nobahn's Anime

Nick Creamer wrote:

Liz isn't a work of pure nostalgic longing; it is simultaneously a paean to our past selves and a celebration of all we might become, a work that tempers the pain of youth with assurance that though change will come, true feelings endure.

• The use of silence is quite poignant.....
• Mizore doesn't smile until the end of the movie.

• Growing up, I was quite similar to Mizore.
  I was raised in a reserved family; we did not hug, nor did we express our emotions.

  Doctor my eyes,
  they cannot see the sky.
  Is this the price,
  for having learned how not to cry?

  Most of my life, I have been lonely.

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vduVJQDiv78

In the end, it's important to realize what kind of film this actually is. While you'd think it's a slice-of-life film at first glance, it's actually a coming-of-age movie. All too often we think of “coming-of-age” as stories centered around teens making their first step into adulthood but there are many steps on the road to becoming an adult—and many places you can trip up or get stuck. Looking for Magical DoReMi is about our three heroines taking their last step into the adult world—and making sure that they are on a path they want to be on. And for that alone it's well worth a watch.

The Dark Philosophy & Mythology of Made in Abyss

3. The ending brings back traumatic memories.

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JU3gaQfWdz8

Despite not-great visuals, particularly on the animation front, one awful and random song about electricity, and a few plot threads remaining undeveloped, Meiji Tokyo Renka is a cut above a lot of other reverse harem anime. With a heroine with a personality, more than a nod to history, and two main romantic interests who are both appealing, this is a genuinely entertaining show. If you're looking for a good otome story, this more than fits the bill.

Mr Love: Queen’s Choice is the best kind of surprise – a show that you go into with low expectations based on its origins and title but ends up being good. While it's still most likely to appeal to fans of reverse harem series and josei (or shoujo) titles, it manages to rise above some of its more trope-laden brethren, giving its characters personalities that go a bit beyond the standards and a heroine who is no one's damsel in distress. It isn't perfect, but if you've been avoiding it based solely on the title, it's worth checking out.

• Rebecca Silverman's essay on this twist of the isekai genre.

• Geoff Thew

• Manime Matt

• Yiman

Michelle Liu & Andy Pfeiffer