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Feb 28, 2023
Chances are, if you're even on the MAL page for this series in the first place, this is the kind of thing that appeals to you.
It's nothing new, and if I'm being completely honest, likely the least original thing I've ever read. It's chock full of every kind of trope you've seen in a different entry on NovelUpdates. But personally I'm not looking for something to blow me away; I'm just looking for something to keep me occupied and put a silly little smile on my face for a night, and that's what you'll get from this series. Every single character is a walking stereotype
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and some of the scenes are so obnoxiously corny that you almost wish you picked something else, but overall it's not a terrible experience.
If you're as easily entertained as I am, and also have way too much free time like I do, this series is worth checking out.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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Oct 14, 2022
It's been quite a while since I've found myself this hooked on a story of any kind. Souboutei Kowasubeshi excels at thoroughly engaging the reader through a maze of mystery and the unknown, as there's always a plot twist waiting around every few chapters, and one's entire perception of the narrative as a whole can be shifted in the span of a few pages.
This is a story best reviewed with the finer details left out, as the mystery of the "mysterious mansion in the Numanakarai region of Tokyo" unravels with each flip of a page, until the mansion itself seems almost infinitesimal in comparison to
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the overall scope of the story, and the many parts that work within it. As is the case with many mystery series, the more knowledge a reader has going in, the less the expansion of the plot impacts you. Given only the knowledge of the mansion's existence and the fates that befall most who have entered it, Souboutei Kowasubeshi can take the reader on a journey in which they're met with every emotion a human is capable of feeling, cranked up to 10.
One of this series' most interesting aspects is its pacing. Levels of action one would expect a manga series to stretch out across months are experienced in the span of a week in Souboutei Kowasubeshi. From roughly chapter 100 to the chapter I've caught up to (translation teams are still working on it, will update when all chapters are translated), the characters have been navigating the mysteries of Souboutei in the span of the same day. It truly baffles the reader when the true scale of time is contextualized through seemingly unimportant dialogue.
Such a phenomenal series being so seldom rated on here should be illegal. Beneath its vague synopsis, Souboutei Kowasubeshi hides one of the most engaging mystery stories manga has to offer, and deserves to be given a chance by any reader.
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
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Sep 28, 2022
Gokurakugai follows the daily lives of Tao and Alma, who run the Gokuraku Troubleshooter's Office, an out-of-the-way business that aims to "solve problems." They appear to be nothing more than a lovable goofball and his serious female counterpart getting into shady business, until the series bares its true supernatural fangs near the end of chapter 1. Though I'm not typically interested in shounen series to begin with, I find that this series has a lot of potential as its stunning art style and impressive balance between "cool" and "funny" work greatly in its favor.
Though there may only be 3 chapters translated as is, I think
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Alma's background of being half-"calamity" will surely make him into a very interesting character as the series examines the troubled mind of someone who is constantly made to kill his own kind, akin to the story of Alucard in the Hellsing series.
The dynamic between Tao and Alma is something I also think can (and will) be expanded on greatly, as the two of them have already been shown to be very likeable characters and appear to have a deep history and connection that the reader will surely be made aware of as the series progresses.
I think this series has the potential to reach the heights of modern shounen mainstays, and if you get in on the ground floor you'll have bragging rights over your friends for years to come.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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Aug 26, 2022
I once heard Vinland Saga be referred to as "Character development the manga", and I think that's the closest one can get to encapsulating Vinland Saga in 4 words or less. From the moment that page 1 is flipped, Makoto Yukimura begins crafting one of the most exciting fictional settings in manga, without the use of any fantasy or supernatural phenomena. To place a story in the era of the Vikings requires a deep understanding of such cultures and even the technologies available to the region of Scandinavia at the time in which it's set, which are encapsulated beautifully as Vinland Saga examines hard-hitting topics
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such as religious fervor and revenge. Through Thorfinn's story and that of those around him, Vinland Saga tells a story of revenge and how it clouds one's judgment to the point that their life becomes hollow once the need for revenge is gone, and through his decade-long blind rage, Thorfinn manifested an upbringing from which he can never truly escape. As the cast of characters is overwhelmingly comprised of Norsemen, religious topics such as Valhalla and Ragnarok are consistently mentioned, as it aims to portray exaggerated religious zeal as a means to one's own end. Vinland Saga's greatest strength is in its incredibly complex and entertaining characters, so it's no surprise that Askeladd, the main antagonist of the first 4 volumes, is the greatest manga antagonist out of anything I've ever read and ever will read.
