Back to Ryothatic's Profile Ryothatic's Profile

"Re-Kan!" is a fun little slice-of-life anime starring a young 16 year old girl named Hibiki with the ability to see and interact with spirits. Though the show tends to deal with heavy-handed topics such as death and grievance, the show's light-hearted, comedic feel prevents these issues from overshadowing the entire show.

The show's story is unarguably its weakest point, as there is no real plot per se. The entire show is episodic, with limited continuity between them aside from episodes 11-12. Our protagonist Hibiki Amami is a recent transfer student who is beginning her first year of high-school in a new city. On the ... way to school, she meets Narumi Inoue, another first year attending the same high-school as Hibiki. After a mishap on the crosswalk, the fated meeting between these two occurs and Narumi discovers that Hibiki has the ability to interact with the supernatural. From this point, the show deals with the day-to-day activities of Narumi and Hibiki, and their friends. Most episodes revolve around Hibiki, Narumi and their friends helping a spirit of some kind and generally having a cute, fun time while doing so. While the comedic tone of the anime is at the forefront, the show doesn't shy away from the more depressing sides of death, managing to have its own fair share of heart-warming and heart-rendering moments. If you're the least bit emotional, it wouldn't hurt to bring a pack of tissues to wipe your eyes while watching.

The characters are the anime's strongest points. While the characters do tend to be one-dimensional, only having one major defining character trait, this isn't necessarily a bad thing. The show tends to play itself off the character archetypes and a lot of the show's comedy is centred around how the characters act and interact with one another. Lovers of yuri and/or romance won't be amiss here either, with the show having much subtext for both. Through character interactions between Narumi and Hibiki, it becomes clear that these two harbor much more feelings than friendship for one another. The rest of the girls in the squad tend to ship the two together, teasing Narumi whenever Hibiki is involved. It's even directly implied that Hibiki has a crush on Narumi, with both girls becoming flustered when Esumi implies that Hibiki has fallen for Narumi because of the similarities between Narumi and Hibiki's father. The show seems to be self aware around it as well, stating several times that the two girls have "yuri" characteristics, and how a certain scene plays out at the end of the anime. The rest of the characters are great as well. We have the journalistic Kana, who regularly photographs the spirits and writes about them on her blog. There's also former gangster, Kyouko who was renowned for defending weaker students from bullies and our lovable yet dense Kenta, the only male in the group, however he's only present to serve as the girls' punching bag and pack-mule. Throughout the series, you'll be introduced to many ghosts and spirits, many of whom become regular characters in the supporting cast.

The show's art isn't revolutionary, however it is cutesy and light, complimenting the overall nature of the show. The sound is superb as well, perfectly matching any tone that a scene has. Without the show's OST, it's hard to imagine many scenes having the same emotional impact.

Overall, the show was a funny, light-hearted and cutesy time that I enjoyed. While it is regrettable that the show sold so poorly, I had a good time and would be willing to watch a new season if they were to ever return, which I hope they do. Re-Kan! isn't revolutionary or game-changing, that's a given, however it uses its tropes and cliches to deliver a well produced fun time, filled with laughs and tears throughout. Go out and give this show a shot, and I hope you have as good a time as me.

Papa Bless.

Similar to other anime adaptations of manga that has yet to be concluded, Sasameki Koto ends on a disappointingly limp note. With the manga ending in 2011 and the anime adaptation both airing and ending in 2009, its only natural for the show to end in such an unsatisfying fashion. The show overall isn't bad, but the ending leaves much to be desired with there being more questions than answers being presented at the show's conclusion.

Sasameki Koti is a romantic comedy focused around a group of girls that come together to form the "Girls Club", a club dedicated to "girl-lovers who had no choice ... but to enter a co-ed school". Sumika Murasame, our main protagonist, has fallen for her best friend, Ushio Kazama. Ushio, however, only falls in love with "cute girls" and Sumika goes unrequited in her love. The relationship between the two is not only used to comedic effect, but also as a set-up for the show's main conflict. Ushio as a character is extremely dense, with everybody but her being able to see that Sumika has eyes for her. Because of this, Sumika is often put into embarrassing situations where it initially seems that Ushio finally recognizes Sumika's love for her only for it to be a huge misunderstanding in the end. Over time however, it is implied that Ushio has also fallen for Sumika, yet the two remain oblivious to each other's feelings. From the beginning, you want to cheer for Sumika. All she wants is to be with the one she loves most, yet she is unable to manifest her feelings into words, leaving Ushio oblivious to how she really feels. The situations are made worse by Ushio's lack of understanding, often telling Sumika that she's "not her type" and "not cute". Even so, Sumika refuses to give up in her quest for love, and we as an audience are drawn to her resolve.

