#kimi ni todoke is the best romance anime i have ever seen

[wind-becomes-lightning]

Top Five Anime!! With reason may haps?

I answerd that last time! I hope I still remember my choice from back then otherwise it would be very awkward ahsdflkasd

JJK

Several reasons are falling into that: I do love the animation, I love the VOICE CAST AHHH!!!! and I love she sound and the openings and the soundtrack and everything! The story of season 1 is great and gets me everytime. I watched it so many times and when I see scenes of it, I just want to rewatch it again. I was very fixated on it during a very bad time for me and it helped a lot. It might fall a few rankings onec the culling game gets animated, which i personally thought was kinda boring. But we arent there yet!! And with the new season being out and me freaking the fuck out all over the place over it, I think jjk is definitely still my number one (its also launched me into seiyuu otaku-dom so here we are)

2. Kimi ni todoke

This is the best romance anime / manga EVER and I will nto accept anything else!! The romance makes so much sense, its sooo well done, all the girls get perfect arcs!! And yes, if only we could have gotten the full story animated but unfortunately we werent so lucky. Still what we got is amazing! The animation is beautiful, the music is great and the voice cast, god they are so so so so so so dear to me! I watch kImi ni todoke ALWAYS when I am depressed, I love it so so so so so much and I will force everyone to watch it eventually.

3. Ga Rei: Zero

this is so niche that i dont think ANYONE knows it, but It means the world to me. Its a prequel anime to the manga ga rei, which is a supernatural story with demons and such. At its heart, the story zero is about two sisters (in bond! Not in blood) who end up on opposite sites of a conflict (sorry spoiler). On of them, Yomi, beloved, has a lot of stached away resentments, envy, a lot OF ENVY, which is brought to light against her will. I have always identified with tha a lot, no anime can break my heart more and I have seen it countless of times and it still makes me cry. I love love love love love love love love it. Just 12 episodes and it is on crunchyroll, do yourself the favour and binge it!

4. Life lessons with Uramichi-Oniisan

I watched this this year and I can't tell you how much I enjoyed myself following around these dumbo characters and their daily, shitty, adult life. Its far too relatable at times. But what makes it great apart from the comedy is the voice cast!! Its cast soooo excellently oh my god you dont even know. FOr a seiyuu nerd it realyl is a heaven,t hey all work together soo well. I have thought about rewatching at least 3 times already and I watched it in April .. help ahdsfkasdsdkf

5. Naruto

Yeah well, you know. I kind of like this little ninja show... uh, probably comes as a surprise to you and everyone uh.. yeah.. wow confetti.

[firestorm-can]

What can I say, I'm a sucker for Slice of Life romances.

So for the past few months I've been finding myself sucked into three Slice-of-Life anime on Netflix Canada (with Dragon Prince S6 and Mandalorian S3 inbetween). Some of them have been shared from Crunchyroll, but most of the anime I've seen so far is exclusively on Netflix. The way things are going I may add another stream service to my repertoire, 'cause there's a lot more I've been wanting to check out but out of reach...

(Do note that I've watched all of these with English dubs as that's my preferred audio. Some of you may not agree with that but this is how I like to experience these series, so I'm sharing my thoughts based on what I watched and listened.)

The Quintessential Quintuplets (Two seasons + Movie)

I don't tend to follow harem anime, but oh brother does this one go places. The Nakano sisters' distinct personalities make them fun to watch. Of all of them, shy little Miku was my favourite. Seeing each of these girls open up to Futaro and eventually vie for his affections really kept me on the edge of my seat. This anime's more mature aspects kept me going all the way to the end of the movie.

Now I am aware that the Futaro's ultimate choice caused quite a stir with fans and can understand why--I was certainly caught off guard. But the more I think about it, the more I'm okay with it. I'm certain Futaro was considering the big picture when deciding which sister he wanted to spend the rest of his life, especially with how some of the others behaved leading up to it. I think he made the right call in the end, and when I have access to the next season set during the honeymoon, I'm confident they'll solidify it.

Teasing Master Takagi-san (Season 2)

Good god does that little troll Takagi have such an infectious smile. If recent reblogs weren't any indication, I fell in love with this series. It's one of the most adorable anime I've ever seen. Hardly anything phases this girl, now matter what revenge schemes Nashikata dishes out. She clearly enjoys messing with him, in the hopes that he build the courage to take this friendship a step further. I'm really gonna have to see how this road to romance ends!

I just wish all three seasons weren't spread between services--season 1 is on Crunchyroll, season 2 is on Netflix, and season 3 is on HiDive. I dunno where the movie is at the moment, feel free to comment where the hell they put that one. I dunno what happened to make western distribution such a mess, but it's really a shame that this one had to be caught up in it.

Kimi ni Todoke: From Me to You (in progress)

As of writing I'm only 14 episodes in, and I am hooked by the drama. Dear Sawako's been a loner and an outcast most of her life, unable to connect with others--and here comes the most popular boy in school treating her like an actual person and not some spiritual being the gossip chain has led the other students. That's the kind of friend you could ask for.

Being a on the spectrum myself I can relate to Sawako a lot. I struggled to understand other peoples' feelings and mannerisms in school (and still do). People like me tend to miss a lot of social cues, and in her case, running into Kuronuma's manipulative old friend from middle school who's sought out his heart for years. Seeing this poor girl go through these challenges has me enamoured. I intend to keep going right until the final episode available.

------------

Before closing, I feel should mention my all-time favourite anime, which just so happens to be a slice-of-life story.

Toradora!

To say I adore this anime would be an understatement. The way it exemplifies romance and relationships is the best I've ever seen. The characters are a delight, the gags are funny as hell, and the emotional moments really got to me. It's my all-time #1 anime, and it's gonna be hard to beat.

That, and the English dub is bloody phenomenal. The VAs and writers did a spectacular job bringing this series to the west. My words don't do it justice, I highly recommend you watch if for yourself.

------------

So how do you guys feel about slice of life anime? Got any favourites you wanna recommend? Please share your thoughts!

[linguisticloud]

self-care is doing laundry after months of neglecting it and then watching 3 hours of kimi ni todoke while eating hot chips, the perfect balance

[animebw]

Do you mind if I ask your top 10 favorite characters (can be male or female) from all of the media that you loved (can be anime/manga, books, movies or tv series)? And why do you love them? Thanks....

Hm... top ten characters of all time in any medium would probably take me too long to figure out. But if I just isolate it to anime?

10. Winry Rockbell (Fullmetal Alchemist)

I've already gushed endlessly over Winry during my Brotherhood re-watch, so I'll just direct you to that for my more complete thoughts on her. Suffice to say, this girl isn't just one half of one of the greatest romantic subplots ever, she's the beating heart of Fullmetal Alchemist in all its forms, the unsung hero that makes this series so special. A world where she didn't exist would be a dark world indeed.

