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ep. review

Jujutsu Kaisen Season 3: The Culling Game Part 1 ‒ Episode 56

While it helps that this episode looks sick as hell, the timely message of good people enduring in bad situations is what ultimately makes this a great episode of anime.
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Tamon's B-Side ‒ Episode 10

In some ways, Natsuki feels more like a burnt-out, middle-aged man than he does a young pop idol.
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Champignon Witch ‒ Episode 10

Who is brainwashing the populace into believing that practitioners of black magic are bad?
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Chained Soldier Season 2 ‒ Episode 9

For as much as Kuusetsu represents Yuki and Co.'s worst nightmare, I don't think I've ever been so excited to see where Chained Soldier goes next.
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SHIBOYUGI: Playing Death Games to Put Food on the Table ‒ Episode 9

Only a truly deranged world would allow such madness to run rampant and unchecked. Thank goodness such a place could only exist in the far-out realm of science-fiction anime.
ep. review

The Holy Grail of Eris ‒ Episode 9

If there’s a “true” tragedy in this story, it’s that Scarlett died for nothing.
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In the Clear Moonlit Dusk ‒ Episode 8

Why is it that being treated like a girl is preferable to simply being treated as Yoi?
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Oshi no Ko Season 3 ‒ Episode 8

The suggestion that the cheerful Ai we saw interacting with her own children might not have been the true Ai is irresistible.
ep. review

Isekai Office Worker: The Other World's Books Depend on the Bean Counter ‒ Episode 9

The man in charge of the church resents the palace’s “interference” with his institution in the first place; imagine what he’ll do when he realizes that Seiichirou and Yua also want to deprive him of a system that’s netted him a lot of free labor.
ep. review

Hell Teacher: Jigoku Sensei Nube ‒ Episode 22

It’s the first time in a while I’ve watched someone so explicitly blunder into eternal damnation.
ep. review

The Darwin Incident ‒ Episode 9

This is still The Darwin Incident I'm talking about here, so it's going to make its efforts in the bluntest ways possible.
ep. review

My Hero Academia: Vigilantes Season 2 ‒ Episode 22

I'm actually starting to get annoyed at where this show's priorities are.
ep. review

Yoroi-Shinden Samurai Troopers ‒ Episode 9

It's solid enough as a plot twist, but the way Yoroi-Shinden Samurai Troopers brings itself back into flavor country is how it threads that twist through subsequent subplots.
ep. review

Journal with Witch ‒ Episode 9

As a viewer and a writer, I can appreciate Makio's phrasing, and “write with the intent to kill” sent a bolt of lightning up my spine.
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Hana-Kimi ‒ Episode 10

Hana-Kimi really is at its best as a kind of hangout show, spending time with the characters without worrying too much about any stakes other than the slow burn of the romance.
ep. review

Wash It All Away ‒ Episode 9

It’s raining, it’s pouring, but no, this episode isn’t boring.
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Golden Kamuy Final Season ‒ Episode 58

For every valid criticism I have of this episode, whenever I think of Ogata pouting when he learns that the flailing, naked Sugimoto is not his brother, my fondness for this episode returns and grows.
ep. review

Medalist Season 2 ‒ Episode 2

For a series that largely centers itself around character drama, this episode feels a lot more like watching a real competition, but considering the exact level of spectacle involved, it's hard to argue with the results.
ep. review

Hell's Paradise Season 2 ‒ Episode 8

This felt like half an episode's worth of content stretched into 25 minutes.
ep. review

You and I Are Polar Opposites ‒ Episode 8

Azuma's situation here is pretty rough, which just makes it all the more shocking when the heavens split, as for the briefest of moments, Taira manages to actually talk some sense.
ep. review

Gnosia ‒ Episode 19

As we all predicted, the previous 'ending' of Gnosia was not the true conclusion of Yuri and Setu's adventures through time and space.
ep. review

Dead Account ‒ Episode 8

Some boring fights that are coupled with a bunch of flashbacks that add nothing? Yep, this is what we in the field call “a nothingburger."
ep. review

The Invisible Man and His Soon-to-Be Wife ‒ Episode 8

Yakou sleeping over had some funny jokes that leaned into more adult territory.
ep. review

Trigun Stargaze ‒ Episode 8

Well played, you magnificent bastards, well played.
ep. review

Roll Over and Die ‒ Episode 8

As much as I enjoy Roll Over and Die for how it feels like a respite from its genre, the series sadly remains beholden to some of the Narou scene's ickiest impulses.
ep. review

