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May 22, 2026
Hey, let me tell you a few things about “Golden Time”. It’s right up on the synopsis for this anime that the main character (Banri) is an amnesiac. Okay, so that shouldn’t surprise you (which is a shame, it could be quite the nice surprise if you were none the wiser and an avid enjoyer of this trope—oh, well). Some people don’t like that premise, so consider yourself warned. The next big thing to know is how the anime will deal with this storyline. It will be central to the narrative but it won’t be very realistic. You have to see it more as a
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plot device to elicit drama than anything else (or as a symbolic representation of psychological trauma, if you want to sound more pompous). If you are okay with that, then you can rest easy: “Golden Time” is the anime for you. It will certainly satiate your thirst for cutesy romance and angsty drama.
The art style is pretty generic and the animation just gets the job done, nothing more. But what “Golden Time” lacks in looks, it definitely makes up for in personality (and in music! Gosh, I love the OP's and ED's—albeit, I concede, I'm no musician and my enjoyment of the songs might be influenced by nostalgia). The show doesn’t reinvent the wheel, rather, it fits into a familiar category we’ve all seen and love (possibly), and fills it with enough charisma to pass all the vibe checks. Basically, the show stands out because it’s full of everything that makes a soap opera great: tons of drama, messy love triangles, and intense interpersonal conflicts.
However, that’s not all that the show is. It has that intangible, unspoken quality (the sauce, maybe?) that just complements the complete package and transcends mere mindless entertainment. “Golden Time” feels alive—and I can’t quite explain why. What follows is my attempt to explain it regardless, and I hope it convinces you to watch it.
I must start by saying that my enjoyment of the show is off the charts. I loved it so much the first time I watched it, that I kinda watched the whole thing in one day (I was really proud of my anime consumption productivity that day) and the next couple of rewatches were real quick too (but never again in one day, I’ve become an adult— unfortunately). Each time I watched it, I was at a different moment in my life. As the years progressed, I’ve also honed my critical eye. “Golden Time” withstood all of that and cemented its place as one of the most enjoyable pieces of fiction I’ve ever laid eyes upon. That doesn’t mean it's exempt from criticism, so let me get to it:
On the character department, I feel a little divided. Kouko is definitely the star of the show. She has a lot of personality (for better and for worse), it shows all the time and it is relevant to the plot, as it directly affects the development of the story. This is a major positive point, but what makes it even better is the fact that she has many flaws (she is possessive, jealous and has aggressive tendencies) that create or increment the conflicts that emerge in her relationship with the other characters. In the course of the story, she shows she is conscious of said flaws and makes an effort to change.
Banri’s personality, on the other hand, isn’t written as gracefully as dear ol’ Kouko’s. His personality is split like the premise of the show indicates, however not in an entirely positive way. The good: From time to time during the show, Banri acts with genuine spontaneity and speaks with firm decisiveness, making him a more interesting character than the generic timid coward we so often get in romance anime directed at the male demographic.
However, at other times, Banri is a complete wuss. These moments reveal a potential for character growth, although I’m not convinced alternating between these extremes makes a whole lot of sense. Be as it may, it normally makes sense for him to act cowardly and his character flaw is consistent in its appearances. He tends to run away from difficult conversations (when they matter most) and that is clearly framed as a flaw that he has to overcome. Therefore, his character development centers on this journey and it is interesting to accompany and observe his changes. He does not get it instantly right and regresses to the old ways a couple of times, but that is something we can all identify with, and the series addresses it without preachy judgment (which can even be a helpful resource in your own path of self-development).
However, there is a negative side of Banri’s character. It becomes glaringly apparent that there is a difference between past and present Banri, which would be okay and would make sense within the story considering the amnesia thing, but is inexcusably incoherent when his past self appears to be at odds with his own past self. Flashbacks from before he lost his memory show him being one way, then another, depending on what the story needs him to be like in the past to justify the present-time narrative. That’s a flaw that is normally hard to overlook, but the weight of the plot is such that character contrivances become almost irrelevant.
