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Oct 23, 2025
Chainsaw Man Reze Arc ✅ 10/10 Absolute cinema, zenith of animation as an art form, apotheosis of visual storytelling, orgy of color, motion and madness. Oh my God I’m so moved. Not even the best story ever, but something about the short time Reze and Denji spent together resonated with me and made the ending that much more impactful.
It was really only like 40 minutes of them doing “normal” stuff until the epic climax, but I clung onto every second they were on screen together. Their chemistry was so good and it reminded me of how truly messed up Denji’s life has been to
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this point that such a short normal teenage experience for him was so life changing. Can’t really say much more than that without spoiling, but I loved Reze’s character so much. She reminded me of some of the older femme fatales I grew up having a crush on as a kid. Ueda Reina once again put in an amazing performance.
The last 40 minutes.. where to even start man. Is it an exaggeration to say it’s one of the best animated sequences ever, full stop, period? I kept waiting on it to end thinking one peak after the other would be the final, but it just kept getting crazier and crazier, legit had my mouth open with awe for a minute there. The awe inspiring visuals+ Ushio Kensuke’s OST.. just wow man. I know MAPPA gotta be putting them animators thru hell, but thank you for your service.
Again, not the strongest story, but there’s some really cool visual storytelling and cinematography that’s fitting as Fujimoto is a massive cinema nerd. A few scenes make you forget it’s even an anime because of how fluid the animation is, the composition, ahh I could gush over this for days. I previously wasn’t a CSM fan, thought it was overhyped, but credit where it’s due man this is one of the best anime films ever made and I’m going to be thinking about Reze for a very long time.
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
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Oct 20, 2025
Dragon Maid movie ✅ 10/10 absolute cinema. Kyoani have done it again. The best Dragon Maid has ever looked and the best story arc so far imo. Perfect mix of action and heartfelt storytelling. Got teary eyed several times, Azad is a generic antagonist, but his conflict gives us some of the best character moments in the entire franchise. It feels like a really nice culmination of all the character development for the dragons to this point. They’ve all come so far thanks to Kobayashi, but the film also shows how far she’s come thanks to them. Really beautiful story.
Ilulu vs Azad, Kobayashi’s genki dama
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and Kana’s “I was so lonely” are gonna be with me for a while. This also had the most action I’ve seen from a Kyoani project in a long time and is a nice reminder they might be a character driven story studio, but they can hang with any studio in terms of big action set pieces.
Kuwahara Yuki, Tamura Mutsumi and Naganawa Maria were all amazing, their performances made for so many special moments!!
Great film and here’s to even more Dragon Maid!
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
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Oct 4, 2025
There’s some shows that immediately grab you not because they’re loud or flashy, but because they feel like coming home. Secrets of the Silent Witch was exactly that for me. As someone who’s been a longtime fan of the light novels, this was one of my most anticipated adaptations of the season — and I couldn’t be happier with how the studio brought Monica’s story to life and showed her development. From the very first episode, it captured everything that makes this series special: the warmth, the character growth, and the quiet magic that lives between people.
This isn’t a show that tries to blow you
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away with big action set pieces or political intrigue. Instead, it understands that the heart of Monica’s journey isn’t about the prince she’s assigned to guard, or the secret mission she’s on. It’s about her. It’s about a shy, anxious, socially awkward genius slowly, haltingly, learning how to live among others. Monica is one of the most powerful mages in the world, capable of silently casting immensely complex spells, mastering multiple forms of magic and yet, when it comes to talking to people, she freezes. She stutters. She retreats inward. And that vulnerability is exactly what makes her so relatable and loveable. As an introvert myself, I find Monica’s preference for solitude, but desire for connection to be extremely relatable. Deep down humans are social creatures and we all want to have friends/loved ones who truly care about us. What I loved most about this adaptation, though is how it depicted her development. Monica starts the series living in a secluded cabin, studying magical formulae and staying away from people. But throughout the season, every interaction she has with Lana, Claudia, and the other students chips away at her walls. She starts having more casual conversations. She takes risks. She gets embarrassed. She laughs. She struggles. And she grows. By the end of the season, she isn’t a completely changed person — she still has a long way to go — but she’s undeniably more confident and socially connected than she was at the start. The part of the story this season adapts isn’t anything revolutionary, it’s mainly slice of life stuff following Monica’s day to day activities as she keeps the prince safe from harm, but the progress we see her making as a person makes this show special. Every episode, Monica comes out of her shell just a little bit more. She gets more comfortable speaking to people, making eye contact, playing games and even comes to take pride in her role on the student council. She basically gets the school life she never got to have as a kid and seeing her hit these various milestones was amazing.
