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BLOOD BLOCKADE BATTLEFRONT (BBB) Ep 10.5:
"Today on Tradey of L (if you know, you know)"

Recap episodes/movies can often feel superficial or unimaginative, caring noting of the charm and uniqueness of the anime and the story. It often feels like these exist to add more runtime or as complication videos (which is not far from the truth). This episode mostly involves combining scenes from the actual anime, to form a jumbled up, barely understandable 20 minutes of animation, which does a poorer job at cathing-up newcomers to the story than a 20-second synopsis. And what is really soar to me, they fail to capture the actual ... feel or essence of the anime.
I can count on my hand the number of recap episodes that are not total misses to me. And out of all, BBB is the BEST recap episode that I have ever seen. It not only serves as an excellent recap but also a way to introduce newcomers to the story. It is so well made, expertly edited and directed, and teeming with personality that it can even qualify as one of the main episodes of the show.

Without spoiling anything, Leo would tell or think of all the different things and people he saw and experienced in his time in Hellsalem`s loot This is a smart way to make the episode fit in the actual timeline of the anime instead of making it feel awkward and out of place, and it was done similarly in NGE as well.
Instead of going through the entire plot, the episode show scenes from many of the episodes, but they mostly only speak about and elaborate on the main plot and characters. This keeps the episode focused and only gives you just the jist, encouraging you to still watch the whole anime.
And the thing I was most happy about, the episode perfectly captures and introduces the world of the anime and its people, and manages to keep their charm and appeal intact. The direction style is still just as unique, and the jokes and dialogue, both old and new, still work just as well. And best of all, the intrigue and mystery of the main plot still feel just as interesting and heartwrenching.

I love this episode and think it seta new bar for me for Recap episodes. It`s extremely well done. And this is coming from someone who has watched every episode of BBB multiple times before even finishing the anime for the first time. If you want to introduce the anime to someone, who doesn`t have time or enough desire to watch the whole show, this is a good choice (but still not an ideal one though and I still recommend everyone to watch the anime in its entirety).
It is able to summarize the main plot and quickly introduces the characters. Though I recommend against it for multiple reasons, You can watch this and the last two episodes and not feel lost or left out, plotwise at least. For those who are planning to watch it whole or are currently watching it, do watch this after episode 10. This episode feels less like a recap and more like an intermission. A great way to hold you over to the finale.

Thank you for reading and have a nice day or night.

-- REAL FOLKS BLUE --

I`m a little too late with this review (decades late in fact). I had started the show nearly two months ago and was really taking my time with it. There was so much too discover and take in. I didn`t plan on writing a review, but suddenly felt the urge to do so after completing it. The anime has just so much greatness and history to it that I can`t let it go by and I wanted to write this review for my own sake. Because WOW! This anime is just otherworldly mesmerizing. If that makes sense.

Before starting the anime, ... I wasn`t sure what to expect. And as I started watching it, the anime kept evolving. And what`s amazing is it never lost it`s flavor every episode was just as equally good if not better. I will completely avoid spoilers, not just for the story but for the anime. Cowboy Bebop is best watched with zero insights. So here, I`ll just be talking about what I found most unique about the anime and why i fell in love with it.
Among it`s many incredible things these are a few which stood out for me:

-The style of the anime. It`s mix of 90`s music and art-style gives the world so much personality. But the most unique thing is it`s music and how it is incorporated in the show. Written by Yoko Kanno, the music is among the best in the entire anime industry. It`s is a unique take on Jazz, with beautiful tracks. This anime won`t work this well without it`s OST. The director masterfully choose the right song, at the right time, for the right duration.
There is so many people who I know who said that they fell in love with sci-fic, jazz, and animes because of cowboy bebop. The style of the anime stands out the most and leaps on to you.

-The other thing which I immediately noticed was it`s unique way of storytelling. While other similar shows (especially sci-fic) would focus on the world, governmental figures, the law, morality, Cowboy Bebop focuses primarily on the character and only gives you the gist of the situation. It would want you to think about the characters motivations, past and fates. Something I deeply respect as it makes you more invested in the show. While this design has it`s problems, it`s something which greatly works in cowboy Bebop`s favor. It is able to lean heavily on it`s music and incredible writing to deliver incredible meaningful story arcs and closure. The entire anime is character focused, with everything building up the character and their ultimate story closure.

