Helpful advice thanks; some of the stuff I was watching apparently just doesn’t exist in dubbed form on the service as of yet, but I trust it’ll get there sooner or later
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Iaboo, Youaboo, Weallaboo for Anime!
- Thread starter Johnny Unusual
- Start date
Johnny Unusual
(He/Him)
Note that there are shows that were also straight up never dubbed. Usually smaller shows.
Nah, I mistyped. I am sad that there is only an English Dub of Kaguya-Sama season 2 (so far)....I generally prefer subs.
Johnny Unusual
(He/Him)
Weird. If it's either/or it's usually subs. I bet the sub will come in before too long.
Hopefully before season 3 starts in April.
Hopefully before season 3 starts in April.
I would like to point out that if you are now looking at Crunchyroll premium membership, the cheapest way to get it is to buy a year's subscription giftcard in the Crunchyroll store and apply it to your own account. It knocks a little over a dollar off the per-month price and puts it closer in line to the basic Funimation account.
R.R. Bigman
Coolest Guy
I think Ranking of Kings had it’s Demon Slayer episode 19 moment. Just too to bottom a great episode.
Megalo Box: Nomad got there late, but it is already up there with Ranking of Kings and Oddtaxi in Best Show of 2021 category after just four episodes. The plight of Chief and the other refugees is not something I’ve really seen before in anime, especially for a genre like sports/martial arts that sometimes has a nationalist streak. What a move to give a different person the Ashita no Joe ending, and force our Joe to continue going on and try to rebuild his life.
Megalo Box: Nomad got there late, but it is already up there with Ranking of Kings and Oddtaxi in Best Show of 2021 category after just four episodes. The plight of Chief and the other refugees is not something I’ve really seen before in anime, especially for a genre like sports/martial arts that sometimes has a nationalist streak. What a move to give a different person the Ashita no Joe ending, and force our Joe to continue going on and try to rebuild his life.
Johnny Unusual
(He/Him)
The various Dragonballs are on Crunchyroll now! After Kaiji, I might be watching original flavour.
Yeah, after the first wave of stuff you guys reported on two weeks ago, they've been continually adding more and more Funimation shows to Crunchy. Which is about what I was expecting. So far they're about 30+ more in the two additional waves that have come over in the last two weeks. I imagine we'll be seeing even more as time goes on.
What a cathartic episode of Ranking of Kings. And Daida, u weird bro.
R.R. Bigman
Coolest Guy
I…don’t understand the levels of forgiveness anime has for it’s villains. Is it some kind of cultural or religious difference? A fair number of bad guys in western stories have tragic pasts, or even fairly justifiable reasons for at least some of their actions, but they never get absolved of their crimes so absolutely upon defeat.
Agreed on Daida being weird, but he’s an adolescent boy with mommy issues.
Agreed on Daida being weird, but he’s an adolescent boy with mommy issues.
Code Goose update:
I finished the first season a few days ago and am not sure if I'll be continuing, as despite its potential-laden premise it never became the show I wanted it to be. I had envisioned Lelouch spinning wheels-within-wheels schemes of manipulation and wacky Geass tricks, but that never really came to pass. Most of his plans seem to succeed on the basis of his enemies being idiots (Mao particularly comes to mind here), and by the end they were revealing that he had secretly Geass'd Britannian generals offscreen without bothering to explain how, where or when. It just feels like lazy writing. The high school antics continued to be an absolute flatline, and while the mecha combat is well-choreographed and animated, I tend to disfavor overly acrobatic, weightless-feeling mech movement as a matter of taste. Give me a chonky, stomping Gundam any day.
I will award partial credit for the absolute howler of a plot twist late in the season when Lelouch accidentally switches sweet Euphy's brain to Genocide Mode for literally no reason. I'm sure the writers intended it as a shocking and heartbreaking moment but I couldn't stop laughing at the absurdity of it. If only the rest of the series had either been a) good, or b) this level of bananas all along.
