- Last Online1 hour ago
- BirthdayAug 9
- LocationThe Trees
- JoinedJun 26, 2021
Also Available at
RSS Feeds
|
Nov 7, 2024
Now this is peak.
Well, maybe not if you like deep, nuanced characters and a complex, finely woven plot. Or hate harems. Traditionally, I dislike harems, but make it yuri, and I'm sold. Combine that with lighthearted comedy and a "literally me" protagonist, and you've got Watanare, my favorite yuri series to date.
Unlike most light novels, Watanare is actually fun to read. Its told from the first person perspective of our harem queen Renako, and let me tell you, she is beyond funny to listen to. Her goofy takes and humor keep the pages turning long after most other series' would have had me close the
...
book.
Oh, and Takeshima Eku's art is positively sublime. If you've read Whisper Me a Love Song, you know she's one of the best illustrators to ever live.
If you're looking for a fun yuri romp, I can't recommend Watanare enough.
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
What did you think of this review?
Nice
 0
Love it
 0
Funny
 0
Confusing
 0
Well-written
 0
Creative
 0Show all
![]()
Jun 30, 2024
Girls Band Cry is the best girls band anime I've ever seen. No, correction: the best anime I've ever seen, period. If you let the fact it's 3D dissuade you, you're missing out big time. Girls Band Cry is outstandingly well animated, written, and a pure joy to watch.
On the topic of animation, the characters more expressive and detailed in 3D than they could ever be in 2D. From dynamic music performances to casual conversation scenes, they're nothing like the stiff, glassy dolls you may know from D4DJ or BanG Dream. I actually found myself realizing how underwhelming 2D can be after watching GBC.
The story
...
is refreshing. For the most part, it avoids overdone tropes in the music/slice of life genre by excluding the characters from a typical school environment. The story also strikes a wonderful balance between drama and comedy, never getting to heavy handed or losing focus. There's also basically no filler, each episode contributing to the overall story in some meaningful way.
Characters, especially our protagonist Nina and guitarist Momoka, have real depth and relatability, but not in the memeable "literally me" Bocchi sense. Her story and those of her bandmates unfold at a natural pace, avoiding the typical "1-episode-per-character-arc" writing style that plagues slice of life anime.
The ending of an anime can make or break it, and I'm glad to say Girls Band Cry's ending is pretty good. Many lingering questions are answered and we get to see how our cast of 3D girls have grown. That said, while the ending is satisfying, its not super "conclude-y." Season 2? Who knows.
But just because I say Girls Band Cry is my favorite anime to date doesn't mean its without fault. To avoid spoilers, I'll say that some characters leave some development to be desired. They're introduced (in my opinion) too late into the story and I feel the writers are forced to gloss over their backstories.
Also, this is a bit of an aside, but I feel the musical styles of Togenashi Togeari (the main band) and Diamond Dust (the rival band) are a bit backwards. Diamond Dust is shown to be an idol-like group, but their music is more "rock." TogeToge, to my ear, leans toward a J-pop sound, despite having an edgier aesthetic. That said, the music is okay overall. Not my vibe, but that's my opinion and it doesn't change what I think about the anime.
In conclusion: watch Girls Band Cry. Or don't. But you should.
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
What did you think of this review?
Nice
0
Love it
0
Funny
0
Confusing
0
Well-written
0
Creative
0Show all
![]()
Feb 19, 2024
Is Watanare a realistic depiction of teen romance? No. Does it have a compelling story with deep, multidimensional characters? Not really. But is it fun? Heck yeah, it's fun. And that's all I can really ask from a piece of media.
Watanare draws from the classic harem romcom formula, except the loner otaku protagonist is a girl. Renako, our harem queen, finds herself surrounded by four perfect girls of different flavors, all somehow falling in love with her and fighting each other for her hand.
There are funny moments, saucy moments, and occasional character drama moments, all memorably blended together into a great manga adaptation. If you
...
want "realistic" or "wholesome," leg it somewhere else. But if you just want some yuri harem fun, Watanare is absolutely for you.
Disclaimer: I only read the official print volumes as they come out, so yes I'm behind on the English scanlations. I just prefer reading paper books whenever possible. I'd recommend picking up the physical copies if you can.
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
What did you think of this review?
Nice
0
Love it
0
Funny
0
Confusing
0
Well-written
0
Creative
0Show all
![]()
Feb 16, 2024
In short, BanG Dream MyGO is absolutely outstanding. Not just a great BanG Dream anime, but a great anime in general.
The show is a massive departure from the mess that made up the original anime trilogy. The plot has an actual sense of direction and cohesiveness, for one. For two, the writers have dropped the kira-kira doki-doki-ness, which I think is for the better. How more many generic wholesome music anime do we need?
The story features heaps of internal and external conflict as the girls battle their pasts, themselves, and their fellow musicians. The drama never feels too heavy handed, yet has enough weight
...
to make you feel invested. There's also plenty of "show don't tell" and foreshadowing to reward a rewatch or keen-eyed viewer.
The animation is some of the best 3D I've ever seen. Episode 3 is completely in first person, literally putting you in the shoes of Tomori, MyGO's vocalist. Characters are plenty expressive, despite still having a somewhat "doll-like" appearance. But as a guitarist and bassist myself, the best part of the 3D animation (not only just in this anime) is smooth, accurate instrument playing.
The voice actresses are phenomenal. Taki's "huh?!" will forever be burned into my brain. As for music, I'm personally not a fan of Tomori's airy voice, but the instrumentals are very strong (I love Soyo's growly basslines).
Overall, I have the highest praise for the BanG Dream franchise taking this new direction. Now stop reading this and watch MyGO already; you don't need to slog through the original to enjoy it as much as I did.
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
What did you think of this review?
Nice
0
Love it
0
Funny
0
Confusing
0
Well-written
0
Creative
0Show all
![]()
Mar 23, 2023
The plot of Amaesasete Hinamori-san! is simple, wholesome, and hilarious. There's the tsundere kouhai Hinamori Ichigo who accidentally discovers her admired senpai Suou Yaya is very childish. The story centers around this role-reversed relationship and how Ichigo is forced to spoil her senpai.
The cast at the time of review is small, with Ichigo and Yaya being the main stars. The only other named character is Nodoka, Ichigo's friend, but she doesn't play into the plot very much aside from egging Ichigo to ask Yaya out.
On that note, there is some yuri. Ichigo openly admits to being into girls from the start. But, as of
...
now, the story feels less "rom" and more "com." It's suggested that Ichigo and Yaya's relationship may be trending toward a romance, but only more chapters will tell.
The art and dialogue are excellently done. I always enjoy Ichigo's tsundere-isms and Yaya's over-the-top tantrums. The actual panels flow between each other well and are easy to follow. Chapters are of an appropriate length, neither too short nor long.
Amaesasete Hinamori-san! is a criminally underrated gem. English print serialization when?
EDIT: Kodansha USA announced a print/digital serialization for Fall 2024!!!
10/10
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
What did you think of this review?
Nice
0
Love it
0
Funny
0
Confusing
0
Well-written
0
Creative
0Show all
|
