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Aug 27, 2022
Kieta Hatsukoi is what all modern shounen-ai should aim for. This throws all the usual BL tropes out the window and only leaves room for a genuinely amazing romance, that just happens to be BL. It has a hilariously creative set-up, a realistic and emotionally gripping story and seriously well-written and developed characters. This is easily my favourite shounen-ai of all time and I feel compelled to write a review lol.
STORY: 10
So the story begins with the protagonist Aoki, borrowing an eraser from his crush, Hashimoto, only to discover that she's written the name of another one of their classmates, Ida, on it. And of
...
course, he accidentally drops it and Ida picks it up and assumes that Aoki has a crush on him. With balls of steel, Aoki takes one for the team and decides to commit to it and confess to Ida to hide Hashimoto's feelings for him. And if you don't think this has been shenanigans enough - it only gets better from here. Small spoiler; the main couple gets together around 2/3 into the story so it covers a lot of their relationship, between being afraid of coming out to friends and family, to first kiss and their first time. But it's not this grandiose drama that fetishises their relationship - it's literally just two teenagers falling in love and it's fucking adorable. There is a perfect balance of shoujo tropes, with it being slow-paced but also not making the audience feel like hand-holding is a drop of water in the middle of a desert. Although it is a shoujo BL, Kieta Hatsukoi rejects all of the stale tropes associated with both genres, and it's so rare to find something this refreshing. I'm ngl, at one point I got very upset because I thought they were pulling an amnesia plot (which is actually the fucking WORST) but even then, IT WAS A BAIT N' SWITCH! The mangaka seriously dangled how shit it could've been in front of me before reminding me that there's no way they're that low.
ART: 10
The art is generally very cute and bright, but my favourite aspect by far is the facial expressions. Not only do they convey specific emotions seamlessly, it's also the reason why the comedy lands so well. Aoki's expressions in every situation just brings out the humour in a usually dramatic situation, and it hits just right. Moreover, it just feels relatable, like that's how an actual person would react to that, which is surprisingly uncommon in most manga. The character design is also gorgeous, general teenage archetypes but with individual flare to all of them that express a bit about their character.
CHARACTERS: 10
Not only are Aoki and Ida fantastically developed and interesting characters on their own, but their chemistry and genuine growing affection for one another is so well-written it's palpable. Also, Hashimoto and Aoki's best friend, Aida, are just as great; they each bring their own personality and comedy to the situation and are actually just great friends to Aoki. At one point, there's a misunderstanding between Aoki and Ida, and as soon as Aoki confides in Aida, he just says the exact right thing, no judgement, just seamless advice. I love all of these characters with my entire being.
ENJOYMENT: 1000
This is consistently engaging and I got extremely attached to the characters, probably more than I should have, so it's safe to say that I really, really enjoyed it.
OVERALL: Masterpiece
I love Kieta Hatsukoi. I will never stop thinking about Kieta Hatsukoi, and I literally could not recommend Kieta Hatsukoi enough to anyone reading this right now if you haven't already read it. Do yourself a favour, especially if you're looking for something fresh in either the BL or shoujo genres, because this is the absolute best of both worlds.
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
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Jan 17, 2022
I don't make a habit of watching shows longer than 100 episodes if they aren't worth it, and although Black Clover wasn't convincing from the get-go, I say without any regrets that it was worth it.
STORY: 9
Basic shounen premise of underdog wants to become the best, but y'know, it's about the ~ j o u r n e y ~ so I don't really care. I generally enjoyed most of the arcs building up to the first climax of lore in the show, and I really liked how the plot was built up to that point slowly, and then just escalated crazy fast, the stakes
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felt super high because of it. The reason this isn't a 10 is because of the "anime canon' 20-ish episodes that bring nothing to the table but apparently aren't categorised as filler, which is stupid. But after that dry spell it went back to being awesome again, so I can live with that. Anywho, my fav part of the show is the lore and world-building behind all of the arcs, I just think it's fantastically done and I absolutely loved it all.
ART: 10
After watched 170 episodes I can confidently say that I fell in love with this art style, especially towards the end it looked so stunning like wow. The character designs are also amazing, I think it's really cool that the mages that don't use their physicality in battle aren't buff like Asta is, I love that detail. The animation isn't 100% all the time but that's ok, because the big battles don't let me take my eyes off the screen. Once again towards the end the details in the animation were awesome, like Asta just holding his sword and staring towards the camera and just shaking with adrenaline really got me into the spirit of the fight.
SOUND: 10
I have a big thing for opening themes and WOW I can't stop listening to these. Like, all of them. My favourites are 3, 10 and 13, but they're all so good. They just capture the mood of the arc and lead directly back to the show fully hyped and ready to continue watching. The ost is a good standard, but I especially like how they use the first opening theme in the climax of the biggest battles, feels like going back to the roots and it's super invigorating.