9. Rikka Takanashi (Chuunibyou)

Rikka embodies everything I want to be. Unashamedly embracing cringe and imagination even when others around her tell her she needs to stop, she basically represents the reason why anime itself, in all its earnest goofiness, matters so much to me.

8: Sawako Kuronome (Kimi ni Todoke)

This girl is literally just me. Like, literally.

7: Gintoki Sakata (Gintama)

The protagonist of my favorite piece of fiction ever and the peak of shonen heroes. What more can I say?

6: Hitagi Senjougahara (Bakemonogatari)

There was a time when Hitagi and Araragi were my absolute favorite romance in all of fiction. That time has faded thanks to Hibimiku, but this girl's indomitable wit and courage in the face of her inner demons ensure that she will forever be my Best Girl. If I'm ever lucky enough to be in a relationship, I want it to be with someone as incredible as her.

5: Shinji Ikari (Evangelion)

Evangelion will never leave me, and neither will Shinji. If he can claw his way up from the depths of human misery and still hold onto hope that he can be someone worth living for, then I have no excuse.

4. Hina Kawamoto (Sangatsu no Lion)

My love, my heart, my angel, light of my life, I would both kill and die for her without question

3: Kumiko Oumae (Hibike Euphonium)

The cast of Hibike feel like real teenagers like nothing I've ever seen. And Kumiko isn't just the realest among them, she's the most compellingly authentic portrayal of adolescent angst, uncertainty, and determination ever put to screen, with the single greatest voice acting performance ever recorded. I don't know what black magic Tomoyo Kurosawa performed to get so good at voice acting, but I'm not complaining.

2. Kagura (Gintama)

My love, my heart, my angel, light of my life, I would both kill and die for her without question 2.0, but like, even moreso.

Asuka Langley Soryu (Evangelion)

I'm just...

gonna leave this here.

[oh-katsuki]

Cal!! Recommend animes please

i GOTCHU okay, im gonna put them below a cut because i have a lot. 

warning: a lot of them are romance bc im a hopeless romantic. i left out the big ones like tokyo ghoul, aot, mha, stuff like that.

i bolded my absolute favorites.

- kimi ni todoke (romance. solid story, two seasons, satisfying ending)

- fruits basket (reverse harem + romance. so fucking good, but sad. it could also count as a supernatural anime)

- monthly girls nozaki-kun (slice of life. funny as fuck, slice of life)

- kaguya-sama love is war (my all time favorite romance anime. an absolute must watch. its so funny and all the characters are likeable)

- orange (romance + slice of life + supernatural-ish. the saddest shit ever but so so so good)

- kamisama kiss (god tier romance, also fits under supernatural)

- toilet bound hanako-kun (supernatural + slice of life + mystery. this shit goes SO hard and the japanese va's are great. the art in the show AND manga (especially) is sO fucking incredible. i really recommend the manga for this too)

- kiss him, not me (reverse harem + romance. kinda problematic but funny and the manga ends with the best pairing.)

- wolf girl and black prince (romance. toxic as hell but a guilty pleasure watch)

- wotaki: love is hard for otaku (romance + slice of life. couple gets together early. set in an office workplace, it's great)

- made in abyss (adventure. by far one of the best anime I've seen. incredible and interesting world building + a nice art style and score. an absolute must watch)

- horimiya (romance + slice of life. couple gets together early. just a really cute watch. it's funny)

- your name (romance + supernatural. this one is a movie but the animation is SO stunning, it leaves me breathless every time)

- au haru ride (romance + slice of life. a really good anime. pretty and also the main boy is fine as FUCK)

- death parade (suspense + supernatural. it's good... really good and kinda sad)

[prinprinandproper]

Almond Chocolates: Kimi ni Todoke

28 August

Some of the first anime I watched was shojo (romance) anime, specifically Kimi ni Todoke (From Me To You). I still consider it to be the best romance anime of all time because it really is!

The show is about Sawako Kuronuma, a high school girl who's misunderstood due to her resemblance to the ghost in The Ring. One day though, the nicest and most popular boy in class, Kazehaya Shöta, befriends her. As viewers, we watch Sawako's life change from this one interaction and the love that blossoms between the two.

In one episode, Sawako makes chocolates for Kazehaya “out of appreciation” for Valentine’s Day, but is too scared to give them to him. Since I was in the mood for some chocolate, I decided to make some! 

The chocolates were pretty straightforward for the first recipe in the blog. I even watched some Kimi ni Todoke while making them and had so much fun! Should I make it a tradition to maybe 🤔? I melted some dark chocolate and after adding some vanilla, oil and salt, poured it in some foil cups and...

Tada!!

They tasted really good and I enjoyed watching this anime again after such a long time. If you like to anime or want to get into it and haven't seen it, Kimi ni Todoke is a must-watch! 

Now if I ever have a Valentine to a gift to, I’m definitely making these for them! I first have to find someone who would react the same way Kazehaya did when I smile 😫😫😫😫

Till the next recipe!

Prin Prin 

28 August 10:46pm

[merry-kuroo]

My Top 10 Anime of 2021 (Non-Seasonal)

This year has been amazing and beyond stressful. While making this list, I could pinpoint what animes I was watching while I was in graduate school in Wales, and what I was watching when I came back to the U.S. to work on my dissertation. I actually ended up rewatching animes or watching older ones because it gave me comfort.

Despite how tumultuous this year has been, I was still able to watch some incredible shows and it really helped me get through lockdown when I was alone in my flat and uncertain about the future.

So, I hope you can find something great to watch next year too 🥰

1.) Fate/Zero

No cap 🧢🔥

This is the best anime I’ve ever seen in my life.

Like I started having anime burnout after finishing Fate/Zero because I knew deep in my heart that no other anime would ever compare to this one.

2.) Gakuen Babysitters

This was the first anime I watched in 2021. I wanted to watch something happy and light after being put in lockdown again.

This is honestly the cutest anime I’ve ever seen in my life. Like...I had a warm fuzzy feeling after watching every episode. This show definitely needed a season 2.

And hell I’ll admit it. I had baby fever after watching this 😂😂 That shows how much the show got to me.

3.) World Trigger

This anime has such a unique concept and I can’t believe it’s not talked about more! I’ve had World Trigger on my watch list since I was in high school, and I finally decided to watch it back in August. I quickly fell in love with this show, and I’m so glad that it got a second and third season! I will definitely be reading the manga from now on.

