Media Anime and Manga Thread MK3 - Beware Spoilers

[brightobject]

dead dead demon's dedede destruction is a magnum fkn opus, definitely one of my new favs

It reminds me a lot of 20th century boys, but the characters are so fkn good and drive the plot forward at a satisfying pace with tighter logic (like 20th century boys, it does go off the rails towards the end, however I feel like it fits the escalating chaos of the story much better than 20th). The insane art style Inio Asano adopts here, a mix of cartoony faces and hyper-realistic violence and detailed pre-rendered settings, stands out among the crowd and feels like a really natural evolution of the bird head stuff he was messing around with in oyasumi punpun.

another rec (one I've made before) that had me making the same kind of favorable comparison would be Soil. Soil is basically Uzumaki if it was planned out a bit better--both thematically and plotwise. It also has an incredibly unique art style backing it inspired by global comix. Obviously Naoki Urasawa and Junji Ito have very recognizeable styles in their own rights, but if you are looking for something cribbing off the works of the masters that ends up outdoing its inspirations, I couldn't think of a better place to start than with DDDDD or Soil.

 

[Fishin]

Midseason thoughts. Looking it over I realize that about half of the list is isekai lol

Spy x Family: This seems to be the big popular show this season so I doubt it needs much introduction. It's very funny and wholesome and appeals to pretty much everyone.

Kaguya-sama s3: Same silly show about elitist dorks who are so obsessed with relationship power dynamics that they're constantly trying to get each other to admit their feelings instead of just saying it. It's stayed surprisingly consistent over time which is a pleasant surprise.

Skeleton Knight: This one suffered from both a generic premise (it's not even the first "videogame isekai except protagonist is a skeleton") and a bad first impression, but I've found myself oddly liking it as it goes on.

Shield Hero s2: Has gone from entertainingly bad victim complex fantasy to a fairly standard isekai and then has somehow been going even further downhill.

Quitting Heroing: Somewhat corny premise, fantasy hero has to work for the villains and fix their logistical/managerial problems. Not too special but fun enough.

Ya Boy Kongming: Average show, but it has an amazing opening animation and it's fun to watch some ancient Chinese tactician in a silly outfit acting all grandiose or breaking it down on the neon city streets or whatever.

Otome Games are hard for Mob Characters: Very dumb but it's kind of satisfying to have a main character who is unrepentantly a dick (and antagonists who are generally even less likable).

Executioner and her Way of Life: Solid fantasy anime, brought down somewhat by one of the two protagonists being incredibly unlikable and some plot inconsistencies.

Summertime Render: This has more supernatural elements than I like in my groundhog day murder mystery type setups. Could end up good or bad but it's generally nice to look at.

 

[Rugi]

gonna be sick and studying and recovering from surgery by the time this season ends so might as well write up all this shit now

SPY X FAMILY:
I'm a big fan of the manga and the anime has more than delivered. Very fun dynamic of three dumbasses accidentally becoming real family. If you're not already watching this why are you in the anime thread.

PARIPI KONGMING:
Very funny premise of romance of the three kingdoms' Zhuge Liang (Kongming) being reborn in modern Japan and becoming a manager for an upcoming popstar. Absolutely amazing OST and although my knowledge of Romance of the Three kingdoms comes entirely from other entertainment media, there's a lot of entertaining references for you nerds out there. If the show has a flaw it's the fact that Kongming is mostly a side character when he's by far the most fun part of this show.
Also the op of this show is a Japanese remix of a fucking Hungarian club song and it fucking rocks. Seriously. Listen to it if you haven't already.

KUNOICHI NO TSUBAKI:
By the same author who made skilled teasing shithead Takagi san. A bunch of little ninja girls are raised in a village ran only by women and they must never ever meet men for very lame reasons.
Like everything the Takagi guy writes it's thinly veiled fetish shit most of the time but ninja girl shenaningans are a lot more fun than engaging in your dom fetish with a schoolgirl so this show is much better. Also has an absolutely fantastic op and a plot that is going nowhere fast. Don't waste your time but if you like cute girls doing cute things there are worse shows to watch.

KAWAII DAKE JANAI SHIKIMORI:
This show is so bad? The plot of an extremely beta boyfriend and his kickass gf is starting to be more common and this show takes that to the extreme, but none of the gags are funny and the romance isn't particularly entertaining to watch. Nor is Shikimori actually that cool which I feel like defeats the point of this show. To make matters worse sometimes the animation is cheap as shit. Don't really get all the memes surrounding this one.

