Back to Marinate1016's Profile Marinate1016's Profile

I’ve reused this line at least 10x this season, but I don’t care, I coined it, “the irony of the girl who can’t see being the first person to truly see the invisible guy for who he is” The invisible man and his soon to be wife is genuinely one of the best adult romances I’ve ever seen. It’s straight to the point, no frills, no drama, no love triangles, just peak romantic development and two people helping each other to grow as individuals. People ask for more shows like this all the time and then don’t watch them, so please do yourself a favor ... and give this show a chance. The only remotely off putting thing here is Shizuka’s squealing, but it’s cute as hell, you’ll get used to it. Other than that, you’ve got two adults who are learning to love each other and themselves, while balancing work. It’s a very authentic and beautiful romance. I cried on several occasions just from how wholesome this was and I’m so sad that it’s over.

I’m probably that friend that’s too woke, but I don’t care, I think this story is a social commentary on interracial relationships, racism, ableism and a whole bunch of stuff and it does them all very well. Shizuka being blind is a metaphor for how we should all judge people on who they really are, not what they look like or preconceived notions of their race. For example, Akira’s race being invisible means they’re often associated with crime and other nefarious things because no one can see them. Yes, there’s bad actors in that group, but for the most part they’re just normal people who want to live a long happy life. Until Shizuka came along, Akira was used to being judged by his race rather than his character which is a big plot point they do justice. The author does a good job making the stereotypes and discrimination against the cast feel believable too. I think it perfectly encapsulates how people can have negative experiences with someone and then extrapolate that to the wider group. It’s unfair, but it’s a very human thing to do. I was a big fan of other seemingly minor details like Luna struggling to find a clothing shop which specialized in clothes for people with spotted skin. It reminded me a lot of black women searching for shops that make clothes tailored to curvier women or looking for hair products for Afro hair. There’s just all these little subtle nods to the real world that I picked up on.

The cornerstone of this series and what you most likely will be seated for is of course the two leads’ romance. Spoiler: it’s good. What’s cool is that it starts off really fast with them starting to date and then sort of figuring out the whole relationship thing as they go along. It’s kind of like buying something worrying about how you’ll pay for it later. Most of the season is a mix of Akira working on cases at the detective agency and our two lovebirds learning what it means to be in a relationship and solidifying their feelings. Akira is more experienced, but his relationships have all ended badly with the most recent one being because of his race, something he can’t control which gives him understandably gives him a little pause when considering dating. Shizuka on the other hand has next to no experience and only “sees” Akira for the sort of person he is. She’s the sweetest most innocent thing ever and I know that’s sort of playing into the male wish fulfilment thing, it is a seinen after all, but she comes into her own later in the show and becomes more emotionally and physically assertive with Akira. Like I didn’t expect this series to get as horny and mature as it did down the stretch, but I’ll take it. It’s a nice mix of wholesome fluff with actual serious relationship building. The supporting characters are really good here too. Can I just say how cool it is to have an openly gay male couple that aren’t caricatures or the butt of jokes? Luna was such a badass supporting character as well, I’d love to read to get more of them! Not to mention the parents for both leads being the most loving and welcoming group of people imaginable despite the interracial dating thing? It just feels like this series is encouraging people to go out their comfort zones and try to see people for who they really are rather than what you’ve been taught to think!

The second to last episode of this show might be the most well directed of the entire season. I never would’ve expected that level of animation and direction here, but I was so thankful. It looked absolutely gorgeous. There’s several moments throughout the show that are impressive, though. Project no.9 have developed somewhat of a bad reputation lately, but they redeemed themselves here because this looks amazing.

Again, we need more adult romances so y’all better be supporting this both in anime and manga format. I see people crying online all the time about being tired of kids being sexualized and teenaged romance, so here’s your chance to watch a good romance with an entirely adult cast. It’s right up there with Konosuki from last winter as being some of the best adult romance anime I’ve seen and I for one hope this trend continues.

Tomei Otoko gets 9 out of 10

In the midst of a shoujosei golden age it’s only right that my anime of the season be a shoujo. I knew right from the jump that Tamon’s B Side was special. Over the last year, I’ve fallen deeper and deeper into K/J-pop idol culture and it’s probably my biggest hyper fixation after anime at this point, so the concept of a show where an idol stan meets their oshi and they fall in love is right up my alley. It sounds like simple wish fulfilment, but it’s actually so much more substantive than that and has some of the best written characters and development ... around. I’m not going to say it’s the most complex story ever, it definitely retains a lot of those shoujo wish fulfilment elements, I mean the very concept of you meeting your idol and them only having eyes for you is so unlikely, but the author makes sure to develop Tamon and Utage’s relationship beyond that. The series also examines the pressure young idols are under to maintain appearances and how that can affect their mental and emotional development. Our idols provide so much joy for us, but they’re never allowed to show how they’re truly feeling deep down and that’s a shame. F/ACE might be fictional, but I love these boys just as much as any real life idol group because of how well written every single member is. I had so much fun watching this every week thanks to the amazing characters, the well executed comedy and the beautiful production values. I couldn’t be more proud to say a show was my fave of the season.

