The show is separated by two arcs. If I were rating just the first, it would have been a 9/10.
The first arc takes a few episodes to establish itself but once it does, it's a story full of intrigue and unexpected twists and turns.
The second arc however, just isn't as strong as the previous. All the unanswered questions and political drama in the first arc were mostly ignored. Though I can appreciate the world building, if there isn't going to be a season 2 then they should have just cut this arc completely.
As a whole, I still think this show is worthy of praise even
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Jan 14, 2025
Koukyuu no Karasu
(Anime)
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After The Apothecary Diaries, I wanted to watch more anime similar to it. The show's rating and lack of online interest made me skeptical but I gave it a shot nonetheless. I'm happy that I did.
Chinese palace dramas are essentially a genre onto themselves so if that doesn't sound appealing to you then this is an easy skip. For those who do, this anime still stands out for its supernatural twist. By the end, I actually found that the show was more xxxHolic than The Apothecary Diaries. There's a beautiful simplicity to the art but the animation is serviceable at best. I don't consider that a ... 
Jun 29, 2024
Kuzu no Honkai
(Anime)
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I can always respect an anime that's willing to explore themes of sex, love and relationships with a level of maturity. However, Scum's Wish misses the mark with its execution. Though there's a lot of emotional complexity that you can sink your teeth into, the characters are ultimately let down by the show's heavy use of melodramatic inner monologues. I appreciate the show's portrayal of love- that it's often lustful, confusing and painful- that we're often weak and vulnerable when we've fallen into it. However, Scum's Wish doesn't offer enough insight or profundities to justify 12 episodes of horny, miserable people being horny and miserable.
Jul 15, 2023
Grisaia no Rakuen
(Anime)
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I liked the Fruit of Grisaia. It was a harem anime with an interesting protagonist.
However, I had a lot of problems with this one. I couldn't accept the show's insensitivity to things such as grooming and molestation. The main character- as a minor- gets molested by his guardian and this is never painted as a negative thing. It was morally repugnant. Even if you could ignore all that, the show is paced poorly and the strengths of the first season- the main character's relationship dynamic with the five girls- was absent. Problematic and a dip in writing quality killed my interest in this series. |