Please go watch World Trigger! It has amazing characters and awesome openings 😉 You’ll want to binge watch it too!

4.) Bungou Stray Dogs

I rewatched Bungou Stray Dogs because I was writing a fanfic for it and I needed to reacquaint myself with the characters and the setting. I totally forgot how much I enjoyed this show, and I’m very excited for season four! 🥰

5.) Kimi ni Todoke

This was another anime I wanted to rewatch! I never finished season 2 because I think I was irritated with Sawako and Kazehaya lmao. I always felt bad for never finishing it, so I decided this year it was time to watch it again.

Kimi ni Todoke is one of my favorite romance animes, and I just love seeing the natural progression of Sawako and Kazehaya’s relationship. They’re like the sweetest couple, and watching them slowly fall for each other made me very happy ❤❤

6.) Bleach

BLEACH TYBW LET’S GOOOOOOO! 🔥🔥🔥

I couldn’t believe that Bleach was getting its final arc animated! So, of course I had to rewatch the anime in order to reacquaint myself with the series. It really hit me with nostalgia. Like I wish I could go back to those days where I watched Bleach on Toonami every Saturday night (2009 Toonami hit different 🥺).

Rewatching Bleach has given me a new appreciation for the show, and the characters. When I was younger, I only cared about Ichigo and a couple of other characters. Now, I’m really invested in the other characters too (like the Captains). I hope I can finish my rewatch before October!

7.) Monster

Okay, so I haven’t finished Monster yet (no spoilers!) I hope to finish it in January or February!

This is such a good thriller/psychological anime! The premise intrigued me and each episode left me wondering what was going to happen next. Dr. Tenma is a cool guy, but I hate that he’s burdened with this.

I'm really worried about him tbh 👀

8.) Given Movie

The Given Movie was great and it gave me a new insight into the character’s relationships with one another. It hurt seeing the toxic relationship Akihiko and Ugetsu had, but I couldn’t help bawling like a baby when they broke up for good.

“Bye Bye, Akihiko” just hit different, ya know? 😭💔💔💔💔

Overall, I really enjoyed it and the new song Mafuyu performed was amazing. I love that the OVA gave us a acappella version of it too.

I’m definitely going to read the manga next year!

9.) One Piece

I was on a “Wow, One Piece is too long and it’s not even that good!” tour for three years, then all of a sudden nostalgia hit and I was like “Well, maybe I can at least finish the Alabasta Arc!”.

So, yeah, I don’t know what I was smoking back in 2018...but One Piece is pretty good. I finished the Alabasta Arc, and I really appreciated the character designs...and the characters themselves. They were all really unique. Some new mysteries were brought up after the Alabasta Arc, and I’m very interested in Nico Robin, so I guess I’ll have to keep watching now 😅

I’m going to start watching the Sky Island Arc next year, and we’ll go from there.

10.) Boruto: Naruto Next Generation

I have a love/hate relationship with Boruto, but the Kawaki Arc was really good. The animation and fights were amazing. It was just nice to see some manga canon content 🥲

[solcheeky]

wht would be your top 10 anime pick?? kinda looking for anime recs atm xo

oof its impossible to do a top 10 *sweats profusely* mostly because I could never rank them but also because it’s just hard to rank them when they’re all different genres! plus there’s this thing where the manga is better than the anime and vice versa which makes it even more difficult-

but! I’d gladly give you some reccs :) I’ve made many lists for many of my other friends irl so I’ll just copy and paste them below

bold = personal faves

italics = great starters for the genre/for a new anime watcher

mp = personally enjoyed the manga more

if you like shojo/storylines that revolve almost completely around romance:

classics (old and popular for a reason):

Fruits Basket (the 2020 anime remake is best for new fans!)

Ouran High School Host Club mp

Kaichou wa Maid-sama

high school love but in different fonts:

Kimi ni Todoke mp

Ao Haru Ride mp

Tonari no Kaibutsu-kun

Toradora mp

Horimiya mp (sure, the anime is pretty and done with an amazing cast of seiyuu but they 100% destroyed the plot/character building)

when you’re tired of the same trope above:

Wotakoi: Love Is Hard for Otaku mp

Given mp (mature content)

Orange

Nana mp

Nichijou

Umibe No Etranger mp (mature content)

if you like shonen/storylines that focus on action and adventure:

textbook shonen plotlines and character developments:

Naruto

Boku no hero academia

Demon Slayer mp (manga is equally as good)

popular and hyped up for a good damn reason:

HunterxHunter

Jujutsu Kaisen mp

Haikyu mp

if you’ve seen all of the above already, less talked about:

A Certain Scientific Railgun

The Promised Neverland Season 1 mp for S2

Soul Eater

Noragami

That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime

Natsume Yuujinchou

Kill La Kill

a special case:

Yuri On Ice (a sports anime but it was almost the best ‘ruse’ for the writers to beautifully introduce a ‘non-standard’ type of love/relationship on national japanese tv—it broke the internet)

if you like seinen/similar to shonen but aimed towards a more mature audience with deeper plot-lines and higher age ratings:

classics (old and popular for a reason):

Death Note

Tokyo Ghoul season 1

Attack on Titan mp (this one wavers between shonen and seinen, depends if you read the manga and whether you consider it too gory I suppose)

less talked about:

Psycho-pass

Parasyte (could probably pass for shonen maybe)

Zankyou no terror

Black Bullet

this whole list could literally go on forever if I were to talk about everything I’ve ever watched/read lmfao but I’ll stop now

and don’t worry about this being too much of a hassle or anything! I’ve done this too many times for friends that I just have a notes page on my phone just dedicated to this kinda thing, so all I gotta do is copy and paste¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[officialkmi]

Top 5 Shojo Manga that Shaped My Youth

While my childhood was primarily shaped by anime, my teenage years were actually filled with both anime and manga. I found myself enjoying manga since I could read it much faster, allowing me to pass through the story faster with a manga than I could with the anime.

Looking back, I mostly read Shojo manga. I was homeschooled until eighth grade, so I was awkward around people by the time I started to really read manga. As such, it was nice to read Shojo manga and be transported into a world where love works out and is really, really cute. (Fun fact, I didn’t get my first non-long distance relationship until I was a Senior, and that ended after a week. I didn’t start dating again until 2018. So, of course I was into romance manga).

#1: Kimi ni Todoke (From Me to You)

What really makes Kimi ni Todoke special to me is that, even today, I see myself in the main character. She’s a quiet student with no friends, but she does her best, even so, and is actually really cute. I wanted to pretend I could be like her and have a cute guy come in and sweep me off my feet and help me open up to make more friends.

