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fudgesoup · 3 months ago

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The Stars are Cheering for You

Chapter 4: Determination

Rated: Teen - 4.1k - Rena Natsukawa x Original Character

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Tags: Hokkaido Gals are Super Adorable, Rena Natsukawa x Original Character, Rena Natsukawa x OC, Rena x OC, Fuyuki Minami, Natsukawa Rena, Shiki Tsubasa, Original Character, Rena Natsukawa, Minami Fuyuki, Tsubasa Shiki, Akino Sayuri, Manga & Anime, Alternate Universe, College/University AU, Fluff, Friendship, College, Romance, Eventual Romance, Slow Romance, Enemies to Lovers, Fate, Drama, Light Angst, Tokyo, I didn't sleep to write this, Gossip, Love Confessions, Confessions, Crushes, Dating, Falling In Love, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, Kendo, Plot, Slice of Life, Canon Spoilers, Tension, Family Drama, Plot Twists, Idiots in Love, post-epilogue

Finals came and went in a whirlwind, leaving Rena feeling triumphant, as if she had just slain a beast. Each test that had once stood in her way, now lay defeated. She had slayed them all: every problem, every essay, and every equation, claiming what felt like an inevitable victory over Akimitsu. In the week that followed, she allowed herself a rare indulgence: a well-earned break. With the semester officially behind her, Rena found herself in a state of restless anticipation, eagerly awaiting the moment when Akimitsu would reveal his scores. She had been chasing this moment for so long, desperate to see all her efforts pay off..

During those carefree post-finals days, Rena often took walks through her neighborhood, occasionally with Umi and Hikari at her side. Unlike before, they went relatively unnoticed during their outings, a stark contrast to the unwanted attention that had once been a constant nuisance. However, Rena had begun to notice a peculiarity. Whenever she arrived at a place, any men who appeared to be university students mysteriously vanished. For someone of her petite stature, who didn’t exactly exude an intimidating presence, this sudden avoidance was strange.

One afternoon, curiosity got the better of her, and she turned to Umi with a puzzled expression. "Hey, have you noticed how guys just seem to… vanish whenever we show up?"

Umi raised an eyebrow, clearly not having given it much thought. “Huh. Now that you mention it, yeah, that is weird. I hadn’t really paid attention until you pointed it out.” She shared Rena's confusion, glancing around as if trying to catch one of these disappearing men in the act.

“Bizarre, right?” Rena mused, shaking her head with a soft laugh. "Not that I’m complaining. It’s actually kind of nice not to be harassed every other time we’re out."

They both laughed, but Rena couldn’t shake the peculiarity of it all. Ever since that incident when she was rescued, when those miscreants had assaulted her, and someone had stepped in to help, things had been different. Odd, yet refreshingly different. She could go anywhere now without constantly being on edge, without glancing over her shoulder.

On one particularly bright and sunny afternoon, Hikari was busy with drama club, leaving Rena and Umi free to wander the bustling streets of the shopping district. Their walk led them to a cozy little bookstore tucked away in a side alley, one of Umi’s favorite hidden gems. Umi, an avid reader with a love for historical and romantic novels, had brought Rena here before, but today she was especially animated. As they browsed through the shelves, Rena couldn’t help but notice Umi’s eyes light up when she spotted a series she adored.

“Oh my gosh, you have to read this!” Umi exclaimed, clutching a book to her chest as if it were a precious treasure. The excitement in her voice was contagious.

Rena raised an eyebrow, intrigued by Umi’s enthusiasm. “What’s it about?”

“It’s about these two lovers from different social classes who meet in secret, despite the risks. It’s so tragic but so beautiful!” Umi’s eyes sparkled with excitement as she spoke, clearly lost in the story already.

Rena chuckled, watching this new side of her friend with amusement. “Wow, I didn’t know you were such a romantic,” a playful grin spread across her face.

Umi blushed, laughing a little at her own giddiness. “Well, I guess I can be,” she admitted, glancing down at the book with a shy smile. “But Hikari isn’t really into the lovey-dovey stuff, you know? She’s more into the… uh, steamy, adult themes.” Umi squirmed as she confessed this, clearly embarrassed.

Rena couldn’t help but laugh at the contrast. “Really? Hikari’s into that?”

Umi nodded, still a little red. “Yeah, but it’s fine. I mean, it’s not really my thing, but I’m glad she doesn’t judge me for being, you know… more of a hopeless romantic.”

