My Little Monster

A refreshingly fast paced and bold anime rom-com that works as a great stress buster. My Little Monster derives a lot of its good elements from Maid Sama, quite noticeably. It follows the story of an emotionally confused girl who can't help being a workaholic, and a socially misunderstood boy with an extremely forward demeanor. It's like they took Maid Sama's plot and changed it a little to prevent getting caught, much like that homework assignment you "did yourself" back in college. That being said, My Little Monster introduces just enough of its own novelty to make it an interesting watch, especially because of how quickly the anime progresses and develops character relationships. 

The star crossed lovers in question are Shizuku and Haru, two contrasting personalities who somehow realize they complete each other in a ying-yang-ish manner. The plot starts with Haru's issues at school and inability to make friends, then progresses to his immediate infatuation with Shizuku who makes him feel safe but also confuses him. We see a lot of serious relationship commentary complimented by well done comedy and levity through supporting characters and ridiculous settings. There are small running plot points, but the overarching theme is understanding if Shuzuku can handle this kind of a relationship and figure out what she really wants. The people are real and likeable, and the story telling is succinct while engaging, what more do you need from an anime rom-com? (thank god because I can't do 100 episodes of build up to hand holding like with most other mainstream shows). 

What I don't like about this anime is that while it's fast paced, there's a lot of annoying back and forth where Shizuku keeps changing her mind about being in love or not. Additionally, Some of the humor is strained and makes certain serious scenes awkward, but all other aspects are fairly well done. 



My personal ratings are:

Story: 2/5
Character Development: 3/5
Dialogue: 4/5
Music: 3/5
Enjoyment: 4/5 

Overall recommendation: One angry chicken 

KonoSuba: God's Blessing on this Wonderful World!

 
People often say things like lol, lmao or even rofl (if you're a boomer). But when was the last time you actually did any of these? KonoSuba once got me so bad, I actually snorted my drink and continued to laugh breathlessly for a couple of minutes after. I can say, without a doubt, that KonoSuba is the funniest anime that I've seen ( and there is weight behind these words). Also called 'Kono Subarashi Sekai ni Shukufuku o!', this show wrote the book on Isekai spoofs and still has other anime trying to rip off its RPG game styled humor and setup. If you're looking for a light, interesting and quirky comedy with outstanding visuals, this one is absolutely perfect. 

The story follows a boy named Kazuma, who's basically a shut-in. One day Kazuma dies in a nonsensical accident and is made fun of by Aqua, a goddess who's supposed to guide his spirit to reincarnation (you with me so far?). Aqua decides to send Kazuma to a world that's fallen into trouble because of a powerful demon king and offers him one super power in order to become a great hero. Kazuma, who is annoyed by Aqua's glib attitude, asks the heavens to send Aqua down with him as a companion instead of giving him powers. Before she can object, both of them are cast into the new MMORPG styled world together, only to leave if they defeat the powerful demon king. Kazuma soon realizes that he made a mistake because Aqua is hilariously incompetent and also a lecherous drunk. Over time he tries to band together a powerful party, but ends up with an egoistical goddess, a sexually masochistic knight and a mage who is overconfident despite knowing just one attack. This party actually gives up on accomplishing anything, but inadvertently ends up solving great mysteries and unlocking difficult quests based on sheer dumb luck. Honestly the combination of these characters is pure genius and their adventures are hilarious enough to knock you off your seat. KonoSuba makes use of circumstantial humor and crafty dialogues to achieve this level of comedy and is unparalleled in executing slapstick perverted jokes. 

While I hold KonoSuba in high regard has a stress-busting and chill anime, I think it has a little more fan service than it needs, and that throws me off sometimes. The show has clever comedy, masked by ridiculous content but is cheapened by un-necessary raunchiness. Don't get me wrong, I don't hate raunchiness, I just think there could be better use here. 

         

My personal ratings are:

Story: 3/5
Character Development: 5/5
Dialogue: 5/5
Music: 3/5 
Entertainment: 5/5

Overall Recommendation: Two of Kazuma's Lives 

KonoSuba is available to stream on Netflix!

Curious Play - Fushigi Yugi

Let's jump back in time, all the way back to 1995- where anime had a distinctly different style. A great example to represent those times is Curious Play, a bold action-adventure and romance anime that stands out as unconventional, even today. Curious Play has so many elements and sub genres associated to it like: reverse harem, seinen and shojo; which makes it really stimulating and gripping to watch. We see very mature content through the anime's progression, covering dark emotions, raunchy relationships, and violent bloodshed. All of this coupled with a fantasy world and eye catching powers makes for a truly unique anime experience. 

The series focuses on two girls: Miaka and Yui who stumble upon a book in the library called Universe of the Four Gods. They mysteriously get sucked into this book that connects to a parallel world set in a feudal era. In this world they are reincarnated as maidens of ancient gods who must fulfill their duty to the gods of Suzaku and Seiryuu respectively. Miaka must find and assemble the seven celestial warriors of Suzaku so that she can summon the god and be granted three wishes. This is how she meets Tamahome, one of the warriors who pledges his loyalty to her, and becomes a major romantic interest that drives a wedge between the two maidens. The journey is split into different phases in the anime: assembling the seven, figuring out allies and enemies, forging bonds and final battles. Seeing how the two worlds are connected and the different character dynamics across each one makes for great entertainment, especially in that old-school animation which has its own aesthetic vibe. Also giving a quick shout out to comedic elements that really ties the anime together, providing just enough levity to a stern plot.

