#what I already have being S1 of the anime and a few episodes of S2

[chiibinomonodamon]

WHO WANTS TO HEAR ME RAMBLE ABOUT GAY FURRY DEMON SEX? XD

(damn, there's a sentence I never thought I'd say....)

Okay...so I see some Stolitz confusion and bashing online and I need to type up a defense here because I won't be able to sleep otherwise lol

I consider myself to be a Ship Critic and someone who takes shipping rather seriously.

What I mean by this is, I like to analyze and break down romantic relationships between fictional characters because it's just interesting to write for me. I especially take delight in friendly debating with opinions that I strongly do *not* agree with.

Let me start off by saying I am NOT a "this ship is awesome because gay furry sex lol" type of girl.

FAR from it. I'm generally more passionate about hetero ships between human characters (because I can relate to them more) among other reasons. So if you wanna dismiss my defense as "shallow fangirlism", you can forget about that lame excuse.

I fell in love with Hazbin Hotel when it was finally released in February and suffered waiting for each new two-parts per week. During that time, I decided to watch Helluva Boss as well, after a friend showed me a particularly soul-crushing clip (Moxxie's childhood trauma about his mother).

Yes, I like funny sex jokes as much as the next goofy adult but scenes like this, scenes that carry a very heavy emotional weight are what really get me in the end, even moreso when VERY little dialogue is exchanged. I knew I had to watch the entire episode run after seeing that the creators had a talent for this.

I saw people asking:

"How did Stolas go from using Blitz as a sex toy to being painfully in love with him?"

Oh I can tell you. I can tell you the EXACT moment this is revealed. But it's not spoon-fed to you; it's quite subtle actually and this is why lots of people miss it.

See, one of the strongest talents Vivenne has shown me is that she REALLY knows how to get her characters to communicate their feelings to the viewers JUST from their expressions and body language. These can be 'blink-and-miss-it' teeny little scenes and it may require a couple rewatches.

But since people demand time stamps for all information others post here, I'll rewatch a few scenes from S1 E7 'Ozzie's' as I'm typing this.

'Ozzie's' remains to be not just my favorite episode of HB...but probably my favorite episode of any adult-targeted animated show outside of Japan (aside from S2 E7's Mid-Season Special)

It has this huge reveal for both Blitzo and Stolas.

We'll first address Blitzo's irrational, stalkerish behavior of Moxxie and Millie.

He's obsessed with them. He finds both of them very attractive, fantasizes about threesomes with them and is constantly inserting himself into their personal lives.

Why?

Because they have everything that he badly badly wants for himself.

They have the perfect marriage and he is trying to live THROUGH them.

This was hilarious to me at the beginnning of the show but it's slowly revealed that it's one of the most tragic and depressing things I've ever seen. And it's scarily realistic too.

But you know this already so let's move on...

Blitzo follows the couple to Ozzie's but he can't get in without a date. So he calls up Stolas and yes, this is very low but he doesn't realize how much this means to Stolas (hell, I'm not sure even Stolas realizes it himself!) but the owl man is giddy with joy, he rushes over and they enter Ozzie's.

When Ozzie and Fizz mock Moxxie for being so sappy towards his wife, this strikes a chord with Blitzo (because they're his IDEAL relationship) and he speaks up to defend them.

NOW PAY CLOSE ATTENTION; THIS IS THE IMPORTANT PART:

Fizz, still holding onto his past grudge turns on Blitzo to humilate him:

"Some nerve you got commenting on a relationship"

Time Stamp: 11:37

As Fizz says "-ship", Blitzo VERY QUICKLY makes eye contact with Stolas who has a look of panic on his face. Blitzo is seeking VALIDATION from Stolas in this sharp, subtle second of screentime, as if to ask

"Well, ARE we in one?"

And then what happens next...Stolas remains silent, Blitzo's ex joins in to announce how selfish Blitzo was in bed with her, tearing him down further. Stolas stands up like he's going to put a stop to it but then Ozzie notices him and interrogates him about sleeping with Blitzo.

Blitzo looks incredibly ashamed and guilty as Stolas blushes with similar feelings...and hides his face behind his menu; HIS BIGGEST MISTAKE IN THE SERIES SO FAR.

Time Stamp: 12:24

The look on Blitzo's face as he grits his teeth and darts his eyes away basically says

"Yeah, I should have known...boy am I an idiot for trusting him to stand up for me".

(look how SHOCKED he is...wow, this hurts fr ;_;)

This is a silent betrayal on Stolas's part. Afterall, his reputation is on the line, so if he were to defend Blitzo, it confirms they are in fact, dating. He chose his pride over Blitzo and Blitzo is crushed by this betrayal.

Moxxie finishes his song and kisses his wife tenderly. Stolas watches this and also wants to have an affectionate moment with Blitzo (who is rightfully glaring daggers at him) and tries to reach for his hand.

Blitzo rejects his touch and suggests they leave. As they do, Blitzo still looks furious and hurt. Stolas is now realizing how badly he screwed up with a "What have I done?" face (13:41)

He even looks disappointed with himself.

After Blitzo drops Stolas off, he thanks him and tries to smooth over the awkwardness with sweet talk but Blitzo just rolls his eyes in disgust and pulls on his face like "I don't want to hear this bullshit".

He responds coldly and curtly, "Yeah." Stolas makes more suggestions to spend time with him, which just makes him even angrier and he snaps

"I'm not fucking you tonight, okay!

I'm really just..." (14:28)

he pauses to wipe a tear because at this point he can barely hold it together (top notch voice acting and animation directing btw)

"...not in the mood, Stolas."

Stolas still tries to talk him into doing couple things unrelated to sex.

Blitzo's face switches back to anger and frustration because Stolas isn't getting the message so he goes for the blunt tactic;

"Stolas, don't act like what we have is anything but YOU wanting ME to fuck you, okay?"

(14:42)

"You make that really clear all the time."

(again his voice sounds like he's about to break down)

"But I-I just can't do it tonight, okay?"

(Finally meets his eye)

"...I'm sorry."

I believe this is code for "I'm sorry we're even in this situation and how your reputation got damaged. " Or, more painfully, "I'm sorry I'm such an embarrassment to you".

Stolas replies "Okay" and takes a deep breath to compose himself. They say goodnight and depart.

An important note here is that Stolas calls him "Blitzo" instead of "Blitzy" to show more respect.

As Blitzo zooms away coldly, Stolas looks up at the sky with tears in his eyes, surprised at how much it hurts.

He then sits down with his head in his hands in anguish...because he's getting that

"Oh...no. These feelings are real" epiphany.

And as if this wasn't enough angst, Blitzo collapses onto his couch at home, goes through the memories on his phone and starts sobbing.

I'm going to be real with you; this is the most heart-breaking shit I have ever seen in an adult show of this type. It's also the first time a show of this type got me to cry.

The last six minutes have revealed so much information without spoonfeeding it to the audience because the show RESPECTS its audience.

To recap:

*Blitzo takes Stolas on a first official date to use him

*Stolas is extremely happy about it

*Blitzo gets humilated and looks to Stolas for validation

*Stolas betrays him and breaks his heart

*Blitzo snaps that their relationship is nothing more than lust-driven sex

*Stolas realizes he's actually in love with Blitzo and it's a huge problem because (he believes) that it's unrequited.

*Blitzo breaks down because the ONE person whom he thought would protect him didn't do so.

So these two are convinced that neither one loves the other...while the irony is, it's quite the opposite.

Because if Blitzo REALLY didn't feel anything towards Stolas, he would not have gotten this emotional.

Yes, they are both lonely...but I really don't think that's all there is between them.

So..........we know WHEN they started falling...now the question is why;

I think the answer's quite simple; single-target affection.

It was mentioned in S2 that Stolas and Stella did sleep together ONE TIME...but Stolas didn't enjoy it at all. He is stuck with a wife who hates him so much that she put a HIT on him...and a daughter who thinks he's a loser. Blitzo is pretty much the one person in his life who is able to make him happy. That one small, bright spot. He enjoys the sex with him but he also simply enjoys his company, as shown in Ozzie's episode. He is thrilled to simply talk to him about his day...and do anything else that couples do. They're complete opposites. Stolas is an intellectual but naive and sheltered. Blitzo is poorly educated but cynical and street-smart. Opposites attract...though this is likely more from Stolas's POV than Blitzo's.

In other words, Stolas is into bad boys xD lmao

In Blitzo's case, Stolas is the only character who shows him physical affection which he desperately craves. He's pretty tsundere about it most of the time...but I think he actually does enjoy that attention...especially when he's always getting disrespected by Moxxie and Loona..and quite a lot of people around him. BUT he's too scared to get serious with anyone because of past trauma and he also believes that no one could possibly love him as a person. :(

Reasons I Think This Love is Real

Aside from what I pointed out in the Ozzie's episode...there's quite a lot of evidence, esp from Stolas's POV.

After he realizes he's in love, he goes to Asomodeous for an ALTERNATIVE method for Blitzo to use so they will no longer sleep together. He wants to set Blitzo free. Which means he DOES truly love him because love is about being generous to the other person. He COULD be totally selfish about it but he isn't.

Asomodeous mentions how against love potions he is and Stolas agrees. He thinks that's out of the question.

'Look My Way' music video. Lol I don't have to say anything more.

In S2 E6 OOPS

This exchange at 16:57

Fizz: Seems your taste has gotten more 'regal', lately?

Blitz: Yeah, well unlike you, I fuck who I want WHEN I want. I'm not gonna be tied down to some big blue-blood asshole.

Fizz: You coulda fooled me the way Prince was cozying up to you at Ozzie's.

Blitz (gets very defensive) HEY! Stolas only cares about have a rugged peasant raw-dog him into his mattress, okay!

It's nothing...(gets hesistant and looks away)...you know...

