Jeoffrey

I'm not going to sugarcoat it - I really hate the Japanese concept of idols. To me, it's nothing more than a façade that’s trying to deceive you by showing you perfect people without flaws. I’m not buying this because everyone has their imperfections, and I find the concept of idols artificial and fake. I can never be sure that the person I'm supposed to look up to isn't a complete idiot, and the idol concept is set up in such a way that I'll never actually learn anything about the idol’s true self. It’s all just empty marketing phrases designed to fool the masses. I also don't like the limitations that there are in show business. You have no official personal life or love life, you simply belong to the fans. An agency controls everything about your public persona, the people you work with, what you do, and where you perform. Forget about privacy, freedom, and your own personality – these things are inconsequential and need to be suppressed as much as possible. What you get instead is a gilded cage, emptiness, falsehood, backstabbing, and unhealthy competition. Plus, it has become a cult in Japan, the fans are aware of their status, and all it takes is one jerk and nasty things can happen. This is why I try to avoid anime about idols. I have no desire to be fooled by how everything is presented as an amazing dream factory. I got sick of VTubers from Hololive for much the same reason. I started noticing certain social-pathological phenomena that are present in the idol industry. I am all the more surprised that this anime caught my interest and even made it to the end. It’s mainly owing to the likable and exuberant protagonist. She is a bit of a goofball, but she’s just the kind of positive person that you want to have around. She seems to energize everyone around her. Hiyori is simply a nice girl who has no relation to idols, but she has to get the hang of things and runs into all of the pitfalls of the industry that I mentioned. The show doesn't present the concept of idols as a walk in the park, but as a place full of problems that can be dealt with. The principles of the business still apply, but at least it doesn’t make me completely sick. Even smug and insufferable idols can actually become pretty cool guys with the right influence. This show is so well written that it managed to blunt the sharpest edges for me. There were even moments that I quite enjoyed. Unlike Hiyori, I'll probably never have admiration for idols, but there are moments when some of them might at least earn my respect. This show earned it for the clever and entertaining way it presented the whole thing. 6/10

I loved Komi-san in the second season, too. What this season has going for it is that the chemistry between Tadan and Komi works much better. I really appreciate that things are happening on the romantic level, too. The main character also gradually starts developing. Besides her amazing facial expressions, she utters a couple of shy words here and there, sometimes even a sentence, and I'm still rooting for her along with the whole school. However, the series also has one major issue that struck me during the first episodes of the second season, which is that it has too many supporting characters. The problem is that new ones keep on appearing because the main character wants to have a hundred friends, but this also means that many familiar characters end up taking a back seat (especially the driving force behind everything - Najimi). Only one in 10 or so new characters is actually good (and not just another one-dimensional cliché). Since the supporting characters are usually just one-dimensional, their interactions with the main characters are too repetitive and the show runs the risk of becoming boring. It hasn’t happened yet because more and more characters are added to the mix. They each bring something new. It’s usually something simple that will eventually blend in with the remaining ingredients, but at least something is happening. Can it go on like this indefinitely? Won’t the imaginary cup of minor characters overflow? The fact that the focus has shifted to the main couple, who are starting to move forward without help from outside influences (like Najimi in the first season) is something that might save the show from constantly having to come up with new characters. I trust the writers; they haven't let me down yet. Komi and co. are still fun for me to watch. 8/10

Let’s be honest, there’s nothing groundbreaking about this show. Those who see it as a cross between Overlord and Goblin Slayer are right for the most part. However, what makes this a great show in my view is the amount of fun Arc is having during his adventure. The hero of the story is an honest, valiant, and incredibly likable guy who takes unadulterated joy in every job well done and is generally glad to be there and enjoys every (even the smallest) fantasy surprise he encounters along the way. It's hardly a secret that when you see someone who is having fun and really enjoying themselves, you'll probably enjoy watching them too. Joy and enthusiasm are contagious. I not only liked the main character, but his whole crew as well. Some of the dialogue was quite hilarious, so, for example, you could say that the local elves were actually from Canada. I even like the mascot, Ponta, and the way the show was able to sell her to me. I’d even consider buying a Ponta plush toy if I saw it somewhere. The last episode and the final battle of the giant monsters seemed pretty epic and interesting, and it looked very nice animation-wise. Sure, the series has a lot of flaws. The story may not be very strong at the moment, but it definitely has the potential to be fleshed out thanks to all the plotting in the background. Most of the villains are poorly written. They’re just ordinary creeps with the same quality as the goblins I mentioned earlier. The repetitive rescuing of damsels in distress feels just as cheesy at times. What made me enjoy the show was the overall atmosphere and energy, mainly owing to the main character, and the fact that everything feels like a real adventure told with passion and a sense of humor. 7/10