The season-ending cliffhanger is predicated on a situation where Lelouch and Suzaku are pointing guns at each other, then the screen cuts to black and we hear a gunshot, leaving us to wonder what happened. But surely by the show's own rules, Suzaku couldn't have fired. Lelouch's Geass command to him was simply to live, and in this final standoff Lelouch claims to have a device that will detonate and kill them all if his heart stops, so Suzaku can't shoot him and thereby knowingly endanger his own life. I guess maybe he just didn't believe Lelouch? Whatever.
In brighter news, Kallen, Suzaku and Lelouch continue to be absolute beasts in SRW30, so maybe I'd better stop watching here before I develop an antipathy towards them.
I finished the first season a few days ago and am not sure if I'll be continuing, as despite its potential-laden premise it never became the show I wanted it to be. I had envisioned Lelouch spinning wheels-within-wheels schemes of manipulation and wacky Geass tricks, but that never really came to pass. Most of his plans seem to succeed on the basis of his enemies being idiots (Mao particularly comes to mind here), and by the end they were revealing that he had secretly Geass'd Britannian generals offscreen without bothering to explain how, where or when. It just feels like lazy writing. The high school antics continued to be an absolute flatline, and while the mecha combat is well-choreographed and animated, I tend to disfavor overly acrobatic, weightless-feeling mech movement as a matter of taste. Give me a chonky, stomping Gundam any day.
I will award partial credit for the absolute howler of a plot twist late in the season when Lelouch accidentally switches sweet Euphy's brain to Genocide Mode for literally no reason. I'm sure the writers intended it as a shocking and heartbreaking moment but I couldn't stop laughing at the absurdity of it. If only the rest of the series had either been a) good, or b) this level of bananas all along.
The season-ending cliffhanger is predicated on a situation where Lelouch and Suzaku are pointing guns at each other, then the screen cuts to black and we hear a gunshot, leaving us to wonder what happened. But surely by the show's own rules, Suzaku couldn't have fired. Lelouch's Geass command to him was simply to live, and in this final standoff Lelouch claims to have a device that will detonate and kill them all if his heart stops, so Suzaku can't shoot him and thereby knowingly endanger his own life. I guess maybe he just didn't believe Lelouch? Whatever.
In brighter news, Kallen, Suzaku and Lelouch continue to be absolute beasts in SRW30, so maybe I'd better stop watching here before I develop an antipathy towards them.
conchobhar
What's Shenmue?
It's not a Japanese thing. Redemption stories are popular the world over, and even the "now that I've defeated you let's be friends" verson can be found in Arthurian legend. If they're particularly prevalent in comics and cartoons, that's probably because either 1) these stories are made for a relatively young and impressionable audience, and concepts like forgiveness, or at least recognizing that other people have their own hardships, are important and worthwhile things to impart; 2) villains often become wildly popular with the audience, so there's a big incentive to keep them around; or 3) a combination of both.
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Darmok and Jalad at Tanagra. Gilgamesh and Enkidu at Uruk.
Johnny Unusual
(He/Him)
One of the two bros in Double Dragon. They... don't talk about that much. Redemption or no, there should still be more strain than we're seeing in the second one.
R.R. Bigman
Coolest Guy
I don’t think Miranjo deserved to have her soul gnawed on for eternity while Bosse got to fly off to the regular land of death, but she should at least be in jail for killing Bojji’s mom and attempting to kill Hilene and Bojji. RoK has some odd morality, with everybody getting a second chance, unless you‘re from that one country where everybody is pure evil for…some reason.
If you like them in 30, you should consider watching Lelouch of the Resurrection, which might be TOTAL NONSENSE if you didn't see R2, but also maybe that's the actual best way to experience that movie.
30 does a good enough job of hitting the highlights, though.
