#psycho gundam is the best gundam

[lwcina]

anime is finally good again. i won

[femvaylin]

This is one of my favourite songs and battle couple anthem of all time actually

[wlwcatalogue]

Yuri Subtext (?) Anime List

A supplement to my earlier yuri anime masterlist, this list covers anime which aren’t marketed as yuri but which prominently feature F/F pairs, whether canonical or subtext! Since subtext is so subjective, this post only includes series which I’ve actually watched, and so is by no means intended to be comprehensive.

Also, since the above description would not cover certain series with well-known yuri pairings, I've also included a few "bonus rounds" for the curious (although these are still limited to series I have watched).

At-a-glance list:

Revolutionary Girl Utena (39 episodes + 1 movie, 1997)

NOIR (26 episodes, 2001)

Puella Magi Madoka Magica (12 episodes, 2011)

Haibane Renmei (13 episodes, 2002)

.hack//SIGN (26 episodes, 2002)

Read or Die / R.O.D. the TV (26 episodes, 2003)

Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch From Mercury (24 episodes, 2022)

Black Rock Shooter (8 episodes, 2010)

Izetta: The Last Witch (12 episodes, 2016)

Violet Evergarden: Eternity and the Auto Memory Doll (movie, 2019)

Canaan (13 episodes, 2009)

Ga-Rei: Zero (12 episodes, 2008)

Bonus rounds:

Sailor Moon S3 (38 episodes, 1994) (subtext)

Mai-Hime (26 episodes, 2004) (canon)

Psycho-Pass (41 episodes + 3 movies, 2012) (canon)

My Next Life as a Villainess: All Routes Lead to Doom! (24 episodes + movie, 2020) (canon)

Summaries under the cut!

1. Revolutionary Girl Utena (39 episodes + 1 movie, 1997) - Anime News Network | MyAnimeList

(Copied from the Yuri Anime Masterlist post, since technically it wasn’t marketed as yuri)

When she was a child, Tenjou Utena (Kawakami Tomoko) was saved by a passerby prince, so she decided that she too wanted to become a prince as an adult. Fast forward to high school, and she hasn’t forgotten that conviction: Utena gets sucked into a series of duels while trying to protect her best friend’s honour. After winning the first duel, she becomes ‘engaged’ to the eccentric “Rose Bride” Himemiya Anthy (Fuchizaki Yuriko), and the two start living together in the same dormitory.

First things first: there are a million content warnings for this series, including implied rape, sexual assault, incest, and homophobia. Although the issues are handled well (in my opinion), it does go to very dark places, so those wanting a light, fun anime to unwind to should look elsewhere. Second, this series is very much a psychological drama utilising the episodic duels as a way of hone in on Utena’s opponents and their stories, so Utena and Anthy’s relationship – though important – is definitely not the focus of the anime. Third, the TV series is limited to hinting at the romantic relationship between Utena and Anthy, not to mention that they spend most of the series being little more than acquaintances rather than actual friends. The movie Adolescence (which can be taken as a retelling or sequel, depending on your perspective) is much more explicit on this front, but also suffers from a significantly shorter runtime and a much more opaque approach to storytelling.

That being said! If you’re okay with all of the above, this series is pretty much essential. The simplistic premise belies a much more complex and nuanced story about gender roles, sexuality, and human relationships and remains one of the smartest anime ever made, over twenty years on.

2. NOIR (26 episodes, 2001) - Anime News Network | MyAnimeList

The first in anime studio Bee Train’s “girls with guns” trilogy, NOIR follows globetrotting assassin duo Mireille Bouquet (Mitsuishi Kotono) and Yuumura Kirika (Kuwashima Houko) as they partner up to search for Kirika’s missing memories and the truth behind Mireille’s parents’ deaths. The series is pleasingly restrained despite the sensational premise, alternating between “business trips” to far-flung locations and snapshots of the pair’s domestic life in Mireille’s Paris apartment, and devoting more time to the unfolding of the relationship between the prickly Mireille and puppy-like Kirika than to action sequences. I won't say too much due to spoilers, but their relationship numbers among my favorites due to how naturally it is developed throughout and how it is very much at the heart of the series both narratively and thematically.

This is also the first anime soundtrack entirely composed by the legendary Kajiura Yuki, heralding a long collaboration with director Mashimo Kouichi, and her mix of classical and modern sounds provides the perfect accompaniment to NOIR’s atmospheric cityscapes. Also, for fans of Mitsuishi’s work (Sailor Moon! Utena! Evangelion!), I’d say NOIR is a must-watch for her performance alone; her Mireille is brittle and proud, and she brings so much humanity and nuance to the role. In fact, I don’t care if you’re a fan of Mitsuishi or Kajiura or assassins or whatever, please just try the first episode— this anime deserves way more love!

3. Puella Magi Madoka Magica (12 episodes, 2011) - Anime News Network | MyAnimeList

Puella Magi Madoka Magica opens with ordinary middle school girl Kaname Madoka (Yuuki Aoi) standing in the ruins of her hometown, watching as a lone girl struggles to defend what remains of the city against a much more powerful enemy. A little rabbit-like creature informs Madoka that the girl is sure to lose without her help, and so Madoka decides to become a magical girl right then and there— at which point she wakes up and dismisses it as a strange nightmare. But then that very day, her school receives a new transfer student who looks just like that mysterious girl, and she also finds a hurt animal that closely resembles the rabbit-like creature from her dream. Madoka is then faced with certain questions: do magical girls actually exist, and will she become one herself?

Since Madoka Magica was all the rage back in the early 2010s, I don’t think it too much of a spoiler to say that the cheery first three episodes hide a dark, gritty story which uses the concept of magical girls to explore the tumultuousness of adolescence. The queer subtext only comes in at the end but tight plotting and inventive presentation make this show a quick watch— and if you’re the type who likes queerness in fiction to be intense, world-shakingly significant, and a wee bit problematic, the payoff should be more than enough. A word of warning: there is a movie sequel called Rebellion, but if you’re happy with the ending of the anime, it’s best not to watch it (although I love the movie, myself).

Side note: I won’t go into it too much due to spoilers but if you liked Madoka Magica you might want to check out Serial Experiments Lain – even if most of it is utterly incomprehensible (as it was to me), it’s worth watching until the very end (wink). Also, for the rare fan of Rebellion, Adolescence of Utena is a must-watch if you haven’t checked it out already; so much can be said about its conceptual and aesthetic influences on Rebellion!

4. Haibane Renmei (13 episodes, 2002) - Anime News Network | MyAnimeList

(Note: slight spoilers about the tone and overall themes of the show – but I think it’s necessary for the purpose of writing a more representative summary.)

Written by ABe Yoshitoshi – character designer of cult classic anime Serial Experiments Lain and author of the very unfinished manga which this show adapts and significantly develops – Haibane Renmei starts off as a light-fantasy slice-of-life anime following freshly-arrived Rakka (Hirohashi Ryou) as she searches for a suitable job in the town of Glie, before transforming into a nuanced exploration of grief and depression about halfway through. To say more would be really too spoilery, but I just want to say that this has probably the most grounded and sensitive depiction of depression I have seen in an anime; it shows that sometimes people struggle even if everyone around them is kind and supportive, but remains hopeful about the healing power of time and understanding. The subtext is between the protagonist and Reki (Noda Junko), the first person she meets, who also helps her get acclimatised to her new life in Glie. Again, I won’t say more, but their relationship really is wonderful. That being said, this show does touch upon suicide and suicidal ideation in the course of discussing these themes, so please steer clear if that is something you are wary of.

5. .hack//SIGN (26 episodes, 2002) - Anime News Network | MyAnimeList

A standalone spinoff of the .hack PS2 games, this show was the most well-known anime about players getting trapped inside a multiplayer game before Sword Art Online’s arrival in 2012 (ironically, Kajiura Yuki composed the music for both). Rather than being an action-adventure story about a heroic protagonist trying to find a way back to the real world, SIGN stands out as an introspective piece, far more interested in the psychology of those who play online games and the issues of human connection and identity. In fact, the female protagonist is all too happy to remain within the MMORPG as male player-avatar Tsukasa (Saiga Mitsuki) after becoming unable to log out; the story is more about how the player grows to accept the real world with the help of the other players she meets, rather than about figuring out the exit route.

