentation that we see in the series. The main antagonist is one of my fave recent ones because of how pure dastardly he is. I’m so sick of every story trying to make villains sympathetic and victims of poor circumstances. It’s ok to have a villain just be an evil POS and that’s what we got here. The last 7-8 episodes in particular were definitely the best of the whole show and the staff delivered banger after banger, leaving me emotional on several occasions. Go into this one prepared to let the story unfold and you’ll have a lot of fun.

The animation is solid throughout, but there’s a few key episodes where it’s genuinely amazing. The art is consistently really good and I love how bright the colours are in this. Everything feels very vivid and I think it’s a perfect complement to the series’ symbol, the Sakura, certainly a spring like feel about the series.

Yozakura was an awesome watch and it’s a shame it didn’t get more coverage because of it airing on Disney+/Hulu. If you enjoy found-family relationships, a lot of twists, action and a great romance, look no further. This is the one. Thank you to the staff and the author for this awesome ride.

Yozakura gets 9 flowers out of 10.

Oh how the mighty have fallen. What was once one of the most hyped anime of all time, Tower of God is a shadow of its former self. Changing studios completely destroyed the quality of this show. Horrible animation, art and fights that look like my nephew put them together in MS paint.. not even a Kevin Penkin masterclass could save this. Barring some miracle in the second cour, this will go down as one of the biggest collapses ever and that’s not hyperbolic.

Funny enough, ToG season 2’s story is actually better than season 1’s by quite a bit. We meet a lot of new ... characters and the world gets expanded substantially introducing new factions, allies and foes. The tower which we already know is almost incomprehensibly massive, gets explored in a way we didn’t see in season 1. Bam’s whole edgy FUG Viole phase was actually pretty cool too. But, it’s overshadowed by the horrible pacing, direction, animation and art of this season. I always say that anime is a two part story. Yes, a good plot and narrative are important, but it is ANIME at the end of the day, so If that narrative is wrapped in horrible production quality it’s going to hurt it. Occasionally during this cour, we did have a good episode where the animation was passable and that was great.. but, it just didn’t happen nearly enough to save this season.

Pacing even as an anime only notably feels off. I’ve heard from manwha readers that they often skipped chapters or adapted too many in one go, and it shows. It feels at times that things are happening too fast and you just feel lost when watching. I think it did get better in the last 3-4 episodes when some big twists have, but you shouldn’t have to wait two months for a show to get its act together.

For me, the only thing I really enjoyed in this season was the worldbuilding. Season 1 felt kind of claustrophobic because we were with Bam, Khun and the group on a select few floors as they were beginning this long and arduous journey to the top. Season 2 really shows you the sheer scale of the tower, reveals more of the powers that be in this world, terrorist organisations trying to change the world order. It’s almost like a child realising how insignificant they are in the vastness of an ocean. Say what you will about Tower of God, but this author knows how to world build. I mean there’s enough stuff here that ToG could go on easily past One Piece in terms of length. Just needs a better team behind it. Bam’s character arc was actually really good in this though. Did enjoy seeing him go from the wimp in season 1 to this Edgelord Chad here, BUT the fact he’s still simping for Rachel annoys the hell out of me.

Whether or not you’ll enjoy season 2 of ToG really depends on how big a fan you are of the series. I think manhwa readers who have been on the series for years and are looking forward to some of their fave moments being adapted will be disappointed overall, but find some solace in some of the hype moments. Anime onlies will be in shock from the drop of quality from season 1 and feel lost for half the season. In short, Season 2 of Tower of God is a better story, worse anime. What you choose to do with that info is up to you.

Tower of God gets 6, out of 10.

Have you ever imagined what Black Clover with consistently good animation would be like? Well, look no further. Wistoria:Sword and Magic is unapologetically inspired by the popular Jump series and Oomori’s other work Danmachi. It’s an underdog story featuring a protagonist who has all the odds stacked against him and finds a way to persevere, refusing to settle or compromise on his ambitions. Everyone loves a good underdog story and this is one of the best ones you’ll see. If you liked the idea of Black Clover, but maybe couldn’t get into Asta screaming so much at the start or the God awful production values ... from Pierrot for most of the season, Wistoria is a great option. Conversely, if like me you loved Black Clover and Danmachi and just want more of both of those worlds mixed together with great characters and amazing fights, this is the way to go.

