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Mar 17, 2025
I'm here because I saw that Solo Leveling recently surpassed One Piece as the most-rated series on Crunchyroll, stirring up quite a reaction from Shonen Jump fanbases. The discourse surrounding this achievement has been polarizing, to say the least. Looking at the "Not Recommended" reviews, it's hard not to laugh at some of the exaggerated criticisms.
Lets start with the obvious:
Solo Leveling’s story is undeniably basic, yet its ascendence to house hold name speaks more about the state of modern shonen jump's titles storytelling than Solo Leveling itself
To understand why Solo Leveling is thriving so hard, let’s analyze some of the protagonists of Shonen'
s “big hits”
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of the 2010s and the supposed next-generation successors of the 2020s:
- Izuku(My Hero Academia: frequently labeled as a "beta and a cuck."
- Yuji (Jujutsu Kaisen – Ultimately, he is a plot device rather than a character, existing only because he ate a finger..... Im assuming he exists because Shonen Jump rejected Yuta Okkotsu as the main character.
-Denji (Chainsaw Man) – a degen simp that will kill to get the girl that is grooming him. OH LORD.....
- Luffy (One Piece) – A legendary character, but he has lacked meaningful development for YEARS, the Ash Ketchum of Shonen Jump
-Okarun (Dandadan) – simp and overly submissive.
- Kafka Hibino (Kaiju No. 8)– A legitimate simp.
The trend is clear: shonen protagonists have devolved & often feel forced into narratives that don't naturally accommodate them, requiring the entire world and its logic to bend around them. This creates disjointed storytelling where immersion is constantly broken.
Why Solo Leveling is being watched more and ended up being the highest rated in such a short amount of time???????
LETS SEE....
Jin-Woo, despite being a "basic" protagonist, fits seamlessly into the narrative of Solo Leveling. His presence doesn't feel out of place, and the story remains focused on his journey without unnecessary detours.
Another part is that, Unlike many modern shonen series, Solo Leveling:
- Avoids out-of-place cringe comedy.
- Doesn't rely on constant references to other manga that kill submersion. (I despise this one the most in modern shonen)
- Doesn’t include cheap overreaction panels designed solely to generate clicks. Panels in this story maybe shocking but it to show that the profession of Hunters is dangerous.
It’s also a story that isn’t interrupted by a character walking into a laundromat and finding a bra in the washing machine for the sake of forced humor.... Let that type of humor die already....
The simplicity of Solo Leveling is what makes it work—it knows exactly what it wants to be and delivers on that.
Now, the Real Issue here is: Shonen Jump’s evident decline
IMO, Criticism of Solo Leveling feels misplaced when many of the same people calling it "mid" are the ones propping up series riddled with cringe gimmicks designed purely for clickbait and controversy & stop telling a story after the first few volumes because authors didnt think their mangas were gonna be a hit so they didnt plan anything after a few volumes.... Also, Shonen Jump and other major publishers have increasingly prioritized engagement farming over storytelling, writing manga that is more about generating viral moments rather than crafting compelling narratives.
Is Solo Leveling a masterpiece? No. But in an era where many shonen manga authors try too hard to sell you a story that is not, it stands out as a straightforward, entertaining power fantasy that doesn’t try to be something it’s not. If anything, the backlash against its popularity should be directed at the publishers in shonen who have lowered the bar so much that Solo Leveling feels like an 8/10 simply because it avoids the pitfalls plaguing modern shonen writing.
At the end of the day, people tuned in to Solo Leveling because they wanted a simple, engaging story without forced controversy, to not seat through unfunny cringe humor and weird out of place panels. Maybe instead of blaming its success, critics should look at why audiences are moved away from Shonen Jump line up in the first place & tuned in to solo leveling....
I recommend this show to anyone and invite you to show Solo Leveling to a friend, family etc.... let its popularity teach Shonen jump that it needs to evaluate its content. I have seen almost every battle Shonen for the past 4 years get labeled the next big thing to end up getting exposed to degen MCs or beta simps that don't fit the story.... no in-between.......
