Jeoffrey

In my view, a solid ending to a slightly above-average show. Once again, the 3DCG animation, while generally tolerable, manages to deliver a few noteworthy moments here and there. However, it doesn't quite reach the level of exceptionalism or stand out as the best in its category. The musical score falls into the realm of average, lacking any particularly memorable tracks. It serves more as a background complement to the atmosphere, that you probably won't even notice and it certainly won't make you search for the soundtrack. The narrative picks up where the series left off, with some logic holes and occasional instances of characters acting silly. The main problem, leading to a global threat in the end, stems from a misinterpretation of a written text. This underscores the importance of not just reading but truly comprehending the message. Despite these narrative hiccups, the world's lore remains a highlight for me. Most of it is presented interestingly and acceptably, even though certain aspects were hinted at in the series. While the film isn't exactly mind-blowing, save for the ending, it lands as a decent watch, earning a 6/10 rating from me.

A delightful celebration of human imagination and creativity, this anime is a warm trip down memory lane for those who experienced the quirky charm of the '90s and still remember things like floppy disks, non-flat monitors, and computers running on operating systems other than the ubiquitous Windows, working with BIOS and even 8bit and 16bit animation. It's a celebration of otaku craziness, whether your passion lies in cute anime girls, graphic novels, or historical technology. There's a plethora of collectibles and fan-worthy content to enjoy. Adding a dash of time travel into the mix, the causality of which becomes dysfunctional with even the smallest involvement of the brain. However, there's the challenge of tolerating a heroine whose voice resembles a chipmunk that overdosed on helium – it might genuinely hurt your ears.  Aoi Kogu, known for her work in Kaguya, showcases her versatile voice acting, but unfortunately, Konoha feels like another version of her Paimon voice from Genshin Impact, which, let's face it, can be a bit grating. While the series has its enjoyable moments, there's an equal measure of frustration. Konoha's often baffling behavior and the series' handling of the consequences of time travel left me less than impressed. The involvement of a mysterious higher power in the form of Echo 1 to 3 felt rather strange. On the positive side, I found myself recalling forgotten historical tidbits and recognizing retro games and anime like Di Gi Charat and Kanon. Despite my aversion to the main heroine, the last episode managed to move me a bit, leading me to label the overall experience as mildly above average. 5.5/10.

Best season of Tokyo Revengers, featuring the highest stakes, the greatest dangers, and the most sacrifices. Our hero is at the top of his game, and I thoroughly enjoy witnessing his unwavering determination. Finally delving into the main antagonist's motivation is intriguing, but the series falls short in evoking any pity for him. Kisaki stands as an example that while genius is admirable, lacking empathy can be a downfall. Izana, though not as impactful as Taiju from the previous season, brings an interesting aspect to the story. However, what didn't sit well with me, or rather left me genuinely disappointed, was how Takemichi's secret was revealed to the others. Anticipating it had to happen, I expected a better execution. The ending feels somewhat abrupt, hinting at a possible continuation, but I'm unsure what extensive issues they still aim to address. Despite this, the season was eventful, delivering several unexpected surprises — a solid drama overall. I'd rate it 8.4/10, marking it as the best season of Tokyo Revengers, but it narrowly missed a 5-star rating from me.

Despite being labeled as a special television film, it stands up in quality just like a regular episode of the series. The supposed slightly better animation only lasts a few minutes, humorously acknowledged by the creators. I must say, I admire their ability to poke fun at various things, including their own controversies from the previous season, like the city demanding money back due to the series' portrayal of the black market for human organs or the uncertain future tied to crowdfunding results. For those not following the anime news closely, these references might go unnoticed, but personally, I found them enjoyable. The film delivers a standard crazy comedy with a handful of good jokes, a few misses, a touch of violence, and a bit of space for the myriad familiar characters, nearly twenty in total, so they don't have much room to shine individually. I'd rate it 5.5/10 – it was nice to remember the snake creature, and I wouldn't mind seeing more episodes.

