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While people may prize the unpredictability of a show as something that is pivotal in deciding whether its a hit or miss for them, Juuni Taisen is able to execute its plot decently with the intention of wanting their audience to have full awareness of the way the show will progress, including its ending. Yes, you heard me right, it's ENDING. So what value is there in watching something in which you already know the events that will unfold? While to put it simply, it's HOW these said events happen. Because as cliche as 'it's about the journey, not the destination' sounds, it does apply ... to this show to a certain extent. At the end of it all, the ending itself isn't anything mindblowing (which is what I initially had my hopes for), but the route that the show takes us through is what that really matters.

That being said, this show is far from being deemed as a masterpiece. It had a very strong start (one of the most shocking endings of a first episode might I add), and just when I was about to coin it the anime of the season, things went downhill with the plunge in animation, pacing and storytelling in general. The animation in the later episodes of 6-9 was such an eyesore, not because its the worst art I've seen in the entirety of my anime watching experience, but because in comparison to the astonishingly detailed and smooth action sequences in episodes 1 and 2, the distinct difference in quality was extremely apparent. But, to give the show its benefit of the doubt, I assume my enjoyment would be raised higher should the show have sufficient budget to pull of what it intended to.

And while it's one thing to want the audience to be able to predict what happens next, it's another to be highly formulaic in the execution, leaving us only with the empty shell of what Juuni Taisen aimed to be — a series that was no short of some extremely mediocre episodes. I'm talking about ones that were so badly structured, with flashbacks thrown in abruptly with no sense of direction.

However, when I think back to certain moments that left me shell-shocked and so desperately wanting more when the ending credits kicked in, I'm able to barely close an eye and pretend that such episodes were merely a deja-vu that are not actually in the show.

Personally, I acknowledge that many might find this show to be garbage (as reflected in its poor ratings), but despite the holes in its narrative and subpar animation quality, it did resonate with me emotionally and has made me ponder on certain philosophical things that I'd never given any attention to prior to watching Juuni Taisen. The characters were also memorable and unique, and despite some of them having barely any screen time, they all left an impression on me. Lastly, I loved the openings and endings of this anime so that's also a plus! :)

If you watch no game no life zero with high expectations of it being a parallel to the original anime series with its intellectual outsmarting and "you thought you were winning but nope I had the upper hand all along" kind of plot (or even with its fanservice/ecchi elements), you will be greatly disappointed. That's because ngnl zero is a completely different story from the one we were all familiar with, the lighthearted, playful story with one of the brightest most colourful palette in anime history. Instead, its frankly quite the opposite, and I absolutely enjoyed it.

Ngnl zero sheds a different light onto this ... fantasy world of disboard, and delves into the sacrifices and hardship some had to go through to achieve the current "utopia" that Sora and Shiro live in. The movie has a distinctly different feel and vibe to it despite the same art style and very similar looking characters with the same voices. And contrary to the series, it takes itself very seriously and will touch your heart in one way or another, and perhaps you will shed a tear or two, which I did in my case.

Plotwise, however, the movie may have suffered due to a rush pacing or a not so smooth adaptation from the original light novel (disclaimer: I have not read any of the novels). There were many parts where I wished they spent more time going into the details of it rather than just rushing through, spamming the audience with complicated names and numbers introduced as quickly as they disappeared. This movie does not have the most logical, unique or mindblowing plot and will not satisfy you the way the series did with its clever tactics and counterattacking measures. The uneven pacing left me with a confused expression plastered on my face as what little explanation(mostly done through exposition) that the movie threw to me I wasn't able to grasp completely, and that deeply irritated me because it felt like I was shortchanging myself on the movie experience. But upon completion of the movie, it struck me that it didn't matter if certain details were unclear or left out, because that wasn't the point of the show. And it did happen 6000 years ago so really, the details of execution of plans shouldn't be the crux of the story, but rather the heart and emotions behind it. And to me that was done really well.

Now on to why YOU MUST WATCH THE MOVIE. The visuals...they were so beautiful, although literally blinding at some times, unfortunately. But Madhouse really did a fantastic job with the crazy amount of details they put into every single background and the smooth fluid animation in the fight sequences. It was a feast for the eyes and I was happy to see that they toned down on the colour spasm and made it into something more subtle but still incredibly breathtaking. The music and sounds were also phenomenal with many dramatic silences that led up to emotional pitfalls for the audience ;_; (if you know what I'm taking about). I watched this movie in the cinemas and it was worth every cent with the huge screen and blasting music it was great.

