There's another one in this section as well, sort of a general anime discussion oneWe do have a good group of enthusiasts kicking around here
We are lurking around ;^)
We are lurking around ;^)
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Here we go team, it's that time of the season. The summer anime have just started off, with a few pretty interesting first episodes too. However, we're not here to talk about those. Let's talk about last season!
Spring 2018 Look-Back
Keep in mind, this list contains shows I both completed or dropped after a few episodes, giving it at least a fair chance. Additionally, shows that span across multiple seasons are ONLY listed in the season in which they first aired. So, let's get into it.
3D Kanojo: Real Girl - It's a bit below average. If you're actually looking for romance, there are many other options out there, even within this season. Pass
Caliuga - Not really sure what I was expecting. To be honest, I'm not sure if I even know what the show is about, outside of people reliving high school life with action, even after 12 episodes. Hard pass
Captain Tsubasa - For those that don't know, this is actually a remake of the 80s anime of the same name. It's not as crazy as your generic sports anime where everyone gets these crazy power up shots, but there are some. Overall, it's pretty much the same as any other shounen sports anime, but focused on soccer. I still like it and enjoy it, but definitely has more of a niche than say HaikyuuSafe to pass
Devils Line - Unless you're an edge lord, or want to be one, I'd stay away. Hard pass
Fumikiri Jikan - Was just people at a train stop for 3 minutes a week. Good way to pass time, but that's about it. Pass
Golden Kamuy - Now we're talking. From my understanding, the manga is pretty popular so I'm not sure why this sort of flew under the radar for most. Really interesting concept. Some of the CGI was a little odd to me at first, but I got used to it. Definitely Recommended
Hinamtsuri - Probably the best comedy of the season. Just as a side note, if you get to like episode 5 or 6 where Anzu "sings", just keep in mind her VA actually did the opening of the show. Makes that scene all the more amusing. Highly recommended
Mahou Shoujo Site - It's like Madoka Magica, but a little bit darker. Especially in the first few episodes. It also wasn't really that interesting at all. Pass
Megalo Box - Ashita no Joe 50th anniversary project anime. Definitely had a lot of connections back to Ashita no Joe, but also deviated a bit and took its own route which I enjoyed. Much like other sports anime, it's all about the "how" things happen and "how" people reach the top, because we all know from episode 1 it will happen. Highly recommended
Saredo Tsumibito wa Ryuu to Odoru - Yeah... no.
Shokugeki no Souma: San no Sara - Toutsuki Ressha-hen - Can't really go wrong with Shokugeki. I think J.C. Staff has done a really nice job with this show.
Steins;Gate 0 - It's Steins;Gate. Still good. Still overhyped. But still a good show. Recommended
Sword Art Online Alternative: Gun Gale Online - Even after what Snipeye posted, I went to check it out anyway. Was actually that bad. Started off interesting, but they decided to recap everything on episode 5 or 6. Although, despite being bad, was still better than what A-1 did, but the bar isn't very high. Good to pass
Tada-kun wa Koi wo Shinai - General romcom story. Pretty much know how it's going to play out before you begin. Kind of like a generic "isekai" show - once you've seen enough you've seen them all. Has very nice visuals though. Pass
Wotaku ni Koi wa Muzukashii - If you want romance from this season, this is the show to watch. It focuses a lot more on the actual dynamics of the relationship between the two characters and how it evolves instead of a silly cat and mouse game. I definitely prefer this kind of approach to this type of show. Also, a good amount of references for us gamers to pick up on. Highly recommended
_MEGA's Anime of the Season Spring 2018 Pick: Hinamtsuri
This is another season that had more than one show actually stand out to me as a real contender for animie of the season. I would say Hinamtsuri was one I personally enjoyed the most and looked forward to every week right along side Megalo Box. Wotaku ni Koi wa Muzukashii and Golden Kamuy as well definitely deserve to be mentioned here. Those 4 definitely stood out among the other shows from this season and are all worth a watch.
Spring 2018 Look-Back
Keep in mind, this list contains shows I both completed or dropped after a few episodes, giving it at least a fair chance. Additionally, shows that span across multiple seasons are ONLY listed in the season in which they first aired. So, let's get into it.
