#and then the trailers and the ops and eds all are like

[always-a-joyful-note]

So just days before the Shiguang Dailiren/Link Click season 2 premier, I caved into pressure and managed to watch and finish all of s1.

First of all. Pain.

Secondly, I have Theories that I must get out before s2 comes out as a measure of coping and possible deluding myself. There will be big spoilers so I'm just gonna put it under a cut.

So far, I have three-ish theories that could possibly be canon-compliant. But note that I have only watched s1 once and in the sub (which, had some odd subtitles, I won't lie, but I don't know any Chinese so that'll have to make do) and might have missed something key.

Anyway, my most hopeful theory among these three that says a happy ending is possible is the theory that these events happened when someone messed with the nodes of time. Specifically when Cheng Xiaoshi caused Emma's death and then tried to save her. By that I mean that Emma was not supposed to die, not at that point in time, anyway, and that perhaps the possessor manifested when he once again tried to change the node of her death. It doesn't have to be that the possessor was created upon that attempt to reverse her death either, just all the events following Emma's death were not meant to be. By inadvertently leading Emma to her doom, Cheng Xiaoshi changed a node of time, so the only thing that could fix it would be if he goes back again to that time period somehow and stops Emma from responding to those texts from her mum. If he manages to fix the initial change that caused all those murders (and Lu Guang's demise *cue me weeping*), then it could be that the possessor either never existed (where were they before these happenings, anyway?) or that at least everything doesn't explode so tragically.

Buuuuut, as much as I want that to happen...we did in a sense see Cheng Xiaoshi take the "let's try and stop Emma's death" route, and I think they just might take the Lu Guang dies permanently path, which is my second theory-ish which ties into the third.

In s1, Cheng Xiaoshi was blind to the death he caused and almost succeeded in saving Emma...and failed. So if s2 follows that pattern, he'll either almost succeed in saving one of his best friends and then fail right at the end (maybe it will be bittersweet where Lu Guang tells him to let go, that it's all right, and at least the narrative will let the boy have a say in his death). OR that, because he's coming in with eyes wide open (to the deaths he caused, to the possessor's existence, to the real consequences of messing with the time stream), he'll almost fail and then succeed saving Lu Guang in the 11th hour.

That said, manifesting a happy ending for our trio because haven't they been through enough??

[shamera]

Solo Leveling | OFFICIAL TRAILER 4

FINALLY A TRAILER TO GET BEHIND AND A RELEASE DATE

[sskk-manifesto]

What a good episode. Maaaaaan

[cobaltfluff]

NEW BLACK BUTLER ANIME NEXT YEAR???? I'M???? !!!!!!!!!!!!!

[hollow-keys]

Soooo PC Gamer made an article critiquing the new Batman game trailer

And batstans are predictably pissed because they didn't read past the title where they saw someone make a tongue and cheek criticism of their favourite fictional billionaire.

Because if you look at the article it's clearly criticising this game specifically and how out of touch it is to have the villain be a cult leader who is committing the horrible crime of *checks notes* rising up against oppression and the hero be a billionaire beating up the destitute people who joined him. It's the type of shit people have been criticising in superhero media for years.

But billionaire stans are in the replies and quotes hitting back in defense of the poor maligned Batman, a fictional character who has millions of fans and is one of the most popular characters of all time, from the dastardly evils of one op-ed writer, because who else is going to stand up for Batman, the most oppressed minority?

And how are they defending him? By bringing up examples from *other, unrelated media* of Batman generously and nobly deigning to help The Poors, completely missing the point made about the video game, not your favourite comic where Batman is #ForThePeople.

But I'd like to talk about all these instances of Batman donating to charity and helping the downtrodden that people like to bring up, because they actually aren't a defense of Bat media. Because textually, again and again, Bruce's charity is shown to be ineffective because Gotham has a rotten soul, it is unreformable, and the only way to keep the evil at bay is to beat up criminals and lock them up in jail or an abusive mental asylum that was outdated even by the standards of the year it was introduced, 1974. Bruce's charity work is used to defend him from criticism of the tough on crime, anti reform approach Bat comics take because it says that no amount of caring about the social conditions that create crime changes anything. In real life, crime is caused by social factors and can be greatly reduced by combating poverty, bigotry and the like. In Gotham? None of that works. Bat themed billionaire be upon ye. The charity work and all that humanitarianism they mention is tough on crime, conservative propaganda used to justify a paramilitary group of bat themed vigilantes endorsed by the police who operate without oversight.

And yes, classism, ableism and copaganda are a problem in ALL superhero media, but bat comics have made a point of being worse than their contemporaries. Superman comics do not portray the denizens of Metropolis as ontologically evil, Spider-Man comics don't do that with New York, Batman comics are alone in this.

[i-heart-hxh]

Does Gon have green hair or black hair? What colour are Killua's eyes? Which version of the anime do you like better?

Hi, thanks for the fun questions!

I like to go off the manga as the actual canon because that's the most direct way of seeing Togashi's intentions, rather than decisions made by an anime production crew. Togashi tends to color Gon's hair as either black or green or both. (Just some examples, there are many, many more out there of course!)

Because of the frequency with which he uses green, I think it's fair to see Gon's hair as either a very dark green verging on black, or black at the roots and then green towards the tips. Of course not a "natural" hair color in our world, but neither is Killua's or that of multiple other characters, so I'm sure there's a wider variation of natural hair colors in the HxH world. (Obviously, this is a very common thing in anime and manga, haha.)

Togashi occasionally colors Killua's eyes brown for whatever reason, but he uses blue considerably more (and so does the colored version of the manga/both anime adaptations) so I definitely think blue is his intended choice for Killua's eyes.

As for which anime version I prefer--ultimately I prefer 2011 because it follows the manga much more closely and I absolutely love how it adapted Greed Island through Election Arc especially. It really hit its stride through those arcs. I've also written about issues I have with the characterization of Gon and Killua in the 1999 anime. That said, I think both series have pros and cons, and I do enjoy both and also have issues with both to some degree as well.

Some of 2011's pros and cons in my view:

Pros:

Follows more of the manga

Follows the manga much more closely than 1999

Amazing voice acting--particularly from Megumi Han and Mariya Ise (Gon and Killua), but there are tons of other phenomenal performances as well!

