This is closest to a masterpiece than any other fantasy-romance anime I’ve watched in a long time. As someone who is currently reading the LN (not much further yet but eager to learn everything about this story) it’s among the best adaptations I’ve seen in a while.
Story 9.5/10
There’s so much to unwrap about this story that I could probably write a novel about it (but nobody wants to read that, especially given the source material already is a well-written LN, so I’ll try my best to summarize it). Just the concept of having a protagonist who is stuck in a time loop and
...
keeps re-living her life but with all the knowledge she has gathered is so clever. Personally I’m not a fan of politics being involved too much in a story, then again this one actually needs it to progress and it’s also not overused unlike with other series where the focus shifts too much on the politics. Here it’s the perfect balance. The world-building is far from being perfect but in my opinion it works. There are still open ends but it’s also due to the fact there is a lot of source material. Considering this the pace of the anime is good and even with the LN I think they are written in a way to not open too many lose ends for a build-up but never really living up to it. It does make you curious for more so for everyone who wants to know more about the story I would also recommend reading the LN. The way they adapted it in the anime is very close to the original. There are some minor changes but nothing that sticks out as ruining or watering down the story (at least not in my opinion). However, praising it this high, it has to be said that I feel like this story is mostly for people who enjoy a story that’s woven together in a way it might only make sense at one point. I had the feeling right from the start when I started to read it. So I feel like if you come across someone saying it’s boring it probably is if you don’t have a full picture (or lack the patience to wait for it). Personally I love developing theories in my head. So this kind of story is perfect for me. Not to forget a very different yet beautiful love story which has some tragic in it too (just by the fact how it starts out). It’s kind of a fantasy fairy-tale mostly directed to women but I see nothing wrong with that. There are some minor issues I have but they are not really in the story itself (which yet has to fully unfold).
Characters 8/10
Nowadays there is this tendency of writing characters (it’s a little frustrating) that are “copy and paste” of each other. But somehow I feel like even though this story might appear to have that sort of formula as well it’s not exactly the same. I’m someone who absolutely dislikes it when writers put their own characters on a pedestal and force their audience to like and even praise them the same way. There is nothing relatable about that. However, this anime did a perfect job in removing the one thing (or at least covering it much better compared to the LN) that slightly bothers me in the source material: that Rishe appearing just a little too OP and superior, being close to a Mary-Sue. Honestly, she might not be far off from being one. But it’s the only work of fiction for me that kind of justifies a main character like her. How so? Because considering she has lived the same life 6 times prior to this and is now on her 7th run, that she simply makes use of all the knowledge she acquired along the way, makes a lot of sense. More than if she would lack in many areas ad would still be where she started out after the first time loop or even before that. Especially since she used every single one of her lives to learn something new and taking a different path, which now comes into play perfectly. Now that she becomes the finance of prince Arnold. This outcome is only logical and actually a clever way to handle it (although we could argue about the amount of stuff she does on her own which could be accomplished by others). Of course there were moments I had to roll my eyes because she randomly knew something or was one step ahead of someone who even had a profession in this field… But they never take it too far and there are also moments when she struggles in a way or doesn’t know what to do. And we have to remember she is the only one aware of what is going on or will in the future (because she is stuck in a time loop). So from her perspective she has to shoulder a lot. And while she possesses many skills it’s her determination that makes her stand out from all the other overpowered strong female characters who often don’t have a motivation or it’s just presented in a manner that makes it unbelievable or bland. Rishe’s goal is to continue living while preventing a lot of bad stuff from happening. She makes allies, uses her knowledge to the best way possible and uses common sense. I don’t think it’s far from reality… Yes, she is still among the MCs who are a little too OP but in her case I don’t mind as much (at least most of the time). Still that fact prevents her from being among my favorite characters of all time but she is definitely better than most of the other MCs in this category (because in her case it’s justified).
The second main character Prince Arnold is a little more tricky. Because at first glance he also seems to be the copy-paste male protagonist, cold but handsome prince (until he falls for the girl). When I was younger there wouldn’t have been more to convince me of his character…. But what really stands out about him is the fact that in the back of my mind there’s always this lingering feeling that there is so so much more to his character than we see and know. That’s what makes him so interesting to me. Especially given his interactions with Rishe. Like there is a lot of potential what the writer could do with his character and it’s fully realized in the anime (and I hope it will continue to be in the LN as well).
As for the supporting characters they are alright but fall a little flat compared to the main characters. Which is not necessarily a bad thing. I mean, characters like Prince Kyle, Michel or even Elise are interesting enough to see them on screen or even to want to learn a little more about them but not in a way that would distract from the main characters (and trust me, I watched animes in which the side characters were way more interesting than the main characters. This is not a good sign). That being said… There is a certain balance and I feel like it would just be nice to give someone else a little bit more spotlight at times. Which will at the same time add to the main characters. (But that might just be me being a nit-picky writer).
Unfortunately I have a little bit of criticism to add on how they adapted prince Theodore’s character. In my opinion they completely botched him. He was supposed to be Rishe’s age but he looks and sounds much younger. And I get they did that in contrast with Arnold but in my opinion they didn’t have to do that. Because I just can’t take him as serious as in the LN (ok, I can’t fully take him serious there either but at least I don’t think of him as a child). Maybe I will earn some hate for saying this but he’s the aspect I disliked most about this adaptation.
Animation 8/10
To be perfectly honest… in the beginning I wasn’t very fond of the animation style. And I still wish they would have stuck to the more mature artstyle from the illustrations in the LN. It would have given the anime so much more maturity as well. But it grew a little more on me after watching some episodes. Especially the background, atmosphere and love for details in some scenes. I’d still prefer a different style but it’s not horrible. The only thing (aside from Theodore) I wish was different are some of the proportions and anatomy of certain characters. It was just a little too much (especially in some scenes). So yeah, that wasn’t entirely perfect. But I loved the music (most of the time it was fitting). Plus fitting and beautiful Opening and Ending <3.
Overall 9/10
It’s not enough to be a masterpiece for very minor reasons but it’s very close to perfection for me and that says a lot. I just loved most aspects of it. It’s not simply enough to like the concept of a story, the plot, characters… but a combination of all of there aspects. To me this is a good example of a well-written story. While there are things I wish they would have done differently, there were also aspects that positively surprised me. And when it comes to adapting well-written stories it’s even harder. But this anime did a wonderful job and it easily became one of my new favorites. Especially for “fixing” something that worried me in the beginning (namely making Rishe too perfect). She still is a little OP but at least justified. And if you can look behind this because everything else is beautiful (especially the romance, even if it’s slow and more subtle), I would definitely recommend it and say this anime is a must-watch. It’s definitely one of my favorites this season and I might re-visit it after continuing further into the LN. Thank you for reading my review <3
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Mar 29, 2024
Loop 7-kaime no Akuyaku Reijou wa, Moto Tekikoku de Jiyuu Kimama na Hanayome Seikatsu wo Mankitsu suru
(Anime)
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Recommended
This is closest to a masterpiece than any other fantasy-romance anime I’ve watched in a long time. As someone who is currently reading the LN (not much further yet but eager to learn everything about this story) it’s among the best adaptations I’ve seen in a while.
Story 9.5/10 There’s so much to unwrap about this story that I could probably write a novel about it (but nobody wants to read that, especially given the source material already is a well-written LN, so I’ll try my best to summarize it). Just the concept of having a protagonist who is stuck in a time loop and ...
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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Mar 24, 2024
Yubisaki to Renren
(Anime)
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Recommended
A beautiful light-hearted cozy feel-good romance anime with a warm atmosphere and relatable characters.
