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It’s hard to add anything new to the discussion—*Dandadan* is undoubtedly an anime of the year contender, if not already the top pick. Across its 12 episodes, it’s been an exhilarating ride. What stands out most about Dandadan is its ability to seamlessly blend seemingly random and unrelated subcultures and genres, chosen purely because the author loves them, into a cohesive and innovative narrative.

The action scenes are breathtaking and inventive, constantly surprising viewers with fresh approaches to storytelling. From thrilling chase sequences in an old building to a reverse classroom filled with water, the show turns randomness into something logical and practical. Each ... major action sequence feels new and exciting, leaving viewers in awe of the creativity behind them.

The characters are another highlight. While their archetypes might seem familiar, their quirky interactions and mismatched personalities blend together refreshingly. The show feels like a love letter to the random, genre-blending series you watch for pure enjoyment. Even for viewers like me, with limited knowledge of Ultraman, aliens, or Japanese spiritual monsters, the author’s passion and clever integration of these elements make them compelling and worthwhile. It’s a reminder that what we watch and consume truly matters.

The series also knows when to be serious, delivering mature, emotional moments that hit harder than anything I’ve seen in other anime this year. The opening theme by Creepy Nuts and Science Saru’s unique animation style perfectly capture *Dandadan*'s tone and energy. If there’s one critique, it’s the repetitive post-battle interactions where the cast often devolves into chaotic antics. However, this is quickly followed by creative and refreshing new arcs and character introductions that keep things exciting.

Overall, *Dandadan* is 95% my anime of the year, and I hope everyone who gives it a chance has an amazing experience.

The biggest issue with this show is its lack of a clear focus, making it hard to pinpoint what genre it aims for: romantic comedy, drama, or slice of life. It feels like a mix of *Bunny Girl Senpai*, *Kaguya-sama*, and harem ecchi elements, but without successfully capturing the appeal of any. While the last episode had a strong finish that slightly boosted my rating, the journey felt sluggish. The continuous, linear storytelling creates a semi-realistic vibe but ultimately dilutes the impact of each theme, leading to underdeveloped scenes and character arcs.

Alya’s character is reduced to a typical "tsundere" with a Russian-speaking quirk, and ... the secondary characters feel ambiguous in importance. It’s unclear whether they’re meaningful to the plot or just filler, as only the main couple, Masachika and Alya, get any real depth. Additionally, the show has a "semi-pretentious" tendency, making trivial problems seem overly serious. The student council drama lacks depth, and attempts at strategic plotting feel forced, more like excuses to introduce plot armor for the main characters. Although the 12 endings mostly showcase Alya’s beautiful appearance, they don’t necessarily improve the narrative or storyline quality. Ultimately, the show could have been stronger if it had focused on one narrative style or balanced its tonal shifts better.

Season 2 picks up right where Season 1 left off, introducing new characters, events, and storylines while maintaining the unexpected humor and creativity that made the first season so enjoyable. It feels more like the second half of a 24-episode series rather than a separate season, though the two-year break allowed the studio to focus on the animation, which looks crisp and well-crafted. The new characters add fresh dynamics, and their interactions help make the world feel more alive. The author’s creativity shines in the variety of gags and humor, keeping the jokes and scenarios feeling fresh rather than repetitive: watch episode 12 and you’ll ... see what I mean. Overall, the show delivers once again, and I’m really hoping for a Season 3 in the near future.

I discovered this show through *Re After Recording* and decided to give it a shot, being a huge fan of both voice actors Jun Fukuyama and Tamura Mutsukimi. It turned out to be a delightful surprise! Somehow, this anime had flown completely under my radar during its seasonal broadcast, and I’d even say it’s one of the most underrated shows when it comes to comedy, parody, and gag humor.

The anime draws a lot of inspiration from horror stories and the typical vampire-hunter trope, but it flips these expectations on their head, turning it into a refreshing comedy. Instead of portraying vampires as cool and merciless ... monsters, the show presents the main vampire as the weakest creature ever. While freeloading characters are common in comedy, it’s Draluc’s interactions with others that really make his personality shine. His dynamic with the hunter guild is particularly charming. Despite the guild members’ designs resembling archetypal hero classes, they all have distinct personalities.