(Fizz gives him a 'bitch please' look xD)

"it's nothing else."

Fizz: Then why were you even there?

Blitz: OTHER very important reasons of course.

Fizz: Whatever. I don't actually care.

Blitz: Stolas is just a loud, thirsty BITCH!

(Fizz is rolling his eyes again)

Blitz: He loves feeling the thrill of getting dicked by the lower class.

It's a novelty to him.

Fizz: LITERALLY just said I don't care!

Blitz: And then he'll call me and try to see how my day was!

And he'll pretend to care about me and comment on my photos laugh at my jokes...

Fizz: (Smirking) OH! That's definitely your clue right there that it's all bullshit!

Blitz: I KNOW, RIGHT??

Fizz: (Making a 'What in idiot' expression, shaking his head)

Blitz: HE'S JUST A FAKE, PRIVELEDGED ASSHOLE...

Fizz: Sounds like you just hate him for being a prince!

No one (laughs) and I mean NO ONE pretends to care that much just for a cheap lay.

All right. IF ANYONE knows what real love is like, it's Fizzaroli...who is in a very HEALTHY relationship with Asomodeous. He recognizes the signs because he's IN that place. He sees it...and he's annoyed that Blitzo keeps denying it and brushing it off...yet clearly can NOT stop talking about Stolas (amusing irony)

To sum up (this freaking essay lol) 'Stolitz' ABSOLUTELY has the potential to be pure and true...these two just need to communicate...or Stolas has to PROVE to Blitzo that he's serious about his feelings in another way.

There is no doubt that this ship is 100% endgame and is a case of the 'Earn Your Happy Ending' Trope. I look forward to the rest of the journey. Ron is putting my feelings about Stolitz in a perfect phrase:

[ripplestitchskein]

I just saw the funniest thing about Stolitz and it really reinforced my belief that people just cannot handle the long period between episodes indie animation requires. They just cannot make connections for that long and their own personal expectations and imaginings of what it should be have too much time to percolate. As a recent comer to the HB fandom who watched the entirety of the series in a single afternoon and skipped the Pilot because it’s not canon I am having a completely different experience. I attribute this mostly to the Pilot, as that seems to have colored peoples opinions of Stolas and subsequently Stolitz in such a wild way and they had to sit with that characterization for so long they just cannot fathom that the story is playing out much differently than the Pilot set up. And yes a year is a long time to sit with expectations of a show direction and a characterization I won’t fault them for that.

“They turned Stolas into sad clown boy”. “The show is all about Stolitz relationship drama now”.

Did we watch the same Season 1, Episode 2? Because our first “real” introduction to Stolas is immediately good dad, sad owl boy, relationship with Blitzo. The first episode sets up the current state of the Blitzø/Stolas relationship, sets up the business and overall character dynamics but doesn’t really give us any information on their backgrounds or current emotional states. It hints at a few things coming up, a few things to look into further but nothing beyond surface level. As you’d expect from a first episode. The 2nd episode shows us that some major things were gonna be exploring are Blitzo and Stolas, Stolas and his family situation, Blitzo’s history as a clown and why he hates Fizzarolli bot so much, the Moxxie/Millie dynamic and brief brushings on Loona and how Blitzo interacts with his employees, but I’d say we actually get more information on Stolas and Stolitz earlier on in the show than we do anything else. It was setup from the beginning that these were all major premises we were going to explore and….WE DO. We start the season that way. We end the season a little further down the road but still focusing on those basic things setup in the first two episodes.

I see a lot of criticisms of the writing but from my perspective, watching them all in a row the writing is pretty spot on in terms of set up, change, payoff. And the structure is exactly what we expect for a multi season show. They introduce Stolitz at one point in their relationship in S1 Ep 1, and by Ozzie’s we have a very clear change that was progressed through the other episodes of the season. That same narrative thread, introduced at the beginning of the show is carried through into S2 and the underpinnings of reactions we saw in S1 episodes 1 and 2 are revealed throughout, we now see why Stolas and Blitzø react the way they did in S1Ep1 via the storytelling in S2Ep1 and the structure of those two being the first episodes of their respective seasons is exactly what a writer should do. They feed into each other perfectly. A person watching only those two episodes would have no trouble filling in the rest of the seasons or the story at large and that’s exactly what a serialized writer should do. The show didn’t change anything midstream, it didn’t shift plot points, it very clearly setup these pins to knock them down as we go on. Fizzarolli backstory? Done. Blitzo’s relationship with Millie and Moxie had several episodes of exploration, we see a bit more about Loona and Blitzo and Stolas’s marriage drama is the main catalyst for overall big drama and they are exactly where they should be if you are plotting this out using a three act structure for a television format.

Things are REVEALED they aren’t changed, and while real life concerns and schedules and business things do affect how episodes get released or how things play out or which characters are available to appear, not knowing any of that background until AFTER I had already watched the show I’d say the writers are doing a pretty remarkable job keeping the flow, of developing the characters and relationships and paying off what they setup waaay at the beginning 3 years ago when they released eps 1 and 2. They’ve also done a great job of giving every character a little moment to shine even though, as they established in episodes 1 and 2, the main focus is on Blitzø, Stolas and how their relationship is the catalyst for everything. That it’s why I.M.P does what it does.

I highly suggest people watch it from start to finish without the Pilot, or at least just the first two episodes and S2 Ep 1 and take into account what is shown and setup at the very start versus the story we are currently at and I really think it will show that nothing has changed, the story is progressing as it should, at the pace it should, and that the characters are growing and changing as they should based on the things that have occurred.

[turtlethon]

The other one is much later in the show's run, in "Dirk Savage: Mutant Hunter", when we learn that Shredder continued to experiment on innocent people, over a period of years, to the point where there were so many mutants running around town that a politician could run on an anti-mutant campaign platform.

Do you remember exact dialogue on that? I watched that episode recently and the only thing I remember was that Tokka & Rahzar were stated to be the result of the Shredder experimenting on Zoo Animals, which I assume to be a reference to the Groundchuck and Dirtbag episodes.

As for the other mutants like the Giraffe lady and mutant bird, I assumed they weren't Shredder experiments but just people or animals that got hit by carelessly placed mutagen during the show's shenanigans rather than deliberate experiments.

Also I feel Baxter Stockman's harsh treatment from Shredder and Krang may have been because he was something of an outsider; being coerced into working for them and once trying to betray the Shredder. Rocksteady and Bebop's gangs were thugs that had been working for them to begin with, so I feel they'd get better treatment.

Upon reflection (and going back and watching the opening of the Dirk Savage ep again) I think you're right: the intent seems to be that the events in the zoo during the Turtleoids special have led to the creation of subsequent mutants over a period of a few years. I'm many months removed from watching the show at this point, so I was basing that on what I wrote at the time and my already potentially fuzzy recollections.

Regarding Shredder and the gang (and by extension, Krang/Baxter) I think where you stand on Shredder's willingness to undo their mutations probably depends on how evil you interpret him to be...

This Shredder is presented as a credible ninja master and criminal mastermind, and is the one who mutated the gang members...

This Shredder is considerably less capable, to put it mildly, and if we're being honest more in-line with how he's presented for the bulk of the series. Outside of his feud with Splinter and the Turtles, his desire for world domination seems to be entirely rooted in his own vanity and self-aggrandizement.

His villainy/competence isn't a binary thing IMO, I think it can be charted on a spectrum depending on the era of the show and who's writing, but as a trend it keeps nudging into ineffectual goofball gradually up to the beginning of season eight, when it dramatically swings back in the opposite direction.

On that basis, I think the likelihood of Shredder undoing the mutations of the gang and letting them go depends on which point in the show it actually happens. If we're assuming it's in the window between S1 and S2 then maybe not, but after the S2 opener the way he's presented changes considerably and he seems to be borderline subservient to Krang rather than the two of them being in a fifty-fifty partnership. At that point I could see him just releasing the gang on the basis that he has enough to deal with, and doesn't need them hanging around.

In regards to Krang (and his attempted vaporizing of Baxter), I've long been of the opinion that as an alien warlord he likely places little value on human life, but I kind of like the idea that the presence of Shredder, Rocksteady & Bebop in the Technodrome softens him a bit and prevents him from being a total monster, in part because their incompetence invariably scuppers all of his plans and stops him doing any significant harm in the end. It's notable that he ordered Baxter's execution while Shredder, Rocksteady and Bebop were all on Earth, and there was no-one around to reason with him; I don't know if I'd go so far as to say they serve as his conscience, but, y'know... something like that!