CHARACTER: 8
So this is probably the worst aspect of Black Clover but that doesn't mean that the characterisation is weak overall, it's mostly just the side cast that are boring, recycled and waaay to gimmicky. However, the main characters who get more attention and development, such as Asta, Noelle and Yami, pretty make up for the generally lacking cast. Now, the Black Bulls (Asta's magic knights squad) are definitely pretty well written, I'd say especially Gauche, Finral and Vanessa, but it's beyond infuriating that after an arc that develops their characters they just either revert to their original stale gimmicks, or slightly alter the gimmick to one just as annoying. For example, Finral is obsessed with flirting with girls, but after he swears to be loyal to one woman, now he flirts with every girl he sees but feels immediately guilty.... wowwww that's so creative and totally not repetitive at alllll. Anyway, as I mentioned before, Asta, Noelle and Yami honestly are so good that they balance it all out for me. Asta is LOUD but resilient and kind-hearted. Typical, and the 'NEVER GIVING UP' thing is also very repetitive, but what I love is that it's not all talk. He does improve, and he works really really fucking hard and we see him doing it, and we see the results. It's a funny gimmick that his free time is spent just working out, and then there's a timeskip and he's RIPPED, because duh of course he is. He's endearing and hilarious and I love when he's on screen. (Just gonna take a quick moment to shit on his rival, Yuno, who's character is boring and overpowered and everything he has is served to him on a golden platter and the author seriously just does nothing with him smh) When it comes to Noelle, she's a pure tsundere, clearly in love with Asta and doesn't shut up about how she's royalty. Yet, her weakness stems from her insecurity that she can't control the immense power she has from being royalty, and that has ostracised her from her family. Noelle overcompensates her confidence because of how weak and alone she felt, and her development, not only power-wise, but personally with her siblings, was so extremely touching and she's an amazing character. But of course the best character of all time is captain Yami, the King, the Legend, my Favourite. No but seriously, not only does Yami have the best lines and comedic timing by far, but he's the awe-inspiring mentor for all of the Black Bulls, and you kinda don't evem realise it until they're in the peak of battle. Yami's relationship with his squad is heartwarming and beautiful and he's just such a dad to them all; I love it. Also he's the most badass character and it's awesome. Anyway, basically, the good characters outweigh the bad ones because they're so damn good.
ENJOYMENT: 10
I binged this in a week. Shit was fire, I loved it. I watched it in dub which I would 100% recommend to anyone wanting to watch it, because the english voice acting makes the comedy so much more funny, and also the voices are generally just good better fits in my opinion (especially Yami, like holy shit I can't watch the japanese version after hearing Christopher Sabat's voice on him, it's too perfect). The fights are really well done and the shenanigans are generally hilarious. And the comedic timing is just so on-point. It was such a blast lol
Overall: 9
This would be a 10 if the majority of the characters were less stale and if those 20 'anime canon' episodes didn't exist. But with all that considered, I had such a great time learning about the world and lore of Black Clover, and connecting with the characters, laughing at their jokes and feeling the pain of when a sword goes straight through one of the best side characters. I wish the stakes were a bit higher, but what's a shounen without some plot armour, right? Nah, but overall, this was a great show, go for it if you can make it past Asta's screaming in the first 10 episodes lol
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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Sep 26, 2021
Chainsaw Man is a modern masterpiece of storytelling.
Every chapter fosters more intrigue and greater character depth and development. This work has provided me with more entertainment than any other manga has ever before, and every time I remember it exists I reminisce in appreciation.
STORY: 10
The setup of this manga begins with young Denji inheriting his late fathers debt before finding a wounded chainsaw demon (devil) dog, Pochita. He helps the dog heal its' wounds, adopts the demon and works with it to do odd jobs and pay off the debt. The plot begins when Denji is killed by the yakuza and Pochita makes a deal
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to bring Denji back to life and be his heart, hence creating 'Chainsaw Man'. Then, the ominous authority of Makima gives Denji the chance to live a 'normal' life as a demon hunter. This setup is brought full circle with nuance, which is very much appreciated, and establishes Denji as someone who has extremely low standards for literally anything in life, likely with the exception of pets. Thus, as the story of Denji attempting to settle into a life of a somewhat 'normal' person develops, the audience is shown that he needs to learn every part of life that should've been taught by familial and societal guidance. But we'll get more into that later. The power system in this world is phenomenal and yet simple to understand; demons are as powerful as the words they're associated with and humans can harness the power of demons through a mutually benefitting deal. The story of Chainsaw man is one of the most smooth-flowing and unique I've ever read. Each arc flows seamlessly to the next, even beating Hunter x Hunter on that front. You can tell by the end that fujimoto had planned every aspect of this story from the get-go, and boy oh boy is it a ride. Never have I felt so fragile in what I believed was plot armor. Never have I felt so betrayed by an author for making me an emotional, blubbering mess. Just when you think things can't get worse, you remember that was what you thought last arc. And yet, after a LOT of thinking and pondering over this manga, I've realised that this wasn't just pain. Fujimoto mastered the absolute effect of bittersweetness to a T. In the deepest pits of agony, there is a glimmer of hope, of solace. This story ruined me, but it also made me appreciate the small happiness in something so sad. Of everything, that is what I applaud Fujimoto for the most.