Vinland Saga opens in 11th century Iceland, a very interesting time and place that (to my knowledge, of course) a majority of mangakas would simply overlook. The Vikings were an incredibly interesting group of peoples that have obviously seen their fair share of coverage in Western media, but I'm not sure the same can be said about Japan. Placing a story in such a time with such people requires an great amount of knowledge on how Norsemen lived back then, and their thought processes. Makoto Yukimura of course executes this beautifully as each character truly represents Vikings and their relentless pursuits of glory and honor.
Such a pursuit can be seen in the story of Thorfinn, who from the age of ~5 sets out to avenge his father Thors' death by slaughtering the man who killed him: Askeladd. From the moment Thors is slain, the true seething hatred emanating from each of Thorfinn's words can be not only read--but felt-- by the reader as he interacts with the cruel world around him. Challenging Askeladd to duels at any chance he gets, Thorfinn's rage truly blinds him as no matter how good of a fighter he may be, Askeladd always has the advantage of levelheadedness on his side, and can always goad him into acting out of emotion and not careful consideration. Such a cycle continues for many years until his untimely (or timely, depending on the reader's opinion of him) end at the hands of Prince Canute, at which point Thorfinn is left with no aim in his life. It's imperative that we live for our own benefit and not the downfall of others, and Vinland Saga proves this flawlessly.
The life Thorfinn lived during his pursuit of revenge was nothing short of legendary, having fought face to face with Thorkell and even winning a duel against him. Such feats garnered a reputation for him that far outlived his desire to commit acts of violence. Especially due to his familial ties to the Jomsvikings, his help was nothing short of demanded in the search for a new chieftain. No matter how much he plead that he no longer wished to live that lifestyle, his reputation preceded him and he was left with no choice but to face his past head-on, which is something that many can learn from. Blocking out the negative aspects of our pasts yields no long term benefit; instead we must embrace it and accept the things that have molded us into the people we are today.
Seeing as the series takes place in such a time and location as Viking-era Scandinavia, it's no surprise that Valhalla is such a common topic to be brought up. Valhalla being the Norse equivalent of Heaven in a sense, it's seen as a rite of passage for all of the greatest warriors to be sent here upon their valiant deaths. Such tales inspire such fiery religious zeal in its adherents that many men will live their lives constantly in and out of battle just to be seen as a "true warrior", even after death. What truly leads me to believe that Vinland Saga wishes to dissuade such ways of thinking is one singular moment in the latter half of what's currently translated in which an unfortunate soldier is slain in a seemingly unimportant conflict. Upon his death, instead of simply returning the story's focus to the battle at hand, we as the readers are given a bone-chilling look into what has happened to this man after passing; despite dying valiantly in battle he is not sent to Valhalla, and there are no angels and no mead to be found. Only an infinite darkness encompasses him as he desperately shouts upon deaf ears that the postmortem "life" they so desperately sought was nothing but a lie. Although what happens after death cannot truly be known, the idea that Yukimura seems to be expressing is that religious fervor clouds one's judgment and should not dictate how one carries themselves, at least not to the point of thrusting yourself into harm's way at any given moment.
By this point, it's no secret that Vinland Saga has some of the most beautifully written characters in manga. Such is the case with Askeladd, as his backstory and everything surrounding him is so complex and interesting that no matter what, I can't help but like him. Despite being (objectively) a bad person by way of his actions, throughout the series he always maintained an air of "coolness" and likability that made it difficult for his actions to sway one's opinion of him, in my experience. He truly possessed the wisdom one would come to expect from a man ten times his age, as he taught Thorfinn some of the most valuable lessons in his life and was a surprisingly good father figure to Thorfinn, whether you want to see him as such. Even after his death he still guided Thorfinn through life during his appearances in his dreams, assisting him in dealing with the gnawing agony of the regret he feels about all of the senseless murder he's committed in his lifetime. Even the circumstances of his death were profoundly respectable as he refused King Sweyn's ultimatum and instead chose the outcome in which his mother country of Wales can be spared as well as Prince Canute, whose cause he truly believed in.
