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Psycho-Pass Providence
Psycho-Pass Providence is how Akane reaches her breaking point—and, surprisingly, it's not solely the Sibyl System's fault.
― 2019's Psycho-Pass 3 presented a status quo far different from what we expected from the anime up until then. Most of the main cast was absent, having joined Frederica at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and, more shocking still, the main character of the entire Psycho-Pass st...
Uma Musume Pretty Derby: Road to the Top
Compared to its longer, denser forerunners, Road to the Top might be seen as a horse anyone can more confidently bet on.
― The Uma Musume franchise already proved it had running legs just in its first season, with the second showing the true ambitions it was capable of realizing. It's also gone on to be a smashing commercial success, so more anime based on these galloping gals was a foregone conclusi...
Princess Principal: Crown Handler - Chapter 3
While the animation sequences are nothing to write home about, the third installment in the Crown Handler film series is the best yet.
― The second Princess Principal film concluded with the major revelation that Prince Richard and his forces from the re-conquered New World were the mysterious third power that entered the spy game between the Kingdom and Commonwealth. This revelation has left Charlot...
D4DJ All Mix
Bushiroad's DJ-centric series doubles its cast and settles into a slice-of-life vibe. This lack of focus lets fans all get a moment with their favorite group, albeit at the expense of a higher-stakes plot.
― Right off rip, it's apparent this assignment was handed down for D4DJ All Mix: Fully introduce all the DJ units who weren't in the first season, and do…something with them. The original D4DJ Firs...
Princess Principal: Crown Handler - Chapter 2
With an assassin on the loose and the Queen bedridden, the Royal Family is on high alert in this second high-stakes spy romp.
― If the first Crown Handler film is about Ange, this second film is about Charlotte. With an assassin on the loose and the Queen bedridden, the Royal Family is on high alert. This is especially true for those in the direct line of succession. With Richard (the third in line t...
Soaring Sky! Pretty Cure Episodes 1-12
Its unusually inclusive official line-up makes Soaring Sky one of the most affirming magical girl series of recent years, as it speaks to the genre's promise that anyone can transform if given the chance.
― From their earliest days, magical girls have always been about using the power within to transform into heroes. I can think of very few magical girl series that use that concept better than Soarin...
Gridman Universe
As a sequel, Gridman Universe successfully ties up the loose ends of SSSS.Gridman and SSSS.Dynazenon, while fan-favorite character Akane looms heavy over the film.
― Gridman Universe is a direct sequel to both SSSS.Gridman. and SSSS.Dynazenon. It continues the plotlines and character arcs of both series, tying up loose ends for some and giving epilogues to others. However, if there is a single main c...
Princess Principal: Crown Handler - Chapter 1
Overall, Crown Handler – Chapter 1 is both a high-stakes spy story and a personally emotional tale all in one.
― At its most basic level, Crown Handler – Chapter 1 is built around setting up a new direction for the Princess Principal series from within a personal story revolving around our main lead, Ange. Set after the events of the TV series, Team White Pigeon continues their clandestine operations...
Technoroid Overmind
Technoroid Overmind is not bad by any stretch of the imagination. The elements are all there for something great, yet the series cannot seem to settle on what it wants to do in the admittedly short window of only twelve episodes.
― I was unsure what to expect when going into Technoroid Overmind, as I do not have much experience with idol-themed anime. After twelve episodes, I… still don't have a good...
To Every You I've Loved Before + To Me, The One Who Loved You
Two romantic stories that are good enough on their own but are hindered by their reality-hopping gimmick.
― Reviewing two animated films at the same time is a little unconventional. At a time when the entertainment industry is starting to grow a rather tiring fascination with Multiverse stories, this is an interesting approach. Let's have two films tied to the idea of Multiverse Theory; the idea is t...
Makoto Shinkai's Suzume
Finally in theaters in the U.S., this beautifully animated film is emotionally resonate and adeptly scored. Suzume's primary flaw is it feels too similar to Shinkai's previous works, your name. and Weathering With You.
― When it comes down to it, Suzume no Tojimari is the story of a girl on a literal journey to overcome her deeply seated trauma—a trauma she shares with a sizable portion of Japan. Suz...
Re:cycle of Penguindrum
Ultimately, this is still the same Penguindrum people already know and love, just condensed, slightly restructured, and with just a bare minimum of new material.
― When Anime Boston announced they would be premiering the RE:cycle of the Penguindrum movies, I went ahead and did something I'd been meaning to do for a while but hadn't gotten around to: I watched the original Penguindrum anime. Theoreti...
Blue Giant
Blue Giant is one of those films you'll either fall in love with or be bored to tears by, and much of that hinges on your appreciation for jazz music.