***SPOILERS***
Also just want to appreciate the remarkable use of the recurring 'door' image as a place for loss and trauma for Denji. It appears as a warning from his only other experience of human loss (his father) to caution him to the next loss to come. When he sees that door, he feels grief, a loved one leaving him. And the overbearing ominous presence of a motionless door creates a tremendous amount of tension, because we know he's going to open it. And he does. And we all just wish he fucking didn't. But yeah, a bloody awesome plot device for loss. ;_;
***SPOILERS OVER***
ART: 10
Love, love, love this art style. It feels so fine and precise, and each character looks so detailed. The expressions are fantastic and the character designs, though sometimes a little similar in the beginning, stand out and convey each character's uniqueness. The use of space and pages is masterful when creating tension and portraying emotional scenes. Fujimoto uses the manga medium to his full advantage and it's truly spectacular.
CHARACTER: 10 10 10 HOLY SHIT 10
This is where this manga shines. Without a doubt. If you're unfamiliar with the cast, we have our protagonist, Denji, his boss Makima, his team leader and flatmate Aki and his fellow demon team member and other flatmate, Power (a blood demon). The varying dynamics and relationships between these characters (although mostly Denji) are just so amazing. Some are heartwarming, some heartbreaking and others, toxic. Now let me just tell you that this is one of the most badass and loveable trio team in shounen manga, deadass. Also all of the characters, villains or not, are fantastically developed and are easy to sympathise or empathise with. Let's talk about Denji. He's only 16 years old and had no guiding figure in his entire life, purely relying on a demon dog as his emotional support. This, uhh, clearly affected stunted growth in maturity and morality. He acknowledges a distinct lack of care for those who die early in the series, claiming a lack of empathy at the cost of having a literal demon heart. But that isn't the case. He's just emotionally shot. He most certainly understands the feeling of grief later, and I believe this is due to him uncovering the repressed trauma of his father's death on his psyche. But once again, this is a 16 year old kid. He doesn't know how to READ. But what strays from a typical messed up shounen is that this is acknowledged. Power doesn't understand human customs, Aki doesn't pay enough attention to notice, but Makima takes advantage of the fact that Denji doesn't even know what he's missed out on, and is currently missing out on; his youth. But love-interest Reze points out to him that life exists beyond the next meal and nap, and that he has the right to be living that life. And I fucking love that. This kid shouldn't have to fight demons for the rest of his life, but that is the reality that he's living. Next I'd like to discuss Denji's iconic relationship with Power. Perhaps some expected her to become a love-interest but (spoiler) yeah she doesn't. But there's something more their relationship then it not being romantic. They get along swimmingly due to their lack of interest in normal human customs, and their love of food and joking around. They play off each other and that's the comedic relief, with Aki being the straight man who keeps them in line.
*****HEAVY SPOILERS*****
So when Aki loses his arm and everyone but Denji and Makima face the trauma of living through hell, Denji is Powers' support pillar. My favourite chapter is the struggle of the aftermath of hell, which solidifies Denjis' and Powers' platonic, I would describe as soulmate, dynamic. The realisation from Denji that he, a horny 16 year old, is not even remotely attracted to a typically hot girl when bathing with her and sleeping naked together is kinda breathtaking. It's a chapter of slow-paced comfort that shows that despite both of them claiming that the don't care about each other, these two have the most important and heartwarming relationship in the story. This also carries over to Akis' dynamic with the both of them. After losing everyone he cares about over and over again, Aki realises how much they mean to him. To all three of them, this is the closest thing to family they will ever have. And at the peak of Akis' character arc, he makes the decision to sacrifice himself for the sake of those he loves; his final resolution that he never wants to be the griever again. And FUCK did that plot twist break my spirit. From one nuclear fallout to another, watching Denji eat his words as he and Power fall into a depressive episode after Akis' death was well and truly soul-wrenching. But nothing compares to the suppressed shock of Power's unexpected death immediately after. Denji could have saved them both, and he fucking knows it too, which is why he found it so easy to fall into a state of repression with Makima as his 'owner' to do his thinking for him. But, it's not like their deaths were meaningless. That is what brings solace to the audience despite the grief. We knew how much the grief was weighing on Aki, and not only did he die with the intention of protecting the only loved-ones he had left... but he was also set free of his life-long pain. His life was a constant state of sorrow, and it's comforting to know that he is no longer bound to that pain. And Power. Denji got to say his final goodbye to her as she gave him the metaphorical and literal strength to live on. It's so sweet in the way that they're relationship was one of trust and love to the very end, but also in the fact that they will meet again. Not as Denji and Power, but alas, he made the deal with the blood demon to meet again. And despite everything, just as their friendship did, that brings us solace. Fujimoto froffs the bittersweetness and I can't deny that it's a perfect balance of sorrow and hope.
*****SORRY THAT WAS VERY LONG SPOILERS OVER*****
But yeah, basically every character has a purpose, every character has a soul worthy of living, and has god-tier depth to them. They're all absolutely magnificent.
ENJOYMENT: 10
Once you start you can't stop. The train of entertainment just keeps on rolling. It's actually insane how engaging every part of the story is, like I honestly don't even know how Fujimoto managed it (it was the characters lol). The pacing was perfect and every plot got your emotions flowing in one way or another.
OVERALL: 10
Read this masterpiece. If not then watch the anime. This is a rare, unique beauty with masterful storytelling, gorgeous artwork, incredible characters and just a general blast to read. It's hilarious, gut-wrenching, heart-warming, and soul-crushing. But you'll love every second of it. Chainsaw Man is a stand out from the crowd and flips every trope on its head in this seinen parody of popular shounen manga, defying expectations at every twist and turn. Well and truly a masterpiece indeed.