The primary drawback to watching Curious Play is its lengthy and roundabout manner of story telling. The anime drags on too many arcs that should have been short and creates unnecessary buildup to small plot points. Too much build up makes the conclusion feel underwhelming which is unfortunate given the great set up that the anime creates. 



My Personal Ratings Are:

Story: 4/5
Character Development: 3/5
Dialogue: 2/5
Music: 2/5
Enjoyment: 3/5

Overall Recommendation:  One Naked Tamahome 

This anime is too old to be found on any new streaming platforms, most of it should be on YouTube to watch. 

Steins;Gate

I never knew something so beautifully intricate and complex, yet absolutely engaging could exist. Steins Gate is a gem of an anime with a justified cult following because of its unique take on story telling. This sci-fi thriller is the anime equivalent of Doctor Who in terms of plot complexity, and is a delight to watch for all time travel lovers. I think watching Steins Gate is like entering a big maze: you start off excited, get worried about where it goes in the middle, and feel utmost excitement when you reach the end. Please note that this is a heavy, occasionally dark, fast paced and sometimes confusing anime that will swing between plot building and culmination like a pendulum. I don't recommend watching it unless you are in the right mindset for such a show. If you like these elements however, be ready for an absolute treat. 

Without giving much away, the story follows a scientist called Rintarou Okabe who is a quirky anarchist that loves to indulge in vague conspiracy theories and whacky scientific ideas. On a faithful day he discovers that he may have altered the flow of time using a tweaked microwave and is able to send messages through time when attaching a phone to it. His team comprising of a pervy programmer, his childhood friend and a renowned female scientist who's destiny gets all mixed up in Okabe's business, are suddenly thrown into a chaotic situation where they may have just discovered time travel. The anime has many angles to this plot: the politics behind inventing time travel, the effects it can have on the world and the stress it puts on their personal relationships. Steins Gate quickly becomes gritty and intense, showing the consequences of even the smallest actions involving time travel. As expected he show eventually introduces villains who have less than scientific motives and pose a threat to our team of protagonists. I think the anime does a great job balancing action and thriller elements with overarching character sentimentality. It creates a world you can get sucked into, coupled by a longing to know what happens next.  

My biggest issue with Steins Gate is that it can be complicated just for the sake of complexity at times. You can tell that certain plot points could have been made simpler without affecting the story, but instead still go about involved and lengthy routes that can cause frustration. 



My Personal ratings are:

Story: 5/5
Character Development: 4/5
Dialogue: 5/5
Music: 4/5
Enjoyment: 4/5

Overall recommendation: One Future Gadget Laboratory

Steins gate is available on Netflix, crunchyroll and Hulu across different regions.  

My Hero Academia

Shonen Jump's new front running anime has already made the halls of fame with a massive fan following, its own global conventions, and a couple of box office friendly movies. My Hero Academia is an instant classic that follows all shonen tropes the usual viewer loves, with an added spice of social commentary that makes us reflect on more than just the plot outcomes. The anime balances light and heavy elements well to create an action packed, adventurous show full of tasteful plot points and comedy. Not to mention, it does really well on character building and has some of this years most compelling protagonists. I think watching MHA is like making a new best friend, it gives you a happy and safe feeling, even though there are times when it can be annoying and steals your french fries (maybe that's just my friends).

The story is set in a world where a majority of the population is born with a quirk or a power. Society has reformed as a result of these abilities and new jobs have come into existence, a prominent one being professional super hero. We start by following Young Midoriya who was born quirk-less, but desperately wants to become a hero. On a faithful day he inherits a power called 'One For All' from the worlds greatest hero, All Might, who sees potential in Midoriya's future. From there he joins the world's top hero training academy UA High and is paired up with all kinds of aspiring heroes, each with their own backstories and intentions. He even comes face to face with his childhood bully Bakugo who has more to him than meets the eye. This is the story of how a class of ambitious yet problematic heroes face the world's toughest generation of villains, especially when they learn that not everything in the real world is black and white. 

My issue with MHA is that it was intentionally made to appeal to masses and become mainstream. Because of this you see many cliché shonen tropes and filler arcs that can offset an otherwise serious storyline. That being said, this is still one of my favorite shonen anime and it's a must watch for you.

     

My Personal Ratings Are:

Story: 4/5
Character Development: 4/5
Dialogue: 4/5
Music: 3/5 
Enjoyment: 5/5 

Overall Recommendation: 20% Delaware Smash! 

Catch MHA on Hulu, Netflix and Crunchyroll across different regions. 

Jujutsu Kaisen

Jujutsu Kaisen is, without a doubt, a bridge that shows us the way to the future of anime. This action Shonen series has visuals so stunning, you'll want to re watch every frame out of disbelief. With this plus Attack on Titan's final season, the production house - MAPPA basically knocked it out of the park. While the show's story itself isn't mind-blowingly special, the anime gets full points for execution and direction. You'll be so engaged by battle sequences, every droplet of sweat from a character's face becomes noticeable. Watching Jujutsu Kaisen is like watching a talented street artist spray graffiti on the wall, it just gives you an innate sense of satisfaction and amusement.   