One of my favorite parts of the show was Monica’s relationship with the student council, especially Cyril. Watching their bond develop was genuinely heartwarming. Cyril starts off as this composed, intelligent figure, but Monica’s presence ends up having such a quiet yet profound impact on him. The way she surprises him, inspires him, and slowly draws out a softer, more emotionally open side of him was just beautiful to watch. Seeing her become such an important person in his world, often without realizing it herself, honestly got me emotional more than once. It’s not just Cyril, though. She does this with several characters throughout the show, even though she struggles to express herself, she’s such a naturally earnest and beautiful person that people can’t help but be drawn to and inspired by her. The best leaders are those that just lead with their actions as they say.
Sadly there’s no overt romance in this story yet, but the ship teasing is delightful. The subtle moments between Monica and Prince Felix, and also Monica and Cyril, are some of the sweetest parts of the show. The stolen glances, awkward exchanges, and unexpected acts of kindness are so cute! I love how both of the boys understand Monica’s awkwardness and always try to make her feel more comfortable around them and reassure her. It’s the kind of soft, slow-burn dynamic that makes you grin like an idiot. Even without a confession or big romantic subplot, the chemistry is there, and it makes the world feel more alive and warm. I also love the yuri shipping moments with she and Lana.
There’s something beautiful about how Silent Witch frames growth as a gradual, everyday process rather than a single, dramatic turning point. Monica doesn’t suddenly conquer her social anxiety with one rousing speech. Instead, she learns through friendship and small acts of courage. Lana’s outgoing warmth, Claudia’s quiet strength, and her classmates’ support help her find her footing, and you really feel like you’re growing alongside her. It’s wholesome, it’s cozy, and it’s deeply human. That’s why this story is so highly regarded. A lot of people will make the Bocchi comparisons and there’s definitely some similarities, but Monica’s struggles were more realistic and her growth was much more pronounced in her one cour series than BTR imo.
Production-wise, the adaptation does a fantastic job of complementing the story’s tone. The soft, warm color palette and gentle lighting give the series a cozy fantasy atmosphere that’s a perfect match for Monica’s emotional arc. The animation isn’t crazy, but it doesn’t need to be. The direction prioritizes subtle character moments, nervous glances, hesitant smiles and emphasizes the quiet magic that happens in conversation. The music deserves a shoutout too: it’s understated but emotionally resonant, especially during Monica’s quieter moments of growth and the big set pieces!
As a longtime reader, I was honestly worried the anime might flatten Monica’s journey or rush through key parts of her development like what happens in 90 percent of LN adaptations. But they nailed it. The director and staff understood the assignment. Pacing is perfect, every episode we see Monica grow and it feels like they’re all nice self contained mini arcs. They clearly knew that this isn’t just another overpowered MC fantasy and making sure the audience feel apart of Monica’s journey is essential and they nailed it.
This adaptation truly understood the heart of the source material, and it delivered something special. It’s a cozy, heartfelt, magical coming-of-age story that you can’t help but fall in love with. For fans of the novels, it’s everything you could’ve hoped for. For newcomers, it’s a gentle but powerful reminder that even the strongest people are growing too and there’s a beautiful message in that.
Secrets of the Silent Witch gets an extremely easy 9, out of 10
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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Sep 29, 2025
Kijin Gentosho is such a frustrating watch because it’s unquestionably an amazing story. It’s mature, it’s full of twists, death, pain, amazing character development, realistic dialogue, themes such as learning how to overcome grief and moving forward in life. It’s got all of that plus the whole badass MC out for revenge and redemption hunting demons across the centuries angle. It’s such a great story, but it suffers from some of the worst production values this season and it gets progressively worse as the season goes on. It’s such a shame because if this show’s staff were given more time to fully develop everything, this
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probably would’ve been a lot more popular and better received. It’s not lacking for substance at all, but this is the anime medium we’re talking about and it is important to look good as well as having a good story. Luckily, this show isn’t too action focused, it’s much more about the MC’s growth and his journey from angry ronin to being at peace with the past. If you can look beyond the slideshows that are the last 3 episodes or so, you’re going to get one of the most memorable stories this year.