Rena gave her a playful nudge. “Hey, no judgment here. Besides, someone’s gotta balance out all the steam with some pure, heartwarming love stories.”

Umi was relieved, laughing off her earlier embarrassment.. "Thanks, Rena. I’ll leave the steamy stuff to Hikari, and I’ll stick to my tragic romances."

They both laughed, Umi grabbed a couple of books and they found a table to sit and read the back cover teasers.

Umi leaned in just a touch closer to Rena examining her, her eyes gleamed with mischief. “So,” she began, voice dripping with curiosity, “what’s your take on romantic novels, hmm?” Her question seemed innocent enough, but the undertone gave ulterior motives. Umi wasn’t just idly wondering about Rena’s reading habits—she was fishing, trying to unearth something deeper, a suspicion that had been brewing in her mind for a while now.

Much like Akino and Minami before her, Umi had started to notice little signs, small shifts in Rena's demeanor whenever Akimitsu's name came up. It wasn’t anything over the top though, just small instances noticed in their time in class. Rena, after all, was nothing if not composed, but there was definitely something there; A flicker in her eyes, a hesitation in her speech. Umi, ever the detective, was determined to get to the bottom of it.

Rena played it cool, though the question had caught her off guard. She tapped her fingers lightly on the table, a thoughtful look crossing her face as she considered her response. Umi, however, was having none of her aloofness. She raised an eyebrow and went to work. “Oh, don’t think too hard about it, Rena. Just tell me, do you swoon over all those grand romantic gestures, or are you more of a realist?”

Rena narrowed her eyes playfully. “And what exactly are you insinuating, Umi?”

“Oh, nothing,” Umi said feigning innocence with a shrug.. “Just that… maybe, just maybe, someone we know has a secret soft spot for a certain someone. You know, someone tall, rugged, and easy on the eyes?”

Rena felt the heat rise to her cheeks before she could stop it, and Umi, ever observant, did not miss the faint blush.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Rena shot back, trying to maintain her usual calm. But her attempt to deflect only made Umi more convinced she was on the right track.

“Sure,” Umi teased, an expression of complete amusement sprawled on her face. “But you know, they say that romantic novels tend to reveal more about what we want in real life than we think. Just a thought.”

Rena tried to hold her composure, but Umi’s probing had clearly struck a nerve. “Romantic novels, huh?” she echoed, leaning back slightly as she pretended to mull over the question further. But in reality, her mind stalled at her questions. Why was Umi digging around this subject? This wasn’t just about books anymore, and Rena could feel the unspoken topic hanging in the air between them.

Of course, Umi wasn’t going to let her off easy. She had a glint in her eye, she was onto something and wasn’t about to let it go. “Come on, Rena,” Umi pressed, “Are you telling me you’ve never been swept off your feet by some grand romantic gesture in one of those novels? Or at least imagined what it’d be like?”

Rena scoffed, her fingers now drumming a steady rhythm on the table as if that might distract her from the creeping chills she could feel rising up her neck. “Swooning over some fictional prince charming isn’t exactly my style,” she replied, trying to sound dismissive.

Umi wasn’t buying it. “Really? Not even once? I mean, what about someone who’s not fictional? Someone… real?”

Rena rolled her eyes, but she could feel Umi’s gaze on her, sharp and unrelenting. It was obvious now that Umi wasn’t just talking about some random love story, she was digging for something far more specific.

“I think you’re reading too much into this,” Rena said with a sigh, but her voice didn’t carry the conviction she had hoped for. There was a slight waver, and Umi’s smile only grew wider.

“Am I, though?” Umi tilted her head, her voice turning sing-song. “Because, you know… you’ve been acting a little funny lately. Especially when a certain someone’s name comes up.”

Rena stiffened, and Umi pounced. “Akimitsu,” she said, dropping the name with a dramatic flourish. “You can’t tell me you haven’t noticed how often his name gets brought up in conversation these days. And how you always get just a little, what’s the word, flustered?”

Rena felt her heart skip a beat, but she refused to let it show. “Umi!” she scoffed in an attempt to play it cool but failing miserably. “That’s a bit of a stretch, don’t you think?”

But Umi wasn’t backing down. “I don’t know… is it?” she teased. “I mean, come on, Rena. You’ve been locked in these ‘fights’ with him forever, right? And now that finals are over, you’re just sitting here, waiting for him to reveal his scores like it’s some kind of life-or-death showdown. Don’t tell me there isn’t more to it than just who scored higher on the math test. You've been at each other's throats all semester.”