The show’s world-building also makes sense, like how vampire hunters adapt to survive in the modern world. Each episode is fast-paced, packing two or three gags into 20 minutes, and the jokes are clever, often combining different events or settings to enhance the humor.

One thing I particularly appreciate is how the show handles its villains. The vampires remind me of those fun villains you’d often see in Cartoon Network or Disney shows. Instead of disappearing after a single appearance, they keep returning and become a part of the world. Each villain has unique abilities, and while some moments can be cringeworthy, they make for interesting challenges for the hunters.

The character designs are innovative, too. As a football fan, I found it hilariously iconic that the main character is named Ronaldo. John, the mascot, is an absolute gem, and Draluc’s personality lets Jun Fukuyama use both his voice ranges, reminiscent of his roles as Lelouch and Watanuki, which is awesome. Overall, I had a blast with this show and can’t wait to dive into season 2!

"Code Geass: Dakkan no Roze" is finally a worthy successor to "Lelouch of the Rebellion." It doesn’t try to do anything overly flashy or new; instead, it takes everything that worked in the original series and remixes it just enough to feel fresh and attract an audience. Don’t get me wrong—the first half is amazing, largely because the formula has proven successful in the past, and for long-time fans like myself, the nostalgia hits hard. This becomes even clearer with the regular fan service in the form of old character cameos lasting a few minutes in each episode. Sakura Sumeragi lives up to the title ... of Lelouch’s successor and answers the fan question: what if the main character of Code Geass were a woman?

So, can Code Geass as a series thrive in 2024? The answer is both yes and no. My biggest criticism is how they rushed things to fit everything into a 12-episode anime. While the available material may not justify a full 24-episode season, and there might be budget constraints (despite the flawless animation), the story could easily have been expanded into 16-18 episodes. Even though the main revenue comes from the theater releases in Japan, they could have just made the 4 longer movies longer. Due to the pacing, most of the side characters are underdeveloped, feeling like remnants of the original cast. The show also goes out of its way to restrict the old characters, making every possible excuse to prevent them from easily solving the conflict.

The villains, on the other hand, are overpowered to the point of being unrealistic. Without spoiling anything, the financial and time investment needed for the villains' grand plan is absurd, and it’s hard to believe no one saw it coming. The use of Geass and tactical elements is also underwhelming. The series starts with an intriguing premise but gradually devolves into a typical mech battle anime. However, the final episode is incredibly hype, reminding me why I loved the series so much in the first place.

In summary, "Code Geass: Dakkan no Roze" is far from perfect, but it has a lot of potential and is definitely the best Code Geass spin-off compared to others. It has its flaws, most of which could have been avoided, but for a dedicated fan of the series, it’s still worth checking out.

Overall, the movie is pretty good, but aside from the dynamic between Shirogane and Kaguya, which is, of course, the main focus. However, the side characters' stories still feel underdeveloped and underutilized. Maybe it’s the flashy animation in the opening featuring all the characters that gave me false hope, making me think Shirogane would come up with another grand plan like he did at the end of season 3. When he sat down to plan on December 23, I half expected another miracle from him, but the way the movie handled his health and ideology made sense, so I can't complain.

I also appreciated how ... the film delved into the darker aspects of their relationship, forcing both characters to confront each other's weaknesses, in contrast to the cat-and-mouse comedy from previous seasons. It sends a great message: to truly embrace love, you have to accept both the good and bad sides of the other person.

The biggest praise for the movie goes to voice actress Koga Aoi. Watching the subbed version, her solo performance during Kaguya's internal conversation was incredible. She used three different voice pitches, constantly shifting between them while clearly expressing all of Kaguya’s personas. It was truly impressive, hats off to her!

For me, this anime is the biggest case of wasted potential in 2024. I genuinely enjoy the cast dynamic and find the concept fresh and intriguing, so I want the series to succeed. However, despite these strong elements, this original work from P.A. Works hasn’t lived up to its promise.

Let’s start with the positives: both the opening and ending songs are fantastic, the animation quality is excellent, and you can see the studio's dedication in perfecting the details of each frame. The voice actors have done an exceptional job bringing their characters to life, and the show's social media marketing strategy is impressive, with a ... steady stream of radio shows, TikTok, and YouTube shorts released weekly alongside new episodes.

