Back to lorextreme's Profile lorextreme's Profile

spanish and english review
THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS:

"Haikai Roujin Don Quixote" (Don Quixote of La Mancha, A Wandering Old Man) by Kotobuki Shiriagari represents a fascinating reinterpretation of Cervantes's classic, set in La Mancha in Kanto. It focuses more on capturing the essence of the character than its form, successfully integrating it into contemporary Japanese issues.

The protagonist is portrayed as an old man wearing DIY samurai attire, a yukata with zori sandals, and carrying an origami paper kabuto (traditional samurai helmet) instead of a barber's basin, creating the same anachronistic contrast as in the original work. This Japanization of Don Quixote is not merely aesthetic, as ... it connects the Spanish knight with the figure of the samurai, based on similarities such as the code of honor.

The initial appearance of Japan's Neo-Don Quixote has an "epic" and even humorous tone. However, the work evolves beyond this initial presentation and reveals that this Japanese Quixote was previously the director of a major construction company, whose life changed tragically after being indirectly responsible for his wife's death. He now wanders deliriously searching for his deceased wife while trying to atone for his sins by fighting for a society less "controlled" or focused on values ​​that, for a samurai, are not correct.
The manga uses the figure of Quixote to offer a social critique of contemporary Japan and, by extension, of any society subjected to "capitalist determinism." The message here is highly interpretable, so I'll try not to say anything too strange. I speak of capitalist determinism due to the "control" generated by television? (haha, a bit like Leiji did in "Captain Harlock"); I criticize control, deception, greed, etc. Many scenes are absurd because they are seen through the eyes of the protagonist; absurd but not false, simply exaggerated. I'm not going to summarize all the scenes because they're open to interpretation, and it would be much better if you gave them a try.

The art is strange; the lines are irregular, the strokes seem almost improvised, and the characters' expressiveness borders on surrealism. This style, far from being a flaw, reinforces the work's atmosphere. It's not a visually appealing manga in the conventional sense, but this isn't like Fukumoto's mangas, since the art adds to the work. Virtually all the art is done to emphasize the message, even using real backgrounds and human faces. I particularly like this representation of a controlled society moving in the same direction, a bit like in "Metropolis," but I see it more reflected in my reality when I'm on the subway and there are so many people walking in the same direction.

Don Quixote acts like a madman to have a freedom he didn't have. Don't be afraid to seek the freedom you don't have; the final note is great. Keep in mind that this salaryman wouldn't have been able to deal with the causes of his wife's death if it weren't for his crazy behavior. It's a great adaptation, especially because it captures the essence of Don Quixote and adapts it in a novel way.

I used google translate.


///
Español:


"Haikai Roujin Don Quixote" (Un viejo errante Don Quixote de la Mancha) de Kotobuki Shiriagari representa una fascinante reinterpretación del clásico cervantino ubicado en La Mancha a Kanto. Es una obra que se centra más en capturar la esencia del personaje que su forma logrando insertarlo en las problemáticas contemporáneas japonesas.
El protagonista aparece caracterizado como un anciano que viste una vestimenta samurai DIY, yukata con sandalias zōri y porta un kabuto origami de papel (casco tradicional de samurái) en lugar de la bacía de barbero, creando el mismo contraste anacrónico que en la obra original. Esta japonización de Don Quijote no es solo estética, ya que conecta al caballero español con la figura del samurái, basándose en similitudes como el código de honor.

La aparición inicial del Neo Don Quijote de Japón tiene un tono "épico" y hasta gracioso. Sin embargo, la obra evoluciona más allá de esta presentación inicial y revela que este Quijote japonés fue anteriormente el director de una importante empresa constructora, cuya vida cambió trágicamente tras haber sido responsable indirecto de la muerte de su esposa. Ahora deambula delirante buscando a su difunta mujer mientras intenta expiar sus pecados luchando por una sociedad menos “controlada” o focalizada en valores que para un samurai no son los correctos.