Ngnl zero isn't a masterpiece movie that will change your life or anything. It's far from that really. But it can't be taken as a stand alone. It is a prequel and a side story of sorts to supplement the main story and I think it has done an incredible job at fulfilling its aim :)

Let me start off by saying that Made in Abyss is a series that deserves to be bestowed with the title of a Masterpiece of an anime series. This may sound like I'm placing the series on a pedestal, and you could say that personal bias has influenced by decision to rate MIA a full 10/10 for all the components, but please allow me to try my best to break down and pinpoint just exactly why it has earned such a place in my heart.

Beginning with the first episode, which took me by serious surprise when I was left in absolute awe by the ... mystical vibes exuded by the astounding visuals and the beautiful soundtrack. MIA has one of the best first episodes I have ever seen thus far because unlike other shows where they bombard the audience with a complex plot in a desperate attempt to bait them into watching the rest of the show, MIA does that exact opposite. Instead, we tag along with our protagonist, Riko, and her adventures down into the abyss. Some things occur, and right off the bat, episode one was sufficient to leave me tense at the edge of my seat, yet the premise is simple and digestible enough for me to follow along. And at the end, we are treated with a stunning picturesque overview of the abyss, and that alone was enough to leave me desiring to be transported into their world and explore the abyss along with Riko. They had successfully pulled off their intended effect – to reproduce that sort of charm and mystery of the abyss, something that is so dangerous, slightly sinister, yet people, both the characters in MIA, along with the audience, are drawn to it.

Moving on to the crux of MIA, the plot. The first few episodes mask the true sinister reality of the show and I was tricked into thinking this would be a cute adventure series with Riko and friends, but boy does that completely change in the next few episodes to come. Now don’t get me wrong, being ‘dark’ or ‘deep’ doesn’t necessarily equate to a good compelling story, as plenty of shows that seek to achieve such an effect often go beyond their capacity and all that remains is simply a cringefest of wasted potential. Yet, MIA absolutely nails in its execution. Even in earlier parts where there was a lighter more upbeat tone, the story never got stale and it was just downright entertaining to witness the happenings and adventures of Riko and those around her. And now that I think about it, it wasn’t really the plot itself that was unique or fantastic, rather, it's the perfect pacing and storytelling the series chose to adopt that really sold the show to me. I would go so far as to say that MIA is somewhat like a deconstruction of adventure genres and how behind the excitement and thrill of going on a journey of never return, lies the harsh brutal reality, something that even 12 years olds are not immune to, and are in fact more prone to its effects due to their fragility.

I could not have asked for a better two main characters, Riko and Reg. One is an enthusiastic fearless adventurer and the other a shy yet fiercely protective friend. This iconic pair are extremely well written characters that spoke out to me on a profound level, weaving my emotional attachment towards them, and thus cue the tears and heartache when misfortune befell them. The complement and supplement each other in so many ways that it is just really darn endearing to see them interact. And due to spoiler reasons, I shall not delve deep into the third main character that only appears in the later episodes, but she, too, is absolutely precious and I honestly cherish the chemistry and relationships that they foster over the span of the series. Even side characters, including the most minor ones, and even ones that don’t even appear apart from through flashbacks and recollections, are memorable and they have that sense of quirkiness and originality that is in its own way a breath of fresh air after so many reused anime troupes that we have seen time and time again.

Every single Friday for 13 weeks, this show was something that I really looked forward to. It was a spectacular journey and one that I am so happy I decided to start. It is absolutely magical and a feast for my eyes as with such a unique art style accompanied with the most detailed backgrounds. Every piece of music matched the scene so well and it was truly a beautiful symphony of sounds, visuals and storytelling. Thank you for reading my review of this Masterpiece and I hope that you will embark on the same journey as me and finish it with the same feelings as I did. :)

You would think a show titled Gamers! would revolve around games right? Well that's what I had thought too but Gamers! is really just about gamers and their crazy daily antics. I was expecting a show revolving around some gaming club, but I was rewarded with an extremely amusing love pentagon and honestly, I'm not complaining ;)

The main catch of Gamers!, I personally feel, is how relatable it is. What I initially thought of as a boring cast of highschool students slowly grew on me as we delve deeper into their personal lives and how their world functions and how they were shaped into ... the way they are now. Each character is unique and quirky in their own way that it made the show so enjoyable!