The writers wrote themselves into a corner with Season 1, so the beginning of Season 2 makes a lot of decisions and frankly ass-pulls to justify a second season. I get your disappointment regarding wanting a bunch of intricate schemes and machinations, but both the show's writers and its characters aren't clever enough to do that. If you aren't gonna watch the rest of the show but are curious how it plays out:
There's a soft reboot at the beginning of Season 2 where Lelouch is back at school like nothing happened and going through the motions of being a student again. But the events of the first season happened, so a big part of the mystery initially is just figuring out wtf even happened in between seasons. Especially when Lelouch's precious little sister is missing and has been replaced by a little brother. Turns out, the Emperor intervened and had Lelouch brought to him where he used his Geass on Lelouch (and his friends) to wipe their memories. There's a lot of nonsense that happens but everything eventually culminates in Lelouch taking over Brittania and becoming the oppressive evil emperor that's so hated, that everyone welcomes when Zero (Suzaku) shows up and assassinates him and a moderate reform government with Lelouch's little sister at the helm brings about world peace. Which was Lelouch's secret plan all along, but only Suzaku was really privy to knowledge of what was going to happen. It's actually a pretty good ending all things considered. Lelouch spends so much time being a sociopathic asshole thinking he's hot shit and a genious. But as you've seen from season 1, he's not actually that smart and keeps fucking shit up royally as a result. So when he starts recognizing all of the unintended consequences of what he's done and how he's hurt all of the people in his life he cares for, he finally makes atonement with his life.[/ispoiler] The sequel movie is fun, but it's also kind of a shame because it actively retcons the ending of the TV show. Which isn't the biggest of shames obviously, because it's just Code Geass. But yeah.
Everyone deserves a second chance. Bojji and Daida are good boys who will give people those second chances. Their dad is a dumbass tho, so he let his rage get the best of him as he massacred those traitor-ppl. Bojji would have given those people a second chance. Miranjo deserved punishment, but her life has been punishment enough tbh. (She had her family murdered in front of her eyes and her face peeled off lol.) Daida asking Miranjo to marry her was I think half what you said about being a kid with mommy issues, but half of it imo was political. Daida knew that she'd be a target for reprisal, but if he marries her she's protected by her new status as queen. Still weird.
Johnny Unusual
(He/Him)
Effortpost/walltext ahead. Apologies.
So I just finished watching all of Kaiji. And I want to talk about it.
In 2007 or so, I vaguely remember watching the entirety of Akagi, a mah jong anime set in the 50s and featuring a daring protagonist who ends up in a high stakes game where eventually he begins literally betting his own blood to defeat a wicked mah jong player. It's pretty silly and not knowing the game, there really is a lot that went over my head but I really liked the art style, very weird and angular and blocky with lots of interesting expressions. I would later learn that the game I watched had a made up ending as it was still going on in the manga... and continued for 20 real life years.
Some time later, I tried Kaiji, based on the manga from the same creator. I enjoyed it enough but understandably, JBear got a bit bored with it's pacing (I recall that being the reason, anyway), which I will DEFINITELY get into and while I wanted to see more, after the first story arc, I didn't feel a pressing need.
The series follows the titular Itou Kaiji, a dirtbag loser living during a recession who wastes his money on gambling. Well, Kaiji soon learns that you NEVER CO-SIGN A LOAN because some loan sharks want to take a lot of money out of his hide for his friend's terrible decision making. But he is offered an out; if he goes on a cruise ship to play a card game, he can not only overcome his debt, he might make a little money. He's tricked into joining only to learn that the losers of the game will be sold into indentured servitude. The game is revealed to be rock-paper-scissors by way of cards and slowly (quite slowly) figures out some game theory to help him survive, but not before overcoming some trials, backstabbing and while he survives, he's ends the first arc with an even bigger debt. Soon, Kaiji is invited to even worse and crueler games that threaten not only his freedom but life and limb, which he accepts in a mix of foolhardiness, hope he can get out of debt and not be sold into slavery, increasing confidence in his abilities and looking for justice for other people. All of these games turn out to be in some way connected to the Teiai Group, run by the perverse and sadistic Hyodo.
