March 18, 2024 by metatron13

My Best Winter Anime of 2024

It’s winter in Japan, but the heat is on with the influx of new, and continuing anime of 2024. I have here a mix of continuing anime from last year, and new releases. It’s an interesting set with some heavy hitters from this year and last year. That’s what happens when you have consecutive cours from the same anime. Is that an advantage? Let’s find out with my countdown, shall we?

At number twelve I have “The Witch and the Beast”. This is THE supernatural anime of the season for me, and it comes from Yokohama Animation Lab. I look at this as “The Case Study of Vanitas”, but instead of vampires you have witches. Does it have the same intrigue as Vanitas? Yes, it does. Will it have the same longevity? I’m going to have to wait till the end of the season to determine that. Still, it has a lot of lore to it accompanied by mystery, and action. It’s good enough to make the tail end of my list.

At number eleven, I have “Hokkaido Gals Are Super Adorable!”. This is a slice of life harem anime with main character Tsubasa moving from Tokyo to Hokkaido. You’d think that would be a bad thing with the extremely cold weather, and all. Not for Tsubasa who gets to meet some pretty, and interesting girls in his school. Though he can’t really decide which among Minami, Sayuri, and Rena he likes best. If I were him though, I’d place all my cards on Rena senpai. But, that’s just me. This anime is funny, and charming in all the right places. Don’t tell that to Tsubasa’s grandmother though. She might just ship you back to Tokyo.

At number ten, I have “A Sign of Affection”. That title is a play on words since Yuki, one of the main characters, is deaf, and mute. So, Itsuomi learns sign language to show his affection to Yuki. The two end up together soon enough with Yuki having the initial feelings which Itsuomi later on also reciprocated. I’m not used to having this many slice of life anime on my watch list (two so far). “A Sign of Affection” has one of the best animation of the season coupled with (pun intended) a heartwarming story. I just hope this doesn’t go the way of “A Silent Voice”. Tears will flow if that were to happen…

At number nine, I have “The Wrong Way To Use Healing Magic”. The only isekai on my list, and I initially wasn’t to keen on watching it. It only took me two episodes for Ken, and company to prove me wrong. Ken gets trained by “drill sergeant” Rose in the ways of healing magic with a boot camp-like affection. Ken’s ability is quite rare, and yet he wasn’t supposed to be transported to this magical world unlike Suzune, and Kazuki who were intentionally transported. Just how wrong is Ken’s use of healing magic? Watch the anime to find out.

At number eight, I have “Delicious in Dungeon”. If you liked “Campfire Cooking in Another World“, then you’ll most likely appreciate this anime as well. In “Delicious in Dungeon” you have a group of adventurers who are down in funds for supplies, including food. So, with the help of Senshi, they decide to get their meals from monsters they defeat in the dungeon so that they can rescue Laios’s sister before she gets ingested by a dragon. It’s a hard pill to swallow, yet it goes down just fine. I know that sounded forced down your throat. Alright, I’ll stop now. Seriously though, this is one of those anime’s that you watch to tone down, and chill. Just be sure you’ve already eaten when you watch it otherwise you might get hungry, monster diet notwithstanding.

At number seven, I have “Classroom of the Elite”. Now in its third season, Ayanokouji is back with his dead pan manipulative self. And he is such a joy to see playing puppeteer to his own tune. Nobody does it better than Ayanokouji, just ask the girls who are part of his slowly growing harem. Oh he won’t admit to having one. In fact, the girls won’t admit to being part of his harem. But, you aren’t fooling me Ayanokouji. Time to move along to the next anime as if nothing happened just like Ayanokouji.

At number six, I have “Shangri-La Frontier”. This is a continuing anime from last year due to its consecutive cour. This wasn’t even on my list of best anime of fall 2023. Now it’s in the middle of my list because of a more entertaining second cour. With its first cour, it was entertaining enough to watch but not good enough to even be mentioned. What a turn it has made, and recent episodes have kept me on edge with interest. Sunraku has shown to be a tier one gamer, and his skills are truly extraordinary. Also, this anime is setting itself up for a wild ending. It’s doing pretty well now for a video gaming anime.

Speaking of consecutive cour anime, at number five, I have “Undead Unluck”. I love this anime, and its underlying themes. Recently, it has become self referential which is quite meta. More mysteries have been unlocked, and it appears that Fuuko, and Andy are fighting a losing battle. Can they stop the world from ending (again)? Will Andy get his wish of dying? One thing’s for sure though. Fuuko has already admitted to herself that she loves the immortal Andy. That’ll bring a stroke of unluck on a scale we haven’t seen before. Will it be enough though to save the world from destruction, and give Andy the eternal slumber that he so desires? So many questions that we’ll be lucky to find out by the end of the season.

At number four, I have “Solo Leveling”. There’s a lot of hype coming in with this anime from A1 Pictures. It also has an avid fan following with the manhwa. This is the best new anime of the season, but it’s not good enough to even reach my top three. I know I’ll raise a lot of eyebrows with my ranking of this anime. Don’t get me wrong, the animation is top notch. The pacing of the story though can be found wanting at times. When the episode is fast, it’s hot. When it slows down, it’s…passable. “Solo Leveling” should learn a few lessons from my number one anime on this list when it comes to pacing. But, I’m getting ahead of myself. Moving up…

At number three, I have season two of “Mashle: Magic and Muscles”. This is the better A1 Pictures anime. Mash is such an entertaining character that the slow moments are made up by the absurdity of the character. If it’s not fast-paced action, it’s slapstick comedy at its finest. And you’d think Mash would run out of ways to ‘simulate’ magic use through his otherworldy physical prowess. Time and time again, Mash has proven to have an infinite variety of ways to show how much of a muscle bound oaf he is. And, that’s a compliment. If you haven’t seen this second season yet, don’t skip the opening credits. It’s funny as hell, and sets the tone of the entire anime season. This is what happens when Harry Potter meets One Punch Man. Pure genius.

At number two, I have “The Apothecary Diaries.” This is historical fiction at its finest with Maomao, the lead female protagonist, guiding us through a take on the Chinese Imperial Period. Just like the anime at number one, just when you thought the first cour of this anime was good, it just got better for the second cour. The overarching mystery of Jinshi’s background coupled with Maomao’s own mysterious background lie at the heart of what makes “Apothecary Diaries” so engaging. Having said that, this anime wouldn’t go anywhere without Maomao. That is a compliment of how good of a character she is. Though she is only a far second to the female lead of my number one anime of the winter season. It’s no coincidence that the number one anime on my list also has the number one female character as well.

At number one, I have “Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End”. I’m running out of superlatives to describe this seminal anime by Madhouse. Just when you thought the first cour of this anime was excellent, it comes up with a second cour for the winter season that is BETTER than the first. That in my book is too OP, though it appears that “Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End” took a page from its female lead disguising its true power, and making viewers complacent as to how much magicl this anime has. And it is such a beautiful anime from opening credits to ending credits. In fact, the only complaint I had with “Frieren” was the subpar opening in the first cour. No sweat to Madhouse. They came up with a far superior opening song, AND opening sequence. Then they came up with a better closing animation to match, to my mind, one of the best anime songs (not just ending) in recent history.

“Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End” was my anime of the Fall Season of 2023. It was my anime of the year for 2023. It IS my Anime of Winter 2024, and my current fruntrunner for Anime of the Year for 2024. Right now, it’s effortless for this anime to have more anime awards this year, just like it was effortless for Frieren to take down Serie’s force field. Till any anime proves otherwise, this anime will remain on top of the food chain. Just ask a mimic how delectable “Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End” is.

And that is my list. Agree with me? Disagree with me? Let me know in the comments.