“Golden Time” is most definitely not a character study and shouldn’t be viewed as such. The series is much more akin to a soap opera drama than anything else, considering all the tropes and clichés it features. Despite this, it’s a shame that the main character shows those types of inconsistencies, as it is also a shame that the rest of the cast doesn’t get nearly enough screen time to develop their personalities and conflicts, individually. They barely have a character arc. So, when conflict emerges between them, it feels somewhat uncalled for. Not that it doesn’t make any sense. It does—the supporting characters act in a way that is logical and clearly explained throughout the episodes. But their actions and reactions aren’t explored enough to either fully comprehend their more personal causes or to resonate deeply with the audience.
Nonetheless, as the focus of “Golden Time” is clearly on Banri, Kouko and Linda, you can rest easy knowing that this part of the plot is neatly tied up by the end. Without giving any spoilers, I’d like to say that there is also a rather mature message to be found in the tale of those three. It’s a lesson about learning to overcome the ghosts of the past and about learning to love a person for who they are (with all their issues and shortcomings) and for the person they make you be (because we are all different people to different people—some elicit the best in us, some the worst).
All in all, “Golden Time” is a genre piece and your enjoyment will be predicated on how much you appreciate certain tropes. If you get past that, you’ll get what the show has best to offer: a great deal of angsty conflicts and a tale of self discovery, identity and love. And boy, do I love “Golden Time”!
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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Apr 22, 2026
So far, so good.
"Koori no Jouheki" seems to be a show directed at a female teenager demographic, however it portrays themes of universal appreciation. It deals with trauma related to bullying and its consequences. Koyuki, the protagonist, develops a defense mechanism where she shuns out any and all people that try to approach her, in fear of going through the same terrible experiences she's gone through in her middle school years. On a fateful day, she meets Youta and Minato, two extroverted boys that treat her no different from anyone else and slowly, little by little, break down her defenses. This is the basic premise
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behind the anime (which becomes clear from the very first episode).
What makes "Koori no Jouheki" unique doesn't come from the plot per se, but from the way the themes are dealt with, as well as from the development of the characters. Both of these qualities stem from the fact that the show is very preoccupied with psychological aspects, with many instances of internal monologue and emerging conflict. Despite this, the show never loses momentum and keeps being entertaining, balancing between moments of levity and moments of struggle. The psychological construct of the characters are somewhat simplified through analogies that limit the scope of their dynamism, but serve a narrative purpose. So far, it's hard to say the complexity and depth the anime will reach in relation to those aspects (I haven't read the manga), but the already blossoming character interactions are pleasantly inviting. It is also worth noting that all main characters are getting their fair share of individual screentime. Despite the focus remaining largely on the protagonist, Koyuki, the entire cast's personal struggles and perspectives are being explored. Nonetheless, all the themes dealt with are insufferably adolescent in nature. If you are a teenager, you'll find yourself right at home, although, if you are an adult, you might have to exercise some remembrance (from your own teenage years) and sympathy--but I wouldn't say it detracts from the quality of the writing. Still, there is a lot of room for change and growth in the episodes to come and it shows potential.
I would recommend adding this anime to your list of shows to follow this season if you are interested in the aspects I discussed in my analysis. When it concludes, I'll update my review.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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Apr 16, 2026
Have you ever wondered what “Kuzu no Honkai” would be like if it was a happy-go-lucky romantic comedy instead of an agonizing, despair-ridden tale of hopeless, fruitless love? Well, look no further (and suffer no longer): I present to you “More than a Couple, Less than Lovers”! (or “Fuukoi” for short).
Here’s a quick checklist of all you will find in this show (no spoilers):
- Spineless nerdy bastard protagonist gets thrown in a slightly different excuse for a plot that forces him into a situationship with the hottest gyaru in school? Check.