Really impressive animation in many scenes

Amazing production consistency for a series with as long of a run as it had, gets even better as it goes!

A nice soundtrack and OP/EDs

Overall polished and satisfying series and overall well-adapted from the source material

Even increases the emotional impact of some of the scenes

Added cute Gon and Killua content that I personally enjoy (Huncyclopedia, trailers, some added scenes, etc.)

Cons:

Doesn't leave out a lot, but what it does leave out is strange and frustrating (Kite stuff, Kon, Leorio scenes, etc.)

The aesthetic could be better IMHO. The character designs are fine, but I would have preferred them be just a bit more grounded in some cases (think like 1999). The color palette is very bright and cheery and looks somewhat fake or artificial in a way.

Feels overly light at the beginning when compared to the manga, oddly tonally dissonant with the later parts of the series and makes the series hard to recommend to some people IMHO

Some strange uses of the soundtrack, early in the series in particular

1999's pros and cons:

Pros:

Really gorgeous aesthetic and use of cel animation

Often amazing visual direction

I love the character designs overall, particularly as drawn by some of the specific animation directors who worked on it

Darker, immersive atmosphere

Some of the soundtrack is beautiful!

Some of the added content is neat and/or funny

LeoPika city

Nice OPs/EDs

Fun and sometimes goofy additional content like the musical, radio shows, etc.

Cons:

Adds a LOT of original content and changes things from the manga, definitely not all of which I like or agree with. Some of the additions/changes are frustrating to me.

Gon and Killua's characters and dynamic in particular are changed a fair bit in ways I don't always enjoy

Slooooowwww pacing

Too visually dark at times and can be hard to discern what's happening

Weird fight choreography at times

Even with how much I love that era of anime, it sometimes feels really dated--even older than it actually is, IMHO

These are overly simplified and I'm certain I'm leaving out a lot, but hopefully that gives you an idea of how I feel about each!

I sometimes wish we could have an anime that mixes together the pros from both and erases some of the cons. I feel like a theoretical blend of both versions would potentially be amazing, but at the same time I know we're very lucky as a fandom to have two anime adaptations with their own unique strengths and weaknesses, and I'm grateful for that!

[ollieyingdu]

welcome!

this is my blog with all of my yingdu theories!! just wanted to keep them in one place and share them with all of you to see what you think. drop a follow if you wanna observe my feral screaming like im a caged animal 🫶

this blog WILL feature:

yingdu theories BEFORE it airs! based on any trailers, pvs, official art, statements from directors, ops/eds, thematics, etc etc

yingdu theories AS it airs! these will be spoilered so no need to fear. these theories will most likely be completely deranged, but im very excited for it lmao. hopefully some of my previous theories come true as well!

THEORY BINGO!! me and my pookies in the lc thread of the sk8 server made a bingo card with yingdu theories that i may post updates of as episode air! hopefully i win 🗣️

art that I make of yingdu characters and stuff. why? idk i feel like it and i like to draw 🤺

joke posts! this is a theory page but im gonna try and use it to interact with as much of the community as possible

shiguang!! if u dont wanna watch someone lose their mind over black and white doomed yaoi idk why ur on the link click tag 🧐 but yeah gay ppl are real here trusttt

advertising for any videos i post to my yt!! this includes animatics, theory videos, etc etc. i can tell Animation Motivation will hit me like a truck after yingdu starts airing so prepare!!

and maybe more? who knows! you’ll only find out if you hop along for the ride ‼️ (ex. i might be organizing a link click art event to wake up the lc art community before yingdu…no promises but stay tuned!)

im really really excited for this blog and I hope you are too!! let’s get hype for yingdu!!

see you around!!!! 🖤🤍🩷

[lollipopsub]

Updates on Utsukushii Kare: Eternal + S2 (as per Jan 26, 2023)

hi lovelies 💓

a lot is happening for this fandom at the moment, so I got a request to gather as much as possible of the info we've received so far!!

Here is a pretty long post summarizing what we know thus far!

The movie is called Utsukushii Kare: Eternal. The tagphrase on the poster is "Time and time again, I will search for you. Time and time again, I will love you. That is my eternity."

The movie will premiere April 7 in Japanese theaters.

The movie and the drama is NOT THE SAME THING.

I've seen a lot of people who seem to think the movie will just be like a special cut or something, but no, we're getting lots and lots of new story!!

The stories will connect, and the movie will serve as a continuation of season 2.

Here's the first trailer for the movie:

That's all we know about the movie so far.

Onto the drama!

Season 2 will start airing February 7

.... on a handful of different Japanese channels. At the time of writing, nothing has been confirmed about international distribution.

The first trailer for the show will be released next week, Tuesday the 31st of January!

The synopsis for Season 2:

"The days pass in bliss... Hira is in his 4th year of university and Kiyoi is active as a newly debuted actor. They live together in Hira's house as boyfriends. However, Hira's religious worship is unchanged, and the way he crawls and bows as low as possible without hesitation is causing neverending worries for the beautiful, arrogant King, Kiyoi. In addition, Hira has discovered a new hobby of following Kiyoi around while in disguise so as to not be found out. He did his best to not disturb Kiyoi, just watching, alone and quietly – but then an event lets him befriend a fellow fanboy.

As graduation grows closer, Hira's friends are busy hunting for jobs, and Hira starts worrying about his lack of job experience...

What road will Kiyoi and Hira choose as they move towards adulthood?"

The above, taken from the official website, is nearly the same synopsis as the second book, Nikurashii Kare, so it's likely that the season will be based on this book.

Cast so far:

So we have Koyama again, and otherwise there's a lot of new casts. A few have also confirmed that they'll be in the movie too: Hira's sister Naho, his nephew Tomoya, and it sounded on the actress as if Anna will also be in the movie. The rest are only officially confirmed to be in the show, but to be fair, absolutely nothing has been revealed about the movie yet other than title and the fact that the stories will connect.

The OP & ED songs will be done by the same artists as season 1, just switched around - so the opening song for S2 will be "Bitter" by Roce (ロス), who sang the ending song "Follow" from S1. Bitter will be from Hira's POV.

The ending song as well as the theme song for the movie will be by Mosawo (もさを。), called Kinmokusei ("Sweet Osmanthus", it's the name of this flower). Kinmokusei will be from Kiyoi's POV.

