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*No spoilers*

Summary
Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans follows a set of orphan child soldiers who form a group called Tekkaden, as they engage in an escorting mission through space. The story is part of the Mobile Suit Gundam (MSG) universe, though watching other MSG shows is not required. There are plenty of giant machine battles, as is expected in the mecha genre. The story starts off interestingly by introducing themes of freedom, liberation, war, mistreatment, and loyalty; however, the story develops more into action, battles, and politics which detracts from these themes. There are excessive characters, and very few of them have time to satisfactorily develop with ... all the action. Overall, this series may be of interest to you if you enjoy the mecha genre, sci-fi, and action, and you don’t mind subpar character development. If you are interested in a similar genre with more meaningful characters, dialogue, and thoroughly explored themes, then I recommend Eighty-Six instead.

Story: 5/10
The story starts, captivatingly, with an emphasis on the mistreatment of the orphan characters as child soldiers. It begins to explore themes such as mistreatment, freedom, and loyalty, although most of these ideas fall short partway through the story. The plot incorporates political tomfoolery as the members of the Tekkaden group embark on an escorting mission. The pacing is satisfactory, although the plot accelerates partway through. This amplifies the action at the expense of character development. By the end, the story is complete, but the meaningfulness explored at the beginning is overshadowed by the action of flashing machines, space travel, and weird political figures with fancy beards. Whereas similar shows tackle political themes in a meaningful way, Iron-Blooded Orphans tosses in unnecessary political rules for plot convenience (or inconvenience, as is the case near the end). The story overall is average, and the biggest flaw is that the plot focuses too much on action and thrills and not enough on the characters. If you are looking for a generally straightforward story with an emphasis on action and moderate suspense, then this will likely suffice; however, the change partway through does detract from the overall meaning.

Characters: 4/10
There is a plethora of characters in the show with insufficient time for them to develop because of all the action. Some barely have backstories, some are used merely as plot devices, and even some of the interesting characters are practically written out of the story altogether once their bland character arc is completed. This is quite problematic for any story, and it is especially so for Iron-Blooded Orphans because the story itself could have been compelling: The themes lend to character development, yet the story focuses on fights and uncanny political subterfuge instead of the characters’ decisions, wants, needs, emotions, etc. Ultimately, these characters end up generic and one-dimensional, despite beginning with plenty of potential.

Art: 6/10
The art is a highlight for this show, especially for fans of action, since the majority is a bunch of giant machines blasting at each other. Some character designs are quite extravagant, especially with the fancy hair styles. These designs help to differentiate between the characters.

Sound: 5/10
The music is generally dull and unforgettable, but it is adequate.

Enjoyment: 4/10
I have never been a huge fan of the mecha genre because it often focused on action and battles over substance. I had read the reviews of Iron-Blooded Orphans and thought that this one might be different. It does start off nicely and seems to tackle meaningful themes, but I did not enjoy the second section because it shifted to action rather than developing the characters.

Total score: 4.8/10 (low-average)

*No spoilers*
This review is for the anime, Ingress the Animation, and does not reference the Ingress mobile game.

Summary
Ingress the Animation is an anime series based off a mobile game called Ingress. This adaptation follows Makoto Midorikawa, a rookie, and other characters such as Sara Coppola and Jack Norman, as they traverse a battle between corporations and factions. This story incorporates the fantasy power of Exotic Matter (XM) to supply special abilities as chaos ensues. Ingress the Animation follows the same tropes as other action and fantasy tales, and it does so with mediocrity. If you enjoy action, this may be interesting; however, the story and ... characters are unexceptional at best, and the overall quality of this anime is below-average.

Story: 5/10
The story of Ingress the Animation is one of the most average and mediocre imaginable. There is some action and adventure, but the emphasis on the plot and disregard for developing characters is a huge setback. Basically, there’s a mysterious substance, like a radio wave, called Exotic Matter. Two factions form over time to battle for power. There is some secrecy, suspense, and lots of action. Overall, there’s nothing special about the series’ story, but there’s also nothing terrible. Unfortunately, the emphasis on “stuff happening” without explanation, and the sudden changes in plot points does make it hard to follow at times. There are some interesting plot twists, but there are also major plot armor scenes and significant conveniences for the characters. There really aren’t any high stakes. The story also doesn’t explore deep or meaningful themes. It’s just intended for action and entertainment. That’s not necessarily bad, but it does limit the meaning behind the story. In summary, the story is average.

Characters: 3/10
The characters are forgettable and as generic as possible. They are barely introduced, never mind developed, and the entire series revolves around action with minimal room for them to make decisions. The writers left too many plot conveniences for the characters to grow or even feel touchable. This left the high stakes out of the picture and detracted from the meaning of the series in the first place. I always watch a series or movie twice before reviewing, and I can honestly say that Makoto Midorikawa, Sara Coppola, and Jack Norman are the most forgettable characters in any media I have experienced. I didn’t remember their characteristics within a few weeks of watching. Overall, the characters are poorly written and uninteresting.

Art: 6/10
The CGI is sufficiently decent. It isn’t breathtaking but still an overall strength of the anime.