[a-deadly-serenade]

nocturne review, ramblings

obvs spoilers for the show down below.

so, i'm gonna be real with y'all; i dont think i would have watched this if not for one of my mutuals spilling the beans about alucard making an appearance 💀 s4 was ok and a fine conclusion to the og castlevania that started this animated franchise, but i dont think i will ever get over the absolute fumble and frankly, insulting way they wrapped up s3. even s4 had its cringe moments, like lenore getting a peaceful sendoff and carmilla getting to kill herself. but, i digress. i was going into nocturne with an already negative mindset and that may have made me more critical of the show. can u blame me though? lmao

i had seen a few clips and screenshots on twitter when they dropped the first 3 eps early and... they only helped solidify my decision to remain skeptical of the staff's writing capabilities. shit was already a little hazy and wishy-washy with their portrayal of isaac in s2 and how they treated hector thruought the show (not to mention the two asian-coded characters in s3). let's just say, the netflix castlevania team doesnt have the greatest track record when it comes to writing poc characters. so, when i saw screengrabs just outright stating that this show was going to deal with historically accurate racism? hm.

obvs as a white woman, i can only go so far on this criticism of the writing, but i dont really understand why they needed to include this? the comparisons and allegory of freedom from indentured servitude to the french revolution, was very weak and bare bones at best. you can keep the motif of the church existing on exploitation and blood of the people-- a whole cross section of the world was involved in the crusades, which is the priests & his entourages whole deal--but, why couldnt annette just be a witch? why did this "historical accuracy" need to get involved with the time period? bcuz the french revolution was name dropped? your main villain is a hungarian countess from the 16th century that made a pact with an EGYPTIAN goddess to become all powerful. like.

and also..... why the FUCK are vampires getting involved with the intercontinental slave trade bro??? 😭 theyre immortal beings that have seen the rise and fall of empires and can do whatever tf they want and go wherever tf they want and they choose to..... own a plantation? give af abut the economy? with selling goods??? okkkkk. also, this line of dialogue is insane to me:

you cant have a central theme of your story be standing up against the oppressors and then make said oppressors fantastical monsters. what kills me is that they've delved into the monstrosity of humanity in s1 and s2, and yet, when you bring in one of the most monstrous things humanity has ever done in its history for the sake of historical accuracy, you turn the very perpetrators into something mythical, and evil that the common folk had no chance of ever defeating even if they tried. its just overall, very messy and they certainly were not the creative team to try and tackle something like this.

speaking of, the writing, again, it definitely left something to be desired. there are moments that are good, don't get me wrong. episode 6 is a particular favorite of mine, shining through with its wonderful character moments b/w annette's soul searching with her ancestors, richter and juste's heart to heart, and olrox's confessions to mizrak. tera's sacrifice to ensure maria's safety is also really well done, as well as maria's final confrontation with her father in the church. however, these were fewer and farther between than i would have liked. a lot of the scenes that played out just fine, were ultimately sullied by this series' incessant need to insert swearing into every other sentence. its something that bothered me nearing the end of s4 especially, and i've just grown tired of it. it honestly takes me out of the scene to constantly hear fuck thrown out every 2 seconds for literally... no reason. i promise y'all can write meaningful and impactful dialogue without having your characters swear lmao

the writing itself is what unfortunately makes the first half of the show kind of drag a bit. the story doesn't really know what it wants to do. none of these new characters are really given time to breathe and be really fleshed out, bcuz every time things settle down and we're given the chance to learn more about their motivations, its like they're almost scared they'll lose your attention and any down time is immediately followed up with an intense action sequence. which, dont get me wrong, if theres one thing they dont disappoint with--its the action. but, i dont think that was ever up for debate to begin with. however, i believe that the characters really suffer bcuz of this. if you've never played the games, which, i believe most people tuning in to watch these series never have, you would have no idea who maria or richter are, and, i really don't think they were given enough time to be fleshed out. half the time, richter's dialogue just ends up being naive, walmart trevor belmont sarcastic one-liners and poor maria ping-pongs b/w the blandest, generic, wonderbread toutings of 'revolution' or calling richter a dick, wanker, or anything in b/w. episode 6, one of the better episodes as mentioned previously, is where we really get to see some actual growth around richter especially. there were moments where his trauma could have been further explored earlier, but they kind of got shoved to the wayside in favor of dragging out the interworking bw all the villains. which.....

if i'm gonna talk about the villains. my initial thoughts were that nocturne was going to be a one-and-done, standalone series with its own self contained story that would be wrapped up in these 8 episodes. i was wrong. and i really dont know how they're going to keep this story going. erzsebet is already a very weak and uninteresting and, honestly, confusing ? villain? for more than half of the series, she's talked about as the mysterious and all powerful Messiah and theyre gathering all these sacrifices for her to bring her back and create an army of night creatures. why is she considered powerful? bcause she made a pact with Sekhmet, an egyptian goddess. why did she do this? who knows! why does she have such a devoted cult of loyal followers when she hasnt done anything but kill a lot of people? again, who knows. why did maria's father think that a VAMPIRE would keep him in cahoots during this whole plan and not immediately fuck him over once she got what she wanted...? who fucking knows. olrox is the most interesting of the villains but even he isnt fully explored. the motivations are just not really explained very well and the buildup to erzsebet's arrival was so sudden that i literally thought i missed an entire episode. one minute, shes hiding in the shadows and the next ? waltzing in on a golden chariot and being heralded as the people's savior?? so damn messy and honestly? i really could not have cared less about her. which is insane to say, bcuz shes literally based off of a real countess who's case and life were a special interest of mine. i just... why an EGYPTIAN goddess?? shes from HUNGARY. were there no goddesses in europe to pull from she could have made a pact with? idk man it just makes no damn sense.

i am definitely more than a little peeved that this wasn't even the complete story, bcuz they did such a poor job establishing erzsebet as a villain, that i really dont give af what crazy shit they come up with to extend the story. you show her being a big badass in the very last episode. ok, you as an audience member, are immediately shown why dracula is so feared within the first 10 minutes of the first episode. and all of that wasnt even HIM fighting!!! the worst thing i've seen miss countess bathory do over here is summon a crazy orb and turn into a furry. like, where is the story going to go from here? they fight tera? save edouard and have a night creature alliance? make maria or alucard (yes, i'll get to him) summon the portal again? which btw... machine from HELL? im not even gonna touch that can of worms. somehow bring olrox back to.....? help kill bathory? idfk

and man...... i was hoping against hope that when i found out alucard was going to make an appearance, that it was just going to be some neat little cameo at the v end of the series after the main story had concluded. a little nod, a little treat to the audience that the next series would be encompassing the events of symphony of the night. maybe we'd even get a depiction of maria and richter when theyre older, i dont know, anything but throwing him in there as an overpowered hail mary to save the day. we couldnt just let these new characters figure it out and triumph in their own way? we had to drag him into this, now? i cant even tell you how disappointed i was when i saw that sword pierce drolta. ME! the resident alucard fan since i was like mf elementary school!!! ugh.

i think this is it for me and netflix castlevania lmao im a grumpy old man and miss when it was mainly fun easter eggs to the games, like how they brought in juste or how olrox turns into a big green monster and has an attack that sends flying skulls your way, or the REMIX of RICHTER'S THEME!!! but its just gotten so silly and the writing hasnt gotten any better..... from now on, im going to simply stick to the games that made me fall in love with this series in the first place & let this be the last time i ever feel the need to bitch about new 'netflixvania' content.

[piracytheorist]

hiiii. this is kinda random but just wanted to say I'm starting to understand you going anime only for SxF. I watched S1 blind, then bcs I craved more I read the manga. Now bcs I know what happens, watching S2 has less exciting effect for me (?) Don't get me wrong I'm still so excited and the animation/voice is stunning, but it would be nice to experience the story for the first time again. anyway it's impressive you got to stay committed to anime only! sorry for rambling in your inbox ;-;

Hi, and no worries, I appreciate the message! Ramble in my inbox whenever :D

And yeah, the feeling you describe is exactly what I fear I'll feel if I go manga first anime second. It even happened with the bullet in butt date episode, since I'd read the chapter already, it impacted my enjoyment of it a bit. I ended up comparing it a lot to the manga and this interfered with my immersion. Funny thing is, any time I read a chapter that I'd already watched in anime, this didn't happen. I was able to enjoy anime and manga both, without interference.

That said, the one other chapter I'd already read before it was adapted was the one where Nightfall visits the Forgers for the first time. While once again I ended up comparing the anime to the manga a lot, after a couple months that feeling went away and now I can enjoy rewatching the episode without making any comparisons. So I'm hoping that after a while I'll be able to enjoy the bullet in butt date episode on its own merit, and maybe it will feel the same for you!

I think it's a testament to the quality and heart of the story, that we want to experience it for the first time all over again. If you're caught up with the manga it'll probably take a few years for the anime to catch up, but if you want to also go anime-only I will probably be here for... well, a long time 😂 one of the worst parts about being anime only is that I have next to no-one to talk about it, and I can't search for posts here or anywhere else because most fans read the manga and avoiding spoilers is impossible, even when you tell people you're avoiding manga spoilers. I'm pretty sure a few of my followers here secretly want to nudge me to catch up with the manga 🤣 So yeah, one of the things that kept me an anime only was the hope that I may provide some company to a fellow anime only 🤣

And look, I totally get you. I'm honestly surprised myself I made it all the way here and only indulged myself once, and only for a couple pages from a certain chapter after I saw some spoilers. When season one ended last December I actually expected I'd break and read through at least a couple arcs into the manga. So the temptation certainly isn't small!

I would say, find the way that makes you enjoy it more and take that. I enjoy the story told through anime more, but not when I get a ton of spoilers here and there, so I have to accept that I will have very limited interactions with fellow fans for years on end, as I don't see the story ending soon, and the anime will need one to two years (if not more) to catch up once the manga ends. So that's something to consider. On the other hand, keeping a distance from chapters you've already read may help you enjoy the respective episodes more. Like, the more time passes from a manga chapter you've read, the more immersed you may be by the adapted anime episode. Idk if you wanted advice, but I thought I could share some thoughts XD In any case, feel free to share with me whenever! I love talking about everything sxf <3

[sirellas]

prodigy s2 thoughts after watching the whole thing. got kinda long :/

good: i love solum and the vau nakat. they were the shining light of this season. i wish there had been more. i was prepared to be meh on their storyline which was also gwyn's, just because last season was kind of meh - a recycle of that aos movie plot with the sole survivor who comes back to genocide the federation, etc etc. but this season added so much needed depth and interesting visuals! that planet is so cool!

