The Magical Girl and the Evil Lieutenant Used to Be Archenemies

Oh man, I was really enjoying this freaky, kinda weird magical girl anime: The Magical Girl and the Evil Lieutenant Used to Be Archenemies and I got to the last episode and was wondering if there was more (it stopped rather open-ended) and looked it up and the mangaka apparently died very young at 31 and left it behind unfinished.

So, that's a bummer. I binged the whole thing in one night -- the episodes are about half the length of normal ones (which makes sense because it's from a 4 panel manga) and even shorter if you skip the intro/outro. It is a little bit charming, a bit sketchy, very sweet, but also a bit dodgy. It has a deadpan heroine (the eponymous magical girl of misfortune Byakuya) who works about a billion jobs and never has enough money. And an eyeglass wearing "evil" lieutenant that falls in love at first sight. He wants to do his job and defeat the magical girl, but no, he really just wants to spend time with her.

On the skeevy side, it also has the weirdest ass most awful "angels" / familiars who are "in charge" of the magical girls. Byakuya's is the chainsmoking pervert dude in a cat suit who is constantly trying to get her into compromising jobs or talking about her boobs. He's gross. Actually, beyond gross. Mira tears his head off at one point, though he sadly doesn't stay gone, and you really wish it was permanent. The other magical girl is a childhood acquaintance and she hardly ever actual speaks (except in her head) and acts like she has Tourette's because she's constantly blurting out "fuck" as she randomly chomps people. The swearing part, not the violence. Her familiar/angel is a very bizarre looking bird-man with a six pack. Though when the familiars go back to "heaven" (is it really??), they look like guys.

Honestly, could have completely done without the other magical girl and the horrible angels that are just taking advantage of the girls. Just give me more of the "evil" lieutenant who can't help but save the hapless but...ok, I was going to say plucky, but she's not plucky. She's resigned. But she keeps going even so. I love that they find their happiness in each other.

So there's no real end to the series due to the author's death, so I imagine that she is somehow the magical girl who saves everything by the two of them falling in love. And even though there's an age gap (not sure how much, but this is a weird world where he's not human (?) and she's not either exactly, now that she's a magical girl, so I'm just gonna roll with it). 

So, am I glad I watched it? Yeah. I doubt if I'll watch it again, but it has it's own special charm. In "my" ending, I'll also imagine that Mira ("evil" guy) manages to send off the familiars once and for all and truly save Byakuya and give her the life he so desperately wants her to have.

Ameku M.D.: Doctor Detective

In an effort not to fall any further behind, here's Ameku M.D.: Doctor Detective, an anime that I tried an episode of last night.

It's basically House meets anime, teaming up with the police (sort of), if House was a short, female doctor with too much attitude who looks a bit like a teenager and the Watson of the group is a tall, sturdy, dependable doctor with dark hair.

I...didn't love it. I mean, I love mystery type things but I really didn't care for the Dr. lady much. She's needlessly abrasive, doesn't actually seem to care about patients -- just satisfying her curiosity. The junior doctor was a much nicer character. 

And the mystery begun in the first episode involves her postulating that a Tyrannosaurus Rex bit off a guy's leg and killed him. Like, wtf? It seemed a bit too out there for what the show was billing itself to be. It does have a decent rating on Crunchyroll, so I may try another episode to see if grabs me at all, but I'm very meh over it and there's a lot of other untried shows out there.

Welcome to Japan, Ms. Elf!

Out of the new crop, Welcome to Japan, Ms. Elf! is one that I'm finding very enjoyable. 

Since a young age, Kazuhiro Kitase (the dude) has loved sleeping -- because in his "dreams" he travels to another, fantasy-style world. He's able to bring with him bentos (that he leaves by his bed) and not really anything else and his "body" in the other world started as a young child and is now more or less like a teenager, though in the real world he is out in the workforce and in his mid-twenties. When he "dies" in the alternate world, he just finds himself back at home in Japan. He's never questioned it much, since it's been this way since he was young, but it seems like he assumed it was some kind of rich dreamworld. 

In the fantasy world, he has a friend, Marie, an elf wizard that he likes to hang around with. But then, one day, they are both killed by a dragon, though Kazuhiro protects her as the fire envelops them. When he wakes up back in Japan, he's very startled to discover a (naked) Marie in bed with him. That's when he realises it isn't just a very realistic dreamworld; it does exist. Why he goes back and forth isn't really explained (at least so far; I'm in episode 8) or why anyone there with him when he falls asleep and/or dies returns with him, but it's not really necessary. 

Marie then begins to accompany him back and forth (and later, the avatar of the dragon does as well). So the show is kinda like an isekai but not at the same time. There's cooking related stuff as Marie (and the dragon lady) discover the joy of Japanese food and also just Japan in general, but then it's balanced with their adventuring in the "fantasy" world. 

I like the set up. I like the characters. The two main characters are obviously destined for some romance, but it's very sweet and even though big busted dragon lady appears and an old childhood friend, it's NOT a harem (childhood friend is even married!). All around, I'm finding this one charming and a big enough departure from standard isekai that it's quite enjoyable. Will update after the end of the season.

Psychic Princess

Ha, okay. So leaving aside for a moment that the intro/opening credits to this Chinese anime is quite possibly one of the weirdest I've seen with the strangest song and the title itself is iffy, Psychic Princess is actually very enjoyable. 

It's actually a kinda overused storyline for the base premise -- older sister has strange (i.e. spirit) talents and is sent away at a young age because she's seen as a "jinx" to Spirit Cloud Mountain while younger sister is a pampered, spoiled brat. Hmmm, yes, we can see our Happy Marriage parallels easily, though this one might have come before it. Then the emperor has arranged a marriage between the Grand Councillor's daughter to Prince Ye, but he has a reputation of being cold and heartless and evil Grand Councillor has plans AND younger daughter doesn't want to marry Ye either (until she sees him later and has regrets) so they recall the free spirited older sis and make her go through with the marriage, sort of holding her servants (Auntie Xu (?) and Qu'er) as hostages. 

So, at first it's the classic thing where he declares he doesn't want her anywhere near him (while she's hiding under a table, so he doesn't even see what she looks like) and sends her off to a busted up Serenity Palace building. But then she winds up running into him later dressed like a ninja, into one of his brothers who thinks she's a maid (and she shoulder throws him, much to his immediate joy; he crushes on her immediately) and into another brother, who witnesses her taming the untameable horse (Ye's). 

Meanwhile, our psychic princess (I have to think that the original Chinese is less goofy than the translation, but maybe not) has a ghost servant and soon adopts another one that's been haunting the Serenity Palace. They are called Mochi and Sesame. 

So while he doesn't trust her at first, she continues to intrigue him with her very non-princess-y ways. She knows martial arts, she argues with him all the time, she's not remotely demure, etc. etc. The consorts, including the former favourite, of course detest her. There's political machinations via her father. There are evil Taoist priests who want to steal her away. There are good fairies that become her friends. 