And now moving on to the crux of the show, the romcom aspects. Honestly this is the dumbest and yet entertaining romcom I've seen. It does go in horrifying circles and while that tends to leave me frustrated and annoyed at such dragged out plot, Gamers! absolutely nails in its execution because of how well the dynamic of the characters' relationship with one another have been established, and thus crafting the platform for hilarious scenarios. Each character is given decent screentime and through their lens, we get to see how they view the wacky situation at hand and we laugh at their overthinking, their misunderstandings, and their foolishness.

Overall, Gamers! is definitely a show to check out if you desire something light hearted and fun :>

Before you pass off this series for being just another anime set in high school, hear me out first. This show doesn't just merely make use of the school setting as an easy way to build up its characters and story, its a deconstruction of it. A detailed analysis of how different people play different roles in a class, how the priorities of some are the trivial issues of others.

For me, what really hooked me onto this was the extremely well written school system, the way the school operates and the mechanics behind it. It's very interesting, unorthodox and arguably controversial in a sense ... as one might question the morality and virtues behind such a management. But all in all, it was just plain cool to me and I so desperately wanted to go to such a school after watching the first few episodes or so, even if it means I'll probably be overwhelmed and crumble under the stress lol.

Next, we have a very excellent protagonist, Ayanokouji, who I found to be uninteresting and plain at first with the troupe of the loner and social outcast kind of character. But a few episodes in and its clear as water that he is not who he seems. The way he handles situations with that nonchalant expression and monotonous voice really sold the show to me and it was just refreshing to have such an unusual character troupe as the main character, especially when majority of his true intentions are kept hidden from the audience despite him having many monologues.

However, the catch is that there are only 12 episodes in this season and the story is far from complete with many questions left unanswered. But I do guarantee that the ending will not disappoint. This is a show stemming from the psychological genre and being a student myself, I can relate to many things and situations that arise there, sometimes cringing because its all too embarrassingly familiar. I really did enjoy the ride and hope you will too :>

I'm anything but a gambler, and so I begin this anime with the thought that perhaps I'd be able to gain some takeaways on the world of gambling and perhaps even learn a few strategies or two. Kakegurui unfortunately did not fufil any of my aims. That aside, it was a pretty solid show with a crazy and outright ballistic girl as the show's protagonist, which to me, was the best part of the series because her actions defied all normalcy and it was thrilling seeing how she would respond to the different challenges thrown at her (or rather she happily throws at herself).

However, ... aside from one or two episodes, I found myself slowly getting really bored from the things that were being presented. Every episode felt like it was following a formula and the games played, although all superficially different and unique, all felt the same and repetitive in some sense. And my oh my is there A LOT of cheating. Is this how gambling works? Because literally how someone won was by cheating or discovering how someone cheated or outsmarting someone's cheat by another cheat. And yes it was somewhat intellectual, but I had really wished they used more justified and proper ways to truly demonstrate the gambling prowess of the cast, rather then have them resort to such means.

The art was really really spectacular at the start, and was what caught my attention with its unique art style that gave off a tinge of malice, which I thought was pretty darn cool. But the later episodes lacked the same quality as the first few. Or perhaps it's just me xD

"12 minutes per ep and focusing on 4 different couples every ep? How in the world would that work?" That was my first thought before I started the show, and here we are 12 episodes later and I've become a self-inflicted diabetic BECAUSE OH MY GOD THIS SHOW IS TOO FLUFFY. (But with a tinge of angst too ;))

You'd think with so many characters and relationships and stories to tell with such limited time, how would they accomplish it? Won't it get all choppy and messy? Won't you feel detached from the characters? Well for me at least, I gladly answer no to the ... previous two questions. Tsurezure Children does a spectacular job of being a romance anime, and it does the audience a favour by shaving off all the unnecessary roundabouts and extra boring tidbits and surges straight to the good juicy moments of romance and fluff that we all came for. I guarantee anyone in the single squad will think "man, I want to fall in love" at least a couple times throughout indulging this show, it is that powerful.