I think that's it for the time being, but I will try to update you whenever other more relevant news come out, and ofc I'll do my utmost to subtitle the upcoming trailer as soon as possible!!!

if you read this far, ilu <3

[blahpanblah]

Before the new episode of the anime drops, let me drop this theory that I’ve been having for a year now and why I think it might come true in the next episode.

My theory is that I think 9S is going to die in the stead of 2B. Let me explain.

So far the anime has had some, on first glance big differences compared to the game. Like Lily living instead of Anemone, and Eve dying before Adam. And it seems like these things would be a major change, but in hindsight, it changes overall nothing. The most we get from it is a character study from those characters when they are put in these new scenarios. This isn’t a bad thing.

I believe that the anime is telltaleing the viewers, making us think these are major changes that might change how the story goes and maybe even change the the ending but in reality, no matter how it gets there, Ending A and B still happen the same way. This also isn’t bad thing

Where this theory falls in is this thought I had, “Would Ending C & D change that much if 9S died instead of 2B” what I think is no.

Let me put you in this hypothetical: Your 2B, YoRHA is destroyed and you just escaped with 9S, and while this is very much a bad thing, seeing that most of YoRHA units got the virus and are now killing zombies, in the back of your head. This is perfect.

With the death of the commander and the whole space facility destroyed, you have no reason to kill 9S anymore. There’s nothing he can find out. And even if he did there was no reason to. Yeah there’s still the machines that are responsible for this, but after all of that is settled, you're done, forever!

You can just live your life with 9S on earth. Never having to worry if this will be the day you have to kill him ever again. And in a way with the facility destroyed there’s no way to come from being killed. So they can live their lives like humans! Finally living lives without care! Finally getting those T-shirts.

First you have to find 9S. Stop the machines so they can get to the good life fast. And as you ask your pod to give you his location to find him. And as you get close, you run across this bridge, and when you're halfway there you see him! You yell out to him but then you notice something.

…He’s been impaled by a sword.

By A2 no less…

As he falls lifeless on the ground. Your mind begins to scramble. He’s dead. He’s dead, forever. He’s not coming back again. And you’ll never see his face, his smile, his voice, ever again. He’s been taken from you just when you're finally free.

And it’s all of A2’s fault

A2 killed him before she could even say goodbye. Before she could say anything! She killed him! Something only she was supposed to do! She gets to decide when to kill him, not her!

So she’ll kill her! She’ll take her away from this earth with her own bare hands if she has to!

So yeah, I don’t think this would change anything with C & D. 2B would have the exact same bloodlust towards A2 in this scenario. And that rage would have been manipulated by the red girls the exact same way, because I’m mostly sure, that 2B didn’t even know why she was killing 9S, all that he found out too much information, information about what? She doesn’t know. And the truth would absolutely drive her insane.

Also it is a bit suspicious that the first OP of the second half isn’t on YouTube officially but the ED is. Which said ED just happened to be about 2B. And Almost as if the OP is going to change.

And it’s also weird that the 2nd Cour trailers, even the most recent episode, only consist of scenes and voice lines from the first episode. And yet the 2nd OP pretty much spoils what happens in C & D, but the first OP didn’t. Pretty suspicious. Just me though

[shc2c]

The Mysterious Case of Sonic Movie 3 Marketing

An Op-Ed by Malzilla

Let me say this right off the bat, I am not an expert in marketing. I took Marketing classes in college for my business minor but most of it was pretty entry level but it gave me a solid foundation to understand most companies' marketing plans. Or at least try to see the method or goal behind the madness to get a scope of what they’re trying to do. But Paramount’s treatment of Sonic 3 is bizarre. We got toys, plushies etc out in stores before the first trailer. 

Sonic Movie 3 has me utterly baffled. Because here we are exactly four months/120 days (122 days at the time of this writing) and do far zip zilch nada. 

The last OFFICIAL news we got for the movie was back on Feb 2nd when the twitter released a little teaser showing the logo as well as some of the additional human cast members. Sure Jon Campea on his Podcast YT show announced that Keanu would play Shadow and was pretty much confirmed by official Hollywood outlets in April but no official word from Paramount has been given. They’ve been radio silent for months know, save for a few weeks in April to promote the Knuckles TV show

So why the wait? Some folks I have talked to may think there may be some internal stuff going on, but I doubt it. Yes Paramount is getting ready to merge with Skydance and some layoffs have happened but I don’t think that would affect much of the Sonic movie day to day. 

So here we are at four months till release and we’re all wondering “It’s go time right? RIGHT?” 

I would think so. And so has the rest of the Sonic Fandom. But alas we’re still waiting for the green light to go. So when is that green light coming? 

Soon.

I hope.

Honestly, I don’t know. But looking at two other films marketing that run some parallels to S3 as well as some key dates in the next  four months. I'm going to throw some ideas out there. 

First off let's look at the marketing on Sonic 2. Movie was released April 8th 2022, and its first official trailer was released on Dec 9th at the 2021 VGAs (it also had a poster released the day prior on the 8th). So right at the four month mark. They followed up with some TV spots and a special Pre Super Bowl TV spot in February AND then the final Trailer March 14th. So a fairly dense four month marketing campaign. 

The other film to look at is Spider-man No Way Home, which like Sonic 3 had a December release date. NWH after months of rumors and lack of promotion (sound familiar) debuted its first teaser trailer on August 23rd 2021; roughly four months prior to its Dec 17th release date. It also had another final trailer on Nov 16th; roughly one month prior. 

So if we look at both of them we see a very similar four month marketing campaign. So what does that mean for Sonic 3? Let's work backward from the release date till now. The following are dates of significance, IMO to both Paramount, Pop/Nerd/Game culture etc: 

Dec 20th - Release Date 

The Long Wait will be over and we all bask in the Living and Learning of it all 

Nov 28th - Thanksgiving - Possible 2nd Trailer.

Given that Paramount has put Sonic TV spots before Football games before, I would not be surprised if we got the 2nd Trailer during Half Time of the CBS game that airs in the morning of Thanksgiving. This also aligns with the roughly 1 month prior benchmark as seen with both S2 and NWH. 