The plot focuses on athletically gifted Yuji Itadori who inadvertently stumbles upon the hidden world of curses and supernatural phenomenon through an incident at school. To save his friends from danger, he gets himself cursed and obtains special powers, but also becomes a threat to all of humanity. In order to control his abilities, Yuji is enrolled into a school that teaches cursed techniques and is full of odd specimens. There's an interesting angle about the internal politics in the school that sway to and away from supporting Yuji across different levels of hierarchy. Jujutsu Kaisen does a great job in getting us involved with characters, battles and plot outcomes. The thrill of this anime stems from over powered character clashes, vibrant visuals and good old fashioned shonen sentimentality. 

The only negative I find with this anime is its slow story progression. I feel like episodes are too short and don't cover as much ground as I would have liked, but that being said, you can't rush great potentially long running anime.



My personal ratings are: 

Story: 3/5
Character Development: 4/5
Dialogue: 5/5
Music: 5/5
Enjoyment: 5/5 

Overall recommendation: One of sukunas fingers  

Jujutsu Kaisen in on Neflix Japan and on Crunchyroll in other regions, use a VPN to watch!

Jigoku Shojo

         

Jigoku Shojo or Hell Girl is an extremely compelling horror anime that never fails to send a chill down the viewer's spine. This horror thriller seems very docile and slow paced at first, but always gets you in the end because of its vivid dark imagery and portrayal of twisted human minds. The story is broken into many seemingly unrelated arcs that are all individually and suspensefully brought to culmination in a repetitive yet intriguing manner. I'll explain this plot device more below.

The story follows an urban legend of a cursed website. According to rumors, if someone holds a real grudge against another person, they can visit this website at midnight and request the 'Hell Girl', Enma Ai to kill their enemies. Here's where it gets interesting- if Enma and her associates from hell believe the grudge is strong enough, they will appear in front of the website user and hand them a black doll with a red string around its neck. If the string is removed, the grudge will be realized and any person the doll's owner chooses will be tortured and instantly dragged down to hell. The consequence is that the doll owner will also give up their soul and be sent to hell when they naturally die. The choice of using this double edged sword is what makes most of the show juicy. Hell Girl will explore the dark depths of human psyche and show what it takes to push a person to their limit. Each story arc is short and will get you ambivalent about the respective doll owners who range from petty and selfish individuals to helpless and victimized ones. This eerie plot bolstered by its creepy art style and sound track makes for a great pick if you love horror as a genre. 

Hell Girl does have a main overarching plot, but spends a lot of time on individual stories of people's grudges. Now because each story is unique, story progression can get a little disjointed. Think of this as a horror novel with many creepy chapters and a big finale, but you can only appreciate the finale if you put up with all the precursory chapters, some of which can be dry or monotonous. I for one, recommend sticking till the end.  



My personal ratings are: 

Story: 3/5
Character Development: 2/5
Dialogue: 3/5
Music: 3/5
Enjoyment: 4/5

Overall Recommendation: When One Soul is Cursed, Two Graves Are Dug

The Disastrous life of Saiki K.

Saiki K. is a slapstick shonen comedy anime that's all about the laughs. The show is full of unrestrained nonsensical humor that is guaranteed to put you through a fit of laughter. Saiki K is basically the anime equivalent of a fart bomb or a whoopy cushion, it's the most base form of comedy, but still undeniably effective and funny. Be prepared for unexpected gags, fast paced comedic dialogue, constant breaking of the fourth wall (something I'm guilty of too) and unapologetic jokes at the expense of other mainstream anime. Saiki K is a great way to shut off your mind and let laughter therapy take you to a happy place. 

The anime is basically one long commentary on the life of its protagonist, Kusuo Saiki. I mean an actual commentary as we're always hearing the inner working of his mind throughout each episode. He's basically a boy born with psychic abilities and god tier levels of power. Saiki does not see himself as gifted because his powers come with many burdens and restrictions. He is good at heart and wants nothing but to be an ordinary high schooler and to be left alone. Unfortunately the world keeps introducing chaotic people into his life who always create impossibly messy scenarios, forcing him to use his powers while still trying to hide them from others. Nothing makes sense here, but it's all ridiculously funny and spoofs various anime cliches to make great content for seasoned anime watchers. I think of this one as an instant classic, it's great to binge with friends as well.    

The thing about this anime is...there's no real story. With the absence of an overarching plot, Saiki K becomes almost mindless, especially because it goes on for four seasons counting specials. Even though this is intentional, and works well for most viewers, I feel like a small main story line would give a little more direction to this otherwise brilliant comedy.     



My personal ratings are:

Story: 1/5
Character Development: 2/5
Dialogue: 4/5
Music: 3/5
Enjoyment: 5/5    

Overall Recommendation: Yare Yare 

All seasons of The Disastrous life of Saiki K. are on Netflix, you can use a VPN if not in your region. 

