Jeoffrey

To truly grasp what this series is all about, you'll need to stick around until the third episode. I initially dropped it after the first episode because it didn't reveal much, and given my experience with Nami Sano's previous work, I was convinced it would revolve around a boy comically disguising the fact that there are actually two of him, identical twins at that. Sakamoto desu ga? managed to sustain interest by telling one joke in twelve episodes, and the early moments of this show seemed eerily similar. Initially, characters like Migi and Dali didn't grab my attention, and the ones around them failed to captivate me. Similar to the series about Sakamoto, it often leaned too heavily into the bizarre, exaggerated, and sometimes even theatrical, offering a quirky originality that kept things from getting dull. However, it seemed to clash with the more serious mysterious and thriller plotline emerging in the second half. It felt as if the series wanted to be a comedy, drama, thriller, psychological horror, family film, theatrical performance, fairy tale, and who knows what else all at the same time. It became a wild genre mishmash that sometimes worked interestingly and unexpectedly, and other times not at all. Nevertheless, it unfolds as a well-thought-out and powerful story, and as you get to know the characters better, you genuinely come to appreciate them. Additionally, it concludes with a pleasant (considering it's Christmas) yet intriguing ending. Despite the shaky start and the genre clash that significantly disrupted my overall experience, I feel the series deserves credit, but I have to deduct a bit, giving it a strong 3 stars — 6.4/10.

As a devoted fan of Ryogo Narita, the creative mind behind notable series like Durarara!! and Baccano!, I was once again impressed with Dead Mount Death Play. If you know the author, it's probably unnecessary to delve deeply into what makes this series, or any of Narita's works, truly outstanding; and why it's an experience worthy of at least an 8.5/10 — we could talk about sharks instead... However, if you're not yet acquainted with Ryogo Narita's work, let me offer some insight. Firstly, Narita has a remarkable talent for crafting a variety of unique, likable, and memorable characters. While his stories often feature a plethora of characters, each one is so well-developed that you can immediately recognize and understand them. Secondly, Narita skillfully integrates these characters into the story, ensuring that none feel unnecessary; everyone has a vital role to play. Thirdly, Narita excels at intertwining individual character storylines, bringing them together seamlessly in a satisfying whole. The way Narita guides his stories with finesse, introducing surprising and intriguing revelations, is truly impressive. So, you can always expect excellent characters and a well-crafted plot in Narita's work. Dead Mount Death Play takes things a step further. The series hooks viewers right from the first episode with a fantastic and unexpected plot twist that leaves you eager to uncover what happens next. Narita's adept atmosphere-building, coupled with the mysterious nature of the story's gradual revelation, adds an extra layer of intrigue. The way he explores the connection between two different worlds, revealing some details while leaving others hidden, invites viewers to engage their imagination. Furthermore, the pacing is nice — there's always something happening, ensuring Narita's works are never dull. And let's not forget the relatively decent humor. While some jokes might be a tad silly or unexpectedly timed, they generally work, managing to elicit a few laughs. When you throw in the likable motivation of the main character, decent animation, and music, the overall experience is once again delightful. I eagerly anticipate any possible continuation. Now, back to those sharks...

It's evident that the Japanese, like the rest of the world, simply love Sherlock Holmes, leading to frequent works related to this iconic detective. Ron Kamonohashi's Forbidden Deductions, in my view, is an average detective story that leans more on surprising twists than allowing viewers a fair chance to solve cases alongside the detective. Unlike Case Closed, I only managed to guess who the killer was once (in the observatory), but that might be due to my lack of detective skills rather than the show's complexity. The chemistry between the main duo, Ron and Toto, is a strong point, though I feel their bromance could be further explored, even if it means sacrificing some cases. The main storyline involving "House of M" is still in its early stages, mildly intriguing me as an interesting concept. While I can't entirely predict how much I'll enjoy it, I see no reason not to continue watching future episodes. However, I don't find a compelling reason to specifically look forward to them either. As I conclude the first season, my overall impression is around 5.8/10. If you aren't particularly fond of detectives deducing your life story from a speck of dust on your coat, or you don't have a soft spot for mysterious bishounens with piercing eyes, I can't think of a reason to recommend the series to you. Those are my deductions for now...

