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"Why do I run? If I go forward, I feel like something will change. Even just a little bit."

A common trope in most psychologically genred media, with "heavy" plotlines, seems to be how the true monster resides within humans. 'Who is the true monster here - the devils that exist as they should, or the humans that kill innocents for their own righteousness?'

Devilman: Crybaby fits into that side of media. It is a flawed show, no doubt, but whatever it does good, it does fantastically. Whether it be the occasional rap it throws into its episodes to convey what it feels like to ... live in the city from the perspective of a side character, the wonderfully executed side stories, or the characters themselves. Each aspect of what makes it a show is done to subjective perfection.

The animation, only lackluster at times, is otherwise fabulous. It goes for a rough, simple, scribbled look, and like most Masaaki Yuasa works, manages to use it to the show's advantage. The music is probably the finest aspect of the show, evoking joy, sorrow and hype as and when needed.

Akira is a really conflicting character - some may like him and others may not. He is a very emotional, optimistic and empathetic person. When he is shouldered with inhibiting the devil Amon from taking over his body, he is able to because of his humanity, because somewhere inside him is a will strong enough to contain the mightiest of devils.

Ryo is quite an opposite of Akira - deadpan, pessimistic and apathetic. He is not devoid of pleasure - rather, he finds it in odder things. He is willing to do whatever it takes to accomplish his end goal, follow his plan of action, even if it means plunging the world into an unstoppable chaos.

The viewer is never really explained who Amon, Silene and Kaim, as well as the demon association, are. They just... exist. Maybe it is a reference to the original Devilman, a show that canonically exists in this universe. As someone who has never watched it, I may never know. Yet, it is a part of the story not necessarily important enough to be covered. After all, this is more of a character drama than a supernatural action series.

The show itself has some of the most powerful scenes in anime - not those which have a lot of great animation and shouting (yes, those are great too). No, these scenes are complete with breathtaking visuals and raw human emotion. Two examples I can think of are Kukun's rap to Miko and Noel's breakdown (there are some others too).

Kukun's rap comes out of basically nowhere. He starts rapping about his own personal experiences to Miko out of compulsion, yet there is something about it that attracts Miko's attention - it is her story as well. For a solid minute, Kukun raps with no backing music as we slowly see a mix of emotions build up in Miko, confusing her, prividing her joy, relief and a feeling of being accepted. This is such an interesting way of applying "show don't tell" into the story - rather than using montages, there are subtle hints dropped in buildup to this scene where everything she feels, everything that conflicts her, is laid out for the viewer.

Noel's breakdown is a much darker scene. He is sent out into the apocalyptic world to look for his runaway wife and son, not knowing that his young son has turned into a devil. His wife runs away without any explanation, so it is natural for him to do so, yet what he stumbles upon is the dark reality of his situation. After finally locating his family, he reaches a bare, dark tent. He sees legs poking out from somewhere inside. Recognising his wife, he calls her name.

And then he finally witnesses his son, a fully transformed, crying monster, eating his own mother. Noel is obviously taken aback. Having so much to deal with, he starts crying. He knows he must shoot, but cannot bring himself to do so. A tear turns into two, which multiply further, until he yells out in anguish. His inability to shoot, and his unmoving stance, are what get him killed. Words cannot possibly describe how powerful the scene was to watch, seeing this father figure, this protector that Akira respected, just fully break.

With one of the most compelling endings I have ever witnessed, Devilman: Crybaby left no stones unturned. Weird scenes, gorgeous art, fabulous foreshadowing and astonishing music only cover some of it. The last 2 episodes are near perfect cinematic marvels, with an occasional "trippy as hell" scene, putting on display heartbreak, betrayal, death, violence, sorrow, all in their entirety. Yes, the show is not for everybody, yet the sheer level to which it went to convey its messages is respectable regardless.

"I think I know enough of hate, to know that for destruction ice, is also great, and would suffice" - Robert Frost.

Is Buddy Daddies an "Action" show, as described by the genre it is associated with on this website? Not really. Is it a great show about the ups and downs of parenting in a household where bloodshed puts food on the table? Absolutely.

This show, definitely, is a twist on the plot of SpyxFamily, where now, both parents are hitmen, and the child quite literally forces her way into their lives rather than being adopted. The story itself is set in modern-day Japan rather than a World War Europe-esque landmark.

