Jeoffrey

If you've been anxiously waiting for the second season of No Game, No Life for a decade, and you're willing to settle for a cheap alternative that vaguely brings back those nostalgic vibes, then Liar Liar (unfortunately without Carrey) might just hit the spot. Admittedly, this series falls short in the creativity department, with only a handful of competitions or duels managing to capture interest (the "hide and seek" game in the building, and the showdown between Hiroto and Noa were highlights for me). Plus, you might find yourself questioning the protagonist's sudden strokes of genius during these challenges. It will probably still manage to hold your attention and you probably won't get bored because there is always something happening. The characters may also seem familiar, featuring the usual suspects: a seemingly generic protagonist who relies more on cunning than brilliance, a white-haired unemotional maid replacing the white-haired unemotional sister, and a redhead who starts off as an adversary but eventually becomes the protagonist's closest ally. The cast tends to come off as flat and easily decipherable, kind of like after a lobotomy — especially when the main characters' biggest secrets are unveiled within the first episode. The animation doesn't exactly shine either, with background characters resembling paper cutouts. While this might be a stylistic choice to emphasize the importance of the main characters, it does come off as odd. Let's face it — this anime isn't breaking any records. It serves more as a reminder of the imaginative and emotionally engaging world of No Game, No Life, offering little beyond a "meh" and occasional moments of slight stupidity. That said, it's watchable enough; I didn't find myself bored, and there were instances where plot twists or concepts caught my attention. Overall, it's a middle-of-the-road experience, earning a 5/10.

As someone who's always a bit skeptical about live-action anime adaptations, much like video game adaptations, I approached this project with an open mind. Why? Well, mainly because I've noticed the level of involvement from the manga's author, Oda, and his enthusiasm for the series. When the creator stands behind the adaptation with such satisfaction, it's hard to dismiss it outright. And thankfully, much of what makes One Piece so exceptional is still there. The series is well-crafted, though there are moments where the pacing feels a bit rushed, especially Arlong Park. Nevertheless, I could still immerse myself in this world, believing in the emotions, motivations, and dreams of the characters. The casting was on point, particularly the choice for the main protagonist, who embodies the spirit of the character we've come to love. I appreciated the attention to detail in the sets and the use of practical effects over CGI in certain scenes, which lent authenticity to the production. However, where the live-action version falls short for me is in the portrayal of the actual fights. While the choreography was decent, it's difficult to capture the same intensity and fluidity of the iconic battles we've seen in the anime and manga. It's a challenge to translate such dynamic action sequences into the real world. That being said, the live-action One Piece successfully captures the adventurous spirit of the original. You can sense the passion that the actors poured into their roles, and despite some omissions, the series effectively conveys the core themes and ideas of One Piece. I'm eagerly anticipating a possible second season and curious to see how the creators will tackle more challenging aspects, such as Chopper's appearance. But based on what we've seen in these eight episodes, along with Oda's involvement and the dedication of everyone involved, I have faith in their ability to deliver. Overall, I'd give it an 8.4/10.

Initially, I anticipated this series to be another culinary isekai based on the information I came across. However, as it turned out, the cooking aspect wasn't as prominent as expected. Instead, it leaned more towards a typical isekai narrative, sprinkled with occasional baking and confectionery production, alongside characters cleverly named after desserts. After the initial episodes, with their well-maintained pace and the intriguingly crafted world that stood out on its own rather than just serving as a backdrop for the main character, I began to see potential. I appreciated the contrast, best expressed as "Pastry just wants to bake his cookies, but the outside world keeps throwing obstacles in his way...". The appearance of bandits, intermittent wars, and the reactions of most characters to the events unfolding, all contributed to a sympathetic and somewhat realistic portrayal of the world. However, the humor fell short for me. While the overall atmosphere was generally pleasant and relaxed, reminiscent of Ryoma and his slimes and his calm problem-solving with a smile, there were instances where more compelling and dramatic plot twists occurred, abruptly snapping me out of that lazy slumber. It wasn't enough to keep me eagerly anticipating the next episode but compared to the plethora of generic isekai series today, this one generally stood out as at least decent. Ultimately, I'd rate the series as slightly above average, despite not being particularly impressed by the animation or music. However, there were a few characters and aspects of the story that managed to pique my interest. 6/10