I like it when cute girls do cute things, and I enjoy it even more when it's associated with a school club, so I can learn something new. Stardust Telepath seemed like a nice combination of Bocchi the Rock (because of the extremely shy heroine) and Sora no Method (because of the cute alien), so I had high expectations for the series. However, it didn't completely meet those expectations, and my main gripe was that it felt overly tearful. While I appreciate watching the main character overcome personal challenges and grow, Umika's constant torrents of tears were a bit too much for my taste. It didn't help that another series, Shy, with a much better-handled development of a similar character, was also airing on Mondays. To add to Umika's woes, she wasn't even the cutest shy heroine of the season, as another series about 100 girls introduced Shizuka Yoshimoto, taking adorable shyness to a whole new level. Despite these drawbacks, Stardust Telepath remains a decent and enjoyable series. I didn't find it dull, and I was intrigued by the rocket models featured. The animation was well done, and the music was pleasant. In my opinion, Stardust Telepath, with its unique 'forehead telepathy' AKA odekopathy, and the extraterrestrial Bonavu! and Mativu!, deserves an above-average rating of 6/10.

Let's Ghooooooost! It's a bit tricky for me to gauge how much horror Dark Gathering packs, considering I'm not exactly a horror expert. I'm the type who prefers to watch a series the next day in broad daylight. However, I can confidently say that it didn't terrify me that much in the end. There were a few unpleasant scenes, but no jump scares or moments that made me look away. The animation style and likable characters played a significant role in keeping me calm, as I knew nothing too terrible would happen to them. In terms of the story, it felt like a Japanese Ghostbusters with a twist of traditional mysticism instead of science, incorporating elements like talismans, etc. It's an odd mix since the hunters are young adults and one weird child, and the talismans are mostly plush toys. And plush toys and children are not particularly scary. The individual stories varied in quality, and the main storyline that unfolded in the last three episodes became truly interesting. The series picked up speed, introducing new facets of the conflict, moving beyond the "ghost of the week" formula. Then the final credits rolled in, leaving us with a promise of "see you in Kyoto." Despite the slight aversion to horror, the first season was an enjoyable watch for me. I appreciate the main trio, am intrigued about what will happen next, and believe that the elements making me consider a high rating are still on the horizon. So, it's a 6.4/10 for now, and hopefully, see you in Kyoto...

So, you don't have a girlfriend? And do you know why? Because Aijou Rentarou has them all! Do you know what your mom is doing right now? Rentarou has ALL THE GIRLS, including your mom! I'm not really into harem anime, and the idea of one with 100 girls is more of a nightmare than something exciting for me. I lean more towards quality over quantity, and I find the concept of 100 girls not particularly original. As a 'man of culture,' I suspect there might be hentai where the main protagonist is tasked with getting a similarly insane number of girls pregnant or maybe they were just all classmates. It's been a while since I saw it, but there were a lot of them... Now, I can't recall the exact name of that anime, so please just look it up yourself! What surprised me, however, was that this series manages to focus on all (six) introduced girls. Even when they're all on screen together, none explicitly overshadows the others. I can't say that one of them is the best waifu, and the rest should be forgotten. All the girls shine individually and collectively, and they're all likable. None of them are annoying, unremarkable, or unnecessary. How the authors pull it off, I don't know, but it works, holding together like a fun and slightly dysfunctional family. And what about the main hero? Does he ruin it? Surprisingly not! Rentaro Aijo may sometimes come across as an average, sometimes slightly oversensitive beta male, but that's only in moments when nothing is at stake. When it's necessary to show some of the girls his intentions, he suddenly becomes an incredible alpha – a rizzler who knows exactly what to say and do to make it work. And it does work, even for the viewer who not only enjoys the charming and fun romance but still believes in what he says and does, despite the main character already having six girls at this point. So far, not enough to make me give the series more than a 6/10, but did I mention that it's the best comedy I've seen this season? Yes, it's utter nonsense, and by nonsense, I mean truly absurd. Still, it did make me laugh almost every episode, and often several times. There's situational humor, there's absurd humor, and there's a bunch of twists on established clichés and parodies, not only of other harem anime but also of various well-known movies (Mission: Impossible even made its way into the title of one episode). Sometimes you have no idea what to expect, other times you know exactly, but even so, the joke is executed so well that you thoroughly enjoy it when it comes... A user here called it the Gintama of all harem anime, and considering all the humor the series is capable of, I understand where that comparison came from. What else to add, it's entertaining, the romance works, the characters are great, the animation is nice, and the music is pleasant. I'm still scared of how it will continue, though (the last episode hinted at around five more girlfriends, and the creators have said they won't give up and reach that hundred). Sometimes it was incredibly silly but the first season pleasantly surprised me, so I can't give it less than 7.5/10.

