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Mar 28, 2025
It's just as the guild receptionist Alina says, "workholics are scary".
Watching I May Be a Guild Receptionist, but I'll Solo Any Boss to Clock Out is essentially watching the life of a guild receptionist girl leading a double life. Meet Alina Clover, who became a guild receptionist with the assumption that the job would be easy, until she realizes the hidden rules. Yes, she dreads working overtime. And yes, she just wants to live an easy life. That's not happening when there's monsters roaming around, quests to authoritize, and to make matters worse, someone also finds out about her secret as the "Executioner".
Having
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a double life in a fantasy world isn't an entirely refreshing idea, but it adds many layers to the story. For Alina, she does her best to keep her alias a secret from others until the Silver Guild leader Jade discover it. To make problems more complicated for her, Jade had a growing interest in Alina and even develops affections for her. Obviously, this anime wasn't build to be a romance story but their relationship is among the most important in the series. Realistically, Alina just tries her best to live a carefree life despite the daily obstacles. It's a recurring gag when she breaks her usual character after being caught off guard, most noticably when dealing with overtime work and Jade himself.
The relationship dynamics between Alina and Jade also starts off rocky. It comes off as a one-sided hate directed by Alina towards Jade. Threatening to kill him, she barely manages to hold back while closely guards her secret. While this is somewhat played out comically, Alina truly does want to live a carefree life and if her real identity is discovered, it would cause immense problems for her. On the other hand, Jade develops feelings towards Alina and always urges her to join the Silver Guild. Despite drawing glances from the female population, the only eyes he has set on is Alina. Their relationship does slowly develop more as Alina drops her guard more often in later episodes. However, I suggest holding your horses because this really isn't built as a romance tale.
Alina's relationship with others in the show is respectable at best. She maintains an elegant lady image to hide her identity and always act polite in public. An exception is Laila, a fellow receptionist who has grown to her as a friend over time and one of the few she trusts in the show. It's an underrated relationship that shows the softer and more human side of Alina when they're together. Under her Executioner identity, she fights with aggression and takes on a brutal approach at dealing with monsters. Because of her unique skills and experience, she usually curb stomp her opponent with devastating results. Not every battle plays out in such ways but Alina does stand out as one of the most powerful characters in their world. It's through those battles that earned her a reputation after all.
What truly holds this anime together is the charming cast of characters. The story feels loose at times that bounces between slice-of-life type episodes and the action. However, Alina is written as a relatable protagonist. She represents how an individual wants to avoid work. Obviously, this is exaggerated to the extreme in this story but the anime gets the idea across. Jade himself is also presented as a mature young man despite breaking character when around Alina. He's tolerable and has charisma as a leader of his guild. Even Lululee gets her short yet meaningful character arc that amplifies her importance in the story. At the end of the day, its cast truly holds this show together.
Despite being set in the fantasy setting, it feels like the world is not as vibrant as I had hoped to see. The guilds and towns look old fashioned and lack uniqueness compared to most isekai adaptations these days. The unique idea of the 'relics' seems only fascinating on the surface but loses it appeal when we learn more about them. However, there's a case for this show to showoff what Alina can do when she wields that oversized hammer relic. The battle sequences in this show are fast, fluid, and very smooth to showcase Alina's talents. She turns into a completely different character compared to her receptionist self. It's a recipe for success when protraying a character leading a double life.
It's as the title says. Alina solo monsters and bosses so she can clock out on time. She hates overwork and sees workaholic as scary. It's relatable to any of us who dreads overwork in the real world. And that's what makes this anime worth watching with our eyeballs.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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Mar 25, 2025
You know, anime has been long enough in Japan that the presence of shrine maidens is considered a common norm. Maybe they're not always prominently featured in Japanese anime and not all of them are created equal. Yet, we should tell ourselves that shrine maidens represents a sense of pride in the anime industry. The Amagami Sisters in this anime proves just that.
Based on the manga of the same name, the 24-episode adaptation follows a young man named Uryu Kamihate as he follows his dream to become a doctor. Easier said than done, his journey takes him to the Shinto shrine where in this timeline,
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he meets the Amagami sisters composed of Yae, Yuna, and Asahi. The first episodes tries to establish a boundary between him and the sisters. Let's say, he gave a rather rocky impression and is misunderstood by the sisters. But something else emerges within the plot when we are introduced to its supernatural elements, including dreams where Uryu is destined to be with someone.