Sound: 6/10
The soundtrack is slightly above average. Alt-J is just too cool to pass on. With that said, even the English dub is average and passable. It’s not the voice actors’ fault that the writing and dialogue are poor.

Enjoyment: 4/10

Total score: 4.8/10 (low-average)

*No spoilers*

Summary
Words Bubble Up Like Soda Pop tells the tale of two teenagers who work through their insecurities as they connect with one another. The movie explores topics such as neurodiversity, communication, and insecurities, with some wholesome intentions, young romance, and friendship. The story explores these themes with success, wrapping up with a pleasant ending and incorporating characters and a simple plot that slice-of-life fans will enjoy. In this way, it homes in on insecurities in a way that is likely relatable and palatable for teenagers. However, it is not a ground-breaking story, and it does not deeply examine these themes. I recommend this film ... for its entertainment, pleasant, and “chill” approach to addressing the topics, though it is not revolutionary.

Story: 7/10
The story is unpretentious, and this simplicity keeps the viewer intrigued without exploring dark topics. In a way, this maintains a slice-of-life feel while also exploring some challenging themes, such as insecurities, neurodiversity, and relationships. There are plenty of shows, movies, and novels that explore these themes in more depth, although some are more effective and some fall short when compared to Words Bubble Up Like Soda Pop. The main characters, Smiles and Cherry, each have their own insecurities and challenges with communication which is evident in the opening scenes. From there, they mix up their belongings and end up developing a friendship. The story follows these two, as well as the side characters, as they support one another and help an elderly man find a certain record. The pacing is slow at the start, and there are times where some more development could have been used (see characters), but the plot sticks to a rather linear approach to story-telling, which works sufficiently. It also challenges the characters well so that they can develop by the end. One weakness is that the character’s initial interactions seem somewhat forced. They meet up to exchange phones, but then the plot puts them back together for another reason. That second reason (no spoilers) could have been explored more, which is also included in the characters section of this review. Overall, the story is simplistic and predictable, but it is moderately meaningful and genuinely enjoyable.

Characters: 7/10
Generally, the characters are interesting and bring meaning to the story. Personality wise, Cherry and Smiles are wonderful, and they are written to grow individually and by supporting one another. Their friendship (no spoilers) is wholesome and feels natural once it starts to develop; however, there are flaws with these two characters. First, the story would have benefited from more initial information about Cherry and Smiles. The viewer knows from the start that Cherry has some form of a communication disorder, and we know that Smiles is insecure about her teeth. However, we don’t know why she goes from loving her teeth to this sudden insecurity. Additionally, Smiles seems rather unrealistic when she is introduced. She’s supposed to be a popular social media streamer named Smiles, despite covering her smile. Although this irony is probably intentional, it does cause some misconceptions at the start. The second issue with Cherry and Smiles is their clear initial social differential. It is uncertain why Smiles, who is clearly popular and socially has many potential mates, returns to Cherry at the mall. The story would have grown immensely if it had touched on this topic, especially because we know Cherry struggles with communication. Even something simple, like having a short conversation with her sisters about characteristics she likes about Cherry, curiosity, or even wanting to learn about his disorder, would have gone a long way. As I mentioned, these two work great together once their common goals are established and they interact more regularly, and they have the potential to complement one another in essential ways, which is the premise of the story. The side characters add to the plot, although they are rather basic and not spectacular. However, what makes the characters above-average is how they are wholesome. The story really focuses on the good in people, which can be quite uplifting. Sure, the story doesn’t blast the viewer with the injustices of society and the bullying that is a common occurrence for people like Cherry, but it sheds some light onto how wholesome people can still exist. That’s a beautiful theme that’s developed through the characters.

Art: 8/10
The art is probably divisive for some anime fans, but the unique textures and vivid colors really bring the characters to life. It also shines in expressing the importance of art in the movie: haiku is used to communicate in the same way that the vibrant and distinctive art conveys its own message. The character designs, walking animations, and even the scenery, are all captivating and unique. They bring out the positive vibes of the story. Nonetheless, the scenes with more action are a bit jerky on the eyes. Specifically, there’s a skateboarding scene that doesn’t seem too fitting for the art style.

Sound: 8/10
The soundtrack is perfectly fitting. It has a chill but bright vibe that helps to develop the setting. Kensuke Ushio’s work is wonderful, as usual. I will say that this soundtrack may be different from what the viewer might expect, but that’s a good thing. The English dub is excellent.

Enjoyment: 8/10
I thoroughly enjoyed this film. Sure, it wasn't as deep as I would have liked, but it was certainly a pleasant story.

Total score: 7.6/10 (great)

*No spoilers*
This review is for the anime adaptation of Komi-san wa, Comyushou desu, also known as Komi Can’t Communicate.

