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Sailor Moon is a rare example of a story that benefits greatly from filler and a meandering pace. The original series from the 90s may not have followed the manga as closely as the new hotness, but in a weird twist, that actually greatly improved the quality of the show.

Sailor Moon Crystal season 3 blasts through the manga faithfully, but loses much of the charm in the process. Whereas the original series gave ample time to develop each Sailor Scout's quirks and personality, SMC has only a hint of that charm. Season 3 is an improvement on the first two seasons, thanks in part ... to the pretty character designs of Akira Takahashi. It also makes token attempts at adding individuality to the characters, but sets that aside in favor of plot progression. We miss the klutzy Usagi, the bookwormy Michiru, the temperamental Rei, the boisterous Makoto, and the goofy Minako. Instead we are left with stoic fighters in different colored skirts.

While this series does a competent job at hitting plot points, the real magic of the Sailor Moon series comes from its lovable characters. Unfortunately, Crystal did not deliver enough in that area.

Going into 2015 everyone and their mothers were hyped for One Punch Man. And to be fair, who wouldn’t be excited for this comedy/action/parody animated by the venerable studio Madhouse? Even the animation staff considered One Punch Man to be a passion project, as they turned an otherwise average budget show into one of the best looking titles in recent memory. But was all this hype too much? Could One Punch Man possibly meet such high expectations?

In short: Yes.

One Punch Man rocketed to the top of both MAL and IMDB and cemented itself as a solid mainstream title. Whether or not you are ... a fan of anime, you will find some value in this show. The simple yet elegant premise of the vastly overpowered main character, Saitama, captured our imaginations and asked the question: How can this show function? Afterall, since Saitama can defeat enemies with a single punch, what happens to the tension, the struggle for victory?

Let’s tackle that question in two parts. The first answer is that Saitama is part of a larger society of heroes, only this society does not recognize his talents. Whether it is by freak happenstance or sheer stubbornness, Saitama is unable to garner much respect among the hero elite.

The second answer is that it doesn’t matter. This is a superhero parody that (literally) doesn’t pull any punches: Saitama is so strong and so powerful that he actually gets frustrated with defeating enemies too easily. His deadpan look when a monstrous enemy attacked (The famous “Okay” face) was hilarious. Saitama is so fed up with his power that even demi-god level enemies no longer phase him. It’s moments like these that make One Punch Man great: Diffusing a catastrophic situation with nonchalance.

Okay, with all this praise, then why only a 7/10 score?

One Punch Man’s action scenes are a glorious spectacle, to be sure, but it falls short in a few categories. The first is the soundtrack. Sure, the opening is exciting and catchy, but the in-show music is a bit lackluster. Perhaps this was intentional to highlight the comedic elements, but I feel that it could have been more impactful. As is, the soundtrack didn’t really add much to the experience.

The second shortcoming is the repetitive nature of the series as a whole. Saitama kills bad guys with ease. His slightly less overpowered sidekick Genos looks on in awe. Nobody else notices or cares that Saitama just saved the city. Rinse and repeat. Now of course it isn’t quite as simple as all that, since there are a plethora of other interesting heroes who fill the gaps and provide more character and worldbuilding. However, the basic formula stays the same. This show does not have any deep themes or provide greater insight into life as a whole. It’s just a fun action comedy and nothing more. There’s nothing necessarily wrong with that, but for a show to receive top marks from me, it has to have multiple layers. One Punch Man, for better or worse, does not.

The third and final main flaw is that this show has some minor thematic identity issues. It seemed as if One Punch Man was going for a primarily comedic style, so whenever a character got teary and dramatic, it was a bit jarring and broke the immersion somewhat. Was the show a parody all along or was it just fooling us? Did OPM ironically fall into the traps of its own tropes? It’s a bit hard to say, but on a couple of occasions it could have fooled me.

The final verdict on One Punch Man is still out for debate. Is it an instant classic or will it eventually be forgotten and supplanted by other great shows? Time will tell, but despite its flaws, I’m leaning towards it becoming a new anime staple.

Please do not be fooled by my score! I really enjoyed this show! (My rating system is a little strange, especially for animated shorts.)

This special starts off in charming fashion with a combined effort "irasshaimase" (welcome) from Wakaba, Moeko, and Mao, while Nao (glasses-kun) huddles in the corner. Hell yes, a maid cafe episode! When Moeko suggests that they all go somewhere during Golden Week, Wakaba informs her friends that she can get them a job at a maid cafe. But as it turns out, it's all a setup by Wakaba's exceedingly wealthy family--a cafe that they run for fun. What follows is a ... hilarious series of failures, surprise talents, and even a magical girl transformation. Wakaba's uncanny ineptitude to deliver a tray of waters, Mao's culinary prowess, and Nao's embarassing otaku display were the highlights of the episode, and frankly a great way to spend 8 minutes. The special is capped off in traditional Wakaba fashion as she and her family attempt to pay off friends and customers alike with ludicrous sums of money. Truly, an inspiration to ojousamas everywhere!

Wakaba Girl is a great little series to watch if you are a fan of anime comedy and the moe genre as a whole. The only things that stop it from receiving top marks are the lack of strong underlying themes (it is pretty much a pure comedy) and its short duration, which make it difficult to build tension and set up epic scenes. But as a light-hearted comedy, Wakaba Girl excels.

Made in 1933, Hibari no Yadogae ("The Larks' Moving Day") was a low budget, short adaptation of one of Aesop's Fables (The Lark and the Farmer). The purpose of these early Japanese animations was to educate children through entertainment, with various easy-to-tell moral messages regarding proper behavior, values, and ethics of society. The new film medium was later turned on its head and exploited by the Japanese military in the 1940's for propaganda purposes.

As for The Lark's Moving Day, the message is short and simple: "Self-help is the best help." Depending on others to complete a task is not enough if you are not ... willing to take things in hand yourself.

This short really suffers from poor production values and (I'm assuming) technological restrictions. The novelty of low FPS black and white animation wore off quickly and all that was left was the story. Lack of character names or personalities, stilted pacing, and a bland style dragged the show down considerably. That said, it did have a story, a message, and it was short.

If you want to learn about Aesop's Fables or other folk lore, I would recommend simply reading them.