Jeoffrey

Chainsaw Man has been such a wildly popular manga and hyped anime right from the beginning that I've heard and read so many opinions about it like I haven’t heard about any other series this season, this year, and probably in the fourteen years that I've been watching anime. Its popularity can be proven simply by looking at MAL, where it may not have become the best anime of the season by score (because the new season of Bleach has undeniable qualities, too, as well as an already established and devoted fanbase), but now that the first season is over, it is just a few steps away from a million viewers, a benchmark that many series never reach, some only months or years after being released. Hype is real! And I’m proud of myself for being able to avoid spoilers and watching it blind. Anyway, I do agree with a lot of what its devotees have said, just as I can see a few flaws that the critics have pointed out. So where do I stand? I get all the hype, I have enjoyed much of what I have seen, but I have not yet fallen in love with the series. I'm happy to watch the next season, I even wonder what surprises the writers have in store, but it’s not like I want to go and read the manga right now. In some ways, it has left me cold. Why? Let me start with the reasons that prevented me from giving the series a 5*. Most importantly, it’s the characters. There are some interesting characters here, who are certainly well fleshed out thanks to which I can understand them even in situations where others might not. But do I really like any of these characters and is there anyone with whom I strongly resonate? Unfortunately, my answer at the moment is no. My favorite character in the entire first season of Chainsaw Man is Pochita! And I'll go even further and say outright that the best episode that really worked for me emotionally and that I would easily give a 5* was the first one. It's because it's a lovely story about two tragic souls finding each other, a story of a deep friendship between a boy and a dog that managed to move me and evoke a strong emotional response. No other episode has surpassed that or even come close. Sure, there are some pretty powerful moments, but none of them actually got to me. I only felt slightly emotionally stirred today at the beginning of the twelfth episode, when a  character was remembered by someone who I believed had a really strong relationship with them, which gave all that reminiscing a better and more striking ending. Well, yeah, but the actual death of this major character, when it happened, hardly affected me at all. Nor am I able to relate to most of the characters. I feel too old for Denji and his motivations however well I understand them. There’s been a huge red flag with Makima for me since the second episode. This woman strikes me as an extremely dangerous and unscrupulous manipulator, one that I would stay away from, unlike many others (I simply wouldn't trust a woman who would immediately want to wrap me around her finger so tightly). Power is funny and she likes cats, but she's still a selfish demon who'll ditch you if it's in her best interest. Admittedly, it gives her a lot of room for future development, but she doesn't impress me much right now. Plus, like Genji, she's not the sharpest pencil in the box. Aki's pretty cool, but his backstory and motivations seem like the biggest cliché of all so far, and I almost wonder if he was originally supposed to be the main character, but then Fujimoto strategically put him on the back burner. I found Himeno somewhat likable, but I definitely need more time to establish a stronger bond. Well, and Kobeni? I still have no clue what to think of Kobeni, but there was at least one moment when she literally got on my nerves... So much for my current take on most of the important characters. It's quite possible that this is exactly how it's supposed to be, the author intended it this way and will work with it, but it just doesn’t feel right to me now, and it affects my overall impression and interest... But I have only watched the first part, so I definitely plan on giving everyone another chance, and the issue I have with the series might go away. Another shortcoming that a user here has pointed out, and which I've also noticed, are the occasional problems with pacing. The creators try to effectively stretch out some scenes, but it slows down the pace. Other times they step on the gas too much, negatively affecting the flow of the plot. It's not drastic, and I do understand the creative intent almost every time, but then again, I find it rather distracting sometimes. I guess that sums up the negatives, so let's focus on what was so powerful, skillfully done, and great about Chainsaw Man that a 3-star rating is out of the question. Let me start with the most outstanding aspect, which is the animation and the creativity of the camera work. The animation is excellent. I don't necessarily agree with the opinion that this is the very best of 2022 (the top of animation this year is still the second season of Demon Slayer), but Chainsaw Man is definitely up there in the top 10. To put it in perspective – if the animation in Demon Slayer is 10/10 during certain moments, in Chainsaw Man it is 9-9.5/10 during certain moments. The same goes for the use of CGI. It's excellent, but it's still missing something compared to the very top of what I've seen. It’s about one point short of a perfect experience. What is excellent and worth 10/10 is the camera work. For example, it's probably the first time I've repeatedly seen an absolutely brilliant use of a character’s POV, and it gives the series something truly original. Also, the fights, and especially the movement in them, are wonderfully captured. It has energy, it’s powerful and playful. Another thing I really enjoyed and I’ve come to love is the concept of the world and its use of fear as a kind of measure of power. Plus, the fact that "there are demons who are the personification of fear, but because they are fear personified, they, too, can be afraid of something..." seems pretty cool, and Fujimoto works with it in an interesting way. It's not just material things that scare people (like guns, spiders, bats...), but also various abstract notions like the future, and time. It makes me curious as to how this amazing concept will be further used in this work. I’ve kept the story itself as the last point. I find it intriguing, I want to know what happens next and I even have some idea of where it might go next, though I haven't seen enough to be sure. Hopefully, I can keep avoiding spoilers. Now that the show is out it might be easier. After all, the hype will surely die down a little over time until they announce the second season... I strongly disagree with some critics of this anime who say that it has a lot of holes. From what I've seen so far, most of it makes sense to me. I can apply logic and reasoning to the rest, so it does work as a whole. I don't see any major holes, and regarding the possible minor ones, I trust the story to patch them up, which has already happened in some cases. To sum up, let me use an analogy - Chainsaw Man is like a smart, good-looking woman I didn't get bored with on the first date, but I just didn’t feel a spark. I'll definitely go on a second date with her, it might work out, or we might just stay friends, but even those are pretty high on my list of priorities... 8/10