Summary
Komi Can’t Communicate is about a girl named Komi who struggles to communicate due to her social anxiety, and a boy named Tadano who befriends her and supports her on an expedition to make 100 friends. The story covers themes of friendship, communication, and disabilities, though it does so by antithetical means. Unfortunately, the storytelling makes the plot and characters unrelatable, and the side characters detract from the themes. To avoid spoilers, I will simply state here that Komi does not overcome her anxiety the healthy way. ... Instead, she has classmates that are ludicrous. The side characters don’t push her the right way; instead, they stalk her, creep on her, sexualize her, and even abduct someone. The general concept was interesting at first, but the full story is not something I recommend. If you want a goofy, silly, and “fun” story, then give this one a try, but don’t expect it to tackle anything deep. For a much more meaningful story, I recommend A Silent Voice, and for an anime that actually tackles communication disorders and insecurities, I recommend Words Bubble Up Like Soda Pop. Even Dorohedoro addresses themes of friendship and communication better than this show.

Story: 4/10
Komi Can’t Communicate is about a girl named Komi who struggles to communicate due to her social anxiety. She meets a boy named Tadano who initially befriends her and attempts to support her on an expedition to make 100 friends. The story covers themes of friendship, communication, and disabilities, though it does so in an adversative way. Unfortunately, the story is largely unrelatable, and the side characters detract from the themes. Episodes are just single skits that are loosely related and barely help Komi and Tadano work towards their goals in a meaningful way. Komi does not overcome her anxiety realistically, and she is a poor representation of someone with social anxiety after the first few episodes. Instead, classmates hand her a friendship, as an offer, in bizarre and grotesque ways. These classmates are unhinged characters who stalk her, creep on her, and even abduct someone. The initial episode emphasizes, with realism, Komi’s struggles with social anxiety in a high school setting. It is unclear why the rest of the story completely puts this aside for awkward and counterintuitive plots, weird sexualizing scenes at the water park, or bizarre abductions, but this is what happens after the first episode. Consequently, the show is impossible to take seriously. It feels like each episode is a goofy skit that tries to take on a serious topic: mental health and, specifically, social anxiety. Instead, it comes across as creepy and off-putting. Even the scenes that are supposed to be funny are irritating and unsettling. As a therapist, I was hoping it might be a helpful show for my teenage clients to watch and learn from; instead, it just makes a mockery of mental health, the school setting, and the viewer’s intelligence.

Characters: 4/10
Komi started as an interesting character, and her communication struggles are elucidated in the first episode. She also finds a friend and clear crush in Tadano. Aside from this, the characters are extremely ridiculous. Think of old PC games where you could randomize the appearance and stats on your character. Imagine an entire set of cast members like this. That’s what happens here. They are creepy, harmful, peculiar, and antithetical to the themes of the story. Why are they all in love with her? If this story were serious, Komi would struggle to communicate because of her anxiety and would be outcasted. That’s the reality of social anxiety and communication disorders. She would have to work hard to overcome her social anxiety, learn to put herself out there, learn to open up and be vulnerable, take risks, communicate assertively, set boundaries, etc. Instead, other characters worship her, creep on her, and are completely unrealistic. This is unappealing and completely ridiculous. The characters are negating of the initially asserted premise of the show. Komi and Todano are decent, but not profound. Everyone else is terrible. Overall, the characters are a huge weakness for this type of story.

Art: 6/10
The art is fitting for the characters and story. It’s nothing special, but it is sufficient.

Sound: 5/10
As with the art, the music is sufficient.

Enjoyment: 3/10
This was not for me. That’s not a guarantee that it won’t be for you. I would not recommend this if you’re someone looking for a serious show that tackles mental health and social anxiety. Unfortunately, that’s what the first episode tries to sell you. I was very wrong.

Total score: 4.4/10 (low-average)

*No spoilers*
This review is for the anime adaptation of Monster, by Naoki Urasawa.

Summary
Monster is an anime adaptation of a popular manga by Naoki Urasawa. The story begins as the protagonist, Dr. Kenzo Tenma, a neurosurgeon, makes an imperative decision to save a life based on his morals rather than the social expectations of his employer. The ramifications of this decision thrust Dr. Tenma into chaos, as he is falsely accused of a crime. Kenzo must investigate and apprehend a mastermind criminal: the very patient whose life he saved. This story has wonderful plot twists, phenomenally written characters, and explores themes such as human morality, values, ... nihilism, relationships, and the human capacity to change. This is one of the best overall quality stories ever told. I strongly recommend Monster if you are interested in these themes or enjoy historical fiction.

Story: 9/10
Monster is a masterclass of storytelling, starting with the opening episodes’ challenging decisions and the ongoing chaos that ensues. The suspense is enticing, but the overall morals and themes explored in the story are what makes it so captivating. It asks questions along the way. Are people good? Are they bad? Are they born that way? It also explores how trauma influences decisions and how people can change and use their values as a guide to decision-making. The main plot focuses on Dr. Kenzo Tenma, who adheres to his values at the beginning of the story. He ultimately sacrifices his wellbeing and lively to do his job: save a life. However, saving this person has major social consequences at the hospital, and this particular patient plays a pivotal antagonistic role in the story by committing crimes through a lens of nihilism. There are many moving parts, and some sections appear convoluted; however, they all stay true to the themes and posited questions throughout the story. Additionally, Monster does an excellent job of leading with its cast of characters rather than emphasizing disconnected plot points and twists. This helps to accentuate the human characteristics of the story and delve deeper into the themes of human morality. It all feels realistic, even in the historical fiction context. There are no superpowers, plot armors, or fan services. The characters face permanent consequences, and this is particularly important to the course of Monster. Ultimately, the plot and storytelling are fantastic.