-The last thing is the writing. Cowboy bebop reminded me who it felt to be surprised and joyed at the same time. The animes contains incredible and unique characters. And that includes everyone, not just the main character. Every episode will introduce a new character who will have a unique aspect to it. The anime will build up the entire episode and then drop a emotional or jaw-dropping reveal at the end. And none of it fells out of place. None of the episodes felt filler. Each was masterfully done and the level of writing never dropped.

And all of these three things come together to create a work of art. An experience you`ll never forget and one which you will carry with you.

COWBOY BEBOP is one of a kind anime. It is something which fells genuine and unique, and I know I been saying that word a lot, but it truly is that. It feels like lightening in a bottle. There is no piece of entertainment media which aims to do what it does. It`s something which I would give my first 11/10. It`s that good to me.
Cowboy Bebop is one of the best animes ever made, and THE most unique anime ever made (and yes I`ll die on that hill).

THANKS FOR READING. I HOPE YOU ENJOYED IT. GOODBYE.
-- SEE YOU IN SPACE, COWBOY --

-BLAND, UNINTERESTING AND NEEDLESSLY CONVULATED- (minor spoilers)
OVERALL THOUGHTS:
I did not like and had very little fun watching DEMON SLAYER SEASON 3 (or 2, or the entertainment district arc). And it is something quite sad, because I really liked the first season, and absolutely loved the film and it`s subsequent season. And what`s ironic is that this season fails for the reason, that the first season succeeds at.
Demon Slayer season 1 was a very enjoyable anime, and a start to something that seemed fun and entertaining. It`s story was admittedly simple and composed of Shonen tropes and plot ideas, and it`s characters weren`t very memorable or ... explored enough to be interesting. But regardless, it was greater than the sum of its parts, and greatly entertained me. It somehow was able to take the common ideas and story points, and turn them into something great. Demon Slayer season 2 has the same ingredients, but executed in the wrong way. The first season knew how to use predictable and overly used Shonen tropes into something fun and gripping. It constantly kept the audience engaged and invested, whether in the story, character, the reveals or mystery. It was a balance between action and story, both of which you care about. Here, it`s none of that. The story feels predictably and poorly paced, and the script feels lazy and rushed. All the twist and turns and story beats feel like part of a shounen_trope_checklist, and don`t flow organically. All of the plot and character points feels under cooked and basic. This season barely expands the overall narrative of the Demon Slayer story. There is very little new plotline introduced, and almost none of the previous ones are resolved. The characters don`t receive any closure or evolve in any significant way, and feels underdeveloped and underutilized for the entire season.


MY THOUGHTS:
Let`s talk about the biggest problem - the story and characters. The season is filled to the brim with Shonen tropes and plot ideas. The season recycles so much of it`s old idea, that the entire season feels underdeveloped or as if it`s playing safe. It takes so many ideas and don`t build upon them at all. I.e. Tanjiro getting angry and powerful after Daki attacked the city. Or Muzen and Daki interaction - that went nowhere, I thought there was going to be some harsh twist there.
Not everything needs to to be new or innovative to be successful or a masterpiece. But you need to have a unique take on it. And for many, that unique take is in the form of new characters and story. Demon Slayer S3, doesn`t even do that. Believe me when I say, that all of it`s new characters, don`t feel new at all. The demons say the exact same set of dialogue, and perform the same set of actions, as their brethren, in the previous seasons. Dialogues like "YOUR WEAK", or "HUMANS ARE TOOLS". And actions like HUMLUATING A DOWNED TANJIRO or TALKING ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF FAMILY. Did they all read the same "HOW TO BE A SUCCESSFUL DEMON" book. Not to discredit the demons, cause the humans don`t fair any better either. Tengen feel like a failed version of Rengoku, with only unique thing being his breathing style (which isn`t much considering it feels like all the other styles, and barely come into play). And his wives feel like rip-off versions of Tanjiro and his group. And whether it`s the humans or demons, both of their backstory (the only thing which could have saved them), is rushed and not enough to make them feel interesting or worthwhile. And the returning characters (OH MY GOD), feel the same as they were in the previous season. And that remains unchanged even at the end of the season. And will most likely remain unchanged, IN THE NEXT SEASON. There is literally ZERO development to these characters. And on top of that, ZERO opportunity for them to further flesh-out the established characters. The story needs to start exploring more of their side characters independently. Moments like Zenitsu standing up to the demon or Inosuke tracking down the demon, felt like breath of fresh air. A chance for us to explore and feel more connected with these side characters, away from the shackles that tie them to story arcs of the main characters. But that never comes in to flourishen and remains unresolved. I.e. Zen asks the demon to apologize, but never never gets it or says it again. It almost feels like an after thought. The season seemed to always be in a rush, as it barely developed the ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT any further from a few characters and places (all pertaining to the plot). Like that one lady that Tanjiro talked with, then saved, and was never brought up again. What was he point again? Just a simple damsel in distress.