We have a fair share of rom-coms already this year and this show has an additional context involving the supernatural. The cryptic dream sequences that pops up every now and then brings curiousity. Yet, we don't know truly know who Uryu will be linked to in those dreams. We might think it's one of the Amagami sisters but it's more complex than that. Before their relationship deepens, we have need to understand these characters beyond the surface level. Uyru for instance focuses on more realistic goals in life and initially dismisses the idea of supernatural. This changes as more and more unnatural events unfold in the show but to put it simply, he takes on life with a practical approach.
With the amount of character focus, the Amagami sisters are the central focus each distinct with their personalities. The elder sister Yae, middle sister Yuna, and youngest Asahi makes a balanced trio. As a rom-com, Uryu gets the chance to understand and bond with each of them. It's not complex writing but still important to get the picture clear about these bonds. After all, Uryu's character personality does undergo changes over time the more he spends at Shinto Shrine. His character change doesn't happen over night but there's obvious influence from the sisters. While his goals remains the same in life, he also grows to appreciate the sisters that in later episodes, he boldly proclaims it in public. It's a character growth that is synonymous to rom-com relationships. While this anime's romance feels forced at times, it stays honest to itself. The sisters may sometimes deny it themselves (most noticably Yuna), but the more he spends with them, the more obvious it becomes to the audience.
To be fair, rom-coms these days should shake things up, and to do that, what better way than to use an alternate reality as a plot device? This becomes reality when Uryu's childhood friend evokes a timeline that alters the course of the show altogether. The story plays out in a more complex, and darker theme although retains its lighthearted nature. Nonetheless, it's a risky move to pull off but satisfying to see how Uryu reacts to those changes. The Amagami sisters collectively also reacts to Uryu and it's their relationship that ties them together, almost like fate. It's through their bond that stands as the heart of this show.
It doesn't take a lot of budget to animate characters dressed up as shrine maidens. Admittingly, this show's animation quality has a delicate and soft look, but nothing really complicated. The character designs, or specifically, the Amagami sisters look elegant and represents virtue. They have a feminine look and although, there's fan service at times, it doesn't solely rely on that for the show to do its talking. Character expressions also range from a variety of emotions to protray them as human as they can be.
Watching Tying the Knot with an Amagami Sister is an experience that has shown me shrine maidens can still fit into rom-coms in today's industry. When it's the mainstay of a show, it needed to define those characters, and make the audience feel accepting of them. This anime did just that and a lot more.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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Mar 24, 2025
Watching Kuroiwa Medaka ni Watashi no Kawaii ga Tsuujinai (Medaka Kuroiwa is Impervious to My Charms) feels like a social experiment between main characters Mona Kawai and Medaka Kuroiwa. The school is part of their experiment where from the first episode, Mona tries to get Medaka's attention through her charms. And his response? Medaka is seemsingly imprevious to those charms.
Mona is the campus queen at school and it shouldn't take long to see why. She has the look, personality, and presence of a girl everyone looks up. Wherever she goes, almost everyone admires her. In the hierarchy of school steroetypes, her status is among
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the highest tier and Mona of course is the poster girl of her own show. But this isn't just about Mona because a boy named Medaka is seemingly immune to her charms. This is where the bulk of the storytelling takes place. Every week, the rom-com involves the two in some type of shenanigan.
Medaka should be labeled as a misunderstood character. His physical demeanor gives the impression of an unfriendly person when in reality, he is a selfless, kind young man. The way he responds to Mona's flirtious advances is because of his training as a monk to avoid contact with girls. In a social experiment sense, this anime feels like a test for him and his biggest obstacle is Mona. Ironically, the harder Mona tries using her tactics, the more she seems to fall for Medaka herself. While it isn't too obvious at first, she often can't get Medaka out of her head. Although this type of rom-com trope isn't an unusual plot twist, it does add more context to Mona's character. She's obviously a character with flaws, whether it's her own insecurity or feeling jealous towards rivals.
Yes, you heard that right. While Mona is the campus queen, she doesn't have every single person's undivided attention. In fact, she encounters rivals such as basketball star Asahi Shonan. In the most rom-com fashion, the two often gets into contests to get Medaka's attention. This extends beyond the classroom doors and even into Medaka's personal life. And the funny part, both of them seem to always come up with mischievous ideas on the spot. There are some moments where either of them have some prep time but the results are mixed. Like a social experiment, Asahi adds another layer of rom-com drama to the show. On Mona's side, she also does have supporters to push her to be Medaka. These include her secret admirer Tsubomi and childhood friend Tomo. Their character debuts are almost like polar opposites but for a rom-com's sake, they fit to this show's tropes.
