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kivandopulus

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kivandopulus last won the day on March 1 2023

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  1. That was another inappropriate assessment. Please actually watch the anime in question before you make comments like that. First season was not well done.
  2. Angolmois: Genkou Kassenki is pretty enjoyable for me, so as usual in such case can rate sequel Shingeki no Kyojin Season 3 lower. Other great titles are Overlord III and - surprisingly - Mo Dao Zu Shi . 1. Shingeki no Kyojin Season 3 Attack on Titan Season 3 進撃の巨人 Season3 [Wit Studio] (Finished 12/12) Tags: Shounen Gore, Military, Survival Action, Drama, Suspense Still threatened by the "Titans" that rob them of their freedom, mankind remains caged inside the two remaining walls. Efforts to eradicate these monsters continue; however, threats arise not only from the Titans beyond the walls, but from the humans within them as well. After being rescued from the Colossal and Armored Titans, Eren Yaeger devotes himself to improving his Titan form. Krista Lenz struggles to accept the loss of her friend, Captain Levi chooses Eren and his friends to form his new personal squad, and Commander Erwin Smith recovers from his injuries. All seems well for the soldiers, until the government suddenly demands custody of Eren and Krista. The Survey Corps' recent successes have drawn attention, and a familiar face from Levi's past is sent to collect the wanted soldiers. Sought after by the government, Levi and his new squad must evade their adversaries in hopes of keeping Eren and Krista safe. Eren and his fellow soldiers are not only fighting for their survival against the terrifying Titans, but also against the terror of a far more conniving foe: their fellow humans. Sequel. Overall Rating: 8/10 2. Overlord III [Madhouse] (Finished 1/13) Tags: Isekai Action, Adventure, Fantasy Following the horrific assault on the Re-Estize capital city, the Guardians of the Great Tomb of Nazarick return home to their master Ainz Ooal Gown. After months of laying the groundwork, they are finally ready to set their plans of world domination into action. As Ainz's war machine gathers strength, the rest of the world keeps moving. The remote Carne Village, which Ainz once saved from certain doom, continues to prosper despite the many threats on its doorstep. And in the northeastern Baharuth Empire, a certain Bloody Emperor sets his sights on the rising power of Nazarick. Blood is shed, heroes fall, and nations rise. Can anyone, or anything, challenge the supreme power of Ainz Ooal Gown? Sequel. Overall Rating: 7/10 3. Banana Fish [MAPPA] (Finished 3/24) Tags: Shoujo Delinquents, Organized Crime, Psychological Action, Adventure, Drama, Suspense Aslan Jade Callenreese, known as Ash Lynx, was a runaway picked off the streets of New York City and raised by the infamous godfather of the mafia, Dino Golzine. Now 17 years old and the boss of his own gang, Ash begins investigating the mysterious "Banana Fish"—the same two words his older brother, Griffin, has muttered since his return from the Iraq War. However, his inquiries are hindered when Dino sends his men after Ash at an underground bar he uses as a hideout. At the bar, Skip, Ash's friend, introduces him to Shunichi Ibe and his assistant, Eiji Okumura, who are Japanese photographers reporting on American street gangs. However, their conversation is interrupted when Shorter Wong, one of Ash's allies, calls to warn him about Dino. Soon, Dino's men storm the bar, and in the ensuing chaos kidnap Skip and Eiji. Now, Ash must find a way to rescue them and continue his investigation into Banana Fish, but will his history with the mafia prevent him from succeeding? There's so much boys love references and themes that this tag must be present here. Thus it should not even make it in my list. Overall Rating: 5/10 4. Grand Blue Grand Blue Dreaming ぐらんぶる [Zero-G] (Finished 1/12) ags: Seinen Adult Cast Comedy Iori Kitahara moves to the coastal town of Izu for his freshman year at its university, taking residence above Grand Blue, his uncle's scuba diving shop. Iori has high hopes and dreams about having the ideal college experience, but when he enters the shop he is sucked into the alcoholic activities of the carefree members of the Diving Club who frequent the place. Persuaded by upperclassmen Shinji Tokita and Ryuujirou Kotobuki, Iori reluctantly joins their bizarre party. His cousin Chisa Kotegawa later walks in and catches him in the act, earning Iori her utter disdain. Based on Kenji Inoue and Kimitake Yoshioka's popular comedy manga, Grand Blue follows Iori's misadventures with his eccentric new friends as he strives to realize his ideal college dream, while also learning how to scuba dive. Silly youth romcom akin to Green Green, but also with a very weird tilt into exhibitionism. Overall Rating: 5/10 5. Isekai Maou to Shoukan Shoujo no Dorei Majutsu How Not to Summon a Demon Lord 異世界魔王と召喚少女の奴隷魔術 [Ajia-do] (Finished 12/12) Tags: Harem, Isekai Action, Fantasy, Ecchi When it comes to the fantasy MMORPG Cross Reverie, none can match the power of the Demon King Diablo. Possessing the game's rarest artifacts and an unrivaled player level, he overpowers all foolish enough to confront him. But despite his fearsome reputation, Diablo's true identity is Takuma Sakamoto, a shut-in gamer devoid of any social skills. Defeating hopeless challengers day by day, Takuma cares about nothing else but his virtual life—that is, until a summoning spell suddenly transports him to another world where he has Diablo's appearance! In this new world resembling his favorite game, Takuma is greeted by the two girls who summoned him: Rem Galeu, a petite Pantherian adventurer, and Shera L. Greenwood, a busty Elf summoner. They perform an Enslavement Ritual in an attempt to subjugate him, but the spell backfires and causes them to become his slaves instead. With the situation now becoming more awkward than ever, Takuma decides to accompany the girls in finding a way to unbind their contract while learning to adapt to his new existence as the menacing Demon King. It's just KonoSuba variation with more focus on H... nothing really great. Overall Rating: 6/10 6. Satsuriku no Tenshi Angels of Death 殺戮の天使 [J.C.Staff] (Finished 12/12) Tags: Gore, Psychological Adventure, Horror, Suspense With dead and lifeless eyes, Rachel Gardner wishes only to die. Waking up in the basement of a building, she has no idea how or why she's there. She stumbles across a bandaged murderer named Zack, who is trying to escape. After promising to kill her as soon as he is free, Rachel and Zack set out to ascend through the building floor by floor until they escape. However, as they progress upward, they meet more twisted people, and all of them seem familiar with Rachel. What is her connection to the building, and why was she placed in it? Facing a new boss on each floor, can Rachel and Zack both achieve their wishes? I don't value survival suspense horrors highly. Concept is unusual and the whole thing is more or less watchable. Still don't find it appealing in any way. Overall Rating: 6/10 7. Hataraku Saibou Cells at Work! はたらく細胞 [David Production] (Finished 1/13) Tags: Shounen Anthropomorphic, Educational, Medical Comedy Inside the human body, roughly 37.2 trillion cells work energetically 24 hours a day and 365 days a year. Fresh out of training, the cheerful and somewhat airheaded Sekkekkyuu AE3803 is ready to take on the ever-so-important task of transporting oxygen. As usual, Hakkekkyuu U-1146 is hard at work patrolling and eliminating foreign bacteria seeking to make the body their new lair. Elsewhere, little platelets are lining up for a new construction project. Dealing with wounds and allergies, getting lost on the way to the lungs, and bickering with similar cell types, the daily lives of cells are always hectic as they work together to keep the body healthy! This is too ridiculous to take with any seriousness. Not finding it funny at all for a pure comedy as well, more like weird parody with needless SOL elements. Overall Rating: 5/10 8. Asobi Asobase Asobi Asobase - workshop of fun - あそびあそばせ [Lerche] (Finished 3/12) Tags: Seinen Gag Humor, School Comedy During recess, Olivia, a foreign transfer student who doesn't know English, plays a game of "look-the-other-way" with Hanako Honda, a loud-mouthed airhead. Their rowdy behavior spurs the ire of Kasumi Nomura, a deadpan loner constantly teased by her older sister for her tendency to lose games. Not willing to compete, Kasumi declines Olivia's offer to join the fun, but eventually gets involved anyway and dispenses her own brand of mischief. Soon, a strange friendship blossoms between the peculiar trio, and they decide to form the "Pastime Club," where they are free to resume their daily hijinks. Whether it be failing to learn English, trying desperately to become popular, or getting caught by teachers at the wrong time, school life will never be boring when the girls of Asobi Asobase are up to their hilarious antics. Random comedy that again tries to build upon a blond girl from England who does not speak English well - hello Strawberry Marshmallow. And comparison is totally not in favor of Asobi Asobase. Did not find this fooling around pleasant. Overall Rating: 6/10 9. Happy Sugar Life ハッピーシュガーライフ [Ezόla] (Finished 12/12) Tags: Shounen Gore, Psychological Drama, Girls Love, Horror Satou Matsuzaka is a beautiful high schooler who has a reputation for being permissive with men. However, a chance encounter with a young girl named Shio Koube makes Satou realize that this is her first and only true feeling of love. Telling others that she lives with her aunt, Satou secretly shares an apartment with Shio. Despite her innocent appearance, Satou is willing to do anything to protect her beloved, resorting to desperate measures to ensure that their "happy sugar life" remains intact. Basically, horror anime about despair and abuse. Not sure what to like here. Overall Rating: 5/10 10. Yuragi-sou no Yuuna-san Yuuna and the Haunted Hot Springs ゆらぎ荘の幽奈さん [Xebec] (Finished 2/12) Tags: Shounen Harem Comedy, Romance, Supernatural, Ecchi Once a hot springs inn, now a boarding house with extraordinarily cheap rent, Yuragi-sou is virtually uninhabited save for a few peculiar residents. As rumor has it, it is haunted by a vile ghost which scares away all potential tenants. Therefore, it is the perfect refuge for Fuyuzora Kogarashi—a broke, homeless psychic seeking an affordable roof to stay under and ghosts to exorcise. Kogarashi prepares for a face-off against the ghost, only to find out it is not as malicious as the rumors made it out to be. Instead, it is the ghost of a beautiful, silver-haired girl whose only recollection of her life before death is her name: Yuuna. Even more baffling is that the other tenants of Yuragi-sou not only are able to see Yuuna as well, but each has their own supernatural ability. Amidst the chaos caused by his quirky fellow residents, Kogarashi attempts to uncover the regret that keeps Yuuna anchored to the world of the living, lest she become an evil spirit sentenced to spend her afterlife in hell. This H ghost humor is not funny at all. And when harem kicks in, it becomes even worse. Overall Rating: 5/10 11. High Score Girl Hi Score Girl ハイスコアガール [Comedy] (Finished 7/12) Tags: Seinen Love Polygon, Romantic Subtext, School, Video Game The year is 1991, and arcade video games are the latest craze. Becoming a professional gamer is a far-fetched dream in an industry that has yet to spread its influence. Yet, that is the path sixth-grader Haruo Yaguchi wants to pursue. His aptitude for video games has earned him respect in local arcades and bestowed him with confidence and pride, both of which are shattered when fellow classmate Akira Oono easily defeats him in Street Fighter 2. Akira is rich, pretty, and smart—as close as can be to a perfect girl. But Haruo had never cared about these things as, despite his multiple shortcomings as a person, his supremacy in video games was, in his mind, undisputed. So, now that someone has appeared who can rival him, part of Haruo cannot help but loathe her. Another part, however, itches for somebody who can compete with him on equal terms, and Akira is more than capable. Simple visuals with CGI and retro gaming tilt that I'm not fond of. There aren't great characters either. It has some nice moments and music, but can't call it a masterpiece. Overall Rating: 6/10 12. Sirius Sirius the Jaeger 天狼〈シリウス〉 Sirius the Jaeger [P.A. Works] (Finished 12/12) Tags: Historical, Vampire Action, Supernatural In the year 1930, vampires have infiltrated Tokyo to feast upon its unsuspecting citizens. As the number of victims continues to rise, the city's authorities decide to hire the Jaegers—a strange, diverse group of individuals tasked by the V Shipping Company to hunt down vampires around the world. Carrying musical instrument cases to disguise their identity, the Jaegers battle the vampires with the same mercilessness demonstrated by their foes. Yuliy, the Jaeger's most skilled warrior, is the sole survivor of a vampire raid on his home village. Using the strength granted by his werewolf blood, he works with his team to assist Tokyo's law enforcement with the city's vampire problem. Though under the pretense of helping the police, the Jaegers are actually fighting the vampires over the mystical Ark of Sirius. With its power to change the fate of the world, Yuliy and his friends must locate the artifact before the vampires can use it to achieve their destructive goals. P.A.Works scenarist is mediocre, so it's again a boring stories in some kind of retro futuristic setting. I wish they were taking real stories and not making originals if they suck at it. Overall Rating: 6/10 13. Gintama.: Shirogane no Tamashii-hen - Kouhan-sen Gintama.: Silver Soul Arc - Second Half War 銀魂. 銀ノ魂篇 後半戦 [Bandai Namco Pictures] (Finished 14/14) Tags: Shounen Gag Humor, Historical, Parody, Samurai Action, Comedy, Sci-Fi Following the temporary retreat of the Altana Liberation Army from the Kabuki District, the state of the war has seemingly improved. However, as the Oniwaban, Shinsengumi, and residents of the district combat the army's remnants, Edo's greatest inventor Gengai Hiraga is abducted. Responsible for causing the enemy's withdrawal by rendering their weapons useless, Gengai's nanomachine virus is now at risk of being shut down. Meanwhile, a laser capable of obliterating a planet is activated in Earth's orbit on the Liberation Army's mother ship. Another battle ensues when Shinsuke Takasugi and the rest of the Kiheitai arrive on the vessel to stop the weapon from firing. Forced to fight a war on two fronts, the Yorozuya and their allies must prevail on both sides to save Edo and the rest of the world. Sequel. Overall Rating: 6/10 14. Hyakuren no Haou to Seiyaku no Valkyria The Master of Ragnarok & Blesser of Einherjar 百錬の覇王と聖約の戦乙女〈ヴァルキュリア〉 [EMT Squared] (Finished 2/12) Tags: Harem, Isekai, Military Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Romance Some urban legends are best left untested! Yuuto Suou gets more than he bargained for when he joins his childhood friend Mitsuki Shimoya in testing out an urban legend. When he uses his phone to take a picture of himself with the local shrine's divine mirror, he is whisked off into another world—one heavily steeped in the lore of the old Norse myths. Using his knowledge gained from school and from his solar-powered smartphone, he has the chance to bring the Wolf Clan, the same people who cared for him, to prominence, all while earning the adoration of a group of magic-wielding warrior maidens known as the Einherjar. Casual isekai akin to In Another World With My Smartphone. Hell, MC even phones to his real imouto in real world while gathering a harem of exotic imoutos. Overall Rating: 5/10 15. Free! Dive to the Future [Kyoto Animation, Animation Do] (Finished 1/12) Tags: School Sports With the seniors having graduated from high school, the determined swimmers eagerly take on their futures with a dream to fulfill. Now attending Hidaka University in Tokyo, Haruka Nanase unexpectedly runs into Shiina Asahi, an old teammate and friend from his middle school days. Consequently, the troubling memories regarding his middle school swim team resurface, as it was a time when Haruka's views on swimming became negative and led him to quit the team. Haruka later reconnects with his other middle school classmates; all except for Ikuya Kirishima, who still resents Haruka for quitting the team, resulting in its disbandment. Aware of the issues between them, Haruka resolves to improve his friendship with Ikuya. However, he quickly realizes that making amends with an old friend isn't his only obstacle. Facing the reality and challenges of encountering higher calibre swimmers, Haruka must work hard to establish himself if he dreams of competing on an international level. Sequel. Overall Rating: 5/10 16. Hanebado! はねバド! [LIDENFILMS] (Finished 2/13) Tags: Seinen School Sports After her crushing defeat of 21-0 at the National Junior Badminton Tournament, Nagisa Aragaki's love for her sport begins to distort. Unable to deal with the shame of loss, she starts to terrorize the mkmbers of her high school badminton club. Her grueling drills bring some to the verge of tears while others quit the club outright. With the team losing members and new prospects being too terrified to join, the future of the badminton club looks exceptionally grim. That is, until Kentarou Tachibana joins as the new head coach. Not only is he an Olympic-level player, but he also comes bearing a secret weapon: Ayano Hanesaki, the girl who defeated Nagisa six months ago. However, Ayano is not the rival Nagisa remembers, but a girl with conflicted feelings wanting to distance herself from badminton. With her future in sports now on the line, Nagisa must find a way to face her fears of inadequacy, heal her rival's troubled heart, and bring victory to Kitakomachi High School's badminton club. Slightly better spokon than usual, but still alien to me. Overall Rating: 6/10 17. Back Street Girls: Gokudolls Back Street Girls: Gokudols Back Street Girls -ゴクドルズ [J.C.Staff] (Finished 3/10) Tags: Seinen Magical Sex Shift, Organized Crime, Workplace Comedy, Ecchi After failing their boss for the last time, yakuza members Kentarou, Ryou, and Kazuhiko are faced with one of two choices: have their organs harvested and sold or take a trip to Thailand for sex reassignment surgery and become pop idols. Now, after a year of excruciating training, the three thugs have been reborn as Airi, Chika, and Mari. Debuting as the amateur idol group The Goku Dolls, the three strive towards becoming top idols. However, despite the hours of feminizing brainwashing they were forced to endure, the three idols have managed to keep the yakuza spirit alive in their hearts. In order to fix this, their yakuza boss hires andarin Kinoshita, a legendary manager who has never had an idol group fail under his mnagement. With their lives now on the line, the reluctant yakuza must work with their new manager to unleash their inner cuteness and become the successful idols that their tyrannical boss can truly be proud of. Yakuza turning into idol girls is a silly idea, and realization is on par - low quality and trashy humor. Overall Rating: 6/10 18. Sunohara-sou no Kanrinin-san Miss Caretaker of Sunohara-sou すのはら荘の管理人さん [SILVER LINK.] (Finished 3/12) Tags: Harem Comedy, Ecchi Shiina Aki is constantly being treated like a girl due to his feminine looks so he decides to move to Tokyo to attend middle school in an attempt to change himself. However, what awaits him in his new home, Sunohara-sou, is the kind-hearted caretaker, Sunohara Ayaka. Along with the three female members of Aki's new middle school's student council, Yukimoto Yuzu, Yamanashi Sumire, and Kazami Yuri. And so begins Aki's new life in Tokyo living with four girls. Ecchi harem is terrible as usual. Overall Rating: 5/10 19. Shichisei no Subaru Seven Senses of the Re'Union 七星のスバル [Lerche] (Finished 12/12) Tags: Video Game Action, Drama, Fantasy Asahi's life in reality ended simultaneously when she died playing Union, a world-renowned online RPG. The members of Subaru went separate ways when Union shut down due to Asahi's death. Six years later, Haruto logs onto a renewed version of Re'Union and reunites with Asahi who had died. Is it really her or just an electronic ghost? The former team members reunite and enter the mysterious and deadly online game to find out. Inability to log out from MMO is a stale, yet effective plot move. But actual execution and characters are pretty bad. It has no originality as everything here is seen elsewhere, but there is also no logic and truth behind actions. Just streamlined generic action experience. Overall Rating: 6/10 20. Island (TV) Island [feel.] (Finished 12/12) Tags: Harem, Time Travel Drama, Romance, Sci-Fi On a remote island far from the mainland named Urashima, a man washes ashore, with no recollection of his name or homeland. What he does recall, however, is that he is a time traveler with a mission: to save a certain girl from harm. As nightfall arrives, he meets Rinne Ohara, a girl who sings a tune that reminds him of a specific name—Setsuna—and decides to use it as his own. Knowing another "Setsuna" herself, Rinne takes him to her household as a servant, hoping that he is the same one she remembers. On the other hand, Setsuna continues to learn more about Urashima, desiring to identify his lost past. He comes to know about the island's folklore, its three great families, and the endemic disease that prevents anyone afflicted from stepping out into the daylight. As the mysteries of his missing memories and Urashima itself unfold, Setsuna must remember his purpose and fulfill his mission as soon as possible. But, as he witnesses the myriad of troubles plaguing the island, Setsuna begins to question—is his temporal displacement merely an effort to change a single girl's fate? I really hate island for being suspense mystery time travel pseudo-intellectual harem with poor protagonist. But also for being not entirely bad. It would be better if it did not exist at all. Overall Rating: 6/10 21. Jashin-chan Dropkick Dropkick On My Devil! 邪神ちゃんドロップキック [Diomedéa] (Finished 2/12) Tags: Seinen Comedy For the average Japanese high school student, walking to school can be a chore, but for first-year Chio Miyamo, it's always an adventure. Constantly running late due to her long night sessions playing video games, she is forced to come up with new routes to make it to Samejima Private Academy on time. On her many bizarre journeys to school, Chio contends with obstacles like street-blocking detours, overzealous kabaddi players, and befuddled motorcycle gang leaders. But these minor hindrances are no match for the special ops training that Chio, AKA the legendary assassin "Bloody Butterfly," has received from her extensive gaming obsession. Together with her best friends Manana Nonomura and Yuki Hosokawa, Chio will do whatever it takes to avoid her school's harsh penalties for tardiness. Usual unfunny episodic nonsense comedy with all kinds of monster and celestial girls. Overall Rating: 6/10 22. Harukana Receive はるかなレシーブ [C2C] (Finished 2/12) Tags: Team Sports In beach volleyball, there is no room for aces. To achieve victory, each player must find their one, irreplaceable partner that they can rely on in the court of sand. At least, that is what Haruka Oozora learns on her first day in Okinawa after moving in with her grandmother and her cousin Kanata Higa. While touring a nearby beach, Haruka stumbles upon some girls practicing beach volleyball and is quickly invited to join. This friendly practice game suddenly turns into a match when one of the girls, Narumi Tooi, notices Kanata approaching the court. Although the two suffer a devastating defeat, Haruka finally realizes the reason for her cousin’s quiet and distant behavior. Kanata and Narumi used to be an exceptionally talented beach volleyball duo, until Kanata quit due to her short height causing problems for Narumi. Now, with the Junior Tournament just weeks away, Haruka must learn the intricacies of competitive beach volleyball and help Kanata overcome her crippling anxiety towards the sport that she once used to love. Fanservice spokon, with a bit of girls love. Nothing really special. Overall Rating: 6/10 23. Shoujo☆Kageki Revue Starlight Revue Starlight 少女☆歌劇 レヴュースタァライト [Kinema Citrus] (Finished 3/12) Tags: Music, Performing Arts, School Drama As preparations begin for Seishou Music Academy's yearly Seishou Festival, the girls of the 99th class are gearing up to perform their very own rendition of Starlight, the tragic tale of two goddesses drawn together by the glow of the heavens but destined to be pulled apart, never to meet again. Created to foster the next generation of theatrical talent, this girls' only school works to improve the singing, acting, and dancing skills of its students. One student is 16-year-old Karen Aijou, an easygoing girl who has dreamed of performing on stage since she was a child. Her love for theater is further invigorated when her childhood friend Hikari Kagura transfers to Seishou Academy. Through her old friend, Karen stumbles upon a secret elevator leading to a massive theater underneath the school. Hosted by a talking giraffe, this arena serves as a battleground where her classmates participate in duels to determine who among them deserves the title of "Top Star," earning them the right to play one of the lead roles in Starlight. Emboldened by the promise she made with Hikari to someday be stars together, Karen enters these mysterious battles in the hopes of making their dream a reality. Theater school left me indifferent. But I even did not like Utena which had more story potential. Overall Rating: 6/10 24. Fate/Extra: Last Encore - Illustrias Tendousetsu Fate/Extra: Last Encore - Illustrias Geocentric Theory Fate/EXTRA Last Encore イルステリアス天動説 [Shaft] (Finished 1/3) Tags: Action, Fantasy After defeating the various Floor Masters of the six prior levels, Hakuno Kishinami and Saber arrive at the top floor of the Moon Cell. Their opponent will be Leonardo B. Harwey—the strongest Master in the history of the Holy Grail War and the current fan favorite, following his previous victory. As they reach a field of flowers among floating isles, Hakuno, Saber, and Rin Toosaka come across a hooded man tending to the blossoms. Saber immediately draws her blade before the cloaked figure, who reveals himself as Prince Gawain: the Platinum Saber and Knight of the Round Table. However, when Gawain insists that he has no interest in fighting, the four discuss the infinite possibilities for the Holy Grail, with Hakuno determined to return the Moon Cell to its original form. Their discussion ends with a clangor from afar, ringing through the skies. The threadbare Gawain, nowing its significance, informs the three that not much time remains for their lives. He beckons them towards the final battleground, where the two Sabers shall duel once more to determine the future of mankind. Sequel. Overall Rating: 6/10 25. Kyoto Teramachi Sanjou no Holmes Holmes of Kyoto 京都寺町三条のホームズ [Seven] (Finished 2/12) Tags: Detective, Romantic Subtext, Workplace Drama, Mystery High schooler Aoi Mashiro moved from home six months ago, but her recent breakup has made her want to return to tell off her ex-boyfriend. In need of money for a train ticket, she steals two hanging scrolls from her grandfather's attic and takes them to be appraised at an antique shop in the heart of Kyoto's Teramachi Sanjou shopping district. Little does she know that a fateful encounter awaits her during this visit. Upon entering the shop, Aoi is greeted by Kiyotaka Yagashira, the owner's grandson and a graduate student at Kyoto University. Nicknamed "Holmes" for a pun involving his surname, as well as for his incredible deductive skills, Kiyotaka inspects the scrolls that Aoi brought with her. Based on the items she selected to sell, Kiyotaka senses that Aoi possesses great intuition not unlike his own. Seeing her potential and sympathizing with her story, Kiyotaka offers Aoi a part-time job so she can earn the required money herself. Aoi and Kiyotaka begin working together soon after—not only within the antique shop, but also around town whenever the locals ask for help with their various problems. With Kiyotaka's deduction and Aoi's intuition, no case is too tough for this modern-day Holmes and Watson duo! Josei butler detective mystery is totally alien to me. Overall Rating: 5/10 26. Angolmois: Genkou Kassenki Angolmois: Record of Mongol Invasion アンゴルモア 元寇合戦記 [NAZ] (Finished 12/12) Tags: Historical, Military, Samurai The year is 1274. After conquering most of the known world, the Mongols turn their sights on Japan and their first step on the road to a full invasion of the mainland is taking Tsushima Island. Kuchii Jinzaburou and a group exiles are sent by the Kamakura Shogunate to the island at the request of Princess Teruhi. There they will face overwhelming odds and the fate of Tsushima will be decided! Loving this anime. One of rare titles that I watched twice and don't mind watching another time now. That alone says that it's at least firm masterpiece for me even though I realize it's not something special as a story. Overall Rating: 8/10 27. Planet With プラネット・ウィズ [J.C.Staff] (Finished 3/12) Tags: Mecha Action, Sci-Fi According to the theories of oneiromancy, dreams of dragons represent the struggle of losing yourself to your own anger. Fittingly, Souya Kuroi wakes up from a nightmare of a massive dragon destroying everything around him in a blaze of rainbow colored light. After being told that he lost his parents and memory in a strange accident, the waking world becomes another nightmare in itself. With this dream being his only memory, he has no choice but to be taken care of by his two strange guardians: the spunky and energetic maid Ginko, and a huge cat known only as "Sensei." His new life is turned upside down when the denizens of Saromisaka City are beset by a teddy bear-shaped UFO. When military power proves to be ineffective, seven mysterious people rise up to fight off the monstrosity. These heroes destroy the invader in a flurry of rainbow colored lights, the very same lights that Souya saw in his nightmare. With the alien threat repelled, these seven strangers find themselves facing a new adversary: Souya. Swearing vengeance upon the people who decimated his old life, he begins his crusade against these "heroes" and becomes embroiled in a struggle of galactic proportions. This mecha has terrible CGI and immature content, so just uninteresting to watch for me. Overall Rating: 6/10 28. Muhyo to Rouji no Mahouritsu Soudan Jimusho Muhyo & Roji's Bureau of Supernatural Investigation ムヒョとロージーの魔法律相談事務所 [Studio Deen] (Finished 3/12) Tags: Shounen Mythology Mystery, Supernatural Are you a victim of unwanted spirit possession? Is there a ghost you need sent up and away...or down to burn for all eternity? If the answer is yes, then you need Muhyo and Roji, experts in magic law. Serving justice to evil spirits is their specialty. A real torture for someone who hates ghosts. Overall Rating: 5/10 29. Phantom in the Twilight ファントム イン ザ トワイライト [LIDENFILMS] (Finished 2/12) Tags: Vampire Action, Supernatural Set in modern day London, the story takes place in a world where "Shadows" are born from human fear and anxiety. A young girl arrives to study abroad, only to be caught in a bizarre incident as she enters university. In a city with no acquaintances, the helpless girl wanders into "Café Forbidden," a mysterious café that exclusively opens at midnight. She meets an assortment of handsome men employed at the café, where guardians who protect the boundary between humans and shadow convene. It has all the elements of reverse harem, so a skip for me. Overall Rating: 5/10 30. Lord of Vermilion: Guren no Ou Lord of Vermilion: The Crimson King ロード オブ ヴァーミリオン 紅蓮の王 [asread., Tear Studio] (Finished 12/12) Tags: Action, Fantasy Set in Tokyo, it's January 29, 2030. High-frequency resonance is observed in the vicinity of Tokyo, and the red fog rolls into the city. Those who hear the sound, humans and animals alike, pass out, losing consciousness. Everything shuts down in Tokyo, believing that the fog is carrying an unknown virus that causes an epidemic. However, six days later, after the incident, people wake up as if nothing happened. After that, Tokyo's sealed-off city sections gradually return to normal. However, since the high-frequency resonance, some "bizarre events" start to happen, and people find themselves being pulled deeper into more mysteries. Meanwhile, young people start to become aware of themselves and release their power hidden in their blood, discovering themselves as "vessel of wisdom blood." Together, being led by something unknown, they meet, communicate, and face the unavoidable circle of fate, sacrificing their own lives. It has problem with characters, motivation and logic. Overall Rating: 5/10 31. Chuukan Kanriroku Tonegawa Mr. Tonegawa: Middle Management Blues 中間管理録トネガワ [Madhouse] (Finished 1/24) Tags: Seinen Adult Cast, Parody, Psychological Comedy, Drama Chuukan Kanriroku Tonegawa is a spin-off of the Kaiji series, which follows Tonegawa, the right hand man of Kazutaka Hyoudou, the president of the Teiai Corporation and owner of numerous gambling tournaments. After Hyoudou is getting bored with his life, he orders Tonegawa to organize a so called "game of death" as it is his and his subordinate's job to keep the president in a good mood. Tonegawa must cooperate with his subordinates in order to make the president happy and what follows is a humorous story of his interactions with his subordinates and other characters of the Kaiji series. Spin-off. Overall Rating: 6/10 32. Beatless Final Stage [Diomedéa] (Finished 1/4) Tags: Action, Drama, Romance, Sci-Fi Arato Endou and his faithful hIE, Lacia, have come together once again to show the world that artificial intelligence, no matter how brilliant, can be shut down safely. As they descend into the holding facility to confront Higgins, Lacia's AI creator, the pair must fend off enemies from all fronts. Among them are Snowdrop, a rampant hIE hellbent on devouring Higgins, and Methode, a hIE who seeks vengeance against Lacia. The world's super-intelligent AIs unanimously decide to terminate Lacia, whom they deem a threat to humanity. With limited time and the odds stacked against them, will Arato and Lacia be able to truly join together in a society where humans and hIEs can coexist peacefully? Sequel. Overall Rating: 6/10 33. Yama no Susume Third Season Encouragement of Climb Season ヤマノススメ サードシーズン [8bit] (Finished 1/13) Tags: CGDCT, Iyashikei Adventure, Slice of Life With the conclusion of an unforgettable summer break, Aoi Yukimura remains invigorated to continue pursuing her new hobby in mountaineering. Having braved her fear of heights and fulfilled her childhood promise with Hinata Kuraue, any opportunity to go climbing intrigues the first-year high school student—including a second chance to reach the summit of Mt. Fuji. Although the formidable yet exciting trip is planned for next summer, Aoi is already preparing as much as she can to guarantee her success this time around. However, as budding expectations blossom with the shift of the seasons, ascending the unexplored peaks of colorful endeavors begins to strain the bond between the two longtime friends and the perspectives they share of the future. Sequel. Overall Rating: 5/10 34. Tsukumogami Kashimasu We Rent Tsukumogami つくもがみ貸します [Telecom Animation Film] (Finished 3/12) Tags: Anthropomorphic, Historical, Mythology Supernatural The series is set during the Edo period, in the Fukagawa ward of old Edo (present-day Tokyo). Because the area is prone to fire and flooding, residents rent everyday items like pots, futons, and clothing from shops instead of purchasing them, so as not to impede them when they flee. Obeni and Seiji, an older sister and younger brother, run one such rental shop called Izumoya. However, mixed in with their inventory are tsukumogami, objects that have turned into spirits after a hundred years of existence. The siblings sometimes lend these sentient items to customers. Both Obeni and Seiji can see and talk to these spirits, and other tsukumogami often come to the store after hearing of the famed siblings. Weird Edo nonsense SOL mystery with exorcism which is more than enough to dump it for good... Overall Rating: 6/10 35. Ongaku Shoujo (TV) Music Girls 音楽少女 [Studio Deen] (Finished 3/12) Tags: Idols (Female), Music Slice of Life There are eleven girls that consist the C-class Ongaku Shoujo idol unit under Pine Records. Despite generating red sales marks and not being very popular, Producer Ikebashi and the members are trying their very best to up their levels. Nevertheless, Ikebashi suggests recruiting a new member for Ongaku Shoujo; someone who can act as a catalyst for the success of the group. Thus, an audition was opened, leading to the soon-to-be legendary group's meeting to a girl named Hanako. Can't compete with Wake up girls in quality or realism, so not good. Overall Rating: 6/10 36. Senjuushi The Thousand Noble Musketeers 千銃士 [TMS Entertainment] (Finished 1/12) Tags: Military Action Despair War is a battle between ancient guns and contemporary guns. Due to a nuclear war, the world was destroyed. Under the full governance of a world empire, people are living with their freedom taken. Despite the forbidden rule of owning any weapons, there is a resistance that secretly fights against the world empire. They own ancient guns left as art and fight using these. Then, the Kijuushi appear as the souls of the ancient guns. Proud and magnificent, the "Absolute Royal" are the only ones that can give hope to this world. The story depicts the everyday life of the Kijuushi. Laughter, despair, happiness, confusion, pain; they would still pursue their own absolute loyalty to fight. What do they fight for? What should they protect? Some bishounen nonsense that's only formally themed as musketeers. Overall Rating: 5/10 37. Aguu: Tensai Ningyou Aguu: Genius Dolls 悪偶 ‐天才人形‐ [Studio Deen] (Finished 3/12) Tags: Action, Drama, Supernatural The series is about a missing genius whose mysterious disappearance becomes a shady secret among the successful members of society. Episodic horror with occasional body horror, truly terrible for me. Overall Rating: 5/10 38. Shinya! Tensai Bakabon Late night! The Genius Bakabon 深夜!天才バカボン [Pierrot Plus] (Finished 1/12) Tags: Comedy, Slice of Life The pinnacle of gag manga as well as one of Akatsuka Fujio's most renowned works, "Tensai Bakabon" returns after 18 years since its last anime with Director Hosokawa Toru's new original story! Bakabon and his family, who made the phrase "This is how it should be" famous, are back along with the eccentric cast of Mr. Policeman, Rerere no Ojisan and Eel-Dog letting loose in a much more modern setting! The new frontier of "Bakabon" that'll take place in a late-night slot is about to begin, 10 years after Akatsuka Fujio's death. Good old Bakabon. Silly and mildly pleasant, but can't exactly call it a masterpiece. Overall Rating: 6/10 39. Oshiete Mahou no Pendulum: Rilu Rilu Fairilu おしえて魔法のペンデュラム~リルリルフェアリル~ [Studio Deen] (Finished 1/26) Tags: Fantasy, Slice of Life The third chapter of Rilu Rilu Fairilu chronicles the journey of a girl who uncovers the coveted "Magic Pendulum." With this artifact in hand, she ventures into the enchanting realm of Fairilu, where she embarks on exhilarating adventures and undergoes transformative personal development. Sequel. Overall Rating: 5/10 40. Mo Dao Zu Shi The Founder of Diabolism Season 1 魔道祖师 [B.CMAY PICTURES] (Finished 15/15) Tags: Historical, Mythology, Reincarnation Action, Adventure, Drama, Fantasy, Mystery Xian: the state of immortality that all cultivators strive to achieve. However, there is a dark energy that lies underneath—the forbidden Mo Dao, or demonic path. Through an unfortunate series of tragedies, this is the path that cultivator Wei Wuxian experiments with during his teachings. His rise in power is accompanied by chaos and destruction, but his reign of terror comes to an abrupt end when the cultivation clans overpower him and he is killed by his closest ally. Thirteen years later, Wei Wuxian is reincarnated in the body of a lunatic and reunited with Lan Wangji, a former classmate of his. This marks the beginning of a supernatural mystery that plagues the clans and threatens to disrupt their everyday life. Mo Dao Zu Shi follows these two men on their mission to unravel the mysteries of the spiritual world. Fighting demons, ghosts, and even other cultivators, the two end up forming a bond that neither of them had ever expected. Despite looking like animated wuxia and being a toned down BL mystery it's still a curious story driven start, so will watch further. Overall Rating: 7/10 41. Sword Gai The Animation Part II ソードガイ The Animation Part II [DLE, LandQ studios] (Finished 1/12) Tags: Seinen Action, Supernatural Part II of Sword Gai: The Animation. Sequel. Overall Rating: 5/10 42. Dies Irae: To the Ring Reincarnation [A.C.G.T.] (Finished 6/6) Tags: Super Power Action Episodes 12–17 of Dies Irae released exclusively on the web. Protagonists are rather bland and unmemorable. Battles are mostly just pretentious speeches. It does not feel like a masterpiece. Overall Rating: 6/10 43. Aru Zombie Shoujo no Sainan Calamity of the Zombie Girl あるゾンビ少女の災難 [Gonzo, Stingray] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Gore Action, Horror, Supernatural On a hot summer day, five university students sneak into the library storage to look for some treasure. They find two sets of female antique mummies from Italy around the age of 14–20 years old. One of the students, Sayaka, rips open the mummy and takes out a stone called "stone of life," which gave the mummies super strength and eternal life. Having stolen their "stone of life," the two mummy girls wake up and become zombies after 100 years in order to get it back in a bloody gruesome way, smashing their heads and eating their flesh for power. The only way for the students to get out is to somehow find a way to kill the zombie girls. Will they be able to survive? Stupid gory horror with some B class action, so not sure what to like here. Overall Rating: 6/10 44. Yakusoku no Nanaya Matsuri Starlight Promises 約束の七夜祭り [Yokohama Animation Lab] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Samurai Drama, Sci-Fi "A festival of miracle, where you can meet whoever you want to meet." Mihara Shoma, a first-year in high school, receives a message from his best friend Atsushi, who he hadn't heard from in ages. "Wanna come to this cool little festival I found? It's been a while, so I'd like to catch up." Unable to sit around after that, Shoma heads to a ghost village in the mountains for the Tanabata Nanayamatsuri. But he doesn't find Atsushi there. Instead, he meets a girl named Shiori, who has someone she wants to meet as well. Will Shoma be able to meet Atsushi once again? Supernatural rural festival nostalgy with some personal drama involved. Not particularly interesting, so decent at best. Overall Rating: 6/10 45. Sheng Shi Zhuang Niang The Beauty Blogger 盛世妆娘 [Imagineer] (Finished 1/20) Tags: Historical, Video Game Drama, Romance A beauty blogger has been sent to a VR reality game, where she has to stand firm in a catfight in boudoir. But how so? She is given numerous cosmetic products that she can arm herself up with. Based on the popular online novel published on the famous female-oriented online novel website "Jinjiang", this animation is strongly recommended to those who love all kinds of cosmetics. Cant take series about makeup seriously. Overall Rating: 5/10 46. Semi wa Magic Cube 세미와 매직큐브 [Durufix] (Finished 1/26) Tags: Action, Comedy, Fantasy The story tells the tale of Semi, a bright girl who goes in a magical time journey with the genius teacher Wai, in order to prevent the evil X from utilizing the powers of the magic cube for evil. Along the way, Semi and her math school friends run into history and math problems that they must solve with logic and wit. CGI and mathematical magic... that's all I needed to know. Overall Rating: 5/10 47. Jiyi U-Pan And2 Girls 记忆U盘 [-] (Finished 1/15) Tags: Sci-Fi The animation And2 Girls is based on the five members of the virtual idol group And2girls. The story takes place after the era of Big Power Outages in which Shang Jing City has become an international metropolis due to energy reserves and development. Idols have also become recognized by everyone and sought after. Studying at Music&Art Private High School, the five girls encounter acquaintances and companions for their common purpose. They make unremitting efforts for the goal, boarding the summit of Star List through the match, to prove their strength! Only one episode seems to be translated. Normal idol anime with CGI dances, nothing really standing out. Overall Rating: 6/10 48. Kimi no Suizou wo Tabetai I Want To Eat Your Pancreas 君の膵臓をたべたい [Studio VOLN] (Finished 1/1) Tags: School Drama, Romance The aloof protagonist: a bookworm who is deeply detached from the world he resides in. He has no interest in others and is firmly convinced that nobody has any interest in him either. His story begins when he stumbles across a handwritten book, titled Living with Dying. He soon identifies it as a secret diary belonging to his popular, bubbly classmate Sakura Yamauchi. She then confides in him about the pancreatic disease she is suffering from and that her time left is finite. Only her family knows about her terminal illness; not even her best friends are aware. Despite this revelation, he shows zero sympathy for her plight, but caught in the waves of Sakura's persistent buoyancy, he eventually concedes to accompanying her for her remaining days. As the pair of polar opposites interact, their connection strengthens, interweaving through their choices made with each passing day. Her apparent nonchalance and unpredictability disrupts the protagonist's impassive flow of life, gradually opening his heart as he discovers and embraces the true meaning of living. Terminal illness stories are never interesting for me. And this one reminds of upcoming death every five minutes. Same tearjerkers over and over and over again. Overall Rating: 6/10 49. Shikioriori Flavors of Youth 詩季織々(しきおりおり) [CoMix Wave Films] (Finished 3/3) Tags: Drama, Romance The rigorous city life of China, while bustling and unforgiving, contains the everlasting memories of days past. Three stories told in three different cities, Shikioriori follows the loss of youth and the daunting realization of adulthood. Though reality may seem ever changing, unchangeable are the short-lived moments of one's childhood days. A plentiful bowl of noodles, the beauty of family and the trials of first love endure the inevitable flow of time, as three different characters explore the strength of bonds and the warmth of cherished memories. Within the disorder of the present world, witness these quaint stories recognize the comfort of the past, and attempt to revive the neglected flavors of youth. Another failed Netflix project trying to cash up on some nostalgy. Seriously surface-scratching. The only good point is that it's about contemporary China, and there are few works touching that. Overall Rating: 5/10 50. Mirai no Mirai Mirai 未来のミライ [Studio Chizu] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Time Travel Adventure, Drama, Fantasy In a quiet corner of the city, four-year-old Kun Oota has lived a spoiled life as an only child with his parents and the family dog, Yukko. But when his new baby sister Mirai is brought home, his simple life is thrown upside-down; suddenly, it isn't all about him anymore. Despite his tantrums and nagging, Mirai is seemingly now the subject of all his parents' love. To help him adapt to this drastic change, Kun is taken on an extraordinary journey through time, meeting his family's past, present, and future selves, as he learns not only what it means to be a part of a family, but also what it means to be an older brother. First supernatural, then time travel, and finally just psychodelics to show what - how difficult to grow children? Stupid and non-integral . Overall Rating: 5/10 51. FLCL Progressive フリクリ プログレ [Production I.G, Signal.MD, Production GoodBook] (Finished 6/6) Tags: Mecha, Parody Action, Avant Garde, Comedy, Sci-Fi Hidomi Hibajiri is a dissilusioned young girl who never takes off her headphones. Her whole life consists of going to school, helping out at her mother's cafe, and listening to music. And with nothing else to break the crippling monotony, she keeps her headphones on at all times. That is, until she is run over by a mysterious guitar-wielding woman. That same night, a robot barges into Hidomi’s room along with a boy from her class, Ko Ide, and the kids are chased around town together. They're saved by the guitar-wielding woman from before, but now Hidomi's got a horn growing from her forehead? Who knows where these robots are coming from, what kind of vespa woman this weird guitar woman is warning her about, or what this thing on her forehead is, but it doesn't look like Hidomi is going to be able to ignore all this with headphones! It tries to mirror original FLCL in many ways, but pales in comparison. Even quality is worse. No way I can call it a masterpiece. Overall Rating: 6/10 52. FLCL Alternative フリクリ オルタナ [Production I.G, Nut, Revoroot] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Mecha, Parody Action, Avant Garde, Comedy, Sci-Fi Life seems to drift by for Kana Koumoto and her friends in their small Japanese town. Every day is just like the last, and it feels like every new day will be the same. Kana goes to school, hangs out with her friends, and likes to paint her nails and listen to music, but it feels like nothing special is ever going to happen. As a change of pace, Kana and her friends decide to design a bottle rocket and launch it into space, even though it might not get there at all. However, just when the rocket is completed, a robot suddenly crashes into and destroys it, shortly followed by a pink-haired woman claiming to be a "Galactic Investigator." Kana's life quickly becomes more exciting than she ever imagined, dealing with new feelings, changing friends, and even boy troubles. It turns out life can go by in the blink of an eye, fast enough to even miss it, so what's with these weird robots that seem to show up at the worst times?! A lot better than Progressive, but still can't call a masterpiece as it follows the same pattern of choosing a new kid and getting them through experiences to transform into defender of planet. Any number of volumes can be crafted this way. Overall Rating: 6/10 53. Penguin Highway ペンギン・ハイウェイ [Studio Colorido] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Fantasy, Mystery, Sci-Fi For a child, Aoyama has knowledge comparable to an adult. As such, he is often teased by his classmates. He also has a crush on the friendly woman he recently met at a dental office. One morning, penguins start mysteriously appearing around his neighborhood. Nobody knows where they came from and how they managed to get there. Aoyama is determined to find out more, and he joins his new crush in researching the penguins. As time passes, they discover a levitating sphere which they nickname "The Sea." Whatever goes into The Sea does not come back out, and the only things that can destroy it are the penguins. However, something horrifying is created when the penguins do... Penguin Highway follows Aoyama and the woman's research on the mysterious penguins' origin, as well as the many difficulties Aoyama faces throughout his investigation. This silly and pointless movie has been a waste of time for me. Overall Rating: 5/10 54. Aragne no Mushikago Aragne: Sign of Vermillion アラーニェの虫籠 [Sentai Filmworks] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Fantasy, Horror, Mystery Life could be better for shy, anxious university student Rin. The apartment she has rented is hardly the sunny palace the rental listings suggested. The housing complex is rundown, grim and haunted by troubled souls lurking in dark corners. Ghastly crimes are occurring in the vicinity. And a grinning stranger makes his unsettling presence known. Beyond all this, Rin is coming to realize that something even more sinister is manifesting itself, something at the cursed crossroads of mythology, monstrosity and medical science. Determined to find out more, Rin visits the library, where she meets a sympathetic young staffer. But what she learns does not begin to put her mind at ease. Ugly disgusting crude horror. Overall Rating: 5/10 55. Yu Shen Chuan: Wangzhe Shaonian The Juvenile of King Yu 禹神传之王者少年 [-] (Finished 0/1) Tags: Adventure, Fantasy - Not found. Overall Rating: 0/10
  3. Surprisingly adequate number of titles in February, so I could safely cut couple titles that would fit otherwise (notably, Alice49 EP.0 "Diamond to Shukurimu" and 5fungo ni Igai na Ketsumatsu Monochrome no Toshokan). 1. Haison Sansaku-Kai Katsudou Kiroku 廃村散策会活動記録 [240203] mokosoft He wanders into the village and comes face to face with the village customs and the mystery of the sacred tree. However, he is also a freak who wants to desecrate the mystery. The battle for the salvation of mankind by the cursed village begins. Amateur game with amateur text and like one hour long, but with an opening, which is already enough to include it. 2. Nie no Hakoniwa 贄の匣庭 [240215] Kenkou Land 1 A long time ago, an outsider appeared before the village of a long-suffering minority. In his possession was a mysterious “box” which was used by the oppressed to rise up and overthrow their oppressors. Years later, that oppressed group formed seven noble houses and grew prosperous. However, House Shiki, which stood first among the Seven Noble Houses did not have a son to succeed the family. In order to have an heir, a young man from outside the village was adopted in to the family. That young man’s name is Yasaka Kurou. He then meets Kyouko, the eldest daughter of House Shiki. Two people who were born in to and lived completely different lives, find themselves drawn to each other. And on the day of their marriage- A nightmare is born. Game is localized and has English reviews. 3. Lip Trip ~Boss wa Watashi no Genetsuzai~ リップ・トリップ~編集長(ボス)はわたしの解熱剤~ [240222] SukeraSomero 1 In the Omegaverse, everyone is born into one of three secondary genders: Alpha (α), Beta (β), or Omega (Ω). The majority of the population are Betas, while Alphas sit at the apex of society with their superior looks and abilities. Meanwhile, Omegas have a special characteristic: they periodically go into heat, at which time they become irresistible to Alphas. Rino is an Omega, and a new recruit working for a digital travel magazine. Chizu is an Alpha, and Rino's boss. "Um, Boss! It's my first day, and..." The moment Rino hears her boss's voice, she suddenly goes into an off-cycle heat! Chizu respects the fact that Rino doesn't want to quit her job just because of her natural urges as an Omega and makes a decision to help her. "Just bear with it. I'll get it over with soon." Entranced by her cool fingers and sweet scent, Rino gives her body over to Chizu. Fate begins to toy with the two as their feelings dance the fine line between reason and instinct... Game is localized and has English reviews 4. Hajimeru Sekai no Risouron -goodbye world index- はじめるセカイの理想論 -goodbye world index- [231124] Whirlpool MC is one of the "reincarnated people" who answered the call of the god who rules this world. He is entrusted the fate of this world by the god and surrounded by other reincarnated people who form a team to fight evil that threatens this world. The world he once lived in was full of lies, and those lies killed him. When he was reincarnated into this world, he prayed to God and acquired the ability 'Doubt'', which is the ability to see through other people's lies. This ability protects his from similar harm, but at the same times it also reveals the hearts of his companions, even things that they keep hidden and intend to ignore. Ecchi comedy without real story focus. Girls are varied, so it's quite possible to find one you can like, especially with routes built around personal circumstances. 5. Setsuna ni Kakeru Koi Hanabi 刹那にかける恋はなび [240222] CRYSTALiA In the 2040s in Japan, the near-future sport "Jindou" boasts a high popularity as the sport of the people. And the the most famous of all the Jindou performances is the "Daihouen". Suzakuin Nadeshiko, although currently still a school student, has been fantastically making a name for herself as a pro swordswoman. On the other side, the protagonist Takizawa Kazuma, a washed-up pro swordsman, competes in underground Jindou matches to make ends meet. One day, these two who were born and lived in completely different worlds had a fateful meeting. "Kazuma-san, your swordsmanship is the real deal. Fight with us in the Daihouen and let's make it to the top!" "...yeah. If we could that'd be great" The pair, captivated by Jindou, are drawn to each other's swordsmanship and seek each other. With Takizawa Komari and Hanabusa Palvi joining Team White Wolf too, they eventually make big waves on the stage of the Daihouen. If they win, glory awaits. If they lose, they fall from grace. With their beliefs held in their breasts, the swordsmen step out into a battle they can't afford to lose in the intense world of pros. Swordsmen live in the moment. The "moment" you let slip will never come back-- in which case, set your soul alight. We've seen a lot of CRYSTALiA stories already, and they aren't story heavy or particularly good. This one has numerous flaws, but it's still and action story in futuristic setting which is still better for me than most charage. 6. The 257th Element [240223] REAL co.Ltd 1 A time not too far from now. To find a solution for the food problem caused by a growing population, every country has been investing huge budgets into scientific research to increase every single mass with as limited time and energy as possible. As a result, new elements the 119th and beyond were discovered and created one after another, and finally, a genius scientist in Tokyo named Hikojuro Araki succeeded in creating the 256th element, Araraginium, which is a dreamy element that creates every being out of nothingness. However, at the very moment when the first experiment in the world to create Araraginium just began, by an unexpected accident, it diffused all over Tokyo and disappeared. A few days later, appalling incidents started happening all of a sudden, all-over Tokyo; people who were thought to be dead started emerging back to life as if they had never been dead, not even once. They all had a memory before their death, and actually, were those who passed away during the time period between the accident and 72 hours before that. Due to their relevance with the accident, those people were called Araragi Human. This story takes place several years after this in Tokyo… Game is localized and has English reviews.