― Blue Giant is a relatively straightforward story about three young guys. Dai is that rare person with talent and drive—an innocent person who loves what he does and never lets anything get him down. Unfortunately, this also means he is a relatively s...
The Vampire Dies in No Time Season 2
If you've missed this underrated gem and you need a laugh, definitely make time to check it out.
― John the Armadillo is back, along with those other guys in the show. Yes, it's the second season of The Vampire Dies in No Time, one of the most consistently funny gag anime of recent years. This is largely because it successfully combines several subgenres of comedy. It melds slapstick with wordplay an...
Don't Toy with Me, Miss Nagatoro 2nd Attack
Even if Miss Nagatoro has lost a lot of its hard-top edge, it can still hit a bullseye of a punchline and temper it with an understanding of hormonal teenage mating rituals.
― The first season of Don't Toy With Me Miss Nagatoro was a surprise in several ways. The depiction of fetish bullying was impressive in its craftsmanship, if not emotionally repelling. Beyond portraying particular pornographic m...
The First Slam Dunk
The First Slam Dunk is everything a megafan of the franchise could dream of. Those who can't name the Shōhoku High School starting lineup by heart may leave the theater quietly satisfied while wondering what all the fuss was about.
― If I were to summarize my thoughts on The First Slam Dunk in a single word, it would be 'bizarre.' The choices made when adapting this film to the big screen turn a film...
Dr. Stone: Ryusui
While it's not the most exciting or climactic that the series has ever been, Dr. Stone: Ryusui is a solid continuation of the Dr. Stone story that should allow us to jump into some newfound adventure at the start of the third season.
― When it comes down to it, Dr. Stone: Ryusui serves as an epilogue to the second season while laying the groundwork for the third. Without Tsukasa, his people have been...
The Super Mario Bros. Movie
30 years after the widely panned live-action Super Mario Bros. film, Illumination's newest effort finally does justice to the Mario franchise. But is it actually a good movie?
― Not only is this hands down my favorite movie from Illumination studios, it's squarely above average for a video game adaptation. A lot of this has to do with the creative team's reverence for the source material; it's the ty...
Arknights: Prelude to Dawn
The first episode of Arknights: Prelude to Dawn absolutely shook me with its slick direction, ambitious cinematic vision, and gritty storytelling.
― The first episode of Arknights: Prelude to Dawn absolutely shook me with its slick direction, ambitious cinematic vision, and gritty storytelling. I'd never played a single minute of the Arknights mobile game and had no idea what to expect, but after jus...
Monster Episodes 31-52 Streaming
Monster having so many different plates to balance as it tells its story is an inherent draw of mystery melodramas like these, and pretty much all of these individual parts are compelling in their own right.
― The first 30 episodes of Naoki Urasawa's Monster delivered the opening salvos of a gripping, slow-burning thriller that still feels fresh even now, nearly twenty years on from its initial relea...
Blue Thermal
There's nothing that's actively bad about the movie, and a likable protagonist goes a long way towards keeping things breezy and enjoyable, but its pleasures are mild, and the experience of watching it is almost instantly forgettable.
― Blue Thermal fits into the genre of slice-of-life anime centered around students partaking in a school club together. Somewhat unusual for the genre, it takes place i...
Immoral Guild
So here it is: Immoral Guild is a horny anime. How horny? Monstrously.
― I briefly considered burying the lede at the beginning of this review as a joke by acting like Immoral Guild was some decently distinctive little fantasy sitcom if not for just one little caveat that I forgot to mention. But that's disingenuous. It does put "Immoral" right there in the title, after all, and makes no secret what ...
Aim for the Ace Blu-ray
Aim for the Ace! is a fantastic time capsule of the anime of the 1970s and a great origin point for tracing 50 years of anime history. And yet, to examine it solely through a historian's lens would be a great disservice.
― Sometimes, when I put on an older anime for the first time, I find myself approaching it primarily as I would a historical document. What animation techniques are utilized, and how...
Aggretsuko Season 5
Aggretsuko's final season stands among the best that the series has to offer when it comes to giving us insight into what life in modern Japan is like as a person (or a panda) that is just trying to make it through the day-to-day grind.
― It's hard to believe that Aggretsuko has been running strong for five whole years now, let alone that it's finally coming to an end. It's been a bumpy ride, especia...
IDOLiSH7 Third Beat! Episodes 14-30
Ryo Tsukumo and his evil ego gets ramped up to a point that nearly qualifies it as a nineteenth-century melodrama, with everything from rumors of contest-rigging to flat-out murder on the table.