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Feb 23, 2025
Highly recommend it, the story is simple yet realistic which I believe is the main draw of this anime because I've seen this being discussed by nonanime fans & content creators which blows my mind.
2022 was a year full of romcoms and I think this one was the one that stood out the most.
I won't spoil much since the name of the show says it all:
The story follows Gojo who is an outcasr/loner and has a cute meet moment with the main love interest Marin who is an extroverted gyaru in their class.
It follows the same old formula but I think this
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one stands out as how they executed Marin in this series.
if you want to know what I mean, watch it. you won't regret it..
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
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Feb 21, 2025
### What the Hell is This Anime, and Why Should You Watch It?
Simple: The 100 Girlfriends Who, Really, Really, Really Love You is the kind of anime nobody asked for but we desperately need right now because at the end of the days these types of stories are the ones that end up being more memorable
In an era where anime is increasingly designed to appeal to non-anime fans—where almost every new series tries to be an edgy masterpiece with a self-important, overly serious narrative that mistakes darkness for depth. where too many modern series are trying to act like they're highbrow
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cinematic experiences to appeal to nonanime fans who rather watch generic live-action thrillers or medical dramas.
Enter 100 Girlfriends, an anime that fully embraces the absurdity of the medium. This is a gag series that is good, not perfect but good. It doesn’t try to be more than it is—it just wants to entertain, and it does so unapologetically. The premise is insane, and that’s exactly why it works: Rentaro, our main character, embarks on a ridiculous journey to find and love all 100 of his girlfriends.
If you enjoyed the over-the-top antics of Makeine or the chaotic fun of Bocchi the Rock!, this show delivers all that and more. It’s pure, unfiltered anime insanity—the kind that modern storytelling is sorely lacking.
Watch it for what it is. You'll enjoy it
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Feb 1, 2025
Sakamoto Days is Good
Don’t listen to the content creators, trolls, and haters who say otherwise. These individuals often want anime to cater to their narrow tastes, which usually boil down to shock-value stories featuring edgy protagonists who are "too cool" to have clear motivations. They prefer characters who defeat enemies not through years of training or skill, but because they’re the underdog MC who somehow overpowers everyone far stronger or more skilled than them. It’s the same tired, edgy nonsense that has plagued modern action shonen for years.
The fact that anime/maga has catered to these limited tastes countless times is precisely why so many
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modern action shonen feel lacking and sales in that specific genre nowadays dont come close to sales from 7 to 8 years ago nowadays. There’s a reason why a studio is now adapting a Korean comic like Solo Leveling because these people limited the market in Japan so much with their constant complaining that they had to animate it because there's been way too many misses in the last 5 years.. The more they keep making edgy nonsense in battle shonen the less interesting they all have become but you'll still see them getting praised by the same people trashing Sakamoto Days.
And here’s the thing: we gotta stop taking these critics seriously anymore. They have become the enemy of the industry. They don’t have an objective view of anime. They don’t care about storytelling, character development, or coherence; they only care if the protagonist is "relatable" or "cool" in a way that aligns with their personal tastes. And Sakamoto? He’s not that kind of character.
Sakamoto Days, is a non traditional take on the action genre. The story follows Sakamoto, a retired assassin trying to live a peaceful life as a husband and father. But when someone puts a hit on him, his quiet, traditional life is threatened, forcing him to confront his past.
Do you like action? Yes? Good.
Do you like stakes? Yes? Good.
Do you like a coherent plot? Yes? Good.
It’s all here. The criticism this series receives often comes from people who don’t understand basic storytelling and only follow whatever they like or gets them click. At this point, it’s painfully obvious that a large portion of the anime community judges a series not by its content, but by how much hype it generates. Sakamoto Days doesn’t fit into that box, and that’s why some people are upset. For example, many were disappointed that Vaundy didn’t create a catchy theme song for Sakamoto Days that could be turned into TikTok dances, unlike *Dandadan*. But let’s be real: these people aren’t fans of anime—they’re social media vampires chasing trends, and their opinions should be ignored.