Kaiji is definitely a series where there is a lot to pick at but I like a LOT about this weird, wild series that has been going on consistently since 1996 in manga form. And it's also interesting that it apparently was a big inspiration for Squid Game, one of the most popular tv series of last year. Like Squid Game it's about games of death (or at least mutilation) and it also seems pretty damning of capitalism, though with Kaiji it's sometimes an afterthought or more focused on the downtrodden's state of disenfranchisement rather than a specific commentary. It's in there, but it feels like if you are watching it for that, most of the time you'll find it on the backburner. I also think the author is more focused on human weakness.
And in that, I think it is interesting that Kaiji is kind of a weak character, in a good way. Or more accurately, he's vulnerable and prone to weakness. And also kinda stupid. I feel a lot of manga/anime protagonists are almost unflappably talented (which would be used to describe Akagi, the other series mentioned) or seem like goofs but are really kick ass (OK, there's also the young naive "Ima be the best at ____" boys too). Kaiji's is often pathetic in a way that hides nothing. He eventually comes around to save the day but it also seems like he's constantly falling back into bad habits and mindsets. Heck, season two, "Against All Rules" is also referred to as the "Backslide Arc". Kaiji is a protagonist who can be lead by the nose some times or fails to see what to the audience is pretty obvious. But at the same time, when he has a plan in the show, it often gets to be genuinely clever, though also often tends to have a lot of hitches. And Kaiji, in defeat, is not always dignified. He wants to be the teeth gritting tough guy but sometimes pushed into the corner, he's a blubbering mess, pathetically pleading for mercy.
Oh, there are a lot of tears in this series. MANLY TEARS but not cool tears. Men crying about their own patheticness and failing and blood, sweat and tears going to waste. Oh, there's happy tears too but there's a streak to the series of destined failure that our hero mostly overcomes. Mostly. But even at the end of the TV show, there's a patheticness to Kaiji, as after his biggest victory, he wastes a lot of money in a regular non-cheating pachinko machine and is embarrassed to see them. The show actually has quite a few moments that get me emotionally and while I wish there was more, the ones that are work. My favourite being Kaiji pleading with a loan shark for more money who is in as big as trouble. If the shark doesn't, he'll still spend the rest of his life on the run. If he does, he'll be in a forced labour camp. But Kaiji says they'll be in the camp together and every weak he'll buy him two beers. "Make it three." And this works because yeah, that guy is fucked worse in the labour camp... but he'll have somebody. And that is a lot.
Kaiji is a show that seems cynical about human nature but also hopeful about it. There's no guarantee a "nice person" will make a moral choice because they might just fail out of fear or weakness. We know Kaiji will probably make the right call being the main character but you feel that while he will and other characters call him a "saint", he can be just as weak and could easily make the wrong choice on a bad day or a wrong moment.
Though the show is about games of death, it is often (though not always) a battle of cheaters, which is fun. Who can cheat better or unravel or reveal a cheat. It makes for some fun viewing. The last arc is even set up like a heist movie where the characters need to unrig a rigged pachinko machine without touching it. One of the biggest reveals is so delightfully audacious, I just loved the choice to death.
The show is also ridiculously over the top for better or for worse. I can't think of a more involved narrator, who is constantly repeating things three times. Three times! THREEEEE TIIIIIIIIMES! This dude is here for it, working his ass off to sell us on whatever nonsense is happening next. Like so.
It's pretty wild but the icing is definitely the pachinko arc, because while the initial heist reveals are fun, the twists slow down to one and a half plot beats per episode with balls slowly working their way around. This goes on for like seven fucking episodes and it feels like an eternity. I get for what it is going for; maximum tension in the most maximalist way possible but it's basically the last fight of the Frieza saga from Dragonball if he was a pachinko machine. It just keeps going. That said, while it doesn't justify the lack of tightness, the pay off, no pun intended, is really good and the falling action of the last episode is really strong and rather sweet.
I feel like I might have more to say that I'm just plum forgetting. I should have taken notes. The show has it's flaws and perhaps is too a little into game theory at time in a way that slows it WAY down but it's also full of really fun turns and twists and it is a completely unique show. Am I saying to check it out? Kinda, though do check out when you get frustrated. But there's some surprising emotional strength in its complete earnestness and lack of subtlety at times and as ridiculously long as the last arc is, I was definitely hooked. It's a show I feel doesn't get talked about a lot and while I know it's not "obscure" exactly, it may have fallen through the cracks a bit. It's interesting. And that's why I wanted to write about it.