― If you thought the first cour of IDOLiSH7 Third Beat! was dark, hold on to your hats. The drama stirred up by Ryo Tsukumo and his evil ego gets ramped up to a point that nearly qualifies it as a nineteenth-...
The Little Lies We All Tell
In a stuffed fall season, The Little Lies We All Tell slid under the radar. Caitlin Moore lays out her case about why this sitcom is just what the doctor ordered after a long day.
― I won't blame you if you missed The Little Lies We All Tell. It was the last show to premiere in a season positively stuffed with big-name, lushly animated series like Chainsaw Man, Mob Psycho 100 III, and Bocchi the Rock...
Make My Day ONA
Make My Day is a derivative work lacking any identity of its own. Its visuals make it hard to watch at best. Skip it and save yourself the time.
― Make My Day is, simply put, forgettable. The basics are there, but there is not enough originality or spark to get much going before the credits roll. The most apparent criticism that jumps out almost immediately is the sense of “been there, done that." Th...
Kaguya-sama: Love is War -The First Kiss That Never Ends-
Continuing on directly from the final episode of Kaguya-sama: Love is War Ultra Romantic, this film is all about the fallout—namely the complete and total destruction of the status quo.
― Note: This review contains spoilers for Kaguya-sama: Love is War -Ultra Romantic-. Continuing on directly from the final episode of Kaguya-sama: Love is War -Ultra Romantic-, this film is all about the fallout—namel...
Record of Ragnarok Season 2
All in all, Record of Ragnarok Season 2 is better than Season 1. But the quality jump is minor at best, and the novelty of its tricks is already wearing a bit thin
― Record of Ragnarok returns and executes on its premise with greater success than the first season. The question is whether that success is enough to keep people watching. When the first season of Record of Ragnarok dropped back in the su...
Pokémon: The Arceus Chronicles
This is an OK continuation to the Team Galactic storyline filled with various callbacks to the Diamond and Pearl series, but is otherwise superfluous.
― Pokemon: The Arceus Chronicles is interesting because, at first glance, I thought I was preparing myself for a very different type of story. Everything from the promotional images to the opening and closing credits made me think I was about to watch ...
Lupin III vs. Cat's Eye ONA
While Lupin III vs. Cat's Eye is a competent enough work in most respects, it is also ultimately far less than the sum of its parts.
― While Lupin III vs. Cat's Eye is a competent enough work in most respects, it is also ultimately far less than the sum of its parts. As a crossover film between two established properties, your familiarity with the component franchises (or lack thereof) will significa...
Haikara-San: Here Comes Miss Modern Part 1 and 2
Fans of old-school shōjo and soapy melodrama won't want to miss this.
― Haikara-san: Here Comes Miss Modern is one of the latest adaptations of the manga series of the same name, written by Waki Yamato and published between 1975 and 1977. The series has largely become Yamato's defining work, and with good reason: she won the first Kodansha Book Award for shōjo manga in 1977 for this series. It was al...
Monster Episodes 1-30 Streaming
In these first thirty episodes, the series is living up to its reputation as a stone-cold classic, and I'm completely on board for the next batch.
― I'm not kidding when I say that folks like me have been waiting years to finally get their hands on Monster. Even though Naoki Urasawa's original manga is a legendary part of the modern manga canon, not to mention the fact that the anime adaptation is eq...
Pokémon the Movie: Secrets of the Jungle
If this were just a film about Koko, however, it would have been more successful, but the cartoonish villain and deforestation plot serves as little more than a distraction from the character arcs.
― With the announcement that long-time series protagonist Ash would be retiring from the TV series, could this be his final Pokémon movie? Maybe. To be honest, Pokémon the Movie: Secrets of the Jungle actu...
Sword Art Online the Movie -Progressive- Scherzo of Deep Night
Asuna's story continues in the second Progressive film, opening in theaters in the U.S. on February 3. Find out more about her and Kirito's growing friendship and see the continuation of her rocky relationship with Mito.
― Sword Art Online the Movie -Progressive- Scherzo of Deep Night is the second Sword Art Online Progressive film, and it picks up the story a bit less than a month after the end of A...
Muv-Luv Alternative Season 2
Major revelations will be blithely glossed over, and new characters are thrown at the audience who get one or two scenes to make clear that they're supposed to be somewhat relevant or important, but with no connective context as to why.
― There's an element of presumed prestige to the back half of this Muv-Luv Alternative anime adaptation. And why shouldn't there be? The original visual novel is a pr...
The Legend of Mana: The Teardrop Crystal
The possibilities in The Legend of Mana: The Teardrop Crystal seem endless. Sadly, a show is not just possibilities and vibes— The Teardrop Crystal struggles with executing a meaningful plot.