Maybe it is the, though limited, action scenes that popularised the show? No, but they ... most definitely had the capability to do so. The action choreography in certain scenes is just enthralling to watch.

So is it the animation and music that makes it good? Maybe. The music in the latter half becomes even better that what we saw in the first half,so that does something. The animation, similarly, is splendid throughout.

Is the show comparable to SpyxFamily? Yes, but should it really be compared? Should these shows be seen as two different shows that happened to come out in the same era, with largely similar plotlines. Does comparing one to the other, trying to find flaws in one rather than the other, result in anything productive? No.

Buddy Daddies is its own show through and through. Yes, it is similar to SpyxFamily, but both shows exist to depict two different scenarios. Loid Forger is just that - a Forger. He seeks to build a fake family solely for the sake of the mission at hand. To win Yor and Anya over, he is willing to do anything. Yet, with time, he builds bonds with those he believed would never be important to him. In contrast to this, Kurusu Kazuki lives with his literal partner in crime, the disgraced, shut-in, Suwa Rei. They do not seek to build any fake families for the purpose of a mission. Rather, their "families" would be consodered hindrances in their small-scale hitmen missions.

SpyxFamily shows a man who desires to serve his country in a war, and finds happiness along the way (as of now, at least), while Buddy Daddies is a complete, shorter, story about people who, by virtue of the happiness brought about by Unasaka Miri, can find within themselves the ability to change and outgrow their past. From that perspective, Buddy Daddies is definitely similar to, but not quite a copy of, SpyxFamily.

Probably the best part of the show is the characters. Kazuki is an outgoing, optimistic and reflective person, while Rei is an introverted, pessimistic yet caring person. This contrast in their personalities allows them to shine when it comes to raising Miri as their own child. They realise how their jobs could put those they cherish at danger, and that they should not build unnecessary bonds. Despite that, they are willing to provide Miri a loving home. They feel like real parents, and their emotional moments, while definitely exaggerated sometimes, are quite understandable.

Miri herself is an adorable character that behaves her age. She gets angry, sad, loud, quiet, all on her own whims. She behaves like a typical toddler, and righfully so. Misaki's sacrifices early on to raise her as well as she could, and Kazuki and Rei's upbringing, make her no different from any other child.

There are not many central characters, and perhaps that is where the show's ups and downs are most visible. The show does so much with the limited characters it has, and that is a good thing. Unasaka Misaki's fate is a hard-hitting example.

However, their "backstories" are sometimes compromised due to the same reason. Karin, Kazuki's sister in law, appears for one episode to set things right, and then just disappears, never to be mentioned again. Maybe that is understandable, for she did announce that she would go abroad to study.

Then we can shift focus to Rei's old master, the one who betrays the organisation. He is never mentioned before, never after. He is just set up as a character important to Rei, with a simple explanation of having old ties. The viewer can never understand how impactful his last words to Rei could possibly have been.

Nitpicking, however, would devalue everything. I have spent the entire review mentioning SpyxFamily, and see no reason to stop now. Yes, Buddy Daddies has a similar premise. No, it is not a ripoff. Yes, the experience is, even if slightly, different. No, the similarities should not typically serve as a barrier for viewers.

"Magic, destined only to breed conflict, is now, for the first time, a tool to unite us, all thanks to one boy."

Is Mashle a deep tale of trust, love, betrayal, friendship, acceptance and power? Occasionally. Is it good? Absolutely.

Mashle is a comedy manga, which, by itself, does not convey much about its quality. After all, comedy and humour are subjective.

What the manga does good is that it constantly toes the line between "inspired" and "copied", and never throughout the story does it ever feel truly ripped off. The entire layout of Easton is based on Hogwarts (Harry Potter). Innocent Zero's jailbreak is ... almost a one-to-one recreation of the Death Eaters' escape (Harry Potter). Mash's character is designed to look and act like Saitama (One Punch Man). The first few chapters cover how, if he wishes to survive, he must become a Divine Visionary despite lacking the magical prowess to do so, a somewhat similar plotline to Naruto, wherein he wishes to become Hokage someday. The Divine Visionary Selection Arc parallels the Chunin Exam Arc, and Innocent Zero's declaration of war, as well as his whole persona, is vastly similar to Orochimaru's arc. Mash's return to the battle after he loses his heart is a hilarious twist on Truth and The Gate (Fullmetal Alchemist). Dot is similar to Neji (Naruto) and Lemon is similar to Sakura (Naruto). These parallels can be drawn with other series, throughout the manga, as well, but the point still stands.