This is yet another example of how much better novel stories are compared to light novels and manga. Not to say manga and LNs are childish as there’s demographics of each targeted at every age group, but the sort of prose and approach to storytelling is different. In my experience, novels are aimed at older audiences and contain more complex characters, themes, darker subject matter and feature more authentic feeling conversations. That’s exactly what makes Kijin special to me. It’s not trying to be a demon slayer and focus on the flashy fights, Jinya’s life journey is the main attraction. He’s forced to grapple with so much loss at such an early age and that shapes him into this jaded and angry young man who struggles to connect with others for fear of being betrayed again. It’s thanks to the people who come in Jinya’s life that he’s able to forgive himself for his failures, accept the past and regain his humanity. The various cases that Jinya takes on all help him grow a little bit. I loved most of the cases and pretty much all of them involved some sort of twist that kept you on your toes. Nothing is ever quite as it seems in this show and that unpredictability makes every episode so fun to watch. While it’s episodic for a while after that first arc, eventually you start seeing all the threads come together. It’s so cool how the author would set up things and pay them off 5-6 episodes later. Every detail matters in this show, there’s no wasted dialogue or characters. Even if it’s not apparent for months after an episode aired, they paid it off at some point. Again, novels just feel much more purposeful to me. There’s not the sort of fluff and unnecessary bloat you get in manga and LNs. There’s no fanservice or the usual cringe tropes here either.
The characters are the conduit through which Jinya’s character development is achieved and they’re all great. Nice diverse cast of women and bros who need Jinya’s help and then usually end up becoming friends with him. Some are better than other, but generally enjoyed all the jobs he takes on and while they seem like they’re random at the start, everything starts coming together around the halfway point of the show and it’s extremely satisfying. I’m a huge fan of Ofuu, I felt like she was the single most influential character to Jinya and the way she always knew the right thing to say to cheer him up and keep him focused was beautiful. All the dialogue between them felt so natural and I really wanted that ship to sail all season. It’s not just Ofuu, though. Every conversation in this show sounds like normal people talking, not anime archetypes and that is so refreshing. I watch so many seasonals every season so when I get a series that’s not overdramatic and is more chill and realistic in how characters act, it sticks with me. Undead Girl Murder Farce is also based on a novel and was one of my fave shows from 2023 with a lot of the same things I like here, so I’m convinced novel anime adaptations are just better. The only issue with the story I have is the time jump stuff. We went all over the place in the timeline here and at times it felt pointless because we’d do stuff in present day and go right back to Meiji/late Sengoku era. I’m not sure if that’s how it went in the books as I still haven’t read them yet, but in anime format it was jarring at times. Things do start getting much clearer with the various timelines later on, though.
Now the big elephant in the room is the animation. Honestly, the show looked decent enough up until about episode 18 or so. At that point, you could tell this show wasn’t complete and the staff were likely under unreasonable time deadlines, like most of the modern anime industry. At one point we literally got an unfinished episode released with unfinished backgrounds and character models. The show got delayed for a few weeks, but even when it came back it looked bad in the action scenes too. This staff just ran out of steam and were likely facing some really toxic work conditions. I’m not going to blame them, I’ll blame the execs. As I said before though, the fights are secondary here. The story and characters are the primary focus and they’re all great. If you can tolerate the unfinished fight scenes, especially that bridge scene.. you’ll be fine. The voice acting and direction are great throughout to compensate as well.
Kijin Gentosho was easily a top 5 show of spring/summer for me. Even with the production issues, there just aren’t many series like this. I got so invested in Jinya’s journey and I couldn’t tell you the number of times I cried while watching this. There’s so many emotional moments and turning points for Jinya’s character that resonate because you’ve seen his struggle and all he’s had to overcome. It makes the joys of the story feel earned and you appreciate all the slower peaceful moments. It’s one of those casts that starts to feel like a family for you and a story you want more and more of each week. Bad animation aside, I loved this one and can’t wait to start reading the books.