Rena’s fingers paused mid-drum as Umi’s words sank in. It was true, she had been obsessing over Akimitsu’s scores more than usual. But wasn’t that just part of the deal? Part of the competition she thrived on? She tried to convince herself that’s all it was, but Umi’s knowing smirk was making it harder to believe.

“His deal is a big part of it,” Rena said after a moment, her voice carefully measured. “I’ve been dying to find out why he only goes by his first name all semester. Of course, I want to know how he did even though I hate him”

Umi let out a dramatic sigh, leaning back in her chair. “Yeah, yeah, The Deal. But you know what they say, right?”

Rena blinked. “What?”

“There’s a fine line between hate and… something else.” Umi gave her a pointed look, one that said she wasn’t fooled by Rena’s cool exterior.

Rena crossed her arms, leaning back herself as if mimicking Umi’s posture might give her some control over the conversation. “I think you’re confusing this with something it’s not,” she replied, but the defensiveness in her tone was impossible to miss.

“Or maybe you’re not ready to admit that there’s more going on here. It’s fine, you know? You wouldn’t be the first person in history to develop feelings for the person they’ve been beefing with,” Umi added.

Rena opened her mouth to protest, but no words came out. She wasn’t sure why Umi’s words had gotten under her skin the way they had. It wasn’t like she hadn’t thought about Akimitsu before, he was boorish, carefree, and unmannered. All things she despised. Feelings of romance toward him? That was a complete stretch. Wasn’t it?

“I don’t have feelings for Akimitsu,” she bluntly stated, the words feeling strange on her tongue.

“Of course you don’t,” Umi replied smoothly, but the sarcasm cut through Rena’s statement. She leaned forward, her tone playful but pointed. “I’m just saying, if you did, it wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world.”

Rena narrowed her eyes. “I don’t.”

“Uh-huh.” Umi stood up, her smile still firmly in place as she stretched and grabbed her bag. “Well, when you finally figure out what’s going on in that overachieving brain of yours, let me know. I’ll be waiting.”

Rena watched her go and purchase the books, her mind spinning in the wake of the conversation. She didn’t have feelings for Akimitsu… did she? It was just a competition for the sake of information. Just fighting and irritation. That’s all it had ever been. But as she sat there, her fingers tapping absentmindedly on the table once more, she couldn’t help but wonder if Umi had a point.

With a frustrated sigh, Rena grabbed her things, bought a book that caught her attention, and headed out of the bookstore. Umi’s words had disturbed a side of her that lay dormant inside.

Days later, Rena found herself lounging on her sofa, trying to lose herself in the historical novel she had picked up during her last outing with Umi. The summer heat was at its peak, but her thoughts were elsewhere, constantly drifting to Akimitsu. His scores still hadn’t come in, and the waiting was gnawing at her. She had done everything she could to distract herself from the anticipation, but it lingered like a shadow in the back of her mind. She needed to know that she had succeeded. To her, victory over him was inevitable, a confirmation of her hard work. Damn it Umi… She thought to herself as she was reminded of her friend's analysis from the other day. But speak of the devil and she shall appear:

The universe had heard her inner thoughts, her phone buzzed on the armrest beside her. It was a message from Umi: Meet Hikari and I at the diner in half an hour. I have something for you. It’s from him.

Rena’s heart leapt into her throat the second she read the message. This was it—the moment. The triumph she had been waiting for. She shot up from the couch, her heart pounding. Her hands were trembling as she hurried to change into something more suitable, opting for a nicer top, fitted shorts, and her white sneakers. She hesitated for a moment before grabbing her fan, the one she never left home without these days. It was her comfort, her shield, the thing that always steadied her when the world felt too chaotic.

Once she was ready, she set off for the diner, the tension and excitement building with every step. She couldn’t wait to finally claim her victory over Akimitsu, to throw his smugness back in his face after enduring his ridiculous attitude for the latter half the semester. As she walked, her fingers subconsciously tightened around the fan, clutching it close to her chest.

When she arrived at the diner, she spotted Umi and Hikari sitting at their usual booth, the same spot they always gathered for late-night talks and spontaneous get-togethers. Rena crept up behind them, sliding into the booth without a sound, grinning mischievously as she caught them both by surprise.

Hikari jumped, nearly spilling her drink. “Jeez, Rena! Could you not be a ninja for once? Say something next time!”