Characters: 10/10
This anime has the most realistic, fleshed out, and human characters out of any story. This goes beyond the lack of fantasy in the genre and has everything to do with the writing of the characters. They feel like real people: they behave based on their experiences, traumas, emotions, fears, etc. They have the capacity to grow, although they are still held accountable. Characters are also held unabashedly liable for their behaviors, resulting in realistic endings. It is true that not all people have the opportunity to make the changes they want, and that is depicted excellently in Monster. Kenzo Tenma is a protagonist who faces significant consequences for his decisions, and he adheres to and challenges his values which makes the story far more consequential. In contrast, Johan, the antagonist, sets the world ablaze in an effort to convey his nihilistic views. From these two characters, we have a variety of conflicts and opposing themes. Other characters, such as Detective Runge, Eva Heinemann, and Nina, all add to the drama and storytelling. They feel like real people and have their own arcs. Even characters who only appear in a few episodes of this anime have thought-provoking character arcs, regardless of how their tales may end. Most importantly, all the characters posit meaningful questions related to the primary themes: human morality, values, nihilism, relationships, and the human capacity to change.

Art: 7/10
Considering the anime is twenty years old at the time I am writing this review, the art has held up well. The characters have expressive faces, and they convey their emotions appropriately.

Sound: 7/10
The audio in Monster is sufficient. Unfortunately, there have been issues with copyright and changes in the soundtrack for dubbed versions of the anime. This has also impacted the availability of the dubs. The music in the original Japanese version (which I watched with subtitles) was composed by Kuniaki Haishimi. It feels somewhat repetitive, but the anime is long. The sound effects are fitting and above average.

Enjoyment: 9/10
I thoroughly enjoyed this anime and recommend it to anyone who enjoys a great story and dark themes. I may not be a nihilist, but I can appreciate a well-written story about nihilism.

Total score: 8.4/10 (excellent)

*No spoilers*
This review is for Tokyo Ghoul’s manga and does not incorporate anything specific to the anime.

Summary
Tokyo Ghoul is a story that follows Ken Kaneki as he lives his life in a world in which humans and ghouls exist together. These man-eating ghouls are hidden among humans, though they feed on them and have some supernatural abilities. The story explores themes of humanity, power, subjective justice, and sacrifice. Tokyo Ghoul is very similar, in terms of themes and plot, to more thought-provoking stories such as Parasyte and Ajin. Tokyo Ghoul may be of interest to you if you enjoy action and the “light and darkness” ... main character trope, although the story is lacking in character development, exploring the themes, and even telling a cohesive story, compared to similar stories.

Story: 4/10
Tokyo Ghoul starts interesting and compelling: Kaneki is a human college student who is suddenly involved in an accident that results in his human body being provided with ghoul organs and abilities. This type of “light and darkness” trope starts off interesting because Kaneki’s view is altered, and he must now assimilate into a human-led world as a human-ghoul hybrid. This also helps with the world-building, as we see the various perspectives of humans and ghouls merely trying to survive in this war of subjective justice. The reader is also introduced to traumatic experiences for both sides of this battle, as well as the unexpected social infrastructure of the ghouls. The world-building provides some extra context into the humans’ and ghouls’ different organizations, although this becomes excessive when introducing so many new characters at once. The story meanders as Kaneki adjusts to his newfound abilities and limitations. Unfortunately, Tokyo Ghoul starts to lack cohesion after the first few arcs. I will talk more about characters’ motivations in the characters section, but the story’s plot is influenced by the characters’ decisions in ways that are problematic. The pacing is generally appropriate, although major events seem rushed and sometimes even unexplained. I will not include a specific spoiler in here, but there are many times where characters are being tested to their limits, but the writing detracts from the impact on the character in a strange way. Part of this is exacerbated by the lack of direction in certain arcs. For instance, the main character experiences a major change that feels extremely sudden. An event occurs spontaneously, and this causes his hair to turn white and his nails to turn black. The event itself is short and emotionally unimpactful to the reader, despite Kaneki’s physical and behavioral changes. The antagonist in this scene was barely introduced and extremely powerful; this somehow empowers the protagonist to overpower him with unknown means. It’s just a strange, unexpected turn of events that occurs haphazardly. Similar events ensue throughout the story, although the plot meanders the most in the second half. At one point, Kaneki gains a newfound power that goes completely unexplained, and it’s challenging to even see what is happening with the illustrations and formatting (see the art section of this review). The final few volumes of the story are extremely rushed, and the ending is almost incomprehensible. Kaneki’s human side is what makes him such an interesting character, and his ability to communicate on both sides of the human-ghoul battle is particularly useful. Instead, the story shies away from characters’ conflicts, sidelines important and interesting characters, and focuses on irrational plot points like a lot of the cliché anime and manga heroes who just shout at each other, power up, and battle. It appears that the author waited until the last few volumes to throw in as many plot twists as possible, completely out of nowhere. Consequently, the ending is meaningless. It takes the identity of certain characters and then changes them, for no reason. There is almost no resolution to the story, and the ending doesn’t even address the themes or the characters’ goals in a productive and meaningful way. I imagine the purpose was to set up for a sequel, but sequels are more likely to be read when the original story is compelling, interesting, comprehensible, and not written with such an unresolved and utterly absurd ending.