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
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Jun 28, 2021
Wow. Having just finished the final episode of Fruits Basket I can confidently say that this is the greatest shoujo I've ever seen, and honestly, I don't believe anything else will come close. This is a masterpiece in every sense of the word. The romance is perfect, the characters are seamless and the storylines are so engaging and entertaining. I rated this a 10 from the beginning and I am ecstatic to find that my judgement wasn't proven wrong.
STORY: 10
Fruits Basket is the story of a cursed family that each have to live with the weight of sharing their identity with a zodiac animal, and
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a girl, Tohru, who's altruism brightens their lives. There are many storylines and arcs throughout the series and they all tie into the kindness and care that Tohru shows every character. Each new addition to the story enriches the viewers experience, as more character depth and lore is discovered with every new episode. At first, I found season 1 to drag a little since they were introducing so many characters in such such a small amount of time, so it felt a little episodic, but once the plot truly started at the end of season 1, it got really good really fast. There are aspects of the plot that are slowly uncovered with time, and some last-minute reveals, but in the end, Fruits Basket becomes a fully-cohesive and well-rounded combination of a sort of renaissance of these characters lives. They have lost so much of themselves to the expectations of who they were supposed to be, cursed or not, that by the end of the story, all of our beloved cast are ready to genuinely be free as themselves. It's truly moving.
ART: 10
It's gorgeous, especially compared to the art of the original anime and the manga. It perfectly reflects that sweet, shoujo vibe of the show with all the sparkles and teary moments. The character designs are all very aesthetic as well, with everyone bringing something new to the cast. The animation is generally good but then there are these ~moments~ and suddenly it's god-tier. Overall, just lovely on the eyes.
SOUND: 9
Honestly, although fitting for the show, I generally skipped the opening and ending theme songs, I didn't like them all that much. I absolutely loves the 3rd season's opening though, that was fantastic and I never skipped it once. Otherwise, the music is a little sappy at times but it fits the sappy tone of the scene so there's really no complaints on the background music. In a similar sense to the animation, there are certain scenes that the bgm enhance to a fantastic degree, so I would say the sound is quite well-done.
CHARACTERS: 10
This is where Fruits Basket truly shines. We have our main protagonist, Tohru, who starts living with the other primary characters, Kyo and Yuki, in the beginning of the show. All of the main cast are characterised and developed fantastically. Tohru is established from the start as the most naive and altruistic person on earth, but as the story continues, we see that Tohru is observant and dutiful, as well as selfish in her own way. Although selfishness is a trait that is generally seen as a flaw, for Tohru, it's liberating to be able to care for herself and what she desires. Seeing her declare what she wants and actively try to achieve it made me so proud of how far she's come. When it comes to Kyo's character, it's a lot more tragic. Emotionally abused and abandoned by his family for being the outsider of the zodiac curse (the cat), Kyo is desolate and shuns the world and the people around him, with the exception of his adopted father. When Tohru comes into his life, he makes friends and genuinely begins to enjoy his life. But what's oddly remarkable is how the creator doesn't act like years upon years of trauma can be fixed by making friends. Kyo got help from his relationships, especially with Tohru of course, but he is still damaged, and having him reject his own happiness because he feels he doesn't deserve it was extremely unexpected and emotional. But even more emotional is Kyo beginning to accept that he deserves the support that he's surrounded with. Now onto Yuki. Oh my god did I hate Yuki in season 1 lmao. He was clearly in a love triangle with Tohru and Kyo but he seemed so shallow and nice. Too nice. And he was pursuing Tohru as well, which I just despised them together, they had no chemistry. So when he started working on himself and making his own friends, realising that Tohru is more of a maternal figure than a romantic partner and making amends with the family that genuinely cares for him.... yeah honestly Yuki's my favourite character. To witness a bland, lifeless person like Yuki become so emotive and fight for what he wants: it hits different. I've already gone on too long about the main characters so I won't ramble on regarding the side-cast. They're fantastic. There are many that stand out (personally, Momiji + Yuki's friends) but each and every one, even Yuki's weird stalker, have their own personalities and stories. They're all people, no matter how small their role in the story, and it's fantastic. Getting attached to such a large cast is no small feat. The mangaka most certainly outdid herself.
ENJOYMENT: 10
Although a little sappy at times, this show stole my heart. I laughed, I cried, I screamed. Fruits Basket invokes it all. I've been on the edge of my seat every week to watch this and have had a rollercoaster of emotions every single time. This show is an absolute wonder to watch.
OVERALL: 10
Every character is phenomenal, every plot point has a purpose and the whole show ties together to create a masterpiece of classic shoujo in a modern anime form. Right now, this is the highest rated anime on MAL, and although it probably won't stay that way, it absolutely deserves that spot. If you're still on the fence at this point, just do yourself a favour and watch it. You won't regret it my friend.
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
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Apr 2, 2021
This show is a masterpiece in the making quite frankly, and anybody who has finished the first season should know that by now. I would describe this show as Hero Academia except better in every single way possible. It starts off interesting and engaging enough but it most certainly grows on you every episode, because it gets better every episode. It's seamless in its' story and character-building and only leaves you craving more, and I'm hoping I can hold out on reading the manga until the next instalment is released.