NYCC Oct 17th-20th - TV Spots/Behind the Scenes/Movie Clip

While this date kinda is little too soon for a second trailer, it would be a great time to bring out the whole cast and do some promotion with the masses and maybe some TV spots or a small clip. 

Transformers One Release Sep 20th - PONR for First Trailer 

I think I can safely say that the absolute LATEST we can expect a trailer for Sonic 3 would nex month with the release of Transformers One. Paramount would have to be utterly brainless NOT to have a trailer for Sonic playing in front of their other Family Nerd Oriented IP.

Gamescom 2024 Oct 20h - 25th - Trailer Release 

Kinda funny how the Opening Night Ceremony for Gamescom just so happens to fall on both the four month till release mark AND a Tuesday (Paramount usually releases trailers on Tues/Thurs)? We KNOW SEGA will be there with more SonicXShadow Generations, but really the movies are more Paramount’s game than SEGAs so there is no guarantee it will be released. BUT Paramount has passed on both Summer Game Fest AND San Diego Comic Con. Everything seems aligned for a reveal on Tuesday. I guess we’ll know if we get a poster revealed  tomorrow. 

Now personally I would have started ramping up the marketing with SDCC. Because right now the two biggest competitors that Sonic 3 is going to have in Dec are Kraven and Mufassa. And both of these movies have had TWO trailers released for it.  With Kraven it makes sense since it was originally supposed to be released back in 2023 but then got pushed back 3 times. So I guess Sony thinks it can rack up a solid week one before the family holiday push. Mufassa on the other hand is going to be the big one to beat as family’s will no doubt flock to the much anticipated origin of Mufasa! That last part was sarcasm but this part is not: they need to get the word out to the casuals. I’ve talked to a lot of Non Sonic who are genuinely excited to see Keanu play Shadow. And the time is right to get them hooked. 

So in the end, I will say that I’m like Jon Snow and I “know nothing” but I do know we're getting to the point where it’s time for paramount to lace up its sneakers and get going. Whether it's this week or the next or maybe till the opening of Transformers One. But I would recommend Paramount not dilly dally. Sonic Fans are easily frustrated and can turn rabid quickly. 

[secretsofdbz]

More Daima news!

New designs from characters we saw in the trailers.

Gomah, Degesu, Dr. Arinsu.

Degesu and Arinsu, like Gowasu and Zamasu are all archaic forms of the "to be/exist", in Japanese. Degesu and Arinsu are also NOT wearing potaras... Mhhh...!

Their VAs

While Zedd composed the OP, he also composed the ED! It's going to be called NAKAMA and it's sung by AI (that's her name, it's not artificial intelligence)

And here's the new poster, compared to the old one:

(new on the left, old on the right)

[such-a-downer]

The Aniplex Fest is likely to drop a new trailer of Black Butler. I have high hopes that the voice cast remains the same, even with viscount druitt's (despite me still having teeny gripes with tattsu's cheating incident). I believe he's an irreplaceable va for viscount druitt, just like as he has been as makoto tachibana's va in free! Kuroshitsuji is a hotpot of big va names to begin with. OnoD (Sebastian), Maaya Sakamoto (Ciel) (congrats on her baby btw), Yuki Kaji (Finny), FukuJun (Grell), Suwabe Junichi (Undertaker), Romi Park (Madame Red). And many many other veteran voice actors. It will reaaaally turn me off if they decide to change some of the voice cast, even tattsu.

Wishing for a Kalafina comeback is like a punch to the moon so I'm desperately hoping that at least one between Wakana, Keiko and Hikaru will be involved with the theme songs/ost. Kalafina (s1 and s2 ed themes) reunion is too much of a wish but i have high expectations for SID to make a kuroshitsuji comeback again. They did the s1 and s3 op themes, as well as the Atlantic Movie's theme song and all are such wow. SID and Kalafina's music for kuroshitsuji is hardcore great and i always listen to them.

Anywayyy, a meme:

Ps.: hahahhaha i had high hopes for a pandora hearts reboot when vanitas no carte anime was released goshhh

[swordshapedleaves]

Once Again! It's Time for Sword's Pre-Season Anime Opinions No One Asked For!

I have read the synopsis, watched at least one trailer, and looked at the studio and director for all 33 new anime coming out in January 2025, as listed on MAL. Under a cut because I love my followers who don't give a shit about anime and anyone browsing the tags.

The only grading system I use is my personal enthusiasm. I have both good and trash taste, as do we all. My nope is someone else's hell yeah! and that's great. I sort by premiere date.

Jan 2 Ameku M.D.: Doctor Detective Looks like if House MD were a cute anime girl. Project No. 9 did Sempai wa Otokonoko and My Tiny Sempai. Director Iwata Kazuya aslo directed 7th Time Loop. Sure Momentary Lily Combination moe cooking show/post apocalyptic mechanical kaiju battle anime? The Itano Circus is in town. Studio GoHands seems to have gotten their camerawork under control. This is just a little unsettling instead of unwatchable. Three directors listed. Sure

Jan 3 I'm Getting Married to a Girl I Hate in My Class Bold of you to start your harem anime with the protag already married to the tsundere. Studio Gokumi has made many a moe blob, and also Vending Machine Isekai. Looks like this is Ooshima Hiroyuki's directorial debut at a full series level. nope

Jan 4 Sorairo Utility More moe slice of life than a sports anime, but I now have three nickels. Why girl golf specifically, Japan? Director Saitou Kengo has mostly done key animations and art direction for individual episodes but directed the single episode special this anime is based on. Yostar Pictures is best know for Azur Lane and Arknights but I haven't seen either. nope Beheneko: The Elf-Girl's Cat is Secretly an S-Ranked Monster! It seems 'girl with big tits has a special relationship with a guy who has been turned into an animal' is becoming its own genre. Zero-G did Mysterious Disappearances but mostly does bland-looking titty shows. Saber Works is the new name for Digital Networks Animation, which made that bland ass show about teaching the disgraced noble naughtiness. Given how bad it looks, if it's actually raunchy enough to be entertaining I'd be too embarrassed to ask my anime fixer to get it for us. nope