Sadly, I was reading the manga as it was coming out, so I never finished it. I did, however, recently start watching the anime. The manga is also the reason I discovered one of my favorite bands (Marianas Trench) because someone on YouTube made an AMV using Kimi ni Todoke and the song “All to Myself,” and it was a really good video and I fell in love with the song.

#2 Vampire Knight

Vampire Knight is another manga I never finished reading because it was coming out as I was reading it. However, I got way up there in chapters. While the story line didn’t really affect my opinions on people in general, it did shape a lot of my youth. I was obsessed with the ship of Zero + Yuuki, which is how I came up with my online name “Zeki.” A lot of my usernames on other websites actually have usernames using “Zeki” in it, including my old YouTube channels (IamZeki and 4EverZekiVK). I also learned how much I can hate a character, as I was not a fan of Kaname at all.

#3: Hana to Akuma

This is by far one of my favorite manga ever, and it’s probably one of the only ones I read as a teenager that doesn’t have an anime to accompany it. I loved making videos dedicated to it, including one that now has over 33K views. I didn’t even know back then that there were that many fans of the manga, as you never really see people talk about it.

It’s a beautiful manga and I found myself absolutely in love with the story. I read it as fast as I possibly could, falling in love with the characters as I did. Even to this day, I can easily say it was my second favorite manga ever. However, it’s at #3 because Vampire Knight did create my online username before I started using Jacobsenia.

#4: Special A

This was one of my favorite manga, and it was another one I found myself constantly making MMVs for on YouTube. It was another high school manga, like Kimi ni Todoke, but it was about a rich-kid high school with classes based on grades. It was high pressure and funny. I especially found myself interested in the story of Megumi and Yahiro. I feel like it really affected the kind of ships I tend to support even today (that is...the jerk with a surprising nice side + whoever he decides he likes). I think good examples of ships I probably wouldn’t support if not for Special A include TinCan (Love by Chance) and the main relationship in To The Beautiful You (not that I know if there’s a ship name for it?).

I feel like I did finish this manga, but I honestly can’t remember. It was so long ago...but I’d be willing to bet $20 that I did finish it.

#5: Junjou Romantica

Every shojo manga fan has likely stumbled upon at least one gay manga in their lives. For me, my first taste of any sort of gay media was actually Junjou Romantica. I think that, if I hadn’t seen this, I would not have been as comfortable with gay media later on in life. After all, I live in a heavily conservative household.

Now, I’m open about what LGBTQA+ media I read and watch, and I often make jokes about it with my stepdad. I don’t think I’d have been this comfortable without reading Junjou Romantica (not that I ever finished it...it’s such a long manga). My own identity as a panromantic asexual somehow just became accepted facts without me ever coming out formally, but I don’t think they’d have been that way if I hadn’t first grown comfortable with it and discovered such media exists through Junjou Romantica.

I’m still not sure at which point I made the jump from reading that to actually watching gay dramas, though?

[toshiro1234]

Your top 5 anime?

Top 5/ Top 10 Lists

I’ve honestly never thought of this before! (How have I not!?!) Well thanks for the ask so now I can finally think about it.

*Disclaimer* There are so many anime I haven’t watched. Here’s the a few of the big ones I haven’t seen: Naruto, One Piece, Boku no Hero Academia, Gurren Lagann, and a lot of others. 

#5: Baccano!

This anime is super underrated and deserves a lot more love. It’s very similar to durarara!! in that both show their story through different perspectives. For me Baccano was able to do it better, or could have just been the setting of the show. This anime had such a wide cast of characters and a compelling story. Please check this out if you haven’t! 

#4: Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood

This anime is honestly the anime closest to perfection in my opinion. The plot is amazing, the characters are amazing, the relationships are amazing, the setting is amazing, and so on and so forth. Pretty much this anime is too amazing for words. It’s not higher on the list because I never really had the itch to go back and watch it like I do for the others on the list. Its is still undoubtedly an amazing anime and I’m so glad my cousin showed it to me :)

#3: Kimi ni Todoke

I had to put one shoujo anime on here and Kimi ni Todoke takes the cake. This was the first shoujo anime I watched so it has a special place in my heart and thanks again to my cousin for showing me this gem too! The romance is just so innocent and pure and I loved how fluffy it made me feel.

#2: Samurai Champloo

I actually just recently watched this over the summer. I’m pretty sure I watched it in like 2 days because I loved it so much. The 3 main characters were absolutely amazing and I loved watching them interact. I do also like the style of the story in how the main plot is kinda in the background with the show focusing on their everyday shenanigans. The best part of the anime for me is the setting. I love how it’s set in the Edo period, it reminds me of Avatar which I also love. And I can’t forget the music. The music is absolutely amazing and it was really refreshing to hear something new like that. And and the animation is beautiful. 

#1: BLEACH

This, of course, is obvious but I don’t think I ever shared why I love Bleach so much. It wasn’t the first anime I watched but it was the first one that stuck with me. Bleach’s characters intrigued me so much and I loved the simplicity of the first arc. The relationships between the characters were deep and thought out and even though the pacing was slow at the beginning it ramped up in the soul society arc. The soul society arc was when Bleach became a special place in my heart. Ichigo’s determination to save Rukia was beautiful, and the soul reapers’ inner conflicts were amazingly written. Besides Bleach itself, it became such an important part of my life due to the timing it was introduced to me. I was really young like 8 years old when I watched it with my brothers. It became a way for us to bond and we’d love to watch it with each other. It’s so nice to see how so many years later I’m still in love with this series and it hasn’t been muddled down. So yeah bleach is my number 1 and will always be!

Thanks so much for this question! It was nice to finally write about my love for Bleach. Also check out the other anime if you haven’t seen them yet!

[its-naruto-universe]

If you love anime about romancee

If the maiden in you keeps squaling and fangirling every time you see romance in anime then this list is the right one  for you

Oh and just an advice, if the anime is based on a manga version, you should definitly read the manga too if you liked the anime counterpart, since It’s more complete and the art is better

Ouran Koukou Host Club

  Kaichou wa Maid-sama! 

Watch it for usui fucking takumi! The best male anime has ever given us.

Tonari no Kaibutsu-kun

Nagi no Asukara

Sukitte Ii na yo.

Inu x Boku SS

Ao Haru Ride

Nana

Akagami no Shirayuki-hime

  Kimi ni Todoke

Skip Beat!

  Kotoura-san

  Kamisama Hajimemashita

  Paradise Kiss

Hiyokoi

Mikakunin de Shinkoukei

 Higashi no Eden

Honobono log

Sakamichi no Apollon

Toradora

Kare kano

PLEASE go and read the manga, and expecially those two story

Lovely complex

This is my favorite shoujo anime, and the comedy is gold! So are the characters and the plot. Definitly a must watch (I have already seen it 8 times lol). And this is also one of the few cases when I prefer the anime to the manga

For more reccomndations #sharonsays

[hakuteeth]

I wanna get into more anime but have no idea what to watch, recommendations?