Art: 6/10
The art in Tokyo Ghoul is around average. The colorful volume covers are probably the best and clearest quality, as the black and white pages make it challenging to differentiate between the 2-d and 3-d images. This sometimes makes it hard to follow the events and what is being shown. For instance, it can be hard to distinguish swinging motions, wing-like structures, and often who is speaking due to the dialogue bubbles overlapping. The art and character designs are still the best part of the story, though.

Characters: 5/10
The characters here are generally dull, and that’s mostly because they are written in and out of the story too quickly. Kaneki is the main character and barely gets enough time to shine. His motivations start off clear, though they meander pointlessly with the plot near the end. He is introduced as an intelligent college student who seems to enjoy poetry, literature, and problem-solving. However, he makes extremely illogical decisions throughout the story. His character is poorly used to explore the themes of the story, which is a huge downfall. He is provided with special abilities, but they aren’t used to represent his inner turmoil very well. In other cases, he just unlocks abilities with no explanation and powers up like a classic overpowered hero. As aforementioned, a pivotal scene in the story comes suddenly, instigated by an antagonist that hadn’t yet been introduced, and Kaneki overcomes this antagonist by sure willpower. It just detracts from his character. Why didn’t the author just have him stay unique? He was great to start with. Instead, he falls into the same typical hero tropes. He also makes completely illogical decisions that go against his initial character. Why would you befriend someone who tries to have you killed and eat you, and then trust that person to watch over a young girl? His decisions are just foolish at times, particularly near the end of the story. Encouragingly, some side characters, like Touka, are quite interesting and help to explore the story’s themes; however, there’s no resolution or character growth because she and the other side characters are sidelined randomly. She even has a counterpart that adds tension and could have really helped her develop. Imagine if Naruto and Sasuke argued one time and then the author forgot that Sasuke even existed. That’s the kind of impact we see in Tokyo Ghoul, except Touka and the Sasuke counterpart are both sidelined for the rest of the story. Other characters are generally underdeveloped, uninteresting, or unnecessary. Many are introduced and then die immediately or don’t have any importance in the story. This is particularly clear with the CCG (anti-ghoul group) members who have a convoluted rank system. They’re introduced to either die or argue and then die. Occasionally, they seem smart, but then they do ridiculous stuff and die. Even the smart characters that Kaneki could connect with just end up being written out at some point. Some characters even have absurd identity changes at the very end, which is just horrible writing, probably to build up for an unnecessary sequel. The characters don’t have clear resolutions. I will avoid specific spoilers here, but it is extremely evident that the author didn’t know how to provide the moving pieces of the story and the characters’ motives with a resolution. Instead of putting some of the pieces together, he just added more nonsense, and it truly destroyed even the characters that were interesting.

Enjoyment: 5/10
This genre is quite interesting, but Tokyo Ghoul falls short in many ways. I did enjoy certain parts, characters, and twists, but the ending is truly a devastating blow to the story. It felt like the story was intended to be a poorly executed attempt at stories like Parasyte which truly explore humanity, power, subjective justice in a meaningful way. Tokyo Ghoul started off seemingly ambitious, but the enjoyment averaged out by the end. I would rather reread (or watch) Parasyte or Ajin than Tokyo Ghoul, because they’re cohesive and a positive representation of what this genre can offer.

Total score: 5/10 (average)

*No spoilers*
This review is for Season 1 of the Vinland Saga anime. It does not contain major spoilers, nor does it include information specific to the manga or Season 2.

Summary:
Vinland Saga’s first season was animated by WIT studios, bringing to life the story of a young Viking boy named Thorfinn. Season 1 has some interesting characters and a relatively basic plot, though it is more plot-driven than in Season 2. Some characters are well-written and developed, while some have asinine character arcs. Overall, the first season is an interesting one, though it does not shine as much as the next season due to its pacing, ... characters, and general storytelling.

Story: 7/10
Vinland Saga tells the story of Thorfinn, a young Viking boy, who is raised by a now pacifistic, former warrior. Thorfinn’s inquisitive and adventurous personality leads him on a dangerous expedition, leading to absolute devastation. The story incorporates themes of adventure, war, resilience, trauma, and honor. Unfortunately, some scenes focus more on the “tell by showing” technique, such as having over-the-top cheering for violence and war. Although the plot generally tracks Thorfinn, the story follows Vikings battling with Anglo-Saxons and Britons, raiding, and emphasizes the blood-thirsty love of battle. It mixes some historical events with blatantly fictional characters and abilities; this may be interesting to some, but this causes a dilemma with a strange power system: It is stuck between historical fiction and fantasy which do not bode well together. In many historical fiction stories, characters may have exaggerated abilities like being slightly stronger or faster than their foes, but this story takes this way too far. We open with Thorfinn’s dad obliterating everyone, while all the other soldiers are mostly useless. Then, we follow Thorfinn’s events with his pacifistic father risking everyone else’s life, only to be followed by a man eating a mushroom and gaining unhinged physical abilities. The story alternates between reasonable human versus human, medieval battles, and then downright fantastical sections that truly detract from the story. The Vikings are portrayed as barbaric and powerful, which may be somewhat accurate, historically, but it didn’t need to incorporate such palpably unrealistic powers. Why would a human be able to pick up and throw trees at incoming ships? Why would a historical warrior lift and use a massive tree trunk as a sword? The hilarity detracts from the sincerity of the characters’ struggles. This continues throughout the first season, with alternating battles, raids, pillaging, and then a few episodes of melodrama for a terribly written character to suddenly develop, which will be discussed in the corresponding section of this review. Overall, the storytelling in season 1 is slightly above average, as it does a wonderful job honing two characters: Thorfinn and Askeladd. When these two characters, and their internal struggles, are emphasized, the story is interesting, but the unrealistic absurdities in the plot do detract from the overall quality of the storytelling.