KAKKOU NO IINAZUKE:
Extremely forgettable comedy romance. I genuinely can't tell you if I enjoyed it or not as the 5 episodes I watched have disappeared from my memory. That's almost a superpower.

AHAREN SAN WA HAKARENAI:
Yet another comedy romance. The joke is that Aharen is very tiny and male love interest Raido is very dumb. This works surprisingly well and the show's constant deadpan delivery of crazy lines of dialogue as well as the rare but always well-used animation gags are fun. Also Raido and Aharen have lots of romantic chemistry in much the same way as watching two animals pair up in a David Attenborough documentary. Came in expecting nothing but I liked this show a lot.

DEAIMON:
In anime there exists the character archetype of the genki girl. A young girl who is a ray of sunshine and is kind to everybody and happy about doing anything. She's usually not the sharpest tool in the shed and isn't very socially clever either, but makes up for it in sheer outgoing kindness.
Now what if instead of a genki girl, we made it a male uni undergrad? And he works in a candy shop where he cares for his accidental adoptive daughter.
Look I can't really explain why this show is good but so rarely do I see an anime where a protagonist is this well liked and has this many love interests and I think "yeah makes perfect sense I'd love him too." every episode is a little personal story about some small trouble in one of the characters' lives and how it inevitably gets resolved through the care and insight of friends and family. I seriously doubt I've convinced you but please give this show a try. It's very heartfelt and very sweet and not just because of the candy shop.

SHACHIKU SAN WA YOUJO YUUREI NI IYASARETAI:
Overworked corporate slave ends up finding and caring for a cute little ghost girl. Her new daughter gives her the will to live or some shit. If you like watching cute ghost baby act like a dumbass this show is for you. Luckily, I do think the cute ghost girl is in fact, cute. So I am enjoying this show.

ONIPAN!:
An entire show based on a single joke about the song "funiculi funicular" having alternate Japanese lyrics talking about oni underwear. It's kind of awesome though? Great opening and ending, lots of funny one-liners and lots of great animation and clever jokes. Also sometimes the animation goes to utter shit and all the voice actors sound like they're just random people grabbed off the street but if anything this adds to the appeal. Three oni girls have to go spread the good word of oni-kind to humanity they do this by putting on magical tiger-striped underwear that instantly lets them cosplay. I swear there's no fanservice.

SUMMERTIME RENDER:
This is a groundhog's day loop murder mystery that initially comes across as being dumb as shit. But the longer I'm watching this the crazier it's getting and right now I'm just in full hype mode. Literally anything I say about this show is a spoiler so just watch it. It's definitely worth it so far.

KOI WA SEKAI SEIFUKU NO ATO DE:
Comedy romance yeah I know shut up and listen.
So, power rangers. And the red ranger is secretly dating the sexy villainess.
So many fun moments in this show so far and it's actually playing itself fairly seriously which only adds to the fun given the whole ridiculousness of the situation.

HONZUKI NO GEKOKUJOU 3RD SEASON:
This part is where I shill for honzuki. I've been a huge fan since the first season. The show might seem a bit cheap at first but please give it a shot. Of all the dog shit isekais ever conceived, this is like the only one ever where the other world feels like a living and breathing location with a complex culture and society. Also instead of having a super powerful god protagonist our main character is a six year old girl that dies if somebody sneezes too hard in her general direction. Watch as she accidentally rises through the ranks of her world, makes friends, and remakes society just because she wants to make some books to read.

As a bonus section this season has loads of good OP and EDs so here's a collection of them all

Hide

 

[Morkal]

I've been rewatching Code Geass and Code Geass R2 for the millionth time and it's still just as incredible as ever. Lelouch of the Resurrection was a fantastic movie too; although it definitely had some problems, they weren't even remotely enough to stop me from enjoying myself through the entire film.

Has anyone else been rewatching some of their favorite anime from way long ago? I might binge a lot of my old favorites in the near future.

