Back to Zorkary's Profile Zorkary's Profile

Disclaimer: this has been copy/pasted from my blog

Before a couple of months ago I could count on one hand 1) the amount of manga I had read and 2) how many sports animes/mangas I'd watched/read. Today....well I still can but they are rising swiftly!

After getting sucked into the world of sports anime and manga I accidentally stumbled on Blue Lock. I saw some buzz about it getting an anime in the Fall of 2022 and decided to read ahead to see if I'd be interested in watching it when it came out. I immediately blasted through 30 chapters.

This manga is packed to the brim with ... action. It's a Battle Royale meets Soccer/Football story and it does not disappoint. As per the usual with a BR, there are teams of people fighting it out while also trying to look out for themselves first and foremost. The characters are interesting and compelling. The struggles are intense and there's even some humor laced throughout the reading. I can honestly see why this will be getting an adaption as it has so much action it felt like it was made for TV.

I've yet to settle on a favorite or set of favorite characters but there are some high contenders as the story has developed. The setting is simple as it is in a soccer compound that the players can't leave so you are very focused on the characters and games.

Does it pass the 5-chapter test?: 1000% yes (especially due to me being so caught up in it that I read straight to chapter 30 without remembering to write a review....)

If you like soccer you should check this one out. If you like battle royales you should check this one out. If you like classic "character seeks to get stronger and surpass their limits" tropes then this is gold for you. If you like none of these things? Well, maybe wait for the anime and check it out anyway. Who knows, it just might hook you!

Disclaimer: This is a copy/paste from my blog for my podcast

This show checks a lot of boxes for me. Sci-fi? Post Apocalyptic? Desert-Punk style? Bow and Arrow fights? It's got it all and more. I randomly bumped into this anime when I was browsing around Crunchyroll looking at new shows out and coming soon. Saw the title card, read the premise, and said “let's give it the 5 ep test” (to an empty room, it was just me there.)

Quick note for those not familiar with this sort of test. A lot of anime watchers have an episode limit to see if they will continue a ... show, usually ranging from 3-5 episodes. If the show hasn’t grabbed them by then, well, no hard feelings but they’re moving on. My test used to be 3 eps but my friend's hard logic got me to adopt his 5 ep test.

So here we are, it’s been 5 episodes of Sabikui Bisco.

Does it pass the 5-Episode test?: Yes it does!

This show is just fun y'all! I mean read the synopsis from MyAnimeList; you’re going to see a hero who rides a giant crab and shoots arrows that sprout into giant mushrooms.

It really is shaping up to be a good anime. I won’t get spoilery in this review but from episode one we meet the majority of the main characters and are introduced fairly shortly after that to a classic “going on a journey/quest” plotline, where the main characters have a bunch of mishaps, adventures, bumps, and laughs along the way.

It’s got a good cast of characters and I haven’t found anyone I particularly dislike. The dynamics work well and there's good development happening so far. The action is fun and fast with good, creative fights and very interesting world-building happening in almost every episode. The creators are definitely having fun with this one.

The only time thing I’ve had that was a slight drawback was that there's a decent amount going on so this last episode they rushed through a plot that I thought could have been developed more and would have been fun to see be a little longer. That however is probably just my personal taste.

So in conclusion, if you’re looking for a new show to check out and you like Action Anime with a Desert Punk style you will love this one. Definitely give it a look!

Disclaimer: this is a copy/paste from my blog for my podcast

Not going to lie I didn't know if I would like this anime. I hadn't watched any music-themed animes before this one and I didn't know if it would strike a chord with me.

Spoiler - it definitely did.

I loved it! The characters are fantastic and the music was stellar (which is good considering this is a show about music and character development.) I really enjoyed seeing everyone's journey and how they interacted with our main character. There are so many good people in this show and, once the main group is formed, there is good ... chemistry and interaction.

The music is so good, I grew to love the sound of the shamisen and loved how they blended it into the first opening song as well. It was fun seeing its place in Japanese culture and how much of a community exists around this instrument.

It also wasn't lacking in the humor department. There are many humorous moments and classic anime humor tropes. So if that tickles your funny bone you are in luck. You'll be chuckling at many a moment and laughing out loud at more than a few.

Recommendation: Don't skip this one!

I would highly recommend this show to people. Whether or not music anime is your thing I would say try it out. It might just take you by surprise! At this present time, there is not an announcement of a season 2 (although we can hope) so it's just a quick 12 episode watch. Who knows, maybe you'll be one of the people in the comments section buying used shamisens off eBay!