January 29, 2024 by metatron13

My Best Anime of 2023

It’s that time of the early year for me to share my list of best anime for 2023. This list consists of the best of the best of what I’ve watched from last year. Again, note that these are anime that I’ve seen, and so if you have you’re favorites and they aren’t here, it simply means that they aren’t on my viewing list. Spoilers will come so be ready for them…

At number twelve, I have “The Eminence in Shadow”. Technically, there are two cours of this for 2023. One was the continuation of the first season which carried over from 2022. The other was released in the fall of last year. In any case, Cid/Shadow and his harems (yes there are two, actually) had a very entertaining year for Shadow Garden. It’s unsurprising that this is one of the more popular isekai nowadays. As per isekai trope, Cid/Shadow is totally op, and that’s fine for this genre. Me? I prefer my isekai main characters to just be moderately powerful. Nonetheless, this is entertaining enough to make the tail end of my list.

At number eleven, I have “Dr. Stone”. This was an excellent split cour season of Senkuu, and the rest of the Kingdom of Science. I dare say that the third season is just as good as the second. And, if all indications are correct, the next season (last?) might just be even better. The mystery of the petrification ray that affected the world was discovered. Now it’s time to get to the source. But, I’m getting ahead of myself. This third season was a perfect mix of what make this anime so entertaining: science, action, comedy, and mystery. I’ll keep saying it: this is an anime you can use to teach science class. Just don’t let your students do the experiments here without your guidance, if not at all.

At number ten, I have “To Your Eternity”. Ah, Fushi, this was a good season for you. After all the heartache you felt from season one, here in season two you get to fight back. Fushi also finds out that long lost friends can be brought back by his power. I told you there’d be spoilers. Fushi finally puts the Knockers in their place, and he gives his longtime perished friends the second life they deserve. It’s almost like Fushi has some form of Messiah Complex. That is completely true. The end of season two makes me wonder how they can proceed with season three. This was the perfect ending already. I hope the third season will be only better for Fushi.

At number nine, I have “Jobless Reincarnation”. This second season is basically the story of how Rudeus, and Sylphy find each other. Not a lot of action here. More of Rudeus trying to solve his erectile dysfunction. Lo and behold, the cure is Sylphy, a childhood friend, and former student. Let there be no illusion that this is an ecchi anime, but it’s also one of the best fantasy isekai around. I’m hoping that part two of the second season which comes out this year will have all the action missing from the first cour. Still, Rudeus’s challenges are entertaining enough to put him higher on my list than the three anime that came before “Jobless Reincarnation”.

At number eight, I have “Apothecary Diaries”. I have one word for you that makes this anime worth the watch: Maomao. This smart, witty, charming, and pretty main character of this series is the engine that makes this anime roll. It’s historical fiction set in Imperial China. Maomao plays the apothecary/super sleuth within the walls of the Outer Palace. The image above of her is Maomao as she got older. Right now she is in her adolescent stage…maybe? I can’t wait for her to completely bloom into that beauty. Jaws will drop. But, if you don’t have the smarts, you have no chance with her. Take note, Master Jinshi.

At number seven, I have “Pluto”. This is “Astroboy” if you added a bit more layered storytelling, and emotional hooks. You can watch “Astroboy”, and still you’d have a different experience when you watch “Pluto”. ”Astroboy” is a classic. “Pluto” adds to the lore, and makes the original even better. Don’t be mistaken though. “Pluto” can stand on its own. This is the only science fiction anime on my list, and it deserves to be here with around one hour for each of its eight episodes. The irony is transparent: robots that are more human than humans. It also has a lot of modern commentary about war, and discrimination. Heavy topics for an emotionally heavy series. Add the beautiful anime, and it all adds up to this anime’s charm.

At number six, I have “Demon Slayer”. The magnum opus of Ufotable is at the middle of my list with its beautiful animation, and action. This is a straightforward fantasy anime, and it truly lives up to the hype. When “Demon Slayer” ends, it will be a sad day for a lot of anime fans. Be glad it happened. Also, be glad Mitsuri didn’t get married. Otherwise, we wouldn’t have our beloved Love Hashira. New season is already coming this year so be ready for more of Tanjiro’s adventures.

Is It Wrong To Try To Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon?

At number five, I have “Danmachi”. The fourth season was outstanding enough to be my best anime of the winter season of 2023. You can fight me on this: Bell Cranel, and Ryuu Lion belong together. Forget about Ais, Bell. Elves are pretty much in nowadays as you will see further on my list. Besides, you can’t go wrong with choosing Ryuu Lion who has the same seiyuu as Yor Forger. I mean, that has to mean something, right guys? Back me up here.You can’t go wrong with the action, and animation here as well. It really is a headscratcher that J. C. Staff took this long to figure out how to make this series great. Now I’m spoiled. I want MORE.

At number four, I have “Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War“. Studio Pierrot went back to its biggest gun, and considered by many to be one of the big three of modern anime. Funny though that we don’t see a lot of Ichigo in this season. That’s alright because it allowed the other characters to shine. This just shows that “Bleach” is not a one trick pony. Or one Bankai series. Or…you get what I mean. A plus factor is that you even don’t have to review what came before “Thousand-Year Blood War”. Start with these new seasons and you’re good enough to enter Soul Society.

At number three, I have “Oshi No Ko”. The biggest surprise for me this season, all I had going for me was that Ai Hoshino would be voiced by legendary seiyuu Rie Takahashi. That’s it. I mean, Rie couldn’t possibly choose a bad project now, could she? I was crossing my fingers with that thought. Studio Doga Kobo has only come out with one anime that I watched, and that wasn’t really top tier. ”Oshi No Ko” is top tier. The gamble paid off for me. A cross between a reincarnation, and idol anime, “Oshi No Ko” is also a social commentary of the idol/entertainment scene in Japan. The animation is gorgeous, and in spite of some funny moments this is a serious anime. It also has one of the best opening songs for an anime in 2023. Check out “Idol” on Spotify if you don’t believe me.

At number two, I have “Jujutsu Kaizen”. The best anime of studio MAPPA for the year is also a consecutive cour series. I’ve always loved double cour anime. There are fewer and fewer of these that come out lately. That is a bonus for one of the best modern supernatural anime. You get the background of Gojou. You get to see his friendship and falling out with Getou. You get the Shibuya Arc. You get to see the death of…ah-ah that would be telling too much. Watch out already for the third season. With all the action and plot hooks resolved in season two, there are already tugs for what is to come in season three. And yet, there isn’t enough supernatural power for “Jujutsu Kaizen” to be at number one. Well, my number one anime knows how to hide in plain sight…

At number one, I have “Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End”. I suppose there are a lot of people by now who are sick and tired of hearing just how great “Frieren” is. I. DON’T. CARE. If you aren’t watching this master elven mage, and her laid back adventures yet, you are missing out on one of the GREATEST anime of all time. Studio Madhouse has been quiet for a couple of years now. “Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End” puts them back on the competitive map by leaps and bounds. This anime is at the top of my anime list by a mile from its nearest competitor. Sure there was a quiet anticipation. It wasn’t going to be bad. But, I didn’t expect it to be this seminal anime that will be talked about for years to come. And just like Frieren herself, this anime will just look like it blends in the crowd. Don’t be fooled. Behind that nonchalant demeanor is a powerhouse anime that can give you all the magic you need for over a thousand years. After you use that power, you can sleep the entire day to recharge just like Frieren.

So, that’s my list for 2023. Agree with me? Disagree with me? Let me know in the comments. Thank you.

January 14, 2024 by metatron13

Top Ten Anime of Fall 2023

This is VERY late due to the enjoyable December holiday break. Still, I have to do this list before I get to my 2023 best anime. And, this list is pretty strong. Let’s begin, shall we?

At number ten, I have “Goblin Slayer”. The second season is very much anticipated, and it took years for it to come into fruition. Thankfully, we have more pure high fantasy, dungeon crawls, and organized violence as our favorite armored silver ranked slayer has to offer. I’m a HUGE fan of purely fantasy anime. And, this won’t be the last one on my list. Read on.