Kijin Gentosho gets 9 out of 10.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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Sep 28, 2025
The world is better when Kyoani are making anime. No other studio has a catalogue that oozes with as much passion and creativity as theirs. City the animation, from Nichijou’s author, is a reminder of what pure unfettered artistic freedom and ingenuity can look like in this medium. When animators aren’t bound by unreasonable deadlines and greedy executives, it’s almost like they can make amazing shows, go figure. No studio has a better work culture than Kyoani and it allows them to make shows like this which are love for the medium personified. City the animation is a riot, it’s funny, campy and has a
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surprisingly wholesome dynamic between the main trio. It’s not the best show of the year, but it’s one of those that will stick with me for a long time because of the antics its cast members get up to and the incredibly unique art style. You can tell had Kyoani had so much fun making this and I sure as hell had fun watching.
This is essentially an unhinged slice of life following a cast spanning the width of the eponymous “City” as they get up to the most insane things imaginable on a daily basis. The show has a chapter/skit format where episodes are subdivided into different parts following particular cast members. With a cast as wide ranging as this one, I admittedly didn’t love every single character nor every skit. Some just weren’t my cup of tea and my flavor of humor, but any scene with the main trio or Eri and Matsuri was brilliant. This is a gag manga, and every character has their own gimmick that gets rehashed throughout the season, so you know relatively early on who you’ll gravitate too. I just loved how Nagumo is a broke young adult who’s struggling to make ends meet and refuses to get a job. I think she embodies every 20-25 year old out there and seeing all the ridiculous things she gets up to in order to make money had me cracking up. The fact her best friend Niikura is there to support her every step of the way, except for loaning money makes things even more fun. Their friendship was actually very sweet and made me smile hard as hell quite a few times. They might fight like cats and dogs, but when push comes to shove, they’re there for one another. Your enjoyment of city really is going to depend on how much you enjoy the slapstick comedy. As I said, some were better than others and some just didn’t hit for me at all. The ones that did hit, were good enough to make this a blast to watch. There’s not much actual story progression here, it’s mainly Nagumo going in circles, doing anything she can to make money without working, so it’s a nice chill and turn your brain off sort of experience.
The production values in this are just off the charts. The surrealist art style, the over the top special effects, it’s just such a crazy anime and it feels like they threw everything but the kitchen sink in this. So many modern anime look almost entirely the same these days so when you get a show like this that has a 1 of 1 art style and focuses on creativity and artistic expression, you have to appreciate it. As someone who watches most seasonals every season, I hope this show motivates studios and authors to try something new. Go against the grain and don’t be afraid to fail. Give us new types of stories and have fun making em.
City the Animation was a riot. As I said, I didn’t enjoy every long running joke, but I enjoyed enough and loved the cast. I often found myself getting lost at just how beautiful and whimsical this show is. It was so nice to have a show that exemplified “slice of life” on the menu this season. I’ll miss this City.
City the animation gets 8 out of 10.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Sep 28, 2025
Remember that John Wick continental spin off from a few years ago that ended up being mid? Imagine that, but good and anime. Hotel inhumans is easily the most underrated show this season. For the life of me, I don’t get how this wasn’t more popular or better received. It’s an episodic story following two concierge at a hotel for assassins. As they fulfill requests for their guests, we see our leads develop themselves, especially this series’ best girl Sara who goes from a cold emotionless killer, to forming genuine relationships with clients and establishing her own sense of humanity. Love how this series wasn’t
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afraid to give bleak endings to characters, kill people off, etc., you really couldn’t relax while watching this show because you never knew how an arc would end. If you like the world of John Wick, action and a bit of philosophy in your seasonal anime, I highly recommend giving this a chance. The score just doesn’t do this justice.
Hotd Inhumans an episodic story, so every week there was a new assassin we followed. At first, this was a shock to me because I really fell in love with the MC of the first episode and was almost in tears after that amazing premiere. After a while, I realized Sara is pretty much the protagonist here along with Ikurou and this show is about their journey, how every assassin they work with leaves an impression on them and causes them to reflect and grow. To his credit, Ikurou is pretty much a normal dude from the jump, it’s Sara who’s cold and expressionless and we really see changing, especially when we get to some of the more gut wrenching cases in this. Speaking of which, the fact this series has so many twists and you can never assume how an episode is going to end is really cool. The author doesn’t shy away from killing off characters you grow to love over the course of an episode, nor does he just give people who seemingly deserve happy endings, happy endings. There’s quite a few arcs in this that made me so frustrated because people didn’t get what they deserved, but that’s life. That’s also a testament to how good a writer this author is that he can make me fall in love with all these new characters in 20+ minutes. Whether it’s a child assassin, a middle aged dude with a wife at home or lesbian assassins, I pretty much loved every subject we followed in this season. Some arcs were definitely better than others, though.