Without spoiling too much, I highly recommend giving Sakamoto Days a try. If it’s not your cup of tea, that’s perfectly fine—taste is subjective. But the hate and bashing it receives are entirely undeserved. This series offers a well-crafted story, compelling characters, and thrilling action that stands out in a sea of edgy stories.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Feb 1, 2025
Look Back: A Guide on How to Create an Incoherent Product and Still Get People to Consume It
In recent years, a trend has emerged in storytelling: rather than investing effort into crafting meaningful narratives and memorable characters, some creators have adopted a different approach. Their philosophy seems to be, “Let’s rely on shock value as our hook.”
Instead of building compelling stories or well-rounded characters, these works lean heavily on unexpected twists, bizarre plot developments, and sensational moments designed to grab attention. Coherence is often sacrificed, as the primary goal isn’t to tell a cohesive story but to generate enough noise to keep people consuming.
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This type of writting is called misery porn—a style of storytelling that replaces cohesion, character development, and emotional depth with a relentless barrage of traumatic events, only to end them abruptly and then we are left in shock. This is a high. This isn't meaningful.
Imagine attending a college theater production where the students prioritize shock value over substance, desperately trying to draw in crowds because they have nothing meaningful to say. They lack a basic understanding of writing or character arcs, yet they exploit raw emotions and expect applause for their efforts. This is the essence of the incoherent product we’re discussing.
Let’s break it down:
-The Story? It skips over crucial details, making it painfully obvious that the author was rushing to reach the next shocking moment before viewers could even question what the story was about.
- Character Growth? It’s been entirely replaced by cheap shock tactics, leaving no room for meaningful development.
- Memorability? You won’t remember these characters a year from now—or even sooner. And if you do, it’ll only be to realize that this is yet another shock-value story flooding the market since the 2010s.
So, why do authors write like this now? Because it’s easier nowadays. Instead of investing time and effort into crafting a solid narrative, they rely on sensationalism to grab attention. They’re creating stories in the fastest, laziest way possible, hoping that shock alone will distract audiences from how hollow everything else is.
The director pushed this to hit theaters in what many consider one of the driest years in modern cinema history so it gathers noise with content creators, desperate for clicks praising this product despite its glaring flaws and without earning it.
It’s becoming increasingly obvious that the industry is pushing anime toward a more corporate direction copying Netflix/Amazon/HBO-style shock value, rather than fostering innovative storytelling. This is why we saw more marketing for this film than for The Boy and the Heron, which executives seemed to actively push down its release just so theaters demand it gets shown everywhere. LOL
The box office results in Japan speak for themselves: The Boy and the Heron earned $60 million with virtually no marketing, while Look Back—despite its Rolling Stone cover and aggressive promotion and even using the great Kojima—grossed just over a billion yen (around $7 million). LOOOL. Bro, even the Bocchi the Rock! films of a 2 YEAR OLD ANIME available in streaming and that offer absolutely nothing new made a billion yen because there was nothing to see in theaters last year.. LOL
Its becoming obvious that there's a corporate push to elevate Fujimoto as the next big author is transparent because reddit hyped him as a storytelling genius, but the actual Japanese audience isn’t buying into the hype. Corporate executives are trying to steer audiences and anime in a direction that contradicts what has worked since the 1980s, prioritizing internet hype over creativity. The result? A growing divide between what audiences truly want and what the industry is forcing upon them and it's very obvious Look back is being forced. That's why unexpected stories like Frieren are becoming big hits and having more cultural impact than what corporate execs are obviously trying to push...
In the end, shock value might grab attention momentarily, but it’s no substitute for genuine storytelling. Without coherence, character development, and emotional depth, these products are destined to be forgotten—no matter how much noise they make. Japan better learn this lesson because streaming services ran out of shock value stories to hook people in and most are bleeding subscribers andfor anime it will end up bleeding the customers it took over 20 years to have
Reviewer’s Rating: 2
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Dec 14, 2024
I started as a fan of this series, but with each new episode, it completely lost me. What began as something promising has devolved into a mess of clichés, tropes, and uninspired storytelling.
Let me start by addressing something I once laughed at but now find glaringly obvious: Almost every one of these new-age mangakas is simply living off the hard work of mangakas from the 80-90s.
