Hromino

I have a great love for jazz, film noir is my cup of tea, and I can’t get enough of science fiction. So you might be wondering why I only gave Cowboy Bebop a three-star rating. It's a cult show that I recently rewatched, ten years after I first saw it, and it still didn't quite hit the right spot for me. I understand why it's a cult classic, especially in America, and how it became a gateway to anime for many viewers. I also see why Netflix didn't hesitate to produce a live-action remake after more than twenty years. However, in my opinion, Cowboy Bebop is a creative combination of good but not great ingredients. The episodic narratives are enjoyable, but they didn’t leave a deeper impression on me and quickly became forgettable. The show has a cool vibe, and the characters are interesting, but their character design can become overly generic at times. Additionally, the concept of a "modernized" Western had already been explored in Trigun at that time. While the show's accessibility to Western audiences is understandable, it comes at the cost of its Japanese identity, which is primarily manifested through the eclecticism of genres and themes. For me, the lack of a strong Japanese identity was somewhat detrimental. If you're looking for a show with a unique and bold Japanese identity, I highly recommend Samurai Champloo. It has even more advanced concepts, ideas, a fantastic soundtrack, and cleverly mixes Japanese identity with Western ideas compared to Cowboy Bebop. “Better” 3 stars.

It's a bit absurd when an anime series centered around drawing has poor animation. The show features long static shots, jerky movements, and awkward character expressions, all combined with a near-slavish devotion to the manga source material that fails to consider the techniques that work on paper but may not translate well to the screen. Normally, I would say goodbye to the show's creators and watch something else. However, I kept watching Blue Period for two reasons. First, the show has expertly crafted characters and a captivating storyline. The original manga is so well-crafted and has such a strong foundation that it mostly manages to overshadow the series' other shortcomings. Second, the issues mentioned earlier are mostly present in the first three episodes, during which the animation team was still figuring things out, and the screenwriter was trying to adapt the manga frame by frame. However, the quality of the episodes improves, and the tenth episode, set in Odawara, is particularly impressive, with a beautifully Haruki Murakami-esque feel that showcases the show's strengths. Blue Period is not just a narrative about someone falling in love with illustration; it's a story about different characters with varying motivations, problems, and opinions, all on a journey of self-discovery in which drawing is their constant companion. The anime's creators have managed to capture this journey, the essence of the characters, and the essential themes almost perfectly. Achieving this is no small feat. Initially, I didn't believe I'd experience the same emotions while watching the show as I did when reading the manga, where Yatora's life story resonated strongly with me. I'm giving Blue Period a solid four-star rating, with a special mention for the opening and ending, which I think are spot on.

Sometimes anime creators let success go to their heads and their next project ends up being a self-absorbed mess that nobody likes. Shingo Natsume and my favorite illustrator Hisashi Eguchi were supposed to be a dream team with their Japanese fantasy take on Lord of the Flies. Instead of a masterpiece, we got a self-indulgent mess full of pointless blabbering. Sonny Boy is a prime example of how even the craziest anime needs a solid foundation for the fictional world to work. Otherwise, all the over-the-top fantasy elements just become a weakness and the whole thing gets boring fast. The creators thought that the "random" feel of the show would appeal to viewers who wanted to figure out which superpower caused what, or who combined their powers to create a spectacle like the last part of Kubrick's 2001. But because the show's own set of rules and physics for the supernatural powers are so vague and unexplained, it feels like the creators didn't even need to put in the effort to explain anything, and could have just turned Sonny Boy into a psychedelic eye-candy without any substantial storyline. The characters, led by the main protagonist, are all boring and there's barely any social commentary or psychological depth after the first couple of episodes. And that twenty-minute long talk about monkeys in episode four? Traumatizing. 1 star.