The show looks pretty good, the animation won’t blow you away, but I’m a fan of the art style and character designs. I also think the direction is surprisingly good, helping to add weight to a lot of those big twists.
It’s certainly not anime of the season, but Hotel inhumans was a very good watch with a really cute and badass female lead, some philosophical themes and a consistently engaging rotating cast. I need to read this manga because I really want to know what happens to Sara and Ikurou eventually.
Hotel inhumans gets 8 out of 10
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Sep 28, 2025
Isn’t it amazing how fun learning about even the most seemingly mundane things can be thanks to cute anime girls? Don’t get me wrong, I’m sure mineralogy is a riveting subject, but for the average person there’s few things that sound less fun than learning about rocks. Yet, ruri rocks takes a seemingly uninteresting subject matter and turns it into one of the most enjoyable and fun experiences of the season. I came into this knowing next to nothing about mineralogy and left feeling like I have a PhD in the field. Studio Bind might have been created to adapt Mushoku Tensei, but if they’re
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out to diversify their portfolio, CGDCT is clearly their calling. First with Onimai and now Ruri Rocks, they’ve shown they’re able to take ordinary slice of life stories with cute girls and make them into visual spectacles that stay with you for many years. That’s not to say those manga were not good from the start, but no reasonable viewer could look at the manga and then this anime and not think of it as anything but an overhaul of epic proportions. While it definitely has Bind’s patented fanservice bits, they don’t overshadow or detract from what’s a very heartwarming and endearing story. An amazing cast, educational and some of the best animated sequences of the year made this one of my favorite shows of the season.
Ruri rocks is cool for two main reasons and I’m not talking about Nagi’s chest. 1: Learning the basics of mineralogy and how studying rocks can teach us about the world and ourselves. 2:Ruri’s development and coming into her own as a scientist. It’s such a nice watch because you can tell the author genuinely loves this subject matter and wants to share the field with others who most likely have never heard of it. Ruri is a reflection of the general audience in many ways. She goes from just finding rocks cool to learning proper scientific methodology and analysis. Her growth from amateur to actually wanting to become a scientist is something the author clearly wants people reading this series to do and if it works on only one person, I think that’s a beautiful thing. So many people don’t have access to certain hobbies or interests so they’d never have a way to know if it’s for them if not for experiencing it through media so hats off to this author for showing people the day to day life of a mineralogy from actually hunting for rocks to analysing them for data. The show also does a great job of showing how relevant this is for present day. Rocks are one of the best windows into the past of the planet and humanity in general and can help us predict patterns in the future. While it’s admittedly still not my favorite subject, I have so much respect for anyone working in this field thanks to this show. The educational bits are so well done and don’t feel like they’re overwhelming you. I appreciated the pop ups that would come on screen teaching you about a substance, explaining its chemistry, practical use, where it could be found and other fun trivia. Having Nagi basically act as the instructor for the audience/Ruri made following along very easy and engaging. It’s like that one favorite teacher you had in school that made every day a joy to go to class.
Ruri’s development also was great. In a one cour show, you love to see your MC actually change and evolve by the end. Ruri is frankly very immature and silly at the start of the show and doesn’t approach hunting for rocks the way she should. Thanks to Nagi’s guidance and the respect she develops for Nagi, coming to see her as a big sister, she starts to take on a the traits you’d want from a scientist. She becomes much more measured and thoughtful in her actions and even ends up being a mentor to the girls from her school who end the group! It’s a nice full circle moment where Nagi passes her love of mineralogy onto ruri and she passes it only Seto/Aoi and then onto us. The characters and their interactions really made every episode so special. It’s like watching a family take shape as this show goes on! I also enjoyed seeing Imari come into her own as a leader as well, she played second fiddle to Nagi for most of the series and was sort of in her amen corner up until the last few episodes where she starts using her unique perspective to each the girls new things.
You can’t talk about this show without talking about the amazing production quality. Every episode is a work of art oozing passion and love from BIND. I mean a show about girls finding rocks has no business having some of the best animated scenes of the year and yet here we are. The scene of Ruri finding gems underwater will always be rent free in my mind. Every single episode is gorgeous and almost every scene could be paused and screenshotted. This is a beautiful piece of animation and it takes what’s already a really sweet story to the next level.
