Since I have really committed to anime, I notice trend after trend. This one is the “Envelope Push”. How far can we take ecchi and not have it fall into hentai? This particular offering, “Seven Mortal Sins”, or “Sin: The 7 Deadly Sins” (or “Shin: Nanatsu no Taizai”) put a real challenge to ‘Ikki Tousen’ for over-the-top, out-in-the-open perversity and right from the get-go. (more…)

This was a second season approach that I did not see coming, but it was fully welcomed, as it is something that is rarely put out there and that is what I call ‘The Other Story’. If you remember the first season of the capaciously-titled “Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon?” (“Danjon ni Deai o Motomeru no wa Machigatteiru Darō ka”), the second season is subtitled “Sword Oratoria” and it looks at the simultaneous events revolving around Aiz Wallenstein (that missy in the center with that sword a-pointing at your giblets) and the adventures she goes on with Familia Loki. (more…)

Japan has a rich tradition of ghosts and hauntings and possession. It is almost part and parcel of their culture, right up to the present days. It’s that I am seeing a lot of shows recently regarding yokai and demonic possessions and haunted (or cursed? I’m not certain) objects that intrude on a ‘normal’ society that acknowledges that they existed, but don’t exist in this current age of sobriety and science. Thus, this convoluted introduction to “Tsugumomo”, where the past meets the modern. (more…)

I guess I will never understand the Japanese fascination with maids. Yes, my favorite anime, “Mahoromatic”, is about one, but never anything like this kind of situation. She was merely an android; this one is, well…. Greetings are extended from “Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid” (“Kobayashi-san Chi no Meidoragon”). How can you get a dragon maid? Well, it’s nice that you asked. I’ll bring out some green tea and cookies and explain it to you. (more…)

Hooray, (or, perhaps, hooboy) another stupid rom-com, and this one is more inane than its predecessors, but it is executed in a rather charming way. Although the title is “Love Tyrant “ (“Ren’ai Bōkun”, also known as “The Very Lovely Tyrant of Love”), it could also be called “Kiss Note” and there are a ton of references made in that direction. Dang, her notebook looks like that of its cousin. Oh, down to the story….. (more…)

This is a show with a fairly standard concept, but brought forth in disturbing and dangerous realities. The idea is very simple: what if your artwork came to life and invaded YOUR world? A caliber of reverse isekai? Thus, the approach to “Re:Creators” (“Re:Kurieitāzu”, stylized as “Re:CREATORS”). (more…)

There are a lot of shows about video games in anime. It certainly seems to be a strong genre, although it’s more action/adventure oriented than merely watching some otaku NEET trying to beat the Final Boss on the 99^th Level of “The Tower of the Abyss” or whatever you wish to call it. But this show, “The Silver Guardian” (“Gin no Guardian”) puts an interesting twist on things. (more…)

Although this is a magic show, it is miles away from what you are used to, even with the mediæval flavor. It is a land where man and beast live. It is a time where common folk are in fear of witches and the Beastfallen. It is a situation where the Beastfallen are in fear of others, despite their size and numbers. This is the world of the “Grimoire of Zero” (“Zero kara Hajimeru Mahō no Sho”, or “Starting the Magical Book from Zero”). (more…)

I once mentioned (and frequently do so) that you can find an anime on almost any topic. This one is really strange, “The Dragon Dentist“ (“Ryū no Haisha”). It takes place in an alternate universe, a time when dragons existed and did take to the skies. (more…)

Yes, this is a brand of magical girl show, done a lot better than the ‘mow-‘em-all-down’ approach we currently have, but not as mindlessly frothy as previous versions. For this go-around, we have “Urara Meirocho” (“Urara Labyrinth City”). You see, Meirocho is a town filled with fortune tellers known as Uraras, who each specialize in different forms of fortune telling (Ooh! Ooh! Can I do tyromancy?) (more…)