Yeah definitely!!! (and i love giving recs so u came to the right place!) 

the thing with anime is its a massive medium so u sorta have to find ur genre and figure out what ur into and with me I like shounen (with a liking to sports anime) so most of the stuff i recommend will be the shonen jump kind and ill also recommend some stuff outside my genre just so u can get a good feel

another thing is most anime run for 25 episodes a season its really only the shonen kind that run for hundreds of episodes (think One Piece with a 1000 episodes) so i’ll start with something smaller just so u dont feel pressured to finish something that is obviously not ur taste

under read more cause im probs gonna ramble and im also gonna rec some movies cause anime movies are The Best

*available on netflix

Full metal alchemist: brotherhood (if you’ve read any top 10 anime lists you’ve probably seen this once or twice and its on there for a good reason excellent story telling and its a little on the long side but does have a conclusion that gives u a lot closure but also hits u right in the soul if anything at least watch this)

Durarara* (super cool anime has multiple seasons, but the first is the best definitely one of the better and more complex series out there with wicked characters)

Kimi ni todoke (Haven’t seen the second season but very sweet anime with a lovable protagonist normally I don’t watch anime like this but the slow burn aspect of it all tugs on the heart strings if ur in to romance or romantic comedies in general I highly recommend this one)

Haikyuu (Hands down one of the best sports anime ever made, every character is amazing and one of the funniest anime I’ve ever seen, Has a lot of that shonen feel without being overtly dramatic its animation is crisp and it even teaches you how to play volleyball which is a plus)

Hunter x Hunter* (2011 version) (probably one of the longest I’m gonna recommend on here (100 something episodes) but it’s way 2 good to pass up. right from the start you’re put on this adventure and its definitely one ur going to enjoy again one of the best anime ive ever seen and has a conclusive ending which is good cause some anime can leave u hanging so good trust me on this one)

Beck: mongolian chop squad (a hidden gem among most anime and probably one of the only anime thats better dubbed id definitely recommend giving this one at least one watch thru as its pretty amazing for a slice of life anime)

Some honorable mentions: One’s that I think u can just google and get a feel for if u want to check them out

anohana

code geass

ajin*

ao no exorcist*

my hero academia (currently watching this and its fucking fantastic)

trigun

ouran high school host club*

Some anime movies you should watch!!!

Howls moving castle (anything studio ghibli really but this is my fave)

Summer Wars

wolf children

the boy and the beast

Akira

P.S. Subbed vs dubbed - its mostly preference based any anime elitist will cry about dubbed versions but it really doesn’t matter in the long run i usually go with subbed but if funimation did the dub version i usually at least check it out 

Hope you have fun!!! any questions or comments just come back and ask

[psycho-alchemist]

question 36: In your opinion, what makes a good anime? and question 39: is there an anime you wish was more popular?

36)In your opinion, what makes a good anime?

For me, the single most important thing that an anime should have is relatable, dynamic characters. I think the main reason I love so many non-action, slower-paced anime (comedy, slice of life, romance, sports) is because the characters are so likable. Even if an anime doesn’t have the most amazing plot, it can still be enjoyable if the characters have depth and development.

Aside from characters, I really like pretty-looking anime, so art and animation matter a lot to me. Average art isn’t necessarily a deal-breaker (even Kimi ni Todoke’s art isn’t the best ever), but good art is definitely a plus and bad art can turn me off. Fluid animation is more important to me than art, although an anime can easily get by with average animation if it plays its cards right. Same for good OST; it’s not a necessity by any means, but it’s a nice touch. :)

39)Is there an anime you wish was more popular?

Definitely Barakamon and Bokura wa Minna Kawaisou. Barakamon is just a really hilarious slice of life show that I think has gone unnoticed by a lot of people since it’s not a moeshit show. And Bokura wa Minna Kawaisou has virtually no fanbase; the only person I know who has seen it is @lil-dorkling, which is a real pity because it’s such a pretty, hilarious, cute anime!! It’s a romance/comedy (although it focuses more on the comedy imo) and I just love it so much. Barely anyone knows about it for some reason, which is too bad. :( (But I was able to buy the DVDs for cheap, so I guess that’s a good thing? idk)

Thank you for the asks!! :) 

send me an anime ask

[animebw]

Binge-Watching: Ore Monogatari, Episodes 1-3

And so we begin! In which I gush over one of my favorite genres, Takeo is the gentlest of giants, and Sunakawa provokes a discussion of what it should mean to be a man.

MY CHEEKS HURT

You know what doesn’t get enough attention in today’s anime landscape? Adaptations of shojo romance manga. Amid all the various genres and demographics that proliferate the medium- shonen jump, isekai, light novel adaptations, Webtoons, even the rare mecha anime still clinging on for dear life- it feels like shojo anime have pretty much gone dormant since Kimi ni Todoke back at the start of the decade. And that’s a criminal shame, because when done well, this genre makes me happy like nothing else does. Yes, I’m a self-professed romantic slut, but the spirit of shojo is in more than the romance. It’s the belief in the inherent goodness of ordinary people, how these stories portray loving worlds grounded in the realities of basic human empathy, where mostly everyone does their best for each other because most people aren’t built to be at war with each other all the time. Shojo anime are the kinds of anime I wish I could live in, hanging out with these characters and their relationships over the course of an ordinary, extraordinary life. And I actually didn’t realize Ore Monogatari was based on a shojo manga until well into the first couple episodes when I realized, “Wait a second, what other genre would handle a train molester scenario with this much tact and kindness?” Once I realized, though? The rest was history.

Yes, folks, we’ve finally got another show on this blog that I think I’m going to whole-heartedly love. Ore Monogatari won me effortlessly from pretty much the first few scenes and only got better from there. God, everything about this show just makes me so fucking happy. The OP is adorable! The characters are adorable! Their relationships are adorable! The animation is gorgeous (Courtesy of Madhouse and their deep appreciation for thickly textured, lived-in production design)! And what’s more, the story instantly bypassed by one real issue with shojo anime; the endless will-they-won’t-they. No ridiculously contrived scenarios to keep the inevitable from happening this time around; Takeo and Yamato are officially together before the end of episode 3, and there don’t seem to be any signs of them breaking up. So not only do we finally have another legitimately great shojo on our hands, we have a legitimately great shojo that fixes the genre’s biggest flaw right from the outset and gets right to the gooey couple adorableness. The only thing that could make this show more my speed is if one of the side characters is a girl who could easily kick my ass. What a wonderful time to be alive.

