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Sep 9, 2026
I read about 50 chapters of the manga of this first, so I'm reasonably well-informed on the direction of the series. As an anime adaptation, this is fine, if above average. The problem is that the material they're adapting is just so depressingly mediocre.
There's no hiding from the fact that the quality of modern romance anime, even compared to the 2010s, has fallen off a cliff. The genre has become too codified- too formulaic. They all provide the exact same experience, despite minor differences in execution. This, for example, features two leads that are supposedly older. You wouldn't be able to tell. The only
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difference is that they're tired from work, rather than tired from school. Oh, and that they smoke, I guess. In terms of emotional maturity, in terms of how they act towards each other... there's nothing separating Yamada and Sasaki from the high-schoolers we see in the average rom-slop anime. This is the latest seasonal romance to receive overhype, and the latest to be as mediocre as they come. It joins a distinguished list including Blue Box, Dangers In My Heart and Kaoru Hana.
Having said that, I lasted longer reading this manga than I did the other titles. There's some solidly executed comedy here, which often helps to keep my attention. However, the typical glacial progress of the romance forced me to stop eventually. The main issue with Super no Ura is the sheer idiocy of the male lead. I understand stretching a misunderstanding for comedic purposes, but here, it gets to the point where it's tiresome and frankly silly. I refuse to believe that someone of Sasaki's age could be this dumb. This is what I mean when I say that, despite being 'mature' characters, they don't have the emotional nor regular intelligence that maturity is supposed to bring. Isn't this supposed to be the show's gimmick- that the characters are older? Then why aren't they acting like it?
There's hints of a decent gag manga here, but the comedy wears off quick and what you're left with is an uninspiring romance between two people who by all reports are adults.
I don't believe those reports one bit.
Reviewer’s Rating: 5
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Jul 30, 2026
Made in Abyss is an anime that, throughout its first season and first movie, reached some serious high points. All the strengths of the series are easy to discern: strong characters, gorgeous art-work, a compelling setting and themes of the human experience and the overriding pursuit of knowledge.
Nonetheless, my assessment of Made in Abyss from the first season and movie was that it was excellent but flawed. Bondrewd was a menacing but often one-note villain whose impact outweighed his actual nuance. The first season, while compelling, still hadn't quite got into its stride and took awhile to introduce its characters and world.
Then the
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Golden City arc comes along. It was the first time Made in Abyss became a show that I could truly describe as unmissable. Gorgeous animation and music coincided with Tsukishi's best writing of the manga thus far, creating something dark and frightening yet beautiful and life-affirming. This arc captured the joys and horrors of the titular abyss all in one. After a recent rewatch, my strong opinion of this arc has only been strengthened.
Why does it work? Oh so many reasons. The dual stories of Vueko and Riko, as typified in the anime's catchy opening, are the main reason. The anime opens with Vueko's journey and gets you invested in them as much as the lead characters straight away. It establishes this cold sense of foreboding, of mystery, making us wonder what happened to this doomed 'Donner Party' Vueko was a part of. The new characters in this series are, without exception, brilliant. Vueko, Irumyuui, Wazukyan... and of course, Faputa.
Faputa is probably the main reason why this season is such a soul-shredder. Her arc is pure revenge tragedy; witnessing her mother's horrific fate in the name of survival and exploration makes us long for vengeance as much as she does. Yet Irumyuui's wish wasn't merely for revenge. Faputa's journey to understanding of 'haku', the true value of humanity, true meaning, strikes to the very heart of Made in Abyss' thematic material. The descent into the abyss is a descent into darkness. Her 'haku' comes not from revenge but from those who enabled her quest for revenge, in Reg and Gaburoon. Tsukishi had grappled with the justification for the descent in Made in Abyss before: power, knowledge, family, curiosity... but here, in the search for 'haku', he reveals the ultimate meaning of the abyss. A metaphorical pursuit of what it really means to be human. The value of the soul. The warmth you find in the darkness.