El manga utiliza la figura del Quijote para hacer una crítica social al Japón contemporáneo y, por extensión, a cualquier sociedad sometida al "determinismo capitalista". Aquí el mensaje es muy interpretable así que trataré de decir nada muy raro. Hablo de determinismo capitalista debido al “control” que genera la ¿televisión? (haha un poco como Leiji hizo en "Captain Harlock"), critica el control, el engaño, la codicia, etc. Muchas escenas son absurdas porque son vistas desde los ojos desde el protagonista, absurdas mas no falsas, simplemente exageradas. No voy a resumir todas las escenas porque son abiertas a interpretación y sería mucho mejor que tu le dieras un intento a interpretarlas.

El arte es raro, las líneas son irregulares, los trazos parecen casi improvisados y la expresividad de los personajes roza el surrealismo. Este estilo, lejos de ser un defecto, refuerza la atmósfera de la obra. No es un manga visualmente atractivo en el sentido convencional, pero esto no es como los mangas de Fukumoto ya que el arte añade a la obra. Prácticamente todo el arte está hecho para resaltar el mensaje incluso usando fondos y rostros humanos reales. Particularmente me gusta esta representación de la sociedad controlada moviéndose en la misma dirección un poco como en “Metrópolis” pero lo veo más reflejado con mi realidad cuando voy en metro y hay tanta gente que camina en la misma dirección.
Don Quijote actúa como un loco para tener una libertad que no tenía. No tengas miedo a buscar la libertad que no tienes, la nota al final es grandiosa. Tened en cuenta que este salaryman no hubiera podido haber peleado con las causas de la muerte de su esposa si no fuera con su actuar loco. Gran adaptación sobre todo porque captura la esencia de Don Quijote y lo adapta de una forma novedosa.

(THIS REVIEW COINTAINS SPOILERS)

I am gonna start with the positive cause I have a lot of bad to say, but I don't wanna paint the impression this manga is bad so:
The art is incredible, and undoubtedly the highlight of this manga. Sakamoto’s portrayal of climbing and mountain landscapes is breathtaking, capturing the raw, grueling essence of the sport. The visuals immerse you, making the physical and emotional challenges of the characters tangible. In that aspect, The Climber shines, offering a truly visceral experience of what it feels like to climb mountains.

Unfortunately, the writing doesn’t match the quality of the art. While the story centers on ... Mori Buntarou, it fails to develop the supporting events and characters adequately. Much of Mori's journey is presented as reactions to events that lack sufficient justification or background. This weak foundation creates a false impression of depth and mastery, but on closer inspection, the writing falters.

The most glaring issue is the treatment of the supporting characters, for example I am gonna take Yumi and Miyamoto:

Yumi, initially presented as a good kid with a normal personality (gambling aside haha), Yumi’s downfall feels absurd and unjustified. After losing her reputation due to speculative rumors, she becomes a prostitute. This turn is baffling. Why couldn’t she move elsewhere or rebuild her life rather than resorting to such an extreme decision? Her character shows no prior traits or inner struggles that would hint at such a trajectory. She doesn’t fight for her reputation or try other means to pay bills, which makes her transformation feel contrived and overly dramatic. And is not only prostitution is what she does to Mori.

Miyamoto’s arc is similarly frustrating. He starts as a somewhat overconfident, goal-driven climber—a “popular kid” archetype with a clear passion for climbing. Then, out of nowhere, he devolves into a self-destructive bum who wastes his money on partying, cheats in climbing, and abandons his aspirations. This dramatic shift feels hollow and unjustified. There’s no convincing reason provided for why he would spiral so far out of control. His downfall seems more like a convenient plot device to highlight Mori rather than a natural progression of his character. You can try to justify it with he was feeling inferior to Mori, or he felt he wasn't so talented idk, but I don't take this justifications as valid, cause he wasn't talentless, he was man who structured his entire life around the sport - skipping classes to train, working jobs to fund his passion, and diligently saving money - inexplicably transforms into someone who not only abandons his lifelong goal but actively deceives others in climbing-related matters.