Now for the negatives. It’s important to clarify that I don’t think the show is bad; it just falls short of its potential. The main issue stems from how flawed Masaki is as a character. While she’s ambitious, her methods are shallow. She prioritizes quantity over quality, uploading videos daily (sometimes multiple times a day) by following trends and challenges with little heart behind the content. I believe that views and subscribers should come from creating good content, but Masaki's approach doesn’t utilize the strengths of the Mayo Pan members effectively.

Another big issue is the lack of conflict. The vampires all seem too nice, and aside from Masaki’s internal struggle with internet hate, the other members have little to contribute. The first few episodes were episodic, focusing on one character's traits and backstory, but given that these characters are 2,000-year-old vampires, they should have more depth than just a single quirk (like Fuu’s singing or Tokage’s gambling). Yuki was also introduced too late in the series, so viewers didn’t get to see her chemistry with the group develop. It’s frustrating to see the rest of the cast simply follow Masaki's flawed vision without challenging her, and even when they do, she doesn’t change much. This lack of conflict stifles the show’s potential. The episode with Masaki’s sister highlights her selfish and sometimes abusive nature, but everyone, including her family, just accepts it because she works hard and succeeds. It would be okay to acknowledge her flaws as a person, but the show doesn’t go there. Even at the end, Masaki remains true to her problematic nature, like punching people, and I had hoped she would realize the harm in that behavior.

The way the show handles Masaki’s subscriber growth also feels inorganic. The influencer collaboration arc felt like it was pulled straight from *Ya Boy Kongming*, relying on cliché advice like "upload daily, follow trends, and collaborate" to magically reach 1 million subs. The influencers in that episode felt more like archetypes from Japanese TV shows than real YouTubers, which might appeal to Japanese audiences but seemed overly generic to me. YouTube as an industry is far more complex than that. I wanted the show to explore topics like creating thumbnails, YouTube shorts, TikTok, and using social media to promote content—especially since the show’s real-life advertising campaign does all of these things. Why can’t the show itself delve deeper than just showing cute vampires doing cute things?

The final arc was predictable, and I was surprised Masaki didn’t recognize the truth and instead just went along with it. Overall, the show is decent, each episode is okay, but it leaves me unsatisfied because I keep hoping it will become something greater. I’m only critical because I want to see it succeed, but in the end, it's a solid series that just doesn’t quite reach its full potential.

The anime is fairly easy to watch, set in a world where every human is turned to stone. It uses shonen anime concepts combined with life simulation, survival, and strategy-building game elements. However, it's not about intense survival situations, but more of a lighthearted, gimmicky show that teaches viewers fundamental science. Think of it like the educational videos you'd watch in school, but more entertaining. It's not an amazing show, but it doesn’t take itself too seriously or try to seem overly clever, which makes it easy to enjoy. Watching stone-age people put in great effort to recreate modern inventions helps you appreciate how far ... humanity has come throughout history.

The main character, Senku, reminds me of Souma from *Food Wars* with his sarcastic attitude, playful banter with his father, and endless passion for what he loves, though he has more plot armor. Most of the village cast are kind and hardworking, always willing to help Senku craft whatever he dreams up, creating a warm, positive atmosphere. It’s heartwarming to see them bond and work together.

The show is at its weakest when it tries to force a battle shonen dynamic, especially with the conflict between pure strength and science ideologies. Writing complex ideological clashes doesn’t seem to be the author’s strong suit, and the show noticeably declines whenever Tsukasa’s faction is involved. Overall, while season 1 isn’t exceptional and has a low score, I still enjoyed it. If you’re looking for a realistic depiction of the stone age, this might not be for you, but if you want to sit back, relax, and enjoy a journey of education and creation, you’ll find it enjoyable.

I was surprised by how many people on forums and discussions are praising this movie, going as far as to justify and analyze it as something far deeper than it appears. It's almost like some feel compelled to love a Miyazaki film just because it's made by a renowned director. While the animation is top-tier and fully deserves all the awards and praise: it’s polished and visually stunning. However, the plot and character development are a complete mess.

I don’t mind Miyazaki using this movie as a sort of self-biography, acknowledging the people close to him, but that doesn’t mean we can’t criticize a mediocre product. ... The film feels disjointed, as if it's trying to cram in references from Miyazaki's previous hits (like *Totoro*, *Spirited Away*, *Howl's Moving Castle*, and *Whisper of the Heart*) just to evoke nostalgia in the audience. At least in films like *Spirited Away* or *Princess Mononoke*, there were clear rules, a beginning and an end, with characters who had proper development and motivation.