At number nine, I have “The 100 Girlfriends Who Really, Really, Really, Really, Really Love You”. That title is a mouthful, and Rentarou has his hands full trying to keep his upcoming 100 girlfriends alive. You heard that right he WANTS to keep them alive. Because of some fated mistake, instead of having one soulmate in life, Rentarou has 100. But, it gets more complicated than that. If he doesn’t make these soulmates his girlfriends, they end up dying. That’s a morbid premise, but the anime is quite over the top hilarious with that premise. This is the only anime on my list where I get to laugh out loud several times EVERY episode. The anime is so absurd that it is so funny.

At number eight, I have “Undead Unluck”. I have a soft spot for consecutive cour anime, and ‘Undead Unlock’ is one of a couple here on my list. Regardless of episode count, this is a pretty good anime to make my list. Undead or ‘Andy’ is out to find a way to end his immortal life. In comes Fuuko with her unluck power that could possibly allow Andy to die. The catch? The more Fuuko has an emotional attachement to the individual who touches her bare skin, the worse the unluck unleashed. I’m talking literal fire and brimstone from the sky disasters. So, Andy decides that in order to ensure that he dies in spite of his insane regenerative abilities, he will make Fuuko fall in love with him. He hopes this will truly end his immortal life. It’s another morbid premise that combines with excellent action, and comedy in it. I seem to have an affinity for this kind of anime. Hmm…

At number seven, I have “Spy Family”. The Forgers are back for their second season. This masterpiece by Wit Studio, and Cloverworks deserves all the attention it’s getting. Also, I love it when mama Yor gets to show off her ‘killer instinct’. There is a lot of it in this season. There’s a lot of super spy Loid in this season too. And yet, it all looks like a set-up to the movie that should be available in some areas by now. I’m already looking forward to the third season.

At number six, I have “Dr. Stone”. Senkuu and the Nation of Science are back to restore humanity to its technological present. This third season is as good as the second season. This is the second cour of the third season, and I’m fully satisfied that Ibara got what he had coming. He tried to outsmart Senkuu, but failed. This anime has a perfect mix of action, comedy, great animation, AND scientific knowledge that you can actually use as a sample in the classroom. Imagine a science class that uses “Dr. Stone” for its lessons. I can imagine it.

At number five, I have “The Eminence in Shadow”. After a very entertaining first season, Cid/Shadow is back with Shadow Garden for the second season. The anime starts off strong at the gate, and provides everyone with more than enough isekai entertainment. By season’s end, Cid has a new challenge in a very familiar place. I suppose it was necessary considering the premise of existing alternate realities now revealed in the second season. What does this mean for Cid, and his hare—Shadow Garden moving forward? Let’s see what happens.

At number four, I have “The Apothecary Diaries”. I gambled on this anime because it was from OLM studios. You know, the studio responsible for”‘Summertime Rende“‘? This was worth the gamble, and it has two consecutive cours. Maomao is the main character in this historical fiction anime that is set during the Chinese Imperial Era. Maomao is a potion maker/poison tester who gets sold into the Rear Palace of the emperor. This sets her on an adventure full of intrigue, and manipulation in the politics of the Rear Palace. This is a procedural anime with there being a mystery every episode. However, there is an even bigger mystery unravelling that might just lead to the core of succession to the throne. If anything, the biggest strenght of this anime is Maomao herself who is the perfect combination of brains, and beauty. Why do the brains come before the beauty? Watch the anime to find out.

At number three, I have “Plut”‘. If you’re an Astroboy fan, then you are in for a treat. This anime adapts “The Greatest Robot in the World” storyline from the original “Astroboy” run in the 1980s. It does so with hour long eight episodes. Unlike ‘Astroboy’, ‘Pluto’ takes a more serious tone, and creates a lot of emotional hooks to keep you interested. There is a lot of human interest in this science fiction anime that even makes the robots more human, AND humane than actual humans. You might want to watch the last two episodes of “Astrobo”‘ aka “The Greatest Robot in the World” to review the basic plot. You don’t need to though. ‘Pluto’ can stand on its own merits.

At number two, I have “Jujutsu Kaize”‘. For the second straight season, ‘Jujutsu Kaizen’ lands at number two. The previous cour came out during the summer season, and this continues into the fall. This is one of studio MAPPA’s babies, and it’s a hell of a show. Not only do we get some backstory on Gojou, but we also get the much anticipated Shibuya Arc. The Shibuya Arc was so influential that the Japanese Government shut down Shibuya for a while BECAUSE of what was being shown in this anime. Talk about pop culture having influence in real life, right? The third season has already been announced, and THAT promises to be better than this one. With all that is excellent with “Jujutsu Kaize”, Gojou and company still don’t have enough magic to overcome the number one anime of the season…

At number one, I have “Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End”. MADHOUSE. IS. BACK. What a way to be back on top playing with the anime big boys. This is high fantasy at its best. Would you believe me if I told you that it’s also slice of life? What if it’s also the chillest anime of the season? The animation is flawless, and very crisp from cell to cell. The storytelling is heartwarming, and heartwrenching at the same time. I knew that the anime would be good. But, I didn’t know it would be THIS GOOD. To add, it’s also a back-to-back two cour anime. That means this is spiliing over to the winter season of 2024. Is this a good thing? Well, duh? OF COURSE IT IS! ”Frieren Beyond: Journey’s End” is not just eye candy. There are deep themes here that include (but not limited to) immortality, the cycle of life, and mundane magic-using. Just like how people underestimate Frieren, you can choose to underestimate this anime at your peril. There is a lot of hidden magic in this anime still waiting to be unleashed.

So, that’s my list. Agree with me? Disagree? Let me know in the comments.

September 23, 2023 by metatron13

Top Ten Anime of Summer 2023

The summer season is top heavy with some great returning and new anime. That doesn’t mean that I didn’t get my fill of anime to watch. In fact, there was more than enough anime this season to keep me entertained. So, here is my list.

At number ten, I have ‘Helck’. This anime adaptation of the manga is a long time coming, and fans of the manga will surely appreciate this anime adaptation. Helck is a human who wants to be the next Demon King. Sounds a bit off, right? However, he has a gripe with the human kingdom, and that is the reason why he wants to be king: to overcome the humans. Of course, he has to prove himself to the demon populace including Vamirio aka Anne. Not only does Helck win the demon populace over, but he also is slowly winning over Anne’s trust. ‘Helck’ has a good mix of action, comedy, and fantasy. It can be a bit over the top most times, but that’s part of this anime’s charm.

At number nine, I have ‘Dark Gathering’. This is from OLM studios which is the same studio that came up with ‘Summertime Render’. Yayoi is a young girl who hunts the supernatural. Keitarou is an older boy who sees the supernatural. Eiko is around the same age as Keitarou who is cursed (like Keitarou) by the supernatural. Together they form a Scooby Doo-like Mystery Machine group that hunt down real supernatural threats. ‘Dark Gathering’ is primarily a horror anime with a dash of comedy. Even so, the comedy is rather dark. Yayoi is a nice protective friend to be around so long as you can accept her creepiness. This is as good a supernatural anime to watch this season as it gets.

Oliver, Nanao and their classmates of the Kimberly Magic Academy

At number eight, I have ‘Reign of the Seven Spellblades’. Think of Harry Potter, but with swords. That is the backdrop of this anime. The central characters are Oliver with his secrect mission, and Nanao a samurai with a unique ability. Together with their classmates, Michela, Katie, Pete, and Guy, the group go through the trials of studying, and surviving in Kimberly Magic Academy. Adding to the story are the mysterious seven spellblades which are regarded as the most powerful sword spells in all magic. Two of the characters mentioned know one each of these spells so far. Which ones? Watch the anime to find out.

(From Left to Right) Shizuku, Aya and Tsugaru

At number seven, I have ‘Undead Girl Murder Farce’. Boy did this anime slip under my initial viewing list. I was lucky enough to catch up with two episodes out, and it didn’t disappoint. Imagine a world where supernatural entities exist in the Victorian age. Now put three supernatural investigators from Japan into the mix. The lead character, Aya, is an immortal detective with only her head. Her assistant is Shizuku who is more bodyguard than maid. Then add Tsugaru, an immortal near invincible Oni to the mix, and you have a pretty entertaining mystery supernatural anime. ‘Undead Girl Murder Farce’ is a smart enough anime to make my summer top ten.