On the F/F side, some way into the series, Tsukasa makes an instant connection with fellow player-character Subaru (Nazuka Kaori) and they soon start spending a lot of time together. I really love their scenes together; the series' masterful use of body language, framing, and music all comes together to create these beautifully tender moments of intimacy. Although there’s no kiss scene nor explicit discussion of dating etc., a lot of the other characters talk about their relationship and perceive it as being romantic, to the point where one gets homophobically “worried” about Subaru when they find out that the player controlling male avatar Tsukasa is female. Tsukasa and Subaru's relationship becomes a lynchpin for both characters' development, and in general is used to illustrate the series' underlying themes in a thoughtful and heartwarming way.

6. Read or Die / R.O.D. the TV (26 episodes, 2003) Anime News Network | MyAnimeList

A spinoff of the Read or Die series which takes more from espionage thrillers and Hong Kong action flicks than shounen anime, R.O.D. the TV takes the unusual approach of starting with its main character - elite paper-maniuplating superspy Yomiko Readman (Miura Rieko) - being nowhere to be seen after burning down the British Library in a dramatic resignation announcement. Instead of focusing on her, or the spy agencies clashing in her absence, the story instead follows her friend Sumiregawa Nenene (Yukino Satsuki), who joins up with a trio of sisters with paper-manipulating powers and criminal connections in her quest to find out what happened to Yomiko. The queerness is mainly implied through Nenene's focus on Yomiko, which is unrequited and sadly fizzles out narratively speaking in the back half. Unfortunately, this is coupled with an increased focus on more heteronormative topics, such as Yomiko's grief over her dead male lover, and the child one of the characters had with the villain of the OVA. That being said, I also want to shout out this series' surprisingly earnest depiction of budding queerness in a young (like, elementary-school young) side character - something that is rare in fiction even now.

7. Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch from Mercury (24 episodes, 2022) - Anime News Network | MyAnimeList

The most recent entry on this list by far (the final episode aired just a day ago at time of writing), The Witch from Mercury initially seems to forgo the Gundam franchise’s usual grand scale, being set in an academy run by the corporate giant Benerit Group. Main character and new student Suletta Mercury (Ichinose Kana) - the franchise’s first female protagonist since its beginnings in 1979 - accidentally bumbles her way into fighting a mecha duel, and, when she wins, is shocked to find that she is now engaged to the sole heiress of that self-same corporate giant, her classmate Miorine Rembran (Lynn). So far so Utena, but after the first episode, things start to diverge significantly: though the duels continue, the focus shifts to how big-picture tensions such as the manoeuvring within the Benerit Group and the conflict between the space colonisers and people on Earth play out within the student body, and how the arrival of Suletta and her mysteriously cutting-edge mecha start to shake up the status quo… until things come to an explosive head.

For those who curious about G-Witch due to Suletta and Miorine, but who wouldn’t normally be interested in Gundam or space operas, I’ll just say that if the hype has led you to expect a big queer romance where Suletta and Miorine shout their love from the rooftops, well, that’s not how it goes. It’s a mecha anime first and foremost, after all! But lower your expectations and you may be pleasantly surprised. Season 1 offers plenty to enjoy in terms of Suletta’s earnest attempts to be a good “bridegroom” and the tsundere Miorine’s bouts of jealousy over Suletta. And while their relationship takes a bit of a back seat in Season 2 due to there being So Much going on, it remains one of the key elements of the series and their scenes together are the emotional peaks of the season.

Side note: Some might criticise Gundam for taking so long to have a female main character, but let’s not forget about how the even older Ultraman (1966), Kamen Rider (1971), and Super Sentai (1975) franchises still have not had a single mainline series featuring a female protagonist… Come on guys, I’m dying for a female-led Kamen Rider over here!

8. Black Rock Shooter (8 episodes, 2010) - Anime News Network | MyAnimeList

One of the two anime inspired by the Hatsune Miku song of the same name, this Okada Mari-penned series hones in on the passionate friendships and jealousies of a group of middle-school girls. In a twist that feels informed by the psychological allegory of the popular Persona games, this interpersonal drama plays out in the surreal battle world of the music video, with the titular Black Rock Shooter being the main character’s alter-ego. Of particular interest is the first half’s focus on the blossoming friendship between protagonist Kuroi Mato (Hanazawa Kana) and her shy classmate Takanashi Yomi (Sawashiro Miyuki), which has strong overtones of two girls developing crushes on each other – it doesn’t go smoothly, but hey, that’s life.

9. Izetta: The Last Witch (12 episodes, 2016) - Anime News Network | MyAnimeList

Set during what is basically World War 2, Izetta: The Last Witch asks the daring question of “What if a small European country about to be invaded by alternate-history Nazi Germany could fight back with magic… and what if it was (subtextually) yuri?” The show follows politically-minded princess Finé as she and her best friend (read: girlfriend) Izetta think up ways to leverage the latter’s witchy gifts to save the country from invasion – a rare case of a military anime where female characters are significantly involved at the strategic stage. Those who enjoy the classic princess-and-knight trope may find something to like as long as they are fine with Finé and Izetta not having much relationship development (as their dynamic is established from the start) and them not having many one-on-one scenes together (as the series’ main focus is on the political manoeuvring). Note that this show is also pretty heavy on the fanservice – IIRC there was at least one moment of egregious sexualisation per episode.

Side note: those who like Izetta may also want to check out Last Exile: Fam, the Silver Wing, a female-focused dieselpunk anime with a lot of military strategizing and a very cool world setting, though Izetta is better-paced and the main relationship is much more plot-significant. (That being said I do like the relationship between Fam side characters Tatiana and Alistair… Tatiana is probably the adult character with the most screentime in Fam, being the main characters’ commanding officer, and although it’s very background, she has this cutely settled dynamic with former piloting partner turned wife right-hand woman Alistair.)

10. Violet Evergarden: Eternity and the Auto Memory Doll (movie, 2019) - Anime News Network | MyAnimeList

(Note: this entry’s a slightly weird one, it only covers the first 40 minutes of this movie due to it being basically two episodic stories smushed together into a single package, and only the earlier story is relevant to this list.)

In this standalone spinoff of the Violet Evergarden anime series – itself an adaptation of the light novel series by Akatsuki Kana – the titular protagonist Violet (Ishikawa Yui) takes a break from ghostwriting letters to serve as companion to aloof young noblewoman Isabella York (Kotobuki Minako) in her last months of finishing school. The story is a quiet coming-of-age tale focusing on how the kind (and rather dashing!) Violet helps Isabella to open up, or, in simpler terms, it’s fodder for butler-and-lady fans. Don’t get your hopes up too much, though: Violet learning about her romantic feelings for her deceased male superior is one of the main throughlines of the anime, and this (half of the) movie also ends with a heterosexual arranged marriage for Isabella. That being said, this movie is really a feast for the eyes, its historical-fantasy setting being brought out with beautiful backgrounds and detailed linework, so it’s worth checking out if you don’t mind the very Class S narrative.

Side note: if you want F/F butler-and-lady or princess-and-knight vibes I would really recommend watching Fate/Zero for Saber and Irisviel – yes Irisviel is already married to one of the (male) main characters and yes Saber is absolutely the main love interest for the famously-straight Fate/stay night, but their dynamic is really good and Saber gets to wear a stylish suit and be all chivalrous to a woman… Please watch the third episode of season 1 at least…

11. Canaan (13 episodes, 2009) - Anime News Network | MyAnimeList

There’s quite a lot going on in Canaan – perhaps unsurprisingly so for a spinoff of the FMV visual novel 428: Shibuya Scramble, which is famous for its intertwined storylines – but in true action-movie blockbuster style, all you really need to know is that the titular mercenary Canaan (Sawashiro Miyuki) is on a hunt for her mentor’s protégé-turned-murderer, and a lot of flashy fighting is involved. Also, there's no need to worry if you haven't played the original game, as Canaan is pretty much a standalone work and all of the significant characters are original to the anime. Yuri-minded viewers may enjoy her clashes with the villain Alphard (Sakamoto Maaya), but the main source of F/F subtext is her relationship with the young photographer Maria (Nanjo Yoshino), for whom she cares deeply and must rescue on multiple occasions. However, do be warned that the one canonically queer character in the show – Alphard’s subordinate Liang Qi (Tanaka Rie), who is fixated on her boss – is handled very badly, being portrayed as a raving predatory lesbian who is mocked, rejected, and finally killed by the object of her affections. Canaan and Maria’s relationship is also framed very definitively as friendship by the end of the series, although they don’t get paired off with male characters. IIRC there’s also some fanservice but I can’t remember the details as it was a long time ago, sorry.

