zabbaninja

[zabbaninja]

Anime of the Year Review 2021- The Good

Hello again. It’s time I continue this review with more anime, this time of ones I consider to be good, or at least of value. The spike in quality is very noticeable, and things become amazing very quickly. 

EVANGELION:1.11 YOU ARE (NOT) ALONE

My second favorite of the Evangelion movies. This is the one that feels most like an anime, if that makes sense. Evengelion is a bizarre series that doesn’t follow any sort of rules, so it was refreshing to see a movie that feels closer to what I’m used to. It was good. Really good. I still think it’s misogynistic, but I enjoyed it.

The Great Jahy Will Not Be Defeated! (Manga)

This is the first volume of Jahy, and I thought it was really good. It’s a very simple story but is done well through nice art and good jokes. It’s not amazing, but it does a decent job at telling its story and I liked it. 

Rascal Does Not Dream of Bunny Girl Senpai-

What a ridiculous title for a mostly good show. The choice of making 4 separate stories into one anime is a somewhat good one. I liked nearly all the characters and thought they were all pretty good. The focus on the protagonist to be the love interest was kind of obnoxious, but it always is. It was good, and had some really interesting and creative concepts. I felt the ending was just a little bit too heart-wrenching, but that could have just been me. It feels like it ends too soon.

Diary of Our Days at the Breakwater-

A very, very ok anime that while it is enjoyable to watch and I really like the main character, it’s just not super interesting. I like the fishing and I like the educational aspects, I like everything. It’s a good anime. But I’m not sure if I really love anything about it. 

SHELTER- 

A pretty great music video with some incredible animation and a good emotional core. 

Cells at Work! CODE BLACK-

What an anime. For the most part, I really enjoyed it. There’s a lot to like, especially the super fun main character. White Blood Cell in particular is a great (love interest?) companion to Red Blood Cell and they make a great team. This series is much more daring and creative than its G-Rated counterpart, and I very much appreciated its style. While I don’t think it’s a masterpiece or like it as much as some of the other anime on this list, I look back on my time watching it very fondly. I looked forward to a new episode every wednesday and it rarely disappointed. I was very sad when It finished. I would love a season 2 if that eventually happens. 

Yuuna and the Haunted Hot Springs-

I actually remember seeing clips from this show on Youtube and being utterly confused. After watching, I can say it’s just as ridiculous as before, but with a lot more to like. The male lead is fantastic, and he really makes the show along with Yuuna. Together they make a great team, and the show was always interesting. And every once in a while there was a truly touching moment that made me smile. 

How Heavy Are the Dumbbells You Lift?

Not your typical ecchi show, this anime is really quite good. As someone that loves weight lifting and cute things, this is a great match. I love when anime takes a predominantly male-orentied sport or activity and makes it more feminime. It’s a lot of fun, very educational, and has a lot of heart. (And style too!) It definitely has its problems, but overall it’s a great anime that does a really nice job of explaining Strength Training to those that have never seen it before. One day I’ll truly work out to this anime, mark my words. 

Ao-Chan Can’t Study-

One of the shows I watched with my free HI-DIVE subscription (Check them out, they’re cool, but only watch on PC) This really surprised me at how funny and entertaining it was. It impressed me with its writing and fun plots. The opening is fantastic, but I really, really loved the main character. Ao is excellent. There are some annoying and unnecessary characters, but all in all, it was a lot of fun. 

JOJO STONE OCEAN (First Twelve Episodes)-

Screw you Netflix!! This was a step down from Golden Wind. While it started off pretty strong, it slowly devolved into JoJo the Remix. I mean, a reference is one thing, but the amount of repeated scenes got really ridiculous. When it’s doing something new, it’s great. When it’s doing the same, it sucks. Too familiar and too slow, Stone Ocean feels like a pretty disappointing preview. That said, it was still fun and had some great moments. That said, this is just the beginning, and things will probably change once the full story is released. Screw you Netflix!! 