There’s a lot to love about this show for me. At the center of it all is Utage and Tamon’s relationship. They meet by pure coincidence through Utage’s job and she ends up working for Tamon. Initially, their interactions are dominated by Utage’s adoration for Tamon the idol. This quickly changes as she comes to see more sides of him and learns who he is as an individual, under the idol persona. It’s such a cute developmental path because Utage comes to realize Tamon is an insecure dork under all the boy crush heartthrob facade, but she learns to love him as he is. The sincerity he exudes, his hardworking personality, the way he’s so concerned for her, his group mates and other fans and wants to keep everyone happy.. we eventually learn that while he’s different from his idol persona, he’s just as worthy of being idolized. That’s a trend that extends to the entirety of F/ACE which I’ll get to a little later on. Going back to Tamon and Utage, their romantic development was a pleasure to experience every week. It’s not really a slow burn because it’s obvious how both of them feel about each other, but there’s this gradual progression where Utage goes from being in love with Tamon the idol to Tamon the human being and accepting all of him, flaws and all. I think it’s a nice realistic reminder that we don’t really know our idols and it kind of poses the question, “if you knew the real them, would you still love them?” So many celebrities are totally different in real life, so it’s a nice thought experiment. Luckily, our Tamon is arguably even more lovable as he really is than the idol version. Utage herself is amazing too. She’s not just a self insert character for the audience. She’s gorgeous, resourceful, intelligent, strong, loyal and fierce. She’s very much her own person and drives the story forward by helping Tamon and the other F/ACE members. It was so cool watching her week after week because she is THE idol stan that we all strive to be and also THAT girl. She can hold her own against any other female character this season.

The other thing to love about this show are the supporting characters! You know a series is good when you have just as many, if not more, fans of the side characters as the main character. Ouri, Natsuki, Keito and Rintaro all have such fervent and passionate fans online that were hyping up all of their big moments this season. This was definitely one of the most fun shows to live watch in a while. I love that all the boys have their own unique B sides that will endear them to different people. Whether it’s Ouri coming off like a smug and arrogant asshole, Natsuki being a delinquent, Keito being the biggest cheapskate on the planet or Rintaro being the average otaku, there’s something for everyone here. What’s more, the reason all of them act the way they do gets explained(except Rintaro in this season) and you just can’t help but go, “yea that makes sense, those circumstances would lead anyone to become like this.” As I said earlier though, even though the boys are different than their idol fronts, you can see they all posses qualities worthy of being idolized. The way they care for each other, their fans and try their hardest in their own crazy ways is so beautiful.

The other thing I like about this story is that it feels like a love letter to oshikatsu and stan culture as a whole. I know stanning gets looked down upon by a lot of people, but I do think it can be a positive outlet for many people of all ages. It’s a way to make friends and feel part of something bigger than yourself. More importantly, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with getting passionate about your fave artists and supporting them. The entertainment industry can be so fickle and brutal, letting your faves know you’ll always be there for them and that you appreciate how they keep going despite the obstacles they face is a beautiful thing. It’s obviously exaggerated, but I just felt seen thanks to this series and I can tell this was also a personal story for the author. A lot of heart and genuine soul went into this.

The production values in this are so good. The art style and character designs are gorgeous, but the animation has no reason going as hard as it does. I will never get over how good the Utage delinquent transformation scenes or the Utage exploding head scenes were! The voice acting performances are all top notch too, so much talent in this cast! J.C Staff have really been on a roll since COVID and this is just their latest banger. Well done all around.

Tamon’s B Side was such an amazing experience for me as an idol stan and anime fan. Every single week these episodes went by in the blink of an eye and I enjoyed seeing my girl Utage make Tamon fall even harder for her. It’s the personification of “she fell first, he fell harder” I laughed at all the jokes, I loved the side characters, the little bit of F/ACE music we got.. I just can’t gush enough about this show. When I was in Japan last month, it was all over the place so I’m really hoping we get a season 2. The manga volumes have been selling like hotcakes, so if there’s ever a show to break that should season 2 curse.. this would be it. Anime of the season no debate.

Tamon’s B Side gets 10 out of 10.

I love this show, but Holy Grail of Eris has the rare distinction of suffering from a case of excessive world building. I’m all for fleshing out the world, characters and establishing mystery, but my God, if I need a damn flowchart to understand the show it’s probably gone too far. At one point, Scarlet literally makes a remark about how things have gotten too confusing to keep up with and it’s so funny because it’s a meta statement that perfectly sums up how everyone watching this show felt. Don’t get me wrong, Scarlet and Connie are one of the best duos of the season ... and I did enjoy the journey to solve the mystery behind Scarlet’s death, but I could’ve done with a little less lore dropping. Still, I think this is one of the better recent villainess shows. This has basically become the female equivalent of the isekai power fantasy set up or the banished from the hero’s party trope, but I’ll keep watching as many of these as they make.