Art: 8/10
WIT Studios did an excellent job with the art in season 1. It’s fitting for the genre. There are some freeze-frame scenes that could have been animated, but the art is above-average, overall.

Music/Sound: 8/10
The music by Yutaka Yamada is wonderful, especially if you enjoy piano. There are times where the piano doesn’t pronounce the barbaric, Viking, medieval setting, but it is generally fitting. The voice acting, even in English, is great.

Characters: 6/10
The characters in season 1 are almost dichotomous: Some are very well written, while others are terrible. Our protagonist, Thorfinn is a typical young boy who makes a poor decision that impacts him for the rest of his life. He is written to be adventurous as a child, and it makes sense that his behavior leads to the events (no spoilers), although his father’s foolishness is a problem of its own. So, the main character broods and struggles with trauma and wanting revenge throughout the season, which is fitting. The event at the very end (no spoilers) is the perfect setup for his internal conflict in the next season, and this is one of the best pieces of writing in all of season 1. Additionally, the deuteragonist, Askeladd, is another extremely well-written, evocative, deep character. Askeladd may be one of the most meaningfully and complexly written characters in the fantasy genre. His arc is clear by the end, and very compelling, though I will not share spoilers. Regrettably, there are also terribly written characters which make this season feel almost laughable: specifically, Canute. He’s a fragile, effeminate, silent young man who struggles to communicate and opposes the violent ways of war. His character arc is one of the most ludicrous, sudden, poorly written forms of “growth” imaginable. A well-written character learns, over time, and does so through experience and adaptation. Canute does none of this. I will avoid specific spoilers and will, instead, encourage you to watch Vinland Saga and see for yourself the absolute disaster. Better yet, you could watch a 12-year-old do a 180-frontside spin on a skateboard for the same effect. In any case, the characters in season 1 of Vinland Saga are dichotomously written: Some are fascinating, and others are low-quality.

Enjoyment: 5/10
There were a few scenes and characters that I found quite intriguing, but this first season was by no means the masterpiece that it was made out to be. The music and art were okay, and some of the storytelling was interesting; however, the terrible characters really made it hard to stay engaged and take it seriously. I actually found this season to be upsetting, and rewatching made this worse, knowing that season 2 is more focused on characters and a generally more captivating and powerful tale.

Overall: 6.8/10

*No spoilers*

Summary
Solo Leveling, also known as Only I Level Up, is a Korean manhwa illustrated by Jang Sun-Rak (Dubu) and written by the author of the corresponding original light novels, Ch’ugong. Adhering to the fantasy and adventure genres, Solo Leveling tells the story of Jinwoo, a teenager who is given special powers, and who is motivated to protect his family. He and fellow “Hunters” stand between their world and a mysterious group of monsters who come to earth through portals called gates. As the story progresses, Jinwoo is gifted more special abilities, and the rules change, following with more of a video-game feel. The manhwa ... has phenomenal art that looks even more beautiful in its printed form. A relative weakness, as described below, is the lack of character depth and the story’s inconsistent quality, as well as the overall lack of consequences by the end of the story. Overall, this may be a great fit for you if you enjoy stories in the fantasy, action, and even sci-fi genres, particularly if you enjoy video-games.