3D Kanojo: Real Girl - It's a bit below average. If you're actually looking for romance, there are many other options out there, even within this season. Pass
Caliuga - Not really sure what I was expecting. To be honest, I'm not sure if I even know what the show is about, outside of people reliving high school life with action, even after 12 episodes. Hard pass
Captain Tsubasa - For those that don't know, this is actually a remake of the 80s anime of the same name. It's not as crazy as your generic sports anime where everyone gets these crazy power up shots, but there are some. Overall, it's pretty much the same as any other shounen sports anime, but focused on soccer. I still like it and enjoy it, but definitely has more of a niche than say HaikyuuSafe to pass
Devils Line - Unless you're an edge lord, or want to be one, I'd stay away. Hard pass
Fumikiri Jikan - Was just people at a train stop for 3 minutes a week. Good way to pass time, but that's about it. Pass
Golden Kamuy - Now we're talking. From my understanding, the manga is pretty popular so I'm not sure why this sort of flew under the radar for most. Really interesting concept. Some of the CGI was a little odd to me at first, but I got used to it. Definitely Recommended
Hinamtsuri - Probably the best comedy of the season. Just as a side note, if you get to like episode 5 or 6 where Anzu "sings", just keep in mind her VA actually did the opening of the show. Makes that scene all the more amusing. Highly recommended
Mahou Shoujo Site - It's like Madoka Magica, but a little bit darker. Especially in the first few episodes. It also wasn't really that interesting at all. Pass
Megalo Box - Ashita no Joe 50th anniversary project anime. Definitely had a lot of connections back to Ashita no Joe, but also deviated a bit and took its own route which I enjoyed. Much like other sports anime, it's all about the "how" things happen and "how" people reach the top, because we all know from episode 1 it will happen. Highly recommended
Saredo Tsumibito wa Ryuu to Odoru - Yeah... no.
Shokugeki no Souma: San no Sara - Toutsuki Ressha-hen - Can't really go wrong with Shokugeki. I think J.C. Staff has done a really nice job with this show.
Steins;Gate 0 - It's Steins;Gate. Still good. Still overhyped. But still a good show. Recommended
Sword Art Online Alternative: Gun Gale Online - Even after what Snipeye posted, I went to check it out anyway. Was actually that bad. Started off interesting, but they decided to recap everything on episode 5 or 6. Although, despite being bad, was still better than what A-1 did, but the bar isn't very high. Good to pass
Tada-kun wa Koi wo Shinai - General romcom story. Pretty much know how it's going to play out before you begin. Kind of like a generic "isekai" show - once you've seen enough you've seen them all. Has very nice visuals though. Pass
Wotaku ni Koi wa Muzukashii - If you want romance from this season, this is the show to watch. It focuses a lot more on the actual dynamics of the relationship between the two characters and how it evolves instead of a silly cat and mouse game. I definitely prefer this kind of approach to this type of show. Also, a good amount of references for us gamers to pick up on. Highly recommended
_MEGA's Anime of the Season Spring 2018 Pick: Hinamtsuri
This is another season that had more than one show actually stand out to me as a real contender for animie of the season. I would say Hinamtsuri was one I personally enjoyed the most and looked forward to every week right along side Megalo Box. Wotaku ni Koi wa Muzukashii and Golden Kamuy as well definitely deserve to be mentioned here. Those 4 definitely stood out among the other shows from this season and are all worth a watch.
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I'm currently living Wotaku with my girlfriend. And we both love the anime. So ironic and the timing...
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I don't think Franxx was really all that strong to compete for that title. All it really has going for it is popularity, but there are other shows much more deserving such as Yuru Camp, Sora yori mo Tooi Basho, and Hinamatsuri. This season you have Gintama and Jojo which are generally pretty solid all around. Also have Grand Blue and the second Overlord season for the year. Wouldn't be surprised if we see a season 4 next year at the rate the light novels are selling in Japan. Just to give you an idea, one of if not the currently the top selling light novels in Japan is Overlord.
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Source: MAL
Juuni Kokuki is an anime heavily influenced by mythology and folklore, especially from China. A lot of the designs of creatures and lore of the world can also find its roots within mythology. The story begins with the main character, Youko, being sent to another world. We even learn early on that this world is aware of the existence of Japan, and that certain individuals have the ability to travel there and back. The plot is simple enough, but it turns into something truly grand. As the characters find themselves trapped in this new world, unable to even speak the local language (with the exception of Youko), they do what they must to survive.
Being thrown into this world with nothing and no guidance, the true nature of our characters really starts to come to light. Quickly over the first handful of episodes, we see our characters growing as they battle moral dilemmas and even each other. Without spoiling too much, our main character Youko even goes through two rather large developments. Once upon arrival to this new world and once upon accepting her place within this new world. Overall, the characters in this show are very dynamic and we get to learn a lot about them. Something I really enjoyed about this show is its storytelling. While Youko is the main character, she is not the main focus of the show the entire time.
Now let's get into the world building. Juuni Kokuki is essentially world building the anime. As the anime progresses, we learn more and more about the world in which our characters find themselves in. We are able to learn a lot about other characters in the world in relation to Youko as opposed to focusing solely on Youko. Essentially, it opens up the world a lot and shows numerous other events that take place around the same time. It makes the world feel much more alive as, despite Youko being the main character, there are many major world events taking place out of her control that she simply learns about but has no feasible way of intervening in, such as civil wars, coups, and more.
