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Dec 30, 2022
A nice spin on the "high school girls doing things after school" genre, the best way to tackle the theme of social anxiety in a light way and some great artistic choices, may make this anime of the season for many people.
The plot is very simple (it is a slice of life after all) but it achieves what it sets out to do beautifully: a terribly introvert girl has a hobby that’s usually for extrovert people, so she has to fight against her social anxiety to finally share her passion with someone else.
How it’s told, though, is beautiful, showing a slow and steady growth for
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the main character, sure, but also showing a lot of failure and huge setbacks, some of which can’t even be overcome, yet this allows the characters to have a happy ending that’s different from what they imagined, but that’s good nonetheless.
The characters are what makes you love this anime, as they walk the thin line between overused stereotype and great writing, two of them especially: Hitori (better known as Bocchi) and Kita.
Kita seems like the usual “so cool she actually shines” type, and she kinda is, but the show makes her great by giving her flaws (the fact she ghosted her band little before a show, the fact she can’t really play as she told everyone, the mundane reason she has for joining the band in the first place), and by making her assume that everyone is just as good as hera t everything, which leads to shenanigans along the way.
For Bocchi, she may look like the typical shut-in introvert (and she is at first), but the fact that she actually wants change and fights herself to achieve it makes every setback very realistic and relatable. When she fails it’s not for lack of trying, the way she reacts to situations she is stuck in is always the best someone very creative could do if they were in her situation (leading to modern classics like the mango box).
We also see that Bocchi does indeed change along the way, but not really, and this is what makes her great: she overcomes her fears, not by not being afraid anymore, but by coping with them and being inventive when problems that only she can solve arise (what happens at the beginning of the final episode for example).
In one word, she is relatable, especially to everyone who suffers, or has suffered, from her same issues.
The art style and artistic choices in general are great, especially for representing Bocchi’s feelings: when she is drowning in her misery the style usually completely changes, which is not only hilarious for the viewer, but it also opens up chances to break the fourth wall, as usually the other character acknowledge what’s happening (“Bocchi exploded!”).
Also, these moments usually reference other much more famous anime, by replicating some scenes almost exactly at the most unexpected times.
I don’t need to talk much about sound, it’s great (what did you expect from a music anime?) not only during performances, but also the opening and endings and the soundtrack in general.
To wrap this up, this is an interesting watch for many people: anyone who played an instrument in their teenage years, introverts, slice of life lovers, music anime lovers, people who enjoy a different art style every once in a while, and among more action focused options and other animes in the same genre which I think slightly missed the mark, Bocchi The Rock is probably your best bet if you’re looking for something laid back and fun this season!
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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Dec 14, 2021
How can cats be so terrifying?
Because Junji Ito!
The Master of Horror made a manga about super cute creatures, so he had to make them evil and scary.
There is not much of a story, the whole thing is a slice of life, about Ito moving in with his wife Ako and her cats, Muu and Yon, whose name can be read like “Death” and who has a skull shaped spot. That’s enough for Ito to decide that the cat is not only evil and malevolent, but also out to get him! So it begins a story of horror and tension between the Master of Horror
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himself and the two cute (actually all but cute, in his art) felines, which hasn’t got that many interesting plot points, even though the premise is fine, the story is nothing special, 5/10.
Speaking of art, though, it’s a very different matter, and I’m surely not the one who has discovered that Ito’s unique style is great, even though, for how much I could ever love it, there’s no denying that drawing cute things made scary with it, lets it down a little bit. The cats lose a lot (if not all) their cuteness and become really unsettling at times, but some other times they are not really scary enough to sell the scene well (Mu in particolar, who looks really fluffy). Nevertheless, the art style does miracle on the cats, and also on Ako, who is drawn with blank white eyes and is REALLY creepy, almost everytime she is present. Even though is does a great job at it, monsters and body horror, certainly suit it best, 9/10.
Human characters are fine, nothing spectacular, nothing terrible, they are stereotypes of Ito and Ako’s personality, but the great characterization of the cats bumps it from total mediocrity: they truly are the main characters of the story and it feels like it, they are perfectly normal cats who happen to be evil and inconspicuous (just like normal cats) and never feel fake, it’s just very evident that they are a bit exaggerated by Ito’s iagination (both at the time and when writing), 7/10.