Let me explain as I was told: they are just sucking up fans from works like Bleach, Naruto, HxH, etc, and that's their only objective since these series paved the way, and have a massive following that keeps
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growing each day instead of honoring their legacy by innovating, these creators seem content to just want to grab a portion of each of these fanbases hoping they buy their version of those stories. This is happening in movies, games and music too... The goal doesn’t seem to be making something fresh or telling a great story—it’s just to grab fans of earlier classics and get them to buy into a hollow imitation through simple association and this series is the perfect example of that. Since, this series is nothing more than a mishmash of popular tropes from other works without adding anything new. Aliens? Check. Spirits? Check. Toilet humor? High school romance? A “quirky” teen cast? All present. The characters are pure archetypes: the cool, aloof girl; the loner guy; and, of course, the token “MILF” thrown in for fanservice. It’s like the author threw every trope into a blender and hoped for the best.
The problem with this approach is that it feels less like storytelling and more like fast food—a cheap version of something more substantial that already exists. And the people hyping this up need to start being honest: it’s not innovative or groundbreaking, just a repackaged formula designed to sell. And what's worst is that there are people who want anime and manga to take this direction and to those who think like that, I must say where do you think anime would be right now without Bleach, Naruto & HxH as an example? if Bleach was just another martial arts story like Dragon Ball calling Ki: spiritual pressure and its just Ichigo just learning to fight like Goku and we didn't get soul reapers, hollows, quincies and many more things? Same with Naruto and the Hunters in HxH... yup.. this is why..... but stories like Dandadan aren't problematic on their own they can be ignore and called out. The problem is giving them high praise for this practice... because they're just trying to make a quick buck off other people's hard work...
This isn’t a good story. It feels like a joke, yet somehow, multiple companies backed this expecting it to blow up. Spoiler: it hasn’t.
The lack of meaningful worldbuilding, the overreliance on old tropes, and the absence of any real narrative weight make it hard to see this series having long-term success. Unless Dandadan becomes a passion project for studio Saru, it’s hard to imagine this series lasting. If you’re expecting a long-running hit, you might want to think twice.
Reviewer’s Rating: 1
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Dec 5, 2024
I have to give it to the studio—they've done a remarkable job cutting down all the excess garbage from the light novel. However, this has turned the story into a completely bland alternative universe compared to the mess presented in the original. Somehow, even after all that, it still fails to be a coherent story because it remains meaningless. This time, it features a reimagined main character who is just a horny NPC. He does nothing but stand there and react to everything around him, making it seem like he's doing something meaningful—outside of bedding the elf chick.
Let's be real. Even the author can't sell
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the lie anymore that this story is deep, and die-hard fans can't defend the massive content cuts this season. This series, what it really is: its the most pathetic attempt to turn garbage writing into mainstream success.
It's 2024, guys!
We all know by now what the author and studio are trying to do here—they’re creating their version of Game of Thrones: Gray moral characters, no clear good or evil, and a bunch of sex scenes thrown in whenever the writer hits a block—at least enough to get the horny crowd to call it peak.
But here’s the deal: we already have MF Game of Thrones and way better stories that have sex scenes with actual meaning, weight, and far better writing. Those scenes are smarter, more impactful, and not just pandering to extremely horny teens or people who think sex is a miracle drug to cure depression. Like, what even is this STORY? Get real, guys. GoT premiered in 2011 and this magically gets published a year later in some random site? This is just some Game of thrones ass inster me fan fic LMAO
Should be retitled: Reincarnated into Games of Thrones without any of the good writing and got a harem.....
Die-hard fans argue that the story is about redemption and that much of the dreck in the light novel was important. Yet the studio has cut most of it out to save this sinking ship for profits. So, was all that dreck necessary? Apparently not, since even the studio doesn’t think so.
Simply put, this story was only ever praised by people shouting, “Finally, an MC I can relate to.” when this first was published out. That was the target audience.
And honestly, those who argued the story would be better without the predatory aspects of the MC pat yourselves on the back. You are being proven right by the studio cutting it all out. Be happy about that.