Beautiful Bones: Sakurako's Investigation

          Also called 'A Corpse is Buried Under Sakurako's Feet' or 'Sakurako-san No Ashimoto Ni Wa Shitai Ga Umatteiru', this anime is an unusual one. It's a slow paced murder mystery and crime drama that focuses on the story told by the bones of different victims. It's an interesting and unique premise for a crime anime and has pretty intelligent plot points, however the approach will be a hit or miss for most viewers. If you don't enjoy the very first episode, don't bother continuing or expect it to pick up later because the anime will follow the same methodology, pace and vibe throughout. 

The story follows an ostentologist (bone analyst) called Sakurako and a high school boy named Shoutaro who eventually becomes her assistant as he's intrigued by her intelligence. We will be shown different crimes being solved by Sakurako, applying logical deductions to the analysis of a victim's bones and also peek into her personal psychology. She's a basic Sherlock Homes styled character with the only difference that she's female and looks just at bones as a crime solving instrument. An interesting angle added is that of Shoutaro's impression of Sakurako, who can't decide if she's a good person or an evil mastermind. The first half of Beautiful Bones has no overarching main plot, it just builds on characters and focuses on solving individual incidents which are still enjoying to watch. The second half picks up on a main plot but leaves the heavy lifting to a potential season two.  

It's funny that this anime is about bones because that's what you'll be reduced to by the time you reach the climax of any episode. This anime, while intriguing, follows a methodology to crime solving that is too lackluster and fails to hold a viewer's attention for too long. You'll find yourself casually checking your phone and glancing away so many times that you'll miss many explanations, but you won't even care as long as you get to see the story progress. Like I said before, it's going to be a hit or a miss. 

         
My personal ratings are:

Story: 2/5
Character Development: 3/5
Dialogue: 3/5
Music: 3/5
Enjoyment: 2/5

Overall Recommendation: One Broken Femur  

This anime is available on Netflix and amazon under the name 'A Corpse is Buried Under Sakurako's Feet'.

Shokugeki no Soma

Shokugeki no Soma or Food Wars is a shonen anime series about the culinary world. It brings a lot of color to this otherwise sparsely explored genre and is a must watch for you anime food lovers! This mouth watering and brilliant show has a great balance of exciting plot points, vibrant visuals and entertaining characters. It also does a great job in involving comedic elements so that it's not just an intense food anime with no other focus. Although Food Wars sounds like an innocent cooking anime, beware as it's very ecchi (suggestive sexual content). And I mean overtly ecchi moments, that can be off-putting. Since this is a culinary show let me put it this way: think of Food Wars as an Oreo Milkshake. You're blending milk, oreos, chocolate, ice cream...but bam someone throws a handful of broccoli in there! The un-necessary ecchi hits just like that broccoli (at least for me), but the rest is so on point.

The plot of Food Wars is not complicated. We follow the story of Yukihira Soma, a chef at his own family diner. Soma has no formal cooking accolades or fancy training but is an undeniably amazing cook. One day his father sends him to a prestigious cooking academy called Totsuki where only elite chefs can survive. Soma decides that he will outperform everyone at this academy but is up for quite a challenge. You get to see really entertaining story arcs about how Soma and his friends train to become better and how the existing egotistical chefs challenge them, only to realize they aren't ordinary chefs. All viewers get pulled into an expertly crafted culinary universe that's fairly educational and full of heated cook-offs. The show is also full of motivational content and unexpected reveals. My favorite aspect is that Soma has no special abilities, he gets his victories through sheer hard work and practice. A quote said by Soma's dad really gets me pumped, "people tend to dislike Soma because he wins but isn't special. Recognizing him means, realizing your own shortcomings and lack of determination."

While I have mentioned the shows ecchi natured drawbacks, I do also want to point out that the format of cooking battle after cooking battle can get tiresome. Food Wars will explain the science behind every chef's cooking, which is great, but can also cause an information overload if you're binge watching. 

    

My personal ratings are:

Story: 3/5
Character Development: 5/5
Dialogue: 4/5
Music: 4/5 
Enjoyment: 4/5

Overall recommendation: One Yukihira special. Glad you liked it! 

Shokugeki no Soma/ Food Wars can be streamed on Netflix or on Crunchyroll based on your region. You can use a VPN to watch on either platform. 

   

Tokyo Ghoul

Tokyo Ghoul is a dark action and fantasy series that took the anime world by storm when it first came out in 2014. It was unquestionably that one anime that edgy kids would watch to prove that they have, well, edge. While I agree that it had massive potential, I can't bring myself to say it's a good watch. Tokyo Ghoul let me down in the worst way possible: they built an amazing premise and interesting characters, only to destroy everything they built in the later seasons. Imagine that you've just been served a mouth-watering meal, say a delicious looking bowl of spaghetti. But just as you look away for a moment, someone comes and takes a stinking shit all over it. That's pretty much what you'll feel as you transition from season 1 to the later seasons of this anime.   

It's known in this world, that there are beings called ghouls who possess extraordinary strength and feed off the flesh of humans. As a result, the government creates an agency focused on the eradication of ghouls, and its inspectors are trained to wield special weapons. In the beginning, the plot follows a boy named Kaneki who lives a normal school life. He goes on a date with a girl way out of his league (first red flag) just to find out that she is a ghoul and attempts to eat him. By some twist of fate, they get caught up in a construction site accident, and Kaneki wakes up in a hospital with vague memories of what happened to him. It seems that the ghoul's organs were transplanted into his body by the doctors in an attempt to save him, and as a result, Kaneki has forfeit his humanity to become a ghoul. The story gets interesting when he starts to enter the secret world of ghouls and finds a way to survive without eating his friends. The dynamics of this society and interactions between ghouls make for great content coupled with gritty social ideologies, mysterious back stories and engaging fight scenes. Be warned, Tokyo Ghoul has its fair share of bloodshed, gore and death which can get borderline disturbing. All of this builds up to the ultimate question: will Kaneki choose to live as a human or a ghoul? And what are the consequences of each path. 