In the end, I found it really enjoyable, even though it isn’t Ito’s regular work, it’s light hearted and funny, and the horror is twisted in an unusual (but often very nice) comedic way, without letting you forget how Ito earned his nickname. The book is also very short, both in chapter length and in chapter amount, so it’s very light and relaxing to read (if only it wasn’t 12€ for only 120 pages…).
The little inserts in between chapters (little Q&A that was published along with the chapters in the original release, with some very funny scenes and facts) also add to the score.
Keeping the price out of the equation, it’s very enjoyable, 8/10.
Overall, a deserved 7/10, it’s not incredible, but it’s something different that any Junji Ito fan should read and could enjoy
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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Jan 20, 2021
Never heard of this anime? Neither had I, I found it on a list, saw it was short (all the episodes are about 10 minutes long), and wanted to watch something chill, so I told myself "Why not?".
I love romantic comedies, and watched a fair bit of them in most media forms, but this anime hit me like a breath of fresh air: this is not a typical High-school rom-com.
Before talking about the categories, it is important to talk about the structure: the episodes are composed of multiple 1-2 minutes long segments, each one tells the story of one of the couples, not all couples
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appear in every episodes, and not all of them have the same screen time, that's for the best though, because every story is different in length and complexity.
First off, let's get the techincal aspects away: the art style is good, even though it isn't outstanding, it's not a bad thing though, 7/10.
The japanese dub is very nicely done and, unlike in some other cases, it really is an added value to the experience. The opening theme is very good, but the ending, while it's a good song is a bit too sad, and it often clashes with the mood of the episodes, most of which are reasonably light hearted, still deserving of an 8/10 though.
The characters are probably the weakest link of the whole anime, and while the short, bite-sized episodes are refreshing and easy to watch, they make developing original and deep characters almost impossible: most of them end up being stereotypical and predictable, so if you have watched many rom-coms the surprises are very few and far between, at least up until the second part of the series, but again, it's probably for the best, given that there are loads of main characters, and all of them are important, so you have a really short time to learn about them, so you may have a hard time remembering all the names, I don't think deep and complex personalities would've made it any easier, 6/10.
Now for the story, oh boy, all the arcs start out with different rom-com tropes, but they then develop in some very original ways, even though some succeed in this more than others, what's very interesting is that many of the arcs start off as very separate compartments, but they slowly intersect and interact with eachother, so that more than one story can develop in a single section (for exeample, two characters that notice what the two main characters of one section do, they usually remember it and act accordingly during their section).
Most of the arcs converge in the ending episode where we get kind of a closure, but we also kind of don't, as we should with a series like this, as the ending of the series is the beginning of the rest of the characters' life.
Deus Ex Machinas are plenty, but they're not bad or absurd, for instance, it's not an impossible coincidence to drop your phone in the water if you're using it while bathing: is it a plot device? Yes. Is it unbearable when it happens? No, because it could happen to anyone!
That being said, I still have to talk about the best part of the series: the depiction of the crush-phase of falling, especially for young people, often at their very first sentimental experience, with numerous shades of awkwardness, and many different kinds of people they have to and want to interact with.
The only let down is, once again, the length of the episodes, that makes it hard to really flesh out the plot, but still very good, 8/10.
Last but not least, the enjoyment, which is great: most of the segments end right before a big plot event, so you're craving to know what comes next, and mabye you don't get to see these people again for a couple episodes, this happens art least two or three times per episode, and given that they're very short you could easily end up binging the whole thing in a couple of hours, which I did. Moreover, all the arcs are interesting, fresh and varied, 9/10
Overall this is a great chill and mostly feel-good anime, that is great for a short break through longer or heavier anime, manga or series, even though it's shortness is also the only thing holding it back from actual greatness, 8/10
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Jan 20, 2021
It hurts to write this review, as, while selecting the votes I'm constantly like "No, you can't score those that low!", and then I remember why what could have been one of my favourite animes, now fills me with anger just thinking about it.
I think Toradora! is the biggest self destruction I've ever seen an anime do, and while it's not bad, what could have been a 9/10 anime has a terrible ending, which, to be fair, is just an episode, but it's the most important one, and it manages to destroy so much of what the previous ones created.
Art and Sound: They're both good,
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but not overly so, I've watched the italian dub and I was very pleased with the job that the team did. The first opening is good, but has a terrible metallic filter all over the vocals that makes it really hard to listen to it, the second opening is solid though; the first ending is very good and is the right mood for almost every episode it is in, the second ending is probably the best track, but it's almost impossible to find it online, and I could only find covers to listen to legally. Overall solid but not extraordinaire, 7/10.