The story of how a boy is lost and meets a mole, a fox, and a horse, and they start philosophizing together on their way home, and if they haven't frozen to death, they are still out there philosophizing... The authors seem to have been given the task of cramming as much life wisdom and deep thoughts as they could into thirty minutes, and they didn't really bother with the fact that for an idea to have power, there needs to be some sort of context and background. Half of the life lessons that are spoken here are kind of random and have no effect on me as a viewer. It’s a short film that tries terribly hard to sell me as much as possible in a limited space, but it doesn't do a very good job of it, although the themes it wants to discuss are certainly very interesting and powerful. The filmmakers just shoot them at me and, sadly, most of them fail to hit the mark. Plus, due to all the philosophizing, there's not much time to build the story itself, so it feels very shallow, as do all the supposedly strong relationships between the characters we're supposed to believe in and who are supposed to speak to us emotionally, which, unfortunately, doesn't really happen much. What I definitely consider a positive is the gorgeous animation and great score. But, in combination with the above, it’s not enough to make this more than a mediocre experience for me. 5/10

The last season of Utawarerumono is a pretty decent ending to the series, finally giving some meaning to the previous season (False Faces) which I wasn't exactly thrilled with. It also ties everything back to the first season pretty well. I quite enjoyed the opening part where there was a lot of fighting. It sort of felt like a cheaper and more boring Kingdom in a fantasy world, but for a lover of clashes between large armies combined with a bit of politics in the background, it was pretty good. The second half was the finale itself. On the one hand, it was a decent ending to most of the storylines that provided some rather satisfying answers, especially to many of the questions I've had in my head since Season 2. On the other hand, it dragged on incredibly, and it felt like the series didn't know when to end. It’s a long time since I’ve seen so many final confrontations in a row in one series. One danger was averted only for another to arise right after that, and then another, and then another, and then... SPOILER The villain is defeated, only for it to turn out that someone else was pulling the strings, who in turn is defeated only to get the wrong idea and come back even scarier than before, and when he is defeated, danger comes from a completely unexpected direction, twice in a row – all of which happens in the space of about ten episodes. END OF SPOILER It makes you feel as if you're watching a fight in a shōnen where the villain won’t be defeated and keeps getting back up. It sounds cool, but it gets increasingly frustrating. Each time you think to yourself that it might finally be over, it never is... But I finished it anyway, it was an OK series, a decent ending to the whole Utawarerumuno. The great first season would have been enough for me, though. It is probably the only part I'd be happy to rewatch in the future. 6/10

