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(Spoilers up ahead to explain some of my thoughts - if you don't want to be spoiled, skip the marked portions.)
(TL;DR also at the end)

BanG Dream! Ave Mujica is Bushiroad's first attempt at a truly darker story within the otherwise bright and sunny world of BanG Dream. I had a lot of hopes that this would explore and develop a new side of the series that explored more complex character dynamics and more morally interesting personalities, but unfortunately instead, dragged down by a short runtime, poorly resolved plot threads, and a setting that prevents the story from going as dark as it was wanting to, ... this story ends up a complete and unredeemable mess.

Ave Mujica is a sequel story to BanG Dream! It's MyGO!!!, and as a result, a lot of members of Ave Mujica have connections to MyGO!!! The problem - MyGO!!! is an overwhelmingly heartwarming and positive story, and the members of MyGO!!! (and especially the lead character Tomori) come out of the MyGO!!! story with an outlook of wanting to help and be with those around them. This makes MyGO!!! a fantastic story, but it also immediately presents a problem that Ave Mujica becomes a band of members who in some respects need to be saved. A happy end of some kind must await them at the end, and Sakiko in particular (who has the closest ties to Tomori) must end up with a smile on her face, because otherwise it would make Tomori's goals and efforts feel useless.

This immediately prevents Ave Mujica from getting truly dark and twisted, and we see this with how a lot of character arcs are resolved. As a whole, character arcs felt like they led up to a climax, then they hand-waved a resolution in a handful of seconds and all of a sudden everyone's back together all well and happy.

--- SPOILERS START ---
For example, Nyamu's character focuses a lot on the contrast between her outward abrasiveness and her inward insecurities. She spends a lot of time running away from and trying to hide those insecurities and failing at it; when it seems like she's at a point where she needs to truly confront her insecurities and make a determined choice, she instead throws a half-convinced offhand comment to the rest of the Ave Mujica members that she has to be there because it's all she has left. While this could have been a good moment for her to confront her insecurities and why she was struggling to be a part of Ave Mujica in the first place, or even a moment in which she leaves Ave Mujica and makes a definitive step to move forward, instead it gets resolved immediately and with no strong decision from her, because at the end of the day the plot requires her to re-join the band. That's the predestined "good" ending she's left with.
--- SPOILERS END ---

However, it isn't just the predestination of a "happy end" that dooms the show. Its short runtime leaves many threads unresolvable, and while this is generally a reasonable approach (especially considering this has a sequel announced already), in this case it leaves the primary resolution of the series feeling incredibly unsatisfying. Mutsumi's arc has an abrupt climax right before the ending and just as abruptly as the climax appears it is immediately swept under the rug, left completely unaddressed by the final episode. Umiri gets so little proper character development after her important character revelations in the middle of the series that it's become a joke within the BanG Dream community. Uika and Nyamu have proper resolved arcs, but due to the short runtime the latter half of both of their arcs feel rushed, and it is particularly noticeable in Uika's dedicated episode which feels like it's meant to be an emotional home run but instead feels like an emotional bunt into first base.

And tying the whole thing together is Sakiko, who on the surface does not seem to have as many character issues as everyone else. She makes decisions that seem like valid choices given her incredibly tough life situations, and her backstory is sympathetic and not wholly unrealistic. However, there are a lot of problems hidden in the cracks. For one, despite being the leader of Ave Mujica, the series spends so much time on the rest of the cast that her presence does not feel incredibly strong; and this directly contrasts with how much the members of Ave Mujica hold her in such high regard as a leader, despite her not being present for many of the primary issues and conflict resolutions in the series. In addition, we don't get a strong sense of what her values are - she makes generally "morally just" decisions given her situations, but it's hard to tell what her values are. What does she feel about this band? About the members in it? What is the motivating factor for her wanting to pull everyone together, and wanting something as important as "everyone's lives"? These questions are presented strongly at the start of the series, and are ultimately never clearly answered.