Umi burst out laughing, wiping a tear from her eye as she tried to catch her breath. “I swear, Rena, you’re way too good at sneaking up on people! Poor Hikari didn’t stand a chance.”

Rena grinned, pleased with herself as they exchanged greetings, but she quickly cut to the chase. “Alright, enough messing around. Where is it?”

“I’m happy to see you too Rena,” Umi joked, “I'm kidding, I know exactly how much you've been wanting this. Luckily I saw him out in the wild and badgered him for it.”

Umi’s playful expression softened, and she reached into her bag, pulling out an unopened envelope. She slid it across the table towards her, a glimmer of curiosity in eyes. On the front, it read: To Natsukawa

Rena’s fingers shook slightly as she tore open the envelope, and inside were two sheets of paper. The first was a letter labeled ‘READ THIS FIRST’, while the second, folded beneath it, could only be his results. Her instincts screamed at her to skip the letter and dive straight into the numbers, to see the proof of her victory, but something about the letter demanded her attention. Why would he write a personal note? What is he playing at? Her curiosity won out, and she unfolded the letter, eyes darting over the words.

To Natsukawa,

I do hope there aren’t any hard feelings. I know how much you wanted to win this little competition of ours. I respect your dedication, and I’m sure you gave it your best. As promised, my results are enclosed. But, as you’ll soon see, there was only ever one outcome.

This semester has been… entertaining, to say the least. Watching you get agitated at my presence was amusing. You tried so hard not to show it, but I could tell. You snuck more than a few glances my way during class—don’t think I didn’t notice.

Unfortunately, this is goodbye. At least for a while. I won’t be around to enjoy your attempts at scolding me or that adorable blush that matches your pink hair.

Until fate allows us to meet again, -Akimitsu S.

Rena's heart hammered in her chest. The arrogance in his words was maddening, but that wasn’t what froze her in place. It was the way he’d written his name at the end…that final hint... Akimitsu S. The letter had given her something she hadn’t expected, a small clue about his family name. She was a step closer to figuring out who he really was.

But her mind barely had time to process it before she remembered—the results. She quickly unfolded the second page, her eyes scanning the numbers, and then… her breath hitched.

She had lost.

The numbers didn’t lie. Akimitsu had beaten her by a narrow margin, just enough to rob her of the victory she had been so certain of. She sat there, staring at the page, her heart sinking. The smugness in his letter made sense now—he had known. Of course, he had known all along that he had won. And now, he was rubbing it in her face, his final words taunting her: until fate allows us to meet again.

For a moment, Rena couldn’t speak. The shock of her defeat was too fresh, too sharp. She had worked tirelessly, pushing herself past her limits all semester. How did this happen?

Umi and Hikari exchanged concerned glances, noticing the change in Rena’s expression. Umi leaned forward, waving her hand in front of Rena’s face. “Rena? You okay? What does it say?”

Rena blinked, still numb from the shock. She swallowed, forcing her voice to work. “I… lost.”

The silence that followed was palpable. Both Umi and Hikari stared at her, disbelief flickering in their eyes. Hikari was the first to speak, her voice soft but incredulous. “You lost? To Akimitsu?”

Rena nodded, barely able to process it herself. “By a tiny margin… but yeah. He won.”

Umi leaned back in her seat, folding her arms with a sigh. “Well, damn. I thought for sure you had this one.”

Rena sat in stunned silence for a moment, she switched back to the letter and kept on rereading his final words. The way he signed it—Akimitsu S.—was maddeningly vague. His family name was within her grasp, but that single letter wasn’t enough. Not for her. She had to know more, to uncover the full truth behind this elusive, frustrating guy who had gotten under her skin.

“S? Just S? What kind of ridiculous hint is that?” she muttered, her fingers tightening around the letter.

Hikari, always quick to jump to conclusions, scoffed. “Honestly, are we even sure he didn’t cheat? I mean, it’s Akimitsu! He seems like the type who would do anything to win.”

That accusation made Rena’s blood boil. She snapped her gaze to Hikari, eyes flashing. “Cheat? No way. Akimitsu may be obnoxious, but he wouldn’t cheat. He’d want to win fair and square, just so he could rub it in my face.”

Hikari raised her hands defensively. “Okay, okay, just saying! You don’t have to get all fiery about it, jeez.. Anyway, whatever, don't worry about it, what are you going to do now? You’re obviously not going to drop it.”

