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Prologue

In a distant place shrouded in darkness a lone figure sit across the table. None could identify who the person is or what their intension were but one thing was for certain, they were devoted. The mysterious being took a deep breath, looked around and after confirming their suspicions started writing.

Chapter 1
...
He was but a man who like many before him had a dream. He wished to achieve an impossible feat and was willing to go through unspeakable lenghts to do that. He had an appearence of a normal person, a background character so to speak but this was precisely what he wanted to look like. His personality, however was a completly different case. His charisma and power brought him many allies and through sheer wisdom he shared knowledge to his followers that were put in good cause, or rather one that would suit the newly created organization needs. He treated the world like a joke and used it and other people as a mean to satisfiy his made up persona but to those around him this was a painfully serious situation. Each and every encounter had one or 2 more perspectives to look at and depending on lenses through which one were to witness such events, the reception would drastically shift. The world around him felt vast with plenty of characters to meet and encounters to face and it never seemed like there was an end to his performance and the ploy at large.

Chapter 2

Animation is a concept unknown to the likes of such world but it was an important part in creating the best show. An aid of multiple people is required to best utilize their talents and time necessary to achieve it. The moves gracefully complementing one another with utmost precision enabling a powerful but simple solution. The faces of creations that are part of this process had a consistent quality and hardly faded into an amalgamation from unknown lands. The fights fulfiled their job and each one had a coherent build up to it that made for an exciting and thrilling experience, something that residents of this world may soon learn the existence of.

Chapter 3

No matter the quality of resources and time required it would all be for naught had not it not be for the work and vision of a director overseeing the whole performance. Kazuya Nakanishi whose name may not resound yet in this realm but will no doubt start appearing more often sooner rather than later. From an absurdally huge amount of credits throughout each episodes to the impressive feats during more demanding ones, he brought the team together and through his eyes and effort managed to mix a serious nature of world around with a particularly distinctive trait of a certain leader figure flawlessly. The comedic timing, a concept not yet fully established within world has brought joy to many people. It is not an easy task to carefully nail the different atmosphere while not making it feel to jarring for audience.

Chapter 4

No performance is complete with a music to be accompanied by. The resounding sounds of powerful instruments along the drops during pivotal moments have caused many to be immersed in the spectacle unfolding before their very eyes. From soothing voices playing in the backgrounds as Mob figure goofed around with his friends to a bombastic and religious sounding choir of followers during the showtime. The music plays an important role in conveying atmosphere and characters due to associations that it brings to viewers. Their name has been documented in multiple ancient records appearing often than not but neither can find the true nature of such individual, he is known as the composer Kenichirou Suehiro, the man behind such spectacle.

Epilogue

The following day there was no trace left of the figure that once stood in that room. Nothing that could possibly trace back the culprit has been found, what remained was a short book laying on the table. The man entered the room and put his hand on the creation, he sensed a strange but familiar feeling and spoke. "Another Eminence". The man had passion in his eyes and could not stop the maniacal laughter that followed after. He knew what must have been done and so he departed from the room.

"My job here is done" spoke a voice responsible for writing the text and just like the recipient, they vanished into the air shrouded in darkness unknown what the future may hold. But they knew for certain that whatever it will be, they would document it all for that is a role they bestowed upon themselves.

Time loop stories are no easy type to write and most of the times they leave viewers unsatisfied. Its extremely hard to execute such tale well that would leave little to no complaints. To my eyes, however Summer Time Rendering has managed to provide and enjoyable experience from start to finish that I would gladly return to in the recent future. Let us embark on a journey to Hitogashima where various secrets lie beneath that will change the person striving to render for a new tomorrow.

Characters are important factors in a story and its mostly due to them that we keep enjoying a tale. If ... they are not interested or engaging in are eyes then we as viewers would have less incentive to keep following them but if the opposite happens then we gladly continue observe their every move and get invested in their fate. Shinpei is the protagonist of the story whose most important trait is that he is very smart and learns from mistakes while also implementing new ideas based on various experiences and its this trait of his along kindness that makes audience sympathize and root for him. Ushio who is a friend of Shinpei and one whose story strongly revolves around is also a force that makes people want to keep watching due to her funny personality and chemistry that she has with Shinpei and the rest of the cast. The opposite could be said about antagonistic forces who are very smart and cunning which makes their tackles with protagonist that much more interesting to follow and the way in which Shinpei and co try to overcome those obstacles combined with bonds that they build is what is so appealing.