Rather than feeling like a part of the main story, Demon Slayer season 3 feels like an extension or a spin-off to the main anime, which adds very little to the overall story. In it, Tanjiro and his group accompany the hashira Tengen on a mission to slay a demon and rescue his wives. The season admittedly had a pretty good and engaging opening episode. Concluding the excellent MUGEN TRAIN ARC, and reveal more information regarding the bigger demon slayer story. But other than this and a few more scenes, the season doesn`t do anything significant to progress the story. There is not anything new I feel that I learned. Nor do I think this has any significant effect on Tanjiro or the others. Which seems weird as there are certain lessons and new powers introduced here which can (and should) impact the entire anime as a whole. But because of how they are introduced, and how little they changed the anime`s fights and character`s thinking, I feel like they might have well not existed at all. I.e. Tanjiro`s new SUN BREATHING STYLE (which he just so happen to remember and use in combat successfully).
Look, I`m not saying that every new season needs to be filled with plot points and story reveals to make it worthwhile. But when your not trying to do anything new or different, you should at least reward your audiences with some closure and satisfaction. The story does noting to entice me for what is to come, and sadly nor does the action.

So much of it feels like random piece of action, without anything binding them together. They are there just to get your blood instead of your emotions going. And believe me, by the 6th episode you`ll be begging for Tanjiro and his group to die, so this long drawn battle can finally end. Because after the first few strikes, the battle begins to feel and look the same. And apart from introducing a new demon and more of the old demon slayers in the battle, it doesn`t evolve one bit. The animation and music isn`t even all that good here. MUGEN TRAIN (the anime, and by extension the film too I guess) had better looking and more diverse animations. The fights and actions looked and felt different, because of how much creativity there was in the script. The battlefield changed from from the dreams, to the train and to an open field. And fight kept evolving from Tanjiro trying to behead a demon and stay awake, to the characters protecting the Train passengers. And Rengoku fighting with his visceral breathing style with a demon that used his fist and shockwave attacks, rather than blades. And the best part, it had emotions coursing through the entire runtime. Here, the emotions are lost since the very start of the film. And it`s fun and dynamisms follows suits.

And the pacing of it all, is horrendous. Many episodes will go by without a single intense moment while some will have non-stop action back to back. Fights would be interrupted for a flashback or an dramatic entrance of a character. Big moments like cutting a demon heads or potential character deaths would be paused or occur at the end of the episode, like trying to build up suspense, even though at that point you would be a fool to expect your audience to believe that things would work out. All of this slowed down the anime to a snail pause and make sit feel even more boring and unsatisfactory.


FINAL VERDICT:
The entire season feels like something tacked on or a last minute things. Everything feels extremely boring and uneventful. The season failed to evolve the anime forward and feels like a major regression from the previous seasons, in every way. That said, I still feel like many will come to enjoy and even love this season. The reason being that it`s bones are solid. It is a story composed of good story points and ideas, accompanied by great visuals and music, only executed improperly and poorly. But if your someone who loves demon slayer and are greatly invested in it, I think You will have a good time watching it. I just unfortunately didn`t have that.

THANK YOU FOR READING MY REIVEW.

