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Feb 20, 2023
The first episode and the first extended arc made me feel like this should have been a standalone movie instead, especially with how both the novelty and the pacing of the show kind of staggered at the latter parts. The emotional response I got from the first episode had me convinced that it would only go downhill from there, but the first arc tugged at my heart just as well. Then, I thought to myself again, it would finally go downhill. It did. It went from a 10 to an 8 for the next arc to barely a 6 for the last part. I'm not
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immensely disappointed though, as it does not erase the raw emotional weight I felt from my initial experience.
What happened? Fushi gained more humanity. The inhuman sense of wonder and curiosity got separated from his character. One can argue that could be the point of the show, especially when one of the main themes was to "preserve" the information of the world around this mysterious entity. The thing is... normal humans can represent that very well. The idea of goodness and villainy in the show can represent that well, too. One of the integral villains in the show did show this case well, especially with how they choose to wield their interactions to the "deific" manifestation within their grasp. Fushi being closer to a human than a supernatural observer weakened my connection to the concept of the character. It became a show about humans, witnessed by the eyes of an overpowered character. The story became rather predictable, which is a bit ironic, considering the circumstances of what makes human lives different. If watching this entity observe the state of the world becomes predictably familiar, what is the point of engaging with Fushi? The stakes weren't compelling either, with the worldbuilding being slow and lackluster in the interest department. They're there, but I find myself not connecting to the conflict as much as the earlier representation of a clueless but curious individual showed to me.
I cried at the first episode. For that moment alone, I recommend this anime for you to see if you get to have any emotional resonance to the concept. The idea. Even by the end, I respect the anime, and I will definitely give the second season a shot once it's done. For all the flaws I've come to witness, my criticisms of the show cannot be a representative either of the insights any viewer could get from it. You may very well have a different response to what the anime wants to symbolize. Fumetsu no Anate e is certainly a unique and delightful watch. I'm glad such material exists in the mainstream.
Reviewer’s Rating: 6
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Feb 16, 2023
This was a much-needed part for the series. As a finale, however? I would disagree with the basic idea. The series has tackled many topics across its different seasons: work-place ethics and environments, social relationships, complacency and ambition, peer pressure and fitting in, adulting and depression, and so many more. Ending a series with politics? It will certainly be a point of concern and debate. However, Aggretsuko had always been about its mix of mundanity and absurdism, hilariously jarring segments and wild chaotic additions to scenes and characters, which get to be rounded up fairly well and under their own spotlights. That was mostly what
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the seasonal arcs were more, after all. This season, however, chose an interesting way to juxtapose another of its strange conflict. People and politics.
The season started off rather slowly. While it was clearly an integral part to Haida's own character arc, it was also a setup for the final encircling plot for the series. In hindsight, there was a charm to that absurd change of pace, however. And is it really that absurd compared to what is actually happening in real-life, even outside the sphere of Japan? Is it merely laughable as a concept at this point? Maybe. Perhaps the execution could have been more compelling, especially for the grand scheme of "politics". But Aggretsuko has presented itself very well as somehwat of a reality show that had always been about the common person. Politics to conclude the series? Definitely sounded horrible as a premise. But in the worldbuilding of Aggretsuko and everything absurd and realistic it has mixed for its runtime, the idea bore fruit to an interesting product that is laughably imperfect, but has always retained its charisma.
Great show. For all the side-eyes it could have gotten for its cutesy aesthetic, let it be known that this is another book where you don't instantly judge its cover. Give it a shot. Have your own take-away.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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Feb 16, 2023
It's more difficult to broadly criticize the show without entering into spoiler territory, but I'll try.
I feel like a lot of decent ideas for the show did not get properly integrated to the plot: Haida's conflict with ambition and social relationships, Ton's gruff disposition and depression, Retsuko's passive attitude and her sudden initiative. By which I mean, there were significant pacing issues and the juxtaposition of some scenes ended up affecting the impact of the progression and viewpoint of the development, especially as a viewer. As a whole, it IS a complex and compact set-up that fits in the (sometimes hilariously absurd) worldbuilding of Aggretsuko.