Honestly, I expected this to be much crazier. After all, a lot more could have been squeezed out of a story with such an odd cast of characters in my opinion. I also expected to laugh considerably more often. But still, there were some funny jokes, I liked the girls quite a bit, and even though the animation was rather weaker, I don't regret the time spent with this series. 6/10

Raven of the Inner Palace quite captivated me with its visuals, especially the sense of aesthetics that the creators have shown here. I also got to like the main couple. Unfortunately, the series didn’t do it for me as far as the individual stories were concerned. I didn't find them particularly interesting, they didn't make me feel any suspense and, for the most part, I didn't really care about them. Also, the main storyline wasn't strong or compelling enough for me to want to know more about the history of Raven concubines. The romance here was quite pleasant. It was very gradual, and I enjoyed watching the central couple find their way to each other. On the other hand, I wasn't really interested in anyone else besides them. For me, it's kind of a disputable average, which is slightly elevated by the already mentioned artistic aspect of the series. For example, the scene where Ryu uses his magic (burning the pink lotus) is really impressive. 6/10

A clear winner of the entire winter anime season, and an absolutely amazing and original anime that completely won me over. And not just me, obviously. Everywhere I look, the score doesn't go below 8/10 and the vast majority of reviews are nothing but positive. From a complete underdog, a series that not many people had high expectations for, it has become an absolute treasure and maybe even a future cult classic. But only time will tell. How did this happen and what is it about Bocchi that makes her so great? Well, let's just say that you hardly ever get to see so much love and creativity in a single animated project. In my opinion, Bocchi the Rock is a combination of the best of shows like K-ON! (musical setting), Hitoribochi (a lonely protagonist looking for friends), Watamote (a socially awkward protagonist and general craziness), or even Eizōken (incredibly inventive animation). All this is skillfully combined into a unique experience. It's simply incredible, and some of the gags contain elements and ways of expression that I might not have seen in anime before (well, maybe if I watched, say, Pop Team Epic). They resonate with viewers and lead to the creation of many memorable memes, which then circulate the internet and keep spreading awareness of this excellent work. Bocchi the Rock is also unique in that it's an adaptation that might even be better than the original manga, which I've also had a peek into. While the manga is great, it's really the immense love the authors obviously had for it that has given many of the jokes in the anime an even better punchline, taken them a bit further, or added something new that you won't even find in the manga, but in perfect tune with the overall vibe. The creators not only love the original source but also understand the message that is supposed to be conveyed to the viewer, and what its strengths are. Another important aspect that makes Bocchi the Rock a perfect show and a work that so many people love is the main character herself and her social phobia. The author of the manga obviously knew a lot about this issue and managed to capture the mindset of a person with social phobia in a very creative way and with a good dose of typical Japanese hyperbole, presenting a lot of situations that many people who are not very confident in social interactions will easily see themselves in. In short, a lot of viewers found themselves in Bocchi, feeling all of her worries, and loving the humor with which the show treats them. It might have even helped them find some courage in themselves seeing all that Bocchi has accomplished... However, even for those who don't suffer from phobias, everything is so visually impressive and hilarious that they'll at least have a good laugh and enjoy the heroic struggle Bocchi wages with herself and sometimes manages to win. To be completely honest, in the first episodes, I didn't believe that Bocchi had it in her to carry the whole series. I thought she would get worn out – boy was I wrong! But it's not just Bocchi who is a distinct and interesting character that many will relate to. I've noticed the other three girls in the group (Kita, Yamada, and Ijichi) in various popularity charts, so they obviously have a strong fan base and people are rooting for them, too, just like the protagonist. I don’t find it surprising as it's an original and very memorable group of characters with their own dreams, strengths, and weaknesses. Perhaps the last thing I want to discuss, which makes Bocchi the Rock so great for me, is the animation. I've already mentioned the incredible originality and the plethora of different animation styles and other means of expression, but when I remember claymation Bocchi, or monopoly, I don’t think I have praised it enough. But it's not just that. CloverWorks did such a great job that I’ve seen the best animation of musical instrument playing ever, for example. Hands moving realistically across the fretboard of a guitar, close-ups of the strings, or capturing the rhythm of drumming, it's all there and it looks incredible, mind-blowing, just great. I was about to end my review, but I remembered that I hadn't mentioned the voice actor performances. I just feel the need to say that Yoshino Aoyama's performance was flawless, memorable, and amazing. She gave Bocchi a real personality and captured her social phobia - she really pulled it off. The creative work with the sound is also worth mentioning, such as the great use of ASMR in the last episode. If I had to nitpick, the final performance of Episode 12 didn't feel as strong as those in the other episodes (like the excellent Episode 8). I also had a bit of a problem at the beginning with one of the accompanying musical themes that was heard in the more cheerful passages and didn't seem to fit. It reminded me of the sounds of my Game Boy in the 90s. But those are just minor details in the overall impression. I don’t feel the need to take any points off the rating. It won't change the fact that this is my Anime of the Season and quite possibly my Anime of the Year 2022. Bocchi Rocks! Bocchi Rulez! Give me more Bocchi! 10/10