The best way I can describe Takt Op Destiny is by comparing it to a musical performance. A musical performance in which the performers are using almost every instrument that they can find, and playing them with any symphonia or rhyme. Every instrument plays a portion of a note and stops, then the next takes over and does the same. Sometimes they play solo and sometimes in duo or trio or even above. And all of them are playing the most basic notes without any variation in them. In this way, you are unable to enjoy any of the notes and all of them feel ... incomplete and unimpactful. As a result, the entire performance feels like a rushed, unmanaged mess. That`s what I feel about the anime. It feels like a collection of plotlines and story points that are playing one after another. Many don`t go anywhere and are left unresolved or answered (like Takt`s song and Cosette`s ultimate faith), while many feel under utilized or never explored enough or in the right way to leave an impact (like D2`s origin, and Sagan`s plan and ultimate faith. The pacing and order is very bad, especially in the first few episodes. The script is over stuffed with story points and ideas of other stories. The whole anime feels like a rushed, unmanaged mess, and it makes it very hard to enjoy or like it.
All of this would be enough to label it as a colossal failure. However, that`s not it. Coming back to the performance: Even though the performance feels like a mess, you can`t but help like part of it. Because there are few instruments that you like or appreciate and enjoy listening to. And also, because so many of them are playing in quick succession, you rarely feel bored. On top of that, while the performance may not sound or feel good, it defiantly does look good. The lighting on the stage, the multiple color, the performers and their dresses, all look stunning. This makes the performance more appealing and enjoyable. And that`s also what I feel about the anime. There are so many story points that you end up liking a few. And because most of the fight and exposition happens in quick rapid succession, it keeps you entertained for the most part. It`s animation style and aesthetic are visually striking. It`s character design, abilities and world setting are also very interesting. And while most of the story doesn`t work, some actually feel complete and go some where, like Lenny`s story and Saga`s flashback during the first D2 invasion. And while the side characters aren`t very interesting, they are still feel appealing and don`t feel annoying. This make the anime more appealing and enjoyable.

However with all said and done, the anime has so much flaws and issues that it`s a miracle that I ended up liking anything. Everything in it feels bland, rushed and incomplete, especially the story. There is so little world building and the story barely explores the many plot points. Things like the origins of D2 and music-arts are barley explored. The anime also never resolves plot points like what happened to Takt`s song or what or how the hell happened at the end with Takt, Cosette and Anna at the end. The most awkwardly done part was the message or the struggle of the anime. The aim or Takt and father was reintroduce music in the world, so that the world can feel happiness and hope again. However, instead of making that their main drive to fight and eliminate the D2, Takt and father thought the best approach would be to hold a stage performance out in the open, when D2 warnings are in the air. I really find it hilarious that they think witnessing a stage slaughter after a performance will give hope to the people. And it`s never made clear why does it really attract D2. Or why do they attack and kill everything else along with the source of the music. Or why haven`t the instruments been destroyed all together, and instead are placed for display.

Anyway, those are my thoughts about Takt op Destiny. I enjoyed some of it`s part, but it`s a real mess. And I`m not surprised, considering that this was essentially an game-based anime, I not really surprised as those are rarely good.

Ore Yome. Ore no Yome ni Nare yo (English translation [for those who`re curious]: My Bride, Please become my Wife) is among the most pleasant and smile-inducing Rom-Coms that I have recently read, and something that I will remember fondly. Written and Drawn by SANO Airi (who I`ve never heard of), it delivers a short but memorable romance story containing an extremely lovable couple and equally engaging and likable side characters. I had a joyful time reading it and wanted to write this review to highlight the things I enjoyed in it. I hope you like it and find it informative:

STORY:
The story follows high-school ... student Nakagawa Hinata, whose grandfather had arranged her marriage with Joumori Zen - the heir to the Joumori Company. Unforunately for her, Zen is completely opposite her grandfather`s description, with his strict and unreasonable attitude and the rich lifestyle being a constant struggle for her. What do you think will happen in Hinata's life? (That sentence is in every plot synopsis of this manga that I have seen, so why not here as well).
I`m pretty sure you probably have already read the plot synopsis, but I wanted to give a brief idea about the story. Hinata struggle with Zen and adapting to her new life, at first wanting nothing of that. But slowly she begins to open up more to Zen, which eventually leads them to accept each other and fall in love. The story is centered around them, and the moments they experience together, and the struggles they face. Like I said in the start, there is no unnecessary, patted drama, or useless characters that add nothing to the story or characters. The story is extremely heartwarming and engaging, filled with moments in which you can`t help but smile. The chemistry between Hinata and Zen is great and believable. I loved seeing them fall in love, exchange banters, spending time together, and discover new things and experiences. Moments like when Zen feels he won`t be able to keep Hinata happy, or when Hinata is forced to leave Zen, feels satisfying and hit hard. The story also has a grounded and mature feel to it, with little but well-done comedy. There are plenty of twists and turns, heart-warming and heart-breaking moments, and great supporting characters that will keep you entertained, and also progresses the story in a meaningful way.
However, I did felt the story to be underwhelming and under-utilized in some areas. There are several plot details and filler-content which I would have liked to see explored. Like Hinata`s commoner life, her family, and friends; or Zen`s past and attitude before he met Hinata. I also felt the same way with some supporting characters like Sou, Sena, Asuna. While their story felt resolved and satisfying, is not further explored. Most of them do not even make an appearance again, until the very end. I would have really loved to see some of them make a more regular appearance and impact on the story during its critical moments. Several plot points could have also been more creatively done. Like Zen`s and Asuna's relationship, and the overall ending could have improved or further expanded on. On one hand, it is a positive as it allows the story to remain focused on Hinata and Zen. But it also leads the story to be less diverse and feel like the characters and premise are not utilized to their fullest. But that`s just a minor point of contempt that I felt worth highlighting. And honestly, something that many won`t feel. But I think it`s still something worth highlighting, as would surely further improve the manga. And something which I hope would be done if Ore Yome ever gets an anime adaptation.