The distinguishing trait of Eris no Seihai is of course Scarlet and Constance’s unique relationship. Scarlet guiding Constance from beyond the grave and enlisting her help to solve her own murder isn’t something I’ve seen done before. They basically have a bad cop good cop dynamic going on and while Scarlet is definitely the older sister figure, after about the halfway point she’s the one being taught by Constance. Constance starts off as a weak timid low ranking noble who’s afraid to even stand up for herself and by the end of the show, she’s willing to stare down execution without blinking, facing off against criminal syndicates and generally being a much more assertive character who even moves scarlet consistently. It didn’t even dawn to me initially, put there’s a plot mechanic where Scarlet can take control of Constance’s body to help her through difficult situations and as the show goes on, it just happens less and less because Scarlet rubs off on Constance so much that she’s naturally able to deal with those situations on her own. It’s done so organically that I didn’t even realize until the end of the season that it had be several weeks since the last time it was done. I love when a character’s development is tangible and believable. It’s not just Constance, though. Even Scarlet gets a nice amount of development from beyond the grave and while she comes off as this pompous genius, we see the cracks in her armor and learn how that’s all just a facades a defensive mechanism to cope with all the pressure she’s had to deal with from the time she was a child. Both leads are very well written and likeable! Also a fan of how this series tackled some really dark and messed up topics like human trafficking, drug use, sexual assault etc., it didn’t shy away from the sort of things you could expect to see in a world with corrupt nobles which is refreshing.

The supporting characters are where things kind of get messy. They’re all fairly well written, there’s just too many of them to keep up with and they all have these entangling alliances that feel like I’m learning about how WW1 started rather than watching an anime. Again, respect to the author for trying to make the world feel alive and lived in, but man this was a lot, especially the last 4-5 episodes when all the conspiracy and secret organization stuff started getting laid on thick. Cool ideas, but maybe a little less info dumping? I’m still kind of on the fence with the romance here. At first I hated it because Rudolph and Connie seemingly had no chemistry or anything in common, not to mention he’s quite a bit older than she is, I’m not quite sure of the ages because I haven’t read the books yet, but there’s a noticeable gap. However, it is an otome romance so you’ll always have some problematic elements. Generally, I think their relationship gets some solid development and by the end I was kind of .. rooting for them ngl. I think their relationship gets way Constance becomes someone Rudolph can lean on and he doesn’t have to always be the person coming to save her anymore is really sweet. Big fan of strong guys breaking down and showing the delicate soft girl character their weaknesses. It’s a relatively minor part of the story, the murder mystery and conspiracy stuff is way bigger so not a big deal either way.

The production values are .. rough. The 2D art is good, but any extended action animation looks bad and tbh even some of the regular more laid back episodes looked rough. It’s an otome fantasy, so it doesn’t need the best quality, but still I would’ve liked a little better than this. The voice acting is amazing though.

If you can stomach the subpar production values, I think holy grail of Eris is one of the better recent villainess series and certainly has one of the best stories. Convoluted, but a lot of thought went into this and it kept me engaged each week. Constance and Scarlet are also one of the best duos around, I’ll certainly miss scarlet on my screen each week!

The holy Grail of Eris gets 8 out of 10

What a difference a couple years and a change of studio makes. I was Chained Soldier season 1’s biggest hater. The story was okayish, but the production values, especially the CGI were abysmal. Seven Arcs you will pay for your sins.. but along came Passione to quite literally save this series. It’s still not Frieren or Mushoku Tensei quality, but compared to season 1, this season could go in the Louvre. It also helps tremendously that the plot of season 2 is miles better than season 1. Ren being introduced alone is worth a couple percentage points of improvement, but the arcs covered were genuinely ... great for me. Season 2 is a much better mix of world building, action and of course, goons(better than ever btw) It took this hater and made a believer and fan out of me, to the point where I grabbed a ton of merch from the recent Gamers Akihabara pop up shop collab, so yea, I was moved here.

Season 2 of chained soldier just feels like a bigger and badder version of season 1 in every way. Story is way better with Yuuki and the demon defense force taking on their biggest threats yet and having the best battles of the series, being pushed to the limits and unlocking new abilities, you know, the shonen of it all. I also actually really enjoy the lore and storyline in this series. I know for a lot of people the story is just a vehicle to get from one reward seen to the next, but I actually think the thunder gods are cool adversaries and want to see how they’ll take them out in the end. It’s definitely a barebones story, but idk, it just works for me. Yuuki and the girls getting closer in this season was also really enjoyable, especially his bond with Kyouka and the Azuma clan. Of course my beloved Tenka gets some nice shine and then there’s newcomer Ren who has had everyone in a chokehold since her debut. Yuuki himself feels like he’s grown too. Last season, it felt like he was extremely passive and just kind of along for the ride as he’s surrounded by a group of beautiful women and living every man’s dream. BUT, season 2 Yuuki feels like a guy who’s earned that dream. He takes initiative, he gets things done and he’s there to support the girls both emotionally and physically. He’s finally someone worthy of a harem. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying the guy is some outstandingly good character, but he’s serviceable and in the top half of harem MCs in my opinion. The bar is in hell, but still.