GWYNDALA! her story and her arc this season!!! very good. child of a destroyed world who goes back in time to save them, only to find her time nemesis already there poisoning their minds against her because she's an outsider to her own people! girl what!!! and she meets her pre-evil dad who has a man bun!! and she goes through a sacred ritual to prove she belongs there and be able to save them but she can't even speak the language!!! she is probably one of my top favorite new trek characters, no joke. her being captain at the end felt earned and GOOD (i mean yeah silly too. these are criminal children who have never read a starfleet manual lol why are they getting their own starfleet ship)

on the flip side, i hate dal <3 truly the purple jack crusher.

not good: solum was at the beginning for an episode or two, and at the end for a bit. the in between episodes lacked a lot of direction from beginning to get to the end. very walkabout way when they're supposed to be solving the universe's time existence or something. i really think they found starfleet too soon in this show. they needed more time to develop as characters before the introduction of real federation people and places that are already well known to the viewer. i just found it boring when almost every "new" thing they encountered was actually just a callback to another show. prodigy has some really interesting new ideas in the context of trek but they're so few that they get overshadowed by the nostalgia bait.

not good, but to be expected [SIGH]: it's nostalgia bait but it's also new trek canon compliance bait. episode 20 of this season was basically just a prologue for picard.

okay another good thing because i told myself not to be too negative: such a pretty show omg. the landscapes of alien worlds and the space shots and the cool new aliens and monsters!!! literally this is the highlight of this show. it's so creative with alien worlds in a way other trek that's not animated can't be, but with more care for details and beauty than tas or lwd.

bad: the humanoid character animation is very bad. when people say prodigy's animation is bad, this is what they mean. which is a shame because it's such a beautifully animated show for everything besides normal people lol. another reason i think they should have spent more time away from the federation in s1 is because their human models are so bad!!! this show relies on a lot of character speech, closeup dramatic moments. and it's bad. i'm so sorry to invoke st*r w*rs in this write up but they were making 3d cartoons in 2014 with better character animation than this.

wonderful: maj'el the azula-coded vulcan hotshot pilot who makes out vulcan sloppy style with the they/them non-corporeal being

very bad: jack crusher.

bummer: wesley, beverly, jack crusher reuinion in meh animation. it's disheartening!!! those people deserve better (not jack) than this.

bummer, continued: sooo many good character moments in this show. but the character animation is bad. i love the vau nakat because they move within the limitations of this animation style because they didn't exist before, so it feels like a natural part of them. same with the other new elements designed for this show. THOSE are the characters and story elements that should be focused on, not these random starfleet people that die left and right. seriously i think all of chakotay's crew and most of janeway's just die. or get erased from time.

i've complained enough about chakotay already but one last time: why do we keep trying to make chakotay work. why do we keep trying to make robert beltran work. one is founded on racist stereotypes and the other is just a fascist. chakotay doesn't have to be here!

saw someone else say they should have dropped 5 episodes at a time and yeah. dropping 20 at once sets it up for failure tbh. i mean this whole season was obviously set up for failure, but i think its only shot is longevity among fans. which i don't see happening really. and telling people to watch it in rude guilt-y ways like i see dominating the prodigy tag on here isn't going to cut it tbh.

i think ultimately my issues with prodigy are the same with as most new trek. they present some hit-or-miss fucked up ideas they don't seem to fully understand, and then sandwich them between super heartfelt toxic positivity "we can achieve anything if we try hard enough and also love our friends enough" messages. star trek needs strong character-driven plots and intense acting to make their weird stories work and that's still prodigy's weak point.

the tragedy is i think this show WANTS to focus on the aliens and the new things it introduces instead of the nostalgia bait, but it has to sell out and put janeway in a tanktop to get adult fans interested, the same fans who yell at everyone to watch this show or else. this season would have been better with more time spent on solum, more time developing the individual characters new to this show, and less federation.

overall rating of prodigy s2: still better than any season of picard. and very pretty.

[bloggingboutburgers]

Here's a BB question! What is each Belcher's + Teddy's episode where they are so annoying, so obtuse, so wack that it seriously makes you want to shake them + the writers?

Hmmmm... It's hard to think about specific ones but there are definitely ones... Quite a bit of S1/S2 comes to mind, but I think that's kinda fair, the show was finding its footing at the time and hadn't exactly stepped out of "trying to be exactly like other Fox animated shows for adults". So I won't quote any of them per se, except the very first episode where Bob says stuff about his marriage failing and his kids being failures which is like... So anti-Bob considering what he becomes as a character later down the line? Coming back to that one always feels kinda cursed to me.

Focusing on later seasons, I didn't care much for Linda's behavior on Gene It On and the beginning of Mother Daughter Laser Razor, but thankfully she gets much better as a character as the show goes on and those hiccups get more rare.

Tina... Has her moments where I'm like "girl, just, no", especially in mid-seasons where her character is established as super confident to a point where she gets a bit too much to me, but a- it's such a nice growth to see her so confident after the first seasons I can't be fully mad and b- they always find a way to have other episodes of Tina where she wins me back over completely, so, yeah, I can't be fully mad.

Gene and Louise were definitely not at their best in S1 and S2, respectively because one is barely allowed to be a character and the other is excessively edgy and cruel. But both have fantastic growth starting S3 (for Louise) and S5 mostly (for Gene), so I'm glad it grew that way. And props to Spaghetti Western & Meatballs for already having the premises of that potential for greatness right in S1! I don't have many episodes of S1 I care to go back to, but that one is definitely one of them.

As far as Teddy is concerned... I feel bad, but there's quiiiiite a lot where I feel he's out of line or just... Trying to be too present in the family's life, and considering the 5-people family unit is my favorite thing about the show, I don't care much for it, which is probably an unpopular opinion, and shouldn't discredit Larry Murphy being absolutely hilarious. So most Teddy-focused episodes to me range from annoying to mid, with a few exceptions like Thanks-Hoarding which go more in-depth into his character and have the family help him ultimately because they care for him and want to see him be good, and not so much because he kinda forces their hand (even if it does start out that way). And it's one of those few episodes where I saw Teddy as being the more justified one in that situation.

So yeah. I guess that was about it. It didn't give much detail and still I managed to make it so goddamn long I'm so sorry

[darthkvznblogs]

What are your thoughts on Sailor Moon and its characters? I'm personally still surprised over how ahead of its time it was and how much it holds up in today's media.

I was going to answer this ask while I watched Promise of the Rose last night but it’s not available where I watch it 😭 this is devastating…

Anyhoo, I have a LOT of thoughts re:Sailor Moon! I'll list them below, rapid-fire style, in no particular order. I also have no idea what the consensus is so there may be some hot takes I’m just not aware of haha :P

I had no idea how much of a little shithead Usagi was! I guess seeing gifs and images from her I had a very different concept of what she'd be like, but I really love how much of a gremlin she can be.

For such a romance-obsessed series (which I don't mind and actually quite enjoy most of the time) they don't actually show you much of the actual relationships, which I think is a shame. You've already sold me on Usagi and Mamoru, but I need more meat on those bones! Show me them going on cute dates! Show me arguments that last longer than two lines (and are often motivated by magical destiny BS)! You're telling me about a love that has managed to survive through death and the thousands of years in between their past and present lives, now show me it!

I'm such a sucker for the premise of S1. The sense of love and duty persisting through death and reincarnation, the struggle to regain the memories of a past life while keeping your footing in the modern world, the classic balancing act between being a teenager and having the weight of the world on your shoulders as a superhero, the engaging dynamics between the members of the Dark Kingdom and, of course, the bonds between the Sailor Scouts...

...and that finale, goddamn. What a freakin' sucker punch. It's one thing to allude to the fact that death is a very real possibility when facing the enemy throughout the series, but the show hadn't done much more than flirt with it a bit here and there. Seeing that flashback to the Silver Millennium and realizing that not only is it possible for them to die in the line of duty, but that it's actually a very likely prospect...and then following through with it! That sequence, as each of the Guardians sacrifices themselves to clear the way for Sailor Moon, with Usagi going through pretty much every stage of grief in a mere few minutes, had me slack-jawed the whole way through. And Usagi finally fully embracing her identity as Princess Serenity and sacrificing herself as her mother once did, wishing for something as simple (as understandably selfish, as heartbreakingly yearning) as giving herself and her beloved friends their normal lives back, free of their burden. Genuinely perfect ending.

I think the only part that doesn't work for me about the S1 finale is that the monsters that kill the Guardians aren't shown to be special in any way, just volunteers from Beryl's monster hordes. I wish they'd been her elite royal guard that never left her side or something, otherwise why wait to deploy what are clearly your most powerful mooks? It makes the lieutenants lesser by comparison.

The bespoke animations for each of the signature attacks (and the transformation sequences, of course) are great, but there's like...no fighting in this show, which is disappointing, ngl. I know this isn't a shonen and I'm not asking for complex fight coreography, but trading a few blows, damaging the environment, just generally showcasing that the Guardians aren't just soundbites and elemental ranged attacks would be much appreciated.

I regret to inform you all I've become a Sailor Earth truther. NARU DESERVES BETTER (or at least, she deserves to have superpowers so she doesn't get her life force drained every other episode, jfc)

S2 had kind of atrocious pacing - I didn't mind it having two distinct arcs, but the Ail and An arc dragged on for too long and too much time was spent with Rubeus relative to the other Black Moon clan members, so it really robbed them of their impact. I felt great satisfaction when Rubeus was defeated, but the others...eh. I did love the Spectre Sisters and their decision to become normal humans, and Wiseman/Death Phantom (though he kinda came outta nowhere) was super cool. Never underestimate the stark image of a bleached human skull and a cool voice haha.

I feel like most people probably find Chibiusa really annoying (and I was right there with them a few times, admittedly), but remembering that she's a terrified, traumatized child really helped. It was utterly bizarre of Usagi (and the show, to some extent) to consider her any sort of rival for Mamoru's love, that was uncomfortable and ridiculous. The reveal that it's her fault that Crystal Tokyo went to shit was great, I loved that (and generally the implication that the Black Moon Clan is only a problem because they were excluded from utopia as part of Silver Millennium 2.0 for very vague reasons felt like a very intriguing detail, like Neo-Queen Serenity might've also made a huge mistake there.)

