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Sep 29, 2018
Your average, cute, office-romance 4-koma. Yea, OK, like 60% of the humor is derived from boob jokes, but for all that, I don't really find it offensive or crass.
The general premise: Takeda Kouta ('newbie' or 'Takeda-san) starts working at XOX Corporation, under the direct supervision of the titular boss, Takizawa Kyouko ('sempai' or Takizawa-san). Takizawa is an extremely well-endowed foodie who is somewhat unaware of the effect her assets seem to have on your everyday bloke. She's not entirely clueless about the matter -- that would be pretty obnoxious -- but most of the series' comedy derives from the tension between the obvious distraction of
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her boobs pose to Takeda, who is otherwise a model employee and overall polite, nice guy.
It should be stated that the relationship between Takeda and Takizawa is cute and largely-wholesome; for all that this is a manga about a big-breasted boss, there's not much lewd about it. Especially as the series progresses, I would argue it's much more about Takeda and Takizawa's budding relationship (as co-workers, friends, even more...?) and that the boobs occupy more of a comedic relief role (and an obvious reminder that there is some attraction between the two) and less of an ecchi/fanservice role.
If you're looking for some light, easily-digested fluff that outside the high school romance box, give Bijin Onna Joushi Takizawa-san a shot.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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Sep 22, 2018
I know it sounds weird for me to be [kinda] plugging an anime that I just scored 5/10 -- but hear me out.
To be honest, I have a hard time imaging anyone NOT enjoying Harukana Receive. There's not much to dislike. The art is bright and cheerful, it has an amazing, summer-y soundtrack, and there's a good mix of decent volleyball matches interspersed with butt/boob/implied yuri shots. What's not to love?
The biggest issue with the series is just that...it's kinda dumb. There's nothing special about it whatsoever. The characters all have one of two personalities: aggressive, go-get-em genki, or a quiet intenseness that eventually
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gives way to a good-natured kindness. Beach volleyball actually only takes up a small portion of the series, and the more slice-of-lifey bits are ho-hum. But beyond all that, my biggest gripe for the series is that you pretty much know after episode 1 how the season would end. I guess I kinda hoped things might play out in a more dramatic or tantalizing fashion, as they do in other gems of the sports genre -- Haikyuu!!, Chihayafuru, Prince of Tennis, etc. -- but no dice here.
Oh well. Even with some 'meh' characters and a completely predictable outcome that passes for a plot, you will probably enjoy yourself when you watch this. Like summertime at the beach, it's light, fun, a chock full o' bikini buttslaps.
Reviewer’s Rating: 5
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Sep 14, 2018
I love me a good wholesome shoujo-ai. And that's what Asagao to Kase-san is. None of the usual yuri fanservice tropes are there; it's just a simple love story between two high school girls.
The only problem is...it's a boring story. The best part (realization of love and culmination to confession!!!) happens before the OVA begins, so you're left in this weird zone of not really understanding the relationship between the two mains. Yes...they're dating but...it seems like they're not? They *say* they're attached to each other, but we never have the pleasure of watching the relationship develop, so there's no real chance for viewers to
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develop that fondness. Instead, we're treated to 57 minutes of two characters blushing and stammering and getting into mini-misunderstandings about their relationship.
There's also no real discernible plot. That's fine when you're doing a character-driven show -- except that none of the characters are really that well developed. Yamada likes gardening and is fua-fua, and Kase-san runs track and is popular. And they both blush a lot. That's about all we got.
It's pretty frustrating. I wanted to like Kase-san and Yamada. I wanted to cheer for them! But the show never really gave me an opportunity to do so. Their relationship pretty much never developed during the show.
To top it off, the ending was maybe one of the worst narrative options they could've picked for the story resolution. It showed a remarkable lack of character growth, and honestly wasn't even satisfying -- this, coming from someone who loves sappy shoujo endings.
In the end, I didn't really hate Asagao to Kase-san, but I also didn't really enjoy it. It never really made me feel the things I'd hoped to feel, and I never grew attached to the characters or their relationship. If you're looking for good shoujo-ai, I'd stick to Strawberry Panic, Maria-sama ga Miteru, Aoi Hana, and the upcoming Yagate Kimi ni Naru.
Reviewer’s Rating: 5
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Sep 10, 2018
Chang Ge Xing / Choukakou / The Song of the Long March is a beautiful and sweeping manhua set in China during the Tang dynasty. It follows the life and movement of Li Chang Ge -- formerly Princess Yongning of the Tang dynasty -- in the wake of a coup de etat staged by her uncle that sees her family dead and results in a (failed) attempt on her own life.
Without spoiling too much, I will say that the manhua is a must-read for anyone with even a passing interest in history, and anyone who appreciates a well-written, strong female character. Li Chang Ge is
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highly intelligent, extremely cunning, but also scrupled and, in many cases, exceedingly loyal. She is not without flaws, of course; her "path" is a sad and lonely one of vengeance, and even for all that, she struggles to banish the emotions that path carries with it. And yes, romance fans -- although this is primarily a historical/political drama, there are romantic undertones that promise to play out a bit more in the future.