Anyway, the story this season? A solid 1/10. This isn’t even storytelling—it’s an exercise in baiting the GoT audience with random concepts and ideas that never get explored.
Characters? Compared to the obvious source he is ripping of GoT? LMAO. Barely memorable. Even the author doesn’t seem to care about them—they pop in and out of the story without rhyme or reason, except when it’s time for another girl in the harem to fall for the MC. Will he sleep with her? That’s the question, and that’s been the question since Season 1. The mother? Just filler. The real plot is the harem aspect, and die-hard fans know it. That’s why these girls have the most plot armor in a world supposedly filled with danger.
For anyone with common sense, I don’t recommend the light novel at all. There are far better isekai out there. This one is the bottom of the barrel, lazy writing at its worst. It’s no surprise so many authors have copied this formula and improved it with minimal effort.
I honestly hope Wit does a fantastic job Animating Ascendence of a Bookworm(the real story because whats been animated was nothing but the prologue) because its the only isekai I've seen get awarded for its writing while this one has nothing to offer to the world.
Reviewer’s Rating: 1
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Nov 10, 2024
We’ve hit a low point with remakes and rehashes The dialogue is butchered, and much of the story loses coherence compared to the source material. Visually, it’s lifeless and assembly-line bland— I'm shocked to find Disney does not have its name attached to this
This series's high praise reflects an audience more interested in the novelty of things instead of pushing for new and original IPs. Mappa has butchered much of the humor, character moments, and key story turns that made the original special. An 8.04 rating is baffling; this show barely scrapes a 6 but I guess in this era of creative bankruptcy across every
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form of entertainment even a butchered version of Ranma is still more coherent than today's slop
I’m generally wary of remakes, as Western media’s obsession with them has led to creative stagnation—nostalgia has outshined originality, sidelining fresh IPs. Now, even anime and Japanese media seem poised to enter this same rot, with endless calls for reboots and remakes crowding out new stories. It’s a shame, as titles like Frieren might be the last meaningful, culturally resonant stories we see for a while.
rating: 5/10.
Reviewer’s Rating: 5
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Oct 17, 2024
HOLY SH*T from Makeine going hard on animation to now BLUE BOX getting a royal treatment in animation that only a battle shonen would only see if they are a huge hit.
We're witnessing a shift in the industry and Im for it. Fr. If you're not a fan of a romcom, then Im sorry for you. You're missing out. Blue Box is a unique entry in the same old love story and I love it.
Without saying much this story is a 9/10 for the first 3 episodes and its a shame Crunchyroll is so badly managed that they missed out on easy
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views since its not available to see there.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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Aug 18, 2024
Wow, just wow! This anime completely caught me off guard. I never expected to see a light novel in the romcom genre that focuses on romance from such a realistic standpoint.
Instead of the typical setup where the main character is magically thrown into the life of the hottest girl in class, spending 12 episodes navigating unrealistic scenarios to win her admiration, this story takes a different approach. The focus is on characters who, in most stories, would be written off as the losers—flawed individuals with quirks and ticks that typically push them into the background. But here, they take center stage, and that’s what makes
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this story such a standout.
Another thing I believe sets this story apart I think it’s the sense of purpose the author has infused into it. This isn’t a pointless story like a LOT OF ROMCOM.
We’ve all felt like losers in the game of love, and so do these characters—and that’s okay. We may not always know how to deal with it, but that’s part of the journey. We try to live through it, hoping the pain will fade, or we learn from the experience or not. Maybe we meet new people along the way. This story reminds us that while finding love is important, it’s equally important to have a group of people around to support us during these chaotic times—something many romcoms overlook.
Also, the fact that "Losing Heroines" is ranked so highly is proof that tastes in the medium are truly changing. Ten years ago, a story like this would have been buried under battle shonen and isekais or not a single studio would have given it an anime deal, no joke.
I’m glad I see it ranked #1 in BD Sales, #1 in Anime Trending, and to hear that the light novel is already on its third reprint run.
For the first six episodes, this story has been incredibly strong. I would recommend it to anyone.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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