  4. Enjoyed Wotaku ni Koi wa Muzukashii more than expected. Other works of note are Golden Kamuy and Ginga Eiyuu Densetsu: Die Neue These - Kaikou . 1. Boku no Hero Academia 3rd Season My Hero Academia Season 3 僕のヒーローアカデミア [Bones] (Finished 1/25) Tags: Shounen School, Super Power Action As summer arrives for the students at UA Academy, each of these superheroes-in-training puts in their best efforts to become renowned heroes. They head off to a forest training camp run by UA's pro heroes, where the students face one another in battle and go through dangerous tests, improving their abilities and pushing past their limits. However, their school trip is suddenly turned upside down when the League of Villains arrives, invading the camp with a mission to capture one of the students. Boku no Hero Academia 3rd Season follows Izuku "Deku" Midoriya, an ambitious student training to achieve his dream of becoming a hero similar to his role model—All Might. Being one of the students caught up amidst the chaos of the villain attack, Deku must take a stand with his classmates and fight for their survival. Sequel. Overall Rating: 6/10 2. Tokyo Ghoul:re 東京喰種トーキョーグール:re [Pierrot] (Finished 1/12) Tags: Seinen Gore, Psychological Action, Fantasy, Horror Two years have passed since the CCG's raid on Anteiku. Although the atmosphere in Tokyo has changed drastically due to the increased influence of the CCG, ghouls continue to pose a problem as they have begun taking caution, especially the terrorist organization Aogiri Tree, who acknowledge the CCG's growing threat to their existence. The creation of a special team, known as the Quinx Squad, may provide the CCG with the push they need to exterminate Tokyo's unwanted residents. As humans who have undergone surgery in order to make use of the special abilities of ghouls, they participate in operations to eradicate the dangerous creatures. The leader of this group, Haise Sasaki, is a half-ghoul, half-human who has been trained by famed special class investigator, Kishou Arima. However, there's more to this young man than meets the eye, as unknown memories claw at his mind, slowly reminding him of the person he used to be. Sequel. Overall Rating: 6/10 3. Wotaku ni Koi wa Muzukashii Wotakoi: Love is Hard for Otaku ヲタクに恋は難しい [A-1 Pictures] (Finished 11/11) Tags: Adult Cast, Otaku Culture, Workplace Romance Having slept through all four of her alarms, the energetic Narumi Momose finds herself running late for her first day of work at a new office. As she races to catch her train, she makes a promise to herself that none of her coworkers will find out about her dark secret: that she is an otaku and a fujoshi. Her plan goes instantly awry, though, when she runs into Hirotaka Nifuji, an old friend from middle school. Although she tries to keep her secret by inviting him out for drinks after work, her cover is blown when he casually asks her whether or not she will be attending the upcoming Summer Comiket. Luckily for her, the only witnesses—Hanako Koyanagi and Tarou Kabakura—are otaku as well. Later that night, the pair go out for drinks so that they can catch up after all the years apart. After Narumi complains about her previous boyfriend breaking up with her because he refused to date a fujoshi, Hirotaka suggests that she try dating a fellow otaku, specifically himself. He makes a solemn promise to always be there for her, to support her, and to help her farm for rare drops in Monster Hunter. Blown away by the proposal, Narumi agrees immediately. Thus the two otaku start dating, and their adorably awkward romance begins. Surprisingly enjoyable anime about otaku fit in the society, and on a comparable level to Genshiken. Overall Rating: 8/10 4. Steins;Gate 0 [White Fox] (Finished 3/23) Tags: Time Travel Drama, Sci-Fi, Suspense The eccentric, self-proclaimed mad scientist Rintarou Okabe has become a shell of his former self. Depressed and traumatized after failing to rescue his friend Makise Kurisu, he has decided to forsake his mad scientist alter ego and live as an ordinary college student. Surrounded by friends who know little of his time travel experiences, Okabe spends his days trying to forget the horrors of his adventures alone. While working as a receptionist at a college technology forum, Okabe meets the short, spunky Maho Hiyajo, who later turns out to be the interpreter at the forum's presentation, conducted by Professor Alexis Leskinen. In front of a stunned crowd, Alexis and Maho unveil Amadeus—a revolutionary AI capable of storing a person's memories and creating a perfect simulation of that person complete with their personality and quirks. Meeting with Maho and Alexis after the presentation, Okabe learns that the two were Kurisu's colleagues in university, and that they have simulated her in Amadeus. Hired by Alexis to research the simulation's behavior, Okabe is given the chance to interact with the shadow of a long-lost dear friend. Dangerously tangled in the past, Okabe must face the harsh reality and carefully maneuver around the disastrous consequences that come with disturbing the natural flow of time. It feels like a typical fandisc - lots of flashbacks and useless interactions with all kinds of characters, very little in the story department. It's painful to watch after original series for me. Overall Rating: 6/10 5. Shokugeki no Souma: San no Sara - Tootsuki Ressha-hen Food Wars! The Third Plate: Totsuki Train Arc 食戟のソーマ 餐ノ皿 遠月列車篇 [J.C.Staff] (Finished 12/12) Tags: Shounen School Gourmet, Ecchi A dark age of cooking befalls Tootsuki Culinary Academy. With the Elite Ten's devastating coup d'état, Azami Nakiri is now the director of the prestigious school. Students must now conform to Azami's ideology of "true gourmet food" and are forbidden to express creativity, or else face expulsion. However, Souma Yukihira and the members of the Polar Star Dormitory refuse to accept these changes. Aided by other rebellious first-years, including the tenth seat, Erina Nakiri, Souma and his allies band together to fight off supporters of Azami's regime. But corrupt instructors and the menacing Central organization stand in their way, and so they must work together, harder than ever before, to survive every underhanded plot designed to banish them from the school. Sequel. Overall Rating: 6/10 6. Sword Art Online Alternative: Gun Gale Online ソードアート・オンライン オルタナティブ ガンゲイル・オンライン [Studio 3Hz] (Finished 12/12) Tags: Military, Video Game Action Clad in desert pink and the size of a mere child, the infamous "Pink Devil" mercilessly hunts down other players in the firearm-centered world of the virtual reality game Gun Gale Online. But in real life, this feared player killer is not quite who anyone would expect. A shy university student in Tokyo, Karen Kohiruimaki stands in stark contrast to her in-game avatar—in fact, she happens to stand above everyone else too, much to her dismay. Towering above all the people around her, Karen's insecurities over her height reach the point where she turns to the virtual world for an escape. Starting game after game in hopes of manifesting as a cute, short character, she finally obtains her ideal self in the world of Gun Gale Online. Overjoyed by her new persona, she pours her time into the game as LLENN, garnering her reputation as the legendary player killer. However, when one of LLENN's targets gets the best of her, she ends up meeting Pitohui, a skilled yet eccentric woman. Quickly becoming friends with Karen, Pitohui insists that LLENN participates in Squad Jam, a battle royale that pits teams against one another, fighting until only one remains. Thrust into the heated competition, LLENN must fight with all her wit and will if she hopes to shoot her way to the top. Sequel. Overall Rating: 6/10 7. Hinamatsuri (TV) Hinamatsuri ヒナまつり [feel.] (Finished 3/12) Tags: Seinen Childcare, Organized Crime Comedy, Supernatural While reveling in the successful clinching of a prized vase for his collection, Yoshifumi Nitta, a yakuza member, is rudely interrupted when a large, peculiar capsule suddenly materializes and falls on his head. He opens the capsule to reveal a young, blue-haired girl, who doesn't divulge anything about herself but her name—Hina—and the fact that she possesses immense powers. As if things couldn't get any worse, she loses control and unleashes an explosion if her powers remain unused. Faced with no other choice, Nitta finds himself becoming her caregiver. To let her use her powers freely, Nitta asks Hina to help out with a construction deal, which goes smoothly. But while this is happening, a rival yakuza group covertly attacks his boss. To Nitta's shock, his colleagues later pin the blame on him! Tasked with attacking the rival group in retaliation, Nitta steels himself and arrives at their hideout. But suddenly, Hina unexpectedly steps in and helps him wipe out the entire group. As it turns out, Hina might just become a valuable asset to Nitta and his yakuza business, provided she does not use her powers on him first! And so the strange life of this unusual duo begins. I don't get the fuss over this anime. It has not gone far from Urusei Yatsura. It has no story, no good humor, and it's even inconsistent in whatever it does. Really amateurish. Overall Rating: 5/10 8. Megalo Box メガロボクス [TMS Entertainment] (Finished 2/13) Tags: Adult Cast, Combat Sports Sci-Fi, Sports "To be quiet and do as you're told, that's the cowardly choice." These are the words of Junk Dog, an underground fighter of Megalo Box, an evolution of boxing that utilizes mechanical limbs known as Gear to enhance the speed and power of its users. Despite the young man's brimming potential as a boxer, the illegal nature of his participation forces him to make a living off of throwing matches as dictated by his boss Gansaku Nanbu. However, this all changes when the Megalo Box champion Yuuri enters his shabby ring under the guise of just another challenger. Taken out in a single round, Junk Dog is left with a challenge: "If you're serious about fighting me again, then fight your way up to me and my ring." Filled with overwhelming excitement and backed by the criminal syndicate responsible for his thrown matches, Junk Dog enters Megalonia: a world-spanning tournament that will decide the strongest Megalo Boxer of them all. Having no name of his own, he takes on the moniker of "Joe" as he begins his climb from the very bottom of the ranked list of fighters. With only three months left to qualify, Joe must face off against opponents the likes of which he has never fought in order to meet the challenge of his rival. Seems to be an altered and modernized remake of Ashita no Joe. Mechanized arms are hardly justified as the power of punches was never insufficient in the series. Megalo Box has become more straightforward and action packed, but also unrealistic and somewhat artificial. But I'm not into boxing to really care. Overall Rating: 6/10 9. High School DxD Hero ハイスクールDxD HERO [Passione] (Finished 1/12) Tags: Harem, Mythology, School Action, Comedy, Fantasy, Romance, Ecchi After rescuing his master, Rias Gremory, from the Dimensional Gap, Red Dragon Emperor and aspiring Harem King Issei Hyoudou can finally return to his high school activities alongside fellow members of the Occult Research Club: Yuuto Kiba, Asia Argento, Xenovia Quarta, and Irina Shidou. The group soon embarks on a school trip to Kyoto. While peacefully visiting a temple thanks to Rias' spell, an attacking group of local youkai breaks the calm atmosphere. Once the altercation ends, the club learns that the mythical nine-tailed fox that protected the city was abducted and that someone has framed them for the act. Issei and his friends will now have to fight to protect the city and save their school trip from a planned disaster! In the meantime, Rias, who had to stay in Tokyo with Akeno Himejima and Koneko Toujou, grows increasingly restless to have left the perverted Issei alone with the other girls of the Occult Research Club. Beyond this vague anxiety, what is the exact nature of the feelings Rias has been struggling with for the past few months? Sequel. Overall Rating: 6/10 10. Golden Kamuy ゴールデンカムイ [Geno Studio] (Finished 12/12) Tags: Seinen Adult Cast, Historical, Military Action, Adventure In early 1900s Hokkaido after the Russo-Japanese war, Saichi Sugimoto tirelessly pans for gold. Nicknamed "Sugimoto the Immortal" for his death-defying acts in battle, the ex-soldier seeks fortune in order to fulfill a promise made to his best friend before he was killed in action: to support his family, especially his widow who needs treatment overseas for her deteriorating eyesight. One day, a drunken companion tells Sugimoto the tale of a man who murdered a group of Ainu and stole a fortune in gold. Before his arrest by the police, he hid the gold somewhere in Hokkaido. The only clue to its location is the coded map he tattooed on the bodies of his cellmates in exchange for a share of the treasure, should they manage to escape and find it. Sugimoto does not think much of the tale until he discovers the drunken man's corpse bearing the same tattoos described in the story. But before he can collect his thoughts, a grizzly bear—the cause of the man's demise—approaches Sugimoto, intent on finishing her meal. He is saved by a young Ainu girl named Asirpa, whose father happened to be one of the murdered Ainu. With Asirpa's hunting skills and Sugimoto's survival instincts, the pair agree to join forces and find the hidden treasure—one to get back what was rightfully her people's, and the other to fulfill his friend's dying wish. First season was great and promising. But plot advanced very little in the following seasons and there's still no ending to be seen, so can't rate it too high till it's over. Overall Rating: 7/10 11. 3D Kanojo: Real Girl Real Girl 3D彼女 リアルガール [Hoods Entertainment] (Finished 12/12) Tags: Shoujo Otaku Culture, School Romance For Hikari Tsutsui, life within the two-dimensional realm is much simpler. Socially inept and awkward, he immerses himself in video games and anime, only to be relentlessly ridiculed and ostracized by his classmates. Sharing his misery is Yuuto Itou, his only friend, who wears cat ears and is equally obsessed with the world of games. After being forced to clean the pool as punishment for arriving late, Tsutsui meets Iroha Igarashi, but he attempts to steer clear of her, as her notoriety precedes her. Brazenly blunt, loathed by female classmates, and infamous for messing around with boys, Tsutsui believes that getting involved with her would cause nothing but problems. 3D Kanojo: Real Girl is a story revolving around these two outcasts—a boy full of emotions he has never experienced before, struggling to lay them bare, and a girl who strives to break him out of his shell. Another nice romance. Both MC attending school makes it a bit unserious, and everything about love triangle looks seriously artificial. Episode four was when I lost any remaining hope of it being a minor masterpiece now as story went seriously astray and watching it became more of a chore than enjoyment. But I also remember finishing this first season before, so it should be fine to watch, especially if there's nothing better to compare to. Overall Rating: 6/10 12. Tada-kun wa Koi wo Shinai Tada Never Falls in Love 多田くんは恋をしない [Doga Kobo] (Finished 3/13) Tags: School, Visual Arts Comedy, Romance Love has never really been a concern for Mitsuyoshi Tada, and as the aspiring photographer enters his second year of high school, it truthfully couldn't be further from his mind. However, things just might change after he meets a bright and bubbly foreigner named Teresa Wagner while he was taking pictures of a cherry blossom tree. Nevertheless, after she asks him to photograph her, the two soon separate... only to meet each other again twice more that same day! Finding Teresa just as she is caught in a sudden downpour, Tada invites her to his family's coffee shop to dry off. There, she explains that she was separated from her traveling companion, a no-nonsense redhead named Alexandra ''Alec'' Magritte. When Alec reunites with Teresa shortly after, they say their goodbyes, expecting to part ways for good—but the two unexpectedly show up as transfer students in his class the next day. Teresa and Alec quickly get used to their lives at Koinohoshi High School and decide to join Tada in the photography club, along with his narcissistic friend Kaoru Ijuuin, the idol-obsessed Hajime Sugimoto, serious class rep Hinako Hasegawa, and the dog-like Kentarou Yamashita. With these two peculiar additions to his equally eccentric group of friends, Tada's second year of high school is about to get even livelier, and he might need to start rethinking his approach to love. It's romance comedy ... that lacks in both these departments. What remains is just photo club and café routine which is still ok, but it's totally different genre. Overall Rating: 6/10 13. Devils Line Devils' Line デビルズライン [Platinum Vision] (Finished 2/12) Tags: Seinen Adult Cast, Vampire Action, Drama, Romance, Supernatural Vampires walk among society, existing as part of its underbelly. They do not require blood to survive, but extreme emotions can immensely increase their bloodlust, turning them into uncontrollable monsters. Tsukasa Taira, a 22-year-old university student, learns of the existence of vampires when her longtime friend reveals himself to be one of them after a tense confrontation with Yuuki Anzai—a human and vampire hybrid. Her friend is arrested, and Tsukasa soon finds herself drawn to Anzai, who reluctantly reciprocates her feelings. However, this unconventional romance may prove too difficult to maintain, as Anzai struggles to contain the part of him that wishes to devour Tsukasa. It basically cries of wanting to be Tokyo Ghoul, but ends up being worse. Overall Rating: 6/10 14. Persona 5 the Animation TVアニメ「ペルソナ5」 [CloverWorks] (Finished 1/26) Tags: School, Super Power Action, Supernatural Ren Amamiya, a new transfer student at Shujin Academy, is sent to Tokyo to live with his family friend Sojiro Sakura after wrongly being put on probation for defending a woman from sexual assault. While on the way to attend his first day at his new school, Ren notices a strange app has appeared on his phone, transferring him to a world known as the Metaverse, which contains people's "shadows": distorted depictions of their true selves. In the Metaverse, he awakens his Persona, a power from deep within that gives him the strength to fight the shadows. With the help of similarly troubled students, he forms the Phantom Thieves of Hearts, attempting to save people from their sinful desires by "taking their heart," making evildoers regret their actions and turn over a new leaf. The group's reputation continues to grow explosively, bringing along fame both positive and negative. However, during the peak of their popularity, Ren gets captured and taken into custody. Here, he wakes up to a harsh interrogation, but this is cut short by the arrival of Sae Niijima—a prosecutor seeking answers. Just how will she react to his story, and what will become of the Phantom Thieves? Have not played played or liked any Persona games, and only watched playthrough of Persona 4 for common knowledge. Only finishing anime about the 5th for the same reason. And story is even worse than 4th. Same gathering of party one by one by dealing with their heart sicknesses, but protagonist seems to be younger. All that phantom thief theme instead of TV wonderland is hardly better. Characters are same one-dimensional and predictable. It feels less childish only because deliberate fanservice introduction. Gameplay and character progression must be absolutely astonishing to come to terms with all this mess. Can't call it even decent. Overall Rating: 5/10 15. Mahou Shoujo Site Magical Girl Site 魔法少女サイト [production doA] (Finished 12/12) Tags: Gore, Mahou Shoujo, Psychological Action, Drama, Horror, Supernatural Every day, Aya Asagiri thinks about killing herself. She is bullied relentlessly at school, and at home, her older brother Kaname physically abuses her to relieve the academic stress put on him by their father. One night, as she lies awake wishing for death, a mysterious website called Magical Girl Site appears on her laptop, promising to give her magical powers. At first, she dismisses it as a creepy prank, but when she finds a magical gun in her shoe locker the next day, she doesn't know what to believe. Deciding to take it with her, she soon runs into her bullies once again. But this time, desperate for anything to save her, she uses the gun—and her assailants are transported to a nearby railroad crossing, where they are run over. Aya's conscience is unable to handle the fact that she murdered two of her classmates with magic, and she desperately tries to understand the situation. However, when she finds herself in trouble again, she is saved by Tsuyuno Yatsumura, a classmate who can use magic to stop time. This duo has a lot to do: not only do they have to fight alongside and against other magical girls, but they also need to uncover the truth behind the website and the apocalyptic event known as "The Tempest" that is soon to occur. All these Dark majou shoujo compete about who makes the most miserable and violent setting. There's definitely no shortage of maniacs in this anime, and it may even find its niche, but I don't enjoy all this misery and crying with tilt into horror and despair. Overall Rating: 6/10 16. Kakuriyo no Yadomeshi かくりよの宿飯 [Gonzo] (Finished 1/26) Tags: Josei Adult Cast, Isekai, Mythology Drama, Fantasy, Gourmet, Romance Abandoned as a child by her mother, Aoi Tsubaki has always had the ability to see "ayakashi"—spirits from the Hidden Realm. Shirou Tsubaki, her grandfather who shared the same ability, took her under his wing and taught her how to live with the ayakashi in peace. When her grandfather abruptly passes away, the independent Aoi must continue her college career, armed with only her knowledge in cooking as a means of protection against the human-eating spirits. In hopes that the ayakashi will not turn to her or other unknowing humans as a tasty meal, she takes it upon herself to feed the hungry creatures that cross her path. After giving a mysterious ayakashi her lunch, Aoi is transported to the Hidden Realm, where the ayakashi reveals himself to be an ogre-god known as Oodanna, the "Master Innkeeper." There, she learns that she was used as collateral for her grandfather's debt of one hundred million yen, and that she must pay the price for her grandfather's careless decision by marrying Oodanna. Aoi valiantly refuses and decides to settle things on her own terms: she will pay off the debt herself by opening an eatery at Oodanna's inn. Kakuriyo no Yadomeshi follows the journey of Aoi as she proceeds to change and touch the lives of the ayakashi through the one weapon she has against them—her delicious cooking. The best way to block otome I found is by blocking reverse harem genre, but it does not cover all. Otome with gourmet theme is nothing that I care about. Overall Rating: 5/10 17. Comic Girls こみっくがーるず [Nexus] (Finished 2/12) Tags: CGDCT, Otaku Culture Slice of Life Kaoruko "Chaos" Moeta is a young manga artist who is down on her luck. She wants to draw manga about high school girls, but her storyboards are bland, her art uninspired, and her premises weak. Her concerned, exasperated editor comes up with an idea: push Chaos to be more social. So, by her recommendation, Chaos moves into a dormitory for female manga artists. She soon meets the other residents: Tsubasa Katsuki, a shounen manga artist; Ruki Irokawa, who draws erotic manga popular with women; and Koyume Koizuka, a shoujo artist who, like Chaos, has yet to be serialized. Quickly striking up a friendship with these girls, Chaos finds new inspiration for her manga and continues to grow her creativity. Comic Girls is a showcase of the daily lives of these manga artists. Will Chaos finally be able to make her debut and become serialized? None of the girls know, but they will all do their best to help each other become the best artists they can be. I require seriousness in otaku works or godly cuteness comparable to K-On in SOL CGDCT. Sadly, found no such thing in here. And since there's no definitive comedy, hardly anything to enjoy here. Heroine who shows most of emotions by crying only irritates. Overall Rating: 6/10 18. Uma Musume: Pretty Derby ウマ娘 プリティーダービー [P.A. Works] (Finished 2/13) Tags: Anthropomorphic Sports Famous racehorses that have left behind worthy legacies, unique as they can be, are reincarnated as horse girls in a parallel world. In this life, they start their journey anew as they continue to race and perhaps relive the success they once lived through. Aspiring to become the best racehorse in Japan, a horse girl named Special Week moves to Tokyo to enroll in the Tracen Academy—an institution that nurtures horse girls like her to become better racers. There, Special Week witnesses the sophisticated running style of Silence Suzuka and is inspired to become a racer like her. Shortly after, Special Week finds herself recruited into Silence Suzuka's team, Spica. From there, she begins her path to the top—one lap at a time. If centaur's life was a spokon, it would be something like this. And I don't like both. Overall Rating: 5/10 19. Piano no Mori (TV) ピアノの森 [Gaina] (Finished 1/12) Tags: Seinen Music, School Drama A tranquil tale about two boys from very different upbringings. On one hand you have Kai, born as the son of a prostitute, who's been playing the abandoned piano in the forest near his home ever since he was young. And on the other you have Syuhei, practically breast-fed by the piano as the son of a family of prestigious pianists. Yet it is their common bond with the piano that eventually intertwines their paths in life. I prefer shorter formats for such stories. Was a great movie, but just don't want to watch the same story again. And very little seems to have changed. Overall Rating: 6/10 20. Full Metal Panic! Invisible Victory フルメタル・パニック! [Xebec] (Finished 1/12) Tags: Mecha, Military Action The boisterous student Kaname Chidori and soldier Sousuke Sagara are enjoying a blissful high school life. However, their peaceful days are disrupted by the threatening terrorist organization Amalgam. Leonard Testarossa, a member of the organization who possesses "Whispered," seeks to procure Kaname and her knowledge. Kaname and Sousuke's battle against Amalgam starts right in their own neighborhood, which eventually takes them on a hunt around the world. From the exotic lands of Laos to the barren Mexican coast, Sousuke must gather intelligence to bring down Amalgam. Meanwhile, Kaname's abilities grow, but so does her frustration as her resolve withers. Caught up in an intense game of hide and seek, as well as strategic plots, the pair try to connect and push beyond their own limits. It's the franchise that even KyoAni could not save. And Xebec is my least favorite anime studio, no wonder there's no sequel afterwards. Overall Rating: 6/10 21. Ginga Eiyuu Densetsu: Die Neue These - Kaikou Legend of the Galactic Heroes: Die Neue These 銀河英雄伝説 Die Neue These 邂逅 [Production I.G] (Finished 12/12) Tags: Adult Cast, Military, Space Drama, Sci-Fi For over a century and a half, two interstellar states have wrested for control of the Milky Way. The Galactic Empire, an absolute monarchy ruled by Kaiser Friedrich IV and an entrenched nobility, seeks to suppress the rebels daring to oppose the inviolable crown. The Free Planets Alliance, a representative democracy led by a corrupt High Council, degenerates as its elected leaders⁠ use war and conflict as a way to win popular support. But this long-standing stalemate between the Empire and the Alliance ends with the rise of two opposing military geniuses. Reinhard von Lohengramm, a minor noble and High Admiral of the Empire through his strategic brilliance and his sister's position as the favored concubine of the Kaiser, dreams of conquering the galaxy and uniting mankind under his iron fist. Meanwhile, Yang Wen-li of the Alliance, an avid historian and reluctant commodore hailed as the Hero of El Facil, uses his tactical prowess to navigate around his leaders' incompetence—and to carve the path to lasting peace. As the war rages on, Reinhard and Yang each strive for their ideals and to secure their place among the stars as the leaders of a new era of galactic heroes. I should give it a minor masterpiece just because of the fact it catches the most interesting arc much better than original, and afterwards original stagnated, in my opinion. Good starting point. Overall Rating: 7/10 22. Mahou Shoujo Ore 魔法少女 俺 [Pierrot Plus] (Finished 1/12) Tags: Magical Sex Shift, Mahou Shoujo Comedy, Fantasy Saki Uno is an average 15-year-old girl with a side hustle as a member of the exceptionally unpopular idol duo Magical Twins. Despite this, she absolutely loves the time she spends with her best friend Sakuyo Mikage as she strives to become closer with her childhood crush, Sakuyo's brother Mohiro. Her peaceful life, however, unravels when she finds a yakuza-looking thug trying to enter her house. Forced to invite him inside, Saki learns that her mother used to be a demon fighting Magical Girl, and that her brutish guest is actually a mascot named Kokoro-chan looking to recruit a replacement. Dumbfounded and skeptical, Saki is hesitant accept the request until Kokoro-chan reveals that Mohiro is a target of some cute, squirrel-tailed demons. Rushing to his side, Saki's overwhelming desire to save Mohiro activates her Love Power, and a daring confession awakens her as a Magical Girl. However, because her body is not suitable for combat, Saki's transformation turns her into a muscle-bound man clad in a pretty dress. Now, as a fully-fledged Magical Girl, Saki must team up with Sakuyo to protect the love of her life from the fluffy, demonic menaces that run rampant in her world. Again, this totally looks like reverse harem to me, and I don't even want to finish first episode to the end. Overall Rating: 5/10 23. Hisone to Maso-tan Dragon Pilot: Hisone and Masotan ひそねとまそたん [Bones] (Finished 6/12) Tags: Military Award Winning, Comedy, Drama, Fantasy Seeking to find purpose in her life, Hisone Amakasu enlists in the Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) and is stationed at Gifu Airbase. During a visit to a part of the base she did not know existed, she stumbles upon the JASDF's largest secret: the Organic Transformed Flyer (OTF), a dragon that has the ability to camouflage itself as an aircraft. After being swallowed up and spit out by the OTF, her commanding officers inform her that this encounter means that she has been chosen to be the next in a long line of Dragon Pilots. Together with her fellow pilot cadets and "Maso-tan," her own OTF, Hisone must overcome her insecurities in order to discover her true potential as a Dragon Pilot and unravel the secrets behind the OTFs. Netflix original. It tries to be original and unusual anime about riding mecha.... I mean dragon. But it becomes just a small story about friendship, rivalry and sexual harassment of lolies. In the process it stops being anime and turns into Western cartoon. At the same time it becomes genuinely... uninteresting. There should be some interesting story in the center, but here it's concept in the center, some interactions on top of it, and that's it. It does not give anything... even emotions. Overall Rating: 6/10 24. Caligula (TV) Caligula カリギュラ [Satelight ] (Finished 12/12) Tags: Action, Sci-Fi What is happiness? Ever the fan of psychology, questions such as this are ones that high school student Ritsu Shikishima likes to ponder as he spends his peaceful days with his friends. His perfect world, however, begins to unravel when he hears a strange voice obscured by static, pleading for help. This voice belongs to μ, a beloved pop idol, whose singing begins to have an adverse effect on the world. Before Ritsu's very eyes, the faces of his friends and family become distorted by glitches as the sound of μ's voice transforms them into Digiheads: berserk monsters bent on the extermination of all those who begin to awaken to the true nature of their existence. Realizing that he is trapped in a virtual world created by μ called Mobius, Ritsu must now gather everyone else who has managed to realize the truth before they are all eliminated. Together, they will use their newfound powers and weapons granted by their emotions—known as the Catharsis Effect—to fight off the mysterious group known as The Ostinato Musicians as they struggle to escape. Dropped this anime before without knowing it was based on a game. Some time later dropped the game. And now finishing anime just to know the story. And it's just variation of Persona, so depends on whether you liked that. Overall Rating: 6/10 25. Captain Tsubasa (2018) キャプテン翼 [David Production] (Finished 1/52) Tags: Shounen Team Sports Captain Tsubasa is the passionate story of an elementary school student whose thoughts and dreams revolve almost entirely around the love of soccer. 11-year-old Tsubasa Oozora started playing football at a very young age, and while it was mostly just a recreational sport for his friends, for him, it developed into something of an obsession. In order to pursue his dream to the best of his elementary school abilities, Tsubasa moves with his mother to Nankatsu city, which is well-known for its excellent elementary school soccer teams. But although he was easily the best in his old town, Nankatsu has a lot more competition, and he will need all of his skill and talent in order to stand out from this new crowd. He encounters not only rivals, but also new friends like the pretty girl Sanae Nakazawa and the talented goalkeeper, Genzo Wakabayashi, who shares the same passion as Tsubasa, and will prove to be a treasured friend in helping him push towards his dreams. Representing Japan in the FIFA World Cup is Tsubasa’s ultimate dream, but it will take a lot more than talent to reach it. Remake. Overall Rating: 5/10 26. Dorei-ku The Animation 奴隷区 The Animation [TNK, Zero-G] (Finished 3/12) Tags: Adult Cast, High Stakes Game, Psychological Drama, Suspense Eager to know why her best friend’s boyfriend dumped her for a man, the headstrong Eiya Arakawa suggests a meeting with them. Gathered together at a café, Yuuga Oota agrees to answer Eiya’s questions only if she can correctly ascertain the relationship of a couple sitting across from them, which she does on her first attempt. Amazed by her astounding intellect and intuition, he invites her to a private meeting where he introduces her to the concept of Slave Control Method, or SCM, a retainer-like device that has the ability to turn people into slaves. When two SCM users enter a duel, the devices exert a powerful influence on their brains. Once the duel is over, the SCM amplifies the loser’s sense of obligation and forces them to bend to the will of the winner. Wanting desperately to test his own abilities, Yuuga asks Eiya to act as his insurance in the event that he himself becomes a slave. Granted access to 10 million yen, Eiya’s job is to convince Yuuga’s would-be master to free him from his servitude. Though hesitant at first, Yuuga’s words resonate with her personal yearning for something more from her life, and she agrees to his request. However, when a mysterious organization begins rapidly accruing slaves, Eiya becomes entangled in a game far more dangerous than she ever could have imagined. Another Kaiji imitation with slavery focus on loss and pseudo mind games. Genre enthusiasts will appreciate, but nothing has beaten Kaiji yet when it comes to gambling. Overall Rating: 6/10 27. Saredo Tsumibito wa Ryuu to Odoru Dances with the Dragons されど罪人は竜と踊る [Seven Arcs Pictures] (Finished 3/12) Tags: Action, Drama, Fantasy, Sci-Fi It is a world replete with dragons and Jushiki sorcerers. Jushiki is a devastatingly powerful formula that can alter the laws of physics, capable of creating enormous TNT explosives or poisonous gas through plasma and nuclear fusion. A down-on-his-luck sorcerer named Gayus joins forces with the beautiful but cruel Jushiki practitioner, Gigina, as bounty hunters pursuing dragons. Then one day, they are presented with an odd request: to serve as security guards for a grand festival put on by Mouldeen, the ruler of their kingdom. It is then that a mysterious serial killing of Jushiki sorcerers begins. Dumped it before for being super bland and dull. Something happens and keeps going on in artificial way, but nothing is done for viewers to actually to care. With failed worldbuilding, characters and story no interest is left. Overall Rating: 5/10 28. Gegege no Kitarou (2018) GeGeGe no Kitaro ゲゲゲの鬼太郎 (2018) [Toei Animation] (Finished 1/97) Tags: Shounen Mythology Comedy, Horror, Supernatural Nearly twenty years into the 21st century, people have forgotten the existence of youkai. When a number of unexplainable phenomena plague adults of the human world with confusion and chaos, thirteen-year-old Mana writes a letter to the Youkai Post in search of answers, only to be greeted by Gegege no Kitarou... Remake. Overall Rating: 5/10 29. Lost Song [LIDENFILMS] (Finished 1/12) Tags: Drama, Fantasy Lost Song tells the stories of the cheerful Rin and the reserved Finis, two songstresses who are capable of performing magical songs. Rin grew up in a remote village with her family and was taught to keep her power secret, while Finis lives and performs in the royal palace. Rin's happy and peaceful life is shattered after she saves an injured knight named Henry Leobort with her song of healing. She was seen by soldiers who proceeded to attack her village in hopes of capturing her. With nowhere else to go, she and her inventor brother Al begin a journey to the capital. inis finds herself falling in love with Henry and, knowing that the greedy and spiteful Prince Lood ernstein IV desires her, must hide their relationship. She wants to help people with her songs, but with war on the horizon, she worries that Lood will order her to cast her magic in the battlefield. Only time will tell how her destiny and Rin's will intersect, as the two of them struggle to find their paths. Naïve fairytale-like shoujo about singing, so every minute of it feels nauseating to me. Overall Rating: 5/10 30. Lupin III: Part 5 Lupin the Third Part 5 ルパン三世 PART5 [Telecom Animation Film] (Finished 1/24) Tags: Seinen Adult Cast Action, Adventure, Comedy, Mystery Genius thief Arsene Lupin III—along with the usual crew of Goemon Ishikawa XIII, Fujiko Mine, and Daisuke Jigen—finds himself in modern-day France, where he encounters both new and old adversaries, with Inspector Kouichi Zenigata still hot on his trail. As they steal from darker, more ss nister entities, they will also have to find a way to deal with the newest technology in their escapades, uas well as face the ghosts of their pasts. However, this time, Lupin's choices begin to catch up with him as his pursuers use every tool at their disposal to take him down once and for all. Sequel. Overall Rating: 6/10 31. Juushinki Pandora Last Hope 重神機パンドーラ [Satelight] (Finished 7/26) Tags: Mecha Sci-Fi The series is set in a near-future world where the boundary between human being and AI is vague. A rapid biological evolution, similar to "Cambrian Explosion," is caused by one incident. This incident turns into the genesis of a new jostle for supremacy, and the influence of the evolution goes beyond biological framework and spreads to various kinds of materials and technologies. The era of massive evolution involving diverse existences, such as human, machines, and biotechnologies, is coming. Characters fight an existential war in such a world. Can't say action mecha is impressive here, but it switches for very bland SOL which lasts forever due to 26 episode format. It sure does not captivate or intrigue. Overall Rating: 6/10 32. Last Period: Owarinaki Rasen no Monogatari Last Period: The Journey to the End of the Despair ラストピリオド -終わりなき螺旋の物語- [J.C.Staff] (Finished 3/12) Tags: Action, Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy "Period" is how magic users called who beat "Spiral"—monsters that were summoned from isolation. Due to the rise of these beings, 14-year-old apprentice Period Haru, who is a part of the Eighth Arc-end Division, is called to break the cycle and cast himself into the endless battle. However, a mysterious thievery occurred and sank the division into bankruptcy, forcing Haru and his other comrades have to leave their headquarters. To rebuild a branch, they have to overcome quest after quest. It's unserious and mostly about fooling around. The parody part is ok, but comedy is typical unfunny silly type. Overall Rating: 6/10 33. Rokuhou-dou Yotsuiro Biyori Yotsuiro Biyori 鹿楓堂よついろ日和 [Zexcs] (Finished 1/12) Tags: Seinen Adult Cast, Iyashikei, Workplace Gourmet, Slice of Life Kyousui "Sui" Tougoku inherits a traditional Japanese-style cafe called Rokuhoudou from his grandfather, which he manages alongside Gregorio "Gure" Valentino, Tokitaka Nagae, and Tsubaki Nakao. Their hospitality par excellence undoubtedly turns any one-time visitor into a regular. Having gone through their own share of trials and tribulations, the staff at this modest cafe do their best to serve their customers—whether it be through tea, sweets, or even helping with the various troubles one may have. Although most days pass pleasantly, the small world of Sui and his friends takes an unexpected path when their reputation as a cafe flourishes overnight. Reverse harem not marked properly. Overall Rating: 5/10 34. Amanchu! Advance あまんちゅ!~あどばんす~ [J.C.Staff] (Finished 1/12) Tags: Shounen Iyashikei, School Slice of Life Second season of Amanchu!. Sequel. Overall Rating: 5/10 35. Lostorage Conflated WIXOSS [J.C.Staff] (Finished 1/12) Tags: High Stakes Game, Psychological, Strategy Game Suspense Tensions from the Selector battles have seemingly vanished, and the remaining participants have quickly put the entire ordeal behind them. However, Kiyoi Mizushima feels that the conflict has yet to end. Despite Kou Satomi's defeat, his supporters are already attempting to revive his plans in the background. It does not take long for Mizushima's suspicions to be confirmed true. Not only does the Selector battle system reemerge, but also a new mechanic has been implemented. Players receive a special key card that will unlock with gold coins, releasing a hidden power. Aware of the formidable foes that lie ahead, Mizushima begins to seek out skilled allies in her endeavor to finally break the cycle of darkness. Sequel. Overall Rating: 5/10 36. Gundam Build Divers ガンダムビルドダイバーズ [Sunrise] (Finished 1/25) Tags: Mecha Action, Sci-Fi Gunpla Battle Nexus Online (GBN) is a new network game that lets people enjoy a variety of missions using Gunpla in a virtual cyberspace dimension. Middle-school students Riku Mikami and Yukio Hidaka recruit their classmate Momoka Yashiro and dive together into this vast world. Becoming "Divers," or inhabitants of GBN, they meet a mysterious girl named Sarah who has an amazing sensitivity to Gunpla. They begin playing alongside her, but... There are many other famous Divers, starting with Kyoya Kujo, the champion whom Riku admires. Multiple Divers can join to form a team called a "force." Meanwhile, the game is disrupted by Mass-Divers who use unofficial tools called break decals. Through many encounters and experiences, Riku and his friends will build not only Gunpla, but their own adventures as well! Sequel. Overall Rating: 5/10 37. Hoozuki no Reitetsu 2nd Season: Sono Ni Hozuki's Coolheadedness 2: Part 2 鬼灯の冷徹 第弐期その弐 [Studio Deen] (Finished 1/13) Tags: Seinen Mythology Comedy, Fantasy The second cour of Hoozuki no Reitetsu season 2. Sequel. Overall Rating: 6/10 38. Uchuu Senkan Tiramisù Space Battleship Tiramisu 宇宙戦艦ティラミス [Gonzo] (Finished 1/13) Tags: Mecha, Space Comedy, Sci-Fi Subaru Ichinose loves his cockpit as, to him, it's like being in his mother's womb. Whenever he struggles to converse with his fellow pilots, his cockpit is the one place he can be alone. As the ace pilot aboard the Tiramisu, Earth Union's most important battleship, it is his job to defend Mother Earth from the threats that emerge from humanity's extended dominion spreading throughout the vast reaches of the universe. Armed with his personal mecha Durandal, Subaru must fend off encroaching foreign colonies as he struggles to protect his personal sanctuary from rogue fried pork skewers, suffocating backwards shirts, and unsolicited redecorations. In the year Space Age 0156, the fate of humanity rests entirely in his hands. Has super weird boys love humor and vibes. Overall Rating: 5/10 39. Butlers: Chitose Momotose Monogatari Butlers~千年百年物語~ [SILVER LINK.] (Finished 1/12) Tags: School, Time Travel Drama, Supernatural Butlers: They are guardians that hold a thousand-year history and a certain fate. Jay lived in peace with his little sister Tenna and a fellow Butler named Hayakawa. However, those peaceful days came to a sudden end. Tenna was swallowed up into the void and Jay was sent a hundred years into the future. Jay finds there is now an academy called Koyomi Academy standing in the place where his mansion once stood. Jay took up the name Jinguji Koma and became the student council president of the school as he looks for clues about the past. Jay will eventually find out the truth behind this world. First episode had enough boys love references, so a skip. Overall Rating: 5/10 40. Cutie Honey Universe [Production Reed] (Finished 1/12) Tags: Shounen Action, Comedy, Romance, Sci-Fi, Ecchi The forces of evil are on the rise. When the evil mastermind Sister Jill transforms one of her girls into the bestial Breast Claw and sends her minions out on a mission involving the group Panther Claw and a jewelry store heist, Honey Kisaragi departs from her Catholic girls' school to confront the threat as Cutie Honey. But that's exactly what Sister Jill wants, as she desires Honey's Airborne Element Fixing Device, which allows her to transform into Honey's seven different forms. Meanwhile, Sister Jill is also on the scene in disguise as Inspector Genet, trying to worm her way into Honey's confidence from a different angle. Remake. Overall Rating: 5/10 41. Aikatsu Friends! アイカツフレンズ! [Bandai Namco Pictures] (Finished 1/50) Tags: Idols (Female), Music, School Slice of Life Nori Kamitsuki has recently moved to the Gunma prefecture from Chiba, following after Otoya Todoroki, a former friend who moved there in elementary school. While on the way there, he receives an ominous text message from Todoroki telling him to turn back and that once someone enters Gunma, they never return. Ignoring the message, As Kamitsuki goes about his school life and makes new friends. These people make it their mission to prove any negative stereotypes surrounding Gunma wrong and show Kamitsuki all the ways Gunma is different from the rest of Japan—from its local foods and landmarks, the changes to its daily school life, and even the attitude of the people who live there. Gunma is widely regarded as the least popular prefecture in Japan, but they clearly don't know Gunma yet! Remake/Series sequel. Overall Rating: 5/10 42. Souten no Ken: Regenesis Fist of the Blue Sky: Regenesis 蒼天の拳 REGENESIS [Polygon Pictures] (Finished 1/12) Tags: Seinen Historical, Martial Arts Action Long before Kenshiro said, "You're already dead," a different Kenshiro walked the violent streets of hanghai. The city is in constant crisis as two mafia families battle one another for supremacy. In the crossfire, a little girl named Erika is orphaned and soon taken under the wing of martial artist Liu Fei-Yan. Sorrow seems to follow the girl, as every time Fei-Yan attempts to hand her off, her new guardians end up dead. Fei-Yan decides to bring the girl to a man named Guise but instead crosses paths with powerful Kenshiro Kasumi. Sequel. Overall Rating: 5/10 43. Wakaokami wa Shougakusei! Okko's Inn 若おかみは小学生! [Madhouse, DLE] (Finished 1/24) Tags: Comedy, Slice of Life, Supernatural 12-year-old Oriko Seki, who lost her parents in a car accident, ended up living in her grandmother's Onsen Ryokan "Haru no Ya." With the ghost "Uribou" cohabitating with her and all the other odds, she ended up training to be a young female innkeeper. At first, she didn't like the training, but gradually felt her admiration for her title and began to train seriously. Thus, the growth of the young warrior Oriko begins. Basically, degraded in everything alternative to Hana Saku Iroha, and with weird tilt into ghosts. Overall Rating: 5/10 44. Kiratto Pri☆chan キラッとプリ☆チャン [Tatsunoko Production, Dongwoo A&E] (Finished 1/51) Tags: Idols (Female), Music Slice of Life First-year middle school girls Mirai Momoyama and Emo Moegi are two aspiring idols who decide to use the "Pri☆Chan System," a system used by famous people and companies to broadcast content. Like many girls starting their own channels and uploading content, the pair decide to become their own producers, starting their own channel in an attempt to become Pri☆Chan idols. All the light idol mahou shoujo that last for the whole year and contain obligatory advertisement of something girly look similar to me. I just don't care enough. Overall Rating: 6/10 45. Baki バキ [TMS Entertainment] (Finished 2/26) Tags: Shounen Combat Sports, Gore After emerging victorious from a brutal underground tournament, Baki Hanma continues on his path to defeat his father, Yuujirou, the strongest man in the world. However, he gets no time to rest when the tournament runner, Tokugawa Mitsunari, visits him at school. He reveals to Baki that five incredibly dangerous death row inmates from around the world—all skilled in martial arts—have simultaneously escaped confinement and are heading to Tokyo, each wishing to finally know the taste of defeat. Tokugawa warns that, due to his well-known strength, Baki is bound to encounter them sooner or later, and he will not be their only target. Adapting the first saga of the second manga series, Baki centers on the all-out war between the esteemed martial artists of Japan and those of the dark underground world. Mostly for Hokuto no Ken fans. Overall Rating: 5/10 46. Aggressive Retsuko (ONA) Aggretsuko (ONA) アグレッシブ烈子 [Fanworks] (Finished 10/10) Tags: Anthropomorphic, Workplace Comedy Some offices have stereotypical dynamics: the chauvinistic pig of a boss who never does any real work; the employees whose goal is to suck up to the boss; the ones whose lives seem perfect; and the individuals who have all the actual work pushed onto them. Retsuko the red panda is in the last group, as she stays late most nights to make up the work her coworkers are too lazy to do themselves. Her relief from the stress of her everyday life comes in the form of singing death metal at a local karaoke club. Night after night, Retsuko channels her grief into a microphone and considers the place to be her own personal sanctuary. But as she moves further away from her comfort zone and the ideas people have of her, she discovers that letting others into her world of death metal may not be such a bad thing. This show from Netflix feels like some Adult Swim series. I'm not a big fan of those. Still, a decent one and with some realistic workplace problems. Overall Rating: 6/10 47. Cike Wu Liuqi Scissor Seven 刺客伍六七 [Sharefun Studio, AHA Entertainment] (Finished 10/10) Tags: Martial Arts, Super Power Action, Comedy, Drama, Mystery, Romance To the casual eye, the amnesiac bounty hunter Wu Liuqi looks quite intimidating. With his deadly telekinetic scissor techniques and his ability to seamlessly transform into anything, one would not expect his modest demeanor. In fact, Wu is quite terrible at his job. Often times the freelancer can be found botching an assassination or targeting the wrong person. While his failures could be due to his subpar skills, it usually boils down to him being a normal kid, with a heart unsuited for his line of work. Accompanied by his feathered friend Dai Bo, Wu is on a simple quest to regain his memories. Although his inconspicuous day job as a hairdresser and his after-hours occupation are simply a means for him to repay debt, his various ventures seem to intertwine with his pursuit to recover his lost past. Another Netflix show. And this one has lots of absurd and nonsense, so liked it even less. Overall Rating: 5/10 48. Shiyan Pin Jiating Frankenstein Family 实验品家庭 -クリーチャーズ・ファミリー・デイズ- [Big Firebird Culture] (Finished 5/12) Tags: Sci-Fi, Slice of Life Tanis, a child genius, is the youngest son of two mad scientists. His family has spent their lives withdrawn from normal society living on an isolated island, where the couple conducts experiments on Tanis' siblings that result in them gaining abnormal abilities. However, this activity is put to a stop when they are caught and arrested. Tanis is brought by government officials to a more populated island, alongside his four siblings: Snow, a dog-human hybrid; Ashise, a plant-human hybrid; Aisley, a spider-human hybrid; and Suishi, a mind-reader. Being the only one who has not been genetically modified, Tanis takes on the responsibility of adapting his siblings to society, all while trying to conceal their' distinctive characteristics. Weird and bland SOL with monster girls. Live action that takes a quarter of the episode is plain horrible. Overall Rating: 5/10 49. Isekai Izakaya: Koto Aitheria no Izakaya Nobu Isekai Izakaya: Japanese Food From Another World 異世界居酒屋~古都アイテーリアの居酒屋のぶ~ [Sunrise] (Finished 1/24) Tags: Adult Cast, Isekai, Workplace Fantasy, Gourmet Experienced head chef Nobuyuki Yazawa and friendly waitress Shinobu Senke run a traditional Japanese izakaya called Nobu—a bar known for serving a tasty array of food and drink. Welcoming any and all customers, the pair strive to showcase Nobu's exclusive menu and provide the best possible experience. However, despite its ordinary appearance, the establishment opens to the heart of Aitheria, a city from a parallel universe. As news of the restaurant's exquisite dishes spreads throughout the lands, Aitherian citizens from various social backgrounds travel to Nobu in search of new and delicious cuisine, bringing with them an empty stomach and riveting stories to tell. I find it absolutely as expected - tasteless cliche about food impressions. Overall Rating: 5/10 50. Tu Bian Ying Xiong Leaf To Be Heroine 凸变英雄 LEAF [LAN Studio] (Finished 2/12) Tags: Super Power Comedy Following the first season's gag action theme, the second season titled To Be Heroine features an original story and a new set of characters. You is about to leave home when she suddenly enters an incredible world. Appearing in front of her is an eight-year-old naked boy, and before she could even grasp the situation, she's attacked by assassins from a mafia group who were chasing the young boy. What was even more unrealistic for You was hat wthe leader of this mafia was another assassin's attack. Who are those naked kids, why did her shoe turn into a warrior and above all, what kind of world did eight-year-old boy come from? Just like the first one, he's also almost naked! While trying to escape from the attackers, You loses one of her shoes and by a strange kind of magic, her shoe turned into a warrior who was able to save her by blocking the You enter? Should have stopped after first episode. Unbelievably irritating random nonsense that makes my head ache. Overall Rating: 5/10 51. Wo de Ni Tian Shen Qi My Holy Weapon 我的逆天神器 [Haoliners Animation League, Pb dimation Co. Ltd.] (Finished 16/16)i Tags: Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy, Romance, Supernatural One day, while being attacked, Chang Tian unintentionally invokes an artifact called Xiao Bai that protects him from a terrible fate. After this, he finds himself on a battlefield, where he will fight alongside several other people like him, able to invoke artifacts... Mediocre Chinese battle royale that has surprisingly little action which is mostly pushed to the beginning and end. But at least it has no silliness of early amateurish Chinese anime. Overall Rating: 6/10 52. Huan Jie Wang Eudemon Quest 幻界王 [Tencent Animation & Comics] (Finished 3/20) Tags: Action, Adventure, Fantasy In the world where most of the humans of the Eudemon continent have power of Eudemon (spiritual power), the protagonist is born without spiritual power, his dream is to be the next king of Eudemon. But without having any spiritual power can you fulfill your dream? On a day before the Tian Wu exam, he crosses a spy from the Mo Wu side that was defeated in the great war of 10 years ago. This girl infiltrates the forces of Tian Wu and thus the protagonist was involved in the middle of the fight between the forces Tian Wu and Mo Wu. I wonder why there's no comedy tag as it's silly Chinese antics all over again which prevent from taking it seriously to any degree. Overall Rating: 5/10 53. Bai Ye Ling Long Whited Nighttime 白夜玲珑 [Seven Stone Entertainment] (Finished 1/25) Tags: School Romance Ling Long is a normal girl. She just wants to get through her day without any problems, but makes a mess out of it again. Why? It's because her online friend has suddenly stopped contacting her. As time went on, she became more and more agitated. Her normal life has began to change... It's Chinese, shoujo with overreactions, iyashikey and even reverse harem - everything I dislike. Overall Rating: 5/10 54. Wo Shi Jiang Xiaobai (2018) I'm Joybo OVA 我是江小白 世界上的另一个我 [2:10 AM Animation] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Love Polygon Drama, Romance, Slice of Life Jiang Xiaobai has regained his memories, and Tong Li cannot bring herself to face him. Separately, they confront the truths left unsaid for 10 years—about the band September, to which Jiang Xiaobai and Mu Xiyu dedicated their youth; about the love triangle between Jiang Xiaobai, Mu Xiyu, and Tong Li; and about the painful circumstances that brought the trio together and ultimately led to the terrible tragedy that occurred on the day Tong Li left for America. At the end of it all, can Jiang Xiaobai and Tong Li accept the past and face the future together? Had to include OVA of the anime that I rated as masterpiece. Series is not complete without this finale. Overall Rating: 6/10 55. Dou Hun Wei Zhi Xuan Yue Qiyuan Spirit Guardians 斗魂卫之玄月奇缘 [Yi Chen Animation] (Finished 1/12) Tags: Adventure, Fantasy In ancient times, spiritual holiness that tried to destroy humanity was caused by the soul on Xuan Huang’s Sword. Today, the human desire to develop without limits, plundering resources, destroying the environment, pierced through Xuan Huang’s sword. The rise of spiritual people will be their own dark power on the eve of Luosha teaching. Zhang Shan accidentally involved in the dispute. With soul power, he wants to save the danger of Moon Shang Devil. Full CGI, but at least not wuxia, so can take a peek. And it becomes just poor superpowers action with horrible protagonist and lots of various spiritual references. Overall Rating: 5/10 56. Meng Ta: Xue Mi Cheng Dream Tower 梦塔 - 雪谜城 [-] (Finished 3/13) Tags: Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Mystery, Supernatural MC is chosen by dream messenger from the dream world to become a dream warrior. CGI is of high quality, but immature protagonist and rather slow mystery-centered narration don't let me enjoy it or want to proceed. Overall Rating: 6/10 57. Moshi Juexing: Ruqin 末世觉醒之入侵 [Oriental Creative Color] (Finished 3/13) Tags: Mecha, Military Action, Sci-Fi A brutal battle for survival between humans, zombies and artificial intelligence in the future society. Not translated, and I wish it was since CGI is good and action is watchable. Not much sense watching it as it is, so maybe when it gets translation. Overall Rating: 6/10 58. Asagao to Kase-san. Kase-san and Morning Glories あさがおと加瀬さん。 [Zexcs] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Shoujo School Girls Love Yui Yamada, a high school girl with a fondness for plants and gardening, starts dating Tomoka Kase, the ace of her school's track team. Yui is shy, girly, and has never been in a relationship. On the other hand, Tomoka is vivacious, tomboyish, and popular among her friends. Despite being different in so many ways, they try to understand and support each other while experiencing the rush of exhilaration that accompanies the magic of first love. Asagao to Kase-san is a heartwarming tale of two girls dealing with their ever-increasing feelings for each other along with other concerns that plague the hearts of maidens in love. Serious girls love leaves me indifferent. Overall Rating: 6/10 59. Liz to Aoi Tori Liz and the Blue Bird リズと青い鳥 [Kyoto Animation] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Music, Performing Arts, School Award Winning, Drama Liz's days of solitude come to an end when she meets a blue bird in the form of a young girl. Although their relationship blossoms, Liz must make a heart-wrenching decision in order to truly realize her love for Blue Bird. High school seniors and close friends Mizore Yoroizuka and Nozomi Kasaki are tasked to play the lead instruments in the third movement of Liz and the Blue Bird, a concert band piece inspired by this fairy tale. The introverted and reserved Mizore plays the oboe, representing the kind and gentle Liz. Meanwhile, the radiant and popular Nozomi plays the flute, portraying the cheerful and energetic Blue Bird. However, as they rehearse, the distance between Mizore and Nozomi seems to grow. Their disjointed duet disappoints the band, and with graduation on the horizon, uncertainty about the future spurs complicated emotions. With little time to improve as their performance draws near, they desperately attempt to connect with their respective characters. But when Mizore and Nozomi consider the story from a brand-new perspective, will the girls find the strength to face harsh realities? A spin-off film adaptation of the Hibike Euphonium! series, Liz to Aoi Tori dances between the parallels of a charming fairy tale, a moving musical piece, and a delicate high school friendship. It's very slow, and I did not like Hibike Euphonium to begin with. Overall Rating: 6/10 60. Ninja Batman Batman Ninja ニンジャバットマン [Kamikaze Douga] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Martial Arts, Samurai, Time Travel Action At Arkham Asylum, Batman clashes with Gorilla Grodd while trying to destroy Grodd's newest invention: the Quake Engine. Amidst the chaos, the engine activates, and the entire asylum suddenly vanishes into thin air—Batman along with it. Once the dust settles, Batman finds himself standing in the middle of an unfamiliar road. He soon realizes that he is no longer in Gotham City—but instead in Feudal Japan! The amazement quickly fades as samurai descend upon him, seeking to take his life. Later on, Batman's investigation leads him to discover that the one responsible for the kill order is none other than his archnemesis, the Joker. Following an encounter with Catwoman, he learns that the asylum's criminals had teleported there two years earlier—each ruling over a piece of Japan with Joker being the dominant warlord. In order to return home, Batman must reactivate the Quake Engine, situated in the remnants of the asylum, now known as Arkham Castle. However, there is one problem: aside from his gadget belt, the arsenal that was once at his fingertips is all but gone. Ninja Batman follows the Dark Knight as he traverses a strange new environment, facing off against familiar foes in a bid to return to Gotham in one piece. I've seen Japanese ninja turtles. This is worse and done not even in stable style. Overall Rating: 5/10 61. Godzilla 2: Kessen Kidou Zoushoku Toshi Godzilla: City on the Edge of Battle GODZILLA 決戦機動増殖都市 [Polygon Pictures] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi By the advent of the 21st century, much of humanity was dead, having been trampled over by a new master, Godzilla. A select few among mankind took to the stars in a spacefaring vessel called the Aratrum in search of "the promised land," the planet Tau-e that could sustain human life. But the migration plan fails, and the remnants of the human race decide to return to Earth. But the distortions in space-time and the distance traveled means that mankind is returning to a completely changed Earth some 20,000 years later. The returnees, led by hero Haruo, prepare to take the fight to Godzilla based on a strategy that has been 20 years in the making. Carried out with the help of two alien species, the Exif and the Bilusaludo, the humans succeed in defeating Godzilla in a costly battle to the death. But the victory is short-lived. Rising from the depths of the planet is a new breed of monster, dubbed "Godzilla Earth." Evolving for 20,000 years, the creature stands 300 meters high, weighs over 100,000 tons and wields such overwhelmingly destructive power that Haruo and company have no choice but to run for their lives. Coming to Haruo's rescue, however, is Miana, a member of an aboriginal tribe called the Houtua. They are the first humanoid people the returnees have encountered. Could they descend from humans? "Our tribal god was destroyed by Godzilla. All that we have left are these eggs. Anyone who has tried to fight or resist him has been drowned in fire," the tribespeople say to Haruo, who responds with: "This is our last hope of recovering our home." Meanwhile, Bilusaludo commander, Galu-gu is elated to discover that the Houtua tribe's arrowheads are made of a nanometal or a self-sustaining metal. It had been developed in the 21st century as an "anti-Godzilla" killer weapon deployed at their decisive battle fought at the foot of Mt. Fuji, but had been destroyed before it could be activated in the form of a "Mecha-Godzilla." The nanometal was its base substance, and proof that the manufacturing plant can still be used. Even less action compared to prequel, so they needed to introduce new characters and their drama. Rather boring. Overall Rating: 6/10 62. Crayon Shin-chan Movie 26: Bakumori! Kung Fu Boys - Ramen Tairan 映画クレヨンしんちゃん 爆盛!カンフーボーイズ ~拉麺大乱~ [Shin-Ei Animation] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Seinen Comedy Shin-chan is all set to challenge Kung Fu in the Chinatown of Kasukabe city, known as "Aiya Town." hinnosuke and Kasukabe Defence Group are going to put up a totally no-stunt Kung Fu challenge on tthe stage. Average, as every conspiracy themed Shin-chan movie. Overall Rating: 6/10 63. Nu ta SHe [-] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Avant Garde, Fantasy In a totalitarian and male chauvinist world, a female high-heeled shoe named Mulan Hua rebels against the baby shoe factory to protect her baby girl from being transformed into a male shoe. To raise her daughter, she later has to disguise herself as a male sturdy shoe and works day and night in a capitalist cigarette factory. The story is not only about a mother’s sacrifice and a feminist’s revenge, but also has a political undertone of the intoxication of power. It's not anime. Super weird avant garde plasticine craze. Overall Rating: 5/10
  5. The beginning of the year is not just doujins, so already great. 1. For the GHOSTs [240107] 1. Spectre, Spirit, Phantom, Apparition 2. A faint trace of something 3. A slight chance or small possibility 4. [On TVs, displays, etc.] ◆ A thin image that appears close to the original image. In televisions, this occurs due to reflected radio waves and interference. 5. People who should be somewhere but are not ◆ People who are mistakenly recorded as being somewhere but are not 6.〈Ancient〉《Religious》Human spirit, Soul What can you do for Ghosts? Neither living nor dead, everywhere yet nowhere, visible and invisible. These girls want to chat, share what they like, have hot drinks, and so on, so let's get to know everyone by engaging in lots of chitchat. And from the bits and pieces that mingle among the chatter, figure out what's going on with everyone and what you need to do. Small doujin immersive chat rather than a game. 2. Shizumeru Rakuen 沈める楽園 [240122] Hitori Circle "Sajinage-bu" Two college girls committed suicide by throwing themselves onto the isolated island of Rakubijima in the Seto Inland Sea at the end of summer. Why did they choose to die? What happened during their "last day" on the island? What is the "answer" you will give after tracing the memories of the two girls and learning the truth and the end of the story......? Another doujin that's notorious for being sfw and released in Steam, but theme and style hardly make it appealing. 3. Sudama Relation すだまリレイシヨン [240125] ENTERGRAM Onibushichou is a rural town in a basin surrounded by mountains, close to Sea of Japan. Further in from there is the even more rural village of Koubou. Today, April 6, 2023, is the day of the entrance ceremony for Koubou’s only school, Keijou Academy High School. At this school, which is celebrating its 10th anniversary and is understood by no one as to why it was opened in such an underpopulated area, a new student arrives. His name is En Ayakari. “Go back to Koubou.” As his mother’s dying wish, he moved from the city to Koubou, where he has memories of living as a child. While there was no meaning or significance to coming back now, new and familiar encounters drag him into the restless “Seven Wonders of the Academy” selection swamp. At Keijou Academy High School, the seven wonders of the academy did not yet exist. In a land where demons lie, a strange bond is formed. This is a story woven by humans and mountain demons (Sudama). Sfw school investigation story. Setting sounds pretty boring and even developers understood that as they tried to delay the game over and over in attempt to improve things. Looks cheap and does not seem to be a breakthrough, although there aren't normal reviews yet. 4. Boku no Suki na Hito no Suki na Hito wa, Josou Shita Boku Deshita 僕の好きな人の好きな人は、女装した僕でした [240126] ensemble SWEET Due to his parents' work, the protagonist Keino Haruki, lived with his family overseas, but when his older sister Keino Chizuru, forced him to dress in girls' clothes made by her and uploaded them on social media, he received an unexpected reaction. At that time, Chizuru's career as a world-renowned fashion designer began, while Haruki is viewed as his sister's exclusive model, and continued cross-dressing in order to help with his household income. However, his sister could not adjust to living overseas, so she decided to return to Japan with him. Two weeks after he returns to Japan, a girl, who at first glance, looks like an ojousama from a respectable family, comes to his house. "C, Could it be, you are..." "Hotaru......! You're Hotaru, right? It's me, don't you remember......!?" Haruki looks at the excited girl's face, memories of his childhood suddenly come to his mind. No matter how many years have passed, they never fade, he remembers her face instantly. The face of the girl who has captivated his heart. The face of the girl he loves―― But there is also one thing he remembers. At the time when he met her, he was dressing up like a girl for his sister as well. When he takes the girl to his room to explain the situation, she finds a picture of a boy. "What's the meaning of this!? This boy!" Haruki thinks his cross-dressing is exposed. "By any chance, is this the boy you like!?" "Because you like the boy in this picture...... You cannot go out with me?" "I will never lose to a boy like this! I'm going to marry Hotaru!" The girl makes the situation more confusing. Little does she know that the girl before her and the boy are one and the same. In this complicated love triangle, will Haruki able to make his love come true? I abandoned the idea to understand trap games a long time ago 5. Hakkenden 八剱伝 [240126] IRODORI Washing blood with blood, in an era when people wage wars earnestly for a small plot of land, the Sengoku period. Kanto region, in the small mountains, even though autumn has ended for some time, the crimson leaves still blossom, the blooming and falling of these crimson leaves seemingly continue eternally. At first, everyone wonders, but their suspicion gradually fades. After a while, the influential people at the time name this era "Kowa". With the leaves slowly spreading throughout the region, a small cult worshiping the crimson leaves, calling themselves Shuukyou, has risen among the people. Time passes, and it is now the 18th year of Kowa. When the hapless fates of those who live in this harsh world intertwine, the end of an era begins. There's a lot of repeating content throughout different routes, plus all the zapping between multiple characters and chronology shuffle is confusing. Yet the core of samurai drama is enjoyable, and that's what matters.