Just generally speaking, I wish the Sailor Scouts were a bit more consistent in battle; they're either utterly dominating or getting absolutely destroyed within moments of arriving.

The drip (as the kids say) in this show is impeccable lol everyone always looks amazing

I could go on but you get the idea! I just started Sailor Moon S yesterday so I'm still trucking along. If there's anything I didn't mention that you want my opinion on feel free to hit me with another ask!

[moiloru]

🦸 My Hero Academia (Seasons One Through Five) Review! 🏫

Well, here's a big one! Welcome to a new anime review, everyone! In this one, I'll tackle My Hero Academia, the one and only!

Needless to say, this one doesn't require any introduction, but hey, I'll do it anyway. My Hero Academia is a shonen anime that started airing in 2016. It currently has five completed seasons and three movies, for a total of over 100 episodes.

MHA has established itself as one of the most well-known names in the industry - for both fanboys/fangirls and haters. In this review, I'll only be talking about the stuff that has already aired, so the ongoing sixth season will be for later.

My Hero Academia is fascinating because it's a very... normal anime, in a way. There's no real quirk to it (see what I did there?), just superpowers. But it still works, even if some people would tell you it sucks ass.

The plot's simple: to become the strongest hero in the world and defeat the Big Bad. After that, it's fight after fight, training session after training session - sometimes incredible, sometimes dull. Some arcs are great, others not so much.

S1 felt a bit slow to me, but the show truly peaked in S2, which was excellent. S3 was still very good, and half of S4 was great, but S5 was long and only sometimes entertaining. Still, every season has its good moments.

The first and third movies were quite remarkable, and while the second one looks marvelous visually, the ending sucks and is fanservice at its worst. Their canon-compliance is unclear is annoying since you can't tell precisely when they happen or if they're even important.

Still, the overarching plot is pretty interesting to follow, even if I wish some of the most boring arcs - and villains - were skipped more quickly.

One great strength: the main characters. They might not be the best-written characters ever, but they're an endearing cast I grew fond of. Their dynamics are amusing, and their group development is excellent. Required for a school anime!

The villains are meh, though. A few are memorable, but some are not interesting and make their arcs forgettable - if not outright bad. However, the Big Bad has a decent backstory, so that's something. Hope they make good of it in the future.

One thing MHA excels at is music. The OST is a banger, and some of the action themes sent shivers down my spine, sometimes making up for the plot being silly. That's a fantastic asset for a shonen to have!

I personally loved openings ODD FUTURE and Merry-Go-Round, even if others are good, too. Overall, the OPs and EDs are pleasant to listen to; some get you pumped up!

Visually, this anime has improved tremendously over the years, becoming beautiful to the eyes in the latest seasons. It's colorful, well-animated, and highlights some critical scenes in the anime - and even more so in the movies.

Overall, for all the criticism it got, MHA is still a good anime. Of course, it could be much better, but I mostly enjoyed watching these first five seasons. I just wish they skipped the boring parts!

In seven years, it has earned the status of legendary anime, so I'd be a fool to tell you not to watch it. It has flaws, but you can't not watch an anime such as My Hero Academia. Go make yourself your own opinion and decide if it deserves the critics!

Down below are the tierlists for the characters and the narrative arcs! No spoilers, so no worries!

[darkarchercatalyst]

Hey did you ever read SAO Alicization? I dont actually know but perhaps the serires finally moved past kirito and i really liked the design of one Alice Synthesis Thirty despite her ridiculous name

Wisty I feel like this must have been sent months ago and I was never notified, but why in the world would I willingly interact with SAO beyond what I already have?

[anxresi]

So, Thomas Astruc has (again) unnecessarily professed his ongoing hatred of Chloe and has (again) created a huge Twitterstorm of his stans and ‘haters’ who don’t have opinions, they have fanatical beliefs.

I get the feeling that even though a lot of people think that Chloe has been hard done by in terms of writing, they don’t want to be in the bad books of ‘The Boss’ and so are purposefully biting their tongue. Because after all, what’s worse than being blocked by a giant man-baby?

Then you’ve got people who genuinely think she’s a ‘white supremacist’ because of one episode where she mixed Japanese and Chinese culture. Seriously, I’ve seen this claim on more than a few posts, and I guess Thomas agrees because he does nothing to put out the fire he himself started.

Instead of talking about her as a person, why not take a step away from the show and see her for what she is… an exceptionally badly written fictional character? Everyone’s complaints and hatred of her are, funnily enough, not her fault but down to those who create and storyboard her life. If the makers really REALLY wanted you hate her, they could. Which is what they’re doing now, with all this Mary-Zoe, ruining the love square, siding with Lila, acting much worse than she was in S1 bullshit.

It’s easy to manipulate adults, but it’s even easier to manipulate kids. Thomas says ‘children are wiser because they’re not buying Queen Bee toys and they can see Chloe for who she actually is’. Well, I’m not surprised if you waste not one second in bringing her down the moment things are looking up for her in S3.

I bet you took great pleasure in tearing up all the good things she did in S2, didn’t you? Then, you made her completely soulless in S4 so nobody can be fooled again into thinking she has any hope left . You won’t make the mistake again of showing her human side, that’s for sure!

Enough damage has been done already to your vision of her as a total monster by giving Chloe fans moving scenes of genuine remorse and vulnerability. Let’s scrap all those, pretend they didn’t happen and make her a bona fide villain from now on.

Actually, something worse than that: a completely worthless villain, unlike Lila and Felix, who’s only purpose is to laughed and humiliated, like the burglars in Home Alone. Not only have they stripped Chloe of her humanity, they’ve also robbed her of her dignity.

That’ll teach her fans for caring! It’s not Zag’s fault children hate her! They only decide what goes in the script, supervise the animation process and produce the entire show. Don’t look at them!!!

Enough ranting without context for now. Let’s have a look at Thomas’s latest posts which sparked this entire poisoned debate, shall we?

Seems like a fair question. But I’m pretty sure we all know the answer by now. Buckle up…

Oh, this must be that famous ‘France sarcasm’ Thomas himself warned us about! Hilarious.

At least I think it’s supposed to be, but there are probably a lot of confused kids right now who won’t ‘get it’. Fortunately, the next post leaves no doubt as to the truth of the matter…

Hmm. I think someone’s been watching too much Wizard Of Oz. Not only for the ending scene, but in trying to turn Chloe into some kind of Wicked Witch Of The West. I suppose later she’ll develop an aversion to water later and turn green as part of a ‘Big Twist’. Yawn.

What’s this? Another reasonable point? I’m sure this salient argument will be listened to and taken on board with the due consideration it’s worth…

Oh hang on. For a millisecond there I forgot who we were dealing with here. At this point, I can just see steam coming out of Thomas’s ears, as the veil of conviviality starts to slip. He despises Chloe, he’s going to demonstrate that gratuitously on screen for the next three seasons, and no amount of accusations of bad writing or character derailment will stop him fulfilling his dream, dagnabbit!

(I genuinely think he knows his writing for her is terrible, and the reason he seems so upset when this fact is brought to his attention is because his poor fragile ego has been prickled. Like I said: a man-baby having tantrums, spitting out his pacifier and screaming for mommy to change his diaper. Ugh, that stinks.)

What’s this? WOW, this person is dropping some bars tonight, I’ll give them that. If they’re going down, they’re going down swinging.

Sadly, Thomas’s sole ‘rebuttal’ will be the usual panacea of the INSTANT BLOCK, but in this case the questioner can wear it like a badge of honor. They won’t get to speak to ‘the great one’ again, but at least they get to keep their pride.

That’s it. I now forcibly disentangle myself from this whole sordid debate temporarily, to wish you a very pleasant rest of the day.

And please, don’t make my mistake of getting involved in this nonsense. You won’t change anything, and the only result will be a pointless waste of time and further loss of faith in the human race as a species…

[theliterarywolf]

oh thank GOD you think Dead End sucks too,(the webcomic was such a chore to read and the pilot from a few years back was really boring my fucking god) I'm floored that netflix would cancel The Midnight Gospel in favor of DE, tbf I wasn't interested in the show but I know huge swaths of folks who found the show to be very good and feeling a sense of catharsis? Upon watching it

Great only thing to look forward to is a crappy webcomic becoming a show and probably getting 10 seasons because "ITS SO INCLUSIVE" and more Boss Baby

Ugh shoot me now

I was initially neutral on the existence of Dead End because all I knew about it was that the main character is trans but the art style and premise looked... not great.

Like, we all know that I hate when people pull the whole 'Cal Arts' argument and I wish that people would use the term 'Corporate Art Style'... but this show's art style is literally every bad element of Corporate Art Style.

To the point that I take back every negative comment I had when the first teasers for Centaurworld came out.

What makes it worse is when Netflix keeps talking about 'we're the place for animation~' and they keep only focusing on Dead End and Boss Baby, just... no.

I think the reason why I'm moreso frustrated with this current round of cancelations (I was already upset with the first two waves) is two-fold.

Netflix's management strategies have gone from ignorant, to malicious, to brain-dead. If what has been laid out is to be believed, the initial wave of cancelations happened due to the higher-ups at Netflix realizing that the person in charge of the animation sector was artificially inflating viewership numbers. How the hell did you guys allow for that to happen? And how the hell do you think that slicing down original, engaging animated content is going to fix the situation?

Even if Pendleton Ward tries to take The Midnight Gospel to another network or streaming service, I already know he's going to face the same exact nightmare that Lisa Hanawalt has been with Tuca and Bertie. i.e.: Netflix doesn't want the show, even goes through concentrated efforts to bury it on their platform so no one can watch it, cancels it... But when the showrunner gets a better deal for it elsewhere, cue Netflix holding that first season just out of reach to make said showrunner's life difficult.