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Severe workplace standards and issues, highly competitive and unhealthy environments, and the bane of miscommunication. However, some resolutions here were abruptly sudden, particularly among parties that had conflicts in behavior and perspectives, both social and business-wise. The switch up from a point of conflict to the next deal of cooperation is an expected outcome, but there was a lack of impact from the rather short immersion to some of the issues. I considered the idea that maybe the short episode runtime gave the season a disadvantage, but the watch through did not feel like a drag and we do have previous seasons to see that its quality can remain strong even in critical points of the show.
This does not go to say that the 4th season was bad. The 3rd season was just so good (in my opinion). There are still highlights here. The romantic pining is one of the more common ideas here, but it was being handled carefully and respectfully. The idea of necessary evil is also apt and strong in the scene of adult workplaces, but it left much to be desired due to the odd fixation for a direct villain that should be lambasted. As much as I do sound very critical of the show, it's only because I've seen its potential and have witnessed its greatness in many striking scenes. I love this series, and it's still quite underrated in the anime sphere. Don't judge a book by its cover, and all that. Just like you don't hastily judge your coworkers or people in general, because there are indeed a lot of shifty things going on around us. It's only inevitable that these may clash with personal principles, which Aggretsuko still does a very great job of highlighting and building upon.
At this point of the show, it's clear that personal viewpoints on Aggretsuko are bound to be different per viewer. It has touched so many things, and some aspects will resonate more than the other. I very much still enjoy the ride and can't wait for the final season to conclude.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Feb 15, 2023
In all honesty, I expected Chainsaw Man to be worse. One of its best aspects that served me well was the way the stakes leveled up, complemented by decent worldbuilding to set up the dangers involved. Which was what it needed, because the idea of its fanservice gave a very jarring and obtuse start. CM needed the gruesome balance to manifest the words and sentiments that fleshed out the characters. In the idea of the bloody hell that the characters were in, they all had dreams and goals of varying magnitudes... which also had one guy wanting boobs. A contentious point. I personally believe the
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absurd contrast makes it endearing. Maybe not for the individual characters or even scenes that could just be considered shock value. It's the idea that there are things that are simply whelming, especially when you compare to every "grand scheme of things". Even the animation pulls the concept well, in my opinion. When you (inevitably) compare this to the shounen giant that is Demon Slayer aesthetics, you see a stark difference in appeal and presentation of material. But CM doesn't seem to be aiming for the most aggrandizing flair. Instead, it just feels... anime. An anime that delves into some interesting directions from time to time, with an intriguing sense of purpose. It's a strong piece of anime that does fit the representation of what anime delivers, especially to fans of the media in general. You see this manifested in multiple references across its runtime, through the various songs in the front and back, the tension and energy of the tracks, the strange dynamics and sometimes incompatibility of the cast... It's a nasty imperfect anime that just works, because it's fun and gruesome. It also has chainsaws, as the title says.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Feb 15, 2023
Arknights remains to be one of my favorite Gacha games, and I remain a fervent believer that the anime adaptation will come to the point where its highlights shine and become recognized for the praise it's gotten for its story and development. The anime is a nice fanservice show, which I mean with positive affection. However, I don't think this will serve well for people with zero context about what Arknights is, which can be a dealbreaker for a lot of people. Some people don't want to play a Gacha game to see what the hype is about. I bet a lot of the information
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will only be understandable for those who have played the game, else it would be harder to catch without much pausing and musing.
Arknights has great potential, and it's very clear that Yostar is passionate about their product. As it is, I can't really recommend the series without saying "It WILL get better!" The fight scenes are sloppy and the scenes building suspense are uninteresting. I have to acknowledge the clear difference in budget that a smaller studio may have, as it seems they did the best they could with their available (gacha whale) budget.
Ironically, the Gacha game story progression was much more compelling. There are a few highlights in the game that I vividly remember, and one of them was the Misha arc (there's even an in-game "badge" attached to the memory). The anime probably did its best, and my hopes for it aren't extinguished. It COULD have been better, but as far as adaptations go, this is something I'd love to have more of.