  6. Koi wa Ameagari no You ni is the only firm masterpiece I discovered this season. Other works of note are Overlord II , Karakai Jouzu no Takagi-san , Death March kara Hajimaru Isekai Kyousoukyoku and Grancrest Senki . 1. Violet Evergarden ヴァイオレット・エヴァーガーデン [Kyoto Animation] (Finished 3/13) Tags: Drama, Fantasy The Great War finally came to an end after four long years of conflict; fractured in two, the continent of Telesis slowly began to flourish once again. Caught up in the bloodshed was Violet Evergarden, a young girl raised for the sole purpose of decimating enemy lines. Hospitalized and maimed in a bloody skirmish during the War's final leg, she was left with only words from the person she held dearest, but with no understanding of their meaning. Recovering from her wounds, Violet starts a new life working at CH Postal Services after a falling out with her new intended guardian family. There, she witnesses by pure chance the work of an "Auto Memory Doll," amanuenses that transcribe people's thoughts and feelings into words on paper. Moved by the notion, Violet begins work as an Auto Memory Doll, a trade that will take her on an adventure, one that will reshape the lives of her clients and hopefully lead to self-discovery. Can't stand pastoral anime like Emma: A Victorian Romance, but what we have here is a mix with Saekano just to add emotions and empathy, so can tolerate if for a few episodes. And it's still closer to Emma with all the sulking and bore. With no story and no developed characters actually doing something it remains very plain. Overall Rating: 5/10 2. Darling in the FranXX ダーリン・イン・ザ・フランキス [A-1 Pictures, Trigger, CloverWorks] (Finished 3/24) Tags: Mecha Action, Drama, Romance, Sci-Fi In the distant future, humanity has been driven to near-extinction by giant beasts known as Klaxosaurs, forcing the surviving humans to take refuge in massive fortress cities called Plantations. Children raised here are trained to pilot giant mechas known as FranXX—the only weapons known to be effective against the Klaxosaurs—in boy-girl pairs. Bred for the sole purpose of piloting these machines, these children know nothing of the outside world and are only able to prove their existence by defending their race. Hiro, an aspiring FranXX pilot, has lost his motivation and self-confidence after failing an aptitude test. Skipping out on his class' graduation ceremony, Hiro retreats to a forest lake, where he encounters a mysterious girl with two horns growing out of her head. She introduces herself by her codename Zero Two, which is known to belong to an infamous FranXX pilot known as the "Partner Killer." Before Hiro can digest the encounter, the Plantation is rocked by a sudden Klaxosaur attack. Zero Two engages the creature in her FranXX, but it is heavily damaged in the skirmish and crashes near Hiro. Finding her partner dead, Zero Two invites Hiro to pilot the mecha with her, and the duo easily defeats the Klaxosaur in the ensuing fight. With a new partner by his side, Hiro has been given a chance at redemption for his past failures, but at what cost? EVA imitation that tries to utilize best practices and appeal to wide audience. I don't see anything special in it and can't say I like anything here, so three episodes is as far as I'm willing to go. Overall Rating: 5/10 3. Nanatsu no Taizai: Imashime no Fukkatsu The Seven Deadly Sins: Revival of the Commandments 七つの大罪 戒めの復活 [A-1 Pictures] (Finished 1/24) Tags: Shounen Action, Adventure, Fantasy The fierce battle between Meliodas, the captain of the Seven Deadly Sins, and the Great Holy Knight Hendrickson has devastating consequences. Armed with the fragments necessary for the revival of the Demon Clan, Hendrickson breaks the seal, allowing the Commandments to escape, all of whom are mighty warriors working directly under the Demon King himself. Through a mysterious connection, Meliodas instantly identifies them; likewise, the 10 Commandments, too, seem to sense his presence. As the demons leave a path of destruction in their wake, the Seven Deadly Sins must find a way to stop them before the Demon Clan drowns Britannia in blood and terror. Sequel. Overall Rating: 6/10 4. Overlord II オーバーロードⅡ [Madhouse] (Finished 13/13) Tags: Isekai Action, Adventure, Fantasy Ainz Ooal Gown, the undead sorcerer formerly known as Momonga, has accepted his place in this new world. Though it bears similarities to his beloved virtual reality game Yggdrasil, it still holds many mysteries which he intends to uncover, by utilizing his power as ruler of the Great Tomb of Nazarick. However, ever since the disastrous brainwashing of one of his subordinates, Ainz has become wary of the impending dangers of the Slane Theocracy, as well as the possible existence of other former Yggdrasil players. Meanwhile, Albedo, Demiurge and the rest of Ainz's loyal guardians set out to prepare for the next step in their campaign: Nazarick's first war… Overlord II picks up immediately after its prequel, continuing the story of Ainz Ooal Gown, his eclectic army of human-hating guardians, and the many hapless humans affected by the Overlord's arrival. Sequel. Overall Rating: 7/10 5. Saiki Kusuo no Ψ-nan 2 The Disastrous Life of Saiki K. 2 斉木楠雄のΨ難 2 [J.C.Staff, Egg Firm] (Finished 1/24) Tags: Shounen Gag Humor, School, Super Power Comedy, Supernatural The disastrous life of the gifted psychic Kusuo Saiki continues, despite his utmost effort to live an ordinary life. Although he has certainly grown accustomed to dealing with his troublesome friends—who are his biggest hurdle to achieving a peaceful life—he still has a long way to go. Also joining the usual oddballs are a few new faces whose shenanigans add to Saiki's misery, making his dreams of a hassle-free life a distant fantasy. Sequel. Overall Rating: 6/10 6. Karakai Jouzu no Takagi-san Teasing Master Takagi-san からかい上手の高木さん [Shin-Ei Animation] (Finished 12/12) Tags: Shounen Romantic Subtext, School Comedy Having a friend that knows you inside out should be a good thing, but in Nishikata's case, the opposite is true. His classmate Takagi loves to tease him on a daily basis, and she uses her extensive knowledge of his behavior to predict exactly how he will react to her teasing, making it nearly impossible for Nishikata to ever make a successful comeback. Despite this, Nishikata vows to someday give Takagi a taste of her own medicine by making her blush out of embarrassment from his teasing. Great episodic yonkoma comedy. Priceless with the right mood and prior knowledge what to expect. Overall Rating: 7/10 7. Citrus シトラス [Passione] (Finished 1/12) Tags: School Drama, Girls Love During the summer of her freshman year of high school, Yuzu Aihara's mother remarried, forcing her to transfer to a new school. To a fashionable socialite like Yuzu, this inconvenient event is just another opportunity to make new friends, fall in love, and finally experience a first kiss. Unfortunately, Yuzu's dreams and style do not conform with her new ultrastrict, all-girls school, filled with obedient shut-ins and overachieving grade-skippers. Her gaudy appearance manages to grab the attention of Mei Aihara, the beautiful and imposing student council president, who immediately proceeds to sensually caress Yuzu's body in an effort to confiscate her cellphone. Thoroughly exhausted from her first day, Yuzu arrives home and discovers a shocking truth—Mei is actually her new step-sister! Though Yuzu initially tries to be friendly with her, Mei's cold shoulder routine forces Yuzu to begin teasing her. But before Yuzu can finish her sentence, Mei forces her to the ground and kisses her, with Yuzu desperately trying to break free. Once done, Mei storms out of the room, leaving Yuzu to ponder the true nature of her first kiss, and the secrets behind the tortured expression in the eyes of her new sister. Serious girls love, so without me. Overall Rating: 6/10 8. Death March kara Hajimaru Isekai Kyousoukyoku Death March to the Parallel World Rhapsody デスマーチからはじまる異世界狂想曲 [SILVER LINK., Connect] (Finished 12/12) Tags: Harem, Isekai Adventure, Fantasy Ichirou Suzuki, a programmer nearing his thirties, is drowning in work. Worn out, he eventually has a chance to catch up on sleep, only to wake up and discover himself in a fantasy RPG world, which is mashed together from the games he was debugging in reality. In this new place, he realizes that not only has his appearance changed to a younger version of himself, but his name has also changed to Satou, a nickname he used while running beta tests on games. However, before Satou can fully grasp his situation, an army of lizardmen launch an assault on him. Forced to cast a powerful spell in retaliation, Satou wipes them out completely and his level is boosted to 310, effectively maximizing his stats. Now, as a high-leveled adventurer armed with a plethora of skills and no way to return to reality, Satou sets out to explore this magical new world. Got pretty blurry memories about this Isekai. Having rewatched it, I now understand, why. It's an enjoyable process of exploration unknown world systems, but not an enjoyable story. OP protagonist has to conceal his powers like in Overlord, and not much is happening in both anime. Still, this comparison is not in favor of Death March, and there's no continuation pending while ending is just not satisfactory, so it deserves only minimal acclaim. Overall Rating: 7/10 9. Sora yori mo Tooi Basho A Place Further Than The Universe 宇宙よりも遠い場所 [Madhouse] (Finished 13/13) Tags: CGDCT Adventure, Comedy, Drama Filled with an overwhelming sense of wonder for the world around her, Mari Tamaki has always dreamt of what lies beyond the reaches of the universe. However, despite harboring such large aspirations on the inside, her fear of the unknown and anxiety over her own possible limitations have always held her back from chasing them. But now, in her second year of high school, Mari is more determined than ever to not let any more of her youth go to waste. Still, her fear continues to prevent her from taking that ambitious step forward—that is, until she has a chance encounter with a girl who has grand dreams of her own. Spurred by her mother's disappearance, Shirase Kobuchizawa has been working hard to fund her trip to Antarctica. Despite facing doubt and ridicule from virtually everyone, Shirase is determined to embark on this expedition to search for her mother in a place further than the universe itself. Inspired by Shirase's resolve, Mari jumps at the chance to join her. Soon, their efforts attract the attention of the bubbly Hinata Miyake, who is eager to stand out, and Yuzuki Shiraishi, a polite girl from a high class background. Together, they set sail toward the frozen south. Sora yori mo Tooi Basho follows the captivating journey of four spirited girls, all in search of something great. CGDCT at Antarctica! Average, without humor, disappointing... Overall Rating: 5/10 10. Yuru Camp△ Laid-Back Camp ゆるキャン△ [C-Station] (Finished 1/12) Tags: CGDCT, Iyashikei Slice of Life While the perfect getaway for most girls her age might be a fancy vacation with their loved ones, Rin Shima's ideal way of spending her days off is camping alone at the base of Mount Fuji. From pitching her tent to gathering firewood, she has always done everything by herself, and has no plans of leaving her little solitary world. However, what starts off as one of Rin's usual camping sessions somehow ends up as a surprise get-together for two when the lost Nadeshiko Kagamihara is forced to take refuge at her campsite. Originally intending to see the picturesque view of Mount Fuji for herself, Nadeshiko's plans are disrupted when she ends up falling asleep partway to her destination. Alone and with no other choice, she seeks help from the only other person nearby. Despite their hasty introductions, the two girls nevertheless enjoy the chilly night together, eating ramen and conversing while the campfire keeps them warm. And even after Nadeshiko's sister finally picks her up later that night, both girls silently ponder the possibility of another camping trip together. First all the climbing anime, now the camping one... and it's horrible. Poor characters, silly antics and constant survival guides as if it was educational program disguised as entertainment. Overall Rating: 5/10 11. Gakuen Babysitters School Babysitters 学園ベビーシッターズ [Brain's Base] (Finished 1/12) Tags: Shoujo Childcare, Iyashikei, School Slice of Life After losing both parents in a fatal plane crash, teenager Ryuuichi Kashima must adjust to his new life as the guardian of his younger brother Kotarou. Although Ryuuichi is able to maintain a friendly and kindhearted demeanor, Kotarou is a reserved toddler still too young to understand the reality of the situation. At their parents' funeral, they are approached by Youko Morinomiya, the stern chairman of an elite academy, who decides to take them under her care. However, there is one condition Ryuuichi must fulfill in exchange for a roof over their heads and enrolment in the school—he must become the school's babysitter. In an effort to support the female teachers at the academy, a babysitter's club was established to look after their infant children; unfortunately, the club is severely short-staffed, so now not only is Ryuuichi responsible for his little brother, but also a handful of toddlers who possess dynamic personalities. There have been great childcare stories around one kid, but it does not look like it's possible with a lot of kids like here and all the troubles around them. Not my cut of tea, after all. First episode has so much crying that I don't incline to explore any further. Overall Rating: 6/10 12. Grancrest Senki Record of Grancrest War グランクレスト戦記 [A-1 Pictures] (Finished 24/24) Tags: Military Action, Drama, Fantasy, Romance The continent of Atlatan once again finds itself devoured by the flames of war after a horrific event known as the Great Hall Tragedy. What was supposed to be a joyful occasion that would establish peace between the Fantasia Union and the Factory Alliance, the marriage of Sir Alexis Douse and Lady Marrine Kreische, was instead a tragedy. As the bride and groom walked down the aisle, the ceremony was suddenly interrupted by a powerful convergence of "Chaos," a dark energy from another dimension that corrupts the land and brings forth monsters and demons into the world. From within that energy appeared the Demon Lord of Diabolos, an evil being who instantly murdered the archdukes of both factions, shattering any hope for peace between them. Having failed to prevent this disaster, Siluca Meletes, an Alliance mage, is traveling through the Chaos-infested countryside to study under a master magician. When she is intercepted by a group of soldiers working with the Federation, Siluca is rescued by Theo Cornaro, a young warrior carrying a mysterious "Crest," a magical symbol that gives its wielder the ability to banish Chaos. Bearing no allegiance to a specific domain, Theo hopes to attain the rank of Lord so that he can liberate his home town of Sistina from its tyrannical ruler and the Chaos spreading within it. Impressed by his noble goal, Siluca enters into a magical contract with Theo, and the two embark on a journey to restore balance to their war-torn land. Dropped it before, but feeling obliged to finish now as it's fantasy and not the worst. And it's a mixed bag. The good part is that it's epic multi-nation conflict with straightforward logical narration (unlike Arslan Senki) and quite good memorable characters that are given some time to tell their stories. On the bad side, it did not need to stretch to 24 episodes as a lot of battles are of little importance and there is some beating around the bush. Characters are anything but complex, and they act in a predictable way most of the time, but some decisions are suddenly plain irrational and work out only due to a miracle just to add more drama and spice things up. The core of the conflict is artificial and poorly justified. So it had some nice moments and was good overall, but I did not enjoy it enough to call a firm masterpiece. Overall Rating: 7/10 13. Koi wa Ameagari no You ni After the Rain 恋は雨上がりのように [Wit Studio] (Finished 12/12) Tags: Seinen Workplace Drama, Romance Akira Tachibana, a reserved high school student and former track runner, has not been able to race the same as she used to since she experienced a severe foot injury. And although she is regarded as attractive by her classmates, she is not interested in the boys around school. While working part-time at the Garden Cafe, Akira begins to develop feelings for the manager—a 45-year-old man named Masami Kondou—despite the large age gap. Kondou shows genuine concern and kindness toward the customers of his restaurant, which, while viewed by others as soft or weak, draws Akira to him. Spending time together at the restaurant, they grow closer, which only strengthens her feelings. Weighed down by these uncertain emotions, Akira finally resolves to confess, but what will be the result? Excellent deep romance story with many lines and even notable music. The reason I can't give it a perfect score now is because I watched it before and could not even remember some of the contents and the title, not the impact it's supposed to leave on first watch. The theme of classical literature feels a bit artificial, same as running, lol. Main heroine acts irrationally a lot. Plus, attention gets shifted and dispersed by the end of it and there's no decisive ending, so can't put a 9. Overall Rating: 8/10 14. Poputepipikku Pop Team Epic ポプテピピック [Kamikaze Douga] (Finished 1/12) Tags: Gag Humor, Parody Comedy Poputepipikku turns absurdist comedy up to eleven with its pop culture references and surreal hilarity. With two bonafide high school girl protagonists—the short and exceptionally quick to anger Popuko, and the tall and unshakably calm Pipimi—they throw genres against the wall and don't wait to see what sticks. Parody is interlaced with drama, action, crudeness, and the show's overarching goal—to become a real anime. Episodic gag humor yonkoma is very tiresome for me. Not finding it funny at all. References aren't worth anything without humor. And it's ugly as hell. Overall Rating: 5/10 15. Fate/Extra: Last Encore [Shaft] (Finished 1/10) Tags: Action, Fantasy, Supernatural A technological hell masquerading as paradise, Tsukimihara Academy is an artificial high school that serves as the setting for the next Holy Grail War. Created by the Moon Cell computer, the school is inhabited by Earth-projected souls who have even the slightest aptitude for being a "Master." Of these 256 souls, 128 will be chosen for the main tournament and granted a Servant. With all of the Masters selected, the Academy activates a purge, targeting the remaining lifeforms for elimination. Awakening in a pool of his own blood, Hakuno Kishinami refuses to die. Fueled by unknown feelings of hatred, he vows to fight for survival. As he struggles to escape from a relentless pursuer, he finds a crimson blade plunged into the ground; and by pulling it out, Hakuno summons his own Servant, Saber, who instantly destroys his pursuer in a flurry of rose petals. With his newfound power, Hakuno must now begin his journey to Moon Cell's core, the Angelica Cage. There, he will unveil the reason for this artificial world and the secrets of his own blood-soaked past. Remake or something. Overall Rating: 6/10 16. Gintama.: Shirogane no Tamashii-hen Gintama.: Silver Soul Arc 銀魂. 銀ノ魂篇 [Bandai Namco Pictures] (Finished 12/12) Tags: Shounen Gag Humor, Historical, Parody, Samurai Action, Comedy, Sci-Fi After the fierce battle on Rakuyou, the untold past and true goal of the immortal Naraku leader, Utsuro, are finally revealed. By corrupting the Altana reserves of several planets, Utsuro has successfully triggered the intervention of the Tendoshuu’s greatest enemy: the Altana Liberation Army. With Earth as the main battleground in this interplanetary war, Utsuro's master plan to destroy the planet—and himself—is nearly complete. An attack on the O-Edo Central Terminal marks the beginning of the final battle to take back the land of the samurai. With the Yorozuya nowhere in sight, the bakufu all but collapsed, and the Shogun missing, the people are left completely helpless as the Liberation Army begins pillaging Edo in the name of freeing them from the Tendoshuu's rule. Caught in the crossfire between two equally imposing forces, can Gintoki, Kagura, Shinpachi, and the former students of Shouyou Yoshida put aside their differences and unite their allies to protect what they hold dear? Sequel. Overall Rating: 6/10 17. Ryuuou no Oshigoto! The Ryuo's Work is Never Done! りゅうおうのおしごと! [Project No.9] (Finished 1/12) Tags: Strategy Game Comedy Shogi, a Japanese game similar to chess, is one of the most popular board games in the country, played by everyone from children to the elderly. Some players are talented enough to take the game to a professional level. The title of Ryuuou, meaning "the dragon king," is only awarded to the person who reaches the pinnacle of competitive shogi. Yaichi Kuzuryuu has just become the youngest Ryuuou after winning the grand championship. However, the shogi community is unwelcoming to his victory, some even calling him the worst Ryuuou in history. Moreover, he forgets about the agreement he made with Ai Hinatsuru, a little girl he promised to coach if he won. After she shows up at his doorstep, he reluctantly agrees to uphold his promise and makes Ai his disciple. Together, they aim to improve and exceed the limits of their shogi prowess: Ai, to unlock her hidden talents; Yaichi, to prove to the world that he deserves his accomplishments. Lolicon and yandere fetish. Everyone is a genius. Lots of nonsense. That's enough for a skip. Overall Rating: 5/10 18. Killing Bites キリングバイツ [LIDENFILMS] (Finished 3/12) Tags: Seinen Anthropomorphic, Gore Action, Sci-Fi, Ecchi After unknowingly participating in a kidnapping, college student Yuuya Nomoto finds his friends brutally murdered by Hitomi Uzaki, the high school girl they attempted to abduct. Forced to drive her to an undisclosed location, he finds himself being wagered as the prize for a death match between two Therianthropes, superpowered human-animal hybrids created through advanced gene therapy. As one of these hybrids, Hitomi uses the speed and fearlessness she gained from her ratel genes to viciously dispatch her foe and save Yuuya from certain death. Waking up hours later hoping the whole event was only a nightmare, Yuuya realizes that he has become embroiled in a secret proxy war between four large Japanese business conglomerates, with the winner taking control of the economy. As her sole albeit unwilling investor, his life is now directly linked to Hitomi's ability to participate in underground bloodsport matches known only as Killing Bites. Ecchi trash duels. Overall Rating: 5/10 19. Kokkoku 刻刻 [Geno Studio] (Finished 2/12) Tags: Seinen Adult Cast, Psychological Drama, Mystery, Supernatural After presumably failing 19 job interviews in one day, Juri Yukawa's dreams of moving out of her parents' home are utterly dashed. Stuck living with her working mother Nobuko, NEET brother Tsubasa, laid-off father Takafumi, and single-parent sister Sanae, the only hope for this family to raise a decent adult is her little nephew Makoto. However, this struggling family's life takes a turn for the worse when Makoto and Tsubasa are violently kidnapped by a mysterious organization and held for ransom. With only 30 minutes to deliver five million yen to the criminals, Juri's grandfather reveals a dangerously powerful secret to her and Takafumi. By offering blood to her grandfather's mystical stone, the three enter the world of "Stasis," a version of their world where time stops for everyone but the users. Having arrived at their destination, their rescue efforts go awry when they are assailed by a surprising group of people who are somehow able to move around within Stasis. While all hope seems lost, a monstrous giant known as the Herald appears amidst the chaos, its intent and motivations as cryptic as the very nature of this timeless world. Seeing a mystery makes me sigh a lot, and not in a good way. Again crazy specially complicated setting with abundance of unknowns that aren't going to matter as deus ex machina comes at the very end anyway. Because it goes like that all the time. It may work out with better characters, but that's not the case here. Couple episodes of this mess is all I agree to take. Overall Rating: 5/10 20. Itou Junji: Collection Junji Ito Collection 伊藤潤二「コレクション」 [Studio Deen] (Finished 1/12) Tags: Psychological Drama, Horror, Mystery, Supernatural In the light of day and in the dead of night, mysterious horrors await in the darkest shadows of every corner. They are unexplainable, inescapable, and undefeatable. Be prepared, or you may become their next victim. Sit back in terror as traumatizing tales of unparalleled terror unfold. Tales, such as that of a cursed jade carving that opens holes all over its victims' bodies; deep nightmares that span decades; an attractive spirit at a misty crossroad that grants cursed advice; and a slug that grows inside a girl's mouth. Tread carefully, for the horrifying supernatural tales of the Itou Junji: Collection are not for the faint of heart. Anthology of horror stories is something that's alien to me. Just horrible. Overall Rating: 5/10 21. Beatless [Diomedéa] (Finished 2/20) Tags: Action, Drama, Romance, Sci-Fi With great advancements in technology, mankind has created hIEs, human-like robots that act as public and personal servants for society. Unlike many others, the kind-hearted high school student Arato Endou treats hIEs as equals, but his financial situation keeps him from ever owning one. However, his normal life is shattered when an ordinary run to the local grocery store goes horribly awry. Viciously assaulted by a hacked hIE, Arato is on the verge of death; but luckily, he is saved by an abnormal hIE carrying a weaponized coffin. Her name is Lacia, one of five highly advanced hIEs that recently escaped the clutches of the mysterious MemeFrame Corporation. Faced with a hacked car threatening to run them over, Lacia offers Arato a deal: in exchange for saving his life, he must register as her new owner, thus taking full responsibility for her actions. With little choice, he decides to trust this artificial girl and allows her to live in his home. Though Lacia begins to adapt to her new, peaceful lifestyle, she warns the entranced Arato of one thing—she does not have a soul. Chobits meet Mahoromantic. Result is generic and very disappointing. Overall Rating: 5/10 22. Dagashi Kashi 2 だがしかし2 [Tezuka Productions] (Finished 1/12) Tags: Shounen Romantic Subtext Comedy, Gourmet Second season of Dagashi Kashi. Sequel. Overall Rating: 6/10 23. Hakata Tonkotsu Ramens 博多豚骨ラーメンズ [Satelight] (Finished 1/12) Tags: Adult Cast, Crossdressing, Detective Action, Mystery Although the city of Fukuoka might look relatively peaceful at first glance, in actuality it houses a thriving mixture of dangerous individuals such as killers, detectives, and professional revenge seekers right beneath its surface. Among their number is Zenji Banba, a laidback and observant detective who is investigating the work of other hitmen companies in the area. However, Banba might not be the only one with a bone to pick with these organizations, as Xianming Lin, a crossdressing male hitman in the employ of one such company begins getting fed up with his lack of jobs and pay. One day, after Lin's current target commits suicide before the hitman could reach him, his company refuses to pay him even half the amount they were originally supposed to for the assassination. Frustrated, Lin requests another mission and is offered the job of taking out Banba, whom his organization believes has been interfering with their business. However, when Banba arrives at his home and finds the hitman inside, Lin surprisingly doesn't even attempt to kill him. Instead, he offers the detective another option: to join him and form a team. With the offer on the table, exactly how will Banba respond, and just what plans does Lin have in store for the underground world of Fukuoka? Crossdressing detective mystery? Sign me DOWN! Overall Rating: 5/10 24. Miira no Kaikata How to Keep a Mummy ミイラの飼い方 [8bit] (Finished 2/12) Tags: Mythology, Pets, School Fantasy, Slice of Life High school student Sora Kashiwagi is accustomed to receiving bizarre presents from his father, who is on an expedition around the world. Unfortunately, these gifts have been nothing but nightmares. As a result, when his father sends him a huge package from Egypt, Sora prepares himself for the worst, only to be greeted by Mii-kun—a cute, pint-sized mummy! While initially wary, Sora soon learns that Mii-kun is harmless, a delicate creature yearning for attention. Throughout their amusing day-to-day lives, the unlikely pair meet other people with unique pets, while also strengthening their bond together. Although keeping a pet is a difficult task, Sora is set on caring for the lovable Mii-kun. Cute mummy. Now we've seen it all. No matter how I look at it, it's just waste of time. Overall Rating: 5/10 25. Cardcaptor Sakura: Clear Card-hen Cardcaptor Sakura: Clear Card カードキャプターさくら クリアカード編 [Madhouse] (Finished 1/22) Tags: Mahou Shoujo Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy, Romance With all of the Clow Cards recaptured and changed into her own Sakura Cards, Sakura Kinomoto now enters her first year at Tomoeda Middle School. After her initial day of classes, Sakura reunites with her love Shaoran Li, who informs her that he is permanently moving back to Tomoeda. Much to her surprise, it even turns out that Shaoran will attend the same school and it seems as if Sakura's life is heading in all the right directions. However, when Sakura goes to sleep, she encounters in her dream a mysterious cloaked figure and finds herself surrounded by transparent cards. Waking up in fear, Sakura is shocked to see her dream has come true, with the Sakura Cards having turned clear. Continued dreamlike encounters with the unknown enemy and her gaining a new magical key sets the stage for Cardcaptor Sakura's latest adventure! Sequel. Overall Rating: 5/10 26. Mitsuboshi Colors 三ツ星カラーズ [SILVER LINK.] (Finished 2/12) Tags: Shounen CGDCT, Iyashikei Slice of Life Residing within Tokyo's district of Ueno are the Colors, three individuals who protect their city by performing good deeds and aiding their community. Or, at the very least, they pretend to be the city's defenders. In reality, the Colors are just three young girls: the shy Yui Akamatsu, the noisy Sacchan, and the video game-loving Kotoha, who spend their time playing make-believe and exploring the city. The Colors' activities are facilitated by the grandfatherly Daigorou "Pops" Kujiraoka, who uses his store's inventory of knick-knacks to entertain the rambunctious trio. Not everyone is a fan of the Colors though. The local policeman Saitou just wants to deal with his regular duties, but he often finds himself the target of the Colors' attention, having been made the villain in most of their fantasies. But despite his personal feelings, Saitou always finds the time to go along with the three girls' games. Even though the Colors do not actually defend Ueno, they definitely help brighten everyone's day. Nonsense story and nonsense humor. I appreciate neither. Overall Rating: 6/10 27. Slow Start スロウスタート [CloverWorks] (Finished 2/12) Tags: CGDCT, School Comedy Hana Ichinose, a 17-year-old high school student who is not only introverted, but also insecure and timid, has just moved and will be attending a new school. To make her situation more difficult, Hana is a "slow start," which means that she missed a year and worries about attending a class where everyone is younger than her. During her introduction, the teacher reveals it is Hana's birthday, which gives her the jumping-off point to meet three of her classmates: Tamate Momochi, a charismatic and extroverted girl; Kanmuri Sengoku, who is shy and small; and the popular and pretty Eiko Tokura. Not wanting to lose the chance to make new friends, Hana's interactions with these three mark the beginning of some beautiful relationships that will change her life. CGDCT comedy requires some good humor. This is decent at best, way worse than yuru yuri. And girls are quite young, so themes are immature, too. Overall Rating: 6/10 28. Toji no Miko Katana Maidens: Toji no Miko 刀使ノ巫女 [Studio Gokumi] (Finished 4/24) Tags: Action, Fantasy Throughout history, an elite group of shrine maidens known as "Toji" have saved the world from "Aratama," strange and malevolent beings bent on destroying humanity. In modern times, these warriors have been assigned to a special police squad to exterminate Aratama. The government has also set up five elite schools across the country to provide young girls the necessary sword fighting skills to eradicate these monsters and eventually join their fellow Toji in protecting the world. A student of one of those five schools, Kanami Etou is chosen to represent Minoseki Academy in a sword fighting tournament, where she meets the mysterious Hiyori Juujou. Although Kanami and Hiyori rise to the top of the tournament, their battle takes an unexpected turn, throwing the world of the Toji into chaos. Likely that the Toji are facing betrayal from within, the two are forced to flee the tournament, clashing with former comrades on the way. It's both CGDCT and fighting monsters with katana. Can compare it to bubblegum crisis, and that already was not a great gig, but at least the pacing was good. Here pacing is slow, and I just can't imagine how this story can be stretched to 24 episodes and remain interesting without outstanding characters or engaging plot. Overall Rating: 6/10 29. Hakumei to Mikochi Hakumei and Mikochi ハクメイとミコチ [Lerche] (Finished 1/12) Tags: Seinen Anthropomorphic, Iyashikei Fantasy, Slice of Life In a world inhabited by people only a few inches tall, young women Hakumei and Mikochi live together in a house built into a tree. Hakumei is an energetic and tomboyish carpenter, while Mikochi is a feminine and calm tailor. Despite their differences, they get along well and spend their days having fun living their lives in the woods. The two of them spend their time working, going on sightseeing adventures, and taking shopping trips into Tsumiki Marketplace by the ocean. They make many friends along the way, be they sentient woodland creatures like Iwashi the Weasel or fellow miniature people such as the songstress Konju and the inventor Sen. Hakumei to Mikochi is a relaxing look into the day-to-day lives of its titular characters as they explore and interact with their tiny world which seems to be straight out of a fairy tale. I miss the times when seinen used to mean something. Hate iyashikei. Hate boring SOL. Overall Rating: 5/10 30. Ramen Daisuki Koizumi-san Ms. Koizumi Loves Ramen Noodles ラーメン大好き小泉さん [Studio Gokumi, AXsiZ] (Finished 1/12) Tags: CGDCT Comedy, Gourmet From standing in the sun for hours to traveling miles away from home, gorgeous high school student Koizumi stops at nothing to fulfill her desire for ramen. But these previously solo trips soon change when Koizumi's classmate Yuu Oosawa develops an infatuation with her, and begins to join Koizumi uninvitedly on her adventures. As Yuu continues to be shocked by Koizumi's enormous appetite, she learns about the endless variety of ramen from, arguably, its greatest connoisseur ever! It's difficult to make CGDCT comedy already, but adding gourmet with episodic format only makes things worse. Bland, plain, tasteless. Overall Rating: 5/10 31. Sanrio Danshi Sanrio Boys サンリオ男子 [Pierrot] (Finished 1/12) Tags: Otaku Culture, School Drama Kouta Hasegawa is a completely normal high school student who likes his Pompompurin stuffed animal, a Sanrio character modelled after a Golden Retriever, which his grandmother gave him when he was young. However, an incident in which other kids accused him of being girly for liking Sanrio characters made him ashamed of his attachment to Pompompurin. Through a series of unexpected events, Kouta ends up meeting others at school who also like Sanrio characters—Yuu Mizuno, a flashy boy who is popular with girls; Shunsuke Yoshino, a member of the soccer team; Ryou Nishimiya, an underclassman who is a library assistant; and Seiichirou Minamoto, the student council president. Through his new friends, Kouta learns that there is no need to be embarrassed for liking Sanrio characters; and together, they aim to create a play for the cultural festival in order to transform his normal school life into a sparkly one. Danshi no nichijou genre is not impressive as it is, but being one huge advertisement just kills it outright. Overall Rating: 5/10 32. Yowamushi Pedal: Glory Line 弱虫ペダル GLORY LINE [TMS Entertainment] (Finished 1/25) Tags: Shounen Racing Sports Fourth season of the Yowamushi Pedal series. Sequel. Overall Rating: 6/10 33. Gin no Guardian II The Silver Guardian 2 銀の墓守りII [Emon, Blade] (Finished 6/6) Tags: Adventure, Fantasy Set in the same timeline as Sin: Nanatsu no Taizai, Nanatsu no Bitoku follows a group of angels sent from Heaven to look for a potential "Savior" to counter-attack the demonic influence being spread by Lucifer and the other emissaries of Hell. Sequel. Overall Rating: 5/10 34. Takunomi. Takunomi たくのみ。 [Production IMS] (Finished 2/12) Tags: Adult Cast, CGDCT Comedy, Gourmet 20-year-old Michiru Amatsuki moved to Tokyo after a career change, and now finds herself living in a woman only share house, Stella House Haruno, with a few other women of varying age and occupation. Every night the girls settle down and have a drink or two (or more) as drama ensues. Can't consider it even decent with all the advertisement, flavor descriptions and just drowning problems in alcohol. Overall Rating: 5/10 35. Märchen Mädchen Maerchen Maedchen メルヘン・メドヘン [Hoods Entertainment] (Finished 2/10) Tags: Isekai, School Fantasy Hazuki Kagimura is a socially awkward girl with no friends; and having been recently adopted, she struggles to connect with her new family as well. Her only refuge from this painful reality is between the pages of stories where her vivid imagination allows her to live out her dreams of friendship and adventure. However, one day, an old and mysterious text appears in her book bag. On her way back to the library to return it, Hazuki sees a familiar girl who is seemingly invisible to everyone but her. Deciding to follow her, Hazuki is led a hidden library where a world she thought only existed in her dreams awaits her. Märchen Mädchen tells the story of Hazuki's meeting with Shizuka Tsuchimikado, her very first friend, and discovering she has been chosen by the original print of Cinderella to become a powerful mage known as an Origin Master. Hazuki enrolls at Kuzunoha Girl's Magic Academy where she learns to conquer her fears and believe in her ability to create her own amazing story. I remember it being a big mess and I'm not going to confirm those impressions anew. Overall Rating: 5/10 36. Basilisk: Ouka Ninpouchou Basilisk: The Ouka Ninja Scrolls バジリスク ~桜花忍法帖~ [Seven Arcs Pictures] (Finished 1/24) Tags: Seinen Historical, Martial Arts Action, Drama It has been 10 years since the war between the Iga and Kouga ninja clans came to an end. The two groups have since made peace, supposedly dispelling the animosity that once existed between them. Hachirou Kouga and Hibiki Iga, the successors of their respective bloodlines, seem to have the perfect conditions for their love to bloom, but not everyone is satisfied with the results of the age-old battle. Different tales of the final showdown between Gennosuke Kouga and Oboro Iga have spread, leaving Tadanaga Tokugawa—whom the Kouga represented—dissatisfied. As tension between the two clans rises once again, the brewing political climate threatens to keep the two fated lovers apart, just as it had in the previous generation. Sequel. Overall Rating: 6/10 37. Zoku Touken Ranbu: Hanamaru Touken Ranbu: Hanamaru 2 続 刀剣乱舞-花丸- [Doga Kobo] (Finished 1/12) Tags: Historical Action, Comedy, Fantasy Sequel of Touken Ranbu: Hanamaru. Sequel. Overall Rating: 5/10 38. Hakyuu Houshin Engi Hakyu Hoshin Engi 覇穹 封神演義 [C-Station] (Finished 1/23) Tags: Shounen Mythology Action, Adventure, Fantasy When his clan is wiped out by a beautiful demon, young Taikobo finds himself in charge of the mysterious Houshin Project. Its mission: find all immortals living in the human world and seal them away forever. But who do you trust—and whose side are you really on—when you've been trained to hunt demons by a demon? Remake. Overall Rating: 5/10 39. Hug tto! Precure HuGっと!プリキュア [Toei Animation] (Finished 1/49) Tags: Mahou Shoujo Action, Fantasy It's her first day at a new school, and the cheerful Hana Nono is ready to make a fresh start, dreaming of becoming mature and reliable—a far cry from her usual childish self. Although she makes a disastrous first impression, Hana soon befriends two of her classmates: the gentle and studious class representative Saaya Yakushiji, and a cool and mysterious girl Homare Kagayaki. That night, a magical baby falls from the sky right onto Hana's balcony. She is immediately smitten with her and names her Hug-tan. Alongside Hug-tan is a snarky talking hamster, Hariham Harry, who mutters that Hana "isn't the one" before vanishing with the baby. The next day, Hana believes the encounter to be a dream, until people all over the city begin collapsing and a giant monster appears, feeding on their energy. As Hana escapes, she spots Hug-tan and Harry under attack. Making a stand to protect them, she and Hug-tan suddenly both glow with energy and a heart-shaped gem forms. With the crystal's power, Hana transforms into a hero called "Cure Yell" and defeats the monster. Surprised at Hana's power, Harry explains that he and Hug-tan came from a future frozen in time by the Criasu Corporation, the same organization that created the monster. Only the Future Crystals, manifestations of one's hopes and dreams, and the Precure they create have a chance at defeating Criasu and saving the future! Series sequel. Overall Rating: 6/10 40. Aerover: Seupeiseu Drone Gwihwan Aerover: Return of the Space Drone 에어로버: 스페이스 드론의 귀환 [-] (Finished 1/13) Tags: Action, Comedy, Sports Tells about a future where drones are common. Drones have played an indispensable and important function in human life. One day, a large meteorite fell on earth, and scientists discovered that it had an infinite source of energy, the "Cosmo Stone", and applied it to a drone, what people call a "space drone." One day, drone wars around the world broke out, and space drones were active as a weapon of war. As the damage spreads, world leaders proposed a ceasefire and sought to turn drones into symbols of peace, not weapons of war anymore. The result is the "Aerover Championship". Partially translated. Full CGI. Kids stuff. Overall Rating: 5/10 41. Devilman: Crybaby [Science SARU] (Finished 1/10) Tags: Shounen Gore, Mythology Action, Avant Garde, Horror, Supernatural Devils cannot take form without a living host. However, if the will of an individual is strong enough, they can overcome the demon and make its power their own, becoming a Devilman. Weak and unassuming, Akira Fudou has always had a bleeding heart. So when his childhood friend Ryou Asuka asks for his help in uncovering devils, Akira accepts without hesitation. However, to Akira's surprise, the place they go to is Sabbath: an immoral party of debauchery and degeneracy. Amidst bloodshed and death, demons possess the partiers, turning their bodies into grotesque monsters, and begin wreaking havoc. In a reckless attempt to save his best friend, Akira unwittingly merges with the devil Amon and becomes a Devilman, gaining the power to defeat the remaining demons. Though it grants him great power, this new partnership awakens an insatiable and primeval part of Akira. Having the body of a devil but the same crybaby heart, Akira works alongside Ryou, destroying those that harm humanity and his loved ones. Remake. Overall Rating: 6/10 42. B: The Beginning [Netflix] (Finished 1/12) Tags: Detective, Psychological Action, Mystery, Supernatural, Suspense Production I.G On the islands of Cremona, a vigilante runs amok. Celebrated by some and hunted by others, the notorious "Killer B" takes justice into his own hands, armed with a sharp blade and superhuman abilities. Unable to apprehend this renegade, the Royal Investigation Service (RIS) calls upon the expertise of Keith Flick, a seasoned, yet eccentric detective who was relegated to the Archives Department following a personal loss. As crimes in Cremona begin to escalate, from stealthy executions of wrongdoers to sophisticated strikes on public figures, it soon becomes clear that there is more than one person responsible. With the help of his impulsive sidekick Lily Hoshina, and unexpected aid from the elusive Killer B himself, Keith begins to unravel plots involving secret organizations, domestic terrorism, and human experiments. When the involvement of the RIS extends beyond the scope of justice, the extent of the government's corruption—as well as the trustworthiness of close allies—are thrown into question. Suspense detective mystery with a genius sounds like swearing to me. I'm sure it's above average, but in best case scenario it can reach the level of Terror in Resonance or Monster which is still too low for me compared to Laughing man just because characters are way worse. Overall Rating: 6/10 43. Emiya-san Chi no Kyou no Gohan Today's Menu for the Emiya Family 衛宮さんちの今日のごはん [ufotable] (Finished 1/13) Tags: Iyashikei Gourmet, Slice of Life With the threat of the Holy Grail War no longer looming over Fuyuki City, its inhabitants can finally enjoy a time of peace. Now that all of the Masters and Servants have adjusted to their new mundane lives, Shirou has taken it upon himself to cook for his household and show Saber the wonders of modern cuisine. Every day, he ventures into the marketplace to see what kind of different meals he can cook up with unique ingredients and a limited budget. However, his legendary skills often attract uninvited guests from all over the city, so there is never a dull moment at dinner with the Emiya family. As his guests entertain themselves in the living room, Shirou walks through the step-by-step process of creating some of his favorite meals. With delicacies such as his savory New Year soba with shrimp tempura, steamy foil-baked salmon, and cheesy bamboo shoot gratin, everything is up for grabs on his menu. Itadakimasu! Fate iyashikei gourmet sounds and tastes horrible. Overall Rating: 5/10 44. A.I.C.O. Incarnation [Bones] (Finished 12/12) Tags: Action, Sci-Fi In 2035, an incident known as “The Burst” occurs at a Japanese research facility, giving birth to the rapidly expanding, consuming, and self-replicating "Matter." Snaking its way through the remains of dams and military facilities in the Kurobe Gorge, the hostile Matter is besieged by task forces trying to prevent it from reaching the ocean and mercenaries seeking the truth behind its existence. Aiko Tachibana lives under constant medical surveillance after being rescued from the Matter. She spends her days waiting out her recovery by making paper planes. Soon, her daily life at school is disturbed by the arrival of transfer student Yuuya Kanzaki, who proceeds to point out a number of inconsistencies regarding her body. Why is she never injured, and why does she suddenly no longer need her wheelchair? He claims that there is more to her existence than she has been led to believe, and that she alone holds the key to ending The Burst. With many factions now interested in Aiko, she and Yuuya must gather allies and embark on a dangerous pilgrimage into the heart of the infested gorge before the net can close around them. To escape the conspiracy moving against them, the pair must face off against the Matter—an enemy that flows like water. Another Netflix show which usually means fast pace, lots of action and attempt to introduce epic elements to the story. But the result is usually surface-scratching rushed flashy action with underdeveloped characters and needlessly complex story that's rather simple in the core. In other words, usage of principle "fake it till you make it". This work is a great example of such concept. It's an ok entertainment, but it only tries to be interesting and remains just an imitation, mostly of EVA. Overall Rating: 6/10 45. Sword Gai The Animation ソードガイ The Animation [DLE, LandQ studios] (Finished 2/12) Tags: Seinen Action, Supernatural When the gods would not answer in humanity's desperate hour of need, it turned to a demon instead. The supposed savior came wielding the sword Zsoltgewinn, but its uncontrollable lust for blood led it to kill those who summoned it too. Although the sword was sealed away long ago, it has been uncovered by the Shoshidai, an organization that collects such cursed artifacts. However, Zsoltgewinn proves to be too strong to be tamed by humans when its corruptive power influences the administrator, Takuma Miura, to flee with it in his grasp. At the same time, Gai Ogata's family is torn apart due to the possession of another demonic sword, Shiryu, leading his father to be murdered and his mother to hang herself shortly after giving birth to him. Abandoned in the forest clutching the blade, he is discovered by the blacksmith Amon. Unnaturally transfixed by the sword, Gai works tirelessly for years to hone his smithing skills. However, when an accident costs him his arm, he gains a new one—in the form of a reforged Shiryu. Now having a cursed sword for an arm, Gai must learn to control its violent urges. All the while, Zsoltgewinn continues its rampage, leaving a path of blood in its wake. Making action anime just around concept of cursed sword like Muramasa is dubious. Without proper story or characters it's just the looks and action which makes it average. Overall Rating: 5/10 46. Mi Yu Xingzhe Uncharted Walker 迷域行者 [Thundray] (Finished 3/12) Tags: High Stakes Game, Psychological, Survival Mystery, Suspense After narrowly escaping a deathtrap, a dazed Ning Yuan finds himself confined by a menacing gangster, He Zhiyang, alongside hysterical doctor, Su Jin. However, this proves to be the least of his concerns as he comes to terms with the group's newfound desperate situation: they are trapped on an isolated island that harbors malignant viruses, horrid mutations, and hostile tribes. Meanwhile, another group of individuals in the same vicinity happen to face the same predicament. Forced to put aside their differences and come together to fight their way to freedom, the two groups of stranded victims must resist their personal motivations which threaten to get the better of them. I'm not fond of any survival. It's usually a convenient theme for cheap emotions as long as there are crafty situations and tension between characters. For me it's all artificial and without interest. Overall Rating: 6/10 47. Sayonara no Asa ni Yakusoku no Hana wo Kazarou Maquia: When the Promised Flower Blooms さよならの朝に約束の花をかざろう [P.A. Works] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Drama, Fantasy Maquia is a member of a special race called the Iorph—mystical beings who can live for hundreds of years and remain separate from the lives and daily troubles of mankind. However, Maquia has always felt lonely despite being surrounded by her people, as she was orphaned from a young age. She daydreams about the outside world, but dares not travel from her home due to the warnings of the clan's chief. One day however, the outside world finds her, as the power-hungry kingdom of Mezarte invades her homeland. They already have what is left of the giant dragons, the Renato, under their control, and now their king wishes to add the immortality of the Iorph to his bloodline. The humans and their Renato ravage the Iorph homeland and kill most of its inhabitants. Caught in the midst of the attack, Maquia is carried off by one of the Renato that has gone berserk. It soon dies, and she is left deserted in a forest far from home, now truly alone save for the cries of a single baby off in the distance. Maquia finds the baby in a destroyed village and decides to raise him as her own, naming him Ariel. Although she knows nothing of the human world, how to raise a child that ages much faster than her, or how to live with the smoldering loneliness inside, she is determined to make it all work somehow. So, lost girl has to bring up abandoned kid while being mistreated by everyone around and getting troubles from this very kid. And at the same time she has to work hard to not starve. See where it's going? Freaking Clannad all over again. And it's not even justified for the sake of the story, which is a mess. Typical tear-jerker that should stay where it belongs - mediocrity. Overall Rating: 5/10 48. Starship Troopers: Red Planet Starship Troopers: Traitor of Mars スターシップ・トゥルーパーズ レッドプラネット [Sola Digital Arts] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Military Action, Sci-Fi After the events of Invasion, Johnny Rico has been demoted to the rank of colonel and relocated to a Martian satellite to train a new batch of troopers. Unfortunately, these troopers are some of the worst low-performing Rico has ever trained as they're Martians and don't take the war seriously. Mars overall has low support for the war as they see their planet unaffected by the bug conflict and even suggested pulling out from the war. Because of their laid back attitude, the denizens of Mars wasn't ready when the bugs attacked. Unknown to everyone, Sky Marshall Amy Snapp executes her plans for power. Full CGI. Six years between the movies is a lot, and concept has also changed a lot. Nice bravado action with some silly humor, but calling it interesting would be an overkill. Overall Rating: 6/10 49. Hiragana Danshi 劇場版 ひらがな男子 ~序~ [-] (Finished 0/1) Tags: Music Hiragana Danshi are in the mission to try to find their comrades in the world where Japanese languages have been disappeared. This is a movie adaptation of the Hiragana Danshi multimedia project which is one of the projects that started from a monthly variety show on Nihon TV titled "Ichara," which gets ideas for 2D characters from the audience. Not found. Overall Rating: 0/10 50. Da Shi Jie Have a Nice Day 大世界 [Beijing Enlight Pictures, Horgos Coloroom Pictures Co., Ltd.] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Psychological Suspense A hard rain is about to fall on a small town in Southern China. In a desperate attempt to find money to save his fiancée’s failed plastic surgery, Xiao Zhang, a mere driver, steals a bag containing 1 million from his boss. News of the robbery spreads fast within the town and, over the course of one night, everyone starts looking for Xiao Zhang and his money. Not translated. Rather ugly. This is a criminal black comedy based around dialogues, so kind of useless to watch it in Chinese without knowing the language. Overall Rating: 5/10