Story 8/10 The story itself isn’t anything crazy or out of the ordinary. It’s rather simple yet beautiful which really proves a good story doesn’t always need to be extraordinary or anything special but it’s a story with a heart. It follows university student Yuki who has a hearing disability since birth and then she meets another student Itsuomi and they fall in love. I’m not sure if it’s a hundred percent accurate when it comes to representation of those with a hearing disability but for me personally I found it interesting ... to see Yuki’s world (from her POV) and the people around her interacting with her. Both main characters have a very different perspective of the world but as they meet and get to know each others lives and world better, it really proves it’s not necessarily a bad thing to explore a new perspective. The story didn’t have many unnecessary misunderstandings or communication difficulties (despite the premise, which is an interesting take but just goes to show you can write a romance without adding unnecessary drama). And the parts where they maybe lacked communication were made up by both main characters trying their best to do better and improve together in their relationship. It was very relaxing without getting boring or repetitive (which is usually the case with many slice of life animes). It was really refreshing to watch. This anime always managed to make me feel warm and calm. The only things that I kind of wish would have been handled better was the fact that Yuki’s family didn’t use sign language with her which seems not unrealistic but very unlikely to me (even though I guess it’s hard to animate, the few times they interacted with another made it feel more strange to me) and the fact they focused so much on one character I didn’t particularly like and I wish they would have spend more time on the main couple or some of the supporting characters instead. This story could survived well without this in my opinion. Other than that it’s well-written. Characters 8.5/10 Same as with the plot the characters weren’t too out of the ordinary. Yuki has a very sweet and kind personality. She maybe come off as naive sometimes but I feel like it’s due to her environment and many people worrying about her. Which in itself isn’t wrong but I like the fact Itsuomi helps her to see there’s more to explore in this world and that she also starts to develop her own dreams. She might be a common female main character regarding her personality but I personally don’t mind. She’s very positive despite her difficulties and she doesn’t let them stop her from enjoying life, making new friends and experiences (which is refreshing and motivating). Especially once she meets Itsuomi. In the beginning I was skeptical about him but once you get to know him a little better you start to realize it’s simply because he grew up in a different environment and was more exposed to other cultures compared to Yuki or even some of his friends. He likes to travel and to learn other languages (I liked that aspect too. Sometimes the bits of German they threw in came out of nowhere but I liked it). Both of these characters work so well together because they are different yet they complement and bring out the best in each other. Once you know Itsuomi better you see that he is such a green flag and he and Yuki are a perfect match who can bring out the best in each other. I’m also very fond of most of the supporting characters which have also interesting backgrounds and interactions. For example I absolutely adore Yuki’s best friend Rin who supports her and her relationship with Itsu from the very beginning. I also shipped her very hard with Kyoya (Itsu’s cousin) and I would have loved to see more of them. And while I get to see why they even showed the perspective of Itsu’s childhood friends Shin and Ema I’m not particularly fond of Ema but it looks like overall she seems to have some kind of character development (which I always appreciate). The one character I just can’t bring myself to like is Oushi – Yuki’s childhood friend. Not necessarily because he is a tsundere or I can’t understand his feelings (I kind of understand him better than most other characters) but it’s the exact reason why I can’t bring myself to like him or any of his actions. He’s just immature. I get that he did many things out of concern for Yuki. But it doesn’t make it right or justifies how he is overprotective and even overbearing when it comes to Yuki. Like he is too afraid of Yuki getting out into the world that I feel like if it was up to him he wouldn’t let her and I feel like that’s the huge difference between Itsu and him who is way more mature and even tried to become friends with him. In my opinion the focus was a little too much on Oushi at times and it seemed like they tried so hard to force us to like him that I ended up disliking him even more (because I don’t like when writers to that in either direction). Of course I still hope he can grow up and become more mature. But sorry, until the every end I don’t like him. Animation 10/10 Honestly as much as I’ve heard criticism about the animation of this series I have to disagree because for me it’s among the most beautiful aspects of this beautiful anime. The simple story mixed with enjoyable characters is nice but combine it with a cozy atmosphere and nice animation and the results will be truly beautiful. Just add some feel-good music and it’s perfect. To me the aesthetics is what makes this anime so unique and I wish we had more of this kind. The love for detail in animation, background – even during important scenes - is truly an aspect fit for a masterpiece. Overall 9/10 Since I had never heard of this anime before I went in with zero expectations, thinking I would get bored quickly or it would be something nice for in-between. But I was positively surprised about how much I really enjoyed every single episode and the journey of these characters – which was simple yet beautifully depicted. Unfortunately I doubt there will be another season although I would wish to see more – how the story continues. Because this unique animation just makes you feel warm and cozy (and I know, I said this like 10 times in my review already). Don’t expect it to be a story that has never been told. It’s very simple but for me that’s where the beauty of it lies. I can recommend this anime to everyone who enjoys romance that make you feel good and even makes you feel invested.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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Nov 25, 2023
Ojou to Banken-kun
(Anime)
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Not Recommended Preliminary
(9/13 eps)
Usually I avoid writing negative reviews because I feel like if you have nothing nice to say then don’t say anything at all. Exceptions are either 1.) If I’m interested in the fandom/concept enough 2.) to give constructive criticism and help indecisive anime fans to discern if it’s for them or not. This is none of these cases but if it would most likely be the latter. Also I kind of feel the need to justify why I dropped this anime and why I think it’s so bad that it’s not simply worth not watching, it’s appalling.
Story 0.5/10 First of all I want to ... emphasize that I’m not generally against a huge age-gap in a work of fiction if it’s portrayed in the right manner, without se*ualazing it and if it maybe even approaches the conflict in the right way. In fact, I’ve watched, read and even written content containing age-gap in the past and while it is a very sensitive and even problematic issue if it’s done in a dignified way and presented to the audience as what it is; fiction - I don’t mind. What I do mind, however, is bad writing and this story isn’t even like it was written by a 13 years-old, because they could do better. But let me start with the story… Wait… Because there is not really a story? Just a bunch of either bland or horrible characters, interacting with each other, there’s yakuza-stuff going on but not really (even though the yakuza don’t know how to yakuza – now I try to imagine how yakuza would rate this. Or maybe they would poke fun at it). And it’s a love story in a school setting but in the most boring way possible while at the same time nothing makes sense and every character acts in the worst possible way and how nobody would act in real life (or well written fiction). How to tick off so many boxes in what not to do when writing a romance story is beyond me. Yes, the “romance” aspect... Like I said, the age-gap isn’t the worst. Not even the fact that the male main character practically raised the MC. That’s where it gets problematic because he knew her since she was a little child and was like her brother, father figure (basically raising her) and all of a sudden it’s romance (while at the same time he’s still the mentioned above in a way, it’s creepy). Sure, because that’s a good idea, message and beautiful love story every girl dreams of. I’m not sensitive but even to me he gives predator vibes. This is not okay! Parents sometimes even warn their kids about people like that (and to even be careful around relatives or close family friends). But there’s more. Because Keiya is not just creepy but he has every red flag you could ever look for in a man (and hopefully run away upon seeing them). Look up “red flags” in a dictionary and there will be a picture of his face. You’ll also find him under the category “toxic love interest”. Let me get back to the yakuza theme. I have not the slightest idea what yakuza do or how they act. Neither has the writer of this work which is clear even to me. It just serves as a… not even setting or background but excuse for some things to happen. If I think of yakuza without any knowledge I don’t think of grown up men acting so obviously suspicious, not being able to handle things more discreetly. not covering their traces or even strategically plan an ambush. I’d think of intelligent people doing everything within their power not to draw attention to themselves while at the same time maintaining their status and business. I’m well aware it’s not the main focus of this anime but I’m mentioning this because I once started to write a romance book where the male main character was a high ranking member of the mafia. And let’s just say he wouldn’t run around with a neon-sign saying he needs to be arrested ASAP (or taken to therapy). They could have at least tried to make it seem like they were competent. So the lack of research that must have been put into this was basically shorter than the first sentence of my review. All the events happening within the anime are easily forgettable and not investing at all. For a long time nothing really happens, then something happens and then there is nothing again because it’s resolved somehow. So even without all the other issues aside it’s not very memorable. Rather the story seems pointless and without any other purpose than this toxic relationship which isn’t worth it either. No character growth, not even getting to know them better – they only exist for one purpose and it’s as pointless… Characters -100/10 In the beginning I really liked Isaku. She seemed sweet, kind and genuine – wanting to experience High School life like a normal girl. Her design was nice too and not your common MC especially considering her background. But quickly all her potential went down the drain. Although I don’t want to be too hard on her since she’s the victim of this scenario, story and even writing. As for falling for Keiya… He was the first male (outside her relatives) she got close to, during a time her parents died and she suddenly had to live with her grandfather who’s the head of a criminal organization. So of course she was vulnerable and this dragged until her teenage years. One could even argue she tried to get away from it and even experience a normal life but thanks to Keiya’s possessiveness that didn’t work out. But I mainly dislike her for what happened in episode 9 or rather her reaction to it. I want to spare you the horrible details but I feel it is in insult to anyone who went through something similar and there’s absolutely NO WAY, not even if she was a yakuza herself, she would react in that way and focus on something so trivial it made me feel bad for every woman who watches this and is sensitive to this topic. I’m not easily triggered by something like this if