It's difficult to wrap it all together in one conclusive final paragraph, but I can truly say that Vinland Saga is one of the greatest manga series ever written, and deserves to have its place cemented among other widely recognized classics as the years pass. All 195 chapters I've currently read contain some of the greatest writing I've personally read, and I'm sure to never forget the slew of emotions felt over the month or so spent on the series this summer.
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
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Jul 24, 2022
Honestly, I don't know how I'd even begin to describe this show. If someone were to ask me, "So what is Canaan even about?" I don't think I'd be able to give them an answer. But I think this ambiguity works in Canaan's favor as the series can point the audience in the direction of the characters as they slowly unravel the mystery of everyone's past. You're thrown into the story as if you were halfway through a season, and the show puts together the pieces as the episodes go on. I'd liken it to Darker than Black, which happens to be a favorite of
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mine. Another thing I found to be incredibly compelling about this show is the way it depicts the downfalls of living your life solely for another person.
"Canaan" throws the audience right into the middle of the story, introducing multiple characters who seem to know far more about the backstory than you do. Some may dislike this since it makes the series harder to follow in the beginning, but as for me, I think it's a very intriguing concept that more narratives (whether they be manga, light novels, anime originals, and any other form of western media as well) should take advantage of, as a story that builds the past, present, and future around itself as it progresses is something I really enjoy. Such a method of storytelling also allows for the audience to really get to know each character and how they fit into the grand scheme of things, and considering how interesting and complex every character is in Canaan, this works immensely in the show's favor. Every episode you're made aware of how two seemingly unrelated characters know each other, or what some character did in their past and how it affects the present day affairs of everyone. There's a lot of great things to be said about a plot that continuously thickens from beginning to end.
My 2nd point isn't quite as straightforward as the first, as your interpretation of this may be different than mine. I found that the show really emphasized the importance of living for yourself, and how devoting your life entirely to one person will only lead to more pain. I've heard a lot of people online saying things like "I stay alive because my mom would be sad if I was gone" or "My dogs would miss me if I died" and it's always bothered me that people place such little value on their lives. The story of Maria and Canaan's friendship lends credence to my point, in that Maria's constant dependence on Canaan as the light in her life only left her more troubled as the ending neared. My favorite quote from the show is proof of this: "You're my light, Canaan. You keep shining straight on, even to the end of the world. But being loved and illuminated by you has cast a shadow inside a corner of my heart." Leaving no room in your heart for yourself is a dangerous game that led to the downfall of multiple others throughout the series, which is what led me to believe that this was the message the show aimed to present: one of putting yourself above others and valuing yourself as a person.
I started Canaan looking for all the cool action scenes I saw in an AMV and left feeling more grounded in my ideals regarding self-worth. If you're just looking for something that'll keep you occupied for a while, I'd suggest finding another show to watch. This is a show worth paying attention to, and it's been my goal in this review to prove that.
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
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Jul 21, 2022
Sasayaku You ni Koi wo Utau takes a whole heap of inspiration from Yagate Kimi ni Naru/Bloom into You. I'd be the world's biggest liar if I tried to tell you otherwise. Although this may be true, I see it as a huge positive. I've made it clear in the past that I am a firm believer in the fact that a narrative doesn't have to be original to be good. With art that beautiful, Takeshima Eku could've plagiarized it word for word and I wouldn't mind.
In my opinion, Sasayaku You ni Koi wo Utau's biggest advantage over Bloom into You is the wholesomeness factor,
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in that this series will make you smile more than you ever knew you could. To quote myself, I "can't believe I let a silly gay manga get me in such a good mood". The slight changes in art style to depict certain emotions, while not unique to this series, is something I love and think benefits the story greatly, given that Himari may be the cutest manga character in existence. Simple things like drawing her in a simpler way with dog ears in a cute manner are enough to keep you smiling long after you close the book or website.