These abrupt changes undermine the believability of the characters and feel like they were written to serve Mori’s story but fail to than stand on their own. The pattern of weakly justified events isn’t limited to Yumi and Miyamoto. Many situations occur without sufficient setup or payoff, giving the story a hollow feel. For example:

Mizuki: Introduced as though he would play an important role, Mizuki ultimately does nothing of significance and disappears, only to reappear like 100 chapters later with no real impact.
Ninomiya: Despite a grand introduction, this character contributes almost nothing to the story.
Kobeni and others, I could go on but I think i have made my point.

Some might argue that the shift in writers (with Sakamoto taking over after the climbing tournament) is to blame for these inconsistencies. However, as the final writer, Sakamoto bears responsibility for connecting the dots and justifying the events already set in motion. Instead, he fails to integrate these threads cohesively, leaving many parts of the story feeling poorly written. It's not to blame the other writer, cause also writing problems happen with situations the other autor didn't influence at all (As i previously said Ninomiya, Kobeni, etc).

Despite the flaws in writing, The Climber is an enjoyable manga. The art alone elevates it, and some of the moments, especially those that focus on the physical and emotional struggles of climbing, are genuinely powerful. These moments allow you to feel the raw difficulty of the sport, and they’re executed with stunning detail.
However, I feel the praise for The Climber as a masterpiece is overstated. Its inclusion among the top-tier mangas feels misplaced given its significant narrative shortcomings. While it’s a good manga, the weak character development and poorly justified plot points prevent it from reaching the level of greatness many attribute to it. And thats why I have mixed feelings, it's an enjoyable manga but I felt dissapointed, and I feel many others will feel too.

On paper, this should be a solid 1/10, but I can't bring myself to rate it that low because it's hysterically entertaining in its absurdity. It's the perfect example of "WTF IS GOING ON" storytelling that I enjoy, and a manga I finished in one sitting. Yes, there's a lot of sexual content, but complaining about that would be like being shocked to find water in the ocean.

The plot? It's messy and kinda stupid. But I find hilarious how could you try to make it deep talking about concepts like "The Economics of Prohibition" and how banning something often creates a stronger backlash. And how ... this backlash could save Japan's birth rate crisis. But it's just trying to make it serious, because I mean when I say this story can't be taken seriously.

The characters are just absurdly comical caricatures. The MC exemplifies this perfectly - his character arc is pure comedy gold. He starts as this nerd (his facial expressions killed me), the absurd situations transforms him into an edgy smoker, that was cringe (but i find cringe funny hahah) and then somehow reverts to being a nerd again in the most stupid, but hilarious way. His face reactions throughout all this really made me laugh.

You definitely can't take this story seriously, but that's what makes it entertaining. While I can't recommend it as a proper story, it's hilarious. And that's why I cant recommend it to all people, we have sexual content, that is abundant and I know a lot of people don't like it, the story isn't good and characters are absurd. It's bad, and i find it hilarious, but that's very personal. If you enjoy works that are so bad they're good I think you will like it. But yeah sexual content is a big letdown, cause i don't think people read this stories cause they are horny (atleast that's not my case), and I know people are thrown off sexual content, and can't simple skip it as I do.
My score is 4, because its bad, but its not a 1 cause it was funny.

(if you are reading for a recommendation yes watch it the atmostphere is great, it just have some drawbacks but its very good)

Man, this could've been a masterpiece if it wasn’t so explicit. From the start, I loved the action, the atmosphere, and the background music — even the credits had me like, ‘omg.’ I usually check out ratings from my 'friends' on this site, and I was surprised that most people were giving it a 7, even those who tend to be super critical with low scores. So I thought that this was gonna be good cause from what i watched from a clip ... it had very good action, but reading here in MyAnimeList it was also hentai, that I dont mind if it's just well delved, but most the time it isnt.

For me it's good if it mix well and serves the story. Like in Catherine (ATLUS) that I played recently, and while that wasn’t as explicit, it had its sexual elements that blended well because sex isn’t the problem. It’s when it doesn’t fit that it gets weird (a feeling I had with Golgo 13: Queen Bee for example).