Considering the fact that Beast Tamer is basically a load of clichés and a harem where the protagonist catches girls like Ash catches Pokémon, and it's not too hard to notice the flaws here, I have to say (to my own surprise) that it's ultimately a pretty likable show. Rein may be another goody-goody on the anime scene, but at least he's the good kind, his good nature isn’t annoying but rather quite endearing. I was able to root for him, and be happy for him when he found new friends and a family environment. While I didn't shed any tears at the end of the first season, I felt pretty good after finishing it. It’s the kind of harem fantasy that would make me watch a second season. One could argue how OP the hero is. The unexpected solutions to many problems along the lines of "this is what the tamers of our village normally do" (to which the girls would react with a resigned look on their faces, making it clear that it's not actually normal) feel like the writer is pulling it out of his ass. The same goes for the way in which the protagonist extracts abilities from the individual girls. While it makes some sense, it's not an original or good concept, more of a crutch. On the other hand, it’s true that while the main character has a really decent harem at the end, there's no character in it that annoys me or that I find hard to tolerate. Quite the opposite, it's a pretty cool sample of anime ladies. Sure, their personalities aren’t complicated. Truth be told - if I wanted to look for any depth in them, I'd hit rock bottom in a second, but they each have some sort of interesting or sad backstory, so it's relatively easy to form some sort of relationship with them. There's quite a chemistry between the whole group, and it’s all kind of nice. Another thing that worked out well is the villain. It's not hard to dislike him and his whole crew, their actions are really obnoxious, but at least they don't come across as total morons, such as the heroes in Tate no Yuusha. Quite the opposite, Arios can be a bit sneaky and mean, which combined with his demeanor makes you curious to see how he'll end up, thinking you'll probably enjoy his potential final punishment. It's also an interesting question whether anyone in Arios' crew will have an epiphany in the future and possibly redeem themselves. All in all, I'm surprised. I didn't have high expectations for Beast Tamer to begin with. I expected him to turn out miserably, like the farmer from this season and plenty of other undemanding fantasy harems in past seasons. I'm all the more surprised that it wasn't a bad show in the end. It’s not brilliant and there are a lot of flaws, clichés, and some repetitiveness here and there, but it's definitely a 6/10 from me and if there's a second season I'll watch it.

