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Jun 5, 2021
This is one of my favorite mangas I have ever read. I decided to read it before it got adapted because I didn't want muddied perceptions of what should or should not have happened; I only wanted to enjoy the base material for what it is. And, in the fullest sense, I enjoyed it. But, it also ruined me emotionally. Vague spoilers ahead.
Story: I have no idea how to synopsize this story, so if you want that, just read the damn synopsis that presently exists. The story is amazingly unique for being part of a genre that recycles tropes and archetypes like no other. The
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way settings are depicted, especially, floored me. For instance, in one arc, the main and supporting characters are transported to hell. I had chills running down my spine the whole time. It was haunting, engaging, and disorienting. The plot worked hand in hand with the characters to make this a very special read. Usually, a story is driven mostly by plot, or mostly by characters. However, CSM has an extraordinary ability to make the reader abandon common sense in order to understand plot mechanisms, while at the same time forcing us to become confident in the attitudes and aspirations of the characters. Although, be warned, puke is an unusually common facet of this manga.
Characters: Power was my favorite, but I liked almost every character, even Makima (although, her less so for obvious reasons). Power was an incarnation of violence, but her character arc was beautiful and profound. My favorite scenes were of Denji and Power comforting each other. Their platonic admiration for each other filled my heart, and defied the expectation that all tenderness expressed between male and female character HAS to be romantic. Aki was another stunning character. His emotional depth and empathy for others was one of my favorite aspects of the story. His desire for normalcy and eventual transcendence from the desire to seek revenge was perfect for him. Angel Devil, Kobeni, and many other supporting characters were incredibly relatable. Needless to say, the character design was amazing as well. Pochita was cute as hell!
Also, Quanxi is a canonical lesbian with a healthy polyamorous relationship and faith in her ability as a fighter. I have to commend the mangaka on his writing of female characters. Many shonen manga and animes are terrible at this, but Fujimoto does all of them justice. He didn't shy away from writing a gay character, which I am very happy with.
Overall: This is a story about love and trauma. There is a large amount of gore depicted in CSM, but my takeaway is that every single character was seeking what all of us do: to be loved. Denji experiences intense trauma in the form of starvation, murder, and seeing people close to him become victims of insane violence. He gives up, and then gets up again, like he was always meant to do. Even in the face of nothingness, he finds a light there, and abandons his desire to remain thoughtless. He becomes someone that all readers are bound to be proud of. Every character is done justice in this story, even if it doesn't feel that way. They go through their own revelations and enlightenments. Chainsaw Man will become a classic.
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
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May 19, 2021
Spoiler free.
Jujutsu Kaisen has the potential to be a modern classic. In all ways, this show exceeded expectations and tackled topics that many animes are afraid to approach. It has amazing fight scenes and an incredible art style accompanied by an enjoyable soundtrack.
What made this show wonderful above all, though, were the characters. I often found myself deeply surprised and touched by the words they said. The main 3 (Nobara, Megumi, and Itadori) all had profound things to say about their places in life. Nobara, with feminism and her role as a female sorcerer. Megumi, with his wayward familial history and hidden potential. Itadori, with
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his focus on the value of human life and how actions affect others. All of them were so lovable.
This was an extremely enjoyable show. I would recommend this to anyone who not only likes good action, but a healthy bit of existentialism and original plot devices.
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
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Apr 15, 2021
**Mild spoilers ahead
Story: At first I was pretty intrigued by this story and couldn't stop watching the early episodes. However, after about episode 6, it became clear to me that I would have to force myself to finish this and I was not wrong. The plot is seriously lacking and becomes so boring so quickly. In fact, there is literally never an answer as to where the Kabane come from, why they're so strong, or what the crew of the Kotetsujyo will do after the show ends. So many loose ends and plot holes. Also, the whole mess concerning "the weak and strong" contained so
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much empty symbolism and disappointing dialogue that I quickly tired of it.
Art: Stunning, not surprising for WIT studios. Pretty much the only thing that was consistently enjoyable about this show.
Sound: The opening and ending weren't bad but everything was pretty forgettable.
