If you throw out any sense of logic and expectations for anything serious to happen within the plot, it's really just a fun show with great moments of comedy and heartfelt romance in-between. And it's not like there isn't any meaningful character developments and moments—which is a lot more than I was ever expecting from a show with a title like this.
Hakari and Karane are 100% the crux of this season / arc, so I imagine this is how a sense of unification can be maintained throughout the series (and the upcoming season!). Kudos to this creator and their daunting task of making 100
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Sep 6, 2024
Chainsaw Man
(Anime)
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Critical:
A completely unhinged take on the Shonen genre, showcasing excellent, intricate animation in its high-octane fights and the everyday movements of life. Compared to the manga, the adaptation takes its narrative at a slower pace, significantly giving the characters enough breathing room to showcase their off-kilter personalities and to simply “live”. Mixing hyper violent, sexual imagery with often serene, charming moments, Chainsaw Man is a show with a surprising amount of maturity and musicality despite the immature goals of its protagonist. Personal: I've read the manga, so I know it gets even wilder, but I personally think that if they managed 24 episodes the first time around, ... 
Sep 6, 2024
[Oshi no Ko]
(Anime)
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Critical:
Covering a wide variety of bizarre yet very real circumstances in the entertainment industry, Oshi no Ko is a crash course on the idol, internet, and creative talent culture—stripping away the illusions of blissful stardom and focusing on the darker interactions between entertainment and society. Although its dialogue-heavy scenes have a heavily moralistic tone to them, the show is wrapped under a very strong premise, presenting its characters with great psychological complexity and morally gray motivations. Though a majority of the season seems like a lull to what the first episode was offering, it stands that the show's intentions are clear and beautifully showcased, a ... 
Sep 6, 2024
Critical:
A slice-of-life focusing on the everyday life of four club members, with the twist of solving mysteries within their school and beyond. Though the first season engages with the interpersonal struggles associated with these mysteries—and presents them in visually playful ways—its unique, though slow and subtle, approach to scenarios begins to fatigue in its second season. If you happen to enjoy the first season for its main cast, then the second season should be worth your time; if you enjoy the first season for its handling of interpersonal mysteries, the second season stretches those dramatic highs too far in between. Personal: (spoiler warning from this point ... 
Sep 6, 2024
Ryuu to Sobakasu no Hime
(Anime)
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Critical:
A mix of 2D and 3D animation, a wonderful showcase of songs, and a modern approach to an old story—Belle is perhaps a more relevant film than Beauty and The Beast, especially in relation to internet culture and contemporary society. However, Belle juggles too many storylines and ideas that by the end, it can't stick the landing and find what exactly it wants to be. Some aspects are thinly resolved and mostly unexplored, resulting in an experience that will be pleasing to watch, but doesn't offer anything provocative beyond the source material's familiar themes. Personal: If anything, you can probably enjoy at least the music and soundtrack ... 
Sep 6, 2024
Critical:
A beautifully animated film that has a pretty engaging world with a lot of interesting concepts... though going in a somewhat odd and unfocused direction, with narrative beats getting lost of its own making and a few moments where character motivations are uncalled for. It's a coming-of-age story about change and it's an honest, intimate take on the whole romance plus world-ending crisis scenario. Give it a shot if you want a heartwarming, albeit sometimes confusing, film. Personal: The first thing that came to mind to me is that like Sonny Boy, it uses the fantasy world (though it bears saying it's more of a time-freeze ... 
Sep 6, 2024
Plastic Memories
(Anime)
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The show's decision to take a step back from the world's genuinely intriguing concepts in its latter half in favor for a(n albeit intimate) exploration of the two main character's relationship ultimately hurt the overall experience. The cast of characters offer nothing that any other romance comedy can offer (and probably do better). It'd be absurd to say, though, there weren't some very strong scenarios about departure. And plus, the character animations were honestly more expressive and inventive than I expected. I thought the show at least stuck its landing.
Will this appeal or offer anything new to someone incredibly acquainted (and perhaps tired) of the ... 
May 9, 2022
Cowboy Bebop
(Anime)
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Critical: A masterclass in animation, music, character personality, English dubbing, and style.
This is an overall consistent, timeless show with a few stragglers here and there, but plenty of fun (and serious) scenarios. Personal: Although the series is structured episodically, each scenario is so distinct from each other, offering a package of genres, atmospheres, and movie-like progressions. And yet, everything feels coherent: the main cast is witty, charming, and real (in part by the amazing English dub); the animation still stands as one of the best I've seen, especially with dynamic actions scenes from fists, guns, to spaceships; the jazz music hits hard and often feels ... |
