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As one delves deeper into the rabbit hole of animanga, we often forget the initial enjoyment we had, the willingness to try something fresh, the laughter that these works are supposed to bring us. We grow to criticize these works for being something they aren’t, rather than trying to find joy in what those pages hold.

I first was introduced to the “Asobi Asobase” anime through a youtube recommendation, a short and out of context clip which piqued my curiosity (indoor pool scene), leading me to watch the series, OVA, specials, and read the manga from the start to end. Thus, I believe that I ... am fairly adequate in my qualifications to speak my opinion in order to convince you the reader why “Asobi Asobase” is not just worth your time, but perhaps one of the greatest manga you will ever read—as such in my own case.

In order to perpetuate this argument, I will be exploring 5 main aspects of this manga.

Plot:
Asobi Asobase is a story centered around 3 girls as they navigate their second year of middle school, bound together by friendship in the “Pastimer Research Club” in which they actually play a variety of time passing games/activities. Rooted in the genre of comedy slice of life, the story has no solidified plot point which drives the characters necessarily. However, this doesn’t mean it is a meaningless read, far from it. Every chapter introduces a different game, whether it be Janken or Batsugames. Throughout these episodic club meetings, the girls grow closer and form a bond that while stays strong, faces comedic challenges throughout. Something important to understand is that Asobi Asobase is not entirely set in a real world setting, as the author poignantly introduces sci-fi and other mind-boggling elements throughout that really spices up the plot as well as bring a laughter to the reader. Although the focus of the story does shift towards other characters towards the end of the story, I would argue that the humor and enjoyment doesn’t change. All of the characters bring something unique to the table, and I think that this is what really allows Asobi Asobase to shine through as a true gem in the world of comedy manga.

Characters:
Speaking upon the topic of characters, it is shockingly well how fleshed out the characters are despite the fact that this manga is primarily a slice of life. Take the 3 main characters. Hanako, a shy but diligent girl at first glance, but is also the type to go batshit insane when with people she is familiar with. Olivia, thought to be a kind foreign exchange student, but in reality is just a happy go lucky girl that doesn’t think too much—though the part of her being kind is definitely true. Kasumi, a girl with glasses that’s bad at studying, but moreover perhaps the strangest of them all with her wild fantastical fetishes. They couldn’t be more different, yet opposites do attract, creating a beautiful symphonic relationship dynamic that could perhaps even make the people with an average rating of 3 on MAL crack a smile. Other than the main cast, the side characters really feel like they contribute to the process and aren’t just there as “npcs”. Each character feels like they have a real purpose to be on the pages, and I would argue some of them are sometimes even funnier than the main cast.

Art:
The art in this manga is exquisite. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t mean like Vagabond or Berserk level of detail, but the art is amazing in the sense that it perfectly conveys jokes while also being pleasing to the eye. You have to be soulless if you don’t at least laugh once at the many faces of Hanako, or the contrast between the cute and realistic art which creates an amusing juxtaposition. Honestly, with this level of art, I really seek to understand why this manga isn’t more popular.

Comparisons:
The humor in this manga is similar to the likes of Grand Blue and Gintama: gag humor, unafraid to make explicit jokes, not to mention the many cultural references that really drive a good laugh.

In conclusion, just trust me on this and read this manga. I promise you won’t regret it. Well, I mean, if you have enough time to read this review might as well no?

Everything aside,
Thanks for reading.

Exquisite! Transcendent! Magnificent! Sublime! Stupendous! Extraordinary! Unparalleled! Ineffable! Resplendent! Superlative! Prodigious! Enchanting! Majestic! Breathtaking! Captivating! Spellbinding! Sensational! Astounding! Unrivaled! Grandiose!
Are just some of the words that fail to fully describe the masterpiece that is Renai Flops: an anime that smacked me right in the face with its wild rollercoaster ride. It was as if I had incarnated into Chris Rock's body as Will Smith slapped him at the Oscars (sorry for using this dead joke, but you should get the idea). Oshi no Ko? Attack on Titan? Farmland Saga? Chainsaw Man? Bleach? All inferior; RENAI FLOPS is the true GOAT of modern anime.

Should you ... watch Renai Flops? Short answer, yes.

My first exposure to this anime was from Gigguk's Fall 2022 Nutshell video. Can't lie, I was deeply intrigued by what da dog was doin, but still restrained myself after seeing the considerably low MAL score it had received. From my biased point of few at the time, all anime under an average rating of 7 are simply mid. Sorely mistaken I was. I had only given this anime a try after watching Kamikatsu, that one anime you probably know for the "terrible" tractor CGI. Let me tell you this, Kamikatsu was miles superior to 99% of the stuff I have watched and read. Honestly, I believe these often overlooked and perhaps misunderstood anime with fresh concepts and bold humor to be wayyyyy better than widely accepted favorites like Spy x Family and Bocchi the Rock (no disrespect to those anime and fans of course, I'm just raising an example). Because I was exposed to certain amounts of spoilers, I walked into Renai Flops with caution, but it turned out to be completely useless as nothing could prepare me for this. Comedy? A lot, maybe even too much. I found myself laughing out loud and hardly controlling myself, something I haven't done for an anime perhaps except Grand Blue and Gintama, 10/10. Plot? A lot of plot, in more ways than one, 10/10. Characters? Very relatable. Everyone definitely has 5 beautiful "brides" pestering them, 10/10. I say this with sarcasm but the characters really are amazing. Saying too much will be spoiling, so I'll hold off on it. But, I have to yet again salute to Renai Flops, for it has moved me to tears, something that never happens to me with seasonal anime, and I can really only recall being this emotional for One Piece and Gintama.