Character: Good God, was this section lacking too. First of all every single main character is underage despite them looking like fully grown adults. Secondly, everyone except Mumei sucked. MC was unbearable. Kusuru was okay as well.
Enjoyment: 8/10 at the beginning and 0/10 at the end. I was excited for it to be over.
Overall: I do not recommend this. Just save your time and watch something else.
Reviewer’s Rating: 6
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Apr 9, 2021
Yes I gave this show a 10. No I don't care about your feelings. The animation was perfect for a comedy anime, and the awkward movements of the characters made it even funnier. Too many people are just overcritical and don't know how to enjoy something simple without comparing it to everything else.
Story: Cute, simple, and original. I love how much Tatsu loves his wife. Pure.
Art: Great. Already discussed this above.
Sound: Perfect for the scenes and I love both the intro and outro.
Character: Perfect characters that mesh well with one another. Tatsu and Miku have great chemistry and her parents are gems too.
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Enjoyment: 10/10. I finished it in one night because it was so short. I want a second season so bad already! If you can learn to enjoy something for what it is rather than what you wish it were, that is the key to happiness. However, I wouldn't say that about the shows I hate, so everyone is entitled to their own opinions. Either way I highly recommend this show for anyone who wants to laugh the entire episode and have fun with a show when so many of them are dark and dreary. The humor is offbeat, well-timed, and heavily influenced by Japanese culture.
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
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Dec 7, 2020
Terror in Resonance is an anime that, on its surface, is about the dangerous terror attacks perpetrated by a mystery duo. As watchers get deeper into the show, there are many subplots that surface and offer different views to the supposed main plot. One of the greatest things about this show, I think, is its ability to offer different perspectives about tragedy, revenge, sadness, and loss. Fair warning, SPOILERS are ahead.
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Story (9/10): I've never seen an anime with this specific plotline, so kudos to the creators for doing something unique. However, this show isn't just about terrorists. As Shibazaki said in one of the later
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episodes, "in an earlier time, they may have been called something different." In the show's dialogue, its story is made sufficient through historical nuance and thoughtful pacing. I really never found myself cringing at the conversations had, because they made sense and really mimicked how I feel humans would in their situations. The plot line was mostly fleshed out besides the fact that it seemed to be teased that Lisa WAS a child in that horrible orphanage but they never expanded on that? Maybe I just was reading into it too much. Either way, it resulted in a point loss overall because it was the one thing that was never addressed.
Art (10/10): Nothing much to say here other than I really enjoyed it and they animation style was cute. Not many corners were cut.
Sound (10/10): I'm actually listening to the OST right now. The music is raw, thoughtful, and perfect for the aura of the show. Amazing stuff.
Character (9/10): All the characters are gems besides Five. She was made to be murderous and crazy but then spared Nine? Didn't make much sense. Other than this, the characters of this show and their decisions really made sense to me. Lisa wasn't so weak as normal female anime characters are, and was just an unlucky passerby. I think she was meant to be the relatable character, one the audience saw themselves in. Nine and Twelve are super smart, cute, and have interesting back stories. The ending broke me, and Nine and Twelve deserved better. But I have a feeling they were never meant to stick around. Like their legacy, it was once nothing, then everything, and now they are but a memory.
Enjoyment (10/10): Finished this in 2 days, which is completely possible for anyone since this is 11 episodes. I definitely recommend this to any level of anime watcher, beginner or old. I can't stop thinking about this show. It was so emotional.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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Sep 30, 2020
Rent-A-Girlfriend is a relatively fun, light-hearted anime that never left me bored. I kept up with the simulcast after episode 5. However, there are serious problems with the main character, Kazuya. I understand that this is a harem anime, but I'm tired of writers thinking they can insert just any male life form and think that will leave the audience satisfied. What do we have to do to get ONE good, sensible harem protag?? Kazuya has no real personality, he's kind of dumb, and goes wherever female affection leads him. There is no reason for me to like him. I like Chizuru way more, actually.
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I like all the girls 100x more than Kazuya.
The story is pretty strong. It kept me engaged but there were too many coincidences sometimes. If you want an explanation of the plot read the damn synopsis.