12. Ga-Rei: Zero (12 episodes, 2008) - Anime News Network | MyAnimeList

Back in the old days, I had heard this show talked about in the same breath as yuri classics such as Kannazuki no Miko and Mai-Hime, and, well, like those series it comes with significant caveats (though thankfully there is no sexual assault). Although it’s a prequel to the Ga-Rei manga by Segawa Hajime, the anime is basically standalone and focuses on original characters Kagura (Chihara Minori) and Yomi (Mizuhara Kaoru), the latter of whom welcomes protagonist Kagura into her family and demon-hunting squad, only to leave the team in a devastating betrayal. After the explosive opening, the series jumps back to explore the events leading up to that point; fans of director Aoki Ei’s work on Fate/Zero should note that the dark tone disappears in the third episode and never quite comes back even when things get serious. Viewers should also keep their F/F expectations in check, since despite the premise I would say the series is more plot- than character-focused, and on top of that a significant amount of time is devoted to Yomi’s relationship with her male fiancé (Yomi and Kagura have more screentime together, but there’s not much development whereas Yomi and her fiancé are given a whole romantic arc). There is one very fanservicey scene between Kagura and Yomi in a car early on (in episode 3?) which viewers may want to skip, but IIRC it’s an outlier and the rest of the series is nowhere near as bad.

Bonus Rounds

1. Sailor Moon S / Season 3 (38 episodes, 1994) (subtext) - Anime News Network | MyAnimeList

Possibly the most widely-known F/F couple in anime, Haruka and Michiru (Ogata Megumi and Katsuki Masako, respectively), make their first appearance in episode 3 of the third season as mysterious newcomers who refuse to work alongside the Sailor Senshi. Apart from being consistently framed as an ideal couple throughout (they practically cruise to victory in a couple’s contest in episode 5 of S3), they also get some juicy narrative moments, being the main subject of the excellent episodes 17 and 21 – the latter being the mid-season climax. They return in S5 but I haven’t watched that season yet.

Side note: Utena fans may be particularly interested to hear that the aforementioned Haruka-and-Michiru-centric episodes 17 and 21 are helmed by key Utena creatives. Both were written by Enokido Yoji, Utena's lead scriptwriter, while episode 17 was directed by Igarashi Takuya (who storyboarded 5 Utena episodes) and episode 21 was directed by Utena director Ikuhara Kunihiko himself.

2. Mai-Hime (26 episodes, 2004) (canon) - Anime News Network | MyAnimeList

Way back when, Mai-Hime was very popular among yuri fans for including a canonically queer female character who was in love with another female character… even though, like in Kannazuki no Miko which was broadcast the same year, she commits sexual assault against her. For those still curious, Mai-Hime starts out as a quirky fighting-monsters-and-going to school anime but turns into a battle royale where characters fight each other using robots – the twist being that the robots symbolise their love for the person most precious to them, and if destroyed, that person will die. The queer storyline comes in only in the last quarter or so, but is compellingly told and at least the queer character isn’t quite as maniacal or otherwise demonised compared to some others (looking at you, Liang Qi in Canaan). It's a fun reveal, so I won't spoil it here even if you're likely to have heard of it already.

3. Psycho-Pass (41 episodes + 3 movies, 2012) (canon) - Anime News Network | MyAnimeList

Psycho-Pass is set in a dystopian world where people are rated on their criminal tendencies; the main characters’ job as police officers is to arrest those whose tendencies exceed a certain level. The F/F is canon but very, very background; one of the surprise twists of the finale is that forensics expert Karanomori Shion (Sawashiro Miyuki), whose appearance screams “sexy doctor character” but is played with surprising warmth by Sawashiro, is actually in a relationship with seemingly aloof field officer Kunizuka Yayoi (Itou Shizuka). I only watched the first season and so can’t comment on the rest, but apparently they are still in a relationship in the third season.

4. My Next Life as a Villainess: All Routes Lead to Doom! (24 episodes + movie, 2020) (canon) - Anime News Network | MyAnimeList

An adaptation of Yamaguchi Satoru’s popular light novel series, this show headed the wave of reincarnated-villainess isekai, focusing on the bumbling Catarina Claes (Uchida Maaya) – in actuality an otaku who has been reincarnated into an otome game – as she tries desperately to remove her character’s image as a villainess and thereby inadvertently attracts the attentions of many a suitor. Among this reverse harem are three female characters Maria Campbell (Hayami Saori), Mary Hunt (Okasaki Miho), and Sophia Ascart (Minase Inori).

While the female suitors’ romantic interest in Catarina is generally not undermined or played as a joke, they are not necessarily treated as equally valid options compared to the male suitors - it doesn't feel like Catarina has a real chance of ending up with any of the female characters. I've heard this starts becoming more obvious in S2 (which I haven't watched), which apparently focuses on Catarina's relationship development with one particular male suitor compared to the others. Also, the VN spinoff had 6 routes in total (all 4 male suitors + 2 original male characters) but did not include a single female route, despite being non-canon in nature.

[lets-talk-gundam]

Beyond the Time - a brief history of Psycho-frame technology

With the Psycommu firmly establishing its place as a mainstay in many high-performance machines, researchers began focusing their efforts into increasing the effectiveness and capabilities of the system while also miniaturizing the technology.

Engineers under Casval Rem Deikun's Newborn Neo Zeon movement eventually developed a way to build the Psycho-frame directly into the inner frame of a mobile suit by lining the material with a technology known as Psycho-chips. Psycho-chips could replace the large subsystem traditionally required by a by a Psycommu system.

The project was headed by former Earth Federation researcher Nanai Miguel.

With the project's success, the technology was applied to the MSN-04 Sazabi as well as several other machines intended for use by Newtypes.

Hoping to make his final confrontation with his long-time rival Amuro Ray a fair fight, Neo Zeon's supreme leader Char Aznable leaked the technology to Anaheim Electronics. The Psycho-frame would be applied to the RX-93 ν Gundam.

Chan Agi was also given a sample of the Psycho-frame material by October Saran, which at one point resonated her will, manifesting a small Psycho-field to deflect a mega-particle cannon blast.

A mysterious resonance between Char and Amuro's Psycho-frame systems lead to the formation of a Psycho-field. Through sheer force of will, the Psycho-field was able to force the asteroid Axis off course and away from the Earth, preventing Char's plan from coming to fruition. This event would be dubbed the "Axis Shock".

Officially, following the end of the Second Neo Zeon War, development and application of Psycho-frame technology was officially halted citing "too many unknowns" regarding it. Unofficially, however, research continued under the UC Project.

The project would result in the RX-0 Unicorn Gundam, the first full Psycho-frame mobile suit. While previous machines incorporating the Psycho-frame did so near and around the cockpit, the Unicorn interwove the material throughout its entire structure. This allowed a Newtype pilot to potentially directly control the mobile suit through sheer willpower.

The construction of the frame remained consistent with RX-0 units 2 and 3, the Banshee and the Phenex.

Psycho-frame was also known to manifest crystals, dubbed Psycho-shards, when perfect synchronization between pilot and mobile suit is achieved.

Psycho-frame would also be incorporated into some other technologies. Jona Basta wore a Psycho-frame equipped normal suit during his pursuit of Phenex. The exact purpose of the modified normal suit is unclear.

The Psycho-frame would see further development and use over the course of UC history. It would be incorporated into several mobile suits developed by the Federation's Strategic Naval Research Institute, such as the F90N and F91 Gundams.

And finally, nearly a century after its initial development, Psycho-frame technology would be incorporated into the α000-0001 Gaia Gear α. It was the only man-machine known to use such a system.

This is by no means a comprehensive list of machines that use the Psycho-frame, or a compete and fully-documented development history! Think of it as a best-of or a highlight reel of Psycho-frame technology!

This piece was a request from a friend!

[animebw]

Hii. Nice to meet you.

As someone who is a beginner in the anime scene, could you kindly suggest some, which I could start with on crunchyroll....

Something else other than Pokemon, Naruto and DBZ...

Oh boy, lemme see what I got.