Lastly, it was nice to see Gacha characters not suffer meta treatment in the anime screen /j Skullshatterer impact was severely nerfed though. She was especially menacing when I was a newbie player.
Reviewer’s Rating: 5
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Dec 29, 2022
The introversion is overplayed. Initially, it's what I would have liked to say. The more I think about it, that's part of the point. Bocchi the Rock! is a very nice balancing act of multiple characters that just meshes well with each other to form an idea of a band and its unity.
Hitori Gotoh is supposed to portray a very shy introvert, who's deemed to be fun by the people who end up being her actual friends. She's also mad talented, not just in playing an instrument. Her way of expression and imagination is exceptionally creative. Honestly, Bocchi the Rock! is a decent musical journey,
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but it makes for a somewhat tiresome but great process of change and growth. It being tiresome is key to the introspection of the character. The anime shows very well that as much as there is a demand for a multitude of individual actions for change, there are also external influences and factors that just push the individual to certain decisions and actions. For that, BtR! has been a very entertaining and immersive watch. The flaws become complementary to the theme of change, and the characters develop to be a (delightful) mess of a cast but fun and spirited nonetheless. The introversion becomes a charismatic personal touch, wherein it turns into something that gets the viewer to better understand the fictional character and the aspects of realism there. The underlying idea that not everyone faces the same journey and challenges becomes apparent, but moving and affectionate just the same.
I was skeptical of the hype it has gotten, mainly because there's been a bastardization of cute and wholesome in a good number of anime material. I'm glad Bocchi the Rock turned out great and fun to listen to. 12 episodes length felt a bit too long, but the content served well and can be legitimately inspirational. There are cases where the animation is flawed and details are intended to be lacking, but honestly that's just a nitpick at this point. 10/10 Enjoyment, 8/10 overall. Unironically a great match to the K-On! spirit that has been left with a hole for many years now. Great tunes to be played in Spotify!
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Oct 12, 2022
After its initial impression, LycoReco (LR) becomes a very compelling character narrative, and I certainly did not expect to have such a fun anti-hero dynamic based on the premise of this show. "Cute girls doing cute things and terrorism" was how I was introduced to the show. I didn't expect to experience a show that would go very well for my tastes, and I'm not into cute waifus. LR is a surprisingly great anime that you need a huge deal of suspension of disbelief to make the most out of it. Of course, this plays into my approach to criticizing the media I find entertaining.
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See, LR has OP characters, and also people that are embodiment of tropes. Normally, such a setup would bore me fast but the anime is certainly honest in that front... and that honesty actually made the deeper touches of a philosophical conundrum feel much more genuine and impactful. Cute girls with a dive in philosophy, now that serves one of my specific interests... the philosophy craving, and LR delivers well in that case due to how great the character motives and development were (those outside the purposes of tropes).
I am very much glad I did not skip this, because not only is the ED a certified banger, I also got a great new item to fit under the bill of "don't judge a book by its cover" and quite possibly a strong favorite among recently viewed anime. The fact that the parts that were genuine lighthearted fun were paced well with the serious and more sombre touches gave an amazing personal experience. That makes for many positive aspects that I would gladly recommend this anime for viewing.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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Oct 1, 2022
I can't tell when's the last time a piece of media gave me a strong sense of wonder and horror for the world it builds upon. This season is just AN ARC for the world building efforts of Made in Abyss. And my goodness... Made in Abyss is how you raise anime to be an art form. Simply an amazing experience to be had. The sheer quality in environmental aspects and the soundtrack is a stellar example of what makes and feels like an adventure. The gruesome presentation and the concept of "accumulation" of every idea, moment and character... also makes a fulfilling experience.
The best
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I could point as a fault is that the novelty of being first introduced to the show is gone, but damn the evolution of the world itself is astounding. This feels like an actual world, holding primary role over any of the characters and plot... because the world will stay and shape itself. It feels alive and genuine.