― I went into The Legend of Mana: The Teardrop Crystal anime with a very patchwork understanding of the original game. I have never played the original title from 1999 nor had a chance to play the recent remaste...
Pokémon Master Journeys: The Series (Episodes 49-90)
This is where Pokémon: Journeys shines the most, taking familiar past elements and putting a twist on them in the present day to progress the story forward.
― After dealing with a major threat to the Galar region, Ash and Goh continue their journey as if nothing had ever changed. Still, it feels like we're finally getting into the significant challenges that both of our protagonists were bound to fac...
That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime: Scarlet Bond
There's one thing that prevents Scarlet Bond from becoming a genuinely memorable entry in the Reincarnated as a Slime franchise: Rimuru Tempest himself.
― That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime: Scarlet Bond is somewhat of a rarity in original tie-in films to TV anime that are adapted from another medium. Most films in this vein are either not in continuity or are so removed from the main story that...
Pokémon Journeys: The Series Episodes 1-48
As we prepare to reach the end of Ash's journey, MrAJCosplay looks back on Pokémon Journeys' victories and squashed potential.
― After becoming the first official champion of the Alola region, Ash Ketchum returns to Pallet Town and is ready to start a new adventure. However, right from the jump, Pokémon Journeys seems to be just as interested in the franchise's history as it is interested in advancin...
Summer Time Rendering
Stealth dropped on Hulu this week, Summer Time Rendering is an anime you don't want to let wither in your queue. Kim Morrissy's review is here.
― The biggest problem with Summer Time Rendering is the Disney+ jail. The show got a staggered release across different regions, with minimal marketing to boot. Chances are that this title may have slipped you by, even though it's among the best anime of 2022...
Black Rock Shooter: Dawn Fall
Does this edgy sci-fi story make for good popcorn entertainment? Maybe, but you might not remember any of it when it's over.
― Black Rock Shooter is such a weird franchise. I wouldn't necessarily say that it's reached mainstream status, but it is still a recognizable name and seems to have garnered some cult status in certain circles (could you believe that all of it started with just a simple drawin...
Encouragement of Climb: Next Summit
This fourth season of Encouragement of Climb is a satisfying resolution to Aoi Yukimura's story, but it does get off to a bit of an odd start.
― This fourth season of Encouragement of Climb is a satisfying resolution to Aoi Yukimura's story, but it does get off to a bit of an odd start. The first four episodes are compilations from the first three seasons, with a couple of short original segments thr...
Lonely Castle in the Mirror
One day, seven troubled middle schoolers find themselves transported to a mysterious castle on the other side of their bedroom mirrors...in this new world they might just find the strength to survive.
― When it comes down to it, Lonely Castle in the Mirror is a commentary about one of Japan's most prevalent ongoing problems: school bullying. The viewpoint character of the film, Kokoro, has been bulli...
Seven Deadly Sins: Grudge of Edinburgh Part One
While clearly only the first half of a story, this CG outing provides interesting character development for Tristan and great monster designs.
― You have to be pretty into Arthurian lore to know that the parents of Tristan (of Tristan and Isolde fame) are a couple of relatively minor characters named Meliodas and Elizabeth. Fortunately for us, original manga author Nakaba Suzuki did know, and this se...
Jojo's Bizarre Adventure: Stone Ocean Episodes 25-38
JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Stone Ocean is Hirohiko Araki's magnum opus, the culmination of a journey spanning over 100 years and six generations for its characters and a decade for anime viewers.
― Forgive me if I start to edge into the sentimental at some point during this review. Jojo's Bizarre Adventure: Stone Ocean is Hirohiko Araki's magnum opus, the culmination of a journey spanning over 100 yea...
Quintessential Quintuplets the Movie
Now in U.S. theaters! If you've somehow managed to remain unspoiled about the ending of The Quintessential Quintuplets, then this movie will finally resolve your burning questions...but it could have looked better while doing it.
― If you've somehow managed to remain unspoiled about the ending of The Quintessential Quintuplets, then this movie will finally resolve your burning questions. It does an i...
Tiger & Bunny 2 14-25
The last set of episodes for the much anticipated Tiger & Bunny sequel will bring you closure, but it fails to connect its shiny new characters with its audience.
― I'm not going to pretend they're a fully representative sample, but all the Tiger & Bunny fans I know are tired. It's been years since the show first aired, and as the fandom has aged, it's gone from a continuous stream of output and disc...
Lupin Zero - Episode 1
We get a first look at Lupin's mysterious past in this new series about the wily thief.