Mashle is derivative. It is a typical shounen action/comedy manga that derives a lot, and I mean A LOT, from other manga, anime and movies. Yet, that doesn't mean it is unoriginal. For each "copied" element, the mangaka puts his own subtle twist, which is just enough for the whole story to remain intact.

Even the characters, weird as they are, have something to contribute to the story. Their stories follow that shounen trope of "life flashing before death or while in danger", but their motivations are usually understandable. After all, superior innovation is not something one can expect from a normal shounen manga.

Mash being the "odd one out" for not having magic makes him the perfect protagonist, as he is the only one who can guide the reader while providing an outsider's perspective. Though he is at constant risk of being exposed and persecuted, he is also the one who can truly unify the magicians and the "lackmagics" in an otherwise hopeless battle against a common foe.

There is something inherently funny about Mash just roasting his opponents on the regular while still maintaining a deadpan expression and an undying love for cream puffs. Yes, his power is unrealistic, but so is the rest of the story. Most of the characters are caricatures, and somehow still fit into the somewhat serious tone of the second half of the manga.

The art in the first few chapters is rough at best, but the mangaka quickly improves, to the point where, during the second half, some panels are absolutely gorgeous. Even the story takes a similar path - the first half builds all potential enemies up, only for them to explode onto the page with a flair of style and badassery.

What can one entail from this? Mashle was great, at least for some. Some disliked those exaggerated parts just as much as others who liked them. The entire manga is subjective, and for good reason - there is nothing exactly special about the manga, it just exists to be appreciated by those interested.

"I shall say it once more. I am the record of your struggles, the evidence of your resistance, and the reward of your pain."

Solo Leveling. One of the most popular manhwas in recent times, known for how overpowered its protagonist, Sung Jin-Woo, got, how his origins were at the bottom, how he rose from the ranks of "World's Weakest Hunter" to someone even the strongest would fear.

In its essence, it embodies the worst parts of a trash isekai fantasy that someone would discard after a few chapters, a story arc or two, for being unrealistic. And while Solo Leveling embodies those tropes, it ... also manages to deliver on them well, never descending to the level of a typical self-insert story.

What helps its case? Consistency. Sung Jin-Woo isn't a person who gives up easily - that part of his personality has always been present. He is a keen, observant, persevering fellow. Even in the very first Cartenon Temple incident, we can see how, despite lacking the power to do so, he fends off all attacks on him and his team.

So when he is granted this special power by the 'system', it is not unsurprising that he strives to improve himself, that he tries to fix whatever it is about him that was an obstacle in the past. He is able to break past his limits purely because he strives. For betterment, and for power. (And also because he is "ever so slightly" lucky).

The manhwa is widely acclaimed as one of the greats, and for good reason. The art is stunning, even in the most minor of scenes, and the action is wonderfully crafted. The characters are all distinct and memorable. The story itself never really drops much in quality, as each arc presents new challenges to "The Player", as he slowly levels up.

The monarch storyline was a bit confusing at first, but the manhwa used exposition cleverly - it dumped information on the reader thrice, but never made it overwhelming, and made it quite understandable. The history, the war, the rivalry, they were all touched on just enough for the reader to understand what had happened, was happening, and would happen.

Some readers were dissatisfied with the ending, and there is part of it that could be considered strange. I personally liked it, as it put on display, once again, the part of "Shadow Monarch" Sung Jin-Woo that humanises him after all that he has become - he cares not only for himself, but for everyone around him. He believes that, since he has this power, he should protect those who don't. He is willing to sacrifice a large part of his life to singlehandedly take up the responsibility of ending this long-lasting war without loss of innocent life. That noble desire in itself is what separates him from the other monarchs - a lack of desire for ultimate power and domination, and a will to restore peace.

That was the good.

The bad is not as prevalent a trait in this manhwa, but is certainly present. It is a problem many other creations face, and one that Solo Leveling, no matter how hard it may have tried, could probably not have fully gotten rid of - underused side characters.