In *The Boy and the Heron*, the protagonist (loosely based on a young Miyazaki) is an unlikeable, spoiled child: stubborn, dismissive of others, and prone to violence. While his demanding behavior slightly eases after entering the castle realm, he shows little to no growth by the film’s end. The role of his mother, who has transformed into a young girl with the ability to control fire (because she died in a fire?), is confusing. Natsuko's character also lacks clarity, why can she use an arrow to save Mahito? Why does she enter the spiritual realm? Why does she have to lie down and sleep in the bird kingdom? How much does she know about everything? And what about the baby?

Kiriko’s existence is equally baffling. If she hadn’t gone with Mahito into the tunnel, would her younger version still exist? What about the other old servants—where are their younger selves, since they are also aware of the tower? And why are there old statues of them? The role of the birds in the movie seems unclear—are they there just because Miyazaki likes birds? They’re just creatures living by their nature, yet the film antagonizes them.

The overall lesson of the movie feels barebones, something we’ve seen multiple times in previous Ghibli films. Ultimately, while the animation is god-tier, the movie seems to ride on Miyazaki’s fame more than anything. Everyone's taste is subjective, and if people enjoy the movie, that’s great. But it’s also fair to point out its flaws without being attacked by Ghibli fans. I’m just disappointed given the immense hype from both the masses and critics. Compared to *Spirited Away* or *Princess Mononoke*, the quality difference is glaring. No wonder Ghibli didn’t release a trailer—there’s no real content or consistent narrative to promote.

This show starts off with a lot of promise but quickly spirals into a mess, becoming almost unwatchable with each episode. The director and writer seem lost, unable to decide if they want to recreate the cat-and-mouse chase and time travel elements from *The Terminator* or put their own spin on it with a new AI concept. In the end, they fail at both, creating a chaotic disaster. The community has already pointed out issues like incorrect subtitles for the Japanese version and how the Terminator moves awkwardly like a drunk zombie, so I won’t dive into that. However, one thing that's not often discussed ... is the ridiculous plot armor.

The resistance hero, Eiko, somehow gets to bring her gun back in time, but for some reason, Skynet sends a lone T-800 model without any equipment, forcing him to make a generic bow from scratch. Even after the massacre at the police station, the Terminator stubbornly sticks to this bow and fistfights, refusing to pick up any weapons. The kid characters also benefit from ridiculous plot armor. Each one is forgettable, bratty, and annoying. Kenta, who is supposed to be interested in robotics, acts xenophobic and racist every time he sees a machine. The twist with him undermines Skynet’s calculations, making no sense at all. Hiro is a chubby kid whose only personality trait is constantly eating. Reika’s actions are baffling; she forms an attachment to a cat robot that’s quickly discarded after a few episodes, then becomes obsessed with going to an amusement park for no logical reason. Misaki is the only somewhat decent character, but her identity reveal is too predictable.

The worst character by far is Malcolm Lee. It feels like the writer tried to copy Grisha Yeager’s personality and made it worse. Malcolm talks big about understanding AI but ends up just wanting to sleep with a robot. He’s so foolish that he even travels back in time, marries a new wife, and the show conveniently kills her off in a traffic accident to avoid dealing with any potential conflict. His rise to power and creation of his company are never explained, showing how little the show cares about addressing its plot holes.

The dialogue between Malcolm and Kokoro is the worst part of the show. Before Skynet’s launch, Kokoro raises valid questions that Skynet would have considered before deciding to destroy humanity, but instead of giving meaningful answers, Malcolm just clings to the AI and ignores the looming threat of the Terminator hunting his children. His big reveal is nonsensical too. If he was waiting for Skynet to awaken before telling his story, why did he waste so much time with Kokoro, hiding in a room like a creep? Kokoro’s decision to side with humans comes after seeing Malcolm’s family protect one another, but then Malcolm completely neglects his own children, despite claiming he wants to show Kokoro he cares about them.

This show is a lazy cash grab, leaving multiple unfinished plotlines to milk another season. The writing is disrespectful to its audience, and I hope it gets canceled because it truly deserves it.