I finished season 1 and can't find season 2 (or, strangely enough, the manga/donghua/manhua version) even though there was news that it was supposed to be out in the 2023/2024 season, though in a weird 3d-ish animation style. I can find online translations and supposedly the season 1 of the anime covered up to around Chapter 130 (and there appear to be over 500 chapters). Taking a peek at the online version it has a bit of a different feel / pace than the anime, though the bones are the same. 

I guess let me cover this...I did enjoy it, the weirdness notwithstanding. She's a strong character, though the voice actress for her has a particularly whiny, high pitched voice that kind of gets on your nerves -- I know it's supposed to be the "cute" voice but, eh, not to me. The art is actually okay once you get past the weirdness of the opening title song. It's SO weird. I did wind up binging it very quickly, so it held my interest and it's annoying that season 1 ended so abruptly, so I did like it and I am glad I watched it. I'll probably even attempt to read it online as there's no other way that I can find, though the translations are...not the best.

Edit: Ok, I found a reasonably (but not great) translated version online and I've been reading it. Up to Chapter 337 out of 500 something. The anime went to roughly Chapter 125? It is both better and worse than the anime, though some of the "worse" might be due to the somewhat iffy/ridiculous translation. Maybe. 

Pro for the anime is that some of it was restructured so that the story makes more sense. And the art is much more consistent. 

The most ridiculous things for the written version is that we're supposed to believe that this 20-something year old (or maybe older, it isn't clear) prince with an ACTUAL harem and even a favourite concubine, has NEVER before had sex and has no idea what to do. Nor have any of his brothers, except for the Crown Prince, who is married and a total horn dog. 

Then, there's a whole section about how they have a past connection and have been reincarnated (I guess?) where neither one were human. He was the Sage King of the Devil Realm and she was a Sky Fairy (and princess? maybe?). And their romance in that past life was also just about as weird, where she went to the Devil Realm dressed as a man (but not remotely looking like one; I mean, the girl has obvious boobs even when wearing men's clothing) and he figures out she's a woman, sort of...but literally is like asking her "Are you a woman?" like he's never seen one before when he has handmaidens who gush all over him all the time. 

Anyway, while I am finding it moderately interesting, it's also got a lot of stuff that makes no sense at all. I am not sure if I'll finish it. I kinda just want a summary. And, seriously, if you could just skip through all of the wrist grabbing and forced kissing and "Shocked" faces, it'd probably take the chapter count down from 500 something to like 200. 

Blue Box

Blue Box is somewhat of an atypical watch for me as I'm not really into sportsy anime. That said, it's really more of a slow burn romance/coming of age story.

This one is on Netflix and is ongoing. I'm not sure how many episodes there will be, but I'm caught up at episode 19. Gah, I kinda hate watching stuff as it comes out! So much nicer to just watch after it's all been released!

Taiki is a badminton player and a year younger than Chinatsu (brown haired girl) who plays basketball. Every morning, they are the first ones at the gym to practice. He has a crush on her and respects her, content mostly to admire her from afar, though he dreams of more. Then it turns out that her parents have to move country and she is going to stay behind to hopefully make it to nationals (she's the star player). As Taiki's mom and her mom were close friends, she goes to live in his house. Oh ho, forced proximity!

It's pretty clear early on that Chinatsu does have some interest in him as well, though she seems determined to not act on it -- she's very focused on basketball, the whole reason she stayed behind. The pink haired girl is Hina, a good friend of Taiki's. They have a teasing relationship together and he treats her basically about the same as his best guy friend Kyo.

But Hina realises she wants more and confesses to him. He rejects her, though he's confused. Meanwhile, Chinatsu senses/sees Hina's moves on him and is growing more and more conflicted. Does she dare disturb the universe?

I'm sure the end game is that Chinatsu and Taiki wind up together, though I have to admit that I don't mind Hina. She's honest and straightforward and, if Taiki weren't totally smitten already, would actually be a good match for him. If, perhaps, she'd started her campaign earlier, who knows what might have happened. But there's definitely some second lead syndrome with her. Not to mention -- Chinatsu is a year ahead. Someday, she'll be at uni while he's still in secondary. That's a hard thing. But, in general, you want to root for the two of them.

It is very much a slow burn--at episode 19 neither one has confessed to the other as they both dance around their feelings. It is very sweet, though I don't think this will be a rewatch for me because it's so painfully awkward. Will update when it finishes though! I do feel bad for Hina; hopefully she'll find her prince charming someday.

Raven of the Inner Palace

Hmmmmm. I felt like I at least partly found what I was looking for in Raven of the Inner Palace, though the anime ends very abruptly (and rather unsatisfyingly). 

It's from a Japanese light novel series (completed, though the anime doesn't cover it all), though it's set in an alternate world historical Chinese universe. The mythology behind it is unique and the art style has a gloriousness to it. It isn't your typical story, which is likely what made me binge it all in a short amount of time.

Anyway, the Raven Consort is a 16 year old girl and while she is ostensibly part of the Emperor's harem, she stands apart from the other consorts. She does not have nighttime duties, for one, and she is the one you go to with requests...occultish ones. Her strange powers come from a raven-ish goddess and she was chosen when she was only 6 to be the successor of the latest Raven Consort.

She's also one of the only surviving members of the old ruling family clan -- they all had silver hair, as does she, though she dyes it to hide. I thought more would be made of that in the anime, but even when her secret is discovered (like, immediately) by the emperor, it really wasn't a big deal and he even mid-way through repeals the edict that put a price on her head.

This at first appears like it is going to be a romance, but it really isn't. It is more a story about freedom and truth, friendship and loyalty. There's definitely a found family aspect to it as well. 

I'm not actually going to rehash it any more than that because, while it is only 13 episodes, to really explain it would take ages. Suffice it to say that the world building is interesting and well done, though I definitely get the feeling that they had to leave large swaths out. The art is well done, the characters are well drawn and well rounded. I enjoyed it, though the ending of the anime really leaves you hanging. 

I did look up what the ending of the manga is and, while I think it would also prove ultimately unsatisfying in some ways, it is a logical conclusion. I'm glad I watched it. I am not likely to re-watch, however, as it has that feeling of 98% complete-ness to it, leaving you unsettled and unsatisfied.

The Tale of the Outcasts

I've obviously been searching for something that I haven't yet found, as I keep starting new animes. I mean, I am finishing some, but I keep starting new ones. Such as: The Tale of the Outcasts.

I'll say right off the bat that this also isn't exactly what I've been craving, BUT, that said, it does seem like a decent show. There's a bit of an Ancient Magus Bride thing going on, but I won't fault it that, though so far I'd say the Ancient Magus Bride has the nod as far as art style and story. I've watched a few episodes so far. 

Wisteria is a young orphan girl who is forced by a (very nasty) priest to beg for a living and is then sold off by him to a nobleman who intends to torture and kill her. Before that sale, the only bright spot in her life was Marbus, a lion-like powerful demon that only she (and very few others) can see. While he has a human form, it costs him to wear it long. When he's a demon, almost no one can see or hear him, but Wisteria can. 