Jan 5 I Want to Escape from Princess Lessons Damn just let her go if she wants out that bad. The love interest looks like the poor man's Howl Jenkins. EMT Squared has never made anything I saw as worth watching. Director and character designer Tagashira Shinobu also directed Diabolik Lovers and some Junji Itou ONAs. nope I'm Living with an Otaku NEET Kunoichi!? Looks to be a harem anime where the main girl is a NEET and also a magical girl? It looks bad. Could be cute if it was cuter. Studio Quad also made that ecchi anime about the boy who gets turned into his classmate's pet dog. Director Saitou Hisashi has director and storyboard credits going back almost 20 years but not on anything I've seen. nope ZENSHU An anime about a struggling animator sounds a lot like a novel about a struggling novelist… But this is an isekai that looks like it might actually be good? She falls into the world of the tragic movie that made her fall in love with animation. And maybe she can save the prince destined to die in the original version? It's MAPPA so you knoe those animators are sweating blood to make this look good. Director and original creator Yamazaki Mitsue also directed Monthly Girls Nozaki-kun and has directed/storyboarded a lot of EDs and OPs. Hell yeah Medalist This figure skating anime could potentially be very heartwarming. I was suspicious of a Bunny Drop but I've been assured by a trusted friend the manga stays wholesome and is worth reading. ENGI is the same studio that ruined Unnamed Memory with pacing so rushed it made the story incoherent. Director Yamamoto Yasutaka has directed several shows already but nothing I've seen. nope Okitsura I think this might be racist against Okinawans? The voice actress Kitou Akari is noticeably stilted in the dialect. I've heard her in other roles where she is not. Millepensee did Spider So What?, Berserk 2016, and a bunch of moe blob shows I've never heard of. Has two directors listed. Itagaki, Shin has directed a bunch of stuff from Lillepensee, and Tanabe Shingo is listed as Director or Assistant Director on a bunch of those same shows so it seems they like working together. I ship it. nope

Jan 6 Can You Keep a Secret? Barely looks animated but the premise of two coworkers keeping their relationship secret is very appealing. Adults who aren't stuck in will they/won't they until the last episode? It might be worth the low quality animation! Blade made Hokkaido Gals and a bunch of other bland looking titty anime. Director Takeichi Naoko has directed single episodes of Re:Zero and JoJo Part Six, along with another titty anime by Blade. sure Headhunted to Another World: From Salaryman to Big Four! Another cheap isekai. Made by two studios, which is rarely a good sign. Geek Toys did MigiDali and Dead Mount Death Play. CompTown also worked on MigiDali, and that's it. This is its second anime. Director Fukuda Michio has a few director credits already but nothing I've seen. nope Promise of Wizard This is some sort of reverse harem gacha game sourced thing. The premise is so fun! Help wizards fight the moon! And it's being used to sell you gambling for the most regurgitated boybots you can find. LIDENFILMS has made some charming favorites of mine like Call of the Night and Tonari no Youkai-San. MAL says director Tatsuwa Naoyuki also directed Nisekoi??? nope Jan 7 Bogus Skill <> ~About that time I became able to eat unlimited numbers of Skill Fruits (that kill you)~ With a title like that who needs to watch the anime? Never seen anything by Asahi Production, only recognize a b-tier slice of life my anime fixer liked. Director Kimura Ryuuichi has several directing credits but nothing that looks particularly good. nope Medaka Kuroiwa is Impervious to My Charms The premise is fine and the art seems cute, but I couldn't maintain interest through the trailer. The other two anime I've seen by SynergySP also failed to keep my interest through their short twelve episode runtimes. Director Okumura, Yoshiaki seems to have directed several unremarkable projects before this. maybe I'm a Noble on the Brink of Ruin, So I Might as Well Try Mastering Magic I hate titles like this. The animation is trash. Studio DEEN should stick to boys love and whatever genre Yakuza Fiance is. Marvy Jack can carry on though I guess. Director Ishikura, Kenichi seems to have worked on a bunch of bland moe and isekai projects. nope Jan 8 Flower and Asura Ooh. Maybe it's all the trash I just slogged through, but the animation is very charming and actual animation! The premise is fine, small town girl joins a new school club and makes friends, but do I detect a hint of yuri? Wait. Studio Bind also did Mushoku Tensei and Onimai! Director Uwano, Ayumu did storyboards for both but this looks to be their series directorial debut. hell yeah! Possibly the Greatest Alchemist of All Time Another garbage isekai. Never seen anything by Studio Comet. Director Kuzuya Naoyuki also directed Okashi na Tensei, which I dropped because it wasn't good. nope Twilight Hotel A little girl in a ghost hotel solving mysteries of how she and the other guests died? What a delightful premise! Animation is minimal but the story is charming. PRA also did Yuru Yuri and Highschool DxD. Director Kuremizu Kousuke has worked on episodes of Skip and Loafer and Odd Taxi but their only series directorial credit, Irodorimidori, does not look good. hell yeah!

Jan 9 Magic Maker: How to Make Magic in Another World Another Kusokai, but you might be able to pretend the protag is a girl and therefore trans. Studio Deen please make some garbage I actually like! Koga Kazuomi is an experienced series director. He did currently airring All-Guys Mixer and Kubo… Invisible. nope The Daily Life of a Middle-Aged Online Shopper in Another World I genuinely appreciate how unattractive they made their protagonist in this one. He has an interesting face! Still not gonna watch it though. I haven't seen any of the half dozen shows East Fish Studio has made but I appreciate their logo. Director Yuuzumi Keiei has some series directorial credits from about a decade ago, but lately seems to have mostly done storyboarding for shows I don't watch. nope Even Given the Worthless “Appraiser” Class, I’m Actually the Strongest Trash Isekai. Okuruto Noboru also made that gross looking Angel Apartment anime a couple seasons back. Oh and the had the same director, Oonishi Kenta. nope Honey Lemon Soda An opposites attract high school romance with a plain shy girl and a flashy guy. The animation looks good in the trailer but with JC Staff it will never go above A-tier. Director Nishikiori Hiroshi also directed Delico's Nursery, which I dropped due to misophonia. I really wanted to like it but those crying babies got me. Did storyboards for a bunch of good anime too, including Dan Da Dan and Dungeon Meshi. sure

