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I don't usually watch comedies, but this obscure show really surprised me. It uses its theme in such a refreshing and entertaining way. The animation stands out mostly due to the visual gags, which are well done, and the voice acting is superb. Just don't go into this expecting much of a plot or action. Berry and Chroma only fight because they enjoy playing their roles, not because they actually hate each other.

Despite this, the characters take their roles very seriously, especially Chroma. He's a villain who wouldn't harm a fly but he's the funniest character in the whole show. Berry Blossom is a sweet ... and naive girl who can also be feisty. And Chizuko is the rational one of the trio, except when she's in fangirl mode. However, she doesn't take as much initiative as I hoped she would. Side characters like the talking cat Mashirou and Chizuko's grandpa also had enough time to shine. Over the course of the show, we learn more about the world and even explore the characters' backstories. Watching a magical girl show from the perspective of a villain's sidekick was also fun.

I didn't think it was possible to find a wholesome magical girl parody, but this show is perfectly safe to watch. It's just a shame that it doesn't cover the whole manga, so it doesn't really have a conclusion. Even so, if you enjoy subversion of tropes and goofy characters being goofy, it might just be your cup of tea.

This review will include some spoilers (though I think it's predictable).

First, I should say that I'm not the target demographic and I only started reading it because the concept sounded so bizarre. It's a quick read too since the chapters are mostly short interactions taken out of context. But despite the lack of plot, the characters do make strides in their relationship. The art style is cute, and the author does a good job at depicting Rin's "personas". The humor was more of a mixed bag for me, as were the characters.
This manga follows Rin, who is infatuated with her senpai and flexes her acting ... skills on him. This also allows her to say anything to him because she's just "acting". On the one hand, this manga mocks some romance tropes, but on the other hand, it falls into a bunch of others. The author tries to make Rin as cute as possible (she blushes all the time, gets flustered easily and is scared of ghosts), which makes her feel more artificial than Eiji. We also don't get to see much of Eiji's side of the story.
What I like about this manga is that it doesn't end with the characters getting together or with senpai graduating; it follows their relationship for a significant amount of time after that. They have a really nice chemistry when they tease each other, but most of the time it's one-sided. Rin starts to pretend less around Eiji as the story progresses, but she later relapses into it for some reason. She says that Eiji should love "all sides of her", but she literally talks of herself as a different person...

If anything, this manga made me realize that I should read more mangas about acting. It would have been more fun if Eiji was an aspiring actor too because there would have been room for more of their skits. Despite some "questionable choices", most chapters were still pretty wholesome, including the epilogue.

Fans of old mahou shoujo mangas will appreciate this one, as it pays tribute to the genre instead of deconstructing it. It perfectly replicates the classic aesthetic with its detailed art style, cute characters, and tame fight scenes. It's sweet and wholesome and not ashamed of it. The twist is that we perceive this magical girl story through the eyes of a "side character".

This manga understands the appeal of magical girls and is respectful to the fans, which I love. However, I still would have enjoyed it more if it took itself less seriously. The idea of an otaku teaching his friend how to be ... a magical girl has great comedic potential. But the manga mainly focuses on the quiet life of the protagonist. Aoi is a great representation of an introvert; passionate about his interests and relaxed around his close friends. He introduces himself as an "average" guy, only to be revealed as one of the smartest kids in school with an insecurity complex. The manga also brings up the struggles some students face in real life, but it doesn't attempt to resolve them.

As for the other characters, I unfortunately can't say much about them. Aoi's friend Yamabuki has the personality of a golden retriever. And Nagi feels more like the embodiment of a magical girl protagonist than a real character. She struggles with insecurity like Aoi, but we don't learn much about her beyond that. I liked how they supported each other, but from the beginning, I felt like the development of their friendship was quite rushed. Sadly, the story's antagonist also lacks a proper motive and only acts as a plot device.

In conclusion, this manga succeeds as an homage to the mahou shoujo genre. It shows us that anyone can be inspired by magical girls because everyone is important. However, its fast pacing and cookie-cutter characters prevent it from being great.

It's clear from the first chapter that this is a story about a character who hides his true power. But even though I normally skip those, the worldbuilding was interesting enough that I wanted to know more. The art style is also gorgeous, and action panels are this manga's strong suit. At first, the story was so predictable that I wanted to drop it, but then the stakes became high in chapter 13, and I was pulled in again. Alas, I've reached chapter 26 and it pretty much drained all my hope.