*cracks knuckles*

The Absolute Best of the Best: Angel Beats, Neon Genesis Evangelion, March Comes in Like a Lion, Gintama

Action: Attack on Titan, Symphogear, Fate/Zero, Mob Psycho 100, Devilman Crybaby, My Hero Academia, Haikyuu

Adventure: Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood, Made in Abyss, Re:Zero, Hunter x Hunter, Wolf's Rain, Vinland Saga

Sci-Fi: Neon Genesis Evangelion, Psycho-Pass, Vivy Fluorite Eyes' Song, Akudama Drive, Cyberpunk Edgerunners, Gundam Witch, 86 Eighty-Six

Romance: Fruits Basket, Kimi ni Todoke, Love Chuunibyou and Other Delusions, Ore Monogatari, Clannad, Toradora, Kaguya-Sama Love is War, Bloom Into You, Teasing Master Takagi-san

Drama: Hibike Euphonium, Violet Evergarden, A Place Further Than the Universe, The Heike Story, Showa Genroku Rakugo Shinju, The Aquatope on White Sand, Tokyo Magnitude 8.0

Comedy: Nichijou, Bocchi the Rock, Komi Can't Communicate

Slice of Life: K-On, Yama no Susume

Philosophical: Mushishi, Girls' Last Tour, Revolutionary Girl Utena, Revue Starlight, Flip Flappers, Death Parade, Wonder Egg Priority (DO NOT WATCH THE FINAL EPISODE I AM DEAD SERIOUS)

Magical Girl: Cardcaptor Sakura, Madoka Magica, Little Witch Academia

Best Movies: The Tale of Princess Kaguya, Liz and the Blue Bird, Wolf Children, Spirited Away, Ponyo, A Silent Voice, The Wind Rises

There, that should keep you busy for a while, lol. Not all of these titles are on Crunchyroll, but they shouldn't be too hard to track down elsewhere.

[epicocat]

High Grade Gaplant TR-5 Hrairoo with Gigantic Arm Unit (AOZ Reboot Version)

Hoo man what a title. This was a really fun kit, and surprisingly the gaplant itself took most of the build time. The Gaplant itself, as far as I can tell, is a recolor of the original 2006 Gaplant TR-5 Hrairoo kit, complete with the almost intact transformation gimmick (which I did not do because I just like the big arms), and all the many many polycaps; probably my second least favorite part about this kit. Thanks to its age, the Gaplant itself cannot pose that well, but once you do get a pose it will be striking!

The arms themselves are plastic-on-plastic recreations of the Psycho Gundam arms, emphasis on “recreation.” These arm units were completely redesigned from the original Psycho Gundam High Grade and look and pose really damn well! There’s a double bend at the elbow, and each finger can bend at the base and the first digit. Unfortunately the finger joints at the base aren’t particularly strong, so getting them to *hold* anything is a chore at the best and impossible at the worst. I also just really like the shield binders off the shoulders, I just like shoulder connected armor :3c

My absolute biggest gripe with the kit (and is evident in a lot of Advance of Zeta kits so I’m told) is all the left over plastic

There is straight up two entire, nearly untouched Gundam Hazel B runners, A runners, a ton of left over Gaplant parts, etc. I’m not entirely sure what they were thinking with that, but it is a good source of parts for people who make customs. Maybe I’ll take advantage of that and try to make a Hazel Custom or something, or maybe I’ll see if there’s enough parts for a straight Hazel build

[6ft2lesbian]

Think fast!

1, 2, 4, 5, 9, 11, 12, 13, 14

It's Molniya! Thank you! I've been wanting to do this for a while!

Are there any in-sys friend groups that wouldn't happen in canon, but make sense to you?

It's me and Clockwork. Where we're from, we'd be on opposite sides of a war.

2. What source do you have the most fictives from?

It's a tie between Project Guardmaid (a story that Katja is writing) (where I'm from!) and Mobile Suit Gundam. I guess all of us are OCs.

4. Who has the coolest name in your opinion?

To be honest, I think it might be me. It's a mispronunciation of the Russian word for lightning, but I like it a lot. A close second is Rust. Very charming, very simple.

5. What's your favorite thing about your source?

Probably the magic. It's a blessing and a curse. You can do so much.

9. What's a quote or lyric that reminds you of yourself?

To be honest, I could give you a rather intense answer, or I could give you an equally intense answer with a fair helping of introspection. I'm giving you both.

One is from Unjust Depths. I'm no pilot, but something about it really speaks to me.

"Interred in a tomb of steel, the rangefinders and cameras became her eyes. And the guns were the only hands she had, and shooting was the only touch she had left."

Another is from a clicker game called ALTER EGO. One of the characters analyzes you based on how you tell a story(I believe that's how it went), and the last part of her read on us resonated with me very well. I'll post the whole analysis because it also painfully accurate, but I'll highlight the part I'm talking about.

"Deny stable values / Pure Self-Denial.

You must truly hate yourself. With the ability for deep self-analysis, it's so easy to find things to loathe about yourself. You're very pure and connected to your own inquisitive nature. You've never forgotten what it is to be a child, and you tend to thoroughly investigate whatever catches your fancy. You're both incredibly pure, and awfully dangerous. Never fear. There's a place for you here."

11. Who's your best friend in-sys? Would your sources be friends, do you think?

It's Clockwork. Again, we'd be killing each other in an always-war. But once it ended... maybe. Probably. It took me a long time to see automatons as people, but I got there. Earlier than most of my kind, really. Most automatons are more human than any of us ever were. I remember dancing with someone like her post-war, in an underwater manufacturing plant turned university. Huge ballroom, glass ceiling just 30 feet below the surface at low tide. It was beautiful, the way the waves twisted the sunlight down upon us. I traded partners with some officer and this blank-faced automaton girl took my hand. Her voice was lilty and robotic, which was... very strange, considering that most every other automaton I've ever met spoke just like any human would. Great dancer. I think we danced 3 separate times that night. I don't remember much else. Was that her? Probably not.

I've gotten way off topic. I felt like sharing.

12. Do you miss anyone from your source?

Laika, my... lover? She was so cocky and it drove me insane. Gaia's most charming vehicle mechanic. I hope she's doing okay. I hope our daughter is doing okay.

13. What do you look like in the head? How does that compare to your source? The body?

I look almost the same, lithe and toned. Shoulder length silver hair(It's kind of swoopy!) and dull red eyes. Although I dress a lot more informally up here than I did where I'm from. No uniforms. Skinny jeans and long sleeve shirts mostly. Turtlenecks too. Sometimes I wear a plate carrier. Occasionally. Body armor is like a bulletproof hug. It's comforting.

14. What's your favorite song?

Psycho Dreams - Kill Eva

[best-thriller-animanga-tourney]

Here is a tentative list of the girls nominated for best anime FL! I might start the first set (I’ll be doing it in sets of 50) today or tomorrow!