Goons this season were outstanding. The rewards went to an entirely different level, both because of Takahiro’s writing as well as the improved production quality that Passione bring. There’s some seriously crazy stuff happening this time around, the way Takahiro just uses this series as an excuse to write about some his fetishes is so funny.

There’s not a ton to add about this one. It’s as advertised erotica battle shonen with decent world building, action and great fanservice. Not for everyone, but I for one welcome the improvements over the last season. I hope they keep these cu—coming.

Chained Soldier Season 2 gets 8 dog collars out of 10.

Studio Kai have quietly been chugging along as one of the most underrated studios in the industry. I first came across them thanks to shows to like Fuuto Tantei, Super Cub, ShinePost, 7th loop and most recently, a star brighter than the sun. They have consistently turned out great anime and hopefully after the masterclass they delivered in the form of Sentenced to be a hero, they’ll get more attention. I got a chance to check out the first episode of this back in December as part of Crunchyroll’s winter seasonal premiere night and honestly, I didn’t love the first half of the hour long ... premiere. It obviously oozed quality and was an interesting setting, but I thought it was quite slow and uneventful until about the 35 minute mark when Kivia got introduced and the battle against that episode’s antagonist began. From that point onwards, this show never looked back and delivered an amazing combination of storytelling and action, as you’d expect from Takashima Hiroyuki and the Mushoku Tensei staff. What an incredible ride this show was for the last 3 months, I’m glad we’re getting another season of this.

Obviously a lot’s been made about the animation, and it is amazing don’t get me wrong, but I really love the story of sentenced to be a hero. I think it’s one of the most interesting premises and has some of the most interesting world building of any recent fantasy show. Really the only thing that comes close to me is Clevatess. I really like how the show inverts the traditional hero trope and turns it into something to be feared or shunned. In this world, heroes are looked down upon as horrible people who’ve done the most deplorable things. Xylo slowly changing that perception and showing people that 1: not all heroes are bad 2: even if they did do bad things, that doesn’t define them. We are more than our worst decisions was really cool to see. It’s only season 1, so of course the entire world hasn’t changed their mind on heroes yet, but village by village, person by person, he’s making a difference and combatting that stigma. Then there’s the demon blight. I think the way demons are depicted in this series is so interesting. The premiere portrayed them as these giant poisonous insects who spread a malignant rot as they advance, but then over the course of the show we see them portrayed in various ways from indescribable, almost alien looking beings to humanlike forms in the final few episodes. It seems like the demons are growing and evolving, trying to become more like the humans they’re waging war against. There’s still a certain mystery to their origins as well. There’s some plot revelations later on that they might not be working alone either that just made me even more invested in the story. Not to mention the fact Xylo’s been betrayed and set up, blamed for a murder he didn’t commit. It’s such an intriguing dark fantasy with great lore, conspiracies and twists and turns which is right up my alley. I just can’t get enough of these sort of shows

Xylo is such a great protagonist. I’m a sucker for the jaded/bitter guy finds hope thanks to an adopted daughter trope. I think anyone who’s been subjected to the sort of stuff this guy has would give up, but it’s thanks to Teoritta that he regains his will to fight and uncover the truth. Their relationship is the cornerstone of this series and it’s so wholesome. I was pretty scared when I got volume 1 of this a few years ago because the cover is.. a bit questionable, thankfully it’s nothing like it seems and the two of them feel like father and daughter. It’s not always sunshine and rainbows and does take a while to develop, but once it does, it’s a very enjoyable dynamic. That dynamic also translates to combat with them having some of the coolest fight moments this season. The supporting characters are the other big triumph of this series. The fact Xylo isn’t supremely overpowered and has to actually rely on his fellow penal hero party members as well as Kivia, their de facto overseer, makes things much more interesting. Their teamwork is a huge point of emphasis in the show and every single person gets an opportunity to shine. There’s really not a single person in the main cast who isn’t a huge part of the success Xylo’s party has in this first season. I really hope that keeps going in future seasons because they did introduce an OP technique in the second half of the anime, that admittedly seems to have some drawbacks, but I just want this team to keep being the focal point of the fights in the show. It separates the series from other fantasy shows. Speaking of Kivia, I am obviously a huge enemies to lovers fan and well, I like the crumbs they leave us with she and Xylo. It’s not too fast where it feels unbelievable, but there’s definitely something there, at least from Kivia’s perspective and I’m excited to see that develop. Their relationship reminds me a lot of Gabimaru and Sagiri from Jigokuraku so if you’re a fan of that dynamic, you’ll like what’s going on here.

Production values as I said are amazing. It’s the same team behind Mushoku Tensei and they brought the same quality we’ve come to expect from any Studio Bind production, honestly some of the fights in this are probably better than season 1 of Mushoku Tensei. The art style is also gorgeous. One of the best OPs of the year too. Can’t sing enough praise about this show.