― Lupin III has always had a mysterious past. While we have learned various bits and pieces over the decades about the days before he gained the title of greatest thief in the world, the basics—his place of birth, ethnicity, and even his relationship to the original Arsène Lupin—are vague at best, and contradictor...
Suzume no Tojimari
Beautifully animated, emotionally resonate, and adeptly scored, Suzume no Tojimari's primary flaw is it feels too similar to Shinkai's previous works, your name. and Weathering With You.
― When it comes down to it, Suzume no Tojimari is the story of a girl on a literal journey to overcome her deeply seated trauma—a trauma she shares with a sizable portion of Japan. Suzume is a survivor of the 2011 To...
Waccha PriMagi! Episodes 40 - 51
While not perfect and with some loose ends left forgotten, overall Waccha PriMagi! is a solid magical girl idol show, one that manages to land more than it misses
― Throughout Waccha PriMagi's run, one question has oft been repeated: what's your PriMagi? For superstar Jennifer, the answer has ultimately boiled down to “my relationship with Ruhme.” While this does set up something of a parallel betwee...
Tatami Time Machine Blues
As far as Science SARU productions go, this one threads the needle of accessible and off-beat better than most.
― It actually took a while for it to dawn on me that this was a bona fide sequel to The Tatami Galaxy. The thing about Tomihiko Morimi's novels is that they frequently share motifs, to the extent that it wouldn't have surprised me at all if Ozu, Watashi's mischievous friend, showed up in so...
One Piece: Film Red
One Piece Film Red is a bombastic film that manages to spin a fun yarn in an interesting setting.
― Note: I will attempt to remain spoiler-free as much as possible but note that if you have not seen the film some minor spoilers may follow. One Piece Film Red is a bombastic film that manages to spin a fun yarn in an interesting setting. Whether that rates as a strong showing or run-of-the-mill meh wil...
Sword Art Online the Movie -Progressive- Scherzo of a Dark Dusk
Scherzo of a Dark Dusk is very much Asuna's story. Not only do we get a large focus on her and Kirito's growing friendship, but we see the continuation of her rocky relationship with Mito—her once “one true friend” from the real world.
― Sword Art Online the Movie -Progressive- Scherzo of Deep Night is the second Sword Art Online Progressive film, and it picks up the story a bit less than a month aft...
Gold Kingdom and Water Kingdom
The film sticks so closely to the source material that the nearly two-hour run time is almost a frame-by-frame animated retelling of the single-volume manga.
― Previously known for her work on the TV anime series Btooom!, Kotono Watanabe makes her directional film debut with Gold Kingdom and Water Kingdom. Her eye for storytelling is sincere, keeping to the source material while making subtle changes...
Orient Episodes 13-24 Streaming
On the whole, Orient's second cour isn't quite as good as its first. But the final episode hits hard, even if it's clearly not the end of the story.
― If there's one significant way in which Orient differentiates itself from its fellow shounen action titles in the second half, it's in the fact that Musashi isn't all-powerful, or even well on his way to being so. After his link to the Obsidian Goddess...
Teppen—!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Laughing 'til you Cry
Despite the seeming disinterest from the English-language streaming crowd, I think there is something compelling, something unique that can make Teppen—!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! worth taking a look at.
― The quality of all entertainment is subjective to some extent, but the case for comedy can get especially contentious. What is uproariously funny to one person can fall firmly flat for another; it's why "know ...
BASTARD!! -Heavy Metal, Dark Fantasy- Part 2
Almost everything is ramped up in this second half—from the violence, to the action, to the comedy.
― Netflix finally decided to give us the second half of BASTARD!! -Heavy Metal, Dark Fantasy-, the anime equivalent of playing a D&D game with level 20 characters while someone blasts metal music in the background. I won't waste too much time going over the general appeal of BASTARD because if you're r...
Aoashi Episodes 13-24
Ashito's suddenly slammed with an unexpected change. Iss this position change-up enough to hold viewers' attention for the anime's second half?
― If there is one persistent issue that plagues many sports anime series, it's the reluctance of coaches to actually coach. That's absolutely true of Aoashi, and it feels even more important to point out in its second cour, which sees protagonist Ashito sudde...
Dropkick on My Devil! X
The series' early-2010's approach to humor always necessitated an amount of fourth-wall-breaking, but this season sees fit to demolish the remaining three walls as well.
― What is Dropkick on My Devil X? Why is Dropkick on My Devil X? We have on our hands the just-wrapped third season of a series whose irreverence has always positioned it as pointedly pointless to approach from a critical angle, able...
House of the Lost on the Cape
Out on video tomorrow, Kim checks out David Production's supernatural movie about a runaway and an orphan staying in an old house.