So I just finished watching all of Kaiji. And I want to talk about it.
Some time later, I tried Kaiji, based on the manga from the same creator. I enjoyed it enough but understandably, JBear got a bit bored with it's pacing (I recall that being the reason, anyway), which I will DEFINITELY get into and while I wanted to see more, after the first story arc, I didn't feel a pressing need.
The series follows the titular Itou Kaiji, a dirtbag loser living during a recession who wastes his money on gambling. Well, Kaiji soon learns that you NEVER CO-SIGN A LOAN because some loan sharks want to take a lot of money out of his hide for his friend's terrible decision making. But he is offered an out; if he goes on a cruise ship to play a card game, he can not only overcome his debt, he might make a little money. He's tricked into joining only to learn that the losers of the game will be sold into indentured servitude. The game is revealed to be rock-paper-scissors by way of cards and slowly (quite slowly) figures out some game theory to help him survive, but not before overcoming some trials, backstabbing and while he survives, he's ends the first arc with an even bigger debt. Soon, Kaiji is invited to even worse and crueler games that threaten not only his freedom but life and limb, which he accepts in a mix of foolhardiness, hope he can get out of debt and not be sold into slavery, increasing confidence in his abilities and looking for justice for other people. All of these games turn out to be in some way connected to the Teiai Group, run by the perverse and sadistic Hyodo.
Kaiji is definitely a series where there is a lot to pick at but I like a LOT about this weird, wild series that has been going on consistently since 1996 in manga form. And it's also interesting that it apparently was a big inspiration for Squid Game, one of the most popular tv series of last year. Like Squid Game it's about games of death (or at least mutilation) and it also seems pretty damning of capitalism, though with Kaiji it's sometimes an afterthought or more focused on the downtrodden's state of disenfranchisement rather than a specific commentary. It's in there, but it feels like if you are watching it for that, most of the time you'll find it on the backburner. I also think the author is more focused on human weakness.
And in that, I think it is interesting that Kaiji is kind of a weak character, in a good way. Or more accurately, he's vulnerable and prone to weakness. And also kinda stupid. I feel a lot of manga/anime protagonists are almost unflappably talented (which would be used to describe Akagi, the other series mentioned) or seem like goofs but are really kick ass (OK, there's also the young naive "Ima be the best at ____" boys too). Kaiji's is often pathetic in a way that hides nothing. He eventually comes around to save the day but it also seems like he's constantly falling back into bad habits and mindsets. Heck, season two, "Against All Rules" is also referred to as the "Backslide Arc". Kaiji is a protagonist who can be lead by the nose some times or fails to see what to the audience is pretty obvious. But at the same time, when he has a plan in the show, it often gets to be genuinely clever, though also often tends to have a lot of hitches. And Kaiji, in defeat, is not always dignified. He wants to be the teeth gritting tough guy but sometimes pushed into the corner, he's a blubbering mess, pathetically pleading for mercy.
Kaiji is a show that seems cynical about human nature but also hopeful about it. There's no guarantee a "nice person" will make a moral choice because they might just fail out of fear or weakness. We know Kaiji will probably make the right call being the main character but you feel that while he will and other characters call him a "saint", he can be just as weak and could easily make the wrong choice on a bad day or a wrong moment.
Though the show is about games of death, it is often (though not always) a battle of cheaters, which is fun. Who can cheat better or unravel or reveal a cheat. It makes for some fun viewing. The last arc is even set up like a heist movie where the characters need to unrig a rigged pachinko machine without touching it. One of the biggest reveals is so delightfully audacious, I just loved the choice to death.
The show is also ridiculously over the top for better or for worse. I can't think of a more involved narrator, who is constantly repeating things three times. Three times! THREEEEE TIIIIIIIIMES! This dude is here for it, working his ass off to sell us on whatever nonsense is happening next. Like so.