Fairytale Prince

For the moment, though, Ore Monogatari’s focus is very compact. The only real characters we’ve met are Takeo, Yamata and Sunakawa, with camoes from a couple of their parents and teachers. This tight focus lets the show develop them all fabulously, to the point they feel almost fully fleshed out already. And my god, what an absolutely lovable set of dorks they are. The protagonist Takeo, in particular, is one of the most endearingly earnest male romantic leads I’ve ever seen in anime. He’s a big softie who cries when he’s emotional, has great relationships with his middle school kouhai, and throws himself into being a good person with the intensity and stoicism of a samurai on a mission for his shogun. No matter how many times it lands him in trouble, (”Yesterday, I got reported to the cops.”) or how overbearing he accidentally ends up being (”Personal space, dude.”), or how much of his own happiness he has to leave aside, he’s 100% committed to helping the people he cares about. It’s a blast to watch him throw himself so passionately into doing the right thing, even when he has to turn on the hulking rage to punish someone who deserves to get some justice knocked into them: Being good is something he puts his whole heart and soul into, and I love seeing the good he puts into the world just by virtue of not half-assing anything. No matter how much it hurts, his heart is always in the right place.

And that actually gives this opening arc a real sense of pathos. Because he’s kind of a big, scary hulk, he tends to give the wrong impression with his intensity, and he hasn’t exactly been lucky in love as a result. All the female attention goes to the aloof pretty boy Sunawara, even the girls Takeo’s crushing on. At this point, he’s accepted that he’s just not gonna be lucky with girls. So when Yamata enters his life and shows even the slightest hint of maybe being into Sunakawa, he instantly decides that 1) She must be crushing on him like everyone on else, and 2) No matter how sad that makes him, he’s going to be the best damn wingman he can possibly be. He’s constantly assailed with his developing attraction to Yamata, but he never lets that conflict show; if he really loves Yamata and wants to make her happy, then the right thing to do is help her get together with the person she’s in love with. ”Well, I got some cake, and it was delicious,” he says, “so it’s okay.” As long as he can still be a part of her life, then he can find the strength to do what he believes to be the right thing. But it’s clear that his feelings for Yamata aren’t just some crush he can shove down and ignore. Even when he’s literally starting to get crushed to death under a falling beam, he’s still trying to convince himself that going for the beam instead of Yamata was the right choice, because at least this way, she’ll be alright. You just feel so sorry for the guy; he’s such a great dude, and he’s completely unable to have faith in himself because of all his bad experiences.

Of course, because Takeo’s gotten used to Sunakawa always coming out on top in these situations, he’s completely unable to see the obvious signs that he’s the one Yamata’s in love with (Let’s be real, most girls don’t text “It’s a beautiful day!” as a Good Morning message to the best friend of the guy they’re crushing on). And oh my fucking god, I adore this fucking disaster. She’s a flustered bundle of nerves and shyness (”Actually, am I creepy for showing up out of nowhere?!”), but she’s just as intense as Takeo in her own way. Whether it’s running after him so hard she breaks into a thick sweat, throwing her all into making sweets and cakes for him and filling them with little prizes, bursting into mutual tears with him over what a great fucking guy Sunakawa is, or trying to lift the goddamn concrete beam with him (”I’m... actually... pretty strong... myself!”), she’s just as committed as him to throwing herself 100% into whatever she’s doing, no matter how panicked or flustered it makes her. Even when Takeo’s ignorance makes her cry, she doesn’t want to give up on him, and she breaks through her shame to shout over and over again about how much the loves him. He may be about double her size, but they’re nevertheless perfect for each other. Two adorable, earnest idiots who treat doing the right thing as their lifelong mission, and they’re already officially a couple. God, I can’t wait to spend more time with them.

All Hail the Blue Ogre

And yet, hilariously enough, my favorite character so far isn’t either of the leads; it’s Sunakwa. The show actually sets up a really good intrigue with him in the early episodes; why does a gentle, loving giant like Takeo get along so well with someone who seems, well, kind of a jackass? The answer, it turns out, is because Suna is the literal personification of the Bro Code. Ever since they were friends in childhood, Suna has always had Takeo’s back, even when he had to make himself look stupid to do so. He helped Takeo out of trouble, he shared in his embarrassment, he was there for him every step of the way. And most importantly, the reason he was always so blunt and nasty in turning girls down? It’s because he knew that all of those girls were saying mean things about Takeo behind his back. And what kind of self-respecting man would go out with someone who talks crap about their friend? Christ, the moment that bomb dropped, I was sorry I ever doubted him. The aloof pretty boy who gets all the girls ended up being just as much a hilarious do-gooder as the other two. Even as Takeo’s 100% committing to being Suna’s wingman, Suna’s just as committed to helping Yamata and Takeo end up together. He’s the blue ogre of the classic fairy tale through and through, happily falling on whatever swords he needs to so that his friend can be happy.

Actually, now that I think about it, the way Sunakawa and Takeo’s friendship plays out is kind of a wonderful portrayal of masculinity. So many stories fall back on regressive ideas of what it means to “be a man,” especially in anime. But in Ore Monogatari, whenever someone talks about what it means to “be a man,” it’s always in regards to something that men should be. When Takeo’s clobbering the gross train molester, he explicitly calls him a “pathetic excuse for a man” because of his predatory actions. He also says “that’s what a real man does” when he commits to being Suna’s wingman and not pressuring Yamata with his own feelings. And Suna’s own desire to see Takeo happy is described as manly as well, as something that men and friend are just supposed to do: be happy for the people they care about and work to do right by them. Suna doesn’t even have to angst over it, he just takes it as a given that Takeo’s happiness is important to him, because, well, why wouldn’t it be? If they’re friends, it only makes sense they’d want the best for each other, without jealousy or pettiness or competitiveness getting in the way. And Takeo, for his part, is constantly complimenting Suna for his attractiveness, showing no shame about admiring a platonic friend in such an openly sincere way. (”Girls, this is what he looks like when he smiles.”) Time and again, the male characters in this show talk about masculinity as a positive force, something that’s meant to be used for kindness and compassion and building each other up instead of tearing each other down. It’s a masculinity that doesn’t seek to shut down emotions, but embrace and celebrate them. And it’s all baked right into the foundation of who these characters are and the way the show wants you to think about them. We need more portrayals of masculinity like this, in anime and everywhere else. If more boys were raised to be like Takeo and Sunakawa, the world would be a batter place.