 

[mertyville]

one of my favorite mangas finally got an adaptation: Hoshi no Samidare.
And it seems like it is already a complete disappointment. The manga had cool action, unique artstyle and dynamic characters. It had a Gurren Lagann and Kill La Kill like feels. But I felt non of the energy from the first episode.
I wasn't expecting great animation or anything. I wanted to see expressive characters and rule of cool scenes like when Samidare appeared to one shot the golem or had that iconic pose when she demanded loyalty from the MC.

Very disappointed. Even the opening which I normally don't give a damn about feels like a slide show. It would work if this wasn't the kind of show I described but maybe something mainly romantic or emotionally focused. I will give it 2 more episodes, and if it doesn't improve I will drop it. This will likely be another season of nothing worth for me and I can continue exploring some more older shows.

 

[ryo yamada2001]

-old post arguing abt difference in gaze in Akebi vs Bisque Doll-

resident akebi enjoyer to plug that i actually wrote something more abt this on letterboxd and anilist, because its good and possibly anime of the year:

"she's so close, i'm not hearing much of it..."

apotheosis of the utopian 'sapphic gaze' anime. gay glances galore: through the finale Erika laments she can't see Akebi's dance, but remarks she can just remember it anyway for she has internalized Akebi's movement. these gay relationships are continuous explorations of your crush's minutiae: her movements, her expressions, and what she's not even aware of herself. the endless amazement of discovering her in a new way, which is just as wonderful as seeing her as usual. but these relationships are also of self-actualization, wherein the desire to become her equal motivates one to explore one's body and develop skills — falling in love with oneself too.

Akebi-san is easily dismissed as a self-aggrandizing fetish show (supported by lecherous close-ups), but Miyuki Kuroki navigates the voyeurism to imply intimacy through the magic of specificity. Akebi's school uniform draws attention in the abstract, but the show is often shot through a side character's POV to examine how her wet sleeves stick to her arm, the way she holds a book, or how her lips move. at its best there's an understanding of love's totality; taking in the setting of where you fell in love with her first time — especially if its as mundane as a sports closet or skipping stones outside. a world in perpetual bloom with bright flowers and skies forever, *Akebi-san* always soothes as it gravitates towards the eponymous protagonist, but finds those effortless pockets of familiar high school nervosity and sapphic tension every episode. it can be soft to a fault — wherein hyper-optimistic conclusions undercut valid premises — but it's directed with such grace and visual flair it's impossible to avert your eyes from its wildly unique presentation, especially once it starts soaring through the skies.

 

[Fishin]

quick Summer season thoughts

Lycoris Recoil: This ended up being my show of the season out of nowhere. The premise (it's about a secret law-enforcing organization that consists of schoolgirls) and some other plot elements are incredibly corny but it's carried by the characters and direction and action and dialogue which are all great. It's one of those rare shows that's just consistently fun to watch no matter what's actually happening.

Made in Abyss s2: On the flipside, this is a show that I had very high hopes for which didn't quite reach them. The flashback arc in the middle is fantastic but the appeal of this series is the exploration into the terrifying, fantastical unknown deep in the earth and this season is mostly about the protagonists hanging around in the same place.

Isekai Ojisan: Story about some dorky uncle and his misadventures in fantasy land, told to his nephew after coming back to the real world. It's mostly a comedy, bouncing between the uncle being a complete idiot in the fantasy world and both the uncle and the nephew being idiots in the real world. Sadly incomplete for the time being due to production issues but very solid.

Cyberpunk Edgerunners: This initially feels like just another iteration on the typical Trigger formula but before long takes its own direction that I really enjoyed.

Summertime Rendering: Starts with the return of a protagonist to his podunk island hometown which has some mysterious supernatural stuff going on, gets pretty interesting in the middle as more characters and plot elements are introduced and the stakes are raised, but then it doesn't quite stick the landing.

Overlord s4: I think everyone knows what to expect from this by know, though it finally just barely starts to deliver on some of the teasing from the first season.

 

[brightobject]

really ended up enjoying edgerunners, I think trigger having to work inside of an existing framework really helps it out where its shows' worlds usually feel full of heart but pretty empty otherwise

 

[Muhammad al-Khaliq]

why does denji fight like an alpha male but become a beta male around women

 

[Posho]

why does denji fight like an alpha male but become a beta male around women

 

[antemortem]

why does denji fight like an alpha male but become a beta male around women

I mean… the answer is within the question

Chainsaw Man has made it really difficult for me to want to keep up every week—the shallowness of the main character’s desires are really nothing to keep my attention, but the music and animation are so ridiculously good? I would simply tune in to just watch intros/closers

Also Power is an awfully annoying and irrefutably unrelatable character

But she’s also a Devil

Can’t really hold her to her ingratiating personality can we…?