I don't want this to get too long, but there is just so much praise I can give this anime. Once I started watching, I quickly found myself craving to learn more about the world and seeing where the characters end up. Even when the focus shifted from the original main character to others becoming the main character for a short period of time, I still found myself completely immersed. Although it is an older show (coming out in 2002), the animation does hold up nicely. And I can't simply get enough of the instrumental opening, which I'll leave for your listening pleasure. All I can say is that even if these fantasy adventure shows aren't your thing, you should definitely give this a try. By far one of the best shows I've seen in a long while.
9/10
Here is a full version of the opening. Sadly I couldn't find one of better audio quality.
Juuni Kokuki is an anime heavily influenced by mythology and folklore, especially from China. A lot of the designs of creatures and lore of the world can also find its roots within mythology. The story begins with the main character, Youko, being sent to another world. We even learn early on that this world is aware of the existence of Japan, and that certain individuals have the ability to travel there and back. The plot is simple enough, but it turns into something truly grand. As the characters find themselves trapped in this new world, unable to even speak the local language (with the exception of Youko), they do what they must to survive.
Being thrown into this world with nothing and no guidance, the true nature of our characters really starts to come to light. Quickly over the first handful of episodes, we see our characters growing as they battle moral dilemmas and even each other. Without spoiling too much, our main character Youko even goes through two rather large developments. Once upon arrival to this new world and once upon accepting her place within this new world. Overall, the characters in this show are very dynamic and we get to learn a lot about them. Something I really enjoyed about this show is its storytelling. While Youko is the main character, she is not the main focus of the show the entire time.
Now let's get into the world building. Juuni Kokuki is essentially world building the anime. As the anime progresses, we learn more and more about the world in which our characters find themselves in. We are able to learn a lot about other characters in the world in relation to Youko as opposed to focusing solely on Youko. Essentially, it opens up the world a lot and shows numerous other events that take place around the same time. It makes the world feel much more alive as, despite Youko being the main character, there are many major world events taking place out of her control that she simply learns about but has no feasible way of intervening in, such as civil wars, coups, and more.
I don't want this to get too long, but there is just so much praise I can give this anime. Once I started watching, I quickly found myself craving to learn more about the world and seeing where the characters end up. Even when the focus shifted from the original main character to others becoming the main character for a short period of time, I still found myself completely immersed. Although it is an older show (coming out in 2002), the animation does hold up nicely. And I can't simply get enough of the instrumental opening, which I'll leave for your listening pleasure. All I can say is that even if these fantasy adventure shows aren't your thing, you should definitely give this a try. By far one of the best shows I've seen in a long while.
9/10
Here is a full version of the opening. Sadly I couldn't find one of better audio quality.
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Golly, it's already that time. Season went by pretty quick. Doesn't feel like I watched as much this season as I normally do, but I was also a bit busier than normal as well. Anywho, with the Fall season of anime starting to come out this week, why not take a look at what just finished up a few days ago!
Summer 2018 Look-Back
Keep in mind, this list contains shows I both completed or dropped after a few episodes, giving it at least a fair chance. Additionally, shows that span across multiple seasons are ONLY listed in the season in which they first aired. So, let's get into it.
Asobi Asobase - Was pretty enjoyable throughout, but like most comedy they seemed to repeat the same jokes over and over in the same style as the episodes went out. I think the drastic change in art style is what adds a lot of the humor, but it definitely lost its impact with me about half way through. Overall, was still enjoyable. Recommended
Chio-chan no Tsuugakuro - This is what I'm talking about. Comedy that's actually relatable. Some of the antics and situations Chio finds herself in are very similar to situations I experienced in high school as well. Namely creating elaborate plans to stay up late at night playing video games without my parents knowing! A couple of the early episodes were a bit hit or miss to me with the comedy, but still great overall. Highly recommended
FLCL Progressive - I had some high hopes for this as I really enjoyed the original FLCL. Not sure what else I can say, but I was slightly let down. Hopefully the second half of this, FLCL Alternative, picks up the slack. If you haven't seen the original, this won't make any sense. Sequel
Grand Blue - It's a diving anime exception for the times it's a comedy, which is most of the time. Although the diving portions are actually quite enjoyable as well. Pretty good humor over all and just a fun watch. Highly recommended
Hanebado - Badminton anime. Overall, it started pretty strong. Nice animation and the story seemed to be going somewhere. Story wise, it sort of fell off a bit. The show was really at its best when people would stop talk and it was just two girls playing badminton. Safe to pass
Happy Sugar Life - Kind of a misleading title. It's actually more of a psychological horror type show. Story itself is kind of boring and the characters are decent at best. In a story where every character is more or less mentally insane, being "normal" would make them "abnormal" but that wasn't really explored with the only sane character in it. Might have made things more interesting. Pass
Harukana Receive - It's basically Hanebado, but with more fan service. It actually does the whole "returning player to the sport" thing better, but the story itself is just weak. Safe to pass
Hataraku Saibou - You know, if this wasn't so damn violent I could see it being a show for children. But then again, they have shows like shin-chan in Japan, so it may as well be a children's show. Also, platelets are cute. Yes.