STORY: 9
Jujustu Kaisen is a classic shounen with a few amazing twists that keeps the audience
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on the edge of their seat, but it is still a shounen, so it goes in arcs but with an overarching villain and looming climax from the beginning. For the start of a new series that will likely take a long time to finish, this setting up of the story was phenomenal. There was an introduction to our main cast, an unexpected and tragic death to introduce the... pseudo-villain of the series?? (I honestly can't tell which of the two main villains will be more villainous by the climax of the story) And then a classic tournament arc that set up the rest of the cast and begin characterisation. To put it simply, it was just a job well-done. The world-building could be difficult to understand since they explain it so fast but it's still extremely intriguing regardless.
ART: 10
This is probably the most beautiful anime I have ever seen. It's gorgeous and glossy in most scenes then comical and simple during funny parts and so damn stylised and cool during fights with powers that are not within the human sphere, and therefore neither is their art-style. The character design is also one of my favourites, since every character feels like an individual person rather than the archetype they're supposed to fit. If not anything else, this show is absolutely stunning.
SOUND: 10
The music from the op and ed were two of my favourite 2020 theme songs, especially ALI's ending 'Lost in Paradise' which is legendary honestly. The second half of the season wasn't as good, theme-song wise but remained fantastic; it just wanted to achieve a more emotional performance than the first part. Throughout the show the soundtrack is perfect. You genuinely notice the bangers that play in the fight scenes that just make you so much more engaged. Overall, an outstanding addition to the show.
CHARACTER: 9
Characters are always so difficult to analyse, especially when there is this much depth to explore within the main three lol. I guess I'll oddly begin with the antagonist (my personal favourite) Sukuna. It's so interesting to have the antagonist by the protagonists' side from the very beginning with the irony of his ability to assist and save our main character, Itadori Yuji, at any time as well as take hold of the situation entirely and destroy all sides of the conflict. Sukuna is simultaneously someone who the audience relies on to save Yuji in a pinchm, but also the person that scares everyone the most. Off the top of my head, he's the most entertaining antagonist I've seen so far. Now on to our main gang. Yuji, Megumi and Nobara don't spend all that much time together until towards the end of the season, but honestly, that's all it takes to know that they have amazing chemistry as a team and as friends. Yuji and Nobara bicker endlessly and antagonize anyone they can and Megumi is the chill guy who sits behind them all chill. We see them all connect and bond with each other and it really hits. Like I really really care about these characters and their relationship. Yuji is a simple guy who doesn't want to be alone. When someone gets hurt because of him, it seriously affects him and we see that. He takes on responsibility for what Sukuna does, or what others do when he has to deal with the consequences. Seeing a usually comical and hilarious character take such a hard hit never fails to get me emotional. Along with that, the generally stone-faced Megumi losing his cool is just as good. Megumi is a very interesting character, and I find it difficult to put the development he goes through in writing since we haven't seen anywhere near his full arc. But all I can say right now is that every one of his fight scenes is better than the last and I can't wait to see more of him. Now Nobara, who is definitely the most interesting of the three. She's a pretty vain girl who's a bit of a delinquent when it comes to, well, literally anything. But not only is she hilarious in her antics, I also very much so enjoy her as a contrast to the usual feminine role of the woman in the main cast of a shounen. She's masculine despite caring about her appearance, and she embraces that. She appreciates who she is regardless of what expectations are put on her as a woman. And hot-take: feminism rarely works well in anime; they're kind shit at it. But Nobara is an awesome female character that embodies that none of the female cast give a damn about the fact that they're women and its cool. She's also just a super likeable character, very badass. The rest of the cast is also generally likeable. Gojo is hilarious, a good mentor, overly-badass and way too attractive for anime (wtf?). The rest of the school all have their own stories, some more interesting than other, but all very valid and do well for characterisation. ultimately, I need to see more of this to give characters a 10 but it is certainly looking to go that way.
ENJOYMENT: 10
I mean, what can I say? It was a hell of a ride. I loved every second of it and I can't wait for more. Every single aspect of this show was awesome and emotive and made me scream and laugh and cry more times than I can count. I even cried at the voice acting of a dying villain at one point, like damn did you have to sound that heartbroken? Basically, it's amazing.
OVERALL: 10
Genuinely one of my favourite anime thus far. I'm really excited for the continuation and I'll try my best not to read ahead in the meantime (gotta hold out for the god-tier animation - thank you MAPPA). If you're on the fence: please watch this show. It's worth every second. Just do it.
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
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Mar 22, 2021
I was immediately turned off of this show in the first minute when a 30 year-old reincarnated baby tried to fondle his mother's boobs as soon as he's born. But after a few recommendations I gave it another shot and honestly, nobody gives this show enough credit. The art and animation is breathtaking, not to mention the astounding character building. I'm hooked and can't wait for season 2.