Story is part where people opinions would mostly differ and it depends on the mindset that you put while watching the show. Given its premise and what has been established throughout there are a lot of ideas that the author uses later on that were placed from the start and carefully introduced and expands various concepts to keep things fresh and interesting to follow. While the mystery aspect is one of the driving elements that initially dragged many into the show there is another element that makes each episode that much more intriguing and it’s the psychological aspect that both the protagonist and the antagonist share which makes their encounters so great in the first place. Usually one force would overcome the other through sheer power difference and there would be no way for the other to even touch the opponent but once mind comes to play many various doors appear to open with different ways to tackle opponent, however opening these doors alone and finding key is not enough when an enemy adapts so quickly to the protagonist and outwits them in a way that most of the times doesn’t feel cheap but its something that is a logical conclusion based upon the evidence that was brought before and the way to beat it has also been there. While I should not be mentioning a release model In a review due to the way we experience medium in a different way but I believe that those elements that I mentioned heavily shine once watched on a weekly basis because a mystery series heavily relies on clues, thinking so having time to slowly process that is an important element.

Animation is an aspect that is the most appealing to many people and seeing various clips would convince one to take a chance with a series and while Summer Time Rendering does have its share of impressive episodes what I have to say is the consistency in drawings throughout consecutive 2 cour was maintained and neither felt way off or distracted from experience. When it was necessary to have dynamic movement and camera the staff and freelancers brought thanks to connections managed to pull it off in spectacular way which added this fantasy element that sure was present from the beginning but added this new flavor to it. There were also cases of subtle character animation that is slowly fading away as time goes on but is aspect that brings character to life through expressions, movement and subtle elements that combined could add to the immersion too. The OST while feeling out of place at times for the most part was an integral part of the story that set the mood correctly depending on the circumstances sometimes delivering intense music with choir and vocal while in others a calm and soothing type like the sound of waves crashing on the surface.

I had a very good time watching this series partially due to being an anime only but other that I was heavily invested in the characters and story presented. Each episode made me want to see more and left me with various thoughts that I could use in order to figure stuff out and it this weekly experience is what in my eyes made this such a memorable show. All of these aspects mentioned above combined into something that was no doubt worth the time investing into even if it took months to get it done but even so the hours spend on watching and bonding with these characters were certainly not for naught and I’m sure that those feelings that I had throughout be it sad or happy will remain in me for years ahead.

Those 3 days were short but felt like an eternity. The presence of time depends on how you how you love it and with whom you live it. The memories and bonds you share with others will make the dullest day one of the brightest ones. Though we may never experience something as unnatural as this story what we could get from it is a lesson to be remembered. It may have been a dream and it may soon fade into nothingness but I’m sure that even in parts of a puzzle they would remain in your heart and shape you into a better person, but whatever you shall do with this memory and will you toss it away or not depends only on you alone.

Isekai.

You’re probably familiar with this term. The sheer number of shows that come out each year from this genre has gotten to the point that many are just sick of it and would rather skip than watch the same formulaic anime. However, not every Isekai is created equally.

There is one which has gathered somewhat of a cult around it - one that is seen as the grandfather of modern isekai, using pre-existing tropes but executing them properly. One that truly has the right to call itself an isekai.

Welcome to Mushoku Tensei.

This is the tale of a man known as Rudeus Greyrat and how he ... is forced to live in a new environment with completely unfamiliar customs, traditions and a never before seen power - magic. Contrary to most Isekai stories fans are familiar with, Rudeus’ flaws and regrets from his previous life carry over to his new body - flaws and regrets he often needs to reflect on. Throughout the series, the audience can see how he grows physically and also mentally. However, that does require patience. Changing is not a process that can happen right off the bat, instead requiring years of time and effort to accomplish. It’s an aspect of the show which is constantly being driven home.

The world around you and the people you meet will change as you grow. Nothing is static and will always move, forcing you to mature along with the world around you. It may be a painful experience. It might be sufferable. But truly living life to your fullest, not having any regrets and doing all you can so you can die without any is a task hard to accomplish.

The characters in this show have some of the most realistic depictions of human beings that I have ever seen. In a typical Isekai series, the MC and their party are often tropey characters, ones whose personalities can be described in a few adjectives, very one dimensional and uninteresting entities. But when it comes to writing compelling characters that resemble us humans, it is important to factor in the fact that mankind does make mistakes and that nobody is perfect. We are all flawed individuals that often make mistakes, act irrationally and hurt others. Most of us have plenty of good sides but also bad ones that we try to mitigate or get rid of. We have complex personalities, and these aspects are what defines us as human beings.

In Mushoku Tensei, the way in which audience is introduced to the characters is by showing them in the worst light possible, with their flaws on full display, to later make their growth visible as they change. Throughout the duration of the journey these characters have to face their vices and develop as people, slowly mitigating aspects of theirs that hurts those around them. The series teaches us that sometimes first impressions could even prevent us from seeing someone for who they really are - confusing it with who they appear to be. Willing to see past the flaws of someone and giving them a second chance is something that people should strive to achieve.