Does Renai Flops have a sophisticated plotline with deeper meanings like AOT? No.
Does Renai Flops have peak animation like Demon Slayer? No.
Does Renai Flops have fleshed out characters like One Piece? No.

What Renai Flops has is change. If AOT, Demon Slayer, and One Piece are the sky, sea, and earth, then Renai Flops is the drill that will pierce the heavens (I couldn't resist the Gurren Lagann reference there, MB).

Just go watch it! If you have time to read all the way until the end of this review, surely you have more time to spare for Renai Flops? You won't regret it.

There's only one word that comes close to describing this masterpiece: Absolutely Sensational. Just the fact that I had to use 2 instead of the promised 1 should give you an idea of how, TRANSCENDENT, REVOLUTIONARY, PEAK, (among many other words) this anime truly is. If you are wondering whether this anime is good or not, here's the short answer - it depends. If like me, you're a person who isn't afraid to have a few laughs in fun and enjoy this golden dumpster fire, then this would undoubtedly be a 10/10. If you simply are coming in thinking that this will be a good ... Isekai like Slime or Overlord, then you will be disappointed. But if you were to take my advice, definitely go watch it. It is indefinitely the best anime of the season, if not year.

Plot: 10/10
In short, it's an isekai anime about some high school kid who died and got isekai'd. However, i have to applaud the author for his genius, as the way the MC was isekai'd is pretty original. You don't get to see someone isekai'd by drowning in the ocean with cheers from a much of religious oily muscular men everyday, after all. However, the story/plot of this anime is much, much, grander than that. First of all, I have to say that this anime is peak comedy; it isn't afraid to mock itself in ways that leaves the viewer rolling on the floor in laughter. However, if you remove the Ecchi, Comedy, and other "anime" elements from this show, what do you have? A story that explores the themes of governmental power abuse and how the oppressed rise with hope. The story even at some point alludes to dystopian novel/films about infertility such as "Children of Men" and "The Handmaid's Tale" (pardon me for inserting this horrendously exaggerative statement, but I'm just trying to convey how truly beautiful this work of art is). I really respect the author for presenting such a real topic in an entertaining way. Of course, if you are looking not for plot, but for "plot", there are many instances of that as well. Overall, this anime's story is such a fresh idea, something rare for the isekai genre as a whole.

Animation: 8/10
Look, the animation isn't amazing or anything. In fact, there are lots of CGI, but hear me out. Honestly, with the comedic tone of the anime, the CGI doesn't make the anime bad, but instead elevates the humor, in my opinion. For instance, if you were to look at the CGI in Chainsaw Man or AOT, it isn't bad at all, but definitely takes you out of immersion for a while. The studio did a really good job, transforming what I presume is a low budget anime, into a modern masterpiece that stands in the hall of fame with other masterpieces such as Code Geass and Steins;Gate. Sometimes, you just need to learn to enjoy what you have. You can tell that the staff are passionate and also having fun in the production while watching this. This score is not higher, because although I say all this, the animation obviously cannot compare with the anime this season with higher budgets, such as Oshi no Ko and Jigokuraku.

Music: ?/10
Honestly, I wasn't paying much attention. But I can tell you that it wasn't anything special in particular. Nothing too out of this world.

Characters: 8/10
The characters are not like: "OH! She/he just like me fr!" They aren't really relatable in the sense, but you can feel their personalities really well. When even the comedic relief character seems to have personality, you know it is good. I don't have much to say, the characters by themselves don't really stand out, although their designs are really good. The main factor that makes the characters likeable is the comedic relief they provide.

Overall, I gave this an anime an 10/10, because of how truly ingenious it is. But that's just me personally speaking. If you were to watch this anime rationally, I would say that the overall rating is probably accurate.

"Oh, this guy has an Ai pfp. Based." is what some of you may be thinking, and yes, you are right.

I don't do reviews, but I just can't stand still while watching "know it alls" trashing on one of my favorites. This review will include spoilers from the first episode of the anime.