As I said, I quickly became invested in the world, its power system and ... history. But the more important aspects—the characters and plot—are quite a mess. And it all comes down to our protagonist, Will Serfort. We're supposed to feel bad for him, but we also know that he's much stronger than everyone else. It's sad because he could have been a great character if he relied on his experience and knowledge instead. We get to see that he can be a good leader who motivates others and comes up with strategies. I can also respect his goal of being with the girl he loves, but given how powerful he is, it makes no sense that he hasn't already ascended the tower.

I find it strange that Elfaria is labeled as a main character because she rarely appears in the manga, and we don't know much about her. Will's only two friends are both in love with him, and his mentor wants him to hide his power too, for some reason. None of the secondary characters is very complex, but at least they can't do everything on their own. The story reached its peak in chapters 13-18, which I genuinely enjoyed. But key moments from this arc were completely forgotten in the next, and it all went downhill from there.

Despite the title "Wand and Sword", the story doesn't try to prove that knights and mages need each other. Instead, the protagonist possesses special abilities that surpass magic. This manga certainly has some strong points, but the fact that the main character is so overpowered makes it dull for me.

Dreams Stars was an experimental crossover movie, featuring only the three newest Precure teams. Perhaps the lack of spectacle is why it scored so low. Nevertheless, I actually found this new concept quite enjoyable, as it gave the characters more space to interact. Another thing to consider is that this movie caters primarily to younger viewers, so the characters occasionally break the fourth wall. However, I didn't think it felt out of place. The movie is also partly animated in 3D, which may put some people off. I really liked the 2D animation style with thicker outlines, and the CGI, while a little choppy, actually ... looked pretty good.

The story wasn't ground-breaking but still engaging, and the pacing was really good, in my opinion. It was fun to watch the Kirakira cures travel to different realms and meet their seniors. This movie actually made Ichika more likeable in my eyes, as she was quite mature and helped Sakura grow. Sakura was also a more fleshed-out character than I expected. I suppose the only downside was the main villain, who was more of a comic relief, so Samidare had to pick up the slack. The monsters were quite strong, though, and I enjoyed most of the action scenes. Last but not least, I really liked the aesthetic of this movie, Sakura's world, and the music.

I can recommend Dreams Stars to any fan of the seasons from 2015 to 2017. It has funny interactions, touching moments, and a well-executed message like a Precure movie should.

"Be yourself," "Be there for others," and "Never lose hope" - these are the pillars of the PreCure franchise.

This movie is both an anniversary celebration and a reminder of what PreCure is all about. It makes you realize why this franchise is so beloved. If you have seen the seasons from 2015 to 2023, you will enjoy seeing these characters in action. Their individual traits are recognizable, and their interactions feel believable (for the most part). The movie also introduces new characters, including one of the scariest villains in the franchise. It also has plenty of action and is worth a watch just for the ... visual spectacle that is the final battle. There are also plenty of references for fans to enjoy.

On the flip side, this movie is just too short for what it seeks to accomplish. It's very fast-paced, and the story is quite simple. Nevertheless, the movie takes a surprisingly dark turn when the big twist comes. What's more important, though, is that the message lands. This movie does not simply make you nostalgic but reminds you of what the Precures have taught you.

Despite its flaws, All Stars F is a love letter to the franchise filled with everyone's passion. It cumulates everything PreCure does best: fun characters, epic fights, and amazing music. Furthermore, it promotes solidarity and aims to inspire you and lift your spirits.

Coming from someone who hasn't read the light novels, I found this movie disappointing. The animation, the soundtrack, the fight scenes, those were all great, in my opinion. But they just can't make up for a boring story. Don't get me wrong; the first movie had a simple plot too, but there were still stakes and conflict between the main characters. This movie has girls fighting in a swimming pool. It plays it very safe; we only hear that the stakes are high but we don't actually feel it. Since we had evil monsters in the first movie, it's only natural that we would have ... an evil organization in the sequel. The concept is good but the movie does nothing with it and ends up being predictable. It even repeats some story beats from the first movie.

The first movie ended with Asuna joining Kirito on his quest, and I was quite excited to watch their relationship develop. However, all that development happens off screen. Kirito in this movie is a lot more sociable than the awkward loner he used to be. And Asuna is dependent on him, which throws her development from the first movie out the window. This story isn't even told from her perspective but switches between her and Kirito. Unfortunately, I didn't really find their dynamic interesting.