One example of this would be Guild Leader of the White Tigers' Guild, Baek Yoonho, among other guild leaders. He is one of the first to recognise Sung Jin-Woo's potential, and how he is a hunter that can continuously grow. Yet, once the Jeju Island Raid is completed, he is quite literally sidelined till the very end. There is a valid argument to be made here - he, and the other leaders, had simply fulfilled their purpose in the story. And that argument is understandable.

So there should be another example. And there is. Sung Jin-Woo's father, Sung Il-Hwan. He is never really present in the story, and appears in only four or five chapters, in total. He is never made to be a character that the reader should really care about, only one that is present here and there, someone who has some relation to the protagonist. It's not even a situation where Sung Jin-Woo is actively trying to seek him out - all we are told is that, 4 years ago, he left and never came back.

Thus, when he dies, it isn't as impactful as it could have been if we saw even some scenes with him being a part ofSung Jin-Woo's life before hunters. But there was nothing. All the scene had going for it was the reaction of Sung Jin-Woo and his mother, who would obviously be saddened by his death.

Another side of this problem is underintroduced characters. Antares, the Destruction Monarch, along with the Transfiguration Monarch, would be great examples of this. The Destruction Monarch, only ever mentioned by name, only talked about as a support for the Shadow Monarch, was suddenly a foe that could conquer armies. Yet this was understandable, as his power had been somewhat hinted at. However, the Transfiguration Monarch, never even mentioned before, was somehow the one controlling all the troops fighting the war. Never had he even been mentioned, and it felt odd that a story so dedicated to make its power system well-constructed, would resort to such methods.

That should be the end of such a fine manhwa - some flaws, but an overall great experience. However, there is one part left.

After the manhwa ended, there were roughly 20 more chapters worth of side-stories. While they are apparently from the original and Ragnarok novel series, I shall limit my exploration of these stories to to chapters of the manhwa that I read.

At first, I quite liked the concept - Sung Jin-Woo returning to normal life after having worked tirelessly for so long, to a world where nobody would ever know how much he sacrificed, yet one where those he loved would be alive and well. Even though some disliked him ending up with Hunter Cha, it was not an ending that I personally rejected, as it had been somewhat built up to.

My favourite chapter of them all was the one where we spend almost 300 pages in the Repose, where Igris is the narrator. Something alwayd made Igris interesting to me, so seeing such a long chapter from his perspective, how he narrated his own journey, really hit the right spots.

The problem lies in the last five chapters.
Even if these are alternate dimensions, it seems a tad bit unrealistic that Sung Jin-Woo's son, a high schooler, would be able to clear the 100-floor demon tower in a day. The problem is mainly due to one obvipus reason.

Sung Su-Ho levels up to 99 in a mere day, with none of the abilities Jin-Woo had, bare handed, by fighting regular monsters over and over. However, this is believeable, as even Jin-Woo did level up by constantly fighting.

Despite all the problems prevalent in the side stories, and how the action became slightly harder to follow (or maybe I'm just dumb), there is a somewhat satisfying conclusion - Sung Su-Ho, just like his father Sung Jin-Woo, will continue to strive for power, as the will to protect and survive has certainly been passed down.

Pupa is yet another entry in the vast array of horrendous anime; bad animation, worse narrative. That about sums it up.

But why did it end up like this? Why did this show, which started off at least a bit interesting, though not good, end up as this terrible, hated show?

In one word - Nonsense.

Nothing, absolutely NOTHING, even in the context of where the story was trying to go, made any sense at all. Characters were supposed to go down a certain path, but instead, subverting even their own expectations, went down the path of psychedelics and the occasional acid trip. Also, WHY WAS THERE INCEST?

Music ... was forgettable, animation was pretty bad. Overall, it's just a failure.

College animation enthusiast meets anime and ends up forgetting everything they were taught. This basically sums up the show.

Hanoka is a failure in the true sense of the word. Everything it could have done right was done horrendously wrong. Even fanmade animations for horrendous PS1 games, whipped up in an hour or so, have something redeemable about them. Not this one though.

The story is beyond incoherent - it's just utter nonsense. Nothing in the show is meant to make sense. Everything good about the narrative could probably be summed up in a singular sentence. And, even then, it would be the most random sentence ever ... constructed. The music and voice acting sound like they were made by the worst vocaloid in existence. It could have been acceptable had there been some improvement in just the sound mixing, but that's too much to ask apparently. Animation in the show was just as bad : each and every character is wobbling like the stereotypical NPC you see in a video game, and even the "fights" are lackluster.