What I ordered from Wish: Comedic yet heartwarming anime series about a speechless high school girl and her integration into society. What I got: An atrociously boring show about a bizarre high school full of strange characters that never made me smile or feel any warmth. The problem with the show is that it doesn't know what it wants to be, so it tries to be everything at once. One minute it's a dumb absurdist comedy that doesn't require many brain cells, and the next it suddenly becomes serious, with a warbling piano melody blaring out as the characters spout wise and heartfelt quotes. Neither approach works, especially when they're mixed together like this. The characters go from clever to stupid as it suits them, just like Komi speaks or doesn't speak depending on the whims of the anime's screenwriters. Random absurdity alternates with an attempt to make the characters believable, resulting in a jumbled mess that I couldn't bear to watch past the fifth episode. But at least in one thing this anime was unique. It was the first anime series where I regretted understanding Japanese and the awkward puns they were trying to pull off. The linguistic jokes were incredibly dumb and childish, including the characters' names and supposed humorous misunderstandings and slip-ups. After taking a peek at the English translation on Netflix, I was relieved that the translators mostly ignored them. I'll give this show one star, if only for its interesting visual style (although I wasn't entirely sold on this "screen-adaptation of a novel" style, similar to Bakemonogatari) and the quality of the animation. I never thought I'd say this, but compared to this show, Watamote was a masterpiece.

Caliphate is definitely worth watching. It offers a very intense experience that falls short of a five-star rating due to occasional over-dramatization, leaving little room for the viewer to believe that the characters' plans will work out. I admire the courage of Swedish Television for tackling a controversial and relevant topic without resorting to shallow condemnation of Islam or a blanket defense of those who claim to follow Allah in Sweden. Caliphate rightly suggests that radical forms of Islam, or political Islam, are less prevalent in traditionally Islamic countries than in non-native ones (such as Sweden, France, or Germany), where the efforts to assimilate socially excluded migrants into mainstream society proved particularly unsuccessful. For those with a specific attitude towards life, Islamism represents a means of finding oneself and sacrificing oneself in the struggle against a society that looks down on them, or in a worse case, despises and opposes them. Furthermore, the show's producers artfully demonstrate through the characters that Islamism is paradoxically not based on a thorough understanding of the Qur'an and Islam itself, with the religion serving as a mere crutch and its teachings being twisted, quotes and words being picked out of context and intentionally interpreted in a way to support violence in the name of God. The show effectively conveys this message, supported by great acting, with each episode's oppressive atmosphere leaving a deep impression on the viewer and providing a distinct catharsis. I rate this show strong four stars.

I have to admit right away that I don’t like the isekai genre. The reason is obvious. Although the idea of the main protagonist's journey from our world to a fantasy setting should, in theory, work with a wide variety of interesting ideas and offer a novel experience with every such story, the reality is often the opposite. Unfortunately, many isekai shows in the last two decades have been made in the same way. What sets them apart from each other is usually just the form in which the main protagonist is awakened or reincarnated (one time it could be a woman, the second time a necromancer, the third time a slime or a slime tamer). Another common occurrence is that the creators often only work with the main protagonist's backstory in the human world in the first episode. After that, the show becomes an aimless fantasy wandering where harem, titillating scenes, childish comedy, and gaming principles often take the lead. None of the above amuses me. Since the fantasy elements in such anime are often heavily drawn from Western mythology and literature (I can’t even count the number of isekai anime that feature elves, goblins, and succubi), I am more tempted to watch a full-blown fantasy adventure from Europe or America. And instead of watching a game, I'd rather simply play one (to this day, I still don't understand people who can enjoy watching several hours of let's play). +++++ However, this doesn't mean that I don't have any favorite shows from this genre. There are shows that somehow deviate from the traditional definition of isekai. For example, there is the excellent Grimgar of Fantasy and Ash, which is a deconstruction of the genre, and Log Horizon, where the aspect of the main protagonist getting stuck in a game is completely unnecessary, and it might as well have been a regular fantasy from the start. However, since I try to give genres that I otherwise avoid a chance from time to time, I gave Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation a chance. I'm happy to say that it's finally the first full-fledged, well-crafted, great quality isekai I've come across. +++++ The reason why I feel so is simple: It has well-written characters, a colorful and thoroughly fleshed-out world, and, most importantly, it really works with the isekai theme from start to finish. There are several sub-topics that the viewer can find in this show, such as the motif of using a second chance to live a fulfilled life, the impact of childhood trauma on adulthood, the motif of "becoming a hero against one's will," or the treatment of the relationship between a highly conscious child and their adoptive parents. However, it can just as easily be seen as a great fantasy adventure anime series with well-crafted battle scenes. It's up to everyone to decide for themselves what they get from this show. When I add the gorgeous artwork, high-quality animation, and great soundtrack, I must give it five stars and a warm recommendation (not only) to those who have a similarly reserved relationship with isekai anime series as I do. I'm eagerly awaiting the second season!