Story: 5/10
The plot of Solo Leveling follows Jinwoo as he embarks on a quest to become stronger in order to protect his mother and sister. In the process, as the title suggests, Jinwoo focuses on individually leveling up. You might ask, “What exactly does leveling up entail?” Well, leveling up involves going to a new dungeon, thinking about leveling up, destroying monsters, and then gaining a level and abilities. I will not include spoilers in this review, but I will say that this concept, while quite fascinating, is rather abrupt in the beginning of the story. The reader is introduced to a realistic world with a fantasy twist: there are dungeons in gates, and Hunters destroy monsters to reap rewards. Then, before you know it, there’s a new twist, and some characters can level up. This is a bit jarring, but it is an interesting concept. However, the nature of this leveling up becomes quite monotonous, and that is part of the inconsistency in interest and overall quality of the whole story. Furthermore, there are many situations, such as a “job change,” where the plot overtakes the character and Jinwoo doesn’t have to really make decisions or even explore his internal conflict. This unfortunately detracts from the storytelling, as the reader wants to know what the characters are thinking, but the plot mostly just happens. There’s an upgrade and then immediately another one, and the reader is still unsure what the first upgrade accomplished or how Jinwoo felt about it. Sure, there are physical struggles, but not too many emotional or internal conflicts for Jinwoo. Furthermore, some arcs are quite compelling while others are repetitive, and the main reason for this boringness is because the main character becomes rather bleak and loses track of his original internal conflict and goals. The characters, in general, are another category that is reviewed separately, but they do play a role in the meaninglessness of the plot. In summation, the arcs vary in quality and entertainment: Some are repetitive while others are suspenseful; however, all of the arcs feel as though Jinwoo will not face consequences. Ultimately, this becomes the trend by the end of the story. Once Jinwoo gives that classic stare and says, “Arise,” you know he’s going to be causing mayhem and face minimal consequences for his destruction. To worsen the lack of accountability and ruin the stakes, the final battle is practically omitted from the story using a rather obscure plot twist that, while creative, is self-defeating. Although this review does not contain specific spoilers, it is worth noting that the ending of the story feels anticlimactic for multiple reasons, including the lacking final battle, the major change in characters at the end, and the universal lack of stakes and accountability. This is further exacerbated by the epilogue, which, aside from some humor, detracts from Jinwoo’s story and adds barely any depth to the already pointless side characters.

Art: 10/10
The art in the Solo Leveling manhwa is the main attraction. It is perfect for this genre and really brings out the vibes of playing a video-game. It helps the reader to connect with the main character and is quite detailed, supporting in the world-building.

Characters: 3/10
Without sharing any specific spoilers, I must share that the side characters are practically irrelevant in this story. Not only do they not matter in the end due to Jinwoo’s actions and the plot, but they are also generally uninteresting. Throughout the story, Jinwoo uses the side characters for motivation and his own gain, but they don’t add anything special to the story, otherwise. Some characters are introduced and written out of the story in one or two chapters, and a lot of the important political figures would have been better introduced earlier in the story. A few characters were hard to follow, as they’d be shown in another country doing something and then re-introduced, with minimal explanation and little background information, 100 chapters later. Beyond the side characters, the story has only the protagonist: Jinwoo. Sure, there are some antagonists, but the main antagonistic doesn’t even get to battle with Jinwoo; instead, he’s just written off as being defeated. He was also unclear throughout the story, which added to the confusing plot. Overall, Jinwoo starts off as a relatable and interesting character, though he falls into the same tropes as many fantasy heroes. He has special abilities that aren’t explained until near the end, and he exploits them for his own gain. Although the mystery of his abilities is interesting, it doesn’t augment his internal struggles, which would have been more remarkable and impactful. This aspect of the writing is particularly unfortunate. While Jinwoo’s situation is more interesting than some similar characters who just talk about getting stronger and then do so, (ie. Ichigo in Bleach), Jinwoo becomes a rather flat character and his internal struggles become muddled by the midway point. Yes, he is noble again in the end, but he becomes rather unbreakable and unrelatable. Moreover, his stakes are high but also pointless by the end of the story (no spoilers). Generally, the characters are unimportant, unrelatable, lack depth, and, as aforementioned, end up being irrelevant by the end of the manhwa, making the overall story less interesting.

Enjoyment: 5/10
This story started off feeling unique, though it was rather repetitive near the beginning. I really wanted to like this manwha, and I was hopeful that the ending would have a captivating point, moral dilemma, or thought-provoking plot twist. Although it fell short and I found the plot and characters to be lacking, I thoroughly enjoyed the art. I believe the art is a perfect depiction of the world and perfectly encapsulates the video-game feel. It’s as if the artist were the story’s primary architect!

Total score: 4.6/10

Review Summary:
7 Seeds, or 7SEEDS, is a manga written by Yumi Tamara which ran from 2001 to 2017. To avoid spoilers, I will say that the setting is a mysterious world in the near future, after the Earth has been struck by a meteor. The story incorporates a plethora of characters who try to survive in this new world, learn about their surroundings, and attempt to process and overcome their pasts. Overall, the story is well-written, although there is some inconsistent pacing. The characters are phenomenal, and the plot is intriguing. One drawback to 7 Seeds is that it was never (as of 2024) ... published to be printed in English, so many online versions are fan-translated digital copies. If you are interested in sci-fi, then this is likely a great fit for you. Please note that this review is for the manga and not the poorly adapted anime. The manga is far superior to the anime.

Story: 7/10
7 Seeds takes place in a mysterious world (no spoilers) following Earth’s destruction from a meteor strike. Many characters find themselves in groups of strangers and attempt to uncover this new world to survive. Along the way, the characters are challenged in appropriate ways in order to grow and develop, and the plot is quite intriguing and mysterious. Much of the story is based on survival in nature, learning to start fires, survive storms and changes in weather, and explore the unfamiliar terrain. This also leads to some groups fighting with one another over resources and competition. Overall, the storytelling is done in a “show, don’t tell,” way, although there is occasionally some info dumping through dialogue that seems unrealistic. This may be caused by the fan-translated versions since it is not physically published in English. In general, the biggest flaw with the story is that some events are too convenient for the characters, although many do suffer the consequences to a lesser extent. The pacing, particularly at the end, is also a bit disappointing. Ultimately, though, the plot is quite interesting and recommendable. The story handles themes of friendships, connection, survival, trauma, death, and growth.

