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In regards to Episode 12.

Despite what some detractors might say, Kyoto Animation, particularly the phenomenal writing of Jukki Hanada and the direction of Tatsuya Ishihara, has delivered one of the most gut-wrenching and emotional narratives of the last decade. For those who have followed Oumae Kumiko's journey over the past nine years, season three serves as the culmination of all her efforts, struggles, and aspirations as she enters her third year of high school, only to be flipped on its head when a new face enters the picture at Kitauji.

Many will take issue with the presence of Kuroe Mayu, particularly when she takes away Kumiko's ... chance to play the solo twice, including the final performance at Nationals. This deviation from the light novel's material understandably upset many people, Kumiko being robbed of her "fairy tale ending" of winning Gold at Nationals through playing the solo with Reina. However, I believe a closer look of Kumiko's desires and struggles throughout this season, alongside the prior seasons and films, showcases that this narrative not only makes sense, but that such an outcome was the only one this iteration of Hibike! could've pulled off. I say that because the story was never about Kumiko playing with Reina or winning gold at Nationals for Kitauji, despite the anime giving off that impression. Instead, the focus has always been on Kumiko herself, each season of Hibike! exploring her relationships with those around her. Season one with Reina, season two with her sister and Asuka, and season three with Mayu, Taki-sensei, and the club as a whole.

Throughout this season, we see Kumiko grapple with two main issues: the aforementioned Mayu and, perhaps more importantly, her plans after high school. While her friends have decided on their post-high school paths—Reina, in particular, pursuing college in America—Kumiko debates whether to attend a music university, a scenario her former senpai Mizore remarks in episode 11 she “can’t even picture.” This decision, which will likely shape the rest of her life, preoccupies Kumiko's mind throughout the season and ultimately leads to her losing the chance to perform the solo with Reina to Mayu.

Episode 12 served to remind the audience of two things that are easy to forget. First, the inevitable split between Kumiko and Reina as they forge their own paths, paralleling Liz and the Blue Bird and its narrative with Nozomi and Mizore. Despite their promise to each other in season one, not everything can work out as they wish, and all good things must come to an end. Second, it reinforces the real point of Hibike! It’s not about the solo, winning gold at Nationals, or even the music. Hibike! has always been about Kumiko, her relationships with those around her, and how these relationships helped her grow into the young woman she is by the end of her high school years.

Losing the final solo to Mayu may not be the most popular decision among fans, but it was necessary for Kumiko to take the final step in completing her arc, all starting with KyoAni’s beautiful animation in 2015. Regardless of what occurs in the final 13th episode, I know the hard work of Japan's finest animation studio and the nine years they've put into this story will have been fully worth it.

When I first caught wind of the Girls Band Cry project in the early months of 2023, it was around the same time the well-deserved love for fellow band anime Bocchi The Rock was going strong, so I've been looking forward to the release of this anime for a while. Now, I'll admit some of my excitement for Girls Band Cry dwindled when I discovered it would be CGI as opposed to 2D animation, and even putting that aside, I didn't really have any high expectations that this anime would blow me away in regards to its plot or the story it wanted to tell.

I ... couldn't be happier to be dead wrong on both fronts.

The CGI used for this anime is really top-notch, and I honestly can't imagine Girls Band Cry being Girls Band Cry anymore without its use. From the body language to the character expressions, the team at Toei Animation brought each of the members of Togenashi Togeari to life, so to any of those hesitant to pick this anime up for those reasons, I implore you to give it a chance. It may not be Houseki no Kuni Studio Orange levels of perfection, but it doesn't have to be.

As for the narrative, I should know better than to question the writing of legendary screenwriter Jukki Hanada, because he truly delivered on a emotional, inspiring story with rich, complex characters for an anime that didn't need either. The main crux of band/music anime is the music, duh, and Togenashi Togeari's discography has that requirement checked off with ease. That leaves the rest of the anime runtime to the plot, character interactions, and an overarching story/message that it wishes to tell the audience. I won't spoil any plot points or go into detail about each character, especially the protagonist Nina, but please take my word that Girls Band Cry has so far presented the most realistic depiction of youth, both its highest peaks and its deepest valleys, that I have seen an anime tackle in years. For those still on the fence on this anime or initially dropped it because of the horrendous subs that came out for the first few episodes, I strongly recommend you watch Girls Band Cry with the appropriate subtitles (either NakayubiSubs or SobsPlease). Every word of dialogue spoken between the characters and information revealed across the show ALL comes together, so do yourself a favor and watch this show right.