Fire Force Season 3 ‒ Episode 20

The fact that Fire Force has tried to thematically justify Tamaki's ridiculous fanservice with its cuckoo world-building is legitimately so insane that I can't help but have a little respect for the gumption of it all.
ep. review

Sentenced to Be a Hero ‒ Episode 8

The trope of “we have to pretend to be married for the mission” is well-beloved for a reason.
ep. review

Chained Soldier Season 2 ‒ Episode 8

We've got action, some story development, fun new characters, boobs, a couple of good jokes, and even more boobs. What more could you ask for?
ep. review

Champignon Witch ‒ Episode 9

It’s adorable when Lize pretends not to know what kissing is, but that’s the brief moment of light in the darkness.
ep. review

Tamon's B-Side ‒ Episode 9

This episode made me realize that Ouri is kind of a tragic character.
ep. review

Jujutsu Kaisen Season 3: The Culling Game Part 1 ‒ Episode 55

Put simply, this episode is everything I want from Jujutsu Kaisen and it would be my favorite anime of all time if every episode were this good.
ep. review

The Holy Grail of Eris ‒ Episode 8

When have men in power ever cared about seventeen-year-old girls' wellbeing?
ep. review

SHIBOYUGI: Playing Death Games to Put Food on the Table ‒ Episode 8

The tragedy of SHIBOYUGI comes from the girls knowing full well that they are little more than dolls to be played with until they are too worn out and must be tossed aside.
ep. review

Sakuna: Of Rice And Ruin ‒ Episodes 14-15

This two-part special doesn't offer much beyond an extra 40 minutes of the show's usual vibes, but it's nice to see that those vibes are still pretty charming.
ep. review

Oshi no Ko Season 3 ‒ Episode 7

Hey Sis, would you support me in delivering the secret we’ve guarded for the last 14 years to the scummiest paparazzo I can find?
ep. review

The Darwin Incident ‒ Episode 8

That's a lot of grousing I can do about these details in this episode, since so much of this week's entry is that sort of setup before the Lucy Kidnapping Arc presumably sees Lucy get kidnapped.
ep. review

Hell Teacher: Jigoku Sensei Nube ‒ Episode 21

The unknown and mysterious is often far more frightening than any number of daft-looking monsters.
ep. review

Yoroi-Shinden Samurai Troopers ‒ Episode 8

Having this Lucky Charms box of a cast shotgunned at the screen with wildly varying tones and paces across the board causes whiplash
ep. review

In the Clear Moonlit Dusk ‒ Episode 7

It's a beautiful scene, and I truly wish I felt something for these characters and their romance so I could fully immerse myself in it.
ep. review

Journal with Witch ‒ Episode 8

I don't know if I've seen another story so eloquently express the paradox of grief. Our hearts ache for company, yet we walk this leg of the journey by ourselves.
ep. review

Hell's Paradise Season 2 ‒ Episode 7

The action was already pushing this episode for me, but there is also a lot of good story and characterization to be extrapolated from Yamada and Tamiya's fight with Tao Fa.
ep. review

My Hero Academia: Vigilantes Season 2 ‒ Episode 21

This three-episode flashback distraction is finally done, and my final verdict is…this should've been an OVA .
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ep. review

Hana-Kimi ‒ Episode 9

The episode's structure is undeniably odd: start with the big emotional epiphany, then end with the stock shoujo “lost together in the wilderness” plot.
ep. review

Golden Kamuy Final Season ‒ Episode 57

This episode is a distillation of everything I love about Golden Kamuy, and I’m so glad we get to see these lovable idiots partake in some low-stakes, but meaningful, misadventures, before the finale draws near!
ep. review

Wash It All Away ‒ Episode 8

This episode has a delightful sense of “turn your brain off” that just worked on me.
ep. review

Fate/strange Fake ‒ Episode 8

If it weren't clear already, this episode makes the point that Flat is far from your average mage.
ep. review

You and I Are Polar Opposites ‒ Episode 7

Now that she's got a second wingwoman in her corner, perhaps the extra support will be enough for Nishi's brain to properly register her newfound crush
ep. review

Trigun Stargaze ‒ Episode 7

Seems like Knives’ lackeys have a severe lack of workers’ rights baked into their contracts. This is why unionization is important, folks.
ep. review