  7. There's a scattering of minor masterpieces : Blend S , Inuyashiki , 3-gatsu no Lion 2nd Season , Juuni Taisen and Wo Shi Jiang Xiaobai with Juuni Taisen probably leaving the biggest impact on me. 1. Black Clover ブラッククローバー [Pierrot] (Finished 5/170) Tags: Shounen Action, Comedy, Fantasy Asta and Yuno were abandoned at the same church on the same day. Raised together as children, they came to know of the "Wizard King"—a title given to the strongest mage in the kingdom—and promised that they would compete against each other for the position of the next Wizard King. However, as they grew up, the stark difference between them became evident. While Yuno is able to wield magic with amazing power and control, Asta cannot use magic at all and desperately tries to awaken his powers by training physically. When they reach the age of 15, Yuno is bestowed a spectacular Grimoire with a four-leaf clover, while Asta receives nothing. However, soon after, Yuno is attacked by a person named Lebuty, whose main purpose is to obtain Yuno's Grimoire. Asta tries to fight Lebuty, but he is outmatched. Though without hope and on the brink of defeat, he finds the strength to continue when he hears Yuno's voice. Unleashing his inner emotions in a rage, Asta receives a five-leaf clover Grimoire, a "Black Clover" giving him enough power to defeat Lebuty. A few days later, the two friends head out into the world, both seeking the same goal—to become the Wizard King! I only tried to restart it once when mixed it up with Hai to Gensou no Grimgar - that's how lowly I evaluate Black Clover. A good shounen, but that's it, and I'm not a fan of shounens as a genre. Overall Rating: 6/10 2. Shokugeki no Souma: San no Sara Food Wars! The Third Plate 食戟のソーマ 餐ノ皿 [J.C.Staff] (Finished 12/12) Tags: Shounen School Gourmet, Ecchi The Moon Festival is Tootsuki Academy's annual gourmet gala, where students compete against each other to earn the most profit through selling their cuisine of choice. But for Souma Yukihira, it is also his first opportunity to challenge the Elite Ten, the supreme council that rules over the academy. However, this is only the beginning of Souma's war against the Elite Ten; a nefarious plot is underway that will provide Souma with the challenge he desires but will also shake the very foundations of Tootsuki Academy itself. Sequel. Overall Rating: 6/10 3. Mahoutsukai no Yome The Ancient Magus' Bride 魔法使いの嫁 [Wit Studio] (Finished 4/24) Tags: Shounen Mythology Drama, Fantasy, Romance Chise Hatori, a 15-year-old Japanese girl, was sold for five million pounds at an auction to a tall masked gentleman. Abandoned at a young age and ridiculed by her peers for her unconventional behavior, she was ready to give herself to any buyer if it meant having a place to go home to. In chains and on her way to an unknown fate, she hears whispers from robed men along her path, gossiping and complaining that such a buyer got his hands on a rare Sleigh Beggy. Ignoring the murmurs, the mysterious man leads the girl to a study, where he reveals himself to be Elias Ainsworth—a magus. After a brief confrontation and a bit of teleportation magic, the two open their eyes to Elias' picturesque cottage in rural England. Greeted by fairies and surrounded by weird and wonderful beings upon her arrival, these events mark the beginning of Chise's story as the apprentice and supposed bride of the ancient magus. In what universe is this called shounen? It's a seriously boring shoujo through and through. Better than OVA, but still a torment. It might have some story unwind eventually, but after first four episodes it still has not and it's still typical girl investigating the unusual world in awe and her super wise instructor being patronizing. Guess it's all about the looks and the unusual world. Overall Rating: 6/10 4. Blend S BLEND-S ブレンド・S [A-1 Pictures] (Finished 12/12) Tags: Otaku Culture, Romantic Subtext, Workplace Comedy Wishing to be independent, 16-year-old Maika Sakuranomiya is desperate to nail down a part-time job so that she can afford to study abroad. Unfortunately, her applications are constantly rejected due to the menacing look she unintentionally makes whenever she smiles, despite her otherwise cheerful disposition. After yet another failed interview, she chances upon Café Stile, a coffee shop where the servers interact with the customers while roleplaying distinctive characteristics. The Italian store manager, Dino, becomes infatuated with Maika's cuteness at first sight, and offers her a job as a waitress with a sadistic nature. Coupled with her inherent clumsiness, she successfully manages to serve a pair of masochistic customers in accordance with her new, ruthless persona. Alongside Kaho Hinata as the tsundere and Mafuyu Hoshikawa as the younger sister, Maika decides to make the most out of her unique quirk and cements her position in the cafe with merciless cruelty! Feels like Wagnaria, but with more variation. It has good enough humor and characters, so can't deny it a masterpiece, but can't rate it too high as after a few years I completely forgot the title and the fact that I watched it. Overall Rating: 7/10 5. Inuyashiki Inuyashiki: Last Hero いぬやしき [MAPPA] (Finished 11/11) Tags: Seinen Gore, Psychological Action, Drama, Sci-Fi Ichirou Inuyashiki is a 58-year-old family man who is going through a difficult time in his life. Though his frequent back problems are painful, nothing hurts quite as much as the indifference and distaste that his wife and children have for him. Despite this, Ichirou still manages to find solace in Hanako, an abandoned Shiba Inu that he adopts into his home. However, his life takes a turn for the worse when a follow-up physical examination reveals that Ichirou has stomach cancer and only three months to live; though he tries to be strong, his family's disinterest causes an emotional breakdown. Running off into a nearby field, Ichirou embraces his dog and weeps—until he notices a strange figure standing before him. Suddenly, a bright light appears and Ichirou is enveloped by smoke and dust. When he comes to, he discovers something is amiss—he has been reborn as a mechanized weapon wearing the skin of his former self. Though initially shocked, the compassionate Ichirou immediately uses his newfound powers to save a life, an act of kindness that fills him with happiness and newfound hope. However, the origins of these strange powers remain unclear. Who was the mysterious figure at the site of the explosion, and are they as kind as Ichirou when it comes to using this dangerous gift? Not sure I really enjoyed it, but it's a memorable thought provoking story. I see it as Death Note imitation that is done with skill as expected from Gantz author. Overall Rating: 7/10 6. Net-juu no Susume Recovery of an MMO Junkie ネト充のススメ [Signal.MD] (Finished 10/10) Tags: Adult Cast, Video Game Comedy, Romance For the first time since graduating high school, 30-year-old Moriko Morioka is unemployed—and she couldn't be happier. Having quit her long-standing job of over 11 years, Moriko quickly turns to online games to pass her now-plentiful free time, reinventing herself as the handsome and dashing male hero "Hayashi" in the MMO Fruits de Mer. With the pesky societal obligations of the real world out of the way, she blissfully dives headfirst into the realm of the game, where she promptly meets the kind and adorable healer Lily. Befriending each other almost instantly, the two become inseparable just as Moriko herself becomes more and more engrossed in her new "life" as Hayashi. Eventually, Moriko adopts the reclusive lifestyle in its entirety, venturing out from the safety of her apartment only when absolutely necessary. Meanwhile, unbeknownst to Moriko, a timid 28-year-old corporate worker named Yuuta Sakurai has also logged onto Fruits de Mer from the other side of town. Coincidentally bumping into each other at the convenience store one night, both write off their meeting as no more than just another awkward encounter with a stranger—however, fate has more in store for them than they think. MMO is a great theme for anime, but this one just sucks. First of all, the very notion of mmo junkie requiring rehabilitation, next, vigorous advertisement of lootboxes, and finally, harassment over discovering private information. So many red flags and the result is just clumsy pseudo-romance without good characters or story. Lots of cringe for absolutely nothing. Overall Rating: 5/10 7. Houseki no Kuni Land of the Lustrous 宝石の国 [Orange] (Finished 12/12) Tags: Seinen Anthropomorphic Action, Drama, Fantasy, Mystery In the mysterious future, crystalline organisms called Gems inhabit a world that has been destroyed by six meteors. Each Gem is assigned a role in order to fight against the Lunarians, a species who attacks them in order to shatter their bodies and use them as decorations. Phosphophyllite, also known as Phos, is a young and fragile Gem who dreams of helping their friends in the war effort. Instead, they are told to compile an encyclopedia because of their delicate condition. After begrudgingly embarking on this task, Phos meets Cinnabar, an intelligent gem who has been relegated to patrolling the isolated island at night because of the corrosive poison their body creates. After seeing how unhappy Cinnabar is, Phos decides to find a role that both of the rejected Gems can enjoy. Houseki no Kuni follows Phos' efforts to be useful and protect their fellow Gems. Full CGI. Welcome to the top rated anime on MAL this season! And that pisses me off... Only finished it so I could rant about it more. What people in reviews like about it? Beautiful animation! Even though it's way worse compared to latest Appleseed, Biohazard or Final Fantasy movies. Great characters and interactions! That's pretty stupid, because characters don't even have names, they are called by different stones names. Story is crumbling, because of a big number of such protagonists who get swapped all the time and because it's of reactive character when some creatures attack and someone somehow defends. It's not bad, but nothing special at all. Overall Rating: 5/10 8. Kekkai Sensen & Beyond Blood Blockade Battlefront & Beyond [Bones] (Finished 1/12) Tags: Shounen Super Power, Vampire Action, Fantasy Three years ago, a gateway between Earth and the Beyond opened in New York City, trapping extradimensional creatures and humans alike in an impermeable bubble. After the city's restoration, monsters, magic, and madness are common findings in the area now known as Hellsalem's Lot. Leonardo Watch, a young photographer who unwillingly obtained the "All-seeing Eyes of the Gods" in exchange for his sister's eyesight, came to this paranormal city to find answers to the mysterious power that he possesses. He later finds his life drastically changed when he joins Libra, a secret organization of people with supernatural abilities dedicated to maintaining order in the everyday chaos of Hellsalem's Lot. However, this is only the beginning of Leonardo's unexpected journey ahead. Regardless of the constant threat of otherworldly enemies, he is determined to uncover the secrets of his power and find a way to restore his sister's eyesight. Kekkai Sensen & Beyond follows Leonardo as he sets off on more crazy adventures with his comrades, fighting to ensure peace and order. Sequel. Overall Rating: 6/10 9. 3-gatsu no Lion 2nd Season March Comes In Like a Lion 2nd Season 3月のライオン 第2シリーズ [Shaft] (Finished 22/22) Tags: Seinen Childcare, Strategy Game Drama Now in his second year of high school, Rei Kiriyama continues pushing through his struggles in the professional shogi world as well as his personal life. Surrounded by vibrant personalities at the shogi hall, the school club, and in the local community, his solitary shell slowly begins to crack. Among them are the three Kawamoto sisters—Akari, Hinata, and Momo—who forge an affectionate and familial bond with Rei. Through these ties, he realizes that everyone is burdened by their own emotional hardships and begins learning how to rely on others while supporting them in return. Nonetheless, the life of a professional is not easy. Between tournaments, championships, and title matches, the pressure mounts as Rei advances through the ranks and encounters incredibly skilled opponents. As he manages his relationships with those who have grown close to him, the shogi player continues to search for the reason he plays the game that defines his career. Sequel. Overall Rating: 7/10 10. Shoujo Shuumatsu Ryokou Girls' Last Tour 少女終末旅行 [White Fox] (Finished 3/12) Tags: CGDCT, Iyashikei, Survival Adventure, Mystery, Sci-Fi, Slice of Life Amid the desolate remains of a once-thriving city, only the rumbling of a motorbike breaks the cold winter silence. Its riders, Chito and Yuuri, are the last survivors in the war-torn city. Scavenging old military sites for food and parts, the two girls explore the wastelands and speculate about the old world to pass the time. Chito and Yuuri each occasionally struggle with the looming solitude, but when they have each other, sharing the weight of being two of the last humans becomes a bit more bearable. Between Yuuri's clumsy excitement and Chito's calm composure, their dark days get a little brighter with shooting practice, new books, and snowball fights on the frozen battlefield. Among a scenery of barren landscapes and deserted buildings, Shoujo Shuumatsu Ryokou tells the uplifting tale of two girls and their quest to find hope in a bleak and dying world. I remember trying and dropping this series, because it's just another Kino no Tabi variation. And dialogues are main entertainment here. It's of slow pace, and exploration is rather boring. Overall Rating: 6/10 11. Imouto sae Ireba Ii. A Sister's All You Need 妹さえいればいい。 [SILVER LINK.] (Finished 3/12) Tags: Adult Cast Comedy, Romance, Ecchi Itsuki Hashima is a light novelist obsessed with little sisters, strictly focusing on them when he writes his stories. Despite his personality, he is surrounded by a tight circle of friends: Nayuta Kani, a genius yet perverted novelist who is in love with him; Haruto Fuwa, a fellow male author whose work has seen considerable success; Miyako Shirakawa, a good friend that he met in college; and Chihiro, his perfect younger step-brother who takes care of the housework and cooking. Together, they play strange games, go on spontaneous journeys, crack silly jokes, and celebrate each other's successes. However, each individual must also deal with their own issues, whether it is struggling to meet a deadline or coming to terms with traumatic events buried in their past. It seems to aim for OreImo or Eromanga Sensei, but it fails due to being too plain and unfunny. Characters are ok, but don't see any other good points here. Overall Rating: 6/10 12. Just Because! [PINE JAM] (Finished 3/12) Tags: Love Polygon, School Drama, Romance As another school year begins drawing to a close, the third-year high school students move steadily toward the next milestone of their lives: graduation. Among them are Mio Natsume, a girl burdened with lingering feelings; Hazuki Morikawa, a member of the concert band but distant from the others; and Haruto Souma, an athlete obsessed with baseball. Meanwhile, second-year student Ena Komiya seeks to revive the photography club to its former glory, refusing to let the organization be disbanded. Though this group lacks a strong connection with one another, their lives suddenly cross paths with the arrival of a third-year transfer student. While a transfer so close to graduation is unusual for most, it is business as usual for Eita Izumi. Due to his father's work, he has never been able to stay in one place for very long. But as luck would have it, their most recent relocation has returned Eita to his hometown for his final semester of high school. For better or worse, it also sparks the rekindling of old relationships left behind in the past. With graduation already causing its own share of anxieties, Eita's sudden arrival brings these students' carefree days to an abrupt end. Long-forgotten memories, deeply buried emotions, and inspiring new passions—everything is brought to light in their bittersweet final semester. I prefer dorama for realistic SOL. Overall Rating: 6/10 13. Juuni Taisen Juni Taisen: Zodiac War 十二大戦 [Graphinica] (Finished 12/12) Tags: Gore, Survival Action Every 12 years, mercenaries who possess the highest caliber of brute strength, cunning wit, and deadly precision gather to participate in the Zodiac Tournament. Each warrior bears the name and attributes of one of the 12 animals of the Chinese zodiac. With their pride and lives on the line, they engage in vicious combat until only the victor remains. The 12th Zodiac Tournament begins in a desolate city, devoid of any evidence of the half million people who recently lived there. To raise the stakes, each warrior ingests a poisonous gem, thus setting a time limit on the tournament—and on their life. With one wish for the victor up for grabs, the Zodiac Warriors start their cutthroat battle for survival. A great example of fresh approach to battle royale. Overall Rating: 7/10 14. Boku no Kanojo ga Majimesugiru Sho-bitch na Ken My Girlfriend is Shobitch 僕の彼女がマジメ過ぎるしょびっちな件 [Diomedéa, Studio Blanc.] (Finished 2/10) Tags: Harem, School Comedy, Romance, Ecchi Haruka Shinozaki has been interested in the class representative, Akiho Kousaka, since his first year in high school. She is attractive, good at sports, and is an all-around model student. Since they are in the same class this year, Shinozaki decides to confess his feelings—and, to his shock, Kousaka agrees to be his girlfriend! However, he finds that Kousaka is a bit stranger than he first thought: this seemingly perfect girl has never been in a relationship. But even though she is inexperienced, she vows to please Shinozaki in every way she can... such as learning multiple sex positions or his fetishes. Shinozaki tries to assure her that her studies into such subjects aren't necessary, but Kousaka devotes herself to making him happy in more ways than one. Harems evolve bit by bit, but this representative is still being pretty messy and useless just not fun. Overall Rating: 6/10 15. Himouto! Umaru-chan R 干物妹!うまるちゃんR [Doga Kobo] (Finished 1/12) Tags: Otaku Culture, School Comedy Umaru Doma is a model student who has a hidden side: when she gets home each day, she puts on her hamster hoodie and turns into a sluggish otaku fond of junk food. As Umaru continues these daily antics, the friendship between her and her classmates—Nana Ebina, Kirie Motoba, and Sylphinford Tachibana—deepens, and more and more interesting events begin to unfold. Of course, these events give rise to numerous questions. What did Nana ask of Umaru's brother Taihei? Who is the mysterious girl with the diamond hairpin? And most important of all: why does this girl seem to know Umaru? These questions and more will be answered in Himouto! Umaru-chan R! Sequel. Overall Rating: 6/10 16. Ousama Game The Animation King's Game 王様ゲーム The Animation [Seven] (Finished 12/12) Tags: Gore, High Stakes Game, School, Survival Drama, Horror, Mystery, Supernatural It can be rough transferring to a new school—even more so if you don't want to make any friends, like Nobuaki Kanazawa. But the reason for his antisocial behavior soon becomes clear when his class receives a text from someone called "The King." Included are instructions for the "King's Game," and all class members must participate. Those who refuse to play, quit halfway, or don't follow an order in the allotted time of 24 hours will receive a deadly punishment. Having played the game before and watched as those around him died, Nobuaki tries to warn his clueless classmates. Unfortunately, they only believe him after the King's Game claims its first casualties. Stuck in a horrific situation with no chance of escape, Nobuaki has a choice: put his own survival above those around him, or do what he couldn't before and save his classmates. It's development of concept presented in The Lost Village anime, so a very niche story. Overall Rating: 6/10 17. Kujira no Kora wa Sajou ni Utau Children of the Whales クジラの子らは砂上に歌う [J.C.Staff] (Finished 12/12) Tags: Shoujo Drama, Fantasy, Mystery, Sci-Fi In a world covered by an endless sea of sand, there sails an island known as the Mud Whale. In its interior lies an ancient town, where the majority of its inhabitants are said to be "Marked," a double-edged trait that grants them supernatural abilities at the cost of an untimely death. Chakuro is the village archivist; young and curious, he spends his time documenting the discovery of newfound islands. But each one is like the rest—abandoned save for the remnants of those who lived there long ago. For the first time in six months, another island crosses the horizon, so Chakuro and his friends join the scouting group. During the expedition, they find vestiges of an archaic civilization. And inside one of its crumbling remains, Chakuro discovers a girl who will change his destiny and the world inside the Mud Whale as he knows it. Mystery , fantasy, characters ... everything is half-baked here and thus disappointing as it had potential. Overall Rating: 6/10 18. Itsudatte Bokura no Koi wa 10 cm Datta. Our love has always been 10 centimeters apart. いつだって僕らの恋は10センチだった。 [Lay-duce] (Finished 6/6) Tags: School, Visual Arts Drama, Romance Miou Aida and Haruki Serizawa might seem like polar opposites to those around them, but as the two third-years prepare to end their high school experience, they couldn't have been closer. While Miou is a shy and reserved member of the school art club that prefers to stay out of the limelight, Haruki is the boisterous and confident ace of the movie club, already winning awards for his directing prowess. However, after a previous chance encounter during their school entrance ceremony, they quickly become friends despite their stark differences in personality. But although their closeness might be growing, they've never become anything more than just that, much to the bewilderment of their friends. As their time in high school draws to a close, Miou and Haruki, along with their friends in the art and movie clubs, have just one year left to face their hidden feelings and the daunting task of deciding their future careers. The two might always be only an arm's reach away, but as Haruki chases his dream of becoming a professional movie director and Miou struggles with choosing a path for herself, they'll learn just how hard it is to get past those last 10 centimeters. Pretty banal school romance, but quality can be called above average. Overall Rating: 6/10 19. UQ Holder! Mahou Sensei Negima! 2 UQ Holder! UQ HOLDER! ~魔法先生ネギま!2~ [J.C.Staff] (Finished 1/12) Tags: Shounen Action, Fantasy, Sci-Fi Touta Konoe is an ordinary boy raised in a small rural town. His mundane life suddenly changes when his mentor, Yukihime, reveals herself to be a vampire; after saving Touta from a mortal wound, she causes him to become immortal as well. Already yearning to explore the world, young Touta finally puts his dream to ascend to the top of Amanomihashira—a tower that leads to outer space—into realization. Along the way, he finds a secret society filled with immortals just like him called "UQ Holders." Gaining new comrades and mentorship along the way, Touta embarks on his own unique, magical adventure. Sequel. Overall Rating: 6/10 20. Kino no Tabi: The Beautiful World - The Animated Series Kino's Journey -the Beautiful World- the Animated Series キノの旅 -the Beautiful World- the Animated Series [Lerche] (Finished 1/12) Tags: Adventure, Drama, Fantasy When 15-year-old Kino is feeling weighed down by heavy thoughts, one thing always manages to cheer her up: traveling. Nothing fills her heart with joy like exploring the beautiful, wonderful world around her and the fascinating ways people find to live. However, Kino is not as helpless as her cute appearance and courteous demeanor suggest. Armed with "Cannon" and "Woodsman," her trusted handguns, Kino isn't afraid to kill anyone who would dare to get in her way. Always by her side is her best friend and loyal companion Hermes, a sentient motorcycle, who supports Kino through the sorrows and hardships of their journey. Together, they travel the vast countryside with the shared goal of always moving forward, and a single rule: never stay in one country for more than three days. As Kino and Hermes encounter new people and learn the rules of their civilizations, they grow and find out more about their own values and virtues. But as Kino slowly discovers the world around her, she also finds herself facing dangers that linger within the vast unknown. Remake. Overall Rating: 6/10 21. Gintama.: Porori-hen Gintama.: Slip Arc 銀魂。ポロリ編 [Bandai Namco Pictures] (Finished 13/13) Tags: Shounen Gag Humor, Historical, Parody, Samurai Action, Comedy, Sci-Fi Following the grim events of Iga, Kokujou Island, Rakuyou, and multiple fruitless confrontations with the Tenshouin Naraku and Tendoshuu, Gintama.: Porori-hen takes its viewers on a trip down memory lane to when Yorozuya were mostly doing what they did best—odd jobs. The great space hunter Umibouzu has returned to Edo and is livid when he finds out that his daughter Kagura has a boyfriend. He blames Gintoki for being an incompetent guardian, but has the time finally come for him to let go of his daughter? Back with shameless parodies, risqué humor, and lively camaraderie, Gintoki, Kagura, and Shinpachi are faced with unforeseen situations that manage to be both hilarious and emotionally stirring. Sequel. Overall Rating: 6/10 22. Konohana Kitan このはな綺譚 [Lerche] (Finished 4/12) Tags: Seinen Anthropomorphic, CGDCT, Iyashikei, Mythology, Workplace Fantasy, Girls Love, Slice of Life In a bustling village of spirits, Yuzu, a cheerful fox girl, starts her first job as an attendant at the traditional hot springs inn Konohanatei. Though Yuzu has no experience working at such a high-class establishment, Kiri, the affable and reliable head attendant, immediately puts her to work learning the basics. While Yuzu's eagerness initially proves to be more of a hindrance than a blessing, her playful nature brings a unique charm to the inn, as both customers and her fellow workers quickly warm up to her clumsy yet well-meaning mistakes. Under the guidance of the other foxes—the rigid Satsuki, the carefree Natsume, the critical Ren, and the quiet Sakura—Yuzu steadily learns the trade of an inn attendant while learning to love the magical world surrounding her. Konohana Kitan presents the heartwarming tale of a simple fox girl forging bonds with others and finding a home amidst the mysterious, beautiful world of spirits. Folklore world SOL akin to Life of Centaur girl, but with inn as a stage. Not great. Overall Rating: 5/10 23. Dies Irae [A.C.G.T.] (Finished 11/11) Tags: Military, Super Power Action Ren Fujii is a normal student who just had a fistfight with his former best friend, leading him to break off their friendship. But with the help of his childhood friend, Kasumi Ayase, and upperclassman, Rea Himuro, he's gradually returning to his normal school life. Then a series of brutal murders in which the victims are decapitated begins to strike their city. Strangely, at the same time, Ren starts to have terrifying nightmares of being beheaded by a guillotine. But these are just a prelude to the painful and terrifying battles to come. Have not watched continuation, so without proper ending there can't be strong impression yet. So far it's a mixed bag. Overall Rating: 6/10 24. Love Live! Sunshine!! 2nd Season Love Live! Sunshine!! Season 2 ラブライブ!サンシャイン!! 第2期 [Sunrise] (Finished 1/13) Tags: Idols (Female), Music, School Slice of Life Having decided to walk down a path separate from their inspirations as idols, the girls of Aqours are more determined than ever to shine brilliantly as school idols. With their previous performance marginally increasing the number of prospective students for their endangered school, they look to carry the momentum of their small step forward into the school's upcoming open house and the next Love Live competition. Hoping to use these events to bring more attention to their school, the nine girls look to give their best performances yet. Unfortunately, these small steps forward are not enough to convince Mari Ohara's father from changing his plans. Undeterred by Mari's pleas for reconsideration, the decision to close down the school is made official, putting an end to Uranohoshi Girls' High School's student recruitment, including the open house. Though all hope seems to be lost, the school idols refuse to give up. Faced with impossible odds, Aqours sings, dances, and shines in the hopes of bringing about a miracle. Sequel. Overall Rating: 5/10 25. Evil or Live [Haoliners Animation League] (Finished 12/12) Tags: Gore, Psychological, School, Survival Horror Severe internet addiction has become an epidemic infecting the nation's youth, ultimately resulting in their extreme dependence on the world wide web. Those who are too far gone are enrolled at Elite Reeducation Academy in order to help them grow into successful adults. Hibiki is one such teenager who awakens in the facility unaware of how he came to be there. He learns from the head instructor that he was knocked out and brought to the school at his mother's behest, concerned with how belligerent her son was becoming as a result of his internet addiction. Stuck in a place more akin to a prison than an academy, and with no escape from the abuses of the instructors, Hibiki decides to end his life by jumping from the roof. But as fate would have it, he meets a mysterious man named Shin who promises to give his life meaning... Did not expect Prison School imitations to start popping up so soon. It looses in comparison big time though. Plus it's pretty negative, so not really enjoyable. Overall Rating: 6/10 26. Animegataris Anime-Gataris アニメガタリズ [WAO World] (Finished 4/12) Tags: Otaku Culture, Parody, School Comedy After dreaming about an anime she used to watch as a child, Minoa Asagaya could not forget a particularly memorable scene. However, despite her best efforts, she cannot recall the name of the show. Due to this, Minoa asks for help from her fellow classmates at Sakaneko High School. Her conversation is overheard by Arisu Kamiigusa, the most popular and wealthy girl in class who is also a hardcore otaku. Yet even with her vast knowledge, Arisu does not recognize the show. After discovering that there isn't an anime club at their school, Minoa and Arisu create the Anime Research Club, as they may obtain the answer to Minoa's mystery if they gather people who share the same interest. Thus, Minoa is exposed to a bizarre new world—the world of anime! Rather mediocre series about anime club. Without great characters, good humor or Genshiken-like realism it's lackluster in everything. Overall Rating: 6/10 27. Garo: Vanishing Line GARO -VANISHING LINE- 牙狼〈GARO〉-VANISHING LINE- [MAPPA] (Finished 1/24) Tags: Mythology Action, Fantasy, Supernatural Corruption looms over the prosperous Russell City, where manifestations of negative emotions called Horrors cause chaos and mayhem. The Makai Order is the last bastion of hope against these unholy creatures. Using several small businesses as fronts, they deploy powerful Makai Knights and magical Makai Alchemists to combat the Horror threat. Within this secretive order, the highest rank of Golden Knight has been bestowed upon a large, powerful man named Sword, granting him use of the Garo armor and blade. He alone knows of a plot that threatens the entire Makai Order, with his only hint being the phrase “El Dorado." While fighting a Horror, he encounters Sophia "Sophie" Hennis, a teenage girl whose brother's disappearance years ago is also linked to the same phrase. The two agree to work together to uncover the truth behind "El Dorado" and the disappearance of Sophie's brother. Sequel. Overall Rating: 6/10 28. Osomatsu-san 2nd Season Mr. Osomatsu 2 おそ松さん 第2期 [Pierrot] (Finished 1/25) Tags: Gag Humor, Parody Comedy Second season of Osomatsu-san. Sequel. Overall Rating: 6/10 29. Hoozuki no Reitetsu 2nd Season Hozuki's Coolheadedness 2 鬼灯の冷徹 第弐期 [Studio Deen] (Finished 1/13) Tags: Seinen Mythology Comedy, Fantasy Just as in this life, the afterlife needs a calm troubleshooter to deal with the bureaucratic headaches that come from keeping things in order. Enter Hozuki: a cool and collected demon who’s badly in need of a vacation. Sequel. Overall Rating: 6/10 30. Urahara [Shirogumi, EMT Squared] (Finished 8/12) Tags: Mahou Shoujo, Psychological Comedy, Fantasy, Sci-Fi Three high school girls are putting together a limited-time shop called "PARK" in Japan's Harajuku. One day, aliens come to Earth with the intent to steal the famed district's culture. At the same time, a mysterious girl appears. The three girls band together to defeat the alien threat and protect their beloved Harajuku. Mahou shoujo, but with smaller girls and rather mild with main theme being friendship, although whirling around complexes and past to make it "psychological". It tries to be creative, but ends up being ordinary. Overall Rating: 5/10 31. Two Car つうかあ [SILVER LINK.] (Finished 1/12) Tags: Racing Two Car follows high schoolers Yuri Miyata and Megumi Meguro as they battle six other rival pairs in the sport of motorcycle sidecar racing. Racing goes without me. Overall Rating: 5/10 32. Wake Up, Girls! Shin Shou Wake Up, Girls! New Chapter Wake Up, Girls!新章 [Millepensee] (Finished 12/12) Tags: Idols (Female), Music Drama "Wake Up, Girls!" is the story of growth and friendship of seven girls living in Sendai, Miyagi who form the idol group "Wake Up, Girls! (WUG)" and work together to become top idols. Operating under a small production company in Sendai known as "Green Leaves Entertainment," WUG overcame countless obstacles to beat national idol group "I-1 club" at the Idol Festival and win the event. They had suddenly become top idols... but with an idol recession going on, things weren't so easy. The days of steady and honest idol work continued for the girls. Meanwhile, Sendai-based middle school trio Hayashi Ayumi, Morishima Otome, and Atsugi Itsuka have developed an increasing desire to become idols... Sequel. Overall Rating: 6/10 33. Dynamic Chord [Pierrot, Pierrot Plus] (Finished 3/12) Tags: Music Dynamic Chord is a record company and music agency representing the hottest artists right now with, in particular, four of the country's most popular bands. They are rêve parfait with its own unique world view and progressive sound, Liar-S, an emo rock band, KYOSO, a group of highly-polished performers, and apple-polisher, which fuses dance with rock and roll. Against the backdrop of Japan's four seasons, comes a realistically depicted documentary movie about the encounters, breakups and trajectory of these 16 band members as they vie for musical preeminence. Just a bore with bishounen band and some boys love motives. Overall Rating: 4/10 34. Infini-T Force Infini-T Force (インフィニティ フォース) [Tatsunoko Production] (Finished 4/12) Tags: Super Power Action, Sci-Fi Emi is a seventeen-year-old girl living in Shibuya. Her father is always away with work and she's grown listless. Suddenly, a twist of fate involving a certain magical item changes everything. A mysterious pencil, of all things, is linked to the appearance of heroes from another world! Could this be the start to the excitement she's so desperately craving, or is there something more? Full CGI. Compilation of old superheroes can hardly mean an interesting plot. And by fourth episode it has indeed been a waste of time. Overall Rating: 5/10 35. ClassicaLoid 2nd Season ClassicaLoid 2 クラシカロイド 第2シリーズ [Sunrise] (Finished 1/25) Tags: Anthropomorphic, Music Comedy Second season of ClassicaLoid. Sequel. Overall Rating: 6/10 36. Time Bokan: Gyakushuu no San Akunin Time Bokan: The Villains Strike Back タイムボカン 逆襲の三悪人 [Tatsunoko Production] (Finished 1/24) Tags: Historical, Mecha Adventure, Comedy Bimajo, Tsubuyakky, and Suzukky work at the History Paradise Company, which publishes text books in the 24th century, and they're also the evil trio, Akudama, that gets in the way of JKK's investigation of history! After their last battle in history with JKK officers Tokio and Calen, they were on a long yet short time off (unpaid, of course), when they finally received a new assignment from their mysterious boss. The assignment... was to collect the mystical Dynamonds from famous people throughout history. Akudama starts hopping through time, as they're ordered, and try to get the Dynamonds from the various famous historical figures. The evil trio's revenge mission through time was about to start once again!! Sequel. Overall Rating: 5/10 37. Shining Star 샤이닝스타 [Maro Studio] (Finished 1/52) Tags: Idols (Female), Music At the prestigious Shining Star School, every girl dreams of becoming the best idol, called "Muse". Nara, an ordinary girl, decides to attend the school in order to fulfill her dream. Typical wannabe idol school shoujo with vocaloid. Overall Rating: 5/10 38. Yi Ren Zhi Xia 2 Hitori no Shita - The Outcast 2 一人之下2 [Haoliners Animation League] (Finished 1/24) Tags: Super Power Action, Supernatural Chou Soran must participate in the Raten Taishou to uncover his grandfather's secrets and the key to Fou Houhou's past. Though Houhou trains Soran, will that be enough to defeat powerful enemies who all seem out to get him while they struggle for power and victory in the tournament? Sequel. Overall Rating: 6/10 39. Escha Chron エスカクロン [Lerche] (Finished 2/2) Tags: CGDCT, Music Sci-Fi, Slice of Life The story follows the two titular girls Escha and Chron, whose contrasting personalities are like the sun and moon. The two girls are from Terminal, a future post-apocalyptic world that's empty and monochrome. The two girls cross worlds and arrive in the present day, which they call Transit. As Escha and Chron experience the light (scenery) and sound (music) of the real world, the future world of Terminal gradually changes into a more vivid world. Too short to matter. OK SOL that ends abruptly and fails to tell any story. Overall Rating: 6/10 40. Wo Shi Jiang Xiaobai I'm Joybo 我是江小白 [2:10 AM Animation] (Finished 12/12) Tags: Drama, Romance, Slice of Life Ten years ago, Jiang Xiaobai lost all his memories due to a traumatic event he no longer remembers. Now working as a trainee in Editorial Office No.2 of Wen Zheng Magazine, a literary periodical based in Chongqing, he is excited to begin a new chapter of his life: in two days, he finishes his probationary period and officially starts his job as an editor. He gives no thought to his recurring dream of a girl whose face can never clearly see. That evening, one of Jiang Xiaobai's seniors passes him the task of rushing to the airport to escort the idiosyncratic rising author Tong Li, who has returned from America to launch her first serialized novel in Chinese. As punishment for this senior reneging on his own duties, Jiang Xiaobai replaces him as Tong Li's new editor. Though they get off to a rough start, Tong Li soon recognizes Jiang Xiaobai as someone precious from her high school days. Before they know it, the wheels of fate are set in motion, as Jiang Xiaobai slowly uncovers clues about a long-forgotten girl from his past. Full CGI. Time skip drama with a bit of mystery. Non-CGI or dorama would be much more welcome, but I'd better highlight story in this shape as minor masterpiece rather than advocate for skipping it entirely as just decent. Overall Rating: 7/10 41. Shen Qi Huan Qi Tan The Legend of Ancient Soul 神契幻奇谭 [Mili Pictures] (Finished 2/24) Tags: School Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Mystery, Supernatural Years ago, the gods fought against each other before being sealed away. However their artifacts remained in the souls of the HuaXia clan as part of a contract and hope that someday in the future, they will awaken once more using those artifacts. Full CGI. Half-length episodes. It begins very amateurish as bad guys chase a girl and protagonist with superpowers saves her. And it's even stylized as if it was a fighting game. Weird and unappealing. Second episode feels like World Conquest Zvezda Plot as there's a whole company of characters with superpowers. Same underwhelming. Overall Rating: 5/10 42. CMFU Xueyuan: Shenshi Ji Jijian CMFU学院:绅士击击剑 [Foch Films] (Finished 0/24) Tags: Combat Sports, School Romance, Sports The recruitment of new students in various clubs of CMFU Academy is in full swing. Freshman Minnie has joined the CMFU Fencing Club because of her fascination with "Three Musketeers". The swordsman contest is coming soon, and the president Chu Zhuoran intends to conduct an internal trial in the fencing club to select contestants for the swordsman contest. Minnie was excluded because of her zero foundation, but she didn't get discouraged and approached the president Chu Zhuoran to ask for fair participation in the selection. In desperation, Chu Zhuoran decided to give Minnie a week to personally train her. The Fencing Club of the Yunzong Academy in the same city also came here, not only to find out the strength of the newly recruited female swordsmen of CMFU, but Lian Kai, the president of the Fencing Club of the Yunzong Academy, had a holiday with A Qiao, a member of the CMFU Fencing Club. This series shows how the CMFU Academy Fencing Club prepares for the swordsman competition and Minnie's growth as a zero-base fencer, conveys the charm of campus sports, encourages more audiences to learn about fencing and love the sport of fencing. Not found. Overall Rating: 0/10 43. Qiang Shen Ji 枪神记 [Mokai Technology] (Finished 1/12) Tags: Action, Sci-Fi With the advent of advanced super-era technology came the Gene Lock, a revolutionary technique that greatly enhances a person's speed, power, and senses. Those who successfully unlock their genetic potential are known as "agents," with the most skilled among them earning the title of "gun gods." Factions fought fiercely to establish academies for training these agents and controlling gene locks through experimentation and the influence of extraterrestrial beings. This led to a global conflict until the mysterious race disappeared, leaving behind agents and their abilities. Today, the only remnants of these past struggles are the two surviving organizations: "Deep Sea" and "Dead Snake." Both agencies have relocated to the seabed and underground and have agreed to a truce. However, conflict still lurks beneath the surface of tranquility. Our story begins when Lin Xiaoshuai, a master martial artist, stumbles upon the Deep Sea Special Academy. He and his comrades will embark on a journey to unlock their genetic locks, master combat, and firearms, and become agents, possibly even gun gods. The anime is divided into four chapters: The Secret Service Academy, The Special Agent World, The Secret History of Blood Race, and Deep Sea Falling. Full CGI. Partially translated. Another straightforward fighting action series with antics in places of comedy. Overall Rating: 5/10 44. LayereD Stories Zero LayereD Stories 0 レイヤードストーリーズ ゼロ [-] (Finished 1/9) Tags: Video Game Sci-Fi In Shibuya, Tokyo in 2037, LayereD is a platform that uses mixed reality technology to create visualizations of the Internet in the real world. By using special devices, people can have various augmented-reality experiences. Users are able to bring things they imagine into the real world, allowing for a wide variety of self-expression. However, the system does not provide people the freedom it was supposed to, and people actually live in an oppressive society. In the Varna Counter system, harmful creations are eliminated in order to make LayereD "completely clean and healthy." Because users monitor each other to maintain regulations, society becomes rigid and constrained. Not translated. Full CGI. Mobile game advertisement around colorful duels. Overall Rating: 5/10 45. Godzilla 1: Kaijuu Wakusei Godzilla: Planet of the Monsters GODZILLA -怪獣惑星- [Polygon Pictures] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi Twenty thousand years after the fall of humanity, Earth succumbed to legions of ravenous creatures who now freely roam the planet. Far away in the depths of space, the last surviving members of humanity float aimlessly in the same ship they escaped Earth with so many years ago. With the spacecraft running dangerously low on resources, the survivors' leading council must decide on their path forward: should they continue to gamble on finding another Earth-like planet to inhabit, or take to heart an anonymous essay theorizing what may be the only weakness of the "Godzilla," who forced the last remnants of humanity off their home world? The author of the controversial essay is Haruo Sakaki, a man who witnessed the death of his parents to Godzilla at a young age, which has led him to harbor an obsessive hatred for the monster. Now, he spearheads the operation aimed at reclaiming humanity's birthright from the king of monsters and slaying him once and for all. But, alongside humanity, Earth has undergone drastic change since their departure; Godzilla and its numerous spawns may pale in comparison to the darkness lurking within the hearts of this close-knit community of survivors. Full CGI. My first thought was that graphics and plot are very much like Sidonia no Kishi, and both works happen to be from the same studio. Just decent mecha VS deadly monsters action with a lot of introductory talk as supposed for start of the trilogy, Can't treat kaijuu seriously as it still looks sort of silly, but I'll try next movie just for the lulz. Overall Rating: 6/10 46. Zhongkui Chuanqi: Sui Han Sanyou Judge Zhongkui 钟馗传奇之岁寒三友 [-] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Mythology Adventure, Fantasy Legend of Zhongkui as he exorcises ghosts with two friends. Not translated. It's so drenched in Chinese folklore that it becomes repulsive for me. It's done in Disney manner and probably targets kids primarily. Overall Rating: 5/10
  8. Side stories with many of the same characters are also sequels to the series in broader sense to me. I choose to dismiss it outright, because series often put severe limitations on authors. It's ok when only world setting is given with freedom of story like WH40K, but Fate series as well as Gundam limits the plot concept and conflict with only small side-tracking available. It has to be Holy Grail war of up to 12 servants, and can't fix that by altering timeline. All that clinging to some franchise is even worse than ongoings that just continue same story. I value original stories, not repeated interpretations with alterations. I'd like to see more finished stories and more authors rather than stimulating fanservice works of same creators who can't go on since there's no motivation for that. When I see prequel, I expect at the very least to learn how protagonists got acquainted. We never learn that for Sora and Shiro. We learn nothing that characters would have recollections of. I choose to call something that has no real connection to main series alternative dimension for simplification as calling it mythological age does not add relevance for the original series story compared to complete alternative dimension. It could have been a meaningful prequel, but it's instead meaningless prequel with redundant information about the worldbuilding instead of protagonists. Movie is impressive and deserves a masterpiece status if treated as stand-alone product or if there was a sequel to the series. But in current situation when movie is issued only after 3 years and today after 10 years since release there's still nothing else, the whole situation with the movie looks like mockery to me who watched it for the first time now. Unreasonable, perhaps, but situation is too infuriating after we've seen the fate of Berserk.