At number six, I have ‘My Happy Marriage’. I gambled on watching this anime. I rarely watch historical fiction. More so if the anime is romantic historical fiction. I’m happy I have the ‘three episode rule’ because this anime took off with the second episode for me. The kicker for me that made me continue watching ‘My Happy Marriage’ is that it has supernatural elements that weave seamlessly into the historical fiction. Some critics say that Kudou is just too perfect of a character. He’s not. He has his flaws though they are not prominent. Miyo on the other hand has so many red flags that her relationship with Kudou sort of balances out. Though, the central part of the story revolves around the mystery of Miyo’s parentage, and lack of supernatural ability…to a point. What do I mean? I can’t say much without spoiling it for those who haven’t seen the anime yet. I will say this, don’t let one of the best new anime of the summer slip through your fingers.

(From Left to Right) Yahiko, Sanosuke, Kenshin and Kaoru

At number five, I have ‘Rurouni Kenshin’. It didn’t take a lot to watch this remake by Liden Films of a seminal, and classic anime from the 90s. Add a stellar seiyuu cast which includes Rie Takahashi, and this was a no-brainer for me. It’s not just the nostalgia…it’s the message. Anti-war, kindness over force, change for the better…all of the above and more are the reasons why this anime is top notch for me. Of course, when you hear Kenshin say ‘Oro’, and see him being ‘bullied by Kaoru, you tend to realize that there is more to life than swordfighting. Oro?

At number four, I have ‘Zom 100: Bucketlist of the Dead’. This is the best new anime of the summer in my list. It’s about zombies, and the apocalypse that follows. The irony in this anime is apparent. Akira is a zombie slave in the corporation he works for prior to the zombie apocalypse. It is only during the apocalypse that he decides to live his life by coming up with a list of 100 things he wants to do before he becomes a zombie. The anime is full of dark humor, and can be pretty morbid most times. The first anime of Bug Films hits a home run, and this elevates expectations for other properties. There’s a live action movie of this that covers around untile episode seven of this anime. Keep going or you’ll miss Beatrix. If you don’t, then you’ll really be brain dead.

Jobless Reincarnation Promotional Poster

At number three, I have ‘Jobless Reincarnation’ aka ‘Mushoku Tensei’. I’m a bit disappointed that this anime isn’t higher on my list. It’s still pretty good, but not as good as the first season. For one, the second season has a standard opening sequence unlike the first season which incorporates the opening song to the introduction of the story. That, and the fact that we see a lot of ’emo’ Rudeus which can be a drag sometimes, and number three is just the right spot for ‘Jobless Reincarnation’. Highlights are the meeting of Sylphy, and Rudeus (somewhat), and the investigation of the mystery of the mass teleportation in season one. For ecchi fans, there’s enough of Elinalise Dragonroad to go around, if you know what I mean.

At number two, I have ‘Jujutsu Kaizen.’ The arc that everybody has been waiting to see is here: the history of Gojou, and Getou’s relationship. Also, you get to see Gojou pre-blindfold which I’m sure will make feminine anime fans swoon. The second season is getting better and better, and we are blessed with a two consecutive cour season. The Shibuya arc is already ongoing. So, if you want to see just how much MORE Gojou is op, here’s your chance. Not to mention, we get to see Mei Mei with voice actress Kotono Mitsuishi. ❤

At number one, and the best anime of the summer, I have ‘Bleach: Thousand Year Blood War’. We don’t see a lot of Ichigo, but we do see a lot of the other characters around. This is the strength of ‘Bleach’. This anime has not let up since its return with beautiful animation, excellent storytelling, and well-paced action. Too bad this season is only one cour long. I’m not sure if it’ll be the number one anime of the year with shows like Oshi No Ko going toe-to-toe with it. That’s a discussion for another time. For now, ‘Bleach’ is king of the summer hill. Engage Ichigo at your own peril.

So that’s my list. Agree with me? Disagree with me? Let me know in the comments.

June 29, 2023 by metatron13

Rurouni Kenshin Rebirth

Rurouni Kenshin aka Samurai X has been considered by many as one of the best anime series of all time. This is more so for people who were already watching anime in the 90s. Now imagine then the reaction of seasoned fans, and recent anime fans when it was announced that a remake of this much beloved anime was going to be released in 2023. Got that image in your head? Further imagine then that the first stop of the worldwide screening event of this anime outside of Japan is in the Philippines. My reaction: sign me up.

Standees of the Main Characters of Rurouni Kenshin

The Worldwide Screening Event for Rurouni Kenshin was held in SM Megamall last Sunday, June 25. The screening showed the first four episodes of the series which is slated to be shown in Japan starting July 7. LIDENFILMS is the new anime studio responsible for its development. The animation style captures the feel of the 1996 original release while maintaining some of its own unique flavor. Additionally, it has a new opening, and closing songs that add a modern feel to this remake.

(Left) Seiyu Taku Yashiro (Right) Seiyu Makoto Koichi

But, this was just not a screening event. Before the actual viewing, we were graced with the presence of two key seiyu (voice actors) of the anime in Tako Yashiro who plays Sanosuke Sagara, and Makoto Koichi who plays Yahiko Myojin. Both were interviewed about their experiences being part of the production for Rurouni Kenshin. They were also available for audience interaction after the screening. Honestly, when this event was announced, I was hoping that one of the seiyu invited would be Rie Takahashi. I was a bit disappointed when I found out she wasn’t one of the invited seiyu. Lucky for me though that I was able to speak to an Aniplex representative (he wouldn’t give me his name), and I was told that she was in another event for the anime in the United States. Maybe next time, she’ll get to visit the Philippines as she is not only one of my favorite seiyu, she is also seiyu anime royalty. According to the organizers of the event, that might be a distinct possibility. I can only hope that Rie Takahashi would be one of those invited seiyu in the future.

As part of the event, if you were lucky enough to get them, participation in the Worldwide Screening included some promotional merchandise which included a shirt, and signed character cards. Personally, I was most excited in getting the shirt since I haven’t had a Kenshin geek shirt in a while. Also, since Rie Takahashi wasn’t around, I couldn’t help but geek out with the her signed character card for Kaoru Kamiya. These souvenirs added to the hype for me of this eagerly anticipated anime remake of Rurouni Kenshin.

As for the four episode movie itself, I had all the nostalgia, and epic elements of a great anime remake. The anime was as good as advertised, and I can’t wait to see more of it. Though, not hearing Judy and Mary deliver the opening song was somewhat disappointing (I mean it’s iconic), the new intro song carries the same emotional intensity that this latest iteration of Rurouni Kenshin has. Since I’ve seen this anime before, I wasn’t surprised that the theatrical pre-release ended in a cliffhanger. We don’t have long to wait though. The summer anime season is just around the corner, and we’ll be seeing the full run of this beloved anime sooner rather than later.

February 27, 2023 by metatron13

My Top Ten Winter Anime of 2023

Here we are deep into the winter anime season. It’s a perfect time for me to share my best winter anime. I have a mix of returning, continuing and new series here. These anime have at least six episodes to their viewing belts, and those without six episodes yet aren’t part of my list. My regular disclaimer is that these are anime that I am actually watching. Shall we begin?

At number ten I have ‘Buddy Daddies’. The last time I had a P. A. Works anime on any list was with ‘The Aquatope of White Sand’. That was a slice of life anime. On the other hand, ‘Buddy Daddies’ is a comedy-action series. Rei, and Kazuki are charming enough to keep this series going as the fathers to little Miri. Imagine two contract assassins trying to take care of an abandoned child. Well, here it is. Miri to my mind can be annoying sometimes because she’s so loud. Still, the expression on the faces of Rei and Kazuki plus their reactions to whatever their pseudo-daughter does is enough reason to get this anime on my top ten list.