CHARACTERS:
Rom-Coms are infamous for having their loud, over-the-top, annoying characters, along with couples and love interests not having any chemistry or reason to be in love. I am very happy that`s not the case with Ore Yome. Its characters are its strongest point. I loved and adored every single character and always wanted to see more of them. The main and side characters are well written. Each have a distinct personality and likeness to them, backed up by relatable motives. What stood out for me. Instead of being your standard Rom-Com side characters, each of them has their own life and side to them. Like Arata and Sena being popular idols, Kou being popular and expert fisherman and athlete in his island home, or Rui being a kendo expert. This adds a new dimension and further likeness to their characters. I just wish that they had more dialogue and interaction with the MCs and each other, especially other than during the main plot events. But apart from that, I was really happy with the charters in Ore Yome, and they were my main motive to keep reading the manga. I felt a real connection with them, something that is rare (Especially for a Rom-Com).

ART AND DESIGN:
The art of Ore Yome is just as stellar as the story and characters. The manga is masterfully drawn. The art and designs are more beautiful and elegant in nature, instead of being cute or adorable, as many Rom-Coms tend to be like. This works very well with the type of story Ore Yome aims to tells, and the characters it portrays. It contains numerous gorgeous scenes and art pieces, and the characters look equally great.

FINAL THOUGHTS:
Ore Yome, Ore no Yome ni Nare yo is among the best Rom-Coms I have read, and a romance story done right. The story is masterfully handled, with every and all of its moments feeling right and having a tangent effect on the story and characters. And it`s something which many Rom-Coms struggle with. And while I felt the story to be a little bit too short and stringent, I never felt it was lacking or unsatisfying.
There is still much I wanted to discuss and elaborate on in this review. But I`ll end it here, as I don`t want to further extend the review or give any more spoilers. I hope I was successful in conveying my thoughts and I hope you found this review informative and appealing.
If you like good Rom-Coms that focus more on the characters and their relationship, instead of unnecessary drama, you`re going to surely love this.

Also regarded as OVA 4, this was released way back on January of 2016, after the end of Nisekoi 2nd season. I didn`t hear about this OVA when it first came out, and never got to watch it. I just recently stumbled upon it, read the name, and thought to myself 'Yeah, I got some free time, lets watch it.' Nisekoi is an anime which I liked, just barely, and whose manga and its ending which I utterly despised. But the OVAs of popular romance animes tend to be at the very least entertaining. And the name and plot summary seem like it could be ... fun. Honeymoon and magic girls, sure why not. How bad can they mess it up? Pretty bad it seems.

This OVA is pure Nisekoi, with all its flaws and problems that I have with it. Its story is repetitive, shallow, and lacks any meaning, reason, or pay-off. I was turned off and bored out of my mind.