Island - This is why some visual novels should stay visual novels. Hard pass
Kyoto Teramachi Sanjou no Holmes - You ever watch a show gradually decrease in quality each episode? That's what this was. At first they didn't anime the eyes, and by the last couple of episodes it felt like I was looking at a storyboard. The romantic subplot also felt pretty forced and derailed from the rest of the episode when it came up. Pass
Overlord III - Outside of the CGI and climax of the season being incredibly underwhelming, it was still enjoyable. I wish they would either remove the CGI or just improve it. Sadly not every CGI show can be Houseki no Kuni. Recommended
Satsuriku no Tenshi - Based on a game of the same name (Angels of Death). Although some of the story felt predictable at times, I still enjoyed watching it week to week. Recommended
_MEGA's Anime of the Season Summer 2018 Pick: Grand Blue
Overall, this season felt a bit weak to me. However, Grand Blue definitely stood out as the show I was most looking forward to each week. The comedy was solid and had me laughing each week. Grand Blue was by far the most consistently good show for me each season. If you were only going to watch one show, I definitely suggest Grand Blue.
Summer 2018 Look-Back
Keep in mind, this list contains shows I both completed or dropped after a few episodes, giving it at least a fair chance. Additionally, shows that span across multiple seasons are ONLY listed in the season in which they first aired. So, let's get into it.
Asobi Asobase - Was pretty enjoyable throughout, but like most comedy they seemed to repeat the same jokes over and over in the same style as the episodes went out. I think the drastic change in art style is what adds a lot of the humor, but it definitely lost its impact with me about half way through. Overall, was still enjoyable. Recommended
Chio-chan no Tsuugakuro - This is what I'm talking about. Comedy that's actually relatable. Some of the antics and situations Chio finds herself in are very similar to situations I experienced in high school as well. Namely creating elaborate plans to stay up late at night playing video games without my parents knowing! A couple of the early episodes were a bit hit or miss to me with the comedy, but still great overall. Highly recommended
FLCL Progressive - I had some high hopes for this as I really enjoyed the original FLCL. Not sure what else I can say, but I was slightly let down. Hopefully the second half of this, FLCL Alternative, picks up the slack. If you haven't seen the original, this won't make any sense. Sequel
Grand Blue - It's a diving anime exception for the times it's a comedy, which is most of the time. Although the diving portions are actually quite enjoyable as well. Pretty good humor over all and just a fun watch. Highly recommended
Hanebado - Badminton anime. Overall, it started pretty strong. Nice animation and the story seemed to be going somewhere. Story wise, it sort of fell off a bit. The show was really at its best when people would stop talk and it was just two girls playing badminton. Safe to pass
Happy Sugar Life - Kind of a misleading title. It's actually more of a psychological horror type show. Story itself is kind of boring and the characters are decent at best. In a story where every character is more or less mentally insane, being "normal" would make them "abnormal" but that wasn't really explored with the only sane character in it. Might have made things more interesting. Pass
Harukana Receive - It's basically Hanebado, but with more fan service. It actually does the whole "returning player to the sport" thing better, but the story itself is just weak. Safe to pass
Hataraku Saibou - You know, if this wasn't so damn violent I could see it being a show for children. But then again, they have shows like shin-chan in Japan, so it may as well be a children's show. Also, platelets are cute. Yes.
Island - This is why some visual novels should stay visual novels. Hard pass
Kyoto Teramachi Sanjou no Holmes - You ever watch a show gradually decrease in quality each episode? That's what this was. At first they didn't anime the eyes, and by the last couple of episodes it felt like I was looking at a storyboard. The romantic subplot also felt pretty forced and derailed from the rest of the episode when it came up. Pass
Overlord III - Outside of the CGI and climax of the season being incredibly underwhelming, it was still enjoyable. I wish they would either remove the CGI or just improve it. Sadly not every CGI show can be Houseki no Kuni. Recommended
Satsuriku no Tenshi - Based on a game of the same name (Angels of Death). Although some of the story felt predictable at times, I still enjoyed watching it week to week. Recommended
_MEGA's Anime of the Season Summer 2018 Pick: Grand Blue
Overall, this season felt a bit weak to me. However, Grand Blue definitely stood out as the show I was most looking forward to each week. The comedy was solid and had me laughing each week. Grand Blue was by far the most consistently good show for me each season. If you were only going to watch one show, I definitely suggest Grand Blue.