The series is not all bad, however, and there are some fantastically developed scenes amidst the mess. A lot of Mutsumi's early character buildup was an incredibly interesting exploration into dissociative personality disorder, and it portrays it in a very unique way that showed what having DiD might actually feel like. Umiri's contrast between her stoic way of speech and dignified figure with her obsessive clinginess makes for a compelling character, even if this character shift (and a lot of her actions as a result of it) feel almost out of nowhere. The music is incredibly strong, and brings a much darker tone to the music of the franchise as a whole. The animation is expressive and incredibly fun or incredibly emotional depending on what is needed. There's a lot of building blocks here for something that I really wish I could have liked.

(TL;DR): In short, while what the series wanted to do with a darker plotline and a less happy story was admirable, it did not have the bandwidth to do so, and was fundamentally too tied to MyGO!!! that aiming for a plot this dark was doomed from the get-go. It finishes a confusing mess of unresolved ideas and rushed characters, resulting in an unsatisfying feeling and leaving a bad taste in my mouth. I really would not recommend this series to anyone.

Orb: On The Movements of the Earth is a story unlike any other. Truly in all of my years of watching anime, I am hard-pressed to compare it to anything else. It takes on the daunting task of telling a story that spans generations, and in doing so sheds light on the mindsets of those from a very different time from ours while still showing us that, indeed, the power of humanity is felt equally then as it is now.

(Note: TL;DR at the end)

What is the story about?

This story's premise talks about how this story is about proving heliocentrism in a world where geocentrism is ... the accepted theory, but this says nothing about what this show really wants to speak about at heart. In my opinion, the main point the series wants to discuss is one thing: belief. The story talks about the nature of all sorts of beliefs at length, be that religious belief, belief in the scientific method, or belief in oneself or others. And this exploration of belief is incredibly broad and covers a lot of people with vastly different beliefs, and as a result we see how different beliefs can result in vastly different actions even if their goals are the same.

To facilitate this portrayal of differing beliefs, the story puts a lot of emphasis on character writing, and it is an aspect in which this show shines. Each character tells a story of both an individual and a movement that the individual represents, and no character is truly evil or truly good. We get to see many characters' backgrounds, upbringings, and events that change each person's lives into what they are in the present day, making every character feel very human. Even though there are people who play a "villainous" role, the story provides enough context to have us understand that no one is acting out of a wish to be evil, but simply acting upon what they believe. And conversely, we see that even the so-called "protagonists" of the story often pursue their beliefs so strongly that they willingly commit acts of evil to achieve their cause.

The true power of this story is in its ability to show how all of these clashing beliefs, these differing people and their conflicting fundamental understandings, come together to form the movement that is humanity's progress. We get to see people fighting, butting heads, exchanging ideas, and how it is only through all of that that humanity can come to make real substantive progress. And by the fact that this story spans generations, we get to see this knowledge be passed on for future generations to inherit, which allows humanity to establish this progress as history and continues to move forward. Whether a step backward or a step forward, humanity is constantly taking steps, and this story expresses that at its core.

What the show does well

Stepping back and looking at the show itself rather than what it has to tell, as mentioned, the show does amazingly with its characters. Every character feels empathetic and even if you don't agree with what the characters believe in it's easy to see how they got to said belief. The show's visuals are stunning to back up this messaging, and the show often pans out to incredibly beautiful shots of rustic landscapes or the atmosphere, which aligns with its central story premise of being about the concept of heliocentrism. Combining stunning visuals with compelling characters, the show absolutely nails endings to character arcs, and I often found myself tearing up at the arc-finishing episodes.

The openings and endings are another powerful aspect - many who have been watching the show as it airs have picked up that the opening and ending animations constantly shift and change, aligning with the evolution of the story as it progresses. Watching the animations re-emphasize the messages the show wants to tell, and are a powerful way of reminding us the often harsh lessons the characters have learned throughout the series. The music for the openings and endings are also fantastic, and I could not be more pleased as a long-time Yorushika fan that such powerful Yorushika themes were used so well as the two ending themes.

Issues with the show

There were two main issues I found with the show. First, at times the show's pacing was awkward, and the show really loves to have characters explicitly speak their intentions and thoughts instead of express them through action, especially in the middle of arcs. While this show manages to nail beginnings and endings of arcs, these middles of the arcs can feel slow and heavy on dialogue, and this dialogue at times feels heavy handed and overly repetitive whereas other times it feels confusing and overly verbose.