Overall, it's not a terrible movie, it's just terribly mediocre, and that's enough to make me lose interest.

Tropical-Rouge PreCure is a good time if you're looking for a chill magical girl anime that doesn't take itself too seriously. However, it doesn't measure up to other PreCure seasons in terms of plot and character development.
I didn't expect much going into the series, so I was surprised by the bits of lore and ideas that could have been great if developed properly. Unfortunately, the ocean theme of the show is highly underutilized. Watching the girls try various things is fun but plot-related episodes are scarce. The monsters are quite weak and on the occasions that they are strong, the characters get magically saved.
The characters ... are usually all together and their friendship is well-established, but there is a lack of character focused episodes. They have some unique traits and battle techniques, though. While I enjoyed the villains' family dynamic, they don't really challenge the heroines in any way since their whole shtick is being unmotivated.
Overall, Tropical-Rouge is enjoyable when it comes to slice-of-life, but not so much when it comes to magical battles. I wish it had done more with its themes of the ocean and motivation, but it works quite well as a comfort show.

Wonder Egg Priority is the definition of a dreamcore anime; not just in terms of its aesthetic but also its writing.

The show easily draws you in with its detailed animation style and artistic direction. It captures the everyday life and puts it into contrast with absurd imagery and fantastical action. The soundtrack is memorable and enhances the surreal experience, and the monsters look shockingly disturbing. The designs of the main characters also stand out and reflect their personalities well.

What mainly attracts people to Wonder Egg Priority is its unique premise. Young girls fighting the manifestations of people's traumas to bring their friends back to ... life. It's one of those shows with cute characters that deals with heavy subject matters. Not only suicide, but also self-harm, grooming, and rape among others. While the series tries to depict real-life problems that may lead to suicide, it does not really delve into these issues and how to deal with them. Instead, it show us many different suicide cases, some of which feel romanticized. Because of this, I got the impression that the series wasn't taking this subject very seriously.

On the other hand, the characters in this show are complex and fairly realistic. Besides guilt, they all face individual problems that you might relate to, like Ai's social anxiety or Momoe's struggle to be herself. Although each of these characters grows in some way, they don't exactly build each other up. The series doesn't treat them kindly, and in the end, it seems that only Ai was actually important. Even so, watching this group of broken people hang out is kind of comforting.

The show is mostly episodic with the main storyline being the mystery behind Koito's suicide. At first, the egg world seems to be a clear metaphor for Ai being unable to move on, which is dangerous for her mental health. The ambiguity was what made the concept so intriguing. That's why I think the show's biggest mistake was dropping us a scientific explanation for the egg worlds and even for the suicides. A series like this didn't need a mastermind, especially since there is no confrontation at the end. In fact, it feels like the show ends just before the finale, leaving everyone's story unresolved.

In short, Wonder Egg Priority is a series with a fascinating concept but a disappointing execution. The story becomes needlessly convoluted and loses sight of its message about moving on. It won't give you the emotional conclusion you were hoping for. However, what it can give you is impressive action, some wholesome moments, and some horror elements. While I wouldn't recommend this series to the average viewer, it will probably satisfy dreamcore fans with its aesthetic alone.

I went into this movie knowing only that it was about a guy and a girl in a wheelchair, which seemed like an interesting premise. I have not read the book so I am going to judge the movie alone.
Firstly, the animation is stunning all things considered and the soundtrack is beautiful too. However, the plot and characters is where I found myself disappointed. Many aspects of the story - such as Josee being stuck inside all her life - felt unrealistic to me. Josee herself is a character that I should have grown to like, but even if I understood why she acted the ... way she did, I still could not sympathize with her.
My main complaint is that this movie is supposed to be a romance, but the actual romance seemed very forced to me. The male protagonist, Tsuneo, was likeable, but I could not understand why he pursued Josee who kept acting like a woman-child. I would rather if the movie explored the question of disability in Japan further. I did like the message of chasing your dreams against all odds though.
Overall, this movies is watchable but I personally cannot say that I enjoyed it. It had some emotional momemts, but the characters' decisions made it hard for me to care about them. The relationship between the main characters did not feel healthy to me, and that is the main reason why I cannot rate this movie higher than average.