In short, believe the hype. This really is that good of a show. I’ve even seen people who aren’t even into dark fantasy enjoy this series because of how well written the characters are and the relationships within the series. I genuinely have a friend on twitter who only tweets apothecary diaries stuff and she’s live tweeting this every week because of Teoritta and Xylo being so wholesome, so yea, give this a try and you won’t regret it. One of the best shows of the season.

Sentenced to be a hero gets 9 out of 10

Objectively, Oshi no Ko season 3 is the best the show has ever been narratively. Subjectively, this is by far the worst season of the show for anyone who likes Akane. Doga Kobo consistently disrespected she and her fans by butchering and reshuffling her big moments, not drawing her with the level of attention and detail other characters(Kana) get and even the way the social media team handled this season showed an utter lack of respect for a huge portion of the fanbase. More on that later. If you are one of those weirdos who are somehow not invested in any of the girls, don’t ... care for stan wars or just want to watch the story play out, well congratulations, you’re in for a treat. The stakes, drama and tension are at an all time high in this season and that magic from season 1 that made the series so popular has returned. Doga Kobo do put in some of their best work ever in this season in the terms of direction and storyboarding. I just personally cannot overlook how one of my favorite characters of all time was done. Your mileage may vary.

What made Oshi no Ko so special in the first place was 1: Aqua’s revenge plot and quest for Ai’s killer. 2: The critical examination of the Japanese entrainment industry. This season nails both of those. Whether it’s showing how directors take advantage of up and coming idols, idols covering up relationships and hickeys, etc., I think this season hit a lot of this stuff on the head. It’s so messed up how constrained Japanese entertainers have to live. The idea of living purely to please others while you’re deeply unhappy and suffering on the inside is horrible. There’s so many toxic and unhealthy practices normalized within this industry and even though it’s an anime, Oshi no Ko does a halfway decent job shedding light on them. Is it going to change anytime soon? No, it’s an industry that thrives on parasocial behavior and the same sort of toxicity that hurts idols, keeps them employed. It’s a brutal cycle that I wouldn’t wish on my worst enemy. Compound that with the fact that most of these idols haven’t even finished high school and are pretty ignorant of the real world and you have a recipe for disaster as we see during Kana’s arc in the first half of the show. Aqua is such a difficult character to talk about because on the one hand, he’s an incredibly talented actor and supremely intelligent.. on the other hand he’s a manipulative egotistical emo dweeb who makes awful decisions because of his guilt. If you’re a fan of his, you’ll love what he gets up to this season, pulling strings from the shadows, trying to keep his family from falling apart, etc. If you didn’t like him from the first two seasons, well, he’s not gonna do many favors here. He’s a particular flavor of character that’s not for everyone. My personal thoughts on him this season are.. well, I stand with Ruby. I just cannot stand Aqua as a character. His obsession with revenge has blinded him to so much around him, including best girl who was literally willing to die for him? Not to mention betraying his sister’s trust in a huge way this season. Watching him is like watching someone slowly descending into madness and you know there’s only one way it could ever end. Again, if you like that, more power to you. This season is basically season 1 aqua on steroids.

As a loyal Akane fan from day 1, this season hurts. Aka’s writing sucks, but for the studio to deliberately butcher her big moments and show so much bias towards Kana is just crazy to me. I don’t think I have ever seen a studio be more shameless about something like this? We have all joked before about studios preferring certain characters in shows, but it was usually over minor stuff and us just joking around. In Oshi no Ko, Doga kobo decided to change chapters around which lessened the impact of Akane’s big moments, they cut certain scenes and then when they did partially adapt stuff, the way they animated Akane took away all her ferocity and personality that make her unique as a character. If you want objective proof of this bias, simply take a look at the Oshi no Ko social media pages that immediately posted Kana’s big moments the day of or the day after at the latest, while Akane’s scenes were posted a week later if ever. Multiple staff members are on record saying they prefer Kana and I don’t mind that, but it shouldn’t come through so blatantly in your work. It’s a disservice to the story and to fans of a character. I know this isn’t a big deal to a lot of people, but again, I’m a huge Akane stan and she’s already been shafted so many times by the author himself, so I wanted to at least see her get the respect she deserved in the adaptation.. that didn’t even happen. Gross.

This is without a doubt some of the best direction Doga Kobo have done. I think Ruby and Aqua’s been bust up after the events of the Kana arc is one of the best scenes in the entire series. Akane and Aqua’s bridge conversation and the hour long finale.. all incredibly cinematic moments that ooze quality. There’s no doubt this staff are supremely talented, it’s just an issue of what they choose to spend that talent on that doesn’t sit right with me.

Alright, I yapped way more than I intended to on this season. I really only reviewed this because I felt this season was an injustice and disrespectful to longtime fans and needed to vent on it. Casuals will love it, people with no skin in the best girl war will love it and fair play to them, I wish I could go through shows and not get attached to characters. Sadly, I’m a romantic and can’t help but fall in love with characters as I watch shows. A blessing and a curse.