Wistoria’s episode 1 is hands down one of the best episodes of anime I’ve ever seen. Directed by Yoshihara Tatsuya who worked on you guessed it, Black Clover, it is truly a feast for the eyes and a visual spectacle that perfectly sets up the magic and wonder of this world and makes you want more. Wistoria takes place in a world where magic is everything and those without it are looked down upon. Will’s journey to follow after his childhood friend and ascend the tower as a magia vander is compelling and you can’t help but root for him in the face of all the discrimination he endures. As usual in these sorts of shows, the MC gets bullied at the start and then ends up saving everyone who doubted him’s asses and that trope will never get old to me. The idea that people treat you poorly and look down on you just for being different and then next thing you know, they need your help. Will and other MC’s are better than I because I’d have left all of them to die in those dungeons, but I digress. Will is an incredibly kind person, at times to his detriment but he’s faithful to his values and determined to get to his friend’s side at the top of the magical world.

There’s the obvious Black Clover and Danmachi shades, but Wistoria also has a lot in common with another of my faves, Nanatsuma or reign of the seven Spellblades. Taking place in a magical school with a dungeon underneath where students often go to explore and push themselves, underdog MC, emphasis on the importance of teamwork, etc. When watching this I couldn’t help but wonder how Nanatsuma would’ve faired with this sort of animation quality. The studio really did bring this magical world alive and make you want to know more and more about it each week.

A big part of the appeal of this show is how good the animation is and it really is great. the action scenes all have film quality, they’re fluid, weighty and convey the sheer scale of power that’s used in this world. Episodes 1, 5 and 11 being my favourites with 11 being on par with 1 if not surpassing it thanks to the incredible OST. The standard art and designs of the show also look great though. Even when characters are just hanging out and doing mundane stuff it feels like you’re watching a movie. Staff did an incredible job here and I can’t wait for the second season.

Wistoria’s not the most original story, like I said it’s got shades of a few existing shows, but it frankly looks and handles a lot better than them which gives it an advantage. Let’s face it. This is ANIME, so animation quality is just as important as storytelling in this medium. Artistically, this is one of the best shows of the year and pushes the envelope on what we can expect from seasonal adaptations. Even with that though, I like the story as well, generic as it may be. Will, Colette, Sion and the others grew on me a lot as the season went on and by the end I found myself desperately wanting to know more about the antagonists and who was behind certain events in the show. It’s definitely got a lot of story left to tell and I’m looking forward to season 2!

Wistoria gets 9 wands out of 10.

The third of Sazane Kei’s to get an anime is actually the best in my opinion. Nazeboku had a really cool alternate timeline gimmick, mystery, characters and atmosphere that just hooked me from the start. What it lacks in animation quality it made up for in narrative and was really an entertaining watch. It’s not the best fantasy story in the world, but you know it has that “it” factor that I just liked and wanted more week after week. Admittedly very sad to see this one end with all the questions I still have about the world!

Imagine you’re going about your daily life as ... usual and all of a sudden the world completely changes and no one remembers you despite all the same people you remember being around. Scary right? That’s basically the set up of this series and Kai’s journey to solve the mystery of “world reincarnation”. It was something I hadn’t seen before in an anime so in a sea of other fantasy shows it stood out a bit. Yea, Kai is OP, but he’s got limited allies and knowledge in this world so the whole appeal is seeing him reconnect with people he knew from the past timeline, explain to them the situation and enlist their help in saving the world. Humans who were originally the dominant species in his last world are now being hunted to near extinction with small pockets of humanity still fighting back against the various factions who want them dead. It had a bit of terminator salvation going on and I loved that. I’m a sucker for humanity on its last legs fighting back against near insurmountable odds and seeing Kai turn the tide of the war with his knowledge was cool.

The characters are the highlight though. I think this had one of the more underrated casts this season. Jeanne, Reiren, Rinne etc were all powerful and competent and just made for a really fun travelling party dynamic. I love the classic fantasy trope of setting off on a long journey together and this show nailed that. It does start to get a little harem-y at the end, but it wasn’t like most seasonal anime so if you’re someone who’s grown a little tired of every girl falling in love with the MC, you’re mainly in the clear here. I also think the ones who do like the MC have a genuine reason for it, it’s not just because he was nice to them or something. Lot of fun banter between everyone, the jokes landed for me and they really did feel like a family. The one thing I didn’t like in terms of the cast is just how some fights with them were handled. Like Kai has a weapon that’s supposed to be a god tier relic and is strong as hell, yet he will leave Jeanne on her own to fight with a weapon that drains her life? This happened on a couple occasions and I was genuinely perplexed. Like I get wanting your female characters to be bad ass, but man don’t leave them to die like that.