Jan 10 Farmagia Based on a game, this looks both boring and exclusively for young children. Bridge hasn't made anything I've even heard of, let alone seen. Director Ishihira Shinji also directed a couple of BL I liked among other things. nope From Bureaucrat to Villainess: Dad's Been Reincarnated! Title says it all! This looks so up my alley! Ajia-do is the studio behind A Sign of Affection and Ascendance of a Bookworm. Director Takeuchi Tetsuya did a lot of key animation and episode direction on Tengoku Daimakyo (not ep 12) and did key animation on single episodes of Dungeon Meshi and JJK. hell yeah Welcome to Japan, Ms. Elf! This reverse isekai looks cute. I'm surprised Zero-G is putting out two anime in the same season. Director Kitahata Tooru has a lot of directorial credits under their name but nothing I've watched. maybe Anyway, I'm Falling in Love with You. This high school romance looks like someone left it out to fade in the sun, but I don't hate it. My partner is a sucker for friends to lovers so I don't think we'll skip this one. Typhoon Graphics is also behind the disappointing Raeliana and the alledgedly quite good Dahlia in Bloom. Director Yamamoto Junichi also directed Raeliana among other series and a bunch of OPs and EDs. Maybe he'll stick the landing this time. sure

Jan 11 I May Be a Guild Receptionist, but I'll Solo Any Boss to Clock Out on Time A workplace comedy set in a generic MMO inspired fantasy sounds fun. Plus it's being made by Cloverworks, who made too many gems to list but Elusive Samurai and Spy x Family seem relevant here. Director Nagasawa Tsuyoshi has directed several series before this one, but nothing I've seen. sure Sakamoto Days Action comedy with a fat old man protagonist that looks great? Sign me up! I've heard the manga for this one is excellent as well, and the sequel is already set to air in summer or fall of 2025. TMS Entertainment produced Undead Unluck and is the studio behind the Fruits Basket remake. Director Watanabe Masaki has directed a bunch of action series I haven't seen but he has an honest face so i trust him. hell yeah Ubel Blatt It's listed as ecchi but all three trailers are way more focused on combat and blood than sex. Could have been a good revenge fantasy if it actually looked good instead of just servicable. Satelight is the studio behind Helck and Cherry Magic. Staple Entertainment is a relatively new studio with just half a dozen titles that all seem to be fantasy and/or ecchi titles. Director Naoya Takashi seems to have a bunch of experience directing shows of this nature. maybe Babanbabanban Vampire It's trash, but it's BL Vampire trash and therefore made specifically for me. I personally haven't seen anything by Gaina before but I vaguely recall hearing good things about Forest Piano. Director Kawasaki Itsurou has a bunch of direction credits to his name but nothing I've seen. hell yeah

Jan 12 The Red Ranger Becomes an Adventurer in Another World The premise of a sentai in a fantasy setting is fun but the show looks a little too kids stuff and mid for me personally to watch it. nope I Left My A-Rank Party to Help My Former Students Reach the Dungeon Depths! If Akashic Records left you feeling like it was too well animated and didn't have enough wish-fulfillment, this anime looks to be for you. Bandai Namco Pictures also did Wistoria. Director Ono Katsumi also directed that youkai school anime from fall 24 and several other shows I haven't heard of. nope

[skeletonpunching]

Buddy Daddies future plot theories (ep 2 guy, Rei backstory, etc)

With two episodes of Buddy Daddies out, along with a good amount of promo material, that's enough to activate the part of my brain which loves constructing elaborate conspiracy walls with red string and frantic scrawling. So I've done a lot of theorising about what the rest of the plot has in store. This may all very well be proven completely wrong as soon as next episode, but it's fun to think about in the meantime!

Note: contains wild speculation, spoilers for episodes 1 and 2, information from various promotional materials

First off, there's the question of:

Episode 2 Edgelord

aka Ogino Ryo. We don't see a lot of him, but what we get is enough to convey that he's Bad News. Kugi reacts to him with immediate recognition, and a respectful wariness that indicates this guy is an established name in the business (and it's also significantly more distant and respectful than the way Kugi treats Kazuki and Rei, ha).

Kugi's caution seems warranted, given that this guy is apparently the kind of edgelord who goes around collecting people's last words. Fun fact: his gun is engraved with "I want nothing but death", which are reportedly Jane Austen's last words. He really commits to a theme, I guess.

From the partial glimpses we get of his face in the cafe and the post-ED scene, I think it's very likely that he is one of the characters we see in the OP - further evidence that he'll be pretty prominent from now on.

(EDIT: And he just got added to the character bios as well, though it mostly just confirms what we already knew: he’s a mean murder machine.)

(EDIT 2: The character bio got a stealth edit: turns out he’s “connected with the incident in which Kazuki's wife died”, and Kazuki doesn’t know this yet. He’ll definitely be introducing a whole lot of complications for our guys, then!)

So who is Ogino Ryo, exactly, other than an assassin who dresses like a businessman but has a secret gothic soul? My guess is that, narratively, he'll serve as an early-arc antagonist (a tutorial boss, you could say) - the first real threat we see Kazuki and Rei face in their job. It's also likely that he's connected to a larger organisation somehow, and the show will build up to showing us the real larger antagonist behind him, in a later episode.

And that larger antagonist might very well be...

Rei's Dad

Most of the information we have about Rei's father right now comes from promotional material, but even in the series itself, we can make some guesses about his characterisation from his son. I mean, look at Rei. That's not a guy who had a functional childhood.

And indeed, the official character bios (which I translated here) state that Rei was born into a large mob family, and his parents gave him assassin training ever since he was a child. Also, in the trailer, we hear Rei's father telling him, "Don't call me Father. I am your boss." So yeah, a real piece of work.

I think it's likely that he appears in the OP as well, as the man in the centre of this shot (with a gang of underlings at his command - Ogino Ryo might have been one at some point).

So it's very probable that Rei's father will be involved heavily in the plot in future, which makes a lot of sense - having Rei grapple with his feelings about his terrible mobster dad enhances the theme of found family versus blood family, and is a very convenient way to combine the family theme with the assassin storyline of "OH NO PEOPLE ARE SHOOTING AT US", all within a nice compact 13 episodes.

One reasonable way to bring Rei’s dad into the plot would be to have him give Kazuki and Rei a job. As for what this job could potentially be...