With that last one, that's the reason why (despite Tuca and Bertie S2 completing its run on Adult Swim ages ago), Cartoon Network/Adult Swim is only just now being able to consider putting it on HBO Max

I think I'm just overall in a 'this can not continue' mindset because on the mainstream front of animation, we keep getting gloom and doom, and now on the indie front of animation there are far too many people acting entitled in regards to content they are getting for free.

Yes, that last portion is in regards to how VivziePop has been harassed to the point of having to take an online hiatus due to people acting like Episode 8 of Helluva Boss S1 being delayed due to legal issues is a crime against humanity (even though we're getting S2 in July, so it's not like the show is on a large hiatus overall)... Why do you ask?

[commenter2]

Helluva Boss 2022 trailer thoughts and predictions

Yesterday we got a trailer for season 2 of Helluva Boss and along with it being awesome there was a lot of info on what will happen in the season. Just like with the season 1 trailer, along with going over a few of the more interesting scenes, I also want to make predictions of what episodes we will get in season 2 of Helluva Boss.

The video starts with a fully animated scene of Loona wanting to stay somewhere much to Blitzo’s dislike as apparently people know him there. Its then followed by a funny scene of Loona using the puppy dog eyes on Blitzo who agrees to go with her.

We see Stolas waiting in an empty room where it states a clock is ticking. I feel like this will be a big dramatic moment in the series somehow like he is waiting for Blitzo who never shows or he is waiting as some higher up demons are making a decision on how to punish him for his illegal actions. I also get a weird hospital waiting room vibe from this, maybe this is when Octavia was born or something related to her but that’s later.

We then get a few scenes of Stolas and Blitzo being nice and flirting a bit. It was said in a recent Q&A (which I will mention a lot here) that S2 will have the two exploring their relationship a bit and this shows this.

This new character with Moxxie seems interesting. I’m also curious about if that sign was talking about Moxxie’s dad or his step dad/legal guardian ? I’m hoping step dad/legal guardian as I like my theory of his dad being that Telenovela star seen in the last Stolas Instagram pic.

A scene of Stolas and Stella interacting, also what seems to be Stolas shedding a tear. I know I’m not the only one who has been waiting to see the two interact and it is nice to see that we will be getting it. That’s not all, it was confirmed that Stella will have a bigger role in season 2 so not only will we see the two interact more but likely see Stella interact with the others characters like Blitzo, Octavia, and hopefully Millie.

Human Stolas.

Fizz also seems to be getting a bigger role in season 2 considering we see a young version of him with a young Blitzo as well as a few scenes of him with Asmodeous. Speaking of which the idea of Fizz and Asmodeous’s relationship being explored is not only good character development but it would also be good (and kind of bad) for Stolitz, by that I mean Fizz could throw Blitzo and Stolas under the bus to save his and Asmodeous relationship OR along with the clown and sin getting more attention that Blitzo and Stolas can safely be together, it could make Blitzo and Stolas finally get together if not already at this point.

The Seven Deadly Sin Mammon will be in an episode.

Striker’s return and him fighting Moxxie and Millie. It is hard to see but Stolas is tied up in that whip/rope Striker is using. Could this be a hint at the S1 finale ?

Octavia will be back and we seem to meet another member of the Goteia royalty. Though I can’t really tell what kind of bird she is I’m hoping she is related to Stolas as out of all the headcanons I have come up for Helluva Boss, I really want the one about Stella’s parents being evil jerks to be true. Maybe she could look nice on the outside but inside she is very cruel. There is snow behind so maybe she could be a literal and metaphorical ice queen XD.

Though there is no info about an episode out of it, I like the scene of Millie just tearing up that guy’s face like she was Doom Slayer XD.

With this info here is what I think we could be expecting in season 2 in no particular order.

I.M.P vs. Striker S1 finale- Again I think we got a peek at the finale and in it the imps will fight Striker who has taken Stolas to kill him, but will obviously fail.

Exploring Moxxie’s past- Moxxie will team up with someone and they go on a heist. I think this will be a flashback episode where we learn a bit about Moxxie’s past before he met Blitzo and Millie. It could also just be him in the present and he is forced to do one last job with the new character for some reason like he needs the money for something, all the while we learn about his past.

I.M.P origins- A few of the Stolitz moments from the trailer do kind of look like Blitzo is flirting with Stolas to get to use the book so maybe we will get an episode about that. Episode 7 does imply that I.M.P. started with Blitzo and Moxxie so maybe the two meet during that heist Moxxie was doing and Moxxie uses some of those profits to start the business with Blitzo.

Blitzo X Stolas job date- Blitzo invites Stolas to go on a job with him which I bet will be related to killing a member of a reality tv show/sitcom. Though things seem to be happy at first, sadly I feel like while on the job something bad will happen that will strain their relationship a bit and maybe that is what causes Stolas to cry near Stella as he realizes she was right. I could also see the subplot of the episode being about Loona having to take care of Octavia, wo Stolas brought with him, but she runs a way and Loona has to find her. However that could also be something for the next idea.

Octavia runs away- A lot of people have predicted that Octavia will run away from home at some point and I think this could be true if she isn’t a part of the Stolitz date episode. Here she uses her powers to run away but while on Earth, Loona (who just like her father uses the book to fool around on Earth) sees her and two hang out. While on Earth the two run into trouble, such as the bird demon and she tries to hurt Octavia as the new lady could have been banished for trying to take Stolas’s spot on the throne and wants revenges or thinks this will help her get back on the throne. Of course Loona and Octavia stop her and they become friends, another thing people have speculated about. That new lady could be part of her own episode as she seems to be in an icy place while Octavia and Loona seem to be in sunny places. The running a way plot could have a subplot where Stolas and Stella work together to find Octavia which could result in them dealing with their feelings and what has been happening lately between, kind of like what happened with Blitzo and Moxxie in episode 6.

Fizz and Blitzo at concert at Greed Ring- This was shown a lot in the trailer and I can get a good idea about what will happen. After seeing the scandal of their relationship and them wanting to try and hide it, Fizz and Asmodeous throw a concert at the Greed Ring for Mammon to get the paparazzi off of them. Unluckily for them Loona and Blitzo go there and after seeing Blitzo, Fizz can’t help but just mock him while the two do a song and dance. During said dance I feel like Asmodeous will say and do something that just confirms that the two are together and I bet they will hate Blitzo for having a hand in this.

Flashback of Blitzo and Fizz’s relationship- This would play after the concert episode. After the aftermath of the last episode, and seeing the articles about Asmodeous and him being together, Fizz and Blitzo ironically think back to when they were friends until something happened that caused them to be where they are today which will involve Fizz getting in an injury. I can see that episode ending with the two realizing that those events lead them to where they are today as that accident led Fizz to meeting Asmodeous which led to them dating which Fizz is happy about while Blitzo realizes this led him to finding I.M.P. and meeting Stolas which gives him mix feelings as this has caused a lot to happen to him.

If we count each idea as its own episode, not counting that S1 finale idea, that gives us a total of 7 possible episodes. It has been confirmed that season 2 will have more episodes so there is room for more things to happen in the season. I do plan on posting something going over what I want to happen in season 2 but right now I would like to hear what you think about these ideas and what you think could happen in season 2 based on what was seen in the trailer.

[calliecat93]

TMNT 2012: Tenth Anniversary Review Project Announcement

Back in 2012 when I started this blog, the thing that I primarily focused on was TMNT 2012. It premiered shortly after I began using my account and helped me find a groove on here. There were both good and bad times. Times where I had fun, times I wanted to quit the site altogether. But overall TMNT 2012 was important for getting me into Tumblr, fandom culture, and doing review/analysis work. It also helped me re-discover my love for animation in general since aside from a couple of things, my passion was at an all-time low.

In September it will be both my blog’s 10th anniversary and TMNT 2012’s tenth anniversary. A lot’s changed in between when I was 19 and now when I’m going to be 29 in just a few days. A lot of my thoughts and opinions on 2012 have changed, but I also haven’t watched the show since 2017. The last episode I remember ever watching in full was Lone Wolf and Cubs during S5, and that one was an exception. I mostly stopped during Season 4 and I barely watched Season 5 for various reasons, so there will be a good but that I’ll be seeing for the first time. Plus my analysis abilities back then and especially my ability in presenting it were… not great. As in I was too defensive and passive-aggressive despite my efforts to be level-headed and it’s just embarrassing to look back at now. So with all that in mind, I think that it’s only right to do it all over again.

Here’s a breakdown on how this is going to work:

Beginning in March, I’m going to begin rewatching all of TMNT 2012. The plan is to do an episode a day and do one season per month. So in March, I’ll watch all of Season One, April I’ll do Season 2, etc.

The actual reviews, however, will NOT be going up until May. This is to give me enough time to get ahead and look things over as well as hopefully avoid burnout. This will again be following the ‘season per month’ format with S1 going up in May, S2 in June, etc. If I can stay on schedule, that means that S5 will be done in September. Maybe not exactly on the anniversary date, but close enough.

These won’t be like when I did the liveblogs. I’ll be more using the format that I do with RWBY with a summary of the episode, then the actual detailed review, and some statistics for what I liked and didn’t like for funsies. This will make the reviews much more concise and to the point without clogging up dashboards or being over 20+ posts.

Two-part episodes I am considering as one full episode for the reviews. So for example when I start with ‘Rise of the Turtles’ instead of two posts for each part, they’ll be counted together as one episode and reviewed together. S5 may have a similar thing happen where I’ll count each story arc together, but that’ll be decided after I watch it.

There are also plans to do one big post on each season once I’ve completed all the individual reviews that will go over what I liked, didn’t like, general character analysis, etc. Depending on the length these may get split into parts, hence another reason for the format. There will also likely be one big post when I’m done with the show going over how I feel now compared to back then.

Any changes or delays will be posted as they occur. I can’t predict the future and the past few years have taught me to make no promises or guarantees on anything. If things get thrown off, I’ll just have to push ahead but if I feel I need to stop, I will stop. I’ll do my best to keep it to a minimum, however.