STORY AND WRITING:
The anime is divided into two separate stories. One is a dream honeymoon sequence, while the second is an adventure of magical girl story. And both SUCK in terms of Script and Writing.
The honeymoon part is essentially a type of dream sequences in which Raku dreams of spending his marriage anniversary with Onodera, Tachibana, Tsugumi and Chitoge, one at a time. These dreams sequences are too short, lasting from 2 to 3 minutes each, and give you no joy or satisfaction at all. They all contain noting more than some greeting, a lit bit of praising, the overused "Dinner, bath, or me” phrase, TOGECHI (yeah, that happened) and a lot of blushing, chinch, and bad comedy. This makes the entire half of the OVA feel empty and uninteresting, short and pointless. This was a great opportunity to show some meaningful romance and payoff, and yet the episode completely butchered it and fell flat on its face.
The magical adventure part picks up from the first half of episode 8 of the 2nd season (Which took me years to force out of my mid, THANKS A LOT OVA!). In this part, the magical girls (Onodera, Tachibana and Chitoge) go on a mission to stop Dr. Maiko from doing, something. Led by the great sage Rurin and the Magical princess (*sign* I really feel like I`m shortening my lifespan by writing this). It`s what will happen if Nisekoi and several magical girls shows from the 90s had a baby. Yeah, only awful things can happen from that. This half is also lacking in any content. Its empty and has noting more than transformations, erotic scene, and yep you guessed it, bad comedy.
The script is dumb and the writing is poor. The stories are uninteresting or fun, but they are so lacking in any real thought or content. The characters are the same, and without even a hint of change. Nearly half of the OVA contain only the intro and outros, with the actual story feeling like an afterthought. The OVA will constantly jump from one scene another, without properly wrapping them up properly. Believe me when I say that I was looking forward to some variety and change in this show`s repetitive and boring story. And this type of story points gave it the opportunity to do so. Yet it still somehow was able to deliver the same type of story that I am sick and tired of. And it even went above and beyond the call of duty. Because the script and writing for this OVA are some of the worst this show has given (I was going to say the worse, but then I remembered that the Tachibana rescue arc happened in the manga).

ANIMATION AND MUSIC:
One thing which Nisekoi could lean on, is its animation and music. It`s animation and music are much better compared to many other romance animes. And when it uses them together, it creates many eyes warming and pleasant to watch scenes, which the anime is filled with.
The animations, character animations in particular, are fluent and colorful. This makes watching the shows regular banter and fake-outs bearable and sometimes entertaining. Season 2 improved those aspects, and it`s carried on to the OVA. The dream with Onodera and Tsugumi, had some good animation pieces. The magical girl section also had some, particularly their transformation one, which takes half of their part`s runtime. But the problem is that there is barely any of that here. Half of the OVA`s runtime is taken up by the 2 intro and 2 outros of the show. There is not enough run time and barely any worthwhile animation piece.
The situation is even worse in the music side of things. Nisekoi has quite a few charming OST pieces, that the OVA refuse to use. The intro and outro of the second season is in here, and it`s as average as I remember. The intro and outro for the magical girl part, somehow, I liked. And combined with the animation, it was pleasant to watch. I`ll raise it a point for that (now it’s all the way up to 4).
CONCLUTION AND VERDICT:
This OVA is extremely bland, boring and at times horrifying to look at. Just like the actual anime, this OVA is determined to frustrate you and waste your time, with no pay-off and satisfaction. It`s plot constantly jumps back and forth, it tries so hard to be comedic and fails miserably, the writing is extremely dumb. Even the animation and music are underutilized. What was suppose to be a chance to give fun and entertaining episode, turned out instead to be an extreme misfire and a very big DUD.
I wasn`t expecting much from this OVA, not even enjoyment. I just wanted to turn my mind off, spend my time, watch something dumb and fun, and don`t think much about anything. And yet here I am, writing this DAMN review because of how much shocked and frustrated I am. I didn`t even remember much about Nisekoi. And looking back at it, I always thought that I was I little TOO hard on Nisekoi. But now I know that it was because I was successful in removing it out of mind. And if this is how I remember the anime, no wonder I was hard on it. If you are like me and don`t like Nisekoi`s writing, then avoid this OVA at all cost.

Thank for reading the review. I wasn`t planning on writing this, but I still gave it my all. Hope you enjoyed it. Goodbye.

Most of this is my early thoughts about the film. I did not spend much time over thinking the film. I also did not watch many short anime films, so i do not have a specific standard for reviewing them. I will be judging the film based sorely on my expectations and how much did the film delivered.
And let me tell you, going in to this, I did not had any high expectations. I did not watch the original film, neither did I know anything about it`s premise and world. I knew that this was a spin-off and that it had limited budget and ... a small team, and that it aimed to tell a simple story with hopefully adequate characters and animation to back it up. And thankfully, it was able to meet and even exceed my expectations. It is a very beautiful, enjoyable and well put together short film, especially considering its free.