I'll make myself clear again, watch season one of this anime and stop then while you can. Anything after season one is a jumbled and confused mess with sloppy to careless story arcs. You'll see characters with great backstories being sidelined and even worse, randomly nonsensical story developments. I guess this is just the outcome of straying away from the manga to create a random anime story arc. 



My personal ratings are:

Story: 3/5
Character Development: 2/5
Dialogue: 2/5
Music: 4/5
Enjoyment: 2/5 

Overall recommendation: One kinky BDSM gimp mask

Tokyo Ghoul is available on Netflix and Crunchyroll in select regions, with a censored version that is less bloody as well. 

Kaguya-Sama Love Is War

           

Kaguya-Sama: Love Is War or 'Kaguya-Sama Wa Kokuraswtai: Tensai Tachi No Renai Zunousen' is 2020's most popular romantic comedy, and here's why. While early scenes in the first episode feel preachy, complicated and depict characters that are designed to look distant or unrelatable; these negative aspects clear away pretty quickly. The anime recognizes those uncomfortable feelings it initially gave you and goes on to make fun of it by introducing much whimsy and idiosyncratic sub plots. What emerges is a tastefully senseless comedy that allows you to let your guard down and enjoy. 

Kagua Sama's story follows the student council president (Miyuki Shirogane) and vice-president (Kaguya Shinomiya) of Shuchiin Academy, a prestigious Japanese school. Both of them fancy the other but have twisted ideologies about the power dynamics in a relationship and refuse to be the first one to confess to the other. They deploy several nonsensical tactics to force the other into making a move but end up in a romantic stalemate every time. There are refreshing side characters, as other members of the student council, who add to the chaos and create great comedic situations. The anime also takes its 'love is war' title seriously, as each episode is divided into segments that has battle results and victors announced, which really gets you in the competitive mood. You'll want to pick sides and support your character as if your watching a sporting game, however most results leave you thinking 'eh?' and giggling to yourself. That's the essence of Kaguya-Sama: it attacks you with jokes inducing fits of laughter and when you think its over, it sneak attacks with context to make you giggle. All in all, it's a great experience and a must watch if you are a romantic comedy fan. 

Disclaimer: anyone looking for a fast paced show with a developing plot and introduction of casual relationships, stay away. By season two you'll be pulling your hair out and yelling at the screen asking for some tangible story development. So I repeat, watch Kaguya-Sama just for the laughs and leave your desire to see evolving love interests for my next romantic anime review. 

         

My personal ratings are:

Story: 2/5
Character Development: 4/5
Dialogue: 3/5
Music: 3/5
Enjoyment: 4/5

Overall Recommendation: Battle result- Kaguya Sama wins. 

Watch Kaguya-Sama Love Is War on Netflix and use a VPN if not in your region. 

 

Attack on Titan

Attack on Titan or Shingeki no Kyojin is a revolutionary anime with multiple dimensions to story progression and beautiful visuals to go with it. This show is the anime equivalent of BDSM: you are beaten, broken down, built back up and eventually forced into euphoric submission. The creator Hajime Isayama is an outspoken sadist who loves to torture his fans with extremely bold plot twists and unexpected turns. He is not afraid of killing any characters off, or making astoundingly incomprehensible changes to the story. And as much as you might think that's a put off, it really isn't. In fact, I think he has come up with the most amazing story progression the anime world has seen till date. Fair caution, this anime is not for the weak willed as the dark elements and gore can get quite intense (Game of Thrones has nothing on this). 

Attack on Titan will suck you into its world -full of despair, mystery and action- and when you finally think you know what's happening, you need to think again. I can't hope to accurately capture the different aspects of this story in a brief summary, so I'll just describe the world the anime is set in. We follow the life of Eren Yeager, who lives in a civilization enclosed by tall walls. Beyond these walls lie titans, giant humanoid looking monsters that enjoy human flesh and are extremely difficult to kill. Eren is victim to a tragedy and as a result despises titans. He joins the military and trains to become a member of the Survey Corps, a body devoted to exploring the outside world and learning more about titans, to destroy them. The plot will explore several dimensions like the mentality of characters in this dystopian world, the limitations of technology, socio-economic politics, religion and hard core bloodshed. You will find yourself at the edge of your seat every episode, trying to understand what hope do these people have, what exactly are titans and what will happen next. This action-thriller will definitely keep bringing you back, craving for more answers as you explore its world.  

The anime has four seasons with the latest one set to release in December 2020. The latest season will be changing the anime's animation studio and there's a potential red flag on how the standard of visuals will be upheld. Furthermore, if I had to pick flaws in the anime itself, I think it does not cover as much as the manga does, which is not an uncommon issue in the anime world. I also think there is too much darkness and decadence being expressed in the show, which can make it too heavy on viewers.  