- Spineless nerdy bastard protagonist never has the balls to take the initiative with the
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girls (except in the first episode because the plot demanded so and because the author needed to hook your horny ass) but still gets all the action because… yes? Check.
- Despite main girl being all seductive, sassy and provocative, she’s actually pure and timid? Check.
- OSANANAJIMI? Check.
- Every other interaction turns sexual for no reason except boobie shots? Check.
- 10/10 waifu and gooner material? Check.
If you ask me, that’s peak fiction right there.
Other than that, “Fuukoi” feels like home if you were into harem shows in the 2000’s. It has everything that made anime in this genre fun in those times, but with a few added twists of its own to make it fresh. And regarding freshness, the art style is the main attraction; it’s bright, colorful and unique. It helps “Fuukoi” distinguish itself from other generic romance anime, even though the show sticks close to all the tropes of olden. It doesn’t reinvent the wheel, but that’s not a bad thing. For being something familiar, it inspires a great deal of nostalgia in veterans like myself. And by letting the characters in the story grow just tid-bit out of their conventional genre stereotypes, it surprisingly shows a lot of heart and charisma that certainly has earned “Fuukoi” its fair share of fans. It’s also funny as heck—especially so with the american dub.
And just so we’re clear, after the first episode the plot degrades into: after every sexually tense interaction between Jirou (the main character) and any of main love interests, he goes “oh, she’s treating me well, she must treat everyone like this, no way she likes me! don't you get the wrong idea silly Jirou! haha”. Which continually escalates, until it reaches peak cope just to prevent the story from going forward to a ridiculous degree, basically being “oh, she’s throwing herself naked at me? she must be playing a prank, no way this means she ACTUALLY likes me! don't you get the wrong idea silly Jirou! haha”.
Which is… par for the course in shows like this. So, if it makes you frustrated, then what are you doing reading a review for an ecchi show, bro? Go watch avatar or whatever you normies do.
P.S.: I know this show doesn’t have the ecchi tag, but come on, we both know what seinen actually stands for.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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Aug 1, 2025
“Katainaka no Ossan” is decidedly average. There is nothing about this show that stands out.
And that’s ok.
It appears perfectly content with its mediocrity, serving as just another unremarkable addition to the endless stream of isekai anime. The series features, much like its protagonist, an understated narrative that, unlike its protagonist is most definitely not secretly great. It’s a show designed as a low-key, unchallenging background noise that you can easily watch while doing some other activity without ever getting confused about what’s going on. In fact, the story is so predictable, unsurprising, and insubstantial that, even if you do get distracted and miss out
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on entire scenes, you can easily fill in the gaps for yourself. And the pacing of “Katainaka” is so slow and contains so little action or plot developments, that you'd have to be away for quite some time to lose track of the story.
All of this doesn’t make the show bad, per se. It isn’t particularly good either, but it *can* make you feel good. It’s mostly a slice of life in a medieval fantasy setting, but for people with daddy issues.
And about those daddy issues…
Beryl, the protagonist, is called “old man” (or some variation of it) 273 times during the entirety of the show’s runtime. I know because I counted (actually, no I didn’t—but you get the point, it’s a lot). They really wanted to drive in the idea that he is old enough to be those girls’ dad. And how many girls! It seemed as though he had only trained females, which for an average anime enjoyer might not seem so surprising, considering we have an entire subgenre dedicated to multiple girls flocking around a spineless bastard, but in this one occasion, it does seem a little off. Mainly because this is not a harem show (check out the genres tags here on MAL) and tag or no tag, "Katainaka" feels much more like a slice of life than anything else. Romance? Can’t say it’s not there. More than one girl is or seems infatuated with Beryl. But does the show promise reciprocity and development in that area? Not in the slightest. He really does act as though he is the girls’ dad, which can be a little awkward, but considering nothing really happens, it’s actually almost… wholesome.