― The House of the Lost on the Cape (or Misaki no Mayoiga in Japanese) shares a similarity in title to The Lost Village (Mayoiga), a somewhat infamous TV anime from 2016 that was distinctive for its hokey portrayal of psychological horror. The House of the Lost on the Cap...
Visual Prison
How can you not love vampires competing in a visual kei battle of the bands?
― Man, remember visual kei? It was all the rage among anime fans in the late 90's and 00's, back when I first got into the hobby. Fans discussed bands like Malice Mizer and Dir en Grey right alongside their favorite series despite them not having any obvious connection, and the cross-dressing singer Mana, a major influence i...
Mobile Suit Gundam: Cucuruz Doan's Island
Opening soon in theaters in the U.S., how does this expansion of a classic Gundam episode hold up as a full-length film?
― The existence of this film is an oddity, being a retelling of the 15th episode of the original Mobile Suit Gundam series. Apparently, that episode had some issues on the visual production side, prompting its omission from the English-language releases, so you can interpret this f...
Jujutsu Kaisen 0
Streaming on Crunchyroll this evening, the blockbuster anime film stars Megumi Ogata who delivers a "performance that is one of the absolute highlights of the film."
― Jujutsu Kaisen 0 reminds me an awful lot of Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba - The Movie: Mugen Train. Both are hyped follow-up films to extremely popular Weekly Shonen Jump anime adaptations. Neither are anime-original stories, so they ...
Cyberpunk: Edgerunners Streaming
Studio Trigger brings their A-game to this anime with Hiroyuki Imaishi of Gurren Lagann and Kill la Kill fame in the directors seat. The action is dynamic, visually stunning, and completely over-the-top in the best possible way.
― (Spoiler warning: As it would be impossible to get into the meat of what makes this anime so excellent without going into spoilers, I didn't hold back. Continue forward at ...
Phantom of the Idol Streaming
Can a ghost revitalize a disillusioned idol singer's career?
― At a scant ten episodes, Phantom of the Idol is a show that knows not to overstay its welcome. You'd think that would be a good thing, allowing for tighter writing and a lack of unneeded fluff, and in some ways, that's true – every zany idol-based event that the protagonists have to participate in is kept to a manageable level of bizarren...
Goodbye, Don Glees!
From the director of A Place Further Than the Universe comes a new story that will take three boys from the Japanese countryside all the way to Iceland, but does it pack the emotional punch of its predecessor?
― If you're familiar with Atsuko Ishizuka's previous original anime, A Place Further Than The Universe, then you're already prepared for a good deal of Goodbye, Don Glees!'s appeal: dorky kids ...
Jojo's Bizarre Adventure: Stone Ocean 1-24
Stone Ocean has risen to my highest expectations and then some, as between the battles it has proven to be one of the most thematically rich and interesting parts of the franchise so far.
― Jolyne, Jolyne, Jolyne, Jolyne… As an anime-only fan of Jojo's Bizarre Adventure and a chronic heroine addict, I've been looking forward to David Production's adaptation of the Stone Ocean arc for a long time. I'd...
BASTARD!! -Heavy Metal, Dark Fantasy- Part 1
While there are definitely some things that Heavy Metal, Dark Fantasy lack when compared to the OVA, its distinct, more streamlined, and self-aware narrative can be charming all on its own.
― This is not the first time that Kazushi Hagiwara's BASTARD!! series was adapted in animated form. Many longtime anime fans might remember the OVA series from the early 90s which I would recommend checking out—we...
Psycho-Pass: Sinners of the System - Case.1 Crime and Punishment
Finally available in the U.S., dive back in to the world of Psycho-Pass and find out if this trilogy remedies the second anime season's missteps.
― Following two seasons of the TV anime and a theatrical film, Psycho-Pass: Sinners of the System is a trilogy of one hour films. Instead of being connected into an overarching plot, each one focuses on its own stand-alone story that is both a captivating m...
Odd Taxi: In the Woods
Soon to be streaming on Crunchyroll tonight, how does this revisit to the world of ODDTAXI hold up on its own?
― Odd Taxi was 2021's sleeper anime hit, telling an intricate, original mystery that kept viewers guessing every week. Now it's back as a (mostly) recap film, which mainly serves to tie up some loose ends from the TV anime's ending. Is it worth the full price of a cinema admission ticket? We...
Tekken: Bloodline
Tekken: Bloodline is the latest challenger to step into the ring, and it faces not only the potential curse of prior adaptations but also a very different anime landscape than that of prior years.
― Anime adaptations of video games have a long, checkered history, but fighting game anime is particularly hit-or-miss. As an avid anime fan since the early 90s, I've been around to experience both the expl...