I’m hoping Bind see the success they’ve had with this and Onimai now and continue to seek out these lesser known stories and bring them to life with the quality only they can. I love shows like this that remind you of the magic and wonder anime can bring.
Ruri Rocks gets 9 gems out of 10
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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Sep 28, 2025
Have you ever wondered what a slightly less edgy Overlord with an MC who doesn’t let his subordinates bully him around would look like? Well, Apocalypse Bringer is what you’ve been waiting for. In an ever increasingly saturated genre like Isekai, it surprisingly managed to show me something different. Instead of being your usual wish fulfilment self insert series, Mynoghra focuses on society and nation building, political and economic development. Now we’ve had nation building sims in the past, but what makes this cool for me is that it’s based on a top down strategy game as opposed to a normal jrpg or VMMORPG, so
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the approach the main character has to developing his nation and forming relationships with others is a little different. Combined with an interesting supporting cast, arguably best girl of the season in Atou and the MC actually having agency to make his own informed strategy decisions, this show turned out really well. Production quality kind of lets it down, but it’s a very interesting show that fans of strategy games will enjoy.
I love the idea of Overlord, but ended up disliking a lot of its execution because Ainz just lets Albedo and the other floor guardians make all the decisions and he never speaks up when they’re doing something inhumane or horrible. In Mynoghra, while Takuto confides in Atou and gets advice from her, he’s very much in control of the situation and for most part, doesn’t allow her to do anything crazy. Their relationship ends up being one that’s very equal and sweet. Their chemistry makes this show a very fun watch in the first half where they’re both adjusting to the new world, learning how similar it is to the game and making initial contact with other groups. It’s always funny seeing terrifyingly powerful beings act like normal teenagers. The first half of the show is kind of slow because it’s establishing the new nation and the world, but once this got going around episode 7 or so it was great. This is definitely a story that’s targeted at people who enjoy strategy games and slower paced plot progression. I felt like it was worth it because the world began to really open up in the second half culminating in an insane last two episodes. It would not have been that good if they rushed through the preamble. Be patient when watching this.
Takuto’s interactions with his new crew/subordinates are the other big draw. Already touched on his adorable relationship with Atou and how they tease each other, but also loved the older brother dynamic he took on with the twins and how he grows as a leader of the dark elf tribe as time goes on. The fact he has this scary, menacing aura/appearance to those who don’t know him made things really funny because he could not be further away from that image. Dude is a genuinely awesome main character who just wants to max level his civilisation and avoid war. This means interactions either other people throughout the show are generally very peaceful with mutual cooperation and development in mind. It’s much better to me than Ainz letting Demiurge destroy a kingdom or some other treachery. Yes, Takuto is out to improve his nation, but he won’t intentionally do it at the expense of other people. I generally really enjoyed the lighter interactions Takuto has with other characters and the banter between the leadership council of Mynoghra!
The one thing that lets this show down is it looks pretty mediocre. There’s not a ton of fights in this show, but of the few we have, I’d say half of them looked like PowerPoint slides. They did all of Atou’s action and still scenes very well, her design is so cute, but for everyone else.. it’s hit or miss in terms of animation. Not a deal breaker because we’re here for the world-building, but it could stand to be a bit better.
I’ve been a bit brief in my analysis of the story because there’s some twists that would be spoilers that made me enjoy the final third even more. Suffice to say there’s much more to the world than meets the eye and it introduces some really cool concepts in terms of the enemies Takuto and Mynoghra will be confronted with that I’ve never seen done before. If you like slower paced stories and authors who are good at establishing worlds and mechanics.. this is a good one. I really enjoyed it.
Mynoghra gets 8 out of 10
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Sep 27, 2025
There’s no question in my mind that if not for homophobia, The Summer Hikaru Died would’ve been much more popular and in anime of the year discussions. The ratings show that for people who did go in with an open mind, this was incredible, but the fact the story is an analogy for repressed homosexuality and conforming to societal norms turned a lot of people off. Sadly, we as a society have began to accept yuri stories much more, but there’s still a stigma about a love story with two boys, especially one that acts as a social commentary like TSHD does. It’s a shame
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because if people gave this a fair shake, they’d see it’s also one of the best horror stories in anime history. Anime is a medium where it’s just difficult to make genuinely scary stuff happen and TSHD does it consistently in nearly every episode thanks to the pervasive feeling of unease and dread established by CyGames. Almost every moment of this show oozes with a supernatural eerie sensation that makes the hair on the back of your neck standup. That’s not it though, TSHD features one of the most enthralling and captivating supernatural mystery stories you’ll ever encounter. It grips you from the first episode, gradually drip feeds you more information and lore and leaves you hungry for more at the end of each episode. Not only does this show function as a social commentary, it’s a damn good story on its own as well. The 25 minute runtime on these episodes were just not enough, I needed more and certainly need a second season, ASAP.