A wonderfully crafted short film that made the most of every minute to deliver a cohesive and compelling story with intriguing characters. However, it's evident that this is merely a glimpse into the broader narrative of the original book, and its adaptation could easily translate into a full-fledged series – something I'd eagerly tune in to watch. This short film sparked my curiosity about Rebecca's journey, leaving me yearning to delve deeper into her fate, explore her relationships with both aunts, witness her school experiences, forge friendships, and navigate the challenges of growing up. The quaint setting in an American small town immediately evoked reminiscences of Mark Twain's work (not to mention that the protagonists' surname was Sawyer). Visually, it's quite appealing, with a somewhat retro drawing style. Overall, an enjoyable experience. 7.5/10

Our Last Crusade or the Rise of a New World is yet another anime series with a storyline based on Romeo and Juliet and set in a strange fantasy world. Truth be told, it is easy to laugh at this anime series which is actually quite a shame. What is so bad about it? Well, for one thing, the way the main two protagonists randomly encounter each other again and again over and over is incredibly tiring. As soon as one of them goes off somewhere, you know that they are inevitably going to meet the other by sheer coincidence, and by the fifth time, it seems absolutely fucking stupid! I also think the motivations of the protagonists and the decisions they make resulting from those encounters just do not make any sense. One protagonist wants peace in the form of negotiations between opposing sides, however, instead of negotiating with someone who clearly has the same objectives and eagerly desires some sort of cooperation, he stubbornly refuses, and it is therefore incomprehensible to me how he realistically wants to achieve his objectives. In addition, there is some sort of cooperation at times, albeit accompanied by ridiculous assurances that it is just a temporary one-off deal and that they are actually still enemies (for the millionth time, it seems really moronic)... To make matters worse I just cannot take the bad guys seriously because they have stupid names like Kissing and Masked Lord (also known as Lord Mask in some of the credits, which reminds me of the Spaceballs character Dark Helmet)... Another thing I just do not get is Captain Mismis Klass, or rather I cannot imagine any militia where this girl could have become the commander of an elite assault unit... So, what is good about this show? The world it is set in may be charming, as the struggle between science and magic is an interesting subject matter, however, I cannot say that it is something that really works well. Likewise, the storyline could have been more interesting, because a lot of the major characters clearly have ulterior motives and are conspiring together, and occasionally there are some unexpected and interesting twists (I noticed two in the final episode, for example). However, it would have had to have moved away from the Shakespearean tragedy aspect and focused more on their plotting and scheming to have given it a deeper dimension. The fight scene animation is quite good and I did not even mind the CGI abomination that shows up at the very end so much, although there is still a lot of room for improvement. All in all, I cannot call this a decent enough anime series, nor can I say that I enjoyed it, however, on the other hand, I found a few things (story-wise) that helped me get through it, and maybe I might be able to watch the next season as an act of self-sacrifice. 4/10.

I must admit, this four-part ONA continuation of TONIKAWA: Over The Moon For You (storywise, these are just additional episodes of the main story, not a spin-off or any other side branch) felt better than the entire second season. Across these four episodes, I found myself more engaged and entertained compared to the previous twelve. Not only were there more new characters introduced this time around, but each episode also seemed to brim with more enjoyable situations than the entire previous season combined. Yet, amidst all the new elements, the series maintained its signature romantic ambiance, albeit occasionally overly sweet. The final episode, in particular, stood out with its numerous nods and allusions to the traditional Japanese story about Princess Kaguya, hinting at a deeper connection that the series has yet to fully unveil. Perhaps the release schedule, with a two-week gap between episodes, contributed to my enhanced enjoyment this time around. It might be why I didn't mind the sweetness and the fact that the plot often dragged more than any average slice of life. Regardless of the reasons, I found myself thoroughly immersed in Tonikawa once again, perhaps even more so than before. I'm genuinely curious about what lies ahead and how the new characters will shape the narrative. If this part is any indication, I'm hopeful that the series will continue to excel as a charming ode to marital bliss. 6.5/10