it’s approached in the right manner but it isn’t even possible to overlook. And other characters react like it’s good and brave she reacted like that. Very unrealistic and insulting representation. If a fictional work gets into territories like this it should handle it with care. That didn’t happen here. Instead it was twisted for a “romance aspect”. I’m sorry but that’s not romantic it’s simply disgusting! What should I say about Keiya? He’s a child in the body of a grown man. Which makes me wonder if that could be used for his legal defense. He doesn’t act his age and is so oblivious to the most common human behavior it made me wonder how he became a high ranking yakuza to begin with. Especially since he was in charge of taking care of Isaku. Actually, I don’t really want to talk about him since it would be easier to tell you what is nice about him because he hasn’t even one redeeming quality. There’s also no shift when it comes to his feelings for Isaku… He might be denying it but it’s not the same as seeing a person in a certain way until you don’t. Because while he is unaware of his own feelings (kind of?) there’s also no development from him being her father figure to suddenly seeing her in a romantic way or as “his woman” - Ewwwww! For Isaku it makes more sense since she grew up sheltered, with him being the only male psychological parent she had and of course girls have crushes on older men sometimes (that’s perfectly normal, especially during puberty). But to him nothing changed. Not even the fact that he’s her guardian. And that makes it even more troublesome. If there was some (inner)-conflict about this, some given moment when it shifted maybe it would have been slightly better to take in and accept. But no. Immediately it’s this romanticized possessive behavior that’s nothing but repulsive. The supporting characters are mainly one-dimensional and are only there to fill spaces so this world doesn’t look so empty (to be honest, even Isaku’s grandfather seems to be like this). They don’t have anything that drives and moves them. They are just there. Simply to help the two main characters get together… No, not even that. They just exist so that this world doesn’t seem like an empty universe only written for Isaku and Keiya. Wait… There’s another character Mikio… who is bored and because of that does horrible stuff or attempts to. To be fair… He is born into the yakuza as well so he doesn’t have a moral compass but then they didn’t even use that as an “excuse” but only the fact he’s so bored he doesn’t even know if he’s alive or not (makes me wonder if the writer was bored as well writing/drawing this). He was there to bring in some action but just left this awful taste. Nothing justified his actions but then he wants to act as a matchmaker all of a sudden? I have a lot of questions to the person who thought of this… Animation 1/10 In the beginning the animation seemed fine. Actually the teaser trailer even made me want to give it a try. Maybe the studio put most of their budget into the teaser because with every episode it gets worse. Sometimes the faces seem so misplaced its worse than a video game glitch. There are many other animation issues but I already wrote enough so let me just say it doesn’t hold up to the expectations. Enjoyment/Overall 0/10 I’m really wondering why I stayed so long for this anime because I dislike hate-watching shows for the sake of making fun of it. Guess I simply wanted to see what low point they would reach and let me tell you… It’s so deep below the earth if you dig any further you’ll come out at the other side of the globe. There’s no story, the characters are horrible, the writing is insanely bad and worst of all: the message is terrible too. I really enjoy watching romance animes and I’m obsessed with cliches if they are done right. I’ve watched anime with toxic relationships but there was also something redeeming either the characters or the story or simply because it’s a guilty pleasure. This is just “guilty” for me because the pleasure was entirely missing. Horrible writing, pacing, transitions, animation but you can just tell there weren’t any emotions involved creating this – neither from the writer, nor from the studio that adapted it. Simply some half-baked fantasies. There might be some people who still enjoy it regardless… I couldn’t say I understand but to each their own. What I really don’t get or can even grasp is how someone could write this. Even with this kind of relationship the two protagonists had in the past it could have worked out if written properly. I’m saying this because there’s an example of a work of fiction that did it right. It’s an otome game called “Radiant Tale” where one of the (later) love interests also knows MC since she’s a child, there’s a huge age-gap but it still works out in the end because it’s written in a way it makes it less creepy and even tackles the problem coming along with this trope (if you don’t believe me I’d recommend playing it). I don’t mind writers challenging themselves if they could pull off something like this because I’m like that too. Unfortunately the only reason I could give this horrible anime a 10/10 is if it was for the worst anime of all time. I’m even considering removing it from my watch list entirely because I don’t even want it on my “dropped”-list. So no, I definitely would NEVER recommend this anime to anyone and I hope my review was helpful (although you might be thinking I had too much to say. I apologize. Bad writing always makes me want to express my POV as a writer). And I highly doubt this is getting any better so I’m out here…
Reviewer’s Rating: 1
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Nov 24, 2023
Sugar Apple Fairy Tale Part 2
(Anime)
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Recommended
Story 7.5/10
After the last part ended and how it ended I wasn’t only worried about how it would affect the story but I’ve got to admit that the first 3 episodes were not that easy to watch for me because I feel like they served to somehow entangle the writing issues while at the same time establishing a new arc. Unlike before I wasn’t as invested at first… That was until the 4th episode when it finally matched up. I’m still not fond of some of the writing decisions they made from the end of the first part and the beginning of this part ... but it quickly pulled me in again after that. We got some interesting concepts and ideas, a lot of action which I never expected to like so much and the romance was solid too. Almost. Because there was something that slightly bothered me and that’s why I didn’t rate it any higher but it’s still a beautiful story with an overall great world-building. Also regarding my last review… It seems like there was a hint regarding the misogyny against women for the sugar craft so I’ll take this back but I feel like there still weren’t enough for this transition it took in the last part. In my opinion they could have done a better job in establishing it. But that’s just a minor issue. Characters 8/10 The characters I loved in the first part (Anne, Challe, Benjamin, Cat, Keith…) are still likable. Especially Anne with her determination and boldness (even if it can be mistaken for stupidity at times but it makes her very relatable). While the characters I initially disliked (Jonas, Bridget, Cathy and Elliott) are… Well. Before I get to that I’d like to point out that I’ve changed my mind about at least one of these characters (but I won’t say who it is). But overall there wasn’t any good or justified character developments. They attempted to redeem one or the other but unfortunately they did it so out of the blue and without justified reasons that it felt forced. More like everyone simply accepted their selfish behavior, they got away with it and then they were redeemed. I’m all in for characters to get second chances, redemption arcs and proper character development. But that’s not what happened here. Specifically with one character. If that person would have warned the group about something specific and by doing so would have proven there was a change going on even if it was just the beginning it would have been much more believable (actions speak louder than words). And I don’t get why the writers couldn’t manage because it worked the other way around but I guess I just have to take it. On the other hand, they included a villain “insanely” well written for a shoujo anime. So well it almost surprised me how they concluded this arc… But that’s just my personal opinion. Some scenes still had me on the edge of my seat and I wouldn’t say I like the character but that’s precisely why it’s well done because that person is well written (and earns a lot of points from my rating – aside from our two main characters). Animation 8/10 Similar to the first part, the animation is beautiful, especially when it comes to the sugar craft. However, the background seemed a little more odd at times. And I’m not sure if it was like this in the other part too but if it was I didn’t notice. So the fact I did simply had me to subtract one point. But it’s still dreamy and gives fairytale vibes. Overall 8/10 At first I though I enjoyed the first part more and maybe there’s something true to it for being “fresh” and new but objectively this season was clearly better just for the story and let’s face it: for its characters (aka villain). It would have been better if it weren’t for some forced redemption arcs and while I don’t mind the pacing of a slower romance they could have given us a little bit more of that too. Even though I predicted much of the plot it was an enjoyable watch and I’m hoping for a third season (or part?). It’s still an anime I can recommend if you enjoy fantasy, romance and decent (not perfect) writing.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Nov 21, 2023
Amnesia OVA
(Anime)
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Recommended
Story 6/10
As someone who likes the otome game and even enjoyed the anime series I thought it was a lot of fun watching. At the beginning maybe a little bit confusing but once you’re in it’s a fun watch. Nothing too deep but for an OVA well done. Characters 9/10 Watching the characters interact with each other was really the most fun about this. They all stick to their characters and it’s refreshing to see how they “bond” (or un-bond – I know, that’s not a word). It was worth to watch just to see Ikki in a panda-costume and glasses *-*. Also all ... the other characters were simply awesome (except for Toma whom I automatically told to shut up every time he appeared on screen and opened his mouth. Not that it helped though). There was specifically one scene with Shin which made me like him more :3. Also I know most people don’t like MC because they think she’s rather bland but I think she is cute and likable as proven here. Animation 6.5/10 Was it just me or did the animation look different from the series? I honestly don’t know which one I’d prefer. Anyway, still nicely animated. Music 10/10 The OST is simply amazing<3. And most of all: they kept the Opening from the anime series which I fully understand. Because in my opinion it will always be the best anime Opening I’ve ever seen <3. “Zoetrope” by Nagi Yanagi is a masterpiece! The Ending theme was also beautiful and fitting. Overall/Enjoyment 8/10 While it’s nothing mind-blowing I really enjoyed watching. That being said there is a BUT… Because I think you’ll most likely enjoy it if you either played the game or watched the anime series (maybe even both) and are at least a little familiar with the original plot. It might be enjoyable even without this knowledge but I’d recommend it because this way you’ll get the most fun out of it (also when it comes to the characteristics of each character). But if you do watch the series a little warning: don’t expect it to have the same tone as this OVA because it’s a little more serious and a little darker.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Nov 16, 2023
Sugar Apple Fairy Tale
(Anime)
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I’m writing this review before watching the 2nd season because I don’t want what happens there to be clouded by the 12 episode I just watched (since they are separated). Maybe this will help you a little more to determine whether to watch this series or later to even continue it. (But warning, really heavy SPOILER alert!)