If you're expecting Zom 100 to deliver a realistic zombie apocalypse akin to The Walking Dead or The Last of Us, you might be in for disappointment. Zom 100 isn't centered on the zombie apocalypse; it's more of a backdrop, a narrative device to enhance the story's impact. So, what's at the heart of Zom 100? For me, it's a celebration of the strength of human will and a love for life. In essence, it sends a powerful message that individuals never give up and always have dreams. The series encourages us to view human life as a fleeting moment in the vast universe, urging us to make it meaningful so that we have no regrets. In Zom 100, the zombies aren't the real enemy; a person can be a zombie even without an apocalypse. The first episode beautifully illustrates this concept, not just through its narrative and atmosphere but also through its brilliant use of colors. The series emphasizes the importance of enjoying life, employing the simplest means – contrast. The stark difference between gray and colorful, life and death, surrender and determination... The creators use these contrasts to instill in the viewer the idea that the main focus is to relish life. They are willing to exaggerate and bend the laws of physics, embracing anime's freedom, even throwing in absurdities like a zombie shark and it works – as long as you're not expecting logic and realism. For some, the protagonist jumping off a roof onto a group of zombies might seem far-fetched, but in the context of anime, it works beautifully. I do understand that what works in anime, where physics can be bent and effects heavily embellished, may look quite silly in a live-action film, but I don't feel the need to find out if I'm right. I thoroughly enjoyed the series; it boasts one of the best openings that resonates with a love for life, complementing the overarching theme. However, I'm a bit disappointed that the production faced challenges, leading to a three-month broadcasting hiatus. This hiatus significantly dampened the excitement I initially had for the show. When the last three episodes were released, instead of feeling an intense urge to watch them immediately, I found myself thinking, "Well, it waited this long; it can wait until tomorrow." While I appreciate that the studio BUG FILMS prioritizes the well-being of its employees, openly addressing the unacceptable practices of some other companies, to ensure all episodes are at 100% quality, not just at 30%, a three-month broadcasting gap still has its drawbacks. If I had binged the series all at once or even with a weekly break, I might be inclined to give it more than a strong 4 stars. On the other hand, it could also be seen as my fault; I can choose to watch series all at once when the final episode is released rather than continuously. Regardless, as a consumer, I believe I'm always right and shouldn't have to adapt, so 8.4/10.

To truly grasp what this series is all about, you'll need to stick around until the third episode. I initially dropped it after the first episode because it didn't reveal much, and given my experience with Nami Sano's previous work, I was convinced it would revolve around a boy comically disguising the fact that there are actually two of him, identical twins at that. Sakamoto desu ga? managed to sustain interest by telling one joke in twelve episodes, and the early moments of this show seemed eerily similar. Initially, characters like Migi and Dali didn't grab my attention, and the ones around them failed to captivate me. Similar to the series about Sakamoto, it often leaned too heavily into the bizarre, exaggerated, and sometimes even theatrical, offering a quirky originality that kept things from getting dull. However, it seemed to clash with the more serious mysterious and thriller plotline emerging in the second half. It felt as if the series wanted to be a comedy, drama, thriller, psychological horror, family film, theatrical performance, fairy tale, and who knows what else all at the same time. It became a wild genre mishmash that sometimes worked interestingly and unexpectedly, and other times not at all. Nevertheless, it unfolds as a well-thought-out and powerful story, and as you get to know the characters better, you genuinely come to appreciate them. Additionally, it concludes with a pleasant (considering it's Christmas) yet intriguing ending. Despite the shaky start and the genre clash that significantly disrupted my overall experience, I feel the series deserves credit, but I have to deduct a bit, giving it a strong 3 stars — 6.4/10.

As a devoted fan of Ryogo Narita, the creative mind behind notable series like Durarara!! and Baccano!, I was once again impressed with Dead Mount Death Play. If you know the author, it's probably unnecessary to delve deeply into what makes this series, or any of Narita's works, truly outstanding; and why it's an experience worthy of at least an 8.5/10 — we could talk about sharks instead... However, if you're not yet acquainted with Ryogo Narita's work, let me offer some insight. Firstly, Narita has a remarkable talent for crafting a variety of unique, likable, and memorable characters. While his stories often feature a plethora of characters, each one is so well-developed that you can immediately recognize and understand them. Secondly, Narita skillfully integrates these characters into the story, ensuring that none feel unnecessary; everyone has a vital role to play. Thirdly, Narita excels at intertwining individual character storylines, bringing them together seamlessly in a satisfying whole. The way Narita guides his stories with finesse, introducing surprising and intriguing revelations, is truly impressive. So, you can always expect excellent characters and a well-crafted plot in Narita's work. Dead Mount Death Play takes things a step further. The series hooks viewers right from the first episode with a fantastic and unexpected plot twist that leaves you eager to uncover what happens next. Narita's adept atmosphere-building, coupled with the mysterious nature of the story's gradual revelation, adds an extra layer of intrigue. The way he explores the connection between two different worlds, revealing some details while leaving others hidden, invites viewers to engage their imagination. Furthermore, the pacing is nice — there's always something happening, ensuring Narita's works are never dull. And let's not forget the relatively decent humor. While some jokes might be a tad silly or unexpectedly timed, they generally work, managing to elicit a few laughs. When you throw in the likable motivation of the main character, decent animation, and music, the overall experience is once again delightful. I eagerly anticipate any possible continuation. Now, back to those sharks...