1. Nene Yashiro from Jibaku Shounen Hanako-kun

2. Suletta Mercury from Mobile Suit Gundam Witch from Mercury

3. Haruhi Suzumiya (from The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya)

4. Katarina Claes (My Next Life as a Villainess)

5. Madoka Kaname from Puella Magi Madoka Magica

6. Yona from Yona of the Dawn/Akatsuki no Yona

7. Utena Tenjou from Revolutionary Girl Utena

8. Chiyo Sakura from Gekkan Shoujo Nozaki-kun

9. Clara - Welcome to Demon School Iruma-Kun

10. Michiko Milandra from Michiko and Hatchin

11. Kaguya - The Tale of the Princess Kaguya

12. Jolyne kujo (jojo's bizarre adventure)

13. Arietty - The Secret World of Arietty

14. Yuko Ichihara (xxx holic by clamp)

15. Anthy - Revolutionary Girl Utena

16. Vivy - Vivy: Fluorite Eye's Song

17. Ahiru/Duck from Princess Tutu

18. Touko Nanami - Bloom Into You

19. Akko - Little Witch Academia

20. Coco from Witch Hat Atelier

21. Tohru Honda - Fruits Basket

22. Usagi Tsukino, Sailor Moon

23. Ryuko Matoi (Kill la Kill)

24. Sakura - Cardcaptor Sakura

25. Hina - Weathering With You

26. Oscar (Rose of Versailles)

27. Sorawo - Otherside Picnic

28. Aurora - Sleepy Princess

29. Chihaya from Chihayafuru

30. Maka Albarn (Soul Eater)

31. Hana - Tokyo Godfathers

32. Shouko - A Silent Voice

33. Nobara - Jujutsu Kaisen

34. Chihiro - Spirited Away

35. Abby - Great Pretender

36. Mirai - Mirai no Mirai

37. Hana - Wolf Children

38. Anya - Spy x Family

39. Mizuho - Sonny Boy

40. Hiyori - Noragami

41. Emilia - Re:Zero

42. Casca - Berserk

43. Lucy Heartfilia, Fairy Tail

44. Ponyo - Ponyo

45. Yor Forger, Spy X Family

46. Nikaido, Dorohedoro

47. Noi, Dorohedoro

48. Nezuko, Demon Slayer

49. Kurisu Makise, Steins;Gate

50. Rachel Gardner, Angels of Death

51. Swindler, Akudama Drive

52. Power, Chainsaw Man

53. Emma, The Promised Neverland

54. Akane Tsunemori, Psycho Pass

55. Suzume Iwato, Suzume

56. Maquia, Maquia

57. Mima Kirigoe, Perfect Blue

58. Tome, Mob Psycho 100

59. Winry Rockbell, Fullmetal Alchemist

60. Riza Hawkeye, Fullmetal Alchemist

61. Celty, Durarara

62. Nina Fortner, Monster

63. Faye Valentine, Cowboy Bebop

64. Fuu, Samurai Champloo

65. Carole, Carole and Tuesday

66. Tuesday, Carole and Tuesday

67. Kayo Hinazuki, Erased

68. Koharu Hondomachi, ID Invaded

69. Alice, Pandora Hearts

70. Nausicaa

71. San, Princess Mononoke

72. Sophie Hatter, Howl’s Moving Castle

73. Sheeta, Castle in the Sky

74. Shizuku Tsukishima, Whisper of the Heart

75. Kiki, Kiki’s Delivery Service

76. Emilico, Shadows House

77. Mitsumi, Skip and Loafer

78. Ryougi Shiki, Garden of Sinners

79. Shizuku, My Little Monster

80. Violet Evergarden

81. Kaguya, Kaguya Sama

82. Touka, Tokyo Ghoul

83. Nana, Talentless Nana

84. Haruhi Fujioka, OHSHC

85. Sagiri, Hell’s Paradise

86. Re-L Mayer, Ergo Proxy

87. Eru, Hyouka

88. Chise, Ancient Magus Bride

89. Frieren, Sousou no Frieren

90. Maomao, Apothecary Diaries

91. Misaki, Maid Sama

92. Chiyuki, Death Parade

93. Falin Touden

94. Marcille

95. Hotaru, A Condition Called Love

96. Aya, Undead Girl Murder Farce

97. Yuki, A Sign of Affection

98. Hibari Ozora (Stop!! Hibari-kun!)

99. Saya Otonashi (Blood+)

100. Hitomi Kanzaki (The vision of Escaflowne)

101. Kokomine Cocona (Flip Flappers)

102. Misaki Mei (Another)

103. Chika Takami (Love Live! Sunshine!!)

104. Kaede Kayano (Assassination Classroom)

105. Sakura Minamoto (Zombie Land Saga)

106. Hitori Gotoh (Bocchi the Rock!)

107. Neko Musume (Gegege no Kitaro)

108. Chisato Nishikigi (Lycoris Recoil),

109. Yuki Cross, Vampire Knight

110. Guideau, The witch and the beast

111. Chateau, Love of Kill

112. Kaori, Your Lie in April

113. Shizuka Mikazuki, Zom 100

114. Kyouko Hori, Horimiya

115. Riko, Made in Abyss

116. Motoko Kusanagi, Ghost in the Shell

117. Kuroki Tomoko, WataMote

118. Holo, Spice and Wolf

119. Miyo, My Happy Marriage

120. Sawako, Kimi ni Todoke

121. Lucy, Cyberpunk Edgerunners

122. Kokomi Teruhashi, Disastrous Life of Saiki K

123. Asuka, NGE

124. Rei, NGE

125. Yumeko Jabami, Kakegarui

126. Retsuko, Aggretsuko

127. Haru, Beastars

128. Rae Taylor, I’m in love with the villainess

129. Haru, My Roommate is a Cat

130. Rea, Sankarea

131. Fujiko Mine, Lupin the Third

132. Revy, Black Lagoon

133. Sarasa Watanabe, Kageki Shoujo!!

134. Midori Asakusa, Keep your hands off Eizoken!

[ladyloveandjustice]

My Top Seven Anime I Watched in 2022

Here are the best of the best, alongside a few bonus good, good anime. Please note that I’m only including premieres I actually watched in 2022, and there are a few ones I haven’t gotten to yet. I only started watching Bocchi the Rock! this month (and I’m enjoying it) and I’ve heard good things about Raven of the Inner Palace, so I’m planning on checking that out.

Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch From Mercury

Suletta Mercury arrives at her new school with a mech named Aerial and a checklist of friendship milestones she wants to achieve after being homeschooled for years- only to immediately get involved in giant robot duels and engaged to a prickly heiress. Unbeknownst to Suletta, she’s a tool in her mother’s revenge scheme against the terrible corporation that destroyed their family, and things will only get more complicated. Sometimes a fun romp, sometimes an action-filled thriller, and saving its best twist for the very end, this might just be the anime of the year for me. The romance between the two girls at the heart of the series always has you rooting for it, it introduces you to some great kids (and a ton of cool ladies) and as a bonus, it’s wonderfully inclusive. The only think holding me back is the fact it’s not over yet! I’m praying the second season keeps up the good work.

Read my full review here.

Spy x Family

The smash hit about a spy dad, assassin mom, and telepath child who all form a ‘fake’ family- but will they develop real familial feelings? Cute, funny, nicely animated and full of wacky fights and missions, it needs no introduction. It’s just a good time! The second season isn’t quite as strong as the first, but it’s fun to watch throughout and there’s more good material coming!

Read my full reviews here and here.

Akiba Maid War

A fun genre mashup that depicts early 2000’s maid cafes engaged in violent battles over territory (similar to yakuza movies). Features a lot of outrageous comedy and the world’s most loveable terrifying murder maid in Ranko. One of my favorites of the year.

Read my full review here.

Kaguya-sama: Love is War Season 3

The romantic comedy offers some slick animation and bombastic humor as always, while featuring some truly satisfying relationship development.

Read my full review here.

Mob Psycho 100 Season 3

The final season of one of the best anime of the last decade, it offers a perfect resolution to the offbeat relationship of young psychic Mob and his con-man mentor Reigen, while making a strong final statement on the series’ themes of power, identity, self-acceptance and deception.

Read my full review here.

The Executioner and Her Way of Life

In Menou’s world, kids dropping in from Japan and gaining incredible superpowers is a common occurrence. This rarely ends well, so it’s Menou’s job to murder these teens before they can become threats. But her latest target, Akari, has powers that make her unkillable- and she has feelings for Menou! What’s an assassin to do? A darker take on the isekai formula, the show is uneven in parts, but it’s a fun ride and most importantly, full of flawed, murderous women getting in cool fights and having romantic attention for each other. I gotta love it. The world has a ton of potential, so I hope this yuri action romp will get a follow up someday.

Read my full review here.

Birdie Wing: Golf Girls’ Story

A tough teenager is embroiled in an illegal golf ring run by the mafia- you heard me- and while navigating ridiculous obstacles and dirty tactics, she becomes smitten with a rival Japanese golfer named Aoi and wants nothing more than to see her again…

I debated on whether to include this because the second season is really going to dictate how I feel about it, but it made a hell of an impression, so I had to. After all, in the first episode alone, Eve hits a golf ball through a moving train while up against someone in a clown mask. A gloriously stupid and ludicrous take on golf that only anime could do, Birdie Wing makes the most of its low budget to give a unforgettable experience. Just please don’t do a “Eve and Aoi are secretly sisters” twist in Season 2.

Read my full review here.

Bonus anime I really enjoyed:

Aharen-san wa Hakaranai (Aharen is Impossible to Understand) is a very adorable, funny anime about two ridiculous kids finding each other and has a nice trans-positive treatment of one character,

 Shikimori’s not Just a Cutie (review here) is a cute anime about a soft-hearted boy and a very cool girl who date,

Ya Boy Kongming! is an anime about famous military strategist from the Three Kingdoms era suddenly finding himself in modern Japan. He comes across a talented but unknown singer and decided to put his gift for strategy to use in managing her singing career and helping her to the top. This is just plain fun, and has a really sweet (and shippable) female friendship at it’s core by the end.

And finally, Sasaki and Miyano (review here) is a slow paced but sweet romance between two boys.

