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.

June 7, 2023 by metatron13

My Top Ten Spring Anime 2023

It’s that time of the year again for me to come up with my list of TOP SPRING ANIME of 2023. There are a couple of surprises for me on this list. I’m quite late with this posting, but that’s only because I’ve been having fun viewing a rich selection of anime this season. Let my countdown begin!

At number ten, I have ‘My Love Story with Yamada-kun at Level 999’. This is the only slice of life anime on my list, and rightfully so. This anime is a romcom with online video gaming in the background. Ever since High Score Girl, I’ve been on the lookout for new anime about video games. This story of Yamada, and Akane fits the bill perfectly. Not only is it an anime about video games, but it is also made by Madhouse studios. That one-two punch of video games, and Madhouse is enough to get me hooked on this hilariously entertaining anime.

At number nine, I have ‘Konosuba: An Explosion on This Wonderful World’. This is the prequel anime that a lot of Konosuba fans have been waiting for, and Rie Takahashi is back to reprise her seiyu role as Megumin. Of course, without Kazuma this is no longer an isekai (so far), but it is still funny as an explosion that only Megumin has to offer. The presence of Aki Toyosaki adds more funny situations to the series with the interactions between her character, Yunyun, and Megumin providing for some heartfelt moments. The combination of these two legendary seiyu make ‘Konosuba: An Explosion on This Wonderful World’ an enjoyable yet explosive ride.

At number eight, I have ‘Heavenly Delusion’. This is one of my surprise anime of the season, but it shouldn’t have been since I love Production IG’s work. This post-apocalyptic anime is reminiscent of ‘The Promised Neverland’ (which I dropped). Because of that, I was a bit skeptical on my interest in this anime even though it is Production IG’s work. Good thing I gave it a chance since I am now enjoying Kiruko, and Maru’s search for Heaven to find answers about their past in this sci-fi mystery anime.

Suletta Mercury (at center) and Her Classmates

At number seven, I have ‘Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch from Mercury’. This is the second season of this sci-fi robot anime, and it is actually a lot better than the first. The mystery of Suletta’s past is revealed along with the secrets of her unique Gundam, Aerial. This is actually the first Gundam series I am watching, and I am loving it so far. There’s a bit of the girls love trope here with the relationship between Suletta, and Miorine at the center of the conflict. In fact, their relationship causes most of the conflict in the story. Even if you’re not a Gundam fan like me, you should give this anime a try. Maybe you’ll at least be a fan of Suletta, and Aerial.

At number six, I have ‘Mashle’ which is this season’s offering by A-1 Pictures. One of the more anticipated anime of the spring season, this anime is a combination of One Punch Man, and Harry Potter. Imagine Saitama going to Hogwart’s, and you’ve got what ‘Mashle’ is essentially about. Picture it in your head. Yes, it is that kind of funny. There hasn’t been a single episode of this anime that I don’t end up laughing out loud. Thankfully, I watch this anime by myself otherwise that would be an embarassing sight to see. Magic, and muscle equals ‘Mashle’.

At number five, I have ‘The Ancient Magus’ Bride’. Five years after season one, and we finally get a season two of this beautiful anime. Of course, the center of the story is still Chise, and Elias’s continuing relationship which has gone beyond the romantic. Sure they are master, and student in the mystical arts. However, let there be no doubt that these two have feelings for each other. It’s this unconventional relationship that makes this anime handle mature concepts other than romance such as life, and death with a good mix of intrigue.

At number four, I have ‘Dr. Stone: New World’. Finally Senkuu, and company are near to discovering the origins of the petrification beam that turned everyone to stone thousands of years before. This is one of those anime that you can use to teach class, particularly science classes. Though a lot of these experiments shown in ‘Dr. Stone: New World’ should not be done at home. Aside from finding out the origin of the petrification beam, Senkuu will also have the chance to make unlimited revival fluid for those petrified. Will either or both of these mysteries be solved this season? I’m watching to find out.

At number three, I have “Hell’s Paradise”. Studio MAPPA appears to want a monopoly of great supernatural anime. First they got ‘Jujutsu Kaizen’. Then they handled ‘Chainsaw Man’. Now you can add “Hell’s Paradise” to the list. Granted, Gabimaru’s adventures are set in a more ancient setting. Still, the supernatural theme sticks for all three anime. Gabimaru, a convict, is in search for the elixir of immortality in order to get back to his wife to life a normal life. Making sure he does his task, Sagiri Yamada Asaemon guards him with her life. Don’t let all the action fool you. You have some deep themes tackled here including the value of life, and immortality. It also helps that Rie Takahashi is the seiyu for Yuzuriha. Also, you can’t really go wrong with MAPPA’s animation. That last comment is not an afterthought. It’s a fact.

(From Left) Muichirou, Tanjirou and Mitsuri

At number two, I have ‘Kimetsu No Yaiba: Swordsmith Village Arc’. As the flagship anime of ufotable, there isn’t really much to say about the groundbreaking, and breathtaking animation style of ‘Demon Slayer’. It is arguably the best animation out there. And yet, not since season one, I can’t seem to put it at number one on my anime season list. Primarily, the season has been again one long fight scene. I love ‘Demon Slayer’, but it’s going to take great animation, AND a great story to make my number one. So here it is…

At number one, I have ‘Oshi no Ko’. Rie Takahashi sure knows how to pick her seiyu characters. This is her third anime appearance on my list. Rie plays Ai Hoshino an up and coming idol headed to superstardom until disaster struck. Honestly, I took a gamble on this anime because of Rie Takahashi. I rarely read manga, and I had no real background on ‘Oshi no Ko’. This anime gave me such a huge sucker punch that I am very blessed to have gambled on watching it. This has an excellent story that deals with many of our current social realities including insights on the entertainment industry, and online bullying. Some of these episodes really hit the spot. If there is one anime this season that you should watch, it’s this one. Believe me when I say I am eagerly wating for Aqua to get his revenge. The animation is also top-notch, and can equal (there I said it!) that of ‘Demon Slayer’. Socially relevant story plus excellent animation equals ‘Oshi no Ko’ as my number one anime of spring 2023.

