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Jun 19, 2023
What do you look for when you watch fiction? That’s a question I can’t answer for anyone but myself. When I watch fiction, I want a story that elicits emotion, a story that can give me goosebumps, and a story that leaves me feeling better than before I consumed it. This can be done through many factors, but I find that one of the most effective ones is having great character or plot moments, especially if they are thematically interesting.
Vinland Saga Season 2 has delivered some of the best character moments I have witnessed in the medium of anime. For the sake of spoilers, I
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will not divulge the thematic progression of the main characters, but it is done in an impactful way that builds deeply and meaningfully off of the first season.
People describe this second season as such a large departure from the first when I do not think that’s entirely true. I went back and rewatched the entire series, the second season included, before the release of this final episode. Unless you paid absolutely no attention to the thematic setup in the first five or so episodes of the first season, the second season’s events are a natural progression and serve to deliver on all the points that were set up through character building. Even the end of season one clearly indicates that this is where the story is going. If you believe this turn to be sudden, I suspect you were not paying close attention or considering the clear foreshadowing.
Additionally, people keep calling this season “slow” or “poorly paced.” With any due respect, if you believe Vinland Saga is slow-paced, I do not trust that you have a grasp on what slow pacing actually looks like. An anime like Monster, for example, is exponentially slower than this. American TV shows such as Breaking Bad, too, are even slower. Heck, have you seen any movie made before 1980? Those, you could argue, are slow. But this? Not really. This show does not drag out its points for too long and is usually rather concise before moving on to the next thing. It seamlessly transitions between different places and characters quickly and ties their stories together well. On a related note, there is never a dull or uninteresting moment in season two. The season constantly maintained my interest and kept my attention. This season, as I’ve come to expect from Vinland Saga, contains no filler. It gets straight to the point.
Also, I have seen people acting as though there is no action this season. This is false. The action is plentiful and brutal in this season. That being said, the action is Vinland Saga Season 2’s selling point, as it is not glorified as much as it is shown to be horrible. The selling points here are the characters and themes.
I should mention the animation. MAPPA is controversial, but I think they did an absolutely fantastic job with the season. The detail of the characters and the movements they acted felt on-point. Even Yukimura, Vinland Saga’s author, has complimented how impressive this task was. I am a huge fan of this somewhat more realistic art style. The moments that needed fast fighting choreography got exactly that. The moments that needed detailed stills got exactly that. The backgrounds, the pacing, the directing—they were all on point. Oh right, and the music is great (openings and endings especially).
Overall, Vinland Saga Season 2 is probably one of the best seasons of anime I have watched. I personally enjoyed it even more than the first season and look forward to its further adaptation. It is without a doubt one of my favorite anime of all time. Just watch this show for yourself and experience this beautiful story with your own eyes and ears.
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
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Dec 18, 2022
I was initially drawn to Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid upon hearing the intro theme and seeing Kobayashi’s character. Something about the art style struck me as unique and intriguing. Upon starting the series, I was not disappointed. The character of Kobayashi proved to be very enjoyable. Although I was skeptical at first about Tohru (the dragon maid), the dynamic between Tohru and Kobayashi that the show prioritizes proved to be interesting and well-developed. I thoroughly enjoyed seeing both of them on screen.
This enjoyment persisted steadily until the sixth episode. Here, the worst character dynamics of Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid are introduced. The dynamic of Lucoa
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and Shouta is incredibly one-note, distasteful, and genuinely difficult to watch. The primary gimmick on display is that Shouta, an elementary school child, is being followed around by a woman that the show attempts to portray as attractive. Almost all of the scenes with these two characters (who are most often seen together, mind you) involve Lucoa sexually harassing Shouta, playing it off for comedy. I find it rare that a show exhibits scenes so bad that I actually have a difficult time keeping my eyes on the screen. This is one of those circumstances. Fortunately, Lucua and Shouta do not receive nearly as much screen time as Kobayashi, Tohru, and Kanna.
Less fortunate, however, is that this is not the only dynamic that is downright difficult to watch. The character of Kanna, a dragon that attends elementary school, is initially portrayed as being very cute and wholesome. As such, the scenes with her were highly enjoyable until the sixth episode. In this episode, Kanna and her friend (who is demonstrated to harbor some kind of attraction towards her) are sexualized in one of the most uncomfortable scenes I have witnessed in a long while. This sexualization continues after this episode. I had my suspicions early on when characters in the show referred to Kanna as a “loli,” but I opted to pass this off as a hiccup in an otherwise delightful experience. I even assumed such a thing could have been a translation error, but alas, the show proved to me that it really was willing to stoop that low. Never before has a series made me question the moral standings of its author as much as this one.