She was right on the money, Rena gritted her teeth. She couldn’t just accept this loss, not without at least finding out who he really was. She stood up abruptly, startling both Umi and Hikari. “I need to find him.”

Umi frowned, a flicker of concern in her eyes. “Really? Right now? Sit down and I'll order you a milkshake or boba.”

“No,” Rena responded. “I’m not thirsty… I’m so lost right now, I’ve never felt this way before. I want to find him and I don’t know where to start.”

Umi examined her with the utmost concern and took Rena’s hand in her own.

Hikari bit her lip as if deep in thought before her face lit up with sudden realization. “Actually… wait a minute. I think I have a lead.”

Rena faced her, her heart skipping. “What lead?”

“Well, I know someone who dated him back in high school,” Hikari responded calmly. “My friend Mai’s older sister went out with Akimitsu for a little while. You know I always thought he was a jerk, but maybe she knows something useful.”

Rena’s eyes widened. “Are you serious?”

Hikari nodded, already pulling out her phone. “I’ll text Mai and ask.”

The minutes dragged by slowly. Rena’s pulse thrummed with nervous energy as she waited. It wasn’t long before Hikari’s phone buzzed, and she glanced down at the screen, eyes widening.

“She says she knows where he goes often, a rec center nearby. He goes there for some kind of regular event.”

“Event?” Rena asked, leaning in, eager for details.

“Yeah. Mai says it’s something extra. Hold on, let me get more info.” Hikari typed furiously, and after another tense few seconds, she raised her head with a smirk. “It’s a kendo tournament. Apparently, Akimitsu is really into it. She even sent me a link to the event’s website.” Hikari scanned the website thoroughly, “Hey, there’s a tournament coming up soon, and you can buy tickets. And there’s a catch: formal traditional attire is required for spectators.”

“Kendo?” Rena blinked, the pieces of Akimitsu’s hidden life clicking into place. Kendo? Of all things, she hadn’t expected that. He didn’t strike her as the traditional, martial arts type. “There's so much I don't know about him,” she murmured, both surprised and intrigued. This was a side of him she hadn’t anticipated before, one that added more layers to his mysterious persona. And formal attire? That detail had stirred her personal interest. She had always loved traditional dress, the grace and poise it required. Now, she had even more reason to go.

Without missing a beat, Rena pulled out her phone and quickly looked up the event. The tournament was happening in just a few days. She scanned the page, taking in the details. This was her best shot at finding him, at getting some real answers.

She let out a determined huff and couldn’t risk waiting any longer. This was the perfect opportunity to confront Akimitsu, to finally get the truth about his family name and maybe, just maybe, to understand why he had been so enigmatic and difficult all semester.

Rena clenched her fists, her stubbornness and determination swelling within her. “I’m going,” she declared, the fire in her eyes burning brighter. “I have to go to this event. It’s the only way.”

Umi leaned forward, mingling with curiosity and concern. “Are you sure about this, Rena? What if he’s not even there?”

“He’ll be there,” Rena said firmly, her gaze locked on the website. “He wouldn’t miss this. I just know it.”

Hikari grinned, clearly enjoying Rena’s fiery determination. “Wow Rena, you have it bad. In that case, you’d better go all out then. You’ll need to get your hands on some formal attire. You can’t show up to a kendo tournament looking casual.”

Rena didn't pay any mind to her comment, her actions were beyond rationality. She was already mentally planning her outfit. “Don’t worry, I know exactly what I’m going to wear.”

Knowing her next step, Rena was finally able to relax and socialize with her friends in a normal fashion. Umi and Hikari offered their support and teased Rena about her newfound determination to track Akimitsu down.

Umi couldn’t help but give Rena an encouraging pat on the shoulder. “You’ve got this. Just… don’t kill him when you find him, alright?”

Rena laughed, the fire in her eyes had not dimmed. “No promises.”

With a final round of thanks to both of her friends, Rena stood up, determination radiating off her. She knew what she had to do next—prepare for the tournament, plan her outfit, and, most importantly, confront Akimitsu. She couldn’t let this opportunity slip away.

As she left the diner, her mind buzzed with plans. The clock was ticking, and the tournament was fast approaching. She only had a short time to prepare, but that only made her more determined.

This wasn’t over… not until she had her answers.

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bergeronprocess · 1 month ago

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My Favorites of the Year 2024: Anime Review and Selection of Favorite Anime

This is a long one, lol, so it is definitely going below a cut. I review every anime I watched this year and choose my favorite. Please note that I may discuss a show in a spoiler-y manner! Look at the tags!

