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We always get the answer "Just consume (play, read, or watch) the source material instead" when asked if a certain adaptation is good or not. So that means it's bad, right? Well, most of the time, the adaptation will have a hard time living up to the original, due to various limitations, but it doesn't always mean that adaptation=bad. And that is the case in The World Ends With You: The Animation.

Anime-only watchers might feel detached about the story and the characters, because they'll be introduced to us on one episode and then we get to see them go after two to three eps. They ... had to fit an entire 25-hour game (according to howlongtobeat.com) into a 12-episode anime, so there really is no space for character development and proper storytelling. Video-game Neku is this snobby, unthoughtful loner who's rude to all of his partners because of his contempt for humanity, but they had to simplify his personality in the anime into this kid who just doesn't talk that much and gets along with others faster. The story's pacing is rushed and a bit off as well, but I'm surprised they included most of the subplot/subquests in the anime. Among other things, the Reaper Creeper and Tin Pin Slammer arcs were cut off in the adaptation, but there's not much of a use of that here, because the original purpose of that subplot is to introduce the minigame. So, for me, the adjustments and cuts they made are reasonable enough.

Another thing that may probably feel off for those who haven't played the game is the battles. I personally am not a fan of the constant shounen battles, that don't feel different from one another, because they feel empty and repetitive. Then they try to add emotion to these by making the heroes about to lose, but will be saved by the Power of Friendship, or something that anime like Pokemon use as their typical formula on how an episode goes. And the same formula seems to be used here as well, which could've been better if they at least give names to the moves, or show that some of these moves can evolve after a certain time, just like in the game.

"But wait, all of these criticisms, but you didn't rank this anime subpar?" Now let me geek out about the things I like about this show. When I watched the first episode, I'm not gonna lie, I was blown away by how they executed this adaptation. The art direction isn't far from Tetsuya Nomura's original art style of TWEWY (everyone is just not as skinny as they were in the game lmao), and the 3DCG looks just as good and doesn't feel off compared to some anime that use 3D. Even seeing the psych pins' moves, like Pyrokinesis and Piercing Pillar, made me smile, especially when they're battling in an anime version of Shibuya. Then, I got the chills when music from the game's OST, like Calling, Twister, and Underground, started playing, and when I heard some of my favorite seiyuu play as the characters of this anime. I also appreciate additional stuff that wasn't originally in the game, like how they added a scene of Eri buying flowers for her friend.

I may be rating this higher than most people because of nostalgia and my love for the game, but I honestly think The World Ends With You: The Animation is not that bad.

So, is it okay to watch this anime without playing the game first? Go for it if you have the time. Should you play the game? DEFINITELY, especially if you have more free time. It's one of the best video games out there and I'm not even exaggerating, because the game mechanics are very well-thought and the OST is just superb, especially if you're into Japanese rock and hip hop. If you could get your hands to a Nintendo DS or 3DS, play the original DS game for full immersion, but you can play that via Switch too, since that one's more accessible these days.

Writing a review for an ongoing manga might be too early to declare any concrete opinions about it, but I'm really enjoying what I've been reading so far, so I think the Gekkan Shoujo Nozaki-kun still deserves some recognition and appreciation.

I was first introduced to the anime and I instantly fell in love with it, charming me with its hilarious gags, that seem to go on after every scene, and its loveable characters. But it only has one season (well, aside from the special episodes, which by the way is just a good as the actual anime), so how else could I cope from this? ... Just like any sensible weeb out there who has nothing else to do: by reading the manga.

When I first picked it up, I was surprised and slightly disappointed because I wasn't aware that the format of the manga was in 4-koma (also known as four cell manga). I didn't have a good experience reading 4-koma when I was younger, but boy, was I so wrong about that. This kind of format is perfect for Gekkan Shoujo, and I just realized, no wonder the anime had non-stop funny scenes, it's all because of that. So thanks to this, it changed my impression of 4-koma and I might check out other good ones known in this genre.

Basically, the gist of Gekkan Shoujo Nozaki-kun is a high-schooler named Chiyo Sakura who just confessed to her crush, Umetarou Nozaki, by telling him that's she's a fan of his and wants to be with him all time. Nozaki reacts by giving her an autograph and inviting her to his place...to make her help in doing betas for his shoujo manga, misinterpreting her confession as an application for a mangaka assistant. And that simple joke would be the core of endless gags throughout the entire series, expanding into other characters, and evolving and breeding more ridiculous situations. It had tackled otaku culture, love confessions, mangaka lifestyle, artist struggles, school clubs and activities, character stereotypes, friendships, families, rivals, work relations, and even mundane everyday tasks, and I think the list can go on forever, especially when these topics intersect with each other and give birth to new ones.

But what I probably love the most about this manga is the characters. The colorful cast is made up of eccentric people with unique personalities. Sure they fit into typical anime tropes (like the clueless idiot, the tsundere, the "prince" of the school) but they don't stay boxed up in their labels forever. The clueless idiot turns out to value their work more than anything else, that's why things like romance involving themselves don't cross their mind, and the tsundere is actually struggling in interacting with the opposite sex so they try to improve by using manga and dating sim games as reference, and other silly stuff like that.