SPOILERS NOW

Now with A Kite, the sexual content felt like a nuisance. It interrupted the action and story. I have this vague idea that sexual scenes are supposed to make things feel more mature, I feel like they accomplish this using the sex scenes well to show how Akai was a terrible person who abused others, like with Sawa, or how reckless Kanie was. But because the scenes were so long, they ended up interrupting the flow of the story and became more of a nuisance than anything, it made me want to skip the scene and that's bad for a piece of media usually. "You made the point can you continue the story pls" kinda feeling.

Wrapping this up because I don’t wanna ramble too much - this is still probably one of the best stories I’ve watched. Sure, there were a few things I didn’t like, like the plot armor in that falling scene (you know the one), but overall, the atmosphere, the music, everything was on point. Even the story itself was really good. I’m usually a bit biased towards 90s animation but this was genuinely good.

(Well i noticed there is censored version that is kinda like a "Director Cut", cause the director didnt really wanna put that parts but did wanna do this anime so the only way to make it was with this studio that impose to make all the part i didnt like, well i havent watched that and watched the uncensored, one version with all the scenes (cause when i downloaded it i wanted the best quality and that seemed to be), so yeah i guess if you watch the censored version it will be a lot better, but it still haves sex scenes.)

This anime stands out to me as one of the most appalling viewing experiences I've encountered. While I can appreciate challenging and dark themes in anime, 'Kounai Shasei' crosses a line into blatantly illegal and immoral territory. What's most disturbing is the apparent enjoyment that some viewers seem to derive from its content.

I understand the curiosity that might lead someone to watch this anime, but my personal experience was overwhelmingly negative. It offers little beyond a deeply unpleasant and uncomfortable viewing experience. Even though its "humor", its a type of humor that I didnt consider funny and I think a lot of people will also ... not consider it funny, a lot of situations that could be considered abusive or without proper consent. This type of "humor" comes across as to me as creepy and disturbing rather than genuinely comedic.

I know humor is subjective but the humor of this anime isn't funny, and not to be confused with sexual humor, that I don't consider bad, I have a lot of animes with that types of humor that I enjoyed, but this isn't funny at all. So yeah having it no reviews I decided to write this.

Ishuzoku Reviewers is an ecchi anime that follows a group of adventurers-turned-critics who visit and review brothels catering to fantastical species throughout a fantasy world. Rather than treating the sexual content as an afterthought, the series fully embraces it as the main premise and narrative driver. This direct approach allows the ecchi elements to enhance the comedy and worldbuilding instead of feeling like unwanted distractions in what pretends to be a serious story.

The reviews themselves provide creative and hilarious takes on how the unique traits of each fantasy species would impact their intimate encounters. Our intrepid reviewers, approaching their task with hilarious professionalism, boldly venture ... into the most outlandish establishments with an absurd detailed attention to every aspect of the experience, no matter how absurd, creates some of the funniest moments I had watching a series.

The anime is exactly that—an ecchi series that uses its genre to enhance the plot, something many ecchi shows fail to do (and the main reason I tend to avoid this genre). Too often, ecchi anime end up as little more than longscreen wannabe hentai with barely any storyline. But Ishuzoku Reviewers is different. It embraces its ecchi nature fully, building a plot that revolves around it in a way that feels purposeful and even creative. The fanservice isn’t just there for cheap thrills; it actually adds to the humor and fantasy world, making the viewing experience feel intentional rather than gratuitous.

Overall, Ishuzoku Reviewers stands out from typical ecchi anime by making the sexual themes central to its identity rather than an add-on. The show knows exactly what it is and makes no apologies for it, resulting in a surprisingly well-crafted fantasy comedy that delivers exactly what it promises. While definitely not for everyone, those interested in its premise will find an entertaining, irreverent series that succeeds precisely because it embraces its nature so completely.

It's good and i recommend it but it's too explicit, idk how to say it better. And thats a big downside for me, and that's why i feel bad giving it this score but it's just what i feel, cause honestly is good, there are some scenes that made me raise my eyebrow but it's hilarious, just not my thing.