I feel like I might have more to say that I'm just plum forgetting. I should have taken notes. The show has it's flaws and perhaps is too a little into game theory at time in a way that slows it WAY down but it's also full of really fun turns and twists and it is a completely unique show. Am I saying to check it out? Kinda, though do check out when you get frustrated. But there's some surprising emotional strength in its complete earnestness and lack of subtlety at times and as ridiculously long as the last arc is, I was definitely hooked. It's a show I feel doesn't get talked about a lot and while I know it's not "obscure" exactly, it may have fallen through the cracks a bit. It's interesting. And that's why I wanted to write about it.
I remember watching a bunch of this back in university anime club - pretty sure we got past the cruise ship jankenpon arc but not all the way to the end (I don’t remember any pachinko). Is there a segment about, like, walking on balance beams between office buildings? Definitely a wild if often excruciatingly paced little show.
Johnny Unusual
(He/Him)
It's the arc immediately following the Espoir (janken) arc. And boy, if you think the ship arc's pacing is something, again, a VERY long game of pachinko.
Ya Boy Kongming! is your occasional reminder that anime can be Good, sometimes. It's about an ancient Chinese general reincarnated in modern Japan where he somehow becomes the producer to an aspiring singer. It's not just funnier and cleverer than the premise suggests, it's got a ton of heart (and is quite well animated to boot).
Johnny Unusual
(He/Him)
Whew, it's been a while but I finally had a chance to finish up some of the series I've been watching.
Surprising no one, Platinum End's ending is dumb. I appreciate going scorched Earth with the ending of the series but overall it's a series that began the series with a Light-lite villain and ending with a reddit thread. There's a lot to complain about but it ended going from very problematic to a dull first year philosophy lecture that constantly falls apart under the lightest of scrutiny. The show, however, had three really good characters, only one of whom is close to being considered central to the story, so... I wish it used them better. The last episode wants to be some sort of profound rug pull in the vein of Devilman and I appreciate it swinging for the fences following an extremely talky last arc. I'll also say it ironically makes an uninteresting villain charming by stripping away his villainy. But all the same, it's not really successful. Platinum End is a show I didn't so much "hate watch" but continued out of curiosity of watching this bizarre trainwreck play out, occasionally even showing some promise. But in the end, it's the worst parts of Death Note with the clever stuff surgically extracted.
It's only up from here so after that is Sabikui Bisco. It also has flaws but is far better. The fourth episode from the finale also promises an interesting shift narratively but frustratingly doesn't have the conviction to keep with it, which bums me out a little. Still, despite this, Bisco is a solid little adventure series with some great world building. I also note the manga is still going so since the anime feels rather final, this seems like a made for the anime ending and one that, even though are protagonists are still running around, thematically feels pretty final. So sorry to people who were hoping for more, I don't think we are going to get it.
My Dress-Up Darling is a show I was a little trepidatious about due to having a pretty thirsty gaze and I can understand it being a turn off but not only are the show's characters winning, I think some of the thirstiness works well for the chemistry and romantic comedy of the series. And it kind of did all the things I saw in it's potential; giving us two loveable dummies who love each other but rarely are on the same wavelength of reading the romantic room, a genuine interest in what goes into building an outfit (I love a process) and characters sharing their loves and passions. It does skirt a line where Marin knowingly teases Gojo with his discomfort with sex but also she is respectful when he admits one of the costumes is too revealing for him to be around and decides to get her photos done elsewhere with the promise they'll have another project soon. Darling became probably my second favourite show of the season in a way that snuck up on me.
Also, there was a really fiercely animated homage to Texas Chainsaw Massacre and someone on the animation team was clearly a fan and goes for the gusto on reimagining the last scene.