Now, I know some people are going to be upset that I’m harping on the LGBT stuff so much out the gate, but frankly I don’t care. Denying that aspect of the series would be like throwing out the core component of the story and underlying driving force behind most developments. Hikaru and Yoshiki were in love, even if they didn’t know it, and how Yoshiki handles the grief and trauma from losing his friend is essential to the story. That’s just the tip of the iceberg though, the series is filled with references and analogies for sexual identity and repression, coming out the closet, sex, consent and much more. Some things are more subtle than others, but I like how it’s all done with the backdrop of this conservative out of touch boomer run village in the Japanese countryside. Like everywhere in the world, in Japan there’s a lot of generational divide and conflict with older people struggling to accept the changing times and young people being, well, young people. TSHD shows us Yoshiki and his family struggling to be accepted by the village, constantly being talked about behind their backs and made to feel like outsiders in their own home all because they don’t conform to the ideal standards the older villagers have set forth. While the show doesn’t explicitly state everything, you can tell a lot of this has to do with Yoshiki’s implied sexuality, as well as his father’s and the fact his sister is homeschooled. I found this to be hard to watch at times because I couldn’t imagine living in such a small village and not being allowed to be myself for fear of reproach by some out of touch boomer. Yet it happens, far too often people have to hide who they are to be accepted and I think at its core, this story is about people embracing who they really are. The author just presents it through the lens of a supernatural god coming down from the mountain(homosexuality) and disrupting the village(young people being openly gay) story.
Oh and have I mentioned the sexually and romantically charged moments between Hikaru and Yoshiki in this? Just google the chest fisting scene for examples. Their relationship is the engine that drives everything in this story. It walks that fine line giving us both an amazing romantic ship, as well as a great friendship. The way they support each other in times of need and how Yoshiki is willing to throw everything away to help Hikaru fit into the village is awesome, but they also have this bittersweet dynamic as both of them come to terms with how their relationship has changed due to traumatic events. it’s one of those relationships that makes you look back and regret the things you left unsaid, but also motivates you to move forward and grow as a person. There’s not too much more I can say without spoiling major details which is why I’ll keep things brief on that front. But just know they are one of the best ships of the year and the only reason you won’t see them listed is because they’re two guys and while we’ve got to a point recently where yuri is deemed acceptable, there’s a huge stigma about two guys being romantically involved still, in the western anime community at least.
“OK, we get it, bro. The show’s gay as hell, is it actually good though?” Yes, yes it is. The LGBT themes are an added bonus, but TSHD is actually a phenomenal supernatural mystery filled with twists and turns, no shortage of brutal and terrifying moments that’s enjoyably for Fujoshi’s and general anime fans alike. Learning the truth about Hikaru and his family, uncovering the village’s true origins, the secrets behind what’s happening to the place and dealing with vengeful spirits all while having to avoid the supernatural bounty hunter(s) sent to town to investigate make every episode a nonstop thriller. It felt like every week I’d come into this show with 5 questions, they’d get answered and then I’d somehow leave out with even more questions. It’s just a really well thought out and planned story by the author that hooks you. It’s all taken to the next level thanks to Cygames incredible atmospheric storytelling. I feel like they’ve really established themselves as the best at creating atmosphere in the medium. Apocalypse hotel last season had this unique melancholic vibe that was omnipresent throughout the season and TSHD has this impending sense of doom and dread that follows you. Even when the boys are chilling, it just always feels like something horrible is right around the corner. It ensures you’re never able to relax and thus are always on guard. That makes things way scarier than just relying on jump scares. The best horror films/shows are able to constantly have you feeling scared. Now don’t get me wrong, this show does have some jump scares, arguably the best I’ve ever seen in an anime that actually made me jump/flinch btw, but the scariest part is the atmosphere no doubt. This show’s creepy as hell and I love it.