They've spent some time where he comes to her room at night to tell her stories. You see, he's terribly, terribly bored. Demons are NOT people and his values and the things that bind him are very different...but he's been alive for a very long time and he is BORED with a capital B. He's also relatively decent...for a demon, you might say he's quite honourable in his own way. He's at first not going to interfere in Wisteria's life, but that changes when he hears what the nobleman plans. He whooshes off to save her --where it turns out that noble also had a pact with a demon...but that demon is no match for Marbas...except...if a demon does something "good" without something big in exchange, it can kill them. When he tries to save Wisteria, expecting nothing, it immediately cripples him.

So Wisteria gives him her eyes (eyesight), forming a pact with him. Back in full form, he easily levels the evil demon dude.

Complicating matters is that Snow, a demon hunter and Wisteria's long-lost brother, tracks them...he's looking for his sister. After a standoff with Marbus, Wisteria convinces him that this is what she wants, and at the end of the last episode, she and Marbus are off on a new adventure, though I am sure it will be full of people wanting to tear them apart.

I am enjoying it so far and the dynamic between Marbus and the now-blind Wisteria, who has to rely on him to do things like clean when he's never done anything like that before. I truly hope it doesn't drop into romance territory as she's a literal kid and he's more or less like a father figure for her. But, we'll see. 

Play It Cool, Guys

I dunno why, but I wanted to add in a short format anime for those bits of time where you just gotta watch something quick. Meet Play It Cool, Guys, which run about 15 minutes, though some of that is intro/outro and can be skipped.

Even being as short as they are, I've just watched three episodes so far. As there look to be 4 or 5 guys and each one seems to focus mostly on one, I haven't met all the cast yet. Anyway, the guys are all decent types, each sort of a different trope, if you will. And they all behave "cool" but also cluelessly sometimes. Like the office worker that misses the spout on his coffee or accidentally wears an eye mask as a headband after forgetting to take it off. The high school student that forgets things all the time and tries to pass it off like it was on purpose.

I think you could think of the episodes like brief little pick me ups. It doesn't appear that there's any romance (BL or otherwise). More like a slice of life with some "Goofy Boss" vibes. So far, I like it.

Snow White with the Red Hair

While the title of this one is a bit of a misnomer as it really doesn't follow the Snow White classic storyline at all, it is, so far, a charming slice of life style romance: Snow White with the Red Hair.

I'm on just episode 6 out of 24 and it's been pretty charming so far. Shirayuki is a girl with abnormally (for the area) red hair and is working as an apothecary in a kingdom that starts with T (it's not terribly important, so I'm not bothering to look it up). The prince of that country is...well, he's a dick. He decides he wants her as a concubine because of her beauty/strange hair. So instead of "reporting for duty" the next day, she instead prepares all the medicine that people might need, cuts off her long hair, and takes off for the next country.

While taking shelter outside an abandoned mansion, she runs into Zen (of the white hair, though it is short, but OF COURSE I am predisposed to like him). She doesn't know it at the time, but he's actually the second prince of this new country (Clarines?). However, Asshole Prince has people following her and they leave her a basket of poisoned apples (hear ye, hear ye, shades of Snow White). She isn't the one that takes a bite though -- Zen is. Then she's taken and is about to give herself up for the antidote for Zen when Zen bursts in through the door, announces who he is, and convinces Asshole Prince to give her up...or else it could start an incident between the two countries. He's a coward, so he does.

Shirayuki then moves off, finds a room to stay, and ultimately applies (and gets in) to be a court apothecary on her own merits. There was a Lord Asshole who wanted her removed, thinking some "nobody" should not have such easy access to the prince, but she does overcome it. And she's kidnapped (that red hair again) and I did like that, while Zen did come to rescue her, she also helped rescue herself with ingenuity and bravery. 

The main characters are very sweet together and I like the supporting cast of Zen's retainers (Mitsuhide, Kiki, and Obi). Am hoping it will have a decent resolution to the anime though I see from a search when I was grabbing an image that there was no 3rd season due to disappointing DVD sales or something, so not sure there's gonna be enough of an ending. But, we'll see. So far I am enjoying it.

The Daily Life of a Middle-Aged Online Shopper in Another World

I mentioned this one before: The Daily Life of a Middle-Aged Online Shopper in Another World, though it's ongoing and I'm just half way through. The essential conceit is nearly the same as Campfire Cooking in Another World, but with a harem-load of differences.

In this one, the dude isn't summoned -- he just suddenly wakes up in another world. He was a middle aged illustrator so he's familiar with isekai-ness, though there's no explanation of how he wound up in this new world. No inciting incident, no truck-kun. 

His skill, like in Campfire Cooking, involves access to an online shopping platform. However, this is no cooking show. He sets out to be a merchant and have a slow life. He does make some good choices and overall seems like a decent dude but this is definitely a harem-centric show. Also interesting is that he brings out things like trucks and backhoes and passes them off as magic.

But the harem bit...it's kinda weird...so, like, immediately, he winds up hooking up with the waitress at the inn he's staying at. She's very forward and just hops in and he makes no complaints. Similar thing with cat lady beast folk--he does the beastfolk a good turn and she just wiggles into his sleeping pallet. Again, no argument or protest. Thankfully, it's all fade to black-ish. 

But then fancy blonde lady merchant's daughter makes passes at him and he gently is turning her down (so far, but don't think that will last long). So...it's okay as long as it's someone he sees as working class or not that intelligent (cat girl is strong and a great archer but definitely not the sharpest tool in the shed)? That just doesn't sit quite right with me. I mean, not that I want him to go jumping into a bed with her either--she actually seems to want to marry him--but it feels wrong somehow that the rich posh lady is the only one he makes a fuss about. 

He did save her life in the last episode, so I guess we'll see what's gonna happen. This is only 4 episodes in, too...

Yeah. I'm expecting too much. I probably need to lay off the isekai for awhile soon. Will update after finishing.

Edit after episode 5: Huh. So he adopts the young kid that he rescued because she wants to stay with him and they make a big deal out of her wanting to sleep in his bed with him. He doesn't treat her as anything but a kid, but....meh. And at the end of the episode when fancy lady is off to try and seduce him again, he's picked up sticks without saying goodbye because he's pretty sure some nobles are out to capitalise on his power. He did bring the girl and the rescued bobcat though. But he's riding off on a motorbike...would that not be a super obvious giveaway??

The Reincarnation of the Strongest Exorcist in Another World

I binged this one in a few days at the gym, though I can't say I adored The Reincarnation of the Strongest Exorcist in Another World. I mean, I didn't not like it either. I...am ambivalent, I guess?

So. The dude. He was a super powerful exorcist in something like an alternate Japan that controls ayakashi. He's killed, but after some betrayal, etc. but he has something up his sleeve--the ability to reincarnate himself in another world. I did like/find interesting that it's the first time I've seen someone isekai themself.