What one might see as the show's possible biggest downfall of too many relationships, was crafted out to be the show's greatest strength, and that is the explorations of how silly adolescent relationships functions, their different dynamics and how people with different personalities are matched together and henceforth their cute interactions with each other. It really is a breath of fresh air and makes you want to root for them. There is no drama, no tragedy, none of that sad shit, just tons and tons of sugar and everything sweet. That's not to say its one-dimensional, because the show isn't short of heartwarming scenes that reached out to me emotionally.

But my intention here isn't to put in on a pedestal and market it as some masterpiece, because it really isn't, hence my rating of only 8/10. One of the issues I have with it (that really isn't its fault in the first place per se) but WHY IS IT ONLY 12 MINUTES LONG AND ONLY 12 EPISODES IN THIS SEASON??? So for fear of it only being a season long without a sequel, and given its current far from completion state, I can only give it such a score.

But nonetheless, I enjoyed myself very much and got a better glimpse of having a high school romance, something that I don't have and probably won't have xD

"A silent voice". The title of the movie ironically and unfortunately sums up what I feel towards it. Perhaps its the discrepancy of wavelengths between the movie and I, or perhaps I'm just too dense to fully comprehend the supposed deep meaning and symbolism of the movie, but the TL;DR is that I felt like this movie was trying to tell me many things, in which I heard close to nothing and it left me utterly unsatisfied. With this currently being ranked #8 on MAL and not falling short on reviews praising its beautiful touching story, I started this movie with high hopes that it ... will be something that will leave me in awe and tears, something that will have me pondering about the themes of bullying, disability, redemption, depression, in which the movie attempted to cover. Sadly, I ended up being bored half the time, constantly checking for how long more till the end, clinging on to that glimmer of hope that somehow the last 10 mins or so will blow my mind or at least change my opinion on this movie. It didn't.

Of course there were things I enjoyed. The art and animation is gorgeous and brought out the unique flavour of the manga's art style and it really was a feast for my eyes. More than any other emotion, I found myself giggling and even bursting into fits of laughter at some scenes because of how adorable or silly the characters were behaving. And that would have been awesome if this was the main objective of the show if it were a comedy. Not to say genres like koe no katachi should fall short of these hilarious moments, but if these moments are more appealing then emotional or thought-provoking ones, there is definitely a problem. Things were only aggravated when during one of the climax moments, they played the most ill-fitting soundtrack ever, and I was so distracted by the mismatch of emotions and music that made my viewing experience worst.

Moving on to the plot. Honestly, I wasn't sure what I was expecting, but I was expecting something more than what was given. It felt like the whole story fell flat and things happened out of nowhere. And this is where i vent my frustration of them adapting 62 chapters of manga into a 2 hour movie.....having read a third of the manga, I kept recollecting how many scenes were cut off, side characters were basically thrown to the gutter with barely any character development, and even the mains themselves felt like their character arc was severely lacking. Scenes did not flow well from one to the other, and there were so many times where I had to replay certain moments to even understand the change in context. Flashbacks were thrown around here and there and it was really really confusing to say the least. I have read reviews where people attained some sort of enlightenment or insight towards bullying and I do admit the fresh take on the perspective of a bully and the deconstruction of the usual saying about karma, "what goes around comes around", was something that had heaps of potential to really touch the souls of many and even inspire them to some extent. And I'm sure many people did feel that way, but my friend who I watched it with and I regrettably didn't feel anything at all rather. It was a story, but it wasn't a compelling one. There was only one character I liked in the show and so many of her scenes that I liked about her were cut away and it really pissed me off. Watching Koe no Katachi feels like being served a 5 star meal at a fine dining but the food has been half eaten (stupid analogy I'm sorry). Although I did not finish the manga, the 1/3 that I read was more promising than the entire movie so its justifiable to assume that the adaption was the mess up.

After all this ranting, why do I still give it a semi decent score of 6? Well that's because I absolutely love the hell out of the imagery used in this movie. From the crosses on people's faces to symbolises the isolation of one's self and the constant falling into a pool of water to foreshadow a later scene. Overall, I do not hate the show, it just didn't appeal to me on a personal level and I really wish it was adapted into an anime series and not rushed into a movie.