According to my custom 2024 list I made on Anime Planet, I watched 26 shows this year, but that doesn’t tell the entire story. There’s more nuance. Let me get right into it by reviewing the anime I watched this year and making a selection of My Favorite Anime of 2024! I am going to go in order by my list.

Winter Season

A Sign of Affection: I wanted to like this more than I did! I did like the concept of having a deaf protagonist who uses sign language, and it was a very pretty looking show and I understand they did a lot of research to make sure they were portraying deafness and sign language use accurately, but I just did not really gel with the love interest. He felt very pushy and insistent. That sort of thing appealed to our lass Yuki, but just not to me, and I think that “vibing with the love interest” is a pretty important aspect of enjoying a romance anime.

Cherry Magic! Thirty Years of Virginity Can Make You a Wizard?!: On the other hand, this one was cute! What an interesting concept - remaining a virgin until age 30 gives you the ability to read the mind of anyone you’re touching. The two leads were cute and worked well together. I definitely vibed with them. I also enjoyed the B-plot with the novelist friend and the delivery man he falls for. The end WAS way rushed, though - but that’s just endemic to the state of the anime industry as it is lol.

Hokkaido Gals Are Super Adorable: This was a fun show too. I loved the snowy Hokkaido scenery - definitely lived vicariously through it, since I live in a southern city that almost never receives snow anymore. There didn’t even feel like that much fanservicey stuff considering the lead gal’s looks, either. At its core it was a sweet story about a guy learning more about himself and making friends in a new place. All three of the girls were sweet and relatable characters. The theme song is catchy too!

The Weakest Tamer Began a Journey to Pick Up Trash: I ended up dropping this one at episode 6. Something about the pacing was just not enjoyable for me. I wanted to like it, though! The lead was played by the same actress who played Mari in Love Live Sunshine, the idea that she could “hear” the thoughts of her previous self guiding her along was interesting and the little blue slime companion was cute. Oh well.

Wonderful Precure: Still ongoing and won’t end before the end of the year, so ultimately I can’t give my final thoughts yet. But it’s…fine. Just fine. Doesn’t blow me away the way Hirogaru Sky did. I don’t think I would be as deep into Precure now if I had started with Wonderful instead of Hirogaru. First of all, the show clearly wants Mayu to be the protagonist the way she’s received so much more character growth and development than Iroha. It’s introduced some high-concept ideas with the baddies but has been content to just not really see them through or to just kinda half-ass them. And the fact that we will probably never properly get Pyonderful Precure with Satoru and Daifuku becoming Cures is frankly unforgivable. (No, the movie does not count.) Looking forward to You and Idol Precure, though!

Spring Season

Nijiyon Animation 2: Nijigasaki is my favorite flavor of Love Live and I will always be here for any Niji storytelling. Nijiyon is a silly little short anime based on a 4-panel comic series, so it’s just a little bit of fun, like eating a colorful cupcake. I am pretty much always gonna be up for eating a colorful cupcake. Very much looking forward to the Niji movies being available with English subtitles - and to the Niji video game, also with English, coming next year!

Tonari no Yokai-san: Very interesting concept - what if yokai and humans lived together, and lived together pretty well? It was fun to see the different kinds of yokai and how they adapt to their surroundings. In the end, the big climactic issue of “suddenly the world is inverted and all the yokai disappear” is resolved pretty quickly thanks to the power of love and friendship. Once again, that rushed resolution is probably due to the limitations of seasonal anime. Oh well!

Spy x Family Movie Code White: My husband likes to watch Spy x Family with me, which is very exciting to me as he does not usually go in on anime with me, so we went to see the movie when it came out in theaters. It was fun! It was very clearly meant to premiere in the winter and thus it was a bit strange to see all this snowy goodness when it was already getting warm and flowery outside for us, but overall a good time. Gloriously, Yor got to do a lot of work in this one, unlike in the show when she sometimes takes the back seat. She’s my girl!

Summer Season

Narenare: Cheer for You!: I previously wrote about how I enjoyed this one in spite of some story weaknesses and in spite of the Anime News Network reviewer hating it so much he named it his worst anime of summer. Ouch. So I won’t really repeat myself here, but like - I enjoyed it! It’s not THAT bad! It has fun characters, fun ideas and even shows things like accessibility for a character who uses a wheelchair and shows another character literally going to a therapist for her twisties! It’s fun!