He is reborn as Seika Lamprogue (which I'm not looking up how to spell, so I've probably mucked it up) in another world that has element based magic. His family has a history of famous mages. He's the youngest son supposedly from a mistress (though he's not really the guy's son--while it never gets explained in the anime and he never seems to find out himself, it's likely he's actually the offspring of the guy's younger brother and a demon).

Anyway, he still has ALL his powers from the other world and can even call forth the ayakashi he had captured over there, though the stuff used to measure magic in this world doesn't register his skill, so at first everyone thinks he has no magical power.

His goal this time around is to NOT be the most powerful and to basically hide behind the skirt of the hero. Anyway, lots of stuff happens and I'm not gonna rehash it all, but suffice it to say that he's as OP as you get and he is, in fact, actually the Demon King reincarnated...as a human...though HE never finds this out and actually spends all his time protecting the hero (the red haired girl).

It's nominally a harem as the blonde girl (who is his servant/slave) loves him, but he never touches her even though it's apparently common in this world for masters to take liberties (he saves her from one of his older brothers and also from a prince that wants to take her) and the hero also likes him (but seems more like a friend) and another strong fighter girl they pick up along the way who totally could have been a male character but they obviously wanted to at least appear like a harem for fan service.

While I mostly enjoyed it, I don't feel like it made much sense that all of his powers were intact and unchanged and he could call all those ayakashi from other worlds. And it's kind of an open ended ending for the anime at least. And why he didn't question what was really going on with the demons. And why the holy priestess girl also was consorting with demons. And how we were supposed to go along with the asshole brothers redemption arc.

So...yeah. I dunno. How did he not know he was the Demon King? And none of the demons he fought realised it either until the one who could see stats figured it out -- but didn't say anything -- but the holy priestess knew and also didn't tell him? I guess I'm annoyed that all these plot bits were just left hanging out in the wind to flap there unresolved.  And while being OP is always a thing in these, he was so ridiculously OP that it was a bit ridiculous.

Will I watch it if another season comes out? I'm not sure.

The Dangers in My Heart

Whew, ok, I'm glad I stuck this one out past the first ten minutes, because The Dangers in My Heart wound up being adorkable. 

We first meet Ichikawa Kyoutarou as he obsesses over his classmates (especially Yamada Anna, who although only in junior high is already working as a professional model and actress and seems unattainably popular and cool). And when I say obsesses, I mean he's plotting how he'd kill them like some kind of US-style trenchcoat mafia fanboy. Which is when I nearly turned it off. As a former American, it was a little much. I mean, I get that Europe and Asia don't have anywhere near the level of school violence that the US does, so it comes across a little differently if you're from an American background. And certainly a lot of kids obsess about death and murder (he reads serial killer books obsessively). BUT. I nearly abandoned it.

Luckily, Anna very quickly starts pulling him out of his shell and after the first couple of episodes, it's clear that he's no budding serial killer (and likely never would have been, even without her intervention--he's a decent guy, no matter what he likes to tell himself). There are definite Komi vibes here (also in Anna's design -- she's tall, statuesque and towers over Ichikawa and even has the long, black hair) though Anna has a lot of odd about her as well. The girl never stops snacking, and, while sweet, isn't always the sharpest tool in the shed.

They are both awkward in their own ways and through two seasons (26 episodes) you see them make their way through their 2nd year of junior high and into their 3rd and final year. So, they're roughly 13/14 throughout and experiencing the pangs of adolescence and learning how to be teenagers and yearning to be adults. It's actually really well done and has lots of comedic moments, as well as really heartfelt ones as they take one step forwards and two steps back episode after episode, but inch slowly forwards.

Definitely glad I watched it and may even watch it again someday. I saw something that said there would be a season three, though I'm not sure as a quick search says that the manga is still ongoing and likely hasn't racked up enough volumes to cover a third season yet. So, we'll see. I was really surprisingly charmed by this one. 

Anyway, I'm Falling in Love with You

Pretty sure the Childhood Friend is actually going to get the girl in this one because there's (possibly) 4 love interests and they are ALL childhood friends. Anyway, I'm Falling in Love with You.

Interestingly, the show seems to be told in flashbacks from the adult woman's (Mizuho) point of view but they don't give a clue as to who she winds up with so far. I'm 3 or 4 episodes in. She's kind of an every girl who wants to be a manga author (but in her adult life, we see she's an editor...those who can't, teach, I guess). On the boys, there's one that's smart, another athletic & youngest (on the swim team), another who you'd think might be gay with the multi-coloured hair and wearing makeup and having followers/online presence and general fabulousness (and seems to be the most clued in to who likes who), and then glasses guy who so far just seems like "the normal guy" who said he wanted to marry her when they were little kids. 

If I had to guess, I'd say it's probably the first one that tells her he likes her as more than a friend -- the purple haired one called Kizuki. At this point, the sandy haired one (the intelligent one of the bunch) has given her a hug and acted a little weird, but has definitely not confessed. But, I think they all know what purple hair likes her likes her (except maybe glasses guy? He's the least defined so far). Even though she was apparently clueless as to his interest (and had tried to confess to a different member of the swim team).

I'm honestly not sure yet if I like it. I am liking elements of it, but not sure that I'm liking the gestalt yet. We'll see once I'm farther in or at the end. And, so far, no doesn't seem to mean no to these guys. The one guy kisses her without permission, the other hugs.

Edit (after episode 4): Hmmmm, I'm finding this one dissatisfying for some reason. I think I'm not liking the back and forth between high school vs. ten years later. Anyway, in this one, her "old" self says something along the lines of having watched the fireworks with "the one she loved" and then it teases that purple haired dude isn't there in the flashback  (though she might run to him at the last minute). Also, blonde dude also has it bad and even asks her dad BEFORE HE EVER SAYS ANYTHING TO HER if he can ask her to marry him after he becomes a doctor. And in a final flashforward, he's there picking her up with flowers BUT she seems surprised to see him (it's her birthday) so I feel like it's a red herring and he's NOT currently the guy. Like, they want to tease it as a distraction. So...yeah. 

Honey Lemon Soda

Straying from isekai territory, I've also started another new release: Honey Lemon Soda. 

It's a romance anime in the tradition of Say I Love You or Kimi ni Todoke or even Komi Can't Communicate (thought not as lighthearted as that one). Uka was known as "Stony" back in middle school, where she was bullied and teased. A chance encounter with blonde boy Kai Miura finds her entering his same high school.

She's determined to change her life, but she's also terrified and awkward. Kai runs hot and cold, but appears to want to help her in his own way. I'm on episode 4 now and I'd say I'm liking it, though the story seems verrrry typical for it's kind and I wouldn't say the plot is treading any new ground so far. 

Uka is trying and Kai, albeit popular, obviously has his own issues. The dark haired dude that I honestly do not know the name of is Kai's friend and has been acting "kind" to Uka, but seems to have ulterior motives (maybe he likes her and wants her for himself?). The best relationship is actually Uka and Ayumi, the short-haired girl, who is her first real friend. And they've just introduced Kai's old ex-girlfriend (?), so there will be drama coming.