STORY: 9
I'm giving this a 9 for the beginning of the story thus far. Though I think we haven't seen the start of the depth this story will go, the plot points throughout this first season are engaging
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and foreshadow for later events through lore and Rudeus' (protag) education. It's extremely interesting to discover more about this intriguing world through Rudy's perspective with him, and though this normally happens in every isekai, this anime somehow separates itself from the norm and keeps you actively interested in the world building. This is not your standard isekai, and it doesn't flaunt it; you just get to enjoy it. Anyway, as soon as I start to think one setting or plot point is getting a little bit dry it transitions seamlessly. I love the progression of the story thus far and I have faith that it'll only improve.
ART: 10
Absolutely gorgeous. From episode one the brightness and life of the rural scenery takes your breath away, and as the story continues we witness the different settings in their varying beauty. Moreover, the character design is stunning. I adore seeing Rudy grow from an infant to a young teen and I'm so excited to see how he grows in the future. The love interests are all unique character and design-wise, which I'll get into later, but regardless, every single character is gorgeously drawn. And the animation! Basically, it's amazing. Trust me on that. Visually, this anime is on another level.
SOUND: 8
Honestly, I never really pay that much attention to sound. But I do pay a lot of attention to intros, and this anime uses it's op in order to use the non-diegetic sound to further give the audience a deeper understanding of the environment rudy's currently in. This doesn't feel like a normal intro, it feels like world building with the setting-based music, and it's really creative. The bgm throughout the show, though I haven't heard anything that made me think about it outside of the scene, also enhances the experience depending on which situation Rudy's in. Overall, I have no complaints, it's just nice.
CHARACTER: 10
Yeah. Wow. This is where most people complain, but I'm here to put these complaints to rest. Yes, Rudy is initially very creepy. He's scummy; he really is. He's a 30-something year-old man practically grooming these (mostly) underage girls and doesn't condemn his father for being a scumbag to women either. But that's just it. Rudy is born a degenerate virgin who didn't actually live his past life at all, and when he's given another chance he takes it vigorously. But that doesn't mean that he is immediately fixed. He begins from his all-time low, and it's unrealistic to expect a person to instantly become better just because they want to. Expectations of Rudy's sexual activity are put on him from an extremely young age and it never stops as he grows up: these guiding male figures in his life encourage the gross and degenerate way that he thought of women in his past life. And he must come into his own as he grows, to view women as more than eventually sex objects to groom. And minor spoilers: he starts to. He doesn't take advantage of these young girls when he has every opportunity to. In this way, we see Rudy's sexuality as the symbol of his growth from his rebirth. His perversion is his primary flaw and as we witness his improvement of the control over this flaw, we simultaneously witness his growth as a human being. He isn't perfect, but he doesn't need to be. Along with his perversion, Rudy's closely-tied social trauma is another significant aspect of his character that the creator does not skim over. As soon as we think he 'gets over' his initial trauma of leaving his house, we are reminded that trauma does not simply leave; it cannot be 'fixed'. Before he is further developed in the second half of the season, Rudy's perversion demonizes him whilst his trauma contrastingly humanizes him. I would go onto how his character develops once he leaves the comfort of his home, but just take my word for it that it gets a lot better. Now moving on from Rudy is the love-interest cast. They are unexpectedly great. I really did not think I would love each member of a harem as much as I do. They each bring out something different in Rudy and their characters are so much more than 'mentor', 'childhood friend' and 'tsundere'. I look greatly look forward to seeing their characterisation and relationships with Rudy develop further next season. As for the side characters, they weirdly don't feel like NPCs? Every time someone new is introduced you expect to simply forget about them and lose interest, but no. Honestly, I don't understand how the director managed to get me this attached to this many characters in ELEVEN EPISODES. This is the best aspect of the series without a doubt.
ENJOYMENT: 10
What can I say? It is so well-paced and entertaining at every twist and turn. As soon as it starts to get dry, it just gets spicier. It keeps you guessing while leaving the perfect amount of foreshadowing to keep you in the loop. The dialogue is fun, the characters are so ~human~ and likeable, the dark scenes are tense and the bad times are bad. It's just so much fun.
OVERALL: 10
This show can easily make me cry, scream and laugh in one episode and I'm so so so excited to continue this journey with these characters next season. Don't listen to people who focus on the ecchi aspect of this show; it adds depth to Rudy and honestly, very unexpectedly, does not ruin or taint the experience in any way whatsoever. Please please please bless yourself and watch this show.
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
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Feb 7, 2021
I first watched OHSHC when I was much younger but have since rewatched it and oh my lord it still stands up.
STORY: 9/10
The anime's story isn't complete and I haven't read the manga so I don't actually know the full story arc; but alas I enjoyed the development of characters and relationships within this part of the story regardless. The gender bender aspect is ridiculously comical and makes the story so funny to think that most of the background character genuinely believe that Haruhi is a boy. But this is a character driven story so the real strength of the show lies in the depth
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of the cast, which is immaculate. Nevertheless, the generally episodic feel to the series makes the story feel a little choppy, but in the end it's just to feel more connected to the characters so it is quite engaging.
ART: 8/10
It's a little outdated but I really enjoy the over the top shoujo style, it adds a lot of comedy into the visual aspects, and drama when necessary.
SOUND: 10/10
The fancy and posh bgm is hilarious and soft in the right moments. The opening of course is iconic so full points there and the sound effects as well as the voice acting brings so much life into the show.
