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Depressingly low-budget, low resolution backgrounds that make the characters stand out? Check

Unfunny ‘trying not to stick out as a strong person whilst falling into every pitfall that makes me stand out’? Check

Characters being used as glorified props going ‘wow MC-chan you’re uber-legendary hero whatever rank genius because of a power you didn’t work for, let me lick your boots and hype you up as a god among men whilst you pretend to be modest about your overwhelming abilities. Powers that I will audibly exclaim are so beyond my feeble mortal existence, every time you use them, so the viewers who are braindead from huffing glue ... understand through tell and not show, how amazing you are!’… Check



Guys, I won’t lie, this is a glorified baby sensory video. Put this on a 2nd monitor as background noise or to fill in dead air— you’ll have a far more pleasant time doing so than properly, actually watching the show. Even for Isekai trash standards I can at least expect some ironic enjoyment from terrible CGI because of budget shortcuts, or weird janky transitions.

But this?

This is somehow lower quality than THAT. Which is almost an accomplishment. I love it when the character, the background, and the foreground are in different image resolutions! It’s like if a scrapbook had a Cartoon Network budget.

If I were to take a shot every time a joke is about the character’s flat chest, or she “”accidentally”” shows off her powers by pure dumb contrived coincidence. I guarantee by Episode 4 I would be dead from alcohol poisoning.

It’s not even ironic-funny at times, where something’s so bad it’s fun to watch. Instead it’s just… painfully boring and annoying. Some of the main girls’ voices genuinely compelled me to want to hit the mute audio button. Like - if you’re gonna have a bad show - at least make it bad-bad, and not boringly forgettable and ‘middling’.

If I were to say one good thing about this anime, though? It’s great material for a ‘terrible isekai trope’ bingo night with the boys.

Score: 3.75/10

Dokuhime is such an extremely underrated manga for the pure quality it displays in itself throughout the entire story. The story of a Princess of Death, 3 sons of a mighty king, with a war approaching because of the absence of said king.

First off, I want to say DO NOT read this manga if you are overly empathetic of animals or infants and in regards to their... not-life. Such themes are present in the manga and I would be doing a disservice not to mention this forefront.

Spoilers are kept to a minimum, but you are warned.

A 'Poison Princess' is a woman that has poison ... practically bled into her skin. From birth they were served poison in their milk, in their clothes, and entwined under their cot as they sleep. And by the time they are young, gorgeous women, a single kiss is all it takes for a man to drop dead in seconds. You follow the story of a Poison Princess named 'Lycoris Radiata' (named after the poison she consumed) as she is sent to an enemy kingdom to kill the ruler of said kingdom.

The setup I could feel was very certain of itself, and straightforward. But in it's simplicity was maturity in the questions it posed one's value of life I appreciated more as I got older. Dokuhime is not a happy story by any means, and doesn't try to give you any illusion it is either. You begin the story in the perspective of a woman only valued by her ability to kill, and die for her cause, the horrible people that 'raised' her into a weapon. People that have no qualms poisoning young babies and killing them if it means getting a political edge or any semblance of profit.

She thought it would be a simple mission, until she finds out the king is gone and instead 3, young, smart princes are left at the throne. All three are brothers, but each have a different personality and style. All sharing their raven hair the late king had. The youngest named the 'useless' child. The second oldest being a poison tester for the oldest brother, being rather daring and hates the youngest. The oldest is named the 'Perfect prince' and harbors the burden of the throne, caring deeply for his brothers.

The art style displayed in the manga is quite 'old fashioned' or 'old age' to put it into words. It's very emotive and detailed when it comes to the eyes, hair, and clothing. Actually, it's just simply very detailed in general. It's up to the reader how they feel about the style, but for me, I'd say it's a very delicate and pretty style. It seems to have aged well despite being a 2002-12 manga, looking older than it actually is (but I think that's a good thing). The style itself very much suits the era the story takes place in, as well as the general atmosphere.

The characters can be simplified, but doing so wouldn't be fair to their personalities, each very much different from each other and caused by each other's past and present actions. Their designs are memorable and their stories quite tragic.