And what about the fantasy? It’s secondary to the character relationships, and in fights, swordplay takes precedence over magic, so we aren’t left with much else other than the usual RPG elements and the medieval setting. As far as the genre goes, “Katainaka” is quite bare bones in this department. I would say that the most powerful element of fantasy present in the show is in regards to the unconscious desire of the female cast for a daddy. In regards to the action and adventure, it isn’t much different. Adventure is basically non-existent and the action is comprised of a limited number of fight scenes, of which only a couple are for real. Most fights are, literally, practice.
Alas, last but not least, characters. To be an effective slice of life show, one must make interesting characters the audience can connect and sympathize with. Once again “Katainaka” fails miserably in delivering the goods. Characters are shallow and their personalities can be separated into two groups: Beryl and… those that are somewhat infatuated with Beryl. The only notable difference between the members of the second group is that a few of these characters present, at first, some kind of strange resentment and rage towards our main character, but eventually acquiesce and accept him as their daddy and master of all things due to his undying kindness. And there really isn’t much more to it than that. That’s “Katainaka” in a nutshell: Beryl is a humble and merciful old man (and the show makes sure to emphasize that he is old AND humble, all the time) that draws in all the young women around.
But does that mean "Katainaka" is a bad anime? Not really.
Despite all my criticism (I’m just doing my due diligence as a reviewer), it’s not a show that gets on your nerves due its flaws, nor does it get you riled up due to its achievements. It simply falls flat. It’s not a show that you’ll remember 10 years from now (maybe not even 5… or 2…) but it’s not egregious. It can even be fun. Fun in a kind of peaceful, mundane way. It’s a show that can keep you company during sleepless nights and listless days that don’t offer the luxury of sitting down to enjoy an anime with your undivided attention. In these moments comes “Katainaka”, just a little something to put on the phone and listen to while you plow through trying times.
Reviewer’s Rating: 5
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Jul 28, 2025
I never trust the hype.
Season after season, there is always one crappy show with bland one dimensional characters, boring story and predictable development that gets hyped for reasons beyond my comprehension. And season after season, I get tempted into watching it just to confirm my initial preconceptions…
However!
From time to time, there is one (actually) great show. One that makes up for all the countless braindead crap I endured beforehand. And “Kaguya-sama: Love is War” is one of them.
As you can see by the time of writing this review, it took me a long time to watch this show (6 years lmao), and by now
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I’m writing to no one because everyone has already watched it. I know this, however I’m compelled to write nonetheless. May this be a testament to how good “Kaguya-sama” is. But let me explain why.
At first, “Kaguya-sama” seems to be your average rom-com, with its own little twist on the genre that sets a recurring gag to fall back on repeatedly. Aaaaand that would be completely correct. This show most definitely *isn’t* reinventing the wheel. It taps into a tired genre, runs with common tropes and stretches the story thin relying heavily into humor instead of progressing the plot. So, why is it good? Because it does so without foregoing character development.
Relationships change (a little bit) during the show, characters get more depth, there are relatable and reasonably complex conflicts, interactions between characters are creative and genuinely entertaining and the humor just… works — which, yes, can be quite subjective, but considering all of the other factors I pointed out, in the grand scheme of things, make up the structure of a potentially great story. It helps that the characters themselves are interesting and despite their go-to gags, aren’t defined by, exclusively, one characteristic. This saves the show from being redundant, boring and unfunny. Therefore, despite not really progressing the story, “Kaguya-hime” finds ways to keep things new (but that’s only after season one, which relies heavily on humor and has basically no character development).
On the topic of new, it’s also refreshing to see old character tropes and genre clichés adapted and/or confronted with contemporary reality. Characters have smartphones, use social media and joke about 21st century stuff. Genre animes seem so adamant on sticking to the olden days to rely on safe clichés that they fail (before even starting) to find ways to respect the tradition and *still* make it up to date with current world events and technologies. “Kaguya-hime” is a masterclass on updating our beloved rom-com tropes.