[incorrecttowerofgodquotes]

Gundam: The Witch From Mercury Episode 12 Review

- On this episode of Gundam, we have pain and suffering!

- Already getting real fucking tired of Sophie. I mean I love psycho lesbians, but she’s seriously fucked up. Also it seems the Dawn of Fold girls are either genetically modified like El4n, or less stress is out in their body due to the absence of GUND Bits. However, the fact that they’re affected by Permet once again makes me question what the fuck is up with Aerial. Also Dawn of Fold has truly gone from resistance group to actual terrorists. Their job was to kill Delling, but they destroyed the base and murdered the people working there

- Prospera is the stinkiest fucking bitch in this series. She doesn’t even refer to Suletta as her daughter, just as “that girl.” And the brainwashing she’s doing to Suletta, telling her it’s perfectly fine to murder and not feel guilty is fucked up. The fact that her voice never changed tone in her entire convo with Suletta shows how fake she is. If she really cared about her daughter, she would comfort her and tell her that murder is wrong but sometimes a person has no choice, but they should always choose to prioritize lives and only kill when absolutely needed.

- The Earth Houses almost got caught up in the cross fire, but luckily Nika came to the rescue. Though now Martin saw her and knows she’s up to shady shit. It’s sweet that he knew she was missing and went back to her but he ended up seeing something he shouldn’t have. There are three ways this can play out:

1) Martin immediately tells the other guys and Nika gets excommunicated

2) Nika explains herself and Martine keeps it a secret

3) Nika’s terrorist upbringing kicks in and she kills him

- Shaddiq’s plans got foiled once again, but he doesn’t seem too shaken up. He wanted Delling’s head but he caused a big shakeup when in the Benerit Group still. But he’ll have to watch his back carefully. Because when one man learns he was behind this… he’s dead. Speaking of that man-

- Guel…just my boy Guel…

- I don’t think words can fully articulate how broken I am from that moment. But that’s not even a fragment of what Guel is feeling

- If this were any other anime, Guel would have came in just in time to help out, but instead he ended up murdering his dad. He tried to play the hero but he ruined his entire life. His thoughts of wanting to see Suletta again and not wanting to die really resound because he’s still just a child. He has so many things ahead of him, but now he’ll be stuck in a prison of self-torment due to his accidental patricide.

- Where will he go from this? Well they’re are a lot of ways, and none of them good. He could finally join the squad and either bond with Suletta (over both having killed a guy) or Miorine (over watching someone get killed brutally). Or he could go back to Jeturk and meet up with Lauda who’ll probably say he didn’t anything wrong, but that’s not at all what Guel wants to hear. Or he’ll go one a one man army to kill Shaddiq, either sneakily or just straight up fighting him and the harem. All I know is that my son is horribly traumatized and the show will probably go in for yet another punch in April

- Miorine and Delling’s moment really fucking hurt. Her dad wasn’t good to her, but he still wanted to protect her as decided by himself and her mother. Miorine, with all these conflicting feelings, wants her dad to lives cause even though she hates him, she still hopes that one day they could be a family. She’s doing her best to take care of protect her dad, even shielding him like he did to her when facing the end of a gun. And just when it looks like she’s saved by Suletta, everything crashes back down. The person she trusted more than anyone else and hoped to live the rest of life with committed a terrible atrocity in front of her and didn’t even care. I doubt she’ll be able to look at Suletta any longer, and any attempt to laugh it off will just hurt Miorine.

- Those tomato’s growing in the greenhouse… Miorine took such good care of them. She hoped to make them blossom and become their best selves. But Suletta squashed it. Now there’s nothing remaining but the icky guts of a once pure love.

- And now Suletta. frankly:

WHAT THE FUCK

- The way Suletta went from terrified of people being killed to happily squashing a man, making a joke about slipping in his innards, and then attempting to touch Miorine with those filthy hands is way too jarring. While some might say we’re carrying on from the Eri’s actions in the prologue, there’s a clear difference between the two. Eri had no idea what was happening. She just thought they were playing a little game on her birthday. She didn’t understand the concept of death. But Suletta fully knows well how precious life is and she squashed it under hand, making no mention of it. The problem is t that she killed a man, it’s that she disregarded him completely after he was dead. She continued on with her happy life, unburdened by the man who’s life was cut short. She had a choice. She could have put her hand in between them or pick him up and yeeted him, but she didn’t. She didn’t assess the situation and choose the option with no fatalities, she just jumped straight in with no regard for life and murdered a man.

- “If you run away you gain one, but if you move forward you gain two” This has been a message that permeates throughout the entire anime. At first, it’s very inspirational, but here we see the true colors of such a saying. Sometimes, it’s best to run away. Sometimes, it’s best to not use force. Because if you move forward, you have the capability of losing more than you gain. Guel attempted to move forward and killed his dad, Suletta attempted to move forward and lost her innocence as well as became a demon in Miorine’s eyes. Only Prospera, a revengeful woman still mad over having to leave in order to save Eri and her life would create such a saying. It’s a saying rooted in nothing but regret and burning hatred. Suletta’s blind faith in her mother has distorted the way she sees the world. Either she’ll be deprogrammed, or will be used as a weapon by her “loving” mother. However, only Suletta can do this. No one can save her but herself.

- With the second cour coming in April, we have a long ways to wait. Our three main characters, Suletta, Miorine, and Guel have all seen or committed an atrocity, one they will never fully heal from. Whether or not they can move forward in the good way, the bad way, or just run away is to be seen.

[silencedrowns]

Hello hello! I started watching Witch from Mercury and I'm 5 episodes in but fully entraced by the show. I've never watched any Gundam before but would like to give it a go. I've taken some of your suggestions before for things (like Nier!) and have never been disappointed. Do you have a recommendation on what to start with for Gundam? Do you have strong opinions on sub v dub?

Thanks much Diana and give your cats a pet for me

omg thank you so much

if you like Gwitch, well, it’s very different from every other Gundam but you can’t go entirely wrong with giving yourself brain worms by consuming the main plot line UC series (original/0079, Zeta Gundam, ZZ Gundam, Char’s Counterattack), since every other series is taking heavy inspiration from these and it’ll give you a strong foundation even if ZZ is. well. It’s ZZ. Gwitch took a lot of cues from Zeta in particular. Try watching the original and if you’re struggling to get through it, the movie compilations are a good primer. Honestly I think almost every fan of anime in general should watch Mobile Suit Gundam (1979), whether in the original TV or the movies. It’s one of the most heavily riffed on and referenced series to ever exist. A Western equivalent is it’s like watching sci-fi without having seen Star Wars, watching detective media without seeing any film noir movies, or watching horror without having seen Halloween or Psycho. You’re missing part of the storytelling language.

The other thing about asking me in particular is that I had one of the most insane Gundam viewing orders of all time and still turned out okay, in that my first was Wing (disliked) and my second was Turn A (adored to an impossible level, changed my life, top favorite anime of all time). Ideally Turn A should not be your first. However. It is a masterpiece. And unlike almost every other fan I genuinely believe if you can’t connect to the others, but Turn A turns out to be your shit, just watch Turn A. Something I believe about Gundam that is NOT the mainstream opinion is that while a lot of the series are best watched after others, you probably can pick any Gundam that speaks to you and start there, even if some of the grognard type fans will yell at you for it. Even if some of the series are objectively kinda terrible starting points (please don’t pick Narrative as a starting point because even if they tried to market it as such you’ll get nothing out of it without Unicorn first and also it sucks ass), what’s most important is that you enjoy what you’re watching!

Oh yeah, side note. Since you mentioned you like Nier, I’d do 0079 and then add in 0080. It’s six episodes! It’s heart breaking! You’ll have a miserable time (positive)!!!

For Gundam in particular, as a franchise, I tend to vastly prefer the subs except for Wing because that’s what I watched since I am a seiyuu fan and you have NO IDEA how many other series will be riffing off any major Gundam actors’ roles, especially if they cast the people who played Char and Amuro.

bonus side note: you won’t get as much out of it unless you’ve seen the UC stuff I don’t think but Build Fighters (first season) is an absolute love letter to the fandom as a whole and delighted me for the whole show. highly recommended but like, as a fandom celebration sort of show.

ps here’s a Mishka

[vanilla-blessing]

qb's top 10 seasonal anime of 2022

2022 in anime was a year of many known quantities, but what really ended up sticking out were the shows few saw coming before they took the world by storm, and before we knew it, everyone was watching a guitar-playing pink blob with severe anxiety while drawing her band on every album cover ever made. 2022 was the year I watched a new Gundam for the first time, I experienced unforgettable trash gems like Pride of Orange, ESTAB-LIFE, and Extreme Hearts, and I was let down more by the wasted potential of the Biscuit Hammer anime than any anime I've ever watched, easily. All considered, this year was unusually good on average for the shows I finished, so I ended up with a glut of series I wanted to put on this list that I had to cut down for time. I would make this list longer, but you know, then it might come out in 2024.