In addition, as someone who cares a lot about music, the OST was often a little immersion-breaking. The OST often wasn't perfectly aligned with what was going on, and there were sparingly few tracks in the OST in general, leading to overuse of certain tracks at various scenes. Because of this, impactful scenes would sometimes feel underemphasized, and while sometimes that was intentional to emphasize a point, other times it felt less so.

Conclusion/TL;DR

Overall, this series does an impressive job of sending a powerful message about humanity and how it progresses and changes over time, and I'm truly glad to have watched it. It contains both nuanced exploration of the nature of belief, as well as raw hard-hitting moments that leverage well-written characters to deliver emotional punches. It's an absolute gem of a series, and I encourage everyone to give it at least a 3 episode try to get through the first whole arc.

This short celebrating Pokémon Day is truly a testament to the emotional range Pokémon stories can have, and to just how incredible Pokémon is as a franchise. Pulling a stacked but unexpected cast of being animated by CoMix Wave Films (Your Name, Weathering With You) and with music by Evan Call (Violet Evergarden, Frieren) x suis from Yorushika (Frieren, BokuYaba), this short does not pull punches when it comes to hitting an emotional story beat within its short runtime.

Evan Call feels right at home again writing the music for another series about the power of letters in expressing feelings to others, and the short ... does an amazing job of delivering that message, balancing some fun comedic moments with a strong emotional buildup into a climax that made me tear up. It also does an amazing job of showcasing a world of Pokémon co-existing with humans, and how much joy and wonder Pokémon brings to both children and adults alike.

In short, this short made me laugh and cry, and it's a truly fitting short to honor Pokémon on Pokémon Day. It reminded me that, in fact, I really do love Pokémon!

With the last episode of Seiyuu Radio no Uraomote finally out, I was curious to check the reviews, only to find a flurry of quite negative reviews for a series I greatly enjoyed, even among an incredibly stacked Spring season. So, I wanted to give my two cents as to why I quite enjoyed this series! (Note that, while a lot of negative or mixed reviews for this compare the adaptation to the source material, I haven't read the source material, but hey I still enjoyed the series anyways.)

The story of this show is about what you might expect from the synopsis. Without spoiling, it ... boils down to two voice actors who both admire and dislike each other, and they become good friends/rivals in the process of improving their voice acting abilities. We get to see their journey as they deal with the hardships of being voice actors, especially as young voice actors, and how that brings them together.

While this story isn't anything astonishingly new, where this show really shined was in the characters. Each character is incredibly fun and well-characterized, and have amazing synergy with each other. As you might expect, the two titular characters are a fun sort of tsundere pairing, and their antics always gave me a good laugh or smile every episode. But the side cast is also really fun too, and many of the side cast characters are so well written than I sometimes look forward to seeing them more than I look forward to seeing the main cast. From the large cast of veteran voice actors we see in the second half, to Yasumi's manager Kagasaki, to the ever-lovable overworked Asaka, to the absolute goat Mekuru, the side cast of characters was truly given a lot of love.

In addition, the show does a good job of incorporating very real aspects of voice acting that I really appreciated. We get to see the main pair interact with each other and those around them both as high schoolers and as voice actors, and it really gives a sense of how separate these lives are to them. In addition, we see a lot of aspects that make voice acting hard, as well as a bit of an insight into what things like recording sessions look like.

If I were to give some criticism to this show, it is that the more serious drama felt a little out of place in a series that sets up such light-hearted slice-of-life-esque fun early on into the show. To explain this, I'll be discussing some spoilers so:

***Spoilers Below***
While the drama about them being doxxed and rumors of them spreading on the internet felt very real at parts, it came as strong emotional whiplash compared to what I had expected from the show, as it is sprung upon us suddenly and is resolved nearly just as suddenly. While the resolution of the drama feels nice and gives room for Mekuru to really shine, which I definitely appreciated, it felt a little under-explained and too convenient; and the last episode even acknowledges this a bit as Yuhi's mom comments that they were in fact talked to on their walk from school, and that they should actually have been suspended from voice acting under the original rules of that agreement.
***End of Spoilers***

All in all, I still quite enjoyed the show, and it was something I had looked forward to week after week to enjoy during the season. If you were looking for a fun slice-of-life/comedy show, have interest in the realm of voice actors and voice acting, and/or like an enemies-to-rivals type of character dynamic, given that your heart is prepared for a little bit of serious drama interspersed into everything, I'd recommend this show for sure!