Often times changing yourself requires a lot of effort and many just give up without ever trying to get back up. Looking at yourself in the mirror and acknowledging your mistakes is an important part in life. To see the flaws within ourselves and understanding what parts of us hurts those around us is the first step in becoming a better person. However, simply having the conviction to change is not enough and it may often require help of other people that will extend a hand and direct you on a different path.

The animation and art is extremely well done, by some very talented animators that bring the series to life. It’s fluid, it’s natural and it heavily immerses you to the world, captivating you almost instantly. There is a lot of depth put into it, showcased by various elements such as the grip on a sword, balance on the sand, fire changing color depending on the heat, the list goes on. These are aspects highlight just how detailed this show is and is part of what makes it so compelling and grounded. To add to the immersion, Mushoku Tensei has many openings, changing depending on the region the characters are current in. Each of these songs perfectly sets the mood.

Overall, Mushoku Tensei is a story unlike any I’ve seen before despite, at its core, not doing anything groundbreaking. It has managed to execute the tropes flawlessly and has such wonderful character development and high production value that it stands out amongst many others from the same genre. I’m sure it’s one that’ll be remembered for years to come. This is only the beginning of the long tale of Rudeus Greyrat and I'm convinced that many wish to see more of it.

If there was a person next to you who struggles to change, who is suffering a lot, who is unable to read the room and may often hurt those around them - would you be willing to give them a second chance and help them on their journey?

Or would you abandon them on the spot, turning a blind eye and ignoring them?

That’s an answer that only you can find and I hope this show will open your eyes to it.

Bottom-Tier Tomozaki is the hidden gem of this season. Many dropped it at first while those who remained slowly began to notice how their view changed, just like the characters did. It’s a Romcom that isn’t revolutionary but introduces concepts that makes it interesting and engaging to follow.
It was certainly a show that exceeded my expectations.
It’s a true character growth driven story of becoming a better person.

On its surface it’s nothing mind-blowing and appears to be a standard Romcom about an unpopular guy who somehow meets the legend of the class and gets a harem that you've seen countless times yet this assumption is very ... misleading and Tomozaki, despite appearing as such, is not at all like that.
All the girls introduced are not meant to be part of his harem and the show has wrongly been labeled as such. They are characters that get development themselves, as well as aiding the development of our MC while not coming off as too cliche or tropey. They really feel like people that you could meet in real life.

While you may argue that the situation that our MC, the top player in Atafami finds himself in is very hard to relate to, you have to acknowledge the effort he puts in to change himself. I'd say that the beginning doesn’t seem promising at all but the more we level up the greater it becomes. Everyone deserves a second chance if given the opportunity, right? Then even he should be able to fight to change himself for the better and we, as the audience should understand where he is coming from and not mock his efforts. Such a view is very misleading, and could lead to incorrect assumptions. No matter what, the fact still remains that in order to achieve something, even winning a mere game, you have to put your entire heart and soul into it - something I find admirable.

It's a show that is neither a generic Romcom nor a harem. Its main appeal is the theme of self improvement through hard work and desire, something that would be praise worthy to many and becomes apparent in how our main hero grows as a character and as a human being.
Growth doesn't happen overnight.
It's a long process that requires a lot of time and soul put into it.
This is the message the show tries to convey and we can see how the behaviour and self esteem of Tomozaki evolves the more he levels up and the audience that learns from his mistakes and the quests given by our main girl, Hinami Aoi.

The quests that the main girl gives to MC may seem trivial but are actually helpful in the grand scheme of things. It's one of the main criticisms that the show has received - that it’s cringy, unrealistic and out of touch with reality which is clearly wrong. We should remember that Tomozaki is a loner that has troubles with social interaction therefore these trivial goals that she sets up for him are actually very meaningful despite being so small. The type of a goal doesn't matter, what truly matters is the effort you put in order to achieve said goal.

The animation of this show is very minimalistic with no dynamic movement. At times it serves as a means to move from point A to point B. The majority of the content delivered is through the dialogue of characters. It's decent. While it's certainly not top tier, it's no doubt bearable to watch.

There were few memorable OSTs that played during crucial scenes but often than not it was a sad piano to create the atmosphere or a very light hearted soundtrack to rekindle hope. Overall the music wasn't as memorable but not that bad. I'd like to point out that even the lyrics of a song matter in this show so keep an eye on that.
From a show that started with an interesting premise that at first became something to make fun of, Tomozaki changed for the better and so did the viewers who were watching his development unfold.

It's a series that while not revolutionizing the genre made something unique and intriguing enough to follow by showcasing real character growth that rarely ever happens these days.
If you wish to see a tale of a man who changed his life from the better, struggled but with effort and heart reached his goals, then I recommend watching "Bottom-Tier Tomozaki".