Dead Account ‒ Episode 7

If a tree falls in the forest and it’s poorly animated, do you even care?
ep. review

Fire Force Season 3 ‒ Episode 19

It brings me no small amount of childlike joy to discover that this show's endgame essentially boils down to, "What if we just did Third Impact from Neon Genesis Evangelion, except if it was triggered by Roger Rabbit instead of Shinji Ikari?"
ep. review

Champignon Witch ‒ Episode 8

Black magic users filter out the impurities in the world so that people can live. White magic users encourage the untainted world to flourish.
ep. review

Tamon's B-Side ‒ Episode 8

If housekeeping doesn’t work out for her, Utage’s got quite a future in printing, graphic design, merchandising, or something adjacent to those industries ahead of her.
ep. review

Medalist Season 2 ‒ SEASON PREMIERE

I'm happy to say that in spite of Michael Mouse’s best efforts to prevent people from watching it, Medalist remains as good as ever.
ep. review

Sentenced to Be a Hero ‒ Episode 7

The horizons for the show just keep expanding.
ep. review

Chained Soldier Season 2 ‒ Episode 7

Yuuki is, at this point, getting passed around to one girl after another like that one spare Nidoking who gets used as a stock trading stud so other trainers can evolve their Haunters and their Kadabras.
ep. review

Roll Over and Die ‒ Episode 7

The surprise star of this week's Roll Over and Die installment is Ottilie, lieutenant general of the royal army and disaster lesbian extraordinaire.
ep. review

The Holy Grail of Eris ‒ Episode 7

In all of the years since Scarlett last walked the earth as a human, it seems like she’s the only one who ever had Cecilia’s number.
ep. review

The Invisible Man and His Soon-to-Be Wife ‒ Episode 7

This episode didn't give me exactly what I wanted, but it gave me everything that I needed.
ep. review

In the Clear Moonlit Dusk ‒ Episodes 5-6

In the Clear Moonlit Dusk thus far has failed to live up to my expectations or hopes in any way.
ep. review

Oshi no Ko Season 3 ‒ Episode 6

It was supremely rewarding to see Kana gather her courage and become her own savior.
ep. review

The Darwin Incident ‒ Episode 7

Those are all just mechanical components of the storytelling to be impressed by, though, as the thematic and emotional elements continue to run dry for The Darwin Incident with this arc.
ep. review

Hell Teacher: Jigoku Sensei Nube ‒ Episode 20

Rejoice, yuki-onna lovers! Ice maiden Yukime returns in time for the Winter Olympics with… a beach episode?
ep. review

SHIBOYUGI: Playing Death Games to Put Food on the Table ‒ Episode 7

I found this to be an emotional and riveting episode of television, just as every chapter of SHIBOYUGI has been thus far. Nonetheless, some cracks, however small they may be, have begun to surface.
ep. review

Yoroi-Shinden Samurai Troopers ‒ Episode 7

Their base may currently be on rails, but the plotting of Yoroi-Shinden Samurai Troopers feels like it's jumping the tracks sometimes.
ep. review

Isekai Office Worker: The Other World's Books Depend on the Bean Counter ‒ Episode 7

In another series, Aresh would come across as a walking red flag. But within the context of this series, Aresh is painted more as overwhelmed with concern for a man who seems hell-bent on self-destruction.
ep. review

Journal with Witch ‒ Episode 7

The notion of motherhood hangs over the entirety of Journal with Witch, like uncertain clouds that might unleash a torrent of rain at any moment.
ep. review

Hell's Paradise Season 2 ‒ Episode 6

I have to be honest, I'm not really sure how they're going to get out of this situation given the way the episode ends.
ep. review

My Hero Academia: Vigilantes Season 2 ‒ Episode 20

I want to make it clear that I didn't hate this episode...but.
ep. review

Golden Kamuy Final Season ‒ Episode 56

As the end draws near, it’s never been less certain where some of Golden Kamuy’s characters stand, and there’s no telling quite how this powder keg will blow!
ep. review

Wash It All Away ‒ Episode 7

This episode’s social media-centric premise was stretched out a little bit too thin for me.
ep. review

Hana-Kimi ‒ Episode 8

Without Umeda around, I suppose someone has to be the one to point out to Mizuki that she's being silly.
ep. review