  9. Youkoso Jitsuryoku Shijou Shugi no Kyoushitsu e is a great crafty series. Made in Abyss goes only slightly behind. Knight's & Magic is a curious small, but surprisingly enjoyable thing. 1. Kakegurui 賭ケグルイ [MAPPA] (Finished 3/12) Tags: Shounen High Stakes Game, Psychological, School, Strategy Game Drama, Mystery Unlike many schools, attending Hyakkaou Private Academy prepares students for their time in the real world. Since many of the students are the children of the richest people in the world, the academy has its quirks that separate it from all the others. By day, it is a normal school, educating its pupils in history, languages, and the like. But at night, it turns into a gambling den, educating them in the art of dealing with money and manipulating people. Money is power; those who come out on top in the games stand at the top of the school. Yumeko Jabami, a seemingly naive and beautiful transfer student, is ready to try her hand at Hyakkaou's special curriculum. Unlike the rest, she doesn't play to win, but for the thrill of the gamble, and her borderline insane way of gambling might just bring too many new cards to the table. So the most popular anime this season is... this... mystery, silly ahegao, horrible gambling games, slavery, maniacs - everything is as I like it! Probably the worst gambling show that I've seen, and I've seen Mahjong Hishouden: Naki no Ryuu. Overall Rating: 5/10 2. Made in Abyss メイドインアビス [Kinema Citrus] (Finished 13/13) Tags: Gore, Survival Adventure, Drama, Fantasy, Mystery, Sci-Fi The Abyss—a gaping chasm stretching down into the depths of the earth, filled with mysterious creatures and relics from a time long past. How did it come to be? What lies at the bottom? Countless brave individuals, known as Divers, have sought to solve these mysteries of the Abyss, fearlessly descending into its darkest realms. The best and bravest of the Divers, the White Whistles, are hailed as legends by those who remain on the surface. Riko, daughter of the missing White Whistle Lyza the Annihilator, aspires to become like her mother and explore the furthest reaches of the Abyss. However, just a novice Red Whistle herself, she is only permitted to roam its most upper layer. Even so, Riko has a chance encounter with a mysterious robot with the appearance of an ordinary young boy. She comes to name him Reg, and he has no recollection of the events preceding his discovery. Certain that the technology to create Reg must come from deep within the Abyss, the two decide to venture forth into the chasm to recover his memories and see the bottom of the great pit with their own eyes. However, they know not of the harsh reality that is the true existence of the Abyss. Great memorable show. Still have not seen sequel that I'm looking forward to. Overall Rating: 8/10 3. Youkoso Jitsuryoku Shijou Shugi no Kyoushitsu e Classroom of the Elite ようこそ実力至上主義の教室へ [Lerche] (Finished 12/12) Tags: Psychological, School Drama On the surface, Koudo Ikusei Senior High School is a utopia. The students enjoy an unparalleled amount of freedom, and it is ranked highly in Japan. However, the reality is less than ideal. Four classes, A through D, are ranked in order of merit, and only the top classes receive favorable treatment. Kiyotaka Ayanokouji is a student of Class D, where the school dumps its worst. There he meets the unsociable Suzune Horikita, who believes she was placed in Class D by mistake and desires to climb all the way to Class A, and the seemingly amicable class idol Kikyou Kushida, whose aim is to make as many friends as possible. While class membership is permanent, class rankings are not; students in lower ranked classes can rise in rankings if they score better than those in the top ones. Additionally, in Class D, there are no bars on what methods can be used to get ahead. In this cutthroat school, can they prevail against the odds and reach the top? I hardly ever use 9 score for new titles, but when I thought what I'd call a 9, Classroom of the Elite came to mind, in other words a great intelligent show with clever mind tricks that I still can't call a perfect masterpiece. Overall Rating: 9/10 4. Tsurezure Children Tsuredure Children 徒然チルドレン [Studio Gokumi] (Finished 3/12) Tags: Shounen School Comedy, Romance Young love—it takes many unique and fascinating forms that flourish as children begin to mature into adults. From being unable to confess to not knowing what real love actually feels like, various obstacles can arise when learning about romantic attraction for the first time. But underneath all that, young love is something truly beautiful to behold, leading to brand new experiences for those young and in love. Tsurezure Children depicts various scenarios of young love coming to fruition, along with the struggles and joys that it entails. Half-length episodes and romance between multiple pairs don't make this anime enticing. Neither concept, nor execution can satisfy me. Overall Rating: 5/10 5. Gamers! ゲーマーズ! [PINE JAM] (Finished 4/12) Tags: Love Polygon, Otaku Culture, School, Video Game Comedy, Romance Keita Amano is a typical high school gamer living out an average student's life. One day, however, he has an unexpected meeting with the cutest girl in school that makes him want to disappear without a trace! This girl, Karen Tendou, is an exemplary student who is proclaimed to be the school's idol. She discovers that Amano is a gamer, and this newfound knowledge incites a passionate desire within her to recruit him into the game club. Upon visiting the club, Amano is forcefully made aware of a side to gaming wildly different than the one he loves so dearly. Tendou's interest in Amano begins shaking up what was once an uneventful life, filling it with spontaneity, awkwardness, and a little bit of mayhem. As a result, every day becomes a comical battle for Amano's sanity as he tries to adapt to these wild, unexpected changes. I'm very favorable towards anime about gaming, but this one is seriously flawed due to lack of story and poor characters (especially protagonist). Dropped it before and not feeling any attachment now as well. Overall Rating: 6/10 6. Isekai wa Smartphone to Tomo ni. In Another World With My Smartphone 異世界はスマートフォンとともに。 [Production Reed] (Finished 3/12) Tags: Harem, Isekai, Reincarnation Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy, Romance In a thoughtless blunder, God accidentally strikes down Touya Mochizuki with a stray bolt of lightning! As an apology, God offers him one wish and the chance to live again in a magical fantasy world. Touya happily accepts the offer and, for his one wish, asks only to keep his smartphone with him as he begins his journey into this mysterious world. Starting over in this new world, Touya finds it is filled with magic—which he has an affinity for—and cute girls vying for his attention. These girls—the twins Linze and Elze Silhoueska, Yumina Urnea Belfast, Leen, and Yae Kokonoe—provide Touya with no end of romantic frustrations, but also companionship as he discovers the secrets of this new world. Isekai genre just can't fail if it has a mature intelligent protagonist. And it's not the case for this anime as main character is generic harem trash one like in majority of harems out there. Overall Rating: 6/10 7. Hajimete no Gal My First Girlfriend is a Gal はじめてのギャル [NAZ] (Finished 3/10) Tags: Shounen Harem, School Comedy, Romance, Ecchi Following a prank pulled by his perverse friends, Junichi Hashiba asks a gal out in an attempt to change the fact that he's a hopeless virgin. Yukana Yame, the girl in question, is disgusted by Junichi's groveling. However, through a series of teasing remarks, she soon finds herself bonding with him and ultimately accepting Junichi's confession, much to his surprise. Hajimete no Gal follows Junichi as he overcomes his lack of self-confidence and suppresses his sexual urges, all while thrust into a whole new school life full of lively girls and unpredictable mayhem. First of all, it's harem with petty protagonist. Next, characters aren't really likable. The approach is direct and unfun, so there's just no charm to care or go on. Overall Rating: 6/10 8. Aho Girl AHO-GIRL アホガール [Diomedéa] (Finished 3/12) Tags: Shounen School Comedy, Romance Yoshiko Hanabatake is an idiot beyond all belief. Somehow managing to consistently score zeroes on all of her tests and consumed by an absurd obsession with bananas, her senseless acts have caused even her own mother to lose all hope. Only one person is up to the task of keeping her insanity in check: childhood friend Akuru "A-kun" Akutsu. Though he bemoans the ridiculous behavior he has to endure, the studious but terrifying A-kun is always ready to put an end to any stupidity Yoshiko gets up to, with no qualms about using physical force. Unfortunately, no matter how many times he attempts to knock some sense into her, the girl bounces right back to her usual shenanigans, even dragging in some other eccentrics along for the ride. Try as he might to rein in her nonsense, every moment is unpredictable with Yoshiko and her profound idiocy on the loose. Half-length episodes literally about an idiot, so humor is corresponding. Episode is usually divided in multiple separate yonkoma parts, like ten. Sometimes it's ok, but most of the time it's really silly. Overall can't say it's suitable for me. Overall Rating: 6/10 9. Fate/Apocrypha [A-1 Pictures] (Finished 1/25) Tags: Action, Fantasy, Supernatural The Holy Grail is a powerful, ancient relic capable of granting any wish the beholder desires. In order to obtain this power, various magi known as "masters" summon legendary Heroic Spirits called "servants" to fight for them in a destructive battle royale—the Holy Grail War. Only the last master-servant pair standing may claim the Grail for themselves. Yet, the third war ended inconclusively, as the Grail mysteriously disappeared following the conflict. Many years later, the magi clan Yggdmillennia announces its possession of the Holy Grail, and intends to leave the Mage's Association. In response, the Association sends 50 elite magi to retrieve the Grail; however, all but one are killed by an unknown servant. The lone survivor is used as a messenger to convey Yggdmillennia's declaration of war on the Association. As there are only two parties involved in the conflict, the Holy Grail War takes on an unusual form. Yggdmillennia and the Mage's Association will each deploy seven master-servant pairs, and the side that loses all its combatants first will forfeit the artifact. As the 14 masters summon their servants and assemble on the battlefield, the magical world shivers in anticipation with the rise of the Great Holy Grail War. Sequel. Overall Rating: 6/10 10. Koi to Uso Love and Lies 恋と嘘 [LIDENFILMS] (Finished 3/12) Tags: Love Polygon, School Drama, Romance In a futuristic society, Japan has implemented a complex system referred to as "The Red Threads of Science" to encourage successful marriages and combat increasingly low birthrates. Based on a compatibility calculation, young people at the age of 16 are assigned marriage partners by the government, with severe repercussions awaiting those who disobey the arrangement. For Yukari Nejima, a teen that considers himself average in every way, this system might be his best shot at living a fulfilling life. However, spurred by his infatuation for his classmate and long-time crush, Misaki Takasaki, Yukari defies the system and confesses his love. After some initial reluctance, Misaki reciprocates his feelings in a moment of passion. Unfortunately, before the two can further their relationship, Yukari receives his marriage notice. He is then thrown into a confusing web of love and lies when his less-than-thrilled assigned partner, Ririna Sanada, becomes fascinated with his illicit romance. Not fond of fake engagement/marriage stories and destined spouse. All this naivete of no one knowing how love feels makes it even more clumsy. Overall Rating: 6/10 11. Owarimonogatari 2nd Season Owarimonogatari Second Season 終物語 [Shaft] (Finished 1/7) Tags: Vampire Comedy, Mystery, Supernatural Following an encounter with oddity specialist Izuko Gaen, third-year high school student Koyomi Araragi wakes up in a strange, deserted void only to be greeted by a joyfully familiar face in an alarmingly unfamiliar place. Araragi, with the help of his girlfriend Hitagi Senjougahara, maneuvers through the webs of his past and the perplexities of the present in search of answers. However, fate once again delivers him to the eccentric transfer student Ougi Oshino, who brings forth an unexpected proposal that may unearth the very foundation to which he is anchored. As Araragi peels back the layers of mystery surrounding an apparition, he discovers a truth not meant to be revealed. Sequel. Overall Rating: 6/10 12. Ballroom e Youkoso Welcome to the Ballroom ボールルームへようこそ [Production I.G] (Finished 1/24) Tags: Shounen Performing Arts Sports Tatara Fujita is a shy middle schooler who has no particular plan for the future. He has gotten through life by avoiding any kind of confrontation and blending in with the crowd. But blending in isn't enough to get out of trouble, as some bullies harass him for money. Luckily, he is saved by a man named Kaname Sengoku. Kaname invites Tatara to his dance studio. Although he would normally never set foot in such a place, Tatara is captivated by Sengoku's commanding presence. Granted an opportunity to dance with fellow classmate Shizuku Hanaoka—who often practices at the studio—Tatara realizes there's something about the idea of being put in the limelight and dancing where people will see him that keeps him coming back. With an earnest, passionate drive to improve, Tatara begins his journey into the world of competitive dance. Seems to be homage to Shall We Dance movie. Anyway, I don't find performing sports interesting at all, more like useless and harmful, so not feeling anything towards it. Overall Rating: 6/10 13. Knight's & Magic ナイツ&マジック [8bit] (Finished 13/13) Tags: Isekai, Mecha, Reincarnation, School Action, Fantasy Having died in a car accident, Tsubasa Kurata—an otaku from modern Japan—is reborn in the Fremmevilla Kingdom, a medieval world where powerful mechs called Silhouette Knights are used to fight horrific demonic beasts. Born into a noble family under the name of Ernesti Echevarria and bestowed with prodigious magical abilities, he enrolls into Royal Laihaila Academy. This school of magic trains young men and women on how to pilot the Silhouette Knights, prepping them to protect the kingdom from threats, both demonic and human. Ernesti teams up with the twins named Adeltrud and Archid Olter with the goal to create his own Silhouette Knight one day, a feat unheard of for several centuries. Mature protagonist is always a plus in isekai. I remember watching it and enjoying development of different classes of mecha, their upgrades and their strategical use in battles. But I've never remembered about this anime since. And story is just reactions to someone attacking. I still consider it good and enjoyable anime, so can't deny it a small masterpiece status. Overall Rating: 7/10 14. New Game!! [Doga Kobo] (Finished 12/12) Tags: Adult Cast, CGDCT, Otaku Culture, Workplace Comedy It has been a year since Aoba Suzukaze started working at the Eagle Jump game company. In that time, she and her eccentric coworkers in the character design department have worked hard to release the company's newest game: Fairies Story 3. With their latest title now complete, a new project must begin—starting with a contest to decide the character designs for the upcoming game. Through hard work, dedication, and some guidance from the previous character designer, Kou Yagami, Aoba wins the contest and begins her new role as lead character designer. However, her new job is not an easy one. In addition to having extra work and longer hours, Aoba questions whether she is the right fit for the job. As she overcomes her inexperience with the help of her friends and coworkers, Aoba is willing to face any challenge to make Eagle Jump's newest creation, a cutesy game called Peco. Sequel. Overall Rating: 6/10 15. Isekai Shokudou Restaurant to Another World 異世界食堂 [SILVER LINK.] (Finished 1/12) Tags: Isekai, Workplace Fantasy, Gourmet, Slice of Life Western Restaurant Nekoya is a popular eatery located on a street corner in a Tokyo shopping district. Serving both traditional Japanese fare as well as Western dishes, this eating establishment is popular among Tokyo's residents. But this seemingly ordinary restaurant is also popular with another type of clientele... While the restaurant is thought to be closed on Saturdays, the truth is that on this special day each week, its doors are instead opened to the inhabitants of other worlds. From dragons and elves to fairies and mages, this restaurant has no shortage of strange customers. Nevertheless, the enigmatic chef known only as "Master" will be waiting to serve up their favorite dishes with a kind smile and keep them coming back for many more Saturdays to come. Can't appreciate gourmet shows. Guess Souma was an exception, because it focused only partly on being gourmet. Overall Rating: 5/10 16. Princess Principal プリンセス・プリンシパル [Actas, Studio 3Hz] (Finished 3/12) Tags: Historical Action, Mystery In the early 20th century, the discovery of the substance Cavorite allowed the production of advanced military technology and steered the country toward conflict. London is now divided by a wall, and the Kingdom and the Commonwealth of Albion battle a silent war where espionage is the only weapon that can destabilize the enemy. A group of girls from the prestigious Queen's Mayfaire school work as undercover spies for the Commonwealth. Led by Dorothy, an experienced driver with a striking personality, their group includes the talents of Ange le Carré, a cold-blooded liar and expert sharpshooter; Chise, a proficient samurai; and Beatrice, a voice-mimicking specialist. They use their unique individual skills for the Commonwealth to survive in a dark world filled with conspiracy, mystery, and infiltration. In the shadow of the war, they have only one goal in mind: completing their mission. Spies, turn of 19th century and especially mystery is a poor combination. I remember it being a huge deliberate mess that I can' enjoy, and restarting it brings all the poor memories about it back. Overall Rating: 6/10 17. Keppeki Danshi! Aoyama-kun Clean Freak! Aoyama-kun 潔癖男子!青山くん [Studio Hibari] (Finished 1/12) Tags: Seinen Gag Humor, School, Team Sports Comedy, Sports He is charming, cool, athletic, a good cook, but more importantly, he's a clean freak. Aoyama is idolized and respected by everyone, but they can only admire him from afar due to his mysophobia. Despite that, he plays soccer—a rather dirty sport! As the playmaker for Fujimi High School's soccer club, Aoyama avoids physical contact at all cost and cleanly dribbles toward victory. However, the path to Nationals will not be easy for Fujimi's underdog team. But alongside striker Kaoru Zaizen, Aoyama will show everyone that even as a clean freak, there are things he's willing to get dirty for. It's soccer, so whatever, not feeling involved. Overall Rating: 6/10 18. Netsuzou TRap Netsuzou Trap -NTR- 捏造トラップ―NTR― [Creators in Pack] (Finished 1/12) Tags: Drama, Girls Love High school students Yuma Okazaki and Hotaru Mizushina are childhood friends. With their respective boyfriends, Takeda and Fujiwara, their lives couldn't be more perfect. From playing in school to going on group dates, it seems nothing can break their bond. However, during one such group date, Hotaru makes an unexpected move. While Takeda and Fujiwara are distracted, she begins stroking Yuma's thighs. Taken aback by this peculiar action, Yuma awkwardly retreats to the toilets, followed shortly by her aggressor. Now in private, Hotaru forces the innocent Yuma into a locked cubicle and whispers into her ear: "You'll be more nervous with a boy; I'll help you practice." As usual, I need some comedy to enjoy yuri. Overall Rating: 5/10 19. Katsugeki/Touken Ranbu Katsugeki Touken Ranbu 活撃/刀剣乱舞 [ufotable] (Finished 3/13) Tags: Historical, Samurai Action, Fantasy In 1863, Izuminokami Kanesada and his partner, Horikawa Kunihiro, arrive in the streets of Edo from the future to investigate their master's reports of an upcoming enemy invasion. As humanoid manifestations of the famous Toshizou Hijikata's swords, they have been tasked with protecting history from the Retrograde Army that seeks to alter it. Soon enlisting the help of other sword warriors, they continuously battle the mysterious army throughout the Bakumatsu period. However, their journey will not be an easy one. Fraught with blood and betrayal in the chaotic era closest to their hearts, the duo will be forced to make difficult decisions with everything they care about on the line. So super agents with talking AI camouflaged for an animal travel in time to samurai times to protect shoguns from monsters out of space-time distortions and prevent history from changing... who in the world read that and considered that an interesting stage... It means zero story and zero interesting antagonists. Seeing how it's based on some poor game answers this question, but does not add points for sure. Overall Rating: 5/10 20. Konbini Kareshi Convenience Store Boy Friends コンビニカレシ [Pierrot] (Finished 2/12) Tags: Romance The lives of high school freshmen Haruki Mishima and Towa Honda revolve around studying, clubs, and girls. Amid their hectic routines, romance is certainly budding for the two best friends. Since childhood, Haruki has been pining over Miharu Mashiki, and a chance encounter at the convenience store reignites his feelings. As for Towa, the class representative Mami Mihashi has caught his eye; but unfortunately for him, his affections are not reciprocated. While Haruki's more reserved approach to pursuing Miharu contrasts Towa's persistence with Mami, love seems to be elusive for both. As the months fly by, only time will tell if romance is in the cards for the duo. Some seriously boring romance between two couples, and with ridiculously stupid and artificial drama. Since it failed to capture attention over two episodes, see no reason to go on. Overall Rating: 5/10 21. Centaur no Nayami A Centaur's Life セントールの悩み [Haoliners Animation League] (Finished 3/12) Tags: Seinen School Fantasy, Slice of Life Himeno is a sweet, shy little centaur girl. In her world, everyone seems to be a supernatural creature, and all her classmates have some kind of horns, wings, tails, halos, or other visible supernatural body part. Despite their supernatural elements, Himeno and her best friends, Nozomi and Kyouko, have a fun and mostly normal daily school life! The beast anime about beast girls that I know. But main problem for me is that it lacks comedy. Investigating beast girls SOL is often funny, but some segments are are not, and after them I feel puzzled why I watched that at all. Overall Rating: 6/10 22. Shoukoku no Altair Altair: A Record of Battles 将国のアルタイル [MAPPA] (Finished 4/24) Tags: Shounen Historical, Military Adventure, Drama, Fantasy Tuğrul Mahmut is a young pasha serving on the Divan of the Türkiye Stratocracy. The clouds of war are gathering over his country due to the threat of an aggressive Empire. With the Divan split between warmongers and the pacifists, Mahmut begins his quest to keep the peace at any cost. As he finds himself deeper and deeper in the politics of the ancient world, new enemies and allies surface. Who will prevail? What will Mahmut do if war proves to be inevitable? And I thought Arslan Senki was boring. It tried to remain fantasy and had some plot, at least. Altair, in comparison, deviates from fantasy towards barbaric Turkie history, which results in spam of toponyms and names and terms. I don't see plot here - it's literally record as events pass by and everyone tries to survive or gain something or act morally in some cases. Arslan Senki at least had some nice battles. There's hardly anything in Altair to pique interest. Overall Rating: 6/10 23. Nana Maru San Batsu Fastest Finger First ナナマル サンバツ [TMS Entertainment] (Finished 1/12) Tags: Seinen School, Strategy Game As soon as he entered high school, the first year student Koshiyama Shiki was invited to the mysterious Quiz Study Group led by his senpai. What will Shiki run into when being dragged along by his class mate Mari into the dazzling world of competitive quizzes?! Puzzles and quizzes issue rejection reaction within me. I treat them as obligatory evil in games as long as it does not become obnoxious. But watching an entire anime about quizzes is a small torture. Overall Rating: 6/10 24. Jikan no Shihaisha Chronos Ruler 時間の支配者 [Project No.9] (Finished 13/13) Tags: Shounen Action, Supernatural Like many in her class, Koyuki Honda looks forward to her graduation ceremony. However, while her peers have family to attend, Koyuki has no one, as her only family—her brother—died years ago. While visiting his grave, she meets two brothers named Kiri and Victor Putin chasing a strange creature. They try to assure her that they are just actors shooting a movie; Victor, however, piques Koyuki's curiosity about the old legend of the clock tower at the cemetery: if you make a wish under the clock tower at midnight during a full moon, time will turn back, allowing someone to reclaim what they have lost. Deciding to make her wish, Koyuki learns the horrifying truth: the legend is a ruse for time demons called "Horologues" to steal humans' time. As they are drawn to regrets, Victor uses Koyuki as bait to lure a demon there. Kiri and Victor explain that they are Chronos Rulers, warriors who fight against the Horologues using the "Oath of Time"—an item allowing them to speed up or slow down time. With the demon destroyed and the crisis averted, Koyuki is able to go on her way free from regrets. However, she is not the only human with sorrows. The two boys must continue to hunt down Horologues in order to keep humanity safe. The essence is of generic action shounen with superowers. Overall Rating: 5/10 25. Youkai Apartment no Yuuga na Nichijou Elegant Yokai Apartment Life 妖怪アパートの幽雅な日常 [Shin-Ei Animation] (Finished 3/26) Tags: Mythology, School Slice of Life, Supernatural Inaba Yuushi's parents died in his first year of middle school, and he moved in with his relatives. Though they did care for him, he could tell he was a burden. After he graduated, he happily prepared to move to a high school with a dormitory. Unfortunately, the dormitory burned to the ground before he could move in! Yuushi doesn't want to live with his grudging relatives, but it's rough finding lodging as an orphaned student with little money. He finally finds a room in a nice old building which seems too good to be true. The catch is that it is a Monster House, a place where humans and supernatural creatures—ghosts, mononoke, etc.—live together. Another high schooler lives there, a cute girl named Akine, and she's completely unfazed by the monsters. In fact, she can even exorcise evil spirits! Yuushi's high school life just got much stranger than he ever bargained for! Boring SOL with no story or development, and I see opportunity to like any of the characters let alone youkai. Overall Rating: 5/10 26. Tenshi no 3P! Angel's 3Piece! 天使の3P!〈スリーピース〉 [Project No.9] (Finished 12/12) Tags: Music, School Since entering high school, Kyou Nukui has not attended a single class. Instead, he spends his days locked in his bedroom composing music and posting it on the internet accompanied by his only friend's drawings, an artist with the pseudonym "Kiriyume." One day, Kyou hesitantly uploads his newest composition, and first departure from his typical style, TR03. Additionally, he does not upload under his usual handle "HibikiP," but simply under the name "me," and without a drawing from his mysterious friend. Shortly after, Kyou receives a very polite email, not only praising his music but also somehow discerning that he is, in fact, the composer behind TR03. The e-mail also asks for a meetup in a nearby park, to which he cautiously decides to go. To his surprise, however, he finds three elementary school girls at the meeting place! Suddenly, Jun Gotou, Nozomi Momijidani, and Sora Kaneshiro ask for his help to hold a concert in their home, an old church now used as an orphanage. And though Kyou is reluctant at first, after seeing their musical abilities, he eventually decides to accept their proposal. Based on the light novel of the same name by the award-winning Sagu Aoyama, Tenshi no 3P! follows Kyou as these three angels change his life. Beginning is unusual, but then it becomes very ordinary. Generic cute girls, typical songs and interactions. Overall Rating: 5/10 27. Jigoku Shoujo: Yoi no Togi Hell Girl: Fourth Twilight 地獄少女 宵伽 [Studio Deen] (Finished 1/6) Tags: Psychological Horror, Mystery, Supernatural If you have a grudge against someone, you can access the Hell Correspondence website at the stroke of midnight, type in your grudge's name, and the Hell Girl, Ai Enma, will appear to grant your wish. However, the price for ridding yourself of such a burden is a steep one: in return for condemning the soul of your tormentor to Hell, your soul will also face eternal damnation. In her long vigil as the Hell Girl, Ai has met many willing to pay such a cost. In Jigoku Shoujo: Yoi no Togi, Ai and her enigmatic companions continue to carry out their work, ferrying soul after suffering soul into the depths of Hell. However, as of late, a mysterious girl has been following them. This strange child, unable to even remember her own identity, questions Ai about her duty as the Hell Girl. Who is this girl, and what connection does she have to Ai? Sequel. Overall Rating: 6/10 28. 18if [Gonzo] (Finished 3/13) Tags: Mystery, Supernatural Waking up in a strange bedroom in a dream world, teenager Haruto Tsukishiro finds a strange app on his phone. When he activates the program, an odd woman appears and tries to drag him to her realm. Luckily, a mysterious, white-haired girl severs their connection and helps him escape, revealing that the woman is a witch; however, their conversation is cut short. As Haruto enters the realm again, he meets an anthropomorphic, talking cat named Katsumi Kanzaki. While the witch's minions pursue them, the white-haired girl opens a door for them to escape. After their ordeal, Haruto describes their savior—which only he can see—and Katsumi, the leading authority on dream world research, realizes that she must be "Lily," a being that resurfaces repeatedly across multiple dreamscapes. Hoping to leave the dream world through a blue door, they enter the witch's realm once again. Finding themselves in peril, Lily reveals the truth to Haruto: witches suffer from "Sleeping Beauty Syndrome," a coma-like sleep state induced by torment in their real world lives. Thus, they cannot wake until they are defeated in the dream world. After finally defeating the witch and locating the blue door, Haruto and Katsumi say their farewells, promising to meet up in the real world. However, when Haruto exits through the door, he awakens in the dream world bedroom once more. Seeking answers, Haruto and Katsumi try to uncover the mysteries of the witches, Lily, and Haruto's own inability to leave the dream world. It's pretty much an anthology as episodes are very different. I may be loosely connected somehow in a weird twist as in any mystery, but I don't care. Overall Rating: 5/10 29. Dive!! [Zero-G] (Finished 1/12) Tags: Comedy, Sports The series revolves around the Mizuki Diving Club (MDC), which is on the verge of closing down after having financial troubles. The club's new coach persuades the club's parent company to stay open on one condition: that the club sends one of its members to next year's Olympics as part of Japan's Olympic team. For those who like Free!!. Overall Rating: 5/10 30. Vatican Kiseki Chousakan Vatican Miracle Examiner バチカン奇跡調査官 [J.C.Staff] (Finished 3/12) Tags: Drama, Mystery, Supernatural Fathers Josef Kou Hiraga and Roberto Nicholas are Vatican Miracle Examiners who investigate the authenticity of miraculous phenomena reported from all over the world. In every seemingly sacred event lies horrors of hidden conspiracies, mysterious murders, and devil worship. In this battle of good and evil, Hiraga, a scientific and mathematical genius, and Roberto, a polymath in linguistics and classics, must work together to bring the truth to light. Will their friendship and faith endure the evils in their journey to find a true miracle? Feels like Black Jack anime, just with two protagonists and more religion focused. Theme together with mystery are repulsive for me, execution is also rather rough. Overall Rating: 5/10 31. Saiyuuki Reload Blast Saiyuki Reload Blast 最遊記RELOAD BLAST [Platinum Vision] (Finished 1/12) Tags: Josei Mythology Action, Adventure, Comedy, Drama, Supernatural Nora Handa is a boy who lives with Shachi Yuuri, who was adopted by his mother. With everyone supporting, the two of them grew up healthily even after their parents passed away. Shachi, who likes Nora the most, wakes him up every morning. Nora spends his happy student life with Michi Kuroki, who is a disciplinary committee, honor student at school and childhood friend of the main character, Yuuki Asuhara, who is a gal but is very bright and can talk his worries to, and more friends at school. One day, Nora meets a girl who calls herself Patricia at the park on the way to the school. Patricia is a queen at hell, and claims to come here to destroy the life on land. However, she is damaged heavily because she touched the life for the first time. The energy was stronger than her, so Nora needed to tend her. Patricia asked him to tell her about the mysteries of life, and he had to even explain the ero book that he found at the park...?! Sequel. Overall Rating: 6/10 32. Senki Zesshou Symphogear AXZ Symphogear AXZ 戦姫絶唱シンフォギアAXZ〈アクシズ〉 [Satelight] (Finished 1/13) Tags: Idols (Female), Music Action, Sci-Fi Hibiki Tachibana has defeated many powerful enemies, saved countless innocent lives, and escaped from numerous desperate situations, but she is currently finding herself unable to escape from her most desperate situation yet—summer homework! Although her high school life is relatively unremarkable, her career as a member of the military organization S.O.N.G. is anything but. Using powerful, ancient armor known as Symphogear, Hibiki and her teammates work with the United Nations to deal with international disputes and disasters. During a mission briefing at headquarters, Hibiki is made aware of a mysterious organization known as the Bavarian Illuminati, who has been responsible for several major disasters in the past and currently operate in the war-torn country Val Verde. Together, Hibiki and her team infiltrate one of the Bavarian Illuminati's manufacturing plants and free hundreds of slaves. Exposed, alchemists Saint-Germain, Cagliostro, and Prelati reveal themselves as the organization's top brass, and—using alchemical powers—declare a global revolution while sacrificing thousands of lives. Faced with yet another threat to the world's survival, Hibiki and her allies must confront the Bavarian Illuminati in their most difficult and destructive battle yet. Sequel. Overall Rating: 5/10 33. Mahoujin Guruguru (2017) Magical Circle 魔法陣グルグル [Production I.G] (Finished 1/24) Tags: Shounen Parody Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy Nike was a simple boy from Boering Village, and the last thing he ever wanted was to become a hero. But when a sign appears from the king of Ainshent Castle Town recruiting heroes to slay the Demon Lord Giri, Nike's father enthusiastically forces him out the door. Along with Kukuri, a member of the Migu Migu Clan, Nike sets out on an adventure to become the legendary hero that the world needs. As Nike and Kukuri travel across different continents, they attempt to learn the secrets of Guru Guru Magic, a strange but powerful type of magic used to seal Demon Lord Giri's power. While reluctantly taking on their assigned quest, the duo does not fail to acquire new comrades and have fun along the way. Remake. Overall Rating: 6/10 34. The Reflection ザ・リフレクション [Studio Deen] (Finished 1/12) Tags: Super Power Action After the Reflection, some of the people in all parts of the world are discovered with super powers. Some become heroes, and others villains. How did the Reflection happen? What was the cause of it? With many unsolved mysteries, the world is led into turmoil. It's not anime. It's western superhero movie. I'm not fond of that, and quality seems to be quite low. Overall Rating: 5/10 35. Hina Logi: From Luck & Logic Hina Logic – from Luck & Logic ひなろじ~from Luck & Logic [Doga Kobo] (Finished 1/12) Tags: School Action, Comedy, Fantasy Liones Yelistratova, a pure princess from a small country, enters a school in Hokkaido on a spring day. The school is a specialized educational institution operated by ALCA to train Logicalists, who maintain world peace. Liones enters class S, where she meets many classmates with unique personalities, like Nina. A lively and cute everyday life begins now. Card game mahou shoujo duels. Nothing good comes of these marketing shows. Overall Rating: 5/10 36. Battle Girl High School バトルガール ハイスクール [SILVER LINK.] (Finished 12/12) Tags: School Action, Sci-Fi Based on COLOPL's school action role-playing game. Set in the year 2045. The world has been contaminated by Irousu (mysterious invaders who suddenly appeared), and humans find themselves restricted and contained. Standing boldly against these invaders are ordinary girls everywhere, without a powerful army or even weapons. The Shinjugamine Girls Academy is a school for these "Hoshimori" (Star Guardians) destined to fight the Irousu. The player is assigned to this academy to train the girls and take back the contaminated Earth. And so, once again, the chimes echo through the sun-strewn schoolyard to mark the beginning of classes today... Very typical and boring - it's seen that it comes from action game. Overall Rating: 5/10 37. Action Heroine Cheer Fruits アクションヒロイン チアフルーツ [Diomedéa] (Finished 3/12) Tags: School Comedy, Slice of Life Several years ago, local heroines—superhero characters who represent towns and perform stage shows in order to raise their town's acclaim—had a boom in popularity. The most famous of these local heroines, Kamidaio, is scheduled to perform in the small town of Hinano, much to the excitement of Mikan Kise's little sister Yuzu. Unfortunately, when Mikan takes Yuzu to the show, she finds out that it has been canceled. She promises her distraught sister that she'll make sure she can see the show. Desperate not to let her down, Mikan asks her classmate, the local heroine fanatic An Akagi, for help. Mikan and Ann put on their own Kamidaio performance clad in homemade costumes, which the kids in the audience love despite its lack of production value. The show is recorded by the student council president Misaki Shirogane, who posts it online to garner attention. Misaki is from a family of politicians and has taken it upon herself to revitalize Hinano. Impressed by their show, she recruits Mikan and An to become the official local heroines of their town. As the group works to improve their shows, they enlist the help of a variety of colorful individuals. Tokusatsu is a pretty bad theme. SOL itself here is also nothing special. Overall Rating: 510 38. Clione no Akari Lights of the Clione クリオネの灯り [drop] (Finished 1/12) Tags: School Drama The story centers around an illness-stricken, constantly bullied orphan girl named Minori. After one rainy day, she doesn't turn up at school, having been admitted into a hospital in a distant town. Two months pass, and the girl's two school friends, Takashi and Kyouko, receive a mysterious email with no sender listed. The email reveals a summer festival taking place at a nearby town... Length of episodes is less than half. Character designs are rather poor, story is a usual friendship vs bullying stuff. Overall Rating: 5/10 39. Quanzhi Fashi II Full-Time Magister 2nd Season 全职法师Ⅱ [Foch Films] (Finished 12/12) Tags: School Action, Fantasy After defeating Yu Ang at the cost of revealing his lightning element, Mo Fan has been granted seven days to train in the Underground Holy Spring, where it is said that one can greatly increase their power level. However, Mo Fan's training is abruptly cut short when fierce monsters mysteriously appear all around Bo City, something which should be impossible given the city's border defenses. An emergency is declared, and Mo Fan is tasked with delivering the Underground Holy Spring—now condensed into a small bottle—to a special refuge zone that is protected from the havoc in the city. The path there is long, dangerous, and riddled with bloodthirsty beasts. To worsen matters, the malicious Black Order threatens to halt his advance. How will Mo Fan stop the sacred spring from falling into the wrong hands? Sequel. Overall Rating: 6/10 40. Wo de Tian Jie Nu You My Cultivator Girlfriend 我的天劫女友 [Big Firebird Culture, TrioPen Studio] (Finished 15/15) Tags: Super Power Adventure, Fantasy, Romance, Supernatural In the modern cultivation world, everywhere is law of the jungle, everyone feels insecure. After saving a cultivatior girl, the security guard Ma Yingxiong accidentally starts the journey of practicing cultivation. Finally Chinese anime starts to look like Japanese anime. It's a watchable shounen now, but far from masterpiece still. Overall Rating: 6/10 41. Lan Mo de Hua Lan Mo's Flower 蓝漠的花 [Colored Pencil Animation] (Finished 9/9) Tags: School Romance Gluttonous and tomboyish, Lan Mo is hardly anyone's ideal girl, but with a magical hair clip from a mysterious trinket shop that disappears the next day, she may be able to become just that. With its power, she can transform into a beautiful and feminine young lady, someone who may finally be able to catch the eye of her childhood friend and crush, Liu Yifeng. However, keeping the clip's secret proves difficult for Lan Mo when faced with Liu Yifeng's admirers and the mysterious stranger Xia An. And to further complicate matters, Lan Mo's possession of the hair clip may turn out to be more than just mere coincidence. Episodes are only half length taking into account opening and ending, so it becomes just random mahou shoujo romance. Overall Rating: 6/10 42. Xue Se Cang Qiong Bloody Code 血色苍穹 [CG Year] (Finished 4/26) Tags: Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Horror, Mystery, Suspense Li Mingyang was originally an ordinary office worker. Because of a strange QR code, he was trapped in a killing city. Here everyone is forced to participate in a survival game that is going to kill or be killed. In the process of finding a way out of the city, the mastermind behind the whole incident surfaced step by step. Full CGI. Suspense mystery action, so of little interest to me. It means a lot of fighting and slowly unwinding something bigger. Action is not bad, and anime is without early Chinese anime flaws, so can rate it above average. Overall Rating: 6/10 43. Qiang Niang Gun Girls 銃娘 [ガンガール] [Hoods Entertainment] (Finished 5/12) Tags: Military, Space Action, Comedy, Sci-Fi, Slice of Life Qiang Niang mainly tells of the protagonist Carrie, who has lost her combat memories, searching for herself and the story of her final "Awakening". In the years between 2025 to 2030, a world war involving the entire world has resulted in the demise of half the world's population, and humanity has already lost control of the direction the war shall go in. In order to seize ultimate victory, war has gradually been turned into a battle without people, similar to a game. War has already become about Satellite lasers, Bomb drones, Intelligent AI, a battlefield between unmanned gun turrets and tanks... Then, there are also a group of young maidens who uses outdated firearms to engage in battle —— the Gun Girls. A chaotic show about CGDCT on one side and gunfight missions on the other. It does not make much sense early on and can't be called interesting either as interactions are full of cliché. Overall Rating: 5/10 44. Di Ling Qu The Immortal Legend 地灵曲 [-] (Finished 2/18) Tags: - During the night of July 12 in 1917, plenty of strange visions appeared, such as sun and moon shined together, waves and tides turned continually and so on. Dense clouds started darkening the sky, while buildings collapsed one after another in a sudden. In a while, the whole world fell into a crisis. Three grave-robbing aristocratic family, Zhang, Han, Cao, joint hands to solve this huge puzzle and save the world. Among them, the young master, Zhang Tianqi, who was kind and honest, with his team, had suffered from a lot of troubles in order to save the world in danger, and then finally figure out the Loulan Kingdom's secret. Loulan, with thousand years' secrets, had a grand and treacherous tomb, which almost dragged the team into death. So, what's the relationship between the mysterious visions and the Louland tomb? A story across millenniums is now beginning... Full CGI. Partially translated. Only tried it because stage is different from wuxia, but actually only some mechanical contraptions point at it as wuxia spirit is all over the place with constant martial arts fights and travel and dresses... Overall Rating: 5/10 45. Shi Xian Time of Chord 时弦 [-] (Finished 0/1) Tags: Action, Sci-Fi - Not found. Overall Rating: 0/10 46. No Game No Life: Zero No Game, No Life: Zero ノーゲーム・ノーライフ ゼロ [Madhouse] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Isekai Drama, Fantasy, Romance In ancient Disboard, Riku is an angry, young warrior intent on saving humanity from the warring Exceed, the 16 sentient species, fighting to establish the One True God among the Old Deus. In a lawless land, humanity's lack of magic and weak bodies have made them easy targets for the other Exceed, leaving the humans on the brink of extinction. One day, however, hope returns to humanity when Riku finds a powerful female Ex-Machina, whom he names Schwi, in an abandoned elf city. Exiled from her Cluster because of her research into human emotions, Schwi is convinced that humanity has only survived due to the power of these feelings and is determined to understand the human heart. Forming an unlikely partnership in the midst of the overwhelming chaos, Riku and Schwi must now find the answers to their individual shortcomings in each other, and discover for themselves what it truly means to be human as they fight for their lives together against all odds. Each with a powerful new ally in tow, it is now up to them to prevent the extinction of the human race and establish peace throughout Disboard. Prequels are usually not needed. And just when I thought that this movie might prove the rule wrong, it turned out to be alternative dimension than a prequel. So it brings next to zero to the table and does not bring sequel even a little bit closer... Overall Rating: 6/10 47. Uchiage Hanabi, Shita kara Miru ka? Yoko kara Miru ka? Fireworks 打ち上げ花火、下から見るか?横から見るか? [Shaft] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Romance, Sci-Fi One summer, Norimichi Shimada and his friends want to know if fireworks look round or flat from the side. They forge a plan to find the answer at Moshimo Festival's fireworks display. However, Norimichi finds himself conflicted when his classmate, Nazuna Oikawa, plans to run away from home and wants Norimichi to join her. When things go awry in their attempt to escape, a strange orb in Nazuna's possession gives them another chance at staying together. Majority of it is banal brat romance. Sci-fi comes too late to matter. Overall Rating: 5/10 48. Mary to Majo no Hana Mary and the Witch's Flower メアリと魔女の花 [Studio Ponoc] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Adventure, Fantasy Mary Smith is a clumsy girl with wild red hair who can't seem to do anything right. After moving in with her Great Aunt Charlotte, Mary finds herself lonely and bored, until one day she spies a cat which seems to keep changing color every time she sees it. Curiosity gets the better of her and she follows it into nearby woods. Deep in the forest, the cat takes her to a clearing with dead trees and brown grass, where the only sign of life is a cluster of mysterious blue flowers that Mary has never seen before. The gardener of the estate later tells her that the rare species is called "Fly-by-Night," and is said to be sought by witches for its incredible magical power. When the strange cat returns to her one night, Mary is led once again into the woods, but this time to an old broomstick hidden by a gnarled tree. After she clumsily squashes some Fly-by-Night against the broomstick, it begins to glow, whisking her off into the sky. Her wayward journey ends at the Endor College for Witches, where she is mistaken for a new student. And so, Mary must learn to look after herself in this marvelous new world of magic, where things are not always as they seem. Another wannabe Ghibli - high quality, but very little interest in watching a typical girl getting surprised by environments all the time. Story is nothing prominent as well. Overall Rating: 6/10 49. Kimi no Koe wo Todoketai Your Voice -KIMIKOE- きみの声をとどけたい [Madhouse] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Drama The story focuses on high school girl Nagisa Yukiai who lives in a seaside town. She has believed her grandmother's story that spirits dwell in words and they are called "kotodama" (word spirit). One day, she strays into a mini FM station that has not been used for years. As an impulse of the moment, she tries to talk like a DJ using the facility. But her voice accidentally broadcasted reaches someone she has never expected. A normal simple locodol story, easily forgettable. Overall Rating: 6/10 50. Yuuki Yuuna wa Yuusha de Aru: Washio Sumi no Shou 2 - Tamashii 結城友奈は勇者である -鷲尾須美の章- 第2章「たましい」 [Studio Gokumi] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Mahou Shoujo Drama, Fantasy, Slice of Life The second movie in the Washio Sumi no Shou trilogy. Forgot to include in Spring season. Nothing unexpected, just silly SOL antics and action only by the end with finally drama kicking in. Overall Rating: 6/10 51. Yuuki Yuuna wa Yuusha de Aru: Washio Sumi no Shou 3 - Yakusoku 結城友奈は勇者である -鷲尾須美の章- 第3章「やくそく」 [Studio Gokumi] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Mahou Shoujo Drama, Fantasy The third and final movie in the Washio Sumi no Shou trilogy. Very logical continuation, just sulking instead of silliness, plus another round of action with drama. If that's all it can offer, can't really call it masterpiece. Overall Rating: 6/10 52. Junk Head [Yamiken] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Action, Adventure, Comedy, Sci-Fi, Suspense In the distant future, humanity is hurtling down a path of ruin. Global environmental destruction caused by chemical contamination, radioactive fallout, and UV rays coming through the patchy ozone layer has lead to deterioration of the human genome. Full plasticine. Arthouse trash, should have guessed from the title. And it lasts endlessly, over 100 minutes... Overall Rating: 5/10 53. Dahufa The Guardian 大护法 [Nice Boat Animation] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Action, Adventure, Fantasy A warrior named Da Hufa goes to save his prince from a dystopian village. He finds the dystopian village ruled by a fake God and his guards. In order to save the prince, Da hufa has to defeat the God and his men and discloses the whole conspiracy. Unusual bloody story with quite a lot of psychedelia stuff. A good watch overall with many weird moments, but can't call it enjoyable. Still, quality is high, so I encourage to see for yourself. Overall Rating: 6/10
  10. December is still the most lively month for visual novels. 1. Murder Mystery Paradox - Kono Hitonatsu no Juugonen マーダーミステリーパラドクス このひと夏の十五年 [231202] 213℉U August, 2004. Shikinejima — a secluded island that only a few hundred people call home. Fifteen-year-old Itsuki Amazawa has come to visit the island for the very first time. At his adoptive mother's childhood home, he and his newly met cousins pass the summer days in peace and quiet. That is, until Itsuki learns the truth about the island... Strange incidents known to the locals as "Shikinejima Vanishings" have been occurring around the island. And deeply entangled in these puzzling happenings are people that Itsuki holds dear. Will he be able to uncover the truth and save those he cares about? Murder mystery = not for me. 2. Yama no Susume: Next Summit ~Ano Yama ni, Mou Ichido~ ヤマノススメ Next Summit ~あの山に、もう一度~ [231207] ENTERGRAM Next summit to conquer. Anime spin-off 3. Seifuku Kanojo 制服カノジョ [231214] ENTERGRAM Main character grows up in big city center, but comes to heal in Fukuoka, a city full of beautiful women. Dating SIM. Only partial release so far, but vndb might not track full release for me later on, so best include now. 4. ONE. [231221] Novamicus What tied me to this world... 1998, winter. I was just a regular student until another world was born in me. Like softly falling snow, it blanketed and began to bury my everyday life. It was only then that I realized... That there were certain things in my life that never changed. The same familiar scenery. The warmth of the one I loved, who filled me with a joy I never noticed. Their existence tied me to this world. It was when I first started to want these bonds, to want that special someone, that time began to pass, and sunlight caused the season to really shine. When it did, which world was I standing in, and who was holding my hand? Remake 5. Amase-Jima wa Irokoi Zakari 天瀬島は色恋ざかり [231222] Liaison There's an issue with the young ladies on this island. The protagonist, Haruka Amase, was summoned to a warm, secluded island, which had nothing but the prestigious young ladies' academy. Upon instructions from her mother, the headmistress, she ends up living there for a while as a "living teaching material" for these young ladies who seem clueless about interacting with men. An energetic student council president who shares a secret with her alone. A strangely naive girl who becomes overly attached. The aggressive girl sitting next to her with a maid-like demeanor and a tsundere princess attitude in full swing. A senior with an ample bosom, not just in figure but also in her liberal views on modesty, embodying the Yamato Nadeshiko spirit. A timid, inept-with-men klutz who, for some reason, seems connected to the protagonist. Haruka endeavors to help these girls understand a bit about the opposite sex. Engaged in volunteer work for theater production, he involves them, gradually touching their inner selves. As they understand the opposite sex, become aware of gender dynamics, and feelings of love begin to bud, One can sense everyone's hearts slowly changing... How will he face these girls, and what bittersweet youth will unfold? There's no place to escape; this island, abundant with young ladies, brims with the sparkle of youth... The secrets of this island remain unknown to anyone as of yet... Perfect harem stage. Many rough edges for new brand - mostly for system, but routes aren't that interesting either.. 6. Imouto to Kanojo - Sorezore no Sentaku 妹と彼女 それぞれの選択 [231222] Waffle June, the rainy season. Kei, a fourth-year college student, is at a major crossroads. Since the day of the fireworks display that interrupted the confession from his younger sister Haruka, the relationship between them has gone cold, and still remains in this way for three years. To become truly happy together, until the "Answer" is found, there is no way to respond to his sister's feelings. While desperately holding back the feelings for his sister, Kei continues to act as a "good older brother". On the other hand, Haruka is acting coldly towards her brother, who does not respond to her feelings, despite being aware of each other. As the rainy season continues, Kei's worries deepen. To become truly happy together. If he can find the "Answer", he should be able to respond to his sister's feelings. One day, as a result of consulting with his friend Daichi, Kei reluctantly goes to a hostess club, since there is a girl whom his friend really wants him to meet. Appearing in front of Kei is a girl who could have been mistaken for his beloved sister, a face that looks exactly like Haruka. The girl introduces herself as "Mitsuki", feeling "Similar", the two of them become intensely attracted to each other. With the appearance of "Mitsuki", the relationship between the siblings "Kei" and "Haruka" begins to change drastically. A very decent love triangle romance scenario oriented story with Gemini imouto focus. If you expect exactly that, impact is likely to be high. 7. Shin Koihime † Eiyuutan - Gaiden - Hakugetsu no Tomoshibi 真・恋姫†英雄譚 外伝 白月の灯火 [231124] Quince Soft & Lump of Sugar "A new story where feelings and strength unite..." The tyranny of the eunuch, the rise of rival factions, the invasion of foreign tribes... The Han Empire, which had been prospering for so long, began to show signs of decline. Like overripened fruit that naturally falls and rots, Will everything soon come to an end? As if to tear through the air, A single falling star shone bright in the blue sky. The main character, Hongou Kazuto, who has time-traveled to the world of the Romance of the Three Kingdoms, is now in the Han Empire. This time, he runs through the world of warfare in the Han Empire! Sequel or something. 8. Yuzuriha no Uta -Inouryoku Soshiki Hanzai Taisaku Bu: Tokushu Kidoutai Dai Ni Ka- ユズリハの詩 -異能力組織犯罪対策部 特殊機動隊 第二課- [231222] propeller ...After humanity had gone through the Second World War, people with supernatural abilities or grotesque features began to be discovered. Soon, these abilities or characteristics became known as "Special Powers", and those who possessed them as "Special Holders". Humanity sympathized with the early "Special Holders", but as their numbers expanded, their abilities started to be feared and avoided, and attempts to expel them from society arose. "Special Holders" also began to use their abilities against humanity. Some to defend themselves, while others to show off their abilities. Uprisings, crimes, and other similar events were commonplace as a result of this vicious cycle, and the battle between the two sides was escalating all over the world. Likewise, Japan too was not an exception, as there was an outbreak of conflicts between humen and "Special Holders". During that period of unrest, all the time there were grievous events like the government being temporarily suspended to fulfill some of its functions or a failed coup d'état attempt in a Japanese Self-Defense Forces academy. Japanese government took steps to address the country's unstable situation. It has formed a Special Riot Police force that includes both humans and "Special Holders". The chief of its second division, Kashiwabi Ayato, and his subordinates worked hard to maintain a public security. A few years after the establishment of the Special Riot Police, crime rates fell and public order was restored as a result of its members' efforts. Every day, Special Riot Police officers in Japan, which had briefly returned to calm, fought hard to keep Special Powers crimes under control. Following a certain case, the number of organized crimes perpetrated by Special Holders began to climb. Public unrest, government critics, and similar issues were rapidly spreading in proportion. All members of the Special Riot Police were called to investigate the case, each with their own set of suspicions. Before long, they were swallowed into a great conspiracy encompassing the whole country. The Army, which is taking actions to suppress the newly erupted conflict between humans and Special Holders with military power, and the protagonist with Special Riot Police, which is making efforts to settle the disturbance. What will you see in this critical situation, where all of these powers are mingled, after all rights and pains come together?.. Game got delayed a lot of times, and that usually means no good. It has good setting, eroticism and badass heroines. On the bad side it's riot police stuff, so story is weak, battles are short and poorly done, and there's a lot of copy-paste between the routes. Good fan-service, but definitely not a revelation.