Another refreshing aspect of the series is that the humor isn’t prudish, but isn’t perverted either. Most anime fall on either side of the spectrum, but “Kaguya-hime” takes a new middle-ground between them, being equally relatable to both boys and girls (I say boys and girls but somehow this is aimed at adults. I don't see any reason this series can't be enjoyed by all ages).
All of these factors contributed to the show continuously growing on me and as the seasons went by, I got more invested in the story and it made everything all the more entertaining (btw, each subsequent season does have a higher score on MAL and it's well worth the watch). This is the work of great writing, so don’t be fooled by the modest first few episodes and popular appeal of the series, it might not be a masterpiece, but a show doesn’t need to be completely unique to be great and move us to tears—of laughter and of sadness—and “Kaguya-hime” accomplishes just that.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Feb 24, 2025
The reason this anime is not labeled as an ecchi rom-com is beyond me. "My Dress-up darling" even has a harem in the making.
And you might wonder, why bring that up? Well, because if you've ever watched any ecchi harem anime, you know what to expect: a horny show that frequently puts its teenage characters in absurd sexual situations. If you have *any* qualms about this premise, abandon all hope, ye who enters here, because you'll find a lot to be upset about.
However, if you think "it's just drawings, whatever" or "it's made for a male teenage audience, of course it's overtly sexualized and features
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a teen cast!" and you don't care about any moral implications, then you just might find a good anime behind a veil of oversaturated tropes. So, now that I’ve brought you up to speed on the correct expectations for the story, let’s talk about the obvious stuff.
It's clear from the get-go that this anime isn't trying to reinvent the wheel. It holds onto a cliché story structure and follows the same ol' route you'd expect an ecchi rom-com to go. That doesn't mean it's all old news and "My dress-up darling" only regurgitates the same boring genre crap you've seen before. Not at all. "My dress-up darling" reuses the wheel but gives it a few improvements. It’s also helpful that the show keeps genre clichés to a minimum and doesn't rely on them to push the story forward.
So, what are these improvements? The main ones that stood out to me were art style, animation, dialogues and character conflicts.
The art direction isn't anything new, but it more than makes up in style and polish. The animation is also surprisingly detailed and even has a fight scene (from an anime that the characters watch) that looks better than most shounens nowadays. In regards to the more technical aspect of art production, “My dress up darling” may not be inventive, but it sure as hell is well-crafted.
However, it’s from the dialogue and character conflict standpoint that this anime stands out. Surprisingly, the show displays a lot of maturity on the issues it portrays. First of all, it captures the feelings of inadequacy masterfully. Then, the main character is confronted about these feelings and his subsequent and gradual transformation evokes interesting conflicts that result in valuable lessons. Despite being close to a slice-of-life show and having most issues faced by the characters oversimplified and easily dealt with, it’s quite impressive that Gojou actually grows as the story progresses.
On a side note, the grandpa character gets far more attention and personality than one would expect of a show of this genre. Unfortunately, the female cast doesn’t get the same treatment. They serve no other purpose other than being a tool for the personal development of the protagonist and a tool for eliciting sexual arousal. The girls gain very little from a relationship with Gojou and clearly have even less motives to be infatuated with him. Plus, their love for cosplay is romanticized and the actual cosplaying is fetishized.
Of course this might sound harsh and a bit… confusing, coming from someone that enjoyed the show and rated it an 8/10. But it’s not all so bad if you understand that “My dress up darling” is a fitting title that fully expresses what one should expect from a show with that name: it’s about fulfilling a fetish fantasy of dressing up girls in sexy cosplays. And the girls in question could very well be “dolls” (like the title in japanese), because their individuality matters not. Especially in regards to Kitagawa, who isn’t treated as a “real” person because she doesn't have a personality outside of what serves the main character's necessities (which is the reason she’s the perfect waifu material lmao).
