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Ah, so refreshing! I was already pulled in from the prospect of mushrooms, given that En is one of my favorite characters in Dorohedoro (ha, another mushroom man).

ENJOYMENT: 9+. I love that the action is not lacking! So far, the fights are engaging to me, given the odd state of the world. Bisco is talented. The animals as characters and tools of war themselves is cool! From snails to iguanas, and more.

CHARACTERS: 7+. I think this is where this story will shine because Panda is SUCH a little cutie but no pushover for his craft! And truly, there can be no shortage of ... fiery redheads in anime. Bisco is much appreciated. I am intrigued by how the sibling dynamic may push the plot. So far, a lot of the 1st and 2nd characters feel unique and not generic.

STORY: WOW! 8+. This is dystopian but still manages to keep me interested without feeling estranged. I'm guessing at some point we'll learn just what this rust is and how it was caused. The story-telling itself feels very fluid as well, and we're really taken on this adventure at a healthy pace.

WATCHABILITY of this anime is what stands out to me. Compared to other new-ish anime, this reminds me of the feeling I got from Demon Slayer when it first began in how it really pulled me in at the first half. (LMAO I won't lie, I never finished DS, but it started off really strong for me). On that note, I'm getting dystopian Fire Force vibes too because that also had a 12-episode season, but definitely had a mystery that was set up to expand multiple seasons. I think this may be the case here, too. If so, great! I love this world, I want to see more of it.

OVERALL the first 1/3 is a SOLID 8 (very good) to me with the potential to be a 9 or 10 depending on the rest of the episodes.

:) Hope this helps

TLDR; Honestly, I find s2 kind of exhausting and will drop it for now. Hope this elps someone.

~*~

CHARACTERS rely strongly on tropes of magical nature and innuendos. It was written for guys, I guess. So, if you like that, great.

STORY -- (7) Okay, I DO agree with others on the fact that this anime is TRASH. I also feel just as weird writing that because this is coming from someone who still rewatches Baka to Test, BUT trash is trash. KonoSuba was also trash but I enjoyed the heck out of it. It's a vibe.

ENJOYABILITY -- (6) If you like trashy anime ... this will be enjoyable. If you love magical girls, a harem that is thirsty for literally no reason, and slapstick moments, then you'll like it. Personally, I enjoyed S1 a lot more because of the WORLD concept itself. I had a lot of questions, it made me think, and I'm a sucker for exploration and leveling up. S1's main pitfall was the budget, but that didn't bother me at all.

WATCHABILITY -- (5) This is where I tank. Sorry The harem gets so much screen time and there are just TOO MANY damn women. I probably sound crazy, but you might be too if it gets larger while you want to learn more about the world. Ie, Shield Hero didn't feel this crowded to me (though it had a similar zero to OP jump.

In all pettiness, I find the healer irritating with how she sort of just /hopped/ in at the end of S1, and this road trip situation is starting to feel claustrophobic. I don't dislike romance, but what exhausts me is realizing there may be MORE women added. But the HAREM is a large element of this story, so if you can't stand it at all, I wouldn't bother past S1.

I'm going to wait until the season is complete to binge it. I'd rather binge it so I can skip the slow banter of my least favorite characters. (Ugh, I am this petty). For now, I'm dropping it. [OVERALL] it is a 6 (fine) for me, but I do think it is worth giving a chance if you're new (especially s1).

[A spoiler-free review]. This moved me... this moved me so much, and I promise you I am not an enthusiast for drama anime by any chance. I was drawn to this anime because I liked the "android" aesthetic that the trailers pushed, but boy was I fooled.

This anime had minor (fairly minimal) flaws such as one or two (honestly not important) characters not being developed or the countries being confusing (to me, lol the names were a mouthful), but this story was beautiful and those flaws were *brush shoulder*. I'd give this a minimum 8.5 for being a solid anime, and max 10 if you ... really loved it. The low scores are a bit misplaced.

I see a lot of 5s and 6s in the other reviews, and just by reading them people seem to have expected something else. I get that because I do like a lot of action myself, but this isn't a freaking shonen. This anime is more about us watching Violet grow than being instantly gratified. If you watch this anime when you need to (read that again), you will understand.

-------------------------(breakdown below)-------------------------

Story: 10. This is a story about overcoming your past, and I didn't know how much I needed it. I honestly haven't cried watching an anime since HxH or OP, so you can tell I'm a shonen type. I couldn't even get through Clannad without rolling my eyes, but this anime I sat and took it in slowly.

Art: 10. It was easy to watch a few episodes at a time because it was so beautiful. The art of the words spoken is worth mentioning.

Character: 10. Again, one or two are glazed over, but they aren't important. I hear there may be a season 2, so things can expand there. I found myself relating even to background characters Violet came into contact with and never saw again. Even as small as a child meeting her once. That's honestly so powerful because often in shonen you will experience characters, but here I felt so many of them on a human level.

Sound: 10. I watched this as a dub, and I was not disappointed. I know a lot of "purist" watchers will scoff, but I really did not feel like reading words, and the English voices felt right given the (EU?) setting. Each voice suits the characters, especially Violet and Major. Benedict's voice is so nice.