Takemichi and the Cast of Tokyo Revengers: Christmas Showdown

At number nine I have ‘Tokyo Revengers: Christmas Showdown’. I don’t know about you guys, but I am getting irritated as to how Takemichi never appears to learn how to properly defend himself. The story of ‘Tokyo Revengers‘ is told through his perspective. He’s a weakling, and a crybaby. And yet he holds enough charisma (luck?) to move the plot of the story forward. He even admits to people that one of his greatest strengths is that he never learns…to quit. That, I think, is his most admirable quality that keeps viewers coming back for more of his beatings, and tears. Hey, I’m here telling you I watch it, am I not?

At number eight I have ‘Trigun Stampede’. This anime by studio Orange became controversial primarily because of the change in Vash’s hair. I was on the fence with this anime, and decided to give it a go. I wasn’t disappointed, and so Vash is here in the lower tier of my top ten. To those who aren’t watching it in loyalty, and reverence to the first version, I can tell you that ‘Trigun: Stampede’ tells a totally different story. It centers around the relationship of Vash, and his older brother, Knives. You still have a desert planet, and the dangers that go with it in a sci-fi setting. The animation is not too shabby as well.

At number seven I have ‘Reincarnation of the Strongest Exorcist in Another World’. The first, but not the last isekai on my list, shows the adventures of Seika who shows no magical capability in the world he gets reincarnated. However, he carries over his spiritual power with him which more than compensates for his lack of magical ability. This follows the usual trope of an overpowered reincarnated character. The difference is that Seika doesn’t want the spotlight he had in his former world. That got him killed. His plan is to stick to someone powerful, Amu, and be a lesser personality in this new world so as not to get himself killed again. If you’re an isekai lover, then this should be on your watch list.

At number six I have ‘Campfire Cooking in Another World’. This isekai was made by studio MAPPA, and I was curious about it when it was announced. It’s rare for me to find an isekai from MAPPA that I like. Mostly, I like their straight up fantasy, or supernatural anime. What makes this isekai more entertaining for me is that the overpowered nature of Tsuyoshi involves an online grocery that leads to cooking. This is odd, and amusing at the same time. It’s laid back, and Tsuyoshi is a wimp who needs to be constantly spurred on by Fel to engage in combat. Nevertheless, the premise, and execution of ‘Campfire Cooking in Another World’ is enough to put it this high on my list.

At number five I have ‘The Magical Revolution of the Reincarnated Princess, and the Genius Young Lady’. Since the title of this anime is so long, from hereon out I’ll be calling it simply ‘The Magical Revolution’. This is a girls love anime that passed my three episode rule. The relationship of Anis, and Euphy is cute; and meshes well with the plot of the story. The fantasy-adventure backdrop of ‘The Magical Revolution’ is the primary reason I like this anime. There’s even a blatant Megumin reference here that is shown if you can spot it. Also, this anime reminds me what a great relationship is like regardless of sex. The magical nature of this anime helps with its appeal to me too.

At number four I have ‘The Eminence in Shadow’. One of two continuing anime carrying over from the fall season of 2022, this is my top isekai of the winter season. Cid/Shadow is a harem creator in either guise. The different ending images of the lady members of Shadow Garden keeps you staying till the end credits. If you want to see what a cross between Batman, and Venom looks like, look no further. Season two has already been announced, and this is much deserved. Also, I have to give props to Nexus Studio for coming up with an anime that goes beyond twelve episodes. That is rare nowadays. That is much appreciated.

At number three I have ‘The Angel Next Door Spoils Me Rotten’. This is my best new anime of the season, and it is a slice of life. It seems that I am consistently finding at least one slice of life anime to put on my top ten lists. I can relate to what a friend of mine shared with me: while watching this anime he sometimes finds himself smiling. Will Mahiru, and Amane fall for each other? I can say that they will with certainty. However, it’s the journey towards the fall that is worth relishing. This anime has an avid manga following, and I’m quite sure these followers are quite happy with what they are seeing. And now I find myself smiling again. Moving on…

At number two I have ‘To Your Eternity’. This is my second and last continuing anime from the fall season of 2022. The anime tells the story of Fushi, an immortal with great power that he is slowly learning to use properly. The animation of studio Drive doesn’t hold up to that of Brain Base’s first season. Though, the second season is a far happier time for Fushi than the first. That’s a good thing. Fushi is now learning the extent of his powers in his battle with the Nokkers. There are also a lot of metaphysical questions raised by the story such as the meaning, and importance of life. I like the internal struggle that Fushi faces on a consistent basis because he knows that he is the only one who can live forever while everyone else he cares about dies around him. He can’t bring them back…or can he? For those who watch ‘To Your Eternity’ you already know what I’m hinting at. For those who aren’t watching it yet, that’s a bit of an incentive, and spoiler to watch this beautiful fantasy anime.

Finally, my number one anime of the winter season is ‘Danmachi’ aka ‘Is It Wrong To Try To Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon?’ The second cour of season four is a must watch for fans of fantasy anime, AND roleplaying game enthusiasts whether from video games or tabletop. I have high praises for season four of ‘Danmachi’ because I wasn’t interested in this anime when it first came out. Now that Hestia has taken a back seat, and the focus is on Bell Cranel and his growing party of adventurers, I am in for the long haul moving forward. I’m actually wondering why J. C. Staff took this long to realize that this should be the way to go for ‘Danmachi’. Well, better late than never. Give me characters who struggle through their hero’s journey anyday over overpowered ones. That is not just the case for Bell Cranel, but with every member of his adventuring group. Properly paced action with character-driven situations mixed with intriguing plot development make ‘Danmachi’ my top anime of the winter 2023.

Do you agree with me? Disagree with me? Let me know.

January 23, 2023 by metatron13

My Returning Anime List of 2023

The anime season of 2023 is well underway, and there are some returning anime that I am looking forward to watching. These are anime that are coming back for a new season, or anime that get the benefit of a remake. I have an interesting mix here so let’s get this list going, shall we?

I’ll get these two out of the way: “Trigun: Stampede” and “Rurouni Kenshin“. Both anime are based on legendary 90s anime. Both have some controversy coming into 2023.

With “Trigun: Stampede” it’s the updated animation style and Vash’s hair. Yeah that change in hairdo has a lot of longtime fans in an uproar. Though the new anime can be enjoyed without watching the first installment, this new version of Trigun is pretty good, and can stand on its own merits based on the small sample size I’ve seen so far. This has already started in the winter season, and I’m sticking around to see where this story goes.

The new adaptation of “Rurouni Kenshin” has its share of controversy as well. The mangaka Nobuhiro Watsuki was arrested, and admitted to having in his possession child pornography DVDs in 2017. Now the uproar to boycott Watsuki’s work goes all the way back to his new Hokkaido Arc in the manga, and extends to the promotion of the live action movies. The clamor has been revived to boycott this new adaptation. In spite of the controversy, I’m all in with this anime. Let’s see if Kenshin, and company can add new followers to its existing fandom.

Chise, and Elias are back for the second season of “Ancient Magus Bride”. It’s been six long years for this anime to return, and many (myself included) have been waiting patiently for its return. Many of the main seiyuu cast are returning though Wit Studio is no longer animating this second season. Instead we have Studio Kafka handling the reigns of the new season. Kafka handled the OVA of “Ancinet Magus Bride” that came out last year, and if that’s any indication this will be another beautiful season. It’s already slated for an April 6 release in what is looking like a very entertaining spring season. More on that next.

Adding more excitement to the spring season is “Konosuba: An Explosion of this Wondeful World”. More Konosuba is good, and this new anime based on the original Konusuba centers on Megumin. Studio Deen is replaced by Drive for the animation chores, but Rie Takahashi is returning as Megumin with a new supporting cast of characters. So far, there is no mention of Kazuma or Aqua making an appearance in this series. I’m excited to see Megumin get into trouble on her own though.

