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If you were hoping for another series like Re:Life, I'm sorry to say that this is like if that concept of going back to high school was used to write a harem. And while having some interesting ideas, it generally stinks.
You can kinda tell once you get to the second girl that it was going to devolve into a harem-esch plot, but this has only been further backed up by the later chapters. Characters are uninteresting with little characterization besides "my current life sucks, but here in the past I can be ME," and then that Real version of them is equally as uninteresting as ... their current self. Like I feel like with the main girl Asukura is just supposed to be like a person like Chisato from Lycoris Recoil, but she is infinitely more uninteresting due to the generic writing for her dialogue and actions. The main guy Chono is also the stereotypical depressed loser loner type that is so popular in this type of manga who doesn't really showcase anything noteworthy other than being the main character of the manga. These two have OK chemistry all things considered, but nowhere near the level needed for me to really care.
And if it wasn't immediately apparent by the art style, this is definitely an ecchi manga, so don't be surprised by the sexualization on the female body here in very unnecessary ways. MAL doesn't have it labeled as such, but it definitely is. You will see creepy upskirt shots, boobs will be the biggest part of the character, and I definitely got pick me vibes from the main character (like the typical ecchi mc).
And if you are hoping for the plot to be too interesting, it's again just okay before devolving into a pretext for setting up a harem/love conflict (I think it's setting up a love triangle at the place where I dropped it but I could really see it getting more convoluted). There is no real stakes and since you don't care for the characters, there isn't real joy at getting to see them live out their dreams.
Overall, it isn't offensively bad, but it definitely isn't worth your read.

Reading this is one of the most torturous reads you can go through. I would not wish reading 85 chapters of this on anybody, let alone the full 171. Please don't read this, for the both of us.
And I know what some might say. "But, but, you just gotta finish it! Then it will get good!" I'm sorry to break this to people, but this isn't One Piece, or Berserk, or some other life changing story that takes some time to really get into it. This is the most frustrating kind of romance, where both characters in the relationship are the most insufferable and toxic ... human beings to one another. I'm not reading 100+ chapters just so I can get to the point where they decide to be normal.
I'll definitely say that the art looks fine for an older manga. It won't blow you away, but it definitely hasn't aged the worst. If you like Kouji's style, this falls right in line.
However, that story was like sour milk since the start. As others have said before, the melodrama in this series is enough to make your head explode from frustration. I had NEVER had to put down a series from anger before, yet this series did it! Characters just decide to fight for the dumbest reasons. And the worst thing about it is that it isn't one character! They all are just unanimously terrible, enough so that I had to drop it.
If you decide to read it all the way through, I think you may come out having different feelings than me. But my god, that ride to get there is something else.

Yeahhh, if you're looking for a good or even average new romance, just skip this. It's just fetish bait.

Maybe it's due to the explosion of the medium or maybe it's due to a lack of creativity, but either way a new wave of very mid romance manga with okay art geared toward the male audience have been releasing and this fits EXACTLY into that mold.

I think it's kinda obvious from chapter one but there will be exactly 0 character depth or nuance in any of these guys. All of them are very boring, EXTREMELY trope-filled, and possess almost no unique qualities. It's just another ... bad romcom but the girl is big this time! What a twist!

I'm not gonna pretend I know their names either. I can't describe any of their personalities besides the main girl being waifu bait for people who don't see the sun and the "rival" having dialogue that is borderline disgraceful in how bad it is. Situations go exactly how you expect with comedy that would put an insomniac to sleep. Drama (if there even is that) is over before you know it, and the romance is again gonna go exactly how you would expect.

If you like this series, I'm happy for you. I saw it first on my TikTok fyp and decided to give it a shot. I'm sure many people are just like me. However, I guarantee there are a million other, better options to use your time than read this. Because again, this is just fetish bait.

Seasons of Blossom is a fantastic dive into relationships, mental health and bullying, the past, and learning to love yourself. As of right now, there are 4 parts to the story almost coinciding with the seasons of the year. They also come with their own changes to the perspective and main characters while still keeping the overall core cast. The best thing about this is how it allows the world to build on top of itself, recontextualizing the prior world you think you know until you realize the connections between everyone. Nothing exists in a vacuum. Everything matters somehow.