In one refreshing twist, Uka realises very early on that she likes Kai and doesn't try to deny it to herself. Though she believes it will end in heartbreak or be unrequited, at least she's honest with herself.

I'm a Noble on the Brink of Ruin, So I Might as Well Try Mastering Magic

Here's another isekai I am part way through (it's still releasing) called I'm a Noble on the Brink of Ruin, So I Might as Well Try Mastering Magic. Another super long name.

Looking at that image, it looks like it might turn into a harem, but there's not a lot of evidence of that so far at least, thank goodness. Liam is isekai'd into a new world while enjoying a drink after work (we're told this; don't think we even see him)--he just appears in the middle of his baby sister's birthday party in the body of a 12 year old boy that's the fifth (I think) son of a nobleman. 

In this world, if you don't do something grand that helps the nation, you can be returned to commoner status after 3 generations and this is that generation for his family. Consequently, his oldest brother and father are very anxious. The dad wanted a girl to hopefully marry off to another family to help keep them relevant. Liam's next oldest brother is marrying into another noble family, partly to get out of the way of the oldest brother. The oldest is...desperate and kinda stupid.

Anyway, as the title gives you a clue, Liam starts to learn magic and discovers he has a talent for it (of course). He also meets some mysterious guy that gives him a magic ring that helps him learn and store spells. The mysterious guy is obviously well connected as some high up guy recognises the ring later, though it seemed like he was in hiding from Liam's dad and wasn't supposed to be on the land? Really hasn't been explained yet.

More "anyway" -- Liam, by episode 4, has mastered all kinds of magic, "absorbed" a dragon that everyone originally thought was evil but wasn't, been made a knight and then promoted to baron (so is kinda higher up than his dad now), saved a bunch of pixies and turned them into elves (?), and has started a new "nation" that was in a hidden valley kind of thing but can float and is apparently some promised sanctuary according to the princess. Whew. That's a lot.

So, so far I'd say the show seems decent, if typical. I'm guessing there will be 12 episodes and given how much was packed into the first 4, who knows what will happen. Will update after I finish!

Edit: Episode 5: He takes over a tribe of wolfmen that he turns into werewolves-ish (and one becomes a waifu-werewolf....sigh), gets engaged to the princess (with her permission, at least, though she also appears to be at least 5 years older than him...but I just googled it, and she's supposed to be 16, though she looks more like early 20s), and discovers super powerful armour.

Edit: Episode 6: He takes over a herd of trolls and evolves them and makes fancy battle armour. This show really doesn't make sense. All the pixies/elves are female. All trolls are male. The werewolves at least had both, but how the hell do the rest reproduce?

Edit: Episode Whatever: Dunno honestly why exactly I'm still watching it. It's mostly inoffensive? It just really doesn't make any sense. And tweenager keeps racking up more waifu (the latest got dumped on him as a plot for invasion, but he kept her.) Coming up next looks to be the Beach Episode. So, yeah, apparently there are modern bikinis in this 1500-1700-ish timeframe (no, no there should not be). It's like it was written by and for 13 year old boys that are above average in horniness.

Campfire Cooking in Another World with My Absurd Skill

Ok, I've actually lately gone on a bit of an isekai spree...and when I say lately, I mean for the last few years. But I digress. Of the latest crop, Campfire Cooking in Another World with My Absurd Skill is one I quite enjoyed.

Now, if you go into it expecting a lot of plot or character development, you may be disappointed. This is, at its heart, a slice of life isekai / cooking adventure. 

But I'll start at the beginning. Tsuyoshi Mukouda is a 27 year old corporate drone and he gets caught up in a hero summoning that has also pulled in your typical three teenagers. They're all assessed to have major hero powers, but his is "Online Grocery Shopping" (and in this fantasy medieval setting, of course no one knows what that might be). Mukouda is also not an idiot -- he thinks the king seems sketchy at best and he doesn't want to get caught up in some war on demons or whatever. He easily convinces them to give him some hush money and let him go live a quiet life. And then he hies out of the capital city immediately before they can change their mind, buys some local clothes to get rid of his business suit and fit in, and heads to the Adventurer's Guild to hire some protection to get him to the next kingdom.

While on the way there, he's putting his skill to good use -- basically, he can buy anything he wants from an online Japanese grocery shop and he must have been a decent cook before, 'cause he knows what he's doing (though it also reads like a product placement ad every episode as he pulls out prepared sauce after prepared sauce and packaged meals). His guides very much appreciate the change--food in this world, especially on the road, is crap.

But he also catches the attention of Fenrir with the good smells and winds up entering a familiar pact with the legendary creature. Anywho, much traveling on later, mostly just him and Fenrir and then with the addition of Sui, THE most adorable slime in the isekai universe, and it's basically a cooking show. Mukouda does develop some magic, but he's a coward at heart. Fenrir and Sui are OP as all heck and there's never really any danger to our isekai'd hero (well, that is kinda typical) and while he develops some friendships, they are all relatively short lived as he wants to explore the world and live a slow, happy life eating good food under vast blue skies. There's also not even the tiniest glimmer or hint of romance and definitely no harem. 

While he's a bit one note and doesn't develop much character-wise at all, it's a feel-good, easy watch. I found it very enjoyable and I will definitely watch the next season when it comes out. Heck, I'd watch it just for Sui. SO CUTE.

The basic outline is repeated in The Daily Life of a Middle-Aged Online Shopper in Another World (which I'll write about another time), but there you've got a 46 year old who's definitely not opposed to casual hookups, though he (at least) turns down the more innocent merchant's daughter. I've watched a couple of that one and like it okay, but Campfire Cooking, honestly, is an easier, sweeter watch with a good heart.

I Want to Escape from Princess Lessons

So, yeah, I gave this 4 episodes but I am not gonna watch this anymore. Honestly kinda wanted to drop after 2, but thought I'd give it the benefit of the doubt. I Want to Escape from Princess Lessons is really pretty awful. I'm not sure if there's another male lead/love interest I have liked less in an anime.

I don't even like the way he looks. Bleh.

So, the premise sounded like it might be okay. Noble girl, betrothed at a young age to the prince and taken to the castle to live to endure day in, day out princess lessons with a horrible tutor. Then, at age 17, she goes to a Ball and there's the prince with a new lady on his arm, saying she's his companion now. Turns out he was just doing it to make her jealous but she cheers and congratulates them because she hates everything about her life.

Goes to their country house. Has maybe a few days or a week of being happy, then he comes and kidnaps her even though he readily admits that, boy, does she seem happy where she is when she's always been miserable and stoic and polite before.

Then episodes of her escaping and him capturing her or forcing attention on her and literally EVERYONE else from her family to the maidservants to even the noble lady who wanted to be the princess until she too had to take lessons is constantly telling her she's wrong and to just give up, etc.  

He's insufferable, overbearing, doesn't listen to a thing she says and stomps all over her boundaries. She's kind of an idiot and waffles back and forth. And you can see them setting it up that somehow she'll still fall in love with him, etc. etc.  

