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I’ve been familiar with the Shin Megami Tensei: Persona game franchise for a long time (back when we used to call it that, before it was simplified to just Persona), and I believe that, so far, its fifth installment has been the most well-received.

I watched the anime adaptation long before I ever played the game—fully aware that it’s nearly impossible for an anime to match the experience that a hundred hours of gameplay can offer—and I was left slightly disappointed.

I don’t think it has a particularly subtle script (neither the game nor the anime), but it’s easy to empathize with the characters’ goal: to change ... people, to subvert a twisted and corrupt system from its very core—both literally and metaphorically.

It feels a bit silly that in this iteration of Persona, they went with the “phantom thieves” theme, reminiscent of anime like Magic Kaito (2010) or Kamikaze Kaitō Jeanne (1999). Especially considering the story tackles serious issues like abuse and suicide attempts, the themes don’t quite mesh without stretching suspension of disbelief to its limits.

It’s hard to take the climactic moments and battles with the antagonists seriously, as the choreography and staging are limited to borrowing standard elements from RPG-style combat. Where’s the excitement if everything visually feels like a copy-paste?

In my opinion, the most redeemable moment was the ending, where the story becomes slightly less tedious thanks to a somewhat predictable—but still entertaining—plot twist.

The current anime industry produces four or five series like this every season—and they’re instantly forgotten.

I remember that back in the '90s, many of us discovered anime through Ranma ½ (1989). A slice-of-life comedy about a couple (Ranma and Akane) who embodied a kind of modern Romeo and Juliet—except they were martial artists, and their biggest obstacle wasn’t their families, but their own egos.

Takahashi’s masterpiece explored themes like being honest with yourself, or the many insecurities men carry due to their own sexism. Heavy topics that were handled with an irreverence that never failed to make you laugh.

So what does any of this have to ... do with KuraKon (2025)? Well, there’s a thematic similarity. It’s nearly the same premise, only without the martial arts and without the same chemistry between the characters.

KuraKon was frustrating. Not because of its lack of originality or the obvious parallels with Ranma ½ (even the main character in KuraKon is named “Akane”), but because it just wasn’t funny—and the main couple, Saito and Akane, felt aimless and bland. They are the very definition of "flat."

As a result, the series leans heavily on tired clichés and secondary characters who are nothing more than one-note jokes with little to contribute to the story. i mean, it’s bad enough when the leads are boring, but it’s even worse when everything around them is, too.

That said, I’ll admit KuraKon has one redeeming quality. In the early episodes, the writers at least made an effort to develop Saito and Akane’s relationship as roommates. I think that’s a positive, since even Ranma ½ rarely stopped to reflect on the many annoyances that come from sharing your space with someone else.

It didn’t move me (obviously), but it’s a topic that doesn’t come up very often.

There aren’t many anime where the entire supporting cast is almost as compelling as the main character, but that’s exactly what happens in <em>Oddtaxi</em> (2021). This anime weaves its story through seemingly mundane conversations, all while building a plot worthy of a full-on crime novel in the background.

I found it quite enjoyable to watch. The way each character manages to resolve their own personal conflicts is genuinely satisfying. And the final episode's big reveal truly caught me off guard.

The only downside (and maybe I’m exaggerating a bit) were the dumb <strong>idols</strong>. Why are the Japanese so obsessed with a group of squirrel-voiced girls who can’t ... even sing? Have they never heard someone talk after inhaling helium? Because it’s almost the same sound.