If you get that and the idea seems appealing to you, my man, just go for it. It’s a fun show and you’ll be entertained. It doesn’t need to be more complicated than that.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Jun 30, 2023
Mashle is decidedly average in every aspect. Its characters? We’ve seen them a million times. Over-exaggerated comedy? We have that too. Plagiarism disguised as parody? ALL OVER THE PLACE. But I gotta give credit where credit is due: the animation is alright.
:)
That’s it.
Really. There is nothing more to praise Mashle for.
So now, let’s talk about the bad:
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The character design has no distinct quality. The OST is uninspired. The characters are shallow. The jokes get saturated and are predictable. The narrative is a textbook shounen replica. And the parody… well, let’s go into details first…
Mashle plays the parody card by not taking certain story elements seriously, but without subverting any expectations or using these elements in any meaningful or intelligent way. The parody “events” are just that: events. They are barely even attached to the main story because the show plays out as any other mediocre shounen and takes that part seriously. Okay, so, maybe the main character is a subversion of the shounen genre, when we put him against average narrative tropes… And sure, that might be the point. But that’s just a cop-out from One-Punch Man.
What about the Harry Potter parallels then, you might wonder? “I betchu that’s great parody material!”, you might say. Well, no. They hardly have any relation to the story, aside from the simplistic overarching parallel of the story taking place in a magic school with different groups inside (the rest of the elements taken from HP are simply used for gags).
Okay then, what about the gags? “They have to be good right? Look at the score on this show, something must be capturing the audience’s hearts!” Well, again, no. The gags can be summed up to: exaggerated character quirk put against a “straight man” and/or the simple saturation of character quirks (e.g.: Mash is so strong he can’t open doors, he breaks them; Mash loves cream puffs, so he thinks of/eats them in unusual moments; Red haired guy takes himself too seriously, as if he were the main character; Blonde girl is a pervert; White haired dude is a hardcore siscon; etc…). All characters can be summed up to one characteristic or two, which are played for laughs AGAIN and AGAIN and AGAIN, to the point of exhaustion. That is, except when the story is busy trying to SERIOUSLY justify that single characteristic in a long monologue/flashback in the middle of a fight due to enemy provocations which then provoke the well-known transformations and rage fueled power spikes.
Taking it all into consideration I still can’t say Mashle is BAD… it’s an okay, inoffensive show. I’m not that critical about my anime, after all, entertainment is entertainment, and being COMPLETELY cliché and predictable doesn’t necessarily take away from the enjoyment. For that reason, Mashle is perfectly average and perfectly enjoyable, if it suits your tastes.
HOWEVER,
I did not rate it 5 (an average score for an average anime, duh). And you might be wondering why. Or not? Anyway… it is because I have a beef with the main character.
Dude… at the end of (almost) every fight Mash sympathizes with the villain and forgives their behavior and the evil-doer (which up until that moment was nothing short of a psychopath) suddenly has a flashback that “justifies” his actions and comes to the realization Mash is Jesus and repents for his sins. PLUS, Mash is always fighting to defend the weak and oppressed. It’s the wet dream of a bullied kid. We get to watch Mash watching someone get humiliated for half an episode, so that then he can take action and his violence be justified because he is Sanctity incarnate. Rinse and repeat.
Reviewer’s Rating: 4
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Apr 16, 2023
Bleach consists mainly of 3 canon arcs, the first and the last being the highest quality ones. In between them there is a whole lotta filler and the messy, gigantic and contrived Las Noches arc. So, what I'd recommend you doing if you are planning to watch the show is: watch the entire first arc (episodes 1-63) and then skip the filler arc that follows (which is not that bad, so if you are having fun, go right ahead: episodes 64-109). After that, the Las Noches arc begins (it's the one about Aizen). The beginning is fine to get an idea of what's it about,
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but it won't make any difference if you just skip ahead to the main fights (which are fights that Ichigo partakes in). I'd just watch the 3 main ones (Ichigo x Grimmjow - all three times they face each other; Ichigo x Ulquiorra; Ichigo x Aizen). Really, the story here doesn't matter. And that brings me to my next point:
*(minor spoilers ahead)*
The story doesn't matter.