Art is stunning in literally every episode. I really love this animation style and it seems like many people do.
Sound was forgettable I don't remember any of it.
Character was ranted about above^
Enjoyment: a good amount. You will probably enjoy watching this show but will be annoyed by Kazuya's stupidity.
Overall: 7. It is slightly above average.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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Sep 9, 2020
I finished this show in a single day. I was intrigued by the horrible rating on this anime, so I wanted to watch for myself. I can see why this show has a low score, but I gave it a 9 for a reason. I honestly had no idea what I was getting into, and oh boy was it the most beautifully depraved and cataclysmic piece of art I've ever seen.
There will be *SPOILERS* from here on, because I simply cannot imagine this review making sense without them.
Story (10/10): I'm not going to do a play-by-play of the whole plot, but here are the
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highlights. The story is a very simple Harem/high school romance drama. At least, that's what I thought at first. We get to follow a wide array of mentally unstable and vindictive characters, including the main (antagonist?) Itou Makoto and his many love interests. Katsura Kotonoha is his initial target (yes she was a target because we all come to realize what a horned up bastard Makoto is) and is seemingly a sweet, shy girl, not unlike many young Japanese girls. I assume these people are seniors in high school what with the way they act, but I don't think it's ever clarified. Overall, the entire cast devolves into a drama so thick and messy that it leaves you wondering how it all "came to this."
There are a few important factors to the story's progression, such as the pacing. As opposed to many other animes I've watched, the initial episodes are a bit slow, and the intensity really starts following in episode 4. This was a conscious decision on the director's part I'm assuming, because by structuring the story in such a way, we find Makoto slightly likable at first. This sets us up to be disappointed not very long after.
The sexcapade that begins once Makoto starts fooling around with Sekai is a whirlwind. For a while, it seems Makoto truly likes her, but eventually bangs the whole damn school, including Sekai's own friends. This creates obvious tension among the ladies, and Makoto digs himself the ultimate grave (literally). He ends up pissing of Sekai (who faked a pregnancy that resulted in the ending mess) by abandoning her once she becomes "pregnant" and gets back together with Kotonoha, who at this point, is severely mentally damaged by him. Makoto doesn't do this before having a foursome with Kotonoha's bullies though!
The ending is the final and absolute degradation of Kotonoha's mind. After Sekai kills Makoto (which was cathartic, I will admit) for abandoning her and their "baby," Kotonoha discovers this and then kills Sekai, but not before literally beheading Makoto, shoving his head in a duffel bag, bringing it to the school roof, and then murdering Sekai by cutting her uterus open to confirm that no, there was no child in there. She then takes Makoto's decapitated head and escapes to sea on her yacht, where she cuddles it endearingly. What a beautiful, horrific mess.
One last thing. The scene where the basketball girls watch the video footage from the break room was one of the most disturbing parts of the show. It really solidified to me how awful this school was. Not only is this a crime where I'm from, but it was humiliating, disgusting, and wrong.
Art (3/10): Obviously, this is going to be a low scoring category, and the main reason why I gave the show a 9 instead of a 10. The art style and animation are downright awful. Nobody is cute in this show; they all look like discount store Clannad characters. The hairstyles are a particular brand of ugly. Also, it's kind of hard to tell some of the girls apart sometimes.
Sound (6/10): Nothing too memorable. I didn't like the opening nor the ending sequence.
Character (10/10): The characters in this show are evil. Not one of them, besides Kotonoha, is innocent. Obviously, the main perpetrator of drama and pain is Makoto, who willingly cheats, lies, ignores, and abandons. However, the girls in this show make themselves available to him by seduction. Makoto is a simple-minded grunt who can only think with his wiener. Sekai is beyond surprised when, even after dancing with her at the festival, Makoto turns his back on her and has sex with multiple other girls.