The only knocks against this show for me are the subpar production values and the fact it ended with me still having so many questions! This was a good fantasy story and I’m really dying to know more about the world reincarnation mystery. Seems like third time’s the charm for Sazane sensei, he really did a good job here.

Nazeboku gets 8 out of 10.

From the very first episode Makeine was my anime of the season and that’s not changed. The last 12 weeks have been a nonstop magical run from A-1 pictures and one of the most refreshing and enjoyable takes on the romcom genre. Makeine takes the usual harem male fantasy bait romcom formula and turns it on its head, instead focusing on platonic relationships, helping teenagers overcome heartbreak and move forward with their heads held high. I’m a big fan of the mature and somewhat realistic way the story handles this. You don’t always get what or who you want in real life, learning to accept ... and deal with that is important. Even more important is not getting bitter or angry and instead seeing it as a growth opportunity, which the show focuses on. The well written story and character dynamics combined with some of the best production values A-1 have done, make this a must watch.

The relationship between Nukumizu and Anna is the best part of Makeine and the foundation on which the story is based. Rather than your usual boy meets girl and falls in love story, Nukumizu helps Anna accept and move on from the rejection of her crush. The best part of this is that they actually feel like real friends. Guys and girls have the ability to just be cool and hang out and I like that this story reflects that. Every single scene with them is just awesome and oozes with chemistry. While there’s obviously people out there that ship them, I really enjoy their relationship as is and hope it stays that way at least for a while. Her going out with him right after being rejected would just seem forced and too tropey.

That’s something we see play out throughout the story as well. The other characters get their hearts broken one by one and Nukumizu is there to support them, learning more about himself and other people in the process. But that’s not to say it ever gets repetitive. The sheer variety of personalities in this story are enough to make each experience feel unique. All of the rejected heroines are The author is very good at showing the complexities of human attraction and romance. Like just because we as the audience love a girl doesn’t mean a guy in the story will. You can’t help who you’re attracted to and sometimes despite being a good fit on paper it just doesn’t work out. Despite the obvious pain of those rejections, the characters in this resolve to move forward and not regret their unrequited love, but embrace it as a part of life which I think everyone can learn nothing or two from. Everything in life is a learning experience and makes you who you are to this day.

So the story’s great, but the other thing that really made me fall in love with Makeine is how good it looks. I’m not sure if it’s any of the same staff that worked on 86, I know most of them are busy on Nier Automata, but it had that sort of quality. Gorgeous and fluid animation with lively and vibrant colours and character designs. It really was a visual treat. It’s this great combination of production values and storytelling that really makes it stick out among a crowded romance field this season. The direction during some of the big confession and rejection scenes was enough to give me chills on more than one occasion. Hats off to the team that worked on this.

Had a blast with every single minute of this show and it rightfully deserved the love and hype it got. While it started off getting less love than roshidere, it overtook it by the end thanks to a phenomenal social media campaign keeping track of Anna’s calories and the various hilarious moments from the show. Truly one of my all time fave romcom series that doesn’t rely on fanservice or goonbait to be enjoyable. Focus on writing good characters and have lessons applicable to the real world and you’ll have a good seasonal anime.

Makeine gets a very easy 10 out of 10.

Cloverworks have made a name for themselves with shows that blend action and comedy and I really think Nigewaka is up there with their very best work. Samurai stories are extremely popular right now thanks to the success of series like Ghost of Tsushima and Shogun, so getting a new historical series where we see the incremental development of an exiled prince into a legendary rebel samurai is awesome. As an history enthusiast, I enjoyed seeing so many figures from Japanese history brought to life as well as one of the most interesting periods in Japanese history. That coupled with some of the best production ... values of the year and you’ve got an amazing experience. Highly recommend this one for action fans, fans of historical series or shotacons who are here for Tokiyuki.

So I came into this having never read or seen Assassination Classroom, the author’s previous work. Crazy, I know, but I had no idea how good a writer the author was. This guy is truly amazing with creating characters and worlds that you fall in love with. The first episode does an amazing job of pulling you into this world and lulling you to sleep with a false sense of security only to hit you with one of the craziest tonal shifts you’ll see. I knew from that moment that this was going to be one of the best shows this year and I’ve been pushing the agenda ever since. This period of Japanese history is full of political instability, violence, betrayal and stuff that would make George R Martin’s books look like fairy tales. While nigewaka has a comedic angle to it thanks to supporting characters like Suwa, I still felt it did a good job of showcasing just how treacherous and dangerous a time this was. Tokiyuki goes through a ton of challenges that make him grow up really quickly. His journey is compelling and you can’t help but want to see him succeed given what happens to his family and by who.