Perhaps Mona is a make or break for most people watching this series. She can be a polarizing character for the audience because underneath her seemingly perfect persona, she is a vulnerable character. Her feelings can be all over the place at times, challenging herself whether she keep up her act. In reality, she tries her best to appear to be perfect but is a character full of flaws. Her overreactions and being jealous when Medaka gives attention to other girls is just an example. Fundamentally, she is a friendly person at heart and isn't malicious even though she uses some questionable tactics at times to get Medaka's attention. But the most oblivious part about her character is that she doesn't understand what love really is. It seems at several occasions, other characters realize that Mona developed feelings for Medaka yet she doesn't realize it herself. This is a recurring gag that is explored later in the show, and whenever we see how Mona reacts about her own feelings, it gets downplayed by herself.
As viewers may expect, Mona is the most lavishly decorated character in the entire show with her cute looks and expressions. Sure, she puts up on an act most of the the time but the anime wanted each of her moments to shine. This is especially highlighted in early episodes whenever Mona's face is close up towards Medaka's. Through usage of colorful body language and expressions, she really does represent the poster girl. Almost each episode has her wake up and dress up as a character highlight. The camera angles also adds fan service at times and Mona is often at the receiving end of those angles. In contrast, Medaka has a seemingly cardboard box face that is easily misunderstood by others. It's through their character chemistry that pushes the boundaries at what this rom-com can accomplish.
Regardless how far Mona is willingly get Medaka's attention, this anime stays true to its main premise from start to finish. The concern of a 12-episode adaptation does make this look more like an advertisment of the manga than a full series. But at the end of the day, Mona does her best to be what the show advertised and taking the 'notice me senpai' meme far than anyone else this year.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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Mar 23, 2025
Don't we just love it when an anime tries to go beyond logic and create a crafty show that we're not normally used to? MAPPA's history of creative projects has proven itself as one of the most celebrated animation studios in the industry. And what better way to prove themselves once again as we are treated by their latest original work, Zenshu.
You may have heard of this before but original projects always carries a risk of being a bust. After all, its story starts from scratch without a loyal audience unless we know who is in charge of its project. Director Mitsue Yamazaki has
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been involved in some high profile projects before (Attack on Titan, Noragami) but this is one of their first anime under his creative direction. Zenshu introduces us Natsuko Hirose, a high school graduate with a seemingly bright future as a uprising director. Her career starts off as a success but little does she know that it takes a massive turn as she hereslf ends up in a fantasy world, based off the movie A Tale of Perishing. This is where Zenshu's story really takes off and we follow the responsibility Natsuko has to carry on her shoulders.
Zenshu is both a character and plot driven story. From the very start, we get the chance to understand Natsuko's personality, as someone who is introverted and anti-social. The only person she trust appears to be herself from the beginning. To realize how much her life has changed puts a huge burden on her because she wants to make a difference. Given the way the script is written in A Tale of Perishing, she is aware of how the plot plays out and how it affects the characters. In other words, Natsuko is battling not just against her obstacles but fate itself. Can she truly make a change? Or will she fail and becoming a victim of the very story she got sucked into? Those are just a few key questions we should ask ourselves because every action has a consequence.
The most prominent character in A Tale of Perishing is Luke Braveheart , a protagonist that fits the standards of a hero. The story molded him into a hero who dedicates his life to protect his world so in essence, he's the most important character Natsuko can rely on if she wants to make that difference. Luke's relationship with Natsuko progresses as the story unfolds. At first, they met through like fate and become obligatory partners with a shared common goal. Later on, Luke develops feelings for Natsuko like how a hero would fall in love with a princess. However, Natsuko is far from an ideal princess type because she has zero experience about romance. Their relationship is a bizarre one considering the circumstances of this story and in respect, we shouldn't judge them on the surface. The series also introduces to other characters based off of fantasy tropes such as the elf warrior Memmeln and unicorn-like being Unio, although their attention is mostly taken away from our two main leads. Yet, there's also another fascinating part of the story in itself: The Voids. Collectively, they are the main antagonists that Natsuko must overcome. She is aware of their existence, their goals, and tries to stop them with her own powers. Natsuko's unique power of animating what she draws to life plays a valuable role against the Voids even at some limitations. Each of her battles against the Voids plays out like a cinematic movie with jawbreaking animated sequences mixed with 2D and 3D artwork. It's impressive that you truly need to watch it in high definition to experience it.