The Magical Girl and the Evil Lieutenant Used to be Archenemies: Gorgeous show. So pretty. The episodes are not full length, but they’re not as short as Nijiyon. Loved the characters, except for the lecherous familiar assigned to Byakuya, who I want to drop-kick into a dumpster. I do wish Byakuya and Mira had officially gotten together and we could’ve seen a kiss or something, but unfortunately the manga this is based on will never be finished because its artist has passed away.

Shy 2nd Season: Ended up not finishing this one due to a combination of the Olympics eating my brain for a few weeks and also not really being wowed by the story. Hope they saved Tokyo tho.

Twilight Out of Focus: This one was also a DNF due to the Olympics. I did enjoy what I saw, which was through episode 4. After I decided to drop it, I learned that my thinking “Jeez, these two sure are moving fast” was actually because the show is an anthology show and was not going to follow the first couple all the way through.

Fall Season (still in progress)

Magilumiere Co. Ltd.: This show is well worth getting Amazon Prime for, and the commercial breaks are inserted at reasonable times - right at the start and then right in the middle. Amazon also famously does not take political ads, so I DEFINITELY appreciated that. It does annoyingly want to get you away from the end credits despite the fact that many (if not all) episodes have a post-credits scene, so be vigilant with that remote control. I’m having a great time with this one so far. Great music, great characters, really great opening credits, great concept. Sometimes I do wish they’d do a bit more worldbuilding because they’ve built a very interesting world. Hopefully, though, this will get a second cour and we can eventually spend more time in the world of Magilumiere!

The Stories of Girls Who Couldn’t Be Magicians: Ooh, this one is just so cozy and interesting. It literally looks like a watercolor storybook and all the characters are cute and quirky. It has some pretty interesting stuff to say about the value of knowing how to do things by hand instead of just relying on tech for everything - something that we could all certainly stand to think about in this age of apps and AI. Plus, there are lots of cute animals. There’s definitely something big going on here, what with the way that dodgy teacher is suddenly willing to offer Kurumi, Yuzu and Aniku a chance to test back into the Magumi. Especially since Kurumi and Yuzu just managed to successfully do ancient magic, he clearly sees these three kids as a threat and wants to get them out of the way. Very interested to see where this goes. Ms. Suzuki’s whole look is so adorable, too, I wish I could cosplay as her lol.

Acro Trip: This show has made me genuinely, truly laugh out loud multiple times. Something about its ridiculous guyfail and girlfail characters being silly just tickles my funny bone big time. I did have to get used to the unusual design of the eyes, but I’m glad I did. I don’t know where, if anywhere, this show is going yet, but I’m having so much fun enjoying the ride. (I literally don’t even care about the Saudi funding and Stu Levy aspects of it all. Even that cannot dampen my enthusiasm.) Chrome’s voice actor should win every award because he is always doing the most and doing it so well. He even sings some of his dialogue in the latest episode I’ve watched! But this is still his funniest moment so far. Just go watch it a few times, ok?

Non-Seasonal Anime I Watched in 2024

It looks like I did a lot of my non-seasonal anime watching during spring and summer. Makes sense - those are traditionally a bit quieter for me in terms of seasonal things I am watching, so it gives me time to stretch out!

Magic Users Club! OVA: Way, way back in the day when I first got into anime, I remember renting the first volume of this on tape from Blockbuster. That sentence alone should tell you my age. I really enjoyed what I saw, but never got to see the rest of it - until now. It has a lot of the same people who worked on the 90s Sailor Moon anime, so that same iconic character style is there. The way the magic works is very interesting and all of the characters are so colorful, though Akane feels a bit one-note - she’s genius at magic but she’s too busy going out with men who are WAY too damn old for her, girl what are you doing, you are a CHILD, I am going to call Chris Hansen on these men. Anyway, this is a fun and lovely little OVA with great opening and ending themes. I am so glad I finally saw the rest of it.

Magic Users Club! TV: There’s a TV series too! It’s a sequel! I’ve watched one episode so far! It’s good! I will probably get back to it in winter and spring 2025 seasons!

Love Live Nijigasaki Next Sky: This is a fun, too-short OVA that’s meant to bridge the gap between the second season of the anime and the upcoming movie trilogy that will (sniff, sniff) bring an end to the Nijigasaki saga. It centers around Shioriko feeling self-doubt (girl SO relatable) and Isla, the British girl that Ayumu went over to visit in London. Once again, I will ALWAYS go in for anything Nijigasaki because I love seeing these gals again. But I wish Isla had been able to perform with everyone!