I am honestly amazed I made it through 4 episodes. The only part I liked is when she and her brother (who is also an ass) play muffin roulette.

Am I glad I watched it? No. Would I watch it again? Hell to the No. The only way to save this hot mess would be if she grew a better brain, actually escaped, and got the hell out of that entire kingdom because they all suck.

Nina the Starry Bride

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmm, yeah. I think the subtitle of this one should be: "Nina the Starry Bride: Poster Girl for Stockholm Syndrome". I've watched through episode 9 (of 12) so far and I really don't know how I feel about it. It's very much the classic wide-eyed heroine with the purest of pure hearts.

So. Nina is an orphan who has grown up rough in the streets, hanging out with two other orphan brothers. She dresses as a boy (for obvious reasons) and is fleet of foot and steals from the rich to try and get enough to eat. You know, Aladdin. But a girl with big blue eyes not typical for the region of Fortna. When the youngest brother dies, the older one apparently sells her out. We never see him again (at least, not so far).

And who has bought her? None other than Prince Azure of the golden eyes. Because, Princess Alisha, his half-sister (not exactly, but let's stick with that for now) who has grown up as a priestess, has the same blue eyes. A neighbouring nation (Galgada) has demanded she be married off to their first prince or they'll invade. But the real priestess supposedly has perished in a carriage accident, so the Prince is looking for a substitute he can fob off and hopefully hold off/delay a war.

How did he come up with this crazy plot? Why, we very soon learn, the same thing happened to him! The current king had actually killed his own son and Azure is a replacement chosen for his golden eyes. Only a handful of people know that.

Anyway, Nina (now called Alisha) is resistant for all of a hot minute and then nearly immediately comes to trust and admire Prince Azure to the point that when she figures out that the King had killed the original Az and hates the replacement Az and has been behind the plots to harm him, she hies herself off to Galgada even though Az (who has also fallen for her) has said he'll find a way to cancel the engagement...did I mention that his original intention was to set up the fake Alisha and then she somehow dies and he pins it on Galgada?

Yeppers, she's a noble martyr ready to sacrifice herself to keep a man (who she's barely known for maybe a month??) and a country (who has treated her like literal rubbish) safe. The plot justification is that she's so happy to find someone that needs her that she does all this for Az.

So. Yeah. She goes off to Galgada, where she meets Sett, the white haired, red-eyed prince. He's been collecting princesses from other lands as potential marriage partners...but not really. They're just excuses. He wants their territories and basically goads/tortures them into either attacking him (and then killing them...then invading) or depressing them until they give up and return home (giving him an excuse to invade). He's no peach. When Nina, who has no filter when standing up for others, annoys him, he strikes her across the chest with his sword. He doesn't kill her, but she'll bear the scar forever. 

But she's SO determined to save Az that she continues to profess that she'll be his bride. He slowly starts to warm to her, partly because he can't understand her (me either) and she also warms to him (STOCKHOLM SYNDROME). Honestly, yes, he and Az BOTH have tragic backstories. Sett's even more than Az. But, come ON.

There's more, but, yeah. I will finish watching this season, but I don't expect a resolution. And there's tons of discussion with people debating who the "winner" is (I gotta say, whoever it is, it sure as fuck isn't Nina) so I don't think there's a good ending for the anime. Pretty sure the manga is still ongoing, though if I had to guess, I'd say she probably winds up with Sett, though who knows what that does to the fates of the two countries.

Why the hell this scrappy tomboy who used to steal to survive didn't just NOPE out, I don't know. Well, I do know. It's a story about a noble pure of heart girl and the two damaged boys that only she is able to reach and change...

Bah.

I finished it. Still annoyed. If a second season comes, no, I don't think I'll be watching it.

Delico's Nursery

Hm, so I watched 7 episodes of Delico's Nursery, mostly while on an airplane as I had it downloaded. However, I haven't watched any more since.

I had downloaded them because the premise sounded quite different -- Hailing from a prestigious noble house, Dali Delico is an elite member of the Blood Pact Council, the highest governing body of the Vamps. Yet, Dali flatly refuses a mission the Vamps assign him. As Dali’s motives and possible connection to mysterious murders begin to mount, council members Gerhard, Dino, and Henrique visit him in hopes he’ll reconsider, but find him soothing an infant child!

Yeah, vampire dads all babysitting their kids and investigating. And I found the art style interesting and atypical as well, though the animation is a bit sketchy, honestly, once you watch it.

But...there's a shedload of crying toddlers. I mean, a LOT of crying. I wanted to take my earphones out. And they keep talking about "The Trump" (True of Vamp??) to the point it was practically giving me PTSD as a former American. It just sounded silly. And...well, the plot didn't really make much sense. And it wasn't nearly as cute as I thought it might be...I was hoping for something along the lines of School Babysitters, I guess, just with vampire dads. Or a Buddy Daddies, but with goth vampire sexiness. It kinda feels like two different plot lines and they don't really go together or complement each other.

So it's kinda doubtful I'll pick it up again.

The Dangerous Convenience Store

Heh, so this will be a short review. The other day I picked up volumes 1 and 2 of The Dangerous Convenience Store because I'd seen a review somewhere that it was "cute" and the back copy looked okay. Sure, it said "18+" on it, but so does My Dress Up Darling, and there's just a couple of dodgy illustrations per book and the rest of it is really pretty tame (and the story is great). At the most, I thought it might be like Love Stage, where there are some graphic scenes, but they come kinda late and are just a few pages.

Welp.

Haha, me. The story starts out ok-ish, but then literally nearly a third of the first book is some pretty graphic hardcore stuff. Little too much for me. Okay, a lot too much. Luckily, even though I'd removed the shrink wrap, the lovely Forbidden Planet staff let me return them the next day.

Story-wise, it wasn't anything special at all anyway (from the bit I read before I was all 😑😬😣😮😱😳). There's a college student who works at a convenience store at night that is frequented by gangster types, including one middle aged handsome one, who takes an interest in him. When he gets depressed because he confessed to his crush (and his crush flirts back but tells him he's actually dating someone), gangster dude, who is apparently hung like a truck, offers to "get his mind off of things" though he's apparently never dated or done anything with a guy before? Thus ensues a freakishly, dangerously long encounter, etc., etc.

I flipped through it and, yeah. DEFINITELY not at all the same level of My Dress Up Darling or even Love Stage. They MEANT this 18+ rating. Let's just say there's not a lot of dialogue in this book. I didn't even really read any of the next one, just flipped through to see it looked about the same. Too hardcore for me.

So, thank you, staffers, for letting me exchange it for something else.

I'll Become a Villainess who Goes Down in History

Damn these anime that end on a cliffhanger and may or may not have a second season coming. Sheesh. Maybe I should go back to Kdramas--they almost all are one season and done. The problem is that I generally need a 25-ish minute block for working out (or around 20-ish when you factor in skipping intro/outro). Anyway: I'll Become a Villainess who Goes Down in History.