Knowing sparingly little about Touhou and having read sparingly little manga, I got this recommended to me by a friend, and for the shits and giggles I thought to try it out. Little did I know that this manga would quickly become one of my favorites, and an incredibly unknown gem that I am saddened that more people do not know about.

The characters in this story are incredibly fun, and they have strong personalities that I grew to love. The main character, Kirisame Marisa, is a particularly shining character, as her wit and strong will make her a character I always rooted for. The art ... is very solid, and you can get a good sense for what is going on in both action and non-action scenes, with a few very pretty panels interspaced between.

What really shines in my opinion, however, is definitely the story.
[NOTE: VERY MILD SPOILERS FOR THE THEMES OF THE STORY HERE - if you don't want to be spoiled about those, then skip this paragraph.]
Despite this being just 15 chapters as of the time of writing this review, the story is quite complex, covering a lot of distinctly memorable settings and a whole host of complex issues. The struggle of giving up your passions to take on adult responsibilities, the difficulties of proving yourself and leaving a mark, the wish to be recognized by others, the need for companionship, and more are touched upon in this story, all done about as well as I could have possibly hoped for such a short story.
[Very mild spoilers over.]

All that being said, I do have a few gripes. Given that I don't know Touhou and this is all black and white, there are a few moments where it is pretty difficult to tell what characters are in the panel. In addition, some of the more ancillary characters felt like they had some pretty poor motivations, and then disappear from the spotlight, which left a little bit of a bad taste in my mouth.

Despite all that, I immensely enjoyed all that I read here, and I earnestly await the last chapter. Whether you are a big Touhou fan or know absolutely nothing about Touhou, this is a wonderful short read that I recommend anyone who come across this page and/or this review. Thank you, Ashiyama, for blessing us with this story.

The story of a human who can turn into a cat, a cat world and a human world... A light-heartedly unique story on the surface, this movie is truly a honest, loveable, relatable, and enjoyable movie all around.

*Spoiler-free review, although I do spoil the trailers a bit, so go watch those first if you're interested*

Story: 9
The story, on the surface, seems fairly interesting. It has supernatural elements, romance elements, and tells a romance story in a somewhat unique way. I kept that in mind when I started to watch the movie. Honestly, as a person who isn't a huge fan of the supernatural, I initially ... found the story to just be a tad bit ridiculous. However, as the movie went on, the movie became both more relatable and more enjoyable. The supernatural elements were interwoven with the romance elements, and the story becomes much more realistic as it sheds light on the characters' situations. In the end, NakiNeko is a really enjoyable story, and while it has some flaws, I really enjoyed it.

Art: 9
Not much to say here. This fits my preferred artstyle completely, and while I can't give it a 10 as it isn't like over the top amazingly good, if you've seen the trailer, you'll realize what I mean in that the artstyle is both cute and beautiful at times, and it fits the tone of the movie well. Also, the cats are incredibly cute!

Sound: 10
I would be lying if I were to say that the music isn't what drew me to the movie at first. I am a big fan of Yorushika, and the insert song "Ghost in a Flower" is one of my favorite Yorushika songs. So when I heard Yorushika would be composing the music for this movie, as well as the fact that "Ghost in a Flower" would be in the movie, I knew I had to see it. And, well, I wasn't disappointed. If you are a J-pop rock fan like me, all of the insert songs and endings in this movie are beautiful. The OST fits perfectly too; it captured really well the feelings of tension, relaxation, and sadness when it needed to, and wasn't very intrusive (which is a good thing). The sound takes a back seat most of the time, and when it is in the front, it is amazing.