I cried the first time I watched Golden City. I cried more the second time. Anime doesn't get much better than this.
A word on the elephant in the room. Made in Abyss is no stranger to frankly uncomfortable perversions and fetishistic content, often featuring children. Do I think Tsukishi is justified in including this? No, I don't. I wish it wasn't there at all. It's a shame that you can't suggest Made in Abyss to everyone, and justifiably so, because of it's extreme and often gratuitous (borderline offensive) content. It's a shame Tsukishi tarnishes his masterful writing with his frankly wince-worthy fetishes. But if we only enjoyed art written by those considered 'uncontroversial', there wouldn't be much noteworthy art in the world. I personally consider Tsukishi's masterpiece to be worth wading through the quagmire of vomit-inducing fetishes. But if you don't, that's fair enough. Made in Abyss isn't for everyone. At times, it's far too much for me, someone who appreciates Tsukishi's talent to the nth value.
But perservere with Made in Abyss and Golden City, and imo, you're guaranteed to experience something special. Something I would describe, unquestionably, as a masterpiece.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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Jul 21, 2026
With a title like "I Want to Love You Till Your Dying Day", I went in with expectations. Doomed yuri. Angst. Violet Evergarden-esque attempts to make you cry every single episode. You know, that kinda thing.
Consider my expectations subverted. In fact, on account of the first three episodes and 15 odd chapters of the manga, I'm impressed. It's rare enough to get a yuri anime with decent production values and rarer still for the anime to be actually good. This is more than that. This could be one of the best anime of an admittedly weak season, alongside Grand Blue Season 3.
What's there to
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like? A lot. What a joy to see an anime with an actual sense of atmosphere. The show grabs hold of you straight away with its dark and brooding premise. This is a story comfortable mixing tones. We have child soldiers contrasted against young love. Moe cuteness contrasted against blood and gore. Yet the tonal contrast doesn't feel unnatural. It feels organic. The story, and the romance, comes alive in the contrast.
Then there's the characters. Shiina is the underpowered type of main character. You instantly connect with her DISconnect from the setting, and her disillusion with the war. Her pessimism is striking compared to the half adorable, half horrifying Mimi. Within seconds, their relationship is more engaging and more nuanced than 90% of anime romances. I want to know more about these characters. I want to find out what happens to these characters. I want to find out where their relationship goes.
Is there anything not to like? Well, the world is a bit of a mish-mash. This is a vaguely European, Harry Potter style magical world that didn't inspire much interest. The lore is also distinctly lacking so far. We have no idea why this war is happening or even who the belligerents are. Intentional? Probably? But I'd like to know at least a LITTLE bit about the world. Come on now.
Luckily, there are interesting characters inhabiting this rather generic setting. Characters are more important than plot and this show is a prime example of why. Compare this to Witch Hat Atelier, which had a fascinating world but only average characters. I personally find this one a lot more engaging.
"I Want to Love You Till Your Dying Day" has a rather eye-rolling title, but the story itself is far from it. If you enjoy yuri, or even if you don't, this is a must watch.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Jul 10, 2026
Hima-ten does absolutely nothing remarkable. The main character, Tenichi, is a mostly-designed-for-self-insert high schooler whose good nature conspires to attract the attentions of multiple beautiful heroines. There's fanservice and misunderstandings and lots of shenanigans. We all know the drill. So, does Hima-ten deserve to be read beyond the interests of the rom-com animanga genre? Would I suggest this to a reader who doesn't care about rom-coms as an actually good piece of writing?
Uhhhh... probably not, no. Hima-ten isn't THAT good.
However, I will give the manga some credit. I think it's a very serviceable example of the genre that ticks all the boxes. I chuckled
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when I was supposed to chuckle for the most part. The main character, while dense, wasn't so dense that it got on my nerves (although my patience was occasionally tested). A pretty big upside of this manga, I thought, was that almost all of the heroines were quite likeable. This wasn't like Quintessential Quintuplets, for example, where some of the quintuplets had markedly more chemistry with the lead, with disastrous results. Here, the development of Tenichi's relationship with Himari, Kanai and Kanna were well-balanced and as the manga developed, my honest opinion was that I wouldn't have minded much who he ended up with. There was chemistry on show with all three.