I think it also helps that the author is a woman because of the breaking of gender roles, toxic masculinity from the guys, and unnecessary fan service from the girls. Some male characters are even shown as motherly (one guy is great in cooking and doing chores, and dotes on another character as if they're his child) and some female characters are shown as rowdy and brash. The girls have no idea what a girls' night out is, so they ended up talking about boys' underwear, while the guys spent their night playing dating sim games and talking about the romantic parts of the story. And these punchlines are executed in a way not to mock anyone as the butt of the joke, in fact, it's endearing when they turn out to be like that, instead of some stereotype.

And of course, what is a story about a shoujo manga without it having its own shoujo manga elements? I gotta say, this is one of the few mangas where I genuinely root for hetero couples to end up with each other. There's always a thrill on the romantic pairings in this manga, always teasing us with the "would they or won't they" trope, and suddenly surprising us with a genuine act of love they're not even aware of. And since none of them has had an actual love experience before, it's very amusing to watch them go through trial-and-error to try and understand what it feels like to be in love (so, you know, Nozaki would have new content for his manga).

This manga has been going on for almost a decade now, and no one really knows if Nozaki and the gang are gonna graduate from high school soon, yet Gekkan Shoujo Nozaki-kun is still going strong with its shenanigans. New characters have just been introduced and a lot more is yet to happen on how things have progressed with this wacky bunch. I see a bright future in this manga and I really hope more people get to witness that.

Is this worth reading? Definitely. It's an easy read, being a 4-koma manga, that will make you laugh every time you turn the page, thanks to the loveable cast and quirky humor. You don't need to be a fan of "girls manga" to like this, because this is certainly more than just a "shoujo manga about shoujo manga".

I really like consuming media completely blind at first, since I love being caught off guard while experiencing something, plus it eliminates any expectations I'd have, so I would be able to form my own opinion without being affected by any external factors. And if there's anything that deserves to be experienced blind, it's Mahou Shoujo Madoka Magica.

I've seen this anime several times mentioned by other people and fanarts of it all over social media, but I've never bothered touching it or researching about it, admittedly, because of the cutesy art and the premise that I'm aware of, which is: it's about Magical Girls. It's ... only this year when I've noticed that it's the top recommended anime in the Neon Genesis Evangelion MAL page. I thought it was some ironic joke, but apparently, this anime has "Psychological" in one of its genres. And that's when I finally decided to check this show out.

I was already blown away during the first episode when there's suddenly a shift of art style during the Witch encounter. I'm not sure how to describe it without showing you a video since even screencaps aren't enough, but I think it's similar to the Flowey boss battle in the game Undertale: semi-realistic, collage-style, unsettling imagery partnered with disturbing music and sound effects, which are all totally in contrast to the 2D cell-shaded anime art style we're all familiar of. As you progress to the next episode, you'd notice that no two fight scenes' art styles are the same, which really impressed me since most animes wouldn't go through all that effort. But where it truly shines as a psychological anime is the themes it tackles in every episode, that being a Magical Girl isn't all fun and games. There are lives, including theirs, at stake; there are consequences in their actions and decisions; there's manipulations and exploitation; there are internal existential struggles; and there are a lot more, so jarring, it's as if the entire anime is an anti-magical girl campaign. On top of all that, it's hard to predict what would happen next, so you'd keep wanting more from the characters, the plot, and the lore.

I think I've said way too much about this, but I could go on forever because this show has a lot more shit to unpack. I don't know if this is just because of the emotional high I get from recently watching a new show, but this might be my new favorite anime of all time. It just transcends genres, has a unique art style, memorable characters, a well-thought plot, and perfect (for my standards) in every way. Go watch it right now.

I dropped this anime when I was younger, cos I thought the premise (loser adult was given a chance to be a highschooler for a year, as a part of an experiment) was "meh", like "yeah I know how this ends, he'll learn some life lessons blahblah". Now that I'm the same age as the protag, I've decided that this is the right time to pick this up again (also my sister has been begging me to watch this for years lmao) and boyyyy, was I wrong to judge this to quickly.

Mostly it's a lighthearted anime, with a few laughs and stuff, but as early ... as Episode 4, shit gets a bit darker than the usual tone, then the episode after that, you'll get punched in the gut with some "life lessons". Then, I didn't expect it to get even darker when suddenly it's tackling topics like suicide and trauma near the end. And yep, it made me cry several times cos some topics are too close to home, plus I grew attached with the characters, who are, by the way, unexpectedly a nice bunch (with their own personal issues and backstories), that even their problems and achievements affected me. And since the anime didn't adapt the entire manga, brb gonna read the rest of the story and probs cry some more.

It's not totally perfect for me, but this anime feels special to me, so I definitely recommend this to yall, especially sad, quarter-life-crisis adults, even for people who don't typically watch anime.