The second season of Uzaki was definitely better than the first one, for several reasons. Firstly, I found it more entertaining. In addition to another huge display of all sorts of clichéd misunderstandings and the ways in which the main characters deal with them, there were also various little secrets that the viewer knew about but were yet to be revealed to the characters. I waited with anticipation and a certain sneakiness for it all to get out, which made me enjoy each episode even more (with greater interest) than if everything was just about the fun interactions of the main couple. Secondly, what helped the series was that new characters were added, namely more family members of the two protagonists, who spiced things up and provided a certain depth as they were given quite a bit of screen time. They are the classic models, which you will get to see in similar comedies, but they are very well handled here. For example, the dads of both protagonists made a very good impression on me. Thirdly, ecchi is also better handled here, it's not added as forcefully as in the first season, and it's usually a great part of the gags. Fourthly, the main couple's relationship has started to develop significantly, with important realizations gradually coming, leading to some more funny and interesting moments, which those who like watching the main duo and rooting for them will greatly enjoy. An entertaining 7.4/10.

Lucifer and the Biscuit Hammer captivated me with its story and characters but totally bummed me out with the crappy visuals. NAZ literally seem like a bunch of amateurs here, making the fights, golem design, and any faster movement look absolutely awful. I don't know if it was the inexperience of the team or not enough money was poured into the project, but it's a damn shame and probably the main reason why many viewers won't stick around to the end. Luckily I made it because I was hooked on the premise from the very first episode, even though it's just about a journey of a bunch of heroes and their special animal sidekicks to save the world. Probably the first thing that caught my attention and made me laugh was the realistic reaction of the main character to the fact that a strange lizard appeared in front of him and started telling him about his new role. I was also intrigued by the hidden agenda of the main female character, and I simply had to know how it would all end. The story may look quite flat, after all, it's about getting a bunch of heroes together to gradually defeat increasingly powerful opponents, but the main character goes through some pretty enjoyable development, new characters appear some of whom are quite interesting, and there's the occasional nice twist. On the other hand, it's also a series that has the most obvious death flags I've seen this year. It’s happened to me twice that it was very clear to me that a particular character was going to die very soon, so the show was a little too transparent in certain aspects. The finale was quite good. It was overly emotional at times, but it also had quite a well-done time skip that brought everything to a decent conclusion. If a better studio got the adaptation, poured more money into the project, or improved the overall story to make it more coherent, I'd probably consider a 4*, but as it is, it's just grey average again. A disappointed 5/10

Inu-Oh is a unique film that will definitely make an impression on the viewer. It is like a great artistic performance whose form is so strange and impressive at times that it just blew me away. Generally speaking, most of Sience Saru’s productions are distinctive and often use very original animation and ways of expression. This time, I was caught and drawn in within minutes and the film held my attention with its originality for most of its running time. Inu-Oh also has a very strong aesthetic aspect, and it works well with color to evoke the right kind of emotions and vibes. There's even a passage that literally felt like being at a spectacular rock concert, enjoying the show the filmmakers had prepared for me. The biggest problem with Inu-Oh, however, is that form clearly wins over content, and so the story is probably the film’s main weakness. First of all, it's not a story for everyone, as it refers to a lot of Japanese realities, knowledge of which is a huge advantage, and ignorance can easily make you lose all interest in the story and miss out on things. On the other hand, everything is relatively well explained, and although traditional Japanese mysticism plays a part, the basic framework is easy to understand, even if you don't know much about the story of the Heike clan. Moreover, there isn't that much story, after all, it's not the main thing. As I said, the film is mainly supposed to captivate the viewer with its form, which was a success as far as I’m concerned. It's also a very strange combination of a historical setting and a musical that uses some modern elements, which may be a bit of a clash for some viewers. Plus, the music here in general may not be to everyone's taste. All in all - Inu-Oh is a unique film with a distinct character that may not be everyone's thing, but I thoroughly enjoyed it. 8/10