So, how DO you like your perversions? I mean, this caliber of conversation does not come up at the dinner table and it would be difficult to try and explain things as we are ladling out the mashed potatoes and gravy, or perhaps a plate of curry, but you have to have a conversation of some ilk, and since politics is off the menu, well, here we are. It just that this show, “Nobunaga Teacher’s Young Bride” (“Nobunaga Sensei no Osanazuma”) serves up a lot of actions, as we realize social mores and morals have changed over the years to where what was OK then is explicitly illegal now. (more…)

This is a ‘nothing’ series; a show where we just see the day-to-day life of rather plain and ordinary girls, doing plain and ordinary things in their plain and ordinary life. Except it is anything but plain and ordinary. In fact, it is within the confines of these plain and ordinary things that we see marvelous and extraordinary things. And what makes “Joshi Kausei” (“High School Girls”) more than plain and ordinary is that no one ever speaks a single word! (more…)

In all the time I have watched anime, I have never encountered what I call a fetish show. I mean, there are shows that have strong ecchi factors in them and we are given some pretty strong examples of the weaponry that some of the women pack, but I haven’t seen a show that really hyper-focuses on one aspect of women and their clothing…until I ran into “Miru Tights” (“Miru Taitsu”, “Watch Tights”). (more…)

I have to assume that the reason everyone likes the chibi style is that all the characters are just so darn cute. I mean, the proportions are closer to a baby than an adult, so there may be a natural affinity towards it. I have also noticed that a lot of shows do a type of chibi adjunct, whether it was “Black Clover” and their ‘Petit Clover’ segment, or ‘Girls’ Last Class’, a short run series from “Girls’ Last Tour” or “Strike Witches” who did a short pull series in a pseudo-chibi style. Not wanting to be left in the dust, RWBY has thrown their hat into the ring (or gauntlet or maybe a vial of dust) and have come up with “RWBY Chibi”. (more…)

Oh, look, it’s another chibized series. What are the odds? (Well, since the House sets the odds, they were always in my favor.) (more…)

I had resisted this show for some time. I have a hard time with music genres and sports genres, as they are quite similar in their approach: someone wants to make it, but the odds are long and the opportunities are short. The road before them is littered with the bleaching bones of those who went before and failed. (“Fortune favors the brave.” No, it doesn’t, Matt!) But, somehow, through diligence, talent, commitment and a bit of pixie dust, they can achieve their dream. Am I right? Right? However, the offering before us, “Ya Boy Kongming!” (“Paripi Kōmei” or “Kongming of the Party People”) tells this story in a most charming and interesting way. (more…)

Demons, demons, demons. There does seem to be a fascination with demons, especially when we present them as more humanish than demonoidal. I mean, most of us see demons as someone who will burn you up or mow you down or cleave you in twain. Yeah, you might want to get some kind of PR firm to help burnish that image a touch. But what happens when a demon come after you for a debt that a relative owes them? How did this happen? Such is the premise behind Kakuriyo: Bed & Breakfast for Spirits” (“Kakuriyo no Yadomeshi”, or “Afterlife Inn Cooking”). Oh, did I forget to mention it’s also a kind of cooking show? Oh, did I forget to mention it’s also a kind of isakai? Oh, did I forget to mention it’s also a kind of romance? Man, I would lose my head if it wasn’t screwed on to my shoulders. *THUNK* (more…)

Oh, no! It’s a ghost! It’s a haunting! It’s a hot springs! We must protect the world, or at least parts of Japan, from those bad, evil, nasty, mean, ugly, cruel, vicious and rotten ghosts that will bedevil the lives of common citizen who merely want to take advantage of a lovely locale to soak away their stress! Well, things are never as they seem and such is the case with “Yuuna and the Haunted Hot Springs.” (“Yuragi-sō no Yūna-san”) (more…)

There is always a problem when you try to put together a show about the human body. For the most part, the body is seen as some kind of community or village or great megalopolis (think like “Osmosis Jones”) and how everyone gets along together, but the analogies don’t always work well, especially when to have to show how things function. But we make a real attempt with “Cells at Work.” (“Hataraku Saibō”). (more…)

So, it is common knowledge that the Japanese will make an anime series on practically ANYTHING. I mean, there’s one that delves into the fascinating world of….being a public servant! And I saw another one about the struggles to create….a new dictionary!!!! (Be still my beating heart. It is hot in here or what?) So when I ran into this one, “Chio’s School Road” (“Chio-chan no Tsūgakuro”, or “Chio’s Commute to School”), I was ready for the caliber of boredom usually reserved for things like being trapped at the Cleveland Airport for a week. Boy, was I wrong. I mean, about the show, not the Cleveland Airport. (more…)