Attack on Titan (First Season)-

Yes, I finally bit the bullet and watched AoT. I’m gonna be honest, this beginning was kind of lackluster. Eren’s angsty antics left a bit of a bad impression, and I truly was just not really invested. The titans were boring, the characters were (seemingly) one-note, and it was too long. But when Eren transforms… I saw a sudden spark. Maybe… Maybe this is worth sticking to the end. There was like this huge shift. While I’m not a fan of this opening, there’s a lot of promise in its rusty exterior. 

[zabbaninja]

Anime of the Year Review 2021- The Bad

So it's been a long time coming, but that's mainly because I watched a lot of anime in 2021. It's harder to put it all together. So I've decided to split it up a little and upload them in chunks. And so I'll start with the worst anime I watched this year, gradually getting better and better. These are just my thoughts from when the year ended, and some decisions may have been changed over time. But at the end of 2021, this is how I felt.

Dropout Idol Fruit Tart-

The worst thing I watched this year. It is a confusing, stupid, and unoriginal anime made for no one. There was one single moment where I liked this anime, but more importantly, it taught me something. When you watch an anime and you don’t like it, don’t force yourself to watch the whole thing. If you can’t stand it, just stop and watch something different. Unfortunately, I only realized that when I had already watched this whole thing. It’s really bad. It’s so bad there’s not that much to talk about.

New Gods: Nezha Reborn-

This one is also bad. What an incredibly boring and uninspired movie. I knew it was a different studio from the people that made the other Nezha movie, but still, this was really awful. There was nearly no merit. Lame. Don’t watch it.

How clumsy you are, Miss Ueno-

This one has some value if only a tiny bit. It’s not good, but it’s not the worst thing ever. I kind of like the premise, I just don’t think there’s anything special going on here. And I’m not sure what the point really is, considering nothing really changes from the beginning and at the end. (Not that I was expecting it to) The one good thing is the music. All the endings are quite good, almost unexpectedly so. The main character has nice character design.

I’ve Been Killing Slimes for 300 Years and Maxed Out My Level-

This anime fucking sucks! Not really though. I’m just a little disappointed. It’s not that bad, but I expected more. I think the story isn’t that terrible, but the animation, music, and character designs are all poor quality. I think it could have been a lot better. The theme of forming a family was quite odd. It’s not like the main character was going to get married. I wish they had the balls to do that, but they don’t. The ecchi jokes were good, but it was mainly just not great.

Cells at Work!-

Cells at Work is the most ok anime I think I’ve ever seen. There isn’t necessarily anything bad about it, and it is pretty educational, but I just don’t love it very much. It’s ok. It’s got good animation, good characters, and a solid story, but I just don’t think it’s that special.

Sword Art Online- The Movie- Ordinal Scale

So disappointing. I can’t believe it made me want to watch Alicization again. I thought that would never happen. But it’s really bad. There are some bright spots, but mainly it’s just kinda dumb. I’m just glad I didn’t see this in theaters.

Fragtime (Movie)-

I don’t want to be super hard on this, but I really think if you want to experience this story, please read the manga instead. The movie is just not as good and doesn’t do a great job of capturing the manga well. There’s less content in the movie, and yet they added unnecessary things anyway. Don’t waste your time watching this inferior version.

Gabriel DropOut-

It has some good moments.

Neon Genesis Evangelion-

Oh boy. What an interesting, thought-provoking, and insane piece of art that should be celebrated and remembered. It is one of the cornerstones of anime, and I really don’t like it. I particularly don’t like misogyny. I have a certain tolerance towards these things, but I can’t stand the way this anime does things. I don’t like the characters, and I don’t like a lot of the choices they made. This anime is for a very specific type of person, and that isn’t me.

Adachi and Shimamura-

I don’t like slow-burns. If I’m watching a romance, I want the characters to admit they love each other by the end. That’s basically my one requirement. There are some anime that I’ve liked that do this, but this is not one of them. Adachi and Shimamura do have some great moments, but all in all, it’s nothing special. And I can’t not criticize it just because it’s LGBTQ. I definitely respect it and want them to improve, but it’s just not very good in my opinion.