 

[Posho]

I mean… the answer is within the question

Chainsaw Man has made it really difficult for me to want to keep up every week—the shallowness of the main character’s desires are really nothing to keep my attention, but the music and animation are so ridiculously good? I would simply tune in to just watch intros/closers

View attachment 464110

Also Power is an awfully annoying and irrefutably unrelatable character

But she’s also a Devil

Can’t really hold her to her ingratiating personality can we…?

That is because Denji is meant to be shallow like that. He just wants to live the good life. CSM is very self-aware of its ridiculousness and if that kind of thing isn't your cup of tea, it's ok to drop it.

 

[antemortem]

That is because Denji is meant to be shallow like that. He just wants to live the good life. CSM is very self-aware of its ridiculousness and if that kind of thing isn't your cup of tea, it's ok to drop it.

Thing is I don’t even dislike it, I’ve watched every week so clearly I’m all in

I just heavily anticipate, as self aware as the show is, the moment everything really turns on its head

I crave subversion

 

[Rugi]

Absolutely packed season

AKIBA MAID WARS

 

[Surgo]

Really enjoying this season so far, with 3 that I'm actually enjoying watching. Akiba Maid Wars, Eminence in the Shadow, and Bocchi the Rock. Haven't enjoyed a season this much since...uh, ever.

 

[FigNewton]

Kinda wild how we are barely in the middle of the season and everything has been fantastic. I may be slightly biased in that sentiment given I'm watching 9-11 shows this season so I get a little bit of everything whether it's with Bleach, Spy x Family, Mob Psycho 100, Chainsaw Man, My Hero, Pop Team Epic, etc.

 

[antemortem]

Chainsaw Man episode 5 spoilers

Hide

Haven’t read the manga but my bets are that Eternity Devil is our Orochimaru / Aizen / god mode character and can’t wait for Denji to kill him in episode 128

 

[QuickBH]

Read through Demon Slayer a while back, and looking back at it twas alright, probably my favorite modern shonen (at least mainstream) but holy crap is it disappointing. I really enjoyed the power system and how it's all theatre of the mind in-regards to the effects, and the characters weren't extremely sexualized (could've been better but I could tell it wasn't just to get a bunch of neckbeard otakus horny) but the problem is characterization is just like any modern manga which is that nobody acts like a human being but archetypes ripped off of previous shonens from the 80s/90s. All Nezuko had to do was have a functional personality ala Jean Gray, where she is in actual mental conflict and not just a doll most of the time, and really focused on a compelling brother/sister dynamic and I would've really enjoyed this series. As of right now I can only rank it at about Sailor Moon level, where it's not terrible and has a cohesive plot, but pretty much no message is to be found and thus there's no point in recommending this or reading it again. What a shame, maybe the anime fixes some characterization moments and I probably will watch it at some point, but I have my doubts.

 

[Posho]

Read through Demon Slayer a while back, and looking back at it twas alright, probably my favorite modern shonen (at least mainstream) but holy crap is it disappointing. I really enjoyed the power system and how it's all theatre of the mind in-regards to the effects, and the characters weren't extremely sexualized (could've been better but I could tell it wasn't just to get a bunch of neckbeard otakus horny) but the problem is characterization is just like any modern manga which is that nobody acts like a human being but archetypes ripped off of previous shonens from the 80s/90s. All Nezuko had to do was have a functional personality ala Jean Gray, where she is in actual mental conflict and not just a doll most of the time, and really focused on a compelling brother/sister dynamic and I would've really enjoyed this series. As of right now I can only rank it at about Sailor Moon level, where it's not terrible and has a cohesive plot, but pretty much no message is to be found and thus there's no point in recommending this or reading it again. What a shame, maybe the anime fixes some characterization moments and I probably will watch it at some point, but I have my doubts.