While this series generally has a cast of charming characters, there are some that can rub people the wrong way. Luke's awkwardness with women and his early interactions with Natsuko is such an example. Destiny Heartwarming (Luke's original main love interest) and her character change may feel out of place in the show itself. Even Natsuko has character flaws of her own when she depends too much on herself. This becomes a problem later in the show when the world turns her into its biggest enemy. Nonetheless, the character cast is generally likable and they were not made for the audience to always judge them.
Zenshu's character designs are noticably colorful and highlights the individual looks of its cast. Natsuko for instance usually has her hair covered across her face to reprsent her introvered self. But when she puts in the effort, she can look attractive especially with a dress. Luke's design has the stereotypical look of a hero character - blonde hair, masculine face, and physique that attracts women. The others fall under fantasy tropes that you generally see often in today's anime industry dominated by isekai. On the other hand, the Voids in this show are designed with insect-like features and look from what you'd find in monster movies these days.
This anime aired without making major headlines, at least compared to MAPPA's popular adaptations like Chainsawman or Jujutsu Kaisen. Yet, Zenshu shines in a place of its own with its original characters, backgrounds, and story setting. This anime goes beyond than being sent to another world but also on how a talented director must discover herself to overcome obstacles. It's a rare gem in MAPPA's history and one we shouldn't forget.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Mar 21, 2025
Rom-coms in latest years have a syndrome of pairing up characters in a relationship while trying to hide their true nature. Such examples include Rent-a-Girlfriend and 365 Days to the Wedding has this as a central plot device. Why do rom-coms like to adapt story in such a way? The answer is simple because there are just countless opportunities for drama and storytelling. Class no Daikirai na Joshi to Kekkon suru Koto ni Natta (I'm Getting Married to a Girl I Hate in My Class) is just the latest example.
The premise brings together a bag of mixed drama containing misunderstandings, heated arguments, and endless amount
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of character personalities clashes. You know the time when you and a sibling fight over something stupid like 'who has to take out the trash today'? That's the impression this anime gives when we see our two main characters bicker. It's a timeless way of bringing drama together. It doesn't help that the promotional material never hides their constant bickering. But still, some rom-coms make complete 180s after a certain amount of time has passed. Will this show do the same?
To understand our main characters, Saito Houjou is generally seen as level headed unless he interacts with Akane. The two fights over everything and brings the worst out of each other. But don't get the imprssion wrong. Neither characters are truly despicable and malicious. At worst, they are just childish and annoying, like a talking shadow. However, Akane is the worst example of a character who can't seem shut her mouth. Throughout the series, she displays a short tempered personality while staying in her competitive space. This creates an environment that clashes against Saito, the person she is arranged to marry. To make matters worse, they struggle to hide their relationship from public and often creates misunderstandings. That's right, a rom-com like this doesn't need to really try much to create them because it naturally just come when two characters are clashing 24/7.
After the first episode, I question myself if there's sort of mutual attraction between them or is this show an entire sitcom of heated drama. Luckily, there are times when the two seems to drop their guards and care for each other. Akane's hostility towards Saito lessens with each episode and she also shows her more vulnerable side. Saito on the other hand grows to more accepting of their arranged marriage because it also aligns with his own goals. We are also introduced to other prominent characters including Akane's best friend Himari, who is much more tolerable. A free spirited girl and natural beauty, it doesn't take long for the audience to realize she's in love with Saito. Considered as a foil character compared to Akane, she is friendly towards to just about anyone but especially wants to be with Saito. This is revealed in background storytelling and as part of the plot, there are segments where the show pairs her and Saito together.
On the other hand, Maho Sakuramori enters this anime with fierce aggression and plan to seduce Saito. Taking a practical approach, it sends Saito into a borderline frenzy mode just how aggressive she can be. Although this series is known for creating drama, Maho is the the guiltiest example. She practically exists for the sake of drama. Otherwise, Saito also has to deal with his devoted cousin Shisei who seems to just exist to show her loyalty. This season essentially has these characters around Saito with conflicting personalites that makes his life like a non-stop rollercoaster.
