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I first started reading the manga mainly from the style and expressiveness of the character design, and the anime did not disappoint in that regard, especially during the fights and fluid and weighty movement. And the banter between Okarun and Momo is the other highlight as they have a contentious friendship with a burgeoning romance underneath it. I don't see many relationships having something like this that doesn't feel forced or tacked-on, but Yukinobu Tatsu balances this and makes it feel realistic, between them and all the other characters. Even in 12 episodes, plenty of ridiculous shit happens that everyone accepts fine at face-value, and ... the realistic interactions ground everything else going on. Tatsu's design for monsters and enemies, of the spirit and alien variety, seem to come from taking something real and making a caricature of it, and working from there. In the last episode that's most obvious as those enemies sit in the middle between the average middle-aged Japanese adult and exaggerating those features into something grotesque. Seeing that inspiration is cool to see just by itself.

Dandadan doesn't have the same structure as other shonen battle anime, but it's great at having all the moments of humor, action, idiosyncrasy, and tragedy all available from one episode to the next.

This is the kind of anime where I see a short video posted on Twitter and something about the design piques my interest and makes me want to check it out. The clip I saw was one of the more restrained horny jokes from the first episode, but it was the 90s design and backgrounds that made me interested. I really like the design of the characters and how it presents real workplaces and indoor environments. Whenever Kintaro is working, there's a comfy atmosphere to wherever he is, like the light reflecting off the water and onto the ceiling when he's a swimming instructor.

I see ... two things that go on in Golden Boy that make it good and funny and not some ecchi pornography. The first is Kentaro wanting to have sex with these women, but at the same time wanting to learn and be helpful, and that trait winning out by the end of the episode when he just leaves even after he's won the women over. The other is that he's unskilled to start, and underestimated by his boss and coworkers and he always becomes very proficient, but never at the expense of who he is as a goofy guy.

Also, the first episode where all the women at the software company are sleeping at their desks from pulling an all-nighter, and one shot is a woman sleeping on her crossed arms at her desk, while the mouse dangles off of it was like reading a Shakespeare play and coming across some line that is used often even today.

From what I had heard about FLCL, and from the visuals, I could understand how people say that its similar to Gurren Lagann and Kill la Kill in its stylization, fast-pace, and energy like a rock song, as well as a silly, Looney Tunes sense of humor and not winking about it. And I've seen enough pictures of Mamimi smoking a cigarette on the internet to know that there are mature themes of melancholy and the tug between trying to move beyond some painful event and retreating into your comfort zone. What I didn't expect was it to take cues on its emotional core from ... Neon Genesis Evangelion. This feels like a condensed version of NGE's emotional story of Shinji, but about maturing instead of depression and isolation.

Everyone says this about FLCL, but it captures the variety of emotions that go on in middle and high school that don't contradict but don't always overlap. Nothing every happens and yet a lot does. The near constant pop-punk or grunge riffs in the background and actual songs that play are great.

I got inspired to see GTO thanks to all the memes online like Onizuka facing towards the camera and the YouTube video mixing both OPs and MF DOOM's One Beer Left and Mother's Basement video on other types of shonen anime and manga. He puts this as a slice of life before it became more popular to have some cozy hobby with moe girls displayed with little interpersonal drama. That fits, but it is also funny, almost to the point of gag anime in the early episodes. I love how it doesn't shy away from the premise of a former criminal who becomes a middle ... school teacher, by making some of the earliest episodes showing that he's a perv and the kids trying to get him fired by trapping him in compromised situations. Of course the joke is that it never reaches anything serious, and anytime it even comes close, Onizuka acts more naive than anything else. It reminds me of all the panty jokes in Daily Lives of High School Boys.

That main idea of not shying away from more controversial topics or actions between Onizuka and all the students drives the humor and the heartwarming or poignant moments. I remember reading comments on the earlier episodes trying to keep track of how many laws Onizuka breaks while trying to get back at and discipline his students, and he always seems to discipline them in a way most appropriate for them to understand that they've done something wrong, but can still be forgiven. The jokes can be repeated sometimes, but it never reaches the quality of hit and miss like other, solely humor focused anime. My only other negative besides that is that the animation is bare-bones at times or stiff during some action.

I have to thank Mother's Basement's video on The Other Side of Shounen for reminding me and encouraging me to watch this. Just like in Grand Blue, it seems like the funniest jokes are in the first few episodes, not that I think its on purpose, but it does feel deflating. As a gag anime, I feel like its destined to be hit or miss on the jokes, but was good overall. Compared to other comedy anime I've seen its interesting how this isn't trying to be too surreal or cartoony with its jokes, but more about exaggerated awkward situations or games high school boys ... would actually do and that the characters have changes in their personalities and don't always act the same way.

You could really call this a time capsule of 2008 with the flip phones and liberal use of the r-slur thats starting to come back in vogue.

It kinda stinks that the mini show at the end with the high school girls is generally as funny and has a much better op than the actual op and ed.