The "Traitor"

aka Satoru Kaji. Yeah, we're really going down the rabbit hole now. Satoru Kaji is not a character who has been formally introduced so far; he's made one fleeting appearance in the OP, at the bottom right of this shot:

As for the other people shown here, Atsushi Hayami, aka "big Guy Brokers" (what an amazing title, by the way; I want that to be my band name), is Miri's biological father, i.e. one of their targets. Mattie Caruso, the jeweller, is the unfortunate target at the start of episode 1 who was shot for interrupting Kazuki and Rei's marital tiff. Heihachiro Matsuda, in the pink shirt, is the episode 2 target whose golfing session was interrupted by their break-in. I don't think Kenji Terahashi has appeared yet.

But I do think we've seen Satoru Kaji - though not in the show itself.

In the aforementioned trailer, we see Rei having a one-on-one fight with a grey-haired man:

He has a pretty strong resemblance to the Satoru Kaji photo.

So who is this mysterious "traitor"? Who has he betrayed? Perhaps he was part of Rei's dad's organisation, and turned against them, and so Rei's dad hires Kazuki and Rei to assassinate him?

(EXTRA WILD CONJECTURE ALERT: As a side note, the same trailer also shows Kazuki having a one-on-one fight scene of his own. Maybe Kazuki's opponent is also associated with Satoru Kaji? This is an extra speculative guess, though; quite possibly they both just coincidentally have a fondness for light-coloured jackets and find Kazuki and Rei very annoying. But I just think "assassin duo vs assassin duo" would be a very fun concept.)

(EDIT after ep 3: this one is a no-go after the third ep; it’s a pity, but it was a long shot anyway. Still keeping my fingers crossed that we might get some sort of assassin duo vs assassin duo action down the line!)

So what does it all mean?

It's anyone's guess how all these pieces fit together, but here's one possibility I see:

The first arc of the series is setup, establishing Ogino Ryo as tutorial boss, and his ties to some more powerful entity. This arc will probably have more episodic or one-off missions, balanced with Kazuki and Rei getting used to parenting.

Rei's dad gets introduced towards the end of the first arc.

After the first arc, we get a brief happy family interlude, where Kazuki and Rei have sort of figured out things like "daycare" and "not letting your kid play with guns". This might also be when the flash-forward takes place (the scene at the start of episode 1, where they assassinate the jeweller).

The second half of the series disrupts their relatively peaceful family life. Theoretically, this is when Rei's dad might give them the job to assassinate the "traitor". This overarching plot could also be related to the jewellery smuggling, since we know the jeweller was working for someone else, and Kazuki was insistent on them taking the mission. Maybe this seemingly throwaway incident will actually turn out to be important enough to come back in future?

(And while I'm putting all my wildest dreams out there, I'd just like to note that I think 13 episodes is the perfect length to have a flashback episode mid-series - the first 6 episodes as the setup arc, episode 7 as a full flashback showing Kazuki and Rei's backstories and how they met, and the last 6 episodes as the Shit Is Getting Very Real plot. But that is just my ideal, and I have zero evidence to believe this will happen. I can only hope, as with all of this.)

Naturally, it is also possible that all this means nothing, and I will be a massive clown. But we've covered that.

If you made it to the end, thank you for reading this wall of conspiracy ranting! As a palate cleanser, I leave you with Miri looking at the Symbolic Family Fish.

[deltastra]

My Thoughts on Tower of God Season 2 Episode 1

Hey guys, I hope to make this a regular thing every week! Before I begin, I want to state that I watched episode 1 and 2 when it first aired, but I didn't have the time to write anything about those episodes. Now I do! At the time of writing this, I have not watched episode 3. Anyway! Let's go!

WEBTOON SPOILERS WAS TEASED BUT NOT OUTRIGHT STATED

Rating: 9/10

Summary: A solid premiere that showcases what this new season will offer with the change in studio and artstyle! Some scenes felt a bit off but it wasn't too much of a bother!

I like the short recap at the beginning of the episode! It lets us adjust to the new artstyle and direction the show is going while also giving us a bit of a refresher as it has been 4 years!

This scene is interesting because first, AWWW ENDORSI NOOOOO SHES CRYING, and two, does this mean that they will add in the Bam and Endorsi scenes that were skipped? I sure hope they do their best to add in key scenes for characters that were changed or skipped in season 1!

OH MY GOD SHE SAID IT SHE SAID THE THING GUYS OMGGGGGGGGG

Why did Yuri's VA change? It will take some time for me to get used to it, but it's alright.

I like her look, they made sure to design her as closely to the webtoon as they could.

KEVIN PENKIN YOU'RE COOKING SO DAMN HARD WITH THIS SOUNDTRACK. THIS SCENE FELT LIKE MADE IN ABYSS FOR A SECOND WITH THAT MUSIC. LOL

If y'all are curious, I already gave my thoughts on the new OP here.

Loving the voice acting for him!

Maybe it's just for Wagnan, but I love the expressions!

I'm not ready.........

I love how the inspirational music playing as Wagnan steels his resolve gets cut out with a loud chanting ost when Viole comes into frame.

Love the details on his eyes. He looks tired. First glimpse of Bam as Viole!

The start of a beautiful friendship!

Yup. this scene was funny years ago, and it's still funny now.

HORYANG HAHSHAHAHAHAHAH

THE TEAM DAD IS HEREEEEE

i liked the music here! And love this scene because it shows how nice Wagnan is despite his strong personality.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOO LETS GOOOOOO

AND HERE IT IS. THE ROUGHLY 10 SECONDS OF FIGHTING THAT WAS SHOWN CONSTANTLY IN TRAILERS!

Jokes aside, it was VERY well done. I smiled like an idiot watching it and even replayed it many times.

I am unsure if it was done by a solo animator, but I hope they save their resources for this type of animation during very important fights.

Season 1 had very animated fight scenes too but they all felt slow to me. This? I love, the dynamic camera really adds to the action. Music is great too! Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying its better than other popular shows' fight scenes with sakuga animation. I'm just saying that if they maintain this current standard, I will be satisfied!

I do wish it was slightly longer and I am worried that this episode may be the only one with good animation for its fight scenes due to how much it was being used for promotion. However, I will keep my fingers crossed that they are cooking for THAT important fight later in this cour.