Story 6.5/10 The fact that I watched this series within 2-3 days says a lot about the quality (for me that’s basically binge-watching, since it usually takes me more days or even a couple of weeks to complete a show). Right when it started I was wondering why I didn’t ... watch it earlier. I’ve seen bits here and there on social media (mainly fanarts) but no spoilers (compliment for the fanbase for that because it’s usually not that way) but I didn’t really know what I would get myself into and starting it I genuinely enjoyed it to a point it became addictive. Does this anime use a lot of cliches and common tropes (which may or may not made me roll my eyes too?). Yes, but I don’t mind because of the way it’s included and the setting. Unfortunately nowadays you have two options when it comes to shoujo 1.) not at all because it seems to be dying or 2.) trash. It’s been a while an anime made me actually feel something and you could tell a lot of love went into the writing (not that it’s perfect or flawless but I’ll get to this). There were some parts that were unnecessary but I’ll take it because I truly enjoyed the story (mostly) because of the world-building. It’s such an interesting concept. Especially how the fairies are born, how it is connected to their powers. And I didn’t even mind they were touching some darker themes (such as slavery) but sometimes I wish they would have explored it further or even handled it better (Anne was basically the only one speaking up against it. Not even the royal family seems to care despite their background with fairies). So that’s something I’d wish for the next season rather than all the other political stuff (and the misogyny which came out of nowhere. They should have hinted at it more in the beginning). That’s where I have to express some critique because if it wouldn’t have been for the ending of this season I would have at least rated the story one point higher. But as much as I hated that it happened and how it made me feel, I’d have felt it’s a perfect cliffhanger. My problem, however, isn’t about the fact the story took this turn, it’s more about HOW they did it (it would have messed with me so much watching this and not knowing if there was a second season TT___TT). That’s where I couldn’t overlook the flaws and plot-holes the writings had at times. Up to this point I didn’t mind because the enjoyment was still there. Until they messed up (although it might be like this in the source material as well). Because they made sure we would know how fairies would be able to distinguish the silver sugar based on how it’s made and who made it. It was even demonstrated in the last episode. Why didn’t Challe simply go to the most obvious suspect and try his silver sugar? I’m well aware no one would have believed them but every other character gets away with doing stuff behind their backs but they can’t retrieve Anne’s sugar any other way? Also the fact how quickly Challe gave in to Bridget (or the fact he even suggested it) didn’t make any sense. Yes, I’m well aware they wanted to demonstrate how much he cared for Anne and wanted her dream to come true, but come on! It wasn’t like they were really backed into a corner so there was no other way out. Also very convenient for Bridget that she witnessed the crime and knew exactly who took it (also they even stated there’s a chance the culprit would have gotten rid of it but they didn’t know. It’s also the other way around. How did Bridget know that? Therefore to Challe this deal could still have meant Anne would lose her chance at the competition). Here is what would have worked slightly better: That Bridget was behind this all along and therefore would have been able to threaten Challe because she made sure no one would be able to find it without her help except for it being close at hand at the competition (now that I think about it there’s still a chance she was part of it but it wouldn’t change the sloppy execution). It would have made more sense since Challe would have foreshadowed it when he told Bridget she’d need to steal his wing to get him. Not to mention how much it bothered me that all the people who knew about Anne’s talent didn’t vouch for her. Too easy and flawed. Again not because of the fact it had to happened, but the execution was done poorly in my opinion. Characters 7.5/10 Let’s start with our protagonist Anne. She’s nice, sweet, kind, hard-working, talented and what I value a lot in main characters: determined. Sure, sometimes she can be a little naive too but she clearly has a heart of gold and I mostly adore her. Personally I don’t understand how anyone can be annoyed with her. While her reasons and actions are not always understandable at first glance, I think it makes it even more refreshing. And we really need more female protagonists who are stronger in a different sense than simply for their physical strength. Aside from her talent she is relatable and never gives up and most of all: she cares about others and her actions prove this. Challe, on the other hand, might be the complete opposite of her. At first I was skeptical with him. Then again, given the circumstances and the fact he had been enslaved for 70 years makes it understandable. And he slowly warms up to Anne and they become friends and even develop romantic feelings for each other. Personally I don’t even mind their age gap. Mostly because I think fantasy always makes it easier to swallow especially when we consider how different the time frames are for both: humans and fairies (as shown by the fact some of the fairies only live for a couple of years). If we’d compare this to their life span maybe they are not that far apart in age. I really like their dynamic and chemistry and there are many cute (but also earnest) moments between them. The pace of the romance itself is slow but while I enjoy watching them together I would have wished for us to see more of their bonding instead of the kind of sudden shift we got. It’s probably due to a big time skip of 9 months. That’s the only aspect that might have needed more attention (even if the story wouldn’t have moved forward). It would also have made the ending more effective and emotional (it still was in a way but personally I feel like they could have done better in this regard as well). The supporting characters are either great (like Cat, Keith, Benjamin and I’m not sure about Hugh), while others are annoying (like Thriller… ehm Mythrill Rid Pod – how do you NOT want to get a nickname for that?). And then there are the characters you absolutely have to dislike. Such as Cathy, Sammy and Bridget – with the latter one being unreasonably full of contempt for Anne (because she’s hardworking in a craft usually only men pursue) and she falls in love with Challe at first sight for his looks (while having a finance. Not that he’s any better though). But who really takes the cake (and I swear having to see him like every episode really tested my patience) is Jonas. I didn’t like him in the beginning and I was right for that. Still I didn’t expect him to backstab Anne (like he attempted to KILL her). I didn’t see this coming and I have to give the writes credit for this because just WOW... If I ever make a list of the “Top 10 worst anime betrayals” he’ll be in my top 3. Even the fact his uncle is a unlikable character as well and prefers his student over his nephew doesn’t change the fact that Jonas is spineless, horrible and even worse. Which makes me conclude the characters are written well enough to be considered on their own. At times they could be fleshed out even more but it’s a solid basis. Animation 9/10 It can’t be denied that the animation is pretty, especially when it comes to the silver sugar sculptures. Also with the setting you really feel like you could get absorbed into this fantasy world. It kind of reminded me of some high quality otome games I’ve played (or would like to play…). Overall 7/10 While the anime is predictable at times there were moments that really caught me off guard. Not many shows manage to pull me in like this right from the start. It’s especially hard to find good and well written fantasy romance animes. It has all the ingredients it needs so something beautiful can be created (much like with the silver sugar). Especially the world-buildig is pretty good. However, this might be the problem since sometimes it seems like the writers focused too much on that instead of developing characters or their relationships further. But a good story needs both equally balanced. Personally I don’t mind the use of cliches if implemented in a refreshing way. The anime did that. At the same time causing some misunderstandings and using common tropes without really thinking it through or considering its own lore. But I’m not blaming it on the writers since it’s still pretty good. The focus of it, however, might be subjective. You can never please everyone but at times it felt it’s exactly what the story tried to do and therefore it could feel more mediocre than it actually is. If it wouldn’t have been for the execution of the ending I feel like l’d have given it a little higher rating. It’s still a beautiful anime and I’m excited to watch the second season. The last fantasy romance anime that pulled me in like this was probably “Hakushaku to Yousei” so I have much anticipation for what’s to come. I’m not sure if I could recommend it to everyone but if you want to watch a cute romance with two main characters pretty much starting out as enemies (or kind of), with an excellent world-building and a dreamy look then you’ll enjoy this. Now enjoy your (un)healthy dose of “Sugar Apple Fairy Tale”.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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Nov 15, 2023
Norn9: Norn+Nonet
(Anime)
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Not Recommended
Let me first tell you that I absolutely love the visual novel game Norn9 (despite its flaws it’s one of my favorite games, specifically for the atmosphere and music). So my rating is entirely based on how well it is adapted into an anime (Spoiler alert: it isn’t!).