Speaking of anime returning in the spring season, you can add season three of “Dr. Stone” to the list. A short film released last year sets the stage for the third season, and Senkuu will be crossing the high seas in search for answers to the stone transformation that affected the world. This is one of those anime that you can use if you’re teaching science classes. Add some action, and intrigue with the science; and you have the makings of an anime to look forward to viewing.

(From Left) Zenitsu, Inosuke, Tanjiro, and Nezuko

If the spring of 2023 isn’t stacked enough them maybe “Kimetsu No Yaiba” aka “Demonslayer” adding to the list of anime coming out in April will convince you otherwise. Now on its third season, I’m hoping that “Demonslayer” combines the storytelling of the first season with the animation of the second. Also, I hope this is a two cour season, and not one. With Tanjiro’s quest to repair his broken sword, I’m expecting this to be the cream of the crop for the spring. Of course, there is always room for surprises.

“Spy Family” is another upcoming anime that is scheduled to have not just its second season, but an anime movie in 2023. Wit Studio, and Cloveworks are still doing the animation. The same seiyuu cast is returning as well. There are no exact release dates for both the second season, and the movie though if it follows the pattern from last year, the second season should come out in the spring as well (what was I saying about the spring season being stacked?). Waku, waku.

Also on my returning list is “Our Last Crusade or the Rise of a New World”. This is one anime that I was watching that I didn’t expect to have a second season. I enjoyed this Rome and Juliet fantasy anime, but I wasn’t sure it was good enough to validate a return. I’m not complaining. Silver Link is returning to animate the second season. No release date yet, but this did come out in the fall of 2020. So I’ll be waiting eagerly when more news of this drops.

I love my fantasy anime, and “Goblin Slayer” season two is set to return in 2023. No release date yet. Silver Link has been replaced by Liden Films as the animation studio. It’s been five years since the first season. It’s been three years since the movie. In spite of the title, you don’t want to mess around with the slayer. True his specialty is goblins, but that doesn’t discount his skill. The anime also doesn’t hold back on the violence, and sadistic nature of goblins in the anime. I’m hoping this drops in the fall season, but we’ll see.

I only have four anime left on my returning list, and “Classroom of the Elite” season three is one of those three. It’s good to know that we don’t have to wait another five years to get a season three. Lerche will still be animating the new season, and since this has consistently come out druing the summer, I’m expecting the third season to follow suit. Follow the adventures of Ayanokouji as he unintentionally (or not) increases his harem while maintaining his low profile in an ultra-competitive high school. Yeah, I’m looking forward to more of his shenanigans.

We’re now down to my top three heavy hitters of 2023 returning anime. This brings me to “Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War” second season. This was my top anime of 2022 , and with the way it ended with the first season, you can be sure that there will be more explosive episodes by Studio Pierrot. I’d expect nothing less from Ichigo’s return in the spotlight. This is coming out in July. Guess what else is coming out in July for a heavyweight fight?

Not to be outdone, MAPPA is bringing the second season of “Jujutsu Kaizen” in July of 2023. Do you smell what I smell? Yep, it’s a heavyweight fight between two popular supernatural shonen anime. The wily veteran anime vs. the new breed. This will be fun, and it will only benefit the fans. Maybe we’ll get to see Itadori and Okkotsu together in the new season? Here’s wishing. This was was top anime of 2020. So the summer season will be truly supernatural.

Finally, to complete the trifecta, I have “Mushoku Tensei” aka “Jobless Reincarnation”. Rudeus and company are my top anime of 2021. I don’t know when this is coming out. There is no fixed date yet. Wouldn’t it be fun if it came out during the summer as well? Though it most likely will come out in the fall. With this anime’s return, I have my top anime of the past three years duking it out this year. I’ll worry about rankings by this year’s end. For now, I’ll just enjoy this list of returning anime of 2023.

How about you? Which anime are you excited to see returning? Let me know in the comments.

January 16, 2023 by metatron13

My Best Anime of 2022

So here we are at the beginning of a new year, and in the middle of the first month. Still good enough time for me to come up with my top ten anime of 2022. If you’re curious about my top fall anime of 2022, you can find it here. There are a couple on that fall list that make it to my Best Anime of the Year list. Which ones exactly? Read on to find out…

At number ten, I have ‘Lycoris Recoil’. A lot of people will remember this year for A-1 pictures because of ‘Kaguya Sama’. That anime is not on my list which would probably get the ire of many slice of life fans. ‘Lycoris Recoil’ is good enough to make my top ten, and as I always say, original anime have a special place in my heart. That’s not to say Chisato, Takina, and the rest of the staff of Cafe LycoReco are not entertaining. In fact, this dramedy of an anime is quite good, and reminds me a lot of how I was surprised with ’86‘. The second season is imminent, and it’s more of a question of ‘when’ than ‘how’. I’m looking forward to seeing more of Chisato dodging bullets with her spanking new heart.

At number nine, I have ‘Kimetsu No Yaiba’ aka ‘Demonslayer’. Arguably the anime with the best fight scene of the year, Ufotable continues not to disappoint with ‘Demonslayer’. My biggest complaint with this anime is that it only has one cour as compared to the first season’s double cour. That’s probably one of the reasons why Tanjiro and the rest of the demonslayers make it only to number nine on my list. With the new year, we are getting a season three of ‘Demonslayer’, and my hope is it holds up more in storytelling to season one with the much improved animation of season two. Let’s see what happens as Tanjiro tries to reforge his broken sword.

At number eight, I have ‘My Dress-Up Darling’. One of my surprise anime of 2022, I took a risk on this, and it lived up to the hype. Marin and Gojo have a very loyal manga following, and I’m glad to join them in the anime. This is yet another beautiful anime by Cloverworks which continues to impress with the eclectic nature of the properties under its wings. This romcom is a cosplayer, and phtographer’s dream come true. It’s also one of those anime wherein the good guy attracts the best girl of the 2022. Gojo, and Marin are lucky to have each other in their lives. How they decide to properly express their feelings towards each other is something that many fans are looking forward to happening…while getting a ton of laughs along the way.

At number seven, I have ‘Ya Boy Kongming!’. When you combine an isekai with an idol anime, this is what you get. The mentor-mentee (father-daughter?) relationship of Kongming, and Eiko is just downright inspiring to see. Kongming uses his knowledge of battle tactics ala Sun Tzu to help Eiko realize her dream of becoming a successful performer. The road to stardom is wrought with many challenges, and Kongming has so far provided the answers to each one of them Eiko faces. Needless to say, ‘Ya Boy Kongming!’ has one of the best set of anime songs of the year. Just like ‘My Dress-Up Darling’, I’m looking forward to seeing Eiko succeed in achieving her dream.

At number six, I have ‘Summertime Render’. Now this is one anime that was on my radar, but still caught me by surprise. Composed of two consecutive cours, this masterpiece from OLM will reward you for sticking around. It’s not that it didn’t have good episodes to start. It’s that in order to get to the better episodes you had to endure the good ones. Sounds confusing, right? Well, the biggest initial concern with me was that Shinpei was a bit wimpy at the beginning. It took me time to understand that it was all part of the beautiful development of the character into manhood. Albeit, man enough to be a match for the alpha female that is Ushio. If you like time travel, and myster anime, then this is the best one of the year for me.

At number five, I have ‘Made in Abyss’. It took five years for a second season of this anime to come out. Though a movie came in between, I needed a better fix deep into the Abyss with Riko, Reg, and Nanachi. Is it possible for the second season to actually be better than the first, and yet ‘Made in Abyss’ will most likely not win as many awards in the second season? I think that’s going to be the case. There are just so many excellent anime this year. That shouldn’t discredit the excellence that you find in the best Kinema Citrus anime of the year. There is news circulating that a new season is coming up, and I’m wondering how that will happen with just a few chapters left from the source material to animate. ‘Made in Abyss’ will make you sad, and sadder some more before providing you the hope it shares by season’s end. It’s pretty standard by now for the adventures of Riko as she searchers for her mom. Here’s hoping she finds her alive with a little help from Reg, and Nanachi.