I Shall Survive Using Potions! didn't sit well with me; in fact, I consider it downright stupid. Let's start with the original premise - a heroine aiming for a peaceful life in a new fantasy world by selling elixirs. However, it has two major flaws. Firstly, elixirs don't even exist in this world. Secondly, the main heroine does everything to make her life anything but peaceful. Okay, no one would be interested in her if her life was peaceful, but does she really have to constantly boast about being friends with a goddess? That's how an egomaniac brags, not someone who aims for a peaceful life selling elixirs. Not to mention how annoying it is when you hear it for the tenth time. And speaking of elixirs - the main heroine can create any elixir she thinks of in any container that comes to mind. It's a terrible idea for a story, ruining any tension and eliminating potential problems. When Kaoru conjures up something like glasses with radar, it's a stretch to consider that a potion bottle! Despite everything she can do, the mistakes she makes are sometimes so dumb it hurts. After seeing the nonsense she did in battle almost costing one of the supporting characters their life, I had to pause watching. Even when she makes mistakes, she solves the consequences by simply running away and continuing her journey. Even if she accidentally gets into trouble, she always has a divine intervention up her sleeve because she's the goddess's friend - removing any tension. But Jeoffrey, this isn't about tension; it's supposed to be a cute fantasy road trip... Okay, but why is every stop so dumb, and why do I have to keep watching the main heroine pulling divine miracles and solutions out of her ass while pretending to be incredibly clever? What comes next? An atom bomb? That can also be considered a potion bottle, right? Hell no! But even that won't stop the heroine... As I mentioned, I didn't like this series; I found it stupid, didn't buy half of what it wanted to convince me of, and even though I managed to make it to the end, I won't give it more than 3.5/10. What for? I guess a few likable supporting characters, nice colorful animation, and maybe even for thanking me at the end for watching, even though I occasionally needed a sip of elixir myself...

After watching the trailer and reading the plot summary, I expected it to be much worse, so I'm actually quite glad that this is actually a slightly above-average fantasy with fairly tolerable characters and mildly interesting story, which is not particularly original or captivating, but what is happening here managed to hold my attention and arouse a slight curiosity about what will happen in the announced second season. I also quite liked the chemistry between the main characters here, who are not particularly remarkable or extremely interesting on their own, but together as a likable team, they work quite well. Animation-wise, it is at most average, visual effects rely too much on computers, so they don't look particularly nice. For me, this is about 5.5/10 - it's not bad, but it fails to leave a significant impression either.

Let me share a simple piece of advice: when creating an anime centered on pro gaming or video games in general, make sure that the depicted video game doesn't look like a complete disaster. I'm genuinely curious if there's anyone among the viewers of Protocol: Rain who will unironically express a desire to play the shooter game around which the series revolves. Another piece of advice: if you're stuck with a subpar video game and have no plans to improve it, consider minimizing its on-screen presence for the audience. It wasn't just the video game that turned me off; the series itself didn't strike me as particularly engaging. It failed to sell the concept of pro gaming to me and instead felt like another run-of-the-mill sports anime following a group of underdogs on their journey to the top. None of the characters managed to captivate me, and I didn't feel that the series delved into their personalities in a deeper or more intriguing manner. The cliché scene where the main character literally breaks into the main heroine's room, catching her in her negligee, was the tipping point that convinced me this wouldn't offer anything unique. For me, it's a drop after episode 4, earning a maximum rating of 3.5/10.

This anime weaves a fairy tale around Marie Antoinette's redemption through time travel, showcasing how her newfound insights inadvertently inspire greatness. What stands out to me the most is the protagonist, whose character development adds depth while maintaining a charming mischievousness. Sumire Uesaka's excellent performance, capturing both heart-wrenching and entertaining moments, further elevates the experience. On the flip side, what irked me the most was the reliance on humor through misunderstandings and coincidences. While initially enjoyable, the repetitive nature, at times bordering on silliness, detracted from the overall experience. Mia's seemingly effortless navigation through challenges diminished the stakes, making it clear that success was inevitable. Even in supposedly dramatic moments, I never once feared for her. Digging into the source material, it appears the anime skips Mia's initial, unsuccessful attempt, opting for a direct plunge into her first success. Personally, I wished for occasional failures, requiring Mia to strategize independently and not rely solely on others, whom she usually unknowingly inspires, or practically stumble upon the solution to the problem. Perhaps my bias stems from enjoying Re:Zero - Starting Life in Another World too much, overlooking the distinct vibes Tearmoon Empire brings. In essence, this series serves as a delightful comedy with endearing characters, where major issues are swiftly resolved, echoing the essence of a fairy tale. Coupled with surprisingly good animation and decent music, I settle on a 6/10. While my score might reflect a desire for more complexity, those who embraced the breezy aspect that Tearmoon Empire offers will likely rate it higher, and I get that.