Those complaining about the ending are obviously just complaining because their favourite heroine didn't win. This is a tale as old as time and not one that really needs to be addressed. Entitled fans will be entitled fans. The ending is fine. In fact, considering how awful most animanga endings are, it's probably better than fine.
For a rom-com, ending in under 100 chapters felt like a serviceable blessing. I actually thought Hima-ten had above average pacing for an example of this genre. Compare this to many other rom-coms, where nothing happens for hundreds upon hundreds of chapters on end; a more contained read like Hima-ten felt like a blessing.
In short, Hima-ten has decent comedy, likeable characters and an ending that I was pretty satisfied with. I would suggest it over many overrated, sauceless modern anime romances like Blue Box, Kaoru Hana and Dangers in my Heart.
If you fancy reading an animanga rom-com that won't make you want to commit seppuku, then Hima-ten is a safe bet.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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Jun 15, 2026
Prepare to cry... or at least, that's what the author, Kana Akatsuki, wants you to do. Does Agent of the Four Seasons actually succeed, though?
What counts as tragic or heartbreaking or tearinducing is subjective. Sure. What I can criticise from a more objective standpoint, however, is the tiresome emotional manipulations of Akatsuki's writing. I watched and (mostly) enjoyed Violet Evergarden, despite its many flaws, so I knew exactly what I was signing up for with Agent of the Four Seasons. I have no issue with a writer aiming to evoke emotions in the audience. I would much rather watch something that aimed for the heartstrings
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than something dull and emotionless.
The problem with Akatsuki's writing, however, is that the emotional manipulation gets in the way of the storytelling. Too often, the story descends into meaningless and empty melodrama. Holding back can be just as devastating as tears rolling down a character's face. Akatsuki is clearly a competent writer who understands how to construct character and how to imbue her writing with themes, motifs and arcs. It's shame, then, that she so often resorts to forcing her characters to cry and hoping that we, the audience, will do the same.
There's another reason to be suspicious of Akatsuki's writing. The queerbaiting is constant and incessant. Now, I must stress that my objection is not with the yuri/yaoi implication. My objection is that I sincerely doubt that Akatuski has any intention to follow through. Sakura and Hinagiku's relationship is by far the most engaging part of the show so far. They are the emotional core and really the only reason I've made it through 5 episodes. Their relationship feels genuine and heartfelt.
Despite that, Akatsuki is simultaneously setting up a romance between Hinagiku and Mr Gloomy the Blizzard Man, who couldn't be much more dull and mopey if he tried. If you want to write yuri, just write yuri. But hey, this is a more personal complaint. All I can say is that I find it annoying and really hope the author follows through if they're going to bother with queerbaiting. Doing all this only to have a predictable straight romance between Winter/Spring would be eyerolling, to say the least.
Yes. I just wrote several long paragraphs complaining about Agent of the Four Seasons. However, I will say that it's probably better than 90% of the other anime being released at the moment. Akatsuki is a competent writer who, at times, can touch on aspects of the human experience, on real human emotion, with insight and feeling. They have a strong sense for character development and the show's themes of endurance are matched by the seasonal symbolism. The animation is pretty and the soundtrack by Kensuke Ushio is, as we all expect from him, fantastic.
There's a lot to enjoy about this show. On the other hand, Akatsuki is trying really hard to make me cry every single episode, and so far, I haven't cried once. That's a damning indictment, unfortunately.
Reviewer’s Rating: 6
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May 20, 2026
Monogatari is a series that flatters to deceive at times. Nisio Isin undoubtedly has a unique style, but large parts of his Monogatari series are frustrating both to read (as a light novel reader) and to watch in its anime adaptation by Shaft. These are light novels that are, let's face it, fundamentally unsuited to the anime format.