At numbe four, I have ‘Ousama Ranking’ aka ‘Ranking of Kings’. Just like Cloverworks, Wit Studio has shown with this tale of deaf-dumb Bojji that it has a wide range of animation approaches. I’ve been rooting for Bojji since 2021, and this has carried over to last year. More so, the second cour of ‘Ousama Ranking’ puts Bojji and Kage in a more favorable position than the first. Bojji is really a character to my mind that’s worth rooting for. Sure Bojji is a prince, but that just underscores how misereable, and sad his live is to begin. There is no better anime on my list to inspire you in achieving greater heights in spite of overwhelming challenges than this one. Long live Bojji!!!

At number three, I have ‘Chainsaw Man’. Highly anticipated, and highly hyped, this anime lived up to the expectations. Though there’s something about studio MAPPA and its penchance for supernatural anime. Is it a coincidence that they made both ‘Chainsaw Man’ and ‘Jujutsu Kaizen‘? I think not. The big difference between Denji, and Itadori is that Denji is a true blue antihero. I’ve said this before already, Denji’s needs are very basic: food, women, and lodging. Can you blame him though? With an upbringing like his, it’s no wonder Makima can manipulate him the way she does. This also has my vote for best music of 2022. Of all the thirteen songs there is not a one worth ignoring. It’s just a question of choosing your favorite. No word yet on season two, but that is a sure as Reze appearing soon.

At number two, I have ‘Spy Family’. The Forger family was my frontrunner to be my anime of the year for 2022 but fell a bit short. Not its own fault, but rather due to the surprise, and excellence of what is at my number one spot. For now, let’s focus on ‘Spy Family’ which is a masterpiece of both Cloverworks (My Dress-Up Darling), and Wit Studio (Ousama Ranking). It’s really unfair to have a version of Bojji in Anya, Marin in Yor to combine with the suave super spy that is Loid Forger. There is no greater family anime on my list. There’s already a new season set for this year to go along with a movie. More Spy Family is always good. Also, more Anya means more peanuts.

At numer one, I have ‘Bleach: Thousand year Blood War’. A while a go I mentioned that ‘Made in Abyss’ took five years for the second season to come out. In the case of ‘Bleach’, it took studio Pierrot over ten years to come up with the latter portion of Ichigo’s saga. I was just happy to have this anime back with little expectation of it being good. Surprise, surprise…it has gone well beyond what I expected. Cinematic animation. Excellent Storytelling. Hightened Anticipation. Whatever those creators from Pierrot ate while making ‘Bleach’, keep feeding it to them. And, it appears that the best is yet to come. This makes ‘Bleach’ my Best Anime of 2022.

Do you agree with me? Disagree with me? Tell me what you think in the comments.

January 10, 2023 by metatron13

My Best Fall Anime of 2022

Welcome to my VERY late top anime of the fall season. I usually do this in the sixth or seventh episode mark. In fact, the rankings here are based on seventh episode viewings. In spite of that, I’m sticking to my guns with this list. So let’s begin so I can start writing my best anime of 2022 soon after.

Yang, Reinhard and Their Supporting Cast

At number ten I have ‘Legend of the Galactic Heroes’ from Production IG. This is a remake of one of the best space opera anime of all time. Personally, I prefer ‘Space Battleship Yamato’ over this. But, this doesn’t discount the fact that this is a pretty good anime. Good enough to make my top ten list for the fall season. I’ve always liked how General Yang and Emperor Reinhard do everything that they can to outwit each other in the galactic combat arena. Each is an excellent strategist in his own right. There will be more of this coming in the future. So if you like space operas without the mecha, you should look into this anime.

At number nine I have ‘Reincarnated as a Sword’. This is my father-daughter anime of the season with Shisou the intelligent teacher sword playing protective doting father to Fran, the black cat with a dream of evolving. This is a stereotypical isekai with Shishou being the overpowered reincarnated character. This anime is fun to watch, and Fran is just such a cute character to root for. Second season is already in the works. More of Fran, and Shishou is good.

At number eight I have ‘Urusei Yatsura’. I have a hidden agenda for supporting this anime. Sure it’s a Rumiko Takahashi classic. Sure it’s a remake. Because of this, I’m hoping that this will open the door for a remake of Ranma 1/2. This is no discredit to ‘Urusei Yatsura’. This is the root of all the wackiness that all other Takahashi works have to offer. Seriously though Ataru should open his eyes. Lum is easily the most attractive character in the series. That’s partly what makes this anime so funny. It’s got a full year cour as well so expect this anime to be around for a while. There’s only one other anime on my list that will be around as long. I’ll get to that much later.

At number seven I have ‘The Eminence in Shadow’. Shadow/Cid reminds me of what would happen if you combined Batman with the Venom Symbiote. The result is a VERY overpowered isekai character who creates two sets of harems for himself. One comes from the organization he helped create: Shadow Garden. The other harem comes from the group of fangirls who fall for poor ‘weakling’ Cid. This is an anime worth watching if only to hear the line: ‘I am atomic’. I also watch this anime all the way to the end because of the puzzle images of the female characters in the story. This anime shouldn’t be in the shadow of your anime list.

At number six I have ‘Mob Psycho’. This is the last season of this anime, and it is a fitting end to the adventures of Shigeo Kagayama aka Mob. I’m wondering who will take the banner of representing Studio Bones with ‘Mob Psycho’ ending. There’s a lot of drama here, and confessions from many characters. It’s hard to see such a great anime end, but it couldn’t have ended any better. Still, it wasn’t enough for ‘Mob Psycho’ to break into my top five. Primarily because of the anime at number five…

At number five I have ‘Bocchi the Rock’. When I first heard about this anime from Cloverworks, it radiated so much ‘K-On!’ vibes. True to form, ‘Bocchi the Rock’ is the second coming of ‘K-On!’ This might be sacrilege, and I do love ‘K-On!’, but it even does so many things a lot better. I ended up cheering for Bocchi aka Hitori Gotou to overcome her social anxiety. And she overcomes her difficulty a lot earlier than Komi. ‘Bocchi the Rock’ also has an excellent set of anime music that I love to listen to again, and again. This is one of the surprise anime of the fall season for me. I didn’t expect it to make my top ten yet here it is.

At number four I have ‘Golden Kamuy’. This is also the last season of ‘Golden Kamuy’, and it joins ‘Mob Psycho’ in waving goodbye. I’m not a big fan of historical fiction, but ‘Golden Kamuy’ is an exception to that. Never underrated but sorely underappreciated, the factual elements mixed with the quest of Asirpa, and Sugimoto to find the lost gold make this anime rank high on my list. Note that this is a mature viewer anime with some adult themes. Regardless, this is one of my favorite anime to watch whenever it’s around. Sadly, the anime got delayed mid-season because of the death of one of the production staff members. The silver (golden?) lining there is that I get to enjoy this anime a bit longer before it ends.

At number three I have ‘Spy Family’. My pick for anime of the year when it came out falls short of number one for the fall season. The entertainment value of ‘Spy Family’ has plateaued, and the reason why I could not put it at number one for the fall season. It’s still pretty good, and funny nonetheless. How could you not adore the Forger Family? This is a masterpiece by Wit Studio and Cloverworks. There’s already news of a new season coming in 2023, and a movie. If you aren’t watching this anime yet, it’s high time you join the peanut gallery. Anya would even join you.