You and I Are Polar Opposites ‒ Episode 6

Miyu's reunion with her “ex” isn't exactly high-stakes melodrama, but for a show as fluffy as this one, it might as well be
ep. review

Frieren: Beyond Journey's End Season 2 ‒ Episode 5

I think we've all had a time or two in our lives where we're left facing the hard decision of which would be worse: ruining somebody's fun or letting them be disappointed in the end.
ep. review

Fate/strange Fake ‒ Episode 7

"Philia" could well be the most dangerous wild card in this entire Grail War.
ep. review

Gnosia ‒ Episode 18

Okay, we can all agree that there's no way that this is the real ending of Gnosia, right?
ep. review

Dead Account ‒ Episode 6

Finally, some good-ish things are happening here.
ep. review

The Invisible Man and His Soon-to-Be Wife ‒ Episode 6

There's no point in being jealous about something that you can't have or of someone that you aren't, because all it does is distract from the fact that you can still lead a happy and fulfilling life as you are.
ep. review

Sentenced to Be a Hero ‒ Episode 6

The sub-theme of the two of things being more alike than different, and that being the source of Xylo’s angst, is a compelling one, something I hope the show explores more of in the future.
ep. review

Trigun Stargaze ‒ Episode 6

Oh yeah, Knives is awake now and he’s ready to bring on the apocalypse.
ep. review

Roll Over and Die ‒ Episode 6

I believe Flum, Milkit, and the audience all deserve some fluffy domestic lesbian bliss, and this week, Roll Over and Die agrees with me.
ep. review

Fire Force Season 3 ‒ Episode 18

This episode sees Fire Force blazing at its best and brightest.
ep. review

Tamon's B-Side ‒ Episode 7

I’m not sure if I want to laugh or sob at the idea of Utage taking Tamon to a showing of a documentary about the competition that sent him spiraling.
ep. review

Chained Soldier Season 2 ‒ Episode 6

I do like this Kuusetsu gal that's so gleefully stealing the spotlight whenever she's on screen. She's a pesky little gremlin who can transform on a dime and obliterate the rib-cages of anyone stupid enough to talk smack to her face.
ep. review

Champignon Witch ‒ Episodes 6-7

Although Luna doesn’t say much, we know that she and Lize want the same thing: to find someone to love, someone who can be with them without being harmed.
ep. review

Jujutsu Kaisen Season 3: The Culling Game Part 1 ‒ Episode 54

This is the most excited I’ve been all season to see what happens next in Jujutsu Kaisen, and it feels like the crux of this season is finally starting in earnest!
ep. review

SHIBOYUGI: Playing Death Games to Put Food on the Table ‒ Episode 6

I have no doubt that she really does want to help her fellow players, but we've already seen what happens when one of these so-called “friends” becomes an obstacle in Yuki's path.
ep. review

The Holy Grail of Eris ‒ Episodes 5-6

Who was Scarlett Castiel? Was she a villain or a victim, a society belle replete with power or a pawn in someone else’s games?
ep. review

Oshi no Ko Season 3 ‒ Episode 5

“Doing this is bad,” Kana thinks, while continuing to do this. “It’d be even worse if I did this, too,” Kana says, while doing this, too.
ep. review

Hell Teacher: Jigoku Sensei Nube ‒ Episode 19

I wish Kirin’s story had a little more depth to it than being merely a “don’t ignore ‘no trespassing’ signs, kids."
ep. review

You and I Are Polar Opposites ‒ Episode 5

Between the antics our central couple and the potential new ones looming over the horizon it looks like the show has plenty of ways to help keep its formula fresh.
ep. review

Yoroi-Shinden Samurai Troopers ‒ Episode 6

It's a suitably dramatic escalation to arrive at, and it's almost immediately undercut by Samurai Troopers reminding viewers that it is still, in fact, a cartoon.
ep. review

Journal with Witch ‒ Episode 6

Before this episode aired, I didn't know it was possible for me to feel ponytail envy. Now I do.
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Hell's Paradise Season 2 ‒ Episode 5

OK, raise your hand if you genuinely thought that our band of misfits weren't running into a trap!
ep. review

The Darwin Incident ‒ Episode 6

I don't want to react to the portrayal of a school shooting with an uncertain shrug, but that's where The Darwin Incident has left me, at least at this moment.
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Hana-Kimi ‒ Episode 7

Because this is a 90's shoujo manga, their paranoia is well-justified – beaches are always hives of sex pests.

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