I'm a little disappointed. I was expecting a little more creativity from a show about cute ghosts healing overworked and tired corporate slaves, at least in terms of fun. There’s no deeper level, the writers weren’t even trying, simple cuteness seemed to be good enough for them. Everything here is supposed to be kawai, and in every episode, a famous voice actor tells us exactly when it's supposed to be kawai, but it only works for me about half the time. There's also quite a bit of emotion, but it's often unnecessarily tearful without there being any actual drama. There's not much situational humor either. And there's also nothing to make your brain work too hard. It’s an uninspired cute show that you can relax with but without any therapeutic effect on my mind like the girls achieved with Shachiku. I just didn’t feel it. Honestly, even Senko-san, which has a similar concept, was much more entertaining and imaginative than these ghosts. Animation-wise, I found it kind of sloppy.  It was enough to make everything kawai, but I can't say I particularly enjoyed the colors and character designs. It's not a bad series – it can be relaxing to watch it after a hard day, or even before going to bed. It's just that, when you compare it to Kobayashi-san or Senko-san for instance, it is weaker in all respects. 5.2/10

I wish I could say I enjoyed Daimon and discovered a recipe for true happiness in it, but unfortunately, it didn't happen and it's largely Nagomu's fault. They say that in every man there is a child, but I guess there's not much else in the protagonist besides a child. All the time, I couldn’t help thinking that a 30-year-old man just wouldn’t act this way. What was worse, the show itself was aware of this, and everyone starting from the main character's father to the main female character, often found Nagomu just as annoying as I did. I just didn’t buy the chemistry between the main characters, which was based on the relentless Nagomu putting pressure on Itsuka and trying to get closer to her. I don't like it. It doesn't work for me in romantic comedies, just like it didn't work for me in this show where it was supposed to lead to a kind of father-daughter relationship. And yet Itsuka is nice. She is nicely portrayed as a young girl wanting to appear stronger but still trying to come to terms with the fact that her parents abandoned her. I had no problem understanding her and at times I almost felt sorry for her having to be the voice of reason speaking to a 30-year-old man. There were other things that struck me as childish and silly, including how the main character dealt with some of the problems that came his way. The show tried to convince me that Nagomu was successful with women. Given the fact that one of the girls couldn't even tell her parents what her lifelong dream was and the other one had already kind of broken up with the main character in the past - well, let’s just say that the female characters weren't the sharpest pencils in the box – an eccentric clown like Nagomu could actually have a shot with them. At first, I was having a good time and I liked the atmosphere. Then I saw the main character enter the house of a complete stranger and use traditional Japanese dogeza to solve a problem that was basically none of his business and that the girl could have dealt with on her own just fine if only she'd tried to communicate in a sincere and honest way. That’s where the show lost me. I switched off my brain, trying to put up with Nagomu's childishness, and eventually made it to the end. It could have been a sweet series full of powerful emotions, and maybe it was for some people. For me, it's just one big "meh". Good thing that there was all that candy, at least it gave me an appetite and a reason to give it a 5/10.

If you were expecting the Doga Kobo studio to make a show about how to find housing in a fantasy world and deal with the complex problems of its inhabitants, prepare to be disappointed. The series does focus on this topic, but the presentation of the problems and their solutions are often so childishly simple that the problems seem to be solving themselves. However, if you were expecting a show about four cute protagonists doing cute things and interacting in a fun way, then you won't be disappointed. The main four girls were great, the characters were so well-written that I immediately grew fond of them. Plus, the background story was also quite decent, focusing on the cutest one of the four and throwing in a few lessons about friendship and trust. It made a pretty strong impression on me. I was even a little worried about some of the characters. Even though everything was resolved with almost childish ease in the finale, I’m quite satisfied and the show gave me an appetite for a potential sequel. For a fan of cute characters and stories, RPG fudósan is an enjoyable show to watch before going to sleep. I was just a little annoyed with the unnecessary fanservice. Otherwise, it was a pretty sweet and fun experience with nice colorful animation and fitting music. 6.8/10