Top 10 in order:

Cyberpunk Edgerunners - Studio TRIGGER's take on the world of Cyberpunk 2077 was an unexpected contender - it was announced so long ago I sort of forgot about it, I wasn't expecting much from the batch release of a Netflix-Trigger anime after BNA's messy release, I underestimated the potential of Cyberpunk 2077 as a setting after the very public trash fire of the video game, and it should have been overshadowed by the next thing after a quick Netflix dump in the middle of a season. Should have had its lunch eaten by the similarly edgy violent action of Chainsawman, should have been yet another failed videogame anime, but none of this stopped Cyberpunk Edgerunners from being the anime I enjoyed the most from 2022.

Bocchi the Rock - the breakout hit school band anime of 2022 was also relatively unexpected, although I at least knew it was stacked with talented animators going in, I didn't predict the sheer memetic power of the result. This series shatters the fourth wall over its knee and livens up an already pretty funny manga with demented, free-flowing gags in a particular way that wouldn't work at all without detailed and well planned sequences which come off so naturally it's hard to believe this was originally a (lightly subversive but still) 4 panel strip. The album cover redraws were the best thing to come out of Bocchi and I hope they never end.

Pop Team Epic 2 - some kind of fucked up comic strip but aoi shouta is there? I thought they promised they wouldn't make this

Mob Psycho 100 III - everything I said about the second season of the popular shonen manga adaptation but moreso, it finishes out the series in exactly the way I hoped it would. Third OP is just mad flexing. look how many hands we can draw. Episode 8 changed my life forever. knowing they nailed the landing retroactively improves the whole series for me.

Do It Yourself - original anime by studio PINE JAM, DIY is pure aesthetic hobby-ani with a mildly entertaining cast of extremely animated characters. very enjoyable but may not have enough momentum or things happening for some. soundtrack is another standout by y0c1e but at a noticeably different speed from Gleipnir and Spyce.

Kaguya-sama Love is War: Ultra Romantic - everything I said about the second season of the popular romcom manga adaptation but moreso, it reaches the climactic peak of the series in exactly the way I hoped it would. I'm still reeling from the entire rap battle episode (sub and dub), and can't believe the Starship Troopers ED was real.

My Dress Up Darling (Sono Bisque Doll wa Koi wo Suru) - excellent manga adaptation, effectively gets across the dangerously horny but strangely wholesome vibe of the series.

The Demon Girl Next Door Season 2 - everything I said about the first season of the popular magical girl romcom manga adaptation but moreso, it reaches an inflection point in the manga with exactly the same manic pacing and blatant disregard for breathing room I hoped it would. out of everything else on my list I hope the most this one gets another season, because it kind of needs it.

Mobile Suit Gundam: Witch from Mercury - original anime in the long-running GUNDAM series which is sort of like Robot Jox for kids. This is definitely the first time I've watched anything from Gundam before it was completed and I immediately regretted not having more to watch as a direct consequence. Half of my enjoyment right now is coming from experiencing it in tandem with the rest of the internet, but it's sure to hold up in retrospect as one of the best modern Gundam seasons. Look forward to a future very annoying post by me claiming g-witch ripped off Granbelm.

Call of the Night - another above and beyond manga adaptation, probably the anime OP of the year. It strongly intensified my longing for studio SHAFT to not be dead anymore.

Assorted Shoutouts

Going by rating number scale rules, Chainsawman and Spy X Family should be here, but I'm not going by rating, I'm going by what I feel deserves more attention. those anime already have too much recognition.

The Executioner and Her Way of Life (Shokei Shoujo no Virgin Road) - If you asked me what the most hidden gem is from 2022, this is what I would answer immediately. Irresponsibly complicated and unusual take on the hated isekai genre in the most disrespectful way possible, twisting anything familiar about that tired setting into an unrecognizable pretzel shape. Recommending this is a challenge, because the less I explain the better it is, but nobody would want to watch this on its face. Everyone should watch it though.

Ya Boy Kongming - banger soundtrack and some eye-popping color choice elevates this manga adaptation from average to a certified Cool Time.

JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: STONE OCEAN - My favorite (not best) Jojo part, the anime greatly improves the readability of the last third from the manga. Tokyo Mew Mew New - It's almost comforting how little they tried to update the love triangle of incredibly shit boyfriends in this remarkably normal magical girl anime reboot. I pleaded for someone to make a normal regular magical girl anime reboot and they delivered something totally acceptable.

Reiwa Di Gi Charat - Dejiko drags society kicking and screaming into the Reiwa era. This is the anime of all time of 1999, 2022 and 2023.

qb - friend of the no show (@queuebae on twitter still, unfortunately)

[aeroplaneblues]

Alright! its time for top anime of 2022 list🎉

This year I didn't watched that many however I did found some good ones! 2 of those are recurring shows which I try to avoid, as this might be used as a rec list, but I like them that much!

the tldr; is on twitter

10- Vampire in the garden: this one was on netflix which I guess is why it didn't get that much attention, i like the concept and visuals were very nice its a bittersweet end but I quite enjoyed. 09- Raven of the inner palace: the story is interesting, its starts very monster of the week style with ghosts then moves to a main villain, the relationships between the MC and the rest of the cast is honestly the highlight. My only complain is pronunciation of the names are jp localized so I hope this gets a chinese dub. 08- Gundam: the witch of mercury: the last gundam i watched was wing and do not remember anything but i know its reputation, I gave this one a chance because the designs are really fun and I also went in with the idea that it was yuri bait. TURNS OUT this might not be what I was expecting, there is one more ep of this + the rest of the cour so I'm hoping it improves from here. The characters carry this for me even the background ones, they all feel like characters not props! Plus ZERO GRAVITY HUGS!! 07- Mob psycho 100 III: I know this list is numbered but I love all of these equally ! However, this in comparison with s1 and s2 is one of the weakest, maybe bc it had to close loose ends? idk but its still a good one, the moment I cry was with ekubo more than reigen i know i know but reigen had his moment in s2 and I think that hit harder. Time to read the manga! 06- My dress-up darling: this is ecchi, im saying this first bc if people barely tolerate bnha fanservice this is not for you. I usually avoid this but I was dumb and didn't saw the tag😂 and I got attached to the main characters and the story, I read the manga and the ecchi is very far and far between as the story progresses. I think it has a lot of heart and its quite fun love story, plus you learn so much about cosplaying! 05- Sasaki and miyano: cutest bl I've ever watched/read, sasaki reminds me of childe which I find it so funny I can't unsee it. Miyano isn't your uwu protagonist and their relationship is build sloooowly on a lot of love and respect. Its nice to see this type of bl without its usual uh nonsense. 04- The case study of vanitas II: the thing about this second season is that i didn't know if bones was going to adapt everything, the manga updates at shoujo pace and has had rough months of absence HOWEVER it was all adapted, like a month after the last ch came out we saw that ep which is the wildest thing for me tbh. Anyway that last ep is why this is here, it was the BEST fight scene ending like [SPOILERS] watch it, it was amazing. 03- Chainsaw man: yeah i know ofc this is here, this is one of the best adaptations I've ever watched, it is beyond perfect. Several episodes I felt like I was watching a movie, can't rec it enough it even has its own mads mikkelsen inspired character voiced by the same va of the other mads mikkelsen inspired character from my other fave show. Also love the detail how mappa draws shoes as fujimoto draws them. 02- Spy x family: this is another good adaptation, I started reading this manga in 2019?? And I kept thinking how GOOD of a story it was and it was a shame so little attention it got, but now with the anime its got the much deserved attention. I adore it immensely, here is hoping for a continuous success.

01- Bocchi the rock: THIS is at the top bc of how relatable it is for me and what a nice surprise to know its actually a good anime. I was expecting it to be another "cute girls do cute things" like "do it yourself" from this year and I wasn't wrong its just that it has a little more depth than that. All the girls have good and bad traits, goals and obstacles to overcome so the story focuses on that with their collective goal of playing music. As someone with social anxiety that lean on rock/playing guitar to make friends and not succeeding on that front I want to see bocchi accomplish her goals, its cathartic like that. Also the animator are truly having fun with the different styles of animating the jokes which is always a treat to watch.