The art in this story is breathtaking and does an amazing job portraying a wide variety of characters and settings; conveying tone and feeling without having to be explicit about it. You will laugh, cry, and find yourself philosophizing as you read along. My only hang up with this story is that it's currenly on hiatus; I can only hope it gets picked back up soon.
Truly truly truly worth every second spent reading. It is a feast for the mind and the heart and the eyes.
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
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Aug 29, 2018
Don't get me wrong -- I wasn't going into Ben-To expecting a masterpiece. But based on other reviews I was expecting it to be a comedy. I mean, it is, to some extent. The premise is entirely absurd, and the show is very self-aware, so there is something comedic to the whole thing in that sense. But I thought there would be actual ha-ha-ha, laugh-out-loud funny gags in it; there weren't.
Well, OK, to be fair, there is *ONE* scene in episode 8 -- BOKU NO SATURN!!!!!! -- that actually made me chuckle, but by and large I spent the entire series waiting for the show
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to get funny and it never did. None of the characters lean quite far enough into their tropes for it to be parody, so everything mostly falls flat.
There are some not-bad fight scenes (episode 10 comes to mind) and some bento descriptions that did make my mouth water, but really nothing to take note of. I'm not even sure I would classify it as mindless entertainment at this point. I didn't really hate it and I wasn't really super bored, so I'm not gonna say it was bad, but I think there's plenty of other anime I would rank above Ben-To as far as mindless entertainment or stupid comedy goes. I recommend skipping it unless you're really into the character design.
Reviewer’s Rating: 5
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Aug 19, 2018
The character design and fight scenes alone make Witch Craft Works worth watching, but if you're expecting any sort of original or gripping story, you're going to be disappointed.
The worldbuilding is your generic Magic-Land-With-No-Apparent-Consistent-Logic-Behind-Magic-Use-And-Abilities, which *definitely* weakens the story. The series also relies a little too much on the whole, "we're going to hide things about everyone's past to make stuff seem mysterious and dramatic" to create suspense, instead of doing it with good storytelling.
That being said, the character designs in this series are awesome. Nearly every character (except for the two MCs, really) are imaginative and fun, which brings a lot to the
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enjoyment factor of the series. The animated fights are also done very well -- I actually kinda liked the use of CGI in Witch Craft Works. The music and sound are also great.
I had a lot of fun with the earlier episodes in the series, but when it started to get a bit more 'serious' toward the end there, I found myself getting bored. The shift away from character-based episodes and toward plot-based episodes definitely highlighted the weakness of show. I pretty much made myself finish the final two episodes.
Bottom line: if you're looking for a solid plot with some interesting twists, keep walking. If you want to have some fun with cool characters, magic/explosions, and decent fight scenes, sit for a spell and give Witch Craft Works a shot.
Reviewer’s Rating: 6
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Jul 8, 2018
Review up to Episode 24: (Completed)
Wow...that train went off the rails pretty quickly. All the development that had taken place prior to my previous review (and for a few episodes after) was thrown out the window for some dumb deus ex machina that made very little logical sense, on top of being just plain terrible storytelling.
I cannot in good conscience recommend this anime to you. It is extremely disappointing. I'll go so far as to give it a 3/10 because I did watch until the end, but man...I'm not even sure it deserves that much. Do yourself a favor and skip this one.
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It's not worth the letdown. The final two episodes are actually just straight up stupid.
3/10 do not watch.
See below for my sad, earlier take.
Review up to Episode 11: (most recent episode as of 03/30/18) -- will update as series progresses.
Don't let the more recent spate negative reviews scare you off -- Darling in the FranXX is finding its wings -- so to speak -- and is worth following to see how it all turns out. The fundamental issue to this point (and I think this is what has produced inconsistent reviews) is that it is unclear whether Darling in the FranXX is a shounen mecha anime with fanservice a-plenty, or a seinen relationship drama about what it means to be human and the emotions that accompany our interactions with each other.
If you're expecting some Gundam-style (or honestly, even NGE) mecha-goodness, this might not strike the right chord with you. Don't get me wrong. The FranXX are well designed and the fight scenes are pretty cool. It's not NOT a mecha anime; it's also just...not a mecha anime. It's honestly a lot like another Studio Trigger anime, Inou Battle -- if you go into it thinking it's about sci-fi superpower fighting pow pow, you're gonna be disappointed. But if you think of it as a relationship piece dressed in sci-fi/mecha skivvies, you're more likely to enjoy yourself.
As of episode 11, there have been some pretty interesting character developments taking place that make the lulls from episode 5ish-8ish worth slogging through. Characters whom I formerly regarded as boring, static, and 2-D are beginning to emerge as complex and nuanced. I'm excited to see where this goes.