Sometimes, drama can be used wisely. Other times, it can be insufferable. Where does this show fall under? The answer can be hard because everyone will have different impressions on how drama is protrayed. However, this anime's drama is nothing short of cartoony and childish. The amount of arguments and misunderstandings this show outclasses most anime I've seen in recent seasons. Every episode or even nearly every segment, our characters are put on the spot for drama. It's not like soap drama because this show is still maturing and the characters aren't adults yet. But imagine when they enter the adult world. They'd have to worry a whole lot more than just those silly arguments.
It has a colorful look for sure, necessary to give youth to the show's character designs. The main cast is protrayed with care including Saito who is mostly well dressed. Akane has the typical look of a tsundere girl if you've seen similar anime. Himari is protrayed with a gyaru look that adheres to a more outgoing personality while Maho purposely wears loose clothing to attract Saito. It adapts straight from the light novels so nothing more or nothing less should be expected.
When a title uses 'hate' as a word, it usually evokes a strong emotion or at least it should. In this anime, that's protrayed comically especially when two airheads are bumping heads against each other everyday. Watching this anime made me realize that a marriage for two characters so different maybe just aren't made for each other. Sure, they warm up more after understanding each other. But does that really create an environment for two be with one another happily after after? This show sure doesn't give that feeling.
Reviewer’s Rating: 5
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Mar 15, 2025
Sakamoto Days evokes a feeling of familiarity, back in a time when anime felt more old school with cartoonish humor. It ditches trashy fan service in exchange for a blend of engaging adult cast and mature setting. Despite that, Sakamoto Days both takes itself seriously and have fun with what it brings to us.
Outside of his participation related to One Piece and other one-shots, Sakamoto Day to date is Yuuto Suzuki's most known work. What started back in 2020 became a sensation as we follow the everyday life of Taro Sakamoto. As a retired hitman with a reserved personality, Sakamoto is protrayed as a fat
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man in stereotypical fashion of having the 'Dad Bod'. This is exmplified to show that he has ditched his former life as a hitman in favor of raising a family with his wife Aoi. It's not soon after that hitmen from his previous life puts his family in danger where Sakamoto has to rely on his skills to protect what he loves.
Drawing from influences such as the John Wick franchise, Sakamoto Days' story typically revolves around Sakamoto's daily life, his family, and friends. When imminent danger is absent, the anime can feel like a sitcom. The colorful cast adds flavor to this show with its diverse range of personalities. I confess to say that among its cast, the character chemistry feels natural and flourishes through their conversations and weekly segments. While Sakamoto himself is a man of few words, others such as Shin, Aoi, and Shaotang brings out the best out of him and each other. Shin Asakura is especially important to pay attention with his status of an ex-hitman. As someone who is loyal and confident, he remains an important ally and friend to Sakamoto. The term of loyalty also symbolizes the relationship between Sakamoto and his wife Aoi. Through background storytelling, we learn why Sakamoto quit being a hitman and settled down with a humble family. Make no mistake however, as Aoi herself is a strong willed woman who isn't afraid to take risks. Despite having different personalities, the two are fated seems to be with each other.
Even with its weekly sitcom segments, this anime does have an overall plot. It fundamentally tells how Sakamoto lives his life while we see events from the underworld and gangs. The contrasting protrayal of his character going from an obese man to a will-fit hitman is a recurring plot element used throughout the story. It also cleverly mixes in lighthearted moments of humor while adapting shocking violence, done just right. It doesn't explicity glorify violence to stay in touch with gang and hitman related themes. It respects its plot themes while always focusing on Sakamoto's double life. The maindraw back of this season is its attempt to stay consistent. By that means, there are over 200+ ongoing chapters and one season of 11 episodes is far from reaching its full potential. This adaptation only touches the tip of the iceberg and fundmentally adapts the overall tone of the series. Luckily, we do have another cour already announced and through this franchises' popularity, we should expect more.
On the technical front, Sakamoto Day adapts a stylish way of action sequences and fast paced combat. At times, it looks like a comic book coming to life when flipping its pages. Rather than giving characters powers, characters fight with superhuman-like movements. Sakamoto's transition is the most fascinating as if he's built like a lab experiment. Indeed, the early episodes of this series especially impresses with its battle chereography. The layers of body movements and expressions captures the beauty of this show.
It's the perfect storm for a show with an adult cast featuring our title character Sakamoto. There's no one better to protray him and when we watch carefully, his life is quite normal outside of the hitman shenanigans. Anime like this often takes a more mature approach at storytelling but this show keeps it light and simple. It really can be enjoyable when you know what you see.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Jan 8, 2025
Fairy Tail 100 Years Quest always felt like it was just waiting for to happen. With over 160+ chapters ongoing at the time of this review, it sets off on new adventure with Fairy Tail. The series serves a direct sequel with its returning cast while introducing new formidable enemies.