Art: 7/10
The art in 7 Seeds is adequate for the story and detailed enough to build the world and characters. Because there are no physically published English copies, it is hard to judge the art quality, as some digital versions are not the cleanest. However, that’s not the author’s fault, and the quality of the art is still sufficient. The style works for world-building, some gory or scary scenes, and for depicting landscapes and structures that become key to the plot.

Characters: 8/10
7 Seeds is character-driven which makes the story far more enjoyable and engaging. This story has a variety of characters, and they all grow throughout the story. Many have intriguing, horrifying, and traumatizing pasts, and they learn from each other and their environment to thrive. Although Natsu and Hana start as the main characters, the full cast is fairly represented and valuable by the end, aside from a few minor characters. There are times where nature causes some plot twists and even some plot armor, but the characters are written to be realistic and driven for literal and social survival. Although the story emphasizes some romance between characters, the general focus is really the relationships in general. The characters are forced to rely on strangers for survival, which adds relatable and realistic tension. Many characters are written to be intentionally unlikable while others are more enjoyable to follow, and this adds practicality to the relationships. The characters develop over the course of the story, although some minor characters are a bit forced at the end. Even the seemingly antagonistic characters have their justifications, which makes the story more enjoyable. Yumi Tamara worked some true magic with these characters. One challenge with the ending is that the characters’ resolutions are somewhat rushed in the final volume, and the final arc has some excessive dialogue. Even characters that were expected to have romantic tension were rushed and had conversations in front of others instead of, realistically, connecting after the main final arc. Maybe that’s a positive, though, since the reader wants to have more time with the characters.

Enjoyment: 9/10
7 Seeds is an excellent story and very enjoyable. I wish that the manga were officially and physically published in English so I could collect it and re-read it in the future. I recommend it to anyone interested in sci-fi. I wouldn’t say I enjoyed the romance so much, but the tension between characters was well-done and enjoyable. By the end, I felt compelled to pick sides, but unable to do so because I wanted to root for all of them. Also, this manga was far more enjoyable than the terribly adapted anime.

Overall: 7.75

*No spoilers*

Summary:
Bubble is a story that fuses parkour-enthused teenagers with a gravity-altered Tokyo setting filled with bubbles. The plot is predictable and unremarkable, and the characters are weak; however, the music and art are phenomenal and highlights. If you enjoy romance and action, this may be of interest to you. It feels much like Makoto Shinkai's lesser quality films. I would not personally recommend this movie for the story or characters, but the art and music were wonderful.

Story: 3/10
Bubble has an interesting setting: a destroyed version of Tokyo but with big bubbles that shift gravity enough to allow for optimized parkour matches. The plot follows ... Hibiki as he wins parkour team battles independently. The plot takes a few twists that are convoluted but also predictable, forcing some fairy tale relationships and also destruction. Overall, the premise could have been interesting, exploring the cycles of production and destruction, or even the recycling nature of the planets and the universe. However, the plot stuck to a lackluster sequence of events with some forced action and boring characters. Furthermore, the narrative switched to a romance, inappropriately, and the overall plot results in a mix of blurry and blended themes. There isn't much of a moral to the story, and it is certainly forgettable. It isn't a movie that will blow your mind with plot twists or make you emotional, mostly because of the characters and their stakes. This entire story meanders until the end, when there is supposed to be an emotional conclusion that falls almost as flat as a single layer of water molecules stuck together by nothing but their hydrogen bonds.

Art: 10/10
WIT Studios did an excellent job with the art. Not only is the scenery wonderful and bursting with color, but they choreographed many action sequences with intriguing parkour.

Music/Sound: 9/10
Hiroyuki Sawano is a legend and really made the (weak) story and beautiful art come to life. The voice acting was also surprisingly decent for English dub.

Characters: 2/10
The characters in this story lack depth. With the colorful art and fitting music, you'd expect to at least connect with some of the characters. Instead, you have uninteresting characters describing themselves through dialogue. It's hard to take them seriously when their character arcs start and finish with making jokes about being orphans. The introduction to characters is heavily driven by dialogue, and there isn't enough time to show character development. Hibiki is one of the only characters to grow, which is expected for a main character, but he is also a very hollow shell. Even the deuteragonist, Uta, is as bland as possible. She's a simple plot device, which really ruins the premise of the movie. If you're going to make the plot of the story contingent upon a character, you have to at least attempt to explain the character's motive. Instead, we have a character that blindly falls in pseudo-love and (no spoilers) we don't even learn why or how she found the main character. It seems as though the movie tried to mix fairy tales with the plots and characters from Makoto Shinkai's films, but this led to very boring and predictable characters.

Enjoyment: 3/10
I watched this movie for the art and music, which were wonderful. The story and characters were by no means captivating. I wanted to stop about halfway through the film, but I couldn't review this movie on MAL without watching it from beginning to end.

Overall: 5.4/10