Ranking of Kings really gets to show it's flaws in the end but also shows that despite them, it's a wonder of character and animation that deserves its accolades. I know the manga is still ongoing so I wonder if the anime had to make its own completion to the arc because even though it leaves things open to a sequel, it also feels like a definitive ending. It certainly cinches up all the major character arcs, if not the world building. If anything, a lot of it is a little too neat and easy, even one character is stuck in a fish and another is implied to be damned by a decision to save someone he loves. All the same, it's a decent ending and we end with the most important relationship, a little kind and his friendly shadow butt.
Slow Loop... Well, it was still girls who fish.
Surprising no one, Platinum End's ending is dumb. I appreciate going scorched Earth with the ending of the series but overall it's a series that began the series with a Light-lite villain and ending with a reddit thread. There's a lot to complain about but it ended going from very problematic to a dull first year philosophy lecture that constantly falls apart under the lightest of scrutiny. The show, however, had three really good characters, only one of whom is close to being considered central to the story, so... I wish it used them better. The last episode wants to be some sort of profound rug pull in the vein of Devilman and I appreciate it swinging for the fences following an extremely talky last arc. I'll also say it ironically makes an uninteresting villain charming by stripping away his villainy. But all the same, it's not really successful. Platinum End is a show I didn't so much "hate watch" but continued out of curiosity of watching this bizarre trainwreck play out, occasionally even showing some promise. But in the end, it's the worst parts of Death Note with the clever stuff surgically extracted.
It's only up from here so after that is Sabikui Bisco. It also has flaws but is far better. The fourth episode from the finale also promises an interesting shift narratively but frustratingly doesn't have the conviction to keep with it, which bums me out a little. Still, despite this, Bisco is a solid little adventure series with some great world building. I also note the manga is still going so since the anime feels rather final, this seems like a made for the anime ending and one that, even though are protagonists are still running around, thematically feels pretty final. So sorry to people who were hoping for more, I don't think we are going to get it.
My Dress-Up Darling is a show I was a little trepidatious about due to having a pretty thirsty gaze and I can understand it being a turn off but not only are the show's characters winning, I think some of the thirstiness works well for the chemistry and romantic comedy of the series. And it kind of did all the things I saw in it's potential; giving us two loveable dummies who love each other but rarely are on the same wavelength of reading the romantic room, a genuine interest in what goes into building an outfit (I love a process) and characters sharing their loves and passions. It does skirt a line where Marin knowingly teases Gojo with his discomfort with sex but also she is respectful when he admits one of the costumes is too revealing for him to be around and decides to get her photos done elsewhere with the promise they'll have another project soon. Darling became probably my second favourite show of the season in a way that snuck up on me.
Also, there was a really fiercely animated homage to Texas Chainsaw Massacre and someone on the animation team was clearly a fan and goes for the gusto on reimagining the last scene.
Ranking of Kings really gets to show it's flaws in the end but also shows that despite them, it's a wonder of character and animation that deserves its accolades. I know the manga is still ongoing so I wonder if the anime had to make its own completion to the arc because even though it leaves things open to a sequel, it also feels like a definitive ending. It certainly cinches up all the major character arcs, if not the world building. If anything, a lot of it is a little too neat and easy, even one character is stuck in a fish and another is implied to be damned by a decision to save someone he loves. All the same, it's a decent ending and we end with the most important relationship, a little kind and his friendly shadow butt.
Slow Loop... Well, it was still girls who fish.
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It definitely has "Anime-original ending" vibes but I think it's not? I read a few chapters of the manga after the show's events and it feels like a pretty natural continuation of where the show leaves off.
I don't like shows dividing a "final" season into two parts and spreading it over two years - it drags things out and it's a cheap way to increase interest. It happens often enough that I've come to accept it.
Attack on Titan - you cannot have a "final" season that airs in three parts over three years. It is not allowed.
Attack on Titan - you cannot have a "final" season that airs in three parts over three years. It is not allowed.
The ending-ending of Attack on Titan won't be worth watching, I promise.
-A manga reader
-A manga reader
That won't stop me from watching it.
I wanted to wait until one show ended before I gave my thoughts on the 3 that kept my interest. Now with a totally random rating system!