This then allows for the development and ... exploration of a lot of the characters. Some people that play a minor role in one part come back to have entire stories about them in another. And not just the simple bonus chapter kind of stories, but real major 30 chapter stories. The characters that are given the spotlight from the beginning aren't pushed to the side either to make room for the new developments. Instead, they remain relevant and change too, allowing for consistent growth. Every character has something important to share and they all can make a difference.

The art also is solid from the beginning, carrying a simple to digest but stylized feeling to it. Sometimes it can get too simple, but it never is too cluttered. You always can understand exactly what is going on.

My only complaints really are that the paneling could be better in spots (which I guess is more inherit to the medium), and that it kinda can be misleading (But not in a bad way!). Based on the first part, you can mistakenly believe that it is mainly romance when it isn't. Sure that certainly leads the plot in multiple areas, but it certainly is more drama than romance. But honestly, I'm happy it turned out that way.

The journey I took may have not been one that I initially was enamored with, and it certainly wasn't perfect from beginning to end. But what it depicts always feels meaningful and full of heart. Things stick with you and forces you to think it all over, leaving you with a range of bittersweet emotions that I can't help but be happy with.

If you are reading this, PLEASE, stay away from this series like the plague. This is a series that makes your stomach churn while reading, a series that truly shocks and disgusts you, making you feel sick to your core. To say this is the worst manga I've ever read would be an understatement. I think this is one of the worst pieces of MEDIA I've ever experienced, the opposite of what any creator should strive for.

The ONE (and I mean ONE) thing it has going for it is that the artist IS talented. If this was any other manga, manwha, whatever, his artwork ... could be appreciated for how it depicts and evokes emotion. However, what the artist depicts is so vile that all that appreciation is lost.

Literally everything else about this story is bad. A lazy revenge plot story as a premise? Check. Violence so senseless that it defies any expectations a reader might have? Yup, this has that too. Characters that are the most evil, vile pieces of filth you'll ever meet? All while being in HIGH SCHOOL? You bet. And do you think that any of this might really bring up genuine questions that the audience can think about? FUCK NO, we have to show GORE, GORE, and MORE GORE.

But the truly insulting thing about it all is how pretentious it really is. This story thinks it's Berserk while actually being lightly veiled violence porn. It tries to justify what it shows by saying "they had it coming" and showing more awful things that the villains do. But the author never really asked themselves why it should be this way, why it has to dial the violence up to 11. Instead, they just truck on in their roadmap, repeating a cycle of extreme suffering without any purpose.

If you had to ask me to either read this or Rent a Girlfriend 5 times over, I'm taking the latter everytime. This is a disgrace to the industry, and a testament to why edge does not equal quality. Please heed my words. I know some who may read this might think that they can handle gore, or that it can't be *that* bad. Well I hate to break it to you, but it really is. This series SUCKS.

Okay, I think we all know that by like 2025 at least, this is gonna become the next big shonen so don't be surprised by the time that happens. However, while I hate to disappoint, it isn't gonna live up to the expectations of it's main source of inspiration (Chainsaw Man).

While the art is fantastic and near the peak of it's genre, the writing does not make up for it. It draws a lot from CSM as seemingly insane things happen, but it lacks the meaning and depth of it's predecessor. Maybe it is due to lack of experience, but those insane moments don't come ... for any "natural reason" compared to CSM (which some people even complained that happened in CSM but I disagree); they just happen. And while during the first chapter I found this exciting and a great hook, by Chapter 50 I was really tired of it.

The main reason why I believe this happens is due to a lack of real worldbuilding. It may seem as if Dandadan has good worldbuilding on paper as it talks about yokai and aliens, but unlike CSM it doesn't feel like that information is important. In fact, it rarely plays any point in the plot other than just giving an excuse for a fight to immediately happen or to solve the conflict at that very second. There isn't any setup for something greater and for a long running series, you need that to keep the reader engaged.