Story 2/10 It’s been a while since I watched this so I don’t remember all the details but since I know the story well let me start with the aspect I actually enjoyed… which was seeing the Norn and the beautiful setting in animated/in action. That’s basically everything to like about it. And while I see people ... criticizing even the game’s writing because of some flaws, it never bothered me because personally I like the world-building (and I know it’s further explained in the fandisk). But since we are talking about the anime… The writing is completely all over the place. If I would have watched this without knowledge about the lore I’d have drop it after the first half. What bothers me the most, however, is how dirty they did some of the characters (or rather their storyline – like for real?!). Characters 4/10 (Note: for once I’m not rating the characters themselves but rather their representation in this anime. Except for Kakeru. He’ll always be a 0/10 for me). I’m a huge fan of Natsuhiko’s character (in the game). In fact, after the first episode of this anime (which was promising to be honest) I low-key put this anime on-hold until after I finished playing and bought the game just BECAUSE OF HIM (yes, I admit the anime adaptation is the reason I played the game) – and I still ended up liking him but somehow Sakuya’s character won me over. That’s why I feel personally attacked how much they screwed up both with their half-baked writing. While the other MCs got their hand-picked LIs, the writers decided it would be a good idea to mix them. Starting with Sakuya’s route just for Mikoto to end up falling in love with Natsuhiko. Are you kidding me? I’d have been the last person to mind if they would have picked Natsuhiko as her love interest right from the start and making it clear to Mikoto Sakuya is just her childhood friend. Because like I said, I still love Natsuhiko. But the fact they had to mess with my boy Sakuya just makes me feel insanely mad and frustrated. He didn’t deserve this! Not to mention how they took one specific scene of Sakuya’s route and didn’t manage to explain it which made his character seem unlikable to some extent. What’s wrong with the writers here? Among the MCs Mikoto is my favorite. Unfortunately, the way it was written in the anime it just seems like she was developing feelings for Sakuya until she suddenly loved Natsuhiko. Great. That’s the problem with most otome game adaptations because most of the time the writers want to include multiple romances at once but that’s the result. I’d rather have them focusing on one of the characters as romantic interest (even if it’s not my personal favorite). 8And yes, the opening made it pretty clear but it was still a horrible writing decision). They choose just one LI each for both of the other MCs and I was pretty happy they choose Nanami and Akito to pair up together. Which might have been the best aspect when it comes to characters and relationships. However, that they had to put Koharu as MC in focus was a decision I wasn’t fond of either. I don’t dislike her character but to me she’s the most stereotype MC among the three. So I would have preferred one of the other two. I would have been happy if they would have ended up using Nanami as MC because we don’t get many MCs like her in animes. But nope, they decided for the most dreadful pairing and if I say “dreadful” it’s an understatement because Kakeru is very high on my list of most disliked characters of all time (even in the game). I just can’t stand him so the fact they had most screentime almost made it insufferable to watch. Animation 4/10 The setting looked very neat but the character design was rather bad (says the person who bought the game after seeing Natsuhiko’s character design). Let’s just say some of the characters were better than others. Music 8/10 That’s the one thing they did pretty good. And you can’t do anything wrong with Nagi Yanagi for the opening and even as Aion’s voice. Also the OST is amazing (I already loved the OST from the game and it might be my favorite). But the reason the music isn’t a 10/10 is simply because I couldn’t enjoy it as much when there were so many other things bothering me about this anime. Overall 3/10 Unfortunately it’s among the worst visual novel game adaptations I’ve ever watched and I wish it would have been different because I have so much love and nostalgia for this game. Especially since I think they have the tsundere MC but done right (plus childhood friend trope done perfectly right). If this anime did one thing I’d need to be grateful for, it’s for the fact it made me play the game. But other than this it’s an awful adaptation, not even coming close to its source material. And while in the game there are aspects I don’t like either, it’s overall much, much better. Regardless of whether someone played the game or not it’s an anime I wouldn’t recommend. Rather I’d encourage you to play the games because it’s really worth it in my opinion.
Reviewer’s Rating: 3
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Nov 13, 2023
Princess Sara
(Anime)
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“A Little Princess” by Frances Hodgson Burnett is probably one of my favorite books/stories to go to of all times. Not just because it’s a classic but we will get to that in a bit. It also has one of the strongest female characters of all time and that without using combat or “being the chosen one”. There’s also some nostalgia involved when it comes to the anime adaptation since I first watched it as a child but I loved and appreciated its many aspects about life and struggles even more as an adult. So let’s dive right into it.
Story 9.5/10 First of all ... I need to admit that I first watched this anime as a child BEFORE ever reading the book (or knowing it was based on a famous classic). Needless to say, when you are a child you absorb things differently. So while there clearly is some nostalgia involved in this case it doesn’t impact my review at all since I loved it even more when I watched it as an adult (especially after reading the book and getting another perspective). The story is a rather simple one: it’s about a little girl named Sara who was raised by her father like a princess in India (while losing her mother to an illness at a very young age). Once she is around 9 years old (at least I think that’s her age in the anime, in the book it’s 7) her father enrolls her at a private boarding school in London, England. It’s very clear from the start he dotes over his daughter and she gets everything she wants much to the haughty and greedy headmistress’ Miss Minchin’s delight while at the same tame stirring some anger and hatred for that little girl (I’ll get to that too). After enrolling Sara makes new friends but also enemies. But it’s the report of her father’s sudden death which changes her life completely, not only leaving her as a grieving orphan but also a target to Miss Minchin who lets her stay at the school but as a maid in order to support herself. That’s when the story and Sara’s life full of sorrow really begins. Are there fairies or dragons in this story? No – but there could be (I’ll talk about this later). But it shows Sara’s struggles along with horrifying scenarios about what a mischievous woman is capable of doing to an innocent, pure little girl and once she realizes what she has done not even redeeming herself. It takes you back to a different time and place and honestly? As much as it could seem exaggerated it isn’t. Since greedy people are willing to go through much lengths in order to exploit others. But what I love mostly about this story is that it manages to teach a valuable lesson: how to endure hardships while remaining kind, conquering evil with good and the magic and power of your imagination. All the ingredients you need for a beautiful story and this anime adapted it perfectly in my opinion. I’ve watched one live action adaptation of the novel but it doesn’t even get close to the anime (there’s just something about the era of anime adapting book classics like “Anne of Green Gables” or “Little Women” and the way they did it. I feel like these adaptations are superior to most of the movie adaptations western companies have made). There are some minor changes but I don’t mind them. Rather, they are adding to the plot. I’d still recommend everyone to read the book for more context but for me it’s very well represented and has a high re-watch value (since you will also catch some new points each time you watch it). Also I can’t remember if it’s also in the book (but in case it isn’t I’d like to mention it) but at least the anime makes a reference to “The Little Match Girl” by Hans Christian Andersen. Which isn’t simply perfectly fitting but also a very nice tribute to one of the best fairytale writers of all time (who is way too underrated in my opinion). One could argue that there are too many coincidences (especially later on in the story) leading to the climax but honestly? This is one story I don’t mind it, because it’s almost like a fairytale except it’s appealing to young and old while teaching some valuable lessons (the perfect children’s book if you’d ask me. No wonder I had to pay it tribute in one of my own short stories). Characters 10/10 If you are looking for eccentric characters that are only written to grab the reader’s attention and do something no one has ever done before this is not the right place for you. Not implying it makes them less unique (but they are simply in a different sense). I’d like to start with the antagonist of the story (you could almost call her villain) Miss Minchin. Because she has an actual motive behind her actions (not relatable but you don’t always need to relate to villains). Unlike most other characters she isn’t portrayed unrealistically. And while the book has some additional context to her backstory in the end it doesn’t matter, because at no point does it justify her cruel actions. She might be one of the most realistic villains I’ve ever encountered in a fictional work. Because sad to say there are people like her in real life. People who are greedy and do everything for their own benefit, who appear to be friendly until you turn your back and then they are full of malice and contempt (sometimes even without hiding it). Of course maybe not everyone would go as far as to harass a little girl; acting cruel and even abusive towards her and others she looks down on (like servants in general). But this story shows how far one would go if and that sometimes people don’t deserve this treatment (like our protagonist who never did her any wrong). For example when Sara has her first french lesson Miss Minchin misunderstands her and doesn’t even let her finish her sentence, assuming she’s afraid of learning a new language (all because she herself was never able to learn it and think it’s too difficult), just to feel wrongly humiliated when Sara expresses herself to her teacher in perfect french, explaining her mother was from France and she grew up learning the language so she already knew the content of the book. Miss Minchin with her distorted and even narcissistic view of the world thinks Sara was trying to mock her and at the same time bragging. So she is blaming it on Sara that 1.) she didn’t listen to her, 2.) she never learned french and 3.) she’s jealous of a little girl, projecting her bitterness onto her in a way that’s horrible. Later even trying to gaslight Sara by saying she would have given her a home and it was generous of her to do so (while she was always guided by her own selfish agenda), manipulating and tricking other people into thinking that too (or attempting). She’s a