Mahou Shoujo ni Akogarete spins the magical girl genre on its head, following Utena, a fan of magical girls who ends up recruited as a villain. The story takes an amusing route with her character, as she grapples with her newfound role fighting against the very girls she once "admired". There are some genuinely funny moments as Utena navigates this shift. The story takes an amusing route with her character, and there’s a decent amount of funny moments but there are a lot of stuff I don't really enjoy

The series definitely knows its audience, leaning into scenes that seem to be what some viewers are ... here for. While I enjoyed parts of the story, I found myself with an eyebrow raised at certain scenes—they’re funny at times, but not always my style. So while it’s an entertaining concept, it didn’t fully click with me. I’d give it a 5/10, with a fun plot, but not something I’d watch again.

It's just mixed feelings cause it's not for me, and haves a lot of questionable stuff that I didn't enjoy. I liked that theres actual plot, cause ecchi stuff can make a show better, but it's usually used to create what i call a longscreen hentai, and thats something I dislike a lot, this is a high rating that I give to this genre, but don't reach the funny type I enjoy about this genre (idk like Shimoneta or even Ishuzoku Reviewers.)

This anime falls into the all-too-common trap of prioritizing explicit content over meaningful storytelling. The plot is practically nonexistent, serving merely as a flimsy excuse to showcase a barrage of sexual encounters. The characters lack depth, with no significant problems or development beyond engaging in an unhealthy amount of sex.

While there are moments that might elicit a chuckle or two, the overall experience is disappointing. Rather than witnessing any semblance of character growth or narrative evolution, viewers are subjected to a repetitive cycle of sexual encounters episode after episode.

In essence, it's more akin to a hentai with extended screen time and without explicit genitalia. Sure, ... if you're in the mood for some titillation, you might find fleeting enjoyment here. However, for those seeking a genuine anime experience with substance and depth, this falls far short of the mark.

I watched it out of sheer boredom, but I can't in good conscience recommend it. It's devoid of any meaningful plot or character development, offering little more than mindless titillation

Nah fr I dont care anime that push boundaries and explore dark themes, but this one missed the mark entirely. Initially, I was intrigued by the promise of a gripping revenge story. However, what I got instead was a relentless barrage of unnecessary sex scenes that left me utterly bored.

Sure, a bit of humor here and there can be enjoyable, and idc about the sex scenes but man i come for the plot not a thinly veiled excuse for hentai. The characters lacked depth, the plot was flimsy at best, and the whole thing felt like a wasted opportunity.

Take the synopsis, for example. It paints ... the picture of a compelling revenge narrative, but what we got was anything but. Keyaru's journey from victim to avenger had the potential for greatness, but it was squandered in favor of cheap thrills.

In summary, what could have been a well-crafted revenge story ended up being nothing more than a glorified hentai with a half-hearted plot. Save yourself the trouble and look elsewhere.

(if you are horny you are gonna enjoy it in summary)
While I don't mind anime featuring explicit content, I found myself surprisingly drawn to the premise of this series. However, my initial intrigue quickly turned to disappointment as I progressed through the episodes. In all honesty, I ended up skipping the majority of them, only to find the conclusion utterly underwhelming.

The plot was devoid of substance, leaving me questioning why I bothered investing any time into it. Rather than engaging storytelling, it felt like a flimsy excuse for gratuitous sexual scenes. It's as if the creators attempted to blend hentai with a semblance of narrative ... depth, but failed on both fronts.

The characters lacked depth and failed to evoke any genuine interest or empathy. Ultimately, the entire experience left me feeling frustrated and regretful of my curiosity. Anime is supposed to be an enjoyable escape, yet this series managed to elicit nothing but boredom and irritation.

In summary, it's a prime example of a narrative that tries to be everything but ends up mastering nothing. Save yourself the trouble and steer clear of this lackluster attempt at entertainment. (except if you are horny and dont care for the plot at all xd)