The people behind this, if given a chance, could probably be great animators. However, this first avenue of artistic expression feels like nobody told them that it would be a bad idea to release your first draft as an official anime.

Naruto: Shippuden was a good sequel. It provided something for Naruto fans to look forward to every week for about ten years. By the end, the viewers seemingly parted with their favourites for one last time... and then Boruto was announced almost in the same week. This, once again, was a source of nostalgia for those who grew up with it, and once again, was a complex show with tons of let-downs for many who did not start off their consumption of narrative media with Naruto.

The first arc is probably better than the entirety of the prequel series (that's just a joke, it was just ... better than the mediocrity that so predominantly plagued Naruto). The Akatsuki was finally assembled, the fabled foes were finally pitted against our protagonists. Deidara was one of the most fun characters while he was on screen, as he always had some way to escape the dire situation he was in. Naruto had matured for good, and was much more likeable as a protagonist. The arc was great in almost its entirety, and most of the flaws were not majorly visible.

Sai was a great character, and served his purpose as a replacement for Sasuke in the second arc. Naruto's efforts and training were apparently coming to fruition, as they were finally about to meet Sasuke... only for him to overpower Naruto's entire team and leave with the stated intention of never coming back. Hidan and Kakuzu were interesting villains, with both having valid reasons for joining the Akatsuki. Their fights were well-choreographed, and their powers were well explained and well thought out.

The whole arc detailing Jiraiya's past with the Third Shinobi War, the search for Itachi on both sides, and the build up toward the introduction of Amegakure, Pain and Konan was astonishing to watch. Each scene of importance felt like a historical retelling, a story from the long gone past. There were many ups, there were rare downs, there were complex characters, and there were heartbreaking events. This, along with Pain's assault on the Hidden Leaf Village, Killer Bee's introduction, and the declaration of war at the Assembly of the Kage, were arguably the best parts of the story. These arcs were where the story and its author, Masashi Kishimoto, were truly allowed to shine, to use characters they had built up, introduce new and interesting characters, and progress the plot properly. Almost every part of the story up until then was great to watch.

Then the Fourth Shinobi War started. At the beginning, it was built up as the greatest arc in the series yet. Every action in the preceding 400-something episodes (from both the prequel and Shippuden) had come to some sort of satisfying conclusion in the form of this massive conflict. The war was great to watch from all sides, as it felt like a story that would be told for centuries to come. Everything seemed to be going right : the previous Kage made an appearance, Madara was a great villain, and the true nature of the events up until now was revealed.

All seemed to be going well : fillers, while predominant, did not take much from the show in terms of quality, and the story was great, to say the least. And then the show kept on going, stretching the War arc with one twist after another. The first few were anticipated, but as the arc went on, it got much more random. Another flaw the show had was that, even as time evolved, it made barely any effort to evolve its animation and colour pallette till the last arc. Much of it was bland rather than dark, and many scenes were slow in terms of both movement and dialogue. And right in the middle, for no reason, was just a random 7-episode Itachi backstory, adapted from a series of light novels not even written by the original author.

Where the show truly lost me, and many other viewers, was the introduction of Kaguya. Her story was sad, but her motivations made no sense, and she seemed to exist purely to conclude the series as a whole. Madara was put out of commission without any warning, and for no reason, and most of the power-ups were done for plot convenience, since the protagonists had had enough of losing. The show managed to somewhat save its plummeting story with the final showdown between Naruto and Sasuke, but the damage had already been done over the course of about 100 episodes.

Critiquing the music and art would be meaningless - both were great, just like the previous installment in the series. When the show shined, when it had potential, the viewer could only hope for it to evolve into something generational. While it did in terms of the influence it had, it severely lacked that quality in its narrative. Impactful parts hit as hard as the bad parts disappointed. The sheer length of the show acted as its saviour; everything up until the war's downs (and there was a lot) was great. Naruto: Shippuden was definitely much better than its prequel, had everything going for it for the first 70% of the show, yet when it came to concluding the series, it did anything it could to just reach that point, even if it made no sense.