Enjoyment: 9. There were some slow moments, but it was bearable because I didn't watch more than 2-4 episodes at a time. And each part was important to the integral story.

Excitement: 8. This is NOT a very exciting anime, but it is engrossing. I think it is classified as drama, so there is a slower element to it, but the story is in no rush whatsoever. It avoided the one-season pacing pitfall too!

My average: 9.5/10

Hope this review helps someone.

Don't read any reviews that haven't gotten even halfway through this story. I say this because I see a lot of shows comparing this to big 3 or with shallow depth. I've gotten to 130+ episodes, so here is a composite spoiler-free review.

STORY: 9. This is a great story. It may not be an original tale, though it has some unique elements, such as the creative powers. But it is a WELL-told story and a COHERENT story. Even if others don't find it interesting, it is well-written, especially with backstories. The story has surprisingly dark moments as well (though, I suppose most shonen do). Sometimes ... tropes can irritate me, but the story-telling and powers really carry this anime.

WATCHABILITY: 8. Don't binge. Even though I am up to 130+ episodes, I did NOT watch this all at once, maybe 10 eps here, 3 there, etc. I can say a lot of adventures are enjoyable, and when my interest comes back, I am not let down. Much more rewarding as a slow-simmer than to rush through.

ENJOYMENT: 6-10. I had moments where this felt boring to me, well into the anime. And then moments where I was like WOW that developed well. I'll be honest, one of the reasons I appreciate the story is how well it comes full-circle. I won't even spoil it, but even moments I took for granted ended up important! It reminds me of Fairy Tail in that way, with a little more depth and less confusion.

ART: Easily a 7-8. It is no Demon Slayer (holy moly, that's one beautiful anime), but most anime aren't, and the art here is better than most. I thought the fights looked good, too. Of course, I am not an animator.

SOUND: Okay, here is where I tank at 6.5 and not higher. I'll be honest, Asta's voice is annoying as all hell, whether dub or sub. There is no getting around that, it gets easier I promise. But the voices of all other characters are so okay that it balances it out. And the soundtrack is really nice!

CHARACTER: 8. This anime doesn't stray from tropes, BUT it builds the character's pretty solid around them. I can't think of any who blatantly confused me. The characters have interesting backstories, and I appreciate that MANY get a snippet of context, even those I didn't think were important but now find really interesting! (that includes all the black bulls!). One plus for me is that it doesn't rely on sex appeal to create great female characters despite little romance jokes.

OVERALL I'd give this an 8. It is a SOLID very good anime. I think the purpose of a review is to judge the anime as a whole, and not comparatively. In its own right, it is solid overall despite what inner flaws may be a deal-breaker for some.

This anime is perfection. Perfection wrapped up in a gyoza thrown into the steaming pits of hell, and it does not apologize for moments where you blink-back asking yourself, "Did this really happen?" Dorohedoro is an anime that HAPPENS to you, and everyone in it.

Now, for the actual review, and I promise it is **SPOILER FREE*.

Story: 9. I am not one to love mystery animes. Tbh, Death Note wasn't my cup of tea. I found DN predictable and not very exciting. But DHD is QUITE the opposite. I have no idea what will happen in the next episode and that keeps me HOOKED. The ... story takes a sort of slice of life feeling at times, and then it can flip right to gorey street fighter. But I LIKE THAT. It is so refreshing because how many anime do you come across where a guy has a lizard head and doesn't know why? It is ridiculous, it is golden. And sometimes I even expect it to get ridiculous, and then it will do something normal like a baseball game.

Art: 9. There IS better art somewhere out there, for the prude puffs who like to crinkle their nose. But this art WORKS WELL for its genre. If it was styled like idk, one of the usual big shonen, it wouldn't give the same nitty-gritty heavy-metal wonderland feel that it has. The CGI isn't perfect, obviously, but I hardly notice. I've seen countless anime and not once did I feel the art was unsatisfying. I liked it.

Excitement: 10. Easily a 10. This anime plays with your emotions in a way where you are confused one moment and then laughing the next. DHD isn't written for your entertainment. It's a whole world happening without needing to please you, and the story continues whether you get it or not. There are plenty of chuckle-worthy moments and the fights are very interesting. Powers used by characters are not generic. That brings us to...

Characters: 10, easily. I can't figure out if this anime has FEW or MANY main characters because everyone is interesting in some way, from the man with the lizard head to the man in his mouth (you read that correctly) to the villains who may or may not have magic. There are obviously disposable characters like guards or civilians, but the anime doesn't make a habit of depending on them.

Sound: 10. The voice actors work WELL, and all voices suit the characters. I do not have a preference for pop-band openings or simple piano. This opening is TRIPPY for lack of better words. But it works. All sounds and music contribute to the overall arc of confusion and grimy awe that is Dorohedoro.

This anime is worth starting. Again, ALL will not like it (hell, look at the ratings. Not everyone is dropping 10s for this unique piece). But if you are looking for something that combines the dark and mysterious feel of darker anime like Tokyo Ghoul, No Guns Life, Beast Stars, Attack on Titan, etc. Then you will enjoy this. If you are okay with some gore but also slice of life moments, you will enjoy this.