Character: 9
As mentioned in the Story section, I found the story to be a bit absurd at first. And this was in part due to the characters. At the start, the characters seem to be full of personality; however, some of their personalities just didn't fully make sense. However, as the movie went on, they explained why each character acted in the way they did. This was done very gradually, and about halfway through the movie I came to the sudden realization that I had started to like the characters. The character development is subtle yet effective, and I was really invested by the end. While character development started slow, I came to really relate to the characters.

Enjoyment: 10
Overall, the movie was incredibly enjoyable. I felt invested in the romance and the supernatural elements despite not being much of a fan of the supernatural genre. The connection to animals is really well done, and I came out of the movie with a giant smile on my face. It is also one of the better interpretations of school romance, as it idealizes it enough to make an enjoyable movie, while not making it too unrealistically positive. This is really where the movie shines.

Overall: 10
I'd say that this movie isn't for everyone. But, if you're a fan of the romance genre, and think cats are cute? This is the movie for you.

Ok, let me just preface this by saying this:

What's with all the salty manga readers giving terrible reviews and still getting to the top of the review charts? OBVIOUSLY it's hard to match the amazingly dynamic and fluid fight scenes of the first season, but that's no reason to just go "uGh, iT's sO gArBaGe", like come on get over your elitism. It wasn't even close to "viciously murdered by J.C. Staff".

Now that I've scared away all of the readers, here is my review of this season:

(Very mild spoiler warning)

Story: 9

The arc that this is adapting from the webcomic/manga marks a tonal shift from everything ... prior, as it shifts into a more regular hero show dynamic. Garou, a major antagonist, gets introduced in this season and is developed throughout the episodes; there is a Monster Association which serves as the major antagonistic group and the antithesis of the Hero Association, and the One Punch Man himself is put on the backburner for the most part as the story focuses on some interesting side characters and plots. There is a nice alternation between the comedy of Saitama and King (who I'll get into later) and the action of Genos, Bang and others fighting the Monster Association and Garou, all while an overarching Monster Association scheme unfolds. It is a nice change of pace, and both the anime and the manga adapt this arc quite well.

Art: 5

This is really the main failure of this season to most people, and while it's obvious the art isn't as amazing as the original, and might not even be amazing on its own right, it isn't as atrocious as people make it out to be. Sure, some characters don't seem to be as well drawn and animated for their part as the first season, but the animation is acceptable, with a few shinign scenes of great animation. Aside from the lackluster adaptation the art is faithful to the original, and for that I can't fault it too much.

Sound: 8

The music is just as good as the original series, with Makoto Miyazaki and JAM Project back for the OST and the opening, respectively. I don't have much to say about the OST other that while the music isn't absolutely mind-blowing, it is really fitting for the show and is as hype as ever. And, although the opening is not as hype and catchy as the original, that would have been hard to match with any band doing the music anyways.

Characters: 10

This is the other part of the show that shines, besides the story. The introduction of 2 major things makes the character dynamic as good as, if not better than, the original: Garou and his dynamic with the Monster Association, and King and his dynamic with Saitama.

*mild spoilers about Garou*
Garou is a new character which matches some of the archetypes of a monster antagonist while also being fresh and unique. He is a monster who seeks to take down the hero hierarchy and pridefulness, which is similar to other monsters in other shows. However, what makes him different is that he distinctly rejects monsterdom as well. He chooses to take the moral ideals of what a hero is supposed to be, and tries to incite true heroes to rise, but he uses the methodology of monsters by taking down heroes, thus being unique and introducing a moral dilemma into the show. Due to his rejection of the pure evil of monsterdom, he runs into conflict with the Monster Association, who wants to recruit him despite him not wanting to join.
*end of Garou spoilers*

*mild King spoilers*
King, on the other hand, represents an antithesis to Saitama. Whereas Saitama is an insanely strong hero with strong ideals of justice but isn't recognized for his heroism, King is acclaimed for heroism despite not having the ideals of a hero nor the strength. What this does is creates a unique relationship between King and Saitama, as they become friends despite this. Comedy arises due to King's insane video game skill (which is what King and Saitama do in their free time), and King gets to avoid even more conflict by having Saitama around him. King is developed as a character as well, as he isn't completely defenseless due to his intelligence and intimidating look (and fame).
*end of King spoilers*

Lastly is Saitama. Saitama isn't the focus of this season at all, instead being a catalyst for change in many side and main characters. He, through his various past heroic acts, incited many people to gain bravery and seek to be a hero, and these characters who have changed due to Saitama get introduced here in this season. Although it is a big shift from the first season, this character composition is arguably much more interesting.