When people look at Naruto, they tend to look at it through the rose-tinted glasses of nostalgia. And while that's fine, unfortunately, for someone who did not grow up with it, for someone whose major piece of media consumed was not Naruto, it mostly turns out to be just fine.

The show starts off well - all the characters are shown to work towards a common goal, the goal of being a great shinobi. There are some pervy jokes thrown around here and there, but the story is mostly made to appeal to those who can relate to the childish aspect of the characters, the ... humour and the story. Many of the characters are likeable - Jiraiya and Kakashi are good mentors, Rock, Neji and Gaara are interesting characters, and Sasuke provides appeal in the form of a rival.

The first arc is pretty good, though Naruto's declaration of becoming Hokage becomes really annoying and out of place real quick. The story of Zabuza and Haku, as well as their fight with Team 7, is pretty nice to watch. The Chunin Exam Arc, arguably, is the peak of the original Naruto anime : the arc is long, but each stage of the selection is fun to watch, as it provides compelling stories for each character involved, and the villain is interesting.

Here is where the show starts cracking - fillers start to take over and backstories get repetitively shown. Naruto sitting on the swing with the sad music in the background became a meme for a reason after all. The Tsunade Arc is where this is seen a lot - many scenes are repeated constantly across the semi-long arc (and beware, these arcs get LONG). Many scenes are pretty imaginative, but, sadly, not all are interesting and add up to an uninspired child's imaginative stories. The same goes for the Sasuke Arc, which, while it had its moments with Itachi and the Uchiha Clan, was still pretty repetitive in its storytelling.

Past that, everything till the end was filler, adding nothing to the story other than stretching it out for increased runtime and being almost unbearable. Characters like Sakura and Hinata were underused and poorly written, always relying on Naruto, Sasuke, among others, for help, but going back to acting rude to them or being absolutely detached. The art and animation was good, and while some of the fights were visually appealing, many early scenes were still shots. The music was treated much better, both in quality and usage. At the end of the day, Naruto is just a show made for children (put the pitchforks down fellas). Yes, some level of maturity is required to digest some of the plot points, but most of the show is made to appeal to predominantly younger audiences.

Cyberpunk: Edgerunners is probably one of the rare game adaptations that do justice to the original game, or at least the ideas behind the game (because we all know how bad the game was on release). The show manages to tell a coherent story of "edgerunners" in Night City, none of which existed as characters in the original game. To sum Night City up perfectly, using a quote from the show - “There ain’t no one in this world you can trust more than yourself”.

Night City is a desolate cyberscape, a sprawling metropolis, one filled mostly with selfish people, people who would, if push came ... to shove, abandon even those "dear" to them. The city itself is a reflection of those who inhabit it : people are used as machines, the streets are filled with hopelessly degenerated people, and the value of humans is almost entirely dependent on how much money they can pay. At the top, two organisations - "Arasaka" and "Militech" - hold a monopoly over the production and sales of chromium machinery, cyber implants and robotech. Among those living in the downtown region of Santo Domingo, David Martinez, our protagonist, is shown to be escaping reality by reliving the last moments of a cyberpsycho through a video recording of his memories. Soon, though, he is brought back to his life of everyday "disappointment" : he seemingly doesn't have enough money to even upgrade the technology he requires for school.

This is a great way to set the story up : the first few scenes of the show are just David walking to school after having seen the cyberpsycho's memories : there is little to no dialogue, and the viewer is shown fact rather than opinion. The show tends to use montages in a similar manner, not convoluting it while also progressing the plot well.

After a sudden drive-by shootout, David's life is turned upside down, as he realises how bad his situation (financial and personal) really is. Eventually, having given up hope, the "weak" David is determined to become stronger, and decides to get a mysterious piece of cyberware, the Sandevistan, implanted in him.

That is where David starts to go down the seemingly wrong path. It feels incredibly frustrating to see David do the exact opposite of what his mother wanted - for him to get an education similar to those from rich families, to get a good job and to climb up the corporate ladder - all of which are very reasonable and respectable hopes from a parent. All Gloria, David's mother, wanted for him was to live well, to have an equal chance at success as those who were from more fortunate backgrounds. He is given every chance to just stay on that path, but as soon as Gloria is gone, he diverts.