  11. I decided to lower score of sequel Shingeki no Kyojin Season 2 if there was a new firm masterpiece - and I found one for me - Eromanga-sensei . There's also a scattering of minor masterpieces in my opinion - Dungeon ni Deai wo Motomeru no wa Machigatteiru Darou ka Gaiden: Sword Oratoria , Berserk 2nd Season , Fukumenkei Noise , Quanzhi Gaoshou . 1. Shingeki no Kyojin Season 2 Attack on Titan Season 2 進撃の巨人 Season2 [Wit Studio] (Finished 12/12) Tags: Shounen Gore, Military, Survival Action, Drama, Suspense For centuries, humanity has been hunted by giant, mysterious predators known as the Titans. Three mighty walls—Wall Maria, Rose, and Sheena—provided peace and protection for humanity for over a hundred years. That peace, however, was shattered when the Colossal Titan and Armored Titan appeared and destroyed the outermost wall, Wall Maria. Forced to retreat behind Wall Rose, humanity waited with bated breath for the Titans to reappear and destroy their safe haven once more. In Shingeki no Kyojin Season 2, Eren Yeager and others of the 104th Training Corps have just begun to become full members of the Survey Corps. As they ready themselves to face the Titans once again, their preparations are interrupted by the invasion of Wall Rose—but all is not as it seems as more mysteries are unraveled. As the Survey Corps races to save the wall, they uncover more about the invading Titans and the dark secrets of their own members. Sequel. Overall Rating: 8/10 2. Boku no Hero Academia 2nd Season My Hero Academia Season 2 僕のヒーローアカデミア [Bones] (Finished 1/25) Tags: Shounen School, Super Power Action At UA Academy, not even a violent attack can disrupt their most prestigious event: the school sports festival. Renowned across Japan, this festival is an opportunity for aspiring heroes to showcase their abilities, both to the public and potential recruiters. However, the path to glory is never easy, especially for Izuku Midoriya—whose quirk possesses great raw power but is also cripplingly inefficient. Pitted against his talented classmates, such as the fire and ice wielding Shouto Todoroki, Izuku must utilize his sharp wits and master his surroundings to achieve victory and prove to the world his worth. Sequel. Overall Rating: 5/10 3. Boruto: Naruto Next Generations [Pierrot] (Finished 1/293) Tags: Shounen Martial Arts Action, Adventure, Fantasy Following the successful end of the Fourth Shinobi World War, Konohagakure has been enjoying a period of peace, prosperity, and extraordinary technological advancement. This is all due to the efforts of the Allied Shinobi Forces and the village's Seventh Hokage, Naruto Uzumaki. Now resembling a modern metropolis, Konohagakure has changed, particularly the life of a shinobi. Under the watchful eye of Naruto and his old comrades, a new generation of shinobi has stepped up to learn the ways of the ninja. Boruto Uzumaki is often the center of attention as the son of the Seventh Hokage. Despite having inherited Naruto's boisterous and stubborn demeanor, Boruto is considered a prodigy and is able to unleash his potential with the help of supportive friends and family. Unfortunately, this has only worsened his arrogance and his desire to surpass Naruto which, along with his father's busy lifestyle, has strained their relationship. However, a sinister force brewing within the village may threaten Boruto's carefree life. New friends and familiar faces join Boruto as a new story begins. Sequel. Overall Rating: 6/10 4. Rokudenashi Majutsu Koushi to Akashic Records Akashic Records of Bastard Magic Instructor ロクでなし魔術講師と禁忌教典 [LIDENFILMS] (Finished 4/12) Tags: School Action, Fantasy The Alzano Empire is home to one of the most distinguished magic schools in the world: the Alzano Imperial Magic Academy. Here, ambitious young students undergo training to become competent magicians. Sistine Fibel—a stern noble girl—and her bright-eyed best friend Rumia Tingel attend the Academy, determined to cultivate their magical skills. However, their world is thrown for a loop when their favorite teacher suddenly retires and the enigmatic Glenn Radars replaces him. His lazy and indifferent attitude toward life and magic quickly puts him at odds with his class. What's more, nefarious forces hidden within the empire's walls start to become active, and Sistine, Rumia, and Glenn find themselves caught up in their schemes. Rokudenashi Majutsu Koushi to Akashic Records follows Sistine, who is captivated by a mysterious floating Sky Castle; Rumia, who is haunted by a troubled past; and Glenn, who may be more than meets the eye. Though completely different on the surface, they are inexplicably bound together by a thread of fate. It was usually genius student, now it's genius teacher, but can't say it makes anime more interesting in any way without good story or characters. Overall Rating: 6/10 5. Eromanga-sensei Eromanga Sensei エロマンガ先生 [A-1 Pictures] (Finished 12/12) Tags: Otaku Culture Comedy, Romance, Ecchi One year ago, Sagiri Izumi became step-siblings with Masamune Izumi. But the sudden death of their parents tears their new family apart, resulting in Sagiri becoming a shut-in which cut her off from her brother and society. While caring for what's left of his family, Masamune earns a living as a published light novel author with one small problem: he's never actually met his acclaimed illustrator, Eromanga-sensei, infamous for drawing the most lewd erotica. Through an embarrassing chain of events, he learns that his very own little sister was his partner the whole time! As new characters and challenges appear, Masamune and Sagiri must now face the light novel industry together. Eromanga-Sensei follows the development of their relationship and their struggle to become successful; and as Sagiri slowly grows out of her shell, just how long will she be able to hide her true persona from the rest of the world? Liked it before and enjoying now since I'm a sucker for Oreimo, and this is very close. The question is about the score. It's not super original or anything, but all the heroines are nice here, and there's no wasted time on anything unpleasant, so I'm ready to give it the maximum possible score for SOL comedies like this. Overall Rating: 8/10 6. Tsuki ga Kirei 月がきれい [feel.] (Finished 12/12) Tags: School Romance With a new school year comes a new crowd of classmates, and for their final year of junior high, aspiring writer Kotarou Azumi and track team member Akane Mizuno end up in the same class. Though initially complete strangers, a few chance encounters stir an innocent desire within their hearts. A yearning gaze, a fluttering heart—the hallmarks of young love slip into their lives as fate brings their paths to a cross. However, though love is patient and love is kind, Kotarou and Akane discover it is not always straightforward. Despite the comfort they find in each other's company, heartache and anxiety come hand in hand with pursuing the feelings in their hearts. With the uncertainty of how the other truly feels as well as the competing affections of those around them, the road ahead is unclear. Even so, under the shining light of a beautiful full moon, Kotarou gathers his courage to ask Akane a single question, one that forever changes their quiet relationship. For me it may be worth watching to understand the meme, but watching two extremely shy kids is awkward and hardly any fun at all.. Overall Rating: 6/10 7. Re:Creators Re:CREATORS 〈レクリエイターズ〉 [TROYCA] (Finished 3/22) Tags: Isekai, Mecha Action, Fantasy, Sci-Fi Humans have designed countless worlds—each one born from the unique imagination of its creator. Souta Mizushino is a high school student who aspires to be such a creator by writing and illustrating his own light novel. One day, while watching anime for inspiration, he is briefly transported into a fierce fight scene. When he returns to the real world, he realizes something is amiss: the anime's headstrong heroine, Selesia Yupitilia, has somehow returned with him. Before long, other fictional characters appear in the world, carrying the hopes and scars of their home. A princely knight, a magical girl, a ruthless brawler, and many others now crowd the streets of Japan. However, the most mysterious one is a woman in full military regalia, dubbed "Gunpuku no Himegimi," who knows far more than she should about the creators' world. Despite this, no one knows her true name or the world she is from. Meanwhile, Souta and Selesia work together with Meteora Österreich, a calm and composed librarian NPC, to uncover the meaning behind these unnatural events. With powerful forces at play, the once clear line between reality and imagination continues to blur, leading to a fateful meeting between creators and those they created. It's terribly boring. Nothing to see here unless you enjoy FSN clones, of course. Overall Rating: 6/10 8. Dungeon ni Deai wo Motomeru no wa Machigatteiru Darou ka Gaiden: Sword Oratoria Sword Oratoria: Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon? On the Side ダンジョンに出会いを求めるのは間違っているだろうか外伝 ソード・オラトリア [J.C.Staff] (Finished 12/12) Tags: Action, Adventure, Fantasy After having descended upon this world, the gods have created guilds where adventurers can test their mettle. These guilds, known as "familia," grant adventurers the chance to explore, gather, hunt, or simply enjoy themselves. Dungeon ni Deai wo Motomeru no wa Machigatteiru Darou ka Gaiden: Sword Oratoria begins in Orario, the lively city of adventures. The Sword Princess, Ais Wallenstein, and the novice mage, Lefiya Viridis, are members of the Loki Familia, who are experts at monster hunting. With the rest of their group, they journey to the tower of Babel in hopes of exploring the dungeon underneath. Home to powerful monsters, the dungeon will fulfill Ais's desire to master her sword skills, while bringing Lefiya closer to her dream of succeeding Riveria Ljos Alf, vice-captain of the Loki Familia, as the most powerful mage in the land. Sequel. Overall Rating: 7/10 9. Shuumatsu Nani Shitemasu ka? Isogashii desu ka? Sukutte Moratte Ii desu ka? WorldEnd: What do you do at the end of the world? Are you busy? Will you save us? 終末なにしてますか?忙しいですか?救ってもらっていいですか? [Satelight, C2C] (Finished 12/12) Tags: Drama, Fantasy, Romance, Sci-Fi Putting his life on the line, Willem Kmetsch leaves his loved ones behind and sets out to battle a mysterious monster, and even though he is victorious, he is rendered frozen in ice. It is during his icy slumber that terrifying creatures known as "Beasts" emerge on the Earth's surface and threaten humanity's existence. Willem awakens 500 years later, only to find himself the sole survivor of his race as mankind is wiped out. Together with the other surviving races, Willem takes refuge on the floating islands in the sky, living in fear of the Beasts below. He lives a life of loneliness and only does odd jobs to get by. One day, he is tasked with being a weapon storehouse caretaker. Thinking nothing of it, Willem accepts, but he soon realizes that these weapons are actually a group of young Leprechauns. Though they bear every resemblance to humans, they have no regard for their own lives, identifying themselves as mere weapons of war. Among them is Chtholly Nota Seniorious, who is more than willing to sacrifice herself if it means defeating the Beasts and ensuring peace. Willem becomes something of a father figure for the young Leprechauns, watching over them fondly and supporting them in any way he can. He, who once fought so bravely on the frontlines, can now only hope that the ones being sent to battle return safely from the monsters that destroyed his kind. It has nice premise, but overall it's pretty bland and slow and boring. Resembles Utawarerumono a lot as it's also neither fish, nor meat - neither harem, nor really plot driven story. Just some messy fantasy SOL with rare side-tracking into something else. Overall Rating: 6/10 10. Busou Shoujo Machiavellianism Armed Girl's Machiavellism 武装少女マキャヴェリズム [SILVER LINK., Connect] (Finished 3/12) Tags: Shounen Harem, Martial Arts, School Action, Comedy, Ecchi The Private Aichi Symbiosis Academy was originally a high school for high-class girls. When it became co-ed, the girls, out of fear, asked to be permitted to bring weapons to school. When that was enforced, a five-member vigilante corps-like organization called the "Supreme Five Swords" was also formed. After many generations, the five swords eventually became a group which corrected problematic students, and the academy started proactively accepting such students in order to correct them. Nomura Fudou was sent to this school after being part of a huge brawl. What will he do when the only options he has after enrolling are being expelled from that school or being corrected the way the rest of the male students there were...by being forced to dress and act like a girl! Silly ecchi fighting action is not what I typically enjoy without memorable characters or plot. Overall Rating: 6/10 11. Renai Boukun Love Tyrant 恋愛暴君 [EMT Squared] (Finished 2/12) Tags: Harem, School Comedy, Romance, Supernatural When a strange girl named Guri comes knocking at Seiji Aino's door, he quickly finds himself thrust into a world of romantic troubles. Claiming that she will die if he doesn't kiss someone within 24 hours, Guri's pleas of desperation are misunderstood as pleas for love, leading Seiji to kiss the cute stranger that came barging into his house. In actuality, it turns out that this cosplaying cupid is the wielder of a Kiss Note, in which any pairing of names she writes will kiss and become a couple. Guri explains that she misspelt and accidentally wrote Seiji's name while indulging in her yaoi fantasies, but because she had yet to pair him with anyone, their kiss was meaningless. Even worse, Guri reveals that if Seiji is not coupled with anyone soon, not only will she die, but Seiji will remain a virgin for eternity! Eager to escape his fate, Seiji sets his sights on the beautiful and popular Akane Hiyama. But after Akane hears that he kissed Guri, she reveals the obsessive and psychopathic feelings that she holds for the unfortunate boy and proceeds to viciously attack them. In the ensuing confusion, Guri is able to pair Seiji with Akane in the Kiss Note, temporarily saving Seiji from any further bodily harm. But to complicate matters, Guri's newfound feelings lead her to also pair the two of them with herself. Just when the situation could not get any more convoluted, this new coupling with Guri has turned Seiji and Akane into temporary angels, forcing them into assisting the cupid with her work of pairing humans, lest they be cast into hell. With all semblance of normality snatched from his life, Seiji gets to work at matchmaking with these eccentric girls by his side. It's trashy as any harem and has weird sense of humor that I can't rely to. Overall Rating: 6/10 12. Saenai Heroine no Sodatekata ♭ Saekano: How to Raise a Boring Girlfriend .flat 冴えない彼女〈ヒロイン〉の育てかた♭ [A-1 Pictures] (Finished 11/11) Tags: Harem, Otaku Culture, School Comedy, Romance, Ecchi After finally completing the first route of his visual novel, Blessing Software's producer Tomoya Aki is optimistic about the future of his team and achieving their goal of creating the best game of the season. However, they still have a long way to go. For one, Megumi Katou still has an incredibly flat personality and is unable to fit the role of Tomoya's ideal heroine. The other members of Blessing Software, Eriri Spencer Sawamura, Utaha Kasumigaoka, and Michiru Hyoudou, often forget she is even there due to her lack of presence and character. Throughout the development of their game, Blessing Software learns the struggles of working in an industry where deadlines must be met and edits are made constantly, and the hardships of working in a group setting. Sequel. Overall Rating: 6/10 13. Zero kara Hajimeru Mahou no Sho Grimoire of Zero ゼロから始める魔法の書 [White Fox] (Finished 4/12) Tags: Anthropomorphic Action, Adventure, Fantasy In a world of constant war between humans and witches, there exist the "beastfallen"—cursed humans born with the appearance and strength of an animal. Their physical prowess and bestial nature cause them to be feared and shunned by both humans and witches. As a result, many beastfallen become sellswords, making their living through hunting witches. Despite the enmity between the races, a lighthearted witch named Zero enlists a beastfallen whom she refers to as "Mercenary" to act as her protector. He travels with Zero and Albus, a young magician, on their search for the Grimoire of Zero: a powerful spell book that could be extremely dangerous in the wrong hands. During their journey, his inner kindness is revealed as he starts to show compassion and sympathy towards humans and witches alike, and the unlikely companions grow together. It's pretty slow and nothing really interesting happens. It's watchable... just... why bother, really. Overall Rating: 6/10 14. Shingeki no Bahamut: Virgin Soul Rage of Bahamut: Virgin Soul 神撃のバハムート VIRGIN SOUL [Cygames] (Finished 1/24) Tags: Mythology Action, Adventure, Fantasy A decade ago, humans, gods, and demons joined forces to stand against the threat of the colossal dragon, Bahamut. Now, in the present, humans living in the capital city of Anatae have been enjoying lavish and prosperous lives. Their progress is largely due to the administration of the newly appointed king, Charioce XVII, who has stolen a power from the gods and allowed for the abuse and slavery of the demon race in the capital. As humans continue to immorally exploit demons, a sense of hostility against humans begins to build up within demon communities, threatening a revolt. Meanwhile, an atmosphere of uneasiness is spreading among the gods, as they scramble to regain their lost power. Amidst it all, Nina Drango, a cheerful young bounty hunter, has arrived at the Royal Capital with hopes of settling down and earning a living. However, her peaceful life in the capital is quickly thrown into chaos when she crosses paths with the ominous Rag Demon who is determined to seek revenge against humans, and Kaisar Lidfard, a noble knight battling an internal moral conflict. Shingeki no Bahamut: Virgin Soul continues the tale of the social and moral conflict between humans, gods, and demons, and their struggle for survival and dominance. Sequel. Overall Rating: 6/10 15. Tsugumomo つぐもも [Zero-G] (Finished 3/12) Tags: Harem, Mythology, School Action, Comedy, Supernatural, Ecchi In Japanese folklore, a "tsukumogami" is an object that has gained a soul, becoming alive and self-aware. There are two types of tsukumogami: the mature "tsugumomo," who have developed through long years of harmony with their owners, and the aberrant "amasogi," premature spirits that are only born to grant the destructive wishes of certain people. Kazuya Kagami has never gone without his mother's obi after her death. Be it at home or school, he keeps it safe with him at all times. One day, he nearly loses his life when a wig amasogi attacks him. When all seems to be over, his treasured obi defends him, transforming into a beautiful girl. She introduces herself as Kiriha, a tsugumomo owned by Kazuya's mother. With Kiriha's arrival, Kazuya enters a reality he has never seen before, a world with gods and tsukumogami. Harem mythology ecchi shounen already sounds underwhelming, but reality is even worse. Banality deserves corresponding score. Overall Rating: 5/10 16. Granblue Fantasy The Animation Granblue Fantasy: The Animation [A-1 Pictures] (Finished 13/13) Tags: Adventure, Fantasy This is a world of the skies, where many islands drift in the sky. A boy named Gran and a talking winged lizard named Vyrn lived in Zinkenstill, an island which yields mysteries. One day, they come across a girl named Lyria. Lyria had escaped from the Erste Empire, a military government that is trying to rule over this world using powerful military prowess. In order to escape from the Empire, Gran and Lyria head out into the vast skies, holding the letter Gran's father left behind—which said, "I will be waiting at Estalucia, Island of Stars." Typical boring RPG adaptation. Overall Rating: 6/10 17. Natsume Yuujinchou Roku Natsume's Book of Friends Season 6 夏目友人帳 陸 [Shuka] (Finished 1/11) Tags: Shoujo Iyashikei, Mythology Drama, Slice of Life, Supernatural Takashi Natsume has grown accustomed to his encounters with youkai through the Book of Friends, which contains the names of youkai whom his grandmother, Reiko Natsume, has sealed in contracts. These encounters allow Natsume to better understand the youkai, Reiko, and himself. The Book of Friends is a powerful tool that can be used to control youkai; it is sought after by both youkai and exorcists alike. Natsume just wants to live out his daily life in peace but is constantly disrupted by these experiences. If he is to end this torment, Natsume must explore more about the book and the world of exorcism, as well as begin to open his heart to those who can help him. Sequel. Overall Rating: 6/10 18. Berserk 2nd Season Berserk: Season II ベルセルク [Millepensee, GEMBA] (Finished 12/12) Tags: Seinen Gore, Military Action, Adventure, Drama, Fantasy, Horror Demons have now become commonplace around the kingdom of Midland, which has fallen into chaos. The swordsman Guts still cannot stay in one place for long due to his demonic brand. He could always manage to protect himself when he was alone, but now he has the added challenge of protecting former Commander Casca, a shell of her former self who neither remembers nor trusts him. They never have a moment's rest with the constant threat of demons, and they need a place where Casca will be safe till they find a way to heal her. Their elf ally, Puck, tells of the mystical land of Elfhelm, which is supposed to be a safe haven from the demons that ravage the lands. Tired and with only a vague hope, they struggle on to find a place to live—and they still need to find those responsible for the madness they are forced to endure. Sequel. Overall Rating: 7/10 19. Clockwork Planet クロックワーク・プラネット [Xebec] (Finished 12/12) Tags: Fantasy, Sci-Fi Legend tells that when the Earth was destroyed, the great clockmaker Y made a replacement from cogs and gears. Naoto Miura is a young boy who aspires to be a great clockmaker. However, despite his unique talent—sensitive hearing that can immediately understand clockwork mechanics from noise alone—he has made little progress. But this changes when a coffin falls from the sky into his apartment, revealing RyuZU, a female automaton forged by Y himself. News of RyuZU's arrival brings Marie Bell Breguet, the gifted heir of a distinguished line of clockmakers, and her cyborg bodyguard Vainney Halter into Naoto's life as well. When she and Naoto both become embroiled in an action-packed battle for their lives, they discover an uncomfortable truth: the clockwork planet that humanity has lived on for over a millennium is beginning to break down—a secret that many people will kill to protect. Too bland and artificial... like everything from Xebec so far. And whatever potential it might have is buried by lackluster execution. Overall Rating: 6/10 20. Sakura Quest サクラクエスト [P.A. Works] (Finished 3/25) Tags: Adult Cast, Workplace Slice of Life Tired of her rural home, recent college graduate Yoshino Koharu is desperate to lead a more exciting life in Tokyo. After a fruitless job hunt, she finally receives a part-time offer as queen of the bizarre "Kingdom of Chupakabura," a rundown mini-attraction in the small agricultural town of Manoyama. However, Yoshino discovers upon her arrival in Manoyama that she was mistaken for a celebrity and the job offer was a mistake. Left with no other options, Yoshino reluctantly agrees to take on the role and aid the Board of Tourism in their efforts to revitalize Manoyama. Determined to bring excitement to the dying town with the help of local residents, the queen enacts a series of projects to highlight the beauty and charm of Manoyama's culture. Sakura Quest delves into the story of a tight-knit community that is struggling to balance change while also maintaining the rich traditions and bonds which define their identity. Dropped it earlier. It's the closest attempt to repeat successful scheme of Hanasaku Iroha which I consider minimally acceptable level for SOL masterpiece. And comparison is definitely not in favor of Sakura Quest here for me. It feels closer to mix of Locodol and Amagi Brilliant Park that I dropped. I'm not fond of stage where there's some poor proud place and lots of constant conflict management to make it survive. It's not bad and there may be mood for it, but first three episodes don't have even a bit of magic in it unlike Hanasaku Iroha. Overall Rating: 6/10 21. Sakurada Reset Sagrada Reset サクラダリセット [David Production] (Finished 3/24) Tags: School, Super Power, Time Travel Mystery, Supernatural Kei Asai lives in the oceanside city of Sakurada—a town where the inhabitants are born with strange abilities. On the school rooftop one day, he meets Misora Haruki, an apathetic girl with the power to reset anything around her up to three days prior. While no one knows when she has reset, not even Haruki, Kei can retain everything before the reset thanks to his own ability: photographic memory. After they successfully help someone by combining their powers, they join the Service Club to aid others in their town. However, their club becomes involved with and begins completing missions for the mysterious Administration Bureau—an organization that focuses on managing the abilities in Sakurada and manipulating the town's events for their own ends. They may find out that there are more things at work in Sakurada than the machinations of the uncanny organization. Tags setup and synopsis are awful, so it requires a miracle for me to like it. I actually like windy dialogues and mature problem-solving attitude here, plus characters aren't repulsive. But at the same time there's just personal problem stories to explore, and something more integral would only crystalize by the end. There's a lot of needless constructed complexity just to make it look interesting instead of being interesting in a natural way. It's an example of good prominent literature akin to Monogatari. But do I like to see how these cases are handled and do I want to dive into this complexity just to somehow come to machinations of the uncanny organization? Don't think so, it contradicts my vision of concept about being "interesting", it's just not for me. Overall Rating: 6/10 22. Oushitsu Kyoushi Heine The Royal Tutor 王室教師ハイネ [Bridge] (Finished 1/12) Tags: Shounen Historical Comedy Equally charming and stern, Heine Wittgenstein is a brilliant man who commands respect, despite his short, childlike stature. Thus, the king of Grannzreich has called upon Heine to undertake a daunting task that has driven away many before him—become the new royal tutor to four princes who are in line for the throne. The four heirs each have very distinct and troublesome personalities: Licht, the flirtatious youngest prince; his immature older brother Leonhard; Bruno the studious third prince; and Kai, the oldest of the four and the most reserved. Hilarity ensues as Heine attempts to connect with each of the princes in order to groom them for the throne. However, Heine's mysterious past and dark undercurrents in the present may threaten the harmony within the kingdom. It resembles Ouran Host Club to me - a sort of comedy with everyone being a bishounen and behaving erratically. It's obvious that everyone becomes keen on learning in the end, but I'm definitely not interested in the process. Overall Rating: 5/10 23. Fukumenkei Noise Anonymous Noise 覆面系ノイズ [Brain's Base] (Finished 12/12) Tags: Shoujo Love Polygon, Music, School Drama, Romance Every day, a young girl wearing a mask stands by the beach and sings a nostalgic melody. After experiencing two sudden heart-wrenching partings when she was only a child, Nino Arisugawa has been singing her songs to the ocean, bound by a promise made with her two childhood friends—her first love, Momo Sakaki, and a boy who composed music, Kanade "Yuzu" Yuzuriha. Having never met each other, the boys both individually promised that if Nino was ever separated from them, her voice would be the beacon to reunite them once again. After six long years, destiny has finally placed Nino, Momo, and Yuzu in the same high school. However, the passage of time has changed many things in their lives—while Nino relentlessly attempts to fulfill her childhood promise with the boys, Yuzu's feelings for her from the past resurface, and Momo goes to great lengths to prevent a reunion with Nino. Through music, will they be able to mend their friendship and overcome all the feelings involved in this complicated love triangle? Got good memories of it, but mostly about gigs and songs. Having refreshed memories, it's a bit autistic, but still emotional and even with some nice humor at times. An unusual raw experience with goosebumps that I'm willing to recommend even despite some setbacks. Overall Rating: 7/10 24. Alice to Zouroku Alice & Zoroku アリスと蔵六 [J.C.Staff] (Finished 3`/12) Tags: Seinen Super Power Adventure, Mystery Sana is not an ordinary little girl; she possesses a special ability known as "Alice's Dream." Due to her power, which allows her to create anything from her imagination, all that she knows is the laboratory where she is a test subject. Wishing to experience the outside world, she escapes and meets a stubborn old florist named Zouroku Kashimura in a convenience store. All too soon, her pursuers catch up and Zouroku is roped into Sana's troubles. However, far from trying to distance himself, Zouroku extends a hand to help Sana. Following his values and sense of justice, he even gives the pursuers a piece of his mind! Zouroku then offers Sana a place to stay, beginning the daily life and struggles of the unlikely duo. Mystery, adventure, superpowers and running away concept is a failure recipe for a failed work, at least for me. Actual result feels half-baked. Overall Rating: 6/10 25. Gin no Guardian The Silver Guardian 銀の墓守り〈ガーディアン〉 [Haoliners Animation League] (Finished 1/12) Tags: Adventure, Fantasy High school student and gamer Suigin Riku attends the prestigious Shinryou Private Academy, a school for the elite and the children of the wealthy. But rich or wealthy are not words that describe Suigin; in fact, he is dirt poor and must work many part time jobs to pay for his tuition. During one such job, he dives into a pool to save his pet cat, fully aware that he cannot swim. Luckily, he is saved by Rei Riku, the beautiful and popular daughter of a game developer, and he falls in love with her. He is also drawn to another girl: a new friend he meets in Dungeon Century, his favorite online RPG. But when the game is scheduled to shut down, he knows his adventures with her will soon end. However, the day after the game is shut down, he finds out that Rei and the online girl are one and the same. Soon after, Rei gives Suigin a new game meant to replace Dungeon Century—a tomb raiding game called Grave Buster. But when Rei is suddenly kidnapped, Suigin is pulled inside Grave Buster to save her. Gin no Guardian follows Suigin as he plays through Grave Buster to save Rei, while uncovering the secrets hidden within the game. I quite like it. The problem is that it's half-length episodes, and half of the time is spent on setting the stage. And then right from the start of new Grave Buster MMO there's a lot of abstract battles that don't make much sense. The ending is a cliffhanger. So I still have no real idea what this Grave Buster game is about and how characters are connected. It's in no state to be called a masterpiece now just because substance is yet obscure, I'll make my mind after sequel. Overall Rating: 6/10 26. Seikaisuru Kado KADO: The Right Answer 正解するカド [Toei Animation] (Finished 3/12) Tags: Adult Cast Sci-Fi Cool-headed and rational, Koujirou Shindou is a government official and master negotiator with a well-earned reputation. While departing on a business trip, a giant cube materializes and his plane is taken undamaged into the mysterious, indestructible structure. As Japanese authorities attempt to identify the cube's properties and origins, Shindou encounters an otherworldly entity known as Yaha-kui zaShunina, who materializes in the form of a human man. He assures Shindou that the passengers are not in any danger and requests help in negotiations with the human world. Hailing from a higher dimensional universe known as Novo, Yaha-kui zaShunina is able to transfer information between Novo and Shindou's universe through a cube called Kado. Despite having these unfathomable abilities, he does not appear hostile. Instead, he announces that he has come to this world with only one intention: to "advance" humanity—starting with Japan. It's decent full CGI pseudo sci-fi about first contact, but it's slow paced and not interesting enough for me. Overall Rating: 6/10 27. Hinako Note ひなこのーと [Passione] (Finished 1/12) Tags: CGDCT, Performing Arts Slice of Life Born and raised in the countryside of Japan, Hinako "Hina" Sakuragi gets anxious easily when she talks to new people—so much so that she resembles a stiff scarecrow. To overcome this, Hina hopes to get involved in theater, inspired by a play she saw during her school's field trip. So, Hina moves into the Hitotose Manor in the bustling city of Tokyo to study at Fujiyama High School, aspiring to join the school's renowned theater club. But to Hina's dismay, she learns that Fujiyama High's theater club has been on a lengthy hiatus. Having already come to Tokyo and enrolled in the school, Hina is at a loss for what to do next. Sensing her disappointment and eagerness to learn theater, Chiaki Hagino, the landlady of Hitotose Manor, encourages Hina to create a troupe with the residents of Hitotose Manor as its members. Hinako Note follows Hina as she begins a new life in Tokyo attending Fujiyama High while learning the ropes of theater with the support of her friends along the way. CGDCT without comedy hardly cut it anymore as very few of them can beat K-ON which is a requirement to be appreciated by me. Overall Rating: 6/10 28. Uchouten Kazoku 2 The Eccentric Family 2 有頂天家族2 [P.A. Works] (Finished 1/12) Tags: Anthropomorphic, Mythology Comedy, Drama, Fantasy After uncovering the truth behind their father's untimely death, life for the four Shimogamo brothers returns to relative peace with each trying to live up to their father's greatness in their own way. For the eldest, Yaichirou, who aims to become the next Trick Magister and leader of the tanuki society, it starts with reinstating the popular shogi tournament. For Yajirou, it is restoring his former shapeshifting abilities, whilst little Yashirou is content with continuing his work at the family’s factory. But for the third son, Yasaburou, it simply means embracing the "fool's blood" he inherited from his father and living a carefree but interesting life. This, of course, includes hunting for the mysterious and elusive snake-like creature known as a tsuchinoko, and causing ripples of trouble at every turn. However, these ripples threaten to turn into waves with the return of Nidaime, the estranged son of the brothers' tengu teacher, Professor Akadama. Nidaime bears a grudge against not only his father, but his father's apprentice Benten as well. His loyalties suddenly brought into question, Yasaburou must use his tanuki wit to appease all sides without getting caught in the crossfire, before the delicate balance between human, tengu, and tanuki is overthrown and all hell breaks loose. Sequel. Overall Rating: 6/10 29. Frame Arms Girl フレームアームズ・ガール [Zexcs, Studio A-CAT] (Finished 2/12) Tags: Mecha Action, Sci-Fi Ao Gennai is a completely average first-year high school student—that is, until a mysterious package is delivered to her home one day. Inside she finds Gourai, a tiny humanoid robot capable of movement and combat known as a Frame Arms Girl. Gourai is the first of her kind, possessing an extremely advanced AI that allows her to form a personality, learn, and grow, much like the human mind. Following Gourai's activation, Ao is thrust headfirst into the world of Frame Arms Girls as more and more of the intelligent robots are delivered straight to her front door. With a rather hefty cash incentive pushing her forward, Ao is committed to collecting as much data about the Frame Arms Girls and their combat as possible, all while they learn what it means to be human. Partially CGI completely mediocre SOL and fighting series, probably just for advertisement. Overall Rating: 5/10 30. Atom: The Beginning アトム ザ・ビギニング [Production I.G, OLM, Signal.MD] (Finished 1/12) Tags: Seinen Action, Sci-Fi Japan in the near future suffers an unexplained major disaster. Five years later, reconstruction is well underway. Two young researchers at a university are pinning all their hopes on robot development. Now their new interpretation of the eternal hero Astro Boy up until his birth is just about to start! Sequel. Overall Rating: 6/10 31. Kyoukai no Rinne 3rd Season 境界のRINNE [Brain's Base] (Finished 1/25) Tags: Shounen Mythology, School Comedy, Supernatural The third season of Kyoukai no Rinne. Sequel. Overall Rating: 6/10 32. ID-0 [SANZIGEN] (Finished 3/12) Tags: Mecha, Space Sci-Fi Transferring the human consciousness into a robotic "I-Machine" is now a reality thanks to the discovery of a valuable ore called "orichalt." However, there is the possibility of the consciousness failing to return to the host's body, rendering them stuck inside their new metallic frame for good. Such is the situation of members of the Excavate Company, a reckless band of I-Machine miners led by the notorious Grayman that aims to gather orichalt for profit. During a mining incursion, the group rescues Maya Mikuri, a student who was abandoned by her crew. Accused of stealing classified information on orichalt by her former colleagues, she joins the Excavate Company in hopes of clearing her name. They then begin an adventure that will change their lives—including that of Ido, an ace member of the group with no memory of his past. For the first time, Ido might have the chance to rediscover his true identity. Full CGI, but rather pleasant. The closest thing we have is Planetes, but there's illegal mining by robots with human personalities instead of litter gathered by humans in space. What we're expected to enjoy is these human consciousness robots identities and past while having some adventures... and I just don't find it interesting enough. Overall Rating: 6/10 33. Kabuki-bu! Kabukibu! カブキブ! [Studio Deen] (Finished 1/12) Tags: Performing Arts, School Kurogu had a love of kabuki theater instilled in him from a very young age thanks to his grandfather. Now, as a high school student, he desires to create his own kabuki club in order to bring an appreciation of kabuki to a wider audience. He'll find, though, that with the weight of hundreds of years of strict tradition, it's not so easy to get high schoolers interested. A rough start is not enough to deter Kurogu, and he'll work hard to inspire in others the same burning passion he feels, until the day he can put on his own performance! Mainly male kabuki school club is on one of the the lowest interest tiers for me. Pilot episode is mundane and familiar, so I'll stop there. Overall Rating: 6/10 34. Warau Salesman New The Laughing Salesman 笑ゥせぇるすまんNEW [Shin-Ei Animation] (Finished 1/12) Tags: Seinen Adult Cast Comedy, Drama Each episode follows Fukuzou Moguro, a traveling salesman, and his current customer. Moguro deals in things that give his customers their heart's desire, and once his deals are made and their unhealthy desires are satisfied, Moguro's customers are often left with terrible repercussions, especially if they break the rules of his deals... Sequel. Overall Rating: 6/10 35. Twin Angel Break Twin Angels Break ツインエンジェルBREAK [J.C.Staff] (Finished 1/12) Tags: Mahou Shoujo Fantasy Amatsuki Meguru is a girl who innocently aspires to be a hero of justice and the cool Kisaragi Sumire who grew up in the strict Kisaragi household... The two girls who are in their 3rd year of middle school end up getting orders from a mysterious hedgehog named Miruku-chan and turn into Twin Angels in order to fight evil! Meguru is always cheerful but sometimes a bit too forceful. Meanwhile, Sumire isn't accustomed with being around others. Despite their differences, as they work together, they start opening up to each other. Sequel. Overall Rating: 6/10 36. Idol Time PriPara アイドルタイムプリパラ [Tatsunoko Production, Dongwoo A&E] (Finished 1/51) Tags: Idols (Female), Music, School The story focuses on Yui, a girl who lives in the town of Paparajuku, and who dreams of being an idol, even if she realizes that being an idol is next to impossible for her. Her friends often remark on how much she dreams about it. But then, the PriPara idol theme park opens in her town, and that an idol named Laala is coming to town from Parajuku, which only makes Yui dream even bigger. The new PriPara theme park has been updated with new concepts. However, due to a system error, Laala is no longer able to PriPara Change. Sequel. Overall Rating: 5/10 37. PriPri Chii-chan!! PriPri Chi-chan!! プリプリちぃちゃん!! [OLM] (Finished 1/36) Tags: Shoujo Comedy, Sci-Fi The story revolves around a girl named Yuuka, who encounters a being from the depths of the Earth named Chii-chan (a pun of chiteijin, the Japanese word for underground-dweller), and an alien named Ucchan (a pun of uchuujin or alien). The story follows their heartwarming and chaotic everyday lives together. It's cute and fine, but it's still anime for kids akin to Doraemon, can't watch it. Overall Rating: 6/10 38. Rilu Rilu Fairilu: Mahou no Kagami リルリルフェアリル ~魔法の鏡~ [Studio Deen] (Finished 1/51) Tags: Fantasy, Slice of Life Second Season of Rilu Rilu Fairilu: Yousei no Door. Sequel. Overall Rating: 6/10 39. Quanzhi Gaoshou The King's Avatar 全职高手 [B.CMAY PICTURES] (Finished 12/12) Tags: Video Game Action Widely regarded as a trailblazer and top-tier professional player in the online multiplayer game Glory, Ye Xiu is dubbed the "Battle God" for his skills and contributions to the game over the years. However, when forced to retire from the team and to leave his gaming career behind, he finds work at a nearby internet café. There, when Glory launches its tenth server, he throws himself into the game once more using a new character named "Lord Grim." Ye Xiu's early achievements on the new server immediately catch the attention of many players, as well as the big guilds, leaving them to wonder about the identity of this exceptional player. However, while he possesses ten years of experience and in-depth knowledge, starting afresh with neither sponsors nor a team in a game that has changed over the years presents numerous challenges. Along with talented new comrades, Ye Xiu once again dedicates himself to traversing the path to Glory's summit! It actually started as firm masterpiece with focus on PVE bosses, team play, power grind, bonding, guilds competition. But it became evident soon that plot is non-existent, and focus shifted to PVP, sometimes team PVP and PK - not things that I appreciate. It still got enough curiosity raging to keep going, but only as minor masterpiece. Overall Rating: 7/10 40. Kakuchou Shoujo-kei Trinary Augmented Reality Girls Trinary 拡張少女系トライナリー [feel.] (Finished 7/34) Tags: Sci-Fi Born from the strong emotions of their creators, self-contained pocket dimensions known as Phenomenon have begun forming across Japan. These false worlds overwrite the reality of an affected area and will only be undone if the maker is defeated or appeased. In response, a military-sponsored task force known as Trinary is formed, and its three members—Miyabi Koigasaki, Gabriela Lotaryńska, and Ayami Kunimasa—specialize in dispersing Phenomenon. Caught in one of these Phenomenon during her favorite idol's concert, Tsubame Ouse is saved by the timely arrival of Trinary, and together they are able to resolve the incident. After these events, Tsubame, along with newcomer Kagura Uzuki, decides to join the current Trinary team. As the girls struggle to balance their everyday lives and their responsibility to handle each new Phenomenon that appears, they realize that their own reality also has its own distinct set of problems. Partially translated. I usually don't like to include titles with episodes under 10 minutes like this one that gets to 4.5 minutes of pure screen time per episode, because it usually means vague episode structure or episodic character or focus on random gags etc. This one is random as there's no exposition and it's either fighting or talking or a bit SOL. And since it's not translated fully, there's no incentive to try to figure things out . Overall Rating: 5/10 41. Arad: Suming Zhi Men 阿拉德:宿命之門 [Success Corp., Dangun Pictures] (Finished 2/20) Tags: Action, Adventure, Fantasy On the continent of Arad martial arts, high-tech and magic coexist just fine. The protagonists start a new legendary journey as campus students. Partially translated. Looks like very ordinary shounen action. Overall Rating: 5/10 42. Tian Yu Revelation 天谕 [Sparkly Key Animation Studio] (Finished 3/13) Tags: Mythology Action, Adventure, Fantasy A millennium ago, the Five Monarchs guarded the land of the Xia Dynasty with magical artifacts. Later, the leader of the Dragon Clan, Zu Long, assisted humanity by establishing the Yun Chui Empire. The Empire faces the Tranquil Ocean where the Xi and Black Water Clans have defended it throughout a peaceful millennium. Now, the waves are surging from below and chaos will rise once again. Full CGI, but at least it's not martial artists in ancient China, so not skipping right away/ But the actual contents is very similar - warriors and mages travel and get into adventures of varying degree of cringe. Overall Rating: 5/10 43. Ai Ni Zhidao Shijie Jintou Love Land 爱你直到世界尽头 [-] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Romance Movie tells the story of a male protagonist who lives in a dream after breaking up with his girlfriend. Unwilling to face reality, he undergoes all kinds of difficulties in his dream. What will happen when he wakes up? Not translated. Trashy visuals. As focus is on dream, it's full of abstract and psychedelia stuff. Overall Rating: 5/10 44. Yoru wa Mijikashi Arukeyo Otome The Night is Short, Walk on Girl 夜は短し歩けよ乙女 [Science SARU] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Comedy, Romance On a mysterious night that seems to last for a year, an ordinary college student continues to chase one of his underclassmen, a girl with black hair—the girl of his dreams. Up until now, he has been relying on a simple plan, which is to calculatingly bump into her every day while making it seem like a meaningful coincidence. However, his efforts remain futile as their relationship is not progressing at all. Meanwhile, the black-haired girl believes that everything is connected by fate and endeavors to experience as many new things as possible, leaving it all for destiny to decide. While strolling along the lively streets of Kyoto, she discovers that the very beginning of her fateful journey—a book she had as a child—is currently being sold in a second-hand bookstore. Upon knowing this, the college student eyes another opportunity to run into her "by chance": this time, he hopes to get the book before she does and finally grasp the thread of fate that could connect their hearts. Art is very simple akin to Tatami Galaxy. Story is random and constantly jumping through protagonists and with musical parts, so it's more like a torture for me. Overall Rating: 5/10 45. Blame! Movie Blame!: The Movie [Polygon Pictures] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Seinen Mecha, Psychological Action, Drama, Sci-Fi A young girl named Zuru sets out on an expedition through a post-apocalyptic city controlled by machines in a desperate hunt for food. Things go awry when her team accidently triggers the city's AI defense program called the Safeguard. Attacked by the machines, her companions are on the verge of being annihilated when a mysterious man named Killy arrives and exterminates the hostile units. Despite his heroic intervention, Zuru is hesitant to trust Killy and questions his motives. He reveals to have come from thousands of levels below the city in order to find humans possessing the Net Terminal Genes—a trait that would allow humans to regain control of their civilization and shut down the Safeguard. After hearing his story, Zuru and the rest of her team join Killy and embark on a journey in search of the Genes that could prove to be mankind's last hope of survival. Without deeper acquaintance with franchise it's just some CGI survival and adventures in futuristic setting. Overall Rating: 6/10 46. Yoake Tsugeru Lu no Uta Lu Over the Wall 夜明け告げるルーのうた [Science SARU] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Music Adventure, Award Winning, Supernatural In the seaside village of Hinashi Town, Kai Ashimoto's grandfather is one of the locals who reinforces the legend that mermaids lurk near Merfolk Island and consume humans. Due to allegedly attracting merfolk and subsequently causing the death of the elder's mother, music is seldom discussed in the Ashimoto household. Even so, Kai finds solace in making looped beats on his laptop and uploading them to the internet. Despite his reserved and glum demeanor, Kai is approached by Kunio and Yuuho Ebina, two cheerful classmates that happened upon one of his videos. The pair ask him to join their rock band but are met with apathy. Nevertheless, Kai agrees to accompany them in a practice session on Merfolk Island, where he soon witnesses something that he cannot explain. Later that night, Kai is composing music in his room when he attracts a familiar entity—a mermaid. As she twirls and grins to the sound of his stereo, Kai discovers a number of aspects about the being who introduces herself as Lu: she possesses incredible water manipulation powers; she buds a pair of functioning legs with the sound of music; but most notably, she is a truly benevolent creature who simply wants people to like her. Fostering a dynamic friendship, Kai and Lu gradually come to express their genuine selves, testing the long-standing boundaries that have deafened the resounding harmony among the people of Hinashi Town. What if Ponyo was a musical? A rather simple family friendly story. Art is simple too though not feeling bad. A bit too childish for me. Overall Rating: 6/10 47. Biohazard: Vendetta Resident Evil: Vendetta バイオハザード ヴェンデッタ [Marza Animation Planet] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Action, Horror, Sci-Fi Chris Redfield enlists the help of Leon S. Kennedy and Rebecca Chambers to stop a death merchant, with a vengeance, from spreading a deadly virus in New York. Full CGI. A good watch, but it does not really tell a new story or surprises on some other level. We know what we're about to gain and we gain exactly that. Overall Rating: 6/10 48. Cocolors COCOLORS(コカラス [Kamikaze Douga] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Sci-Fi There is a world in which an endless rain of dark ash fills the sky, and covers the earth. Humanity, fearing the ash that burns and melts away human flesh, had no choice but to cover themselves in protective suits, and their faces with gigantic masks. Bundled up in their suits and hidden away behind their masks, the people have fled deep within the underground. This is the story of the children growing up in this fearful world. Full CGI with some filter. It's done mostly in dark palette and focuses colors a lot which I detest as a theme. It fails to tell a story, fails to convey a message and decides just to throw a tearjerker. Terrible. Overall Rating: 5/10 49. Crayon Shin-chan Movie 25: Shin-chan Shuurai! Uchuujin Shiriri Crayon Shin-chan: Invasion!! Alien Shiriri 映画クレヨンしんちゃん 襲来!! 宇宙人シリリ [Shin-Ei Animation] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Seinen Adventure, Comedy, Sci-Fi The film's story begins when Shiriri, an alien, arrives and turns Hiroshi and Misae into children. To turn them back, Shinnosuke must travel the length of Japan with Shiriri hidden in his butt. Meanwhile, Shiriri's father is moving forward with a huge conspiracy. Unfortunately, alien invasion means another thematic invader episode instead of something worthy like story focusing on some character. Whatever. Overall Rating: 6/10
  12. Shouwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu: Sukeroku Futatabi-hen and ChäoS;Child are the only things that interested me. 1. Kono Subarashii Sekai ni Shukufuku wo! 2 KonoSuba: God's Blessing on This Wonderful World! 2 この素晴らしい世界に祝福を! 2 [Studio Deen] (Finished 10/10) Tags: Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy Isekai, Parody, Reincarnation When Kazuma Satou died, he was given two choices: pass on to heaven or be revived in a fantasy world. After choosing the new world, the goddess Aqua tasked him with defeating the Demon King, and let him choose any weapon to aid him. Unfortunately, Kazuma chose to bring Aqua herself and has regretted the decision ever since then. Not only is he stuck with a useless deity turned party archpriest, the pair also has to make enough money for living expenses. To add to their problems, their group continued to grow as more problematic adventurers joined their ranks. Their token spellcaster, Megumin, is an explosion magic specialist who can only cast one spell once per day and refuses to learn anything else. There is also their stalwart crusader, Lalatina "Darkness" Dustiness Ford, a helpless masochist who makes Kazuma look pure in comparison. Kono Subarashii Sekai ni Shukufuku wo! 2 continues to follow Kazuma and the rest of his party through countless more adventures as they struggle to earn money and have to deal with one another's problematic personalities. However, things rarely go as planned, and they are often sidetracked by their own idiotic tendencies. Sequel. Overall Rating: 6/10 2. Kobayashi-san Chi no Maid Dragon Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid 小林さんちのメイドラゴン [Kyoto Animation] (Finished 3/13) Tags: Fantasy, Slice of Life As Kobayashi sets off for another day at work, she opens her apartment door only to be met by an unusually frightening sight—the head of a dragon, staring at her from across the balcony. The dragon immediately transforms into a cute, busty, and energetic young girl dressed in a maid outfit, introducing herself as Tooru. It turns out that the stoic programmer had come across the dragon the previous night on a drunken excursion to the mountains, and since the mythical beast had nowhere else to go, she had offered the creature a place to stay in her home. Thus, Tooru had arrived to cash in on the offer, ready to repay her savior's kindness by working as her personal maidservant. Though deeply regretful of her words and hesitant to follow through on her promise, a mix of guilt and Tooru's incredible dragon abilities convinces Kobayashi to take the girl in. Despite being extremely efficient at her job, the maid's unorthodox methods of housekeeping often end up horrifying Kobayashi and at times bring more trouble than help. Furthermore, the circumstances behind the dragon's arrival on Earth seem to be much more complicated than at first glance, as Tooru bears some heavy emotions and painful memories. To top it all off, Tooru's presence ends up attracting several other mythical beings to her new home, bringing in a host of eccentric personalities. Although Kobayashi makes her best effort to handle the crazy situation that she has found herself in, nothing has prepared her for this new life with a dragon maid. For me it's a bland SOL comedy that focuses on monster girls and ecchi elements inevitably linked to them for some reason. For me even A Centaur's Life is a much better anime. Overall Rating: 6/10 3. Youjo Senki Saga of Tanya the Evil 幼女戦記 [Nut] (Finished 12/12) Tags: Isekai, Military, Reincarnation Action, Fantasy Tanya Degurechaff is a young soldier infamous for predatorial-like ruthlessness and an uncanny, tactical aptitude, earning her the nickname of the "Devil of the Rhine." Underneath her innocuous appearance, however, lies the soul of a man who challenged Being X, the self-proclaimed God, to a battle of wits—which resulted in him being reincarnated as a little girl into a world of magical warfare. Hellbent on defiance, Tanya resolves to ascend the ranks of her country's military as it slowly plunges into world war, with only Being X proving to be the strongest obstacle in recreating the peaceful life she once knew. But her perceptive actions and combat initiative have an unintended side effect: propelling the mighty Empire into becoming one of the most powerful nations in mankind's history. Failed to understand the appeal even though the vibes of Izetta the last witch are here. Main character lacks appeal, and revenge as driver motive is not enough for a great show. Overall Rating: 6/10 4. Masamune-kun no Revenge Masamune-kun's Revenge 政宗くんのリベンジ [SILVER LINK.] (Finished 3/12) Tags: Shounen Harem, School Comedy, Romance When Masamune Makabe was a child, he was rejected by a rich, beautiful girl named Aki Adagaki, who gave him the nickname ''Piggy'' for being overweight. Devastated, Masamune put great effort into working out to improve his appearance. Now a handsome yet narcissistic high school student, Masamune is determined to exact revenge—he will have Aki fall madly in love with him and ultimately reject her the next time they meet. To his surprise, Masamune discovers he has transferred into Aki's school. Setting his plan into motion, Masamune first begins to form a relationship with the ''Brutal Princess'' but, despite his efforts, fails miserably at his initial attempts. Shockingly, when Masamune finally progresses towards his vengeance, he receives a mysterious letter addressing him by his old nickname. Unless Masamune discovers the sender's identity, his plan is doomed before it even starts! Not bad romcom about trying to make girls fall in love with a former fattie. But it's too shounen and too light and with excessive cliché to my taste. Overall Rating: 6/10 5. Ao no Exorcist: Kyoto Fujouou-hen Blue Exorcist: Kyoto Saga 青の祓魔師 京都不浄王篇 [A-1 Pictures] (Finished 1/12) Tags: Shounen Mythology, School Action, Fantasy The ExWire of True Cross Academy are beset with shock and fear in the aftermath of discovering that one of their own classmates, Rin Okumura, is the son of Satan. But for the moment, they have more pressing concerns than that of Rin's parentage: the left eye of the Impure King, a powerful demon, has been stolen from the academy's Deep Keep. After an attempt is made to steal the right eye in Kyoto as well, Rin and the other ExWires are sent to investigate the mystery behind the Impure King and the ultimate goal of the thief. While this mission has them cooperating for the time being, Rin has never felt more distant from his fellow exorcists. In his attempt to reconcile with them, he undergoes specialized training to control his dark power. However, when the right eye is stolen not long after their arrival, the unthinkable threat of a traitor amongst them leaves them in need of all the power they can get. Sequel. Overall Rating: 6/10 6. Kuzu no Honkai Scum's Wish クズの本懐 [Lerche] (Finished 12/12) Tags: Seinen Love Polygon, School Drama, Romance To the outside world, Hanabi Yasuraoka and Mugi Awaya are the perfect couple. But in reality, they just share the same secret pain: they are both in love with other people they cannot be with. Hanabi has loved her childhood friend and neighbor Narumi Kanai for as long as she can remember, so she is elated to discover that he is her new homeroom teacher. However, Narumi is soon noticed by the music teacher, Akane Minagawa, and a relationship begins to blossom between them, much to Hanabi's dismay. Mugi was tutored by Akane in middle school, and has been in love with her since then. Through a chance meeting in the hallway, he encounters Hanabi. As these two lonely souls spend more time together, they decide to use each other as a substitute for the one they truly love, sharing physical intimacy with one another in order to stave off their loneliness. It starts as something fresh and unique, but goes on as absolutely trifle problems put to the absolute and blabbering about. All that whispering and empty drama can puzzle at best, but that's it. Overall Rating: 6/10 7. Little Witch Academia (TV) Little Witch Academia リトルウィッチアカデミア [Trigger] (Finished 1/25) Tags: School Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy "A believing heart is your magic!"—these were the words that Atsuko "Akko" Kagari's idol, the renowned witch Shiny Chariot, said to her during a magic performance years ago. Since then, Akko has lived by these words and aspired to be a witch just like Shiny Chariot, one that can make people smile. Hence, even her non-magical background does not stop her from enrolling in Luna Nova Magical Academy. However, when an excited Akko finally sets off to her new school, the trip there is anything but smooth. After her perilous journey, she befriends the shy Lotte Yansson and the sarcastic Sucy Manbavaran. To her utmost delight, she also discovers Chariot's wand, the Shiny Rod, which she takes as her own. Unfortunately, her time at Luna Nova will prove to be more challenging than Akko could ever believe. She absolutely refuses to stay inferior to the rest of her peers, especially to her self-proclaimed rival, the beautiful and gifted Diana Cavendish, so she relies on her determination to compensate for her reckless behavior and ineptitude in magic. In a time when wizardry is on the decline, Little Witch Academia follows the magical escapades of Akko and her friends as they learn the true meaning of being a witch. Remake. Overall Rating: 6/10 8. Gabriel DropOut ガヴリールドロップアウト [Doga Kobo] (Finished 12/12) Tags: Shounen CGDCT, Mythology, School Comedy, Supernatural For centuries, Heaven has required its young angels to live and study among humans in order to become full-fledged angels. This is no different for top-of-her-class Gabriel White Tenma, who believes it is her mission to be a great angel who will bring happiness to mankind. However, Gabriel grows addicted to video games on Earth and eventually becomes a hikikomori. Proclaiming herself a "Fallen Angel," she is apathetic to everything else—much to the annoyance of Vignette April Tsukinose, a demon whom Gabriel befriended in her angelic early days on Earth. Vignette's attempts to revert Gabriel back to her previous self are in vain, as Gabriel shoots down any attempt to change her precious lifestyle. As they spend their time on Earth, they meet two eccentric personalities: the angel Raphiel Ainsworth Shiraha, Gabriel's classmate with a penchant for sadism, and the demon Satanichia McDowell Kurumizawa, a clumsy self-proclaimed future ruler of the Underworld. Gabriel DropOut follows these four friends' comedic lives as they utterly fail to understand what it truly means to be a demon or an angel. Not bad comedy, but competition within the genre is too high, and I don't like it enough. Just a decent comedy around angels and demons. Overall Rating: 6/10 9. Demi-chan wa Kataritai Interviews With Monster Girls 亜人ちゃんは語りたい [A-1 Pictures] (Finished 2/12) Tags: Seinen Mythology, School, Vampire Comedy, Fantasy High school biology teacher Tetsuo Takahashi may look like your average everyday instructor, but beneath his gentle appearance lies something less ordinary: his fascination for the "Ajin," more commonly known as "Demi." Although these half-human, half-monster beings have integrated into human society, Takahashi believes that much about them will remain unknown unless he interacts with them firsthand. Demi-chan wa Kataritai follows Takahashi's daily life in Shibasaki High School together with his three Demi students—Hikari Takanashi, an energetic vampire; Kyouko Machi, a gentle dullahan; and Yuki Kusakabe, the shy snow woman. Along the way, Takahashi also meets fellow teacher Sakie Satou, a succubus with an aversion towards men. To fulfill his goal of learning more about the Demi, Takahashi decides to conduct casual interviews with the girls to learn more about their abilities, psyche, and interaction with human society. As Takahashi strengthens his bond with his students, he soon discovers that the Demi are not as unusual as he initially believed. It's literally interviews with demi-humans and non-humans. Not sure what to like here. Overall Rating: 5/10 10. Gintama. Gintama Season 5 銀魂。 [Bandai Namco Pictures] (Finished 12/12) Tags: Shounen Gag Humor, Historical, Parody, Samurai Action, Comedy, Sci-Fi After joining the resistance against the bakufu, Gintoki and the gang are in hiding, along with Katsura and his Joui rebels. The Yorozuya is soon approached by Nobume Imai and two members of the Kiheitai, who explain that the Harusame pirates have turned against 7th Division Captain Kamui and their former ally Takasugi. The Kiheitai present Gintoki with a job: find Takasugi, who has been missing since his ship was ambushed in a Harusame raid. Nobume also makes a stunning revelation regarding the Tendoushuu, a secret organization pulling the strings of numerous factions, and their leader Utsuro, the shadowy figure with an uncanny resemblance to Gintoki's former teacher. Hitching a ride on Sakamoto's space ship, the Yorozuya and Katsura set out for Rakuyou, Kagura's home planet, where the various factions have gathered and tensions are brewing. Long-held grudges, political infighting, and the Tendoushuu's sinister overarching plan finally culminate into a massive, decisive battle on Rakuyou. Sequel. Overall Rating: 6/10 11. Fuuka 風夏 [Diomedéa] (Finished 2/12) Tags: Shounen Love Polygon, Music, School Drama, Romance, Ecchi The story follows the life of Yuu Haruna, who recently moved into Tokyo with his sisters after their father is forced to transfer overseas on work. On his way to buy dinner while looking at his Twitter account, a high school girl suddenly crashes into him. Thinking he was taking upskirt pictures of her, the girl takes Yuu's phone, breaks it, and slaps him before leaving Yuu lying on the ground. As it turns out, this girl—Fuuka Akitsuki—also goes to the school Yuu is transferring to. Unlike most people, Fuuka doesn't own a cellphone; she even listens to music using a CD player. Eventually these two become closer, and decide to form a band with their friends and enter the professional world of music. With Fuuka around, what will now become of Yuu's new life in Tokyo? What a typical and cliché love triangle. Makes it really painful to watch as I find myself checking each episode timer too often waiting for it to end... Overall Rating: 6/10 12. Seiren セイレン [Studio Gokumi, AXsiZ] (Finished 12/12) Tags: Harem, School Romance For high school students like Shouichi Kamita, university entrance exams and the future are common concerns. It is also during this time in life that a mysterious emotion that vexes people of all ages may begin to weigh upon one's mind—love. At this point in his teenage years, Shouichi finds three girls he could see himself having a future with: the ever-cheerful Hikari Tsuneki, who teases Shouichi without mercy, but actually has a softer side; the competitive gamer, Tooru Miyamae, who has difficulty communicating with others; and Shouichi's childhood friend, Kyouko Touno, the sometimes immature shoujo manga enthusiast. Seiren follows Shouichi's relationships with these three girls across three separate arcs, as their feelings grow from mutual interest and blossom into something more beautiful. Amagami SS was special because of memorable girls. But in Seiren girls look almost the same and are very familiar, without enigma this time, so it can't reach former heights. Overall Rating: 6/10 13. Shouwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu: Sukeroku Futatabi-hen Descending Stories: Showa Genroku Rakugo Shinju 昭和元禄落語心中~助六再び篇 [Studio Deen] (Finished 12/12) Tags: Josei Adult Cast, Historical, Love Polygon, Performing Arts Drama Even after having risen to the utmost rank of shin'uchi, Yotarou struggles to find his own identity in the world of rakugo. Caught between his master's teachings and the late Sukeroku's unique style, his performance lacks an important ingredient—ego. And while his popularity packs the theaters, he is but one of the few; rakugo is under threat of being eclipsed. Meanwhile Yakumo, regarded by many as the last bastion of preserving the popularity of rakugo, struggles to cope with his elderly state. Even though his performances are still stellar, he fears that he is nearing his limits. His doubts grow stronger as an old friend creeps ever closer. Konatsu, for her part, attempts to raise her son as a single mother, which Yotarou is heavily opposed to. Instead, he seeks to persuade her to marry him and in turn raise her son as his own. In Shouwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu: Sukeroku Futatabi-hen, the curtains fall on Yotarou and Yakumo's story, tasked with restoring the near-obsolete art form as well as overcoming their internal conflicts. Sequel. Overall Rating: 7/10 14. ACCA: 13-ku Kansatsu-ka ACCA: 13-Territory Inspection Dept. ACCA 13区監察課 [Madhouse] (Finished 12/12) Tags: Seinen Adult Cast, Detective Drama, Fantasy, Mystery ACCA—a national body of the kingdom of Dowa that provides public services to the citizens of the country—was established as part of the peace settlement between the king of Dowa and the 13 states of the country during a revolt. One hundred years later, Dowa is in a period of unprecedented peace, due in part to the ACCA system. However, rumors of a coup d'état start to surface. Jean Otus, the second-in-command of the inspection department of ACCA, is charged with inspecting all 13 state branches. What will he discover as he performs his audit? Intriguing and mysterious, ACCA: 13-ku Kansatsu-ka is a politically-themed mystery that reveals a world of diverse cultures and lifestyles, with intricate connections between its characters, as the truth of the coup d'état slowly unfolds. Never could like it. Another useless mystery where nothing happens, and then - bam - coup d'etat. Overall Rating: 6/10 15. Tales of Zestiria the Cross 2nd Season Tales of Zestiria the X Season 2 テイルズ オブ ゼスティリア ザ クロス 第2期 [ufotable] (Finished 13/13) Tags: Action, Adventure, Fantasy The second season of Tales of Zestiria the Cross. Sequel. Overall Rating: 6/10 16. Akiba's Trip The Animation [Gonzo] (Finished 1/13) Tags: Otaku Culture Action, Comedy, Supernatural, Ecchi Otaku siblings Tamotsu and Niwaka Denkigai are shopping in Akihabara when it is overrun by vampiric cosplaying monsters! These creatures, known as "Bugged Ones," can possess anyone they bite and soon they begin causing mayhem across the city. As Tamotsu finds himself at the mercy of one of these creatures, he is rescued by the mysterious baseball bat-wielding Matome Mayonaka. Together, they fight through several more encounters with the Bugged Ones, but before long, Tamotsu is fatally wounded protecting Matome. With no other choice, she revives him as a high level Bugged One—just like her! Tamotsu and Matome, along with excitable otaku cosplayer Arisa Ahokainen, make up the group "The Electric Mayonnaise" and they begin dispatching the Bugged Ones in the only way they know how: by ripping off their clothes and exposing them to sunlight! Poor senseless game, even worse anime. Overall Rating: 5/10 17. ChäoS;Child [SILVER LINK.] (Finished 12/12) Tags: Gore, Psychological Mystery, Sci-Fi, Supernatural A series of gruesome murders dubbed "New Generation Madness" once induced mass hysteria in Shibuya. At its peak during a frenzied riot, a sudden earthquake reduced the district into nothing but rubble, while leaving surrounding wards strangely intact. Six years later, in a newly rebuilt Shibuya, mysterious deaths begin to crop up again. It is not long before third-year student Takuru Miyashiro realizes a connection: the dates of the recent murders match those of the New Generation Madness incidents. He, along with several members of his school's newspaper club, decide to delve deeper into the mystery, only to find themselves stranded in the middle of a new crime scene themselves... Even though I'm not fond of mysteries, it's worth watching it once, especially because VN is so long. Overall Rating: 7/10 18. Urara Meirochou Urara Meirocho うらら迷路帖 [J.C.Staff] (Finished 3/12) Tags: Seinen CGDCT Comedy, Fantasy Labyrinth Town is a legendary city composed of ten districts, home to witches and diviners alike. In the outermost district of this maze, many young girls begin training to join the ranks of the "Urara," a group of women known far and wide for their ability to divine the answers to the world's most difficult questions. Chiya, a wild girl raised amongst the animals in the mountains, is invited to take her rightful place as a first rank urara. By joining them, she hopes to divine the location of her long-lost mother. Chiya quickly makes three friends: studious Kon Tatsumi, aspiring witch Koume Yukimi, and reticent Nono Natsume. Armed with only their own ingenuity and a vague connection to the gods, they begin their journey in the way of the urara. Rather useless antics of village girls dealing with spirits. Overall Rating: 6/10 19. Chain Chronicle: Haecceitas no Hikari Chain Chronicle: The Light of Haecceitas チェインクロニクル~ヘクセイタスの閃〈ひかり〉~ [Telecom Animation Film, Graphinica] (Finished 12/12) Tags: Action, Adventure, Fantasy Set in the land of Yuguto, the people thought that the land they live is the size of the world, but it's actually divided into several areas, each with a respective king. Even though there were small wars among areas, the kings had roundtable meetings to maintain peace and balance. It was until a dark group of dark monsters appeared... Unlike OVA, there's a normal cast of characters and a normal plot. Visuals are great, but characters are rather thin and bland, so I fail to empathize here. Overall Rating: 6/10 20. Rewrite 2nd Season Rewrite: Moon and Terra Rewrite 2ndシーズン [8bit] (Finished 11/11) Tags: Action, Comedy, Romance, Supernatural The second season of the Rewrite series which adapts Moon and Terra routes. Sequel. Overall Rating: 5/10 21. Hand Shakers ハンドシェイカー [GoHands] (Finished 5/12) Tags: Super Power Action, Sci-Fi Those who receive the Revelation of Babel must overcome many battles and trials. By grasping the hand of their special partner, these "Hand Shakers" transport themselves to the realm of Ziggurat, an alternate dimension where time no longer exists. Each pair of Hand Shakers must battle it out for the right to meet with God, who will reward them by granting them a single wish. Tazuna Takatsuki, a high school student with a penchant for fixing things, is one of these Hand Shakers. After receiving a request for repairs from Professor Makihara of a nearby university, Tazuna stumbles upon Koyori Akutagawa, a bedridden girl that reminds him of his deceased sister Musubu. Remembering her dying wish to never let go of her hand, Tazuna grasps Koyori's hand and awakens his power as a Hand Shaker. However, Koyori's life is directly tied to her status as a Hand Shaker, meaning if Tazuna was to ever let go of her hand she would die. With meeting God being their only hope for saving her, the duo must find a way to make their unique powers mesh together, overcome the opposing Hand Shakers, and make their wish come true. More duels with wonder waffles, and inability to separate with a girl for some spice. Well balanced and calculated, but totally artificial and fake. Overall Rating: 6/10 22. BanG Dream! BanG Dream!(バンドリ!) [Xebec, Issen] (Finished 4/13) Tags: Music When Kasumi Toyama was out camping as a child, she heard the rhythm of the "Star Beat" while admiring the starry night sky. This sparkling, heart-pounding sound left a lasting impression on her, and since then, she has constantly been seeking to rediscover that exciting thrill. Now, as a newly enrolled student of Hanasakigawa Girls' High School, Kasumi is more determined than ever to find that long-lost sensation again. She attempts a myriad of school club activities, and even considers taking up a part-time job, but none of these feel suitable for her. That is, until she chances upon a star-shaped guitar in the storage room of an old pawn shop. It leads her to a live house, where she is captivated by watching a live performance for the first time. Spurred from the adrenaline, she instantly decides to form a band without even really knowing why. However, such a venture requires her to confront various hurdles with new friends she makes along the way, all in her pursuit to encounter that twinkling, heart-throbbing ardor once more. It does not live up to the minimally accepted quality level that K-On is, and Xebec is one of the worst companies out there - they hardly understand anything in good anime. Overall Rating: 6/10 23. Kemono Friends けものフレンズ [Yaoyorozu] (Finished 3/12) Tags: Anthropomorphic, Iyashikei Adventure, Award Winning, Comedy, Fantasy Japari Park is an untamed paradise where many humanoid animals, known as "Friends," live their everyday lives in all corners of the natural environmental park. One lazy afternoon in the savannah area, the energetic Serval encounters a peculiar new Friend. Curious, she swiftly takes down the Friend, named Kaban, to try and discover what species she is. To Serval's disappointment, not even Kaban herself knows the answer. The two become friends and set out on a grand adventure through the many habitats, landmarks, and attractions of Japari Park. Their destination is the park library, where they hope to shed some light on Kaban’s identity. Along the way, they meet many other Friends, looking into their lives and helping them out. However, they soon begin to uncover the sinister reality behind the park and their own existence. CGI... childish... and not entertaining for me in any way. Overall Rating: 5/10 24. Yowamushi Pedal: New Generation 弱虫ペダル NEW GENERATION [TMS Entertainment] (Finished 1/25) Tags: Shounen Racing Sports Third season of the Yowamushi Pedal series. With the team's combined strength, the Sohoku High bicycle racing club beat reigning champions Hakone Academy at the Interhigh national race and achieved an impressive overall victory. Now that their hot summer has ended and third-years Kinjou, Makishima, and Tadokoro have retired from the team, first-year participants in the Interhigh Onoda Sakamichi, Imaizumi Shunsuke, and Naruko Shoukichi, along with their new captain second-year Teshima Junta and vice-captain Aoyagi Hajime begin preparing as a "new team" for their second consecutive championship at the next Interhigh. In order to retake their throne, their rivals Hakone Academy have also incorporated new members and begun training as a new team. Kyoto Fushimi High is lead by the monstrous racer Midousuji Akira. The nation's top schools are all honing their skills to reach the top of the Interhigh. Sequel. Overall Rating: 6/10 25. ēlDLIVE elDLIVE エルドライブ 【ēlDLIVE】 [Pierrot] (Finished 3/12) Tags: Shounen Space Action, Sci-Fi Chuuta Kokonose is an orphan who lives with his aunt. For as long as he can remember, he's had a voice in his head, but other than that he's a normal boy—right until the day when a strange-looking thing follows him home and teleports him to a place filled with more fantastic creatures. It's a space police station, and Rein Brickke, the Chief of Solar System Department, tells him that he's been chosen by the computer as a possible candidate to join the police force. Misuzu Sonokata, a girl from Chuuta's school with an angelic face and ill temper who turns out to be one of Rein Brickke's subordinates, doesn't think him suitable for such a job. Chuuta, who was shocked at first, decides to take the aptitude test after being urged by the voice in his head and to prove Misuzu wrong. Very lame shounen with idiot characters, horrible humor and nonsense plot. Overall Rating: 5/10 26. Reikenzan: Eichi e no Shikaku 霊剣山 叡智への資格 [Studio Deen] (Finished 1/12) Tags: Comedy, Fantasy After two years of studying within the Reiken clan, Ouriku and other inexperienced disciples are ordered to descend to the temporal world for further studies, and Ouriku embarks the journey back to his birthplace. Sequel. Overall Rating: 5/10 27. Onihei 鬼平 [Studio M2] (Finished 13/13) Tags: Adult Cast, Historical, Samurai Action, Drama The blade arts of the "Devil" tasked with striking down evils threatening a peaceful Edo! Heizou Hasegawa, upholding the role of chief officer protecting against crime and arson! In 1783, the heart of the Tenmei era, Hasegawa held the office of chief director of the department charged with sustaining safety in the region, suppressing the most vile of thieves and criminals, an individual largely feared, renowned as Devil Heizou... Great samurai show, actually, but it's basically anthology of various stories loosely connected by Haizou Hasegawa. Plus I'm not fond of jazz. I was not able to enjoy these stories around thievery, but most people should like it as both time and fighting action are depicted well. Overall Rating: 6/10 28. Minami Kamakura Koukou Joshi Jitensha-bu Minami Kamakura High School Girls Cycling Club 南鎌倉高校女子自転車部 [J.C.Staff, A.C.G.T.] (Finished 1/12) Tags: Shounen CGDCT, School Sports Maiharu Hiromi has moved from Nagasaki to Kamakura. She begins her new life in Kamakura and her first day in Minami Kamakura High School by cycling to her school, but she has not ridden a bicycle in many years. On the way to the first day ceremony she almost crashes into Akizuki Tomoe. Obviously Hiromi needs a lot more practice, so Tomoe decides to help Hiromi train to become better at riding a bicycle, and they become good friends. When they discover that the school used to have a bicycle club, the girls, together with Kamikura Fuyune and Higa Natsumi, resurrect the club naming it the Minami Kamakura High School Girls Bicycle Club. There was another girl cycling club anime just recently... anyway, far from my interests. Overall Rating: 6/10 29. Schoolgirl Strikers: Animation Channel スクールガールストライカーズ Animation Channel [J.C.Staff] (Finished 2/13) Tags: School Action, Sci-Fi It's the near future. The newly established girls' private school Goryoukan Academy has another face. This school has a special unit, Fifth force, who is assembled and selected from the school's student body in order to fight an enemy called O'bli. This is a story about love, courage and friendship about the girls called Strikers. Cheerful mahou shoujo CGDCT with battles against unintelligent creatures so mundane that those are mostly omitted. The result is average. Overall Rating: 5/10 30. Idol Jihen Idol Incidents アイドル事変 [MAPPA, Studio VOLN] (Finished 2/12) Tags: Idols (Female), Music Increasing income divide, creeping environmental pollution, unsolvable waste issues, childcare waiting lists being discussed without those concerned, repeated corruption… The government, smeared by vested interests, can't do a thing against the many problems and sources of discontent. It's in this situation, with Japan cornered with no way out, that idols rise up to save the day! The Heroine Party, Sunlight Party, Starlight Party, Bishoujo Party, Wakaba Party, Subculture New Party, and SOS Party. From these seven idol political parties, the idols who have become National Diet members and representatives for each prefecture will smash through the sense of stagnation covering Japan using the power of song and dance! They'll bring back the smiling faces of the people, and wrap Japan in a glittering aura!! This nonsense synopsis instantly causes a facepalm for me. The actual content is childish as politics is only stage for some short incidents. Overall Rating: 5/10 31. Kirakira☆Precure A La Mode キラキラ☆プリキュアアラモード [Toei Animation] (Finished 1/49) Tags: Mahou Shoujo Action, Fantasy, Gourmet Cheerful teenager Ichika Usami has a passion for sweets that is inspired by her mother's baking. In celebration of her mother's return from overseas, she tries her hand at making a cake herself. She is interrupted when a dog-like fairy named Pekorin crashes into her kitchen. With Pekorin's help, Ichika successfully bakes her cake. Only then enters an imp named Gummy who bursts in and attempt to steal the cake's "kirakiraru", a magical power that gives sweets the ability to bring happiness. Though Ichika initially offers her cake to Gummy in order to protect Pekorin, the fairy helps her realize how important the treat is and the love it represents. As the kirakiraru within Ichika's cake grows, it changes into a set of trinkets that transforms her into Cure Whip, a hero known as a Pretty Cure. Using her newfound powers, she goes on to battle kirakiraru thieves whenever they appear. Ichika fights to protect Ichigozaka's sweets and finds colorful new allies along the way. Sequel. Overall Rating: 6/10 32. Forest Fairy Five [Showgate, Tokyo MX] (Finished 1/13) Tags: Music Comedy, Fantasy A beautiful nation, prospering since ancient times, Japan is now known as the Anime Kingdom. There are more than just humans living there; animes truly do exist in Japan. Past the Fairy Ring, to the world of fairies, live anime-chans. There's a Fairy Ring in your town, too. Here. And there. Even in Harajuku. Maybe even in the Ashigara mountains. By some chance, we'll open that door. And we might get to meet the anime-chans. This is the land where you get to meet anime-chans. Ugly full CGI with typical vtuber useless talk. Overall Rating: 4/10 33. Chou Yuu Sekai: Being the Reality World of Super Sand Box: Being the Reality 超游世界 -BEING THE REALITY- [Asahi Production, Success Corp.] (Finished 11/20) Tags: Video Game Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Romance A hot-blooded high school teen, a mysterious female swordsman, and an unpredictable dark emo girl. It's impossible to distinguish between reality and the game world! What kind of conspiracy is awaiting them in this super journey of the world! It's only partially translated. Usual hectic action, and being based on a video game only makes things worse. Overall Rating: 5/10 34. Feng Ling Yu Xiu Soulmate Adventure 风灵玉秀 [Sunflowers] (Finished 3/12) Tags: Martial Arts Action, Adventure It is rumored in the martial world that a mystery white-haired girl suddenly appeared around the thief Feng Ling Er. She is so powerful that many martial arts masters can't defeat her. The girl's identity, the source of her power and her influence to the world all caused discussion among the public. But Feng Ling Er and the white-haired girl named Bai Yu Xiu never care about it. They travel the world with pleasure, unaware of a great conspiracy coming towards them. Travel Wuxia, only slightly better than its traditional representatives. Overall Rating: 6/10 35. Xiang Ling Ji 降灵记 [Pb Animation Co. Ltd., LAN Studio] (Finished 1/15) Tags: Mythology Action, Fantasy The 19-year-old tomboy exorcist Hua Jiu got to know 'evil spirit' Seven Lord and forced him to be her spirit servant when cleansing spirits. Later the human being and the spirit set forth on a journey of ranting each other and cleansing spirits. However, Hua Jiu's enemy started insidious revenge at the same time... Travelling exorcist is one of my least favorite concepts - waste of time, basically. This one at least has clean outline and some humor. Overall Rating: 6/10 36. Sword Art Online Movie: Ordinal Scale Sword Art Online the Movie: Ordinal Scale 劇場版 ソードアート・オンライン -オーディナル・スケール- [A-1 Pictures] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Video Game Action, Adventure, Fantasy In 2026, four years after the infamous Sword Art Online incident, a revolutionary new form of technology has emerged: the Augma, a device that utilizes an Augmented Reality system. Unlike the Virtual Reality of the NerveGear and the Amusphere, it is perfectly safe and allows players to use it while they are conscious, creating an instant hit on the market. The most popular application for the Augma is the game Ordinal Scale, which immerses players in a fantasy role-playing game with player rankings and rewards. Following the new craze, Kirito's friends dive into the game, and despite his reservations about the system, Kirito eventually joins them. While at first it appears to be just fun and games, they soon find out that the game is not all that it seems... What do we like in SAO? MMO fantasy world, super strong bosses, party play, PK, permadeath. What are we getting fed since the original? Augmented reality, amnesia, identity swap, kidnapping and just talks. All the sequels till Alicization neglect all the positive sides and present just another artificial side story with familiar patterns and totally shifted focus. Can't recommend this movie as it steps on the same rakes again, and such destructive behavior should not be supported. Overall Rating: 6/10 37. Gyakusatsu Kikan Genocidal Organ 虐殺器官 [Manglobe, Geno Studio] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Military, Psychological Sci-Fi The war on terror exploded, literally, the day Sarajevo was destroyed by a homemade nuclear device. The leading democracies transformed into total surveillance states, and the developing world has drowned under a wave of genocides. The mysterious American John Paul seems to be behind the collapse of the world system, and it's up to intelligence agent Clavis Shepherd to track John Paul across the wreckage of civilizations and to find the true heart of darkness—a genocidal organ. It's a huge bore, and whatever it tries to say is not worth the time spent. Overall Rating: 5/10 38. Hirune Hime: Shiranai Watashi no Monogatari Napping Princess ひるね姫~知らないワタシの物語~ [Signal.MD] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Adventure, Fantasy, Sci-Fi Kokone Morikawa has a strange napping disease that distracts her from reality, one that makes the world of her dreams and the real world near indistinguishable. In reality, she is an average high school student preparing for her university entrance exams; but in her dreams she is a magical princess of Heartland, a machine-driven future where the use of artificial intelligence is forbidden. Within the seemingly imaginary dreamland, Kokone discovers more about her family's past and the secret that her father, a talented mechanic, has tried to protect her from. However, as the events between two worlds intertwine, she must now protect the secret from villainous entities, both dream-like and terrifyingly real. So there's a lot of nonsense about dreams and enough reactivity in form of getting pursued. It aims to be a family friendly exotic movie akin to Ghibli, but there's nothing really interesting in it, so I'm probably too old for this. Overall Rating: 6/10 39. Yuuki Yuuna wa Yuusha de Aru: Washio Sumi no Shou 1 - Tomodachi 結城友奈は勇者である -鷲尾須美の章- 第1章「ともだち」 [Studio Gokumi] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Mahou Shoujo Drama, Fantasy The first movie in the Washio Sumi no Shou trilogy. Main question for me here is why Yuuki Yuuna is often remembered as decent dark mahou shoujo on par with Madoka that is remembered by the right of genre discovery. And the answer that I find is that Yuuki Yuuna is ... simple. It does not beat around the bush for some episodes to introduce characters, does not involve multiple antagonists and mystery right away. It's a matter of mere seconds between initial information of being chosen - bell ringing - and fighting boss. And fighting bosses is interchanged with not just SOL, but SOL focused on bonding and character introduction in the process. Simplicity and time management is what makes this anime memorable in first place. But for me that's absolutely not what constitutes a good anime. There's no complexity, no interesting story and even no development so far. Overall Rating: 6/10 40. Ryuu no Haisha The Dragon Dentist 龍の歯医者 [Khara] (Finished 2/2) Tags: Adventure, Fantasy War rages between two neighboring countries, but one side has an ace up their sleeve: an ancient dragon bound by a pact to protect the nation. Despite these overpowering creatures being capable of leveling entire battlefields, they are rendered useless by cavities. And so, a special unit—the dragon dentists—has the important duty of caring for the dragon's teeth. Nonoko Kishii was the only one of many brave volunteers who survived a recent round of recruitment; in order to join the dragon dentists, one has to witness their future demise and accept it without a fight. Knowing the exact circumstances of their fated ends, the dragon dentists devote themselves to their work. One day, they gain a new member who did not undergo the test: Bernard "Bel" Octavius, a young enemy officer killed by his own men and revived by the dragon's teeth. Despite his appearance being an omen of a great disaster, he is placed under the care of Nonoko as a dentist-in-training. Will Bel come around to the dragon dentists' attitudes toward death and help them face the painful future that is to come? So giant dragons are fortresses, and dragon dentists fulfil maintenance duty. That's a stage, but what about story? Well, someone attacks, and main characters react to the best of their abilities. In the second half there's finally development as main characters have to leave dragon! And it becomes another story of running away and reacting to pursuit. This can be called a great story only if Fushigi no Umi no Nadia is your favorite anime. No, thank you. Overall Rating: 6/10
  13. 3-gatsu no Lion takes the upper hand as the new title over sequel Gantz:O . But I also enjoyed Keijo!!!!!!! and Shuumatsu no Izetta . 1. Haikyuu!! Karasuno Koukou vs. Shiratorizawa Gakuen Koukou Haikyu!! 3rd Season ハイキュー!! 烏野高校 VS 白鳥沢学園高校 [Production I.G] (Finished 1/10) Tags: Shounen School, Team Sports After the victory against Aoba Jousai High, Karasuno High School, once called “a fallen powerhouse, a crow that can’t fly,” has finally reached the climax of the heated Spring tournament. Now, to advance to nationals, the Karasuno team has to defeat the powerhouse Shiratorizawa Academy. Karasuno’s greatest hurdle is their adversary’s ace, Wakatoshi Ushijima, the number one player in the Miyagi Prefecture, and one of the country’s top three aces. Only the strongest team will make it to the national tournament. Since this match is the third-year players’ last chance to qualify for nationals, Karasuno has to use everything they learned during the training camp and prior matches to attain victory. Filled with restlessness and excitement, both teams are determined to come out on top in the third season of Haikyuu!!. Sequel. Overall Rating: 6/10 2. Yuri!!! on Ice ユーリ!!! on ICE [MAPPA] (Finished 2/12) Tags: Performing Arts Award Winning, Sports Reeling from his crushing defeat at the Grand Prix Finale, Yuuri Katsuki, once Japan's most promising figure skater, returns to his family home to assess his options for the future. At age 23, Yuuri's window for success in skating is closing rapidly, and his love of pork cutlets and aptitude for gaining weight are not helping either. However, Yuuri finds himself in the spotlight when a video of him performing a routine previously executed by five-time world champion, Victor Nikiforov, suddenly goes viral. In fact, Victor himself abruptly appears at Yuuri's house and offers to be his mentor. As one of his biggest fans, Yuuri eagerly accepts, kicking off his journey to make it back onto the world stage. But the competition is fierce, as the rising star from Russia, Yuri Plisetsky, is relentlessly determined to defeat Yuuri and win back Victor's tutelage. Dropped it once, still can't understand the appeal here. And it has enough of boys love vibes which is not represented in the tags, of course. Overall Rating: 5/10 3. Bungou Stray Dogs 2nd Season Bungo Stray Dogs 2 文豪ストレイドッグス [Bones] (Finished 1/12) Tags: Seinen Adult Cast, Detective, Organized Crime, Super Power Action, Mystery, Supernatural Despite their differences in position, three men—the youngest senior executive of the Port Mafia, Osamu Dazai; the lowest ranking member, Sakunosuke Oda; and the intelligence agent, Ango Sakaguchi—gather at the Lupin Bar at the end of the day to relax and take delight in the company of friends. However, one night, Ango disappears. A photograph taken at the bar is all that is left of the three together. Fast forward to the present, and Dazai is now a member of the Armed Detective Agency. The Guild, an American gifted organization, has entered the fray and is intent on taking the Agency's work permit. They must now divide their attention between the two groups, the Guild and the Port Mafia, who oppose their very existence. Sequel. Overall Rating: 6/10 4. 3-gatsu no Lion March Comes In Like a Lion 3月のライオン [Shaft] (Finished 22/22) Tags: Seinen Childcare, Strategy Game Drama Having reached professional status in middle school, Rei Kiriyama is one of the few elite in the world of shogi. Due to this, he faces an enormous amount of pressure, both from the shogi community and his adoptive family. Seeking independence from his tense home life, he moves into an apartment in Tokyo. As a 17-year-old living on his own, Rei tends to take poor care of himself, and his reclusive personality ostracizes him from his peers in school and at the shogi hall. However, not long after his arrival in Tokyo, Rei meets Akari, Hinata, and Momo Kawamoto, a trio of sisters living with their grandfather who owns a traditional wagashi shop. Akari, the oldest of the three girls, is determined to combat Rei's loneliness and poorly sustained lifestyle with motherly hospitality. The Kawamoto sisters, coping with past tragedies, also share with Rei a unique familial bond that he has lacked for most of his life. As he struggles to maintain himself physically and mentally through his shogi career, Rei must learn how to interact with others and understand his own complex emotions. Really enjoying this series. Memorable characters and interactions. But in the end it's just SOL with some ups and downs in chess, so can't rate it too high as it can't be called intellectual or unique as a story. Overall Rating: 8/10 5. Drifters [Hoods Entertainment] (Finished 12/12) Tags: Seinen Adult Cast, Gore, Historical, Isekai, Military, Samurai Action, Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy At the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600, Toyohisa Shimazu is the rearguard for his retreating troops, and is critically wounded when he suddenly finds himself in a modern, gleaming white hallway. Faced with only a stoic man named Murasaki and hundreds of doors on both sides, Toyohisa is pulled into the nearest door and into a world completely unlike his own. The strange land is populated by all manner of fantastical creatures, as well as warriors from different eras of Toyohisa's world who were thought to be dead. Quickly befriending the infamous warlord Nobunaga Oda and the ancient archer Yoichi Suketaka Nasu, Toyohisa learns of the political unrest tearing through the continent. Furthermore, they have been summoned as "Drifters" to fight against the "Ends," people who are responsible for the creation of the Orte Empire and are trying to annihilate the Drifters. As the Ends grow more powerful, so does the Empire's persecution of elves and other demihumans. It is up to Toyohisa and his group of unconventional heroes to battle in a brand-new world war to help the Empire's subjects, while protecting the land to claim for themselves and challenging the Ends. Trashy action comedy that feels bland and silly to me. Reminds me of JoJo the most. Overall Rating: 5/10 6. Keijo!!!!!!!! 競女!!!!!!!! [Xebec] (Finished 12/12) Tags: Shounen Combat Sports Sports, Ecchi Japan's latest competitive sport, keijo, is dictated by a simple set of rules: female-only participants must stand on circular platforms floating in a pool—referred to as "lands"—with the goal being to knocking off opponents using only their breasts and butts. Despite this outlandish premise, the sport attracts millions of viewers across the country and boasts a lavish prize pool. Many aspiring athletes take up the challenge in hopes of becoming the next national champion. After graduating from high school, the lively 17-year-old Nozomi Kaminashi enters the world of keijo, hoping to bring home a fortune to her poor family. As a gifted gymnast, Nozomi quickly proves herself a tough competitor after stealing the spotlight in her debut tournament. Meeting new friends and rivals as she climbs the ranks, Nozomi discovers that the path to stardom as a keijo player is filled with intense competition that will challenge not only her body, but also her soul. It's a pretty hilarious ecchi, second one that I can call a masterpiece and probably first among spokons. It's inventive and intriguing even though kind of silly. Overall Rating: 7/10 7. Nanbaka ナンバカ [Satelight] (Finished 1/13) Tags: Action, Comedy, Drama Nanba is the world's most formidable prison, built to incarcerate criminals who are too slippery to stay in ordinary confinement. The four inmates who occupy Cell 13 are particularly cunning on that behalf, having escaped every other prison with a perfect success rate. There is Juugo, a specialist in locks who has spent the majority of his life in prison; Uno, a gambler with great intuition; Nico, an otaku whose body reacts strangely to drugs; and Rock, a bruiser with a love for food. The daily shenanigans of the four prisoners always cause trouble for the building supervisor, Hajime Sugoroku, who desperately tries to prevent them from breaking out of Nanba. Nanbaka follows the comedic, sparkle-filled exploits of these prisoners and their guards. From three square meals a day to sports festivals, prison life in Nanba isn't actually that bad—and it is the closest these four have to a home. This looks even more like Jojo... and it's difficult to watch anime where every second episode is titled idiot or its synonim. Full of nonsense. Overall Rating: 5/10 8. Ajin Part 2 亜人 第2クール [Polygon Pictures] (Finished 1/13) Tags: Seinen Gore Action, Horror, Mystery, Supernatural After escaping certain death, Kei Nagai and his new companion Kou Nakano plot revenge on Satou, their fellow Ajin who is hellbent on world domination. As Satou embarks on a string of public executions, the human race rushes to come up with a solution to stop the immortal villain. Kei discovers unlikely allies in the form of two former adversaries: high-ranking government official Yuu Tosaki, whose extensive research on Ajin gives him a tactical advantage in the fight against Satou, and Tosaki's Ajin assistant Izumi Shimomura. As his faction continues to gather allies, Kei races against time to put a stop to Satou's crusade before it brings about an end to civilization as he knows it. Sequel. Overall Rating: 6/10 9. Hibike! Euphonium 2 Sound! Euphonium 2 響け!ユーフォニアム2 [Kyoto Animation] (Finished 1/13) Tags: Music, Performing Arts, School Drama Following their success in the qualifying round for the Kansai regional competition, the members of the Kitauji High School concert band set their sights on the next upcoming performance. Utilizing their summer break to the utmost, the band participates in a camp where they are instructed by their band advisor Noboru Taki and his friends who make their living as professional musicians. Kumiko Oumae and her friends remain determined to attain gold at the Kansai competition, but trouble arises when a student who once quit the band shows interest in rejoining and sparks unpleasant memories for the second-year members. Kumiko also learns about her teacher's surprising past and the motivation behind his desire to lead the band to victory. Reaching nationals will require hard work, and the adamant conviction in each student's commitment to the band will be put to the test. Sequel. Overall Rating: 6/10 10. Occultic;Nine Occultic;Nine -オカルティック・ナイン- [A-1 Pictures] (Finished 1/12) Tags: Mystery, Sci-Fi A blog disproving the supernatural, co-run by NEET teenager Yuuta Gamon and his enthusiastic best friend Ryouka Narusawa, becomes the catalyst that would bring together a group of people who supposedly have nothing to do with each other. These individuals include high school fortune teller Miyuu Aikawa, who joins Yuuta to work on the blog; realist Sarai Hashigami, who is stunned when tragedy strikes his family; doujin artist Ririka Nishizono, who has an uncanny ability to predict the future with her art; black magic practitioner and local curse expert Aria Kurenaino and her ghostly friend; Shun Moritsuka, a seemingly childish otaku detective; and reporter Touko Sumikaze. As this unlikely group, bound only by the strings of fate, find their way to each other, they are confronted with murder and other events that are shrouded by the presence of the supernatural. They must band together to solve the mysteries interlacing the city and their lives. Tried it in the past, but could not stand occultic detective mystery. Overall Rating: 6/10 11. Flip Flappers フリップフラッパーズ [Studio 3Hz] (Finished 13/13) Tags: Mahou Shoujo Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy, Sci-Fi Cocona is an average middle schooler living with her grandmother. And she who has yet to decide a goal to strive for, soon met a strange girl named Papika who invites her to an organization called Flip Flap. Dragged along by the energetic stranger, Cocona finds herself in the world of Pure Illusion—a bizarre alternate dimension—helping Papika look for crystal shards. Upon completing their mission, Papika and Cocona are sent to yet another world in Pure Illusion. As a dangerous creature besets them, the girls use their crystals to transform into magical girls: Cocona into Pure Blade, and Papika into Pure Barrier. But as they try to defeat the creature before them, three others with powers from a rival organization enter the fray and slay the creature, taking with them a fragment left behind from its body. Afterward, the girls realize that to stand a chance against their rivals and the creatures in Pure Illusion, they must learn to work together and synchronize their feelings in order to transform more effectively. Dark mahou shoujo is always welcome. Pretty strange, but not in a good way. Overall Rating: 6/10 12. Natsume Yuujinchou Go Natsume's Book of Friends Season 5 夏目友人帳 伍 [Shuka] (Finished 1/11) Tags: Shoujo Iyashikei, Mythology Drama, Slice of Life, Supernatural Blessed with eyes that are able to perceive the otherwise invisible youkai, Takashi Natsume hides his ability from his newfound family and friends to protect everyone's peaceful daily life. Nonetheless, Natsume never fails to show the same kindness to the benevolent youkai and happily returns their names by using the infamous Book of Friends he inherited from his late grandmother, Reiko. Meanwhile, the exorcist clan Matoba still wishes for Natsume to join their ranks due to his overwhelming gift. However, Natsume firmly rejects the clan's invitation since not all exorcists are as reasonable as his friend Shuuichi Natori, and many improperly and indiscriminately seal away every youkai in their way. Unsatisfied with Natsume's answer, Seiji Matoba blackmails Natsume into attending a grand gathering of powerful exorcist families. Natsume soon finds himself in the company of dangerous people and youkai alike. But even then, he continues to defy the exorcists' hard-handed methods and believes that peace between both worlds is possible. Sequel. Overall Rating: 5/10 13. Shuumatsu no Izetta Izetta: The Last Witch 終末のイゼッタ [Ajia-do] (Finished 12/12) Tags: Historical, Military Action, Fantasy After Germania invaded a neighboring country in 1939, Europe spiraled into a devastating war. During the war, Germania set its sights on the weak alpine country of Elystadt. Boasting a far superior military and having achieved profuse success earlier in the war, it was expected that Germania would conquer Elystadt with ease. Matters are only made worse for the small country when Germanian soldiers capture their princess, Ortfiné "Finé" Fredericka von Eylstadt, as she is heading to a crucial meeting with Britannia. Yet, when a concurrent Germanian transport mission goes awry, Izetta, the last witch alive, escapes. When she recognizes Princess Finé from her childhood, Izetta rescues her from the Germanian soldiers by making use of her magical abilities. Now reunited with the princess, Izetta pledges to protect Elystadt from Germania, and with the last surviving witch on their arsenal, Elystadt hopes to turn the tides against the imperialist war giant. I remember being quite impressed with the setting and story. Having rewatched now, it still has a lot of charm. And I don't want to forget this anime title again, so for me it deserves a small masterpiece status. Overall Rating: 7/10 14. Mahou Shoujo Ikusei Keikaku Magical Girl Raising Project 魔法少女育成計画 [Lerche] (Finished 12/12) Tags: Gore, Mahou Shoujo, Survival Action, Fantasy, Suspense The story begins with Izumi Hayato running to be student council president. But when a beautiful girl swings in promising the liberalization of love while flinging condoms into the audience, he ends up losing to her and becoming the vice president. At the student council meeting, the newly-elected president invites herself over to Izumi's house, where she promptly announces she is to become Izumi's wife thanks to an agreement—facilitated by alcohol—made between their parents when they were only 3. A decent dark mahou shoujo with obvious Madoka trail following. But characters are too simple here. And story is just duels, so it suffers a lot from such simplification. Overall Rating: 6/10 15. WWW.Working!! WWW.WAGNARIA!! [A-1 Pictures] (Finished 13/13) Tags: Workplace Comedy Daisuke Higashida is a serious first-year student at Higashizaka High School. He lives a peaceful everyday life even though he is not satisfied with the family who doesn't laugh at all and makes him tired. However, his father's company goes bankrupt one day, and he can no longer afford allowances, cellphone bills, and commuter tickets. When his father orders him to take up a part-time job, Daisuke decides to work at a nearby family restaurant in order to avoid traveling 15 kilometers to school by bicycle. Sequel. Overall Rating: 6/10 16. Kidou Senshi Gundam: Tekketsu no Orphans 2nd Season Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans 2nd Season 機動戦士ガンダム 鉄血のオルフェンズ 第2期 [Sunrise] (Finished 1/25) Tags: Mecha, Space Action, Drama, Sci-Fi Tekkadan has now become a direct affiliate of Teiwaz after procuring a new trade agreement with Arbrau. With its newfound funds and prestige, Tekkadan finds both its list of allies and enemies growing. Meanwhile, the flames of the Gjallarhorn power struggle continue to rage in full force. As a part of her efforts to make Mars financially independent from Earth, Kudelia Aina Bernstein founds the Admoss Company and enlists Tekkadan as her business partner. The stakes are getting higher as the Tekkadan family continues to grow. Will Orga, Mikazuki, and the rest of the Tekkadan faction be able to keep up, or will Kudelia's dream of Martian independence die out? Sequel. Overall Rating: 6/10 17. Udon no Kuni no Kiniro Kemari Poco's Udon World うどんの国の金色毛鞠 [LIDENFILMS] (Finished 3/12) Tags: Seinen Anthropomorphic, Childcare, Iyashikei Slice of Life, Supernatural Taking a break from the hustle and bustle of Tokyo, Souta Tawara returns to his hometown in Kagawa. Though his parents are no longer around, his former home and family-owned udon restaurant reminds him of the times his family was still together. Reminiscing about his childhood, Souta enters the udon restaurant and discovers a grimy young boy sleeping. At first, Souta thinks nothing of the chance encounter and provides the boy with food and clothing. However, to his surprise, the boy suddenly sprouts a furry pair of ears and a tail! Souta soon learns that the nameless boy is actually the rumored shapeshifting tanuki that has been inhabiting Kagawa for many years. Thinking that the boy has been living a lonely life, he decides to take him in and name him Poko. Udon no Kuni no Kiniro Kemari follows the heartwarming relationship between Souta and Poko, and through the time they spend together, Souta recalls his own past, the place he left behind for the city, and the relationship he had with his father. Wow, it manages to recycle ideas from all the notable previous childcare anime - Usagi Drop, Wolf Children, Sweetness and Lightning and even Barakamon. But there's a reason only Usagi Drop got masterpiece from me - it had a realistic and likeable protagonist. But this time protagonist is generic and surface-scratching so that he does not stand in the way of cuteness and liveliness - he's not genuine or trust-worthy. And all its tricks are evident to me, so I just can't enjoy this anime. Overall Rating: 6/10 18. Fune wo Amu The Great Passage 舟を編む [Zexcs] (Finished 4/11) Tags: Adult Cast, Workplace Award Winning, Drama, Romance Kouhei Araki, a veteran editor of the dictionary editorial division at Genbu Publishing, plans to retire in order to better care for his ailing wife. However, before retiring, he must find a replacement to complete his latest project: a new dictionary called The Great Passage. But no matter where he looks, he cannot find anyone suitable, as making a dictionary requires a wealth of patience, time, and dedication. Mitsuya Majime works in Genbu Publishing's sales division, yet he has poor social skills and an inability to read the mood in most situations. In spite of this, he excels at having an enthusiasm for words thanks to his love of reading and careful personality. It is these skills that draw Araki to him and prompt him to offer Majime a position in the dictionary editorial department. As Majime accepts his new position, he finds himself unsure of his abilities and questioning whether he will fit in with his new co-workers. Yet amid the vast sea of words, The Great Passage will bring them together. A good SOL with a solid cast of adult characters. But seriously - publishing a dictionary? It's one of the most boring ideas that I can think of. Can't enjoy it as it has no real story, and I found no special treat in conversations. Overall Rating: 6/10 19. Trickster: Edogawa Ranpo "Shounen Tanteidan" yori Trickster TRICKSTER -江戸川乱歩「少年探偵団」より- [TMS Entertainment, Shin-Ei Animation] (Finished 1/24) Tags: Detective, Psychological Drama, Mystery, Sci-Fi Kogorou Akechi is the founder of a private investigation firm known as the Boy Detectives' Club. Together, this group takes on cases both great and small. One of their junior members, Kensuke Hanasaki, is out solving a case one day when he happens upon Yoshio Kobayashi, a mysterious amnesiac boy with an inability to die. After seeing his abilities in action, Kensuke offers Yoshio a deal: join the Boy Detectives' Club and help them solve cases, and in exchange he will find a way to help Yoshio die. The apathetic Yoshio accepts this deal begrudgingly, unaware of how different his life will become. Although he does not have much use for people, he gradually begins to acknowledge the group as he spends more time with them while solving cases. Trickster: Edogawa Ranpo "Shounen Tanteidan" yori follows Akechi and the rest of the Boy Detectives' Club as they solve the various cases they are given, all while combating a hidden threat from the shadows—"The Fiend with Twenty Faces." Detective mystery is not my thing at all. Overall Rating: 5/10 20. All Out!! オールアウト!! [Madhouse, TMS Entertainment] (Finished 1/25) Tags: Seinen School, Team Sports Rugby is a sport where anybody can be a star when they hold the ball. The rules are simple: one player has to carry the ball past the goalposts across the field while avoiding the other team, who are allowed to use all their force to knock the enemy down. However, the player can pass to a teammate behind them or kick the ball before they are tackled. Unlike other sports, the game continues even when the person holding the ball is taken down. Kenji Gion is a short but feisty high school freshman at Kanagawa High School. Right after the school's opening ceremony, he meets the tall and timid Sumiaki Iwashimizu, and the two of them get an invitation to observe the rugby club. When Gion watches the match, he realizes that even though big and tall guys have an advantage, there are positions for people of all shapes and sizes. Immediately convinced that he has found a sport he can excel at despite his short stature, he signs up, though Iwashimizu declines. Gion is unable to accept Iwashimizu's excuses and drags him back into the sport. Their training becomes intense as they aim to become the champions of Hanazono, the national high school rugby championships. Don't really see seinen here, feels more like another shounen spokon. And I'm not willing to investigate further to find out for sure. Overall Rating: 6/10 21. Bloodivores [Creators in Pack, Namu Animation] (Finished 12/12) Tags: Survival, Vampire Action, Mystery, Supernatural 60 years ago, a strange case of insomnia struck the population, forcing them to stay awake for more than a full week. The victims, completely sleep deprived, all went mad. To cure this illness, a new medicine was produced, but the side effects turned the patients into vampires. Humanity went to war against this new species and triumphed, but some of the vampires managed to survive. Born from a Human and a Vampire, the main character Mi Liu, "The Child of Hope," is to represent the new hope that will connect the two species. Ringleader of a bank robbery, Mi Liu is arrested and transferred to a special prison of the National Defense Agency that monitors Vampires. Trying to break free with Anji, Mi Liu is attacked by strange monsters and he finds out that the prison location corresponds to the birthplace of Vampires, the old capital "Blue Town." Why are Vampires trapped in Blue Town? What are those strange monsters attacking them? Our heroes must fight to solve those mysteries. Feels like compilation of elements taken elsewhere and not fused together properly. Overall Rating: 5/10 22. Gi(a)rlish Number Girlish Number ガーリッシュ ナンバー [Diomedéa] (Finished 12/12) Tags: Adult Cast, Showbiz Slice of Life College student Chitose Karasuma is determined not to do boring things as she enters the adult world. To this end, this bad-mannered beauty barges into a facility that trains would-be voice actors and actresses, somehow landing a job at "Number One Produce," a seiyuu agency managed by her older brother, Gojou. In Chitose's mind, she's poised for greatness, but finds herself at a loss when she continues to only get minor roles. As she clashes with other girls in the agency, including a cunning airhead and a girl with a Kansai accent, Chitose is about to learn that there's more to succeeding in this competitive industry than she imagined. In one profession SOL like this characters are the only thing that matters, and characters here are rather plain and typical. Overall Rating: 6/10 23. ViVid Strike! [Seven Arcs Pictures] (Finished 12/12) Tags: Martial Arts Action, Drama The aggressive Fuuka Reventon often finds herself in fights as she struggles to make a living. One day, she gets into an altercation with gangsters that leaves her with injuries; luckily, martial arts champion Einhald Stratos finds Fuuka and brings her to a hospital. Seeing potential in Fuuka's skills, Einhald encourages the girl to become a martial arts athlete and offers her a job at Nakajima Gym, where Einhald trains. Despite the kind gesture, Fuuka initially declines the proposal due to the bad memories it brings. She was once childhood friends with the now prominent martial arts athlete Rinne Berlinetta, but the personality of her fellow orphan shifted from kind and gentle to cold and cruel after being adopted by a prosperous family and starting martial arts. Nonetheless, Fuuka soon accepts Einhald's offer and begins training under her—not only out of necessity but also out of the desire to defeat Rinne and make her realize how hurtful her behavior has become. Despite Fuuka's inexperience, Einhald and the other members of the gym have faith in her talent and efforts. It's just about duels with some personal drama. Not the kind of story I can appreciate. Overall Rating: 6/10 24. Touken Ranbu: Hanamaru Touken Ranbu - Hanamaru 刀剣乱舞-花丸- [Doga Kobo] (Finished 1/12) Tags: Historical Action, Comedy, Fantasy In the year 2205, a special sage known as Saniwa has the ability to breathe life into inanimate objects. At the same time, dark forces have initiated a plot to travel back in time and change the course of history—and the only ones capable of stopping them are the Saniwa and their strongest animations: historical Japanese swords, in the form of handsome young men. Touken Ranbu: Hanamaru opens on the life of Yamatonokami Yasusada, Souji Okita's beloved uchigatana, as he begins his first day at the Saniwa's citadel. Soon reuniting with his old friend, Kashuu Kiyomitsu, the two are caught up in the daily antics of their fellow sword warriors. They never miss an opportunity to have fun, whether it be through wild snowball fights or introducing their newest comrades to the citadel. Of course, when the government calls, the swords are always ready to fulfill their mission of protecting history. I don't care for otome games and their adaptations. Overall Rating: 5/10 25. Cheating Craft チーティングクラフト [Blade] (Finished 1/12) Tags: School Action, Comedy In a world where academic success decides your entire future, the exam room becomes a ruthless battlefield. Passing the exams guarantees a successful future. Failing dooms you to live a cruel life, tormented by suffering and despair. Only the most intelligent—or cunning—students make it out alive. These are the two strategies of combat: spend your entire life studying for the test, or perfect your cheating strategy. The students who dedicate themselves to studying are called “Learning Type” students, and they are forced to collaborate with a “Cheating Type” student in order to battle their rivals for the top grades. The cheater Zhuge Mu Ming and studious academic Qiao Yi Huang decide to team up against the exams. However, the allies are soon divided, becoming bitter rivals. Will they be able to make it on their own? And if so, who will survive the challenge and emerge victorious? Such artificial setting with half length episodes can either be just silly as you expect it to be or something outstanding that you never expect. This one definitely goes into the first category. Overall Rating: 5/10 26. To Be Hero [Haoliners Animation League] (Finished 5/12) Tags: Comedy For Uncle, a lecherous but handsome toilet designer, it is just an ordinary day of neglecting his duties as a single parent to hit on women and talk about his "superpower": his ability to tell a lady's hip size at a glance. But when he is sucked down into a toilet, the Space Peace Republic Alliance Hero Committee gives him real superpowers, and he becomes the hero of Earth. There is only one problem—he has become an ugly, unrecognizable fatty who is unable to reveal his real identity. Uncle's beloved daughter Min-chan does not believe that such a vulgar fatty could be her father, and casts him out of his own home. Distraught and homeless, he joins up with his perverted neighbor Yamada-san, a small man with a fondness for streaking, and sets out to convince Min-chan that he is her father. Full of sexual innuendo and slapstick humor, To Be Hero follows Uncle as he befriends bizarre allies and combats even more bizarre foes, fighting for the future of earth against aliens and—more importantly—his future with his daughter. Half-length episodes inevitably mean that it's random gags for comedy, and I don't like its humor. Overall Rating: 6/10 27. Brave Witches 第502統合戦闘航空団 ブレイブウィッチーズ [SILVER LINK.] (Finished 1/12) Tags: Military Action, Sci-Fi, Ecchi As humanity's war with the Neuroi—a mysterious, hostile alien race possessing weapons of unparalleled power—continues being fought across Europe and Africa, a new fighter squadron is formed. The 502nd Joint Fighter Wing, also known as the Brave Witches, operates on the eastern front, scouring the icy vastness of Orussia in search of alien invaders. However, one of the Brave Witches' members suffers severe injuries on her way to the squadron's headquarters, rendering her unable to participate in any operations. As a result, her sister, Hikari Karibuchi, volunteers to take her place. Though not possessing any special abilities or significant magical powers, she is determined to live up to the expectations of her new comrades and prove herself worthy of the name of a Witch. Sequel. Overall Rating: 6/10 28. Lostorage Incited WIXOSS [J.C.Staff] (Finished 1/12) Tags: High Stakes Game, Psychological, Strategy Game Suspense Having moved away due to family circumstances, Suzuko Homura returns to her hometown, nostalgic about the cheerful childhood she shared with Chinatsu Morikawa. Forever sealed with a promise of friendship, those days remain a bright memory to Suzuko, yet she has lost contact with Chinatsu during their time apart. Ready to start anew, Suzuko endeavors to put the past behind her and make new friends at school, but she struggles to do so. Meanwhile, Chinatsu is working multiple shifts to support her family as she continues her studies, and the mounting pressure to meet high expectations soon becomes overwhelming. Amid their respective situations, both girls begin playing the popular card game WIXOSS and discover that they have been chosen as Selectors—players whose memories are now represented by gold coins and must battle other Selectors to earn five of them. Guided by their LRIG avatar cards, which are created from the user's memories, the two learn that inconsistently partaking in duels or losing all their coins will result in a grim outcome. Resolved to protect what they hold dear, Suzuko and Chinatsu prepare for the battles ahead and fight for the chance to reclaim themselves. Sequel. Overall Rating: 6/10 29. Shakunetsu no Takkyuu Musume Scorching Ping Pong Girls 灼熱の卓球娘 [Kinema Citrus] (Finished 3/12) Tags: Sports In the world of Japanese ping pong, a mighty king has fallen. An underdog team suddenly breaks the indomitable Oudou Academy's nine year winning streak, creating a power vacuum as players everywhere are given hope that they too can reach the national tournament. Suzumegahara Middle School is home to a small-time team: Hanabi Tenka, who has a rapid attack style; Hokuto Itsumo, who can predict the ball's most likely path; Agari Kamiya, famous for her signature backhand smash; vice-captain Mune Oomune, who has an aggressive playstyle; and team captain Kiruka Ushirode, who possesses an impenetrable defense. Despite their skill at ping pong, the team has never made it further than the local city tournaments. But everything changes when transfer student Koyori Tsumujikaze arrives in town. Filled with an intense love of the game, she quickly makes a name for herself as another top player on the team. Koyori's positive attitude towards ping pong lights a fire in each of the girls' competitive hearts, and together they embark on a mission to win the national tournament. There's some tension, but I fail to care as it's half CGDCT with simpleton talks. Overall Rating: 6/10 30. Stella no Mahou Magic of Stella ステラのまほう [SILVER LINK.] (Finished 1/12) Tags: CGDCT, School, Video Game Comedy Upon enrolling in high school, Tamaki Honda joins a club for making doujin games known as the SNS Club. Joined by programmer Shiina, writer Ayame, and composer Kayo, Tamaki begins working as an illustrator for the club's next game. Amateur game creation in the club is a lot worse than professional game creation in a company by adults. As a result it's awkward and quite plain. Overall Rating: 6/10 31. Show By Rock!! # Show By Rock!! 2 [Bones] (Finished 1/12) Tags: Isekai, Music Comedy, Fantasy Metropolis of music, MIDICITY. A kitty girl wearing gothic lolita clothing named Cyan is scouted by Maple Arisugawa, the president of a music agency. From there, she meets Chuchu (a pun off of the sound that rabbits make) the honor student rabbit girl, a net geek dog girl named Retoree (from "Retriever"), and an alien sheep (?) girl named Moa. Together, they form the band named "Plasmagica," and aim for the top of the world. However, the path there is long and tough, and keeping in high spirits is important. By battling against other strange bands, Plasmagica slowly grows toward a top-grade band. In the end, they'll be a band that becomes the driving force of MIDICITY's music industry... Maybe? Gonna be a music millionaire! Sequel. Overall Rating: 6/10 32. Long Riders! ろんぐらいだぁす! [Actas] (Finished 3/12) Tags: Shounen CGDCT Comedy, Sports Falling in love at first sight with a collapsible bicycle outside the station, Ami Kurata, first-year university student empties her account without a second thought and buys the bicycle. Now she enjoys weekend cycling trips with Aoi, her childhood friend, and Hinako, a senior at her university. "Owning a road bike may change your view of the world completely." Prompted by the comment, Ami purchased a road bike, and she is really impressed with the traveling performance. As soon as she places her feet on the pedals and presses down, everything about riding a road bicycle—the lightness of the pedal, the speed, the acceleration—is nothing like she has ever experienced. Ami's cycle life gets going with the new road cycle as her partner! CGDCT spokon failed to impress. Overall Rating: 5/10 33. Soushin Shoujo Matoi Matoi the Sacred Slayer 装神少女まとい [ White Fox] (Finished 1/12) Tags: Supernatural Matoi Sumeragi wishes for nothing more than to lead a normal life away from the spotlight. She is quite satisfied alternating between school and her part-time job at her best friend Yuma Kusanagi's family shrine. But this routine life is permanently disturbed when a Night—an evil extra-dimensional entity—attacks the shrine. Matoi is able to drive it off after unwittingly calling upon the powers of a god, the natural enemies of the Nights. Matoi and Yuma are soon joined by Claris Tonitolus, an experienced exorcist from the Vatican, and agent Haruka Luciela, who works for the secretive Night defense organization IATO. Despite not knowing the perpetrator behind these attacks nor their motive, Matoi must come to master this newfound power in order to protect both the people around her and the once normal life she holds so dear. Mahou shoujo that comes as close to normal SOL as possible, but has to react against threats. Story is too simple to catch the stars. Overall Rating: 6/10 34. ClassicaLoid クラシカロイド [Sunrise] (Finished 3/25) Tags: Anthropomorphic, Music Comedy Ever since her father used up the last of the family fortune and skipped town, Kanae Otowa has lived in her family's ancestral mansion, Otowakan. With no way to pay off her father's debts, Otowakan is being foreclosed and Kanae must oust the remaining residents—her friend Sousuke Kagura, and two strange people who claim to be her father's acquaintances, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Ludwig van Beethoven. After somehow being resurrected, Mozart and Beethoven have started going by "Motes" and "Beethes" respectively, and begun to indulge in a variety of idiotic, non-musical pursuits. While stubbornly refusing to leave Otowakan, Beethes unlocks the hidden power of Musik, saving Otowakan from demolition and delaying his eviction. With this discovery, other Musik users are drawn to Otowakan, including Frédéric Chopin, Franz Liszt, and Franz Schubert. However, not all Musik users have innocent desires. Across the city, the enigmatic Johann Sebastian Bach sits atop a tall building, plotting how to use his Musik. What I see is reverse harem in very strange environment. Overall Rating: 5/10 35. Bubuki Buranki: Hoshi no Kyojin BBK/BRNK: The Gentle Giants of the Galaxy ブブキ・ブランキ 星の巨人 [SANZIGEN] (Finished 1/12) Tags: Mecha Action, Drama, Sci-Fi Sequel of Bubuki Buranki. Sequel. Overall Rating: 6/10 36. Tiger Mask W タイガーマスクW [Toei Animation] (Finished 1/38) Tags: Shounen Action, Drama, Sports Two young wrestlers face each other in a recently revived underground wrestling organization, the Tiger's Lair, which destroyed the wrestling dojo they grew up in. One took over the training facilities of Naoto Date at the foot of Mount Fuji, as well as the mask he left behind. The other dared to enter the Tiger's Lair and won a fierce competition, receiving a jet-black tiger mask. One tiger walks the path of light, while the other walks the path of shadows. Neither one knows the other's face. On the ring, they are natural enemies, but they have the same purpose—destroy the Tiger's Lair! Sequel. Overall Rating: 5/10 37. Soul Buster 侍霊演武[ソウルバスター] [Pierrot] (Finished 12/12) Tags: Samurai Action Keishuu, China. The history books say that in the era of the Three Kingdoms, this land was a place of never-ending war. A young high school boy, Sonshin, who hates his city's history, is troubled by a certain dream. When he wakes up from the dream, strange things begin to happen one after another, and without understanding what's going on, he suddenly finds himself facing Gien, one of the generals from the Romance of the Three Kingdoms, who's trying to kill him! Just before Gien's blade strikes home, a mysterious beautiful woman appears in front of Sonshin. What trials await Sonshin, as he witnesses this terrible battle between two generals of the Three Kingdoms? Just half length episode reactive fighting action without any real interest. Overall Rating: 5/10 38. 12-sai.: Chicchana Mune no Tokimeki 2nd Season 12歳。