What I will give Dandadan is that it's main cast is really likable. The two main characters, Takakura and Ayase, are relatable in the best ways and play off each other naturally. Maybe not in the depth that Dandadan's contemporaries do but in the "Will-they-Won't-they" type of way. And the side characters also have some mix of traits that make them feel more fun and real than lets say your typical Black Clover character. The best part about all of these characters is the way they talk around one another. Instead of acting stiff and lifeless (the "we are such great friends" without really showing they are great friends in dialogue), they talk like how modern real people would.

The worst aspect about it though is the villains as they again fall victim to the lack of buildup issue. I do appreciate that the author isn't falling victim to the "make a team of bad guys" trope like the Akatsuki or whatever, but his alternative of making no real recurring individual villain or threat makes things a lot less interesting. Instead you are met with a boring alien or yokai who either (a) ties into the theme the author is trying to tell with the side character or (b) is some nameless villain to just overcome. One of these options is certainly better than the other but neither are really too appealing.

To wrap this up, Dandadan is a good series. Not a great series, not an awful series, not a boring series, but just a solid, fine series. It is visually impressive, it has some funny moments, but it won't blow your socks off story wise. Like the equivalent to a cheese pizza.

You ever come across an underground artist that you just cannot believe is so underappreciated despite their talent? Well Girl Crush is that series for me. Cause at first glance, it kinda seems like it would be an ecchi series that would just be another dime a dozen. However, this misconception disappears the second you read chapter one. Not only does it become clear that this is a meaningful series, it shows originality from the get go.

(PLOT SPOILERS to show that it is original)
Tenka Momose, the protagonist of the story, is not a good person. She is self-absorbed, arrogant, and vain as in her ... eyes, she is better than everyone around her. Her rival, Erian Satou, on the other hand is likable, kind, and yet hopelessly outmatched when compared to Tenka. Their dynamic becomes the center of the first 15 chapters and highlights the difference in motivation and outlook. While on paper it seems as if their would be a clear hero and villain, they are both charismatic and intriguing, worthy characters of leading a series. And just when you think you sense some repetition... WHAM! The plot hits you like whiplash and changes the entire direction from where you thought it was going. And this change is a bold one where character flaws are brought into the light and hard choices have to be made. Within 20 chapters!
(PLOT SPOILERS OVER)

Besides the plot though, the art is incredibly stylistic. It feels messy but not out of control like a lesser shonen or a romance by an unexperienced mangaka. Tamaya is able to make it clear and distinct the entire time, bringing the motion to life (as it is ultimately an idol manga). There are those money panels that every good manga has with a clear ability to choose when to be minimal and when to go all out.

Currently it feels like a manga that can appeal to multiple demographics so whether you are a hardcore shonen consumer, an idol lover, or even a shojo fan, you will probably find something to like in this. My only complaint that I have is how hard it is to find online and how little it updates (I think it is a monthly manga?). Besides that though, this is a series everyone should at least try out and is criminally underrated considering it's quality.

This season, this is the one. Other people might try to tell you that other parts of the series like Kizumonogatari or Owarimonogatari are the best of the Monogatari series, but nothing really lives up to this one. Even if you have only watched Bakemonogatari, this season is still for you. Not to say you should skip straight to here because other parts certainly have their good aspects, but if you are short on time and liked Bake, watch this. It is worth it.

Just to breeze by the things you should already know, the production is great with animation that still remains good even to ... today and a soundtrack that again lives up to the high expectations. This is still a Shaft production so it can be weird if you aren't used to it, but generally it is all really solid. Okay, now onto the real meat and potatoes.

Second Season repeats Bake's style of arcs where each conflict centers around a girl in the series, but does so in a way that is infinitely more engaging with the audience. It elaborates further on issues presented in Bake as the characters go from Persona-esch characters who get their arc and then becoming "fixed" to fleshed out people who have real problems that they have to deal with. Furthermore (and technically SPOILERS HERE), the narration style change makes these characters seem even more human as their thoughts are now being expressed as they are now the narrators. And that change of perspective along with the revelation that the narrator is not reliable leads to infinitely more possibilities.