The principle here is simple but profound: you lose them how you get them. Sekai only started messing around with Makoto because she initiated sexual "training" that quickly became very real (although, Makoto mentions he's tired of Kotonoha and makes mutual moves on Sekai). This happens when Makoto is not yet broken up with Kotonoha. So, Sekai bagged Makoto when he was still taken. She could not possibly expect the ending of their own relationship to not have a similar ending. I saw this coming, because I know cheaters. The other girls, who I cannot remember their names, are equally as mean and make moves on Itou. I can't imagine why he's so popular at this school, but it's a harem, so what the hell.
We don't know much about anyone's life outside of school. There are no adults in this whole show except a single teacher. Makoto's pervert friend takes advantage of Kotonoha's fragile state of mind and has sex with her at the festival, making all TWO of the male characters in this show absolute douche bags. Usually I wouldn't like this detached aspect much, but since their lives seem to revolve around school drama anyways, it fits the story well. All these characters are unlikable. All of them. Makoto is a typical guy who doesn't actually want to put work into a relationship and wait to have sex. He just wants it outright, which is what draws him to Sekai. He exhibits a pattern of using and throwing away girls that he's bored with, only to have all his partners abandon him in the end. He shows minimal remorse for what he does, even saying "she doesn't matter" when Sekai asks about Kotonoha before they have sex. The characters in this show were never meant to be likable, but to illustrate the cutthroat nature of finding yourself sexually and romantically. That's the point. They don't need to be particularly fleshed out because their lives are the drama.
Enjoyment (10/10): Like I said, I finished this in one day and immediately wanted to make a review. I had a lot of thoughts about it, especially how I don't think it deserves below a 6 on here. I really, really liked this show despite the awful art style. It was different from other high school romance dramas, and entered the arena with no holds barred. I appreciate it for that.
Overall (9/10): I would recommend this show to anyone. It illustrates the mental/emotional damage that womanizers have on women. It shows that people don't respect relationships. It exploits the ineffectiveness of young people's communication styles. It shows us viewers just how low someone can go as a result of the actions of others. And for that, this anime deserves a healthy, hardy 9.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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Sep 5, 2020
Yuri!!! On Ice was a show I was hesitant to watch for no reason other than I don't particularly like sports anime. I finally dove in and finished it in just two days. Here's why (and with NO spoilers):
Story (9/10): The story is about Yuri Katsuki, a 23 year old figure skater that's trying to find his place in the world and on the ice. Yuri is pretty relatable, and the story never feels extremely rushed or slow. It's just right, and that's one of the great things about this anime. Things make sense. Characters' actions make sense. It will make you laugh and cry
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in the same episode. It's not just about the sports, because we get to explore multiple characters grow in significant ways in just 12 episodes.
Art: (9/10): Mostly breathtaking and the show has a great character design. However, there were some moments where the skating was sloppy or sometimes everyone looked like poorly drawn background characters. Pleasing colour palette as well.
Sound (8/10): Amazing opening and soundtrack, but it's a bit hard to remember.
Character (10/10): Yuri himself is a very strong lead. He holds no bars when narrating on his feelings or thought processes. He is honest with his friends and family, and most importantly, with his paramour Victor. Victor is Yuri's extremely successful role model, who decides to coach Yuri after witnessing his potential. I like Victor's character because he reminds me a lot of actual gay men I've met (Yuri too), what with his personal idiosyncrasies and his ability to make every situation fun. He was always kind to his supporters. He helped Yuri and Yurio in ways they could've never imagined. Speaking of Yurio, I didn't like him at first. But he slowly grew on me and I realized that he was a good friend and a good rival for Yuri to have. All characters were able to make friends and gain confidence.
Now, on the *queer baiting debate*. I don't think this show is queer baity, but Yuri and Victor's relationship could've been better defined. Some significant events happen between the episodes 7 and 12 though, and many intense/meaningful scenes between the two occur, which leads me to say that no, this show is not queer baiting.
Enjoyment (10/10): I felt sad after this show was over. I want to keep up with the lives of Yuri, Victor, Yurio, Phinchit, and the others. Luckily they are working on a movie, but I'm not sure when it will be out. This show made me feel good, even held.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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Aug 30, 2020
This anime was just as utterly disappointing as Toradora. I don't feel like wasting twenty minutes of my life writing a long and drawn out review for this anime, so here are my key takeaways.