CHARACTER: 10/10
As a character driven show, the main cast of Haruhi and the boys were the centre of the audience's attention. Haruhi's tomboy-ish and deadpan nature are very likeable and endearing when a more feminine side of her is revealed, especially when it's in front of tamaki. Tamaki, and of course the twins, absolutely steals the show all the way throughout. He's practically obsessed with Haruhi without recognising that he's in love with her, and although he's over the top and eccentric, he genuinely cares for the host club and acts maturely and responsibly when he must. The twins are hilarious but 'The Twins Fight' is by far my favourite episode since it delves into their characters and care for each other and Haruhi. The third years seem simple and easy to please but they, along with Kyoya, also have troubles and pressures that transcend class and connect with Haruhi even though she cannot relate to their immense with and dissimilar lifestyles. Ultimately, Haruhi's relationship with these boys shape all of their character's to become more refined and selfess people.
ENJOYMENT: 10/10
It was frankly hilarious for the most part. In the Lobelia episode, the monkey/banana gimmick had me in tears. Otheriwse, the emotional and serious parts got me sincerely interested in the cast. It was compelling enough for me to watch it all without any hesitation. It was just extremely enjoyable.
OVERALL: 10/10
I love this show. It's iconic, it's one of the best shoujo's out there and I really hope they remake it soon and fully complete the story like Fruits Basket, so I can see the whole story in its' entirety. Please do yourself a favour and watch it.
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
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Feb 7, 2021
I would, without a doubt in my mind, name hunter x hunter the pinnacle of the adventure genre. It was a long but outstanding watch that I would re-experience in a heartbeat and recommend to anyone looking to go on a journey.
STORY: 10/10
Split into perfect length arcs and ending on a note that feels like the conclusion, even though the manga is still ongoing :(, this story is one of a kind. Beginning on a tiny island in the middle of nowhere, our enigmatic protagonist goes out of his comfort zone alone in order to explore the world and find his elusive father. Every arc
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gets darker, more interesting and delves deeper into the world building, story, politics and characters. The seamless connections between arcs is something I've never seen any other anime live up to and the escalation of power from arc to arc just gets you more excited for what's to come. The Chimera Ant Arc is either deemed the worst part of the serious, taking up about 60 of the episodes, or a masterpiece within a masterpiece. I would contend that by itself, it is indeed just a slowly paced and lengthy story, but as an aspect of the rest of the show is where the arc shines. The character arcs of Gon and Killua come to fantastic tensions within the arc, and watching their characters grow to fruition afterwards filled me with joy. And besides that, the overall plot of the arc introduced the audience to some of the large-scale politics within this world. It brings into perspective how big the world we're watching really is, which is something that I think hunter x hunter coined for adventure, personally. True adventure is feeling as though you will never stop discovering new parts of the world to explore, which hxh proves to us in ever arc with increasing creativity. I honestly feel like I can't encapsulate my thoughts on the story within one simple review, because there's just too much to talk about. The only way to really understand the experience is to watch it yourself.
Art: 10/10
It might not be my favourite art ever, but not only is the general style just so easy and pleasing on the eyes, certain scenes just grip you with the tension from the art on the screen, so it would be wrong of me to give it anything other than a 10.
SOUND: 10/10
I'm not really an expert of sound, it's definitely more of background noise than something I actively take notice towards, but I can certainly recognise some of the soundtrack outside of watching the show. In moments of tension and angst, it does a fantastic job of reflecting that on the audience through the sound, likewise in happy and lighthearted scenes too. Hisoka's theme is also quite memorable and always makes me cringe whenever I hear due to the association with the character, which I think is a job well done, especially since it encapsulates his chaotic nature so well. But my favourite aspect of the sound is the opening theme. I have never skipped 'depature' in 148 epsides of watching; not once. It never gets old. Also, the endings were very well done as well and I always made time to listen to the one in the Chimera Ant Arc.
CHARACTER: 10/10
I know that this part of the overall story is focused on Gon and Killua since the manga is now focused on Kurapika and Leorio more, but oh my lord. The character arcs of these two. There are out of this world. What began as a simple fun and pure friendship where these two adolescent boys cared for each other slowly transformed, throughout the series, into a brotherhood that each of them would kill to protect. But it isn't even as simple as that.
[SPOILERS]
It became clear in the beginning of chimera ant arc that Gon and Killua had different priorites, and it was heartbreaking to see Killua do everything in his power to keep Gon alive and safe while Gon was fighting relentlessly for the sake of revenge. It felt like the entire arc was Killua on 'Gon damage control', which came to a climax when Gon went insane with vengence and forced Killua to watch as he destroyed himself in front of him. And even after that Killua still sacrificed everything to get Gon back in one piece. All throughout the arc we never see this devotion reciprocated and although it hurts to see them part at the end, we know that Killua needed time to take care of himself after all the trauma he went through for his friend, and to be with someone who cares as much to him as they do about him. It was sad but it was necessary and I loved the way that Killua came into himself by the end. Even Gon going through the trauma of losing a friend because he left him and losing himself to that despair; he went from being an innocent kid who didn't want to hurt anyone, to someone who destroyed himself for revenge. And after all that, we see him come to terms with the fact that he can't save everyone even if he somehow succeeded this time.