From a story (and logic...) standpoint it's not exactly shipshape and watertight, but I'm definitely enjoying myself. 7/10
Reviewer’s Rating: 3
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Apr 4, 2018
I don't really like ecchi or fanservice. I don't particularly enjoy harem anime. And I *definitely* dislike when my anime contains incestuous references -- implied, overt, 'it-turns-out-they're-not-blood-related-after-all-so-it's-ok,' or anything along that spectrum.
And yet, I LOVED Nisemonogatari. The follow-up to the similarly spectacular Bakemonogatari, Nisemonogatari (hereafter 'Nise') strikes all the right chords for me, even as it apparently indulges in all three of above tropes I generally don't appreciate.
I'm still not fully clear on *how* Nise managed to overcome my prejudices, but it did so with flying colors. The art and animation is as fantastic and clever as always. Every character from Bakemonogatari and Kizumonogatari is
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paid some sort of homage, and most relationships are developed further. The dialogue is thoughtful, purposeful, and devoid of filler even if it's not directly advancing the action. The humor -- be it visual slapstick, non-sequiturs, wordplay, situational, a comedy of errors, etc. -- sends me reeling every time, and even manages to be philosophical at points without taking itself seriously. But perhaps most importantly, the axis on which the show (and series) turns, Araragi, continues to be a complex, nuanced, and extremely likeable lens through which we view or compare all action and character relationships in the series.
I cannot recommend enough that you give Nisemonogatari a shot, whatever your misgivings may be. To appreciate it fully necessitates previous exposure to Bakemonogatari (and preferably the three Kizumonogatari movies), but it is none the weaker for that clause.
10/10
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
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Oct 28, 2017
"Danshi Koukousei no Nichijou" is a sketch/anecdotal comedy that parodies slice-of-life high school anime -- particularly those involving 'cute girls doing cute things' -- to great comedic success.
The humor involves a lot of non-sequiturs and trope inversion, and builds on itself over time without getting repetitive or trite. I will say that I thought the later episodes were funnier than the first couple episodes, though I'm not sure if that's objectively true, or if I just grew more receptive to that kind of humor over time. If you've watched an episode or two and are unsure if you want to continue, my reccomendation is to
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keeping going.
Initially, the series tracks the antics of three second-year high schoolers at an all-boys school: Tadakuni, Hidenori, and Yoshitake. After a few episodes, the cast of charactes is broadened to include their classmates, the student council, the student council of an all-girls neighboring high school, the siblings of our main characters and their classmates -- and then some. From around episode three onwards, there's even a segment after the ending credits called "Joshi Koukousei wa Ijou Fu" (High School Girls are Funky) featuring three (pretty weird) high school girls who act as foils to the premise of the show (the daily lives of high school boys, as it were), and that ends up being riotously funny and almost stealing the show! There are a few other recurring sketches (Hidenori and Literary Girl / Yassan comes to mind) that had me laughing out loud on public transit when I watched them.
Though this broad cast of characters sounds like it could have the effect of being confusing and/or preventing development of the main characters by creating distractions, it actually turns out really well. The introduction of a diverse cast really allows the series to have fun and go out on a limb with their humor without having stuff seem contrived or *completely* unreasonable. This is a sketch comedy show that relies on randomness for humor, to be sure, but part of the appeal of the show is that you can actually imagine each segment as a real slice-of-life, humorous and bizarre though they are.
All this being said, "Danshi Koukousei no Nichijou" lacks the true genius of Kyoani's "Nichijou" -- another anime of a similar format to which is often compared. The jokes in "Danshi" are not quite-so-smart and the laughs are not as frequent. Still, that difference is minimal and still nets "Danshi Koukousei no Nichijou" a 9/10 in my book; it's something that every anime fan should watch.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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Oct 16, 2017
I wasn't planning on writing another review for a while, but Binbougami ga!? surprised me enough (in all the right ways) that I thought I'd put pen to paper to quickly plug the series. If you're on the fence about watching this (as I was) I'll say it now: take the plunge. Every single episode made me laugh out loud, and 11 or 12 of the 13 episodes I could genuinely describe as 'outrageously funny.'
Though Binbougami-ga!? falls short of a being a true comedic masterpiece, it still left me feeling like I had hit the comedy jackpot. Sure, there are underdeveloped/extraneous/trite characters I feel
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I could do without (Bobby, Momo-o), and sure, the plot is not exactly a fine-tuned machine, but Binbougami-ga?! delivers laughs time and again over the course of 13 episodes, to the point where its entertainment value far outshines its other shortcomings.
Momiji and Ichiko are wonderful foils for each other, and the later addition of characters like Rindo Ranmaru only adds to this. To be sure, Momiji and Ranmaru have both wormed their way into my top-10 favorite characters.
I mean...without getting too spoiler-y, I'm just going to tell you to watch the damn thing! I don't regret a minute; in fact my only regret is that it's only 13 episodes long!
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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