The only real snag with this is that currently, 2012 isn’t available on any streaming platforms. Paramount+ doesn’t currently have it and Hulu used to but it looks like they took it off. The good news is that I have all of Seasons 1-3 and the majority of S4 on DVD so it’s gonna be a while before this is an issue. Chances are I’ll just buy the remaining DVDs when the time comes, but I’ll cross that bridge when I come to it. I also have to consider burnout and other fandom projects I want to do especially with ones I’m already super behind on. But I’m hoping this format will give me time to get back on those without burning out because I really want to do this. TMNT 2012 was so important to me and played such a big part in me continuing to do Tumblr at all. I want to look back at it with my improved analysis ability and with a more mature outlook. I want to be able to enjoy this show again as I did almost ten years ago.

Hopefully, this goes as planned. I know better than to make any promises, but I’m gonna try. For those who have been here since the TMNT days, thank you for dealing with my insanity for so long and I hope that you will enjoy going on this ride with me once again. For everyone else, thank you as well for dealing with my insanity and hopefully, this will be less annoying than the liveblog days haha. I’ll announce what tags to filter for those uninterested when May comes around. While I’m going to take this seriously and I won’t hold back on any opinions, I want to do this for fun and let others have fun with me. Hopefully, I will succeed in that. With that, thank you all for reading, and be ready for the Turtle Mayhem soon~!

[dialovers-translations]

DIABOLIK LOVERS MORE, BLOOD OFFICIAL VISUAL FANBOOK ー Interview Vol. 2 feat. Nao Nakamura

Source: DIABOLIK LOVERS MORE, BLOOD Official Visual Fanbook

Release date: 2013

Huge thank you to @keithvalentinex​ for providing the raw scans!

SECTION 1: Q&A

Q1. When was the series’ sequel decided on?

A: Around the time the first game ‘DIABOLIK LOVERS’ was released in stores. We were fortunate enough to have already received news of an anime adaption at the time, so at some point we played with the idea of creating a fan disc to go along with it. However, if possible we wanted to hype up the series even more in anticipation of the anime’s release, which is how the production of a  ‘DIABOLIK LOVERS MORE, BLOOD’ series came to realisation.

Q2. Did you plan on introducing a set of 4 new characters during the early phases of development?

A: The initial draft we received from Rejet-sama mentioned four characters. We figured that with that amount, we could pack it into one game and create an equal amount of content as we did for the Sakamaki’s, so we proceeded with said idea. At one of the first brainstorm sessions, we casually dropped the idea of creating a game with 6 Do-M characters... (lol) However, that would stray too far away from the core concept behind ‘DIABOLIK LOVERS’, so it obviously got rejected. (lol)

Q3. How did you go about writing the characters’ dialogue and actions?

A: I believe that the previous installment can be regarded rather groundbreaking within the genre of otome games. However, the boys coming across as too strong to the point where it would prevent someone from delving deeper into their character is something we reflected upon. We wanted to make up for that this time and created this game with the intend of exploring them even further.

Q4. What did you struggle the most with while writing the script?

A: This doesn’t apply solely to the script, but the fact there are so many romanceable characters in this game is what made it so difficult. However, we did not want there to be a difference in quality between the different characters’ routes. Despite our strong wish to please the playerbase, it made the distribution of time very difficult. The writers would first pen down the script, then Rejet-san would do the proofreading and make adjustments and then pass it on to us. However, reading a script while playing a game or simply reading it on paper is still different, so we were making minute changes down to the very last minute of development. We ran through the same process for the last game, but this time around, the total amount of content was just very large. We once again felt the struggle of putting in so many characters to choose from. However, we did this to create an even better game, so it was worth the struggle. 

Q5. Which character caused you the most problems while writing the script?

A: All of the Sakamaki’s. The four Mukami brothers who make their appearance in this installment may be Vampires, but they were once human just like the heroine, so in terms of emotions, they tend to sympathize with her more. As a result, it only makes the Sakamaki’s seem even more like they are the villains of the story. While this may seem obvious given their original setting of being both ‘Vampires’ and ‘extreme sadists’, it makes it very easy for the otome game element as well as the feelings they end up developing for the heroine to be lost, in which case they would no longer be the six brothers we wanted to deliver. Therefore, it was very difficult to convey to the player that the love they harbor for the heroine eventually makes them change, while still preserving the sadistic tendencies which stem from their nature as Vampires at the same time. The player base has spent quite a bit of time interacting with these brothers, and I am sure it was not always easy, but I hope said message was delivered to those who played our game.

Q6. Is there a character who underwent drastic changes compared to the last game?

A: All of them are still the same at the core, so my impression of them did not change depending on the scenario. I believe minor changes were done to the way some of the characters are drawn, but personally I perceive each character as a mix of both their previous and current representation. 

Q7. In this game, each section is divided into a ‘Situation Part’ and ‘Story Part’. Could you explain your intentions behind this?

A: When collecting feedback on the previous game, we received many complaints about the different chapters feeling inconsistent and all over the place. However, we always intended ‘DIABOLIK LOVERS’ to be a game in which the player gets to enjoy these different kind of ‘situations’, so without losing this part of the enjoyment, we figured we had to make the plot progression easier to grasp, which is how the current structure was implementend. To make it even more clear to the player, we divided it into two sections and gave each of them a title, changing the names as well. 

Q8. What are parts which have greatly improved or parts you want us to focus on in comparison to the first game?

A: To ensure the player gets to enjoy the development in the heroine and characters’ thoughts and feelings, we applied small adjustments till the very last second. We hope that the people playing the game will take notice of this as well. 

Q9. Why do you think the series has received such a great amount of support?

A: I believe the impact of the ‘Do-S Vampire’ concept, Satoi-san’s eye-catching illustrations and the charm of the cast who voices the characters all play a big part in this. Furthermore, I also believe that the simultaenous announcement of both drama CDs and a game which took place during the early stages of development had a large influence as well. We were able to make a smooth transition from the release of the CDs to the release of the games, which made it easier for the fans to follow along with the franchise. We truly are grateful for that!

Q10. Were there any ideas you wanted to incorporate in this game, but were unable to do in the end?

A: This game features the same selection segment as the previous one in which scenario’s 1 ~ 6 raise your love meter, while scenarios 7 ~ 10 raise the SM meter. However, we implemented the distinction between the ‘situation part’ and ‘story part’ this time, so it might have actually been even more enjoyable if the situation part raises the SM meter instead...I think. Those kind of features may vary depending on the vision of the director and staff members, so I would like to use this experience to think of various possible routes for future installments, as well as to settle on an end product which is fitting for the franchise. Furthermore, this may seem like a task without an end but I believe that the voicing plays a big factor in delivering the story. It is a vital element of conveying the message you want to tell, in a way that whether or not the player understands the plot is often highly dependent on the voice work. Every time I find myself wanting to perfect this, but it is difficult to supervise all of it just by myself...However, there’s always next time, so I’d love to squeeze in the time to thoroughly check this!

Q11. Do you have any more games planned for the series at present? Would you personally like to create more sequels?

A: We do not as of now, but if there is a strong demand for it, we might just be able to develop another game. Personally I would like to make a stereotypical ‘fandisc’ but the very first thing that comes to mind with those is a 'sweet, romantic story’ so I do struggle a little envisioning how that would play out with a cast made out of nothing but intense characters. 

Q12. Please leave a message for the fans.

A: Thanks to the support we have received from all of you, we were able to create so much content for this franchise. I put my heart and soul into this game, so I sincerely hope that many people will enjoy it. Your impressions and encouraging messages are a great motivator as well, so I am eagerly awaiting those! The series may deliver new installments in the future, and to ensure that you all can continue to enjoy ‘DIABOLIK LOVERS’, we will continue to try our hardest together with Rejet-san, so we’d be happy if you could send us your heartfelt support. 

SECTION 2: THEIR FAVORITE EPISODES

Sakamaki brothers: The final few chapters of Ayato’s route left a strong impression on me. I couldn’t help but wonder if somebody could truly be that stubborn and in denial about their own feelings, insistent on calling the girl they love ‘a prey’ till the very end. I felt so frustrated when the heroine’s feelings just wouldn’t get through to him, tears welled up in my eyes. 

Mukami brothers: The part which gave me the most goosebumps during the development stages has to be Ruki’s Manservant Ending. Takagi Sakurai-san did a magnificant job portraying his silent madness, it was truly wonderful. Second place would be Azusa’s brute ending, even though I knew how the story would go, I still ended up feeling a little depressed by it, so please be careful when you play this scenario...

SECTION 3: NAO NAKAMURA CHOOSES ー SITUATION-DEPENDENT CHARACTER SELECT

Who would you choose in these situations? What’s the developer’s opinion?

S1. To sleep together with?

Best: Subaru, I feel like he has a good sleeping posture.

Worst: Subaru, he might not move around much in his sleep, but it’d still be uncomfortable and narrow in that coffin, huh? 

S2. To go on a trip together with?

Best: Shuu, I’m sure he’d just loaf around the lodge all day, so I get to enjoy the trip in whichever way I want!

Worst: Laito, I’d rather keep my distance from him. 

S3. To eat together with?

Best: Kou because I’m sure he’d happily gobble it up.

Worst: Kanato, I feel like the food would be lacking in nutrients.

S4. To study with?

Best: Ruki, I think he’d do a good job explaining everything accurately.

Worst: ???, honestly all of them...

S5. To go on a date with?

Best: Yuma, I actually think he would make for a great boyfriend.

Worst: Shuu, because everything would be a chore to him...

S6. To play a video game with?

Best: Ayato, he just seems like the type of guy you can always have fun and make some ruckus with.

Worst: Reiji, he seems super fussy.