kimetsu no yaiba manga spoilers

Coincidentally, I binge read all of it two days ago I really liked it. I think, though, your character critique is valid, because this author loves to pick a character trait and exploit it endlessly (see: Zenitsu). Other than that, it is a story I feel concluded pretty well and I enjoyed the journey. I was curious as to why people shat on its ending on the internet and I didn't even find that the main issue of this manga. I feel it jumps way too abruptly into the final arc, which is filled to the brim with characters we should have met previously, but we didn't. We only get to know them during that one mini-arc, so it was like the author just shoved them down my throat and expected me to connect with them later on. Thankfully that didn't stop my enjoyment. The battles against the Upper moons in Muzan's world were super entretaining, filled with cool character moments and strategies. I was glad at least Douma was made to be a total asshole, because even though I liked the other demons' backstories, I didn't want every one of them to be a fucking tragic ass character. It is true that Muzan himself wasn't all that interesting, but I loved the challenge that it presented to everyone and how raw he was. For now, I can't wait to watch the next arc animated

 

[QuickBH]

kimetsu no yaiba manga spoilers

Coincidentally, I binge read all of it two days ago I really liked it. I think, though, your character critique is valid, because this author loves to pick a character trait and exploit it endlessly (see: Zenitsu). Other than that, it is a story I feel concluded pretty well and I enjoyed the journey. I was curious as to why people shat on its ending on the internet and I didn't even find that the main issue of this manga. I feel it jumps way too abruptly into the final arc, which is filled to the brim with characters we should have met previously, but we didn't. We only get to know them during that one mini-arc, so it was like the author just shoved them down my throat and expected me to connect with them later on. Thankfully that didn't stop my enjoyment. The battles against the Upper moons in Muzan's world were super entretaining, filled with cool character moments and strategies. I was glad at least Douma was made to be a total asshole, because even though I liked the other demons' backstories, I didn't want every one of them to be a fucking tragic ass character. It is true that Muzan himself wasn't all that interesting, but I loved the challenge that it presented to everyone and how raw he was. For now, I can't wait to watch the next arc animated

Yeah flashbacks aren't used the greatest in this series, it's hard to care when flashbacks aren't used to extend the story in any way. I enjoy how the Demon Slayer world has actual blood and the series doesn't treat killing like a joke, but flashbacks are supposed to be used so that way the character can grow AFTER not to garner sympathy after killing them off.

Experiencing Demon Slayer again, this time through the show. Only a few episodes in but I am enjoying it. Looking back at the opening though I can see one gigantic problem, the opening was way too sudden and left the siblings with very little room to grow. It was also promising a series that's very serious in tone which makes all the comedy pretty much fall flat. Had the first episode/chapter been balance between comedy and drama I would've enjoyed the whole series more, and the current first chapter seems like something that should happen at chapter 3/7 at latest. I'm starting to think that the pacing is the issue, rather than most other modern series where it's just the characters feeling like complete knock offs from something better. I'll watch this slowly and maybe I'll post my thoughts as time goes on this seems like a healthy exercise. I'm comforted by the fact that I don't have to deal with softcore porn 24/7 and I know the author was actually putting an effort to tell something decent.

 

[bdt2002]

Read through Demon Slayer a while back, and looking back at it twas alright, probably my favorite modern shonen (at least mainstream) but holy crap is it disappointing. I really enjoyed the power system and how it's all theatre of the mind in-regards to the effects, and the characters weren't extremely sexualized (could've been better but I could tell it wasn't just to get a bunch of neckbeard otakus horny) but the problem is characterization is just like any modern manga which is that nobody acts like a human being but archetypes ripped off of previous shonens from the 80s/90s. All Nezuko had to do was have a functional personality ala Jean Gray, where she is in actual mental conflict and not just a doll most of the time, and really focused on a compelling brother/sister dynamic and I would've really enjoyed this series. As of right now I can only rank it at about Sailor Moon level, where it's not terrible and has a cohesive plot, but pretty much no message is to be found and thus there's no point in recommending this or reading it again. What a shame, maybe the anime fixes some characterization moments and I probably will watch it at some point, but I have my doubts.