Odds and Ends

-Holy shit he was even cuter as a kid

-There’s a lot of good uses of flashbacks in the first episode that flow with the action instead of disrupting it. I like it.

-”He ignored me?” HIS FUCKING FACE ASKJDHASKJDH

-Hold on, Takeo’s VA also voiced Julius from Re:Zero?! Good lord, the range.

-”I’m pretty sure you don’t bake them with your hands.” Lol, these manga splashes are hilarious.

-”Yep. Whenever I look at this tree, I see an ass.” sdkhsdfjhsdf what

-”Oh hey, it’s a guy’s ass! Why didn’t I notice that before?” what is this show

-”When I think about date planning, it’s a drag.” Honestly, I feel that.

-”THEY’RE MOVING AROUND!” He’s so enthusiastic oh my GOD

-”Sumo wrestler, huh? I’m flattered.” pfft

-”Takeo, you’re walking into a telephone pole.” I’m losing my shit help

-”Takeo, you’re stuck.” I’M LOSING MY SHIT HELP

-”BECAUSE YOU’RE ATTRACTIVE!” “...thanks, man.” I’m fucking dying

-he’s too big to fit under the bed askdjhaskjdhaskjdh

-Okay, the confession scene was wonderful, but then Suga just slipping back into his earphones in the foreground left me in stiches. Fuck me, I love him.

And with that, we’re on our way! God, this is gonna be a good November. See you next time!

[animebw]

Binge-Watching: My Little Monster, Episodes 1-4

And so we begin! In which I extol the virtues of shojo, the central romance gets off to a scintillating start, and I consider the worrisome fantasy of Haru.

Welcome to Shojo Town

Some of my older fans may remember that back in the sweltering heat of last August, I watched a little show by the name of Kimi ni Todoke that instantly became one of my favorite romance anime ever. I completely fell in love with its comforting atmosphere, its achingly sincere understanding of human generosity, and a romance that left me literally shaking from concentrated cuteness at times. It’s a genuinely wonderful show, even if the second season dipped heavily before sorting itself back out. It also happened to be the very first shojo romance anime I’ve ever watched. And as a consequence of that, it didn’t even really register to me that it was a show that even fit into that genre. I mean, it’s hard to recognize familiar genre trappings if they aren’t yet familiar to you, you know?

I bring this up because there was something not quite clicking with me throughout My Little Monster’s first episode. I felt like I was in territory I had seen before, but I couldn’t put a finger on just what it was reminding me of. Then, right around the second time the male lead told the female lead that he would, in his words, “totally do her”, and once again was met with little but stupefied bemusement on the lady’s part, complete with a derp face that Sawako herself would be proud of, I realized: this was Kimi ni Todoke all over again. It was the same genre trappings I was only now realizing as trappings, albeit with a bit more of a concrete edge this time around as compared to Todoke’s more wispy, ethereal construction: the same laid back, realistic atmosphere, the same grounded, homey portrayal of teenage life, and most importantly, the same tendency to make every character the best possible person they could be. I was finally recognizing shojo romance as an actual genre. And I’m not gonna lie, there’s something kind of exciting about that. Seriously, I feel like I just stumbled upon a treasure chest that’s been buried under my nose this entire time. There’s a thrill in recognizing these storytelling patterns when they’re done right, and while My Little Monster is certainly not at Kimi ni Todoke’s level of quality, the moment I realized just what path it was following was the moment that the show really clicked with me, and from there on, I was completely on board. So lets take a look at how this show enacts its genre of choice, because I’m starting to realize that the trappings of shojo romance may end up making this genre among my absolute favorites with enough time and exposure.

Put On a Happy Face

What I’ve recognized as the central tenant of shojo stories is that above all else, everybody must be a genuinely nice person. If you’re looking for hardbitten drama or edgier fare, this is not the place to go to. These stories soar on the warmth of the worlds they create, a world where the female self-insert protagonist can have the perfect high school life with the perfect friends that may be far more attractive than their actual, likely much more flawed high school experience. People look out for each other, do right by each other, and just generally make life a much better place to live, so all the drama and conflict comes from disagreements or conflicts of interest between people we genuinely like and don’t want to see hurt on either side. That’s a hard line to walk; not only is it easy for any one character’s selfish action to break this blissful atmosphere, you risk that atmosphere itself becoming too cloying and perfect, like a sugar pill you’re force-fed by Barney the dinosaur. But Kimi ni Todoke proved it was entirely possible, crafting what might genuinely be my perfect self-insert fantasy as an awkward Aspie who always longed for a world where people could understand all the thoughts I had trouble communicating. And I say this as a guy, too! I think that’s what I’m really starting to love about this genre; it’s female-focused, yet its execution feels entirely universal. It doesn’t want to leave anybody left out of feeling like they have somewhere to belong to.

On that note, once I got on My Little Monster’s wavelength and let it just sweep me away, it was like sinking into a familiar dream that I never wanted to wake up from. Seriously, if nothing else, this show made me realize how much I live for grounded depictions of teenage life that just let teens be teens and enjoy the glory days of their youth. Between the pop art backgrounds that make me feel like we stepped inside the wallpaper of a posh street cafe, lead girl Mizu’s wibbly warping expressive body movements, and the comforting background music (especially the one sweet, simple piano piece that plays whenever the main couple is getting it on), this world makes ordinary life feel as fun and fresh as you could ever want it to be. And the characters! All of them so likable and doofy and precious! Yeah, this genre makes me use the world precious unironically! That’s how you know it’s good! Mizu’s introversion strikes a heavy chord with me as somebody who also finds social situations incredibly exhausting and treasures my alone time something fierce. Natsume is a completely lovable idiot whose Sawako-worthy expressions never cease to leave me cackling with their dorky earnestness. Heck, even the punks who are set up as villains turn up to be completely stand-up guys more interested in giving romantic advice (”You’re really attracted to this?”) that starting any sort of trouble. The simple fact is, I want to spend as much time with these darlings as possible, and that’s how you know you’ve done it right.

What’s particularly striking about My Little Monster’s characterization, though, is that pretty much everyone has a surprisingly complex degree of self-awareness about themselves and how they’re perceived. Mizu recognizes up front that her feelings for Haru are affecting her in a romantic way, and she quickly grows entirely comfortable letting them pull her out of her shell to relax and take in the world. Natsume is refreshingly upfront about her lack of academic prowess, which makes her stupidity that much more endearing (”Oh, don’t mind me. I’m just wallowing in despair”). Even Haru is quick to pick up on how his antagonistic demeanor is hurting him in the friends department. And there’s a particularly winning moment right after Haru and Natsume meet where Natsume immediately shuts down the idea of romance forming between then, to which Haru immediately agrees, and I could feel myself bouncing in my seat with giddiness a little. Instantly cutting off the possibility of bullshit messing with the romance? That’s how you build trust with your audience, folks. These people aren’t just fun to be around, they’re people I can put my faith in to keep being fun around. And that goes a long way in helping me accept the more potentially troubling aspects of the show.