Oshi no Ko season 3 gets 5 stars out of 10.

Wash it all away is yet another frustrating watch because on one hand, I love Kinme, she’s gorgeous and one of the most loveable protagonists of the season. I also enjoyed learning the ins and outs of running a cleaning business. Whether it was the actual cleaning process itself, the machinery, the business end of things, it opened my eyes and gave me a new appreciation for all the local cleaning shops. Then it all goes out the window when this show insists on forcing fanservice and romance with a minor. It’s such a weird dichotomy because 50 percent of an episode will be the ... most wholesome and educational stuff, then you have 10 minutes spent on Kinme ass shots, pit shots, random bouncing titties and Kinme trying to groom a high school kid. For some of you that’s going to be a “yay sign me up” more power to you. For me, it was really disconcerting and took me out of the viewing experience. A shame because I do think this series has potential and the amnesia plot line is interesting, it just doesn’t know what it wants to be.

I used the term identity crisis a lot when describing this show this season and I stand by that being what this show struggles with. It goes from wholesome slice of life cleaning sim to ecchi romance on a dime and it makes it hard to take either of them seriously. If they came out the gate and established this as an ecchi, fair enough, but going back and forth and expecting me to take you seriously.. yea, no. I just want to see a cute girl teaching me how to remove stains from clothes or restoring old tapestries, I’m not here for a groom off. I was totally fine with the young man having a crush on Kinme, she’s gorgeous, talented, has that girl next door vibe etc., and he’s a young hormone filled teenager, it’s normal. What’s not normal is how she interacts with him when we have established the fact she’s an adult. You can tell it’s a male targeted work because it leans into this heavily, especially in the last few episodes. I’m not even opposed to romance in this story, like there’s several adult women Kinme could’ve been shipped with because yuri is justice. Or hell, you could’ve introduced a regular adult guy as a customer, kept the high school kid as a little brother figure, etc., but no, you had to take the worst possible romance option.. the fanservice stuff I’m not opposed to either, if it were done better. The scenes just feel so random and out of character for Kinme. They don’t fit the tone of the story. It just feels like a lot of stuff mashed together that isn’t cohesive here in my opinion. The actual cleaning sequences are really good, I learned a lot of techniques and methodology, seeing Kinme overcome difficult cleaning jobs and try unconventional approaches was also dope. Her work ethic and commitment to customer satisfaction was so endearing because it’s a small town and so many people rely on her, bringing their most prized belongings to be restored by her and the way she’s determined to never let them down.. she’s such a cool character. I would’ve liked more on her amnesia plot line, felt like they set that up and it went MIA for weeks until the end, but other than that, the story itself is solid. The way Kinme connects with the town through her business was sweet.

Production values look good here. Show is beautiful, character designs, especially Kinme, are awesome, decent voice acting and the direction is surprisingly good too.

I know I had a lot of complaints in the first half of the review, but I didn’t hate this show. I just think it wasted potential and could’ve been even better. I still love the premise, love Kinme and her relationships with the townspeople. It’s really wholesome and heartwarming for 60 percent of these episodes and there’s just that 40 percent that’s.. weird for me. Definitely not a bad watch though and I’ve got the first few manga volumes, so I’ll check them out.

Wash it all away gets 7 towels out of 10.

The greatest sports animanga of all time has finally graced our screens again and it’s better than ever. While it doesn’t have as much official skating competition as season 1, Medalist season 2 is honestly the most important part of the story thus far. For all the battling on the ice, Inori’s biggest struggle has always been internal. This season sees her confront a lot of insecurities and grow both as a skater and a person, surpassing her limits in both regards to become more confident on and off the ice. Of course that journey doesn’t happen without the best mentor in anime, Tsukasa. This ... season is as much his as Inori’s and they both grew so much by the end. I’m so proud of my babies. I just hate that it was only 9 episodes long, but I am beyond ready for the film!

Despite only having the 1 competition this season, Medalist season 2 was as engaging as ever from beginning to end. This story has never just been about skating. Keep in mind, skating became Inori’s escape from the bullying she faced at school and the emotional turmoil with her sister’s injury. This series has always been about her developing as a human being and becoming more confident in herself. I can truly say the inori we see at the end of this season is a night and day difference from the start of season 1. She still has many of the same quirks and is that loveable little girl, but she’s not afraid anymore. She has the best coach in the world and she’s proven she can compete with the best of them. That’s character development and that’s what this author does so well. Every single episode we see inori evolve, little by little she takes steps forward even when she’s afraid. It’s a nice parallel to Tsukasa’s own personal journey. Even though he’s the adult, he doesn’t have everything figured out and he leans on Inori just as much as she leans on him, learning from her as she does from him. Again what impresses me the most about his character is that he never forces anything on Inori and always respects her autonomy to make her own decisions. He refuses to try and live through her after his own skating career went south, recognizes this is her story and is committed to supporting her in whatever capacity is best. He’s truly the best support system anyone could ask for. This season we finally got to get some intimate moments with them off the ice as well which never failed to put a smile on my face. The two of them are each other’s biggest fans and it’s so cute. Moreover, the way Inori looks up to and thinks the world of Tsukasa, telling him what he needs to hear the most when he needs to hear it is so sweet. They were destined to be teacher and student and met each other at the perfect time.