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me love amine
hi mega
hi mega
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hi slam
In other news, I actually have a couple series I've been wanting to write reviews for. One of them I am actually currently re-watching as it's been roughly 8 years or so since I've seen it, so I'd like to make sure I'm remembering details accurately haha.
I also keep telling myself one day I'll actually do reviews regularly, but I either get lazy or just forget. And life sort of gets in the way.
In other news, I actually have a couple series I've been wanting to write reviews for. One of them I am actually currently re-watching as it's been roughly 8 years or so since I've seen it, so I'd like to make sure I'm remembering details accurately haha.
I also keep telling myself one day I'll actually do reviews regularly, but I either get lazy or just forget. And life sort of gets in the way.
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Source: MAL
Now if you read the description and are completely confused, don't worry. I was pretty confused too. And, after all 12 episodes I am proud to say I know as much about the story and characters as I did in the first 10 minutes of the first episode. None of the characters really seem to have any motivation either. They just sort of feel like they have been told "you are going to do this now" and they just went "yeah sure whatever". The story is just terrible all around. The protagonists have no real motivation, the antagonist are there to just fill the slot of an antagonist. Honestly if they made the antagonist the wind or something it would have been a more interesting show. Before I get into a massive rant on just the story, I'm just going to leave it at "the story is just terrible".
Now, let's ignore all the characters because they aren't too interesting either. Just me wanting to change the air filters on my car so the air inside is clean is more motivation than a handful of the characters put together. But let's talk about art and visuals. Overall, I don't think the character designs are bad by any means. In fact, they are pretty average/standard with the current "generic" anime style characters. By that I mean they look like they should be characters in a show that aired in 2017 as opposed to 1980. My main issue is the fact that the visuals hurt to look at. Everything in the world just feels out of place. Vivid and exotic colors aren't always a bad thing, except when they stand out so much they aren't unique anymore and become a pain to look at. When the art is so obnoxiously thrown in my face, I find it hard to keep watching.
Seeing as this is an original work, I'm not really sure who thought this was a good idea. They took a concept you can find in many other series, such as the Fate series, of two people "pairing up" in some way to win a prize from some divine entity/object. Except, everything that makes that concept interesting seems to have been thrown out the window. The way the pairings actually occur, their motivations, and ability to actually work together during action and idle time. Characters that just stand around doing nothing in idle time might as well be animated as a rock.
I haven't done a review on a truly terrible anime in a while, so I figured I might as well. Also. not every anime needs to have CG that just makes the overly obnoxious visuals even more terrible.
1/10
Now if you read the description and are completely confused, don't worry. I was pretty confused too. And, after all 12 episodes I am proud to say I know as much about the story and characters as I did in the first 10 minutes of the first episode. None of the characters really seem to have any motivation either. They just sort of feel like they have been told "you are going to do this now" and they just went "yeah sure whatever". The story is just terrible all around. The protagonists have no real motivation, the antagonist are there to just fill the slot of an antagonist. Honestly if they made the antagonist the wind or something it would have been a more interesting show. Before I get into a massive rant on just the story, I'm just going to leave it at "the story is just terrible".
Now, let's ignore all the characters because they aren't too interesting either. Just me wanting to change the air filters on my car so the air inside is clean is more motivation than a handful of the characters put together. But let's talk about art and visuals. Overall, I don't think the character designs are bad by any means. In fact, they are pretty average/standard with the current "generic" anime style characters. By that I mean they look like they should be characters in a show that aired in 2017 as opposed to 1980. My main issue is the fact that the visuals hurt to look at. Everything in the world just feels out of place. Vivid and exotic colors aren't always a bad thing, except when they stand out so much they aren't unique anymore and become a pain to look at. When the art is so obnoxiously thrown in my face, I find it hard to keep watching.
Seeing as this is an original work, I'm not really sure who thought this was a good idea. They took a concept you can find in many other series, such as the Fate series, of two people "pairing up" in some way to win a prize from some divine entity/object. Except, everything that makes that concept interesting seems to have been thrown out the window. The way the pairings actually occur, their motivations, and ability to actually work together during action and idle time. Characters that just stand around doing nothing in idle time might as well be animated as a rock.
I haven't done a review on a truly terrible anime in a while, so I figured I might as well. Also. not every anime needs to have CG that just makes the overly obnoxious visuals even more terrible.