Sometimes there’s a great OP hero in anime that everyone falls in love with – one who can do the craziest shit and be totally cool about it, and it feels right, and you have as much fun as a little kid playing Doom. A perfect example of this type of hero for me was Anos Voldigoad. Now any other show that tries to put somebody else on the pedestal is doomed as there can only be one imaginary king. Sadly, Ard Meteor, or Lord Varvatos if you will, doesn't come close to Anos. He didn't convince me he could last more than a minute in a duel with him. I wasn’t impressed with his character, either. Anos was cool. He had convincing charm, charisma, and strength, and women practically threw themselves at him. Ard is just a pale imitation. The women like him for reasons that are beyond me and there was a moment where he struck me as more of a prudish father chastising his two misbehaving daughters than a cool and relaxed harem master. On top of that, the story and dialogue didn't work for me either. When I heard in one of the episodes what the writers made a queen say and how utterly cheesy and dumb it sounded, I decided to drop this anime. The show simply lacks the ease and charm with which to present an OP protagonist in a way that makes him seem natural. Even the story felt dull and full of clichés. Why watch a cheap and bad copy which doesn't work and looks dumb when you can watch the original? I still believe that one day I'll come across something as awesome as The Misfit of Demon King Academy. It’s not this series, though. I dropped it after Episode 4 and I’m giving it a 3/10 maximum.

When I read the synopsis, I was reminded of Maoyuu Maou Yuusha and expected something similar, but honestly, Yuusha, Yamemasu wasn’t as good. It was a decent story with an interesting plot arc and a few good ideas. Even the characters were nice. However, I wasn’t hooked as much as I had hoped. My interest was lukewarm even during the best parts, and even the biggest surprises left me somewhat indifferent. I enjoyed the opening where Leo was getting acquainted with the other generals and important issues of the local army were being addressed. It didn't delve as deep as I wished, but it was an entertaining way to get to know the characters better. The final drama was much less enjoyable for me; I immediately knew how it would all end, and I was quite disappointed in how right I was. There was no sense of closure or satisfaction. What it made me wonder was: "Wasn't the whole drama actually unnecessary?". And that's not how you want to react after the final episode... 5.5/10.

Healer Girl is a show that takes the expression "music heals" quite literally. Personally, I found Healer Girl to be an enjoyable series filled with music, singing, and vibrant visuals. My only regret is that the writers didn't make it even more musical, as the musical scenes and accompanying singing were likely the highlights of the entire series for me. Despite not being a fan of musicals and singing in general, the musical aspect of the show just worked for me. I appreciated the overall tone, energy, and atmosphere of the series. I also liked the protagonists and their determination, as well as their struggles. While watching, I could genuinely believe that music had the power to heal or at least provide some temporary solace. 7/10

It's a fun and silly show. Some of its aspects worked out great, others didn’t. It's a weird mishmash of all kinds of things, and there are certain rules that the series often fails to follow or simply forgets. The society is portrayed as a matriarchy, with women supposedly holding the main power, but besides initial conflicts with the stepmother and occasional heroic tea parties, I never got the impression that the position of women was even remotely dominant, quite the other way round. So, it's a pointless premise that is not fully utilized and hardly works at all. The handling of social status and nobility is also quite odd. Another thing that drove me nuts about the series was the constant repetition of "I'm just a mob character..." especially when the main protagonist doesn't act accordingly and then wonders why everything gets so complicated. It's satisfying to see Luxion give him a hard time in the final episode. However, the rewards given to the main character don't feel satisfying. It’s as if someone is throwing them at him against his will. I know it’s the creative intention and it's supposed to be funny, but it works maybe the first time, and then it becomes irritating (just like the hero saying that he's just a mob character again...). And now for the positives. The best thing about the series is the main protagonist, who is rotten and sarcastic, but ultimately still a good guy. He's one of those who understand that before you hit someone, you need to defeat them verbally. I really grew fond of Leon, and I enjoyed almost every interaction he had with everyone else: He had the best chemistry with Luxion, so it’s obvious who the ideal waifu for the main character is! The other characters are also well-portrayed. There are plenty of reasons not to like the prince and his entourage and to root for the hero instead, however, even they gradually reveal some good qualities that made me appreciate them, too. Similarly, the main female characters are sometimes strong, and sometimes tragic, but always relatable and likable. The story is a confusing journey of an involuntary hero, which, thanks to his knowledge of the game, isn't too dramatic or thrilling. It’s fun to watch the hero outsmart everyone, though. It didn't get boring for me even after twelve episodes. 6.4/10.