We got a few new characters in this season, the Chubu block girls were all very fierce and talented. They pushed Inori to the limit and helped her become a better skater. I look forward to more of them because that sort of competition is needed for greatness. Yea, Hikaru is Inori’s ultimate aspiration, but don’t write these girls off either. For me personally, I really loved our new onee-san, Iruka though. She comes off like an asshole, but you can tell she’s got a heart of gold and respects Inori and her sister. Beautiful design, unique skating style focusing on her core strength and a little bit of a tomboyish personality, give me more of her. Inori’s new jump coach was also a nice addition to the cast and helped Inori grow tremendously. I like how much more into the weeds this season got as it relates to training methodology. I’m brand new to figure skating, so I really appreciate seeing all the behind the scenes stuff and learning how much work goes into preparing programs, milking every last point out of a competition, improving your mechanics, etc. This is basically a training arc season, but it still feels thrilling because you’re on the edge of your seat hoping Inori can implement new techniques into her repertoire and build on her existing bag. They really do a good job of making you feel like a proud parent watching your own child grow! Inori is my daughter, forreal.

Medalist continues to have the best 3DCGI I’ve ever seen. The way they blend the CGI with 2D drawings is just ridiculously good. Every motion is so fluid and graceful, they distinguish between the various skating styles too. So, for example, Inori feels like an elegant swan, Iruka feels more powerful and aggressive. I love how weighty all the movements seem and generally feels like they used mo-cap for all the skating scenes because of how realistic it is. It’s the gold standard in the medium. What a job from ENGI. Inori’s performance at the Chubu block finals will stay with me forever.

Only downside to this season for me is there’s barely any Hikaru. I need my yuri yearning with she and Inori.. but by all accounts, the movie should deliver that. I can’t wait. Other than that, this is the best medalist has been so far. I’m so proud of how far my daughter Inori has come, she still has a long way to go, but I know no matter how many times she falls down, she’ll get back up because of the commitment she has both to herself, and to Tsukasa.

Medalist season 2 gets 10, out of 10.

Toujima Kun wants to be a Kamen Rider is one of the most over the top, action packed and utterly insane experiences I’ve had in recent years. Thanks to my experience with this show, I ended up getting into Kamen Rider and I’ll always be grateful for that. The 6 months that this show aired will always be special as every single episode was a roller coaster ride with laughs, great action and story that felt like a blast from the past. It’s not without its flaws, which I’ll touch on later, but I think if you’re a battle shonen or Toku fan, you’ll enjoy ... this. I’m new to this franchise so I can’t say it’s the best Kamen Rider story ever or anything, but I thought it was really good for the most part minus a few hiccups in the final third or so of the show.

Ok, so this show is sort of a tale of 3 parts for me. The first half of the show is absolutely amazing. Some of the best fights of the year, Toujima meeting the other riders, learning the truth about shocker, kicking ass, episodes leaving off on cliffhangers that make you want more every week. It was amazing. I will never forget how hype the rider training tournament was. Then we hit a lull in the story after the first cour. Don’t get me wrong, I love Toujima and Ichiyou, but the training arc with them in the countryside dragged on a bit and it felt like we took ages to actually move on to the confrontation with Batman. There was a really good episode or two, but I think a lot of this could’ve been condensed. I definitely can see how the staff thought this was a good opportunity to develop the characters and give them some personality, which was needed for some, but I could’ve done with a few less episodes and more direct confrontation with shocker. That’s probably more of a criticism with the author himself than the anime staff, though, to be fair. I digress. The last few episodes really got this show back on the road and the last two in particular were awesome.

Generally, I LOVE the characters in this series. It’s really cool how this is basically every nerd’s dream of growing up and actually becoming the superheroes you idolized as a kid. We all wanted to be power rangers or in this case, Kamen Riders, as kids and while most of us grew out of that, Toujima, Yuriko, Ichiyou and Mitsuba just doubled and tripled down until it became a reality. They’re all big ass kids and it’s funny as hell. Their chemistry is really good and they do truly feel like a proper found family by the end of the series. Each one brings their own unique ability to the team to help them in the fight against shocker. It’s also nice they all get their own mini arcs to have to confront their insecurities and grow stronger. I do think Toujima as a protagonist is pretty basic, I’ve heard complaints from long time KR fans that this series is as shallow a representation of the franchise as possible and as someone who’s new, I can’t deny that since I don’t have enough of a frame of reference, but I can see where they’d be coming from because the story and characters do feel a bit simple at times. Not the end of the world for me, though. Still more good than bad on that front.