My personal ratings are:
Story: 5/5
Character Development: 4/5
Dialogue: 4/5
Music: 4/5
Enjoyment: 5/5 

Overall Recommendation: Ten casualties and just another day for the survey corps!

Attack on Titan is on Netflix, Hulu or Crunchyroll across different regions. 

Violet Evergarden

Violet Evergarden is well renowned Netflix original series that won the award for best animation in the 2019 Crunchyroll Anime Awards. This anime is a beautiful coming of age story that will definitely pull on your heart strings and make you feel for its characters. I really struggle with thinking of any criticism for Violet Evergarden, it has outstanding visuals, a complex plot, intriguing characters and makes you feel connected to its world. I think this is a prime example of new age anime pushing the conventions of vibrant story telling. Please be warned however, Violet Evergarden is like an onion: It has many delicious layers, but as you cut through them, you are likely to find yourself brought to tears. 

I love a good period anime, this one is set in a time just post the war (which war? doesn't matter). People are starting to move on from the scars left behind by the war and new businesses are booming, despite the worlds limited technology. Violet Evergarden wakes up to this unprecedented peace after a traumatic accident in which she lost her arms, only to realize she has no idea how to live in a society devoid of the battlefield. She was orphaned in the war and taken in by a kind army major who taught her how to fight and survive. She attaches herself to this major and becomes a war weapon, to be used at his disposal. Now with the war over and her beloved general missing, she has no idea how to move on with her life. Violet gets automated metal arms to replace her torn off ones (full metal violet?) and sets off to become an 'auto memory doll'. This profession requires understanding the feelings of your client and then writing a letter on their behalf to support their lack of ability to express themselves well. These letters can be between lovers, friends, businessmen or even politicians and convey the sentiment of the sender. The journey of Violet going from not being able to comprehend basic human emotions to being able to emote for others is astoundingly wonderful. You begin to root for her as she navigates society and learns how to interact with people, how to make friends. You'll stay with her on her search to understand, what does it mean to say "I love you". 

I'm not going to lie, This anime has actually made me cry, it gets you so emotionally invested and deals with the most sensitive of human feelings that you won't help getting teary eyed occasionally. Because of this, watching it can be emotionally taxing if you aren't mentally prepared. Other than this, I find no basic faults with Violet Evergarden. It stays true to its style and is a great blend of action, drama and romance.   



My personal ratings are:

Story: 4/5
Character Development: 5/5
Dialogue: 4/5
Music: 4/5
Enjoyment: 5/5 

Overall Recommendation: One perfectly written letter 

This is a Netflix original and should be available there in all regions. 

Weathering With You

       

Sometimes anime is made for the heart and not the mind, 'Weathering With You' is one such movie. Makoto Shinkai does it again! (that bloody genius) Even though 'Weathering With You' didn't do as commercially well as his previous movie 'Your Name', he still knocked it out of the park with 193 million dollars worldwide in box office collections. This movie will take you places and make you feel like you've had an actual experience. Forget the critics, forget trailers, forget reading reviews (except this one), just chance upon this movie and let the magic happen. 

I have an instinct when it comes to detecting good anime, if even one scene manages to make me feel enough to have the hair on my hand stand up, the anime has 'it'. While watching 'Weathering With You' (even after the first three times) I get full fledged goosebumps every 15 minutes just because of it's sheer beauty. The movie takes place in the same universe as 'Your Name' and explores an unnatural phenomenon. High schooler Hodaka runs away from home to try and make it on his own in Tokyo, and through a series of fateful events meets Hina, a girl who can change the weather when she wants to. The Tokyo depicted in this movie is one that seldom see's any sunshine because of its constant rain. Seeing this as an opportunity, they try to clear the weather for people who want to see the sun and charge them a small fee. It's all fun and games with cheery friendships across well developed characters, amazingly portrayed, until they realize that there's more to this ability and that the world holds many mysterious secrets linked to this phenomenon. Expect love, laughs, friendship, anticipation, fear and mystery all leading to excitement and one unforgettable experience- Weathering With You is an absolute must watch! Also expect brilliant music because The Radwimps whipped up a new album for this movie and it really lives up. 

I think I've made it clear that I'm in love with Makoto Shinkai's works and hence am not the right person to point out its flaws, but the main criticism 'Weathering With You' receives is that it draws too many similarities to the style of 'Your Name'. Now while I personally don't have any issues with that, many people ho came in expecting something completely new were a little let down, and I can understand why. Either ways you should watch it and decide where you stand for yourself. 
        My personal ratings are:

Story: 4/5
Character Development: 3/5
Dialogue: 4/5
Music: 5/5 
Enjoyment: 4/5

Overall recommendation: One Sunny Day

This movie holds a special place for me because it was the first anime movie to release in actual theaters in my home city (Mumbai). Its distribution rights were given to PVR pictures and it won't be found on OTT platforms for a while, you may have to rent it online or stream otherwise but still try to pay for your view if possible because I'd like to see more anime movies releasing here. 