Picture a lively family gathering where everyone has come together, including your sweaty Auntie Mary, your balding Uncle Jack with a beer belly, your endlessly complaining Grandmother Janice, your grumpy Grandfather Fred, and of course, your own parents, John and Jeanette, along with you. Everything is relatively peaceful until Uncle Jack decides to steal the spotlight and become the center of attention. He starts telling his usual corny jokes, which you've already heard a hundred times before, and then he takes things too far by sharing some pretty racistic and homophobic jokes he read somewhere on the internet. And you just sit there, suffering. If you can imagine this scenario, then you'll understand how I felt while watching Asobi Asobase. While I typically love absurdist Japanese comedy (I have watched a great amount of Jel comedy videos and thoroughly enjoyed genre-similar Nichijou), this particular anime fell short. It seemed as though the creators of the show thought that because it was an absurdist comedy, they could throw in any random idea or joke that came to mind without considering timing or cleverness. As a result, the show felt forced and awkward, with too many screaming and snotty jokes that left a bad aftertaste. In comparison, other absurdist comedies like Nichijou have managed to strike a better balance between randomness and cleverness, creating a more enjoyable and thoughtfully executed experience. Although Asobi Asobase may be appealing to those who are new to this type of humor, I suffered through the whole thing. I'll give it one star for a few decent ideas that managed to make me laugh without feeling forced or awkward.

I'm always excited when I stumble upon an exception to the rule that Japanese anime set in Europe or America can't be good, but unfortunately, 91 Days is not one of them. While the show's setting during the United States Prohibition era, mature treatment of its storyline, and well-balanced screenplay are impressive, the plot itself is as old as time - revenge for the murder of a family. Nonetheless, the show has potential, and with the right anime producers, it could have been great. Sadly, like many anime series set in the West, it's marred by unnecessary and annoying stereotypes. For example, the mafiosos are portrayed as nothing more than degenerate murderers drowning in money, with nothing to do all day but kill each other, show off their sadistic desires, spew wannabe tough quotes, and generally act anything but normal. To make matters worse, the show suffers from what I call the "Game of Thrones syndrome," where too many characters are killed off too quickly, making it difficult to form any emotional attachment to them. As a result, the tension is nonexistent, and when a character dies, it doesn't feel shocking or impactful, but rather just another unsurprising death. It's a shame because with its unique setting and mature treatment, 91 Days had the potential to be a more interesting show. However, due to its weaknesses, I can only give it a weak 3-star rating.

Anime that is basically just about a group of high school students trying to confess their love to each other? It may sound like corny nonsense, but my final impression of the show was surprisingly positive. The series is primarily a parody that successfully tackles various love story tropes found in manga and anime for teenage audiences, making it very entertaining. However, it also touches on serious themes, and the anime's producers do a good job of balancing both elements in such a short run time. The only major issue is the large number of characters featured in just twelve twelve-minute segments, which means not all characters receive equal screen time. If the producers had cut down the screentime involving the minor characters a little and focused on the more significant ones, the show would have been even better since all the major characters are engaging and entertaining. Overall, Tsuredure Children is an enjoyable standalone anime that's perfect for a bad day. My personal favorite couple was Takeru Goda and Ayaka Kamine.

Many people proclaim Mushishi as one of the best anime series ever created, and while I certainly agree that it deserves a spot in my "top ten", I would describe it a bit differently. To me, what is the most striking feature of this anime is its uniqueness. Despite my time spent in the world of anime, I have yet to encounter another series that evokes the same emotions as Mushishi. It's not a grandiose epic that draws viewers in with intricate characters or a complex storyline. Instead, the show's brilliance comes from the combination of stunning artwork, a beatifully atmospheric soundtrack, imaginative storytelling, and an overarching wisdom that seeps through every episode. This wisdom doesn't hit viewers over the head; instead, it gradually permeates their senses throughout the series, offering them a chance to reflect on how to handle the inevitable moments in life when they may not have the power or resources to change things. Mushishi is a simple yet captivating work that immerses viewers and leaves them with a powerful catharsis after every episode.