As the title sounds, this season is about a 100 years quest, a quest that seems so out of reach that it hasn't been completed in over a century. The main objective of the season, or rather quest itself to deal with five dragons who wields unfandomable power comparable to those of Acnologia. As this
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is the central plot, it's safe to say the season is contained within one story arc.
Canonically, this is the most faithful adaptation in terms of source material. Previous Fairy Tail anime adaptations tends to add original material, segments, and extend battles. This season tells it as it is without distractions. We enter the season as Fairy Tail accepts the 100 Years Quest while also recruiting the mysterious mage Touka to their ranks. Similar to all the previous Fairy Tail seasons, we are introduced the main core of the cast - Natsu, Grey, Lucy, Erza, Wendy, alongside their friends.
Retaining the familiar formula of Fairy Tail, friendship is still a key component that unites the main cast to accomplish great things. Let's face it, it's been a foundation of the franchise for Fairy Tail since the beginning. It was highlighted in many previous arcs including Fairy Tail's encounter against Acnologia on Tenrou Island, their triumph at the Magic Games Tournament, and defeating the Spriggan 12. This season sets the cast into an adventure where their bond and skills are put to the test again.
I'll be honest here. If you're looking for deep character study or development, this season isn't it. The previous seasons have told enough about the backgrounds of the cast that it would've been redundant at this point. Instead, this season is very plot focused. With 25 episodes, the season had to adapt this at an acceptable pace to get to the most important elements. The main segments involves the core characters take on the 5 dragons while also learning about the motivations of the White Mage Touka. Watching this season is all too familiar with the usual Fairy Tail-style humor. It has its emotional moments at times but overall adapts a lighthearted style of storytelling. At times, it felt like the show couldn't be taken seriously when the comedy is poorly timed. I believe this is one of drawbacks of this season when it still relies on its old book of tricks. We've seen it before: the random comedic moments thrown in and it doesn't do much justice. How many times do we really need to see Grey randomly take shirt shirt off, or Natsu going on fire? Juvia's unmatched infutation towards Grey is still all too evident.
The mysterious Touka initially introduced herself as a cherry and approachable person until we find out what she's really up to. It adds more fear and anxiety for Fairy Tail and to be honest, her presence alone makes this season much more complicated. But similar to previous seasons, Fairy Tail takes a practical approach at action. They face threats head on with skill and talent with some levels of strategy and planning. There's no deep thinking about the battles as Fairy Tail still follows the same fundamentals as the previous seasons. With that being said, this season is definitely more fit for fans of the franchise. It's not recommendable to new viewers as the flashbacks and short recaps are not enough to capture the magic. Fairy Tail 100 Years Quest still has its magic enough to entice returning viewers but far from a masterpiece of a return.
Reviewer’s Rating: 6
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Dec 28, 2024
2024 has been a year that can be described as 'giving back to the fans'. Franchises such as Fairy Tail and Spice and Wolf made their returns while classics such as Ranma 1/2 and Urusei Yatsura got their remake treatment. It came as no surprise that Bleach wanted a piece of that pie. With confidence, I can say that Bleach marks one of the greatest anime comeback in recent memory.
It wasn't a long break so if you need some refresh of memory, just read the premise and the promotional videos. The core of the plot still involves Ichigo, Soul Society, and their allies defend against
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Yhwach and his draconian Wandenreich army. The most elite among them are known as the Sternritter. This season pits our main characters against some of the most creative and deadly enemies the franchise has ever seen. Sternritter's higher ranked members are no pushovers as they push the Gotei 13 captains to their limits. Even the captain commander Shunsui Kyouraku is pushed to his limit when confronted by the Sternritter leader. Watching this season constantly pushes the limits of what Bleach characters can do. From malevolent transformations to otherwordly abilities, there's no shortage of entertainment.
As a very plot focused season, we also find out Yhwach's motivations and how far he's willing to push himself to achieve his ends. Commanding a legion of forces, he is describe as a 'final boss' of the season. To get to him, this season truly explifies the meaning of war. It's interesting to note that to achieve a meaningful plot, there's character background stories told for both Soul Reapers and Quincys. Characters such as Nanao and Ukitake's stories are told with important narratives. Others including Bazz-B gets deeper character study of how they ened up as who they are. Bleach's background storytelling sometimes defines what it means through loss, characterized by a character suffering through some form of tragedy. This is no different when we see how war and tragdies affects them. Bazz-B is a classic example of what he has experienced in the past and present. Nonetheless, popular characters in the past arcs also return who viewers should be very familiar with. However, because this season is heavily plot focused on the war, their roles are given through battles rather than more background stories.