OH THE SHINSU LOOKS BEAUTIFUL HERE

NAHHH VIOLE WAS TRYNNA CATCH A BODY HERE. HE WASN'T JUST GONNA "FAIL" WAGNAN LMAO

Istg guys this ability only appeared like once and never again. Maybe I just don't remember. Anyway, close enough. WELCOME BACK TOKYO GHOUL!

NAH WAGNAN SAW THE REAPER IN THAT SPLIT SECOND. VIOLE WAS DEADASS TRYNNA WIPE THIS GUY OUT OF THE TOWER COMPLETELY LOL.

:(

I LOVED the ending to this episode. Viole's flashbacks, and him standing in that elevator with the music playing. It gives you so much regarding Viole's feelings about his life and his surroundings at that moment. And the way the music distorts at the end adds to the tragedy of Viole in my opinion!

I LOVE THIS ED SO MUCH GUYS. THEY DID IT IN WEBTOON SCROLLING FORMAT!!! THEY EVEN ADDED SIU'S WAY OF CREDITING HIMSELF EVERY CHAPTER (He removed the TUS after coming back from hiatus tho oh no)

To me, this ED not only pays respect to the source material and how many of us read Tower of God. But also a way, in my opinion, of telling the audience that "Yes, we know about the source material, and we will follow it this time." And I like that it will show more every episode. (Also covering up all the events with Jahad's symbol like its "blocking memories" is kind of funny. I doubt the studio did it with that in mind but its still a neat coincidence)

Overall, a fantastic premiere to the new season! If they maintain this quality, we are in for a treat!

[best-underrated-anime]

Best Underrated Anime Group F Round 1: #F2 vs #F7

#F2: 90s maid girls with guns

It’s the year 1999 in Akihabara, Tokyo, Japan. 17-year-old girl Nagomi excitedly moves there to work in a pig-themed maid café. Once she starts working, though… she realizes that the world of Akiba maid café is darker and more violent than she thought...

#F7: Transmigrator heals a reincarnation revenge story.

Dongfang Xianyun transmigrates as the eldest disciple of the Care-free sect. But the only thing that goes through his mind is to make sure he doesn’t end up dying by the hands of the “main character.” He believes he’s just a side character. He just wants to relax and survive all the mayhem surrounding him while dealing with one of his jealous sect teammates, who grew corrupted in the past life.

*Transmigration = similar to isekai, but the world where the characters get isekai’d to is not always a western fantasy type. And a transmigrator is one who transmigrates.

Titles, propagandas, trailers, and poll under the cut!

#F2: Akiba Maid War (Akiba Meido Sensou)

Propaganda:

It was animated by P.A. Works! As far as I know, they also worked on Buddy Daddies, Angel Beats, Ya Boy Kongming, etc. Cygames also contributed to this anime!! The story is creative as well. Who would’ve thought of a cute maid mafia anime? Keep in mind, this is a P. A. Works ORIGINAL. They went SO crazy on this anime. There’s also 12 episodes, which means that you can binge it all on one day and still be satisfied :D The OP and ED are also catchy, creative and unskippable. Despite its dark themes, it can sometimes get a little more “lighthearted” and silly, even in the most violent scenes ;P

Trigger Warnings: Flashing Lights, Graphic Depictions of Cruelty/Violence/Gore.

Just like what I explained, it’s violent. A lot of guns. And a lot of blood. Yes, they kill fellow maids in like every episode ever lol. Also, since Akiba is known to have flashy street signs, like every city ever…. And the guns, of course…that’s why I put the Flashing Lights warning.

#F7: There’s a Pit in my Senior Martial Brother’s Brain (Wo Jia Dashixiong Naozi You Keng)

Official English title: What’s Wrong With My Big Brother

Alt Title: My Dashixiong Has a Pit in His Brain

Propaganda:

This series is kind of insane but also just a lot of fun! The thing is, the shidi (junior martial sect brother), Yin Feixing, felt betrayed by his dashixiong (eldest senior sect brother), Dongfang Xianyun, after he was seemingly rejected for ending up studying the demonic arts. After he dies, he decides to take revenge in the next life, and this is where our story starts off…

The only problem is his dashixiong has been replaced by a transmigrator. And our new Dongfang Xianyun is not as cold or uptight as the past dashixiong (but as the story unravels, was he even that bad?); rather, this version is silly and goofy and fun. And because he believes wholeheartedly that Yin Feixing is the protagonist, he doesn’t act the way a dashixiong is expected to—but it’s in this silliness that one can find sincerity…

So as Yin Feixing exacts his revenge, turning Dongfang Xianyun into a demonic arts practitioner, Dongfang Xianyun’s new soul means he won’t follow the same path as Yin Feixing. Rather than fall to ruins like Yin Feixing, his empathy and creativity means he challenges this entire world by making his fellow demonic practitioners into law-abiding heroes, even as people hate him for the demonic arts. So as multiple plots unfurl, we get a pretty emotional, thematically interesting story, even amidst all the (very funny) crazy comedy, and a clever parody of xianxia* and other transmigration stories. 😆

(*Xianxia (仙侠 xiānxiá) – literally means “Immortal Heroes”. Fictional stories featuring magic, demons, ghosts, immortals, and a great deal of Chinese folklore/mythology. Protagonists (usually) attempt to cultivate to Immortality, seeking eternal life and the pinnacle of strength. Heavily inspired by Daoism. Source)

Oh, and Gong Changsheng is best puppy! He’s such a good sunflower boy with the biggest crush on Dongfang Xianyun, and I love them so much. I think lots of others will love them too if they gave this series a chance. 🥺

The slightly evolving names for each season are fun too:

S1: 我家大师兄脑子有坑 (My Dashixiong Has a Pit in His Brain (aka “he’s really dumb/ridiculous”))

S2: 我家大师兄是个反派 (My Dashixiong Is a Villain)

S3: 我家大师兄有点靠谱 (My Dashixiong Is a Bit Reliable)

(Plus, besides the original manhua, there’s a fun chibi OVA where the cast are like actors!)

Trigger Warnings: Graphic Depictions of Cruelty/Violence/Gore. The donghua isn’t as intense as the manhua, but there is one character who flirts in a somewhat creepy manner.

If you’re reblogging and adding your own propaganda, please tag me @best-underrated-anime so that I’ll be sure to see it.