Story: Abysmal. The inclusion of Banri's past self as a ghost was stupid. I know of no other way to put it. It created so many unnecessary issues and the anime would have been 12 episodes without it. They should've spent far more time on fleshing out the characters than committing time to this shitty plot. The only saving grace that really made me finish this anime was that it's
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set in college, which made it far more enjoyable to watch than most other romcom animes set in high school.
Art: Holy shit the art is bad. Like really bad. They didn't even try. There are so many moments in the show where it's obvious they either rushed to meet a deadline or just didn't care and included a bad set of frames anyways. The character design is really bad too.
Sound: I guess the intermittent soundtrack isn't bad, but it's nothing I could remember. The openings and endings are awful. I skipped them the whole time.
Character: Also a section the anime fails on. Banri and Koko are the only characters that get fleshed out, and the side characters exist solely as plot devices for the main characters. I didn't even really grow to like the main characters that much. I found Banri annoying and I progressively grew more annoyed at his inability to pick up on social cues and the feelings of others. He didn't even try to comfort Koko after her father literally beat her. There is nothing about him that deserves the undying love of someone like Koko. Linda was annoying too. The ever-present childhood friend that inevitably creates drama in the story. Her fake innocence and pretending not to know that being touchy-feely with Banri was wrong really peeved me. You're not his girlfriend, so don't cross boundaries so easily. I would've loved to see more of Oka and Mitsuo. Oka-chan was not easy to understand.
Enjoyment: I gave this section a six because I genuinely enjoy laughing at horrible anime. This anime isn't horrible though. It's definitely not better any better or worse than Toradora. It's easy to enjoy some parts of this anime that seem like real human interaction instead of forced relationships and humor. There are good parts. I would think there is a large group of people that will enjoy this anime more than me.
Reviewer’s Rating: 6
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Aug 26, 2020
As a fan of Shinichiro Watanabe, I was very excited to see this anime. I have a few reasons for this anime scoring lower than my evaluations for Cowboy Bebop and Samurai Champloo. It just wasn't the same, but it wasn't completely uncharacteristic either. A 7 is a good score anyways, and here's why.
Past this point, there will be *SPOILERS*
Story (7/10): This section is pretty weak if we're gonna be honest. This show tries to have the same nomadic, carefree vibe that Cowboy Bebop does, but it fails to match up. I think it was a pretty weak plot point to include Hiroshi as the
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main goal in the story. He was found two episodes till the end but added virtually nothing and resolved loose ends in a sloppy way. Basically, he just kept being a shitty bum. This made me realize that the sober reality that Hatchin faced allowed her to be less enthusiastic about finding Hiroshi. She knew he was just a bum. Michiko, being the hopeless romantic that she is, still loved the idea of Hiroshi. So in that respect, I respect the show's depth. It's a common and almost shameful dynamic between men and women. There were moments I was bored in this show but the antics that the main characters get up to can be entertaining in their own right.
Art (10/10): I was really attracted to the art style in this show. Nothing was lacking. The colors were vibrant and fun to look at. Not much else to say.
Sound (10/10): The soundtrack is simply amazing, like everything else Watanabe gets his hands on. When it needs to be sentimental, it is. When it needs to mimic the sheer energy of Brazilian street life, it does. I always found myself noticing how artfully this soundtrack was put together.
Characters (7/10): Unlike many female protags, I think Michiko and Hatchin were actually filled out quite a bit. We get backstories, motives, and feelings from them. However, every other character is just a shadow. They are introduced for plot and I did not feel any type of way about them because their personality was always "gangster." This is the show's main flaw I think, other than a simple plot.
Enjoyment (8/10): I did enjoy this show, but it also took me months to finish. For some people the plot might be really fun and they will finish in two days. The main characters are good-natured and lovable, and you always want them to come out on top of a situation, so that is in itself enjoyable. It also has incredible aesthetic and sound like I mentioned.
Overall, I do recommend this anime. If you want to dip into a show that takes its setting to the bustling and lively streets of Latin America and incorporates POC as main characters, this will be a great show for you.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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