In the Land of Leadale is one that while I liked, I was also frustrated with. I liked that it was a non-horny harem isekai that just followed lead Cayna around as she did overpowered stuff. Most of what she did was kind of funny, like summoning a giant boar to ride around on. Oh and she's dead when the power at the hospital she was forced to live at after a horrible accident left her dependent on machines to live went out. Which they never get around to answering why she's now living in Leadale. At one point she just hand waves it away, even after she finds other humans stuck in the game world. The season ends with Cayna settling down near the village she woke up in with her newly adopted daughter. Thats it, no big questions answered or even approached. 2.75 out of 5 Gokus for not answering my damn questions.
Next up is The Strongest Sage With the Weakest Crest, one that I actually grew to respect for it's logical story choices. Mathias is the reincarnation of Gaius, who 5000 years ago defeated almost all of the demons before realizing that he couldn't kill them all without the fourth crest of close combat, which in the current world is considered the weakest. So one forced reincarnation later and he's ready to pickup where he's left off. Where other animes would make Mathias either a jerkass or a quiet sensitive, Strongest Sage makes him a decent guy who tries to bring others up by teaching them his techniques. Sure, he even gets a small harem, but only one has a crush on him, which is mutual, and the other two are just friends. Well, a friend and an ancient black dragon. The one person who tries to stand in Matthias' way is quickly exposed to the king and removed from his position, with the king even being a reasonable authority. I also give it extra marks for not making it an isekai and I would like to see more of this. 4 out of 5 Gokus powering up for being a logical anime.
The only other show that I watched regularly is Miss Kuroitsu of the Monster Development Department. Want to know where all the monsters come from that Kamen Rider fights? This one answers that question. It was nice to see a workplace comedy where the employees are actually treated with respect. It's a fun and breezy show that does tackle a few deeper issues a couple of times, such as a combat only monster that can't speak wanting to be an idol. Sure it's a bit fanservice-y, what with how well endowed many of the female characters are, but it's also never too skeevy. I definitely hope there's a second season just for how much I enjoyed it. 5 out of 5 Gokus using Spirit Bomb.
Arifureta. I made it about 4 or 5 episodes in and just gave up. I tried to hate watch it but when yet another woman the MC meet decides she's coming with forhis magic dick because he's her daughter's "papa" and his adult teacher who fucking knows better is also craving some underage ding dong because of how cool he is, I just stopped caring.
Next up is The Strongest Sage With the Weakest Crest, one that I actually grew to respect for it's logical story choices. Mathias is the reincarnation of Gaius, who 5000 years ago defeated almost all of the demons before realizing that he couldn't kill them all without the fourth crest of close combat, which in the current world is considered the weakest. So one forced reincarnation later and he's ready to pickup where he's left off. Where other animes would make Mathias either a jerkass or a quiet sensitive, Strongest Sage makes him a decent guy who tries to bring others up by teaching them his techniques. Sure, he even gets a small harem, but only one has a crush on him, which is mutual, and the other two are just friends. Well, a friend and an ancient black dragon. The one person who tries to stand in Matthias' way is quickly exposed to the king and removed from his position, with the king even being a reasonable authority. I also give it extra marks for not making it an isekai and I would like to see more of this. 4 out of 5 Gokus powering up for being a logical anime.
The only other show that I watched regularly is Miss Kuroitsu of the Monster Development Department. Want to know where all the monsters come from that Kamen Rider fights? This one answers that question. It was nice to see a workplace comedy where the employees are actually treated with respect. It's a fun and breezy show that does tackle a few deeper issues a couple of times, such as a combat only monster that can't speak wanting to be an idol. Sure it's a bit fanservice-y, what with how well endowed many of the female characters are, but it's also never too skeevy. I definitely hope there's a second season just for how much I enjoyed it. 5 out of 5 Gokus using Spirit Bomb.
Arifureta. I made it about 4 or 5 episodes in and just gave up. I tried to hate watch it but when yet another woman the MC meet decides she's coming with for
If you look up 'scourge' in the dictionary, Arifureta used in an example sentence.