Most of what happens doesn't impact the story in any major way as it progresses into the subsequent arc. Therefore, each arc can be seen as a standalone, without much loss. And that's because: Characters do not progress, change or evolve (beyond acquiring new powers and changing their visual); Secondary characters are often forgotten after they have served their purpose (which is usually to help Ichigo become stronger for no apparent or credible reason OR for comic relief - which is a big pet peeve of mine, because I do NOT find Bleach funny in the slightest); The powers the characters acquire and transformations they suffer often do not respect any logic and are explained in a exposition scene as an afterthought; And last, but not least... Ichigo's learning curve always reaches its epitome when the plot urges him to finally fight. Suddenly, he overcomes previous hurdles and unlocks mysterious powers and easily defeats the villain. These sudden breakthroughs don't feel earned and often don't have any logic to them. It's just an easy way out of an impossible situation.
And so, because of these many, MANY flaws, I actually really respect the new 2022 season that came out. In it, they do a very commendable job of trying to close the many gaps left behind by the messy writing of the original Bleach series, and they go a step further trying to connect all the dots and make some comprehensible developments in the story. But anyways, this review is not about Thousand Year Blood War...
Even so, Bleach, despite all its shortcomings, does some things right. Those things are:
1) having a progressively overpowered main character. Ichigo is strong from the get go, but there is always room AND need for improvement. That way the story doesn't stagnate and the conflict arises from each new stronger opponent he has to face. This context enforces Ichigo to continually develop... but he never really changes. His powers become greater after each new foe but his demeanor is, AT MOST, a little more serious due to his previous experiences. The "transformative action" concept is taken here to an exclusively visual interpretation. Each breakthrough in Ichigo's power is marked by a completely different style: his hair grows, his hair gets short, his clothes get shredded, he gets extra unnecessary accessories, he loses all of the extra unnecessary accessories, etc etc. It's a mess.
2) the build up. Right from the beginning of each arc we are presented with the villain and his powers. Every subordinate of his serves the only purpose of making us perceive him as even stronger. And so, the build up to the final fight is always very intense, as each fight only further escalates the magnitude of the powers at play. This keeps the action flowing and the stakes high and the pay-off always delivers.
3) (from a certain point) the animation. The specific moment from which the animation clearly improved is debatable. Undoubtedly, the last arc is completely different - quality-wise - from the rest of the show, but the first signs of improvement in the animation were already present in the last Ichigo x Grimmjow fight scene. The scenes (side-character fights) that followed that battle were still terrible, but then again, those fights were, in-itselves, pointless. When we get to see Ichigo face Ulquiorra, Bleach peaks. Aizen x Ichigo, although silly (and Ichigo's power unexplainable), is a cool as heck fight scene. All of this is undoubtedly very important in an action-centered shounen series.
Having all that in mind, one can clearly (and without controversy) say that Bleach is bad. But should you watch it? Yes. Bleach is the best kind of bad out there. Just turn off your brain, skip over the boring parts and have fun!
Reviewer’s Rating: 4
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Feb 16, 2019
I've watched the SAO series back when I had only just begun watching anime. Since then, my taste in anime has matured a lot. For that reason I cannot compare my enjoyment from back then and the one I got from watching this movie. I can't compare the plot or characters, as the eyes that once saw Sword Art Online are now long gone. I loved it back then, and watching this movie makes me feel like I was right to enjoy it. Makes me doubt all the hate it was given. However, now I see that the plot is pretty bad. It feels like
...
an excuse for the action to happen. If you think too hard about it, much won't make sense, but that's fine. It entertains. It doesn't waste much time either. The focus is clear: Action. Maybe for that reason that it doesn't fall apart.