Even with three episodes still remaining as of the writing of this review, Girls Band Cry has already solidified a place in my heart as one of the best pieces of media I've had the opportunity to experience in real time. Please give it a chance if you haven't, or another chance if you felt it didn't speak to you initially. You have nothing to lose.

Initial review:

As this is an original anime, it's anyone's best guess how well the story of Magical Destroyers will play out once episode 12 arrives. That said, with what has been shown in the first three episodes, the development of the plot, characters, and world-building has been coming along together smoothly so far. If it continues at this pace, alongside the superb quality of the animation and art direction, I think Magical Destroyers may end up being the sleeper hit of the season. Time will tell though.

The OP and ED couldn't be any more different from each other in tone, but both are some of ... the strongest attributes I can give the show. The OP is blunt and weird in the best way possible, an appetizer for what's in store for the viewer in the world of Magical Destroyers. The ED meanwhile is ominous and serene, a moment of tranquility following the chaos of the show that also raises questions about what the fate of these characters will be in the end.

If action fight scenes, magical girl transformations, otaku culture, and mature humor is something you enjoy, you're probably already watching this show. And if you aren't, you definitely should. Among those of you where something like this wouldn't be your cup of tea, that's totally understandable. Out of the 15 anime I'm watching this season though, Magical Destroyers is one of the three I look most forward to watching each week. And that's coming from someone who typically doesn't watch these sorts of anime.

At the very least, I'd say give Magical Destroyers a chance, because regardless of what opinions you hold towards the show, it certainly isn't getting enough attention as it deserves for something this ambitious and visually stylish.

6/13 update:

Disappointment of the season. Still an amazing concept, great characters and superb music, but very lackluster, stale execution of the plot. It still has some redeemable qualities, but they aren't enough to save this show.

With this being the third anime installment in the Love Live! saga (not including Nijigasaki which is a separate entity), Superstar!! had a lot of pressure among the larger LL community to live up to expectations that would recreate a familiar formula while also providing something new to entice the fans.

Unfortunately, it has failed at this goal, and nothing short of a miracle can salvage this anime series.


While there's much that can be said about Superstar!! in regards to its plot, like retaining a common structure comparable to School Idol Project and Sunshine!!, it manages to do incomprehensibly worse than its predecessors at telling a ... coherent narrative. What sold this show to me to get this low of a rating though has been the characters and their dynamic with one another, which is practically nonexistent if Shibuya Kanon is not involved.

As opposed to both μ's and Aqours (as well as Nijigaku), Liella, the idol group in this anime, only comprises five members in contrast to the usual nine… only until it doesn’t, deciding to add an additional four members (Shiki and Mei are amazing, the same can't be said for Natsumi and Kinako) while leaving the original five, minus Shibuya Kanon, with little character growth besides comedic bickering (Keke and Sumire) or last minute dialogue (Ren and Chisato). Had Liella! followed its initial vision from the start of the series, there was the possibility of developing closer and perhaps more realistic character interactions than seen in the previous installments. With how the characters have interacted with each other so far in both this and the prior season though, this seems to be unlikely to happen even with an unprecedented third season.

At the end of the day though, Love Live! at its core is a music anime, and wow does Superstar!! fail to deliver in this category. While in the insert songs present in the anime are mediocre at best to downright awful at worst (the b-sides of their singles are amazing though, and it’s infuriating these superior songs weren’t featured in the anime like they should’ve been), the true musical aspect of Superstar!! that it shares with his predecessors has been the original soundtrack. At least, that’s what I would’ve said had they built upon the soundtrack from the first season instead of recycling the same two themes whenever something even slightly emotional happens (call it the Ren funeral song when a somber piano and/or violin plays). In other words, this season managed to make me have utter disdain for the one element of a Love Live! anime that never failed to disappoint me. I gotta hand it to Superstar!! Season 2 for pulling off the unthinkable ^^

Whether you're a diehard fan of Love Live! or just stumbled upon this anime by mistake, I would strongly avoid giving Love Live! Superstar!! a watch so long as you're interested in a compelling story, relatable characters wanting to achieve their dreams, or great music. For those who are among the Love Live! community that have decided to give Superstar!! a skip, I applaud you for making the right call, as School Idol Project, Sunshine!!, or Nijigasaki are all infinitely better stories within the Love Live! franchise, and only deserve far more love than the trainwreck that has been Liella’s journey.


