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MakeIne is an almost perfect romcom. It's very funny, beautifully produced, has incredible voice acting, every character is unique and interesting, and it tugs hard on your heartstrings. A tiny bit more fanservice than I'd prefer in the early episodes but it's not by any stretch horrible, and the rest of the show more than makes up for it.

A-1 really knocked it out of the park with the way this thing looks and sounds. The colors and lighting are stunning, and the animation is surprisingly fluid. The direction is unique and expressive. The music is very effectively used and the ... OP is super catchy. The VA performances are also just rock-solid, the show has a lot of emotions, they really get to show range.

MakeIne places our MC, Nukumizu, firmly entangled in the high-school drama of three girls who got dumped, and each gets an arc to untangle their emotions about it. Simple enough, but it's done with such energy and feeling that it's hard not to get wrapped up in it. And importantly, it's not about the girls getting a guy in the end, it's about how you process rejection. Most of the time these kids are pretty mature in how they handle themselves and it always manages to be charming rather than melodramatic.

Oh, also all of the girls are nuts. And so is everyone else at the school. Yanami is a mooching food monster with a big mouth. Lemon's bursting with energy but maybe not too bright. Komari is an introvert with a taste for BL light novels who's constantly telling Nukumizu to drop dead. The student council girls are a zombie, a kitty, and a bitch. Even the teachers are unhinged and/or pervy. Every interaction between every single one of these idiots is hilarious. The comedy writing on this show is excellent.

And then it'll take all these weirdos and put them through the emotional ringer that is being a teenager, and you'll probably cry at the end of a few of these episodes. I did. Seriously, come for the comedy, stay for the characters. If you've ever been dumped, felt unrequited love, or even just have been a teenager at some point, I think it'll be hard not to sympathize. I spent a lot of this show talking directly to my television; fretting about their predicaments, feeling their pain, laughing with them, and being proud of them. It's been a while since I've been this invested in a cast. They all shine brightly.

If you already like these sorts of teen romance shows, this one is unique and incredibly well made. If you haven't seen it, watch it. If you're not so easily sold on the genre, I'd encourage you to watch an episode or two and see if it sticks. You're reading this, so you have at least a little interest. I don't think MakeIne will let you down.

A complicated thing, this. Expect to put in some effort with Bakemonogatari, it expects you to keep up. There's art in here, no doubt, and the craft is impressive; I'm still not sure if I like it.

There are a lot of reviews out there of Bakemonogatari, and I'm sure if you're even at the point of seeking out this show you know all of the usual stuff people talk about when they talk about this show. Yes, it's like 95% dialogue. No, you probably won't get like half of the word-play unless you speak Japanese. Yes, it's got some weird ... fanservice that feels, uh, not so good. And yes, it's disjointed and mostly makes no sense.

I think it does all of these things very carefully, though, and with purpose. The show is unrelentingly surreal, with every scene set in dreamlike, liminal spaces. No one seems to live in the world of Bakemonogatari but the victims of monsters, and the monsters themselves. There is an overwhelming sense of emptiness and melancholy through a lot of the show, often in stark contrast to the mile-a-minute deadpan comedy banter. The world is dark and scary and complicated. The show is not completely devoid of humor or lightness, but it's always got an edge to it. There are very few action scenes, but when they do them they are kinetic and stylish, honestly a few are quite impressive. Ultimately the way the show looks and feels is maybe the most divisive thing about this show; you'll know pretty quickly if you can tolerate it or not.

The other big divisive issue with this show will be the "fanservice" of the girls in the show. The show literally starts with a panty shot, and includes some pretty intense sexual themes as the show goes on, and while they don't always land, the show usually feels like it's using these scenes to actively make the viewer uncomfortable. The show is often about our underlying emotions, and they're a bunch of teens. I get it, and if it serves the plot, okay, fine. There's actually not that many scenes of it, either. This show sometimes feels like it's pushing a bit too hard when it does though, especially with the very young characters. Again, I think you're meant to feel uncomfortable. Success, I guess.

I think that your interest in the artsy fartsy stuff and your tolerance for the uncomfortable bits will determine how much this show does for you, but it's hard to argue that it's not unique and interesting. I watched all of it, and I'm probably going to move onto the sequels, because it's just so strange. If you can bring a critical eye and can handle some discomfort, I think there's a lot of reward to be had here.

A lightweight and very pleasant watch. Characters are charming and the comedy lands. Don't expect much of a plot, though.

It's pretty and bright, and all of the characters are fun. Alina and Jade's interactions are a highlight, as well as time spent with Alina and her coworker Laina. When the show is a slice of life anime, it's great. In particular, one thing I really like is that Jade, Lululee, and Alina's personalities strongly reflect their combat roles: Jade, the tank, is overly protective and acts like a loyal puppy; Lululee, the healer, struggles with making the hard calls; and ... Alina, the striker, is brash and difficult, and very much not a team player. Sorry Lowe, you didn't get enough screen time.

Where it really falls down though, is when it tries to get more serious. The fight scenes are pretty slow and boring, and the overarching plot isn't terribly interesting. This thing would be an 8 if it spent more time as a comedy and less time being dramatic. Alas, it tries too hard to push fate-of-the-world stakes too quickly and gets bogged down in the back half. The villains are very boring, with one notable exception; though even that doesn't really get enough time.

All of that said, the show is very watchable. It looks great, the VAs are all fantastic, with Rie Takahashi of course stealing the show. It's got jokes, and they're mostly pretty good. Oh, also the OP and ED (especially the ED) are great. Probably not gonna win any awards, but girls are cute, hell even Jade is cute, show is cute as fuck. Doesn't expect much of you, don't expect too much of it. What else do you want?

Bocchi The Rock! is an adorable portrayal of the difficulties of finding where you belong in the world, and learning that friendship is worth overcoming your fears. It uses the medium to brilliantly convey Bocchi's internal thoughts, and captures what it feels like to be a teenager. The direction is incredible and the comedy is often sidesplitting. This thing's got jokes.

It's hard not to root for our pink-haired introvert. She's so incredibly relatable, and the show sells how difficult things can be for her. I'm such a sucker for stories about weirdos finding their place in the world, and this ... one is one of the best. The characters are all well developed, and are pretty multi-faceted. They feel very real in a way that many anime characters do not.

Throughout the show they use cutaway scenes, often in wildly different art styles, to portray Bocchi's internal thoughts. The way these are used is very artful, and the solid character design really helps them to cartoonify these characters in Bocchi's imagination. It's quite clever, and often VERY funny. As the show goes on and the other girls get closer with Bocchi, they take part more and more in her fantasies; it feels like they break into Bocchi's bubble, because they understand her better.

The whole thing is adorable. The music, also, is great, and portrayed very well. It definitely feels like the show understands what the local music scene really feels like, reminded me of my punk days in small venues.

This might be my favorite anime ever.