Story and Character: There are two VERY distinct parts of this anime, as I mentioned earlier: episodes 1-24 and episode 25.
Episodes 1-24 are great, they establish great characters, not terribly original, but they are very good at this tried and tested blueprint: everyone is very recognizable and deep, the social connections between the characters are sensible, strong (so strong in fact thaat at a certain point we get a love HEXAGON, and it works, because it's so tightly knit, a real treat for people who love gossip!) and always play a role in how they act, so even actions that may seem inconsiderate on paper, actually work really well, and stuff that seems strange at first is always explained in way that doesn't make you facepalm.
The plot, while starting out as a very normal high school rom-com is very engaging, thanks to the characters holding it together at first, and then it ramps up the intensity real fast after the halfway point, very few thing are casual, and character actions are never inconsequential, even the strangest stuff is explained and makes sense in the context that the series builds up; episode 24 is the pinnacle of the series, it could've been a perfect ending, filled with drama and desperate choices that make sense for the characters, it shows the trouble that comes with growing up and coming out of one's comfort zone, but that in the end you can beat your fears, and that often, a happy ending can be different from the one you expected, at this point the anime is a 9/10.
Episode 25 singlehandedly destroys everything that was have established about the characters: they try showing someone learnt something, but they show them doing the exact opposite of what they should have learned, almost everyone goes out of character in this absurd attempt at an unnecessary wrap; also, never mind actions and reactions being totally out of character, sometimes they are against every logic, and the characters don't even act like they're human!
As for the plot, it particulairly stings that episode 25 comes after episode 24, so you remember very well what can be done with this story, and you see it get completely thrashed, because what happens is so absurd and unexplable, it just looks like putting in a plot-twist just for the sake of having one, even though not all endings need one! An ending CAN be open and sartisfying. How you ask? Just look at episode 24!!! Closure doesn't need to be the final period in the story, it can be one that goes into a story that isn't the one we're telling, and that's fine, because trying to give final closure to a high school drama, never ends well! Life goes on for a long time after high school, and if you're not going to tell the whole story, it is best to leave things open! This obviously doens't ALWAYS work, but in cases like this, where at thend the real story is merely beginning, you should either make a part 2 or stop. Oh, did I mention that there is an after credits scene that tries to solve the problems in the episode and be cute while it does it, but it only makes things worse? 'Cause that happens too.
The final episode is among the worst endings I've ever seen, it deserves a 2/10, it destroys many of the things that it built up, but the work put into the characters and story is still good, it just shoots itself in the foot and actively avoids being great, a very painful 7/10.
As for enjoyment, I was having a very good time throughout the whole series, I would've thought about giving it a 10/10, if it wasn't for the dreaded final episode: it has a great mix of relatable stuff, that makes you bond with the chatacters, and more absurd stuff that keeps you engaged with the plot, again the end filled me with a sort of primordial rage, but I had an overall good time while watching the whole thing, knocking off two marks seems appropriate, 8/10.
In the end, Toradora! is a great anime that tries its best to not be, and it sadly manages to do it pretty well, to have a better experience, I would suggest to avoid watching the final episode, as episode 24 is a great ending by itself, it hurts, but overall it's a 7/10.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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Nov 23, 2020
I didn't give this anime a 1 just because I love the art style so much, which makes me even madder that it is associated with such a disgusting piece of media, and I'm not saying it because of the gore, which is nothing to write home about.
The story is so bad, but it deserves a point more than rock bottom for not being completely unoriginal, I guess that they try to have plot-twists some times, but they are all so predictable and lazy, it also doesn't have an ending but I reckon that's for the better.
The characters are appaling and paper thin, but I
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guess you can't really do much more in less than 40 minutes, human reactions are all wrong, if I saw all the episodes stitched together were marketed as a hentai that would've made more sense, as every torture and vore scene has an ill kinky undertone, but only when it's between sibilings (and that is NOT a matter of my mind being twisted, the characters say it!).
The themes are trash, but at least they take up a quarter of the four minute episode runtime, so I'm cool with them existing, even though they just exist to be skipped.
In short I think this was just an excuse for some weird* people to jerk off on a site that wasn't blocked by parental control and I feel bad and kinda guilty for having watched it.
*that's not even for the vore or anything, just for the pedophilia, since the characters look VERY underaged
Reviewer’s Rating: 2
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