very complex character and the fact that while reading you dread her actions so much only goes to show how well she is written. It’s probably subjective if the same can be said about the second antagonist Lavinia. But even so bullies and (jealous) mean girls are nothing new. And while same as with Miss Minchin her jealousy started in the beginning, it’s also safe to say that both couldn’t handle the way Sara dealt with everything, how she reacted to their vile acts, stirring their hatred. Deep inside both knew exactly that Sara was the better and more mature person. Not because who she was or what she represented but by her actions. As for Lavinia it was also clear to see that she couldn’t stand Sara being well-liked and respected by the other girls (not because of material things but for her personality). While she thought based on her status and even age she would have the right to dictate the other girls and “”rule” over them, tell them what to do or even think (the classical bully. She actually reminded me of someone I knew in my childhood). Maybe she will learn and grow as a person and I’d like to believe it’s what the anime indicates at the end. All the other supporting characters are complementary too. Although Miss Minchin’s sister is more of a spineless character but she even admits it herself. And while other supporting characters are not very unique or not as defined as the protagonist, they are more-dimensional in another sense and if it’s more for the fact how they bonded with Sara (which might be mostly true for Ermengarde). This brings me to some of the changes I actually appreciate and like about this adaptation and it starts with Becky. While their friendship is already beautiful in the book, in the anime it gets a special treatment and attention, also exploring Becky’s background a little further. Did the anime really need to see Becky going on her trip home during summer? Maybe not. But it added much to her character and also friendship with Sara. And then we have Peter who was entirely new added to the story but you don’t mind because it actually contributes to the story. That’s what I love about anime and their classics: if there isn’t an important male character in a story they simply write one for it. Honestly, it’s something I’m a little sad doesn’t exist in the original. It doesn’t change the fact it’s a beautiful story but I simply like to see how much Peter cares for Sara, how he helps and supports her while it’s still clear there’s as much as he can do. He is a supporting character and while not vital a nice addition with his own little backstory. Now to the main character Sara who is – as mentioned earlier – one of the strongest female protagonists from any book I’ve read so far. Not due to her physical strength or any unique power that makes her “the typical chosen one” but with how she handles her struggles and even her view of people and situations in general. Her entire attitude and mindset fascinates me. It’s interesting because she grew up being treated like a princess. Yet the only thing that implies she must be spoiled is the perspective of other characters (Miss Minchin or even Lavinia) who accuse her of this from the very start. Not saying there isn’t a tiny bit of truth in it (considering the time she set her mind on finding a specific doll she wanted her father to buy her. Even in that situation she really cared about her doll Emily, even treating her like a friend or daughter) but for someone who always had everything and wasn’t denied a thing she never acts bratty, throws a tantrum or tries to use her wealth to oppress others (unlike Lavinia). Which is seen by how she treats Becky or even Lottie she can relate to because they both lost their mother. She isn’t flawless and there’s a character development but all the ingredients for a great character are there from the very beginning. She doesn’t think of herself to be better than others for simply having more than them (as she even states to Becky when she tells her the story of “Cinderella” that she might as well could have been born poor and vice versa) – again that’s something others try to blame on her without any reason. The fact that she has everything and more in the beginning doesn’t change she is a good person at heart right from the start. Probably because her father raised her to be kind and considerate and she thinks for herself, having read enough books to develop some beautiful characteristics. But it’s when her hardships start and the drama unfolds that we get to see what beautiful person she really is (inside and out). Not only does she have to grief the loss of her father she was so close to, but her life also changes completely. From being treated like a princess to the lowest servant, working hard, not being allowed to talk to her friends and even denied having enough to eat (to endure abusive behavior from both Miss Minchin and Lavinia). She’s not flawless since especially at first she doesn’t know how to adapt to her new circumstances (not speaking to her friends). At times she is even very close to giving up and not knowing how to bear it anymore but who could blame her in this situation? We are still talking about a little girl who had to endure so much. Yet she always manages to get herself back on her feet, reminding herself of why she has to remain strong while she is basically on her own (because her friends can’t fully understand the situation and Becky is mostly the one she protects and while Peter supports and helps as well, there are limits to what he is able to do for her). She’s able of doing this by using her imagination and that’s probably the aspect I enjoy most about her character. Not only because I can relate to it to an extent since it’s very authentic. Despite all that she has been through, she still manages to stay calm and kind. One of my favorite scenes is probably the one when she has to go to the market in the pouring cold rain while hungry (almost starved), finding a coin and first trying to return it to its rightful owner. Just for the empathetic owner of the bakery to tell her to use it and even add something to the bread she buys. Even then upon seeing a starved, little girl Sara gives her most of it by only keeping one (which she shares with her animal friends). What a pure and kind heart! It’s always heartbreaking to watch but worth it when you realize her kindness even had a much bigger impact on the baker lady. Not to mention how she is later exploited once more for her willingness to learn new things (to be used as a teacher by Miss Minchin out of greed because she’s convinced that she owes her when Sara actually taught her and the girls in the school much, much more and more valuable lessons). Much like with Cinderella Sara’s strength lies within her kindness and her trying hard to be a good person while enduring her hardships. It doesn’t mean that she takes everything thrown at her. Still most of the times she stands up against Miss Minchin or Lavinia is for other people’s sake. Even after she meets her father’s friend and he adopts her and she’s rich again she displays more maturity and kindness while at the same time standing up for herself by choosing the conditions to continue her studies at the school. Even in this situation she is the better person because she doesn’t hold it against Miss Minchin even if she could and would have the right to do so. But Sara is someone who gives people a second chance and while most people might disagree with it, I think it teaches a beautiful lesson. Because it’s not about people getting what they deserve, that’s not upon us humans. It’s not about returning evil for evil but with good. Sadly in this world it doesn’t always pay off or leads to a happy ending but I don’t think it’s a bad thing it did in the story. Because honestly, you don’t lose much from trying to be a kind person and forgiving others even if they don’t deserve it by their actions at the moment. It doesn’t mean you have to let yourself be used or can’t stand up for yourself or what you believe in. It simply means not returning the same mindset because this will never lead to peace. And even if people like Miss Minchin would never change, simply the fact that Sara was willing and able to do what she felt was right can give her peace of mind and heart. And maybe along the way Miss Minchin will change and next time she feels challenged by a child or has the opportunity to help she will do so willingly and with better motives. It also goes to show that we can’t change other people or our circumstances but the way we deal with them might determine whether we survive them and come out strong. Sara’s character development was never becoming a better person but her changing circumstances still helped her to become even better. And we shouldn’t forget she still has to grief her beloved father. She might have a new father-figure in her life but that’s something that can’t be fixed (at least not at that moment and in the story). There’s still more to say about her complex character but I’ll leave it at that. Sorry for the long text. Animation 9/10 While not perfect there’s something about animes from the 80’s that has a special charm and aesthetic. However, if I’d like to see a reboot of this I would only wish for it if it had the exact same script and simply tried a new animation style. That being said, I don’t think the story needs one since it’s perfect the way it is. Music 10/10 The OST really makes you feel like you would be part of the story. It sets the tone and atmosphere perfectly so I just had to rate it on its own. Overall 10/10 The value and enjoyment of this anime is through the roof because it teaches valuable lessons by its simple yet beautiful narrative. Earlier I mentioned it might as well could have included fairies or dragons (spoiler alert: it doesn’t). Simply because of the fact Sara’s imagination is beyond distinctive. However, this might be among the only times I’d recommend reading the book first (it’s really worth it). I still think you could enjoy without reading the novel but it would add so much more. But even without it it’s a beautiful, somehow heartbreaking story that makes you think and feel very deeply. As you join the protagonist on her journey it might change your outlook. I mainly watch animes for recreation and enjoyment and if I want to take a look at something that can shape my personality for the better I wouldn’t turn to animes. But this story might be the exception. It changed my outlook on certain things or refined them better. And Sara is such a beautiful and lovable character that simply for that reason you want to know how her story ends (or rather continues). Usually I have to smirk whenever I read somewhere “This anime has changed my life” and even with this one it would be exaggerated. But it still did something for me that not many stories do as explained in detail when I highlighted the characters. It’s a story with a heart and you can sense that. And I’m glad this anime exists. If you want something with much depth I would recommend watching it. It doesn’t always need a complex plot to write an amazing story like this.
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
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Nov 9, 2023
Kamonohashi Ron no Kindan Suiri
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(6/13 eps)
This is my first time writing a review before finishing a series but I felt like giving some input. This series is far from being perfect but it still managed to become one of my favorite animes with a couple of episodes. Does it something new? Maybe. Or maybe not. We will see. (Warning! This review contains mild spoilers!).