The heavy focus on dialogue is both Nisio Isin's greatest strength and weakness. When he finds a compelling human drama to base his dialogue in, the series becomes must watch. Other times, Monogatari descends into an exercise of watching characters waffle on and on about very very little,
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punctuated by patchy humour and endless loli-isms. Shaft's only solution to Monogatari's wall of dialogue is to punctuate it with visual flair. Their typical aesthetic, including sharp cuts and varied colour schemes, make the show pretty to look, but often fail to paper over the cracks of Nisio Isin's patchy writing.
Owarimonogatari's first section, however, is by far the best arc of the anime adaptation. Its only real rival is Kizumonogatari, one of the only arcs of the series where Araragi becomes a genuinely compelling protagonist, rather than just obnoxious. Here, the focus is on Sodachi Oikura and Oshino Ougi, who are by quite some distance the show's best side characters.
Sodachi's arc, in particular, is absolutely spectacular. Her arc toys with mystery fiction, one of Nisio Isin's favourite genres. She is one of the few characters who provides a real oppositional force to Araragi in the series- who really talks back- and her back and forth with him makes the viewer sit up in their seat. Monogatari is at its least inspiring when focusing on Araragi's coming of age story, the area of the show with the least depth. In Sodachi's arc, however, the nuance and complexities are instantly clear and you find yourself hanging on every line of dialogue.
If Monogatari was as good as this all the time, it would be a must watch. Unfortunately, Nisio Isin often follows up a fantastic arc which an arc of mindboggling tediousness, as he did with the appalling and redundant Shinobu Mail right after Sodachi Lost. Shaft's adaptation makes it worth the viewing alone, but Isin's writing too often unsuited to the visual medium and too often lacking in focus and direction.
This is a writer who, when he wants to, can write human drama that takes your breath away. It's a shame, then, that he wastes so much time dossing around.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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May 3, 2026
I came in expecting to love Witch Hat Atelier, and while the first three episodes were undoubtedly enjoyable, I can't say I've been blown away. If I had to compare this to other 'great' contemporary fantasy animangas (Frieren and Magus Bride, for example), then Atelier is a tier below. On the other hand, there's room for improvement and I suspect this show may be a slow burn that gets better as it goes along. I'll focus on the opening three episodes for now.
First of all, the anime looks breathtaking. Top marks for the production quality in general. Worldbuilding is one of the biggest 'skillchecks'
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for an author in fantasy. Bad worldbuilding puts me to sleep. Witch Hat Atelier does a superb job of immersing you in the story straight away, without bombarding you with exposition. It's smooth and organic and the magic system based on suppresion of knowledge feels timely and intriguing.
On the other hand, the world is the most interesting part of the story so far, and that's not a good thing. I was shaken, but not particularly stirred, by the characters. Coco is an adequate protagonist. She's easy to root for and root for her I did, but the characters feel more passable, workmanlike, than engaging. Perhaps I'm too jaded, but the emotional hook with Coco's mother was very predictable and didn't do much for me. It's like Fullmetal Alchemist (and a billion other stories)- not surprising enough. Having said that, she's not a 'bad' protagonist; just a little 'seen it all before'. My feelings are much the same towards Qifrey.
I will certainly keep watching Witch Hat Atelier, and perhaps the series will make me eat my words the more it progresses. At the moment though, the assessment is that Witch Hat Atelier is a competent fantasy show with an intriguing setting, but not unique enough to enter classic territory.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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May 1, 2026
It's sad to see how much of a parody of itself Re:Zero has become. This used to be one of the only watchable isekai series- the best of a bad bunch, in other words. It had a main character that was intentionally dislikeable in Subaru; the writing pushed Subaru to his limits in order to expose his toxicity and characters flaws. He was the ultimate subversion of the isekai protagonist, who takes his free pass into another world, rewarded for no reason at all. Re:Zero's first two seasons were thrilling despite their many flaws, amongst them being a world that isn't nearly as interesting as
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it seems to think and a bloated cast. The show was exciting because it refused to conform to the trappings of isekai. Rather, it took the genre's tropes and trappings to school.