There’s another complaint from long term fans about this series being misogynistic and that’s one that’s a little nuanced. At the start of this series, I thought the female characters were handled very well. Yes, the author clearly sexualized the hell out of the girls’ designs by giving them G cup boobs, the director likes his ass and tits shots, etc.,but Tackle was at least kicking ass and being the strongest in the group. Yukarisu was a valuable asset to the riders and supported Mitsuba. I can live with the weird sexualization as long as that’s not ALL that the women characters have going for them. Then.. after the second cour that went downhill. Tackle got done dirty, Yukarisu becomes a literal punching bag for guys and there’s this weird trend of women just being beat up by guys in the show, not the sort of 1-2 punch and you’re out kinda thing either, like genuinely stomped out and just done dirty. It’s weird. 1 or 2 times I could deal with, but then it became a pattern. I’m not sure if this is because the second half of the show focused on Bat Man whose whole thing is being the embodiment of misogyny or what, but between that and the whole idol gf thing, it got a bit weird to me. Luckily, we got enough hype moments and some character development episodes that let me overlook this.

The action in this series is CRAZY. It doesn’t have the sakuga of fellow Saturday seasonal Fate Strange Fake, but I think the fights are some of the best of the season. The sound design, the direction, the intensity to the punches and the way every single fight in here feels like a brutal slugfest is really cool. Tackle’s fight in the rider tournament and Toujima v Ichiyou are my faves I think.

Despite the story being a little shallow at times, some misogyny and pacing issues, I overall had a lot of fun watching this, it made me watch Shin Kamen Rider and begin to dip my toes into the franchise. Once I found out Sawano did the OP for the latest season, it was a no brainer to tap in. I’ll miss watching this and always remember how hype those first few months were.

Toujima Rider gets 8 rider kicks out of 10

Champignon no majo is one of those shows that really would’ve benefited from a 2nd cour. I enjoyed the story we got and think Luna is one of the best characters of the season, but I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the pacing here. It moves at a snail’s pace. For some people myself included, that’s fine because the world is so rich and colorful, magic is so well thought out and Luna’s relationships with the other characters, but for others this show might feel like a slog at times.

I think the first 3 episodes were really well paced and had a nice ... mix of romance, drama, character development, world building and even a little action. Then when Lize got introduced.. I personally think things stagnated and the show fell off a bit. He’s a cool character with a huge significance to the story. I like the idea of Luna playing a mentor figure to him and learning a lot about herself as a person and witch in the process, but where they lost me was introducing the whole romance subplot. Regardless of his actual age, Lize physically is a child and that’s all Luna knows him as so all the yearning and dramatics with that from episode 7 or so onwards just felt very forced to me. I don’t mind him having a crush on her, but they kept trying to tease as if she reciprocated or would come to reciprocate and it gave me the icks. I’d much rather that time have been spent on more magical stuff, more world building, exploring Luna’s past, etc. When they did start going back to the world building stuff and a little action at the end, the show was basically over. I think Champignon no Majo is one of those situations where they actually kept too much in from the manga. I’m not saying to skip all the dialogue and relationship building, but when you’re in anime format and 12 episodes, maybe give some mini arcs the spark notes treatment.. I am anime only, so to be fair, the production committee could’ve wanted the show to end off at a very specific point and it required a certain pacing. In that case, it is what it is. I just felt this started to drag in the middle.

Slower pace isn’t all bad, though. We got a lot of time to connect with Luna and really empathize with her character. She’s such a beautiful person inside and out. A hard worker, talented, kind and intelligent and of course the world hates her for things she can’t control. She’s just the sort of character I love and want to protect. The story does lean into that feeling a lot too as Luna is often subjected to abuse from humans, her fellow witches and even her best friend 😭(he’s a tsundere), but I got really attached to her and felt so proud to see how much she’d grown by the end of this season. The slower pace also allowed us to get a nice understanding of the magical system in this universe which is pretty intricate and clearly the author put a nice amount of time into it. I’m a lore nerd so I really get a kick out of well thought out magical systems, mage classifications, prophecies, omens, all that sort of jazz and champignon no Majo has them in abundance. It’s a cool world and I could definitely see future arcs being better.

The animation of the show isn’t the best, but where this shine is the artstyle. It’s so pretty and whimsical. They nailed the magical fantasy world vibe. It almost feels like a fairy tale or one of those scholastic books fantasy stories from back in the day. I love when fantasy shows actually evoke a sense of magic and wonder and they definitely nailed that here. Voice acting is really good too!

This story shows promise. I can definitely see why Frieren and Witch Hat Atelier authors recommended it. There’s similarities to those stories and with this being a long running series, I’m sure it gets even better from here. I’d love to get more of the story and will certainly be reading it, but from what we got in this first season of the anime, I’d say it came out the gate strong and then fizzled out a bit before ending on a strong note. Still, I loved Luna and her relationship with the other characters, her internal struggle and seeing her overcome so much pain and so many obstacles, she’s an inspiration to me and a beautiful soul. As a result, I still have this as one of my best shows of the season and will miss it.

Champignon no Majo gets 8(ideally would’ve been a 7.5) out of 10.