Romantic comedies are hard to pull off effectively, in that the combatants (for wont of a better term) need to be smart enough to understand why they do what they do, but just clueless enough to allow the events to unfold as they need to for the story to be told. It doesn’t always work, as when other parts are brought into the mix that may or may not complicate things, and that is how we get to “My Stepmom’s Daughter Is My Ex” (“Mamahaha no Tsurego ga Motokano datta, or “My Stepmom’s Daughter Is My Ex-Girlfriend”). (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…)

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…)

This has got to be the funniest series I have encountered, owing to a ton of decisions that were made that merely add to the insufferable inanity that is the world of retail. We are at a bookstore, but we are hovering around the manga/light novel/comic books portion of it. Welcome to the world of “Skull-Faced Bookseller Honda-san” (Gaikotsu Shotenin Honda-san, “Skeleton Bookstore Employee Honda”). And you are welcome to it! (more…)

This show is just naked consumerism. It would be akin if Disney had a show about guys who were in love with the Princesses and each one of them followed their personal kink, although the Arielholic and the Bellelunatic would have run-ins all the time:

Arielholic: Belle talks to sheep!
Bellelunatic: Ariel talks to fish!
Arielholic: Yeah, but they answer back!

You won’t get that here, but you will get a lot of passion and fervor with “Sanrio Boys”. (more…)

It’s a drinking show. There is nothing more cuter than seeing a lady drink…..unless it’s a bunch of ladies drink! This one isn’t much different than “Osake wa Fūfu ni Natte kara”, except it’s times four. “Takunomi” (“Drinking at Home”) tells the story of 20-year-old Michiru Amatsuki (lower right). She arrives in Tokyo, where she will start a new job and enjoy a big-city lifestyle. (more…)

It’s a drinking show. There is nothing more cuter than seeing a cute lady drink. “Osake wa Fūfu ni Natte kara” (“Love is Like a Cocktail”) tells the tales of the married Mizusawas: Sora (him) and Chisato (her). (more…)

What is it with food shows? It seems that practically every time I turn around, there is another food show. But you have to be careful. I mean, to me, it is more than just seeing people eat endless plates of food or trying to learn the cultural and geographic difference that makes the same dish not really the ‘same’ dish. This is kind of the mixed approach to “Ms. Koizumi Loves Ramen Noodles (“Rāmen Daisuki Koizumi-san”). (more…)

I honestly did not expect a second season of “Mr. Osomatsu” (“Osomatsu-san”) and, to some degree, they might not have, either. But they decided to take it in a pointedly slapstick direction, so they are more unhinged, more worthless and more destructive than ever before. (more…)