The romantic subplot in this show is set up beautifully, yet it is never capitalized on. Because the manga was yet concluded, the romantic subplot is never closed and ends on a cliffhanger. As such, it isn't hard to be disappointed at the terrible ending to the show. The finale was without a doubt the worst part of the show. Twenty minutes were wasted putting that together. The entire plot in that episode is based around such a simple issue, one that could be used to deliver a somewhat satisfying ending to the show. For whatever reason, all of the setup in the episode and by extension the whole show, is flushed down the drain at the episodes conclusion.

The art style is cute, perfectly complimenting the overall cheery nature of the show. The music is also good, and serves to accentuate the overall cutesy nature of the show. One thing I commend the show on is its social commentary. In many yuri shows, the relationships between two female characters are often used for comedic purposes or fanservice. Here, however, its used to tell a lovestory between two women. In the show, the social acceptability of gay relationships is often brought into question. In the show, two classmates confront Tomoe and Miyako, two of Sumika's classmates who are in a fairly open relationship. Though they seem innocuous about it at first, once Tomoe confirms it, the look on the girl's faces turns from surprise to something akin to disgust. The blunt nature of the question afterwards is fairly eye-opening. "Lesbians?! Seriously?!". What Tomoe says here is so important to not only the show, but also real life as well... "Does gender matter when love is concerned?" And the girl's response was "Yes". This interaction got to me. I myself am not gay, but I don't understand why there is such a stigma surrounding gay people. They're people, like you or me, yet they face countless challenges everyday because of how they feel... About something they cannot change. The strength in this show comes from the fact that it doesn't use its yuri elements for fan service or to pander to a specific audience. The story is simply about love, and how love affects us. The only disappointing aspects are the lack of character exploration of the other main characters besides Sumika and Ushio and the ending to the show. Though the show progresses in a predictable fashion, the ride there was fun... until the train fell off the tracks. The show had the perfect set-up, two girls that perfectly compliment each other, conflict between the two... YET IT DOESN'T CAPITALIZED ON AT ALL. Everything that you could have wanted from an anime romance was here, and yet there is nothing to show for it in the end.

Ulimately, I enjoyed watching the show and had fun the majority of the time I was watching it. However, I have a special disdain for endings to shows that provide no closure, no satisfaction and no conclusion to the romantic subplot. Though it is excusable on the fact that the manga wasn't done yet, the adaptation could have waited at least a few years to allow for the completion of the story arcs in order to provide an ending that didn't feel so unsatisfactory or disappointed. With that in mind, you should definitely watch the show as it is a fun, cute little romp and will have you catching the feels the whole time you're watching, only for them to be thrown out with the garbage at the show's limp ending.

Papa Bless.

I don't know what I expected from this show. I didn't expect it to be good. I didn't expect it to be bad. Because of this, I can say that I am pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed this show.

Inugami-san to Nekoyama-san is a series of anime shorts that are focused on the two titular characters, Yachiyo Inugami and Suzu Nekoyama. There isn't really much in the way of a story, rather each episode of the show is self contained, with very limited continuity between them. The main focus of the show are the interactions between Inugami and Nekoyama. Inugami, despite having a ... dog-like sirname, loves cats while Nekoyama, while having a cat-like surname, is fond of dogs. When the two meet, their dispositions match the animal of their sirnames, leading to Inugami and Nekoyama to become attracted to one another. There isn't really much in the way of romance here, as there really isn't' enough time to develop it. As such, the show uses yuri to a more comedic effect. Fan service also isn't amiss in this show, and if that's your thing then hey, even more reason to like this show.