This series' biggest strength, by a wide margin, is its art. Such a detailed and vibrant expression of emotions through this medium has truly set it apart from any other Yuri series, and even romance series as a whole. Many romance mangakas opt for a simpler style for whatever reason, whether it be to enhance cuteness or due to their own limitations (let it be known that I cannot draw whatsoever, and do not mean this as an insult) and I think Takeshima Eku truly outdid himself here. The previously mentioned slight alterations in style paired with the absolutely gorgeous art of every other panel is something no romance series I've heard of has even come close to doing.
There are only 33 chapters translated as I'm writing this, so it's not a huge demand of your time to go ahead and read it. Which I think you should.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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Jul 2, 2022
Some may see this story as just a bunch of Final Destination-esque scenes depicting senseless violence. They aren't entirely wrong.
Another is definitely one of the most interesting anime shows I've watched, simply due to how mysterious and suspenseful it was. The many twists and turns the story took genuinely shocked me multiple times and created such a terrifying atmosphere that I couldn't keep my eyes off of.
It'll lead you down one train of thought before abruptly subverting every expectation you had built up over the previous episodes. You never truly know what's going to happen next, and I think that's something that very few
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mystery anime do effectively. I usually have a good eye for predicting how shows/movies will end, but every prediction I had during the course of the show was always completely off the mark. The biggest strength of the story itself is definitely the way it can make you think you know exactly what's happening and exactly how the conflict will be resolved while being completely wrong.
Now onto the big issue that many have with Another--unnecessary violence. I think that criticism of this aspect of the show is definitely warranted, as that many people definitely didn't need to die. I personally like to see this as a positive, though. It sounds grim to say, but some deaths in the show genuinely provided comic relief, as they were just so obnoxious and unrealistic that it just became more funny than scary.
I think that if you haven't been spoiled on any part of Another, it is something you should definitely consider watching if horror and suspense are up your alley. It was a nice break from the usual rom-coms I find myself checking out, that's for sure.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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May 31, 2022
If I had to describe this series in just 3 words, it'd be "romance done right."
On the surface, Sakurai-san wa Kizuite Hoshii doesn't do anything revolutionary that hasn't already been done in other romcoms. But that's not where its appeal comes from, in my opinion. A series doesn't need to be unique to be good, it just needs to be executed well. And that's where this series truly shines: Amazing pacing and execution.
A theme you see in many romcoms nowadays is the author stretching the series out to milk it for what it's worth, long after it reasonably could have ended. Some series can get
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away with doing this if it plays into the original appeal of the series (e.g. Tonikawa, Shikimori's Not Just a Cutie, etc.), but for many, it's a case of the author wanting to utilize a series' popularity in order to sell more volumes. Sakurai-san wa Kizuite Hoshii has completely subverted expectations for a romcom with no discernable unique qualities by ending exactly as quickly as it needed to.
In just 26 chapters, we're met with two very likeable characters, although the series' namesake Sakurai-san is the clear winner in the battle for the most characterization. Her male counterpart Makoto may originally seem like the textbook romance MC with no personality, but I really don't think that's the case here. Although that can be said to a certain extent, I find him far more interesting than most protagonists of this genre, as he's fully able to recognize Sakurai-san's advances as those of someone in love. Sakurai-san may also seem somewhat "unoriginal", as she's a cute, bubbly, and popular girl who's befriended someone like Makoto, but I wouldn't consider that a bad thing.
This series doesn't try to cross some new boundary we've never seen before. It doesn't desperately attempt to find some premise no one's thought to write before. Although uniqueness can score a series extra points, it just as easily can cause a series to crash and burn. Sakurai-san wa Kizuite Hoshii keeps it simple, and executes it flawlessly. I personally can't stop returning to the last few chapters, as they're incredibly heartwarming and leave a visible smile on my face.
I think the biggest takeaway from this silly little short and sweet romcom is that you don't need to write something original to write something good. If you can execute your idea well, even the most cliché story premise can become something great, such as this series.
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
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May 19, 2022
Finding the words to describe just how much I enjoyed K-On may be difficult. I'm going to do it anyway.
Coming into this season after having watched season 1, I expected to be met with the same cuteness and carefree whimsy that season 1 gave me. For the most part, that was what I received. What I wasn't prepared for was just how much I grew to love each and every character and their personalities.