Evangelion:2.22 YOU CAN (NOT) ADVANCE.-

I didn’t like this one as much as 1.11, and I still don’t really think it’s that great, but it’s here, I guess. There are some nice visuals and the ending is neat, but that’s all I can say about it.

Please tell me! Galko-chan-

I liked this a lot. It’s very simple, but it talks about a lot of issues you don’t see anime bring up very often. It was good.

The End of Evangelion-

An incredible film that represents everything Hideaki Anno stood for and is a very representation of him. It has my eternal respect and is one of the most interesting anime films ever made. Did I like it? Sort of.

Mao Mao, Heroes of Pure Heart-

I like watching children’s shows every now and then. A delightfully cute, but overall just good cartoon with a lot of action and fun characters. Charming, but nothing I’d go crazy for. Some episodes are much better than others.

Ms. Koizumi Loves Ramen Noodles-

I feel weird about Koizumi-San because I love, love the food talk, but I’m not super huge on the characters. Koizumi is great, but most of the other characters didn’t really do it for me. However, the actual ramen part of the anime is really great. I love all the different locations and details that go into ramen. I never thought I’d prefer the educational side to an anime, but here we are!

Princess Connect! Re: Dive-

Yuuki is so freaking boring he ruins the show. Get him out of here! He is a nothing character that sits around while everything amazing is given to the female leads. For the love of god, give this man some personality! It was endearing for the first episode, but got stale extremely quickly. He is a loser and I hate him. Very disappointing.

Physic Princess-

I enjoy watching Chinese anime and movies because I love the language. And while this wasn’t incredible, it was pretty interesting. I like the main character a lot, and the romance scenes were the best part for me. It just felt a little scatter-brained, so to speak.

Evangelion:3.33 YOU CAN (NOT) REDO-

A very solid set up to the last rebuild, it was rather good. But still just a setup.

JORAN THE PRINCESS OF SNOW AND BLOOD-

A period piece anime that is good and very satisfying, with not much else. The action is nice, the characters are nice, I liked the ending a lot, but really, it’s just alright. It’s enjoyable, but you aren’t going to be blown away. The ending is awesome though.

Okay, everything after this is anime I consider 'good.'

[zabbaninja]

Yurucamp Virtual- Lake Motosu Review and thoughts on VR in general

Yurucamp is a fantastic anime and I highly recommend you watch it if you haven’t ever seen it. Season 2 is going on right now, so you still have a little time to catch up and watch along (At the time of me writing this).

Yesterday Studio GEMDROPS have released a VR Yurucamp game, and I played it and here are my thoughts. First off, I need to discuss the price. 21$ is not crazy expensive, but for such a short game it’s rather steep. Even a game I didn’t enjoy like Cyber Shadow has more content for the same price. Yurucamp Virtual took about an hour to complete for me and I took things pretty slow. This is a VERY short game so it’s hard to justify the price point. However, regardless of price, let’s talk about the game itself.

The game feels very much like the anime, with the same voice actors and writers (I think). If you like Yurucamp you’ll definitely like this. The wonderful feeling I get while watching a Yurucamp episode is in the game for sure with everything exuding that peacefulness and cuteness that made me love the anime. The graphics are beautiful, with some truly amazing scenery. The game goes through day evening night and morning and all look incredible. Every time the time of day changed I would audibly gasp from the amazing sights.

You spend most of the game looking around and talking to Rin and it is incredibly peaceful. There were times when I just leaned back in my chair and stared out into the sky. The sights and sounds were just so wonderful and it truly made me feel at peace. In the anime, Rin talks about how solo camping is a great way to appreciate loneliness and I feel like the same thing can be applied to VR.