At number two I have ‘Chainsaw Man’. This was a much heralded, and anticipated anime of the fall season. It didn’t disappoint. Studio MAPPA has another winner here on the heels of ‘Jujutsu Kaizen‘. There are a lot of similarities between ‘Chainsaw Man’ and ‘Jujutsu Kaizen’. The big difference is the mature content, and dark comedy that you find in ‘Chainsaw Man’. MAPPA pulled out all stops with ‘Chainsaw Man’ providing it with a different ending song for each of its episodes. That’s not to say the opening song is nothing to crow about. I keep saying this…Denji reminds me of Pepe Samson from the novel, ‘Mass’ by F. Sionil Jose. His needs are very basic. He’s your heroic anti-hero if that makes any sense. This would’ve been my number one anime of the fall season if not for a surprising returning anime…

At number one I have ‘Bleach: Thousand Year Blood War’. I was happy to see the return of ‘Bleach’ after a loooong hiatus. Whatever it looked like, I was going to watch it. Imagine my surprise when studioe Pierrot apparently pulled out all the stops to provide us a cinematic masterpiece for EACH of the episodes that have come out. WOW. If you’re worried that there are too many episodes to jump into this anime, don’t worry. You can start watching form the first episode of ‘Bleach: Thousand Year Blood War’, and not worry about what came before. It’s also going to be sticking around a while with a set year cour episode list. Ichigo and the rest of Soul Society are back; and back with a vengeance.

Agree with my list? Disagree? Let me know in the comments.

September 10, 2022 by metatron13

My Top Ten Summer Anime of 2022

The summer season of 2022 is jampacked. Compared to my Spring viewing list, I had a lot more to watch. If I were to numerically rate these anime in my top ten, then the lowest ranking would be eight out of ten. That’s how good the crop of summer anime is. In fact, I still have five more anime of the summer that didn’t make this list, but rank seven out of ten. Which anime made my top ten? Read on, and enjoy.

At number ten, I have “Fuuto PI”. This is on my list because of two words: Kamen Rider. This is a quirky action adventure sci-fi anime that gives justice to the Kamen Rider franchise. The Narumi Detective Agency seeks to protect the citizenry of Fuuto from those who abuse Gaia Memories to transform into monstrosities. This animated version of the Kamen Rider tokosatsu franchise provides just enough comedy, romance, and action to make my list. It would’ve been better if this anime came up earlier in the season, but it’s good enough to for Shoutarou, Philip, and the rest of the cast to be at number ten on my list. Plus, that clossing song production is too funny not to watch repeatedly.

At number nine, I have “The Yakuza’s Guide to Babysitting”. So far, this is the father-daughter anime of the year, and it comes from an unlikely pair. Yaeka is the daughter of Yakuza boss Kazuhiko Sakuragi. Tooru Kirishima is the first lieutenant of Sakuragi. Kirishima is asked to babysi–bodyguard Yaeka as part of his responsibilites. The result is a heartwarmingly funny anime that just hits the right emotioanl beats. Yaeka proves to be the counterpoint who softens Kirishima’s view on his obligations. This anime is really endearing. And, as much as I love Anya from “Spy X Family”, Yaeka is undoubtedly her demure, and sweet counterpart.

At number eight, I have “Is It Wrong to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon?”. When the first season of this anime came out, I dropped it after two episodes. Hestia was too ecchi for me, and I didn’t really like that it didn’t serve the storytelling in my opinion. I’m a true blue fan of fantasy anime, and this didn’t sit well with me. Fast forward to this fourth season, and some friends of mine recommended it so I was willing to give this new season a try. It didn’t disappoint, and made it to my list of summer anime to watch. Less Hestia, and more dungeon exploring with Bell Cranel is a lot better. The fact that he is doing it with a complimentary party of adventurers, albeit mostly female (harem, right?) makes it that more entertaining. I’m just wondering what the hell kind of stingy Dungeon Master allows their character to reach a maximum of level four in four seasons. That just boggles the mind.

At number seven I have “Shadow’s House”. Emilico, and Kate are back for a second season courtesy once again of Cloverworks. This is a fantasy-mystery anime in the tradition of Studio Ghibli…they use children to move the story along. Mysteries solved lead to more mysteries as we find out that the union between shadow and living doll erases the consciousness of the living doll, and could lead to the death of both parties. Yikes. Also, it appears that there is no escaping the Shadow’s House unless it’s through the Grandfather Shadow’s wing. Curiouser, and curiouser. Keep watching.

At number six, I have “Call of the NIght”. Trivia: Did you know that the voice actress of Nazuna is the same voice actress responsible for Aqua from “Konosuba”? That just shows the voice range, AND comedy range of voice actress Sora Amamiya. This to me is THE romantic comedy of the year so far. Yamori wants to be a vampire. Nazuna thirsts for Yamori’s blood. Thus, a deal is struck with the only way for Yamori to be a vampire is to fall in love with Nazuna. It’s dark. It’s quirky. It’s dysfunctional. It’s romantic comedy at its finest. Imagine a character like Yamori having a harem without even him realizing it. Though this really happens in real life when a beautiful girl (every other girl in this anime) gets rejected by a guy (Yamori) who has eyes for some other girl (Nazuna), and the result makes the guy (Yamori) that much more attractive to chase. It was a close call for this anime to break my top five. Mostly because of the next anime AT number five.

At number five, I have “Uncle from Another World”. This anime beat out “Call of the Night” for the number five slot by the skin of its teeth. Very appropriate for Ojisan who is often (always?) seen as an orc due to his looks. This reverse isekai features the uncle (Ojisan) waking up from a coma that sent him to a magical fantasy world. He wakes up with his full magical powers from that world. You’d think with all his power he’d figure out another way to generate income other than making a Youtube Channel. It is what it is, and poor nephew Takafumi appears to have inherited the denseness of his uncle when it comes to women. There are a lot of head-scratching, AND brain wracking situations in this anime that make it outright hilarious. This is a mature viewing anime because of its content, but I don’t care. It’s as entertaining as an orcish sacrificial ritual.

At number four, I have “Classroom of the Elite”. Returning for its second season after five years, Ayanokouji is back to his old tricks of attracting every single beautiful girl in his school through sketchy means. And I say that with the utmost respect. His cool, and uncaring demeanor attracts all the girls in his path including those who consider him as an enemy. In an anime built on competion, there’s no beating Ayanokouji as the master of quietely building his own harem. Watch, and learn fellow otakus. Watch, and learn.

At number three, I have “Lycoris Recoil”. The best new anime of the summer is also an original anime brought to you by A-1 Pictures. This action adventure sci-fi anime got me at Chisato, and her non-lethal ammunition rounds. And lo and behold we have four female protagonists almost similar to every single four heroin anime trope. This composition reminds me a lot of “K-On!” or “A Place Further than the Universe” but with firearms. I wouldn’t be surprised if people suddenly start to dress up as Chisato or Takina in cosplaying events moving forward. You want some totally new anime to watch for the summer? This should be at the top of your list.

At number two, I have “Summertime Render”. You know, I was on the fence with this anime as to how good it was when it came out in the spring. That has changed with the second cour continuing in the summer. My word, this anime is bada@@!!! This anime will most likely make my top ten list of best anime for 2022. It also appears that before this anime ends you’ll run into a freight train of great anime storytelling. This would be my highest ranked anime of the summer if not for these children from the Abyss at number one.

At number one, I have “Made in Abyss”. It’s funny that I was joking how Kinema Citrus probably focused all of its resources in making this anime’s second season instead of the second season of “The Rising of the Shield Hero.” I think I was right. This anime is beautiful, and comes back after an award winning first season in 2017, and a similarly beautiful anime movie in 2020. Riko, Reg, and Nanachi are now in the Golden City of the Scorching Sun. The city was created based on someone’s wishes…or was it? This is the most likely fantasy anime of the year with all due respect to my boy Bojji in Ousama Ranking. This is a sad heart-wrenching anime. However, unlike most of its kind, this anime shows you the light at the end of the road. “Made in Abyss” is a classically depicted story of a hero’s quest with these children overcoming challenge after challenge. Yes, they are children, but the challenges they continue to face have matured them beyond their years. Be ready for the one hour season finale. I’m sure that will solidify “Made in Abyss” as the best anime of the summer season.

Agree with me? Disagree? Let me know in the comments. Thank you.

Soft Places

Where I write my thoughts on mostly geeky stuf that interests me.in soft places.

Tag Archives: Anime