1/10
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Source: MAL
Between the title and character names in the synopsis, you might have guessed this is actually a film produced by a Chinese anime studio. In fact, the story is one inspired by ancient Chinese texts and other folklore. It definitely has a very spiritual and mystical feel to it that I personally find rather charming about many Asian folk stories in general.
Overall, the story itself is rather simple, but I think it is told in such a beautiful way. The story starts with a coming of age ceremony. The plot really begins to progress after the drowning incident of the young boy who saved Chun and Chun's return. Filled with guilt, she begins to look for a way to restore the life of the young boy who saved her. As the film progresses, we begin to learn more about the society and community Chun lives in and how interconnected all beings are. If you don't figure it out, death and rebirth, is a very large theme throughout the film.
Normally, my biggest concern in films is not really getting to know the characters if the film is not the sequel to a series of sorts. Generally, this is due to a large number of characters in the film ultimately taking away from the main character's screen time and development. However, that was not the case at all. Chun and her friend Qiu are really the two characters that receive a lot of focus throughout the film. We see the two of them go through their hardships together and their bond tested. By the end, I felt as if I had gone on their adventure with them. Between the story and emotion coming from the characters (the voice acting was fantastic), I found myself drawn into the story.
Finally, with this being a film inspired by folklore, I must say that the art in the film truly brought that to life. The mortal/human realm seemed very much like you would expect a human world to be. However, in the mythical realm where Chun was born and raised definitely gave off a serene and magical vibe. The colors were simply so vivid and I found myself in awe at the sheer beauty in some of the scenes. I could probably ramble on with a ton of nonsense about the beauty of the art, but it would just be random words. Also, the CGI didn't look terrible. Even though you could tell it was CGI as opposed to being hand drawn in some scenes, I don't think it really hindered the overall art of the film.
All in all, it was a lovely film and I really enjoyed watching it. If you can, I highly suggest looking for the original Chinese version. If not, I'm sure you can find the Japanese or English dub if there is one.
8/10
Between the title and character names in the synopsis, you might have guessed this is actually a film produced by a Chinese anime studio. In fact, the story is one inspired by ancient Chinese texts and other folklore. It definitely has a very spiritual and mystical feel to it that I personally find rather charming about many Asian folk stories in general.
Overall, the story itself is rather simple, but I think it is told in such a beautiful way. The story starts with a coming of age ceremony. The plot really begins to progress after the drowning incident of the young boy who saved Chun and Chun's return. Filled with guilt, she begins to look for a way to restore the life of the young boy who saved her. As the film progresses, we begin to learn more about the society and community Chun lives in and how interconnected all beings are. If you don't figure it out, death and rebirth, is a very large theme throughout the film.
Normally, my biggest concern in films is not really getting to know the characters if the film is not the sequel to a series of sorts. Generally, this is due to a large number of characters in the film ultimately taking away from the main character's screen time and development. However, that was not the case at all. Chun and her friend Qiu are really the two characters that receive a lot of focus throughout the film. We see the two of them go through their hardships together and their bond tested. By the end, I felt as if I had gone on their adventure with them. Between the story and emotion coming from the characters (the voice acting was fantastic), I found myself drawn into the story.
Finally, with this being a film inspired by folklore, I must say that the art in the film truly brought that to life. The mortal/human realm seemed very much like you would expect a human world to be. However, in the mythical realm where Chun was born and raised definitely gave off a serene and magical vibe. The colors were simply so vivid and I found myself in awe at the sheer beauty in some of the scenes. I could probably ramble on with a ton of nonsense about the beauty of the art, but it would just be random words. Also, the CGI didn't look terrible. Even though you could tell it was CGI as opposed to being hand drawn in some scenes, I don't think it really hindered the overall art of the film.
All in all, it was a lovely film and I really enjoyed watching it. If you can, I highly suggest looking for the original Chinese version. If not, I'm sure you can find the Japanese or English dub if there is one.
8/10
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Here we go again, it's that time of the season. The final season of anime of 2018 has just ended and we have the new season starting, with a few pretty interesting first episodes too. However, we're not here to talk about those. Let's talk about last season!
Fall2018 Look-Back
Keep in mind, this list contains shows I both completed or dropped after a few episodes, giving it at least a fair chance. Additionally, shows that span across multiple seasons are ONLY listed in the season in which they first aired. So, let's get into it.
Anima Yell! - It's a moe blob with cute girls doing cute things. Pretty much the same as any other Doga Kobo moe blob show (yuru yuri, umaru-chan, new game, etc). If you like your moe blobs, go for it. If not, safe to Pass.