When I originally wanted VR I thought it would be a big escape, taking me away from the pain of the real world. But to be honest that really isn't the case. When I'm in VR I feel like I’m much more connected to myself. The virtual world is a place only you can enter, and when you do you’re completely cut off from everything… Except yourself. When I put on the headset I no longer have access to my phone, the remote, or any outside sources other than the Playstation and my controller. It’s only the game and me. That’s why my mind seems to always wander to myself when I play a VR game.

I think VR is not an escape from the world but rather a way to get a handle on things. To calm down… Only for a moment. When I’m in the virtual world, I think of my life and the places I’ve been. The things I’ve said. What I’m going to do next. VR is a place of introspection and peace. The time doesn't matter. The people don’t matter. Your body doesn't matter. It’s only yourself and the game, the world inside the screen. VR is something you truly have to experience for yourself.

Not at a demo in the mall or at your friend's house, but alone and personal. Just sit back and enter Virtual Reality and it will change you. It is a gateway to reflection and peace and a way to realign yourself. Cut off from everything but yourself, the sights and sounds you see become twenty times as personal and memorable. Everything is so much more impactful, as only you are participating in it. Your experience is all your own and the only way to share it with someone is by explaining it yourself. That is what VR is truly about, to me at least.

I kind of went off the rails there, but I suppose what I’m trying to say is that VR is similar to camping by yourself in a way. There's a lot of great stuff to be had in Yurucamp Virtual, but the price is a rather large roadblock. To be honest, I would only really recommend it if you’re a seriously die-hard Yurucamp fan or really like VR stuff and anime. For 21$ it’s a hard sell. But I promise if you do buy it, it is a wonderful time. It’s all quality, but I’m not sure if it’s totally worth 21$. If you are on the fence about it, some other great VR games completely worth the price would be Tetris Effect, Polybius, or Thumper. But make sure to do research on a VR game before you buy it as there’s a big chance it might just not be for you. That’s all I’ve got to say, thank you for reading.

As for future reviews, I will make a full review of Yurucamp season 2 and Cells at Work: Code Black once they are over. I also just finished watching Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress and it was absolutely amazing, even better than Demon Slayer IMO. But of course, we’ll have to see how it fares against Mugen Train when that comes out in English.

[zabbaninja]

Updated Ranking- 2020 Anime Year In Review

Punch Line- Completely unexpected, possibly the greatest anime of all time. The animation is good and the music is great, but the characters and story is what made me really love this show. It’s also very misleading holy crap they work hard to cover up the real meat of the show. 

HaNaYaMaTa- A gorgeous anime with a bunch of great music and dancing.

Promare- 2d CGI hybrid with an amazing soundtrack and inspiring characters. (Still not as good as Kill la Kill though.)

The Helpful Fox Senko-San- Really really cute, probably the most feel-good anime ever made. 

Laid Back-Camp- Absolutely incredible.

Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba- Way exceeded my expectations.

No Game No Life Zero- No comment, it’s better if you go in with nothing.

Spirited Away- What did you expect?

Parasyte- Outstanding visuals and the best transformation of a character I have ever seen in any anime.

The Disastrous Life of Saiki K- The best comedy anime I saw this year, the animation is a little stiff, but the characters make up for it.

Komi Can’t Communicate (Manga)- A very good read that I don’t think would work well as an anime imo. 

No Game No Life- The greatest fictional world I have ever seen in anything ever. I couldn't imagine half the things the anime does.

Squid-Girl- Made me like squids.

Lupin III: The First- SEE! CGI IS COOL!

Hi Score Girl (Season 2)- Season one was pretty good, but a little underwhelming. Season 2 on the other hand is completely insane and is one of the best anime you can watch on Netflix right now holy crap.

BNA- Trigger has done it again, though some aspects hold it down for me. 

Gargantia on the verdurous planet- Amazing Sci-Fi anime, Ledo is hot.

Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid- Really recommend this one.

Blue Exorcist (Kyoto Saga)- What a grand return!

Kohana Kitan- A beautiful anime with a whole lot of charm.

Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure Part 5: Golden Wind- This… Is Requiem.

Dragon Quest: Your Story- Best video game movie, fight me.