Speaking of changes, the main point of the season is an infinitely more intriguing premise than anything that is presented earlier in the series. While it should have been obvious with the extreme perversion and attitude towards other characters, (SPOILERS AGAIN HERE) realizing the protagonist Araragi isn't a good person is something that changes every dynamic in the series. While before Araragi would come off as preachy and someone with a savior complex, this season actually points that out and criticizes it. And not just in the superficial way other series might say "things are complicated" and then never actually shows off that complexity in morals. This actually brings an argument as to why Araragi's ways aren't the best solution every time and almost changes the genre from monster of the week (or I guess arc) to a character drama.

The best thing I can ever say about this season is that it has balls. Big Balls. Cause while at times in the series the narrative choices can kinda feel weak and cowardly, this season makes bold ballsy choices. If Nisio Isin was a weaker author, he could have easily written Bakemonogatari 2 or worse, write Persona lite. But because he is a great author, an author of real integrity and passion, he made this masterpiece of a story. And I can not thank him enough for that.

Spy x Family is a series that most people have probably already experienced in some shape or form due to its overwhelming popularity, but if you haven’t read or watched it, I’d caution you before you dive into it.

It isn’t a long read and isn’t bad compared to what is out there, but it is an ultimately flawed series. You can definitely do better with similar series that are out.

The story in the series is like a Drake album; it’s a safe ride with some extremely good bits and pieces, but altogether it just feels meh. The strongest moments are with the introduction (which is ... why many people get hooked) and Chapter 62. Those two bits include fantastic writing, stakes, and intrigue into these characters, but in between it is very repetitive and a little bit dull.

Speaking of dull, that description can apply to a lot of the characters here. Side characters have their gimmick and no real depth beyond that, and Yor definitely feels lacking compared to the other two members of the family. Maybe she will get more attention from the author as the series goes on, but so far the impression you get from her at the start is the same you will have 75 chapters later. On the other hand, Anya and Loid seemingly get a lot of love and feel more multifaceted than any one else. They aren’t annoying and over dramatic for no reason, and feel more human than anyone else.

The art is pretty good as while it never feels like Endo is breaking the boundaries of what can be done in an ongoing manga series like Horikoshi, Gege, Kubo, or any other mangaka like that, it does always feel polished and fitting for the tone he is trying to produce.

Again, I can’t emphasize enough that this series fluctuates anywhere from meh to great depending on where you are. Sometimes it feels like you never want to drop it and other times you struggle to find reasons to pick it back up.

This movie had been hyped up for a long time post release. The promotion made it seem like another one of the "Your Name," or "Weathering with You" type of movies. The trailer looked nice with the same style of interesting, relatable leads and gorgeous animation, so I thought I was in for a treat.
But to me, that was all a lie.

Instead, I was met with a movie with insufferable and bland characters, and a bland plot masked by the animation quality. People complain about Disney movie plots, but this felt even more generic. The characters are "real" in the same way teen drama show ... characters are "real." They all are unlikable, constantly miserable about their state of affairs, and act like if someone downloaded a list of AI generated from every trope ever conceived. Josee is like Tora from Toradora and the worst parts of Kaguya from Kaguya-sama mixed up in a blender to create this "tsundere" character that just seems like an asshole. Tsuneo (I didn't even remember his name) is like those isekai protagonists that are just supposed to be self inserts but with an emphasis on the sea. Mai (I DEFINITELY didn't remember her name) is the most predictable love interests you'll see (for the sake of spoilers, I'll let you figure out in what way she is predictable yourself), and everyone else just served the 'plot.' And that 'plot' makes your basic shonen look like Shakespeare in comparison.

However, I am not blind as to why this is perceived as a good movie. The visuals and music is fairly good considering it was made by Studio Bones, and despite all of my critiques, I can see an audience that would just eat this stuff right up. People complain about Disney movies all the time, but they almost always are looked back upon fondly.

To people who may read this and might be mad at me, let me ask you; What does the movie really say to the audience? What kind of growth do the characters do besides the most barebones kind of development? What makes this movie worth my watch? To me, the answer to all of these questions is nothing.