Story 7/10 Detective animes are nothing new, neither is the concept of seemingly impossible/complicated crimes with lots of tricks and moments that make you wonder: “Does it really work like this?” If your are looking for pure logic in this you won’t be finding it because ... the detective tries to pressure culprits into killing themselves with some kind of power (and they would be willing to do so if it wasn’t for his side-kick. And please excuse me for calling him like this but it’s true). So logic is out of the picture here to begin with. But I get that in this case you will still like the cases to make some sense and I understand because I prefer such ones as well. It’s undeniable these cases have some flaws and issues but I’m willing to overlook them for several reasons. Anyway, the story got me interested enough to start reading the manga and you have to know that this isn’t my usual genre. It’s just an interesting concept and what’s more: interesting (and unusual) characters. Solving illogical crimes caused by some silly methods? Everyone can do it. But with style and humor? Ron and his side-kick are exactly what you are looking for (seriously, the humor in this series made me pause a few times just so I could have a good laugh). One problem I think this series will face is that the best part of the main story starts AFTER 13 episodes (much like with many animes). That’s why I’m already hoping for a second season with some portions of brown sugar syrup (if you watch it you’ll understand). Also there are aspects that are totally over-used in Detective series (especially anime) but I don’t mind them so for me they are a bonus that only make me roll my eyes slightly (yes, that’s possible!) Characters 9/10 I wanted to give it a 10/10 because of… No, let me just give you the reason why I’m not doing this. It’s because one of the main characters Totomaru a police officer who’s not very good at his job (why did he choose to become a police officer to begin with? I’m wondering about that) and who is the personification of a generic character. And the reason I’ve started to like him has nothing to do with his character himself. Not that he’s horrible or a bad character. He’s actually alright but very, very plain. But somehow it still works. And even though I can only see him as a side-kick he’s very important also for character-development (it’s interesting to have a main character who acts like a supporting character but is still written as a main character). Maybe I’m not fair here and I have nothing against Tototo (to call him as Spitz would do) but if you watch it you gotta admit that even some of the supporting characters have more personality than him (but I do like the fact how he ‘counteracts’ Ron’s power and they become close friends). Speaking of supporting characters; I absolutely love them. Whether it’s Amamiya simping over Ron (can’t blame her) or Spitz being Spitz (I know I didn’t trust or like him in the beginning but that’s why I have regrets). Also in the most recent episode Dr. Mofu was introduced and it’s just so interesting to have a very clumsy surgeon. Nowadays it’s really refreshing to see a female character with a lot of brainpower who isn’t a total girl-boss but has other significant characteristics and strengths which can be useful (and maybe will be in the future?). It’s also nice to see the dynamics between the characters. But my most favorite part of this anime is probably Ron. Right from the moment he first appears in the series you’ll think: he seems like an oddball. And later you will realize: because he really is. With every episode (or even chapter) I love him more. When I first learned about his unusual “power” I was really skeptical and pretty sure I wouldn’t like him or last long enough to finish this series. But with each episode I’m convinced… maybe I’m not normal. There was one situation in the second episode I think will trigger some viewers but I wouldn’t blame this on Ron (but I don’t want to get too deep into spoilers. Also I’m not that far into the manga yet, so some of it is just speculation). I try to separate whatever happens to him after the culprit is convicted with his usual persona which isn’t from this world. He’s also the exact reason why I think Toto – while rather bland – still works as a character and I’m convinced Ron needs someone like him in his life in order to be stable (as it is). I really like and appreciate their friendship. Ron doesn’t simply have a unique personality and a sharp brain (is that even a thing?), he’s also best when it comes to mind-blowing entries. Oh, and most of the humor is thanks to him (for example in episode 3 he pulled out something very unexpected which made me laugh for a few minutes straight and if you think I don’t have a life maybe you’re right). He’s a rather refreshing character because he doesn’t have himself pulled-together but still manages to see through everything and everyone. So let’s just say that the characters of this anime are one of the best aspects and the reason why this series works despite some issues with the writing, lack of logic and even original storylines. The characters make up for it because they are original in their own way. Animation/VA 8/10 Most of the time I like the animation and I think the color theme fits perfectly. I didn’t really feel the second episode but especially there this was something that impressed me very much so I think the studio did a great job. Same as with the voice acting and I feel like the cast is perfect. Especially Ron’s VA was probably born for this role. When I looked him up I realized he hasn’t voiced many characters I know but I’ll definitely keep an eye on him and his work since he’s very talented to pull off this eccentric character. Overall 8.5/9 Right now I’m torn between giving it a ranking of 8 or 9 because the series itself isn’t anything mind-blowing but it surely caught my attention (for the right reasons). And I value great characters over many other aspects. Of course a good story is vital too but characters are always like the glue that holds them together and this is a perfect case of an anime like this. I don’t think I would have picked up the manga if it wouldn’t have been for this adaptation so I have to give it credit for this. There was some lack of explanation here and there which the manga provided much better in my opinion so at times it might be a little confusing. But hardy anything that couldn’t be overlooked. Again… if you’re looking for pure logic you’re wrong here. But if you are looking for a nice humorous show about an eccentric detective who doesn’t try to copy other existing detectives out there this is the right place/anime for you. Despite its flaws it has some interesting cases that sometimes convince with their simplicity. (The only thing that makes me somehow sad is that I would have wished for a crossover between “Detective Conan” and “Kamonohashi Ron no Kindan Suiri” some day but I know there is one specific reason why it’s very unlikely it will ever happen). Aside from this I’m enjoying it and it could be among my favorite animes of this season.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Oct 18, 2023 Not Recommended Spoiler
How one word ruined this movie for me (SPOILER ALERT!)
…. The word was “yes” (Side note: I’m going to pick up some of the points I made in my review for the first movie so if you want to read this in order for this review to make sense please go ahead. If it still doesn’t make sense I apologize, I will try to organize my thoughts as good as possible since I still need to process what I’ve watched here). Story 3.5/10 What I really like about the story is that it continues right where we left off so it doesn’t feel like we missed ... something and it’s easy to pick up on what is happening. But sad to say that’s clearly one of the best aspects about this entire continuation of this story which in other aspects is very wild and the pace is even crazier than in the first one. There were time skips too but the time skips in this part are so crazy it felt more like a summary than storytelling. Not to mention plenty of unnecessary scenes and interactions once again, when the focus should have been on something else (or rather our two main characters who didn’t feel like main characters this time. Even much less than in the first one). Some of the supporting characters that got much focus in the first movie barely were in the movie so I was wondering why they build this up. But even if it would have been done properly I wouldn’t be sure what to think of it. Because the decisions most of the characters make in this movie are so bad I can’t wait until I’m going to cover the characters to mention them because they made the story really awful. But let me start with defending one of the main characters who (in my opinion) gets too much hate for his decision: Shinobu. Even if I still don’t fully understand him I feel like his choices are more understandably than the ones from other characters. Just to summarize: Previously he risked his life for his comrade to be saved by the not so noble woman Larisa who happened to pass through the woods to escape just to find Shinobu who looks exactly like her dead love of her life Sasha (I’ll get o this coincidence too). She saves him and helps him to recover just to find out he lost all his memories and she takes advantage of that and claims he’s Sasha so they could get married (to me it was never clear if they actually got married or if she was married to Sasha and just replaced him after his death, plus they never really mentioned how Sasha died which is kind of absolutely ragged from a writer’s perspective). Let’s leave aside how the odds are this could happen or it would work and let’s just say it did (again bad writing is to blame because as much cliche as it is it could work if done properly). So he has no idea who he really is but then their journey brings them to Japan as refugees (I haven’t done much research on this but I think it’s possible and accurate. Thanks to watching “Downton Abbey” I know the refugees could be send all over the world and lose everything, resulting in them having to lead an entire different life. Which we could might argue makes unbelievable they still were kind of rich and associated with their likes when they arrived, still having jewelry they could sell). It’s also not unreasonable to think by seeing familiar places and even faces he would start to remember his actual life and past. Although it was one of the faults both movies had in focusing on the wrong plotlines instead of giving Shinobu time to do that and give him one simple walk so he would remember. But this leads us to his decision: staying with Larisa because he feels responsible for her and he doesn’t want to leave her because she is sick. Which could be considered stupid but also noble. Personally I don’t really blame him for having at least an inner conflict about this considering the described time frame would have been years. So this was the woman he thought would be his wife for some years. He didn’t know she wasn’t the one he was truly in love with but his character was always portrayed as being loyal and showing responsibility. You can’t blame him for doing the morally right thing even if she wronged him. The fact that he didn’t hold it against her, not even once, shows what kind of man he is. And although it hurt Benio I can’t help but to feel a lot of sympathy for him because it wasn’t his fault and how would someone react in such a situation? If she wouldn’t have been severely sick it would have been different but as much as I hated he had to do it. personally I respect his decision. Maybe it’s