Star vs. The Forces of Evil- Really good, had a lot of unexpected moments.

The Disastrous Life of Saiki K: Reawakened- Not as good as original, though still pretty solid.

Steven Universe- Really good.

Steven Universe The Movie- Also really good.

HERO- What an outstanding film. The closest we will get to anime fighting in live-action.

House of Flying Daggers- Why isn't it house of “The” flying daggers? What the heck?

The Last Samurai- I didn't know that it was Tom Cruise until the very end.

In This Corner of the World- Really really incredible movie, highly recommended, will probably make you cry and feel sad though, so watch at your one risk.

Eromanga Sensei- Really really fun anime.

Gourmet Girl Graffiti- If you like food and cute girls, this is the anime for you. (Update after watching again, this was way better than I remember. I would probably put it much higher now) 

Nichijou: My Ordinary Life- This anime is a sight to behold.

Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure Part 3.5: Battle in Egypt- There was only one reason you lost.

Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure Part 4: Diamond is Unbreakable- My name is Yoshikage Kira. I'm 33 years old. 

Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress: The Battle of Unato- Way better than I was expecting, really solid. 

Sword Art Online Alicization: War of Underworld- Some of the best animation you can watch right now, with some stupid garbage mixed in.

Lupin The 3rd, Part 5- Pretty good, though not outstanding.

Avatar: The Last Airbender- I’m sorry, It’s just not really for me.

Anima Yell!- Very cute, though some other anime do this style a lot better.

Sword Art Online Alicization- This is literally the textbook example of Awful Taste but Great Execution.

Recovery of an MMO Junkie- It’s good, but it doesn't really feel that unique or memorable compared to other slice of life anime. (That opening though… Now that is incredible.)

Monthly Girls’ Nozaki Kun- WHERE IS THE PLOT? WHY DOES IT END THE SAME WAY IT BEGAN? NOTHING HAPPENED!!

Sonic the Hedgehog- “Gotta go fast.”

Nezha- Really good, I liked the story a lot.

LEGO Ninjago- The spiritual successor to the original series, while nowhere near as good, is something I can say is 90% better than everything else on Cartoon Network right now.

Pop Team Epic- Was not really for me.

Scissor Seven (Season 2)- I liked this a lot, I cannot wait to see what happens in season 3.

Infinity Train- Good, though not as outstanding as something like Gravity Falls (Which this show is compared to a lot).

Modest Heroes- First part is okay, Second part is alright, Third part is a must watch.

NinoKuni- The most predictable movie I have ever watched. 

Oblivion- The song was really good.

Scissor Seven (Season 1)- A mixed bag, full of boring episodes and some that truly amazed me. 

Randy Cunningham: 9th Grade Ninja- Good for what it is.

WATATEN!: an Angel Flew Down to Me- Ehh… Really pretty animation- too bad nothing happens.

BAKI- WHY WOULD YOU JUST SWITCH TO CGI IN THE MIDDLE OF A FIGHT SCENE?

Fireworks- Most boring anime I watched this year, a complete waste of time.

Devilman Crybaby- The worst anime I have ever seen in my life, pissed me off and made me never want to watch anime again. I am glad other people like it though, I wish I could too… But I just can’t.

[zabbaninja]

A Bit of an Update

Happy New Year! 

