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nobahn's Anime

take a look at nobahn's Manga
Last edit: 2025-05-01
Edit: 2024-6-10
It looks like I've triggered an algorithm that has identified me as someone who consistently tries to manipulate the percentages either up or down. Oh, well.....

I try to add enlightening commentary, but let's face it:
I'm far from perfect.
For cartoons that are not listed in the encyclopedia please click here.

    EDIT: 2020-12-31
    I have seen two three videos that examine the concept of "classics" from distinctly different perspectives:
  1. Gigguk | Garnt Maneetapho

  2. Mother's Basement | Geoff Thew

  3. Bonsai Pop | Mike ?
EDIT: 2020-04-11
In this video YouTube user Gigguk (Garnt Maneetapho) talks about SAO in the context of gateway anime.
    2 Videos That Share a Common Theme:
  1. "The Greatest Thing Anime Has Done"|Gigguk (Garnt Maneetapho)
  2. "A Love Letter to a Place Further than the Universe" | Isla McTear (Line/link added 2020-06-24)
EDIT: 2020-06-10
3 Different Perspectives On the Importance of The Ending EDIT: 2021-05-10
Geoff Thew ("Mother's Basement") has a fascinating video essay on the concept of "sakuga".
EDIT: 2021-12-27
10 Anime That Are Fantastic But Hard To Recommend
Anime only continues to get more and more mainstream, but these are 10 anime we wouldn't want to recommend even though they're great.
By Jacob Buchalter (posted on cbr.com on 2020, Mar 30)
Edit: 2025-04-06
In Case of Despair, Break Glass: Anime for the Tired Soul
by Leaked Experience (D.A.)
Edit: 2025-05-01
The Beginner's Guide to The King's Avatar by Rebecca Silverman
Seen/Read All (public list)▲▼Rating▲▼
Wandering Son (TV)Masterpiece
Wandering Witch - The Journey of Elaina (TV)Very good (dub), Excellent (sub)
rated episode 1
disagree with Nicholas Dupree about ep.#4: Mirarose is quite obviously insane -- psychotic, if you will
  1. Royal Celesteria
    • slice of life episode
    • The animation is terrific. 11/11
  2. The Land of Truth Tellers
    My, oh my; Nicholas Dupree is such a good writer that it's a shame that I end up disagreeing with him over entertainment value. 11/11
  3. The Wall Etched by Travelers & The Grape-Stomping Girl
    A city divided into two and two rural towns that compete for wine sales; both sides of each eventually overcome their differences. 11/11
  4. The Ripper
    Significant misdirection in this episode. 10/11
  5. A Deep Sorrow from the Past
    • Symbolism of the clock.
    • Symbolism of the cherry blossoms.
    • Symbolism of the birds.
    • Blood as tears.
    • Elaina's monologue is heartbreaking.
    • The animation is still gorgeous.
    • 11/11 (and Nicholas Dupree's writing is drop-dead gorgeous. Yes, it's that spectacular. It evokes such emotions in me. It resonates within me. It's such a joy to experience. Nothing in the This Week in Anime columns ever prepared me for this wondrous work of art. I think that I'm in love with his writing.)
  6. The Two Teachers (Part I of II)
    Fran and Sheila reminisce about how they ended up bonding with each other while apprenticing under Victorica, who became Elaina's mother. 10/11.
  7. The Two Apprentices (Part II of II)
    There's a break in the internal logic of the story. How did the leader of the Curio Company know that the box was going to be delivered to the Island? 8/11
  8. The Everyday Tale of Every Ashen Witch
    Well, that's one way of ending the series; but if there's no sequel, then this whole series has been one extended commercial for the light novels. I think that 9/11 is generous.
I'm rating this at 10/11 because it's not quite good enough for an 11/11 rating.
Weathering With You (movie)Excellent (dub & sub)
↕
Kim Morrissy review

Grant Jones review

Tristan "Arkada" Gallant (Glass Reflection)

Alana Tarrant

    Rewatch for the foreshadowing.
    Questions
  1. Is that motorbike supposed to be a FLCL reference?
  2. Does that cat -- especially after they become fat -- reference any anime?
    Pros:
  • OST (not just RADWIMPS)
  • animation
Con: The ending is paramount.

"Grand Escape | A Weathering With You AMV"
↔

A Well-Ordered Restaurant (movie)Masterpiece
It's only ~19 minutes long -- just see if you like it!
When Marnie Was There (movie)Masterpiece (dub & sub)
I'm a sucker for this kind of film; see Rebecca Silverman's review as well as the comments.
Voice Direction: Jamie Simone
Whisper of the Heart (movie)Excellent (dub & sub)
The reason that I rated this movie as being 10/11 is that the protagonist is a self-possessed girl, and I find that to be endearing.
Also, see The Cat Returns
Witch Craft Works (TV)Good
Witchblade (TV)Excellent (dub & sub)
Wolf and the Amber-colored Melancholy (OAV)Very good
Wolf Children (movie)Masterpiece
A sweet, endearing film. Not for young children -- they'll be bored out of their little minds!
Wolf's Rain (TV)Very good (dub & sub)
(The) Wonderland (movie)Excellent (dub & sub)
Words Bubble Up Like Soda Pop (movie)Excellent (dub & sub)
I was touched by the scene near 1:07:00 in which Smile is metaphorically trying to heal her heart while trying to glue together the vinyl LP record.
World Break: Aria of Curse for a Holy Swordsman (TV)Decent (dub & sub)
↓
  1. I have no idea what this series is supposed to be about. 6/11
    • Is this supposed to be a harem comedy?
    • Definitely seems ecchi.....
    • An ecchi harem action comedy? (5/11)
    • I'll watch this to the end because I want to see if this turns out to be as bad as I think it will be.....
    • Looks like a 2:1 harem.....
    • The lack of agency for Shizuno Urushibara is a turn off for me. (4/11)
    • So I checked Rebecca Silverman's review; and she seems to think that the source material is better than this adaptation. Oh, brother; this seems like it's gonna be a slog.
    • Now a 3:1 harem? Tell me it ain't so.....
      It is.....
    • Shizuno Urushibara is still lacking in agency..... (5/11)
  5. This ecchi beach episode is too much.....SERIOUSLY. (2/11 | Awful)
  6. Well, this episode wasn't half bad; everyone comes together for the good of each other. I'll call it 8/11 (Good).
    • If the harem becomes 4:1 then I refuse to rate this series higher than 3/11.
    • I dunno; I guess I'll rate this episode at 8/11 (Good).
    • Shizuno Urushibara seems to be establishing some (limited) agency.
  8. Interesting character development for Elena Arshavina; but it's looking like the harem is becoming 4:1. Rating this episode at 9/11 (Very Good).
  9. Ends on a cliffhanger; and the harem isn't present. Rating at 10/11 (Excellent).
  10. All right, I'll admit it: I'm impressed. Everyone came together as a team. Rating at 10/11.
    • A surprisingly humorous pajama party.
    • A cliffhanger; still, I'm reluctant to rate it at 10/11 ─ It barely qualifies at 10/11. Can it even deliver the promised payoff? I have my doubts; and even if it does, it cannot make up for all of those other crappy episodes!
  12. No explanation is provided for the dragon; and that is a fatal flaw. Add in the ridiculous humor, and I'm rating this at 7/11 (Decent).
Surprisingly enough, the average comes to ~7/11 (Decent).
↔
(The) World God Only Knows (TV)Very good (dub), Excellent (sub)
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