As the show doesn't really have any continuity, nor is long enough to have a fleshed out story, it relies on its comedy and fan service to entice people into watching it. For me, I found the show to be funny, with its fan service complementing the overall absurd nature of the show. The show also lacks any tension or drama, so this is the perfect show to cleanse your palette or wash the salt away from a show you just watched.

The art style matches the overall nature of the show: Cutesy. The music of the show is also fairly good, but ultimately forgettable. Another disappointing aspect is its short length. I'm not really a fan of anime shorts, however its understandable as its adaptation was from a 4 panel manga that has only been released in 3 volumes.

Collectively, all of the parts of this show culminate to make an enjoyable, fun experience that will allow you to kill an hour or so. While disappointing in its length and story, it makes up for it in its comedy and interactions between the characters. The manga is stated to be still ongoing, and if for any reason they were to return to make a season 2, I would watch it and probably enjoy it immensely, as should you all.

Papa bless.

Candy Boy is a cutesy coming-of-age love story between two girls who also happen to be sisters. While seemingly odd in concept, I grew to like the show and the oddly charming nature of the relationship between the two main characters.

As stated above, the story is centered around two girls, Yukino and Kanade, who are sisters. Due to a misunderstanding, Kanade confesses her love for Yukino who reciprocates her feelings. While the show focuses on their relationship, ultimately a large part of the story is about the issue of growing up, which in turn causes separation from those you care about. Because the issue of ... growing up is such a relatable concept, its hard not to cheer for these girls. All these girls want is to be together forever, though sometimes wishing isn't enough. The story ends on a positive note though, with the ending implying that the two will get their wish. A refreshing aspect about this series is the romance between the two characters. With a genre such as yuri, it is easy to rely on fan-service and tried-but-true tropes but the relationship between Yukino and Kanade develops at a nice, organic pace. Yukino and Kanade's relationship isn't over sexualized either, with the two taking all 7 episodes to finally kiss. Their relationship could have been further fleshed out, however. One issue that is never explored is the social acceptability and stigma surrounding not only gay relationships but also incestuous ones. There also isn't any conflict between the two main characters, with their relationship being depicted as happy and perfect the majority of the time.

The art style is mostly good, however the characters can look weird during some scenes. The music is also terrific, bringing that warm, fuzzy feeling that you would expect to feel when watching a love story. Besides the story and character depth, the only other negative aspect of this show would be is short length. This show can be finished in a couple of hours, and it'll leave you wanting more. This show is enjoyable and those who want a cutesy, happy romance can't go wrong with this one.

Papa Bless.

The thing with 1 season anime adaptations of manga that are yet to be finished is that they often deliver unsatisfying endings. Aoi Hana is no exception. At the time of adaptation, the manga was yet to be concluded. Because of this, Aoi Hana's ending is heartbreakingly limp, with barely any closure or satisfaction. With that off my chest, lets actually review the show in question.

Aoi Hana is a roller-coaster of a love story. As such, the show never ceases to be boring or lose my interest. The most important thing in a romance to me is to make it believable, and this show ... explores the romance between its characters in a realistic and interesting way.

The story revolves around two girls, Fumi and Akira. From the start, it is made clear that Fumi is a lesbian and that she had fallen for her cousin. After finding out that her cousin is engaged to someone, she becomes heartbroken. From here, Fumi and Akira reconnect after Fumi moves back to her hometown. At first, it seems as though the story will play the "childhood friends" angle as a set-up for romance between Fumi and Akira. The story takes it in a completely different direction, however, where Akira mainly serves to give advice to Fumi and resolve conflicts between the characters. Did I say conflict? I sure did, because this story is one giant love polygon. Everyone is in love with everyone, and everyone is unrequited in their love. As such, it isn't made clear who will be getting together by the end. The story is told in such a way where the audience is encouraged to draw conclusions around how the story will play out, only to have those expectations thrown back into your face in the next episode. The series ends on a bittersweet note, with nobody really getting want they wanted but it was a happy ending nonetheless.

The art style is a bit different from the norm, however I like it. The music is also great, providing those "feels" when you need them. The characters are also varied and have depth to them.