STORY AND CHARACTERS:
The story is not aimed to be complex or serious endeavor with any long or complex story points. It is a light hearted tale that aims to tell a simple contained story, with a joyful and serious tone. And it is necessary to have those expectations while watching this film. The story is largely contained and follows the three main characters Mint, Noah and Thomas, as they try to clean the garbage polluting the shore area. Other than the main premise, the film also spends time telling us about more larger plot points of the main series like the Santa company, which really intrigued me. The opening 5 mins of the film was the point where I was most invested in the film. It explains its world and premise with effective dialogues and beautiful art style. There was some adequate jokes that made me chuckle a bit.
But I did felt that at certain points the story was too much to the point and did not try to expand certain plot points. For example, I wished there was a more prominent story arc that better showcased Mint`s shortcomings and her over coming them, Or a better representation of and focus on the littering issue that the film is so heavily aimed at. Thankfully, the story is paced correctly and explains story points effectively. And it overall kept me entertained. It really made me want to watch the original film.

Much like the story, the characters are simple and don`t have much dept to them. But they were likable and not irritating and carried the story pretty nicely.The main characters got the most screen time, and the story was focused around getting to know them. I really like their personality and relationship, and they carry the film for me. Apart from Mint, the characters fell two-dimensional, and served more as supporting cast for her, which I think works in the film`s favor. Again, the characters were entertaining and fun and did not overstay their welcome. They fit perfectly in the story and its world.

I have not watched the original film, so I do not have the context for the story and characters. But I think it was still satisfactory and did not contain any major plot holes or missing information. You will be able to watch the film without felling the need to think or speculate much.

ANIMATION AND MUSIC:
The animation and artwork was the best part of the film. The art-style made the world feel authentic and pleasant to look at. There overall good amount of animation. The animation was not fluent at some points and there was a two or three weird cuts, but you`ll hardly notice them.The music was also incredibly put together and added a lot to the story. These two things, more than anything else, were the main reason I enjoyed the film so much.


DIRECTION AND EXECUTION:
like I said, the recourse for this film was limited, but the creators clearly put a lot of effort in making the film. Director Kenji Itoso had a clear vision in his mind, and knew what to put in the film and how to effectively engage the audience in the film. I also think the creators were very effective in setting our expectations right. And they were very clear about what this film was about and what to expect. I think the film was well directed and executed.

CONCLUSION:
Like I said, I did not watch much short films and I did not had high expectations for this film. But I still think it delivered on the key things like. There is noting absolutely great and noting horribly bad, everything is simple. But all of its different aspects come together and gives a enjoyable and fun experience. Whether you`ll like that experience or the film, largely depends on your expectations and tolerance for such things. For the most part, I had a blast watching the film. It simple yet entertaining plot and fun characters made me really happy. I may not remember the characters and the story, but I won`t forget the pleasant time I had watching this film.

Congratulation to MAL for hosting the film. And thank you to all who worked on the film. I enjoyed and loved it very much, and I plan to watch the original film.


Thanks for reading my review. Do watch the film if you think you`ll like it.

Date a Bullet: Dead or Bullet
RAPID FIRE REVIEW [ A great promise, but that`s about it.]

(This review will be relatively short and to the point. It won`t go into much detail and there will be some spoilers.)

INTRODUCTION:
Date a Bullet: Dead or Bullet is short 23-minutes anime film set in the world of the main anime date a live. It is set, presumably, after the end of the OVA, KURUMI`S ONCORE. It follows Kurumi`s clone that we saw in the OVA, as she finds herself in a different world, and in the middle of a battle royal.

CONTEXT:
Alright, let’s get the elephant in the room out ... of the way. I`m not a big fan of the date a live anime. I watched all 3 seasons, and I felt them really boring and repetitive, with an extremely out of focus, over-blown and predictable plot-hole story, which isn`t paced well, accompanied by plot points that are absurd in concept and in execution. This led to a slow burning, boredom inducing experience, which nearly killed me and took me years to recover from. But the only good thing that I can remember were the spirts, their abilities and backstory. And I really wished we can see more of their story. So, I was really interested to see this film and hope to GOD it didn`t suck.

Thankfully it didn`t. I really like and adore this film, and think that it’s a great introductory point for something larger. But so far, this film is little more than that, a start and promise for something big. While there are fight scenes, dialogue, character deaths and all other such things you would expect. All of them serve a purpose of introduction and none feel wholesome.
This was a point which I wanted to clear out at the start, because I think this film still has a lot of heart and does a fine work in executing all of its ideas, in a meaningful and enjoyable way.