If you got it to this part, thank you so much for reading! If you give any of this a chance and like them let me know! I love talking about anime as you can see haha. I hope next year the season isn't as dry mid way so I get to watch more!

Happy New Year!!🎉

[animefeminist]

Chatty AF 176: 2022 Fall Wrap-Up

Vrai, Peter, and Dee try their best to wrap-up the thematically dense Fall 2022 season!

Episode Information

Date Recorded: January 8, 2023 Hosts: Vrai, Peter, and Dee

Episode Breakdown

0:00:00 Intros Neutral Zone 0:01:58 My Master Has No Tail 0:06:37 Do It Yourself! 0:10:41 Raven of the Inner Palace It’s… Complicated 0:18:25 Chainsaw Man Feminist Potential 0:23:19 Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch from Mercury 0:31:11 I’m the Villainess so I’m Taming the Final Boss 0:38:02 BOCCHI THE ROCK! 0:48:47 Akiba Maid War Sequels & Carryovers 0:58:35 SPY x FAMILY cour 2 1:02:49 Pop Team Epic Season 2 1:04:24 Mob Psycho 100 III 1:10:45 Outro

Further Reading

2022 Fall Premiere Digest

2022 Fall Three-Episode Check-In

[animebw]

There are still a couple more shows on my PTW list for this season that haven’t aired yet.

Why the fuck do I do this to myself.

Akiba Maid War: Watch this show I am begging you on my knees

Bibliophile Princess: The cinematic equivalent of crusty molasses. Dropped.

Blue Lock: Whoever came up with “Edgy death game but it’s actually a shonen sports anime“ is a goddamn genius.

Bocchi the Rock: Has the potential to be the best cute girls band show since K-On.

Chainsaw Man: I’m officially aboard this hype train let’s GOOOOOOOOOOO

Do It Yourself: It’s a damn good season for cute girls, what can I say?

I’m the Villainness, So I’m Taming the Final Boss: I feel like otome isekai genre is rapidly growing just as stale as its male counterpart, but this one might have some life to it.

Mob Psycho 100 Season 3: ONE AND ONLY OOOOOOONE

Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch From Mercury: GUNDAM UTENA GUNDAM UTENA GUNDAM UTENA GUNDAM UTENA GUNDAM UTENA

My Hero Academia Season 6: The fact there’s no movie announced this time gives me hope this season will rise to the top again. Fingers crossed!

My Master Has No Tail: Feels like the weakest parts of Eccentric Family and Rakugo Shinju combined. This one is next on the chopping block if it doesn’t pick up soon.

Pop Team Epic Season 2: I still don’t get the double voice actor gimmick tbh

Raven of the Inner Palace: Historical fantasy josei with courtroom politics and social commentary? You better believe I’m here for that.

Reincarnated as a Sword: Yeah, it’s the obligatory isekai, what do you want from me?

Spy x Family: Are you ready for more Anya faces? Because I sure am!

Urusei Yatsura: Just Lum Just Lum Just Lum Just Lum Just Lum Just Lum Just Lum Just Lum Just Lum Just Lum

Yama no Susume Season 4: Okay, but... this season isn’t gonna be all recap, right?

[epicocat]

If you were a pilot of any gundam, which one would you choose/which one do you think you would be assigned?

So this question has 3 answers

1: which *gundam* I’d like to pilot? Gundam Flauros (Ryusei-Go) from Iron Blooded Orphans

It can turn into a crab!!!

2: which mobile suit? The zogok, my personal favorite of the abandoned California Base suits

3: which suit would I be assigned?

The short answer? I can’t know for sure

The long answer… mwahaha

So the answer can broken into 3 main components

1: what universe Im supposedly a pilot in (and when)

2: who i side with

3: how good of a pilot am I

I’ll answer 3 off the bat and answer everything else accordingly. I am a decent pilot at best. Not *the* best, but not terrible. I’d at least qualify as an Ace Pilot (5 kills)

So 1 is a fun one because gundam has… a lot of different universes

This is currently the most accurate chart, just imagine the Witch from Mercury in the corner by the PD timeline

So let’s go down the line

UC

Earth Federation

So starting in the OYW (One Year War), the Federation got mobile suits much later than Zeon did, so my options are severely limited, especially considering I’m not part of the White Base. I have 2 options

The GM and the Ball.

I pray to god I get the GM.

There’s also the Guncannon and Guntank Massed Production Types I could pilot if I’m lucky

However after the OYW, the feddies created the Titans, and went through an experimental phase, creating suit after suit like the Hazel and Wondwart

The Titans would also make suits like the Hizack, Asshimar, and Gaplant, all of which are good contenders for being piloted.

Then the Titans got cut out and their MS stopped being produced and were all sent to storage or scrapyards. However the Feds were far from finished. They took the GM and make countless upgrades, making the GM II and III, the Jegan, and the Jesta

Now this is about where my knowledge of the EFF ends so I’ll move on

The Republic of Zeon

Now Zeon has a much more varied history, and I will be including Neo Zeon suits when it applies

So to start, Zeon had the humble Zaku, which then became the Zaku II. Later the suit was upgrades into the Gouf prototypes. Those are likely the suits I’d get if I joined in the early OYW

Now mid OYW is a fun one because Zeon did a LOT with aquatic suits. If I’m lucky I could land a Gogg, Zock, Z’gok, Acguy, or even a Hy-Gogg, though probably not the Experimental Z’gok seen in 0080 War in the Pocket

Towards the end of the war, Zeon introduced the Gelgoog and Rick Doms, which became their new mass produced MS

Although after that, Zeon dissolved thanks to all of their leaders fucking dying (The Duke was killed by his son, who was killed by his sister, who was killed by Char Aznable. Dozle died gloriously in combat)

However, thanks to Haman, Zeon rose again as Neo Zeon, and their army of transformable Gazas. I’d rather pilot a Ball than a Gaza, so I think that demonstrates how bad the Gazas are.

But that’s not all Neo Zeon did, as they also produced several other suits for their regular MS corps. Suits like the Zssa (pronounced z-sah, all one syllable), which I would gladly pilot. Look at her, who wouldn’t?

And Neo Zeons most infamous mass production suit, the Döven Wolf. The half pint Psycho Gundam covered end to end in beam cannons, with detachable arms that can grab into enemy suits, or swing beam sabers. Oh also, it has a psycommu system, which meant Neo Zeon had some damn FAITH that all their soldiers are innate newtypes

They also had the Zaku III, but that was kinda Generals only

Anti Earth Union Group

Rick Dias, it’s kinda their only mass production suit

I've reached my photo limit, so I'll just start directing to the Gundam wiki

And that’s all my UC knowledge

G Gundam

I’ve still gotta finish this one, I’ll get back to you on this

Wing

SEED

AGE

X

These are series I have yet to actually watch, so I’ll get back to you here too

Iron-Blooded Orphans

Gjallerhorn

Gjallerhorn isn’t very creative with its soldier suits, so I’d be stuck with a Graze, either the space or land variant

Tekkadan

Despite being a bunch of kids, Tekkadan has a surprising variety in their suits. I obviously wouldn’t be getting any of their Gundam frames, but I’d likely end up running a Landman Rodi, or a Shiden

Shidens are technically Teiwaz suits but Tekkadan uses the a lot

Turbines

They have Hyakurens. That’s it. Naze seems like a nice guy tho

Witch From Mercury

So this just depends on 1.5 things, whether I'm a student at the academy and which company I'm repping.

If I rep Jertuk Heavy Machinery, I'll be using a Dilanza

Peil Technologies would give me a Zowort

and lastly Grassley Defense Systems would give me a Heindree or Beguir-Pente

If im out of the school however, that would be a Dilanza Sol from JHM, a Zowort Heavy from Peil, or a Heindree Sturm from GDS. Im not providing the links, they're just variants of the aforementioned suits.

And finally, the Desultor (thanks JHM) if I side with the Earthian terrorist organization/freedom fighters: The Dawn of Fold.

If anyone knows more than me in anything I *have* talked about, feel free to correct or add anything!

I will be adding addendums once I've finally watched or read that particular piece of gundam media

Hope this answered your question! :3