From an outside perspective, the members of the Light Music Club seem a bit bland and a bit TOO normal, but that's a huge strength: relatability. These characters are the kinds of
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people you may have known in high school, or you yourself may have had a very similar personality to any one of them. They feel incredibly real and their experiences as a silly group of friends resonates with many as experiences that an untold number of us have had: sleepovers, final exams, preparing for some sort of school event like a play or concert, etc. Through experiences that many viewers can understand and relate to, K-On effectively conveys the emotions associated with such an amazing and wholesome friendship.
One of the best ways the show gets its message across is through the absolutely beautiful soundtrack. K-On's use of music as a vehicle through which the emotional effect is conveyed is second to none as far as anime I've watched. I've heard amazing OPs and amazing EDs but the overall soundtrack to this series is absolutely superb. Songs like "U&I" and "Tenshi Ni Furetayo!" hit you in the feels like an 18-wheeler when they play because of the buildup to their performances, and the meanings behind the lyrics. "Tenshi Ni Furetayo!" especially hit me so hard whenever it played that I could hardly see my monitor through the tears, which is such a rare occurrence for me that I 100% knew this season was getting a 10 the instant the song ended.
Another great strength of K-On is the fact that it's a show that you can't really be spoiled on. You know they're gonna have music concerts. You know they're going to graduate high school. The enjoyment in this series isn't entirely derived from those big moments, but the journey the girls take to get there. The destination may be just as beautiful, but you'll learn to cherish the adventure leading up to it just as much.
I think one of the main takeaways from this series as a whole is to cherish your relationships with those closest to you. The joy that comes with being with your best friends is hard to beat. You must never forget that you are loved, and you have people who cherish you. Everyone will find their own Light Music Club eventually, and true happiness is achievable for all of us.
And remember, graduation is never the end.
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
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Mar 8, 2022
I've just completed this series a few minutes ago, so I feel as though I should write down my thoughts on the series while it's still fresh in my head.
For starters, I've never really ventured into the girls' love genre of anime/manga, not deliberately, but simply because no Yuri series really appealed to me. After noticing Yagate Kimi Ni Naru on a lot of people's favorites lists, I decided I'd check it out out of curiosity. There's no way it could be THAT good, right?
From the first 5 chapters alone, I was absolutely hooked. I had already added it to my favorite manga list at
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that point because of how enticing the plot had already become that early on, and little did I know it'd end up getting so much better.
The way Yuu is shown to be super into love songs and romance in media, yet has never truly felt that herself, is something I found myself relating to quite a lot. I've had very superficial and surface-level "crushes" in the past, as most people have, yet I have yet to ever truly experience love for myself. The concept of love is so foreign to Yuu that upon being confessed to, as opposed to the magical feeling she thought she'd feel, she just felt nothing. Because of this, she's been given the impression that she is simply incapable of falling in love.
Although I can't say anyone's ever confessed to me, I do relate to her as I often find myself wondering "Am I actually capable of loving someone like the people in these romances do? Am I capable of being loved?" and where this series absolutely set itself apart from any other romance I've read is that it has provided the answer to both of those questions for me: yes. Even someone like Yuu, who is so insistent that she can't fall in love with someone, or someone like Touko, whose love for others is far greater than that which she has for herself, are capable of finding their special someone in life.
Another thing that I found to be incredibly moving was Touko's backstory and her development throughout the series. The idea of a person who has lost their true self while chasing the accomplishments of others, while not an entirely new concept, is something I find quite interesting. The thought that "if I were more like so-and-so, maybe they'd like me more. Maybe my life would be better if I were more like them", and so on, is not an unfamiliar one to me. I spent years in middle and high school trying to be more like someone else, and although I didn't exactly mimic their behaviors, I found myself wanting to do the things they did just to appease other people, despite my true feelings on the matter. The way Touko finally found her true self was also absolutely amazing, and the means by which they did it was equally as beautiful. As the curtains rolled down after the play, the tears streaming down her eyes and probably yours too were enough to truly mark a change in her life.
This series provides an amazing example of the importance of truly being yourself. Not who others want you to be, not who you think other people would want you to be, but what YOU truly are. You deserve love, and you deserve happiness. Regardless of how much you think you aren't cut out for romance, or how little you think of yourself, you are good enough.
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
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