I only ask that if you don't, please don't tank the ratings. This anime will not be everyone's cup of tea, but it is in NO way a bad anime.

Carry on, and wash those hands. <3

*SPOILER FREE* This review has been many years in the making, and it is safe to say that this anime is one of the few I go back to when I am feeling down. It is impossible for me to be upset watching Yoshii make a fool of himself.

Baka To Test:

Story: 9. Granted, this is an easy category to fill for anime with a high-school setting, but some still get it wrong. For 12 episodes (though, I watched season 2 as well), the anime accomplishes what it sets out to. You say we were getting summoner test wars, and we sure got it. I give ... story a 9 rather than 10 because, honestly, it was almost too short! There were many interesting characters who I would have loved to see more on such as Yuuji, Shoko, Koda, etc. The pacing was very fair, not too fast or slow IMO, and the plot stays coherent to Yoshii and co.'s main goal (or lack of goal) from the beginning. They are high schoolers surviving at Fumizuki Academy!

Characters: 8. This story has it's fair share of stereotypical characters. The one pervert boy (not that all of them aren't, but he is ESPECIALLY nose-bleed central). The big-boob loli that loves the MC and the small-boob loli that also loves the MC. There's a couple of LGBT characters too, though they are fairly tertiary. But... what really stands out about this anime is that none of the characters are SO annoying that it hurts. I've seen anime where I just shout bc they are OVERplaying the tropes. But Baka to Test makes it funny. There is a joke around every corner.

Excitement: 10. This is a very exciting anime with a lot of hype energy. The battles are fairly fun and I found myself engrossed wondering what would happen next! There is a lot of energy during times outside of battle too, a very refreshing young feel. I first watched this in high school myself, which is the lens I view it through still.

Enjoyment: 9. Honestly, I enjoyed this beginning to end. I enjoyed the stupid jokes and how this anime doesn't take itself too seriously. I laughed at the end just as much as I laughed at the beginning.

Experience: 10. The music is perfect! It's not OUT of this world soundtrack, but IT WORKS for the anime! For an older anime, visuals rock too. I love the animation, and the opening and closing songs were fairly catchy.

Though my ratings are all over the place, I do consider this anime to be a masterpiece (10) because it is iconic on its own. It has some tropes, it is a high school anime, and students are battling, BUT there are few anime that I can compare it to and think, "Oh, another (insert type) anime." Though it is in the young ridiculous genre somewhere, I don't feel like I've watched it before. This is one of my collection favorites. It's not the BEST anime out there. Heck, I love action and dark themes more than the fun and bubbly. But I still come back to Baka to Test when I need a palette cleanser.

It is unique and worth watching at least once.

This review isn't like a lot of the other reviews. but it is honest, and my perspective. I'm going to comment on the aspects of OPM 2 that a lot of people seem to "vastly hate" and I'll explain why I don't.

The first season was fresh, new, spectacular, and exciting. And that's great! But I don't think it's fair to tank the rating of season 2 just because it isn't a duplicate. I see it as its own season in terms of story, enjoyment, etc.

THE ART: It deserves a 6 at least. Maybe a 6.5. It is FAIR art. I wonder if a lot of ... the people that say "The art is trash" are seeing it as a stand-alone or are they just comparing it to season 1. Most harsh anime critics have survived through scratchy 90s anime. Season 2 art is not BAD at all.

THE STORY: 6. I think it starts off as a 6. The story appears to follow Saitama in his daily life and introduce more characters. I think this is cool! We get to understand more about how people react to him, and the people he is building who I suspect will be important later. This is the classic hero affecting others role, and I like it. It feels familiar. We seem to forget that Saitama is ultimately doing this all for fun. I will say, the pacing is a bit slow, as in the season should have been longer. It seems like a lot of 'serious' things don't happen until the second half.

I like the story because it's about a guy who is a hero for fun, or so he thinks. I watched episode 9 recently, and I'd give it a 7 (good) because I think Saitama is developing in a self-way. We've seen entertaining things happen around him, but the recent episode seems more inward. It really pulls the plot back into being about him. While there is a moving plot, a lot of episodes are situational and still contain those little funny moments that are ridiculous.

CHARACTERS: 7 or 8 because they are pretty unique and even though some play on common anime tropes (like Puri, lmao), it doesn't feel forced. Rather, these tropes suit the ridiculousness of the One Punch world.

ENJOYMENT: I would give this as high as a 8 because it IS still enjoyable! I have had moments where I laughed super hard. Each episode, I am waiting for the next and wonder what will happen.

OVERALL: Season 2 isn't a pumped-up adrenaline rush like season 1, but I do appreciate the calm older sense of it. The overall arc I am enjoying. I like that we are learning more about the monsters, the side characters, etc. Overall, I would give this season a minimum 6.5. Maximum 7.5, depending on how the story ends, which I have hope it will be good. I think everyone is entitled to their opinion, but it makes me sad that a lot of reviews seem to get stuck on Garou or the art. I don't think those negatives keep my positives from still making it an enjoyable series.

This is my first review, but I hope it helps someone. :)