BanG Dream! Poppin' Dream!
Poppin' Dream's best moments are just that, moments, and they're strung together with storytelling that we know the overall franchise has grown beyond and surpassed elsewhere.
― There are equal parts irony and uncertainty to the movie BanG Dream! Poppin' Dream! seemingly unceremoniously being thrown onto Crunchyroll some nine months after its Japanese theatrical release. The three films from the fran...
The Journey
While it can feel gratingly religious if that's not your thing, The Journey does look good and the dub cast does a very nice job, even with lines that can at times come off as cheesy.
― A co-production of Japanese animation studio Toei and Saudi Arabian media company Manga Productions, The Journey is a retelling of an event in Arabian history generally known as “The Year of the Elephant.” This appell...
One Piece Film Red
New to One Piece? Richard Eisenbeis checks out the box-office smashing film to see if newbies can dive right in to Luffy's latest adventure.
― I'll be the first to admit, I know very little about One Piece overall—and with over 1000 episodes out, I've long since given up on ever starting it (much less catching up). At this point, the entirety of my knowledge on the subject comes from playing the firs...
Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero
Now playing in theaters in North America and abroad, this film brings Dragon Ball back to its Red Ribbon Army roots with a focus on Gohan's other dad...Piccolo!
― Superheroes are not a new concept in Dragon Ball. Most notably Gohan himself spent his high school years as a masked hero. Yet, this film is not about him—well, at least not directly. In the years since the Tournament of Power, Gohan has un...
INU-OH
Now playing in theaters in the U.S., acclaimed director Masaaki Yuasa presents a film where art and the political are perfectly intertwined.
― "Noh performers were the historical equivalent of rock stars" is the thought that sparked the genesis of this film, and boy does Masaaki Yuasa run with it here. More of an extended musical performance than a narrative film at times, Inu-Oh is a delightful audi...
My Hero Academia Season 5 OVAs – “HLB”/”Laugh! As If You Are In Hell”
While these new extra episodes aren't essential viewing, they've got a lot more energy and character to them. They even work that good ol' anime magic and make the world's most boring sport into something fun to watch!
― The last time we got some between-season MHA OVAs, it was a pretty forgettable time.
Not terrible, but a very obvious retread of ideas both the main series and previous OVAs had
cove...
Waccha PriMagi! Episodes 27-39
This third cour is full of episodes that showcase things that make Waccha PriMagi! stand out among other titles in the Pretty series and magical girl idol shows in general.
― There are plenty of things that make Waccha PriMagi stand out among other titles in the Pretty series and magical girl idol shows in general. This third cour is full of episodes that showcase that; it leans harder into coding an...
Fantasia Film Fest 2022: A Girl Meets a Boy and a Robot
Part of a bigger sci-fi anthology feature called TAISU, Watanabe's short brings together an international team to create a new post-apocalyptic world.
― Well, this is a nice surprise: arriving with basically no advance hype whatsoever, we got a new
Shinichiro Watanabe short film! A Girl Meets a Boy and a Robot, which screened at the 2022
Fantasia Film Festival, is apparently the first part of a bigge...
Taisho Otome Fairy Tale Episodes 1-12
It lacks the character depth needed to sell its main couple, but there's still some shine here for those parched for shojo anime.
― There have been many shows over the years that I have felt deserved a bigger audience than they had, shows with interesting storytelling, challenging themes, and daring visual styles. Taisho Otome Fairy Tale… is not one of them. It's not so much an underappreciated gem a...
Laid-Back Camp Movie
Our camping girls are now adults, but that doesn't interfere with their love for the great outdoors. Read Kim Morrissy's review of the film!
― I wouldn't be exaggerating if I called Laid-Back Camp the best atmospheric slice-of-life TV anime, period. There's just something entrancing about the show and the way it portrays the quiet beauty of the outdoors. The film serves up an extra generous helping o...
Fantasia Film Fest 2022: Girl from the Other Side: Siúil, a Rún
WIT Studio brings this intriguingly abstract world, about a man finding small joys with his ward, to life with resplendent animation.
― In The Ancient Magus Bride and Ranking of Kings, the animators at Wit Studio have shown
themselves to be particularly adept at adapting fantasy manga that draw from classic fairy tales.
Wit's latest fairy tale manga adaptation, The Girl from the Other Side, has eleme...
Requiem of the Rose King Episodes 14-24
Requiem of the Rose King does play fast and loose with both history and Shakespeare. Can a good story overcome its lackluster animation?
― Warning: This Review Contains Spoilers As the wise Prospero once said, “Our revels now are ended. These our actors,/As I foretold you, were all spirits and/Are melted into air, into thin air.” It's fitting that so many Shakespearean quotations can be used to descr...