Do you agree with my list? Write me a comment to tell me what you think.

January 9, 2022 by metatron13

My Top Ten Japanese Anime Series of 2021

With the beginning of the Winter Anime Season of 2021, It’s time for me to come up with the top anime of the recent year. My list contains anime that continued from 2020, and continues into 2022. More points go to anime that finished their seasons in the same year. Also, since this includes anime that I’ve finished, the rankings might be a lot different as compared to how they appear in my seasonal rankings. That’s just the way it is. Some anime faired better than others in closing their cours. With all my disclaimers done, on to my actual list.

At number ten, we have ‘Zombieland Saga: Revenge’. This anime holds a special place in my heart for being an idol anime that got me sucked in BECAUSE of its zombie story approach. If it weren’t for the zombies that are Franchouchou, I probably wouldn’t be even watching this anime. Also, this anime just makes me laugh out loud, and hum to the beat of the songs.This is my funny, and heartwarming anime of the year.

At number nine, we have ‘The Case Study of Vanitas’. This is the vampire anime of the year, and it has the traditional humor that you find from any Studio Bones anime. The Book of Vanitas thought to corrupt vampires is actually used to cure them of corruption. I love the character designs here, and the relationship building in the series is quite endearing. There is also enough vampire new vampire lore here to keep the series intriguing. Lucky for us, the series continues in the winter of 2022.

At number eight, we have ‘Takt Op. Destiny’. What happens when you combine the powers of studio MAPPA and MADHOUSE? You have a beautiful anime about the power of music to save the world. Some complain about the pedestrian plot of the series. I on the other hand see it as a simple plot enriched with great visuals, and a focus on music. That’s enough to put it on my list of one of the best anime of the year.

At number seven, we have ‘Re: Zero’. Yes, this anime continued during winter, and that’s enough to put it on my list fro 2021. What else can be said about this series from studio White Fox? It’s a beautiful isekai about second chances. We seem to have a lot of those on this list. I can’t wait for Rem to finally wake up (no spoilers!). Even though Subaru has the backbone of an amoeba most times, he just keeps on going learning from his past mistakes, albeit brutally. Even with Subaru’s faults, the anime itself just can’t be denied its place on my list.

At number six, we have ‘The World’s Finest Assassin Gets Reincarnated in Another World as an Aristocrat’. This anime turned out to be better than expected, and jumped over the spot of higher ranked fall anime ‘Takt Op. Destiny’. This is another isekai (and not the last one on my list). with the protagonist dying and remembering his former life as an assassin to kill the existing hero of the world he gets reincarnated. I like Lugh’s calm and calculating mind. I like his realization that he needs a lot of savvy to beat the overpowered hero. It helps that the animation is also top notch.

At number five, we have ‘Jujutsu Kaizen’. This most likely won’t win anime of the year because of my top four on the list (which all have a chance of winning many awards). That’s fine since it has won already multiple awards the previous year. The series does continue into the winter of this year, and the reason why it’s on my list just like ‘Re: Zero’ is. I’m eagerly waiting for Itadori’s next adventures as this anime continues.

At number four, we have ‘Ranking of Kings’. One of two anime on this list that caught me off guard (the other is higher on this list), and is also made by Wit Studio. Known for its earlier work on ‘Attack on Titan’, Wit Studio has expanded its reach to stories such as that of Prince Bojji. Though this anime is at number four, I wouldn’t be surprised that it wins awards for 2021 just like the other three that come above it. This is a beautiful hero’s journey to become a king in spite of his disabilities. How could you not root for Bojji to succeed with all that he’s been through? That is truly the magic of this anime.

At number three, we have ’86’. This would be a lot higher on my list if not for the delays. In fact, had its last two episodes not been delayed, it would have a chance at number one. As it stands, this is as far as I can rank it. This year, there has been a resurgence of mecha anime, and ’86’ is a prime example of it. It’s so frustrating how this series gives you hope only to dash it away as fast as it came. However, this is also what drags you into the series, hoping that there is a happy ending. The struggle for acceptance, and survival is real as seen in through the eyes of Shin, and his compatriots.

At number two, we have ‘‘Vivy: Flourite Eye’s Song’. My dark horse to win anime of the year in many anime awarding bodies, this series was made by Wit Studio just like ‘Ranking of Kings’. Similarly, this anime got me blindsided, and I wasn’t expecting to love this anime when I first watched it. Vivy being the reluctant savior of both human and robot kind is reminiscent of a Philip K. Dick story. One years in the making, Vivy learns that there are more important things than her android life, and her song is part of it. What do I mean exactly? Watch this anime to find out.

At number one, we have ‘Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation’. What happens when you create a new anime studio to create ONE and ONL Y ONE specific anime? Well, this is what you get: my vote for anime of the year. Your time is not wasted on this anime. The opening sequence is imbedded into the story. The opening song changes depending on the setting of the current story. This is the isekai of the year as well as the anime of the year for me. Also, with the way the story ended for 2021, the stage is set for an even better story to continue. The animation is beautiful from the backdrops to the character design. It’s a perfect balance of story, world building, and action. There’s enough drama that focuses also on family relationships. Granted, Rudius is a lech, but that’s also part of his charm. It’s part of the charm of this anime. Put it all together, and you have the best anime for 2021.

Do you agree with me? Let me know in the comments.

Obskura And Then Some

Where I write my thoughts on mostly geeky pop culture stuff that interests me…and then some.

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