The cracks started to appear in the show's uneven third series. The main problem with series 3 was what used to be the show's greatest strength: Subaru himself. This was a character that used to be an inversion of the isekai protagonist power fantasy. In season 3, however, Re:Zero began to feel dangerously like... every other isekai. Subaru's only real challenge in the third series was physical. His character wasn't being challenged anymore. There was no real growth. The focus on Emilia, always the show's most dull and lifeless character, was another downside. Emilia is and always has been rubbish, despite her obvious potential and interesting backstory. The show just can't resist leering over the elf, turning her into nothing but an object to be saved by Subaru, no matter how much it tries to pretend otherwise.
The cracks have only widened in the first few episodes of this series. Subaru and Emilia continue to have no chemistry whatsoever. Their banter is just Subaru hitting on her, while Emilia passively accepts. It's like watching a guy in their twenties year hit on a high-schooler who hasn't had 'the conversation' with her parents yet. Subaru's character hasn't had any real, substantial development since season 2. I would rather spend time with literally any other character than Subaru and Emilia at this point.
The embarrassing copy and paste of the Rem arc onto Julius is eyerolling too. How many times are we going to do this? On the other hand, it's the perfect metaphor for the state of Re:Zero, a show that, in the process of overstaying its welcome, has descended into endless repetition. Watching the show is like being forced to use Return by Death, in the worst way possible.
In the words of Obi-Wan Kenobi, Re:Zero has become the very thing it swore to destroy. The show has come full circle. It's officially just another isekai power fantasy, with harem trappings. And that's a shame. It really is.
Reviewer’s Rating: 5
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May 1, 2026
Thoroughly entertaining thus far. I knew nothing about rakugo going in, so much of the novelty of this show comes from the subject matter. Nonetheless, I thought the first episode was very well executed; it gets you invested in Akane and her father's relationship straight away. Excellent pacing, dialogue and emotional weight. When it transitions fully into the fmc's story, I was already on board. Thus far, Akane herself is undoubtedly the highlight. She is a charming and likeable fmc right from the off, fiery and determined while still being funny and vulnerable. You gladly root for her.
The art style is colourful and the
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comedy well executed too. It passes the laugh test for Yours Truly. Akane-banashi has a rather camp aesthetic and style of humour- theatrical, for sure, which suits the Rakugo focus. The opening and ending songs are killer. The voice acting is another area of praise. Rakugo obviously demands superb voice acting and so far, it's been superb.
This is a 7/10 with strong potential to be higher than that. I'm excited to see where Akane-banashi goes. This, Witch Hat Atelier and Nippon Sengoku are looking to be the highlights of the season.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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May 1, 2026
Despite the degenerate art-style, this manga was actually quite enjoyable. It serves as an entertaining fantasy parody with broad comedy, while also being a sweet enough romance. The premise is simple enough: overpowered level 99 hero returns after defeating the Demon King and decides to marry her humble childhood friend, becoming a level 1 wife in the process. She doesn't want her clueless husband to know her real identity because it's his dream to protect and make her happy. She wants to play into his dream. Shenanigans ensue.
The central romance is rootworthy, complete with a clueless male lead. The gag about Yui's husband being
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useless at everything but an absolute demon in bed is pretty funny. The side characters have one gag that gets repeated over and over again, in classic animanga fashion, but I found all of them quite entertaining. Draco Vermillion and Lou are highlights. It's particularly funny seeing Yui crush confident villains about 50 levels below her. The comedy is a mixture of One Punch Man style gags with some Konosuba thrown it, but with more ribald than either of those series. All I can say is that it consistently made me laugh in the 20 or so chapters so far and that was what kept me reading.
If you're down for a fantasy dungeon crawler parody/a decent comedy series in general, I would recommend this. If the character designs weren't so... uh... in your face, then this might be more popular and accessible. Either way, it's funny and wholesome and very readable. Go for it.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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