Aoashi Episodes 1-12
Welcome to Aoashi, the hot-blooded soccer story about what feels like forty boys who share five hairstyles between them.
― Welcome to Aoashi, the hot-blooded soccer story about what feels like forty boys who share five hairstyles between them. That is, of course, entirely too glib a way to describe this series, but it's also a defining piece of the character designs – with a few exceptions, there are...
Blue Reflection Ray Episodes 1-24
Blue Reflection Ray has some interesting ideas and likeable character moments if you can get past it's less than attractive visuals.
― I missed out on Blue Reflection Ray when it premiered last year, but I've become curious enough about the two video games in the franchise to give their anime companion piece another shot. Granted, I still haven't gotten around to playing the games yet, and according ...
Teasing Master Takagi-san the Movie
This film satisfactorily caps off Nishikata and Takagi's story by being very light on the teasing and heavy on the warm fuzzies.
― With its pitch-perfect portrayal of an awkward middle school romance, Karakai Jōzu no Takagi-san (or Teasing Master Takagi-san) was always one of the more charming anime romcoms. After three seasons of adorable flirting masked as teasing, there's absolutely no doubt that ...
Kotaro Lives Alone
I have to say, though, that I'm really glad that I went back and gave Kotaro Lives Alone another shot, because it turned out to be a surprisingly well-written and affecting dramedy that speaks to some important social issues.
― Kotaro Lives Alone had a lot going against it at the outset, which is maybe why I had such a hard time going back to it after giving it a shot during the season's Preview Guid...
The Deer King
Screening in U.S. theaters this month, director Ando shows his talent in creating emotional impact through subtle character animation, even within a dense story.
― Aptly timed, The Deer King's story around a mysterious infectious disease conjures up ideas of a found family and the uncomfortable debate between science and faith. Studio Ghibli alumni Masashi Ando and Masayuki Miyaji have impressive res...
Macross Frontier: The Wings of Farewell
This rewrite of the final act of Macross Frontier changes a lot, but are the adjustments in service a better story?
― If I had to describe this film's predecessor, The False Songstress, in a single word, it would be “functional.” The film did a decent job trimming down the first 60% of Macross Frontier's TV series and delivering a coherent storyline, but it was an obviously compromised production tha...
ESTAB LIFE: Great Escape
Sure, the anti-panty cults and commie penguin armies are…a lot, and don't think for one second that this anime isn't proud to get weird and stupid whenever it gets the chance.
― Estab-Life: Great Escape is an especially bizarre anime, and not just for the reasons you're probably already expecting. Sure, the anti-panty cults and commie penguin armies are…a lot, and don't think for one second that this...
Love All Play Episodes 1-13
Love All Play is the sort of show that's good enough to keep watching even as it doesn't blow you out of the water.
― If there's one thing Love All Play unquestionably has going for it, it's the facial expressions. That perhaps sounds like an odd thing to praise in a sports show, but it truly is one of the standout features of both art and animation; each fleeting emotion that the characters feel can...
She Professed Herself Pupil of the Wise Man
She Professed Herself Pupil of the Wise Man is a forgettable show, so much so that I found myself struggling to recall what happened in the earlier episodes by the time I reached the end.
― She Professed Herself Pupil of the Wise Man is a forgettable show, so much so that I found myself struggling to recall what happened in the earlier episodes by the time I reached the end. But to its credit, it's r...
Puella Magi Madoka Magica: the Movie Trilogy 10th Anniversary Blu-ray Box Set
Puella Magi Madoka Magica may not have reinvented the magical girl story, but it is an important step in the genre's evolution.
― Given that this is the tenth anniversary release of these films, I'm going to assume some familiarity with them in this review. When Puella Magi Madoka Magica initially came out as a TV series (which the first two films are a retelling of), it started a conversation about ...
Dropkick on My Devil!! Dash
Maybe it's the Stockholm-esque relationship I cultivated in consuming so much Dropkick in only a couple of weeks, but this opening stretch of the new season was the most fun I had with the series.
― So here we are with the second season of Dropkick on My Devil and immediately it feels like I'm in an even trickier critical position than I was with the first season. At least I could approach the origin...
Orient Episodes 1-12 Streaming
Based on the manga by Shinobu Ohtaka, Orient's first twelve episodes are both comfortably within shonen norms and just different enough to give it an edge.
― Based on the manga of the same name by Shinobu Ohtaka, creator of the Arabian Nights-inspired series Magi and the battle comedy Sumomomo, Momomo, Orient's first twelve episodes are both comfortably within shounen norms and just different enough ...
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