I thoroughly enjoyed this show, with the characters being interesting and the love story between the characters being realistic and believable. Its strong point is that the story doesn't mince or sugarcoat the story. Though the story ends on a boring, unsatisfying note, the journey getting there was a fun ride.

Akuma no Riddle is a fun little time waster for those that are wanting something short and action filled to watch. While no masterpiece, Akuma no Riddle provides enough entertainment for you to keep watching, all with badass girls who do the badass things.

There really isn't much in the way of story here. Haru, a girl born into a clan, is being hunted by 12 other students, who each have their own reasons for wanting her dead. The characters themselves have no real depth to them, nor do they have any real growth. The only characters you could argue experience growth are Tokaku and Haru. ... This show really isn't deserving of its "Shoujo Ai" tag, either. If you were looking for Yuri, you probably want to search elsewhere.

The story is marginally episodic, with each episode focusing on one particular assassin. The series lends itself to predictability and you'll soon learn that the episodes pretty much go as follows: Assassin sends in their card, Haru is in danger, the girls do the fighting, Haru and Tokaku win while the assassin learns something about themselves and is expelled from the Class Black program. The romantic subplot in this anime is almost non-existent. It's obvious that Tokaku's reasons behind wanting to protect Haru stems from sexual attraction, yet the show never really explicitly says it outright, rather resorting to the more generic term of "wanting to protect someone precious to them". Imagine the romantic subplot as a jar on a high shelf. Now imagine reaching for it, where you can *almost* reach it but its just that bit too far. That's the romantic subplot in a nutshell. It's almost there, but its never explicitly referred to nor is it explored in any fashion.

The animation is good and the art style is aesthetically pleasing. Non-important characters such as b.g characters are portrayed as black and white, providing an interesting contrast from the main characters. The music is good, invoking the right emotions at the right times.

Akuma no Riddle definitely isn't for everyone, as shown by its relatively average score. However, I enjoyed it and had a fun time. If there was ever a reason to ever come back for a second season, which is unlikely, you can bet your buns that I'll be the first one there to be watching it.

I've seen good shows. I've seen bad shows. Never have I ever wanted to stop watching a show before until I watched this. I get it, people like this show. Heck, I even liked SAO. But this show is something else. I haven't seen the whole show, so I don't think it's entirely fair to give critique it at the moment, however I just need to get this off of my chest.

Firstly, let's discuss the characters. Haru, our main protagoinst, is meant to be someone we identify with and empathize. His entire design is based around garnering sympathy from the audience. He's even introduced ... in a way where I as a viewer looked at him and thought "Man, I feel sorry for this guy". This all goes out the window within the next 5 minutes. Haru, our main character, is not likeable at all. How am I supposed to get behind our main character when he is so fucking unlikeable. Sure he's treated poorly and I feel pity for him but how can any of the characters truly like such a toxic personality. "Oh, I get bullied everyday therefore I get to treat my friends poorly". He also complains about wanting to get away from the real world, claiming it to be a "living hell". HOW?! You have two good friends, both of which have been trying to help you for who knows how long, and you've been refusing. They offered to do something about it. "OH I GET BULLIED, LIFE IS A LIVING HELL. FUCK YOU CHIYUU AND TAKU". The whole pawn speech he gave to Kuroyukihime was the last straw for me. I don't care how people treat you. You don't make stupid assumptions and use that as justification to say terrible things to those close to youChiyuu and Taku aren't much in the way of characters but at least they're likeable. The most likeable character in the show, Kuroyukihime, falls for Haru, leaving me to ask the question "...Why?". I suppose it's because he's the main character, therefore he has to have all the girls wanting his D. He's not really nice to people. He's not handsome. He doesn't even have a nice personality. Like come on, fall in love with someone worthy PLEASE...

The animation isn't bad, however the fight scenes lack any real impact to me. Haru's artstyle is also somewhat jarring, being drawn in a "chibi" style while everyone else is designed more "shonen" style.

The enjoyment I'm experiencing right now is almost nil. I feel physically ill trying to continue to watch this show. However, before I make a fair complete judgement on this show I will continue to watch it. It may get better but from what I've watched so far, its not good. I can't get behind a show if the main character is just so unlikeable.