Strangely enough, watching this movie wasn't nostalgic at all. It felt new. Perhaps, as it was mentioned by others, I felt that way because they really did something different. And I believe that thing is focusing on the action.
The character drama is still there, but it doesn't feel forced, just out of place. Like it was borrowed from another story. It is not necessarily bad, it just doesn't evoke any strong emotions.
What matters the most is done right. The visuals are beautiful and the action scenes are stunning. I saw a little bit of the Fate series in it, but hey, the producers are the same, and it works, right? So it's all good.
For those that liked the rare development in the romance area that the original series presented us, rejoice! It is here to bless us with its grace. I love it when the characters actually get into a relationship before the series end! We get to enjoy that beautiful feeling with them. I hope it will catch on, because I get real frustrated of all these romance-bait-harem anime.
The idol girl (Yuna), with her songs in the battles was pretty dope and well placed. A good excuse for a good fighting soundtrack.
All in all, it is SAO. It isn't a masterpiece, but you'd be dreaming to hope for one. It's fun and entertaining. It has some AMV worthy battles and cute little moments between Asuna and Kirito.
It's pretty good.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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Oct 31, 2018
An interesting world with nothing to offer.
Haibane Renmei, like many other anime, presents to us an slightly mysterious and compelling world where humans and Haibane - angel-like creatures - coexist. The relationship between said creatures and humans is one of kindness, nonetheless, an uneasy feeling hovers near. Something feels out of place. For that reason, at first, I thought Haibane were being used (and maybe abused) by humans, something the protagonist would slowly figure out...
...HOWEVER...
...that concept wasn't explored...
...and what we are left with is, rather than a mysterious psychological thriller, a slightly mysterious fantasy anime with pretentious philosophical themes. The false sense of mystery is
...
an excuse for the teenage level philosophy about themes like death.
These subjects aren't explored directly. Instead the anime opts for a "metaphorical" approach... but it's hardly deep at all. It only presents us real life situations with a fantasy twist. It's simple. It's pretentious.
Now, I'd like to discuss the worst part of the anime...
Yet, another surprise: it's quite hard deciding what part is crappier: the art, the characters or the story.
But let us start with the art. It's pretty obvious the budget was really fucking small. The animation is hentai-level. Background is either static or a loop of the same scenery. However, I must praise what must be praised. Props to the choice of colors. They really fit AND set the atmosphere.
As for characters, there really isn't any redeemable features about them. They are ridiculously one dimensional (even though they are 2D drawings! What a feat!) therefore extremely predictable. And to top it off, they fucking annoy the fuck out of me.
I don't care enough to remember them, but what I know is: the protagonist is weak and useless. You know that clumsy-shy trope every shit anime uses? She's basically that, but, somehow, far more annoying.
There are a few other characters that get on my nerves as well (but I guess the whole anime does...), but I only remember the smoking woman. I had hopes for her. Had. In the past. She's just as empty as the rest. There is some kind of backstory that explains why she's the "carer" and that's about it. Just like the others, one characteristic summarizes her entire personality.
I wonder where in the world the person who wrote this lives. Where can I find a human being with one only trait?
As mentioned before, the story is deceiving and pretentious. Falsely deep, as I like to call it. However, not only it is shit, it is also slow. But wait, don't judge me yet for not enjoying the good ol' slow burner, first, let me explain: there are 2 types of slow paced stories. First: e.g. Breaking Bad; A slow burner that takes it's time to expand the characters' personalities and make a bond between the character and the viewer whilst creating suspense and tension. And Second: e.g. Haibane Henmei; A slow piece of shit that takes it's time with fillers to add nothing at all to the overall experience of the show, besides boredom. Well, there IS teenage-level philosophy. If it floats your boat, who am I to judge?
Voice acting isn't the worst but it's annoying. The OST, ED and OP are fantastic. A damn shame there is no anime to back it up.
In comparison, at least NGE was really good at being depressing.
Reviewer’s Rating: 1
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