Enjoyment: 8

This show is known for its enjoyment due to the first season. Its comedy in the first season makes the show very interesting and endearing. Although this season marks a downgrade in the art, and the story type and idea shift, I would say that this season is arguably as enjoyable as the original. A lot of characters get introduction and development, interesting fights are played out, and the comedy is still there, albeit in less quantity.

Overall: 8

I bashed on the haters of this season earlier, but I understand where they are coming from. I personally don't agree, but I do completely understand that this show was a disappointment compared to the earlier hype. I think that this season was just crushed by the hype of its predecessor, but even then this show still holds up as a solid entry and a fairly good and enjoyable adaptation of a very new and interesting arc in the One Punch Man series.

*No spoilers, it would truly disrupt the experience of the movie to get even the smallest spoilers*

It is truly a rare experience to be so affected by an anime that you sit for hours just thinking about the meaning of love and of life.

But that's exactly what this movie did to me. Although its plot seems and is cliche, cliche things can be perfected to a tee to give an amazing experience (for example, Hero Academia).

Before I say more, let's just get into the categories.

Story: 10

This story is no doubt cliche. There is a main female character, who is extroverted, and a main male character, ... who is introverted, and they get a close relationship through a chance encounter, and the female character has a disease that shortens her lifespan. I can name several shows with this exact plot (a notable example being Your Lie in April).

But it is exactly because it's so cliche that the story is so precious. It doesn't bother to explain the disease, or to explain.forcefully show that the boy is introverted or the girl is extroverted, it becomes clear very quickly. It thus focuses on character development and a development of each character's philosophy, which is what makes this movie so thought provoking.

Art: 10

The art is beautiful. Sure, it can't capture the astounding beauty of Your Name, or the masterful animation of A Silent Voice, but is definitely beautiful, and always scene-appropriate. There is one scene in particular (which I can't spoil) which is the perfect moment to ramp up the animation quality, and they took the opportunity to do just that, resulting in arguably the most beautiful scene in the entire movie.

Sound: 10

This movie isn't skimping on the soundtrack. Each song is carefully crafted for the moment. But the highlights of the music in this movie are the 3 Sumika songs (Fanfare - Opening, Himitsu - Insert Song, and Haru Natsu Aki Fuyu - Ending). Sumika is amazing at conveying happiness with sadness, which is why these songs will stick with me forever. They combine the happy, optimistic themes with the sad, somber themes of the movie and accurately convey the right mood at the right moment.

Characters: 10

This is, in my opinion, where this movie shines. Every detail about the characters, from their look to personality to philosophy to every statement they make is carefully planned out to form a picture of what all these characters are like. And each character gives a unique and profound perspective on the core ideas of this movie, which is the importance of love, life, and self-identity.

The reason I sat with my head in my lap for several hours after watching this movie is due to the small details all building to a large event which, for the sake of not spoiling anything, I can't say anything about. That is where this movie really blows all others out of the water, even Your Name and A Silent Voice.

Enjoyment: 10

This movie was just so much fun to watch. It had interesting characters interacting in interesting ways, the perfect mood and scenery at any given moment, and just this comfortable feel to it, like you were there at the moment. And that immersion is exactly why this movie is so enjoyable.

Overall: 10

Overall, this movie is a major feels train, with amazing attention to detail. Although it may not stand out as much as the breakout hits like Your Name and A Silent Voice, this movie is on par with, and in my opinion better, than those movies. It really forces you to reconsider societal ideas of many common topics, and is ultimately an extremely heartwrenching movie, despite knowing full well the main female character, Sakura, is going to die. It is definitely worth a watch. (Make sure to have some tissues with you though)

No Spoilers

Although I understand the sentiment of this anime being quite boring for the first 4 episodes (as all the top reviews have listed), this anime is a masterpiece by KyoAni, and although it doesn't necessarily live up to all the hype it received, does that really matter when enjoying a delightful anime?