kimetsu no yaiba manga spoilers

Coincidentally, I binge read all of it two days ago I really liked it. I think, though, your character critique is valid, because this author loves to pick a character trait and exploit it endlessly (see: Zenitsu). Other than that, it is a story I feel concluded pretty well and I enjoyed the journey. I was curious as to why people shat on its ending on the internet and I didn't even find that the main issue of this manga. I feel it jumps way too abruptly into the final arc, which is filled to the brim with characters we should have met previously, but we didn't. We only get to know them during that one mini-arc, so it was like the author just shoved them down my throat and expected me to connect with them later on. Thankfully that didn't stop my enjoyment. The battles against the Upper moons in Muzan's world were super entretaining, filled with cool character moments and strategies. I was glad at least Douma was made to be a total asshole, because even though I liked the other demons' backstories, I didn't want every one of them to be a fucking tragic ass character. It is true that Muzan himself wasn't all that interesting, but I loved the challenge that it presented to everyone and how raw he was. For now, I can't wait to watch the next arc animated

Yeah flashbacks aren't used the greatest in this series, it's hard to care when flashbacks aren't used to extend the story in any way. I enjoy how the Demon Slayer world has actual blood and the series doesn't treat killing like a joke, but flashbacks are supposed to be used so that way the character can grow AFTER not to garner sympathy after killing them off.

Experiencing Demon Slayer again, this time through the show. Only a few episodes in but I am enjoying it. Looking back at the opening though I can see one gigantic problem, the opening was way too sudden and left the siblings with very little room to grow. It was also promising a series that's very serious in tone which makes all the comedy pretty much fall flat. Had the first episode/chapter been balance between comedy and drama I would've enjoyed the whole series more, and the current first chapter seems like something that should happen at chapter 3/7 at latest. I'm starting to think that the pacing is the issue, rather than most other modern series where it's just the characters feeling like complete knock offs from something better. I'll watch this slowly and maybe I'll post my thoughts as time goes on this seems like a healthy exercise. I'm comforted by the fact that I don't have to deal with softcore porn 24/7 and I know the author was actually putting an effort to tell something decent.

Never thought I’d reply to three posts all at the same time like this, but here we are now. For the past few years I had a growing interest of getting into anime and manga, and this was one of the first series I was recommended. Speaking from an outsider’s perspective, there’s a lot of stuff I’ve enjoyed about the series up through where the anime is at, and while I’ve never dove too far into spoiler territory, I’m excited to see how the show could adapt some of what I’m already aware of that happens later in the story. I do have my critiques, namely that some sections early on feel really dragged out and that the high-end animation does carry the anime just a little bit, although not enough to deter my interest from the other aspects of the show. Assuming nothing crazy happens, this series is on pace to be the first anime show I ever actually watch in full from start to finish.

 

[QuickBH]

Never thought I’d reply to three posts all at the same time like this, but here we are now. For the past few years I had a growing interest of getting into anime and manga, and this was one of the first series I was recommended. Speaking from an outsider’s perspective, there’s a lot of stuff I’ve enjoyed about the series up through where the anime is at, and while I’ve never dove too far into spoiler territory, I’m excited to see how the show could adapt some of what I’m already aware of that happens later in the story. I do have my critiques, namely that some sections early on feel really dragged out and that the high-end animation does carry the anime just a little bit, although not enough to deter my interest from the other aspects of the show. Assuming nothing crazy happens, this series is on pace to be the first anime show I ever actually watch in full from start to finish.

Probably wrong place to put it but when I grew up Japanese animation wasn't seen as an oddity and something you could enjoy, you could like Gundam and Dragon Ball as much as you liked Batman it was viewed equally. I suggest just enjoying things you find good, not things that are just popular, because if you're like me you will probably only enjoy the series that avoids the tropes that are a mainstay now. Also keep in mind that anime =/= Japan (anime actually has a negative stigma over there too lol, outside of select older titles) because for some reason there are people that actually believe that.

More to your point though Demon Slayer has its issues but it avoids a lot of the things I flat out hate and it's pretty consistent throughout, if you still enjoy when Zenitsu appears you will enjoy the rest of the series.

 

[Local Dog]

Just watched the ending of Stone Ocean and holy fuck was that bonkers

I don't wanna spoil it but that was the most amazing Jojo I ever saw. Actual fucking peak anime. The last batch as a whole is amazing but these last 3 episodes made me feel shit I never felt before

 

[Fishin]

I honestly think Part 6 was one of the weaker Jojo's but I still definitely enjoyed it on the whole. The main villain is one of the best in the series and the last two battles were great, the ending is also certainly something.

 

[Reduxion]

anyone here read classroom of the elite or hyouka? thinking of picking them up