Video Girl Ai: I remember reading some of the manga for this one in Animerica Extra magazine way back in the day. I may have even had a volume or two of the manga. Again, I’m old, lol. But then I found the anime OVA on Youtube and started watching it! I am actually not done yet - I have about half of episode 5 and all of episode 6 yet to watch - but I have enjoyed it so far. Such great music and art and characters, except for Takashi, who is a fuckboy of the highest order. Moemi, girl, stop pining over him, he ain’t shit.

Gunsmith Cats: Continuing with my “I am old”ness, I would often see a sick-ass trailer for this one at the start of videos made by ADV, and it always piqued my interest but I was never able to find it anywhere at that time. Well, it’s a 3-episode OVA and it’s on Youtube! And what impressed me the very most about this was the absolute attention to detail. It was crystal clear that they actually went to Chicago for research - some of the scenery truly looked like photographs! There are definitely some Blues Brothers vibes for me and I love that movie. The only issue is the length and the fact that it kind of steers away from its main plot to a subplot involving a Russian enemy at the end. But overall it’s a really fun time and, again, pretty short, so go watch it!

Mobile Suit Gundam 08th MS Team: My husband and I like to listen to the podcast Get Played, which is about video games. The hosts of that show also do a side show called Get Anime’d that is a Patreon exclusive. When they mentioned that they would be watching 08th MS Team, I decided to briefly get Patreon and hop in - and, thrillingly, husband joined me again! I like Gundam and I have only ever watched Wing and Witch from Mercury, but I’ve always enjoyed the opening theme for 08th MS Team. It also has a bit less of the space opera aspect than Wing or Mercury, which I think helped to make it appeal to my husband, who isn’t much for sci-fi. It’s a bit more of an earth-focused “war is hell” story. Great characters and story, although the final episode is tonally very strange, to the point that it was literally never dubbed into English. I’m glad the Get Played Gang decided to do this. Plus, it’s a relatively short OVA, so it’s a quick watch. Hulu doesn’t always time the commercial breaks very well, though.

Happiness Charge Pretty Cure!: I set a 2024 goal for myself to finish Star Twinkle Pretty Cure, and I accomplished that goal! This meant I was free to move to the next Precure I wanted to watch, Happiness Charge. I am only 4 episodes in right now, but I like it a whole lot. Love the characters, the designs, the mechanics of the transformations and attacks, the music…love it all. I am looking forward to watching more of this.

Pretty Cure Movie: Miracle Universe: Finishing Star Twinkle means I also feel free to watch its two movies. I have not yet watched the other one, but I did watch and enjoy Miracle Universe. I loved seeing the Kira Kira gang again because I really enjoyed watching their season last year. I am not as familiar with the Hugtto crew, but they’re nice as well based on what I saw here. A fun little crossover movie. I pretended my phone was a Miracle Light. Good times!

Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon Cosmos Movies 1 and 2: GOD, FINALLY. FINALLY. FINALLY. I used to think we were somehow never going to get official releases of this in the West. I really thought Toei could have gotten a bag by just commissioning someone to do English subtitles and include those on the Blu-Ray releases. But finally, Netflix came through and we finally got the conclusion to Sailor Moon Crystal. Once again, as with the Eternal movies, this is a case of the first movie being absolutelycramjampacked with story and plot and then the second movie being almost entirely about a climactic battle. Congratulations to Sailor Cosmos for finally getting an anime adaptation. Truly used to think it just would never happen back in the time before Cosmos was a thing. Insert that meme of Michael Jordan crying while holding the NBA trophy captioned to “I used to pray for times like this” here.

Saber Marionette J: The music for this show is amazing - Megumi Hayashibara is the queen of 90s anime songs and she simply does not miss. This is another show I always wanted to watch back in the day but never had access to. Now I have access to it on YouTube and I’m catching up. It’s got a lot of silly slapstick, but the characters are fun and the story is interesting. I just know it’s working up to something big. There’s a reason why Lime, Cherry and Bloodberry are built different. I’m looking forward to finding out.

Favorite Anime of 2024

I am going to just choose from the new, seasonal shows for this one. This is a tough call, and as a show currently in progress I am going to just have to hope it keeps going well, but…folks…it’s Acro Trip. I’m having so much fun with this one and laughing so much. Take me down to Naniga City, where the grass is green and the folks are silly.

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