After getting bored by a couple of supposedly "funny" series, I came to learn that comedy is highly subjective and only appeals to those that can in a sense, connect with it. I am extremely fortunate to stumble this joy of a series, Gekkan Shoujo Nozaki-kun that tingles my funny bone on a godly level.

Firstly, DO NOT BE FOOLED by the 'romance' genre because if you start this show with expectations of it being your run the mill rom-com or even shoujo anime (because its in the title), you will be heavily disappointed. This is a full-fledged comedy, no drama, no angst, no romance, ... just pure CRACK. And I put this out there because I have heard of people who dislike this show because it didn't meet their so called "expectations". Now, this show has entirely no plot whatsoever, and this has turned many off, because the show just goes in circles and by the end of the 12 episodes nothing really "happens". But that is exactly why I love it. It's this nonsensical, slice of life, lighthearted nature of Gekkan that I found to be so soothing and calming, relieving the pain and rigor of every day life. Not to say that the story is boring or pointless though, oh no no no. Every episode brings a new scenario, focused on two-three of the main characters and through the events that play out, hilarity ensues. Plus points if you've watched a couple of shoujo animes, because Gekkan parodies it in a satirical nature and completely shades and deconstructs the cliches of romance.

And now to the best part of the series: the characters. Looking back now I have no idea why I adore them so much. There is no tragic backstory, there is no spectacular character development, there is no complex personality. None of that at all. What you see is what you get in Gekkan, and the show even goes so far as to blatantly state the personality type of the characters. I would go so far as to say they are far from dynamic and can be summed up in a couple of words. But SOMEHOW they still appeal so much to the audience and their little antics and behavior are some times so unorthodox that you can't help but burst out in laughter. They fall into a certain character troupe, yes, but its the most unique and weird and crazy kind of troupe and you can't help but fall in love with their eccentricity. They are such an unlikely group of friends (if you can even call them friends haha). They don't all belong to a certain club, or class or anything at all. And sometimes you have to think back to recall what exactly is the dynamics of their relationship, and when the show throws these characters into certain situations you can't help but laugh your ass off.

Personally, I really really did enjoy this show a whole lot, and I burst out in actual LOLs because certain scenes just really took the cake for me. I understand not everyone will love this as much as I did, but do give it a shot because you may walk off with some really fun times :)

"People, who can’t throw something important away, can never hope to change anything." - Armin Arlet

Attack on Titan season 2 is very distinctly different from season 1, in which the tone shifted from a epic action series to a thriller mystery. And although I do appreciate the increased sense of maturity, I feel like I got slightly cheated. I was drawn into AOT for the scenes of them using their 3D maneuver gear(lol), so it was quite disappointing when there were barely any scenes of that. However, I commend the series for paralysing me with their amazing usage of suspense in the first few episodes, ... but sadly it was not continued in the later ones. Season 2 has answered many questions, but at the same time many more questions were being raised and I really do see the potential of the plot, and I really do wish for a spectacular ending that can tie up all loose ends and wrap up the entire story nicely.

Another great aspect of season 2 was the development of side characters, something that was completely overlooked in the first season. Because now I actually give a shit about the extended cast(and finally remember their names too) and not just the main 3. Every character was given decent development and their personalities were explored on a deeper level. Season 1 brushed them off as insignificant, merely labeling them with a certain trait, making them appear flat and boring. But season 2 has completely reversed that probably so that if they ever die more tears will be shed :( All the characters have now matured a fair bit, and although the mains appear way lesser this time around, the scenes of them had far more impact.

However, back on why I still prefer season 1, is on the pace of the show. As the episodes went on, there were times where I felt the story wasn't moving anywhere but trapped at a juncture in between all the exposition and flashbacks. And with only 12 episodes that only covered a single arc, it was needless to say quite boring at times. I'm not sure if its just me, but the art this time around seems to be better than season 1's and despite lacking action sequences, there were many picturesque shots that were framed really well. The animation was smooth as usual and overall it was a feast for my eyes. The soundtrack was also really amazing, being extremely fitting to the nature of the different scenes, adding onto the suspense and allowing myself to immerse more into the scene.

Attack on titan, just like the first, is definitely worth the watch, but at times the story goes around in circles a little that it loses my interest.