Now, I will say I was a tiny bit disappointed that the story goes off into the supernatural after the first episode. I was really hoping for a Japanese Vinland Saga style set up with some comedy and incredible Cloverworks animation after the spectacle that was the ending of the first episode, but they ended up going off on this time travel/supernatural vibe. That’s not the end of the world for me, I just would’ve preferred a more grounded approach. I did still have a ton of fun with it and think the way they incorporated the mystical aspects was solid.

The best part of this series is Tokiyuki’s connections with his subordinates. As part of his training to become a leader worthy of Japan, he has to hone a variety of skills from archery to espionage to general combat and there’s someone he recruits to the party along the way to help with each of those tasks. The author has a way with character interactions. They all felt so alive and dynamic, every scene with Tokiyuki and the elusive warriors was a trip, and we also see him grow substantially as a result of the various connections he makes. Retaking a country from someone with superior numbers and finances is no easy task so having a variety of people on your side who challenge you with different viewpoints and ways of doing things is a big plus. The emphasis this series has on conducting an insurgency as opposed to a direct conflict against the enemy is really cool to me too.

Speaking of said enemy, the antagonist in this series, Ashikaga Takauji is absolutely terrifying. He is exactly the sort of villain I’ve been looking for in anime for a while. None of that sad backstory sob bs. Just give me a guy who is pure evil, cold, calculating and can still charm people. Now, while Ashikaga existed in real life, in the context of the show they haven’t explained what his actual rationale for betraying Tokiyuki’s family is so I’m waiting for that in a potential season 2. There was a lot of set up in these 12 episodes that we just unfortunately didn’t get answers to as is often the case for these one cour manga adaptations, but from what we got in this season I was very impressed.

The first episode of Nigewaka had some of the most unique animation and art you’ll see in anime. Absolute masterclass from Cloverworks. The rest of the season varies from incredible to.. kinda meh.. there’s a few episodes that rely heavily on CGI that just doesn’t look very good. Obviously every episode can’t look like episode 1, so I’m ok with a little stinker here and there, but on the whole they did an amazing job. I certainly feel like this is up there with their very best stuff.

If you’re on limited time and just get an opportunity to watch a handful of anime from time to time, I think this is one of the ones from this season you need to check out. It’s a cool historical story with a fantastical twist, great action, great characters, funny as hell AND a little shotacon action if you’re into that type of thing. Nigewaka’s an experience I won’t soon forget and I’ll definitely be reading it!

Nigewaka gets 9 katanas out of 10.

Tensura Season 3 is very much a tale of two halves and I can’t blame anyone if they don’t make it to the second. The first half is full of the most remedial and tedious exposition I’ve seen in anime. Incessant yapping while sitting at tables without an ounce of action. I’m not exaggerating with this either, there’s literally 6-7 episodes of characters just sitting at tables and discussing political and military strategy without doing anything else, and it’s not the good sort of strategy meeting like log horizon either. There’s a lot of redundant conversations and just meaningless time wasting stuff. It’s rough. As ... I said earlier in the year, you could really just skip to the second cour and you’d not miss anything. The second cour was much better, focusing on the festival. There’s not a ton that happens here either, but it’s substantially more enjoyable and feels like the tensura we know and love. Still, even with that, I feel that after 6 months.. nothing really happened? Like if you sit back and look at this season objectively, did anything really change warranting 24 episodes? Other than some political alliances not much.

Cour 1 was really torture to sit through. Nonstop yapping about things we already heard in the last episode, characters talking in circles about their plans and playing 4D chess. It was a drag. At first I tried defending it as world building, but that gimmick only lasted about 4-5 episodes before it was apparent that cour was going nowhere. I do appreciate characterisation and narrative and expanding the world, but at a certain point you have to move on to the next topic. This is animation, not a novel, so the things you can do here are different. People are watching anime for a little more instant gratification than you’d get from prose. And frankly, even in novel form I think cour 1 would be a snooze fest. It’s simply too many words and very little actual substance.

Cour 2 I enjoyed quite a bit. Tempest formally announcing itself on the global stage as an ally to all who would have it as a friend and not a demonic entity is good and the natural progression of things after Rimuru’s ascent to demon lord status. I enjoyed the planning of the festival, creation of the dungeon, visiting various countries to invite them and of course the actual festival itself. There’s some fun new characters that get introduced and it feels like the story advances albeit at a rather slow pace. I don’t know if the director changed or what, but there’s a notable difference in the direction quality in the second half. Even when there are talking head/meeting episodes they were a lot more enjoyable. The usual tensura humour was back and I liked seeing Rimuru navigate the struggles of leadership and globalisation. By the end of this cour, it feels like we’ve got some direction to go in for season 4.

