Dahlia in Bloom

This is gonna be a really, really short write up. I watched one episode of Dahlia in Bloom back in August and haven't picked it up again. Outwardly, it seems like it would have all the elements I like -- it's an isekai, a (supposed to be) talented female lead, craftiness....

I mean, here's the summary:

Dahlia in Bloom: Crafting a Fresh Start with Magical Tools

After a workaholic life in Japan, Dahlia is reborn as a magical maven in a new world, but her afterlife takes an unexpected turn. Engaged, betrayed, and orphaned—all before the honeymoon? Talk about a plot twist! Watch as Dahlia turns heartbreak into wand-making brilliance and declares her independence. In this story, the real magic is self-discovery, and Dahlia’s the sorceress of her own destiny.

But...meh, I found it bland. And when you meet her in her new life, it's as a child BUT she seems to have no recollection of her previous life even after she's an adult (by the end of that first episode). And while she seemed like a child prodigy, that apparently didn't continue after she was grown and...I dunno. It just didn't hit me. 

It got great reviews in places so I'm sure it's fine. But there's too many other shows so I'm just noting it here so I remember that I tried it.

Bartender Glass of God

Ok, catching up. Bartender: Glass of God. 

So...it's about a bartender. Ha, ha. Okay, you have to realise that it's been since August (and it's now December) that I finished this one and I was watching it mostly on plane rides. I had to actually just check to make sure I finished it. 

In a nutshell, there's a super fancy hotel that has a special bar that they are trying to hire a bartender for -- the kind of bartender that can pour the Glass of God i.e. like the perfect drink. The granddaughter of the hotel owner is on the team trying to find the perfect bartender. They come across this fellow that I've now forgotten the name of and think he's the one, but he's reluctant because of some past trauma and not feeling good enough.

There are some other bartenders you meet with their own stories too and it was all fairly engaging and interesting with some decent character development. That said, I think I was partly watching because I found the drinks interesting, especially since at this point I can only recall highlights.

It's an unlikely plot line, to be fair, which also made it interesting. I do think I wanted more out of it, but I'm not even sure what exactly. Am I glad I watched it? Sure. Would I watch it again? No, it didn't spark my imagination enough for that.

The Do-Over Damsel Conquers the Dragon Emperor

Whoopsie. It's been like half a year since I posted here. I have been watching stuff -- just had a lot of real life stuff being more...pressing. Like, we're buying a house in Madeira. Can't totally move yet until little dude is out of school, but stuff is happening, yo.

And I am WOEFULLY behind in posting -- mostly anime, as I haven't watched a ton of Kdramas or Cdramas lately (lack of time). But I may do a catch up post with a bunch of them in one go. But, for today, am going to post on the one I just finished.

The Do-Over Damsel Conquers the Dragon Emperor is...interesting. There are elements of it that would have normally made me cross it off the list, but I didn't realise it when I started it and I wound up sticking it out. One may note from the cover image for the anime / manga / light novel that the main heroine looks a wee bit YOUNG. Yeah. She's, like, ten. And gets married to a nineteen year old (that, admittedly, acts about 12). That'd normally turn me right the heck off BUT you first meet her in a sort of alternate timeline where she's sixteen and a total badass and when she's killed, she goes back to a moment in time 6 years earlier but with her knowledge and memories intact. So, though her body is 10, she's 16 in her head. That's the only saving grace.

There are story reasons (that I'm not going to go into) why she has to be so young, but it does still kind of leave a weird taste. However, she is a great main character -- strong, resourceful, take charge, etc. etc. Which is why I kept watching.

The Dragon Emperor in her original timeline was her mortal enemy -- though he's not the one that killed her. That was her originally fiance in her home country of Kratos...him and his creepy little sister that he's in love with that is also kind of a vessel for the body of the goddess of the land who also happens to be obsessed with marrying the dragon emperor Hadis...hmmmmm, yeah, there's a lot going on and I definitely get the feeling that the anime skips a lot of world building because there's just not room for it. 

That said, while I overall liked this one, I don't think I love it enough to start collecting the manga and/or light novels. I will watch another season if one is released though because they really left the anime on a bit of a cliffhanger. Am I glad I watched it? Sure. It had some great light fluffy moments and, as I mentioned before, Jill kicks ass. Would I recommend it to others? Ermm...only people who have watched a fair bit of anime and can look past the age gap. Actually, it's not the age gap...it's the fact that she's literally a child. I mean, they only hold hands basically, but still.