Story: 10

Although the first few episodes are seemingly pointless, they do a great job at developing the idea that Violet really struggles to understand emotions. Although many side characters seem quite flat, they really help boost the story in one of the best climaxes of a coming-of-age emotional anime I have ever seen ... (if you are wondering, it's episode 9). Major Gilbert and Claudia really develop as characters, gaining dimension in episodes 6-9, and it is just a joy to see Violet grow and learn how to express emotions.

Art: 10

KyoAni. Do I have to say anymore?
But in all seriousness, have you seen the graphics? They are STUNNING, and boost the show in so many ways.

Sound: 9

The soundtrack is very wonderful, and the orchestral music is very moving. I just think that some of the music is lackluster compared to others. AMAZING ending song, though. Michishirube is so beautiful and emotional, and fits the show so well.

Character: 8

I can see where some may be turned off. Violet is flat and uninteresting in the first few episodes, but if you can take this as Violet just being inexperienced with emotions, all the flat main and side characters really develop. But I can understand why some may give bad ratings for this show having only watched 3-4 episodes.

Enjoyment: 10

This show is just such a joy, and I look forward to each Thursday when I can watch the next episode. Violet's maturing is so heartwarming, and the side characters slowly becoming accustomed to Violet gives this show so much charm. I really recommend this anime for its enjoyable nature, if not for anything else.

Overall: 10

If you can accept that Violet is just mot emotionally mature at first, this show becomes a feels trip and a beautiful, heart-melting anime that is worth every episode. Looking back on the first episodes, having watched later ones (especially episode 9), there is a feeling of satisfaction and happiness just seeing how cold and unemotional she was before, and seeing how well she grew. I absolutely recommend this anime to anyone looking for great music, visuals, and a charming story that will surely make you cry.

*No spoilers*

I recently watched this movie after seeing its ratings slowly climb the MAL charts. It was impressive how many people were rating it so highly, so, disappointed about Kimi no Na Wa and looking for another movie, I watched this one, and was not disappointed. This movie is truly inspirational and taught me a thing or two about bullying, and how to properly incorporate philosophy into an anime film.

Story: 7

Nothing incredible here. There were some plot holes here and there, but overall the creators managed to use the time space very well and created a condensed but relatively complete adaptation of the original story. ... The concept is good, the story is explained fairly well, and the plot is very compelling. Stories about relatable topics do not show up too often in anime films, so this was a refreshing change.

Art: 10

Sticks to the original art, which is great. The art still looks beautiful, and the scenes are well animated, as seen from the poster art.

Sound: 9

The sound fits very well. The opening is OK, but the emotional scenes are amplified by the emotional music. The very ending, and essentially the climax of the film has amazing music, and the ending theme is catchy, inspirational, and very fitting, so all I can complain about is that the scenes where not much is happening emotionally or tory-wise should still have sone sort of moving BGM.

Characters: 10

This is where this story stands out. As a story about bullying should, the characters here are very realistic and not static. All of the characters change significantly throughout the story, especially the main character, Ishida Shouya. Very symbolically, in my opinion, the main female character, Nishimiya Shouko, doesn't change at all. This is reflected on at the end of the story, making the characters seem even more full and realistic. Overall, the characters make this film very active, realistic, and very emotional.

Enjoyment: 10

This film definitely makes itself enjoyable. I made sure to set aside a whole straight 2 hours to watch this film, and it was a good idea because as you sit and watch the whole film straight, the characters seem very fun, and you start to enjoy the movie more. This film is very enjoyable throughout the film, and it knows very well when it should be funny and when it should be serious or emotional.

Overall: 10

Even with its somewhat holed storyline, I believe that this movie deserves a solid 10/10, and everyone anywhere should go watch it. It is a very inspirational movie about voice and how you can lose it without even being deaf or mute, and how emotions can affect how you mature. Thanks for your time!