Fairy Tail: Final Series - Not even ashamed. All it's issues (and there are many), I'm a sucker for Fairy Tail. Not really sure what else to say about it. If you enjoy Fairy Tail go for it. If you're looking to start Fairy Tail, you may want to look into other magic shows. Sequel
Gaikotsu Shotenin Honda-san - It's a series of 12 minute episodes about a skeleton working at a book store. It's pretty strange but oddly entertaining to watch. Soft recommend
Goblin Slayer - Dark fantasy. You got your goblins going around doing their goblin things and this guy going around slaying them. The title tells you what the main character is going to be doing and the story tells you why he is doing it. Recommended
Golden Kamuy 2nd Season - Season 2 of Golden Kamuy. Just as enjoyable as the first. Recommended (Sequel)
Himote House - Pretty disappointing, even for a moeblob. Even at 12 minutes an episode, felt like a waste of time. Hard pass
Irozuku Sekai no Ashita kara - The moment they mentioned time travel in episode 1, I knew how this story was going to play out. Despite that, I watched all of it. The characters and story really aren't that interesting. The entire plot progression is being forced on 1 character (not even the main character). Outside of having some nice visuals, not much else to the show. Safe to pass
Jingai-san no Yome - 3 minute episodes. These strange creatures are picking high school males to be their "wives". Yes, they actually use the word "wife". Each episode is as strange and confusing as the last. I sort of enjoying it as background noise, but that's about it. Safe to pass
Kishuku Gakkou no Juliet - School action romance.... Where have I seen this before? I did drop this one, but I have no regrets. Nothing really separates this show from the hundreds of others in its genre. Hard pass
Release the Spyce - Back to more moeblobs. Was decent at best. Safe to pass
RErideD: Tokigoe no Derrida - Everything about this show... just no. Super hard pass
Seishun Buta Yarou wa Bunny Girl Senpai no Yume wo Minai - Incredibly over-hyped. Still pretty decent, but over-hyped. Outside of the two main characters, most of the interactions between characters are rather boring. End of the day though, still enjoyable. Recommended
SSSS.Gridman - What I think is truly the hidden gem of the season. It really didn't get much notice until about half way through the season. Makes you wonder if it was really Trigger or A-1/CloverWorks calling the shots in Franxx. Highly Recommended
Sword Art Online: Alicization - At first it seemed to be going down the path to be at least as decent as the first arc in season 1. Then episodes 3-current happened. Same devices are being used to progress the plot in a similar manner that we saw in seasons 1 and 2. I think a series focusing on Agil's bar would be more interesting than this. Pass (Sequel)
Tensei shitara Slime Datta Ken - Huh, good isekai anime does exist. Characters that are actually interesting, main character has clearly stated his goal and is actively pursuing it, and the world doesn't revolve around the main character. From a world building perspective, it's always nice to see that things are happening elsewhere in the world that the MC isn't involved in/has no control over. Probably the most I've enjoyed an isekai in a while. Highly recommended
Yagate Kimi ni Naru - Yet another show I feel flew under the radar for most. I've been following the manga since the beginning and I am very pleased with the adaptation. I wouldn't even mind a season 2 assuming the author gets another handful of chapters out. Lots of beautiful animation and a pretty nice experience watching. Highly recommended
Zombieland Saga - I never knew how much I needed this strangely specific genre of zombie idol girls until this show aired. Had me laughing every episode. Definitely recommended
_MEGA's Anime of the Season Fall 2018 Pick: Yagate Kimi ni Naru
This one is actually pretty tough for me to call and I might even, on my own, go back and forth between this and Slime. I do think both shows are great and definitely deserve a watch if you were looking to pick anything up from this season. However, I think Yagate Kimi ni Naru got me more invested into the episodes week after week than slime did. The characters, the visuals, music, and voice acting in Yagate Kimi ni Naru, I felt, was much more consistent and better produced overall. So that's why I'd list Yagate Kimi ni Naru if you were only going to watch one show from this season.
Fall2018 Look-Back
Keep in mind, this list contains shows I both completed or dropped after a few episodes, giving it at least a fair chance. Additionally, shows that span across multiple seasons are ONLY listed in the season in which they first aired. So, let's get into it.
Anima Yell! - It's a moe blob with cute girls doing cute things. Pretty much the same as any other Doga Kobo moe blob show (yuru yuri, umaru-chan, new game, etc). If you like your moe blobs, go for it. If not, safe to Pass.