Thought I’d do a little post for my abanded account. Good god, rereading these was a nightmare. I really should stop trying to be funny. Anyways, I’m doing alright. Some anime I watched since I made this were- Demon Slayer. Yeah, I’m a little late to the party, but it really was incredible. I loved it so much. Hi Score Girl Season 2- I watched season 1 when that came out and thought it was just okay, but season 2 is literally my favorite romantic anime I have ever watched. Holy shit the quality jump is insane. Lupin III The First- Really great. Jojo Part 5- Golden Wind- Just as good as Part 3 and 4, highly recommended. Nichijou- Fantastic. Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress: The Battle of Unato- Thank you Netflix for making me think this was just a movie and not a full anime, but I really liked this a lot. The female lead actually saves the day for once. Thank you. Thank you so much. SAO Season 3- Misogyny. That’s the only thing I can say. Monthly Girls Nozaki Kun- What was even the point? Pop Team Epic- Not for me. Devilman Crybaby- Sorry if this pisses some people off, but this is my least favorite anime of all time. Anime I’ve watched since the new year- Adachi and Shimamura- Really cute and incredibly well made. Cells at Work!- Just ok. Cells at Work! CODE BLACK- Still being made at this point, but enjoying it so far. Even if it reminded me a little of sex ed. Ugh... Dropout Idol Fruit Tart- Such a disappointment. Who is this anime made for? What the fuck is the demographic? ??? Yurucamp Season 2- More outstanding quality. Can’t wait to watch more. 

Alright, that’s what I’ve got so far. I might make more reviews later down the line, just have to see what happens next. For now, thank you for reading, and I’ll give another update later this year. 

[zabbaninja]

Number 13- BNA

After watching Kill la Kill, I heard that the same people were making a Netflix show. I was super pumped, and was extremely excited. Later, I watched their movie, Promare and was absolutely amazed. News continued to go out about a new show, and I got even more excited. I was ready. And then, the day came. It was finally released. Did it live up to the hype? Yes! Brand New Animal is fantastic. I think my favorite part was the world. There is so much to it, even being a 12 episode series. It felt so real and cool. The locations and people are really memorable. I like that some characters are revealed in their human form first, and there's this guessing game like, “What animal is he?” Really good stuff. I love the main character, Michiru. She is so quickly lovable and her rise to power is awesome to watch, as she gets stronger and stronger. I found her to be super fun, but still really interesting. I like how you learn more and more about her origins as the series moves on. Then there's Shiriou, who is much more than just the cool guy archetype. There's a lot of mystery about who he is and what he's about that’s done well. I like how you don’t understand everything about him at first. I think all characters are done well, where each one is a puzzle that finally gets put together near the end. You might not know who they are at the beginning, but you eventually find out and get an idea. I enjoyed the soundtrack a lot, loved the OP and ending song. Both are really great and I listen to them regularly. Nearly every episode is solid and well done. I’m happy to say that Studio TRIGGER continues to make quality work. I recommend this to any anime fan, and I also recommend Kill la Kill and all other Studio TRIGGER works. However…

SPOILERS BELOW

I did not like that ending. Okay, I understand that this is Michiru and Shirou’s journey, but I feel like only Shirou had a fully developed character arc. Despite having Michiru say, “What’s so great about men anyway?” The series ends with the big strong wolf man saving the day. I felt that was really lame. I wanted Michiru to save the day, but Shirou just ended up getting all the credit. And what was even the point of Michiru’s phone breaking? Oh no, my phone is dead! Now what do we do? Ten seconds later the problem is solved. SO WHAT WAS THE POINT? Why introduce a problem if you are going to fix it ten seconds later? What the fuck? And then there's the bad guy. Oh man, the villain was a beastman all along. Really? That’s your big twist? Not only is it a complete rip-off of Promare, but it is just really lame in general. I liked the bad guy, but he didnt feel as developed as the other characters. Episode 11 is absolutely incredible, but I just did not like the ending. I still like the show overall, but I think it is lame that Michiru just kinda sits on the sideline while Shirou saves the day with his wolf powers. I don’t know, maybe I just missed the point. If they make a season two all my claims will be forfeited though. Also, was anyone actually surprised that Shirou was the Silver Wolf? And also, why is the baseball episode the best one? THE BASEBALL EPISODE IS THE BEST EPISODE!!! WHAT?!?!? I really like the show. I think it is another hit from TRIGGER. But I felt it could have been even better, and that ending rubbed me the wrong way. Still good, but Kill la Kill and Promare were way better.