I've always thought Bleach Thousand-Year Blood War had a thirst to prove itself through unorthodox battles. Let's say if you're in for some glorious action, this season won't be a letdown. The chereography achieve cinematic sequence through its usage of character movements, expressions, and creativity. Every character in this arc is unique in itself that we question what their limits are. Yhwach is at the top of the hierarchy as we witness his power, a force that truly sets his reptuation in this entire final arc. Others such as Mayuri and Kyouraku have more creative abilities to deal with their adversaries beyond just brute force. To put it in perspective, Ichigo is not the one carrying this season on his back. But likewise, this season is also a rollercoaster of emotions when unresolved conflicts take place. For instance, how does Ichigo deal with Uryu, his former friend who joined the other side of this war?
Bleach Thousand-Year Blood War - The Conflict continues to prove itself that no matter how longm it delivers what fans want to see. From the emotional storytelling through its cinematic battles, there's really no shortage what this final arc has set out to to do. It once again shows that Bleach is one of the greatest anime to make its comeback in history.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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Dec 21, 2024
Maids are considered as domestic workers who are hired to serve the people who pay the right price. In real life, we don't associate them with assassinations or esponiage. Those exist in fictional stories. Kimi wa Meido-sama defies common sense because the maid in this show lacks basic skills but has all the necessarily talent as an assassin.
Kimi wa Meido-sama (You Are Ms. servant) encompasses the idea of an assassin with a young boy and how the two builds on a connection. Initially, she tasks herself to be a maid servant for high school freshman Hitoyoshi Yokoya. Without a real name, Hitoyoshi decides to
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call her 'Yuki, based on how much he like snow. First episodes assign itself to daily shenanigans because watching an assassin trying to live a normal life is anything but normal.
The very fundamental ideas for this anime has been saturated before in today's market. Perhaps the most popular example is Spy x Family that reached international success. Kimi wa Meido-sama is no stranger to its formulatic storytelling as other shows such as The Maid I Hired Recently Is Mysterious and The Duke of Death and His Maid in recent years also dealt with maids as a main character. This anime tries to balance the line between living the line of an assassin and maid. It's simple as that really and we'd be lying if we should expect more.
However, given the genre tags including romance, we do have to wonder how far Yuki and Hitoyoshi can develop their relationship. Can this really turn into a loving bond or one that is artifically developed through time? I wouldn't stress out on finding out the real answer other than simply watching the episodes unfold. Yuki is like a curious animal who tries to adapt to her new life by being normal. Although her assassin traits surfaces from time to time, she geninuely wants to live her expectations as a faithful maid. In the show, her lack of social skills are evident and can be overly clumsly. On the other hand, she demonstrates incredible physical feats including superhuman reflexes and instincts of an assassin. This is most evidenced through her rivalry with Grace, another assassin who sets her eyes on killing her. Grace herself represents the anti-thesis of Yuki, being sociable while having a conflicting personality. There's not much levels to their rivalry other than being assassins in the same field, although the anime quickly drowns out their plot. It's not the central part of the story because at its core, the anime wants to Yuki to experience what's like to be a normal person, not as an assassin.
Accomplished through its school setting, Yuki is even enrolled to experience life with other people in an educational environment. While her main goal is to look after Hitoyoshi, she also makes new friends with the most prominent among them including Hitoyoshi's younger sister Riko and the mysterious Naka Hikage. These friendships are important for Yuki's character development as she learns the basic elements of normal life while also growing in confidence as a person. Yuki's personality had been initially reserved and silently cold. Through her new friendship, she slowly grows out of her shell and is able to show geninue smiles and happiness in herself. Unfortunately, the show only gives glimpses of her past life through short flashbacks. It does makes it clear that she experienced an unhappy childhood but the details are not explored to depth. The anime is adapted to a 12-episode show that omits content necessarily to truly flesh out her character. Furthermore, main male protagonist Hitoyoshi remains a dull doorknob most of the time. Even with the light romance chemistry, he never truly changes from himself since the first episode.