Disclaimer: This is a copy/paste from my blog for my podcast

So I used to read a ton of manga and comics but haven't been doing that as much these days. My brother (aka Jean, you podcast listeners will recognize him) still does. He has a Shonen Jump subscription and keeps up with new manga coming out. So when he tossed me the recommendation of "You should read this one, it's about a world of assassins with an OP (overpowered) main character like One Punch Man but he doesn't kill people anymore" I decided this was worth a read.

Boy was I glad I did.

This manga can ... be summed up in one word - fun. It's just a blast to read! The main characters are a great pair (retired OP hitman and clairvoyant young hitman who admires him as his idol) and as the chapters continue you see a team of people begin to assemble.

I've truly enjoyed the first five chapters and plan on keeping up with them. Now it is a show about hitmen so I would rate it at least a PG-13 rating with the potential to head into the R category. Some of the violence is brutal and while it's not dwelled on, it does happen a lot. But it's a manga about hitmen, what do you expect? The 'no-killing' rule is the main tension of the series so far, Sakamoto with his rule of no longer killing vs hitmen who have no problem killing. They bump into each other or seek out Sakamoto and Sakamoto and the gang try to battle it out without putting anyone down.

Does it pass the 5-chapter test?: Most Definitely!

If you're looking for a new manga or even a first manga I would recommend this one! It's very funny, the characters are likable and I'm enjoying the plot so far. That, plus my brother's recommendation after being current on the chapters out now, is enough for me to recommend checking this one out! I fully expect it to end up with an anime at some point and will be ready to watch once it does!

(If these seems like weird formatting I copy/pasted it from my personal website for my podcast)

When I found this anime I was very excited. I definitely grew up seeing skateboarding as such a cool sport/hobby/rebellious lifestyle. I remember being at my grandma's house and my cousin's visiting with their boards. He popped an Ollie and my 10-year-old brain was blown away. Unfortunately, that skill was never something I pursued or honed (unless Tony Hawk Pro Skater 2 counts...which it does.) I still have a classic board from back then (which I have dusted off and am still able to Ollie on, so that's a win) ... and I have a longboard I really like cruising on but nothing serious. I say all that to say - this show made me want to skate! They do such a good job pumping the show with the energy of the love of skating. It just looks so cool and fun! From the get-go, you're thrust into high-paced racing and skaters showing their style in classic anime fashion, it's fantastic.

Now if that was all it was it would have landed high for me. The visuals? - fantastic, the music? - very fun, the characters? - almost all of them are fun to watch. It's ticking a lot of boxes.

It also is really goofy in that great anime way. They really enjoy themselves in this show and there are laughs for days with their antics. It really hit that feel-good lighthearted show note super well.

However...(that's never good right)

It's not perfect. I have been waffling so much on a rating for this on my page of myanimelist and I finally landed at a 7/10 (classified as "Good"), which is still a decent rating! But it's not the 8 I wanted it to be. While the overall plot of fighting for a passion you love and for friendship is a good one, it suffers in my opinion from some unnecessary side plots that I am still confused as to their purpose beyond minor inner-character reveals.

It also, in a 12 episode season, had 1 episode of filler! The episode was for sure fun to watch, and you could argue for building up group dynamics, but ultimately it takes the characters out of the main plot on a side adventure and has no real impact on the plot of the show. 12 episodes is a little too short to waste screen time for me.

My last is more an unfortunate fact and doesn't affect how I would rate the show. It's a Funimation exclusive, which is totally fine and doesn't speak at all to quality. It's more unfortunate if you subscribe somewhere else and don't want to shell out more money for no-ads. So just be aware you can watch it free with ads, or pay for a month (or use your free trial if you haven't yet.)

Update: As of 3/1/2022 Funimation and Crunchyroll have merged so this last one is null at this point, although it could still be said for only being on Crunchyroll. That's just not a negative for me since that's my preferred anime streaming service.

Recommendation: 'Must Watch' if you like skating, its a good watch if you want a lighthearted feel-good friendship show

I have no problems recommending this show. It had some minor (and possibly one major) flaws for me personally but it's a good show! If you need a quick 12 ep show to put on and you don't want your emotions dragged everywhere or to have to pay attention to massive plot shifts, this is a good show for you. It's fun, funny, and passionate about its subject - skating with friends. Which, let's be honest, anything with your friends is going to be a blast!