because I once wrote a very similar situation (and then it wasn’t) in which my protagonist was deceived to believe he loved someone when in reality he was in love with someone else (although he literally had the feelings of another man. Sorry if this part is confusing to you). Although in the end when he learned he was deceived the moment she died he still felt the pain because you can’t just erase the feelings involved. Even if they were not real or his own. Rather it would be very unnatural or even cruel to just overlook them and be like: I don’t care because she tricked me. Even if we as audience might think that. This goes for both characters (sorry I took this example but I just wanted to point out why I can put myself into his shoes as a writer). And regarding his dead younger brother… it was pretty much a cliche but not the worst aspect. My main issue with his and Larisa’s arc would be once again to be blamed on the writers. Because he choose Benio 1.) After Larisa reassured him it would be fine and she died 2.) It was the same day of Benio’s wedding. I wish they would have had this conversation earlier and shown Shinobu’s struggle over a time period. Because they hinted at it before Benio ended it but since she made the decision the conflict almost seemed resolved until it wasn’t. And I hated the fact that they had to do all three on the same day: Larisa confessing/ apologizing, Shinobu’s realization and Larisa’s death. I’m not saying he should have been willing to stop the wedding but it all happened on the same day. I can’t help but blame the writers for this because there is no way this could work. It would have been much better to give us that instead of the unnecessary confrontation between Shinobu and Tousei. They could have made Shinobu realize he envies him any other moment too. But Shinobu’s conflict in this movie was probably the most relatable aspect because he just wanted to do what’s right while struggling to have hurt Benio, to lose her because he still loved her. If you could blame him for something it would be not asking what happened with Tousei and their wedding when he saved Benio out of the burning church. But I guess this is a catastrophe so people won’t think straight. Characters 5/10 So I just covered Shinobu’s character along with his actions in the story so let me just say that he might be one of the reasons I was able to finish watching this movie. I do feel like they didn’t do him justice in both of these movies but what I’ve seen of him was mostly a great character with a lot of potential. Still making some questionable decisions but like I explained, with him I could really understand where he was coming from even though he did the wrong thing for the right reasons. One person I couldn’t say this about, however, would be our MC Benio who disappointed me so much in this movie I’d consider her among my most disliked main characters of all time. How she was loved by everyone so much is really beyond me. That being said… There are some aspects I appreciate about her character. Like her determination in the beginning or even making it easier on Shinobu and breaking off their engagement when he clearly struggled to do so. And I did feel sorry for her and her heartache. Which makes it even worse that there’s so much wrong with her decisions and actions in this movie it makes me wonder if it’s the same in the original and if I could feel different about any other version of her character. So for once it’s good she is hard working but she also became a Mary-Sue in this movie. Of course there are still things she can’t do but to me it’s just an appearance to cover up the fact she is more Mary-Sue than every other character and we should change the name for Mary-Sue into Benio. Mainly because of the fact she’s not only forgiven by all characters regardless of her actions, she is also loved and invincible, a building could collapse on her and she has not many wounds. It’s amazing (I apologize for my sarcasm here). Also in none of these movies does she face ANY consequences for her actions but other people do. The characters do much more for her than vice versa and yet she’s put on a pedestal by everyone, it’s ridiculous. There’s not one single character in this movie who doesn’t like her, they always end up loving her. Even Larisa while not saying much positive acknowledges Shinobu still love “that girl” and should be together with her. She was hostile to her in the beginning and then without any reason she admitted that. Wow. (Not to say that I like Larisa more). Also it’s interesting how Benio and her presence changed every character and helped them to develop yet she herself didn’t undergo any character development (at least not a positive one) and even the reasons for other characters to change were not because of something she did specifically but it seemed random and just because Benio was there. But my main reason for disliking her is the fact that she said yes. Let me explain a little further (I’m sorry for elaborating but I simply have to). I explained why I understood Shinobu’s reasons despite disagreeing with them personally but Benio’s decisions in the last half of the movie don’t make any sense to me whatsoever. Agreeing to marry Tousei so Shinobu wouldn’t be too worried (??) wasn’t even the worst. I’m generally not a fan of love-triangles and I don’t know what’s romantic about them. But I appreciate what Tousei did for Benio which is exactly what makes it even worse. Because he didn’t deserve this treatment. How easily she could say she loved him made me mad too. But yes of course, she realized when she almost died, she still thought of Shinobu, what a surprise. Honestly, the one aspect that made the first movie great to me, which made it feel really emotional – namely when she decided to wear the white gown symbolizing she would always be bound to Shinobu – made her decision to agree to marry Tousei even worse. Yes, Shinobu made a decision himself so she had every right to decide to also continue with her life. But she wasn’t over him yet. Plus it still made her words her heart/love would never belong to anyone else invalid. If you make a vow like this it’s as binding in my opinion (yes, maybe I’m a hopeless romantic and a little old-fashioned in that sense). I don’t know but the choices the writers made with this made absolutely no sense to me. They could have made Shinobu save her out of every other building for any other reason than her wedding. But even if we take that aside and blame it on her emotions pressuring her. Even if I could forgive this irrational decision one fact remains which might be the most horrible choice the writers made with the entire movie: Benio said yes. She was practically already married to Tousei because she said yes. To me either her realization or the earthquake should have happened before that to still justify her decisions at least a little. But this one word made everything that happened afterward very meaningless to me. Or at least I couldn’t stop thinking about that one little word (I never thought one word could ruin an entire story or character for me but here I am). At least when Shinobu got married to someone else he didn’t have his memories. Yes, I’m fully aware she thought he was with Larisa but that’s no reason to marry someone else. It absolutely isn’t. Getting over someone by being with someone else is never good or fair. You first get over a person and then you are ready for someone else IF you really have to do it. Which brings me to Tousei who helped Benio so much I really appreciate it but even this is not a reason to marry someone just because the person loves you. I felt sorry for him but also I wish the writers would have just made him a support for Benio. And even if he had feelings their choice to let her go to him and ask him to marry her because he gave up his paper to save Shinobu’s family's mansion was very poor. This is not romantic it just sends the wrong message (like you can buy feelings or worse… just because you sacrifice something your feelings will be returned. Bad news: they won’t. Sometimes love is unrequited and no matter how much it hurts you shouldn’t just be an option to someone but their only choice). And I know at least that wasn’t his intention when he agreed to take his father’s place running the bank in exchange but it’s still stupid (which became completely invalid at the end but ok). Overall I liked him as a character but I don’t think he needed that focus from Benio nor within the story just to get destroyed like that (and then go like: “Who cares if the woman I love just left me for someone else on our wedding day although she already said yes to me. Because I still have my family/employees who love me”). Totally realistic and absolutely not demonstrating he was the most supportive character in the history of supporting characters. And I’m never someone who roots for the rival not even in this case but still, he didn’t deserve this horrible treatment. Eventhough he’s not my favorite character he deserved better. The best part of this movie were probably Tamaki and Onijima who saved this train wreck of a movie for ma at least a little tiny bit. Their scenes were so cute together and absolutely don’t belong to aspects I would have cut (although I wonder why the scene with Onijima and Benio in the beginning was so stretched. I guess because of the Vodka because it was among the one distinguished traits Benio had. Her love for alcohol - even on the day after her real wedding – seriously, why did Shinobu or Tousei fall for her?). These two were gold /Tamaki and Onijima). And once more… I’d like to point out the characters almost completely left out in this movie when they were in the spotlight way too much in the first one (Shinobu’s grandparents, Benio’s lackey – why was he even there? Just to show off how awesome Benio is in recruiting him by being violent? How modern…). Animation 6/10 Maybe it’s just me but I felt like even the animation was lacking compared to the other one. It was still fine but sometimes especially the faces seemed weird and drawn without effort. Guess they felt the same about this move as I did. Overall 4/10 Before writing this review I scored it 5 but after writing it I had to reduce one because it really disappointed me and is the entire reason I can’t even recommend the first movie. Because after this flawed start the expectations were still so high… And even with the story turning out like this I feel the pace could have made a difference. Which makes me conclude that this story just isn’t meant to be out into two movies but would at least need 4 to be told properly if not even more. It felt very rushed and also MC became very unlikable and decisions were made. Unreasonable decisions. Not just from a human standpoint but even from a writer’s point of view (and we forgive pretty much almost everything when it comes to “creative freedom”). I wish I would be more fond of this movie and I’d rather only write positive reviews but here I am. I still like the first movie but if I ever watch it again I’d stop there and just pretend it has a sad ending or she’ll forever wait for Shinobu to return. Before I thought about watching the older anime version of this but I’m not sure of it anymore. Maybe I will give it a try just to see if it does better in delivering the story and characters (although I doubt my mindset on certain aspects/ writing decisions will change if they are adapted the same way). It’s a shame but unfortunately I can’t recommend this movie. I’m sorry I don’t have better news for you but thank you for reading my long rant.
Reviewer’s Rating: 4
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