S7. To play sports with?

Best: Shuu, I don’t really like exercising so...I’ll go with the person who seems unlikely to exercise in the first place.

Worst: Ayato, I don’t like exercise after all...

S8. To go on a drive with?

Best: Ruki, I’m positive he would look handsome behind the wheel.

Worst: Azusa, it’d be bad if his bandages were to get stuck around the steering wheel or the gear stick...

[deltaengineering]

Spring Anime 2021: Embarrassment of Riches

So this current anime season absolutely stinks, which just makes the last one look even more impressive. Well, maybe not all of it...

Zombieland Saga Revenge

First off, you don't need to tell me that the following is a severe outlier opinion. We good? Ok. ZLSR is, in a word, subpar. I liked S1 back in the day, but it was already in the process of getting lazy towards the end. S2 continues this trend and is basically just another idol show. And as someone who actually does watch other idol shows I have to say that it's not a particularly good one of those either. The zombie gimmick has mostly stopped mattering and we're just doing what every idol show does, only with the odd occasional sight gag. The alleged subversive qualities mostly amount to a flashback for Yuugiri, which is admittedly the best part of the show but feels like it barely has anything to do with anything. Apart from that, it's a bunch of generic idol plots, rehashed character beats, shoddy attempts at twists (while not connecting to any setups from S1), and the obligatory "idols give us hope" ending, which is terribly hackneyed and flat out bad. Tae gets further memed into the ground, because of course she does. And there's stuff that was simply never good to begin with, like Kotarou and his comedy schtick, which gets truly insufferable now that there's no qualities to distract from it. It really makes me think that S1 wasn't even all that good to begin with and seems like an attempt to turn this surprise success into an easy money longrunner with no edge and no ambitions. "The idol show for people who don't watch idol shows" indeed, but not the way you mean it. 4/10

Bakuten

But not to dwell on the failures, with the second show we're already above the cut — barely. This one got my attention with its really impressive performance scenes early on and it totally sticks to that, which is even more impressive. But besides that? Well, this is by far the most predictable show in a season where I watched an unambitious Kiraralike and put ZLS on blast for having no ideas. The characters are a mixed bag, some are cool (Shida, Asawo), some are very annoying (Mashiro), but those are the supports. The main cast is extremely one-dimensional, which is fine until they try to heap a ton of pathos on their lead, which doesn't go well. But I guess execution matters, and Bakuten is slick enough to get by. Writing this down in stark daylight I feel like I overrated this show somewhat (I actually put it over the next one originally, which definitely doesn't hold up when thinking about it), but I was indeed mostly entertained. 6/10

Yakunara Mug Cup mo

Yeah. Of course Mug Cup definitely doesn't invent or subvert anything either, but it's a pretty good Kiraralike that's always entertaining to watch. Explaining the qualities of such a nothing genre is as difficult as ever, but it mostly comes down to me liking the characters and it having nothing to annoy me. It's shorter than normal, which is a plus for slim shows like this. And yeah, you can make an excessive amount of dick jokes with the clay fondling. That helps too. Looks are just fine, pleasant but nothing out of the ordinary. Comfy low-effort anime. 6/10

Vivy: Fluorite Eye's Song

This one is decent, but sadly still a major letdown. Because the first few episodes of Vivy were excellent and kicked ass, but then it became increasingly clear that the writing can't cash the checks the ideas wrote while the action starts running into severely diminishing returns. Vivy just keeps slowly getting worse and worse as it goes on, not by a huge amount each episode but by the end there's a pretty sizeable gulf between potential and result. Going into detail would probably be a little much for this venue because there's a lot, but from the top level view the issue is that while Vivy has good fundamental ideas and steals at the right places, it just isn't a smart show — it's schlock, and by the end, poorly thought out schlock that tries to smooth out every problem with liberal application of the big feels hammer and le epic twist at that. Yeah, couldn't tell that the Re:Zero dude was aboard here, for sure. That said, it still works pretty well as entertaining schlock that is not to be taken too seriously, and the characters are generally just very fun to watch even when they're doing stupid things. Still, I can't in good conscience rate this higher than Beatless, a show that looks like butt but properly executes on its ideas. 6/10

Super Cub

So this is 100% a Honda commercial, and I got really mad a Yuru Camp last season for being a blatant shill. Yet I'm feeling this, what gives? I think the main difference is that Super Cub is specifically a commercial for one product (and a very iconic product at that), while Yuru Camp is so all over the place that it ends up mostly a commercial for consumerism in general. And when Super Cub goes too hard on the product (which it does), it's at least pretty entertaining. That's something about Super Cub in general: It goes hard. Your regular Kiraralike this is not, because it's uncommonly slow, focused and moody - yes, it almost measures up to Yuru Camp at its best and demolishes it at its worst. Also, it's just extremely amusing to see sadblob Koguma grow a huge grizzly biker beard and become a badass outlaw dad to her goofy wife and cute daughter, all thanks to the power of afforable personal transportation. Needless to say, that can get unintentionally silly, but Super Cub has so much charm that it doesn't matter — it's great when it's good and still funny when it's not. 7/10

Shadows House

Shadows House turned up with a lot of potential, and I have to say it at least delivered on most of it. It has some problems; notably I'm not a fan of how the entire middle turned out to be a tournament arc of sorts that seems curiously inspired by Resident Evil memes, crest-shaped intentations and boulder punching included. I also think that this is a show that would be perfectly fine without explaining much, but I guess it is a shounen manga after all so we got dumped on eventually anyway. At least that came late - close relative Promised Neverland didn't show that much restraint. Shadows House is generally well written though, with great characters, interesting interactions and a great hook. But what really makes it memorable is that it's exceptionally good at the cute/creepy contrast, something that is often tried but rarely works as well as here, with great character designs and very appropriate production. I hope this gets a sequel, because it seems like it's just getting started. 7/10

SSSS.Dynazenon

Coming in with a fondness for Gridman, Dynazenon didn't have to do much to convince me. The surprise though is that it's not a rehash even if it's basically the same show, a character drama where occasionally huge and goofy fights break out. Dynazenon is Gridman done better, and the interesting part is how it accomplishes this - mainly by being far more conventional. I do appreciate that Gridman went for something weird and almost experimental, but that only really paid off towards the end while most of the show was a distraction/holding pattern. It just didn't feel like there was enough material for a full series there, more like a movie maybe, if even that. Dynazenon fixes this by just being a TV show, with an actual cast of characters that each have their own arc. And by spreading the material this way, Dynazenon ends up having a lot more nuance than its intensely focused predecessor, while having the same themes and not actually being any deeper. In a way, Gridman ends up looking like the spinoff in retrospect, while Dynazenon is the full package. 8/10

Thunderbolt Fantasy S3

So how good was this season? So good that Thunderbolt Fantasy doesn't end up at the top, that's how. And all the elements that made Tbolt such a sure thing are still there, big hammy puppets doing stunts and scheming never gets old. However, I do have to note that at this point, the writing appears to have gotten too comfortable. I don't expect it to ever top the amazing S1 ending, but at this point it's like Tbolt has stopped trying to deliver on endings at all and seems in the process of retooling itself into a longrunner instead. Barely anything gets resolved in S3 (the climax is that the climax of S2 is resolved again, for good this time... maybe), and everything else is just setting up plotpoints for the next season. Tbolt is truly lucky that it doesn't actually need to resolve anything to be a great time, but at this point I have to say that I'd appreciate it if they wrapped it up with S4. 8/10

Nomad: Megalobox 2

Speaking of sequels to shows I liked, Nomad doesn't so much improve upon its predecessor but steamrolls right over it. This is a tall order, since Megalobox was surprisingly good for a sports shounen and had a real nice, heartwarming ending that Nomad instantly negates for purposes of drama and everyone being extremely miserable. That sounds like a pretty terrible idea - and it would be, if Nomad wasn't as excellent as it is. To call it not the same show would be an understatement, because it's a true sequel, not just the same characters doing their thing some more, or new characters doing the same thing as the old ones did. Indeed my biggest problem with Megalobox was that it still closely adhered to its genre template and was very predictable; Nomad fixes this issue thoroughly. Nomad is about questioning what being a hotblooded shounen protagonist eventually leads you to, and how to fix everything you screwed up by being one. You could call it a deconstruction, but that term has been so abused for cynical, edgy "thing you like actually sucks" takes that I feel like it doesn't really fit here. Nomad isn't cynical at all, it's just a character drama about some boxers past their prime, and it being a sequel to a show that is indeed rather formulaic just enhances the experience. My biggest issue with it was that I really like what they did with Joe in this story, so the big focus on Mac's backstory felt like a distraction for a long time. But in the end that turned out to be absolutely necessary to make the ending work. The ending's just great, by the way, and I shall say not more about it. 9/10

Odd Taxi

Yeah boy, here's the show that has apparently become somewhat of a "greatest show you didn't watch" meme, which I can feel smug about because I don't need YouTubers to tell me what's good and followed this from day one. Anyway, Odd Taxi is indeed great, the greatest show in a few years even. What starts out as seemingly a relaxed hangout show in the vein of Midnight Diners quickly turns into a psychological murder mystery while never losing its quirky humor. The character writing is outstanding, with even small bit players being on a level that the average anime wishes it could have for leads. And the rollout of the mystery is exemplary, with answers given and new questions raised every episode with a satisfying and logical payoff in the end. This is also the rare anime that has rock solid production from the first to the last second; it's never really flashy but excellently done and highly consistent nonetheless. And the music just owns. I have a few complaints, mainly that there's a few logical weaknesses in the story (which wouldn't even register in a lesser show, but sticks out here since the rest is so immaculately constructed) and that the ending overextends on the emotions when the rest of the show is so reserved and dry in comparison. But those are only the reasons why I didn't give it perfect marks, and I almost did that anyway. 9/10