It should be noted that neither of these poor-taste character dynamics completely ruined Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid for me, but simply left me respecting the show less. And although they were in poor taste, the scenes were not overly severe. These characters, although focused on throughout, take backstage to the very entertaining relationship between Kobayashi and Tohru. Therefore, I still found something to like in Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid. As I had originally anticipated, the music and art were both great and unique. The show was relaxing and very occasionally even evoked laughter. Overall, I would recommend Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid to anyone who finds interest in the visual and audio style and enjoys slice of life.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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Dec 6, 2022
Shikimori's Not Just a Cutie is a highly specific type of anime. It is in no way deceptive about what it is and delivers exactly what it sets out to do. The show remains tonally consistent from the very first episode. I would classify it as a relaxing and uneventful romcom. The conflicts within this show are very minor and contained and primarily serve to portray the personality and dynamics of Shikimori and Izumi.
Personally, I enjoyed this show. If you're looking for a break from convoluted or heavy works of fiction or even hectic ongoings in life, this may be worth a watch. If you're
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looking for an exciting, unpredictable, edge-of-your-seat thrill ride, this might not be the show for you. If you're unsure about watching this show, give the first episode a try. If that does not appeal to you, I find it unlikely that the rest of the show will.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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Dec 6, 2022
Upon starting GTO, my impression was rather mixed. Onizuka, the protagonist, came off as ethically questionable despite some of his more likable aspects. Primarily, his fantasizing about minors came off as particularly distasteful and outdated, especially given his position of power as a teacher.
That being said, I came to love Onizuka as a character. His outlandish ideas and unpolished nature make him highly enjoyable. His laid-back and reasonable demeanor is contagious and inspirational. GTO stands as a potent example of a show that is not only entertaining but may also influence one's life directly. Onizuka, aside from his occasional perversion, stands as a fantastic role
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model for viewers to learn from. The world would be a better place with more Onizukas.
Admittedly, the formula can be somewhat repetitive. That being said, having a formula does not automatically make the show worse. The added predictability and lack of surprise in a character's arc is usually outweighed by the unpredictability of how Onizuka will get there.
Aside from the show's formulaic nature, there are some other problems that serve to impede my enjoyment. In certain situations, the required suspension of disbelief of what events are transpiring given the show's grounded setting is too much; instances might occasionally be a tad too ridiculous and overdramatic for me. Additionally, fanservice of minors is an unwelcome but all too common sight in this show. These moments are often inexplicit and brief (thankfully) but are present nonetheless.
Overall, these gripes are not overly significant. GTO balances serious themes and ideas with a light-hearted comedic tone without feeling as though it is doing a disservice to its themes. All the characters are a joy to watch on screen, feeling nuanced and well-written. The character expressions are amusing and the animation feels well-suited to the series. GTO manages to feel relaxed and comfortable while also tying in heavy topics in a way that does not feel... well, heavy. One could point to any of these factors as ones that make GTO a great show. To me, however, the show's potential to influence people positively in their behavior is what makes it above and beyond.
Sidenote: the chairman is incredibly based and underrated. Also, the first outro is an absolute banger.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Dec 4, 2022
Romantic Killer has become one of the biggest surprises in anime in 2022. What I fully expected to be a middle-of-the-road Netflix harem romcom ended up being one of the best and most memorable shows I’ve seen all year.
Despite the harem genre having never appealed to me, Romantic Killer somehow finds a way of incorporating it creatively. Despite my expectation that a female lead and male love interests would make the show more difficult to relate to, I got over it after only one episode. All the characters become lovable in their own way, especially the protagonist. The animation is fluid and compliments the comedy
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exceptionally well. Overall, this show proves itself as an incredibly fun and underrated romcom deserving of praise and my recommendation. In a season of many incredible shows, this one has had difficulty standing out, but trust me, it is worth your watch.
Sidenote: you’re not going to want to skip those end credits.
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
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Dec 4, 2022
Upon viewing the first couple of episodes, I was far from sold. I thought, "Oh, this is just some trashy ecchi harem bait..." I was fully ready to give this show a 4/10. Relationships and actions felt unnatural and convenient. The main character was openly perverted and annoying. Even his younger sister seemed like ethically questionable fanservice. The hamfisted scientific explanations felt like false means of giving the show some kind of deeper meaning.
But, as one may note, this is a positive review. Such is the case that this show utterly dispelled my worried expectations. Even with the main character constantly having women over his
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house, it never feels distasteful or harem-esque. Contextually, each instance makes sense. Best of all, the show never breaks immersion to objectify its female characters. Even in the bountiful opportunities the show has to portray ecchi elements (the many bath scenes), it refuses to. Especially later on, such scenes would feel out of place and dampen the moment.
What truly exonerated this show for me and exalted it to such a high status was its ending, primarily the final four episodes. Packed with emotion and amazing character moments, I was blown away. The last few episodes convinced me with certainty that this show was worth my time. For the most part, this made up for the show's prior lack of draw. I'm sure there could have been a more satisfactory or gripping beginning to the series, but looking back, the show ended up being a joy either way.
Sidenote: despite this show being labeled a romance, I would moreso call it a drama with romance elements. Even if you're not looking for or were expecting a drama with this show, I'd still recommend a watch.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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