Mob Psycho 100

Mob Psycho 100 is a diamond in the rough that doesn't look like one at first. While initial thoughts for most people will be that it's strangely animated and looks too odd to continue watching, you'll regret not continuing. This anime is pure comedic gold and its vibe begins to suit the animation style very well. If you aren't sent into a fit of laughter over how the show builds up intense situations and immediately introduces levity to defuse it, I'll change my name. Mob Psycho 100 is so refreshingly hilarious and exciting- It's the anime equivalent of getting comically punched in the stomach so hard that you can't breathe (but like, in a good way).   

I see Mob Psycho 100 drawing a few similarities to One Punch Man and I mean that in a really good way. You'll see an OP protagonist who's pretty likable and is somewhat oblivious to how ridiculously strong they are, which makes for great laughs. The story follows young Shigeo Kageyama, nicknamed Mob, who's a powerful psychic despite looking like a weak school boy. Real psychic's are rare in the world which is why his master Reigen, who's about as real as Tsunade's boobs, employees Mob as an assistant (yes I meant Tsunade from Naruto and before anyone argues with me please remember that she changes her appearance using her creation rebirth, aka boob job jutsu). He pretends to be a know-it-all psychic guru, but is really just a glib con man. Mob however looks up to Reigen and actually learns to control his powers through his master's fake but somehow still relevant advice. Over time even you begin to think that Reigen is just amazing. The anime progresses to explore the limits of Mob's powers, that erupt into unstoppable carnage when he gets too emotional about something. There are many delightful side stories and supporting characters like Mob's friends and family that add flavor to this anime, which has a steady progression over two seasons and hopefully more. 

Mob Psycho 100 is unapologetically a comedy. This means that it frivolously plays around with story progression and uses any means to tie in loose ends. While that's generally entertaining, it puts me off just a little because they actually build those plot points really well. 

                    

My personal ratings are:

Story: 3/5
Character Development: 4/5
Dialogue: 4/5
Music: 3/5
Enjoyment: 4/5

Overall Recommendation: hilarious 100% outburst 

Catch Mob Psycho 100 on Cruncyroll with subscription and Netflix. 

 

My Teen Romantic Comedy Snafu

Also called 'My Youth Romantic Comedy is Wrong, As I Expected' and Yahari Ore no Seinshun... you know what, this one has too many long names, we shall refer to this as 'Oregairu' (as most people do online). This show is a three season slice of life, teenage love story that's different from the usual anime rom-com. Oregairu is focused on realism and tries to portray an actual representation of how people think and feel in high school. This means you can't expect cliche and silly rom-com lovie dovey moments, but instead we get brilliant dialogue, stimulating sub plots and witness genuine human interactions. Coupled with its amazing animation style and complex character development, this one makes a great weekend binge!

Oregairu, likes to throw social ideologies and scenarios at its viewers with the intention of making them actually think about it, and I find that fascinating. The story starts with Hachiman Hikigaya, also called Hikki (yes, I giggled too) who is a realist that is very blunt and has no care for what others think of him. He is fine being a social outcast and thinks he is smarter than most. He is forced to join the schools social service club by his teacher where he meets Yukinoshta, an intelligent girl who is narcissistic and is socially awkward because of her limited interactions with friends. Added to the club is Yuhigahama who is a very social, likable and has many friends. The clash between these three personalities which buds into friendship and then something more is very entertaining. The anime will explore complexities of love triangles, high school friendships and social groups within schools. Honestly what makes Oregairu great for me is Hikki's monologues and commentaries about life that are just masterfully written and extremely amusing. You'll start for the cute anime girls (guys too), and stay for the Hikigaya wisdom.   

My biggest issue with this anime is that it gets too convoluted the further to go along watching it. They rely heavily on subtext and circumstantial understanding of feelings which can make even simple plot points seem confusing. Oregairu is also ridiculously faced paced in terms of dialogue, one look away from the screen and you'll be lost, so you need to pay attention. 

                          

My personal ratings are:

Story: 3/5
Character Development: 5/5
Dialogue: 5/5
Music: 4/5
Enjoyment: 4/5

Overall Recommendation: Yahalloo!

Catch My Teen Romantic Comedy Snafu on Crunchyroll. Use a VPN if not in your region. 

K

The winner of the shortest anime title award is... K! This anime is beautifully chaotic and extremely fast paced. K is very much like what you'd expect from an orgy: nobody knows what's happening but you'll definitely enjoy all of it. Despite the strange story progression, you will always be engaged by the plot points and happy with their conclusions. I love the art-style, visuals and battle choreography in K, it has some real top tier stuff. It even has one of the best sound tracks in the anime world, guaranteed to get viewers pumped. A must watch for action fans; this is a story of loyalty, power, friendship and of modern day kings.      

K stands for 'King' which is a concept this anime revolves around. An ancient power allows 7 kings to exist in the world, the kings are assigned a color and abilities that they can share with their clansmen. The story will follow certain kings very closely and the relationships they have with their followers. We start with getting thrown into a turf war between the Red and Blue kings who fundamentally don't agree with each other's ideologies. Then added into the mix is a boy called Yashiro Isana who seems to be a regular school student but is suddenly targeted by other clans because a viral video has surfaced in which he claims to be the new colorless king and murders a friend of the Red king. this entire story unravels in a very engaging manner and does not fail to entertain. K is very good at captivating its audience, in fact, I challenge you to watch the first five minutes of episode one and not progress further. You'll have so many questions like, who is Yashiro? how will the conflict get settled? How do other kings fit in? and the only way to know is by diving deeper. 