Anime's main view of medieval western fantasy is either as a dark fantasy of punishing terror or as a fun play area for isekai or some video game adjacent setting. It's funny how two popular anime come out within half a year of each other that are both really well made and have a, what I will call, light-hearted view of fantasy, with Frieren and Dungeon Meshi. I don't mean light-hearted as silly or superficial, but as optimistic of humanity and focuses on the bonds of friendship more than any other theme or some defined mission. (I also just realized that Frieren is basically fantasy ... Star Trek) I don't love Frieren like I do Dungeon Meshi though.

Many reviewers will point out the great animation, setting, characters, story, and music, but I love how expressive and well-defined the characters are. The main draw of the show is that the characters will cook meals based on what is around them and that resourcefulness also applies to how they work and interact as a team in solving problems, not merely that someone's specialty will perfectly fit into one specific problem. And the actual adventure they're on exploring the dungeon is thrilling and does not ever feel like its running through the motions, especially as it goes through triumphs, failures, silly and introspective moments without ever clashing with the rest of the show. Oh, and comedy that's actually funny, that's always a positive in my book.

The basic plot of this show is what would it be like to live in a fantasy setting like Lord of the Rings long after Sauron is defeated, and in this show, it's from the perspective of an elf who will live for millenniums. Her view of time is elongated and she does not have the same concerns with time as humans do. She's patient and can be lost in her world of finding rare spells, but finds new purpose in trying to enjoy her time with the people she has with her. The last episode summarizes these ideas well as the journey with all ... its small detours and moments with people is as important as the destination. I would not call this slice of life, but a slow fantasy (like Dungeon Meshi), where there are still fights and adventures and magic, but that is only an effect of the writing of the characters and their relationships, which is great and doesn't feel too serious or silly. The production has great animation and sound design (the foley at the beginning of episode 27 is great). My only knock against it is that I don't have an affinity for this like I do with Dungeon Meshi, but that's just me.

Jujutsu Kaisen season 2 had beautiful animation and art direction for nonstop action throughout the two arcs. At most there was half an episode that went without a fight, and they all had such interest and care put into them. There are too many to remember but some of the standouts were Yuji versus Choso, Sukuna versus Jogo and later Mahoraga, and of course the real finale of Yuji versus Mahito. They all come to mind with different color palettes, locations, fighting styles, and degrees of power unleashed. Sukuna has an awe-inspiring display of energy even in his destruction, but never to the point of ... losing all sense of threat or scale with the other characters.

Both arcs are full of intense action and revealing more about the characters and how they see the world through their conflicts. Pro-humanity and anti-humanity are the basics that lead to the events of this season, but there is an intermingling between the different reasons the villains ally themselves and how they push the jujutsu sorcerers to a new understanding of themselves. There are a lot of casualties and new alliances. Yuji has a whole fraternity now, and the ending sums up how the tough choices of the Shibuya Incident have left sides entrenched and left out heroic characters as outcasts.

A show called Heavenly Delusion kind of gives that game away that everything the characters are after will not be what they seem. That applies in so many ways to Kiruko and Maru with what they're after and who they really are.

Some people seem to take issue with what goes on at the end for being over the top or something, but the whole show is very violent, a bit gory, and always carries a weight to these conflicts. There's a double suicide in this show, but rape is a step too far apparently. It even goes the opposite way as even in a ... bleak setting of scavenging a post-apocalypse characters are still making jokes and falling in love with each other. It's that well-roundedness that's so nice to see, but never falls too far into being perverted.

The animation, design, filmography, all that director and production stuff is great and looks beautiful. Every room is sparse but detailed on how someone is living there, and even unnamed characters have something that shows they're their own person. Kiruko and Maru are great as a duo and their sibling-like relationship.

It seems like the manga keeps the storylines separate, but I was fine with having the two stories be put together and contrast each other in their lifestyles. I like the kids at the school and Maruko.

Cowboy Bebop: The Movie does have the feeling of one long episode that can sometimes feel relaxed, but also languid, honestly. I know there are so many shots that make for a good gif and #mood post, but between that and some of the dialogue not really fitting the characters, or even feeling too stereotypical, I do think this is a step back from the show, but a small one. The music is as good as ever, mainly paired with action scenes that you can't take you eyes off of like Spike flying the Swordfish or the ISSP raid on the water treatment plant. On ... the YouTube video for that last scene there are comments about how realistic the police move in teams and check corners, and that applies to the whole movie with its emphasis on people's clothing, moving in crowds, or small little things they do with such a careful fidelity.

The movie's plot reminds me a bit of Halloween III: Season of the Witch and The Batman with the Halloween inspired terrorist attack. Vincent's backstory is also a bit of a mix of Spike's and Faye's, but his plan to kill everyone and sort the wheat from the chaff and get into Heaven is a bit flimsy and too abstract. All in all its a good time and worth watching whether you've seen the show or not in my opinion.