And for a real sense of adventure, I can't wait to dive deeper into its mysteries and stories to share.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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Sep 29, 2022
I have one fundamental issue with Summertime Render's (SR) actually decent story. It's the presentation of integral information to the plot, that is fragmented by nature. Normally, this goes well in building up hype or suspense, especially in SR's grim setting, but the viewer is left for literal guesswork as to what happens next. This is important, because we have a variation of a time loop approach that is integral to the whole plot, added with the setting's culture and characters. The viewer is given mere minuscule ideas that wouldn't help add up to the potential of the story. In similar stories, hints would usually
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be sprinkled around with explanations that are already present in the start. In SR, these hints are traded with instances instead. These instances are events that the viewer wouldn't have known about without the context of a plot point that would've helped connect the story and make things relevant. Let me clarify that this is not asking for the story to spoonfeed info, this is asking the story structure to be clearer because the suspense is built in such a way that it developed from big reveals and key aspects of items, culture or "powers" that the viewer would know nothing about prior to watching. There literally is no way to try and make sense of things, except when the show wants you to understand things at that point, because it withheld information and critical contexts. Usually, this can be solved by placing developments behind characters and their motives. But the villain arc... is left for the latter portion of the story, which by itself is not that great.
Despite a strong introductory phase, the first half of the show was a painful slog to go through because of the aforementioned story structure. I'm glad I stuck through by sheer curiosity. It was an easy 3 for me to scoff at, especially with the pathetic attempts for fanservice, but it certainly became better. So, even with all my annoyance, it actually delivered! After all my complaints about the rather underwhelming start, it rightfully stepped up its game and became more comfortable with a competent pace. Funnily enough, it's like the story was uncertain with what it wanted to focus on at the start. Yes, there were threads here and there, but I stand by my point.
It's possible that it could've been a more enjoyable watch without a critical eye, but I feel the show deserved it (and also to play like the main antagonist's unique perspective). Because stories that delve in a variation of time shenanigans mean there has to be consistency and well thought-out presentations to their content. As for the characters, they're fairly good as a cast. Nothing outstanding, but they're all distinct and properly characterized in their own ways. It's more of a fun piece of 6, but my personal enjoyment demands me to place it at a 7. I find the overall plot gripping enough to excuse some sloppy points and resolutions but, all in all, it was entertaining and something I'd gladly recommend.
As an extra, SR is a story that I feel personally close to, mainly because it's a type of story that I've always wanted to write myself. It may also be why I was a bit more critical to be honest. I don't like it enough to be treated as a flawed favorite, but it's gonna be memorable in its own way.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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Sep 23, 2022
C:E is like a brand of trustworthy chips, in the sense that it's got a classic great taste to its name. But it's still junk food. If you'll ask me what C:E is all about, "cyberpunk" will literally be an apt summary and you'll find it extremely easy to predict the conflict, the grim setting of the world, and the characters deceiving each other.
Sigh.
You know what delivered anyway? TRIGGER being TRIGGER. At this point, TRIGGER is damn fun to consume, no matter how bad the story gets. It's great animation with flashy colors, this time enhanced by unrestricted gore and bloody chaos. TRIGGER got the
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perfect recipe with the genre of cyberpunk. For all the anime's faults and bland predictability, it's a damn good junk food.
Look, I can watch anime to criticize it. But I don't want my freaking hobby of watching anime to be a chore. In the end, C:E is not going to be memorable, but it's really fun and chaotic in my viewing experience. I can say it's trash, especially that ending sequence, but it's trash I would love to experience again for the first time. And I'll definitely remain a TRIGGER er fanboy, because watching their anime is always a refreshing experience.
Big fan of the ost. I've seen reviews where they trashed both the OP and the House song. We don't share the same tastes and that's fine. I definitely enjoyed the package of C:E for all its worth. Will I recommend I'd? Ehhhh sure. People will have their own takeaways. I will say it's overrated, but it deserves a spot to get its hype.
Reviewer’s Rating: 6
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