Now I know that I've already described K as chaotic or confusing, but let me tell you to what extent. The anime has a unique world set up- different species exist, government/society structures are different, magic selectively is in play- but NONE of this is explained, like ever! You have to contextually figure everything out including what I've explained in the paragraph above, which tends to cross a line between intriguing and downright frustrating at times. I think that some blanks need to be filled, we as viewers can't just assume everything. 

       

My personal ratings are:

Story: 4/5
Character Development: 5/5
Dialogue: 3/5
Music: 5/5
Enjoyment: 4/5

Overall recommendation: No blood! No Bone! No Ash!

K is on Netlix and Hulu in most regions. Use a VPN if not available in yours. 

Demon Slayer

                     

Demon Slayer or Kimetsu No Yaiba is a stellar recommendation for you shonen lovers. This critically acclaimed series won the 'Anime Of The Year' award during Crunchyroll's 2020 Anime Awards and also uses special CGI technology to make its visuals more stunning (kudos to you animators at UFOtable). Demon Slayer becomes an immediate classic and fan favorite as it brings to life a heart-rendingly touching story that takes viewers through a roller-coaster of emotions. You'll feel all sides of the spectrum, from empathetic character development to exciting action sequences, all balanced by light comedy that's done very tastefully. 

Demon Slayer's plot starts off dark unlike most of its shonen peers. It's a period anime set in the Taisho-era that follows the story of young Tanjiro who loses his entire family, except his sister in a gruesome demon attack. While attempting to rescue his sister he realizes that she is slowly transforming into a demon herself and has now become the target of demon hunter, Giyu. In an emotional display of faith the sister, Nezuko shows that she is different from other demons and is able to control her blood lust, giving reason for Giyu to recruit them into the Demon Slayer Corps instead of killing the siblings. The story progresses with Tanjiro training to become a powerful demon slayer who vows to find a way to restore Nezuko's humanity. The journey of transforming from weak to strong, for both siblings, is very entertaining. Even side characters introduced as companions play vital roles in setting an interesting structure to prevent the anime from getting monotonous. Setting story aside, Demon Slayer's visuals are enough to rope you in for the long haul. Expect beautifully choreographed battles, creative attacks and vibrant environments. 

The anime doesn't really leave much for anyone to complain about. I just think that season one spent too much time focusing on Tanjiro's training. I would have liked to see more of him unleashing hell on enemies with his new found abilities, but that being said I'm sure the Demon Slayer movie set to release in October 2020 and season two in 2021 will cover this in due time. 

      

My personal ratings are:

Story: 4/5
Character Development: 5/5
Dialogue: 4/5
Music: 4/5
Enjoyment: 5/5 

Overall recommendation: 5 Total Concentration breaths! 

Demon Slayer is available to stream on Netflix. 

How Not To Summon A Demon Lord

              

Imagine you were taking a walk in the park and came across a pile of shit that's on fire. It's an odd thing, but you find that you can't stop staring at it. Why? maybe you just want to see what happens to it or maybe it amuses you. We humans have been attracted to fire since ancient times after all. But that's 'How Not To Summon A Demon Lord' in a nutshell, it's a flaming turd that you probably want to stop looking at, but end up mysteriously looking at for longer that you expected. The show is unapologetically pervy, and is the epitome of Harem. If you like a simple plot with an OP main protagonist who goes about simply eradicating every enemy in sight, you might enjoy this show. You'll come for the action sequences, but stay for the unlimited fan service, if you like that stuff that is. I'm just a neutral blogger whose girlfriend reads this page and will comment no further on the quality of the fan service. 

How Not To Summon A Demon Lord has the story line of a basic Isekai anime (transported to a fantasy world genre). A boy named Takuma who spends most of his life mastering an online RPG under the username Diablo suddenly gets sucked into the game world. He finds out that he has been summoned by two girls called Shera and Rem who bungled a summoning spell and ended up enslaving themselves to Diablo who is now stuck in his OP video game persona. Rem has a demon sealed in her body who is the final boss of the game, and Diablo pledges to destroy it without harming her so he can return home. As expected the anime is rife with ridiculous perverted comedy around the dynamics of these three. Apart from that, it is interesting to watch Diablo's power unfold in this world as he goes from being a weakling in his world to now becoming a buff and attractive demon lord. There are many satisfying scenes where annoying and overconfident villains are pretty much obliterated by Diablo. There's just something wholesome about watching an underestimated hero destroying these type of villains. 

Oh boy where do I begin with the problems in this anime. It is blatantly sexist with extremely problematic scenes even by Harem standards. It tries to go for raunchy content but tries too hard and ends up with a mix of uncomfortable and strained parts far too many times. In all honesty, while I do enjoy fan service in certain anime, this one crosses too many lines. I've seen tasteful fan service in many an Isekai, this one just wasn't for me. That being said, no judgement if you, like I'm sure many (after all it has been renewed for season two) happen to enjoy it. 

             

My personal ratings are:

Story: 2/5
Character Development: 2/5
Dialogue: 3/5
Music: 2/5 
Enjoyment: 3/5

Overall Recommendation: Two anime wifus! 

 How Not To Summon A Demon Lord is available on Netflix.