What could’ve been a fresh and beautiful story about a group of friends going through their three years of high school together to win the biggest idol competition in Japan, what we got instead was nothing short but disappointing, especially as someone who had high hopes for this group when they first debuted. Overall, a 2/10 for Love Live! Superstar!!

It goes without saying that not everyone will be able to like, let alone understand the appeal of Super Cub. This is due in large part because of how it deviates from the Slice of Life/CGDCT formula, which more times than not tends to have a happy-go-lucky protagonist or cast of characters with a positive, optimistic outlook on life. Koguma, the protagonist of Super Cub, is anything but “happy-go-lucky”, stating rather bleakly that "I have no parents. No money either. Nor do I have any hobbies, friends, or goals for the future.” While some may proclaim that this is a betrayal of what is to ... be expected from the genre, Super Cub explores a side of SOL that is rarely ever explored: nihilism. Koguma, for the lack of a better description, is as relatable as anime protagonists come for a major demographic that is underrepresented in the SOL genre. If anything, people are more likely to share the same sympathies as Koguma than they would with Yui Hirasawa from K-ON! or Nadeshiko from Yuru Camp. Koguma, much like the rest of us, isn’t granted a harem of friends to drink tea or go camping with, but instead seeks a temporary but just as fulfilling comfort with the namesake of the show: a Honda Super Cub. Without going into detail about the themes of materialism or Koguma’s interactions with the other characters as the show progresses, Super Cub explores the more existential feelings of life that are rarely seen in the SOL medium.

If you’re expecting a protagonist or cast of characters who’ll provide a form of escapism with blinding optimism, I’m sorry to say that you’ll be disappointed. To put it bluntly, Super Cub is as realistic as fiction gets, and not just when it comes to SOL. Many viewers of the SOL genre will be disappointed that this show doesn’t reinforce the same overused tropes of cheerfulness, friendship, and a positive view on life that can be found in 95% of anime within the genre. So just in case I haven’t made my point clear enough, if you’re expecting this show to be like Yuru Camp, K-ON!, or other shows within the SOL genre, turn away while you still can.

Super Cub is a show that anyone can enjoy, but to understand the themes and meaning of this animated Honda commercial, you really have to relate to its protagonist, Koguma. If you’re someone who can sympathize with her quote that was brought up earlier, which speaks in part for many members of the Millennial or Zoomer generation, I would strongly recommend giving this anime a watch. It’s not going to provide a positive outlook on life, at least explicitly, nor is it likely to grant you a window of escapism from the day-to-day troubles of reality. What Super Cub will do once you watch all 12 episodes though, as you follow Koguma throughout her journey, is provide the much-needed representation and social commentary that is lacking in the genre. Above all else, Super Cub explores one out of many perspectives of the meaning of one’s self and life, which I feel is as “slice of life” as the SOL genre gets.

Coming into the Spring 2021 anime season, Odd Taxi wasn't even on my radar. The only way I found out about this show was by finding a Spotify playlist including the OP, ED, and OST songs. Listening to the playlist, I was immediately hooked to the vibes of the music, and just had to watch the anime.

Watching the series from start to finish, I can definitively say Odd Taxi was the best anime of the season, while unfortunately being one of the most slept-on anime of Spring. A hidden diamond in the rough. It can be obviously said that the reason why this show isn't ... as high as it should be is because it stars anthropomorphic animals, or as some people would say, "it's a furry anime." That overgeneralization is disappointing to say the least, but to those who are still skeptical that this is a "furry" anime, I assure you the plot, music, characters, animation, and the satisfaction at the end will be entirely worth it.

I must say that, for Baku Kinoshita's anime directorial debut, he did an amazing job making this story come to life. I sincerely can't wait to see where he takes this story or future stories in the future.

As I also mentioned before, the music for this show was the aspect that reeled me in in the first place, so it must be said that the songs provided by Skirt and PUNPEE, the amazingly talented Suzuko Mimori, and many other talented artists made this show worth it from start to finish.

Overall, this was a very special anime to me, and I implore anyone who's interested in good story telling, art direction, or music to give this anime a watch, because it is definitely worth the time. 10/10.