Production wise there’s not a whole lot to speak of since there’s very little action going on in this season. It’s mainly dialogue up until the second half. The festival fights are solid, art is solid as you’d expect given they didn’t have much motion to contend with and the backgrounds are as usual really good from 8bit. Direction is a tale of two halves with a notably better style in the second cour.

Tensura Season 3 is complicated. I think even the most steadfast of fans are going to have a hard time justifying the atrocious pacing in the first half, but the second half is solid. I’m a little light on words this time around because there truly just wasn’t much to comment on. This season was kind of a nothing burger that could’ve easily been condensed into 18 eps or so. Still, I love this series and the characters so there’s worse ways to spend 6 months.

Tensura Season 3 gets 7 out of 10.

Nier Automata was once thought to be unadaptable as an anime. “It relies too much on video game mechanics.” “The story is too confusing to work as an anime”they said. Well, A-1 pictures proved everyone wrong. It might have gone through a few delays, but fans of the game and anime-onlies alike will be satisfied with how Nier Automata turned out. They took one of the most complicated and confusing stories in gaming and adapted it perfectly as an anime, even improving on many aspects of the already tremendous story. This was truly a masterclass in the love and attention to detail needed to bring ... a video game to this medium, and one of the best shows this year hands down.

I was already impressed with the job they did with the first cour, but part 2 blows all of that out of the water. For one, the story of Nier Automata naturally picks up in the second half and secondly, A-1’s direction, pacing and awesome animation helped bring things to a new level. Automata is naturally a game that’s confusing at first since it’s a sequel to Replicant and a spin-off of Drakengard so there’s a lot of concepts thrown at the player or viewer in this case, that aren’t explained until this cour. Those reveals are done so well here, it’s a perfect mix of lore while not overwhelming the casual viewer. While some things are naturally omitted, I felt they more than captured the essence of all the important story beats. There’s also the original stuff they added to the show to connect the dots and flesh the world out, particularly in the case of Lily and the resistance. They were kind of just NPCs in the game, while the anime really brings them to life and makes us emotionally invested. It makes certain events that much more profound and frankly painful. This was really an amazing story choice because it made A2’s story a lot more personal as well. I was already a massive A2 stan, but after watching this I feel like I gained a totally new perspective on her and understand her way of thinking and feelings a lot more than in the game.

This season sort of acts as a juxtaposition between A2’s ascent back to the light and opening her “heart” up to the world again, and 9s’ gradual descent into darkness and shutting himself off from everyone after some events occur. In the second half, most of the episodes follow this split storytelling method which I really enjoyed because I was able to notice things that I didn’t in the game. When you’re worried with surviving boss fights or doing side tasks, you can actually miss out on certain details that in animation are revealed. I also believe there’s just a really good human connection as it were that’s established between the viewer and both characters as time goes on. You understand 9s’ pain and quest for vengeance, but pity him for his misunderstandings. While you also understand A2’s desire to shut herself off from everyone. Both paths are kind of valid given the circumstances and ultimately it shows you how human the Yorha really are. The desire to love and be loved, to seek retribution for perceived wrongs and to know where we come from. These are some of the most human emotions possible.

The production quality on this one is absurd. A-1 had a lot of the same staff who worked on 86 working on this one and it shows. It looks amazing from beginning to end with amazing fights, beautiful animation and some lovely character designs. I have to give A-1 credit for handling some very difficult fights, such as the Titan machine fights with so much quality. Like it would be so easy for them to just shoddily put some CGI together, but nope, a great blend of 2D and 3D is what we got and it looked amazing. There’s also got to be a mention of the phenomenal job by the seiyuus. 9s and A2’s seiyuu’s put in two of the best performances you’ll ever hear, especially 9s who preferably encapsulates the pain the character is in throughout this season. It’s like his voice comes through the screen and grips you. Really bravo to both of them for an incredible job.

I think most people who watched this cour will feel that it’s a pretty big upgrade in every sense, but those who haven’t seen it because you like to wait for stuff to end, rest assured this is amazing. A-1 took a very difficult story and one of my favourite games ever and brought it to the anime medium nearly flawlessly. Truly a masterclass in adaptation.

Nier Automata Cour 2 gets a very easy 10, out of 10.