This one has so many similarities to Bakarina (and, honestly, a lot of other shows), except that Alicia (our titular villainess) is much smarter (which, to be fair, isn't hard) and actually wants to be a villainess. So when she wakes up at age 7 to the fact that she's destined to be a villainess later, she works super hard -- and capably -- to improve herself. She never liked the namby-pamby holier-than-thou heroine.

Of course, she's not really a villainess at all though. She may try to be, but her actions are generally noble and good-hearted as she works to free wrongfully incarcerated people and stand up for the downtrodden. And it's obvious very early on that Prince Duke (who names these characters??? That's like saying Princess Duchess) has eyes only for her. 

The heroine or "Saint" is an annoying character, but in the way of "she doesn't know any better and is kind of an airhead". She's literally no match for Alicia, even if she does have amazing magical powers (which you almost never see). 

So...okay, I'm not meaning to sound too negative. It isn't a bad show at all. I think there's just so many with similar (nearly identical) storylines that it feels hard to judge them separately. Overall, I enjoyed it. If it had been the first one of these I'd ever watched, I would have enjoyed it more.

However, I'd still be annoyed that the end is her being exiled by Prince Duke (who is doing it because he knows she wants to go investigate another country) and it's very much a cliffhanger / needs a season 2. Also, she'd been sneaking around to the prisoner village for ages...why wouldn't she have just snuck into the other country? Or pretended to defect? I mean, do these two countries not allow any trade at all? It seemed ridiculous grandstanding.

Anyway, am I glad I watched it? Er, indifferent, I guess. If a second season comes out, I will more than likely watch it though.

365 Days to the Wedding

So, this is a bit of an odd one because it's hard to imagine it ever happening in real life. That said, it's very hard to imagine MOST anime ever happening in real life, but there you go. Anyway, 365 Days to the Wedding.

Takuya Ohara (glasses guy) and Rika Honjoji (deadpan lady) are two of the most awkward ever adults and they both work for a Travel Agency. That agency is about to open a branch office in Alaska in a year and send an unmarried worker to start it. Neither of them want to go and have a bit of a private panic (to be fair, NO ONE in the office is looking excited about the prospect).

But somehow the two, who have barely even spoken to each before this because that's just how awkward they are, manage to hatch a plot and buy rings. They're going to pretend to be engaged so they don't have to go. Now, how in the world they thought they could pull this off for a year, I dunno. Or why they thought their co-workers would just be like "okay" and go on with their business and not be surprised or want to celebrate, I dunno either.

Anyway, it started off fairly cute as it's obvious that they'll end up liking each other due to the forced proximity / cohabitation. BUT then the show goes down some dark pathways that I didn't expect and, honestly, feel a bit out of left field.

Like, the less attractive glasses man, who thinks he has a happy homelife, gets into some horrible argument with his wife and basically goes on a day long bender where they're taking his young son around to find him and finally locate him in a bar, where he then PRETENDS TO BE A WILD ANIMAL and runs off into the park. With his poor kid still chasing after him. There's no resolution to this either; as far as you can tell by the end of the show, he's likely getting a divorce from his wife.

And the plump, earnest guy, Gonda, really wants a relationship but he's not exactly anyone's idea of a catch. But he meets a woman who likes the same thing he does. When he asks her out (or maybe he jumps right to marriage, I can't remember), she surprises him with the fact that she's a single mother. He flinches--I mean, not like recoils, but obviously dude is surprised. She cuts him off. He tries to respond by gathering up all his bank books and proving to her that he could support a family, but she won't even see him again; she sends a friend to do it. Also no resolution there. That's where poor Gonda's story ends too.

Then there's some drama with Rika's mom and with Ohara's family. It's like a show that wanted to be light and fluffy, but the author is dark and depressed and couldn't handle it. I dunno. I did see that it's written and illustrated by Tamiki Wakaki (creator of The World God Only Knows). That's quite a show too...while it has one of my absolute favourite lines in it (I have always rejected reality in an exceedingly friendly manner), it's also a show I never quite finished because it just. Got. Weird. I think I got through most of the first arc, but never even tried the second. Or maybe I got through the first season. I dunno. It's been years. 

Anyway, back to this one. I finished it. As expected, they both come clean, but then decide to get married anyway, even though they haven't dated yet. It ends there, though it looks like the books go into more details on what that actually means.

Am I glad I watched it? I wouldn't say glad. I'm not unhappy I watched it and overall I liked it, but it kinda gives you whiplash. I wouldn't watch it again, though I did enjoy the art. 

Pseudo Harem

I am, let's be honest, fairly over harem shows. I don't mind if it's really one couple and some admirers as much, but some shows take it to extremes. Based on the name, Pseudo Harem, you might think this is one of those. You would be totally wrong.

Instead, this is a very wholesome and delightfully sweet show about a one woman harem wholly devoted to one guy (and the guy is also devoted to her...though he's a bit clueless to start. Maybe.)

Eiji Kitahama's dream, like a lot of high school boys, is to have a harem of girls fawning all over him. But it's not like this goofy dude could make that happen. Rin Nanakura, his new junior in the Drama Club, however, falls for him sort of immediately and acts out (when they are alone mostly) different classic archetypes you might find in anime and manga. One day, she's Imp-chan, the next she's the smart, cool type and so on. 

It's just a deliciously cozy little romance show. It's not hot and heavy -- they move too slowly for that and are w-a-y too awkward and sweet for anything like that too. It's just super charming.

Definitely glad I watched it. Glad it actually gave an ending where they wind up together (though, honestly, not sure why they waited so long...sure, she had to make a go of her acting career, but not sure why he had to "catch up" and wait until he felt his career level matched...cultural thing, maybe?). Not entirely sure I would watch it again -- maybe? But I really enjoyed it.

Yakuza Fiance

So...I've watched 8 episodes of this one and I will likely finish it: Yakuza Fiancé. But...I seriously don't understand why/how people like the titular couple together. He's, like, a psychopath killer guy who sleeps around.

Ok, so, Yoshino (the girl) is from a crime family in one city. Her grandfather runs it. Kirishima is from a crime family in another city. They are both in high school, last year, I think. She is promised to him in marriage by her grandfather as some part of a deal between families. Kinda. It doesn't really seem like the grandfather thinks they'll actually get married some day. But, either way, off she goes to live with the dude's family to get to know him. 

She doesn't like him. He, for his part, acts like an absolute insane serial killer kinda guy and is awful to her. But when she declares that she's sold a kidney for money & wants nothing to do with him, suddenly he "loves" her and wants her to be his. While still sleeping with random other girls. 

Yoshino, so far, has spent the whole show professing how she has no love for him. Which only seems to make him want her more. And they're both doing crazy yakuza stuff and stirring pots and intrigue, etc. The other guy (Shoma) is from Yoshino's gang and is (maybe) a corner of a love triangle, though maybe not because they treat each other like brother and sister.