~ちっちゃなムネのトキメキ~ [OLM] (Finished 1/12) Tags: Shoujo School Romance The story begins with Hanabi, a sixth-grade girl who is neither an adult nor a child. She deals with issues such as accidentally witnessing her homeroom teacher kissing, and worrying about experiencing physiological changes before her friends. The series depicts a 12-year-old girl's innocent worries and first love. Sequel. Overall Rating: 5/10 39. Monster Hunter Stories: Ride On モンスターハンターストーリーズ RIDE ON [David Production] (Finished 2/75) Tags: Fantasy This is a world where both men and monsters exist. Those who hunt the monsters are called Hunters. But in a small corner of the Hunter's world, there are those called Riders who bond with and coexist with monsters. With their Kizuna Ishi (Bonding Stones) that allow them to awaken the hidden power inside monsters, Riders live in secrecy together with their Otomon, the monsters they formed a connection with. Ryuto, a young boy living in the Rider village of Hakum, dreams of becoming the world's best Rider. Having just turned 12, he sets out to find his own Otomon for himself before the ceremony where he is given his own Kizuna Ishi. Together with his kind-hearted childhood friend Cheval, his inquisitive childhood friend Lilia, and his partner Naville, he sets out deep into the forest, and has a miraculous encounter with a Rathalos. Childish shounen around monster hunter world, not far from Digimons. Overall Rating: 5/10 40. Idol Memories アイドルメモリーズ [Seven Arcs Pictures] (Finished 3/12) Tags: Idols (Female), Music The story of Idol Memories is set in the near future, where live idol music performances in virtual reality have become commonplace. Against this backdrop, a pair of rival idol groups compete for the coveted "tiara," which represents the number one spot in the "Idol League." Average idol show, but over half of each already half-length episode is live talk of seiyu... Overall Rating: 5/10 41. Koneko no Chi: Ponponra Daibouken Chi's Sweet Adventure こねこのチー ポンポンらー大冒険 [Marza Animation Planet] (Finished 2/51) Tags: Pets Slice of Life The combined 22nd and 23rd issue of Kodansha's Morning magazine, which will go on sale on April 28, has announced a new 3D CG anime of Kanata Konami's slice-of-life manga Chi's Sweet Home. Full CGI cat SOL. Overall Rating: 5/10 42. Time Bokan 24 タイムボカン24 [Tatsunoko Production] (Finished 1/24) Tags: Mecha Adventure, Comedy Tokio is a junior high student living in the present time who is recruited to be a member of the 24th century's Space-Time Administration Bureau. Together with his partner Calen, their mission is to uncover the "True History", the part of history that the textbooks doesn't tell. But in their way is the Akudama Trio that intends to prevent the True History from being revealed for their own personal gains. Sequel. Overall Rating: 5/10 43. Bishoujo Yuugi Unit Crane Game Girls Galaxy Crane Game Girls Galaxy 美少女遊戯ユニット クレーンゲールギャラクシー [Kyotoma] (Finished 1/12) Tags: Space, Strategy Game Comedy Second season of Bishoujo Yuugi Unit Crane Game Girls. Sequel. Overall Rating: 5/10 44. Elsword: El-ui Yeoin 엘소드 엘의 여인 [DR Movie] (Finished 3/12) Tags: Action, Fantasy Nexon recently announced an anime called Elsword: El Lady and will be done by DR Movie and written by NZ. Nothing else has been announced. Never played Elsword. But judging from story alone, anime is seriously subpar. Overall Rating: 6/10 45. Guomin Laogong Dai Huijia 国民老公带回家 [B.CMAY PICTURES] (Finished 3/12) Tags: School Drama, Romance Lu Jin Nian and Qiao An Hao are a newly married couple—unfortunately, neither of them are willing participants. Now husband and wife, Qiao An Hao establishes a few ground rules: no one can know that they are married, their cohabitation is top-secret information, and under no circumstances is Lu Jin Nian permitted to touch her. As a result, their marriage remains strictly superficial. Behind their broken union, however, there is a long and complicated history. A chance encounter while seeking shelter from the rain led to the lives of Lu Jin Nian and Qiao An Hao getting intertwined. But as fate would have it, the date also marked the moment Qiao An Hao's sister fell madly in love with the stoic and mysterious Lu Jin Nian. With emotional stakes flying high, the years leading up to this marriage have been long and complicated—but never boring. And even now, despite their long-standing friendship, the newlyweds are no closer to understanding each other. Very awkward cliché romance with blush at every single action or word which makes it painful to watch. Overall Rating: 5/10 46. Closers: Side Blacklambs 클로저스 : SIDE BLACKLAMBS [Studio Animal] (Finished 6/6) Tags: Strategy Game Fantasy After the invading dimensional monsters were beaten back, Seoul was rebuilt. This is the story of Closers in New Seoul. Mysterious dimensional gates opened all over the planet and unleashed a worldwide invasion of dimensional monsters. No monsters and tactics had any effect on the waves of dimensional monsters pouring out of the dimensional gates. City after city was mercilessly destroyed. But the opening of the dimensional gates did not only cause damage and destruction. The psychokinetic power that it awoke also enabled a tiny minority of humans to gain extraordinary psychic powers. With these psychic warriors, governments around the world were able to turn the tide of the war with these monsters. After unspeakable losses, the people of earth at least succeeded in closing the gates. Since they had closed the gates, these psychics began to be called "CLOSERS," and the invasion of the dimensional monsters was named the First Dimensional War. With the dimensional monsters vanquished, peace returned to the world, and the cities were rebuilt. Through dedicated research into the dimensional gates and psychokinetic power, humans learned that the gates open when there is a singularity in this mysterious power. However, their understanding of the gates was still incomplete. The CLOSERS who survived the First Dimensional War became part of an organization called UNION. Together, they researched the psychokinetic power in all over the world, working to prevent another dimensional war. And that's when the dimensional gates all over the world started shaking again - as ever stronger outbreed creatures renewed the attack on earth. Never played the game. Six not full episodes mostly present fighting action which is ok, not more. Overall Rating: 6/10 47. CMFU Xueyuan: Wangzi Peng Peng Qiu CMFU学院:王子碰碰球 [Foch Films] (Finished 3/24) Tags: School Romance, Sports Qin Xiaolu is a problematic girl. Her parents divorced. She was raised by her grandmother. She went to work at a young age and later she started playing billiards. Now she is playing gambling and kidnapping becoming a superb female gangster. One day, Qin Xiaolu touching the porcelain, escapes from gangsters and it the end she blackmail a BMW owner. She didn't expect that the owner to be the prince of the CMFU Academy. Can't find anything good in this gambling spokon with a tomboy and usual for Chinese silly repeating things that are supposed to be funny or something. Overall Rating: 5/10 48. Dongguo Xiaojie 东郭小节 [Haoliners Animation League] (Finished 2/15) Tags: Historical, Mythology Adventure, Supernatural Dongguo Xiaojie, a young girl, has lived together with her mother ever since she was little. On the year she turned sixteen, her mother suddenly contracted a "Grave Illness". To save her mother, Dongguo Xiaojie set foot into the unknown on a dangerous journey. Accompanying her on this journey is her sworn elder brother Mo Zixuan and the mysterious youth, Life's Hardship. However, danger arises again and again as they are continuously attacked by people they meet on their journey. Just what conspiracy is hidden behind this journey? One more wuxia, at least not CGI this time. Journey and reactivity mean no good. Result is average at best. Overall Rating: 5/10 49. Junlin Chengxia The Man From; The Arrival of the Monarch 君临臣下 [Haoliners Animation League] (Finished 1/13) Tags: Comedy, Fantasy In a day like any other, Cao Xiao Man's brother, Xiao Bei, is stabbed by a man after defending a mysterious girl. Due to the incident, and to buy medicine for his brother, Cao Xiao Man decides to earn money in a rather strange way: cross-dressing as a girl and seducing men. When he arrives to his client's house everything seems to go as planned, but the client soon discovers that Cao Xiao Man is, in fact, a boy. He decides to put Cao Xiao Man in a game where he is turned into a girl. In order for Cao Xiao Man to go back to being a boy he needs to complete the game and find the 7 Loyalties located all over the country. Some horrible trap game with terrible realization. Overall Rating: 5/10 50. Shengsi Huifang 生死回放 [CG Year] (Finished 1/20) Tags: Mystery, Supernatural Young man Wei Sisi worked hard to support himself after losing all his memories. One day in an accident, he somehow obtained an ability with which he could see the memories of the dead. A series of events coming right after it made him aware that he had been involved into a well-designed conspiracy. His past was also gradually uncovered... Full CGI detective mystery is something I can't enjoy. Overall Rating: 5/10 51. Qiang Ling Jihua 枪灵计划 [-] (Finished 1/12) Tags: Action, Comedy - Not translated. What I see is full CGI nonsense fighting action, no sense anyway. Overall Rating: 5/10 52. Nengli Youxian Gongsi 能力有限公司 [-] (Finished 0/12) Tags: Comedy - Not found. Overall Rating: 0/10 53. Kubikiri Cycle: Aoiro Savant to Zaregotozukai The Kubikiri Cycle クビキリサイクル 青色サヴァンと戯言遣い [Shaft] (Finished 1/8) Tags: Drama, Mystery, Supernatural Due to a mysterious disease, the genius Iria Akagami has been forced by her family to stay in a mansion on the isolated Wet Crow's Feather Island with only a handful of maids. To keep herself entertained, Iria invites a variety of fellow geniuses to stay as guests in her home, including computer savant Tomo Kunagisa and her unnamed assistant, skilled fortune-teller Maki Himena, famous artist Kanami Ibuki, academic scholar Akane Sonoyama, and renowned cook Yayoi Sashirono. These visits progress as normal until one of the guests is found gruesomely murdered in the night without a single clue as to the identity of the killer or a possible motive. Tensions rise between those on the island as the killer remains at large, and Tomo's assistant takes it upon himself to uncover the culprit's identity before the murderous events progress any further. Detective mindscrew mystery... Overall Rating: 5/10 54. Kono Sekai no Katasumi ni In This Corner of the World この世界の片隅に [MAPPA] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Seinen Historical Award Winning, Drama Suzu Urano is a pure and kindhearted girl who loves to draw and keep her head in the clouds. Growing up in the outskirts of Hiroshima with her family, she is more than happy to help with her grandmother's nori business. However, when she becomes of age, Suzu leaves her beloved home to marry Shuusaku Houjou, a man she barely knows. As she integrates into her new husband's household, the homesick bride struggles to adjust to the unfamiliar environment as the war effort extends far beyond its point of no return. When the war reaches Suzu's own backyard and peace gives way to brutality, how will she support herself and those she comes to love along the way? Kono Sekai no Katasumi ni paints a colorful yet haunting depiction of everyday life in the years before and after World War II, showcasing the perseverance and fortitude of ordinary Japanese during one of the darkest periods of modern history. Again auto-biography, very lousy and brainless SOL followed by war hardships... nothing outstanding here for me. Overall Rating: 6/10 55. Suki ni Naru Sono Shunkan wo. Kokuhaku Jikkou Iinkai The Moment You Fall in Love 好きになるその瞬間を。~告白実行委員会~ [Qualia Animation] (Finished 1/1) Tags: School Comedy, Drama, Romance Following Natsuki Enomoto's confession rehearsals with Yuu Setoguchi, their younger siblings Kotarou and Hina struggle to confess their own love. Despite a disastrous first meeting in middle school with her upperclassman Koyuki Ayase, Hina’s heart is captured by his warm smile. Initially confused by these newfound feelings, Hina soon realizes that she has fallen in love for the very first time. Chasing after her brother Yuu and her crush Koyuki, Hina also enrolls in Sakuragaoka High School; but the threads of love are far-reaching, and they entangle Hina and her friends. Boisterous but sensitive, Hina hopes to confess her feelings to the tender-hearted Koyuki. Meanwhile, Kotarou, oblivious to his own feelings for her, is determined to always keep Hina smiling. Suki ni Naru Sono Shunkan wo.: Kokuhaku Jikkou linkai follows Hina, Kotarou, and Koyuki in high school. Their youthful love forges new relationships, but also threatens to break others. The key word here is "moment" as after typical school SOL it happens momentarily and spontaneously. Trying to push it all in less than hour length work was futile from the start. Overall Rating: 6/10 56. Gantz:O [Digital Frontier] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Seinen Gore, High Stakes Game, Psychological, Survival Action, Drama, Horror, Sci-Fi Death does not have to be the end; one can live again, but only through beating the game posed by the black ball called Gantz. On his way home to celebrate his younger brother's birthday, brave and kind-hearted student named Masaru Katou is stabbed to death. He awakes in a small room with a cityscape view in the heart of Tokyo—and he is not alone. To his surprise, it is not the afterlife, but the waiting room for a high stakes game with their lives on the line. Before he has the chance to process the situation, Masaru is handed a gun and teleported into the center of Osaka to carry out one simple task: eliminate any alien on sight. Accompanied by the aged Yoshikazu Suzuki, the stunning idol Reika Shimohira, and the cold but experienced Jouichirou Nishi, Masaru must overcome his fears in order to survive the game and return home to his waiting brother. I enjoy Gantz:O immensely even though it's full CGI. The scale of Osaka team blows my mind. A very memorable journey for every Gantz fan. Overall Rating: 8/10 57. Chain Chronicle: Haecceitas no Hikari Part 1 Chain Chronicle: The Light of Haecceitas Part 1 チェインクロニクル〜ヘクセイタスの閃(ひかり)〜 第1章 [Telecom Animation Film, Graphinica] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Action, Adventure, Fantasy Set in the land of Yuguto, the people thought that the land they live is the size of the world, but it’s actually divided into several areas, each with a respective king. Even though there were small wars among areas, the kings had roundtable meetings to maintain peace and balance. It was until a dark group of dark monsters appeared... It feels that anime is based on a game as there's a vivid fantasy world with interesting looking characters, but story is overshadowed by action. At the same time, no real exposition is given, so it becomes a chaotic whirlpool of events. It's only four episodes and not a finished story, so it's too early to make conclusions here, but so far I'm not impressed. Overall Rating: 6/10 58. Pop in Q ポッピンQ [Toei Animation] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Isekai, Music Fantasy The story begins the day before the graduation ceremony. Five middle school girls each are preoccupied with their real everyday lives. These girls meet each other in a fantasy world after being sent there through a sudden occurrence. There, they learn about the impending crisis that this world is facing. The way to avert this crisis is for the five to collaborate and bring their five hearts together as one through dance. However, the five cannot come to love the world, and cannot tell their true feelings to one another, so their hearts are unable to unite. The time limit is fast approaching. Can the dance of the five girls save the world? And will they be able to graduate? There has been no shortage of mahou shoujo duels or vocaloid CGI dances recently. This movie has all that and nothing special to stand out. Overall Rating: 5/10 59. Joleobban The Senior Class 졸업반 [Studio Dadashow] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Adult Cast, Visual Arts Drama, Romance Joo-hee, a perfect student and the hottest girl in school, is majoring in pure arts and dreams of going to France. She's a role model for everyone as she is beautiful and talented. Jeong-woo, her fellow schoolmate and a web-toon writer wannabe, and has a crush on Joo-hee but he doesn't dare approach her. One day, Jeong-woo finds out that Joo-hee is a student by day, but a "ten-pro" call girl at night. They become close now that they share a secret. Materially and emotionally, Jeong-woo helps Joo-hee as she wants to graduate with lots of money and with high grades. However, Jeong-woo's first girlfriend, Dong-hwa, also finds out about Joo-hee's secret, leading to all sorts of rumors and X-files about Joo-hee spreading. It's what I call hentai with a plot, and actually, a good one. Not that I call any hentai a masterpiece... Overall Rating: 6/10
  14. Berserk of 2016 is the winner for me. New Game! is a nice game creation SOL. 1. Mob Psycho 100 モブサイコ100 [Bones] (Finished 12/12) Tags: Super Power Action, Comedy, Supernatural Eighth-grader Shigeo "Mob" Kageyama has tapped into his inner wellspring of psychic prowess at a young age. But the power quickly proves to be a liability when he realizes the potential danger in his skills. Choosing to suppress his power, Mob's only present use for his ability is to impress his longtime crush, Tsubomi, who soon grows bored of the same tricks. In order to effectuate control on his skills, Mob enlists himself under the wing of Arataka Reigen, a con artist claiming to be a psychic, who exploits Mob's powers for pocket change. Now, exorcising evil spirits on command has become a part of Mob's daily, monotonous life. However, the psychic energy he exerts is barely the tip of the iceberg; if his vast potential and unrestrained emotions run berserk, a cataclysmic event that would render him completely unrecognizable will be triggered. The progression toward Mob's explosion is rising and attempting to stop it is futile. Dropped earlier and only finished it now because heard how funny and action-packed it is. And it does not look like that to me. Action segments are typical for shounens, and humor is not really good and very situational and weird. Can't get to like it and will definitely skip further seasons. Overall Rating: 6/10 2. Shokugeki no Souma: Ni no Sara Food Wars! The Second Plate 食戟のソーマ 弍ノ皿 [J.C.Staff] (Finished 13/13) Tags: Shounen School Gourmet, Ecchi The qualifiers of the Autumn Elections are now over, and only eight talented chefs remain. Now, they face off in one-on-one food wars, each with their own unique themes. Met with both new judges and new opponents all with their own specialties, Souma must stay on his toes if he hopes to make it to the top of both the Autumn Elections and Tootsuki Culinary Academy. Sequel. Overall Rating: 6/10 3. ReLIFE [TMS Entertainment] (Finished 13/13) Tags: School Drama, Romance Dismissed as a hopeless loser by those around him, 27-year-old Arata Kaizaki bounces around from one job to another after quitting his first company. His unremarkable existence takes a sharp turn when he meets Ryou Yoake, a member of the ReLife Research Institute, who offers Arata the opportunity to change his life for the better with the help of a mysterious pill. Taking it without a second thought, Arata awakens the next day to find that his appearance has reverted to that of a 17-year-old. Arata soon learns that he is now the subject of a unique experiment and must attend high school as a transfer student for one year. Though he initially believes it will be a cinch due to his superior life experience, Arata is proven horribly wrong on his first day: he flunks all his tests, is completely out of shape, and can't keep up with the new school policies that have cropped up in the last 10 years. Furthermore, Ryou has been assigned to observe him, bringing Arata endless annoyance. ReLIFE follows Arata's struggle to adjust to his hectic new lifestyle and avoid repeating his past mistakes, all while slowly discovering more about his fellow classmates. It starts well, but moves monotonously in the same dull manner on and on. So everything depends on whether you get to like characters, and I did not. Overall Rating: 6/10 4. Orange オレンジ [Telecom Animation Film] (Finished 13/13) Tags: Shoujo Love Polygon, School, Time Travel Drama, Romance, Sci-Fi Naho Takamiya's first day of her sophomore year of high school is off to an uneasy start. After waking up late, she receives a strange letter addressed to her. However, the letter is from herself—10 years in the future! At first, Naho is skeptical of the note; yet, after witnessing several events described to take place, she realizes the letter really is from her 26-year-old self. The note details that Naho's future life is filled with regrets, and she hopes that her younger self can correct the mistakes that were made in the past. The letter also warns her to keep a close eye on the new transfer student, Kakeru Naruse. Naho must be especially careful in making decisions involving him, as Kakeru is not around in the future. With the letter as her guide, Naho now has the power to protect Kakeru before she comes to regret it once more. Lots of puppy romance and naivete. Pretentious and fake, very similar to ReLIFE in that. Overall Rating: 6/10 5. 91 Days [Shuka] (Finished 1/12) Tags: Historical, Organized Crime Action, Drama As a child living in the town of Lawless, Angelo Lagusa has witnessed a tragedy: his parents and younger brother have been mercilessly slaughtered by the Vanetti mafia family. Losing everything he holds dear, he leaves both his name and hometown behind, adopting the new identity of Avilio Bruno. Seven years later, Avilio finally has his chance for revenge when he receives a mysterious letter prompting him to return to Lawless. Obliging, he soon encounters the Vanetti don's son, Nero, and seeks to befriend him using the skills he has quietly honed for years. Set during the Prohibition era, 91 Days tells the story of Avilio's dark, bloodstained path to vengeance, as he slowly ends each of the men involved in the killing of his family. Good mafia setting, but I've seen a lot of these, so I'm not impressed easily. Characters play their roles, but lack distinctive personality. There's not enough engagement. Overall Rating: 6/10 6. Nanatsu no Taizai: Seisen no Shirushi The Seven Deadly Sins: Signs of Holy War 七つの大罪 聖戦の予兆 [A-1 Pictures] (Finished 1/4) Tags: Shounen Action, Adventure, Fantasy The Seven Deadly Sins, along with Elizabeth Liones and Hawk, have won the Kingdom of Leones back from the Holy Knights. At long last, it's their time to indulge in the peaceful lives they fought for. From inedible meat pies, overdue battles, unexpected stalkers, and the butterflies of first love, the Sins are accompanied by their friends in their carefree, fun-filled time together. However, the calm is broken with the premonition of a new threat, bringing upon the signs of Holy War and threatening to shatter the peace of the Sins' easygoing days. Sequel. Overall Rating: 6/10 7. New Game! [Doga Kobo] (Finished 12/12) Tags: Adult Cast, CGDCT, Otaku Culture, Workplace Comedy Since childhood, Aoba Suzukaze has loved the Fairies Story game series, particularly the character designs. So when she graduates from high school, it is no surprise that she applies to work at Eagle Jump, the company responsible for making her favorite video game. On her first day, she is excited to learn that she will be working on a new installment to the series: Fairies Story 3—and even more so under Kou Yagami, the lead character designer. In their department are people who share the same passion for games. There is Yun Iijima, whose specialty is designing monsters; the shy Hifumi Takimoto, who prefers to communicate through instant messaging; Hajime Shinoda, an animation team member with an impressive figurine collection; Rin Tooyama, the orderly art director; Shizuku Hazuki, the game director who brings her cat to work; and Umiko Ahagon, the short-tempered head programmer. New Game! follows Aoba and the others on their adventure through the ups and downs of game making, from making the perfect character design to fixing all the errors that will inevitably accumulate in the process. It's a nice anime about developing a professional game, so it fits me quite ok. Even though there's no story, characters are quite good, on par with Shirobako, so game can be enjoyed, at least I finished it back then, so can't deny it a masterpiece. Overall Rating: 7/10 8. Berserk Berserk (2016) ベルセルク [Millepensee, GEMBA] (Finished 1/12) Tags: Seinen Gore, Military Action, Adventure, Drama, Fantasy, Horror Now branded for death and destined to be hunted by demons until the day he dies, Guts embarks on a journey to defy such a gruesome fate, as waves of beasts relentlessly pursue him. Steeling his resolve, he takes up the monstrous blade Dragonslayer and vows to exact vengeance on the one responsible, hunting down the very man he once looked up to and considered a friend. Along the way, he encounters some unlikely allies, such as a small elf named Puck, and Isidro, a young thief looking to learn swordsmanship from the former mercenary. As the ragtag group slowly comes together after having decided to join Guts in his quest, they will face incredible danger unlike anything they have ever experienced before. Can't say I detest drawing. For me arcs following Golden Age are just weaker, yet it never stopped being enjoyable for me. Overall Rating: 8/10 9. Danganronpa 3: The End of Kibougamine Gakuen - Mirai-hen Danganronpa 3: The End of Hope's Peak High School - Future Arc ダンガンロンパ3 -The End of 希望ヶ峰学園- 未来編 [Lerche] (Finished 1/12) Tags: High Stakes Game, Psychological, Survival Action, Horror, Mystery After Makoto Naegi and his fellow survivors escaped Hope's Peak Academy to the world beyond, they soon join the Future Foundation, an organization dedicated to combating despair. Just when all seems to be looking up, Naegi is arrested and tried for betrayal due to defending a malicious group of Remnants of Despair. Standing before all of the Future Foundation executives, he finds himself, along with Kyouko Kirigiri and Aoi Asahina, facing an unknown fate. The matter at hand only escalates when the organization's supposedly impenetrable security is hacked into by a familiar face: Monokuma. Much to Naegi's horror, the mechanical bear immediately announces the beginning of a new killing game, as moments later, the first victim appears as a signal for despair to resume its brutal conquest. Naegi, the Super High School-Level Lucky Student, must once again unravel the mystery as his colleagues and friends begin falling around him. However, there are no more class trials; among the 16 desperate participants, there is only one killer—and their death means the end of this infernal game. Sequel. Overall Rating: 6/10 10. Tales of Zestiria the Cross Tales of Zestiria the X テイルズ オブ ゼスティリア ザ クロス [ufotable] (Finished 12/12) Tags: Action, Adventure, Fantasy The Celestial Records speak of the existence of the "Seraphim," a race of divine beings who give blessings to humanity and are offered prayers by them in return. Those who are anointed with the ability to interact with these spirits are known as "Shepherds." Hailed as heroes for their prompt appearances in times of crisis, while also being feared for their power, the Shepherds are imprinted in common folklore along with the Seraphim. Sorey is a young human who has spent his entire life living in harmony alongside the Seraphim in the village of Elysia. Fascinated by the myths of the Celestial Records, he explores some nearby ruins with Mikleo—his childhood Seraphim companion—hoping to enlighten himself about the Seraphims' history with mankind. Unfortunately, they become trapped in the depths of the historical site during their investigation. While searching for an exit, they come across a mysterious girl who desperately seeks the help of a Shepherd to save the world, which is on the brink of being consumed by darkness. Despite Mikleo's warning about making contact with other humans, Sorey decides to help the stranger, which unknowingly leads him closer to the dream of peaceful coexistence between man and Seraphim. Found it very mundane and slow and boring. Overall Rating: 6/10 11. Nejimaki Seirei Senki: Tenkyou no Alderamin Alderamin on the Sky ねじ巻き精霊戦記 天鏡のアルデラミン [Madhouse] (Finished 13/13) Tags: Military Action, Adventure, Fantasy Ikta Solork is a carefree young man who only wants two things in life: a woman on his arm and a place to nap. Unfortunately, his peaceful life is destroyed when war breaks out between the Katjvarna Empire and the neighboring Republic of Kioka. Ikta and his childhood friend, Yatorishino Igsem, join the army as military officers, where they meet the infantryman Matthew Tetojirichi, the sniper Torway Remion, and the medic Haroma Becker on a boat heading for the military exam site. However, after a rogue storm sinks their vessel, the five of them end up in enemy territory near a military outpost. There, they discover that the heir to the Katjvarnan throne, Princess Chamille Kitora Katjvanmaninik, has been taken hostage. The five are able to rescue her, and as a reward, each one of them is granted the title of Imperial Knight—one of the highest honors a soldier can receive. It seems that Ikta will have to put his dream of tranquility on hold, as he must now become the hero he never wanted to be. Watched it before and could never understand what it appeals to. It's average in everything but maybe battles. It's not realistic and not immersive, which results in just a dull story. Overall Rating: 6/10 12. Amaama to Inazuma Sweetness & Lightning 甘々と稲妻 [TMS Entertainment] (Finished 3/12) Tags: Seinen Childcare, Iyashikei Gourmet, Slice of Life Since the death of his wife, Kouhei Inuzuka has been caring for his young daughter Tsumugi to the best of his abilities. However, with his lack of culinary knowledge and his busy job as a teacher, he is left relying on ready-made meals from convenience stores to feed the little girl. Frustrated at his own incapability to provide a fresh, nutritious meal for his daughter, Kouhei takes up an offer from his student, Kotori Iida, to come have dinner at her family's restaurant. But on their very first visit, the father and daughter discover that the restaurant is often closed due to Kotori's mother being away for work and that Kotori often eats alone. After much pleading from his pupil, Kouhei decides to continue to go to the restaurant with Tsumugi to cook and share delicious homemade food with Kotori. Amaama to Inazuma follows the heartwarming story of a caring father trying his hardest to make his adorable little daughter happy, while exploring the meanings and values behind cooking, family, and the warm meals at home that are often taken for granted. Childcare SOL is nice, but each episode is devoted to the different gourmet theme, and I can't enjoy that without more distinctive story like in Souma. Overall Rating: 6/10 13. Kono Bijutsu-bu ni wa Mondai ga Aru! This Art Club Has a Problem! この美術部には問題がある! [feel.] (Finished 3/12) Tags: Seinen School, Visual Arts Comedy, Romance Mizuki Usami is a passionate member of her school's art club, but the club has a problem—Usami is the only member who takes her craft seriously! The lazy club president constantly sleeps through activities and Collette hasn't regularly attended club activities in quite some time. Uchimaki Subaru, despite being an exceptional artist who could win an award if he tried, is obsessed with drawing the perfect 2D wife. Light-hearted and comedic in tone, Kono Bijutsubu ni wa Mondai ga Aru! follows Usami as she struggles to do art club-like activities, often obstructed by her motley crew of good-for-nothings and her distracting crush on Subaru. Without serious realistic characters it's yet another culture club romcom, only enjoyable if you have not seen too many of them yet. Overall Rating: 6/10 14. Handa-kun はんだくん [Diomedéa] (Finished 3/12) Tags: Shounen School, Visual Arts Comedy Hated by everyone around him, Sei Handa goes about his high school life regarded as an outcast—or at least that is what he believes. In reality, Handa is the most popular student on campus, revered by all for his incomparable calligraphy skills, good looks, and cool personality. However, due to an endless series of misunderstandings, Handa perceives the worship he receives from his legions of fans as bullying, leading the school's idol to shut himself off from the rest of his classmates. But distancing himself from his peers does not deter them from adoring him; in fact, his attempts at drawing attention away from himself often end up unintentionally converting even the most skeptical of students into believers. Fashion models, shut-in delinquents, obsessive fangirls, and more—none can stand against the brilliance that is Sei Handa. Variation of Sakamoto Desu Ga nonsense comedy. Watchable, but it's too silly for me to care. Overall Rating: 6/10 15. Masou Gakuen HxH Hybrid x Heart Magias Academy Ataraxia 魔装学園H×H [Production IMS] (Finished 3/12) Tags: Harem, School Action, Comedy, Fantasy, Romance, Sci-Fi, Ecchi Hida Kizuna possesses the HHG (Heart Hybrid Gear) ability, but it is not strong enough to make him particularly important. His older sister calls him to transfer to a strategic defense school, where many of the students (many of which are large-breasted girls) use their HHG abilities to fight invaders from another world while wearing extremely skimpy pilot outfits. Kizuna's fighting ability doesn't measure up, but his sister has another plan—apparently having erotic experiences with Kizuna will allow the girls to replenish their energy or power-up. It looks like his new school life is going to be full of embarrassment. Typical ecchi harem with fighting, as banal as possible. Overall Rating: 5/10 16. Taboo Tattoo タブー・タトゥー [J.C.Staff] (Finished 3/12) Tags: Seinen Martial Arts, Super Power Action, Supernatural Seigi, a martial arts trained middle schooler, often feels driven to protect the weaker people around him. One day, he defends a homeless man against some punks, and the man gives him a strange tattoo on his palm in return. The tattoo is a secret weapon produced in the arms race between America and the Serinistan Kingdom. Seigi finds himself in over his head when a powerful girl, using the same secret weapon, violently pursues him in order to retrieve it. His skill at martial arts may not be enough to keep him alive, but will he be able to learn how to trigger the power of his tattoo in time? Just senseless fighting action without anything decent to . Overall Rating: 5/10 17. Servamp SERVAMP(サーヴァンプ) [Brain's Base, Platinum Vision] (Finished 12/12) Tags: Josei Vampire Action, Fantasy Mahiru Shirota firmly believes that simple is best and troublesome things should be avoided at all costs. It is troublesome to do nothing and regret it later—and this ideology has led the 15-year-old to pick up a stray cat on his way home from school. As he affectionately names the feline Kuro, little does he know that this chance meeting will spark an extraordinary change in his everyday life. One day, Mahiru returns home to find something quite strange: a mysterious young man he has never seen before. His subsequent panic results in the uninvited guest being exposed to sunlight and—much to Mahiru's shock—transforming into Kuro! Upon revealing himself as a mere lazy shut-in vampire, Kuro promises to leave once night falls. However, one disaster after another leads to Mahiru accidentally forming a contract with his new freeloader, dragging him into a life-threatening battle of supernatural servants and bloodthirsty beings that is anything but simple. Empty story with poor characters and presentation. Overall Rating: 6/10 18. Rewrite リライト [8bit] (Finished 13/13) Tags: School Action, Comedy, Romance, Supernatural Kazamatsuri, a modern, well-developed city renowned for its burgeoning greenery and rich Japanese culture, is home to Kotarou Tennouji, a high schooler least privy to the place's shared values. Content to fill his pockets with frivolity, the proud and nosey boy whiles away his time pestering the self-proclaimed delinquent Haruhiko, and indulging in his amorous feelings toward the oddball Kotori. Equipped with the superhuman ability to permanently rewrite any part of his body to multiply his strength or speed, Kotarou is naturally drawn to the supernatural. One special meeting with the lone member and president of the Occult Research Club, the "Witch" Akane Senri, leads to Kotarou reviving the Occult Club by recruiting Kotori and three other members: the clumsy transfer student Chihaya, the strict class representative Lucia, and the unassuming Shizuru. As Kotarou unveils hidden secrets of each member of the Occult Club through their shared adventures, he will inevitably encounter a fate that only he might be able to rewrite. I finished anime in the past just because VN is totally unbearable. And Rewrite is horrible in every possible way. It's a difficult task to make the world worse by creating something, and Rewrite manages to get this achievement. Overall Rating: 5/10 19. Yi Ren Zhi Xia Hitori no Shita - The Outcast 一人之下 THE OUTCAST [Namu Animation] (Finished 12/12) Tags: Super Power Action, Supernatural When university student Zhang Chulan returns to his home village, he is devastated to learn that his grandfather Zhang Xilin's grave has been desecrated. As he investigates the cemetery in search for clues, he is attacked by a tomb raider using the false identity of Zhang Xilin's granddaughter. Left to die in a swarm of zombies summoned by the person who spirited his grandfather's body away, Zhang Chulan manages to escape thanks to qi, the power that his grandfather taught him. When Zhang Chulan returns to his uneventful student life, he is shocked to again meet the tomb raider, Feng Baobao, who condemned him to a grim fate. Affiliated with a state organization tasked with handling outcasts known as qi wielders, Baobao forces him to join a delivery company that acts as a front for their true pursuits. As various factions clash to seize the mysterious power Zhang Chulan is said to have inherited from his grandfather, the young man must learn how to choose his allies if he wants to survive in this dangerous world of outcasts. First big Chinese anime with global targeting. A decent action that fails to get anywhere after initial stage setting. Overall Rating: 6/10 20. Qualidea Code クオリディア・コード [A-1 Pictures] (Finished 3/12) Tags: Super Power Action, Fantasy, Sci-Fi On a quiet and peaceful day, the skies split open and extradimensional beings, designated as the Unknown, launch a swift and brutal attack against humanity. To protect the future of the country, all of Japan's children are cryogenically frozen until the end of the war to keep them out of harm's way. Several years pass, and humanity has established a foothold in a corner of Japan, which now serves as the frontline of the war. No longer facing humanity's extinction, the children are awakened from their slumber. It is then discovered that, while in cryogenesis, the children had developed Worlds, supernatural powers unique to each person. The six most powerful children are given command of the reclaimed cities, using their powers to defend the strongholds against the continuing invasion. Childhood friends Ichiya Suzaku and Canaria Utara lead Tokyo, siblings Kasumi and Asuha Chigusa manage Chiba, and Maihime Tenkawa and Hotaru Rindou oversee Kanagawa. Over time, the almost routine attacks from the Unknown and the clashing personalities of the city heads and subheads cultivate petty rivalries, leading to constant arguments between the three cities. With the Unknown suddenly increasing the pressure of their attacks, the three cities' leaders must learn how to work together or risk losing the last line of defense against humanity's extinction. It's done in a very plain and cliché way which buries any attempt to tell a story. Overall Rating: 6/10 21. D.Gray-man Hallow ディー・グレイマン ハロー [TMS Entertainment] (Finished 1/13) Tags: Shounen Mythology, Super Power Action, Adventure, Fantasy Despite the recent Akuma attack, the members of the Black Order are in high spirits as they set about moving to a new base. Immediately upon his arrival, however, Allen Walker is suddenly called by the Central Agency and has his arm forcefully sealed by the Order. He is then led to a surprising meeting with his master, General Cross Marian, who reveals staggering secrets surrounding the enigmatic 14th Noah. A phantom thief incident, the arrival of a mysterious group of Exorcists, the death of an important comrade, and an all-out battle against the Noah Family—just what does this mean for Allen, Yuu Kanda, and the rest of the Order? This is but the beginning of a series of strange, seemingly unconnected events that lead to something far greater. Sequel. Overall Rating: 6/10 22. Love Live! Sunshine!! ラブライブ!サンシャイン!! [ Sunrise] (Finished 1/13) Tags: Idols (Female), Music, School Slice of Life Chika Takami, a self-proclaimed normal girl, has never been involved in any clubs and lacked any notable talents. However, after a visit to Tokyo, she discovers a stage where even an ordinary girl like her could shine—the world of school idols. Inspired by the former superstar school idol group μ's, Chika is determined to start her own school idol club in her seaside hometown at Uranohoshi Girl's High School. But even before gathering any students to join the group, the aspiring school idol finds her greatest obstacle to be student council president Dia Kurosawa who stands firmly against the creation of the club. Just when it seems there is no hope, Chika meets Riko Sakurauchi, a transfer student from Otonokizaka High School, home of μ's. Somewhat shy but a talented piano player, Chika believes her to be a promising recruit, though convincing her to join is easier said than done. In spite of that, Chika chooses to charge forward and overcome the obstacles keeping her from forming a school idol group that shines as bright as the nine that came before her. Sequel. Overall Rating: 6/10 23. Days (TV) [MAPPA] (Finished 1/24) Tags: Shounen School, Team Sports The series is about two boys named Tsukushi and Jin. Tsukushi is a boy with no special talent or traits while Jin is considered a soccer genius. On one stormy night, Jin meets Tsukushi, and they get dragged into the world of soccer. I just don't care about spokons, especially pure masculine ones. Overall Rating: 6/10 24. Arslan Senki (TV): Fuujin Ranbu The Heroic Legend of Arslan: Dust Storm Dance アルスラーン戦記 風塵乱舞 [LIDENFILMS] (Finished 1/8) Tags: Shounen Historical, Military Action, Adventure, Drama, Fantasy Continuing on his quest to retake Ecbatana, Prince Arslan and his company march toward the city. But upon receiving news that the neighboring Kingdom of Turan is launching an assault on the Parsian stronghold at Peshawar Citadel, the prince is forced to turn back in order to defend the fortress. Amid holding off the invading forces, the Parsian army is met by an unexpected visitor. As Arslan returns to Peshawar, Prince Hermes takes a slight detour from his clash against his cousin to search for the legendary sword Rukhnabad, which would grant him the right to rule and take back what he believes is rightfully his. However, after unearthing the lost artifact, the blade is stolen by the Temple Knights of Lusitania, prompting the masked warrior to give chase. Meanwhile in Ecbatana, the captive King Andragoras III finds an opportunity to strike and begins to make his move. As the separate sides of the Parsian royal conflict clash, Arslan's right to the throne falls under attack. But no matter the obstacles in their way, the young prince and his loyal band of warriors charge forward to restore Pars to its former glory. Sequel. Overall Rating: 6/10 25. Fukigen na Mononokean The Morose Mononokean 不機嫌なモノノケ庵 [Pierrot Plus] (Finished 3/13) Tags: Mythology Comedy, Supernatural The start of Hanae Ashiya's high school career has not been easy—he has spent all of the first week in the infirmary, and his inexplicable condition is only getting worse. The cause of his torment is the mysterious fuzzy creature that has attached itself to him ever since he stumbled upon it the day before school began. As his health continues to decline and the creature grows in size, Hanae comes across a flyer advertising an exorcist who expels youkai. Desperate and with nothing left to lose, he calls the number and is led to the Mononokean, a tea room which suddenly appears next to the infirmary. A morose-sounding man, Haruitsuki Abeno, reluctantly helps Hanae but demands payment afterward. Much to Hanae's dismay, he cannot afford the fee and must become an employee at the Mononokean to work off his debt. And to make things worse, his new boss is actually one of his classmates. If Hanae ever hopes to settle his debt, he must work together with Abeno to guide a variety of dangerous, strange, and interesting youkai back to the Underworld. Not a fan of youkai, and this anime is not making an effort to keep interest. Overall Rating: 6/10 26. Fate/kaleid liner Prisma☆Illya 3rei!! Fate/kaleid liner Prisma Illya 3rei!! Fate/kaleid liner プリズマ☆イリヤ 3rei!! [SILVER LINK.] (Finished 1/12) Tags: Mahou Shoujo Action, Comedy, Fantasy Waking up to find herself in a parallel version of Fuyuki City, Illyasviel "Illya" von Einzbern is lost and alone. She discovers her home in ruins, with a massive crater lying in the center of her hometown. With snow falling in the middle of summer, confusion consumes the young elementary schooler, who has no knowledge of where her friends or her wand Ruby may be. Making it to the remains of her house, she is suddenly tackled by an amnesiac girl. Wearing a gym uniform as the icy temperature sets in, the mysterious girl has no idea of where she is or why she showed up. However, this stranger, known as Tanaka, apparently has information about the location of Rin Toosaka, Miyu Edelfelt, and the rest of Illya's missing friends. Fleeing from agents of the Ainsworth family⁠—those in control of this parallel realm—where will these two end up, and how will Illya restore the present back to the world she once knew? Sequel. Overall Rating: 5/10 27. Hatsukoi Monster First Love Monster 初恋モンスター [Studio Deen] (Finished 1/12) Tags: Shoujo School Comedy, Romance Freshman Kaho Nikaidou is from an influential family, and as such, no one has ever said anything even remotely mean to her, for fear of incurring her household's wrath. Wishing to be around people who will not treat her as special because of her background, she leaves home to live at a dormitory for her new school year. Shortly after arriving, Kaho accidentally wanders into traffic and is saved by a tall, handsome stranger. When she asks for his name, he tells her she is weird and walks away. Having finally met the only person to ever say an unkind word to her, Kaho falls head over heels for her savior. After meeting her rescuer yet again and discovering that his name is Kanade Takahashi, she confesses her love to him. Kanade says he would like for them to be a couple, but that Kaho may not want to date him after she finds out his secret. To her shock, Kaho discovers the startling truth: Kanade is a fifth grader! Deciding that she can't date a fifth grader, Kaho intends to break up with him. But as she spends more time with Kanade, she begins to care for him even more and continues dating him. Hatsukoi Monster follows Kaho's first steps into love with Kanade, her immature, yet kind, fifth grade boyfriend. Reverse harem is not marked properly. Again. Overall Rating: 5/10 28. Amanchu! あまんちゅ! [J.C.Staff] (Finished 12/12) Tags: Shounen Iyashikei, School Slice of Life Originally from a big city, Futaba Ooki spends most days cataloguing her life through pictures on her phone. Upon moving to a seaside town, she gazes out over the vast expanse of sea and quickly becomes captivated by its endless possibilities. Unbeknownst to Futaba, her quiet contemplation catches the attention of local diving enthusiast Hikari Kohinata. Finding herself in the same class as Futaba the next day, Hikari is drawn to her quiet and shy demeanor and affectionately nicknames her Teko, sparking a tender friendship. Struggling to adapt to the change of pace in her life, Futaba finds herself strung along by Hikari's vast energy and passion for diving. Together, they join the school diving club, led by their homeroom teacher Mato Katori. With Hikari by her side, Futaba works to earn her diving certification while experiencing new friendships and possibilities. A normal girly SOL with attempts into comedy and with completely out of place Iyashikei. It gets really repetitive and boring. Overall Rating: 5/10 29. Cheer Danshi!! Cheer Boys!! チア男子!! [Brain's Base] (Finished 1/12) Tags: Adult Cast, Performing Arts Sports After suffering from a shoulder injury, shy first-year university student Haruki Bandou gladly takes the opportunity to give up judo, failing to find happiness in the sport regardless of his family owning a dojo. He did not expect, however, that his best friend Kazuma Hashimoto would also decide to leave their university's judo club at the same time as him. Despite Haruki's protests, Kazuma already has plans for a new and revolutionary activity: a cheerleading team made up of only men. Although heavily reluctant, Haruki ends up helping his friend set up the team. Through sheer determination, and with support from their newfound club members, Haruki and Kazuma persist in founding the Breakers, the first ever all-male cheerleading team of Meishiin University, slowly making history in spite of the feminine tag attached to the sport of cheerleading and the prejudices, physical challenges, and self-doubts that inevitably follow. I'd block all that cheerful boys SOL if there was a suitable tag for it. Overall Rating: 5/10 30. Ange Vierge アンジュ・ヴィエルジュ [SILVER LINK., Connect] (Finished 3/12) Tags: School Adventure, Fantasy The story of the card game follows what happens when "Hairou" portals suddenly open, fusing five different worlds together. As a result, various mysterious "Exceed" powers are awakened in teenaged girls. An academy for these so-called "Progress" girls is built on the isolated Seiran Island in the Pacific. Superpower girls who need stimulation is such a banal concept that I'm surprised what all these silly ecchi even hope for. Overall Rating: 5/10 31. Battery バッテリー [Zero-G] (Finished 1/11) Tags: Drama, Sports At only 12 years old, Takumi Harada is already hailed as a prodigious baseball pitcher. But when his family moves to the backwater town of Nitta, Takumi has no choice but to join his new school's unskilled baseball team. This development has little effect on the boy, as he believes it is more interesting if this no-name club becomes a powerhouse due to his presence. However, due to his overwhelming talent, Takumi is in need of a catcher able to keep up with his pitches. His worries are soon put to rest after meeting Gou Nagakura. As his fan and fellow student, Gou is eager to prove that he is not a simple braggart, but rather a player skillful enough to catch Takumi's pitches. Amid struggling to form a "battery" with Gou, Takumi comes into conflict with his new teammates due to his irreverent personality but grapples to find the true joy of the sport under his grandfather's guidance. Baseball spokon, so I could not care less. Overall Rating: 5/10 32. Regalia: The Three Sacred Stars レガリア The Three Sacred Stars [Actas] (Finished 3/13) Tags: Mecha Action, Sci-Fi In the kingdom of Rimgarde, two mysterious giant robots begin a duel that erases nearly all human life before they disappear. Twelve years later, the young empress of Enastoria, Yuinshiel Asteria, works tirelessly to maintain both her authority and the support of her citizens. But the peace of Enastoria is threatened when survivors of Rimgarde arrive. Armed with giant robots called Regalia Gear, they look for Yuinshiel's adopted sister, Rena. The latter is forced to reveal herself as not just a Regalia Gear wielder, but a real "Regalia"—a human capable of transforming into a giant robot—and the culprit behind the fall of Rimgarde. Suddenly caught up in an international dispute, Yuinshiel must preserve the security of her country while also protecting Rena from those who wish to abuse her powers. However, by fighting for her sister, Yuinshiel risks triggering the same calamity that once destroyed Rimgarde. Amid such a precarious situation, the two girls push their bond to its limits as they fight not only for themselves but for the world's safety as well. Just little girls fighting in mecha, not much sense in all this. Overall Rating: 5/10 33. Binan Koukou Chikyuu Bouei-bu LOVE! LOVE! Cute High Earth Defense Club LOVE! LOVE! 美男高校地球防衛部LOVE!LOVE! [Studio Comet] (Finished 1/12) Tags: Parody, School Comedy After pulling the plug on the space reality TV show "Can I Destroy the Earth? 2," the Defense Club and the Conquest Club return to their peaceful high school lives. Time has passed since that fearsome battle, and it's now autumn. The five Defense Club members have stopped serving as the Battle Lovers, and are enjoying a soak in the Kurotama Bath like always, when the Conquest Club broaches a subject that will change a great deal about events to come... Sequel. Overall Rating: 5/10 34. Active Raid: Kidou Kyoushuushitsu Dai Hachi Gakari 2nd Active Raid Second アクティヴレイド -機動強襲室第八係- 2nd [Production IMS] (Finished 1/12) Tags: Adult Cast, Mecha Action, Sci-Fi Set in a part of Tokyo that has descended into a quagmire, the story follows Unit 8 of the 5th Special Public Security Section's 3rd Mobile Assault Division, popularly called "The Eighth," who don powered armor "Willwear" exoskeletons to counter the rise in crime. Sequel. Overall Rating: 5/10 35. Time Travel Shoujo: Mari Waka to 8-nin no Kagakusha-tachi Time Travel Girl タイムトラベル少女~マリ・ワカと8人の科学者たち~ [WAO World] (Finished 2/12) Tags: Time Travel Adventure, Sci-Fi Time Travel Shoujo is based on a 1983 book titled Jishaku to Denki no Hatsumei Hakken Monogatari by Japanese educator Kiyonobu Itakura. It is part of the Hatsumei Hakken Monogatari Zenshuu series which describes the story of various scientific discoveries and inventions throughout history. The 1983 book focuses on discoveries related to magnetism and electricity. Can't appreciate SOL about past epoch, especially about inventions like Tesla etc, so it's not for me, but at least something unusual. Overall Rating: 6/10 36. Mahou Shoujo? Naria☆Girls Mahou Shoujo? Naria Girls 魔法少女? なりあ☆がーるず [Bouncy] (Finished 1/12) Tags: Mahou Shoujo After the Ice Queen brings eternal winter to the land of Nariadia, the only hope to restore balance is to gather human warriors and give them the power of Naria crystals. For this reason, Animaru has chosen the middle schoolers Urara, Inaho, and Hanabi as warriors. The girls, however, are much more focused on mocking the events happening around them and trying to earn money as idols. When the Ice Queen's familiars appear, they use the "Ice Mirror" to trick the girls into performing ridiculous skits. Will Urara, Inaho, and Hanabi ever step up and embrace their roles as magical girls, or will their antics prove too distracting to themselves? CGI empty talk. Overall Rating: 4/10 37. Quanzhi Fashi Full-Time Magister 全职法师 [Foch Films] (Finished 12/12) Tags: School Action, Fantasy The aloof high schooler Mo Fan has found himself in a universe similar yet distinctly different from his own mundane one; it is a place where magic has replaced the essence of science. Here, the most capable students are taught to master the wonders of spellworking to fend off large devastating beasts that lurk in the forests surrounding the city. Like his previous life, Mo Fan remains the son of a poor laborer and the older step-brother to a crippled sister. Despite these disadvantages, he dreams of attending a magic school to become a magician—a highly respected and lucrative trade—in order to repay his father for his hard work. Mo Fan is accepted into a renowned magic institution. However, rumors spread about his poverty and lack of magical ability, labeling him as the laughing stock of the school. Nonetheless, Mo Fan manages to harness not only the powerful fire element, but also the rare lightning element! Now armed with dual abilities, what dangerous encounters will the versatile mage face? It has its flaws as Chinese shorter length ONA compared to normal episodes, but the vibe of "Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon" is here. Basically, there is potential, but with such slow pace there has not been anything worthwhile in the first season. I'll keep watching further, but what we have by this point definitely can't be called any kind of masterpiece. Overall Rating: 6/10 38. Shuangsheng Lingtan Twin Spirit Detectives 双生灵探 [B.CMAY PICTURES] (Finished 1/20) Tags: Psychological Mystery There is always more to the world than meets the eye. This is the motto that twin brothers Sun Xiaotu and Sun Xiaohu follow in their lives as paranormal investigators, where what may be terrifying to some is just another day at work. Normally, it is simple for them to separate their daily lives from their job, but when they go to investigate a seemingly typical haunting of a pair of twins, a series of bizarre events throw their perception of the supernatural world into question as they become a target of the hauntings themselves. The further the brothers search for answers to the paranormal mysteries thrown at them, the hazier the lines between truth and fiction become. Through the challenging and sometimes dangerous adventures ahead, one question remains: what kind of secrets are the ghosts trying to hide from them, and are they already more connected to the spirits than they originally thought? Mystery spirit detectives is the royal flash of red flags for me. Don't see much sense in this. Overall Rating: 5/10 39. Zhanguo Fan The Seven Warring States Fan 战国FAN [2:10 AM Animation] (Finished 1/15) Tags: Martial Arts, Super Power Fantasy - Not translated. Full CGI wuxia, and that's more than enough for me to stop. Overall Rating: 5/10 40. Mahoutsukai no Yome: Hoshi Matsu Hito The Ancient Magus' Bride: Those Awaiting a Star 魔法使いの嫁 星待つひと [Wit Studio] (Finished 3/3) Tags: Shounen Drama, Fantasy Angelica sends Chise some magic supplies including a present. The present turns out to be a book Chise read in her childhood. Elias asks Chise to tell him the story behind the book. Chise tells him about Miura-san and the mysterious library she found in the forest as a child. Pretentious slow pseudo-philosophical romanticized mess. Overall Rating: 6/10 41. Under the Dog [Kinema Citrus, Orange] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Action, Sci-Fi, Suspense The year is 2025. Five years have passed since the Tokyo Olympic Games were called off after deadly terrorist attacks. An international school run by the United Nations now stands in the former Olympic site on the edge of Tokyo Bay. Seven teenagers with special abilities, known as "Flowers," are among the students. Their student identities are only a cover for their real identities as members of an intelligence organization run by the UN. Their objective is to assassinate other teenagers who have the same abilities. The Flowers have no choice but to complete their missions without fail. Their organization has taken their family members hostage to ensure this. For the Flowers, failure would mean death not only for themselves but also for their loved ones. This is the story of their struggle against cruel fate, and of how it is human nature to find hope, however bleak the outlook. It's only 30 minutes long. Don't think survival reaction story was worth the croudfunding. Overall Rating: 6/10 42. Kimi no Na wa. Your Name. 君の名は。 [CoMix Wave Films] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Romantic Subtext Award Winning, Drama, Supernatural Mitsuha Miyamizu, a high school girl, yearns to live the life of a boy in the bustling city of Tokyo—a dream that stands in stark contrast to her present life in the countryside. Meanwhile in the city, Taki Tachibana lives a busy life as a high school student while juggling his part-time job and hopes for a future in architecture. One day, Mitsuha awakens in a room that is not her own and suddenly finds herself living the dream life in Tokyo—but in Taki's body! Elsewhere, Taki finds himself living Mitsuha's life in the humble countryside. In pursuit of an answer to this strange phenomenon, they begin to search for one another. Kimi no Na wa. revolves around Mitsuha and Taki's actions, which begin to have a dramatic impact on each other's lives, weaving them into a fabric held together by fate and circumstance. Whispering, body swap, time shift, youthful bashfulness, long-distance relations, different dimensions travel, amnesia, death, basically suicide attempt - You Name throws at viewers all kinds of immature crap, so I'm very disappointed with the audience that can like it. Makes me so angry. Overall Rating: 6/10 43. Koe no Katachi A Silent Voice 聲の形 [Kyoto Animation] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Shounen Romantic Subtext Award Winning, Drama As a wild youth, elementary school student Shouya Ishida sought to beat boredom in the cruelest ways. When the deaf Shouko Nishimiya transfers into his class, Shouya and the rest of his class thoughtlessly bully her for fun. However, when her mother notifies the school, he is singled out and blamed for everything done to her. With Shouko transferring out of the school, Shouya is left at the mercy of his classmates. He is heartlessly ostracized all throughout elementary and middle school, while teachers turn a blind eye. Now in his third year of high school, Shouya is still plagued by his wrongdoings as a young boy. Sincerely regretting his past actions, he sets out on a journey of redemption: to meet Shouko once more and make amends. Koe no Katachi tells the heartwarming tale of Shouya's reunion with Shouko and his honest attempts to redeem himself, all while being continually haunted by the shadows of his past. Again disabled people in cringy situations. I don't see likeable characters here. Overall Rating: 6/10 44. Kingsglaive: Final Fantasy XV [Square Enix Visual Works] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Action For years, the Niflheim Empire and the kingdom of Lucis have been at war. The empire, having dominated most of the world of Eos, covets the power of the last known Crystal, which is held in Lucis' capital city, Insomnia. In order to protect his people from these advancing forces, King Regis Lucis Caelum CXIII used the power of the Crystal to surround Insomnia with a magical wall. Along with this barrier, Regis assembled an elite military task force known as the Kingsglaive. By drawing their power from the king, the Kingsglaive protect Lucis' borders from the onslaught of the empire and other forces that would do them harm. One such member of the Kingsglaive is Nyx, a man nicknamed "The Hero" by his fellow warriors due to his arrogance and desire to save everyone. However, his pride gets the better of him, causing him to disobey his captain's orders, resulting in a demotion. Now, Nyx spends his days guarding the city gates, but things begin to change once word gets out that Regis plans to sign a peace treaty with their sworn enemies. Good flashy action movie with ill looking Luna Freya. Can't say it was enjoyable for me though as there's neither good story nor decent character interaction - just flashy chaos. Overall Rating: 6/10 45. Da Yu Hai Tang (Movie) Big Fish & Begonia 大鱼海棠 [B&T] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Adventure, Drama, Romance, Supernatural In an old mythical world, there reside spirit-like beings who oversee the natural order of the mortal realm. One of them, a young girl named Chun, has just come of age and must undergo her rite of passage by experiencing the human world for herself. While there, she gets caught in a fishing net during a storm and is rescued by a human boy. However, the boy ends up drowning during the incident, and Chun returns to her realm full of guilt. Afterwards, she meets the Soul Keeper and decides to revive the boy in exchange for a part of her lifespan. Little does she know, meddling with the natural order of the world has severe consequences. Da Yu Hai Tang is a story about sacrifice and redemption as Chun comes to terms with the limitations of her powers and deals with death, love, and her own emotions. She must decide if she will sacrifice everything to save the human boy or forsake her moral obligation for the order of the world. I see it as another Ghibli imitator. Youkai, magic, animals - all is here. Poor characters, hasty drama, weak story. Overall Rating: 6/10 46. Seoul-yeok Seoul Station 서울역 [Studio Dadashow] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Horror, Suspense Several groups of people try to survive a zombie pandemic that unleashes itself in downtown Seoul. Trashy zombie horror, nothing special. Overall Rating: 5/10 47. Kaze no You ni 風のように [Ekura Animal] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Drama, Slice of Life Sanpei is a boy beekeeper and the sole survivor of an accident that killed his entire family. Sanpei meets Chiyo, a girl who gets stung by a bee, and starts a new life in her village. Eventually, Sanpei cultivates the land that the villagers had abandoned, and then disappears. In the land now filled with flowers, Chiyo waits, believing Sanpei will return. Simple SOL in retro style as if from 60s. Overall Rating: 5/10 48. Kai: Geoul Hosu-ui Jeonseol Kai: The Legend of Mirror Lake 카이: 거울 호수의 전설 [Studio Dadashow] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Adventure, Fantasy Kai: Geoul Hosu-ui Jeonseol is an adaptation of Hans Christian Andersen's The Snow Queen in a central Asian setting. In the grasslands of Central Asia, a brother and sister, Kai and Shamui are running through a snow-covered mountain and being chased by wolves. Suddenly, they get swept away by a massive avalanche, and only Kai gets rescued by their mother and the tribe. Shamui is lost in the icy lake of the notorious Snow Queen, Hattan. Just Korean extended version of fairy tale. I'm not fond of this genre. Overall Rating: 6/10 49. Jue Ji L.O.R.D: Legend of Ravaging Dynasties 爵跡 [Original Force] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Adventure, Fantasy The Odin Mainland is separated into four countries, in each lives a group of soul masters protecting their county with their soul powers. The most powerful seven of them are known as Noble Lords. The story begins in the water origin, the Aslan Empire. Qi Ling has been a busboy in an inn since young and subconsciously tamed a legendary soul beast, Ice Fang in a battle between soul masters. Yin Chen (Kris Wu) came on orders of the Silver Priest to take him in as his disciple. With his help, Qi Ling heads to the Grave of the Souls to seek his soul weapon, yet as he couldn’t sit still like how his lord instructed him; he enters the Grave of the Souls with Tianshu You Hua and Guishan Lian Quan. Qi Ling thus become embroiled in the upcoming storm; a battle of soul powers between the lords. At the very same time, another conspiracy that has long been in the works within the Aslan Empire is gradually revealing itself. While searching for Qi Ling, Yin Chen found out that his master, the former 1st lord Gilgamesh may still be living, and thus risked his everything to began the search of his previous master. At the same time, the killing lords You Ming and Thalia received the silver priest's orders to kill Guishan Lian Quan and her brother, Guishen Feng Hun. A battle between the lords and disciples, in a fight for truth and honor, thus ensues. Some kind of Lord of the Rings imitation in my opinion, but with Korean flavor and spiritual pets. Feels alien to me. Overall Rating: 6/10
  15. More than one unusual work! 1. Hirahira Hihiru ヒラヒラヒヒル [231116] BA-KU 1 They're all perfectly normal human beings. The world you are about to enter is one in which the dead come back to life. It is a phenomena which has occurred since time immemorial. But these unlucky individuals do not return as the person they once were. They rise from the grave with depleted cognition, memory, and awareness. Their bodies, stripped of all regenerative abilities, slowly rot away. In Japan, those with this affliction are known as "hihiru." Though once revered as holy beings, over time they have come to be shunned and reviled by society. Eventually, however, their condition was recognized as a medical issue, and given the name Aerodema. Now, at the dawn of the Taishou Era, Dr. Katori Shuuhei is conducting field studies in an effort to improve living conditions and support systems for Aerodema patients. Given how slowly they have developed in Japan compared to other nations, it is an uphill battle he fights. It is through the eyes of two men that this story will unfold: Chigusa Masamitsu, a young doctor assisting with these studies, and Tenma Takeo, a student to whom Aerodema has only been a distant problem until now. Watch how these men grapple with Aerodema as it twists itself into their lives... Story by Setoguchi Ren'ya. Localized and has English reviews. 2. MAMIYA -DoomsDay Dreams- マミヤ -DoomsDay Dreams- [231122] Kenkou Land Final part of the MAMIYA series Sequel to amateur company title that comes with a translation right away 3. Amairo Chocolata 3 あまいろショコラータ 3 [231124] Cabbage Soft A year has passed. When Kaguya is away from the dormitory on a school trip, she suddenly becomes close to her older sister, Mitsuki Momose, who is very good at making dumplings. Furthermore, Kohana, the self-proclaimed god who summoned the boy and Mikuri, is revived. She says she wants to control Yunagi Town! The more unique beastgirls - the merrier! Sequel 4. Geminism Geminism 〜げみにずむ〜 [231124] CRAFTWORK Two twin sisters, Hirosoma Kikyou and Hirosoma Shinku, clash together in a nook of a midnight city. The fight is watched over by two mysterious men, Yamaga and Tsukishiro. Just what is at stake in their battle? A blast from the past. Brand is famous for its utsuge themes, but this work tries to appeal to everyone and limit shocking content while emphasizing eroticism (as gemini share feelings) and text and keeping story simple. 5. Little Princess GO! リトルプリンセスGO! [231124] Quince Soft & Lump of Sugar In the city of Yumeutsutsu, famous for having the largest theme park in Japan, the "Dream Garden", lies Yumeutsutsu Academy. Attending there is our protagonist Sumito, the son of the Dream Garden's manager. One day, the princess who is said to be a descendant of Snow White, "Mina", transfers to the school. Eventually, Sumito learns of Mina's hidden secret. Thanks to this, their relationship becomes delicate. Nevertheless, Sumito's mother, the manager, has given the two of them an order. "Let's make a big theme park event "School Festival" a success!" Joined by the candidate for the next manager, a secretary who supports Sumito, "Ritsuka." A dancer working at the theme park, "Alice." And a school nurse and Sumito's tutor, "Momo." A slapstick school romantic comedy begins! Can be called close to a moege as all heroines are unusually lewd from the start.
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