Production wise the entire thing is solid as hell. Cygames cooked with the atmosphere, but the voice acting and general direction are incredible as well. It’s extremely well animated and the art style is gorgeous. It reminds me a lot of the muted look CSM went for, which CSM fans hated, but I think it looks great here. It reflects the eerie atmosphere and depressive vibe of the village as a whole. There’s a few episodes here that are contenders for best directed of the year!
No doubt in my mind TSHD is a top 10 show this year. It’s one of the best horror anime of all time and one of the most well done social commentary in the medium. Yes, it very proudly embraces LGBT themes, but that’s not all it is. It’s a damn good anime in its own right and a must watch for anyone who likes supernatural mystery and Japanese horror. I’m glad I got to watch this as it aired and discuss it with other fans! I’ll miss my boys.
TSHD gets 9 out of 10
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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Sep 27, 2025
Kaoruhana was arguably the most anticipated romance manga adaptation in years and it completely exceeded mine and most other people’s wildest expectations. This was truly a stroke of genius by Cloverworks, who had 3 shows this season, each oozing with its own unique flair. The simple yet effective romance, the loveable characters, the butterflies every Kaoruko smile made me have, this was such a cute and relaxing watch and I can’t thank Cloverworks enough for doing this story justice. Is it the best romance story ever like you might be seeing it portrayed as online? No, but its simplicity is what makes it special and
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how every character feels like a real person complete with their own personality and quirks. This is the gold standard of modern fluff romance.
The old expression “you can’t judge a book by its cover” is essentially the foundation of the Kaoruhana story. People consistently looking down on, or placing others on a pedestal simply because of the school they go to. Now, I’ll be honest, I think the Kikyou/Chidori rivalry is extremely overdramatic, but it’s used to teach a life lesson and warn about the dangers of having preconceived notions about others. If everyone just gave people a chance, talked to and got to know them, the world would be a much better place. Unfortunately, people tend to stay in their own bubbles and believe stereotypes about those outside of their social sphere. While the real world isn’t as over the top as this story is with it, I think we can all relate to a time or two we’ve been guilty of making assumptions about people. One of my favourite parts of this story is seeing people tear down the self imposed barriers that exist between us and getting to know each other, becoming friends and in the case of Rintaro and Kaoruko, much more than that. Their relationship develops a bit fast I won’t lie, but it’s so cute, wholesome and pure that I can’t complain. They both compliment each other so well, the tall scary looking Rintaro, who everyone thinks is a delinquent, and the prim and proper looking Kaoruko who everyone treats as an angel. They both are so much more than that and I enjoyed seeing them fleshed out throughout the season. Now, as someone who reads the manga, I know certain things that anime onlies do not as it relates to Kaoruko falling for Rintaro so quickly and Kaoruko’s life not being as perfect as it seems, I don’t want to spoil those because they’re some of the best parts of the manga. What I will say is this, please go into this with an open mind and don’t be upset if not all your issues are addressed immediately in this first season. It’s just the beginning. Enjoy this first season for what it is, an introduction to the world and characters with a positive message about treating others with respect. For right now, think of it as a fluff romance that doesn’t require too much thought and you’ll have a great time.
While Kaoruko and Rintaro are awesome and have no shortage of cute moments, I actually prefer the side characters in Kaoruhana, particularly Subaru and Rintaro’s mom in this season. Subaru is a fan favourite for a reason. The way her arc unfolds and how we learn about her history with Kaoruko is brilliant. I think the climax of her arc is still the best episode of this series. Such an emotional moment that left me in tears. The way she has always looked up to Kaoruko and is so protective of her is very admirable, she’s one of my favourite recent female characters and I think those that watch this show will see why she’s so beloved by the fanbase. On Rintaro’s side, his mom is truly a contender for mother of the year. She is the sort of parent everyone would love to have, supportive, encouraging and would do anything to see her baby boy happy. The main ship may get most of the attention, but these two+ Rintaro’s male friends who look up to him really make the story special. There’s just something about this cast, the way everyone is supportive and kind and they all have these great personalities too that really endears them to the audience.
I could ramble on and on about why this show is so great for hours, but suffice to say it is the gold standard for modern fluff romance animanga. No fanservice, no sexualization of minors, no unnecessary drama, good communication between characters, a relatively simple story and an extremely cute main ship. Again, it’s not the greatest manga ever and I do think people overhype Kaoruko a bit, but there’s a reason so many people rate this highly. Diabetes in anime form.
Kaoruhana gets 9 out of 10.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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