Overall, I'd say I am enjoying the show, but I'm kinda annoyed. He needs to be drop-kicked. And I see stuff all over FB and Insta and wherever fawning all over him and his devotion to Yoshino. Are you freaking kidding me? He's awful. 

I'd rather she wind up with Shoma or, hello, no one at all, because she's capable.

So, anyway, I do think I'll finish this, but I don't think I'd say that I love it. I'm old and annoyed.

Alya Sometimes Hides Her Feelings in Russian

 Huh. I totally forgot about this one: Alya Sometimes Hides Her Feelings in Russian. I was watching it back in September and I watched 8 episodes. But I haven't watched any since then. Should I pick it back up?

So, Alya kinda likes this one dude (the only dude in the picture, so you can easily figure out who he is) but she pretends she doesn't (and doesn't even seem to totally realise it herself)...but she sometimes says things in Russian where it's very flirty, etc., not realising that he understands her because he knows Russian.

And why, you ask, does he know Russian? Even though they didn't officially out it by episode 8, it's obvious that the childhood friend he learned Russian for/from is Alya's older sister.

Which is, honestly, probably why I wasn't enthusiastic about picking it back up again. That and some weirdness -- like, why does he pretend not to know Russian? What's up with the underling girl and the other ones running for Student Council? Why is running for Council such a cut throat thing? Why is there still so much misunderstandings when he can actually understand her and knows what she says? Why does the dude and his sister have such a weird relationship (and don't admit they are siblings)? And, probably the biggest ICK...WHY does the little sister have to be such a clingy weirdo where she does really inappropriate things to her brother??

That's the biggest reason I haven't picked it up again. I was liking elements of it but it seriously grosses me out when they do the brother / sister thing. Especially when he doesn't act like it's that big a deal. Dude. Your sister flashes you on purpose.

So...I looked up the current state of things and it looks like officially in the light novels that they haven't even confessed to each other that they like each other. Which means the anime likely doesn't have any resolution. So...yeah, I don't think I'll pick it up again. I thought the original conceit was interesting, but not interesting enough to get past the other dodgy shit.

Kono Oto Tomare (Sounds of Life)

I finished this one quite a while ago as well and I really enjoyed it. Kono oto Tomare is about a school's koto club (a traditional musical instrument) and the members, who each have their own challenges. It's a slice of life type of thing, but with some romantic elements.

That said, the three characters in the forefront of the picture are the main characters. 

There's Chika (the blonde). His grandfather was a koto maker and he was a bit of a juvenile delinquent (but with a good heart). Some ruffians basically trashed his grandfather's store, pinning it on him, and his grandfather died soon after, so poor Chika has a heavy burden on his heart. His exterior is rough and tough, but he's a marshmallow inside. He joins the club because of his connection with his grandfather and his yearning to be a better person (not that he realises that part).

The dark haired girl is Satowa, who was a koto prodigy and daughter of a grandmaster (or whatever you'd call it) of a koto school. But her father died and her mother pushed her away to the point that now she lives on her own and has been disowned. She joins the club in hopes to rekindle her love of the koto, in part, but also to find herself again.

The dark haired guy in glasses is the sole member of the club after the rest graduated. He's Takezo Kurata. His baggage isn't as heavy as Chika and Satowa, but he's got some too -- the pressure of keeping the club alive, being put down by school bullies & his own brother, and general feelings of inadequacy. That said, he's a stand up guy.

The other boys are all friends of Chika's that believe in him even when no one else did because he helped them out even when he didn't have to. Weirdly, his closest friend isn't a member of the club, but we see him a lot in the show (Tetsuki). The other girl is in the same year as Kurata and at first joins the club with the intention of breaking it up but winds up finding a place for herself. There's some hints of romance beween her and Kurata by the end of the second season and Chika and Satowa are also headed that route.

However, it's not really a romance anime. It's more of a found family / overcoming adversity / learning to believe in yourself & others, etc. etc. The story is good, the characters are good (even the three guys have distinct personalities beyond just caricature), the art is good, the koto playing is well done...really, it's an all around good show.

Definitely glad I watched it. Would watch it again someday too. If they ever did another season, I'd watch it (though that seems unlikely since it came out in 2019). I'm not sure that I'll buy it to read it, but mostly just because I've already got so many different series going. Well worth it though.

Buddy Daddies

Buddy Daddies is another one that little dude and I watched together a while ago. I honestly can't believe that someone hasn't snapped it up to make it into a movie starring one of the Ryans (Gosling or Reynolds) because either one would be perfect in it.

So, basically, there's an odd couple pair of hit men -- the blonde one, Rei, is the Felix Unger kind of one (cleans, cooks, keeps things organised) and Kazuki is the gamer-probably never opened something with a can opener in his life-trigger man who comes from a yakuza family. They've been living and working together for a while when they cross paths with Miri...

Miri is a little girl (4? 5?) who has gone off by herself (her mom works a bar as a singer) to try and find her dad...who just happens to be their new target. Miri doesn't really know who he is and it's a veritable miracle she manages to make it to the party that her not-very-nice dad is throwing. The two hit men wind up with her and no idea what to do about it.

And thus ensues hijinks as two hit men with their own crazy baggage try to raise a mischievous kid. 

I love a lot of things about this one -- the dynamic behind the guys is great. They're friends through thick and thin. This isn't a BL, but it could have been, but I think it's kinda nice that it wasn't. It's Found Family, is what it is. I love that there's an actual end on it too -- after Kazuki "gets out" (after his dad goes so far as to try and kill Rei and Miri to get him back in), there's a time jump and you see them years later when Miri is a teenager. They're still together, but now running a restaurant or bar, not killing people. 

Well, I wouldn't want to cause trouble in that establishment, that's for sure.

It's a madcap story with engaging characters and it's got heart. I really enjoyed it and would even, probably, watch it again someday.

Yuri on Ice!!!

Yuri on Ice!!! has possibly one of the most excited anime titles out there. I somehow didn't see it when it first came out (and was HUGE), but little dude and I watched it together back in August. 

It's about a Japanese dude who's a professional figure skater and about to retire ignominiously after a massive failure. But after a performance, THE top skater Victor decides to sort-of retire and be Yuri's coach.

Ok, let me just say that the anime is WAY more goofy and silly than either of us imagined it would be, even with the clips we'd seen of it. I mean, it was everywhere for a while. ALL of the characters were more EXTRA than we'd thought too. 

There's definitely some attraction / tension between Victor and Yuri and it's, like, kinda realised but also kinda not? It's got hints of BL but also doesn't fully commit. Well, sort of. Maybe it's because it's so goofy that it's hard to take seriously. But, it's altogether a feel good type of show. 

We both enjoyed it and we'd definitely watch a second season if it came out. The animation was really quite good, especially of the ice skating scenes--impressive, really. I'm sure that's partly why it was so well received. It's a show about skating and it really feels like they skate, if you know what I mean.

Am I glad I watched it? Yeah, of course. We both really enjoyed it. Would I watch it again? Um, maybe, if little dude wanted to or another season came out.