It's evident that the Japanese, like the rest of the world, simply love Sherlock Holmes, leading to frequent works related to this iconic detective. Ron Kamonohashi's Forbidden Deductions, in my view, is an average detective story that leans more on surprising twists than allowing viewers a fair chance to solve cases alongside the detective. Unlike Case Closed, I only managed to guess who the killer was once (in the observatory), but that might be due to my lack of detective skills rather than the show's complexity. The chemistry between the main duo, Ron and Toto, is a strong point, though I feel their bromance could be further explored, even if it means sacrificing some cases. The main storyline involving "House of M" is still in its early stages, mildly intriguing me as an interesting concept. While I can't entirely predict how much I'll enjoy it, I see no reason not to continue watching future episodes. However, I don't find a compelling reason to specifically look forward to them either. As I conclude the first season, my overall impression is around 5.8/10. If you aren't particularly fond of detectives deducing your life story from a speck of dust on your coat, or you don't have a soft spot for mysterious bishounens with piercing eyes, I can't think of a reason to recommend the series to you. Those are my deductions for now...

I like it when cute girls do cute things, and I enjoy it even more when it's associated with a school club, so I can learn something new. Stardust Telepath seemed like a nice combination of Bocchi the Rock (because of the extremely shy heroine) and Sora no Method (because of the cute alien), so I had high expectations for the series. However, it didn't completely meet those expectations, and my main gripe was that it felt overly tearful. While I appreciate watching the main character overcome personal challenges and grow, Umika's constant torrents of tears were a bit too much for my taste. It didn't help that another series, Shy, with a much better-handled development of a similar character, was also airing on Mondays. To add to Umika's woes, she wasn't even the cutest shy heroine of the season, as another series about 100 girls introduced Shizuka Yoshimoto, taking adorable shyness to a whole new level. Despite these drawbacks, Stardust Telepath remains a decent and enjoyable series. I didn't find it dull, and I was intrigued by the rocket models featured. The animation was well done, and the music was pleasant. In my opinion, Stardust Telepath, with its unique 'forehead telepathy' AKA odekopathy, and the extraterrestrial Bonavu! and Mativu!, deserves an above-average rating of 6/10.

Let's Ghooooooost! It's a bit tricky for me to gauge how much horror Dark Gathering packs, considering I'm not exactly a horror expert. I'm the type who prefers to watch a series the next day in broad daylight. However, I can confidently say that it didn't terrify me that much in the end. There were a few unpleasant scenes, but no jump scares or moments that made me look away. The animation style and likable characters played a significant role in keeping me calm, as I knew nothing too terrible would happen to them. In terms of the story, it felt like a Japanese Ghostbusters with a twist of traditional mysticism instead of science, incorporating elements like talismans, etc. It's an odd mix since the hunters are young adults and one weird child, and the talismans are mostly plush toys. And plush toys and children are not particularly scary. The individual stories varied in quality, and the main storyline that unfolded in the last three episodes became truly interesting. The series picked up speed, introducing new facets of the conflict, moving beyond the "ghost of the week" formula. Then the final credits rolled in, leaving us with a promise of "see you in Kyoto." Despite the slight aversion to horror, the first season was an enjoyable watch for me. I appreciate the main trio, am intrigued about what will happen next, and believe that the elements making me consider a high rating are still on the horizon. So, it's a 6.4/10 for now, and hopefully, see you in Kyoto...