Well, let us be honest, after that chaotic messed-up ending, I cannot see how there is going to be a second season... What I liked about this show was the idea of reincarnation in the form of souls merging with someone else, it was just a shame that they did not actually explore that much and that the different parts did not end up in conflict at some point, as that would have definitely been quite interesting. The rest is a kind of mediocre isekai anime series with a main male protagonist who works his way up from being a downtrodden loser to being number one top dog, and who, in the manner of Mad Max, makes a frantic journey back and forth, the significance of which is actually more or less secondary, and basically the main male protagonist and the plot could do without it in the end. I mean, it is nice for him to find out who he really is, even though, so what? In addition, all the clichés and tropes spoiled my enjoyment of the show. Why can't the main protagonist be just an orphan and nobody, was it necesary for him in any way to be someone else? Also why must be the protector of every isekai MC a hot girl? I am getting bored woth this clichés.  Also, the fight scenes are so strange, as due to magic Haruto/Rio  does not have to deal with gravity. The way he moved in fights sometimes seemed quite peculiar and the final confrontation was so wooden and lifeless - in other words, it just was not that impressive. Oh, and I have already talked about the weird ending - well, even though the whole thing seemed kind of stupid to me, I could understand the rescue of the bride. Anyway, the anime’s creators decided to cram a new plot twist into two minutes at the end without any real explanation why, happening in some weird way just to have an ending, which was just really terrible... A reader of the original manga told me on a forum that this was the point where the narrative really started to get interesting. However, I am not too excited about any follow-up or finding out more regarding this particular adaptation. 4.2/10.

The second season started off strong, with more than half of it maintaining a pleasant momentum. There was a sense that the story was continuously progressing, with something always happening. However, it remained true to its exaggerated nature, filled with silly jokes, excessive fan service, and melodramatic moments. Yet, amidst all this, there's a certain B-grade charm to the series that keeps me entertained. Even the climactic battle, spread over several episodes, managed to avoid feeling drawn-out, unlike the end of the first season. However, I found myself irked by moments where secondary characters would chatter incessantly during key fights, disrupting the flow. Despite this, the series still had its moments of tension, albeit lacking the intensity I had hoped for. One glaring issue was the lack of consequences for characters; it became evident that no one dies in this series. If a character had a name and wasn't just a background figure, they would inevitably reappear, even after seemingly meeting their demise. The characters here have plot armor greater than the entire Lord of Destruction Anthrasax. This sense of invincibility detracted from the impact of the finale, despite its epic appearance. While the ending hinted at darker times ahead, I found myself questioning my curiosity about the next continuation, given the predictable patterns from both seasons. As the second season progressed, it began to unravel, plagued by familiar issues and some new ones. Overall, my impression remains much the same as the first season, so the rating will be consistent. 6/10

I wasn't very impressed with the series at first, and the only thing I kept thinking during the first episodes was that the creator of some of the character designs must be a JoJo fan. But I gave the series a chance and was pleasantly surprised at the very end. The buddy vibes between the main couple turned out to work quite well. The last couple of episodes even convinced me that the creators can evoke some emotions in me, and the final episode showed that the creators know how to do a great action scene if they put some effort into it. The show reminds me of a slightly weaker Bungou Stray Dogs with poker cards serving as a means of gaining supernatural powers. Despite the weak start, I'm starting to believe that it could get even better, and I could enjoy the whole thing as much as I liked the last 3 or so episodes. So, only 3 stars at the moment, but I'll happily watch the second season in the hope of drawing a better card. 6/10

This season is probably the weakest one so far. There were moments when it felt like everything was dragging unnecessarily, and I never quite felt that sense of importance. Maybe it was because I watched it late at night when I was already quite tired, but even then, the series couldn't quite capture that feeling when you finish an episode and immediately want to dive into the next one to see what happens next. The highlights for me were the visit to the pirate city and the subsequent chase with Finnegrin, although even that didn't compare to the best parts of the series (or the previous season). The actual season finale, which I was hoping would leave me eagerly awaiting the continuation, was a huge letdown. The underwater battle didn't feel epic, it was more on the boring side, and at times it felt a bit cheap (those tentacles didn't help). The second storyline didn't add much either, mostly just confirming that executing traitors of states had its significance in certain situations (maybe so they couldn't plot more mischief). Even the emotional development and relationships between the characters didn't quite pull me in this time. We've known for a while that the humor in this series, largely based on childish wordplay, isn't its strongest point and can sometimes be cringe-worthy. Despite all that, it's still an above-average fantasy series that occasionally brings up interesting topics and surprises with some good ideas (like Finnegrin's ship). However, this time around, the pacing felt slow, nothing felt particularly strong, epic, or important. That's why I can't give it more than a 5.5/10.