[zabbaninja]

Number 15- Gargantia on the Verdurous Planet

This one is amazing. I usually don’t like Sci-Fi shows, but this is on another level. Ledo crashes down to Earth and lands on Gargantia, which is such a memorable location. They really make it seem alive and full of personality. It almost reminds me of Ghibli films and how they make locations so interesting and unique. Gargantia feels like somewhere people could seriously live and breathe. The ship is wonderful, just like the characters. Ledo is fantastic, and the fish out of water concept is done beautifully here. I love his design, and how he slowly begins to understand the world around him. Amy is really great too, serving as a great look into the Earth’s inhabitants. She really represents the core ideas of the anime really well. Chamber is great too, I like his slow progression from robot to being just as human as Ledo. I love where the tone starts to shift towards the end. It gets really insane in the last few episodes. I love the villains literally being squids. My only real complaint is the twist near the end is really obvious. I mean, cmon. But other than that, I think this show is excellent. I really recommend this one, and I suggest you watch it with a big TV to get the true experience.  

[zabbaninja]

Number 16- Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid

Was not expecting to like this one as much as I did. There is so much more to this than I thought. The characters and story are so good it was really surprising just how much I liked them. Each character feels like you could make an entire series with just them. I really like how insane things get. I mean, you could really just slap a dragon on there and call it a day, but they really worked hard to make it seem not only real, but comically realistic. I really liked Tohru, she’s my favorite character. I like this insane relationship and how it progresses over the story. You really want them to make it work, and get sad when bad things happen. Every episode is done so well, and the animation is very distinct. It’s such a deep and complex show, while still being very funny and easy to understand. It’s hard to make a comedy emotional, but that’s just what they do. It can be wholesome, raunchy, funny, smart, emotional, everything. It’s impressive how they put so many styles into one show. I cannot wait for 2021! I highly, highly recommend this one for anyone reading this. If you haven't seen it, you should watch it right now. It is so great.

[zabbaninja]

Number 17- Blue Exorcist (Kyoto Saga)

This is just a review of the most recent season, Not the whole series. Spoilers if you haven't seen the first season. I think the first thing I noticed was the significant increase of quality for the animation. The old series did not look bad, but this is on another level. Everything looks great, and I love the locals. Now that Rin’s secret is out, tensions are high. The entire series centers around it and it’s great. Rin has always been my favorite character, and that’s no different here. Everything fits so nicely, and this story is so good. I really like this one, though I don’t have too much to say about it. Really good, I recommend this one. 

[zabbaninja]

Number 18- Kohana Kitan

Okay, this is where the turning point is for me. This is the stuff that makes me love anime and media in general. Here we go! Kohana Kitan is really incredible. The level of immersion and adventure is unrivaled. I really loved all the characters, especially Yuzu and Satsuki’s dynamic. They are so cute! I mean, I just like fox and cat-girls in general. There's something so great about it. This is the show to get cozy and just enjoy. I recommend getting a big TV, making something to eat and just binge-watch the whole thing, and get wrapped up in the story and characters. It's a show that can really brighten your day and make you feel good. I think all the extra characters and stories really make this show work, and the animation is gorgeous. Each location is better than the last, and the actual hotel is awesome. Comparisons can be made to Spirited Away, but there's a lot more to it than that. I recommend this one to everyone looking for something deep, but really feel-good and cozy. I could describe it as being warm. That feeling you get when you’re next to a fireplace or a campfire. That warm, safe feeling. Definitely find time to watch this one, it might make your weekend. 

[zabbaninja]

Number 19- Steven Universe

I was expecting to not like this one, but I really did! I loved the characters, especially Steven. It was great to see a cartoon character with struggles and emotions again. I really think this is the next Gravity Falls for me. I think there's a ton of quality, and the story gets very deep very fast. Every episode feels like it’s an evolution of the last. I like the theme of making your enemy your friend, and I think it works really well. You want to see these characters again, because every character is real. They have thoughts, feelings, and aren't just cardboard cut-outs. Really good, I liked this one a lot. I recommend this one for somebody looking for a new show to watch. Just prepare for a lot of emotion. 