STORY AND CHARACTERS:
First things first, the story and how good it is and was told. Both of them were handled well with exceptional skills. I won`t talk spoilers, but I will say that the story is pretty simple and direct. The plot is not complex and there are really no twist or epic moments that film builds up to. But that doesn`t mean the story is boring or uninteresting. The overall narrative and its different points are engaging. The main premise and other plot points like the queen and wish are interesting. And many different scenarios and fight scenes will surely keep the story entertaining, even if they are shorty and not many. And all of them are well directed and animated, paced and introduced correctly. There is no time travel, dating, concert contests, or another bullshit that was is in the main anime.

All of the plot points that are present here are good and well executed. And are accompanied by good characters. All of them are spirts, each with their own sets of abilities, as you would expect. They each wield different weapons and abilities, and have their own, little bit of personality and motives. But just like the story, their names, design, and abilities are pretty simple and basic (apart from the Queen`s). And they are never as complex and engaging as the ones in the main anime. But also like the story, they are used, introduced and handled well. The short but well directed and focused fight scenes and character dialogues before, during, and after the fight scenes, add more depth to them and the story. Chances are high that you will at the very least like and enjoy the story, if not love and adore it, especially when you see it unfold on the screen.
But there are two things which are absent from the story. There is no part that introduces you to the different main story points (the spirits, and their origin), and Kurumi`s character. And because you don`t know about her past and relationship to Shido, or Shido in general (I know I forgot about him), you will not understand her motives and desires in the film. Let alone care for her. There is also no plot point or character conflict that gets resolved, or any long plot focused fight sequence.

ANIMATION AND MUSIC:
The animation and music, you will also find very serviceable here. It is simple and noting extraordinary. But it blends well with the film`s tone and there is now shortage of good pieces and a very appropriate ending song. The character and the overall settings are also well designed and beautifully animated. All of this combines to give you a worthwhile and entertaining experience. Two word I thought I would never use for something associated with date a live.

CONCLUSION:
I really like what this film has to offer. But I think there is a lot of missed opportunity. The absence of an introductory sequence and a much larger complex narrative, and the general feeling of confusion and incompleteness, might not lend well to many. And many who don`t know this anime`s world, will surely be among them.
Thanks for reading. I hope you like the review. And if you like the film, do watch the next one. It will not disappoint.

Tonikaku kawaii is among my most favorite animes of this season. I fell in love with it when I first read the manga. And I found myself falling in love with the anime the same. I extremely adore the anime and think it really captured the essence of the manga, and expanded on it without sacrificing anything. It may not be a perfect show, but it was really kawaii. The same can`t be said for the RECAP episode. I really think this is a bad recap episode. I was straight up uninterested and didn`t feel what ever it wanted me to feel.
The recap episode, ... titled as episode 12.5, retells certain parts of the anime, and about the relationship of the protagonists. They
The retailing is presented as a simple narration (by I think NASA-chan`s father. why, I don`t know)? I really wish they would give the episode more narrative basis. Like structuring it as a collection of thoughts of the characters, what they think about these different events.
The pacing also seems really off. There is no logical order to these scenes, apart from vague concepts like REALLY EXCITED, REALLY PARTICULAR. Which while makes some sense, does not however compel or interest me in one bit. They also thought that it was a good idea to cut and not show most of the scenes in their entirety. The episode cuts to the next scene, before the current scene is wrapped up.
Unlike in the actual episodes, these events have no build-up or waiting period for them to be effective. And because a lot of them are cramped in this one episode, I found myself not feeling the joy that I felt while watching the episodes.
Anyway, you get the idea. I know that it is hard to do a recap episode right, but this felt that they didn`t even try. This episode has very little point to it. Perhaps it exists as a goodbye or a re-entry point when and if a season 2 happens. But this anime retells so little and in a very dire way, that I don`t think this is a sufficient retelling of the anime or the story. I recommend re-watching the anime, if you forget and want to re-watch or re-experience the anime.
But I will say, despite me having so many issues with this episode, I could not help but like and enjoy it. I was never bored or looked at my clock while watching it. The reason being that the anime was so effective in imprinting and making us connect with the characters and their relationships, that I can feel its impact even here, despite there being no narrative hook in place, no order, no consistent pace, or many of the things that made the anime great. I did smile when I saw and recalled different scenes of the anime. And I can`t say a didn`t enjoy the expertise, even if I dislike the episode. If any good came out of this episode, it was that it made me further adore the show. This feeling is what kept me smiling throughout the episode.
But it is what it is. That all I think about this episode. Thanks for reading. Goodbye and take care.