Meeting Lucy, Maine, Dorio and Rebecca - the gang of edgerunners - all make him go down that path further. Throughout the series, he is given many chances to just look at his situation, assess it, turn back, regret his actions, anything. Yet his hunger for power and thrill, and his hatred of how the hierarchy is set up, majorly affect his decisions. Even further down the path of crime, after making friends and losing them, he keeps on upgrading his body, ignoring how his brain and body is deteriorating, not learning from the past. No matter how much he struggles, no matter how many vials of immunosuppressants he takes, he goes on to do the same things, to the detriment of his personal well-being, believing that this task is what Gloria and Maine entrusted him with.

Cyberpsychosis, as a concept, is quite simple to understand. The resilience of the mind is not to be understimated, but even the human brain has its limits. When cyber implants put too much strain on the body and mind, the user reaches a state of cyberpsychosis, one which they are unable to come back from, one in which they lose their consciousness and become a machine for mass murder. Throughout the show, we see the story build up to some tragedy as a result of this phenomenon. The whole story, rightfully so, feels like a PSA against any form of addiction, any form of greed, that can harm you, be that mentally or physically.

Lucy's backstory of being a test subject seemingly comes out of nowhere, hinted at only once or twice in the previous episodes, but is pretty understandable. What hurts the show is that, after this point, after setting conflict up, neither Lucy nor her past play much of a role. Most characters are just hyper-violent for the sake of it, but almost all of the main cast are well-developed, at least to a certain extent.

The art, animation and cinematography in the show are deserving of appreciation. The show uses colour contrast and palette to its benefit : they match the tone of the show and the story it depicts. Every scene breathes quality and dedication. The story itself is incredibly well-paced for the most part. The music in the show is probably the best in a long time - every track adds to the quality of the already great scenes. This would make it seem like the show is perfect, which it almost is, but a few problems it faces are a slightly rushed ending (Adam Smasher is barely built up and just appears out of nowhere), and some unnecessary deaths here and there.

Once in a while, a show comes about that is absurd enough to not take itself seriously. The Millionaire Detective - Balance:UNLIMITED is NOT one of those shows. It constantly treads the line of being absurdist and being realistic, and almost never fails to entertain the viewer. Where else would you find a bunch of old-aged ladies being held hostage pushing through their situation with the will to send off their favourite idol group, and trampling policemen to rush to the slightest hint of said idols appearing? Yeah, this is a fun show.

A lot of the technology used in the show, mostly what HEUSC manages ... to do, feels like an imitation (not a rip-off, it maintains that quality) of Jarvis from the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Some of the stunts it manages to pull off seem like they are what people in the 1900s envisioned technology would be like in the 2010s. What makes it watchable, though, is that fact that these stunts never come out of nowhere : HEUSC is set up as an almost sentient, almost all-powerful, AI butler (yeah it's really like Jarvis, isn't it?) from the very beginning.

The story itself is fun to watch. Daisuke Kanbe is a millionaire (though that limit on the extent of his wealth is doubtful) who joins the Metropolitan Police Force as a Detective, partnered with someone who has a mostly naive and idealistic sense of justice. For the first half, the show slowly shows the viewer how Daisuke Kanbe's interactions with the regular folk around him, mostly his detective partner, Haru Kato, helps him expand his worldview and force past the privileged lifestyle he has lived up until now.

The show also uses callbacks really well : the first and last episodes start with an almost identical scene, but the last episode has the whole show's worth of context behind it, adding meaning to the protagonist's monologue. Similarly, the last scenes of both episodes show us how much Daisuke has evolved over the show : the first time he meets Kato, he looks down on him, believing him to be inferior, like all others. By the end, they have fostered a partnership, built a friendship, that allow him to do the exact same thing to Kato, but with the sole intention of messing with him.

The characters themselves are a coin-flip : they're either well-developed or barely developed. Thankfully, the coin mostly lands on heads. The art style is not something very unique, but the animation itself is very polished, and so are most of the performances. The mystery narrative in the second half of the show is mostly built well, though slightly rushed, and while it may not appeal to everyone, it predominantly gives purpose to its protagonist's motivations to work with the police force in the foreseeable future. Music is used really well, and Kanbe's theme is somewhat of a mix between Mission Impossible and James Bond, with its own "Fugou Keiji" (heh, get it?) twist on it.