[zabbaninja]

Number 20- Steven Universe the Movie

I really liked it, I loved the music and the story. I really liked the villain, and this is a really solid time. But it is more Steven Universe, so my real review is at Number 19.

[zabbaninja]

Number 21- Hero

Another live action movie, but I like this one more. The action is unlike anything I have ever seen. No other movie has come close to this. It really is like an anime! The way they fly all over the place is just unreal. There's like no CGI which just makes it all the more impressive and realistic. The movie is not outdated at all! I think this is truly a testament to how movies can be so many different things. I love the use of color, I like this huge story going on in the past-tense, I love the music, nearly all of the extras are real people! It is a technological masterpiece that we might never see again. This is one of a kind, and something everyone should see at least once in your life. I recommend this to anyone looking for something that feels more real. If you are tired of the overused CGI and boring stories being told, watch this, and be amazed at movies again.

[zabbaninja]

Number 22- The Last Samurai

Not an anime, I know, I don’t care. The Last Samurai is fantastic. This story of a rugged american soldier, (Tom Cruise again), being captured by samurai and then learning their culture is such a good premise. From the opening I was hooked. Everything is done so well, and I love the cast. I like that it doesn't dumb things down and make everything english. I really like the ending. I love everything about this movie. There's a lot to like. The scene of the Samurai being introduced is hauntingly brilliant. I recommend this one to anyone, just set away some time for it.

[zabbaninja]

Number 23- In This Corner of the World

This movie is really fucking good. There’s something so incredible about the horrible acts happening in such a cute artstyle. Of course, the characters are where it’s at though. It’s dark, intense, but has a lot of heart. I almost don’t want to say anything more because it’s really something you have to watch for yourself. I would recommend this to anyone, but it is rather sad. Don’t watch if you get very attached to characters in a short time. It’s a war movie, what do you expect?

[zabbaninja]

Number 24- Eromanga Sensei

This one is a lot of fun. It’s really funny, really cute, and has a lot of great moments. I like the main character a lot, he really feels like a real person. But I think the side characters are where this show thrives. I love all the different characters and how they react with Izumi. I like the subvertation that his little sister is the pervert and he just likes writing things. It’s really funny, really cute, I recommend this one to anyone looking for a nice short anime with a lot of laughs. Also, the bonus episodes at the end are really incredible.

[zabbaninja]

Number 25- Dragon Quest: Your Story

Damn. Now this, this is a movie. I have watched many video game movies, but they always felt like they were missing something. And I think that's their passion for the game they are making a movie of. So then Dragon Quest comes along and finally, someone that actually cares about the game. This is one of my favorite movies I have seen all year and that is no understatement. Everything is fantastic. The first thing I have to talk about is the animation. It is absolutely godlike. It might be CGI, but it is damn good CGI. It looks utterly brilliant and makes PIXAR look like children. Every fight scene in this looks like it was crafted by God to be as incredible as it possibly could. The characters are great. Luca is a fantastic main character, and I like that the mission is to rescue his mom and not just kill the bad guy. I like the villain in this, he’s appropriately evil. I love all the characters, no matter how big or small they are. I really liked the locations, there are some stand out places in this movie. That fight scene where they are going through a cave was insane. This movie’s quality is unrivaled by any video game movie that has come before it. This is what I want to see. No dumb human characters, no boring plot, just a big adventure in the world of Dragon Quest. I really recommend this one, even if you aren't a Dragon Quest fan. Though you will miss some of the references. 

SPOILERS BELOW

I think the ending was really good. It might be a little strange, but that’s why I like it. You see, when I watched NinoKuni, I was disappointed by how predictable it was. It might have been done well, but I prefer originality over quality. If something is unique or exciting, it’s better than the same old shlock you've seen a hundred times, even if it is done well. I will always prefer the bold and risky over the standard and safe. Even if it isn't quality every time. In short, this movie is awesome. Please watch it. Oh, and get a big screen to watch this on. It’s just not the same on a phone.