Which brings me too...

Do I Sparkle?

Let’s be real, I’m a guy barely a year removed from being a teenager. I have absolutely no idea how to critique female fantasies from any objective angle. I can spew out paragraphs upon paragraphs about fanservice, panty shots, female fetish archetypes, boob physics, rape-y undertones and so on, but I have very little context into what archetypes and tropes make the (straight) female heart go doki-doki. So you can color me more than a little unnerved when one of the first interactions between out central couple is Haru yanking Mizu into an alley and saying, in his own words, ”No funny moves or I rape you.” Like, wow. Thank god the rest of the show immediately treats that comment like a complete non-entity from then on, because I can’t think of many worse possible first impressions. But what ends up pulling it back from the brink is that when placed in context, that line becomes a clear part of a very classic shojo archetype that Haru fits into: the bad boy who’s secretly the sweetest muffin once you get past the exterior (think Rin from Blue Exorcist). Haru can lob out all the threats he wants, but he’s really just a lonely little bean who gets excited at the prospect of hanging out with friends after school, goes full tsundere on Mizu treating him with basic human compassion, and brings a chicken to school because it deserves a better home than the street. There’s even hints that he’s been struggling with depression, as evidenced by his line about knowing what it’s like to not feel anything. It’s the classic Twilight fantasy of a “dangerous” hot guy who secretly makes the perfect husbando, at least as long as he’s with you the audience the one girl who understands him and learns to deal with his neuroses.

But therein lies an interesting wrinkle: much like his spiritual cousin Edward Cullen, Haru isn’t just a case of all bark and no bite. He can be legitimately dangerous at points, quick to pick a fight and able to cause substantial harm in the process. He dunks orange juice over Mizu in the first episode for prying a little too close for comfort, and it isn’t clear how much damage he would actually cause her had he caught her in the ensuing chase. That makes a very stark contrast with the rest of the cast’s perfectly well-adjusted personalities; there’s a very real threat to this character. And what’s concerning me is that I’m not quite sure how much the show is willing to deal with that threat. I mean, on the one hand, he punched Mizu in her face, and it feels like he never had to apologize for that. It feels like Mizu’s always there to take the blame off him for his outbursts, so much so that he even brings it up himself. But on the other hand, it’s clear that he still considers that anger a problem, and the scene where he realizes how much him stepping in to fight off a couple of bullies has terrified all the onlookers hit me pretty damn hard. This show isn’t unaware of his troubling tendencies, it’s just that the pervasive sunny attitude maybe doesn’t quite acclimate to this darker element as smoothly as it could?

I dunno. We’re still early in the show, and there’s plenty of time for this to shake out on either side of the equation. For now, though, I’m definitely keeping a close eye on how Haru develops from here, because he’s by far the most interesting element in this otherwise comfortingly familiar show.

One Step At a Time

That said, if there’s a reason to hope that Haru’s darkness won’t end up poising the show as a whole in the end, it’s how damn well the central romance is being handled. Because my god, I don’t think I’ve ever seen a show get to the good stuff this fast, this efficiently. We had a confession and a kiss in the first goddamn episode! The latter of which caught me completely off guard and put the biggest goddamn smile on my face! And Mizu acclimates to this new paradigm so quickly (”For the first time in my life, I gave up on a question I couldn’t solve.”) that she’s able to return his confession at the end of the very next episode! This is the benefit of everyone’s aforementioned self-awareness; by skipping the usual roundabout of false starts and miscommunications that tends to accompany burgeoning romances, the show can just present you with two people who clearly fit together well and jump right to the process of exploring how they fit together. This is a romance! Not just a build-up to one, but an actual romance! Sure, both of them end up more unsure than first expected, but they have both repeatedly stated that they love each other, and they’re both clearly interested in exploring those feelings together, so for all intents and purposes, they really are a couple! They’re even going on a date the very next episode (at Mizu’s absolutely adorable request)! I will always be a proponent of letting fictional relationships continue past the Big Damn Kiss(tm), and My Little Monster has decided to make that ethos the cornerstone of its entire damn narrative. How fucking cool is that?

It also helps that Haru and Mizu’s chemistry is goddamn infectious. I love how, much like Sawako and Kazehaya, they both get equally flustered around each other. I love how comfortable they are sharing how much they care about each other. And I love how much Mizu is obviously thirsting after Haru, almost peeping on him in the bath in a moment that had me rolling on the floor (”Hey, there’s a spirit in this house”). The show captures her burgeoning attraction so fucking well, and the moment in the manju house where she realizes she genuinely loves him is capped with what might genuinely be the cutest fucking noise of realization I’ve ever heard. Seriously, holy shit, talk about clearing skin and watering crops. Something about the shojo ethos of letting both lovers share in a relationship’s awkward goofiness makes it so damn endearing every single time. And in such a clear-eyed, good-natured package, what else can I do but enjoy it? I’m on board, My Little Monster. Let’s see what else you got in store for me.

Odds and Ends

-Oh, this OP’s got me bopping something fierce.

-”It’s nobody’s fault that Marco died. You just suck.” I have been that guy waaaay too many times after losing a game. I feel ya, Haru.

-”Shizuku! I can’t move my legs!” YOU ABSOLUTE DORK

-Okay y’all need to stop yanking Mizu out of the frame before your timing breaks me with laughter okay

-”Do you mind if I study?” Not the weirdest hostage situation I’ve been privy to, let’s be real.

-”I’m... being cared about right now?” Me whenever someone does something nice for me

-”Shut up! I need to eat my mind out!” FAIR.

-DON’T SCARE THE ROOSTER YOU MONSTER

-”Wouldn’t that be considered living a lie?” “Just leave me alone.” There’s a very Nichijou quality to these facial expressions. I approve.

-”Granny clothes.” Ouch.

-”Let’s find a place to stay the night.” CONTEXT HARU

-Mizu’s dad is cracking me up. It’s the little touches of realism like a parent’s obvious confusing that brings it all together.

-”It’s past working hours...” Somebody needs to buy this teacher a black coffee for all the shit she’s put through.

-”Is this the power of eye contact?!” “No.” akjdhaskjdahds

-”Lonely women turn to their pets.” Stone cold, Natsume.

-”Although the little brother is even weirder.” ACCURATE

This is gonna be a good one, I can tell. Welcome to my new adventure, folks, and I’ll see you next time!