Fairy Tail: Final Series - Not even ashamed. All it's issues (and there are many), I'm a sucker for Fairy Tail. Not really sure what else to say about it. If you enjoy Fairy Tail go for it. If you're looking to start Fairy Tail, you may want to look into other magic shows. Sequel
Gaikotsu Shotenin Honda-san - It's a series of 12 minute episodes about a skeleton working at a book store. It's pretty strange but oddly entertaining to watch. Soft recommend
Goblin Slayer - Dark fantasy. You got your goblins going around doing their goblin things and this guy going around slaying them. The title tells you what the main character is going to be doing and the story tells you why he is doing it. Recommended
Golden Kamuy 2nd Season - Season 2 of Golden Kamuy. Just as enjoyable as the first. Recommended (Sequel)
Himote House - Pretty disappointing, even for a moeblob. Even at 12 minutes an episode, felt like a waste of time. Hard pass
Irozuku Sekai no Ashita kara - The moment they mentioned time travel in episode 1, I knew how this story was going to play out. Despite that, I watched all of it. The characters and story really aren't that interesting. The entire plot progression is being forced on 1 character (not even the main character). Outside of having some nice visuals, not much else to the show. Safe to pass
Jingai-san no Yome - 3 minute episodes. These strange creatures are picking high school males to be their "wives". Yes, they actually use the word "wife". Each episode is as strange and confusing as the last. I sort of enjoying it as background noise, but that's about it. Safe to pass
Kishuku Gakkou no Juliet - School action romance.... Where have I seen this before? I did drop this one, but I have no regrets. Nothing really separates this show from the hundreds of others in its genre. Hard pass
Release the Spyce - Back to more moeblobs. Was decent at best. Safe to pass
RErideD: Tokigoe no Derrida - Everything about this show... just no. Super hard pass
Seishun Buta Yarou wa Bunny Girl Senpai no Yume wo Minai - Incredibly over-hyped. Still pretty decent, but over-hyped. Outside of the two main characters, most of the interactions between characters are rather boring. End of the day though, still enjoyable. Recommended
SSSS.Gridman - What I think is truly the hidden gem of the season. It really didn't get much notice until about half way through the season. Makes you wonder if it was really Trigger or A-1/CloverWorks calling the shots in Franxx. Highly Recommended
Sword Art Online: Alicization - At first it seemed to be going down the path to be at least as decent as the first arc in season 1. Then episodes 3-current happened. Same devices are being used to progress the plot in a similar manner that we saw in seasons 1 and 2. I think a series focusing on Agil's bar would be more interesting than this. Pass (Sequel)
Tensei shitara Slime Datta Ken - Huh, good isekai anime does exist. Characters that are actually interesting, main character has clearly stated his goal and is actively pursuing it, and the world doesn't revolve around the main character. From a world building perspective, it's always nice to see that things are happening elsewhere in the world that the MC isn't involved in/has no control over. Probably the most I've enjoyed an isekai in a while. Highly recommended
Yagate Kimi ni Naru - Yet another show I feel flew under the radar for most. I've been following the manga since the beginning and I am very pleased with the adaptation. I wouldn't even mind a season 2 assuming the author gets another handful of chapters out. Lots of beautiful animation and a pretty nice experience watching. Highly recommended
Zombieland Saga - I never knew how much I needed this strangely specific genre of zombie idol girls until this show aired. Had me laughing every episode. Definitely recommended
_MEGA's Anime of the Season Fall 2018 Pick: Yagate Kimi ni Naru
This one is actually pretty tough for me to call and I might even, on my own, go back and forth between this and Slime. I do think both shows are great and definitely deserve a watch if you were looking to pick anything up from this season. However, I think Yagate Kimi ni Naru got me more invested into the episodes week after week than slime did. The characters, the visuals, music, and voice acting in Yagate Kimi ni Naru, I felt, was much more consistent and better produced overall. So that's why I'd list Yagate Kimi ni Naru if you were only going to watch one show from this season.
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- Joined
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How would you recommend this Spice and Wolf anime I have been hearing about a lot lately?
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If you want wolves I'd suggest this film: https://www.edge-gamers.com/forums/showthread.php?303137-_MEGA-s-Anime-Reviews&p=2910113#post2910113
Spice and Wolf is a pretty solid series. There's a reason the author has a new light novel series set in the future. However, the cost for more details is 1 apple per detail.
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That’s Wolf Children right?
Also I would gladly pay you an apple on Tuesday for a detail today.
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Yeah that's wolf children. I loved it and it gets a 10/10 from me
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Thought so. Saw the cover but couldn’t zoom in on my phone too well.
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Wolf Children is a favourite of mine. Then again, I am a huge sucker for Hosada's films (Digimon Movie, Summer Wars, Girl Who Leapt Through Time, Boy & The Beast.
MEGA, I thought SSSS.Gridman was a brilliant one this season. Stood out, was fun, paced nicely for me. Overall was a fantastic watch. I came in late to the game on it and blasted through FAST! I couldn't stop watching.