Felix Film emerges as a studio who took on many recent projects with a variety of studios. Adapting this from the manga, we do have a consistent run of character personalities that are bought to life. It takes the most expressive reactions from the characters with their emotions. Most prominently is Yuki whose emotions has a wide variety. Admittingly, I do have to admit they captured the overall chemistry fairly well between the cast. Yuki and Hitoyoshi's relationship results in many heartwarming and humorous moments. Even Riko can be contagiously attentive as a character who slowly grows onto you. Grace is adapted with a taste of adult humor but overall remains consistent with the show's other personalities. The only one odd out is Naka Hikage who is designed to look more timid than other character. But nontheless, credit is due for adapting characters with various backgroundss.
Watching Kimi wa Meido-sama reminds me of the simple joy of expericing a rom-com without being overly dramatic. Despite how the premise sounds, this remains a lighthearted story about a boy and an assassin turned maid. And maybe, just maybe we could should learn something from her story.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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Dec 19, 2024
Yukinobu Tatsu's Dandadan evokes countless expressions of freedom and creativity. While many shows of the supernatural genre tries to play it safe with traditional themes, Dandadan showed us how far creativity and imagination can really take us. As someone who enjoys anime not just for the viewing experience, Dandadan itself feels like an art form, crafted with vivid imagination.
Watching the OP song itself is madness enough. It felt as if we were being pulled into the Twilight Zone of bizareness. Then, the music beat hits and we are greeted with perhaps the most stylistic and catchy opening of the year. "Otonoke" by Creepy Nuts is
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almost indescribable by words alone. The amount of colorful elements are embedded with its alluring tunes, dancing movements, and body language. To say the least, even if you've never planned to watch Dandadan, we should agree tha the opening song is far from normal.
Dandadan's plot synopsis shows tons of potential although not not entirely unique. We've seen it in similar anime such as Mob Psycho 100 and FLCL: characters who meets and building a bond through fated encounters. Momo Ayase's encounter with Takakura Ken (nicknamed Okarun) is such an example. Their idealogy clash about the existence of supernatural pits the two as rivals but this quickly changes into an unique friendship and perhaps something even more.
That's the basis of the plot but it goes beyond much further than dealing with the supernatural. Dandadan's ability to use witty lines and character language is one of its highlights. The two main characters are so different in personalities that you'd think they are from different planets. It's what makes this show's chemistry contagious enough to draw an audience. We want to see what they fight for, and how they do it every episode. From early, the duo goes up against a flatwoods monster and later confronts the infamous Turbo Granny (yes, you can practically picture what she may resemble). Dandadan's 'monster of the week' translates to how the protagonists approach these monsters. All common sense are tossed out the window when confronting these monsters. However, Dandadan doesn't rely on shounen style strategies or battle tactics. They fight the monsters head on almost in cartoony fashion at times. A main selling point of the show is not how to confront these monsters but the cinematic battles themselves. It's an expression of creativity but also intertwined with madness and colorful usage of its cinematics and emotions.
Speaking of which, emotions is among an important factor for character development and relationship bonding. We find out through episode 7 when the character Acrobatic Silky receives perhaps one of the most emotional background story in recent anime memory. You'll have to truly watch and experience it for yourself to understand its impact. But because of strong emotions, Momo and Okarun builds a closer relationship among themselves. These range from a comical accidental kiss to real trust forged between the duo. To add on to the mix, characters such as Aira Shiratori adds even spicy drama among them.
By far, Dandadan takes advantage of its small yet colorful cast through its usage of character emotions. Momo, Okarun, and later on Aira, are at the epicenter of this. The nature of this show draws its attention on how characters behave around other. For example, Aira quickly develops an infutation towards Okarun while the latter is unable to respond accordingly. Meanwhile, countless teases are thrown between Momo and Okarun as they show their attaction towards each other. In classic example, Okarun also shows signs of jealousy when Momo's childhood friend pays her a visit later on in the show. Other characters such as Seiko serves as role models for the younger cast even though they are decorated with peculiar characteristics. From day one, we can see that Dandadan is far from an ordinary show despite taking place in a familiar normal setting. The line that draws between normalcy and the supernatural really goes out the bounds.
Dandadan's success should be counted for what it set out to do from the very first episode. The bizarreness of its themes and unorthodox humor is a major draw for the audience. It might not be suited for everyone but certainly evokes emotions. The one element holding back this season is its shortened length at 12 episodes. There are far more material in the manga that deserves to be adapted but with season 2 announced, our hopes aren't far away.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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