First of all, I would like to address all those ridiculous scores of 2s and 3s. It's pretty obvious to even the blind that they merely attention seeking. Even if they claim the story to be shallow and the characters terrible, with its animation and music, it at least deserves a 5 ... or 6. Additionally, to those criticizing how "Oshi no Ko" is intended for the "Otaku/Weeb gaze", I ask of you. Are you not an otaku/weeb? The fact that you are watching hundreds of anime and have tons of time on hand to write massive paragraphs of review more than prove that point. Another claim, ""Oshi no Ko" is shallow and pretentious." Please keep in mind that anime is a medium of entertainment and not critical analysis. If you truly want to learn more about that stuff, I recommend actually going to experience it first hand or reading some scholarly reports. Now that I have addressed these issues, I will be finally entering the real review.

Story: 9/10
As a manga reader caught up to the latest chapter, I say that the story doesn't get better after episode 1. As an Ai fan though, this opinion of mine is pretty biased. However, there is no reason for the story not to get either a 9 or 10/10. In my humble opinion, the story does a good job of touching upon the issues of the entertainment industry. Now, it may not truly represent EVERYTHING, as Akasaka Aka is no god. However, as a reputable mangaka with a successful manga, I'd say that he just maybe has more knowledge than the average joe. Other than the contextual stuff, I believe the revenge plotline is also intriguing. Aqua's obsession with revenge and finding his father. There are multiple climaxes in the story, but at this moment in time, there is none in the story as big as the death of Ai in episode 1. The only real reason I would not give this a 10 instead is because of the reincarnation troph, kinda cliche ngl. Still, Akasaka Aka has many other factors that make "Oshi no Ko" truly shine, like a star in the night sky.

Characters: 10/10
Just ignoring everyone else for now, Ai alone makes this show a 10/10 imo. She is not a bad person at all, please. Her background of what was basically an orphan is a satisfactory explanation of why she isn't able to "love". I'm going to throw a big word out, "Alexithymia" (reminds me of a certain character in Lookism). Alexithymia is when a person has difficulty experiencing, identifying, and expressing emotions (NCBI). According to Spectrumnews, "Alexithymia is often associated with trauma and neglect from a young age". Now now, doesn't this perfectly match up with our Ai? Hey! How can you downplay mention illness like that? It's 2023! Cancel culture will delete your social life! Anyways, now, there is evidence of why Ai is unable to express emotions, more specifically, love. At first, she refused to be an idol, saying that she didn't want to because she wasn't able to love the fans. However, isn't she still trying her best? Even in death, our girl is still trying to love her fans! Heartless to say that she's a horrible person. Yes, she deceived her fans. Sometimes though, lies and kindness are but 2 sides of a coin. Yes, she has made a mistake as an idol by having children. But do you realize how strange that statement sounds? I wouldn't exactly say she's a terrible person because she chose to lie to her fans about her kids. In my opinion, she, as an orphan, should want and cherish a family even more so than normal people. Yes, I took this argument from Lookism's Hostel. Ai Hoshino was too good for the world, and thus she went to heaven earlier. RIP.

Music: 10/10
Yoasobi. The opening got almost 50M views on Youtube 2 weeks after its release, what else is there to say?

Animation: 10/10
Honestly? Never heard of this studio before. However, there is no doubt they pulled all the stops for this one. I think it remains faithful to the manga's art style, while maintaining quality. It's just good. It may be no Picaso, but I'd argue its animation is not inferior to ufotable or kyoto, even though the genres are different, the general degree of animation is definitely top tier.

In conclusion, I think I ranted too much. Well, I need my sleep so I rushed. Overall, 10/10. Nothing too deep to say about this one. It certainly is no Code Geass or Steins;Gate, but I believe it exceeds at what it aims to deliver.

This is my first review, so please bear with me.

Mushoku Tensei or Jobless Reincarnation is another common truck-kun isekai on the surface, but it is more than that. In this masterpiece known as Mushoku Tensei, the main character is an overweight NEET who was the victim of bullying. And as we know, one day he gets hit by a truck and reincarnates into another world. However, what we witness is not a typical overpowered main character, but a baby growing up. This "baby" trained to gain his abilities, not just some random voodoo and he gained super strength. As Rudeus grows up, we as ... readers get more attached to him, as if we are on a journey with him. We laugh when Rudeus gets sexy time, we cry when Rudeus grieves. This novel has the hidden message to people that anyone can achieve something as long as they try hard. At some point, Mushoku Tensei turns into something of a mix between Steins;Gate and magic. What really stands out is that in this novel, is that you can't hate any of the characters. Even the villains have my sympathy. Rudeus's journey in this world feels fresh, even though I have read and watched plenty of isekai anime and manga up to now, I can say that Mushoku Tensei is different. Also, I have a feeling that Mushoku Tensei is just a prequel to the main story, read in to find out why. My favorite part by far in this novel was the last chapter. Whenever I watch or read a really good anime or manga and it ends, I have a hollow feeling in my chest. This was the same with Mushoku Tensei. Because of the journey we saw Rudeus on and his growth, it just felt that this journey is over and you naturally feel sad. Even though it is a happy kind of ending, you will feel sad, since we will never see the characters again.