Naruto ran so this could also run, then trip and have a three paragraph explanation about how crazy it is they tripped.
I cannot but help comparing this series with others, namely Naruto and Chainsaw Man, the former this borrows from, and the latter borrows from it.
Cursed spirits are uninspired compared to Devils. I started both around the same time, and Chainsaw Man has much better explanations for Devil power levels compared to JJK. Why are there only a handful of cursed spirits based on primal fears in JJK? Why bother using such a cool idea if you ignore it after the first two arcs?
From Naruto,
...
Sep 12, 2024
Hibike! Euphonium 3
(Anime)
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A stirring piece of life in a high school concert band and the growth of a shy student, concluding with this season. It's a slice of life series with serious scenes of contemplation as various forces in life pull you apart from the things you care about, and what you will do if they're strong enough to stop you. Will you bow to family pressures or stay true to the goals you have? Will your friends stick with you even if you aren't the best person to lead?
There's a lot of things to appreciate in this series, from the great roster of characters, the gorgeous ... Sep 12, 2024
Psych Biyori
(Manga)
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I don't think I've seen a series get cancelled before 20 chapters before, this thing must've been completely ignored by readers everywhere! It's got some charming aspects, it's a superpowered slice of life story that has the main character live with a found family of other superpowered goofballs. If you like that premise, then I'd recommend this as it will take you all of 45 minutes max to read the entire series!
The art is fine, but the design of everyone is just not quite to the level it needed to be to stick around and attract an audience. The secondary protagonist in particular wears a ... Jun 23, 2024
The fun core of the show is still here with the goofballs that orbit Mash and Mash's own insane antics, but it loses some steam in the last few episodes this season. There are a few amazingly animated pieces throughout, but also some really, really cheap looking stuff as the final fight arc drags on a bit too long.
It loses a little focus on what makes Mashle really pop when it drags too much without a good joke to punctuate the heavier stuff, which is unfortunate. Still, I'll be watching the next season and it is still very enjoyable for the first few episodes, and ... Apr 27, 2024
Konosuba - A World Without Bras!
It's a lighthearted adventure with a bunch of weirdos in a goofy isekai, with a few absolutely head-scratching moments of mean-spirited perversion from the main character. If you know you're getting a mostly fun story about someone reincarnated with a maxed out luck stat with a heaping side portion of fan service that veers into some wild territory, then I think you'd enjoy it. I was not expecting quite so much degeneracy from Kazuma but now I know! Animation is fine, no mind-blowing stuff there (except for boobs, they really like animating boobs), story is pretty much just a fun ... Apr 23, 2024
An excellent story about being hard-headedly competitive, opening up, and fighting for what you want in life. Also a story about being so bad at singing that you ruin your reputation among friends, eating a lot of ramen, and becoming a Youtuber. It's really interesting to see what odd adventures show up in this series to lighten the tension of the main story, though I will say it likes to hit the same jokes often... but does it matter if it's got enough of a tweak to keep it fresh?
Regardless - how much you like this series hinges on how much you like Kaguya and ... Oct 25, 2023
One Piece Film: Z
(Anime)
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They gave a 60 year old man magenta hair, a terrible Southern accent, and Doflamingo's glasses and expect me to take him seriously?
I checked this out after hearing that it was one of the best One Piece movies, and I am leaving completely unimpressed. The plot is "bad guy wants to destroy everyone" in service of the same boring backstory you use when you have no ideas for why someone can justify their extreme means. The animation is good for about 3 minutes total. It's uncomfortable in the fanservice department given the messed up ages of the female crew. Barely any of the crew ... Oct 15, 2023
FLCL: Shoegaze
(Anime)
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A quick story that would've benefitted from a little more time to tell it!
Definitely more meaningful from having seen Alternative before it - it's a direct sequel series that reflects on the question "What do you do when you can't live up to other's expectations?" For the new characters, it asks "What would you do to shake up the world you don't belong in?" Both are interesting questions to ponder! It gets through them to some extent but would've benefitted from a little more fleshing out - though, it is fun to try and put the pieces together from the juuuuuust enough detail you get in ... Sep 9, 2023
Kishibe Rohan wa Ugokanai
(Manga)
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Solid series of one-shots (typically) starring the most stuck-up dude in Diamond is Unbreakable as he discovers some insane stuff going on in the world!
I typically have issues with the coherence of art in Jojos - it can be hard to tell if someone 1) has correct anatomy and 2) is supposed to HAVE correct anatomy in the first place. Not the case here, everything is clean and easy to read. Rohan Kishibe is a fun character in a world where he has a stable job amid the insanity of the Jojo setting, and is just powerful enough and smart enough to make him very ... Sep 9, 2023
Jinzou Ningen 100
(Manga)
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Interesting setting, fun main character dynamic, great art, better ending than most cancelled series.
I recommend this, even though it barely sticks a landing within the last 4/5 chapters after it becomes clear that it's not being continued. It's a cool relationship to have for a series to have the #1 strongest enemy in the enemy's group as your main companion! It led to some thoughtful dynamics - 100 will defend Ashibi at almost any cost, but she doesn't want to destroy the only Fabricant that can fix her. How do you proceed when you can't rely on your partner to end the danger your society ... |