[SPOILERS OVER SORRY JUST NEEDED TO SAY THAT]
Aside from those two perfect characters, Kurapika and, towards the end mostly, Leorio were also done quite well, especially the eeriness of Kurapika's unrelenting grief. The villians, I suppose Hisoka encapsulates them, are exquisite. Every villain feels like a human being and in every fight scene you are allowed to sympathise with them, and it's fantastic to be a part of. The side characters have unusual depth and although I'm not overly passionate about them, their death's have genuine impact. Overall, the characters are very well done.
ENJOYMENT: 10/10
I had an absolute rollercoaster of emotions throughout this and I can confidently say this was one of the most intriguing and entertaining series I've ever watched, without a doubt. The angst, the tension, the humour, the joy, the tears and laughter: hunter x hunter has it all and I am 100% here for it all.
OVERALL: 10/10
Just watch it. I know it's long but it's worth it. Anyone who rates this less than a 10 is just salty about the length. It's the epitome of adventure and the greatest world I've ever witnessed come to life. Please just watch it.
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
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Jan 31, 2021
I began this story extremely impressed from the first arc and continued my enjoyment through the intriguing world-building of the story that followed. But what started as a story with the potential on par with shingeki no kyojin, ended up being one of the most mild and forgettable manga I've read.
STORY: 3/10
This was by far the most disappointing part of the manga. The setting for this set the scene of the story so dramatically, with the tense mystery of what was beyond the walls of the orphanage, but that fizzled out so suddenly after about 100 chapters. The arcs may have been long but in
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reality there were only three arcs in the entire manga, with small stories in between to connect them. The pacing of the first 100 chapters was spectacular and, not to mention, so entertaining! Honestly it's hard to even say what went wrong, but I think it was just the way that the mangaka handled the plot. Instead of revealing the mysteries and plot twists of the story, every chapter is either a predictable 'surprise' or a detailed explanation of any plot-holes that have yet to be filled. It's dull and there's really nothing to it, and moreover, it doesn’t have any of that psychological goodness from the first arc to make it interesting. But what really makes it so boring is the stakes. In the beginning, the tension was so high; these kids were heading towards impending doom and they had a deadline before one of them was out of the game. And I really cared about the main trio, so of course the stakes were high, and that tension came to a shocking and gripping climax! But... after that everything kinda just got predictable. I knew nobody was gonna die so why should I care if they're in danger? I know that they're gonna win, so what do I care that they're currently struggling? There was absolutely no stakes that had me on the edge of my seat, and what's worse is that I could tell that the mangaka was actively trying for that very effect. Also, a real big pet peeve is when there is no more threat and everything is safe and the plot is over, then for no reason whatsoever, something dangerous and completely irrelevant pops up to kill someone just for shock value. No, it didn't make me cry; why would it when it was so tacky and unnecessary? All of these aspects of the story just took away from the experience, and beyond that, by the end, the plot felt a lot more simple than I would've expected from the first arc. Like, there really isn't that much to this world at all, and it was really disappointing, ngl. But the worst part? It's so mediocre that I can't really complain at the same time. It was my expectations that ruined this for me, honestly.
ART: 6/10
Eh. I don't mind it. The character design and angles make it feel awkward at times but overall it's ok, I can't say it's bad but it's not my favourite.
CHARACTER: 4/10
Yeah wow not very strong. The most well done character was Emma. My favourite character was Ray. The worst characters was anyone that wasn't the main, like, 10 people. Now, we can see Emma's character development throughout the story as she encounters people, friends and enemies, that teach her a sort of religious appreciation for nature and life, which I really enjoyed watching grow to fruition. On the other hand, Ray, who felt estranged from Emma and Norman from the beginning before he got significantly more interesting throughout the first arc, had nothing to offer by the second half of the series. I was extremely disappointed. He was just put by Emma's side like a side-kick without any opinions of his own - he just followed her wherever she went. I think what would've been an awesome plot device to fix this was to have made a really big twist centering around Ray in the climax of the story. But... he's still just as irrelevant then too. As the most interesting character with the most development potential from the beginning, on par with Phil (who also should have played a much bigger role for all the emphasis they put on him), Ray was an extreme disappointment that felt simply overlooked. Now my real beef. I did not care about 99% of these characters and the mangaka made it feel like I was supposed to be crying when any of them died. You are supposed to show me why I should care, not just tell me that I should. It's just such a waste because other stories, like hero academia for example, have large casts that the readers genuinely care for. But instead, the only character development we got was in Emma, the protagonist. It was really, really disappointing.
ENJOYMENT: 7/10
Although the entire final arc was dull and disappointing, the first 100 chapters were very thrilling and had so much potential. But all throughout this story, I still felt compelled to read more. It was certainly enjoyable, even if it got unbearable by the end.
OVERALL: 6/10
I just wish it ended with as much excitement and thrill as it started, but it didn't. The ending wasn't even that bad; it just felt undeserved, like we didn't really work to get to this point and it was just handed to us, like a participation award. I'm just so disappointed by the wasted potential for an amazing and profound story, that instead barely managed to string together some coherent themes.
I don't know if I would recommend this. If you read yakusoku no neverland, just don't expect something amazing.
Reviewer’s Rating: 6
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